I shouldn't be surprised but in a way I am. Anyone who espouses chivalric values would take this entire series to heart. What's really a shame is that this man's customers came to him because they felt safe in dealing with him, he came highly recommended- that he should prove to be the Knave isn't bad only in the sense of doing business, but bad for the community-at-large. This guy seems to have years in the Game...and as long as it took him to build up this reputation look how quickly it tumbled.
That none of the parties involved have taken it personal (I believe Richard Blackmoore may've come closest as far as I read) and gone and beaten the man senseless goes to show the level of THEIR individual fortitude...because it sounds like this guy needs it. BAD.
Thing about it is, it happens more often than I'd thought, years ago. I've seen these same types of complaints against swordmarkers- there was a guy on SBG who'd promised these semi-custom katanas and life happened and he couldn't deliver and there was a similar outcry. It is currently happening again, this time on the Euro side of things- I haven't checked in a few months but last time I did, there were a goodly number of orders still outstanding and the delivery date is over a year out if I'm not mistaken.
It almost seems like there should be a medievally-themed BBB to handle this sort of thing. In any case, my thoughts are with all of those involved, every last one of them because if there's one thing I CAN understand- it is non-delivery of items already paid for in full. I'm having this same issue, albeit on a much smaller scale than some, and I'm really struggling with keeping things civil, because of the usual requisites, but it is not easy, especially when a job that should've taken a month at most is now nearing the one year mark and I've not had any comms in over a month, despite assurances that I'd hear within ONE WEEK.
This hobby is usually a joy for me but every now and again, it seems more like a curse.