Greetings,
I have thought more on the debates concerning the Church. Mordyval and Israfel have provided excellent points of view. But my words are to those citizens of Achaea that consider themselves to be the leaders of these men and women. It is from here that all actions begin and to where they all end. Leadership is a grand task. It requires time, patience, humility, wisdom, maturity, and dedication. I admire the person who is ambitious enough to choose this path and create their place on Sapience. But all too often the leadership corrupts and twists and eats upon itself. So set in their position that they do not realize that right has become wrong and wrong has become obsolete.

Being a leader is more than superior martial skills and bravado. Being able to mask your frustrations, hide your fears, conceal your annoyed feelings is a minor listing of qualifying attributes. Set aside many of your own opinions, stereotypes, wants and desires and you step upon the path of leadership. Focus should be on the members you are leading. Guild members are not the sheep most would like to believe. They depend on you to make the decisions, the hard decisions that will help push your guild in the right direction. The gods are the only shepherds of men.

Yet, there are some that take the road easily traveled. They desire popularity and favoritism, often taking the easy way out of leadership. They go with the flow, fearful of becoming unpopular in the eyes of their peers. Good leaders will not crumble under (divine) pressure, and will oft times travel the road least walked. More so, being a good leader is making the best arbitrations for the guild, and maybe not the individual persons involved. This can be a perplexing task to accomplish, for you put everything on the line. Risking your popularity, risking guild memberships, perhaps other guilds may consider you a poltroon or feeble. In my opinion, if you make the correct decision, based on your guilds charters or policies, you should be respected. Others may find you less desirable as a friend, but they will not be able to deny that you are one to be respected.

I can understand the Church and any of the other guilds of Achaea going through crisis. You will lose members, alliances will form and crumble, and even your most loyal will speak publically against you . . . that is life as a leader. You win some and you lose some, and in the end, you learn and grow. Stand firm to your beliefs, respect your members and your guild policies, and do what is right, not what is prevalent and affable.

You get what you give, no more and no less.


Copernicus, the patient one
-a synopsis of a discussion with my colleague, Brimstone

Penned by my hand on the 1st of Phaestian, in the year 250 AF.