Elmer,

You and I have spoken about conquering villages many times. You had expressed frustration at the hypocrisy of protecting villages with your eidolic influence while Cyrenians killed those same villagers. When I was in Cyrene, I too thought to reconcile that and I was biding my time until Cyrenians might accept a prohibition on the needless murder of the villages close to the city. I am unsurprised by Cyrene's decision to begin to conquer the surrouding villages rather than implement a ban on killing their inhabitants. It is certainly not the first time I have been disappointed by your city.

As you pointed out the other month, I too am a citizen of a city that conquers peaceful villages. I am aware of the apparent hypocrisy of joining a city that does so while advocating you do not. I hope to one day be able to convince my city to change this practice though. For that is what we should try to do. Encourage those around us to be better, to help others instead of oppress them. To tend to the growth of all, not just our own.

I fear you haven fallen into the trap that many in every city have fallen into. Conquering is not a peaceful spreading of ideals. You oppress those who you conquer and deny them their freedom. You need only go back and read the posts in Cyrene and the many Cyrenian clans from the time of the Third Black Wave to see how being conquered weighs on a people. The tsol'aa in teh Aalen are currently struggling under your rule and are seeking adventurers to equip and train them to fight against your army.

Do not let yourself be blinded. You are a good, decent man. Do the right thing. Be better.

-Laorir

Penned by my hand on the 19th of Ero, in the year 992 AF.