What is the Stierbach "Blessing"

[Lance Harrop <lharrop@mrj.com>]

Greetings to Corun MacAnndra and all the Merry Rose

Lord Corun the Younger asks:
> 
> Um, Leifr, is there something about you you're not telling us? I thought
> the Stierbach Blessing hit women.
> 
So I must explain that there is a difference between Stierbach Water (TM) 
and the Stierbach Blessing.  Stierbach Water is noted for its efficiency 
in increasing fertility.  Stories of its effect have been told in the 
Merry Rose before, such as the conception of Syr Strykar's daughter 
Bethany, at Stierbach's first event, along with three other conceptions 
that weekend.

The Stierbach "Blessing", however, is another thing.  It refers to the 
reoccurant pregancies befalling the Seneschals of Stierbach.  This 
blessing is so strong, that a married man, confident that the blessing 
couldn't strike a couple in their forties, took the job of seneschal, and his 
wife promptly got pregant.  This blessing is so strong, that when Lady 
Anne Elizabeth even offered to consider taking the job of seneschal to 
follow Lady Miriam, she got pregant.  The only documented failure of the 
"blessing" involved Lord Erich von Kleinfeld, when he was a bachelor.  
And of course, we can really be SURE under those circumstances ;-).

So obviously, I can't be deposed (wink, wink, please, please, you think I 
want this job? ;-) ) as seneschal until m'lady wife Cailean announces the 
impending event.  Mundane circumstances being what they are, I admit to 
have been avoiding that further complication of my life.

In service
Leifr Johansson