Llyworn

Llyworn is a young witch from deep in Crymlyn Swamp who joins Osrian's demon-allied faction and is later captured by her former kindred.

Biography

Defection, capture, and interrogation

Llyworn travels with a cult patrol rather than returning to Crymlyn Village, relying on her duck familiar Darkwing to scout the waterways. She recognises that the abandoned boat carrying Claygon looks like a trap, but the warning comes too late: Hart overturns the patrol's craft and Theresa captures her underwater. Brought before Crymlyn's witches, Llyworn admits under will-stripping interrogation that Osrian killed a dissenter, that she helped capture witches who refused to join, and that prisoners were being used in demon rituals. (Chapters 375–378)

Her compelled testimony provides a route, defences, prisoner locations, demon descriptions, and the information needed to lure much of the cult's army away from its camp. That intelligence directly enables the rescue, but it is not a voluntary change of allegiance: the interrogation has removed her free will for questioning, and the story does not show her release, repentance, or later fate. (Chapters 378–398)

Appearance and personality

Llyworn is described as a young woman wearing a cloak and gloves suitable for the swamp. Before capture she is wary enough to identify obvious bait and capable of forcing herself toward calm while drowning. Under interrogation her eyes and voice are empty because of the imposed magic, so that flat manner should not be treated as her ordinary personality. (Chapters 375–378)

Magic, abilities, and skills

Llyworn is a witch who begins chanting underwater, but Theresa gags her before the spell is completed; the effect is therefore unknown. She is protected from immediate drowning by an Orb of Air and can communicate with Darkwing well enough to interpret his scouting reports. The orb's caster or duration is not identified, and no broader spell list is established. (Chapters 375–376)

Her practical knowledge of Crymlyn includes hidden waterways, cult patrols, camp defences, demon types, and the habits of mana-sniffing demons. The rescuers use this intelligence successfully, although it is extracted through coercive magic rather than offered freely. (Chapters 378–398)

Relationships

• Drestra: Former kindred who recognises Llyworn, questions her, and uses the resulting intelligence to save captured witches.
• Hart: Captor whose ambush overturns her patrol boat.
• Darkwing: Duck familiar who scouts for Llyworn and dives after her when she is submerged.

Items

• Orb of Air: A protective bubble around Llyworn's head that prevents her from immediately inhaling swamp water; its origin is not specified.