In Irish mythology, the Fomorians, Fomors, or Fomori (Irish Fomóiri, Fomóraig) were a semi-divine race who inhabited Ireland in ancient times. The Mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved shorn of its religious meanings Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world They may have once been believed to be the beings who preceded the gods, similar to the Greek Titans. See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always In Greek mythology, the Titans ( Greek: Tītā́n; plural Tītânes) were a race of powerful Deities that ruled during the legendary It has been suggested that they represent the gods of chaos and wild nature, as opposed to the Tuatha Dé Danann who represent the gods of human civilization. The Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the Goddess Danu " Modern Irish pronunciation /t̪ˠuːəhə dʲeː d̪ˠan̪ˠən̪ˠ/ Old Irish /tuːaθa ðʲeː Alternatively, they may represent the gods of a proposed pre-Goidelic population of Ireland. The Goidelic languages, (also sometimes called particularly in colloquial situations the Gaelic languages or collectively Gaelic) historically formed a Dialect

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 History in Irish Mythology 3 Fomorians in other media 3.1 Role playing games and Trading Card Games 3.2 Books and Comics 3.3 Music 4 See also 5 References

Characteristics

They are sometimes said to have had the body of a man and the head of a goat, according to an 11th century text in Lebor na hUidre (the Book of the Dun Cow), or to have had one eye, one arm and one leg, but some, for example Elatha, the father of Bres, were very beautiful. The domestic goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat Domesticated from the Wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe Lebor na hUidre, or the Book of the Dun Cow, is an Irish Vellum Manuscript dating to the 12th century In Irish mythology, Elatha (or Elathan) was a prince of the Fomorians and the father of Bres by Ériu of the Tuatha Dé For the legendary Irish High King see Bres Rí; for the Marvel Comics character see Bres (comics In Irish mythology, Bres Bres himself, for example, carries the epithet "the Beautiful. "

History in Irish Mythology

The followers of Partholon were said to be the first to invade Ireland after the flood, but the Fomorians were already there: Seathrún Céitinn reports a tradition that the Fomorians, led by Cíocal, had arrived two hundred years earlier and lived on fish and fowl until Partholon came, bringing the plough and oxen. In Irish mythology Partholón was the leader of the second group of people to settle in Ireland, the first to arrive after the biblical Flood. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest Poet and Historian In Irish mythology, is Cichol or Cíocal Gricenchos the earliest-mentioned leader of the Fomorians. The plough ( American spelling plow; both plaʊ is a Tool used in Farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed Oxen (singular ox) are Cattle trained as draft animals. Often they are adult castrated males It is possible that this is a memory of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers giving way to Neolithic farmers. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ^[1] Partholon defeated Cíocal in the Battle of Magh Ithe, but all his people later died of plague. Magh Ithe was the location of the first recorded battle fought in Ireland, dated to 2530 Anno Mundi (since the creation of the world or 2670 BC in the Annals

Then came Nemed and his followers. In Irish mythology, Nemed ("holy" or "privileged" son of Agnoman of Scythia was the leader of the third group of inhabitants of Ireland Ireland is said to have been empty for thirty years following the death of Partholon's people, but Nemed and his followers encountered the Fomorians when they arrived. At this point Céitinn reports another tradition that the Fomorians were seafarers from Africa, descended from Noah's son Ham. Noah (or Noe, Noach;; Nūḥ; Arabic: نوح; "Rest") was according to the Bible, the tenth and last of Ham (; Greek Χαμ, Cham; Arabic: ar حام, xam, "hot" according to the Table of Nations in Genesis, was a Nemed defeated them in several battles, killing their leaders Gann (1) and Sengann (1) (note that there were two Fir Bolg kings of the same name), but two new Fomorian leaders arose: Conand son of Faebar, who lived in Conand's Tower on Tory Island, County Donegal, and Morc son of Dela (note that the first generation of the Fir Bolg were also said to be sons of Dela). In Irish mythology the Fir Bolg (Fir Bholg Firbolg were one of the races that inhabited the island of Ireland prior to the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In Irish mythology Conand (or Conann, Conaing) was a leader of the Fomorians who lived in a tower on Tory Island. Tory Island (official name Toraigh and also known in Irish as Oileán Thoraigh or previously Oileán Thúr Rí) is an island in Ireland County Donegal (ˌdʌnəˈgɔːl Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall.

After Nemed's death, Conand and Morc enslaved his people and demanded a heavy tribute: two thirds of their children, grain and cattle. Nemed's son Fergus Lethderg gathered an army of sixty thousand, rose up against them and destroyed Conand's Tower, but Morc attacked them with a huge fleet, and there was great slaughter on both sides. The sea rose over them and drowned most of the survivors: only thirty of Nemed's people escaped in a single ship, scattering to the other parts of the world.

The next invasion was by the Fir Bolg, who did not encounter the Fomorians.

Next, the Tuatha Dé Danann, who are usually supposed to have been the gods of the Goidelic Irish, defeated the Fir Bolg in the first Battle of Magh Tuiredh and took possession of Ireland. See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always Cath Maige Tuired ("The Battle of Mag Tuired" is the name of two saga texts of the Mythological Cycle of Irish Mythology. As their king, Nuada, had lost an arm in the battle and was no longer physically whole, their first king in Ireland was the half-Fomorian Bres. For the legendary Irish High King see Bres Rí; for the Marvel Comics character see Bres (comics In Irish mythology, Bres He was the result of a union between Ériu of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorian prince Elatha, who had come to her one night by sea on a silver boat. In Irish mythology, Ériu (/ˈeːrʲu/ daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was the eponymous matron Goddess of Ireland Both Elatha and Bres are described as very beautiful. However Bres turned out to be a bad king who forced the Tuatha Dé to work as slaves and pay tribute to the Fomorians. He lost authority when he was satirized for neglecting his kingly duties of hospitality. Nuada was restored to the kingship after his arm was replaced with a working one of silver, but the Tuatha Dé's oppression by the Fomorians continued.

Bres fled to his father, Elatha, and asked for his help to restore him to the kingship. Elatha refused, on the grounds that he should not seek to gain by foul means what he couldn't keep by fair. Bres instead turned to Balor, a more warlike Fomorian chief living on Tory Island, and raised an army. For the locality in Mangalore. see Bolar (Location. In Irish mythology, Balor ( Balar, Bolar) of the

The Tuatha Dé also prepared for war, under another half-Fomorian leader, Lug. Lugh (ˈluː modern Irish Lú, earlier Lug) is an Irish Deity represented in mythological texts as a hero and High King of the distant His father was Cian of the Tuatha Dé, and his mother was Balor's daughter Ethniu. In Irish mythology, Cian (/kʲiːən/ "ancient distant" son of Dian Cecht of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is best known as the father of Ethniu ( Old Irish /ˈeθʲnʲu/ Eithne /ˈehnʲə/ also Ethliu, Ethlinn, and a variety of other spellings – see below in Irish mythology This is presented as a dynastic marriage in early texts, but folklore preserves a more elaborate story, reminiscent the story of Zeus and Cronus from Greek mythology. Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology Cronus or Kronos, ( Ancient Greek Κρόνος Krónos) was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Balor, who had been given a prophecy that he would be killed by his own grandson, locked Ethniu in a glass tower to keep her away from men. But when he stole Cian's magical cow, Cian got his revenge by gaining entry to the tower, with the help of a druidess called Biróg, and seducing her. A druid was a member of the priestly and learned class in the ancient Celtic societies Biróg, in Irish mythology, is a Leanan sídhe or fairy woman She gave birth to triplets, which Balor ordered drowned. Two of the babies either died or turned into the first seals, but Biróg saved one, Lug, and gave him to Manannan and Tailtiu to foster. The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of Mammals within the seal Suborder, Pinnipedia. In Celtic mythology, Manannán mac Lir is the god of the sea He is often seen as a Psychopomp, and considered to have strong connections to the Otherworld Tailtiu ( Old Irish pronunciation /ˈtalʲtʲu/ also written Tailltiu Tailte Teia Tephi Can we get a source for this odd variant? The only ones I As an adult Lug gained entry to Nuada's court through his mastery of every art, and was given command over the army.

The Second Battle of Mag Tuireadh was fought between the Fomorians under Balor and the Tuatha Dé under Lug. Cath Maige Tuired ("The Battle of Mag Tuired" is the name of two saga texts of the Mythological Cycle of Irish Mythology. Balor killed Nuada with his terrible, poisonous eye that killed all it looked upon. Lug faced his grandfather, but as he was opening his eye Lug shot a sling-stone that drove his eye out the back of his head, wreaking havoc on the Fomorian army behind. A sling is a projectile Weapon typically used to throw a blunt Projectile such as a stone After Balor's death the Fomorians were defeated and driven into the sea.

The Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians are closely related. Neit, a war god, is an ancestor of both. In Irish mythology Neit ( Néit, Nét, Neith) was a god of war

The word fomóire is believed to derive from Old Irish fo muire (Modern Irish faoi muire), "under the sea". Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Irish language, or rather the Goidelic languages, for which extensive written texts are possessed Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. This, combined with their association with glass towers in the western ocean, suggests a connection with icebergs. An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater Ice that has broken off from a snow-formed Glacier or Ice shelf and is floating in open water However the mór element may derive from a word meaning "terror", whose Anglo-Saxon cognate "maere" survives in English "nightmare", but not in "morbid" which instead comes from the latin, all from the Proto-IndoEuropean word *mor : "to rub, pound, wear away". English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. However, Mac Bain holds that there are phonetic inconsistencies with both these theories that would prevent derivation of the long ó in the morpheme "-mór" from "muire, mora" ("sea") or from "mor, mar" (terror, death). His educated opinion leaves the conclusions of Zimmer fomóiri > fo-mór "sub-magnus" (giants, small? giants, nearly? giants, huge people?). [1]

In later times any settled pirates or seaborne raiders were labeled Fomorians and the original meaning of the word was forgotten.

Fomorians in other media

Role playing games and Trading Card Games

In the turn-based-strategy role playing game Celtic Tales: Balor of the Evil Eye by Koei, Balor is an end-game boss. A turn-based strategy ( TBS) game is a Strategy game (usually some type of wargame, especially a strategic-level wargame that is A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. This article is about the software company For the Japanese era name see Kōei (era. For the locality in Mangalore. see Bolar (Location. In Irish mythology, Balor ( Balar, Bolar) of the A boss is a computer-controlled opponent which is found in Video games Their purpose is to test the skills that the player has accumulated over the course of a game

In the fantasy role playing game Dungeons & Dragons, the Fomorians are one of the Giant Kin Races. Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a Fantasy Role-playing game (RPG originally designed by See also List of Dungeons & Dragons monsters TSR 2009 - Monster Manual (1977 This was the initial monster book for the first edition of the Advanced Giant-kin are large Humanoids related to the 'true' giants in the Dungeons & Dragons Role-playing game.

In the fantasy/cyberpunk role playing game Shadowrun, Formorians are a breed of Troll (known for being large and hairy rather than covered with bone deposits), and Wild Formorians are a type of vampiric creature. Shadowrun is a pen-and-paper Role-playing game set in an imaginary future where huge corporations control the lives of their employees and the return of magic has

In the fantasy role playing game Rifts, the Fomorians are an extra-dimensional race that has overrun Scotland in the England worldbook. Rifts is a multi-genre Role-playing game created by Kevin Siembieda in 1990 and published continuously by Palladium Books

In White Wolf Game Studio's Changeling: The Dreaming (a part of the World of Darkness), Fomorians are described as "great cthonic entities whose evil was beyond human ken. Changeling The Dreaming was part of White Wolf Game Studio 's original " World of Darkness " Role playing game line The World of Darkness (or WoD) is the name given to three related but distinct Fictional universes The first was conceived by Mark Rein-Hagen, while the " They may be related to the Fomor (World of Darkness), which are humans transformed into creatures of the Wyrm in the World of Darkness game Werewolf: The Apocalypse. In the fictional World of Darkness of White Wolf Game Studio 's Role-playing game Werewolf The Apocalypse, the Triat are a set of Werewolf The Apocalypse is a Role-playing game and series of novels from the old World of Darkness line by White Wolf. A magical power available to Werewolves in this setting takes the name "Balor's Gaze".

In the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, Fomors are undead or "shadow" versions of the five playable races. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) is a genre of Computer role-playing games (CRPGs in which a large number of players interact with also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG developed and published by Square (later Square They appear as black skinned versions of the player models with glowing eyes. Some Fomor Notorious Monsters include Balor and several others. For the locality in Mangalore. see Bolar (Location. In Irish mythology, Balor ( Balar, Bolar) of the

In the MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot, the Fomorians were added to the game with the release of the expansion Shrouded Isles, where they inhabit the Island of HyBrasil, led by their king Balor, who is an end-game boss. Dark Age of Camelot is a 3D Medieval Fantasy MMORPG that revolves around the war between three realms at the end of For the locality in Mangalore. see Bolar (Location. In Irish mythology, Balor ( Balar, Bolar) of the A boss is a computer-controlled opponent which is found in Video games Their purpose is to test the skills that the player has accumulated over the course of a game

In the Celtos wargame, by Brigade Models, Fomorians are orc-like beings and distinct from the other four races of the game (Vanir, Sidhe, Gaels, and Fir Bolg). Celtos is a warband level fantasy Miniatures wargame developed by Urban Mammoth, now owned by Brigade Models.

In the Albion, Land of Faerie wargame published by SPI in the now-defunct Ares magazine (number 11), the Fomorians fought the Sidhe in the Third Fomorian War of 2680. ---- Ares was a Science fiction Wargame Magazine published by Simulations Publications Inc Fomorians are described as larger than men and the source of the legends of Trolls.

The design of the Fimir of First Edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay are heavily influenced by some descriptions of the Fomorians. Fimir are a fantasy race created by Graeme Davis and Jes Goodwin at the end of the 1980s for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (WFRP and the 3rd edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (abbreviated to WFRP or WHFRP) is a Role-playing game set in the Warhammer Fantasy

In the role playing game Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Fomor appears as a demon, coming in the form of a giant, humanoid, goat-headed being with shaggy fur all over its body. A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters.

Fomorians also appear in the game Nethergate, set during Roman Britain. For the British brewery see Nethergate Brewery. Nethergate is a computer-based historical-fiction fantasy Role-playing

Fomori Nomad is a creature in Future Sight expansion of Magic: the Gathering

In the Alternative Armies table top war game Erin The Fomorians are one of the available warbands. Future Sight is an expansion set codenamed "Pop" for the trading card game Magic The Gathering. This article is somewhat over-complete Please do not add significant new content without first discussing it on the talk page Alternative Armies is a miniature gaming and modeling company located in Scotland Erin is a Hiberno-English derivative of the Irish word "Éirinn"

In the Fantasy Strategy game Dominions 3 the Awakening the Fomorians are a playable nation.

In the MMORPG Mabinogi, Fomors are what controls the monsters and makes them evil. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) is a genre of Computer role-playing games (CRPGs in which a large number of players interact with In Generation 1 of the game, the mainstream quest is about saving the world called Erinn from the evil intentions of the Fomors.

Books and Comics

The Fomorians are featured as enemies in a Sláine the King series in the comic 2000 AD. For other characters with the same name see Sláine. Sláine (ˈslɑːnʲə is a Comic book hero from the pages of

In Mark Chadbourn's trilogy The Age of Misrule, the Formorii return to present-day Britain in an attempt to resurrect Balor and finally defeat all humans. Mark Chadbourn is an English fantasy science fiction and horror author with eleven novels (and one non-fiction book published around the world ' The Age of Misrule' is a three-book modern fantasy novel series written by Mark Chadbourn. They are described as considerably larger than the average human, totally immune to 'modern' weapons (firearms, explosives and such), and shapeshifters. Capable of taking on any humanoid appearance they choose, their transformation and true form are particularly traumatic to witness.

In K.A. Applegate's Everworld series, the Formorians appear as giants, protecting the Everworld version of Éire from Saxons and Vikings, and later the Sennites. Katherine Alice Applegate is the credited Author of the Animorphs, Remnants, Everworld, and several other book Everworld is a Fantasy book series written by K A Applegate and published by Scholastic between 1999 and 2001

In Darren O'Shaughnessey's series of books Bec the formori are a race of demons. Darren O'Shaughnessy (born July 2, 1972 in London, England) who commonly writes under the pen name Darren Shan, is an Irish Bec is a book by Darren Shan in The Demonata series It is the fourth book released of the series but so far it will be first chronologically The book is the 4th in the Demonata series. The Demonata is a series of books by best selling author Darren Shan

In Patricia Kennealy's Keltiad [2]" series, the Fomor are an alien race who were called "Fomor" by Kelts fleeing Earth in the Thirteenth Century, in whom they recognized characteristics of their old foes. Patricia Kennealy-Morrison (b Patricia Kennely March 4 1946 Brooklyn) is an American Author of rock criticism an autobiography and Science fiction The Keltiad is a body of fantasy works written by Patricia Kennealy-Morrison, retired rock critic/editor, Celtic Priestess Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Kelts called them "Fomor" for so long and so insistently that they eventually adopted the name themselves, to the point where they forgot their original appellation.

In Diane Duane's A Wizard Abroad, the fomori are central villains. Diane Duane (born May 18, 1952) is an American Science fiction and Fantasy author A Wizard Abroad is the fourth book in the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane.

In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl, the fomorians are the name for the demons at the battle causing the Giant's Causeway 10,000 years before. Eoin Colfer (born 14 May 1965) is an Irish Author of children's books and a comedian There is a draft page for this article here. Artemis Fowl is a series of Fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer

In Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters trilogy the Fomorians (in the book known as Fomhoire) played a vital role with the Tuatha Dé Danann. Juliet Marillier (born July 27, 1948) is a New Zealand born Writer of Fantasy, especially Historical fantasy. The Sevenwater Trilogy is an historical fantasy series by Juliet Marillier and was published as a series of three novels between 1999 and 2001

In Michael Moorcock's Chronicles of Corum the Fhoi Myore (led by an individual known as Balahr) are depicted as an enemy race. Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939, in London) is an English writer primarily of Science fiction and fantasy who has also Corum Jhaelen Irsei is the name of a fantasy hero in a series of books written by Michael Moorcock.

A Fomor under the name Glomach who claims to be deformed by having 2 eyes, 2 arms and 2 legs (and is still grotesque) appears in Pat O'Shea's book The Hounds of the Morrigan. Pat O'Shea may refer to Pat O'Shea (GAA, current Gaelic football manager for Kerry Pat O'Shea (author, Irish-born author The Hounds of the Morrigan is a novel by Irish writer Pat O'Shea.

The Fomor have appeared in Marvel Comics. The Fomor are fictional characters in the Marvel Universe. They are loosely based on the Fomorians of Celtic mythology. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc

In P.C. Cast's Divine By Mistake, the Fomorians are an evil race with light, almost translucent bodies and black wings that are not used to fly, but to assist them in gliding over land in long strides. PC Cast is an American romance / Fantasy author She was born in Watseka Illinois and currently lives in Oklahoma

In Kenneth C. Flint's Sidhe series, the story of Lugh and Balor is retold. Kenneth C Flint, who has also written under the Pseudonym Casey Flynn, is an American fantasy novelist.

Music

The French Celtic black metal band Aes Dana released an album called Formors in 2005. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Celtic metal is a subgenre of Folk metal that developed in the 1990s in Ireland. Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It often employs fast tempos shrieked vocals highly distorted guitars played with Tremolo picking, This article is about the band Aes Dana for other uses see Aes Dana. Formors is the second full-length album by the French Celtic Black metal band Aes Dana. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The American Thrash/Death metal band Usurper released a song entitled "Conquest of the Grotesque", based on the story of the fomorians on their album Cryptobeast

See also

Fomorians not previously mentioned:

• Buarainech
• Cethlenn
• Corb
• Tethra

References

Donnelly, Ignatius L. . Atlantis: The Antediluvian World. Dover Publications. Page 406. ISBN 0-486-23371-5.

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