# Orion — The King of Elfland’s Daughter character guide > Orion in The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Threl, young Orion, Orion Threl **First appearance:** 0018-xvi-orion-hunts-the-stag ## Snapshot Son of Alveric and Lirazel, caught between his mother's timeless magic and his father's long line of hunters. ## Who they are Orion grows up at the castle of Erl with hounds that speak to him in tails and paws and eyes, and with a mother whose blood is elvish. When he stands at the twilight boundary, the call of Elfland and the call of the chase pull him opposite ways, and the hounds usually win. His divided inheritance makes him the story's living bridge — and its most vulnerable one — between the fields we know and the land beyond. ## Relationships ### [Oth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/oth) _friendship_ Orion and Oth are close companions, with Oth serving as a loyal and steadfast friend to the young prince. ### [Ziroonderel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/ziroonderel) _friendship_ Orion forms a close bond with the witch Ziroonderel, who becomes his mentor and protector in the mortal world. ### [Alveric](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/alveric) _family_ Alveric is the father of Orion, but their relationship is strained by distance and Orion's dual heritage between Elfland and the mortal world. ### [Lirazel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/lirazel) _family_ Lirazel is Orion's mother, but she is largely absent from his life due to her return to Elfland, creating a bond of longing and myth. ### [Lurulu](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/lurulu) _friendship_ Lurulu, a troll from Elfland, becomes a mischievous but loyal friend to Orion, sharing adventures and magical insights. ### [Oth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/oth) _friendship_ Orion and Oth are close companions, with Oth serving as a loyal and steadfast friend to the young prince. ### [Lurulu](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/lurulu) _friendship_ Lurulu, a troll from Elfland, becomes a mischievous but loyal friend to Orion, sharing adventures and magical insights. ### [Alveric](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/alveric) _family_ Alveric is the father of Orion, but their relationship is strained by distance and Orion's dual heritage between Elfland and the mortal world. ### [Alveric](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/alveric) _family_ Alveric is the father of Orion, but their relationship is strained by distance and Orion's dual heritage between Elfland and the mortal world. ### [Lurulu](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/lurulu) _friendship_ Lurulu, a troll from Elfland, becomes a mischievous but loyal friend to Orion, sharing adventures and magical insights. ### [Oth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/oth) _friendship_ Orion and Oth are close companions, with Oth serving as a loyal and steadfast friend to the young prince. ### [Lirazel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/lirazel) _family_ Lirazel is Orion's mother, but she is largely absent from his life due to her return to Elfland, creating a bond of longing and myth. ## In the story ### [The King of Elfland’s Daughter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/the-king-of-elfland-s-daughter) Son of Alveric and Lirazel, who grows up in Erl and hunts the stag and unicorn. ### [V: The Wisdom of the Parliament of Erl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/v-the-wisdom-of-the-parliament-of-erl) The newborn son of Alveric and Lirazel, cared for by the witch Ziroonderel, and celebrated by the people of Erl. ### [The Arrival of the Rune](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/viii-the-arrival-of-the-rune) The infant son of Alveric and Lirazel, named after the constellation; shows delight at the troll's antics. ### [IX: Lirazel Blows Away](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/ix-lirazel-blows-away) Lirazel's child, with whom she plays in the nursery before reading the rune. ### [X: The Ebbing of Elfland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/x-the-ebbing-of-elfland) Present in the tower when Alveric speaks to Ziroonderel; he knows his father's fears. ### [XI: The Deep of the Woods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xi-the-deep-of-the-woods) Orion's curiosity about his mother and the woods grows; he begins to explore the forest with Oth and Threl, developing a deep love for the wild. ### [The Reticence of the Leather-Worker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xiii-the-reticence-of-the-leather-worker) Found in the woods with Ziroonderel; claims he still hears the horns of Elfland every evening, contradicting Alveric's belief that Elfland has ebbed. ### [XIV: The Quest for the Elfin Mountains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xiv-the-quest-for-the-elfin-mountains) Hears the elfin horns from beyond the woods and tells his father he wants to hunt 'magic things' someday. ### [XIV: The Quest for the Elfin Mountains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xiv-the-quest-for-the-elfin-mountains) Accompanies Orion to the woods, where a mystery haunts the trees and strange beasts may appear. ### [XVI: Orion Hunts the Stag](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xvi-orion-hunts-the-stag) Now grown and skilled in hunting, he leads the hunt for the stag and is recognized as the new lord of Erl. ### [XVII: The Unicorn Comes in the Starlight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xvii-the-unicorn-comes-in-the-starlight) Hunts daily with his hounds, reading the snow's records, and returns home at dusk; the parliament debates whether he is the magic lord they hoped for. ### [XVII: The Unicorn Comes in the Starlight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xvii-the-unicorn-comes-in-the-starlight) Defends Orion, claiming he has knowledge of woods and beasts beyond human learning. ### [The Grey Tent in the Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xviii-the-grey-tent-in-the-evening) Hearing elvish horns, he cuts off a unicorn from Elfland, driving it across the valley of Erl. ### [XIX: Twelve Old Men Without Magic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xix-twelve-old-men-without-magic) Hunts and kills a unicorn near the border of Elfland, demonstrating his skill and connection to magic. ### [XX: A Historical Fact](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xx-a-historical-fact) Orion kills his first unicorn, takes its head as a trophy, and returns to Erl triumphant. ### [XX: A Historical Fact](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xx-a-historical-fact) Threl prepares the unicorn head by skinning, washing, boiling the skull, and stuffing the neck with straw. ### [On the Verge of Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxi-on-the-verge-of-earth) Orion stands at the frontier of Elfland, torn between his magical lineage and his earthly ties to the hunt. ### [XXII: Orion Appoints a Whip](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxii-orion-appoints-a-whip) Now nearly twelve, he hunts unicorns near the boundary and appoints Lurulu as his whip, but fails to recruit human whippers-in due to the villagers' fear. ### [XXIII: Lurulu Watches the Restlessness of Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxiii-lurulu-watches-the-restlessness-of-earth) Mentioned as sleeping heavily; Lurulu goes to find him at the end of the chapter. ### [XXIV: Lurulu Speaks of Earth and the Ways of Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxiv-lurulu-speaks-of-earth-and-the-ways-of-men) Approves Lurulu's plan to have a troll for each hound. ### [XXV: Lirazel Remembers the Fields We Know](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxv-lirazel-remembers-the-fields-we-know) Mentioned in Lirazel's thoughts as she remembers playing with him in earthly fields. ### [The Return of Lurulu](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxvii-the-return-of-lurulu) Waits for Lurulu's return through spring, summer, and autumn, refusing to hunt anything less than unicorns. ### [A Chapter on Unicorn-Hunting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxviii-a-chapter-on-unicorn-hunting) Leads the unicorn hunts with his hounds and trolls, successfully hunting one unicorn but failing on a moonless night. ### [A Chapter on Unicorn-Hunting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxviii-a-chapter-on-unicorn-hunting) Joins Oth in scorning Gazic's reservations about magic. ### [XXX: The Coming of Too Much Magic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxx-the-coming-of-too-much-magic) Orion's elfin blood awakens, drawing him toward Elfland and causing him to neglect earthly cares. ### [XXX: The Coming of Too Much Magic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxx-the-coming-of-too-much-magic) Threl warns that it is too late to turn Orion from his path. ### [XXXI: The Cursing of Elfin Things](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxxi-the-cursing-of-elfin-things) Passes through Erl with his hounds, thinking no earthly thoughts, drawn eastward toward Elfland by his yearning for his mother. ### [XXXII: Lirazel Yearns for Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxxii-lirazel-yearns-for-earth) Mentioned as living and growing on Earth, with strange longings floating between him and Lirazel. ### [XXXIV: The Last Great Rune](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/chapters/xxxiv-the-last-great-rune) Hears the horns of Elfland blowing all day, sensing his mother's nearness; meets Lirazel in the garden. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters/orion - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_king_of_elfland_s_daughter_se/characters