Greetings, Saruman,

First, allow me to commend you on your ability to spin a fine tale. You
have the makings of a promising bard. Yet, as a member of the Maldaathi
guild, please allow me to rebut your theories concerning evil, with my
own.

The first mistake present in your tale was the assumption that power in
any city resides in its government. Mayhaps in some cities this is true,
however in Mhaldor, it is not. The power of Mhaldor resides in its
citizens and in its Divine patrons, Lord Sartan, The Malevolent One, and
Lady Indrani, the Demon Queen. Though the governing body of Mhaldor
passes legislation for its citizens, these laws are either the direct
result of command from the city's Divinities, and therefore flawless, as
the Divine are without error, or the mandate of the masses, in this case
the citizens. The former is not even considered within the bounds of
your tale. The latter, in accordance with your logic, would also clearly
be in the best interests of the citizens, as they were the driving force
behind the legislation, in contrast to your statements.

May I also point out that within the boundaries of Mhaldor, there are
none who are mindless automatons. We are ever given the freedom to
express our dissatisfaction with laws and regulations passed, if that be
the case. You operate on the assumption that honour is reflected in
unquestioning obedience to one's superiors. This is false. While honour
does, indeed, support and require servitude, it is not the blind
servitude of the weak, rather the knowledge and confidence in one's
superiors that is necessary for orders to be carried out in an exacting
and effective fashion. At the same time, however, when an order or law
is passed, it is always fastidiously compared to the letter and the word
of Lord Sartan to ensure it complies without any deviation from the
Divine mandate.

What you also have neglected to mention is that the officials of Mhaldor
are those who represent Lord Sartan. If they would begin to make
decisions that either do not benefit the citizens of Mhaldor, or go
against the teachings of The Malevolent One, then He, Himself would
surely call for their destruction and replacement. He does not take
kindly to those who would abuse His power for ends other than His own.

That having been said, allow me next to elaborate on the morality of
"evil" itself. "Evil" is a term that I, personally, find to be obsolete
and archaic. It is nameless, faceless boogy-men hiding underneath the
beds of small children, or fanged monsters lurking in closets. It is a
label utilized by those to address any code of conduct they are ignorant
of, or do not comprehend.

"What is called evil is merely the drive for advancement, for
greatness." Who among us does not wish to be great, or does not wish to
improve or advance, be it in knowledge, strength, or spirit?

"Weakness must be eliminated in all its forms: Physical, Mental, and
Spiritual." This goes hand in hand with the belief that advancement is
the path of the strong. It is the constant dedication to advancement
that drives those you view as 'evil'. It is only that the methods we
choose to employ may be more extreme than those the common inhabitant of
Sapience may view as acceptable.

"The mind may be made stronger through the elimination of conscience.
One does this by inflicting pain on others." What is pain? Pain is
merely a sensation outside the bounds of comfort one is able to bear.
Through the constant application of pain, one is able to widen the
boundaries of comfort, and then increase one's resistance to pain. Is it
not, then, that the infliction of pain upon others strengthens both the
victim and the one who is called 'evil'?

"The spirit may be made stronger by enduring hardships, both
self-imposed and externally-imposed." This statement is a near
reflection of the last. Through the testing of one's boundaries, by
enduring hardship, one is strengthened by the adaptation of the mortal
mind, body and spirit to grow to encompass and thrive upon those
sensations, ideas and situations that they would formally be destroyed
by.

It is simple to see, then, how one might benefit from the teachings of
the Lord, as it is not 'evil' which embodies Mhaldor, it is not the
stealing of sweets from youths or the thoughtless application of
mindless violence and disrespect, it is the neverending striving for
advancement and betterment of all within her boundaries.

Lord Khoraji Aristata,
Secutor Sartai

Penned by my hand on the 18th of Phaestian, in the year 329 AF.