Aldair,

This, I fear, will be another long post, and I apologise for it in
advance, but it must needs as the Devil drives, on a forum I would
rather not have to post on, or maybe I would. I cannot access your
Church Board, or your Paladin newsroom, or your Shallam newsroom, so
this medium is a last resort. I urge you to read the whole thing, as
well as any Church member who would like to see a different perspective
on the actions of the Church's Archprelate, or perhaps even the world.
It will in all probability resort in much Anti-Church posting however, I
urge all to direct any of your ignorant propaganda (if any) at their
esteemed Archprelate, not the institution.

Today, you committed a truly heinous act, without rational thought,
logic or goodness. You ejected Verlaine from the Church and Paladins
regarding his Heart. I have read logs of the buildup to the event, heard
opinions, thoughts, read your own post from the Church Scrolls regarding
the event, and have come to the conclusion the only wrong-doing was done
by the leaders of the Church. Who am I to judge? I am the person that
many Paladins and Priests turned to when this event occurred. Ironic,
isn't it?. Their own leaders didn't want to justify their actions (until
Pentharian appeared and they had some Godly support), so they come to
the oldest Rogue Paladin for advice.

I will begin by taking apart your post, paragraph by paragraph and point
out the fatal flaws in it. Your opening statements are interesting, as
any good writer knows this is the basis for the rest of the document.
You wrote - "This decision was based on his breaking both the letter and
the spirit of the Codex due to this engagement with the Occultist
Shakti." - Very well, you have said he is removed for breaking the Codex
which all church members abide by, their set of laws and values. This is
as plain as the beard on my face or the froth in my ale. Shall we see if
you justify this?

gl
You follow this up with some drivel, spouted almost verbatim from the
Codex, the words of Deucalion. "A Church member does not just seek to be
a good person, but to actively spread that goodness to others. In order
to do this; we must come into contact with those who are not necessarily
the most savoury of characters. The greater their depravity, the more
contact they are likely to have with members of the Church. It is
important that we can listen to what these people are saying and be able
to communicate with them beyond threats and random caustic comments.
However, this contact is different then idle fraternisation. This occurs
when a Church member forgets they are a Church member in order to be
friends with people who go against everything the Church believes in."
Okay, nice little speech, has some valid points, an excellent point was
made however regarding this. Many people in the past have fraternised
with people who are of less than savoury reputation. You yourself are
one of them. Some have been loyal church members for many years, some
went against the church in the end. Anyone that fraternises with an
Ashtan citizen in any way can fall into this category. Isn't Eris, after
all, the patron of Ashtan? What about the Warlocks, Snakes, Ashura,
Kharon, Jesters who follow the gods who go against the Church? Everyone
that gets engaged to one of these is to be removed? Reanis was once
married to Cyre, who was an Infernal, was she removed from the church.
Has she ever done anything that can be considered contrary to the Codex?
Callianessa was engaged to an unsavoury character before she was
excommunicated. Tarlin, one of your good friends, and a key individual
in your own bloody rise to power once quit the Paladins, so he might
kill members of the Order of Light - foremost myself and Zaklin, the
Guildmaster at the time. Did you get booted for your fraternisation?
Yes, I know what you will say: I wasn't engaged to be married to him. Is
there any difference, really?

What it comes down to is that the Order of Eris is secretive, with few
members known throughout the world. Shakti is just a public one
are you going to ban all marriages to anyone in the Jesters or
Occutists?

In your next paragraph you go into what Shakti is, as if this has any
bearing on _who_ Verlaine is. "He has decided he wishes to pledge his
love and dedication to Shakti Devi. For those of you don't know, Shakti
happens to be the one who destroyed the original Basilica with Varian's
Chest and has yet to apologise for it, and quite frequently gloats about
it. She is an avid supporter of Chaos in the realms. She is a murderer
of innocents. She is one of most vocal supporters of the Ashtan
Orphanage, or better known as the Ashtan Slaughterhouse. Where Ashtan's
orphans are taken to be relieved of their organs so that Occultists
might further their studies in becoming a divine. She is quoted as
saying "Better dead then singing in a choir"" Now, you have made this
too easy. Firstly, let none forget that Verlaine is NOT Shakti. For
beginners, what does Varian's chest have to do with a single thing? Any
divine will tell you that the result was random, if Shakti had destroyed
Ashtan, would you hold this against her here? I don't think so. Yes, she
is a supporter of Chaos in the realms. So what? I am a supporter of
Dwarves, and Dwarves are definitely chaotic beings. Does that make me
bad?

- NOTE: Has anyone seen a breach of the Codex so far in Aldair's
accusations?

The next bit is good - why we should judge Verlaine based on Shakti, and
not on his own actions. "I will point out that becoming engaged to
Shakti IS an action. It states that he loves her. That he supports her."
Oh, please Aldair - Love? You are contributing love as an evil action
here. Will anyone out there argue that love is Evil and Chaotic? Love is
Love, it is an absolute. You cannot classify it as an action of Evil or
Chaos. If Eros, Patron of Lovers were awake, I am sure he would slap you
for that sort of comment. You then say they can love whom they wish, but
you are are being fairly straightforward when you blame his actions of
falling in love with Shakti and wishing to marry her as his downfall.
Contradictive or Hypocritical?

"However, we also recognise that we have the right, nay the duty to
ensure that those who make up the Church are wholly committed to said
organisation" Why is Verlaine being married to Shakti going to change
that facet of his life? Anyone who is married inter-organisation knows
that your feelings don't interfere with duty. As one who has been
married for 60 years, I can tell you right now your point is moot!
Otherwise, if that is how you feel, Kyrienne will have to be outguilded
for being with Emergo, because how can she be 100% with the church when
she isn't married to a church member? So will Dresden because of Kaisar,
Starrsong because of Venyon. I hope my point is made here. Have fun
looking over every church member to be outguilded, unless you agree it
is a silly point.

Your next point is undoubtedly my favourite. "Simply put, Verlaine is no
longer a trustworthy individual. I believe he would try to do the right
thing, but I also know Shakti a little better than I have any wish to,
and recognise that she will use any tool she can possibly get her hands
on to damage the Church." Apart from the obvious flaw that you are
making unsubstantiated generalisations as to the nature of Shakti - she
is mortal chaos, unpredictable, you are saying that Shakti will use
Verlaine to harm the Church. I ask how? Is she going to strap a bomb to
him and send him into the middle of the Basilica and set it off? Anyone
that knows Verlaine can tell he is flighty, but fun. He has no ambition
to cause Chaos in the ranks, he almost constantly sticks to himself and
his few friends, except when he's harassing me. Also, you say Verlaine
isn't trustworthy. How? What has he done, esteemed and wizened Prelates,
that states he is untrustworthy? Has he betrayed the church? Has he
killed Innocents? Let's not beat around the bush - Has he broken the
Codex or trust? I don't think I need to carry on with this point, as
most people can see quite blatantly where I am going with this.

Finally you come to the point - "Verlaine has broken the spirit, and in
several cases the very letter of the Codex and the Church Code of rules
and punishment. Including breaking his word to a divine." I am curious,
how did he break the word to a divine, as this is your _only_ accusation
so far with any basis against Verlaine? Oh I know, he lied to Loreilan
about his feelings for Shakti. But did he really lie or was he only
lieing to himself at the time, feelings that he never knew he had. You
say he broke the spirit of the codex? How?

I can honestly say to you, the majority of the Church breaks the codex
_every single day_. For years they broke the codex. You break the codex
yourself, Aldair. 5) Seek to end all Evil and 7) Good is unchanging,
absolute and eternal and most importantly 9) DEFEND THOSE WHO WOULD
DEFEND YOU!

To address commandments 5 and 7: Your actions, Aldair, are in direct
collaboration with some of Sartans 7 truths of evil. To be specific
rules (1) Your advancement, or that of the Church. 4) Where is your
tolerance or forgiveness? (6) Do you have a conscience? My years of
contact with you seem to indicate that you do not. Finally truth (7) Did
you try and live with the (hardly anything at all) hardship of
possessing an old Paladin Veteran who wishes to live with his heart? As
far as commandment 9 is concerned. I know, as Verlaine took me into the
Paladins some 75 years ago, and taught me what it was like to be a
Paladin, that he would always defend you and yours, down to his last
breath. When are you going to defend him?

If the only evidence you have of Verlaine's misconduct warranting
removal from the Paladins and Church was one single violation of the
Codex, then why is there a church? Who amongst their number can throw a
stone, guilt-free? I cant I know that. By the hairs on Phaestus' beard,
you certainly can't.

Let it be known you had no case against him. He had done nothing wrong,
and broken few if any commandments, far less than you yourself have
broken, revered Archprelate. Your only qualm with him is who he is. Did
you fear his popularity so much that you created these convoluted
generalisations in his direction to renounce him? Did the Prelacy decide
that maybe you need to earn your pay? There is little evidence condoning
your actions.

The words of Deucalion are quite clear regarding a situation such as
this "As the codex states, goodness is not a relative term that one
defines for him or herself, but it is instead an eternal absolute, a
holistic truth that is unchanging, regardless of the circumstances."
Verlaine is Good, this is an eternal absolute, regardless of his new
circumstances, Aldair.

All Verlaine was guilty of was falling in love, and that is not against
the Codex. You cannot condemn him for actions he may do in the future,
or what his 'cruel and unjust' fiance may force him to do (please note
the sarcasm). I am surprised you will risk your precious Church for your
own arogant pride.

Verlaine is a model Paladin, one you should be proud of. Look in your
own church Aldair. It is funny how the elected representatives often go
against the wishes of those they work to help.

Hand of Phaestus and prouder than ever to be Rogue - Molotov

Penned by my hand on the 12th of Daedalan, in the year 304 AF.