Leon's Roar/Issue v2i1

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Volume II Issue I

Editor: Lazlo Lemont II

The Editor's Roar: A Year in Review

News Briefs

By Lazlo Lemont II

Opinions & Editorials

December 3rd - A huge battle is fought between Suville and the Carelian/Taran Alliance in Lurgrod. Suville took the day. December 5th - A huge battle pitted Stromban and Suville against Carelia in Lanston today. Carelia's armies were routed by the end of the morning. December 7th - Silnaria attempted a looting run in Lyton. Their paltry force was easily bested by the Minas Leon militia stationed in the region, however. - Silnaria reasserted their control over the victimized people of Beleriel. - Darka replaced the local leaders of Wistir with people more friendly to Darka, channeling control of the region to their forces. December 9th - Suville has saved Matakonis from the depths of depravity and anarchy, offering to take control of their government structures. December 12th - Embarrassed by their previous attempt, a more sizable Silnarian raiding party attacked the region of Crahandan, barely overtaking the militia defenses. - While the Silnarian raiding party split themselves in a move of stunning stupidity, our glorious Legion successfully launched their own raid against a far juicier target: Barad Gardor, the jewel of the Silver Lake. Loki McEntire, the Earl of Northhill, was injured while mounting the walls according to our sources. - Silnaria continued their raid with far fewer men, moving deeper into our realm as they marched into Nemaha. Beyond assaulting militia outposts, they neglected to perform any actual looting, making their raid appear to be a tourist vacation more than anything else. - Suville attacked the combined forces of Caergoth, Carelia, and Tara in Lurgrod, quickly learning in their retreat that a one against three battle was, perhaps, a bad idea. December 13th - Minas Leon continued their decimation of Barad Gardor's defenses. - Despite reinforcing their positions and outnumbering us, the Silnarian forces in Barad Gardor continued to be routed by our mighty Legion. They did manage, however, to capture Dame Mirabella Scientia. - At the suggestion of Marshal Kanuni Kalkandelen, the Northern Defense Initiative and Home Guard launched an ambush against the retreating Silnarians in Nemaha. Sir Spade of Yule was lightly wounded in the foray, but Minas Leon took the day in their home. - Caergoth and Carelia overwhelmed the combined forces of Strombran, Suville, and Tara in Matakonis. December 14th - Once again outnumbered (but not unmatched), our glorious Legion led a successful foray against the Silnarian brigands held up in Barad Gardor. - Following up their successful collusion in Nemaha, the NDI and Home Guard continued harrying the fleeing Silnarians in Crahandan, with Sir Demastes of Upper Tell scoring a crippling hit against Sir Djinn Gypsy of Belegmon. - Due to the enticement of a particularly fragrant mead, King Raoul II ordered the Legion to remain in Barad Gardor and fight in the afternoon. The Silnarians finally had a successful sally against the Minas Leon troops, as some had already left (per previous orders). Meanwhile, a small Silnarian force was captured in Lyton. December 17th - Caergoth and Carelia successfully trounced a small Strombran and Suville force in Chasnoff. December 19th - Silnarian officials ordered the execution of local officials in Beleriel, ending the practice of freedom in the region. December 20th - Silnarian troops took control of the region of Elroth, slaughtering all those who would oppose their iron fists. December 22nd - Minas Leon and Silnarian troops met in battle in Lothruin. Minas Leon, as is custom, took the day. December 28th - After a lengthy ceasefire, Minas Leon attacked Shanandoah. The Silnarians successfully held the city. It has been speculated that they threatened the lives of children in order to cause the Legion's retreat. December 29th - In a second foray, the outnumbered Legion of Minas Leon was once again defeated by Silnarian troops at Shanandoah. December 30th - A small Silnarian force invaded Crahandan, pillaging as they went. The force allegedly made off with a village cow or two, but it was reported that the animals safely made it back to the village after being left unsupervised by the bumbling invaders. December 31st - The major force of the Silnarian Horde met with a valiant defense of Leonian militia forces in Lyton. Outnumbered, and not nearly as willing to risk the lives of innocents in order to claim victory, the Leonian militia retreated to a more advantageous position. - Continuing to gather force, the Silnarian horde to a break from raping and pillaging to attacking the rear guard of the Leonian militia in Lyton. The Leonian militia martyred themselves for the glory and safety of our realm.

This prior year, a great many things happened. Sadly, I was only privy to a short few of them, as I joined the great realm of Minas Leon in early August. But what a mighty year it was, nonetheless, and one does not need to have experienced those events firsthand to see evidence of them around the realm. First and foremost, simply look at the realm! Minas Leon is the product of numerous expansions- we stretch a span that once held four separate nations, and have exceeded even Minas Ithil if my memory serves correct in land. That we were able to do this within a single year is a testament to the greatness of our realm, the manifestation of our destiny in the politics of Atamara. While other realms, such as those infested by the treacherous and libelous Himouras (as a completely random and unintended example), contract and hemorrhage themselves like a dying animal, Minas Leon has brought the wealth and customs of civilization to the tundra wastes of the North, to the pastoral plains of the South. We've brought our sharp steel against the heads of the the Silnarian horde, meting out swift Noble justice to the non-realm which threatens both the integrity and the honor of our continent. In only four months I was capable of seeing this; one can only imagine how glorious our realm must be perceived by those who have been with her since the very beginning. And to whom do we owe the glorious light of victory? Whose patronage might we find as the source of our rightful pedestal in history? I can think of no answer other than his royal highness, our King Raoul De La Fere. When the clarion call of the feudal horn went up in Minas Ithil, our future King -the Duke of Leohampton at the time- found himself betrayed by the realm he had loyally served and loved. But did he capitulate? No! Did he abandon his subjects as his King and Realm and abandoned him? No! Instead, our King, in a move which best illustrates the wise and illustrious rule which was to follow, ceded from the realm he found unrecognizable and founded a separate realm, a realm based upon the conviction of a contract between Lord and Subject. A conviction in basic feudal sense. A conviction in the need for a Ruler to not only rule but to serve as a protector. It was this conviction which shown like a beacon of hope across the continent of Atamara. It was this conviction which thrust forward like a lit torch out of the dark cavern which was Minas Ithil and lit the way to glory. Yes, one year later, our first whole year as a realm, the results of his wisdom and judgement lie about us. We have expanded and grown so large that we are almost devoid of Knights, as there is a demesne for nearly every noble in the realm. We stand on the brink of adding yet another city to our already bursting realm! Glory, my fellow nobles. Glory and Honor to our realm, and, with it, the man who gave birth to it. I ask that in your reflections of the past year, you ensure some time to give homage to the man through which it was all possible. Long Live King Raoul De La Fere, and Long Live the Heritage of His Rule: Minas Leon!!!

By Lazlo Lemont II

The Darkan War and Silnarians Showing their Stripes

Foreign News

For lack of a better term, the Darkan War continues its deadly fight along the Northwest and Southeast portions of the continent. From The Leon's Roar's position of limited visibility, it often strikes us as a confusing an disorganized sort of war, with alliances and declarations shifting from day to day. How is it that the same war can be fought on two separate ends of the continent? Many disparate battles are taking place in this war, most of which include only a fraction of its participants. In an effort to better inform Minas Leon readers, the Leon's Roar has put together a small graph which should offer some explanation of the war declarations. Black lines denote alliances, while Red lines denote declarations of war: As you can see, Darka and the Cagilan Empire make up the central nexuses through which this war is being fought- it is essentially a war between Darka and the Cagilan Empire + Allies. What might offer some confusion is the situation between Suville, Caergoth, and Carelia. While Caergoth and Carelia do not have an alliance with Darka, they have taken advantage of Suville's war with Darka to launch a joint attack against the former's regions. After months of lying in wait, Silnarian marauders have finally made an attempt upon Minas Leon soil. At the beginning of the month, Silnarian invaders attacked Lyton and Crahandan. Proving they've spent this entire conflict picking their noses rather than actually learning how to fight, the Silnarian raiding party opted to split its already diminished size between two regions; this left them ripe for a counterattack from the joint forces of the NDI and Home Guard. Sir Demastes of Upper Tell distinguished himself particularly, making a point to injure Djinn Gypsy of Silnaria. Simultaneous to this early incursion into what must have been a Silnarian tourist trip (trap?), our valiant legion marched upon Barad Gardor, the jewel of the Silver Lake. Naturally, the Legion's efforts proved to be far more effective than the Silnarians, smashing the city militia for a few days before returning home to praise and adulation.

By Lazlo Lemont II

The Problematic Nature of The Way of the Hammer

Minas Leon Heritage

In part two of our look at the history and heritage of the regions which make up Minas Leon, I have opted to examine a religion which has rooted itself in the North of our realm. As one enters the North through the bridge between Mansbridge and Winwich, one does not probably denote much of a difference between the two sides. Even a stop in Brackhead does little to to make you feel particularly isolated from your Southern origins, leading you to perhaps consider Yorkish culture to be the predominant in the area. This, however, would be a mistake- for if one were to reach into the forests of Shiverwood, or the plains of Melmoor, the peasant religions take a decidedly darker tone, betraying their past as Viking lands. The Way of the Hammer exists in the North even contrary to the Nobility's faith - of the Northern regions in which the Hammer exists, only the Earl of Uforth purports to subscribe to it. Speaking as a Northern Lord, I can testify that the religion even exists in spite of my own attempts to combat its excesses and promote a more palatable faith. If Minas Leon is a melting pot of differing cultures, what is it then about the Way of the Hammer which suggests we must greet it carefully? Part of my assertion comes from the faith's origins. Founded by the prophet Heironeous, the Way of the Hammer sought to codify the viking religion of Norland, thus giving an explanation as to the faith's current geographical location. As opposed to asserting a new religion over the peasants of their realm, Heironeous placed into order the deeply held superstitions of the peasantry. Yet he was not simply acting as a conduit for the religious practices of his subjects- Heironeous was most certainly a product of his time. At the same time as Heironeous' codification, the Norland/Barony of Makar alliance was in the middle of a three year war with Minas Ithil. The aggression against Minas Ithil becomes apparent when one observes the writings of the prophet, who called "to batter down the pillars of Ithilien beliefs in the heart of their armed peasants" and did not believe Ithilians to be worthy of Valhalla, the viking place of plenty. To be sure, aggression against Minas Ithil is really of no consequence to us; Minas Leon's birth itself destroyed the shallow remains of that older realm. Yet it's the Way of the Hammer's manifest difference which is problematic, insofar as such difference is viewed as superiority by the viking blood of the peasantry. The positive elements of such belief are immense: the peasants of the North act hardier and thus are hardier, they volunteer for our armies in droves, and I would dare say that most could drink a Yorkish peasant under a table- but in a realm as large as ours, we must ask our peasants to leave behind such petty divisions which view Minas Leon as an obstacle obscuring an ancient map upon which we draw outdated beliefs.

Ruler Updates

Cagilan Empire - Torsaan ka Habb (incumbent) Eston - Panthera tigris Felidae Rieleston - Christofer II Kane (incumbent) Talerium - Aldarion Tezokian (incumbent) Tara - Ottar Perkeleet

Original Format Modified from Roxas Sypher's Excellent Work on the York Journal. The Leon's Roar is Printed by Lemont Printers & Co., Located in York Just Off the Market Road Past The Cage Pub.