During Ganth's exile, Rowan became One-Who-Had-Returned, and like many of Those-Who-Returned, she rather distrusts and dislikes the Oath-breakers.[4] Rowan found a place in the Jaran as a yondri during that time.[1] Though she had been a a randon officer as a Knorth, as a Jaran yondri she was reduced to the standing of a common Kendar.[5]
Shortly before Urakarn, Harn assigned her Torisen's small command to investigate the Gnasher, as Krothen had ordered.[5]
With the rest of that command, Rowan served under Torisen at the Battle of Urakarn, in the vanguard.[6] They were captured and tortured. The Karnids burned the name of their god into Rowan's forehead. Ever since then, making facial expressions has been painful for her, and she has trained herself to be expressionless to avoid the pain.[7] Her leg was also permanently damaged in some way.[8] Rowan escaped, with Torisen, Harn, Burr, and Rose Iron-thorn. They fled into the Wastes, into the Great Salt Sea, there Rose died in sink-sand, and then saved them.
When Torisen became a lord, he bound Rowan back to the Knorth. She regained her standing as a randon, and Torisen and made her his steward at Gothregor.
References[]
↑ 1.01.1The Sea of Time, "Chapter V: An Unexpected Guest", I — "The next garrison block […] belonged to the Jaran. […] A wiry woman took the note which he handed to her. Something about her looked familiar. 'Were you a Knorth?' he asked, speaking despite himself. She hesitated. 'Yes, I was.' "
↑To Ride a Rathorn, "Chapter IV: Testing", I — " 'If you will stay for a bit, Rans Harn and Rowan, you can do the college a great service.' "
↑Dark of the Moon, "Chapter 6: The High Council" — "Rowan gave him a startled look. "Isn't it?' 'Who knows? Just be grateful that a full-blooded Kendar like you never catches it.' "
↑The Sea of Time, "Chapter XX: A Season of Fog", V — "Rowan reined about to regain Torisen’s side. 'Are you mad, Blackie? [Corvine] betrayed your father. Why not his son?' "
↑ 5.05.1The Sea of Time, "Chapter XIII: Dreams and Nightmares", II — "No one but Krothen believed in the existence of the mysterious assassin who cast the shadow of a wolf. […] Nonetheless, the new king-to-be had insisted that he, Torisen, investigate. To do so, he needed help. Harn had assigned him eleven Kendar. Most of them, like Rowan, his second-in-command, were former Knorth, […] they were also at least ten years Tori’s senior. […] Rowan had been a randon officer, for Trinity’s sake, now reduced to the standing of a common Kendar. Damn Father anyway, for setting such people adrift."
↑The Sea of Time, "Chapter XIII: Dreams and Nightmares", VI — "She, the rest of Tori’s small command, and Burr had insisted on joining the vanguard with him,"
↑Seeker's Mask, "Interim VI: Gothregor" — "Ever since Urakarn, when the name rune of the Karnid god had been burned into her forehead, Rowan had learned to equate facial expression with pain. Therefore, although her heart had jumped like a startled frog, her face showed no surprise as she turned."
↑To Ride a Rathorn, "Chapter VIII: A Forgotten Name", III — "Its rider swung stiffly down, staggering as her feet hit the earth. One leg nearly buckled. Steward Rowan hung on to the saddle, cursing softly, waiting for the old injury to release her cramped muscles. She owed those damn Karnids for more than the scars on her face."
