Lord Foul’s Bane
Chapter 21: Twenty One: Treacher’s Gorge
by Donaldson, Stephen R.The chapter begins with the company traveling northward across the Plains in high spirits, accompanied by the Ranyhyn and entertained by Foamfollower’s tales and the Ramen’s hunting skills. They camp near Roamsedge Ford before turning northeast into a desolate, scarred landscape resembling an ancient battleground. This region, once the front line of Lord Foul’s attacks, is marked by stunted vegetation and a grim history of war, setting a somber tone for their journey toward Mount Thunder.
As they traverse the war-torn land, Mhoram recounts its history, explaining how Lord Foul’s armies repeatedly breached the defenses at Landsdrop, leading to catastrophic battles. The riders find solace in singing the legend of Berek Halfhand, who overcame despair to gain Earthpower, but the barren surroundings cast doubt on the song’s hopeful message. The desolation seems to mock their quest, emphasizing the Land’s enduring suffering under Lord Foul’s influence.
Foamfollower grows increasingly agitated, filling the silence with stories to combat the group’s deepening gloom. His relentless chatter initially uplifts the company, but as they near Mount Thunder, the weight of their mission stifles their spirits. Covenant, overwhelmed by the Giant’s talk and the oppressive atmosphere, feels the group’s confidence wane, their songs now sounding more like desperate pleas than affirmations of hope.
The chapter culminates in a violent storm that forces the company to huddle together, guided only by Prothall’s faint magical light and the Ramen’s scouting. Covenant, terrified of the lightning and the unseen cliff edge, clings to Dura’s back, his fear mirroring the group’s precarious situation. The storm’s fury underscores the peril of their quest, leaving them vulnerable as they press onward toward Mount Thunder’s looming threat.
FAQs
1. How does the landscape of the war-land reflect the history of conflict in the Land?
Answer:
The scarred and desolate terrain north of the Plains of Ra serves as a physical testament to the Land’s ancient wars against Lord Foul. Mhoram explains that this region was the primary battleground where Foul’s armies ascended from Landsdrop to attack the Upper Land. The barrenness—marked by stunted vegetation, charred rock, and topsoil like “a litter of graves”—symbolizes the repeated devastation of these conflicts. The land’s inability to recover fully suggests the enduring impact of violence, mirroring how historical trauma lingers in the collective memory of the Land’s inhabitants. This setting underscores the cyclical nature of struggle in the story, connecting past wars to the current Quest.2. Analyze the significance of the song about Berek Halfhand in this chapter. How does it function for the characters and the narrative?
Answer:
The song about Berek Halfhand serves as both comfort and thematic foreshadowing. For the characters, its refrain (“Berek! Earthfriend! help and heal…”) represents hope amid the desolate landscape, a reminder that past heroes overcame despair. However, the war-land’s starkness also undercuts this optimism, suggesting Berek’s victory might be illusory—a tension that mirrors Covenant’s internal conflict about his role in the Land. Narratively, the song reinforces key themes: the power of myth to sustain people, the fragility of hope, and the Land’s cyclical battles against corruption. It also parallels Covenant’s journey, as Berek’s loss of fingers and eventual redemption may hint at Covenant’s path.3. How does Foamfollower’s behavior change as the company travels, and what does this reveal about the psychological toll of the Quest?
Answer:
Initially, Foamfollower is jovial, telling “gay tales” and lifting spirits, but his demeanor shifts to agitation and compulsive talking as the group nears Mount Thunder. His “concealed urgency” and incessant stories suggest a struggle to repress dread, revealing the cumulative stress of the Quest. The Giant’s decline mirrors the group’s broader morale: early camaraderie gives way to strained songs and silence, showing how the war-land’s oppressive history erodes confidence. Foamfollower’s arc highlights the psychological burden of facing Drool Rockworm and Lord Foul—even a resilient figure like a Giant can be shaken by the weight of the Land’s darkness.4. What symbolic role does the sudden storm play in the chapter, and how does its description enhance the mood?
Answer:
The storm symbolizes Lord Foul’s malevolent influence and the Quest’s escalating peril. Its “preternatural” fury—black clouds, stinging rain, and thunder like “crushing boulders”—mirrors the chaotic evil the company approaches. Prothall’s frail flame against the lightning’s “white revelations” underscores the Lords’ vulnerability, while the Ramen’s struggle to navigate the tempest reflects the precariousness of their mission. The storm’s violence also externalizes Covenant’s fear, as he clings to Dura, blinded and disoriented. This imagery shifts the mood from grim resolve to visceral dread, foreshadowing greater trials ahead.5. Compare Covenant’s reaction to the storm with his earlier avoidance of Landsdrop. What do these choices reveal about his character and his “bargain”?
Answer:
Both moments highlight Covenant’s instinct for self-preservation and his fragile psychological balance. He avoids Landsdrop to evade vertigo, fearing it might destabilize his “bargain” (his detached stance toward the Land). During the storm, his terror of falling manifests again as he shuts his eyes, clinging to Prothall’s light like a lifeline. These choices reveal his deep-seated fear of losing control and his reliance on denial—he’d rather ignore dangers than confront them. Yet his survival depends on others (the Ramen, Prothall), subtly challenging his insistence on isolation and foreshadowing his eventual need to engage fully with the Land.
Quotes
1. “The whole region north of them was cut and scarred and darkened like an ancient battleground, a huge field that had been ruined by the shedding of too much blood.”
This vivid description of the war-torn landscape establishes the chapter’s tone of desolation and foreshadows the historical weight of the region. It symbolizes the lasting scars of Lord Foul’s past conflicts on the Land.
2. “Age after age, the defenders strove to halt Lord Foul at Landsdrop, and failed because they could not block all the ways up from the Spoiled Plains and Sarangrave Flat.”
This quote encapsulates the cyclical nature of the Land’s struggle against evil, showing how geography has shaped its tragic history of repeated defeats despite valiant efforts.
3. “The hard, reft and harrowed war-land seemed to say that Berek’s victory was an illusion - that all his Earthfriendship and his Staff of Law and his lineage of Lords […] amounted to so much scrub grass and charred rock and dust.”
A powerful reflection on the apparent futility of past victories, contrasting the hopeful legend of Berek with the bleak reality of the ravaged landscape the company traverses.
4. “There is talk, unfounded even in the oldest legends, that the cleft of Landsdrop was caused by the sacrilege which buried immense banes under Mount Thunder’s roots.”
This mythological explanation of Landsdrop’s origin reveals the deep connection between the Land’s physical geography and its moral/spiritual history of ancient evils.
5. “In the white revelations of the lightning, Prothall’s flare appeared dim and frail, and thunder detonated hugely over it as if exploding at the touch of folly.”
This dramatic storm scene symbolizes the company’s vulnerability as they approach Mount Thunder, with nature itself seeming to oppose their quest against overwhelming odds.