Today I thought I’d introduce you to one of the creatures from my new series. Unfortunately (and possibly since they’re mythical beasts), I don’t have a great picture or etching for you, so you’ll have to use your imagination, okay?
The beast I want to introduce you to is the Fomorian. I tend to always like adding an extra “r” for some random reason (foRmorian), so you remember not to, okay?
These creatures were originally related to the myth of the Irish Tuatha, what some also associate with the fey / fairies. The Fomorians, though, were far from pretty. They were known as sea-based raiders / warriors, enemies of the Tuatha who had the head of a goat…and sometimes only one leg (nope, I have no idea how fierce they’d be with only one leg either…maybe they hopped really fast?) They could sometimes have wings, and they were not the kind of creature you messed with.
The other theory, and the one I’ve gone with, is the idea that they were some kind of latent / partial demon. Again, probably not the friendliest sort. 😉
Honestly, I’m not quite sure where I first heard about them, (though you can go find them on Wikipedia, and by doing a random Google search – you start to pop up some information, including their use in modern RPGs). But they became the inspiration for the hero and his twin in the first book of my Sisters of the Apocalypse series. Personally, I find the creatures who aren’t very popular, who could potentially be dangerous, but also misunderstood, these are the kinds of roots I want for my characters.
Plus, even better is how little information you find about them, which makes the Fomorians even more intriguing to me. The Tuatha are fairly well-known–and might I add perhaps a bit popular because of their renown beauty?–so what about these warriors they feared? Indeed, they did occasionally intermarry, suggesting too that other than their formidable fighting skill, the Fomorians themselves may have possessed some level of magic.
So, what do you think – are you as intrigued by the Fomorians as I was? Any theories on how they could get around with only one leg? Pop your answer in the comments below.
Otherwise, thanks for stopping by the read. And remember: if you look hard enough, there’s always magic in the world.
