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Edition Note: This product was written for the 2014 version of 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons.
Historical fantasy settings have been around since tabletop's beginning, but the advent of the Open Gaming License saw a marked increase as people began adapting the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset to legendary interpretations of various times and places such as Ancient Rome, Egypt, and even the Biblical era! Combined with crowdfunding projects and D&D being more mainstream than ever, you could say that we're now in an historical fantasy renaissance.
Heroes of Tara is one such book, set in a fantastical version of Iron Age Ireland. Inspired by the tales of Cú Chulainn and Fionn mac Cumhaill, the island of Ériu is a sparsely-populated yet wondrous land filled with superhuman warriors, wicked Formorians, mysterious sidhe rarely witnessed yet omnipresent, and magic wrought from filidh belonging to various respected orders. Heroes of Tara seeks to turn mythic Ireland into a gameable setting, much like how many other ttrpgs have done the same with Greco-Roman myths and legends.
The author of the book, Jacob Vollette Duerksen, is not Irish, and his archeologist day job primarily covers the northeastern United States. However, he took great pains to ensure that his research draws upon authentic sources, and takes care to explain his inspiration and sources within the text in multiple places. Regarding the opinions of Irish historians, here's his interview with the author by the Brehon Academy, an organization focused on teaching Irish history and culture to a wider audience. In short, the Academy's spokesman was quite impressed with Heroes of Tara.
Our book starts out with the question What Is "Celtic?" The author talks about how the concept of a Celtic identity is very broad, and the lack of primary written sources has complicated research in that most surviving texts are told from the perspectives of outsiders. The word derives from the Greek "Keltoi," an umbrella label applied to the various tribes of north-western Europe. The term fell out of use after the Classical period, but experienced a revival of sorts among Renaissance-era scholars.
The concept of a distinct Celtic identity formed around the 18th Century via the Archeologia Britannica, a work published by the Welsh linguist Edward Lhuyd demonstrating similarities between the ancient languages of the British Isles and Gaul, formally grouped as "Celtic" languages. It wouldn't be long before this discovery made its way into broader society, and the rising prominence of nationalism and nation-states during the 19th Century would see the Celtic label applied in many different socio-political ways. The author goes on to explain the intricacies of Celtic languages and archeological evidence, from geographical designations such as "continental" mainland languages vs the "insular" British Isles; how the earliest-known Celtic group were the Hallstatts, who were among the first iron-working Europeans and whose goods were traded as far as Mesopotamia; how Celtic and Germanic tribes exchanged words and cultural traditions; and how once-accepted theories were later disproven or expanded upon, such as the belief that the Bronze Age Bell Beaker cultures were at first believed to have been ethnically cleansed by invading Celts, but now it's instead believed that the two groups married and intermingled over time.
The author ends with a discussion the need for a more precise label for the Heroes of Tara setting. He quotes how Tolkien, who is said to have had a distaste for Celtic things, compared the term to a "magic bag" into which anything may be put, and out of which almost anything may come. Heroes of Tara thus uses the more specific terms for the inhabitants of Ériu: Gael and Gaelic.
The Legends and Their Sources talks about Iron Age Ireland from a more literary perspective, noting that Irish mythology is generally accepted to be divided into four chronological cycles, and lists notable stories and works for each. The Mythological Cycle focuses on Ireland's earliest history around 2,000 BC, with stories dominated by the gods and their many conflicts. This is followed by the Ulster Cycle, taking place around the 1st Century AD which is the "current era" of Heroes of Tara. Ulster tales focus on Cú Chulainn and the Warriors of the Red Branch. The Fenian Cycle takes place around the 3rd Century AD, focusing on the hero Fionn Mac Mumhaill. Finally, the Cycles of the Kings are a broad compilation of tales adhering to varying levels of historical accuracy, lasting into the Early Medieval period and covering many different heroes and figures. As Iron Age Ireland held strong taboos against writing for the purposes of record-keeping, a lot of written Irish tales were compiled by the island's Christian clergy long after such tales took place. But oral folktales still persisted alongside written sources, which this book also draws from as major inspiration. The author also advises that not all stories should be taken as exact translations, nor as people and events that the Gaelic people at the time believed to be historical fact. Even the views of Irish monks are colored by their own biases and perspectives, while still acknowledging the value of their research.
Heroes of Tara's prefacing prologue ends with discussion of how this works for Translation Into a Tabletop Role-Playing Game. The author says that while they strove for an authentic and internally consistent setting, the book takes the mythological route in cases where mythology and actual history/archeology/etc collide, and that authenticity shouldn't come at the expense of the players' fun. Heroes of Tara had to make compromises and creative liberties, particularly when it came to filling in gaps in the world and lore due to game design or for making a more complete setting. So while the book does engage in some "ahistorical pop culture tropes," one of the Appendices in back discusses Accuracy to the Source Material for readers who wish to know where the dividing lines are drawn.
An Introduction to Ériu
Heroes of Tara is split into four major sections consisting of multiple unnumbered chapters. The first section, An Introduction to Ériu, focuses first and foremost on describing the history and daily life of Iron Age Ireland. The setting as it stands is presumed to take place sometime around 100 BC to 300 AD. The Abrahamic faiths are unknown in this part of the world, and cities such as Dublin and Cork have yet to be established. The Roman Empire stands strong still, and is currently waging campaigns of conquest in Gaul and the eastern island of Albion. The people of Ériu know about them and vice versa, but contact is thus far limited to individual groups of Roman traders and explorers coming ashore. The island's terrain has mountains in the north, west, and south, which help block the worst oceanic storms from ravaging inland, with the central region a vast plain. Half of Ériu is covered by forests and bogs, the majority untouched and unexplored by human hands and feet. Fog is present during all seasons, with the summers warm and vibrant and the winters dangerous as freezing rain turns roads into mud and swells the rivers to flooding.
The first known mortals to settle Ériu were part of successive waves of sailors: first the Cessairians, whose majority were slain by storms at sea, then the people of Partholón who at first seemed blessed with fortune only to all later die from a plague. Two immortal sages who are the sole survivors of the respective civilizations, Fintan Mac Bóchra and Tuan Mac Carill, have appeared throughout history to tell stories of the olden days. The third group, the Nemedians, faced a similar disaster at the hands of nature, with the survivors discovering the existence of the Formorians. Wicked and monstrous creatures who live in dark places, they were responsible for the natural disasters that killed their predecessors. Thus the Nemedians went to war, but the Formorians won and turned the losers into slaves. Over generations the Formorians grew self-assured and careless in their seeming invincibility, and were overthrown. The survivors retreated into deep caves before summoning devastating tidal waves to drown much of the land. The Nemedians who fled to ships in time entered into exile, where they became enslaved again by the people of distant Hellas. These slaves would become known as the Fir Bolg, or "men of the bag," so named for their labor that involved taking bags of soil to fertilize rocky mountainsides for agriculture. The Fir Bolg won their freedom through force, and turned their bags into sail-cloth to venture back to Ériu, which was now a seemingly empty land they named the Island of the Setting Sun.
The next significant civilization to settle Ériu are the Children of Danu, faerie descendants of the goddess of the same name who lived in the Otherworld. The Tuatha De Danann were the greatest of the Children, who were guided by prophecy to leave their home cities and set sail for an island of green across the sea. The Tuatha De Danann would also take along the Aes Sidhe during their voyage, and they came into contact with the Fir Bolg. The Tuatha De Danann initially asked for "only half the island" on which to build their civilization, but the Fir Bolg viewed this as a grave insult and went to war instead. The First Battle of Magh Turied was a short yet devastating four-day conflict, whose resolution was decided by single combat between Sreng of the Fir Bolg and King Nuada of the Tuatha De Danann. Even though Sreng was but a mortal in comparison, he managed to smash Nuada's arm off with a club, disarming the god-king of his Sword of Light. As the Tuatha De Dannan only allowed those "unblemished and whole in body" to rule over them, Nuada stepped down, replaced by his younger brother known as the Dagda.
While the Fir Bolg won the battle, the Children of Danu won the war, for they managed to hold onto three-quarters of the island, with the Fir Bolg living in what would be known as Connacht. The Dagda would become Ériu's first High King, who ruled from the Hill of Tara and whose demeanor had an effect on the very land itself. Despite the lofty-sounding title, his reign was far from noble, being a mischievous and neglectful sort. Huge portions of once-settled land were immediately overgrown and reclaimed by the wilds, and the passage of time lost meaning as the Dagda would move the sun, moon, and stars in the sky to his whims. The major redeeming value of his rule was that he ensured that his people never went hungry, and over time he abdicated the throne to Bodb Dearg, who was not of the Tuatha De Danann but the Aes Sidhe, which caused a great scandal and internecine sabotage. This was a prime opportunity for the Formorians to take their revenge, who took on beatific guises and bribed their way into the royal courts. Bres, a child of the Tuatha De Danann and Formorians, was crowned High King, who brought the island into an age of darkness as his desire for revenge elevated the Formorians and imposed burdensome labor and tributes upon the Children of Danu. Ériu, the name of the woman he wed and also what the island would become named after, learned of Bres' true nature as a monster and disowned her son. But Bres' reign would end once Nuada had an arm of flesh and bone restored via advancements of medicine and smithing. He challenged Bres for rulership of the throne, but there was no battle; one of the courtly bards penned a scathing critique of Bres that marred his face in boils and scars, causing him to flee in shame as he retreated with his fellow Formorians.
Several more significant events would occur. There was the tale of Lugh, another Tuatha/Formorian child, but one who would become a great hero who led forces during the Second Battle of Magh Turied against Balor of the Evil Eye, the greatest warrior and general of the Formorians of that time. Balor killed King Nuada, but would meet his end at the hands of Lugh, who instead slain the fiend by throwing a rock into his eye and through the back of his head. The surviving Formorians retreated, and while they would never menace the land in such numbers again, they still survive in the dark corners of the world, as well as ancient towers and palaces said to lie on far-flung islands. As for Bres, he was initially sentenced to death after being taken as a prisoner of war, but his groveling earned him the punishment of eternal exile.
War had destroyed much farmland, so the nature spirit and foster mother of Lugh, Tailtiu, labored herself to death in restoring vast tracts of land. Lugh was appointed High King, and lingering resentments between the non-Formorian peoples were put aside in a new era of harmony and prosperity. Sadly this was not to last, for Lugh was murdered by vengeful sons of the Children of Danu who grieved their father's death in war. The three sons would all become kings (but not High Kings apparently) of the Tuatha De Danann.
The next major event in Ériu's history was the arrival of the Milesians, descended from the Scythians who later settled in Hispania. They too were brought to the Island of the Setting Sun after witnessing its beauty from afar. Initially intending to visit as peaceful explorers, their delegate, Ith, was the brother of Mil who was the leader of the Milesians. He was received poorly by the three Kings, who fought him to be the spy of an invading army. Ith insulted them for this lack of hospitality, and they were all too happy to prove him right as they cut him to death with their swords. Needless to say, the Milesians took this news so poorly that they declared oaths of vengeance and began a wholesale invasion of the Island. The Children of Danu had declined greatly during the reign of the three kings. They were unable to gather a united force, while the Fir Bolg were divided between fighting besides the Children of Danu or the invaders. Some Children sought to let the lands of rivals be taken over, only to have this come back to bite them when the Milesians didn't discriminate between the many Tuatha De Danann factions of the island. The Milesians also possessed iron-working and chariots, and they had an accomplished mage known as Amergrin whose powers were such that even the gods feared him. The only hero of the Children of Danu who could mount an effective counter, Morrigan, instead chose to watch as a neutral observer, taking the form of a raven that soared above battlefields. The three queens, all sisters of Ériu, sought to lead armies at the front unlike their husbands, but were taken as prisoners of war for their efforts. They initially sought to argue for peace by allowing the Milesians to settle the land and the Children of Danu would retreat to the Otherworld. But the three kings managed to break into the proceedings, where it was learned by both sides why the Milesians invaded in the first place and the kings happily admitted their crimes. It became clear that the suffering of many was due to the hands of a few, and the Milesians were willing to accept the queens' terms for peace. Still, their customs demanded satisfaction for Ith's murder, and the kings were too prideful to not go down fighting.
Thus an unconventional conflict was arranged: the Milesians would sail back and attempt to invade the island again. The Tuatha De Danann and their allies would muster the greatest warriors and workers of magic they could to bring about the fiercest storms ever known. If the Milesians made landfall, they would be declared victors. The Aes Sidhe who sided with the queens were ready to move back into the Otherworld regardless of the winner, while the Fir Bolg were split between whether to side with the three kings or Milesians.
At first the storms seemed insurmountable, but Amergrin managed to sing songs that repelled the nature spirits and allowed the fleet safe passage. The kings of the Tuatha De Danann challenged the sons of Mil to single combat. The three kings managed to slay many sons before they themselves were killed, with only three sons of Mil left standing. The Children of Danu had lost their morale, and would have all departed along with the Aes Sidhe. However, the queens reached a deal with the Milesians, that the Children of Danu would still receive tribute via ritual sacrifice and dedication. Some Milesians disagreed, although Amergrin convinced them to accept in the name of peace. The mage also named the Island of the Setting Sun after Ériu, so that its people would "forever know the land by their names." The three sons of Mil took over as High Kings upon the Hill of Tara, while Amergrin traveled the island to help the various civilizations rebuild. Sadly, Amergrin's eventual passage from the mortal world also saw the death of the sole voice of reason upon the Milesian Kings, who ended up turning upon each other in an attempt to become sole ruler of Ériu. The dreams of a united island ended, and centuries later the land still remains divided. The descendents of the Milesian settlers call themselves the Gaels, divided into five kingdoms, with the Fir Bolg and some Aes Sidhe living in smaller numbers.
Thoughts: Heroes of Tara is an intriguing concept for a setting, and the author clearly shows both his passion for the source material as well as his due diligence in research. The history helps set up major players and events that shape the land, from Formorians as a major threat lying in waiting to how the various playable tribes* first established their respective civilizations upon Ériu. One notable element is a bit of Values Dissonance in regards to physical abnormalities: notably, where King Nuada is dethroned due to his injury in battle, while the Formorians adhere to the "ugliness is evil" cliche where they have to make use of illusions to disguise their monstrous natures. The exceptions come from Ethniu, Balro's daughter who is both unique for her beauty as well as being of good nature. Bres is beautiful due to his Tuatha De Danann heritage, and when unmasked for his evil he is cursed with ugliness as a form of literal poetic justice. But besides these rather politically incorrect aspects, Heroes of Tara's history manages to hit high point after high point in fulfilling classic fantasy tropes in a way that is easily understood by newcomers to Irish mythology.
*Heroes of Tara doesn't use the D&D concept of race or species as the major designator, although there are non-human playable options via the Aes Sidhe and faeries.
Join us next time as we cover the rest of the Introduction to Ériu in Cultural Characteristics!
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