Personage Count

There are many people that have been mentioned throughout the Chronicle. Those mentioned more than 20 times include:

Caralingas Lineage

A Map of Salvoyn

The Night Sky

There are many things which can be seen in the sky, clouds, birds, and of course the sun, the two moons, and the stars.

This article discuss these latter objects. The last, the stars can be divided into two groups. The first of these groups, the fixed stars, are, on the whole, uninteresting. The exception is Polaris, the pole star. This is the navigator’s friend, known to sailors and guides alike as it always occupies the same location in the sky. It is easily recognised as it is part of a group of three bright stars which are grouped closely together and in a straight line. The direction of this group of stars can usually be safely taken as the direction of north.

The second class of stars is the planets or ‘wandering stars’. These can be further subdivided into two groups:- those which always stay near the sun, and those which can wander across all the sky.

The first, Psykomena (the observer of folly) is the fastest moving, but is always close to the sun, thus committing the ultimate folly of assuming that folly only occurs during the day!

The second planet is Alderoth (observer of recovery and health) can be seen further from the sun than Psykomena and shows that for good health, a regular regimen of sleep is required.

The third planet, Panurgio (observer of Vitality and Wit), can be seen still further from the sun, but still shows that a quick mind also requires a regular regimen of sleep.

The next planet, Erosina (observer of love and enjoyment), can be seen yet further from the sun, and can often be seen in the late evenings.

Genhelia (observer of birth and growth) is never far behind Erosina, often reaching the same position in the sky in a matter of days. Genhelia can be distinguished from Erosina by its distinctive blue-green colour.

The second group of planets begins with Psykelia (observer of luck and fortune). Psykelia is the quickest of those planets which do not stay near the sun, thus visibly demonstrating that luck is fickle and cannot be relied upon.

The next is Letophoro (observer of malady and death) is difficult to observe, but also wanders across the entire sky watching death occur at any time.

Adamasto (observer of conflict and war) is next. It too wanders far from the sun, and suffers from a striking orange-red colour as befits its nature. Adamasto shows that the causes of war can occur at any time, but also take time to build, as Adamasto only wanders slowly.

The slowest and last wanderer is Celeno (observer of slowness and dullness). Celeno only moves slowly relative to the fixed stars, but is able travel all around the sky in time, thus showing slow and careful will get you there! (The fastest moving planet, Psykomena, never moves far from the sun, whereas Celeno, the slowest, is the planet most often further from the sun in the sky).

The two most obvious features in the night sky, however, are the two moons, Sisamora and Senemora (These can, of course, be seen during the day, but are not the most obvious daytime features!). Sisamora (observer of good) is the larger of the two. Sisamora changes Phase in a thirty and seven-sixteenths of a day cycle. When Sisamora is full (Around the beginning/end of each month and, of course, during festival days), it can be seen brightly shining. However, it is recorded that it is occasionally suffers during these occasions from strange redness and indeed blackening.

The second moon, Senemora (observer of evil) is harder to describe. Senemora also follows a sequence of phases, but follows it’s cycle in a matter of hours, (21 hours and 13 minutes to be precise!). However its movement across the sky is most fickle. Whereas all the other moons, planets and even the sun, rise in the west and set in the east (within 18 hours indeed), Senemora usually rises in the east and sets in the west 3 or 4 days later! In addition, Senemora is both eager to rise (often rising in the east several hours early then being forced to set in the east within a few hours) and reluctant to set (often rising again in the west, and then setting again within a matter of a few hours)!

The last object in the sky is, of course, the sun. It too, dislikes the winter and is in the sky for less than eight hours on Midwinter Day, while on Midsummer Day it is in the sky for over sixteen hours.

Plays and Playhouses

One of the main forms of entertainment in Athion is go to see the latest play at one of the many playhouses. Even a small rural town will often play host to a touring troupe of actors staging a play in one of the taverns.

Within the city of Linrodeth there are many theatres. The most famous (and rivals) are the King’s Theatre and the Theatre Royal. Both have been patronised by both nobility and royalty, whilst many notables of the city have been seen at the venues.

At the lower end of the spectrum, the Fleapit Theatre has a certain reputation to live up to (or down to depending on your point of view).

While the Bard’s College is not a theatre, it does sponsor several plays during the year and the students are often seen as part of the cast and crew of many of the plays.

Travelling troupes are common as well, with many making tours around the country, often in spite of the dangers of bandits and worse. The profits to be made from staging of popular plays and from dramatising recent events ensures that these troubadours will continue to make the rounds.

Playwrights who can turn even the most mundane of events into dramatic and stirring scenes are in high demand (although many a mediocre play has been rescued by the acting troupe). The plays of the most popular are performed at regular intervals.

A short list of popular plays includes:

The Castaways

The Demon of Berewic

Il Dottore

Innocence Lost

King Lir

The Merry Wives of Faringdon

A Midwinter Knight’s Tale

Miros Pageant

The Opalite of Orissa

Persilus and the Golden Acorn

Please yourself

Roland and Julia

School for Sleaze

The Chronicle

of the month of Lorinfall in the year 151

News has been received that King Kieran's army has encamped for the winter along the River Tyrill in the Duchy of Orbihan. The relentless pursuit of the Regency army appears to have lost momentum when troops received rumours that part of the retreating Royal Treasury had become bogged down while crossing the tidal estuary. The Host of Eresan proved to be much diverted by this piece of fortune, and King Kieran opted to call a halt rather than push forward into the Salvoynian heartlands. A line of wooden fortifications is being erected along the valley, and no doubt the offensive will continue next Springtide.

Back in Linrodeth Alderman William Trueman has launched a scathing attack on Cllr Lambourne, describing Lambourne's views on the defence of the city as "irresponsible". Others within the Witanmoot chamber have waded in and many of the speeches were clearly aimed at positioning for the Lambourne hearing. Surprisingly Alderman Trueman's later chairmanship of the Hearing was scrupulously fair and balanced. The decision he faced between condemning Lambourne for his views, and permitting him the right to express them fully, weighed heavily on him. Pendentite Antonious, acting for the Defence, explained that in order to be guilty of misconduct Cllr Lambourne would have had to be acting against the interests of the Witanmoot or in an inappropriate manner. "I contest that challenging the executive is an entirely right and proper activity of a councillor," he declared to much applause. However Sheriff Bowden is clearly not going to let this one go. He explained that his accusation of Misconduct was not aimed at the precise remarks Cllr Lambourne made, but rather at Cllr Lambourne failure to act in the best interest of the city, last month's comments only being one example of this. "Cllr Lambourne has made no secret of his sympathies for Kieran. I believe he has put these sympathies ahead of the interests of the city." After a long and closely argued Hearing, Alderman Trueman reserved his judgement in order to consult with other senior members of the Witanmoot before making a decision.

There are rumours of severe problems within the Lambourne faction with several key members close to resignation. It seems that the Lambourne Hearing has been their last straw, and the faction is splintering in acrimonious recriminations. One Witanmoot insider told the Chronicle "That faction has always been a loose consortium held together by the desire for power. Lambourne is pro Kieran, Davy is pro Selina and Saunders is pro Edward. I'm surprised it didn't fall apart months ago."

Alderman Jim Bottler's motion calling for the return of exiles has received widespread support. with Marcus Lambourne in particular voicing his appreciation of "Bottler's courage" and Alan Monterey describing the exiles as "an embarrassing blot". The motion was passed by a large majority with only the Cutario and Trueman groups objecting. Following the motion, however, Lady Andrews refused to act without first receiving permission from Princess Selina; and this permission has not yet been received. With this and Cllr Lambourne's attacks on Linrodeth's military policy, a dangerous split appears to be opening up between the Citadel and the Witanmoot.

Alderman Monterey took advantage of a lull in the Witanmoot infighting to ask the Chair of Shipping what preparations he has made to ensure that booty brought back by privateers has indeed been obtained from Her Highness' enemies. Alderman Osbert pointed out that Letters of Marque were issued by the Princess' office, and could be withdrawn equally efficiently should the law courts of uphold prosecutions against shipowners who abused the terms of those Letters. He expressed confidence that any problems could be dealt with within the existing legal structure pointing out that, while it was possible to appoint a special Commission of Enquiry (with powers to enter, search and confiscate business records and premises), such a Commission would be highly bureaucratic and deeply intrusive on the guilds.

Amazingly a city budget has finally been presented for approval. A grumpy Alan Monterey has been inspecting it in detail, and William Trueman took time in the Witanmoot to praise his dedication and to suggest that the choice for the post Treasury should be simple next year. Monterey has also made nominations for the Envoys to Cascorach (Blessop) and Eresan (Bergeren), although the roles are purely ceremonial given the complete lack of funding and late season of the year.

A history of the Kingdom of Athion

The Kingdom of Athion was founded by King Calric Caralingas through the systematic conquest of the three smaller kingdoms of Sarth, Aden and Tarkh. Nowadays although most people now think of themselves as Athions many of the traditions of these ancient kingdoms still remain. The eastern kingdom of Arden is separated from the rest of Athion by a high Sheer escarpment which offers few paths to the top. The land itself is mountainous, and the society is based around Clans which have lived in the same valley for generations. The Clans are ruled through a concept of Honour in which the power and status depends on the honour and prestige which it had earned. Thus those who governed well, fought hard and performed great deeds earned Honour for themselves and their family. Honour is a powerful currency and it would be unthinkable for an Arden lord to damage his Clan's Honour by breaking a pledged oath.

The southern country of Sarth was ruled from the great port of Salvoyn, which is still the largest city in Athion. Sarth is a rich, fertile and colourful land where the skills of the musician and storyteller are highly prized. It has been ruled for many years by the a matriarchal, with trade monopolies run by families rather than guilds. Tarkh was the northern nation, with its capital at the seasonal port of Nyskilde. The snows which isolate Linrodeth for three or four months of the year last for four, five or even six months here. The people are a dour, practical and traditionally patriarchal folk, and although they also place a high value on Bards, physical prowess is equally important to them and hence warriors are the highest caste in this society. Separating the three Kingdoms is a large expanse of fens, forests and downlands. Having been on the receiving end of invasions by both Tarkh and Sarth, its strongly independent people gave allegiance to neither and by preference traded with the, then small, independent town of Linrodeth.

The amalgamation of the three kingdoms was achieved by Calric, who was in origin a warrior prince of Tarkh. By the age of thirty he had united the tribes and leading them in campaign of unprecedented efficiency he conquered the Arden Heights, Calric earned himself great K'arn by reinstating the defeated Clan chiefs and with the support of Arden he turned his attention to the fertile and prosperous plains of Sarth. However the professional knights and highly disciplined army of Sarth fought his numerically superior forces to a standstill within sight of Salvoyn. Calric was forced to besiege the area, but the tactic could never be entirely successful because of his inability to completely blockade the port. During this period of protracted stalemate, Calric established a new capital at Linrodeth and began construction of the Citadel.

After four years Salvoyn underwent an internal coup which overthrew the old royal line of the Taratorhts and established the Lavyndryn as the ruling family. Their matriarch offered terms for surrender in which trade concessions were retained by the matriarchs, and which also required her eldest daughter to become Calric's queen, after all Salvoyn had assimilated barbaric conquest's in the past. Calric accepted and thus the Carlingas dynasty and the kingdom of Athion was founded. Cadric and Eredain ruled for many years, bringing a much needed stability, and laying the foundations of modern Athion. Guthrum, their only heir, ruled thereafter and his long rule is looked back upon by many as a golden age of justice and prosperity.

As his parents had laid the foundations of a kingdom Guthrum built the identity of the nation, combining as he did the fierce honour of the northern tribes with the sophistication of the Southern families. Eliser, his daughter, carried on the process he had started and although her reign was short, and despite her error in naming Edwin as her heir she is also well remembered. Edwin was crowned in the fifty-fifth year of the kingdom at the age of thirty, and it is with him that the nations problems start. Edwin was an easily dominated and fickle man and It was no surprise when he died that a dispute arose between his heirs Edith and Tristran as to which had been named as his successor. The battles of the succession quickly brought the Kingdom to civil was and within a few years the strong kingdom which had been built up by the Caralingas, had disintegrated into a collection of small baronial holdings.

A generation later, news from the dales of the northeast spoke of Prince Edmund, Judith's youngest son. Like so many of his siblings and cousins, he claimed the crown, and had put together a small army to back him. His early battles ended in defeat, and he was soon reduced to living in the saddle, raiding where he could. The young prince survived, learnt, and began to be successful. The Battle of Dorts Vale established his first domain, at which time he married Emma, an old childhood friend who claimed direct descent from the Taratorhts. Over the following years he relentlessly expanded until Tarkh, and the coastlands of Linrodeth and Sarth were reconquered. Linrodeth, a border city of both Tarn and Sarth, which had been Calric's base throughout the long campaign was chosen as the capital of the new nation, and the existing castle was expanded and rebuilt over the next five years to become the citadel which dominates the city today. Opposition remained in the east and southeast, in the form of a brother and a cousin. But here Edmund's long campaign ground to a halt, defeated at last by the punishing terrain and by the stubborn refusal of the Arden to recognise his kingship. The breakthrough came in the unlikely form of the Sweating Plague, which broke out again in the Arden during the long summers of 113-115. Along with large numbers of the population, it also killed the last remaining members of Edmund's family. In all honour, the Arden Lords could not now refute Edmund's claim to overlordship, and in 116 they renewed their oath of fealty to the Carlingas dynasty. However the kingdom had suffered many years of neglect, war and plague, and the task of rebuilding it is still continuing.

Over the next five years Edmund subdued the rebel barons and placed them under the rulership of Dukes loyal to him. At the Battle of Northmoor in 117 he finally defeat the last challenge to his rulership, and returned to his capital Linrodeth, to begin the task of rebuilding the three kingdoms of Athion.

A map of Oldgate Ward

This map was based on Aldgate Ward in London. As such it needs reflecting horizontally across the middle of the map¹. Compare with the map of Linrodeth as whole.

Witanmoot Definitions

For the purposes of the motions carried by the court of common council the following definitions shall apply:

Guildmembers

Guildmembers are those inhabitants recognised by a guild charter as being members of a guild.

Guild Charter

A Guild Charter is a document recognised by the monarch as such.

Citizen

A citizen is a householder, or a person recognised by a householder as being members of that household. Direct employees of the Witanmoot are also classed as citizens. Citizens (or the householder of their household) must pay the poll tax of that household’s ward.

Ward

A ward is an area of the city of Linrodeth recognised as such by the court of common council.

Householder

Any inhabitant owning property in a ward of the city of Linrodeth. If a citizen owns property in more than one ward, that citizen is considered to run a separate household in each ward in which that citizen owns property, and as such is liable to pay the poll tax for each such household.

Elector

An elector for a ward is a citizen who owns property in that ward.

Alderman

An alderman for a ward is a guildmember who resides in that ward and is elected to that post as per the Witanmoot procedures for Aldermen and Councillors. Aldermen are members of the Aldermanic Court and of the Court of Common Council.

Councillor

A councillor for a ward is a guildmember who resides in that ward and is elected to that post as per the Witanmoot procedures for Aldermen and Councillors. Councillors are members of the Court of Common Council.

Inhabitant

An inhabitant of the city of Linrodeth is anybody capable of saying (or writing), in Athionic, the phrase “I am an inhabitant of the City of Linrodeth”, and whose residence is within one mile radius of the Mootstone.

Lord of the City

The Lord of the City is elected by the Aldermanic Court by the standard procedure for the election of the lord of the city. The Lord of the City is also the Lord Chief Magistrate and the Duke of the Ishta Valley. The Lord of the City is a member of the Aldermanic Court and of the Court of Common Council.

Sheriff

The two sheriffs are elected by the Aldermanic Court by the standard procedure for the election of the sheriffs. The two sheriffs are members of the Aldermanic Court and the Court of Common Council.

The Royal Court

Any court designated as such by the Monarch.

The Court of the Lord Chief Magistrate

Any court designated as such by the Lord Chief Magistrate.

The Sheriff's Court

Any court designated as such by either Sheriff.

The Magistrate’s Court

Any court designated as such by any Alderman.

The Aldermanic Court

Any meeting designated as such by any 13 (all of whom must be present) members of the Aldermanic Court.

The Court of Common Council

Any meeting designated as such by any 140 (all of whom must be present) members of the Court of Common Council.

Wardmoot

Any meeting designated as such by both the alderman and a majority of councillors for that ward.

Elections

Election of Councillors and Alderman

Every Midwinter the electors of a ward may cast a vote to elect one person to the Wardmoot of that ward. The guildmember receiving the highest number of votes is elected as Alderman of that ward for a period of one year. The remaining people for whom votes have been cast are ranked in order of the number of votes cast for them, with the person receiving the highest total being placed at the top of the list. The top twelve guildmembers on this list are elected as councillors for a period of one year. In the event that less than twelve guildmembers are present on the list, all the guildmembers on the list are elected as councillors and the Alderman must co-opt sufficient guildmembers owning property in that ward to act as councillors to make up a total of twelve councillors.

Election of Envoys

In the month of Skelern, the Clerk of the Court of Common Council shall accept nominations for envoys to the following cities: Salvoyn, Eresan, Nyskilde, and Cascorach. The nominations must be for members of the Court of Common Council, and if the nomination is for a member of the Aldermanic Court, the nominated member may insist that the clerk reject the nomination. During the first meeting of the Aldermanic Court held in the month of Galemir, the Aldermanic Court shall elect the envoy for each of the above mentioned cities from amongst the nominated members for that city. In the event of a tie the Lord of the City has a casting vote. In the event of one person being elected to two or more envoyships, that person must choose one of the envoyships. The other envoyship(s) are then awarded to the candidate with the next highest total of votes.

Election of Committee Chairs

In the month of Skelern, the Clerk of the Court of Aldermanic Court shall accept nominations for chairmen of the following committees of the Witanmoot: Treasury, Trade, Law & Order, Shipping, Welfare & Education, and Lands & Agriculture from members of the Aldermanic Court. The nominations must be for members of the Court of Aldermanic Court. During the first meeting of the Aldermanic Court held in the month of Galemir, the Aldermanic Court shall elect the chairman for each of the above mentioned committees from amongst the nominated members for that committee. In the event of a tie the Lord of the City has a casting vote. In the event of one person being elected to two or more chairmanships, that person must choose one of the chairmanships. The other chairmanship(s) are then awarded to the candidate with the next highest total of votes.

Election of the Sheriffs

In the month of Menderal, the Clerk of the Aldermanic Court shall accept accept nominations for the post of Sheriff from members of the Aldermanic Court. The nominations must be for members of the Court of Aldermanic Court. During the Midsummer festival, each member of the Aldermanic Court shall have two votes in the Election of the Sheriffs. The two votes must be for different candidates (but one or both votes may be abstentions). The Lord of the City shall not normally vote, but has a casting vote with which to resolve any ties.

Election of the Lord of the City

During the Springtide Festival, each member of the Aldermanic Court has one vote in the Election of the Lord of the City. Each vote must be cast for either the existing Lord of the City, for one of the two sheriffs or not cast at all. The person with the highest number of votes shall be the Lord of the City. In the event of a tie, the existing Lord of the City has the casting vote.