Clan MacArth
By Malcon MacArth, Eighth Chieftain.
Gather round my family, this is our story. It is told only once by each Chieftain and now it comes to my turn.
I am Malcon MacArth,
the eight chieftain of the clan have new adventures to speak of.
When I finish this story,
I stand down as the Chief and my eldest son Talorf begins to lead
you all.
Our history is rich and full, no clan of the Tuatha can boast a more colourful story than ours. It begins over four thousand years ago, in the beautiful land of Taris.
Conn of the Hundred Battles, Conn Cetchathach was the high king of the fertile and peaceful land of Taris. Conn's wife, alas, died in childbirth, but the child, Conn's first son survived. The boy grew to early manhood and was trained to be the next High King, during this time Conn found himself a new wife, a woman of the new race the Shee, her name was Becuma.
Arth, Conn's son, was happy with the marriage but Becuma hated Arth for some reason, and in her hatred she lied to Conn about his son, the lie was believed by Arth's father and because of it Arth was banished to the northern wastes.
In the southern lands Becuma's family, nobles of the Shee tribe, decided it was time to take Becuma back home. ow this was long before we had helped the Shee to become the civilised race of Empire builders they are today, back then the Shee were nomadic barbarians who ran from thunder storms. But somehow they developed the courage to attack Talster, Taris' capital.
Conn was warned of the army marching against him and took his warriors and went to fight. Runners were sent to find Arth so he could rule his fathers land, soon he returned.
Becuma's hatred of him still burned, but she had learned the rules of the court well in Arth's absence.
While his father was at war Arth was challenged to game of Fidchell, the stakes of which were that the loser had to steal the wand of the Wizard Cu Roi MacDaire and give it to the winner. The wand was powerful and could open the way between the worlds, Becuma lost the game and stole Cu Roi's wand and reluctantly handed it to Arth.
Becuma's anger grew as did her hatred towards Arth, so she challenged him to a second game of Fidchell, the stake for which was left open, Becuma won the game and made Arth quest for the hand of Delbchaem in marriage. Delbchaem was the daughter of a fierce warrior woman named Coinchend, she had killed all the male suitors of Delbchaem. Arth accepted the challenge of and sword in hand went on the quest.
Coinchend lived in the northern wastelands which were hostile and barren, Arth was attacked by all manner of monsters as well as wytches before he faced Coinchend, the fight lasted ten days and ten nights the noise of the swords striking shields echoed round the world like thunder, but it was Coinchend scream as Arth beheaded her that shook the ground and caused great earthquakes, her dying scream the caused the island of the Orkempire to rise from under the western ocean.
As Coinchend's scream died away Arth collapsed from exhaustion, when he awoke a beautiful woman with raven coloured hair was tending to his wounds. By the time Arth was fully recovered, he and Delbchaem were in love, they travelled back to Talster and were married.
Soon Delbchaem was with child, but then the news arrived from the south Conn of the Hundred Battles had been killed in his hundred and first. Arth's first action as the new king of Taris was to banish Becuma.
One year later another disaster befell Arth and the people of Taris, Cu Roi MacDaire took his revenge for the theft of his wand. The curse he placed on the house of Arth caused the son of Arth, the baby Cormac to disappear. The people of Taris helped Arth search all of Thais, for they loved their king. But of the baby Cormac no trace was found.
For twelve years Arth Mourned for his lost son, but then the news came of a wise boy from the forests of the east of Thais, a boy raised by shapeshifters but not a shapeshifter himself. Arth was interested and travelled to see the "Wise Boy" and was amazed to see his wife's raven hair and his own brown eyes staring from the boy but more amazing was the tattoo on the boys left forearm the symbol of the Cetchathach family, the mark he himself had tattooed onto Cormac twelve years ago. The wise wild boy was Cormac son of Arth, his father took him back to Talster and began to teach him how to be high king.
Cormac MacArth, the founder of our clan, reigned as High King of Taris for seven years after his fathers disappearance, then while out hunting stag one day Cormac rode through a clearing in the forest and everything changed, it turned to night and he was beside the sea, on the shore stood a man dressed in deep blue robes and a woman dressed in green robes, as Cormac drew near the man spoke "Here is a husband for you Rhalia, and you Cormac, I have a gift for you." he said, Cormac waited as the man walked forward towards him. "I am Mananaan, this is my daughter, my gift is this sword, made of moonsilver and with a blade so sharp it will cut through other weapons, my other gift is the hand of my daughter." Said Mananaan. "All that you have to do is survive here in Tir Tangire for one year."
Cormac survived and even prospered during his year in the land of Promise and even found another magic item. The cup of truths a magic goblet if three lies are spoken near the cup it cracks and breaks, but if three truths are spoken near the cup it mends itself and is whole again. At the end of the year Cormac Married Rhalia and within a year the couple had had twins, a boy and a girl.
Mananaan returned Cormac and his family to Taris, and his children grew to adults. Cormac gave a decree that after his reign ended then the High King should henceforth be elected by a council of chiefs. He also formed the Fennians a warband of warriors from all clans to serve the High King as a strike group.
Grainne, Cormac's daughter married Finn MacCumahil the first leader of the Fennians. Osric, Cormac's son became the first Chieftain of Clan MacArth.
Osric MacArth too his seat of the chiefs council and after four years of helping his father rule Taris Arth returned and asked Clan MacArth to follow him on one adventure, Cormac gathered his clan together in the castle in Canke Wood, Arth used the wand of Cu Roi MacDaire to open a gateway and most of Clan MacArth became the wanderers of the realms and dimensions we are today.
Since those times we have been to most places, and have made friends and allies on many worlds, My wife comes from Caledonia from the world of Erdreja and my son Talorf has already married a drow from that world, but now my story is just about ended, In Taris I am seventy three years old but here on Erdreja I am nearly seven thousand years old, on the world of Martook where I made my home, I was only 13 days old, My son is either one and a half days old, twenty four years old or two thousand years depending on the world he stands on. So for us age becomes meaningless.
I go back to my home to rest and to die, my son will lead you all now, I hope the Clan will continue forever.