[Northkeep] Grave News of War

Mercedes de Cerdanya steldr at home.net
Mon Jan 14 14:08:38 PST 2002


Dear friends, a fearsome missive from Baron Pendaran!

Mercedes
----- Original Message -----

> As a knight in service to my Crown, as a baron in fief
> who has sworn to protect the lands I hold from my King
> and Queen, and as an officer of rank in the Army of
> Heroes, it is my sad and solemn duty to inform each and
> every Ansteorran of the fires of war being lit in the
> East. Dread Trimaris once again raises her war like
> visage and in bitter envy espies the wealth and
> goodness of Ansteorra. It is well known that Trimaris
> is a low and swampy place inhabited by scaly reptiles
> and winged parasites. Those poor folk who by dent of
> ill luck have been born into these lands have heard
> tale of the riches of Ansteorra. Long have the heard
> the tales of our mighty pine forests, of the unending
> prairies where we do graze our vast herds, of the
> mountains that adorn our land and of the many other
> wondrous gifts we so enjoy in abundance. Therefore
> does envious Trimaris, like a hydra, rise once again
> even more powerful than before and turn her head
> westward to war.
>
> For she is more like the hydra of myth than you know,
> dear Ansteorra. Know that through cunning and guile,
> has Trimaris persuaded Meridies to wholly join her in
> dread war. Thus has she grown more powerful. In years
> past, when the Lion did grapple with the serpent,
> Meridies split her army between the two warring
> parties - but this is not to be come spring. No, this
> year, all of Merdies, a host huge in number, shall
> fight against the Ansteorran Lion. Know you also that
> the other great serpent, the dragon from the Middle
> Kingdom has found her like and has also sided with
> her low dwelling cousin and does fight for Trimaris.
> Great will be the enemy in number and in fierceness.
>
> While we can still count upon the support of our right
> good and strong allies of Outlands and Calontir, we
> face great odds, Ansteorra. The heroes from the
> Outlands have a very great journey and a war close to
> their own home. Therefore are their numbers are likely
> to be small. And while the Calontiri have always stood
> beside us, their wall unbreaking and their spears like
> an ash forest, we cannot depend on our stout brothers
> to fight for us. No, Ansteorra, we must once again
> take the field when Mars stalks the southern lands. We
> must field a great and terrible army to turn back
> this eastern tide.
>
> Our right good and royal King, bold Aaron has held
> council with that great general Duke Kein, and has
> determined that this fight shall not take place on
> Ansteorran soil. We must stem the tide of war before
> it reaches our beloved land. Therefore you men and
> women of Ansteorra, the fight does fall to us. King
> Aaron and Queen Britta call us, we must raise the
> host! Gather your households and your servants,
> burnish the spear and sharpen the rapier, gather your
> stores and load the wagons for your duty is clear.
> Strength of arms alone will not win this war - great
> service and sacrifice from all will be needed! For
> every broadsword and rapier, there must be three men
> and woman giving of their time and service to make
> their way possible. That is how war is won. Let also
> the bards, the poets and the troubadours gather so
> the feats of the heroes will be recorded. Let our
> artists come forth with fineries and things of beauty
> to inspire the army, and to remind Trimaris of
> that which they covet, but may not have.
>
> I have come to warn you, great and mighty Ansteorra,
> of the task which is before you. A host with warriors
> as numerous as the stars comes forth to conquer our
> fair land. I beg you all, when the Crown calls forth
> Their host, do not wait an instant to join in that
> number. For if you do,great will be your sorrow when
> the storied heroes return all draped in glory
> and in song. For such is the lot of heroes.
>
> I remain in service to my Crown, my Kingdom and my God,
> Pendaran, Lord Bryn Gwlad
>
> _______________________________________________
> Barony mailing list
> Barony at ansteorra.org
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/barony




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