Long is the history of Three Rivers. Its tale begins from before these lands were Calontir. Three Rivers was first recognized as part of the Midrealm in Anno Societas (AS) VI (1972-73) during the reign of Thaid Mak Tlesown. On July 3, AS X (1976), the Board of Directors formally recognized Three Rivers as a shire with Stephen Ironhand serving as seneschal. Shortly thereafter, Three Rivers became a barony and Stephen made Baron with Arwyn Antaradi as Baroness.
Shortly thereafter, John the Bear Killer (then king of Meridies) requested the help of Baron Stephen during an upcoming war between Merides and the Midrealm. At the time, Calontir was not yet a kingdom and Stephen, a newly made Baron of the Midrealm, would have to betray his kingdom to take up his old friend’s request. However, Baron Stephen was clever and thought he could make a sufficient promise to fulfil his friendship without treachery to kingdom: He promised to fight with Meridies if Meridies was outnumbered at the war. This would surely not come to pass since the war was to be fought on Meridies’ soil. However, come time for the battle, fate saw it such that the Middle Kingdom did indeed outnumber Meridies and Stephen was forced to uphold his promise to fight for Meridies, thus earning him the title of the “Traitor Baron.” For Stephen’s treachery, he decided that it was only right that he should receive some compensation from Meridies and sought to claim some land therein, specifically within the Barony of Grey Niche. That barony objected and it was decided a new war should be fought to settle the matter, thus beginning a series of Grey Niche wars.
In those early days, Three Rivers annually held a feast in February known as the Changelings Feast. Originated by Brom Blackhand, this event was centered on attendees adopting the guise of others. During the second year of the event’s hosting in AS XII (1978), King Merowald shaved his moustache and donned the queen’s clothes while Queen Kirsten wore her King’s clothes and carefully affixed the moustache to her upper lip.
To the south of Three Rivers, an area was discovered with the bones of gigantic beasts of old. Mastodons? Mammoths? The populace was not sure, for at that site a revelry was held and the populace could not remember.
Long were the years that Stephen and Arwen watched over these lands for the Crown. And when it came time for them to step down, it was Cormac O’Sullivan who bore the Coronet. So might was Cormac with his trusty mace, that he sought no baroness to tend these lands with him. During this tenure, Three Rivers began hosting the Tournament of Chieftains in AS 25 (1991). This tournament oft required combatants to fight with mace and round shield.
During this time the first of many “Carousels” was held. This format of event involved joining teams and competing in a number of challenges for fighter, archers, and artisans alike. Each travelled around a double ring marked off with flags, moving from challenge to challenge, each making use of multiple team members. For example one was themed around an attack on a castle. The walls had been manned with some real fighters but also some dummies. The team had to solve a cipher from a spy inside. Then that answer to told them them which archery targets to hit to take out real fighters. (If the failed to solve it they could still shoot and home to get lucky.) The number of “real” targets left living controlled how many defenders the team’s fighters had to go against. For this novel event, Baron Stephen created the Order of the Hyppogryph to celebrate stewards who created extraordinary events.
While Cormac’s days were largely one of peace and revelry, it did so happen that during this time a man called Otto, from foreign lands did have a love of all things having to do with the number three. Thus, he gathered an army of swamp dwellers, peasants, and mercenaries, donned in tabards of blue and green with a white triskele (a three legged cross), did try to lay claim to the lands of Three Rivers. The barony rebuffed their claim and met the Triatians upon the fields near the shire of Standing Stones.
Following Cormac was the time of Fernando Rodriguez de Falcon and Lyrel de la Foret which began in the twenty-eighth year of the society (1995). In their time, they hosted the first Tournament at the Rivers. This event was the first Pas d’Armes within Calontir. In this tournament, heralds announced challenges and bespoke the honor of the fighters. It was complete with a raised gallery and the arms of the fighters painted on shields for decoration.
The next to tend the land of Three Rivers was Hirsch and Magda Eichmann who stepped into the roles in AS 34 (1999), followed by Duncan Fearmac MacLeod and Gillian Warrender who were invested in AS 38 (2004).
Ravasz Janos and Kajsa Nikulasdottir then watched over the land of Three Rivers beginning in AS 42 (2008). In their time, a great tournament was held, honoring William the Marshall. This tournament lasts long in the hearts and minds of the populace since, for it, a fort and town were built at Puddleford and the battles of ransom new and exciting.
In summer of AS 46 (2011), a call was held for shipwrights to ply their skills with cardboard and construct ships to race in Forest Park to raise money for charity. Answering the call, Three Rivers constructed a mighty Viking longship which could carry a crew of 11.
Next came the tenure of Josef von Rothenburg and Slaine ni Chiarain who watched over Three Rivers beginning in AS 46 (2012). Again came the call for seaworthy vessels to race for charity. Again Three Rivers came. This time with a mighty spanish galleon, the Esperanza, which could crew 14.
When the time of Josef and Slaine came to pass, Duncan Eardstappa and Gwendolyn verch Morgaine were called to tend these lands and were invested in AS 51 (2017). This baronage had a special fondness for new members and during their time, the Quest was revitalized and many new members set on their journey.
Despite their good and noble ways, it came to pass that a sickness fell upon the land and the populace was unable to gather for fear of it. But Three Rivers, with its mighty singers, brought joy to the known world, organizing online bardics for sixty-two consecutive weeks, until the sickness had passed and we were able to gather again.
At long last, in AS 56 (2022) Duncan and Gwendolyn took their ease and were succeeded by Giacomo and Nadya.