For Saint Patrick’s Day, I asked my friend Michelle Franklin, mother of Myndil and creator of many loveable characters, to talk about her own Irish missionary.
Everybody knows that on the seventeenth of March, the world celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day, a holiday glorifying the patron saint of Ireland. While we know most of the legends about him were invented over the centuries, the time he lived in was one that still fascinated many historians and enthusiasts.
This is why Myndil is always so interested in everything.
Myndil and Patrick are both around during the Irish Golden Age, and whilst Patrick was said to have been going around performing miracles and being speciesist toward reptiles, Myndil journeyed across ancient Eire making friends with everything that could kill him. He thought this was a great way to tell the snails, rabbits, and people alike about his God.
Myndil, unlike Patrick, is a friend of snakes. Point for Myndil.
He and Saint Patrick did not have the same God. Myndil did not know this, however.
Unlike the saintly stories, Myndil’s miracles always worked, because he never expected them to, but to understand the world in which Myndil navigates, an introduction to him and some of his friends would be handy:
*Characters designed by a tiny elf in HeroForge
Name: Myndil Plodostirr (might not be his actual name) [he/him]
Age: 21
Occupation: Professional smiler
Likes: Everything, including sunshine, frumenty, werewolves, and bed demons.
History: Was left at a monastery in Ulaid when he was five years old. Has not stopped talking since. Thinks that God talks to him.
Name: Aodhgan MacCellaig [he/him]
Age: 38
Profession: Werewolf. Prince of Ossory.
Likes: Myndil, the abbess, his father, his cousin.
History: Grew up in Osraige, the ancient kingdom of Faoladh, friendly werewolves who occasionally leave their kingdom to travel with monks.
Name: Bhaldruithe (pronounced like a sneeze) [she/her]
Age: 28
Profession: Abbess
Likes: Caring for the poor and wretched, Myndil, werewolves.
History: Came to Myndil’s abbey when her abbey was raided and destroyed by Vikings.
Name: Abbot? [he/him]
Age: Probably 60, but inside is 95
Profession: Abbot
Likes: Suffering, agony, silence.
History: Came to the abbey when it was just an orphanage, deeply regretted ever being anywhere near Myndil.
Name: Brother Crannach [he/him]
Age: Possibly 50.
Profession: Head Brother at the abbey
Likes: Teasing the abbot, caring for children, Myndil, and Sister Iarlaith.
History: Came to the abbey under strange circumstances, may or may not be human.
Name: Thingunderthebed [she/her]
Age: ??
Profession: Boggart
Likes: Eating dust bunnies, giving Myndil nightmares.
History: Was named by Myndil when he was five, has given him pleasantly horrific dreams every day since.
Name: Thistlewraithe [he/him]
Age: ???
Profession: Co-walker
Likes: Following people around and jumping out of their shadows.
History: Found Myndil along the road and stuck to his shadow, somehow picked up Cockney accent along the way.
Name: God (?)
Age: ????
Profession: Godding
Likes: Doing Goddy things.
History: Began talking to Myndil when he was five, has somehow not run off yet, likes using Myndil as a testing ground.
Read more about Myndil and his friends in my review of The Misadventures of Myndil Plodostirr.
About Michelle Franklin
A woman of moderate consequence who writes many things. Scientist. Knight of the Spade. Agronomist. Bibliothecary. Lucubrator. Philologist. Professor Emeritus. Burgeoning Valetudinarian. A Wit.
Tiny Elf Arcanist 
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