Cruachan Gorge
THE LAST RESTING PLACE OF HIBERNIA’S MOST POWERFUL QUEEN
When the conquest of Hibernia was complete, it did not take long for the disparate clans of Celts to split into several kingdoms. And, as all humans are wont to do, wars were soon declared between these kingdoms. One of these kingdoms was lead by a queen, whose legacy has inspired Celtic women for generations. The queen, Medb, was known for her strong will, ambition, cunning and, according to some, her promiscuity. This last trait may simply be slanderous words by the petty kings and queens who came after her or it might not. Perhaps the many names attributed as lovers to the queen were simply to tie their name to a prestigious legacy or perhaps they are testament to her great beauty, which according to some stories attracted even the favour of the lords beyond the Veil.
The story of the queen’s greatest lover involves the warrior-king of the Tuatha Dé, Lug Long-Arm, grandson of the Fomorian king Balor. While not much is known about their romance, it is said that Lug was eventually forced back beyond the Veil by his own kin so as to not break the ancient pact between the Tuatha Dé and the Celts, as should Lug marry queen Medb, he would become a ruler of Celts.
Heart heavy with sorrow, Lug threw his spear with all his might before kissing the queen one final time. The spear flew through a mighty lightning storm and landed in Cruachan Gorge, still crackling with electricity. When the queen finally found where the spear had landed, she was unable to grasp it and ordered a mighty fortress built around it. The queen’s people would guard the spear until the day the lightning subsides and the spear can finally be wielded in defense of the realm.
