The Complete Guide to the Gest of Ambrathas

An Alphabetical Listing of all People, Places, Objects and Events

Alamire

The fortress which Larani directs Ambrathas to take and hold for her. Before its occupation by Ambrathas and the Knights of Tirith, the place was called Ca
Anak-Bash.

Alamire is mentioned in other tales, though never, as in the Gest, as a sacred or holy place. It goes by other names in these tales also, being called ..., and in
Halmfed's Saga it is conflated or confused with Deolm.

Alharissa

The man who asked to accompany the knight Trust on his adventure to escort the Lady ... home. He swore an oath for Trust, that he would accompany and protect
the lady, just before the Knight of Tirith disappeared. He honoured his oath, and proved himself a true Laranian; he underwent some experience which converted
him, and he sought to make his way to Alamire. On the way he met Faith, another Knight of Tirith, and told him his story.

Once at Alamire, Alharissa was deemed worthy, and was made a Knight of Tirith. The ceremony described in this section of the Gest is the basis for all such
ceremonies in the Laranian tradition.

Ambrathas

The knight around whom the Gest revolves. He is husband to Gwydreil, father to Pynwis, and servant of Larani. For most of the Gest he lives at Alamire.

Ambrathas is the second son of ... and ...; Heanraes is his elder brother.

Ambrathas, and all the Knights of Tirith die in the Destruction of Alamire.

Annwyn

The son of the eldest of Ciuleagharan's sons, Annwyn lived his evil and corrupt life in Barrach Negen, before he was destroyed.

Astariel

One of the five 'priests' who appeared to lead Ambrathas on the assault of Ca Anak-Bash. It was he who possessed the horn, which he winded only twice, to mark
the rise and then fall of Alamire.

Athallata

This is the World Centre, the hill upon which Larani slept, and from which Dolithor grew.

The Kalamin trees are the "remnants" of the World Tree/Tree of Life of Pharic belief.

Bakian

The man who killed Savwyl by smashing his helmet with one blow of the sword Huingol. He was an descendant of the man whom Savwyl treacherously murdered.

Barrach Negen

The name given by Ciuleagharan's eldest sons to the temple and fortress they built for themselves on the site of an ancient place of power. It became the home of
Annwyn, and a seat of evil, before being laid low. Many years later it was reoccupied and called Deolm.

Berelael

One of the Knights of Tirith, Berelael discovers Marag-Duram's betrayal and fights with him. Before being killed, he succeeds in putting out Marag-Duram's left eye,
and cutting off both his index fingers.

Bethaglion

One of the five 'priests' who appeared to lead Ambrathas on the assault of Ca Anak-Bash. He was the spokesperson for these priests, and was later associated with
the rôle of Serolan in the temple structure.

Biolweneg

The Peonian monastery that Roghlynn founds on land given to him by Ambrathas. Pynwis is taken here to be healed after Roghlynn finds him, and there he stays for
much of the rest of his life (so much, at least, is said in the Gest).

Brundela

This name is used to refer to Gwaerythna in the Gest, and also to a blinded prophetess in Halmfed's Saga.

Ca Anak-Bash

This is the old name for Alamire, dating to the time before it was captured and held by Ambrathas. Those who lived there were deformed people of great variety,
and they were led by Druagan.

In the Gest, Larani specifically states that Ca Anak-Bash was once free from evil, "when the earth was not poisoned, and spirits made all the land their home." No
other details are known.

Ciuleagharan

The legendary ancestor of the people of Rianne, who are sometimes called the Tualfehn. He led his people on a great journey to Rianne, supposedly by following a
giant horse.

Deolm

The fortress which overlooks the road to Alamire. It is destroyed by Mabashar and his armies. The place was formed long ago, a place of power in the land, but it
was usurped and perverted by the elder sons of Ciuleagharan, who made it into a fortress and temple, and called it Barrach Negen. It then fell further into darkness
as the home of Annwyn, until at last he was vanquished. The place was abandoned, and left unoccupied for many years. Finally, with much of its history lost, it was
reoccupied and named Deolm.

Destruction of Alamire

The destruction of Alamire takes place almost at the very end of the Gest. The army of Marag-Duram, unhindered by any attacks from Rianne, marches upon the
citadel and sacks it. In the course of this assault, all those in Alamire are killed. However, due to Larani's warning to Ambrathas of the impending battle, all save the
Knights of Tirith were sent away into safety.

Dolithor

The castle which is the seat of Larani, in the land of Tirithor. It is the spiritual seat of the Goddess, where Alamire is a reflection of this on the material plane.

Druagan

Druagan was the warleader of Ca Anak-Bash, whom Ambrathas challenged and killed in single combat. In appearance he seemed scarecely human, for ram's horns
grew from his forehead and his nose was a pig's snout.

Faith

One of the three Knights of Tirith who departed Alamire to accompany Lady ... to her homeland. He was the only one to return alive. On his return he met
Alharissa, who told him of his conversion to Larani.

Ganthur

This is the name often given to the helmet made by Sielich and worn by Savwyl. This is a slightly dubious usage, however, as the word "ganthur" in fact simply means
"helm" in the ... tongue in use at the time of the events recorded in the Gest. In any case, the helmet was broken by Bakian, wielding Huingol.

Gwaerythna

A blind young girl who is both a seer and an enchantress. She makes several prophecies throughout the course of the Gest. The first of these is at the wedding of
Ambrathas and Gwydreil, to the effect that the union will be split by a common ally who means them no harm and would give them everlasting fame, and also that the
product of this union will do that which his father could not, but that he would turn aside from his father's path of virtue.

At one point in the Gest she is referred to by the name Brundela. This might be a survival of an earlier tradition which equated this figure with the one in Halmfed's
Saga.

Gwydreil

The wife of Ambrathas, and daughter of Heanraes and .... She is befriended by Kryste, who tells her many things.

Though Gwydreil and Ambrathas are together for only the very beginning of the Gest, they are strongly linked in the poem.

Halmfed

A great warrior, the hero of Halmfed's Saga. In seeking to revenge his slain lord, he find both gods and men opposed to him; finally, he discovers the truth that it
was his own actions which led to his lord's betrayal, and he dies from the shame.

Halmfed's Saga

A long poem about the warrior Halmfed and his struggles against gods and men to avenge his lord. It ends with the despairing lament of his wife, who has witnessed
his death from the shame that it was he who had unwittingly been the source of his lord's betrayal; she then falls upon her husband's sword.

A key figure in the poem is the blinded prophetess Brundela, which name is used in the Gest of Ambrathas to refer to Gwaerythna.

Halmfod

An alternative spelling of Halmfed; in most manuscripts of Halmfed's Saga the two are used interchangeably.

Heanraes

The king of Rianne and father of Gwydreil. He is killed by the demon Mabashar. He is the elder brother of Ambrathas.

Huingol

The sword that Kryste gave to Pynwis as the first of his three gifts. The sword was formerly in the possession of Savwyl, who had taken it from the corpse of ...,
after he had treacherously slain him. It had been crafted by Sielich. How Kryste got the sword is not told in the Gest; in The Traveller's Tale it is recounted that the
sword fell into the sea, where it was retrieved by Jamyne, who gave it up to "the white angel (of) Death" - presumably Larani.

Kryste did not give any details about the sword to Pynwis, only saying that he should use it only to defend that which he most valued. He learnt about the weapon's
history from Runthen, a follower of Heanraes, who recognised it by its markings and decoration.

Some time in its past, it was used in some crime, or something, which is part of the reason why it's only to be used in one particular type of instance. Pynwis used it
to destroy Mabashar, and later Bakian broke Savwyl's helmet with it, thus ending his life. Since that time it has rested in Savwyl's sepulchre at Biolweneg, except for
those few times when others have attempted to use it for some purpose.

Jamyne

The hero who retrieved the sword Huingol from the sea, and gave it up to "the white angel (of) Death".

Knights of Tirith

The Knights of Tirith is the name given to those warriors who were summoned by Larani to aid Ambrathas in taking Ca Anak-Bash, and who defended Alamire.

Their number was unchanging, and when members were lost, others replaced them. One example of this is the replacement of Trust by Alharissa. The only exception
was after the treachery of Marag-Duram, for whom no replacement was made.

Kryste

Kryste is the form Larani takes when talking to Gwydreil and Pynwis; she is an old woman, a midwife by profession. She first visits Gwydreil as she is giving birth to
Pynwis.

Now, what do the theologians make of Larani adopting Peoni's traditional attribute/role?

Larani

The White Goddess. She appears in her true form in the poem only to Ambrathas, but tells her own story to Gwydreil, disguised as Kryste.

Mabashar

The great demon who leads the evil army against Heanraes and his forces, and who defeats Ambrathas in battle. He is destroyed by Pynwis wielding Huingol.

The origin story given in the Gest for Mabashar states that he was formerly....

Marag-Duram

One of the Knights of Tirith, Marag-Duram betrayed his lord and friend Ambrathas.

Mendala

One of the five 'priests' who appeared to lead Ambrathas on the assault of Ca Anak-Bash.

Pynwis

The son and only child of Ambrathas and Gwydreil. He was given three gifts by the Goddess Larani: the sword Huingol, a talisman bearing a sacred rune, and a
bronze armband on which is carved an even pattern, mountains over water. With the sword he slew the demon Mabashar; the rune on the talisman was recognised
by Roghlynn, who cured him; and the armband does not occur again in the Gest, nor seemingly elsewhere.

After slaying Mabashar, and almost dying himself in the battle, he is healed by Roghlynn and dedicates his life and soul to Peoni. He spends at least some time after
his convalesence at Biolweneg, perhaps involved somehow with Savwyl?

Quwessa

One of the five 'priests' who appeared to lead Ambrathas on the assault of Ca Anak-Bash.

Rianne

The land ruled over by Heanraes. Whether it contains Alamire or not is ambiguous from the Gest.

Roghlynn

A great wanderer, Roghlynn is the subject of The Traveller's Tale. He carries the head of Savwyl. After telling his story to Ambrathas, he is granted some land on
which to build a monastery to Peoni, which he calls Biolweneg.

Runthen

A follower of Heanraes. He recognised Pynwis' sword as Huingol (his father's father was the guy who had taken the sword from the slain guy - of course, he had a
different version of the treacherous deed to tell); later he was among those who accused Gwydreil and Pynwis of being a part of Ambrathas' supposed treachery.

Savwyl

This unfortunate man's story is one of betrayal, revenge, and eventual redemption.

Savwyl was the first bearer of Sielich's two great works, the sword Huingol and the helmet Ganthur. With the aid of this magical equipment he was a great hero, until
he treacherously slew .... For his crime he was beheaded, but remained alive due to the enchantment of the helmet, which could not be removed. Therefore his head
was placed upon a spike, so that he might suffer endlessly. The sword was taken by ..., the man who had ordered his execution.

For a long time he was carried by Roghlynn, and remained at Biolweneg until Bakian, a descendant of ..., arrived at the monastery and ended his life by breaking the
helmet. This last detail is not derived from the Gest, but from The Traveller's Tale.

Sielich

The god-smith who fashioned the sword Huingol. He also made the helmet which Savwyl wears, the name of which is often taken to be Ganthur.

Teanned

The village or small town where Ambrathas and Gwydreil were married.

This town, or one with the same name, still exists in Emelrene; it is claimed to be the same Teanned as in the Gest, and as such is a place of frequent pilgrimage.
Many also set off from it in search of Alamire, but there has been no reported success in such ventures.

Tir na Noath

The forest which surrounds and covers Rianne, and also the lands around Athallata.

This is also the same forest (presumably - there is no indication given that it is not) which the three Knights of Tirith wander through, and have their adventures in.

Tirithor

The Kingdom that Guards, the Land of the Mighty. This is the kingdom of Larani.

The Traveller's Tale

An ancient story which tells the story of the wandering Roghlynn and his final fate at Biolweneg. In its written form it dates back to the seventh century SA, but the
story itself is much older.

The Treachery of Marag-Duram

Marag-Duram's treachery sprung from his frustrated (thwarted) desire for power, control, leadership, and so forth (he didn't want to serve Larani as an anonymous
pleb, but as a full warleader etc etc - he wanted the fame and the glory). In this sense he was much as those around him in wider society; the Gest is attempting to
change this perception by having Marag-Duram be the traitor, thus linking his attitudes with bad things.

Trust

Trust is the name of one of the three Knights of Tirith who accompanied the daughters of the three kings. During the journey he was mystically transported onto an
ancient bridge, which he patrols for all time.

Tualfehn

The name occasionally give to those people who dwell in Rianne. It means "Followers of the Horse", and they are so called because their leader, Ciuleagharan,
followed a horse which led him to the land.

Virmael

One of the five 'priests' who appeared to lead Ambrathas on the assault of Ca Anak-Bash.

Wedding of Ambrathas and Gwydreil

This ceremony is one of the major early episodes of the Gest. It takes place at Teanned, and serves to bring together many of the main characters: Ambrathas,
Gwydreil, Heanraes, Gwaerythna and Marag-Duram are all present.
 
 
 

Author: Jamie Norrish