Decker Coup

The Decker Coup (Kythorn 11-15, 1493) was a military seige launched by Hargrave Decker against Joakim Ferox, the lord of Focosgost. Decker claimed that his service as a general in the Great Dragon War made him more qualified to be the city's lord than Ferox, who had chosen to stay neutral in the war. These claims were made despite the fact that merit did not come into play until the election of a new lord. The coup resulted in Ferox's forced abdication, and the crowning of Decker.

The Conflict

Prelude

Hargrave Decker, a human, was born in the small city of Focosgost before immigrating to Neverwinter as a young man. There, he joined the Neverwinter Guard, serving with distinction up until the Great Dragon War. During the war, Decker participated in the Battle of Hardbuckler and the Battle at the Well of Dragons as a guard commander, earning distinction for his bravery and valor in combat.
In Focosgost, when the city's lord died, the next lord was chosen by the Council of Guilds based on which resident of Focos contained the most "merit," or accomplishments within their life. Decker argued that waiting until the previous lord had died was foolish, as he obviously possessed the most merit, being the only Gost to fight in the Great Dragon War with any distinction. Decker argued that the current city's lord, Joakim Ferox, had proven himself weak and lacking in merit for his pacifist role in the Great Dragon War, and petitioned the Council of Guilds to remove him.
The Council of Guilds refused, but Decker was undeterred. Decker returned to Neverwinter and pleaded with Lord Protector Dagult Neverember for aid, claiming Focosgost by its laws was rightfully his. Sensing an opportunity to unify Neverwinter's neighbors, Neverember agreed to help, supplying Decker with funds and members of the Neverwinter Guard thinly disguised as mercenaries. Decker used those funds to supplement his force with actual mercenaries, furthering hiding Neverwinter's involvement.

The Engagement

Hargrave Decker brought his collective military force to the walls of Focosgost on the 11th of Kythorn. He offered the city one last chance to "recognize it's rightful lord" before his army began the siege in earnest.
Focos's defenses were sturdy, but hadn't been truly tested in decades, while the besieging army was made up of hardened and experienced soldiers. The siege only lasted 4 days, before the walls of the city were breached, and Decker's soldiers streamed inside the walls. The city was thrown into chaos, as ordinary people barricaded houses and the fighting was taken in the streets itself.
Inside the royal palace, Lord Joakim Ferox ordered the evacuation of his daughter, Krisella Ferox, worried about the possibility of Decker taking vengeance upon himself and his family. Once she had left, Ferox, surrendered, citing his desire to spare the city any more bloodshed and recognizing when he had lost.

Outcome

The brief siege was an overwhelming victory for Hargrave Decker. Within a few days of Joakim Ferox's surrender, Decker was crowned the Lord of Focos. The city was kept under occupation for a few weeks, ostensibly to restore order, but in truth to ensure there were no immediate uprisings.

Joakim Ferox was allowed to settle in a smaller house in the city, and the old ruler begged his fellow citizens not to allow more bloodshed to come to Focos. In short order, the people of Focos realized they had to accept their new lord.

Aftermath

The Decker Coup triggered a mas emigration from the city. Gosts, worried about the new rule, fled the city in droves. The largest of these groups ended up in Waterdeep's Field Ward, founding Little Focos and attempting to keep their home culture alive. This group included Krisella Ferox, who fled towards Waterdeep to convince the Lords' Alliance to take action against Neverwinter blatantly denying the sovereignty of Focosgost. However, due to Focos's neutrality in the Great Dragon War and the city's non-member status with the Lords' Alliance, any and all pleas were ignored.
The city's emigrants also included Necian Arrzen, Destin Hallows, and Eluna Lindel, three cooks who ended up in the small town of Saltmarsh. Of these three, Necian Arrzen would go on to become one of the famous Heroes of Saltmarsh.
Politically, the Decker Coup represented a turning point for Focos. As lord, Hargrave Decker began curtailing the powers of the Council of Guilds and aligning the city more and more within Neverwinter's sphere of influence. This relationship was solidified when Focos joined the Neveren Alliance in 1496.
Dissent amongst Gosts towards Decker's rule never dissapted, and only grew stronger the clearer it became that Decker would never relinquish his power. Disaffected citizens and former guardsmen created the Free Focos Movement, with the goal of taking back their city's government by whatever means necessary. These attacks would grow increasingly violent and would reach their zenith during the Banesmark Crisis, when the movement was co-opted by the aboleth S'gothgah.

Historical Significance

Legacy

Among those who participated in the Decker Coup was Callum Nailsmith, a young adventurer mercenary fighting with the beseiging force. The seeming pointlessness of the fighting would drive Callum away from mercenary work, leading to him forming the Neveren Shepards Adventuring Company.

Conflict Type

Siege

Battlefield Type

Urban

Start Date

11 Kythorn 1493

Ending Date

15 Kythorn 1493

Conflict Result

Hargrave Decker crowned new lord of Focosgost

Location

Focosgost