The Fall of Rugstall

The Fall of Rugstall is a story dating back to before The Split of Olkvast. It tells the tragic story of Mallory Busiris, the last Baron of Rugstall. It has since been adapted into poems, songs and other art forms.

Summary

Once there stood a city called Rugstall. A wealthy city with many profitable exports such as meat, steel and fine clothes. Rugstall was founded by the Busiris family, a wealthy family of barons who cared greatly for their people and provided generously. In the centre of Rugstall stood a tall tower called The Busiris Spire which acted as residence for the Busiris family. In the year 20 BSO, Rugstall's wealth and success attracted the attention of a large Gnoll warband. Notorious for hating society and structure, the gnolls fell upon the city. They slaughtered and enslaved people in the streets, burning down buildings and devouring all that stood in their way. The current baron of Rugstall was a young man named Mallory Busiris. Mallory lacked the compassion and generosity of his forefathers and so when the gnoll warband attacked, he sealed himself and his wife within the walls of the Busiris Spire, leaving his people to fend for themselves. The story goes that once the gnoll's had enslaved all survivors and levelled the city, all that was left standing was the spire. With their hunger for destruction still not quenched, the pack leader, a gnoll named Kruhn, began to scale the walls using his claws for leverage. Mallory traversed the stairs up from his kitchen to find his wife lying dead on their bed with a gnoll warchief tearing into her stomach. Despite all his riches, all his defences and all his selfishness, he still lost all he'd ever cared for other than himself. Some versions of the story say that Mallory was then also killed by Kruhn, others say that he was unable to live with himself after what he'd done and jumped out of the window himself. Nowadays, many believe this story to be a fictional cautionary tale about the dangers of selfishness and cowardice as Busiris Spire and Rugstall itself don't appear on any maps nor are they mentioned in any city ledgers.

Date of Setting

20 ASO

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