Greetings,

As many of you already know, I left Kinsarmar two months ago after being
a Kinsarmar citizen for 35 years and an Erege for 10. As is the case
with any public official, you get a lot of people who strongly support
you, as well as many who strongly despise you for your role as a leader.

Those of you who know me know that I have always put Kinsarmar first and
foremost in my life. I have given my life in her defense scores, if not
hundreds of times because I have always defended that spark of
independence and freedom which has always resided within the spirit of
the city. To some, Kinsarmar has always appeared as a corrupt,
clique-dominated and backwards city. While those opinions may or may not
be valid (I personally don't believe they are), it has retained the
spirit I referred to above. In my time as a Kinsarmarian, I could always
assure fellow citizens that they would be immune from slander and
aggression within the city's walls, or at the very least, be avenged for
it. All citizens should have the expectation of respect from guests and
fellow citizens alike when they are in their own city, and I always
sought to uphold that.

In recent months, however, a faction of predominantly non-citizens
decided to take aggression towards Antioch on the basis of Antioch's
views against magick. This faction did so in the name of Kinsarmar. As a
result, I created a referendum within the city to determine what the
citizens really wanted...war? Some pre-emptive measures? No conflict at
all? A grand total of three out of thirty votes came in for the desire
of a war with Antioch. Yet, this faction of non-citizens began trumping
up their aggression, and this became more and more associated with
Kinsarmar, simply because these non-citizens were allowed to remain
within the city.

Antioch brought forth simple terms to end the war: cease providing
sanctuary to the aggressive non-citizens, and refrain from erecting
shrines in the immediate vicinity of Antioch. Yet somehow, these terms
weren't acceptable to Kinsarmar.

As an Erege, I tried hard to curb the conflict. Some wars are worth
fighting, but some wars are created under false pretenses by those who
merely yearn for bloodshed and strife. That is the case here.

What caused me to leave my city and guild was an epiphany brought about
by a situation at Kinsarmar Crossroads. Arlith, Ashel, Laia, Niara and
others were present while the former two were laughing and insulting
various citizens, calling them such immature names as "Retard number
one" while referring to Janus as J-anus with Him being the head of the
Purple Pansy Brigade. Around the same time, another non-citizen arrived
at the Crossroads and was immediately attacked and forced away. This was
the point where I had the realisation: if I enemied any of the
perpetrators, my ruling would be overturned because these people are the
apparent "defenders" of Kinsarmar. In truth, Kinsarmar's own Captain of
Security was present for much of the above, and chose to not do
anything. It was at that moment that I realised that Kinsarmar, or at
least those in Kinsarmar who have the power to create change, would
rather have "defenders" who defame the city, citizens and patrons than
accept some exceptionally reasonable terms to end the bloodshed of the
citizens. In other words, Kinsarmar forgot why it existed.

This very day I was asked for my help by an Erege of Kinsarmar, begging
me to implant a totem as the city had taken a major hit in the war with
many totems destroyed and guards killed. I was shocked to realise that I
no longer felt any inclination to help the city for which I gave so
much.

I want to believe that Kinsarmar's spirit still exists. That it will
once again become a city who places more value on her citizens than on
those who live for conflict and strife and get great enjoyment out of
insult and ridicule. I want to believe that Kinsarmar can again display
civility, which should be the expectation of any citizen.

But so long as the city is driven by those zealots and upstarts in all
but name, Kinsarmar deserves any punishment it receives.

Sincerely,

Ethelbert Kulmyrric

Penned by my hand on the 17th of Ultio, in the year 471 AD.