6 Vorgeheim, 2500
Übersreik, Reikland
What an epic tournament it was - chivalry is definitely not dead!
Many opponents I sent crashing to the ground. Marquis de Salle of Parravon was the most skilled. Twelve - TWELVE - times we rode against each other before he was felled. That has to be some kind of record. Afterward, he joked that he should never have given me such a fine charger, or he would have won.
Alas, I did not win. I was felled in the second to last bout by Drung, a hedge knight from Ostermark. One clever strike and a stumble were all it took. Unfortunate, but such is the nature of the joust. The knight dismounted and offered to continue on foot, which would obviously benefit me greatly, but there is no honor in such a path. Instead, I offered to take him into my service. He accepted.
Drung was unhorsed in the final by none other than Prince Marius Leitdorf of Averland. The man is an utter champion of chivalry and perhaps the Empire's finest knight. Could we have gotten a more worthy winner? I think not.
What a grand experience it was. Hundreds upon hundreds of knights, including a hundred and fifty from Bretonnia and two hundred from Averland, and lesser contingents from as far away as Ostermark. There were even a few from Nordland.
Next year's tournament has already been agreed upon: it will be held in Parravon in midsummer. Leitdorf will attend, as will many, many others. And the year after, we will meet again in Übersreik, a yearly tournament to bring the Empire and Bretonnia closer together. Or, at the very least, the fair duchies of Übersreik and Parravon. Good for commerce too! The big scoop for this year was the tournament. It brought in a lot of money.
I had a talk with my liege, Duke Sigismund von Jungfreund of Übersreik. We talked about many things, including the defense of the duchy. I explained my men were needed elsewhere. He will, of course, pay no more for them. The second regiment remains, however, and in a way, the Duke seemed glad to be rid of some of the troops. Übersreik had been gripped by the Green Scare and perhaps hired more troops than they could pay for. One regiment, however, is sustainable between the Duke and the City.
Relatedly, the City has not mustered a full battalion of garrison troops. Instead, they are training the city watch and the militia to use muskets. Muskets purchased from Nuln - and Grausee. I think I'll toast in champagne with my wife; that's our first real customer that's not myself.
Speaking of finances, Adler of Übersreik is prospering. We continue to reinvest heavily but still manage to turn enough profit to line our pockets. My own purse for the 2499/2500 fiscal year was well over 5000 gold coins. Which I will put to good use - being a prince and married is not cheap!
Our main source of income is wine and other luxuries from Bretonnia. Next general and bulk trade in the southern Vorbergland. We continue to secure contracts along the Reik, as far up as Marienburg, but beyond Kemperbad we are stretched thin.
Kemperbad itself is a good source of income, and Otto's efforts, though not part of Adler, have already provided me with a lump of money. Nuln is more of a stepping stone for the time being; it doesn't bring in a lot of wealth.
For Adler, this is only the beginning; if we can get that canal up and running, we could make some real money.
Grausee is coming along nicely. Good harvests this year, but the town itself isn't up to speed yet, and the various construction projects are sucking money out of the coffers. In a few years, however, it should generate a steady surplus. Widow's Vale is generating money for us, true, but if only we could find something valuable in those mountains. I suppose these things, prospecting and then building mines, take longer than a couple of seasons. Patience.
The powder mill is already putting out some barrels. Quality is good, but we need more volume. The first muskets have been finished. About half went to replace worn-out guns for the regiments. The rest we sold to the City. Production is glacial, but we'll get better as more apprentices advance to journeymen in the coming years.
We ride now to Nuln in the Prince of Averland's company. Off to see the rest of Vorbergland and Wissenland, then an audience with von Liebwitz.
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