Celtic Paganism

Celtic Paganism


The Celtic religion is closely tied to the natural world, and places great emphasis on individual honor and achievement, as well as the welfare of clan, tribe and kingdom. Overall, the lore of the religion emphasizes a balance between law and chaos, and the need to contain evil, but it has gods, and followers, of all alignments.



Celtic Paganism, once followed openly across Europa, is now practiced mainly in Britannia, in western Gaulia, and in the northwestern tip of Iberia. However adepts and druids across Europa, whether knowingly or not, keep alive many traditions of this ancient religion. Outside of the wilder parts of Hybernia and Caledonia (both in Britannia) this religion is largely practiced in secret.



Before the Roman conquest, there where many Celtic tribes who between them worshiped hundreds of deities. Most of these where local spirits, and in Celtic mythology there was sometimes confusion between gods on the one hand, and powerful elves, fey, and giants on the other, (which individuals in the later three may have encouraged). However, a small subset of gods was worshiped by most tribes, albeit with different names, and these true gods are listed below.



Symbols: Cauldron, oak tree, mistletoe sprig, and torc.



Organisation: The Druids where the priests of the Celts, as well as their judges and scholars, keepers of the lore of what was largely a pre-literate society. Today the male Druids and the female Priestesses of Avalon are the “high priests” of this religion, and while not all are Chosen, all have the talent for casting divine or arcane spells. These true Druids are small in number, and most followers worship together under the guidance of an adept, cleric of a Celtic god, or druid (the base class, not the prestige class). Bards, as keepers of lore, and Nature Touched rangers also play a role in this loosely organized religion.



Celtic Gods

Lugh (CN) Lugh can best be described as the god of excellence, reputed to be not only the inventor and patron of the arts, but also an expert in such diverse fields as sorcery, history, craftsmanship of all sorts, storytelling and heroism. Lugh, whose name means “The Shining One”, is the most widely worshiped of the Celtic gods, with numerous monuments throughout Celtic regions where followers pray to him for guidance in any of his many areas of expertise. His symbol is an 8-point star.

Oghma (NG) Oghma, whose epithet, Grianainech, means “of the sun-like countenance”, is the god of eloquence and language. His speeches and words carry great weight with his listeners, and he is often depicted as having gold chains between his tongue and the ears of his listeners. It is said that Oghma created the druidic language of Ogam. Oghma’s symbol is a chalice.

Goibhniu (NG) Smiths hold a special place in Celtic society and it is said that they receive magical powers to heal and charm from Goibhniu. It is reputed that weapons forged by Goibhniu will never miss their mark, and those struck by them will certainly be slain. His symbol is an anvil.

Daghdha (CG) Daghdha is the custodian of the gods and all Celtic people, using his charms and powers to protect and aid them whenever he can. His powers vary widely but he has been credited with control over the weather and crops. His symbol is a Celtic shield.

Manannan mac Lir (LN) The Celtic god of the sea, Manannan mac Lir rides over the waves on his chariot, pulled by various creatures of the sea, admiring its beauty and governing its bountiful operation. His symbol is a fish.

Arawn (NE) The god of death and the underworld, Arawn lives on an island so far out to sea that even Manannan mac Lir is unable to find it. In fact no one living can, for only the dead may travel there. Arawn is absolute ruler over his domain and will occasionally extend his grasp to return those who’ve been resurrected that he would rather keep. While many Celtic gods will endorse resurrection, none can guarantee that Arawn will leave the matter at that. His symbol is a warrior’s skull.

Morrigan (CE) Morrigan is the Celtic goddess of war. She expects all Celts and especially her followers to fight constantly, encouraging petty wars where there would otherwise be none. Her symbol is a sword or spear.

Diancecht (LG) Diancecht is the god of healing and encourages his followers to care and heal for the sick regardless of whom they worship. It is a common belief of his followers that any wound is the responsibility of the inflictor to heal, or at least payment for healing. His symbol a leaf.

Math Mathonwy (NE) Math Mathonwy is the god of sorcery. He strongly encourages the study of magic and the pursuit of knowledge but also expects such knowledge to be guarded closely. His symbol is a staff.

Belenus (NG)Belenus is a god of the sun and of fire and a patron of the Druids. In May, when the Celts drive their cattle through the special Beltane fires it is said that Belenus watches with favor and raises the quality of the livestock. It is his followers that have constructed the standing stones and planted the sacred groves where the Druids meet and worship him. His symbol is a solar disc inlaid with a standing stone.

Brigantia (NG) Brigantia is the goddess of rivers and rural life and she is worshiped mostly in pastoral villages and towns. She is the protector of flocks of geese and herds of cattle, seeing that they flourish to help feed her hungry worshipers. Her dominion over rivers make some belief that their waters have healing properties. Her symbol is a footbridge.