- "…belief is found within one's gizzard, in one's heart, in one's mind. It has no value if it is simply ordered like a command."
- ―Gwyndor, The Hatchling'
Gwyndor was a male Masked Owl, or Tyto hollandiae, and rogue smith, once employed by the Pure Ones for a Final Ceremony on Kludd's (Metal Beak) remains. He helped Coryn, or Nyroc as he was known then, and became his friend and great aide. Gwyndor lived in Beyond the Beyond. Some time after The Outcast, he became a slipgizzle for the Great Ga'Hoole Tree.
History[]
The Hatchling[]
Gwyndor was summoned by the Pure Ones to make a fire for Kludd's final ceremony. During the ceremony, Gwyndor noticed that Nyra's son, Nyroc was seeing something in the flames. The rogue smith suspected the youngster has firesight and had seen the Ember of Hoole. Also, he heard the Pure Ones talking of Nyroc's special ceremony, called the Tupsi. In order to find out more, Gwyndor went to Silverveil to seek out the Rogue Smith who lives there.
Gwyndor managed to find the smith and was invited into her forge. The snowy owl told him that the special ceremony involves murdering someone very close. Unable to bear seeing Nyroc do such a act, Gwyndor prepared to warn him. Thora then told him, "Truth must be revealed, and not simply told".
Along the way to warn Nyroc, Gwyndor was mobbed by crows. Fortunately, a family of Burrowing owls took care of him and found all his coals. Gwyndor immediately departed once awakened. Once getting to the Pure Ones, Gwyndor claimed he will make the fireclaws Nyra requested and needed Nyroc in helping him set up a forge. Once he and the young'un were alone, Gwyndor set up a fire for Nyroc to see. Gwyndor also decided to take the Rogue Smith of Silverveil's advice and allow the young'un to find the truth himself. Although, he was seeing visions in the flame, Nyroc tried to deny what he saw.
The Outcast[]
Gwyndor got word that Nyroc fled into the Beyond the Beyond. The rogue smith then departed there to find him. Along the way, he met Otulissa, a Guardian of Ga'Hoole, who was also on her way to find the young'un. Gwyndor offered his aid in accompanying her there, despite her refusing.
Gwyndor and Otulissa did met Nyroc, who changed his name to Coryn. Gwyndor then told Otulissa of Coryn's firesight of the Ember of Hoole. He later witnessed her teaching the skills of colliering to Coryn and saw him getting the Ember of Hoole, marking him as the king of Ga'Hoole.
Exile []
During the raid of the Blue Brigade, some of Gwyndor's coals were stolen for Balefire Night. Gwyndor later rescued Cory, the Burrowing Owl who was named after the king and from the family of owls who saved him earlier. They spied on the Blue Brigade who was burning dummies representing the Band. Gwyndor later flew with the Green Owls of Ambala and killed Field Marshal Cram by severing his wing with a pair of battle claws that he made specifically for the battle.
The War of the Ember[]
Gwyndor had been residing in the Beyond for a long while after the events of Exile as a student of the wolves. He later heard the howl of Namara, who was known before as Gyllbane. He sensed it a sign of great distress and danger, and departed immediately to the Great Tree to warn them, as he is a slipgizzle for the tree. Two more arrivals were there: Dumpy the puffin and Bess the Keeper of the Palace of Mists. They discussed Nyra and the Striga's plans of hagsfiends. Later, Gwyndor, Kalo, Cory, and Octavia went to the Northern Kingdoms to recruit allies.
During the War of the Ember Gwyndor suffered a head wound that would later lead to his death.
Lone Wolf []
It was revealed that Gwyndor died of a head wound suffered during the War of the Ember shortly after the war. He had a daughter named Gwynneth, and he named her after his deceased mate.
Frost Wolf[]
It is revealed that after his death, due to the respect many dire wolves had for him, Gwyndor was given a hero mark: his bones were ceremoniously placed in a blue spruce tree with his helmet as a show of great respect for him, making him likely the first owl to be given a hero mark. Said helmet was, however, stolen by Liam MacDuncan for his own use to declare himself a prophet. The scroom of the Rogue Smith of Silverveil appears to Gwynneth to inform her of this disturbance to the hero mark, and she sets out to find out who stole the helmet. The scroom of Gwyndor lightly assists Gwynneth by sending favorable winds, and when Liam MacDuncan is found and the mask is recovered, Gwynneth returns it safely to its hero mark.
Spirit Wolf[]
Immediately after Gwynneth has returned the hero mark to its proper resting state, a massive earthquake decimates the area, causing the bones of Gwyndor to fall out of the hollow, and the tree is engulfed by a large fiery crack that splits open in the ground, his helmet still inside.