[Ansteorra] Loch Baronial

[D. Vandever]

Greetings Your Serpentine Excellency!

I am so glad you contacted me so quickly.  I don't know if your cousin,
Baron Godwin of Eddington has said anything to you or not but I felt that
someone should at least give you warning.  But first I must give you some
history to this tale.

As you may know, the Canton of Gate's Edge this last February held an event
called Pestilance Ball.  It was a smashing success but seemed to draw a
number of very seedy characters.  Someone actually died of the plague while
the dancers and musicians played on!!!  One of the most detestable was a
broken down old woman.  This woman was the sight and soul of desparate
destitution.  Why, she was so poor she only claimed one simple name, that
being Zelda.  The people there, of course, named her Zelda the Begger on the
spot.  She claimed that fate had brought her low and that due to the
pestilance all her family had died leaving her without means of support.
Thus she begged.  And how she begged!  Not a person could enter the hall
without being importuned by this wretch.  More than likely she was brought
low by evil ways and drink, 'tis my thought.  She whined about the hall,
picking lice and scratching herself and even begging the sweetmeats from the
toddler's very mouths!!  Finally, it was time for feast.  The pitious
creature was groveling from table to table when HE Godwin's voice rang out.
Our generous Baron announced that as of that very moment, Zelda was under
his hand and she was to be treated with great gentleness.  Well, our
wonderful Baron Godwin had totally confused the woman by insisting that she
be well fed and given a seat with the rest of the populace.  She kept trying
to beg even tho there was no need.  His Excellency finally managed to get
her to understand that she didn't have to do that as she was under his
protection.  Well, the poor thing nearly broke down as understanding came
across her.  I heard that it was quite touching as she declared her
gratitude and pleaded with His Excellency to name the task and she would do
it!

Well, and this takes another digression I'm afraid, one reason we are sure
the old lady is off in the head is everything she begged that evening she
donated to the Gate's Edge chronicler's office.  She was mumbling something
about the joys of reading and the need to spread the word to all the people.
So when she asked for a task to perform to show her gratitude, Baron Godwin
bethought himself a moment and then told the old woman that if she was happy
with her treatment here and if she was willing to be as generous with the
fruits of her begging in the future, then he knew of no one more generous
than his Cousin...The Baron of Loch Sollier.  HE Godwin then told the woman
that your barony would be having your Baronial Championship during the month
of May and that she should be sure to commend herself to you when she
arrives.

I have owed His Excellency a number of favors in gratitude for certain acts
he and his Baroness have done for me in the past.  A very few days after the
Ball, which I was unable to attend, one of my servants approached to say
there was an begger woman giving her name as Zelda at the door to my keep.
In her hand she bore a letter, sealed by HE Godwin's own ring.  In it,  he
asked me to look after Zelda.  I took her into my home and gave her a warm
place by the front of the fire for winter was hard upon us and she would
have taken ill in the cottage.  She tended to drool a bit and the smell from
her rags was a bit overpowering when she began to warm from the fire but
those were small burdens to bear to do my Baron's bidding.  For the past few
weeks, all I could get out of the woman was "lock
soller....yes...yes...Godun told me to go to lock soller...when the weather
warms....warms...."  and now.....well, I'm afraid that she has disappeared
from my keep here far to the north of the Canton.  I am certain that she has
taken the road to find your Barony's borders.  My hounds lost her scent in
the fens to the south of my keep but it seems clear that a southernly route
is hers.  I at first thought she might have been on her way to the Barony of
Ravensfort for Baron Niklas was not to be outdone in the company of his
fellow Baron and had extended an invitation to the old woman to visit his
Barony.  Perhaps he wanted her to scare off the decending hordes of Mongols
rumored to be poised to sweep into his lands.  Believe me, if the wind was
blowing the right way, the smell of that woman might be enough to do it!
But then, I remembered that she has a fear of cows...claiming them to be
demon spawn from hell...and one of my servants told her that Ravensfort is
rife with wild cows, so I doubt she has headed in that direction.  No, it
seems clear that the befuddled old woman has decided to try to make it to
your lands.  There I am sure she intends to keep her promise to our Baron
Godwin and to beg from all only to give it into your hand for the good of
your people.  She seems to be quite taken with the kindness shown to her by
our Baron and quite determined to do as she can to repay him.

Here is her discription.  She is not a tall nor a short woman.  She is
rather fleshy but smaller now than she has been in the past.  She is neither
terribly old nor very young.  She wears a black under chemise with a ragged
over tunic in brown monks cloth.  Her hair is quite unkempt and a
black/grey.  She carries a tattered coverlet for a bedroll and a large bag
made from wool wherein she keeps all her possessions dear to her.  She
should be quite footsore after traveling all the way to your barony and I
doubt that nought will have washed her but God's own rain but for my sake
and for the sake of my good standing with my Baron, treat her kindly.  Let
not your guards set their hound's teeth to her shanks!  Allow her to beg and
then send her back to me or better yet, to His Excellency, the Baron of
Stargate.  He seemed to be quite concerned for her welfare and perhaps he
can find a place for her at his keep for a while.  After all, his keep is
much closer to your lands than mine is.  I am sure that his Baroness will be
able to find something for the poor thing to do in the garden or kitchen.
Of course, our Baroness is known to enjoy her cleanliness and so I am
certain that the kitchen will not be where Zelda will end up.

This has been a long missive but the tale has been told.  Once again, for
past friendship and peace between our Baronies, I beg you to treat this
Zelda with as much kindness as you can, for she does mean well and tries to
do as she can to help all.  Until then, I remain....

In Service,

HL Annes Clotilde von Bamburg
Dear God,  Help me to be the person
my dog thinks I am.  Amen