Stone, Spear, Cauldron, Sword

In ancient times the Tuatha dé Danann invaded Ireland. Some say they appeared in the clouds above the land. Some declare they sailed in from the sea, their ships hidden in a fog bank or by smoke. And a few believe they came to Ireland in great flying ships, landing in the Iron Mountains. Whatever the truth hidden in the legends, the stories all agree on four points. When they arrived in Eire, the People of Danu carried four wondrous treasures with them—the Lia Fail (the Stone of Destiny that shouted aloud when the rightful king touched it), the Spear of Lugh (it ensured victory to the warrior who carried it), the Cauldron of Dagda (none went away from it unsatisfied or hungry), and the Sword of Nuada (none escaped the one who wielded it.) No one living today knows what happened to the four treasures, now buried or lost in the mists of time.

Or do they? One late summer day a group of hikers made a startling discovery on a stony mountainside in the Appalachian Mountains. Assigned to investigate the find, anthropologist Russet McGinnis and her partner, archeologist Maxen Pryce determine the artifact is Bronze age, possibly even Iron age European origin. Their preliminary excavations are barely begun when they are ordered to evacuate the exciting site because a dangerous early nor’easter is moving up the eastern seaboard bringing the promise of record-breaking snow and ice. Reluctantly, they pack everything at the primitive site for transport to Russet’s winter quarters, including the few artifacts they’ve found and two strange stones…

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