Characters
There are 16 pre-written characters for the game Wise Women. Each has some defined points of history, a set of motivations, and some positive and negative relationships with the others. Brief outlines are presented here, and you should feel free to contact us if you have any questions about them.
The 17th participant is an understudy- and have no pre-written character. The participant taking the understudy role will be offered one of the other characters if a participant should drop-out close to the date of the event. If there are no drop-outs, we will create a 17th Wise Woman and weave together some connections for them closer to the event. If you are interested in the understudy role, you should feel free to reach out with any questions!​
RANKING THE CHARACTERS
When you sign up for this game you will be asked to rank these 16 characters in oder of preference. When we carry out our weighted lottery to select participants, this ranking will affect your chances of being offered a particular character. You should rank as many of the characters as you are willing to play.
You will know which character you have been offered before we ask for any money.​
The Leader
Morag McLeod 78 yrs
Matriarch of the Wise Women and head of the McLeod family.
Themes: unflinching duty, tradition, preservation of the bloodlines.​​
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Relationships: Mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother to other characters.
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"Being a Wise Woman means being made of stone. Catriona is such a lazy girl, and Jessie is a wet dishcloth. At least I have my Sorcha."​​
The Stoic
Fiona Grant 65 yrs
Head of the Grant family who lives with her partner Mairead; many believe they are 'just good friends'.
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Themes: quiet resillience, long-held personal grief, estranged daughter.
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Relationships: partner, mother, and mother-in-law to other characters.
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"Never make a bargain if you are not prepared to pay the price yourself."
The Burdened
Mairead McRae 67 yrs
Partner of Fiona Grant, who you have loved since you were young and she was married. ​
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Themes: guilt over past actions, fear of the Talent, remaining worthy of Fiona's love.
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Relationships: partner and aunt to other characters.
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"Having the Talent means being twice cursed! We live through pain and terror that will never be, and then we feel the grief we inflict in its place."
The Healer
Kathleen McKay 58 yrs
Renowned healer and mediator, striving to bring everyone together.​​​
Themes: mediation, helping others, guiding your nieces.
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Relationships: aunt to other characters.
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"The purpose of the Talent is to bring balance. Why then do so many of us fail to find peace?"
The Dutiful
Jessie McLeod 45 yrs
Ardent disciple of The Leader, now becoming disillusioned
Themes: previous firm beliefs now being questioned. Reassessing relationships and position in the Wise Women.​​
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Relationships: daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and mother to other characters.
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"Old Morag promised me everything, but really she just wanted strong grandchildren."​​​
The Modernist
Catriona Grant 40 yrs
Caught between progress and family loyalty. A bridge between the bloodlines.
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Themes: moving with the times, modern comforts.​​
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Relationships: daughter, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and aunt to other characters.
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"I live with one foot in the past and one in the future. If my daughter does not show the Talent, will I be relieved?"
The Deserter
Ailsa Grant 44 yrs
Fled the island 20 years ago after finally confronting mother about father's death. ​
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Themes: reluctant reunions, estranged from mother, difficult questions to be asked.
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Relationships: sister-in-law, and daughter to other characters.
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"I didn't think the dreams would find me all the way over in Glasgow. Perhaps I should have gone further!"
The Outcast
Isobel Murray 32 yrs
Shunned by the Wise Women after causing a Bargain to fail during vigil 10 years ago.
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Themes: pride vs forgiveness, estranged family, isolation, reconciliation.
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Relationships: sister, niece, and cousin to other characters.
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"I yearn for forgiveness, yet I am still not sure that I was wrong to act as I did."
The Stalwart
Rose McRae 29 yrs
Striving to step out of the long shadow cast by her sister's mistake 10 years ago.​
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Themes: something to prove, sensitivity over insults to family, taking the hard line.
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Relationships: sister, niece, and cousin to other characters.
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"My sister and my cousin may have abandoned our ways, but I have Talent enough to make up for their loss!"
The Unbeliever
Eilidh Cameron 30 yrs
Raised away from the Wise Women and wary of the Talent. ​​
Themes: fear of the Talent, urge to save souls, reluctant participant in the vigil.
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Relationships: cousin and niece to other characters.
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"The Talent is just another word for the touch of Satan himself! Perhaps I can make these women see sense and bring them back to the church."
The Rebel
Sarah Buchan 32 yrs
Quick tempered and with little patience for the Vigil. Inherited the largest cottage from mother.​
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Themes: let's shake things up, exploring the Talent, loathing passivity.
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Relationships: cousin, and niece to other characters.
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"If one more person tells me how fantastic my mother was, I'm going to scream."
The Dreamer
Iona Buchan 30 yrs
Deeply connected to the ocean, often to the point of losing touch with reality.​​
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Themes: fulfilment of destiny, curiosity, helping others to find peace within the Talent.
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Relationships: cousin, and niece to other characters.
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"Sometimes I wander at night to the edge of the dark waters. I am unafraid, and perhaps that itself should frighten me more."
The Initiate
Isla McLeod 25 yrs
Late bloomer assumed not to possess the Talent. Always felt invisible next to her sister.​
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Themes: jealousy of sister, unsure of her place in the group, sudden changes.
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Relationships: sister, daughter, niece, granddaughter to other characters.
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"Today is my birthday. One more day without the Talent and I would have been free."
The Prodigy
Sorcha McLeod 23 yrs
The youngest girl to ever show the Talent at 6 yrs old. Moulded by her grandmother.​
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Themes: grandmother's favourite, others have decided my path, jealousy of sister.
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Relationships: sister, daughter, niece, granddaughter to other characters.
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"I've been told exactly who I am for my entire life. How do I know if it's true?"
The Newcomer
Alice Wilson 28 yrs
On a quest to find her father.​ Unprepared for all that she discovers!​
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Themes: out of her depth, reactions of family members, exposure of infidelity.
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Relationships: half-sister, niece, and granddaughter to other characters.
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"I had no idea my presence would cause such a stir..."
The Stranger
Rachel Stewart 37 yrs
Family tragedy at sea awakens the Talent in a woman not of the bloodlines.​
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Themes: decisions to be made, recent bereavement, overwhelming discovery, upsetting accepted wisdom.
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Relationships: no blood ties to the other characters.
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"At first I thought I was going quite mad. It still doesn't seem real."
Morag MacLeod
'The Leader' 78 yrs old
Angus MacLeod
81 yrs old
The MacLeod
Family
Jessie MacLeod
'The Dutiful' 45 yrs old
Callum MacLeod
42 yrs old
Catriona Grant
(born Catriona MacLeod)
'The Modernist' 40 yrs old
Kenneth Grant
46 yrs old
Isla MacLeod
'The Initiate' 25 yrs old
Sorcha MacLeod
'The Prodigy' 23 yrs old
Fergus Grant
18 yrs old
Anne Grant
15 yrs old
Mairead McCrae
'The Burdened' 67 yrs old
Fiona Grant
'The Stoic' 65 yrs old
Donald Grant
(deceased)
The Grant
Family
Kenneth Grant
46 yrs old
Catriona Grant
(born Catriona MacLeod)
'The Modernist' 40 yrs old
Ailsa Grant
'The Deserter' 44 yrs old
Murdo Grant
41 yrs old
Lachlan Grant
37 yrs old
Fergus Grant
18 yrs old
Anne Grant
15 yrs old
Fiona Grant
'The Stoic' 65 yrs old
Mairead McCrae
'The Burdened' 67 yrs old
Ruairi McRae
(deceased)
Mary McRae
60 yrs old
Seamus McRae
(deceased)
The McRae Family
Euan Murray
33 years old
Isobel Murray
(born Isobel McRae)
'The Outcast' 32 yrs old
Rose McRae
'The Stalwart' 29 yrs old
Eilidh Cameron
(born Eilidh McRae)
'The Unbeliever' 40 yrs old
Jamie Cameron
21 years old
Finlay Cameron
19 years old
The Buchan Family
Sarah Buchan
(deceased)
Fergus Buchan
61 yrs old
Kathleen McKay
(born Kathleen Buchan)
'The Healer' 58 yrs old
Sarah Buchan
'The Rebel' 32 yrs old
Iona Buchan
'The Dreamer' 30 yrs old
William McKay
36 yrs old
Dara McKay
33 yrs old
Kathleen McKay
14 yrs old
Lucy McKay
10 yrs old
Father
unknown
Jane Wilson
(deceased)
Henry Stewart
(deceased)
Mary Stewart
(deceased)
Alice Wilson
'The Newcomer' 28 yrs old
The Outsiders
Rachel Stewart
'The Stranger' 37 yrs old