The Underland Chronicles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Merge arrows
 It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with The Code of Claw. (Discuss)
This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The Underland Chronicles is a five-part series of children’s books written by Suzanne Collins between 2003 and 2007. It tells the story of an eleven (12 in the later books) year old boy named Gregor and his adventures in a land hidden under New York City. The underland is inhabited by giant bats, cockroaches, rats, spiders, fireflies and other creatures.

Contents

[edit] The series

  • Gregor and the Code of Claw (ISBN 0-439-79143-X) is the fifth book. The prophecy in the story is the Prophecy of Time. It says that both the Bane and the Warrior will die, and that the Underlanders must break the cipher called the Code of Claw in order for humanity to survive. Gregor's attraction and consequent relationship to Luxa increases. Gregor also seemingly leaves the Underland for good, though the ending suggests he might be back.

[edit] The Underland

[edit] The origins of humans in the Underland

A stonemason named Bartholomew of Sandwich led a group of his followers to New York, having seen the Underland in a dream. Because he believed that the Earth, above ground, would one day be empty of life, he ordered the building of a city underground. After 50 years of preparation, Sandwich and 800 others went beneath and sealed the gates to the Overland.

In order for humans to be able to inhabit the Underland, Sandwich needed to have land for them on which to live. The land Sandwich chose was inhabited by the Diggers (giant moles), who refused to give up their land without a fight. Sandwich realized he could not beat the Diggers without sustaining heavy losses himself; therefore he poisoned their water supply, killing most of them. This land became the future site of Regalia.

[edit] The sections

There are several sections in the Underland. The areas are each controlled by a separate species. These include the sections that belong to the humans, the cockroaches, the Dead Land (a land that is uninhabitable), as well as several other sections. In Gregor and the Marks of Secret Luxa often mentions the Uncharted Lands (lands that have not yet been explored).

[edit] The creatures

There are many creatures in the Underland. All are enormous versions of different species of animals that can be found on earth. There are rats, spiders, lizards, cockroaches, fireflies, bats, scorpions, moles, mice, ants and others. The bats have special bonds with certain humans that imply that they will help each other through life and death. In one of the books, when the bat Ares does not save his human, Henry (who betrays the humans and Ares to the rats), he is put on trial. Gregor, attempting to save his life, bonds with him.

[edit] Bonding

When a human bonds with a bat, they are together forever. They promise that they will save their bond's life no matter what the circumstances. The punishment for forsaking a bond is exile, which in the Underland means almost certain death. To bond with one another, the human and bat must recite a poem to their future bond, while holding hand in claw. A large feast signals the end of this ceremony. The poem goes like this:

The human says:
____ the flier, I bond to you.
Our life and death are one, we two.
In dark, in flame, in war, in strife,
I save you as I save my life.

The bat says:
____ the human, I bond to you.
Our life and death are one, we two.
In dark, in flame, in war, in strife,
I save you as I save my life.

[edit] The Government

The government of the humans is mainly a monarchy. It is ruled by a king and a queen under normal circumstances, but is, during the larger part of the narrative, ruled by a council for lack of an heir of age. In the novels, Luxa is legally the queen. There is, until she is of age to rule (16 years old), a representative democracy made up of various representatives for the various species. However, in Gregor and the Code of Claw, when most of the Council members are killed by Gnawers, Luxa has full control as queen because the humans are at war.

Rats, Bats, Spiders, and Ants all have rulers of their own; of Cockroaches, Lizards, and Snakes little is revealed. The Cockroaches at least have customs and rituals, as seen when in the first book Boots is named a princess by Tick, Temp, and others. Sea Serpents, who are essentially plesiosaurs, presumably congregate only for reasons of benefit.

[edit] Locations

This is an incomplete list.

[edit] Regalia

Regalia is the one location in the Underland in which humans (killers), who have white hair, translucent skin and purple eyes, and bats (fliers)reside. It is a large stone city with magnificent, unique designs and carvings on the structures. It used to belong to the moles (diggers) until Bartholemew of Sandwich started an unrecognized war. The palace is in the middle of the beautiful stone city, and the only structure left completely smooth, so no intruders can climb the walls.

[edit] The Fount

This is a settlement of humans, home to Luxa's cousin Howard and ruled by Howard's father, York. It is remarked that Ripred the rat attempted to conquer it with an army of lobsters; but aside from that little is known. A colony of mice once lived in a cave right outside of here, until the fourth book.

[edit] The Dead Land

This is a Great Cave with banished rats, coming by its name as a result of barrenness. Only Ripred and the band of rats of whom he is leader dwell there.

[edit] The Jungle

This is a vast, mysterious network of carnivorous vines and other vaguely described entities. Few of those born outside who go in are known to come out alive. It is home to poison dart frogs, to the immense lizards called Hissers, to the giant ants known as the Cutters, and to sapient plants that arrange themselves into a cunning trap. In the third book, the nibblers (mice) inhabit the jungle.

[edit] The Arch of Tantalus

An entrance to the Jungle created from and surrounded by the bones of many creatures who met their demise in the Jungle. This is the location where Gregor and his party first encountered Hamnet, Frill, and Hazard.

[edit] Vineyard of Eyes

This perilous garden, formed by purposeful arrangement of carnivorous plants by themselves, is the only place where in the plant called starshade grows. When Gregor ventures here in Book 3, the cutters (ants) strike, ultimately destroying the starshade. After the battle, it is discovered that the starshade was not necessary to cure the sickness named the Curse of the Warmbloods, because the Curse had not originated in the Vineyard.

[edit] Hades Hall

A cavernous tunnel, located beneath the rest of the Underland, that leads from the Swag, near the Fount, to the Firelands. It is inhabited by the shiners (fireflies) also the stingers (scorpions) as well as a number of other unknown creatures.

[edit] The Swag

A extremely long tunnel that travels under the Waterway. It collapses in an earthquake during the fourth book.

[edit] The Uncharted Lands

These are areas that have not yet been explored. In Gregor and the Code of Claw, Luxa asked Ripred to take the Gnawers to the uncharted lands. This almost started a new war, until Gregor broke Sandwich's sword in half and 'killed' the warrior.

[edit] Firelands

It is the home of strong winds that can carry extremely heavy objects (such as boulders) in mid-air, as well as of several volcanoes. This is where the rats bring the mice in order to destroy them, in the fourth book.

[edit] Waterway

The Waterway is an ocean or sea that has many entrances and exits. Gregor uses it to go home and also to travel in Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane. It is the location of two of five entrances to the Underland.

[edit] The Garden of the Hesperides

A golden apple orchard, once given as a peace offering from humans to rats. It was destroyed by Hamnet, on the orders of his mother, commander Solovet. During a fight to get control of the garden from the rats, the sluice gates of the protective dam were opened in an attempt to give humans the upper hand by making the rats "swim for it"; the entire dam crumbled, reclaiming the garden under 20 feet of water.Many pups died which made Hamnet regret fighting, go mad, and go into the jungle so he didn't have to fight.

[edit] The Labyrinth

The Labyrinth is a stone maze deep inside the rats' land. This was where the Bane used to live, until Gregor took him to Ripred. Goldshard and Snare battled in here. After being separated, Boots, Temp, and Luxa found Twitchtip, but were ambushed by rats, so Luxa fought with Twitchtip, which allowed Temp to escape with Boots.

[edit] Queenshead

Queenshead is a location beside the jungle. Named for the feature of a rock in the rough shape of a crowned queen.

[edit] Plain of Tartarus

The Plain of Tartarus is a huge cavern remotely in the rats' land. This is where the final battle in Gregor and the Code of Claw takes place.

[edit] Main Characters

  • Gregor: Gregor is a twelve-year-old Overlander (11 years old in books one through three) who fell into the Underland when chasing his sister Boots. He is the "warrior" described in Bartholomew of Sandwich's prophecies. Although he is reluctant, Gregor eventually accepted his duties to the Underland. Over the year that he has spent in the Underland, he has bonded with his own bat, Ares, and fulfilled several prophecies. He is a rager; a berserker whose senses become chronically acute in battle, while his mind becomes oblivious to anything except himself and his target (over time, he gains more control over his senses). In the fifth book, Gregor learns echolocation, a valuable skill for fighting in the dark. Although he states that he hates fighting, Luxa saw him smiling during a fight with twisters (snakes), which was likely a side effect of his rager reaction to battle. Gregor is in love with Luxa. When returning to the Overland, he swears never to forget her.
  • Boots: Boots is Gregor's baby sister. (2 years old in earlier books; 3 in later ones) Her true name is Margaret, since Boots is just a nickname. She is kind and friendly to everyone, without exception. Like many babies, she is oblivious to unpleasant circumstances, such as death. During the third and fourth books, she works with Temp, the crawler with whom she is especially close, and learns to speak Cockroach. She has developed a friendship with the crawlers (cockroaches) and stingers (scorpions); the former treat her with great reverence, calling her the "princess", whereas the latter are placated by her ability to communicate in a language known to them. In the final book, she speaks in a less infantile manner. On the final page of the Code of Claw, she says Gregor's name correctly for the first time in the series. Gregor is very protective of her; in Gregor the Overlander he throws himself off the top of a high cliff, intending to die rather than let the rat king Gorger kill her. Gregor's attachment to Boots is well-known throughout the Underland.
  • Luxa: (pronounced Luke-za) Luxa is the future ruling queen of Regalia. She is the same age as Gregor and will assume full royal powers when she becomes sixteen years old. Until then, Regalia is led by a regency council, referred to simply as "the council" in the books. Luxa is incredibly stubborn and rebellious, rarely obeying the council and, in Ripred's words, "impossible to lead anywhere". Luxa is a wise leader, but can be sharp-tongued towards others. This changes, however, after the conclusion of Gregor the Overlander, when she took a more positive attitude to her companions. She feels indebted to the nibblers (the Underland word for mice) for the hospitality they showed her when they found her stranded in the middle of the jungle. She has vowed to protect the nibblers, even going as far as declaring war on the gnawers (the Underland word for rats). In the final book, she brings peace between the gnawers and the humans by bonding with Ripred, the representative for the rats at the time; essentially swearing to protect the gnawers. Ripred swears likewise to Luxa to protect the humans. Luxa is in love with Gregor. Luxa's parents are the (unnamed) old king of Regalia and Vikus's daughter Judith. Her name is possibly derived from the word 'Lux', which means light in Latin.
  • Ares: Ares was the bond of Henry, one of Luxa's royal cousins. Henry betrays the questing party in the first book. When faced with the choice between Gregor's life and Henry's, Ares chooses to save Gregor from dying, rather than Henry, his bond. In Regalia, he is therefore put on trial. Gregor bonded with Ares to save him because Gregor knew that Ares had not known anything about Henry's conspiracy to seize power. In the second book, Ares is regarded disdainfully by the Regalians. In the third book, he is a victim of an artificial plague, but begins to heal after receiving the cure. He has admitted that he sometimes doubts the truth in the prophecies which form a central thread of the plot, on the grounds that they are "full of doom and only terrorize [the Underlanders] into killing each other". He is killed by the Bane in the final book, The Code of Claw, while defending Gregor. He was the strongest bat in the Underland, possibly lending to his name, referencing the Greek god of war.
  • Aurora: Aurora is a golden bat bonded to Luxa. She appears in all five books and 4 quests, but Gregor still does not know her well because she does not often speak. Because the story is told from Gregor's point of view, the readers likewise see little of Aurora.
  • Ripred: Ripred is a gnawer (rat) who is one of the few of his species on the side of Regalia and peace. He speaks with a biting wit and a world-weary air. Although many creatures resent him for this, Ripred shows much wisdom in times of need. He is a great fighter, and, like Gregor, is a rager. He gives Gregor lessons on echolocation; the skill of locating something using sounds, to learn to fight in the dark. Ripred's highest moral value is mutual need. In Gregor and the Code of Claw, readers learn that his mate and children died in the flood of the Garden of the Hesperides. Because Lizzie, Gregor's other sister, reminds Ripred of one of his pups, Silksharp, he is openly kind to her, and they become intimate (in the fifth book). Like Ares, Ripred doubts the truth value of the prophecies, largely because it (the truth value) is impossible to prove or disprove; events similar to the prophesied events are taken as fulfillment, contradiction as an indication that the prophecy was not mature, and unexpected fulfillments as an indication that the prophecy had been misinterpreted. Ripred, however, does not hesitate to use the prophecies, and human belief in them, to achieve his own purposes, as illustrated in Code of Claw when he deliberately scars himself to fulfill the prophecy of a double-scarred "Peacemaker". This cut crosses a previous scar he had received from Solovet (see below) before his decision (made after the death of his mate and offspring) that the war between humans and rats must end.
  • Temp Temp is a crawler (cockroach), and Boots' best friend in the Underland, appearing in every single book and in every quest. Temp is extremely loyal to Boots and protective of her, as shown in the second book, wherein he defends her from the Serpents (plesiosaurs), then saves her life in the Dead Land by sending her back to Regalia on a moth, staying behind at risk to his own life. He is also wise, in that he perceives what others do not and brings unconsidered possibilities to attention. For instance, in the fourth book he alerts the other members of his questing party that a volcano is emitting poison gas, and figures out the cradle is not the starshade in book three.
  • Howard: Howard is Luxa's older cousin from the Fount. His father is ruler there. He was introduced to Gregor in the second book with his younger siblings, Stellovet, Kent, Hero, and Chim. Luxa originally dislikes the entire family, but eventually realizes that Howard is a great comrade and handy medic. In the second book, Howard's bond Pandora was eaten alive by mites. Howard was infected and later cured of the Curse of the Warmbloods. He later joined Gregor and Luxa on their quest to learn the truth of the Nibblers' destiny. It is speculated that Howard might bond to Nike. During the fourth book, Howard expresses interest in becoming a doctor, and can actually treat minor to medium wounds, such as broken legs and arms, and some cuts. He is also very skilled with sedatives.
  • Nike: Nike is a princess of the fliers. She is striped in black and white and has a lively sense of humour. Nike has gone to fulfill the quests of the Prophecies of Blood, Secrets, and Time. She replaced Ares in the third book, when he had the plague. She is not bonded but she is very close to Howard and accompanies him in the fourth book.
  • Hazard: Hazard is a Halflander, and is met in book 3. His father was Luxa's uncle, Hamnet, and his mother an Overlander, who is never seen or named. He starts out six years old; turns seven in book 4. Lived with his father and the lizard Frill in the jungle, until his father's death. Thereafter, he came to live with his cousin Luxa in Regalia. He is known to speak several languages: English, Hisser, Nibbler, Gnawer, Crawler, Stinger, Spinner, and even Flier. Luxa has sworn to prevent Hazard from becoming a warrior, in obedience to his father's dying wish. It is speculated that this wish is the result of either an opposition to war in principle or a fear that Solovet, Hamnet's ruthless mother, might achieve great control of Hazard. Hazard himself is prone to state matters of fact candidly, without letting emotion color his inflections.
  • Lizzie: Gregor's 8-year-old sister. (7 in earlier books.) Sensible, practical, and fond of word-play and puzzles of any kind. She was more afraid of the Underland than any Overlander – even her mother Grace – until the final book, when she goes into the Underland and finds out that she must break the Code of Claw. She is close to the rat, Ripred. Lizzie's fondness for anagrams eventually deciphers the Code of Claw, providing a means of revealing gnawer communications as the latter invade Regalia.
  • Vikus: A self-described "humble diplomat" in Regalia. He had three children: Susannah (Howard's mother), and twins Judith (Luxa's mother) and Hamnet (Hazard's father). He does what he can for peace, going for treaties and fair exchanges. At the end of the series, Vikus suffers a stroke, resulting in the paralyzation of most of his left side. He tends to suffer for his wife Solovet's actions, emotionally albeit. He dislikes fighting, and will go to great lengths to avoid it, and sometimes sees others as he wishes to, not how they are. For example, in book 1, he hopes the spiders won't capture himself and the group, due to recent trade agreements.
  • Mareth: Mareth is one of Gregor's favorite underlanders. One of the top soldiers, Mareth trains others for battle, including Gregor and Luxa. In the quest, Prophecy of Bane, Mareth had his leg amputated because of a serpent attack, but he is still one of the commanding generals in Regalia. He is also responsable for training the soldiers.
  • Solovet: Solovet is the head of Regalia's army at the start and middle of the series, until she is killed. She is also married to Vikus, with children and grandchildren, most prominent being Luxa, Hazard, and Howard. Gregor first thinks of her as a kind woman, but that later changes when, in Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods (the third book), he discovers that she gave orders to cultivate a plague bacteria that nearly kills Gregor's mom and friends. She is ambushed and killed in the last book.

[edit] Other Underland Creatures

(Note: These are only the creatures listed in the books. Others exist.) As Gregor realizes, they are named on account of what they do.

[edit] Humans

In the Underland, Humans are also known as "Killers", although they do not like to be addressed as such, and are not called so by any other species when they are within earshot. All Underlander humans have silver hair, purple eyes, and pale translucent skin.

  • Regalians
    • Luxa - 12 year old Queen of Regalia. Both her parents were killed by rats, and she will rule Regalia once she come of age. She goes with Gregor on all his quests, and is often a great help. She is a strong fighter and a great leader, but this often causes her to be sharp-tongued towards others. She is strong-minded and stubborn, but occasionally reveals a softer side to Gregor. It is said that Gregor finds Luxa to be very pretty. She falls in love with Gregor as he does with her, But the two are separated at the end of the Code of Claw.
    • Vikus - Luxa's Maternal Grandfather; Regalian Diplomat. Head of the council which rules Regalia until Luxa reaches her majority (age 16).
    • Solovet - (dies in book 5) Luxa's Maternal Grandmother, head Regalian General, and commander of army. Solovet is ruthless, dangerous, and often cruel and manipulative. She is never hesitant to use any influence she might have over a person in order to control him/her, and sees all things in terms of whether they will help or harm her plans to kill rats.
    • Mareth - Regalian Soldier and trainer. One of Gregor's better friends. Crippled in the leg after the third book, Mareth remained an instructor after retiring from active military service.
    • Henry - Luxa's cousin (dies in book 1), a traitor who tried to betray the humans to the gnawers' King Gorger. In later books, Luxa and Ares still miss and cherish him, though with some bitterness.
    • Hamnet - Luxa's uncle (introduced and dies in book 3), twin of Judith, Luxa's mother. Son of Solovet and Vikus. Has lived in the jungle for many years; is estranged from Solovet. Killed by cutters.Left Regalia after he led an attack to get the Garden of Hesperides back from the Rats. His name is a play on the original Hamnet Shakespeare.
    • Hazard - A "Halflander"; the six-year-old son of Hamnet and of an unnamed Overlander woman. Unlike the pure-blooded Underlanders, he has green eyes and black hair. He is talented with languages; when he is met, in book 3, he is already able to speak fluent Hisser (lizard), and some Nibbler (mouse). In book 4, under Luxa's care in Regalia, he has tutors brought into the castle for him, and learns to speak some Crawler(cockroach) and Gnawer (rat) and Spinner (spider) and Flyer (bat).
    • Horatio - (dies) Gregor's temporary guard, introduced in book 5. Horatio has a soft spot for Dulcet (see below).
    • Nerissa - Luxa's cousin (Henry's sister); extremely weak and eats little. Has precognitive and postcognitive abilities, in other words, she has visions, however, they can be of what will, or already has, happened, but doesn't know when. She's often viewed as nuts. She took command when Luxa was thought dead, and saved Gregor and Ares' life when she ruled them innocent.
    • Neveeve - (Appears and dies in book 3) Doctor who worked in Labs under Regalia. Developed the plague called the "Curse of the Warmbloods".
    • Marcus - (dies) Gregor's temporary guard, in book 5.
    • Dulcet - Nanny in Regalia, cares for Boots, and (in book 4) for three orphaned mice, and for more mice in book 5. Very kind and clever.
    • Miravet - Sister of Solovet. Described as an "old woman." Works in the Regalia castle's armory. Introduced in book 5.
    • Perdita - A female soldier who guards Gregor (in book 5) and fights Fangor and Shed (in book 1). Perdita is made acting (default) head of the Regalian army after Solovet is killed.
    • Miranda - servant
    • Lucent - servant
    • Claudius - Regalian guard. (Appears in book 5).
    • Keeda (status unknown)
    • Anchel (deceased) (mentioned)
    • Daphne (deceased) (mentioned)
  • From the Fount
    • Howard - Luxa's cousin on her mother's side (eldest in his family). A skilled user of medicine and a loyal friend to Gregor and Luxa.
    • York - Howard's father. Governor at the Fount. Described as "a giant of a man." Only appears in book 5. Husband of Susannah. When he is first introduced in the 5th book, he is described as one who "yelled a lot while fighting".
    • Stellovet - Howard's sister, second eldest; considered obnoxious and unfit for political power.
    • Hero - Howard's sister (twin of Kent).
    • Kent - Howard's brother (twin of Hero).
    • Chim "Chimney" - Howard's youngest sister.
    • Susannah - Howard's mother.
  • Overlanders
    • Gregor - The hero, and the narrative viewpoint character for the series.
    • Boots - Gregor's youngest sister, whose real name is Margaret. Aged 2-3. Boots is a fun-loving, affectionate, compassionate person, but is somewhat oblivious to certain conditions, such as death and other people's displeasure at her antics. Boots has a special relationship (never fully explained, but often utilized) with the cockroaches, who revere her and call her "Princess".
    • Lizzie - Gregor's sister. Good at puzzles. Code breaker in book 5. She is good friends with Ripred, due to her reminding him of his pup Silksharp.
    • Gregor's dad, who was held captive in the Underland by rats. A science teacher. Optimistic when possible.
    • Grace - Gregor's mother. Insistent on her son's safety. Known as "Most Fearsome Swatter" to the crawlers, because of the havoc wrought on their Overland kin by her. Spends months sick in the Regalia hospital with the plague.
    • Mrs. Cormaci - Gregor's neighbor. Learns of Gregor's adventures at the end of the third book. Caretaker of Gregor's family. Has been known to give valid advice to Gregor when he suffers from the aftermath of the war.
    • Gregor's grandmother; senile; often distracted by memories. Told Gregor that he can't avoid fate, and so, is fine with him going to the Underland to complete prophecies.
    • Larry - Gregor's friend at school, he's an asthmatic.
    • Angelina - Gregor's friend at school, she is an actress.
    • Mr. Otts - buys the antiques that Gregor takes from the museum in the Underland (mentioned)
    • Hazard's mom - (mentioned, deceased)
    • Jedidiah - Lizzie's friend (mentioned in book 5). Very serious and formal; also interested in minutiae and puzzles.
    • Fred Clark - Overlander mentioned to Gregor (deceased)
    • Coco - Overlander mentioned to Gregor (deceased)

[edit] Cockroaches

Cockroaches are known as "crawlers" in the Underland. Their names are derived from words pertaining to time, because time is a synonym for life in the Underland.

  • Temp: Boots' caretaker and Tick's closest friend. Name means "time" in French, being derived from the Latin "tempus".
  • Tick (deceased); name is an onomatopoeia of the sound produced by a clock. She was with Temp, and died to save everyone else in book one, by fighting rats until Temp could cut a bridge loose.
  • Pend: Rescues Boots in second book. The name may mean "wait", as in pending.
  • Min: The codebreaker of the crawlers. Name is probably derived from minute.

[edit] Rats

Rats are known as "gnawers" in the Underland. Their names seem to relate to how the rats operate in war, or to some physical characteristic.

  • Human-siding Rats
    • Ripred- Is mentioned as an ally of the humans in all five books, though it is hinted that this was not always so. He is a rager like Gregor, though far more experienced. Ripred becomes very close to Lizzie; bonded with Luxa in Code of Claw to bring peace between the humans and the rats. His favorite food is shrimp in cream sauce. Proclaimed "peacemaker" (later discovered to be incorrect). Ripred also reveals his scorn of the "prophecies" in book 5.
    • Silksharp (deceased) A pup of Ripred. She died in the Garden of Hesperides. Was similar in personality to Lizzie.
    • Twitchtip (deceased): A scent-seer; therefore, one who is able to detect any detail via smell. Twitchtip went on the quest to find the Bane. A message told of her death in Code of Claw. She was an outcast, but Ripred allowed her into his 'clan' as it were, but she owed him, and had to follow his every command.
    • Lapblood: Went on trip to find plague cure; met again by Gregor and others in Code of Claw. She went nuts when she saw Mange die(in Curse of the Warmbloods), and lost all hope and will to live. She was temporarily revived when she thought of her pups needing her, but soon reverted. Was groomed by Gregor when Ripred started to threaten her. She recovered however and later comes back in the fifth book. She leads all the rats who rebel against the Bane and sides with Ripred. She and her followers join in the final battle against Bane.
    • Mange (deceased): Lapblood's mate. Died trying to get food, killed by a plant similar to a huge Venus Flytrap.
    • Razor (deceased): The Bane's main guardian. Killed by the Bane. Was with King Gorger in the first book.
    • Sixclaw (pup of Lapblood and Mange)
    • Flyfur (pup of Lapblood and Mange)
  • Neutral Rats
    • Makemince: neighbor of Lapblood; takes care of pups in Lapblood's absence.
    • Goldshard (deceased): the Bane's Mother, died fighting the Bane's father, Snare, because she didn't want her only pup left, the Bane, to be used.
    • Cleaver (deceased): Ripred used his body as cover when fleeing from flesh-eating mites.
    • Clawsin (mentioned, status unknown): Rat wounded by Bane. Was with King Gorger in the first book.
    • Ratriff (mentioned, status unknown): Rat wounded by Bane
  • Human-hating rats
    • The Bane (deceased): Prophesized destroyer; also known as Pearlpelt. Pearlpelt egocentric and self-pitying, and has an unstable mind. Saved by Gregor in Prophecy of Bane; killed by Gregor in Code of Claw. The only existing white rat, and enormous.
    • Twirltongue (deceased): Extremely persuasive. Advisor of the Bane, however, the Bane (being persuaded by Gregor) believed Twirltongue was lying to him and wanted to take his place, the Bane, angry, tore off Twirltongue's head.
    • King Gorger (deceased) Head of the rat army and all rats in book one.
    • Fangor (deceased): Killed beside Shed in first book.
    • Shed (deceased)
    • Snare (deceased) The Bane's father. Killed his other pups to give the Bane more milk.
    • Gushgore (status unknown): Twirltongue's friend.
    • Reekwell (status unknown): Twirltongue's friend.
    • Bloodlet: One of King Gorger's followers

[edit] Bats

Bats are known as "fliers" in the Underland. All names are taken from Greek mythology. They are allies of the humans.

  • Bonded bats:
    • Ares: (Introduced in first book; deceased in fifth book) First bonded to Henry, then to Gregor. Died in the 5th book when his throat is torn out by the Bane.
    • Aurora: To Luxa.
    • Euripedes: To Vikus.
    • Andromeda: To Mareth.
    • Ajax (Deceased): To Solovet.
    • Pandora: (Deceased) In life bonded to Howard.
  • Non-bonded bats:
    • Nike Queen Athena's daughter. There is some suggestion that she might eventually bond to Howard.
    • Thalia:(deceased) Was intended to bond with Hazard. (Introduced and deceased in the 4th book)

[edit] Other creatures

  • Lizards - Called "hissers".
    • Frill: the only known hisser. A companion to Hamnet, she is killed by cutters (ants) in the 3rd book. (Deceased)
  • Fireflies - Called "shiners". Their names are related to light. They are somewhat disdainful towards the nibblers, and don't really care about anyone besides themselves.
    • Photos Glow-Glow, called Fo-Fo by Boots-- arrogant, gluttonous, argumentative. Rescues Gregor in Code of Claw, after Pearlpelt's death.
    • Zap-- Arrogant, gluttonous, argumentative, and (to others, including Photos Glow-Glow) frustrating. also rescued gregor in book 5.
  • Ants - Called "cutters". Seen in the 3rd book and mentioned in the 5th, cutters seem to have a purpose none other than to consume resources and leave lands bare of vegetation. Cutters attacked Gregor and the group searching for the plague cure, causing a vicious battle which left many of the cutters dead. It is apparent the cutters' lands border the gnawers.
  • Moths - Described as allies of the crawlers in Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane, chapter 37. No other mentions in the first four books. No names known. A moth retrieved Boots from Temp and brought her to the crawlers, who returned to Regalia.
  • Spiders - Called "spinners". Their names seem to be related to weaving and to how the spiders move; every (known) spider's name ends in an x.
    • Gox (Deceased)– accompanied questers en route to fulfill the Prophecy of Gray.
    • Treflex (Deceased)– died joining the quest to fulfill the Prophecy of Gray.
    • Queen Wevox
    • Purvox
    • Reflex- the code-breaker for the spiders in the Code of Claw.
  • Mice - Called "nibblers." Their names are related to mathematics.
    • Cartesian (deceased) First mouse named in the book, he was insane when he was met, in book four, and kept thinking he was warning other mice of the rat's invasion. When he recovered his sanity, he explained some things to the rest. He died fighting to protect the nursery in book 5.
    • Cube (deceased pup) Named by Luxa.
    • Heronian: part of the code team
    • Cevian (deceased) A close friend to Luxa.
    • Scalene (pup)
    • Newton (pup)
    • Root (pup)
    • Euclidian[sic] (pup). This is the name as printed in book 5, but it is a likely typographical error for Euclidean.
  • Scorpions - Called "stingers" helped some of the "questers" in book 4.
  • Snails - Called "slimers" Drove the shiners out of their home, somehow. It is thought that the shiners lost their homeland because they were too lazy to fight them, and the slimers didn't even know they were invading.
  • Moles - Introduced in book 5. Called "diggers". Known to be the original inhabitants of the region now occupied by Regalia; driven out by Sandwich. Eventually (late in book 5), made part of a new, diplomatic council that includes members of many of the literate races. They look like larger versions of the North American Star-nosed Mole.
  • Lobsters - Mentioned in book 3. Ripred led an army of lobsters to try and take the Fount, but was unsuccessful. Neressa saw that in a vision, years after it happened.
  • Poisonous frogs - encountered in the jungle, in book 3.
  • Humans keep cattle, chicken, and sheep-- cattle are mentioned in books one, two, and five,roast chicken was in the provisions packed in Gregor and the Marks of Secret, and in book four Luxa mentions having had a pet lamb.

[edit] Prophecies

[edit] Bartholomew of Sandwich

Bartholomew of Sandwich was an explorer who was the first European to discover the Underland. He founded the Human colony there, having slaughtered the "diggers" (moles) who were then occupying his chosen space. Bartholomew was a prophet and carved all of his prophecies on stone in a single room. His room has the only wooden door in the Underland. These prophecies may be read singly, as a series, or as one lengthy poem. The prophecies supposedly foretell the future of the Underlanders. While almost all creatures of the Underland seem to hold a certain respect for him, there is serious doubt raised as to whether his prophecies were true in The Code of Claw. Ripred, in particular, thought them to be foolery, though he himself deliberately fulfills the last in order to make peace between his race and the humans.

Prophecies used in Gregor's quests:

[edit] The Prophecy of Gray

This is the first prophecy. It means that Gregor must go on a quest with the others to save his father and prevent war.

Beware, Underlanders, time hangs by a thread.
The hunters are hunted, white water runs red.
 The gnawers will strike to extinguish the rest.
 The hope of the hopeless resides in a quest.
An overland warrior, a son of the sun,
May bring us back light, he may bring us back none.
But gather your neighbors and follow his call
Or rats will most surely devour us all.
Two over, two under, of royal descent,
Two flyers, two crawler, two spinners assent.
One gnawer beside and one lost up ahead.
And eight will be left when we count up the dead
The last who must die must decide where he stands.
The fate of the eight is contained in his hands.
So bid him take care, bid him look where he leaps,
As life may be death and death life again reaps.

[edit] Translation

Beware Underlanders, time hangs by a thread: A general warning. Time means life, and the Underlanders lives are in danger.
The hunters are hunted, white water runs red: When Gregor ran off, they killed (hunted) two rats (hunters), and when they threw their bodies in the (white) Waterway, the water turned red because of their blood.
(Etc.) The gnawers are out to extinguish the rest: The gnawers want to kill everyone. The hope of the hopeless resides in quest: Without a quest, there is no hope. An overland warrior, a son of the sun,: Somebody from overland or our land May bring us back light, he may bring us back none.:light also means life so he may bring us life or death

[edit] The Prophecy of Bane

This foretells the rise of a new rat leader, the Bane. It was interpreted as requiring Gregor to kill the Bane, but in fact warned him not to do so.

If Under fell, if Over leaped
If life was death, if death life reaped
Something rises from the gloom,
To make the Underland a tomb.
Hear it scratching bown below,
Rat of long-forgotten snow,
Evil cloaked in coat of white
Will the warrior drain your light?
What could turn the warrior weak?
What do burning gnawers seek?
Just a barely speaking pup
Who holds the land of under up.
Die the baby, die the heart,
Die his most essential part.
Die the peace that rules the hour.
Gnawers have their key to power.


[edit] Translation

If Under fell, if Over leaped: Henry (an Underlander) fell to his death, while Gregor (an Overlander), thinking he was meant to die, leaped off the edge of the cliff.
If life was death, if death life reaped: This means the same as the above line, it comes from the Prophecy of Gray.
Something rises from the gloom/To make the Underland a tomb: This refers to the Bane, which will rise from underground where he has been hiding. He will try to kill many in the Underland and try to rule it.
(Etc.).

[edit] The Prophecy of Blood

The Prophecy of Blood explains the plague that is killing the Underlanders, and that they must go on a quest to discover the cure.

Warmblood now a bloodborne death
Will rob your body of its breath.
 Mark your skin, seal your fate.
 The Underland becomes a plate.
 Turn and turn and turn again.
you see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
Bring the warrior from above
If yet his heart is swayed by love.
Bring the princess or despair,
No crawlers care without her there.
Turn and turn and turn again.
you see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
Those whose blood runs red and hot
Must join to seek the healing spot.
In the cradle find the cure
For that which makes the blood impure.
Turn and turn and turn again.
you see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
Gnawer, human, set aside
The hatreds that reside inside.
If the flames of war are fanned,
All warmbloods lose the underland
Turn and turn and turn again.
you see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.


[edit] Translation

Warmblood now a bloodborne death/Will rob your body of its breath/Mark your skin and seal your fate/The Underland becomes a plate: All of this stanza is referring to the plague that is infecting the Underland.
(Etc.)

It should be noted that Boots revealed the meaning of this prophecy. When Gregor mentioned "turn and turn and turn again", Boots figured this to mean to turn literally. Her motions revealed the truth; that the "cradle" of the plague lay in Regalia rather than the Vineyard of Eyes.

[edit] The Prophecy of Secrets

This was a children's song and was not known to be a prophecy until events described in Gregor and the Marks of Secret. It tells of the genocide of the Nibblers by the rats, and the rats' attack on Regalia.

Dancing in the firelight,
See the queen who conquers night.
Gold flows from her, hot and bright.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. I do not know
If we will see another.
Catch the nibblers in a trap.
Watch the nibblers spin and snap.
Quiet while they take a nap.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. I do not know
If we will see another.
Now the guests are at our door
greet them as we have before.
Some will slice and some will pour.
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Off they go. I do not know
If we will see another.
Join the dance and come be merry.
Take my hand and do not tarry.
One, two, three steps up,
One, two, three steps back.
Turn around
Off the ground
And set down what you carry.
Join the dance and counquer sadness.
Take my hand and banish madness.
One, two, three steps up,
One, two, three steps back.
Turn around
Off the ground
And give yourself to gladness.
Join the dance and be lighthearted.
Take my hand lest we be parted.
One, two, three steps up,
One, two, three steps back.
Turn around
Off the ground
And finish what you started.

[edit] Translation

Dancing in the firelight: The light from the volcanoes in the Firelands
See the queen who conquers night: The largest volcano (the queen) erupts and makes it dark no longer
Gold flows from her hot and bright: The lava flows from her
(Etc.)

It should be noted that once again, Boots figured out part of this prophecy in a way. She thought that when the mice died, they were taking a nap, which was how Sandwich phrased the prophecy.

[edit] Prophecy of Time

"The war has been declared"
"Your ally been ensnared"
"It is now or it is never"
"Break the code or die forever."
"Time is running out"
"Running out"
"Running out"
"To the warrior gave my blade"
"By his hand your fate is made"
"But do not forget the ticking"
"Or the clicking, clicking, clicking"
"While a rat's tongue may be flicking"
"With its feet it does the tricking"
"For the paw and not the jaw"
"Makes the code of claw"
"Time is standing still"
"Standing still"
"Standing still"
"Since the princess is the key"
"To unlock the treachery,"
"She cannot avoid the matching"
"Or the scratching, scratching, scratching"
"When a secret plot is hatching"
"In the naming is the catching"
"What she saw, it is the flaw"
"Of the Code of Claw"
"Time is turning back"
"Turning back"
"Turning back"
"When the monster's blood is spilled"
"When the warrior has been killed(When the Warrior's role has been fullfilled) Revised by Lizzie"
"You must not ignore the rapping"
"Or the tapping, tapping, tapping"
"If the gnawers find you napping"
"You will rot while they are mapping"
"Out the law of those who gnaw"
"In the Code of Claw"

[edit] Translation

The first lines explain that war is imminent, and that the humans must break the cipher used by the rats to communicate.

The lines regarding time imply that the Regalians have very little time in which to decipher the code and win the war. They appear as moods.

The third stanza relates to Gregor, telling him to assume the role of Warrior for the most crucial time. It also warns of the gnawers' Code.

The reference to a princess does not apply to Boots, but to Lizzie, who is Boots' sister and therefore a "princess" herself. It is Lizzie who breaks the Code by realizing that only the letters of her brother's name — G, O, R, & E — hold their proper places in the alphabet, while the others are organized so that each letter stands for the one that is before it in conventional order. Incidentally, she spots out that Gregor and King Gorger have almost the exact same name.

The last stanza tells of Pearlpelt's death and the end of Gregor's role as a warrior. Gregor fulfills this by killing the Bane and breaking the sword of Sandwich. It also warns the Regalians to be vigilant. Ultimately, they reject war between themselves and the gnawers, among other races.

[edit] The Peacemaker

A poem kept as an inspiration of comfort by Nerissa. Eventually revealed to be a prophecy.

On soft feet, by none detected,
Dealing death, by most rejected,
Killed by claw, since resurrected,
Marked by X, two lines connected.
Finally, they intersected,
Two lines met, one unexpected.

[edit] Translation

The description applies only to Ripred, who has fulfilled the first two lines through most of the first four books. The third line refers to the fact that he was presumed dead after the battle which culminated in Pearlpelt's defeat. The "Mark[ing] by X" is the intersection of the scar Ripred bears through most of the series (revealed to have been inflicted by Solovet) and a similar scar, crossing it, which Ripred inflicted on himself so that he might be recognized as Peacemaker between the gnawers and the killers. As a result, Luxa offered her bond to him; thus forming a diplomatic link between the two.

[edit] Symbology

[edit] The Holocaust

In the fourth book, Gregor and the Marks of Secret, the Bane parallels Adolf Hitler in the sense that they are both charismatic speakers who are intent on genocide; for Hitler it was Jews and for The Bane it was nibblers (mice). In addition to that, both the Bane and Hitler were able to rally full support for their cause by blaming the wrongs done to them on their selected victims.

Another link between the content of Gregor and the Marks of Secret and Nazi Germany is the method of killing their victims used by both the rats and the Nazis. Both the rats and Nazis used poisonous gases to their advantage; for the Nazis it was in concentration camps and for the rats it was in the Firelands.

[edit] Of Mice and Math

In Gregor and the Marks of Secret, Luxa mentions that the Nibblers love mathematics. This becomes even more apparent in Gregor and the Code of Claw. Because of their love of math, the Nibblers name their children after important mathematical terms, ideologies, and persons.

  • Cevian, Luxa's close friend among the Nibblers, who is named for a line segment extending from a vertex of a triangle to the opposite side.
  • Cube, a baby Nibbler born at the jungle colony, who is named by Luxa.
  • Cartesian, the Nibbler rescued from Hades Hall, who is named after the French mathematician Descartes.
  • Euclidian, Euclid, often described as the father of modern geometry.
  • Heronian, the Nibbler who is part of the team to break the Code of Claw, who is named for Hero of Alexandria.
  • Scalene, one of the baby Nibblers that Hazard reunites with its family, named for a triangle in which all angles have different measure.
  • Newton, an orphaned baby Nibbler, named for physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton.

[edit] Greek mythology

Several of the bats' names were taken from Greek mythology (Similar to Kenneth Oppel's bats). Many of the names are relevant to the bats position or importance.

  • Hermes, the Messenger Bat, named for a Greek messenger god.
  • Nike, the bats' princess. Nike is also the Greek goddess of victory. Also the name on the Nike Inc.
  • Euripides, Vikus' bond, Greek tragedian.
  • Pandora, Howard's bond, named for a Greek figure in myth who was blamed for the release of misery into the world.
  • Ares, Gregor's bond, Greek God of War, son of Zeus and Hera.
  • Aurora, Luxa's Bond, Ancient Roman Goddess of the Dawn.
  • Andromeda, Mareth's bond, figure of Greek Myth rescued by Perseus.
  • Ajax, Solovet's bond, Greek hero, character in Homer's Iliad.
  • Athena, Queen of the bats, Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War.
  • Thalia, Hazard's would-be bond and lover of jokes, Greek muse of Comedy.
  • Icarus, Greek figure of Myth, attached feathers to his back with hot wax but flew too close to the sun. At this, the wax melted, and he drowned in the ocean. The bat Icarus fell from the sky with the plague into the arena and was killed upon impact.
  • Daedalus, a member of the code-breaking team. In Greek Mythology, a skilled artisan and father of Icarus.

Other Greek associations

  • Tantalus, for whom is named the Arch of Tantalus was a Greek king who was punished in the mythological afterlife for killing his son.
  • Hades, after whom is named the Hades Hall, was the Greek god that ruled over the underworld.
  • The Garden of the Hesperides, which is in (Greek mythology)the name of the nymphs who cared for a garden in the corner of the earth.
  • Tartarus, the location of the final battle between the killers and the gnawers, is another name for the Underworld

[edit] Children of Vikus

Throughout the series, the names of the children of the Regalian regent Vikus are revealed.

  • Susannah, mother of Howard
  • Hamnet, father of Hazard, twin of Judith
  • Judith, mother of Luxa, twin of Hamnet

These are in comparison to the children of the famous English playwright, William Shakespeare.

Nerissa's name is also from Shakespeare. Her name means "black-haired", and Nerissa was a character in The Merchant of Venice

[edit] External links