Celts

The Celts were an ancient group of Indo-Europeans that inhabited Europe thousands of years ago. They held large claims to Europe when the Mediterranean was dry, and had no opposition to battle them. They would form the Kingdoms of Westeros, and be the ancestors to those of the Middle Earth.

The Major human survivors of the British Isles were fairies who had lived with the Celts. They came in all sizes and varieties. Some were Human-sized while others were able to fit in someone's pouch. Some had wings while others had no need for them. Some of the most well known fairies were the Fairy Godmother, Tinkerbell , the Half-fairy Prince Charming, the Tooth Fairy and Morgan le Fay.

While the Celts were almost completely eradicated by the Great Flood, they would come back and be led by men such as Brutus, who would share Greek knowledge with the Celts and Brennus, who would lead raids into the Greek Cities. They would encounter there third major enemy when the Atlanteans (recorded as the Firbolgs) invaded the British Isles and nearly killed Brutus, the Celts defeated the invading Atlanteans and would establish a society based around warfare. When Andraste, the Goddess of Victory blessed both Brutus and Brennus with magic, Brutus used his powers to make portkeys in common objects to help transportation and left behind scrolls when he died leaving a list of useful spells. Brennus made himself into an immortal and used his powers for villainy. Brennus is said to be the first Highlander as he married many woman and his immortality would occasionally be an inherited trait. Centuries later, Brennus would launch an invasion into the city of Rome and sacked it, however, Rome would have a long memory and invade the Celtic lands.

Following the ages of destruction they would settle upon many islands. While Celtic culture today is associated with Ireland,Scotland and Wales,the ancient Celts were spread out over a much larger distance. In addition to these locations,different Celtic tribes were present in modern-day Spain, France(as the Gauls),Hungary,Latveria,Switzerland and Bulgaria(as the Thracians). Although the Greeks and the Roman Empire considered the Celts to be barbarians, they possessed a sophisticated and unique culture.

The most notable event in the early history of the Celts was the sacking of the city of Rome led by the warrior Cuchulainn in his chariot in 390 BC under the great King Brennus. Although the victory was a military triumph and provided a large immediate gain to the Celts,the Romans would prove to have a very long memory,and over the years they would make their enemies dearly pay for it by methodically conquering all Celtic territory their mighty legions could reach.

By 192 BC, the Romans had subjugated the last Celtic tribes in Italy,and they then began a program of colonization of southern Gaul on the Mediterranean coast. Brennus, being a shrewd negotiator, went to Hannibal Barca and they formed an alliance against the young Roman Republic, the alliance lost the war and Carthage was destroyed. Thus, the Celts were the last target on Rome's plate to beat. Rome invaded Gaul (present day France) and during the war, Brennus was killed after centuries of living. Under the great general Julius Caesar, the Romans conquered the entirety of Gaul and defeated a large revolt headed by Vercingetorix between 58-51BC (Some say that the revolt was unsuccessful due to two of Vercingetorix's best warriors, Asterix and Obelix leaving to Egypt, however,Celtic warriors did not prevent Egypt from falling). However, a single Gaulish village with access to a magic potion granting super strength held off the invaders. Two inhabitants of the Gaulish village, Asterix and Obelix, would go to many countries, including Spain, Judea, India, Egypt and even Atlantis. While invited to do so, the Gaulish village refused a hand in Caesar's assassination. Under the Emperor Claudius,the Romans went on the invade and occupy the British Isles as well. In the early AD ages,Boadica,with help from Fionn mac Cumhaill,who was not killed but would come back to defend Scotland in its time of need, led the Iceni to multiple victories against Rome. Although her resistance was crushed and she committed suicide. She was buried under what is now Platform 10 at the King's Cross Station. Despite the fierce opposition. The Celts continued to bee enslaved and would be free only when they allied themselves with the Picts, led by Bran Mak Morn.

After the Roman empire collapsed, the Celtic lands were split between between barbaric tribes such as the Angles, Goths, Huns and Jutes. Part of Britian was led by the King Lear, who led Brutain where the Anglo-Saxons were not at. The Kingdom of Camelot, led by Arthur Pendragon, was another land in the British Isles and where many Celts left to. Dyfed would eventually be led by Pryderi, who was blessed with magical powers and built a school to teach the secrets of magic, however, his untimely death did not allow him to teach anything. When the French forces led by Charlemagne invaded Britain, they almost conquered the British Isles, however, they were stopped by the combined forces of Brutain and Math fad Mothonwyy's Gwyneddian forces. The British Isles were eventually divided into four countries,being Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.

The ancient Celts of Gaul and the British Isles(who we know the most about) were divided into many tribes loosely based on kinship ties. Social Structure was determined by a mixture of class standing within the tribes and one's place within the Celtic Religion. Kings were elected to lead the tribes,and society was divided into three groups:warriors,an intellectual class of druids and bards, and everyone else. society was based around warfare,but to the Celts it was more of a sport than a battle to the death:raids were the norm,and pitched battles were rare.

Other Celt lands remained under Roman rule for the next four centuries until the Germanic invasion of the fifth century AD destroyed the Roman Empire in the west. Although Celtic culture disappeared in many parts of Europe during those years of foreign occupation. A child named Pryderi is born of a union between Pwyll and Rhiannon,he was taken by a monster but later recovered. A few years later, A magical cauldron that could resurrect the dead given to King Branwen was stolen and used by the Irish,resulting in a battle that only Pryderi and Manawydan survived. Later, Ireland was beset by a mist that kills all the domesticated animals and humans except for Pryderi,Manawydan,Cigfa and Rhiannon. Pryderi ruled Dyfed and later declared war on by Math fab Mathonwy and Pryderi was killed by Gwydion,who tricked Aranrhod into giving her second son the name Lleu Llaw Gyffes,who was given a wife made of oak, broom, and meadowsweet named Blodeuwedd. She fell in love with the hunter Gronw Pebr.They then plotted to kill Lleu but failed when Lleu turned into an eagle. Blodeuwedd was turned into an owl and Lleu killed Gronw with his spear. Celtic culture was preserved in Ireland and the western fringe of Britain. The Kingdom of Brutain came about as a predominantly Celtic kingdom, led by King Lear, was prosperous for a time, Lear was hoping to retire a quiet rule, but a French army landed in Britain,the army was defeated, Lear then died due to grief over his dead daughter.

When King Edward I "Longshanks" of England took over Scotland,a bastion of Celtic culture,William Wallace led the Resistance against the English because they killed his brother and father. He made Princess Isabelle, King Edward's wife, pregnant, however,he was beheaded in London. Robert the Bruce took command and freed Scotland from the English.Later, Scotland came under the rule of Macbeth by regicide. Macbeth lead a reign of terror and cruelty for a decade, planting spies in his noble's houses and murdering Macduff's family. Lady Macbeth committed suicide and Macduff kills Macbeth in battle. In 1603, King James of Scotland became eking of England and launched a purge of magical beings throughout the Isles. It was at this point that most of the fairies left Earth and went to Fairy World. Others, including the Pixie Tinkerbell, went to Neverland. Amadis de Gaula explored Europe to make a book and encountered Don Quixote, who would idolize him. Over time the pagan Celtic culture would combine with Christianity to give rise to new forms of artwork and literature.

Despite many attempts over the centuries to destroy it,the Celtic culture survives. In fact,today it enjoys a great deal of popularity and is even experiencing something of a revival. Magic had been a major factor in there power throughout history, when the Awakening of Magic in 2011 came and turned a portion of Irish, Scots and Welsh into elves, they gained magical powers while druidic cults were started all around the British Isles. Magic enhanced terrorism was rampant in the British Isles and western France, the UK was forced to give Northern Ireland to Tir na nÓg(which was simply a renamed Ireland) in 2034. Northern Ireland was annexed by Tír na nÓg.Liam O'Connor, an elven politician,became the president in 2035 but disappeared in 2042, the Church of Ireland in 2049, causing Catholicism to be banned in a doomed attempt to defeat any rebellion. They were mildly affected when another world war hit on October 23,2077, though they were near collapse due to the infertility plague, nuclear strikes, religious unrest and terrorism. The Celtic culture would live on though despite Hyborians, Great Floods, Greeks, Atlanteans, Romans, French, British and the near collapse of the last major Celtic country.

## Culture

The Celts do not appear to have had any large cities,although there many small towns and fortresses across the regions they controlled.Trade was rather primitive and mostly consisted of a barter economy, although in some coastal regions it was more developed. The Celts shared a common religion emphasizing sacred groves,the role of druids as priests and scholars,and the use of periodic sacrifices (which were occasionally human sacrifices).Celtic gods were named after natural phenomenon and they were quite numerous.These gods included Belenos,the sun god;Taranis,the storm god;Andraste,the victory goddess; Cernunnos,the fertility god;Lug,the god of Creation and Learning; and Sucellos,god of Forests,agriculture and alcohol. Other Celtic practices include the removal of body hair(done to ensure cleanliness) and the taking of enemy heads as trophies in battle.