DARA

REAL NAME: Dara.

KNOWN ALIASES: Dara the Beautiful, Dara of the Celts.

IDENTITY: Publically known, though the general populace does not believe her to be an actual Celtic deity.

OCCUPATION: Warrior, Adventurer.

PLACE OF BIRTH: The village of Tine, Tir na nÓg, Otherworld.

CITIZENSHIP: Citizen of Otherworld.

MARITAL STATUS: Single.

KNOWN RELATIVES: Druil (Father).

KNOWN ALLIES: Taranis.

MAJOR ADVERSARIES: Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Dark Elves, Cyngar, Valkyra.

GROUP AFFILIATIONS: Tuatha de Danánn (“The Children of Danu”).

USUAL BASE OF OPERATIONS: The island of Tir na nÓg in the dimension of Otherworld.

EXTENT OF EDUCATION: Unrevealed.

FIRST APPEARANCE: [Historical] STRANGE WORLDS #2 (September, 1951, as “Dara of the Vikings”); [Current version] TARANIS THE THUNDERLORD #0 (February, 2019, as “Dara of the Celts”).

HEIGHT: 6’2” EYES: Green.

WEIGHT: 375 lbs. HAIR: Blonde.

OTHER DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Dara possesses mystical “woad”, or Celtic battle tattoos, on her body. The exact purpose of these or how she obtained them is unknown.

HISTORY:

Daughter of the mighty warrior Druil and wielder of the mystical Golden Bow, Dara is a warrior-maiden without peer.

Renowned as much for her strong right arm as her beauty, she is a protector, and defended her home village of Tine from the Fir Bolg war-chief known as Cyngar. Her skill with the Golden Bow won the day, and the attackers were repelled.

Dara continued to seek out the Fir Bolg and slay them as retribution for the death they had caused in her village, which brought her into contact with the Thundergod Taranis. The two have shared a love of battle that quickly blossomed into romance, and they have been steadfast lovers for millennia.

POWERS/ABILITIES:

As a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann (the race commonly known as the Celtic gods), Dara possesses a number of physical abilities native to her people.

Dara possesses greater strength than a normal Celtic goddess, enabling her to lift (press) approximately 50 tons (the average Celtic goddess can lift 30 tons). Celtic flesh and bone are several times more dense than that of a normal human, contributing to Dara’s superhuman strength and weight. Her muscle density is fortified to the point where her skin is able to resist without rupture ballistic impacts equivalent to armor-piercing .50 caliber machine gun shells, or around 800 pounds of TNT. She is also able to endure extremes of temperature ranging from -200° F (-128° C) to well over 2,000° F (1,093° C) and pressure from .02 to 12.5 atmospheres. Her immune system is highly resistant to most toxins and diseases found in the mortal realms, and while not a true immortal like the Olympians, Dara’s lifespan will measure in the hundreds of thousands of years. Similar to the Aesir of Norse mythology, the Tuatha Dé Dannan consume Golden Apples (though not the same apples that grow on the goddess Idunn’s tree) to retain their youth and strength, and to extend their lifespans. Additionally, Dara’s body heals at an accelerated rate, allowing her to recover from injuries or intense exertion far faster than normal. Her natural speed and reflexes are enhanced, and allow her to react and move at approximately three times the speed of a normal human.

WEAPONS/PARAPHERNALIA:

Dara makes use of a sword and shield constructed of a metal native to the dimension of Otherworld which possesses enhanced physical properties beyond those of metals native to the Earth dimension. Her sword is able to cut through most terrestrial materials with little effort, and is far more dense on an atomic level, making it heavier and more difficult for a mortal to lift. Likewise, her shield is able to protect her from extremes in temperatures as well as artillery fire from an M-1 Abrams tank (120 mm artillery shells), though it will knock her off balance if she is not properly anchored.

Dara’s primary weapon is the enchanted “Golden Bow.” This bow is constructed of an unknown material and is so heavy that it requires far greater-than-normal strength, even for a member of the Celtic race, to lift and draw. When loose, the arrows can strike a target as far away as 400 meters without fail, impacting with the full force of the draw, suffering no loss of kinetic energy over distance traveled. Dara also carries a traditional Celtic sword and shield with her, constructed of the unique metals native to the dimension of Otherworld.