Hail and well met, Shah.
I don't post often, and no one ever accused me of having tact, so I'll
skip right to the point.
I lived in the desert city of Antioch for some 27 years, giving
everything I had to better the city and improve her citizens. Recently,
I left the desert and moved to Celidon. Since then, I've watched and
observed things that honestly make me ashamed to have ever lived in the
desert.
When I was Antiochan, I took our Pantheon seriously. I upheld what I
thought of as Justice to the absolute best of my ability, I defended
Peace at every opportunity, I promoted Life and the freedom to live it
wherever I could, and I fought the corruption that threatened the Purity
of our world wherever I found it, even in my own home and among my own
allies and friends and family. The only thing I can think of is that
somehow, somewhere, I failed to pass these ideals on before I finally
gave up and left the desert.
Antioch speaks of Peace, and her people spew the ideals of it left and
right. And yet, you go to war and slay children and harass and kill and
impart suffering of all kinds upon those who defy Peace. Correct me if
I'm wrong, but I get the distinct impression your current method of
defending and upholding the ideal of Peace would make the Lady Shallah
sick to Her stomach. Instead of lashing out like mindless brutes, you
never considered instead teaching these kids, or embracing them, or
showing them what they were doing. You know, all the things Peace
-really- means. On that note, any who seek refuge from the wrath of
Peace are welcome to contact me and we'll see what we can do about
keeping you safe and giving you the chance to learn and grow like you
always should have had.
Antioch speaks of Life, the freedom to live it and to make your own
decisions, to grow and thrive and learn. The Process of living and the
joys and horrors you find during it. And yet, all it takes is one little
misstep and your people jump all over mere children. I've watched it
happen more than once, a kid stumbles into combat and suddenly they've
lost all right to grow and learn, to Live like they should have. There
is no enlightenment in the desert, no encouragement to develop and
progress, only a stone cold wrath and brutality in an effort to suppress
any and all who stand anywhere but upon your sands. No teaching, no
guiding, no support, only death and pain and misery until people give up
and cease to wake.
Antioch speaks of Justice, of honor and courage and protecting those who
need it. And yet, your people fight this recent 'war' with Celidon by
targeting the young, the inexperienced, anyone they think they can beat,
and running back to hide when faced with anything near even odds. Where
is the honor and courage in that? Where is the defense of the young, the
innocent, and the wronged, when all you can do to them is kill and kill
and hurt and kill them? Once upon a time, I was a Vahinite. I was made
to leave His Order because I was enemied to Ithaqua. I was enemied to
Ithaqua for submerging a citymate who was attacked and killed four to
one at the Junction for saying he disliked Warden's milk. I suppose I
should have realized then that Orders and the true tenets of the Divine
mean nothing at all next to political posturing, but I had held out hope
regardless. Call it the idealism of youth, I suppose.
Antioch speaks of the Seven Suns, of the life and purity and the
cleansing force of their eternal flames. And yet, you sit and look past
the corruption within your very walls, because it doesn't suit you to
acknowledge it. You carry on about the Taint and the influence of the
demonic forces in the world, and sit all warm and snuggly at home amid a
cesspool of corruption and moral depravity, where you murder children,
bully anyone you can, cower within your walls, and boast of your brave
exploits into enemy territory. Never mind that those exploits have only
-ever- occurred when there were no defenders. When children and
innocents were your only targets. You know, when you felt you could
safely walk our streets and have your way.
Peace, Life, Justice, and the Seven Suns�they do sound nice, don't they?
Now only if there was a place that actually upheld their ideals. If only
there was a place that didn't use them as mere figureheads and overlook
them when it suited. If only the desert was what it claims to be.
Always in service,
--Andrea Dawnsong
Penned by my hand on the 1st of Bellum, in the year 592 AD.
