My name is Elias Brock, and I am for a unified Sanctuary.
Too often does our talk turn to the things that drive us apart in this city, our Sanctuary. Too often do we drive each other away for our differences. There is a great rift perceived in Sanctuary, between Upper and Lower, when in fact that rift is not so great as it seems. There is far, far more that we have in common than that which separates us.
Sanctuary is a place unique, for all we know, in the entirety of the Underdark. A place where surface races are, ideally, free, safe, and happy. I was a slave to the drow for ten years or more, and Sanctuary was the gift I never thought I would receive. I would fight tooth and nail at our gates before I would let another person be taken into slavery from this place. But this does not mean that every person in Sanctuary is free, safe, and happy. There is a great deal more that can be done, that must be done to make this a better place.
Too many people still go hungry in our streets. This is not because they cannot be fed, in fact, increasing our food production in Sanctuary will be simple. We should shift our emphasis away from Rothe hunting and towards Rothe herding. This will decrease the chance of over-hunting, increase the amount of meat available, and alleviate the risk undertaken by our hunters, who seek merely to feed their families by venturing out into the darkness. Also, mushrooms could be grown on the shores of the Dark Canal. Making Sanctuary more self-sufficient means making Sanctuary safer in times of war, gives it more options for trade in times of peace, and provides more employment for all.
Crime is a great concern in Sanctuary, and this epidemic has two sources. First, there are those who turn to crime because they have a darkness in their hearts that urges them to do so. This form of crime is fought by the hard-working men and women of the Watch. It is also fought in our communities, by our people. I urge Sanctuary's people to watch their own homes, and their neighbor's homes. I urge Lower Sanctuary to form a community watch, not a uniformed militia, but a network of every family and every concerned citizen, to identify and stop criminal behavior in our streets.
Crime is also caused by a lack of alternatives. There are those who turn to crime not because they are evil, but because they believe they have no other option. The solution to this is education. I will push for initiatives, like the proposed library of Sanctuary, which will increase literacy in the city, teach skills and crafts, and help the people of Sanctuary to learn how to provide for their families in a safe and moral way.
I do not claim to have all of the answers, friends, but I do have open ears and an open mind. I believe also that the Council and its processes should be more open to the public. To make this a reality, I will always make time for the people of Sanctuary to voice their concerns to me directly, and to suggest new initiatives and laws. I will also report to the people of Sanctuary, whenever possible, the current activities of the council, including what matters have come up for debate, and what requires your input.
Every woman and man in Sanctuary deserves a voice, because freedom makes us all equal.
My name is Elias Brock, and I am running for the Sanctuary Council.