Merlin

Family: unknown · Role: enchanter · First appears: Book I, Chapter II

In Book I, Merlin bound Uther Pendragon to fulfill his request in exchange for granting the king’s desire, then received the child who would become King Arthur. He delivered him to Sir Ector to be reared and christened, and later revealed Arthur’s birth, parentage, and claim to the crown, telling him, “King Uther Pendragon was thy father, and begat thee on Igraine.” He also counselled King Arthur through the gathering of the realm’s lords, guiding him to meet the opposing kings safely and to answer them as their king and chieftain.

As Arthur’s enemies grew stronger, Merlin advised him to seek the aid of King Ban and King Bors, secretly moved their armed forces into England, and arranged the scouts, tokens, ambushes, and night attack that shaped the campaign. He warned Arthur of future dangers, including the child who would destroy him and his realm, and foretold events involving King Pellinore, Balin, Balan, Launcelot de Lake, Galahad, and Sir Mordred. He ended the battle by ordering Arthur, Ban, and Sir Bors to withdraw and rest, then went to Bleise, his master, who wrote the battle down from Merlin’s account. Merlin also saved Arthur from Pellinore by enchantment, rescued Balin after battle, and later recorded Balin and Balan’s burial.

In Books II and III, Merlin continued to counsel Arthur, warning him of Nero’s attack, delaying King Lot with prophecy, and revealing the future Dolorous Stroke, the Sangreal adventures, and the battle between Arthur and Mordred. He arranged Arthur’s marriage by carrying the king’s request to Leodegrance, who delivered Queen Guenever and the Table Round to him, and at Arthur’s court he assigned King Pellinore the place of greatest honour. Merlin remained a trusted adviser to Arthur, who placed the restoration of the adventures under his counsel.

In Book IV, Merlin became devoted to Nimue, who was weary of his pursuit, and she imprisoned him beneath an enchanted stone, where he died. Before this, he foretold his own end and warned Arthur that he would be put in the earth alive; he also prophesied for Elaine and Sir Launcelot. In later books, Merlin delivered King Meliodas from prison, arranged the burial of Lanceor and Colombe beneath one stone, and made the Round Table “in tokening of roundness of the world,” along with the Siege Perilous for the knight who would surpass all others.