Denis Arilan

Denis Michael Arilan is born in 1083, the nephew of Lord Seisyll Arilan and the younger brother of Sir Jamyl Arilan. He studies for the priesthood from an early age, and he is ordained a priest in 1105, becoming the first Deryni to be successfully ordained in two centuries. Two years later, following Jamyl's death, Arilan is inducted into the Camberian Council, becoming the first cleric to sit on the Council in two hundred years. Arilan rises quickly at the court of Gwynedd, being appointed Confessor to King Brion Haldane in 1115 and elected Auxiliary Bishop of Rhemuth in 1118, at which point he is named to the Brion's Royal Council. In 1121, he and several other bishops oppose Archbishop Edmund Loris's plan to place the Duchy of Corwyn under interdict, effectively splitting the Curia of Bishops. However, Arilan and his colleagues soon offer their support to King Kelson Haldane, and Arilan reveals his Deryni heritage to Kelson, Duke Alaric Morgan, Monsignor Duncan McLain, and Bishop Thomas Cardiel. When Kelson is challenged to a Duel Arcane by King Wencit Furstán of Torenth, Arilan takes the king and his allies to meet with the Camberian Council, securing the Council's mediation in the conflict. The following day, Arilan is standing by Kelson's side as the King of Gwynedd emerges victorious from the battle.
In 1122, Arilan is elected Bishop of Dhassa, though he remains a member of both the Camberian Council and Kelson's Royal Council. He participates in Kelson's wedding to Princess Sidana of Meara in 1124, but the ceremony ends in the bride's tragic murder. Later that year, Arilan assists Kelson in the arcane ritual to activate the Haldane potential of Prince Nigel Haldane, and he remains in Rhemuth during Kelson's military campaign in Meara to provide additional Deryni support for Nigel. The following year, after Kelson's supposed death and Nigel's collapse, Arilan, Morgan, and Duncan activate the Haldane potential of Nigel's son, Prince Conall Haldane. In 1128, Arilan travels with Kelson to Torenth, where he and other members of the Camberian Council attempt to unravel the political plots surrounding the Torenthi court. Following the formal enthronement of King Liam Lajos, Arilan serves as Gwynedd's primary ambassador to the Torenthi court. As of 1130, the 46-year-old Arilan is still a member of the Camberian Council, a member of the Royal Council of Gwynedd, and the Bishop of Dhassa.
== Appearances ==
* Deryni Rising
* Deryni Checkmate 
* High Deryni 
* The Bishop's Heir 
* The King's Justice 
* The Quest for Saint Camber 
* King Kelson's Bride 
* The Deryni Archives ("The Priesting of Arilan" and "The Knighting of Derry")
Category:Deryni