OoC: The following content (below the Horizontal Rule) is from an e-mail in the thread, RoE; Dispatch #65; PETG/WO (Contrary Arrangements). Some minor editing of the formatting has been done, in transferring from e-mail to forum. . . .
IC:
Archduke William Osoer,
Greetings.
The precise details of that, which transpired in Chalsedon in winter, are now before me,--apparently, it took my agents in the province some time to compile a full report (and no wonder);--and I have to tell you that I can not believe my very eyes, as I read. . . . Surely Archduke William Osoer, who suggested that Points East should take a neutral stance in the war between Elinie and Osoerde,--which stance I took and which stance I told him, repeatedly, that I would take;--surely this regent, who stands for justice and with whom my guild has a significant treaty;--surely this man, in whom I put my trust, potentially endangering a long-standing relationship with House Daouta (to avoid which latter has been no easy task);--surely this same Archduke William would neither order nor allow his troops to pillage,--nay, not merely to pillage, but to raze indiscriminately,--the very holdings of my guild, which had taken no action against him and which had even attempted to resolve the dispute via peaceful intercession, before the actual hostilities had commenced? . . . Nay. Assuredly not. . . . And yet I am told by my agents that I have been duped? Of course, they do not put the words in that manner: they hem, and they haw; but I am well aware of that, which lies in their thoughts. . . . "There must be some mistake", I tell myself. "I know for a fact that William Osoer sent me the following words, in winter: 'I am implicitly and explicitly assuring you that should the Points East remain neutral in this conflict, by contributing neither gold sword or action against the Archduchy of Osoerde, the Points East shall suffer no harm in Osoerde or Elinie by my hand or that of any other Osoerdean agent.'" . . . The memory leaves me at a loss for words: and I am only speaking to myself! . . ."And what has been destroyed?" I later ask some advisor, who is going over figures with a furrowed brow. "And what are the damages?" . . . He answers: "Nearly every thing in the county, Guildmaster. A conservative estimate might put the damages at 30-40 GB." . . . Upon hearing this, I nearly faint. And I think that I should have, were it not for the fact that I was already in a virtual state of shock, having heard of several Chalsedonian merchants, loyal to the guild, experienced,--some even kind,--in whose bodies life does not now remain. . . . . What can I say to you, Archduke? More importantly, what can you say to me? My guild is not beneficent in every matter; at times, we are not blameless: I admit these things. But we are good most of the time; we value honour; and, above all, we stand by our words. Please, then, give me some assurance,--some hope,--that these wrongs, which my guild has suffered, can,--and will,--be righted. . . .
Look to the East!
Elamien Lamier
Guildmaster, Points East
