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is our custom, Barak and I took him immediately to the
harbor and dipped his feet into the salt water of the sea
so that he will ever be a sailor. Upon our return, my
cousin and I broached a hogs-head of fine old ale to aid
us in our consideration of a suitable name for him. The
ale, unfortunately, hampered my creativity' and my Earls
advise me that sometime after midnight I poured beer on
my son and named him Anheg, after myself. Oh well,
Anheg II isn't such a bad name, I suppose. Islena's labor
lasted only a day and a half, scarcely worth mentioning.
She is dramatizing it all out of proportion, however, and
I try to humor her. She did, after all, do a fairly good job
of carrying my child, and I suppose I owe her something
for that.
5381
'ZaKATH has returned to Mallorea and has crushed
the rebellion in Karanda. I'm told that his
suppression of dissident factions in Zamad, Ganesia and Voresebo
was particularly savage. Will nothing halt the man's run
of good luck? I suppose we can expect him back on this
continent again before long. My son has his first tooth! He
bit me with it this morning - not hard enough to draw
blood, but he was trying.
Ran Borune died this spring. The state funeral was
huge. I rather liked him, all things considered, but events
in Tolnedra have soured noticeably in the years of his
decline. Varana, never one to miss a strategic opportunity'
had himself immediately crowned Emperor of Tolnedra.
Technically his name is Ran Borune XXIV, but we all still
call him Varana. The great houses, of course, are all
outraged, but Varana controls the legions, and that is
where the real power in Tolnedra lies. The Honeths, the
Horbites and the Borunes have all (grudgingly) taken
the customary oath of allegiance. The Vordues, however,
steadfastly refuse to swear fealty. I suspect that my friend
will be obliged to clear that up before his claim to the
throne is finally secure.
A returning sailor has informed me that Prince
Kheldar, acting for all the world like a head of state, has
paid an official visit to 'Zakath at the Mallorean Imperial
capital at Mal Zeth. The sailor was not privy to the details
of their conversations, but his descriptions of Kheldar's
glee following the meetings can only lead me to believe
that the wily little thief has concluded some very
advantageous trade agreements with the Mallorean throne. I
can only hope that Kheldar won't forget that he's an
Alorn.
Trouble in Arendia again. The Baron of Vo Ebor,
seriously wounded at the Battle of Thull Mardu, passed away
this preceding winter. His heir, a nephew, asserted his
authority as the new baron and promised the hand of the
widow Nerina to one of his cronies. Mandorallen, the
Baron of Vo Mandor, chose at that point to intervene. He
marched into the barony of Vo Ebor and took the
sorrowing baroness into 'protective custody'. Several knights
rashly attempted to impede the great man's progress. The