I read through these last few posts and listen to current events with a
great measure of satisfaction. And I realize just how wrong I was to say
that there is no justice in the lands. There is, and it is very sweet.
There was a time when Shallam stood for something. When it was a beacon
of hope. A light in the darkness. A force to bring order from chaos. Now
it has become the very thing it was created to stand against. The irony
is delicious.

Good opposes oppression. But what happens when it is a force of Good
that is the oppressor? What happens when Good no longer heads the calls
of injustice from those who are not evil. Though it seems the Church has
gotten around that by labeling everyone evil or in opposition to Good.
So what does it matter if we say they are being corrupt and acting like
thugs? We are obviously Dark, Evil, Chaotic, or in general uncaring to
their plight. But how do you justify the calls coming from within your
walls? How do you justify the cries of injustice from those who are
supposed to be your brethren? Shall they be labeled evil too? Shall you
continue to try to silence those voices with disfavors and enemying
them?

I again ask those citizens of Shallam to consider if this is the path
you truely wish to take. To be told how to run your life down to who you
can marry, who you can help, and perhaps who you can even talk to. When
ideas from other quarters of the world are squashed because they are
different. Not wrong. Only different. Is this truely the path of
righteousness or are you simply goosestepping to the drum of a
dictatorship? Does this truely sound good? To take away free thought, to
follow others like sheep certainly does not sound like followers of
light to me.

I watch the steady stream of people leaving Shallam with a tinge of
sadness. For these are the very people who need to be staying. These are
the people who need to be standing up against those who are abusing
their rank and power and acting, dare I say, in an evil and dark manner.
The funny thing about trying to hold onto power in the manner that the
current leadership seems to have its stubburn bullhead set on is the
firmer you try to hold onto it, the more people slip through your
fingers. Aldair once told me that no one in Shallam agreed with my
posts. She's right. The ones who agree with me are the ones in the
steady line leaving the city. Call what I say Propaganda all you like.
But no amount of Propaganda can sell to your citizens that your actions
of late have been anything resembling good and just.

Penned by my hand on the 21st of Valnuary, in the year 303 AF.