Silver Hill (34 page)

He’ll make a promise he’ll fulfil.

When all is equal, all the same

That which was lost is found again
.

Queen of Annwn
– Her name is
Coragwenelan
and her full title is: Queen of the
Fair Folk
, Guardian of the
Gateways of Annwn
. She is also an immortal
Nymph
and
Shape-Shifter
.

Raven Boy
– I’m a raven boy and have been for most of my life. Nora and I helped
Jack
to become a raven boy too. When we touch foreheads he transforms into a raven. Jack needs to touch foreheads with me again to change back into a boy.
(Being a raven boy has its advantages: you can fly and eat as much as you can get.)

Romans
– In AD 61 the Romans were ordered to kill all the
Druids
in Britain. The Romans at the
Viroconium
camp were the XIV Legion. Quintus Flavius Maximus was the Camp Prefect, in charge of the camp when the main body of the XIV Legion were away. Titus Antonius Agrippa was a Centurion in charge of a marching party of eight soldiers. Marcus Cornelius Drusus was a soldier. Gaius Rufus Octavian was the messenger who brought the news from the XIV Legion to Viroconium.
(I don’t like Romans.)

Runes of Annwn
– The ancient writing of the Fair Folk of Annwn.

Sacred Grove
– A forest of oak trees, which used to cover the whole area around
Glasruhen
,
Newton Gill
and beyond.

Samhain
– One of the four main festivals, celebrated on October 31
^st
, which was the beginning of the Celtic New Year.
(It’s also Jack’s birthday.)

Seanchai
(pronounced
shawn ack ee
) – A Druid who remembers and keeps important information safe.
(Nora knows just about all there is to know.)

Shape-Shifter
– Someone or something that can change its shape at will. It is different to transformation, which needs a spell or potion.
(Nora and Elan can shape-shift and so can the Dorysk. Jack can only transform.)

Spear of Justice
– One of the
Four Treasures of Annwn
, it is needed for the ritual to open the northern gateway. It was used to determine if someone was speaking the truth.

Spriggans
– These tiny men (about 60cm tall) live underground. They are miners and think that everything that comes from the Earth belongs to them. They must always be roped together because a loose Spriggan can grow into a giant.

Staffs
–
Druids
in
Annwn
carry staffs of power. They use them to perform magic.

Stone of Destiny
– One of the
Four Treasures of Annwn
, it is needed for the ritual to open the eastern gateway. Some say that if you look into the stone you will see your future.

Sword of Power
– One of the Four Treasures of Annwn, it is needed for the ritual to open the southern gateway. The sword would protect anyone using it for good from harm.

The Blessed Council
– Those who were left live together in the
Druid’s Village
. Thirteen of these Druids, who make up the Blessed Council, were chosen to work alongside the
Queen of Annwn
. Gwillam was unanimously voted their leader. They meet together in the Council Chamber, which is on the ground floor of one of the circular turret rooms in the
Glass Palace
. Each member of the Blessed Council has his own seat at a semi-circular table. The thirteen members of the Blessed Council are: Gwillam, Nesta, Berwin, Elgan, Geraint, Nerys, Tirion, Gunnoda, Tegwen, Brid, Maddock, Gwenda and Kireg.

The One
– Jack Brenin is the chosen one who is expected to help the inhabitants of Glasruhen. He’s not sure why he’s been chosen, how he can help or if he really wants to.
(There is a
Prophecy
about Jack and how he will save everyone.)

Undines
– A type of
Water Nymph
that likes to live in ponds, lakes, waterfalls, springs and wells. Several Undines live in the
Glasruhen
region. Their names are
Jennet
, Isen, Nymet,
Myryl
, Kerrin,
Coriss
,
Uriel
and Lucie.
(Make sure you take a gift with you if you need help or information or they won’t even talk to you.)

Uriel’s Well
– A well inhabited by a
Water Nymph
called
Uriel
in a desolate place on the south side of
Glasruhen Hill
.
(This place makes all my feathers stand on end.)

Wands
– The greatest wands are the ones from the
Hamadryad
oak and contain a special magic from
Annwn
. A wand is gifted to a new
Druid
by a
Dryad
or
Hamadryad
. Acolytes need a lot of training to be able to master their wands.
(Jack got me my wand but I keep getting it confiscated, apparently I’m not using it responsibly.)

Water Nymphs
– There are different kinds of water nymphs. All of them are great collectors. They love shiny objects and will trade information or grant a favour to obtain a special gift. Never give a water nymph a reflective surface or they might see themselves in it. They would be very angry if they saw their reflection, they consider themselves very beautiful, which they aren’t. They are incredibly strong.
(An angry water nymph is something to be avoided.)

Westwood Roost
– Was once home to a family of
dragonettes
. It used to be at the back of the cave where
Finnola Fytche
now lives.
(It’s the worst place I’ve ever been, a total mess and smells revolting.)

WHERE IS IT?

The Map of Glasruhen – (pronounced
glass-rue-hen
meaning
ancient green hill
) From
The Golden Acorn

–
The Adventures of Jack Brenin
Book One.

Back Lane
– This is a short cut from Forest Road to the market town of
Newton Gill
. It’s a footpath and not a road.
Brenin House
, and the back gate of
Ewell House
, can be reached by going past the playing field.

Brenin House
– The house where
Grandad
and
Jack
live. It’s been in the Brenin family for generations.

Ewell House
– Where I live with
Nora
. I have my own loft above the attic with my own window.
Elan
and
Jack
have their own rooms here too for when they stay. The house is very big and surrounded by trees and bushes. There are lots of statues in the garden and it’s got a lake which is where
Gerda
and
Medric
live. Nora has herb, flower and kitchen gardens. There’s a secret entrance at the bottom of Nora’s garden which leads up to
Glasruhen Hill
or along to the bottom of
Sam Brenin
’s garden.

Forest Road
– If you follow Forest Road it joins Salchester Road.
Salchester
is the modern name for
Viroconium
, which used to be the fourth largest Roman city in Britain.

Glasruhen
– A small hamlet in the shadow of Glasruhen Hill. The two main houses in the hamlet are Ewell House, where Nora lives, and the Brenin House, where Jack lives with his Grandad.

Glasruhen Cricket Club
– This is where
Sam Brenin
used to play cricket and now looks after the grounds and pitch.

Glasruhen Forest
– An ancient forest mainly of oak trees, in the middle of which lives
Arrana
, the last
Hamadryad
left on Earth.

Glasruhen Hill
– A large hill that looms above the hamlet of Glasruhen. The ancient Celtic Cornovii tribe constructed a settlement and hillfort on top of the hill.

Hawthorn Well
– Can be found above
Ewell House
on the slopes of
Glasruhen Hill
.
Jennet
, a
Water Nymph
lives in the well. The hawthorn
cauldron plate
once hung on the hawthorn tree next to the well.

Hillfort
– At the top of
Glasruhen Hill
there was once a fortified hillfort. It was built by the Cornovii tribe. The
window in time
can be found at the exact midpoint above the hillfort.

Newton Gill
– A small market town at the foot of
Glasruhen Hill
.

Newton Gill Forest
– Once a great forest of oak trees but now most of the trees have become
Gnarles.
The
Dryads
no longer live in the trees and the whole forest is slowly dying.

Playing Field
– If you turn off
Forest Road
and walk along the back lane you come to the playing field.

Raven’s Bowl
– Located on an outcrop of rock at the summit of
Glasruhen Hill
is the Raven’s Bowl. There are lots of legends about the place but this is where
Nora
performed the ritual to make
Jack Brenin
a raven boy, just like me.

Salchester
– The modern name for
Viroconium
, which used to be the fourth largest Roman City in Britain. A few ruined remains of the once great city can still be seen in the fields around Salchester.

Standing Stones
– These stones form a circle. The tallest stone in the middle has a hole near the top, big enough to put your arm through. They are hidden by deep magic and you can only enter the area with permission from
Arrana
.

Viroconium
– A small fort in AD 61 which went on to become the fourth largest Roman City in Britain. It was the Latin name for what is now the small hamlet of
Salchester
. A few ruined remains of the once great city can still be seen in the fields around Salchester.

The Map of Annwn – (pronounced
an-noon
also

known as the
Otherworld
). From
Glasruhen Gate
–

The Adventures of Jack Brenin
Book Two

Amphitheatre
– A semi-circular stage at the foot of three hills near the
Eastern Portal
of
Annwn
. Seating has been cut into the hillside and the inhabitants of Annwn meet there to celebrate together.

Annwn
– A land in another world, sometimes called the
Otherworld
. It’s a place of peace and happiness, where it’s always summer. There used to be portals on Earth, secret gateways, which could only be opened in certain ways at special times of the year. Only Druids had the knowledge and skill needed to perform the rituals that opened the gates. Mortals were only allowed into Annwn at
Samhain
.

Caves of Eternal Rest
– When the
Romans
invaded Britain, they had orders to kill all the
Druid
s, some managed to enter Annwn through one of the gateways, but most were slain. Those that died were transported to
Annwn
where they had eternal life and could choose to live amongst the peoples of
Annwn
or go to a special place in the mountains, the
Caves of Eternal Rest
, and sleep in peace for eternity. Most of them chose to go into the caves.

Citadel
– The fortress that surrounds and protects the
Glass Palace
was built after a band of men from Earth invaded
Annwn
and tried to steal its
Treasures
.

Clearing
– A wide, open space to the east of the
Glass Palace
where the people gather together. The
Monolith
stands in the middle of the clearing.

Crannog
– A village built on stilts in the middle of wetlands in the south of
Annwn
.

Druid’s Village
– Can be reached by travelling northeast from the
Glass Palace
.
Gwillam
lives here along with all the other members of the
Blessed Council
. The village is close to the
Mother Oak
and the
Mountains of Annwn
. The
crochan tree
grows in Gwillam’s garden.

Eastern Gate
– Marks the eastern boundary between
Annwn
and Earth. The treasure needed to open this gate is the
Stone of Destiny
. Two sentinel oaks guard this portal.

Glass Palace
– The four glass turrets of the palace can be seen for miles around. It is situated in the middle of a lake in the very heart of
Annwn
. The Queen’s garden is close to the water gate. The Glass Palace can only be reached by boat, unless you can fly.

Monolith
– A large standing stone, found in the middle of
The Clearing
, to the east of the
Glass Palace
, where the people of Annwn meet.

Mound
– A burial chamber in the southwest above the swamp. It’s the resting place of the former
King of Annwn
who chose mortality over eternal life.