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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PapersAndPaychecks" data-source="post: 3224605" data-attributes="member: 28854">Oh, I can't let that pass unchallenged.  Let's examine this evidence a bit more critically.I think The Once and Future King is hardly the definitive description of Merlin.  He's a character many centuries old.  I think Le Morte D'Arthur is a much better source for material about the character.The Book of Three does have an iconic mage character, who is Dallben.  He has a spellbook, carries a staff and doesn't wear armour.Gwydion has formidable magical powers, but he's primarily a warrior.A Wizard of Earthsea is stuffed full of mage characters.  Virtually without exception, they wear no armour and carry staffs.  Erreth-Akbe isn't actually encountered in any of the books; he's an ancient mage-hero featured in a couple of songs and legends who was also the original owner of the Ring of Erreth-Akbe which forms the focus of the second book in the series.Also, while I accept that E-A may be described as wearing armour, I know those books pretty well, and I'm struggling to think where.  The reference must be a relatively obscure one, and it certainly runs contrary to the prevailing description of mages from the books.</blockquote>