and finally she completes her spellcoat with a waking vision she experiences. In an epilogue written by Elthorar Ansdaughter, Keeper of Antiquities, we learn that the spellcoats were discovered hundreds of years later, during the approximate time period of Drowned Ammet and Cart and Cwidder, in the mountains of North Dalemark near Hannart. Elthorar notes the close correspondence between various figures in the stories and their apparent counterparts in the legends and folktales of the people of Dalemark. Like the other three novels of the Dalemark Quartet, The Spellcoats is a story about a physical journey, during which revelations occur. As in the other three books, the presence of magic is not readily apparent at its beginning, but slowly creeps into the story. Characters Closti's children The five sons and daughters of Closti the Clam, born and raised in the village of Shelling across the River. Although their father never left Shelling, his children look like the heathens with their blond hair. Gull – The second eldest of Closti the Clam's five children. He goes off to war with his father, but is the only one to return. When he comes home from war, his mind has deteriorated and his siblings must look after him. In actuality, he isn't crazy, but caught in a spell by the mage Kankredin, who wants to use Gull's soul to reach the One. Robin – Tanaqui's sister, eldest of the five. She falls in love with Tanamil, but is married against her will to the King. This puts her younger brother Hern in a straight line of succession to the King. Hern – Tanaqui's older brother, Hern is extremely "reasonable" and resists admitting that magic exists. He becomes great friends with Kars Adon, who names Hern his heir, and he inherits the crowns of both the heathens and the native people when their two kings are killed simultaneously in an act of treachery. He thus becomes King Hern, the first recorded king of Dalemark who is mentioned repeatedly in other volumes of the Dalemark Quartet. Tanaqui – The narrator, whose name means "rushes" if woven as one word and "younger sister" if woven as two (tan and aqui). She is the weaver and eventually one of the Undying, the witch Cennoreth who appears in The Crown of Dalemark. Mallard – Called by his nickname "Duck", the youngest of the five siblings. Coached by Tanamil,