The Fields of Ulster 

There came a time, in the history of man and Gods, 
That the rage had boiled over again in Ulster and Connaught. 
For there was no High King upon the throne, 
nor Fion on the field, 
As once again the Fomori had come unto the sacred land, 
terrible and black their bloody rage. 

Connor, King of Ulster, knew that the Fomori had to be stop'd 
and sent his army to Munster to defend that great land. 
But terrible and cursed was his counterpart, Moira. 
The line of Maeve ran pure in her, 
and she thought to revenge herself upon the Hound's birthplace. 
Despite the envoys sent to her, she plotted the foul betrayal, 
lying to their faces with the sweetest of deceptions. 

But this was more than a struggle between men; 
Nay, it was the struggle 'tween Gods-- 
Here named the Morrigan, liege of Moira, 
And here named Lugh, liege of Connor. 

So it came to be that on the night in question, 
a terrible shrieking caw came up from the walls of Mag Morthain 
For she had learned that one of the emmissaries 
sent to assure her compliance with the Fion's will, 
was in truth the daughter of Lugh, 
And Lo, her anger was terrible. 

Stone rent and mortar burst as the servants of the Morrigan, 
dark crow-beasts called the Morrigu, 
sought to feed on the blood of this godling-- 
But she was protected, for at that moment Lugh saw her plight 
and into their midst a flash of light was pregnant; 
Before the foes stood the Champion of Lugh. 

These uncouth monsters recoiled in rage 
as the daughter of Lugh invoked her power 
and all with her were safe, 
whisked to another realm 
perhaps to speak with the Lord Lugh himself, 
some have said. 

What is known is that the queen flew into a rage, 
despondent that her plans might be thwarted in some way 
and called upon her Goddess to hurl her forces with all speed 
upon the frontier of Ulster. 

Led by a Reman of great arrogance and no little skill, 
they met upon a nameless field with the men of Ulster. 
Brave men were these, but not the most skilled, 
For those had gone off to fight the Fomori. 

Outnumbered 3 to 1 at the least, the men of Ulster gave ground 
as the terrible pounding of the Connaught forces pushed them back. 
But Lugh would not have his people fall so easily; 
Into their midst appeared His Champion, 
resplendent in the golden armor He himself once wore, 
and all around him were the Champion's companions 
and the daughter of Lugh herself. 

Undaunted by the forces arrayed 'gainst him, 
the Champion leapt his horse right o'er Connaught's men 
and rallied the men of Ulster forward. 
To the air, took his companions, 3 in number-- 
Fey and man, they went to harry this foreign general, 
who wore the armor Cuchulainn once shattered. 

The men of Ulster held, as Connaught's general 
Was struck again and again, 
and though his armor were the mightest in the land, 
It had been broken afore, and the fury of Lugh's anger 
guided the strokes of his warriors. 
Thence the general had to be carried off the field. 

But Moira had even now just arrive'd, 
and at her side were 5 score Viking warriors; 
Fierce and noble, they had been tricked by Moira's promises 
and followed her to the death 'gainst her enemies. 

And alas, at the words of Moira and her command, 
the men of Ulster broke in rout 
fearing for their lives and homes from this terrible cursed queen. 
But Lugh was not to have this either, for his will had alerted Connor 
and the king rode ahead of his Red Branch Knights; 
All day and night they rode, the will of Lugh speeding them 
to the battle that for many would be their last. 
They arrived upon the field even now, 
and rallied the Ulstermen to them. 

Driven to a rage, Moira called out to the Morrigan 
and unto the field flew the Morrigu, the crow-beasts. 
But Lugh had counter for this in his Swanmays; 
Led by Li'Ban, queen of Moy Mell, 
they struck upon the Morrigu and kept them from interfering. 

Lugh's daughter rallied her companions 
and struck upon Connaught's forces with her bolts of lightning. 
Angered at this, they charged her, only to fall in droves, 
as the thunder tore into them, the eldritch magic changed them, 
or the blade of her champion cut them down as they stood. 

Moira sent her lieutenants to slay the daughter of Lugh, 
a Red Warrior who was in truth a Fion bewitched by foul magic, 
and a huntress of great skill and mystic prowess. 
The first met the Champion of Lugh upon the battlefield, 
and he struck her with one blow, turning her straightaway to stone. 
The second came unto the daughter of Lugh with her twin blades, 
and her dark magic struck a blow unto the godling, 
but the daughter's champion clove this foe in twain with her halberd. 

Vexxed most eternal by this setback, as her vikings collided with Red 
Branch, 
and harried even now by the blows of the daughter's consort, 
the Queen of Connaught called out to her Druids of the Morrigan. 
Three were they, and mighty in darkness. 
Unto the field they called beasts seen only in elder times, 
a great dragon with 4 score legs, and a wing'd dragon as well 
to scathe the men of Ulster as if by a horrible storm. 

But in the distance came scions o' the Hound's land, 
led by a great warrior in the throes of the warp-frenzy. 
Some say the Hound himself appeared on the field this day, 
called back to Eire at the time of Ulster's greatest need. 
Unto the army of Connaught he leapt, ripping and tearing. 
At this, the Ulstermen's courage was redoubled 
as the King of Moy Mell, as well, joined the fray. 

The Champion of Lugh faced down the Queen 
as she struck him with dark magic, 
But undaunted he yelled 'I stand, still!' 
and thence he struck into the hide of the dragon, 
turning it to rock as her champion afore. 

Now beyond all reason, Moira rid her horse down upon the daughter of Lugh 
Shrieking wild vengeance and terrible anger. 
She leapt upon the daughter and her clawlike hand 
encircled the delicate throat of this godling. 

And Lo, this terrible warrior who some called Cuchulainn 
leapt out of the fray with the bellow 'Unhand her!' 
and the queen was struck to the ground, her neck snapped. 
But flush with the power of the Morrigan, she would not die, 
and raised the Hound above her head as if to hurl him 
unto some earth unknown to mortals. 

The daughter of Lugh would not have this happen, 
for if Cuchulainn this be, then her brother as well, 
and her blade bit deep into the leg of the Queen, 
severing bone, flesh and sinew. 
Both warrior and queen tumbled to the ground, 
and both sat up to strike the next blow. 

But now from the sky came a terrible wail 
as one of the daughter's champions, come to her aid, 
fell straight from the sky, pursued by the flying dragon itself, 
and he impaled her through the heart with the Cursed Blood Spear of Esroc, 
shattering it unto a thousand shards of wood 
and his body unto a broken heap on the ground. 

And now the earth trembled, and the sky rumbled, 
and thence came a flash of light from which none know the source. 
All men upon the field froze for a moment, as a warmth came over all 
and they lowered their weapons, knowing not why they fought. 
No where to be found was the daughter of Lugh, 
Nor his son, if that be who it was, for they had gone unto the heavens. 
Gone too was the Queen of Connaught, 
to a fate none know but few wish to. 

There are some that say that their job was done, 
in the killing of the Queen of Connaught. 
Her curse, her compelling upon her troops, was lifted, 
and thus none were left to fight. 

Others say that Lugh's power was used to cancel that of the Morrigan, 
and thus the champions had gone to the heavens to wage war there for 
eternity. 

But there are others, the fewest of all, who claim another tale; 
This, that the world was broken, that in that very instant, 
blood rained from the sky--that Lugh and the Morrigan had struck blow upon 
blow 
unto each other, and the earth trembled and rent apart. 

That the very heavens filled with the cries of the Gods being slain; 
That the Champion of Lugh cried out in song to his liege, in prayer for 
victory; 
That the God Lugh looked down upon this and all others who answered its 
call, 
and saw that all must be saved here, all the courage and faith and love; 
That the Champion was given the spear that took Balor's eye, 
and he hurled it unto the Morrigan; 
That the Morrigan cried tears of blood for the destruction that she had 
wrought; 
That the Lord Lugh came to his children and gave unto them the power to 
unite; 
That Creation and Destruction, the Maid and the Warrior, the very stuff of 
life it was, 
Became one in a new beginning, a rebirth of the world, of the heavens, 
Of the heart of this land--and that its people were given another chance... 

But this cannot be said to be for sure, for none exist that remember it-- 
at least, none of the Ulstermen, or the men of Connaught, can recall it 
this way. 
There was a tremble, and a flash, and a wind, and a warmth, 
and then, they stopped fighting--for they knew not why they were. 

What is known is that unto the midst of these men strode the Champion 
and he laid upon one knee afore the King Connor 
and pledged that the fight was done. 
Thence came another man, a bard, this one with his wife, 
and he spoke unto all that heard that it was indeed true, 
that the fight was over, 
and bade them go home to their wives and children, 
and make prayers of thankfulness that they still lived. 

Unto their homes went the tired battlers, 
and the land reached up with her caring hands to embrace 
the bodies of the fallen unto her bosom, 
and they became one with the earth. 

Thus in death is love, for the Goddess loves us still, 
and to her breast our bodies are taken 
as they await rebirth from her womb 
and the wombs of our wives and daughters. 

But a terrible price was paid by all for this curse, 
for even the Gods have vengeance and hate in their hearts, 
but also love and redemption-- 
and hope.