Merlin

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**Merlin** (also called **Emrys**) was a Warlock, and the main protagonist of the story.

## Biography

### Early life

Merlin was born in Ealdor, Essetir to his mother Hunith, who was a simple villager. He never knew his father, Balinor. Balinor left Hunith following Uther's Purge since he was the last dragonlord.

Merlin grew up in Ealdor, but he was always odd compared to the other children and because of the innate nature of his magic. He found it difficult to fit in without drawing the wrong kind of attention.

He had one friend, Will, who knew about his magic and accepted him for it. They were very close growing up but Will didn't really understand what Merlin felt having magic be so natural to him.

His mother Hunith was also without magic and she worried a lot for how his magic put Merlin in danger, as despite not residing in Camelot. Following the purge there was a lot of wariness and suspicion towards magic and no one wanted to get too close to a potential magic-wielder for fear of being accused of being complicit in magical acts should Uther's magic-ban spread further.

This is why when he turned sixteen, she decided to send Merlin to live with Gaius in the city of Camelot, since he was better equipped to teach him to control his gifts having once studied sorcery.

## Relationships

### Hunith

> Merlin has gifts - Hunith to Gaius in her letter
>
>

Merlin has a good relationship with his mother who raised him on her own. He isn't a difficult child but he always worried her with his inability to conceal his magic.

### Arthur Pendragon

> You're the bravest man I've ever met
>
> Arthur to Merlin

Merlin and Arthur have a complex relationship that grows greatly over time. But they had a rapport with one another from day one and Arthur always had a almost strange level of respect for Merlin despite his lower status although he rarely shows this. Merlin's lack of respect for authority strangely endears him to Arthur after some time.

Later on in their relationship the complexity develops...

### Morgana Pendragon

> I believe you
>
> Merlin to Morgana about her magic

Merlin's relationship to Morgana is based on their shared secret of being magic bearers that could have them killed in a place like Camelot. Something that once the secrets are revealed (even at first being one-sided with only Morgana confessing) allows them to become close despite their differences in position and lack of time spent together.

### Guinevere Pendragon

> put a quote here
>
> Gwen to Merlin

Gwen and Merlin become fast friends quickly upon meeting. There are no class boundaries between them so they are free to converse as much as they want and they do so often. With people often mistaking their closeness for romance.

Despite this, Merlin and Guinevere have a strictly platonic friendship imbued with a lot of trust. They help each other out on numerous occasions and keep each other's secrets.

### Anwen

Merlin meets Anwen Gaunnes when he first arrives in Camelot. She is incredibly kind and welcoming to him and as he gets familiar with Camelot he learns that Anwen has a very large role in the community and the relationship between the city and the people.

She is also the wife to one of the knights that Arthur spends the most time with, Sir Leon.

### Romances and Marriages

#### Lancelot

Merlin meets Lancelot when the swordsman steps in to help him out when facing a Griffin. As a result of this meeting though, Lancelot is the only person that Merlin reveals his magic to upon first meeting them. As such Lancelot immediately proves himself to be a kind and good person in swearing to keep Merlin's secret and a close friendship is immediately born.

Merlin takes Lancelot into Camelot and attempts to help him in his endeavour to become a Knight of Camelot, something that Lancelot is barred from through virtue of not having been born to a noble family. Merlin comes up with a plan to work around this by using his magic to replicate a family sigil for a house with many sons one of which Lancelot can pose as.

This inevitably goes wrong and Merlin and Lancelot both face consequences.

Lancelot and Merlin's friendship remains strong however, Lancelot seeing that Merlin had no bad intentions and Lancelot becomes a close confidant, and later, their relationship develops further, forming into love and adoration.

## Trivia

* Merlin was able to move items with his mind before he could talk
* Apples are his favorite fruit
* Merlin's Druid name, Emrys, means "immortal"
	+ Emrys is derived from Myrdinn Emrys, his name in the Welsh legends
* In the legends, Merlin's chief ability was often the power to see the future while Morgan le Fay was a skilled healer. The series appears to have reversed this, as Morgana is revealed to possess the gift of prophecy while Merlin is the ward and apprentice of Camelot's court physician.

## In the Legends

Merlin is based on the famous wizard of the same name who served as an adviser to King Arthur in the Arthurian legends. Merlin is said to have been the child of a human woman who was impregnated by a demon, specifically an incubus. Other legends state that his father was a fairy, an angel or the devil.

Because he had no known mortal father, he was feared from a young age by people who believed him to be the son of a devil. However, he was baptized at birth and blessed by God with the ability to see the future. He is credited at having been present at Arthur's birth. He predicted Arthur's greatness and became his tutor and most trusted adviser, ultimately aiding him in becoming King by helping him win wars against the kings who opposed his succession.

Merlin was enchanted and trapped in a cave by the Lady of the Lake after she obtained all of his magical knowledge from him. Other minor legends attribute his death to Morgan le Fay who, after seducing him and becoming his lover, turned herself into an oak tree and buried him. Merlin's death was a leading cause in Arthur's ultimate downfall, as the King lacked his protector and adviser.