#high king fionn

[wingedblooms]

The river to Hel

This meta builds upon theories in Peering into a pit of hell, The space between, Forbidden secrets, Flower of life, Blooming dreams, Bright as the dawn, and Heart of the night court. It includes spoilers for hofas, so please avoid if necessary.

In Heart of the night court, I wondered if there could be a doorway to Hel under/on Ramiel that is linked to Temple of Chaos (Wyrd). I’m very curious about the Pass of Enalius on Ramiel, the heart of the land, that seemed to breathe—

like the pit at the heart of Chaos’s (Wyrd’s) temple seemed to breathe.

In the stone illustrations leading to the sacred peak on the Prison island, we see a Helscape beneath the land. Is it possible that the land above mirrors the Helscape below? And could the dark water in the Bog of Oorid, which flows underground, into the sacred peak in the Middle, and into other courts—including the Night Court—be the start of the path on the black river in Hel? A River Acheron Archeron, like @offtorivendell theorized long ago?

Nesta and Bryce make similar observations of the dark waters in both places:

-

The black surface of Oorid is even compared to a mirror, just like the Temple of Chaos seems to mirror the Temple of Wyrd in Midgard. Is Oorid a reflection, near-mirror, of what lay beneath, like sister-glass?

As indicated by the mist, it is a thin place, which means the veil between worlds is thin there. The color of the water may even be from black salt. Bryce and Hunt use black salt in Avallen, combined with water, to travel to Hel in a dream.

Before the land was cursed by Fionn’s death, it was once a sacred place (like the three sister peaks). People used to lay their dead to rest in the bog.

Did its waters, like a solemn stag, once guide souls of the dead to Chaos’s (Wyrd’s) womb at Ramiel?

If this place does mirror, or bleed into, the path to Chaos’s (Wyrd’s) temple, then could the violence of Fionn’s death have defiled it?

Theia and Pelias may have violated the peace and beauty of this sacred place by ruthlessly killing the king who also seemed deeply connected to its land. It withered upon his brutal death, falling into a deep winter.

When he was drowned, Fionn was gagged and bound. What if his soul remains trapped in its watery depths, unable to make the journey home? Perhaps Elain, a lovely fawn with vibrant spring behind her, might be able to guide him to the womb of the Mother, her sacred temple, and right an ancient wrong. Could this act of peace purify the darkness of Oorid and thaw the winter gripping its soul?

[offtorivendell]

The Dusk Court - Part II, Powerful Heirlooms and the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann

Please don't screenshot and share this post without credit.

Disclaimer - this theory is simply that, a theory, which may or may not come to pass. When I’m specifying which Prythian object of power was “inspired by” each of the Tuatha de Danann’s four treasures, I’m only listing my thoughts. When I refer to "the Dusk Court," I am speaking of either the Court precursor that once existed, or its lost people. Thank you as always to @ladynightcourt3 and @wingedblooms for all of your theory chats and help, you are both so appreciated. 💜

Spoilers - all ACOTAR, CC and TOG books to date (November 2022). 

This post is a long time coming, as it began as a follow up to my The Dusk Court, the Hewn City and Hybern theory in June (I think) of 2021. The Hybern part of that theory appears to have been debunked in CC HOSAB, though I do still think that Hybern could play into everything, but the Hewn City is, in my opinion, still quite relevant (especially because there is a Lord Thanatos there, who shares a name with the Prince of the Ravine - one of the circles of Hel we learnt about in CC). Are the people of the Court of Nightmares aware of Hel's Thanatos, or is the name cultural in some way? But I digress...

Suggested reading:

The Dusk Court - Part I

Is ACOTAR's Koschei the Death God actually Fionn, the once - and, he likely hopes, future - High King of Prythian?

Theia's Secret Legacy

Powerful parallels between Bryce, Theia and the Archeron sisters

Are the Archeron sisters distantly descended from the Starborn fae of the Dusk Court? OP from @wingedblooms, with my reblog

From what Nesta Archeron saw in the unhallowed catacombs - unholy, wicked, unconsecrated; underground cemetery - of the Hewn City, we can assume that the Court of Nightmares has amassed a decent hoard of magical objects, presumably many of which made the journey with them from what would have been the Dusk Court (if that theory pans out in any way), though that may not be the case for all of them. The "half-imprisoned" objects gave me Sword in the Stone vibes - and, as I've said before, I wouldn't be surprised if Azriel himself had an Arthur freeing Excalibur moment with Truth-Teller when he found it - but I doubt that they all contain the same level of power as the Veritas, the Ouroboros, Gwydion, Narben and Truth Teller. Some seem very powerful, and possibly imbued with raw power like Made items, but not all.

Feyre frowned at her mate. “They’re different from the objects of power in the Hewn City? What can they do?” Nesta had tried her best to forget that night she and Amren had gone to test her so-called gift against the hoard within those unhallowed catacombs. The objects had been half-imprisoned in the stone itself: knives and necklaces and orbs and books, all shimmering with power. None of it pleasant. For the Dread Trove to be worse than what she’d witnessed … - Nesta, ACOSF, chapter 20 

Rhys’s eyes flicked to Ataraxia, then to Cassian. “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” Nesta could have sworn the last words were spoken with a sharp look toward Cassian. But Cassian only winked at Rhys. “What happened to the High King?” Feyre asked. Rhys ran a hand over a page of the book. “Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.” - ACOSF, chapter 55 

It is curious, though, and potentially relevant, that besides the Dread Trove objects - the Crown, Harp and Mask, and one a mystery - we have learnt of four other historically significant magical items, two of which are canonically linked to Mor’s family, who I suspect are a cadet branch of the Dusk Court's old High Family, and two weapons (three if we count Truth-Teller). Four magical objects - the Veritas, the Ouroboros, Gwydion and Narben - potentially tied to a Court who theoretically fled underground, or into hiding, millennia ago… sounds familiar, no? 

“She brought me to a room full of treasure. Strange objects. And it …” She tugged at the tight sleeve of her gown. “Some of it wanted to hurt us. As if it were alive—aware. Like … like in all those stories and lies we were fed over the wall.” - ACOWAR, chapter 27 

The Tuatha De Danann, who I mentioned briefly in Part I, The Theory as a possible inspiration for the history of the now defunct Dusk Court of Prythian, are said to have had amongst their magical objects Four Treasures, or Jewels (1, 2), when they arrived in Ireland in a great cloud of smoke (or mist) from four island cities (other stories say that they arrived in ships, and that the cloud was the result of those ships being burnt): 

The Undry - the Cauldron of Abundance, brought from Murias, the fortress of pinnacles, and was given to Dagda Mor, by the druid Seimhias. It is said that everyone leaves it satisfied, or that it contains an endless food supply, and that its waters could heal any wound - even going so far as to raise the dead, that it was a bottomless passage to the Otherworld. Dagda was a father figure/king amongst the Tuatha De, and was known for both his wisdom and magic. 

Lia Fail - the Stone of Kings, brought from Falias, the city of the sciences. It was supposedly placed in Tara, and still exists there today. Whenever a true king of Ireland sat on it, it would cry out loud beneath him. It is also known as the Coronation Stone of Tara. 

Spear of Destiny - the Spear of Lugh of the Silver Arm, brough from Goirias, the city of the faith, where “every word was a prayer.” The druid Easras is said to have warped the fates into Lugh’s spear, such that any who held it would never lose a battle, but would die if it was lost. 

Claiomh Solais - the Sword of Light, forged by Uiscias in the day-foundries of the city of Fionnias/Finias the bright, and used in battle by Nuada, the first king of the Tuatha De; it is also known as the sword of Nuada. It was described as glowing like a torch, and will slay whomever it was drawn against. It is said to have fallen into the underworld after it was used to slay the Taker of Souls, but rumours exist that a fairy queen reclaimed it, and will lend it to heroes who complete three tasks for her. 

The four objects that I suspect are linked to the Dusk Court are probably not exact replicas of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, but they could have been inspired by them and, as I will attempt to explain, contain similar properties/have been paralleled in the text. Azriel’s dagger, Truth-Teller, is likely also important, so I will discuss it here, too (though I have a more detailed post here if you're interested). 

Veritas - inspired by the Undry

There was an orb, it turned out, that had belonged to Mor’s family for millennia: the Veritas. It was rife with the truth-magic she’d claimed to possess—that many in her bloodline also bore. And the Veritas was one of their most valued and guarded talismans. - ACOMAF, chapter 41  

The Veritas is an intriguing object; a valued and guarded “talisman” - an object thought to have magical powers that can bring about good luck - of Mor’s family, that has existed for millennia, at the very least. It’s power appears to be kin to what Mor “claimed to possess,” which I suspect is more than simply being able to know or tell truths. What if the Veritas could also do more than satisfy people of the truth of a matter? 

The orb was known amongst the humans, had been wielded by them in the War, Rhys told me over a quiet dinner that night. The queens would know it. And would know it was absolute truth, not illusion or a trick, when we used it to show them—like peering into a living painting—that this city and its good people existed. - ACOMAF, chapter 41

I suspect that the Veritas is the ACOTAR version of The Undry, Dagda’s Cauldron of Abundance. As Feyre noted in ACOMAF, Rhys told her over dinner that the queens would know the Veritas, that it would be able to satisfy their desire for proof of the Night Court’s intentions for the Book of Breathings. Describing the Veritas itself as like a “ripe apple” brought food back to mind, and Feyre’s description of the cloud that came from the Veritas as leaking from the orb, swirling, roiling and drifting across the carpet, is using imagery that brings to mind both the water that would be inside any cauldron, including the Undry, as well as the Cauldron of ACOTAR itself, but the Tuatha de Danann's arrival to Ireland in mythology. There are also potential water/rift associations which, if confirmed, could parallel the Book of Breathings being thrown into Prythian's Cauldron and ending up in Midgard, with Bryce.

The obvious water and cauldron based adjectives also reminded me of when Elain was washed from the Cauldron, in chapter 65 of ACOMAF, “as if she’d been thrown by a wave.” The Veritas is also frequently described as an orb - a spherical body, a globe - which could be a reference to the Cauldron of ACOTAR, which is tied to the life of their world. 

Mor opened the lid of the black box. The silver orb inside glimmered like a star under glass. “This is the Veritas,” Mor said in a voice that was young and old. “The gift of my first ancestor to our bloodline. Only a few times in the history of Prythian have we used it—have we unleashed its truth upon the world.” She lifted the orb from its velvet nest. It was no larger than a ripe apple, and fit within her cupped palms as if her entire body, her entire being, had been molded for it. “Truth is deadly. Truth is freedom. Truth can break and mend and bind. The Veritas holds in it the truth of the world. I am the Morrigan,” she said, her eyes not wholly of this earth. The hair on my arms rose. “You know I speak truth.” She set the Veritas onto the carpet between us. Both queens leaned in. But it was Rhys who said, “You desire proof of our goodness, our intentions, so that you may trust the Book in our hands?” The Veritas began pulsing, a web of light spreading with each throb. … Mor stretched out a hand, and a pale cloud swirled from the orb, merging with its light as it drifted past our ankles. The queens flinched, the guards edging forward with hands on their weapons. But the clouds continued roiling as the truth of it, of Velaris, leaked from the orb, from whatever it dragged up from Mor, from Rhys. From the truth of the world. - ACOMAF, chapter 57 

The Veritas was then further paralleled with the Undry at the Inner Circle’s meeting with the queens, as Mor mentioned that it had been given to her bloodline - the Morrigan of Irish mythology was married to Dagda - and that Truth can “break and mend and bind,” which sounds like a nod to the Undry’s ability to heal any wound, not to mention the possibilities for the Veritas future use. Thinking further along this track, could the Veritas “break and mend and bind” a mating bond, if the right person were to wield it? Healing any wound could also, possibly, play a role with the crossover going forward; can the Veritas somehow access the same space between as the Cauldron, or a pocket realm of sorts? Could it play a role in breaking apart the rifts, sealing out the Asteri/any other enemies like the Valg, and then mend and bind the populations of the Dusk Court and other involved fae worlds? 

Ouroboros - inspired by the Lia Fail   

“My sister had a collection of mirrors in her black castle,” the Carver said. We halted once more. “She admired herself day and night in those mirrors, gloating over her youth and beauty. There was one mirror -- the Ouroboros, she called it. It was old, even when we were young. A window to the world. All could be seen, all could be told through its dark surface. Keir possesses it -- an heirloom of his household. Bring it to me. That is my price. The Ouroboros, and I am yours to wield. If you can find a way to free me.” A hateful smile. - ACOWAR, chapter 24 

The Ouroboros in our real world is an ancient symbol that depicts a serpent swallowing its own tail, which signifies “the mystery of cyclical time, which flows back into itself,” and is an emblem of wholeness, or infinity. This is likely significant, as cyclical time, which focuses on the idea of “renewal, repetition, and regeneration,” appears to be a common theme amongst SJM’s works.

I won’t mention her use of cyclical time in Throne of Glass, as that would contain too many spoilers (and take up too much time), but it is also rife both in A Court of Thorns and Roses itself, and between CC, TOG and ACOTAR, in the many parallels that we have all noted between characters as individuals, and their relationships. One clear example of this - and please note that I am not suggesting that Lucien is anything like Beron in either his personality or behaviour, just that Lucien's position in his respective "love triangle" appears to be the same - is the parallel between the relationships of Azriel, Elain and Lucien Vanserra, and Helion, the Lady of Autumn, and Beron Vanserra. As we saw in TOG, the “repeated” event tends to resolve itself successfully, so I suspect that (though of course I could be wrong), in this instance, Beron and Lucien are foils for each other, used to highlight how terrible Beron is, and that Lucien will not - would not - go down the same path. 

The Ouroboros that we know from ACOTAR is also known as the “the Mirror of Beginnings and Endings, which definitely sounds like it has taken inspiration from the ancient Ouroboros of our own world, yet I believe that, in the context of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, it may represent the Lia Fail - the Stone of Kings. This is potentially more of an abstract parallel than that of the any of the other pairings, but please bear with me, and I think (and hope) it will make sense. 

The Ouroboros in ACOTAR might show you your true self, warts and all - perhaps even your "fanged beast" - but it is constantly written in terms of mastery, worthiness, and servitude, which are three themes that are strongly associated with kings… and High Lords. The Bone Carver even called Feyre and Rhys “majesties” when they went to speak to him about the Ouroboros (a possible nod to any future high king plot, perhaps). 

“Feyre and Cassian spoke to the Bone Carver. He wants the Ouroboros in exchange for serving us—fighting Hybern for us. - ACOWAR, chapter 27 

I could not find an account of anyone who had mastered it. Faced what lurked within and walked away with the mirror in their possession. - ACOWAR, chapter 29 

“Pick something else,” I replied. And not a fool’s errand this time. “What would you give me? Riches do me no good down here. Power holds no sway over the stone.” … “It is rude, Majesties, to speak when no one can hear you.” - ACOWAR, chapter 40 

Rage—blistering rage started to fill in the holes left by what I’d beheld in that mirror. “You wanted to see if I was worthy?” - ACOWAR, chapter 68.

Feyre looked into and mastered the mirror to prove herself worthy of the Bone Carver’s service in the war against Hybern in ACOWAR, the imagery of which is a metaphor for the Lia Fail declaring whether the person who sits on top of it as being worthy of a kingdom and its rule. 

The last we saw of the Ouroboros, Feyre gave it to the Carver in his cell at the Prison. Is it still there? Could it be the reason why Elain - and likely Azriel - will visit the Prison in the book that they will likely share? If "power holds no sway over the stone," was the Ouroboros a chess piece that needed to be moved to the Prison to facilitate future events, and the Bone Carver knew this? How? Regardless, given both Feyre and Rhys, as well as Nesta and Cassian, journeyed there together, it seems safe to assume that Elain and her love interest will do the same. 

Whether or not the Ouroboros is still in the Carver’s cell in the Prison, I believe it will play a part in Elain’s - and potentially Azriel’s - story. If you look carefully, the mirror has consistently been written in terms and themes that we associate with Elain, Az, and both of them combined. Feyre thought, in chapter 27 of ACOWAR, that Elain “might very well have gone mad” when she was Seeing things after her transformation, and Rhys noted in chapter 7 of ACOFAS that the “lightless, airless prison” in which Azriel spent his childhood was meant to “break him.” Lucien even told Feyre he wanted to see if Elain was "worth" fighting for.

Furthermore, beginnings are representative of the rebirth of Spring, and Endings with Death - both themes that many associate with Elain and Azriel, respectively. In chapters 67 and 68 of ACOWAR, the Mirror is extensively linked to moonlight and winter - again, possibly metaphors for Elain and Azriel… and maybe the Mother and Koschei/Void related beings? I realise that Nesta also has associations with moonlight, however I think Elain shares some of this imagery: she smells like jasmine and honey, and jasmine is the first scent Feyre smelt when she arrives at the moonstone palace above the Court of Nightmares, where the Ouroboros was once kept; additionally, Mor was admiring a moonstone necklace when she and Feyre were discussing Elain, Azriel and Truth-Teller in ACOFAS (I'll come back to the Truth-Teller scene below).  

Keir rose to his feet, smirking like a cat with a canary in its mouth. “To take the Ouroboros, to claim it, you must first look into it.” He headed for the doors, not waiting to be dismissed. “And everyone who has attempted to do so has either gone mad or been broken beyond repair. Even a High Lord or two, if legend is true.” A shrug. “So it is yours, if you dare to face it.” Keir paused at the threshold as the doors opened on a phantom wind. - ACOWAR, chapter 26 

But as for the Carver … “He wanted a—gift. In exchange. The Ouroboros.” The Suriel let out a sound that might have been a gasp—delight or horror, I did not know. “The Mirror of Beginnings and Endings.” “Yes—but … I cannot retrieve it.” “You are afraid to look. To see what is within.” “Will it drive me—mad? Break me?” - ACOWAR, chapter 58 

I did not expect the snow. Or the moonlight. The chamber must have lain beneath the palace of moonstone—shafts in the rough rock leading outside, welcoming in snowdrifts and moonlight. […] And there, against the far wall of the chamber, snow crusting its surface, its bronze casing … The Ouroboros. - ACOWAR, chapter 68  

The Clever Crow, on Instagram, has suggested that Elain could potentially scry from the Carver’s Prison cell, with the bones present - such as that of the midengard worm - and the stone in of the Prison acting in place of the bones and stones that Nesta used before, which would be a fascinating twist and a possible way for her to boost her Sight.

Alternatively, Elain demonstrated in ACOWAR that she could simply use a mental image, a map and her Sight (or some similar/related power) to locate things and beings at will. Will Elain - or, less likely - Azriel, or both of them together, use the Ouroboros to scry, attempt to See - to spy on? - a place or point in time or space, or even go somewhere? Possibly using the orrery as her star map for long distances, as @wingedblooms and I have wondered? It screams of witch mirrors. This link is suggested by following line from Feyre’s POV, when she blinked after she had mastered the Mirror, which sounds suspiciously like Elain coming out of a Vision.  

“That is none of your concern.” For the mirror … it had shown me. So many things. I did not know how long had passed. Time—it had been different inside the mirror. […] I blinked slowly. - ACOWAR, chapter 68. 

Given the multiple associations of Elain with the moon (not as many as Nesta, I know, but imo they do exist), Sight, rebirth, shadows and light, I suspect that the following two quotes could be suggesting that Elain will use the Ouroboros, with the full moon that the figurine of the - assumed - Mother is holding being a metaphor for Elain holding the Mirror, while the snake devouring its tail sounds like it's half-hiding itself, as the shadows hid Elain's rose.

The Ouroboros. It was a massive, round disc—as tall as I was. Taller. And the metal around it had been fashioned after a massive serpent, the mirror held within its coils as it devoured its own tail. Ending and beginning. - ACOWAR, chapter 68

Her gaze shifted to the carved wooden rose she’d placed upon the mantel, half-hidden in the shadows beside a figurine of a supple-bodied female, her upraised arms clasping a full moon between them. Some sort of primal goddess—perhaps even the Mother herself. - ACOSF, chapter 56   

And finally, coming back to the Truth-Teller scene from chapter 69 of ACOWAR, the imagery in the final quote appears to invoke Azriel passing his legendary blade off to Elain: "Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade. I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection … that knife." I'll elaborate on this further when I discuss Gwydion, but I think this could possibly be SJM hinting at Truth-Teller being the moon, which represents the Mother (and I wouldn't be surprised if that was Theia, or someone from whom Theia was descended).

Narben - inspired by the Spear of Lugh 

@merymoonbeam recently posted a theory that touched on the Spear of Lugh and Sword of Light, and my interpretation of the final two members of the Tuatha de Danann's four jewels matches hers (please read her amazing theory here). 

We don't know a whole lot about the blade called Narben, which means "scar" in German, but we do know that it is older than Gwydion - which the ending of CC HOSAB revealed to us as Bryce and Ruhn's Starsword - and has powers "far darker." No holy, saviour's light to be seen there, or so they say.

Rhys murmured, “I have never seen anything like this.” His magic set the three blades to rotating, allowing them to observe every facet. Az’s face was still slack with awe. “Amarantha destroyed one,” Amren said. Cassian started. “I never heard that.” Amren amended, “Rumor claimed she dumped one into the sea. It would not come to Amarantha’s hand, nor the hands of any of her commanders, and rather than let the King of Hybern attain it, she disposed of it.” Azriel asked, “Which sword?” “Narben.” Amren’s red lips quirked downward. “At least that’s what rumor said. You were Under the Mountain then, Rhys. She would have kept it secret. I only heard from a fleeing water-nymph that it had been done.” “Narben was even older than Gwydion,” Rhys said. “Where the hell was it?” “I don’t know, but she found it, and when it would not bend to her, she destroyed it. As she did all good things.” It was as much as Amren would say about that terrible time. “It was perhaps in our favor. Had the King of Hybern possessed Narben, I fear we would have lost the war.” Narben’s powers had not been the holy, savior’s light of Gwydion, but ones far darker. “I can’t believe that witch threw it into the sea,” Cassian said. “Again, it was a rumor, heard from someone who heard it from someone. Who knows if she actually found Narben? Even if it would not obey her, she’d have been a fool to throw it away.” “Amarantha could be shortsighted,” Rhys said. Cassian hated the sound of her name on his brother’s tongue. From the flare of rage on Azriel’s face, so did the shadowsinger. “But you, Rhysand, are not.” Amren nodded to the still-rotating weapons. “With these three blades, you could make yourself High King.” The words clanged through the room. Cassian slowly blinked. - ACOSF, chapter 42 

A naked, golden-haired male stood before her. He was of average height, his golden skin sculpted with muscle, his sharp-boned face simmering with hate. Not a repulsive, awful creature, but one of beauty. His black eyes narrowed upon the blade as he hissed, “That is not Narben.” The name meant nothing to her. Nesta lunged, thrusting Ataraxia into eighth position. Lanthys leaped back. Cassian groaned, stirring to consciousness as she held the ground in front of her. “Which death-god are you?” Lanthys demanded, glancing between the blade and her. The silver fire sizzling in her eyes. - ACOSF, chapter 54 

Nesta considered all Lanthys had said. “And what is Narben?” “Lanthys asked about it?” “He said my sword isn’t Narben. He sounded surprised.” Rhys studied her blade. “Narben is a death-sword. It’s lost, possibly destroyed, but stories say it can slay even monsters like Lanthys.” “So can Nesta’s sword, apparently,” Feyre said, studying the blade as well. “Beheading him with it killed him,” Rhys mused. “A slice from it seemed to bind him into a physical form,” Nesta corrected. “Cassian’s dagger struck true only after Lanthys had been forced to give up his mist.” “Interesting,” Rhys murmured. - ACOSF, chapter 55 

I do still wonder if Truth-Teller, which we know from the end of CC HOSAB pulses with a dark light - could have been the blade of Narben somehow turned into a spear, as Azriel (with his many references to death) found it, Elain managed to slay the King of Hybern using it with no previous training (and that's not to belittle her defeat of Hybern, or the fact she may have managed to use great magic with no training after only a few months tops as a faerie), and Azriel might be so protective over TT not only because it's (likely) Made, and non-Made beings cannot use it, but it might also lead to his doom if lost (which, hello scary future plot point). 

That being said, Narben could still be it's own blade/spear, a third in a trio of weapons to mirror the trove that Nesta Made in ACOSF (and this is the way I lean, purely because SJM seems to love balance and cyclical events in her writings, and "three" features quite consistently). As I mentioned above, Narben contains, at least as far as we know, powers far darker than those of Gwydion. We also know that "light and dark and gray" formed part of the Book of Breathings' prophecy back in ACOMAF; could Gwydion be the light, Narben the dark, and Truth-Teller the grey? The bridge between the two? 

Additionally, Amarantha was rumoured to have found it during her reign, supposedly destroying it when it would not bend to her will; was that because Narben, like Gwydion, was Made by the Cauldron, so she could not access its powers, as a non-Made faerie? If Narben is actually a spear, did Amarantha then remove its hypothetical blade from its shaft… could Narben's shaft be the age worn bond Nesta saw when she was in her song-lured scrying? Will Elain and Azriel have to chase down both components of it to wield it at it's full power? Perhaps in Hel?

As an aside, it's interesting that the Spear of Lugh is also known as the Spear of Destiny. The fates were apparently warped into Lugh's spear, which was then brought from (and so I assume forged in) Goirias, known as the city of the faith. This, to me, sounds very much like it could apply to a blade of some sort used by a priestess, and forged in a temple. I know I have theorised about her before (and also suggested that Narben could have been Fionn and/or Koschei's blade - I never said I was consistent lol), but which priestess has a very unknown past, we've never seen her face to judge her age or features, and is associated by name with the fates/Moirai? CLOTHO.

Could Clotho/Narben have been far older than Theia/Gwydion, and with powers far darker? Theia was known for her light, and Clotho, as I've said before, was first introduced from the shadows. It's not substantiated by much, but who knows at this point. 

Gwydion - inspired by the Sword of Light

Back when I first drafted this post, in June 2021 (shh, I know, it's been almost a year and a half), we had no idea what was awaiting us at the end of CC HOSAB, but after the discovery that Gwydion is, in fact, the Starsword - which shines with light and is wielded by the heir to Theia's power - it's pretty likely that if anything was to be inspired by the Sword of Light, it would be Gwydion. 

“All three,” Cassian said. “First the sword, then the dagger, and then the great sword.” Rhys and Amren exchanged a look. Cassian demanded, “What?” [...] “Once, the High Fae were more elemental, more given to reading the stars and crafting masterpieces of art and jewelry and weaponry. Their gifts were rawer, more connected to nature, and they could imbue objects with that power.” Cassian instantly knew where this was headed. “Nesta put her power in those swords?” “No one has been able to create a magic sword in more than ten thousand years,” Amren said. “The last one Made, the great blade Gwydion, vanished around the time the last of the Trove went missing.” - ACOSF, chapter 42

Was Narben made first, then Truth-Teller, and then, finally, Gwydion? We know from CC HOSAB that Gwydion was Theia's, and belongs to her female heirs… Could Narben and Truth-Teller be the same? Whether or not Narben was Clotho's, or another female of Theia's line, it's interesting (and I know I've said this before) that Gwydion and Truth-Teller were found by two males who are heavily associated with shadows (and while we know Ruhn pulled the Starsword from a rock, I only suspect that Az might have done the same with Truth-Teller) before passing them on to a female who has a power associated with the Greek goddess Theia (Light and Sight) to be used for maximum magical effect (ie. Bryce and Elain).

Could the "true Fae High King" actually have referred to Theia all along, and "King" just meant ruler, but the language has evolved to mean male only? Did Fionn, who is possibly Koschei, co-opt Theia's power for himself and rewrite history to suit? The "true" reminds me a little too much of Dusk's Truth for me to let this idea go.

“This sword isn’t Gwydion,” Cassian said, well aware of the myths regarding the sword. It had belonged to a true Fae High King in Prythian, as there had been in Hybern. He had united the lands, its people—and for a while, with that sword, peace had reigned. Until he had been betrayed by his own queen and his fiercest general, and lost the sword to them, and the lands fell into darkness once more. Never again to see another High King—only High Lords, who ruled the territories that had once answered to the king. “Gwydion is gone,” Amren said, a shade sadly, “or has been gladly missing for millennia.” She nodded toward the great sword. “This is something new.” Azriel said, “Nesta created a new magic sword.” “Yes,” Amren said. “Only the Great Powers could do that—Gwydion was given its powers when the High Priestess Oleanna dipped it into the Cauldron during its crafting.” Cassian’s blood chilled, waves rippling over his skin. “One touch from Nesta’s magic while the blade was still hot …” “And the blade was infused with it.” - ACOSF, chapter 42 

If you're up to date with Crescent City, then you know that Gwydion is, at that point (wherever it will play into ACOTAR's timeline), no longer missing from Prythian, and I'm excited to see what happens next, and who may wield it in a future ACOTAR book, whether that's Azriel, Elain, Mor or Feyre. At the very least, I'm excited to see if this "broken blade" type pairing (with its Riddle of Strider vibes, "renewed shall be blade that was broken") can do something special. 👀

Truth-Teller - inspired by Fragarach 

Fragarach was not one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann, however, I believe it still rates a mention in this post. Given we now know from CC HOSAB that Gwydion and Truth-Teller are paired blades, as @icedflames had theorised (light and dark light, alpha and omega), I think it's likely significant that both the Sword of Light and Fragarach were both used by Nuada, the first high king of the Tuatha de Danann. The Sword of Light was said to be used by Nuada in battle, and Fragarach - which was also known as The Answerer or the Whisperer - was Nuada's own blade, as well.

Does this mean that both Gwydion/the Starsword and Truth-Teller were Theia's own blades? Did the different properties of each, light and dark light, allow her to access different aspects of her own hypothetical powers? We know that Theia was a Starborn faerie with a very specific and powerful light, but was she also a Seer, able to access the murky space between as Elain theoretically can? And, as I keep obsessing about, could she be the Mother figure known to Prythian?

For a much more detailed look at Truth-Teller and Fragarach's parallels, and how they may have been pointing towards Elain all along, please read this post here. Essentially, though, I would not be at all surprised if Truth-Teller was able to help Elain access the murky realm, and possibly the Ouroboros, especially while she was still learning, allowing her access to her powers (posts by @wingedblooms): Sight, of which we already know, as well as others. I think and hope she can winnow, as Azriel does, at a minimum. 

At any rate, whether this theory is accurate or not, I can't wait to see where everything is going. Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this theory, please consider reblogging. 💜

[shallyne]

I kind of think Theia's and Fionn's story will have similarities with Elain's story.

I know it's not explicitly stated that Theia was Fionn's wife but it's very heavily implied

[merymoonbeam]

The Wild Hunt-Fionn-First Gods

Disclaimer: I'm not saying I'm right about all of this. Just theorizing here.

This is gonna be long post so buckle up...

Because this is a long post I’m gonna write what I’m gonna talk about in this post. Also not every myth points to one thing and not every thing we have in the books are inspired just one thing. To me it looks like sarah used different myths from different countries and connected them all together.

The Wild Hunt myths and how sarah might use them for plot for the next books and crossover

First gods are still running free in the world

Narben is actually a spear not a sword? Or fourth dread trove is a spear?

Fionn is not dead but sleeping?

Fionn is(was) the leader of wild hunt and betrayed the Daglan.

Let’s start....

The Wild Hunt

It is described like this in mythology

The Wild Hunt is a folklore motif that occurs in the folklore of various northern European cultures. Wild Hunts typically involve a chase led by a mythological figure escorted by a ghostly or supernatural group of hunters engaged in pursuit. The leader of the hunt is often a named figure associated with Odin in Germanic legends, but may variously be a historical or legendary figure like Theodoric the Great, the Danish king Valdemar Atterdag, the Welsh psychopomp Gwyn ap Nudd, biblical figures such as Herod, Cain, Gabriel, or the Devil, or an unidentified lost soul or spirit either male or female. The hunters are generally the souls of the dead or ghostly dogs, sometimes fairies, valkyries, or elves.

and this is from Acosf

“The Daglan delighted in terrorizing the Fae and humans under their control. The Wild Hunt was a way to keep all of us in line. They’d gather a host of their fiercest, most merciless warriors and grant them free rein to kill as they pleased. The Daglan possessed mighty, monstrous beasts—hounds, they called them, though they didn’t look like the hounds we know—that they used to run prey to ground before they tortured and killed them. It’s a terrible history, and much of it might be elaborated myths.” (Acosf)

I think the reason we got Valkyries plot in Acosf sarah is going to connect to wild hunt. But the whole Wild Hunt plot is not only about that.

In Acosf we met Lanthys. He is one of the First gods. (thank to @lesolehabitantdelalune for showing me this quote because without her I wouldn't catch this.)

Cassian took a bite of food. A good sign that this, at least, was acceptable territory. “When you lived in the human world, you had legends of the dread beasts and faeries who would slaughter you if they ever breached the wall, didn’t you? Things that slithered through open windows to drink the blood of children? Things that were so wicked, so cruel there was no hope against their evil?” The hair on her neck rose. “Yes.” Those stories had always unnerved and petrified her. “They were based on truth. Based on ancient, near-primordial beings who existed here before the High Fae split into courts, before the High Lords. Some call them the First Gods. They were beings with almost no physical form, but a keen, vicious intelligence. Humans and Fae alike were their prey. Most were hunted and driven into hiding or imprisonment ages ago. But some remained, lurking in forgotten corners of the land.” He swallowed another mouthful. “When I was nearing three hundred years old, one of them appeared again, crawling out of the roots of a mountain. Before he went into the Prison and confinement weakened him, Lanthys could turn into wind and rip the air from your lungs, or turn into rain and drown you on dry land; he could peel your skin from your body with a few movements. He never revealed his true form, but when I faced him, he chose to appear as swirling mist. He fathered a race of faeries that still plague us, who thrived under Amarantha’s reign—the Bogge. But the Bogge are lesser, mere shadows compared to Lanthys. If there is such a thing as evil incarnate, it is him. He has no mercy, no sense of right or wrong. There is him, and there is everyone else, and we are all his prey. His methods of killing are creative and slow. He feasts on fear and pain as much as the flesh itself.”(acosf)

So we learn quiet a few things from this quote.

Lantys is a first god.

First gods were near-primordial beings who existed before the High Fae split into courts, before the high lords.

They were beings with almost no physical form, but a keen, vicious intelligence.

But some First gods remained, lurking in forgotten corners of the land.”

These are all important.

Later we find that Lanthys was a part of the Wild Hunt.

“Oh, I do not think so,” Lanthys seethed. “I rode in the Wild Hunt before you were even a scrap of existence, witch from Oorid. I summoned the hounds and the world cowered at their baying. I galloped at the head of the Hunt, and Fae and beast bowed before us.”(acosf)

Before we dive more into to the Wild Hunt I wanna show this.

The description of the First Gods (with almost no physical form, lurking in forgotten corners of the land.”)reminded me of something. I think this is a scene as a fandom we find not important but I think it might be one of the biggest hints?

that scene happens in Acofas. In Mor's chapter.

But Mor scented nothing, saw nothing. The tendril of power she speared toward the woods revealed only the usual birds and small beasts. A hart drinking from a hole in an iced-over stream. Nothing, except—.There, between a snarl of thorns. A patch of darkness. It did not move, did not seem to do anything but linger. And watch. Familiar and yet foreign. Something in her power whispered not to touch it, not to go near it. Even from this distance. Mor obeyed. But she still watched that darkness in the thorns, as if a shadow had fallen asleep amongst them. Not like Azriel’s shadows, twining and whispering. Something different. Something that stared back, watching her in turn. Best left undisturbed. Especially with the promise of a crackling fire and glass of wine at home. “Let’s take the short route back,” she murmured to Ellia, patting her neck. The horse needed no further encouragement before launching into a gallop, turning them from the woods and its shadowy watcher. Over and between the hills they rode, until the woods were hidden in the mists behind them. What else might she see, witness, in lands where none in the Night Court had ventured for millennia?(acosf)

She sees a shadows... and what we know about the first gods? with almost no physical form.

She was in the lands where none in the Night Courth had ventured for Millennia... what we know about the first gods? lurking in forgotten corners of the land.

Did she saw a First God? Are there more like it? Why mor was the one to see it? I will talk about mor more later in the post but a little hint... it is interesting that The Morrigan is called ""great queen" or "phantom queen" in myths.

Okay back to Wild Hunt.

In Wikipedia it shows that in different countries the leader of the wild hunt is different.

I'm gonna talk about two of them in this post.

Brittany: Arthur

Ireland: Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna; Manannán—also known as The Fairy Cavalcade.

Brittany:Arthur

We are starting with Brittany:Arthur. (I added the wiki page if you want to read about more because I can't talk about everything.

I think Sarah used this legend as a part of Gwydion-TT-Narben.

Arthur was the King. I think the most popular myth about this is Excalibur and Sword in the stone(some stories say they were one and the same)

Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are not the same weapon, though in some modern incarnations they are either the same or at least share their name.

Now let's look at Gwydion.

“Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.”(acosf)

From Hosab we know that Gwydion is actually Starsword.

It was its twin. The Starsword began to hum within its sheath, glittering white light leaking from where leather met the dark hilt. The dagger—.The male dropped the dagger to the plush carpet. All of them retreated as it flared with dark light, as if in answer. Alpha and Omega. “Gwydion,” the dark-haired female whispered, indicating the Starsword.(hosab)

Other things we know about Gwydion(Starsword)

That your son, not you, retrieved the Starsword from the Cave of Princes in Avallen’s dark heart. That your son, not you, stood among the long-dead Starborn Princes asleep in their sarcophagi and was deemed worthy to pull the sword from its sheath. How many times did you try to draw the sword when you were young? How much research did you do in this very study to find ways to wield it without being chosen? (Hoeab)

like Arthur, Ruhn was the one to pull it out.

But we know that the sword actualy belongs to female heir of Theia.

“Theia was dead by that point,” Aidas said flatly. “Pelias slew her.” He nodded to the Starsword in Ruhn’s hand. “And stole her blade when he’d finished.” He snarled. “That sword belongs to Theia’s female heir. Not the male offspring who corrupted her line.”

@offtorivendell talks about this in this post if you wanna read it. Theia's secret legacy

so how this connects to Truth-Teller and Narben?

Arthur had two other weapons.

A dagger and a spear.

Other weapons have been associated with Arthur. Welsh tradition also knew of a dagger named Carnwennan and a spear named Rhongomyniad that belonged to him. Carnwennan ("little white-hilt") first appears in Culhwch and Olwen, where Arthur uses it to slice the witch Orddu in half. Rhongomyniad ("spear" + "striker, slayer") is also mentioned in Culhwch, although only in passing; it appears as simply Ron ("spear") in Geoffrey's Historia. Geoffrey also names Arthur's shield as Pridwen; in Culhwch, however, Prydwen ("fair face") is the name of Arthur's ship while his shield is named Wynebgwrthucher ("face of evening").

We know that Truth-teller and Gwydion(Starsword) are twins. Alpha and Omega. (I made a post about this. You can find it here Alphan&Omega)

Now... Narben. We know little about Narben.

“Amarantha destroyed one,” Amren said. Cassian started. “I never heard that.” Amren amended, “Rumor claimed she dumped one into the sea. It would not come to Amarantha’s hand, nor the hands of any of her commanders, and rather than let the King of Hybern attain it, she disposed of it.” Azriel asked, “Which sword?” “Narben.” (Acosf)

"Narben was even older than Gwydion,” Rhys said. “Where the hell was it?” (Acosf)

Narben’s powers had not been the holy, savior’s light of Gwydion, but ones far darker. (Acosf)

Rhys studied her blade. “Narben is a death-sword. It’s lost, possibly destroyed, but stories say it can slay even monsters like Lanthys.” (Acosf)

These are all the things we know. It is a little bit sketchy that Sarah had given us so little information about it.

Also it looks like she is using Arthur's weapons as an inspo for Gwydion and Truth-teller...which one is missing? A spear. So that makes me question if Narben is not a sword but a spear? Or the Fourth dread trove is a spear? 👀

now...we are done with Brittany:arthur as the leader of the wild hunt. this other part is more in depth with the where I think the story is going.

second leader of the wild hunt we are going to talk about :

Ireland: Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna

Ireland: Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna; Manannán—also known as The Fairy Cavalcade.

Fionn mac Cumhaill , often anglicized Finn McCool or MacCool, is a hero in Irish mythology, as well as in later Scottish and Manx folklore. He is leader of the Fianna bands of young roving hunter-warriors, as well as being a seer and poet.

He was a seer...So is Elain. 👀👀

He is often depicted hunting with his hounds Bran and Sceólang("raven" and "survivor”), and fighting with his spear and sword. 

in this it is mentioned that he hunts with his hounds. and has a spear? another spear mentioning. Narben is a spear? Or the Fourth dread trove we haven’t found yet is a spear?

From what lanthys said there were hounds in Wild Hunt in Acotar.

“Oh, I do not think so,” Lanthys seethed. “I rode in the Wild Hunt before you were even a scrap of existence, witch from Oorid. I summoned the hounds and the world cowered at their baying. I galloped at the head of the Hunt, and Fae and beast bowed before us.”(acosf)

and nesta says that the hounds Lanthys showed her in the vision looked like the beasts from Court Of Nightmares.

Nesta could see the portrait Lanthys wove into the air around them. She saw herself on a black throne, a matching crown in her unbound hair. Enormous onyx beasts—scaled, like those she’d seen on the Hewn City’s pillars—lay at the foot of the dais. (Acosf)

and these are a few description of the hounds on the Hewn City's pillars.

Great, scaled black beasts were carved into those gates, all coiled together in a nest of claws and fangs, sleeping and fighting, some locked in an endless cycle of devouring each other. Between them flowed vines of jasmine and moonflowers. I could have sworn the beasts seemed to writhe in the silvery glow of the bobbing faelights throughout the mountain-city. The Gates of Eternity—that’s what I’d call the painting that flickered in my mind. (Acomaf)

We at last came to a throne room of polished ebony. More of the serpents from the front gates were carved here—this time, wrapped around the countless columns supporting the onyx ceiling. It was so high up that gloom hid its finer details, but I knew more had been carved there, too. Great beasts to monitor the manipulations and scheming within this room. The throne itself had been fashioned out of a few of them, a head snaking around either side of the back—as if they watched over the High Lord’s shoulder. (Acomaf)

and we have the prophecy from acomaf

Life and death and rebirth Sun and moon and dark Rot and bloom and bones Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch me, sing me. (Acomaf)

continuing with Fionn...

Fionn in the myth literally has the same name as the high king we learned about in acosf.

Rhys’s eyes flicked to Ataraxia, then to Cassian. “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” (Acosf)

Is it a coincidence that Fionn is the leader of Wild Hunt in myths and we have Fionn in Acosf who rose up to Overthrow the Daglan?

Was the Fionn, from acotar, the leader of the Wild Hunt in acotar?

Rigelus mentions that the fearsome warriors they built were traitors. They joined the Fae and overthrow his siblings.

“Can’t you?” The cold voice slithered through the intercom. “You are Starborn, and have the Horn bound to your body and power. Your ancestors wielded the Horn and another Fae object that allowed them to enter this world. Stolen, of course, from their original masters—our people. Our people, who built fearsome warriors in that world to be their army. All of them prototypes for the angels in this one. And all of them traitors to their creators, joining the Fae to overthrow my brothers and sisters a thousand years before we arrived on Midgard. They slew my siblings.” (Hosab)

“The Daglan delighted in terrorizing the Fae and humans under their control. The Wild Hunt was a way to keep all of us in line. They’d gather a host of their fiercest, most merciless warriors and grant them free rein to kill as they pleased. The Daglan possessed mighty, monstrous beasts—hounds, they called them, though they didn’t look like the hounds we know—that they used to run prey to ground before they tortured and killed them. It’s a terrible history, and much of it might be elaborated myths.”(acosf)

Rhys’s eyes flicked to Ataraxia, then to Cassian. “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. (Acosf)

moving onto myth again. I will be doing a little bit paraphrasing.

In the myth Fionn is the son of Cumhall mac Trénmhoir. Cumhall was the leader of Fianna. The Fianna were a band of warriors also known as a military order composed mainly of the members of two rival clans, "Clan Bascna" (to which Finn and Cumall belonged) and "Clan Morna" (where Goll mac Morna belonged), the Fenians were supposed to be devoted to the service of the High King and to the repelling of foreign invaders. After the fall of Cumall, Goll mac Morna replaced him as the leader of the Fianna, holding the position for 10 years.One feat of Fionn performed at 10 years of age according to the Acallam na Senórach was to slay Áillen, the fire-breathing man of the Tuatha Dé Danann, who had come to wreak destruction on the Irish capital of Tara every year on the festival of Samhain for the past 23 years, lulling the city's men to sleep with his music then burning down the city and its treasures. When the King of Ireland asked what men would guard Tara against Áillen's invasion, Fionn volunteered. Fionn obtained a special spear (the "Birga") from Fiacha mac Congha ("son of Conga"), which warded against the sleep-inducing music of Áillen's "dulcimer" when it was unsheathed and the bare steel blade was touched against the forehead or some other part of the body. This Fiacha used to be one of Cumall's men, but was now serving the high-king.After Fionn defeated Áillen and saved Tara, his heritage was recognised and he was given command of the Fianna: Goll stepped aside, and became a loyal follower of Fionn, although a dispute later broke out between the clans over the pig of Slanga.

Keep Tuatha Dé Danann in mind because I'm gonna use later on--soon.

There is a mention of High King. We know that Fionn was the first and the last high king acotar world saw.

Moving onto Fionn’s death from the myth.

According to the most popular account of Fionn's death, he is not dead at all, rather, he sleeps in a cave, surrounded by the Fianna. One day he will awake and defend Ireland in the hour of her greatest need. In one account, it is said that he will arise when the Dord Fiann, the hunting horn of the Fianna, is sounded three times, and he will be as strong and as well as he ever was.

He is not dead but sleeping. He will wake up when the horn is sounded three times. And you know who just arrived at Acotar with the horn tattooed to her back? BRYCE. Is this all crossover is about. To wake up Fionn from his sleep? This is how the crossover is going to affect the Acotar world? Is Fionn good or bad?

“Can’t you?” The cold voice slithered through the intercom. “You are Starborn, and have the Horn bound to your body and power. Your ancestors wielded the Horn and another Fae object that allowed them to enter this world. Stolen, of course, from their original masters—our people.

Rigelus says that the horn was stolen from his people. The Daglan. And the wild hunt was their way to terrorize the fae. And if fionn betrayed them and rose againts them...he might have stolen the horn from them?

In the myth Fionn was the leader of Fianna.

Fianna were small warrior-hunter bands in Gaelic Ireland during the Iron Age and early Middle Ages. A fian was made up of freeborn young males, often aristocrats, "who had left fosterage but had not yet inherited the property needed to settle down as full landowning members of the túath". For most of the year they lived in the wild, hunting, raiding other communities and lands, training, and fighting as mercenaries. Scholars believe the fian was a rite of passage into manhood, and have linked fianna with similar young warrior bands in other early European cultures

Fian was a Rite of passage into manhood? does that sound familiar? hello...Blood rite.

“What’s the Blood Rite?” “What it sounds like.” He rubbed his neck. “When an Illyrian warrior comes into his full power, usually in his twenties, he has to go through the Blood Rite before he can qualify as a full warrior and adult.

It seems like sarah took inspo from here.

And you know which mountain is sacred for Illyrians...RAMIEL.

and you know how ramiel was described.

Ramiel. The sacred mountain. The heart of not only Illyria, but the entirety of the Night Court.

Cassian soared toward it, unable to resist Ramiel’s ancient summons. Different—the mountain was so different from the barren, terrible presence of the lone peak in the center of Prythian. Ramiel had always felt alive, somehow. Awake and watchful.

Felt alive somehow? Is it because Fionn is sleeping in there? With Fianna?

Ramiel rose higher still, a shard of stone piercing the gray sky. Beautiful and lonely. Eternal and ageless. No wonder that first ruler of the Night Court had made this his insignia. Along with the three stars that only appeared for a brief window each year, framing the uppermost peak of Ramiel like a crown. It was during that window when the Rite occurred. Which had come first: the insignia or the Rite, Cassian didn’t know. Had never really cared to find out. (Acofas)

The thing Cassian says about the insignia is really interesting. Which one came first? The rite? or the insignia?

We know that the courts took place after the fall of Fionn in Acotar.

Rhys’s eyes flicked to Ataraxia, then to Cassian. “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” Nesta could have sworn the last words were spoken with a sharp look toward Cassian. But Cassian only winked at Rhys. “What happened to the High King?” Feyre asked. Rhys ran a hand over a page of the book. “Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.”

My theory is that...THE SECOND DAUGHTER was the first ruler of night court.

Did she come back to Acotar and was the first ruler of the Night court? @silverlinedeyes talks about in "The Illyrians—A (Crack) Theory" how illyrians might be demons from hel and the second daughter came back to the acotar with them.

in Hosab we learn that Theia was the queen who betrayed Fionn and she crossed to Crescent city. She had two daughters as far as we know. Helena and the second daughter. What we know about the second daughter is that...she vanished into the night. With Hosab we know that Ruhn and Rhys looks similar...maybe because they came from the same lineage? Ruhn is descendant of Pelias and Helena. So if the second daughter came back to acotar and was the first ruler...that makes ruhn and rhys a distant relative? so that explains why they look the same.

Aidas laughed coldly. “Your celebrated Prince Pelias, the so-called first Starborn Prince, was an impostor. Theia’s other daughter got away—vanished into the night. I never learned of her fate. (Hosab)

The winged, dark-haired male who stepped in behind her … Bryce gasped. “Ruhn?” The male blinked. His eyes were the same shade of violet blue as Ruhn’s. His short hair the same gleaming black. This male’s skin was browner, but the face, the posture … It was her brother’s. His ears were pointed, too, though he also possessed those leathery wings like the two other males.(Hosab)

so there is that.

Which had come first: the insignia or the Rite, Cassian didn’t know. Had never really cared to find out.

Back to Ramiel. Ramiel has a stone on top of it. A sacred stone.

Cassian snorted, but his words were serious. “There’s a sacred stone atop it. Touch the stone first, and you win. It will transport you out immediately.

Before we dive into the stone. We have to talk about Tuatha Dé Danann. I mentioned when I was talking about Fionn.(Also danann...Ruhn Danaan. Hello.) (@offtorivendell talked about Tuatha Dé Danann in her dusk court post so if you wanna read it I will add here.)

The Tuath(a) Dé Danann , meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"),are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland.

In Irish mythology, *Danu is the reconstructed mother goddess of the Tuatha dé Danann (Old Irish: "The peoples of the goddess Danu"). Though primarily seen as an ancestral figure, some Victorian sources also associate her with the land.

so they are a folk of the goddess Danu. and she is a mother goddess...interesting. We have the Mother in acotar 👀🤭

the members of Tuath(a) Dé Danann.

Prominent members of the Tuath Dé include The Dagda ("the great god"); The Morrígan ("the great queen" or "phantom queen");  Lugh;  Nuada;  Aengus;  Brigid; Manannán; Dian Cecht the healer; and Goibniu the smith, one of the Trí Dé Dána ("three gods of craft").[5] Several of the Tuath Dé are cognate with ancient Celtic deities: Lugh with Lugus, Brigit with Brigantia, Nuada with Nodons, and Ogma with Ogmios.

The Dagda...sounds familiar—The Daglan.

“The Fae were not the first masters of this world. According to our oldest legends, most now forgotten, we were created by beings who were near-gods—and monsters. The Daglan. They ruled for millennia, and enslaved us and the humans. They were petty and cruel and drank the magic of the land like wine.”

and mor. I talked above how Mor was the one seeing one of the "first gods" so it is connected to that.

Other things I think are important about Tuatha Dé Danann.

The Tuatha Dé Danann are described as a supernatural race, much like idealized humans, who are immune from aging and sickness, and who have powers of magic. The powers most often attributed to the Tuath Dé are control over the weather and the elements, and the ability to shapeshift themselves and other things. They are also said to control the fertility of the land; the tale De Gabáil in t-Sída says the first Gaels had to establish friendship with the Tuath Dé before they could raise crops and herds.

Weather and Elemental magic? Sounds familiar. Rhys talks about how the high fae once more elemental.

“Once, the High Fae were more elemental, more given to reading the stars and crafting masterpieces of art and jewelry and weaponry. Their gifts were rawer, more connected to nature, and they could imbue objects with that power.” (Acosf)

and shapeshifting. Rigelus talks about how the Fae from bryce's world could shapeshift.

“Not your kind of Fae, of course—your breed dwelled in a lovely, verdant land, rich with magic. If it’s of any interest to you, your Starborn bloodline specifically hailed from a small isle a few miles from the mainland. And while the mainland had all manner of climes, the isle existed in beautiful, near-permanent twilight. But only a select few in the entirety of your world could shift from their humanoid forms to animal ones."

They are also connected with fertility of the land.

Prison island.HELLO

According to legend, the pegasuses had come from the island the Prison sat upon—had once fed in fair meadows that had long given way to moss and mist. Perhaps that was part of the decline: their homeland had vanished, and whatever had sustained them there was no longer.

So Pegasus were originally from Prison island but whatever had sustained them there was no longer? So... Prison island is dusk court and they were the ones sustaining the fertility of the land but when they vanished they took the magic with them because there was no more Fae to sustain it?

and this is about where Tuath(a) Dé Danann lives.

They live in the Otherworld, which is described as either a parallel world or a heavenly land beyond the sea or under the earth's surface. Many of them are associated with specific places in the landscape, especially the sídh mounds; the ancient burial mounds and passage tombs which are entrances to Otherworld realms.The Tuath Dé can hide themselves with a féth fíada ('magic mist') and appear to humans only when they wish to.

and these are a few description of Prison island.

I stared up at the sharp grassy slope of the small mountain, shivering at the veils of mist that wafted past. Behind us, the land swept away to brutal cliffs and a violent pewter sea. Ahead, nothing but a wide, flat-topped mountain of gray stone and moss. (Acomaf)

Velaris had been brisk, sunny. This place, wherever it was, was freezing, deserted, barren. Only rock and grass and mist and sea. (Acomaf)

also it is interesting that Avallen in CC is also an island and they have the power to use shadows and mist...

But rumor claimed Ruhn’s magic was more like those of his kin who ruled the sacred Fae isle of Avallen across the sea: power to summon shadows or mist that could not only veil the physical world, but the mind as well. Perhaps even telepathy. (Hoeab)

Another reason his father resented him: beyond his Starborn gifts, the bulk of his magic skewed toward his mother’s kin—the Fae who ruled Avallen, the mist-shrouded isle in the north. The sacred heart of Faedom. (Hoeab)

And bryce notes when she comes to Velaris that they wear clothes like they do in Avallen.

The petite, dark-haired female with angular eyes like Fury’s drew up short. Her red-painted mouth dropped open, no doubt at the blood all over Bryce’s face and body. This female was … Fae. Clad in beautiful, yet thoroughly old-fashioned clothes. Like the stuff they wore on Avallen.

so sarah seem to take one thing from the myths and use it in several parts and try to connect them in some way—we will see how they all connect together in the books 👀.

and we lastly have the part I will connect to Ramiel... the four treasures of the Tuath(a) Dé Danann. (Also four threasures... four dread trove. It is not connected to them but it is funny lmao)

Dagda's Cauldron

The Spear of Lugh

Claíomh Solais (The Sword of Light)

Lia Fáil (The Stone of Fal)

Side note: @offtorivendell is going to make a full post about all of these four treasures and she is going to dive more into lugh’s spear being narben and gwydion being the sword of light. So keep your eyes on that 👀🤭 I will tag it when she posts it. Here is the post

Cauldron..I MEAN. It literally explains itself.

The spear of Lugh:

No battle was ever sustained against it, or against the man who held it.

This is one of the other reasons why I think Narben or fourth dread trove might be a spear not a sword.

Remember what Amren said about narben:

“I don’t know, but she found it, and when it would not bend to her, she destroyed it. As she did all good things.” It was as much as Amren would say about that terrible time. “It was perhaps in our favor. Had the King of Hybern possessed Narben, I fear we would have lost the war.”

Claíomh Solais (The Sword of Light):

The Sword of Light or Claidheamh Soluisis a trope object that appears in a number of Irish and Scottish Gaelic folktales. The "Quest for sword of light" formula is catalogued as motif H1337.

The sword may be rendered in English as the "Sword of Light", or "Shining Sword".

HELLO GWYDION/STARSWORD.

Narben’s powers had not been the holy, savior’s light of Gwydion, but ones far darker.(acosf)

The Starsword sang with light, her power flowing into it. Activating it. And nothing had ever felt so right, so easy, as plunging the blade into the bony chest of the wounded Reaper. It arced, bellowing, black blood spurting from its withered lips. (Hosab)

Also Sword of light is described as this.

No one ever escaped from it once it was drawn from its sheath, and no one could resist it. The sword is also described in the Tain legend as "Nuadu's Cainnel"—a glowing bright torch.

You know what that reminds me of.

With shaking fingers, she put it back into its sheath. Dimmed its light. But the Starsword still sang, and Bryce had no idea what to make of it. Of the blade that had slain that which was unkillable. (Hosab)

Lia Fáil (The Stone of Fal):

This is where it gets interesting for Ramiel.

The Lia Fáil; meaning "Stone of Destiny" or "Speaking Stone" to account for its oracular legend) is a stone at the Inauguration Mound (Irish: an Forrad) on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland, which served as the coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland.

Coronation stone for the High Kings. Fionn was a high king. 👀

Ramiel has a stone on top of it.

Cassian snorted, but his words were serious. “There’s a sacred stone atop it. Touch the stone first, and you win. It will transport you out immediately. (Acosf)

and it is a living stone. that sang to him.

But when he’d touched the onyx monolith, when he’d felt that ancient force sing into his blood in the heartbeat before it had whisked him back to the safety of Devlon’s camp … It had been worth it. To feel that. With a solemn bow of his head toward Ramiel and the living stone atop it, Cassian caught another swift wind and soared southward.(acofas)

so Lia fail is speaking stone and Cassian felt the sacred stone on top of ramiel sing into his blood and describes it as the living stone.

In myths it is said that the Lia Fail has powers.

The Lia Fáil was thought to be magical: when the rightful High King of Ireland put his feet on it, the stone was said to roar in joy. The stone is also credited with the power to rejuvenate the king and also to endow him with a long reign.

Does this sound familiar? It is like the gates in Crescent City. They took power when people made a wish and this way Bryce was like a gate because her powers comes from the gate.

“Your power came from the Gate—with a shit-ton of firstlight mixed in. So your magic—beyond the light, I mean— needs to be powered up. It relies on firstlight, or any other form of energy it can get. You’re literally a Gate: you can take in power and offer it. But it seems the similarity ends there. The Gates can store power indefinitely, while yours clearly peters out after a while.”(Hosab)

So what if the stone is keeping Fionn alive in Ramiel? what if it's feeding him? Or is the stone on top of ramiel is a daglan creation and under ramiel they have their feeding point like in hosab?

Also Lia fail is connected with Fianna. As I mentioned they were the warriors that served Fionn.

It is from this stone the Tuatha Dé Danann metonymically named Ireland Inis Fáil (inis meaning island), and from this Fál became an ancient name for Ireland. Fál in Old Irish means several things like hedge, enclosure or king, ruler. In this respect, therefore, Lia Fáil came to mean 'Stone of Ireland'. Inisfail appears as a synonym for Erin in some Irish romantic and nationalist poetry in English in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; Aubrey Thomas de Vere's 1863 poem Inisfail is an example. The term Fianna Fáil ("the Fianna, warriors, or army of Ireland"; sometimes rendered "the soldiers of destiny") has been used as a sobriquet for the Irish Volunteers; on the cap badge of the Irish Army; in the opening line of the Irish-language version of Amhrán na bhFiann, the Irish national anthem; and as the name of the Fianna Fáil political party, one of the main parties in Ireland.

this is from what I added to fianna. > Scholars believe the fian was a rite of passage into manhood, and have linked fianna with similar young warrior bands in other early European cultures

In blood rite they try to touch the stone on top of Ramiel. In Fianna they have fian which is a rite to passage into manhood. Fianna is connected with Lia Fais(speaking stone) and Ramiel has a stone on top of it that sings.

So I think that's all. Thanks for reading.

[foxcort]

the hibernophobia has always been a big issue for me, obviously in canon, but especially in attempting to rewrite acomaf. its just. even if i go with what sjm wrote and leave it as is because thats what she wrote, there's a slimy feeling to it.

so

what if the KoH is an imposter? a male from another faerie territory on the continent (if sjm can 'make up' a territory named bharat and say an archeron cousin died of malaria contracted from there, i can 'make up' a territory named anglia and say the main bad guy who wants to colonize all of the world originated from there) what if KoH was an advisor to the king of anglia, and long before the War, anglia almost conquered all of the faerie and human territories on the continent? what if when anglia set its sights on prythian and hybern, the two island territories banded together and tore anglia apart?

and what if in the chaos KoH reinvented himself (changed his name — and maybe his face? — to adopt the culture and history of hybern) and embedded himself in their government/monarchy because he knew the key to conquering all the known faerie territories would be to break up the hybern/prythian alliance?

[achillean-knight]

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY >:00 HAVE THE RE-UPLOAD OF FIONN BC I FORGOT HIS FACEPAINT.

IT DOSEN'T MATTER THO, TODAY IS A PERFECT DAY FOR THE REUPLOAD, FIONN BEING IRISH AND FROM IRISH MYTHOS TO BE SPECIFIC. BEING RE-UPLOADED ON ST PATTY'S, AN IRISH DAY, IS PERFECT NYEEHEHE

also dropping this doodle here bc I remember this scene frfr, totally no jokes.

[starsreminisce]

“The Illyrians are pieces of shit,” he said too quietly. I opened my mouth and shut it. Shadows gathered around his wings, trailing off him and onto the thick red rug. “They train and train as warriors, and yet when they don’t come home, their families make us into villains for sending them to war?” “Their families have lost something irreplaceable,” I said carefully. Azriel waved a scarred hand, his cobalt Siphon glinting with the movement as his fingers cut through the air. “They’re hypocrites.”

It's not exactly a secret that Azriel harbors deep-seated issues related to his Illyrian heritage. Both his brothers are keenly aware of his feelings toward them, bordering on hatred. When HOFAS was released, revealing their rebellion against the Daglan and Enalius to align with High King Fionn, it shed light on a forgotten history. The blood rite, once a means of honoring Enalius, had devolved into a deadly competition. Against this backdrop, the Valkyries' victory in the Blood Rite stands out, with Nesta assuming the role of Enalius to protect Gwyn and Emerie's ascent to the mountain peak.

Gwyn didn’t flinch. “I have. And I am tired of it.” She surveyed the blood-soaked leather along her thigh. “I don’t want to take the safe road.” She pointed to the mountain, to the slender path upward. “I want to take that road.” Her voice thickened. “I want to take the road that no one dares travel, and I want to travel it with you two. No matter what may befall us. Not as Illyrians, not for their titles, but as something new. To prove to them, to everyone, that something new and different might triumph over their rules and restrictions.” A cold wind blew off Ramiel’s sides. Whispering, murmuring.

Gwyn's connection to Azriel extends beyond mere companionship; she represents his journey toward self-acceptance and a desire for change within the Illyrian community. It's noteworthy that Gwyn, not Nesta, is the inaugural Valkyrie and the first non-Illyrian to hold the Carynthian title.

This choice underscores Gwyn's pivotal role in Azriel's narrative and the broader arc of cultural evolution within the Illyrian society.

[yazthebookish]

Just an ✨innocent speculation✨

I find it interesting that Gwyn wanted to name her sword Silver Majesty

The sword Gwydion kind of ties in both and this could be an Easter egg:

Silver: it's dark blade emits what was described as a holy, savior's light and that also connects to Gwyn's holy status as a priestess and the light she emits while she sings. Gwyn's name means bright, white, blessed.

Majesty: it belonged to a High King whose name is also the Irish equivalent to Gwyn (= Fionn).

Gwydion in mythology is a trickster/magician from the Kindgom of Gwynedd, which the name Gwyneth is derived from.

I'm eyeing Janet hard on this one.

We kind of did speculate here on tumblr about Gwyn and Gwydion way back in 2021 after ACOSF came out because the names are similar. We shall wait and see 👀

[colorlesschristmastree]

People in this fandom are aware that the Dusk Court is Rhysand’s by blood and birthright, right? He is the only one whose ancestors are Fionn and Theia, his connection to the dusk court and prison is explicit and in the text, not just speculation or a theory.

That land isn’t just some prize to be thrown around to your favorite supporting character, it is apart of Rhysand’s territory and Rhysand’s ancestry and lineage. It is an important piece of the story that will lead to Rhysand and Feyre becoming High King and Queen of Prythian. And even if that plot doesn’t happen that land is still his by blood, why would it wind up with some other character?

[nikethestatue]

So we know how Elain's beauty can bring kings to their knees.

"Her eyes went wide as she saw us—Azriel and me—I shifted my face back into my own, raising a hand to my lips as Azriel knelt before her." (ACOWAR)

"He'd beg on his knees for a chance to taste it." (Azriel's Bonus)

The two people who went down on their knees in front of Elain are the King of Hybern and Azriel.

I don't think that Azriel will be High King. But could he have Royal blood? From Fionn? And is he another king that she brings to his knees?

[ataraxiasflame]

In doing some research for my fic, I encountered a few names from different SJM books that seem to be derived from similar origins and I went on a bit of a trip trying to consider all the connections:

When researching some information regarding the inspiration for Helion (the God Helios) I discovered that Helios’s mother is called Theia and his sister is called Selene. Theia, Helios and Selene are all connected through solar elements like light, the sun and the moon.

If we recall from HOFAS, Silene was Theia’s second daughter who Azriel also claims looked like Rhys’s sister. We also know that she too was able to wield her mother’s Starborn powers (which is essentially starlight).

Helion’s power is also light and also has several similarities to Helios:

And I always question the potential foreshadowing of the scene below.

- ACOSF ch 41.

If I had to guess, perhaps Silene or a descendant of hers was married off to a member of the Night Court, which is why Rhys’s sister looks like her. But my real interest is the connection that Helion (and Lucien) has to the Trove, and their potential challenge to the theory that Rhys has a claim to the throne as a descendant of Fionn/Theia. The similarities in name could have been mere coincidence but the effect the trove had on Helion creates that potential connection to Theia and Fionn (I’m not saying he is Silene’s brother but they could be the ancestors to whom he is referring in ACOSF)

Then perhaps this chapter in ACOSF (ch 42) in which Amren urges Rhys to conquer Prythian claim the throne and he declines several times, only to have her respond with this line:

…might suggest that there are others who have equal claim to the throne.

Personally, I hate the potential High King plot line, especially if Rhys and Feyre will claim the throne (I could write an essay on why this would make no sense from a narrative perspective). There are so many references in HOFAS that highlight why Prythian failed under the ruling of one sovereign and we as readers experienced the reign of a sole ruler in book one. It just makes no sense for Prythian to return to a proven failed form of sovereignty, especially with Rhys and Feyre in those positions of power, when they only recently broke free from Amarantha’s reign.

However, should the High King and Queen narrative be necessary to the plot line, I would far prefer Helion/Lucien be the potential challenge to the throne over Rhys. The end of HOFAS even opens questions regarding Nesta’s future in a position of power in Prythian.

High King plot aside; these potential clues do make me even more interested to see how Lucien’s past will affect the rest of his story and the over arching plot of the series, how his power could be even stronger than we expected, how they could come into play with the Koschei plot line and whether he will play a larger role in the political future of Prythian as well.

But most interestingly is that Theia (the mother of Helios and Selene) was the Goddess of Sight and Vision, possessing prophetic powers, and it seems fitting that Helion’s own son is mated to a cauldron-blessed Seer. Mates fated to be together who are true equals in every way.

[orphicauroras]

Listen I know Gwyndion is probably going to belong to Nesta.

But I do find it interesting that we have a character named Gwyn, a sword called Gwydion, Fionn which is the Irish version of Gwyn and Oleanna whose one of the meaning is light all in one series. All of these characters and swords were also introduced in the same book.

Gwyn: A priestess, name meaning white, fair and blessed

Fionn: High king of Prythian and wielder of Gwyndion. Irish version of Gwyn. Name meaning white and blessed

Oleana: High priestess, imbued magic into Gwyndion by dipping it into Cauldron. One of the meanings for the name being light.

Gwydion: Glows with white light and is described as holy, savior's light.

[emilystheories]

I just think it’s interesting that in HOFAS, we witness the death of Fionn — the first High King of Prythian. He is dragged into the Bog of Oorid.

Yet as he died, so did the land around him.

Today, we know this land as the Middle. It is still withered. No life flourishes there.

But, what happens if a High King (or a High Queen) is crowned once again?

Will the land in the Middle bloom once more? Will it become a Royal Court to rule Prythian?

Geographically it makes sense, as the Middle is perfectly situated between both the solar and seasonal courts.

But, who will rule?

Recall this passage in ACOSF; that there are three sister mountains in Prythian.

The three sister mountains in question are:

Ramiel, the mountain in the Night Court.

The mountain on the Prison Island (Dusk Court).

The mountain in the Middle (UTM).

People have already theorised that these three sister mountains foreshadow the three Archeron sisters, and where their story will take place (e.g. Feyre’s story featured UTM, Nesta’s story featured Ramiel, so Elain’s will feature the Prison Island mountain — Dusk).

But, I wonder if this passage is also foreshadowing from where the three Archeron sisters will rule.

One sister will rule the Night Court.

One sister will rule the Dusk Court.

Which means that the remaining sister will rule the Middle… as High Queen.

(art by rockieartt)

[acourtofthought]

Prythians history as they knew it (Silene later confirms she twisted the actual history):

What actually happened:

It wasn't the Priestess that dipped Gwydion into the Cauldron but Fionn.

I wonder if Fionn could be connected to Lady of Autumns line:

And if Sarah will connect Lucien to the first High King of Prythian.

Fionn in mythology was the leader of a band of hunter - warriors and Sarah wrote Lucien as hunting / tracking a few times in the series:

"but it was luck that we caught your scent on the wind"

Lucien had tracked it down—and we’d lured it, carefully, over hours, back to that camp.

“I used to stay here while hunting. Before—I left,” he said.

“Where’s my dear friend Lucien?” “Hunting for our dinner.”

Someone who could also fight:

Like Rhys, he usually opted for words to win his battles, but I’d seen him and Tamlin in the practice ring. He knew how to handle a weapon. How to kill, if need be.

Fionn was also a Seer and poet, who was given a magic thumb that bestows him great wisdom.

For Lucien we have a magical eye that allows him to see things others cannot.

(side note, I like seeing the part about a poet and remembering the “Your eyes are like stars, and your hair like burnished gold” line 😂).

Fionn in mythology was also depicted as hunting with hounds, a storyline Sarah attached to the Autumn Court through Eris in Silver Flames.

I mentioned it in a few other posts but I also think Sarah may have further connected Lucien to the sword Gwydion through the tale of Blodeuwedd.

Llew in the tale is similar to Lucien as Llew had a wife created for him out of flowers, the most beautiful maiden ever seen (who went on to become the Welsh Goddess of Spring) which parallels Lucien's mating bond with Elain, her connection to flowers and her beauty (this is not to say Elain is more beautiful than other characters however her looks are a noted plot point and Lucien finds her to be the most beautiful female he'd ever seen). It was his uncle Gwydion who created Blodeuwedd so that Llew could become King.

Gwydion therefore was a King maker just as Gwydion in the ACOTAR series was a symbol of the first High King of Prythian, Fionn.

Fionn being a Seer in mythology would also tie in nicely with Elain by Lucien's side as High Queen. Not necessarily with them leading battles or ruling over the courts so much as them being the keepers of the peace across the various places in their world just as Fionn once kept the peace of their lands.

(also, that would mean Az would have to play nice with Lucien since his dagger likes to catch up with the Starsword. Fionn once had the sword and his friend Enalius the dagger, time for Az to put aside his issues 😂).

[elains]

Fionn's death, the Bog of Oorid and the Mask

I'm currently on my Sarah J. Maas brainrot era and chatting with my friends earlier, I drew a parallel which soon turned into a deep dive into ACOSF, HoFaS, and some mythology to boot. Worry not, I’ll keep the mythology part to myself first and foremost and this post will mostly revolve around the following: that the current state of the Bog of Oorid is due to Fionn’s death.

Spoilers for House of Flame and Shadow, so be warned. 

In ACOSF, Amren tells us about the Bog of Oorid and how it wasn’t always this evil, accursed place. It used to be a sacred ground, where warriors of the Fae were laid to rest, long ago:

The Bog is a part of the Middle, which is mostly uncharted territory full of dangerous creatures, where Wild Magic runs unbound. A council of Ancient High Lords prohibited any mappings of it. We also learn from House of Flame and Shadow that the Middle was the Daglan's personal hunting grounds, where they unleashed beasts they bred to serve as worthy prey:

We know for a fact that Fionn was in a Marsh - a bog - when he died, with islands and grass and black waters, and we also know that the place was blooming when he was there. Even with the amount of evil and beasts kept in the Middle, the land was still thriving:

This is a sharp contrast to present day ACOTAR. In Silver Flames, the Bog is described as oppressively still and dead, all gnarly, leaflesss branches branches, crumbling trees, thorns. There are no birds, no insects. It's a place of death, of Evil, and it's remarked how it's as if not anything bloomed:

House of Flame and Shadow provides this passage just after Fionn dies:

Also from Flame and Shadow, we knows that the worlds have souls and degrees of sentience, as far as worlds go. Fionn is murdered in a foul act of violence, fueled by nothing but hunger for power by the very people who were supposed to aid him. Fionn, who worked to free the world from the Daglan feeding on its magic. It seems to me that the world was thankful to him for what he did, as it might have also been thankful to Theia.

And you know what's more interesting? That this is where the Mask ends up. We don't know what in the world happened to the Mask after Theia left Prythian; it's not said what she did with neither it nor the crown. Presumably other people got ahold of them (Helion's ancestor?). We don't know where the Crown was, but it's ironic that it ends up where Fionn died.

When approaching the water, Nesta remembers a story her mother told of how a cosuin was killed by Faeries, dragged to the depths and drowned:

Which is actually very similar with how Fionn himself comes to meet his end: bound and gagged and thrown into the water by his wife and general. Shortly after, she meets the Kelpie, who is described as such:

This is also remarkably similar to the creature that ultimately kills Fionn:

This Kelpie speaks to Nesta in the Old Tongue, which hasn't been spoken in fifteen thousand years. It retreated to the Bog thousands of years ago and it was probably the last o his kind. It could very well be the creature that killed Fionn, slain by Nesta, who goes to claim the Mask as he himself did.

Which brings up some questions: how did the Mask end up in the Bog of Oorid? It doesn't seem happenstance that it found its way to a place where death has in its grip and the open grave of the High King. Could it have been Helion's ancestor? His reaction to the mask is strange, visceral in a way the other's aren't. I'm betting that it was Helion's ancestors who took the Mask from Theia and once the power proved too much, discarded it to rest in Oorid.

But the point is that Fionn dies and it's the nail in the coffin for Oorid. The Bog withers to a giant, accursed grave, trapped in a state of perpetual death where nothing blooms.

Therein rests the first and last High King, the evil done to him forever imprinted on the land.

[gwynrieldreams]

How Gwynriel and Elucien mirror Quinlar and Satharion

SJM creates characters that mirror each other in each world. They have similar appearance/vibe, similar powers, similar backstory/family origins or similar role.

Rhysand, Ruhn and Dorian. Lidia and Aelin. Amren and Fury. Jessiba and Merrill. Connor and Sam. Einar and Beron. Danika and Fenrys or Danika and Nehemia, depending on how you see it. Yrene and Hypaxia. Vassa and Ariadne.

Even the villains, Vesperus and Maeve, the Valg, the Death Gods and the Princes of Hel. Their gods: Deanna and Luna, Hel and Hellas, Urd and Wyrd. Their kings and queens: Theia and Mala-firebringer. Fionn and Brannon. Elena and Helena. Gavin and Pelias.

Acosf and CC were written pretty much next to each other. So, what if Gwyn is Bryce's mirror?

They're both redheads with freckles.

Mixed: high fae + sth else that is considered lesser.

They work in a library/artifact gallery under a strict librarian.

They wear an amulet that librarians wear, with protective powers.

They both have Autumn Court heritage.

They both grew up or spent some of their childhood years in a temple.

Jelly jubilee was used to foreshadow that Bryce was Starborn and the heir of Dusk Court, while the miniature pegasus was connected to Gwyn in the scene where she cuts the ribbon and Emerie mentions that the pegasus liked Gwyn the best.

Bryce has light powers and it's possible that Gwyn also has similar powers. I believe since Bryce isn't interested in ruling or moving in Prythian, then the land will choose someone else. I just think that all those similarities and the miniature pegasus foreshadowing are something that cannot be ignored, in addition to Gwydion and the possibility that she'll be the one to wield it.

And what if Azriel and Hunt are also mirrors?

Hunt is called umbra mortis, which means shadow of death, while Azriel's name comes from Azrael the angel of death and he has shadow powers.

Dark and broody with wings.

Hunt worked as an assassin for the Archangels and hated himself, while Azriel is the torturer of the NC and hates himself. Also, this:

Just like Azriel, who was tortured and wasn't allowed to fly or see the sunlight for years.

Considering, also, the mating language parallels between the two couples, I believe all this just seals the deal for gwynriel endgame and opens the possibility that Gwyn could also be the one to wield Gwydion and/or rule Dusk Court.

Let's not forget their bonus chapters ended the same way.

Same goes for Sathia and Elain:

light brown hair and pretty

associated with flowers

in love with sb who broke up with her but still they went after him (Elain with Graysen, Sathia with Colin)

mated/married with a redhead who has done nothing but respect them and still wants to be with them after everything

Elain is soft and kind, loves to hold court. Her mother saw her as a "doll to dress up" and that she'd only marry for "love and beauty." Sathia is similar.

Lucien and Tharion also share similarities:

redhead, charming and sarcastic

no place to call home. Lucien is from the Autumn Court but his biological father is Helion, HL of the Day Court, he was emissary for Spring and now he's working as an emissary for Night, while staying in the human lands and in Spring Court/Tharion is mer but loves all things Above, he was hunted by the River Queen, he was staying with Ruhn, Flynn and Declan, until he was forced to make a deal with the Viper Queen

emissary work, Tharion is Captain of Intelligence but as we see he was sent as a representative to the Summit

Lucien wants to get to know Elain but her love for Graysen and her trauma makes it difficult, Lucien respects her decisions/Tharion married Sathia to get her out of a difficult situation but Sathia still went after Collin, Tharion respected her decision but still went after her in order to save her from the Viper Queen.

I think it's possible that Tharion and Sathia are also mates like Elucien, especially when we consider how protective she was of him against the Viper Queen -even though Colin was the one actually in danger.