Maerad of Pellinor is the central character of The Gift, The Riddle, and The Singing. At the beginning of the books, she is sixteen, an orphaned slave in an obscure mountain settlement, Gilman's Cot, from which she is rescued by the Bard Cadvan of Lirigon. Their chance meeting reveals that she is descended from a famed family of Bards from the School of Pellinor, and that she is the Fated One, prophesied to save the land of Edil-Amarandh from the Nameless One in his second rising. Although she possesses terrifying Elidhu powers that she inherited from her Elemental ancestors, which make even her friends afraid of her, she is still a young girl, confused, lonely, and afraid of her destiny. Despite her destiny, by nature she is bookish, and her dearest wish is just to be an ordinary Bard and study the Lore of Edil-Amarandh, making her a reluctant heroine. She eventually vanquished the Nameless one with help from her brother Hem, whom she discovered whilst travelling with Cadvan.
Maerad's Bard Truename is Elednor, meaning 'Fire Lily' in the Speech. Ardina, her Elidhu ancestor, informs her that 'Triple-tongued is triple-named', indicating that besides her Common name and her Name in the Speech, she also possesses an Elidhu name. This is never revealed, however.
*SPOILER ALERT* This may be because she does not possess her powers for long enough to discover it, as she loses them after the friends have defeated the Nameless One. She also then enters a relationship with Cadvan. *END SPOILER ALERT*
Languages[]
Maerad was brought up speaking Annaren, and as a Bard can use the Speech. Because of her elemental blood, she finds she can speak the Elidhu language. In The Riddle, she learns a bit of the language of the Jussacks from a young Jussack man named Nim.