TV-Series
Description
Arawn, the central figure of Tears to Tiara, is a character whose legend belies his true nature. Known to the world as the Demon King, he is originally named Lucifer, the thirteenth spirit born after the twelve perfect spirits who created the world. His birth was seen as an ill omen by the other spirits, who believed that twelve symbolized perfect balance. However, one of their number, Mirdin (also known as Myrddin), took the young spirit in as his child and sought to teach him compassion and open-mindedness.
Arawn's past is defined by a profound fall from grace. He initially idolized the twelve spirits and aspired to join their ranks. When Mirdin broke the rules of the spirits to give fire and the song of beginning to a human girl, he was erased from existence. The remaining spirits offered Arawn the coveted twelfth position on the condition that he agree to modify Mirdin's gift, a choice he would come to regret bitterly. When he descended to the earth, he found that the girl Mirdin had saved had been transformed into a hollow slave, forced to sing hymns to God, her freedom stripped away. Witnessing this, Arawn rejected the other spirits and declared their ways wrong, turning his back on heaven.
As punishment for his rebellion, he lost his spiritual body and became the demon king with a mortal form, bearing a curse from the heavens. In the ancient past, he allied with the fairy king Pwyll to fight against the spirits. He was critically wounded in the final battle by the spirits' weapon, Mercadis, which fired a shell made of electrum, a substance to which his body was fatally weak. The wound was so severe that he was forced to sleep for over a thousand years to recover.
In the present story, Arawn is prematurely awakened from his slumber by a ritual performed by priests of the Holy Empire who intended to use the seeress Riannon as a living sacrifice. Upon waking, he kills the high priest, frees Riannon, and helps rescue her brother Arthur. Riannon, grateful and captivated, immediately names him the new chieftain of the Gael tribe and declares him her husband, much to his own and her brother's surprise. Despite his title, Arawn is not evil. He is an affable and honorable person who detests seeing people blindly follow laws or dogma to their own detriment, a principle rooted in his own history with the oppressive spirits. He is a proponent of freedom and dislikes being bound by precepts and rules, though this is not out of a desire for chaos but a belief in individual consciousness.
His personality often presents as lazy and indifferent; he is known for lazing in bed, not joining hunts, and neglecting basic hygiene like bathing for days, which exasperates those around him. He is frequently a Deadpan Snarker, particularly towards the hot-headed and emotional Arthur. However, this facade masks a highly intelligent, perceptive, and decisive strategist who does not hesitate to put his life on the line when the situation demands it. His role in the story is primarily as a supporting protagonist and a stealth mentor to Arthur, guiding the young warrior to become a king worthy of his lineage. He leads the Gael clan from their village to the fortress of Avalon, using his ancient wisdom and power to protect them from the Holy Empire and, later, the divine spirits who seek to finish what they started.
His key relationships are central to his character. With Riannon, who is the reincarnation of the very girl Mirdin saved in the past and whom he named Primula, Arawn shares a deep bond. He is protective of her and shows her a softer, more caring side, even as she manages his slovenly habits and supports him as his first wife. His relationship with Arthur is one of a calm blue oni to Arthur's emotional red oni; he serves as a mentor, slowly grooming the young man to become a great leader. He also inadvertently acquires several other wives, such as the fairy Llyr and the knight Octavia, due to his lack of understanding of modern customs and his unwillingness to abandon those in trouble.
Throughout the narrative, Arawn shows subtle development as he fully awakens from his long sleep. He must reconcile his past failures and the guilt he carries for agreeing to modify Mirdin's gift. His journey is one of embracing his role as a protector and leader, moving from a fallen spirit who gave up on the world to a king who actively fights for its future. In the final battle, he confronts the remnants of the spirits who cast him out, with Riannon remembering the Words of Power to cripple their ultimate weapon, Mercadis.
As for his notable abilities, Arawn is a powerful combatant. He wields a cool sword named Edrum. His powers include superhuman physical characteristics, immortality, enhanced senses, and the ability to use various forms of magic. He can absorb an opponent's magic and vitality, use dark magic to damage magical energy, heal others, and even brainwash targets. He also possesses spatial manipulation to switch places with a target and, ironically, can use holy magic, though it damages him due to his nature as a fallen angel. In battle, his fighting style is balanced and strategic, often focused on mid-range control and pressuring opponents. His true name, Lucifer, is revealed as part of his hidden past as the Morning Star who fell from heaven.
Arawn's past is defined by a profound fall from grace. He initially idolized the twelve spirits and aspired to join their ranks. When Mirdin broke the rules of the spirits to give fire and the song of beginning to a human girl, he was erased from existence. The remaining spirits offered Arawn the coveted twelfth position on the condition that he agree to modify Mirdin's gift, a choice he would come to regret bitterly. When he descended to the earth, he found that the girl Mirdin had saved had been transformed into a hollow slave, forced to sing hymns to God, her freedom stripped away. Witnessing this, Arawn rejected the other spirits and declared their ways wrong, turning his back on heaven.
As punishment for his rebellion, he lost his spiritual body and became the demon king with a mortal form, bearing a curse from the heavens. In the ancient past, he allied with the fairy king Pwyll to fight against the spirits. He was critically wounded in the final battle by the spirits' weapon, Mercadis, which fired a shell made of electrum, a substance to which his body was fatally weak. The wound was so severe that he was forced to sleep for over a thousand years to recover.
In the present story, Arawn is prematurely awakened from his slumber by a ritual performed by priests of the Holy Empire who intended to use the seeress Riannon as a living sacrifice. Upon waking, he kills the high priest, frees Riannon, and helps rescue her brother Arthur. Riannon, grateful and captivated, immediately names him the new chieftain of the Gael tribe and declares him her husband, much to his own and her brother's surprise. Despite his title, Arawn is not evil. He is an affable and honorable person who detests seeing people blindly follow laws or dogma to their own detriment, a principle rooted in his own history with the oppressive spirits. He is a proponent of freedom and dislikes being bound by precepts and rules, though this is not out of a desire for chaos but a belief in individual consciousness.
His personality often presents as lazy and indifferent; he is known for lazing in bed, not joining hunts, and neglecting basic hygiene like bathing for days, which exasperates those around him. He is frequently a Deadpan Snarker, particularly towards the hot-headed and emotional Arthur. However, this facade masks a highly intelligent, perceptive, and decisive strategist who does not hesitate to put his life on the line when the situation demands it. His role in the story is primarily as a supporting protagonist and a stealth mentor to Arthur, guiding the young warrior to become a king worthy of his lineage. He leads the Gael clan from their village to the fortress of Avalon, using his ancient wisdom and power to protect them from the Holy Empire and, later, the divine spirits who seek to finish what they started.
His key relationships are central to his character. With Riannon, who is the reincarnation of the very girl Mirdin saved in the past and whom he named Primula, Arawn shares a deep bond. He is protective of her and shows her a softer, more caring side, even as she manages his slovenly habits and supports him as his first wife. His relationship with Arthur is one of a calm blue oni to Arthur's emotional red oni; he serves as a mentor, slowly grooming the young man to become a great leader. He also inadvertently acquires several other wives, such as the fairy Llyr and the knight Octavia, due to his lack of understanding of modern customs and his unwillingness to abandon those in trouble.
Throughout the narrative, Arawn shows subtle development as he fully awakens from his long sleep. He must reconcile his past failures and the guilt he carries for agreeing to modify Mirdin's gift. His journey is one of embracing his role as a protector and leader, moving from a fallen spirit who gave up on the world to a king who actively fights for its future. In the final battle, he confronts the remnants of the spirits who cast him out, with Riannon remembering the Words of Power to cripple their ultimate weapon, Mercadis.
As for his notable abilities, Arawn is a powerful combatant. He wields a cool sword named Edrum. His powers include superhuman physical characteristics, immortality, enhanced senses, and the ability to use various forms of magic. He can absorb an opponent's magic and vitality, use dark magic to damage magical energy, heal others, and even brainwash targets. He also possesses spatial manipulation to switch places with a target and, ironically, can use holy magic, though it damages him due to his nature as a fallen angel. In battle, his fighting style is balanced and strategic, often focused on mid-range control and pressuring opponents. His true name, Lucifer, is revealed as part of his hidden past as the Morning Star who fell from heaven.