#lugh clan

[totoronocosmo]

Do you believe in magic?

[themodernwitchsguide]

the celtic gods

please note that sometimes history gets blended with stories created by neopagan groups, and it's above my pay grade to know what is what

the creation myth of the irish is pretty much lost to time, but as far neopagan groups are concerned, it began with a horse named Eioch emerging from sea foam. nearby a hearty tree grew which Eioch fed upon, and this tree may have been Cerunnos (not many sources exist to corroborate this). jealous of the giants (who created the earth) that were many in number, Cerunnos and Eioch procreated to create the gods

CERUNNOS: irish god of nature, life, and fertility. associated with horned animals

the clan of Tuatha De Danann

DANU/ANU/ANANN: the matriarch of Tuatha de Danann (literally meaning "the people of the goddess Danu"), she is the irish goddess of regeneration, wisdom (since the Tuatha de Danann themselves were crafty), and sovereignty

THE DAGDA: son of Elatha (a Fomorian king) and possibly Ethniu, a triple god and one chief of Tuatha de Danann, god of life and death, the seasons, magic, and agriculture

BRIGID: daughter of Dagd, irish goddess of healing, fire/metalworking, and poetry

AENGUS/OENGUS: son of Dagd, irish god of love, beauty, summer, youth, and inspiration

MIDIR: son of the Dagd, although his name may mean "judge," some stories say he crafted the rivers and lakes

ERNMAS: her name refers to death by weapons

THE MORRIGAN: daughter of Ernmas, a triple goddess and the other chief of Tuatha de Danann, irish goddess of war, death, prophecy and ravens. her aspects are often considered Badb, Macha, and Nemain/Anand/Eea

ERIU: sometimes considered a daughter of Ernmas, goddess of Ireland (Ireland is derived from her name) and sovereignty

BRES: son of Eriu and Elatha (of the Fomorians), he was an unpopular king of Tuatha de Danann since he often gave preferential treatment to the Fomorians

BANBA: sometimes considered a daughter of Ernmas, goddess of Ireland

FODLA: sometimes considered a daughter of Ernmas, goddess of Ireland

LUGH/LUGUS: son of Ethniu (of the Fomorians) and Cian (of Tuatha de Danann), irish god of nobility, warriors, crafts, oaths, justice and sometimes light or the sun. he kills Balor at the battle of Mag Tuired

NUADA: the first king of Tuatha de Danann, irish god of fairness, justice, and honesty

OGMA: son of Elatha (of the Fomorians), irish god of language, eloquence, and learning

DIAN CECHT: irish god of healing and medicine, Tuatha de Danann's healer. father of Cian and grandfather of Lugh

GOIBNIU: irish god of craft, metalsmith for the Tuatha de Danann

the clan of the Fomorians, who fought to take over Ireland,

DOMNU: irish goddess of the abyss, or deep sea. patron goddess of the Fomorians

INDECH: irish son of Domnu, sometimes king of the Fomorians, other times just a warrior

BALOR: a giant cyclops that is usually considered the chief of the Fomorians. it is his death, at the hands of his grandson Lugh, that creates a time of peace and prosperity in Ireland

CAITLIN/CETHLENN: wife of Balor, a prophet

ELATHA/EALADHA: a king of the Fomorians, son of Balor and Caitlin, perhaps a god of the sun

ETHNIU: daughter of Balor and by some sources, irish goddess of the North Star

gods associated with the underworld,

ARAWN: welsh god of hunting, magic, and lord of the Annwn (afterlife). represents honor and fairness

CERRIDWEN: welsh goddess of the underworld, a shapeshifting witch and prophet

MANANNAN/MANAWYDAN: welsh god of the sea and guardian of the underworld

and the rest,

MATH AP MATHONWY: brother of Don, god of magic, sorcery and enchantment. created Blodeuwedd for a man, and turned her into an owl when she became unfaithful

BELI: welsh god of fire, death, and darkness

DON: welsh equivalent of Danu, the mother goddess. there is another welsh god by this name who is considered the god of the dead

GOVANNON: son of Beli and Don, welsh god of blacksmithing and crafts

GILVAETHWY: son of Beli and Don, god of agriculture and ploughing

GWYDYON: son of Beli and Don, welsh god of war, magic, illusion, poetry, and music

AMATHON: son of Beli and Don, welsh god of agriculture

NUDD/LLUDD: son of Beli and Don, welsh god of healing

GWYNN AP NUDD: son of Nudd, king of the fair folk, associated with the Annwn

CREIDDYLAD/CORDELIA: daughter of Lludd, welsh goddess of flowers and desire

ARIANRHOD: virgin goddess of the moon, reincarnation, the sky, and fertility. tricked into jumping over the magic wand of Math, which made her give birth to Dylan and Lleu. she refused to claim Lleu as her son and laid three curses upon him

DYLAN: welsh god of the sea and waves

LLEU: welsh hero, often attributed the same powers as Gwydion

AERON: welsh god of battle, slaughter, and fate

LLYR: welsh equivalent of Lir, god of the sea

MANAWYDDAN: son of Llyr, welsh god of the sea

BRAN: son of Llyr, welsh god of prophecy, war, and kingship

BRANWEN: daughter of Llyr, welsh goddess of love, beauty, and marriage

MODRON/MATRONA: mother of Mabon, welsh goddess of motherhood

MABON: welsh god of eternal youth, hunting, love, and the autumnal equinox

TALIESIN: welsh god of bards and poetry/music

MERLIN/MYRRDIN: welsh god of magic, gifted with prophecy and wisdom

RHIANNON: welsh equivalent of Epona, goddess of horses, motherhood, and strength

PRYDERI: son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, hero who's story is told in the Mabinogi

BLODEUWEDD: welsh goddess of flowers and emotions, protector of women

AINS/AINE: irish goddess of summer, fertility, and crops, Queen of the Faeries

EPONA: gaelic goddess of horses and fertility

BORVO/BORMO: gaelic god of hot springs

BELENUS: irish god of the sun, fire, healing, and fertility. celebrated during Beltainne

CAILLEACH/SCOTIA: irish goddess of the winds and winter, patron of animals

DRUANTIA: gaelic goddess of trees, fertility and passion, seen as Queen of the Druids

ESUS/AISUS: gaelic god of vegetation

FAND: irish goddess of the sea

FIONN MAC CUMHAILL: irish god of the woodlands, leader of the Fianna hunters

MAEVE/MEDB: irish goddess of sovereignty, intoxication, seduction

SCATHACH SCATA: irish warrior goddess, teacher, prophet, and sorceress

SUCELLOS: gaelic god of good fortune, wine, an agriculture, equivalent to the Dagd

TAILTIU: irish goddess of the earth, vigor, strength, and endurance. foster mother of Lugh

TARANIS: gaelic god of thunder and storms, associated with wheels

TEUTATES/ALBORIX/CATURIX: gaelic god of the tribe, protector of the people

[wodania]

I’d like to introduce you all to my new best friend: Chief Rónán, who i am going to give ridiculously expansive lore. He was born of a selkie woman and the god Lugh. Cú Chulainn is his half brother. His coming was predicted by ancient fairy prophecy. He is a saviour for seal kind and is the father of Clan MacRón, or the Sons of The Seal. His middle name is Phoque because it’s funny.

[shuttershocky]

Wait Touko has Beowulf as a familiar? Like Beowulf the dude?

Nah, Beowulf is a werewolf named after the dude.

The story goes that an isolated werewolf clan deep in a forest in Europe found a child asleep on the ground, as if born from the Earth itself rather than any parent. The child was different from the others, born with incredible strength and golden fur.

Realizing that the strange child was a werewolf that was on the level of their once powerful ancestors, the werewolves named him Lugh Beowulf, after the sun god and the legendary hero.

How or why a phantasmal beast from the Age of Gods was born in the modern era with his power intact is never explained, but due to the clans' isolation he lived a very boring, caged life. Then one day Touko visited the werewolf village and offered Beowulf a contract: Beowulf would serve as her familiar and carry out her orders, and in exchange he would get to test his might against all sorts of supernatural enemies around the world. Touko also offered her hair to the clan in order to buy off Beowulf's freedom, which is why her hair is shorter than Aoko's.

Before the events of Mahoyo, Touko and Beowulf traveled the world, going on all sorts of adventures to test just how powerful Beo really is. At least one of these included defeating the curse of the Bermuda triangle.

In Kara No Kyoukai, Touko makes a reference to Beowulf when she hires Shiki, saying that Shiki would serve as a replacement for her previous familiar.

[eternalstarlights]

Happily Ever After Verse

This is an au where Regulus survive the Holy War. Before the end of the Holy War, when Regulus and Connor finally became a couple, he promised her that after the war he would retire as a saint and dedicated and devoted his life to Connor and the Lugh clan.

After the Holy War, he remained the Leo saint for two years, helping Shion to rebuild the Sanctuary and recruit more saints and training. He is also known as the strongest gold saint in his generation just like his father was once known as. After the two years when the Sanctuary was more stable than before, he told Shion of his situation and asked to retire which Shion allowed him to. (The situation is different from his father who chose to continue being as the Leo saint even after leaving the Sanctuary.) Regulus was no longer the Leo saint and the Leo cloth stayed back in the Leo temple.

He returned to Ireland to stay with Connor. For a few years, he would studied the history and rituals of the Lugh clan and also learned more about magic and how to use it better. He isn’t as good in magic as Connor and still prefer to use his cosmos instead. He did all of this so he could better support Connor and the Lugh clan. Their bond with each other also became deeper as they spend more time together.

After the few years, Regulus finally marry Connor and changed his name to Regulus Lugh. Even though he wasn’t a saint anymore, the Lugh clan still had an alliance with the Sanctuary and Regulus still felt connected to the Sanctuary. He would try to help the Sanctuary as much as he could. He would visit the Sanctuary to help them (like in business trips) or to visit his old friends often. Sometimes, he would bring his children along so they would see and learn more about the Sanctuary that their father grew up in and also meet his old friends.

When Regulus grew older and became an adult, he looked exactly like Sisyphus. His height also grew to 186cm. (He is no longer short yay)

After the war and even after he marries Connor, he has PTSD (but it isn’t very serious).

[tricksterscorvid]

31 and 46 for the writing asks, please? Thank you!

Do you start with the characters or the plot when writing?

Honestly it entierly depends on what it is that I am writing, the current fic I am OBSESSED with working on is insane to say the least and started with a small plot-bunny and grew from there into the monstrosity that it has become.

But two of my original writing things started with character creation over the plot.

--

How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, ect.)

Well this is going to require me to actually lay out the basics of a few things I have been working on, either with a partner or on my own compleatly, because I don't usually pay attention to my style?

Black Rose: Original story, a possibly orphaned young woman learning that the killer is still alive and discovered that they had not compleatly eradicated this family.

Cantara Chaos: Orignal story, Deities in the flesh join guilds and basically cause chaos in the world while trying to keep the fact that they are Deities and their special abilities definatly are normal like their fellow guild members.

Ride or Die: Orignal story, full of dark tones and a /lot/ of smut. A woman in an abusive relationship with another woman is rescued by a guy that is a member of the local motorcycle gang, there is some awkwardness between them at first, but they happy together for a while before the ex hires a friend thats in a less-than-legal profession to kidnap the one they lost and theres more dark tones before she is saved again.

Shadow and Fire: Fanfic, one Hell of a fanfic, let me just take D.Gray-man and smash it together with My Hero Academia and sprinkle a heavy amount of Irish Mythros. Lugh and Morrigan are reborn into twins, their parents know but do not want their children in danger despite the fact that the reason they were born was to face off against the reborn Balor, the search for the Spear of Luin and the sword Fragarach lead them to join those of The Black Order and learning to wield their abilities and their respective weapons before a devistating fight between the twins forcing them apart for a while, one being rescued by the Clan of Noah and nursed back to health[I know how it sounds shhh] while the other nurses their own wounds thinking that their twin hates them, they end up looking for their other half and find them in Japan attending UA….

Inheritance: Fanfic, Voltron but Mythological creatures. Galrans are Merpeople and Alteans are Harpies. The rest are various other types of Mythological creatures.

The rest of the things I am unsure if I am allowed to share yet as my writing buddy is the head on those <3 I… hope this answers those questions o^o

[judgetoast-blog]

Black Emperor Campaign Diary vol 8 & 9

Session 8:

The Party splits, Cindergrip the goliath berserker, Atreyu the minotaur, and Jacob Ironsides the construct, and Squawk the kobold are all sent north, looking for the tomb.

As they travel north they cross the main road leading out to the coast and encounter the bulk of the army, for some reason marching east across the continent to reach the coast. The party camps among the troops and strikes up a friendly conversation with them. They break bread and share booze with the troops and learn that they are being moved to the coast to look for some kind of weapon and that most of the troops aren't happy about this.

The following morning the party leaves the army behind at the waystation and continues north. Along the roads they see a armored figure falling from the sky. Shortly after they are almost run down by a horse fleeing in terror. They fail to stop the horse but find they are able to locate the body, a minotaur knight of the famed clan Beryn. As they discuss the dead minotaur they are attacked by a flight of Wyverns, coming to claim the meal they killed. After a struggle the PCs kill one of the Wyverns but send the rest fleeing as Ilanth channels the power of her god to turn the beasts.

After the battle with the Wyverns the party decides to take the armor and equipment of the minotaur with them, Atrayu intends to return them to the clan later, as it is the right thing to do. They continue the journey north and arrive in a village called Groveton. 

Session 9:

The trio arrived in the village of Groveton, a small farming village that is more orchards than houses. They stop only briefly, resupplying and continuing into the pine barrens before sending Jacob, Illanth, and Atreyu into the mountains. 

In the pine barrens the party encounters strange mounted warriors. Green of armor and skin. Their proportions strange and elongated, their bodies and horses all one piece. The party attempts to communicate with these men of the pines and ultimately brokers a deal with them. these immortal warriors will have their curse removed by the druids, as long as they serve the party in their campaign. When the deal is struck they send the men of the pines to the druids to help them mop up the remaining gibberlings.

While moving through the pines the party hears the sounds of distant voices crying out the word “Doom” drawing closer. The party picks up their pace but the calls only draw closer still. Realizing they could die tired or fight the threat the party agrees to make its stand. They are confronted by strange and powerfully built twisted reflections of Kenku, creatures of kenku nightmares known as dire corbies. The party met the first wave of the dire corby charge with only minor injuries and heard another coming in the distance. Discretion is the better part of valor it seems as they take the break in the assault to flee the pine barrens and meet the rest of the party at the base of the mountains. When they break  through the treeline the rest of the party is waiting for them. The re-united party too much of a threat for their pursuers who stop short of the tree line. As the party looks back at the horde of dire corbies in the trees a kenku shows himself, the emperor’s assassin Deathrattle. Deathrattle reflects the sun’s light using a mirror, shining it at the party before slinking back into the woods.

The party decides it would be best not to look for the weapon, fearing tipping off Deathrattle that Jagh-Deesh is a potential traitor they decide to travel along the mountains before turning south to return to the druid grove. During their trip along the mountains the party notices a massive dwarven face carved into the side of the mountain. They come to understand that this is the tomb of a dwarf known as Brund. The party decides they are not tomb robbers and turn south.

On their journey south they encounter a fellow rebellious spirit in a brigand and his band calling himself “Lugh”. They come to find that Lugh isn’t from the Black island, he’s an outsider who has come here to fight a good fight, gathering people around him to fight for a good cause. The party smells a potential ally and agrees to travel with Lugh back to his camp where he reveals he is not just here to be a hero, he is a piece of a god, a shadow that is diminished and he hopes through his heroic deeds he might take back his power as a god and return to the realm of the gods. The party notes that there is a chance for both of them to get what they want and ask him to join them in their rebellion. Lugh agrees and lends his fighting men to the party’s growing troop count.

[tipsycad147]

Divine Ancestors: Find Out If You Descend From a Celtic God or Goddess!

posted by : kitty fields

Do YOU descend from an ancient Celtic god or goddess? Compare your ancestors’ surnames (or your current name) to our database here and find out if your ancestor was divine! Backstory: recently I was doing research to find an ancestral god for someone and discovered that nearly every old Irish clan claims descent from a god or hero. I kept digging and made a list of the Irish clans and the gods and goddesses they claim as ancestors. If you see your name (or your ancestors’ name) on this list, you can claim divine descent!

READ THIS FIRST: Check the variations of each of your surnames and compare to what I have listed here. You can Google your surnames and find the variations. Why is this important? There are multiple versions of most Irish surnames. For example, my ancestors’ last name was McNally. Variations of McNally include: MacNally, MacNall, and MacAnally, etc.

Also Note: This is not an all-inclusive list as there are thousands of Irish surnames that could literally take up a book. I did my best with researching and gathering names, but if you don’t see your Irish surname in this article I highly recommend digging into the roots of your name. Look for your Irish clan then read through what sept or ancient tribal group they originate from. From there, you may be able to find your ancestral god or goddess!

1. The Cailleach: Winter Goddess & Divine Ancestor

The Cailleach is a crone goddess known well throughout Scotland and Ireland. She’s a creator and a goddess of transformation. AND she’s an ancestral goddess to many people alive today. There is more than one old Irish sept that claims her as an ancestor. If your ancestors were part of the Corcu Loigde or Corcu Duibne (later called the Dairine), you can claim Cailleach as your fairy goddess ancestor. Here are the surnames I’ve found linked to the Dairine:

Coffey

Flynn

O’Connell

O’Donovan

O’Driscoll

O’Falvey

O’Leary

O’Shea

2. Danu: Mother to the Tuatha De Dannan and the Corcu Duibne

The Corcu Duibne (already mentioned above) can also claim the Mother of the Tuatha De Dannan as their ancestor – the goddess Danu. Danu is a mother goddess and earth goddess. The River Danube is named for her. She’s also considered one of the faery folk and may be the same goddess as Anu, an aspect of the war goddess The Morrigan. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many sources left that tell her stories. Corcu Duibne translates to “seed of Duibhne” a.k.a. Danu.

If you have any of these Irish surnames in your ancestry, you descend from the Mother Goddess Danu:

O’Connell

O’Falvey

O’Shea

3. Flidais: Celtic Goddess of the Forest

Flidais (pronounced flee-aysh) is an ancient Celtic Goddess of the earth, forest, and fertility often depicted with a set of antlers. Deer are under her watchful domain and she’ll often manifest in this form. She is one of the Tuatha De Dannan and was beloved by the Deisi people and later on claimed as an ancestor of the Dal gCais tribes.

If your ancestors’ name is in the list below, Flidais is your divine ancestor:

Aherne

Barron

Boland

Casey

Clancy

Clohessy

Considine

Couglan

Downey

Heffernan

Hogan

Hurley

Kennedy

McGrath

McMahon

McNamara

O’Brien

O’Carroll

O’Curry

O’Grady

O’Hanrahan

O’Mahoney

Quinn

Twomey

4. Lugh: Celtic Sun God and Divine Ancestor

Lugh is a Celtic sun god who is also part of the Tuatha De Dannan. Multiple Irish clans claimed Lugh as their god and ancestor. If your ancestors were part of the Eoganachta, Lugh is your Celtic god ancestor. One connection lies in the King Lughaid who claimed descent from Lugh, as well as Irish clans that claim descent from Cu Chulainn. This legendary hero claimed descent from Lugh, henceforth Irish clans connected to him are also descended from Lugh.

If your surname(s) match any below, you can claim Lugh as a divine ancestor:

Bird

Breen

Cassidy

Cowley

Darragh

Godfrey

Heany

Loughlin

MacAleese

MacAlilly

MacBreen

MacCaffrey

MacCauley

MacEleer

MacMorrow

MacNally

Magee

McCormack

McGuire

McManus

5. Brigid: Ancestral Goddess of Fire, Healing and Poetry

Brigid is one of the most beloved deities of old Celtic Ireland and Scotland. She is a goddess of the hearth, smithing, and healing. She is often depicted as a triple goddess and is honored by many modern pagans. After the church converted the Celtic people, the goddess Brigid lived on in the form of Saint Brigid, oe of the patron saints of Ireland. There are Irish clans from the Bairrche sept that claim descent from her.

If you have one of these names in your ancestry, Brigid is your divine ancestor:

MacGorman

McBride

O’Gorman

6. Manannan Mac Lir: Divine Ancestor and Sea God

Manannan Mac Lir is an ancient Celtic sea god who is still well-known on the Isle of Man. In fact, the Isle of Man was named after this Son of the Sea himself. He is a protector of sailors and a god of abundance and the Otherworld. The Conmhaicne were an early race of people of Ireland, who some believe were “fathered by Oirbsiu” (another name for Manannan Mac Lir).

If you have any of these surnames in your ancestry, you are a grandchild of Manannan Mac Lir:

Cloherty

Conneely

Devany

Folan

MacDorchy

MacKeoghe

MacNeela

MacRannall

MacShanley

O’Farrell

O’Kealy

O’Manning

O’Moran

O’Mulvey

O’Radaghan

Reynolds

Stone

7. Nuada: King of the Tuatha De Dannan

The King of the Tuatha De Dannan, the divine race of Celtic Irish gods, may be an ancestor of yours. Nuada is also known as Nechten and he’s the husband of the goddess Boann. As a warrior god, if his blood runs through your veins, you undoubtedly took on some of his characteristics. The Delbhna Nuadat was a group of lords who claimed ownership over a portion of land in modern County Roscommon.

If you or your ancestors have one of these surnames, you can claim descent from the god Nuada:

O’Faherty

O’Flanagan

8. Macha: Sun Goddess and Ancestral Mother

Macha is a sun goddess, a sovereignty goddess of Ulster, and one of the three sisters of The Morrigan. She’s associated with the earth, horses, war, love and fertility. Macha is also a fierce mother goddess who protects her children and descendants. Like her other divine counterparts here, she is also a divine ancestor to many Irish people today through the Ui Meith clans.

If you have this name or your ancestors carry one of these surnames, you descend from Macha:

Beaky

Beck

Caldwell

Ganey

Hanvey

Horish

Horsiskey

Marron

Mearn

Mulbride

Mulready

Smollen

Waters

You Have Divine Blood…Now What?

Maybe you realized you descend from an ancient Celtic god or goddess. But now you’re wondering what to do with this information? It’s up to you what you do with the information. I’m not saying anyone is necessarily a god or that your ancestor was a god, I’m saying that these clans claimed it. This is similar to how the Egyptian pharaohs claimed to be gods or descend from the gods. It gave people status and probably fueled their religious rites and beliefs.

Aside from telling people your ancestor was a god, consider working with your ancestor in your spiritual practice. Research and study their lore and history. Set up an altar space. Provide offerings. Ask your ancestor to send you messages in your dreams and life. Immerse yourself in Irish Celtic culture. Better yet – embody the gods’ qualities that you find valuable. Bring them to the surface…as the gods are already within you.

Why Are There Only Irish and Scottish Surnames Here?

Unfortunately, if you don’t have Irish or Scottish ancestors, you might be wondering where the other names are. I wish I could find the same information for ALL cultures and heritages, but it doesn’t exist at this magnitude. Ireland had a Renaissance right before the Viking Age in which their clergy (who could read and write) began documenting Irish folklore, mythology, and history. Geneaology including names and locations of septs and clans was recorded, and we are lucky to have this information still today.

If you’re curious, there’s another way to find gods and goddesses in your ancestry that goes beyond Ireland and Scotland – by building a family tree. I use the Ancestry international version and was able to take one of my lines back to the year 2 BC to King Skjald who claimed ODIN as his father. So I am also able to claim Odin as an ancestor. Now, mind you, this took me years to find the connection but if you find a royal line in your ancestry you might be able to trace it back to a god or goddess! While I can’t supply you with other divine bloodlines at this time, I can help you find out more about your magical ancestors now. INCLUDING if you descend from Celtic Fairy Queen Goddesses! Read the links below to learn more!

[aurevoirmonty]

Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh marque une transition essentielle dans le cycle annuel : le glissement de l’été à l’automne et l’émergence de la période des moissons. Cette fête est un jalon symbolique, riche en traditions et en rituels. Lughnasadh, en incarnant la sagesse ancestrale et la puissance de la nature, donne naissance à une symphonie symbolique complexe. Les quatre célébrations saisonnières, qui jalonnent le cœur du cycle festif annuel, sont des instants singuliers où l’on rend hommage aux différents aspects de la vie universelle et aux activités du clan. Ces festivités, qui comprennent Samain, Imbolc, Beltaine et Lugnasad, soulignent chacune des traits distinctifs de leur saison respective.

Samain, célébrée le 1er novembre, met l’accent sur la valeur de la solidarité familiale et clanique. À l’automne, saison des semailles et des chasses, la cohésion et la coopération du clan deviennent primordiales. C’est donc une période privilégiée pour se rassembler et resserrer les liens familiaux. Imbolc, qui a lieu le 2 février, est une fête de purification et de recueillement. L’hiver, par sa nature même, est une période de retraite et de renouveau. Cette fête marque un temps de purification du foyer, symbolisant un nettoyage en profondeur avant l’arrivée du printemps. Beltaine, célébrée le 1er mai, est un hommage à la jeunesse, à la croissance et à l’amour. Le printemps, saison du renouveau et de l’épanouissement, est une période où la compétition entre les jeunes est mise en avant. C’est un temps de croissance et de compétition saine, où l’amour fleurit. Lugnasad, enfin, célébrée le 1er août, est un jour de festin, marquant la saison estivale qui est le moment de savourer les fruits des premières récoltes. Cette fête est associée à la maturité et à la récolte, symbolisant l’âge de 44 ans, où l’on moissonne ce que l’on a semé dans sa vie. Lugnasad représente l’âge mature, le temps de récolter matériellement les fruits de ce que nous avons semé et cultivé au cours de notre vie, une période marquée par la notion de maturité et de moisson.

Le Dieu Lugh aurait instauré cette fête en mémoire de sa mère Tailtiu dont un tumulus subsiste à Teltown en Irlande. La mère de Lug succomba d’épuisement après avoir défriché toute l’Irlande, préparant ainsi tout le pays à l’agriculture. Tailtiu est plus qu’une simple mère pour Lug, elle incarne une grande Déesse, représentant un aspect de la Terre-Mère.

Cette fête était l’occasion d’un grand rassemblement où tous les problèmes étaient réglés sous l’œil vigilant de la mère (de Lugh), à travers des jeux (compétition) ou autres… Par facilité, cette fête a été associée à la moisson car Tailtiu, qui représente la Terre-Mère, est indéniablement la génératrice de la moisson. Cependant, c’est Lugh qui a instauré cette fête en son honneur et non pour la moisson…

Le nom de cette fête renvoie au dieu Lugh, dont l’influence se retrouve dans le nom de nombreuses villes européennes et de tribus celtiques. Il est perçu comme un dieu aux multiples facettes, fortement associé à la souveraineté et à la magie.

En sommes, Lugh partage de nombreux points communs avec le dieu Wotan. Tout comme Wotan, Lugh est reconnu pour sa vaste connaissance des arts magiques. Il est également associé aux corbeaux, pratique l’art de la magie, et est souvent représenté avec un œil fermé lors de certains rituels. Lugh, à l’image de Wotan, est le patron des poètes, conduit les armées au combat, et sa lance est son arme de prédilection.

En outre, Freyr, le dieu nordique de la fertilité et des récoltes, est honoré par le Freysblöt, une cérémonie d’offrandes qui marque aussi le début de la moisson. Thor, qui aide également aux récoltes, et sa femme Sif, dont les cheveux dorés peuvent évoquer les champs de blé mûrs, sont également vénérés lors de cette fête.

Au cours du Freysblöt, la première gerbe de blé récoltée est attachée et bénie en l’honneur des dieux et des vaettir, les esprits de la terre. Le pain, cuit à partir de ce premier blé moissonné, devient une offrande partagée avec toute la communauté.

Autrefois, cette célébration revêtait une importance vitale pour nos ancêtres. Une mauvaise récolte pouvait entraîner de nombreuses morts durant l’hiver. Aujourd’hui, nous rendons hommage à Freyr pour toutes les récoltes abondantes dont nous avons bénéficié. Si certaines années étaient particulièrement difficiles, des sacrifices drastiques étaient réalisés. Nous honorons Freyr en lui présentant un blöt, un festin issu de nos jardins et de nos champs.

Il est vrai que ce que nous savons de manière avérée concernant ces célébrations antiques est parfois fragmentaire. Freyfaxi, par example, est une création contemporaine qui correspond approximativement avec le jour de Larsok, le 10 août, cité dans le Primstav. Historiquement, à cette date, il était de coutume d’avoir fini de stocker le foin pour assurer l’approvisionnement en lait durant l’hiver. Bien que Larsok soit parfois interprétée comme une fête des moissons, certains chercheurs proposent qu’elle pourrait être liée à la fête de Saint-Laurent.

En Grande-Bretagne, des fêtes de la moisson ont été célébrées depuis les temps anciens pour remercier les divinités pour les récoltes abondantes. Selon la tradition locale, ces cérémonies ont lieu en septembre ou en octobre. Néanmoins, une fête des moissons précoce avait lieu le 1er août, nommée Lammas, « messe du pain », ou Hlalmaesse. Il s’agissait d’une cérémonie pour marquer le début de la saison de la moisson. À Lammas, un pain réalisé à partir de la nouvelle récolte était apporté, symbolisant ainsi le commencement de la période des moissons. Cette cérémonie se situait à mi-chemin entre le solstice d’été et l’équinoxe de septembre, indiquant une étape importante du cycle agricole.

De plus, Lughnasadh est une fête officielle en Irlande et une célébration gaélique, qui a des racines dans le paganisme et est mentionnée dans certaines des plus anciennes littératures irlandaises. Historiquement observée en Irlande, en Écosse et sur l’île de Man, Lughnasadh réunit de grands groupes pour des cérémonies religieuses, des compétitions athlétiques rituelles, des banquets, des rencontres amoureuses et des échanges commerciaux. La fête survient à un moment critique pour les communautés agricoles : les réserves de l’année précédente sont épuisées et les nouvelles récoltes ne sont pas encore prêtes.

En Suisse également, le 1er août est un jour férié. Traditionnellement, Lughnasadh a toujours été associée au premier jour d’août. Cependant, au cours des siècles récents, une grande partie des rassemblements et des festivités qui lui sont associés ont été déplacés vers les dimanches les plus proches – soit le dernier dimanche de juillet ou le premier dimanche d’août. On pense que cela est dû à l’incertitude du temps et au fait que la période des récoltes était chargée, ce qui rendait difficile de sacrifier des jours de travail. Comme le dimanche aurait de toute façon été un jour de repos, il était logique de célébrer à ce moment-là. Le passage au calendrier grégorien a également pu influencer cette modification.

Enfin, Lughnasadh partage des thèmes agricoles avec Lammas, ou hlalmaesse. Au fil du temps, ces deux fêtes se sont entremêlées au point qu’il est souvent difficile de distinguer les éléments spécifiques à chacune.

Il est dit de Lughnassadh qu’elle est la fête du plaisir, où il convient de célébrer le phénomène connu sous le nom de plaisir sensible. C’est pourquoi lors du banquet, un squelette accompagne les hôtes à table. Qu’est-ce que le plaisir, c’est-à-dire ce stimulus qui détermine à peu près toutes les décisions? Il procède de la lumière tirée de quelque chose. Chacun, à son niveau, tire sa lumière, son plaisir, du divin. Dans l’ancienne religion, c’est Frey qui raffine le fait de tirer sa vitalité des joies de ce monde.

Il est dit que c’est lors de cette fête qu’il faut aller dans la forêt pour explorer et trouver le petit peuple, avec une loupiote comme Hermod allant voir Baldr.

Effectivement, la forêt étant le symbole du subconscient, il est raconté qu’à la veille de Lughnasadh, il est le bon temps de se promener en forêt, de pénétrer dans les bois et de parcourir un sentier. C’est à ce moment précis, dit-on, que le petit peuple devient visible. Farfadets, lutins, fées et nains sont alors au rendez-vous. On souligne l’importance de renouveler les protections magiques pour les récoltes, le bétail, les habitations et toutes autres possessions. Les maisons se parent souvent d’une croix de sorbier, en forme de Naudiz, accrochée au-dessus des portes, un symbole protecteur fort. On prépare des gâteaux avec les ingrédients disponibles et on les mange dans les champs ou les pâturages. De petits morceaux sont jetés par-dessus l’épaule alternativement à gauche et à droite en guise d’offrandes aux esprits de la nature pour favoriser les récoltes et aux prédateurs pour demander d’épargner le bétail.

À l’aube de Lughnasadh, nos ancêtres et leurs enfants célèbrent une série de rites et de cérémonies. Une coupe solennelle du premier grain est effectuée, dont une offrande est faite à la divinité, portée à un endroit élevé et enterrée. Un repas composé de la nouvelle récolte et de myrtilles rassemble la communauté entière. Par ailleurs, une danse-jeu rituelle peut-être illustre une lutte pour une déesse et un combat rituel.

Ce rituel complexe implique aussi l’installation d’une tête en pierre sculptée au sommet de la colline et une victoire sur elle par un acteur incarnant Lugh/Wotan. La célébration se prolonge ainsi sur trois jours, avec le jeune dieu Lugh, ou son représentant humain, à la tête des festivités.

En Irlande, on gravi de nombreuses montagnes et collines importantes pour ce festival. L’occasion est marquée par des repas, des boissons, de la danse, de la musique folklorique, des jeux, des rencontres amoureuses, ainsi que des compétitions athlétiques et sportives. Dans certaines traditions, tous portent des fleurs en grimpant la colline et ils les enterrent ensuite au sommet en signe de la fin de l’été.

Parmi les autres traditions, les gens préparent un gâteau spécial appelé le lunastain, qui est à l’origine une offrande aux dieux. Certains puits sacrés sont visités, où les visiteurs prient pour la santé en marchant dans le sens du soleil autour du puits, laissant ensuite des offrandes, généralement des pièces de monnaie ou des clooties.

Finalement, nous purifions notre bétail en le guidant à travers un cours d’eau. Nous dédions les premiers fruits de nos récoltes aux divinités et aux esprits. Des poupées sont fabriquées à partir des épis de blé et servent de talismans pour assurer la protection des personnes, des champs, du bétail et des possessions.

« Le mois d’août a besoin de la rosée autant que les hommes ont besoin de pain. » « Après Lammas, le maïs mûrit autant la nuit que le jour. »

En conclusion

Lughnasadh, cette fête ancestrale, représente un symbole profond de l’interdépendance entre l’homme et la nature et du respect de ses cycles. Elle rappelle l’importance de la gratitude pour les dons que nous recevons de la terre. Aujourd’hui, alors que nous célébrons cette journée, nous nous souvenons de ces traditions et nous les adaptons à notre époque moderne, tout en préservant l’esprit et le sens des anciennes coutumes. Que ces rituels et célébrations nous rappellent constamment notre lien avec la nature et l’importance de vivre en harmonie avec elle.

[goldenlightofhope]

@arcgeminga​ xxx

“Yes, I am Arago Lugh.” And even though the man did not directly answer his question, it was obvious that he was the saint that he was looking for. He was glad that saints wore armour since it was easier to find him. “Good thing that I found you. I am not bad with directions but I can’t seem to find where the Sanctuary is. Since you are my guide…” Or escort. “I guess I don’t have to worry anymore.”

As he was talking, he couldn’t help but stare at the basket of food that was in the saint’s arms. Fresh fruits… he hoped they were not for him. He couldn’t handle eating fresh food…  

“The head priestess could not be here as she is busy with other matters and sent me here on her behalf.”

He wished Connor could have sent someone else. He was not good at politics. His skills were of a fighter but Connor told him that if he wanted to help the Lugh clan, he would need to be good at politics and making alliances. Fortunately, for him, the Sanctuary was already an ally with the Lugh Clan.  

[arcgeminga]

Arago was only here for few minutes and he was already lost… Where was the entrance of the Sanctuary again? Where was he supposed to meet his guide? He was told that his guide was a saint named Aspros, whoever, that person was. He was kind of glad it was not Regulus. He liked the boy and so did his cousin. It was just the boy’s cosmos was too bright for his liking which was ironic coming from someone who was in the Lugh clan. He spotted a man in gold armour and decided there was no harm in asking. “Hi, can you tell me where I can find a saint named Aspros?… Gemini Aspros, I believe.”

♕┊ Aspros was directed to go just outside of Sanctuary to fetch a guest from Ireland. It wasn't uncommon for Sanctuary to receive guests, so long as said people were expected and escorted in by high officials.

Sanctuary's entrance was, for the most part, very obscure. Hidden within the mountain range just outside of Athens. Innocent travelers would most likely skip Sanctuary by accident. After all, the powerful, ancient barrier around the location made Sanctuary adopt an avoidance characteristic to non-citizens -- evading outsiders with illusionary pathways that lead past the ancient militant metropolis.

He was instructed to meet the person in a small outpost town at the foot of Hymettus. The town was already acquainted with Sanctuary and even benefited from the amicable relations with the confidential city-state. It wasn't Rodorio. Rodorio was a village within Sanctuary -- a safe space for the growing families of Saints. Since this small town had frequent visitors from Sanctuary, none of the citizens batted an eye in confusion when the man donned in full, golden armor walked down the street.

Aspros made a very quick pitstop at a produce shop. After all, Defteros had asked to bring back something. If it was to humor his brother, then so be it. The Gemini Saint made a quick purchase of some figs, cherries, and apples. Just as the Gold Saint was gathering the basket of fruits in his arms, a person with silver hair and a scar between his brows approached him.

♕┊ "..." Aspros stared at the stranger. His immediate thought was, 'who the fuck is this to be asking around for me?'

...then he realized, oh, perhaps he got too carried away in the pleasant conversation with the very handsome shopkeeper. He momentarily forgot that he was on escort duty.

"I take it you're the visitor?" Aspros finally kicked himself into replying after he took a good look at the person. Testing the waters still, he continued with an amicable front while carefully evaluating the other. "Argos... wait, no. Arago Lugh?"

[shaycormacaroni]

@whoever in Ubisoft decided to make the druids in Valhalla’s Irish dlc the ‘bad guys’ for the sake of the plot: turn on your location I just want to talk 🔪 🔪

[morsking]

okay but really i love e pluribus unum because arjuna and cu alter are such GREAT foils for one another.

arjuna is a gifted royal prodigy who is the son of the king of the hindu gods but the pressure of the expectations of a pure and beautiful prodigy crushed him so hard the splinters of his heart were pieces of resentment that he denied were his feelings. it’s this conflict that makes arjuna feel like an imposter who needs to hide his imperfections out of fear he cannot be loved or acknowledged otherwise, so he blamed krishna for all his war crimes, deviance, and cruelty because he could not look at himself and feel proud as a hero after defiling the rules of combat throughout the war between the pandavas and the kauravas; much less the greatest martial dishonor in arjuna’s life: the underhanded murder of his half-brother karna.

but then we have cu chulainn, the son of the sun god lugh, the proudest, most accomplished celtic hero who carries his pride with him wherever he goes. while disappointed with the unfairness and cruelty of the world he is nevertheless confident in who he is and would never change the way he lived his life because that's the defining ideal he had sought after and worked so fucking hard to achieve regardless of his divinity. no matter how much blood he shed or all the promises he couldn’t keep or all the suffering he accumulated, it was all part of the path he chose and would never take those things back because they made him who he is.

which is why as cu alter he is extremely miserable. because he's no longer who he's worked so hard to be, he's what medb forced him to be against his will and there is nothing worse than having to live your life constrained by the greedy and self-serving expectations of people who aren't you. medb does not allow cu alter to have the dignity of chasing glory for himself by making him be her ideal blood-splattered monster king. a lot of cu chulainn's character had revolved around him keeping enough humanity so his promises, his bond, his word could still mean something to others because he could still be recognized as a human with principles and loyalty unhindered by his heritage. for cu alter to be denied humanity is to be denied his pride.

and this is where their parallels come into play later on in the chapter. arjuna joined medb’s camp while karna joined edison’s just so he could have a chance to beat karna fair and square and finally claim some pride for himself as a hero. but right in the middle of their fight, cu alter skewers karna from behind with a nasty, underhanded surprise attack, leaving arjuna standing shocked at the horrific display of subterfuge and savagery that just took place. this provokes a moment of internal turmoil within arjuna: he’s not just witnessed firsthand the barbarism of unjustly killing an opponent, but he’s also been robbed at his opportunity of earning his pride in a fair fight between two equals without the interference of gods or of kings. to make matters worse, karna can still draw enough breath to unleash vasavi shakti on cu alter, being able to cling to his dignity as a hero despite being humiliated in combat yet again. arjuna looks at cu alter and breaks because he wonders if that is who he will always be: a monster with no pride or identity who can only pretend he’s prestigious by stepping all over the honor of other warriors.

nightingale has to snap him out of his bsod by telling him he can still have honor by siding with humanity and taking medb down. so at the end of the chapter, arjuna is able to dematerialize with a smile on his face after annihilating the clan calatin with pashupata because he’s used his power and ability for what is truly right after he’s realized pride is something you choose to cling to in the midst of disgrace. arjuna doesn’t have to be “the son of the divine sovereign indra”. hell, he doesn’t even have to be like karna. he just has to be “arjuna”, and who “arjuna” is is completely up to him and no one else.

this contrasts with cu alter, who is able to resemble his untainted self when medb is gone because like arjuna, he has been freed from the expectations and obligations that someone has forced upon him. he can fight of his own accord for his own pride as the warrior of ulster who never backs down even if it’s a lost cause because seeing something through to the end is a promise he made to himself as a hero out of his own free will.

[margridarnauds]

Okay, my unasked for opinions on how I would handle bringing in Irish Mythology and medieval Ireland in general to the world of Assassin’s Creed, as someone who has a MA in this sort of thing: 

Personally, I’ve always believed we would need a full game to really, really handle medieval Ireland - We’re talking a very dramatic time, a very sophisticated time, with this massive output of literacy and learning that goes hand in hand with horrific raids, with death, with this massive uncertainty where you knew, at any given day, the Norsemen could come in and take everything from you. The level of unease must have been absolutely through the roof. 

- Bosses - Ogma, Nuada, Manannan, The Morrigan (bonus boss fight, not strictly tied into the game), Lugh. Of these, Ogma’s role isn’t strictly as an ANTAGONIST, it’s more as a test of skill, to see if Eivor’s worthy. 

- The Tuatha Dé are, naturally, Isu - They came to island from the Isu homes of Gorias, Findias, Falias,and Murias in what, to the observers at the time, looked like ships clouded in mist, but were actually highly advanced technology. They have a fractured relationship with the Norse Isu that led to Cath Maige Tuired, when both sides engaged in a knock-out, blowout fight that nearly destroyed both sides. (Given Basim’s everything, this could lead to some hilarious commentary.) 

- On one hand, when this came out, I was CERTAIN the Tuatha Dé were going to be illusions, created by an Apple of Eden, but now? A part of me would like to see an AC angle on the tradition that the Tuatha Dé were driven underground by the ancestors of the modern Irish. Seeing a group of Isu being taken down by mortals, harnessed and bound beneath the Earth, could really, really be cool. 

- I’m actually still not opposed to Evil Druid Cult - We know that druids DID survive potentially as late as the ninth century, so you could really do something with that, looking at the law texts. This group of druids, chafing at their loss of status under Christianity, want to bring back the Tuatha Dé, who have been biding their time beneath the Sidhe mounds, waiting to take control of Ireland again. I would like to see the Tuatha Dé have their share of disagreements on this - Nuada and Lugh won’t agree, Ogma and the Dagda will probably be on the same side against Lugh AND Nuada, Bríg will, given the association with Saint Brigit, support the mortals, possibly acting as a guide to Eivor, and the Morrigan is just going to be there to see the world burn. If Bres appears, he could actually be useful to Eivor, as an occasional, if untrustworthy, ally, due to his blood relationship with the Norse Isu. 

*In some of the literature, druids will bring down, for example, rains of fire on their enemies, so you could have that somehow incorporated into a boss fight.

*It’s generally accepted that historical druids did, in fact, commit human sacrifice, but that it died out sometime around the 2nd century BCE, so, IF we bring that in, bring it in as something that’s very much a throwback, brought on by a “desperate times, desperate measures” mentality. I’d honestly keep it from happening until midway through the DLC, as Eivor gains ground, just so that, when it occurs, it’s even more shocking.  

- Since the major seat of Viking raids in Ireland came from Scotland, not Norway, take advantage of that by bringing in some new Scottish Vikings. Whether they’re friends or foes to Eivor could depend on the specific angle - Is Eivor coming to Ireland as a friend or as a foe? Is she going to team up with the Scottish Vikings, or is she going to work against them?

- Collectibles - Manuscripts. Ireland had a thriving manuscript culture at this time, many of which are now lost, so Eivor could go around the map collecting them, including some, like Cín Dromma Snechta, that we know today are lost. Along with fighting the requisite bosses, Eivor might also have to gather together the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé, to ensure that they never fall into their hands again. (With one of the more human-friendly Tuatha Dé potentially giving Eivor one as a show of good faith.) 

- Legendary equipment - Enbarr of the flowing mane (mount), which you can win after defeating Manannan, Fragarach (sword), the Gae Bulg (already included in-game, spear), Caladbolg (Sword), Claideb Soluis (sword, won after defeating Nuada, glows all the time), Gáe Assail (Lugh)

- Locations: Frankly, I would love the entire country of Ireland animated, but I know that that’s a tall order (though like.....just saying........Origins.) But, if I can’t have that, let’s go for: Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Waterford as major cities. Sidhe forts act as powerful Isu locations, with Newgrange in particular being a MASSIVE one. It’s also generally agreed by scholars who do Irish Mythology that there was some form of pre-Christian belief that the gods could be reached by going under, not above, so you could also have some really cool underwater locations. (Especially given that there are a few folklore stories of lost cities under the lochs and rivers of Ireland.)

- Side missions - You have a bunch of really, really petty noblemen all vying together for power - That would be the best time to really bring out the Assassin-Templar conflict, with some kings allying with the Assassins, some with the Templars, and the whole conflict taking part under the guise of clan rivalries. Missions can include breaking into a king’s ringfort and assassinating him. You could also do missions where you escort Assassin priests back and forth, or deliver manuscripts filled with secret codes from one monastery to another. (I have THOUGHTS on Assassin and Templar priests in medieval Ireland.) As the development team have pointed out, Norsemen often functioned as mercenaries, so take advantage of that. We can actually date a ninth century Irish text PARTIALLY, along with the usual ways we date this sort of thing, by the extraordinary amount of violence, terror, and upheaval that occurs in them as the result of the Viking raids. This is a very chaotic time, cattle-raids between chieftains are very much a way of life, abduction marriages, while not strictly COMMON, show up frequently in saga literature (one of your missions could be rescuing the daughter of an ally from a rival king trying to abduct her), murders, political intrigues, raids, etc. Also, as a bonus, if you get caught after the fact, instead of being killed on-sight, you might have the option of paying a blood fine. 

[carewyncromwell]

"Cover my eyes -- cover my ears -- Tell me these words are a lie... It can't be true that I'm losing you -- The sun cannot fall from the sky... Can you hear heaven cry the tears of an angel?”

~“Tears of an Angel,” by RyanDan

x~x~x~x

tw: character death, brief mention of violence 

The Battle of Hogwarts, taking place the night of May 1st 1998 and into the next morning of May 2nd, was a dramatic day in the Wizarding World’s history. It was the day that Lord Voldemort fell at the hands of Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic successfully seized back control from the Death Eaters that had infiltrated it -- the day that marked the end of the Second Wizarding War and a new beginning for wizards in the United Kingdom. 

It was also a day, however, of immense loss. Although most magical historians (and authors writing books about the infamous Boy Who Lived) tend to gloss over the names and identities of those lost in favor of the grander-scale historical strides achieved by the end of the War, those who actually fought in the Battle -- such as Jacob Cromwell -- never forget that.

Once known as the “delinquent” who pursued Hogwarts’s infamous Cursed Vaults as a student, only to disappear mysteriously for seven years and then reappear looking exactly the same as when he vanished, Jacob worked hard to make a better name for himself. Once his fight against R was finally over, he set about traveling the world and taking on as many areas of study as he could, using his extensive knowledge of Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, the Dark Arts, defensive magic, magical and Muggle history, Legilimency, Muggle science, and both modern and ancient languages to pioneer new magical discoveries. One of his most passionate interests was in applying Muggle chemistry and biology to the fields of Potioneering and Magizoology, and through those advancements, he was able to not only introduce the use of the periodic table to advanced Potions classes and the principles of evolution to advanced Care of Magical Creatures classes, but also help develop a slew of new antidotes for magical creature venoms. Despite this, though, Jacob was enough of a vagabond with no definitive sense of direction that he could be easily persuaded to jump back into Cursebreaking -- the thing that first brought him and his once-boy best friend Duncan together -- and through Cursebreaking, Jacob met Lugh Hopper. @thatravenpuffwitch​​

The Patriarch of the Hopper clan was a very brave and dedicated family man, even despite the tragedy in his life. During the First Wizarding War, he lost not only his wife, but his son and daughter-in-law, so he’s always been quite protective of and nurturing toward his grandchildren Ellie and Jacob Hopper. With this in mind, it’s not entirely surprising that a man with such good paternal instincts and such a fearless spirit took a liking to a reckless, passionate nerd like Jacob Cromwell. They were both Legilimens with a strong devotion to family and a lot of courage, and honestly, Jacob C was just entertaining to go on assignments with, considering he never flinched away from a challenge and would get over-excited about the littlest things. 

Jacob Cromwell had never had a real father figure in his life before, since his father Evan had never been very affectionate or supportive toward either Jacob or Carewyn and ultimately abandoned his family when Jacob received his Hogwarts letter, and so Lugh filled a hole in Jacob Cromwell’s life that he barely even knew had been there before. Lugh validated Jacob’s intense passions and desire to fix people’s problems and make the world better, even after all of the mistakes Jacob had made in his life. The older man wholeheartedly supported Jacob when he put his Cursebreaking assignments on hold to return to Britain, supposedly to “research at home” for a while, but in truth to help his sister Carewyn hide Muggle-born fugitives from the Ministry of Magic. And when both men arrived at Hogwarts on May 1st, they greeted each other with a casual hug, slapping each other’s backs, as if Jacob Cromwell was just as much Lugh’s grandson as Jacob Hopper was.

The two men fought side by side some of the time during the Battle. Both were extremely talented magical Duelists -- Lugh had once worked in the Auror Department alongside Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody, while Jacob had been a dueling prodigy since he was still at school and had in his travels studied with a Native American wizard about how to fight with two wands simultaneously. Despite this, however, the casualties in the Battle of Hogwarts were very steep indeed -- and sure enough, one of those casualties was Lugh, who only went down thanks to the combined efforts of four Death Eaters. 

When Lugh went down, Jacob Cromwell -- who never was very good at containing his anger -- lost his head completely. He tore into the enemy forces with both of his wands, mercilessly cutting them down with an assortment of both dueling and Dark spells that other members of the Hogwarts army wouldn’t have dared use. He used Transfiguration to fuse one Death Eater to a suit of armor, even if the metal cut painfully through his flesh and bone. He seized one Death Eater’s wand arm with a spell and then dislocated it, twisting it completely the wrong way. He even impaled one of the men who’d cornered Lugh with a chandelier. Jacob was so grief-stricken that he’d gone mad -- and even when the Battle had been paused and there were no more enemy combatants left to fight, no one could get close to him. Most didn’t want to, out of fear of his temper. The only ones brave enough to were Bill Weasley and Jacob Hopper. 

When the eldest Weasley tried to approach first, Jacob Cromwell refused to let him get within three feet of him. Jacob C had always had a lingering, petty resentment of his sister’s best friend, since Bill had sort of “taken Jacob’s place” in Carewyn’s life while he was trapped in the Portrait Vault and also embodied a lot of Jacob’s insecurities about not being good enough of a brother for Carewyn, so he had a lot of trouble accepting any help from him. Jacob Hopper, on the other hand, naturally grieved his grandfather just as much as Jacob Cromwell did -- and although Hopper was a rather arrogant rebel, Jacob Cromwell was one of those too, so the two had found more than a little bit of common ground while working together on assignments with Lugh. And so tall Jacob Hopper was able to get close enough to the shorter, stockier Jacob Cromwell to roughly pull him into a hug without a word -- and the two Jacobs ultimately stood there in the hall together, Jacob Cromwell’s shaking hands holding his wands wrapped around Hopper’s chest as they both gritted their teeth and fiercely tried to contain their grief and tears. All Jacob Cromwell ever said to Jacob Hopper that day was --

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Most wouldn’t know what he was sorry for, exactly...but Hopper surmised it was indicative of survivor’s guilt, more than anything. 

After the War was over, Jacob Cromwell -- with some encouragement from his sister Carewyn -- finally felt brave enough to ask the Hoppers if he could sing something for Lugh’s funeral, in his honor. Naturally the Hoppers agreed...and when the young vagabond wizard came up to stand in front of the congregation that included his sister and her new ward Erik, his mother, and his best friend Olivia Green, his way-too-long ponytail of dark brown curls better groomed and dressed in nicer high-necked black robes than he’d ever worn in his life, he sung full-voice and bravely, even with tears streaming down his face. 

“Oh, we never know where life will take us --  I know it's just a ride on the wheel -- And we never know when death will shake us, And we wonder how it will feel... So goodbye, my friend --  I know I’ll never see you again, But the time together through all the years Will take away these tears. It's okay now... Goodbye, my friend.”

And for the remainder of Jacob Cromwell’s life, he held Lugh Hopper’s memory as close to his heart as he did Duncan Ashe’s -- this time, as motivation to fight for a world where people like Lugh didn’t have to lay down their lives, just to save others from people like Voldemort and the Death Eaters.