Siabhal

Siabhal lies in the north of Tirneach and, with its ancient legends and great cities, is called the Heart of the Realms.

Geography

Known as the Heart of the Realms, Siabhal is the most northerly of the Five Realms. It is also the largest; its coast stretches from the Shaper’s Sea in the east, up to the Endless Sea in the north, and out to the Sea of Fortunes in the northwest. Siabhal is a cultivated land of rolling hills and plains, with some of the largest towns and cities in all the Realms.

The saying goes that there is no need to ask a Siabhlach where they are from, because they’ll tell you. The Siabhlaigh are justifiably proud of their Realm, as it is one of the most civilised and stable parts of Tirneach. The great city of Iomra is the oldest and grandest in the whole of the Five Realms, a testament to Leasiar architecture and engineering. The rolling farmlands and pastures of the Golden Valley, nurtured by the Field Wildlings, help to feed Siabhal’s large population and make Siabhal a powerful mercantile power.

History

It’s true that Siabhal was the first of the Five Realms to take shape as a Realm of its own. Settlers of all species arrived on the rocky eastern coast of what would become Siabhal, determined to carve out a space to live from the deep forest and wild places under the sway of the Gwyllt. The struggle against the Gwyllt’s insidious power gave rise to great heroes, who formed the first of the noble houses which dominate Siabhal society to this day. Most Siabhlaigh can trace their lineage back to one or more of these heroes, and they all know the stories of their conquests and tribulations off by heart.

When the Réig came to Tirneach, Siabhal stood against the armies that came to spread the word of the Shaper. Siabhal stood against the Réig for many years, along with their allies in Draíod. In the end the Siabhlaigh were no match for the power of the Shaper wielded by the Réig, the determined fighters by the Réig’s side, or the cunning of the Uasaigh, the tribal people to the south who drew the Siabhlaigh into endless confrontations in their marshy homeland. There are many versions of the eventual surrender and unification of the Realms told in Siabhlaigh, many of them include betrayal and bloodshed under an oath of truce, but today Siabhal is firmly in the Five Realms.

After unification, the Réig commanded that the Iarla’s seat would be in a new town, closer to the border with the Crown Realm of Uasa. To that end, the Leasiar of Siabhal created the town of Barr, in a pale imitation of the glory of Iomra, the ancient capital of Siabhal. The Iarlas of Siabhal have maintained a scrupulous presence in Barr ever since, while sending their children to be educated amongst their relatives in Iomra, and retaining their ancestral estates.

Demographics

The long lived Leasiar and the Field Wildlings are the two most iconic species of Siabhal, with legacy and heritage being highly valued.

Culture

Siabhal’s aristocracy predates the unification of the Five Realms, and it runs alongside the noble structures of the Realms themselves. Nobles of Siabhal are often Riders, but not always. This means that polite society tends to be a quagmire of hidden social hierarchy. Who is in favour or out of favour at the Ruby Court, where the nobility congregate for the many festivals and feasts, is perfectly evident to a skilled courtier but completely incomprehensible to an outsider.

The Ruby Families claim descent from heroes of legend that fought against the Gwyllt at a time when the Gwyllt’s hold on Tirneach was all the more fearsome. The legends of Siabhal, preeminent among them the Legend of Lobhan, serve as a way of cataloguing the Hundred Heroes of Siabhal and the status of those descended from them. Noble folk from Siabhal generally style themselves according to their most famous ancestor, so “Cillian Mac Fhiona” or “Siún Nic Shiún”, referring to Fiona Who Slew the Red Prince and Siún Who Leapt the Flaming Wall respectively. Most of the Ruby Families count at least one Rider among their number, but some keep lands without one, which shows the status the Ruby Families have maintained in their Realm. The Iarla of Siabhal has always been a descendant of the royalty of the Kingdom of Siabhal, themselves descended from the greatest of the Hundred Heroes, the iconic Finian the Brave.

Despite its wealth, political power and proud history, Siabhal is not the foremost of the Five Realms. This is something of a sore point for the nobility of Siabhal in particular, but even the common folk will often say that the seat of the Réig should be in Iomra. After all, the Réig has acceded to the throne from Siabhal more often than any other Realm, and Uasa is no match for Siabhal on almost any measure you care to mention. The Uasaigh usually ignore such tired commentary, or say that loyalty counts for more than legacy.

The wealthiest and most populous of the realms, Siabhal is home to the majority of Tirneach’s agriculture as well as most of its political intrigue. Despite Uasa being the capital realm and the seat of the Réig’s power, many feel that honour should belong to Siabhal, especially as Réigs have hailed from this realm more often than any other.

Siabhal Fashion

The nobility of Siabhal will always look to Iomra for the latest fashions, which become more ostentatious with every new season as the courtiers of Iomra seek to outdo each other. Rich reds and yellows are often in evidence, evoking the majesty of the Golden Valley, and the ancient blood that every Siabhlach has flowing in their veins. Siabhalaigh Gallóglaigh don’t take to the battlefield wearing ballgowns and dancing slippers (or at least not often), but presenting yourself well is still hugely important to a character who comes from Siabhal. This applies to all levels of society in Siabhal, and a visitor to even the smallest town in Siabhal would be forgiven for asking if there is a festival taking place, as the clothes worn by the least prosperous worker in the fields will match or better the feastday best of any other Realm.

Characters from Siabhal

• Doran
• Rumann MacUltan
• Cruach
• Caoltan
• Duarcan MacUltan
• Fiven
• Ambrosio de Costana
• Brigid Gobhann
• Rígan Diavall
• Iascaire
• Fiadh Ó Daimhín
• Doireann