Casler Huntington alive? (saved post)

From Krakiipedia, the unofficial free GemStone IV encyclopedia.

Category: Towns
Topic: River's Rest
Message number: 12302
Author: GS4-SCRIBES
Date: 10/4/2007
Subject: Our story so far…

Curious about what has or hasn't happened involving the events in River's Rest? Never fear, here's a summary!

Note: Everything below has been released into the game, so nothing new, unless you weren't privy. In that case, enjoy!

The Backstory

Approximately ten years ago, Casler Huntington arrived in River's Rest and entered its smuggling world. His past remains a mystery except that he is from Fairport and there is rumor he is the son of a noble family of the Torre Capitol. Over a series of years, Huntington rose meteorically through the ranks of the Lefante smuggling family to become second in command and in the process, destroying the balance of power between the surviving houses of the Smugglers War of 5018. For a brief shining moment, the House Lefante, lead by Huntington had assumed dominance over the smuggling houses of Pirate history.

In 5105ish, Casler saw an opportunity to gain the power needed to defeat and eradicate the pirate houses and place control of the smuggling society of River's Rest within the total power of the original smuggling families. This opportunity involved hijacking an imperial barge for its treasure to raise an army to achieve Huntington's goal. In order to successfully hijack the barge, Casler took the best and the brightest of the House Lefante, including the son of the Patriarch Lefante (brother of Cerianna). The smugglers of River's Rest successfully captured the ship only to find a vicious tempest thrown upon them. The origin of this tempest is unknown. What is known is that the barge sank, taking the lives of Casler's men, as well as the Imperial property to the bottom of the sea. Casler was presumed dead with them. In the absence of Casler and the best of the Lefante, the DeRichter pirate house stepped into the power vacuum and brutally crushed its opposition to assume control of the River's Rest smuggling world.

Present Story

In the summer of 5107, rumors began to spread that Casler Huntington was alive. The Imperial Household, unwilling to allow any affront to its establishment exist took the unusual course of sending an Imperial inspector to confirm Casler's death or life. This was not a job given to the best of the Turamzzyrian officer corps, but rather handed off to Haniks Hallower, an inspector for the Imperial Navy. Haniks had once had a bright future in the Imperial Navy, but for unknown reasons had failed to capture the success that had seem destined. Haniks arrived in River's Rest, leaving behind in Tamzyrr a large family, including his youngest, a daughter named Mollie, named for his wife, Molly.

Haniks failed to make a good impression on the local inhabitants of the backwater town, which created tension between him and the locals. He was your typical native of Tamzyrr, and saw little in the town when compared to his home. At the same time, a series of raids by the Krolvin began occurring with a disastrous raid that resulted in the capture for enslavement of many women and children. While Haniks attempted to fight the Krolvin, he admitted there was little the Empire could do to help to fight the Krolvin in any reasonable time. Enter the return of Casler Huntington.

During the midst of a Krolvin attack, Casler arrived in the midst of a storm and immediately went into attack. Afterwards, he won allies amongst the town by planning a daring rescue of the women and children. This rescue mission was a success and endeared many of the town's citizens to Casler's side. In the meanwhile, Cerianna Lefante appeared, angry and bitter towards Casler for attempting to hijack the barge with the resulting deaths. Despite, Casler's actions, there were still residents of the town who elected to side with Haniks for numerous reasons, some personal, some loyal.

It was during such an invasion that Haniks first believed he saw Huntington, and it was then later confirmed by his contacts among the residents. Haniks swore to capture Huntington, and to hopefully, salvage his ruined career. At the same time, unknown to Haniks, his daughter Mollie had broken her leg, and due to the impoverish state of his family received mediocre health care. Infection set in and eventually killed Haniks' youngest daughter. This information failed to reach Haniks because the DeRichter house had been intercepting the mail with disastrous ramifications.

Once Haniks learned that letters from his wife with regard to his favorite daughter's condition were being stolen and read by some, he snapped under the hostile atmosphere of the town towards him and his mission. In a blatant exaggeration of his powers, he began hanging townsfolk, whom he considered culpable en mass, for the theft of his letters. It might be argued that this strong handed move earned what he wanted, as letters began to be returned, with the last one placed in the hands of townspeople by Casler Huntington, himself, in an attempt to stop the hanging. It succeeded with the last letter confirming the death of Hanik's daughter, breaking the man, and forcing him to reevaluate his position with regard to the town. He declared an amnesty and a fresh start.

Soon after, Messers, a lieutenant of Valons DeRichter, head of the DeRichter house, began appearing in the town commons after Casler began a vigilante campaign against DeRichter smuggling operations. At the same time, the mission to capture Casler had gained even greater importance for Haniks Hallower. With the death of his daughter, due in part to his absence, or so he felt, he had to make that absence mean something of importance. He had to capture Casler. It was then suggested to Haniks by a council of his supporters that he make an allegiance with the DeRichters, common enemies of Casler, to capture the smuggler rebel. This union of law and disorder came to pass. A plan was formed to capture Casler, the exact details known to few, but most certainly which involved the only surviving child of Patriarch Lefante, Cerianna.

Messers, mean while, has shown the strength of DeRichter in River's Rest, by having Haniks, himself, deeply embarrassed with arrest and then personally torturing and killing town residents who showed themselves hostile to his and the DeRichters' mission. Meanwhile, Haniks is having doubts that he has made the right ally in his goal to capture Casler, while Casler, himself, continues to harry the DeRichters from the side, waiting for his opportunity to strike. Conflict is drawing near, will Casler be captured? What of Cerianna, and her role in the trap? Will Haniks break off his deal with the devil?

End Summary.

A'ight folks, there's a summary for ya. Now someone go drop this over at www.Krakiipedia.org, cause I am NOT writing that again. Also, there's even deeper details which I excluded for time's sake which can be added by those in the know. :)

GM Scribes