Ghyll:Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement
And it's well we know that much in the this world is not happening. Including, at least to begin with, the Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement. Which is unfortunate, as I really could have used the extra storage space. But no matter, the Movement shall continue to (cease to) exist!
The Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement first rose to the public eye in -97 EC when they succeded in garnering the droit d'exploitation of the Pziqq trees in the Sarfelogian Mountains by doing battle with the Carsokians. This droit is currently quite useless to the Movement, however, as the battle-tactics of both sides were far more effective in destroying the Pziqq tree ecosystem than the enemy. In fact, the Movement's "victory" was rather an inconclusive one, as the Carsokians seem to have given up in disgust over the lack of trees for which to fight. Rumor has it that the battle will re-engage in approximately 100 EC when the ecosystem recovers.
After the Sarfelogian Mountain escapade, the Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement disappeared from public consciousness for quite sometime. The Council for Quezlarian Research published a little-read, little-cited, dry-as-toast study on the group in -76 EC, but there is no other written mention of the Movement until -65 EC when there appeared a full page advertisement in the Folktown Record announcing the revival of the "new, improved (with more storage space and wittier commentary) Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement." The ad went on to promise exciting events and hair-raising happenings.
This unprecedented bit of advertising is considered wholly responsible for the subsequent spike in membership in the Movement. Among the best known members from this era are Roger Ululator and Alice Bob Charlie David Edward Smallwood, the XVIIth Baroness of Smallwood. Under the leadership of the Smallwoods and other prominent Ghyllians, the Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement became a household term. Incidents, or "Staircase Sightings", were reported daily in the newspapers of record.
Unfortunately, the era of peace and prosperity for the Movement was destined to come to end. In -43 EC Lane Smallwood, upset and bereft at the loss of her parents Roger and Alice Bob in the unmentionable Fundzherit Peninsula Incident, embarked upon a campaign of destruction, hellbent on decimating the Movement. Her guerrilla warfare tactics were supremely effective: membership dropped from a high of 107 in -50 EC to 13 in -20 EC.
Nevertheless! It is widely suspected that the Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement is currently undergoing a revival in a new stealth guild format. Supposedly, the present resurgence is in preparation for staking claim to the droit d'explotation of the cactus forests. Due to the inherent stealthiness of this organizational structure, however, this rumor is rather difficult to confirm.
Citations: Conflict That Is Not Happening, Guerrilla warfare, Pziqq trees.
--Lady Aleksandra 17:10, 17 Jun 2005 (EDT)
All very well, Lady A, but why is it called the Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement? Inquiring Ghyllians want to know. --John Cowan 14:42, 20 Jun 2005 (EDT)
