Age of Inheritance
Even though Aroden hadn’t visited Absalom in millennia, with his death in 4606 AR, Absalom lost its founder, legendary mentor, and sense of timeless immortality. The planet itself seemed to mourn as catastrophic storms struck and extraplanar rifts opened. Absalom had been braced for a new golden age and instead seemed lost amid the chaos, all the more when many of its greatest leaders answered the Mendevian Crusade’s call far to the north and never returned. With its trade routes imperiled, the city fell short on supplies and revenue. Primarch Seib of House Slavikes struggled to maintain order. As the economy faltered and crime spiked, he regularly offered concessions to Cheliax to prop up his rule, ranging from property sales to reinstating slavery to taking out devastating loans. Yet, even Primarch Seib’s desperate corruption was better than the riots that followed his sudden death in 4659 AR.
A wandering adventurer in Absalom, Lord Gyr of House Gixx knew how to make the most of the opportunity. Within months, he had gained a Grand Council seat, directed mercenaries to quell rioting in the richest neighborhoods, and cut deals with numerous other factions. Within the year, Absalom named him primarch, and by combining hands‑off governance and playing his enemies against each other, he ruled for nearly 60 years.
For the first 30 years, Lord Gyr’s reign fared smoothly; the nobles praised his earlier intervention, and the common folk considered him a rags‑to‑riches folk hero. However, by 4690 AR, Lord Gyr’s ironclad control began to slip, and the populace increasingly questioned the cronyism that landed his childhood friends so many political appointments. A failed assassination resulted in Lord Gyr making fewer public appearances and establishing the infamous Black Whale prison for his enemies. When the earthquake of 4698 AR devastated Absalom, Lord Gyr made only token appearances and promises to repair the demolished Precipice Quarter and sinking Puddles. Lord Gyr asked little of Absalom, and in turn, the city grew not to expect too much from him, such that when the Black Echelon Uprising of 4717 AR threatened the city, Lord Gyr was nowhere to be found. Instead, the retired guard captain Wynsal Starborn stepped up to act as siege lord of Absalom and oversee its defense. Starborn takes his temporary appointment seriously, and he has consistently pressured city councilors to nominate a new primarch and lead Absalom into a new era.
A wandering adventurer in Absalom, Lord Gyr of House Gixx knew how to make the most of the opportunity. Within months, he had gained a Grand Council seat, directed mercenaries to quell rioting in the richest neighborhoods, and cut deals with numerous other factions. Within the year, Absalom named him primarch, and by combining hands‑off governance and playing his enemies against each other, he ruled for nearly 60 years.
For the first 30 years, Lord Gyr’s reign fared smoothly; the nobles praised his earlier intervention, and the common folk considered him a rags‑to‑riches folk hero. However, by 4690 AR, Lord Gyr’s ironclad control began to slip, and the populace increasingly questioned the cronyism that landed his childhood friends so many political appointments. A failed assassination resulted in Lord Gyr making fewer public appearances and establishing the infamous Black Whale prison for his enemies. When the earthquake of 4698 AR devastated Absalom, Lord Gyr made only token appearances and promises to repair the demolished Precipice Quarter and sinking Puddles. Lord Gyr asked little of Absalom, and in turn, the city grew not to expect too much from him, such that when the Black Echelon Uprising of 4717 AR threatened the city, Lord Gyr was nowhere to be found. Instead, the retired guard captain Wynsal Starborn stepped up to act as siege lord of Absalom and oversee its defense. Starborn takes his temporary appointment seriously, and he has consistently pressured city councilors to nominate a new primarch and lead Absalom into a new era.
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