To the Non-Priestess Deirdre, and those who would join her cause:

Perhaps you have some lack of understanding of how things work and where
your place is in this world, so let me help you.

It doesn't take an intelligent person to have the ability to read.
Everyone who just read that sentence, congratulations. It doesn't take a
very astute reader to peruse the histories and ethos of an organization
and learn what the moral values were under it's foundation. It doesn't
take a scholar to know that democracy means an elected leader, and that
elected leader serves as a voice for the majority of the organization,
or else they could simply be removed.

So about the real Priests, hence forth referred to as Priests, and
addressed to Deirdre's motley crew, hence forth referred to as
"Priests."

Priests, believe it or not, were an organization of the light. Their
skills, believe it or not, are based on devotion to the Gods that served
their ideals.

The root of the rift that emerged in the Priests was caused in large
part to two things. First, people joining the Priests, not to _be_
Priests, but to have Priest skills. It doesn't take but one free-for-all
experience with Elden to prove that their HOLY skills can be quite
devastating in combat. It is also apparent, that their skills are that
much more damaging to those who have an alignment which sways towards
the darker side of the scale. Secondly, people who joined the Priests,
but then decided being a Priest wasn't fun. Gee, it's not fun if I don't
get to go to Moghedu and murder innocent people. It really holds back my
levelling. It's not fun to have to not be friends with people who
epitomize all that I pledged to be against when I chose my path in life.

To the "Priests," I speak for many people when I say, give me a break.
You are not Holy. You are not of the Light. You do not follow your
ideals, you follow your own selfish impulses. The moment a leader tries
to take the hard right instead of the easy wrong, you throw up your arms
in protest and try to organize an en masse protest to it.

You are NOT Priests.

Think for a moment, about the visions that Sahmie's ANGEL granted her
with. You infused corruption into the organization. There was a period
for which you had your chance to self-reflect. The higher path was
unveiled. Many of you, after being beligerant when your guild was
dissolved, SUDDENLY became so noble when the higher path was indeed
unveiled. Why? The Luminaries might have cool new skills! Being a rogue
is no fun!

I have felt betrayal at the hands of my guild. I made my own decision to
leave that life and carry on alone, with my head held high, knowing in
my heart that some day a higher path would be revealed to those for whom
I could not help. You have not been betrayed. Rather, you have betrayed
your Guild. You have betrayed your Leader. You have betrayed your City.
You have betrayed your allies. You have betrayed your Angel. You have
betrayed the Gods. You have betrayed yourselves.

You live in a diluded black and white world, where fun is the key. You
want to marry consanguine. To bed with them in their coffins, perhaps?
You want to enter places to murder innocent people. Because it gives you
power. So deluded by your selfishness are you, that you disregard the
very thing that gives ultimate power, Faith.

You did not believe in your leader. You did not believe in your laws.
You did not believe in your Patron. You did not believe in your Angel.
You did not believe in your ideals. You lacked faith. The Gods granted
you a tremendous opportunity to show your faith, but you did not.

Some of you wouldn't even stand by Sahmie's side as she revealed what
she had learned. I pledged to follow her. The true Priests pledged to
follow her. Paladins pledged to follow her. Druids. Snakes. Everyone.
Except you. It was too inconvienent to you. You let your personal
dislikes get between your mind and your soul. For that, I don't believe
there will ever be forgiveness.

So remember, every time you call your Angel, if you do. That your Angel
pains. You Angel wants the higher way, as has been shown. Every time you
use your skills, you are defaming the Gods who granted them to you.
Every time you call yourselves "Priests," you merely accept what Sahmie
already said. The Priest guild was corrupted. But there is a higher way.
You do not believe in the way, because you are a "Priest?" You might
want to consider who the Angel was calling corrupt, "Priests."

You should consider yourself lucky that your skills weren't stripped of
you. That you aren't being slain by the Gods for insulting them. That
your city, which you left to get away from the truth, doesn't try you
for treason. You are living a charade. I am not impressed by your act.

May the Gods have mercy on your hypocritical souls.

Ishuri

Penned by my hand on the 12th of Ios, in the year 98 MA.