- "My name is Merle Ambrose. I am the headmaster of the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts."
- ―Merle Ambrose introducing himself to the Wizard[src]
Merle Ambrose OSR is the Headmaster of Ravenwood School of Magical Arts, the school of magic for Wizard City and the most prominent in the entire Spiral. He co-founded both the school and city alongside with his great and ancient friend, the Grandfather Tree Bartleby. Ambrose was also the co-founder of the Order of the Silver Rose alongside King Artorius of Avalon, Ambrose's homeworld, and he later became the ambassador for Wizard City in the Council of Light.
Ambrose is a wise and powerful wizard, regarded by many as possibly the greatest in the entire Spiral. He is advanced in all types of magic, except for Shadow. Usually accompanied by his friend Gamma, Ambrose used his influence to better the lives of people in the Spiral.
With his protégé and famed savior of the Spiral known as the Wizard, Ambrose helped to defeat many evils throughout the Spiral, including powerful dark wizards and entities among the likes of Malistaire, Morganthe, and Grandfather Spider.[1]
Biography
Early life
Merle Ambrose at a young age.
Merle Ambrose was born on September 5th in the world of Avalon. He grew up there, and as a young boy he met his lifelong pet and best friend, Gamma the Owl. At a young age, Merle began to show signs of magical qualities, but because magic was looked down upon in Avalon he kept his magical abilities hidden. He eventually came across the Weirwood, a magical forest of Elves, Fairies, Froudlings, and other magical creatures. These creatures taught Merle how to use his magical abilities, and Ambrose eventually became a Master Wizard.
Foundation of Wizard City
One day, Ambrose came across Bartleby while travelling through the Spiral. Together, they decided found Wizard City and Ravenwood School of Magical Arts as a way for young children from across the Spiral to learn magic.
Soon after, Ambrose went on a journey across the Spiral once again, to find the best instructors for his new school. He found himself in Karamelle, an island world in the Candied Isles, when he was captured and jailed by the Brothers Bonbon. The young wizard Lydia Greyrose stumbled across the situation and saved him, thus beginning a lifelong friendship. Greyrose joined Ambrose on his quest to find other Magic Professors, and together they traveled to many worlds. Some of these worlds included Darkmoor, where he and Lydia taunted the Night Hags, and another was Azteca, where they saved a young Krok named Memphis from Spike Horns. Lydia Greyrose was the first instructor hired by Ambrose; she became the Professor of Ravenwood's School of Ice. Memphis would later become the first Professor of Ravenwood's School of Fire. [2]
Stopping Malistaire Drake
Death of Sylvia Drake
Unexpectedly, the Life Professor at Ravenwood, Sylvia Drake, came down with a severe cold. Attempts were made to cure her of her illness, but nothing worked.[3] Her husband and School of Death professor Malistaire Drake became enraged. He went on a rampage that began with the sinking of the School of Death, which he threw into Nightside. Malistaire began to find a way that he could bring his beloved Sylvia back, and cast aside any that he thought would try to stop him. This led Malistaire on a quest to find the Order of the Fang and gain access to the Krokonomicon, a magical book with properties of Life and Death which he would use to revive his dead wife.
To fill in the void left by Sylvia's death so that classes at the School of Life could continue, Ambrose sent a heartfelt request to Emperor Yoshihito of MooShu asking him if he would part with Moolinda Wu, his greatest pupil, to become the new Life Professor. He agreed, but Moolinda was hesitant on leaving her familiar life. Eventually she agreed to take the position, after conferring with her father, Frookwan Wu.[4]
Finding the Wizard
- "A-ha! The Spell is working! Look, Gamma! Finally, we have found one!"
"Whoooo?!"
"A young Wizard! A student with amazing potential... enough, perhaps, to save Wizard City!"
"Oh really? Where?"
"A very, very distant realm...My goodness! On a world that does not even believe in magic! I wonder what manner of Wizard they might become." - ―Merle Ambrose and Gamma[src]
Fearing Malistaire's immense power unchecked, Ambrose alongside his pet Gamma began to search for someone who could match or even surpass his power and save the Spiral. They cast a summoning spell into the universe, and with this found the individual who would later be known as the the Wizard, a child from Earth who had never heard of magic before, yet possessed extraordinary power.[1] Ambrose and Gamma brought the child to Ambrose's tower in the Commons in Wizard City, and the two of them consulted the Book of Secrets to find out what type of Wizard they were. After some further questioning, the Wizard was brought to Wizard City.
In Golem Court, Merle Ambrose and Gamma met the Wizard in person, and the two of them introduced themselves. They told the Wizard a little about Ravenwood and what it meant to be a wizard, but these talks were short cut as the earth shook and a thunderstorm began overhead. Ambrose remarked about how odd this was, and he head into Golem Tower to investigate the matter, asking for the Wizard to go along with him. They were apprehensive, but Gamma affirmed them that they would be safe with the Headmaster.
Confrontation in Golem Tower
- "Who's there...? Malistaire!!!"
"Ambrose."
You are no longer welcome here. Why have you returned?"
"I'm here to resolve our unfinished business! Is this your latest student? My henchmen will see to your little friend!" - ―Merle Ambrose and Malistaire Drake[src]
Inside Golem Tower, Ambrose came across Malistaire Drake, who had detected the arrival of Ambrose's savior and attacked Golem Tower with two of his Draconian henchmen. Ambrose defended the new student, and used the duel that ensued between the Draconians and the Wizard as a way to introduce them to magic. Malistaire eventually fled the scene.[5]
Undead invasion of Wizard City
- "Welcome to Ravenwood Academy, young Wizard. Normally, this is where you'd be enrolled and sent to your classes. But times are not normal. There's some kind of supernatural incursion in Unicorn Way that must be dealt with immediately. I wonder... You've demonstrated such potential, I think practical experience will serve you better than lectures. Care to put your talents to the test?"
- ―Merle Ambrose to the Wizard[src]
Not long after, but before they could enrolled, Ambrose had the Wizard go straight to Unicorn Way because of a supernatural incursion that had just begun to take place. Ambrose figured that since they had already shown their potential in Golem Tower, practical experience would serve them better than lectures. The Wizard ultimately saved Unicorn Way from the attack, which had been orchestrated by the Underworld tyrant Rattlebones.[6]
The Undead invasion continued in the Three Streets, and Merle sent the Wizard to speak with Sergeant Muldoon of the Wizard City Guard so that they could help.[7] The Wizard managed to save the Three Streets, and in the process they and Ambrose were able to figure out that the attacks were related, and that they were possibly a distraction to prevent the Headmaster from finding out Malistaire's real plans.[8] To find out more, Merle needed access to Library Archives in the Wizard City Library, but the Tower Key was locked in Sapphyra's Tower, which had since been haunted by Foulgaze. The Wizard defeated Foulgaze,[9] and so the Tower Key was recovered.
Doing research in the Library Archives, Ambrose discovered that the invasions on Wizard City were being led by Lord Nightshade, who was working for Malistaire. It was also learned that Lord Nightshade was holding books that had been stolen from the Library by Malistaire, and that they were being kept in Stormdrain Tower in the Haunted Cave off of Triton Avenue. Following Nightshade's defeat, a journal and a Skeleton Key were found.[10] The journal told of a hidden door behind the waterfall at Rainbow Bridge in the Commons, and Ambrose became concerned that whatever was behind this door in Nightside would be sinister in nature. However, it turned out to just be the location of the School of Death after it was thrown out from the main Ravenwood campus by Malistaire in his anger. Ambrose told the Wizard to keep the location of the Death School a secret, but revealed to them that he had learned of some more intriguing details in the journal. Merle now knew that Malistaire had traveled to Krokotopia in search of the Order of the Fang.[11]
Search for the Krokonomicon
- "Young Wizard, you must use what you have learned here at Ravenwood and travel to Krokotopia. I need for you to locate this "Order of the Fang." Malistaire is looking for a book they have. He must not find it!"
- ―Merle Ambrose to the Wizard.[src]
Not wanting Malistaire to find the Krokonomicon in fear of what he would do with it, Ambrose gave the Wizard the Spiral Keys to Wizard City and Krokotopia and tasked them with traveling to Krokotopia to locate the Order of the Fang and collect the book before Malistaire could. There the Wizard quickly discovered that Malistaire had already come to Krokotopia, and that the Tuts had reawakened from their Great Sleep and re-enslaved the Manders.[12] They were successful in their mission to reunite the Order of the Fang, and with their help ultimately were able to defeat Krokopatra, crippling the Tut army and freeing the Manders. However, the Krokonomicon was revealed by Krokopatra to have been sealed inside the Sarcophagus of the Souls,[13] which had been sent to the Royal Museum in Marleybone City. The Wizard was sent by Sergeant Major Talbot to Marleybone City, to continue the search for the Krokonomicon.[14]
In Marleybone City, the Wizard confirmed that the Sarcophagus of the Souls containing the Krokonomicon was indeed in the custody of the Royal Museum under curator Clancy Pembroke, where it was being processed for display.[15] Pembroke would not let the Wizard see the Sarcophagus, even though it contained the Krokonomicon that Malistaire Drake desperately wanted.[16] Pembroke told the Wizard to talk to Mayor Pimsbury for him to possibly make an exception, but even the Mayor would not budge, as he felt the gang uprising in the city needed to be addressed first, also assuring the Wizard that the safest place for the book was the museum, as it was protected from most forms of magic. Working with detective Sherlock Bones who was himself working with the Scotland Yard,[17] the Wizard helped with the problems with the O'Leary gang, who were being aided by Malistaire with the summoning of Undead, in order to free Meowiarty from his cell in Newgate Prison.[18] As the police attempted to find Meowiarty, the Wizard was sent to help with the case of Doctor Xavier Xandros[19] AKA "Jacques the Scratcher,"[20] whose true identity was revealed and the case was solved, with him ultimately being put in police custody.[21] During this case, detectives of Scotland Yard uncovered that the Clockworks that had also been invading the city were created by Doctor Von Katzenstein, to protect Meowiarty. After Doctor Von Katzenstein was defeated his assistant Grunk confirmed this to be true, and built a Clockwork that wanted to leave to his "Master" in Big Ben, where Meowiarty resided.[22] It was then learned that Meowiarty and the O'Learys had broken into the Royal Museum and stolen the Krokonomicon from the Sarcophagus of the Souls, this being the reason for being holed up in Big Ben.[23][24] The Wizard battled their way up Big Ben, and at the top engaged in a duel with Meowiarty who was accompanied by Malistaire, who took the Krokonomicon with him to Dragonspyre.[25]
Saving the Emperor
- "Malistaire has the Krokonomicon and said he was going to Dragonspyre? Hm... This could be trouble. If Malistaire is headed to Dragonspyre, he'll need the Spiral Key and only the Emperor of MooShu has it."
- ―Merle Ambrose to the Wizard, after receiving news from Marleybone.[src]
The Wizard took the news of what transpired in Marleybone City back to Merle Ambrose in Wizard City, and Ambrose reacted to the news of Malistaire having the Krokonomicon and going to Dragonspyre that it could be trouble.[26] However, to get to Dragonspyre Malistaire would need the Spiral Key, and only Emperor Yoshihito had it. Ambrose gave the Wizard the Spiral Key to MooShu, and told them to use it to travel to the world and warn the Emperor not to let the Spiral Key to Dragonspyre out of his sight, as the fate of all the Spiral was at stake.[27]
In MooShu, the Wizard learned that Malistaire had already paid the Emperor a visit, and despite the efforts of the Jade Champion to protect him, the Emperor was wounded by Malistaire, and the necromancer fled to Dragonspyre using the Emperor's Spiral Key, but he left it behind. With the Emperor out of commission, dark forces sprung up all over MooShu, including the Plague Oni, War Oni, and Death Oni. A war also broke out between the Imperial forces and the forces of Warlord Katsumori, after the Warlord stole the Emperor's sword. The Wizard helped end this war, coming across and defeating the War Oni in the process. The Plague Oni, who had tainted the healing waters of MooShu, was also dealt with as was the Death Oni, who had tainted the Tree of Life. Using the Emperor's sword, the healing waters and the Fruit of Life from the Tree of Life, the Emperor would presumably be healed, but upon entering the Jade Palace the Jade Oni was discovered to have possessed the Emperor, but the Oni was quickly defeated. The Emperor returned to his former self and was cured.[28] The Spiral Key was given to them, and the Emperor told them to head back to Wizard City and tell Ambrose that the Key was in their possession.
- "Emperor Yoshihito did what he could. It's too bad he couldn't stop Malistaire, but at least we have the Spiral Key now."
- ―Merle Ambrose after hearing of what transpired in MooShu.[src]
In Wizard City, Ambrose was told by the Wizard of what had happened in MooShu, and he shared empathy for Yoshihito and that he couldn't stop Malistaire from taking the Spiral Key and using it to go to Dragonspyre, and shared optimism for at least having the Key.[29]
Trouble in Dragonspyre
- "Go seek Professor Drake at the Myth School. He had an... odd relationship with Malistaire. He may be willing to part with some advice on how to stop him."
- ―Merle Ambrose to the Wizard.[src]
Ambrose told the Wizard to speak with Cyrus Drake, Malistaire's brother and the Myth Professor, for advice on how to stop him. This led to a confrontation with Cyrus in the Myth Tower, as he needed to know if they had any chance of surviving against his brother. The Wizard impressed him, and so Cyrus agreed to accompany the Wizard in Dragonspyre as he felt they would need his help to defeat him. In the world itself, Cyrus directed them at the beginning but could not continue, as he felt that going any further would alert Malistaire of his presence. The plan to stop Malistaire culminated in a battle in the Great Spyre, where Malistaire was killed by the Wizard in a duel, and peace returned to the Spiral, with Sylvia Drake's spirit set free.
- "Bravo, bravo, young Wizard! Because you stopped Malistaire, you've saved every world upon the Spiral. I remember when you first enrolled at Ravenwood. I thought I saw something special in you."
- ―Merle Ambrose to the Wizard.[src]
In the Great Spyre, Cyrus opened a portal back to Ambrose's office, where he and the Wizard both traveled through. Ambrose was ecstatic at the news of Malistaire's defeat, and reminisced on when his student first enrolled, and how he knew he saw something special in them. Cyrus apologized for the actions of his brother, but assured that he did his best to set things right. He also said that he should have trusted Ambrose's instincts about the Wizard, and that although their career was off to a rough start, they had grown into a "remarkable student." Ambrose agreed, and suggested heading back to classes as he was certain everyone could need a break from adventure.[30]
Terror of Morganthe
Grand Celestian Expedition
- "Exciting news... exciting news indeed! Professor Balestrom's efforts to enter the door to Celestia have met with success! Balestrom has repaired Celestia's Spiral Key. Now, we can go to that strange, star-lost world and learn of its fate!"
- ―Merle Ambrose[src]
One day, the Resonating Omni Audio-Graph built by Halston Balestrom to listen to storm energy across the Spiral began to convey a garbled message from somewhere beyond. Balestrom called upon the Wizard to come help him by taking his device near Four Falls Mill on Triton Avenue, so that it could get a better reception. Once this was done, the signal was fully received by the device, and a message was shown with a "strange language" that needed to be decoded.[31] Balestrom sent the Wizard to speak to Zan'ne for some possible knowledge on the language, but Zan'ne did not have the skill to translate it, and sent them to Alhazred. The Balance Professor stated that he knew the language and could translate it if he had his Stone of Mazzaroth, but it had been stolen. Alhazred found out through magic that the Krok named Typhon Dustwind had been connected to the theft, and it was later discovered by confronting Dustwind that a Shadow Weaver had been pulling the strings, and one piece of the Stone of Mazzaroth was found.[32] The other two were held by Zarichi Tarakata at the Village of Sorrow in MooShu's Imperial City, and Vesna Shadowscar in Dragonspyre's Crucible. Once the Stone was put back together by Shadowscar, the message was finally translated, where it was learned that it was a distress call from Thurston Plunkett, requesting assistance on Celestia on behalf of the Spiral Geographic Society. The SGS had been attacked by the Crustaceans, and Plunkett warned of the Umbra Queen's return.[33] To save Plunkett and the SGS, the Wizard needed to find the Spiral Key to Celestia, and so they were sent by Balestrom to the Royal Museum in Marleybone City to speak with Walter Chaplin. Through Chaplin, it was learned the Spiral Key was placed in the Spiral Geographic Society archives clock tower in Regent's Square, but that it had been overrun by "ruffians, thugs, and monsters." Fighting through the tower, the Wizard found the Spiral Key at last, but it had been blackened and split in two. Back in Ravenwood, Balestrom reassured the Wizard of their accomplishment and told them he could fix the Spiral Key, but that it would take time, and that he would summon them when it was finally fixed.[34] Not long after, Ambrose summoned the Wizard to his office and informed them that Balestrom's efforts to enter the Spiral Door to Celestia had been succesful, and that he had fixed the Spiral Key. Ambrose gave them the Key, and told them to help the Spiral Geographic Society out.[35]
Zafaria
To be added'
Avalon
To be added
Azteca
To be added
Khrysalis
To be added
Return of Grandfather Spider
The Wizard's graduation
To be added
Relationships
Family
- Merle Ambrose's mother
- Merle Ambrose's father
Allies
- Ravenwood School of Magical Arts
- The Wizard - Protégé
- Dalia Falmea
- Cyrus Drake
- Moolinda Wu
- Halston Balestrom
- Arthur Wethersfield
- Malorn Ashthorn
- Harold Argleston - Librarian
- Bartleby
- Council of Light
Trivia
- Merle Ambrose is voiced by Nigel Lambert.
- The name Merle Ambrose is derived from "Merlin Ambrosius", which was the original name of the character in Arthurian legend that is now mostly known as simply "Merlin".
- In the original script of Wizard101, Merle Ambrose was the professor of the School of Ice, with Lydia Greyrose as the headmaster of Ravenwood School of Magical Arts, who was then a human. After KingsIsle did some focus testing, Ambrose proved to be the more popular character, and so their roles were switched, and Greyrose became a faerie.
- "Ambrose" is one of the playable Realms in Wizard101.
Appearances
Wizard101 (First appearance)- Ravenwood Roll Call: Professor Greyrose
- Ravenwood Roll Call: Cyrus Drake
- Ravenwood Roll Call: Moolinda Wu
- Ravenwood Roll Call: Dalia Falmea
- Ravenwood Roll Call: Alhazred
- Ravenwood Roll Call: Halston Balestrom
- Gamma Plans the Party
- Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story
Gallery
Sources
- Welcome to Zafaria on the KingsIsle Entertainment YouTube channel (December 8, 2011)
Notes and references
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