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Achren
Angharad
Annuvin
Arawn Death-Lord
Avren
Achren. A sorceress living in Spiral Castle who has Gwydion and Taran captured. She once ruled Prydain, but she taught Arawn Death-Lord her secrets, and he used them against her to take her place of power. Now, vengeance against Arawn drives her. She claims to be Eilonwy's aunt, but as Eilonwy says, "Sometimes I don't think she's really my aunt at all" [p. 70].
The idea for this character comes from a book called Myvyrian Archaiology, which briefly mentioned a woman named Achren in a battle [3]. She was also told of in "The Battle of the Trees" from Lady Charlotte Guest's notes to The Mabinogion, where if her name were kept secret from her enemies, her allies could not be defeated [8].
Angharad. The mother of Eilonwy and a princess of Llyr. She married against the wishes of her mother, Regat, the queen. She carried the golden bauble that she gave to Eilonwy before Achren stole her away.
In the story "Peredur Son of Evrawg" in The Mabinogion, Angharad Golden Hand was a woman favored by Peredur at King Arthur's court. He professed his love, but she refused him. Peredur promised to "speak no word to any Christian until you confess that you love me best of men" [7, p. 236]. He traveled for some time and met again with some of Arthur's knights, to whom he wouldn't speak because of his vow. They didn't recognize him. He defeated a few of them, and Angharad said she loved him whether he could speak or not. Peredur said he would love her as well, and they realized it was Peredur who spoke.
Annuvin. The Land of Death where Arawn rules. In Prydain, Annuvin is a physical region that can be reached by anyone. It contains the secrets and treasures that Arawn stole from the people of Prydain.
In Welsh myth, Annwvyn or Annwn is the Otherworld, "a land of hunting, feasting, health and youth" [2, p. 29]. People could get into Annwvyn only by accident or if Arawn or other citizens let them in. A rival king within Annwvyn, Havgan, was killed by Pwyll at Arawn's request.
Arawn Death-Lord. The king of Annuvin who wishes to rule all of Prydain. Gwydion and the other Sons of Don are the only thing that keeps him from conquering all of Prydain's people. He has the ability to change his appearance and shape, which comes from the Welsh tales. Throughout the Chronicles of Prydain, Arawn tries one plot after another to overthrow the Sons of Don and take over Prydain.
Arawn of The Mabinogion was actually a generous king. When King Pwyll of Dyfed chased off Arawn's hounds and himself took the stag they chased, Arawn arranged a deal that would make things even. He and Pwyll switched places, and Arawn used his magic to make them look like each other. Pwyll would have to kill Havgan, a rival king who fought against Arawn. For a year and a day, they ruled each other's kingdoms. Pwyll didn't touch Arawn's wife, and Arawn acted most generously to the people of Pwyll's kingdom. Pwyll slew Havgan, and then he and Arawn switched back. They found out how their kingdoms had been ruled during that year, and because of their good dealings, Arawn and Pwyll became solid friends. They gave each other horses, hunting animals, and other things.
Later, Arawn of Annwvyn gave Pwyll's son, Pryderi, a herd of pigs from the Otherworld that he had to keep until they bred twice their number.
Avren. Called Great Avren, this is a river that runs through Prydain. Taran and Gwydion cross it during their search for Hen Wen, the oracular pig. Taran loses his footing and falls into the river, and Gwydion has to drag him to shore.
The name for this river may have come from Havren, the name for a river running eastward through the middle of Wales. Arthur summoned his warriors to the mouth of the Havren to tell them he would personally battle Twrch Trwyth, a monstrous boar that had killed some of his men. A troop of his horsemen drove the boar into the river, where Arthur and his champions fought with it. Two of Arthur's men drowned.
In another story, Rhonabwy dreamed of the movements of various armies within the Havren valley.