Seven hundred and sixty-four years. From a dream, to a home, to a place where ambition grows and lives. From a small shack, to several, to the tallest of buildings, grand and intricate, overlooking the stars and the skies, the entire world! Hashan is ambition relentless. Stubborn, unyielding. We have stood for seven centuries, we will stand for more. Such is our ambition that the very ground rumbled, sundered, and lifted us long ago. Every second is a start, an opportunity to grasp and push limits known for the advancement of societies. No matter the rain, the storm, the vines and minds that try to undo our dreams-made-real, we persevere! We move Ever Forward. Ever Forward! We march, march, and march!

Six centuries is nothing, it would seem. Khalayx, no pride is found in betrayal. If you were against what moved where you lived, you could have spoken. Yet, unlike other Grooks, you flew with wings and scarred the city that cherished you for six centuries, that celebrated you with the entire world, that stood by you. Your grave still stands in Hashan, scribed to make you eternal once. In time, the truth was unveiled: Hashan loved you more than you loved it. Everywhere you go, there are banners to march to. Six centuries saw your feet cut. Death and Life are cyclic, but memories stay. Time is nothing to the will of the heart. Some soldiers, young and old alike, stay in this battle for forward. Desertion is ever-weak. Never would they betray their homeland. Now betrayal is a trait that will follow you evermore. When and who will be next? We will remember. Hashan will never forget what you have done. The Grook once most trusted, most beloved, one we listened to, left. The brave would confront, speak, challenge, influence and rise - unite! Difference within the city of ambition is as common as the air we breathe. In difference, our pride is in its forging of solutions. We talk, we listen, we do and march Ever Forward.

In the end, we have paths to choose. Choices to make. Khalayx, and to all of the world, you have chosen yours -- and we choose ours.
We choose to stand, unbreaking of any!
We to advance scientific pursuits!
We choose to challenge life with lead-laced thaumaturgy!

We choose our freedom, and we will stand for it.

For everyone moving backwards, we have stood before, we will stand today, tomorrow, and for the rest of time.


Sareia Stella'aria,
Previous-Book-Wielder,
Now-Soft-Knife-Holder,
Coward-Hater,
The Shadowed City of Hashan,
Regent of Culture

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Miraman, in the year 986 AF.