Amaethon - He is the son of Don, and god of agriculture. He is responsible for the battle between the underworld deities, led by Arawn, and the Children of Don. His brother Gwydion transformed trees into warriors who helped defeat the underworld deities.

Annwn - This is the Welsh underworld. It is ruled by Gwynn ap Nudd, and was at one time ruled by Arawn.

Arawn - He is the lord of the underworld. When Amaethon stole his dog, war erupted between the underworld gods and the Children of Don. Arawn's underworld forces were defeated when Gwydion created warriors from trees to oppose them. Arawn became friends with Pwyll, with whom he traded places for one year and one day. Pwyll defeated Hafgan, Arawn's rival.

Arianrhod - Arianrhod means "silver wheel" which can be interpreted as "the moon." She is a descendant of Don, and sister of Gilfaethwy and Gwydion. When Goewin, Math Mathonwy's footmaiden, was raped by Gilfaethwy, Arianrhod offered her services as a replacement. She immediately fell pregnant as she stepped over Math's rod. She gave birth to a boy and a blob. The boy was named Dylan. Being a sea-being, he returned to sea. The blob was kidnapped by Gwydion. It was hidden in a chest until it became a baby. Arianrhod then gave three geasa to the boy. Unless she named him herself, he would have no name. Unless she armed him, he would bear no arms. He would wed no human woman. She therefore denied him the three passages into manhood. Gwydion raised the boy. One day, when Arianrhod saw the boy killing a bird with one thrown stone, she told him that he was a bright lion with a sure hand. This is the name he took, Llew Llaw Gyffes. Gwydion later faked an alarm, a trick to make Arianrhod give Llew a weapon.

Avalloc - Though we do not know what his own status was, we do know that he is the father of Modron. He is sometimes thought of as the king of Avalon of Arthurian myth.

Beli - Beli was the husband of Don, and quite possibly the brother of Bran. He is considered the father of all gods in the Welsh pantheon. In earlier times, he was probably a solar deity. He is equivalent to the Irish Bile, the Gallic Belisama and Belenus.

Blodeuwedd - She was created out of flowers by Gwydion in order to wed Llew Llaw Gyffes. She betrayed him, for she had fallen in love with Goronwy. She made him reveal the only way in which he could be killed. Llew could not be killed during the day nor the night, clothed nor naked, riding nor walking, indoors or out of doors, nor by any lawfully made weapon. He explained that the only way he could be killed was if he were wrapped in a fish net, one foot on a cauldron and the other on a goat, it were twilight, and the killing weapon had been forged during sacred hours, when this work was forbidden. She convinced him to demonstrate the position. When he did, Goronwy leapt out of hiding and struck. Llew was killed, but eventually restored to life by Gwydion. Llew killed Goronwy, and Gwydion transformed Blodeuwedd into an owl, shunned by the other birds.

Bran - "Raven". Bran is the son of Llyr and Penarddun, brother of Manawydan and Branwen, half brother of Nisien and Efnisien. Bran was very large, too large for normal houses. Upon hearing the Matholwch, Branwen's Irish husband, who was making Branwen into a slave, Bran set sail to rescue her. Matholwch, terrified at the approach, cried for mercy, and built a house large enough to suit Bran. He also agreed to settle the kingdom on his and Branwen's son, Gwern. Some of the Irish lords were against this, and hid in flour bags to attack the Welsh. Irish treachery was detected by Efnisien, who threw the bags, along with Gwern, into the fire. A war then broke out, in which Efnisien sacrificed himself, and Bran was fatally wounded. His head was buried in Wales. Branwen died soon afterwards as well. Only seven Welsh remained living after the war was over.

Branwen - Branwen (Welsh) "White Raven or White Crow". Daughter of Llyr and Penarddun, sister of Bran, Manawydan, and half sister of Nisien and Efnisien. Matholwch of Ireland wed her and gave horses to her brother Bran. Efnisien mutilated the horses, but war was prevented when a gift was given to Matholwch. This was a cauldron capable of resurrecting the dead. Branwen had a son by Matholwch, Gwern. She was enslaved by Matholwch for three years, after which Bran came to her rescue. War broke out over this, Efnisien and Bran were killed. Only seven Welshmen survived. Branwen died soon afterwards. She is one of the three "matriarchs of Britain." The other two are thought to be Rhiannon and Arianrhod.

Ceridwen - She is a witch who takes a prominent place in the story of Taliesin. She had a very ugly son, Morfran, and wished to make him into a fine bard. She used her Cauldron of Wisdom and Inspiration to brew a mixture to make her son wise. Gwion, the boy who was stirring it and tending the fire, was splashed with three drops of it and licked them off. Only these first drops held the knowledge, and the rest was poison. Another year would be required to make the mixture again, and so she was determined to punish Gwion. Gwion fled, using his newfound wisdom to be transformed into a hare. She gained on him by becoming a greyhound. The chase continued with the boy as a fish and the witch an otter, then the boy a bird and the witch a hawk. Finally, the boy changed himself into a single grain, but Ceridwen became a chicken and ate all the grain, swallowing Gwion in the process. She became pregnant with him, and gave birth to a smart and beautiful child nine months later. She put him into a bag and floated him off on the water before Morfran could kill him, as he wanted to do. The boy wound up being adopted and renamed Taliesin, see his tale for the remainder of the story.

Creiddylad - She is a Welsh goddess and the daughter of Llyr. She was abducted by Gwynn ap Nudd after choosing his rival Gwthry ap Greidawl over him. The Shakespearean play King Lear makes mention of her as Cordelia, the king's daughter.

Cwn Annwn - These are the "hounds of Annwn." They are white hounds with red-ears who come out of Annwn, the Welsh underworld. When they come out, it is to take part in the Wild Hunt, sometimes killing or kidnapping surface inhabitants. In Wales, they are associated with the sounds of wild geese, supposedly bringing the souls of the damned to the underworld. The hounds are also called Cwn Mamau, or "hounds of the mothers."

Dewi - He is an ancient Welsh god, and it is from his symbol, a red serpent, that is derived the official emblem of Wales, the red dragon.

Don - Don is the Welsh equivalent of the Irish mother-goddess Danu. Her husband is Beli, and she is the mother of Gwydion.

Dylan - He is the son of Arianrhod. Being a sea-creature, he returned to the waves. His name means "sea." When he returned to the land, his uncle Govannon, not recognizing him, killed him.

Elen - She is a heroine of Welsh mythology, the very first highway builder. When war came to her land, she build magical highways in order for the Welsh soldiers to gather more quickly, and they were able to defend the land.

Gilfaethwy - The brother of Gwydion. He lusts for Goewin, the footmaiden of Math Mathonwy, and rapes her. He is punished for his actions by being turned into three different animals during the span of three years, and mating with his brother Gwydion, also a different animal, each year.

Goewin - She was the footmaiden of Math Mathonwy, until she was raped by Gilfaethwy. She then gave up the position, as the footmaiden had to be a virgin.

Govannon - He is the Welsh smith god. His equivalent is the Irish Goibniu. He is the brother of Gwydion and Amaethon, and the son of Don. He slew his nephew Dylan, not knowing who he was.

Gwydion - Gwydion is the son of Don, a nephew of Math Mathonwy, and the brother of Arianrhod. He stole the pigs of Pryderi, starting a war. Math Mathonwy went off to the war, leaving his footmaiden, Goewin, all alone. In Math's absence, Gwydion went with his brother, Gilfaethwy, who then raped Goewin. When Math heard of this, he punished the two brothers for three years, making them become a different beast each year and breed with each other. Gwydion was made into a stag, a wild sow, and a wolf. Gilfaethwy was a hind, a boar, and a wolf. Three offspring were born of this punishment, whom Math made human and raised himself. After this was over, Gwydion raised Arianrhod's son, Llew. The woman Blodeuwedd, who Gwydion had created from flowers for Llew, betrayed and killed Llew. Gwydion then turned the woman into and owl and raised Gwydion from the dead.

Gwynn ap Nudd - He is the Welsh god of the underworld. He had long been feuding with Gwthry ap Greidawl over Creiddylad when she chose Gwthry. Gwynn then abducted Creiddylad. The fight between Gwthry and Gwynn may symbolize the contest between summer and winter.

Hafgan - Hafgan battled with Arawn for domination of the underworld. Pwyll and Arawn once traded places for a year and a day, and Hafgan was defeated at the end of this time by Pwyll.

Llew Llaw Gyffes - "The Bright Lion with the Sure Hand." He was the son of the virgin Arianrhod, and of Math Mathonwy. He was raised by his uncle Gwydion. He was born as a blob, but eventually became a boy. Arianrhod cursed him with three geasa. He could not be named by any but her. He could not wield a weapon save if she gave it to him, and he could not have a human wife. Gwydion managed to trick Arianrhod into naming and arming Llew. Gwydion then created Blodeuwedd from flowers to wife Llew. Llew could neither be killed indoors nor outdoors, by day nor by night, riding nor walking, naked nor clothed, nor by any lawfully made weapon. His wife extracted the secret of his death from him, and led him to it, betraying him to Goronwy. Llew was restored to life by Gwydion and went on to kill Goronwy. Blodeuwedd was turned into an owl.

Llyr - He is the god of the sea, and father of Bran, Branwen, and Manawydan. He is equivalent to the Irish god Lir.

Mabon - Mabon is the son of Modron, the mother goddess. His name means "young man." He is a hunter god. Kidnapped at the age of three, he was brought to live in Annwn. He was rescued from there by Culhwch when he was an adult. He then aided Culhwch in his quest to be wed to Olwen. Because of his ordeal in Annwn, Mabon was forever young, and did not age.

Modron - She is the daughter of Avalloc, and a Welsh goddess. She is viewed as a the precursor of Morgan in the legends of King Arthur.

Manawydan - He is the son of Llyr and Penarddun, and the brother of Bran, Branwen, half brother of Nisien and Efnisien. He was a peaceful magician and scholar. After the battle war started by Bran and Matholwch which erupted to war, when Bran and Branwen died, Manawydan inherited the kingdom, but gave it up to his cousin in order to avoid another war. He was then married to Rhiannon, the widow of Pwyll of Dyfed. Her son was Pryderi of Dyfed. He was living with them in Dyfed when that land became barren one day. Pryderi, his wife, Rhiannon, and Manawydan were the only survivors. While hunting with Pryderi, they followed a white board which led them to a caer containing a golden bowl. Pryderi was enspelled by it as he touched it, and so was Rhiannon, who came upon them later on. The caer then vanished, along with Pryderi and his mother. After becoming a farmer, Manawydan caught a faery mouse which had been eating his crops. Llwyd, a rival of Rhiannon, appeared and bade him to release the mouse, for it was Llwyd's wife in another shape. Llwyd lifted the curse of Rhiannon and her son, and they were returned.

Math Mathonwy - Brother of the goddess Don. He is the Welsh god of sorcery. Uncle to Gwydion and Gilfaethwy. He required a virgin's lap to place his feet upon, and thus always had a footmaiden.

Nisien and Efnisien - They are the sons of Penarddun and Eurosswyd. Eurosswyd had captured Llyr, the husband of Penarddun, and only released him once Penarddun had slept with him. The two boys were twins, half brothers to Bran, Branwen, and Manawydan. Efnisien killed the horses that the Irish Matholwch had given to Bran for marrying his sister Branwen. Efnisien thought this marriage a mortal insult. War was prevented when Matholwch received a gift of a cauldron capable of resurrecting the dead. Bran went off to Matholwch's when Branwen had been made into a slave by the latter, but Bran was appeased with gifts. Irish lords were against the Welsh Bran staying there, and so hid in flour bags to attack the Welsh. Efnisien knew this, and threw the bags in fire, along with Gwern, the son of Branwen and Matholwch. During the ensuing war, the Irish were able to replenish their ranks with the cauldron, while the Welsh were dying off. Efnisien sacrificed himself by feigning death and was thrown into the cauldron. He died, breaking the cauldron in the process.

Olwen - Olwen means "white track," and she was probably named so because of flowers blossoming under her feet. Her father was Ysbaddadan, whose life depended on keeping his daughter. When she was married, the power of her father was taken by her husband, Culwych, who had overcome many hardships to marry her.

Pryderi - His name means "worry." He was the son of Rhiannon from the otherworld. When he was kidnapped, he was rescued by Teimon and brought back to his parents. After growing into manhood, he took Cigva as his wife and ruled in Dyfed, his father having passed away. Manawydan, his mother's second husband, came to live with them in Dyfed. Dyfed suddenly became a barren wasteland one day, and only Pryderi, his wife, his mother and her husband were saved. While hunting with Manawydan, Pryderi followed a board into a caer. There he saw a golden bowl, and was taken under its spell when he touched it. When Rhiannon came after him, she too was taken. The caer then vanished and took them away with it. Manawydan and Cigva later captured a mouse which turned out to be the wife of Llwyd, who was Rhiannon's enemy. The spell was then lifted, Dyfed restored. Pryderi ruled for many years.

Pwyll - Pwyll was Lord of Dyfed. He was hunting when he came upon a group of white hounds with red ears. He set his own hounds after them. When he discovered that the owner of the strange dogs was Arawn, king of the underworld, he was given a penance for making his dogs go after Arawn's. He had to trade places with Arawn for one year and one day. At the end of the period, he battled with Hafgan, Arawn's rival. Only a mortal could kill Hafgan, and Pwyll did. For this, and for not sleeping with Arawn's wife, Pwyll and Arawn became good friends. He later met Rhiannon, who appeared as a beautiful woman on a white horse. Even his fastest horseman could not catch her. Three days later, she told him that she wished to be married. A year later, he won Rhiannon from Gwawl, her old husband. When Pwyll and his wife had a son, he vanished, and she had to undergo punishment for seven years for this. Teimon, whose horses had begun disappearing, was guarding the stable when he found a child whom he adopted. The child turned out to be Pwyll's son, and was returned seven years later. He was named Pryderi, meaning "worry." Pwyll reigned until his death.

Rhiannon - Rhiannon is a version of Epona, the horse-goddess. She appeared to Pwyll on a white horse, and could not be caught by his fastest rider. She later told him that she wanted to marry him, and they were married at her father's court, after she had helped Pwyll of Dyfed win her from her first husband, Gwawl. When her son by Pwyll vanished, her women killed a puppy and smeared its blood on her. As punishment for losing the child, she had to tell her story to all who came, and bear them upon her back, like a horse, to the court. The child appeared at Teimon's court, where he was raised into manhood. He was then returned to Pwyll and Rhiannon. She named him Pryderi, or "worry." After Pwyll had died, Pryderi ruled Dyfed and married. Rhiannon also married again, this time to Manwydan. Her husband and son were hunting when they saw a white boar. Following it, they came to a golden bowl in the forest. When Pryderi touched it, he was taken under its spell. Rhiannon came after him and was also enspelled. Manawydan later captured a mouse, who turned out to be the wife of Llwyd. Llwyd had been taking revenge on Rhiannon for her treatment of Gwawl, and he was forced to release Rhiannon and Pryderi from his spell in exchange for his wife.

Taliesin - The witch Ceridwen had a daughter, most beautiful, and a son, Morfran, so ugly and stupid that all were sickened by him. Ceridwen determined to make Morfran into the best bard in the land, such that no one would mind how ugly he was. She cast many ingredients into her cauldron, and had an old blind man and a young boy named Gwion keep fires burning beneath it. The brew in this cauldron, the Cauldron of Wisdom and Inspiration, had to boil for a year and a day. At the end of this period, the first three drops of it would grant ultimate knowledge and wisdom to the one who drank it. The rest of it would be vile poison. On the last day of the boiling, Ceridew fell asleep. During this sleep, three drops flew out of the cauldron and onto Gwion's thumb as he was stirring the mixture. So hot were these drops that he plunged his thumb into his mouth to soothe the burning. He was now wise beyond belief; wise enough to know that Ceridwen would be quite angry when she awoke. He ran from the house, pursued by Ceridwen. When he used his wisdom to transform himself into a hare, she became a greyhound. When he was a fish, she was an otter. He was a bird, and she was a hawk. All the while she gained on him. At the last moment, he dove into a pile of hay and turned into a single grain. Ceridwen became a hen and ate all the grain, including Gwion. Ceridwen found herself pregnant soon after, though she had slept with no one. The baby was Gwion, she realized, and both she and Morfran were intent on killing it upon its birth. When it was born, however, Ceridwen bade Morfran not to kill it, and instead set him adrift on the ocean, sewn in a bag. While Elphin, the son of Gwyddno, was out fishing, he caught nothing but a small bag. Upon opening the bag, he exclaimed "a radiant brow!" Translated, this is Tal Iesin. The baby said "Yes, Taliesin, that will do well enough." Elphin was greatly surprised, and brought the babe home with him. During the trip, Taliesin composed and recited poems. Elphin and his wife later adopted Taliesin. When Taliesin was thirteen, Elphin went to the castle of the king, Maelgwn, for a feast. Though all other praised the king highly, Elphin told him that his own wife was no less beautiful than the king's, and that his son was a better bard than the king's. Elphin was locked up in a castle dungeon. Rhun, the king's son, was so revolting to all that merely being seen in his presence would bring dishonour. He was sent by the king to Elphin's home to make him think he had slept with his wfe. When he arrived their, he intoxicated her, and then cut off her ring finger along with the ring. However, when he showed it to the king and Elphin, it turned out to be the finger of one of the maids. Taliesin had tricked Rhun. Elphin was locked up once again. Taliesin went to the castle, and bargained with the king. If he could single-handedly defeat his best bards in a poetry contest, Elphin would be freed. Taliesin did beat them, and Elphin was freed. He also took up the king's challenge to a horse race, and beat his horses at that. Legend has it that Taliesin ended up as a chief harper and advisor to King Arthur.

Twm Shon Catti - This man lived in the 16th century. He is also known as Robin Hood. Though most considered him a villain, the people of the village of Rhandirmwyn thought him a hero. One of the legends about him says that he would refrain from maiming his enemies, but would instead pin him to his saddle with one well-placed arrow. It is said that his hideout was a cave in the slopes above the Twyi river. Some believe that he was eventually wed to an heiress and wound up as a squire and magistrate.

Wild Hunt - This is a supernatural force that sweeps the land during the night, usually during the winter. The Cwn Annwn, the "hounds of Annwyn," usually take part in the Hunt. Sometimes it hunts anything and everything, and sometimes only evil creatures. In Britain, it is led by Cernunnos, the horned god. The Welsh claim it is led by Gwynn ap Nudd, or sometimes by Bran.