The First Book of the Chronicles of Eoforwic

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October A.S. XI (C.E. 1976)

n this month a momentous event took place. Count Finnvarr, fighting for his lady Caellyn, won the Crown of the Middle Kingdom at Withermoor, in North Woods. It happened in this manner: A company of musicians from oversea called Steeleye Span were to be in York the evening of the XXIInd, and Finnvarr was determined to hear them play. Then news came that the Crown Lists would be fought on the following day. His household was distraught, particularly his squires. They were certain that Finnvarr could win the Crown, but they knew that he would not forgo his other plans. So they arranged to have a fast coach waiting after the performance, and starting at midnight they drove their lord to Withermoor. Despite their best efforts they arrived at the tourney field only slightly before dawn, and none of them slept long. Yet the next morning Finnvarr fought better than ever, claiming he was too tired to fight badly. Thus it was that Finnvarr returned to Eoforwic as royalty once more.

It was at that Crown Tournament that King Dagan and Queen Catherine awarded arms to Hugo von Feuerklippe.

November A.S. XI (C.E. 1976)

aitlin Stuart joined the shire of Eoforwic at this time. She was introduced to the Society by Lord Hugo, who met her at a celebration of All Hallows' Eve. Legend has it that their friendship began when Caitlin fainted into Hugo's arms. Throughout the fall Hugo bore Caitlin's favor, but in the winter they parted.

In the same month the shire honored the birthdays of Hugo and Sylard with a post-meeting celebration. From this point, gathering after the shire meetings became a custom in Eoforwic. At first the shire folk went to various taverns around the town, but they soon settled in the nameless tavern of the magistri artium in the university quarter, where such gatherings have been held ever since.

Finnvarr's principate was cause for rejoicing in Eoforwic, but elsewhere in the Northland feelings were mixed. The people of Noerlanda, Ben Dunfirth and House Fyve'O were glad to have a monarch who knew them well, but they also thought that his reign would make Eoforwic forever dominant in the country. Indeed Noerlanda suffered in one respect. Finnvarr wished his May coronation to be near his home. Mindful of Noerlanda's plans for a May tourney, he offered the coronation to them first. Noerlanda, doubting its ability to provide a large feast, had to decline. Then Eoforwic began making Coronation plans, and Noerlanda cancelled its Crusade tournament.

December A.S. XI (C.E. 1976)

his year the Yule celebration was held at the home of Jowell and his lady wife Miriam. Aedan na Kincora, Kaffa Muiriath, and Finn mac Aedan made a brief appearance. About this time Jowell agreed to cook the Coronation feast. Nicholas Tiercel was to arrange a tourney field and hall, and Lord Hugo was to take overall responsibility.

January A.S. XI (C.E. 1977)

arly in this month Prince Finnvarr, considering that the shires of the Northland were scattered and isolated, first proposed that they might unite as cantons of a single barony. The idea gained immediate support in Eoforwic, but was viewed with some suspicion elsewhere, especially as the most likely candidates for the leadership of the barony were Prince Finnvarr and Lady Gillian.

On the XVth, the Book of Pages Tourney and Revel was held in Noerlanda. In attendance was Master-at-Arms Frederick of Holland, a founder of our Society who now lived in the near-deserted shire of Eastmere; likewise present was Laurelen Darksbane, who was not yet well-known. There was a quest, and a second small claims court. This time, however, the populace was made restive by the prosecutions. When the prince was summoned before the court this ferment broke forth, and Finnvarr's household and several others, including Master Frederick and the Cleftlanders, leapt forward to defend him. The prosecution was immediately dismissed.

This event marked the appearance in Noerlanda of Illtyd the Apostate, scholar and gentleman extraordinaire.

Also, Strygor von Tolmetz departed Eoforwic for Stratford, and for some time the Eoforings saw him infrequently. Dubadaessa, who had for some time been a member of House de Taahe, now became Gillian's deputy seneschal.

February A.S. XI (C.E. 1977)

hile Prince Finnvarr journeyed to Carolingia to negotiate with the Prince of the East, the rest of his household went to North Woods for a tourney and grand exhibit of practical arts. Lord Hugo won the tourney. that was accounted a considerable achievement, for North Woods fighters were among the best in the Known World. He showed a similar skill and courage on the journey home: The weather was very bad, and it was his leadership that got the party and its steeds through.

The same month Hugo, Sylard, Nicholas Tiercel, and Liliane went to Thescorre. Here Hugo placed third in the lists, and here he and Sylard first met Morgan Elandris, who had recently founded the shire of Rhydderich Hael in Fredonia. An immediate liking sprang up between the three.

March A.S. XI (C.E. 1977)

ugo hosted this month an informal gathering for all the Society folk in and near York, in the hopes that a festive occasion would dispel suspicion and blunt factionalism. Unfortunately many of the most suspicious did not show up, and those who came were not much pleased with each other. At this time there was much dissension within Noerlanda. Also, Nicholas' arrangements for Coronation sites came undone, and it was left to Hugo, as host, to find new ones at the last moment.

On the XXVIth the second Feast of the Bear took place. It was noted for a great surplus of cloved lemons, four of them for forty revellers.

The Windsor members of House Fyve'O formed the Shire of Starleaf Gate around this time.

April A.S. XI (C.E. 1977)

n April, North Woods hosted a Fools' Tournament and a great Above and Below the Salt Feast. on that occasion Earl Merowald de Sylveaston was accused of treason, and Prince Finnvarr was permitted to fight him in a trial by combat. House Sylveaston stole Finnvarr's armor in an attempt to prevent the trial, but Finnvarr's squires recovered his gear and the prince, in a just reversal of their former roles, proved the trespass on Earl Merowald's body. Nevertheless, the Earl was later pardoned an readmitted to the chivalry. In the evening there was a great feast cooked by the Princess; in keeping with the occasion, King Dagan was pelted with marshmallows and presented with a live-frog pie. Lady Gillian won a competition for the best mimed ballad, and later was admitted to the Order of the Willow for her knowledge and teaching of dance.

Late in the month there was a small revel in Noerlanda where folk of the northland shires discussed baronial status. Everyone was more favorably inclined than they had been earlier in the year, and so they discussed the arms and name of the future barony.

May A.S. XII (C.E. 1977)

On May Day Hugo, Torbin, Ragni, and Eanor attended the first tourney in Rhydderich Hael, and Hugo won two out of the three offered fighting prizes.

On the XIVth of May, A.S. XII, Finnvarr de Taahe and Caellyn FitzHugh were crowned in Eoforwic. the events of that day would make a small book if they were all recorded. There was a melee lists, won by Sir Aldric, Emeric Wendel, and Elestron. Emeric Wendel was chosen champion of the day, even though he had wounded the Prince, who had to be sent to hospital. Elestron was named best troubadour of the day.

When Finnvarr returned from the chirurgeons, and the coronation procession was assembled, another misfortune occurred. The princely party was twice halted, while first an importunant lady and then a drunken, rebellious serf pushed their way into the court of Dagan and Catherine.

When Finnvarr and Caellyn were safely crowned, however, this was all forgotten.

It was the privilege of the new monarchs to give many awards to deserving folk. Finnvarr's predecessor, Dagan, was inaugurated as Duke, and Catherine was admitted to the Order of the Rose. Elestron was knighted for his manifest virtues, and Earl Merowald was made a Companion of the Laurel for his mastery of brush and pen.

But more important for Eoforwic folk were other awards: Elizaveta, Sylard, and Dubadaessa were awarded arms, and Lady Gillian d'Uriel, as winner of the Midreal(m) Poetry Competition, was recognized as Poet Laureate for the year XII.

Finnvarr and Caellyn in their turn received many fine gifts. The most notable were a suite of dances written by Gillian and a collection of poetry published by Jehanne for the Kingdom Bardic Guild and dedicated to Queen Caellyn, a past Guildmistress. Best of all, however, was a the Masque of Oberon, a dramatic confection of past days revived by North Woods in honor of the new King.

Two of Finnvarr's self-named bastard children, Brusten de Bearsul and Fern de la Foret, were present in court, and the King made an attempt to dispose of them. He ordered his squires to lock Brusten in an iron mask and offered Fern to Prince Frederick of the East as a wife for his successor. Both Brusten and Fern escaped their intended fates, Fern most dramatically: as she stood weeping among her guards, Count Thaid lowered a ladder from a balcony, which the lady deftly climbed to escape the clutches of the enraged King.

Bolverk of Momchilivitch was in attendance that day. She remained in Eoforwic for a week and accompanied Finnvarr, Gillian, Tsivia, and Lilladrel to Bytown-on-the-Ottawa, where at the invitation of one Starwolf, they went to speak to the local inhabitants about the Society. This expedition only bore fruit later.

At this time Elizaveta and Jowell Toledero, who had both done much for Eoforwic in its early days, left the shire.

During the summer of A.S. XII the members of House de Taahe and others of Eoforwic accompanied King Finnvarr to many baronies and shires of his realm. Most noteworthy was the long trip to Nordskogen in this same month of May for the Crown Tournament. earl Merowald was the victor, and Hugo competed for the first time, fighting creditably.

June A.S. XII (C.E. 1977)

t was not long after this that Hugo conceived a desire to see far lands and to test his prowess against stranger-knights. His subsequent wanderings took him to Castel Rouge and the barony of Lion's Gate in An Tir, where he fought in a grand tourney and met many nobles of the West Kingdom.

On the XXIInd representatives of the norrthland shires met to revel at Rusthenge in Noerlanda. Here they formally decided to unite their shires in a barony and to petition for recognition as such. The barony was named Septentria, and these leaders were chosen: Lady Gillian d'Uriel was to be baroness, Wulfram Wulfscilding her seneschal, Finnvarr marshal. Eoforing, which had long been sent throughout the Northland, was renamed Ursus.

July A.S. XII (C.E. 1977)

n the XVIIIth of this month Ben Dunfirth held a tourney at Noerlanda. the day was so hot, however, that little fighting took place, and the emphasis was necessarily on peaceful arts. On this occasion there was a folk-moot in which the populace of Septentria ratified the decision to petition for barony status.

About this time Tsivia left Noerlanda for Bytown, and Lilladrel succeeded her as seneschal.

In July also King Finnvarr's army defeated the Principality of Meridies in the Barony of the Flame, despite the defection of North Woods. the Mid-realm, having no other banner, fought under a union jack which Bolverk, recently returned from Terre-Neuve, had stolen from the parliament buildings in St. John's.