Greetings, Aetolia.

I am posting this message to express my outrage at the impunity with
which many have been maligning my Guild. I am shocked, and deeply
disappointed that you, Theragil, and you, Rosalind, and others have
seized the political opportunity to foment unrest among my compatriots.

Each of you have returned to the age-old yet baseless accusation that
the Magi are ineffectual, yet we remain steadfastly neutral in a chaotic
Realm and close, powerful allies to those that seek balance.

You have indignantly smeared my Guild as being politically corrupt,
resurrecting decades-old stories of unethical secretaries and indecisive
leadership, yet we remain the most popular Guild among mortals.

You infer that my Guild and its leadership are self-serving, yet the
Magi have long been the paragons of fairness and even temper, and we
have always been the kindest and most supportive to new mortals.

Time and again over the years, cities, guilds, and orders have sought
the assistance of the Magi. We have always promptly responded to the
call of action, be it Ashtan and the consanguine's request for an
eternal darkness, or Lady Slyphe's determined if unsuccessful warcry. We
continue to stand aside the Duiran, placing ourselves at risk, in
combatting the events that mar Sapience's natural landscape.

The Magi are not a Guild of intrigue, as you so insultingly claim. We
are a close-knit community of mortals committed to balance, and ethics.
There is not a single one of you, that can reflect upon your own
communities and not find an example of political disagreement. There is
not single one of you that is in a rightful position to pass judgment on
the Magi. Were you such ethically-inclined people, you would either
withdraw yourself entirely from what is an issue effecting only the Magi
or you would offer your morally-based assistance to see that the Magi
recover from this undeserved public whipping.

To suggest that a brief, isolated and inopportune disagreement among the
Magi threatens the fabric of Aetolia reeks of opportunism, and is akin
to claiming that Ashtan's demise is indicative of the failure of the
city-state. Ask Enorian, or Spinesreach, or Bloodloch, or others if this
is the case.
In summary, do not throw rocks if you live in a glass house. My Guild
remains strong, and committed. We are an example to be followed, not
mocked.

In service to the Magi,

Shahvani Shahpur-Corey, Magus Khodmokhtar

Penned by my hand on the 7th of Haernos, in the year 140 MA.