Citizens of our Beloved City,
Allow me an introduction; My name is Ivandur Reynolt, I have lived in Sanctuary for nearly a decade and sought to live a quiet life until the end of my days. However, I realised this is not something I could do and still maintain my sanity; Every man must do his part to ensure the well being of Sanctuary. It is then I truly became a part of our community.
Now I run for the empty seat within the Council, by voting for me, I will strive for the following;
1. Unity: Unite the various factions within the city. Through this we will know community, brotherhood, trust, loyalty and camaraderie between ourselves. Every faction will cooperate towards an end that would benefit Sanctuary. No more distrust between the Seekers and Spellguard. No more disdain between the Tigereyes and Watch.
I will strive for this by speaking with each Agency and Order and learning their grievances and issues. I will then speak with the others and eventually bring them together so that I might mediate the discussion. Compromise will be found one way or another; Whether it be funding, rivalry, wrongs in the past, amends will be made. It is my belief Sanctuary was founded and is still maintained by good men, and it is a sad day when good men quarrel.
2. Community: Another of my aims is for that of new arrivals to Sanctuary to place themselves amongst the community as soon as possible. Those who arrive to Sanctuary will be able to find something to keep themselves busy while aiding their community.
Towards this, I plan to assemble a group of masters in their crafts who will be mostly comprised of selfless volunteers; Smithing, Weaving, Hunting, Martial skill, the Arcane, the Divine. Apprenticeships for those of all ages and background. It is my hope that through the added manpower and work going into the community that we may ultimately see taxes lowered. To draw more into Sanctuary, I will also be a proponent of more funds going into Slave Raids. Ultimately, this will bring more able bodied people into our city, more to pay taxes and benefit their neighbors.
3. Rebuilding: We cram ourselves into Lower and Upper Sanctuary and suffer these petty rivalries when we should treat each other as brothers. Yet we ignore another staple source of living space. The ruins. In truth, they are not very welcoming now, but was all of Dunwarren not as those ruins were before we arrived?
It would be my aim to maintain a reasonable amount of space within the ruins and make them habitable. To rebuild the damage caused, to ensure it was safe to live within, to have guards posted closely, and patrolled as often as Upper and Lower Sanctuary. Should this prove too dangerous upon closer consideration, I will investigate other avenues. The construction of homes when our borders are strengthened and safer. It will not be an easy feat, but where there is a will there is always a way.
4. Defense: Through Unity we will find our strength and our defense against the onslaught of the Underdark. When we can be trusting of our kin and cooperate with ourselves, we can turn towards the walls to face that which threatens our homes. It is my most sincere hopes to see Tigereyes welcoming Watch, and Watch welcoming Tigereyes to defend their gates in our time of need.
My plans to teach new arrivals skills will also bolster the ranks of the Watch, Seekers and Spellguard, ensuring a staple force. Taxes paid by a growing population will also maintain them.
5. Taxes: I’ve little desire to see the taxes raised any further, and it is my hope that the plans I have already stated will help in at least maintaining them if not lowering them. Unfortunately, Taxes are a neccessity of a prosperous community and are the building blocks we need. With our community's number's rising, the more whom pay taxes, the lower taxes can be for all.
6. Expansion Vs Isolation As our city grows, children are born, and men age, we are left with a larger population. It is my belief that should an escape ever be found, it will indeed be impossible and far too risky to allow a mass exodus to the surface. Furthermore, such an action will simply risk the discovery of Sanctuary.
However, The Seekers were established with the intent of finding escape, and for many it is their most sincere hope. I will not deny them that. To conclude, I would focus on allowing Sanctuary to thrive as a city opposed to focusing on abandoning all that which we have worked for within these walls.
When we cooperate within our walls, we can extend this cooperation outside of them; Extend our reach, but not to the point we are stretched thin. Negotiate trade contracts with neighboring settlements. Discover and chart veins of unclaimed ore so that we've something to barter and profit from. Turn our humble city into an Empire of sorts.
5. Crime Crime is high, and it is to be expected when you’ve a city full of ex-slaves. Many men have suffered horrendous pasts, and it is a difficult feat to remain unchanged by such wretched sights. I feel that penalties for crimes should be harsh, but only for the unrepentant and those unwilling to make amends.
If a man steals a loaf of bread and he is caught and his hand severed, what becomes of him? He will only try harder to avoid detection next he steals. Instead, I would rather see this man make amends for his crime; Let him learn how to make that which he sought to steal, let him experience the efforts that go into hard work, and in time he would not need to steal to feed himself for he could make himself that very same loaf of bread.
Of course, this does not claim there will be no punishments, for they are a part of Law. My only proposal concerning crime is an attempt to welcome those who might commit crimes in the hopes they would abandon that life, and be more than prepared to remove those from our society who commit crime without moral.
6. Necromancy
Unlike most Candidates, I fully oppose Necromancy. Specifically, Animation of the Dead and Slain. This act is an insult to the living, the gods, and our kin. It is a wretched curse which takes the husk of the dead and bends them to the caster's will, tormenting the soul as the body is under the Necromancer's full control.
I will not tolerate it. Ask yourself; What sort of man would? ---
In truth, this is not something I can accomplish alone, and it will eventually fall to the men and women whom make this city what it is to see to it's completion. When it comes to Unity, I can do my best to show the way, but I have learned such a thing cannot be forced, it must simply happen over time and years of trust.
By placing your faith in me, we place faith in ourselves. Elect me, and I will not let your good faith go ignored.
Sincerely,
Ivandur Reynolt