Seeds can sleep
many years before a humble bud becomes a true oak but when it does, the result
enriches the forest. The vagaries of history would do the same for the small
group of settlers that founded Bastille du Lac.
The low lands
surrounding the great bay of the inland sea of Ealdormere always looked
promising. The rich earth of the peninsula welcomed vines and orchard, the sheltered bay offered calm water for
ships taking refuge from the wrath of the sea and the region is a natural
crossroad connecting the inland sea and the sea-lane to the great sea to the
east but perhaps critical to the newcomers, it is also ideally defined as a
natural frontier and a bulwark against invaders from all direction. Acumen in
seeing these qualities might have brought the early settlers to this region but
perseverance built the character of the land and destiny created the reputation
of its people.
Many seasons passed
between the day the ship landed on the Northen shore and the day the trillium
of Ealdormere finally flowered into a kingdom. The fledgling populous of the
area longed for a place of their own but were torn between their allegiance to
Septentria in the west and their friendship with Skraeling Atlhing in the east.
Faced with the valor of arms yet gentle disposition of the people of the area,
the true wisdom of the Baron of Septentria appeared in fostering the identity
of the people of Bastille. In the thirty-third year following the birth of the
society and a year after the Northen throne became true, Septentria stood up
and gave lands, goods, money and the strength of its populous over many years,
to helped build and shape the fragile fortress on the bay and created lasting
bonds of friendship with their new neighbour.
To the east, Skraeling Atlhing
could not stay idle at such ideals and never shied away at helping the young
Shire, promoting its strength and tending to its place in the Kingdom; and soon
the small shire became a natural meeting place for weary traveler and
themselves, willing to travel far and wide to help friends.
Growth and
acceptance was not to come easy and the fancy of human nature dictated that 14
years would be needed for the heraldic Elders of all Kingdoms to agree and
welcome the name of Bastille du Lac on the long list of distinguished landmark
of the knowne world.
So it came to be,
on a winter day as cold as to frost mead, that King Roak the Fifth escorted by
the faithful Barons of the kingdom of Ealdormere came and visit the fort on the
bay. With a swift stroke of the quill and a blessing from his sword he gave the
gentles of the Shire the pride of wearing their name openly and freely.
Today, the small
Shire guards the entrance to the ancient sea washing the shore of Ealdormere
Lady Jehanne de Bretagne
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