Lady Gaia,
There is great truth in Your statement that the untold and unfinished
story can cloud the mind and judgement, deceive and mislead. But often
it is our own ideals and nature that allow us to overlook a part of a
story.
It hurts me deeply that You, who I respect greatly for Your dedication
to the forests and the council of Oakstone (whose gifts of herblore to
Sapience are well known and appreciated by all), would accuse my Father
of harbouring the hatred for forests. There is only one thing that my
Father holds dearer to His heart than that which He creates. His
children. The Darkenwood was created with the aid of His power, and as
anyone who walks within it can note, it is maintained not by sunlight
and photosynthesis, but by the power of His plinth in the grove of
shadows.
Why then would this creation be ravaged and burned? Why would He put
fire to that which has cost Him so much to create? There is only one
answer. He did not do thus. By the power of Lord Twilight, not a single
forest location has been touched. What this fighting, this uproar is
about, was the garden of one Vinia the Black. As it happened, Vinia, a
very powerful reclusive Occultist whose tower resides in the Darkenwood,
felt that her garden needed to be cleaned. My friendship with hers being
close, and my thirst for experiments unquenched, I used the forces of my
necromancy to clear the garden for her. Then, a Dark Brother, in his
love for all things living, came and soothed the garden. This was a
private dealing. It had nothing to do with the forests. It had nothing
to do with Oakstone. It had nothing to do with anything but a private
transaction between two Occultists - myself and Vinia - which occurred
in her private garden.
As a note, if anyone with the skill of Survey enters the location, they
will see that their environment conforms to that of a Garden.
What proceeded to occur was preposterous. Based on an overheard
conversation, two scapegoats were created. Two people implied in great
crimes when no crime had been committed. I myself received a fine and
was enemied, but it was not with myself that the interest escalated. No,
it was with by Brother and Sister, one of whom did naught but rejuvenate
a garden, and one who was not involved at all. We were enemied from the
Darkenwood. We were enemied from the abode which our Father had given up
so much to give us. It was with great difficulty that we could even come
unto the holy center of His power, as it lies within the heart of the
wood of darkness.
Until that day, there had not been conflicts. Until the day when
Father's children, whom He cares for and guides above all else, were
punished unjustly for a crime they did not commit within our very home,
there was no uproar.
But there is only one thing that our Father cares for more than even the
Darkenwood which is a part of Him.
He set out to protect us, His children. To right the injustice done to
us, for whatever reason, whether it was lack of information or deeper
motives, for He will never let us falter.
There was no burning of the forest. He did not destroy a single
location. Not a fire was lit by His hand. Not a single area
exterminated. If He had truly wished to claim the Wood as His own, there
is a great way to do it. As You know, forest defences do not work in
exterminated areas.
But he did not do thus. Instead, through great efforts, cost, and
strife, did He endeavor with our help to defend the Darkenwood against
the enemies of His children.
It was not done through fire and brimstone. He did not attack the forest
that was His creation. But all those who would seek His children through
the aid of the forest that He made would henceforth find it a good deal
harder.

This then, Lady Gaia, is the untold story. I know not whose rumours or
words have whispered to You the intentions of Darkness to destroy the
forests. Darkness is manyfold, it encompasses all aspects. Creation and
destruction, life and death, and yes - even the forests, for night comes
beneath the eaves of every pine, and night is as essential to nature as
the light of day.
I say now as a necromancer, as a Dark Walker, as a proud Daughter of the
greatest Father one could wish.
We do not seek to destroy. Merely to protect that which is a part of us.
We have not, and will not, burn the forests unless the forests
themselves become our enemies. We do not seek war with the woods. We do
not seek their destruction. All we wish is the freedom to love our
Father. All He does is make it possible.
The Darkenwood is the home of the Darkwalkers. If You tend it for us,
Lady Gaia, as is Your priviledge, we shall only thank You. For You see,
we care greatly for that which is ours or like to us in spirit. As long
as Darkness remains within the Darkenwood, it will be a part of every
Darkwalker. I am an Occultist and a Necromancer. But I love that wood.
And so does Father. So please, do not claim we hate that which is a part
of us. Do not claim we destroy that which is our nature. That is not the
way of Darkness. We take care of our own, and our Father takes care of
us.
Silverstorm, daughter of Twilight.

Penned by my hand on the 14th of Daedalan, in the year 296 AF.