Sanctuary Historical Chronicles, Article I: The Founders by the Scholar Mendrick Archibald

Our visionary founders, Henry Archibald, Charles Bresley, Jadderly Donrick and Ubel the Betrayer, with their companions, escaped from servitude in the drow citadel of Traensyr in the Year of the Horn, 1197 C.R. With cunning and determination, they traversed the wastelands of the Underdark, slaying foes and gathering supplies, until they arrived in the Svirfneblin ruins known as “Dunwarren”. There were few secrets about the abandoned city: it was clear even to the founders that the former inhabitants had been killed or driven off long ago.

Steady and industrious development commenced, as the Archibalds and Bresleys and their fellows began to establish the prosperous community that is today our Sanctuary. As new ex-slaves surged in each day, the capable founders and their children charted out new sources of food, water, medicine and ore. Refineries, kitchens, armouries and houses were set up in the old ruins, but with ever more new arrivals, temporary camps made of base materials were pitched as well. Disease and rodent infestations were rampant in these smelly, shoddy, unsightly encampments that cropped up on both sides of Sanctuary’s walls. While others handled his serious duties, Mayor Bresley spent his days wandering these marshes, greeting each arrival with a reluctant handshake and his promise that Sanctuary would remain open to all.

The Founders were not surprised that these hasty settlements of ex-slaves brought with them an unprecedented wave of sickness, disorder, crime and unguarded magic. Charles Bresley is said to have founded the Watch on the first night of Sanctuary’s existence, and many of the founders quickly rose to positions of respect as law-enforcers and city guards. A similar number of respected citizens formed the Spellguard, an elite order of skilled mages who keep our city secure from the prying eyes of our legion foes: the brutal Drow, the dread Illithid, and the lurking Beholders who threaten us all.

Sanctuary has survived despite the numerous threats to its existence. Great metropolis of deadly foes are within marching distance and dangers ancient and more horrible lurk in distant caves on all sides. Our founders could not afford to attract attention, and, even now, despite the valiant efforts of the Watch and the Spellguard, we still are not ready to defend ourselves should our foes assault the city in force. Compounding this, Frederick Bresley founded the controversial “Seekers” group, a force of adventurers who explore outside the safety of the city, hoping to uncover dangers without altering our many enemies to our presence. Although ostensibly searching for a passage to the surface as well, no indication that such a passage exists has yet been found. The “Seekers” were popular while under the leadership of the Bresley family, but have fallen into disfavour since their involvement in a series of political murders.

Sanctuary Historical Chronicles, Article II: Seeking Frederick's Murderer

Frederick Bresley, founder and leader of the "Seekers", grew jaded about the prospects of Sanctuary's survival as time passed on. He denounced the developing businesses and city government, calling them "fools" and "wrong-headed cowards" who had abandoned the original vision of escape. He decried a populace that was "weak" and "complacent", unwilling to take the risks required in his plans. These, and similar remarks, damaged the reputation of the Seekers and caused many to question whether the existence such a group truly was in the common interest.

At a speech before the nascent Town Council, Frederick announced that he had charted a route to the surface, and called upon the people of the town to follow him upward. Uproar and debate ensued, many fearing that such an expedition would surely be noticed by the drow of Traensyr, and would bring death upon them all. Spellguard Commander Melinda Bresley delivered a scathing speech about the danger that Frederick's expedition posed, and revealed secret documents indicating that the drow had recently taken notice of Seeker activity near Traensyr. Several members of the Council demanded an immediate end to Seeker operations; others supported a complete evacuation of the city and an exodus upward.

Amidst the furious debate, Frederick Bresley disappeared after a tempestuous meeting with his two top aides, Alexander Ubel and Ivlysar Tal'en'qir. Ivlysar Tal'en'qir quickly took over leadership of the Seekers, and Alexander Ubel received a substantial share of the Bresley family fortune, as per Frederick's will. Frederick's disappearance did not go unnoticed, but Ubel and Ivlysar had covered their tracks well: despite several searches of the Seeker Headquarters, the Ubel residence, and Ivlysar's private chambers, not enough conclusive evidence was found to prove to the Council that Ivlysar and Ubel had committed the murder. Commander Melinda Bresley's investigations were halted and the case was left unsolved when Mayor Charles Bresley, sick with grief, finally accepted Ivlysar's convenient fiction that Frederick had "escaped to the surface." A statue was erected in the Town Hall in Frederick's honor, and the inquiries into Ubel and Ivlysar's involvement were officially closed. Unlike her husband, however, Melinda still had her suspicions about what Ubel and Ivlysar were really up to.

Kudos to Arkov for authorship!