Lord Foul’s Bane
Chapter 16: Sixteen: Blood-Bourne
by Donaldson, Stephen R.The chapter “Blood-Bourne” follows Thomas Covenant’s grueling three-day journey on horseback, during which he endures intense physical pain from riding. His body aches relentlessly, leaving him unable to focus on his surroundings or engage with his companions. Despite his suffering, the healing properties of the Giant’s diamondraught and the Land’s vitality gradually strengthen him, and by the third day, he adapts to the rigors of travel. The group moves beyond Revelstone into harsh, rocky plains, marking a shift in both terrain and Covenant’s mindset as he begins to reengage with the world around him.
Covenant’s improved condition allows him to interact with the group, particularly Foamfollower and Lord Mhoram. The Giant lightens the mood with humor, recounting a tale about diamondraught ending a war, which sparks laughter among the warriors. Covenant, however, remains introspective, grappling with the contrast between the Land’s vibrant beauty and the bleakness of his own world. When Mhoram probes him about his homeland, Covenant struggles to articulate its flaws, ultimately describing it as a place where beauty is treated as expendable—a notion that baffles and disturbs his companions.
The conversation leaves Covenant unsettled, as he reflects on the despair inherent in his world’s disregard for beauty. His companions, particularly Foamfollower, express dismay at the idea of living without it, highlighting the cultural and philosophical divide between Covenant and the inhabitants of the Land. The exchange underscores Covenant’s isolation and his conflicted feelings about the Land’s seemingly impossible vitality, which both attracts and alienates him.
As the day progresses, a somber mood settles over the company in anticipation of the first full moon under Drool’s influence. The potential display of the Cavewight’s power looms as a test, raising fears of imminent danger and conflict. Covenant recalls his encounter with Drool, adding to the tension. Only the elderly Lords Variol and Tamarantha remain unaffected, their frailty contrasting with their serene demeanor. The chapter ends on an uneasy note, foreshadowing the challenges ahead as the group braces for the night’s uncertainties.
FAQs
1. How does Thomas Covenant’s physical condition evolve during the three days of riding, and what factors contribute to this change?
Answer:
Initially, Covenant suffers extreme saddle soreness, experiencing pain in his knees, thighs, calves, and back from the strain of riding Dura. The clingor saddle prevents him from falling, but his muscles remain clenched, requiring diamondraught to sleep. However, his body gradually adapts due to the Land’s restorative health and the Giant’s diamondraught. By the third day, his flesh toughens, and he unconsciously improves his riding technique, moving with the horse rather than resisting it. This transformation highlights the Land’s healing properties and Covenant’s latent resilience, even as he remains psychologically conflicted about his presence in this “dream.”
2. Analyze the significance of Covenant’s conversation with Mhoram about his world. How does this dialogue reveal their differing worldviews?
Answer:
The conversation exposes a stark contrast between Covenant’s bleak, utilitarian perspective (“scenery” as expendable beauty) and the Land’s intrinsic reverence for life. Covenant struggles to articulate his world’s suffering, listing diseases and social ills but ultimately emphasizing humanity’s detachment from nature. Mhoram and Foamfollower react with dismay, unable to fathom living without beauty—a concept tied to survival in the Land. This exchange underscores Covenant’s alienation and the cultural divide between worlds, while also hinting at his internal conflict: he recognizes the Land’s vitality but resists emotional investment due to his “unbelief.”
3. What role does humor play in the interactions between Foamfollower, Mhoram, and Prothall, and how does it affect the group’s dynamic?
Answer:
Foamfollower’s playful storytelling about diamondraught ending a war—through Giants’ loquacity rather than combat—lightens the mood, provoking laughter from the warriors and even Prothall. This humor serves as a coping mechanism amid the Quest’s tension, fostering camaraderie. Mhoram’s teasing about the tale’s length (“half a day… or by sunset tomorrow”) and Prothall’s witty rebuttal demonstrate leadership that balances gravity with levity. Such moments temporarily dissolve Covenant’s isolation, subtly integrating him into the group before the somber anticipation of the blood moon resurfaces.
4. Why does the impending blood moon create a sense of dread among the company, and what might it symbolize for the Quest?
Answer:
The blood moon tests Drool Rockworm’s power; if he can sustain its red hue during the full moon, his threat becomes limitless. This foreshadows potential armies and violent encounters, forcing the company to “fight for passage.” Symbolically, the moon represents the encroaching reach of Corruption’s influence, challenging the Lords’ hope and resolve. Covenant’s shuddering recollection of Drool in Kiril Threndor amplifies this dread, mirroring his own fear of the dream’s “suicidal” nature. The moon thus becomes a harbinger of both external peril and internal despair.
5. Contrast Variol and Tamarantha’s demeanor with the rest of the company’s mood as they anticipate the blood moon. What might their attitude suggest about their characters?
Answer:
While others grow tense, Variol and Tamarantha appear detached—Tamarantha half-asleep, Variol erect but unfocused. Their frailty contrasts with their blithe attitude, suggesting either wisdom borne of age or resignation to their mortality. Unlike the vigilant Bloodguard or brooding Covenant, they seem unburdened by fear, possibly trusting in the Land’s larger rhythms. This hints at a deeper understanding of cyclical conflict (like spring’s inevitability) or a focus on transcendent truths beyond immediate peril, aligning with their roles as elder Lords.
Quotes
1. “He was consumed by the painful sensation of being broken in half. Once again, he was forced to recognize the suicidal nature of this dream, of what the subconscious darkness of his mind was doing to him.”
This quote captures Covenant’s physical and psychological torment as he grapples with the Land’s reality. It reflects his recurring struggle to reconcile his leprosy-stricken “real” world with this vivid, painful dreamscape.
2. “This is beautiful. It’s alive- it’s alive the way it should be alive… Where I come from we don’t see… But the world is beautiful- what’s left of it, what we haven’t damaged.”
Covenant’s awestruck yet bitter comparison between the Land’s vitality and Earth’s ecological degradation reveals his conflicted worldview. This moment marks a rare emotional vulnerability where he acknowledges both wonder and loss.
3. “‘Live without beauty? Ah, my friend! How do you resist despair?’ ‘I don’t think we do. Some of us are just stubborn.’”
This pivotal exchange between Foamfollower and Covenant encapsulates the chapter’s central tension - the contrast between the Land’s life-affirming ethos and Covenant’s grim realism. The Giant’s horrified question highlights the cultural chasm between worlds.
4. “Tonight would be the first full of the bloody moon… That night would be a kind of test of Drool’s power.”
This ominous observation foreshadows the coming confrontation with evil forces. The company’s growing dread about the moon’s unnatural redness builds suspense while demonstrating the tangible threat posed by Drool Rockworm’s dark magic.