Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 00:16:30 -0600 To: Peter Corless From: Wil Radcliffe "Taliesin, the Archdruid" is copyright (c) 1996, 1997 Wil Radcliffe. Excerpted from the work in progress "The Courts of King Arthur", Peter Corless, Editor. (Written for future publication by the Chaosium) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Revision History v1.0 - 6 Dec 1996 - Initial version v1.1 - 6 Feb 1997 - Marked Grail Christian attributes; cleaned up format - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Taliesin - Great Bard and Archdruid of the Arthurian Age The year was 535. The fame of the Round Table had spread throughout the British Isles. Cerridwen, the witch (although earlier traditions paint her as a goddess) desired that her ill-favored and hapless son, Afagddu, would someday join such an illustrious company. Within the books of Fferyllt she found the recipe for a cauldron of Inspiration and Science. With this Cerridwen hoped to create the three drops of Inspiration which would grant grace and intellect to her wretched son. She charged Gwion Bach, son of Gwreang, to stir the cauldron for a year and a day. One day near the end of the year, as Cerridwen was out gathering herbs, the three drops flew from the cauldron, landing upon Gwion Bach's finger. To ease the burning sensation of the hot liquid, he sucked upon his finger. Instantly all the grace and knowledge meant for Afagddu was bestowed upon Gwion Bach. Knowing that Cerridwen would be enraged, he fled. Upon returning from her tasks, Cerridwen came upon the overturned cauldron. She pursued Gwion Bach, each taking on the form of various animals during the chase. Finally, hoping to lose Cerridwen, Gwion Bach transformed himself into a grain within a heap of winnowed wheat. Cerridwen in turn transformed into a hen and ate Gwion Bach. Nine months later, she gave birth to a radiant child (Note the similarity to the druidic spell of Form Riding from PAGAN SHORE). Knowing that this was the reincarnation of her hated enemy, yet unable to kill such a beautiful child, Cerridwen placed him within a leather bag and threw him into the sea. He was rescued by Elphin who named him Taliesin and raised him. According to the Mabinogion, Taliesin exhibited supernatural gifts of charm and oration from the moment Elphin found him. It was in Taliesin's 14th year that Elphin, now a prosperous man due to Taliesin's charms, was captured by King Maelgwn Gwynned of Gomeret. Elphin's boasts of Taliesin's talents had outraged the King. Taliesin arrived at Maelgwn's court where he used his magical talents to make the King's poets and bards play "Blerwm, blerwm" upon their lips with their fingers whenever asked to recite or sing. When Taliesin was discovered as the cause of this madness, he came before the King and prophesied Maelgwn's death (some say cursed him) by "the strong creature before the flood." Maelgwn was cowed by the youth's brilliant oration and prophecies. Elphin was immediately released. Soon after, Taliesin took Merlin's place as the Archdruid of Britain. He left for Arthur's court where he became a shadowy, mysterious figure. Unlike his predecessor, Taliesin had no interest in interfering with the activities of man... he already knew all that had and would happen. His concern was deeper, greater than king making and court politics. He desired that people of future generations would remember this time... remember the great deeds and great people. With that in mind, he consulted with Merlin's old master, Bleis, chronicler of both Merlin's and Arthur's lives. It is even suggested by many old Welsh traditions that Taliesin somehow spoke with the imprisoned Merlin himself. Taliesin admired Bleis and what he was attempting to do, but he found the old hermit's methods lacking. If the world was truly to remember this time, it should be described in brilliant prose rather than as dull history. And so, Taliesin took it upon himself to insure that Arthur's legacy would endure... if not in the real world, then in song and verse. Taliesin's first mission as the Great Bard and Archdruid of Arthur's Age, was to journey with the monarch and three shiploads of men to the Otherworld. There they would rescue the prisoner, Gwair, imprisoned in the fairy fortress, Caer Siddi. After many encounters and battles, they returned... only seven in number. Taliesin gave his account of this tragedy, the ironic title of Preiddeu Annwfn (The Spoils of the Otherworld). (On a similar note, a certain Taliesin also accompanied the god, Bran, on his similarly doomed voyage to Ireland in the Mabinogion tale "Branwen Daughter of Llyr". This Taliesin could well have been an earlier incarnation of the Taliesin of Arthur's time). As to the bard's eventual end, it is difficult to say. Eight miles northeast of Aberystwyth there is a prehistoric cairn called Bedd Taliesin (Taliesin's Grave), rumored to be the final resting place of the Great Bard. How he finally died (indeed, IF he ever died) is unknown. As with many things concerning Taliesin, his final fate remains a mystery. Taliesin in game play is not a typical Arthurian character. He is not so much likely to interact with player characters, as to simply be a presence... a very powerful and noticeable presence, but not a very active one. He will of course always be delighted to entertain the court with a song or a story... but unlike Merlin, the kingmaker, Taliesin has no interest in directing the affairs of others. Players will find him an agreeable and friendly fellow if they approach him... but as he looks at them with those intense, all-knowing eyes, they may find him a bit uncomfortable to be around. As far as his statistics go, Taliesin is, in most respects, a demi-god. His martial skills aren't much better than an average knight, but his abilities to resist damage from magic, disease, and other mortal concerns, is phenomenal. GM's should for the most part consider Taliesin to be immortal. Most player characters aren't going to want to kill the kindly Archdruid of Britain in any case, so this is not an unfair assumption. He is the bardic chronicler of the Arthurian Age, and in that respect, he does not influence game play... except perhaps to occasionally impart a few warnings or words of advice to player characters about to embark upon dangerous missions. His physical stats are quite normal, except for his constitution, and his appearance which is perhaps the most striking of any character to be encountered in Pendragon (his name after all means "Radiant brow"). His personality traits are quite admirable, particularly his Energetic, Pious, and Temperate. Among his passions his love for his foster father, Elphin, and his hospitality are his most intense, although all of them are very high. Of course as the greatest bard of the Arthurian Age, Taliesin has unearthly skill ranks in Compose, Faerie Lore, Folk Lore, Orate, Play (all instruments), and Singing. As a chronicler he also has high rankings in Awareness and Read. As the Archdruid he has great skills in Celestial Lore, Geomantic Lore, Religion, and Sight. Name: Taliesin City/Homeland: Penllyn/Norgales Culture/Religion: Grail Christian Father: Elphin (foster father) Current Class: Bard/Archdruid Child Number: 1 Year born: 535 Insight: 90,000 Glory: 8,000 Statistics SIZ 13 (Knockdown) Damage Dice ((STR+SIZ)/6) 4d6 DEX 14 Healing Rate ((STR+CON)/10) 3 STR 12 Movement Rate ((STR+DEX)/10) 3 CON 20 (Major Wound) Total Hit Points (SIZ+CON) 39 APP 40 Unconscious (HP/4) 10 Distinctive Features: Radiant glow, beautiful features, melodic voice, piercing eyes Magic Limit: 182 Personal Life Force: 9d20 Magical Defense: 91 Religious Bonus: Yes Personality Traits Chaste 17/ 3 Lustful Energetic * 21/ 0 Lazy Forgiving 18/ 2 Vengeful Generous * 19/ 1 Selfish Honest * 16/ 4 Deceitful Just 17/ 3 Arbitrary Merciful * 19/ 1 Cruel Modest 16/ 4 Proud Pious 25/ 0 Wordly Prudent 20/ 0 Reckless Temperate * 21/ 0 Indulgent Trusting 16/ 4 Suspicious Valorous 18/ 2 Cowardly Directed Trait Directed Trait Passions Loyalty (Pendragon) 19 Love (foster father) 25 Love (god) 20 Love (goddess) 20 Hospitality 30 Honor 20 Skills Awareness 30 Boating 2 Celestial Lore 30 Chirurgery 12 Compose 40 Courtesy 22 Dancing 25 Faerie Lore 35 Falconry 5 First Aid 15 Flirting 20 Folk Lore 38 Gaming 25 Geomantic Lore 25 Heraldry 2 Hunting 1 Industry 0 Intrigue 15 Orate 40 Play (any/all instruments) 40 Read (Latin) 30 Read (Ogham) 20 Read (Glyphs) 20 Recognize 20 Religion 30 Romance 20 Singing 40 Stewardship 5 Swimming 2 Sight 40 Combat Skills Battle 10 Horsemanship 13 Sword 17 Spear 12 Dagger 15 Magical Talents Animal Friend 17 Bless 25 Control Faerie 20 Curse 30 Dispel 20 Divination 40 Emotion 40 Glamour 25 Healing 25 (Natural Talent) Protect 25 Shape Shift 30 Summon Faerie 20 Travel 20 Weather Control 15 Magical Talismans Harp (Emotion Control) Special Ability *Taliesin benefits from magical protection allowing him 24 points of armor. He also gains the chivalry bonus of +3, giving him a total armor rank of 27*