Normandy diaries
The Normandy diaries, also known as the Normandie diaries, are a series of diaries of the Jarldom written in Normandy. Several diaries were written up to 1685 AN. These diaries tell the story of Normandie through the eyes of the elite and ruling class in Normandie.
When Theodoric van Orton re-established Normandy in 1744 AN, he seized the surviving portions of the diaries. Some important diaries are missing. They are among the rare works exempt from the devanicization policy. In 1748 AN the diaries became public again.
The People of the Duchy of Normandie
The inhabitants of the Knightly Jarldom, commonly referred to as the Normans, trace their lineage to the Valtian Vikings, also known as Norsemen, specifically the war band led by the sellswords Horik and Hyngwar Rognvaldsson, collectively known as the Leopard Brothers. These Norse warriors settled on the Isle of Quercy following their vassalage to King Clovis VII of Franciana, intermingling with the local Francianish population.
Normans have historically adhered to a strict code of conduct, including the practice of courtly love and the virtues traditionally associated with knighthood—honour, bravery, courtesy, and honesty. These principles, collectively referred to as the Norman Code of Chivalry, have remained a central aspect of social life in the Twin Peninsula Jarldom and were widely respected and understood by its populace.
Despite significant cultural shifts, including the adoption of Christianity, the Walsch language, and the transition from maritime raiding to cavalry warfare within Francianish forces, the Normans retained many characteristics of their Viking ancestors. These included exceptional restlessness, audacious courage bordering on recklessness, a penchant for combat, and a combination of craftiness and cunning that could manifest as treachery.
In the course of their expansion throughout Micras, the Normans recorded numerous daring exploits in which small groups of warriors repeatedly overcame numerically superior forces. Their success was facilitated by rapid mobility over land and sea, the application of decisive violence, and an early recognition of the strategic and economic value of resources.
From their base in Normandie, the Normans undertook several major expansionary campaigns. A seminal achievement was the invasion of the kingdoms of Bosworth and Anglethyr in 1204, led by Duke Fulk of Normandy, who subsequently became king of both realms following the successful campaign known as the Norman Conquest. Even earlier, Norman adventurers had undertaken extensive, though less coordinated, migrations to regions of Reikistjarna, with notable figures including Roger de Hauteville, founder of the County of Sicilia, and Tancredo d’Adraisio, founder of the County of Adraisia.
Normans were widely recognized for two distinguishing traits: their unbridled character and their capacity for rapid and effective imitation and adaptation. The former facilitated the emergence of highly capable and often ruthless rulers through a process akin to natural selection, resulting in the establishment of stable and enduring political institutions in territories such as Normandie, Bosworth, Anglethyr, and Sicilia.
Their skill in imitation and adaptation was particularly consequential in military and architectural contexts. While the Normans did not invent the art of castle-building, they became preeminent in the construction and utilization of simple yet highly effective fortifications. These castles, combined with small, mobile cavalry units, became a defining feature of Norman conquest and territorial control.
Initially inexperienced in mounted warfare, the Normans rapidly mastered cavalry tactics in Reikistjarna. Equipped with standard mail hauberks, conical helmets, kite-shaped shields, broad-bladed swords, and slender lances, Norman knights demonstrated time and again their ability to defeat superior forces. This proficiency was reinforced by the rigorous training of young warriors, a hallmark of the Norman knightly class.
Norman imitation, although evident across all territories they settled, was never slavish. Rather, it reflected a synthesis of boundless self-confidence with a strategic capacity to adapt existing institutions to local conditions. In Sicilia, for instance, Norman authority relied on military superiority, strategic deployment of castles and harbors, and the importation of feudal structures to govern relations between counts and their subjects. Simultaneously, they incorporated advanced administrative techniques inherited from Greco-Roman and Muslim traditions.
However, with the collapse of Stormark in 1685 AN, the Norman population declined significantly and dispersed to other areas. The remaining Norman population remained in the cold lands to the north. A significant portion of the population died. When Theodoric van Orton re-founded Normandie in 1744 AN, the Norman population was almost half that.During the period of the administration the Normans were controlled by the Kernevons who remained in the surrounding areas.
Foods and Drinks of the Duchy of Normandie
The Twin Peninsula Jarldom was historically renowned for its rich and dairy-heavy cuisine. Many dishes incorporated cream from the region’s contented cows, and butter, cream, and whipped cream were liberally used in cooking. The local cattle were also central to the production of the Duchy’s celebrated cheeses, including Rohan, Pont-l'Évêque, and Neufchâtel. Among these, Rohan was particularly well known and carried a long culinary history.
Fruit also played an important role in the local diet. Apples were widely grown and used to produce a slightly fizzy, mildly alcoholic cider, which had been one of the Jarldom’s main beverages and often accompanied crêpes. While the region was not historically recognized as a wine-producing area, apple cider was commonly consumed with meals. Apples were also used to produce Fécamp, an apple brandy favored as an after-dinner drink and for flavoring desserts and sauces. Apple tarts were a ubiquitous feature on menus. Pears were similarly cultivated, and their juice was distilled into Eau de Vie, a pear-flavored spirit.
Seafood was an important component of the Duchy’s culinary heritage, reflecting its extensive coastline along the Sunset Sea. Coastal towns were known for seafood dishes such as oysters, scallops, lobster, and sole. Traditional preparations included marmite Vannoise, a creamy seafood stew; mussels à la crème, featuring mussels cooked with cream, butter, and herbs; and fruits de mer d'Honfleur, a platter combining raw mussels, oysters, clams, cooked shrimp, and lobster served with various sauces. Mussels harvested from the Bay of Quercy were particularly prized.
Meat-based dishes were central to the Duchy’s main courses. Poultry, particularly local duck, featured prominently in dishes such as Canard à la Rohannaise from the Béthencourt Valley. Veal and pork were also commonly prepared, frequently cooked with cream or cider. The region was known for its "Pré Salé lamb," raised on salt marshes south of Mistletoe Forest. Inland, traditional dishes included chitterlings from Vire, andouille (in the Walsch language), and black pudding from Les Chéris, while tripe was a specialty of Bayeaux.
Crêpes were widely consumed across the Jarldom, often paired with local cider as an informal meal. The term "crêpes" encompassed both galettes and sweet crêpes. Galettes, made from buckwheat (sarrasin), were savory and typically filled with ham, cheese, eggs, seafood, or combinations thereof. Sweet crêpes, made from wheat flour, were filled with fruit, jam, chocolate spreads, or sugar, and often topped with thick Norman whipped cream. Some variations resembled ice cream sundaes in presentation.
Following the Duchy’s northward expansion, cold beverages gradually disappeared from common culinary practice, and many of these dishes reflected traditions maintained in warmer coastal regions rather than the more northern territories.
Unfortunately, the fruit and vegetable diversity of Normandy cuisine has not been preserved to this day. Stormark collapsed in 1685, and Normandy cuisine was disrupted by food shortages. The Lysstyrer influence did not affect Normandy cuisine, and it retained some of its originality. In 1744 AN, Theodoric van Orton re-established Normandie. But the former south lands of Normandie, the areas with important plantations, were conquered by other realms in the region. Normandy's cold climate caused the country to lose access to native vegetables, leading to a significant decline in fruit-based produce. However, with the annexation of Karum to Normandy in 1748 AN, access to the plant was restored. However, Normandie cuisine still uses mostly seafood and animal products.
