#bbc nimueh

[sugar-coated-prat-dragon]

Originally, Magic was tolerated - after all, it had always been part of the world.

✨✨✨ Once Uther created the magic ban, many other kingdoms, and out of respect - or fear - for Uther, their rulers have accepted his ban on sorcery and enforce it in their territories too.

“To many, the decree came as a relief; a powerful sorcerer could threaten a king, but no rulers had previously dared to challenge the might of magic.”

🤔 Thoughts: It seems like it was originally tolerated by everyone of both classes as the natural state of the world; but most likley magic was a bigger threat to kings and lords since that kind of power undermined their royal or noble blood. 🩸 Especially since a powerful magic user could be a peasant and therefore throw the leadership of kingdoms into chaos.

✨✨✨ Gwen herself originally referred to the thought of Cara (aka Nimueh) being a sorceress as sounding “like madness”.

She said and I quote, “It was like some of the insane accusations that were occasionally made in the villages, and even in the city, whenever some poor old lady - usually someone with a cat - behaved a bit oddly. Uther had managed to instil such a dread of magic in his subjects that 'witch hunts' could flare up at the drop of a pointed hat.”

🤔 Thoughts: Gwen admits that Uther had managed to instill of such fear of magic in his citizens that there had been ‘witch hunts’ in the past that had resulted in people being falsely accused. More often than not; it was old woman with cats.

✨✨✨ Gwen herself was not immune to the kingdoms fear of magic and viewed it as a dangerous and powerful thing. She even thought that if magic was the thing responsible for Merlin dying from the poisoned chalice; then she could even understand why Uther hated it so and had outlawed its use. She imagined she could hate magic as much Uther did for being the thing responsible for Merlin’s death. (ironic 🫤)

🤔 Thoughts: However, Gwen recognized that if magic could be used to save Merlin’s life; then she would have performed the spell herself.

✨✨✨ Gaius views magic as an elemental power. “In the wrong hands it was something to be feared. But above all, it was something to be respected.”

🤔 Thoughts: Gaius respects magic and yet he also views it as something that could “take hold of him” and feared he would lose all reason - he would become its slave and it would take command of him.

Gaius had a very unique view of magic. 🪄 He describes it as “no feeling that had a name” - but it was raw and powerful like them (them being magic users).

✨✨✨

Intresting thing to note: Merlin didn’t seem to know when he came to Camelot, that magic was punishable by death.

He knew magic was outlawed, but finding out Camelot executed people for magic was a suprise to him.

He also didn’t know Uther had killed the dragons.

Book description: “Such practices are banned, on penalty of death."

The man had been condemned to death - for using magic! The smile left Merlin's face. Suddenly his new life in Camelot no longer seemed like an exciting adventure. It was dangerous here.”

Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from that time. Even the Dragons.'

Merlin sat up. He hadn't expected that - Dragons.

Source: Magic Begins. Poisoned Chalice and the Merlin Complete Guide books 📚

@samwinjester @miyriu @nephew tunesyellowsands hew

[twistedshipper]

a charm for scrying from The Witch's Art of Incantation, Spoken Charms, Spells, & Curses in Folk Witchcraft by Roger J. Horne.

[nooowestayandgetcaught]

Fic: “All The King's Horses And All The King's Men”

read on AO3

Fandom: BBC Merlin

Rating:  Teen (M-rating on AO3)

Summary: On the eve of King Uther's long-awaited marriage ceremony, Nimueh convinces her lover to flee.

@flashfictionfridayofficial​

Even from this distance, Nimueh hears the ringing of the great bell.

They cordoned off the lower town not long after she stole one of Uther's thoroughbreds, pulling a weeping Ygraine on. 

"I won't marry him… if my life means so little…" "I won't…"

Bruises colour Ygraine's wrists and arms. 

Nimueh remembers a murmurous kiss and holding Ygraine reassuringly. Her yellow curls smelled of the dungeon's rotted straw. Her breath heavy.

In the dead of night, both women run. 

Ygraine begs to speak with Uther, and Nimueh fiercely denies it. He desires Ygraine. Uther would go to unspeakable lengths for a son, an heir… even befriending a sorceress unafraid of dark magic and capable of creating life…

A life for a life… it is how the balance of their world is met.

Ygraine will not be safe with him.

"I won't…"

Nimueh chases out the sounds of hooves following them, reaching the edges of the Darkling Woods. Uther's men hope to entrap them. "Bael onbryne!" she yells, lighting up the trees, clearing a path for only her and her lover. 

But… Nimueh's magic, wild with her emotions, overtakes.

Another of Camelot's knights, Uther's men, dies… unintentionally… riding into the haze. His armour turns to a molten steel liquid. With him inside.

He screams agonizingly.

Ygraine leaps from the horse, as more men surround them, their weapons out. Her eyes defiant. "By my honour, if you return us to the castle, I shall go without falter," Ygraine swears, and Nimueh mutters out her name, incredulous.

The enchanted fires slowly diminish.

"Come," Ygraine urges her, smiling courageously. "Uther will forgive."

A grieving Nimueh stares into her face. How can she not see…

"I won't…"

"On your life, my lady," Nimueh says bitterly, readying Uther's horse. "I will not."

She vanishes into the thicket, no longer pursued.

Years and years pass before Gaius seeks her out, on behalf the King and Queen of Camelot… and the Great Purge began... Nimueh wonders Ygraine's fate if she remained at the Isle of the Blessed, cruel-hearted to their pleas…

And if her people might have lived freely…

If another of those with magic had been blamed for Uther's ignorance…

Then…

No-one is safe.

Deep in her cave, Nimueh laughs, marking the Afanc's egg in her hands.

[tiodolma]

Morgause preferring undead, zombies and ghosts over actual ppl is so funny tho. Ig it’s easier but she cant build a culture with that.

Nimueh the conjurer is even worse.

Or are high priestesses just doomed to be kinda introverts and hate interacting with people in general?

Morgana’s got an edge over them coz she actually likes people or thrives in being among them and working with them.

Merlin is more Nimueh-like as well.

[ehlihr]

annual nimueh sketches

[sircolinmorgan]

MICHELLE RYAN as NIMUEH.

(MERLIN 2008-2012)

[merlin-gifs]

MERLIN | 1x09 “Excallibur”

[nerdgatehobbit]

Here are four screencaps of Gwen from the scene in "The Mark of Nimueh" where she encounters Merlin and Gaius.

[rosemarytales]

no hairline was harmed in the making of this post

[justaz]

Mages are drawn to royalty to serve in their court. Balinor was drawn to Uther and Nimueh was drawn to Ygraine. The power level of the mage typically corelates with how remarkable/powerful the royals will/could be.

Whispers were sent around Albion at the Pendragon royals having a Dragonlord and a High Priestess at their sides. Turns out the remarkability of them came upon Albion as the persecution and oppression and slaughtering of all mages and magical creatures.

Emrys is drawn to Arthur Pendragon.

When that gets out...

[sugar-coated-prat-dragon]

Title: Gaius’s choices and mentality

Episode: "A Remedy to Cure All Ills" questions #3

Questions by @tansyuduri

Tagging: @miyriu

Books used for reference: A Fighting Chance, Potion and Poisons, Valiant and Merlin Complete Guide

Question: Gaius was willing to give up Uther to protect Merlin. And is later revealed to have saved Alice.

So part of me wonders how close of friends the sorcerers could have been?

My answer: Gaius sides with Uther for a long time, despite knowing that he has killed innocent people and only decides to start ‘rocking the boat’, once he takes Merlin under his wing.

In fact, up until Gaius is forced to chose between Uther and Merlin for the first time during Edwin’s appearance, does he realize that he would choose…Merlin.

Before that point, Gaius would have pleaded for mercy on Merlin’s behalf, but he likely wouldn’t have risked his own life or attempted a rescue.

So Merlin’s presence changed him and caused him to risk Uther’s displeasure, but it took a little while for him to realize how much he’d changed.

Book description: Because he failed to speak out when Uther executed many of Gaius one-time friends and colleagues - the physician was branded a traitor by the surviving members of the magic community.

Gaius has found it easier to go along with Uther's wishes than make a stand; it is only as he gets to know Merlin that he allows himself to rock the boat' and risk the king's displeasure.

- For many years he has been a loyal servant to Uther, often serving his king rather than his conscience. But when his old friend Hunith appealed to him to look after her only son, Merlin, his life took a different path. Gaius soon found himself having to make very difficult choices.

WHAT WOULD GAIUS DO IF UTHER FOUND OUT ABOUT MERLIN?

Early on in their acquaintance, Merlin asks Gaius what he would do if Uther discovered the truth and Gaius avoids answering.

Back then, although Gaius felt a responsibility for Merlin, he might not have risked his own neck for the boy. He might have pleaded for mercy, but it's less likely that he would have courted certain death by admitting to concealing a criminal or attempting a rescue.

However, being with Merlin has changed Gaius. It is not just his growing love for the boy that makes him stand up to Uther, but a realization that he cannot always remain on the sidelines - 'turning a blind eye'.

Question: Did Gaius actually agree with Uther on a level?

Was Gaius actually afraid of magic and its capacity to corrupt? Is that why he keeps Morgana’s magic from her.

My answer: Gaius kept Morgana’s magic hidden from her because he was afraid of what Uther would do if he found out. He was trying to protect her.

- Gaius was indeed afraid of magic (even his own) and had a hard time casting the spell to save his charge from the Morteaus flower, due to that fear of stepping over the line and not being able to go back afterwards.

- Gaius originally served his king, rather than his conscience. Which means that he knew what he was doing was wrong, but he stood by and let it happen regardless, because of his loyalty to his king.

Even as Gaius thought back on how Uther’s own choices had caused people to attack in order to get payback, he still remained loyal… despite everything.

Book description: the future.

Gaius has been working hard to keep knowledge of Morgana's abilities from the girl herself and from Uther, fearing what the king might do if he were to discover that his ward is a magical being.

If anyone ever heard sounds of Morgana's distress in the night, if anyone did ever ask what was wrong, then Gaius just brushed them off. 'Bad dreams, that's all. Nothing to worry about,' he'd say.

2nd description: There was another worry too. 'Magic corrupts, he'd told Merlin, not that long ago. Once he'd stepped over that line again, would he ever be able to go back?

But of course, he knew he had to do it.

Whatever the consequences. Even if he hadn't already come to love Merlin as a son, even if Merlin wasn't destined to be a great warlock, Gaius had promised the boy's mother he would look after him.

3. For many years he has been a loyal servant to Uther, often serving his king rather than his conscience.

4. But through it all, the king had believed he was acting for the best. He believed that a world without magic was the right one for his people. Whatever he had done, he had done it for his kingdom.

And knowing that, Gaius remained loyal.

Despite everything.

[dollopole]

The thing that bothers me the most isn’t really Arthur’s death per se, but the how? Merlin was able to make some incantations and save Arthur from poison more than once while he was already dead, but suddenly he can’t get a fucking piece of metal out of Arthur’s fucking abdomen????? I’M GOING FERAL, I SWEAR, MERLIN’S MAGIC IS SO INCONSISTENT AND IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE THAT HE CAN CALL THUNDERS FROM THE SKY AND KILL AN ARMY AND GO BACK TO HIS YOUNG FORM BUT CAN’T HEAL ARTHUR FROM A BLADE FORGED IN A DRAGON’S BREATH AFTER HE REALISES HE’S MAGIC ITSELF AND HAS HEALED BY HIMSELF FROM SOME DEEP FUCKING WOUNDS CAUSED BY AN HIGH PRIESTESS’ MAGIC???? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE???

I’m chill.

NO, I’M NOT—

[kateis-cakeis]

Do you guys ever think about how Merlin was only born because Arthur was born?

Two babes born who never should have existed, pulled from the very fabric of the world, magic.

One born from a ritual fraught with consequences, a mother dead, a terrible retribution sought.

One born after a man was forced to flee, the last of his kind, taken in by a woman across the border.

And while it is possible Balinor could have made it to Hunith regardless, it seems it was only the terrible circumstances that led to him going to Ealdor at all.

Arthur and Merlin, two sides of the same coin, soulmates right down to their mere existence at all.

[twistedshipper]

high priestesses + fire

[ehlihr]

Nimueh sketches

[merlinemrys]

it always gets to me how powerful merlin is because if nimueh, one of the last high priestesses of the old religion, has to say a spell aloud to just unlock a door while merlin in the first five minutes just stops TIME for funsies then it's honestly a miracle that the whole of camelot doesn't just blow up if merlin sneezes too hard