Biographies

Kees Van Lew-Macklin

Kees was born in the far flung Sodor & Monadh disces, but was kidnapped as a boy and taken across the waters to Estragales, a land of dour, strange-speaking folk. (It is worth noting that during his 10 years there he did acquire a slight accent, which is almost undetectable). After his return to these lands, he took up numerous guard and milita duties lasting about three days each, before he was removed for disobedience and disrespect to senior officers.

Upon joining the Ragh Hrafen Fianna, he noted that Sergeant At Arms Bunbjorn BunBjornsson did not take any shit, and under the motto 'We're Freke, we know we're hard, and we get the job done', Kees has risen through the ranks and now holds the position his former commanding officer held all those years before him.

Quinnan McCaffrey

Some say time passes full circle, and what once was will come again. Quinnan McCaffrey is a firm believer in this.

It all began with Thanor McCaffrey, a mighty warrior and leader of the Wolf Fianna of Erin, the third army of King Gilomanus over 650 years ago. He later became the leader of the Ragh Fianna the renowned warriors who under the payment of King Lac become some of the most feared fighters in the known world.

The stories of Thanor’s exploits with the Fianna, and his closest companions Sergeant Diwrnach, and Corporals Eachern and Oengus were passed down in secret from generation to generation, as those known as the Raggers were seen as traitors for leaving Erin behind. From an early age, Quinnan would sit around the fire hearing the deeds of his great ancestor from centuries ago. Over the years, many of the McCaffrey men would leave the village where they had grown, in search of the Hrafen Caran Fianna, ‘Thanor’s last command’, to carry on the family association with the unit.

Eventually stories would make their way home, and new histories and tales would be added to the growing list. Stories, such as the time when Fergus McCaffrey a corporal and his men were shipwreaked out at sea, but managed to float to shore on makeshift rafts made from the ship’s debris, only to find themselves raided on the beach by Black Orcs. Fergus and three of his men survived to tell the tale.

The last story to wind it’s way back to the McCaffrey household concerned the fall of the Harfen Caran Fianna under the command of Captain Arithon. The Fianna was attacked by an overwhelming force of Drow and cut down to the last man. Quinn’s great uncle Caradog had died in that battle and upon the first hearing of that story, Quinn was left with a sense of discomfort, and the beginnings of a powerful hatred towards the Fomorian race.

Over the years, Quinnan grew into a young man, and regularly trained with the local Fayed to learn the skills his forefathers had so readily put to use. His progress was proceeding exceptionally well until the year of pestilence caused by the Plague Demon Maladius. Disease and famine spread through the lands and many hundred fell ill and died a slow debilitating death. The McCaffreys were no exception to this and Quinn too succumbed to the disease that spread throughout the town. One by one his parents and younger siblings died, bodies ripped through by pain. Yet somehow, Quinnan held on. For days he passed in and out of consciousness and every time it appeared that his strength had finally left him, Quinnan would feel a presence urging him to live, to strive forward and reawaken.

Quinnan did not die, and eventually pulled through. Although weaker in body, Quinnan felt stronger in mind and was certain, that although now alone in the world, he was now being watched by an unseen force.

Over the coming years Quinnan, hired himself out to local lords, protecting their cargoes or fighting over border disputes and disagreements. It was during this time, that Quinnan fine tuned his warrior skills and added a little extra to his repertoire. The ‘gift’ as Quinnan referred to his tricks, surfaced after a deeply vivid dream whereby the ever present force that Quinnan felt, re-shaped and moulded itself into a Black Raven, which settled on his bed roll. It’s dark beady eyes bore straight through Quinnan and rasping words echoed in the night, ‘Do not forget your Heritage, seek out Captain Aleerson, the Fianna awaits’.

The next morning, renewed energy filled Quinnan, for he again had direction, but more importantly, the totem of the Ragh Hrafen Fianna, the Babh the Raven Goddess had awoken.

Quinnan understood that the Fianna had reformed, and it was his duty to join the ranks, follow his ancestors’ footsteps and eventually claim the leadership as Thanor McCaffrey had done, all those many years ago.

Finnigan Kaff (Hrafen Mor)

Finnigan was named after a father he never met, or at least that was what his mother had always told him. His mother Beth, one of the local ‘pleasers of men’ raised him on her own along with his two older sisters in the heart of Caledonia. Maybe it was the fact that he had no father and or even due to his mother’s profession, but Finnigan, from as early as he could remember was the brunt of many of the tricks and beatings that the older boys in the town would play on him.

That was until Finnigan finally grew to an age when he realised that all the men that visited his mother’s room were not uncles but in fact the very source of the income that would eventually feed his young belly. There was one older man that would often appear on the doorstep, and for a while Finnigan thought that this might have been his father. This man tended to treat his mother with more care and attention than what the other punters did, and for this Finnigan took a liking to him. That wasn’t the only reason, for this man was a soldier, carrying a sword and wearing chainmail where ever he went.

Over a period of some months the warrior who went under the name of Kaff would visit frequently and occasionally spend time with the still young Finnigan teaching him the basics of swordplay and self defence while his mother would be preparing herself for the evening. These sessions gave Finnigan an outlet and when Kaff was away with his unit known as the Hrafen Mor, Finnigan would try and fight his way out of the gang beatings and tricks that endlessly continued. For a while Finnigan still came home bloodied and bruised, but he was starting to make his mark on the other boys; because so were they!

A number of years went by, and Finnigan grew in size and stature. The other boys didn’t threaten him anymore, in fact if they crossed him in any way they usually ended up with a busted nose and bloody face, or worse cracked ribs and broken legs. Kaff had stopped coming. As word would have it, he had been killed in battle the previous winter defending against Black Orcs. This only spurned Finnigan into action, and he decided to make a move with his life. He set out to find the Hrafen Mor and offer his services under the name he been going under for the last few years; Finnigan Kaff.

Finnigan was still young when he was accepted as a Recruit to fight in the ranks of the Fianna. It offered Finnigan a new life and for the first time in as long as he could remember; friends. It soon became apparent however that within the Fianna there were was a power struggle with a number of the Corporals and Raggers dictating that they saw the Fianna as old and outdated. They wanted to revamp the training systems and update the ethics that held the Fianna together.

Over an especially warm and sweltering summer, the situation rose to boiling point and the same Corporals and Raggers that had campaigned for a new and improved Fianna broke away and urged all those that wanted, to come and help form what was to become the Black Guard.

Therefore during that same summer, Finnigan joined the Black Guard as a recruit with a number of his closest friends from the Hrafen Mor. He enjoyed the initial power, strength and ability to get things done that the break away Black Guard seemed to possess. Nothing seemed too much trouble and the unit would always strive to stamp their mark on the lands around them. Just by being in the Black Guard, Kaff as he was often referred to, felt as if he had greater strength. Although he had never realised as much, he could now feel the natural magics in his body that led him to casting spells to aid in his battle tactics.

Over the weeks, people he had grown to know would disappear from training and the barracks for a few days, only to come back, looking leaner and meaner. All their eyes had blackened and appeared to hold no emotion. A sense of total darkness and evil resonated within these eyes, leaving even Finnigan with a chill. The only response to where these warriors had been was that they had met the true Captain. Up until now, only the one known as Zool had led the Black Guard. No-one ever saw the Captain.

After a few months, the initial euphoria ebbed away and doubts began to creep into Finnigans mind. He had been on a couple of small missions with his ‘Battle’; led by Zool. After these exercises Finnigan would fell less, and looking in the small mirror at his barracks he was certain his eyes were darkening in colour. Things turned worse when half-orcs started turning up in camp, and were welcomed as ‘Brothers’ by the officers. Since when were half-orcs classed as Brothers in Arms!

Shortly after that, Finnigan was convinced he had seen Black Orcs enter the camp and speak with Zool before leaving. That couldn’t be right, Black Orcs were the enemy, and hadn’t they killed the person who had been the closest thing Finnigan had had to a father.

Everything came to a head, a few days later, when his party was lead away by a lesser officer. Finnigan realised that his was the only ‘Battle’ to have yet met the Captain. On the way along the track half a day out of camp, the officer let slip in conversation with another of the recruits that they were to meet the Captain, and offer their lives and in return they would be granted great power. Once this was done, they would then ambush a Hrafen Mor patrol and kill all members to prove their worth. They even knew where the hit would take place.

This was too much for Finnigan. He remembered friends he had had in the Hrafen Mor. They weren’t the enemy. Finnigan had no problem with dealing a killing blow, but he wasn’t going to kill needlessly unless provoked. The Hrafen Mor were supposed to be on the same side. Their set up was different that was all……wasn’t it?

Thinking over what he had seen and felt - Orcs, Sense of Darkness, his own growth in power, the darkening of his eyes, he realised something greater was afoot that he didn’t want to be a part of  – it wasn’t human. That night he crept away when he should have been on watch and went straight to the Hrafen Mor barracks.

Finnigan was met with resistance when he requested to see Captain Louis de Gaar, and took a beating for being untrustworthy and a spy sent by the Black Guard. Finnigan had not realised that the Hrafen Mor had suffered losses against the Black Guard in recent months and felt sure that the Hrafen Mor would now kill him.

However Louis de Gaar intervened and questioned Finnigan who explained all. Louis de Gaar, looked into Finnigan’s eyes and although no-one else in the room could see any emotion in these eyes, de Gaar saw something that confirmed his will.

Louis de Gaar, Finnigan, and a skilled group went to intercept the ambush squad and came upon the group from behind. Helped by the patrol that would have been the target the Hrafen Mor set out to vanquish their would be murderers. Finnigan ruthlessly killed a number of his ‘old friends’ including the young officer who had led the Black Guard. Once the Black Guard were defeated Louis de Gaar and his men began burning bodies, much to Finnigan’s surprise, until the dead officer who still lay before him, rose as a Shadow and struck Kaff in the face.

In that blow, maybe the Shadow passed on a warning, or due to Finnigan‘s recent proximity to the darkness, he fell poleaxed writhing in agony, his eyes burning, images playing through his mind, on what he was supposed to have become that night. A true Brother of the Black Guard and warrior under the Lich Mortaous.

Instantly Finnigan understood how he had been played by the Black Guard as a young recruit, and instead, that very night, he swore his Lifeblood to the Hrafen Mor. Over the proceeding years Finnigan’s actions would see him rise to Sergeant and become one of Louis de Gaar’s most trusted men.

But Kaff would always be broodier, darker in emotion than the remaining Fianna. That however is the price he paid to keep his soul.

Recent History

After the events of 1101 and the handing of the Captain’s Axe to Jacob Aleerson, the Hrafen Mor Fianna began working closely with the Ragh Hrafen Fianna. During the year 1102, the Ragh Fianna took a number of losses with battles against Darkmane and various skirmishes with Bears and Tarantula Assassins. For this reason Kaff was sent to the Reds as a tool to be used. Immersed within the ranks of the recruits, Kaff would be able to use his experience and hardness to strengthen the new blood and lead the latest in a long line of raw recruits into fighting warriors of the Ragh Hrafen Fianna.

Heather Gorden

I think that its time you, now my family should know the real history that goes with me, I think I owe you an explanation, If nothing more. Yes, I do originally come from Estragales I wasn't lying about that I was originally born in Caen in 1077. My life used to be simple before the trouble began. Being an only child I would help my dear mother Megan with the daily chores and afterwards if there were time I would play my flute in the nearby fields that belonged to my father. As I got older I took an interest in medicine and began helping with ailments throughout the village, my mother gave me the Amethyst necklace that I wear now she believed it had healing abilities, and to this day I have never taken it off.

Our house was simply furnished but unlike many in the village it was much larger and we had much land to accompany it. My Father was the leader of our clan, which meant we were fairly well off I suppose. My Mother tried to be much like everyone else, she just wanted to be friends with the other woman but even though they spoke to her I am sure a lot of them were resentful of us.

When I reached the age of sixteen my Father, Angus Duncan bought me a horse, which I named chestnut to match his colour. This was about the time the Saxons tried to take over our lands, peacefully at first then gradually over about two years it got worse, fighting, thieving, and then the fires that were set upon our village.

Our neighbouring clan was about five miles down the glen and my Father having realised that even though friendship had not been the best in the past they would have to stand together to stand a chance of winning this, what was fast turning into a battle. For this alliance to happen it was 'decided' that I would marry Tryge the son of Kori Gudmundsson on the evening of 23 July 1096. Never in my life had I seen this man son of the leader of The Norse but none the less I was prepared to meet him. Little did my father know that after that first chaperoned meeting in the gardens of the church I was planning my escape! I was not going to be ruled by anyone, let alone have a partner chosen for me to save the clans, as far as I could see my father had wanted this war since I was a little girl. As far as I could see that same horse my father had brought me three years before was to be my only means of escaping. So that’s what I did one dark summers night.

Many years before I had been told of a rich Aunty who lived in North Albion so I set out with only the clothes I stood in, in search of freedom and of course my rich Aunty Agnus.

The rest of my tale was true, I did meet Owyn Gordon in my search for work in the small town of Hexham, where he was looking for his brothers. We both travelled north in search of my Aunty who I learnt sadly had died in the freezing winter before, Owyn found his two brothers not long after that in Jorvik. His family complete I was asked to join them on their return to Strathbogie (only Owyn knew the real story of who I was). On our way back we came across a large man who lay in the hedgerow badly injured and naked, stripped of his tartan, although he could barely talk he managed to tell us that he had been mugged by allies of his group. This man was our link to the Ragh Hrafen Fianna, Kyle McLeod. We lay him on our horse and took him to the Gordon clan where I cared and nursed him back to full health. Kyle offered us the chance to join his group, as a thank you for what we had done for him. We made the long journey across the waters to Orknejar where finally we joined the Fianna.

A year later I have a new family, The Raggers, I ask you to forgive me for lying. My mother and Father are not dead, I never knew my grandparents, let alone grew up with them, it was all a tale for me to get away from my Father and Tryge. No-one would let me get out of that wedding, the only way was to escape and become Heather McGuinee not Heather Duncan.

But now later on Owyn and myself have an announcement to make, on the evening of the wolf winter feast we married in secret at the grimstone circle. I hope this will not put the Ragh Hrafen Fianna in danger but I fear the worst as my fathers men will surely return in search of me, then they will find out that I can not marry Trygg as I am already married.   

Nessa Morwen

Born and raised on Orknejar in a small village not a million miles from Nidvellir Nessa was a farmers daughter, who spent more time playing with the boys than tending the cattle in the fields. During her teen years she teamed up with a couple of friends, Tara Dannon and Gwen McCreddy and the three of them ran riot always one step ahead of the boys and frequently being scolded by their parents for neglecting the chores.

It was during these years that the three of them found they had latent talents in skills other than getting into trouble and flirting with boys. Nessa could sense the ancestors and mould their power, whilst Tara could cast small cantrips using the forces around her. To compliment the duo, Gwen learnt the healing arts to good effect.

There was fun to be had when you could befriend young men, or make them fall to their feet covering themselves in milk, from the pails being carried. Nessa was just having fun, without a care in the world…..

Life changes rapidly, one moment there is calm and order and the next there is chaos, all that you’ve known disintegrated in an instant. For once Nessa was doing as she’d been told, and was clearing out the large barn behind the house, to make ready for the cattle. It was nearing the end of autumn and winter would soon set in. The ground would freeze solid and snows were soon to fall, so the cattle would be brought indoors to miss the brunt of the weather. Nessa’s Dah had also said the milk was better from a cow at ease, than a cow freezing it’s udder’s off!

It started with a scream from across the village, followed by shouts of panic. Nessa ran to the side of the barn to peer through the cracks in the planks, and could see figures running in all directions. Chasing these figures were even larger beings wearing chain mail and wielding clubs and swords, screaming in glee at the chaos that ensured. Those not quick or agile enough were battered to ground or chopped down as they ran.

A board creaked behind her, and Nessa spun to face the brown, pot marked facr of an Orc, saliva running down it’s chin as it savoured the prospect of it’s young prize. It stepped closer raising it’s club, Nessa was routed to the spot in fear, waiting for the blow to end her young life. The club swung down, arching savagely to cave in Nessa’s head. As Nessa tensed for the impact she knew was to follow, the club shattered in mid flight, showing her with sharp wooden shards, and life flowed back through her limbs. She called upon the ancestors while the Orc looked dumb struck and confused at the handful of splinters it still held in it’s hands, and repelled him across the barn, so that he hit the far wall and slumped to it’s knees. Picking up the hay fork she’d lent against the wall, she charged at the Orc as he began to raise and skewered it through the chest, black blood gurgling out it’s mouth. It’s legs twitched for a moment and became still.

Nessa turned around to see Tara and Gwen standing at the doorway, the former still pointing at where the club had been swung but moments before. They ran to Nessa who noted that their visages were consumed by shock. Nessa then felt the pain, suddenly realising she was covered in blood, her own blood, and that hundreds of splinters had stuck in her face, chest and arms.

At this point Nessa’s mother ran in with her cousins and aunt. She willed the girls to hide and began covering them in the hay that was piled up in large mountain towards the back corner. Just as the girls were finally hidden, the stomp of heavy feet met their ears, and through the layer of hay, Nessa could just make out a half dozen Orcs entering the barn. Nessa’s mother and relatives screamed in terror and tired to run to safety, but to no avail.

The Orcs had spotted their dead comrade and set to work on the women. The human screams were endless, the laughter and glee from the Orc barbaric. Eventually the screams grew fainter, to sobs, and then to nothing, just the grunts, snarls and inhuman Orc sounds echoing throughout the barn. The Orcs were enjoying themselves, they were sharing the spoils.

Nessa and the others dared not move, least they meet the same fate as her mother. Tears running down their cheeks, they were terrified, but thankful that they couldn’t make out anything more than shadows and shapes in the barn. Nessa didn’t think she could stand seeing all the grisly details.

Nessa then noticed a head raise,

“Coporal, I’z smell fear, I’z smelz live flesh”
“Kruzat, Corporal Grumash thinks youz are right”, replied a larger being, slowly starting to rise. The Orc dropped an arm to the floor and sniffed at the air. It’s head swung to the hay pile,
“Corporal Grumash smalls it, Grumash wants it. This time I wants it alive, for meez pleazor”. The Orc edged towards to the hiding girls, the footsteps getting closer, it’s blood drenched hand reaching out….

Commotion was heard at the door, as a new entrant ran it, “Corporal Grumash, the Red shields have arrived, Captain signalled to pull out, we have our supplies” panted the Orc, due to running from barn to barn.

With a snarl and last look at the hay pile the Corporal tuned, collected his squad and made off out of the barn.

The girls still did not move, it was only when minutes later a handful of humans entered the barn, recoiling at the carnage that greeted them that the girls dug their way out and into the hands of armed soldiers carrying Red and Purple Shields. The sight before them was horrendous, etched into the memories of all there.

That was many years ago. That day Nessa lost her family but became part of a new one, with new brothers and sisters. - ‘The Ragh Hrafen Fianna’-

It has been a long road, and an unpleasant one at times. A life of hardship but reward. Of that day only Nessa remains. Gwen died at Byzantium, Tara, missing in action. Of the Raggers who found her, Starious Galbraith fell defending Lord Wolf and Abou sacrificed his life to save others.

The life of a soldier, Nessa now has.

Olaf Erickksson

I am Olaf Erickksson son and aire to jarl Harold Erickksson and I live in the pelgrin forest above the northern wastes this is how I found the fianna

It was the time of my coming of age I was in charge of three long ships and sent out to make my fourtune I had herd whispers of a place of great richers across the great sea called byzantium a place of sun to cut a long story short there was no way on earth we alone could take this place so on the way home we raided from place to place not doing to bad at all when we came across something later on called the white hand wars this is where I met a man Jacob and his unit called the Raggers we helped him out for a time and life was bloody but very good I ended up losing touch with most of my men one way or another and ended up joining the fianna, it is the end of the gathering and I have just taken my blood oath I have been advised to go home and settle my place and estate before I embark to new places with my new family.

Any way back home I found my mother dead my farther re married and her son in my place ,words was said and found my self alone in my own place for me to leave I had to fight her son Erick it only ended one way and im still alive

I am now back with the fianna I am a outcast from my lands

They will be out for blood revenge its only a matter when

I Olaf swear this to be my life

I hope the fianna my brothers in arms will only help me when the time comes

<>Olaf Erickksson follower of Odin

Snorri MacKenna 

A born and bread hunter who started life living in a wild society, built up of beliefs about the world around them so obscure, that even to this day a lot of their beliefs are unknown…
It all started before the Cataclysm of Water when the Empire ruled the lands…
During the reign of the Empire it had become clear to a few Empire troops the true intentions of the Emperor, this caused a lot of tension to build up internally within the Empire and a resistance group was formed…

Slowly but surely the years pasted and the resistance grew taking out Empire stronghold from the inside… At first the Emperor over looked this as nothing more than a few people being a nuisance, but then decided it was for the best to get rid of the resistance and ordered them all to be killed on sight… as the resistance fell victim to the Empires attacks there numbers shrank and the group was always on the run. Until however they stumbled upon a safe haven within the Picta Forest on Orkneyjar, it was decided that this would be their base of operations for resistance pockets to attack the Empire and over the years there number grew and grew, until they were a self sustained society living off what the forest provided, training day after day to finally conquer the empire and bring peace to Erdreja…
The day finally came when they were to attack the Empire and upon leaving the forest for the first time in year, found devastation and carnage from the cataclysm of water.
The Empire now dissipated the resistance group the “Wheltakahn” had no objective.
It was decided by their leader Heldin MacKrell that they were to retreat to the forest to wait until the day when the Empire rose again…
The years went by and the Wheltakahn began to lose there connections with the outside world they began to develop there own beliefs about the world around them and their own hierarchy. 100’s of years passed and the whole existence of the resistance group became a memory of the people of Erdreja who were now content with there lives without the Empire.
The Wheltakahn however continued to train day by day both for hunting and for fighting, there community grew and there presents a secret…
1103 AF – The Empire re-emerged as a powerful force of Erdreja, however by this time the Wheltakahn had become to know the Empire as “The Greater Evil” and as the outside ties had broken many hundreds of years before they were unaware of this upheaval…
the Empire however had not forgotten its roots and trace down the resistance to finally take them out…
It was a normal day in the Wheltakahn village, people coming and going there business, the majority of which were in the temple for there weekly prayer to their ancestors, one of which was “Heldin lord of the Hunt” it was halfway through the ceremony when the sound of shattering glass pierced the hearts of many as an arrow came through the window and hit the high priest of Heldin killing him instantly… The alarm was sounded and the Wheltakahn began to Suit up for battle, Dreyfus MacKenna now leader of the community told his son Snorri to get all the women and children out of the forest and to tell them to run and separate not stopping to look back. Snorri honoured by his fathers wishes sets off towards the borders of the forest.

Catching only a glance of the carnage as he went… The task done Snorri returns to the village to find nothing but a burnt ruin scattered by dead bodies and in the center of which is his farther a stone figurine caught in the actions of his demise… Snorri then took what he could find and head out to the borders of the forest, bent on revenge of the empire… He then spent the next few months trying to find his followers and bring the community back together as he had now become Leader of the Wheltakahn through his fathers demise. Snorri now getting tired and exhausted from the journey he began to look for a safe haven to spend his nights when he stumbled across a small fort in the middle of nowhere with purple and red flags blowing silently in the wind. He knocked on the door and was surprised to find the hospitalities of these folk to be more than flattering and as he drank with them he began to realise the travesty of his ordeal and decided to settle with these people and became a recruit of the Ragh Hrafen Fianna. Snorri has spent time getting to know the people around him and has found the family he needed to help him through, looking up to his farther figure Lachlan Mcgrath…

Morgan Fiannasdottir

Morgan was born in 1100. That is not stictly true, but that is the earliest memory that Morgan has. By the looks of her, you would say she is in her twenties. Where those years were spent no-one knows, who are Morgan’s family? Are they still alive, are they looking for her? She doesn’t know. All Morgan knows is the new family she has, as she is now a daughter of the Ragh Hrafen Fianna.

Morgan’s first memories are of a hulking warrior pulling her from the wreckage of a house during the fall of Damsey at the beginning of the great plight. That warrior was Olaf Ericksson. One of the last to leave the town before it’s utter destruction, Olaf caught sight of a hand reaching up between fallen beams, and ran over to aid the stricken person. A few moments later, Olaf came running out of the town carrying the body of a young woman, barely conscious.

Over the proceeding weeks Morgan began to make a full recovery and joined the ranks of the Raggers aiding the lines as a healer. Whether Morgan will every find out her true past, and the reasons for her being in Damsey may never be known, but to this day, she wears at all times the only item found on her upon her rescue, a green stone ring.

Calbha Mac Scaffa Ui Leary

I, Calbha Mac Scaffa Ui Leary was born in the coldest months of 1081.

My history is my own, and not for your ears, telling you the truth would only shock and shake your trust in me, and rightly so. I tell you this of my parents, my mother was hung, draw and quartered under the charge of treason, my cowardly father a Warcheif of the O’Leary’s did not act upon this Saxon oppression, coldly saying it would give away there position and everything they’ve been fighting for, bastard, he constantly beat me and treated me like a dog, during some confusion many years later he struck my brother Roy, instead of me, he killed my brother, and in my eyes my mother, he ruined my life, for that I strangled him, I killed my own father. Your shocked? I don’t care and I’ll admit that I enjoyed it, he deserved it, family or not, that day was one of best days of my life; sometimes you just need to do things.

Any way after that I couldn’t stay in Limerick much longer, the authorities would look into my fathers murder and then to me. I took to the streets, it was easy, stealing of others for food, taking on simple jobs for small time crooks, beat him, break his legs, torture him, steal that, kidnap him, kill him and his family etc etc, it was a good job and I enjoyed my work. After some years my history caught up with me, my uncle Argyle, my fathers brother was out for revenge.

But enough family history, there all dead, and in the past, I presume you wish to know why I joined the Fianna, and how? Well I was contact by a half-orc by the name of Zool, simple job, kill a captain, his name Kenna McCord of the Ragh Hrafen Fianna, no problem.

War was brewing between the living and the dead, the island of Skald, it took me four years to successfully worm my way through the ranks of the army to finally get a place in the command group and become on first term names with my target, those four years was good, enjoyable, I could fight and kill and not think twice about the circumstances or authorities, for the first time I was allowed to kill, it was good, they gave me contracts, assassinations, espionage missions etc etc, gave me a rush. The adrenalin flowed through my veins again, it felt like the old days in.

Anyhow the turning point in becoming a Ragger was on Skald itself, Kenna had fallen on the battle field, we were about to be transported back to Damsay, Bronwyn, Kennas wife, asked me to rescue him, an ideal opportunity to do the opposite. I battled through the dead army till I reached Kennas position, he lay there bleeding, and he knew with the look on my face I was going to send him to his maker. But I stopped, should I? I asked myself, I have always been a firm believer in Babh, Goddess of Death and War, Life and Peace, this day I choose life for my new Captain and broke my original contract, I came clean to the Raggers on my original purpose and they in kind repaid me by not cutting out my heart, they booted me back down from Corporal to Recruit, like that was a punishment. I am one of the longest serving men within this outfit having 14 years of front line experience, from battles like Skald, Byzantium, Blood Moon, White Hand Wars and many others, my natural aggression against command has suffered my history with three demotions and countless other punishments, I am continually on the Captains Reprimand list. During this period I have gained strong allies within several organisations, which has allowed me to continue my original line of work.

Jacob Aleerson

The history of our very own Jacob is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. As a baby he was found in swaddling outside the Officers Mess in the main (Blue Ragger Name) fort at (Where?). The most keen eyed watchmen did not see who or what left the baby, although reports did emerge that one of the stable boys had come across an ‘old man with one eye’. However these claims were later disregarded due to the boy being found exceptionally drunk on mead mumbling something about Ravens.

The only other thing that was found with the baby was a short note that stated, “He will become a great warrior, train him well. His name is Jacob Aleerson”.

Jacob was handed over to the kitchen staff to take care of him during his wet nurse years. As he grew, he found solace watching the men sparring in the training yard, forming walls of brightly coloured Blue and Purple shields. He longed for the day when he would reach an age that would allow him to join the ranks and line up with the other men in a long unbreakable line of shields. Until that day arrived Jacob would instead play with a wooden sword that the weaponsmith had made, and rather than fight others, Jacob would chase and wrestle with the camp’s large Mastiff Hounds….any enemy even a pretend one was better than no enemy at all.

After a number of years, Jacob had finally started to train with the new recruits, when one day an air of excitement raced through the fort. Reports had come through that the Reds, who had been wiped out years before had returned under the leadership of the Captain Kenna McCord and his Sergeants Bunbjorn Bunbjornsson, Lachlan McGrath and William "Duke" Feng. For some reason, one which Jacob could not explain, he felt drawn to this re-established Fianna, but he didn’t have time to brood on the matter as he was soon sent away for the final part of his training high in the hills of Central Albion.

The next couple of years were quiet, far too quiet for the likes of Jacob. Most of the excitement and war was taking place in the North and over the Island of Skald. In the barracks at (Name), the relatively quiet years had resulted in the Fianna’s numbers rising, nearly to the point of capacity. When the late Captain Eyan McPherson called his men together, to order a number of Battles to join with the Reds to aid in the war, and to offer training techniques for new recruits Jacob was relieved to hear that his Battle would be the first to go.

Over the next few months, Jacob and the Blues added support to the relatively young force now known as the Ragh Hrafen Fianna and strong friendships were formed. At a time of uncertainty, the Reds decided not to re-new their contract with the Unicorn Merchants and instead hired themselves to the Lord Wolf the head of the more warrior-orientated nations of Norsca and Orknejar. It was at this point that Jacob requested a transfer to help the growth of the Reds, which was granted, and during the year 1095 Jacob Aleerson become a sworn brother of the Ragh Hrafen Fianna.

The rest as you might say is another story…………….

As written by Pavel Polczynski

Sergeant Lachlan McGrath    ‘Un Llygod’

Lachlan was a war slave – sold to the Romens by Fomarians when he was 12. He was raised in the Household of the tribune ‘Caius Maximus’ and learned much over the years including writing, logistics of running a legion and tactics. When he was older he joined ‘Caius’ on his campaigns and saw action in Estragales and Teutonia.

When ‘Caius’ dies, Lachlan was given his freedom and returned to Caledonia, his homeland, where he came across the High King and Slaine MacRoth who were out boar hunting. The King and Slaine had wounded a boar and were chasing it through the forest. The boar, near exhaustion and pierced by three of Slaine's spears crashed thought the undergrowth, onto a track straight into Lachlan, breaking his leg and a number of ribs. He barely had time to draw his sword as the boar turned and made one more frantic charge straight onto the sword, and died breaking Lachlan’s arm in the process, knocking him unconscious.

That would have been the end of him had not the King and Slaine found him. Lachlan stayed in the Kings service for a further four years until the Kings death. He then continued in the service of Queen Cerridwen until the festival of Beltain 1092 when his involvement in the ‘Lladdwr Tras’ resulted in him being exiled.

He remained with the other exiles and became a Sergeant in the newly formed Ragh Hrafen Fianna.

During the gathering of 1092 Lachlan was gravely wounded by a poisoned Fomorian blade, the result of which was a wound that Kel Mannon could not fully heal. Due to this Lachlan lost the sight in his right eye, upon which Kel gave him the name ‘Un Llygod’ (One Eye).