The Old North

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The Old North

CORNELL MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2021

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CMUNC 2021 Secretariat

Secretary-General Malvika Narayan

Director-General Bryan Weintraub

Chief of Staff James “Hamz” Piccirilli

Director of Events Alexandra Tsalikis

Director of Outreach Akosa Nwadiogbu

Director of Communications Annie Rogers

Director of Finance Daniel Bernstein

Director of Operations Andrew Landesman

Under-Secretary Generals Robyn Bardmesser Avery Bower John Clancy Mariana Goldlust

From Your Crisis Director

Dear Delegates,

My name is Lucas Wesselius and I’ll be your crisis director for CMUNC. To tell you a little bit about myself I’m a senior studying government and minoring in History and European studies. Additionally, I have taken a number of courses studying medieval history, all of which have added up to my interest in running this committee. I’m looking forward to this weekend and hoping to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone, as it will be my fifth and final time being a crisis director as I graduate this semester.

I’m super excited to see you all engage with this committee, as it offers a rare insight into a piece of history that we don’t often get the chance to interact with. Additionally, this timeline is perfect for a crisis committee, as backstabbing, rivalries, grand battles, assassinations, were all commonplace. All that said, this is a period of history that our knowledge of is limited to a degree, as such don’t fret too much with trying to do background research, most everything that you’ll need to know should be in this background guide. If you end up with any points that you need clarification on don’t be afraid to shoot me an email ahead of the conference ([email protected]), or send notes in asking for clarification during the conference.

Finally, remember that at the end of the day these conferences are meant to be fun. I think that this needs extra emphasis this CMUNC as we all struggle to deal with a new format due to the ongoing pandemic. The dias of this committee is set on making this an enjoyable experience, and we will do what we can to ensure that. If at any time you begin to experience problems with the committee, either due to the nature of a remote conference or zoom fatigue please reach out to a member of the dias and we’ll be sure to assist in whatever way we can.

Lucas A. Wesselius The Old North Crisis Director CMUNC 2021

Background Info Before England was England, it was known to the Romans as Britannia, named after the local group there known as the Britons. A celtic group, they had more in common with the Irish, Manx, Welsh, and Scottish than the Angles and Saxons who would come to form the modern Anglo-Saxon that today calls England their home. This committee will take place starting in 592, a time in which both the invading Angles and Saxons hold much of England while at the same time several of the Brytonic Kingdoms cling onto life. As members of this committee most of you will take up the role as Brythonic people, be it nobles, poets, or monks, and while each of you will have your own individual goals, as a committee we will try to hold together against the invading germanic forces, and if successful enough, perhaps even push back these invading forces to their homelands. Of course this committee will not be without its issues, as this alliance of Kingdoms has in the past tried to fight against the encroaching Angle Kingdoms, but failed, having devolved into infighting, fearing the power their fellow Brytonic Kingdoms had. In fact this betrayal went so far that some Brytonic Kings had given orders to assassinate others. While most members of the committee will be Brytonic, it is clear by this previous betrayal, that it is far more important to many Kings and other nobles in committee that no other Kingdom be allowed to gain too much power over the others. One of the biggest issues this committee will need to overcome is dealing with these past betrayals and ensuring that they can rely and trust each other. Other issues that will need to be addressed if this alliance is successful in pushing back the Angle Kingdoms, is the resulting change in demographics. How will you manage to pacify the Angle people when you take back your land, as many of them are used to different customs and laws. If you are not careful enough it is likely they may grow distraught, tense, and agitated, possibly even to the point of rebelling against your rule if you are unable to keep them at ease. That isn’t the only struggle in controlling these people however, as they have kept their faith that they brought with them from Germania, and unlike many of yourselves they practice paganism. With the majority of your own people practicing a branch of Catholicism, there is certain to be hostilities between the two groups unless something can be done to ease the tension between them. It is then up to you the delegates of this committee to pave a way forward for the Brythonic Kingdoms, or else just as in history they will fall and be overrun by the invading Angles. But just as you do battle against the Angles, be wary, for there are those in your midst who seek power above all else and may be quick to backstab you if it means expanding their own power. Will you be able to save the Old North and avoid it’s destruction, or will you too fall to infighting and be lost to the annals of history?

Kingdoms of the British Isles and History of the Isles

Originally the Brythonic kingdoms were a fluid mash of larger Kingdoms and surrounding client states that would shift as power came and fell with various kings. But with the Roman invasion in 43 AD, the old Kingdoms fell to their conquest with only the Pictish, Scottish, and Irish kingdoms retaining their independence. With the Romans being made to leave in the 400’s however, a power vacuum emerged and left many with a chance to found their own Kingdoms. Those who were in positions of power with the Roman’s used the influence they had over abandoned Roman fortifications and equipment to seize on this opportunity and form their own Kingdoms. Others however did not have the opportunity to use this, and instead called on foreign allies to intervene. One Welsh King named Vortigern held a powerful kingdom, but was soon threatened by other surrounding ones. In order to try and win the war he called on the Jute, Angle, and Saxon tribes - this would prove a fatal mistake. The tribes helped at first but after the war were left without purpose resulting in many of them raiding and conquering the land. Finding it rather fertile and open, they soon called upon more of their fellow tribes to come and settle the land that they captured. After a long period of wars we find ourselves in the year 592, with only the western portion of Britain being held by the native celtic people. Even here however we see forces fighting each other, with the Irish colonising much of the coast and Dal Riata even conquering much of the north. Between the Brythonic north and Welsh south there is also much conflict as a series of raids between several kingdoms have recently started due to a disputed succession to the Kingdom of Gwynedd. From the north are incursions by the Pictish Kingdoms, each of which is sizing up the south; with the Brythonic Kingdoms weak from their last war against the Angles, the Picts may see this as their time to strike south and grow their Kingdoms. On all sides the Brythonic Kingdoms are surrounded, it is up to you to save it.

The Old North itself is composed now of a number of Kingdoms, including the Brytthonic kingdoms of Alt Cult, Elmet, Gododdin, Lothian, and Rheged. Additionally, other lands also are in the area such as the Irish kingdom of Dal Riata which holds large parts of Scotland and numerous colonies throughout the Irish sea - as do several other Irish Kingdoms; Gwynedd, which is the northmost Welsh kingdom is often involved in the political affairs of the Old North with a series of raids and counter-raids; and finally the dual Kingdoms of Bernicia and Deria are both controlled by Anglo Kings are the newest incursions into the Old North and threaten the future security of the Brythonic kingdoms. The Brythonic Kingdoms also tend to centralize around one political figure who exerts more influence and power than the rest. While this was previously the King of Rheged, King Urien, since he has passed on, the King of Elmet, King Ceretic, has taken over in this role. King Ceretic as the new leader has now called upon all of you to his council in order to come up with a plan to combat the rising threat to the Byrthonic Kingdoms. It is for this reason that you all have come and gathered here, to prepare for the final fight for your survival as a people.

The Three Futile Battles In the bardic poems that have survived to today, we are told about what is known as the Three Futile Battles, which would result in the start of the end for the Brythonic Kingdoms. They are the following: the Battle of Arthuret, the Raid of Afron, and the Campaign of the Brythonic Alliance. Each of these battles highlights not only the history leading up to the council, but the problems that the council will be forced into dealing with. The first of the futile battles was the battle of Arthuret, taking place in 573. This battle was between two forces, a Christian alliance and a Pagan alliance. Leading the Christians were Urien of Rheged and his sons, Rhydderch Hael, the brothers Gwrgi and Peredur, and finally Llywarch Hen, who fought alongside the Christians despite being a pagan due to his loyalty to Urien. The leaders of the Pagans were Gwenddolau, Nudd Hael, and a warrior named Cof. The two groups came to fight on the field of Arthuret, with the pagans seeking to take the castle of Wardlaw, which would grant them greater access throughout Alt Cult and thus greater influence throughout the north. This battle would decide the fate of the Celtic Church and the more ancient Pagan ways, either granting total power to the Celtic Church, or resulting in the emergence of a new pagan power. However, the fight ended up in favor of the Christians, who pushed back the pagans and killed Gwenddolau. With the death of their leader and victory of Urien, the pagans lost power, and only kept a small amount of influence in the

area of Hoddom in southern Alt Cult and at their base in Netherby, located in northern Rheged outside the direct influence of Urien. Still some have continued to follow the pagan ways, such as Cof and Nudd Hael, the latter of the two who continues to have a strong influence over those freemen who continue to practice the ancient way. Llywarch Hen also continues to practice the pagan faith, however his influence is less in the community given that he fought against his pagan brothers in arms. With the recent death of Urien of Rheged, the pagans have been emboldened, and have begun actively lashing out against the Celtic Church and causing a rise in hostilities. These hostilities are heightened especially in the Kingdoms of Rheged, Goddodin, and Alt Cult. What’s worse is that there are allegations that some of the celtic pagans are working alongside the germanic ones to bring an end to christiananity in the British Isles. The next futile battle was that of the Raid on Afron, which took place in 580. Elidir Mwynfawr was in the Kingdom of Gwynedd, seeking to claim land which he believed was his rightful inheritance which ended up breaking out in a feud and leading to Rhun ap Beli killing Elidir. As Elidir was a descendant of Dyfnwal Hen, many other descendants who were closely related clansmen of Elidir took up arms in revenge in accordance with Brythonic code; leading them were Rhydderch Hael, Nudd Hael, Mordaf Hael, and Clydno Eidyn. This group led a raid down into Afron, a city in the Kingdom of Gwynedd, and ended up burning the town to the ground and killing many of the inhabitants. This then prompted the King Beli ap Rhun of Gwynedd to send his own warband alongside Rhun’s to fight these forces. The resulting battle forced out the raiding forces, and Rhun continued to push against them, leading him to raid into the Kingdom of Elmet. This was a great insult to Mordaf Hael as a member of King Ceretic of Elmet’s warband, and Mordaf swore a blood feud against Rhun due to it. Meanwhile, since this battle, relations between the Welsh Kingdoms and the Brythonic Kingdoms have tanked, and multiple smaller raids have taken place since. What’s worse is that this raid has left the two sides weakened. In the resulting chaos, the Irish Kingdoms have taken action against those involved. The result has been an increase in raids and colonial attempts in Wales, which has increased hostilities between the two groups as well. Meanwhile the Kingdom of Dál Riata took the opportunity to turn on Alt Cult. The two previously had an alliance, with each working alongside the other against the encroaching Picts in the north. However, Dál Riata took this chance to seize the Isle of Mann, previously held by Alt Cult. The result of this has been a breakdown in the alliance between the two Kingdoms, which has further emboldened Pict raids into their lands given the lack of cooperation between the two of them.

The final of the futile battles was that of the Campaign of the Brythonic Alliance, occurring throughout the year of 586. At this time King Urien of Rheged was the most powerful of all the Brythonic Kings, and called together for a grand alliance of the Brythonic Kings and lords. The reasoning for this was that the Angle kingdoms had been slowly encroaching north with their colonies, and several warriors of the Angle’s had begun to invade to carve out their own kingdoms. Alone the Brythonic Kingdoms stood no chance, especially given that the Picts, Irish, Welsh, or even other Brythonic Kingdoms may have attacked them during a fight, however together the alliance quickly became successful, winning a number of sieges, and pushing back the Angles, retaking land that had been captured earlier. These victories however did not strengthen the alliance as a whole, but instead disproportionally improved the prestige and power of Urien of Rheged. Urien despite leading the Brythonic Kingdoms had many rivals within this alliance, as Morcant Bulc, Dynod Bwr, Nudd Hael, Guallauc (The late father of Ceretic, and then King of Elmet) and Cadrawd Calchfynydd were all suspicious of what would happen to their bases of power if Urien continued to be successful. What followed was a tragedy, as during the siege of Metcaud, an eastern fortress, Urien was assassinated. While it is not known who ordered it, many suspect Morcant Bulc and Dynod Bwr as being the main suspects, given the fact that they and their families had supported the pagan alliance during the battle of Arthurnet. The result of the death of Urien was disastrous, as the alliance collapsed and the Angles not only retook the land they previously occupied, but expanded even further. The Kingdom of Deira, which was previously completely held by Angles, grew significantly and all remaining rebels in the area were pushed out. Further north the Kingdom of Calchfynydd was completely taken, and became the Kingdom of Bernicia. Since then the Brythonic Kingdoms have only felt more pressure. The resulting infighting has caused numerous raids between themselves, although no major territorial changes. Meanwhile, the Angle, Irish, and Pictish Kingdoms have also been using this opportunity to press deeper into the Brythonic lands with raids and testing the water for potential colonization and even invasions. The situation is becoming more dire by the day, and it is clear that unless action is taken soon, these three futile battles of the Brythonic Kingdoms will be the last ones they are known for. So will you go quietly into the night, or face these issues head on, leading your Kingdoms into a new golden age for the Brythonic people?

Religion and Culture In this age we find the British Isles to be a mix of religious persuasions and cultures. Throughout all the lands we find pagans, Germanic ones praising their pantheons in the eastern lands conquered by the Angles and Saxons, and Celtic ones found throughout the remaining Brythonic, Welsh, Pict, and Irish Kingdoms. Beyond these pagans there are also many brands of Christians, with the most powerful institution being that of the Celtic Church. This Church is catholic, but due to lost contact with the Pope following the collapse of the Roman empire, it has strayed from the centralized model that stems from Rome, and instead sees cult followings behind influential saints which largely shape what groups see as canonical to the church doctrine. Finally, there exists the Pelagian Church. Founded just as the Roman power over Brittania began to waver, Pelagius, a Brythonic Monk, began to spread his teachings and understanding of the church, eventually leading to the Pope condemning Pelagius as a heretic. However, his teachings took root throughout much of the British Isles, resulting in many nobles adopting this religion. Pagans The Germanic Pagans that have come share many similarities with the native celtic pagans. Both groups pray to local natural spirits, such as to certain rivers or forests. Additionally, each group venerates their ancestors with prayers as well. These prayers and venerations of the spirits & ancestors often take place through way of sacrifice, in order to appease them and gain their favor. However, past this, many more differences begin to emerge between the pagan groups. Both in terms of institutional structures of the religion, as well as dogmatic beliefs, the two groups differ greatly, however despite these differences, the few shared connections, along with the idea of Christianity being a threat to both groups, has led to the creation of an informal alliance between them. Anglo-Saxon paganism is overall less centralized than the Celtic form of paganism. While the Celtic groups have religious heads throughout their communities known as druids, Angles and Saxons lack these religious leaders, instead often tribal chieftains take up the role of a religious leader in their communities, which can often result in difficult entanglements of diplomacy and religion, leading to a less homogenous religion between these various chiefdoms who often are jockeying between one another for power. Meanwhile the split of religious and secular leaders in the Celtic groups has resulted in the druids often acting as diplomats between various clans, as despite differences in the groups the centralization and separation of religion from feuds makes it a bonding factor among the clans. Another difference is in the Gods. For the Angles and the Saxons, there exists three main Gods: Wodon, the leader of the Gods, his domain is over

hunting and death, and his following is the strongest out of all the Gods, especially in the Kingdom of Deria, where King Aella claims to be a direct descendant of Wodon. Next is Thunor, the God associated with thunder and weather, giving him quite some influence over sailors. Finally, is Tiw a god associated with war, creation, and fortune, and while his following is not as widespread as the other gods, he is often prayed to before battle due to his domain over war and winning a fortune or creating a victorious plan. On the other hand the Celtic Pagans do not have a main pantheon of Gods. Instead of Gods being ascribed to certain areas such as war or weather, they are instead seen as more human and thus given wide berths of domain. Additionally, the pantheon of the Celtic people is rather large, with hundreds of various Gods, many of them local spirits or legendary ancestors. This means there is not as much of a cultic following in the Celtic Pagans. However, there is one notable exception in that Manannan Mac Lir, a God of the Sea and riches, defies the traditional way of Celtic Gods. First off being a god of the sea and riches, he has been assigned a domain. Additionally, there is widespread following of him by sailors, and especial support found in the Isle of Mann for him, giving him a large cult following. Celtic Church The Celtic Church is the religion with the largest following in the Old North, as well as in Ireland, the Pictish Kingdoms, and Cornwall (although not Wales where Celtic paganism is strongest). While the Celtic Church is Catholic, its dogma and practices have slowly changed from that of the Roman Catholic Church, due to a lack of communication between the British Isles and Rome following the collapse of the Roman Empire. This collapse also severely damaged the Celtic Church, and the retreat of Rome led many of those who still practice paganism to become emboldened and increase their following. However, this was not the end of the Celtic Church, and instead it has come back with almost as much strength before the collapse. This is in large part due to its unique feature of cultic figures. Saints who are especially influential may start to gain a following, and if this following is large and devout enough, may eventually become a cult. Cults will spread the teaching of their leaders and follow along with their teachings devotedly. As cult leaders spend more time in areas preaching and proztetalyzing successfully their influence and size of their following will grow. Cults can also be spread (or hindered) by bards who can sing the praises of cult leaders' piety and their connection to God. These cults last long after the death of the saint, and continue to do their work, often establishing monasteries in their names. Several notable saints that are influential in 592 include the following: Saint Patrick, who converted much of Ireland and Galloway, especially urban areas before his death; Saint Ninian who converted the South

Pictish Kingdom as well as the northmost areas of the Old North and the Isle of Mann before his death; St. Columba who has been rather influential in the Kingdom of Dal Riata, and has been noted for his devotion to monastic lives, and who continues to grow his cult, living in the monastery at Iona. There are several other cults in existence at this time, both living and dead, however these are the largest and most dominant in the Old North currently. Pelagian Church Finally the last of the religious groups in the Old North is that of the Pelagian Church. Founded by Pelagius, a Brythonic monk, it was established before the Roman Empire collapsed and as such had contact with the Roman Catholic Church. Pelagius disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church dogma surrounding the ability of human’s to do good. Following him spreading his teaching he was condemned as a heretic and soon fighting between his teaching and that of the Roman Catholic Church occured. Once Pelagius died, his church did not die off with him but instead continued to live throughout the British Isles, not needing to worry about further attacks by the Roman Catholic Church following the collapse of the Roman Empire. The Pelagian Church is spread throughout the Old North, and further south in Wales and Cornwall, with its main source of strength resting in the Kingdom of Lleuddiniawn, where the King Morcant Bulc practices the religion thus giving it a safe haven to exist. Beyond Lleuddiniawn there are many nobles in other Kingdoms that also practice Pelagianism, although no other Kings which do so. All the Kingdoms throughout the Old North have some Pelagian lords in them, and often it is between these nobles and their Kings where relations are most tense at the King-vassal level. If it comes to pass that the Celtic Church and Pelagian Church end up coming to blows, it is likely that many of the Celtic Church following Kings will see several of their vassals be unloyal and revolt against their Kings. Finally, Pelagianism is staunchly opposed to the practice of the cultic followings that are popular throughout the Celtic Church and Germanic paganism. To the Pelagian Church, these cults are dangerous to their continued survival as they serve to motivate mass conversions away from the Pelagian Church. This has resulted in crackdowns by Pelagian nobles on cultic practices in their lands, including hangings for following such cults.

Alliance Building The task of beating back the Angle kingdoms was at one point able to be done simply through an alliance of the remaining Brythonic kingdoms. However, with the defeat of the Campaign of the Brythonic alliance, several important lands and even entire kingdoms were lost to the Angles, reducing the

strength of the Brythonic people even further. As such, in your current state you would stand no chance to push them back on your own. Instead, beyond just navigating building an alliance amongst yourselves, you will also need to reach out to your fellow celtic people, attempting to build alliances with other people and kingdoms in order to create an alliance capable of saving the Old North. The first of these groups is the Irish people. Composed of a number of kingdoms, much like the Old North, these kings center themselves around a high king who is elected from among the close family members of the previous high king. Likewise, the lesser petty kings are also elected in this fashion, making it so that coming to inherit one of these thrones is almost impossible for anyone outside of the immediate clan, which often puts clansmen against each other as they are the sole individuals jockeying for power. Making an alliance with these kingdoms will not be easy however, due to existing hostilities between your kingdoms. The Irish possess rather powerful kingdoms and navies, which have allowed them to strike wherever they wish along your coasts without much warning; these attacks often come in the form of raids on churches and rural villages. Additionally, this power imbalance has allowed the Irish to encroach on your lands, setting up colonies throughout the coast on the Irish Sea and thus stealing away that which is yours; these colonies are especially present in Wales. While some may be tempted to simply grant them these colonies in exchange for their help in your battle against the Angles, not only may this embolden them to further encroach, but would result in many of your vassals thinking you are weak and potentially not deserving to lead them as you have surrendered what they consider to be rightful lands of the kingdom. The next group is that of the Picts. While officially they are one kingdom, ruled over by King Gartnait II, in reality the structure of Pictish society is that there are clear divides in the kingdom between its north and south. Currently the center of power resides further north with the King, however various factions war between each other to bring that center to their area and thus have more influence on the policies of the Kingdom. These stark divides have resulted in many referring to various parts of the Pictish kingdom as separate Pictish kingdoms, and while more accurate to the current political reality, tradition dictates that all the lords pledge allegiance to the King and the one Pictish Kingdom. While some of you may see this infighting as an easy way to win at least one side over to your cause, the situation is not so simple. The various Pictish lords exercise relative control over their soldiers during times of war, however in times of peace are often granted allowance to go and raid throughout the isles, and many of these more influential soldiers greedily look south at the slow collapse of the Brythonic kingdoms as the perfect chance to carve out a chunk of land to call their own. Due to this many of these Pictish lords and

soldiers will be reluctant to make any deal, for they may see your collapse as in their best interests in order to expand their own bases of power and influence. The final group of Celts upon which you may wish to call upon is that of the Welsh. Welsh society is overall structured very similarly to that of the Old North, with the exception of a lack of any high king, instead each Welsh Kingdom is its own independent realm. The Welsh nobility share many marriage ties with your own families and fellow nobles, however this has not stopped bouts of hostility. In fact it is often these marriages that cause hostilities, as the inheritance becomes messy and several Welsh and Brythonic princes dispute each other's successions and lands, claiming that is theirs. This was in fact the cause of the death of Elidir Mwynfawr which resulted in the second of the Futile Battles of the Old North. These disputes often lead into a form of prolonged clan warfare between various clans known as blood feuds, drawing up family members as distant as second cousins once removed as well as any soldiers which follow those family members. Any attempt at alliance with a Welsh Kingdom will likely see the issue of a blood feud, either recent or more than a century ago come up, and such a feud will need to be dealt with before any further deal can be made. Of course these are only the Celtic regions, there are other people with whom you may seek to make alliance with in order to battle back the encroaching Angles. This can include those Germanic people themselves, as further south there exists vast and powerful Saxon kingdoms, and further south yet are tales about a people known as Jutes, who control not as much land, but are rumored to be powerful fighters and generals. Finally of course, you can always seek to do to the Angles what had happened to yourself; have them turn against one another. After all, if they end up fighting one another and drain their resources, it will be far easier for you to conquer these lands.

Position List

1. Owain mab Urien: The son of King Urien of Rheged, Owain now controls his father's Kingdom, however this kingdom is in dire straits. Pagan’s in the north of his kingdom have been inspired to once more begin to challenge the traditional Celtic church’s rule and thus Owain’s rule due to his father’s death. At the same time the threat his father fought against - the Angle Kingdoms - continued to threaten his reign as well. Owain does however have allies, both in his father’s loyal vassal Llywarch Hen, his poet Taliesin, and his brother-in-law Clydno Eidyn. Owain is not without enemies in committee either, such as Dynod Bwr and Morcant Bulc, each of whom is suspected of having a hand in his father’s death. 2. Llywarch Hen: Although he fought alongside King Urien of Rheged against the pagans at the battle of Arthuret, Llywarch himself is a Celtic pagan. Llywarch controls the fort of Wardlaw, which gives him control of the entrance from the River Ninth (which leads up into Alt Cult) into the Irish Sea. As controller of this fort Llywarch acts as an important lord both to his de facto King Owain mab Urien, and to his de jure King Rhydderch Hael. Llywarch is also noted for his age and family size, being 58 years old and having 25 sons and 8 daughters; while he has begun to grow too old to fight, with so many sons he still has an effective fighting force at his disposal. Finally, Llywarch is also noted for his bardic poems as well, and is the only bard that also holds his own lands. 3. Morcant Bulc: King of Lleuddiniawn, Morcant fought in the Brythonic alliance against the Angle kingdoms, but when he began to realize how much power Urien of Rheged was gaining, he betrayed him, and possibly even ordered him to be assassinated. Now Morcant finds himself in a tense situation. He holds some of the forts and part of Antonine’s wall which keeps out the picts, however they have begun to push south. Meanwhile, his kingdom is also under threat currently from the south by the Angle Kingdom of Bernicia. Finally, Morcant is a member of the Pelagian church, which has led him to be rather strict in cracking down on follower’s of the Celtic church and saint’s cults. 4. Mynyddog Mwynfawr: King of Gododdin, his Kingdom is stretched rather thin between several others, leaving it vulnerable to attacks from all fronts for any ambitious rival. However, Mynyddog is noted for his wealth, and any challenger to his rule should be prepared to deal with a great sum of soldiers that he can call upon due to this extravagant wealth. Mynyddog is also noted for his generosity which has earned him a very loyal warband which has followed and fought alongside him in many battles such as

when he joined the Brythonic alliance. Finally, Mynyddog has familial roots to several other committee members such as Nudd Hael, Mordaff Hael, and Rhydderch Hael, which may provide the basis for a strong alliance between them. 5. Hering son of Hussa: One of the few non-Brythonic people in committee, Hering was a prince of Bernicia before Aethelfrith killed his father and forced him to flee his home. He has since taken up refuge in the court of Áedán mac Gabráin. As an Angle-prince, he is a germanic pagan and will likely get along with other pagans, be them celtic or germanic in committee. His Angle interests may not align with the committee’s at times. However, despite this he was invited to the High King’s Ceretic’s council, as he shares an enemy in Aethelfrith, is likely to have useful information about the political situation of the Angles and the Saxons, and can potentially make a useful ally for pacifying the Angle population if you take back the lands of Eastern Britain. 6. Gwgaun mab Peredur: Son of the famous warrior Peredur (of the brother’s Peredur and Gwrgi), Gwgaun was set to inherit his father’s Kingdom of Deria, however following the invasion by Aella his father was killed and he was forced into exile. Now he holds a small bit of land in the east of Elmet, and his sole ambition is to see to it that he restores his Kingship and avenges his father and uncle. Being from a prestigious line, Gwgaun has a dedicated war band who are willing to follow him to death or victory. Finally, as son of Peredur, Gwgaun has followed in his father’s devout Celtic Catholic steps. Gwgaun is a follower of the cult of Saint Ninian and opposes pagans fervorously. 7. Rhydderch Hael: King of the northmost Brythonic kingdom of Alt Cult, Rhydderch is noted for being a ruthless leader and a loyal clansmen. Rhydderch was one of the leaders in the raid against the Kingdom of Gwynedd in revenge for Elidir Mwynfawr alongside Nudd Hael and Mordaf Hael. This raid has soured relations with the southern welsh, and before any alliance can be made with them, this issue will need to be dealt with first. Finally, Rhydderch is an important follower of the cult of Cyndeyrn. Rhydderch has provided patronage to allow him to build many churches, and push back against pagan reactionary movements in the south of his Kingdom. This support of Cyndeyrn has led him to consider Morcant an enemy given Morcan’t prosecution of Cyndeyrn’s cult. One final enemy of Rhydderch is Áedán mac Gabráin, his previous ally who betrayed him and took the Isle of Mann for himself. 8. Áedán mac Gabráin: King of Dál Riata, Áedán is one of the few non- Brythonics at the council, being of Irish descent. Áedán is also known as Áedán the treacherous, as he had backstabbed his ally Rhydderch when

he saw the opportunity to seize the profitable island of Mann, giving him great control over the sea of Ireland. Áedán has the greatest naval fleet out of anyone at the council granting him even further control of the sea. Áedán also is a follower of the cult of Saint Columba, and Columba serves as a diplomat to him, meaning the pair are likely to work together to push forward their interests. Finally, Áedán as an Irish King has a great deal of insight into the Irish political scene that many others do not have at this time, such as to which Kings certain Irish colonies owe allegiance to. 9. Clydno Eidyn: A noble in Gododdin, Clydno rules the city of Eidyn. Clydno was among the leaders of the raid on Afron in revenge for the death of Elidir Mwynfawr, however unlike the rest does not share a clan bond with Elidir. Clydno’s came instead due to the fact that he owes a great deal of loyalty to Rhydderch Hael who led the attack, as Rhydderch saved his life during a battle in the campaign of the Brythonic alliance. Clydno’s control of Eidyn also means he controls a major fort along Hadrian’s wall, and if able to secure other major forts along the wall he would be in control of the pass that leads from the north to the south. Clydno is married to Glynn mab Urien, daughter of Urien of Rheged and Sister of Owain mab Urien. 10. Cynon ap Clydno: Son of Clydno, Cynon is one of the greatest living warriors of the Brythonic people, and he leads a small but mighty warband. Currently, Cynon lacks any lands of his own, and instead often engages in raids against the Angles taking whatever riches and cattle he can. Cynon is also the youngest member of the council, just seventeen years old, Cynon has yet to marry or sire any children. With youth however, comes ambition; as great grandson of Dyfnwal Hen, he technically possesses a claim on the Kingdom of Alt Clut. However, this claim is rather weak especially when compared to that of the current King Rhydderch Hael. If Cynon wishes to push it, not only will he need to find a way to be viewed as the legitimate heir, he will also need to muster the forces to take the land from Rhydderch, a timely campaign that may take away resources from fighting against the Angles. 11. Dynod Bwr: Following the death of Urien, Dynod was thought by many to have helped carry the assasination plot against Urien of Rheged, given Dynod’s close friendship with Morcant and Dynod’s father, Pabo pot Prydein, being a large rival of Urien. Because of this Dynod travelled to Powys in 588 and exited secular life. There he became an abbot and established the monastery of Bangor Iscoed, a Pelagian monastery, which he continues to lead. While Dynod does not have a cult following as a Pelagian, he does have a number of followers who live at the monastery and follow his word. Since entering into religious life he has retained

some political influence as an advisor to King Cynen ab Cadell Deyrnllwg of Powys and as such has knowledge of the political scene of Wales. 12. Pascent mab Urien: One of the sons of Urien of Rheged, he left the Kingdom of Rheged following his brother, Owain, ascending to the throne. Since leaving the Kingdom, Pascent has been set on making a name for himself, and has a few ships and crew which he has used to travel and raid. Pascent has mainly raided the Welsh area, including many Irish colonies which has earned him the anger of many Irish Kings including Áedán mac Gabráin. Additionally, Pascent has little regard for what he raids and as such has attacked a number of monasteries which offer little defence, including at times the monastery of Dynod Bwr. Pascent remains rather prestigious despite these unnoble attacks due to his family's prestige, alongside his own generosity in giving out gifts to his crew. 13. Cof the Warrior: Cof was among those who fought in the pagan assault on Wardlaw, fighting in this cause due to his dedication to the pagan faith. However, he did not fight in this cause due to Brythonic roots, as Cof is in fact a Pictish warrior who came south to Netherby to be in a pagan community. Since coming to Netherby, Cof has been one of the headmost leaders of the cause, often leading them into battle as a general. Outside of battle however, Cof has expertise in architecture, having worked on repairing a number of hill and ring style forts back in the Kingdom of the southern Picts. Cof’s dedication to the pagan cause leaves him as a natural ally for fellow pagans, and a natural enemy to those dedicated to the Celtic Church. 14. Taliesin: Previously the bard for Urien of Rheged, Taliesin has continued his bardic work for Owain mab Urien. Taliesin is noted for being one of the most successful bard’s of his time and has a significant ability to influence public perceptions of various lords and kings. Unlike most bards who stay attached to a single court, Taliesin, while associated with Owain’s court, has been known to travel to various courts and work for many different lords and Kings. This has earned him a small fortune, and while certainly not the richest at the council, he does have a large sum. Taliesin is also noted for his dabbling in pagan affairs, and while officially he is a Celtic Catholic, some doubt the truth of his faith. 15. Cadrawd Calchfynydd: The King of Calchfynydd, Cadrawd lost the most when the Brythonic alliance failed to push back the invading Angles, with the Kingdom of Calchfynydd being completely overran and becoming the Angle Kingdom of Bernicia. At first this land was taken by Hussa, however Aethelfrith soon after killed him and took it for himself. Cadrawd now seeks his kingdom back and currently lives in exile in the court of King

Ceretic of Elmet in the meantime. If the council is able to take back these lands, there will still be a decision to be made however, as Hering son of Hussa also desires this same land back, thinking it to be his own Kingdom given that many who live here now are Angles rather than celtic people. 16. Nudd Hael: Nudd Hael is a lord within the Kingdom of Elmet and controls the fort of Mamucium, which affords him a decent bit of control and influence over the western portion of the Kingdom. Nudd also is noted for his participation in every single one of the futile battles, having fought alongside the Brythonic alliance, engaged in the raid of Afron in revenge for the death of his clansmen Elidir Mwynfawr, and being a pagan, having led the fighting force alongside Gwenddolau against Urien of Rheged. Nudd Hael’s strongest allies are his fellow clansmen, Rhydderch Hael and Mordaf Hael, as well as other pagans in the council. However, he is not without enemies either, as one of the main leaders of the remaining pagans, both those in the Celtic Church and Pelagians strongly oppose him. 17. Mordaf Hael: A member of King Ceretic’s warband, Mordaf Hael is an experienced fighter and general who is a close advisor to the King and offers him military advice. As such, Mordaf has considerable sway over the military and diplomacy efforts of the Kingdom of Elmet - although these decisions are ultimately up to King Ceretic. Beyond being a military advisor, Mordaf was one of the leader’s in the raid on Afron, avenging his clansmen Elidir Mwynfawr, and strengthening his friendship with Nudd Hael, Rhydderch Hael, and Clydno Eidyn. Mordaf is a member of the Celtic Church, although he does not currently follow any specific cult. Finally, Mordaf finds himself currently locked in a blood feud with King Beli of Gwynedd and his bastard son Rhun, due to the raid on Afron and the resulting counter raid into Elmet by them. 18. Eogan of Ardstraw: An Irish missionary, Eogan has been invited to the council to seek help in dealing with the pagan-catholic relations. Eogan is noted for his monastery in Ireland within the Eblani tribe, which he has used to convert many of the remaining pagans in Ireland to Catholicism. Eogan’s success in converting pagans and following the way of christ is so great that he was made Bishop of Ardstraw, and as such he exerts a great amount of influence over Northern Ireland, and collects a great deal in the way of taxes from this area as well. Eogan is distrusted however by many, due in main part to his Irish roots which leave many wondering if he is here to help, or instead to scope out future locations for Irish colonization. 19. Apostle Cyndeyrn: The grandson of Lot, the late King of the Picts by his mother’s side, and the bastard son of Owain, Cyndeyrn was noble by birth, but his mother was sentenced to death while pregnant by Urien of

Rheged given the status of the child as a bastard. Luckily she lived, and gave Cyndeyrn to Saint Serf, who raised him in the way of the lord. Cyndeyrn has a cult following across Goddodin and Alt Cult, and once had one in Lothian, but it was oppressed by the pelagian King Morcant Bulc. Cyndeyrn now acts as a bishop over Glasgow and Hoddom, and while this grants him influence over the Christians in the area, many here still follow ancient pagan ways. If he wishes to grow his power and influence he will need to deal with the pagans who operate in Netherby. 20. Rhun ap Beli: The illegitimate son of Beli ap Rhun, King of Gwynedd, he cannot inherit any of his father’s lands or wealth, given his unprestigious birth. However, Rhun hopes to find wealth, prestige, and perhaps even land, which is what has led him and his fierce warband of Welsh warriors to the council, hoping to fight in the coming wars and find all of this. Rhun ap Beli has in the past led his father’s troops once he became too old to fight, which is what led him to launch the counter raid into Elmet following the raid of Afron. As such, Rhun is not currently on good terms with the nobles or King of Elmet, and even has a blood feud with Mordaf Hael. While Rhun currently does not have any allies on the council, his large and experienced warband makes him someone you certainly don’t want for as an enemy. 21. Saint Columba: One of the few living cult members in the Celtic lands, Columba leads a vast amount of followers in Dál Riata along with a smaller following around his base in Scotland at the monastery in Iona. Columba’s influence however does not permeate into the Brythonic Kingdom or further south, and if he wishes to expand his influence will need to compete against rising holy men in the area. Columba has been invited to the council given his expertise on Irish politics and devotion to converting pagans, which many hope will be useful in making allies in the upcoming years. Columba is a natural ally to all those who seek to convert the pagans, although some may be wary as he may use his position to further boost Irish interests rather than Brythonic ones. 22. Yvain ap Urien: The bastard son of Urien Rheged and half brother to Pascent, Owain, and Rhun mab Urien. Yvain’s only gift of his noble birth was a knightly title, and he has had to carve out his own reputation as a fearsome commander. Yvain has put together a small but fearsome force, which has earned a reputation for its brutality. While his brother’s have followed devotedly in their father’s footsteps in the Celtic Church, Yvain’s faith seems to be only skin deep as he has no problem pillaging from pagan or christian, leaving many to consider Yvain and his motley crew to be rather wicked. It is up to Yvain to carve out his own fate as being born a bastard has left him without any claims to his father’s lands.

23. Rhun mab Urien: Son of Urien Rheged and brother of Pascent and Owain (as well as half brother to Yvain), Rhun has lived a varied life of both secular and ecclesiastical life. In his youth Rhun was a warrior, however following his father’s death and brother’s ascension to the throne, Rhun became a holy man, traveling among the Saxons and seeking to convert any he could, be them peasants or nobility. Rhun has returned to Hen Ogledd in order to give information on the Saxon courts and hopefully to attempt to convert some pagan germanic kingdoms to christendom in order to bring about new allies against the remaining pagan foes. 24. Cynfelyn Drwsgl: Uncle of Mynyddog Mwynfawr and Clydno Eidyn, Cynfelyn is one of the oldest members of the council. Formerly a great war leader who fought in the first of the two futile battles, Cynfelyn is too old to find himself on the battlefield these days. Cynfelyn’s past deeds have earned him much fame and prestige, leading to his placement as a respected elder in the pagan community in Hoddom. This however puts him at odds with Apostle Cyndeyrn, who is tasked with christianizing this land. Cynfelyn will have to balance alliances between his christian family and pagan friends in order to bring together a force that can help establish autonomy for Cynfelyn in Hoddom, as many in the pagan community there look towards him to save them from encroaching christians. 25. Fionn mac Cumhaill: Leader of a Fianna on the Isle of Mann as well as being a druid, Fionn is both Irish and a pagan, and his family came to the Isle of Mann given its relative isolation from the rest of the British Isles which allows for open practice of paganism without persecution by Kings. However, with recent incursions by Dal Riata settlers who are bringing in christianity and central authority to the land, the future of such freedoms is in question. Fionn has set out to raise a war band in order to protect his lands, and in his quest for such has come to the court of the High King Ceretic, hoping to earn enough fame and spoils in the coming battles to rally fellow pagans to his cause and to replace Áedán mac Gabráin’s increasing power over this land with one of his own design.