The Chronicle

of the month of Heliora in the year 154

Preparations are now underway at the Citadel for the arrival of King Ravensgrim who is expected on a state visit as soon as he completes the consolidation of his victories in the Western Isles. The Witanmoot will also need to decide if it wishes to throw any events for the apparently large trading contingent that will be accompanying the Noordic King. Colonel Aldridge has played down any suggestions that there might be civil disorder problems as a result of Ravensgrim's past history as leading the mercenaries which devastated properties in, and mercilessly killed the population of several wards of the city. General Olvini was somewhat clearer on the matter. Describing King Ravensgrim as "a trusted ally who had eliminated one of the most serious threats to Linrodeth security and who now controls one of our most important trading areas", he expressed his expectation that the Noordic King would be greeted with spontaneous cheering.

In a quiet Witanmoot session the main budget split went through unopposed. This was then followed by a flurry of amendments as Alderman Jim Bottler proceeded to propose his recommended changes relating to the Temples. These proposals have proved a surprisingly uncontroversial and it would appear that Jim has again got away with walking through a field of cowpats that many others have avoided. A slightly more exciting council session may be provided by the elections of the Sheriff which are forthcoming. Olivia Warin, Nicolas Bowden and Mary Hastings have been nominated and, with the four remaining factions almost evenly represented it in the Alderman Court, it may well come down to the independent vote of Nicolas Walton to decide the outcome.

Lady Jenny Davy has already started to establish a distinct style as the leader of our city. Her most recent innovation is to openly meet with the leaders of factions as well as the Sheriff's and key committee chairs. Whilst factions have been an accepted part of Linrodeth life for some time, this is the first occasion upon which the normal separation between the administration and the factions has been blurred. In a further innovation Lady Davy has decided to hold these sessions extremely informally. Apparently she has become used to having important discussions in the Bottler baths. Perhaps it will not be to too long before the sweet water project achieves the official backing from the executive that it has always lacked.

Preparations for the Midsummer Fair are now well underway. Lady Davy has made it clear that she would like this year's event to show a return to Linrodeth’s trading roots. Formal invitations have been sent out throughout the duchy and prizes are to be offered by each of the guilds to the member who has made the greatest difference to Linrodeth trade this year.

The new Mercer's gate is proving to be very popular. Flow through it has been surprisingly strong. Indeed on one occasion queues formed despite the fact that the accesses to the adjacent gates were unblocked. Several wags have commented that this simply goes to prove that Linrodeth dockside workers are indeed the laziest in the world.

Rumours are beginning to circulate suggesting that the apparently quiet passage of the budget is a cover. Whispered conversations in the Witanmoot suggest that large sums of money have gone missing or indeed that the accountants got their sums badly wrong. However attempts to investigate what has happened to the apparently large amounts of money left over in various contingencies or indeed why people get so jumpy when the committee's accounts are looked into have been faced with absolute denials and bafflement by the Witanmoot Clerks.