Crone

Crone was the matriarchal leader of the Great Ravens living within Moon's Spawn. She had glittering black eyes, and enormous wings composed of oily feathers, which were described as mangy. She had a sharp gaze and her unnaturally acute vision enabled her to see a long way.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.193/194/198 She had a chipped beak which she herself described as broken.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.199 She opened her beak in a silent laugh whenever she was amused.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.529
Crone was over 120,000 years old and the eldest of the Great Ravens.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.198 In Gardens of the Moon she thought of "her thousands of years of life" and the wisdom they had earned her,Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.194 however food was often foremost on her thoughts.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.198 - example She became offended whenever anyone treated her as a mere bird and did not give her the respect that her elder years and power had earned.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.98Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.528-529
She was loyal to Anomander RakeGardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p.xv and Caladan Brood, treating them almost as equals.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 9, US HC p.231Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 10, US HC p.240-242 The Mhybe believed her Rake's favoured servant.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.97
==In Gardens of the Moon==
Crone visited the alchemist Baruk and easily bypassed his wards. She rapped on the window and when Baruk opened the shutters she pushed the thin glass pane with her chest until it shattered. After introductions, Crone passed on a request from the Lord of Moon's Spawn for a meeting with Baruk. As the two talked, Roald announced the arrival of councilman Turban Orr. Crone asked to witness the meeting. With Baruk's agreement she used illusionary magic to make herself look like a black hunting dog to Orr. When the councilman patted the head of the supposed hound, Baruk was hardly able to prevent himself from laughing. Crone made several comments during the conversation, giving advice to Baruk but her voice only sounded like the noises of a dog to Orr. When the councilman was about to leave, Crone commented that his words were ill-chosen on this of all nights, even as she thought she could hear a spinning coin.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.198-201, 203-206
Crone then traveled north to Blackdog Forest to share information and discuss strategy with her other master, Caladan Brood.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 10, US HC p.240-242 Flying back south to Moon's Spawn she encountered Hurtle and other distressed young ravens pursuing a puppet across the Rhivi Plain. Attempting to confront the creature that had murdered one of her kin, Crone was stunned by the puppet's nearly overwhelming attacks of Chaos magic.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 10, US HC p.245-247 
== In Memories of Ice==
Crone remained with Brood, hounding the warlord and "offering incessant advice like a conscience twisted awry." She tested Brood's patience to the point that he threatened to have her beak strapped shut.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.97-98 
Crone participated in the meeting that cemented the alliance of Brood and Rake with their former enemy, High Fist Dujek Onearm, to contest the expansion of the Pannion Domin. She and her kin had been the first to observe and warn of the danger the Domin represented. During the discussions, Crone was shocked by the young Silverfox's uncanny knowledge of the Ravens' birth and silenced her before she could reveal too much. The Great Ravens were shamed by their origin and feared the consequences of its revelation. Crone thought to disclose their connection to the Crippled God and his power was to mark them as enemies of the Tiste Andii and others. Crone did not realise that Rake and Korlat were already aware of their nature. They carried fragments of the Crippled God's power within themselves and were strengthened by devouring sorcery. Rake found their potential power so appalling that he kept the Ravens close.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.98/110-111/116 
During the Pannion War, the Great Ravens served as Brood's eyes and ears in enemy territory, although their effectiveness was much diminished by the Pannion Seer's own demonic Condors as they moved deeper into the Pannion Domin.Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.100Memories of Ice, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.788Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.528 At Brood's camp, she felt pity for the quickly aging and deteriorating Mhybe and attempted to comfort her.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.199-200
Crone served as the go-between for Rake and Brood, informing the warlord that Rake had taken Moon's Spawn somewhere unseen.Memories of Ice, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.527 But she became greatly agitated when Rake stopped communicating from the skykeep's unknown hiding place and she feared the worst for her master. Brood, Kallor, and Korlat refused to heed her warnings that the alliance with the Malazans and the success of the war itself teetered on the brink. Korlat had never seen the Matriarch so rattled.Memories of Ice, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.788-791Memories of Ice, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.839-840
Crone and her gathered kin were reunited with Rake after Moon's Spawn made its surprise reappearance at the Battle of Black Coral.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.978 When the devastated skykeep was allowed to drift out to sea to its doom, they lost their roost.
==In Toll the Hounds==
Crone returned to Darujhistan to visit Baruk for the first time in months, bringing a copy of Dillat's Dark and Light as a gift from Anomander Rake. The Great Raven cackled at the tome's inaccuracies, suggesting corrections to its tale of the falling out between Rake, Osserc, and Draconus. When Baruk reported that the White Face Barghast had disappeared and asked if she knew what became of them, she revealed they had taken to the seas and the Grey Swords had followed. Her answer to whether Rake would establish an embassy in the city was noncommittal. Then she obliquely asked if Baruk needed Rake's assistance against the coming return of the Tyrant to Darujhistan.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.185 The meeting was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Chillbais with an urgent message regarding the escape of Vorcan Radok from Finnest House. The Great Raven and the small demon took an instant disliking to each other.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 1, US SFBC p.51-56 
Later, Crone returned and Baruk showed her a Jade-eyed Demon he had snared in a trap. He told Crone it came from the world of the Fallen One's birth and sought its god. He admitted his interest in the Crippled God had been piqued by a visit from Shadowthrone and told her to warn Rake to be wary of whatever the god of Shadow offered him as nothing with Shadow was as it seemed. With this information, Crone returned to Black Coral to tell Rake that Baruk understood what was offered, "More or less. Perhaps."Toll the Hounds, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.182-184Toll the Hounds, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.417
Rake next sent her to find Endest Silann, who was on a pilgrimage to the River Eryn.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 10, US SFBC p.418 Finding the old priest eating fish on the river's shore with Caladan Brood, she passed along the message that he was to return to Black Coral before complaining the pair had rudely left her no food.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 12, US SFBC p.463-464
On the last night of the Gedderone Fête, Crone would rather have been in Darujhistan to honour and witness Rake's final moments, but her Lord sent her and a score of other Great Ravens to be with Spinnock Durav. Spinnock had been tasked with holding Kallor at bay outside the city and preventing him from entering the city. The two men fought all night before the High King inevitable struck the Tiste Andii. The Great Raven landed at Spinnock's side to share his final moments, but Korlat was able to save his life with a healing vial prepared by Endest Silann.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.947-948 Later that day, Crone returned to Baruk's estate to join Baruk, Derudan, and Vorcan Radok in witnessing Caladan Brood destroy Dragnipur.Toll the Hounds, Epilogue, US SFBC p.1005-1007
==In The Crippled God==
(Information needed)
==Origin==
According to the Elder God K'rul, the Great Ravens had formed like maggots from the flesh of the Fallen One, eating the pieces of his broken body which had been torn from him during his descent onto the sister continents of Jacuruku and Korelri.Memories of Ice, Prologue, UK MMPB p.35/36Memories of Ice, Chapter 3, US SFBC p.98 
==Quotes==
==Notes and references==
Category:Females
Category:Great Ravens
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