Quane

**Quane** is an old and trusted Druid. When most other Druids were summoned away by King Pellanor to Crugdunon, including Veran and Willa, Quane stayed behind and was came upon by Divis. He explains that Divis shouldn't be there as it is no longer his home and then mentions why everyone left - that Pellanor's daughter, Kerra, had betrayed him. He is stopped when Divis says he has seen Lokka and was left a warning by him. Quane says that if Lokka is in Britannia then Veran already knows. He then says how Veran was born ten thousand years ago as the second man, and how his brother Harka was the first man. He describes how they were born from the oak tree, which was their protector, until one day Veran found Harka hanging from the tree by a snake sent from Lokka, the snake being Pwykka. Divis is told by Quane that he was Veran's favourite until his betrayal, a statement denied by Divis, claiming he was tricked by Pwykka. Quane exclaims that the age of wonder is at an end, because Pwykka is sure to follow Lokka.

Later, as Divis is leaving, Quane tells him how a Roman General, Aulus Plautius, came to see Veran soon after the invasion and was taken to the underworld by Veran. Quane gives Divis advice: to follow in Aulus' footsteps, and to find what Aulus sought, and what might save Britannia.

In the northwest region of Britannia, two years after the invasion by the Roman Empire, Quane entered the cave of Veran and witnessed him drawing in the dirt the snake symbol of The Dead Man, Harka, and relayed this to Willa in secret. However, when Willa raised this to Veran, he denied it. After Veran tells the Druids to split up, Quane and Willa are overhead discussing Veran's knowledge of Harka, and the coming of The Dead Man, by Rork. Later, when Rork makes a proclamation of this to the rest of the Druids, Quane is called upon to deny this if he knows it to be false, yet he instead speaks the truth, of what he saw Veran doing in the cave. After this, Quane is thought to have fled from the rest of the Druids, but he stays long enough to witness the challenge between Rork and Veran before leaving.

After leaving Veran's camp, Quane made his way to Harka, who recognized him from when he was a child, when Quane gave him an apple. Quane warned Harka to stop his black game and return to the dead where his soul belonged. Harka gave Quane a message for Veran.

Quane later reunites with Divis, who was trapped beneath the Golden Bow after being tricked by Mallin, who had also run off with Cait. Quane caught Divis trying to summon the demon Pwykka to escape the entrapment of the bow, and was disappointed in him for doing so. He told Divis that he was The Guardian, in the prophecy of Veran, at least until he was first possessed by Pwykka. He also tells Divis that Harka and Lokka are working together to destroy anyone who follows Veran, that Veran is weakened, and also that he once thought Divis might become the new Veran to lead the Druids, a sentiment shared by Veran himself. In response, Divis tells Quane that he knows what comes next in the prophecy - that Cait will be reborn. Quane decides to give Divis one last chance to prove himself of The Guardian, making a potion of sun mushrooms, dog moss, a badger's heart, and powdered time, which sends Divis into a hallucinogenic trance. By the time Divis wakes up, he is free from the bow, and Quane had left.

Quane meets with Phelan, who consoles him, offers inspiring words, and confirms what Harka said was written on Kerra's forehead was a lie. Quane then travels to Cait, who is distraught at the death of Mallin. Quane says a prayer to the Gods so Mallin's soul may rest. He then reveals that the Veran is ten thousand years old, but Veran is not. Veran was once Hallam, and Harka was Elwin, and they have each been reincarnated and chosen by the Gods hundreds of times.

Three years after the Roman invasion of Britannia, Quane was present when Phelan had new runes carved into his head, and indoctrinated him into the Druids, renaming him Cwunt. Quane instructs Divis to train Cwunt in the Druid ways, guiding him through the trials of Earth, wind, water, and fire, much like he did Cait.

After Cait slashes Veran's throat, Veran is placed in a healing bath, but Quane points out that his wound is not healing, although Veran shouldn't die. He also says the world has entered a new age, an age so dark that the words of the prophets can no longer be seen, and that whatever happens next has not yet been written.

When Divis meets Rayne, he is confused as he is a Guardian of the Veran, which was what Divis was supposed to be. Rayne corrects him in saying that he is the Guardian of the New Veran, whereas Divis was the Guardian of the Old Veran, further confusing Divis. He confronts Quane on this, who says the New Veran will lead them, and that Divis must help prepare the Old Veran for the deep sleep. When Ania receives Hemple's bird message that Rome with meet with the Druids, Quane tells her that she should go in Veran's place to buy time as Rome cannot be allowed to see Veran's condition. Later, Quane and Divis play a checkers-like board game, where Divis mentions that the New Veran is "very small", to which Quane tells him that they always are. Divis says how he can't believe that it is over for the Old Veran, but Quane assures him that there will be many more Verans, but he does not know what power they will have. Quane describes how the underworld was borne of Harka's death many years ago, but light came of the underworld, which is however now flickering. When that light goes out, he says the world will end and the Druids will have failed. Quane is then later seen helping preparing Old Veran's body.

After Veran's recuperation, he tells Quane that the underworld is filled with sadness and fear, and that Quane would no longer recognize it, implying that Quane has been to the underworld before. Quane says the dead have suffered much, and Veran asks maybe they've suffered too much. Veran says how the underworld is dying and the Gods are weakening, but that since he has seen the Spear of the Silver Dawn, he knows hope remains. After Veran meets with Cait and Antedia in his hut, Veran tells Quane to gather the Druids. After the meeting, Quane tells Cwunt, Divis, and Rayne to prepare for their journey with Cait.