Crane

Crane
Biographical Information
Nationality	Olart (former, probably) Emelanese
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Hair	Black
Eyes	Brown
Family Information
Lover	Rosethorn (in an on-and-off relationship)
Other Family	Albannon fer Yorvan (grade of relation unknown)
Affilliation
Rank	First Dedicate of Air Temple
Student(s)	Trisana Chandler (secondary) Briar Moss (secondary)
Affiliation	Winding Circle
Bibliographical Information
Universe	Emelanese Universe character

Niko: "There are other experts in this kind of work. I am sure that Dedicate Crane will find a way to identify the ailment and its cure."

Rosethorn: "Yours is a happy nature. Crane will need help. With that lordly manner of his, I doubt he'll manage to keep anyone else for more than a day."

— Niklaren Goldeye and Rosethorn about Crane

Crane (born Isas, surname unknown) is a Dedicate of the Living Circle religion at Winding Circle in Emelan. He is the first Air Temple dedicate and an initiate, which means temple-mage. He and Rosethorn have enjoyed a friendly rivalry and even a sexual relationship for years.

Biography

Little of Crane's early life is known. He is related to Count Albannon fer Yorvan from Olart and had a governess, which indicates he grew up in a noble or at least wealthy household and is probably from Olart. At that time he was still known by his birth name of Isas. He studied at the University of Lightsbridge along with Rosethorn, who had still been known as Niva then. His reasons for joining the Living Circle or the time he did so are unknown, but it may be that it coincided with Rosethorn's decision.

Once he took his vows and dedicated himself to the Gods of air at Winding Circle he changed his name to Crane. His new name may be a reference to the fact that Crane usually keeps a neat outer appearance and posture or to his realtionship to Rosethorn, because cranes' beatuy and mating dances have made them a symbolic figure in many cultures.

By 1035 KF Crane has become first among the Air Temple dedicates as well as an initiate.

He had large greenhouses, which were protected by alarm spells, in which he grews plants out of season, and tangled with Briar Moss when Briar spotted a shakkan in his greenhouses which was ill. Briar adopted the plant. His greenhouses were also a reason why he and Rosethorn were constantly arguing, because Rosethorn believed that plants should be able to grow at their own seasons, not at the wrong times, which Crane's greenhouse enabled him to do.

Personality and traits

Dedicate Crane was a very proud person. He also looked down on the poor and thought very little of institutions like Urda's House.

Dedicate Crane had a strong dislike for dogs.

Physical description

Dedicate Crane is tall and lean with lank, black hair and brown eyes. Just like his hair his brows are dark and thin. His face is described as being thin and suspicious. Crane has long arms and legs as well as a long face and long nose. His mouth is small. His hands are described as being elegant. He normally wears the yellow robe of an Air Dedicate with the black trim which marks him as an initiate.

Skills and abilities

As a template initiate, Crane can use magic. He is even considered (or rather: considers himself) a great mage and powerful mages with great knowledge would like to work for him. His powers don't include the ability to see magic. He has to use a visualization potion for this.

Along with Rosethorn he was very skilled at finding cures to unknown illnesses. Both of them usually worked together to unravel new diseases. However, usually this involved only finding out about new versions of already known diseases. They were faced with a different challenge with the blue pox, which really was a new disease.

His workroom was in the greenhouses, where also was a center for discovering the cure to diseases, such as the blue pox in 1036 K.F. Apart from Rosethorn he had also other helpers novices and Water Temple and Air Temple initiates, who were charged with preparing the samples so he could work with them. For his work, which included dealing with a diseases essence, normal protection of gloves and masks wasn't strong enough, so he asked Lark to strengthen the protection on the fabrics used by him and his helpers.

Relationships

Osprey helped him out with his work, and was even a friend of his.

Dedicate Rosethorn

Main article: Rosethorn

"We have our differences, but you know—I would hope you know—that I respect your gifts and your knowledge."

—Crane to Rosethorn when asking her to help him researching the blue pox

Rosethorn and Crane knew each other from their time in Lightsbridge and later they both joined Winding Circle. There Rosethorn dedicated herself to the Gods of Earth and ran Discipline cottage along with Dedicate Lark while Crane became an Air Temple dedicate and had a greenhouse. He grew plants out of season, which deeply went against Rosethorns principles and was a regular point of argument between both of them. They were usually seen arguing over this and other facts, like their differing opinions concerning institutions for the poor like Urda's House. Crane also accused Rosethorn of having no system in her work, while Rosethorn accused him of criticizing other people's work too much. Crane once even accused Rosethorn of having sent Briar to steal from his greenhouse.

However, they could also work together, if need be, and acknowledged each others skill and knowledge. Crane even once lowered himself to asking for Rosethorn's help to find the cure to the blue pox. Thus they were a good team at finding the cure the new illnesses. They even fostered a casual sexual relationship, but mostly it had been in the past and around the time Briar and his foster sisters lived at Discipline their relationship had died down to a point where it only existed in times when they worked together. It was one of those things happening "when you're working closely with someone in an intense situation".

Briar Moss

Main article: Briar Moss

Briar and the First Air Temple Dedicate had a bad start. They first met when Briar saw a sick shakkan in Crane's greenhouse. In order to help the tree Briar stole it, thus setting off Crane's alarm spells. The dedicate followed Briar to Discipline cottage and could only be calmed down by Lark's intervention. Both Crane and Briar harbored mutual dislike for each other ever since. Briar considered the dedicate to be a proud "money-bag" and Crane wouldn't change his perception of Briar as a low-bred thief. It didn't help their relationship either that Briar became the student of Crane's rival, Rosethorn.

Nevertheless they had sort of a truce during the blue pox epidemic. When Crane asked Rosethorn to help him find the cure of the disease she insisted upon Briar being part of the helpers to acquaint him with the procedure. Crane allowed it grudgingly. Crane's impression on Briar improved slightly after he had witnessed the boy working as a helper in his greenhouses during the epidemic. Crane noticed Briar's steady hands and his concentration and he was one of the few helpers Crane didn't send away because of their mistakes, even when Briar let a tray with samples of the sickness fall down. In later books, Briar mentions Crane as one of his teachers, suggesting that their truce was maintained during Briar's time at Winding Circle.

Appearances

• Sandry's Book
• Tris's Book (chapter 9)
• Briar's Book
• Magic Steps (chapter 13)