Oisín

Oisín not wearing pants.

Real Name: Ben Mudd

Fighting Name: Oisín (pronounced uh-SHEEN)

Age: 19

Realm: Arnor/Washington University

Unit: Fianna

Title: Doltanagh of the Fianna, Vice-President of Wash. U. Belegarth

Preferred Weapons: Sword, board and javelins

History:

Ben started fighting in 2002 with the Lexington, KY Amtgard shire, Parth Lhun. He fought florentine as an elf and went by the name of Talaananthes Silverfall. After a year hiatus ending in April 2005, he returned to find that Parth Lhun had been disbanded, and reformed as the Belegarth realm of Rochdor. In late August 2005, he moved to St. Louis to attend Washington University, where he was instrumental in founding the University's Belegarth club, which operates in partnership with the realm of Arnor. He is Vice President and Treasurer of the club, and currently working with Helm, the club President, to gain official recognition from the University, but keeps getting distracted by Renato's radiant beauty.

Over the summer of 2005, Ben discovered the Fianna. Already a Celtic enthusiast, he was immediately interested and joined as a petitioner, or Doltanagh. Erin go bragh!

While a competant sword and boarder, Ben's true virtue lies in his ability to see the field (except picnic tables) and understand what is going on around him (excepting people eating at picnic tables) while still being an effective combatant (against picnic tables). This means that he usually ends up leading his side of the field in line battles at Wash. U., and allows him to know where and when he can be most effective in all situations.

Mythologically, Oisín (Gaelic for "little stag" and also anglicized as Ossian) was the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. He was a warrior, a poet and a hero of the mythological Fianna Éireann. There are many legends of him, some contradictory, and it is said that it was he who composed the Fenian Cycle, the epic story of the Fianna, which is also called the Ossianic Cycle after him. Ben does not seek to represent "the" Oisín within Belegarth--he merely bears the name in the honor and spirit of Oisín mac Fionn.