Normally, I go to great lengths to avoid offending Deities. Even ones
whose followers I diametrically oppose. So, of course, having been
truedisfavoured, I feel somewhat... peeved. I do, however, believe in
justice, in the little, sniveling mortal way which is left to me. So I
am going to do what I feel is just, and earn my truedisfavour.

But first, to clarify the intent of my post. Every Divine has an Aspect
that it Theirs. They alone are able to make absolute claims over that
Aspect. They know the power entrusted to Them, and They act accordingly.

The only difference between those Aspects and Nature is that Sarapis, in
an attempt to give the 'peaceful' forestfolk some way to protect the
forest, gave Oakstone a deadly weapon - the ability to forest enemy.

Every other organization has to deal with others. Every other
organization has to negotiate, to live side by side, to compromise, and
to occasionally admit that it is wrong. Not so with Oakstone and the
Forest. So many of you cried that Gaia, the long-gone Goddess, is so
very corrupt. Well, power corrupts. And boy, did She (and now Demeter
after her) have power!

The power to claim control over parts of cities, private homes. The
power to control over half the land in Sapience. The power to control
basic commodities such as healing systems. The power to control the very
life of a person. If today I go and destroy half of Cyrene, the
consequences will mean nothing to me - I can just not go to Cyrene. But
Gods forbid I ever transgress against a Forest!

Having been given this powerful weapon, the forestly 'enforcers' have
turned into a crowd of thugs. Without consideration for any government,
without consideration for any power but themselves, without thought,
without anything but a blinding selfishness so do they wave their club -
forest enemy status - over the heads of everyone who doesn't toe the
line. Tyranny? Oh, yes, very much so.

The difference between You, Lady Demeter, and the rest of the Deities is
that You, like Gaia before Yourself, show little restrain or
consideration before waving around Your weapon of mass destruction. You
seek to cross the lines of privacy, choice, private property, city laws,
You seek to enforce Your laws - not through an intermediary, not through
a logical appeal, not through anything but the sheer "Do this, or I will
hit you over the head with my club." The only other Deity who does
anything similar is Lord Sartan, and He does it with enough reason to
make Him a formidable and even admirable enemy to many.

In all my many, many decades of interaction with the forests, all I have
gotten is hysterics, hissy fits, and an absolute denial of anything that
did not sit completely well with them. For example. Elsp frothing at the
mouth about Sharbrena and disrupting ritual out of ritual.

What is the best way to describe a foresty? Defender of nature? No.

Control freak.

Control freak with a deadly club. As long as you show no consideration
for the laws, words, and lives of others, you are still entitled to make
your demands - but then admit, admit at last to being nothing more than
a thug.

I had such high hopes for You, Lady Demeter. I had so much respect for
You. But I suppose I should know better than to think even a Goddess can
resist the lure of such power. Well, power has consequences.

And so do words. I do not care to be a deity's scapegoat because She is
feeling bitchy or is on 'the defensive'. This will be the last post I
make for many years, if ever I decide to return to this land at all.
Hold Your green whip over Sapience, Goddess of Planty Thugs.

But don't pretend to be anything but what You are.

-Silverstorm

Disclaimer: This post is an expression of MY opinions. It does not in
any way, shape, or form intend to represent the opinions of any
organization, group, or person with which/whom I was/am/will be
associated.

Just to make things clear.

Penned by my hand on the 15th of Ero, in the year 328 AF.