The Chronicle

of the month of Galemir in the year 154

Her Highness Princess Selina continues to recover in health and the Torian priests have announced that they consider that her life is no longer in danger. The Princess is apparently gaining strength very rapidly and it has been announced that she intends resume direct rulership of the Principality at the end of this month. Upon hearing the news many delighted citizens held impromptu celebrations at a number of points around the city. There is talk of this Springtide festival being particularly special with the Princess planning to make her first public appearance at Princess Phoebe's naming ceremony.

Miranda Andrews, Jenny Davy and Nicholas Bowden have all been formally nominated as candidates for the city Lordship elections. William Trueman made a particularly eloquent speech praising Lady Andrew's service to the city through difficult times. The speech was clearly heartfelt however the tone taken by Alderman Trueman was somewhat retrospective and it may be an indication that Trueman believes the Lordship lost and may be preparing to vote decisively with another group.

The debate on the Cllr Marcus Lambourne's proposals to amend the rules of the Sheriffs elections started quietly but grew through the day into a closely fought and hectic contest. At the beginning of the debate Cllr Lambourne amended his own motion by adding a clarification as to what should happen regarding any vacant Aldermanship. The amendment was widely supported and the new motion therefore advised that the candidate polling the second highest number of votes in the previous Midwinter elections would serve as acting Alderman. It was at this point that things went awry as a well prepared and determined William Trueman stood up to demolish the proposal. "While I am sure that Councillor Lambourne's motion is well meant, and I share his desire to ensure that the city has its full complement of senior figures, I believe that his motion is not fully thought out." He declared; "rushing nominations for sheriffdoms into a single week and then only allowing two weeks for people to consider the candidates, some of which may be a complete surprise, is clearly unwise" He went on to propose the following amendment:

"From this day forth, nominations for the sheriffs' posts should take place by the 1st Heliora, with elections taking place 1st of Menderal. Potential new aldermen should also be proposed by the 1st Menderal with elections, if any, taking place on Midsummer. "

Debate from this point degenerated in to the kind of arcane and near religious discussion which the Witanmoot appears to have when ever it discusses the rules of election. However things got personal when Cllr Lambourne asserted that "Given that it seems inevitable that we shall shortly have a new Lord Chief Magistrate, the prospect of only one Sheriff being in post for a number of months strikes me as highly undesirable." Whist he obviously had not meant to cause offence the Trueman faction went wild and the prospect for reasoned debate receded further. When Jim Bottler, who had clearly had enough, declared his intention to abstain things heated up even further. Feverish tallying of support suggested a close vote and indeed when the amendment was called the vote was drawn at 108 votes for and against. Lady Andrews cast her vote for the amendment and the substantive motion went forward to a similarly drawn result. Lady Andrews then surprised the Witanmoot by casting her vote against the motion on the grounds that it was a significant change in the rules of the city and she did not feel she could approve it on her casting vote.

The new Mercersgate in Portwall continues to proceed at a rapid pace and only the arch remains to be completed. The great gates have already been manoeuvred into position and, barring disasters, it looks as though Jim Bottler's gamble with the weather will succeed. There is however one unfortunate consequence of all this haste. The new gate is undoubtedly the most ugly ever to have been built.

This month's committee elections were strongly contested by all groups. Lambourne and Monterey constantly voted together and fielded 8 votes. With each of the other factions fielding between 4 and 6 votes all the elections were difficult to predict. The battleground turned out to be Law and Order and Welfare and Education where a fierce three way fight ensued. Judi Spich's assertion that "unlike the current incumbent, I intend to uphold of the laws of the city, most notably those regarding the Reshite heresy" caused much consternation. The contest was eventually resolved by a mutually beneficial alliance between Petro Cutario and William Trueman. Indeed in the end there was not a single committee which changed places. This perhaps suggests that thoughts of a new order after the Midwinter elections are rather premature, although it did take the Lord's casting vote to keep Gillian Howe in Eresan. The final result was:

Treasury: Romanie (-)

Trade: Warin (20), Barbiter (4)

Law and Order: Barnett (6), Spich (8), Hastings (10)

Shipping: Osbert (20), Barbiter (4)

Welfare and Education: Saunders (10), Trueman (8), Bergeren (6)

Lands and Agriculture: De Clare (-)

Kerun: Shefford (16), Candever (4)

Orissa: Russell (-)

Eresan: Howe (13), Benton (12)

Cascorach: Merewell (18), Rucche (6)

Western Isles: Flambourd (20), Capel (4)

Late News! Late News! Late News! Late News!

Marcus Lambourne and many prominent members of his faction have been arrested on charges of High Treason. Cllr Lambourne was arrested by Her Highness's guards at the house of Alderman Alan Monterey, where they were lunching with Alderman William Trueman and Sheriff Jenny Davy. Forces from both the Citadel and Witanmoot then rounded the rest of the faction up over the afternoon. As dusk fell groups of shocked citizens gathered at the Mootstone, the Citadel and outside Cllr Lambourne's house. The crowd at the Mootstone roared in anticipation when Alderman Monterey leapt on to the stone to give a speech; however their mood quickly changed when Monterey told them of his deep distress at hearing Cllr Lambourne confess to a number of heinous crimes against the city. "I do not want to believe it, myself", he told them, "but there is no question: Marcus Lambourne is guilty of the most foul treachery against this city and its citizens", He urged the crowd to disperse and to "warn others not to be drawn into protests of support for someone who was no longer worthy of it". Elements of this crowd clearly passed through Faringdon as the crowd there melted away. However at the Citadel things started to look ugly. General Olvini was obviously feeling less interested in explaining matters and the crowd dispersed only when the Citadel gates opened to reveal a company of cavalry mounting up.

The following morning Sheriff Davy issued a brief statement. "Yesterday I advised Princess Selina to arrest Marcus Lambourne. Investigations led by myself, Alan Monterey and William Trueman have revealed that Cllr Lambourne has for some time been engaged in treachery against this city. The details remain secret while our arrests continue, however I can reveal that the assassination attempt against him was proved fake and ordered by Lambourne himself in order to gain support in the elections. Officers of the guard are continuing to search for two mercenaries going by the names of Kiri Goodlake and Greg Henderson who we believe were hired by Cllr Lambourne to murder his bodyguard. Ms Goodlake is over 6ft tall and all information about any women matching her description should be reported to the Witanmoot."

The arrested members of the Lambourne faction are Bernard Hubold, Marcus Lambourne, Bert Belcher, William Scrut, Estelle Wynstanly, Nicholas Worton, Rose Cheping, Eddie Englefield, Emma Chireton, Audrey Wirstan, Janice Travers and Jean Pendleton. Judi Spich and Andrea Barbet were released after questioning.