Who's Who in Bert's World - April 2012

Main Character

Human name: Bert Hartgen.

Full name: Bertalius Alfardan.

Born London, UK, may 4 1979.
Attended Shana-Sherin Academy, Ireland, 1992 - 2009.
Works for Brian Hartgen.

Bert's Family

Alfard Alfardan: Bert's father, A lep of few words, but wise under the gruff exterior and fiercely proud of his son.

LillyBella davona: Bert's Mother. Having borne and raised thirty children, including three sets of twins, she is a lep who values family above everything else. Although a stalwart homemaker, she is a worrier, and does tend to become agitated and upset if there is ever any family drama, which there usually is.

Bartle Alfardan: Eldest son of Alfard and LilyBella, patriarch elect, Bert's much disliked eldest brother. Described by Bert as a pompous, petty-minded, cold-hearted lep engrossed in his work, with a wife who is frightened of him and leplings who do not love him. Bartle works as an advocate, the lep equivalent of a lawyer.

Minnimarni Robbikna: wife of Bartle Alfardan, mother of a large family, number unspecified. Described by Bert as being frightened of her husband and never usually saying boo to a gozzling, never mind a goose, Minnimarni is beginning to show some backbone over the matter of her favourite daughter's wedding, which is a good sign.

Andelaine Bartlena: Bartle and Minnimarni's daughter, her mother's pet, who is bent on marrying someone her Father does not approve of.

Gordus garusan: Gordy is bent on marrying Andelaine, not much is known about him, except he seems rather hotheaded and impetuous, nearly causing a punch up at the recent naming ceremony. Bartle detests him because his, Gordy's father once caused him to lose an important case.

Nile Alfardan: one of Bert's brothers. He is married, with 14 leplings, and the family live in the country. This is unusual because when a lep marries, his wife leaves her home and moves to her husband's colony, or place of residence. But Nile's wife hated the city, loved the country and did not want to leave, so Nile went against custom and moved to be with her. Nile has a weak stomach and a nervous disposition, and one rather gets the impression that the tail wags the dog in that household.

Marganetta Kendusna: Wife of Nile, mother of fourteen, does not like the city, and does not get on very well with Bert's Mum.

Barbriella Nilena: Nile and Netta's thirteen-year-old daughter, a book swat like Bert, who has just been accepted into Shana-Sherin, to undergo seventeen years of training, after which she will be released into our world, and posted to work alongside a human.

Tommorani alfardan: one year older than Bert, his most troublesome brother. Always fighting, he used to have a humdrum job for the colony council until he got into one fight too many, attempted to hit top brass, and is now in the lockholes. Tommo detests Bert for being a book swat, Bert detests Tommo for being a yob, and for what he is doing to his family by his wild behaviour. Married to Mig, with eleven leplings, the marriage has recently had to be dissolved at Mig's request.

MiggyMeg morvyna: married to Tommo, mother of eleven, described by Bert as downtrodden and mousey, she is proving to have a streak of highland granite in her by refusing to be bullied, or to continue to put up with the increasingly bad behaviour of her husband. She has recently applied for, and been given, a Dissolution, which is a very unusual thing in a lep colony, and has taken her younger lings back to Scotland.

Ikeus Tommoranian:
Eldest son of Tommo and Mig. Did not want to move back to Scotland with his Mother, so applied for permission to set up his own cube, and undertook to look after any of the older lings who wished to stay behind. This is all very well, but he also communicated with his Father, letting him know that his Mother was planning to depart, a fact which she had wished to keep quiet. Ikey is a strongminded, steady boy, but is blindly loyal to his father, whatever he does.

Leorto alfardan, and Lialani Alfardna:

Bert's twin brother and sister, they grew up very close, and were always interested in Ireland. When they were of age, they applied for permission to return to "The old Country", and were accepted. They now have a farm of their own, they live there alone accept for their animals, happy in each other's company, needing neither spouse nor lepling, for they are happy to have each other.

Gwenice Alfardna: A yeear younger than Bert, he and this studious sister were once friends, and worked and learned together. Gwenice passionately wished to be accepted into Shana-Sherin, but she was not chosen. She went instead into healing. She wanted to be received at the Healing Gardens in Ireland, but she was not good enough for that either, and she now works at a remote colony in Norfolk, and is unhappy and resentful about it. She rarely comes home and keeps herself separate from the family.

Amarella Alfardna: Bert's favourite sister. Married to Derry, with five lings and another on the way. She has had problems with her health, we know, which have necessitated her being at the healing gardens for a hole year! There seems to be some special bond between Mella and Bert, but what this is we do not as yet know.

Derrywood Fillipan: Husband of Mella, father of five, solid and steady, Bert gets on very well with him. Seems to be very good with technology.

Tulia Alfardna: Bert's number ten sister, as he has told us. Married to Shay, mother of seven, including the recently named Pattianne. Nothing is really known about her personality, except that she is independent, and did not like Bert's Mum fussing over her towards the end of her pregnancy. Bert and she are not close.

Shayo Alburgan: husband of Tulia, father of seven, steady and hard-working, not much else known about him.

Pattianne Shayona: Tuli and Shay's baby daughter, born on the dawn of Saint Patrick's day, a very good omen, when she was named, she seemd to have a rare affinity with the Helping Hand. A very special youngling.

Tovius Alfardan: A favourite brother of Bert's, a few years younger than he, married to Bert's childhood sweetheart. Father of a large family, number unspecified. Works as a forager, is very good at it. Likes to talk on Skype.

Aprilina Nicona: Married to Tovey, used to be very fond of Bert when they were leplings at school, has a family, number unspecified, very friendly with Bert now.

Laralita Alfardna: Bert's very youngest sister, married to Mart, has one delicate little son about whom she frets constantly.
Martong Martongan: Married to Laralita, Father of Danic, he has a good job, though we are not told what. He worries about his little son, has found it hard to get money enough to send him to the healing gardens and was too proud to ask for help, which upset his wife. The fact that this has worsened Danic's condition has made a lot of trouble, which is made worse still by Mart refusing to discuss it, but throwing himself into his work instead.

Danic Martongan: Laralita and Mart's little son. At present in Ireland at the healing gardens, suffering with polution sickness on his lungs, which can be a very serious condition.

Arfonius Roccoran: Bert's Uncle Arf, described by him as a character. AT one hundred and nine years old, Uncle Arf has had two families, one which he has raised, and one which he is still raising. He was married to Bert's Aunt Junie for years. When Aunt Junie went to the high country, and Uncle Arf having mourned for a year as you do, according to Bert, Uncle Arf married a fem of sixteen, and is now a father of twelve, soon to be thirteen, and they are happy as larks!

Kittenella Filiusna: Bert's Aunt Kitty, married to Uncle Arf, mother of twelve, soon to be thirteen. Bert describes her as a happy home maker who minds her cube, looks after Uncle Arf and pops a ling every year.

Other Characters

The Holder of the Hand: a kind of high priestess, who officiates at ceremonies, and who was also at Bert's recent disciplinary hearing. She alone can call forth the colony's Helping Hand from its box, and she may touch it when permitted. She is two hundred and fifty three years old, has served as a Hander for one hundred and eighty of them, is a tiny, wrinkled white-haired lep fem with silver white hair and amazing sapphire blue eyes. Bert has a great regard for her.

Professor Delian: the head of Linden, Bert's old house at Shana-Sherrin, he and Bert crossed figurative swords many times, and came to detest each other. He was sent to Bert's hearing. Cold, hard, unreasonable and sarcastic, if the matter had rested with him, Bert would have been sent to the lockholes.

Madam Lynnara: head of all houses at Shana-Sherrin. She looks out for the wellfare of students, past and present, and is a stately, exalted, but kindly person. She recently approved Bert as one of Babsy's mentors.

Madam Moraine: a tutor at Linden, Babsy's house at Shana-Sherin, she also knew Bert when he was there. She has been described by young Babsy as an old mule, a statement with which Bert agrees. She recently brought Babsy to her cousin's naming ceremony, which was a great surprise to her parents.

Liella Tomoranina: Second lepling of Tommo and Mig, Ikey's inept younger sister, who is trying, rather unsuccessfully, to help look after those who stayed in London after their Mother moved back to Scotland.