Dear Mikal,

There is in fact a significant difference between Oceania's group and
the Black Hand. Oceania was leading a humanitarian effort against the
abhorrent treatment of Second Prophet. She made her intentions clear and
was not just killing for the sake of spilled blood. The Black Hand,
which is oddly described as having the "duty of cleansing the Cursed
Blood" (Pythona's words), cannot claim as much. Their anti-vampire
mission has nothing to do with attacking Syssin or most Spireans.
Pythona isn't even working under a pretense -- he's working under no
rationale at all but to avenge an ambiguous contract that hurt his
pride.

Dear Avialle,

I know of the deliquescent nature of your loyalty, so your recent public
squawking of the city you joined and rejoined (twice?) does not surprise
me. I'd like to address only the points you made, not you yourself. I
suspect this will result in a rebuttal which does not offer the same
cordiality, but I must continue. You accuse Spinesreach of being
stagnant. You know, I realize that this is the
word/insult/reason-for-going-to-war of the decade, but it simply does
not apply to all things. I believe that the lobbing of this claim says
more of the accuser than of Spinesreach. Neither Spinesreach nor any
city is some autonomous, imaginative being that creates itself before
one's eyes. One can only expect a city to be as engaging as any given
citizen and his or her activity. I'll cut to the chase: it's
irresponsible to expect things to happen. Participate. Complaining is
not participatory.

The second alleged horror of Spinesreach is the lack of intelligence of
its citizens. I consider intelligence to comprise (but is not limited
to) logic, open-mindedness, and scholarship. Would you agree, Avialle,
that an intelligent person is not dogmatic to the point of
irrationality? What characterizes an intelligent city, or one which
encourages thought? Again, I stress that intellectual activity is a
personal matter for which a city is not responsible to force.
Spinesreach, in fact, upholds nothing more than the trust of the
potential of its citizens' minds. A Spirean need not landmark a certain
way or be in a certain guild. It is a free city, and nothing is more
cerebrally stimulating than freedom! I implore you to find a city or
large organization more conducive to thought. We may not be making a big
show of it, but books are being written, discussions held, and the best
part is that the city need not audit it because we are capable.

Oh, and to quickly address your comment on Spinesreach and the war: Not
only was your diction inappropriate, but it was ridiculous considering a
comment you once made on the city channel. It was you, Avialle, who
mocked citizens for wanting an arena in the city because in your mind,
scholars are not allowed to cultivate their combat prowess. Which is it,
Avialle? Condemning attempts to improve or just dismissing it all?

-- Callisto Orange, of the Spires

Penned by my hand on the 24th of Haernos, in the year 129 MA.