The Rook Feather is a symbol that appears throughout the book. A popular legend that residents of the Sunken City tell their children is that of the Rook, who led the people of Paris to safety in the Catacombs during the Great Death. The Rook is a divine saint that took the form of a streak of light. The vigilante known as the Red Rook leaves a feather tipped with red paint at the site of his or her rescue missions in The Tombs. The rook feathers are a symbol of hope to the people of Paris and are also a symbol of rebellion.
"Do you know rooks, Gerard? Survivors of the the Time Before, a symbol of those who have lived and overcome... Surely you were told that story as a child? We all were" ( Cameron 6)