Darkling Woods

"I used to be afraid of these woods. My father would bring me here when I was a boy, and it seemed every falling leaf was a bandit, every puff of wind was a ghost."

- Arthur Pendragon

The Darkling Woods is a lush, green forest encompassing the citadel of Camelot. It is often used as a private meeting place by castle residents.

History
After a Griffin attacked the citadel, Arthur and the Knights of Camelot tracked it into the Darkling Woods. The creature was ultimately killed by Lancelot after Merlin enchanted his spear (Lancelot).

Morgana went to the Darkling Woods to meet with Tauren and return the Mage Stone. Though Tauren was initially suspicious of her, Morgana soon won his trust and recruited him assassinate Uther.

Uther, Morgana, and an escort of knights later rode through the woods while enroute to Gorlois' Resting Place, where Tauren and his men were waiting to ambush them (To Kill the King).

When Arthur decided to enter a jousting tournament in secret, he pretended to lead a patrol of knights to the northern border in pursuit of a mysterious beast. He separated from the patrol in the Darkling Woods and met up with Merlin, who gave him a change of clothes and took him to Gwen's house (The Once and Future Queen).

Gwen and Morgana rode through the Darkling Woods while on pilgramage to Gorlois' Resting Place. They were later ambushed by bandits, who killed their escorts and kidnapped them for ransom (Lancelot and Guinevere).

While collecting firewood in the woods, Merlin conjured a horse from smoke to amuse himself. His magic was seen and reported to the king, who employed the Witchfinder to find the sorcerer responsible (The Witchfinder).

After awakening the Knights of Medhir, Morgause asked Morgana to meet her in the Darkling Woods. She asked Morgana to reaffirm her desire to bring Uther's downfall, then made her the vessel for a powerful enchantment that put all of Camelot to sleep (The Fires of Idirsholas).

Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights of Camelot confronted the Great Dragon in a clearing in the woods. Arthur was knocked unconscious and most of the knights were killed, but Merlin managed to harnass his newly inherited Dragonlord powers and commanded Kilgharrah to leave Camelot and never return (The Last Dragonlord).

Merlin's decision to spare Kilgharrah's life earned the dragon's loyalty. In the years that followed, he often called Kilgharrah to the clearing when he was in need of magical knowledge or assistance (The Tears of Uther Pendragon, The Crystal Cave, The Sorcerer's Shadow, The Coming of Arthur, Aithusa, The Disir).

Morgause and Morgana also used the Darkling Woods as a meeting place while plotting to conquer Camelot (The Tears of Uther Pendragon, The Crystal Cave).

When Morgause and Morgana conquered Camelot with their immortal army, Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, Gwaine, and Elyan used a cave in the Darkling Woods as their hideout. They were eventually joined by Gwen and Leon, who accidentally led Morgause straight to them after Morgana tricked Gwen into drinking a tracking potion. Luckily, they were able to escape with the help of Lancelot and Percival, who blocked the path with rocks so Morgause couldn't follow (The Coming of Arthur).

After rescuing the last dragon egg from the Tomb of Ashkanar, Merlin summoned Kilgharrah to the clearing to witness Aithusa's hatching (Aithusa).

After Arthur and the Knights found a Druid Shrine in the woods, Elyan was possessed by the spirit of a young Druid boy who used him to try to kill Arthur. To save Elyan from execution, Merlin broke him out of jail and took him to the Darkling Woods to exorcise the spirit from him, but Elyan knocked him unconscious and fled before he could do so. Merlin and Arthur later tracked Elyan back to the Druid Shrine, where Arthur made amends with the spirit and persuaded it to release Elyan (A Herald of the New Age).

When Morgana and Helios invaded Camelot, Leon directed survivors to hide in the Darkling Woods. Later, after the citadel was lost, Merlin, Arthur, Percival, and Elyan fled to the woods as well. Percival was separated from the group and Elyan was captured, but Merlin and Arthur escaped and sought refuge in Ealdor (The Sword in the Stone).

While spying for Morgana, Sefa often met her father Ruadan at the Temple of Earu to pass on information. Later, after her role was discovered and Ruadan was mortally wounded rescuing her, Sefa left his body at the temple and escaped into the Darkling Woods (Arthur's Bane).

After Morgana enchanted Gwen to turn against Camelot, they often used the woods as a meeting place to pass on information and plot Arthur's demise. Merlin eventually convinced Arthur of the situation by taking him to one of these meetings (The Dark Tower, A Lesson in Vengeance, The Hollow Queen, With All My Heart).

Merlin asked Daegal to meet him at the entrance to the Darkling Woods (The Hollow Queen).

Finna arranged to meet with Merlin at the Temple of Earu. When their meeting was discovered by knights, she escaped into the woods after Merlin promised to find her later. He eventually did so, but was wounded by Saxons, prompting Finna to take him a nearby watchtower to hide (The Kindness of Strangers).

When Mordred's lover, Kara, was to be executed for treason, he helped her escape from the dungeons and they fled to the Darkling Woods. They were pursued and captured by Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (The Drawing of the Dark).

Appearances

 * Series 1
 * The Dragon's Call
 * Lancelot
 * The Beginning of the End
 * To Kill the King


 * Series 2
 * The Once and Future Queen
 * Lancelot and Guinevere
 * The Witchfinder
 * The Witch's Quickening
 * The Fires of Idirsholas
 * The Last Dragonlord


 * Series 3
 * The Tears of Uther Pendragon
 * The Crystal Cave
 * The Castle of Fyrien
 * The Eye of the Phoenix
 * The Sorcerer's Shadow
 * The Coming of Arthur: Part Two


 * Series 4
 * The Wicked Day
 * Aithusa
 * A Herald of the New Age
 * The Sword in the Stone


 * Series 5
 * Arthur's Bane
 * The Disir
 * The Dark Tower
 * A Lesson in Vengeance
 * The Hollow Queen
 * With All My Heart
 * The Kindness of Strangers
 * The Drawing of the Dark

Trivia

 * Arthur was afraid of these woods as a child (The Castle of Fyrien).
 * It is possible that Morgana's Hovel is located in the Darkling Woods.

Gallery
Forêt Noire