Ghastrian Peasant Rebellion

The Ghastrian peasant rebellion occurred from 736 BC to early 737 BC as a result of nearly a century and a half of overtaxation and hedonistic, abusive rule by Marquis Stezen d'Polarno and preceded a four year period of general anarchy. The catalyst was a group of adventurers who seemingly assaulted d'Polarno, set fire to Marquis Manor, stole the Portrait of Stezen d'Polarno (recorded in the history of Ghastria as simply an object of significant importance to the Marquis), and lived to tell the tale. In reality, the adventurers had all been slain by the Portrait's soul-trapping capabilities and risen as revenants. In any case, the adventurers horrified the populace by their ghastly descriptions of d'Polarno's soul-trapping and apparent immortality.

Despite stories of apparent immortality on the part of d'Polarno, the peasants took inspiration from the defiance of their lord and began a movement of unrest and opposition. It started small and covert, but then it bloomed into full out refusal to pay taxes and even physical attacks on d'Polarno's private guard. It was during this time that the adventurers gave the portrait to the Vistani for safekeeping. They held onto it for a time, moving about Ghastria from place to place. However, in early 737 BC, mercenaries under the employ of d'Polarno acquired the painting and returned it to him. d'Polarno's betrayal of them would prove to be his undoing, as they critically injured him and left him in a twitching heap after they set fire to his manor.

The peasants found d'Polarno's mortally wounded body and, thinking him a vampire, decapitated and stakedd him before leaving him to perish. Following his apparent demise, the nobility of Ghastria fell into violent conflict with each other as old feuds and rivalries surfaced once again. The tax revenue and its offices folded, and the Marquis' militia extorted the public for protection money and generally behaved in a brutish fashion. Peasants frequently violently resisted with vigilante action and mob justice.

The epoch of upheaval ended with d'Polarno's return in the guise of his son, d'Polarno II. In the next two years, he reassembled his power base and finally became official ruler in 744 BC.