#high king fionn
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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:
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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?
#hofas spoilers#bog of Oorid#the Middle#a mirror image of the Helscape beneath#temple of Chaos/Wyrd#cauldron mother fate#elain archeron#the lovely fawn#righting ancient wrongs#high king fionn#traveling to Hel#the river to Hel
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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
#acotar#a court of thorns and roses#elriel#elain kingslayer#elain archeron#elain acotar#azriel acotar#azriel shadowsinger#azriel spymaster#azriel#Queen Theia#cc theia#theia#cc aidas#aidas#Fionn#High King fionn#Shallyne theory#Shallyne theories#acotar theory#acotar theories
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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?
#i know prythian is suppose to be fantasy britain#but for this idea we could say anglia is fantasy britain and located in the continent#the story of the high king fionn in canon was pointless? idc of a past high king of prythian sarah#or anything even remotely related to her multiverse crossover with tog and crescent city#reinventing his character as a hybern rebel leader fighting for the freedom of his people and against the oppression of KoH would be better#and gwydion can still be his sword#and we can give it an arthurian spin and say only the true king of hybern can wield the cauldron-blessed gwydion?#acomaf rewrite#king of hybern#anti acomaf#anti sjm
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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.
#10/10 reccomend using sandwich chicken for shading pale skin#ANYWAYS#HAPPY ST PATTY'S#fionn mac cumhaill#fionn mac cool#smt#smtv#Nahobino#SMT Protag#SMTV Protag#doodle#sketch#experimental piece#ALSO IK FIONN SAID KING INSTEAD OF HIGHNESS BUT I HC NAHOBINO AS NB BC OF THE VA SO SHHH#Still appreciate him calling me a king tho B)
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THANK YOU
behold, the reason why I fucking HATE the high king storyline and dread that this is where the narrative is going 🤦🏽♀️
also, to those who keep going on about members of the ic, the band of exiles, etc etc ruling places that their at best claim to, is conquership
y’all are …. almost to the level of aelin considering colonialism.
places have a rule of inheritance, and a line to the throne. just because you like a character, does not mean the character can become a ruler of a place that they have no claim to. cassian and nesta ruling hybern? the fuck are y’all on? elain ruling over spring? lucien, despite being the son of autumn, and the heir of day, has no ruling claim to spring. vassa is already a queen of a kingdom, she does not need another one. why would jurian want the fae lordship of a territory?
#anti high king#anti rhysand#anti inner circle#anti aristocracy for that matter but that’s going too deep#fuck off fionn#do u know how a kingdom works#how does the magic choose the high lord if there’s a class system#this is bullshit
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“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.
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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 👀
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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.
#gwyn#gwyn berdara#gwyneth berdara#acotar#crescent city#bryce quinlan#acotar theory#azriel#elucien#hunt athalar#gwynriel#quinlar#elain#elain archeron#my post#lucien vanserra#lucien#pro elucien#pro gwynriel#satharion#sathia flynn#tharion ketos
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I found more so... let’s go.
Read whole up there 👆🏻 before reading the rest because I’m gonna connect to them.
Alatyr Stone.
What’s I’m gonna add.
Alatyr stone in Buyan Island and koschei
Alatyr stone is Lia Fail? And sarah is connected them together? and it is Ramiel Stone
The Void Connection
We all know Koschei. We have koschei in acotar and he is also a well known myth figure.
@psychee92 goes into detail about koschei in this post Koshei the Deathless
In his myths there is an important part—His soul.
The most common feature of tales involving Koschei is a spell which prevents him from being killed. He hides his soul inside nested objects to protect it. For example, the soul (or in the tales, it is usually called "death") may be hidden in a needle that is hidden inside an egg, the egg is in a duck, the duck is in a hare, the hare is in a chest, the chest is buried or chained up on a far island. Usually he takes the role of a malevolent rival father figure, who competes for (or entraps) a male hero's love interest.
So his soul is hidden in different places but the last part. It is on a far island.
In myths that island goes as Buyan Island.
The island of Buyan features prominently in many famous myths; Koschei the Deathless keeps his soul or immortality hidden there, secreted inside a needle placed inside an egg in the mystical oak-tree; other legends call the island the source of all weather, generated there and sent forth into the world by the god Perun.
So koschei’s soul is on Buyan Island.
In the OG post I talked about Tuatha Dé Danann. They lived on an island. In the og post I also talked about sarah getting her inspo for prision island from there. But it looks like sarah took more inspo. From Buyan island.
This is about where Tuatha Dé Danann live:
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.
This is about Buyan Island.
In the Dove Book and other medieval Russian books, Buyan (Russian: Буя́н, sometimes transliterated as Bujan[1]) is described as a mysterious island in the ocean with the ability to appear and disappear with the tide.
So both island appear and disappear. And I talked more detailed in the og post why it is connected to prison island.
Now... we are going into details about Buyan Island. In Buyan Island we have a stone. Alatyr Stone.
Furthermore, Buyan has the mythical stone with healing and magic powers, known as the Alatyr (Russian: Алатырь), which is guarded by the bird Gagana and by Garafena the serpent.
This is what Alatyr stone is:
The Alatyr in East Slavic legends and folklore is a sacred stone, the "father to all stones", the navel of the earth, containing sacred letters and endowed with healing properties. Although the name Alatyr appears only in East Slavic sources, the awareness of the existence of such a stone exists in various parts of the Slavdom. It is often mentioned in stories and referred to in love spells as "a mighty force that has no end."
In the OG post I talked about a stone—the stone on top of Ramiel.
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)
As you can see... alatyr stone is described as “"a mighty force that has no end." and Cassian describes the Ramiel stone as “that ancient force” 👀🤭
More about Alatyr stone:
In the Dove Book, the Alatyr is associated with an altar located in the "navel of the world", in the middle of the World Ocean [ru], on the Buyan island. On it stands the World tree. The stone is endowed with healing and magical properties. Spiritual verses describe how "from under the white-alatyr-stone" flows a miraculous source that gives the whole world "food and healing." The Alatyr is guarded by the wise snake Garafena and the bird Gagana.[1]
An altar? And in the navel of the world? That sounds familiar 👀
Fourth dread trove was on an altar🤭
A fourth object lay on the altar, veiled in shadow. But she couldn’t make out more than a gleam of age-worn bone—(acosf)
Also alatyr stone is in the navel of the world. Ramiel is described as being the center of Night Court.
Ramiel. The sacred mountain. The heart of not only Illyria, but the entirety of the Night Court. (Acofas)
In the OG post I connected ramiel stone with Lia Fail.
This is about Lia Fail:
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.
It has powers... so does Alatyr stone 👀
In the Dove Book, the Alatyr is associated with an altar located in the "navel of the world", in the middle of the World Ocean [ru], on the Buyan island. On it stands the World tree. The stone is endowed with healing and magical properties. Spiritual verses describe how "from under the white-alatyr-stone" flows a miraculous source that gives the whole world "food and healing." The Alatyr is guarded by the wise snake Garafena and the bird Gagana.[1]
Lia fail can rejuvenate... Alatyr has healing powers 🤔
We are gonna dive more deep into it now. I researched a little bit more and found the symbol of Alatyr stone.
... eight-pointed star? HELLO STARBORN.
I dig a little more 😀
And found this.
I’m gonna go into details from the picture above.
Symbol of King stone.
In the OG post I talked about how Lia Fail could be the inspo behind the ramiel stone and Lia Fail is coronation for kings.
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.
The rune is considered the beginning and end of all existence, the alpha and omega, the symbol of balance.
You know what we have as alpha and Omega? Gwydion and Truth-teller.
I also made a post about alpha & omega.
Okay moving onto... beginning and end of the all existence part. We literally have a quote about that in acosf. In prologue. When nesta was in the Cauldron.
Sooooo... this is Void.
Apollion talks about it in Hosab.
My father was the Void, the Being That Existed Before. Chaos was his bride and my dam. It is to them that we shall all one day return, and their mighty powers that run in my blood. (Hosab)
In the beginning = the being that existed before
And in the end =It is to them that we shall all one day return
Also... acosf prologue ends like this
Wrapped in black eternity, Nesta and the Cauldron twined, burning through the darkness like a newborn star. (Acosf)
Hello starborn foreshadowing. 😀 @wingedblooms talks about archerons being starborn in this post.
So... Starborn, the stone, ramiel, the prison island, the buyan island, The Void....IT IS ALL CONNECTED. 👀
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.
#first gods#fionn#wild hunt#buyan island#alatyr stone#ramiel#high king#the void#koschei#if you read all of this... I love you.
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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?
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My headcanons / theories for Elain have been:
She'll break Vassa's curse using "light" which I believe is similar to the curse of Valg blood Yrene freed characters of in the TOG series
The magic will choose her to restore Spring, to help reunite it's people.
She'll bring back the land that's dying across areas of Prythian (including the Prison, Bog where Fionn was murdered, areas of Spring).
She'll cure the illness that's causing Pegasus foal to die
She'll be an owl shifter
These are all Elain and Elain alone. I am constantly seeing posts claiming Elucien's don't care for Elain, that she's there as a tool for Lucien's arc but when you look at the above, he's simply a side piece for her arc, someone to help her journey around.
All the above theories play off of what we currently know of Elain, what makes her strong without having to become a dagger wielding warrior hiding in the shadows. Things the text currently supports in regards to her possible future arc.
Headcanons / theories I have for Lucien
He might be a contender for High King, wielding Gwydion. Not necessarily leading them in battle but simply a figurehead of all courts, a peace keeper between all lands (fae, human). Someone who has shown he is dedicated to what is in the best interests of them all.
He might help Nesta destroy the mask at a later point in the series, after any crossover battles.
His beast form will be similar to a fire breathing dragon (an anon once mentioned the possibility of him as a dragon and it's burned itself into my brain)
He along with Eris will defeat Beron
He'll find a spell that can break Rhys and Feyre's bargain
Theories / headcanons for Elucien as a team:
They'll work together to convince those on the continent to sign the peace treaty
They'll discover the location of Koschei's box, destroy it and defeat Koschei using wit and cunning.
#elucien#pro elucien#elain archeron#lucien vanserra#pro lucien vanserra#pro elain archeron#elucien headcanon#acotar theory
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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?
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There’s no need for a High Lady
There are rules, it’s something sjm enforced in ACOTAR than any of her book series. This is why we have so much theories in these book series.
So my question is Why does everyone want a High Lady so bad? Especially ones chosen by the land? Just because there was one or have been some does not mean it’s a given.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, Fionn and his best friend started a rebellion. The only reason Theia was involved was because she was his mate just like feyre is to Rhys. Fionn was High King. It does not mean theia wasn’t powerful in her own right. Just like feyre. She was given a title. It didn’t say she was ChOSEN by the land. Yes neither did it say Fionn was too
HOWEVER
“ Fionn united the territories of Prythian, becoming High King and making Theia his High Queen. (All titles) Theia claimed the Dusk Court to herself, turning the place where she had once served as a slave into her sanctuary. With the tithe to the Daglan gone, the Fae saw their powers strengthen, as did their connection to the land. The island's powers became Theia's power: dusk and twilight.”
So in this sense did it choose her? Because the fae are all connected to the land not just High Lords for they are Power itself. She might not have been the only one to control dusk and twilight. Many fae did. For instance it’d make sense Lucien can wield fire instead of “day light” because his mother can wield fire too. I’m sure in every court creatures and fae alike have a sort of winter power to make ice, wield fire, air, earth etc.
Fionn said his next successor he would choose to rule was their first daughter, Helena who is Bryce ancestor (so technically Bryce is the rightful heir to prythian)
But I digress:
In our real world, only women give birth and THATS OKAY. Women can do so much more than men physically can and that’s ok. Women have ruled kingdoms, tribes etc not because of their physical strength and intimidation. So why do we want to share.. now WHY DO WE HAVE TO SHARE A SPACE WHEN WE CAN CARVE OUR OWN.?
Feyre the curse breaker is so much better than Feyre the high lady…
Why can’t we woman carve so much more than fight for positions men squabble for?
My next take is with hyburn. The king of hyburn isn’t a high lord. But he was powerful, Drakon and Miriam? They aren’t high lords but I’m sure powerful too in their own right?
So what is wrong with only males having this ability? Maybe in this world that’s how it works and that’s okkk…
Just because a female takes a crown doesn’t mean she’d do any better… amarantha and feyre are examples… look at what Theia did? In the end they are just like the males…
I won’t care one way or another if a female is chosen but if a female isn’t that’s fine. That’s the natural order or the world of prythian. Maybe females play a vital role that has been forgotten and that would be such a great take making the males revere their females. Instead of fight or subjugation like Rhys suggested. If Nesta were to use the artifacts she could become queen. But to me a queen needs to understand each courts magic. Feyre could’ve been perfect for the role cus she has a tiny piece but that queen would also have to be POWER ITSELF. Not a spec 😂 that queen will have to be multicultural, she’d have to know the ways and language of every court and kingdom of prythian so she can empathize and punish accordingly. I’m sorry but three human women who disliked the fea and somehow still don’t and don’t understand their ways will not cut it.
I hope sjm creates a new path for females maybe even stronger than the males or give us a queen who understands and knows all her courts and subjects.
What do you think? Do you really want high ladies?
#acotar#anti rhysand#tamlin#feyre acotar#anti feysand#pro tamlin#sjm critical#feyre archeron#acotar tv show#a court of thorns and roses
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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.
#elucien#pro elucien#lucien vanserra#pro lucien vanserra#elain archeron#pro elain archeron#helion spell cleaver#High King of Prythian#acotar theories#anti rhysand#anti feyre#hofas spoiler#hofas spoilers#sjm crossover
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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.
#is there something brewing or am I giving sarah too much credit#curiouser and curiouser#gwyneth berdara#pro gwyn#acotar#acosf
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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)
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