Rowan (L2)

Template:SpoilerDragonslayer

"Crow and Gorge found out that Mushroom is on his way to steal treasure. [...] We have to follow him and come back with treasure for them, or they're going to sacrifice Grove."

— Rowan about the Dragonmancers, to Cranberry and Thyme

Template:Charbox Rowan is a female scavenger who appears in Dragonslayer. She is Wren's and Leaf's oldest sister. She helps Leaf to become one of the Dragonmancers.

Appearance

Rowan is described as having intense and hypnotic dark brown eyes.

Biography

Dragonslayer

Rowan first appears when Leaf is arguing with his parents about where Wren went, occasionally breaking into the conversation. Eventually, she tells him about the Dragonslayer, who she heard about from her friend Grove. Leaf gets excited and wants to become a dragonslayer to avenge Wren, but their parents forbid them from doing so. However, at school, Rowan secretly teaches Leaf what she knows about dragonslaying, as long as Leaf keeps it secret. Eventually, she gets captured by the SkyWings along with Leaf while trying to catch Mushroom.

The Dragonet Prophecy

Rowan, along with Cranberry, Cardinal, and Arbutus were the scavengers who fought Tsunami and Starflight in the SkyWing Arena. She was one of the two female scavengers to survive the fight. She also mentions to Leaf that she 'nearly got the black one's eye', meaning she was the one who almost got Starflight's eye.

Quotes

"It is too possible." - About killing dragons.

"I think Leaf should know about the Dragonslayer, that's all."

"He's not a myth. My friend Grove says it's all true, [...] Grove's family used to live in the Indestructible City and they had wandering travellers come through all the time and some of them had even met the Dragonslayer."

"It's not an idea, it's a fact, [...] the Dragonslayer was only a young man, but he was determined to fight to free his people, and so he rode far out into the desert one night, [...] He crept right inside the lair of the sand dragon queen, and he fought a great battle with her, and the blood sprayed and the scales flew, until finally he cut off her head and stole all her treasure and rode back home, triumphant."

"He brought the venomous tail of the dragon queen back with him as proof, [...] The treasure made him the wealthiest man in the entire world. Rich, powerful, dangerous: the slayer of dragons, the hero of men!"

"Serves you right and you know why!"

"I'm going to help Leaf study, [...] Mother and Father think he could be chosen to be a dragonmancer's apprentice. So naturally I want to help prepare him."

"Old toad, [...] I bet you she'll be a lot nicer to you from now on, just in case you do end up a dragonmancer."

"Yes, [...] but not this boring stuff."

"Well, if you're really going to slay a dragon one day, you'll probably need to practice a little, first."

"I'm going to train you to be a great warrior, [...] but only if you promise not to tell Mother and Father. As far as they know, we're studying for our dragonmancer exams."

"Well, sure, but you won't actually pass them, don't worry. Hardly anyone does. They've only had six apprentices in the last ten years, remember? And I'm not sure they're learning anything besides how to fetch and carry and make goat cheese. The ones who've survived, that is."

"Rule number one, [...] Don't shout like a maniac and warn the dragon you're about to attack. I mean, seriously."

"We think there are six or seven different kinds." -About dragons

"Leaf, seriously. Haven't you noticed the difference between the swamp dragons and the mountain dragons? Their faces are different, their scales are different-- Grove says even their dens and castles are different, according to what he learned in the Indestructible City."

"There are desert dragons, like the one the Dragonslayer killed. Arctic dragons, apparently, who live in ice and snow. And ocean dragons who live under the sea, we're pretty sure. [...] And maybe one or two more, [...] Grove swears he once saw a totally black dragon, but I've never heard anyone else mention them. Plus there are parts of the continent where no one's ever been, so there could be other dragons there."

"Good move, but too slow, [...] Try again."

"Do you ever wonder whether the dragonmancers are hiding something?"

"I think that might be what Grove thinks, too, [...] He keeps hinting at it, but because he's smarter than Wren, he won't say it directly."

"You know what, you should become a dragonmancer apprentice, if they'll take you."

"But that's not all you'd learn, [...] You could find out all their secrets!"

"You wouldn't have to be, [...] Get in there, put your head down and pretend, and learn everything they know-- like what happened to most of their apprentices, and how their visions work, and why they have forbidden anyone to go try to steal treasure? And then tell me everything, and we'll use their knowledge to go kill all the dragons!"

"I tried, actually, [...] Last year. They said I failed the tests. But I have a theory it's not about the test scores-- it's about who they trust."

"Maybe I know a little too much, [...] Anyway, they seem to like you. I bet you could do it."

"Leaf! [...] Come on, hurry!"

Trivia

• Rowan is a species of deciduous tree or shrub in the rose family.
• It is possible that Rowan has a crush on another scavenger/human named Grove.

Gallery

• An actual rowan tree
  An actual rowan tree