The Brightshore Observer

ONCEMAS YEAR 24
Inaugural Edition

New Leadership for Brightshore
Last month’s election results are in, and we now welcome six new councilmembers: Arbiter Fallwood, Archon Errol Twice-Blessed, Chancellor Galvan Gost, Consul Maxmillian von Tibblesworth, Indomitable Cleo Catra, and Registrar Atwood.

Earlier this Oncemas, citizens gathered to hear the new council’s first address. Though the weather was cool, there were bonfires in the park, and the Hall of Hunters distributed hats and gloves to the citizenry. Members of the Hall were seen throughout the gathering. Chancellor Gost initiated the address, flanked by his personal guard, the Knights of the Order of the Black Veil. The crowd, while not the entire city, was large and attentive.

In his address, Chancellor Gost began by declaring that “Today is the beginning of a new age!” He thanked the people for their faith in him and the others elected, and extolled each other member as he introduced them to the crowd. Additionally, he addressed the changes made to the council by the new members (the specific language of the rulings can be found in this issue of the Brightshore Observer). These include changing the names of some of the positions, rearranging duties amongst the members of the council, and verifying their codes of conduct.

Indomitable Cleo Catra also spoke, though more briefly than the Chancellor. In laying out her plans, she indicated that she wished most of all to protect the inhabitants of Brightshore. Her policy also included making use of knowledge and reports from the public and adventurers in addition to what the Defenders learn on their own.

Members of the citizenry were able to ask questions. The council did not shirk from these questions and answered forthrightly. The Chancellor, Indomitable, and Archon all fielded questions regarding their plans and intentions. Archon Twice-Blessed requested that all followers of the Four pray that the council’s actions be “in concert with the will of the Four.”
– Hraesvelgr Katla

Red Sash Threat
Adventurers have encountered red-skinned goblins throughout the ruins and elsewhere outside the city. As they often wear a red sash, they have cleverly gained the moniker “Red Sash.” These particular goblins appear to have fiendish connections, as adventurers have found ritual circles of infernal power in and around the the goblins’ inhabitancies. In addition, many of these so-called Red Sash, once killed in battle, have given way to imps and quasits, further supporting the theory of fiendish relations.

Inside their territories, those who can read the correct languages have seen statements of “Death to Brightshore,” “Death to the enemies of the Red Sash,” and similar phrases. Some adventurers, including yours truly, discovered a Red Sash outpost mirroring the development of the outpost being defended by Arbiter Fallwood and the Hall of Hunters. Another group of adventurers encountered a group of Red Sash moving towards the Skipriver Village, south of Brightshore. The party was stopped by the adventurers, and no Red Sash attack on the Halfling village has yet occurred. However, a Skipriver Halfling was found murdered in the ruins.

Additionally, these infernal goblins may have the ability to disguise themselves. One masqueraded as Jorpot the Shineyman (before his untimely end during the Trouble at the Tower) in an attempt to lure adventurers deeper into the ruins. The Guard and the Defenders, as well as the Council as a whole, has been made aware of this threat and related issues. As always, we warn those not properly outfitted to defend themselves stay away from the ruins and keep a wary eye when outside the city.
– Hraesvelgr Katla

Eye on the Council
The council had a busy first month, establishing new roles, standards of conduct, and an official policy for interacting with foreign states. If members of the citizenry wish to contact the council, they may do so via the council’s steward, located at Gost Citadel.
– Hraesvelgr Katla

Role and Standards changes of the Second Council
Brightshore Council Role Change

1. Marshal portfolio was added to the Arbiter portfolio.
2. Consul position was created for purposes of foreign policy and relations.
3. Yeoman was rebranded as Registrar.

Council Member Affiliation Standards

1. Council members can associate/work with any entity/individual so long as no conflicts of interest impacts their job performance.
2. Council members cannot use council funding to benefit their private interests.
3. Council members cannot abuse their position to knowingly and actively influence their private interests.
4. If there is a perceived discrepancy it will be judged and enforced by the remaining five democratically elected council members.

Council Arbitration Standards

1. At meetings, council members will go over their proposed or enacted changes for their portfolio.
2. Fellow council members will listen to proposals and give a vote of Yes, No, or Abstain.
3. The chancellor’s vote will only be counted in times of indecision/tie.
4. At times of emergency or necessity it is acceptable for a council member to just make a call and have it revisited afterwards.
5. A matter determined as trivial can also be enacted without a vote. This can be challenged after the fact.

Foreign Policy
By Decree of Consul Maximillian von Tibblesworth
On the Authority of the Second Council of Brightshore
The City-State Hereby Establishes the Following as its Foreign Policy:

• It is the policy of the city of Brightshore to, absent clear and present danger posed to its populace or obvious moral atrocity, extend all societies the opportunity for friendship and trade in good faith. Adventurers who choose aggression towards foreign powers without authorization will be called to justify their actions and be held accountable for them.
• The government of Brightshore shall attempt, as much as possible, to resolve differences with its neighbors through civil discourse and merchantile exchange, resorting to force of arms only as a last resort in the face of aggression or in response to moral atrocity. Such authorizations are the exclusive right of the Council to approve.
• The government of Brightshore shall not expand its borders by force of arms into territory belonging to another recognized government or people group.
• The government of Brightshore will hold its citizenry accountable to these tenents while they are present in foreign lands, up to and including criminal prosecution for unprovoked aggression.

Additionally, Consul Maxmillian von Tibblesworth has requested that any Brightshore residents who are a designated agent of or have good relations with foreign powers to meet with him for further discussion.

Editorials

Editor’s note: Any resident of Brightshore is welcome to make their opinions heard through the Brightshore Observer. Please see Hraesvelgr Katla in the Nicked Rock if you wish to share your own opinions. All opinions published are that of the submitter and do not necessarily represent the opinion of anyone else. The Brightshore Observer does retain the right to edit for length, threats of bodily or spiritual harm, or crass language.

Letter from Einarsson
To the New Council:

I congratulate you all on your new positions. I hope that you all truly realize the weight of responsibility that comes with your new positions. This was a quick change, done without much input from the common citizens of Brightshore. We are trusting you now to act in our best interests, as we have no other options available to us. Be sturdy and strong in your dedication to the law. May Unre guide you.

To the people of Brightshore:

Keep your wits about you and your eyes open as we enter this new era in our city.

Those of you who listened closely to Chancellor Gost’s first public speech may be concerned by his words, as I was. If you were not, I implore you to meditate on what was said and done that afternoon and in the days since.

The council has dictated that its members are allowed to continue their own personal affairs outside of their council duties. Did we not elect these people to make Brightshore their main concern? Yet, perhaps they are skilled enough to dedicate time to both the city and their own affairs. However, we Brightshorians have no say on whether we believe this to be true or not. Per its own statements, the council will only be responsible to itself. While members of the council may adjudicate whether they believe another member of the council has a conflict of interest or is behaving inappropriately, there is no method for the people to remove a member they feel may be acting inappropriately. Thus, if any member is in an accord with another member about his or her actions, who can say whether corruption would be rooted out with any expediency, let alone at all?

Truly, this was the case with our first council, as well. But this new council claims to be serving at the desire of the people. However, I find that, based on what has been said and what we have seen, this council is even less “democratic” than our previous one.

Instead of spending the majority of their time in a public location such as the Tower, only one council member, Archon Twice-blessed, has established a publicly accessible office. While we cannot blame the new council for the destruction of the Tower, surely there was a better choice for their meetings than the Gost Citadel, which is known to be open only to the wealthy and noble, and guarded by the Chancellor’s personal forces, which owe no loyalty to the people of Brightshore, only him alone. And instead of having regularly scheduled meetings as our previous council did, the meetings of the current council are private. While Arbiter Fallwood will be holding scheduled meetings, these are focused simply on threats to the city, which, while a commendable thing, is not the same as having a meeting of the full council where the public can raise their concerns, nor is that the purview of the Arbiter.

In addition, there is no real way for the public to communicate with the council (again, outside of Archon Twice-blessed, whose willingness to associate with the common people must be commended) in any regular fashion outside of accosting them at their own homes, happening upon them in public places, or sending a letter that may or may not arrive at its intended destination. [Editor’s note: This letter was received before the establishment of the steward at the Gost Citadel.]

Beyond that, the council has decreed that any one council member can decide–on their own–that the vote of the whole council not be necessary for any given situation. These dictates can be “challenged” afterwards, but there is no clear way for the people of Brightshore to hold this council responsible for its actions or to stop corruption before it takes deep root and ensnares many more, as the council is only responsible to itself.

So, again, my neighbors and friends: Keep your eyes open. Beware of corruption. Do not be afraid to speak out when you see it.

– Einarsson

Lifestyle

Family Announcements
Our prayers are with the family and loved ones of the adventurer Dusk, who passed away on a venture outside of the city this month.

We congratulate Malcolm and Morgan Bradford on the arrival of their daughter, Marynn.

Guild Overview: Hall of Hunters

We are a guild of like-minded warriors and practicioners of the magical arts who wish to exchange our skills for the coin of the realm. We take pride in helping each other to gain the best training and equipment that we can muster and do it for your service.

Our largest accomplishment to date is the reclamation of the first section of the ruins across the River Olteus, where soon construction will begin to ease the overcrowding in Brightshore’s current boundaries. We have also been first among those facing the threat of the Red Sash and are experts in their ways.

Feel free to call on us in the River District to hire us – or to join us. We seek all comers and provide bed, food, lodging and aid in equipping. Talk with Zentariel or Master Enailis Glanodel about any matter.
– Zentariel of the Hall of Hunters

Fancyscale’s Figment
Per Brightshore’s own infamous faerie dragon, in Sylvan, a profound statement of the highest order, useful for wishing others good luck, or greeting individuals at auspicious occasions: Os gwelwch yn dda taro fy wyneb.

The editor would like to indicate that she herself doesn’t speak Sylvan and was unable to track down a translator before publication. Thus, reminding the dear reader that Fancyscale is well-known for his expertise in pranks and tricks seems appropriate. If any Sylvan-speaking readers would like to submit their translation so that we can better interpret Fancyscale’s wisdom, please do not hesitate to do so.