The Chronicle

of the month of Skelern in the year 157

High winds and heavy snowfall have driven everyone inside this month. Only the most stubborn apprentices remain out on the Frost Fair, especially after some urchins enlarged the "fishing holes” to a size hazardous in this poor visibility. The blizzards have also collapsed a row of rickety shops in Cripplegate, and have forced a large number of sick and elderly to seek help from the Torians. With regret, the Temple has announced that it has closed its doors to further patients for the time being.

A large fire has destroyed Brown's tannery warehouse on Stoney Lane. The initial cause of the blaze is not known, but neighbours report that the high winds quickly fanned the flames out of control. A number of nearby slums were pulled down and the warehouse left to burn itself out. Luckily most members of the household are accounted for, and only three journeymen are said to be missing

Parents in and near Temple Ward have been very grateful to discover that the Kings Theatre is now operating a cheap crèche on Tenthday mornings. In a radical departure from its usual clientele, junior members of the troupe are encouraging youngsters to try out a number of "short, fun activities", interspersed with some improving storytelling. So far the troupe has run three exhausting sessions. The format has proved enormously popular with kids and parents alike, despite the obvious absence of the theatre's star names.

Agents for Capel Shipping Lines, or possibly for the Consortium, are canvassing senior opinions on the desirability of a deep water dock just below the bridge. Since Portwall already defines the south quays quite definitively, the proposal discusses excavating away a large section of the Northshore bank. Written comments on the proposed re-development are invited to be submitted to the Shipping Office of the Witanmoot within the next few months.

Princess Selina has been hosting a series of musical evenings at the Citadel. The soirées, featuring some of the elite minstrels produced by the Bards College in recent years, has drawn a select audience of nobility and enthusiasts to the Great Hall each evening. This patronage may soothe some feathers ruffled by Her Highnesses' recent choice of Midwinter revels.

Within the Witanmoot veteran Duncan Barnett has joined the Trueman faction, making it the strongest in the Aldermanic court. Alderman Barnett said he was pleased to be aligning himself with a faction "which understood that serving Linrodeth was the primary duty of all councillors". Controversially Alderman Richard Saunders has defected to newcomer Dominic Horner amid rumours that he was going to lose his committee chairmanship because of the opposition to Councillor Jessamine Scathlocke held by a number of faction leaders. The Bottler/De Clare faction, attempting a whitewash of recent artwork, was prevented by the householder but have continued to pursue the matter through the local wardmoot.

Committee Nominations:

Treasury

Melanie Romanie

Trade

Thomas Osbert

Law and Order

Eva Capel, Peter Ryman

Shipping

Eva Capel

Welfare and Education

Richard Saunders, Rose Cheping, Dominic Horner

Lands and Agriculture

Marie Cripstead, Gilbert de Clare

Envoy to Kerun

Jemma Downe, Graeme Porter

Envoy to Orissa

Hugo Merewell

Envoy to Eresan

Alan Monterey

Envoy to Cascorach

Godwin Green, Gregory Benton

Envoy to Western Isles

Gillian Howe

Elections for the posts of Law & Order, Welfare & Education, Lands & Agriculture, Kerun and Cascorach will therefore take place next month.