As many of you who keep up to date with current events
are aware, there has been a conflict between Duiran and I.
I'm sure Duiran's unbiased information network has
already 'explained' what 'happened,' and as a result have
turned various groups against me. What follows is a brief
timeline/version of my point of view.

Approximately a year ago, I am mislead by a person into
exterminating Duiran. I generally give people the benefit of
the doubt when associating with them. My experiences
now have taught me better.

For exterminating in the area around Tasurke I was
granted enemy status by a Benandanti. For seven
months, I received absolute no contact from Duiran
regarding this issue. I decide that they have chosen to let
me rot with enemy status, and also coincidentally decide
to resume my daily life. Seeing as the forest obstructs
some of my more popular routes, I plowed the forest
aside. Well wouldn't you know it, a Benandanti comes
running almost immediately after I resume extermination.
At first, I was given the impression he only wished to
'talk.' Then I noticed he brought in about three other
people with him. In my experience, I recall 'talking' only
required two people. I left the area, and proceeded to
communicate with him via messages. After seven months
of enemy status, they still did not have a penalty ready to
give me. I offered them a few more months, warned them
courteously to not be unreasonable, and expected
somewhat of an understanding and/or compassion for my
situation.

My sentence was a set amount of gold, and a 3 year
penalty. The gold fine I found valid. The time penalty was
unacceptable. Seeing as I warned them to be reasonable
and that they had apparently ignored my request, I
resumed extermination.

A day after exterminations resumed, I received a contact
informing me that Duiran had threatened my city/guild
with a 'culling' (harvesting all herbs and selling to no one).
I stopped, under the assumption that Duiran wished to
resume talks.

Apparently they didn't, which I found out after a few more
months of waiting. I was then approached by an ex-
Infernal. After a small confrontation, we came to terms
and the knight agreed to have him and his fiance attempt
to help put an end to this situation. The knight was
helpful. His fiance was not. The knight patched me
through to a representative of Duiran, and told me the
representative wanted me to go through her in the future
from then on. Later, his fiance claimed that she herself
was the representative. Seeing as I had no responses
from Duiran (the real representative turned out to have
taken a brief hiatus from Aetolia), I decided to humor the
fiance's claims. She approached me in much the same
way my past contacts with Duiran have. A slightly
haughty nature, blatant arrogance, and of course the
small dash of self-righteousness only superceded by
greed. Basically she told me her side was completely
right, my side was completely wrong, etc., etc.. I have
learned to expect this from Duiran. After several
exchanges with the fiance in which virtually nothing was
accomplished, I broke off contact.

A few days later, I am greeted by the knowledge that
somehow people believed that I had started exterminating
again, as well as being enemied from a guild that
undoubtedly was influenced by the fiance. I hadn't
exterminated since I stopped when Duiran threatened my
city/guild, and had no idea how this idea became
propagated. However, at this point I wouldn't have been
suprised if Duiran spread these rumors itself.

A lot of people believed in these rumors- which, if true,
would have made me a liar. Thus, many influential people
believed me dishonest and not to be trusted. My city
head, apparently under no small amount of pressure from
Duiran, first asked me, then threatened me to stop. In
addition to this, Duiran "officially" submitted a request for
my out-citying. Another representative of theirs later
withdrew the request, claiming it was not an accurate
portrayal of the Benandantis' wishes. During this time I
spoke with yet ANOTHER member of the Benandanti,
who had no idea of my background and proceeded to give
me the usual Duiran treatment I had come to expect,
going on to rattle off whatever fines they believed I should
pay and telling me if I didn't they would take violent action.

From these experiences, I have come to the conclusion
that either Duiran is 1) Ineffective at communication
amongst themselves and to others, 2) Cunning in
manipulating others, 3) Too used to getting their way, or
4) All of the above.

I have had to defend myself against constant assaults by
assassins on behalf on Duiran, verbal assaults by those
who for some reason would rather sit behind the divine
grace of the gods than confront me in person, and other
forms of libel/slander. I am not going to bother submitting
too many additional massive articles trying to clarify any
more spreading rumors. I would be trying to quell the lies
caused by a political/propaganda behemoth hundreds of
times my size. So the next time you read something from
Duiran or one that sides with Duiran on this matter, take
their words with a grain of salt. I'm more or less expecting
another flurry of statements from them claiming how I did
everything from having an affair with their spouses to
kicking their dogs.

Simply, it now comes down to this:

1) My city leader has threatened to outcity me if I
continue extermination. I understand her concern, as
Duiran's herb-based threats can cost the city a significant
amount of money.

2) My guild is being threatened as well for my actions,
even though earlier Duiran had acknowledged to my guild
leader that my actions were not endorsed by the guild and
were completely independent.

3) I've been enemied from one guild already in addition to
Duiran, and I expect to be enemied from other
organizations under Duiran's sway.

4) Constant attacks from zealous supporters of Duiran
have irritated me to no end.

5) Duiran basically wants me to stop exterminating,
refuses to negotiate terms, and resorts to threats, herb-
based actions, and strong-arm tactics to achieve their
greedy goals.

6) I'm probably going to be outguilded as well, no doubt
due to Duiran's desires.

7) The current fine on myself, estimated by Stricken, is at
a sum of 200,000 gold. I view this whole affair as having
been avoidable if Duiran had been reasonable and/or
timely in their responses to me. From what I've seen
Duiran does not feel it needs to negotiate, most likely
because they believe their 'trump card' over herb control
and enemy status gives them a significant advantage in
all dealings. I do not care for this unwillingness to bend,
and I care even less that I was shown not a shred of sympathy
for having gotten into this because I trusted people. I was
more than happy to have paid the gold, but the duration
penalty wasn't exactly warranted in this sort of error.

8) The cease of exterminating I've agreed to I now
consider void, after seeing the lies circulated as well as
noting that Duiran's negotiations have stopped (since I
refrained from exterminating under the impression that
they would indeed talk).

In lieu of all this, I have decided to recycle their
demands/threats, and proceed with my activities.
Basically this long public post is intended to give the
public my version of the situation (ie. the true version,
though the other side may swear its not) and to politely
inform Duiran and their followers that I'm going to do my
best to resist their cruel tyranny and oppression, and to
extract as much payment as I can for what they have cost
me. Once again I reiterate that this whole thing would
most likely have been avoided if Duiran had their internal
and external communication up to par with modern
leadership structures.

As to all individuals/organizations that have already/wish
to support me, I thank you for your kindness. You may
message me or establish other forms of contact to
suggest your proposals, or may simply send to me
whatever materials you wish to contribute.

That is all.

Penned by my hand on the 14th of Midsummer, in the year 77 MA.