Arawn MacPhaelan
Sergeant Squire Arawd MacPhillan, called Arawn, is currently a Wastekeep Ambassador to the Knowne World. He served Wastekeep in the Barony of the South Downs, Kingdom of Meridies for nearly four years(2008 to 2012). During that time, he was squired to Duke John of Ean Airgead, called the Mad Celt. He has now returned to An Tir and resides in the Barony of Wealdsmere with his lady, Samra bint Farah al-Arsalan. Sir Styrkarr Jarlsskald has fostered him in An Tir.
Born sometime shortly after 1050 in the isles off the Aran peninsula in Ireland, he was out fishing and tending traps when his village was destroyed by marauders. He went to mainland Europe to find work and there heard about Christianity. He Resolved to travel to Jerusalem to see for himself what it was about. He had made himself useful as a caravan guard to a Jewish merchant, arriving shortly before the Arabs expelled all westerners. This merchant helped to make sure Arawn was seen safely out of Jerusalem, on the condition that he take with him the merchant's daughter, to whom Arawn had been paying court. Returning westward, they settled in the Holy Roman Empire, in what is now Austria. He assisted in the construction of the Salzburg Hohenfestung, then with the Castle Gösting located outside the city of Graz. At some point, either before arriving in Jerusalem or shortly after leaving there, he served in the Byzantine army. While the length of that service is unclear, it is believed he was a member of the Varangian Guardsmen. When the first crusade was announced in 1097, Arawn saw the persecution of the Jews in his area, and decided to return to Jerusalem to see what had become of his wife's family, and to prevent any harm to them if he could.
- Honors and Awards
- Sergeant (Wastekeep) May 30 AS 33 / 1998
- Award of Arms Oct 11 AS 38 / 2003
- Blasted Tree (Wastekeep) Sept 6 AS 43 / 2008
- Forget-me-not awarded by Queen Driffina Ulfgarsdottir. An Tir West War July 5 AS 49 / 2014
- Golden Acorn (Wealdsmere) Border War Sep 14 AS 49 / 2014
- Baroness' Favor (Wastekeep) Dagrun Stjarna Oct 4 AS 49 / 2014
- Honorary Citizen of (Wastekeep) Oct 5 AS 49 / 2014
- Baron's Favor (Wastekeep) Steinbjorn Tros Oct 5 AS 49 / 2014
- Other Kingdom Awards
- Gold Tower (Barony of the South Downs - Kingdom of Meridies) April 2012
Arawn is currently teaching himself leather tooling.