Ireland
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Contents
Overview
The history of Kilkenny has had many proposed “beginnings” to itself. Some say it was founded when the Tuatha de Danann and the Fomorians of myth fought there; others say it was founded when King Arthur built a castle at the heart of the island. While there is a broken-down castle, built on the island in the late fifth century, there has been no definitive evidence that King Arthur or any other members of the medieval courts ever dwelled there. Over the centuries it fell into ruin and has since been reused as a recreational area by the townsfolk.
What we do know about the town is that it got its start as a small shipping and fishing town, barely more than a port, castle, and a handful of residences in the fifth century. Many centuries later, the town was rediscovered by sailors after its long-term abandonment by its previous royal residents. During a violent storm, they were forced to take shelter on the island. The morning after staying in the deserted domiciles, the sailors collectively noticed the value of the land, with a majority of the town being high above sea level and thus protected from a majority of the vicious natural elements that would ravage a low-lying island. In quick succession, they claimed the town in that very year, 1149, and thus Kilkenny was born. The first buildings they constructed were the church and lighthouse, and the houses came shortly after as the population began to grow. A majority of the original houses have long been demolished and replaced with new buildings thanks to the ocean air’s deteriorating effects.
Unfortunately for the locals, the town’s growing population prompted a parallel expansion in the Leprechaun population. Their trickster ways have caused many good Unmagical Irishmen to evacuate the town in search of more welcoming environments. By the 1700s, the population of Ireland was almost entirely composed of long-standing magical families. Since only the magical remained, the town grew an obsession for Quabbleball, one of the only pastimes on the isolated island. The ruined castle which had been entirely abandoned up until that time was then converted for the public use of all the children and adults in Ireland.
The current residents of Kilkenny lead a simple life. While the town itself isn’t exactly showstopping, it has its own charm, owing largely to the vibrant colours the homes are painted in. The townspeople are not employed in the industries of war. Instead, they occupy themselves with mercantile businesses and fishing. Recent censuses indicate that around 20% of the population doesn’t even stay there year-round and travels there only in summer for a peaceful and quiet environment.
Despite this, the town gets few tourists, so they only have one inn, the Lucky Duck Inn, to house passersby. To amuse themselves, the residents often visit the inn to speak with travellers and hear their stories. The inn is really the main form of contact the Irish have with the rest of the wizarding world outside of trade relationships.
The tales that make up Ireland’s magical mythos are many and varied. They have stories of both magical and Unmagical heroes, but perhaps the most famous of their myths would be the one revolving around the Tuatha dé Dannan settling the island. With them, they brought four treasures, including the undefeatable Angren Sword. Some of the most powerful Tuatha magicians, specifically Dagda and his wife Morrigan drove the Fomorians, a vicious giant race, into the sea. Some of the villagers still believe Dagda resides in a cottage near the edge of the island.
In the early 6th century, Morholt, a Fomorian, resurfaced to terrorise the people of Kilkenny. A brave Unmagical hero, Tristan, defeated the giant thanks to the Angren Sword, but it was destroyed during the battle and left the Irish castle in ruins, according to myth. Tristan’s courage was then rewarded by a seat at Arthur’s round table. The Opal Eye is the only surviving component of the mythological sword left and stored beneath the lighthouse since the 12th century.
Another famous figure from the pre-Hogsworth age, Queen Moira, was well known for her education efforts with magical Irish children. Dozens of the towns’ children flocked to the ruins of the castle to learn at her feet. She lived to 120, and it is said that most of the wizards in Kilkenny are descendants of her students. Her importance to the town and its history is celebrated every year by a festival of glowing, dancing lights, and most stores offer discounts on magical school supplies for the event.
Sevran Serpent’s notorious descendants, the Grim family, lived in Kilkenny during the 1600s. There, Winston Sears, a descendant of Morrigan and Dagda, married Rimona Grim, with whom he fathered Isidore before they were both brutally murdered by Rimona’s sister. On the other hand, Isidore fled the island to North America where she founded the famous magical school, Silvermorne.
Some of the most impressive Irish magicians have been members of the Quabbleball team in Ireland, the Newcastle Elk. Founded in 1851, the team participates in annual matches against Wigtown’s team, against which they’ve always won. Their success is often attributed to their specialized gear: magical gloves formed from Witherwood Elk hide. The Quabbleball pitch was made a year later in 1852 among the ruins of the old castle.
Since the town’s founding, the Fomorians terrorised the town. Now, only one remains. Irgoll the Fomorian returns once a year to the town, even after all these centuries, devouring one of the residents and then returning to his lair. Despite the pleasantness of the town, Irgoll’s reign of terror has transformed into one of the most brutal traditions that the magical world maintains: the selection of a townsperson to sacrifice to the giant. Although there have been several attempts to slay the Fomorian and end the gruesome cycle, none have succeeded.
Like many other major towns, Ireland sports its very own Shady Dealer, Vendor, Crafting Centre, Marketplace, Bank Vaults, and Fire Dust Network! Thus, after a player has first accessed the island from the quest Troubled Waters, they can use the network to warp rather than face the wrath of the sea again. The Ireland Reputation taskboard is found directly next to the In-Game Store, east of the Church.
Geography & Environment
Kilkenny is one of the only island-based towns recognised by the UK’s wizarding world as being magical. The seas between the mainland and this island are notoriously fraught with magical sea-serpents and other vicious creatures that seek to capsize every ship that comes their way. On top of that, the area is prone to violent storms, so the famous lighthouse is one of the oldest and most important buildings on the island. The passage between the mainland and island is almost impossible to traverse, so only the seasonal merchants and professional sailors make the journey, while the townsfolk prefer to stay where they are. While the seas may be rough, because of how steeply the island rises out of the water, the town stays relatively safe from the raging waters.
Notable Locations
Lighthouse
The Lighthouse, one of the first two buildings constructed on the island, is a fantastic bit of architecture that sums up a lot of Ireland’s heritage. As Ireland owes its founding to ancient sailors, there could not be a more perfect nod to their history. The basement is commonly used as the town storage, full of a confusing mix of trinkets, materials, and artefacts dating back to ten centuries ago. It is manned by those who live in the large homestead beside it, which has its farm so that their important position is never abandoned for the sake of a grocery trip. Beware of their well! If you fall in, you may just find yourself trapped in the maze of a basement.
The Church
The Church the second of the first two buildings to populate Kilkenny, is centuries old. While it has undertaken several reconstructive projects in its time (due to the Fomorian attacks more often than not), a majority of the original building is still intact, including the original stone baptismal font. Residents of Ireland are not all religious, but most visit the church as a matter of principle since it is a portion of their town’s pride and joy.
Castle Ruins/Quabbleball Arena
The next most important location to know about in Ireland is the Castle Ruins/Quabbleball Arena. The beautiful arena, lined with gigantic banners, is one of Ireland’s residents’ favourite spots to be, with the bleachers full of cheering fans every Quabbleball season. Much of the townsfolk’s free time is spent playing and practising Quabbleball, and they host several “leagues” including a childrens’ little league and an 8-team league of adult teams. At least once a week, there’s a grand cookout while the teams take turns playing, so the pitch has become a sort of economy booster as certain witches and wizards sell their famous treats at the stands. The town’s leatherworker designs special balls for the teams, sometimes even including intricate designs like those that adorn the grassy field of the arena. Much like the other gear the teams sport, these are made of Witherwood Elkskin, which can only be found deep within caves beneath the island. Some families even have collections of balls from various years to show how long they’ve been fans of the game.
Irgoll's Lair
Lastly, Irgoll’s Lair placed far away from the town is hidden away as Irgoll is the last known living Fomorian. Once a weary or misguided traveller walks through the enchanted stone arches that mark the portal entrance to his lair, they are as good as gone. Despite the morbid history of the place and the sacrifices, the villagers have made to it to keep Irgoll at bay, the area is surrounded by beautiful, albeit supernaturally large mushrooms and waterfalls. Players must know the location of his lair if they plan to ever defeat Irgoll in their quest to protect the Irish people.
Shops
| Shop Name | Shop Type |
|---|---|
| Owen’s Apothecary (Est. 1436) | Owen’s Apothecary, begun as its front sign says in 1436, is the oldest apothecary in Ireland. Inside, there are ancient tomes, old portraits of previous owners, and tables full of brewing stands. Try not to knock over the bubbling potions in this dimly lit shop! |
| Hectic Herbs | Hectic Herbs is the only gardening & herbology shop in all of Kilkenny. Inside, there’s a variety of vegetation and a lovely balcony for reading up on what flowers are best to plant this time of year. |
| Scribbles & Binds | Scribbles & Binds is one of the many book shops in Ireland, covered wall-to-wall in bookshelves full of magical books that float and whiz past while wizards search for their literary fix. |
| Spectacular Storage Solutions | Spectacular Storage Solutions offers a variety of storage-based solutions that are as spectacular as advertised! It’s based on the docks, which is helpful for merchants who need to get crates quickly to ship their wares overseas. |
| Ship Repairs | The Ship Repairs shop is beside the dock. Several vessels in varying states of repair scatter its plot, and many a sailor can be spotted there making small talk with the owner in hopes of a friends-only discount. |
| The Flag & Lamb | The Flag and Lamb is one of the many seaside venues which sailors frequent. It features a bar and restaurant with an open-design kitchen serving butterbrew, fish, and a few other imports. |
| Lyn’s Bed & Breakfast | Lyn’s Bed & Breakfast is a homely place to spend the night with uniform, well-kept rooms. It neighbours several local restaurants, so it’s perfect for the occasional tourist. |
| FogHouse Fishing Co. & Chowder House | The FogHouse, as locals refer to it, is a small eatery by the sea that gets its supplies from its fishing business counterpart. |
| The North Sea Pub | The North Sea Pub is one of the favourite local haunts of the Irish. It hosts several events, all advertised on its billboard. Its most famous dish is its pea soup, sold by the pot. |
| Twinklemax Convenience Store | The Twinklemax Convenience Store provides a handful of the necessities that aren’t offered at the other businesses in Ireland. |
| Atlantic Apothecary | The Atlantic Apothecary, owned by a favourite resident of Kilkenny, Pearl, is where many Irish children go to learn a thing or two about her business. One fun fact about her wares is that all of them are hand-brewed! |
| Shrieking Shamrock | The Shrieking Shamrock is a well-respected establishment in Kilkenny, offering outdoor and upstairs seating. Many anniversary dinners have been scarfed in the Shrieking Shamrock. |
| Fresh Food | Fresh Food is an odd spot. Some visit it frequently to collect groceries, and others say they’ve never been inside. It’s never open when you think it will be, so only those privy to its schedule ever get inside. |
| Lucky Ducky Inn | The Lucky Duck is the only inn in town, so a majority of travellers use it as their starting point for exploring the town. |
Quests
The table below includes the complete list of quests available in Kilkenny. Most of these involve handling some of the not-so-mythological creatures that plague Ireland so that the inhabitants of the town can stay safe while the adventurous players explore and learn about the lengthy history of the island and its creatures' and residents' stories.
| Quest Name | Level | Starting NPC & Coords |
|---|---|---|
| Mischievous Leprechaun | 56 | Leroy, 1033 76 7210 |
| Siren Mayhem | 57 | Pearl, 995 70 7273 |
| The Big Game | 58 | Byrne, 808 68 7096 |
| Wrath of Irgoll | 60 | Old Women, 1214 62 7331 |
Creatures & Plants
Despite the mask of peace and tranquillity that it wears, Kilkenny’s surroundings sport some of the deadlier creatures of the wizarding world, including Treants, Swooping Deaths, Mermaids, and unluckily for the townsfolk, Leprechauns which populate the swathes of underground caves on the island and snag their island’s inhabitants' most precious odds and ends through trickery and pranks. As a result, there have been several calls for their extermination, but none so far have succeeded either in approval or enactment. Most of the fauna on the island have their folklore, passed on every generation to terrified children, and yet there are still many reports of teenagers gallivanting around the island’s cliffs and caves, hoping to find some substance to the legends they were told as children. Unfortunately, those teenagers are often never seen again.
The flora of the island includes but is not limited to Level 50 Gurgle Weed, Lunaplums, Puffing Pods, Nightshade, and Dittanies, all of which can be used to craft items through professions.
Hidden Chests
Ireland is chalk full of hidden chests, much like most of the other major towns. They centre mostly around the 1st and 2nd tier, but there is 1 very well hidden Tier 3 chest in Kilkenny.
Since Ireland is a mid-level town, the chests give out a larger quantity of gold than those in Hogsworth, but not nearly as much as the graduate level towns. The rest of the loot is consistent with the town’s level in terms of broom components and recipes, Fire Dust, and mob drops.
Trivia
- Ireland’s tier 3 chest is hidden off-shore, so you won’t find it by searching the island!
- While its vibrant, fairy-tale coloured town might give off a quaint impression, Kilkenny’s inhabitants have a dark history, including an annual sacrifice of two members of the village to appease their Fomorian enemy.
- Ireland is one of two of the only towns in the wizarding world not on the mainland.
