Ogma

Some conflicts are decided by duels and contests in the name of Honor rather than by all-out battle. The champion who takes up such challenges for the Gods is Ogma, son of Elatha and half-brother to Lugh, on his mother Ethniu’s side. Though this makes Ogma technically a full Fomorian, he has always stood with the People of the Goddess. He was Nuada’s champion first and then Lugh’s, after pitting his strength against the Samildánach’s and admitting defeat. Ogma is a God of physical might and impressive feats, and his Scions attach themselves to causes and leaders on whose behalf they can show off their prowess.

But no one would mistake Ogma for a musclehead. He’s also the Irish God of writing and eloquence, a patron of poets, archivists, and historians. Ogma created the mystical runic script of ogham, written by inscribing lines along the edge of a vertical surface, usually stone or wood. It can also be written on paper by drawing a fleasc (pronounced “flask”), or a long horizontal line, across the page and then turning the script on its side as though the fleasc were the edge of a pillar. Ogham allows druids and bards to communicate in secret, marks the graves of heroes with potent blessings, and can bind oaths through dire warnings when Scions craft Marvels with it. Each ogham rune is associated with a tree or a plant that has semiotic meaning, flowing from Ogma’s own power over the sacred flora of Ireland.

Ogma’s Scions champion personal responsibility, taking it upon themselves to preserve records and relics for posterity and fight for causes or organizations. They rarely lead, preferring the position of right hand, enforcer, or chronicler. They act as modern bards, campaign as environmentalists, or work as bodyguards and security officers. They’re competitors and heroes, but prefer putting their power to use for something larger than themselves.