The Chronicle

of the month of Setheran in the year 138

This years Midsummer Fair was blessed with bright sunshine and a light breeze. Fat Sal once again took the wrestling purse, although she was very nearly beaten by the much younger Fendus Graf of Portsoken. The Coopers and Brewers easily retained the Stone Cup. Their Captain Councillor Carl Marc strongly denied rumours that the team would be splitting up next year.

This year the King has not permitted his forces to compete in the competitions, which have therefore been much more open. However his Majesty did attend the festival this year and presented many of the prizes himself. The Archery contest was the only major disappointment of the fair, with performances well below the expected standards. The mysterious failure of Miranda Andrews and many other senior members of the Bowyers Guild to attend cannot have helped.

The day after the festival His Majesty issued the following proclamation.

"Be it known that His Majesty King Edmund is seriously displeased by the failure of the citizens of Linrodeth to fulfil their duty to train for war. Any citizen who by the last day of Menderal has not demonstrated the ability to hit a standard target at a range of 30 yards with six arrows in less than 5 minutes will be fined the sum of five shillings."

The battle between the Thatchers and the Carpenters seems to be hotting up. The Carpenters have formally challenged the Thatchers' right to immediately operate a guild monopoly. They have suggested that instead an interim system should be established whereby the Thatchers guild would be administered by a committee of interested parties until the Thatchers have had the time to develop the sophistication and skill to operate an effective and fair guild. Mark the Thatcher commented to the Chronicle: "We have not fought for our own guild just so that it can be run by the people who've been oppressing us for the last century. I have taken legal advice and although there is a precedent for their plan, it bears little relation to the present situation. I will fight them all the way on this, and although they may get the Law on their side, Justice will be on mine."

The Lord Chief Magistrate Raphael Fitz-Simmons has now released details of his plan for electoral reform. It appears to consist chiefly of shifting the annual election of Lord Chief Magistrate to the Spring instead of the Autumn, thus making the choices for the Sheriffs election more obvious and, incidentally, avoiding the need for his own re-election for another six months.

The ward of Marshgate is this month afflicted with a sweating fever which has already claimed lives. The Torian priests are warning people to avoid the area unless their business is urgent, however they have not yet decided to apply to the Council for quarantine permission.