Ysbaddaden “Chief of Giants,”

A vicious giant residing in a nigh on unreachable castle.

• Gender Male
• Race Cloud Giant
• Occupation – 
• Religion – Celtic Pantheon
• Allies – 
• Enemies – 
• Base of operations – 
• Nationality –
• Languages – Welsh, English
• Alignment – Neutral evil
• Affiliation (s) – 
• Significant others – 

Culhwch’s father, King Cilydd son of Celyddon, loses his wife Goleuddydd after a difficult childbirth. When he remarries, the young Culhwch rejects his stepmother’s attempt to pair him with his new stepsister. Offended, the new queen puts a curse on him so that he can marry no one besides the beautiful Olwen, daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden. Though he has never seen her, Culhwch becomes infatuated with her, but his father warns him that he will never find her without the aid of his famous cousin Arthur. The young man immediately sets off to seek his kinsman. He finds him at his court and asks for support and assistance.

Arthur agrees to help, and sends six warriors to join Culhwch in his search for Olwen. They travel onwards until they come across the “fairest of the castles of the world”, and meet Ysbaddaden’s shepherd brother, Custennin. They learn that the castle belongs to Ysbaddaden, that he stripped Custennin of his lands and murdered the shepherd’s twenty-three children out of cruelty. Custennin set up a meeting between Culhwch and Olwen, and the maiden agrees to lead Culhwch and his companions to Ysbadadden’s castle.

The knights attack the castle by stealth, killing the nine porters and the nine watchdogs, and enter the giant’s hall. Upon their arrival, Ysbaddaden attempts to kill Culhwch with a poison dart, but is outwitted and wounded. Eventually, Ysbaddaden relents, and agrees to give Culhwch his daughter on the condition that he completes a number of impossble tasks. With the help of Arthur and his knights, eventually completes the numerous tasks.

Once completed, Culhwch and the others who wished ill to Ysbaddaden ride to his court. The giant’s beard is shaved off and, accepting his humiliation and defeat, is beheaded. Ysbaddaden’s head is placed on the spike of the citadel, and Olwen is free to marry her love.