#1
Friends,
something is awry on the Plateau. We have all seen the signs. As your local
Warden, I have asked for a scribe to take my concerns to parchment and dispatch
a currier to His Majesty. Here follows a transcript of this missive.
“Eoin, the Warden
of the Northern Plateau by the grace of his Royal Majesty, to the most esteemed
and Just Sovereign Thorstenn, King of the Meridians, health and happiness.
Because I know of
the importance you place on the condition and state of your holdings, I have
sent this missive. As is our custom this time of season, your humble servant,
Eoin, has assembled your Fyrd men from the Shire of Easaraigh and toured the
plateau over the past weeks to take stock and establish a good report of the
welfare of this region.
Your Majesty will
be pleased to know that the abundance of this region will not falter. The farms
of the plateau will be expecting a harvest full of promise from the rocky soil
of this region. Additionally, stocks of sheep and fowl also look to be as
expected, if not better than is common.
One area of
concern appears to be in His Majesties reserves of wild game. We discovered
evidence that indicates recent kills of the kingdom stock of boar. I am aware
that His Majesty, Timothy, had granted license to a Middle Kingdom hunting
party over the winter months before he left for the Crusade.
I understand that
the party of Middle Kingdom foragers did have success and returned home with
their rewards. Other signs discovered while on tour indicate that there may be
more hunters active in our region long after the Middle Kingdom party returned
north.
If I may ask, Has
Your Majesty offered license to any other parties to hunt boar in your lands in
the north? Please send word when you are able. I fear there may be unwarranted
activities afoot in you lands.
God bless you and
keep you.
Given in the
Shire of Easariagh, on this 22nd day of the month of July, Anno Societatis
LIII, being two thousand eighteen Gregorian.”
#2
After some efforts locally and in receipt of a response from
HRM, another correspondence has commissioned and sent to the hands of Their
Majesties Meridies...
“To His Royal
Majesty, Thorstenn, King of Meridies, greetings from Eoin Man Cana, Warden of
the Northern Plateau and Knight Marshal of the Shire of Easaraigh.
While awaiting
your reply, we in Easaraigh sent word to neighboring Meridian holdings, to see
if any loyal Meridians have noticed foreigners roaming the region. All
responses have been received and no traveler currently in the region could be
identified as a stranger to these lands.
Your currier
arrived late yesterday eve with Your missive revealing no active hunting
warrants in our region and the absence thereof of grant from Your Majesty for
hunting of the King’s boar on the Northern Plateau.
With the
knowledge from our neighbors and the receipt of Your letter, I have taken
council with your Seneschal and other officers in Easaraigh. We can come to no
other conclusion and are unanimous in our consent that if there is no outsider
roaming this territory and relieving it of Royal Boar, then there must be a
rogue poaching off the Royal bounty undiscovered.
I regret bearing
the news to you, as I know that your Majesties both cherish all Meridian souls
under your care. To think that someone that lives under the banner of your
protection would stoop to this treachery brings us all near to tears.
The loyal
populace of Easaraigh is working on a plan to uncover the deceiver in our
midst. All we ask is for Your Majesty’s guidance and consent for your Warden,
Eoin, to act as your hand of justice when the perpetrator is revealed. Waiting
on Your response.
Glory unto you
and the might of Meridies.
Given in the
Shire of Easariagh, on this 26th day of the month of July, Anno Societatis
LIII, being two thousand eighteen Gregorian.”
#3
The event is
planned. The ranges are set. The fields are ready. The butts will be cooked.
The Wardens Challenge is coming friends. This final missive was scribed this
day to His Majesty as TRMs travel to support the war efforts of our neighbors
to the north.
“To the most
excellent lord Thorstenn, by the grace of God, King of Meridies, The Warden of
the Northern Plateau, Eoin, wishing to observe his oath and the fidelity due to
God and to him, wish health, and tender their lawful service with all respect
and honor.
Glad tidings
arrived with your Royal Currier on this day of your consent to allow your
officers here at Easaraigh and myself, Warden and Marshal of this region to
root out the interlopers poaching from these lands.
To that end, if
it pleases Your Majesty, we have announced a tournament to be held in the
region. ‘The Warden’s Challenge’ is planned to occur one week from now here at
Easaraigh under my watchful gaze.
We will offer
such prizes and challenges, that no man or woman of skill will be able to
abstain from attendance. Our goal is to catch the poacher as they participate
in the activities that day. This poacher, wily in nature, has none-the-less
left clues to their identity. Such clues
have been discovered and are held close to vest, lest word get out and startle
the thief.
We look forward
to uncovering this vagabond and restoring the safety and security of the wild
game that live under our protection here. Word will be sent as soon as the
scoundrel is uncovered.
God keep Your
Majesty in good grace and fortune.
Given in the
Shire of Easariagh, on this 29th day of the month of July, Anno Societatis
LIII, being two thousand eighteen Gregorian.”
Final/AAR
The Warden’s
Challenge is complete. The shirefolk of Easaraigh have cleared the kitchens,
emptied the pots, and doused the fires. The King’s officers have conferred and
the following correspondence has been drafted in report to His Royal Majesty at
the war camp of Pennsic on our findings.
“Eoin Mac Cana,
by his favor, Warden of the Northern Plateau, to the Pennsic War Camp and
Thorstenn, the august and vigilant King of Meridies, may the King’s will be
done in peace and in war, unto the worlds end.
Your Majesty, as
you led our Meridian host to the Pennsic War camp, we in Easaraigh announced a
call to tournament, The Warden’s Challenge, under the aura of your will with
hopes of luring the lowly poacher or poachers of the King’s boar out of hiding
into the shining light of your justice.
We were most
pleased to receive, upon a plea of support from your seneschal of this shire,
your Baron and Baroness of Glaedenfeld, as agents of Your might, in contribution
to our cause. Their excellencies arrived with several prominent retainers that
provided much needed support. The people of Easaraigh have much favor for the
rulers of those lands to our west. Their contribution leant additional import
to our efforts here.
The day was bright
and warm. Over fivescore of your subjects had arrived by the middle morning
time to participate in the tournament. Under the watchful eyes of your vigilant
officers and the Baronial complement, we scrutinized the attendance for any
rogue-like behavior or skills that might could provide truth to the hidden
identity of the swine thief.
Your Majesties’
Seneschal, Lady Asa Kolbrun, held watch over the Archery, Knife and Axe ranges
throughout the day. There were many excellent archers present that won the
challenges that were put before them. Of those present, Ricard, Pippen, Caelen,
and Kevin all flashed some skill at bow. But, I think it was a yeoman named
Fynlo that we initially thought to be a leading candidate for ‘our man’ in the
winning several shoots during the day. He had travelled a long distance to come
to the event and was no local. It was revealed, though several reports from
upstanding peers, that he was a King’s man and Marshal-in-Training. No man who
takes the very food from the King’s table would be suitable for such an honor or
respect. For these reasons, we ruled him out of suspicion and looked elsewhere.
From the knife
and axe range, several close challenges were held and through a closely scored
result, the name of Michael surfaced. We in Easaraigh did not know this man, so
thought he might be foreign to our lands and a likely target for attention.
Luckily, the wise council of your Baron, Griffin, came to us vouching for the
young man as one of His populace and of a good and honest home.
On the armored
tournament grounds, I held witness to great prowess of Your knight’s and
men-at-arms that had not travelled with Your column north. The champion of the
day was Sir Randver. Having promised Your Majesty that we would find the
culprit of the offense to your person, I did take a hard look at this esteemed
peer with some reluctance. A peer should be above such review. None-the-less,
my oath was sworn and broke no exception. So after some time watching his style
of combat, I reasoned that a knight who enjoys a fight up close with his
opponent would most likely had fallen or at least found grave injury in a fight
with a King’s boar, who are known for their ferocity at close quarter. This
logic in addition to the untarnished belt of white he wore, Sir Randver was
above our query.
My Honorable Lady
Ellen held watch over our peacetime activities in our long hall. Several Masters
and students were in attendance sharing in their wealth and trade of
learnedness. The collective knowledge present for the day was broad and well
versed. Block printing, Roman concrete, astrolabe, etching, costuming, Kumihimo
and Roman desserts are all fine skills to have. But, alas, these are not the
types of traits normally found in an outlaw of wild game. Alas, no party was
presented from that quarter for our attention.
At the end of the
day, your officials present discussed the days events. Each suspect we
presented was found with alibi or reasonable exclusion from guilt.
During this
council, some woodsman, who had been out gathering kindling for the cooking
fires, returned to the Shire and reported witnessing some strange tracks in the
woods to our north west that were from no local beast. One of our elders, a
former King’s Gamekeeper, stated that the tracks described could only belong to
a creature known as a ‘River Rat’. While these beasts are not known to us, I
believe that some other shires may be familiar with them.
Per our elder’s
retelling, the ‘River Rat’ is large. Larger than a hunting hound and they move
in packs up and down the rivers of the north western kingdom. They are rumored
to have a taste for boar and have a melodic, song-like cry when they are
devouring their kills. If enough of the creatures could gather, it is possible
they are the plague that is hunting Your Royal Boar.
With this new
information, I have instructed Your Fyrdmen here to maintain vigil. We in
Easaraigh have an oath to keep in finding the culprit of this plague on Your
lands.
The prayers of
Your people are with you. May you find glorious triumph in your travels in the
north.
Given in the
Shire of Easariagh, on this 4th day of the month of August, Anno Societatis
LIII, being two thousand eighteen Gregorian.”
