Occupation of Sanctus
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
The Occupation of Sanctus
[Occupation began early May 2005, ended late September 2005]
In May of 2005 a new chapter started in the history of the City-State of Sanctus. With the King Talon Skyfire no where to be found and presumed dead, the leadership of Sanctus had deteriorated considerably and the once proud city barely clung to prosperity with a rag-tag military, sluggish economy and ineffective management. Across the mountains, outside of Umbra, a cult of Necromancers and the Damned had long been sworn enemies of the City and its people. This cult was lead by extremely powerful and malevolent undead beings, among which is The Wraith Lord, Bailos.
Using his lust for power, his Will to dominate all life and the military and economic support of Umbra and his fellow cultists, The Wraith Lord was able to march through the mountain unopposed and occupy Sanctus quietly with no loss of life in a single night.
Bailos immediately set to work to solidify his foothold in the city as Sanctus sits as the buffer between Umbra and Luna, the city of Paladins, and a powerful undead assuming control of the only stronghold between the two cities would certainly shift the balance of power. Barriers were constructed, palisades went up and mercenaries were hired within hours of the occupation at strategic points across the city.
Within the first several days, any person of note or rank in the military command structure of Sanctus was stripped of rank and discharged from duty within the military but a small band of veterans quickly came together for strength. A small resistance was forming within the community lead by former high ranking paladins and champions of Sanctus at the head of which were Prince Zarlox, Paladin James M'Real and High Paladin Baron Mordegan.
Central to the take over from the perspective of Bailos was maintaining the people's belief in the government. To facilitate this, Bailos forced the Mayor and acting head of government for Sanctus, Sadira Reflov, to sign over the deed to the land and make a declaration proclaiming Bailos to be the legitimate and recognized ruler. She was kept isolated from the general populace for some time while the dust settled from the initial occupation.
The resilience of the townspeople was more than the Umbrans had anticipated and the resistance within the city grew rapidly. It was not long before fights broke out and demonstrations took place and loss of life happened. At the height of the fighting, Baron Mordegan and several high ranking members of the resistance ambushed many of Bailos's lieutenants while in the tavern known as Hanse's Hostel and then immediately claimed ownership of the deeds.
In his next step to crush the rebellion, Bailos invited many foreign dignitaries to Sanctus for an official coronation ceremony in which Sadira placed the crown of the King of Sanctus on Bailos's head and officially decreed him ruler in all aspects of government and military and then she herself 'resigned' as a show of loyalty to the Wraith Lord. There was speculation by local medical professionals that Sadira performed the entire coronation ceremony under the influence of powerful mind-controlling drugs and had no clue as to her actions. Bailos was crowned on August 3rd, 2005.
The fighting from the townspeople somewhat subsided but the military resistance was growing stronger as Zarlox and his associates were finally able to get word out about their situation to Luna and its surrounding communities. Formal, political resistance was beginning to take shape in the form of the Royal Court of Light headed by Molly Willow. Bailos responded with attempts to break the spirit of the townsfolk and military once and for all by orchestrating the deaths of many prominent social figures including their beloved Mayor, Sadira (although her death was later revealed to be staged, her demise was widely accepted for several months).
August 18th, 2005 - Bailos also began a campaign to draw sympathy and support from other residents of Malas and The Regency back in Trammel before The Royal Court could gather overwhelming political power. He countered by sending the following letter to all government officials and persons of political prominence.
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Good Peoples of Malas,
It is at immense personal expense that I take the time and money to craft all of these letters for you all, and send them to your homes and businesses. Hear my words now, Malas and let them take root;
Years ago when a great tear in a fabric of reality opened the gates of the Facet of Malas, countless hundreds immigrated for various reasons; to start families, to erase the past and start anew, the thrill of the unknown and lucrative opportunities just to name a few. Among this group of brave new settlers was a King, bold and defiant. Talon of the house Skyfire. This charismatic leader strode forward and founded a massive city-state nestled in the Broken Mountains; a bastion for those who clung to a new and hopeful future. And it did thrive, vibrantly for years. Founded on a code of Honor and steadfast Courage, Sanctus served as a paragon of the marriage between Traditional Codes and Progress.
Tragically, this is where our story takes a turn for the worse. As with all things, they inevitably fall into a state of disrepair. It is up to those entrusted with the protection of others to see to it that this state of efficiency is maintained. Somewhere along the line, and the stories vary immensely, the once great City-State of Santus lost track of itself. Muddled managment, an increasing apathy and a deterioration in its once proud military institutions served to make Sanctus an ever growing favorite of brigands, mercenaries and organized enemies alike.
Taking note of the situation from afar, it pained me deeply at a personal level to see this bastion that I still love on the brink of its end. It has long been a belief of my own, that those with power are to be held reponsible to use it for the betterment of their people, first and foremost. Holding this solemn vow close I took action. In a series of bold tactics I saw to the transition of Sanctus over to my personal protection. Never have I even dreamed of acting against the city that I helped build, but in order to save it from itself, I had to.
The disrepair of Sanctus was undeniable prior to my arrival. In the months since, I have seen to its protection to perfection. Her citizens are clean and well fed. Her economy is as industrious as it was in its Golden Age. For the first time since its inception, Sanctus' populace need no longer look at their boarders with Umbra and hold fear in the back of their minds. First the first time ever, hostilities are at an end.
So why do I address you, you may finally ask yourselves? These idealistic principles that Sanctus was founded on are to be treasured, enshrined and clung to. Memories to hold close as we grow older. However, as many of us know personally, things rarely remain as perfect as we want them to be. We must shed the hardnosed ideals we have grown up with and look forward to the future with a better place in mind. Our society is more malleable than ever, and now is the time for the smith's hammer to strike the metal shaping our own destiny.
I urge your support, as the peoples of Malas. You owe it to the ideals in which we came here with, and you owe it to the future. Join with me! Traditionalists would claim that we should stick to what has worked, to what has brought us success. Truly a noble and sensible goal, but unfortunately impractical. Quietly, as but one man, I am trying to usher in the dawn of a new age. One of unification. Sanctus is but a stepping stone for the world we know. Pledge your support and show it. Stand with me as brothers and sisters in the light of Rebirth and Progress...glorious and liberating progress.
Most Cordially Yours, The Lord Bailos Myrdra
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This political battle continued until mid-September when the Paladins/Resistance were finally able to discover a way to return their derelict King, Talon Skyfire, back to life. Behind the political and military backing of the Royal Court, the war of attrition was finally won for the townsfolk of Sanctus. Bailos pulled virtually all monetary wealth out of the city and abdicated his throne, leaving a vacuum of power in Sanctus to be filled by the Paladins and their supporters.
In the wake of this period, Sanctus experienced and renewed and vibrant period of activity and great growth both in game and out involving many key characters from its past and present. It was later discovered that Sadira was indeed still alive and she was reunited with her estranged lover, Zarlox, although the couple continued their personal battle with the Wraith Lord for many years to come.
The people of Sanctus attempted to exact a form of justice by charging Bailos as the sole conspirator in the murders of countless city officials, fraud against the crown, theft of state funds and a grand list of other charges. Bailos was arrested and charged with these crimes but internal strife over the topics of how to remand the Wraith Lord and punish him, should he be found guilty, allowed him plenty of time to vanish for public sight.