Arthur Pendragon

Arthur's sigil

**Arthur Pendragon** is the first knight, King, and leader of the Round Table.

## Biography

### Early History

At the Round Table's peak, Arthur had over one hundred and fifty knights at his command. But over time, the Shadowborn Wars and the fight with the *Cysgodanedig*, cut that number down until only the thirteen strongest knights remained. Merlin and Arthur feared what the world would become should the Table fall, and so Merlin devised the Spell of Eternity: a powerful casting to magnify the remaining knights' abilities and bind their spirits to their bloodline so that their heirs could forever stand against the darkness. So that the Table would live on, immortal. When a Legendborn Awakens, their spirit lives again.

According to the Order's texts, the magic holding Merlin's Spell of Eternity together, and the engine behind the entire Legendborn cycle, is preserved in the spirit of Arthur. As long as the king's spirit remains dormant, the spell is safe. This is why Arthur's Scion is Called last, and only when "the demon scourge" becomes so powerful and rampant that the Round Table must be reunited under his leadership to fight it back.

Merlin sent him to Camelot, to his dreams. Arthur awakes when Camlann comes, when the Table of Scions needed him to lead. Arthur was last Called in 1775, during the American Revolutionary War. Since then, he doesn’t know what happens to his Scions until he Awakens the next one.

### Legendborn

It is believed that Nick Davis is the Scion of Arthur. When he is called, he will inherit enhanced strength, intuition for battle strategy, and the ability to wield Excalibur.

Arthur Calls Bree during the night of the Cave of the Dragon, revealing that she is actually the true Scion of Arthur. Bree's ancestor Vera reveals how this came to be. Arthur possesses Bree, and together they defeat Rhaz, scare off Lord Davis, and then Arthur takes full control of Bree and orders the Legendborn to kneel. Bree manages to wrest back control from Arthur and he retreats.

### Bloodmarked

Arthur possess Bree during the memorial service, speaking Old Welsh. In the first bloodwalk, during the Ride, Arthur says, “Never in my dreams or Merlin's could we have imagined that I could live and breathe alongside a descendant, the way that I lived and breathed and fought alongside you the night you allowed me to Call you." This theorizes that Arthur was planning to manipulate Bree sense the Night of the Cave of the Dragon. Arthur manipulates Bree emotionally and her aether, so he could fully take control of her body to end the Shadow War.

## Physical Description

When Bree summons Arthur, he appears as a massive man with "broad-shoulders, gleaming with aether-cast Legendborn style plate armor. White-blond hair is in thick waves around his scalp. Even in the light of aether, she can make out the silver streaks in his coarse beard. It is the exact color of the lock of curls she's been sporting lately.” He has thick graying hair, although it used to be blond-brown. He has silver-blue eyes. Arthur speaks in a booming baritone.

## Personality

Arthur is full of "righteous fury and royal rage." He demands obeisance, homage, and deference, especially after Davis’ public betrayal.

## Powers and Abilities

Arthur has the ability to wield Excalibur, has enhanced strength, and enhanced intuition for battle strategy.

## Trivia

* The sigil of the Line of Arthur is the dragon rampant, the mark of the king.
* The Call of Arthur in particular can appear quite violently.
* Unlike the other Lines, Arthur's Scion won't fully Awaken after being Called until they take up Excalibur.
* Arthur is left-handed and right-handed.

## Appearances

* *Legendborn* (as a spirit)
* *Bloodmarked* (as a spirit and in blood walks)

## Quotes

* "*A fo ben bid bont*. They that would be a leader, let them be a bridge." - *Legendborn*
* "What truly ties us together is not blood, but pain. When we love someone and lose them, that loss imprints itself on everyone else we love too. I see it in your eyes, Briana. Have you not envisioned the faces of those you love, slack with death? Not because you wish to see such a scene, but because your mind and heart give you no choice?" - *Bloodmarked*
* "The power of the Table, Briana, is to stop the Shadowborn from destroying human life. But the power of a king? We lead from our pain. We make the choice to defeat death before it finds us, steals from us again. Half a heart is not enough to live a whole life, is it?” - *Bloodmarked*
* “Why borrow knowledge when you possess its source?" - *Bloodmarked*
* "Do you fear your own greatness? Your own bri? Summon me, Briana, and I will show you what it means to be the Pendragon.” - *Bloodmarked*
* "I will leave because you wish me to, but I am only here because you sought me out. By your blood, on your heart." - *Bloodmarked*
* "We fought as one because you summoned me. You will summon me again, because we are each other's bri. Only a dragon may meet a dragon, Briana. Only a king can teach a king.” - *Bloodmarked*