[It might not mean too much to non-Brits (other than Poles, Czechs or Slovaks?)... :o)]
The Legend of Scarbill
Scarbill's Keywords c. 1613
Militant Leader of the Unified Creek Stream River Workers' Union & tireless
foe of the oppressive Red Goddess 17
Evade Foe 17, Fisticuffs 1W, Hate Lunars 5W, Leadership 1W, Revolutionary
Strategy 6
Scarbill was one of the premier revolutionary leaders of the oppressed Durulzian proletariat. The son of a boatduck, Scarbill followed in his father's footsteps and plied his trade on the Creek Stream River. He didn't earn much, and times were 'ard, but it was a simple life and folk were happy. Then the Lunars came. The conquest was quick, and the Red Goddess' plenipotentiaries raised the Pole Tax, so called as it exorbitantly taxed the Ducks for each barge pole (i.e. boat) they possessed.
Earning a pittance as it stood, the river-workers could hardly cope with this new oppression, and formed a workers' committee, under the charismatic Scarbill (he got his name following a rather vicious encounter with a giant otter). Scarbill caused numerous problems for the Lunars, who relied on steady river traffic for trade and logistical transport. They outlawed his union, and its meeting, and levied stiff penalties on those who defied the Goddess.
When Kallyr rose in rebellion, Scarbill called on the Duck river-workers to drop their poles, and go on strike. Many answered the call but some demurred, fearing the Lunar backlash and loss of income (for times were now even 'arder...). Scarbill's toughs picketed the jetties, and got into some rather nasty confrontations with the picket-runners. The latter usually got the worst of the affrays, and were soon called by the unsightly nature of their wounds: 'Scabs'.
Scarbill's boys faced off with the Lunars in the streets of Duck Point, and frightful clashes ensued. The soldiers obviously got the better of the Ducks, but the brave workers got a few good smacks in. Soon, most of the workers were arrested, and thrown in prison or executed* as a warning to all. The jetties were closed, river traffic was for a while no longer necessary, as the Lunars turned to the Grazelands and then Heortland as an alternative trade route.
Scarbill escaped, and fled to the marshes and hills, to lead the downtrodden and teach all of his revolutionary strategy. Sadly, his efforts failed and he faded into obscurity. People forgot the part he had played, and found his strategy to be a little naive. He retired to a humble life, moping on past losses. Yet with the liberation of Sartar, Scarbill tried to forge a new career in politics, campaigning for the post of Townsthegn of Heartlypool, a small village in the wilds. Tragically, he lost out to the glib-tongued Mallardsson, a crony of Argrath.
After a suffering as the butt of a rather unmagnanimous victory speech by Mallardsson, the humiliated Scarbill quit tribal politics. His time had truly passed. He had hoped Argrath, a Sartarite patriot, would bring back the good old days but, again, Scarbill was too naive. Argrath's Sartar needed the jetties and small river traders no longer. This was a New Sartar, and larger, centralised ports handling cheap exports from afar replaced the old river trade.
Scarbill now lives in retirement, in his old bungalow by the Creek Stream River. From his window his rheumy eyes can just make out an old ramshackle, disused jetty that slumps on the reed-strewn, silted river bank. Unused and unloved, it is the symbol of a bygone age, much like Scarbill himself.
*the method used to execute ducks was rather gruesome... Termed the Foie Gras, the Lunars first pump the poor ducks full of corn and fat, until they're bloated. It's then a little the 'drawing' bit from being hung, drawn and quartered, only the Lunars stick all manner of nasty implements down the ducks' throats, gouge into the liver, wiggle 'em about a bit, and draw out a sickly mixture which is apparently a luxury in Peloria. There's no accounting for taste...
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