Dear Callisto,

Ousted as I was with the Loretta ordeal, I must agree with Mikal.
Oceania's attacks were no more justified than the Black Hand's attack
upon Spinesreach militia. What you call "humanitarian" simply isn't a
factor. Most certainly, a necromancer is not expected to rationalize
like a Luminary, etc. The issue is this: For personal reasons, Oceania
declared an assault upon the Bloodlochian militia. For personal reasons,
the Black Hand declared an assault upon Spinesreach. Although the Black
Hand may support the annihilation of this or that, etc. that has nothing
to do with what else it may or may not support. I fail to see an
objective difference.

Most certainly, a subjective difference does exist. Larion and Oceania
are both Syssin (and presumably, both allies). Larion and Pythona are on
bad terms. Obviously, Pythona will get mud tossed in his direction;
Oceania will get snuggled for her "heroic crusade". However, it is the
duty of an elected official to act objectively for the best of one's
nation not one's personal interests, allies, associations, etc. If
Larion had no qualms with Oceania, he should have no qualms with
Pythona. We have an Aetolian word for this sort of situation since he
does: Hypocrite.

Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge my agreement with a statement
you made in your previous post, "an intelligent person is not dogmatic
to the point of irrationality..."

With this in mind, I would like to quote Larion's closing in his post to
Pythona:

"Carrier of the Ankyrean Legacy of Intelligent Thought in a world
seeking to drown in its own blood..." Truly, is this not the epitome of
dogma?

Irawn.


Penned by my hand on the 6th of Variach, in the year 130 MA.