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Gleann-Abhann-art - 10/31/06

The birth of the Kingdom of Gleann Abhann amid Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Vallawulf Rurikson.

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From: meridian-ty at yahoogroups.com [mailto:meridian-ty at yahoogroups.com]On

Behalf Of Vallawulf Rurikson

Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 2:54 PM

To: meridian-ty at yahoogroups.com

Subject: [TY] Tribute to Gleann Abhann

I'm still digesting everything that happened this weekend and will

write a proper travel report soon. Meanwhile, here is a tribute

which I had hoped to read or present this weekend, which shall be

added to the volume...

TRAVELS WITH VALLAWULF

SECTION XIX - THE KINGDOM OF GLEANN ABHANN

Part I: The Birth of a Kingdom

On the fifth day of November, Anno Societatus XL, being 2005 in the

Common Reckoning, Gleann Abhann took its Ryghtfull Place as the

youngest kingdom in the Knowne Worlde.

But the story beforehand bears telling, as it is fascinating.

(Or, "A funny thing happened on the way to coronation")

THE LAST DAYS OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF GLEANN ABHANN

WHEN Radu and Broinfinn, Lord and Lady Heir of Gleann Abhann, had

passed several months in said positions as Heirs to these Lands, a

Principality of the Kingdom of Meridies, knowing in Spirit that

Their day to become a Kingdom in Their own ryght was at hand, They

did turn to contemplate such Actions and kindle up to Greater

Bryghtness the Flame of Their Impending Nationhood. At this time,

They were accustomed to go out frequently from Their Manor and

converse with the Populace, who came to visit with Them.

They had one day left Their Manor, to visit with Their Populace and,

when They had finished, They said to them, "We must now go home

again; but do you, as you are inclined to depart, first take food;

and when you have cooked and eaten, go on with the preparations for

Coronation." They then gave thanks to Their Populace and, feeling

blessed in them, went home.

Now when They had readied Themselves, They tryed to go forth with

Their Coronation, but a Massive Storm utterly prevented Them from

proceeding. The Tempest flooded the Barony of Axemoor, causing Their

Excellencies, Merwyyd of Effington and Eleri of Caerleon, Baron and

Baroness of Those Lands, and all Their people, to flee in dismay

from Their Ancestral Holdings. The Barony of Seleone and the Shire

of Dragoun's Wheel were smashed flat by the Four Winds, causing

Their Excellencies, Thaddeus Camberwell and Daphne of Colchester,

Baron and Baroness of Those Lands, and all their people, to flee in

dismay from Their Ancestral Holdings as well. Many other Shires,

Cantons and Colleges were also destroyed or damaged heavily.

The Lord and Lady Heir, along with the people of Gleann Abhann,

watched in dismay as the roughness of the Winds and the Waves

increased, and the rising of the Waters continued unabated, and yet

They could not call to mind what fault They had committed or how

They had offended the Gods. They fled North and East and West, in

all directions but South, in any way to escape the Angry Sea that

flooded their Cities, and scattered upon the Teeth of the Four Winds

that scoured their towns flat, and it seemed as though the Lands

known as Gleann Abhann would cease to exist, lost in the Mysts of

Time, as Atlantis or Mu before Her, and Her People decimated and

caused to wander in the desert for a long period of Tyme, or

absorbed into other Kyngdoms...

After gathering in what shelters They could find, They turned to the

Prince and Princess of Gleann Abhann, the King and Queen of Meridies

and Their Heirs, and to lament to Them of Their Ruin and

Destruction. Their Royal Majesties and Their Royal Highnesses

exhorted the people of Gleann Abhann to be patient and, throughout

the period of waiting, came out to console their Sorrow, and give

them Succor and Encouragement.

"Why do we remain here idle?" asked Lethrenn, Queen of

Meridies. "Let us do the best we can to save ourselves!"

"Yes!" cried Deirdre, Crown Princess of Meridies. "We can survive

this! We can help each other!"

"Yes!" cried Broinnfhionn, Lady Heir of Gleann Abhann. "We have all

that we truly need! Our husbands and wives and children and dogs!

Our lives and our friends and our families! Though our Land is

covered with Water and the Heavens with Clouds, though the currents

of both Wynds and Waves are fully against us, though we are Famished

with Hunger and we have lost Everything, and there is no one to

Relieve us, if our Faith does not Waver, I think we shall not remain

long in these Dire Strayts."

Little did these Formidable Women know at that moment how right They

were!

Then it did happen Most Wonderfully that the Wynds began to cease

and the Waves began to be still and the Waters began to recede.

Seeing that the Sea was finally Calm, after suffering from Cold and

Hunger and Loss of Property, after overcoming Shock and Despayr, the

people of Gleann Abhann began the long and slow trek back into their

Damaged Lands to see what was left, to begin the process of

rebuilding their lives. It seemed that, for now, the Dream of

becoming a Kingdom would have to be put aside.

But it was not to be.

The Dream would not die. Not for the Lord and Lady Heir of Gleann

Abhann.

"We will hold coronation barefoot, in our shifts, in a field if

necessary!" said Broinnfinn.

It would not die for the Loyal Members of the Principality, nor

would it die for the King and Queen of Meridies, Maximilian II &

Lethrenn II, nor for their Royal Heirs, Boru III & Deirdre, nor for

the Officers or Populace of Meridies or Gleann Abhann. Nor, indeed,

would the Dream die for the rest of the Knowne Worlde.

"We will not allow this to happen!" came the cry from all Corners of

the Worlde, from those who had heard of the Trials and Tribulations

being experienced by the people of Gleann Abhann.

And, shortly after the Wynds and Waves stilled, the Knowne Worlde

responded en masse, succoring their brothers and sisters in Gleann

Abhann and Meridies with an overwhelming outpouring of Cheerfull

Wyshes and Welcome Supplies to assist them in the rebuilding of

their Kingdoms and of the day of Coronation for the newest Kingdom.

So much, in fact, that the storehouses of Gleann Abhann were bulging

with largesse.

"We do not have the words to thank you, the Knowne Worlde, for the

overwhelming aid to our populace," said Broinnfhionn, a sentiment

echoed by Her Lord Heir, Officers and Populace time and again as

They spoke and wrote to those assisting Them. (But They did find

them later, as you can read in Theyr letter further on in this

History.)

Thus it was that Gleann Abhann, to their Greyt Delyght, and to the

Greyt Delyght of the rest of the Worlde, reached Kingdom status at

long last. Those there rejoiced because they now saw what care the

Knowne Worlde had for Their Youngest Kingdom, so as to Vindicate Her

from Neglect, to keep Her from Destruction and from Extinction and

from being Forgotten, even by means of the Elements. They rejoiced,

too, that the Knowne Worlde should have had so much regard to

Themselves, as to assist in Their recovery in a most Miraculous Way.

Thus was the Kingdom of Gleann Abhann born from the Elements, forged

from Water and Wynd, Fyre and Earth, and took its Ryghtfull Place as

the Nineteenth Kingdom of the Knowne Worlde!

Written by my hand, this 3rd Day of November, Anno Societatus XL.

Vallawulf Rurikson

VALLAWULF AT AOL.COM

CLANWOLFHAVEN DOT COM

Writing style inspired in part by The Life of St. Cuthbert (c. 634-

687), by St. Bede (673-735).