#gancanagh

[whatishowedyouinthedark]

Gancanagh

Chapter 5/5

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Feyre focused on the gentle whooshing sound of her breath. In, and out. In, and out.

She had been sick, it seemed, since she’d first left the Mountain. Weeks had passed, and yet the nightmares persisted.

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[ttrpg-smash-pass-vs]

Qualifiers: Gancanagh

Smash

Pass

Voting ended onDec 9, 2024

The Gancanagh are celestials, souls reborn as aspects of pure goodness. These party lovers embody aspects of passion, consensual love, open relationships, gender/sexuality exploration, and sex positivity. Seriously, thier favorite thing is using thier shapeshifting to make people question thier sexuality. The honest "sorry, I really do just like ___" is perfectly valid, they just want you to actually consider the question. If your reaction is instead to is to accuse them of being a tempter or succubus, they will immediately call for a duel. Nearly the only thing that will pull them to violence actually. If they find people being persecuted over such things, they are tireless and eager supporters. Most identify as men with a loose relationship with gender.

...Oh, and if they kiss you they can make you SUPER great at everything for 10 minutes, then just get super exhausted unless you've got good fortitude to ignore the crash after the high. Which I find hilarious.

[lavendercorvuscorexwrites]

Character Bio: Oisin

Taking a slight U-turn as I work on updating my character Andromeda, now going by Nadia. As previously mentioned, I am working on the general fiction story she will be in as well as an Irish myths inspired fantasy (with some broader Celtic elements as mentioned in my Creature Features post). While I am sitting on how to progress on the chapter/scene I'm on, which I'll delve into a bit more for some feedback and suggestions to help me progress, as well as reworking Cian since I'm removing the whole cervitaur aspect, I figured I'd share the deuteragonist/companion for Cian: Oisín (Oh-sheen).

He's one of the more developed characters, alongside Cian and his mother, Róisín (ROH-sheen), which is a given since he plays a major role in the story and is working alongside Cian. I also have an idea for a potential prequel for him to help explain who he is and why he ended up where he was when he was introduced. However, at this point, I haven't really spent a lot of time fleshing his backstory out outside of a few key elements.

Essential Backstory

Keeping some of the more nitty gritty aspects of his backstory to myself, for now, there are a few things about his backstory that I am willing to share for a general idea for his mindset and motivations. The main thing being that he was orphaned at a young age due to an accident and was raised by a a kind soul during his formative years. Initially this was going to be a cervataur as a way to circle back to the main story, but I think I'll change that to a Púca that can change into a horse, cat, or rabbit instead. This way it'll still tie back to Cian while still not being as on the nose about.

His father, who I'm thinking of naming Connor or Finnegan, would love him like his own son and help Oisín understand and hone his abilities. He'll pass at some point during this prequel piece, though I haven't decided if it'd be on or off screen so to speak or how exactly he died. This would help explain why Oisín initially comes off as solitary and unbothered during the main story (along with his own internal/personal struggles).

Between the passing of his father and the main story Oisín learns to use his skills to get out of trouble while taking up odd jobs to get by. He also develops a minute skill in pyromancy as a means of self defense. This is not something that Gancanagh are really known for, but it was something that I wanted to add to give him some kind of defensive/offensive skill outside of relying solely on his charm and the daggers he'd carry.

As for age, I don't currently have one in mind. Right now, it's kind of ambiguous since I haven't really tinkered with the whole immortal thing and how aging works for Gancanagh (and other beings). For the sake of discussion and visualization, I'll say that he looks twenty-five. That way, whether I go with a normal or prolonged lifespan, he's at least an adult, which is what I was going for anyways.

Internal Struggles

His main personal conflict boils down to his sense of identity.

As a Gancanagh, he doesn't believe he is capable of genuine love. Be it expressing or receiving it. Since Gancanagh are known for making people fall in love with them, it warped his sense of what love means. Even if it's not entirely true, in his mind, Gancanagh, and by extent himself, aren't capable of feeling genuine affection for others. The way he tells himself this is by believing something to the effect of, "I'm a Gancanagh, authentic love isn't really our thing" and/or "as a Gancanagh, love in its most genuine form, isn't something we're really known for". Because of this, the idea that anyone could love him or vice versa is foreign to him, and is something I plan on exploring as best as I can as the story goes on.

I may also try to develop this by exploring Oisín being one of a select few Gancanagh that will target both men and women. Based on what I've found, most sources say that Gancanagh target just women. However, I have found a site or two saying how they can affect men.

While I was in the early stages of brainstorming his character, I ended up deciding that Oisín would be bisexual. Which I plan on being as respectful as possible with. What lead up to the decision was me seeing Oisín admitting he never really had a preference when it came to who he seduced (within reason and having the right personality or what have you). I could build off of that by maybe having Oisín feel a spark of legitimate affection for people in his past, but either not acting on them or having been burnt enough times that he doesn't think what he felt was true.

Visual

This is one of my better attempts at sketching out what I had in mind. May be due for a bit of an update, though said update wouldn't really be that different (a style change/update if anything). Silver and blue felt just right as far as color scheme was concerned and I don't really remember if there was a specific reason for it. Unless I wanted to do something other than red and silver, which is a color combo I like. Plus, it kind of gives him that sense of contradiction with his whole fire gimmick (though his would be a more silver color). As for the necklace, it was probably more of a stylistic choice (felt like it was needed) and I may or may not have it be the last thing he has of his mother or (adopted) father.

All in all, Oisín has been a fun character to craft, and I have quite a few things planned for him. Feel free to drop any feedback if you feel inclined to.

[fairylandblog]

Gancanagh, Faerie Seducer

Irish tradition depicts the Gancanagh, a charming and mischievous masculine fairy. Gancanagh means love-talker or love-chatterer, describing him as a seductive and persuasive character who lures mortals into risky and often destructive romantic relationships. The Gancanagh is a unique and enigmatic figure in Irish folklore because he is a lover and desirer, unlike most other monsters. Gancanagh men are considered stunningly attractive and charming. It is said that he unexpectedly visits lonely women in the countryside. Despite his simple attire, he exudes charm. Most stories about the Gancanagh reference his clay pipe smoking. The pipe enhances his mystique, symbolizing his carefree, laid-back lifestyle, in contrast to the emotional agony he leaves behind.

The Gancanagh's specialty is seduction. He lures his victims into passionate love affairs that end in tragedy with his charm and eloquence. He captivates women, making them fascinated with him and unable to think. This infatuation ultimately destroys them, as Gancanagh, a fairy, is incapable of forming lasting human bonds. After seducing his victim, he disappears, leaving her devastated and depressed. Often, the unfulfilled love and passion for the Gancanagh drives the ladies mad or dead. Irish folklore uses the Gancanagh as a warning and emblem. He symbolizes the terrible power of obsession and unbridled desire. The Gancanagh warns against temptation and neglecting duty in a rural, agrarian country like Ireland that values traditional values and familial duties. His inclusion in folklore reveals a cultural concern about passion's effects and the heart's vulnerability to deception. We can also see Gancanagh as a critique of love and relationship conventions. His power to fascinate and destroy symbolizes a conflict between passionate love and life. Gancanagh victims are generally lonely, alienated, or unsatisfied with their lives. Thus, the Gancanagh symbolizes their unfulfilled dreams and craving for more than daily life. In other versions, the Gancanagh symbolizes the magical peril of fairy world contact. Irish tradition depicts fairies as beautiful and dangerous. The Gancanagh embodies this dichotomy, as his charm conceals his true nature as a villain. His fables remind us of the dangers of crossing human-fairy boundaries.

The Gancanagh is less well-known than the banshee or leprechaun, yet his stories have survived in Irish folklore. Modern folklore and fantasy show him as a darkly romantic or tragic figure. The Gancanagh's themes—love's intricacy, the unknown's appeal, and the delicate balance between desire and destruction—remain relevant today. The Gancanagh is a seducer who brings heartache, a fairy who seems almost human, and a symbol of longing and loss. His stories demonstrate the depth of Irish tradition, where even the most innocent or romantic individuals have tremendous meaning. The Gancanaghs' legacy reminds us of love's strength, obsession's dangers, and the heart's mystery.

[rabbitholessk]

Oak as a gancanagh is an incredible detail on Holly's part. There is so much to unpack from that. His desire to love Wren, his desire to be liked/loved by others, his ability to take these self appointed missions to protect Jude and Cardan from conspiracies/coups.

One day I want to make a whole post with examples but....wow Holly popped off

[eldraftsman]

Spookfest prompt 2: the Fae folk

The moment I saw this I knew I had to make Yor as a Dullahan. Anya is a Pixie and Loid a Gancanagh, so even as a fairy... nevermind.

[lpbestiary]

Gancanagh is a fairy from Irish mythology. Said to belong to the same tribe as the leprechaun, he is known for rampantly seducing both women and, more rarely, men. He is usually depicted smoking a dudeen, a type of pipe.

Gancanagh is said to dwell in lonely valleys, seducing shepherds and milkmaids. Meeting him is thought to be bad luck.

Image source.

Monster master list.

Suggest a spook.

[dustylava]