I have been trying to extract what learning I can from your recent posts
regarding Cyrene. I must confess I am finding it hard to find any logic
from your attitude of "telling on Cyrene" to the world, in outrage
because you find that you are unable to simply go in there an do
whatever you like without regard for our Laws.
I am the first to confess that I am unskilled in combat, and in the
nuances of the PK rules. But at least I understand this: In essence,
they are there as guidelines to help people who wish to or must involve
themselves in acts of violence, to avoid the kind of agression that
would be deemed so arbitrary as to entail Divine intervention. However,
PK rules, and PK "rights" in now way represent a dispensation to do as
you see fit with utter disregard for the sovereign laws of City States.
As several of Cyrene's leaders have already pointed out, the City has
very clear laws with regard to theft, violence, but above all, respect.
It does not allow people who rob, attack or abuse its citizens to walk
away with impunity. It also does not allow unwarranted violence to be
brought into the city. I am told that when you brought violence into the
city, you were first asked your side of the story, and rather than state
your case, you chose to threaten the City and its leaders.
From the claims made on your posts, it is clear that you do not
understand Cyrene's laws or its true policies, or perhaps even the value
of respect as Cyreneans live by it. The fact is, principles are only
meaningful if you live by them when they're inconvenient. This is the
courage that Senator Josalyn has shown, and I say it has been a great
day for Cyrene to see our principles shine through her.
It is also sad, and the irony does not escape most Cyreneans, that it
was a long-time honoured fighter, admired by many of us, and who has
often been an ally, who came and broke our laws, just because he felt he
could. And that it was Mulisha, who has mocked many of our beliefs, and
done his best to annoy many of us, but never broken our laws, who became
the object of your agression (while minding his own business), and
therefore found himself under the protection of our laws.
And yes, while we do reflect on this irony, and there has been an
outburst of views posted on our City board, and while I myself have been
a stern critic of many past Senate decision and am a full supporter of
this particular one, we UNDERSTAND that there is a cost to being a
democracy, and to living by right, instead of might, sometimes.
The cost is, that the Law has to apply to EVERYONE equally... yes to
heroes and villains and housewives and knaves and even to Cyrene's
favorite pet anarchist Belerofon! Not one Law for people who really,
really, annoy us, and another one for awesome powerful dragons who
capture our imaginations.
I am sure, even if Laws and such are not the everyday concern of
fighters, this matter of equality under the law is well within a
warrior's understanding. Jinxsta was my mentor, and I'm sure this is
something he would understand! I once thought you to be his heir
apparent, and it would greatly renew my confidence if I felt you
understood it too.
However, I invite you, since it seems to be important enough for you to
show up Cyrene's flaws and educate all of Sapience about them... learn
our Laws. There are Twelve of them, if you do one a month, you pretty
much get through them in a year. If you find one that we are applying
unequally from one person to another one, then call us on it!! I am in
the habit of doing this myself, at least once a year, (it's kind of my
"spring chicken cleaning for the soul" thingy).
Here is something I think you'll find: Cyrene's Laws stand up to
scrutiny!! Not that we never make mistakes, or that we never find one
that can be improved or updated!! But generally, our Laws give us
something really cool: the opportunity to live by our principles!
So some people never break our laws, and they go break laws somewhere
else, or disrupt general decency. Yeah! That's annoying to us to! Here
is one example of a something that was done, a treaty was signed by
Cyrene and Shallam. Now, people who are predators to either's citizens
can be enemied to both cities! Cyrene's laws are not made to rid the
world of evil. They are made to allow its citizens to live in peace and
respect.
To give you an analogy, Oakstone's laws are made to punish those who
harm nature. And they cannot be bent to punish someone who did not harm
nature. This does not mean that Oakstone harbors those who do not harm
nature, whether thieves or killers, they are simply not whom Oakstone
laws are there to punish. Try to replace an Oakstone totem for one tuned
against your personal enemies, and you'll find yourself in trouble.
Likewise, in Cyrene, violence is only allowed against those who are
proven to be a threat to the safety of Cyrene or Cyreneans. This is not
meant to harbor anyone, it is because we are protecting the peace of our
streets and homes.
A final sad note, when I was growing up, something I heard my sister say
about a notorious thief stuck in my mind, it was said that she could "go
wherever she wanted and do whatever she wanted, and that it didn't much
matter to her whether she was enemied or not to a place". This clearly
was someone who was to be feard -NOT respected. If this is how you
choose to live your life, I think it would be truly disheartening.
Walk in harmony,
Belerofon

Penned by my hand on the 7th of Phaestian, in the year 365 AF.