Written By Cambria
Oct. 1, 2018, 3:46 p.m.(9/14/1009 AR)
I would like to add as further thought to my recent journal entry that it is the sad inability and, in other cases, unwillingness of people to understand one another that gives the genre of tragedy such power. A series of terrible events is set in motion because men and women, having their own interests in view, do not - or will not - listen to or perceive others with empathy.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 30, 2018, 7:46 p.m.(9/12/1009 AR)
"It is not easy for men to know themselves," said the Seraph of Ostria, during a particular sermon many years ago now. I was reminded of this rather poignantly this evening, and have spent some time pondering it anew.
Why is it not easy? Because typically people do not want to know themselves, for if they did, they would more than likely be chastised by the knowledge of what most of us so often are: selfish, dishonest, delusional, envious, hypocritical, and more.
Why is it not easy? Because typically people do not want to know themselves, for if they did, they would more than likely be chastised by the knowledge of what most of us so often are: selfish, dishonest, delusional, envious, hypocritical, and more.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 29, 2018, 8:44 p.m.(9/10/1009 AR)
The latest news out of the Grey Forest is worrying indeed. Two hundred soldiers lost, among their number the Marquis of House Blackwood. There is little more information than that, so we have no notion of who they faced. There is only this dreadful rumor, supported by his heir's recent proclamation.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 26, 2018, 5:50 p.m.(9/4/1009 AR)
A decent breakfast can easily consist of a haunch of pork and a pint of fortified wine, but if you are the sort who prefers to dine light in the morning, while the shadows are still long, I have some advice for you:
Your choice should be tart and compact, and not invite too much repetition. Sparkling wine, the ghastly bastard that is sparkling wine mixed with the juice of an orange, or its inbred cousin of vodka and tomato should be shunned. Skip the red wine as well, due to its sleep-inducing and more-ish qualities. (I shan't actively sanction you from opening a nice bottle of Southport red; just don't blame me for the consequences). Beer should be avoided unless activity of a nonsexual nature has already been undertaken; you are in a hot part of the Compact; and you can smell the sea. That not always being the case, the following journals will explain my top choices for the day-to-day.
A Lycene aperitif (that is, before a meal, if you absolutely do not know) cocktail consisting of a proper Tor white mixed with an herbal liquor defines the necessary 'pick me up' quality we are seeking, and is sure to be found in all but the most barren of drink cabinets. I mentioned the white from Tor - put this away again until lunch. If you need to ask why, refer to my previous journal concerning the novice. A slice of orange if you think you will be getting up to anything more strenuous than a leisurely walk before noon can be added. Lastly, its bright color is a great mood booster, perfect for the gray days with which Arx is plagued in the winter months.
Your choice should be tart and compact, and not invite too much repetition. Sparkling wine, the ghastly bastard that is sparkling wine mixed with the juice of an orange, or its inbred cousin of vodka and tomato should be shunned. Skip the red wine as well, due to its sleep-inducing and more-ish qualities. (I shan't actively sanction you from opening a nice bottle of Southport red; just don't blame me for the consequences). Beer should be avoided unless activity of a nonsexual nature has already been undertaken; you are in a hot part of the Compact; and you can smell the sea. That not always being the case, the following journals will explain my top choices for the day-to-day.
A Lycene aperitif (that is, before a meal, if you absolutely do not know) cocktail consisting of a proper Tor white mixed with an herbal liquor defines the necessary 'pick me up' quality we are seeking, and is sure to be found in all but the most barren of drink cabinets. I mentioned the white from Tor - put this away again until lunch. If you need to ask why, refer to my previous journal concerning the novice. A slice of orange if you think you will be getting up to anything more strenuous than a leisurely walk before noon can be added. Lastly, its bright color is a great mood booster, perfect for the gray days with which Arx is plagued in the winter months.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 26, 2018, 12:14 a.m.(9/3/1009 AR)
An intellectual is one defined as a person who perpetually seeks targets for their critical thought and mourns the passing of a problem.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 24, 2018, 10:46 p.m.(9/1/1009 AR)
Today, Damianos celebrates his first birthday. Congratulations, son, you have survived year one.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 23, 2018, 2:37 p.m.(8/26/1009 AR)
It surprises me when I come across individuals that show shock or dismay when I happen to order a drink for lunch, or breakfast for that matter. I did just that recently at the commonplace surrounds of a locale which shall go unnamed (but you, readers, definitely know the one). I had a minor ailment, my policy for which is a steady stream of alcohol of the right quality, strength and temperature. Breakfasting with an Oathlander shouldn't stand in the way of good health. So I started the day off right with a nice, fragrant grape-based pomace brandy of Lycene origin and hot water.
Of course, and here we come to my main point, you do not have to be under the weather to drink when you wake up. Therefore, to atone for medicining the good grape, I intend to write a bit on what to drink with breakfast when hale and healthy. As a word of caution: before following my sage advice, know that this is not a practice for the novice.
Of course, and here we come to my main point, you do not have to be under the weather to drink when you wake up. Therefore, to atone for medicining the good grape, I intend to write a bit on what to drink with breakfast when hale and healthy. As a word of caution: before following my sage advice, know that this is not a practice for the novice.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 23, 2018, 2:33 a.m.(8/25/1009 AR)
I am reminded of the importance of upholding ones vows - and the disaster that can result from not keeping them.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 16, 2018, 12:15 p.m.(8/12/1009 AR)
I have instructed Possum to see that this journal goes out with the local courier when they make their journey to Arx. I have also informed the Marquis that the courier only makes this trip weekly, so he should pen his entry now, rather than later. We may not be here a week from now. For posterity, as I write (and say what I am writing aloud because I want him to know), the Marquis waved his hand at me and informed me he, 'has people to talk to about a party.'
Yes, well, I'm keeping the berries.
All of that aside, I am quite glad Alessia chose to join us. Her hunch about this place wasn't far wrong. Something is definitely amiss. The Marquis and I are here to represent the Relief Group, but after some preliminary investigation and research, I begin to wonder if perhaps we should leave with the courier and pay a visit to the House of Questions. I may just be jumping at shadows, but as the most beautiful person here, I must say that I like my face exactly where it is and exactly how it is. Even so, I have the sense that before long we will be making the climb up the hill to the manor house.
Yes, well, I'm keeping the berries.
All of that aside, I am quite glad Alessia chose to join us. Her hunch about this place wasn't far wrong. Something is definitely amiss. The Marquis and I are here to represent the Relief Group, but after some preliminary investigation and research, I begin to wonder if perhaps we should leave with the courier and pay a visit to the House of Questions. I may just be jumping at shadows, but as the most beautiful person here, I must say that I like my face exactly where it is and exactly how it is. Even so, I have the sense that before long we will be making the climb up the hill to the manor house.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 15, 2018, 2:18 p.m.(8/10/1009 AR)
It is a common error to assume that the nature of politics is determined by ones own moral idealism. In actual practice, politics is defined by group interests - both within nations and internationally - and therefore by conflicts, often unscrupulous and brutal. The principle virtues, then, are sober, exacting judgment and decisive action. Nor is there any place for moral idealism, let alone for blindly yielding to your enemy's terms and thereby advancing their goals.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 11, 2018, 11:58 p.m.(7/28/1009 AR)
I would have thought that we were entering an age where the destruction of knowledge was seen as counter intuitive. I also wish to posit that we should not allow history be painted so broadly as to be called good or bad. The past is the past, whether we like it or no. Those who wish to destroy it, or hide from it, do not only a disservice to themselves, but to those others who could potentially live in ignorance due to the excision of such knowledge. After all, you know what they say about ignorance and doom.
If one wishes to debate the validity of the statue of Koraj Marin remaining in the Hall of Heroes, then I believe such would be more appropriate than a call for the statue to be demolished.
If one wishes to debate the validity of the statue of Koraj Marin remaining in the Hall of Heroes, then I believe such would be more appropriate than a call for the statue to be demolished.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 3, 2018, 9:50 p.m.(7/9/1009 AR)
I would like to extend my thanks to Lord Faruq Seraceni and Baroness Enyo De Lire who joined myself and several other members of my House on a trip to Ostria. They acted on behalf of the Mirrorguard, to whom I had written seeking assistance. They were each invaluable assets, and Lord Faruq in particular showed a fast wit that I do not doubt saved the rest of us from a great deal of frustration.
Should I ever have need of the Mirrorguard again, I will gladly ask for these two by name. For those who may be experiencing a certain type of trouble, do not hesitate to write their leadership. Undoubtedly anyone who offers their aid will be of excellent help to you.
Should I ever have need of the Mirrorguard again, I will gladly ask for these two by name. For those who may be experiencing a certain type of trouble, do not hesitate to write their leadership. Undoubtedly anyone who offers their aid will be of excellent help to you.
Written By Cambria
Sept. 1, 2018, 2:43 p.m.(7/4/1009 AR)
Knowledge can be a burden, for once you take it up, you cannot discard it.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 29, 2018, 7:57 p.m.(6/26/1009 AR)
Absent friends and family are on my mind, which should come as no surprise. No use listing them, this space would be one long name-drop. It is funny how they remain active in one's dreams. Especially just before dawn and the wake-up call. The dreams most recently are exceptionally vivid. To be fair, the night before I sat beneath one of the old trees in the garden and had a wine that most Lycene would pay hundreds of silver for, and then some. I may have gotten very, very tipsy before finding myself next to a handsome man I presumed to be of greet breeding and style and flirted outrageously until the sun had almost risen, whereupon I discovered his stoic reserve was due in large part because he was hewn of marble.
Never mind. No one is perfect, and there are worse things than amusing oneself. Like minding other people's business and trying to tell them how to think and live.
Never mind. No one is perfect, and there are worse things than amusing oneself. Like minding other people's business and trying to tell them how to think and live.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 28, 2018, 12:16 a.m.(6/22/1009 AR)
Some things benefit from shocks; they thrive and grow when exposed to volatility, randomness, disorder, and love adventure, risk, and uncertainty.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 26, 2018, 4:01 p.m.(6/20/1009 AR)
The Scholars say that the world is bound by its own curvature, but I can think of something that is bound by nothing, and that is stupidity. It is infinite.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 25, 2018, 12:13 a.m.(6/16/1009 AR)
I'm sitting at my desk and the whole of the room is still. The rest of the manor is dark. Everyone is out this evening and I'm here writing about the death of my uncle. I haven't felt such gloom since my father died. The question of: Why did he have to die? is implicitly followed by that of: How did he live his life? The answer to that is easy: fearlessly. Learning how to die, according to Scholar Abaddon, is unlearning how to be a slave. Valerio, who fell fighting enemies of the Compact, was no slave.
The Marshal was born and raised in Ostria, a military man who was a very talented landscape artist and gardener (though few knew of it), capable of being among the best-dressed men when he chose to go without his armor, and a very good father to his son, Vitalis. He was funny as only few can be funny, with a straight face coupled with extreme exaggeration.
Needless to say, all his friends and family are devastated. We of House Mazetti plan to honor him in a manner he would have approved of. The memorial will take place a few days hence, upon the beach. It is very hard to write about someone you love without sounding maudlin and overly sentimental - but to me, Valerio was a very warm and caring person, and that isn't to infer he was soft. Far from it. He was tough as an old root, stubborn as all hell, but also dutiful, dependable, and witty.
He was also made as the proverbial hatter.
He has great friends who will miss him as much as myself and the rest of the family will. The last thing he would want is for us to snuff out all the candles, and decline all messages. He'd rather hear: Start all the laughter, bring out the brandy, it's time for a party. Let's go see the Keatons.
Having written those last few lines, I find myself in a better mood than when I started.
The Marshal was born and raised in Ostria, a military man who was a very talented landscape artist and gardener (though few knew of it), capable of being among the best-dressed men when he chose to go without his armor, and a very good father to his son, Vitalis. He was funny as only few can be funny, with a straight face coupled with extreme exaggeration.
Needless to say, all his friends and family are devastated. We of House Mazetti plan to honor him in a manner he would have approved of. The memorial will take place a few days hence, upon the beach. It is very hard to write about someone you love without sounding maudlin and overly sentimental - but to me, Valerio was a very warm and caring person, and that isn't to infer he was soft. Far from it. He was tough as an old root, stubborn as all hell, but also dutiful, dependable, and witty.
He was also made as the proverbial hatter.
He has great friends who will miss him as much as myself and the rest of the family will. The last thing he would want is for us to snuff out all the candles, and decline all messages. He'd rather hear: Start all the laughter, bring out the brandy, it's time for a party. Let's go see the Keatons.
Having written those last few lines, I find myself in a better mood than when I started.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 18, 2018, 12:49 a.m.(6/2/1009 AR)
On the heels of my last journal must come yet another the contents of which center around matters of fealty, and Prodigals. In the midst of House Mazetti's negotiations with various tribes, there was an effort lead personally by my cousin, the now Count Giulio Corvini. The details are his and his Countess-Consort's to share, but from a Mazetti's perspective I shall write:
It was no small thing to send away one of our own. House Mazetti maintains something of a tradition when it comes to matters of marriage, and that is that was marry in, rarely out. Convincing me to buck that trend was no small feat, but life proves such that it can and will continually surprise you. So it is that I welcome to the Compact House Corvini.
It was no small thing to send away one of our own. House Mazetti maintains something of a tradition when it comes to matters of marriage, and that is that was marry in, rarely out. Convincing me to buck that trend was no small feat, but life proves such that it can and will continually surprise you. So it is that I welcome to the Compact House Corvini.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 18, 2018, 12:29 a.m.(6/2/1009 AR)
It has been a long, delicate process, but I am finally ready to take to the Whites and write about it in full. The matter to which I refer began during those tumultuous days before the dreaded Pirate King and his forces were to clash with us in Setarco. I admit my decision to proceed as we did as a House was a gamble. It was not (and is not) the traditional method for treating with Abandoned, and it was not exactly the most stable time in which to attempt something outside of the ordinary. However, I was resolute in my choice to deal with Abandoned in a different manner than many of my predecessors. (And, in many cases, even my contemporaries).
While I do not believe for a moment that hostility and distrust will simply dissipate, or that there are no tribes of Shav'arvani that would not seek to take advantage when and where they believed they could, it is not cause enough for me to take a 'bend the knee or be annihilated,' view. As a liege, my first duty is to the people that swear fealty to me. To the farmer, the laborer, the soldier. It is my duty to see that they can thrive and flourish. Arvum, as many must surely know, is a very large place. Outside our walls exist wilds few dare to tread, and within them, surprise, exist people.
People that could just as easily live beside us thanks to a bit of courtesy and respect as they could be driven out by greed, ignorance, and a sense of entitlement. Such people as lived outside the laws of the Compact are those I made the decision to reach out to. I gathered around me various individuals whose diplomatic skills are bar none. I learned what I could of the tribes I intended to make overtures to, that I might tailor my message to them in ways they would respect and understand. I asked them to fight beside Compact troops, with no expectations of bending the knee - but I did ask that they consider bending the knee even so. For each tribe, I respected whatever decision they made, including having nothing to do with us.
For those who were on the fence, however, I always intended to return. When the time was right, return I did. Again, it was not done alone. Besides key figures of my own House, several members from across the Compact played an instrumental role through out these negotiations. Though I express my heartfelt gratitude to Princess Isabeau Valardin, Countess Arcelia, Baroness Lucita, and Bliss Whisper, the words alone are not enough to convey the truly monumental (and phenomenal) efforts they put forth on behalf of Ostria. Because ultimately, we have further improved the lives of many - not simply due to the fact Ostria continues to grow, but because good relations with Abandoned in and of itself strengthens the Compact.
While I do not believe for a moment that hostility and distrust will simply dissipate, or that there are no tribes of Shav'arvani that would not seek to take advantage when and where they believed they could, it is not cause enough for me to take a 'bend the knee or be annihilated,' view. As a liege, my first duty is to the people that swear fealty to me. To the farmer, the laborer, the soldier. It is my duty to see that they can thrive and flourish. Arvum, as many must surely know, is a very large place. Outside our walls exist wilds few dare to tread, and within them, surprise, exist people.
People that could just as easily live beside us thanks to a bit of courtesy and respect as they could be driven out by greed, ignorance, and a sense of entitlement. Such people as lived outside the laws of the Compact are those I made the decision to reach out to. I gathered around me various individuals whose diplomatic skills are bar none. I learned what I could of the tribes I intended to make overtures to, that I might tailor my message to them in ways they would respect and understand. I asked them to fight beside Compact troops, with no expectations of bending the knee - but I did ask that they consider bending the knee even so. For each tribe, I respected whatever decision they made, including having nothing to do with us.
For those who were on the fence, however, I always intended to return. When the time was right, return I did. Again, it was not done alone. Besides key figures of my own House, several members from across the Compact played an instrumental role through out these negotiations. Though I express my heartfelt gratitude to Princess Isabeau Valardin, Countess Arcelia, Baroness Lucita, and Bliss Whisper, the words alone are not enough to convey the truly monumental (and phenomenal) efforts they put forth on behalf of Ostria. Because ultimately, we have further improved the lives of many - not simply due to the fact Ostria continues to grow, but because good relations with Abandoned in and of itself strengthens the Compact.
Written By Cambria
Aug. 8, 2018, 10:45 p.m.(5/12/1009 AR)
I have finally found a use for a particular goblet housed within the manor, one that has vexed me for some time...
It is the perfect size to bathe an eight-month old in.
To be sure, Damianos will outgrow his glamorous tub only all too soon, but for now, it is his and his alone.
As they say, revenge is sweet.
It is the perfect size to bathe an eight-month old in.
To be sure, Damianos will outgrow his glamorous tub only all too soon, but for now, it is his and his alone.
As they say, revenge is sweet.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.