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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Greetings to all from <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Snorri
Hallsson</st1:PersonName>, former Bard of the Steppes:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>On Sunday evening, Their Excellencies al-Sheik Abd al-Mahdi
and Baronessa Valeria and I as their outgoing Bard hosted a wonderful
competition to determine the next Bard of the Steppes. Once the fire was
lit, however, the skies followed suit and for safety’s sake we retired to
one of the permanent shelters on the site. It turned out to be just in
time, as the rains came just as we got most everyone under cover. At no
time were we threatened with anything but dampness, and the shower passed
within thirty minutes or so. Though I know Their Excellencies were as
disappointed as I was at the loss of ambience, we were all pleased that the
usual quality of the competition did not suffer for it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>There were fourteen competitors and two who chose to perform
without being considered for the title. We were inspired. We
laughed. We cried. We held our loved ones’ hands. We
sang and hummed along and stomped our feet in time. We were spellbound by
stories that seemed to move the very heavens themselves, and we said farewell
but not goodbye. We heard stories of things which time had made legend,
and poems of things to be legends in time. We were entertained by young
and old alike. And we were moved by the skill of experience and the
courage and beauty of a first-time competitor. There was song and story
and poem and musical accompaniment alike. In short, there was a little of
everything, for everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I wish to give special wordfame to Lady Droen O’Roarke
from the Barony of Wiesenfeuer. Lady Droen chose to make this competition
her first, and to further challenge herself, she opened this competition,
having never attended a Steppes Bardic Championship before! Her courage
inspired us all and she was given largess and wordfame, as well as a belt favor
woven on my personal commission by HL Saqra al-Kudsi. (In addition to her
determination, she wowed us with a most beautiful voice!)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In the end, however, there could be only one to take on the
position of Bard of the Steppes, so without further ado, I wish to give
wordfame and congratulations to the Honorable Lady Annes Clotilde von Bamburg,
of the Shire of Gate’s Edge. She performed a poem inspired by the
newest Steppes Champion and the Queen of Grace and Beauty, Don Aeron Harper and
Countess Allyson Karlsdottir, and their adventures in court that very evening. Her
piece was a magnificent example of oral history, both comedic and inspiring,
and all present were delighted and moved by her presentation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Vivat the newest Bard of the Steppes, HL Annes Clotilde von
Bamburg!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Health and fortune,</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>HL <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Snorri Hallsson</st1:PersonName></span></font>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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