Exhibition: Exclusive Carpets

(Year 235, Spring) This weekend a different exhibition could be visited at the Kasbah Gallery in San Myshuno. A total of 18 exclusive Victorian carpets could be admired, and high society was not hard to attract.

The rugs, all of perfect quality, share a story that might place them in our history book. They were crafted for the Year 150 coronation of King Tybe, and left Victoriania. Unfortunately cargo got lost in storage, and that's where the story ends. Nobody knows for sure how it could happen, and where the container spent the next 84 years. Last year the rugs were discovered and continued their travel to Mazaloom.

Do you descend from King Baltazar II? (Part 1 of 5 - Windenburg and Rossie)

(Year 234, Summer) Mazaloom kingdom is nearly 235 years old. There were numerous monarchs during all those years, but historians agree that the most important of them all - to this date - was King Baltazar II. With 46 years on the Throne, he is still the nation's longest reigning monarch. Current King Tarriot has already reigned for 36 years, but is atm only 3rd.

Baltazar II was our monarch Years 2-48, replaced by his son Rupert, and later by grandson Wizar (who reigned for 37 years). During his reign, King Baltazar established the foundation of many community structures that we still benefit from today. After the Great Revolution (Year 118) the monarchy was ditched, but later reestablished with House de Luxe-Hamper in Year 150.

Today there still live many descendants of King Baltazar II. With a few exceptions, they are all found within aristocracy. We'll track them all in this mini series of 5 articles.

A pledge from the Butler Academy

(Year 232, Winter) The Butler Academy, located at Mirage Park in Del Sol Valley, is the most successful of our many private high schools. Founded in Year 136 this boarding school is clearly the oldest, but it is also winning both ranks: Most A graduatees and Most popular. The school still offers classes that were requested by Aristocracy generations ago, but with a few extras. Students no longer become butlers, cooks, maids and governesses, alone. Bartenders and Nectar makers might study here as well. Culinary chefs aiming for restaurants are welcomed, too.

Principal Abraham Golden in his office at the Butler Academy.

Not every student aims to serve a higher ranked House. No, these days even some studies there to prepare themselves for administrating the House they some day will be the Head of. However, times are changing, and the school's Principal Mr. Abraham Golden can tell us more.

Birthday at Shiningham Hall

(Year 232, Summer) This weekend there was a celebration at Shiningham Hall, Henford-on-Bagley. The occasion was Robin Hump celebrating his young adult birthday.

Left to right: Dr. Nivert Hump, Robin Hump, Lady Elvy Rab-Saxor Ross, and local Mayor Chopra.

Despite residing Shiningham Hall, Robin is considered a commoner. Young adult birthdays will normally not get a mention here, but let's spend a moment to look into this household and to learn why Robin might fare a bit better than most of same age youngsters.

Crystal Crafters

(Year 232, Spring) Crystal creation has been taking up on popularity recently, as more and more wants to craft their own bling. To most this is a hobby, and we all know that hobbies tend to last for a limited time. When they filled their jewelry boxes, will they still be as devoted to Gemology?

There are a few professionals, though. They run their business like they did in the past. To run very effectively they need to buy a Produce Deed, and because there are only two of those there are only two such serious businesses. But others can still make a living from their Gemology skills, they just need to sell their products in more tedious ways than the nifty "drag-and-drop" method.

The biggest and longest running professional business is Jespers Jewelry Broker, Inc. It was founded by Erica J. Rab-Saxor, Baroness of Prome. She has been running her business for about 30 years already. She is pushing elderhood, and both her two daughters are expected to get involved now that they are young adults.

Lady Corva Saxor graduated

(Year 231, Fall) This Summer Lady Corva Saxor (25) graduated from the Butler Academy, and with top grades she secured herself a spot on the high school's new wall of fame!

You might wonder how a daughter of the Duke of Meadows could end up at a school like the Butler Academy? Well, it is not as weird as it sounds. Many children from the top aristocracy do actually study here. It may not be their top ambition in life to become a Butler or other Servant, although that would secure them a position in a better residence, but these finer families are actually expected to serve aristocracy. If you are not the main heir of your House, well - then you were raised to accept being the child that will be married off to another House, serving Military or joining a Monastery. Or - serving a higher ranked House than the one that raised you. This is why most families of aristocracy are expected to provide minimum 3 kids. So, just where does Lady Corva fit the bill?

Gossips #10

(Year 231, Fall) Welcome to the TENTH edition of my gossiping column! Yay! Ten editions is quite cool if you ask me! Despite social season just closing with the annual grand ball, this time I had to skip the bigger names in both nobility and royalty terms. But there is so much gossips anyway, and Mrs Ward did not manage to stay out of sight this time either...!

I'm Antoinette Morck, milk farmer from Henford-on-Bagley, but many years as a city resident thought me to keep an eye on celebrities of Mazaloom kingdom, and this is where I share!

I did travel a bit, including Chestnut Ridge, but first let's start in Windenburg!

HRH Crown Princess Emireza Knighted

(Year 229) On Investiture Day - 1st day of Winter, anyone worthy of their investiture will attend the big Court event at the royal palace. This year was indeed special, as the future queen got knighted for the Order of the Royal Chamber!

The annual Court event will typically fill just half the seats in the Throne room, but this year the ceremony got some extra attention. There were several coronations, as the King earlier in the year created new peerages to replace a few of the old peerages that were poorly designed generations ago, a process that will not be completed until next year.

The Royal Chamber: Changes to the Large Peerage

(Year 229, Chateau Peek, Del Sol Valley) This week the 75th Grand Mazaloom Gathering (GMG) took place at Chateau Peek. This annual conference is hosted by The Royal Chamber and gathers all dukes of the kingdom as well as the 8 regional mayors to debate various community aspects. This year The Royal Chamber announced an upcoming redefining of the Peerage of Mazaloom, aka the Large Peerage.

And this is actually the perfect occasion to announce that there is a brand new Mazaloom Peerage overview on the Community Pages - a quick way to see the status of each peerage, their rank, and who the current dukes, counts and barons are. 

The Royal Chamber (left to right): Prince Jerome, Count de Tredony (64). Duke Merlin von Windenburg (77). His Royal Majesty King Tarriot of Mazaloom (61). Duke Victus of Meadows (55). Lord Dominic of Deadgrass was not present, and Count Marcel II of Advorton (77) was too sick to attend this year's conference. Posing on the right is Lord Floyd Altham (91), not a knight of The Royal Chamber.

The large peerage was instated by King Baltazar II all the way back in Year 2, and the first peerages created in addition to the kingdom were dukedoms and counties, followed by some baronies. The system quickly came out of order when also a few "lordships" were created, unintendedly. It did not help a bit that the monarch was ditched as result of the Year 118 revolution, and the fighting Royal Chamber - mostly in order to secure more titles for their own houses, created numerous Lord and Lady titles outside the large peerage, not connecting to any land or real peerage.

University - New term

(Year 228) It's that time of year again! Another term is about to begin at University, and six young adults are ready to grab their books and projects with desire! Well, for the first week, the least.

Mossy Lane Dorm has grown very popular with students reserving their stay years in advance. It's basically intended as a better standard dorm for noble youngsters, but after they picked their better roms on 3rd story, there will normally be rooms for regular students as well.

This term there are two young women from the same low nobility house, House of Rab-Saxor, but none of them rank very high, anyway. And - it naturally means fewer photographers at the term opening...

A new term starts at Mossy Lane dorm

(Year 227, Britechester) This Fall the popular Mossy Lane Dorm, known to be the temporary home of high nobility University students, is full again! It means the place will be rather packed for the coming term. The group include students who origin from San Myshuno, Gloomville, Brindleton Bay, Rossie and Windenburg. Several of them would probably never have met if it was not for Mossy Lane. 

They started off the term with attending the Sims Sessions music festival at Gloom Garden in Gloomville. It's only a 60 minutes bus drive from Britechester - lots of pictures to be posted later today, just wanted to introduce the 6 students first :)  

From left: Paula Mox, Leon De. de Cavalier, Lizzy Rab-Saxor,
Wolfgang Munch, Micka Kessler and Rohan Elderberry.

The dorm is located at Gibbs Hill in Britechester, Rossie. The standard is a little higher than the regular dorms, and living a bit away from campus might give the m ore serious students a better focus. It's also a fact that anyone staying here earning a degree with honors will be gifted 1% ownership in Mossy Lodgers, Inc., the company that owns the dorm. There is normally a few years waiting to stay here, and the queue is ranked by ownership - some finer houses might benefit from this in the long run.

Jespers Jewelry Broker

(Magnolia Promenade, year 225) In previous post Angela Pleasant gave you a tour of the Hotel Roadstead, located at Magnolia Promenade. The exterior is hardly changed, but the indoor is all new. The lot is available on the gallery (by Simmerville). At the northern end of the large building there is a store that the hotel owner allows another business to rent.

Since Year 194 this store was home to Jespers Jewelry Broker, run by the Jespers family for 30 years. This is not an ordinary jewelry shop, though.

Rab-Saxor, Lord von Lykke

So, I'm still enjoying my massive nobility project where local history is being written. I started with a King and his Royal Chamber in Year 1, then introducing the many peerages until the great revolution that took place in Y120. As the result of political insight and quick maneuvers, the last bunch of low noble titles were introduced in a hurry in Y121 in a last attempt to secure future power to the high nobles now that the King was thrown.

Say hello to Mr Rabaan Rab-Saxor, who was introduced to the title Lord Lykke back in Y121. He was given the Lykke title because Duke Hendrian von Windenburg, who had been head of the Royal Chamber since 4 years, had no relative who could benefit from the new title. Although noble titles were not allowed direct connection to specific land, Lord Lykke was indeed meant to serve the Harbor and Isle hoods of Windenburg.

At this time trades were blooming and the harbor was very busy. Rabaan's coat of arms is described as fourths with primary color green and secondary color cream, and a golden sail ship centered. The green color is also known as the primary color of the house of Saxor.