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Mythological Figures: Merlin Ambrosius (5E)
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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7755574" data-attributes="member: 58172"><p>Merlin is a bard.</p><p></p><p>In previous editions, D&D authors had limited options when struggling to represent figures from outside of the peculiar conceits of D&D. But in 5e, the bard is more mythologically accurate − and is now a full caster class! What the previous attempts were groping toward with the druid/wizard multiclass, is now realizable as a bard wielding spell-level 9 slots.</p><p></p><p>Who and what is Merlin?</p><p></p><p>As is known, the full name in Latin is</p><p></p><p>• ‘<strong>Merlinus Ambrosius</strong>’ [mer.lin.us am.bro.si.us]. </p><p></p><p>This Latin name represents his North Welsh Brittonic Celtic name,</p><p></p><p>• <strong>Myrddin Emrys</strong> [mɨr.ðɪn em.rɨs].</p><p></p><p>Myrddin is a semi-historical persona who conflates several historical persons. But mainly he comprises the two persons who form his name.</p><p></p><p>• 1. <strong>Myrddin</strong> <strong>Wyllt </strong>[wɨɬt], also known as <strong>Myrddin Emrys</strong></p><p></p><p>He is also known as ‘Merlinus’ of Caledonia − of Scotland! Inferrably, this Myrddin was born in Scotland and grew up in Wales, which his why his friends nicknamed him ‘the Scot’ (= Caledonensis). He lived during the 500s. The bard’s alternate name Emrys got confused with historical accounts mentioning an other person named Emrys.</p><p></p><p>• 2. <strong>Emrys</strong> <strong>Wledig</strong> [u.le.dɪg], aka Ambrosius Aurelianus, whence <strong>Aurelius Ambrosius</strong>.</p><p></p><p>This Emrys is a reasonably significant Romano-British ... warlord? ... who lived a century earlier during the 400s.</p><p></p><p>This time period, the 400s and the 500s, is the setting for the semi-historical reports about King Arthur, who lives before and after year 500.</p><p></p><p>This conflation of separate person into one holistic person, is how the bard Myrddin Emrys becomes ‘Merlinus Ambrosius’, who lives during the same time as King Aurthur.</p><p></p><p>Weirdly, this composite Myrddin lives both before and after King Arthur, both as an old man who mentors the young Aurthur and as a young man who outlives the elder Arthur. Myrddin seemingly enjoys extreme longevity, spanning at least two centuries. And ages backwards! − as if born an elder and growing younger. The curiosity invites magical explanations. In addition to longevity, the magic of shapechange explains much.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The magic of this composite Merlin comes from the fact that he is a bard. As born in Scotland and growing up in Wales, to understand the magic of Merlin, we need to look at concepts about magic that involve Wales and Scotland, during 400s and 500s. We also need to look at what a bard is − properly called a ‘fili’ − who is one of the three institutions of the social and governmental fabric of Celtic Scotland and Celtic Wales. The Celtic rulers comprise aristocratic warriors, priestly druids, and technocratic bards. </p><p></p><p>Taliesin is a Welsh bard who lives during the 500s, who exemplifies the kinds of powerful magic that the Celtic bards are famous for. There are even stories about Taliesin being a companion of King Arthur. When we look at Taliesin, we glimpse what the magic of the mythologically accurate Merlin entails.</p><p></p><p>He gains his magic powers working as an apprentice of Cerridwen, a powerful mage, who instructs him to maintain a complex year-long ‘potion of inspiration’, so she can imbue her son with magical power. Finally, at the completion of this potion, he stirred it for luck, and he catalyzed it. Three drops splashed up on his thumb. Immediately he stuck his thumb in mouth to assuage the burn. Thus he accidentally stole all of the magical powers. Now prophetically knowing what Cerridwen would do to him, he panicked and shapechanged into a seed of grain. Without realizing it, she ate him, and later gave birth to him as the baby Taliesin, who will grow up to be a great bard and a master of bardic magics.</p><p></p><p>Celtic mythology is so trippy! The symbolism comes to life in a dreamlike experience.</p><p></p><p>The three drops are sometimes explained as three aspects of bardic magic.</p><p>• prophecy, the ability to foresee and alter fates − praises bless, satires curse</p><p>• shapechanging and other wonders</p><p>• potions and other sciences</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The D&D 5e bard makes an excellent mythologically accurate Welsh bard.</p><p>• Foresight. Blessing and cursing via clever and humorous poetry.</p><p>• Unlike the D&D druid who wildshapes everyday, the bard only shapeshifts if needing to.</p><p>• Lore, lore, and more lore. Stealing spells from other classes.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The magic of Merlin/Myrddin is bardic magic, including shapechanging, prophecy, lore, and so on. By contrast, Fireball never happens in the stories about Merlin. One can appreciate how earlier multiclassing of druid and wizard groped toward a semblance of Merlin. But we have the 5e bard and are good-to-go.</p><p></p><p>In the aspect of Ambrosius, Merlin is a warlord. He knows how to mentor Arthur to win. Merlin is competent at combat, and a master of tactics and strategy. The D&D 5e bard is good at combat too. Some players build their bard to cover aspects of the 4e warlord.</p><p></p><p>Merlin is appropriately a member of the royal court of King Arthur, because that is what a bard is. The bard is a royal advisor, as well as an advocate to ensure the success of a king.</p><p></p><p>Previous editions lacked our awesome 5e bard. But we have it. </p><p></p><p>The bard is the go-to class for a mythologically accurate Merlin.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Regarding ancestry. The legends identify Melin as a ‘cambion’, a half-human whose father is an ‘incubus’. Taking the Christian perspective, an incubus is a kind of ‘demon’. However, taking the Celtic perspective, the incubus is something else. For example, in Renaissance Scotland, the incubus is an ‘elf’, also called a sith, who is a kind of fairy. These elf visits can be simultaneously terrifying and erotic. The dreamer of this kind of phantasmagoric vision often awakens with magical skills. Note, Merlin was born in Scotland. So his father is probably more ‘Fey’ than ‘Fiend’, and probably is something like a sith, the Scottish version of the Celtic sidhe. In this case, it is probably a matter of taste. At this time, the Celts are both Christian and cognizant of their indigenous heritage, so either half-fey or half-fiend seems fine for a mythologically accuracy Merlin. Being half-fey explains his longevity.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 7755574, member: 58172"] Merlin is a bard. In previous editions, D&D authors had limited options when struggling to represent figures from outside of the peculiar conceits of D&D. But in 5e, the bard is more mythologically accurate − and is now a full caster class! What the previous attempts were groping toward with the druid/wizard multiclass, is now realizable as a bard wielding spell-level 9 slots. Who and what is Merlin? As is known, the full name in Latin is • ‘[B]Merlinus Ambrosius[/B]’ [mer.lin.us am.bro.si.us]. This Latin name represents his North Welsh Brittonic Celtic name, • [B]Myrddin Emrys[/B] [mɨr.ðɪn em.rɨs]. Myrddin is a semi-historical persona who conflates several historical persons. But mainly he comprises the two persons who form his name. • 1. [B]Myrddin[/B] [B]Wyllt [/B][wɨɬt], also known as [B]Myrddin Emrys[/B] He is also known as ‘Merlinus’ of Caledonia − of Scotland! Inferrably, this Myrddin was born in Scotland and grew up in Wales, which his why his friends nicknamed him ‘the Scot’ (= Caledonensis). He lived during the 500s. The bard’s alternate name Emrys got confused with historical accounts mentioning an other person named Emrys. • 2. [B]Emrys[/B] [B]Wledig[/B] [u.le.dɪg], aka Ambrosius Aurelianus, whence [B]Aurelius Ambrosius[/B]. This Emrys is a reasonably significant Romano-British ... warlord? ... who lived a century earlier during the 400s. This time period, the 400s and the 500s, is the setting for the semi-historical reports about King Arthur, who lives before and after year 500. This conflation of separate person into one holistic person, is how the bard Myrddin Emrys becomes ‘Merlinus Ambrosius’, who lives during the same time as King Aurthur. Weirdly, this composite Myrddin lives both before and after King Arthur, both as an old man who mentors the young Aurthur and as a young man who outlives the elder Arthur. Myrddin seemingly enjoys extreme longevity, spanning at least two centuries. And ages backwards! − as if born an elder and growing younger. The curiosity invites magical explanations. In addition to longevity, the magic of shapechange explains much. The magic of this composite Merlin comes from the fact that he is a bard. As born in Scotland and growing up in Wales, to understand the magic of Merlin, we need to look at concepts about magic that involve Wales and Scotland, during 400s and 500s. We also need to look at what a bard is − properly called a ‘fili’ − who is one of the three institutions of the social and governmental fabric of Celtic Scotland and Celtic Wales. The Celtic rulers comprise aristocratic warriors, priestly druids, and technocratic bards. Taliesin is a Welsh bard who lives during the 500s, who exemplifies the kinds of powerful magic that the Celtic bards are famous for. There are even stories about Taliesin being a companion of King Arthur. When we look at Taliesin, we glimpse what the magic of the mythologically accurate Merlin entails. He gains his magic powers working as an apprentice of Cerridwen, a powerful mage, who instructs him to maintain a complex year-long ‘potion of inspiration’, so she can imbue her son with magical power. Finally, at the completion of this potion, he stirred it for luck, and he catalyzed it. Three drops splashed up on his thumb. Immediately he stuck his thumb in mouth to assuage the burn. Thus he accidentally stole all of the magical powers. Now prophetically knowing what Cerridwen would do to him, he panicked and shapechanged into a seed of grain. Without realizing it, she ate him, and later gave birth to him as the baby Taliesin, who will grow up to be a great bard and a master of bardic magics. Celtic mythology is so trippy! The symbolism comes to life in a dreamlike experience. The three drops are sometimes explained as three aspects of bardic magic. • prophecy, the ability to foresee and alter fates − praises bless, satires curse • shapechanging and other wonders • potions and other sciences The D&D 5e bard makes an excellent mythologically accurate Welsh bard. • Foresight. Blessing and cursing via clever and humorous poetry. • Unlike the D&D druid who wildshapes everyday, the bard only shapeshifts if needing to. • Lore, lore, and more lore. Stealing spells from other classes. The magic of Merlin/Myrddin is bardic magic, including shapechanging, prophecy, lore, and so on. By contrast, Fireball never happens in the stories about Merlin. One can appreciate how earlier multiclassing of druid and wizard groped toward a semblance of Merlin. But we have the 5e bard and are good-to-go. In the aspect of Ambrosius, Merlin is a warlord. He knows how to mentor Arthur to win. Merlin is competent at combat, and a master of tactics and strategy. The D&D 5e bard is good at combat too. Some players build their bard to cover aspects of the 4e warlord. Merlin is appropriately a member of the royal court of King Arthur, because that is what a bard is. The bard is a royal advisor, as well as an advocate to ensure the success of a king. Previous editions lacked our awesome 5e bard. But we have it. The bard is the go-to class for a mythologically accurate Merlin. Regarding ancestry. The legends identify Melin as a ‘cambion’, a half-human whose father is an ‘incubus’. Taking the Christian perspective, an incubus is a kind of ‘demon’. However, taking the Celtic perspective, the incubus is something else. For example, in Renaissance Scotland, the incubus is an ‘elf’, also called a sith, who is a kind of fairy. These elf visits can be simultaneously terrifying and erotic. The dreamer of this kind of phantasmagoric vision often awakens with magical skills. Note, Merlin was born in Scotland. So his father is probably more ‘Fey’ than ‘Fiend’, and probably is something like a sith, the Scottish version of the Celtic sidhe. In this case, it is probably a matter of taste. At this time, the Celts are both Christian and cognizant of their indigenous heritage, so either half-fey or half-fiend seems fine for a mythologically accuracy Merlin. Being half-fey explains his longevity. [/QUOTE]
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