GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Real-Life Reavers

POSTED BY: IRISANNE
UPDATED: Thursday, February 26, 2004 21:40
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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 1:55 PM

IRISANNE


Hey, check this out. I was just reading a book about English history and I came across this sentence: "From medieval times up until the early seventeenth century, the Anglo-Scottish Borderlands were overrun by raiding gangs of outlaws and bandits (known as reivers) whose whole way of life was based on rustling, feuding amongst themselves, terrorism and blackmail...After the reivers came the mosstroopers--Border raiders who were particularly active in the 17th century."

I looked them up online, and there's a whole Reiver website here: http://www.reivers.com/

Probably you veteran browncoats already knew about these guys, so please excuse me if I'm bringing up "old news." But it was such a yummy surprise. I wonder if mosstroopers would have shown up eventually in Firefly scripts?

I haven't asked permission to post the Reiver website or to quote from the book, which pretty much pegs ME as a reiver. But here's the citation, at least: "Northumbria: British Border Country", by Rob Talbot and Robin Whiteman (published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1998) p. 9.

Now I'm off to read some more about these real-life reivers. Cheers!


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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 1:58 PM

VETERAN

Don't squat with your spurs on.


Nice tidbit. Thanks.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 3:40 PM

ANKHAGOGO


Quote:

Originally posted by IrisAnne:
Hey, check this out. I was just reading a book about English history and I came across this sentence: "From medieval times up until the early seventeenth century, the Anglo-Scottish Borderlands were overrun by raiding gangs of outlaws and bandits (known as reivers) whose whole way of life was based on rustling, feuding amongst themselves, terrorism and blackmail



Okay, that oddly makes me feel better. Even since they talked about Reavers on the show, I've been driving myself nuts trying to think why that word sounded familiar. That may be why.

"You are such a boo."

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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 3:44 PM

SAINT JAYNE


I was never sure of the real-life link, but there is an extensive line of Reaver lead figurines (I guess they're pewter now) for D&D. I just stared at them, then shook my head and said, "nahhhh, couldn't be."

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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 7:29 PM

WHOODAHN


Quote:

Okay, that oddly makes me feel better. Even since they talked about Reavers on the show, I've been driving myself nuts trying to think why that word sounded familiar. That may be why.


There was a 1969 Steve McQueen movie called "The Reivers". Maybe that's what you are thinking of.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 7:41 PM

POPEBOB


Quote:

Originally posted by Saint Jayne:
I was never sure of the real-life link, but there is an extensive line of Reaver lead figurines (I guess they're pewter now) for D&D. I just stared at them, then shook my head and said, "nahhhh, couldn't be."



Oh never underestimate the destructive power of small pewter/lead figurines there Jayne. They're viscious. I heard they once mounted an assault on a family of outland squatters, on Persephone. Killed them down to the last man and looted them of all thier D20's. They even sewed all their gaming modules together for shelter afterwards... *shadders*.. Barbaric.

Ahhhh.. Curse you sudden but inevitable betrayal!!

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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 8:54 PM

JASONZZZ



Would be interesting to see what sort of tartan Joss's Reavers wear. Do they wear underwear under their kilts?




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Wednesday, February 25, 2004 11:54 PM

FREMDFIRMA


Mosstroopers ?!

And here I thought we finished em off when he put paid to Delekhan...

And if that doesn't make sense to you, ask Sumani about it.

heh,heh,heh

-frem
diefuxdie

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Thursday, February 26, 2004 4:09 AM

KALATHENA


Quote:

I haven't asked permission to post the Reiver website or to quote from the book, which pretty much pegs ME as a reiver.


Nah. Pointing out and linking to a website is like pulling a book off a bookstore shelf and saying, "You should read this." And it's always been acceptable to use short quotes as long as a citation is included.

--Kala

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Thursday, February 26, 2004 8:20 AM

JEWEL


Well, what do you know -- my maternal line is there as well -- "JOHNSTONE". I did know they were a border clan, but I'd never heard them refered to as "reivers", though. Interesting.

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Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:40 PM

FLAMETREE


the reavers where theives and murders who worked boths sides of the scottish / english border. Only in the 17th C when both scotland and england worked in unison where the finally stopped.

It was not romantic it was just the strongest and most ruthless taking advantage of the weakest.

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