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Introduction and Purpose

Introduction and Purpose

Introduction and Purpose This supplementary material is designed for both Players and Storytellers who are interested in using the Túatha Dé Danann in their games of Scion Second Edition. Sections of this text could prove useful for people running Scion First Edition, but the mechanical aspects of this work are entirely focused on Second Edition. Scion: Origins and Scion: for Second Edition are needed to get the most out of this supplement and use it in your game. As different Play Groups aspire to different levels of , or Mythological Accuracy in their games, this work has been focused on presenting the material of Irish Saga literature in the most accurate way as possible, drawing on direct scholarly translations of texts rather than retellings and modern scholarly publications on these topics covered within. With this in mind an individual Storyteller can adapt this baseline information to either try to stick strictly with the actual details of Irish saga literature, or to build off what is presented here to fit the Pantheon into any setting they desire. There is no right or wrong way to play your game, as long as you are trying to be respectful to the cultures whose cultural traditions you are borrowing for your enjoyment. If you wish to learn more about Irish saga literature, at the end of this work there is a list of suggested readings. Any comments or complaints can be brought to Watcher on the Onyx Path forums, or the Scion fan Discord channel and I will happily explain my choices, or hastily correct the spelling errors that inevitibly have slipped by my constant editing.

LEBOR ÓE IN DEA Laws 15 Marriage 15 Murder and Assault 16 CHAPTER ONE: A PRIMER 5 Inheritance 16 Who are the Túatha Dé Danann? 5 Notions of Fate 16 In the Hands of Fate 5

Gods With Jobs 6 Storytelling the Túatha Dé Danann 6 CHAPTER THREE: PLAYERS 18 The Squatters on the Root 7 Why Play a Túatha Dé Scion 18 Foreign Tribes 8 New Divine Parents and Patrons 19 Boanann 19 Coirpe mac Étan 19 CHAPTER TWO: MYTHIC 11 -Ainech 20 Divine No More 11 Étaín 21 SampleKingship 12 file 21 Society and Law 13 Ler 22 The Status of Women 14 The Morrígana 23 Gender annd Sexuality 14

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Macha 23 53 23 Warrior 54 The 24 The Purviews In Context 54 The Morrígan 24 Artistry 54 The Áes Dána of 25 Beasts 55 and 25 Beauty 56 Bé Chuille and Díanann 26 56 Crédne 26 Darkness 57 Figol mac Mámois 26 Death 57 Lucha 27 Deception 57 Mathgen 27 Earth 58 The Corrgunechai 27 Epic Dexterity 58 The Deoguhairi 28 Epic Stamina 58 Scions of the Túatha Dé Danann 28 Epic Strength 59 Born Scions 28 Fertility 59 Chosen Scions 29 59 Created Scions 30 Forge 60 Incarnate Scions 31 Fortune 61 The 31 Frost 61 Supernatural Origin Paths 32 Health 61 Saint: Heir of Míl 32 Journeys 62 33 Moon 62 Fomorian Ancestry 34 Order 63 Áos Síde Captive 35 Passion 63 Dúlachan 35 Prosperity 64 Cait Sith 36 Sky 64 Birthrights 37 Stars 64 Creatures 37 Sun 65 Followers 40 War 65 Guides 41 Water 66 Relics 45 Wild 66 The Callings In Context 50 Creator 50 CHAPTER FOUR: STORYTELLERS 67 Guardian 51 Relationships with Scions 67 Healer 51 Telling Stories 68 Hunter 51 What Is A Titan? 68 Judge 52 New Titans 68 Leader 52 SampleCethlenn of the Crooked Teethfile 68 Liminal 52 Donn mac Míl 69 Lover 53 mac Eirc 69 Sage 53 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

Indech 70 CHAPTER FIVE: COSMOLOGY 85 70 The Otherworld 85 71 Otherworld: Fonaib Síde 85 What Is A Primordial? 71 Brú na Bóinne 86 New Primordials 71 Mag Slécht 87 Cuthach 71 Tech Luigh 88 Fintan mac Bóchra 72 Oweynagat 88 Partholon 72 Tobar Segais 89 72 Otherworld: The Otherworldly Sea 90 Bolg 73 Strange Isles 90 Fomoir 73 Tír na nÓg 92 Míl Espáine 73 Tír Tairngire 93 Antagonists 74 94 The 74 The Lost Cities 95 The Sons of Míl 76 Insi int Fomóraich 95 The 78 Miscellaneous Notes 96 The Áos Síde 80 The Problem of Alba 96 The Túatha Dé Danann 82 The Fey Courts of Great Britain 96 Unaffiliated 82 Reincarnation 97 Paying Tribute 98 Sources and Suggested Readings 101

Sample file

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Chapter One: A Primer “And they came to Ireland, on Monday, the kalends of May, in ships [and vessels]. And they burn their ships, and advanced unperceived by the Fir Bolg, till they landed on Sliab in Iairnn. And they formed a fog for three days and three nights over the sun and moon, and demanded battle or kingship of the Fir Bolg. And the battle of Mag Tuired was fought between them, as we have said above, and afterwards one hundred thousand of the Fir Bolg were slaughtered there.” — Lebor Gabála Érenn, Second Redation, Robert Macalistar

Far off beneath the mounds and across mist-shrouded seas war across Ireland as they pushed deeper inland. Eventually do the Túatha Dé Danann rest. Some alive, and most dead. winning a magical contest against the three kings, the Sons They lost their war long ago and lost their claim on their of Míl defeated the Túatha Dé Danann in a final battle, and beloved Ireland. the Pantheon resigned themselves to their defeat. Under the Twisted and distorted by Fate to the point that their original watchful eye of Manannán mac , an oath was forged, and forms are entirely lost, the Túatha Dé Danann are an Ireland was divided. To the Sons of Míl the surface was excellent contribution to any Scion campaign. Deities who granted, and the Túatha Dé Danann were given the your players will be able to interact with on a more personal underground, the depths of the hollow hills, the Síde. level as they are intensely , and prime Divine Parents Their defeat left the Túatha Dé Danann to become and Patrons for Players who wish to play over the top, larger foreigners in their own land, ever sitting beneath the hills in than life characters. their homes of crystal and red gold, remembering the glory that was Ireland. The pact was sealed, the oath forged, the surface was for the Sons of Míl, and the bond chafed at WHO ARE THE TUATHA DE them. Sometimes the Túatha Dé Danann would raid the surface, coming into conflict with the mortals, and DANANN? sometimes the descendants of the Sons of Míl would try to As discussed in Scion: Hero, the Túatha Dé Danann break into a Síd, or other realms of the Túatha Dé Danann. are the deities of Ireland. They are a tribal confederacy, However, despite these conflicts, a cautious familiarity numerous túath bound together through shared ancestry formed. with . They invaded Ireland, and subjugated the native Fir Bolg, distant relatives who had found Ireland deserted As the mortals formed their kingdoms, and echoed their when they arrived. The Túatha Dé Danann defeated the Fir predecessors, the Fir Bolg and the Túatha Dé Danann in Bolg in a large battle at Maige Tuired after unsuccessful their culture and institutions, the Túatha Dé Danann were demands that the Fir Bolg cede Ireland to them on the spot. never far away, just within the hills. Half-Divine figures The Túatha Dé Danann would then go on to fight a second would arise on occasion such as Cú Chulainn, Fróech, or war with the Fomorians, a foreign tribal confederacy similar Conare Mór and the Túatha Dé Danann never lost an to the Túatha Dé Danann who wanted to establish the opportunity to meddle, not for some strange purpose, but kingdoms of Ireland as client-kingdoms. This second battle, primarily for their own amusement. also at Maige Tuired, resulted in several major figures of the Pantheon dying, but the victory of the Túatha Dé Danann IN THE HANDS OF FATE was secured, along with the secrets of agriculture. In reality, the Túatha Dé Danann are not the deities of However, independence and peace are not the same Ireland. The Túatha Dé Danann are characters who appear thing. It did not take long for the Túatha Dé Danann to begin in medieval Irish saga literature who may or may not have turning on each other. An insult, and a death. A twisted once been inspired by deities of Ireland before the island word, and a war between the tribes. After the deaths of was converted to . Originally, it is very unlikely Nuada Airgetlám, , and , the unification of that Ireland would have had a single unified Pantheon, and the tribes seemed to end, and the Pantheon struggled. This instead each tribal group, a túath, would have had deities instability under the reign of Mac Gréine, , and unique to themselves and perhaps some figures who MacSample Cecht resulted in their three wives, namely Ériu, spanned across tribal boundaries. Thefile Túatha Dé Danann , and Fólta, abandoning their husbands for a new are characters either built out of the literary bodies of these wave of invaders: mortals. deities or created whole cloth from the imaginations of the Across the sea did The Sons of Míl Espáine come, monastic authors of these texts. combatting the Túatha Dé Danann, and fighting a bloody

THE BOOK OF THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS 5 But, what does this mean in the world of Scion? Likely reference to the aés dána, the men of art, the high-status that the Túatha Dé Danann are a Pantheon that has been individuals of early Ireland such as smiths, physicians, fíli, twisted and reshaped by Fate to the point that they are neigh- poets, and many others. Lugh’s claim at the gates of Tara is unrecognizable to their original forms due to their close, if to extreme high status, essentially claiming a position as the somewhat antagonistic relationship with their mortals. One Percent of early Ireland. Similar to the Òrìshà, and other West African Pantheons But, what does this mean for a Scion of the Túatha Dé who were reshaped by their relationship with their mortals Danann? Their Divine Parent or Patron will likely during the horrors of the Triangle Trade, the Túatha Dé constantly be badgering them about education to secure Danann have been reshaped due to their close relationship themselves a high-status position in society. They may even with their own mortals. set up their Scions with Guides appropriate to professions The Túatha Dé Danann are plagued by gaps in their the Scion was aspiring to in their mortal life, being taught memories where vast chunks of their world have been lost the ancient talents of the Túatha Dé Danann, and the magical to them. Their Creation has faded away, the Túatha extent that these skills can reach. It also means that Scions Dé only having vague memories of the story of Genesis of the Túatha Dé do not have as much of an existential crisis which they are certain was not their original tale. Their waiting for them upon their Apotheosis. Where Scions of ancestress, Danu, has faded from knowledge of the Túatha other Pantheons will experience becoming a raw Dé Danann, who are not even sure if she traveled with them force, or an abstract anthropomorphic personification, to Ireland, or if she is even alive. Even key features of their Scions of the Túatha Dé will just become better and better Cosmology have become a mystery to the Túatha Dé at their professions until they reach such extreme heights Danann, who do have some sort of system of reincarnation, that a cupbearer can command all liquid to hide away from but none remember how it works save that the same beings an invading army to deny them a single drop to quench their tend to reappear after they have died. thirst. While many might see this to be a great loss and being reshaped by the hands of Fate to be an existential horror, the STORYTELLING THE TUATHA Túatha Dé Danann do not seem bothered by it. They dismiss any of their Scion’s dismay with a laugh and ruffled hair. DE DANANN Although, a cunning Scion who watches their forefathers Unlike many Pantheons, the Túatha Dé Danann are carefully may begin to see the remnants of what came intensely human, with occasional odd quirks. They are loud, before. The Mórrígna is supposed to be a group of three boisterous, cunning, smart, and borderline obsessed with women, but there are more than three claimants to social class and reputation. They are the stereotypical membership. Perhaps the War-Furies suffered a similar Fate American high school experience exaggerated to the to Inari from Japan who was originally countless regional extreme. There are cliques, the Smiths, the Warriors, the figures fused into a single being. Whispers of the original, Kings, the File. There are sub-cliques, the Iron Smiths, the pre-Túatha Dé invaders of Ireland might be heard, or ruins Gold Smiths, the Copper Smiths, the Tribal Kings, and the from their ancient holds be discovered with forgotten secrets Provincial Kings, the warriors always arguing over their within. internal pecking order, and a complex multi-layered structure of file based on formalized education and testing. GODS WITH JOBS Their reputation is their life, shame can literally kill The Túatha Dé Danann are slightly odd for deities. someone, and petty vendettas burn brighter than a star in They are not Gods or of things; they are Gods supernova. There is no such thing as ‘standard,’ everything with Jobs. Where other deities from different Pantheons is the Best, or the Worst, the Túatha Dé Danann are simply tend to define themselves through the cosmic role, such as incapable of operating on any level of average. Zeus being a Storm God, or being a Sun , the Túatha Dé do not define themselves in such ways. Instead, each deity is a profession brought to the most extreme extent. Their supernatural skill and talent elevates mundane feats, from smithing to cupbearing, to wonderous divine heights. This is likely the result of the society of early Ireland which hedged legal status through the profession an individual held, with the more highly valued professions being flat-out worth more than lower status individuals and holding greater legal rights. SampleThis is most evident in Lugh, who shows his extreme file importance by his boast of holding eleven high-status professions. The use of the term ‘Arts’ with Lugh is somewhat lost in translation, as it does not refer to artisanal crafts as a modern audience may assume. Instead, this is in

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When incorporating the Túatha Dé Danann into your games as a Storyteller, the first thing you should consider is THE SQUATTERS ON THE ROOF the tone of your game. Have your Pantheons modernized, or The Túatha Dé Danann are an interesting Pantheon, as are they still holding on to their own traditional culture? we have no record remaining of the relationship mortals If your Pantheons have modernized, you will likely originally had with their deities in Ireland. With what has want to focus on some features of their culture that can shine been passed down to us, and in Scion’s context what the through and defines them as a Pantheon. Obsession over Túatha Dé Danann are Fatebound by, is the relationship social standing and slights is a good place to start, but one established in the saga texts. In these stories, the Sons of Míl might want to consider also adding an undertone of intense and the Túatha Dé Danann coexist semi-peacefully, but both class problems. One of the fascinating social features of the groups frequently come to conflict. Their very first culture that spawned the Túatha Dé Danann was an interaction was a great war which the Túatha Dé Danann individual’s profession (or their father’s profession if they lost, a grudge they are likely to still hold. The Túatha Dé were a child, or their husband’s profession if they were Danann have a total focus on Ireland as the ideal world for married and did not have their own) defined not only their themselves. In a Scion game, it is incredibly likely that they status in society, but their legal rights. Literally how much are waiting for their chance to defeat and subjugate the Sons they were worth as a person as defined in lawsuits and of Míl to return to the surface and rule Ireland once again. having access to different privileges and benefits. A In the story of Tochmarc Étaíne, the ‘Wooing of modernized member of the Túatha Dé Danann should be Étaíne,’ chases his wife Étaín through the centuries as boastful, larger than life, but still gripped in their obsession she reincarnates, eventually finding her as the wife of a over social standing, and their consuming focus on social moral king named Eochaid. After cheating Eochaid out of hierarchy to give them a unique flavor of both positive, and Étaín, Eochaid stormed the Síde mounds, having them negative features for your players to experience. cracked open as he ordered his people to search for Étaín If your Pantheons are still gripped in their traditional until Midir presented him with fifty women who looked cultural perceptions, the Túatha Dé Danann are rather off alike, claiming that Étaín was one of them. Eochaid chose putting. Conquering colonizers, the Túatha Dé Danann the one who has the same talents as his wife and returned to arrived in a new land and subjugated the local population living with her. Years later, Midir arrives to taunt Eochaid after defeating them in a war provoked by the native that he had been fooled, for the woman he picked was his people’s refusal to cede their land instantly. They are so own daughter as Étaín had been pregnant when Midir took focused on social class that lower status individuals, such as her away, and that Eochaid had been sleeping with his own the majority of the population as farmers, have fewer rights, daughter the whole time. and find the legal system built against them. Foreigners, and In another story, Serglige Con Culainn, the ‘Sickbed of even simply members of the next túath over, may have zero Cú Chulainn,’ two women of the Túatha Dé Danann, Lí Ban rights or legal protections unless some sort of pre-existing and Fand, beat Cú Chulainn near to death with horsewhips agreement had been come to. Raiding for slaves, both in a dream. They compel Cú Chulainn to come away to the between different túatha of the Pantheon, and against Otherworld, to fight one of Fand’s brother’s enemies, as mortals, is standard behavior. Exploiting the less powerful well as to become Fand’s lover. Though the details of the is not only sensible but should be a local King’s prerogative story are difficult to establish due to a strange intermission, as a primary function is to enrich his own people at the and the beginning of the story being partly written several expense of others. Every ‘evil’ the Túatha Dé Danann have centuries before the latter half, Fand has bent Cú Chulainn tarred the Fomorians with, they themselves are guilty of, if to her will and made him her personal lover. not to a greater degree when you consider their treatment of However, the relationship is not always antagonistic, as the Fir Bolg. Consider playing your Túatha Dé Danann as sometimes the Túatha Dé Danann need a mortal hero to disappointed in what the world has become, where social come resolve a problem for them, mostly defeat one of their hierarchies are challenged, and where the legal systems rivals within the Pantheon. These stories often present the (hopefully) are based on equality. The world has moved on relationship in a more positive light, and in stories such as from them, and they may dislike this, and want to possibly , the ‘Intoxication of the Ulstermen,’ some of take back their island from the descendants of the Sons of the Túatha Dé Danann shadow the army of as Míl. Or perhaps they just sit in the Síde and ignore the wanders around Ireland while lost, and secretly stand beside mortals above their heads who have so clearly lost their way them when battle lines are drawn up. The Badb and Nemean with ideas such as equality before the law. seem to have a soft spot for the hero Cú Chulainn, and No matter how you chose to present the Túatha Dé Fróech, son of Bébinn, is adored by the kings of the Síde, Danann in your games, they are loud, passionate, and larger and his aunt Boanann helps him at every turn. thanSample life while still being approachable, and comprehensible The only group of mortals whofile we have a semi-solid to mortals. They are a Pantheon that will praise their Scions, understanding of their relationship with the Túatha Dé and raise them up to great heights, and are an amazing Danann are the Irish kings who married and entered into addition to any Scion game. sexual relationships with regional Sovereignty Goddess. (Probably) However, in these relationships all of the power

THE BOOK OF THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS 7

sat in the hands of the Sovereignty Goddess, as if her Pantheons of the world tend to be ‘interesting,’ in the very husband failed her, she would withdraw her support until a least. new husband was produced. In your Scion games this likely means that of all the The Æsir: The two Pantheons get along swimmingly, Pantheons, the Túatha Dé Danann likely have one of the partly due to the Túatha Dé Danann regarding the Norse most unique relationships with their mortals. Low level invasions and settlement of Ireland as something of just animosity like rival gangs likely simmer between the two deserts for the Sons of Míl’s invasion of Ireland. The two groups. Different tribes of the Túatha Dé Danann will Pantheons share several similarities such as heroic cultures, interact with the on an individual level, with no feasting traditions, notions of monetary compensation for concrete over-king meaning that each regional king crimes, and hospitality traditions which form a solid basis effectively sets their own ‘foreign policy’ with mortals. for both Pantheons to interact positively. If you are using the Alternative History setting from the Odin’s eternal search for potential solutions for base game, these different Síde mounds likely have their Ragnarok have caused tense moments in the past however, own unique deals with the government of the Republic of with attempts to involve the Túatha Dé in the apocalyptic Ireland, as well as the Síde of Northern Ireland having their conflict to see if their word-twisting could prove beneficial. own deals with the Northern Ireland Executive, or perhaps But the Túatha Dé Danann are unwilling to become so the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Some of the Áos Síd involved with a problem that has no connection to Ireland. kingdoms might antagonize their mortal neighbors with The fact that Lugh has had a powerful war-hound taken raids, while others might have a positive relationship and from the Æsir out of his own greed has also not helped. The even foster children. This can present an opportunity for Fail-Inis, a beautiful war-hound that all other animals are both Players and Storytellers, for Characters and Plots. A subservient to. Exactly which of the Æsir had gifted the Chosen Scion may have been the child of an important Irish hound to a mortal king of Norway is unknown, but it would politician and was fostered by a regional king, or perhaps have soured the relationship considerably. they were taken as a slave, or hostage in a raid by regional king, and have grown up at the base of the social pyramid. If a Scion wanted to bring the Pantheon either wholesale The Devá: The Devá and the Túatha Dé Danann are at into supporting, or fighting the mortals, they likely will need odds with each other, for where the Devá work, and help to unite the different túatha together again by establishing a their mortals, ever vigilant and willing to protect them, the new ard rí for the tribes, High King of the Túatha Dé Túatha Dé Danann are not. From the perspective of the Danann. Devá, the Túatha Dé Danann are failed deities, gods and goddesses who have lost any sense of duty or connection If you are not using the Alternative History setting, then with their people as the Túatha Dé exist as ‘frenemies’ to the relationship between the divinities of Ireland and their their mortals. If it were not for the strange notion of mortals will highly depend on exactly how you are handling profession-based-divinity, the Devá would likely regard the things. If the Pantheons withdrew in your setting, the Túatha Túatha Dé Danann as a host of Titans squabbling over Dé Danann will likely be very impressed that from their Ireland. Instead, they just watch with some degree of perspective four of the provinces (Munster, , displeasure, and wonder what happened to the Irish gods , and Meath) have been unified, but will be that they found themselves in the state they are in. desperately confused that there are no kings anymore. The Sovereignty Goddesses returning might target mayors, or Despite this inherent clash on the roles of a deity, the members of the Dáil representing their specific regions for Devá and the Túatha Dé do share some cultural conceptions marriage, and random patches of Ireland may go fallow, and with each other. The Devá find the Fíli curious, the capacity others overwhelmingly prosperous as some of the to bring low the mighty feels like the Rishi to them. And, to Sovereignty Goddesses are pleased, while others are not. the elder Vedic deities, the rumble of chariot wheels, and Experimental raids may be launched from some of the Síde the throng of battle from Ireland is a one. to test the defenses of the Sons of Míl after so long, testing their old frenemies to see if they are vulnerable enough to The Kami: The Túatha Dé and the Kami rarely talk, conquer. The European Union will likely confuse half of the and that is only partly because the two Pantheons are insular Pantheon, where the other half will likely find it desperately island-dwelling cultures on opposite sides of the world. The amusing that the mortals have managed to assemble such a Túatha Dé Danann are entirely incapable of following the massive tribal confederacy. rules of etiquette that the Kami insist on following in all diplomatic meetings, and the Kami are similarly entirely THE FOREIGN TRIBES unwilling to participate in most of the diplomatic traditions SampleThe Túatha Dé Danann are an incredibly odd Pantheon. of the Túatha Dé Danann. Both Pantheonsfile consider this to A Pantheon so twisted by Fate they have lost most of their be rude, and this has left both Pantheons generally avoiding cosmology, who fell to internal strife, and were defeated in each other. The fact that the Túatha Dé keep dying, and are battle by their own mortals. Add to this their over-the-top to say the very least prone to explosions of blood and gore personalities, and their relationships with the other horrifies the Kami with their traditions of ritual purity, and

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