THE ACREAN DOCTRINE
ANNO REGIO
1883
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There is no greater man to pity than he who has gone mad and believes his station and cause to be anything greater than the delusional machinations of his mind’s own creation. Be it a street beggar who proclaims himself the lost son of a king to any passerby who will listen, an ambitious merchant demanding titles and honors on account of some forged ’Aeldenic’ lineage, or a petty brigand who believes himself to be fighting for a noble cause, there is no remedy in treating with these madmen- only strict denial of their fantasies may have a hope of curing the ails of their cursed conscious. The petty robber baron of Acre is one such man, and for him the treatment is much the same. In his vainglorious quest, he has deluded himself and his followers into believing that they fight for some great cause, though what is it?
Could it be liberty? No, it cannot. Under Oren, Acre was required only to fulfill the obligations of any vassal anywhere: military service, following His Majesty’s laws, and keeping His Majesty’s peace.
Could it be justice? No, it cannot. There was no wrong done against Acre. None of their own were imprisoned, no unnecessary taxes, laws, or fines were levied upon them, and no incursion was committed against their titles, lands, and other properties?
Could it be their desire to live simple lives? No, it cannot. They enjoyed it within Oren, yet when seeking to commit their treason, they felt no qualms with hiring foreign mercenaries, consulting with foreign powers, and inviting foreign men-at-arms, much in the manner of any scheming court eunuch.
Could it be their code of honor? No, it cannot. They broke their sacred vows of vassalage without hesitation, abandoning the brothers-in-arms who had fought beside them for years, even at times in the defense of Acre. It is evident that they care not for contracts, fealty, nor friends, for they have readily broken and reneged them all.
What is it then, we must ask, that has driven Acre to turn its back against its Kingdom, its brothers, and instead seek this dangerous course of action?
For the answer, we must look none the further than merely the course of his intentions.
It is, as has been stated, pure delusion. The robber baron of Acre believes in some utopia where, by chance, they may somehow triumph over Oren, cement themselves as independent, and be able to live their lives as simple farmers. Whether this is a lie crafted by the robber baron who so deceitfully broke his vows, or a true fantasy he himself believes, only death shall free him of it.
The truth is that Acre has corrupted whatever ‘pure’ pretensions it claims to believe in. It has engaged in rogue and petty scheming to invite foreign powers into its conflict, for it knows it is unable to stand alone. Should Acre triumph, it shall either fall willingly under these powers or be subsumed by them as a price for their services. Should Acre fail, it will beg these powers to accept them in, and likely accept terms similar to, or worse than, what they were given here in Oren. However, desperate, and knowing failure will come to them again should they move out of line, they will willingly join their liege’s wars, suffer any abuse that comes to them, and risk all to gain nothing. It is a story that repeats throughout history: a poem’s rhyme by those who sought to rebel against the Crown of Oren.
Pity upon those mad enough to believe the words of the robber baron of Acre; pity still to he who would concoct them. In their failure to see the course of history, both its path and its present, they have made a grave mistake. However, subjects of Oren, let not your pity cloud your own good senses. They have used God’s agency to commit one of the greatest sins of them all: treason. Let us deliver the sentence given to traitors and allow the Lord the opportunity to judge their souls himself. I built your village stone by stone, and now I shall tear it down brick by brick.
SIGNED,
HIS ROYAL EXCELLENCY, Elric Castile, Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Oren, Baron of Castile, Champion of the Crown
IN THE NAME OF,
HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, Frederick I, King of Oren, forever August, King of Renatus, Curon, Kaedrin, Salvus, and Seventis, Grand Duke of Ves, Duke of Helena, Novellen, Furnestock, Petra, Oltremont, South Arentania, and Lorraine, Count of Mardon, Baron of Renzfeld, Protector of the Heartlanders and Farfolk, etcetera
HER ROYAL MAJESTY, Vivienne of Savoy, Queen consort of Oren, forever August, Queen consort of Renatus, Curon, Kaedrin, Salvus, and Seventis, Grand Duchess consort of Ves, Duchess consort of Helena, Novellen, Furnestock, Petra, Oltremont, South Arentania, and Lorraine, Countess consort of Mardon, Baroness consort of Renzfeld, Protector of the Heartlanders and Farfolk, etcetera