Hey there, Kzira. You sound like a decent person, so let me clarify a little somethin' for ya as you embark on your journey into what is truly a magnificent realm.

First things first- this is nothing new. There are good people scattered throughout the realms, but you have to find 'em. I can give you a few names from every city, but lets be frank, I'm not talking about those good people, and the people I'm talking about know this is about them...

First you have to understand the dynamics.

There's more Good in Cyrene than in Targossas. More Chaos and Darkness in Eleusis than in Ashtan and Hashan. More Evil in Targossas than in Mhaldor.

Mhaldor and Ashtan are still trash.

What you ran into is the same system every city runs, just with a different mask. Go anywhere else and you'll hit it again- different slogans, same crap- fall in line, lick the boot, or get cut loose.

Targossas hides it behind 'Light'. Eleusis behind 'Balance'. Ashtan doesn't bother dressing it up and Mhaldor just owns it.

It's all the same thing- a closed circle that protects itself first, enforces itself second, and explains itself never. And you're punished the moment you're not obedient to the person. Has nothing to do with the cause.

A different face hiding the same spirit- it's about control and supremacy.

And they'll butter that bread with all sorts of eloquent phrases and personified dignifications... It's the same everywhere you go.

Yeah... it's not surprising, young grasshopper. It's just another version of the same thing these cities do- keep the circle tight, keep control by any means, and deal with anyone outside of it however they see fit. There are no real rules. Loyalty is obscelete. Your loyalty must be to the people running the show, not the cause, so you're not missing out on anything.

Call it virtue, balance, chaos, strength, fear... the irradication of weakness. Who cares...

Different banner. Same bullshit.

Penned by my hand on the 21st of Ero, in the year 1001 AF.