Ghyll:Encyclopedants Progress Report 2

The Encyclopedants is a term applied to the small group of individuals who decided a collection of Ghyll intellect, in written and distributed form, was necessary for the bettering of society, as well as the benefit of future historians. The group now presides over the encyclopedia's integrity and "cohesion of vision". To remain an objective judge, the Encyclopedants attempt to focus only on "the facts as we're told them", asking questions, poking holes, and suggesting "standards" to further quality assurance. These Progress Reports are considered official communication between the Encyclopedants and their Scholars, and they encourage others to write their own thoughts and comments into the margins.

The Facts As We're Told Them

The second batch of entries consists of the following entries: Ball Lightning Liqueur (Invention), Baron Claude Lloyd Albert Smallwood (Person), Battle of Barnum Stones (Other).

Ball Lightning Liqueur (Invention)

• Ball Lightning Liqueur is a counterpart to another weapon, "Awal Sleeps".
• "Awal Sleeps" comes from the Evesque Valley; Ball Lightning Liqueur originates at Iganefta.
• "Awal Sleeps" is targeted against jelly mines; Ball Lightning Liqueur attacks Fefferberry crops.
• "Awal Sleeps" removes the sound of its destruction; Ball Lightning Liqueur simulates nature.
• Melderson created "Awal Sleeps" as an affront to Awal's rebuking of his work.
• "Awal Sleeps" is based on the sound suckage principles of Awal shrinkage.
• Ball Lightning Liqueur requires two to deploy: one to throw the bottle, another to shatter it.
• Evesque Valley scholars are investigating unshattered Ball Lightning Liqueur bottles.
• Both weapons began active use 50 years ago in a continuing war to decide lighting supremacy.
• The war has lasted so long that it is known as the Conflict That Is Not Happening.
• The Evesque Valley has frequent (natural) lightning storms, and is north of Iganefta.

Baron Claude Lloyd Albert Smallwood (Person)

• The Baron (born -62/7/11 EC) is Bavarian Creame's former husband.
• The Baron is the most important producer of Adlorst Vinifera, but also produces other wines.
• His sprawling plantation, also a tourist attraction, is located in Evesque Valley.
• The Baron is known for dabbling in alchemy and is a suspected member of the Karcist League.
• His alchemy mishaps purportedly (he denies it) created the doggerel plague of -11 EC.
• The Baron has written an unknown number of monographs concerning plants, alchemy, and more.
• He has recently studied animal husbandry and attempted to engineer a new breed of Mute Chukarandos.
• The Baron hosts a large library on linguistics, and has been known to talk to animals and plants.
• He has funded several expeditions into distant lands to study the languages of small, dying peoples.
• The Baron has been seen performing annual rites on dates related to his previous marriage.

Battle of Barnum Stones (Other)

• Battles over the supremacy of different means and types of lighting techomancy have been waged.
• The Battle of Barnum Stones, somewhere between -400 EC and -332 EC, is the most celebrated.
• The Barnum Stones were moved to Stindersgrough by Corvin Axehand in –158 EC.
• In addition, a subsequent Raking has left the exact battlefield location unknown.
• The participants at the Battle of Barnum Stones were the Looliers and the Exingians.
• Salerny Redthighs was the shaman-chief of the Looliers at the time of the Battle.
• After days of consultation, Umbrage, than exasperation, bull's pizzle started the war.
• The Exingians were outnumbered and outflanked, but battled regardless of the odds.
• The Exingians have a ritual square formation of 7 warriors wide, and 7 warriors deep.
• Each center warrior of each line hold vorpcaras high, and three pages flank them.
• Pages to the left hold wooden bowls of spring water; pages to the right hold springs of adlorst.
• These symbolic items of the 7 by 7 square were meant to represent time passing.
• The Exingians were slaughtered, and the Looliers suffered no losses, nor honoured the dead.
• The group headed for home, camped at the Vale of Serdoch and were never seen again.
• The victory united the remaining Loolier tribes, and eventually led to their own downfall.
• Across the centuries, the Looliers are still despised, despite their success at the Battle.
• Bordingbras his hatt!, the only known Loolian manuscript, is held at the Odlucian Library.
• A scattered line of dried Fefferberry seeds is considered ritualistic in some areas.

Bindlet Ball (Other)

• Extremely popular sport
• Extremely complicated rules
• Scoring depends on Awal shrinkage of the ball
• Annual championship played on the Day of champions
• Game allegiances have been known even to affect political races

--The Encyclopedants