Elient 18, 151 Alexander Reile Rock Bottom Inn Regard Campaign Platform

I notice you desire to turn Sanctuary into a military power. I have a few questions about how you plan to do this.

How will a city with a maximum of 400 battle capable citizens maintain a military force against any major settlement in the region? The Slaal'teesh are estimated to have 1000 battle ready, Fort Mur 200, Traensyr 13,000, Chabash is entirely unknown, Ysinode, is entirely unknown but it can be assumed any concerted effort by the last two forces can readily bring 1000 plus battle ready soldiers to bear.

Currently, Sanctuary's defense forces number 280 battle captable citizens between the Watch and Spellguard. The Seekers and Society of the Ordered mind bring that to 300 easily enough. It appears your goal is to add an additional 100 battle ready soldiers to our city's ranks-although currently it appears that these ranks in the event of an emergency will readily be filled by local adventurers and 1/10th of that number already serves within the battle ready Citizen's Defense League where they obtain training in leading unskilled bands of citizen-soldiers which would adequetely contain all 400 battle ready citizens in Sanctuary.

I believe that the core of your argument focuses on how Sanctuary is not prepared to assault vastly superior foes in their own territory, while our current agenda is to withstand assaults by superior foes within our own defendable territory. If you can discover a way to reverse the advantage of two to one or even four to one odds against our forces; I'd like to hear them and how I can help.

If you believe that there is no way to offset these odds, then I'd like to know how you plan to move the Council to actually give our defense forces the authority they need to erradicate goblins, kobolds, and rebels who threaten our safety. The previous three Councils have all failed in this regard.

Respectfully,

Sergeant Barrister Fawkes

Sergeant Barrister Fawkes,

I pen this reply to a letter I received from you today.

You addressed your concerns about my campaign on turning Sanctuary into a military power. Firstly, I believe you misunderstand my words to an extent. I do not intend on marching an army of Sanctuarians against Fort Mur, Traensyr or Chabash. My intentions lie foremost in solidifying Sanctuary's defenses against any foe. As you already stated, Sanctuary's defenses are sorely lacking and require a significant boost in order to raise the odds should we face an attack from these foes.

I believe you underestimate the abilities of your fellow citizens of Sanctuary. You believe we will be able to increase the number of battle ready citizens by 100. I beg to differ and would raise that number by at least 300, putting it up to 400. I have served in wars before and I have seen what the "common man" is capable of if given proper training. There are hundreds of additional citizens within Sanctuary whom have both the ability and will to ready themselves and assist against an attack upon Sanctuary, they merely lack the chance. I wish to offer these people the chance to assist in defending their homes and as such, make Sanctuary safer for all.

A common foe can easily be used to combine any number of people under a common banner. This presumed war with the lizardsfolk may well unite Sanctuary more than we have previously seen as citizens from both quarters fight side by side against an invading force. Such can also be said about the goblins and kobold, which do not necessarily need to be attacked directly. Either group of creatures could be used to eradicate the other, thus weakening the first group enough for it to be removed by the citizens of Sanctuary afterwards.

I do not know specifically what hindered the previous councils from removing these creatures but I inform you now that I shall make every measure to ensure that they are removed from Sanctuary in a timely fashion. They may well be used against the lizardfolk should they attack Sanctuary, which may well reduce their numbers enough for them to be easily removed afterwards.

Should Sanctuary defeat the lizardfolk in an assault upon Sanctuary, an assault could be launched upon their settlement and a fortified position outside Sanctuary established. This position could then be used to conduct raids on drow caravan, duergar slave traders, Kua-Toan shipments, et cetera, without betraying Sanctuary's involvement in the matter. Thus, Sanctuary would be safe from retaliation. Having an outwardly capable military presence does not necessarily mean you need to launch direct assaults against a stronger foe.

Heed the words of the Red Knight and you shall find that a battle is won by those with the best planning, strategy, and tactics, regardless of the apparent odds. Only by focusing one's own strength's on the opponent's vulnerabilities can triumph be ensured. Remove a significant amount of trade, supplies and/or incoming personnel from a foe and you find yourself facing a much weaker enemy should you take the fight to them.

Your brother in arms, Alexander Reile

Elient 18, 151 Alexander Reile Rock Bottom Inn Regard Campaign Platform

I find your plans far more modest and thoughtful than most I view in this regard. I'd like to discuss your specific details in a more fully drafted form either in person or through letters.

I expect I will find much of merit in such a correspondence and how the Watch can help shape your ideas and be shaped by them.

Respectfully,

Sergeant Barrister Fawkes

Sergeant Fawkes,

I would be honoured to discuss my plans with a sergeant in the Sanctuary Watch. Although I do not have much time these days and doubt I will be able to meet you in person soon, I will most likely be able to find time to pen replies to any of your inquiries should you have any.

Know that strengthening the Watch directly coincides with my plans of fortifying Sanctuary against our enemies and as such, I would wish to hear directly from the Watch what they believe is lacking in defense matters within Sanctuary. Although it would most likely be imprudent to discuss such matters with an individual who has not been accepted into the Council, I implore you to discuss with your fellows within the Watch any ideas you would have a Councillor know of, immediately, so that if I am accepted into the Council by the citizens of Sanctuary, I can be informed of them with due haste.

I find shall, without a doubt, find merit in all the ideas proposed by those who have actively defended Sanctuary for so long a time and as such, do not limit your discussion to the Watch alone but more to any changes the Watch would wish to see within Sanctuary as a whole.

If your fellow Watch members would wish to inquire as to the specifics of my plans for Sanctuary themselves, do forward them my name and location within the Rock Bottom so they can write to me themselves.

I am looking forward to a fruitful cooperation with both you and your comrades in arms,

Alexander Reile

One of the first things necessary are reforms for the Watch and other Defense Leagues. One of our major problems is a lack of coordination between the Spellguard, Seekers, and the Watch. The office of the Herald attempted to coordinate, but gained little respect from anyone because of an inability to offer more than advisory guidance and a total lack of influence over the Seekers.

Historically, the Seekers mission is to find a route to the surface. They in 150 years have likely failed in every mission they've launched in this regard. Most citizens seeking to flee to the surface lead their own missions without Seeker aid, or if the Seekers travel with them--the non-Seeker members actually found the proposed route to follow.

The Seekers other duty is to scout and gather information for Sanctuary. They are notoriously slow about it, and lack direction. Even when the Council recently ordered a report on the Slaal'teesh settlement, the Seekers failed to file a report for 30 days.

My first suggestion is that the Seekers should be reassigned as a Scouting force operating jointly under the command of the Spellguard and the Watch. Information gathering and scouting missions are integral to our city's survival against our numerous foes-yet the Seekers spend more time looking for routes to the surface that they never find than they spend studying our foes.

Sanctuary needs to find allies outside our walls. Local duergar tribes, svirneblin outposts, and even human settlements or wizards living in the Underdark should be approached and befriended. These people can serve as eyes and ears, potential trading partners, and may be willing to discuss mutual defense or protection treaties. The rebuilding of the Blue Mushroom outpost and the charitable aiding of its citizens should be considered. I also suggest examining ties with the merchants of the Lost Shop, the very powerful wizard Thomas who dwells just outside Lower Sanctuary, and possible peaceful relations with the fey that inhabit the Dark Canal. These are all missions the Seekers should have conducted, but have failed to do with their obsession with routes to the surface they can't find.

Respectfully,

Sergeant Barrister Fawkes