(This is really addressed to Shallam, particularly its government.)

"The Sky is vast and boundless. The infinite realm of Vastar, the
Skylord, represents the complete freedom for all to pursue their goals,
and to fulfill their dreams. He is known for his impartial attitudes
towards all beings as they all live under the great Achaean sky.
However, only those who are most devoted to their goals and dreams will
be accepted into his order."

=======================================================

Have any of you ever looked up to your Prelates as a young child and
said to yourself, "Some day that will be me!" Have you ever dreamed of
becoming a guild secretary, vizier, or even a guild master or the
Sultan? Did you then act on that goal and perhaps achieve it? If so then
you have paid homage to Vastar and all He stands for. Many people state
that Vastar is for complete freedom, a form of anarchic freedom. But in
truth He stands for freedom to achieve what you set your mind to above
all else. He is about goals, ambitions, aspirations, resoluteness,
objectives, and purpose, not anarchy. That which goes against the
Vastarian Way would include apathy, pococurantism, lassitude,
insignificance, the inconsequential, and pettiness. This is supported by
His help scroll (transcribed above) and the 6th rank in His order that
is known as "A Dreamer of Impossible". Again, this is not to say liberty
is not important in the Vastarian religion, but rather liberty to make
an attempt on your aspirations in life to achieve greatness is most
important. For example, one who seeks to punish another for achieving
greatness is something that would be opposed by a Vastarian.

The members of the Vastarian order over the years has included numerous
people of note. For example, there is Naiad who in her day was the
highest ranked woman in Achaea for a very extended time. Also included
is Zbniebniz whom everyone knows as the greatest champion for mhuns and
Moghedu. There is the former paladin secretary Raphael who in my opinion
achieved a level of honor and chivalry unsurpassed by any Paladin after
him, a true role model for any of that guild. There is also myself
having set my goal to be the greatest explorer when Fellowship of
Explorers was founded and have achieved success in that endeavor. There
is Thakren who, though Shallam was often the butt of his jokes, was most
certainly the greatest comedian of modern Achaea. Even some of the
former members of the order have achieved great renown such as Dave, one
of the original members of Taranis' Magi I believe, who for a long time
held the seat as highest ranked Achaean.

Vastar was once patron to the Sentinels and still has Sentinels in the
order. His order in fact includes citizens of Cyrene, Shallam, Ashtan,
and Hashan, and includes members from the Priests, Paladins, Sentinels,
Sentaari, Runewardens, Dawnstriders (though I hear rumor the Dawnstrider
may have recently moved on to another guild...), Ashura, Kharon,
Sorcerors, Occultists, Shadowsnakes, as well as a handful of rogues. The
order has also been known to house Druids in the past. It actually
included members from each and every guild except the Infernals, which
banned membership outside of Sartan, in the old days before the founding
of the Magi. The point here is that Vastar does not take sides. In the
spirit of neutrality, He has embraced mortals from all walks of life who
live under His sky.

Now I move closer to the point of this letter. I have noticed deposits
of gold to the Vastar order accounts in the Shallam bank. I have also
serendipitously found two unrelated people who have a strong interest in
the ideals Vastar stands for and have burned many offerings upon the
shrine altars of Vastar, both of which are citizens of Shallam and
members of Shallam guilds. One has even created a wormhole near Shallam
to the sky temple for easy access to that place of prayer and offering.
It is clear to me from these signs and my dialogues with these two whom
I have recently discovered take interest in Vastar that there is desire
within Shallam for a Vastarian shrine as a symbol of mortal asperations.
It is not often I stumble upon people with this interest, and the fact I
have encountered two from Shallam is a strong statistical indicator that
there is very likely more. So the intent of this letter is to request
approval for the placement of a shrine within its borders.

I know that Shallam and its guilds have held animosity towards this
order, though it seems I am nearly the only person who can remember why
this is so. I put forth that the vizier move past that and look towards
what the Vastarian ideals truely are. Taking this into consideration it
is my hope the vizier would be convinced that this is a valid request.
Consider not what people who have little to know experience with Vastar
have to say on Him, but rather the truth. Vastar's sky "represents the
complete freedom for all to pursue their goals, and to fulfill their
dreams", and He is impartial towards all beings, as we all live under
his blue shelter. To support Vastar is to support motivation and
aspirations. To denounce Vastar is to voice support for apathy in
mortalkind and to celebrate nonentity. What say you? Should the council
of viziers not vote in favour of these ideals then I put forth the
opportunity to meet for open diplomatic dialogue.


I will conclude with the writings of His Paladin, written when he was
their secretary, that I believe captures a very Vastarian ideal:

"I am Raphael, and what I am to write is a meditation of mine I
experienced on one lost night. I sit beside my bed, bare feet crossed on
a cold wooden floor as I mumble forgotten words of piety. My mind
wanders towards the past on actions done. I sit helpless as I see blood
spill and watch people fall in the wagings of battles once fought. I can
only watch and feel as the blade strikes and people die, experiencing
churning emotions of anger and grief. And I hate.
"I move on to present times, and look around me, observing a world that
I cannot change but I desperately try to. No words seem to come from my
mouth as I try to reason with those who cry over lost ones lost, or who
hear the call of others who claim that the next war will somehow be
different than the last, somehow devoid of all the grief and death. I am
unable to change any of it. And I despair.

"I then let my thoughts drift to the future, all anxiety is gone with
the gust of the wind through my hair, and the coolness of rain on my
skin soothes old wounds worn. Feelings of friends comfort me and the
purpose of my journey is once again clear. I see new roads, new
decisions, and the dream I have tried to follow. I take fortitude and
courage from these emotions and I open my eyes feeling determined and
stronge. And I hope. I am hope."

Penned by my hand on the 2nd of Miraman, in the year 306 AF.