And before I decide to discard this persona I thought I would check an avenue which I havn't before. I became a viking on impulse without studying the backround on the name. I wanted to be Irish and tried to incorporate the helvetti family as emmigrating into Ireland, only later to find out they didn't make it. So, in my many properties in Munster, I tried to breath life into a villiage of family members. I'm getting discouraged because I don't have many Irish friends to interact with, more or less in the area we are located.

Now besides becoming a new celt, one with more substantiability and links to other celts, a new thought occured to me.

My lineage is actually German, but my mother took me to the U.S. as an infant. My father stayed in Germany and I never knew him.
Maybe I should have my character do some traveling to Germany. My family name (spelling?) was Luederman and my grandmothers maiden name was (spelling?) Shazartz. They owned or ran a mail company but harbored innocent people during WW2. My grandfather and uncle were caught and considered traitors and died in the camps along with so many others. My extended family escaped to the USA, but returned to Germany when it was safe. People have stopped me and asked if I was German. They apparently have been there and say I share similarities. If the name Helvetti could be considered possibly of German origin, maybe we should move, instead of abandoning the persona all together.

Well, I'll experiment for a while to see what I'm comfortable with, although my subscription runs out next month which does give me a dead line to either start new or do some more improvising. Personal opinions would really be appreciated, just leave a note at my place. Especially because I'm lacking in detail and havn't quite got the hang of research.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

marta