Personality:
Elbegast is a cunning and mischievous individual, who commits all sorts of troublesome deeds and invites others to go on great adventures with him. He is someone who is inherently meddlesome, interfering in the lives of humans out of whim or fancy. His general demeanor is serious and strict, ruling over the Clan of Mist with a strong relentless grip, while he is privately carefree and lax. Both egocentric and cowardly, he will simultaneously throw himself into danger and then retreat immediately, leaving his hapless companions behind to deal with the danger.
Although he is not a virtuous person, Elbegast values virtue greatly. He despises the powerful and corrupt while he admires the brave and noble spirit of heroes. Filled with a great amount of greed, Elbegast covets wealth and power, not because he desires material possessions but for the sake of having them. Once he gains any type of fortune, he will inflate with a sense of pride and accomplishment before distributing them to the more needy. In turn, he hates those who are wealthier and more powerful than him. The sole exception to this are people like Charlemagne, whose humble, virtuous nature outshine their fortune.
His hobbies include theft and adventuring. Much like another chivalrous thief from the forests, he infiltrates the homes of the wealthy and redistributes their treasures to the poor. Outside of that, he is fond of travelling in general, having moved across much of Europe in his many years of life. While he himself is immune to the feelings of love, he likes seeing young humans fall in love and will happily assist them with his powers. Religiously, Elbegast is a casual Christian, nonchalantly following a Christian King while not worshipping seriously and spurning the Norse Gods who gave him trouble in life. For some reason, it seems he’s also picked up some of Charlemagne’s habits and tends to do things for the sake of being cool, such as claiming there’s a dark dragon residing in his right arm.
History:
Elbegast was an elven man who appears in many stories across many cultures. Thanks to the long lifespan of his species and his great magical abilities, his exploits were recorded over centuries of activity and adapted to many tales. He was known as the King of Elves and Dwarfs, and assisted several heroes with his superhuman powers.
He originates from the 5th to 6th century as a member of the Clan of Mist in Niflheim. He was the chief of the Nibelung and guarded the great treasure, Das Rheingold, which he may have stolen from the gods. Eventually, the treasure ended up in the hands of Fafnir and he bestowed a powerful curse upon it so that it would bring misfortune to those who obtained its wealth. At one opportunity, he ended up fighting the legendary Siegfried but was defeated soundly; he alongside the rest of the Nibelung gave the sword Balmung to the hero. In the ensuing chaos following the fight between Siegfried and Fafnir, Elbegast helps spur Hagen to kill Siegfried by visiting him in a dream and then watches helplessly as the treasure he once coveted is lost to the Rhine.
Sometime after these events, he abandons the underground world of his Clan and becomes a resident of the forests, having fun by robbing the houses of the wealthy as a chivalrous thief. He befriends Charlemagne and becomes enamored by the king’s virtuous spirit. In one story, the two work together to burglarize the castle of Charlemagne’s brother-in-law in which Elbegast proves his usefulness and loyalty. The brother in law, Eggeric is revealed to be a traitor and is defeated by Elbegast in a duel. With his honor proven, the elven sorcerer continued to be a loyal member of Charlemagne’s court.
Around this time, he ended up marrying the Queen of Fairies, Titania, and gained the additional title of King of Fairies. Of course, he felt no love for his supposed wife and the two would often fight. One such argument was over the possession of a changeling, as told in Shakespear’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream. He also encountered the brave Huron of Bordeaux and the two went on an adventure together to save Huron’s life. Having accidently killed Charlemagne’s son, Huron had to do a number of impossible tasks in order to receive a pardon for his crimes. He managed to somehow complete them all, thanks almost entirely to Elbegast’s tremendous help.
Throughout the many centuries of his life, Elbegast participated in many events, went by many names, and carved his legend into the world. No matter the time or place, the King of Elves and Dwarves and Fairies was a presence to behold.
Relationships and Dialogue:
Charlemagne: “Fear not, my King, I know what you’re about to say. Feasts and gifts for the people have already been prepared. Relax, you may pray in peace tonight.”
Siegfried: “If you consider yourself a Hero of Justice, put on this costume, mount a chariot, and grab some presents. Do it for the children.”
Astolfo: “Any friend of Charlemagne is a friend of mine. Come, come, what would you like for Christmas? You want to capture Santa Claus…? I… don’t know if I can make that.”
Artoria Santa Alter: “Ah, yes, your orders have come in. Here are the gifts you need, and also a bag of hamburgers in case you get hungry.”
Jeanne d’Arc Santa Alter Lily: “Keep it up! If you ever need help thinking of a present idea, you can count on me.”
Robin Hood: “… I feel a kinship with you, for some reason.”
Caesar: “This man reminds me of my father. I’m sure his Santa Spirit Apititude must be high.”
Morgan la Fay: “This woman reminds me of my mother. She also reminds of me of the grinch who stole Christmas. Shall I put her to sleep?”
Titania: “God, it’s called Christmas, we make presents and we do it every year. Which part do you not understand? Just leave me alone, I’m trying to spread joy.”
Medb: “Bah, begone foul temptress. Your seduction holds no effect on me. I will plunder your abundant stores later.”
Originally Posted by FSF 5, Chapter 14: Gold and Lions I
Though abandoned, forgotten, and scorned as out-of-date dolls, they continue to carry out their mission, unchanged from the time they were designed.
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