Airgetlám (ˈaɾʲəɟəˌt̪ˠl̪ˠaːmˠ)
Airgetlám was the first Ard-Rí of Oileán Fiáin. When Celestina was overthrown and the Fae were released from the bindings she laid upon them, some of the High Fae went on a rampage against the human population of the island. No military force was able to stand against them, and many believed that the Fir Fáinne would be entirely exterminated by the angry gods.
In this tumultuous time, Airgetlám became the savior of the people. He was a skilled diplomat, and was especially adept at negotiating with the courts of the Fae. More importantly, he was a phenomenal orator who was able to persuade the people of the island that peace was a real possibility, and one that he could bring about. In his later writings, he states that the real battle for the survival of the Fir Fáinne was not in the negotiations with the Kings and Queens of the Fae, but in the hearts and minds of the Fir Fáinne themselves. He understood how the Fae were influenced by the beliefs of the people, and knew that as long as the Fir Fáinne believed that peace was impossible, negotiations could not succeed.
Airgetlám spent a year negotiating with the Fae courts, traveling from place to place to speak with each of the great Fae lords. At first it seemed doomed to failure, but when he was able to negotiate a treaty with Cernunnos of the woods, the tide turned. He went on to establish the web of pacts and treaties that provide the structure of Oileán Fiáin to this day, allowing the human and Fae populace to coexist in a delicate balance.
Airgetlám knew that the balance of power on the island would not persist without being constantly maintained, and convinced the Rís of the five kingdoms to establish the position of Ard-Rí, or High King. This position has the primary duty of liaising with the Fae, but has grown to become the way in which the kingdoms of Oileán Fiáin interact with all entities beyond the island. The Ard-Rí does not rule the kingdoms themselves, but they defer to the High King for matters that impact the island as a whole, and also for the resolution of disputes between the five kingdoms. Airgetlám held the position of Ard-Rí for the rest of his life, until he died at the age of 107.
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
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