Recently it has become clearer than ever to me that the Church is indeed
a bigger Evil than the entire Order of Sartan combined. As a member of
the Church, you can do Good, but only if you do what they consider Good.
You can speak the Truth, but only if you illuminate the name of the
Church in doing so. You can expand your Knowledge, but only if you stay
within the limitations of the Church. The second they feel you're
wandering too far, they'll jerk your leash back so hard, it'll snap your
neck.

But also, recently, I have found that there are more in the Church who
are what the Church -should- be. They are healers and helpers, who aid
even their enemies. Unsurprisingly, most of these radicals are young.
They are as of yet uncorrupted by the manipulative ways of the
leadership of the Church, and still know it is their God-given right to
think for themselves. Tragically, these are also the ones outcasted for
their `sins`.

Like Saruman, my brother in the Occultic Arts (of which I hear the
Church likes to call Evil...amazing, anything that deters from their way
of thinking is automatically Evil), I salute those with the fire of
spirit to stand against what the Church has become, those who are what
the Church should be. Some remain silent, fearful of what may come,
fearful of what they may lose. But, is it worse to lose your abilities,
or worse to lose your soul?

To those who defy, and those who are cut down, know that Ashtan does
welcome you. We care not what guild you are, what beliefs you have, nor
what code you follow, as long as you do not hurt the Bastion of the
North. You are allowed to think freely, you are allowed to speak freely,
without fear of being outcasted. All you'll have left to fear is for the
lives of those still trapped within the Church. (Well, and maybe the
mutated humgii, fire drake, and gargoyle we have running around..but
they don't bite hard.)

Ashtan opens her gates to all who seek freedom, and provides a home for
all those who are outcasted. No questions asked.

Iliana Lucoster


Penned by my hand on the 25th of Chronos, in the year 304 AF.