The Great Purge

### **Outcome:**

The ways of the Old Religion are banned in Camelot and innumerable users of magic are killed

**The Great Purge** was a period in which Uther Pendragon enacted brutal reforms against the Old Religion, resulting in the execution of hundreds of Mystics, Warlocks, Witches and the extinction or near-extinction of numerous species of  magical creatures. The Purge lasted for a year, after which magic was banned from the Kingdom of Camelot.

## History

### **Beginnings**

When Uther's wife, Ygraine Pendragon, could not conceive an heir to the throne of Camelot, a desperate Uther struck a bargain with the High Priestesses Nimueh that would allow Ygraine to conceive an heir. He sent Gaius to the Isle of the Blessed to make the request on his behalf. But the bargain meant that a life had to end in order for a new life to begin, and Ygraine died in childbirth. A grief-stricken Uther blamed Nimueh and had her banished from the court.

### **Purge**

The Great Purge occurred during the year following Arthur Pendragon's birth. The Purge may have been foreseen by the followers of the Old Religion, as the Questing Beast an omen of great misfortune appeared the night the queen passed away. At the start of the Purge, Uther gave Gaius a list of all people suspected of using Magic to be killed; when Gaius discovered his beloved Alice on the list, he struck her name off, thus giving her time to escape. Gaius decided to stop practicing magic and to remain in Camelot as Court Physician and convert to the New Religion. During the Purge, Uther ordered many people to be drowned, including children who might have inherited magic from their parents.

Jaden Muirden and her husband suffered this fate and were sentenced to be burned at the stake. When they were being burned, Edwin tried to save his parents but failed and was disfigured by the fire. Alvarr's parents were captured by Uther's forces and were burned at the stake (apparently Alvarr witnessed this happen). He was sentenced to death as well, but shortly before his execution, whether by magic or non-magical means, he escaped and fled from Camelot. Uther, during the Great Purge, hunted almost all the Blood Guards and killed them.

Julius Borden, a pupil of Gaius, parted during the Great Purge, leaving Gaius in trouble. It is possible that The Crystal of Neahtid was kept and guarded by the High Priestesses on the Isle of the Blessed too, before it was taken by Uther and locked into the vaults of Camelot. The many magic users who died trying to protect it may have been the High Priestesses. Uther also pursued and slaughtered all Dragons except for the Great Dragon. Uther tricked one dragonlord, Balinor, to lure the Great Dragon to Camelot under the pretense of wanting to make peace with it, only to capture and imprison the dragon beneath Camelot to be an example to all who use Magic. Uther then had all the Dragonlords rounded up and killed. The Purge then ended, though Gaius helped Balinor to escape execution .

Another victim of the Great Purge was Daegal's mother who was killed by Uther for the magic she had.

The Brechfa hold had multiple Druid camps in it, and Sir Leon had a childhood friend called Tirion, who was a Druid Mystic.

Tirion, and Leons other Druid neighbours, were drowned during the great purge. Leon feels guilt for ‘allowing’ his friend to die, and the fact that he has magic ‘on’ him all the time with the curse and no one ever called him out or had him drowned.

Leon also feels resentment to both his father, Sir Bors the elder, and older brother, Sir Bors the Younger. His father active during the great purge, and turned on their friends and fellow knights (if they practiced magic or had association with it). As for his brother, he quickly spoke negatively about Druids, and when he became a knight he also took part in killing those with magic.