The Chronicle

of the month of Skelern in the year 154

Her Highness Princess Selina has continued to recover this month, although the anniversary of the death of Prince Edwin has been very distressing for her. The Princess insisted on attending a memorial service at her husband’s tomb in the Citadel vaults. The stress of the occasion appears to have caused another relapse. Her Highness is reported to have told one fussing Torian that she refused to remain abed upon this solemn occasion. General Olvini marked the anniversary of the declaration of war against the Noord by praising the city for its support in bringing justice down upon the Western Isles, and for its continued strength in the fight to crush the remnants left in Nyskilde.

Much frantic activity has been caused by the sighting of Aralan Derwent within the City. Whilst many have dismissed this as a wild rumour the sudden appearance on the streets of a lot of Witanmoot Guard veterans would suggest that Colonel Aldridge is at least taking the matter seriously. Derwent who was exiled from the City is now “Duchess of Fenny Bridges” under King Kieran and some people have theorised that she must have sneaked back with his entourage and is now stuck in the City. Others have suggested that she is just visiting old friends, although the middle of Winter would appear to be a rather strange time to do this. What quite the Citadel would do with one of King Kieran’s Duchesses should she be caught remains to be seen. However Colonel Aldridge, who was once a great friend of Derwent, has reminded everyone that she was exiled form the City of pain of death and it is a Citizens duty to aid in her arrest. The ex-Sheriff has been sighted at numerous places around the City and particularly in the Ward of Levestone.

The new Mercers Gate in Portwall is proceeding with unseemly haste. The gap in the wall has already been created and a wooden roof and walls have been constructed around the site to enable the craftsmen to work despite blizzards. Rumours are beginning to circulate that Jim Bottler has promised General Olvini that the gate will be finished before the thaw and that dire consequences will ensue if he should fail to deliver.

Maureen Quiller and Irving Grendle have split from the Trueman faction and formed a new grouping which they are calling the “Renewal party”. Cllr Quiller described her unwavering respect for William Trueman and his “continued selfless dedication to the best interests of the city”. However she declared that she needed to becoming independent of him so that she could speak out against the agitators and traitors who were so misleading the people of the city and who had so disgracefully manipulated last month’s elections. Alderman Trueman has refused to comment on the matter.

There were confusing and, at some points, highly worrying scenes at the Torian Temple and Bards College this month. For the first time in many years a fight took place inside the boundaries of the Torian Temple. The Knights Hospitallers closed the Temple precinct for vigils and prayers to be said throughout the night. Reports emanating from those who were within the precincts at the time suggest wild stories of demonic possession. The following day Sheriff Bowden, Sheriff Davy and Ambassador Sir Eridan were all to be found at the office of Master Bard Alethorn, where even wilder rumours claim swords were drawn and dire warnings issued. All participants have firmly denied such goings-on and, indeed appear remarkably unscathed for a fracas of that calibre.

The Goldsmiths guild has once again descended upon the committee accounts and once again been disappointed to discover that they are all in order. Notably Olivia Warin and Alan Monterey failed completely to suppress their smugness when Trade scrolls passed the audit with absolutely no errors. The nominations for the Committee Chairs did not throw up any surprises other than the nominations from Maureen Quiller. Her arrival at the court of Aldermen in order to make the nominations threw up a heated debate from the assembled Alderman, however she was able to demonstrate that, whilst the Witanmoot rules explicitly required nominations for the Sheriffs to be made by Aldermen, no such constraint applied to the committee nominations. Even more fun was created by the bizarre nomination of William Trueman by Marcus Lambourne. This proposal can only be described as mischievous. Even Lambourne’s speech of nomination contained a back-handed attack in its suggestion that Trueman was close to having no committee places; “this nomination may come as a surprise to many, but Alderman Trueman has a very definite flair for this kind of work. I sincerely hope that he will accept this nomination in the spirit in which it is proposed. I would be dismayed indeed to see him prevented from putting his undoubted talents to good use” The proposal was met with a brief silence into which Duncan Barnett’s cry of “disingenuous” broke with devastating effect. The final nominations were:

Treasury: Romanie (Bottler)

Trade: Warin (Monterey), Barbiter (Trueman)

Law and Order: Barnett (Cutario), Spich (Lambourne), Hastings (Trueman)

Shipping: Osbert (Cutario), Barbiter (Quiller)

Welfare and Education: Saunders (Cutario), Trueman (Lambourne), Bergeren (Monterey)

Lands and Agriculture: De Clare (Bottler)

Kerun: Shefford (Monterey), Candever (Quiller)

Orissa: Russell (Cutario)

Eresan: Howe (Bottler), Benton (Monterey)

Cascorach: Merewell (Monterey), Rucche (Quiller)

Western Isles: Flambourd (Monterey), Capel (Quiller)

Cllr Marcus Lambourne has proposed a motion to move the Sheriffs elections: “From this day forth, nominations for the Sheriffs’ posts should take place by Tenthday Firstweek in the month of Jasmarill, with elections taking place on Firstday Firstweek in the month of Heliora.” He explained that the custom and practice of electing the Sheriffs at Midsummer has, on occasion, left the city with only one Sheriff in post for three months of the year and that this was not acceptable given the vital role performed by the Sheriffs. The idea which has been mooted on numerous occasions has previously been sponsored by Alan Monterey and it will be interesting to see if the great aficionado of Witanmoot procedure will seek to amend Cllr Lambourne’s unusually brief proposal. Certainly Cllr Lambourne appeared nervous making the proposal, stating that the “dates suggested are not set in stone” and that he would “welcome reasoned debate and support any reasonable amendment that resulted”. Why Cllr Lambourne, who is not noted for his interest in such things, has suddenly become active in this area is a question which has been asked by a number of people. The general answer appears to be that it gives the shortest possible gap between the stitch-up for the Lordship and any payback for Lambourne in the Sheriffs elections.