The Murchadhs are Earls of Uisdean

The ancestral home is Caer Murchadh which is on the island of Uisdean Mor. They're a sea-faring folk and when they're not raiding abroad they are usually fishing in the inshore waters between the Easter Isles and the mainland of Dael Riata.

The current (7th) Earl is Diarmid Murchadh. He's a cousin of the 5th & 6th Earls, both murdered by the King because they refused to bend the knee.

Diarmid is 35 years old, and is currently married to Senga Riata (18). She is his second wife, and has recently given birth to a daughter. His previous wife (Niamh Sioltach) died in childbirth, his son survived.

1. Diarmid (11)
2. Caoimhe (6 months)

The Murchadhs are notable raiders, and much of their wealth comes from raiding. Apart from dried fish the only other notable export from their islands is the stone.

Earl Domnhall was one of the leaders of the coalition that overthrew Queen Caoimhe because she was consorting with a Skyssian merchant and likely to bring Dael Riata under the control of one of the Skyssian factions. She was also trying to re-introduce the Skyssian gods to Dael Riata in place of the traditional Daelian gods that the small folk worshipped and the nobles had learnt to pray to. Domnhall had a claim to the throne through his mother, the younger sister of Alasdair IV.

Domnhall Murchadh and his brother Fearchar met the King and his Steward for a negotiation over dinner at Caer Suibhne, a neutral ground. The rules of hospitality were in force, and the Earl of Douglas was their host. After dinner the Suibhne family left the two parties to negotiate. Raised voices were heard, and the clash of steel. When the Earl of Douglas entered the great hall he found the King's Steward cleaning his sword, the King staunching blood from a wound to his face, and both of the Murchadh brothers dead on the floor, their drawn swords next to them. Alasdair V asserted that they'd tried to kill him, and only his Steward's swift defence had saved his life. You don't believe this story for a moment, your cousins had quarrelled with the King, but they wouldn't break hospitality. They hung one of their main lieutenants for that only a year ago.

• sioltach - you have a good relationship, they supply the timber you use to build and maintain your ships.
• gilruary - the Earl of Dalmuir has the biggest shipyards in the Kingdom, and some of the best shipwrights in the world. They build very fast ships, you have several of these.
• aonghus - your southern neighbour, you sometimes raid together away from Dael Riata.

• Bhaltair Gilranald - an usurper planted on your rightful lands by the notoriously fickle Queen Caoimhe. He was the one that set up the meeting between your cousin, the fifth Earl, and the King.
• ranald - he killed your cousins, and threatened you with extirpation. Blood shed needs to be paid for, either with more blood, or a suitable fee.
• ahearn - The horse lords in the south spurn the sea, and yet roll in the riches from fertile farmland, and bribes from the southern kingdom of Bernicia. They've kept Alasdair Ranald in power, and need to be discredited before he becomes King of Bernicia and forgets the smaller and poorer Dael Riata.