Good Day,

There is an awful lot to unpack over the last week. Bear with me. Also know that I speak as a Citizen of Spinesreach alone -- the official stance I believe is evidenced.

First, to the tactless loudmouth treaty breaking Seer. I'll give your request for a leadership change in Spinesreach the same you and yours apparently gave to removing your Presiding Voice as part of the ceasefire. Why trade one alleged tyrant for another not carrying the footnote of alleged? It's a clear downgrade given your lack of tact. I may not agree with the decisions of the Secretariat regarding this matter, but this is how we govern. With your decision to renege on your side of the ceasefire, I now will consider the weight of your words to be equivalent to the Warlord's. At least we both can agree that His past actions render future words as extremely suspect at the very best.

Second, Imperator Nipsy. Please consider the following knowing I speak with respect. Your disdain for the living is noted. Repeatedly. Reminding us of that is a not the most persuasive way to obtain our aid. I also have a considerable number of questions regarding your 'science' experiment. If you could elucidate upon your methods, your hypothesis, how you plan to replicate any results. As far as I can tell, your attempts at 'science' look more like a toddler attempting to put square pegs through round holes. That isn't meant to be a short joke, either. I have my suspicions that you masquerade your research as 'science' in an attempt to appeal to the scientists in Spinesreach to obtain aid. You've even promised to share results! By your own admission, you've admitted one of the first lessons in science. Most experiments fail. How will we know to reject the null hypothesis given the lack of documentation? If your pilfered spirit was half the scientist they're purported to be, I'd expect a library's worth of lab notebooks to be able to replicate their work. Without an excusion into the Underhalls, mind you. I'm sure you'll retort that they got burned or lost. Must not have been too important to preserve. Or too dangerous. We will likely never know.

Third, Ayastia. The time to change leadership and processes is not amidst a crisis. That's the beauty of the Republic, we can change how we do things. But for now, our elected representatives have given a course and we are to see it through. We also have the freedom to leave. So there's that.

In short, I personally reject assertions on the matter from both sides at this time. Consider this a formal declaration of neutrality.

Finally, I'm getting tired of this scapegoat of Divine's feelings being the root of certain events. If you antagonize a wounded animal, of course they are going to lash out. But you could look in the mirror and realize that cause and effect extends beyond 'out of control emotions made this.' Something elicited those emotions. Just don't look in the Soul Mirror right now. Pick a different one.

-Wjoltyr

Penned by my hand on Quensday, the 25th of Niuran, in the year 500 MA.