A Folklorist Approach to Myth - Case Study 01: The Tuatha Dé Danann

Link to article: A Folklorist Approach to Myth - Case Study 01: The Tuatha Dé Danann.
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+ A Folklorist Approach to Myth

Dr. Arthur Leonerd & Dr. Kennedy Collins, Department Of Mythology And Folkloristics

[[div class="papernote"]]
//I have always been a firm believer in the proposition that even in the most preposterous of myths, there lies a kernel of truth.//

- **Lord Theodore T. Blackwood, 1883**
[[/div]]

+++ Case Study 01: The Tuatha Dé Danann

[[include :scp-wiki:component:image-block name=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/MOUNT_CASTLE3web.jpg|caption=Tech Duinn, the royal residence and administrative headquarters of the monarch of Hy-Brasil.|width=380px]]

**Overview:**

The Tuatha Dé Danann (derived from Irish Gaelic, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), are a hominid subspecies predominantly inhabiting Nx-03 ("Hy-Brasil"), though some have emigrated to Ireland, the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada or other Nexuses and Free Ports. Identified by their tapered ears and brilliant green and gold irises, their mystical heritage is undeniable. Known as //Tuatha//, or //Elves// unfamiliar to their culture and origin and //Leprechauns// to more prejudiced parties, their history is rich in warfare, diplomacy, courtship and heritage, with their existence having shaped much of everyday mythology and folklore.


**History:**

The origin of the Tuatha is somewhat of a mystery. According to the records of the ICSUT and tales from Hy-Brasil's historians and scholars, the first Tuatha people came into existence around 2000 BCE, near the mid-Bronze Age, and migrated to the British Isle along with several other Celtic tribes. However, according to recent genealogical and archaeological research, their thaumic genetics could not have reached their prevalence in the current day via random mutation and breeding in the time frame between 2000 BCE and now. This is also supported by the fact that Tuatha-human crossbreeding isn't believed to be possible. Scholars and scientists alike surmise that for the population of Tuatha to possess both their anomalous capabilities and have such stable genetic diversity, their genetics would've been introduced artificially to a mass population in a short time frame. How this has been achieved, if at all, we do not yet know.

The Tuatha, much like many Celtic tribes in the British Isle, formed communities focused on agriculture, and in time, they developed metallurgic practices, encouraging their technological development. However, due to their body's sensitivity to iron, Tuatha continued to favour the use of brass and bronze-based instruments rather than steel. From the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, the Tuatha tribe settled and spread across Ireland, managing to keep relative peace with the other Gaelic tribes, many of whom began to see the Tuatha as gods or mystical spirits, due in part to their abilities and appearance.

Continuing to grow in numbers, alliances and power, it wasn't until their attempts to colonize Albion, modern-day Great Britain, in 200 BCE, did they met hostile action. Landing in the west, the tribe were met with hostility by the island's current rulers, the Mabyn, a conglomerate of Brythonic and Pict tribes. Before war could break out, the Tuatha's king, Dagda III and the Mabyn's eight chieftains, established a working trade between the two lands. Despite this calm, the two societies' relationship remained uneasy, even when the Tuatha monarchy arranged a marriage between the crown prince, Matholwch I, and one of the Mabyn's leading ladies, Branwen ferch Llŷr. Eventually, war broke out, with the detail why being lost, though some believe the war contributed to many sections of Irish myth, while other believe an unknown third party defeated the two. In the end, neither side faired, with the Mabyn conglomerate collapsing and the Tuatha losing many precious resources.

Following this war, the Tuatha opted for a more peaceful, diplomatic approach, maintaining a degree of influence in the growing population of Ireland. With the withdrawal of the Roman invaders in Britain in the 5th century, the Tuatha once again entered a relationship with their neighbouring island, this time successfully maintaining a cooperative relationship. It is also at this point the Tuatha founded their future capital, Hy-Brasil. However, as the human population began to grow and expand, foreign parties began to arrive in both Ireland and Britain, changing much of the islands' technological, cultural and paranatural development. In time, the human population grew hostile towards the Tuatha, encouraged by the introduction of various religious organizations and cultural invitations, both anomalous and non-anomalous. By the 14th century, hostility towards the Tuatha had grown unbearable. Events finally took a turn for the worst when the royal concert, Prince Fiacha, led a small army to attack Dublin Castle, which ultimately tainted the Tuatha's perception for years to come.

Left with no other choice, High Queen Ériu II, relocated her people to Hy-Brasil. Once populated, the monarchy's wizards had the island partially, extradimensionally exiled from baseline reality, with the land only being accessible from baseline reality by traditional means one day every seven years. As further protection, the court had the [[[SCP-7010|seven wards]]] erected around the island, to guarded the land from misfortune. Now isolated, they remained hidden from the world for over 300 years and with them gone, knowledge of their existence faded into myth and folklore, with many tales and concepts being absorbed by other cultural folktales.

During this isolation period, the Tuatha monarchy began asserting greater control over the government, helping establish Hy-Brasil as a functioning metropolis and creating its four districts, Falias, Gorias, Finias, and Murias. Agriculture remained fruitful, thaumaturgical advanced, and art and culture thrived and the Tuatha maintained relative peace for about 300 years. However, issues steadily began to develop.

By the 19th century, a sense of wanderlust had developed among the younger generation of Tuatha which eventually caused a rift to form between themselves and the older generation, with several of them attempting to leave the island. In addition, the lack of intellectual and scientific progress was starting to hinder the population, with healthcare, engineering and agriculture starting to suffer the consequences. Thaumaturgy also began to experience issues, with cultural seclusion, persistent reliance and the lack of new knowledge resulting in the weakening of much of the island's mystical properties.

In April of 1809, the British merchant ship, //SS Marigold//, was caught in a storm and, thanks to sheer luck the island was accessible on that particular day, wrecked on the coast of Hy-Brasil. The sailors were discovered and imprisoned, assigned for execution to preserve the island's secrecy. However, the Crown Princess Éadaoin, who'd shared the youth's curiosity and wanderlust, defended the sailors and appealed for clemency, against the wishes of her father and the court. She succeeded and had the sailors moved to Tech Duinn as her guests, where she questioned them about the condition of the outside world.

After completing her assessment, Éadaoin made the decision to leave Hy-Brasil in the hopes of forming trade and diplomatic relations with the outside world once again. Though she received support from many of her younger subjects, her father, High King Nuada Airgetlám VI, forbade the action and warned that if she did so, her claim to the throne would be passed to her brother, Nuada. The princess left Hy-Brasil two days later, joined by a few members of her own court and scholastic subjects. The party arrived in London a week later, where the Princess managed to secure a meeting with the Prime Minister, William Cavendish-Bentinck, as well as representatives from GoI-ω-008 [[footnote]] **His/Her Majesty's Foundation/Fellowship For The Study of Curiosities and Phantasmagoria/Secure Containment of the Paranormal:** One of the United Kingdom's primary agency for paranormal affairs, who later united with 12 other organisations to form the 13 Foundation. [[/footnote]] and GoI-302 [[footnote]] **British Occult Service:** One of the United Kingdom's primary agencies for paranormal affairs, who sit within the GoI-016 (Global Occult Coalition)'s Council of 108. [[/footnote]]. During her stay, the princess was introduced to the advances in scientific methodology, engineering, medicine and transportation. Convinced that her people would benefit from a new relationship with the outside world, the princess returned to Hy-Brasil along with representatives from both agencies and members of the British parliament.

In the next two years, a prolonged political struggle over foreign policy and relations overtook Hy-Brasil, with the already delicate gap between generations widening even further. Thankfully, with the efforts of the princess and her brother and the demonstration of the potential benefit of introducing modern technology, trades and methods to the Tuatha lifestyle, the monarchy and government finally agreed to the minimal interventionist policies written out by GoI-ω-008 in March 1811, with Hy-Brasil opened its border 4 months later. A few decades later, when GoI-ω-008 unioned with the Foundation and the Veil was established, Hy-Brasil was exempt from the Masquerade Protocol and granted Free Port status.

Now open, Hy-Brasil experienced rapid industrialisation, with many Groups Of Interest, businesses, and agencies setting up shop on the island. The Tuatha lifestyle also changed, with the improvements provided by foreign methods and innovations enhancing their healthcare, finances, and social life. With the introduction of new knowledge and ideas, the land's thaumaturgy experienced a boost in power.

Though this was the age of revitalisation for the Tuatha, the road was not an entirely smooth one. In the beginning, many members of the monarchy and the older generations felt the opening of the land threatened to erase and destroy all the Tuatha had tried to preserve and would risk their health due to the iron-rich technology that was being introduced. Whilst these concerns did cause some social tensions, they never fully evolved into full-on conflict, possibly because Nuada Airgetlám VII, who ascended to the throne in 1811, wrote and set several policies that kept the Tuatha the dominant power of Hy-Brasil and ensured that the technology used on the island was primarily brass or bronze based.

Further issues arose between 1845 and 1852 when the Great Famine occurred in Ireland. Many Tuatha and Irish nationals, who'd established themselves on Hy-Brasil, attempted to assist in alleviating the suffering Ireland was experiencing. As the Hy-Brasil was under the policies agreed between GoI-ω-008 and the monarchy, anomalous to mundane import was forbidden and tension between the Tuatha and Irish people began to form. These tensions worsened when it was found some businesses had been attempting to import their goods illegally, forcing the monarch and GoI-ω-008 to inflict greater judicial and military force. When the famine ended, most of the grudge the Irish felt was redirected to the British, who'd failed to help solve the famine, though the perception of the Tuatha had nonetheless been altered, with the belief that they were nothing more than gold-obsessed misers becoming a common stereotype.

Another issue transpired between 1974 and 1988, when the ethnonational conflict, known as the Troubles, was occurring in Northern Ireland. During the initial stages of the conflict, Hy-Brasil remains independent despite having a history with the nation. However, as the violence escalated during the 1970s, the use of anomalous weaponry and eigenweapons became a concern. GoI-016 finally took action when reports came that the Provisional Irish Republican Army[[footnote]] An Irish republican paramilitary organisation wanted to unite Ireland by using armed force to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom. [[/footnote]] were making provision to steal the monarchy's Four Treasures. Thanks to the effort of GoI-016 and the monarchy's Royal Guard, a total of 15 thefts of Tuatha treasures and thaumaturgical tools were prevented. However, the entire ordeal was eclipsed when [[[LTE-0851-Cetus|Incident-N03-78]]] occurred, which to this day, is considered the greatest tragedy to befall the Tuatha.

In 1988, in part of an investigation into the thaumaturgy used on the island, the Foundation and court wizards discovered that the wards used to protect Hy-Brasil and ensure its good fortune were undergoing rapid degradation, becoming unstable and allowing misfortune to continue. With further confirmation from the ICSUT, attempts were made to investigate the matter further and prepare the island for any future problems. However, due to bureaucratic and political slackening and miscommunication, little was done until it was too late.

On the 13th of June, 1988, Hy-Brasil was attacked by an anomalous, aquatic, quintapedal entity as a direct result of failures of the wards and the potency of the island's thaumaturgy. Despite the efforts of GoI-016 and the eventual neutralization of the entity, the attack caused significant damage to the infrastructure of the island and approximately 30% of the Tuatha population lost their lives, including Nuada Airgetlám VII and his daughter and heir, Mór-Ríoghain.

The attack was considered the greatest tragedy to befall the Tuatha. Due to the sheer scale of the damage caused by both the entity and GoI-016, the majority of the foreign businesses and Groups of Interests stationed on Hy-Brasil left. This, along with the secluded nature of the island, caused large-scale economic turmoil. Unable to continue to live on the island, out of both financial difficulty and emotional trauma, the majority of the Tuatha population moved to Ireland or other Free Ports, such as Three Portlands or Backdoor So-Ho. With the death of his uncle and cousin, Delbáeth II ascended to the throne.

[[include :scp-wiki:component:image-block name=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Riders_of_th_Sidhe_%28big%29.jpg|caption=An artistic depiction of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Though beautiful, most classical artwork of the Tuatha is considered inaccurate.|width=380px]]

**Culture, Tradition, and Misconceptions:**

It should be noted that whilst there are parallels, the Tuatha Dé Danann portrayed in Irish and Scottish mythology distinctly differs from the genuine article. Whilst the Tuatha find their fictionalization occasionally amusing and treat it with understanding, they find persistent questioning and comparison irritating and, if done incessantly, offensive. It should also be noted that whilst the term //elves// is acceptable when referring to the Tuatha, the term //leprechaun// is considered a hurtful derogatory, having stemmed from several misinterpretations of past Tuatha actions and poor depictions of their customs

Almost all Tuatha are atheists and have a slight mistrust of anything associated with religion, especially Christian denominations. This mistrust diminished when Hy-Brasil opened its borders, but religion and faith are still an uncomfortable topic to most Tuatha. However, Tuatha possess their own folklore and mythology and practice a kind of spirituality. Similar to the Japanese, Tuatha holds the natural world in high respect, restricting the expansion of Hy-Brasil's districts into the surrounding ecosystem and has continued to restrict heavy industrialization. Crafts involving natural resources such as blacksmithing, woodworking, sewing and engineering are heavily encouraged and taught, with most Tuatha treating the practices with as much care and ritual as a priest does communion or blessing.

Prior to the opening of Hy-Brasil to foreign parties, the Tuatha greatly distrusted most forms of technology, likely due to thaumaturgy being a common practice and the majority of technology requiring steel and iron to operate. However, with the introduction of numerous scientific, engineering, medical, and technological ideas and methods, this attitude quickly changed. Nowadays, Tuatha are more than willing to work with and apply new technological devices to their lifestyle, often combining it with their thaumaturgy, though due to their allergy, they prefer devices to have a brass or bronze base material.

Brass, bronze and gold are highly valued by the Tuatha, both practically and culturally. Due to their thaumic biology, iron and silver work similarly to allergens, causing difficulties in breathing, hives, reduced immune response, impaired tissue regeneration and, if sufficiently exposed, death. Since copper did not cause them health issues, bronze and brass became, and still are, valued materials for technological development and manufacture. The same can be said for gold, which the Tuatha use for coinage, though its value did not stem from just a practical origin.

Unlike humans, Tuatha don't view gold as a luxury or a symbol of wealth, but rather as a symbol of safety and protection, similar to how silver is viewed by humans, as well as a symbol of heritage, craftsmanship and origin. This belief appears to have originated primarily from two sources. One is that Hy-Brasil was a large gold deposit and mine before it became the capital. As Hy-Brasil offered protection to the Tuatha in their time of isolation, it could be theorised that the relationship between gold and safety originated here. The other source likely stems from the myth of the first monarch of the Tuatha. According to the tale, the first monarch and saviour of the Tuatha had golden blonde hair, as opposed to the more common auburn and black hair. Again, it could be argued the Tuatha passed this idea of protection from the monarch to the metal.

Silver, however, is treated with both awe and fear, even with scientific explanation. Like iron, silver weakens Tuatha's thaumic and biological functions. However, in their history and folklore, silver was sometimes used in battle and conflict, often helping the Tuatha in moments of great struggle. According to their accounts, High King Nuada Airgetlám I was given an artificial silver arm after he lost his original in a battle. At the same time, it has also been their downfall, with some Tuatha still believing that it brings back luck. To the Tuatha, silver is seen as a capricious thing, to be treated with distant respect and suspicion.

Thaumaturgy, colloquially known as magic or Sruth, is commonly used by the Tuatha, whose biology possesses a natural affinity with the practice, more so than regular humans. Most learn simple incantations or rituals during childhood, similar to how regular children are taught how to use a computer or work a telephone and will use these skills to assist in their lives. Some practice more advanced techniques, and are labelled wizards[[footnote]] The term wizard is gender-neutral to the Tuatha, with terms like witch or warlock used for those who practice thaumaturgy for criminal activities instead of scholastic or civil ones. [[/footnote]]. The monarchy employs most wizards to maintain Hy-Brasil's ecosystem or work at the ICSUT's Hy-Brasil campus, though some are hired by businesses to perform certain complex practises.

As well as wizards, there are those in the Tuatha who possess additional thaumaturgical capabilities. Tuatha's thaumaturgic responsive biology grants them a long lifespan[[footnote]] On average, between 100-200 years. [[/footnote]] as well as a natural thaumic prowess, but some possess additional abilities that first become apparent in childhood and range in rarity.

* **Therianthropy**, known as the "Blessing of Flidais[[footnote]] In Irish mythology, Flidais is depicted as a goddess of cattle and fertility. [[/footnote]]"; the ability to alter one's form into that of an animal, is the most prominent ability, with about 5% of the Tuatha population capable of using it. Most typically can only take the form of one animal, though some have shown the talent to metamorph up to five different animals. Pinnipedia, Cervidae, Canidae and Equine mammals is the most common metamorph, though bird and reptile metamorphs have also been recorded. Theories have been proposed that this ability's use may have contributed to fragments of Celtic mythology, such as the tales of selkies or the deers of the Otherworld.
* **Metamorphism**, known as the "Blessing of the Mór-ríoghan[[footnote]] In Irish mythology, the Mór-ríoghan is a triple goddess - made up of Badhbh, Macha and the Morrigan - of fate, death and warfare. [[/footnote]]"; the ability to alter one's form into that of another individual, is another common ability, with about 2% of the Tuatha population capable of performing it. Unlike therianthropy, individuals are not restricted to one form and can take on several physiologies. However, the process of changing is rather exhausting and can become painful without regular use.
* **Enhanced Vocalizations**, known as the "Blessing of Ogma[[footnote]] In Irish mythology, Ogma is depicted as a god of speech, eloquence and language. [[/footnote]]"; the ability to emit high-amplitude ultrasonic sound waves via vocalisation, is one of the rarest abilities, with under 0.2% of the population possessing the ability to use it. Due to the danger of possessing this ability, children who demonstrate its use are often trained by specialised wizards on its proper use.
* **Probability Sinking**, known as the "Blessing of Lugh[[footnote]] In Irish mythology, Lugh is depicted as a saviour and a god of skill, crafts and warfare. [[/footnote]]"; the ability to subconsciously alter localised probability, is another rare ability, with its true population unknown. Unlike the other abilities, those who possess this ability seemingly have no control over it, with it only working in moments of great stress. Despite its rarity and uncontrollable nature, the ability is famed within and outside the Tuatha community. Historians also speculate that the thaumaturgy possessed by the wards used to anomalously alter the probability of Hy-Brasil was based on this ability.
* **Ecosystem Alteration**, known as the "Blessing of Danu[[footnote]] In Irish mythology, Danu is the mother goddess who bore the first gods. [[/footnote]]"; the ability to wield complete control over the localised ecosystem and weather, is the rarest of abilities, with it only existing within one bloodline; that of the Tuatha monarchy. If properly used, the wielder is capable of inducing ecological and meteorological alteration on a national scale, via the manipulation of the natural elements surrounding them. According to the High Court Wizard's records, only twelve of the forty-six monarchs have demonstrated the use of the Blessing; the latest being Queen Bríd III, the great-great-grandmother of the current monarch. In the Tuatha mythology, whilst the Four Treasures anoint the individual, the Blessing of Danu is considered the only true proof that the individual is the rightful heir to the throne and protector of the Tuatha people.

The Tuatha monarchy is the reigning dynasty of Hy-Brasil, consisting of those members of the extended family of the reigning monarch. The majority of the Tuatha recognise themselves as subjects of the monarchy, with the current monarch being High King Delbáeth II, who was crowned in 1988. According to Tuatha myth, the first official monarch, High Queen Danu I, was crowned in 1000 BC, when her mystical powers and courageous heart led the Tuatha to found their tribe and defeat their enemies, the mythical Aos Sí and the monstrous Fomorians. Her ascension and crowning, the "Echtrae Danu" (English: //The Tale of Danu//) is the most well-known myth among the Tuatha.  

[[collapsible show="▷ Echtrae Danu" hide="▽ Echtrae Danu"]]

[[div class="document"]]

But try as they might, the tribe could not defeat the cursed Carman, queen of the Aes Sídhe and her allies, the monstrous Fomorians. Soon, so little of the tribe remained and darkness had descended upon their land. The ground became barren. The air colder. All life either died or was shaped into something beastly, encouraged by the queen and her sick inquisitive witches.

In the mires of Mag Tuired, the cruel queen walked the battlefield, seeing all that her soldiers and beasts had done. The earth was wet with blood and the corpses of her enemies and beasts littered the marshes. In the distance, she could hear the wails of the bánánach and the cyhyraeth, ghosts of the war and suffering, pleading as they wandered aimlessly. She smiled. This war was hers to win.

But as she moved, a cold hand reached out and clasped her wings. From the mud, a young woman, hair black and skin pale, rose in a hunched stance, wielding nothing but a broken sword. Her flesh was torn and her strength was waning, but her eyes were full of hatred and courage. She glared at the queen.

"You are a wicked thing," she spat, "You shall pay for what you did to my brothers and sisters."

Carman laughed. "You use the last of your strength to insult me. How comical. Who do you think you are?"

"I am Anand. I am Anand and I curse you, queen of the sídhe. I curse you and your kind."

Carman bent down and faced the woman. Despite her loathing of these creatures, she admired this woman's nerve. She offered a hand to Anand. "Take my hand and submit. If you do so, I shall ensure you and your remaining people live. We can find a place for you in my land." Anand said nothing and spat at the hand. She knew the sídhe. Creatures of lies and trickery. If she submitted, her people would live but in chains. Slaves to the Fomorians and playthings to the sídhe.

"Defiance even in mercy. Ridiculous thing," sneered the queen and she struck the woman, "Your kind shall never be our equal."

Beaten and broken, within nothing but the cold mud around her, Anand sighed her final breaths and reached into the earth, clenching its bloodstained dirt and soil with all the hope she had left. With the remains of her strengths, she whispered a cry of help into the earth before faulting into a sleep, of which only death would end.

But the wish of the dying is a most potent magic. And so the earth fulfilled her cries. With a clap of thunder that shuddered mountains, the heavens opened and rain fell to the ground. The rain found the blood and mixed with it and the mud, forming a stream of brown. This stream ran to Anand, whose life was near its close, and flowed into her wounded flesh. And in her sleep, Anand heard a song. A rhythm. A sound of hope and promise. The wild wind of her homeland.

[[/div]]
[[div class="document"]]

On the hilltops of Mag Itha, Carman saw the last of the tribe huddle together, broken and scared. With a gesture, her army descended on the people. The witches of the sídhe. The bloodthirsty Fomorians. Balor, the cyclops whose eye brought fire and destruction. Oilliphéist, the sea serpent who poisoned waters. The Sluagh, corpses squeezed into twisted bodies. The Nuckelavee, the horse demons that brought sickness with their touch. The Púcaí, who caused only misfortune and strife. All descended on the tribe who, though weak and afraid, huddled together in courage.

But as the dawn broke, the earth suddenly bloomed with flowers and grasses and the wind grew into a storming gale. The rivers broke their banks and rose up into tides. The sídhe, the Fomorians and the beast all halted and stared with awe and fear, as they saw the forests, rivers and marshes move towards them as if they were soldiers themselves.

"What is this madness," screamed the Carman, seeing the elements around her bend and battle, her army flee and perish at their hands. And from the sky, came the answer. With the swiftness of the lighting, a woman fell from the heavens and landed before the tribe. The face they saw was one they knew. Before them rose Anand, her form blossoming with life, her once black hair now golden. No longer was she Anand. No longer was she a mere mortal. She was the Danu. Earth given form. The wild within a woman.

She raised her hands skyward, creating a mist which encased her tribe. Moments later, they emerged, wounds healed, weapons repaired and forms more powerful than ever. "Brother. Sisters. We will not perish at the hands of these abominations. The wild has chosen us. This is our land. Ours." And with that, the tribe roared and surged outwards, slaughtering their enemies and vanquishing the beasts. And as the battle continued, Danu summoned the winds once more and flew into the heavens. Amongst the clouds and the light of the sun, she danced. Beneath her, the wild awoke to her rhythm, obeying her wish, joining her tribe in war.

As the day finished and twilight came, the battlefield became quiet once more. But this time, no blood soaked the muddy ground. Only rainwater and tree sap. No ghosts wailed or pleaded. Only the birds sang. Alone, the Sídhe queen sat, her army having perished or abandoned her.

"You doubted us," said Danu, returning from the skies, the wild now dressing her in robes of green, yellow and brown, her golden hair spotted with moss and lichen, "Laughed at us. Though us nothing but animals to be played with. You disgust me, and yet I pity you. " The queen laughed, too weak to even fight back anymore. Her magic had betrayed her. Her army was lost. Her land was now another.

"Kill me, goddess," she said finally, "I do not wish to hear your lecture or offers of compassion. I am too tired to care anymore. But remember this." The queen crawled forward and held a finger against Danu's chest. "My people will never let you win. We shall haunt you and your kind until death or victory. Know this, goddess."

"Then we shall prepare," replied Danu, and with a flick of her hand, a fire formed around the Sídhe queen, burning her in a green blaze, its crackling barely heard over the screams.

And so the land was theirs. The tribe had found victory and home at last. Having found strength and fruitfulness through Danu, the all bowed to her. "Our lives are plentiful because of you. Our future is set. We bow to you, our leader, our queen. Lead us to our future. Our salvation." Danu smiled and bowed to her tribe. She reach down to the ground and held a branch of oak. Turning it quadrice in her palm, the branch bend into a circle and bloomed with flowers. Complete, she placed it on her head and proclaimed herself a queen and her tribe her subjects, the Tuatha Dé Danann.

[[/div]]

[[/collapsible]]

Traditionally, in ceremonial and political settings, the Tuatha monarchy dress is always green, adorned with gold and bronze. This supposedly in honour of High Queen Danu I, commemorating her golden hair and grass stained skin.

The monarchy oversees all political, military and jurisdiction decisions for the Tuatha, as well as having a say in their education, economy and cultural preservation. Though all official decisions will be made by the monarch, they are aided by the Royal Court. The monarchy's Royal Court is the governing body that advises the monarch and institutes policies at their command. Excluding the monarchy and its household staff, the court is split into five branches, each overseen by an official hand-picked by the monarchy.

* **Royal Wizard** - Serves as the monarchy's thaumaturgical adviser and philosopher and oversees all court wizards. Due to the prevalence of thaumaturgy within the Tuatha population, the Royal Wizard is often called to work with the other officials on specific matters. The Royal Wizards, and their subordinates, are dressed in white. 
* **Royal Crofter** - Serves as the monarchy's agricultural and financial adviser and oversees all court farmers, doctors and accountants. In times of great need, the Royal Crofter will also oversee the medical welfare of the Tuatha. The Royal Crofter, and their subordinates, are dressed in yellow. 
* **Royal Smith** - Serves as the monarchy's architectural and engineering adviser and oversees all court blacksmiths and architectures. When Hy-Brasil first opened its borders in 1811, High King Nuada Airgetlám VII extended the role to include scientific and technological analysis and certification. The Royal Crofter, and their subordinates, are dressed in brown.
* **Royal Guard** - Serves as the monarchy's chief military commander and law enforcement commissioner as well as the monarch's personal bodyguard. All military and judicial matters are the direct responsibility of the Royal Guard. The Royal Guard, and their subordinates, are dressed in black.
* **Royal Envoy** - Serves as the monarchy's political advisory and foreign minister. This official did not exist before 1811, being commissioned by the monarchy and court when foreign nations began corresponding with Hy-Brasil. The Royal Envoy, and their subordinates, are dressed in blue.

[[include :scp-wiki:component:image-block name=https://scp-wiki.wdfiles.com/local--files/a-folklorist-approach-to-myth-case-study-01-the-tuatha-de-da/Hy-Brasil%20Crown.jpg|caption=The crown of Nuada Airgetlám IV.|width=380px]]

When the previous monarch dies or abdicates the throne, the new monarch is crowned in a coronation at Tech Duinn, the monarchy and court residence in the north district of Hy-Brasil. During the coronation, each of the five officials swears loyalty to the new monarch, with the Crofter, Smith, Guard and Envoy providing a symbol of their loyalty: the Crofter, a sapling from their farms; the Smith, a new crown; the Guard, their gauntlets; the Envoy, a gift from a foreign land. Once done, the Royal Wizard will use the Four Treasures — the Stone of Fál, the Spear of Lugh, the Claidheamh Soluis, and the Cauldron of the Dagda — to anoint the monarch, officially crowning them the High King/Queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Following the ceremony, a festival, made up of dancing, music, feasting and trading will begin, all paid for by the monarchy. Songs include "Bíodh na páirceanna faoi bhláth" (English: //May the battlefield bloom//), the sovereigns anthem. Traditionally, it is considered good luck to exchange a gold coin or to share a piece of cake with a stranger. At midnight, the monarch will take a branch of the "[[[anomaly-306-the-silver-alder|An Plionta Airgid]]]" (English: //The Silver Plinth//), a silver tree that grows in the gardens of Tech Duinn, and ignite it within the large torch on the castle's high tower, signifying the beginning of their reign and ending the celebration. Whatever day the coronation falls on is then celebrated annually with the same festival.

In addition to this, the Tuatha also have three other big festivals. "Awena" begins around the summer solstice and continues for a whole week. The main focus of the Awena is several ranked competitions, all around poetry, performing arts, art and music. The competitions are split based on age and gender, though in group performances, mixed ages and genders may perform together. All entities must be original work. The winners of the competition will receive a golden harp, known as a "Uaithne", based on the harp played by High King Dagda II, the founder of the festival. The festival shares many similarities with the Welsh Eisteddfod competition festival, with some scholars believing that the two may share a common connection. In 1946, High King Nuada Airgetlám VII allowed humans of British or Irish heritage to partake in the festival, though it took until 1956 before one won a contest.

"Samuin" is celebrated on the 1st of November, from sunset to sunrise. As the Tuatha still follow the Celtic calendar, with the year being divided into a light half and a dark half, Samuin is considered the first day of the dark half of the year. Excluding a few key details, the traditions and festivities are almost identical to those of the Irish and Scottish "Samhain", whose traditions have been adapted into the modern festival "Halloween". Similar to Samhain, bonfires, divination, baking, storytelling, mumming[[footnote]] A form of grouped costume role-play. Tuatha typically dress up as heroes and monsters from their mythology. [[/footnote]], and feasting are common customs done on Samuin. One custom unique to the Tuatha however, is the production of "Dóiteán Ablach" (English: //Blazed Apple//), a type of apple cider made using thaumaturgical fire and a species of black-skinned apple native to Hy-Brasil known as "Croíthe Dubha" (English: //Black Hearts//). As with many Celtic cultures, the Tuatha believe the apple to be a symbol of mysticism, and in their folklore, if Dóiteán Ablach is drunk and then spat into a bonfire on Samuin, it will grant the spitter a vision of the future.

"Belltaine" is celebrated on the 1st of May. With Samuin signifying the beginning of the dark half of the year, Belltaine signifies the start of the light half. Like Samuin, the festival shares customs with Irish and Scottish festivals, specifically Beltane. However, the Tuatha variation deviates slightly, with customs like moving livestock, igniting wooden monoliths and visiting holy sites not being performed. Instead, to the Tuatha, Belltaine is a day of preparation and forward-thinking, with spring cleaning, fishing, gardening and pickling usually done. A fish stew, made with samphire, dumplings, shellfish and elderflower wine, similar to Bouillabaisse, is often made on the day. Some Tuatha will take a linseed flower to the statue of High Queen Éire II, a monarch who used the Blessing of Danu to reverse a famine back in 1192. According to enactors, this is done merely because it is considered good luck or a sign of remembrance.

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A Folklorist Approach to Myth - Case Study 01: The Tuatha Dé Danann

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