Aarron Ashalds Senatorial Campaign
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Aarron can be seen waiting for people to gather before addressing them. He takes a deep breath before speaking, looking extremely tired, yet the ever present smile upon his face
I wish to speak about how I feel, about things that have been said about me and my family.I walk amongst the city everyday. I see the people going about thier lives. The children playing in the streets, merchants selling thier wares, the soldiers going about thier patrols with a smile on thier face. I have come to realize something. I am happy, no matter what anyone says about me or my family, I am still happy in my duty to this city and the fact that I am making your lives better. To make a difference in our city is one of the most rewarding things I have done in life. There is alot more to do, but it requires time.
I have come to a conclusion, about something that has been on my mind for some time now. Many think ill of my family, not from any hard proof they have but from simple rumors. It bothered me that people thought like this for quite some time, I did what I could to change thier thought on this, but some just will only see what they want to see. It was seemingly passed onto me because I happen to share the last name. I've finally come to see that I cannot change everyones opinion on me. People see what they want to see I'm afraid, not many see who I am.
Now I'm sure you will ask what it is I think I am. I am a man that has joined the Guard for the sole purpose of helping out our over worked soldiers and looking to see the streets safer than before. I am a man that has opened a school for all to use without any financial obligations, because I understand the children are the future of any city or civilization. I am a man that wishes to become a Senator to make this city greater for everyone to live in. I am a man that is at the mercy of the people, I have no power, nor will I ever have any, you have the power, the people.
I am not going to have big flashy parades, I am not going to hold rallies to get you drunk. I am simply going to speak and you can choose if you wish to listen or not. You can make out the true meaning in my words. I am going to continue to work for this city always hopefully, whether that is in the Senate or in the Guard. I see a lot of things I could do, to better
your lives, if you put me on the Senate, but I must wait and see if you think I am worthy of being there.Until that time, I am going to do my patrols with the Guard, I am going to teach your children at the school and I am going to listen to the rumors of me and my family with a smile on my face, because I know that no matter what people say, I am still doing the best I can for this city and they can't take that away.
I am an Ashald, I am a servant of you all. I am a man that will always serve you and your best interests.
Perhaps more people will do me the curtesy of seeing me as the man I am and not the fanciful monster some make me out to be. Until then, I want to thank all of you that have supported me in my campaign and have looked beyond rumor and doubt and seen the true me. To you I owe more than I could ever repay.
He thens steps down and wanders amongst the crowd assembled answering any questions and shaking hands with the people. After awhile of this he walks away and reappears a short time later in his Guard uniform and begins his patrol of the streets.
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On one of the more visible posters, in the commons, penned into the empty space
"Koreth's armor should be blacker. Must've been hard to see him all the way from Hoarsgate.
-A friendly art critic"
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((Sorry gotta say it, that poster is just great :D))
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::New posters all over town::
::The figure in the drawing is clearly supposed to be Mariston Thel::
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The people seem pretty polarized on this one. A good portion really dislike anyone with the name Ashald. The others seem to revere the family and completely support him.
Recently people have taken notice of the fact he was made a lieutenant in the Guard. Split along the same lines people say his family bought him the job, others say he deserved to lead.
Pretty mixed bag.
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Aarron listens to Richard, nodding as he speaks
You have good questions there Sir Richard. Let me first address the the most important issue.
The orphans are something that has to be dealt with immediately. Miss Clandras proposal is a exceptional one. One which I whole heartedly agree with and support. The orphanage is full and I hear word that Miss Ocean is seeing to another being set up, which I will gladly help to fund until these children can be found proper homes in which to live in. If elected I will work towards the end of seeing not only the families funded that wish to help these children as Clandra proposes but also to the orphanage getting regular funding to help those who have not found a home yet.
As for the the school. This school is open to all, free of any financial responsiblilty. The children deserve education and so they shall recieve it. This school will be funded solely on the generousity of the citizens of Peltarch. If elected I will propose a set amount of the cities income go towards the funding and continued education of these children.
Funding isn't easy to come by even if from the city itself, the city has many things to pay for, the reason I said at one point that all my pay if elected and any others who truely care about this city be put away to help the people and see that thier lives are made better.
The pay of a Senator is a nice sum, I also wish to be able to survive and so have to earn my gold as any other, yet if I survive and the people do not then there is no city. It may not totally fund the school, the orphanage, the guard, and the caring people who wish to help these children, but any amount is welcome. If it sees one child off the streets and in a proper home and well educated, then we are moving towards something greater.
I call upon anyone who has even a spare copper that they could possibly donate to the betterment of these children that have lost so much to step forward and help us bring in a new era to our great city.
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Sir Richard post a question in public to the candidate for the senate. "I have the upmost respect for those who wish to run for public office. I wish to ask an important question.
With the war with the eastlanders the people who have been hurt the most have been the children of peltarch for their are many orphans who have lost their parents in this war. The city's orphanage is past full capacity their is no more space and their supplies are poor at best. What do you propose on doing to bring some sort of normacy to these children who have lost it all.
I have seen the faces of these childrens and held them tight as they cry for their mothers and fathers who are no longer with us. I tell them things will get better and that their loved ones fought for the safety of the city. They where brave and courages and mommy and daddy ask them to be the same in the days to come.
How will you deal with the issue.What they need is not a hand out but a hand up. A hand in helping them find new families that may love them and help them. The school is a wonderful idea but will it be open for those who can not afford it? What of the children in the orphanage and their future? And how will you if elected bring a sence of normacy and deal with the children of the overcrowded orphanage in a long term basis?
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Aarron and Clandra can be seen moving desks and boxes of supplies into a empty warehouse. After a few days of this they stands before the warehouse addressing all within the area.
Good people of Peltarch, we stand before you to announce that finally, a place to school your children has been found and is open to all. This building, and all the supplies needed to teach your children the basics of reading, writing, mathematics and astrology is the first step to the promises that I as well as Clandra have made to you. We will be taking the time out of our lives, as well as my sister and Hermina, an accomplished tutor of both the Ashald household and the D'Arneau household to see your children get the education they deserve.
It is small at the moment, but we can make it greater, with the continued help of any who wish to donate to the betterment of this school. People have been saying none have done anything to prove thier words, we just have, we have organized this for your children, those who cannot pay for schooling. If elected we will see that this is expanded upon and made greater, establishing a formal school within the city.
Any who wish thier children to attend may bring them by, we will try to accomidate as many as possible until something better can be found to accomadate the whole populace. Even if we are not elected, we will still run this school as best we can, as long as we can, we only hope it is a permanent feature within the city. Something that will benefit future generations.
Scans the crowd for a moment before holding his hands up.
I would like to explain something. The recent events that had one of our loyal and loved friends and citizens expelled from the city has been dealt with through the combined efforts of the Church of Tyr and the Lady Siamorphe, Nyda has recovered from the illness she had and has been helping to furnish and supply this school for the poor children of Peltarch to be educated.
Let us move into the future and make this city better for all people.
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Although he has been absent from the city for weeks, Aarron can be seen once again on the walls with the soldiers. When asked where he was he simply says he was helping someone and tries to avoid anymore questions. Although word spreads that he was being tended to by the priests and nurses within the Divine Shield Tower in the foothills for many days along with the Lady Kara and the elf Raryldor. He looks very tired and has a large scar now trailing down his right forearm to just above his knuckles. He can be seen constantly rubbing it. He assures everyone with a slight smile that he will continue to run for Senate, nothing has changed.
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Posters begin to appear periodically throughout the city. The quality of the posters is not extravagent, but it shows some little skill with brush and pen. Each poster is tacked up to public boards and placards with four penny nails in each corner. The paper is a cheap vellum easily posted and reposted as necessary
posters depicting a happy provincial life for all farmers and merchants are first to be seen
the second poster to be seen is often the open book depicting the senatorial platform
the last poster to generally be seen is the one depicting the mounted Defender of Peltarch with wonderful equipment
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With one hand our fine Magistrate declares that all of this Cities ills, all of it's woes and all the troubles of it's populous reside in the existance of the Seafarer's. He tells us that his entire platform, his only policy is to do away with some kind of mythical monopoly they hold over trade in this beautiful place. With the other hand he pledges his support for an organization dedicated to the raising of coin for themselves through the instigation of trading monopolies. One which would gladly support this man and see thier riches grow greater than before. He would remove one of the only organizations, run by my Uncle and dedicated for years to the service of Peltarch, in order to create a single, unaccountable power in the city in the Wavebreakers. This is not a policy designed to improve your lot. It will not put food in your bellies or coin in your pocket. It is a policy that can only end in poverty and tighter restrictions and why does he promote it? Is it because of the political power and money it will gain him? Maybe, maybe not. I think it is a personal vendetta against my family. Is this the type of man you wish in the senate, one who uses you and your city for his personal vendettas?
Monopolies holding down the city? How many in this city have employment and a regular income from these "monopolies"? Not only the Seafarers, yet also the Wavebreakers.
I have often heard that this Magistrate is capricious and frankly chaotic in outlook, although I had not seen it for myself. It appears I have seen first hand now. He doesnt wish to help the city. He wishes to use the city and its resources for his own personal gain. He proposes that none have given any indication as to how they will accomplish the promises they have given to you, the people. Did I just not stand before you the other day, bloodied and beaten from fighting eastlanders and give you a beginning to the betterment of our city? Did I not give a beginning to a solution to rebuilding our guard and educating our children? To lowering taxes for all people? I am aware that this is only a beginning and a small one at that. But it is a beginning.
Maybe most are silent on this because thier purses of gold are more important to them than you are.
Do not listen to this man. He serves the city so long as it benefits him and those allied with him. He would seek to topple an organization that has made sure this city recieved food in times of famine, one that has employed numerous people and made sure that they and their families had a home to live in. And he seeks to support another organization that will benefit his ideals of this city and see his pockets lined with gold. I assure you, there is corruption within this city, I see it myself, I only ask that you work to be rid of it and not support it by supporting this man.
Some of you will be telling yourselves that I speak only in defense of my family. And I say to you, DAMN RIGHT I speak in defence of my family. I am proud to be an Ashald. I am also proud to be a Peltarchian. And I am Proud to stand before you and ask you to let me help this city be the greatest City we can make it.
I have faith in the people and their decisions, I know you will make the right choice.
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As the brave citizens and allies return to Peltarch after the battle in the pass, Aarron can be heard addressing all the people in the commons
Fellow citizens, I once again stand before you to speak about the fate of our fair city and to ask you if my ideals are what you believe in. The elections grow closer and I see all candidates giving speeches, holding rallies, offering you food and frink to quench your thirst and fill your stomachs for an afternoon. I will not offer you those things. I wish to see the hungry fed and everyone have a good life within the city but I will not offer only a day of it to you in the hopes you will vote for me. I seek long term solutions to our problems.
I will help feed you. I will help to educate you and your children. I will arrange to better supply our over worked and under equipped guards force and I will work towards lower taxes in the city for merchants so that they can supply you with the essentials of life at a cost you can afford.
I will do so in a different way though. I will not only sit back and see who truely cares for this city of ours, who is willing to give what is required and suffer themselves in giving it. I will lead by example!
Do you see this pouch of gold? [holds up a large pouch and shows it to all attended]. This is the beginning of something greater for you all, something that will see the promises I have made to you come true in time. I cant do it alone though, I need all the citizens of Peltarch to help in this.
1000 gold is in this pouch, I intend on seeing it put into a fund for the People. A fund to help build a proper school open to all. To help supply our soldiers with better equipment and more man power. To help to decrease taxes for all and to help purchase food on a regular basis for the people. I realize it isnt much, yet it is a beginning. I also offer this to you…..if elected to Senate, -all- my pay for doing my duty to this city will be put in this fund to continue to help the people. I will also if elected, work towards the installment of a law, stating that all senators, even those who currently hold the position are to not recieve any pay for thier service, all that gold is to go to the betterment of this city and its people.
I CALL UPON ALL SENATORS AND CANDIDATES!
If you truely care about this city and not only your coin purses, it is time to prove it. Support this, lets start to give more back to the people of Peltarch. Let us see a new and glorious Peltarch arise this day.
Service to the great people of Peltarch means more to me than any pouch of gold ever could. I only hope that others are equally unselfish.
Now, even more than ever in these trying times we need support such as this. We are at war now, with the ones who kill your families. I was there at the first major engagement of the war along with many others, I admit i am no soldier, I almost died fighting these eastlanders in the pass, yet I know that as a citizen of Peltarch and as a man who cares for this great city and its people, I will gladly give my life in the hopes of a better Peltarch for all.
SUPPORT YOUR CITY! SUPPORT YOUR SOLDIERS!
FOR THE JEWEL!
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A good number of people in the crowd clap and cheer.
Some walk off before it really starts.
