I'm not much for the arguments of city folk, given that I much prefer
the quiet company of the trees in my grove, but from time to time a
fight rages on long enough for me to take notice. By that, I of course
mean, I've reached the point where I can no longer ignore you. And so,
in my infinite lack of wisdom, I will give my 2 gold's worth.

I have never been a fan of either side to any great amount. I have
nothing against individuals in either, just certain things never boded
well with the forestral in me. The Church's past rituals of animal
sacrifice, for example, may have ceased decades ago, but history books
are a grim reminder of the carnage. On the other hand, the thought of
studying something mysterious appeals to the scholar in me, but past
events regarding chaos have endangered the forest more than once. As
should be obvious, at least to other forestrals, is that I am no
advocate for either side.

That said, I can't help but see the arguements for either side and
wonder if perhaps those that claim righteousness are indeed so. Those on
the side of Chaos claim only to want to study, to learn. Is that such a
terrible desire? Perhaps in doing so, they serve a more devious purpose,
but if they are true to their words, and I wish to give them the benefit
of the doubt, why would the Church care to stop them?

I can understand the Church's position against those who wish to use
Chaos to their own advantage, especially against the Church itself, but
a library is for scholars, a barracks is for warriors. Would they not be
better off fighting their war against those who bring war upon the
church, as opposed to those who simply wish to study a long-forgotten
craft in peace? That is, last I checked, what the Church stood for, the
betterment of oneself through the betterment of others, or at the very
least, without the harming of others.

Those who studied, wrote the tomes of knowledge that were so quickly
consumed by the flames, wrote them so others could continue learning
where they left off. By doing so, they said, "You need not start anew,
but instead learn from my mistakes, and better us both." Perhaps Chaos,
by its very definition, works against creation, as some claim, but no
doubt the same works that were used in the study of its craft could be
used in the study of how to defeat it.

A great warrior once said, that to know oneself, you must first know
one's enemies. Perhaps, instead of destroying the lifes' works of so
many, the Church would have been better of reading them, learning the
ways of Chaos alongside the peaceful scholars, who were the real victims
in this debacle, so as to combat those that use Chaos as a tool against
the Church.

While the Church has stated that the very study of Chaos will destroy
those who study it, I'm not sure if I can agree. If the Church were
correct in this claim, what danger whould the Chaotic pose? They would
flare up for a brief moment in history, before extinguishing themselves,
like a campfire doused in lantern oil.

The Chaotic are not asking for dominance over the Church, or at least
they weren't before all this. Instead they asked for equality, for peace
with which to do their own thing. No matter what someone's viewpoints,
they deserve that. I have met Mhaldorians who could kill me in a
heartbeat, to their own betterment, but have instead treated me with
respect, as an equal. I may not always agree with them, nor they me, but
everyone deserves the chance to prove themselves as an equal, and as far
as I can tell, the burning of the library hurt most those who never
proved the contrary.

In the end, I don't know who's right. I don't know who will win the war,
or how any of this will end. Whether the Basillica will be standing in a
year makes no difference to a slightly senile Druid like myself. I will
say one thing though. Followers of Chaos, whether it is your way or not,
whether you are more righteous than the righteous or not, this is your
chance to show them that you want only the peace to study your craft.
Extend the olive branch to those that have hurt you, and show them that
there is more to you than their stereotypes suggest. Lady Tarah may have
given them Her blessing, but you can show Compassion to those who
wronged you, and perhaps in the end, we can all go back to what we'd
much rather be doing. You, studying your craft, the Church, working to
better its members, and me, sitting in my grove, not ranting about
public matters I have no business sticking my nose into.

-Druid of the Black, Haydre Ravenfire, Qa'tla'lamath

Penned by my hand on the 15th of Lupar, in the year 458 AF.