

Merlin: born early November 433, about 30 miles from Exeter (Isca) near Okehampton in his father’s village. Extremely tall at 6 feet 3 inches, in a time when few men were more than 5 feet 4 inches, he is raven-haired with intense blue eyes, and called Ambrosius Marcus Cotta by his father but Myrddin by his mother. As a Roman soldier, he will change his name again to Ambrosius Merlinus. A child prodigy with 80% recall of everything that he reads and hears, as a young adult he matures into an accomplished poet, linguist, engineer, mathematician, scientist, architect and astrologist. He is able to unlock the future, to fly the pathways of the air, and has been schooled by a Pictish shaman in the Wyed ways of the wood. His Welsh mother trains him in shape-shifting, in complex spells and enchantment, and Michael, the Archangel, trains him in aerial display and combat with a Darker Magic.
Emily Charlotte Hughes: Only child of Professor Julia Hughes and Dr Rhys Hughes, she attends the Exeter Academy, a Jesuit school in Exeter, Devon. She started learning ballet at age three, around the time she rode her first pony. She hides her considerable intellect behind a smile and a wonderful laugh, but she cannot hide her grace, beauty and easygoing nature. Besides dancing, riding, swimming and surfing, she loves studying the stars. Emily has the tawny look of a Celt.


Dolossus: a male fox whose name means ‘crafty’. He was hand-raised by Merlin since he was a pup and Merlin sends him on special or dangerous assignments. As with all of his animals, Merlin can move into his consciousness and see the world as Dolossus sees it wherever his fox is on assignment.
Crook: a male black and grey jackdaw who resides on Merlin’s left shoulder. Despite his crippled leg, he works constantly with Merlin.
