Tyrannus,

I am at a loss for words. The wind taken from me, after hours of
laughter. Let me make sure I understand correctly the intention of
Mhaldor.

You wish to remove all Occultism from Mhaldor, and are, from what I can
tell, "requesting" Ashtan remove all Necromancers from Ashtan or else
concede ourselves to the will of Mhaldor. As I see it, you wish to
challenge that our addiction to Necromancy is greater than your need for
our protection.

I am certain you expected Ashtan would play along. Because of this, I am
not sure you have carefully weighed the consequences of your actions. No
matter -- let us clarify Ashtan's stance regarding Evil, Vengeance and
any other entity that has falsely interpreted itself greater in the
political mechanisms of the Bastion than Ashtan's own people.

Effective immediately, the mutual war compact between Ashtan and Mhaldor
is terminated.

Effective immediately, Ashtan is withdrawing ALL military support of
Mhaldor. Regardless of the battlefield situation, Mhaldor will reap in
full what it has sown. Hear me armies of the world -- no Ashtani soldier
will, in any way, interfere. We refuse to protect any asset or citizen
of Mhaldor.

Effective immediately, Ashtan withdraws all support of assets, moneys
toward supplies or through the use of our forestal capabilities. You are
once again consigned to your own poverty

As per your request regarding Ashtan's Necromancers, we are prepared to
do what we must. We will ban no Necromancer from our walls, just as we
have banned no other practitioners of theological combat arts. While
there may be individual consequences faced by those of us that practice
Necromancy, I am confident in the strength of our individual
Necromancers to persevere and adapt as necessary. I, myself, am a
Necromancer, a recorded ally of Mhaldor, a long-term permanent enemy of
your city; and I am fully prepared to deal with a more permanent enemy
status or revocation of my curiously-bestowed ally status.

As for those cast aside by the West's predictable attempt to make
themselves more relevant in the face of catastrophic internal failure,
Ashtan is happy to consider all of your applications. We have engaged in
diplomatic contingencies to ease the process of joining us considerably.
We sympathize after all, with those individuals who tire of the childish
tirades of Mhaldor.

I remind the world, once more, that Ashtan will play victim to no
foreign will. Those who attempt to impose their will on the politics of
Ashtan will continue to find that we have no quarrel with casting aside
insincere allies that seek to propel themselves forward on our coat
tails.

Best of luck in your war on the world, Tyrannus,
Darknight Sioraiocht-Sar'vet, Overseer of Ashtan




Penned by my hand on the 8th of Aeguary, in the year 570 AF.