Merlin Ambrosius

The Wild Man of the Woods, the Right Hand of the Once and Future King, the Archmage of Britain, the Bard... Myrrdin Emrys has carried many names over his two thousand years of life, but the most notable has been Merlin Ambrosius.

The son of a virgin and an incubus, he was both blessed and cursed with visions since a young age. These visions would seize his entire body, driving him to the brink of madness. It is known that he fled into the far regions of Caledonia at a young age, but what he learned in the cold highlands is not known. His first confirmed appearance was in 48BC, when he appeared in Rome, bringing his prophecies to the new dictator, Julius Caesar. After Caesar's assassination, he returned to Britain bringing with him a close friend he made while in the service of the Dictator: Aurelius Ambrosius. Aurelius, a skilled commander, would eventually found a noble lineage in Roman Britain, a house that would become known the House of Constanstine. As part of some debt to Aurelius, Merlin continued to serve the house of Constantine, through to Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon and King of Camelot. In the legends, Merlin was betrayed by his apprentice Vivienne, who trapped him and took his place as Arthur's advisor.

It's not advisable to bring up Vivienne around Merlin at all.

It was unknown how long Merlin was bound by his apprentice, but the Archmage eventually escaped, only to find the world much changed. Where magic was once commonplace, it was now hidden behind a veil. The populace treated the stories of Arthur and Camelot and even himself as little more than legend. However, Merlin was not willing to give up on his duty, and became a key advisor to Elizabeth I, Queen of England. His relationship with the Crown and the government of England has been rocky ever since. He actually left the United Kingdom for several decades after a rather vicious spat with Victoria--turned out Her Majesty much preferred the more occult magics so popular in the 1800s, including that up-and-coming cultist (at least in Merlin's mind) and future archmage, Aleister Crowley. He only returned when Winston Churchill asked him to take a stand against the occult magics of the Thule Society during the Second World War. Merlin served as the ceremonial first head of MI18, now known as Her Majesty's Occult Security Services. However, Merlin and Churchill were cantankerous old bastards, and Merlin ended up vanishing again in the 1950s. He's shown up here and there since then--mostly serving his own interests and stopping the odd calamity. What he's up to nowadays, though, nobody can say. He hasn't even taken an apprentice on since the 1970s.

In terms of power, Merlin is one of the most talented diviners in history--he can peer both forward and back in time with relative ease. He can tell your next action before you've even thought of it. As well, he is one of the greatest shapeshifters known to man. He is actually one of only a handful of mages to have ever been able to shapeshift into a dragon--his form becoming a great red dragon much like the one tied to him in the legend of Dinas Emrys (and emblazoned on the flag of Wales). He's particularly fond of the form of a great white stag, though. He's also quite the talented illusionist and trickster--he used to be known for his good humour, though the centuries have made him a bit more biting and cynical. A dry British wit, if you will. He's not as good with war magic, but he doesn't have to be given his other talents. After all, for a man who can probably out-think you and knows your own future actions, you are your own worst enemy.