For the glory of Lord Sartan, and the wisdom to be found in His words.

The following text is a sermon that I delivered before assembled
Mhaldorians at our Central Courtyard on the first of Glacian, 372 AF.

May these tidings of victory over Shallam bring you comfort and cheer as
they further your religious education.



I'll begin with a concept that every Mhaldorian understands, the First
Truth of Evil. According to this truth, "Evil is simply the drive for
advancement, for greatness, for the betterment of mortal life." Keep
these words of the Lord in mind as we continue. In case you are among
the poor souls who have yet to read post 10982, the groundbreaking
treatise on Mhaldorian Freedom by the Archbishop Lodi Coldraven Ta'sa, I
shall begin with some background.

The Archbishop rooted his thesis in an axiom which I believe all of
Sapience can attest to: Freedom is a divine right given to us by the
Logos. This is our first divine gift, our most basic right, and an
indication from the Logos that Freedom represents the most vital element
in all Sapience.

Perhaps the fastest way to explain what Mhaldorian Freedom is, is by
beginning with what it is not. The Shallamese would tell you that all
"good" and "righteous" beings deserve complete freedom. You can see how
this kind of philosophy would play itself out in nature. Imagine for a
moment a conversation between a sheep and a wolf. The sheep says to the
wolf, "Pardon me, Wolf, but it is time you ceased preying upon me. Sheep
deserve the freedom to graze these hillsides unmolested by wolves."

Imagine the result for yourself. Denied a vital source of nourishment,
the wolves are forced to unnaturally limit their population to account
for this loss of prey. But more tellingly, the sheep themselves enter
into ruin. Old, diseased animals continue to drain upon the flock's
scarce resources. Defective members breed freely in the general
population, leading to degeneration and eventually, extinction.

You see, to quote the words of the Archbishop once more, "evil is a
liberating force" as it frees you from the hypocritical nonsense that is
morality. The crux of the matter is this: just because a wolf is free,
it does not follow that she must preserve this freedom for all
non-wolves. That concept would be an unnatural restriction, an
infringement upon her most basic right.

To wrap up our definition of Mhaldorian Freedom, suffice it to say that
the divine freedom that you enjoy is this freedom of choice, the power
to imagine your future, behold your destiny, and pursue the power that
is yours for the taking. "Power always comes hand-in-hand with freedom.
Power is freedom. Power must be worked for, and because of this, freedom
must be worked for." Through dedication to the Lord Sartan and the City
of Evil we shall grow in strength. We shall reach our destiny. We shall
earn our freedom.

But you ask, "what of Shallamese freedom?" Forgive me as I quote from
their Constitution. Article I, Section B states that "Citizens have the
right to physical, mental, and emotional security within Shallam's
walls." Let's be honest with ourselves for a moment. On its face,
ignorant of what we know to be the truth, this statement sounds
reassuring. No doubt it is effective too, as it is only natural for
sheep to seek protection with shepherds. But let us pause for a moment
and reflect upon this concept of "mental security."

Those of us who have ventured into Shallam, attempting to expose the
young Shallamese to our glorious Truths, see these words for what they
are. Yes, in the name of "mental security" the heathen shut us out -
rarely providing their novices a glimpse of true freedom lest their
debased system of belief be exposed for the patchwork of pithy
platitudes that we know it to be.

And what of their recent dealings concerning the poor orphans? Rest
assured that as you read these words, Shallamites are creeping out of
the East in search of young, impressionable Ashtani orphans to prey
upon. This despite the fact that Shallam has clear notice of Ashtani
laws forbidding them from laying their hands upon these children. Truly,
the Jewel makes no pretense about respecting the sovereignty of Ashtan.
Shallam would turn Ashtan into its vassal state, a protectorate in which
Shallam may meddle freely.

My final example of Shallamese hypocrisy comes from personal experience.
One day while I was but a humble droch in service to the Lord, I found
myself on Fish Street. A priest by the name of Anu was drawn to the spot
on the street where I was arranging for a scholarly theological debate.
Naively, I had attempted to fit within the foul laws of Shallam and not
offend their tender sensibilities. Thus, I arrived in the city unarmed,
without my baalzadeen or any other daemonic protection. I was not listed
as an enemy of Shallam. So it came to pass that it was just a crowd of
novices, the Bloodsworn, and I.

I asked Anu if it would be possible to schedule a debate of some sort to
be held within or without the walls of Shallam - at a time and place of
their choosing. Fearing the consequences that an open discussion of Evil
would have on Shallam's youth, Anu refused my request and ordered me to
leave Shallam immediately. But the priest's hypocritical abuse of power
did not stop there. When I paused only to request the names of his
superiors and the city official in charge of such draconian policies,
Anu simply labeled me an enemy and had me publicly slain like a common
dog while his novices stood beside him, taking it all in.

So what was the result? Tell me, who was the winner? Clearly, I was
slain by the guards of Shallam - but is this the bleak ending to a sad
story? Do you see what I see?

Nay, the true winner is Evil. Every time the Shallamese promise "mental
security" and practice mind control. Every time they knowingly violate
Ashtani law to plunder its homeless children. Every time the Church
lectures Achaea about unjust killings from the pulpit and butchers
Mhaldorian youth in the street. Friends, what we are witnessing are the
signs of a Great Awakening in the so-called Jewel of the East. Shallam
is finally shaking free from the chains of morality and is grasping for
freedom. Soon every Shallamite will be clamoring for the freedom that is
their birthright. Mhaldorian Freedom. The Freedom of Evil.

With nary a spell nor sword, the correctness and inevitability of our
faith shall lay waste to Shallamese doctrines of Righteousness and
Justice. The Jewel rots from the inside out! Does not our very Covenant
state in verse one, "And ye have seen all that the LORD hath done unto
all these nations because of you; for the LORD is He that hath fought
for you." Praise be to the Lord Sartan! Praise be to the LORD!!

Penned by my hand on the 3rd of Glacian, in the year 372 AF.