The Dark Blade

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Ok, so... his new working name is:

GWYLLION.

I'm not entirely sure this is a smart move, so let me explain it.

A gwyllion is an actual type of fairy in Welsh legend and folklore. Frankly, there is little other connection between my Gwyllion and the Welsh gwyllion. A gwyllion appeared as an old hag, usually in need, and misled travellers off the road and into doom (like, in a sink hole, marsh, or swamp).

I'm considering this because the few people who know what a gwyllion is will consider it an spooky thing. It also sounds cool.

Now, thoughts?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Oh, the other one I was thinking about was Dearg Bah, which is a corruption and rearrangement of Bodb Dearg, who was the king of fairies (well just hte sidhe fairies) in Ireland. Dearg Bennach is another variation of the same.

[Lieutenant Kije]

Dearg sounds creepier.  If you want alignment to be ambiguous, go with Gwylli.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

will the association with the hag fairy ruin the name?

[Lieutenant Kije]

I don't think so.  Of course I'm one of the many (mayhap even the vast majority?) that hasn't heard of the traditional gwyllion.  

Even for someone who does, though, your whole setting seems welsh and this can be the truth that that legend was based on...legends tend to warp things over time.  The traditional gwyllion pretended to be someone good, who turned on benefactors, in wild places (marsh, swamp, etc.)  Peks' gwyllion is someone who appears to be evil (dark, shadowy, he stabs Peks,) but who could be good also (he doesn't seem antagonistic when he stabs, he "chooses" Peks which has gifted him with powers) in a wild place ( a thicket or forest.)

[Mistress of Darkness]

I disagree. If gwyllion is a faerie that appears as a hag and misleads travelers then your gwyllion should at least resemble the traditional gwyllion in some way. Perhaps no American is going to know the difference, but for all you know, you could be come the most popular author in Wales.

I'd go with Dearg, personally.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Today, as I spent 8 hours in a concentration camp... I mean, re-education camp... I mean,... driver improvement course (I have a lead foot, so sue me) I had a lot of time to think about this (really, I'm in for speeding, which means that about 15 minutes of the 8 hours I was forced to be there by a cruel and unjust government applied to me), and I'm leanind toward Dearg now. Mostly because while I'm outlining this material, the ideas are solidifying, and many of the other ideas I already had solid are changing. There are things that are very different now (mostly stuff not in the manuscript you have though).

So, Dearg Bah. give me some thoughts on this.

[Lieutenant Kije]

Well, it sounds much less goofy than Gwyllion.  Yeah, Gwyllion did sound a little goofy to me.  Maybe that's just 'cause I knew a guy on the mission named Elder Gwilliam who was kind of a goof.