Creating Talamh: The Daoine Village

It seems only a short time ago, but five years ago, I created Talamh which is the world in Faminelands.

I knew the world was to be faux medieval. I knew it would have elves, humans, giants, dwarves, and fairies. I knew I would want to use Irish words. Talamh is the Irish word for Land or Earth. Daoine is the Irish word for People. I liked the idea that they referred to themselves just as the People. I knew of the Daoine first, in fact, it was only after I decided Orin had run away did I create the city in the South where Orin lived.

Then I began drawing this map very early on in the process. It was mostly for me as I needed to figure out where Lark and Orin were heading on their adventures, but it turned out so beautifully, we made posters.

I decided that most of the Daoine would live in Huts, but the nobles lived in stone houses (or for low ranking nobles, the barracks.) Lark has an apartment in the Great House, but often spends time in her father’s hut.

The Daoine are generally are the “good” guys who believe that they were descended directly from the Goddess. So their history was wrapped up with the mythos of their Mother Goddess.

Excerpt:

“We were but a distant memory of another civilization, great and lost to time.  It was then Talamh was barren, dark and lonely.  She went to find others like her, but finding none, she wept and gave birth to the Seas.  The Seas knew only her sorrow and crashed upon her shores.

The Rising Sun and the Setting Sun heard her weeping and came to see what was the cause. Rising Sun warmed her and the Setting Sun gave way to the darkness and Talamh felt alive and fertile. The Seas now having fathers to guide them, became calmer and many living creatures began to grow within him. Eventually the fourteen moons found Talamh and visited the Seas in their time.

Talamh grew fat and round. From her union with the Sun sprang the Wood. Talamh loved both of her children, but they often quarreled. Eventually the Seas took to the depths and the Wood ran freely across her hills and valleys.

But each was lonely and they met up in places where the trees dip into the Sea and the rivers frolic in the Wood.  And so unknowingly they begat many more creatures and the Lady of the Hunt to watch over them.  

No creature that walked or swam upon Talamh was as fair as the Lady of the Hunt. So beautiful was she that a star seeing her great beauty whispered words of love to her. He came to her during the night and so they begat the first elf woman: Idola. 

Idola ran through the forests and swam in the seas for many years before having children of her own.  She set before her many children a path to follow but it was fraught with danger.  It was her eldest daughter’s eldest daughter the Lady Iris who accomplished this great feat. 

Lady Iris then took her sisters Goldlynada and Lilia to the North and created a great society based upon equality and valor. 

The Lady Goldlynada created House Sarralonde and birthed Lord Galen the First who sired many noble children. The Lady Lilia birthed two noble children and two others that did not live in valor, but lived to create things of use and beauty for the good of all.  Lady Lillia in her wisdom saw the need of another path and the need for some to follow it. Thus the path of the commoners was born.

Lady Iris herself birthed seven mighty warriors: Lord Cairn, Lady Aster, Lady Oaka, Lady Laurel, Lord Perth, Lady Hazel, and Lord Brogan to protect and serve the people.

Each of her children fought in many battles, and harnessed their will in order to push back the chaos which threatened the Daoine.  These great women and men all bore much for the good of Daoine until Lord Cairn fell from the path.  Lady Aster, by her own hand, earned the right to rule the great house Lady Iris created.  She gave to Talamh five children including the great and wise Lady Aren who married Lord Galen the Second and brought forth more noble children.  Evayla who brought forth Nonia the Healer, Perth the Second and Laken who both died in childhood and her untamable daughter Lady Nora who in her time served the people with bravery and fought many battles.

But Lady Nora turned away from her people’s edict and took a common bowyer.  In this way, she brought forth three children: the Lady Meadowlark and her beloved brothers Orodherthin and Calthal.