There was a time when I would have been proud to have my city align
with you. No matter what some may have altered the history books to
make Sapience believe, ALL OF YOU who were there know that Shallam in
an act of benevolence extended its arm of mercy to your aid years ago
when the Nazetu invaded. The invasion was not at our doorstep, and
there was no reason to believe it intended to move beyond Ashtan walls
had Shallam stayed neutral. We did not, and though a few may try to
change history to claim otherwise, all who were there know the truth.
Shallam aid came at a heavy price. My blood was spilt, repeatedly
as was the blood of hundreds and hundreds of Shallam soldiers. I had
no regrets though, for I was fighting for freedom, and never have I
been as proud of my own city as I was that month.

Bastion of the North, you were given aid from Shallam once. Your
council recognized the sacrifice we made on your behalf, and promised
Shallam compensation for the soldiers who were slain in your defense.
This promise was not fulfilled in even a tenth part of what was freely
given to save your city once. Nor was there even any effort for that
matter to fulfill your debt to Shallam that extended beyond a year
or two before our aid and sacrifice too was forgotten in the very
apathy you've been accused of. How could you have been so forgetful
so fast? How soon you forsook the people who gave of their lives to
save you, and how soon you abandoned it for naught. Perhaps had your
reaction been different, that was could have been a turning point and
the beginning of an alliance of free people. Sapience will never know
though, for whether it was in apathy, in arrogance, or in downright
indifference you chose to break your promise to Shallam, you not only
forfeited all chance of Shallam 'choosing' to come to your aid again,
but by your very actions you made it impossible for us to do so.

This is not all though, and were this the limit of your treachery I
would still care little for the affairs of the present. In a single
sequence of malevolence, you Bastion of the North, who claims to
be a part of this land and coexist with it, struck out not only at
your aggressors, but at the entire world and ensured a famine of
herbs that will surely devastate the land for years to come. You old
timers remember how rough things were decades ago when steel was
as scarce as honor is amongst.... ok I won't go there. All old enough
to remember those days remember how difficult it was when a suit of
fullplate would cost over 100k in comms IF you were lucky enough to
be able to gather that much steel. I hope history will prove me wrong
but I believe the steel scarcity of 30 years ago will be nothing in
comparison to herb shortage in years to come which a single selfish
group with no thought for the well being of any man, woman, or child
to possess this land for generations to come will be forced to endure
thanks to your global and deliberate destruction of the forests.
Think me to be overreacting? Walk the forests of Sapience yourselves.
See what little plant life survived this. Enough said.

Bastion of the north, I will make this plain and simple. Even if you
will of yourselves be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the rest of
the world around you. You may no longer care if the world becomes
an ash pit, but those still planning to live within the world do.
You have not only threatened the world I belong to, but have
burned down my home! I who gave sanctuary to your militia many times
at the outset of this last war. (Despite many attempts by Knick to
convince me otherwise.) I who have strove to always uphold Shallam
laws fairly even when your people were the victims. I who did nothing
to attack you, and bled and died in your defense years ago have but
a charred forest to visit which had been my home since my childhood.
There are no words to describe my anger at seeing my very home torched
at the bidding of your leaders, and a love of peace alone is all which
stays my hand and keeps my blades from joining this war this very
instant.

If you wish this to remain a war between yourselves and those who have
ought against you, see to it you persecute the innocent no longer.
My anger is strong at having seen my home destroyed, but even this
will I forgive on the condition those responsible are turned over for
justice and/or give 100% compensation to the land they've so
thoughtlessly devastated, and personally aid the forests in recovery
to its former state to the full satisfaction of those who attempted
to defend it from this betrayal.

Refuse to do this, continue to harbor those intent on destroying
Sapience before they end their own miserable existance, and I promise
you by the Flame of Rahn that I will come unto you speedily with as
many as will stand on the side of Valor and Justice, and fight until
you can no more have power to terrorize this continent. I warn you
that fear will not stay my hand should this be allowed to continue.
I have seen my sister and family butchered, and now the last reminder
of them has been swept away by this treachery. All that remained
which I loved most has perished at the hands of your leader and I will
do what I must to save others from the same fate. The choice is
yours. End this madness, or face the consequences from myself and all
who will rally to oppose the destruction of this land.

Sir Alcor of Aalen


Penned by my hand on the 25th of Lleian, in the year 123 MA.