It is a rare occassion when I would feel pressed to pick up a writing
instrument on this particular medium. However, I feel obligated to
publicly say something about this entire issue.

First of all, I want to let those of you who suffered such great losses
know that it pained me to know that the Chrysalis Basilica was destroyed
and that my, until just recently, home city Hashan suffered such a blow.
To the Church, I am by no means a supporter of your ways, but all the
same I would not have wished such a thing to have happened. Such loss of
life and such destruction is sad and grieves me.

Now, I would like to address the issue of the chests and the individuals
who opened them, unleashing their terrible destructions. I heard it
being said that Shakti received a cityfavour for having "destroyed the
Church" or something along those lines. Ashtan, I ask you collectively,
how would you have reacted toward her had the results of her opening the
first chest been the destruction of your own city. Infernal Knights,
what would have been your feelings about it had the Iron Citadel been
demolished instead? Those are rhetorical questions, so just think about
them. That may have ended up being the case. The chest hinted at
destruction. It did not say specifically "Unlock and open me to destroy
the Chrysalis Basilica." I imagine that Shakti, far from being regarded
as a heroine, would have been ostracized and slaughtered by those who
are now so happy to see the Church dealt such a blow.

In regards to the second chest, I ask this of Charlotte and all the
others who thought, "Gee, I think maybe I'll open this one and see what
IT does." Were you really so foolish as to think when the first chest
warned of great destruction and it brought forth such destruction, that
the second which warned of more of the same would bring anything BUT
death and destruction? I somehow fail to see that as being logical even
in the least bit. More likely, I think, is that you believed that just
as a citizen of Ashtan opened the first and a blow was delivered to
Shallam, a citizen of Shallam opening the second would deliver one to
Ashtan. So, though your intention may indeed have not been to bring any
harm to Hashan, it was most definitely to bring harm. And I will add,
Ashtan is not the home of ONLY individuals who follow evil. So, to those
of you involved who at least claim to follow the codex, I ask this. How
were you planning to reconcile that you took an action that didn't only
rob the evil of their lives but also many "innocents", as you call them?
I also fail to see it as logical, in view of the codex you so cherish.
And to all of you citizens of Shallam and not necessarily members of the
Church, I ask this of you. Had the opening of the second chest wrought
more damage to your own city, in addition to the destruction caused by
the first, what would YOUR attitude toward the one who had opened it and
those who helped her to do so?

In conclusion to this already somewhat lengthy writing, I have only this
to say. Stop defending your own actions and try to see it through the
eyes of those who have been made to suffer because of them. Just imagine
how you would feel had the destruction happened to something precious to
you and how you would feel knowing that one individual caused your swift
death and the deaths of so many others you cherish and love dearly.

Sincerely,
Darryl Winterhart

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Phaestian, in the year 288 AF.