In the year 59 MA, I chose to make My presence in the realm felt by the
mortals who inhabited it. I had walked the realm previous to this, but
chose to remain non-corporeal for reasons that remain My own. I gained
followers, who saw the wisdom of My path. They realized that progress
was in everyone's best interest in the long run. I was invited to Patron
a variety of organizations, from guilds to cities.

During this time, I watched Ashtan and its antics. I noticed a
disturbing pattern, one that would play itself out over and over through
the next sixty years.

Whenever there was competent leadership, people who tried to help Ashtan
grow and become a real, thriving community, the apathy of the citizens
made their work impossible. Eventually these leaders began to lose hope,
and the citizens would vote them out, and place corrupt officials
interested only in their personal power structure in their stead. The
corrupt officials would make unreasonable rulings, failed to adequately
support the city and its needs, and pushed the hopes of the citizenry
further down. Some citizens left, new ones arrived, and the cycle would
begin again. Competent leaders unable to bring progress due to an
apathetic citizenry who eventually replaced the decent, hard-working
leaders with corrupt officials who granted favours to their friends and
families. More citizens left, and eventually all the guilds abandoned
the city. Still those with a vested interest in maintaining this status
quo, for whatever their personal reasons, refused to bring progress to
the city.
I tried on many occasions, and through many means, to bring about a
renaissance in Ashtan. I helped leaders get placed, I offered advice and
assistance, I sent hints that they needed to grow. Nothing worked. All
the while people who had devoted themselves to Ashtan, who were too
decent to abandon it, spent their lives mired in the muck it had become.
Their best efforts coming to nothing, their dreams shattered, always
striving to improve things, always believing when people said they
wanted improvement, but always being duped into simply maintaining the
crumbling organization.

When Chakrasul and Arion brought Their battled across the seas I
rejoiced that it landed in Ashtan. "Here," I thought, "Here is the jolt
Ashtan will need to move, to grow, to become something." For I was
certain that it could not help but be changed, no matter Who prevailed.
Arion won, and Chakrasul's forces were pushed out. I watched eagerly as
Arion set about revitalizing Ashtan. Many grand plans were proposed,
fresh life was brought, new citizens arrived. Then, one by one, the
weight of apathy and the corrupt leaders managed to crush every new
proposal that would have given Ashtan a real identity, a real community.

It was then, as I watched every hope Ashtan had oozing back down into
the quagmire of Ashtani politics, that I realized Ashtan was never going
to grow. It would never become a real community of purpose, it would
never progress in this realm. It would just continue to suck the life
energy out of the devoted few that doggedly and loyally refused to give
up hope that one day it might improve.

So I formed My plan. After more than a decade of negotiating and
strategizing, it now comes to fruition.

To the city of Ashtan: I formally declare war upon you for the crimes
against My realm you have perpetrated for over sixty years. Your
stagnation is rank and it threatens to spread beyond your crumbling
walls. You drain the life energy of your citizens, and spit them out,
making them bitter and unhappy people who sharing their pain with their
fellows and ultimately spreading your rank filth into the realm. You
have worked against every God and Goddess who has ever tried to assist
you, made promises that were never kept, and cannot be trusted to ever
learn from the mistakes of the past.

To the citizens of Ashtan: I encourage you to stop spending your life
force on this crumbling pile of rubble. You are worthy of much more, you
deserve a community, a life, and a chance that you will never have by
supporting Ashtan further. You have proudly done your best, but it is
time to let go. There is new hope outside of the cracked walls and ugly
streets of the city. Give yourselves a chance at life that is not
possible within those environs.

To the rest of you: Know that progress will not be denied. A failure to
thrive in a realm rich with opportunities cannot last forever. Take the
chances you are given to grow. Learn from the mistakes of Ashtan.

To My Siblings: I urge You to work with Me in this endeavor. Ashtan has
lied to its Patrons as much as it has to its citizens. It is no longer
worthy of Our assistance and disdains Us quietly while publicly
protesting its "devotion" to Us. Do not be duped by these protestations.
They merely seek to protect the status quo. They have no interest in
growing or becoming anything of consequence in this realm. If they have
ever made good on any promise given, to a God or to any other
organization, it was not one that held any significant impact. Their
promises have ever been hollow, and are not worth listening to now.

I have My own fighting force, small but devoted. Those bearing My title
of Crashing Wave are My combatants in this endeavor. This is a
concession I make since your militia is so readily identified, I make My
military arm equally identifiable.

Oh, and if you wish to negotiate, Ashtan, do feel free to contact Me.

Penned by my hand on the 21st of Lanosian, in the year 122 MA.