Hail, Aetolia.

First, let us all shed a tear for the persecuted Emperor. Oh, it is so
awful what we have done to you. How you must have suffered under me, the
ruthless dictator! Now that you have all read the dramatic fairytale,
let me give you the sobering truth.

A rich heritage? When I awoke many years ago, I found our House in
shambles, with a liar and his cohort in firm grip of power. Due to my
work in unseating him, I was chosen as his successor, by my esteemed
peers. We returned the House to it's democratic roots while you slept.
Now, as you may know, during his last awakening, our Emperor went
utterly insane. He Embraced many fresh from Loom Island, with no regard
for their own intellect, and no regard for his own Blood. This alone led
us to doubt his judgement, and we he began to take thralls on his own,
it worried us even more. We have an established procedure for
enthrallment, which he chose to utterly ignore. When questioned, he told
us that he would be keeping our thrall outside the House, as a
personally loyal servant. How strange, for one who values his family so
highly, to operate entirely independent of our family, and defy us so.

When questioned about your actions, you personally threatened Her Grace
Anaphiel. Then, you gave me your WORD that you would stop taking childer
outside the House. Even though at least five members of my House
expressed their concern over your bizzare actions, I did not oust you
from the House. Then, you decided to Embrace Ascher, breaking your word,
Imperial law, and House custom. Strangely, after I removed him from the
House, he echoed the same sentiments as you about Her Grace Anaphiel. He
told me that I was a puppet, and that she was hated by the entire House.
How very strange that one so young would say such a thing! I can only
wonder who planted those thoughts in his mind, and why. After I finally
called for you to account for your actions, you abruptly left the House.
You caused dissension within my House, and shocked all of my family with
your actions. Only your two thralls have chosen to accompany you, let
that forever stand as a testament to what the House thought of you.

You call my family an oligarchy, yet I am a democratically elected
leader, and have not been contested. Let me point out that no less than
7 active members of the House have the ability to do so, and you did as
well. You say that I stifle those who would speak out against me, yet I
did not even remove you from the House after you ridiculously declared
"I AM Bahir'an", and that you were above all our laws. Yes, we are a
thorough democracy, which is why we cannot stand for you to play
dictator.

Your claims about the Imperium are eqaully ridiculous. I was appointed
Viceroy by my predecessor, Praetor Thrasius, who wisely and selflessly
realized that I would be able to better lead. I was backed by no less
than four Imperial Houses, and the Supreme Council of Blood exists to
give all Houses a fair say in Imperium politics.

The problem lies not within the House. The problem lies not within the
Imperium. The problem lies not within myself or Her Grace Anaphiel. The
problem is thoroughly your own. We have dealt with those as power hungry
as you in the past, we shall not abandon our beloved Democracy to
accommodate the wishes of one man, no matter how large his ego. Times
have changed, and Bahir'an will no longer settle upon a leader simply by
Ancestry. That path led us to the brink of ruin. We will allow only most
intelligent and dedicated members into positions of leadership. You, on
the other hand, have proved yourself to be insane, torpid, selfish, and
manipulative, at one time or another. Also, taking back the Castle after
so many House members have built it up at their own cost? Well, now we
can all see the true depth of your concern for your family.

Let us never again fall into the clutches of tyrants,
Khalifa Tzevi Bahir'an, Imperial Viceroy.

Penned by my hand on the 22nd of Lanosian, in the year 175 MA.