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townsenddecades · 6 days

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Recap 1310 – 1319

The second decade of the fourteenth century was one of hunger, uncertainty and death. This was true for all of England and beyond and hasn’t left the population of the town of Praaven and its surroundings untouched.

But, even through all the losses they suffered, the Townsends have persevered, and have grown their family through several marriages and children. The three oldest Townsend siblings have started their own families, and although Edith is gone, her two children live on.

Despite their station, fate hasn’t been kind to the two noble families of the area, the Dudleys and the Pelhams, either, with only Ralph Dudley’s young daughter Maud as heiress to the family line after the loss of her four older siblings, while the Pelham legacy lies on the shoulders of two small boys and one little girl. Not even the Watcher knows how that will end.

But on to the recap.

The Townsend Family

Current Members: 8

In 1310, the family consists of Benedict Townsend and his six children: twin girls Anna and Edith, and after them son Benjamin, Simon, Gregory and finally third daughter Helen. The family is still reeling from losing Anne, Benedict’s wife, shortly after baby Helen’s birth. In the same year, Simon ages up into a child, and Benjamin ages up into a teenager. After those two birthdays, Anna marries her betrothed, George Crawley, and leaves her childhood home to share his family’s house in Praaven.

In 1311, Benjamin too finds romance with his childhood friend Malika, who tells him plainly that she wishes to escape serfdom. He gains her father’s blessing for their interest in each other on the day of his elder sister Edith’s wedding to William Watmore, also a serf. She, too, moves out to live with her husband; the two have acquired the Earl’s permission to farm a piece of land in the neighbouring village of Mahlsberg.

Birthdays of 1311: Helen ages up into a toddler, while Gregory ages up into a child.

In the beginning of 1312, Benjamin makes his intentions towards Malika official by asking for her hand in marriage. The couple celebrate their betrothal by having their wedding night early, which leads to a very rushed marriage when Malika falls pregnant by it. While she settles into her new home, Benjamin travels to Praaven to talk to the earl about buying the rights to an additional piece of land, which he is granted. The year ends with Malika giving birth to twins, a girl and a boy, whom they name Amye and Malcolm.

In 1313, Gregory and Simon visit Edith, who tells them about how Anna and her once tried to find the witch of Lüghaven, who may know more about Simon’s own gift of magic. While this is happening, Benjamin, who has big plans for his family, travels to the abbey of St. Wright, where his mother once lived, to learn how to read. He also teaches this skill to those in the rest of the family that are interested. Spurred on by their brother’s success, Simon and Gregory travel to the abbey to learn how to paint. Gregory does so, while Simon is held off by a mysterious woman named Elea who he feels inexplicably drawn to. She seems surprised by him but tells him they will meet again.

This season’s harvest also turns out to be meagre due to constant cold. As Benedict had spent some years making a living as a carpenter in addition to farming, this doesn’t affect the Townsends too badly. In fact, they have enough money left over to start building a cottage on their new piece of land.

The weather doesn’t improve in 1314, neither for the Townsends nor for anyone else, and people are already starting to fear food shortages. Despite this, the twins age up into toddlers, while Malika falls pregnant once more, and gives birth to a little boy named Duncan later in the year. After that, the Townsends bring in a small harvest, which they hope will tide them over the coming months.

By 1315, nothing at all is growing due to the bad weather, and while the Townsend have food put by, it won’t hold out if the famine that is now starting to develop lasts for a long time. They get a distraction in the form of a visit by the same woman that Simon had met at the abbey two years before, who reveals that she is a witch and wants to train him once his magic grows. At the end of the year, young Helen ages up into a child.

Sadly, baby Duncan doesn’t cope well with the malnourishment, and becomes the family’s first famine victim at barely a year old. This tempers Malika’s joy at finding herself with child again by the end of the year.

In 1316, Malika gives birth to a little girl named Joan. Sadly, the deprivations Malika suffered during her pregnancy cause the baby to be born very frail, so that she dies after only two months. At around the same time, Edith’s husband William dies, and the family takes her, pregnant with her second child, and her little daughter Elsie in. A few months later, her son, Wilfred, is born. The pregnancy leaves Edith very weak.

The year 1317 begins with Edith’s death; sadly, she hasn’t been able to recuperate from Wilfred’s birth. The Townsends vow to raise Elsie and Wilfred, now orphaned, in their parents’ stead. A few months later, Simon turns 13, and moves out to begin his apprenticeship with Elea, which means living with her and her daughter Mariora. Later in the year, an epidemic sweeps the countryside and carries many off with it, among them Helen, Benedict’s youngest child. She is the final famine victim in the Townsend household.

In 1318, Gregory meets a girl named Agnes at the abbey, where she lives, when he goes there to paint. She’s the illegitimate daughter of a sister that had died during the epidemic of the previous year. A few months later, little Wilfred ages up into a toddler, and at the end of the year, Malcolm, Amye and Elsie all age up into children. Gregory, now a teenager, also makes the acquaintance of a merchant from Praaven who is impressed with his painting skills.

In 1319, Malika becomes pregnant once more. Winter finally ends, which means that not only can the Townsends start to farm again, but they also have to say goodbye to Elsie and Wilfred, who move back to the farm in Mahlsberg, which has been taken over by their father’s brothers, to help them work the land. At the end of the year, Malika gives birth to another set of twins, whom they name Frank and Adeline.

The Witches’ Coven

Current Members: 1

This household is established in 1317, when Simon Townsend moves into the Ellesmeres’ hidden dwelling to be apprenticed by Elea in matters of witchcraft. Elea is a mysterious woman, far too young-looking, and seems to pursue her own ends in taking in Benjamin.

They live with her daughter Mariora, who is only slightly older than Simon. She warns him that he better know what he is doing, throwing in his lot with witchcraft, when he arrives; she herself does not have the gift of magic.

Not much else of note happens in this household; the longer he lives with her, however, the more Simon feels drawn to Mariora. He even tells his father on a visit to the Townsend farm in 1319 that he has thoughts of courting her.

The Crawley Family

Current Members: 4

Established in 1310, the Crawley Household comes to be when Anna Townsend marries George Crawley and moves into his family home on Praaven’s Castle Hill District. This is quite a change in circumstances for a girl who has grown up on a farm, but she does her best to adjust.

She becomes pregnant quickly after the marriage and tells her family of her coming child on a visit in 1311. Sadly, her little girl is born prematurely, and dies only a day the birth.

A year later, in 1312, Anna finds herself with child again. Luckily, this time around, her daughter, who they name Annette, is born strong and healthy.

She is pregnant again in 1313, much to the amusement of George’s younger sister Caroline, whom Anna has become good friends with. Sadly, the family’s hopes that this child will be healthy like Annette are dashed, and her son is stillborn.

In 1314, the Crawleys celebrate Annette’s aging up into a toddler. A few months later, the Countess of Petersmarch brokers a marriage between her widowed brother and Caroline, much to the family’s joy. Only Caroline is heartbroken, because she had been considering marriage with a merchant’s son whom she truly cared for. Cared for so much, in fact, that she had shared his bed; she confesses this and the news that she is pregnant to Anna. To save her from dishonour, Anna proposes a scheme to go away for a while, so they’ll be able to claim Caroline’s child as Anna’s.

Their plan works, and they return to Praaven with Caroline’s little girl, Theodora, in 1315 with no one the wiser. It is hard on Caroline, of course, especially when she leaves Praaven a few months after their return to marry the baron’s son as arranged, but at least her honour is intact.

The Crawleys suffer under the famine like everyone else but there are no deaths in their family.

In 1316, little Theodora ages up into a toddler. Other than the brown hair she inherited from her mother, she takes after her father a lot, and Anna and George (whom she had taken into her confidence as a matter of conscience) hope fervently that no one will question this.

In 1318, Annette ages up into a child, closing out the decade’s events for the Crawleys.

The Watmore Family

Current Members: 2

This household was created in 1311, when Edith Townsend married William Watmore, and moved to Mahlsberg onto a piece of land granted to them by the Earl to make a new life there with him.

Pregnancy follows marriage swiftly, and in 1312, Edith gives birth to a little girl, whom they name Elsie, after William’s mother.

Baby Elsie ages up into a toddler in 1314. By this time, Edith and William, who are only poor serfs and don’t have any provisions stocked, are very worried about the food situation, but vow to themselves that they will make sure their daughter has enough to eat, even if they don’t.

They get a bit of support from Edith’s father as the famine lengthens, but with so many mouths to feed on the Townsend farm, he can’t spare much.

Despite her malnourishment, Edith becomes pregnant again in 1316, much to the worry of her family, who has noticed how thin she has become. The constant deprivation takes a toll on her husband, who falls ill and dies. After his burial, Edith seeks shelter on her father’s farm with her daughter, while her brothers-in-law take over the farm in Mahlsberg. At the end of the year, Edith gives birth to a little boy she names Wilfred in remembrance of his father.

Sadly, in the beginning of 1317, Edith passes away due to the strain of Wilfred’s birth. He and Elsie are raised by the Townsends after that, and age up into a toddler (Wilfred) and a child (Elsie) in 1318. Both of them, but especially Elsie, form close bonds with their aunt/uncles and cousins.

When spring arrives in 1319, the two Watmore children return to Mahlsberg to help their uncles farm the land that had been meant for Edith and William, in hopes of bringing in a proper harvest this time around.

Robert Townsend, the squire

Current Members: 1

As the decade begins, Robert, at age 9, has been serving as a page to Sir Silas Ellesmere, the captain of the Earl’s guard, for two years. In 1311, he attends the marriage of his elder half-brother the Earl in this function. He is noticed by the new Countess in the coming months; they both like art, so she decides to take him on as her own page for the company, somewhat to the dismay of her brother-in-law Clement.

In 1313, Robert turns thirteen years old, and moves on from page to squire, a position he will hold until he can be dubbed a knight at age 21.

In 1315, he meets Katheryn Deane while he practices his archery, whom he is instantly attracted to, especially when she starts flirting with him brazenly. It is only when the Countess arrives that he learns that she is actually Lady Katheryn Deane, a cousin of the Countess and herself daughter of an earl. Robert realizes immediately that their difference in station means that he would never be considered as a match for her.

Despite this, the two of them spend much time together and grow close, enough so that in 1316, they share their first kiss. Robert apologizes profusely, but Katheryn assures him that all she wants is a bit of fun, and that provided they are discreet, no one will be harmed by it.

Their hopes are dashed in 1317, when the Earl announces that he has arranged a betrothal between his younger brother Clement and Katheryn. Robert is heartbroken despite his assertions that he’d always known that their romance couldn’t last, and tries to break their relationship off, but it is the perspective of losing him that makes Katheryn realize that she has come to truly care for him, too. They kiss and don’t part ways, but deep down, they both know it can’t last.

After Clement and Katheryn’s marriage, the Earl sets his matchmaking sight on Robert in 1319. As a low-born bastard, they shouldn’t be good, but the prospect of the Earl’s favour and Robert’s knighthood makes the de Bellefaye family, of French noble stock and residents of the town, amenable to negotiations. Their daughter, Elisaria, is only 14, but Robert finds her very sweet-natured and lovely and decides to agree to the match. When he tells a heavily pregnant Katheryn of this and breaks off what is left of their relationship, she is enraged, but he doesn’t feel he has any other choice.

It is agreed between the Earl and the de Bellefayes that Robert and Elisaria will marry once he has been given his knighthood.

The Dudley Family

Current Members: 7

At the beginning of the decade, the noble house of Dudley consists of Ralph Dudley, the Earl of Petersmarch, his brother Clement, his sisters Lady Elizabeth and Lady Gwendolen and his mother, also Elizabeth, the former Countess. Ralph is also betrothed to Mary Pelham, the youngest child of Baron Elbenhawke.

At the beginning of 1310, Gwendolen ages up into a child, which is followed a few months later by Clement aging up into a teenager.

The Dudley-Pelham wedding takes place in 1311, after which Ralph’s mother departs from Praaven with her daughters, to take up residence in the Dudley’s country estate while the new Lady Petersmarch settles into her role. She soon becomes pregnant, and, because she feels lonely, takes her husband’s bastard half-brother on as her page, which he allows, much to Clement’s dissatisfaction.

In the following year, 1312, Lady Petersmarch gives birth to a healthy son and heir named Arthur, much to everyone’s joy.

A second son, named Nathaniel, follows in 1314. Sadly, when the Dowager Countess and her daughters come to town to visit this newest member of the family, they bring illness with them; little Nathaniel and Lady Elizabeth (his aunt) both succumb to it. In the aftermath of those tragic losses, Clement decides to accompany his mother and remaining sister back to their country seat to get some distance from the castle.

In 1315, Lady Petersmarch gains a companion in the form of a distant cousin, Lady Katheryn Deane.

In 1316, tragedy strikes again when Lady Petersmarch gives birth to a stillborn son.

In 1317, Lady Petermarch gives birth to another child, a daughter this time, whom they name Alicent. Unfortunately, the tragedies that have been hounding the Dudleys for years continue, and the epidemic that sweeps the countryside that year kills both Alicent and five-year old Arthur, which not only leaves the countess shattered, but also the earldom without an heir. To prevent this, Lord Petersmarch arranges a marriage between his brother Clement and his wife’s companion Katheryn, unaware about the romance between her and his bastard half-brother. Lady Gwendolen ages up into a teenager that year.

The marriage takes place in 1318, and Lady Katheryn becomes pregnant soon after. Sadly, her daughter is stillborn the following year. The Countess fares better, and gives birth to a healthy baby girl, Maud, at the end of 1318, leaving her the sole heiress of the earldom as the decade ends.

The Pelham Family

Current Members: 5

As the decade begins, the family consists of Peter Pelham, Baron Elbenhawke, his son and heir Richard, his daughter Mary, and Richard’s betrothed, Lady Elinor Mowbray.

In 1310, Richard and Lady Elinor are married, in hopes that their union will finally provide the heir the barony needs.

In 1311, Mary, too, weds, which makes her the Countess of Petersmarch. Accordingly, she moves out of her family home, Elbenhawke Hall, into the Dudley seat, Praaven Castle.

In 1313, Lady Elinor finally gives birth to her first child, the son and heir they had all been hoping for. They name the child Richard, after his father.

A second pregnancy follows quickly in 1314, with disastrous consequences: due to birth complications, both Lady Elinor and her little girl die, leaving Richard bereft and with only his small son as heir. Even while mourning, the Pelhams start looking for another bride, and (after some help from Mary) approach the prosperous Crawley family, which has an unwed daughter, Caroline. The betrothal is accepted. At the end of the year, Little Richard ages up into a toddler.

The Pelham-Crawley wedding takes place in 1315, after Caroline returns from a long trip she had taken with her brother’s wife, Anna. The new lady of the house bonds well with her stepson, although her marriage remains a bit distant. She and Richard the elder do their duty, however, and she becomes pregnant soon after the marriage.

In 1316, Caroline gives birth to a healthy son named David. A daughter, Josephine, follows in 1317.

Then, tragedy strikes once again. A few months after Josephine’s birth, Richard goes hunting, and is gravely wounded in an ill-fated encounter with a boar. He is rushed back to Elbenhawke Hall, but it is soon clear that there is nothing to be done for him. He dies that night. Afterwards, Lord Elbenhawke asks Caroline to remain the lady of the house, even if she will not be baroness.

In 1319, Josephine ages up into a toddler, and Richard Jr. ages up into a child, ending the decade on an at least somewhat hopeful mood for the Pelhams.

And that is the end of the recap.

The 1310s have certainly been eventful, and at times I felt a bit overwhelmed with the management of it all. I have played the challenge before, but back then I didn't switch households as much, and let the Story Progression Mod do much of the management for me. It’s been fun to be more involved, in a way, but also stressful. That wasn’t helped by the extra management of the famine years.

But the famine is in the past now (although in real history, its effects lasted into the 1320s), and at least as far as event rules are concerned, there won’t be anything happening in the following decade. Historically, there was much turmoil, of course, due to the strife between King Edward II, his lords and Queen Isabella, which eventually led to Edward being dethroned and his subsequent death. I may mention that in regard to the nobles, but don’t plan on inventing any new rules to see if they are affected by it.

Either way, the future will be interesting.

Prev: 1319, Day 4 | Recap 1300 - 1309 <--> Next: 1320, Day 1, Part 1/2 | Recap 1320 - 1329

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