Sláine's favourite weapon is an axe called "Brainbiter". He has the power of the "warp spasm", based on the ríastrad or body-distorting battle frenzy of the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, in which earth power "warps" through his body, turning him into a terrifying, monstrously powerful figure. He is a devotee of the earth goddess Danu.
Plot
At the start of the series Sláine was a wanderer, banished from his tribe, the Sessair. He explored the Land of the Young (Irish Tír na nÓg) in the company of an unscrupulous dwarf called Ukko (Finnish for "old man", and the name of the Finnish Thunder god), fighting monsters and mercenaries in the fantasy tradition. In one early adventure he rescued a maiden, Medb (named after the Irish mythological queen Medb) from being sacrificed in a Wicker Man, only to earn her enmity – she was a devotee of Crom Cruach, the god to whom she was to be sacrificed, and was looking forward to the experience. Her master and mentor, the ancient, rotting and insane Lord Weird Slough Feg, became the series' main villain.
Following stories featured sky chariots (flying longships), dragons and prehistoric alien gods.
As the series progressed, Sláine returned to his tribe and became king (as had been foretold in the narrative of his first appearance), leading them against the Fomorians, a race of sea demons who were oppressing them. Then, in the landmark storyline The Horned God, Sláine united the tribes of the earth goddess against Slough Feg and his allies, while his personal devotion to the goddess led to him becoming a new incarnation of the Horned God Carnun (based on the Gaulish deity Cernunnos). By the end of the story the Land of the Young is no more, and Sláine is the first High King of Ireland.
Subsequent stories saw Sláine sent through time by the earth goddess to fight alongside Celtic, and other, heroes and heroines such as Boudica (with whom he fought against the Romans (and Elfric), and William Wallace), and more recently return to Ireland to defend his people against new enemies alongside his wife Niamh.
These new enemies turned out to be a full Fomorian invasion led by Balor and the sadistic Moloch, murdering, raping and eating their way through Slaine's tribe until, wracked with warp-spasm, Slaine was able to take out Balor. The tribal council forced Slaine to let Moloch go, hoping he would fulfill his promise of keeping the Fomorians out of Ireland; instead, he deliberately returned to rape and murder Niamh. Wanting vengeance, Slaine abdicated the throne to go to Albion and kill Moloch, which he succeeded in doing. In his absence, his son Kai left the tribe to search for his father (eventually becoming a performer in an Albion carnival) and Ireland faced a second invasion – "the dread of Europe", Atlanteans whose ancestors had lived in Ireland before the tribes of Danu and who had been forcibly turned into hosts – Golamhs – for the symbiotic Sea Demons under Lord Odacon (an offshoot of the Fomorians), who easily threw the tribes' Sky Chariots into the Otherworld. Upon Slaine's return, he found the new High King Sethor, former member of the council who had granted Moloch freedom, was willing to surrender half of Ireland to Odacon in return for the gifts of science and civilisation.
Slaine was able to convince the tribal council that the demons could be killed and war was once more declared on the invaders, but it was clear that Ireland would be constantly attacked by wave after wave of Fomorian invasion. Slaine hit on the idea of having the Tribe of Danu escape to the Otherworld that their Sky Chariots had been sent to, thus freeing them from the demons and allowing the Atlanteans to settle peacefully in Ireland; both armies united against Odacon and his Sea Demons. Slaine was able to free the Atlantean leader Gael from being Odacon's Golamh by handing over Sethor to take Gael's place; and they led their armies to bolster the city of Tara. While the tribes fought a defensive battle, Slaine was sent to the Otherworld to secure the blessings of Danu for the Tribes of the Earth Goddess to settle there; this done, he returned with her power behind him and led a charge that decimated Odacon's forces. The Tribe was cast to the Otherworld in the aftermath, and Slaine assisted Gael in finally destroying Odacon and the parasitic spawn with which he had infested the outer-lying villages.
With Gael as High King of Ireland and founder of the eventual Gaelic race, Slaine left to track down his son. He found Kai at a travelling funfair, and later embarked on a quest to track down Crom Dubh.
Publication
They have been collected in a number of volumes but recent trade collections include:
Sláine (written by Pat Mills unless stated):
Warrior's Dawn (2005, ISBN 1-904265-33-2):
"The Time Monster" (with Angela Kincaid, in 2000 AD No. 330, 1983)
"Name of the Sword" (with Greg Staples, in 2000 AD #950–956, July–September 1995)
"Lord of Misrule" (with Clint Langley, in 2000 AD #958–963, September–October 1995, #995–998,June 1996)
"Bowels of Hell" (with Jim Murray, in 2000 AD #1000, July 1996)
"Treasures of Britain" (2012, ISBN 1-907992-97-9):
"Treasures of Britain" (with Dermot Power, in 2000 AD #1001–1010, July–September 1996, #1024–1031, January–February 1997)
"The Cloak of Fear" (with Steve Tappin, in 2000 AD #1011–1012, October 1996)
The Grail War (2013, ISBN 1781081123):
"The Demon Hitchhiker" (with Steve Tappin, in 2000 AD #1032, March 1997)
"King of Hearts" (with Nick Percival, in 2000 AD #1033–1039, March–April 1997)
"The Grail War" (with Steve Tappin, in 2000 AD #1040–1049, April–July 1997)
"Secret of the Grail" (with Steve Tappin, in 2000 AD #1090–1099, April–June 1998)
"The Battle of Clontarf" (with Massimo Belardinelli, in 2000 AD Annual, 1985)
Lord of the Beasts (2014):
"Lord of the Beasts" (with Rafael Garres, in 2000 AD #1100, June 1998)
"Kai" (with Paul Staples, in 2000 AD #1104–1107, July–August 1998)
"The Banishing" (with Wayne Reynolds, in 2000 AD #1108–1109, August 1998)
"The Triple Death" (with Wayne Reynolds, in 2000 AD #1111, September 1998)
"The Swan Children" (with Siku, in 2000 AD #1112–1114, September–October 1998)
"Macha" (with Paul Staples, in 2000 AD #1115–1118, October–November 1998)
"Beyond" (with Greg Staples, in 2000 AD Prog 2000, December 1999)
"The Secret Commonwealth" (with David Bircham, in 2000 AD #1183–1199, March–June 2000)
"The Arrow of God" (with Steve Parkhouse, in 2000 AD Annual, 1989)
The Books of Invasions: Moloch and Golamh (2006, ISBN 1-904265-82-0):
"The Books of Invasions I: Moloch" (in 2000 AD Prog 2003 and #1322–1326, December 2002 – February 2003)
"The Books of Invasions II: Golamh" (in 2000 AD #1350–1355, July–August 2003)
The Books of Invasions: Scota and Tara (2006, ISBN 1-904265-92-8):
"The Books of Invasions III: Scota" (in 2000 AD Prog 2004 and #1371–1376, December 2003 – February 2004)
"The Books of Invasions IV: Tara" (in 2000 AD Prog 2005 and #1420–1425, December 2004 – February 2005)
The Books of Invasions: Odacon (July 2007, ISBN 1-904265-92-8):
"The Books of Invasions V: Odacon" (in 2000 AD #1436–1442, April–June 2005)
"Carnival" (in 2000 AD Prog 2006 and #1469–1475, December 2005 – February 2006)
Slaine the Wanderer (2011, ISBN 978-1-907992-24-7):
"The Gong Beater" (with Clint Langley, in 2000 AD #1635–1638, May–June 2009)
"The Amber Smuggler" (with Clint Langley, in 2000 AD #1662–1665, November–December 2009)
"The Exorcist" (with Clint Langley, in 2000 AD, #1709–1712, November 2010)
"The Mercenary" (with Clint Langley, in 2000 AD, #1713–1714 and Prog 2011, November–December 2010)
The Book of Scars (2013, ISBN 978-1781081761):
"The Book of Scars" (with Clint Langley, Mike McMahon, Glenn Fabry, Simon Bisley, in 2000 AD, #1844-1849, August 2013)
The Brutania Chronicles: A Simple Killing (2015, ISBN 978-1781083352):
"The Brutania Chronicles: A Simple Killing" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD, #1874–1886, 2014)
The Brutania Chronicles: Primordial (2016, ISBN 978-1781084724):
"The Brutania Chronicles: Primordial" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD, #1924–1936, 2015)
Uncollected:
"The Brutania Chronicles: Psychopomp" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD, #1979-1988, 2016)
"Red Branch" (with Simon Davis, in 2000 AD 40th Anniversary Special, 2017)
Main characters
Slaine MacRoth – Mighty black-haired Irish warrior exiled from the Sessair tribe for having an affair with the chief's fiance Niamh. He loves fighting and often beats up Ukko. His favoured weapon is the stone axe Brainbiter and he first experienced the Warp Spasm as a child.
Ukko – Slaine's dwarf sidekick and chronicler, named after the Finnish storm-god Ukko. He is lecherous and greedy; like most fantasy dwarves he loves gold and has a business mind centuries ahead of the human characters. When Slaine becomes king Ukko is appointed his jester.
Nest – Druidess who urges Ukko to record Slaine's deeds. Ukko argues with her all the time but it is hinted there may be some mutual attraction between them.
Niamh – Slaine's strong-willed wife. She is very assertive even for a woman of her times and prone to anger and jealousy, often beating up Slaine's other wives and concubines
Supporting characters
Danu – Goddess of the earth who provides Slaine with guidance. Originally earth was ruled by female goddesses but the druids suppressed them and replaced them with male counterparts
Cathbad – Chief druid who wears a horse skull and has a strong dislike of Ukko. He is a short old man with a moustache and bald head, save for a single tuft of hair.
Myrddin – Half-Cythron Atlantean survivor and high-level magus analogous to Merlin. His fortress is located in modern-day Wales.
Kai – Slaine's son. Slaine wanted him to be a warrior but Niamh had him train as a druid. Later Kai became a travelling acrobat.
King Rudraige mac Dela – Ruler of the city of Gorlias and guardian of the Silver Sword of the Moon. His hand was bitten off by Avagddu and replaced with a metal prosthesis, preventing him from becoming High King. He was married to Niamh for a year but left her for a warrior resembling Arnold Schwarzenegger's Conan.
King Gann mac Dela – Ruler of Finias and wielder of the Spear of the Flaming Sun. To celebrate the defeat of the Fomorians Gann was sacrificed and eaten by the tribe
King Sengann mac Dela – Mad ruler of Falias, a moon-worshipping society. His people, the black-skinned Tribe of the Shadows, were responsible for exterminating the Neanderthal-like Beaver folk and stealing the Stone of Destiny.
Mogrooth - Fearsome Atlantean dragon rider and gladiator with enlarged, sharpened fangs. Despises Ukko for his thievery.
Tlachtga - Mogrooth's daughter and one of Myrddin's best warriors. Was badly disfigured by the Great Worm's breath, which aged part of her face.
Villains
The Lord Weird Slough Feg – Ancient, rotting leader of the Drunes and the original Horned God who refused to die when his seven-year reign was over. He ate the Time Worm's eggs to prolong his life and resides at the drune capital Carnac where he spends his time making cave paintings.
Medb/Megrim – Drune priestess saved by Slaine from human sacrifice. It is revealed she wanted to be sacrificed to the worm-god Crom to become a goddess. Her revealing dress is based on the skirt worn by the Egtved Girl.
Catha, Fea and Nemon - Three Drune priestesses who serve as Slough Feg's lieutenants.
Melga - Slough Feg's general, oversaw the construction of the standing stones at Carnac.
Balor – Leader of the Fomorians. He only has one eye which is capable of destroying anything he stares at.
Moloch – Balor's cruel lieutenant, who wields six swords in battle. Based on the pagan god Molech. Assumed command of the Fomorians when Balor was killed, and brutally murdered Niamh.
Odacon – Assumed control of the Fomorians after Moloch.
Sethor – Member of Sessair tribal council who succeeded Slaine as High King. Later betrayed the Celts to the Fomorians and became Odacon's golamh.
Avagddu – The demon son of the earth goddess, and the foulest, stupidest demon ever to have lived. Medb summoned him to kill Niamh but he ended up eating himself.
Elfric – Three-eyed blue skinned demon capable of time travel. He led both the Roman invasion of Britain and the Viking invasion of Ireland. He appears to be homosexual or bisexual as he refers to his relationship with Nero and was reluctant to rape Boudicca's daughters, only doing so out of spite.
Quagslime – Fomorian tax collector who cuts off the noses of tax-dodgers.
Nudd – Ogre serving as assistant jailer. Slaine bashed out his brains when Nudd tried to kill him.
Domnall – A dwarf blacksmith who murdered warriors and tempered his weapons in their blood. He is killed with his own sword by Slaine.
Slough Throt – A drune Lord who successfully shed his rotting skin to earn the rank of Slough. He hired Slaine as a bodyguard to escape Slough Feg and deliver the plans for Ragnarok to the Druids of Glastonbury.
Cador - An ancient Druid who built the forcefield that protects Myrddin's territory from the Cythrons. Is revealed to be Slough Feg in disguise.
Robym – An evil dwarf who acts as a servant to Medb
Skuld the Demented, Hadric Hissing-blade and Thorgrim Ironjaw: Three Viking pirate captains sent by Slough Feg to attack Slough Throt's flying longship.
Broog – Torturer employed by the Inquisition, actually a cult worshipping the Blood god Iahu.
Gael – Leader of the tribe of wandering Atlantean refugees who ally themselves with Odacon's fomorians. Serves as Odacon's first host (golamh). Gives his name to the 'gaelic' peoples.
Scota – Egyptian princess who eloped with Gael's Atlanteans. Gives her name to the Scottish race.
Mordred – Son of King Arthur and Morgana, betrays and murders his father for converting to Christianity and renouncing the Goddess but is himself mortally wounded with Excalibur.
Hengwolf – Anglo-Saxon warlord and worshipper of Odin allied to Mordred. Later transforms into the white dragon of the Saxons and battles Slaine
Guledig – Cythron leader who orchestrated Arthur's downfall. Is worshipped by the Celts as a statue of a golden child called the Mabon, but his real form is a green disembodied head with three arms
Historical and Mythical characters
Boudicca – Queen of the Iceni, based on the historical hero of the same name
William Wallace – Scottish rebel fighting against the English invaders
St Patrick – A priest Slaine encounters in Demon Killer. He tries to convert Slaine to Christianity then threatens him with damnation when Slaine refuses. Ukko is interested in his valuable gold cross.
Robin Hood – Saxon outlaw and leader of the last pagan coven, tortured to death by the fanatical Sheriff of Nottingham. Slaine must replace Robin as the Lord of Misrule
King Arthur – Legendary British ruler killed by Morded and his ally, the Saxon warlord Hengwolf. Slaine must take Arthur's place and break the curse over the Ancient Britons.
Sir Lancelot – Arthur's former champion, now living as a monk to atone for his betrayal.
Guinevere – Arthur's wife possessed by a Cythron priestess.
Celts
Roth Bellyshaker – Slaine's father. Once a proud warrior, he became an obese braggart. He was killed by Slough Feg when attempting to avenge Slaine's apparent death
Macha – Slaine's mother. Roth was responsible for her death as he bragged she could outrun the king's chariot and made her enter the race
Mongan Axe-head – Slaine's foster-father who headbutts enemies with his spiked helmet
King Ragnall – Slaine's foster-brother who tries to appease the Fomorians with tributes. When he is publicly humiliated by Balor, Ragnall commits ritual suicide with assistance from Cathbad so Slaine can replace him as king of the Sessair.
King Grudnew – Ragnall's predecessor and husband of Niamh who ran over Slaine's mother with his chariot. He was thrown off a cliff by his own tribe for failing to prevent a famine.
Blind Bran – An old beggar and ally of Slaine who fought alongside him during his time as a mercenary.
Cuan – A warrior sacrificed by the druid priestesses to enable them to foretell the future. His torture and disembowelment is similar to the injuries influcted on Lindow Man.
Madad the Quarrelsome – A warrior who insults Slaine and questions his right to be king. His nose was chewed off in a fight.
Dundan Skullsmasher – A Sessair warrior killed in a fight for the best cuts of meat.
Gwalchazad the Ram – The warrior who challenges Dundan Skullsmasher for the hero's portion.
Fergus the Brave – A warrior a bored Slaine accuses of cowardice.
Diarmid the Foul-Tempered – Slaine claims to have slept with his wife and daughter, only for Diarmid to offer his attractive sister.
Conal the Handsome – A warrior Slaine punches in the face in an attempt to start a fight. Despite losing all his teeth, Conal is more concerned about the damage to Slaine's hand.
Madog Stag-shanks – Village headman who sheltered Slaine in return for his mammoth.
Caw Sheaf-hair – Madog's son. Is murdered by Slough Throt's skull-swords.
Cullen of the wide mouth – Classmate jealous of the young Slaine's skill in battle. Tries to murder Slaine but is killed with a gae bulga.
Conn of the Hundred Battles – Red Branch warrior and father of Cullen who tries to avenge his son's death but is also killed by Slaine.
Others
Blathnaid – Former lover of Slaine, who used to rob horse-drawn carriages and was a regular runaway bride. Later on after they had parted ways, she was devoured by a giant serpent summoned from hel by the Drunes. After which it was able to take her shape.
Medrawd – Farmer who lives alone with his mother. Is actually a shape-shifting shoggey beast responsible for devouring many passing travellers.
Mor Ronne the Dung Collector – One of the few dwarves more repulsive than Ukko. Nest has to sleep with him as part of her initiation ceremony
White Tusk – King of the Orcs with the head of a Wild boar who presides over a court of fools. Ukko must steal his tusk for a potion to save King Arthur
The Knucker – An ageing dragon used as aerial transport by Slaine
Nidhug - A fierce dragon that killed Tlachtga in Grimnismal's tomb.
Pluke - A light El who helps Slaine rescue Nest and Myrddin from the Cythrons.
Video games
Sláine, the Celtic Barbarian (by Creative Reality, Amstrad CPC, C64 and ZX Spectrum graphic adventure) [2]
Role-playing games
Solo RPG appearances:
Cauldron of Blood (Dice Man No. 1, illustrated by David Lloyd).
Dragoncorpse (Dice Man No. 2, illustrated by Nik Williams).
