This Dark Land

Once upon a time in this dark land, a group of ancient Welsh water sprites known as the Gwargedd Annwn lived side by side with their fellow humans deep down in their underwater kingdoms under the lakes, hidden from mortal eyes through using a special blend of fairy glamour. They possessed many gifts, it was once believed that they guarded secret gardens hidden on islands on their sacred lakes. Once a year on New Year's Day it would be possible for humans to find these gardens, as long as they found the secret entrance. Like with the garden of Eden it was strictly forbidden to take anything from these gardens, and it was not rise to offend a fairy. Unlike some fairies the Gwargedd Annwn were very fond of humans and would often impart to them their medicinal wisdom. They were often known to take human lovers, but if they were not treated with the correct respect they would vanish and never be seen again. The most widely known Gwargedd Annwn was the Lady of the Lake who fea...

In the ancient religions of this dark land, people believed in two worlds, there was the mortal world wherein all living creatures dwelt, and then there was the Otherworld. The Otherworld was said to be the world in which all the fairies, the little folk, the good people dwelt. It was where the gods lived and these immortal creatures could cross the veils between worlds and come visit the mortal folk. The Otherworld was also believed to be the place where the recently deceased returned after death. Mortals could only enter this world once they had passed away (hence the term) from the mortal world but getting to the Otherworld required assistance and this usually came in the form of Morrigan, the goddess of death, guardian of the departed. So who was this strange and powerful woman? Morrigan was an ancient goddess who came from the legendary faerie clan of the Tuatha De Danann who once ruled over Ireland before men came with their steel and swords. She features heavily...