[HF] Blood in the Streets of Trinsic (4/2018 - 7/2018)

[Judas D'arc]

Summary: After months of growing tensions between Governor Ine Dir’ath, the Trinsic council, and the Holy Fist, a political conflict erupts that threatens to consume the city.

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4/3/2018:

Without the consent of Governor Ine Dir’ath, Lords Elias Carver and Everett de Hugh of the Trinsic Council, the non-governmental body concerned with the citizens’ welfare and other local affairs, organized a gathering at the Trinsic Meeting Hall. Also in attendance were members of the Holy Fist, the city’s official protectors, citizens and observers, and local officials and militia soldiers loyal to the Governor. When Governor Dir’ath arrived, his appearance proudly proclaimed by the ever-loyal Fargus Shulicker, he and the two council members began to bicker over recent events.

Lord Carver questioned the Governor’s failure to apprehend the necromancer Thalmain Shaste, but the latter defended this by raising the recent assault against the villain’s tower and rescue of his victims, as well as a lack of further attacks. They also debated the merits of the Governor’s newly-established poor shelter and its impact upon the city. Ine indicated he did not trust the council because of the recent allegations that some of Trinsic’s nobility belonged to the secretive order known as the Sacred Hand, though he did express a willingness to work with the Holy Fist. Another point of contention was how each side viewed the other’s legitimacy; Lord Carver argued the Governor’s election was aided by Shaste’s kidnapping of his predecessor, Lyra Darkstar, and Lord de Hugh’s decision to withdraw due to threats against his family by an unknown party, and Ine countered that the council was un-elected, absent, and out of touch with the people.

The elven merchant Nalenia, an apothecary and known supporter of the Governor, then interrupted, complaining about how the council and Holy Fist were attempting to destroy her business. With their aid, her competitors were undercutting her princess and she accused the council of discrimination against the poor and non-human.



When the meeting turned to the subject of the Reverend Enoch and his Fellowship of the Broken Ankh, Lord Carver disputed the preacher’s accusation that the Sacred Hand was hidden amongst the city’s nobility, and Lord de Hugh stated his reservations about a branch of the Fellowship being allowed in Trinsic. One of those present suddenly revealed herself to be a disguised Faeryl Tyra’them, a Holy Fist member recently executed for being an agent of the more sinister branch of the Broken Ankh led by the elusive Healer. After the initial surprise, the elf claimed that she was held prisoner for almost a year and a half by the Broken Ankh, and that they sent an In Quas Xen to take her place and infiltrate the city and the Holy Fist. During her imprisonment, she was held in the Bowels of Lithos, until Jolicia assisted her in her escape, and she went unrecognized because of an enchanted amulet that obscured her appearance. Both Aila and Jolicia vouched for Faeryl, and it was decided that Faeryl’s life would be spared, and she would be given the opportunity to prove that she was not another agent of the Broken Ankh.

Lord Carver also denounced the Governor’s recent efforts in Nujel'm, when he traveled there to preach to the island city's poor with Reverend Enoch and Governor Dezera Blackwell of Jhelom, an event that resulted in the deaths of two Nujellan guardsmen and the injuring of another. The council member claimed Ine risked war with Nujel'm, and the Governor stated he had already dealt with King Blackthorn about the matter. He then declared the Trinsic Council illegitimate and ordered it disbanded. If they dared meet again, it would be considered an act of treason against the city. But Lords Carver and de Hugh would not agree to this. Their back and forth continued until Knight-Marshall Piper Swift of the Holy Fist attacked the Governor, striking him down and battling his militia alongside her comrades Aila and “John.” One of the militia, a woman named Catherine, was slain in the fight. Following this, Lord Carver ended the meeting, and when Ine failed to arrest Piper due to a lack of supporters present, he announced her banishment from the city.

[Judas D'arc]

4/9/2018:

Less than a week later, the elven merchant Nalenia asked the Holy Fist and their allies to investigate her accusations about the Trinsic council intentionally flooding the market with cheap potions in order to destroy her business. According to Nalenia, she heard that these goods were coming from the Merchant's Guild in Britain. Mostly to silence her incessant complaints, the Holy Fist and friends traveled north to Britain.



There, they met with Lester, a representative of the Merchant’s Guild. He refused to reveal too much information, but offered them the name and location of Ari, a business rival from Nujel'm, who was currently at the Trinsic docks unloading his wares.



When the group returned to Trinsic to meet with Ari, they were surprised to see Governor Ine Dir'ath at the docks speaking with him. However, it soon became apparent that Ine was not responsible for Ari or the other merchants, and after some discussion, Ine consented to Ari remaining, but on the condition that he paid a tariff and also revealed the name of the individual responsible for the recent influx of goods.

The man responsible turned out to be Lord Elias Carver of the Trinsic Council, and when confronted, he defended his actions and dismissed Nalenia's complaints, stating that he only sought to bring more affordable healing potions to the people of Trinsic.



4/21/2018:

Once again, Nalenia, elven purveyor of potions and chemical enhancements, burst into the Keg & Anchor, demanding assistance. She complained about the return of Ari, the merchant who had previously flooded the city with goods upon the invitation of Lord Elias Carver of the Trinsic Council. Nalenia believed this was all part of a conspiracy to destroy her business due to her support of Governor Ine Dir'ath, a political rival of Carver, the council, and the elite city establishment.

At the docks, Chancellor Gordon Sullivan, the Holy Fist, and their allies found Ari in the process of unloading his latest shipment. They became suspicious after witnessing two of his workers, Foot and Emily, mistreated by Ari's second-in-command. The group was not permitted to speak with either Foot or Emily directly, though Ari denied they were slaves when asked. The matter grew even more complicated after Governor Dir'ath appeared, and Lord Carver was sent for.

It was apparent that Lord Carver and Erollisi Stower, former squire of the Holy Fist and current head of the infamous Stower family, had encouraged Ari's return to Trinsic, but they both denied the accusations of slavery and argued Ari's business was legitimate. Ine and others were doubtful, however, especially after Chancellor Sullivan's review of the shipping manifest revealed it carried necromantic reagents. Neither Foot nor Emily confirmed they were forced labor, but the former acted overly concerned for his family's welfare, and Ine threatened to arrest Ari for slavery.

In the end, the matter was resolved by a difficult compromise. Neither Ari or his crew would face arrest, and he could continue to sell his wares in Trinsic as long as they paid a high tariff. Foot and Emily would be released from any "agreement" they had with Ari and offered a place at Ine's local poor shelter, and Ari agreed to personally and safely transport their family members to Trinsic.

[Judas D'arc]

4/24/2018:

A random night in the city of Trinsic turned deadly when Governor Ine Dir'ath decided to arrest Lord Elias Carver, his political rival, on charges of slavery. The basis for these charges was the testimony of Foot, a recently-freed servant of Ari, the Nujel’m merchant associated with Carver. Accompanied by his Chancellor, Gordon Sullivan and the two Jhelom mercenaries, Rorik and Dori, Ine had Carver removed from the Meeting Hall and escorted to the guillotine in the market square. In order to prevent interference, Rorik entered the Keg & Anchor tavern and told those present that he had overheard some members of the Broken Ankh cult plotting to visit the nearby poor shelter.

The ruse's success was only temporary, and soon word of Ine's intentions spread across the city. As a crowd gathered, the Governor had Foot state his accusations, and then he announced a death sentence against Carver, despite opposition from many present. The guillotine's blade fell, beheading the council member, and a chaotic battle broke out between the Governor and his detractors.



During this fight, the former governor of Trinsic, Lyra Darkstar, stabbed Ine's eye and infected him with poison, before being knocked unconscious. Ine retaliated by cutting her throat and killing her. Erollisi, another of Ine's attackers, was struck down, but Lord Haxley, observing from the crowd, dragged her away to save her from Lyra's fate.



In the end, the poisoned and mortally wounded Ine was taken away on a ship by Rorik and Dori, while Chancellor Sullivan attempted to defuse the situation and the Governor's loyal militia member, Fargus, continued fighting until defeated.



Hours later, a healer informed those at the Keg & Anchor that Ine's ship had reached Vesper, but he had perished from his wounds and his body was dumped there by the mercenaries. Although the controversial governor was now dead, his former opponents were left mourning the losses of Lord Carver and Lyra Darkstar. Many of Ine's followers still walked the streets of Trinsic, so it remained to be seen how they would react.

4/26/2018:

Two days later, during the monthly council meeting at Castle Blackthorn , a number of witnesses informed King Blackthorn about the recent chaos in Trinsic, and the deaths of Governor Dir'ath, Lord Carver, and Lyra Darkstar. As a result, the king officially declared Trinsic to be under the martial law, pending a Royal Britannian Guard investigation into these matters. Some present, including Ine's Chancellor Gordon Sullivan, reacted poorly and threatened the possibility of further bloodshed.

5/5/2018:

Governor Ine Dir'ath. Tyrant and demagogue, or champion of the people? A threat from which Trinsic is freed, or a benevolent leader murdered by an elitist conspiracy? Ine is dead! Long live Ine! And rumor has it, the struggle is not yet done ...

A gathering at the Keg & Anchor in Trinsic was interrupted by Lord Everett de Hugh of the Trinsic Council. He was concerned about the presence of the late Governor Ine Dir'ath's followers in the market area, as he feared they could be plotting to cause trouble, so he asked a group consisting of the Holy Fist, their allies, and other locals to investigate. At the market, near the site where Ine had erected his guillotine, they encountered a righteous mob led by a red-robed agitator. Nearby, a protestor shouted pro-Ine propaganda, and broken debris was spread across the ground. Fighting broke out almost immediately and the rioters were soon defeated.

However, this was only the start, and the scene repeated itself in three other places across the city: the Meeting Hall, the Bank of Britannia, and the West Gate. The city's defenders were victorious each time, though there were casualties as well. Everett de Hugh was slain by rioters at the Meeting Hall, while a nobleman named Alfred Pemberton was killed at the Bank of Britannia.



Some citizens spoke out to decry Ine and his followers. During the fighting, an assassin skilled at stealth struck at them while demanding justice for Catherine, a member of Ine's militia slain at the recent council meeting by members of the Holy Fist. Eventually, the group found those responsible for the riots at the House of the Holy Fist, the order's headquarters outside the city walls. There, the Holy Fist and their allies battled these so-called Sosarian Socialist Guardsmen, presumably followers of Ine.



After a brutal battle, the Socialists were defeated, and the assassin from earlier was also felled. On the latter's body, they discovered a note indicating that he was one of the General's Men, agents of Ine sent to retaliate against Aila, Erollisi, “John,” and Piper, in the event of Ine's death.



With the deaths of Governor Dir'ath, council members Lord Carver and Lord de Hugh, and the King's impending proclamation of martial law under the Royal Britannian Guard, it remained to be seen how the City of Honor would fare in the days to come.

[Judas D'arc]

5/15/2018:

In the weeks that followed, the Royal Britannian Guard seized control in Trinsic, and the militia members that served Ine were placed in cells. Appointed by King Blackthorn to oversee the matter, Tserim Arryth, legendary ranger and Captain of the Royal Britannian Guard, conducted a thorough investigation into the city’s recent troubles. He organized a gathering at the Trinsic Meeting Hall and questioned those present, including local citizens, members of the Holy Fist, Chancellor Gordon Sullivan, and other observers, and many recent incidents were discussed and debated at length.

5/27/2018:

One night, as people gathered at the Keg & Anchor for drinks and conversation, a loud ruckus could be heard coming from the direction of Trinsic’s poor shelter. They left the tavern for the shelter, where they encountered a band of peasant children in the midst of protesting. Followers of the late Governor Ine Dir’ath, they demanded that the Holy Fist remove itself from the city. Their leader was Todd, a boy who not only worshipped Ine, but dressed the same as him. As they stood there, the children parroted the slogans of the late Governor, but after lengthy (and somewhat comical) stand-off, the conflict was defused with Faeryl Tyra’them’s offer of cookies, as well as “John” pretending to cede control of Trinsic to Todd and his allies, while trying to protect him from another child by the name of Terrah, who was either mentally deficient or possessed by a demon.

5/31/2018:

At the next council meeting, King Blackthorn asked Tserim Arryth about the progress of his Trinsic investigation. The ranger provided a summary of what he had learned, and also stated no crimes committed during the chaos that required a trial, except perhaps by Chancellor Gordon Sullivan, who might be complicit in Lord Carver’s execution. The King then concluded the discussion by perpetuating Tserim’s authority over Trinsic until the next Governor was elected.

6/3/2018:

With Trinsic still under martial law, Lord Haxley of Britain, a recent transplant to the City of Honor, campaigned for governorship unopposed, promising to restore tradition and order, and he was elected without any resistance from the weary people of Trinsic.

6/26/2018:

At the next council meeting, Governor Haxley introduced himself to King Blackthorn and the rest of the council and explained his plans to help restore his troubled city. He also requested that the crown rescind the declaration of martial law over Trinsic, though the King would not agree to it just yet.

7/5/2018:

Governor Haxley held his first meeting as Trinsic's governor. Numerous people were in attendance, including Governors from other cities. These were the main items that were covered during the meeting:

- First, he asked if any citizenry present objected to him requesting an end to the king’s martial law and removal of the Royal Britannian Guard. None present objected;

- Second, he offered to hand out city titles after the meeting;

- Third, he raised the city's current trade deal with the Bardic Collegium and his desire to see it continue. None present objected, so this deal will remain in place;

- Fourth, he repeated his desire to restore old city landmarks to honor Trinsic's history;

- Fifth, he announced plans to reconvene a new Trinsic Council to advise him, stating that its membership would represent all of Trinsic, and he hoped those interested would apply. He emphasized that the poor migrants lured to Trinsic by former governor Ine were still welcome, and they would be allowed to wear their militia uniforms, despite not possessing any authority. He addressed the matter of Enoch and his Broken Ankh faction, and after Enoch swore an oath that he was not part of the Healer's evil plans, the governor stated Enoch could remain in the city;

- Sixth, he stated his hope to see the Holy Fist, under the leadership of Knight-Marshall Piper Swift, continue as Trinsic's official protectors, operating directly under his authority. On behalf of her order, Piper accepted this honor;

Finally, there were discussions with the Governors of Shenzin of Britain and WinterWillow of Minoc, who were present, regarding future trade. A couple of citizens also suggested helping the poor of Trinsic by offering them apprenticeships and training.



7/16/2018:

At the next council meeting, Governor Haxley informed King Blackthorn that the citizens of Trinsic recently expressed their desire to see the martial law lifted and the Royal Britannian Guard withdrawn form the city. He also announced that the new Trinsic Council would include Lord Reginald Shipman, representing the nobles, and Gordon Sullivan, representing the commoners and merchants. Haxley hoped that such a move would help to bring all residents of Trinsic together.

This time, the King agreed to the request to rescind the martial law, restoring authority over Trinsic back to its new governor and its people, and finally allowing them to move past the many troubles that occurred during Ine’s rule.