#llew

I played the character Llew (from Welsh mythology) at the Victorian fae gathering LARP Harvest Dance last October. Llew’s title was “The Eagle” and their character description was very much “entitled golden boy” so I wanted to go full golden eagle with my costume. I got so much help from my mom and @wingedyera​ with the creation of the costume and we managed to finish it in the very tight time-span of three weeks.

As for the LARP itself, I’ve run a political campaign, got my heart ripped out, and played a coup. In that order! I’ve had a great time being the antagonist <3

Harvest Dance is a LARP by Poltergeist LARP

The pictures were taken by Tsesi McKheck

Original costume design under the cut:

In my deity guide for him, I mentioned that Lugh, amongst other things, is the god of oaths and vows

Recently someone messaged me and asked:

Hi there. I found your Lugh post from back in January. Thank you for posting such a wonderfully thorough discussion on Lugh. I was wondering in your research, upg, or general knowledge if you knew of any myths regarding Lugh renewing his vows or something to that extent and thus why the renewal of vows and/or the making of oaths is done at Lughnasadh?

So I did some digging.

During the festival of Lughnasadh legal matters were discussed, an óenach was held and trial marriages began.

There are plenty of sources that state that Lugh is associated with oaths and promises, though not all of them explain why.

Some suggest that that the names given to the god throughout the Gaelic-Celtic cultures gives us clues indicating that Lugh is the god of oaths.

Such examples being:

The welsh name for the god, Llew, likely comes from the Welsh word “llw” which means “an oath”.

As well, the Irish name for the god, Lug or Lugh, may come from the Old Irish word “luige” or “luge” which means “oath” or “swearing”. If this is the case, then the name Lugus, another name given to the god, might mean “God of Vows”/“God of Oaths”.

The best source I’ve found for this information is in the book The Gods of the Celts and Indo-Europeans by Garrett Olmsted (particularly page 110); Olmsted also has quite a few sources in his book.

As you mentioned, I have read a few sources stating that some people believe that the story behind the holiday of Lughnasadh is one of Lugh renewing his vows to his wives. I haven’t, however, been able to find any evidence of this in the history of the holiday.

It could be that because legal dealings are held on Lughnasadh, the mythos sort of picked that up through time.

Aichi and da squad

With a hand on my throat

His voice like the lull of an ocean

Which rivals even a poets sense of emotion

His eyes intensified

A mirror of steely blue,

Slivered waters that renew

Lugh, with a pallor complexion

And frost weaved hair

I found myself lost in his forest

Beneath an amber sky

We roamed together, deeper into the night

A mossy backdrop

A labyrinth of memory and dreams

A puzzle incomplete

Culpable, my own incompetence

I seek to remain in the astral plane

My wrists fettered with thorny vines

A Bittersweet reminder of a fable in time

Tired of only scathing the sky

The horizon beyond an immeasurable sea

Why is it that, that's all it will ever be?

Imagine a taste of a passion only your mind can devise

Tortured creature of compromise

If only I could become Eve

And taste such a forbidden fruit

My mouth is wet with the thoughts

But my eyes weep with dissatisfaction