Greetings, Sapience.


I write to you in a time of strife and conflict, one where even allies are regarded with suspicion. A time of war.

I've watched with a heavy heart as we have been drawn further and further into a morass of hate and fury, growing steadily more entangled in justification for actions - the first of them starting out strong, then slowly growing weaker as time and battles drag on.

That's the thing about wars, Sapience. Once they begin, once people begin to commit atrocities in the name and justification of those wars, there will *always* be reasons people can find to continue them - if nothing else than to not look 'weak' by ceasing fire first.

This particular war began over an earthen monolith in the Mamashi, one turning it to sand and desiccation- though tensions were high before even then. The Earthcallers claim it vital to imprisoning the Sorcer-Kings of Azvosh and Balgraug the Devourer, an Albedi God. Many of Spirit expressed skepticism, pointing to and playing higher importance on what is concrete and known: that it *is* poisoning the Grasslands.

And from there, things have only spiraled. Raids upon raids to justify raids justified by shouts or individual actions. Cutting down novices out hunting. Slaughtering children. With the events of the Ruins of Farsai, things have escalated still further, to blanket mortals in blame and culpability for the actions of their gods, to take sides on things we have only seen the barest silver of, to find any reason, any at all to justify these actions.

Here's the thing. They're Divine. We can't do a single thing to Them, so we lash out against those close to those associated with Them. But what does that solve? Paint it in explanations all you wish, but it solves *nothing*. The source of the anger remains untouched, no matter which side you're on.

I'm not asking for peace. I'm asking for people to step back, take a breath, and *think* about the root causes of their anger and frustrations, and about what an endpoint to all of this would look like. Total annihilation of cities? Forests burned to bare earth? None left standing but you and yours?

I know some of you will say yes. But the continent will be an awfully lonely place if you succeed.

There are bigger threats for Sapience than interfighting with each other. Things are coming for us, in greater numbers and powers than we can reasonably expect to handle head-on.

And when they get here, we need to be standing shoulder to shoulder against them, strong and united. Because if we don't, we'll all be gone.

Step up, leaders. Put aside your pride and *talk* to each other. And more importantly, talk to your citizens. Find solutions, rather than letting the bloodthirsty few glut themselves on violence without end.


Resolutely,
Aolin

Penned by my hand on Tisday, the 14th of Midsummer, in the year 499 MA.