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CLOCKWORK MAN

MADE A BARON

Dateline: 28-10-518

King Dirk has appointed his mechanical bodyguard, Meantime the Clockwork man, a Baron of the Kingdom of Bereny.

This is believed to be the first time in the history of the Kingdom that a magical construct has been ennobled in this way, although it is only since the creation of the Crown Commission for the Protection of Monsters, which granted official Crown protection to Meantime in 510, that such an action might even have been considered legally possible.

The position of Royal Bodyguard has always traditionally carried with it the award of a Barony, but when King Dirk first appointed Meantime to the position he at that time did not make Meantime a Baron, although he did go further than the Commission and make him a full citizen of Bereny.

Not everyone in the Kingdom is completely comfortable with the idea of a mechanical construct powered by magic being promoted to the ranks of the Kingdom’s nobility. Meantime is not the only Clockwork Man known to exist in the Kingdom, and some of the others are known to be evil and inimical to the peoples of Bereny. The exact origins of his kind remain unknown (including, by all reports, to Meantime himself). Clockwork constructs of his kind are known to be a speciality of the Gnomes, but also of the artificers of Derwent. However at the time of his appointment as Royal Bodyguard, the King required that he be examined by a team of experts, including gnomish clockwork artificers, alchemists, and enchanters, to ensure that he was safe, reliable and free from evil.

Baron Meantime’s promotion is reportedly at the suggestion of Duchess Kubala Wildfire, and the Duchess was quick to dismiss criticism of the King’s decision. “The honour is overdue and well-deserved. The life of the King of Bereny has been placed into his safekeeping, and he has served honourably and well in what is considered one of the most prestigious positions in the kingdom.”

According to Bugle reporter Ernie Pyle, who met Meantime when he accompanied the King on his recent visit to the Tepes estate, Meantime is much pre-occupied himself with the question of whether he has a soul or not. He has a mechanical amour, in the form of clockwork woman Millisecond, and the pair even have plans to have children (though it is unclear how such a thing might be possible).

The rebel Uryen d’Agrillac has used Meantime’s appointment as an excuse to launch another tirade against the King, even going so far as to put a price of 12,000 gold on Meantime’s head.

The newly created Baron Meantime is presently believed to be in the Safe Haven with his Royal master, seeking a way to find the fabled Godstone.