The Sídhe

Beyond the art of science and preceding the mysticism of magic, lies the practice of alchemy. Remarkably wondrous, yet understood through meticulous studies. This is the hidden underground country of Sídhe, bursting full of scientific splendor. Alchemical discoveries have lead the inhabitants of Sídhe to new leaps and bounds in technology, miraculous medicinal practices, and fascinating engineering and architectural feats! Located under the country of Ireland, the Sídhe was settled by the great warrior Finn MacCoul and his followers, the Fianna. The Fianna were a diverse group of warriors, bards, druids, and sorcerers whose lineages stem primarily from the Fomorians, the Tuath Dé , and the Fir Bolg. The elite of the Fianna in Sídhe believe their heritage to be primarily or wholly Tuath Dé. The impoverished of the Fianna are considered direct descendants of the Fomorians while the middle class, who make up a majority of the Fianna, are usually a humble melting pot of Fir Bolg, Fomorian, and Tuath Dé bloodlines. The nation was named Sídhe, or "The Mound", because of its artificial geological shape. The Fir Bolg blooded members of the Fianna were known for their mechanical cunning and metallurgic craftsmanship. They crafted a large mechanical snake named Oilliphéist. The metallic marvel dug straight down bellow the Hill of Tara, and once it reached a desired depth, began to dig out an underground hill by tunneling in a clockwise motion. Oilliphéist would widen the radius from the center of the mound about every fifty kilometers in depth, creating a hill that plateaued seven times. The druidic contribution to Oilliphéist was it's ability to sew the land it dug through, fertilizing the mound and planting it's pioneering vegetation. The plant life of the mound was genetically engineered to thrive through chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis. The shamrocks, oak trees, and other vegetation of the mound was altered to produce bioluminescence, providing the mound a stable light source. The mound became the first city of Sídhe, and was named Saol, which became the nation's capital. Oilliphéist finally reached its limit after carving out the seventh level and degraded into a silvery pool of liquid palladium which surrounds the subtle neon green hue of the mound. This pool became known as the Sea of Oilliphéist. Out from each of the seven levels, great bridges were constructed which, when met with the walls of the cavern, where burrowed into to create the original tunnels to the original cities of Sídhe. At the lowest level, the tunnels burrowed become rivers that outstreched from the Sea of Oilliphéist. Through the years, Sídhe has grown beside, but unseen from the land above. Those who travel to the surface world have brought back many of its traditions, customs, religions along with its science and technology. Mixing of these discoveries with druidic knowledge, the art of alchemy evolved into a physical science pervasive all through Sídhe culture and life. People from all cities journey to the capital of Saol in order to begin their study of alchemy, while others have had their genetic alchemically altered and prefer to the sorcery of their family. Those who are especially adept in and interested in the pursuit of alchemical knowledge typically attend one of the four great alchemical colleges; however, these are usually reserved for the elite and are not readily available for those less fortunate. This is one of the few ways to become a true alchemist. The other readily available path is to join the Sídhe Navy. There are those who view alchemy more as an art; these are the bards, and they pass on their alchemy through word of mouth and musical composure. Smiths make alchemical tools and weapons while clerics believe alchemy is a gift from a higher power, divinely given to man.