Blood on our Hands

What do you mean no enemy to use it on? We have the enemy for which we forged that blade. The one who almost killed an entire race. The one that we have sacrificed much already before this feast. Balfurous.
I will sleep soundly when we use this weapon after everything we sacrificed for it to be brought back into existence.
Keavy, who sacrificed herself for this blade, said it before. Arawyn herself agreed that this weapon had to be forged. Did you forget about that? Or gloss over it? The fact that Arawyn said it was the right thing to do should mean something to everyone arguing against the use of this weapon.

(The note is nailed on, written with shaky hand writing, but legible hand writing. Small stains can be seen on the page, akin to someone writing while crying.)

I want you all to stop right now.

Look at all of you, people who have fought and died, bled together for this town. In the meanwhile the bearer of this sin has to sit back and read all of this..

You have no idea what this is doing to me, and this hatred is making my already effected mind even more rage filled.

I ask that a noble close this discussion. If anyone wishes to speak on this matter, than I ask that you missive me personally and I will tell you all that I know and try my best to calm your fears...

Signed, With Truth,
Jack Dimms

Your words remind me of our fight. They, and you, are weak. How you could be expected to wield this I cannot fathom, but if you do perhaps you will finally gain the strength you needed when you foolishly called The Lady of Chains yours.
Let this rage build, let yourself hate and channel it at Balferous. Every time anyone slights you, hate them and in that hate let your strength grow.
Or cast it aside like the coward you are.

-Orophin

Lucian,
I see you have not listened to Templar Nightwing about keeping insults and thoughts to yourself. You have insulted the attunement Arawyn has on this plane and therefore it is my duty as an Emerald Huntsman to challenge that insult. The way Druids commune with nature is as sacred as praying to your god and you should respect the answers that she gives. Her word can be said in court by druids, but you don't seem to want to hear that part because it doesn't suit your own ends. Arawyn said this was necessary. Arawyn said we needed this. Long after we die there will be Arawyn. She has no reason to say this will help her if she does not mean it as truth.

Therefore I challenge you to honor combat.

As a side note, I hope you're fine with executing at minimum twelve people, one of which is from your own church for the crimes you wish to be brought before the law.
So that everyone knows why this is happening I will do you the favor of posting your reply to my statements above below this parchment.

((OOG: The following letter is posted below the signature))
Squire McKraegar,

Again you have challenged my words without understanding them.

You do not have an enemy to use Bloodtide on. If you do, why has he not already been struck with the weapon?

We have to wait for Balfurous to show himself before he can be attacked, and so now, as I have said, we sit and wait, watching Bloodtide collect dust for how long?

I am presently seeking multiple leads on multiple powerful weapons along with the help of the Scholars and other learned people in Travance. We will find another option and likely many options in time for the battle with Balfurous.

If you think Bloodtide was our only road just because a druid felt as such during their communion with Arawyn, then I am not going to try to undermine your belief, I only ask that you temper it with the reality of the situation.

At least Twelve people died at the hands of subjects of Travance, whether they gave their lives "willingly" under extreme duress , or they were murdered outright makes no difference.

Furthermore, just because the people of Travance decided this was a "necessary evil" does not mean that the laws of the Kingdom were suspended in our favor. If we are willing to "accept the consequences" of our actions, then that must also mean we are willing to accept punishment by the law for what we have done after the fact.

How can we be willing to kill for the greater good, but not be willing to face our day in court for the greater good? I will see that each person who had a hand in this vile act is brought to justice.

-Collusion with dark forces
-Murder
-Ritual sacrifice
-Treason

Are the crimes which many people are and remain guilty of. There is no place to hide from this fact, whether the "greater good" was served or not. Makes no difference .

Arawyn did not write the laws of Kormyre, and although I respect the feelings of the druids, her testimony cannot be heard in court and will make no difference.

In faith and fellowship,
Lucien Belfast

Squire Renaith McKraegar,

I accept your challenge.

You may find me when I return from my quest to aid the people in Travance in our mutual mission to find further weapons to slay the enemy Balfurous. I find it hopeless in trying to express to you what I mean, as you have again been unable to read my words for what they are and have brought insult to me publicly instead of asking for clarification in private. I find you wanting, and will unfortunately have to waste my time combating you physically.

Everything I said was in the hope that we could work together in discerning the nature of the relationship of our actions and where those actions meet the law. Are the laws of the Kingdom of Kormyre to be suspended each time they inconvenience us? I think not, and I hope the court in their wisdom will agree.

I am not "fine", as you put it, with executing anyone. Apart from the hideous murderer who took the life of the mother and child in a most gruesome way. Again you have designed your own meaning behind the words I have said.

I did my duty as it was assigned to me and for that I too have sinned and would welcome my day in court before the eyes of the law. It is a shame upon us all that we are so brave to offer the lives of others but do not have the courage to face what punishment may come for our crimes, again, because they were necessary, does not mean they were not crimes. It is not for us to decide that, it is for the law and that is the drum I have been beating, Squire Renaith.

Please do me the kindness of answering publicly Squire Renaith McKraegar, that you wish to fight me to the death, for demanding that subjects of Travance who willfully took part in murder, collusion with dark forces and ritual sacrifice are brought before a court of laws?

I honored the sacrifice made by Squire Keavy and others. I honor Arawyn, nearly as close as I honor my god Valos.
Read my words again, Squire because I find you may embarrass yourself. I gave proper acknowledgement to Arawyn, only stating that Arawyn itself did not write our laws, which is a matter of fact. The literal and direct testimony of Arawyn cannot physically be heard in court. It simply does not take place. The testimony of a druid may be heard in court but you are offering me conjecture by speaking of a third party and then calling it fact. Fact which cannot be determined until a court establishes it.

You wish honor combat because you do not understand the difference between conjecture and evidence. I do not believe I can help you any further.

What remains is this: Just because it is our duty to do a thing, and just because we find it right in our hearts to do it, does not absolve us from the punishment of the law after we have done it. If any here are brave enough to kill their neighbors but not brave enough to stand and justify every part of their action before the law, then I question everything you stand for.

I wonder who among you is well read enough to remember these words spoken by two men of the court of Kormyre, long, long ago. Ask yourself, what our duty is to the law?

“Rupert: So now you'd give the devil benefit of law!
Maine: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the devil?
Rupert: I'd cut down every law in Kormyre to do that!
Maine: Oh? And when the last law was down, laid low by your ax, and the devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Rupert, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws from coast to coast– man's laws, not the god's– and if you cut them down—and you're just the man to do it — do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.”


Know that these men are not speaking of a literal devil, but one of intention. Ask yourself if we remove the law when we must ourselves become devils, who is to stop another from doing the same to us, when we require the law for our protection?

I will return with help from my fellows, with a weapon to combat Balfurous and end this war.

Lucien,
Squire Renaith,

Is this the clarity and necessity of emotions you and the Light Church told me was necessary? For I see no clarity in any of these words. I see people overcome with passion. Passion while wonderful and helpful for motivation does nothing if one is dead. To waste time on such combat only takes away time we could be using for other things. To defend ones "honor" for merely having a disagreement, nay, misunderstanding, of words is not only silly but also foolish. It aims to silence one party for being "wrong" and no opinion is invalid. I pray that both of you will allow yourselves to calm down and see what the passion behind your words are making you say is not what you would say under a clear mind. I know both of you wish only to help Arawyn and it's people, but you two need to be able to see that in each other. This is not the time for ego, for ego separates allies.

Balfurious would like nothing more than for us to fight ourselves, thus making ourselves weaker for when he decides to show himself. We do not need to be enemies of each other because of emotions. I will pray that our town does not become victim to emotions and thus removing our chance of ever defeating Balfurious.

May your path bring your clarity,
-Ava