Religion: Druids
The Druid is the wisdom of the elite circle of Celtic society, organizing the Bard and Learned Warrior. Druids are prophets of Oghma and the World Tree Crann Bethadh. Oghma is also known as the man of the crossroads, and his symbol is the Celtic cross that marks the four corners of the world. At the center of the crossroads of the world is the World Ash Crann Bethadh. Oghma climbed the World Tree for nine months during the great cataclysm and returned with the knowledge of life. The roots of the World Tree begin at the beginning of the worlds, and the highest leaf extends beyond the end of time.
Druids speak their own secret language, Wynecht, in addition to speaking the Celtic tongue. Bards and Learned Warriors (Fienna) of unproven ability (fourth level or lower) are forbidden to learn this language. They must learn the language before acquiring ninth level. Druids will only teach the language to Bards and Learned Warriors of proven ability and loyalty.
The talisman of the Druid is mistletoe, holly, and scythe.
Wandering Prophets
The Fánaíochtmhar an Feochán are the prophets of the Celtic gods. An individual prophet is often addressed as Feochán. There is otherwise no hierarchical organization of Celtic prophets or priests. Celtic prophets are often also warriors. Deities of the Celts include:
| Deity | God of | Requirements | Symbol | Alignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigit | healing, smithcrafts, and poetry | poetry, singing or instrument, smithwork | female form bathed in fire | any |
| Oghma | knowledge, bards, Druids | wrestling, scholarship | cross, ash tree, ash staff | any Good |
| Dagda | kings | cooking or brewing, harping | bubbling cauldron | any non-evil |
| Arawn | the dead | burial rites, intelligence 12 | black star, grey background | Ordered, Ordered Evil, Ordered Good, Evil |
| Dunatis | mountains | mountaineering | red, sun-capped peak | Good |
| Goibhnie | blacksmiths | blacksmithing, weaponsmithing | giant mallet over sword | any |
| Lugh | craftsmen, scholars | literacy, a craft, an art, a science | pair of long hands | any |
| Manannan MacLir | seas, rivers | swimming, fishing | trident and fish | any |
| Math | magic | literacy, spellcraft | open book | any |
| Morrigan | war, ferocity | warrior | spear and a single eye | any |
| Nuada | war | war lore | silver hand on a red background | any |
Religion: Brigit
Brigit is known for healing, and her healing wells are perhaps the most common shrines in the Celtic valley.
The worship of Brigit in the Celtic lands mirrors the worship of Mary in Christian lands, when it comes to her healing wells. Brigit, however, is known for her fiery smithcraft as well as healing. She is the goddess of any craft that uses fire to create. In this role she may be worshipped by crafters of any moral code.
Bards hold much respect for Brigit, because of her role in facilitating poetry and music. In some of the legends of Brigit’s origin, she is the daughter of one Druid and raised by another.
Whiskey, You’re the Devil
The Celts discovered whiskey, or, as they call it, uisge beatha, the “water of life”, in the seven hundreds. They had earlier discovered the secret of distillation from their contacts with the Ice Giants across the Great Mountains. Celtic whiskey is distilled from malted barley, and used by the Celts for ceremonial and medicinal purposes (generally the same thing).
While the Celts mostly limit whiskey drinking to ceremonial purposes, some outlying northern tribes have begun distilling it for trade, using a mixture of malted and unmalted barley. Most of this whiskey makes its way to Pirate’s Cove, and a bit from there to Crosspoint.
Religion: Herbalism
The Celts use a wide variety of teas for medicine and for ceremony. There are teas for meeting, teas for friendship, and teas for farewell.
Teas are usually made from flower petals, from hemp buds, or from the inner bark of trees.
Guest Houses
Despite the warring nature of Celtic clans, the Celts also value hospitality to travelers. The guest-halls, or aoighall, of the Celts are generally simple in nature, combining a wide room with a fire and a bar. In general, no one sleeps until everyone sleeps.
The Cataclysm
In the ancient days, the Druids tell, there were no wandering priests. Then, besides serving the World Tree, individual Druids might also wear the torc of another deity. Some Druids even wore the torc of the one god! The World Tree grew jealous, and in her rage she nearly destroyed the world. In those days the Celts lived throughout the area known as west Highland, but after the Earth’s rage they survived only in the northern lands.
Today, Druids are forbidden to serve any other than the Tree and Oghma, and no Celt may wear the torc of any god or man.
