Kaelin, Amitation, et al. You seem to assume that the ruling council of
Ashtan is denying citizenship to Maldaathi because we are tyrants,
because we seek to oppress religious freedom, because we're corrupt and
we hate you. This is nice propaganda. Someone who was born yesterday
might buy it. Maybe. The same someone who might believe that the former
Infernals have nothing at all to do with the present Maldaathi, despite
the same ideals, mostly the same members, the same Patron, the same
skills.

As Kaelin once said to me when I questioned him on the difference
between the Maldaathi and the Infernals, "the difference now is, this
guild operates as a guild and works for itself solely, for Lord Sartan,
though we serve him how we can, and certainly not for any city in this
land." Let us recall: Lord Sartan's last act before His imprisonment was
an attempt to destroy Ashtan along with the ex-Infernals/Interim
Battalion. His first act upon His release was to create the Maldaathi
for the ex-Infernals/Interim Battalion. One would have to be rather
naive to assume that because of a new name, everything is suddenly
different. Our decision is one of caution, out of concern for the
security of our home in consideration of recent history. It will be
reviewed in due time.

I tire of the infantile mud slinging and anger. Say what you will, but I
am one who has sat through days of meetings and spoken with countless
individual citizens - many of whom believed we should simply cast out
all Maldaathi altogether, even the newbies. The ruling council of
Ashtan, despite your attempts to portray us so, are not tyrants who act
on mere whim, cackling gleefully from the Archon's Chambers. I have deep
respect for every one of my co-Archons, and as a whole we attempt to act
in the best interest of Ashtan's safety and prosperity.

One clarification. The fine quoted by Silverstorm applies to those who
were enemied during the war the Infernals declared on their once-home
city, not to those who joined afterwards and had no connection to the
war. If that were not so, she would not have written "upon regaining
ally status to Ashtan" as those who have no connection to the war were
not enemied during it and already possess ally status.

Regards,

Shakti Devi, Overseer of Ashtan

Penned by my hand on the 16th of Phaestian, in the year 303 AF.