Selected Articles from
The Gull Archives

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What it means to be Warlord of Southern Shores

by Lord Thomas Buttesthorn

As the various officers of the Province are going to be writing articles on their respective offices, it occurred to me that there is one office on which I could write. This office is that of Warlord of Southern Shores, of which office I was the second holder and last native to Southern Shores.

T he original concept of the office of Warlord was to be the Commander of Southern Shores forces in time of war and to inspire them to greater feats of valor. In addition he/she was to support and encourage the furtherance and interest in the warlike arts. It was later decided that he should also autocrat the event in which his successor was determined.

During the tenure of the first Warlord (then Lord Eric Foxworthy) the practice was begun of writing articles for the Gull on an occasional basis. This was expanded to a monthly basis during my tenure in which I wrote a series of articles designed for the fairly new fighter who was interested in getting into wars. Unfortunately this practice seems to have virtually disappeared. I hope to one day see it renewed.

Ironically, I never led Southern Shores forces as War lord in a Southern Shores war as there was a long period during which the province did not engage in wars. Also ironically I have led Southern Shores forces (and once an Esfenn-Southern Shores army as acting warlord) as the warlord was not there. I believe he was living on the East Coast.

Since then we have not had a warlord native to the province although most of them were from nearby. The onetime King of the East was an exception. But it is my hope to see a native warlord to once again hold the proud office of Warlord of Southern Shores. As was originally conceived I would like to see the warlord regularly attend Southern Shores functions (not just the wars), talk to people about war, support war training and related activities, and help restore the name of Southern Shores as the home of Warriors a well as of the Arts.

In Service to the Dream,
Lord Thomas Buttesthorn
Warlord, July AS XVII to June AS XVIII

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