The Book of Invasions

The North of the World

Iobath son of Beothach Lands in Foroyar

When the ship of Nemedians arrived in the north and landed in the Islands of Foroyar, Iobath son of Beothach son of Iarbanel son of Nemed and his son Baath, met with The Dagda and Brigantu and their daughters Morfessa, Esras, Uiscias and Semias. Though the Nemedians were awed by these amazing beings they were also welcomed by them. The magical people saw in the Nemedians a people who they could teach what they had learned and who could help them build great cities and make a paradise. Together they made a pact. The pact was that the people of Nemed would help them build a city, and the children of Danu would in turn teach them all the many skills they had learned including the wizardry they had become masters of.

The Building of Falias, Goirias, Finias and Murias the Four Great Cities

The people of Nemed intermarried with the Children of Danu and soon they were one family and they all became known as the Children of Danu and eventually they all became known as the Tuatha De Danaan. The Tuatha De Danaan eventually became so many that they decided to build another city, which they did and they called it Goirias. So it went, that each time their population grew too large they built another city. In the end they built four cities and they were called Falias, Goirias, Finias and Murias, and they were all glorious to behold. They consisted of gleaming spites and opalescent domes built with such engineering skill, the like of which would never be seen again.

However, those who gathered such knowledge also paid deference to Bile, the sacred oak. Though, because they were forbidden to speak his holy name, they called him Draoi which in their language meant wizard or sorcerer. Those who became learned in such knowledge were said to possess the oak knowledge and thus were known as Druids eventually.

A Gathering to Discuss the Problems in the Great Cities

Thus the knowledge of the Tuatha De Danaan grew and each of the four cities prospered. So it was for eons, until the four great cities started to have problems with over population yet again. A meeting was called, of the four leaders or guardians of each of the four cities. These four met in the middle.

From Failias came Morfessa, dark and cold as the earth stone, bringing the depth of knowledge and understanding. In her pocket she carried the wisdom of ages and in the middle she placed the Lia Fail - the stone of sovereignty (the stone of destiny). This was the stone on which the High Kings of Inis Fail would stand when they were crowned and which would confirm the election of a rightful king by roaring aloud as each took his place on it. It would be given into the hands of the Morigan when the Tuatha De Danann landed in Inis Fail.

From Goirias came Esras, hot and bright as the fever’s burn walking with dutiful care and affection. In her pocket she carried the fire of eventual comfort, and in the middle she placed the Sword Claiomh Solais of the King - the unconquerable weapon once blooded. This is the sword that would eventually be given to Nuada when he became the first king of the Tuatha De Danaan in the new land of Inis Fail.

From Findias came Uiscias, fluid and fresh as the river’s passing, flowing across the land with purpose and patience. In her pocket she carried the fast flow of justice, and in the middle she placed the Spear of Light - the Red Javelin that always finds its mark. It is the shaft that, once cast, would always find the enemy no matter how well they hid. It is the weapon that would be given to Lugh Lamhfada when he became king of the Tuatha De Danaan in the new land of Inis Fail.

From Murias came Semias, stout and guarded as the sea fortress moving carefully and deliberately to where she was needed. In her pocket she carried the rivet that held all together, and in the middle she put the Cauldron of the Chief - that gave plenty unto all. This would be gifted to The Dagda on his arrival in Inis Fail and with which he could feed entire nations and still it would not be emptied.

Esras spoke first. She spoke of sickness that plagued the people of her city and her people with scorching intensity of the blistering seeping infections, and the fervid fear stalking her once warm and beautiful city. She spoke of their loving duty to act in the interests of the tribe. A difficult decision was called for - a slashing burn to destroy, the curing of the sick and the necessity of the imminent departure of the people.

Uiscias spoke next. She spoke of turgid polluted waters swollen with death and disease, with a well of sadness of pale poisoned beauty of once fair streams. She spoke of the wisdom needed to act in the interests of the tribe. A difficult decision was called for - a way to purify the waters was needed and also a way to quickly reduce the population of the city.

Semias spoke then. She spoke of the monstrous storm that had lashed the city, the breaking of the ramparts, with rot and decay untended and unwatched in the once walled fortress of the crumbling city. She spoke of the doughty necessity to act in the interests of the tribe. A difficult decision was called for - an emptying of the land, a salting of the earth, gathering and rationing hitherto plentiful provisions, in preparation to depart the city.

Then spoke Morfessa. She spoke of the scattering of learning, the rise of shallow thinking, of insincerity and dishonesty veining the city’s once honorable foundations and of the sovereign knowledge needed to regroup and bed down in the interests of the tribe. A difficult decision was called for - a releasing of the sovereign stones which held safety in the land and seeking to refortify in another, and to find and mark out boundaries in a new space for depth of study and there to rightfully rule.

The Tuatha De Danaan Prepare to Go Forth

There, where they met in the middle, they took counsel and made a decision to go forth. They would gather the best of their tribe all in one place here in the middle.

In the four cities of Goirais, Findias, Murias and Failias they had gathered knowledge, science, arts, skills and magic to mark the way. However, much of the knowledge that had been taught in the cities had become scattered and instead of becoming well rounded paragons of all knowledge and skills many of the people of Danu (Tuatha De Danaan) had specialized. They had become instead people who though talented were mostly skilled in one thing. Thus some became warriors, some became scholars, some became poets, some became bards or musicians, some became druids (the keepers of the sacred knowledge), some became craftsmen, some became tillers of the soil, but all became draoithe (sorcerers) to a lesser or greater extent.

Morfessa, Esras, Uiscias and Semias sent forth messages to all the people of the four cities requesting their attendance to the middle of the largest island on the most auspicious day one year hence. And they came on the appointed day, and gathered under their mother Danu all across the great plain. The Tuatha De Danaan were ready to depart. Click here to Continue.

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