[Fizzygoo]

The Pendragon is Harlequin.

Am I wrong?
.
.
.
.
.
(It's late. I'm very tired. Overworked. Stressed. Pretty much at whit's end. Tried looking for something online that would tell me I'm wrong. No books at hand. Would probably forget by the time I get home.)

[Critias]

The Pendragon is Harlequin.

Am I wrong?

Probably.  What makes you think that he is?

[Fizzygoo]

The whole Excalibur thing; Dunk leaves Harlequin Excalibur in the will but "can't seem to find it at the moment," then about 5 years later the Pendragon shows up with maybe, possibly, not confirmed, Excalibur and then the back of my ganglia starts twitching with the Merlin - Arthur relationship being kind'a Dunkie - Harle'ee-ish, and add in the whole Merlin calling the dragon as thinly veiled "I've got to (use to use two cellphones in the 5th World, one on the physical and one of the metas to) talk to myself to make some mojo happen in this down cycle" and well, only after all that, you get two things...one ) me thinking that Harlequin is the Pendragon and two ) a really long run-on sentence.

[CanRay]

The Pendragon Mythos probably is stories of Harlequin corrupted through the Fifth World or some such.  Or outright made up, with people only remembering the sword.

Another possibility, this could have just been a joke between the two of them, a last parting laugh.  The Laughing Man did love The Big D's sense of humor after all...

[Fizzygoo]

The Pendragon Mythos probably is stories of Harlequin corrupted through the Fifth World or some such.  Or outright made up, with people only remembering the sword.

Totally. I can also see it as nearly as historically accurate as it is laid out, with Harlequin/Arthur being Bored in Britian^TM in the 6th century, causing some "trouble," and then the stories get corrupted upon being written down some 4 to 6 hundred years later.

'Course, I ain't sayin I know nuthin' fer surez

[Fortinbras]

Harlequin found Excalibur during the events of Harlequin's Back, but the nature of the plane in which the runner's receive the sword is also worth mentioning.
In the adventure, the runner's traverse a few isles and encounter characters from the Arthurian mythos, including Lancelot, Nimue and Galahad. In part of it, they detect that the island may contain the once and future king.
Right before Pendragon showed up in England, the isle of Lyonesse shows up smack dab in the middle of the Channel, reportedly the return of the Arthurian isle.
It is also possible that the sword, while found by the runners, never leaves the island.

There is also the theory that the Pendragon is the actual Pendragon, Rhonabwy, the Welsh red dragon that adorns the nation's flag and that Arthur and Merlin saw fighting a white dragon.

It should be noted that The Laughing Man himself comments on the idea that the Pendragon's sword is Excalibur(Shadows of Europe) by posting "Excalibur, indeed? Interesting..." Whether this denotes that Excalibur no longer resides with Harlequin or if this is yet another example of the jester's snide contempt is up for interpretation.
In 6WA, some propose the idea that the Pendragon is an actual dragon, but Frosty shouts that down by saying that if it were, the other dragons would have taken an interest in it's shenanigans and that she is not convinced. This implies that it might not be Harlequin, because others would be interested in his shenanigans as well and that Frosty, Harlequin's journeyman, is ignorant of Pendragon's identity. Or that could be a misdirect on  Harlequin's bequest.

As for the Harlequin is Arthur, Dunklezhan is Merlin theory, Harlequin does have a rather famous conversation with "Ambrose" in Virtual Realities 2.0 that suggests Ambrose is Ambrose Merlin, Arthur's tutor.

So, my conclusion is that it is either Harlequin, Rhonabwy or actual Arthur returned from the metaplanes. All would have an interest in taking down he LPO and the NDM.
I prefer the last theory, as 6WA suggests Queen Caroline has a soft spot for the Pendragon and the idea of the royal lines merging pleases me.

[Frostriese]

There is an interesting comment by Harlequin in Dragons of the Sixth World, in Celedyr's section on him (Celedyr) helping to supress the Pendragon Movement, despite the Lord-Protector's good contacts to HKB, Celedyr's then enemies:

Or maybe he remembers the real story of Camelot and doesn't want to see that stupid dolt Ar'thu get more credit he doesn't deserve.

Now, maybe he's just messing with the readers, but if that's his true attitude he seems unlikely to take up Arthurian symbolism. As such I would take his comment in SoE to mean "laughable nonsense" by reminding those in the know that he has the sword.

Interestingly, it also means Frosty (hm, I may have an unfortunate username here, heh) is wrong, at least one dragon has taken interest in the Pendragon Movement.

Now expanding upon this quote, I would deduce that it's not the real Arthur, but only somebody using the associated symbolism, which pisses off both Harlequin and (presumably) Celedyr because they think the real Arthur does not deserve to have such positive symbolism centered on him. However, since Pendragon's supporters are able to build up a new manaline in Scotland, and since he himself gets the last (and mystic) comment in the British section of SoE (hey, always keep the narrative structure in mind ) it is also unlikely that he's just a magical nobody using some popular conceptions to his advantage. (Elsewise that would be a real possibility - just some magic user taking advantage of the opportunity of "Lyonesse suddenly appearing)

It can also not really be one of the mythical bigwigs (a group in which I'd include Dragons, IEs, Spirits and what you have). They'd have the knowledge about how things really were, about, ah, magical geoscaping and about social engineering (look what the IEs did in Ireland), but Frosty's argument applies - it would draw attention. So probably one level below them, but as said also a level above normal magic user. Some powerful druid leader who is not a mere oppportunist but has stumbled across the knowledge of the Arthurian prophecies incl. when Lyonesse would appear, maybe? That's the best guess I have.

[Fortinbras]

Now expanding upon this quote, I would deduce that it's not the real Arthur, but only somebody using the associated symbolism, which pisses off both Harlequin and (presumably) Celedyr because they think the real Arthur does not deserve to have such positive symbolism centered on him.

Or it is the "real" Arthur returned from the metaplanes along with his isle and Harlequin & Celedyr are pissed he's getting such good press despite his overwhelming character flaws.
Harlequin's Back took the view that Arthur was the Arthur of the old, early tales rather than Sir Thomas Malory's interpretation, and the Arthur of old was a right bastard, cutting off monk's heads and burning churches. If I knew that guy I wouldn't want him to be known as the liberator of Britain either.
For full disclosure, I am prejudice as I like the idea of the UK being ruled by benevolent, mythical monarchs.
As an American I can enjoy the exploits of the royals without having to pay taxes to feed them. USA, USA!

As a point of interest, is there any piece of cannon that places Excalibur in Harlequin's hands? I know in Harlequin's Back the runners take it and Lancelot kills himself with it, but after that I thought the realm was healed and the sword either faded with it or did the runners grab it, give it to the Big H, who then reunited it with it's physical manifestation?

[Frostriese]

Well, I figured if it's really Ar(')thu(r), then any acclaim he got would be credit he earns for himself, and not "more credit he doesn't deserve", hence my thoughts. However, if Arthur is presented as such a bastard before already... then that fits very well together. Hm. Well, then he better flip into that negative damn quickly now! I already was kinda annoyed at the mere rebellion itself, I find it too black-and-white

[raggedhalo]

Doesn't Karl-Heinz Zessler/Hessler (from Prime Runners and Black Madonna) have some kind of Merlin thing going on too?

[Fortinbras]

Well, I figured if it's really Ar(')thu(r), then any acclaim he got would be credit he earns for himself, and not "more credit he doesn't deserve", hence my thoughts. However, if Arthur is presented as such a bastard before already... then that fits very well together. Hm. Well, then he better flip into that negative damn quickly now! I already was kinda annoyed at the mere rebellion itself, I find it too black-and-white

Most of the folks Arthur pissed off were Christian monks and it was most likely because he taxed them. When Arthur returned, if indeed the Pendragon is Arthur, he expelled the Saxon ruler, the LPO, and it's Church, the NDM. It is once he has power that people start to get pissed off. I expect that's coming, with the Pendragon increasing Royal power and subjugating Parliament on a Richelieu scale.

Can't wait until I see who Queen Caroline cheats on him with.

[MK Ultra]

Before the whole Pendragon thing, I always thought Harlequin was Arthur and Ehran was Merlin, now I´m mor leaning towards Pendragon=Arthur (or an imposter - maybe s.o. possessed by Arthurs spirit), Harlequin=Lancelot, Ehran=Merlin.

Harlequin making out with Gwiny makes a lot more sense, then marrying her, too

The Red Dragon from arthurian legend is Rhonabwhy, of course (the white one on the banner of Uther´s adversary -fuzzy memory- would be Celedyr, then).

I guess I have to read carefully through Harlequin´s Back after all - sitting on my bookshelf for maybe 10 years now, but I never got to play it and only gave it a quick brush over...

[Angelone]

It really depends on whose version of the legends you use. Lancelot wasn't in the original tales. He is in Harlequin's Back though, so maybe.

[Frostriese]

The White Dragon in Shadowrun is the Sea Dragon, at least according to the Rhonabwy entry in Dragons of the Sixth World. Which makes sense, as the Sea Dragon is tied to Rhonabwy while Celedyr is, err, not.

[CanRay]

It really depends on whose version of the legends you use. Lancelot wasn't in the original tales. He is in Harlequin's Back though, so maybe.

I bet he was Don Juan, too.