Greetings Hingar!

As I write this to you, I offer my hand in friendship. I have been
one of your biggest adversaries whether you have known it or not.
I have talked against you, tried to spy on you, scoured the unending
posts talking about your people and the current situation looking
for something to use against you.

I have tried to rally my citymates and those who would listen,
against you.

But after some meditation, and long hard look into myself, I
apologize to the Vertani people for this, and extend my hand to you,
as small as it is, I still hold it out to you, in hope that I can
help you in some way.

I am no great speaker of words, and I am no great hero amongst
heroes, though I try and do my best. And will try and do my best, if
you decide to take my friendship, and help me to help you.

Best regards,
Aista

To Sapience,

No doubt I'll be spammed with messages from those people who have
so clearly heard me speak against the Vertani, and perhaps I'll
get a good amount of insults, and even death threats as most people
feel so passionately about this situation. I do not need to give any
reasons for anything I do, but in this case, I'd like to state why I
have changed my mind.

I took a long walk, thinking about all of the things in front of my
eyes now-a-days. I thought our new guests to this plane, and the war
that has ensued. I thought long and hard about Thera, and the people
who died there. I thought about the one person in my city, who tried
to rationalize things when people where feeling thier worst, and
showing thier worst, including me. And realized how right he was
about some things that I didn't want to see. Such as the casualties
of war, and how allies involve themselves. Thera choose to side with
Ashtan, and in doing so. Put themselves in harms way. A very sad thing
- something that noone expected, but thier choice just the same.
I feel just as horrendous about the loss of innocent life, but a city
or village at war.. well.. what is one to expect? War is not all
cake and truffles. Its not a playtime or a recess. Its blood and
guts. Its pain and suffering.

Its also a choice.

The Vertani seem to be trying to amend thier wrong-doings. With
honesty. They have stated that they are willing to end this war, but
it is we Sapiens who refuse to end it. I am starting to fear, that
by the look of things, it will never end. Horrible things have
happened to both sides. Horrible, useless, stupid things... if the
Vertani are willing, with all of thier losses, to put an end to this,
why can't we? I KNOW... I KNOW.. Thera..poor poor Thera. I understand,
and I agree. But I choose to forgive anything that has happened, and
see if we can't turn this mess into something else. Something that
will or can help all of us who reside on this plane right now.

I've just decided to forgive anything that has happened. I've just
put my pride aside.. and done it.

Its not a particularly easy thing to do, but when I thought of my
own life.. I decided it would be selfish to keep going as I was.

Shallam forgave me, my guild, the best damn family I've ever known,
forgave me. I spent 59 years trying to make thier life a living hell,
and they just.. forgave me.. and in time trusted me, and I can say
many of them have even depended on me, and loved me.

And it all worked out for the better. And to me, that is putting it
lightly.

I could make no more of a fool of myself as I have proved to be in
the past, and I can make no more a hero, as I have been to those who
have ever known me to be one.

After all that has happened is said and done, I'd prefer no more
hurt to anyone, and I'd like to see where we can go from here.

That is my reasoning, and I hope by me stating it outloud, it will
spur others into thinking about thier own lives, and forgiveness,
and more than that, fixing this problem in a realistic way.

-Aista Perfidious, Walking Contradiction

Penned by my hand on the 22nd of Scarlatan, in the year 386 AF.