"Leadership".
Sometimes I wonder about this word. What does it mean to be a Leader? As I look around me, leadership these days has been leaving something to be desired. Peltarch's senate is being accused of ignoring the farmers' plea to till the lands south of Peltarch, following Chauntea's blessing of the fields during Greengrass, 3 years ago. Also, María of all people has been charged with attacking a civilian in the commons and has been removed from her position as senator and sentenced to remain within the War Camp. To the south, the chancellor is being accused of ignoring the whole of Norwick's situation, as they have yet to acknowledge the current threat of gnolls that escalated in the pass.
About this, some have approached me, beckoning me to do something about the situation in Norwick, to lead the town as chancellor.
I never had any intentions of ruling anything, nor am I a poltician. So what should I do?
Regarding Norwick, I'm unsure the leadership is actively ignoring the situation, or simply choosing to remain behind closed doors and making preparations. But I fear that inquiry over it will only result in turmoil, which is precisely what we don't need at this time. On the other side of things, Uljas has been rallying the commoners, teaching them how to defend themselves. It won't be enough to stop the gnolls if they decide to march upon our gates, but it surely can make the difference when we consider the raumviri forces and the rest of the militia. Eilonna, who had been given power over the militia, immediately evacuated the population to the temple of Kelemvor. A hasty decision that could have cost many a life, because if the refugees had not been lead back to Norwick a few days later, they would have been attacked by Ice trolls coming from the other side of the Scar. An attack that a small party, comprised of myself, Willow, Jimmeh, Shesarai and others fended off with some effort. Taking the fight to them, we encountered an odd creature, seemingly made of ice who told us to back off. The trolls were simply hungry and they had sensed the source of food near the kelemvorite temple. After we exchanged a few words, Shesarai saw fit to tell the icy creature that both myself and Jimmeh were fire wielders, which prompted her to become hostile, expelling us from her lands. But not before she told us of an Ice Hag, who could perhaps help convince the trolls not to attack us any further. We were about to return to regroup and seek the hag, when she appeared before us next to the crossing. She seemed to agree with our terms, though she asked for something in return. Once we questioned he for her price, however… Well, she requested me. For one night. We stared incredulous at each other, but then Jimmeh saw fit to close the deal without consulting anyone else. I was dumbstruck. Both because Jimmeh had just sold me off as a slave, and because I saw her approach, growing ever closer. I tried to keep her at bay, but I was simply shocked beyond reaction. She swung me over her shoulders and off she went, the rest of them chasing after the rather fast hag. By the entrance of old Jiyyd, a multitude of fire arrows hit the hag, causing me to plummet to the ground in a rather hopeless position. As I got up, the ice creature returned, again sending us away with increased aggressiveness, due to the hag's death by our hands. I don't know what might happen next, but surely I won't be going with Jimmeh to any other situations where negotiations might take place... Unless he is properly restrained first.
But all of that to say... All these people made decisions. The senate decided to ignore the farmers. The chancellor decided to ignore the gnolls. Eilonna decided to evacuate the people and Uljas decided to train them. Jimmeh decided to sell me off and María decided to attack that person.
That is what being a leader is about: making decisions with the potential to severely and directly affect the fates of countless others. But all around, I see reckless decisions being made, whether through action or inaction of those who have the duty to ponder the welfare of the people before anything else. Honestly, in all of this, the only person that actually made anything positive, is Uljas.
On the other hand, in these difficult times, unity is of the utmost importance, and anything that can be perceived as a threat to the establishment will cause unwanted rifts that would be more harmful than whatever poor decisions those in power can make.
All would be so much easier if Norwick had a system of periodic elections. But that is a fight for another day, I suppose.
