Arthurian Legend, part IV

Welcome back to a new chapter of this epic knighly series. Sir Balin Overview: Also known as The two swords, and The Savage, a tragic knight who had the battle skills and swordmanship prowess but lacked of knight integrity, virtue minded or emotional stability, having a tragic end. Legend: He was a poor knight before the founding of the Round Table order, he has a brother, also a knight, Sir Balan, although he never was part of the round table, he stayed in the court trying to gain Arthur favor, but his impetuosity will make him get in trouble and for Arthur and others. First he was half a year imprisoned for killing an Arthur nephew or cousin. After he was freed, a damsel came to court with a magical sword that only a virtous knight could draw from its scabbard, Balin achieved it, but the damsel demanded to return to her the sword, wich Balin refused, and the damsel warning him that sword will cause the death of whom most the bearer love (later Merlin discovers that it was a trap, a cursed sword, the damsel wanted revenge, but Balin took the sword who wasnt the target of that damsel revenge) anyway Balin keep the sword for him. Then a unnamed Lady of The Lake came to Arthur's court demanding some compensation for some previous thing, she asked for Sir Balin head, he listened and beheaded that Lady of The Lake, arguing that she in the past accused his mother causing her death in the stake, Arthur didnt took much consideration for his argument and vanished him for the nature of his act. Meanwhile he was vanished, togheter with his brother Balan he went to the kingdom of a rebel king and captured him in order to gain back Arthur's confidence, but this caused a major revolt, other rebel kings joined togheter to battle Arthur. After this civil war, Balin wanted to avenge one of his knight companion, he travelled to the realm of King Pellam (the Fisher King) killing Pellam's brother during a feast, Pellam disarmed Balin, and Balin to defend himself took the Spear of Longinus (a legendary spear) without knowing the spear nature, he wound Pellam, event know as "Dolorous Strike" causing the castle collapse and Pellam kingdom turn into a wasteland, a important event that starts the Holy Grail plot. After fleeing, he meet a "red knight" who is guarding a castle pass, both battle and deadly wound each other, Balin discover that the dying knight is his brother, both died because the wounds, accomplished the prophecy of Balin cursed sword. Powers, skills and abilities: according to Merlin he had the potential to be the best knight, he had a very good fighting prowess but lacked the rest, being the example of a failed knight Fate: After killing the red knight and discover his identity was Balan, his brother, hours later he also dies. Fisher King Overview: A King part of a lineage of guardians of magical items, particulary the Holy Grail, during the grail quest he is maimed, his kingdom is in ruins, and pass his time fishing in a boat. Legend: He is the last of a lineage of guardians of the holy grail, in his castle he also had another legendary or mystical items, such the spear of longinus (wich according to the tradition, is the roman spear that was used to thrust Jesus during the cruxifiction). After the event of the mentioned "Dolorous Strike", his kingdom started to crumbling, as his health also decay. To be healed, a pure knight had to come to him and ask the right question to the Holy Grail. In earlier literature, is Sir Percival who achieve this, but in later cycles and more robust prose, is Galahad who ultimately achieve it, and Percival firstly fail, when Galahad complete this Holy Grail quest, the Fisher King realm starts to recover and heal up. Powers, skills and abilities: Has a mystical conection between his body and self health with the good state and plenitude of his castle and kingdom Fate: After Galahad answers correctly, he heals, although he was of advanced age he lived healthy, there is no more further mentions of him, according of his lineage he had to wait a succesor to be the keeper of the holy grail. Igraine / Ygraine Overview: Mother of King Arthur, Morgan Le Fay and other key figures as Elaine and Morgause. Legend: A beauty and virtous queen, wife of Corlois, the duke of Cornwall, with him she had three daughters, Morgan Le Fay, Elaine and Morgause. She was tricked by Uther Pendragon, the King of the Britons, who with the help of Merlin's spell he took the physical shape of Corlois and laid with Igraine, Uther was madly/obsesed with her, he made a pact with Merlin, Uther schemed an attack to Cornwall to make Corlois out of his castle, meanwhile Uther disguised as Corlois laid with Igraine, Corlois died at battle, from that union Arthur was born, later Merlin took the recently born Arthur to raise him outside the court, eventually Uther marry Igraine. Powers, skills and abilities: uhmm none. Fate: After Arthur's birth, most texts and cycles she lost relevance and is barely mentioned, eventually she will die of natural causes in peace, in some text is mentioned she is visited by Gawain years later, she live in spiritual seclusion, some soucers mention she outlive Arthur. Sir Kay Overview: Stepbrother of Arthur, wich whom he raise, earliest and first ally of him and founding member of the Round Table order, is the seneschal of Camelot castle Legend: Son of Sir Hector, stepbrother to Arthur, being a sort of bully older brother yet good hearted, originally on surviving old welsh mythology text, he was a brave and powerful knigth, with mor heroic and supernatural traits, later on arthurian cycles he lost those traits, to being more a angry and cocky buttler. He is known for have a though attitude, sharp tongue, bad manners, being a contrast of the most notable knights like Lancelot, Percival or Arthur itself, yet he is very loyal, he had an administrative rol in Camelot kingdom being the seneschal of the castle. Powers, skills and abilities: Quite the regular standard of a Round Table Knight, very much outpowered by the main knights. Fate: There are contradictory sources and version about his end, in the version where he dies, its during the war against Roman emperor Lucious, or during Mordred's civil war, meanwhile version where he lives, he survives the battle of Camlann. Accolon Overview: Tragic knight lover of Morgan Le Fay who had Excalibur in his hand and was close to kill Arthur Legend: A knight of the Round Table, not much is said about him that also has a cousin that is also a knight, most important thing to the plot, is Morgan Le Fay romance, she was madly and obsesive in love with him, she scheme a plan to put her lover in the throne of Britain and get rid of Arthur and her husband Urien (King of Rheged) by tricks, cheats, sortilages and spells. Meanwhile Arthur, Urien and Accolon was in the wild hunting, Morgan took Excalibur and gave it to Accolon, told him a mysterious knight will come to attack him, and planned a blattle between Accolon and Arthur without knowing each other identity, Arthur was in disadvantage because his sword was replaced by a fake excalibut by Morgan, meanwhile Accolon and Arthur had a deadly battle, Morgan planned to kill Urien while sleeping, but their son Yvain convinced her to not. Accolon by the mystical powers of excalibur was close to kill Arthur, but Nimue the Lady of the Lake came in, and with her magical control of the sword made excalibur fly off the hands of Accolon, and Arthur could defense himself, they discover each other identity, Arthur decided to spare Accolon life, but his wounds were deadly and day after he died, then Arthur gave his body to Morgan who cry out in grief. Morgan took her revenge making two things; took excalibur's scabbard (wich is even powerful that the sword itself) and seal it under an enchanted lake, she helped a Accolon's cousin who was either being almost defeated in a trial or being accused and attacked near a lake, she helped him to drown the other knight and save Accolon's cousin life. Powers, skills and abilities: His skills as a knight seems were good but not at the level of the main round table knights, but wielding Excalibur he had stronger strenght and advantage due Excalibur supernatural abilities, like breaking other swords. Fate: As mentioned he died be the wounds of his fight with Arthur. End