Quote from the Oakstone helpfile:
"This power is so awesome and fierce that each Hierophant swears to use
these powers only in protection of Nature and in accordance with
Oakstone law and policy as set by the patrons of Oakstone."

Quote from the Oakstone Charter:
"Hierophants are expected to make all decisions based upon the existing
written laws of Oakstone."

And the written laws on Overharvesting, as found in the Oakstone
Charter:
OVERHARVESTS

First Offense: A general fine of 3000 gp paid to Oakstone's account PLUS
500 gp per plant overharvested. (For instance if you harvest goldenseal
to 10, you will pay 3000 gp plus 500 gp X 5 for a total of 5500 gp.)

Second Offense: 5000 gp PLUS 1000 gp per plant overharvested.

Third Offense: 10000 gp PLUS 1500 gp per plant overharvested PLUS a one
year term of enemy status

Fourth Offense: a five year term of enemy status PLUS a 20000 gp fine,
as well as 2000 gp per plant overharvested.

Offenses one through four fall off the record 10 years from the date of
the overharvest. For instance, if you overharvest in 300, that offense
falls from your record in 310. Upon your fifth offense of overharvesting
within a 10 year period, you will remain a permanent enemy of the forest
until such time as recompense is made to the satisfaction of the Council
of Oakstone.

Upon your fifth offense of overharvesting within a 10 year period, you
will remain a permanent enemy of the forest until such time as
recompense is made to the satisfaction of the Council of Oakstone.

Further, an overharvest is defined as an overharvest of one particular
herb within a single room. For instance, if you overharvest kola in Room
A, and also overharvest kola in Room B, that is treated as 2 separate
overharvests and you will be liable for sanctions for both offenses. Or
if you overharvest kola in Room A and you also overharvest skullcap in
Room A, that will be treated as 2 separate overharvests subject to
sanctions for both offenses.
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Quoting Rhakshai:
"when two people are harvesting in a room at the same time, and it
results in an overharvest, BOTH PARTIES are mutually at fault.
Ysbaddaden is undoubtedly at fault, as you point out- and we recognize
that. He has been punished. However, you were also harvesting in that
room at the same time- and by virtue of that fact you are negligent
too."

"I can think of at least two other ways you could have prevented this
even after you had started harvesting. You took the step of stopping
harvesting when you realized what was happening, and that was good, but
it was not sufficient."

"But the law does not excuse overharvesting offenses on this basis. One
of the purposes of overharvesting law is to deter future overharvests by
punishing and discouraging careless acts. If we forgive overharvests
that result from carelessness or accidents, the punishment no longer
serves as a deterrent. "
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Quoting Lady Demeter:
"Oakstone has always held both parties in this situation liable for the
overharvesting, you need only ask those who have been so affected by the
decision. "

"the Hierophants have absolutely no way to tell when Silverfox stopped
harvesting in that section of the jungle. It might have been at 30 kola,
like he claims, or it might have been at 4 kola, which is an
overharvest."
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I'd like to inquire as to -which- law Oakstone believes they are acting
upon. The Oakstone Charter clearly states, "an overharvest is defined as
an overharvest of one particular herb". Nowhere is it defined as being
negligent when there are two individuals in the same room, both with the
ability to harvest, assuming that I were even negligent to begin with.
No Rhakshai, the law does not excuse overharvests on this basis, the
fact is it does not cover them at all. Considering that "Hierophants are
expected to make all decisions based upon the existing written laws of
Oakstone" and that "This power is so awesome and fierce that each
Hierophant swears to use these powers only in protection of Nature and
in accordance with Oakstone law and policy as set by the patrons of
Oakstone", I fail to see how Oakstone is by any means acting in
accordance with -written- Oakstone law that they themselves have set and
sworn to abide by, as they have judged myself, and many others, on a law
that -does not even exist-. The fact is, I did not commit the
overharvest, and from what I have heard, Oakstone has acknowledged that.
There is no Oakstone law that
states the actions I had taken are in some way punishable.

Lady Demeter, you have said that, "the Hierophants have absolutely no
way to tell when Silverfox stopped harvesting in that section of the
jungle. It might have been at 30 kola, like he claims, or it might have
been at 4 kola, which is an overharvest."
That would mean the Heirophants are acting solely on a whim that I -may-
have overharvested. How this can possibly be justified is beyond me. So
this leads me to conclude that Oakstone has judged me to have -possibly-
overharvested, and hence given me the "un-benefit of the doubt".
However, Rhakshai has stated that, "when two people are harvesting in a
room at the same time, and it results in an overharvest, BOTH PARTIES
are mutually at fault. Ysbaddaden is undoubtedly at fault, as you point
out- and we recognize that. He has been punished. However, you were also
harvesting in that room at the same time- and by virtue of that fact you
are negligent too."
So have I been punished for a -possible- overharvest, or have I been
punished for negligence? Please, make up your mind as to -why- you have
imposed a punishment on me. Or is it that Oakstone have little concern
as to why they impose punishments, only that they -do- impose them.
After all, Rhakshai stated that "One of the purposes of overharvesting
law is to deter future overharvests by punishing and discouraging
careless acts. If we forgive overharvests that result from carelessness
or accidents, the punishment no longer serves as a deterrent. "
Perhaps I'd be correct in assuming that, despite all I have put forward
to Oakstone, I am not being punished as a result of my actions, rather I
am being made into an example to be used as a deterrent to future
overharvests?

Rhakshai, you have said that "I can think of at least two other ways you
could have prevented this even after you had started harvesting. You
took the step of stopping harvesting when you realized what was
happening, and that was good, but it was not sufficient."
If you could kindly tell me three or more ways I could have acted, more
sufficient than ceasing to harvest, I would love to hear them, as I'm
sure many others reading these posts would too.

And finally, I have been told by both Lady Demeter and members of
Oakstone that both individuals involved in an overharvest are liable, I
am aware of several occasions where this has -not- been the case.
Instead, Oakstone has punished only the individual shown on lastharvest.
As of now I won't mention any names, as it may very well incriminate
them, but I will be more than willing to compile a list at your request
(given the consent of the people involved).

So I would ask the public, especially the forestals as this involves
them the greatest, is this how we would have Oakstone rule? Will we
allow those given the greatest responsibility in the land to flaunt
their powers in whichever way they please? Oakstone has long held a
strangle-hold over many of our lives (and in the case of forestals, our
skills as well) by controlling the forests, which we all know make up
half of the land. At the very least Oakstone must be made to abide by
their own laws, which they have written themselves. This goes beyond my
personal dispute with them, I am aware of many of you out there unhappy
with their actions, and I urge you all now to stand up together against
them.

Silverfox.

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Daedalan, in the year 344 AF.