Introductions

Hail to His Majesty, and other Noble Judges of the Black Lion Emprise!

I declare, this day, that I intend to enter the lists of your estemed tournament. I will ride for the glory of His Lordship Cyriac the Hunter. My steed Martin the Wonder Horse will carry me grandly in the events of Birjas, Pig Sticking, Quintain, and the great Joust!

Know me by my arms, Per pale azure and purpure, an annulet fracted to sinister base Or and overall a spear bendwise inverted argent.

I look forward to meeting my fellow Equestrians on the field.

HL Drifa in Rauđa
Lancer of Stromgard
Guard to our Great Queen of An Tir
Past Equestrian Champion of the Kingdom
Member of the Order of the Jambe de Lion

Unto all to whom these words shall come, greetings.

Word of a great gathering of noble riders and handsome steeds assembling in these lands has reached me at my manse in the Barony of Madrone. I am intrigued by this news, thus do I take my pen in hand to write of my intent to travel to the gathering and into this fine company.

Unto the Noble judges of The Emprise of the Black Lion, this being the tenth of that name, I do present myself as a venant.

I am Lady Aeschine Gearranach, known to this company and the known world by the banner I bear: Per chevron gules and vert, two crescents and a sheep passant argent. Likewise shall you know me by the crest upon my helm, a silver sheep crowned by a crescent moon.

The swift and fiery Willow of the Loch, sired by Galahad of the Loch out of Sorsha, my mount shall be. She shall bear me against all who would give challenge honorably on the field of the Emprise of the Black Lion X. We shall appear as a blur of color as we dance past the ladies of the Berfois and those others who are drawn to the display of skill and grace which are the equestrian games. We shall undertake the competitions of Birjas, Rings, Quintain, and Willow’s favorite, Pigs.

I ride not for the prize, nor yet for the word fame, or such graces as might fall to me. I ride for the love of the horse, and of the tourney, and the spirit of chivalry and honor which mark this grand display of equestrian might and skill.

Signed by my own hand, this ASXXXXI, being the 12 of September.
Lady Aeschine Gearranach

Unto Their Royal Majesties and Rulers of all An Tir, King Thorin and Queen Dagmaer, do I, Francesca da Monte, send Greetings! Likewise unto these august judges and noble spectators, and most especially to the honored and gentle ladies of the Berfrois, do I send joyous salutations!

Four days hence I come to join my fellow Venants upon this field of honor in this the Tenth Emprise of the Black Lion, Anno Societatus XLVI, a very great festival of arms and a very noble tourney; with crests, coats of arms and horses covered with the arms of the noble tourneyers as is the ancient custom. I do this in all love and friendship, and not out of any ill will.

You shall know me by the banner bearing my proposed arms: gules, a pale or, overall a wolf's head erased sable. Mounted on my spirited bay mare Noel, who has the courage of a lion despite her small size and the speed of an hart despite her large feet, I challenge all comers in Ring Tilt, Birjas, Pig Sticking and Quintaine. I ride in such a noble deed as this tourney in the hope that my consort Dirk the Dark, he who carries my soul and is the everlasting light of my eyes, is well pleased.

For the honor of my beloved and glorious Kingdom, An Tir!

Humbly Yours, in Service,

HL Francesca da Monte
Equestrian Champion of Stromgard
Ordre du Cheval et du Lion
Ordre du Lance de Lion
Companion of Horse, Royal Company of the Sable Rose, Argent
Twice Kingdom Equestrian Champion of An Tir

Noble and redoubted knights, honored and gentle judges, I have come before you on behalf of my redoubted lord, the very noble Guillaume de Garrigues, who has charged me to deliver this letter to you, which you may read whenever it pleases you.

The noble Guillaume de Garrigues wishes you to know that your presence as judges at this tournament is very pleasing to him, on account of the great fame of your valor, the renown of your intelligence, and the praise of the virtues that have long endured in your noble persons. It is on account of your great chivalry and prowess that he intends to take up arms and enter the lists of the noble tournament and behort of arms known as the Emprise of the Black Lion X, not out of any ill will, but rather in all love and friendship, and to amuse the ladies.

And you will know that he is come from ancient nobility by the way his destrier is covered, as is the ancient custom, with his noble arms: argent, an oak tree proper, on a chief gules three Toulouse crosses or. He will be carried on the field by the noble Montjoy, a proper destrier of appropriate French lineage, dressed and accoutered as prettily as possible, and hopes to compete in such a way that fame and widespread rumor will go out to sustain nobility and increase honor, so that, if it pleases God, every gentlemen will wish henceforth to practice the exercise of arms more often.

And if by chance it may happen that he will, by doing well, get mercy, grace, or an increase of love from his very gentle lady Annisa Gabrielli, then he will have done his loyal duty, asking always that she forgive his mistakes, for if by chance he errs, from which God protect him, it will be more from innocence than from vice.

I, Spike Zoetaert, herald in the service of Guillaume de Garrigues, announce these things to you, and I tell this to you on behalf of the noble lord Guillaume, so please excuse me.

To the very noble and powerful judges of the Emprise of the Black Lion, Their Dreaded Majesties Thorin and Dagmaer, undoubted King and Queen of An Tir, most noble and beauteous Ladies of the Berfrois, and good gentles all, I Maestoso Gala (more commonly known as MG), a true son of the noble war mare Gala, she who had borne Kings and Queens in An Tir prior to her passing, do humbly send you greetings. My rider has asked me to introduce myself as I have not previously entered the Emprise. I will endeavour to transport my rider forward in time several centuries so that we can partake of the pageantry, comradeship, and test of skills and of noble character that is the Emprise (though set in a later period). Though short in stature, my heart is as large as any of the noble steeds with whom I shall share the field and I challenge them to test my valor!

I wish to make known to you my food lady and rider at the Emprise, HL Macha the Determined. I believe she has the right to ride me bearing arms in this tourney.

I bid you know her by her registered arms: argent, a dolmen gules surrounding a roundel azure, and declare that we will compete in:

I, Maestoso Gala, would also like to thank HL Ken of Mountain Edge for his support and inspiration as a model of quiet, steadfast service to family, Shire, and Kingdom. I look forward to taking the field with friends old and new this weekend!

By my hoof this day,

Maestoso Gala, son of Gala

Greetings Unto the most Noble Hosts of the Black Lion Emprise, and Salutations to the Honored Judges,

I, Taradan banMarca, rider of the feisty steed, Dancer, do humbly beg leave to present myself as Venent in the list of the Black Lion Emprise X. Inspired by my much beloved husband, Sir Thorkel fitzHrothgar, I shall endeavor to show well upon the field as I attempt the Ring Tilt, Birjas, Pig Sticking and Quintaine. Not for competition sake alone, but joy in working with my horse, and sharing the day with my fellow riders, do I ask entry into this List.

By your Leave,

Lady Taradan banMarca
Ordre de Lance et de la Lion
Campanion of the Goutte de Sang

For love of Tara and opportunity of great deeds do I ride forth. On the back of mighty Stitch I will face those who enter the Lists of the Black Lion. May the Honorable Judges have reason to reward all worthy entrants into these Lists and heap glory on the victors.

So say I,

Thorkel fitz Hrothgar

Knight of An Tir

Unto the Dreaded Sable Throne, Their Majesties Thorin & Dagmar, the Noble Judges of the Black Lion Emprise, and the Beautiful & Gracious Ladies of the Berfrois - Word of the Chivalry and valor of the riders of An Tir has reached far & wide.

Inspired by this word fame, my lady, her Ladiship, Layla Griego, the most beautious and kind, has bid me to ask for us leave to enter the lists. That we might demonstrate our skill at arms in the ring tilt, birjas, pig sticking and quintain with this agust company, and compete with honor and chivalry to the best of our abilities.

My lady will be known by her fiery steed, Bee, and I shall be known by my steed, Noel, of the flowing mane.

YIS, His Lordship,Duncan Taddio, Equestrian Champion, Shire of Midhaven.

Worthy gentles, most notable Judges

I would introduce myself to you in accordance to the traditions of the Black Lion Emprise.

I, Maitresse Anne-Marie d’Ailleurs, Mistress of the order of the Pelican, Mistress of the order of the Laurel, Baroness of the Court of AnTir, member of the Ordus Equii, Member of the Order of the Carp, holder of the Red Branch, Green Leaf, Poisson D’Or and Sveti Madrone, the Thrones Favor, numerous Forget Me Knots and the like, Lord High Regent for the University of Ithra and undoubted patroness of the arts would present myself to the Lysts of the Black Lion Emprise.

While it is against canon law for a woman to play in the games of men, and while St Augustine and other notable scholars would rail against our participating in such loud activities, Christine de Pisan counters that it is well met for all women to be familiar with the persuits of men, the better to serve in case of need. And as she built her City of Ladies on the pillars of Reason, Justice and Rectitude, I would ride in this most noble of Tournaments in Grace, Dignity and Honor.

With the support of my Queen, I intend to present myself to the Noble Judges of the Emprise, with the understanding that while my valiant and geriatric palfry, the ever grumpy RajShanti may not be the fastest, or fiercest horse on the field, he is indeed noble on account of his great personal courage, valor and chivalry. . I would ride not out of ill will, and not for the glory of self, but for the honor of the Ladies, dressed as well and prettily as possible.

I also beg that the populace of Madrone come and witness these feats this Saturday and Sunday upcoming, acknowledging that any fault is purely mine and that the noble Raj would probably do much better at these games if I didn’t get in his way.

To Honor, noble gentles, To Honor!

--Anne-Marie