Gilbert

There are some parts of your newspost that I must address, as it's contents in many places are fictitious in nature

"Thank you for the honour of dying first. It is deeply moving to know that when danger approaches, the call goes out for "corsairs to the front!" just as the adventurers step aside to polish their medals and debate which artefact pairs best with their newest pair of boots."

You and your fellow Corsairs were stationed deep in the city. By the Blacksmith.

"We are each "a corsair" until dead"

I believe I was several months trying to get your names, and finally posted a news post which took Wilbert several months to respond to.

"Last week, he was stabbed in cold blood by an adventurer who didn't like the way he looked"

Ah, here's ONE of your biggest falsehoods. Let me split this into two.

"Stabbed in cold blood" - False. I challenged him to the Rite of Glaaki.

Ah! Many of you may be asking, "What is the rite of Glaaki?" Well, to put it very simply, it is a sacred tradition in Ashtan. Every citizen has the rite to challenge another citizen to the Rite of Glaaki, which is a fight to the death in response to some harm or slight caused by another. A person may only ask to claim this rite once a decade. Once they do so, the claim must be approved by an Archon. The battle is formally announced and then witnessed by leaders of the city. When the battle is over, the issue at hand is dropped.

I challenged Wilbert to the Rite of Glaaki. Why? Well, a few years ago when four spectral children were in our cities, I was in Targossas, helping fight off some of the monsters that appeared there (An Ashtani? in Targossas? HELPING?! I know, so weird right? I'm just a freak like that I guess) And I saw something odd. What I saw doesn't matter, but I saw something odd, and mentioned it to my citymates, and to Penna. They asked the normal line of questioning in such a situation - "Did you suffer head injuries? Were you on Drugs?"

I had not been on drugs. I did suffer a head injury, so I brushed off what I saw as the results of cranial fractures, and went about my day.

But Wilbert? He continued on with the accusation of me not just having done drugs at the time, but of being a drug addict! Now, there is nothing wrong with being a drug addict. But, I am not one. And I normally wouldn't have taken offense... But when I started to develop very very early signs of the Rot - the tingling on the skin before any whispers of a plague were about, I brought it up to my fellow citizens. This could have been an opportunity for early containment. But no, Wilbert continued to mock me, dismissing what I felt as the results of drugs.

And he did it again. And again. And again. Over and over and over and over and over and over and ove-( you see how that can grate on one over time?)

After more than a year of this, I had had enough. I demanded a name for the one who slandered me so eagerly under the anonymity of his title. He refused to give it. I made a post, demanding the name. FINALLY, months later, I got a name.

I gave him a choice: He had a month to post an apology and a retraction, or I would invoke the Rite of Glaaki. The month came and went. I submitted my request. I maintained that if the apology and retraction was posted, I would retract my request for the rite.

The rite was accepted. The date was posted. I made it clear that up to the start of the battle, I would be happy to give up on the rite if my apology and retraction was posted. Up to the day, I reminded Wilbert that avoiding this battle was a simple matter.

He refused.

He came to the battle site. We faught. He died. He died honerably. (On that note, you sully him by dragging this situation up.)

"The killer stole his hard earned savings, he was going to retire with that gold!"

I still have that gold. See, After we faught, I brought Wilbert to the Flame, and attempted to immolate him, and bring him back to us. We even called you to come and aide him! You declined. I mentioned I had his gold -1750 gold pieces- Which I would be happy to pass on. You said I could give it to you. For booze. It's what he would have wanted, you said.

Clearly, he did not come back. A shame. Maybe it was because I, an adventurer thought to bring him to the flame but his own brother refused to come and help. When it was clear he was not going to return, I asked you to come and retrieve the gold. I even offered to round up. You declined, perferring to drink and shout about injustice.

So, I hope I have clarified for you, and for the masses, what ACTUALLY Happened that day and, in respecting the Rite of Glaaki, I hope that you will do as the law tells us to do, and drop it.

If you still intend on twisting the facts?

No, I won't kill you. I don't LIKE killing. It is a necessity at times, but not enjoyable.
I will not invoke the Rite of Glaaki. I can't do that for another 10 years.
I could use a test subject. I have a vial of Murkblight that I'm DYING to experiment with, Chaotic Alchemy projects that would really be accelerated if I had a living test subject, and a labratory/morgue with soundproof walls.

You wanna think I'm sadistic and evil? That can happen. Don't push me.


Regards,
Archaosa.

PS. I still have the 1750 gold. No, I will not be deducting the cost of posting this newspost from it.


Penned by my hand on the 5th of Lupar, in the year 979 AF.