Fionnghuala (pronounced: /fɪnɛlɑː/ fin-ell-ah[4]) was the demigoddess of swanmays[1][2][3] and a member of the Outer Circle of Queen Titania's Seelie Court.[4] The translation of her name was "white-shouldered".[4][note 1]
Description[]
As a mortal, Fionnghuala was a small, petite human woman with red hair and green eyes.[1]
Fionnghuala's armor was gossamer, and she wore white feathers on her shoulders and as a crown.[1]
Personality[]
Fionnghuala was brave,[1] selfless,[1] and virtuous.[1][2] She was devoted to the cause of the Seelie Court and to that of the sorority of swanmays and was always ready to defend the faerie folk, killing to defend them if need be.[1]
Powers[]
Fionnghuala was nigh impossible to surprise. She was immune to paralysis and petrification. No avian creature would ever harm her.[1]
Fionnghuala had the fey powers to send a whispered message on the wind and could convince any small animals to deliver messages for her as well.[1]
Her most notable ability, as a swanmay, was being able to turn into a giant swan. She had the ability to turn anyone else into a swan also.[1]
Possessions[]
She bore a magical white feather, a gift from Titania and the source of her fey powers. Her weapons were a magical longsword that could heal her daily and a magical longbow with a quiver of flight arrows.[1]
Divine Realm[]
Fionnghuala shared the same divine realm as other members of the Seelie Court,[2] which had no permanent location but instead wandered from plane to plane, from the Beastlands to Arborea to Ysgard.[5]
Activities[]
Titania sometimes used her magic to send one of Fionnghuala's avatars on missions throughout the planes of existence. She often visited the meetings of the sisterhood of swanmays, and she patrolled the borders of faerie lands seeking out evil to stop.[1]
Relationships[]
Because her interests kept her away from sylvan realms more than other fey deities, Fionnghuala was considered a member of Titania and Oberon's Outer Circle.[4] She was very close friends with the giant goddess Iallanis.[3]
Fionnghuala was one of the few persons the unicorn god Eachthighern allowed to ride him. More commonly, however, she simply flew alongside him in her swan form.[6]
She was counted as one of Aerdrie Faenya's allies,[7] as well as that of Solonor Thelandira[8] and Baervan Wildwanderer.[9]
Worshipers[]
Fionnghuala was the patron of swanmays,[1][2] and they all revered her, but most had allegiances to other gods as well.[1] Her followers believed in the power of communication and sorority and were always good.[1][2] Like other sylvan gods, she did not grant spells to her followers, nor did she have priests or clerics, for all fey creatures had magical powers of their own.[4] Her holy symbol was a white feather.[1]
History[]
Fionnghuala was once a mortal woman with a great love of the fey people. She sacrificed her life to defend the fey during the most recent great war between the Queen of Air and Darkness's forces and the Seelie Court, taking a last stand to defend Oberon's sorely wounded avatar.[1]
In reward for her selfless bravery and sacrifice, Oberon raised her from the dead and made her a demigod, while Titania offered her the magic white feather that transformed her into a part-fey being and made her into the very first swanmay. Throughout the centuries, similar shared feathers have continued to transform noble female druids and rangers into members of the swanmay sorority.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The in-universe language for this translation is not given in the source; however, in the real world, Fionnghuala was a common Irish name in older times. In the Forgotten Realms, this would most likely place it in one of the Waelan languages, such as Druidic.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), p. 122. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 175. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 118. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), pp. 117–118. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Carl Sargent (May 1992). Monster Mythology. (TSR, Inc), p. 121. ISBN 1-5607-6362-0.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 94. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 161. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 167. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
Connections[]
The Inner Circle: Titania • Oberon • Verenestra • Damh • Sqeulaiche • Eachthighern
The Outer Circle: Skerrit • Fionnghuala • Caoimhin • Emmantiensien • Nathair Sgiathach • Lalibela
Formerly: Sarula Iliene
The Unseelie Court
Queen of Air and Darkness