Gulnar

Real Name: Gulnar

Identity/Class: Human magic user

Occupation: Shaman / mystic

Affiliations: Owen of Clun, the Sons of Fenris

Enemies: Herne, Robin Hood, Marion

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: initially Wales,  later England

First Appearance: Robin of Sherwood "Herne's Son"

Powers/Abilities: Gulnar was able to use some forms of ritualistic magics, apparently linked to demonic forces. He summoned a cursed village to trap Robin's men, and later created a golem of Robin which fooled his closest friends.

History: (Herne's Son) Gulnar was a sorcerer who was in the service of the Welsh lord Owen of Clun. Owen fell in lust for Marion Fitzwalter, and kidnapped her, with the intention being that Gulnar would enchant her to make her love him. Before this could be done, Robert of Huntingdon and his outlaw allies came to her rescue, killing Gulnar's lord. The sorcerer escaped, and vowed to get revenge.

(Cromm Cruac) Perhaps because Robert (now calling himself Robin) was allied with the magical powers of Herne, Gulnar tied himself to darker powers. He learned of the village of Cromm Cruac, which had allied itself to the dark powers, and sacrificed its own children for better harvests, only to be burned to the ground by the people of nearby villages, and all its inhabitants wiped out. Gulnar used the powers of a lake at the site of Cromm Cruac to bring back the damned place, then set a trap for Robin and his men, luring them in when one of their number was injured and needed sanctuary. However the friar, Tuck, was suspicious, and he and Marion realised the true nature of the place. Supplied with Holy Water, Marion broke the spell, throwing her weapon into Gulnar's lake. It immediately caught fire, and the village also went up in flames. Robin and his men threw Gulnar into the burning water, then escaped, believing (wrongly) that their enemy was dead.

(Time of the Wolf) Gulnar formed a cult who worshipped the Norse Wolf Fenris, and forged a band of berserker warriors, his Sons of Fenris, to ravage the countryside around Sherwood. He captured the Sheriff and Guy of Guisborne (who turned coat and joined Gulnar's Sons), as well as many of the people of the village of Wickham, using them as bait to draw out Robin. Mathew of Wickham, son of village leader Edward, escaped, and brought the outlaws to the abbey the Wolves were hiding in. However their assault on this enemy stronghold failed, and they were captured. Gulnar then created a clay sculpture of his enemy, which he brought to life using ancient runes, then sent to find and kill Herne. Although the golem besmirched Robin's name with many, it failed to fool Herne. Gulnar and his creation followed the information they had been given to the Nine Stone Maidens (a group of standing stones), where they believed Herne was waiting. He was, but he broke Gulnar's control on his beast, which turned and promptly strangled the sorcerer. The real Robin then slew his doppelganger.

Comments: Created by Richard Carpenter, played by Richard O'Brien.

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

Back to British Historical / Mythical characters

Back to General UK Heroes

Home.

All images and characters depicted are copyright their respective holders, and are used above for informational purposes only. No infringement is intended and copyrights remain at source.