3. State of Emergency

State of Emergency


  • As word begins to circulate Peltarch of the troubles in the Senate, the Defenders and Guards act quickly to increase their presence in the Jewel. Once they are in place, General Neverith makes an appearance on the balcony of Town Hall, with Senators Fisher, Snydders, and Heffa with him.

    Good people of Peltarch!

    Due to the extraordinary situation in the Peltarch Senate, our fair city has been placed under martial law until such time as the Senate is restored to a quorum of at least six sitting members. In the last few days, we have seen:

    • Senator Hardin retire
    • Senator Thel step down temporarily for an investigation
    • Senator Leaffall step down temporarily for the same investigation

    As the Senate at this point only consists of three elected officials and Advisor Lycka who has been standing in for the late Senator Ronan, we who love the Jewel have made this hard decision so that she will not appear weak before our enemies, and so that law and order will continue, that the elections not be stopped.

    LONG LIVE THE JEWEL!

    ((OOC: There's some stuff that needs to happen IG, and I have 3 young children to look after, so I won't be fast in getting to it. Please stay cool, and I'll keep y'all updated through the forums or IG))


  • With the Senate announced and Martial Law repealed, things settle down in Peltarch, back into what passes for normalcy in the realm. Repairs continue on the defences damaged in the undead attack, and work begins to reverse the damage caused by the flood.


  • _The days have been as packed full of action as the nights, with the flooding having finished and the water levels finally dropping. The rain has stopped, indeed, the region seems to be sunnier than it has been in some time. And yet, the mood is dark and pensive, a cloud across Peltarch's figurative sun.

    General Neverith doesn't ask people to stop working, instead, he goes to where they are, and he speaks, wearing the colours of a Defender proudly._

    Citizens of Peltarch.

    So much has happened in the last week. Both for good and ill, and both not without sacrifice. Faithful men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for their city, serving you and me until their very last breath. They will never again know the touch of a loved one, never again see a sunrise.

    And yet…

    I know that they went to their deaths without regret, without fear. This IS the duty of a Defender, the highest post one can hold in Peltarch. Guild leaders, nobles, wealthy merchants, even Senators, all are served by the Defender, and all today owe their lives to the Defender.

    Let them forever be remembered for how the lived, and served without prejudice or favour. Let them be remembered for the clash of steel and for their faithfulness. Most of all, let them be remembered for their sacrifice, they who died that we might live.

    Remember them. Remember their families... the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters who now have an empty place in their heart, never to be filled again with laughter or tears. For each man or woman who falls, eight or more grieve. More than four thousand Peltarchians are grieving today.

    I declare an official day of mourning, a day when we will remember, every year, the sacrifice of those who have died in service to the city.

    The flooding has ceased, and the heroes responsible for this will be recognised after the elections, which are to occur in one weeks time, when we have had time to bury the dead and mourn for them.

    Long live the Jewel.

    The entire speech is delivered in an emotional manner, it is obvious that despite his duties, Neverith feels the loss deeply. The end of the speech sounds depressive, even morose, but one can understand that, given the circumstances.


  • After a week of unrepenting rain, General Neverith moves throughout the city, giving this speech where-ever people are gather in groups of more than ten. He has an escort with him, but it seems to be more people for advice and information than defence.

    People of Peltarch, we have conducted investigations, and found that this storm, whilst not magical in nature, is being caused by something unsual. We don't know if it will stop, or what may cause it to stop, but we know the location of the cause.

    To the north of us remains remnants of the Great Glacier, which was mostly destroyed in the Cracking. Something, or someone there is generating this mass of storm clouds, that have as we speak covered all of the Icelace, stopping shipping and inundating settlements.

    I am calling for those of stout heart and solid will to volunteer, to go forth and investigate what is happening. Perhaps we can stop it, perhaps we can't, but I will not sit by and watch Peltarch be drowned if there's a chance we can do something about it!

    If you want to be involved, come, and speak with me. The ship will set off in three days.

    ((OOC: Planning this for 12 hours from the time of this post. Levels 10+ only, please, it's too risky for others and I don't want them dying.))


  • _On a rainy day in Peltarch, things seem to be very wet.

    There's a lot of rain falling… a LOT of rain.

    More rain than anyone can remember seeing in a generation or more.

    So much rain, that the level of the Icelace begins to rise, lapping up over the edge of the docks.

    The Defenders and Guards begin rapidly making sand bags and reinforcing the docks, and the crowds disappear... the sewers flood, forcing cultists to flee for their lives through the many outflows. It's not an uncommon site to see bodies floating in the water.

    The Rat-Master General can be seen giggling with glee as the rats either drown or run for dry ground, giving her and her crew plenty of work to do, and space to do it in.

    The speakers who once held the mob in the palm of their hand now find themselves being literally deluged and unable to keep the flocks attention. Eventually they give it up and go find somewhere dry to wait it out.

    And the rain keeps falling..._


  • At the announcement of the resignation of Mariston Thel from the Senate, the mob cheers and roars, with more people joining it every day. Their leaders take the stage, with the following speech being repeated in taverns and inns throughout the city by folks who "were there!"

    People of the Jewel!

    Long suffering children of Tidus, we have had a great victory in the battle against tyranny! Mariston Thel has quit the Senate, and soon his lackies will follow him! Our time is NOW! Some of you have called for Maria to be made Queen, but this is not what Tidus would want, nay! He created the Senate for the people, and we will take it back for the people!

    Let all who have ears, hear this today! We WILL see Magistrate D'arneau removed from office, and we WILL see Senator Leaffall step down, or we will FORCE THEM OUT! The Magistrate is a long time sympathiser and lackey for Thel, and Leaffall is the reason we have martial law, her and her crazy antics!

    CITY HALL WILL HEAR US! THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH TO COMPLY, OR WE WILL MARCH ON THEM WITH THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE!

    It's pretty obvious that the crowd isn't about to go quietly or calmly into the night, and they have an agenda.


  • _On the eve of the last poll before election day (November 13th), things are beginning to turn for the worse. First, a crowd of people moves through the city calling for people to vote for Maria, as she'll turn all the current Senators into toads. This brings out the anti-Senate feeling that's been brewing for some time, with the crowd getting larger and larger as the day continues.

    Eventually, they end up in the docks where it grows from a crowd into a mob several thousand strong, calling for Maria to be made queen if she'll only get rid of the current Senate. Others with perhaps more logic take over at this point, and rile the people up further.

    Slogans are chanted along the lines of:_

    "DOWN WITH THE SENATE!"
    "LEAFFALL OUT! THEL OUT!"
    "LET US CHOOSE OUR OWN FATE!"

    Throughout the city, and especially in the docks, flyers are distributed to all and sundry. One such flyer is…

    @5add3529ae:

    LET THE PEOPLE OF TIDUS RULE THEMSELVES!

    For TOO LONG we have been told what to do by paladins and priests, and made a laughing stock by druids and mages. They tell us what to do, how to live, what to think, as if we can't think for ourselves!

    Tidus gave Peltarch to the PEOPLE, NOT to the PRIESTS!

    WE DEMAND THE RIGHT TO RULE OURSELVES!

    • All current Senators to stand down
    • Reduction from Nine to Seven Senators, and no more than one candidate from each guild or organisation
    • Fixed terms for Senators! Twelve years, no more or less (except in time of war)

    If we can't have what we want with words, we'll take it by force!

    People of Peltarch, let your voice be heard!


  • As the city continues in trade, things seem to be mostly going smoothly, with Martial Law keeping things intact. There is the odd public gathering that gets out of hand, and there's no shortage of people taking the rant stand to decry the situation, but the actions of General Neverith and the Defenders in concert with the loyal Peltarch Guards seems to be keeping things under control, for now.


  • After this announcement is made, several units of Defenders are seen in the docks, commandeering two large ships before converting them into prison barges. When asked about it, they reply:

    On order of General Neverith, we are commandeering these vessels, which will be used to house those committing property crimes. We're not leaving anything to chance.

    It seems that one ship was taken from the Seafarers, and one from the Wavebreakers.. equal opportunity civics indeed!