A Minmir Proclamtion: Flamerule 183
*The letter is decorated with an illuminated letterhead which swirls and gilds a symbol of Bane in the center*
As has been done many a time in the past, once again some benign purpose-absent oaf has thrust their sword at the hills of Minmir and decried the evil they perceive. Having learned nothing of failures past this Order of Ascension sallies forth to attempt what cannot be and what will never come to pass. Whilst the foolish declaration of crusade in the Dame Alis's letter was clear there is a plethora of misinformation worth addressing. A service I am more than glad to provide to you, the good people of Arelith who wish not for bloodshed, wish not for chaos. But long for your due sense of security and opportunity to secure a greater life than which was enjoyed by your ancestors. To rise above we would greet you with open arms in the grasp of the Black Lord. Praise Bane.
Let us begin with the first of falsehoods portrayed by Dame Alis, at the Black Lord's expense, she would claim not only the flock of Minmir but that of the faith as a whole to be a cult. A connotation wielded to downplay the organization and magnitude of influence that Bane commands on all things. A claim that wrongfully portrays the sheer difficulty with which her bannerman will find their crusade; as the ranks of Minmir are steadfast in the defense of His holy lands and would gladly give their lives in service to Him. Each page of literature contained within the blessed walls of my keep speaks of the glory gained through service to the Black Lord. HIS doctrine, HIS hymns, HIS Gospel that does allow us to strive beyond that which we might achieve alone and burdened with freedom: by HIS hand.
This great bounty is not without costs of course, as only a lowly beggar might expect charity and a life without toil, the faithful of Bane understand more than any else that what is gained is due only to the grace of God. Without sacrifice, there is nothing to be gained from this world and we fall to idleness and contempt. The blood of the innocent is a sacrifice we hold dear to ourselves for it is through their contribution that we shall forge this world under one rule, under one master, a greater good through the subjugation of all. Only then might we achieve a serenity in a purpose grander than ourselves in a world without doubt or obsolescence.
We preach submission so that we might light the lantern that guides a wayward soul along the path to glory. In recognition of the One True Master; in your total surrender to His will find the means to raise yourself above. To lift yourself out of squalor and hardship, and bow never again to any but Bane.
We preach hatred so that we might grant the motivation to see that which is wrong in this world corrected, to filter the weak from the strong, and to steel the resolve needed to see such a grand design as His come to fruition. It is not for us to understand the intricacies of this plan but our duty to hear the will of God calling when the flames of hatred boil within the soul. Only by allowing hatred to flow through mind, body, and soul may you begin to emulate even a fraction of the power that the Black Lord wields.
We preach fear so that we might enlighten the masses as to their place in the world; even we, the faithful of the Lord, are fearful. As all should be. There is a wisdom to this fear, a guiding hand that brings resolve to some and panic to others. Fear me, so said the Lord, fear me and in turn make others fear me even more so than you. A divine command uttered by His very own lips, simple but incalculable in importance. It is a reminder that which is given can be taken; just as swiftly and with not a single tear shed. For all that we have is not our own but the Lord's. There is no room for those who have learned of the Lord and turned away, there is no room for those who would sow chaos, and there is no room for weakness. For you, the only fate is to be consumed in your fear of Him.
The second miscommunication passed along by Dame Alis is the label for all under the Black Lord's hand as 'evil'. Good and evil are nothing but subjective concepts created by weak-minded fools. The only thing that matters is power and the ability to impose your will on others. You will then naturally be inclined to ask; through what means is a semblance of fairness or balance brought to this dilemma? Through the law, through Bane's law. It is only through an ironclad and coherent legal system that we may sculpt the chaos and bring to bear the folly that is freedom. The Dame would call us blasphemous not because of some genuine moral superiority of her faith to our own, but as an act of desperation to garner aid to her hopeless plight. For she too knows the fear of God; having been struck down by an agent of Minmir in time since past. In a crusade long since failed.
It is then of great interest after being labeled as such to read the words, inked of her own will, that the Dame doth seek to bring righteous fury down upon Minmir. Fury, as all know is but another expression of hatred, the very thing denounced repeatedly throughout this Dame's declaration. Draw what conclusion you may from this, to Minmir this only screams of the hypocrisy in which these brigands operate.
The third, a hypocrisy as well. The Dame quote "shall not stand idly by while this evil festers and spreads." How fitting it is for these so-called beacons of light and valor to discriminate with which evils are addressed whilst the most blatant true evil, that of the Lich Earl Manfried, is still a plague upon both our doorsteps. You illegally occupy a base upon the Earldom of Minmir's proper lands and yet target the warriors who have for as long as you; thrown back the unending wave of undeath that breaks against the valiant defenders of the realm. How sad it is that we may say now that for a century and decades more this curse has been permitted to persist. These short-sighted moral powder kegs would continue with their glorious tradition of sabotaging our defense against this hoard. Longing to be the sole banner raised on the day of victory. Yet more than a century of toil and failure speaks to the insanity of this ideology.
We will not be cowed by your threats. I need not remind any that the Black Hand has stood the test of time, the test of death, and risen again. There is no storm through which Minmir cannot weather within the safety of His grasp. You condemn your brothers and sisters to their deaths should they be caught within my lands. For your sake, I expect a generous and thoughtful penance for the breach of order you have created with this thoughtless call for blood. Time is running out for you Dame Alis the shadow of his hatred will soon cover not only your squatter's fort but all of Arelith. And then the World.
HATE WITHIN, HATE WITHOUT
Signed,
Verta Sataa
Dreadlord of Minmir
The sigil of Minmir Keep is depicted in wax just beneath the signature: An imposing stone keep and perched atop it, a vigilant green dragon spreading its wings in an impressive display of power
Day 15, Month 7 (Flamerule (Summertide)), 183 AR
Verta Sataa