#liath macha

[brose1229]

Day 22: Maredusa

Day 23: Liath Macha & Dub Sainglend

Day 24: Suffolk Punch

Neighvember by Sierraklewis

Sorry I’m late, I’ve been very busy.

[riseupriseupandcomealong]

shirking studying for finals by making láeg mac riangabra prints

[finnlongman]

redstar-winterorbit

Not to bikesplain but check you don't have a piece of glass or something stuck in a tire or the rim tape worn out! That's usually what causes chain flats 😒

The tyre and inner tube were new on yesterday, after the old tyre went into a large hole (flat #1), probably as a result of the brake blocks fouling it. However, the tyre wasn't seated correctly so this morning I took it into a shop to get it sorted. They tried repeatedly to re-seat it but couldn't get it to line up because they said the tyre itself was deformed/misshapen and I'd need to get the original mechanic to swap it out. In the meantime, they said it was safe to cycle on. It... was not. I assume when they were fiddling about with it this morning, they pinched the inner tube or something, hence flat #2. The tyre itself is brand new, though.

The mechanic who put the new tyre on has ordered a replacement and I'm hoping he can come and fix it asap, but it depends how long the new tyre takes to arrive. Fingers crossed he will also be able to identify whatever caused the hole that resulted in flat #1, AND whatever caused flat #2, so that neither happens again.

Hello, I would like to announce the shortlist for Most Flat Tyres In A Week, March 2023, featuring: my bike. Please give a round of applause to this IMMENSELY IRRITATING CONTRAPTION and its refusal to function as a reliable means of transport. There will be no prize awarded.

[magia-region]

One of the villain teams in Charm/Curse has Pokémon hybrids as its admins, but there had to be a first.

Péitseog was that first, though he was called Momo by the scientists that created him.

He is a Pecharunt hybrid, who kept the other hybrids loyal to Team Nova-Rocket while unconscious. After the events of Charm/Curse, he is set free and adopted by the Legendaries of the region, who name him Péitseog, meaning ‘peach’.

Rather than Momotaro, I wanted to base him on the Irish legend of Cu Chulainn, hence why he’s the shiny version.

Péitseog rescues three Pokémon from Team Rainbow Rocket, which he names Glend, Macha and Lann. They reference Culann’s fierce guard dog that Setanta slew, and his two chariot horses Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend.

Macha is a Foalrier, a species native to Magia.

They’re his equivalent of Pecharunt’s Loyal Three, though he doesn’t fully control them. The chains are on them as a form of identification.

[oddnub-eye]

Fanservant: Laeg Mac Riangabra (Rider)

Picture Made in This: https://picrew.me/ja/image_maker/19158 Picrew

Laeg Mac Riangabra

Class: Rider/ “Grand Buddy”

Title: The King of Charioteers 

Gender: Male

Source: Irish Mythology (Ulster Cycle)

Region: Europe (Ireland)

Alignment: Neutral Good

Height: 186cm

Weight 70kg

Natural Enemy: Enkidu

Parameters

Strength: C+

Endurance: B

Agility: C

Mana: D

Noble Phantasm: B

Luck: E (By Association)

Class Skills

Riding A++

The most renowned Charioteer in Irish Mythology - he can operate any kind of vehicle or creature, including dragon kind. 

Magic Resistance B+

While Laeg's magic resistance is not as "effective" in regards to canceling spells outright (in that respect, he only has Rank C Magic Resistance) but he possesses a borderline sixth sense for detecting magic and magecraft, and that talent allows him to avoid magic and magecraft incredibly easily.

Personal Skills

King of Charioteers A+

The idea that Laeg was the greatest charioteer in Irish legend. It allows him to perform all the functions of a charioteer perfectly. While this primarily takes the form of an exponential increase to his riding skill (he’s treated as having two “Riding A++” skills that multiply with each other) it also enables him to effectively store weapons and instantly gain a lay of the land.

Hero’s Sidekick B

The ability to effortlessly work alongside a Hero. When forming a partnership with another heroic spirit (or even a mortal being worthy of the title “hero”), Laeg gains the ability to perfectly synchronize with them. He will not be able to fight alongside them as a “partner” but he will be able to support and fight around them flawlessly. Laeg would even become able to ferry around a rampage Berserker in his chariot with ease.

Incitement (Taunting Words) C

A skill that typically serves to incite the masses with words. In Laeg’s hands, it becomes a skill that targets a specific individual, mocking them until they get worked up enough to put their all into something. This skill works best on individuals Laeg has partnered with through [Hero’s Sidekick].

Noble Phantasms

Búainid Carbat: Circuit of VictoryRank: B

Classification: Anti-Army

The scythed chariot of Cú Chulainn, pulled by the horses Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend, and driven by the King of Charioteers Laeg Mac Riangabra. A Noble Phantasm quite similar in function to [Trioas Tragodia: Tempestuous Storm Chariot] where it gains speed and power the longer it is deployed. By announcing the true name of this Noble Phantasm, Laeg can deploy a second ability of the Noble Phantasm, the “circuit of victory” - derived from the three charges Cú Chulainn and Laeg made against the Connacht army in retribution for the Boy Troop of Ulster, and the three charges Liath Macha against the conspiracy to kill Cú Chulainn after being fatally wounded.

Once activated, a “route” is selected, and Laeg must circle this route three times. Within this route, [Búainid Carbat] becomes “unstoppable”, gaining increased speed, power, and destructive ability. Not even destroying the land [Búainid Carbat] is traveling on will interrupt this rampage. During this rampage, Laeg gains the equivalent of an A-Rank [Battle Continuation] (although if he is fatally wounded during his ride, he’ll immediately die following its completion). The most effective way to stop the Circuit of Victory is to force its end by facing Laeg head on and destroying the chariot. Good luck.

Like many things about Laeg, his Noble Phantasm is stronger when partnered with another hero. If Laeg uses [Búainid Carbat] while partnered with a “hero” via [Hero’s Sidekick], the skillset of the Hero partnered with Laeg will be enhanced by Circuit of Victory’s effects, gaining all the benefits he does, as well as “custom” buffs to allow them to take the stage.

This Noble Phantasm will instantly fail if used against any Cú Chulainn aside from Cú Chulainn (Alter), as Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend will refuse to attack him.

Personality

Laid-back and brimming with dry humor, Laeg is a man content to let others take the spotlight. He is, in essence, a “sidekick”, someone who is more comfortable in a supporting role, yet not taking a backseat entirely. If the role of a healer is to support a hero from the backline, Laeg is best suited to supporting a hero from right at their side.

While laid-back in attitude, in nature, Laeg is as bloodthirsty and proud as his best friend. He takes his role as a charioteer, and in particular, the best of the best of them, very seriously. Given someone to fight alongside, Laeg will never turn down the opportunity for a fight, and he will never turn down an opportunity to show off.

Laeg’s penchant sarcasm and dry-wit comes from his perception of himself as the smartest person in the room at any given time. Whether this perception is actually true depends wildly on who he’s surrounded by at the moment.

Motive and Attitude towards Master

Laeg’s motive for fighting is more or less to “show off”. He doesn’t have any real desire for the Holy Grail, just so long as he gets to show off his talent with charioteering. This can potentially cause friction with his master, as he’s fundamentally more focused on demonstrating his skill than actually winning, but thanks to Laeg’s laid-back nature and preference for playing “second-fiddle”, he can work with most master’s easily enough.

That being said, he’s not afraid to turn his wit on his master.

“Come on Master, you summoned a charioteer -- a sidekick. If you were really trying your damnedest to win, you would have just summoned Cúcuc, right? Exactly. So just hold on tight and let me take you for a ride!”

Bond Craft Essence

Rejected Brindle

They'd never done it before. Even though they were Cúcuc's horses, they felt like mine. So when Liath Macha refused to allow himself to be harnessed that day...something felt wrong. But Cúcuc got ‘em harnessed and I ignored it. Willfully. Everyone knew why Liath Macha was refusing to be harnessed, everyone was trying to keep Cúcuc from riding out that day. Well, everyone except me. Does that make me a bad friend? To see the writing on the walls, to know why everyone was trying to restrain Cúcuc that day, and to ignore it all? To treat it as if it'd be just another day, another ride, another battle? I'd say it wouldn't, but I'm a biased party. But sometimes, when it's late at night, and my gut hurts, even though there's no possible way it could still be wounded...I'm happy to have driven Cúcuc out that final time. I'm happy it was at least able to start as just another ride for us. 

Historical Depiction

Cú Chulainn’s charioteer, and best friend (there is a man with horny skin who would contest this assertion). The greatest charioteer in Irish Mythology, earning the title of “King of Charioteers”. He accompanied the Hound of Ulster on practically all of his adventures, with the only one he was not involved with in some way being the Hound’s training at Dun Scaith. Once Cú Chulainn returned home and they officially became partners, however, they were a practically inseparable duo. Be it retrieving Emer from her father’s lands, traveling to the realm of Fand to fight her enemies, battling Queen Medb during the Tain Bo Cúailnge, or even his final battle, Laeg was always at his friend’s side.

During Cú Chulainn’s final battle, Laeg was speared by the first spear thrown by Lugaid Mac Cú Roi, which would prove to be a fatal blow for the King of Charioteers. Although Cú Chulainn attempted to order Laeg back to Ulster, Laeg remained to watch the rest of the battle. After Cú Chulainn tied himself to a standing stone for his final stand, he caught sight of Laeg and made one final plea to his friend to return to Ulster, if only to tell Emer of the news. Laeg reluctantly agreed, arriving back at Ulster to deliver the news, and pointing Conall Cernach in the direction of the battle, before finally passing away.

Relationships

Cú Chulainn - Laeg’s best friend and partner. In spite of his familiarity with Cú Chulainn, Laeg mocks him relentlessly, their banter being filled with good natured ribbing and put-downs. Faultlessly loyal to Cú Chulainn, Laeg stood by his friend until the very end, even until his death. Truly, they could be said to be the personification of “Ride or Die” (or, for these two, maybe it would be more accurate to say “Ride and Die”).

Cú Chulainn (Alter) - Although Cú Chulainn Alter is not the Cú Chulainn Laeg knows, Laeg has decided that he is Cú Chulainn nonetheless, and shall not be spared Laeg’s barbed tongue. It is not an uncommon sight to find Cú Chulainn Alter enduring comments about “trying a little too hard” and grumbling empty threats of violence in return.

Queen Medb - Laeg holds no ill-will towards Medb for organizing the conspiracy that led to his death, but he will never forgive for getting Liath Macha killed in the process.Achilles- A hero Laeg notes as being incredibly similar to Cú Chulainn, Laeg is often spotted hanging out with the Hero of the Trojan War in his off time.

Art of Cu and Laeg

[ladiesandjellymen]

This Macha is particularly associated with horses—it is perhaps significant that twin colts were born on the same day as Cúchulainn, and that one of his chariot-horses was called Liath Macha or "Macha's Grey"—and she is often compared with the Welsh mythological figure Rhiannon.[5]

[oidheadh-con-culainn]

victory for the liath macha and/or the dub sainglend, sorry derg druchtach

[teatitty]

Archermuid x RiderCu where Diarmuid willingly lets himself sit side-saddle on Liath Macha except he is also curled up into a tight little ball, hands fisted tightly into the back of Cu’s jacket, muttering insults into his shoulder and bemoaning his inevitable death by demonic horse, all the while Cu is very sympathetically playing with Diarmuid’s long hair, humming along politely to all of his complaints and clearly not paying a single bit of attention to the words because he’s too busy floating in pure bliss 

Liath Macha, of course, looks back at his Rider and gives a very unimpressed huff at Diarmuid’s theatrics and dutifully resists the urge to try and buck them both off his back

[legend-collection]

Cú Chulainn

Cú Chulainn (koo-KUL-in), sometimes known in English as Cuhullin, is a warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the mortal Deichtine, sister of king Conchobar mac Nessa.

Born Sétanta, he gained his better-known name as a child, after killing Culann's fierce guard dog in self defence and offering to take its place until a replacement could be reared, hence he became the "Hound (cú) of Culann". He was trained in martial arts by Scáthach, who gave him the spear Gáe Bulg. It was prophesied that his great deeds would give him everlasting fame, but that his life would be short. At the age of seventeen he defends Ulster single-handedly against the armies of queen Medb of Connacht in the famous Táin Bó Cúailnge ("Cattle Raid of Cooley"). He is known for his terrifying battle frenzy (ríastrad), in which he becomes an unrecognisable monster who knows neither friend nor foe. He fights from his chariot, driven by his loyal charioteer Láeg and drawn by his horses, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend.

Cú Chulainn's wife is Emer, although he has many other lovers. With Aífe he has a son named Connla, whom Cú Chulainn tragically kills. Cú Chulainn himself is said to have died in battle, binding himself to a standing stone so he can die on his feet.

His birth name, Sétanta, may be linked to a Celtic tribe, the Setantii, who dwelt on the west coast of Celtic Britain. His later name Cú Chulainn, is usually translated "Culann's hound", and was explained in the tale whereby he stood in for Culann's guard dog. Although cú literally means "hound", it was also a common figurative term for a warrior in early Irish literature, thus can also mean "Culann's warrior". Folklorist Dáithí Ó hÓgáin speculated that the second part of the name could come from an old Irish word for a chariot, cul, thus meaning "chariot-warrior".

There are a number of versions of the story of Cú Chulainn's miraculous birth. In the earliest version of Compert C(h)on Culainn ("The Conception of Cú Chulainn"), his mother Deichtine is the daughter and charioteer of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, and accompanies him as he and the nobles of Ulster hunt a flock of magical birds. As snow begins to fall, Ulstermen seek shelter in a nearby house. As the host's wife goes into labour, Deichtine assists in the birth of a baby boy, while a mare gives birth to twin colts. The next morning, the Ulstermen find themselves at the Brug na Bóinde (the Neolithic mound at Newgrange)—the house and its occupants have disappeared, but the child and the colts remain. Deichtine takes the boy home and begins raising him as her own, but the boy falls ill and dies. The god Lug appears to her and tells her he was their host that night, and that he has put his child in her womb, who is to be called Sétanta. Her pregnancy turns into a scandal as she is betrothed to Sualtam mac Róich, and the Ulstermen suspect Conchobar of being the father, so she aborts the child and goes to her husband's bed "virgin-whole". She then conceives a son whom she names Sétanta.

In the later and better-known version of Compert Con Culainn, Deichtine is Conchobar's sister, and disappears from Emain Macha, the Ulster capital. As in the previous version, the Ulstermen go hunting a flock of magical birds, are overtaken by a snowstorm and seek shelter in a nearby house. Their host is Lug, a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, but this time his wife, who gives birth to a son that night, is Deichtine herself. The child is named Sétanta.

The nobles of Ulster argue over which of them is to be his foster father, until the wise Morann decides he should be fostered by several of them: Conchobar himself; Sencha mac Ailella, who will teach him judgement and eloquent speech; the wealthy Blaí Briugu, who will protect and provide for him; the noble warrior Fergus mac Róich, who will care for him and teach him to protect the weak; the poet Amergin, who will educate him, and his wife Findchóem, who will nurse him. He is brought up in the house of Amergin and Findchóem on Muirthemne Plain in modern County Louth (at the time part of Ulster), alongside their son Conall Cernach.

In another version, the child is named Sédana, and the name is given to him by Ceat mac Mágach. Ceat takes Sédana into fosterage and gives him to his own foster parents, Srían and Gabur, to nurse; they are the parents of Láeg, Cú Chulainn's charioteer, and so the pair grow up together from infancy.

The County Louth town of Dundalk has the motto Mé do rug Cú Chulainn cróga (Irish) "I gave birth to brave Cú Chulainn".

The stories of Cú Chulainn's childhood are told in a flashback sequence in Táin Bó Cúailnge. As a small child, living in his parents' house on Muirthemne Plain, he begs to be allowed to join the boy-troop at Emain Macha. However, he sets off on his own, and when he arrives at Emain he runs onto the playing field without first asking for the boys' protection, being unaware of the custom. The boys take this as a challenge and attack him, but he has a ríastrad and beats them single-handed. Conchobar puts a stop to the fight and clears up the misunderstanding, but no sooner has Sétanta put himself under the boys' protection than he chases after them, demanding they put themselves under his protection. "Cuchulain Desires Arms of the King", illustration by Stephen Reid in Eleanor Hull's The Boys' Cuchulain, 1904

Culann the smith invites Conchobar to a feast at his house. Before going, Conchobar goes to the playing field to watch the boys play hurling. He is so impressed by Sétanta's performance that he asks him to join him at the feast. Sétanta has a game to finish, but promises to follow the king later. But Conchobar forgets, and Culann lets loose his ferocious hound to protect his house. When Sétanta arrives, the enormous hound attacks him, but he kills it in self defence, in one version by smashing it against a standing stone, and in another by driving a sliotar (hurling ball) down its throat with his hurley. Culann is devastated by the loss of his hound, so Sétanta promises he will rear him a replacement, and until it is old enough to do the job, he himself will guard Culann's house. The druid Cathbad announces that his name henceforth will be Cú Chulainn—"Culann's Hound".

One day at Emain Macha, Cú Chulainn overhears Cathbad teaching his pupils. One asks him what that day is auspicious for, and Cathbad replies that any warrior who takes arms that day will have everlasting fame. Cú Chulainn, though only seven years old, goes to Conchobar and asks for arms. None of the weapons given to him withstand his strength, until Conchobar gives him his own weapons. But when Cathbad sees this he grieves, because he had not finished his prophecy—the warrior who took arms that day would be famous, but his life would be short. Soon afterwards, in response to a similar prophecy by Cathbad, Cú Chulainn demands a chariot from Conchobar, and only the king's own chariot withstands him. He sets off on a foray and kills the three sons of Nechtan Scéne, who had boasted they had killed more Ulstermen than there were Ulstermen still living. He returns to Emain Macha in his battle frenzy, and the Ulstermen are afraid he will slaughter them all. Conchobar's wife Mugain leads out the women of Emain, and they bare their breasts to him. He averts his eyes, and the Ulstermen wrestle him into a barrel of cold water, which explodes from the heat of his body. They put him in a second barrel, which boils, and a third, which warms to a pleasant temperature.

[duneideannrpg]

NOMBRES Y APELLIDOS ESCOCESES

A continuación, te compartimos un compilado de nombres comunes en Escocia. Esperamos puedan servirte como inspiración o recurso para la creación de tus personajes. 

Adeen — Aeleen — Aelish — Aeveen — Aibhne — Aideen — Aife — Ailbe — Ailbhe — Aileen — Ailidh — Ailin — Ailis — Ailsa — Ainder — Aine — Aineen — Ainslin — Aislin — Aisling — Aislinn — Aiveen — Allison — Almath — Aluinn — Alva — Amabel — Anya — Aoife — Arienh — Ashling — Baibin — Baibre — Baine — Banva — Barabal — Bebhinn — Bebinn — Bedelia — Beibhinn — Berneen — Bethia — Beval — Bigseach — Bigshock — Blinna — Blinne — Boinn — Boonan — Boyne — Breanda — Breen — Breffany — Brenda — Brenna — Brianag — Brianna — Bride — Brieanne — Bronagh — Cadhla — Cahan — Cailin — Caireann — Cairenn — Caiside — Cait — Caitir — Caitlin — Caitriona — Caoilin — Caoilfhionn — Caoimhe — Carra — Casidhe — Cassidy — Catriona — Ceallach — Ceallsach — Ceana — Ceanag — Ceara — Ceilidh — Cerridwen — Chiara — Ciannait — Ciar — Ciara — Ciarda — Cinaed — Cinnie — Cleana — Cliodhna — Cliona — Clodagh — Cochran — Colleen — Cora — Corcair — Coreana — Correen — Cuach — Daireen — Dearshul — Debrinne — Deidra — Deirdre — Delaney — Delany — Demi — Derin — Dervla — Dinean — Doireann — Dolina — Doonshock — Doreen — Duinseach — Dunla — Dymphna — Eanna — Eabha — Eavan — Edana — Edea — Eibhlin — Eileen — Eilidh — Eimear — Eithne — Ellie — Elspeth — Elva — Emer — Enda — Enya — Eri — Erin — Eteen — Ethna — Eva — Evaleen — Faoiltiama — Fenella — Fial — Fina — Finneacht — Finola — Fiona — Fionnabair — Fionnuala — Fiontan — Flannery — Florence — Fraser — Gemma — Gogan — Gordania — Gormelia — Grainne — Grania — Grainne — Greer — Heather — Ide — Ina — Iona — Irial — Isla — Isobel — Jacobina — Jemma — Jenna — Jessie — Karen — Kathleen — Katriona — Kayleigh — Kayley — Keela — Keeley — Keelia — Keelin — Keely — Keer — Keeva — Keevshock — Keira — Kelly — Kennedi — Kennedy — Kennocha — Kentigerna — Kenzie — Kerry — Khora — Kiera — Kincaid — Kinteerrn — Kirsty — Kora — Krinoc — Kronshock — Laimhseach — Laoise — Laoiseach — Lasairiona — Laureen — Lauryn — Leenane — Liadain — Liadan — Liath — Life — Ligach — Lilias — Logan — Lonnog — Luighseach — Lysagh — Macha — Madailein — Madb — Maedbh — Maegan — Maelisa — Maen — Maeve — Magael — Maighdlin — Maire — Mairead — Malise — Mallaidh — Malvina — Maoliosa — Maura — Maureen — Meabh — Meadhbh — Meagan — Meagwin — Meara — Meaveen — Medbh — Megan — Meghan — Mhairi — Moira — Molly — Molmoria — Mora — Morag — Moraga — Mordag — Morna — Morrigan — Morven — Moya — Moyra — Moyreen — Muadhnait — Muireall — Muireann — Murail — Murdina — Murphy — Myfawny — Nainseadh — Naoise — Neamh — Neamhain — Neassa — Neve — Niamh — Niav — Noleen — Nora — Norah — Noreen — Nuala — Onora — Oona — Orla — Orlaith — Orna — Patricia — Pawrigeen — Proinseas — Quinn — Reagan — Redmond — Reeowna — Rhona — Riley — Riona — Rionach — Roan — Robyn — Roisin — Roshene — Rowan — Rynagh — Saidhbh — Sallain — Saoirse — Seana — Searlaid — Senga — Seonaid — Seosamhin — Shanna — Shannon — Shawn — Shawna — Shea — Sheena — Sheila — Sheridan — Shona — Shonah — Sibéal — Sidheag — Silagh — Silbhe — Síle — Sileas — Sinann — Sine — Sinead — Sineidin — Sinnead — Siobhan — Siofra — Siomha — Siomhaith — Siusan — Sive — Slaine — Slainte — Sloane — Sodelb — Sorca — Sorcha — Suanach — Suin — Sydoc — Talena — Tara — Teafa — Teagan — Tegan — Tiarnan — Tierney — Toireasa — Treasa — Tuileach — Una — Zara

Adair — Alan — Alasdair — Alastair — Alban — Alec — Alexander — Alistair — Alistaire — Allen — Alpin — Andrew — Angus — Archibald — Archie — Arcill — Arran — Artain — Artair — Arth — Athol — Aulay — Auliffe — Baird — Barclay — Birk — Blaine — Blair — Blane — Boswell — Bothan — Boyd — Branduff — Broderick — Brodie — Bruce — Burgess — Callum — Calum — Cameron — Campbell — Caral — Carbry — Clyde — Coll — Colquhoun — Conlan — Cormack — Cormick — Cosmo — Cowan — Craig — Cramond — Crawford — Crinan — Crom — Dalziel — Danny — Denholm — Dennis — Dermid — Donald — Donnan — Donwald — Dothaw — Dougal — Douglas — Drostan — Druce — Dubne — Duff — Duncan — Durell — Durrell — Eadan — Elliot — Euan — Ewan — Fagan — Farquar — Farquard — Farquhar — Fergus — Ferguson — Fife — Fingal — Finlay — Forbes — Fraser — Frazier — Gavin — Geordie — Gillean — Gillis — Gleann — Glendon — Gordon — Gough — Graham — Grant — Greer — Gregor — Hamilton — Hamish — Iain — Ian — Innes — Iomhar — Ioseph — James — Jamie — Jock — Johnston — Keir — Keith — Kenneth — Kentigern — Kevoca — Kieran — Kiley — Kirk — Lachlan — Lachy — Laird — Lamont — Leith — Lenox — Leslie — Lochlyn — Logan — Lorne — Macaulay — Macauley — Macdonald — Macfarlane — Mackenzie — Magnus — Malachy — Malcolm — Manius — Mirren — Monance — Montgomery — Muir — Mungo — Munro — Murdoch — Murray — Nairne — Nectan — Neill — Nele — Nevin — Niven — Padruig — Ramsay — Ranald — Reece — Roban — Robbie — Roddy — Ronan — Rory — Ross — Ryan — Scott — Seathan — Shaun — Sholto — Sim — Sinclair — Sioltaich — Skene — Solas — Stewart — Stuart — Tavis — Tavish — Torcall — Tormod — Torquil — Uilleam — Wallace

A - B

Abercrombie — Abernathy — Abernethy — Acheson — Adair — Addair — Ahern — Aikman — Ainsley — Ainslie — Aird — Airlie — Aitchison — Aitken — Aitkin — Akin — Alan — Allender — Allfrey — Allison — Allphin — Alphin — Andrew — Andrews — Angis — Angus — Ankrom — Arbuckle — Archie — Ard — Ardis — Argo — Argyle — Armour — Armstrong — Arnot — Arnott — Atcheson — Aud — Auld

Bad — Bailie — Baillie — Baine — Baines — Baird — Bald — Baldon — Balentine — Balfour — Ballantine — Ballantyne — Ballentine — Bankhead — Bannerman — Barclay — Barland — Barr — Barrentine — Barrie — Barrington — Barris — Barron — Barrontine — Bartee — Bateson — Baughman — Bay — Beans — Beaton — Beattie — Beatty — Beaty — Begley — Belford — Bethune — Beveridge — Bickett — Bigger — Bigham — Binney — Bise — Bisset — Bissett — Blacketer — Blackstock — Blackwater — Blackwood — Blaie — Blair — Boan — Boig — Bonar — Borland — Boswell — Bothwell — Bower — Bowers — Bowie — Boyce — Boyd — Boydston — Boyes — Boyle — Boyter — Brandy — Brash — Brebner — Breckenridge — Bremner — Briar — Briggs — Brisbane — Broadie — Broady — Broddy — Brodie — Brody — Brough — Brownfield — Bruce — Brugh — Brunton — Bryars — Bryce — Bryden — Buchan — Buchanan — Buchannan — Buchannon — Buchanon — Buckalew — Buckelew — Bucklew — Buckoke — Budge — Buie — Buist — Bulloch — Buntin — Bunton — Burgess — Burgher — Burney — Burney — Burnsed — Burnside — Burress — Burrus — Burruss — Buttars — Butters — Byas

C

Caddell — Cadenhead — Caine — Cairns — Calderwood — Cambell — Cambron — Cameron — Cammack — Campbell — Campell — Canady — Cannaday — Cannady — Cannedy — Canup — Caraway — Cardew — Cargill — Cargle — Carlock — Carlow — Carmichael — Carmickle — Carnegie — Carothers — Carruthers — Carstarphen — Caruthers — Caskey — Cass — Castellaw — Castellow — Cathey — Cato — Catoe — Catto — Caulder — Caulfield — Cay — Center — Chalmers — Chattan — Chesnut — Chestnut — Cheves — Chisholm — Chism — Chisolm — Christeson — Christie — Christison — Christy — Cleghorn — Cleland — Clelland — Clemons — Clendenin — Clendening — Clendenon — Clennon — Clerk — Clingan — Clink — Clinkscales — Clugston — Clunes — Clyde — Clyne — Cobourn — Cochran — Cochrane — Cockburn — Cogburn — Coghill — Cohron — Coke — Collie — Colquhoun — Colter — Condie — Copeland — Copelin — Copland — Cormack — Corner — Corrie — Corson — Costella — Cothran — Coull — Coulter — Coupland — Coutts — Cowan — Cowie — Cowin — Crafford — Cragg — Craig — Craighead — Craigie — Crail — Cram — Cranor — Cranston — Crary — Crawford — Crays — Creach — Crear — Creason — Creech — Creighton — Cremar — Crerar — Crichton — Crinklaw — Crocket — Crockett — Croll — Cromartie — Cromie — Crookshanks — Crosbie — Cruickshank — Cruikshank — Crum — Crumm — Culbreath — Culbreth — Culley — Culton — Cumbie — Cumby — Cumings — Cumming — Cummings — Cummins — Cunningham — Curley — Currans — Currens — Cuthbert — Cuthbertson

D - E - F

Dais — Dalgleish — Dall — Dallas — Dalrymple — Dalziel — Dann — Dargie — Dashiell — David — Davie — Davisson — Davy — Deas — Deems — Dees — Delph — Dempster — Dendy — Denney — Denny — Densmore — Dewar — Dickie — Dingwall — Dinsmore — Dinwiddie — Divers — Docherty — Doctor — Doig — Dollar — Dollison — Don — Donald — Donaldson — Donat — Donelson — Dorward — Dougal — Douglas — Douglass — Doull — Dow — Downey — Downie — Drennan — Driscoll — Driskell — Drone — Drummond — Drummonds — Dryden — Drysdale — Ducan — Duffie — Dumbreck — Dunbar — Duncan — Duncanson — Dundas — Dundes — Dunkin — Dunlap — Dunlop — Dunmire — Dunning — Dunsmire — Dysart

Eadie — Eagleson — Eddie — Edie — Edington — Edison — Edmisten — Edmiston — Edmondson — Edmonston — Edmundson — Elgin — Elphinson — Ensley — Entrekin — Erskin — Erskine — Erving — Espey — Esplin — Espy — Ester — Ewan — Ewart

Fadden — Faddis — Fairbairn — Fairweather — Falconer — Fallen — Farish — Farland — Farney — Farquhar — Farquharson — Farrar — Farrish — Fate — Faulds — Feemster — Feimster — Fendley — Fentress — Fergerson — Fergeson — Fergurson — Fergus — Ferguson — Fergusson — Ferrier — Fettes — Fife — Figures — Findlay — Findley — Finlay — Finlayson — Finley — Finnie — Firth — Fleming — Flemming — Fletcher — Flett — Fobes — Forbes — Forbess — Forbis — Forbus — Forbush — Fordyce — Forgey — Forgie — Forres — Forsyth — Forsythe — Fraizer — Fraser — Frasier — Frasure — Frazee — Frazer — Frazier — Freel — Frew — Frizell — Frum — Fulton — Furgason — Furgerson — Furguson — Furlough — Fyfe — Fyffe

G - H

Gaddie — Galbraith — Galbreath — Gall — Gallacher — Gallaway — Galloway — Galt — Gammill — Garden — Garrick — Garrow — Garson — Gault — Gaunce — Gavin — Gaw — Geddes — Geddie — Geddis — Gemmill — Gibb — Gilbreath — Gilbreth — Gilchrest — Gilchrist — Gilcrease — Gilkerson — Gilkison — Gillan — Gillanders — Gillaspie — Gillespie — Gilley — Gillie — Gillies — Gilliland — Gillis — Gillison — Gillispie — Gilreath — Givens — Gladstone — Glasco — Glascoe — Glasgow — Glassford — Glen — Glendenning — Goldie — Goodlett — Goolsby — Gordan — Gorden — Gordon — Gosnell — Goudie — Goudy — Gough — Gourlay — Govan — Gow — Gowan — Gowans — Gowdy — Gracie — Graham — Graig — Grant — Greear — Greenlaw — Greer — Greg — Greig — Grier — Grieve — Grieves — Guffey — Guild — Guill — Gunn — Guthrie

Haddow — Haggart — Haig — Hairston — Haliburton — Halladay — Halliburton — Hamilton — Hamiton — Haney — Haning — Hanna — Hannah — Hannay — Hanning — Hardie — Hardison — Hardy — Harg — Harkness — Harvie — Hastie — Haston — Hasty — Hawthorn — Hawthorne — Hay — Headen — Headrick — Heggan — Heggie — Heird — Henderson — Hendley — Hendrie — Hendry — Henery — Henning — Hepburn — Hepworth — Herriot — Hillin — Hilson — Hindman — Hislop — Hoag — Hobbie — Hodo — Hoge — Hoggan — Hosack — Hosick — Hou — Houston — Howey — Howie — Hoy — Huggard — Hughey — Huie — Hume — Huskey — Huston — Hutcherson — Hutcheson — Hyland — Hyndman — Hyslop

I - J - K - L

Imlay — Imrie — Inch — Inglis — Innerarity — Innes — Innis — Irons — Irvin — Irvine — Irving

Jack — Jamerson — Jamieson — Jamison — Jardine — Jarvie — Jebb — Jelly — Jemison — Jessieman — Joass — Joel — Johnston — Johnstone — Jollie — Joss

Kanady — Kea — Kee — Keir — Keith — Kellen — Kellis — Kellman — Kellogg — Kelso — Kelsoe — Kelson — Kelton — Kenebrew — Kenmore — Kenndy — Kennebrew — Kennedy — Kenneth — Kennison — Keough — Keown — Kerr — Kersey — Kershaw — Keyes — Keys — Kiddy — Kier — Kilbride — Kilcrease — Kilgore — Kilgour — Killeen — Kimsey — Kimzey — Kinard — Kincade — Kincaid — Kincaide — Kindrick — Kinghorn — Kinion — Kinkade — Kinloch — Kinnaird — Kinnard — Kinnear — Kinnebrew — Kinner — Kinnick — Kinnon — Kinzie — Kirk — Kirkland — Kirksey — Kirkwood — Kissack — Kneeland — Knox — Kyles — Kynynmound

Lagan — Laidlaw — Laing — Laird — Lairmore — Lamon — Lamond — Lamont — Landreth — Lang — Lange — Lapsley — Larimer — Larimore — Latta — Lattea — Lauder — Lauderdale — Laughary — Laury — Lawrie — Lawther — Leap — Leas — Lease — Leath — Ledgerwood — Ledingham — Leese — Leishman — Leitch — Leith — Lemen — Lemmons — Lennox — Lenox — Lesley — Leslie — Liddle — Liggett — Lillie — Lindsay — Lindsey — Linear — Lingo — Liston — Livingstone — Loan — Loar — Loch — Lochhead — Lochridge — Lockaby — Lockard — Lockart — Lockerby — Lockhart — Logan — Loggins — Longmore — Loran — Lorimer — Lory — Lothian — Louden — Loudon — Lough — Lougheed — Louthan — Lowery — Lowrey — Lowrie — Lowrimore — Lowry — Lumsden — Lusk — Lyall — Lyalls — Lymon — Lynd — Lynne

M

M’Clellan — M’Clelland — Maben — Mabon — Macadam — Macalester — MacAllister — MacArthur — Macartney — Macaulay — Macauley — MacBeth — MacCallum — MacCuaig — MacDonald — MacDonnell — MacDougall — MacDowell — MacDuff — MacFarland — MacGregor — Macgrieusich — Machlin — MacInnes — MacInnis — MacIntosh — MacIntyre — Mackall — MacKay — Mackenzie — MacKinnon — Mackintosh — Macky — MacLachlan — MacLaren — MacLean — MacLennan — MacLeod — MacLulich — MacLullich — MacMaster — MacMillan — MacNaughton — MacNeil — MacNeill — MacPhail — MacPherson — MacQueen — MacRae — MacWilliams — Madison — Madlock — Maginnis — Magoon — Magruder — Maguire — Mains — Mairs — Maitland — Malcolm — Malcom — Maloch — Malpass — Manderson — Mantooth — Marchbanks — Marr — Marrs — Mathers — Matheson — Mathewson — Mathie — Mathieson — Mathison — Matthes — Mattie — Maule — Maxton — Mayne — Mayse — McAdam — McAdams — McAlexander — McAlister — McAllen — McAlley — McAllister — McAlpin — McAlpine — McAndrew — McAra — McArdle — McArthur — McAulay — McAuliffe — McBain — McBane — McBath — McBay — McBean — McBeth — McBride — McBroom — McBurney — McCaig — McCaleb — McCall — McCalla — McCalley — McCallister — McCallum — McCambridge — McCampbell — McCanse — McCant — McCants — McCardel — McCargo — McCartney — McCarver — McCarville — McCaskill — McCaslin — McCaul — McCauley — McCausland — McCaw — McChriston — McChrystal — McClaran — McClard — McClaren — McClatchey — McClean — McClear — McCleary — McCleese — McClellan — McClelland — McClenon — McClernand — McCline — McClintic — McClintick — McClintock — McClinton — McClish — McCloe — McCloud — McClugh — McClung — McClure — McColl — McCollom — McCollough — McCollum — McComas — McComb — McCombs — McConico — McCool — McCorkle — McCormic — McCormick — McCorvey — McCosh — McCosker — McCotter — McCown — McCrae — McCranie — McCright — McCroy — McCrum — McCrystal — McCuaig — McCubbin — McCuin — McCuistion — McCuiston — McCulla — McCullah — McCulloch — McCullom — McCullough — McCully — McCure — McCurtis — McCutchen — McCutcheon — McDade — McDonald — McDonalds — McDonel — McDonell — McDonnell — McDougal — McDougall — McDougle — McDuff — McDuffey — McDuffie — McDuffy — McEachern — McEachin — McEachran — McElfresh — McElveen — McEntire — McEntyre — McEwan — McEwen — McEwing — McFadden — McFadyen — McFall — McFarlain — McFarlan — McFarland — McFarlane — McFarlin — McFate — McFatridge — McFee — McField — McGarr — McGee — McGeorge — McGhee — McGhie — McGibbon — McGibbons — McGillis — McGillivray — McGilvery — McGilvray — McGirr — McGlashen — McGlasson — McGlothlin — McGlown — McGonigal — McGowing — McGray — McGregor — McGrew — McGrory — McGruder — McGuffey — McGuffie — McGuigan — McGuire — McHardy — McHargue — McHughes — McIe — McInnes — McIntire — McIntosh — McIntyre — McIsaac — McIver — McIvor — McJarrow — McJokkie — McKain — McKamey — McKamie — McKay — McKeag — McKean — McKechie — McKechnie — McKee — McKeever — McKeithan — McKell — McKellar — McKelvie — McKendrick — McKendry — McKenrick — McKenzie — McKeown — McKern — McKesson — McKiddy — McKie — McKillop — McKinlackour — McKinley — McKinnon — McKinny — McKinsey — McKinzie — McKinzy — McKisic — McKissack — McKown — McLachlan — McLagan — McLaine — McLaren — McLarty — McLauchlin — McLaurin — McLay — McLean — McLees — McLeish — McLemore — McLennan — McLennon — McLeod — McLoud — McLucas — McLure — McMackin — McMains — McMakin — McManus — McMartin — McMaser — McMasters — McMath — McMeen — McMichael — McMillan — McMillen — McMillian — McMinn — McMorran — McMorris — McMurdie — McMurray — McMurry — McMurtrey — McMurtrie — McMurtry — McNab — McNabb — McNair — McNary — McNatt — McNaught — McNaughton — McNeal — McNeff — McNichol — McNichols — McNiel — McNinch — McNish — McNitt — McPhail — McPhatter — McPhaul — McPhee — McPheron — McPherson — McPhilips — McQuarrie — McQueen — McQuhollaster — McQuiston — McQuown — McRae — McRaith — McRaney — McRay — McRea — McSparren — McSwain — McSween — McTaggart — McTammany — McTurk — McVicar — McVicker — McWain — McWaters — McWatters — McWhan — McWherter — McWhirt — McWhirter — McWhirtle — McWhorter — McWilliams — McZeal — Mearns — Meikle — Meiklejohn — Meldrum — Melendy — Melrose — Melville — Melvin — Menzie — Menzies — Merrow — Methven — Methvin — Mey — Michie — Mickle — Middlemas — Middlemiss — Mike — Mikell — Milholland — Mill — Millan — Millar — Millwee — Milroy — Minges — Minto — Mode — Moffat — Moffatt — Moffet — Moffett — Moffitt — Moir — Mollison — Moncrief — Moncrieff — Moncur — Monroe — Monteith — Montgomery — Montieth — Montrose — Monzie — Moodie — Moorehead — Moorhead — Moorman — Mor — Moredock — Morehead — Morison — Morrison — Morthland — Mortland — Mosman — Mossey — Mossman — Motherwell — Moultrie — Moyes — Muir — Muirhead — Mull — Muncie — Muncrief — Mundell — Mundie — Mundy — Munro — Munroe — Murchie — Murchison — Murdaugh — Murdoch — Murrah — Murray — Murry — Mustard — Mutch — Myron

N - O - P - Q - R

Nair — Nairn — Naismith — Nall — Napier — Narron — Nathaniel — Nay — Near — Negus — Neil — Nesbit — Nesbitt — Nesmith — Ness — Newkirk — Niblack — Niblock — Nicholson — Nickols — Nicol — Nicoll — Nicolson — Niel — Nimmo — Nisbet — Nisbett — Nish — Niven — Noles

Ocheltree — Officer — Offutt — Ogg — Ogilvie — Oglesbee — Oglesby — Ogletree — Orahood — Orem — Ormiston — Orrick — Orrock — Orso —

Paden — Paisley — Panton — Pasley — Pate — Paterson — Patillo — Paton — Pattillo — Pattison — Pattullo — Paull — Peasley — Peden — Peebles — Peeples — Penman — Persley — Peterkin — Petree — Petrey — Petrie — Petry — Pettigrew — Pettry — Petty — Phaup — Phenix — Philp — Phoenix — Pinckney — Pinkerton — Pinkney — Pitcairn — Pittenger — Poet — Polk — Pollock — Polson — Porteous — Porterfield — Postley — Pou — Presley — Pressley — Pressly — Primrose — Prindle — Pringle — Provan — Pullar — Puller — Purdie — Purvis

Quaintance — Quiggin — Quintance

Rabb — Rabren — Raburn — Rae — Raeburn — Raeside — Rainey — Raitt — Ramage — Ramsay — Ramsey — Rankin — Rankins — Ranney — Rasco — Rattray — Raulston — Raver — Rayborn — Rayburn — Reaper — Redden — Reddick — Reddy — Redhead — Ree — Reedy — Reid — Reidhead — Reith — Renfrew — Renfro — Renfroe — Renfrow — Renick — Rennie — Renton — Renwick — Reoch — Reyburn — Richey — Richie — Richison — Rickey — Ridlon — Risk — Ritchey — Ritchie — Robertson — Robeson — Robison — Rodan — Rodger — Rodick — Rollo — Ronald — Rosegrant — Ross — Rosse — Roswell — Rough — Rought — Roy — Rule — Rushford — Rusk — Rutherford — Ruthven  

S - T

Safley — Sailor — Sandercock — Sanders — Sanderson — Sangster — Saucer — Saunders — Sauser — Scobee — Scobie — Scott — Scroggs — Selfridge — Selkirk — Semple — Senter — Service — Shadden — Shand — Shands — Shankland — Shanklin — Shatto — Shaw — Shawn — Shearer — Shedden — Shehorn — Shina — Shorey — Shortridge — Sim — Simson — Sinclair — Sinton — Sittal — Skeen — Skeens — Skelley — Skirvin — Slider — Sloss — Smail — Smelley — Smiley — Smylie — Snedden — Snodgrass — Somerville — Sommerville — Souter — Southers — Speedy — Spence — Spittel — Sprvill — St. Claire — Stalker — Starrett — Steen — Stennis — Sterling — Steuart — Steven — Steward — Stewart — Stirling — Stitt — Stoddart — Storer — Storie — Storment — Stormont — Strachan — Strang — Strawn — Stronach — Struthers — Stuart — Sturrock — Stwart — Summerville — Sumrall — Sutherland — Sutherlin — Suthers — Swapp — Swinton — Sword

Taggart — Tait — Tannahill — Tannehill — Tarrence — Tassie — Tawse — Teare — Teasdale — Tedford — Telfair — Telfer — Telford — Thom — Thomaston — Thorburn — Thrift — Tilford — Tillery — Tindal — Tisdale — Toller — Tolmie — Torbert — Torrance — Torrence — Torrens — Torry — Tosh — Touch — Tough — Towers — Trail — Tullis — Tulloch — Tullock — Tullos — Turnbull — Twaddle — Tweed — Tweedie — Twentyman — Twitty — Tylor — Tyre — Tyree

U - V - W - Y - Z

Urey — Urquhart — Usher — Ussher

Vail — Vaill — Vass — Veach — Veatch — Veitch — Venters — Verner — Vert — Vessy — Vingoe

Waddell — Waddy — Waldie — Waldrep — Waldrip — Waldrup — Walkup — Wallace — Waltrip — Wardlaw — Wardlow — Wardrip — Wardrop — Wark — Warnock — Wason — Watchman — Waugh — Weddell — Wedell — Weems — Weir — Wemyss — Wham — Whan — Whary — Whearty — Whimster — Whitehill — Whitelaw — Wier — Wight — Wigton — Wilkie — Willison — Wims — Winton — Wishart — Woodburn — Woodside — Wyllie

Yawn — Yeats — Yelton — Yule

Zuill

Recurso tomado de: Marwen

[finnlongman]

Why is the Liath Macha male in Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne but female in Oidheadh Con Culainn? 🤔

(At least, the translation for BMMM is definitely using "he"; I'm so rusty on Proper Old Irish with infixed pronouns and unmarked lenition that I can't double check the Irish to be certain.)

Like... did the horse transition at some point between the ninth and fifteenth centuries? Because, I mean, congrats on the gender, Liath Macha, but also what

[dionadaiiraaa]

The stables were a place of serenity; or to Eden at the very least. He knew not everyone appreciated the smell and noises of horses; but to Eden, it was a reminder of home--he could recall the times he spent with Sebastian lounging in the hay bales or grooming their precious steeds. They would talk endlessly about the going on of their mundane life. Oh, to experience such a thing again; though the thought was fleeting; the pangs of homesickness was not. He missed Starkhaven, he missed it in the way he told stories of it. It flickered in the shines of his eyes when he spoke of home. He couldn’t deny the melancholy that took him from the Herald; a place so rich and vibrant of life. The barmaids could handle the servicing--they needn’t a cranky raincloud hovering over needlessly. 

So there was Eden, listening to the rain drops hit the glass windows of the meandering breathing of the horses. A groom brush in hand as he stroked the fur of  Liath Macha, the dapple grey mare that followed him everywhere and had the extreme fortune to survive not one but two circle collapses and a mage rebellion. He wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world. 

Just then, Eden had spotted the Inquisitor. He felt sheepish that he hadn’t noticed him before--how could he miss those fiery locks that he had come to admire so much? 

“ Inquisitor  Atreion!” he greeted with a practiced smile. “ Guid day to ye, are ye hidin’ from the rain or from people?” he asked with a teasing smile. 

@dalishflame​ S.C. 

[mountainashfae]

Y’all really like Rider Proto Cu huh.

This time I drew him with Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend!

[oddnub-eye]

Laeg in...really, a lot of stories.

[caemthe-a]

Cú Chulainn’s arsenal (Part 1).°

   Sooo... I might be forgetting a couple relevant weapons and feats here, but this is pretty much a list of what I consider would be Cú Chulainn’s weapons/fighting style/etc. depending on his servant class + some headcanons(?) because I need to do something with my Táin knowledge. Anyway, let’s begin with the Lancer-class!

Javelins: Cú would use these quite often against enemies that weren’t much of an opponent for him or when they were out of close-combat range/in a vehicle (chariot). He used to carry the javelins more often when he was just a little boy and was said to always carry a little javelin with him and do some tricks (don’t remember much of it, but it included throwing the javelin as high as he could and pick it up before it touched the ground, like I said, this kid was as reckless as they come) with it to pass the time. The javelins are not countless. He has got 18 javelins and can continue using them as much as he wants unless they get broken.

Remnant of 1999: Specific to Proto Cú and, while not his strongest spear, it’s one of his favorites and it’s a memento of his late Master, Misaya Reiroukan. This spear was meant to be mostly used against beasts and low-rank enemies and would break like a wood stick if used to block a noble phantasm like Excalibur but, despite that, Cú finds himself using his Remnant of 1999 more often than not. 

Del Chliss: When Sétanta took up arms at age 7, he asked King Conchobar mac Nessa for proper weapons but each spear and sword he was given, he would easily break them on his knee (what a little shit, right?). He broke more than 10 pairs of weapons like this until King Conchobar decided to give Sétanta his own weapons, which the boy wasn’t able to break. Del Chliss is the spear that he should use, especially against other servants and strong opponents. Del Chliss doesn’t have any special powers besides being a resilient spear that won’t break but it still is the best one combat-wise.

Craisech Neme: Another spear that was a gift of King Conchobar and also known as the Venonus Lance. Cú didn’t use this spear as often as Del Chliss and, to tell the truth, he isn’t much of a fan of it since he prefers fair and straightforward fights rather relying on poison, but he will summon Craisech Neme in case he’s running out of time or his opponent really manages to piss him off. The venom Craisech Neme is quite powerful so getting poked by it would have really gruesome results. 

Gáe Bolg: The belly spear aka the cursed spear made from the bones of the sea monster Coinchenn that was given to Cú by Scathach (who also taught him its technique) in the Land of Shadows. The effect of Gáe Bolg is quite gruesome as it only needs to enter one’s body with a single wound... and then it opens into 30 barbs (or coursing through the victim’s body so that every single joint filled with barbs). But, while it may look like a superweapon, it’s quite inconvenient to use (must meet certain conditions: must be on a stream and the spear needs to be cast from the fork of the toes) and impractical to retrieve (have to cut the victim’s body open to retrieve the spear). That’s why Cú rarely (practically never) uses gáe bolg. He only uses it for finishing moves and when he’s meeting the right conditions. But, inconvenience and impracticability aside, Cú loathes using Gáe Bolg because the only times he used it while he lived were to kill his heart-companion, Ferdiad, and his only son, Connla. 

    List of Gifts: Since Cú Chulainn was the son of Lugh, a prominent god of Irish mythology who is associated with skill and mastery in multiple disciplines (especially martial arts), he was born with more than a few gifts, which, according to the wooing of Emer were... Gift of Prudence until his warrior's flame appeared (meaning: this gift was basically nonexistent because Cú is Cú), Gift of feats (meaning: this is why Cú had so many feats), Gift of Buanfach (meaning: he was good at table games), Gift of draught-playing (meaning: he was good at this other table game and no, I swear this is 100% real and accurate), Gift of Calculating (in other words, Cú is effortlessly good at maths), Gift of Soothsaying (which is the art or gift of prophecy, which I don’t remember Cú using at all), Gift of Sense (which means that Cú is 100% aware of all the reckless things he does and that he should know better but still is reckless  anyway), and Gift of Beauty (Cú was an extremely pretty guy).

    On a side note, Cú Chulainn’s three faults were that he was too young, too daring, and too beautiful. As I said he basically was one of the first devianart ocs. And this is the end of this first part of Cú’s weapons + other relevant stuff because I don’t want this post to be too long. 

[ad-ciu]

Thesis Tales: The Monster Horse

So, I have a story for you. A story about a man and his horse. His very, very strange horse. But, for context I better explain where this all comes from to start with.

I have been utterly silent here on Tumblr for the last several months as I have been writing my Master’s thesis. Now that it is finished, I can return to the lands of the living and participate in society again. However, like some shellshocked hero stumbling out of an Underworld with a collection of stolen goods under one arm, I have returned with stories!

You see, I wrote my thesis on Conall Cernach, someone who is greeted mostly with ‘Who?’ when I talk about him. You probably know his cousin and foster-brother better than him, Cú Chulainn. Since nobody has bothered to really write about Conall in the last, oh.... let’s say ever, I am technically the world expert on him at this point which is both amusing and terrifying. So what better to do with this undeserved position but yell about how cool he is on the internet.

Today, in what I hope to make a semi-regular discussion of what I discovered in my thesis, I’m going to be talking about the monstrous steed Conall Cernach rides, Derg Drúchtach, ‘Dripping Red.’

So, I love this horse. I love this horse so much because, oh my god, it is so fucked up. Without the broader context of horses in medieval Irish lit., it’s a freaky horse, with the context, it’s just so weird. 

So! Let me tell you about my favorite insane animal. But, before that: Horses and Heroes.

As a hero in medieval Irish literature, you need horses to pull your chariot. I’m not going to get into the whole argument about if chariots ever existed in Ireland (yeah it’s a thing, we’ve never actually found any), but the Ulster Cycle never stops harping about heroes and their chariots. These powerful, elegant beasts capable in battle are epitomized by Cú Chulainn’s horses, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend.

These twin horses come to Cú Chulainn from the Otherworld, emerging from beneath a lake. They are powerful, beautiful, and fierce in battle. In the early modern version of Cú Chulainn’s death, Oidheadh Con Culainn, Liath Macha even seems to have some sort of Otherworldly knowledge, as they refuse to allow Láeg, Cú Chulainn’s charioteer, harness them on the day that Cú Chulainn dies as it is aware of the threat to its master’s life. In the older version of the tale, Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne, Laith Macha goes into a rage when their master is mortally wounded and kills 90 men.

Though these horses are not always named, they accompany Cú Chulainn through many of his stories, princely and noble things, the horses of an upper-class warrior, befitting Cú Chulainn. They are the beauty and poise of the Otherworld.

But then there is Conall’s Horse. Derg Drúchtach, ‘Dripping Red.’

Only appearing by name in two different stories, Oidheadh Con Culainn and  Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne, Conall’s horse is referenced to in passing in the glosses of other texts. It is a monster without a doubt. If Cú Chulainn’s horses are the beauty and grace of the Otherworld, Conall’s is the violent terror that stalks there.

Derg Drúchtach is a blood red horse, though its name, ‘Dripping Red’ carries the implication in Old Irish that it is specifically dripping red with blood. Therefore, the horse might be red, or is might be so gore-splattered you can’t tell the difference.

On top of this, the horse has a dog’s head. While this is not strictly uncommon for Ireland, there is an entire book written on this odd fact (Werewolves, Magical Hounds, and Dog-Headed Men in Celtic Literature: a Typological Study of Shape-Shifting by Phillip A. Bernhardt-House), this is the only instance that I am aware of a horse being given a hound’s head. 

(These two features of the horse, being red and being dog-headed, are divided into two separate horses by the time of Oidheadh Con Culainn, but in the original version of the story is a single being.)

Furthermore, because this horse cannot stop being morbidly fascinating, it is so strong that when Conall rides it at a breakneck pace to hunt down and slaughter every single person who had a hand in the death of Cú Chulainn, it tears hunks out of the turf in such a flurry that it appears as though the steed is followed by all the ravens in Ireland. On top of this, it foams at the mouth to the extent that the horse and rider appear to be at the epicenter of a mobile snowstorm.

And if all of this was not enough, the horse Eats People.

Or, well, bites most of people’s torso’s off, I’ll admit I am presuming it then eats the remains due to its name.

The one instance where the horse is given considerable ‘screen time’ is in  Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne when Conall has hunted down Lugaid, one of the men who killed Cú Chulainn. As Lugaid has had an arm cut off by the corpse of Cú Chulainn, Conall is compelled by his honour to bind one of his own arms behind his back to make it a fair duel. However, the two men find themselves matched, neither able to kill the other.

In this moment of realization, Conall glances over at his horse, and the horse gets the memo and stalks over to Lugaid. As the two men fight, Derg Drúchtach strikes, tearing out a hunk of Lugaid’s torso so large that it proves to be a mortal blow. When Lugaid tries to reproach Conall for cheating, as he said it would be a duel alone, Conall corrects him, saying that he is not responsible for the acts of wild animals and insane creatures.

Derg Drúchtach, the mad, gore-splattered, dog-headed, man eating horse that foams at the bit so much it appears to be in a snowstorm, kills Lugaid. Saving its master from the duel while also saving his honour. 

This absolute insane animal has no clear equivalents elsewhere in Irish saga literature. A mad, frenzied animal that drips with the blood of men it has presumably eaten is only ever seen with Conall Cernach. Other heroes have their horses, but they are noble, powerful beings befitting their rider. Conall on the other hand rides on the back of this vicious, mad animal.

Why does this horse exist? I have absolutely no idea. Since the conception tales of heroes sometimes include the conception of horses, I suspect that the lost conception story of Conall Cernach we see referenced in the Tale Lists may have made reference to the horse. Or, potentially it was expanded on in other stories now lost to us. Either way, the fact that it appears in two different stories separated by several hundred years, and is eluded to in the glosses on other stories, suggests that something is going on with this horse. But, we might never know.

And, despite this, it is my absolute favorite animal from the Irish sagas.