The Death of Liberty

The Death of Liberty is a Senyan musical that debuted in 1694, based on a novel of the same name by author Christopher Asrin. Set throughout Senyan history, the story follows the journey of three generations of Senyans; Ƨevander Skolis, his daughter Ana and her husband Kevin, and their son Michael, touching on several issues as they go.

Synopsis

Act 1 (Jon)

Jon Skolis is a member of a nomadic ethnic-Senyan family that lives in The Green of Northwestern Apollonia. Although there is no state, there are increasing calls for the formation of a Senyan state by many tribes and community leaders across the region. In 1585, Skolis travels to the metropolis of Svorgas to attend a meeting of Senyans, whom Skolis dismisses as delusional idealists. After the meeting, he runs into a Craitish man, who goes by the nickname 'Ant', who convinces Skolis to give up his nomadic lifestyle in order to chase after the Senyan nationalist goal of attaining statehood. Skolis is met by rebuke from his family, who dismiss him as an idiot and a threat to their increasingly rare lifestyle. Skolis fights with his family before moving to Lutsan. Skolis becomes a councillor and takes part in the negotiations of government, where although he is initially held back for coming from a nomadic background, he helps broker the deal that leads to Senyan independence. He is invited home by his mother, who encourages him to reconcile with his community, but when he arrives, he finds that many of them had died in a storm that had hit days earlier. Upset with himself, he returns to Lutsan, and becomes an alcoholic. After impregnating a prostitute, he loses his seat on the council, and commits suicide prior to the child's birth.

Act 1 (Ƨevander)

In 1617, the child, Ƨevander Skolis, is runs away from his mother, who beats and abuse him, before he is drafted by Senyan forces to fight on the front line during the River Warrior War. He is transported to Tiga, where he meets Colnel Artemus Scarlock and his best friend James Finley Fisher, who are both speakers of the Common Tongue. Both Scarlock and Fisher show Skolis contempt for his native language being Senyan, as they feel as if Istvanistani-named and ethnic Victorians are treated as second class citizens, telling Skolis their stories of discrimination. During the battle of Tiga, Fisher is killed after Skolis fails to warn them of an impending artillery attack by Apollonian Republic forces, which leads Scarlock to beat and torture Skolis, shooting him in an alley way. Skolis is eventually captured by Apollonian forces, and defects, taking up residence in Port Nevermore. Following this, Ƨevander meets and falls in love with a young Jing girl named Liao Huiliang. The couple marry and have twins, Ana and Min, who are born in 1622. However, the increasing political leadership of the Jings over the Apollonian Republic cause issues for their relationship, with Ƨevander worried about the treatment of non-Jings and ethnic minorities, whilst Liao dismisses these fears and supports the accession of the Heavenly Light over Apollonia. After Ƨevander suggests the two flee to Arboria, Liao steals Min and flees to Gong, leaving Ƨevander to raise Ana by himself. Increasingly, the Jing secret police hassle and beat non-Jings, and after they become suspicious of him, Ƨevander's life becomes increasingly difficult.