Introductions from Emprise IX

Greetings Unto The Right Honourable Lord Guillaume Garrigues of The Madrone Equestrian Guild, noble sponsor of this Grand Emprise, and greetings also unto Their most august and puissant Graces Duke Steingrim Stellari and Thorin Njallsson, Jarl Ulfred Drumfjallr, and Graf Berek von Langental.

Gentle my lords, I pray that this letter finds you hale and hearty. My master is well pleased that the noble Barony of Madrone, first amongst the great jewels of AnTir and the known world, was able to spare crofters and laborers from the fields to sponsor such a grand desport.

I am Lady Barbara Svardhardt, humble servant of The Right Honorable Emryn Lioncourt, squire to Earl Edward Ean Anderson, companion of the Jambe de Lion, and holder of Duchess Angharad's favor for courtesy.

You will know my master by his fine armor, which he strived to finish in time for this most important of tournaments. He fights for the honor of his gracious and temperate lady, Madame Jacqueline de Lioncourt, and God willing, in hopes that more tournaments of this finery will grace AnTir's hazelled fields. My master bears the following arms: per bend sinister azure and sable, a lion's head caboshed argent, in chief counter-compony sable and argent.

My master comes to the hallowed ground this day in your grand Pas d'Armes as a proud venan. He shall meet Duke Cedric Rolfsson and Sir Aleksii, august and puissant tenans both, at the barrier or in the męlée, wherever they may stand.

My master is not one to boast of past accomplishments, but he has met noble and worthy lords at the barrier before. When Ard-Righ Tiernan Lawbringer and Ban-Righ Miranda Guiding Light reigned AnTir before, my master fought in a Pas to delight and amuse Their Majesties. My master was awarded with the Chivalry prize that day, and rest assured that he will bring that same honor and courtesy to this Grand Emprise.

My master humbly thanks His Lordship Guillaume for this opportunity to display his prowess upon the field for the august and puissant judges. He prays to God that Her Royal Majesty finds favor in his engagement in the Pas d'Armes. To the tenans, he wishes "Battle Fortune!" and to his fellow venans he wishes "For God, Queen Miranda, and St. George!"

Unto thee distinguished judges, riders, consorts, and equine friends of The Black Lion Emprise. We, Her Ladyship Drifa in Rauđa, Past Equestrian Champion of An Tir, apprentice to Her Excellency Reginleif; and Martin the Wonder Horse, do bid you greeting. You see, a greeting from the both of us is appropriate, since we are partners, and without the other neither of us has the will or ability to meet others in valiant combat on the lists.

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

Martin and I wish to challenge all comers in the area of Pigsticking, Reeds, Birjas, and Rings.

We ride this day for His Lordship Cyriac the Hunter, Maximus, Casey, and Lane my ever inspiration.

Drifa in Rauđa

Compaignye of the Emprise and worthy judges rare,

I haue git a goode wilde steed and fine woven harneys,
to join in felawshipe of the Black Lion Emprise.

Wit stout lance I wil meet thee at the stakes of faire Reber Ranch
Ye shall know me by my arms. Azure, above three chevronels braced Or two seahorses respectant argent, a chief indented Or.
Ridyng at Rings, Birjas, Speed Quintain, Pigs

Lady Felicitae de l' Hay
Order of the Grey Goose Shaft

Unto my Liege Lady and Queen of all An Tir, do I, Your Equestrian Champion by right of challenge, send Greetings! Likewise to those august judges and noble spectators, and most especially to the honorable and gentle ladies of the Berfrois do I, Francesca da Monte, send joyous salutations!

I come to the call of my Queen to join my fellow Venants upon this field of honor in this the Ninth Emprise of the Black Lion, a very great festival of arms and a very noble tourney.

You may know me by the Champion's cloak that I wear and by the banner bearing my proposed arms: gules, a pale or, a wolf's head erased sable.

Mounted on my spirited bay mare Tally Ho Noel the swift and nimble, I challenge all comers in Ring Tilt, Reed Chop, Pig Sticking and Birjas. I participate in such a noble deed as this tourney in honor of my inspiration and consort Dirk the Dark, he who carries my soul and is the light of my eyes.

I ride in honor of my Queen and for my beloved and glorious Kingdom, An Tir!

Ever your humble servant,
HL Francesca da Monte
Kingdom Equestrian Champion of An Tir
Equestrian Champion, Shire of Midhaven
Equestrian Champion, Emprise of the Sable Rose
Ordre du Lion et da la Lance
Ordre du Cheval et du Lion

Unto the Sponsors of the Black Lion Emprise and Most Noble Judges,

I send Humble Greetings and beg leave to enter the Lists of this great Tournament.

I am Taradan banMarca, humble and quiet country lady.

Inspired greatly by the shining example of the Honorable Lord Thorkel Haraldsson (three times champion of this Emprise), who is my beloved husband and my heart – I come to this field for sheer joy and to share the companionship of my fellow riders in friendly competition.

I do honor to Layla Griego, who has allowed me to borrow her most able warhorse, Bee.

This trusty stead will carry me right eagerly as I show myself willing to meet all comers at Pigs, Speed Quintain, Rings and Reeds.

Know me by my banner bearing my proposed arms:

Erminois, on a pile raguly, vert, a winged seahorse erect Or.

To the field my Friends!

Taradan banMarca
Companion of the Goutte de Sang
Ordre du Lion et da la Lance
Belated Rose

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 nineth 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 Lake, sired by Galahad of the Lake 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 IX. 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, Reeds, 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 ASXXXX, being the 23 of September. Lady Aeschine Gearranach

To the very noble and very powerful judges of the Emprise of the Black Lion IX:

I, Spike Zoetaert, herald to my master Guillaume de Garrigues, greet you and want you to know that my master has charged me to deliver this letter to you, which you may read whenever it pleases you.

My master wishes you to know that he intends to enter into the lists of the very noble tournament Emprise of the Black Lion IX, on account of the great chivalry and prowess that my master knows is in your very noble persons. My master intends to take up arms not out of any ill will, but rather in all love and friendship, to please the judges, and to amuse the ladies.

And you will know that my master 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.

And if by chance it may happen that my master will, by doing well, get mercy, grace, or an increase of love from his very gentle lady Annisa Gabrielli, then my master 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.

And my master, Guillaume de Garrigues, wishes to take the field on his noble mount Montjoy, a proper destrier of appropriate lineage, 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 be dressed and accoutered as prettily as possible and practice the exercise of arms more often.

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

I, Kings Royal Mist (known by my friends as Ace) do hereby submit my letter of intent to enter the tourney of the Black Lion. I intend to carry my human partner, known to you as Macha, in this endeavour. We may both be long in the tooth but we ride in this tourney thanks to the inspiration and support of our lord, HL Ken of Mountain Edge, and for the joy of taking to the tourney field together amongst our friends once again!

I, Kings Royal Mist, hope to be able to still serve by challenging all comers in behord, by adding to the feast some succulent young pork, by gathering rings of gold to ensure my fellow farm-mates east well this winter, and by showing that I can still serve to lay waste to the carnivorous northwest blackberries that continue to lay seige to our manor (reeds).

By the service of the device my human partner uses, the Tor, we have been able to come forward several centuries to enter this tourney and and are full of joy at the chance to see old friends and meet new - please forgive if our manners and attire seem from another century, it is a wondrous thing that we can make this journey at all!

Until we meet on the tourney field, I send you all greetings as signed by my hoof -

Kings Royal Mist (four footed partner of Macha)