My open letter in the Clan forum

As I didn't get any replies there yet, I came wandering in here - like I said, there is such an abundance of information I haven't had the time to read all and everything. Now it seems I jumped the gun a bit? As I read a few posts down, it seems that Clan MacTavish isn't politically inclined, or do I interpret that incorrect? Is the fact that I'm coming up in a list for the coming County Elections against the Clan rules? I only have the interests of the common man at heart, so please can anyone advise me? I'll just post my letter here too, if anyone hasn't seen it yet... Oh yes, the funds are all collected now, so U2 is a running list now.

Greetings all Clan Members,

First and foremost, apologies for not coming in sooner and introducing myself to you all. Largs is a very bustling community and with my job as a Bartender in the Rose Wood Café there, my designer house, herb garden and all that, I sometimes don't know where I'm heading :D

So, my name is Reinaert, and originally I came from Birmingham, but Telets has brought me to the attention of Dracmuller, who kindly took me in. I'm sorry to say I haven't seen much of Telets, so I'm not really up to speed yet with the clan adventures, but I will try my best to repair that omission. By the way, feel free to look through the RP threads of Largs, I try to make a regular appearance there and I'm very busy in the Rose, so people start to know me in Largs.

Due to all this, I've also been invited to come up on an election List, "U2", consisting of mostly lvl1 and lvl2s. We would like to bring Scotland to a new height, bringing together old and new Scots, new and experienced players alike.

And here I come to you all, asking for your ear and your heart - and your vote :D! We are still trying to get the funds together, but would like to be able to prove to Scotland that we can bring people together and bring joy to everyone.

Feel free to post here with suggestions or questions - or ideas to get those needed funds :D.

I know I pledged to our Clan Chief to question Anto and come up with some answers, but that man is as slippery as an eel in a bucket of snot - and never awake when I am, it seems :D I haven't given up though, but it probably will take a lot longer than I expected :?

So, do you want a MacTavish in the Council? Do you want to lead the two counties of Scotland to a united Scotland? Then rally behind me and vote U2!

Thank you :)


Reinaert MacTavish, Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland

Things to do for or with your kin...

Visit the clan subforum. Swap information and gossip on the 'sticky' thread for your town. Use it to organise to get to Wigtown for the MacTavish Christmas Get Together (see the 'Announcement' thread on the forum).

Post your entry on the Roll Call here at the Hearth. Use the chatbox.

Keep your eye out for potential new members. If they're interested, let me know.

Walk tall and be proud.

Clan policital proposal rejected (again)

I recently received a letter from leader of Clan Forbes, seeking our involvement in 'The United Clans of Scotland' (a newly proposed political party). This was my reply:

Jefferson Davis Forbes,

I have put my views on this matter to the one who first raised it, JO. I promised him I would not publicly voice my critique and keep an open mind and eye. I continue to do so. When you have Munro, MacGillivray and O'Broin (and MacGregor, if they are still active) on the list, then you will have surprised me and convinced me at the same time. Until then, I maintain position that clan and political party are separate entities and should remain so.

Clan MacTavish has some very divergent political opinions within it. So far, we have a happy house. If we as a clan get involved in the political fracas and compromise (which is the art of politics in a democratic society, afterall) then survival there could lead to troubles at home. Have already seen Scottish Nationalist Party fall apart on the rocks of ego and grudge. What makes you think this proposed party would be any different?

Politics divide. Clans pick up the pieces. Politics about power. Clans about culture. Oil and water.
I am sure that, even if we are not in 'the party' our votes would strongly tend towards your candidates. As I see it, that is the way it should be.

I assure you, as I have others who have brought this proposal before us, we keep an open but sceptical mind on the issue and remain to be convinced.

Yours in unity,
Dracmuller

Here's the letter I received:

Dracmuller, Chieftain of the Great Clan Mactavish.

Presently there is a building of the United Clans of Scotland. So far there are 3 reps from each of the following clans. The Campbells, The Forbes, The Macales, 3 coming from both the Wallaces and the Kennedys.

I'm contacting you and the other chieftains to build on this list. Giving this body your strongest arms and your brightest minds. It is our intention to put forth a list of canidates in Galloway and hopefully Ayr, for those who have relocated there. Providing a platform that will be the front line of the coming english political parties.

I've never been more proud to be a parts of Scotland and her clans. Without the MacTavishes, the body would be nothing more then a empty suit and with you, .... courage, commitment, and commonality.

Sincerely Jefferson Davis

Discerning readers will note that of the clans mentioned in Forbes' letter, only one of them is a 'heavy hitter'. It was their rep's who deserted the Scottish Nationalist Party when things appeared to be getting too personal and bygones couldn't be let be bygones (sorry Robin). The 'litmus test' clans I mentioned fell on the other side of the barrier. If the hard heads of those clans all agree with the UCS proposal, then I would say we should re-evaluate present stance. Until then, there is nothing here that cause me to feel inspired...

PS - check our clans forum for details of upcoming Christmas get-together at Wigtown on the weekend before Christmas...

Christmas Party - Wigtown - Dec 22/23

There's details in an announcement in our clan subforum. I will also be sending out messages to all clan members as not everyone goes to the forums (or here, for that matter).

We'll have to book out Wigtown's pubs for the weekend, it seems!

Time now for those in our various towns to start organising their affairs before the trip, and organising travelling groups closer to the time...

Message Board Down

The message board just went down, just as bugs struck pubs in whithorn. Hope the two aren't connected! This has been the first failure of the Message Board in nearly two months, so it is pretty reliable overall.

On patrol with the RSA

I write this from Wigtown, where I am spending a little time in a nice cool pub while 'on patrol' with the RSA. This is my third trip to or through Wigtown, and it sure seems to have changed. All the O'Broins seem to have gone to Ayr and thus the pubs are pretty quiet at the times I'm around. There seems to be a lot of HHWs on the market, but saw no meat. Vegies prices are higher than Whithorn's. Knives are available.

The pubs were particularly 'buggy' when I was there (I hate that), so again haven't caught up with kin. Was nice to share a drink with Malon's, albeit the evening was cut short by the bugs.

When things got underway a bit later I bumped into a bunch of roving McAles, heading from Kirk through to Largs (Ayr) to provide an escort back to Kirk for a clan matriarch. They reminded me of a troupe of travelling players. Quite a bit of savvy amongst all the play, their company was fairly intense, but welcoming. They were of the opinion that there were more englishers in Ayr than there were coming across the border from Cumberland.

Apart from that, the patrol has been fairly uneventful so far.

Role Call -Balenoape

Hey,wassup my mactavish family.........I am Balenoape.
IRL-I am just an average student studying Biochemical Technology in Singapore.
During my pass time, i like to take care of different type of fishes from marine to freshwater........My current pet is the Fighting Fish...I also love arts.I use to do painting during my Secondary school.I also love music and now taking up courses to learn how to play the guitar....during my free time i like to slack and meet up with friends...it can be said that i am a lazy fellow.....

IG- I am a wheat farmer and current member to the Black Wings Mercenaries.......

Roll Call - Jayne

Hello, this is a belated continuation to Lady Robin's idea.

IRL, I am a normal, broke Texas college student and, consequently, my life tends to be a little boring. Not to mention, I really have no life outside of school. lol. I have two remaining semesters of undergraduate work and then hopefully I'll be admitted to law school. (Time will tell...) I spend the rest of my weekdays working for federal attorneys as a lowly file clerk. In my free time, I like to hang out with my husband, friends, and family. There's not much else to do in my neck of the woods. Random tidbit: I'm actually a Californian at heart. :-)

IG, I am a 20 year old widowed corn farmer living in Drummore.

Direct Action on Meat!

There is a Galloway wide shortage of meat due various reasons, some of them limited to specific towns, some of them county wide. Ayr will soon develop its own problems, if they aren't evident already.

In Whithorn, one of the problems are the market manipulations of other residents, forcing folk to beg for what should be theirs by right. Anyway, we are trying to see if we can pool together our clan resources to make sure that we, and other stubborn types like ourselves, get a fair go.

The Fraser Clan is, like us, composed of mainly level 1s and over represented in Whithorn. As such they are both on the 'outer' of the kingdom's elitist power structures, and victims of the meat shortage. As I like these Frasers, and as we share more common ties with them than any other clan, I have sought to get them involved in our cunning plan (Lady Gypsy Rose is their leader).

Lady Gypsy,

I write concerning two things. Firstly, have you recently had approaches made to you, seeking to draw your clan into governmental political arena? I have, and rejected the proposal out of hand.

Secondly, you and your kin are no doubt as concerned about the meat situation in Whithorn as myself and mine. It is my assessment that things are worse for us at present due to market manipulations. For example, why is a butcher trawling the market for meat, if not to fulfill some private 'deal' he has made? All those who don't want to go cap in hand to the 'providers' have to take their chances on the open market, when the meat and HHW supply is being controlled ever more tightly.

Anyway, MacTavish have two butchers and a number of pigfarmers in town. We are about to set up an alternate supply chain to the present one. We don't wish to limit it to ourselves, but are a bit wary of just putting our goods on the market where the manipulators will likely get them.

As we hold yourself and your clan in high regard, we wonder if you would not mind working with us so that we can help build up your folk as well as ours. Once we start making inroads into the hold the manipulators have, I would like to see us try and open up the market to all.

I think both of our clans have a number of people who will soon reach level 2, so we can return a bit of civility to our town in near future... If you think we can work together on this, let me know.

Dracmuller MacTavish

Politics Schmoliticks

I recently had an approach made me by a fairly well known county level politician type, seeking to recruit 'my clan' into a 'new political party' that will 'represent the interests of clans' in 'Scotland's future government'. I politely rejected this proposal out of hand.

The politician returned for more. I explained my reasoning thus: politics divide, clans unite. I see his way as leading to the diminution of the clan system before it has had a chance to blossom. He says that this was all "[his] point exactly", the clans can 'unite' the present political factions, secure their own power in doing so, and make scotland 'truly scottish'.

Hmmm, I thought. The politician was by this stage as close to begging as this politician will ever come. As he has worked very hard as a politician and has probably on the whole done us more good than harm, I didn't jump down his throat. I said that I'd bring it up before my kin, but would not recommend any such political involvement nor endorse it in any way.

My goodness, with the diversity of political views within this clan, we'd self destruct if we had to agree upon the best way to run the economy or some such...