Ars Magica Legendary Swords of the Tuatha de Danann
From: SirParn Posted on: 10/22/2003 6:20 am
To: ALL
Message: 302.1
Hiya All !!:)

I was hoping that some of you may have some ideas for our campaign, as we have been working on the idea around King Arthur and Excalibur. What our problem is that we have based the whole idea around that the Lady of the Lake was a Tuatha de Danann (Undine: Goddess of Pure Water), and she was the one who gave King Arthur Excalibur, but we have been working on the basis that Excalibur was one of a set of swords of the Tuatha de Danann, who would give them to their champions. So if The Lady of the Lake's champion was King Arthur and the Sword was Excalibur, we are after names we could use for the other Legendary Swords of the Tuatha de Danann.

Here is a list we have made of some of the Tuatha de Danann:

Sylph: Goddess of the Wind
Undine: Goddess of Pure Water
Efreet: God of Fire
Mannanon: God of the Seas.
Ogma: God of the Earth. (Also known as the God of War)
Gaia: Goddess of the Forests
Phoenix: Goddess of Rebirth.
Tiamat: Goddess of Dragons

Many Thanks

Sir Parn, Prince of the Court of the Great White Oak !!:)

P.S. I am sorry if this is a confusing posting.

From: TimothyFerg Posted on: 10/22/2003 10:21 am
To: SirParn
Message: 302.2
in reply to: 302.1
Well, if you need more weapons, I suggest that they are the ones forged by Goibniu (Govannon in Wales) for the Tuatha De Danu before the Second Battle of Mag Tuired. Let's assume Esxcalibur is actually Caladbolg, which turns up in various places under the care of my ancestor Fergus MacRoich and move on:

The greatest sword of the Tuatha de Danu is Freagarthach (the Answerer) held by Nuadha, Lugh and now (I think) Mananan Mac Lir. Anyone injured by it dies - which is a euphamism for saying it ignores armor and slices people cleanly in half.

From: TimothyFerg Posted on: 10/22/2003 10:31 am
To: SirParn
Message: 302.3
in reply to: 302.1
Oh: Sir Parn, I just remembered something: The swords of the Tuatha de DAnu would have been Bronze Age Irish, meaning none of them would have blades longer than two feet. The ancient Irish didn't use the sword as a weapon of chioce, they used the spear (hence my own surname "Ferguson", which is from the Gaelic "Son of the carrier (fer) of the big spear (gais)."

From: SirParn Posted on: 10/22/2003 11:17 am
To: TimothyFerg
Message: 302.4
in reply to: 302.3
Hmmm... I think I kind of messed up in what I was really trying to say, as the swords don't have to be real mythic swords(but better if they are). We are after names of swords & maybe even a description of some of the powers the sword possess. As I have found it impossible trying to think up names of swords & there powers what would be fitting to the Gods.

I hope this may of been of more help?

From: GaRy Posted on: 10/24/2003 9:40 am
To: SirParn
Message: 302.5
in reply to: 302.1
Really think you would be more in the theme of the (Irish) Celtic Mythos is you had the following.

Brigit: Goddess of Smithing / Healing / Child birth
Mannanon: God of the Seas / Merchants.
Ogma: God of the Champions / The Arts
Dian Cecht: God of Healing
Credne or Goibniu: God of Metalworking
Neit: God of War (questionable)
Morrigan: Goddess of War (plus her two charming sisters ;> )
Dadga : God of Earth / Fertility (minor role)
Anu / Danu : Goddess of Rebirth / Earth / Fertility
?? : Goddess of Dragons (sorry no dragon beasties in Irish Myths those are the Welsh you are after.. )

In reality the Irish Celts are not really known for having a Parthenon in the classical Greek sense.

Base worship of the elements (water, fire, earth, forest etc) was in turn relegated to the local beliefs and much baser legends (local Fae maybe) of the people. This of course changed from region to region, town to town...

Also assume you have made the leap that Excalibur = Caledfwlch (welsh)

Gary