The Pacifist's Question

[Memenade 264]

[!] This manifest directed at Haense had been spread along the entire path from Norland to New Valdev
The Pacifist's Question

 

Short time ago, I was sitting in Norland, my home. Two men approached me and accused me of being a darkspawn. While this made no sense even at the time, they knocked me out, kidnapped me and threw me in a cell. After questioning I was eventually  let go and released in your lands. It has since come to my attention it was a third-party who took me, but at the time I believed it had been Haense that took me and I wanted an explanation. Not retribution, but an explanation.

 

I had not traveled into your lands on my own, I had been FORCED there against my own will. I had been knocked unconscious TWICE. So, I made my way to the gates of New Valdev, my head hurting like hell from being bashed in the head twice already. I was UNARMED, a fact confirmed by one of the guards, and anyone with a pair of eyes could see the body I have would struggle even against a child in battle. ALL I wanted was an answer to why I had been treated the way I had. I did not make a single threat and I wasn’t violent.

 

Yet, the guards deemed it necessary to drag me away. Smash my head into the mud, threaten to kill me and my friends, drag me away on a horse, smash my knee in, mock-execute me and leave me in the mud, without the ability to take a single step. All I was doing was seeking for answers why I had been taken away from my home and stuffed in a cell only to be subjected to RIDICULOUS questioning.

 

I have seen criminals treated with more respect and dignity than I was. 

 

By a miracle, I made it home alive with the help of who I can only be assume to be locals, and people technically aligned against me due to the war, PROVING that basic decency still exists even during wartime. After having my wound cauterized and going through a knee surgery without anesthesia my friends and countrymen were furious and as you can imagine wanted revenge. 

 

You may expect that I’d want myself “avenged”, but you’re wrong. I have openly spoken against the war overall and criticised my OWN government, on the highest council of which I personally sit on, for our involvement in a conflict that should not involve us in ANY way, something that would DIRECTLY benefit you. Yet, your actions only seem to prove the warnings of those pushing for our continued involvement to harm you and make my efforts towards peace more difficult. I will still continue to advocate to end Norland’s participation in the war and I am still not your enemy, but if you continue methods such as these you will MAKE more enemies, that frankly you do not need.

 

Years ago I personally went on a YEARS long project to create a map of your Kingdom.  During this project I personally worked with many of your lords, counts and dukes to painstakingly create a map that would satisfy as many as possible. Since then I have befriended many from your realm. I have never wished a single Haenseti-citizen harm and I call many of them my friends. By any stretch of the imagination, I have done multiple times over more good than bad for you, so why did I deserve to be left dying in the mud?

 

Even a pacifist like me understands how you must treat your enemies during a war, but I have just one question for you:

Is this how you treat an innocent?

Signed by scholar and pacifist,  Livius Flavius

 

[Cheese 8883]

A recently marred elfess chuckled bitterly to herself. A private note was swiftly penned to Livius Flavius in response.

 

"They're not better on the other side. I was herb hunting and the church's men tried to stab me several times, shot at me twice, and ran me over with a horse, all of which were unprovoked. I only escaped with my life because of my magic and one of them sparing me and returning me home. Do not let one side radicalize you when the blood of innocents is on both sides' hands.

- Juniper R."

[Memenade 264]

After reading through Juniper's note, a response was soon penned and sent.

I do not call either side blameless or innocent in any way. However while this does not radicalize me, it does it to my friends and countrymen who wish to see me "avenged" even if I have no need for such. That only pushes them more involved with the war and makes it more difficult for me to convince anyone to keep away from conflicts, now and in the future. All I am saying is that behavior like this towards defenseless people will only create more enemies for that side and make the path towards peace longer and more difficult.

- Livius Flavius