The Sith

Yes, the Sith are a popular topic in here of late. But that's the Star Wars Sith. I'm talking about a different kind of Sith, the Baobhan Sith.

With Halloween fast approaching, I'm getting in the mood for anything that tends to be associated with that holiday. So last Friday I checked out a couple of books from the library that can be associated with halloween, both are a part of the Time-Life The Enchanted World series that appeared in the 80s. Last night I was looking through Night Creatures chapter three, which is all about vampires and vampire-like creatures when I came across the word sith. Well, considering the fact that I am a Star Wars fan, sith certainly caught my attention when it appeared in a book with no real association with Star Wars.

So at any rate I had to check out what it had to say. Needless to say, most of what is said is a story that really doesn't explain much about the baobhan sith. But pages 87 and 89 give some understanding about these creatures. Page 87:

In Scotland, such creatures were called baobhan sith, and they lurked with others of their kind in the mountain wilds. The scots were fond of telling tales of encounters with these creatures, and the tales were not pleasant ones.

It then goes into one such tale, a fairly short tale, which ends on page 90. But it is divided by a two page picture depicting a scene from this tale on pages 88-89. And as I already said, page 89 gives a bit more of a description on the baobhan sith, which is also a quick summary of the tale told on pages 87 and 90. Page 89:

One dark night, recalls a Scottish tale, a group of huntsmen fell prey to baobhan sith--women vampires who roamed the Highlands. The vampires whirled the men in a dance of death and drank their blood as they trod the lively measures.

As I said, not much understand on just what the baobhan sith are. Are they all female? Do they only prey on men? One thing is clear though. This group of Sith are also associated with darkness and evil. Their vampires, and only come out at night.

So does that mean the Sith we know are actually vampires? Just kidding. At anyrate, Happy Halloween.

 

Weren't there Dark Lords of the Sith in the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings?

 

No clue, I know of the Ring Wraiths from LotR, but otherwise, I have no idea since I haven't read either.

Also, did some surfing on the net concerning the Baobhan Sith. Based on what I found, they tend to always be women and like most vampire myths, they can transform from one form to another. They can appear either as women or as hooded crows. When they appear as women they always wear green dresses so as to hide their feet, which are those of a deer. According to some sources they only prey on men while others claim they prey on travelers. The ones I found claiming only men were the most numerous so my guess is that those sources may be closer to the lore. Iron is a means to protect against them, particulary the iron horseshoe, and a couple sources says that iron can kill them.

Well, you learn more and more about the Sith each day.

 

Kier,

I think you're right. Sith was used in another fantasy series. I was like "whoa, waitaminute!" It's been so long since I read LotR, but I think you may be right about it being there somewhere. I don't think they were "Dark Lords of the Sith" though.

 

when are these tales from?

 

Genghis,

I think you're right. Sith was used in another fantasy series. I was like "whoa, waitaminute!" It's been so long since I read LotR, but I think you may be right about it being there somewhere. I don't think they were "Dark Lords of the Sith" though.

I haven't read them either, Tolkien bores me quite frankly, but it might have been in one of the Lord of the Rings animated movies made some years ago. I will check with my friend Ian who was read the books multiple times, and write back here with his response.

 

Sauron was a Dark Lord. But not a Dark Lord Of The Sith.

 

Having read The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings several times each, I can say with 99% certainty that the word "Sith" was -not- used in them.
Dark Lord was a fairly common term, however, so the mental assosiation is understandable.

 

If you're refering to the tales I mentioned, I'd imagine the middle ages up to so time in the ninteenth century or just about the turn of the century.

 

And from Merriam-Webster's Dictionary:

sith- archaic var of SINCE

So sith was once a variation of the word since. Intresting to note that the next two entries given in this particular dictionary (a cd version) are sithence and sithens, both of which mean the same as sith.

 

Gonna keep this one alive until after Halloween.

 

Up.

 

Up.

 

Always knew Palpy must have been undead to keep coming back like that.

 

I believe it says something about him draining folks slowly of their life essesnce on Byss in the DE sourcebook. Thinking about it, that does sound kinda vampire-like. And Kun drained the Massassi of their life essence to save himself from destruction when the Jedi came after him at the end of the Sith War, which left him as a disembodied spirit. But draining them of their life essence so he could live is vampire-like. Makes you wonder, don't it.

 

Let me try and clear up this confusion.
In the Lord Of The Rings saga the term 'Dark Lord of Mordor' is tossed
about. For more info check out LOTR or
try a LOTR encyclopedia. Remember when
Lucas first set out to create SW he
researched many sources of mythic narrative.
LOTR probably was one the sources as was the
complex Dune saga. Someone pointed out in another entry that the 'Dark Lord' term is
common. Another work using this term is Dark Lord of Derkhold (Derkholm?).

 

Up. I wonder if threads have feelings. If so, do they worry about their own deaths? And do they know when that will happen. For this thread, that should happen on Halloween since this is merely a Halloween thread.

 

Up. The threads end is near. It has but one more "up" from yours truely before it shall be allowed to fade.

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

And now this poor thread shall simply fade away. Unless folks choose to keep it going. But folks, this was a Halloween thread that was to end on Halloween. Let it fade.