TO MEET PRIDE WITH STEEL

[tcs_tonsils_ 3666]

 

Spoiler

https://open.spotify.com/track/2ZZo65CEkA83Q662zNebIP?si=eda885f23ee347b6 

 

 

 

Heed these words for the days grow short, though our steadfast nature has yet to wane. What kind of men are you who would sit in your keeps and your cities, feasting, drinking, and celebrating over spilled canonist blood? Even Good King John, a wicked man in your eyes, wept for a fallen adversary and prayed for their family. But your hearts are hardened by a growing greed- bittered by the fruit of lust for glory. You weep not for those who breathed their last for their deaths mean nothing to those lacking honor and virtue.

Many men of such have insulted us for not raiding the lands of our enemies, a common occurrence in war. These petty games are the tactics of cowards who pursue only the hunt and the kill. They gawk because they lack the understanding of what we desire. We seek to uphold our nation and bolster what culture has been sustained, not tear down that which has been gained elsewhere. 

Still, you slander our name. You brand us a people who choose a foolish war, yet we fall upon the defensive. You draw upon insults towards us in hopes of seducing allies to a false cause. What vile spittle you release from your towers, praying they would be lured in to lick the cuts dealt upon your prideful ego. 

I pity these allies who have been blinded by your erroneous gestures of good fortune, for they see not that they are but an ant beneath the boot, a servant to a cruel master. Perhaps they view your companionship as filiality, or perhaps Brotherhood. The harsh reality is that empires share no room for equals.

When Burgundy has sank their bastard swords deep into our bellies, their sights shall twist towards others they deem unworthy. And after finding no one left whom they already named adversary, they shall surely look to conquer a lesser friend. For the Church and Burgundy claim they hold fast to the letters of the Holy Law. Yet when their allies do not, should they not vanquish ones who look to delegitimize it? Orcs, Dwarves, Elves, and those who lack the correct faith- historical enemies of the Church. Why should the Empire’s crusade halt here? If they are willing to reduce fellow canonists to ash, what is to say they will not continue in earnest towards those that lack this faith?

They fight Balian and they fight amongst themselves. Strife has already consumed some as the power vacuum grows. We bear witness to the frustrations this empire already suffers. Your people go at each other’s throats. They bicker like spoiled children when their way is not had. Why do you squabble amongst yourselves? Should you not be rejoicing for the new era that is upon you? Instead, your leaders turn on one another to seek nothing but their own gain. 

But we, the men and women of Balian, shall not stoop to such petty antics. We do not ramble in our small circles, plotting and scheming. We, who have suffered much, have come together to stand defiantly against you. What rejoicing is to be had from us? None. Yet we stand more unified than you shall ever hope. How dare we choose to fight instead of being led like a lamb to the slaughter! How dare we oppose the warmongers! 

We shall continue to defend the last Free Kingdom of Men, one that the filth of this Orenian Emperor want-to-be has not contaminated. We shall let our voices ring out from every palisade built and every defense enacted- and when our city walls are painted crimson with human ichor, then our blood shall continue to cry out what treachery came upon Balian. Then, shall the thousands of rotting corpses and the smell they acquire sicken even the strongest of wills. When those with stomachs of iron find their bellies upturned, they will know their pretenses were false. So let our streets run red if it should prove our willingness to combat this vile tyranny.

 

Signed and Dated: 

Balian Annum, 158

 

 

[FarrStar 216]

Ave Balian

[wolfdwg 2677]

“They shall be corpses upon mounds of paper. The southrons only know how to wage a war of pen, not steel it seems.” Faenor would comment as he readied longships with his Nord and Norn brethren. Balian will burn.

[Lalosia 988]

A man of d'Arkent read the fine words of the Lyons, pride for his Kingdom and people swelling in his chest.

"We shall persist." Stated the man, aged from the times of war, as he lit a cigar.

[annanicole__ 2802]

Beryl Augustina d’Arkent picked up her beloved companion, Tod the Frog, and walked over to grab her training sword. As she began to practice for the next battle, she proclaimed, “We cannot lose again. We will not lose again. We are the people of Balian!” With each swing of her sword, she struck the palm tree. 

[WhimsicalOwl 268]

"Who even is this guy?" Lenora tilts her head as she reads, a break from scrubbing the blood from her dress. She tosses the missive away soon after.

[Monty Cobra 921]

"Ave Balian," declared Aurus, who then prayed for the souls of the so-called church.

[TaraJess 2848]

"Quite the wordsmith, that old Lyon." Johanna scanned the missive. Her mind soon after focused on the crying newborn she held. She spoke to the boy, "you, my son, do not deserve this war."

[Haseroth 1740]

"All they can do now is fill my missive box with pointless spittle." Declared a veteran who readied to march in order to wipe out yet another balianite keep. "Bah no matter.. These missives make for good fuel." Added he as he tossed it into his fire, warming his hands in the process. How cozy!

[Yeetboy0206 1574]

The Devil in Black smiled in his mask as he read the missive. "Well said. History inevitably leans towards the side of justice. One way or another, Balian shall stay on that side."

[Tide1 4535]

1 hour ago, tcs_tonsils_ said:

Still, you slander our name. You brand us a people who choose a foolish war, yet we fall upon the defensive.

 

"You may surrender at any point." spoke the King of Burgundy out loud, and pondered whether pride was worth dying for. These people had longed for an Empire of their own, yet for fear of death had joined an anti-imperial accord. Was there any pride to begin with?

[ratlordmagic 1484]

7 minutes ago, Tide1 said:

 

"You may surrender at any point." spoke the King of Burgundy out loud, and pondered whether pride was worth dying for. These people had longed for an Empire of their own, yet for fear of death had joined an anti-imperial accord. Was there any pride to begin with?

In Balian, Miroslaw Jazlowiecki felt compelled to ramble out loud. “Were the Imperials to offer terms that did NOT require the destruction of our homeland, we might be open to it. But given their SOLE goal in this war is to eliminate the last legitimate claimant to Imperial legacy, I doubt that’ll happen. They’ll cry about our Ruler’s pride not being worth it, when in reality it is the Tinpot Tyrant Tiberas’ pride that is in question. Balian is guilty of nothing, save an unwillingness to see our homes destroyed.”

[Vikenz 1162]

Roger of Bourdon had come across the missive and uttered to himself. "You weep for dead men, your words are wind. Seek penance from the church for the persistence you take against your GOD-fearing brothers in Burgundy."

[Laeonathan 5889]

"Are Balianites the true successors of Oren, like they claimed for generations, no more? They keep changing their mind!" Raziel lamented.