#pryderi my beloved

[palushiemalis-fr]

dergtober -- day 8 -- Portal

very proud of this one as I had a hard time figuring out anatomy and reflection. The bg was very fun to draw. Not technically a portal but I did my best.

Features Pryderi, my illusionist.

"Aye, yes, that would be splendid." He begun to whirl his claws about, causing illusory garlands of moons, stars and comets across the shelves, "I have one last question, is that mirror my first assignment?" Abzu was about to slink out the door when she turned back and frowned. "As far as I'm aware, Mr. Pryderi, we haven't made any arrangements for you to assist us with anything so far..." She daintily walked over to the grand oval mirror, "This mirror was a gift from our previous lodger, it shows scenes conjured from the mind's eye. We thought it appropriate for your office." "The illusion cast upon its surface is admirable, but I was referring to the mimic luring beneath it." "There is no such thing," Abzu snorted, "And the suggestion is simply outrageous!" Pryderi hummed and took to his perch next to the mirror. He began to flicker his claws over the reflection, it showed a pleasant twilit waterfall with kitsune drinking from a pond. His paws soon were unravelling the deeply knitted illusion which twisted the picture into night and rippled with a ghoulish face that beared it tusks. The mimic was clearly deeply unhappy to be discovered and snapped at him. Abzu was aghast as she watched him dismiss the spirit from the mirror. The inky, shadowy creature leapt from the looking glass to the window like a toad. Pryderi opened it for it to escape and it hopped out with disgust.

dergtober has been a lot of fun so far, been making friends and learning a lot. really glad I have given it a go.

[gingersnaptaff]

treat!

'"No. We leave tonight,” Rhiannon’s tone was ice. “We must evade the guards.”

“Yes, Mother," Pryderi huffed. "So you keep saying but I see no evidence of them.”

“Pryderi,” It was Cigfa who spoke and her voice was scratchy with sleep. “Just because you have not seen them does not mean that they will not have been sent out.”

Rhiannon hummed, “Ogrfan will spin the net about us slowly at first. We will not even see it coming until he finally wrenches it and traps us.”

“Ach, surely not! If he’d any sense he would've enacted such a thing now instead of waiting.”

“Your mother is right,” Cigfa whispered, pursing her lips. “The things that we witnessed in his caer would make your blood run cold. We must gather up what we can and go. We are wasting time squabbling like washerwomen.”

“There’s barely even anything to take!”

“Good!” Cigfa’s disdain was apparently even from my place on Manawydan’s lap. “Then it will attract less attention when I grab you about your beard and throw you into the river for being brainless. Truly you are your father’s son! Must I explain everything to you?”

“I am only stupid when it suits me." Pryderi insisted. "If it is your will that we go now, then we will. This has been such a roundabout conversation that I feel that I am far more blockheaded than when we started.”

“That remains to be seen but I am sure that it will become certain, of that I have no doubt.” Grass crunched beneath Cigfa’s boots, and I knew that she was getting up off the ground.

Pryderi and Rhiannon followed suit, both sighing in relief at the clicking on their bones as they rose too as Manawydan murmured in my ear that he would carry me for the journey.

“Don’t get too tired,” I slurred. “’M heavy. Father used to tell me that.”

“Yes, Gwyn bach, I’m sure that you are, but I am not your father. You can rest again if you wish. I will wake you when we arrive.” His blue eyes crinkled as he smiled.'

[scifimagpie]

Character Voice Tag Game

Rules: Rewrite the line of dialogue from the person who tagged you into the voice of your OC’s! (You can include a short beat of action to help establish character if you want.) Pass on the tag with a new line of dialogue.

@koala2all got me! My line was "Did you forget again?"

Here you are, with voice notes from my romantasy project about a fire sorceress and a cinnamon roll nonbinary lich, titled Assigned Villain. I've worked all three characters - Chama, her beloved mentor lich, and her other love interest, a trans masc goth boy who is the lich's assistant, into a scene.

Chama huffed, fussing with her skirt. "I had it a moment ago." Pryderi gave her a grin that was dangerously close to a smirk, but came over to help. "What happened?" As he drew closer to her table, then bent near her shoulder, Chama found herself growing even more flustered. "I had the reagent just a moment ago!" "Where?" "In my hand!" She tugged at her immense pile of red curls, her brown skin flushing with embarrassment. "This happens to me all the time. I set something down, and the moment it's out of my hands, boom. It's evaporated." Gwin Anoon cleared their throat. In their mellifluous, indeterminate voice, they offered, "I have a spell for that. I use it habitually now, but if you don't know it-" "Please?" Chama said, almost begging. Ever since her exam, she'd gotten so easily flustered the moment she thought someone would judge her for not knowing something, or just not doing it correctly enough. Gwin Anoon chuckled. "There there, my dear. It starts with a moment of focus. Clear your mind, and imagine the object..." As they went on, their sonorous, sweet voice lulled Chama into a trance. To her immense chagrin, she realised she'd drifted off mid-conversation. "I'm so sorry - could you repeat that?" She didn't have the heart to mention that she was listening to their voice so intently that she didn't even catch what they were saying.

I'm tagging @mrbexwrites @tabswrites ​@feuervogel @bluberimufim @squarebracket-trick @monstersandmaw @stories-by-rie @toribookworm22 @meerawrites @rmgrey-author

Your prompt is, "What are you doing with that?"

[egittae]

If there was one thing Lambert had missed greatly, was to go on rides with his beloved mount. Löwen had been left at the monastery as it was attacked, but as big and strong as the stallion was it wasn’t difficult for him to break free and run to safety, quickly spotting a nice field to stay at until he was eventually found by monastery staff and knights sent to search for all missing mounts. Unharmed and safe, the moment Lambert saw the gentle shire again he felt a veil of warmth and relief wash over his heart- a sentiment that the horse seemed to echo as he kept following his rider around for hours.

Although his horse was right there however, Lambert wasn’t allowed to ride him just yet. Of course- it was the infirmary staff, tailing him at every chance they’d get and always trying to get him to return to his cot and claiming he was in a state still too fragile to ride any horse, let alone a horse that big. He understood their concern, he really did, but he couldn’t help but feel a spark of rebellion create an ember out of the frustration from feeling helpless or weak. He was just hurt, he wasn’t fragile. He wouldn’t break and disappear.

And so as soon as he got the chance, he hopped on the shire and quickly left alongside a handful of knights in a mission- something about going to Aegir and aiding some of the relief camps mounted there for students of the Black Eagles, Lambert had to admit he didn’t quite listen to the briefing and just went along. He just wanted to do anything, really. He wanted to be of use. If these Aegir people needed help, he’d help.

The imperial landscape wasn’t one he was used to, at least not this side of it. At the back of his memory it was possible to grasp at some instances where he visited Arundel and the area of the Brionac Plateau, directly beyond the borders of Western Faerghus, but the easternmost portion of the Empire was still mostly unknown to him- the only exception being Gronder Field. As soon as their group arrived Lambert took his time to enjoy the scenery, lush green fields and a nice warm breeze carrying a slight saltiness from the nearby coast. The skies were vast and blue, soil fertile and forgiving. Even as many of the towns they had passed by had been ravaged and left fragilized by the war, it didn’t take from their beauty nor from the fact food and resources were bountiful. 

“ ‘S a beautiful place, isn’t it? I heard yer from the Holy Kingdom, too.” A knight appeared to his right, their horse coming to a gentle stop before searching for a patch of grass to eat. “ ‘M from there, too. Pryderi. ‘Ts far from the frozen lands of the north, but still a tad sad compared to this.”

Lambert listened to the knight’s lament, before ultimately shrugging- a mild smile reaching his features. “I get what you mean, I was born in the north of Itha. Indeed, it is nothing like this portion of Adrestia- warm weather and fertile land, resources seemingly infinite.”

“You get it! Hah, I get a little jealous of them for it, not gonna lie. I’ll be checking with the commander, we’ll be staying here for now. Cheers.” Before Lambert could properly elaborate a response, the knight’s mount trotted away towards the center of the area where shelters were located. Indeed, something in his heart tells him he should be jealous of this place and its people- even in her summer glory, Fhirdiad couldn’t compete with the abundance of Adrestia.

“Jealousy…haha. I feel happy that they are able to enjoy such gifts from nature, but I love my homeland as it is. Do you agree, Löwen?” Quietly muttering to himself in a conversation long left undone, he resorted to scratching the stallion’s neck, who seemed much more interested in the green grass below as the professor rolled his eyes. “The grass is irresistible, I suppose.” The mock pout was just that, quickly devolving into fond laughter as he chose to remain still and enjoy the land for what it was.

That is, until he saw a mop of ginger hair approach from the corner of his eye. “Oh, I had no idea you were here, S-” It wasn’t Sylvain, proper inspection was quick to reveal the shade was off by a few tones. Where the Gautier boy’s hair was a more vivid version of Matthias’ maroon, this one had brighter, more orange locks and was slightly shorter as well. This was-

“Forgive me, I thought it was someone else for a moment.” Laughing off his near mistake, Lambert made quick yet careful work of dismounting. It was a bit of an art considering how battered and still very much sore his body was, but eventually he managed to do so without hissing. A hand was stretched in the student’s direction, for a proper greeting.

“You are…Ferdinand of the Black Eagles, correct? I am a professor, coming with the Knight of Seiros to provide resources for the camps. You may call me Lambert.”

The Aegir kid himself, or so his mind managed to remember.

ANOTHER ginger boy? they're everywhere | lambert & ferdinand

closed starter for @nobilisseoblige

[mysticw0man]

Rhiannon: Queen and Beloved Goddess

So you’ve listened to Fleetwood Mac’s hit “Rhiannon” and want to learn about the infamous woman.

Rhiannon originates in Celtic mythology. She was included in the Mabinogion, which details various different stories and topics, such as philosophy. Rhiannon is depicted as a strong, independent woman who is a force to be wrecked with. In my opinion, she is a perfect role model for young women. Rhiannon is also thought to have been the famous Lady of the Lake who gave King Arthur the Excalibur.

Although she was engaged to someone else, Rhiannon decided he wasn’t the one for her and instead chose to marry Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed. Together, they have son named Pryderi, who would become a legendary hero. While Pryderi was a baby, he was kidnapped. Rhiannon would be blamed and accused of murdering her son. She faced punishment from those around her, but she would eventually be proven innocent. Rhiannon-1, patriarchy-0. Rhiannon and her family were reunited again.

Rhiannon is known as the Celtic goddess of the sun, horses, and inspiration. She is often called “otherworldly”. She has many symbols, which include but are not limited to the sun, horses and horseshoes, hunting dogs/puppies, sage, rosemary, lavender, geranium, moonstone, amethyst, and the color black.

Rhiannon is a pretty beloved deity, so there are lots of resources on her if you are interested in further learning about her. I personally enjoy the website and resources of Goddess Gift.

[thescarletromeo]

My Personal Favorite Names (Part 2): Girls

(Note: I don't have all of the original origins because at the start I forgot to do that. Sorry.)

• River - meaning “flowing body of water”. Why I love it; 1. River Song (duh), 2. River Tam.

• Sarah / Sarah Jane - meanings; Sarah “princess”. Jane “God's gracious gift”. Why I love it; 3 words - Sarah Jane Smith.

• Elisabeth - meaning “pledged to God”. Why I love it; simply, Elisabeth Sladen.

• Avalon - meaning “island of apples”. Why I love it; Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds.

• Louisa - meaning "renowned warrior". Why I love it; it's a glorious name, inspired by my favorite singer “Foxes” Louisa Rose Allen.

• Merida - meaning “one who has achieved a high place of honor”. Why I love it; the princess from Brave.

• Nimue - meaning “Celtic Mythology (one of the names of the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends)”. Why I love it; this is such a pretty name and it's Arthurian roots.

• Melody - meaning “song”. Why I love it; Ariel’s daughter and River’s alter ego.

• Emrys - meaning "immortal one", "ever-living, immortal". Welsh form of Latin Ambrosius. Celtic Form of Ambrose. Why I love it; Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to create the character of Merlin, who he called Merlinus Ambrosius or Myrddin Emrys.

• Aniela - meaning “messenger of God. Angel", Polish variation of Angela. ahn-YELL-ah. Why I love it; I love the way it looks. I love the sound of it. And I love the meaning.

• Anemone - meaning "daughter of the wind", ah-NEM-oh-nee. Flower name; Greek. Why I love it; is a floral name that relates to the ancient Greek myth of the famous love story of Aphrodite and Adonis, in which Aphrodite transforms her wounded lover's blood into a flower, the crimson anemone, whose blossoms are opened by the wind. accounting for its other name, windflower.

• Freya - meaning "Goddess of Love. Queen of the Gods. Beloved. Lady. Noble Woman. High-born Lady. Mistress", Norse. FRAY-ah (Norse Mythology). Why I love it; From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This was the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she was one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg. This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.

• Rhiannon - meaning hri-AN-ahn (Welsh), ree-AN-ən (English), REE-ən-ən (English). Probably derived from the old Celtic name Rigantona meaning "great queen". Why I love it; It is speculated that this was the name of an otherwise unattested Celtic goddess of fertility and the moon. The name Rhiannon appears later in Welsh legend in the Mabinogion, borne by the wife of Pwyll and the mother of Pryderi. As an English name, it became popular due to the Fleetwood Mac song 'Rhiannon'.

~~ side note: this is the name dad really wanted to call me but mum wasn't a fan and thought it meant witch not woman.~~

• Emilia - meaning "rival", Feminine variation of Emil, Latin. Why I love it; Because I am in love with Emilia Saccone Joly and she has made me love the name.

• Alessia - meaning "defending warrior", Italian variation of Alexis. Why I love it; I was originally drawn to it because it's the name that Anna and Jonathan named their second daughter. But when I saw the meaning I was like “holy cow that's badass!”.

• Aurora (Rory for short) - meanings: Aurora; "dawn", Latin. Rory; "red king", Irish. Why I love it; Aurora is such a pretty name that is somehow feminine, mystical, out of this world, heavenly and natural wonder. And Rory, I mean it's such a great unisex name. Plus it would suit a red headed or even golden blonde child.

• Seren - meaning "star". Pronounced seh-ren. Welsh origin. Why I love it; Sounds pretty and the meaning is so lovely. Seren is a top girl's name in Wales--and a lovely choice almost unknown elsewhere. Seren, in the Sirona form, was an ancient goddess of the hot springs.

• Ambrosia - meaning "food of the gods". Greek and Roman mythology name. Why I love it; It's similar to Ambrose. The food of the gods in Greek mythology, meaning "immortal".

• Oriana - meaning "dawn". Latin. Why I love it; Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. Strong and exotic, Oriana also has an admirable literary resume. In medieval tales, she was the beloved of the knight Amadis, she appears in at least three seventeenth century plays, and there is an early Tennyson poem called The Ballad of Oriana.

• Thalassa - meaning "the sea". Greek. Why I love it; A pretty, rarely used Greek name, Thalassa is the ancient personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean, who is sometimes considered the mother of Aphrodite. In 1991, a newly discovered moon of Neptune was dubbed Thalassa. This name would make a highly original, yet accessible and delicate choice.

• Sophia / Safiya - meaning "wisdom". Greek. Why I love Sophia; Like its sister baby names Isabella and Olivia, Sophia has gained widespread favor by appealing to a broad range of parents: Intellectuals who like it for its meaning and those attracted to its femininity, parents who want a classic name and those looking for a name with Latin roots; the Sofia spelling is also popular. Sophie is the French version of the name, more popular than Sophia in some parts of the world. The name was first famous via St. Sophia, venerated in the Greek Orthodox church--St Sophia was the mother of three daughters named Faith, Hope and Love. It was first used in England in the seventeenth century and was the name of George I's both mother and wife. Why I love Safiya; after one of my favorite youtuber’s whom is literally perfection: Safiya Nygaard.

Bonus Round: My Favorite Middle Name Options.

• Tommasina or Thomasina - meaning (Thomasina) English, feminine variation of Thomas. (Tommasina) Italian version of Thomasina. Why I love it; I adore this name, but I prefer it as a middle name. inspired by Emilia Tommasina Sacconejoly.

• Nova - meaning “new”. Why I love it; I like this as a middle name. It's pretty and I like the space aspect of it.

• Sky / Skye - meaning (Sky) Nature name. (Skye) Scottish place-name. Why I love it; Like Nova, I like this as a middle name. Also inspired by Sky Smith.

• Hope - meaning Virtue name. Why I love it; middle name that I like very much with it's positive vibe.

~•~

If you have any names you love and reason behind it, please share as I would love to read them.

[gingersnaptaff]

who are the main characters in welsh arthurian mythos?

Hi anon! You know, I looked at this question and just fuckin DIED with GLEE! Ehdhdjdhdjd I LOVE SHIT LIKE THIS!!!!! SHDJDJDH

First off, Arthur is pretty big. He's less a king and more of a warlord, but there's still a lot of cultural reverence for him in Welsh things. Seriously, Henry VII - a notable faux-Welshman - named his firstborn son Arthur purely because he was going to be Prince of Wales. Also, in Culhwch and Olwen his retinue has TWO Welsh GODS in it - Manawydan and Pryderi (my beloveds.) Idk what they're doing in it but I am inordinately pleased that they are there.

Also, Uther Pendragon / Uther Ben. Taliesin wrote a poem about him which is super fun. (Also, oddly enough Taliesin himself HAS been linked into Arthurian legends on multiple occasions. He's also another Arthur-type in that he's still regarded as tooling the line between mythical and real.)

Gwenhwyfar is also important even though she takes a back seat. Speculation is rife about whether she had a quest/myth about her (sorta like Culhwch and Olwen) and also her name means 'white phantom!' BRING IT BACK. I, for one, think she definitely did have a quest attributed to her in which Arthur had to do something to get her hand in marriage but idk WHAT.

Also, she's a GIANT!!!!!!!! EJDJDKDKDKD

Gwalchmai is also Super Important. There's speculation as to whether he was a mythical character who got implanted into the mythos or if he was always Atthur's nephew. Basically, he's a giant and he kills giants. Seriously, he's CONSTANTLY killing giants in the mythos. Plus he is called 'Gwalchmai Golden / Silver-tongued' in poetry too. In the Mabinogion, he's very often the one to soothe discord between the other knights so he's very diplomatic too.

Cai and Bedwyr, obviously! They come as a pair. Do Not Separate. Now, Cai is sometimes also seen to be a giant but his dad is Cynyr Ceinfarfog who was a real king. He ruled Dyfed and was the dad of Saint Non and, therefore, grandad to SAINT DAVID. (Wales' patron saint!) So Cai, like Arthur, has a saintly lineage. Before the French Romances shifted his character into the more recognisable Kay, Arthur's grumpy seneschal, Cai was a warrior of great renown. And literally superhuman. Like, nobody would received from.a blow from his sword, he could brave fire and water like nobody else, he has the ability to go nine nights and days without sleep or the need to breathe. He's a ledge.

Now, Bedwyr! Again he's a great warrior and ONE-ARMED. He's called Bedwyr Bedrydant (Bedwyr of the Perfect Sinew) and he's HOT SHIT. Seriously, he's like the most beautiful Knight in Arthur's court. The 10th-century poem 'pa gur' says that assailants 'fell by the hundred / before Bedwyr of the Perfect sinew ... fighting with Garwlwyd/ furious with sword and shield.' (Also, BTW Garwlwyd is possibly a werewolf.)

They have to put up with SO MUCH SHIT from Arthur's escapades it's ridiculous. They had to convince Arthur not to intervene in a King abducting a princess and carrying her back to his court, ffs. Give them a HOLIDAY. WITH SALMON TAXIS.

Now, I would say Merlin BUT he is added later into the mythology. He isn't there straight off. But he is Welsh. He's FUN. He was apparently based on Myrddin Wyllt. He went mad, and lived in a forest. His bestie was a king who died.

Now, I also think Owain, and Geraint on account of their having stories written about them but they're two kings who got folded into the mythos a bit later. Urien (Owain's dad) is another example.

Also, Macsen Wledig too. But again writers melded him in later. And I mean this in the sense that he and Arthur share similarities in how they're perceived in Welsh culture.

Anyways, anon, I hope this helps. I'm probably forgetting a TONNE of characters (Peredur, for one.) But I Don't want to bore you or make anybody trawl through this unwillingly so I shall stop! Hopefully, this helps! Thank u for the question!!!!

[gingersnaptaff]

It's time for ANOTHER POLLLLLLLL.

So, without further ado Some notes for each:

Cigfa - MY BELOVED!!!!!!! Is briefly mentioned in the first branch as being the lady Pryderi marries, she's the daughter of Glyn Gohowy, and she has her moment in the spotlight in branch three. The daughter-in-law of Rhiannon (obvs) she accompanies her, Pryderi, and Manawydan in their sojourn into England when Dyfed becomes a wasteland. She and Manawydan are the two who don't get spirited away by a golden bowl. Cigfa thinks Manawydan will treat her unkindly but Manawydan is very nice to her (🥺🥺🥺). I also love her with my whole heart. Wish she had more book time.

Amaethon - Son of Dôn and Beli Mawr and brother to *deep breath* Gwydion, Gilfaethwy, Aranrhod, and Gofannon Penarddun, and Nudd, he's the God of agriculture. He's a bit part in The Mab, with only one mention in Culhwch and Olwen to his name. He's also the instigator of The Battle of The Trees (Cad Goddeu) which is a Diddy lil conflict between Arawn, Lord of Annwfn and The Family of Dôn.

Manawydan - legit my favourite Mabinogion character. He's the son of Llŷr and Penarddun which makes him a full-blooded brother to Bendigeidfran and Branwen as well as half-brother to Efnisien and Nisien. Bendigeidfran sends him and Nisien to woo Matholwch back after Efnisien maims the Irish King's horses and afterwards, Manawydan accompanies his brother to rescue their sister from the Irish court. Manawydan is one of the seven to return home which means he witnesses Bendigeidfran, Nisien (presumably as we never hear what happens to him), Branwen, and Efnisien's deaths and leaves him as the sole survivor of the Children of Llŷr. He gets his spotlight in book three where he's fuckin amazing and is the one to basically hold a mouse ransom (look long story.) and says 'such as I have I will hang' when the magician in disguise tries to barter for the mouse back. He also MARRIES RHIANNON AND FREES HER AND PRYDERI FROM THE MAGIC BOWL. He and Lleu Llaw Gyffes are two of the shoemakers mentioned in the triads and - as shoemaking was seen as being a kingly craft - is a sign of their being kings (which is v prescient considering MANAWYDAN GOT DEPOSED BY CASWALLAWN). I love him. I love him. He's so, so, so, so nice and an all-around good guy. I made him Gwynhwyfar's God dad in my book I love him that much.

Culhwch - cousin/nephew to Arthur (I always get confused.) he's the one who causes Glewlwyd no amount of pain after he arrives at Arthur's court after the knife is in the meat and the neas has been poured. Why? FOR A QUEST! He wants to marry Olwen, the daughter of Ysbaddaden Pencawr and needs his cousin's help to do it. He doesn't do much on his quest but he gets points for like participation, I guess? Lomg story short he does marry Olwen though which is nice. Bet she was thrilled.

Edern- Brother to Gwyn ap Nudd, Creiddylad, and Owain ap Nudd (and sometimes Lludd and Llefelys if u think Lludd and Nudd are two separate lads which I do.) he's a fuckin MESS. @wildbasil can tell u more about him but he's Gwenhwyfar/Guinevere's lover and cause Gwyn no end of stress I imagine.

[gingersnaptaff]

POLL 7 (WOOHOO!)

I am so sorry I missed yesterday's posting time but, in my defence, I fell asleep as soon as I got in from work and legit didn't wake up till this morning. But, without further ado:

Some notes

Aranrhod - She's the sister to Gwydion, Gofannon, Penarddun, Amaethon, and Gilfaethwy and is probably the most... well-adjusted, shall we say? She's best known for her part in Branch 4 of The Mabinogion where Gwydion puts her forward to be their uncle Math's footholder after everything that goes down with Goewin. Unfortunately, it backfires when she walks over a silver rod and immediately gives birth to both Dylan Ail Don and Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Embarrassed, Aranrhod flees the room and goes back to her Caer (which is supposed to be the Milky Way!) while Gwydion takes Lleu and raises him. I mean she does also cast three tyngedhau on him which are: he can't have arms or a name. This, as you can imagine, makes Gwydion fume. (He's very self-aggrandizing.) Once he's older Gwydion she's about trying to get his sister to acknowledge their kid (it's implied in the text. I have talked about it a lot.) and does so in numerous ways including making her think her caer is under attack and allowing Lleu to have arms, inadvertently giving him a name after he strikes a wren with a sling (he of the fair hair and skilful hand). Yet all this does is serve to piss Aranrhod off once she she uncovers the truth about the boy and the old man with him. This leads her to cast her third tynged - he'll never have a human wife. Obvs Gwydion is super pissed off and makes Lleu one. I like to imagine Aranrhod then never involved herself in family dramas from then on. She just went to her castle and had a lovely time.

Caradog: Caradog Freichfras (strong arm) was a semi-legendary ancestor to the Kings of Gwent. He's got a horse named Lluagor (literally HOST SPLITTER, COOL AS FUCK) and is described as being Arthur's 'chief elder' by the triads. He also has a banging as fuck romance in which he discovers his actual dad is a wizard after his supposed father committed bestiality on his wedding night, battles against a serpent and accidentally slices off his girlfriend's tit in the process, which I am sure caused a lot of screaming. 'AHHH MY TIT!' 'AHHH A SNAKE!' 'Caradog, I swear to FUCK I will end u if u don't reattach my nipple, so help me god.' '.... yes dear.' Also his gf, Tegau Eufron (Goldbreast) has a virginity testing mantle.

Goewin: She's an utter sweetheart who doesn't get much to do and what she goes through is genuinely heartbreaking. She is the lady who was Math's footholder and then got raped by Gwydion and Gilfaethwy once Math was away fighting Pryderi. Once she informs Math of what happened he marries her and punishes his nephews. She's then NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN. I for one think she went to Caer Aranrhod and was immediately accepted there once she'd divorced Math because he was helping Gwydion.

Medrawd: THEE BOI. Actually, though he was seen as a good guy for much of the Welsh Arthurian stuff. In poetry to be seen as Medrawd was to be a good thing, not bad. Obvs this changed and we have thee bad lad we know and love but I do find that interesting. But he's best known as Evil Man Who Usurps His Uncle And Has A Damn Fun Time Doing It. Can't fault him for that, ngl. I respect the hustle. He also chucks Gwenhwyfar from her throne after out next person slaps her.

Gwenhwyfach: My beloved, my Diddy little pocket rocket, Gwenhwyfach is Gwenhwyfar's sister and it is SHE who starts Camlann. She's said to've married Medrawd which makes them an Evil Power Couple and is the one responsible for slapping Gwenhwyfar over nuts, apparently? This just in: 'Camlann started over sisters warring over Macadamia nuts' More as we get it.

Once again: top 2 go through!!!! Have fun!

[gingersnaptaff]

It's TIME FOR POOOOOLLLLLL

Some notes:

Lludd - He's one of the main characters of the story 'Lludd and Llefelys' and is King of Britain. Alongside his brother Llefelys (who married the Queen of Gaul and is now king there) they tackle three mysterious plagues that have come over Britain. 1. The Corianaid who can't be forced out cuz their hearing is so good they anticipate any plots against them, 2. A horrid scream every May Day that makes every pregnant woman miscarry, and 3. Disappearing food and drink - anything Lludd puts in his stores vanishes overnight. Lludd gets council from Llefelys who - once the brothers have used a hunting horn so the Corianaid can't hear them - advises him that the Corianaid can be defeated by a mixture made from a certain insect, while the second plague is two dragons - white representing the Saxons, red repping the Welsh/Britons, fighting each other who can be defeated by making them fight, full into a tub of mead, and then burying them once they're drunk (I assume?), and the third plague is a magician who wants wreck Lludd's day. Lludd has to submerge himself into a vat of cold water so he doesn't sleep and then essentially yells at the magician to stop stealing. He does, to be fair to him. With every plague defeated Lludd then presumably just chills.

Efnisien - OH MAN. HIS NAME MEANS HOSTILE EJEJSJSJSJDJD I call him 'Maimer of Horses' in my Gwyn novel and for GOOD REASON. The half-brother to Bendigeidfran, Manawydan, and Branwen he is nasty. He is slighted to the nth degree when he finds out Branwen is married to Matholwch and so he maims the Irish king's horses by docking their tails and cutting off their lips and eyelids. Matholwch then uses this to ABUSE BRANWEN. Furthermore, when Brân tries to get Branwen back Efnisien takes the opportunity to THROW HIS BABY NEPHEW, GWERN, INTO A FIRE. Efnisien sort of redeems himself when he flings himself into the Paiir Dadeni (cauldron of rebirth) and breaks it in half thus destroying the cauldron and himself but like dhdjdjdjdjdfj

Morgan Tud - They only appear in Geraint ac Enid as Arthur's physician but they are reputed to be the inspo for Morgan/Morgana. I headcanon they're gender-neutral and are secretly a Tylwyth Teg in my book if that sways u.

Olwen - She of the white track. MY WIFE. The woman who Culhwch does nothing for on his quest but still gets. She's the daughter of the giant Ysbaddadden Pencawr and little white trefoils sprout wherever she walks. She's great.

Pryderi - FINALLY. MY SON MY DISASTER BOI MY BELOVED IDIOT. Pryderi ap Pwyll Pen Annwfn is the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon. He's the main character of The Mabinogion cuz he appears in every branch and it tells u all about his birth, his abduction by a clawed hand when he was a newborn, his adoption by Teyrnon, lord of Gwent-Is-Coed and his wife after they maim the claw when it tries to nick one of their foals during May Day, his eventual reunion with his mam and dad, his battling against Ireland with Manawydan and Bendigeidfran, his being one of the seven men who was left alive at the end of the conflict and who got to have a meal with Brân's head, Manaywdan, Rhiannon, Cigfa, and his adventures in England after Dyfed vanishes into the mist and his eventual death at the hands of Gwydion after Gwydiok STEALS HIS FUCKIN PIGS. He's rash, impetuous, loving, and an excellent fighter in his youth considering he doesn't die at the hands of the undead Irish soldiers, and, in my opinion, reasonably chill until he has to become a blacksmith. PLUS IN CULHWCH AC OLWEN HE AND MANAWYDAN (AND I PRESUME RHIANNON AND CIGFA) ARE IN KING ARTHUR'S RETINUE WHICH IS WHY I AM NOW WRITING A GODDAMN BOOK ABOUT THEM!!!!!!!!! He also is just great. Stan Pryderi. His name means worry/anxiety (Pryder is to worry) and he legit causes 90% of his problems. Something, I think, we can all relate to.

[gingersnaptaff]

Are there any characters from Welsh mythology that didn't get into popular Arthuriana, but you think would fit in really well there?

Okay, so this is a bit tricky because the whole of the Mabinogion can be interpreted as being just another facet of Arthuriana in a way. After all, a) Pryderi and Manawydan are two of King Arthur's attendants in Culhwch ac Olwen which, therefore, means that they must be there after their adventure in Branches 1, 2, 3 (thankfully not 4 in Pryderi's case) have already concluded. Bendigeidfran - Manawydan's brother and giant lad - has his head dug up by Arthur and so that also has to happen after branch 2 cuz that's what allows the Saxons to eventually gain a foothold in Britain after Arthur's death. Also, Gilfaethwy - Gwydion's bro, the main cause of chaos in branch 4 - is the inspo for Griflet.

HOWEVER, Because of that you can neatly slot them into wherever works best for u.

Who you can't slot in best - because where are u gonna put her? - is Blodeuwedd. She's not somebody who I'd consider as able to slot in because she's an owl. Her entire thing is tied to the Branch Four escapades. However, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HER THERE. @wildbasil has some real great art where she in owl form hangs out with gwyn ap nudd and his brother edern and that works superbly well.

I also think that the entirety of what occurs with Cantre'r Gwaelod would be fascinating to explore through an Arthurian lens. Think about it. A whole kingdom - a whole island! - gets swallowed in the sea! And you can still hear the warning bells ringing out across the sea. You could tie them back to the fall of Camelot, to the failure to keep things in check, to people gradually getting complacent and perhaps a little corrupt. It would be SO FUN. And also you could perhaps have it be God's vengeance too.

Plus Lludd and Llefelys. It's BANGING. It could be another quest for the knights to undertake. You have three magical 'quests' that Lludd has to undertake (which are pretty easy to overcome but the possibilities? Endless.) There's a race of magical creatures called the Coraniaid, a demonic race of people who can hear EVERYTHING (which is also the same power Gwydion's uncle, Math, has who is another dude I think would be BRILLIANT in an Arthurian story!), a mysterious screaming that causes every woman to miscarry which is eventually found to be a red dragon (Y Draig Goch my beloved) and a white dragon (those peaky Saxons) fighting, and last but not least a wizard who he has to defeat by dunking himself in a bucket of water so doesn't fall asleep. (It makes sense in context, I promise.) Lludd - king of Londonium - undertakes the quests while his older brother, Llefelys, King of Gaul gives him invaluable advice. I have always thought that it should be made into a story because you could connect it to Merlin (the dragons are buried I'm Dinas Emrys which is literally 'Emrys'/Merlin's Hillfort' because he uncovers them and lets them FIGHT!!!! (Red dragon wins if ur wondering.)

(Also, you could slot Tŵm Sion Cati in there if u wanted. He's very much a Robin Hood archetype - and also his stories are set centuries after the Arthurian mythos (16th century during the time of Mary I /Bloody Mary) - but I mean that should not stop u.

(Doesn't stop me trying to combine all this shit together.)

Anyways!!! This ran away from me so I heartily apologise! Also, somebody will tell me, 'Sarah, you utter tit, somebody has already done these things' so I am prepped for that being the case.

[gingersnaptaff]

Most chill to least - Welsh mythology and Arthurian edition. Inspired by a convo @gwalch-mei and I had last night. Seriously I was severely sleep deprived so yeah.

0. Culhwch. He just exists in his own story like I can't say much else. Sorry, mate.

1. Manawydan / Brân (they're brothers but like Manawydan is legit usurped by a guy who kills his nephew and just completely fucks off to Dyfed to live in peace with his horse goddess wife and her rash son. Brân, before he gets his head cut off, is super chill but also nearly gets the whole of the Britons wiped out. (Long story)

2. Rhiannon. Unproblematic. Never done anything wrong in her LIFE.

3. Palomides. (I know he has beef with Tristan but like SAME.)

4. Honestly, Gwalchmai is super chill.

5. Aranrhod. Wants to be left alone by her stupid idiotic brothers. Or smash Gwydion's head in. Either really.

6. Branwen. Chill, yes, but I do also headcanon that she wanted to kill her half-brother as well as her husband and raze Ireland to the ground for all she endured.

7. Peredur / Percival. More Peredur because he is the most chillest and unfazed lad ever but still.

8. Galahad. Just... the vibe gives is super chill war criminal in a way I cannot explain.

9. Arthur. Except for the time in Welsh myth where he just casually kills a dude for necking one of his mistresses. Or y'know the May Day massacre.

10. Gwenhwyfar. (Guinevere is also chill but she would hunt those who wronged her down for sport if necessary. Gwenhwyfar, in contrast, would maim if needed. Seems largely content with the fact her husband is in love with his boat. Also just... yeah.)

11. Bedwyr. Puts up with Arthur's crap so it necessitates he would Have To Be Chill.

12 / 13. Lancelot and Gawain. They're together because their shenanigans are unmatched.

14/15. Lludd and Llefelys. They near killed each other because of some magical imps they have NO CHILL. Tbf they also immediately made up but like ugyftci

16. Dylan Ail Don, my beloved. He is the god of the waves. (Also, Llŷr too because as god of the sea, he would go off if he was not imprisoned somewhere.)

17. Kay. A lil more hot-headed in certain interpretations. Would, I think, also smack the shit out of Arthur if pressed. (Kay is also here for me because he is a cantankerous bastard but, like, wouldn't u be if u had to deal with half the shit he did.)

18. Fuckin Mordred man endjsjdjx CHILL MY DUDE PLS.

19. Arawn and Pwyll. Just the entirety of branch one of the Mabinogionmakes me think they just are both chill and terribly not.

20/21 Gaheris and Gareth are also a package deal. I know gawain and lance are quite high up the list whereas the rest of the Orkney aren't but like it's a big fat lie. They're just better at hiding it.

22/23. Gwydion and Gilfaethwy

24/25 Blodeuwedd and Lleu. They need couples therapy and QUICKLY

26/27. Owain and Morfudd (they are grandkids of arawn so u THINK THEY CHILL?))

28. Gwyn ap Nudd (no chill. Cut out a man's heart and then made the man's son eat it. Get some therapy, Gwyn, plîs.)

29. Bors and Hector ngl

27. Tor and Lamorak. Just. I mean.

28. Efnisien. oh God oh fuck oh boi

29. Pryderi, in all honesty. Like for having a mum who is legit super chill (apart from when she chews Pwyll and Manawydan out) he is remarkably rash.

30. Fuckin GERAINT

31. Agravaine. Man is just... he just... well, y'know.

32. Cerridwen. She chased Taliesin down and I bet she was fuming the entire time. Literally ate him and gave birth to him.

33. Enid. She is not chill and honestly I know she seems like she is but I bet she wanted to kill geraint cuz I would. Let her fly off the handle holy shit.

34. Morgan. I think she is allowed to be as unchill as she can and wishes to be.

35. Iseult / Esyllt. Nothing more than vibes honestly but still.

36. Olwen. Again nothing but vibes but she is a giant's daughter and like cyvyvuvh