Sapience,

These last few months have seen startling developments on the roads and shores of our continent. While our modern era is far from peaceful, our campaigns and conflicts have been waged according to certain norms. These norms have enabled our continent's civilizations and savages to engage in trade and commerce, and to prosper despite our intractable differences. Today, these norms are threatened by the actions of two belligerent foreign powers: Thalassa and Arcadia.

Arcadia's actions are not those of a city-state waging war. Their soldiers behave as little more than highway brigands, opportunistically murdering travelers from the cities they count among their enemies, and their 'siege' of Cyrene amounts to little more than dumping their refuse over the side of Erymanthus. Consider if Targossas or Mhaldor stationed guards upon the highways to harry the enemies of our respective cities: we would be instantly condemned for our aggression by every other city, and rightfully so. Every military commander on Sapience knows that the way a city is assaulted is by raid, but Arcadia lacks the leadership, strength, and courage of its convictions to sanction one of its own. If this behavior is not checked prior to escalation, our roads will swiftly become unusable battlefields as each of our city-states deploys soldiers to ensure their citizens' safe conduct.

Meanwhile, the Empire of Thalassa now occupies the village of Ka'doloki at the direct command of the God of the Sea. What act provoked this action, or justifies such an occupation? None but the Sea Lord's whim. The Thalassan force lacks even so thin a basis for a military occupation as an eidolic claim to the region. What precedent will be set by our continent permitting this occupation to continue? Lord Neraeos is not the only Divine Who commands an army. Who Else will establish garrisons of Their foreign soldiers if every effort is not made to rebuke this incursion?

I urge the leadership of each of our continent's city-states to consider the consequences of standing idly by while the Sea and the Sky continue to escalate Their conflict upon Sapience. This is not a question of supporting one side or the other, but a question of ensuring safe passage along our roads and curtailing the rise of foreign garrisons.

To the people of Ka'doloki - the Guardian's Hearth extends its welcome to you should you feel unsafe within your home in this turbulent time. There are hot meals and shelter available to you within Their city's welcome centre, and you may abide here in Their grace until such a time as it is safe to return to your village.

In service,
Dawnlord Aroan Shire

Penned by my hand on the 2nd of Valnuary, in the year 983 AF.