Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Invitation

Narrataor: It is early on the 25th instant at Chateau Charade, home of the Foreign Minister of Gallia. The Prince de Charade is up very early dressing when his Secretary Bernard arrives carrying a silver salver.
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Bernard: "Excuse me Your Excellency. Correspondence from Monsieur von Bergmann of Tradgardland and and another from the Fortress of Louisbourg Governor-General l'Duc de Silhouette arrived after you went to bed last night. Here on the silver salver."

Charade: "Open them and read aloud, if you please."

Bernard: {Opens Silhouette's message.] 'My Dear Minister, I have the honour to hope you will find my news of some importance from the colonial Administrator of New Tradgardland. You will be the better judge. Yet I find information from him very attractive because it may potentially serve the mutual interests of both Tradgardland and Gallia to the disfavour of the foe, Britannia, here in The New World. The frigate l'Vengeance sails within the hour with a message from the New Tradgardland Administrator with his shall I say, points de view, which I trust will arrive in your care as I remain, etc. etc. etc."

Charade: "And the note from the New Tradgardland Administrator Bernard?"

Bernard: "Not here Your Excellency. Perhaps the message from Monsieur von Bergmann will answer your question. [Charade nods as he straightens his neck cloth. Bernard opens von Bergmann's envelope and reads.] Your Excellency. I beg to be forgiven for this dreadfully brief message, but I hope you will agree a personal meeting will be of more advantage. I am delighted to have finally arrived here at Versailles to continue my diplomatic mission. I have news from my Sovereign and also a message from our Colony of Ny Tradgardland given to me at the Naval Hospital of LeHavre when its means of conveyance aboard the frigate l'Vengeance arrived in harbor. May I beg to hope for an audience to explain ideas of mutual importance to our two nations? Awaiting your reply when convenient for you at my apartments in Versailles, etc. etc. etc."

Charade: "Bernard, go the Monsieur von Bergmann's apartments after the noon hour to convey my personal and sincere compliments and greetings. Express my joy at his recovery from the wound inflicted on him in the battle at sea in June. Finally, tell him I would be pleased to receive him if he finds it convenient, on the 26th instant at seven in the evening to hear his vital news. He is invited to dine."

Bernard: "Anything else Your Excellency?"

Cahrade: "Oui. When at Versailles, please pay my compliments to Lady Diana Pettygree and I will be honoured to receive her in audience with the Frankzonian missive on the 27th. at three in the afternoon."

Bernard: "I beg your pardon Your Excellency. She sent a note saying she is called away to the Isle Pettygree to see her father. He was suddenly taken ill and requested her to return home at once. The Frankzonian note is with her particular friend Lady Cherish Masquerade. Lady Pettygree left in some haste when she learned the galley conveying Monsieur von Bergmann had arrived in the capital. She took advantage of its return to LeHavre and thence to hire a boat to go to her father's Channel Island. I believe she departed yesterday."

Charade: "Very well. Ask Lady Masquearde when she would find it convenient to bring the Frankzonian note to me."

Narrator: And so the busy and dear reader, we must now leave the Chateau of l'Prince de Charade awaiting the arrival of von Bergmann and Masquerade at another time.
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FYI
Gallian Foreign Minister: Prince de Charade
Charade's Secretary: Bernard
Gallian Minister of War: l'Duc de Formidable
Gallian Diplomat: Comte de Legerdemain
Gallian Diplomat: Comte de Rapprochement**
Rapprochement's Doorward: Pierre La Port
Saxe-Raschstein Prime Minister: Graf von Bruhl
Imperium Foreign Minister: Count von Kaunitz
Gallia: Col. Enigma (??)
Governor-General/Fortress of Louisbourg: l'Duc de Silhouette
~~
** Rapprochement was the Gallian diplomat sent to initially receive von Bergmann last June at a secret seaside rendezvous. He was also aboard l'Vengeance taking von Bergmann to Versailles when the unfortunate naval battle with the Britannian frigate Invinceable fired bow chasers at long shot range. It was one of these shots which damaged the foretopgallant yard of the Gallian frigate causing splinters to shower the deck of l'Vengeance. One splinter cruelly wounded von Bergmann. The latter was taken to the naval hospital at LeHavre. Recovery was not expected but in spite of this, he did recover with a small disability. If you go back to June's BLOG correspondence you will find several strands of correspondence about the rendezvous and the exciting naval battle.

7 comments:

Gallia said...

Below is a more complete and updated lsiting of Gallian and other personalities:
--------------
PERSONALITIES OF GALLIA (FRANCE), THE IMPERIUM (AUSTRIA) AND SAXE RASCHSTEIN (SAXONY) and some for GERMANIA AND BRITANNIA too
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ROYALTY:
Gallian King: l'Roy Louis XV
Brother: Comte de Provence (Brigade des Carabiniers)
Brother In Law: Prinz Wilhelm von Saxe-Raschstein (Saxony)
Prinzessin Mercedes: Louis XV's Sister, Prinz Wilhelm's Wife (Saxony)
Imperium Empress: Maria Theresa
~~
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS:
Gallian Foreign Minister: Prince de Charade
Charade's Secretary: Bernard
Gallian Minister of War: l'Duc de Formidable
Gallian Diplomat: Comte de Legerdemain
Gallian Diplomat: Comte de Rapprochement
Rapprochement's Doorward: Pierre La Port
Saxe-Raschstein Prime Minister: Graf von Bruhl
Imperium Foreign Minister: Count von Kaunitz
Gallia: Col. Enigma (??)
Governor-General/Fortress of Louisbourg: l'Duc de Silhouette
~~
COURTIERS:
Lady Diana Pettygree (from the Britannian Channel Island Pettygree)
Pettygree's Maid: Catherine
Pettygree's Valet: Henri (missing in Germania in 1756 now returned)
Lady Cherish Masquerade
Lady Belle Silhouette
Master Pastry Chef Jacques Torres
~~
SENIOR OFFICERS:
Gallian Marshall l'Duc de Broglie
Gallian Lieutenant General Chevert
Gallian Lieutenant General l'Duc de Poyanne
Saxe-Raschstein General Major von Nostitz
Saxe-Raschstein General Major Graf zu Solms
Imperium Marshall von Browne
Imperium General von Schwarzenegger
~~
OTHER OFFICERS:
Brig. J.C. Fischer (Fischer Legion)
Col. Mirage
Col. Bercheney (Bercheney Hussars)
Rittmeister von Schill (von Schill Hussars von Saxe Raschstein)
Leutnant Blitzen: ADC (Prinz Albrecht Chevaulegers von Saxe-Raschstein)
Lieutenant Gardier: Officer in charge of Pettygree's cavalry escort
Capitaine Acheron de Vinnie (Compagnies franches de la Marine)
l'Capitaine: Captain of 40 gun figate l'Vengeance
Enseigne Bargot: Ensign aboard l'Vengeance
Lieutenant Gregorie: Lieutenat aboard Gallian galley at Le Havre
~~
OTHERS:
THAT WOMAN: Mysterious, one-eyed, elderly and peasant dressed offering advice to Pettygree. She appears at propitious moments and vanishes in an instant.
~~
FOR GERMANIA
Col. von Bungle
Gen. Schwerpunkt
~~
FOR BRITANNIA
Lt. Gen. the Marquis of Granby
Maj. Gen. Frye
~~
More as they are created.........
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Bluebear Jeff said...

Arrrggghhh, now I have to consider creating such a "cast of characters for not one, but two imagi-Nations.

Might I suggest that you send a copy of this list to Brother James at the "Who's Who" website:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/allan.tidmarsh/Wargames/EvE/

The email address is, I believe:

james@tidders.freeserve.co.uk


-- Jeff of Saxe-Bearstein
(and Stagonia)

abdul666 said...

How should we appreciate a close-up picture of Lady Pettygree!
We know of her appearance at a military parade, more than a year ago (perhaps two, already?) but there we could see her only from afar.
Louys of Monte-Cristo,
Great -but very respectful- admirer of feminine beauty

Gallia said...

Cher Jean-Luc,
I regret my camera can not produce good close ups. Therefore, Lady Diana Pettygree, maid Catherine and the former's particular friend Lady Cherish Masquerade will remain a mystery. C'est mal I know. Very sorry.
Votre Serviteur,
Bill

abdul666 said...

Given the rumoured activities of Lady Pettygree, it's perhaps for thr better...

Frankfurter said...

Wish I'd had this list before, but the rather smaller scale of things for Frankszonia necessitated my "creation" of a few Gallian personages for the battle at Seifriedsburg .... the first number in parentheses is an "initiative" number, which runs from -1 to 3 ...
btw, the Gallian units performed very well, as the second line after the Frankszonians had been driven from the barricades at the crest of the plateua about turn 5 or 6 ... their counter attack, especially the cavalry, enabled V. Ballpark to regroup his forces on the south side of the plateau and halt the Germanian forces.

:)
anyway, hope you don't mind the invention of these interlopers ... and the very capable Mnsr. Phillipe and the somewhat notorious Roquefort ....
A

Gallians:
Maj. Gen. Le Sorbet (1) @ 10

Brig: FitzAle (0) @ 5
Cav. Reg. Churchy (Cuirassiers)
Col. Churchy La Femme (0)
1st Wing (7) 14 x 1 @ 4
Col Falsie (0)
Falsie Hussars (7) 14 x 1 @ 3

Brig. Maudelin (0)
Col. L’Lagalle (0)
Lagalle Dragoons (6) 14 x 1 @ 2
Col. Maingie du Cheval (0)
Maingie Hussars (7) 14 x 1 @ 3 (at Weyersfeld)

Brig. Duplicitie (0)
I.R. 4th Laura Anne
Col. Phule (0) bat: (5) 24 x 1 @ 1
Col. Dummass (0) bat: (5) 24 x 1 @ 1
Grenadiers (6) 18/? to 24? x 1 @ 2

Col, Bombalier

Frankfurter said...

ah yes, Col. Bombalier is an artillery /engineer ....
:)
A