Sláine (character)


Sláine is the hero of a barbarian fantasy comic adventure series based on Celtic myths and stories, first published in 1983 in British magazine 2000 AD, written by Pat Mills and initially drawn by his then wife, Angela Kincaid. Most of the early stories were drawn by Massimo Belardinelli and Mike McMahon. Other notable artists to have worked on the character include Glenn Fabry, Simon Bisley, Clint Langley and Simon Davis.
Sláine's favourite weapon is an axe called "Brainbiter". He has the power of the "warp spasm", based on the ríastrad or body-distorting battle frenzy of the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, in which earth power "warps" through his body, turning him into a terrifying, monstrously powerful figure. He is a devotee of the earth goddess Danu.

Plot

Sláine is a wanderer who is banished from his tribe, the Sessair. He explores the Land of the Young with an unscrupulous dwarf called Ukko, fighting monsters and mercenaries. In one early adventure he rescues a maiden, Medb, from being sacrificed in a wicker man, only to earn her enmity – she was a devotee of Crom Cruach, the god to whom she was to be sacrificed, and was looking forward to the experience. Her master and mentor, the ancient, rotting and insane Lord Weird Slough Feg, leader of the evil Drunes, becomes the series' main villain.
Sláine encounters sky chariots, dragons and prehistoric alien gods.
Sláine returns to his tribe and becomes king, leading them against the Fomorians, a race of sea demons who were oppressing them. In The Horned God, Sláine unites the tribes of the earth goddess against Slough Feg and his allies, while his personal devotion to the goddess leads to him becoming a new incarnation of the Horned God Carnun. By the end of the story the Land of the Young is no more, and Sláine is the first High King of Ireland.
In subsequent stories, Sláine is sent through time by Danu to fight alongside other heroes and heroines such as Boudica, and returns to Ireland to defend his people against new enemies alongside his wife Niamh.
These new enemies turn out to be a full Fomorian invasion led by Balor and Moloch, murdering, raping, and eating their way through Sláine's tribe until he is able to defeat Balor. The tribal council forces Sláine to let Moloch go, hoping he would fulfill his promise of keeping the Fomorians out of Ireland; instead, he returns to rape and murder Niamh. Wanting vengeance, Sláine abdicates the throne, and goes to Albion, killing Moloch. In his absence, his son Kai leaves the tribe to search for his father and Ireland faces a second invasion – "the dread of Europe", Atlanteans whose ancestors had lived in Ireland before the tribes of Danu, and who had been forcibly turned into hosts – Golamhs – for the symbiotic Sea Demons under Lord Odacon. When Sláine returns, he finds the new High King Sethor, former member of the council who had granted Moloch freedom, was willing to surrender half of Ireland to Odacon in return for the gifts of science and civilisation.
Sláine convinces the tribal council that the demons could be killed and war is once more declared on the invaders, but it was clear that Ireland would be constantly attacked by wave after wave of Fomorian invasion. Sláine suggests having the Tribe of Danu escape to the Otherworld - to which their Sky Chariots had been sent - to free them from the demons and allow the Atlanteans to settle peacefully in Ireland. Both armies unite against Odacon and his Sea Demons. Sláine frees the Atlantean leader Gael from being Odacon's Golamh, handing over Sethor to take his place, and they lead their armies to bolster the city of Tara. While the tribes fight a defensive battle, Sláine is sent to the Otherworld to secure Danu's blessings for the Tribes of the Earth Goddess to settle there. He returns with her power behind him and leads a charge that decimates Odacon's forces. In the aftermath, the Tribe is cast into the Otherworld, and Sláine assists Gael in destroying Odacon and the parasitic spawn with which he had infested the outer-lying villages.
With Gael as High King of Ireland and founder of the eventual Gaelic race, Sláine leaves to track down his son. He finds Kai at a travelling funfair, and later embarks on a quest to track down Crom Dubh, who he beheads, keeping his still-living head as a trophy until he gives it to the Fianna in exchange for the life of his old friend Nest, who the Fianna had taken prisoner.
In the final collection of stories, Sláine once again encounters the cult of the Drunes, now led by Slough Feg's son Gododin, and defeats them for good, before turning his attention to the land of Albion. Occupied by the Trojans and their tyrannical King Brutus, Sláine instigates a rebellion against them, laying waste to Brutus' personal fortress with the aid of a dragon, and swearing by his ancestors to keep fighting against tyranny until he dies.

Publication

The stories have been collected in a number of volumes but recent trade collections include:
  • Sláine :
  • * Warrior's Dawn :
  • ** "The Time Monster"
  • ** "The Beast in the Broch"
  • ** "Warrior's Dawn"
  • ** "The Beltain Giant"
  • ** "The Bride of Crom"
  • ** "The Creeping Death"
  • ** "The Bull Dance"
  • ** "Heroes' Blood"
  • ** "The Shoggey Beast"
  • ** "Sky Chariots"
  • ** "The Origins"
  • * Time Killer :
  • ** "Dragonheist"
  • ** "The Time Killer"
  • * Slaine the King :
  • ** "The Tomb of Terror"
  • ** "Spoils of Annwn"
  • ** "Sláine the King"
  • ** "The Killing Field"
  • ** "Slaine the Mini-Series"
  • * The Horned God :
  • ** "The Horned God, Book I"
  • ** "The Horned God, Book II"
  • ** "The Horned God, Book III"
  • * Demon Killer :
  • ** "The High King"
  • ** "The Return of the High King"
  • ** "Jealousy of Niamh"
  • ** "Demon Killer"
  • ** "Queen of Witches"
  • * Lord of Misrule :
  • ** "Name of the Sword"
  • ** "Lord of Misrule"
  • ** "Bowels of Hell"
  • * "Treasures of Britain" :
  • ** "Treasures of Britain"
  • ** "The Cloak of Fear"
  • * The Grail War :
  • ** "The Demon Hitchhiker"
  • ** "King of Hearts"
  • ** "The Grail War"
  • ** "Secret of the Grail"
  • ** "The Battle of Clontarf"
  • * Lord of the Beasts :
  • ** "Lord of the Beasts"
  • ** "Kai"
  • ** "The Banishing"
  • ** "The Triple Death"
  • ** "The Swan Children"
  • ** "Macha"
  • ** "Beyond"
  • ** "The Secret Commonwealth"
  • ** "The Arrow of God"
  • * The Books of Invasions: Moloch and Golamh :
  • ** "The Books of Invasions I: Moloch"
  • ** "The Books of Invasions II: Golamh"
  • * The Books of Invasions: Scota and Tara :
  • ** "The Books of Invasions III: Scota"
  • ** "The Books of Invasions IV: Tara"
  • * The Books of Invasions: Odacon :
  • ** "The Books of Invasions V: Odacon"
  • ** "Carnival"
  • * Slaine the Wanderer :
  • ** "The Gong Beater"
  • ** "The Amber Smuggler"
  • ** "The Exorcist"
  • ** "The Mercenary"
  • * The Book of Scars :
  • ** "The Book of Scars"
  • * The Brutania Chronicles: A Simple Killing :
  • ** "The Brutania Chronicles: A Simple Killing"
  • * The Brutania Chronicles: Primordial :
  • ** "The Brutania Chronicles: Primordial"
  • * The Brutania Chronicles: Psychopomp :
  • ** "The Brutania Chronicles: Psychopomp"
  • ** "Red Branch"
  • * The Brutania Chronicles: Archon :
  • ** "The Brutania Chronicles: Archon"
  • * Dragontamer :
  • ** "Dragontamer"
  • ** "The Bogatyr"
  • ** "The Lord Weird Slough Feg: Lord of the Hunt"

Characters

Main characters

  • Sláine MacRoth – Mighty black-haired Irish warrior exiled from the Sessair tribe for having an affair with the chief's fiancée Niamh. He loves fighting and often beats up Ukko. His favoured weapon is the stone axe Brainbiter and he first experienced the Warp Spasm as a child.
  • Ukko – Sláine's dwarf sidekick and chronicler, named after the Finnish storm-god Ukko. He is lecherous and greedy; like most fantasy dwarves he loves gold and has a business mind centuries ahead of the human characters. When Sláine becomes king, Ukko is appointed his "Royal Parasite" – his jester.
  • Nest – Druidess who urges Ukko to record Sláine's deeds. She frequently quarrels with Ukko, but it is hinted there may be some mutual attraction between them.
  • Niamh – Slaine's strong-willed wife. She is very assertive, and prone to anger and jealousy, often beating up Sláine's other wives and concubines

Supporting characters

  • Danu – Goddess of the earth who provides Slaine with guidance. Originally earth was ruled by female goddesses but the druids suppressed them and replaced them with male counterparts
  • Cathbad – Chief druid who wears a horse skull and has a strong dislike of Ukko. He is a short old man with a moustache and bald head, save for a single tuft of hair.
  • Myrddin – Half-Cythron Atlantean survivor and high-level magus analogous to Merlin. His fortress is located in modern-day Wales.
  • Murdach – Time-displaced son of Brian Boru.
  • Cador – An ancient Druid who built the forcefield that protects Myrddin's territory from the Cythrons.
  • Kai – Sláine's son. Sláine wanted him to be a warrior but Niamh had him train as a druid. He later becomes a travelling acrobat.
  • King Rudraige mac Dela – Ruler of the city of Gorlias and guardian of the Silver Sword of the Moon. His hand is bitten off by Avagddu and replaced with a metal prosthesis, preventing him from becoming High King. He was married to Niamh for a year, but leaves her for a warrior resembling Arnold Schwarzenegger's Conan.
  • King Gann mac Dela – Ruler of Finias and wielder of the Spear of the Flaming Sun. To celebrate the defeat of the Fomorians Gann was sacrificed and eaten by the tribe
  • King Sengann mac Dela – Mad ruler of Falias, a moon-worshipping society. His people, the black-skinned Tribe of the Shadows, were responsible for exterminating the Neanderthal-like beaver folk and stealing the Stone of Destiny.
  • Mogrooth – Fearsome Atlantean dragon rider and gladiator with enlarged, sharpened fangs. Despises Ukko for his thievery.
  • Tlachtga – Mogrooth's daughter and one of Myrddin's best warriors. She is badly disfigured by the Great Worm's breath, which aged part of her face.

Villains

  • The Lord Weird Slough Feg – Ancient, rotting leader of the Drunes and the original Horned God who refused to die when his seven-year reign was over. He ate the Time Worm's eggs to prolong his life and resides at the drune capital Carnac where he spends his time making cave paintings.
  • Medb/'Megrim – Drune priestess saved by Slaine from human sacrifice. It is revealed she wanted to be sacrificed to the worm-god Crom to become a goddess.
  • Catha, Fea, and Nemon – Three Drune priestesses who serve as Slough Feg's lieutenants.
  • Melga – Slough Feg's general, oversaw the construction of the standing stones at Carnac.
  • Balor – Leader of the Fomorians. He has only one eye, which is capable of destroying anything he stares at.
  • Moloch – Balor's cruel lieutenant, who wields six swords in battle. Based on the pagan god Molech. Assumes command of the Fomorians when Balor is killed, and brutally murders Niamh.
  • Odacon – Assumes control of the Fomorians after Moloch.
  • Sethor – Member of Sessair tribal council who succeeded Sláine as High King. He later betrays the Celts to the Fomorians and becomes Odacon's golamh.
  • Avagddu – The demon son of the earth goddess, and the foulest, stupidest demon ever to have lived. Medb summoned him to kill Niamh but he ended up eating himself.
  • Elfric – Three-eyed blue skinned demon capable of time travel. He led both the Roman invasion of Britain and the Viking invasion of Ireland. He appears to be homosexual or bisexual as he refers to his relationship with Nero and was reluctant to rape Boudicca's daughters, only doing so out of spite.
  • Quagslime – Fomorian tax collector who cuts off the noses of tax-dodgers.
  • Nudd – Ogre serving as assistant jailer. Slaine bashed out his brains when Nudd tried to kill him.
  • Domnall – A dwarf blacksmith who murdered warriors and tempered his weapons in their blood. He is killed with his own sword by Slaine.
  • Slough Throt – A drune lord who successfully sheds his rotting skin to earn the rank of Slough. He hired Sláine as a bodyguard to escape Slough Feg and deliver the plans for Ragnarok to the Druids of Glastonbury.
  • Cador – Cador is killed at some unspecified point in Time Killers and replaced by a disguised Slough Feg, who then hatches stored Time Worm eggs allowing Time Worms to overrun Myrddin's fortress.
  • Robym – An evil dwarf who acts as a servant to Medb
  • Skuld the Demented, Hadric Hissing-blade, and Thorgrim Ironjaw – Three Viking pirate captains sent by Slough Feg to attack Slough Throt's flying longship.
  • Broog – Torturer employed by the Inquisition, actually a cult worshipping the blood god Iahu.
  • Gael – Leader of the tribe of wandering Atlantean refugees who ally themselves with Odacon's fomorians. Serves as Odacon's first host. Gives his name to the 'gaelic' peoples.
  • Scota – Egyptian princess who eloped with Gael's Atlanteans. Gives her name to the Scottish race.
  • Mordred – Son of King Arthur and Morgana, who betrays and murders his father for converting to Christianity and renouncing the Goddess, but is mortally wounded with Excalibur.
  • Hengwolf – Anglo-Saxon warlord and worshipper of Odin allied to Mordred, who transforms into the white dragon of the Saxons and battles Sláine
  • Guledig – Cythron leader who orchestrated Arthur's downfall. He is worshipped by the Celts as a statue of a golden child called the Mabon, but his real form is a green disembodied head with three arms
  • Leystar – Evil Cathar magician who wears a bird mask and can transform himself into a phoenix.
  • Sir Brian' – Master of the Knights Templar who becomes possessed by a Cyth demon.

Historical and mythical characters

Celts

  • Roth Bellyshaker – Sláine's father. Once a proud warrior, he becomes an obese braggart. He is killed by Slough Feg when attempting to avenge Slaine's apparent death
  • Macha – Sláine's mother. Roth was responsible for her death when he bragged she could outrun the king's chariot and made her enter the race.
  • Mongan Axe-head – Sláine's foster-father who headbutts enemies with his spiked helmet
  • King Ragnall – Sláine's foster-brother who tries to appease the Fomorians with tributes. When he is publicly humiliated by Balor, Ragnall commits ritual suicide with assistance from Cathbad so Sláine can replace him as king of the Sessair.
  • King Grudnew – Ragnall's predecessor and husband of Niamh who ran over Sláine's mother with his chariot. He was thrown off a cliff by his own tribe for failing to prevent a famine.
  • Blind Bran – An old beggar and ally of Sláine who fought alongside him during his time as a mercenary.
  • Cuan – A warrior sacrificed by the druid priestesses to enable them to foretell the future. His torture and disembowelment is similar to the injuries inflicted on Lindow Man.
  • Madad the Quarrelsome – A warrior who insults Sláine and questions his right to be king. His nose is chewed off in a fight.
  • Gurg of the Three Fingers – Sláine's charioteer, recognisable by his three-horned helmet.
  • Dundan Skullsmasher – A Sessair warrior killed in a fight for the best cuts of meat
  • Gwalchazad the Ram – The warrior who challenges Dundan Skullsmasher for the hero's portion
  • Fergus the Brave – A warrior a bored Sláine accuses of cowardice
  • Diarmid the Foul-Tempered – Sláine claims to have slept with his wife and daughter, only for Diarmid to offer his attractive sister.
  • Conal the Handsome – A warrior Sláine punches in the face in an attempt to start a fight. Despite losing all his teeth, Conal is more concerned about the damage to Sláine's hand.
  • Madog Stag-shanks – Village headman who shelters Sláine in return for his mammoth.
  • Caw Sheaf-hair – Madog's son, who is murdered by Slough Throt's skull-swords
  • Cullen of the wide mouth – Classmate jealous of the young Sláine's skill in battle. Tries to murder Sláine but is killed with a gae bulga.
  • Conn of the Hundred Battles – Red Branch warrior and father of Cullen, who tries to avenge his son's death but is also killed by Sláine.

Others

  • Blathnaid – Former lover of Sláine, who used to rob horse-drawn carriages and was a regular runaway bride. Later on after they had parted ways, she was devoured by a giant serpent summoned from hel by the Drunes, after which it was able to take her shape.
  • Lauretta – French female mercenary who becomes Sláine's lover
  • Guild Master – An old dwarf who invites Ukko to join the Guild of Cutpurses, Varlets and Mendicants
  • Kyot – A medieval troubadour who allies with Sláine.
  • Medrawd – Farmer who lives alone with his mother, who is actually a shape-shifting shoggey beast responsible for devouring many passing travellers.
  • Mor Ronne the Dung Collector – One of the few dwarves more repulsive than Ukko. Nest has to sleep with him as part of her initiation ceremony
  • White Tusk – King of the Orcs with the head of a Wild boar who presides over a court of fools. Ukko steals his tusk for a potion to save King Arthur.
  • The Knucker – An ageing dragon used as aerial transport by Sláine
  • Nidhug – A fierce dragon that killed Tlachtga in Grimnismal's tomb.
  • Pluke – A light El who helps Sláine rescue Nest and Myrddin from the Cythrons

In other media

Tabletop miniature wargames
  • Sláine

Video games

  • ''Sláine, the Celtic Barbarian''

Role-playing games

2000 AD RPG appearances:Tomb of Terror
Solo RPG appearances:Cauldron of Blood.Dragoncorpse.The Ring of Danu.The Invulnerable King Sláine: The Roleplaying Game of Celtic Heroes
  • ''Sláine''

Novels

The first Sláine novel was released at the end of 2006:Sláine: Sláine the Exile
  • ''Sláine: Slaine the Defiler''

Music

  • The metal band Slough Feg named themselves after the character of the same name.