Norwick Town Hall
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_Flyers are posted around the Nars regarding a Town Hall to be held in the Norwick Great Hall. Anybody with an interest in the political atmosphere of Norwick and the immediate future of the Township are encouraged to attend. The Acting Chancellor and his Advisors will be announcing their plans for the town and fielding questions from citizens.
At the agreed upon time, Hannibal opens the floor:_
“Greetings, citizens and friends of Norwick alike. I am glad that you were all able to join us today and show a vested interest in our community. I do apologize for how overdue this forum is. There is no excuse for that.”
He surveys the room with a faint smile.
“With the abrupt departure of Chief Voss, the prevalence of murmurings and whispers has arisen, which is quite understandable. Today, it is my intention to address any and all of your concerns regarding the Realm, and inform you of the plans myself and my advisors have in place for the future. Your comments and questions are encouraged as we are all equal members of this community, and there is little that stands between us and those who wish to do us harm.”
“I’m no public speaker, so I will address the coming changes without further ado. As with any turnover in leadership, change is to be expected. It is not my intention to shake up our way of life, but I feel Norwick would benefit from a few alterations. First of all, our walls are old and in dire need of an upgrade. We will be furnishing a new south gate made of metal in an effort to increase the survivability of the gate in the event of an attack. In addition to that, we intend to turn our current wooden walls into walls of stone. Miss Maria, our Arcane Advisor, has taken the liberty of pursuing the gate project, and Mister Wick, our Advisor Natura, is pursuing options to bolster the walls.”
“As all of our valiant guardsmen know, a wall is only as strong as those defending it. Our recruiting and organizational structure for the Redcloaks has stagnated with age, and that will change. There are now four ranks in the Redcloaks: Commander, Senior Guardsman, Guardsman, and Recruit. We are taking applications. Mister Cecil has begun training our melee oriented guardsmen in the Yard, Miss Thalassa has been training new scouts, and Miss Maria has kindly offered to train any magically inclined applicants we may have. We are in the process of furnishing new arms and armor for our brave defenders”
“Admittedly, our focus has been primarily the safety of the town, as a shift in ‘power’ is often exploited by enemies. That being said, Miss D’Cameron has been addressing the concerns of our East Valley residents and their taxation. Beyond that, the last I’ll say before turning the floor over to my advisors is in regards to commerce. A few enterprising citizens have submitted business proposals to me. Foremost of which is from Mister Carmichael Randolph and his intention to put the Norwick Arena to use in an effort to allow folk to make a name for themselves and fight for glory. I understand that this may be a controversial and inflammatory topic, but it will be well regulated, I assure you.”
“Miss Maria, Mister Wick, Miss D’Cameron, anything you’d like to tack on before we open the floor to questions?”
Hannibal turns to them, eying them warily.
[I'm going to keep the Town Hall in this thread so we aren't limited in participation due to OOC timezones. Feel free to chime in with any character if you have a question.]
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The farmer group shake their heads at Cormac, but don't say anything further. However, another group of younger Raumviri head up towards the warrior and ask him for a contract to sign, saying they don't want to be forgotten like the old farmers surely will.
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Even as he takes his seat, Cormac's voice projects well over the gathering within the hall.
"Then go and tend to your goats. Leave the sport of men to men, and when you die in your sleep in old age fretting at the glory that might've been yours - I hope it's within earshot of the Arena, close enough to hear the roaring applause of an appreciative crowd. No-one will mourn you long. When the last of your sons passes in death, or the last of your daughters takes a husband. You and your goats will be forgotten. My heroes? Their names will live on through history, forever."
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The Ranger Ting sits in the back simply listening and watching the interactions.
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A bunch of Raumviri farmers step up as Cormac announces his arena, one of them barking loudly at Cormac:
"And why would anyone fight for yer amusement? There be glory in fighting, and glory in bloodshed, but none to be had fighting in a damn pit while folks laugh at ye! I'd rather take the fight to the damn goblins or the undead that keep busting into our town than fight for some wannabe slaver's twisted sense of glory! I say yer arena is not welcome here! Git outta that stand, I wanna hear someone else talkin'!"
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Cormac Randolph takes his opportunity and steps forth in the hall, he makes sure he's seen by all, and gives the townsfolk and and adventurers alike some time to soak his grim glory in. After the brief pause he sharply throws his hand out in a broad sweep as though he might envelope the whole of Norwick.
"I see… a prosperous future. I see competent, able warriors - not 'soldiers' defending Norwick, and trade-wealth like you have never seen. Your arena has been an expensive investment, and for what? Beast cages to lie empty, your ludus to lie empty, and for Norwick's famed 'Fight Night' to fade from memory."
His eyes, shrouded in the smokey paint he wears narrow upon, and perhaps beyond those in the Hall; his voice deepens and becomes reminiscent in tone.
"I recall my first champions' medal. I recall winning my fine longbow from the nimble hands of a nimble Elf in your archery contest… yet now, we are bereft of those glory days. And of the trade connections and adventurers' interests and wealth that came along with them."
His voice booms again in typical Cormac fashion, his clenched fists raised in the air as he bellows out his words though some mighty herald of the gods of sport and contest!
"_Hannibal is right! When he told you that Cormac Randolph will take control of your ludus and bring the spectacle of the Arena to Norwick; where man and beast will fight for their lives for 'you', good people. For you.
Your laws will not allow me to make slaves of these men and women, so I offer your willing a contract. Make your mark, be trained by my hand in my Arena, earn your fame. Earn your fortune. Win your glory and freedom from the confines of simplicity!
Visit me, we will discuss your employment in more depth. It is your right to decline; but to turn your back on such a fate will see you wracked in old age by wonder at what may have been.
Glory, my friends, is guaranteed._"
After a dark, showman's chuckle filled with the promise of violence and savagery. Before turning around and returning to his place he speaks a final few words.
"Survival - is not."
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María takes a step forward and nods to Hannibal with a small smile, then turns her attention again to the crowd and adresses them
Hello evewryone and thank you fowr showing up. As Hannibal said, thewre'll be changes in Nowrwick, but I can tell you that all of them will be made to impwrove the quality of life of those who live hewre.
As you he said, I'll be twraining membewrs of the Militia who want to leawrn spellcasting, but I'll do mowre than just that wregawrding the defense of Nowrwick, and pwrovide ouwr guawrds and militia with fine new weapons and awrmowrs of the highest quality metals and wood.
As you also know, I'm the advisowr of awrcane of Nowrwick, and I want you to wremembewr that this doesn't mean I only advice to the Chancellowr. Nowrwick is all of you, all of us, and should anyone have any need fowr magically inclined advice, know that I'm available at all times.
We want this town to pwrospewr, but without leaving its twraditions and wroots aside. The impowrtant things will be maintained, like the fawrming and woodwowrking lifestyle twradition, the peaceful enviwronment…but we'll twry to attwract and incwrease twrade with othewr towns and open new stowres of goods that have not been sold befowre hewre...
wrest assuwred, citizens of Nowrwick, that you'll live happiewr than evewr.
She nods and steps back, waiting for someone else to speak
