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Skara characters and places

Orkney Characters

Shala… Red-haired, pale green eyes
Gull… Shala’s mother
Juniper… Shala’s older sister
Flint… Shala’s older brother
Partan… Shala’s grandfather and father of Gull
Quernstone… the neighbour who is always baking
Reaper… Quernstone’s husband
Dale… Drummer,10 years old

In the Solstice Tales and Legends

Longo… The First Man
Guman… Mother Goddess from Caves (Gumar in Oiwa’s clan)
Tuman… Father God from the Stars (Tumar in Oiwa’s clan)
Karnal… Son of Longo
Jurt… Daughter of Nistor and Karnal. Became Aiva
Wrasse… Hag and Shala’s Mentor
Tangle… Mother of Several
Cullen… Girl knocking limpets
Seaguard… Seal wife
Gill… Seal party leader
Gurnard and Vacar… Fore-Folk heroes
Rod… Reaper’s nephew.
Waret… Rain spirit.
Grool…  Fire spirit (Greil according to Oiwa)
Kull… Wind spirit
 Weir… Wrasse’s first love
Crane… Lee Holme girl
Fallow… Lee Holme girl
Tangle… Lee Holme girl, daughter of Tangle

Oiwa’s Goose Clan

Oiwa… Youthful hero in Canada: goose spirit … Pronounced Whaa
Quil… Oiwa’s mother
North Star… Oiwa’s father
Honey… Oiwa’s sister
Petal… Oiwa’s other sister
Mica… Oiwa’s oldest brother: spiritually a bear
Bark… Oiwa’s middle brother: spiritually a lynx.
Tine… Oiwa’s youngest brother: spiritually an eagle
Barb and Ripple… villagers with twins

More Orkney characters

Hornfisk… Ancestor builder
Sable… Female neighbour from Char
Sprig… Sable’s young son

More Goose Clan characters

Grayling… Firemaster in the Sweat Lodge.
Rush… of the Caribou Clan: spiritually the Moon
Lichen… of the Caribou Clan: spiritually a stag

River Journey Characters at the Stork Clan’s Village

Farrnar… Legendary Slayer of Gunnal
Buzzard… Chief of the Stork Clan
Fall, Marsh and Rail… Grayling’s sons
Gale… Buzzard’s daughter. Loved by Fall
Ember, Plover and Rainbow… Buzzard’s wives
Catfish… Buzzard’s Brother
Stella… Wife of Catfish
Birch Skin… Buzzard’s nephew
Snaaaaar… Birch Skin’s partner
Dew… Snaaaaar’s daughter
Jay… The girl who loses her boat
Scale… Jay’s father
Moss… Coiffurist and lover of Oiwa.
Sleeke… Couffeurist and lover of Mica
Lizard’s Toe… Masseur
Minnow… Small son of Sable: red hair
Phantom… Minnow’s pig
Knotwood… Sable’s daughter
Timber… Sable’s oldest son: red hair, falls in love with Shala
Hoof Tracker… Stork Clan hunter
Fang… Hoof tracker’s dog
Musk… Wolf Clan leader
Claw… Musk’s sidekick.
Eyewhite… Musk’s wife
Bristle
Heng
Day
Vulpese… Wolf deity.
Scurran… Vulpese’s wife
Peach Leaf… Claw’s wife
Marten… Claw’s nephew and astronomer
Char… Chief of the Baldheads
Limpet… Char’s wife
Sether… Char’s brother
Smolt… Char’s dead father
Gneiss… Son of Char and Limpet
Thrift… Daughter of Char and Limpet, lover of Oiwa
Skellig… Tomb Keeper
Birch Twig… Sether’s wife; red hair
Ugruk… Innu chief
Sgeir… Ugruk’s wife

More Orkney Characters

Fernfold… Wrasse’s sister
Dilly… Wrasse’s lost child
Copse… Sable’s husband
Gum… their dog
Carve…Copse’s mate
Timber… Red-haired son of Sable

The Northern Crossing

Drake… Seafaring friend
Guillemot…. Seafaring friend
Heather… Drake’s Wife
Sprang… Chief of Shepherd’s Tongue
Osprey… Sprang’s dog
Selk… Seal god
Orci… Whale god
Spindrift… Dead mother
Reel… Spindrift’s son
Erica… Sprang’s wife
Sea Shadow… Mythical whale
Otterman… Fisherman
Sprat and Mackerel… Otterman’s children
Brill… Otterman’s wife.
Morning… Otterman’s adolescent daughter
Night… Otterman’s adolescent son
Lintel… Wrasse’s sister
Cran and Mire… Wrasse’s other sisters
Pike… Man from Otter’s kit
Clart… Pike’s wife
Roach… Pike’s son
Lily and Velvet… Priestesses at the house of Croo
Ebb… Eunuch singer and wrasse’s grandson
Dilly and Spider…. Young brother and sister catching frogs
Shearer… Dilly and Spider’s chaperone
Cherry… Boy reed cutter
Scanner… Chief of See More Hill
Fox Glove… One of Scanner’s wives
Rose… One of Scanner’s wives
Clam…. Scanner’s first wife
Spar… Commander of Tarmin
Garnet… High Priestess of Tarmin
Cairn… Queen of Tarmin
Spar… Garnet and Cairn’s butler
Cliff…. Wrasse’s son
Mire…. Wrasse’s sister
Moth… Wife of Spar
Old Purse… Cliff’s predecessor
Tapstone… Stone robber of Tarmin.
Cleat and Shank…. Crewmen of Seastar
Maiden Gallow… Gallow’s wife
Grace, Favour, Luck and Charm… Gallow’s other children
Breeze… Dale’s wife with deformed child

Oiwa’s onward journey

Ice Crystal… Albatross clan woman
Foaming Wave… Albatross chief
Moon Sky… Foaming Wave’s head wife
Sharpened Tooth…… Great hunter and prince of Albatross Clan
Greill… Oiwa’s name for Grool, the Fire God
Falling Star… Oiwa’s Albatross mate
Spring Leaf… Falling Star’s friend
Span… Older boy actor
Musk Bone… Ugruk’s brother
Sange… Albatross’s God of Eternal Life
Little Moth… Ugruk’s daughter
Ungrin… Sea monster
The Hot Rocks… People of Smoking Mountain
Longspoot… Hot Rocks ‘Prince’
Cove…. Longspoot’s Friend.
Summer Fox… Chief of Hot Rocks Clan
Taiga… Granddaughter of Summer Fox and Oiwa’s lover

Places: Orkney

Lee Holme… Shala’s village
Char… Sable’s village
Tarmin… Wrasse’s home village (Rousay, Midhowe)
House of Souls… Midhowe chambered cairn
Flow Burn… Flows to where Scapa Flow is now
Loch of Scap… Where Scapa Flow is now
Tannus by the Marsh… Stenness now
Bore Brig… Sluice and Clapper Bridge between Stenness and Ness of Brodgar
Stone Road… Cobbled track towards the Sight Stone
The Slumbering Mother… Hoy
Seaforth… Carve’s Boat
Cutlip Bay… Possible landing place
Shepherd’s Tongue…Township and landing place
The Auks’ Passage
Auk Island
Whale Arch… Drake’s Village by Auk Island
Porpoise… Drake’s dingy
Eagle’s Noust…. Stopping place
Rouse… River at Shepherd’s Tongue
Rouse Lake
The Harpoon… Otterman’s dugout
Sparrow Hall… Village
See More Summit… Where Morning was conceived
Top Loch… Loch above the Rouse
Black Cott… Official residence
Gare Head… Cliffs At Skara
Virgin’s Cock … Stone stack and rock
Forest of Kaime… Tangled woodland on Hoy
Pissing Pony of High Hump… Waterfall off Hoy cliffs
Mountain’s Bowell… Rackwick Bay
Island of Vaar… Home of Gallow and Russet
Bay of Calm… Gallow’s home

Oiwa’s onward journey

The Sand Kisser… Oiwa’s ‘borrowed’ boat
Echoing Caves of Black Island.
Upper Hill… Where Bloodstone comes from
Skullar’s Point
Ormer… Sharpened Tooth’s kayak
Orca Fin Bay
Fallow Fell… Valley of myth and healing
Fluke… Weir’s kayak

Review

"quite remarkable… an enormous 'epic' fantasy/imagined history, which is extraordinarily coherent, detailed, accessible and plausible…"

"a classic 'quest hero' of mythic proportions who is also a believable (indeed lovable) character and 'ordinary' human being…" (Hi-Arts)

!Novels

Andrew Appleby Skara Novels