Saga of Eibhlin and Brigid

The Saga of Eibhlin and Brigid is based around the marriage traditions of the Gabhatine, specifically between Bridgid and Oisin.

Traditions in Gabhatine culture state that a couple who is to be married forge their own wedding bands and inscribe them with a story or saga dedicated to the Gods.

When Oisin himself was still young and in his Runesinging studies it came to be that he was betrothed to a woman named Eibhlin. Eibhlin was known for her forging prowess and the stories she forged into her armor and weapons, grand tales to the Gods each one of them, and when presented to the Runesinger for imbuing and to hum the runes to life there was hardly ever disappointment. Truly a match made by the Gods, the Gabhatine believed that not only did they have their next High Runesinger with Oisin, but the woman who would craft the set of armor that would please Kol’sir and the rest of the Gods and permit the Gabhatine to leave their mountain if they choose to do so.

Eibhlin set out to craft the rings for her future husband and herself and have him imbue their saga once completed. Days and weeks passed while Eibhlin crafted the rings. On the final day of the rune etching the bonds of the metals of the rings were so weakened that they shattered like glass in Eibhlins hands. Eibhlin set out to craft a second set, this time condensing the number of runes to keep the metal stronger. However, when this set too was nearly completed the bonds of the rings weakened and fell apart again.

Eibhlin who had dedicated months to the craft of the rings was devastated, without the forged rings her and Oisin would not be permitted to marry so she went to another smith. A woman who created ornate design additions for suites of armor and weapons but who herself never worked on her own set of armor, Brigid.

Brigid warned her that if the rings were shattering it was a sign of the Gods and that there was a reason she was not to marry Oisin. Eibhlin however did not listen and continued to beg Brigid to craft a set of rings for her. Brigid agreed eventually under the condition that she was allowed to add her own saga to the rings. Eibhlin desperately agreed and Brigid set out to work tirelessly at the forge. Brigid spent much time crafting the rings, months upon months and Eibhlin began to grow impatient, soon believing Brigid was stalling with the rings to keep her from marrying Oisin. After Brigid had gone to rest, away from the forge and regain her strength before continuing her work, Eibhlin stalked towards Brigids working station, finding sets upon sets of rings. This was proof enough to her that Brigid had been stalling and attempting to sabotage her marriage to Oisin.

Eibhlin stole two of the rings that night and announced to the elders she had finished the rings and was ready to have them imbued and be married to Oisin.

The rites were prepared and most of the Gabhatine clan had gathered to observe the imbuing of the rings and the wedding ceremony. When the time came, both Eibhlin and Oisin were prepared for their vows, the rings presented to them by the Grand Smith of Flame’s Berth.

Oisin picked up the rings and began to hum the saga to life for all to see, however as he did so the story began to fade into incompletion and ended abruptly, when Oisin question Eibhlin she wasn’t sure how to respond—after all she did not even craft the rings.

Eibhlin became infuriated by the shame and began to blame Oisin and his inability to Runesing properly for the lack of saga upon the rings to be shared. Rather than confess her own rings had shattered and she had commissioned another smith to do the work for her she left Oisin to himself in front of everyone laying all blame on him.

It was around this time that Brigid had finished the set of rings and she took note of the missing rings at her forge. She had been so busy with the work she didn’t even realize how empty the forge had been. Picking up her rings, she made her way towards the halls in which the Runesingers performed their Runae Caengal traditions, worrying she would miss them and displease the Gods.

When she arrived she found Oisin there by himself attempting again and again to bring the saga etched into the rings to life, however with each attempt they ended just as abruptly as the last one. Brigid noticed the rings in his hands were part of the set she crafted and approached him quietly asking what he was doing with the rings. Though hesitant to speak further on the shame that occurred earlier in the day he eventually told Brigid about how he was to marry Eibhlin but his inability to bring her saga to life left him to doubt his own work.

Brigid realized what had happened and reached for the satchel at her waist that held the other rings and offered them to Oisin, explaining that the saga was not coming to life because it wasn’t complete.

When Oisin opened the satchel, he found ten other rings to accompany the two he already had, he inspected the craftsmanship and found they were all a set. Brigid gave the man his distance so he could hum the saga to life.

When he did, the most ancient of sagas, the history of the Gabhatine and Flame’s Berth accompanied by Kol and Sir sprang up into life, filling the halls and the runes carved into the walls with their magic.

Brigid explained to Oisin that Eibhlins own rings had shattered and that she commissioned Brigid to craft the rings instead, but that her impatience and obvious blatant disrespect towards the Gods had been the reason for such shameful downfall, not Oisins Runesinging.

Oisin and Brigid were married soon after, as Oisin understood that the Gods had shattered Eibhlins rings and tested his own patience to eventually meet and be married to Brigid who respected and understood the needs of the Gabhatine people and their traditions as Oisin himself did.