View source for The Conquest of Gypsy Hollow

== An Epic tale for the History Books ==

===The Chronicle of a Conflict amidst the Northern Lands===
by [[Kubla]] [[Khan]]
<br>
<br>
Three men did travel upon the road to [[Inland Ocean]].<br>
The noble Lord Sir [[Christian Kendric]],<br>
With emblazoned spur of rosy cross,<br>
Did ride. A Knight of the Crown from<br>
The vanished Valley of Silver Rain,<br>
And lauded as Grandmaster of Templars,<br>
He did serve as Sheriff of [[Gypsy Hollow]],<br>
A booming port of call. Afore the road<br>
Did travel too: a commoner, [[Atreyu]],<br>
Who did claim the honor as their Champion.<br>
Also too, a footman followed—a fellowman<br>
Called [[Tao]]. These three did travel southward,<br>
Unto the barony ashore the Inland Ocean.<br>
And there, once at the outer palisades,<br>
The three did find escort to the court,<br>
With all afforded courtesy.<br>
Baron [[Victis]] Morganti did rule at Inland Ocean—<br>
A wealthy harbor colony on the frontier.<br>
When the northern travelers did arrive,<br>
Victis did not attend, as oft' unmov'd by pomp;<br>
Thus, in tenure of the court did sit the noble Regent<br>
[[Kubla]] Khan—a brother of the Templar Order—<br>
Who did come down to greet the assembly.<br>
<br>
So it did happen then, whence from the retinue,<br>
That treacherous Atreyu did draw a metal dagger,<br>
And, with the gall and guile of a trickster,<br>
That when near this man did strike and murder<br>
The nobleman and Regent of our barony so beloved.<br>
The criminal did fight a few,<br>
Then did flee, eluding capture.<br>
Criers did shout reports about<br>
The crime committed within the court;<br>
Whilst in a splendid manor, the noble Lord [[Turtle]]—<br>
Did kindly receive the corpse of the Regent.<br>
Renowned among the public as both a savage<br>
And adept healer, whilst too of the Templar's order,<br>
With holy magic, Turtle did bring down<br>
White light, and did give life back to the Regent.<br>
Yet, talk about the trespass did assume vigor too,<br>
Among the public and elsewhere unknown.<br>
The Man-at-Arms, Turtle, did serve<br>
At the will of a noble—Warlord Count<br>
Sir [[Damian]] Coradren, knight of swords—<br>
Who, though he did fight many wars,<br>
Did but capture mostly infamy<br>
By ridding lands of chastity.<br>
And there at the manor where nobles did gather,<br>
There did come the call for tribute due, and more;<br>
The knight did make ready for conquest toward<br>
The port shire, whence did come the criminal.<br>
<br>
As the sun did look upon the horizon,<br>
Five did embark from Inland Ocean.<br>
The courageous scout, Morgan, she'd lead<br>
Through hidden trails and passes.<br>
The noble Warlord Count Sir Damian—<br>
The soldiery oft' did call him [[Dogboy]]—<br>
Did follow a li'l behind, hand on sword as always.<br>
Along too, the noble Lord [[J Mann]]—whose wealth,<br>
Some say, did arrive by wagering on his duels—<br>
Through verse, did tell his exploits<br>
To his patient Man at Arms, [[Devry]]—<br>
A gentleman of Greenwood Keep.<br>
The noble Regent Kubla Khan did follow<br>
Too, northward nearing Gypsy Hollow.<br>
As rain and clouds did overtake the sun,<br>
The group did meet an informant:<br>
[[Tristan el Gitano]]—borne of Inland Ocean,<br>
Yet a settler of the wilds—now a shire.<br>
These six did then hurry to survey<br>
The assembly in defense of the land.<br>
Upon the marshy green did stand<br>
Great numbers, most ready, without parley.<br>
Center, Lord Kendric did inspire and exclaim<br>
To battle fearless and with faith, he'd claim<br>
To the journeyman and conscripts alike.<br>
Near, the noble Baronet, [[Torig]] he be named,<br>
Did equip some troops with sword and pike,<br>
Fine armaments for sure, but not given before<br>
Getting a shilling for serving as their chancellor.<br>
And when the southern raiders be revealed,<br>
Then with a shout, the troop did charge the field.<br>
<br>
From the rise upon the other side,<br>
The Dog-boy did go berserk and insane<br>
So that he rushed out, full of bloodlust,<br>
Alone at the front, to the thick of the fray.<br>
And at Gypsy Hollow, the fighting that followed<br>
Be gruesome in unspeakable ways,<br>
And so I fear my tongue will be stayed<br>
From telling the worst, in decency.<br>
But on that bloody day of cruelty,<br>
Though the dead did bravely defend,<br>
Fewer did live than those whose blood<br>
Now nourish the worms in the ground.<br>
By the words of the southern few who did remain,<br>
The fallen troop be hoisted up for display,<br>
Though the offender Atreyu be not found.<br>
Beneath the oaken timbers, the dying be strung<br>
Seeping crimson, and too did swing the shattered slain;<br>
And, dyed too in stain once living as it happens,<br>
The Dog-boy from silence then did say,<br>
"By right of conquest and chivalric law,<br>
For Inland Ocean, now an empire made.<br>
And from today until the world ends,<br>
This place be known: the Hanging Gardens <br>
of Inland Ocean."<br>
<br>
-- The End --