The Sorcerer's Conspectus:
A comprehensive view of Andre Norton's Witch World
by Lotsawatts
Races of Witch World ~ Sky Ones
The Sky Ones first appear in Gryphon in Glory
Appearance: Sky Ones are humanoid gryphons. They have avian faces: a bill-like extension that serves as mouth and nose, a crest of feathers that goes down to the shoulders and arms. Their hands are bird-like claws. Their feet are like leonine paws.1 The leonine paws may be exclusive to Landisl.
Living Area(s): None currently (they are apparently extinct on Witch World, Landisl being, perhaps, the last of his kind), formerly Arvon
Life Span: Unknown; Landisl survived for unknown centuries in a deep sleep, but the other three did not survive or had left the Witch World entirely.
Power: Landisl can teleport others. He was able to, without waking, alter the spell so Kerovan would be truly his father's son rather than of Galkur's get.
Other: Landisl, Matr, Yoer, and Rllene are mentioned as being of this race in Gryphon in Glory but of these four Landisl is the only one left alive or with any connection to the world. A skull of a member of this race was found in The Waste in Gryphon in Glory and Joisan has a vision of what he looked like when alive. Sylvya in Gryphon's Eyrie is counted as kin to Landisl and is likely a member of this race. It is also likely Volt of the Ax from Witch World and his sister Shallon from Peacock Eyes may also be members of this race. Also, another pair of people resembling Sylvia's description appear in Port of Dead Ships and Destree meets what appears to be the half-breed son of the avian woman and the human man who helped them escape the black cube gate there. There is some speculation that the inhabitants of Sorn Fen (Legacy from Sorn Fen) may be of this race since Volt settled in Tor Marsh for many generations raising the Torfolk out of savagery and the people of Sorn Fen have been described as "fey".
Footnotes:
1. This description is taken from Landisl in Gryphon in Glory, whether it applies to Matr, Yoer, and Rllene is unknowable.
Formatted and Edited by Jay Watts ~ May, 2022
Copyright ~ Andre-Norton.com
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