<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For those who were not there yesterday evening...
You missed an enchanted evening of bard craft. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>During feast the performs came and sang songs and
told tales. Many performed to such a standard that Several of the populace
asked me "Has the competition already began?" and then as the feast wound down
the competition began. Four Bards of great worth presented themselves before
their excellencies and the populace to audition for the honor of being the next
bard of the Tor. Maurrian, Hook, Anika, and Prudence put themselves into the
circle. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As the completion began Lord hook began to take the
stage and low he was tripped by a wind rope from a pavilion. but as a bard of
Ansteorra this would not stop him he retuned his guitar and still came through
to sing us tales of Dragons and the glories of Ansteorra's armies. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Anika came forth as well, giving vivid voice to
images upon the wind as she told her tales of the dragons, and the virtue of the
fine Shire of Loch Ruadh. For those of you who have not her this fair young
bard, be on your guard should you be pitted gainst her cross the fire, this one
is a name we shall all remember as a Bard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Maurrian whom many of us have known for years as
Simone, added her voice to the evening air, she told of how to sing for a
dragons help and sang of the mighty sable star. As many times before Maurrian
showed good mettle and a bard of Ansteorra.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In the end it was Poetry and telling tales that won
the day as Prudence the Curious did spin in poetic verse a discourse between a
Prince of the Midrealm and a Princess of the East invoking the Heraldic
Dragon and Tyger that these kingdoms bear, to grant us a chance to let our
minds wonder down the road to times now long gone by. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It was as our king did tell the tale of a simple
black stone that it was agreed by the judges that Prudence should represent the
Tor for the coming year. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Many times my report of the Bardic happenings at an
event would end here. the circle would disband and many would fade off to drums
and other parties, but on this night the King himself once more rose and sang
unto the Queen, and then their majesties and Lord and Lady of the Tor did sit
with us all as we told tales and sang songs of Ansteorra and our history well
into the night.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We heard of why His majesty long ago wore more than
one red belt and how he learned to wear only one!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We heard the tale of Cealin, Queen of misrule and
his... er umher... heir</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We heard the fond memories of all those gathered
beneath the brilliant stars of the Ansteorran spring. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Truly it was a magical night to be a
bard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Darius</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Former Bard of the Tor</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>