Seneschal,

I adhere to the Tenets of Light, that of Truth and Growth. I never hide my failures, I embrace them. I do not sweep them away as stains, they are what define who I am today. I would not change any aspect of my life, or those around me, as to do so would claim dominion over Truth. A dominion I reject, as should any intelligent mortal.

Though the substance of your post is intriguing, I think context is important. I agree that you found many younglings in your recent excursion to the Dawnspear. Specifically what you found was a populace so young, in fact, that none were capable of defusing a tank! That's mostly irrelevant, either way. Despite such machinations, we would never shy away from defending our home, contrary to certain other "cities". These brave, inexperienced few met you head-on. And for that I can say that I am personally proud, though this is nothing new. Contrary to popular belief cowardice and a failure to protect what is sovereign are not the methods by which a successful entity is established.

Forgive my insolence, but I will not address accusations of apathy towards Targossas...from Hashan. There is much to be said here but I think we all understand the absolute hypocrisy of even mentioning this subject to anyone.

Next, your ignorance of our efforts. You believe there to be a finality to our efforts, a definitive end goal akin to Oblivion, subjugation, or the Great Work. While it is true that we have failed over the course of our existence to erase those who hinder the cause of Good from Creation, do not be so naive as to believe this is the culmination of what we are, what They demand. We do not claim sovereignty or a final plan, you do. As does Chaos, and Evil.

Our existence is one of service to Creation, through Good, and as long as these finalities do not occur then it is us who is winning, not you. Do not take the absence of absolute victory for failure. There is nuance to war, and the isolated subsection of Creation within which your city has been restricted to for the entirety of its existence is most certainly a victory.

Lastly, do not speak of "Progress". You have made none. You have accomplished nothing. You are nothing. You will understand that soon enough and, just like your predecessors, you will feel the weight of your words as the morale and resolve of Hashan crumbles into the nothingness beneath the cruel reality of resolve you will never understand, just as it always have. Do not speak to me of hopes and dreams, of the arbitrary "tomorrow". Any leader can promise progress, any leader can point towards what may come. You and those who came before you have never been able to point at what has already come, and we all know that trend is not a coincidence, and will continue so long as Hashan allows Darkness to hamper its Growth.

We have been steadfast in our resolve our entire lives. We have warred with Mhaldor, with Ashtan, with Orders, with clans, with Pirates. This is what we are, this is what defines us. Do not mistake the entirety of our existence with the most recent "fad" of Hashan. We've all heard this before, be it from Kasa or any number of others, and yet here you remain. Making the same promises of tomorrow, of what may come, of what should be. Targossas is what is, and has been, for the entirety of our existence. Do not presume to compare our two cities, for only one is an actual city. The other is a collection of lost souls, rambling and clinging to the most recent flavour of the month for a while before casting it aside in favour of comfortability as forces far superior to you eventually strangle what little devotion exists within your "city" to nothingness.

If you believe your culmination to be what transpired these last few months, things each other city does on a monthly basis, then I simply feel sorry for you. Do not be coerced into a battle you do not want, Hashan. There is no enlightenment to be found in blindness, there is no Truth in the dark. What is there has always been there, you simply will be incapable of perceiving it. What has been done by Hashan has already been replicated shortly thereafter, as most of these things are. Do not be fooled into believing you will find purpose or progress when you know there is nothing there but a veil covering a shadow of nothingness.

Embrace the reality of Truth and the revelations of Light and Fire.

Or simply be lied to once more about "tomorrow".

In service to the Bloodsworn,

Micaelis al Nadir

Penned by my hand on the 3rd of Phaestian, in the year 791 AF.