The Duchy of Tradgardland 1807

The local battalion of the Tradgardland militia ( Landvaren) has been mobilised after rumours of a British fleet ,en route for Copenhagen, was sighted off the shores of the Duchy. Some say the British have already landed,others say the fleet has sailed onwards already. The Duchy is in a state of utter confusion- rumour and counter rumour sweep the land. And so the Landvaren patrol makes its way cautiously towards the coast...

the Duchy in 1912 etc

Do feel free to see what is happening in Tradgardland in 1912 -
http://armyredwhite.blogspot.com/
Please leave a comment there upon what you find...

Carronade etc

Seven days ago I went with a friend to the wargames show at Falkirk called "Carronade" name after the famous guns made locally and pictured here.

The venue was a modern High School which met the needs of all admirably. The highlight of the show was Phil Olley's ( who we have known on and off for years)display game- a wonder to behold. Complete with moving windmill blades and resplendent scenery, it is impossible to do it justice here. You are urged to see Mr Olley's work on his website- http://www.warcabinet.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/broadside.htm with a bit about the show and some mouth watering piccies...

Through Phil we were introduced to Charles S Grant ( and chatted with him briefly) which was another highlight of the day .All in all much to See and my wargames energy levels were given a real boost!!

In the Chantry Chapel...

The Guild of St Hermes had an old chapel in the backstreets of the capital. Forgotten by many,abandoned by others and neglected by the majority of guild members it was manned by an old priest Fr Augustus Mercury. He , it was rumored , had changed his name to obtain the Living and had resided in the presbytery for over thirty years. He was the focus of those who looked to the "Glorious days" of the guild when every regiment had it's brace of hares( handled with infinite patience and skill by members of the Guild of St Hermes) which could be seen haring across the Field of Mars . Each one equipped with a silver message tube upon its back ,held on by the finest of leather harnesses. Thereby orders were given and received...

Tonight would see the annual Mass said for deceased members of the guild. It would also see a gathering of the supporters of Fr Mercury who still bred and kept hares - awaiting the call ( which never came) from the Tradgardland General Staff.

The Guild of St Hermes

The Guild of St Hermes has its headquarters in a rather run-down area of Tradgardstadt. The shabby door onto the grubby street prepares no one for the glories (albeit faded and tatty around the edges) that lie within. The fresco paintings of a winged messenger flying over the Duchy of Tradgardland dominate the main room. Executed in the very best Baroque style by a fashionable, if disreputable, painter of unknown origins this visual display hammers home for all to see just how self important the guild members are- at least in their own eyes…
Many felt it was somewhat strange,ney heretical ,to have a pagan god as a patron saint but the Guild Master and members just accepted it as a sign of continuity and of the divine nature of their work. The Guild were responsible for all licensed message carriers, be they on foot, horse or even boat. They held a monopoly with regard to the breeding, maintaining and usage of carrier pigeons not to mention the ill –fated attempt to organise carrier hares some years ago…
Today Johannes, Guild Master for the past twenty years, surveyed the daily reports from Sunday – each written in immaculate writing in the large bound ledgers chained in the Hall of Scribes. He cast his eyes over the trite and the banal (every message carried was copied even if it pertained only to socks, sealing wax or endearments from one lover to another) and his eyes stopped upon a message delivered by pigeon from Scotland. He read it with more interest than was officially approved of. His eyes widened as he read on…