Fionnghuala
Encyclopedia
In many campaign setting
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, Fionnghuala is the deity of swanmays, communications, and sorority. Her symbol is a white feather.
, a swan maiden in Celtic mythology
.
(1992), including details about her priesthood. Her role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
(1996).
, though her duties often take her elsewhere. She attends meetings of mortal swanmays, flies in swan form as a sentinel around faerie lands, and eagerly plans for assaults against the Unseelie fey. She can often be found wandering Elysium
on various tasks.
and their kind. Fionnghuala was gravely wounded during a battle against an avatar of the Queen of Air and Darkness while selflessly protecting the avatar of Oberon
. In reward for her services, Titania raised her from the dead and brought her to the Seelie Court
. She was given a white feather that allowed her to take on the form of a swan, changing her from a mortal being to something partly of Faerie. Over the centuries since this event, a small, secretive sorority of rangers has been granted simulacra of this feather, allowing them to become swanmays as well.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Fionnghuala is the deity of swanmays, communications, and sorority. Her symbol is a white feather.
Creative origins
Fionnghuala's name comes from FionnualaFionnuala
In Irish mythology, Finnguala was the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann...
, a swan maiden in Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
.
Publication history
Fionnghuala was first detailed in the book Monster MythologyMonster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992), including details about her priesthood. Her role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground is an accessory book for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, for the Planescape campaign setting.-Contents:This book contains information about deities' planar domains from 20 separate pantheons...
(1996).
Description
Fionnghuala is a small, very slender human woman with red hair and green eyes. She wears white feathered patches on her shoulders and on the crown of her head, and gossomer armor. She may also appear as a giant swan.Realm
Fionnghuala is part of the Outer Circle of the Seelie CourtSeelie Court (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Seelie Court is a large, loose confederation of gods that consists of the leader Titania and her consort Oberon, as well as the following gods: Caoimhin, Damh, Eachthighern , Emmantiensien, Fionnghuala, Nathair Sgiathach, Skerrit, Squelaiche, and...
, though her duties often take her elsewhere. She attends meetings of mortal swanmays, flies in swan form as a sentinel around faerie lands, and eagerly plans for assaults against the Unseelie fey. She can often be found wandering Elysium
Elysium (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Elysium, or more fully, the Blessed Fields of Elysium, is a strongly good-aligned plane of existence...
on various tasks.
Dogma
Fionnghuala is fiercely loving and protective of good-aligned faerie folk, and will slay any who deliberately kills a faerie in her presence.Worshippers
Fionnghuala is revered by swanmays, a secretive organization of female human rangers with the ability to transform into swans. They continue to worship the deities who were their patrons before their transformation as well. Fionnghuala has no clerics.Myths and legends
Fionnghuala was once a mortal human ranger who gave many services to the feyFey (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Fey is a type of creature, or "creature type". Fey are usually humanoid in form, and are typified as having supernatural abilities and a connection to nature or to some other force or place....
and their kind. Fionnghuala was gravely wounded during a battle against an avatar of the Queen of Air and Darkness while selflessly protecting the avatar of Oberon
Oberon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Oberon is the fey deity of nature, wild places, and animals. His symbol is a white stag.-Publication history:...
. In reward for her services, Titania raised her from the dead and brought her to the Seelie Court
Seelie Court (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Seelie Court is a large, loose confederation of gods that consists of the leader Titania and her consort Oberon, as well as the following gods: Caoimhin, Damh, Eachthighern , Emmantiensien, Fionnghuala, Nathair Sgiathach, Skerrit, Squelaiche, and...
. She was given a white feather that allowed her to take on the form of a swan, changing her from a mortal being to something partly of Faerie. Over the centuries since this event, a small, secretive sorority of rangers has been granted simulacra of this feather, allowing them to become swanmays as well.