We do die. Permanently. And we have for many eons. For countless
lifetimes of countless generations of our people, we have died.

It was not always so. Far back in the mists of antiquity, even
before most historical records, in a holy exchange between our
people and The All, we who formerly could rise again, could no
longer.

If it is to that ancient change you refer, I suppose one might
refer to it as a choice. At one point, countless milennia ago,
some of our forefathers made a choice for all eternity for all
Vertani.

We do not refuse to be resurrected. We have no choice whatsoever.
No choice has been exercised in this matter, likely since before
your ancestors even arrived in this plane of existence.

This is how things are for us, and how they have been since time
immemorial. If you wish to call that our choice, well, that's up
to you. If you wish to style that some sort of horrendous, vile
lie, that also is up to you. I present the whole story, not a part
of it. Let those of good will read and decide for themselves.

Again and again your bitterest people continue to spew their
own projections of hatred, lies, and deceit, attributing them to
us. We know that not all of Achaea are like this. And we do not
even say "shame on you for harbouring such misanthropes." We will
simply answer and let you all decide.

And if you could possibly find a way to appoint some reasonable
number of spokesmen, some few who can limit the question asking
and the scathing insult throwing to a tractable list with which I
might reasonably find time to deal once and for all, I believe that
we would all profit from it.

Penned by my hand on the 7th of Daedalan, in the year 386 AF.