Massie Burnson, The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner, p. 32
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE ARCHER'S CUP ARE AHEAD; CAUTION IS ADVISED.
| “ | Lord Ronan: I was...indisposed for a short time, and so empowered Lead Captain Truff to carry out some of my responsibilities.
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The Division of Blackstone Citadel was an extended period of inner turmoil at Blackstone Citadel that culminated shortly before the Battle for First Warren. It involved most if not all of the citadel's inhabitants, divided into those loyal to Lord Ronan, Matron Wilder's faction, and Lokson's army and other supporters.
History[]
Origin[]
The seeds for at least some of the division were sown years prior to its occurrence with the passing of Lord Lokken. Lokson, only a child at the time, was indignant when the rule of Blackstone passed to his father's Lead Captain, Ronan. Lokson was sent to Harbone Citadel for education, though in his own mind he deemed that he had been exiled from his beloved home citadel. The young buck would spend years nursing a determination to return to Blackstone and reclaim his father's lordship, gathering a number of followers in the process.
Back at Blackstone, Matron Breelia Wilder began establishing her own power base to rival that of Lord Ronan. When Ronan fell ill some time after the Citadel Congress at Cloud Mountain, Wilder took advantage of his condition to push for even more authority. It was at about this time that Lokson returned, accompanied by a small army of loyal followers amassed during his time away from Blackstone. With Ronan's position weakened, many of Blackstone's denizens rallied around the returning native son, who became one of the citadel Keymasters following the mysterious death of Stovall Ganes.
With the tension between the three factions, Blackstone became rife with dissension, and its operations began to break down. Adding to the disruptions, Ronan began receiving threatening letters from an individual who identified themselves only as Bane Graveheart. The threats from this mysterious party added to the already precarious conditions at Blackstone, as the three leaders unsuccessfully employed their various methods to attempt and uncover the villain's identity.
The Archer's Cup[]
Emma Joveson arrives at Blackstone to find the citadel embroiled in contention, the inhabitants' emotions ranging from fear and desperation to anger and hostility. She eventually meets with the Lord's Council, and offers her assistance in dealing with the issues faced by Blackstone. Following yet another threat from Bane Graveheart, Breelia Wilder is arrested as a suspect, and Ronan and Lokson collaborate to organize the Ultimate Archer's Cup in hopes of boosting citadel morale. Wilder's supporters continue to behave aggressively until Wilder escapes Blackstone, at which point they presumably either accompany her or abandon their former allegiance.
During the Ultimate Archer's Cup, the true identity of Bane Graveheart becomes known and their schemes are thwarted. In the process, Lokson comes to see the error of his ways and abandons his quest for lordship. With his support and that of the new Matron, Gallipot Grenda, Blackstone's divided inhabitants are reconciled and join Ronan in pledging their support to Emma as bearer of the Green Ember.