The Old Ones are members of the Light.
Those who fight for the Light includes mostly a circle of immortals known as the Old Ones which stretches throughout time and all over the world. The Old Ones possess a number of abilities which give them to power to erase memories, travel through time, the air, water and among the constellations. Unlike mortals, the Old Ones are only loosely placed in time through which they can travel in a blink of an eye.
Of all Old Ones, the oldest and most powerful is Merriman Lyon. He makes his first appearance in Over Sea, Under Stone as the Drew family's "Great-Uncle Merry" or "Gumerry", protecting the children from the forces of the Dark which have gathered to stop their quest for the grail. His next, and in some ways, far more involved appearance is in The Dark is Rising, and all subsequent books in the series. In The Dark is Rising he acts as Will Stanton's mentor/teacher while the youngest of the Old Ones comes into his powers. It is revealed that he is Merlin, the great Sorcerer.
At the time of the awakening of Will Stanton, the last and youngest of the Old Ones, in The Dark is Rising, the knowledge of the Old Ones was placed in the Book of Gramarye, a book in which all the magic of the Old Ones is found. It is from the Book of Gramarye that Will Stanton learns all the knowledge of the Old Ones and how to control his gifts.
Known Old Ones[]
- Merriman Lyon
- Will Stanton
- Miss Greythorne
- Frank Dawson
- Old George
- John Wayland Smith
- Martha Smith
- Captain Toms
- Dafyd