Lamonte Family/Boen Journal

	Boen's Journal and Storybook - March 2012 << Previous Month | Index | 16.03.12 - The fall of Alebad - Is this the end of Minas Thalion ? - or the beginning of the rebellion ? In the back of the food caravan Boen stared down at the parchment quietly and thoughtfully. The end of the hawk feather came to rest lightly on his bottom lip for a few long seconds. Next to the parchment was a wet letter which had just arrived from the onlookers at the city of Alebad. Lukon had charged the city with unending might and determination. They piled in hordes over the walls and fought through the brave defenders of Minas Thalion. The city was now in the hands of the enemy and the dream of Minas Thalion was at an end. And what a dream it was. I sit here now in the back of a food caravan, with a little Hulaferd jam to brighten up my outlook, and plenty of time to ponder over the past year I've spent in Minas Thalion. A realm that was destroyed by its very own creators, such a dreadful act will be remembered in the history books for a very long time to come. So what was my place in this little realm over the last year and ten days ? Well, it began in the city of Alebad in the quiet year of 1011. Minas Thalion had one city and four rural regions to its name. The number of nobles was only about fourteen if I remember correctly. Boen had just risen to nobility and was granted an estate by Duke Mero Chesvo. Alebad only had three knights estates to manage its entire tax collection at that time. Monsters and undead were rife throughout the countryside. So I started defending towns and going after the abominations until Imperial Lord and General Hendrick Van Nieuwenrode announced it was time to pull the realm out of boredom and stagnation. We marched North to take swamps of Volkanita back into the world of governance and administration. Successful, we fell back to the capitol to watch Windaria fall to some monsters plaguing the region, Oritolon quickly filled the gap and Spearhead became the next Lord of Windaria. pity, as I was thinking over my own chances of perhaps leading a small company of men to bring Windaria back into the realm. At this point Duke Mero Chesvo fell ill and Valdrix Hendrix was appointed the next Duke of Alebad. I swore a new oath to Valdrix, and was rewarded with funds to upgrade and enlarge my estate. Elections for the Lordship of Volkanita and the office of judiciary then came up. This was due to Joline leaving the realm to join Lukon. I was encouraged to apply for both, but in the end decided not to move away from Alebad. It then became apparent that I did not have the skills necessary to apply for such a prestigious and important position anyway. However, Aneel, our Lord of Prosperity (Banker) suddenly fell ill all of a sudden as well. The recently elected Imperial Lord Cathal Dubhaine (Ruler) graciously decided to allow me the running of the realms taxes and food distribution. It was as interesting as it was complicated, but finding food for the realm was going to be the real challenge that I was responsible for. Then quite suddenly there was a diplomatic incident between General Hendrick and a priest of the Path of Chivalry, who's name I've forgotten at the moment. Politics and gold got involved with religion, not a great mix by any measurement, and Oritolon declared war on us. battles started taking place in Grentzen and Abaka, Lukon got involved and then left, and more battles took place in the scorching desert of Irdalni. Oritolon was just about broken both militarily and politically. The second city of Oritolon, Alowca, was starting to feel the pressure from the Minas Thalion blockade. Several more raids were also made to the breadbasket Warmanoras. Irdalni even had the flag of Minas Thalion flying over it for a short while. But Oritolon got their own back, a saboteur managed to burn down the warehouse in Bode Batura, just to the North of Alebad. Approximately eight hundred bushels were lost in the fire. With Duke Valdrix's carefully saved war funds depleated. Alebad and the rest of Minas Thalion was now going to start feeling the pressure. At this point I realised that continued front line military service to Minas Thalion was not going to be possible. Suddenly some shouting started and a soldier whipped back the caravan cover, Sir, Its commander Lyle again ! He's followed us here, and he's got two score of men with him. Dropping the Hawk feather, Boen jumped out of the caravan and into the battle shouting loudly, For Minas Thalion, for Freedom, and for Hulaferd Jam ! (to be continued)