Conal Mac Nachtan
THLord Conal Mac Nachtan, GdS
Conal Mac Nachtan, known in the Mundane world as Bill Knight, is a late period Scots Lord, who has affairs in shipping and imports, specifically with teas. spices and silks.
He is widely traveled, and welcomed in most society for the connections he has with the spice trade. He has skills as a Chirurgeon, and is well capable of defending himself. Several times he has answered his Liege's call to arms to defend king and country against invaders and usurpers, and has never shamed himself or his lord.
In the modern world Bill Knight is a Health Physicist, working in the nuclear industry since 1979. He also is widely traveled, his journeys curiously paralleling those of his alter-ego Conal, though arriving at similar destinations by quite different routes.
Another similarity is that Bill is a first aid responder, having worked as an EMT and First Responder in the past. He currently holds Advance First Aid Certifications. His interest in service, both in Chirugry and in Heraldry have caused him to become a Protégé to Companion Inguz Sigrun Miksdottir. Bill currently maintains the An Tir and Outlands Chirurgeons Guild web sites, which can be found at http://antir.chirurgeonguild.org and http://outlands.chirurgeonguild.org respectively.
While Bill has never been called to arms to defend his country, he can often be found at local fighter practices and at wars, doing his best to live up to Conal's reputation.
Conal's Biography
Unto any who may come to read this missive, Greetings.
It was put to me by my mentor, Companion Inguz Sigrun Miksdottir that I ought make an accounting of my life and works. I shall attempt to follow that advice, though I am no scribe.
My name is Conal Mac Nachtan. I was born on March 28th, 1541. I grew up at our families estates by Fraoch Eilean on the shores of Loch Awe. The Hall house was built in the 13th century and was granted to our ancestor, Gillechrist MacNachtan by King Alexander III in 1267 and has been the principal seat of the chiefs of MacNaughton for over three centuries. Our clan owns all the country between Loch Fyne and Loch Awe, including Glenira, Glen Shira and Glen Fyne. We also have holdings in Dhu Loch in Glen Shira, Macnaughton Castle in Lewis, and Dunnaghton Castle in Strathspey.
In exchange for the grant of our lands, our family is responsible to provide garrison for the Queen’s army, and to defend the lands given unto our care. We have sworn to provide safety and defense for the peasants that lived under our keeping – But we are Scots. Those that the Crown calls peasants are our clansmen, and we defend them as our duty, not of an obligation. In return, they work the land as their own, and provide to us the goods we need that we may continue to provide them the protection they need.
We Scots, the poor and wealthy alike, live off the land. Scotland is self- sufficient, able to feed its population without resorting to imports, at least during good harvests. Most of our clansmen, even those in the villages and towns, keep small bits of land, and keep chickens, pigs, and perhaps a cow. Vegetables are plentiful, particularly beans, peas, carrots, and onions. Fruits are abundant too – our orchards have apples, plums, pears, strawberries, and cherries. Those with animal slaughter them in November. The meat is smoked, dried, or salted so it can be kept for meals in the cold months.
As you can see, our diet is most interesting and varied in the warmer months but cold weather can mean preserved meat and little else unless careful planning is done.
I recall too well the famines of Mary’s reign when smoked bacon and salted beef were all many had to live on through the winter. Everyone – rich and poor alike – suffered from malnutrition and the scurvy. I have sworn that we will not live on carter’s bread and bacon for days on end ever again, and am proud to say that we’ve kept our folk in yeoman’s bread through the years, and over the past few years, we’ve had marchet bread made of white wheat flour.
My early education was at home, learning English and mathematics under our tutor. When I was seven my father took the family to Edinburgh, where I was enrolled in one of the new public grammar schools. After I left sixth form, my father sent me to Saint Andrews College to be educated, for as my father told me, “Latin is the language of international affairs, and men of affairs are expected to be able to communicate in it.” While at Saint Andrews, I met a man by the name of John Napier, who taught me the diverse mathematics which has aided the prosperity of our shipping affairs.
After I graduated, I traveled to the Far East several times with my father, learning the secrets of dealing in silks and exotic spices. It was there that I learn some skills as a chirurgeon, the Doctor aboard our ship having thought me a good pupil. While in the Far East, I saw many strange and wonderful things, and learned some of the strange fighting skills of those people, who seem to have made the fighting arts into a religion all its own!
Now, having returned to Scotland, and taken up the role of a proper Highland gentleman, I still yearn for those days of my youth, and the call of the open sea. But In 1571 my father passed the management of the clans lands on to my care, and now keeps to home, caring for the tenants of our lands. I for my part have had to establish a townhouse in London, in order to be more accessible to the dealings the court, and to meet with to the chandlers and merchants seeking to trade with us in the East Indies. Travel between London and home is arduous, but necessary. In truth, I keep only a small staff on hand in London, for my life is bound my Clan, and I am loath to take my clansman away from their home.
While traveling to arrange the purchase of several merchant vessels for our interests in the East Indies Trading Company I met with The Niel of Bara, who outfitted us with several of his finest ships, and along with them his daughter Dáirine as my wife! I was so taken with her upon meeting her that I delayed our negotiations for the pleasure of her company! Fortunately for me the Niel is a good man, and did not take advantage of my distraction. In deed, now that he is my father in law, the association of our families has proven beneficial for all for the Niel’s are the finest shipwrights in all of Scotland.
The duties of clan and lands take me throughout Scotland, England and France, and bring me into the courts and into the homes of many of the noble families. My journeys have some degree of risk, in that the supporters of Mary and the supporters of James continue to struggle one against the other, each masking their political agenda’s under the guise of religion. Thus I must always be wary, taking no position, lest I be accused by one side or the other!