Arguments on this board are never of much value, and so I held back from posting in the hopes that this conflict could reach its end without the waste of more gold and ink. But as these shrine battles have now reached a year and a half and still go on, I feel that perhaps I should clear a few things up.

Let us start with the obvious, in small chance there is any confusion about Cyrene's stance in all of this.

This conflict began with Hashan placing shrines to Darkness all along the road to our city and claiming they were taking the Muurn as their own. It has continued as, pushed back from those claims and apparently upset that the defenders of Cyrene would raise shrines to the Patron of the Vashnarian Shield to defend against worldburns, they began attacking shrines to the Lord Smith in dwarven villages and spreading obvious lies on these boards.

Cyrene fights to defend our home and the shrines of Those who lend us their aid. The only thing keeping this conflict going is the monthly Hashani attacks to claim territory for their Lord Twilight.

The same can be said for Cyrene's conflicts with Hashan in general. Regent Farrah would like to claim that Cyrene wishes to destroy Hashan, but the very announcement she points to is the one in which Cyrene offered Hashan an unconditional truce. That offer still stands.

Sadly, I do not imagine that this fight continues because of any misunderstandings.

Hashan now turns to excuses and outright lies to keep up their fighting, and it is hardly the first time they have done so. Last time, Hashan brought violence to the Lord Smith's temple claiming that I had threatened to kidnap and torture a priestess of Lord Twilight, but when asked, could not remember what I had supposedly said.

Now Hashan accuses Cyrene of killing Hashani beggars and children, but cannot remember who did it or when it happened and change basic details of the story when asked. Perhaps they have confused it for the time when our raiders offered food to their homeless? You would think that if something so important happened, someone would have thought to write it down.

But it's no matter, as if that story does not find an audience, there will soon be another. Every Hashani I talk to has a different story of what happened, every post has a different excuse for bringing the same violence you have brought to our valley for decades. The only notable thing left is how everyone on the continent seems to know Hashan's act by now, but they still keep it up.

Hashan, I doubt you're interested in hearing the advice of a foreign leader, especially one you have taken to calling a tyrant and warmonger for daring to win elections and defend my home, but here is some advice anyways: pick a cause to fight for and stick to it. You have been attacking us for decades now, aggression you carried on one-sidedly for years. You should be past the point of needing to make up new excuses, of making up stories about dead Hashani beggars to motivate your soldiers. Find ideals worth fighting for, not excuses and stories, and you will be a better city for it.

Just know that whatever reason you bring violence to our valley, you will be turned away time and time again. Cyrene grows stronger, and we will defend our sovereignty to the last.

With Silver and Steel,
Imperiate Keorin

Penned by my hand on the 2nd of Glacian, in the year 845 AF.