Salutations Golgazir,

Upon reading your dispirited account of the Holy Codex (Public 15433) I
felt moved to reply, having reviewed similar reports from others. Yet
before I had the opportunity to put quill to parchment, I had the
pleasure to reading the response by Mr. Glinderhome (Public 15435),
himself a villager of Shallam, in a post designed to accomplish two
objectives: (1) distancing his concept of "good" from the Codex, which
he admitted was "arguably" hypocritical, and (2) illustrate that, in his
opinion, the Church isn't the only hypocritical organization in
Sapience.

At no point in Mr. Glinderhome's post was there any attempt to refute
the damning conclusions that you arrived at in your post. Can there be
any doubt why so many adventurers throughout the realms roundly reject
the Holy Codex as a source of moral guidance?

Though I endeavor not to belabor or obscure the serious findings listed
in your post, I felt it appropriate to take a serious look at one
commandment that -does- bind the city of Shallam together with the
now-infamous Codex, and by that I mean the First Commandment, as it
relates to the Shallamese hunting ban.

As most of us are already aware, to be a citizen in good standing within
the Jewel of the East, we must completely forego hunting in areas such
as Moghedu, Arcadia, and Tir Murann.

Hells forbid, were all of Sapience to fall under Shallamese control, how
many of your fellow Ashtani citizens would be forced to delay their
quest for dragon, make peace with Moghedu, and gather essence elsewhere?
How many Cyrenians would be forced to descend the steps of Arcadia for
the last time, ne'er against to torment the feathered miscreants that
dwell within?

Shallam singles-out Mhaldor for its alleged wickedness yet in truth,
Mhaldor is fighting for rights enjoyed by adventurers everywhere. The
right to hunt where we please, to oppress the weak and spread suffering
in pursuit of glorious advancement. The next time you hunt the mhuns of
Moghedu or the streets of Arcadia, remember these basic rights exist
only so long as there are men and women willing to die for them.

To those still suffering beneath the thumb of Shallamese fiat, know that
freedom begins where goodness ends. Cast down the fetters that would
bind thee and rise above.

Faithfully,

Father Herenicus Coldraven
Messiah of the Damned

Penned by my hand on the 5th of Miraman, in the year 405 AF.