The Chronicle

of the month of Setheran in the year 157

A rather belated manhunt has started for Godrick Multun, the manager of the city's Bramblecoombe lead mine. The crisis appears to have blown over with a convenient agreement amongst all the political groups that Godrick was solely responsible for the slave labour which "the city could not reasonably have been expected to spot". One person not keen to let chairman for Lands and Agriculture Gilbert de Clare off so lightly is Gax the Heretic, who has been pursuing his legal challenge against the city and Alderman de Clare in a number of protracted sessions in the courts. Surprising support for de Clare has come from Alderman William Trueman who announced that he was dropping the matter because, "While Gilbert should have done better it is clear that he was not personally involved and uncertain that any normal scrutiny would have uncovered the wrongdoing. It is appropriate that the public are aware about this lapse but inappropriate to waste the tax payer's money on a court case that will not succeed".

In a quiet and uneventful Witanmoot session the budget has finally been passed. The main argument was avoided by the simple expedient of giving Her Highness £10,000 for the special war chest and providing the extra £250 for prison repair. The only argument was over the intention to create a mines inspectorate, which Cllr Ian Hobsley of Oldgate Ward described as "a stupid over reaction which simply adds to the ludicrous level of tax that the citizens are already paying". Also uneventfully Mary Hastings was elected as Sheriff to work with Nicholas Bowden in a classically stitched up Witanmoot lack of contest.

Alderman Peter Ryman will be summoned before the Lord of the City to answer a motion of censure raised by Cllr Alan Monterey accusing him of misconduct over the handling of the Northshore riots. Alderman Ryman is clearly outraged by this so much so that his comments are unprintable.

The Midsummer Fair was a major success despite the rain. Much to everyone's surprise the practice by the Marching Watch was the highlight of the event. Stirling work by the city's Aldermen and Colonel Aldridge's deployment of his soldiers over the last few weeks to provide training has clearly paid off. The city, it would appear, now has finally converted its fighting farce into a fighting force. Perhaps just in time if rumours leaking out of the citadel about Alan Monterey's reports of King Kieran's belligerence towards this fair city are to be believed.

Alderman William Trueman has hired a political assistant to help him with his campaign to become the next Lord of the City. This bold move shows the confidence of the Trueman Faction whose almost continuous campaigning this year is already swaying many wards towards their policies.

There have been no more arson attempts either in Northshore or upon the Hahnite temple this month. However there is still much unrest in Northshore and also much debate between the new Steward of Northshore Rodger Highdale and Sheriff Nicholas Bowden over the rights of the City and indeed where the City's boundary ends. It would appear that Steward Highdale is not too convinced about the legality of the city's annexation of the docks and until someone proves to him otherwise his bully boys intend to enforce the Stewards control over the area. A confrontation with the City Guard seems inevitable.