Willston recent history & survival guide

See: Willston

## The Rise And Fall

Willston was a Pirate settlement that grew out from an old Elven fortress, now known as the Citadel. The town attracted all manner of ne’er do wells and outcasts and ships based at Willston would range along the coast raiding and engaging in acts of piracy. They were known as slave traders and it was rumoured that they were under the protection of Ghoulagabba in return for a steady supply of slaves.

Fearing reprisal, the Pirate Lords that ruled Willston built the two city walls and built up a fearsome fleet of raiders. They also attacked and enslaved the population of Eastpoint, establishing a base there, which in turn developed into a well know wreckers point. The civil war in the Kingdom ensured no organised assault from the South and with Ghoulagabba controlling the landward access Willston grew in security and prosperity…..on the back of others labour.

Then, late last Autumn a fleet of strange merchant ships appeared on the horizon travelling North and obviously looking to bypass Willston. The Pirates sortied out a large portion of their fleet to engage these interlopers, massively outnumbered, with the intent of capturing as many ships as possible. Of course, the whole setup was a trap. Details are not completely known but from the reports, Rasten – the Elven Lord commanding the expedition, had landed regiments of Hewn Fey Archers on both flanks of the city supported by Elven marines. The merchant ships were actually empty troop transports and when they broke away to evade the Pirates they revealed a small number of Elven warships. Few of the Pirate raiders made it back to shore, and those that did found the city already in Elven hands.

## The New Regime

Elsewhere in the new Elven Empire, most of the conquered citizenry were enslaved, if human, or put to the sword. Rasten however adopted a different policy, he immediately enslaved all the Pirates and their various entourages and those who had profited from the old regime. Nearly all of the existing slaves, primarily field labourers and the like, were given their freedom in return for a promise to bring in the Harvest and help repair the damage done to the city walls and port during the conquest.

Even with the populations natural reticence at dealing with these creatures out of legend, the offer of freedom (and of course the chance to lord it over their former slavemasters) proved irresistible. For the next few months Rasten had a loyal workforce that brought in the last of the harvest and made good all of the damage to the city fortifications.

In mid-winter, an Orcish delegation appeared at the Trade Gate (or Slave gate as the locals refer to it as), the delegation demanded that the city continue to meet its tribute obligation of slaves or face war with Gloulagabba. Some say that Rasten was tempted to hand over the ex-Pirates, but whatever the case, he publicly refused and told the Orcs that they were not welcome on Elven Empire lands.

## The Current Situation

Orcish raids in the area are now frequent and only large patrols are sent out through the Trade Gate. As more Elves arrive in the city and the church of Hahsandra has grown in power there has been a gradual shift towards more traditional Elven behaviour. Rasten and his administration works to mitigate this as much as possible, and he continues to support the ex- slave citizenry – either arranging for them to return home or in the case of the more vulnerable local villages escorting the population to safety behind the city walls.

Militarily, the Elves have an iron grip on the city, the only officially armed non-Elf are special members of the city militia (Rasten instituted a law decreeing that every city militia patrol must have two non-Elven citizen members). Visitors are allowed to bear arms, but drawing a weapon upon an Elf or Dark Elf, even in self defence, is liable to land the offender in jail…. Or worse.

With the tales of Empire atrocities elsewhere, public sentiment towards Rasten has cooled somewhat, and there are rumours of an underground resistance movement forming. This of course only adds ammunition to the Elven traditionalists calls for full implementation of Empire policy.

The net result is that Rasten, despite his obvious intelligence and charm, looks to be caught in a situation whereby he will soon have to choose between his Empire and God or his personal beliefs and character.