Pirate's Swoop was doing much better than this time last year. Most of the important construction was done and they were prepared, at least in theory, for the winter. You could tell the newcomers to the village from the ones who'd arrived earlier on. The newcomers were nervous, and rightly so. The Baron of Pirate's Swoop had an odd reputation and ( Read more... )

( Tortallans didn't understand baseball. )

Excerpt of a private letter from Baron Charles of Pirate's Swoop to Jonathan of Conte, King of Tortall, written in late July:

( Talking shop in a less than formal way )

With Spring came mud. Lots and lots and lots of mud. Construction within the keep was postponed again, except for the tunnels deep underground, and focus had shifted to the village. Dal was leading the project there and word had been spread across Tortall that there was a house on offer for anyone willing to commit to rebuilding the village that ( Read more... )

Winter without electricity was not a fun experience. Kawalsky had spent a winter or two in eastern Europe before, but there had been a reprieve from the weather here and there, synthetic materials and those little heaters you could put in your gloves. Here in Tortall, there were no little heaters. The servants (and man, was that weird getting used ( Read more... )

Early Sunday morning, letters arrived by a light source near the following people ( Read more... )

( This wasn't the Pirate's Swoop of Aly's time )