Controversies
Professor Efa Foster and the Museum curators who worked with the White Palace Scribe on the exhibition felt that they could not display certain items without a couple of notes attached to them. The White Palace Scribe agreed with the wording of the notes, and checked this blog post before it was published.
There are numerous artefacts on display in Riversouth and Rookpot that come from Wild Wolvern Mey. These include numerous pieces of wolvern jewellery, gems worn by Meyricks and their families, including the ruling ring, and bejewelled gifts of Musril-embossed skins from wolvern Clans.
It should be noted that many wolvern artefacts were given as genuine gifts to the Meyricks from the Clans in Wild Wolvern Mey, and these are considered the rightful property of the White Palace. However, several items discovered in the Palace Archives have a more dubious provenance. These are items that were taken from wolvern Clans without permission, and in many cases the wolvern had requested that the items be returned to them. The Museum is working closely with the Palace Archives to see if this is feasible. At the time of the exhibition no wolvern artefacts have yet been returned to the Clans, but there are ongoing talks being held in the neutral territory of Rookpot Museum, which representatives from the White Palace and the Sperakeden Clan have attended.
The second note concerns the Musril language, particularly its origins. We all know that Riversouth prides itself on protecting and promoting Farynshire’s native language. Indeed, most academics acknowledge that without The White Palace’s devotion to the language it might very well have died out many years ago, amongst the human population anyway. What has been increasingly challenged, particularly in recent years, is the long-held theory that Musril spread out to the rest of the county from Riversouth. In fact, there is no evidence that Musril was created in Riversouth. Despite this, many well-respected academic books, articles and theses make this claim; some of them from many years ago, but, perhaps surprisingly, some published in the twenty first century as well. This is very much a live and current theory, as evidenced by recent podcasts and online videos that are popular around Riversouth. Rookpot Museum distances itself from this theory. If anything, recently discovered evidence suggests that Musril did not originate in Riversouth.
It is important to acknowledge new discoveries and revise existing theories, however well established, accordingly. Rookpot Museum is committed to pursuing the truth of history, rather than a version of it.
The 213th Rookpot History Conference
The Peoples of Farynshire: Challenging the Narrative
The Scribe of the White Palace, Aderyn Tooking and Professor Efra Foster from Rookpot Museum will chair the 213th conference of the Rookpot History Conference. The theme of the conference is challenging the traditional theories concerning the Peoples of Farynshire. The programme has been deliberately designed to be radical and provocative and many of the speakers could be considered controversial.
The Programme
“Four Peoples, One County” Professor Roland Coombes
“Our Common Language: Musril for All” Professor Lana Evans and Doctor Peter Wallace
“The Voices of our Forests” Doctor Rhyll Jones
“Following the Seafolk” Sephus Moxley
“The Meyrick, the wolvern, and Wild Wolvern Mey” Aderyn Tooking and Professor Efra Foster
“A wolvern in Rookpot” Botolf ken Geirolf os okto
There are limited places available for the public – so book your place early!
Farynshire: County of Many Lands 