TURN 1, Year 373: Arat

MIDWINTER COURT, Year 372 (concluded) and TURN 1, Year 373

In addition to the endless procession of other awards (as well as the endless procession of endless processions), there were a few items left on the agenda which may be of interest to one or another person in specific, or to all in general.

Safrax, Baron of Durechar has been made a knight of the realm.

Lazarus, Baron of Maderbrim and Prelate of Herlinghaus has been named to the Imperial Diet as an at-large ecclesiastical representative.

Also at large, and unaccounted for, is Prince Sebeschar. Recent rumors suggest he fled initially to what was formerly Lorthegnar, though it’s considered unlikely he remained: the new regime of Althegnar is well aware of the new emperor’s desire to see him returned. Some suggest he may have fled to the court of his sister Princess Eligret in Kereszney, though most consider this unlikely as well, given no great historical affection between the two. Though she has been generally disposed to help family members in need, so it's hard to guess. His wife–a vassal of the archduke of Eszerthagn–their younger son, and the wife of their older one, are likewise believed to have left the empire, though they are known to have departed separately (from him, at least). The older son was accompanying his father’s camp when the latter fled, so is most likely still with him.

Pursuant to his expressed wishes in the matter, Prince Tergiv has been drawn and quartered. If he revealed anything further about a plot involving his brother, no one’s mentioned it.

A committee of inquiry appointed by King Teover of Althegnar has cleared Minister of State Mazosyr of any involvement in the death of the Duke of Harding.

The Duchy of Vahir-Dascu has been elevated to the rank of Archduchy.

New maps of the Empire, reflecting the many recent changes in borders, have begun to circulate. Several nobles were distressed to discover that as a consequence of these changes, their realms are now colored pink instead of blue, owing to the cartographers’ traditional aversion to putting identically-colored realms adjacent to one another. Those addressing protests to the Chancery concerning these emendations were told to “learn to cope.” When this response was brought to His Imperial Majesty’s attention, he allowed that this was not the most useful response they’d ever provided. When asked how he intended to address the issue, he suggested that the nobles go out and purchase sufficient blue paint to cover at least a furlong-wide strip around their borders, so as to forestall any ambiguity in the matter. Which, he did not hesitate to add, would provide a wonderful stimulus to the imperial economy, to begin his reign in fitting fashion.

As the second-to-last piece of business at court, His Imperial Majesty reminded the court of its duty to select appropriate representatives to the Imperial Diet. The dukes have all indicated that their choices (most, though not all, appointing someone to handle the task rather than commit to appearing themselves); the princely lines and the empire’s ecclesiastical interests have likewise selected theirs; and the emperor can of course change his whenever he feels like it.

And as the last act of this year’s Midwinter Court, the emperor announced that the Council of Barons will be given official standing, and tasked with choosing from their numbers one of the two representatives for each of the empire’s ten Regions.

The itinerary for this year’s Progress has yet to be announced. Apparently His Imperial Majesty felt he had more important matters to attend to.

No reports of runs on blue paint have to date reached our ears.