Quest for Fairy Enchantment Day 3

August 5, 2008	
==Description==
Welcome to the VFK Legends in History Epic Quest, Day 3!<BR><BR>
This is the third day of your epic quest for fairy enchantment! Today's quest will seek to explore the legends and history behind 'Merlin the Magician'!
Magical and mysterious, Merlin's legendary wizardry has inspired writers over the centuries to commit his escapades and abilities to history. But who was Merlin? Was he a real person? Was he a fictional character? Be prepared to be dazzled by this legendary person and find out the truth about Merlin.<BR><BR> 
 
Your reward for completing this third stage of the Epic Quest will be 1,000 credits and your third Legend Pin, the Dragon Pin!<BR><BR><BR>
===Prizes===
===Questions===
1. The beginnings of the legend of Merlin arise with the writings of a person called Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh clergyman who lived from around 1100 to 1155 AD. Geoffrey's writings were instrumental in founding the legend of Merlin and the popular tales of King Arthur. What was Geoffrey's original name for Merlin?
* Merlinnaeus
* Merlin Ambrosius
* Mennonius
* Ambrosiam
* Merlin Magicus<BR><BR>
2. When Geoffrey created his stories about Merlin, he based his Merlin character on two people who had existed in real life. The first of these people was a madman called Myrddin Wyllt or Merlinus Caledonensis. This person did not have any connection to Arthurian legend and in fact lived after the time of King Arthur. This bard, by profession had endured the atrocities of war and had been driven mad by the experience. He lived wild in the woods during the sixth century with the animals. However, in Geoffrey's earliest surviving work, called the 'Prophetiae Merlini' (Prophecies of Merlin), Geoffrey purports that he had written the actual words of the real life bard turned madman. Go to the wilds of the Audubon Adventure game, proceed to the second room and say something wild and crazy like "Abracadabra!"<BR><BR>
3. The second character Geoffrey used was based on the fictionalized story of a real person. This may sound confusing, however Geoffrey modeled his Merlin character partly on a character from another book written at the time called 'Historia Brittonum'. The character he used was based on a real life war leader. He merely rewrote it for his own book. The fictional character's name was Aurelius Ambrosius. What was the name of the real life person upon whose life Aurelius Ambrosius's adventures were based?
* Mordred
* Ambrosius Aurelianus
* Mylo Marius
* Eladio Lexus
* Donatien Benedict<BR><BR>
4. Merlin is known for having supernatural powers. Geoffrey gave Merlin some mystical powers based on the powers of Ambrosius in Historia Brittonum. Ambrosius's special powers were discovered when King Vortigern was trying to build a tower. The tower kept collapsing before they could get it finished. King Vortigern was told that he needed "a child born without a father" in order to complete building the tower. The King was told that Ambrosius was "a child born without a father", so he summoned Ambrosius. Ambrosius tells the king that the reason his tower keeps collapsing is because it was built on top of an underground lake where two dragons were fighting and destroying the tower in the process. Go to the waterfall room in the Australian setting and vanquish the dragons by saying "Stop that fighting, you dragons!"<BR><BR>
5. Geoffrey started the tale that Merlin had an unusual birth which explained his supernatural powers. Merlin has been said to be the son of a mortal king's daughter and an "Otherworldly" being. What powers was Merlin said to possess as a result of his supernatural father?
* The power to shapeshift and to talk to the otherworld.
* The power to fly and the power to stay underwater for long periods.
* The power to see the future and to make miracles<BR><BR>
6. Merlin was considered to be a prophet, magician and guardian and a special advisor to kings. As one of his guardian duties, he guarded the 13 treasures of Britain. He stored them in a glass tower on an island. Go to the Sydney Opera house which has water all around, and say "I am watching the treasures of Britain."<BR><BR>
7. One interesting tale about Merlin was that he was believed to have been responsible for transporting the large stones of 'Stonehenge' from their original location in Ireland to their current position in England. The stones called the 'Giant's Dance' were thought to be brought to England from Ireland primarily to be a tribute to those who had died in wars and also because the stones were thought to possess healing capabilities. Who is purported to have helped Merlin move the huge stones?
* Fairies
* Stone Movers
* A Medieval boulder relocater
* A giant<BR><BR>
8. The time that Merlin was advisor to legendary kings places him in the Medieval Age. Go to Merlin's Magic square and say "Great King, how can I be of service?"<BR><BR>
9. Merlin is portrayed as being a tall thin man with a flowing white beard. He has also appeared in modern tales, stories and movies as someone who has control over the powers of the universe. He has been compared to which famous characters in modern literature and movies?
* Luke Skywalker and Han Solo (both of Star Wars)
* Obi Wan Kenobe (Star Wars) and Spock (Star Trek)
* David Copperfield and Penn and Teller
* Captain Kirk (Star Trek) and Princess Leia Organa (Star Wars)<BR><BR>
10. The Sword in the Stone Legend describes Merlin as the adviser and guardian to King Arthur. Merlin was thought to have coordinated Arthur pulling the 'Sword of Branstock' from a stone when he was 15 years old. Merlin could accomplish this as he is said to have possessed the ability to cast the powerful spells and enchantments needed to make the legendary "King Test."<BR>
Go to Stonehenge and say "Can you please direct me to the sword in the stone?"<BR><BR>
===Answers===
1. Merlin Ambrosius
2. Go to the Dark Forest of the Audubon Adventure game, and say, "Abracadabra!"
3. Ambrosius Aurelianus
4. Go to the Australian Waterfall room in the Australian setting and say, "Stop that fighting, you dragons!"
5. The power to see the future and to make miracles
6. Go to the Sydney Opera House which has water all around, and say "I am watching the treasures of Britain."
7. A giant
8. Go to Merlin's Magic Shop square and say "Great King, how can I be of service?"
9. Obi Wan Kenobe (Star Wars) and Spock (Star Trek)
10. Go to Stonehenge and say "Can you please direct me to the sword in the stone?"
Category:Quests Category:Epic Quests