Straven

Straven is a tiny settlement on an island about three or four square miles. Only a little of the island is cultivated, most of it is woodland or rough grazing for the sheep that the community keeps for their wool and milk.

There are about 60 people living on Straven, from newborn to Old Bjorn. Old Bjorn is the leader of the community, with Arne the Slow as the second. They have a single fishing boat with almost enough people to crew a second. Most of their living is from fishing in the seas to the West of the Island, and they are part of the fishing communities of the islands. As their boat captain Old Bjorn is one of the electors of the Lord of the Isles.

As well as fishing there are as many sheep as people on the island, they roam over the island and eat the grass and heather. The wool and milk form a major part of keeping Straven self-sufficient. There's also meat from the spare sheep, most of the male lambs being used for various sacrifices, and mutton forms part of the winter diet when the weather is too bad for fishing.

The fish are mostly smoked, there are three smokehouses downwind of the main halls that the community lives in. These run most of the summer to ensure that there are enough fish to keep the community going all winter. Fresh fish are eaten when the boats come in too. Surplus is sold through the market at Portree, which is the major port for the Isles. It is within line of sight from Lookout Hill on Straven, and is about four hours away by boat (depending on the weather & tides).

The houses are two parallel tenements running inland from the jetty. The boat shed on one side with a ramp into the beach. There's a barn at the back with a fenced paddock for when the sheep are brought in.