Clerical Conversations (First Letter)

The following series of letters occurs between two rival clerics, Recamundus de Gelgadongo and Cesario de Torium. While there can be no question that Torium is a much larger cultural hub – it is the Torian Capital, after all – not enough can be said about the Academy in Gelgadongo, where many lords from the peninsula and trade barons from the the Saibhrean Isles send their children to receive an education.

While poetry and music are not required courses for the students there, the Academy remains the only place on Torian-controlled Caelon where these subjects are taught. The Università di Torium serves the same goal at a larger scale, but it is not common for residents west of the kingdom of Becio to attend.

Esteemed cleric Cesario,

I have chosen to reach out to you today to address some concerns with the historical accuracy of the words you wrote concerning the criminal Ranemiro, as well as the tone in which you speak of the deeds of the outlaw, in your poem Ranemiro the Robber.

I should preface this letter with a note – as someone with deep connections to Alestino and the gentry there, I have spoken at length with many of the family members of the affected parties, and thus I cannot professionally withhold my opinion on the matter, since your poetry is beginning to draw some attention from the learned circles of the West. It is best that the matter be set straight, lest the records show other than what truly occurred during the tragic events of what you call “the raid of Casa Buraca.”

You say:
Being bold and old, having six-fold men in his party
Ranemiro ran the plan again with laughter hearty
Swords all drawn at dawn, on and on the raiders rode at them –
An attack on the back of Don Buraca’s golden gems

Charming robber Ranemiro, arming men with sabers
Clashed and crashed against the cache, cursed fruit of labor
O, and then did win again the friend of women peasants
Claiming glimmering, shimmering silver jewel’d presents

While the lines may be somewhat close to factual about the actual events that occurred, the tone, especially the heroic portrait of the criminal and his band, are disrespectful at best to the poor souls who lost life and riches on that day.

What your poem neglects to point out is the effect the raid had on the lives of the new lady Sesildi Buraca, daughter of Don Buraca, and her betrothed. The cache that you mention was meant to be the dowry for her marriage to the young lord Iuliano de Esken, and because of this event, the wedding was called off and to this day the lady remains a maid. Now, the lord of Casa Buraca is nearing his death, and there has not been a recovery.

I’m sure the Prime Guard allows those of you in Torium to live excellent lives, perhaps only hearing about such tragedies in songs and music, but to create words such as you have, that can inspire others to turn to a life of crime. The figure of Ranemiro should be scorned and forgotten, and you have presented his story in such a way that thieves and outlaws can sing your song as they raid more innocents.

While the words are excellently shaped, I strongly encourage you to immediately denounce the work forthright. From one academic to another, I implore you to do the right thing.

Prof. Recamundus de Gelgadongo