Merlin

Merlin is regarded as being one of the greatest Wizards of all time, and is a household name in the English-speaking world. So great is Merlin's legacy that many Witches and Magick-users after him have often been made to compare their achievements to Merlin in order to be judged.
Merlin is a foundational figure within the Knights of the Round Chapter.
== Facts: ==
-Most people don't know this but Merlin was a member of an Infernal Bloodline (he had demonic blood in his veins).
-Merlin's grandfather, who was also named Merlin, was an Anglo-Saxon king who had been fighting a war against some terrible Infernal presence within his kingdom. A powerful Infernal used black magick and Imps to harass and kill off members of the king's family. Eventually, the king himself died, leaving only one of his three daughters left.
-This last remaining daughter was the mother of Merlin. While the Infernal and his minions were not able to kill her, one of them, an Incubus, managed to seduce her. However, she still had the last laugh, as she made sure to have her baby baptized immediately after birth and raised him to hate the Darkness and its agents.
-Merlin showed unnaturally advanced development as a child, supposedly gaining full consciousness even as a toddler. When Merlin's mother was tried for adultery, having had slept with an Incubus, the court and judges attending her were startled when the infant child managed to communicate telepathically with them and made prophecies. Shocked and awed, Merlin's mother was spared punishment.
-A local Priest Adept named Blaise is credited with helping to guide Merlin in the use and development of his powers. Blaise doesn't get mentioned much in modern tellings of Arthurian Legend, but Blaise was a close and personal friend to Merlin in his younger days. It is believed that Blaise was probably a strong ally of Merlin's grandfather in fighting whatever Darkness plagued that kingdom. If so, some of Blaise's paternal loyalty to Merlin might be due to his sense of duty towards Merlin's grandfather, the late king.
-Despite possessing demonic blood, Merlin was a staunch opponent of the Darkness. It has been a subject hotly debated among the Order of Witches just how much Merlin's Infernal heritage influenced his achievements. Some believe Merlin's powers were based primarily on his Infernal Bloodline, but others attest that Merlin's achievements were solely his own, owing to his natural talent and industrious studies. They argue that Merlin would have become a powerful Wizard with or without his demonic blood.
-Legend has it that when Merlin was still young, a local king or chieftain named Vortigen was attempting to build a tower. Every time he built the tower, it would crumble, forcing Vortigen's workmen to restart. Eventually, a soothsayer was brought in and they proclaimed that Vortigen had to sacrifice a 'child without a father' and sprinke the blood on the grounds of the tower for it to stand.
-Merlin was brought before Vortigen. Since Merlin was the son of an Incubus and not a man, he was, in a sense, a child without a father. Vortigen was about to sacrifice him when Merlin used his powers of prophecy and arcane discernment to inform the king that the tower he was trying to build was crumbling because it was built over an underground pool of water in which two dragons raged. Merlin informed the king how to release the dragons, and when they did, Merlin was rewarded with riches and honors.
-As Merlin grew older, his powers increased tenfold, and he took an active part in the political affairs of his homeland. Merlin used his powers to see far back into the ancient past and witness the epic battles of famous generals like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar. He used this knowledge to better teach and advise various kings of Britain in their battles against foreign invaders.
-Merlin is associated with Stonehenge. In some tales, he is credited with moving the stones from their original abode and bringing them to England. In others, he simply lives there among them.
-It should be noted that there is some historical evidence that Merlin was Welsh and not English as we know it today. In several of the oldest texts, Merlin's name is spelled Merwin (a Welsh named) and his grandfather is listed as being one of the Celtic kings of Wales.
-Merlin was often an itinerant figure, traveling about on his own. While he was usually on a first name basis with kings and chiefs of the land, he often spent most of his time alone, deep in the wilds where he studied Magick with spirits and supernatural creatures. He was, of course, frequently visited by other Witches, and was considered by most to be the unofficial leader of the Witch's Order in England at that time. 
-Merlin today is often depicted as wearing flowing gowns and flamboyant 'magickal' clothing. In the oldest texts, Merlin is often described as being a 'wild man' and is often referred to as simply that wild man in the woods. While he probably did wear a cloak and he is said to have used a staff, these affects were more in keeping with Celtic tradition and would have been made from course, natural materials rather than fine clothing of more modern Wizards.
-Merlin was a master shapeshifter, appearing as various animals and changing his appearance. He could also see into the distant future or past, and he could teleport as well. In one story, Merlin magickally appeared in Rome to speak with the then Roman emperor and then reappeared back in Britain that evening.
== Comet in the Sky: ==
In time, Merlin witnessed a comet falling across the night sky, a comet whose shape was suspiciously like that of a dragon's head. This was important because he had foreseen this event in a prophecy and knew that it meant the current king of Britain was dead. He crowned a man named Uther in his place and gave him the surname of Pendragon after the comet.
Uther fell in love with a woman who belonged to another man, a knight, but Uther took her anyway in secret. Their love produced a young boy named Arthur who Merlin knew was destined to rule Britain. However, due to the adultery of his parents, the circumstances of Arthur's conception couldn't be known.
Merlin convinced the Knight to adopt Arthur as his own and then created the sword in the stone as a trick. He enchanted it so that only he who was worthy could ever pull the sword out. Knowing that Arthur was destined to rule, Merlin was confident that he would be the one.
The rest of the story is pretty well known, but suffice it to say that Merlin was heavily involved in the early years of the Knights of the Round.
Note: Ever wonder where the castle of Camelot came from? According to lore, Merlin built it himself using arcane magick. He also constructed the round table itself from plans he had received from Joseph of Arimathea during one of his visionary travels through time.
== Fate of Merlin: ==
Despite his years of experience and breadth of knowledge, Merlin was still a man and had the desires of all men. While visiting the king of the Northumbrian peoples, Merlin was smitten with love at the sight of the young princess Nimue.
However, Nimue didn't seem to love Merlin back.
Sources vary, but either Nimue distrusted Merlin because of his great power or she simply wasn't attracted to the old Wizard. One thing all the stories share in common is that Merlin pursued her anyway and eventually she did give in to his requests for marriage, but only on one stipulation. Merlin had to teach Nimue all that he knew of magick.
Merlin was probably taken aback at that, but he agreed in the end. For several years afterwards, Merlin taught Nimue all that he knew of magick. Once Nimue had learned enough of magick, she plotted to be rid of Merlin, and one day while out riding, she convinced Merlin to return to Camelot.
When the pair stopped at an old cave to spend the night, Nimue enchanted Merlin and the cave, locking him inside. She then sealed the cave and rode off, leaving poor Merlin behind...
== Actual Fate of Merlin: ==
Merlin was indeed imprisoned by his erstwhile lover, Nimue, and he was abandoned in a cave somewhere in England. However, his tale does not end there, for while Merlin's body was trapped by the spell, which feeds off of Merlin's own love, his powerful mind still roams free.
Merlin is a silent force within the Knights of the Round Chapter. He frequently makes contact with Witches operating within the Chapter and through them continues to fight to safeguard his homeland. Merlin frequently sends dreams and visions to certain Adepts, especially those he believes have been touched by Fate.
The finding of Merlin's tomb/prison has been a subject of great concern for Witches of the KotR Chapter. However, Nimue did her work well, and Merlin's tomb is protected by powerful spells which warp reality and drive off potential discoverers. Merlin himself has been unable to guide anyone to his own location, since the spell that imprisons him is powerful enough to physically alter the landscape to keep the tomb hidden.
== References: ==
-http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/legendary-origins-merlin-magician-002627
-https://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/merlin.html
-https://www.britannica.com/topic/Merlin-legendary-magician
Category:Magick
Category:Covenant Network
Category:Knights Of The Round