Cyrene is a city founded on hopes for a world free of pointless fighting.

For centuries, we have worked for this goal by holding back from any sort of military attack, in the hope that isolation would convince the rest of the world to leave us be. But our hopes for peace proved to not enough to hold back the world, with raiders becoming a common sight even after our attempts at Amnesty, and the damage to our city at the hands of the Tsol'teth proving once and for all that the world would not leave us be.

Now we stand at the end of our thirty years of Rebuilding facing the future to decide what comes next. We will not abandon our hopes for a better future, but we will never repeat the past.

In modern times, two cities have stood above the rest as aggressors to the Vashnars. Mhaldor was the first city to to attack us after the novelty of amnesty wore off and have since attacked us with little pause, going after our people and, even through their more recent claims of standing for respect for the Divine, repeatedly bringing destruction to our Pantheon raised to all Divine. Despite attempts at diplomacy and common enemies, Mhaldor has made clear time and time again that nothing but violence will hold their raiders from our walls.

Hashan has more recently decided to turn its aggression on Cyrene, starting by attacking just days after we liberated our city from the Tsol'teth and continuing until their soldiers have become a common sight in our streets and our sewers. At first, they claimed it was in response for actions taken during the war, and then made new excuses when they wished to continue their one-sided aggression. Now, as their army chooses time and time again to attack Cyrene over other, more aggressive cities, it is clear that the only cause left is bloodlust.

And so, from here on, the warriors of Cyrene will be free to raid the cities of Mhaldor and Hashan when they see fit. It no longer makes sense to force our warriors to only fight back at set times for retaliation. So long as the raids continue, so will we.

We would, even now, much prefer that we could find an end to this needless fighting. Cyrene has no interest in deepening or escalating these conflicts. And so, we wish to make a standing offer to both Mhaldor and Hashan: if there is ever desire for an end to the fighting, we would be more than willing to agree to either a short term ceasefire or a more lasting white peace, with no conditions besides an end to the raiding on both sides. If there is no wish for more fighting then let us bring it to an end, but Cyrene will always assert its sovereignty and security in the face of an increasingly hostile world.

We will not strike first, but we will strike back. Cyrene stands forevermore, and we will fight for her to the last.

Ever Loyal,
Imperiate Keorin,
Commander of the Vashnars

Penned by my hand on the 16th of Scarlatan, in the year 835 AF.