I simply return to the point in My initial post. I have been watching
Asthan for longer than a great number of you have been alive. This
information has been available to anyone who cared enough to find it, I
never hid My feelings about Ashtan's behaviour and actions, or
inactions.

Daelar seems incapable of telling the difference between building
alliances to accomplish a goal, and individuals controlling other
individuals. I suspect this explains a great deal about how and why
Ashtan has been as it has for so long.

Yes, initially I did speak with Chakrasul, because I guessed that Her
passion over having lost Ashtan before would encourage Her to deal
reasonably with Me and aid Me in My goals. This is called "negotiating".
It involves a certain amount of give and take. When two parties
negotiate, they bring their desires to the table, and see if there's a
way that they can work together to accomplish their goals. During this
process there is discussion of what one hopes to gain from one's
participation, and what it will cost. This is how alliances are built.

Chakrasul and I also discussed a great many different strategies for
accomplishing Our goals. There were a number of reasons why We
approached Bloodloch with Our hope that they might join Our alliance.
I'll repeat that for those of you who don't seem to read very well.
Chakrasul and I approached Bloodloch and negotiated with them regarding
the possiblity of joining in an alliance to accomplish this goal.
Bloodloch was very interested in this possibility, for their own
reasons, which I shouldn't have to explain to anyone who knows even the
slightest bit of history. Bloodloch wasn't manipulated or duped or
forced. They were offered a chance to gain several goals that meant
something to them while working with Myself and Chakrasul in the
process. See, children, that's how diplomacy works. We all found
ourselves with a common goal and set of desires. And we talked about how
we could realize those goals through mutual assistance.

As for the other organizations that have thrown their lots into this
alliance, they all have their own reasons for doing so. I compelled no
one, I duped no one. I simply offered them something they wanted. It's
really amazing that this is somehow perceived as cheating or dishonesty.
I tell someone "You have this goal, if we all work together, you can get
that goal and we'll get this other goal that you don't care much about."
And somehow this must be corruption, duplicity, dishonesty. Shame on
you. It's diplomacy, negotiation, and alliance building. Nothing more.
Nothing less. You should consider trying it sometime, instead of
breaking every treaty you've ever written, or promised to write.

I have no idea where Daelar obtains his information, but he should kill
his spy. I have never been interested in either Shallam, nor
Spinesreach. They are growing cities that contribute to the realm. Their
guilds are vital and they progress. Perhaps not as quickly as one might
hope, but they offer no offence to My realm. Of course this could change
in the future. If Spinesreach or Shallam gradually drove away every
guild associated with them, if they got mired in family politics, if
they ceased growing, if they fell into a cycle of angst and frustration
that sucked the souls out of the hard-working people devoted to them,
then yes, after sixty years of this, I would likely react in the same,
or similar way.

However, since they aren't doing this, I fail to see any reason why I
should turn My eye upon them.

As for My blessings and curses, Daelar offers more rhetoric and
absurdity. Of course this was going to be a difficult endeavor. Why do
you think I was planning it so carefully for so long? Why do you think I
went to so much trouble to gather so many organizations together into a
complex alliance? Because I knew it would be difficult. I didn't expect
to just walk in have Ashtan surrender to Me. Since this is My action,
because everyone stands to gain from it, since the original offence that
led to this action is an egregious violation against My realm, how could
I, in good faith, tell everyone arrayed to fight "Ok, you go an die for
Me, I'll sit in My temple and watch, but no, I won't spend any of My own
essence on this effort. I won't do anything else to help you succeed.
This is really important to Me and My realm, but I won't put anything of
Myself into it."

And still, if I have not managed to explain My actions convincingly
enough for you all to accept that what I am saying are truly the
reasons, ask yourself this.

Why did I not simply flood Ashtan and have done with it? Why would I
expose Myself to this foolish rhetoric, these absurd accusations, and
half truths? I cannot explain every minute detail that contributes to
this action in a single post. This action was nearly 20 years in the
planning, it grew and became more and more complex as more organizations
realized they had something to gain. So I offer to those of you who
would prefer to learn, ask Me. I am willing to discuss all of this, to
explain it to you openly and freely.

And finally (yes, I hear the collective sigh of relief even now). Of
course Daelar et. al. must say the things they are saying, and react the
way they are reacting. It is the only way they can react. Because if My
reasons are as I have stated, then they must deal with the fact of My
judging their actions as bearing no resemblance to progress. Given who
they are, and how they have blinded themselves to the reality of their
situation in Ashtan, I couldn't have expected any other reaction. To
ease the agony from the reality of their situation being forced on them
from outside, they must lash out, they must cling to the absurd hope
that I am somehow other than I have presented Myself. It is never easy
accepting the results of one's own choices in life, and especially so
when the results are so personally devastating.

Penned by my hand on the 20th of Slyphian, in the year 122 MA.