Myrddin Wyllt

Myrrdin Wyllt is the common name for the semi-legendary madman and prophet who often forsaw the deaths, births and lineages of kings in the Old North.

Biography
Myrddin lived as a Bard on the border of Scotland and England and served under Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio, one of the few pagan warlords remaining in the Old North.

Myrddin later witnessed the nearby Battle of Arfderydd/Arthuret which resulted in the death of his master, the bloody slaughter of Gwenddoleu's men sent him into insanity and he found refuge in the nearby Caledonian Forest.

While there his insanity only grew until he finally reached enlightenment and recieved the gift of prophecy.

His story then spread across the land. However, here it also branches into several other stories.

Christianity
In 'The Life of Saint Kentigern', the Saint meets a madman called Lailoken in the 'Forests of the North', Lailoken shares many attributes with Myrddin except he is eventually turned to Christianity by the saint and later died a triple Death.

Treasures of the Old North
Other stories state that his master, Gwenddoleu, held a magical chess board and after witnessing this, Myrddin learnt of a dozen other magical treasures.

After his brief madness in the Caledonian Forest, Myrddin goes to King Rhydderch Hael of Alt Clut (later called Strathclyde) and tells him about the Battle of Arfderydd, because of this he is awarded with a golden torque and presumably learns of Rhydderch's treasured sword.

Myrddin is seen in the company of several other holders of these treasures and eventually meets them all at Bardsey Island (This location is subject to change as several accounts tell of different islands), there he reveals his Caer-Gwydr, The Glass Fortress, where he would store the thirteen treasures as a kind of museum exhibit. The thirteen kings all refuse to give up their treasures to the madman unless Bran Galed turns over his treasure.

Bran the Stingy was famous for his gold grip over his lands and his treasures and the kings thought that the madman could not make him turn over his famed drinking horn. However Myrddin returned with his drinking horn and Bran later became a generous and kind king. All thirteen treasures were taken willingly and stored in the fortress.

Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a list of all known prophecies that Myrddin Wyllt ever wrote, however Geoffrey listed his name as Merlin instead, this was later changed to Merlin Ambrosius in his famous (but very inaccurate) Regum Historia Britainae.