++Posted prominently in the Town Hall, along with the occasional speech by Aaron Russell++

Citizens,

It is with great pleasure that I, Aaron Russell, am announcing myself as a Council Candidate for the Marpenoth Elections!

I will be frank in that my stay here has not been long, but it has been increasingly evident to myself that this city is going through a time of change. During this time it is imperative for the citizenship to seek out those who will best lead them and their city to a safe, stable lifestyle. My campaign will focus on establishing this safe, stable lifestyle for ourselves and generations to come.

One of the most upsetting things to me here in Sanctuary is that we are at war with ourselves. After 150 or so years, we stand a city divided, and this will lead to our demise. We must unite, and unlike the Councilors of the past, I will focus primarily on this goal. I will not waste time creating more problems by banishing goblin and kobold races; I will not waste time creating a new bank. I will, however, use my time to see to the city's top priority -- uniting it and securing its stability for the future.

To encourage our city's stabilization, I wish to see to the education and shelter of our children. Any citizen should know that there are a large amount of orphans running about the city. Let us give them a home! Children are our future -- these orphans are our future! By leaving these orphans astray, we are paving the way to future crime. Let us re-establish the Orphanage and put it to full use! Let us create a Sanctuary School for the children, for without education our children will go nowhere. Our children must be happy and educated for this city to flourish another 151 years.

And naturally, I do not wish to see this city strive toward foolish goals. Candidate Reile wishes to turn Sanctuary into a war engine. Are we, an establishment of approximately one thousand citizens, ready to declare war on surrounding settlements such as Traensyr, a full-fledged city of fully-equipped, highly magical drow warriors? Are we, an establishment fighting with ourselves, ready to tackle the Lizardfolk out a far distance and risk contracting their diseases? Let us instead fortify ourselves like our svirfneblins before us, and take a defensive stand. I will simply say it, Sanctuary will not be a war machine in the near future. However, by fortifying ourselves and maximizing our defense, we may one day reach the point where we can afford to send war parties out against our enemies. Though this term is not the time to do so.

Let us stand united.

Vote Aaron Russell in Marpenoth!

++Speech made in the Lower Marketplace, along with a poster added to the Genevis Ward Marketplace Board++

Fellow men and women of all that is free,

Hear me now! I am Aaron Russell, and I am running for the position of Councilor in the Town Hall! Your interests in this upcoming election are at risk, and I am here to warn you and to support you in Marpenoth!

We're going through a time of suffering. The goblins and kobolds that our past Council has banished have only caused us more problems. Why is our Council so ignorant as to declare a war on the slaver races while we're already in dispute with one another? We must find a resolution! We must man our gates and turtle ourselves here in Sanctuary just as the svirfneblin did before us.

We must see to it that every man and woman is fed. We must educate our children, and therefore I wish to set up the School of Sanctuary here in Lower to secure our future. After all, our city is going nowhere without a properly educated youth.

Though know that you still have a large portion of the vote, friends! Other candidates such as Alexander Reile wants to send raiding parties out against our enemies! He claims that these raiding parties will not attract attention to Sanctuary, but what drow would think that a raiding party full of their former slaves are not from Sanctuary? And who will man these raiding parties? It is a long-known fact that the poor are the ones that fight the war! This man wants to send you out from your home and into the hands of the slaver races once more! Listen not to his political rabble-dabble, but do not tolerate this man! Do not vote Reile in Marpenoth if you wish to live here at home!

Another candidate that comes to mind is a fellow named Kale Aldren. I read a flyer by him earlier in which he said in his very own words that the Upper Council was pandering to "thugs". Thugs! He is calling you, me, your brothers, sisters and everyone who lives here in Lower a thug! He is calling our Lower Council a bunch of thieves! No wonder you all felt the oppressed, you were being treated as if you were inferior people! Let us not perpetuate this outrageous claim against us; do not vote for Kale Aldren in Marpenoth! He will simply view you and treat you as if you were a thug!

Friends, we all escaped slavery together. We're all here to survive together. So let us be treated equally. Let us not pander to candidates that wish to send you off to be enslaved; let us not pander to candidates that will treat you like a thug! Let us instead vote for a man who wishes to see a city reunited under fair terms, wishes to resolve our problems instead of creating new ones, and who has your interests in mind!

Vote Aaron Russell in Marpenoth!

++Speech made in the Lower Marketplace, along with a poster added to the Genevis Ward Marketplace Board, next to his previous one and Reile's response++

Fellow seekers of all that is right,

A few moments ago, I read a response by Reile to my latest speech. I'd like to give his responses a fair response, as well as formally challenging him to an in-person debate in his place of choosing.

First, he tells that he would never force anyone to fight alongside him. When did he ever make this promise in the past? If it wasn't for intuitive men watching those who would exploit you, Reile might push to have innocent men leave their homes and fight cities superior. It is fortunate that people such as myself have been able to spot this and make him promise a more acceptable term.

Secondly, he obviously does not know that we are the only establishment of non-slaver races in the area. If a band of humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings went out of their way to attack a drow caravan, who do you believe they will turn to? Most obviously, Sanctuary is the culprit. This man wishes to risk all of our hides for his little revenge raids against the slaver races!

Thirdly, this man brings religion into a political debate. Men do not fight politics with religion. Therefore I conclude that this man is by far no professional, and why would you ever vote a moron into office?

Friends, it is a time for change. Let us put our votes away from the silliness that we've always been offered and put our votes onto a new choice; a choice of change. Let us secure ourselves now and for generations to come. Let us not follow the direction of our councilors today and only stir more chaos.

Let there be order. Let there be peace. Let us prosper.

Vote Aaron Russell in Marpenoth!

My fellow people in Lower!

The time has come to elect our Council once more. Though let us not forget the past! Let us not forget the oppression, the mistreatment and misrepresentation in the Council! Let us ensure that we are safe, happy and free from past wrongdoings!

Vote me into Council friends, and you will know that Lower's power will perpetuate in the Upper Council, even in the upcoming absence of the Lower Council.

Vote Aaron Russell in Marpenoth!

++Speech made in the Town Hall with a written copy posted on the wall after++

Good men and women of Freedom!

Our dear settlement is in a time of crisis. Lizardfolk threaten, goblins and kobolds ravage our lower sectors, our gate is unguarded, the duergar stole our money and our law enforcement is struggling to maintain order! Our past Council has not done our city justice, and I, Aaron Russell, am here to succeed where our past Council has failed!

I stand for stability. Our people are uneducated, poor and desperate in Lower. Is this no better than what was once their slavery? They are our brothers! Why have we left them behind? Why do some of us go out of our way to stand against them?

My solution is a simple one. Let us educate our brethren! Let us give them a chance at work! Benevolent efforts such as the Beacon will only get them so far, and maybe even make some reliant on those efforts. I instead propose that through education, the beggar on the corner today can be working just like you and I today within these next two months. We must open a School for Sanctuary, a higher Academy of the Arts, reform the Orphanage and offer psychological aid to those inflicted by the illithid.

My second policy is defense. Too long have we tried to throw our forces out in war! We need to use this city as it was designed for, as the svirfneblin intended it to be. Let us fortify this establishment; "turtle" if it you will. Our settlement of one thousand five hundred men will -not- be able to take on settlements such as Sslal'steesh, Traensyr, Ysinode and more, who exceed our population ten times or more! Let us instead become an impregnable fortress and make a Sanctuary for us all, not a cesspit of civil war.

My speech is short, my speech is simple, but I beg of you all my fellow men and women, Let us see Sanctuary live up to its name! Vote for Aaron Russell, and we will work toward a better and stronger Sanctuary.

Vote Aaron Russell in Marpenoth!