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Who's who in Strongoak

Strongoak is loosely divided into Households (based roughly on geographical location and mundane relationships). Not all of these people are actually members of the Far Isles, but they all turn up at revels from time to time. And not all the locations have any basis in the mundane.

Beccel's Ford

Mundanely, Biggleswade.

Sian ferch Rhianneth

Chief (self-appointed dictator for life) of Strongoak and the original founder, having fled the battle of Arderydd in 573 via druid mists, eventually ending up in Camber's Well. Ten years on, she still doesn't like Christians much, but has acquired a liking for the panhistoric good things in life, especially those that she thinks make her look wealthy and powerful. (Recently, this seems to have been Big Sleeves: previous ideas have been Big Hats, Beads, bright colours, and low neck-lines. Quite possibly all at once. Her sense of taste and decorum is still that of a sixth century peasant.)

Cook, autocrat, needleworker, warrior of sorts, would-be archer. Guildmistress of the Cartographers and Navigators (but she still believes the earth is flat). StrongOak Pirate (fender)

Also High Alderman of the Far Isles


Dafydd Wyn

Peasant from Anglesey, period vague (born in the summer after the brown cow died). Known to dislike Normans, nobles and authority. Charioteer and recipe-tester to Sian, sometime wood-worker. Navigator to the StrongOak Pirates. Now spends much of his time guarding Beccel's Ford.

Artos Aurelius

Retired Dark Age warlord, now Sian's Legal Advisor. Listens carefully and sympathetically to all legal matters, and passes on as much as she needs to know.

Spent a short period as bee-keeper to the Church, but was rapidly sacked for squeezing the bees. Research into fur restoration and honey-removal is on-going.

Bank, The Gold-eating Pig Found at Coronation, when Sian attempted to present King Guy with a chest of gold as her taxes for the year, only to find that the chest contained no gold, but a small pig with gold trotters. Suggestions that the Pig be placed in the treasury, since he now contained the taxes ("he'll be perfectly happy there, and he's got no homing instincts at all, honest", Sian assured the Treasurer) were turned down, and the Pig (now named Bank) is cared for with the rest of the Strongoak Herd, while remaining the property of the Crown.
Unity

Young bear wth ambition: Junior Apprentice Cook, Junior Apprentice Herald ("page"). Very proud of her Camcairndryth tabard.

The Parish of St. Nicholas

Stevenage: where one may find Christopher's Tree, the Brewery, and of course the Church.

Christopher of Kent Celtic Christian priest raised in Wales, moved to Kent, then visited the Far Isles and 'requested' to 'convert' the village of Strongoak by Prince-Bishop Theophilus (as was). Has built the St. Nicholas church and the StrongOak Brewery, at least one of which is a popular addition to the village.

Reeve of Camcairndryth, taking over from Rhys, who took over from Dafydd, who took over from Sian...
The useful part of the Strongoak Corps of Archers

Diane Pictish lady, daughter of a Greek slave. New addition to the Strongoak Corps of Archers.
Auntie Snoutie Mythical beast, gossip columnist, eater of termites.
Bobo Not a member of the Far Isles, Christopher insists, but a very welcome guest at two revels so far. A well-travelled bear, with a taste for sending e-postcards to his friends from far-flung locations.

The Silver Fox Household

Home of the Warband. Was based in "The Towers", an abandoned Roman fort on a hill above the main Village, but they have now relocated closer to the Arena.
(Mundanely, also in Stevenage: Rhys and Meredith have moved flats)

Rhys

Portugese (probably), washed up on StrongOak shores with head injuries and not much memory of his past. Rescued and adopted by Meredith as one of her pets.

Now Strongoak Village Warband (and Area Marshal!), Firelighter, Head Porter, Senior Metal-Basher, Poet Laureate, and Pig-Counter.

Meredith

6th Century Pagan Celt. Strongoak Village Animal (and Warband) Handler. Also welcomes our guests...

Meredith is moving up in the world: she is a good friend of the High Marshal, and Lady-in-waiting to the Grand Duchess Lady Jane Fairbourn, no less! Maybe that's why she keeps appearing in grander and grander Tudoresque dresses?

Ned Viking
Beth Viking
Ann TBA
(Amanda) TBA

The Pig and Apple Tree

A tavern central to StrongOak life. Mundanely, the landlord is "about" to move from Leicestershire to Royston (or so he's been saying for the last year or so).

Boggy Stone-Hugger Sword and bow for hire: recently won ownership of the Pig and Apple Tree in an archery competition. ("He was competition, so I shot him".)

The Smithy

Well away from the main village in case of accidents (mundanely, Luton, and Sian's parents)
James of Wanborough

14th Century itinerant (incompetent) blacksmith, StrongOak Village idiot Elder. Well-known Troublemaker, of whom Strongoak is justly proud. Also now the High Chancellor of the Far Isles, despite only being able to count up to 2 (a pigeon taught him). Has the distinction of having been banned from the kitchens by two Master Cooks. Eagerly awaiting the re-founding of the Guild of Vile Seducers.

Helga Dark Ages Viking, moderately wealthy thanks to former association with Viking raider, now long-suffering housekeeper and companion to James of Wanborough.

The Arena

Kept by a Japanese mercenary turned swine-herd and his assorted friends. (In the mundane, this is Dean Wayland's Fight School, based at the John Henry Newman leisure centre in Stevenage, plus Dean's pet pigs)

The swine-herd
The Pigs
His interpreter  

Oundle

Was the northern-most branch of Strongoak, home of two of the StrongOak Pirates

Pierre

Norman merchant, former swine-herd, one-time scout.

Pilot to the StrongOak Pirates

Helena Assistant StrongOak Pirate.
Estelle Junior Master Cook

The House in the Hat Field

A little place we built for King Guy as a Coronation present, since the Pig and Apple Tree isn't quite up to his standards as a place to stay when he visits us. In the extreme south of StrongOak.
(Mundanely, Hatfield House, the Tudor Palace)

Qnim

In the far north, home of our latest arrivals

Gaeldricha Norse lady of many talents and unusual ancestry.
Storm Her hand-maiden: also Anvil Herald.