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Written By Philippe

Nov. 15, 2020, 6:27 p.m.(5/22/1014 AR)

I have beheld a number of grim spectacles in my time. I had never expected to live so long as to see an assassination of a man of the Faith, never mind our beloved Dominus. The barbarism and cruelty of the act is at odds with everything that we as a people represent. It was an act intended solely to inflict maximum harm on the most vulnerable, an act without humanity.

Is this the act of a great empire? Is this what they would do with their vast power? How cowardly. Does this empire succeed on the strength of striking the weak from a position of surprise? I was led to believe these people were great and powerful, that they were somehow above us humble Compact folk. And yet here they are, engaging in a gutless strike against a person of the cloth, many against one. No military gain was to be had here by inflicting harm on the weakest. It was purely an act of petulance, the act of a poorly raised child whose frail honor has been offended by an off-hand comment.

Is this the strength of your mighty chains? Is it all you can do to harm us? We are in awe of your might, Dune Kingdoms, for murdering an unarmed man without armor or blade with a mob. Truly yours is the empire that will inherit all the world. I marvel at what feats your superior empire may achieve next in our small, trifling Compact. Perhaps with all of your almighty power you may rally up a hundred soldiers to sack-beat a group of unruly children for causing some minor offense to your mighty god of chains.

Written By Philippe

Nov. 8, 2020, 7:16 p.m.(5/8/1014 AR)

The summer draws near. So far, the fields seem to be in good condition. No blights, no major infestations, no signs of failure. Nonetheless we must be diligent for any signs of danger. The heady smell of fertilizer rises high in Chevalle during this time of the year. It is not an odor that the city prefers, but as I have aged, I have come to love it. At least the version that makes the crops grow. Sometimes the odor also appears in the city, but it is political in nature.

Written By Philippe

Nov. 1, 2020, 2:51 p.m.(4/22/1014 AR)

Sometimes a person must wonder what goes through the minds of the young. What drives them? What motivates them? Why do they do the things they do? How many messengers can one man receive in a single day? These questions will likely haunt me until the day I die.

Written By Philippe

Oct. 25, 2020, 9:19 p.m.(4/8/1014 AR)

I am grateful for the coming of spring. Once more we can set to the work of planting. Construction projects may continue. There are roads that must be oiled and bridges that need fresh beams. The mundane work of keeping Chevalle together is a comfort to me. It makes me feel like my works matter when I can orchestrate something meaningful. So little in life endures, but steel, stone, and wood outlive many men. And so I look to those things when I think about the legacy of Blanchard in these lands.

Written By Philippe

Oct. 17, 2020, 5:50 p.m.(3/20/1014 AR)

The winter continues on. It has been long and cold, but mercifully free of armed conflict. And yet the unrest remains fresh in my mind. I think of it often as I make decisions about allocating resources. How can we ensure that we steward our lands in such a way that none go without who are willing to work for the common good? How do we keep the wolves from our door? I am always preoccupied by these questions. Answering them is essential to our ongoing stability and security.

Written By Philippe

Oct. 11, 2020, 7:43 p.m.(3/8/1014 AR)

I had the privilege of attending a beautiful wedding. In my waning years, I feel grateful for every opportunity I have to spend time with young people beginning their lives together. May the gods watch over Princess Adrienne and Prince Sebastian.

Just be mindful about what I said about moving house.

Written By Philippe

Oct. 4, 2020, 6:41 p.m.(2/22/1014 AR)

Military briefings are greatly improved with white whiskey. At least the occasion allowed me to see some family members out and about. Being able to impart words of wisdom to newlyweds is one of the privileges of the old. Whether they listen is an entirely different matter, but at least I made the effort.

Written By Philippe

Sept. 27, 2020, 10:49 a.m.(2/7/1014 AR)

Chevalle is quiet at this time of year. A man can only hear the wind over the pop of a cooking fire. The horses stay safely wrapped in their blankets, and the soil sleeps in preparation for the coming spring. I feel that we did good work this year. The land was productive, and we managed to make good preparations with our crops. There are some roads I intend to review after the first thaw, and a bridge in the low country that I feel must be rebuilt after a generation of good service. But we have done well, and I am pleased at the good work of the people. If roads, bridges, fields, and fodder could be all I concern myself with for the rest of my life, I would slip from this world happy and content.

Written By Philippe

Sept. 20, 2020, 5:34 p.m.(1/22/1014 AR)

Relationship Note on Jourdain

Baron Rodrigue has a powerful son. I remember when Ipsilonne was small. Perhaps that is ill-fitting language. Even as a baby, Ipsilonne was a large, robust specimen. He has only become larger and more vital with every passing year. Truly, such successes, the culmination of a lifetime of achievement, are worth celebration. Jourdain held his own despite Ipsilonne's physical advantages, so I hope both gained from their spar.

Written By Philippe

Sept. 13, 2020, 3 p.m.(1/8/1014 AR)

I will miss some of that old-growth forest near the lake. Sometimes you need to clear-cut and burn some trees to preserve the forest. It is rare that metaphor is made so physically true, but that is what the winter is there to tell us.

Written By Philippe

Sept. 6, 2020, 6:56 p.m.(12/22/1013 AR)

It is a good night to drink, I think. To sit inside, look out at the autumn, and open a long-corked bottle. A respite well earned.

Written By Philippe

Aug. 29, 2020, 5:02 p.m.(12/6/1013 AR)

These plush renderings of Oaty appear to be on the path to become some sort of trend. I may need to have a few more made for assorted children's homes and the like. Perhaps there is a desire for other plush renderings of horses. Mathilde thinks it will be an excellent way to encourage children to read her forthcoming text. If it helps to spread the word of Gloria, so be it.

Written By Philippe

Aug. 23, 2020, 11:34 a.m.(11/21/1013 AR)

It is always good to see jousts that are not about arguments. It is an art like any other and deserves to be appreciated with clear eyes. My praise to all the competitors -- you brought honor to yourselves, and in doing so lived what Gloria calls us all to do. May it always be so.

Written By Philippe

Aug. 16, 2020, 7:31 p.m.(11/8/1013 AR)

Another week of steady toil. Mathilde is busily studying every storybook she can to try to find gaps that her Tales of Oaty and Friends (title pending) may be able to fill, or lessons that may be taught better. She is nothing if not industrious. For my part, my work is much less beautiful. The harvest must be attended to, and stores built for the winter. Preparing the barns and stables for the coming winter can never start too soon after high summer. Through our determined efforts alongside the good work of the Lodge, I should feel prepared against any threats of late-coming blight or some other crop failure.

But I worry anyway. Nothing can be left to chance in this world. While the farmers work, others must see to the roads and fences, check the bridges for weaknesses that the coming cold may aggravate, make sure that the wood does not creep too close to the frontier settlements. And always, always, we pray. We do all we can and still we know that we are but grains of sand. Such daily devotions remind us to be humble. When we lose touch with humility, we stray ever-closer to folly.

Mathilde visited while I was writing. She says that she will make a story of my dire grumbling. I wonder if Oaty will speak with my voice on those pages. I hope he will not be offended at my moments of ineloquence.

Written By Philippe

Aug. 9, 2020, 7:15 p.m.(10/22/1013 AR)

I have been tasked with developing more characters for Mathilde's children's book. I was skeptical of this request, but she made it clear to me that this was no different than telling any of my "laborious" firepit tales except that I needed to avoid casual cursing and substitute some other manner of conflict for splitting a man's head open with a cudgel. And so I consider the stables. AUGUSTO SUPREME, the great black steed, and his rutting partner Daisy Cotton. The two seem to be a natural pair for a tale, perhaps a parable about strength and mercy. Mahogany, the horse that will eat anything. Caramel, a horse that has never found a fence it won't break. Whistler, who has allergies.

I suppose I could swap around some roles in old stories. Lighten the tone somewhat. These are stories to help children learn about positive values and Gloria. How hard could it be?

Written By Philippe

Aug. 1, 2020, 4:48 p.m.(10/6/1013 AR)

Relationship Note on Drake

My wife has been taken by a fey mood and has started drafting a children's book. I suspect this book has been inspired by a plush rendering of Oaty that was masterminded by Drake. I am unsure if the plush rendering came before or after Mathilde began this scheme, but now it seems to be something that I am honor-bound to support. After all, I have to protect Oaty's good name.

Written By Philippe

July 26, 2020, 8:19 p.m.(9/22/1013 AR)

Another week of steady toil. We continue to hope for a robust harvest to build our stores for the winter. One must never assume such things until the granaries are full, but some optimism seems to be in order. I am looking forward to the cooler weather. We could also do with more rain, though whenever I say that I am usually blessed with downpours.

I will be helping to organize a function soon. Time to brush up on the fineries of courtly manners to set a good example. I have spent too long in the fields attending to fences and roads to trust that I am not as coarse as I may feel.

Written By Philippe

July 12, 2020, 5:46 p.m.(8/22/1013 AR)

Highsummer. Fall will be coming soon. I hope that the work we have done throughout the start of the year provides us with enough to get through the coming winter. Much has been done to improve our farms and bring more to the land, but I always feel like there could be more. Even as I try to focus on the mundane details of commerce, I am constantly looking to the border. So much lies beyond that we do not understand. It is all I can do to try to see to the safety of the people in Chevalle, but what happens abroad eventually comes to our doorstep. Are we prepared to address the needs of all? I can only do my part.

Written By Philippe

July 5, 2020, 6:15 p.m.(8/8/1013 AR)

Work continues on establishing High Hill. The good news is that the long months of carving through the countryside are mostly resolved, and thus we may move on to the long months of making the land livable for civilized people. The fields must be made to take the plow and the mills brought to speed. Count Richard will no doubt prove himself a fine and capable leader, but it is the role of the elders in the family to help with the hard and difficult work. A strong High Hill will make for a strong Chevalle, and in doing so strengthen our Compact a whole. It is good and honest labor. I relish the opportunity to aid our people.

Written By Philippe

June 28, 2020, 10:27 p.m.(7/22/1013 AR)

Princess Sorrel and Lord Alecstazi performed admirably today. Rarely have I seen such a striking example of skill and power paired with honor and decency. The match must have pleased Gloria. It was a privilege to see it in person.

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