What Shall be Said Next?

[tadabug2000 4924]

 

---

 

I pen this public missive after my children have been put to bed.

Even now, I am sure they garner no sleep, as I hear their hushed and worried whispers of what shall happen next Saints day.

Your leadership will tell you that you need worry not, the children and non-combatants will be elsewhere during the fight, but is it not your intentions to annex the entirety of Veletz?

It is said my children, and others children can simply go elsewhere.

But wherever shall they go?

What shall be said next should those of you, of the Covenant, shall make it to the Capital?

What words will be spewed, and what excuses to GOD be said as you cut down my children should they run out of places to go?

What shall be said next if those of you who claim to be GOD-fearing render my children homeless?

If I should fall, they will be orphaned.

The next words that will spew forth that Veletz is Anathema, but if you look closely upon the Pontiffs bull, it is a specific few people.

I am baptized, as are my children. We love GOD dearly.

Other words I’d heard were the war is because Veletz houses the Ferrymen, but is it not a known fact that many a nation has done so in the past?

If this truly were the only reason, the war would of stopped at Breakwater.

And yet, there are more words, more excuses for the taking of homes and families.

It is claimed that Veletz harbors the Undead.

The very Undead who slaughtered my husband at a masquerade gone awry some years ago now.

It was not Petra who helped I then, as I knelt before the blood stained floor of our keep.

It was Veletz. It was Sir Gaspard van Aert, riding to my door with his men, asking how he can help.

A promise was made to my husband before his untimely death, and a promise was kept.

He took us in, in what was meant to be a temporary time, soon turned permanent.

He offered us a home. Succor. Friendship.

And it was not him alone.

The soldiers, the people, the citizens.

Every single one of them had been endlessly welcoming, providing a home that I have been honored to raise my children in.

I’ve seven in total.

My last count of children in Veletz overall numbers fifteen in total.

I ask this of you, those who deign to read the public missive of a woman seeking a moral decision,

What shall be said next?

 

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GOD WILLING,

THE HONORABLE, Viktoria Helena af Brasca, Baroness of Brasca

 

[Xarkly 17299]

[!] A letter is sent by messenger pigeon to the author. The hand is plain and jagged, but concise.

 

"May God bless you. 

 

I am Friar Villorik, a warpriest who partaking in the conquest of Veletz on command of the Vicar of God. I have further undertaken the duty to expunge the taint of the Deceiver from the lost souls of Veletz.

 

I duly pray that the Deceiver's taint has not grown so heavy as to obscure the cause of this war from your mind. If this is, however, the case, then heed me so: the League of Veletz forsook piety and morality when they conspired with the brigands of Stassion to murder King Edmund of Aaun, who was a stalwart ally of Veletz at the time. The League of Veletz forsook honour and integrity when they tried to force the Commonwealth of the Petra's diplomatic affairs, and sent assassins to murder the girl-queen Catherine when she resisted their vice. The League of Veletz forsook peace and dignity when they kidnapped a Princess of Balian without provocation, and attacked the Haeseni capital after they escorted the Pontiff to Veletz to negotiate her release. 

 

The Grand Covenant has undertaken this war to destroy a tyrannical state before it can wreak further havoc.

 

Your children can flee to peace. The lands of Canondom will, adherent to their standing faith, welcome all refugees fleeing the war. There is nothing keeping you in Veletz but the blindness cast upon you by the Deceiver, and it is for you alone to shirk this and return to the light. That there is nowhere for you to go is a lie.

 

You need not to fall. There is naught that compels you to defend the lands rightfully besieged in response to the tyranny of Veletz but pride wrought by the Deceiver. If it is true that you wish to protect your children, as any mother should, then you should flee your home without question and seek sanctuary in the lands of the Covenant. You endanger yourself, your children, and your home by fighting for the Anathema. That you are destined to leave your children orphaned is a lie.

 

The Captain General is Anathema. That he offered you hearth and home does not undo this truth, as any warmongerer would gather allies. That you vouch for their warmth while simultaneously ignoring the grievous offences committed unto the nations of the Covenant is surely a mark of the Deceiver's spell upon you, which you must resist. That these are good and godly people is a lie.

 

If you wish to live, fair lady, then live - abscond the lands of Veletz for their crimes innumerable. None seek the blood of you nor your children, for your only crime is succumbing to tyranny. Leave, and all will be saved, and the land may well be suitable to be returned to once the shadow that lies heavy upon it is expunged.

 

If you stay, lady, then know it is out of pride. It is out of ignorance. It is out of evil.

 

If you stay, and if you fall, the fault will be purely your own, but none will bar your refuge.

 

If your children fall, the fault will be purely your own.

 

Seek me out and partake in the sacrament of confession, so that you and your children might be saved.

 

May God save you."

 

[moosehunter123 1081]

Bo would be seen walking among the training yards of Keep Brasca overseeing his own levy well being. As the missive is slipped into his pocket by one of the keeps servents.

 

 As Bo reads the missive he looks upon the levy. He goes letting out a loud "Listen to this!" As he reads out the solem words of the missive. He would stop after reciting the missive looking toward the brave men and women who have pledged to defend Castle Brasca. Letting out a loud speech upon the men and women.

 

"This is why you all choose to fight. Lady Brasca gave us shelter. You shall nae take one step back as so help me GOD, we will nae let her children become orphans and homeless. You shall all give you dying breaths to defend the home she has granted us. YOU SHALL DEFEND HER CHILDREN AS WE WILL NAE LET THE COALITION TAKE THE HOME OF HER CHILDREN!"

 

A loud roar from the levy can be heard "AVE LADY BRASCA, WE SHALL DEFEND YOUR HOME."

 

Bo would give a simple nod to the men and women of his levy as they resume their training for the upcoming days.

[ErikAzog 3575]

laid his head back, "We have to kill them all." said the elderly King, was his age getting to him? who knows, he'd then take a hit of his cactus green, looking onto the battle plans.

[Jaslaw 602]

*Aditional missive was pined under the original post*
 

Quite hypocritical coming from the people that had over the span of this war spaning all the way from the times of the old world murdered many citiziens, priestes, and even those that you are concerned about children. Humans may forget, yet elfs like myself will remember thru the times.

Choices that are presented to you are quite clear though, leave Veletz, leave those that had bandited OUR  lands killing whoever they please. Be it to another of the canonist nations all surounding you or if you hold hatered in your heart for us not wishing to let people you hold under your protection to keep on atacking us then head farther. The choice is not ours to make, you had started this war by kidnaping citiziens of Balian, raiding the haense's capital on multiple ocasions as well as finally assasinating a royal of Aaun when they stoped following your whims.

Go figure my friend, THERE ARE  consequences for ones actions. Shall we allow Adria to exist onec more only so it rebuilds its armies and starts a war onec more? Shall we allow more people to suffer just so you arent INCONVINIANCED by having to move your place of living?

You wish for there to be no orphans, stop YOUR  raids. Allow us to bring justice to those that had started all of this and understand theres nothing else we may do other then take care of any children unless your men already sloughtered those without protection like they done to so many of ours.

Bravo to you people, I had not had to burry too many kids so far. Not as many as those in the old world at least that is. Yet still lets not ask that the battle one battle you won was fougth becouse we tryed to make retreaving OUR CHILDREN  that were kidnaped from hyspia by the orcs easier with the interception of Veletz forces going to reinforce the orcish stronghold.

To summorise? You people are in no position to call us out on morality as WE ARE THE DEFFENDERS, we are the ones handing out CONSEQUENCES to people ATACKING CIVILIANS, unlike you. We are fighting so that YOUR raids stop, we are fighting so that CHILDREN AND THE WEAK are safe on the roads, we are fighting so that we may live in PEACE.

THIS IS OUR PEACE

Edited December 9, 2023 by Jaslaw

[mothsthetic 2250]

From an abandoned cabin, Yvaine Sonja sighs quietly, warm breath fogging in the cold air. She pulls her cloak a little tighter around herself, setting the missive down. “Oh, Mamej… why could moy niet have just stayed w Petra? Moy left Papej behind in vyr grieving. Y don’t remember his voice. Y can ney visit his grave. Y should like to.” She laments, curling up onto the creaking wooden floorboards with a sigh.

[DrakeHaze. 2524]

Elderly wizard rasmot read the missive, twirling the end of his long gray beard as he'd emit a cackle.

"hohoho..! Knightly fellows will take up the sword to protect the children but applaud when a pregnant woman is captured and her unborn child is threatened with renatian gut punches! I fear no evil, but the hypocrisy of horen's levymen scares even me.. hohoho!"

rasmot left the missive and headed home to ponder his orb and bake a pie for a construct.

[Wavey 2568]

An aged Ruthern from Balian, having had come across this missive during a feeble stroll to Portoregne, raised a brow. A sigh escaped his lips as he then returned home to pen a public letter in response: 

"Dear Viktoria,  

I may not be physically involved in this war, however, my allegiance to my nation and to my family who are involved in this conflict compels me to write you this public letter. Your Papej-may he rest in peace in the seven skies-and I have had a long history. We have been at each other's side since our teenage years. I remember when he had asked me to take care of you until his return during our escape from Almaris. I am also aware of your friendship with my son, Rhys var Ruthern. 

Although my memory has faded further since my younger days, I still remember these aspects of my past life. Thus, I write to you in response to your missive. 

What is there to gain for keeping your children there? If the Covenant wishes to siege the Keep, their reason is for tactical and military purposes, not to murder civilians and children out of spite. I further ask, why would your nation insist on keeping you and your people there if  Veletz knows that a public declaration by the Covenant was distributed with the intention to siege that land? Would that not be merely a form of manipulation on their part? 

You have a choice here. All nations of Canondom have agreed to welcome you with open arms. Our grievance is not with you, but with Veletz itself due to the actions of its leadership and militant soldiers. What do you gain in fighting this conflict?

You are being misled by their own propaganda. If you believe you cannot leave your nation out of fear, then would that not mean that you are being kept there against your own free will? 

 

Again I ask, Viktoria, what do you have to gain in this conflict if you are concerned for your own children? Your departure from the lands of Veletz will be assured by the Covenant if you open your mind for a moment and realize that none of their leadership are monsters in disguise. They will guarantee your safe departure and travel. Your nation manipulates you into staying. They are feeding you lies and fear to keep you there in an attempt to appeal to Pathos. Do not succumb to their manipulation.

You must open your mind to understand this truth. You are free to take your family elsewhere, to any nation. Not one faithful soul will stop you from doing so, and not one soul will harm a Canonist widow and her children. The choice falls to you, Viktoria. Not on to us. The Covenant guarantees yours and your children's safety. But can your nation guarantee that to you? 

There is still time Viktoria. Do not let overzealous patriotism blind your decisions.

Kindest Regards, 
Gaius var Ruthern"

[Destructokeith 1142]

10 minutes ago, mothsthetic said:

From an abandoned cabin, Yvaine Sonja sighs quietly, warm breath fogging in the cold air. She pulls her cloak a little tighter around herself, setting the missive down. “Oh, Mamej… why could moy niet have just stayed w Petra? Moy left Papej behind in vyr grieving. Y don’t remember his voice. Y can ney visit his grave. Y should like to.” She laments, curling up onto the creaking wooden floorboards with a sigh.

Artel stands atop the aviary tower in his family keep, hoping that the letter his son sent finds its way to the girl he had spoken so highly of before the armies marched

[GoodGuyMatt 7113]

Upon reading the missive, Osvald began shedding many tears, his heart aching for those who suffered from the war. "GOD, my Lord, your will be done." he prayed first, and then continued "But let not the innocent suffer because of other men's sins, o Lord. If you so allow, make me suffer instead of them, for I am the most sinful of all, and I deserve it." he then proceeded to do many prostrations in further prayer within his hermitical cave somewhere in the mountain range of Minitz.

[critter 2812]

Henrik Amador's whetstone scrapes his blade with methodic precision, the missive upon his workbench. He says nothing on the woman who houses the Nikuldov, and offers no thought on what another might say next: but balances the steel in the firelight, and admires the gleam along its razor-sharp edge.

 

 Here, he supposes, is his mercy.

[Minuvas 3193]

Would look over battle plans with other sorcerers of Hohkmat and Petran Knights "And so we shall hurl great orbs of voidal fire on this wall to enable the breach of in order to...."

 

Foreign missives and pleas, damnations and celebrations alike to the Magical people, piled at the end of the table. The Sorcerers were at war, and mercy would have to be the realm of others. 

[wardyn 159]

22 hours ago, mothsthetic said:

From an abandoned cabin, Yvaine Sonja sighs quietly, warm breath fogging in the cold air. She pulls her cloak a little tighter around herself, setting the missive down. “Oh, Mamej… why could moy niet have just stayed w Petra? Moy left Papej behind in vyr grieving. Y don’t remember his voice. Y can ney visit his grave. Y should like to.” She laments, curling up onto the creaking wooden floorboards with a sigh.

 

Having been shuttled away from the keep as the other children had, Margot Adelphine af Brasca sits awake on a rickety bunkbed, knees to her chest, staring at the missive in hand- a copy of which she had stolen from atop the Baroness Brasca's desk. One of her fellow wards had been evacuated alongside her, but one had not.

 

One was missing. One was-- "Gone," she murmurs, shoving her face into her knees, gaze trailing over the words of the missive. "Ye write of your children, yet wha' happens when one of 'em slips away?" The girl's second question lies unspoken. What if one of them could be dead?

 

As the moon arced into the sky on that night of dead peace before the storm, hours flying by, Margot finally creeps out of bed. Thinking better of her instinct to just disappear, she writes a note, and leaves it on the table.

 

"I'm goin'. - M."
 

A blade sits near the doorway to the house. She plucks it from its spot and holds it close to her as she leaves.

Edited December 9, 2023 by wardyn

[EmiliainWonderland 2311]

Maeve Galbraith frowned heavily. "It's not fair! Jan and his family shouldn't be forced out of their houses. My own family and the people of my nation bragging about taking them from their own home. That house did nothing wrong, why do they hate it so much?" Maeve seemed very sad, penning a letter to Lady Brasca in support.