Derowen

 was a human woman and former leader of the Shadewatch in Jorenn Village.

Appearance
Derowen was a slender human woman with bushy brown hair. She always wore or carried the magical ring Fracture, "an intricate silver band with dark cloudy gems and shards of bone."

Background
Derowen traveled, worked, and fought with Wick for many years, and was with him when he lost his partner. Derowen lived in Kymal at one point in her life, but lost that home and nearly lost her life; Wick was present during that event. She was saved by the intervention of her brother Culwen. Around 801 PD, Derowen had a daughter, Aswin. Aswin's biological father was an elven merchant who abandoned them.Derowen, Wick, and Aswin ended up settling in Jorenn Village. The village was a dangerous place and Derowen took it upon herself to teach the people how to defend themselves, eventually forming the Shadewatch. According to Sencha, Derowen "wasn't the first [Shademaster], but she was the first to convince the majority of the people in town to believe in her." When the ash walker attacks began, Derowen mobilized the people to build palisades around the village. A year after the attacks began, Derowen was given the ring Fracture by Culwen, who allegedly found it in his travels, in exchange for a workspace in Shade Hall. According to Wick, Derowen hated the ring at first, until she learned how to use it to protect the people of Jorenn Village.

Though the ring gave some protection, the attacks only increased, prompting Jorenn Village, under Derowen's leadership, to take control of the mines from which the ash walkers were emerging. Derowen declared the miners who were responsible for the ash walkers to be outlaws. She led the charge against them and killed Anissa, Thorn's sister.

By 807 PD, Derowen controlled Jorenn Village, its guard, and its mining operations and trade. She was known to meet with smugglers to sell silver. She had also issued a standing order to the Shadewatch to hunt down the outlaw miners. The people of Jorenn regarded her as a hero, while the miners regarded her as a villain.

Kith & Kin
Around 807 PD, Derowen encountered Vex'ahlia and Trinket during an ash walker attack on Jorenn Village. Vax'ildan had been contracted by the Clasp to steal Derowen's ring Fracture, and brought his sister with him, but the two were separated during the attack. When Vex'ahlia first encountered her, Derowen was on the palisades, apparently using Fracture to create a barrier around the village. As thanks for their aid in defending the village, and because she felt responsible for the attack, Derowen offered to let Vex'ahlia and Trinket stay at Shade Hall, and to help her search for Vax'ildan. She rode out with Vex'ahlia to the campsite where she had last seen her brother, and assigned two of her Shadewatch guards, Nari and Olfa, to accompany her.

Over the next several days, Vex'ahlia continued to stay at Shade Hall, and Derowen gave her access to her books and maps. She gave Vex'ahlia as much aid as she could, in the hopes that she could locate the miners' hideout. While visiting Beryl's shop to pick up a mended doll for Aswin, Derowen mentioned that Vex'ahlia was looking for a book on dragons.

Later, Derowen and Vex'ahlia were both working when they were startled by Aswin's scream; she was having a night terror about the ash walkers. After Aswin fell asleep, the two women had a conversation about the girl, in which Derowen told Vex'ahlia about her motivation to create a better life for Aswin in Jorenn. The conversation was interrupted by Wick's report that a scout had found the miners.

Aswin
Aswin was Derowen's daughter. Because Aswin often had night terrors about the ash walkers, Derowen let her stay in the guard post during the attacks, under Wick's care. According to Wick, Derowen spoiled Aswin. Derowen was fiercely protective of her daughter. Creating a better, safer life for Aswin was Derowen's primary motivation as leader of Jorenn Village, and she didn't trust anyone else to care for her. She named Aswin and Wick as the most important people in her life. She did not expect or wish for Aswin to follow in her footsteps as Shademaster.

Culwen
Culwen was Derowen's brother. He was the one who gave her the ring Fracture, which she used to control the ash walkers that threatened the town. The two had a strained relationship; Derowen notably did not include Culwen in her list of people who were most important to her. Derowen regarded Culwen as a bad influence on Aswin, as he often brought presents for his niece.

Vex'ahlia
Derowen invited Vex'ahlia to stay with her and Aswin at Shade Hall, when the ranger was separated from her brother during an ash walker attack. Derowen trusted Vex'ahlia's abilities to be able to locate the miners' hideout. She remarked that Vex'ahlia was good with Aswin, and that the girl rarely made friends.

Wick
Wick was Derowen's close friend and regarded himself as her protector. They were traveling, working, and fighting together when Wick lost his partner and Derowen lost her home in Kymal. They settled in Jorenn Village together. Derowen named Aswin and Wick as the most important people in her life.

Abilities
Derowen had some magical ability, which she used to create an illusory barrier around Jorenn Village.

Notable items

 * Fracture (given to Wick after her death)
 * Tall sword