Greetings, Aetolians.

I wish to enlighten some of you about the ways Bloodloch wages war.
Please note that this isn't a complaint on my part - I knew quite well
what I was getting myself into and really couldn't care less, but I
think the public should know about how Bloodloch, including its members
who call themselves 'Vassals of Valor' wage war.

Earlier this month, as I was ratting in Ashtan I was suddenly attacked
by Ishmar. Unwilling to part with my loot of rats and pinchers by dying,
I fled the scene, only to be chased down by Ansury and Jianmin and
killed. Apparently it takes that much.

I was then given an ultimatum of either leaving my home (Spinesreach),
or being hunted. As do not care for having decisions forced on me by
people who compensate for lack of brains with brawn, so I gave them a
precise outline of where they might go and what they should do when they
get there.

I was then continuously killed by Jianmin, Calin, Makor, Yettave, Mikal,
Yochanon and a few other no-names, while being repeatedly told to leave
my homestead, which I repeatedly refused. I am not so much upset by the
killing as much as by their failure to mentally grasp the absurdity of
the situation. I should mention that they were courteous enough to wait
for me at the Cave, saving me the need to wander around waiting for them
to attack me.

When it became apparent that I would not leave my city (which happened
after about the 50th time I told them that - hearing comprehention is
not taught in Bloodloch, it seems), they decided to resort to less
valorous tactics than repeatdly mob-killing a defenseless near-novice.
First they attempted to rob me of my gold (you need more practice,
Yettave), then they attempted to mind-force me to quit the city, and
when that predicatbly failed as well, they paralyzed me, disabled me and
threatened to keep me in that state until I leave Spinesreach. Patience
is clearly not another virtue Bloodlochians are blessed with, because I
was able to outlast the torture fairly quickly. At this point, I became
bored with the proceedings and went to Minia, where I can now
conveniently enter again.

Now, I do not claim to know much about Lord Arion's (who I respect
enormously) Teachings, but it seems to me that mob-hunting a weak
person, repeatedly killing him, attempting to rob him and then, when all
else fails, torturing him is not exactly what one might describe as
Valor, even in times of war. I'm sure that Jianmin, Ansury and Calin,
whom I was addressing with this point will dismiss it by pointing out my
insignificance - and that would be correct of course, if we live in a
world where brawn means all and brains mean nothing - the kind of world
these three have lived in their entire lives. As for the rest of you,
Aetolians, who know that people have heads for purposes other than
eating and headbutting opponents, I hope that what I have written will
give you some food for thought about what Bloodloch stands for.

Ilan, Proud Spirean

Penned by my hand on the 24th of Severin, in the year 123 MA.