{"id":1086,"date":"2025-05-11T13:38:16","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T13:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fiveoaths.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=1086"},"modified":"2025-05-17T00:09:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T00:09:56","slug":"the-galloglaigh","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fiveoaths.com\/wordpress\/explore-the-world\/the-galloglaigh\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gall\u00f3glaigh"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“The gwyllt and their minions had us surrounded. The knochenbriseadh was tearing down the barricade, while volleys of their poisoned arrows kept us pinned down. That\u2019s when the gall\u00f3glaigh came. I can picture their banner, clear as day even now. A sword broken in three, white on blue, emerging from the treeline. They moved with swiftness beyond compare, shrugging off gwyllt magics and blows that would have felled any one of us. Their own attacks flew true – their spells scattered the gwyllt line and their blades carved them into stardust. Their healers came after, and I tell you child, many you know would not have made it, but for their skilled work. And then, quick as they arrived, they were gone. Off to some other riding, some other place to fight the enemies of the Five Realms.<\/em>“<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In Tirneach, only the R\u00e9ig<\/a> may raise standing armies. These are the gall\u00f3glaigh, roving bands who are dispatched across the realms to end threats to the land. They swear five powerful oaths<\/a> – to the R\u00e9ig, the Shaper, the realms, each other, and themselves. The magic of these oaths grants them strength beyond any common mortal and lets them face the perils of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The r\u00e9ig does not personally send their gall\u00f3glaigh to every threat. To meet the military needs of the iarlas and riders<\/a>, the r\u00e9ig allows the gall\u00f3glaigh to work for them in exchange for coin. The bands are employed to many ends but commonly they are called upon to defend settlements from bandits and the gwyllt, to fulfil security and bodyguarding duties, or to begin and end border disputes between iarlas. It is not uncommon for bands of gall\u00f3glaigh to be employed in direct opposition to one another but these conflicts are generally limited in lethality as wanton destruction of the R\u00e9ig\u2019s forces is not something any band or their employers wants to be accused of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the gall\u00f3glaigh are primarily warriors, there are many others among their number. Diplomats, merchants, and scholars also swear the five oaths, serving the R\u00e9ig in their own way. For blades can cut evil apart, but they do little to mend the scarred land left in its wake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gall\u00f3glaigh form an elite warrior class and it is common for the ambitious to join up to build a reputation to rely on in a future political career. Indeed, most of the iarlas and riders have at some point served in the bands. While family is important in Tirneach, individuals must win glory for themselves to be awarded a title. The gall\u00f3glaigh for many are a path to riches, respect, and proven loyalty to the R\u00e9ig. Very helpful for securing a future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps because of this, limits were set on who could join the gall\u00f3glaigh<\/a>. To join the gall\u00f3glaigh, a candidate must either be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n