Duncton Wood

This article is about the location and system. For the first book in *The Duncton Chronicles* trilogy, see Duncton Wood (book).

## Features

### Subareas

* The Ancient System
* Barrow Vale
* The Eastside
* The Marsh End
* The Pastures
* The Westside

### Notable inhabitants

* Bracken
* Rebecca
* Mandrake
* Rune
* Hulver
* Mekkins

## Appearances

### Debut

*Duncton Wood*

**Duncton Wood** is a mole system divided by the Eastside, the Westside, Barrow Vale, the Pastures, the Marsh End and the Duncton Stone.

## Landscape

Most of Duncton is known for a large hill which is flanked on the southeast by a cliffside of chalk. At the summit of the hill itself lies the Stone, and beside it a single beech tree. The roots of the tree entwine and grow around the Stone which has caused it to tile to one side. Below the summit of the hill lies the Ancient System used by Duncton moles long before. Further down the hill, where the beech trees give way to oak and ash trees and thick fern banks, is the main system of Duncton.

In the center of the system, a place where the oaks thin out and is warmed by the summer, is Barrow Vale, a place for chatter and gossip.

To the west of the hill begins the Pastures, and to the north, the marshes "where no mole goes." In the west side of the system lives a group of moles, the Westsiders, known for their tough, agressive nature (which is possibly due to the Pasture moles further west). To the east of the hill live the Eastsiders, who inhabit the drier soil near the cliff's edge and are smaller in number and much less aggressive than the Westsiders.

Northward, the waterlogged soil of the marsh proves a dangerous territory for moles. Next to it lies a stretch of wood called the Marsh End, where the soil is drier and inhabitable and the moles who live there, the Marshenders, are feared and reviled.

## Landmarks

### Duncton Stone

This section is a stub and needs expansion.
### High Wood

The forest that circles around the clearing of the Duncton Stone.

### Duncton Library

An underground library, lined with many, many texts of moledom, including the Stillstones.

## Notable events

* The Elders of Duncton side with the will of Mandrake that the way of the Stone and its ceremonies are no longer needed. Hulver, the elder who still believes of the old ways, keeps quiet under the threatening glare of Mandrake and Rune; however, he still feels that what Mandrake is doing is completely wrong. Bindle, his good friend, still holds faith to the old ways, and with his and Hulver's help, they celebrate the long lost rites of the Stone, with Bracken, Hulver's apprentice, hidden away. Bracken escapes heavily wounded by Mandrake and his henchmoles, and comes into the care of Rose the Healer.
* With Hulver and Bindle now killed, Mandrake rules over Duncton Wood, with Rune aiding him. However, Rune is simply biding his time under the leadership of Mandrake and swears to take his place. He plans to take Rebecca, Mandrake and Sarah's daughter, as his mate to gain more power. Meanwhile, Bracken recovers from his wounds and eventually finds a mate in Rue, with whom he has pups with.
* With Rebecca a captive to her father after having mated with Cairn, a Pasture mole, she sinks into a long depression during and after her pregnancy when her pups are killed by Mandrake.

## Notable inhabitants

### Natives

* Aspen
* Bailey
* Bantam
* Beech
* Beechen
* Bindle
* Bracken
* Burrhead
* Chamfer
* Chater
* Cluniac
* Curlew
* Curlew
* Cobbett
* Coltsfoot
* Comfrey
* Dogwood
* Drubbins
* Elynor
* Fieldfare
* Firkin
* Hay
* Hulver
* Husk
* Lavender
* Lorren
* Maple
* Maundy
* Mekkins
* Pipple
* Pumpkin
* Rebecca
* Rebecca the Healer
* Root
* Rose
* Rue
* Rune
* Sarah
* Snyde
* Starling
* Stour
* Sturne
* Thrift
* Tryfan
* Violet
* Wesley
* Wheatear

### Immigrants

* Alder
* Barre
* Beake
* Crosswort
* Dodder
* Fetter
* Feverfew
* Flint
* Hamble
* Heather
* Law
* Madder
* Mandrake
* Marram
* Mayweed
* Privet
* Quince
* Romney
* Skint
* Sorrel
* Spindle
* Teasel
* Thyme
* Whillan
* Whortle
* Woodruff
* Wren

### Visitors

* Avens
* Chervil
* Mullion
* Nightshade
* Noakes
* Pansy
* Raistow
* Rose the Healer

## Quotes

> It's strange, but when I first explored the Ancient System it wasn't like this at all. It felt alive there, waiting for something. This all feels dead. It *is* dead.
>
> — Bracken, examining the remains of the Old Wood and Barrow Vale burned by the fire.