The Lamentation of Luciensburg | An Appeal

[Minuvas 2975]

*Written about Providence and the Municipalities of New Esbec, Redenford, and Dobrov would be the following letter*

My Fellow Citizens,
  There are no doubt many things that occupy your time these days, with so many colorful events and leisurely pursuits of the Imperial Citizen. I therefore ask but a pardon of your time to consider the plight of the people of Luciensburg, who have not been as fortunate as the Imperial these past years.

Many of you may have heard about the suffering of the people of Luciensburg in distant conversation or passing, our Canonist friends who fought with us in our war against the Nordlings to secure a peace we now enjoy. Distant from our borders, you would be forgiven if you had not visited their fine city these past few seasons and believed them to be content to working their land, raising their plow to farm, and raising strong canonist families. I certainly had presumed as such, as we had not heard from their people in some time.

Lo, how wrong we were to assume what had occupied their efforts.

Having recently heard of some sort of plight in their land, I was dispatched with the mercy and the compassion of the Imperial Government to see if there was something the Ministry of Civil Affairs could do to lessen the suffering of potential refugees.

What I write to you about now is shocking to senses, and no doubt musters the sensibilities of all Imperial Citizens to action.

The city of Luciensburg is besieged by giant rat men, who now openly roam the streets. Smoke, and stink fill the streets from the distance and there is no safety to approach it at all. Once Canonist Churches are profaned by these creatures. Civilians are cowered in the city, trapped for the slaughter. Forced to contain the threat of these Rat men the people of Luciensburg have been pushed to impossible difficulties. Having to choose to destroy their beloved city to preserve the safety of us all.

What people have survived are a devout and hearty group, having erected a hasty fort for their survival and to prevent the rat threat from encroaching further. Make no mistake, without these stalwart defenders at the fringe of humanity - helping to defend their Imperial brothers from a similar fate - the creatures would turn their greedy, souless, desires towards New Esbec or perhaps elsewhere in Almaris.

Yet the sight is hardly what I would describe as uplifting. There is a sense of depravity, as the foregone conclusion is that they must smolder their city to the ground in order to save Almaris and what remains of their people. What a noble sacrifice - yet not one without  tremendous suffering. It is unfortunate that many souls were sent and will be sent to the Seven Skies to defeat these creatures. The Dwarves of Urguan were unsuccessful in defeating these beasts in the caverns, which must speak to the creatures competence - for who is more skilled under the mountains than a Dwarf?  

I appeal to my fellow Citizen the following three matters;

First, I appeal  to my fellow Imperial Citizen, to open your charity to the people of Luciensburg - as we have always defended the Canonist flock. They are in dire need of supplies, food, tents, and other materiel. If you have a place in your hearth and home to offer them, please do so - for a hastily built fortress is no place for families to shelter as they watch their city destroyed. If you are able to act as a private citizen to lessen the suffering of your fellow man, now is the time to do so. 

Second, I ask that you trust the Imperial Government to do as it always has done - the righteous thing. Have no doubt that the right thing shall be done, as always, by the forever august and Holy Orenian Empire - whether seen or unseen. The Ministry of Civil affairs remains committed to the easing of the refugee, the asylum seeker, the foreign homeless and the immigrant who desire ever for 'Providence' - which provide if even just a small comfort to the suffering lot of Almaris.

Lastly, I ask that you pray. Now is a time, as always, to turn to GOD to inspire us to see justice, and to aid in the betterment of our fellows.  That GOD might hear our prayers and provide solemnity to our weeping souls. When your mourning is abated, raise you sword, or your quill, or your plow to continue to advance Almaris towards the 'Providence' of a more GODly tomorrow - doing your part to advance his will here among us.


Citizens may write to me directly at the Ministry of Civil Affairs if you wish to provide coordinated support to the people of Luciensburg.

I thank you for your time.

 

Servus,


 

[Urahra 5363]

“Once again, Mr. Melphestaus is on the money,” Anthony Bentarus says as he reviews the letter from his rented room in Penton Place. “Why we haven’t sent the ISA to help defend Luciensburg from this rat assault is beyond me. As fellow Canonists, we’re obligated! What’s to stop the rats from eyeing us next if we’ve left our fellows in Luciensburg to rot?”

 

“Anthony, quit talking to yourself,” his sister Catherine says from the next room. “It’s a bad habit.”

 

Anthony blushes as his sister catches him. He squirrels the letter away in his desk.

[Lord of Boars 554]

"Performative activism? Already?" Harold gasps.