Badhbh

Meet Badhbh (pronounced Bayv). She is my first shield, and newest fighting companion. In Irish lore, the Badhbh is a beautiful woman who appears bathed in blood and gore, and portends death for any who happen upon her. She will often choose sides in a battle with absolute prejudice, bringing certain death for all who oppose her will. Stories of the Badhbh greatly influenced the tales of banshees in later Irish lore.

Who is Áine?

Gearóid Ó Fathaigh never would tell how he came to father a half-fairy child, but the result was a baby girl left on his doorstep, whom he named Áine. She was always somewhat of a curiosity in Gaillimh where she grew up. Despite growing up without a mother, and the constant whispers behind her back, Áine grew up a kind, fair-minded child. That is, until foreign raiders razed her village to the ground, destroying everything she had ever known. Stricken with the grief, with nothing left but the clothes on her back, Áine did the only thing she could think of; she went in search of her mother.

 Overcome by grief and anger, she wandered for what seemed like weeks, until she came to a fairy tree. She removed the fine ribbon from her hair, and tied it to a branch, as was custom, before collapsing from exhaustion. There was no telling how long Áine lay unconscious beneath that tree, but when she awoke, it was clear that her ailing body had been tended to. As she sat up, she discovered a gift of fine weapons and clothing lying beside her.

Little is known of what happened after Áine left the tree, but there were whispers of a young woman wandering the land, seeking vengeance upon those bearing ill-will towards others. Throughout the countryside, locals reported seeing a human camping near the fairy trees and forts. These reports were always followed by ill news for the rich and the brutish near the area, but they could never find proof of the suspected, mischievous rogue.

Some years later, the reports of the rogue woman simply stopped. On the same day, witnesses saw a mysterious young woman who had run into trouble seeking passage on a pirate vessel docked at the port in Gaillimh. Áine found no solace during her years as a pirate, and the crewmembers were wary and contemptuous of her fairy half, but she worked hard, fought hard, and learned much. After two years aboard the vessel, Áine returned to dry land, and eventually found her way to the realm of Stygia, where she lives now, and hopes to find her place in the world.

Concave, coreless, spiral shield

Here is my first ever shield. It's pretty silly, but I'm hoping that it will also prove to be a useful companion in combat. I'll let you know how it works out, once I finally start using it.