Until The Pig is cut from the Land

Mobius

Squire
Chicago Staff
Marshal
To all you wonderful adventurers, hello again, and welcome back! I have heard from my various friends that the coming Market Day will be full of fresh new faces and older friendly faces. Allow me to reintroduce myself: I am the Emerald Archer, champion of the down-trodden and sworn enemy to The Pig, also know as Baron Bucky Buchanan. I, and my friends, have sworn to fight his greed and selfishness till our last breath in the hopes that the squeezing shackles he and his horrid family have tied to this land can be broken.

This Winter has been blessedly light and we have all worked hard to rebuild quickly after the Orc Wars, but has The Pig lessened taxes or opened his coffers the merest inch to assist in the growth? Of course not. In fact, the neighboring Regent Effram has actually helped the Baron's people more. Thank you Regent Effram, the public land you opened and the engineers you sent to help with our granaries and farms were much appreciated. I would only hope The Pig could show the warmth of heart and strength of character that you show. I hope this planting season will be fruitful for you and us alike.

However, I do have some bad news: a recent cartload of The Pig's weapons and sundy goods bound for the baronial keep has gone missing. I think it's horrible how unsafe the roads can be sometimes. Tsk tsk. On another, totally unrelated note: I, and some of my friends, found a cartload of weapons and sundry goods sitting by the side of the road to the baronial keep and will be distributing them as appropriate this coming Market Day. I can always use strong, honest backs to help in redistrubition, and clever wily backs to help in reallocation. Send me a pigeon, or make it known you want to fight against The Pig and his greed, and I, or one my friends, will find you. Ta ta, all. Welcome back to a free Briarpass, but don't forget your brothers in bondage to the North.


The Emerald Archer
 
Sir Archer,
I was just speaking to the some of the residents of Albor concerning you.

Citizens of Briarpass,
His Lordship, Baron James Buchanon Duke of Buckland has asked me to remind you of a debt you once owed to the Right Honorable Teamsters Guild Hitch 42. The guildsman of Hitch 42 came to some accord with the town concerning factors slain, livestock killed, wagons lost, and goods that went missing. I believe Hitch 42 demanded no less than one thousand gold coins from the citizens of Briarpass, lest they completely cut off all trade.

His lordship wishes me to point out that Hitch 42 continues to trade and to do business in Wayside. He also wishes me to illustrate the point that Hitch 42 has not pressed their debt against your town. His lordship wishes to remind you that this is because Buckland has paid every copper of that debt for you. Furthermore he wishes me to mention that this money came from the Baron's personal line of credit with Hitch 42, and that no additional taxes were collected to generate this sum of money.

The Baron would also like to remind the Archer of the men who fought with him against the Stonebiter and undead armies when their backs were to the wall not so long ago. Both of our friends and soldiers bled that day to defend a free Briarpass. His lordship had hoped that you and your men might begin to see that we are not enemies.

Thus it may be unfair for the Emerald Archer to claim that Buckland has done nothing to help the citizens of Briarpass.

In good faith and service,
Nathaniel Brisbane Esquire,
Scribe and Messenger in service to Baron James Buchanon Duke
 
Good Esquire. I am glad you have been telling the citizens of Albor of my fight for freedom. Remember, it's the "Emerald" Archer, apparently there's a "Jade" archer somewhere and I want no confusion.

Oh, I'm sure Bucky was more than willing to settle up with Hitch 42. Being that he's smack-dab in the middle of the province, if the Hitch isn't transporting any goods, he's not making any tariffs! I bet you a pretty gold coin he would bend over backward to make sure all the Guilds want to keep trade open through his border. He has a vested interest in every trade transaction conducted south of Arbor because he gets a percent of all the proceeds. His land almost wraps around the entirety of Arbor, only Briarpass is left in the girdle. No, good Esquire, paying off the Hitch, if that's actually what he did, was most definitely for his own well-being.

And, no, I haven't forgotten the brave spirits who fought by our side during the Orc Wars. I will remember Captain Frain and his platoon til my last days, their sacrifice kept the pass open so the rest of us could fall back. That a man of his young years fell and did not resurrect can only mean he has been added to the orcish undead. His blazing Silver Boar was reminiscent of the elder Buchland, Earth rest his spirit, and the honor which that symbol once held.

However, I also remember how long it took for Bucky to commit his forces, and how much begging from every side it took for him to finally decide. I also remember how he declared all spoils found in battle to be Buchland property and has imprisoned a score of my men who fought valiantly but then were accused of stealing his good when they were only seeking out the wounded. I will never forget the bravery of each man I fought next to at the Battle of the Green Pass, and the cowardice of Lord who sent them to their death so he could eke out a few more shillings.

Nathaniel, you seem to be an intelligent man. Can't you see the evil you support? Why act as swineherd for a selfish pig, when you could be a hero for the people?


The Emerald Archer
 
If I may speak for myself,

As I stood over the dissapating body of the necromancer Kulgroth, I though to myself that I have no taste for being a hero. I care not to watch my friends die as we battle insane odds in the name of what is good and what is right.

I ressurrected the Lady Fallingstar in Briarpass, while I myself was still naked from my own ressurrection. It was a sad day to see a princess die at the hands of a vampire.

In Albor I resurrected the Lady Glenbeck under the same circumstances, alas in that land I had caused her death after being made into a lifeless minion myself.

I appreciate bravery, but truth be told I want none of it. It is to hard to care about people, and to then fail them.

Brisbane
 
Goodman Blacklight,
Do you mean to imply that the people of Briarpass do not care about the work of the Emerald Archer, and that he is not in fact any kind of local hero? If that is the case why did you consent to meet with him in secret?

Or do you mean to imply that the citizen of Briarpass care not for the debt they incurred against the Right Honorable Teamsters Guild, nor for how it was paid? I seem to recall an order placed by you from Hitch 42 for some rather expensive item. Do you think that they would've been so keen to deliver had Briarpass still owed them 1000 crowns?

Perhaps the personal matters between the Archer and myself are not cause for common concern, but the economic and legal matters that are the meat of our discussion are definately issues for the greater population to take up.

You yourself are an outspoken proponent of the law, yet you have met with this brigand and have not dispensed justice. Perhaps this is the occasion for you to show that you are made of stronger stuff.

In good faith,
Nathaniel Brisbane
 
Local Hero?...perhaps to the peasentry or others... I cannot recall on any occasion that the residents of this town thought of him as a hero.

Or do you mean to imply that the citizen of Briarpass care not for the debt they incurred against the Right Honorable Teamsters Guild, nor for how it was paid?

Correct, what matter is it of ours... if some one is interested in that.. they'll seek the information out on their own.


Perhaps the personal matters between the Archer and myself are not cause for common concern, but the economic and legal matters that are the meat of our discussion are definately issues for the greater population to take up.

greater populace? I think perhaps your quarrel is for a pair of magistrates and no one else.


You yourself are an outspoken proponent of the law, yet you have met with this brigand and have not dispensed justice. Perhaps this is the occasion for you to show that you are made of stronger stuff.

Perhaps you should understand the premise of the meeting I had with him and if I had any inclination to bring justice to him it surely would have been impossible given the sheer amount of eldritch structures I was forced in and cast on me.
 
Good Esquire,

I do not think that the Emerald Archer is well loved by those here in BriarPass. I myself was attached, by him with no provication. I do wish to hear what he has to say, I wonder what started all of this.

Emerald Archer,

Why did you start down this path? What has Baron Buchannan done to you? You say that he has committed great evils against his peoples. What are they?

Liddia FallingStar
 
Liddia,

I apologize if I permanently killed any of the Briarpass adventurers. At the time, you were protecting goods meant to reinforce the Pig and I didn't know all of you that well - we thought you were just hired goons. And since, at the time, the Pig had just burned three of my friend's farmhouses, I wasn't in the best of moods. You understand. I have no problem with the Seneschal opening up Briarpass to adventurers and, actually, am glad there are more people protecting the farmers. In fact, it was the rise of Adventurers which first inspired me to pick up arms.

Yes, the right honorable Baron James Buchanon, Duke and Lord of Buckland has more than earned my hate. He has tormented and abused his tenants for as long as he's been landlord. He's thrown families off their land for missing a single payment, sold children into slavery to pay off debts, indentures farmers at the drop of a hat, wastes his money on parties and expensive toys, and is just generally a jerk. His land stretches across all the major crossroads out of Arbor so anyone who wants to bring their goods into market has to pay handling and shipping and service and protection and any other fees he can think of. He's choking his farmers into starvation. His arrogance is only matched by his greed. Brisbane, his herald, would have you believe he's just a Duke who, though stern, loves his people, but that's all flash and chafe.

We've begged him for pity and a drop of human kindness, but he refuses. We've appealed to the capital, but as long as he keeps paying his tithes and assists the Guilds when requested, they refuse to help. We even spoke with the Elven Empire, but they won't get involved in Wayside politics. So, myself and a few of my friends, took it upon ourselves to redistribute his ill-gotten gains. We've had success and more have joined our cause as times goes on, but we've a long way to go.

The hope is he'll either figure out we're a force to be reckoned with and renounce his ways, or we'll weaken his hold on the land enough that a popular uprising will topple his family. I have no particular grudge against his army or his heritage, but as long as they side with him, they're our enemy. If you're looking for a popular cause and a clean conscience, we could certainly use the outspoken help of well-known adventurer. We're always looking for more friends.


The Emerald Archer
 
Well if there is sport in the endeavor, treasure to be had and a reasonable chance of success I would certainly be willing to offer the aid of a moderately powerful celestial scholar. Assuming of course this would not bring me into conflict with those of my own kind. In particular as a scholar I wield Daggers and would jump at the chance to perhaps obtain an enchanted or better weapon of this type.

- Eldarion -
 
Master Eldarion, you would take up the cause of the Archer? I understood Dark Elves to have more honor than to side with brigands and rabble. Was my trust in you misplaced in Albor?

The Baron is not ruled by the love of his people. He is ruled by his duty to them. The Baron is profit and provider to all the souls who live in Buckland. He cares for them as best he may by maintaining a public defense force, by securing fair trade prices and routes for all goods produced those lands, and by doing what he is able to ensure the safety of all Bucklanders. His duty is the same as any noble of any land.

In the many lands I have visited people often grumble about the lords of the land. Yet rarely do those people grumble about not being invaded by savage races, or overrun by undead. It is in the nature of humans to wish for more than they have, and it is in the nature of humans to overlook the value of what they have earned.

Think you, Archer, on the oppression of which you speak. When was the last time Buckland was assailed by an outside force? Apart from your actions, and the previous actions of the citizens of Briarpass, when was the last time a citizen of Buckland was attacked by brigands?

In times of war, such as the recent unpleasantness with the Rockfist tribe and then the Stonebiter tribe, supplies are bound to run low and people are bound to suffer. That is what war is all about after all. The Baron is now working to rebuild stores and to see to his suffering people, but that cannot be accomplished when brigands and vigilantes assail every shipment of relief goods.

Your actions have only served to extend the shortages caused by recent war efforts. Your continued actions will only serve to worsen those shortages.

In good faith,
Nathaniel Brisbane
 
Well I must admit that if this Archer fellow is a brigand then I would have no interest in him. I certainly would plan to find out more about him before I would help him. Your words alone Brisbane strongly persuade me to not follow this path. I must admit that I do not understand the situation in these lands fully and as such am easily fooled to not understand the full picture of what people tell me. I certainly would not want to aid a disreputable figure and was merely stating my taste for a good adventure with a chance of profit. However I would never wish to make that through questionable means. Until I see it face to face I reserve my final judgment on the matter.

- Eldarion -
Brotherhood of the Dragon
 
I truly believe the Archer's intentions are good. I know that his bow and blades could be put to better use.

I have heard tales of the battle at the walls, of the bravery and tenacity of Captain Frain and The Archer.

Perhaps together we could root out the source of the shortages in Buckland. The war effort drained everyone's reserves. This year Briarpass has had a bountiful harvest, and the Rockfist orcs have become productive citizens of Wayside. Under Regent Effram's guidance, and with the cooperation of the people of Briarpass, the lands flourish.

This is not the case in Buckland. I know not why.

In good faith,
Nathaniel Brisbane
 
Dark Elf Eldarion,

I am most assuredly not only a bandit, but a hooligan, a ruffian, a lawscourge, a criminal, and any other title which shows hatred of the law - but, I'm also a freedom fighter, a peasant champion, a rabblekin, or any other title which shows I fight against the big to protect the small. We are fighting outside the law against immense odds with only the wits and hands the Earth chooses to give us. Frankly, I'm surprised I've lived this long. If it's not within your honor or mind to help those who cannot help themselves, then by all means stay away and I'll bear you no ill will. You won't be the only one who throws cabbages and jears at my public Obliteration. It may very well be as Nathaniel says, "a human thing" - but I think it's more a "freedom loving thing".


The Emerald Archer
 
I have no intention of "throwing cabages" and I doubt any Dark Elf would resort to such medocre means of scorn. However do not worry, I only put so much weight in dreams, and in this case I will certainly reserve my judgement to the situation and my meeting of you. Until then.

- Eldarion -
Brotherhood of the Dragon
 
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