For fans of Arthurian legend and/or the various movies, plays, and books based on it, and/or those who are curious, here’s a listing of the characters I used as the Arthurian Rangers and their basis in legend.

What I have put here is only some of the most widely accepted versions of events; the story has changed immensely over time and according to who’s telling it. Any mistakes are completely my responsibility - however, please keep in mind that there are many conflicting versions, and it’s a complex and confusing topic.

King Arthur (Tommy) : The son of King Uther and Igraine, conceived when Merlin magically made the king appear to her as her husband, Gorlois, the duke of Cornwall. Arthur was raised by a knight, Sir Ector, without knowing of his royal decent.

After Uther died, Merlin declared that only the man able to pull out a sword he had placed in a stone would become king. Arthur was crowned after accomplishing this feat. Later Arthur received another sword, Excalibur, from the magical Lady of the Lake.

He ruled over Camelot in a heroic time: including the defeat of the invading Romans and the beginning of the quest for the Holy Grail. However, Arthur’s queen, Guinevere, fell in love with Sir Lancelot, setting in motion events leading to the end of Camelot.

Arthur left Britain in the hands of his nephew Mordred while he pursued Lancelot after the affair was discovered. Mordred promptly attempted to seize the throne, forcing Arthur to return. In the resulting battle, Mordred was killed but only after fatally wounding Arthur. The dying king was carried off to the mystical land of Avalon by three queens on a barge and never seen again. Some say he still lives.

If there was a historical King Arthur, he would have lived in the late fifth/early sixth century, about 1500 years ago.

Guinevere (Kim) : The beautiful wife of Arthur, whose father gave him the Round Table as a dowry. She fell in love with Lancelot and was unfaithful to her husband with him. When their betrayal was revealed, Lancelot fled and Guinevere was sentenced to death. Lancelot returned to rescue Guinevere from execution. Afterwards, she retreated to an abbey and became a nun. She was part of Mordred's plot against Arthur, willingly in some versions, unwillingly in others.

Lancelot du Lac (Jason) : The greatest knight of Camelot and Arthur’s closest friend. In some versions he was raised by Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake. He was the father of Galahad by Elaine, whom in some versions he later married.

Lancelot fell in love with Guinevere and betrayed Arthur with her. When the affair was discovered, he fled Britain and later returned to rescue her from execution. Arthur followed him and went to war with his former friend, but was forced to return home when Mordred rose up against him.

Merlin (Billy) also called Myrddin (Zordon) and Ambrosius (Alpha) : Some records also refer to a Merlin Emrys and a Merlin Wylt. He may be based on some combination of Celtic gods and historical persons. Arthur’s chief advisor and a powerful wizard, Merlin was the force behind many of the legendary events. He engineered Arthur’s conception and his rise to the throne.

Merlin fell in love with his young, beautiful assistant and student, Nimue (in some versions she is Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake). Presumably not attracted by her elderly would-be lover, she turned against him and trapped him for eternity either in a cave or inside a tree.

In my story, Merlin is split into three: Merlin, Myrddin, and Ambrosius.

Nimue (Trini) / Vivienne (Rita) : Also called Vivien, Nineve, Niniane, the Lady of the Lake. She is an ambiguous character who in various versions did such things as trapping Merlin forever in a cave or tree, raising Lancelot, giving the sword Excalibur to Arthur, and helping to take him to Avalon after he had been wounded. In all probability she’s a merging of more than one character, based on a combination of two or more Celtic goddesses or other magical women.

In my story she is split into two separate characters, one good and one evil.

Galahad (Zack) : Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine. The most perfect knight of the Round Table in courage, gentleness, honor, and chivalry; he was one of three knights chosen to seek the Holy Grail, and eventually succeeded in that quest. After being the only knight given the honor of seeing the Grail, he asked Joseph of Arimathea to let him die, which request was granted.

In my story, Galahad is (obviously) not Lancelot’s son.

Morgan Le Fay (Kat) : She is usually identified as a witch, Arthur’s half sister, and his enemy: the originator of several plots against him. However, she’s also portrayed as a healer and as one of the three women who take Arthur to Avalon when he is dying, possibly to save him. She may have started as a benevolent character and ally of Arthur, but like other characters based on pagan goddesses was reinterpreted as evil under the influence of the early Christian church.

Recently she has frequently been merged with the character of Morgause (also called Anna), another half-sister of Arthur’s. Morgause had a brief incestuous affair with Arthur, who did not know they were related, which resulted in Mordred. She was also the mother of the knights Gawain, Gaheris, Agravain, and Gareth.

Mordred (Justin) : Arthur’s nephew and son by his unwitting incest with Morgause. He was a knight for a time, but when Arthur left Britain in his hands to battle Lancelot Mordred rebelled, seized Guinevere, and tried to take the throne. Arthur returned, and in the resulting fight Mordred was killed and Arthur was fatally wounded.

Want more? The main source I used was : www.kingarthursknights.com