SHILLELAGH
It is said that the Ffolk no longer cultivate the black thorn berry; no longer believe in the magic of the blackthorn fire, and a recent writer on Callidyr averred that there were to-day probably not a thousand blackthorn cudgels in the in whole of the Isles. If these things be true, the Ffolkish people are marked for destruction. If the Ffolk have forgotten their magic, their poems and ballads are dead things. If they no longer have their collection of cudgels in the chimney-corner, they are no longer distinctively a fighting people. And if they are no longer a fighting people, something picturesque and violent and splendid has gone from the world.
-Kellock the Curmudgeon in The Fire of Spring
Description
A shillelagh is a druidic wooden walking stick also used as a club or cudgel, made from a stout knotty blackthorn root with a large knob at the top. It is associated with Druids and the folklore of the Moonshae Islands.
Other spelling variants include shillelah, shillalah, and shillaly.
A shillelagh is often confused with a Druid's Cudgel, or Druid's Club by non-druids. Where a shillelagh is exclusively crafted from a blackthorn root, a druid's cudgel is solely made from the limb of a freshly dead oak tree killed by some natural cause. Also, while a druid's cudgel is a magical item, there is no inherent magic in a shillelagh, only a small power from the Earth Goddess is infused in it.
Like weapons such as the Bear Sword, Hand Claws, or an Insect Censer, a shillelagh cannot be purchased under normal circumstances, only druids make them. Though while a druid may barter or supply allies with other druidic weapons, a druid will never sell or barter a shillelagh away. It is not uncommon for a druid to have a collection of shillelaghs they have used near a chimney in their homes, if they have one. If a druid sees a character of another class with a shillelagh, it is assumed the weapon was either stolen or removed from a druid's corpse.
Construction
Shillelagh are made from sloe blackthorn wood. The term commonly refers to a simple blackthorn stick, but this is incorrect. Blackthorn is also commonly used to create divining rods, though Druids prefer apple wood for this purpose. There are tales druids craft a similar weapon called a Knobkierie from a plant called a "Kudu Lily" in lands so far to the south no blackthorn grows and where the Earthmother must work differently, but I am unable to confirm this.
Wood from the root of the blackthorn is used because it makes the knob less prone to crack or break during melee. It is also believed the blackthorn has mystical properties.
Curing and polishing
Most commonly, the chosen wood is placed in a flue to cure for a duration of several months to several years; the accumulated layer of soot gives the shillelagh its typical black shiny appearance.
After curing, a shillelagh must be dipped into a Moonwell at midnight, under the light of a full moon. This infuses the weapon with some of the Earthmother's power.
Dimensions
Shillelagh are commonly the length of a walking stick (distance from the floor to one's wrist with elbow slightly bent about 3 feet), or sometimes longer, about 4 feet or 5 feet in length. In the broad sense, a Shillealagh can include short mallets only 1 – 2 feet long to long poles 6 – 9 feet in length. The length of a Shillelagh a druid wields often tells the level of the character, especially when closer to the Sword Coast or Moonshae Islands.
There is magic in its flowers, dark magic in its stem
The green-clad Ones will harm you...
Weighting
Shillelagh may be hollowed at the heavy "hitting" end and filled with molten lead to increase the weight beyond the typical two pounds; this sort of shillelagh is known as a 'loaded stick'.
The weighted types have their knobs fitted with iron ferrules to maintain structural integrity. The sticks may also get iron ferrules fitted onto their narrow ends as well. They may also have a heavy knob for a handle which can be used for striking. Sometimes have a strap attached to place around the holder's wrist.
After a weighted shillelagh is fitted, it is banded with brass, then both a lore keeper of the Elves and one of the Dwarves will inscribe runes for "Unity" on the band in Tel'Quessir and Dethek. This is even done during periods of war between the races in very secret meetings. Unity is of all races against Kozgoroth, her allies, and any who would destroy the balance, regardless of the current political situation on the Moonshae Islands. This band will be silvered if crafted for a designated guardians and servants of a Moonwell as an extra defense against the were-creatures, Blood Warriors of the beast, and similar beings.
Obtaining a Shillelagh
Shillelagh are singularly crafted in the southern Moonshae Islands, as they must be crafted near a Moonwell. Druids who learned their craft in the Moonshae Islands are given a short or medium non-loaded Shillelagh at first tier (level 1). Druids who make a pilgrimage to the Moonshae Islands to visit a Moonwell before level 5 (tier 2) are awarded the same. Druids who visit a Moonwell at levels 5-11 (Tier 2) are awarded a short or medium loaded shillelagh. A long shillelagh may be wielded by druids over 12th level (third and fourth tier) only.
Special Properties
When wielded by a druid, and used as the druidic focus for an attack spell, the druid gains an attack bonus equal to +1/2 times the spell slot level used, rounded up. This bonus does not change with the length of the shillelagh, nor if it is weighted. On the Moonshae Islands, this attack bonus increases to +1 times the spell slot level used. In a heavily polluted area, where water or air has been clouded with offal, decay of dead bodies, or foul smoke (a live sewer, an industrialized city, a heavily used port, etc) no attack bonus is granted. A shillelagh is a non-magical weapon on its own.
Weapons proficiency with a club includes weapons proficiency with a short or medium shillelagh. Weapons proficiency with a quarterstaff includes weapons proficiency with a long shillelagh.
Shillelagh Properties Table
| Shillelagh Length |
Druid Level |
Damage | Weight | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 1-4 | 1d4 bludgeoning |
2lb. | Light |
| Short weighted |
5-11 | 1d6 bludgeoning |
4lb. | - |
| Medium | 1-4 | 1d6 bludgeoning |
3lb. | Versatile (1d8) |
| Medium weighted |
5-11 | 1d8 bludgeoning |
5lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
| Long | 12+ | 1d6+1 bludgeoning |
4lb. | Versatile (1d8) |
| Long weighted |
12+ | 1d8+1 bludgeoning |
6lb. | Versatile (1d10) |
MORE STUFF TO READ AND THINK ABOUT
Druid's Cudgel
The Druid's Cudgel was described in FR2 Moonshae by Douglas Niles Appendix B Page 61, and republished in Encyclopedia Magica vol. 1 on page 214. An on-line description is currently available on World Anvil.
Another version where the a Druid's Cudgel increases in power dependent on how many shillelagh spells are cast on it is in The Arcane Armoury in White Dwarf Issue 34, October 1982 Page 28.
There is a very nice writeup of a very different Druid's Cudgel in & Magazine Issue 5 Summer 2013 pages 27-31
The Blackthorne Tree
my leaves and fruits bestrewn,
another hunter casts his eye to find among my fare
a bough that’s straight and strong of heart
to make a walking stick,
but search he will, and search he must
to find that which is rare.
Blackthorn – sinister tree of the dark side
Excerpted from Ireland-Calling.com
Blackthorn has, perhaps, the most sinister reputation in Celtic tree lore. Known as Straif ancient Ireland, it’s thought to be the origin of the word ‘strife’.
The blackthorn is associated with the dark side of the year. It is a prickly shrub with long thorns that can cause septic flesh wounds. It produces bitter sweet berries (sloes) that ripen after the first frost.
The blackthorn is often associated with overcoming obstacles for a better future or protection and hope in the midst of devastation.
It is a haven for birds such as the, now rare, nightingale who find protection amongst the tree’s long thorns.
Sloe berries can be very carefully picked during October, after a frost, and used to make sloe gin, a mixture of sloes, sugar and gin left to mature for nearly three months to be enjoyed as a yule tide treat.
The berries, leaves and bark of the tree are said to stimulate metabolism, clean the blood, heal stomach upsets and disperse toxins from the body. So, why does the blackthorn have such a dark reputation?
In Irish folklore, the blackthorn is guarded by the spiky fairy-folk known as the Lunantisidhe, literally meaning moon fairy. They are not friendly towards humans on the best of days but should you try to cut wood from the blackthorn on the festivals of Samhain or Beltane they will surely curse you. The Lunantisidhe only leave the tree at Esbats (on a full moon) in order to pay homage to the moon goddess. So this may be the safest time to pick sloes or cut the wood.
Blackthorn is also often associated with the Cailleach, the goddess and ruler of winter. In Celtic folklore, the Cailleach emerges at Samhain to take over the year from the summer goddess Brighid.
Other Club Weapons
For non-druids, or druids who can not take the pilgrimage to the Moonshae Islands, these may be alternate weapons to consider:
The Moonshae Islands
Quick guides:
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3e) Pages 148-149
Sourcebooks:
Moonshae by Douglas Niles
This is the campaign setting that started it all. This accessory is not edition dependent, it contains the history, geography, and lore of the Moonshae Islands. It is a good read by itself. Douglas Niles also wrote the Moonshae Novels.
Moonshae Isles Regional Guide by Shawn Merwin et al.
This new guide to the Moonshae Islands covers some of the material in the original Moonshae Game Accessory, and ties it into the new events in the 5e Forgotten Realms setting post sundering etc, and things like a link between Bhaal and Kazgoroth, and others. It also covers background for the 5e Baldman Games adventures that take place in the Moonshae Islands.
Alternate Forgotten Realms - Island Kingdoms
This is an alternate multiverse Forgotten Realms. From the website:
"This sphere is home to a mirror of the world of Toril, where ancient civilisations like Netheril and Imaskar once existed, where a wizened sage called Elminster lives in his tower in Shadowdale. The difference is that here the gods never walked the earth and magical madness did not alter the planet and its people beyond all recognition."
This is a truly comprehensive resource, and information on almost anything ever published about the Moonshae Islands can be found in the Regions-Island Kingdoms section.
Sources and Credits
Most of this write-up is a hacked-up cobbled together rewrite of the Wikipedia article on Shillelagh.
The initial quote is rewritten from Fire of Spring by Harold Kellock in Everybody's Magazine, Volume XXIV, January-June 1911 pages 644-651
The Druid's Cudgel is described in Moonshae by Douglas Niles.
The druid weapons Bear Sword, Hand Claws, and Insect Censer are described in The "Superior Tools" section of The Quintessential Druid II by Gareth Hanrahan on pages 53-54.
The image of a Blackthorn Shillelagh is courtesy of FashionableCanes.com, who sell things like blackthorn shillelagh.
The blackthorn tree is well described in the Wikipedia article on Prunus spinosa.
The blackthorn used as a divining rod, with druids prefering apple wood for this use is from Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics, by Richard Folkard in the section: "Magic Wands and Divining Rods."
A Kudu Lily (pachypodium saundersii) would likely make a lousy knobkierie, but the Kudu Lily is also called: "Druid's Club," and it is super cool. Check out this image from Douglass Fromm. You can buy prints on canvas, etc. of it from fineartamerica.com
The lines beginning: "Never bring the blackthorn in" are from The London Mercury, Vol. XXVIII No. 163, May 1933.
The image I captioned: Moonwell at Midnight is Midnight Moon by Elliott Daingerfield.
Duelo a garrotazos (Duel with Cudgels) was painted by Francisco de Goya.
The Blackthorn Tree is a poem by Dan Lake.
The image I captioned: Blackthorn in Blossom is Sloe Blossom by William Stewart MacGeorge.
The image of the First Nations ceremonial ball club is from HiClipart.