Neill Family
The Viking Clan of O'Neil
Contents
The Viking clan of O'Neil hails from the rugged wild-land outside of the great city of Makar that lies on the very edge of the frozen borders of the Barony of Makar. For many generations the Clan kept to itself in the vast wilderness and forests, preferring to hunt and gather wealth while letting the outside world pass it by. It was said that the only time an O'Neil ventured from the forests into civilization was to take a wife. It had also been said, though never verified since the odes of the Clan are never heard by an outsider's ear, that the Clan was once one of the greatest warrior clans in the land. Whispered tales say that they were either beaten into submission and hiding or decided to quietly withdraw into the forests in order to preserve what they had for future generations.
The Clan is proud of its hunting and fishing traditions and every son of the Clan is taught to use a bow at an early age, soon followed by such skills as tracking, small axe wielding, and boating (Though boating is only reserved for the bravest and toughest of the O'Neils. They are respectful, but, fearful of the sea). Though the O’Neils rarely directly practice any sort of war craft they still train in basic combat in order to defend themselves from raiders that come from the sea. They also maintain small forges that produce a variety of high quality weapons.
The first of the O’Neils to break from the family to pursue the life of an outsider was Ender, son of Erik, and his departure shocked the Clan at first. They believed he would abandon the ways of the family and never return to the ancestral home. Ender proved them wrong however by visiting constantly and sharing his wealth with them. While the Clan still maintains a small village in a patch of forest well outside the city of Makar, Clan members often visit the O’Neil Estate in Makar where Ender spends most of his time. As time passes the O'Neil clan has become more entwined into the affairs of the Barony and, while preferring their privacy more often than not, has moved to the forefront.
The current Patriarch of the O'Neil clan is the ancient and wise Úlfr. Unfortunately, many O’Neils fear he may be nearing his death. According to the Clan’s traditions the eldest son of Ulfr will take up the mantle of Patriarch upon his death. The eldest son Erik, Ender's father, died years ago on a bear hunt when Ender was young. The next eldest son, Kvasir, the only other son of Patriarch Úlfr, never returned to the Clan since leaving on a fishing expedition and is feared to be lost at sea. Should Patriarch Úlfr die, Ender would be called to return to the forest to take on the role of Patriarch. Should Ender die the title would have fallen to Weland. Due to Weland's death it is now likely one of Ender's children would be in line for the seat of Patriarch should Ender die or refuse the title (an inconceivable act).
Note on the Organization of the Clan: Since Clan O'Neil is the dominant Clan in the forests of Makar many other, smaller families and clans enjoy a partnership with the O'Neils. These partnerships allow the strengthening and expansion of the Clan without forcing the other families into extinction and these partnerships are usually formed through marriages and many of the Clan have dual surnames to reflect allegiance to Clan O'Neil and to their own families. Because of this only one true blood line of O'Neils has claim to the true name and any hereditary titles or benefits that go along with this. These privileges only extend beyond this pure bloodline to Vikings who can trace their direct bloodline, within a few generations, to the O'Neils themselves. These family laws are in place to ensure the O'Neil name is never fully lost in the mix and that only a true O'Neil can lay claim to the leadership of the Clan.
The O'Neil Clan's Chosen Symbols
The most common symbol used by the core members of the Clan is a brown bear in various poses. The reason for the use of the bear probably lies in the fact that the O’Neil Clan uses bear pelts for a variety of purposes in everyday life. To name a few examples, they serve as cloaks, blankets, and decorative coverings. Some who have seen the symbol in use and are of a more learned mind also see connections with the use of the bear to represent strength, cunning, and extreme loyalty to one’s kin in some similar cultures. Often times the bear is depicted as being brown and surrounded by some scheme using green or blue colors.
Recent (Condensed) Family Tree
----Most Recent Family Tree of the Clan O'Neil----
Clan Patriarch Úlfr and Matriarch Auðr
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/---------------+----------------\
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Finna and Erik Kvasir and Álfdís
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/----------+------------\ /--+--\
| | |
Valencia and Ender* (Eldest Son) Weland* (Second Son) Cid*
Unknown Connection to Family
/--+--\
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"His Lordship**"
*Characters actually in play
**See Character History
Family Heirarchy
----Current Hierarchy of the O'Neil Clan----
Clan Patriarch Úlfr
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/-------\ | /-------\
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Erik | Kvasir
(Deceased) | (Missing)
Ender
(Eldest Son) /-------\
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Weland Cid
(Deceased) (Exiled)
Sons of the O'Neil Clan
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- Cormac - The Bastard (Deceased)
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