Historical Context

The Border Marches in Second Life consist of three private island estates arranged from north to south, North March, Debatable Lands, and South March respectively.

It is an environment based loosely on 16th century life on the border marches of Scotland and England.

For 300 years the reivers raided and feuded on both sides of the border. The Tudor and Stewart monarchs wanted the chaotic border lands brought under control. The wardens of the marches, under the command of their monarchs, cracked down on the great reiver families, trying to keep the peace, apply the law, and bring order and justice where for centuries lawlessness had reigned.

The monarchs were not above manipulating the chaos in the border lands, secretly supporting one side in a feud, deliberately antagonizing reiver families, or initiating attacks on trumped up charges or weak excuses to further their own interests. 

The border reivers gave their allegiance to family first and country second. They were a pragmatic people when it came to patriotism and sometimes whole families would switch their allegiance from one King to the other as it benefited them. Reiving families were not above raiding their neighbours on the same side of the border. 

The reivers raided in the night, plundering household goods, clothing, livestock and captives taken for ransom. The border people were bold, daring in 1596 to take a captive, Kinmount Willie, from Carlisle castle. They were a people who lived by their wits. A threatening whisper could sometimes be heard, "There will be moonlight again."

Truce days were at the heart of border rule. They would alternate from one side of the border to the other. Both sides respected the truce called so that people could travel freely to the court to seek justice and redress for wrongs  or to answer charges laid against them. Tavern and inn keepers, entertainers, and food vendors made good profit on Truce day.

We are trying to remain true to the history of the era, but are taking some artistic license with the theme. Our monarchs, nobility and wardens will not be found in the history books of the real world. Our town names are fictional, Roxeter in the North and Tanninhold in the south, but effort has been made to represent typical towns and architecture of the era, compressed as necessary by the limitations of region size in Second Life.

Pagan and Christian religions are represented. From time to time some fantasy elements from religion, folklore and superstition of the time may be brought into play.