Recent Developments in the Stollenian Court

Stollen’s Grand Duke Irwin-Amadeus II has settled into the dog days of summer, dividing his time recently between one of three “hobbies”. First, he spent considerable time in the company of the royal dentist, Herr Doktor von Ötker, midday today for additional routine treatment. Admittedly, the two had little opportunity for discussion of recent political developments in the region given the various instruments inserted into Irwin-Amadeus’ mouth for most of the visit.

Next, our Grand Duke has recently busied himself writing a history of the ancient Etruscans, something which is of great concerns to his ministers, given the esoteric nature of the subject matter. That and the fact that few can see the point of such an undertaking given the current worry about continuing Zichenauan troop concentrations just over the frontier in the historically disputed region between Stollen and Zichenau, the Mark of Schleiz!

Further, Irwin-Amadeus II has been feverishly designing new uniforms for the mercenary regiment of heavy horse, reportedly en route from Berlin. Those closest to the Grand Duke report that he cannot decide between predominantly green uniforms with yellow facings or light blue with orange facings. When not at his writing desk, Irwin-Amadeus sits into the late evening at his drawing board crumbling one design after another and tossing the discarded parchment in the general direction of the grand ducal waste basket – but usually missing by a long shot. This habit causes palace housekeepers no end of frustration.

Finally, a courier arrived the other day from distant Stagonia with a carefully wrapped package for the Grand Duke. Inside was a well-tailored costume lobster claw sewn from almost the same red-orange material as the rest of Irwin-Amadeus’ treasured costume. A note included with the gift informed his that the new costume lobster claw was intended to replace the missing (some in the palace are now saying stolen, though this has yet to be confirmed) claw. Needless to say, our Grand Duke was thrilled. The one fly in the ointment is that the new claw is right-handed. Some of you may recall that the misplaced claw was indeed the left-handed claw.

No matter! Irwin-Amadeus has never been known as a man to let minor details stand in his way. He was thrilled with the gift and immediately put the new right-handed claw onto his left hand. Of course, he is left-handed himself, so (not surprisingly) the Stagonian gift has complicated somewhat our Grand Duke’s writing and sketching activities described above.