Nephiny,

You are correct. When I arrived on the Muurn, after being invited upon entering the realms, there was no order that we laid claim to the Muurn. No. We were simply sitting there and skirmishing. Then, the Minister of War (Eryl), joked that we were laying claim to the Lighthouse land in the Muurn. He asked for pikes, and we were all jokingly agreeing. Mezghar wanted to make flags to place to 'claim sovereignty'... In all honesty, we had enjoyed the idea of what it was prior. Conflict is the crucible of progress. Without it, we stagnate. Skirmishes are fun, and we all seemed to be enjoying ourselves.

The claim to sovereignty was a joke then, and then suddenly it wasn't anymore. Mezghar was laying claim to the Muurn, Caer Witrin, and other places that Hashan has no justifiable reason to control besides "I WANT THIS!" or "THIS ORDER ATTACKED US. LET'S GO MESS THEM UP!"... And then Keorin started placing Aegean shrines. What was an up hill battle to win prior became insurmountable with the combined forces of Ashtan, Eleusians, Rogues, and Cyrenians all coming together to slaughter those who would defile the War God's shrines.

He knew he was outnumbered, and when I began to defend the Recusant, he told me as such. "I cannot afford for you to turn this 3-on-1 war into a 4-on-1 war. Cease defending the Recusant against Mhaldor immediately." He gave me the choice to either defend against Mhaldor's oppression... or to fight in his war against Cyrene. A war that other Hashani still do not support. This used to be war between cities, but it has become very clear what it actually is.

War between Orders. The Darkwalkers up against the Scarlattans, Phaestians, Nerai, and Aegeans... War that they know they could not win, so they single their eyes upon one. The Patron of Cyrene, in a vain attempt to get the others off of their back. It should not go without saying though, Lord Twilight's words the other month. His claim that Hashan is His city. City leadership reflects as such. Three open Darkwalkers.

This is from an insider's perspective. The man saw a losing battle and did not want me angering the Sartai into attacking Hashan by defending the Recusant (Not that they need any reason to). He will continue down this path until only the completely loyal remain, and there is no dissenting opinions. That is Hashan's Progress. That is their Darkness.

As an aside for Hashani,

When did Cyrenians kill Hashani in their sleep? When did Cyrenians kill those of Tasur'ke in the dead of night? When did they slaughter the innocent children, or the homeless and downtrodden of Hashan? Mezghar is making up a rhetoric, and placing the blame of an Ashtani (Atau), upon the whole of Cyrene. Either he is daft, or he is lying, as this never occurred when I was a citizen of Hashan.

After speaking with folks... There were a number of Hashani who did not know when this supposed murder of beggars and children occured from Cyrene. They all seem to remember it was Ashtan that did it, or just don't recall the incident whatsoever... Except for Mezghar and Krizal, who both clearly state it was Cyrene. Krizal even going so far as to insult my intelligence for not noticing it was Cyrene.

Penned by my hand on the 6th of Daedalan, in the year 845 AF.