Luridan

"*Tak tent o’ time ere taks tent of thee (translated by Mosk Manytrees: Take care of how you spend your time, before you die)*"
―Luridan[[The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire, Chapter 2: I'll Not Feel Pity]]
**Luridan** is a Seelie brownie who is known to appear before great events - usually battles - and tell tall tails about his exploits, and then disappear before the fighting starts. He is friends with Gille Dubh.

## Appearance

'He was four feet tall, wore a pointed pale brown hat with a wide brim, and had eyes that seemed alit with good humour.' He has 'dusky brown skin' that can turn bluish when he's surprised or alarmed. He has 'tiny, stubby teeth.' He is taller than Gille Dubh.

## Personality

Luridan first appears while dancing, and capers back and forth while speaking to Eran Iliakambar. He also seems to pantomime. Eran thought he seemed malevolent at their first meeting, but that he seemed genial at the second. He's also a bit sarcastic.

'Luridan told tall tales that Eran was sure couldn’t be true, even though he was Seelie and Eran didn’t know if he could lie or not. But to hear Luridan tell it, he’d been at every major war, every major event, since he’d been ‘but a wee bairn.' Gwyn ap Nudd noted that Luridan is wily and too interested in saving his own skin, so despite being drawn to major fae events, he disappears before the actual fighting starts, though he'll lie about his involvement, despite being Seelie.

While in Dharnam, Mosk noted that fae found Luridan charming, and that 'Luridan was gregarious and not afraid to start a conversation, and nothing scared him, and no fae – no matter how strange – intimidated him. He made Gille Dubh laugh, and Eran didn’t seem to mind that he was there.'

## Life

When Eran was lead a chained Mosk to the Seelie Court, Luridan leapt from a bush. Luridan was shocked and/or surprised to discover that Mosk was 'empty', and warned Eran about it. Eran attempted to get Luridan to explain what he meant, but Luridan wouldn't elaborate, and teleported away. At some point after this, he came to spend time by Gille Dubh's lake, and was taking tea with Gille Dubh on some flat rocks on the lakeshore when Eran and Mosk next encountered him. Luridan pointed out that Mosk's heartsong was reforming, and bid them get themselves clean.

Eran and Mosk were recommended to ask Gille Dubh if they could clean themselves in the lake. Gille Dubh asked if the pair needed to use his loch, and when they accepted, he said they could. After Eran and Mosk bathed and were drying themselves and their clothing, Gille Dubh and Luridan brought them some cakes, which they all ate together. Eran was surprised that tiny cake was so full of flavor and warmth, and reminded him of his mother. Mosk was struck by whatever he experienced while eating the cake, and drew into himself, unable to speak. Luridan encouraged Eran to give Mosk space.

When Gwyn and Augus Each Uisge reunited with Eran at Many Meadows the next morning, Gwyn led them all back to Gille Dubh's loch. Augus and Gwyn checked on Eran, and Gwyn drank a little from lake. While the group was chatting, Gille Dubh's rooster crowed, and he and Luridan approached, with Gille Dubh mounted and Luridan skipping. Gwyn approached and knelt to speak with him, saying that the loch was as 'beautiful as always'. Gwyn asked for a few hours at the loch, and then they would leave. Gille Dubh granted Gwyn the time, told Augus to treat the lake with respect and not use magic on it, and returned to the bushes. Luridan asked to share tales with his 'old battle companion' Gwyn, and Gwyn agreed.

They all sat together, enjoying food that Gwyn and Augus had brought, and Luridan largely shared rather tall tales of his exploits with them. 'Luridan continued until, by the sound of things, he’d single-handedly saved the Unseelie Court, most of the Seelie fae in the process, and rescued the Seelie King from Gwyn’s ‘rotten’ light. Gwyn watched with amusement in his blue eyes, the smile never quite leaving his mouth. He looked – strangely – like a parent might when indulging a child. But Luridan was thousands and thousands of years old, and clearly lying.' When Luridan finally fell asleep, Eran asked Gwyn about the lying, and Gwyn explained that it was his way, and that it might mean something that Luridan appeared when Eran found Mosk.

Luridan returned to Gille Dubh's home before the party left, promising they'd all meet again someday.

Luridan wanted to go to Dharnam, so Gille Dubh came with him, and together they met again with Gwyn's group. 'Gwyn offered them two of the extra rooms in the home they’d been given', which they accepted. When Gille Dubh offered Gwyn the sapphire earrings, Luridan pushed Gwyn to accept them, noting Gwyn's healing powers. He later traveled with Gille Dubh, Mosk, and Eran around Darnham, speaking to many of the fae there.

Mosk noted that given Luridan's propensity to flee before battles actually happened, his presence in Dharnam implied 'the battle wasn’t happening today, or tomorrow, or the next day.'

Luridan and Gille Dubh stuck around for a time, and Luridan stayed with the soldiers, 'telling them all of the battles he’s warred in, letting all of them know they’re about to participate in a life-changing event.’

Luridan and Gille Dubh appeared in Gwyn's party's home while they were out, to steal some food from the table, which Gille Dubh looked at least a little abashed by, though he claimed it was Luridan's idea. Luridan noted that Gwyn's party ate better than other people did.

When Gwyn's party prepared to leave Dharnam, Gille Dubh, Luridan, and the Gancanagh were planning to travel to the battle with Olphix together. Gwyn and the others noted that since Luridan was still with them, it meant they were somewhat safe for the time being, though they expected him to leave before things got bad.

Although Luridan started their journey from Dharnam in seemingly high spirits, alternately walking or running along, as Gwyn's group went deeper into Zhitovar, even 'Luridan stopped telling his stories as freely, and one day he said not a word at all, and there was something on his face that made Mosk sure he was going to leave them soon.' Luridan later blew Mosk a kiss for growing GIlle Dubh and he 'some tulips and thornless roses by their little tent and their little bedrolls'. He later began a round of singing, which lightened some of the party's spirits. When the Nain Rouge joined Gwyn's party, she voiced her dislike of Luridan, but he seemed unbothered.

Luridan left Zhitovar shortly before the battle with Olphix. After the battle with Olphix, 'Luridan had been seen talking about how crucial he was in the final battle, how he himself had been the one to finally polish off Olphix.'

## Skills

**Teleportation:** Luridan can teleport, seemingly by spinning slowly counter-clockwise on tiptoe.

**Soul Magic:** He can detect heartsongs, and was able to tell that Mosk's was missing, and that it was reforming.

**Other:** He can seemingly see magic, which appears as a different color depending on the fae.

**Language:** He speaks the common fae tongue, as well as Scots.

**Foretelling:** Luridan's magic or nature gives him the ability to sense when something integral to fae politics and fae lives is about to happen, so he has a habit of appearing in those places, particularly battlefields, but only before the actual fighting starts.

**Music:** Luridan can play the fiddle.

## Relationships

#### Eran Iliakambar

Eran seems to have a better opinion of Luridan's temperament, after getting to know him better, but also disproved of Luridan's lying. Luridan seems friendly enough towards Eran, and was happy to share tales with him, though he called Eran 'grumpy'.

#### The Gancanangh

The Gancanagh said Luridan is bolshy and a dear friend of his.

#### Gille Dubh

Gille Dubh and Luridan seem to get along well, though Gille Dubh apologized to others for Luridan's crassness.

#### Gwyn ap Nudd

Luridan is friendly towards Gwyn, and Gwyn seemed to have some fondness for him, and encouraged his tall tales, possibly to make him happy.

#### Mosk Manytrees

Mosk is haunted by Luridan's words that Mosk is 'empty'. Luridan was alarmed by the absence of Mosk's heartsong, but was generally encouraging. Mosk considers Luridan almost like family now.

## Quotations

* 'He’s empty! He’s empty!’ the brownie shrieked. ‘Ow’d you find- Nae- Horrors, Sir! What horrors! Years of war old Luridan has known. Years. Ne’er has I seen someone who’s empty. He’s nothing! He’s nothing at all!'
* 'An’ a story you’ve given me, and me nothing to give you in return now. Abandon it, Sir. It’s empty.'
* 'Forgive Luridan,’ Gille Dubh said, who apparently always seemed to need to forgive his friend. ‘He is from coarser folk.'
* 'Guid things come in sma’ bulk.'
* 'Aye! My old battle companion of days gone by.’ Luridan pressed a fist to his chest and shook his head slowly. ‘And then, evil like, you turned out to be an Unseelie galoot now! It’s enough to break a brownie’s heart.'
* 'Glory days!’ Luridan hooted, skipping ahead. ‘Oh, glory days indeed!'
* Gwyn: 'He’s… He’s an interesting soul. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he’s here now. He always tends to appear before something important happens, and then vanishes before the conflict occurs.'
* To Mosk, about Mosk: ‘All shimmery like, aye, with that magic,’ Luridan said. ‘The King too, made of gold now! Where’d all that white-paleness go?’

## Trivia

* 'Never trust a brownie to speak in a straight line' is something Eran was taught, which popped into his head when he spoke to Luridan.
* Luridan seemed horrified that Mosk can't eat meat.

## Folklore/Mythology

In Theresa Bane's *Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology*, the Luridan or Belelah, Elgin, Wadd, or Wrthin, is a well-known brownie from the Orkney Islands of Scotland. He was 'was said to sweep rooms, wash dishes, and start the daily fire.' He 'claimed when he lived in Jerusalem during the rule of King Solomon and David [that] he was called Belelah (Belial). From there he traveled to Wales where he was called Elgin, Wadd, and Wrthin; there he taught the Druidic bards prose and prophecy.' Luridan is 'a spirit of the air' and 'claimed he always took part in the wars between his kind and the fire spirits of Hecla; during those battles he said many of each of their kind [were] slain as they fought in the air over the sea. When the fighting happens over the mountains, as the fair spirits of each side die, Luridan claimed their cries and wails could be heard in Iceland, Norway, and Russia for many days afterward.

Luridan, whose story originated in 1665, has since retired and handed over his responsibilities to a fairy named Balkin, the lord of the Northern Mountains. When summoned, Luridan is said to look like a dwarf with a crooked nose.'

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire.” *Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 16 September 2017. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12036105/chapters/27454425. Chapter 2: I'll Not Feel Pity.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 12 March 2018. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12036105/chapters/31845930. Chapter 16: Leave Be.
3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 16 March 2018. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12036105/chapters/32210853. Chapter 17: So It Is.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 not\_poignant. "The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague." *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 14 April 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/95883649. Chapter 30: I Hated It All.
5. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire.” *Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 30 March 2018. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12036105/chapters/32604021. Chapter 18: Sparks and Revelation.
6. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 12 May 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/97400118. Chapter 32: Our Better Natures.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 26 May 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/98170593. Chapter 33: Soul Crying.
8. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 23 June 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/99730371. Chapter 35: A Prophecy.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 7 July 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/100527858. Chapter 36: The Light Fades.
10. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 21 July 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/101357655. Chapter 37: This Is My Power.
11. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 5 August 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/102269367. Chapter 40: A New Season.
12. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 9 June 2022. https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266345/chapters/98951628. Chapter 34: Our Losses - Our Gains.
13. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 11 November 2017. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12036105/chapters/28924812. Chapter 7: A Tender Mercy.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Bane, Theresa. *Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology*. 2013.