I would like to mention first, that this is not directed in any way
towards Cuyler.

Having said that, I would like to thank Cuyler for having the fortitude
to step forward and make a truth known to the world. I have not lived in
the forest for very long, but I have noticed certain trends, that I do
not believe can co-exist with mine beliefs or any other beings that call
themselves a forest dweller.

I do not believe that the forests were created by the sheer will of the
Wild One. I do believe, that She assumed the forests as Her realm and
will see fit to involve Herself as She so pleases. This however, is a
benefit of Her immortal existence and is solely Her benefit when
concerning the wild reaches of Aetherius.

The nature of our world has seen fit to blossom and offer itself to us
in many ways and forms. Its flesh is sheered away, used to form the
fortifications, walls and streets of every city within Aetherius. We
pluck away at Nature even more questing for the commodities which drive
our economies, form our weapons and shore up our dwellings both wild and
urban. Lastly, we consume the fruits of nature, seeking to purge our
bodies of our mortal weaknesses; staving off disease, strengthening the
mind, mending our bodies and evading Lifes companion, Death. We are all
guilty of exploiting the bounty of the land, taking without thought of
return.

What I find truly appalling is the self proclaimed Children of Nature
rallying to claim defense of the worlds natural habitats. While their
intentions may have been good, they seem to have strayed from their
initial path. Rather than defending nature itself, they have become the
looters and secret police of the natural world. By day, they strive to
pluck the earth dry, ignoring the labors of strip miners, lumberjacks
and exterminators through the world, whilst they seek to capitalize upon
their mystical arts bestowed upon them by nature. What nature bestows
upon them without reward, the Children turn and prostitute natures
blessings for the weight of coin. The situation does not cease there,
they seek to police the world to maintain their strangle hold upon
natures blessings, imposing non-negotiable treaties outlining minimum
sale prices while ignoring the fact they drain nature almost to its
breaking point. Not only do they draw upon flaunt their wares for coin
but they even go so far as to exploit nature further by milking the
fruits of their supposed monopoly for diplomatic power. Such terms as
herb-ban and council-enemying are imposed for non-conformity to the
diplomacy derived from the rape of nature. In the end, the children walk
away with heavy pockets and bloated egos, while nature lies upon its
knees beaten and used.

I am a Warden. None of you are aware of the meaning of this word, nor
are you privy to it. We are a Brotherhood, based within the Ithaquan
forest, a forest to which survival is first and foremost in our lives.
There are no roads in our home. We do not have crops to harvest, nor do
we have beasts of burden to take advantage of. From the first step,
which is most likely one of crunching ice, within our borders you are in
a pitched battle for your very survival. The weather is harsh and
unforgiving; many of our predecessors fed the wildlife or succumbed to
the elements beneath the bones of our apathetic trees. We have no walls
to defend against invaders, nor do we have a standing army to meet our
enemies upon the battlefield. What we do have, is the notion that we
have survived Natures most severe wrath, the Ithaquan forest. That
accomplishment in itself is something to unite bodies. A Wardens first
relationships are based on the mutual respect between men when they
stand alone between the frozen pines. From this relationship, men come
to unite merely to survive. Their survival is now a matter of skill and
trust. As they make the forest their home, they grow to respect the wood
that has despite all has remained living and strong within the barren
wastes of the North. This respect then grows to love, an undying love
and unconditional love between man and nature. It is from this respect,
this love for Nature that the Wardens derive another purpose, the
defense of that which they hold dear. We Wardens are not knights, we do
not challenge our enemies nor do we show mercy to those who call the
wrath of the Ithaqua upon them, our methods reflect our surroundings,
swift, merciless and brutal. In the icy thralls of an Ithaquan night, a
Warden has no one to answer to but the Wendigo and his brothers.

It is this organization, the Wardens, which has sparked controversy
within the ranks of the forest dwelling community. We seem to be labeled
as outcasts or mockeries within the wood as we do not choose to follow
modern forest law. Let me tell you this, I do not follow the law of the
forest, because it is not the law of my forest. In my forest, you do
what you can to survive, I take what I need and I use it to keep myself
alive. If I or any other warden chooses to provide our stores to
another, we feel no reason to set minimum pricelists upon our number as
we trust one another to be fair and true to the forest we call home. In
all honesty, to do so is merely to mock and flaunt the rape of my world,
the forest. If anything, my brothers and I have found a relationship
that is successful enough to be boasted about, which you hardly ever
will hear. You would be wise to step back and re-evaluate your
commitment to nature, is it a symbiotic union or is it of a man and his
whore?


Penned by my hand on the 4th of Solis, in the year 436 AD.