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The Afanc is a creature made from earth and water. That's two of the four base elements.
Gaius to Merlin[src]

An Afanc is a creature conjured using the Magic of the Elements of Earth and Water.

History

Nimueh, a High Priestess of the Old Religion created an Afanc, magically transporting it inside an egg to the water supply of Camelot, where it hatched and caused a plague that killed dozens of citizens of Camelot , turning them pale with blue veins in the process. Eventually Merlin who was Arthur 's manservant and the court-physician Gaius discovered the Afanc. With the help of Arthur Pendragon and Morgana, Merlin was able to destroy the creature using his own elemental magic (The Mark of Nimueh).

Properties

The Afanc can only be defeated with magic, specifically the use of the oppositional base elements of Fire and Air. The Afanc is said to be a beast born of clay and conjured only by the most powerful sorcerers. In fact Nimueh shaped a piece of clay into the figure of a small animal while chanting a spell ("Ic acennan eowic ac ic hredde eowic"). She put in into an egg saped box with markings on it, including her mark, then dropped it into a pool of water leading it to Camelot's water source.

Myth

The Afanc (Avanc, Addanc) is a creature from Welsh folklore that lives in lakes. In most myths it is described with the body of a beaver and the head of a crocodile. The Afanc is sometimes said to have magical powers and even the ability to speak Welsh.

Trivia

Gallery

Behind the Afanc








Series 1 Enemies
The Dragon's Call: Mary Collins † • Lady Helen (indirect) †
Valiant: Valiant † • DevlinSerpent Shield
The Mark of Nimueh: Nimueh † • Afanc
The Poisoned Chalice: Nimueh † • Balorian SpidersCockatrice
Lancelot: Griffin
A Remedy to Cure All Ills: Edwin Muirden † • Elanthia Beetles
The Gates of Avalon: Sophia † • Aulfric † • Sidhe elder
The Beginning of the End: Uther Pendragon
Excalibur: Nimueh † • Tristan de Bois
The Moment of Truth: Kanen
The Labyrinth of Gedref: Arthur Pendragon (indirect) †
To Kill the King: TaurenMorgana † • Uther Pendragon
Le Morte d'Arthur: Nimueh † • Questing BeastKilgharrah
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