Mounts and beasts of burden were a common sight in the bustling metropolis of Old Tindrem since time immemorial. Traders, professional soldiers and citizens from all walks of life relied on these sturdy animals to conduct business, amass wealth and resources, and as a highly mobile means of fast travel.
About two centuries ago, several years before the Second Conflux, the crime-ridden streets of Old Tindrem bore witness to the emergence of a new breed of criminality that made the rampant thievery and the occasional indiscriminate attacks against random townsfolk by suicidal death squads pale in comparison. Rather than steal small quantities of lightweight items from the pockets of the unsuspecting, or deal as much damage to as many targets within range as possible before the powerful lictors and elite guards wiped out the entire strike force within seconds, this new form of villainy was a cunning mix of both.
Commonly referred to as "donkey killers" or "horse snipers", these perpetrators inflicted maximum damage to mounts and cargo-hauling pets from a distance with little to no return fire from city guards or the owners on the ground. Perched high above on rooftops and other hard to reach platforms, these donkey killers effectively act with impunity as they can leap from one rooftop to another and disappear from view within mere seconds.
The justification given by perpetrators of this kind of violence against pets belonging to visitors and inhabitants of Old Tindrem alike was that they blocked the bank entrance and restricted movement in the area. But for the owners of those pets that came under attack and more often than not were killed outright, this was an affront and a form of physical assault against them.
It was around this time that one citizen saw what was happening and decided to stand up and do something to stem the tide. He would stand guard outside the bank and position himself between the pet and direct line of fire from any would-be donkey killers that may be watching and waiting for their next unsuspecting target.
While this did not prevent all pets from being targeted and slain, it did make a measurable difference to those pets he stood guard over. When asked why he volunteered for what is essentially a thankless community service, his response was "I may not be able to save many from becoming a tragedy, but I may be able to save a few from becoming a statistic."
This was the beginning of a decentralised, low-profile and fully autonomous citizen militia that would soon come to be known as the Auxiliary Peacekeeping Citizenry, or APC. Each member was given a simple set of immutable rules and the freedom to carry out their role as peacekeepers within the bounds of that framework as they saw fit. Their mission and purpose was to serve as a force for good in a world rife with violence and danger.
It wasn't long, however, that various rumours and suspicions from the local populace began to circulate as to the organisation's true motives and who was really in charge of it behind the scenes. Some have gone so far as to speculate that this was an imperial spy agency masquerading as a citizen militia set up by the Emperor himself in order to show the citizens of Old Tindrem that he has eyes and ears everywhere in his realm. Others believed that this was nothing more than a short-lived vigilante movement that would come and go with the passage of time like many others before it.
Notwithstanding, the APC continued to demonstrate its unwavering dedication and consistency in helping others in need. Whether that be escorting innocent travellers through the hostile and lawless wilderness, healing the wounded and fighting off aggressive monsters, or simply standing guard over pets at the bank where they may be most at risk of attack. Slowly, those rumours and suspicions died down, and the APC had earned the trust of the people.
Now, two hundred years later, the organisation that had lain dormant and unheard of since the final days before the Second Conflux has recently been reactivated and officially registered as a guild under the acronym APC. Its mission statement and modus operandi remains the same as when it was first founded.
As for the timing of its reactivation, rumour has it that an ancient evil of undeath known as Necromancy has recently been rediscovered, and poses a serious threat to the world of the living...
About two centuries ago, several years before the Second Conflux, the crime-ridden streets of Old Tindrem bore witness to the emergence of a new breed of criminality that made the rampant thievery and the occasional indiscriminate attacks against random townsfolk by suicidal death squads pale in comparison. Rather than steal small quantities of lightweight items from the pockets of the unsuspecting, or deal as much damage to as many targets within range as possible before the powerful lictors and elite guards wiped out the entire strike force within seconds, this new form of villainy was a cunning mix of both.
Commonly referred to as "donkey killers" or "horse snipers", these perpetrators inflicted maximum damage to mounts and cargo-hauling pets from a distance with little to no return fire from city guards or the owners on the ground. Perched high above on rooftops and other hard to reach platforms, these donkey killers effectively act with impunity as they can leap from one rooftop to another and disappear from view within mere seconds.
The justification given by perpetrators of this kind of violence against pets belonging to visitors and inhabitants of Old Tindrem alike was that they blocked the bank entrance and restricted movement in the area. But for the owners of those pets that came under attack and more often than not were killed outright, this was an affront and a form of physical assault against them.
It was around this time that one citizen saw what was happening and decided to stand up and do something to stem the tide. He would stand guard outside the bank and position himself between the pet and direct line of fire from any would-be donkey killers that may be watching and waiting for their next unsuspecting target.
While this did not prevent all pets from being targeted and slain, it did make a measurable difference to those pets he stood guard over. When asked why he volunteered for what is essentially a thankless community service, his response was "I may not be able to save many from becoming a tragedy, but I may be able to save a few from becoming a statistic."
This was the beginning of a decentralised, low-profile and fully autonomous citizen militia that would soon come to be known as the Auxiliary Peacekeeping Citizenry, or APC. Each member was given a simple set of immutable rules and the freedom to carry out their role as peacekeepers within the bounds of that framework as they saw fit. Their mission and purpose was to serve as a force for good in a world rife with violence and danger.
It wasn't long, however, that various rumours and suspicions from the local populace began to circulate as to the organisation's true motives and who was really in charge of it behind the scenes. Some have gone so far as to speculate that this was an imperial spy agency masquerading as a citizen militia set up by the Emperor himself in order to show the citizens of Old Tindrem that he has eyes and ears everywhere in his realm. Others believed that this was nothing more than a short-lived vigilante movement that would come and go with the passage of time like many others before it.
Notwithstanding, the APC continued to demonstrate its unwavering dedication and consistency in helping others in need. Whether that be escorting innocent travellers through the hostile and lawless wilderness, healing the wounded and fighting off aggressive monsters, or simply standing guard over pets at the bank where they may be most at risk of attack. Slowly, those rumours and suspicions died down, and the APC had earned the trust of the people.
Now, two hundred years later, the organisation that had lain dormant and unheard of since the final days before the Second Conflux has recently been reactivated and officially registered as a guild under the acronym APC. Its mission statement and modus operandi remains the same as when it was first founded.
As for the timing of its reactivation, rumour has it that an ancient evil of undeath known as Necromancy has recently been rediscovered, and poses a serious threat to the world of the living...
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