Eogan mac Cartaigh

Eogan mac Cartaigh (died c. 882), also known as The Oak, was the Abbot of Armagh.
A dedicated Irish Christian priest under Flann Sinna's reign, Eogan was secretly the h and founder of the extremist druid cult known as the Children of Danu.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids
==Biography==
===Early life===
Eogan mac Cartaigh was born in the 9th century, the youngest boy in a very large Irish family. From a young age, Eogan deeply valued mystical, scholarly and spiritual pursuits and therefore decided that he was destined for life in the Christian church. Due to his values, Eogan was a devout Christian and dutifully fasted, prayed and memorized religious scripture.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Target menu: "Bio: Eogan mac Cartaigh, The Oak"
However, he had soon realized that these pursuits had left him somewhat dissatisfied with his life and therefore he slowly began resenting every moment of his religious life. He did, however, go on pretending to be a dedicated member of Christian society and the faith in general.
One day during his youth, he was exploring the wooded areas near his village and he accidentally stumbled upon an Irish druid performing a religious ritual. Upon observing the druid ritual in progress, Eogan found spiritual fulfilment in the "earthiness" of it. Reflecting upon his newfound spiritual fulfilment, Eogan decided that he found druidism much more compelling than his family's Christian faith.
Eogan than secretly became a druid and secretly followed their ways more dutifully, eventually become a secluded fanatical member. With the rise of the Norse-Gaelic Christian society in Ireland, Eogan feared the druidic faith would face extinction due to the new Christian society being established over Ireland.
Eogan soon founded an extremist druid cult called the Children of Danu, which primarily consisted of disenfranchised druids and Christians from Irish society. Eogan himself decided to take up a high position in the Church, believing that he could use his power to help his cause by bringing down Irish society from within in order to prevent the Irish Christian society from wiping out the native druidic faith of Ireland.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Target menu: "Niamh: Note Found near the Great Stone"
What started out as a secluded resistance movement for the druids eventually mutated into a cell of druid extremists who began engaging in the darker aspects of the druidic faith in order to fight off the rising Norse-Gaelic Christian Order in Ireland.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Database: The Children of Danu
===Rise of a High King===
Around 879, during Flann Sinna's coronation as High King of Ireland at the Hill of Tara near the ancient stone Lia Fáil, Abbot Eogan blessed him and gave him a ceremonial sword, while Flann's poetess, Ciara ingen Medba, sang a song she had written. However, unknown to most, Eogan had intended for Flann to be killed moments later by a suicidal assassin disguised as a priest, though the plan was foiled by both the King of Dublin, Bárid mac Ímair, and his cousin, the Viking jarlskona Eivor Varinsdottir.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Flann over Ireland
During the coronation, the Book of Kells was taken by Dublin Danes and Eivor was given the task to retrieve it. Abbot Eogan was later present in Durrow as he discussed with Flann about the implications of letting someone like Eivor retrieve the book. Nevertheless, Eogan was handed the book by Eivor, while Eogan questioned Flann for his collaboration with the "pagans." Later, Eogan left with the book.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – A Show of Character
After Eivor helped Flann and Bárid conquer Cashelore,Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Foothold in Connacht Eogan and his cult tried to frame Bárid for Flann's poisoned army and to sow discord between Flann and his allies. Eogan also ordered "The Wren" to spread misinformation in the settlement, Rathcroghan, as to move people towards supporting the Children of Danu.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Potion of Blood The Ollamh Druid, The Oak, also ordered "The Cursed" to concoct the poison that inflicted Flann's soldiers. However, both of Eogan's plans were thwarted by Eivor. Also, among The Cursed's personal effects, a clue about "The Oak" detailed that he worked among the priests and kings.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Into the Fog Eogan's plans for Ireland were coming undone as Eivor hunted down his acolytes, who were told by "The Oak" to work on building supplies, increasing their numbers, and concocting poisons for their "final battle."Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Children of Danu
===Attempted coup and death===
To stop Flann's support and aid, Abbot Eogan was shown to be the mastermind behind having Kings Niall Glúndub and Domnall mac Áeda arrest any soldiers working against him or for Flann. Eogan simultaneously bulit his army and marched for Clogher, in order to ambush Flann.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – Courting the Kings At Clogher, Eogan's men attacked Flann and his allies, much to Flann's shock. Although they held their own, Eogan's soldiers dwindled Flann's numbers and killed the King of Dublin, Bárid.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – The Mask of Diplomacy Afterwards, The Oak ordered The Seed to capture and hold any weapon supplies to Dublin, where Bárid's son, Sichfrith, now led as King. After The Seed's death, the real identity of The Ollamh Druid of the Children of Danu was discovered to be Abbot Eogan himself..Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – The Wages of War
Abbot Eogan was later found to be at Armagh, where Flann and Eivor started their attack, with Sichfrith's aid. Going through the village and Eogan's men, Eogan was guarded by two soldiers with Armagh's church, until Flann and Eivor barged inside to meet him. Initially, Eogan cursed out Flann and his attack on the church. However, Eogan's true intentions were made clear by Flann. Dropping the charade, Eogan made his position as leader of the Danu, while trying to sow doubt between Ciara and Flann. Eogan continued to make accusations of Flann being enamored by Ciara. As Eivor stopped the conversation, Eogan and his men engaged Flann and Eivor in battle but to no avail. After being bested in battle, in his final breath, Eogan quoted an excerpt of the detailing agricultural practices in of the , and began to push the insecure thoughts between Ciara and Flann even further, before succumbing to his wounds.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – A Scourging of Snakes
===Legacy===
Immediately following the abbot's death, a conference between Ireland's kings and Flann Sinna was held about Eogan and to an extent, the druids in Ireland. After rash deliberations, an inquisition was made against all druids, Children of Danu or not, to either reform as Christians or be exiled. Eogan's deception led to the inquistion, which made Ciara soon activate the Lia Fáil to stop anyone coming after her people. However, even with Eogan's death, the Children of Danu's plan of using Ciara to activate the stone was finally halted after Eivor intervened. Putting a stop to the stone, Eogan and the cult's plan failed as Eivor saw the stone destroyed.Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids – The Cost of Betrayal
==Behind the scenes==
Eogan mac Cartaigh is a character introduced in Assassin's Creed: Valhallas Wrath of the Druids DLC. Historically, the during this period was Cathassach mac Robartaig who died c. 883.
The name Eogan may be a variation of the name Eoghan which is Gaelic in origin, meaning "born of yew; youth". The surname mac Cartaigh is a common Irish surname meaning "son of Cárthach", with Cárthach meaning "loving". The surname later evolved into the modern name of MacCarthy.
==Gallery==
ACV WotD Eogan Portrait.png|3D model of Eogan
ACV WotD Eogan Portrait closeup.png|3D model closeup of Eogan
ACV WotD Flann Sinna Coronation Concept closeup.jpg|Concept art of Eogan presiding over Flann Sinna's coronation
ACV WotD Eogan Concept 1.jpg|Concept art of Eogan in his ceremonial abbot robes
ACV WotD Eogan Concept 2.jpg|Concept art of Eogan in his standard abbot robes
ACV Eogan mac Cartaigh.png|Close-up of Eogan
ACV DB Eogan.png|Eogan's database image
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids 
*The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One 
==References==
Category:882 deaths
Category:Individuals
Category:Irish people
Category:Gaels
Category:Clergy
Category:Priests
Category:Abbots
Category:Druids
Category:Children of Danu
fr:Eogan mac Cartaigh
de:Eogan mac Carthaigh