the Fair Folk. He aids Taran and his allies in numerous battles against the forces of Annuvin. Gwydion. Prince of Don, heir of King Math of Prydain. He is the war leader of the House of Don against the forces of Annuvin, and rides a horse named Melyngar. After meeting Taran in The Book of Three, he befriends the young man and accompanies him on several adventures. Math, son of Mathonwy. The High King of Prydain, Math rules above all lesser kings in the country and is the patriarch of the Royal House of Don, the descendants of the Lady Don and her consort, Belin, the Sun king. A just ruler, Math's leadership helps keep Arawn the Death-Lord partly in check. He dwells in the stronghold Caer Dathyl, the castle of the Children of Don that lies north of the Eagle Mountains. The Horned King. For a time, he is Arawn's champion and the war leader of the Death-Lord's forces. He is described as a huge man wearing armor, except for his arms, which are naked and stained crimson. Along with this, he wears a red cape and an antlered skull mask. Achren. The former Queen of Prydain, her tyrannical rule was ended by her former consort and student Arawn, who took the Iron Crown from her. Living as Arawn's subject in the Spiral Castle, she despises the Death-Lord and makes her own plans to take over Prydain, while finding herself drawn to and protective of the noble warrior Gwydion. Arawn, the Death-Lord. The main antagonist of the series, Arawn is originally a mortal man. He gains magical powers by being tutored by the evil Queen Achren during her time as ruler of Prydain. After growing powerful as her consort, Arawn overthrows Achren and takes the Iron Crown from her. After gaining possession of the Black Cauldron, he creates a powerful undead army known as the Cauldron-Born. He then attempts to conquer Prydain, often defied by the Sons of Don. The Black Cauldron King Smoit. The boisterous lord of Cantrev Cadiffor and one of the only Southern Cantrevs to remain loyal to the High King. King Morgant. Ruler of the kingdom of Madoc. Gwystyl. One of the Fair Folk, described as resembling "a bundle of sticks with cobwebs floating at the top." Gwystyl lives in a hidden underground waypost near the border of Annuvin. He has a pet crow, named