Greetings and well met, citizens and valued customers. For those who do not know me, I am Frum Highill. Remember always a great deal at Highills!

My apologies. Indeed - I am Frum Highill. I have entered my name into the list of electora candidates for our fine city elections. Sirs, and madames - I will make this a quick speech so as not to take up any of your valuable time.

To begin with, I should declare my intentions. I have no noble house to play politics for. I have no gods I pray to for divine blessings. I am a simple merchant - a simple man of the cobblestones and dirt, as any of you.

I do not seek a council seat for any other reason than wealth. For all of Sanctuary, and of course for myself. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, is it not? The wealthier his customers, the more prosperous the merchant.

I have four main points on which I believe I would be able to serve the people well if elected to council.

I have four specific points to my election campaign:

Number one, a plan to return order to Lower, and maintain it.

Number two, trade. More trade, not less.

Number three, financially transparent and responsible use of Sanctuary's resources for Sanctuary funded projects. Your tax coins back in your pocket, my valued customers.

And finally, number four, justice as it has always been. Not Tyr's justice. Not Moradin's justice. Not some noble house's version of justice. But SANCTUARY'S justice. The justice which has served us for a hundred and fifty years.

For my first point, let me address your obvious concern. The troubles in lower. How many of you have felt the troubles? How many have felt it personally - be it in your heart, your flesh or your coinpurse?

The troubles in lower have disrupted trade, work and the economic wellbeing of all of Sanctuary. Violence and disorder are bad for business. If elected, my first priority will be to return order to Lower, so that people may return to their homes and their jobs.

To accomplish this, I intend to have the gangs investigated thoroughly. Many preach righteous causes and call for putting the gangs to the sword. But how many of these gangs are cruel thugs, and how many are nothing more than scared residents who have banded together for mutual protection? Would you have them all put to the sword for nothing more than defending their homes and possessions? Of course not. They must be investigated and dealt with appropriately.

Some will disband quitely, others may require, Mustering out pay. A financial incentive to return to the lives they had before these troubles began. And a regrettable few will have to be dealt with by use of force. Yes, lost customers must indeed be accepted for the good of Sanctuary.

But remember this - each must be dealt with differently. I intend to see that these gangs are dealt with in such a manner that there is the minimal loss of life and expenditure of coin. I am a businessman, please remember. I will not beggar the city to appease them. I will not accept unnecessary violence and permanent loss of customers if it can be avoided.

Please remember this when you vote. Your friends and loved ones may be amongst those who the other candidates would put to the sword.

Second, I plan to form a Lower Watch. We have seen what hiring of mercenaries results in. They squeeze those under their control to enrichen themselves. But as I was saying. The Lower Watch will be formed primarily of draftees. All citizens of Sanctuary of appropriate age will be subject to the draft. Draftees will serve for a few months in the Lower Watch. Any claims of favouritism or fears of "Upper Dominance" can be easily dismissed with such a system. The people will form the largest part of the Lower Watch, not a select band of mercenaries or religious fanatics. The people. You. Me. Us. The people.

Furthermore, the Lower Watch will be led by an individual elected by the citizens of Lower. Each election can be used to ensure that no Lower Watch Commander is too corrupt or overbearing in the pursuit of his duties. And of course, there will be a group of professional Lower Watchmen to serve to train and guide the draftees as they rotate through their period of civic duty.

Please, I cannot address specific questions about how the Lower Watch will be formed. It is nothing more than a dream for the moment. One I am sure th wisdom of the council can work the details out for an efficient Lower Watch.

So that is my first point - a clear plan of action for returning and maintaining order in Lower.

Second is trade. Trade is vital to Sanctuary. Some candidates advocate cutting off trade with those they categorize as "monsterous". What is monsterous about coin? Coin to buy your fungusbread. Coin to buy a bit of rothe for your daily meal. Coin to allow you to share a quiet pint of ale with your friend. There is nothing wrong with trade, so long as it does not endanger our city. Cutting off trade is a far greater danger - and one I will not accept.

In this second point, I promise to you that I will see that council provides funding for seeking out new trading partners. Why, we have kobolds at our gates. The small scaly folk are famed as miners. Surely there are warrens about who would peacefully trade their mined ores with Sanctuary for our goods. But how many council expeditions have there been to seek these warrens out? These are not our enemise, my valued customers - these are potential customers for you and me!

Please, no comments of racism here. Kobolds are but an example. Any settlement that will peacefully engage in trade with Sanctuary must be approached.There surely many comunities about who would peacefully trade with us - but who do we have? Fort Mur, the traders at the Blue Mushroom and the duergar miners. These are all "monsters" as some would call them. Think on that for a moment. The coin in your purse and the food in your belly has likely passed through their hands. Look to your swords, armour and weapons. Are not these things that keep you safe, the product of those some would call "monsters"?

Trade is our lifeblood, my fellow citizens. Do not think for a moment that we are not cutting our own throats by curtailing trade with our neighbours.

In addition to seeking out new trading partners, I intend to see that funding and tax breaks encourage the development of our own resources. The more Sanctuary has produces, the more Sanctuary has to trade. Is it not reasonable that we grow more of our own food or mine more of our own ore? I do not plan this out of a fear of our neighbours. I plan this to increase trade with our neighbouring communities - to increase our mutual wealth.

So there you have my second point. Trade. Not less, but more. Coin in your pocket and work for your hands.

For my third point, I wish to remind you of the problems in Lower - specifically, the gates which have been recently replaced by our skilled neighbours the Grunstubhle duergar. How many of you were involved in the construction of the gates? How many of your stonemason, carpenter or ironsmith friends have earned coin in this project?

None? Indeed. How many know the details or were even aware that there was a contract there to be bid upon.

Aah, well a few of you. But this is my point, you see, financial transparency and use of Sanctuary's own resources were not used in this project.

If I am elected to council, I assure you that I will remain a businessman. I will remember who my customers are and whose coinpurses I value so highly. You, the citizens, pay the taxes - you the citizens should have first opportunity to apply your skills and earn the coin of your own taxes.

I promise you that any future council funded project will make the greatest use of Sanctuary's resources as possible. I promise you that -YOU- will be considered first when there is work to be had. YOU will be first in line to earn the coin that YOU have paid out of your taxes.

That is my third point - a financially transparent system which will make use of Sanctuary's own resources. In the days to come, the reconstruction in Lower presents many opportunities for idle hands. Would you not be happier with coin in your pockets and reassured that the best bid won the contract?

And finally my fourth and last point - justice.

Yes, the word which brings both fear and happiness to many here.

I intend to do absolutely nothing about it.

Why? Because our justice system is quite adequate, if a bit over-stretched. The machine which provides the justice, which in turn provides peace for our streets is not broken. Our noble watchmen keep our streets safe as they can. The Spellguard animatrons tirelessly guard the gates. Criminals are fined, imprisoned and when necessary, executed.

The system works, my valued customers. It has worked for a hundred and fifty years. I will not tinker with a system that has served us so well for so long.

And so there you have it. Four simple points.

First, a plan to return order to Lower, and maintain it.

Second, trade. More trade, not less.

Third, financially transparent and responsible use of Sanctuary's resources for Sanctuary funded projects. Your tax coins back in your pocket, my valued customers.

Fourth, justice as it has always been. Not Tyr's justice. Not Moradin's justice. Not some noble house's version of justice. But SANCTUARY'S justice. The justice which has served us for a hundred and fifty years.

Always a good deal at Highills, always a good future with Highill.

Vote Highill for a fair deal. Vote Highill for -YOUR- deal.