The Frewyn Herald: Home of the Haanta Series

While King Alasdair is well known for his patronage to the orphans of Frewyn, his grandfather King Dorrin was a champion of children, adopting many and supporting still more. He makes a yearly visit to the orphanage in Diras to bring the children gifts for the holidays. Sometimes everything goes well during his visit, and sometimes not: P resently, the church doors opened, and from the nave came the Reverend Mother, a few of the Brothers and Sisters, and two-train of hopping children behind them.                 “There you are,” Dorrin declared, kneeling and addressing the small children first. “I was beginning to wonder where you were.”                 “Tilliegh had a nose bleed,” chimed one of the children, “so Sister Aoie had to clean her face before we came outside.”          ...

Maith Ailineighdaeth (Mayh-Al-i-nei-deh-) and happy holidays! Today is the beginning of the Frewyn new year! Ailineighdaeth (Old Frewyn for rebirth) is the day that celebrates the Gods' return to the kingdom. They left their children in order for them to learn about themselves, and after First King Allun succeeded in uniting all the disjointed clans to make one nation, the Gods reappeared in the form of the constellations. Frewyns began their new calendar and called the year 01 Clans Unitied. 1000 years later, Frewyn still celebrates the return of their Gods, and from sunset on the 24th of the 12th month to sunset the following day, they revel in all the gaeities that their biggest celebration of the year supplies.  One tradition of the holiday which everyone looks forward to is receiving the king's blessing. Good King Dorrin's blessing was excessively sought after during his long reign, and everyone, even his servants and sons, received a blessing tailored just for th...

Loves his birthday. And his party hat. Today is Rautu's 54th birthday!  He was never a fan of birthdays formally, as everyone has them and therefore they are to be regarded as arbitrary, but once he learned that he could get tribute in the way of chocolate and chocolate related  items, he was disposed to like the day after all (even if one of those items is a poisoned cake from Martje). He has already been given one dark chocolate butter crunch cake, one box of Lindor dark chocolate truffles, a nocciolato, a sriracha dark chocolate bar, and a 99% chocolate bar. The day is still young-- we'll see what other good things he collects! Thank you to everyone who sent something his way. He would thank you himself, but he is too busy sorting his trove into piles of what to eat now and what eat later. Thank you to Kai Linaa for the fabulous party hats and party straws!

Prince Draeden, Alasdair's father, has absolutely no luck with horses. His first horse Teipha, who was given to him on his 15th birthday, nearly killed him by trying to kick him in the face. Fortunately, Bryeison was there and saved his life by rushing him to the cleric, but even after the incident, Draeden and Teipha were never reconciled. For the holidays, Draeden gave Teipha to Vyrdin as a gift, thinking that they might get along better, and he received a different horse, one of Bryeison's parents' old mares named Leandra. They get on much better than Draeden ever did with his previous mare, but while she doesn't kick him, she does require a fair amount of bribery to do anything else at all.   W ith a gentle flourishing of the reins, Vyrdin and Brigdan began their trek, looking down at the cracks in the blackrock bed and trying to lead their horses along the secure path. Brigdan’s horse, who trusted his judgment and his steady hand, led the way through the peril...

A Special Ailineighdaeth Message: This year has been a difficult year for many. With so many trials going on around the world and at home, it can be difficult to remember the joys of life. While we cannot fix all the wrongs, we can help one another have an enjo yable holiday season. That's why this year the Haanta Series, together with the King Alasdair Foundation, is donating books to all those who are in need of a gift for the holiday season. We have donated over 100 books to our local charity drives and children's hospitals, and as an added turn to brighten the holidays, we are giving away free digital copies of all the books in the series.  If you are not able to give someone a gift for the holidays this year for any reason, or know someone who would like to give others a gift but cannot, please send us a personal message here , detailing which books you would like and which email address you would like us to send it to.   Maith Ailineighdaeth & Happy Holidays! ...

The Baronet Breandan UiBrien is Brigdan's father and King Dorrin's closest friend. He plays a key role in many facets of the Galleisian War Saga, but there is no office greater to him than that of father and beloved husband. A family piece, just in time for the holidays: T he journey from the capital to Varralla was little more than a quarter of a day’s ride, and as the roads were not made impassable by any subsequent heavy snows or ill weather, Baronet Breandan UiBrien arrived at his estate in western Varralla by sunrise. He would have arrived earlier, but his wife’s anxieties for his wellbeing while traveling obliged him to have the horses driven at a measured pace. That she was being over-scrupulous, he must admit, but he would rather heed her advice than invite any remonstrances upon his returning home. He adored his beloved baronetess, and as he would rather be later home than do an ungenerous thing on a holiday, he would accept the longer venture though it cost him ...

And now, part 2 of how Bryeison broke the beloved latrine: W hile everyone was scrambling to form their lines and lamenting the broken latrine, Bryeison marched toward the far field, his prey in one hand and his weighted sword in the other.                 MacMillian slumped and sprawled across the sward when he was at last released from the giant’s unassailable grip. A cough and a few sputtering breaths, and he was prepared to run from his attacker when a sword was thrown beside him and he was being ordered to take it up and fight. He did as he was bid, wanting the duel to be over and his limbs to be still attached, but the moment he took up the sword and raised his eyes, the raging tranquility of the giant, his furrowed brow, his determined look, his unmitigated might, his enormous muscle made his knees tremble. Terror prevailed him, the giant’s shadow poring over him granting him a something like crip...

The latrine is a character in itself in the series-- it's a place of peace for many of the denizens in the castle keep, but what many in Alasdair's time don't know is that there used to be another latrine directly behind the barracks. It's now gone, and here is how it was destroyed.  T heir First Captaincy gained, their ears freshly pierced --much to Draeden’s discomfort, though he admitted the silver ring did look famously—their new ranks duly celebrated, Bryeison hauled Draeden back to the barracks and tossed him into his bunk. Draeden fell instantly asleep, clung to his pillow, and snored with open mouth, flagellating cheeks, and whistling exhalations. All Bryeison’s mirth was in seeing the prince so happily unconscious; the night of high revel and insobriety had done well to quiet Draeden’s complaints, and once the sting of the needle through his ear had been got over, the drinks had hardened him to the lingering twinge and had allowed the prince to be as pros...

Nanowrimo ends, and my birthday begins. Usually the day passes without distinction, but this year, Twisk made me this drawing, which I think is just fabulous. Love from Mr Cluck. Thank you, Twisk!