Fae
Another term for faerie.
Halfling
A hybrid – Half faerie, half human
Samhain
Pronounced Sow In
Ancient Celtic festival with Pagan roots, marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter. It was thought to be a magical time when the boundary between this world and the Otherworld could be crossed. Corresponds to our modern day Halloween. Pagans still celebrate this festival.
Cailleach
Pronounced KY-och
The veiled one. A witch or supernatural hag. Of Irish/Scottish/ Manx origin.
Stingy Jack
A Celtic myth about a blacksmith who made a deal with the Devil, in which he promised the Devil his soul. Years later when the Devil tried to claim his soul, Stingy Jack tricked the Devil and made him promise to never again ask for his soul. When Stingy Jack died, he was barred from Heaven and the Devil kept his promise and he wouldn’t allow Jack into Hell. The Devil tossed Jack a burning ember from the fires of Hell to light his way back to earth. Jack placed the ember in a carved out turnip and began roaming the earth. The Celts referred to his wandering spirit as Jack O’ the Lantern. Thus the origin of our Halloween Jack O’ Lanterns.
Colcannon
Also known as colcannon mash. Traditional Irish dish of chopped cabbage and mashed potatoes served at Samhain. Fortune-telling charms were mixed in with the colcannon which foretold your fate in the coming year.
Seanachie
Pronounced Shawn-a-key.
A storyteller or oral historian. In olden days, they roamed from village to village sharing their tales with the locals.
Sceal
Pronounced Seal.
Celtic word for story.
Draiocht
Pronounced Dri Ext.
Celtic word for magic.
Trom-luigh
Pronounced Thrum-Lee.
Tromlua is the Irish word for nightmare. I created the Trom-luigh – the bringer of nightmares, from this word.
Fidchell
Pronounced fickle.
Translation Wood-sense.
Ancient Celtic board game of skill and strategy, similar to chess. One person defends the King while the other person attempts to capture the King by surrounding him on all sides.
A Chuisle Mo Chroi
Pronounced Ah coo-shil mu cree.
Translation Pulse of my heart.
Runes
Twenty-four ancient alphabetic symbols known as Futhark and used for both divination and magic. Words closely associated with runes are, whisper, secret or mystery. Runes are commonly engraved on wood, stone, glass or metal.
Anam Cara
Pronounced ah- nahm khara
Translation Soul friend or Soul Love.
Mo Shiorghra
Pronounced Muh HEER ggrah
Translation My Eternal Love.
The Algea
Goddesses of grief, sorrow and distress. Known as the bringers of weeping and tears. In Faete , the fictional tears of the Algea refer to birthmarks present on those who have died a violent and untimely death.
Norns
The three sisters who spin the thread of fate. They represent the past, present and future. Skuld, the third Norn of the future is always depicted wearing a veil, as the future is both changeable and unknowable. They are also known as the Wyrd sisters.
An i idir
Pronounced On in iddir
TranslationThe in-between.
In Faete, it refers to a fictional place that exists between the world of the mundane and magic or supernatural world.
Claddaugh
Pronounced Klad-uh
Old Irish for seashore. Named after an ancient fishing village in Galway Ireland.
Green Man
Pagan god symbolizing the spirit of the forests or woodlands. He wears a mask of sacred oak leaves. Associated with rebirth and fertility.
Odin
Norse god (Orkney became part of kingdom of Norway in the 9th century).
Odin was considered the most powerful of all the gods. He is associated with the runic alphabet, binding oaths, healing and death. The Odin Stone is the most famous Odin landmark in the Orkneys.
An Pian Fioralainn
Pronounced On Pee an Fe ay oro lowhen
The exquisite pain – fictional curse of longing and unrequited love, capable of driving the one cursed mad.
Nicnevan
Pronounced Knick-nev-in
Derived from the Gaelic surname Neachneohain, meaning “daughter of the divine”.
Associated with Witches and sorceresses.
Nepenthe
From the ancient Greek – the drink of oblivion.
Induces forgetfulness of sorrow or trouble.
