Valkyrie 5 Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) "Those who govern send their young to die for the promise of a brighter future, but all that has been wrought with their blood is an ever-darkening world. Here, in Ironshore, we will cut away the cancer of organized government, break the chains of taxes, tariffs, and the tantalizing terror of the law. Here, we will be free, and no man shall be forced to spill his blood for the false promise of peace. True peace only comes from true freedom." - Ian Dowe, of the Ironside. Nearly five years ago, a winged beast of fire and brimstone unleashed the cataclysm upon our world. The stalwart walls of Gilneas could no longer hold back the conflict that raged on the other side, and thus the war finally came to the aloof Kingdom. In the coming weeks of the battle for Gilneas City, thousands of citizens fled their lands; many finding solace from the fight by taking to the sea. They sought refuge on the islands of the south seas, Kul Tiras, some running aground in Pandaria, and even some sailed for the tenuous strongholds of Northrend. Anywhere they could go to escape the war. As a fortunate few found, the Maelstrom has hidden more than just the Broken Isles for some time. Islands that've remained undiscovered for centuries lie in wait for the worthy few to land on their shores. As was the case with the isle that is now called Ironshore. Named after its discoverer, Ian Dowe, captain of the ship Ironside, for its merciless terrain. The nobleman turned naval officer was a hardened sailor with an even more hardened ship that still met its fate along the stony shores of the island. It was here that Ian Dowe and his family would start anew. Finding an abundance of natural resources such as iron, bronze, tin, salt, lumber, fauna and flora, in addition to the island's bay being a frequent breeding ground for young whales, made it a prime location for an merchantile settlement. Pooling his financial and personal resources, Ian Dowe set to work of exploring the island for an appropriate place to settle. As the story goes, he came across the freshly quaked spires. A portion of the mountain range upon the isle had broken off from the mainland and fallen into the sea. All that was left standing were these rocky spires, towering in the ocean in defiance of Azeroth's unnatural wrath. Ian of Ironside stared at the treacherous marvel with a conquering gaze. It was here that the city of Ironshore would make its home. Like the spires, the new settlement would stand against the world as a symbol of what ambitions can be achieved through freedom and bravery. Ian Dowe tasked a few of his men to build a sail boat from the wreckage of the Ironside, and sail back to the mainland to rally the noble houses loyal to the Dowe family. He sent his daughter, Imogen Dowe, to aid in the lobbying of whatever scattered remains of Gilnean nobility remained and raise the gold necessary for this undertaking. She returned with twelve ships, a small armada, and the necessary personnel and supplies to begin constructing their paradise. When the base construction was finished, the spires were linked together by shoddy wooden bridges. Wooden longhouses sprung up, simple but effective at keeping out the elements, and stone was being hauled in from the mainland to begin building permanent structures. After nearly a year, the soul of Ironshore took shape. Homes were built, solid bridges, and even a townhall, barracks, and infirmary. The people looked to Ian as their leader, though he maintained he wanted no part of it in any capacity. Shortly thereafter, tragedy struck. Ian Dowe and his entire family disappeared from their cliff-side home, the Dowe Manor. Vanished without a trace, the suspicions are that they pitched themselves off of the cliff. The settlement descended into chaos for the next year and a half. Crimes of passion, paranoia, and tensions rose in the lawless land of Ironshore, and it would stay that way until the day the enigmatic elf, Kai Lancer, came to town. She brought with her the Darkwater Mercenary Company, and restored what little order seemed fitting for the Iron folk. Kai Lancer brought commerce, trade, and gold to the settlement, reinforcing its coffers from her own pocket. The citizenry, to this day, knows not what spurred such a cryptic individual to take an interest in their land, but many speculate. Recognizing Kai's unconditional aid to the town, the influential peoples of the citizenry, primarily the Merchant's Guild, saw fit to appoint Kai Lancer to be the supreme, unchallenged leader of Ironshore. Ironshore is a lawless place, meaning that there are no written laws and no organized government to enforce said laws. The greyscale, gloomy settlement atop the treacherously beautiful spires of stone both ancient and new welcomes every living individual looking to start anew. It is here that you may begin your business without fear of an oppressive, federal economic regime. It is here that you may freely conduct transactions of mercenary work in the streets, as well as gamble away any disposable, or not-so disposable income. It is lead by a de facto, unanimously appointed ruler that all refer to as the "Governess," a title of ironic, colloquial insignificance as if to mock the more prestigious titles of other settlements. The governess is rumored to be a fickle, enigmatic, and shady character that rules over her domain with an iron fist. Although many events have transpired to give these rumors slight credibility, the governess is often regarded by the locals to be the only reason Ironshore is still standing. How is one meant to abide by the rules of a woman so mysterious, yet so fair and charming? The governess regards the lawless land she oversees as a land of honor amongst thieves, enforcing only the most basic of commandments over her people. The governess is the judge, jury, and executioner, though it is widely known that she favors something the citizenry calls the "Skytrial." Should the accused, or the accuser wish, they may petition the governess for a Skytrial. Both parties will elect a champion, or elect themselves, and the champions will do battle along the Skybridge that links the barracks spire and infirmary spire together. The loser is then pitched over the side to meet his or her fate against the iron waves of the sea. Ironshore's people are proud, hardy, and know trial and tribulation as much as the rest of the war-torn world. Many have died to see the settlement's construction reach completion, and all have suffered loss in some way. In the end, however, they will always be free to do as they please within the confines of a peaceful life. No laws to hinder them, no regulations to rob them, and no government to oppress their interests. The Governess The de facto leader of the island of Ironshore and its encompassing settlements. The gossip that precedes the governess spins a tale of a deviously clever woman that came to Ironshore in a chaotic time, using the unrest of the citizens to climb the ladder of influence. Others that recall the events, however, paint the enigmatic Kai Lancer as a savior to all on the island, restoring "order" while preserving the freedoms upon which Ironshore was founded, No matter which side you believe, one thing is for certain; The governess is a force to be reckoned, respected, and recognized. She is the principal authority over the land, and maintains executive powers, though she may not always use them. Lieutenant-Governor The second in command, the Lieutenant-Governor, or just 'Governor,' is the individual of whom authority defaults to in any absence of the governess. They answer solely to Kai, and Kai alone has the authority to override their decisions. The Exalted The social elite of Ironshore, the Exalted maintain and demand the respect and admiration of the people. It is easily given, and justly deserved as these are the men and women who have, time and time again, put the well-being and prosperity of Ironshore above their own self-interests. The Exalted are the closest the settlement has to heroes, and many of the mercenaries and citizens look the other way should any Exalted member of society decide to do something less than honest. The Revered Any individual that has performed a heroic, noteworthy, or impressive action as deemed by the governess herself. The Revered are not on the same level as the Exalted, per se, but they have proven their abilities to Kai, and thus the governess feels the need to reward their loyalty and proven usefulness with a title of respect and honor among the denizens of Ironshore. What it means to be Revered is to lead by example in all domestic matters, and to have succeeded in helping to unite the people under Kai's banner. These individuals may also attend private meetings between the governess and her Exalted. Chevron If you are a Chevron, that means Kai has taken an interest in you. We all must prove ourselves eventually, and a Chevron is on the right path to earning the trust of the Ironshore people. They take up jobs for the betterment of all, and lead with their example, courage, conviction, or bravery. In a place where law is thrown out the window more often than not, it is up to the Chevron to show that there -is- a path going forward that doesn't end in meaningless violence. Merchant The lifeblood of commerce and progress in Ironshore, Merchants bring business, reputation, and energy to the settlement. Their exchanges keep the economy of Ironshore stable, and the Ironshore Merchants Guild has a strong hand in influencing the pseudo-politics of the society. Citizen The hardy people of Ironshore make up the backbone of its society. These men and women have endured more trial and tribulation than anyone before them, endeavoring to settle the treacherous Spires of Ironshore. Citizens are the artisans, the workers, the clerks, the garbagemen, the merchants' assistant, and anyone else who has a profession that does not involve sitting behind a counter selling goods. Despite the hardships of frontier living, they have fought tooth and nail for what Ironshore has accomplished, and they cannot help but look toward the future with renewed hope. Associate These are the enigmatic, the mysterious, the shady, and the battle-hardened. Associates answer directly to Kai, and conduct all business that is less-than-honorable or glamorous. The mercenaries that police Ironshore fall into this category, and in a settlement where there are no official laws or government, it can be a difficult task. Newcomer A newcomer represents the weary-headed traveler fueled by wanderlust, the ambitious, innovative merchant, and the hopeful-eyed adventurer. All passing through Ironshore whether to revel in the freedoms, seek out the challenges that await, or unravel the mysteries. Hey, everyone, and thanks for checking out Ironshore! As most of you probably know, we launched the phase a little over a week ago. For the most part we have had positive feedback, and therefore I've decided to make a forum post to sort of make the guild and phase offical! For the time being, the phase itself is still in BETA until the build team can get it to a pleasing, functional state with all the bells and whistles we've envisioned! The Guild - <Ironshore> is always recruiting! However, to inspire a more enthralling, engrossing, and all-encompassing roleplay for the server, I am not requiring anyone who wants to interact with or enjoy the guild events to be in the guild itself. With that being said, what I -do- require of anyone who wishes to contribute to the guild/phase/settlement in any capacity, you must be IN THE DISCORD! The Phase - The phase is still in BETA! While the build team and I appreciate any/all feedback, comments, questions, and concerns, I ask politely that you voice these quips in a DM/Whisper rather than .announce or .phase announce. In addition, say it in a constructive, polite manner, or else I will be forced to consider your comment to be normie drivel. While Ironshore may ICly be a lawless, neutral settlement, I have certain rules and stipulations both IC and OOC. To start, there are absolutely NO DEMON HUNTERS, DEATH KNIGHTS, OR OTHER UNDEAD. This is due to IC reasons, and it will be widely known that these three creatures are not welcome. Exotic races/classes must whisper an officer upon/before entry. In the end, the officer team and I reserve the right to remove/prohibit any character from the phase for any reason we deem necessary. I repeat. ANY REASON. The People I'm Valkyrie, as you may have guessed. I am both the In Character and Out of Character leader. I thought I would take this as an opportunity to thank those who have contributed by building, offering advice, ideas, or assisted in the fruition of the phase in any capacity. Huge thanks to Jax, one of my go-to guys and essentially my Co-GM, for doing most of the heavy lifting as far as the build goes. Special shoutouts to Ralak, Noir Angel, and Toxicide for helping to decorate much of what you see so far! Also a thanks to Dizzy for all of his help with inspirations and storytelling! With all of this being said, feel free to approach me or any of these individuals with your comments, questions, or concerns, OR if you want to join the guild! The easiest way to join the guild is to join our discord and come roleplay with us! Our door is always open, and so are my whispers/DMs! See you out there. I will be editing and adding things to this post as time goes on! Check back for updates. Edited January 23, 2018 by Valkyrie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StrikingSpear 53 Posted January 18, 2018 I like dis. :Thumbsup: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidTwo 72 Posted January 18, 2018 I like dis too. :Thumbsup: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Insomnia 76 Posted January 18, 2018 Nice post. Teach me harder Governess Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Romeo 320 Posted January 18, 2018 True peace only comes form true freedom. True peace only comes form true freedom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rogan 158 Posted January 19, 2018 18 hours ago, Romeo said: True peace only comes form true freedom. True peace only comes form true freedom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
