Skip to main content.

Written By Orazio

Nov. 5, 2017, 4:50 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

On the bright side, at least the most recent argument in the city's white journals is one over a substantial and complex issue.

However, it does feel that a few things need to be clarified:

The actions of the Liberators did not cause any economic instability, according to all reports. Anyone who claims otherwise is in error, unless they can offer evidence to show for their assertion. The Scholars may be able to help if anyone wishes to research this in greater detail, and it would certainly be wise to undertake such study before putting oneself out into the public eye in this matter.

Likewise, the actions of the Liberators were not undertaken with any sort of malice or ill-intent towards any House of Thrax fealty. In fact, they were planned to cause as little disruption of the houses as possible, and largely succeeded in this aim. House Navegant's subsequent actions are their own responsibility. Further, the Faith leveraged no penalty or condemnation on House Navegant's people, merely choosing to acknowledge the ruling family's actions as contrary to active Discipleship in the Faith. The trade embargoes by other Houses were their own decision, and I suspect had far more to do with the unreasonable and odd restrictions on 'foreign' trade and travel than anything to do with thralldom. It could be considered an object lesson in the truth of our system: yes, a ruling noble has nigh absolute power within their own domain, but every decision carries with it consequences, including other people exercising their power against you.

To blame anyone for the actions of House Navegant aside from House Navegant is insulting to the ruling family of that House, who are presumably able to make their own decisions and accept the consequences for them like the intelligent adults I presume that they are.

Further, the Faith opposition to the practice of thralldom is not new, nor has it wavered in over a thousand years, even without the knowledge of Skald guiding our understanding of the gods' wills. While the Discipleship of Skald is new, and characterized by youth and enthusiastic zeal in its mission, its aims are not new for the Church, and its methods are remarkable only by the rising enthusiasm by the rest of the Compact to support them, and a growing willingness among the people of Thrax to consider the end of the institution.

While it is true Blessed Aleksei could learn to be more tactful in his conversations with nobility, he was not wrong: The god of First Choice and Freedom is unlikely to approve of any institution that robs choice and freedom from its victims, and if one wants to aspire to the virtue Skald represents, thrallholding is incompatible with that aim. Of course, the Faith of the Pantheon is about aspiring to a plethora of virtues, and synthesizing the essential natures into a doctrine by which one can live, which means that no one god's virtue should be considered a prime virtue. Exercising Freedom without the Wisdom to guide one's actions, or the Courage to abide by the consequences of them can lead one away from the Faith as surely as rejecting the virtue itself. Understanding that balance and deciding how we will embrace each of the virtues is the ongoing spiritual challenges of every one of the Faithful; the gods cannot be considered in isolation, but rather as a balanced, harmonious whole.

It is my hope that ignorance can be addressed, freedom can be honored hand in hand with wisdom and justice, and the values of charity and civilization will prevail, with each of us remembering the oaths we have sworn and the bonds of fealty and obedience both within the Faith and without.

Written By Torian

Nov. 5, 2017, 4:28 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

As a man whose purpose has become helping build a life for the people of the lowers, I've long said that people should just mind themselves and do their works. I don't comment on the lives of nobles. They live in a world beyond mine and, as I learned serving them, there is much responsibility and often little freedom.

The Faith is another matter. The faith if for all of us. Wise people even say that the humanity in the faith is not beyond reproach. I figure it's a team effort here to sort out the Gods plans for us, and how we might honor them.

With that said, I do see that some high and mighty nobles are enjoying themselves insulting members of the faith. Publicly. I don't see how that helps any of us in this time of need. Which God of The Thirteen is it again, who we honor when silks cast about insults? I don't have time to worship much, so I don't know.

What I do know, is that the Faith has room for an Archlector now... in keeping with the behavior of some of the remaining ones, I don't wonder if the Faith will promote one of my children. They would be in good company.

I get to say these things. I'm a low person. No one who matters looks to me for anything. This is the natural way of things. The low people make the low statements and the high people make the high statements.

Archlectors, Nobles, these are the high people. If you continue to make yourselves low, don't be surprised when the low people try to make themselves high. I only have so much of a hand in keeping the peace, so let's not let things get out of hand shall we?

Speaking of Archlectors, I really should try to remember to thank Aureth Greyhope for his help with that thing that one time. They say you can take the man out of the lowers, but you can't take the lowers out of the man, and I'm glad for it in this case. The uh, underclass, as it were, can always use a powerful 'former member' as an ally.

Written By Cara

Nov. 5, 2017, 3:43 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

I have, in recent moments, when I have not been so ill that I wish only to sleep and try not to murder my husband, been making a small study of the medical arts. I am only a very beginner at it, of course, but as it seems that my dear friends and family have chosen to undertake PERILOUS THINGS at all hours of the day, a familiarity with treating wounds would be of sound course.

Thus, I begin my notations on Sudden Head Injuries That Render Supposedly Intelligent People Into Idiots:

The symptoms for this disorder are, as I understand it:

- A complete disassociation from facts and reality
- A refusal to acknowledge said facts and reality when presented by reliable and reputable sources, particularly those neutral to the argument at hand
- Being a former Archlector of Gild
- Not taking very bold hints that one's behavior is displeasing to the Faith
- Giant knots, bruises, contusions or gashes about one's head or person

I am still learning treatments, but it seems that resting quietly and ceasing to storm about publicly making a fool of oneself is an excellent beginning.

Written By Victus

Nov. 5, 2017, 2:55 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Assumptions make an ass out of you and me.

If anyone wants to debate the economics of Thralldom or how many Thralls can be removed safely and securely, they are welcome to come to Thraxian sources who have lived and worked with these conditions for sometime. Because as far as I've heard, there hasn't been any total economic crashes beyond what Kennex suffers right now, or any conspiratorial sabotage. Likewise, we're seeing how fucking difficult it is to just wave a hand and try to make it all go away without bringing the fucking roof down.

It's a system that's been rooted in place for far longer than most of us today have been alive. There's dependency on it that goes beyond the servitude of those Thralls. We're seeing it now with the disorder caused in Kennex. Hundreds are dead and more that are innocent are falling prey to piracy, banditry, and possibly losing their lives due the whole economy being destabilized.

Kennex was one of the most progressive houses, with the least population of Thralls across the whole damn Mourning Isles. And this is how /they/ are getting along with one mistake in approaching Thralldom.

It's not black and white, it's certainly not grey either. You can't deal with it immediately, you can't deal with it in negligence. More than Thralls are being hurt and 15 million silver later, there's still going to be lives that will have to be rebuilt.

No, it's not a fair system and it's not a healthy system. But it's here, and whether you call it a 'necessary evil' or an abomination, it's gotta be handled one smart step at a time to be deconstructed. Otherwise, you doom more than the people who you try to save with good intentions.

Written By Thena

Nov. 5, 2017, 1:35 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Dame Thena has commissioned a new galley for the Knights of Solace, intended to aid in the efforts to transport and resettle freed thralls, and it needs a name! Entry is the small small sum of 10 resources of any type, payable to the Knights of Solace via Dame Thena. The winning entry will be drawn in two weeks' time (OOC: You have until midnight PST, Nov. 12). The winner will also be invited to smash a bottle of whiskey on the ship's hull at a grand launching event.

So this is your chance to get a sea vessel named for your spouse, your significant other, your secret crush! Your nemesis, your mother, your favorite food! Entries are unlimited, though any that are not appropriate for a Faith-owned vessel (OOC: Or thematically right out) will be stricken from the drawing.

Send your messengers to Dame Thena today!

Written By Thena

Nov. 5, 2017, 1:15 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Orathy

Plenty of the Faith are putting silver and resources into the issues within Arx. I will say it once again here; it is entirely possible to put ones efforts into more than one work at a time.

Written By Orathy

Nov. 5, 2017, 1:08 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Aleksei

Break the chains of poverty under your own nose oh mighty Archlector! Put your silver where your mouth is.

Written By Aislin

Nov. 5, 2017, 1:07 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

As I understand, it, the Liberators paid off the debts of 5,000 thralls from across the entire fealty of Thrax. Not merely from one domain, but across all of them. Five thousand out of... what, the better part of a million thralls in all of Thrax? Seven hundred thousand thralls, at a bare minimum.

That leaves 695,000 at the least.

Now I'm not an economist, I'm an adventurer. But if removing that tiny amount "en masse" was enough to deliberately destabilize all of Thrax as Brother Caras seems to claim, then it seems to me that the Thraxian economy is terrifyingly precarious; a minor plague or, hells, even a particularly notable /fire/ in one domain could have wiped out the Thraxian economy just as easily.

And that strikes me as unlikely; Thrax has never been weak or pitiable, and their economic prowess is no less strong than their naval prowess.

Now, some can claim that Archlector Aleksei called for more than he should have in calling for any domain to free all their thralls at once -- and I think that's a fair characterization, albeit one that completely aligns with what I understand of his god's desires. An Archlector's responsibility /is/ to speak for their god, after all.

But the truth is, this is not a new opinion, merely an old one being spoken more loudly and vehemently. The Faith has been calling for an end to the practice of thralldom for the better part of a thousand years.

And the actual /actions/ Archlector Aleksei took on his own behalf -- buying the debts of thralls -- seem to have been taken carefully, and to avoid destabilizing Thrax as a whole. To characterize the purchase of those debts as malicious sabotage seems to be rather far from the truth, at least from what I've seen.

Written By Aleksei

Nov. 5, 2017, 12:42 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Caras

I wish Brother Caras every success as he returns to the pilgrimage to heed the call of Gild, where I know he's done much good over the years. I only regret that he's let his confusion over events bring him to attack his family of the Faith.

Still, I'm very secure in the actions of the Liberators as I hear the reports from the Mourning Isles about how our careful diligence was rewarded with a lack of devastation to the economy of the Thrax houses. That the money we paid is now being used to to hire free workers. That, despite the insistence of some, the actions of the Liberators in freeing those five thousand souls did not offer any economic devastation. We made our selections very carefully across all the houses of the Mourning Isles and freed less than a single percent of those current enthralled. We managed to do so with enough care to avoid violence or upheaval. That I'm now being accused of targeting a single house for the purpose of punishing them is unfortunate, but I think the reality is clear to anyone who has paid attention to the actual reactions from the Isles. I can't help those who dream up a different one just to call me a villain.

Written By Laric

Nov. 5, 2017, 12:36 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Brother Caras should be commended for his willingness to stand for what he feels is right. The gods work through just, honorable and courageous men and women. It is important, however, to remember we do not always have the benefit of Their guidance nor Their clarity. Humans can fail, and humans can be quite mistaken. We grow from accepting these mistakes.

If there is proof a discipleship of the Faith deliberately sabotaged House Navegant and Escuma in a time of war, that proof needs to be taken to the Crown, to House Thrax, to the Legate overseeing that discipleship and the Dominus himself. It should not be vaguely alluded to in white journals nor be used to justify a duel. Such things are matters of utmost gravity and should be treated as such.

As it stands, the Liberators purchased the debts of five thousand thralls - less than a percent of the Isles' thralls - at cost, from all over the Mourning Isles. House Navegant's reaction is their own, and they must accept and deal with their consequences in their own fashion. It is only tangentially related to the ongoing situation in Stormward.

Written By Aureth

Nov. 5, 2017, 12:32 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Caras

Actually, Aleksei retracted his challenge like a good boy, because you are now beneath him in rank, and a good superior doesn't punch down. Punching down dishonors Limerance.

I will write nothing further on this topic for the same reason.

Written By Lark

Nov. 5, 2017, 12:18 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Caras

Let us not put blame where it doesn't belong, Brother Caras. Grayson implemented a trade ban with Navegant, not Archlector Aleksei Morgan. Princess Tikva Grayson did so with my Voice and my approval.

It is only Archlector Morgan's coin that keeps them afloat, now, ironically. But their economic position comes from my word, and those that have supported and followed me.

If you would like these economics explained to you, you are welcome to come find me.

Written By Caras

Nov. 5, 2017, 11:48 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

I deeply regret wording my proclamation to include Crownsworn. It has become clear to me that it was off-topic and inappropriate. A remark that a more politically astute Archlector would not have made. I am afraid that this is a sign that I am not qualified to be an Archlector. I had my doubts from the beginning, but the calling was there, and who am I to deny the call?

I will return to pilgrimage soon. I was successful there I believe. At least I did no one any harm either here, or in the past.

Written By Caras

Nov. 5, 2017, 11:45 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Aleksei

Archlector Aleksei is trying to do the right thing. He wants to be a 'good guy'. But his zeal in following Skald's dogma has caused him to tread dangerously on dogma that I, as the Archlector of Gild, was duty sworn to protect. The unity of this compact is paramount to its survival. Nothing that Aleksei did was illegal, but it was done with ill-intent. He was told, by one of the highest authorities in Thrax what would happen if he followed his plan to remove Thralls in mass from the Mourning Isles. Not only did he do so, but he did so with the intent of punishing those that held those values strongest. He could have spread his ministrations, important as they are, out over a year, as suggested to him. Or he could have been more equitable, removing thralls equally from all houses. The reaction was both predictable, and devastating to Navegant economy. When one sets out to punish instead of help, however legal their action, it becomes immoral.

He backed out of his challenge, not because he wanted to spare me indignity, but because he refuses to admit any wrongdoing. He has repeatedly said that the money he paid for these thralls should account for any ills inflicted. But as the Archlector of Gild, I learned the limits of what money can do. Money does not throw nets. Money does not pick the harvest. Money does not console the heart when good men die.

I am no longer Archlector, and I have been instructed to read the dogma. So after this post, I will be silent. Unless of course, someone continues to mischaracterize what I have said when I held the august position that I did.

Written By Caras

Nov. 5, 2017, 11:45 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Relationship Note on Aleksei

Archlector Aleksei is trying to do the right thing. He wants to be a 'good guy'. But his zeal in following Skald's dogma has caused him to tread dangerously on dogma that I, as the Archlector of Gild, was duty sworn to protect. The unity of this compact is paramount to its survival. Nothing that Aleksei did was illegal, but it was done with ill-intent. He was told, by one of the highest authorities in Thrax what would happen if he followed his plan to remove Thralls in mass from the Mourning Isles. Not only did he do so, but he did so with the intent of punishing those that held those values strongest. He could have spread his ministrations, important as they are, out over a year, as suggested to him. Or he could have been more equitable, removing thralls equally from all houses. The reaction was both predictable, and devastating to Navegant economy. When one sets out to punish instead of help, however legal their action, it becomes immoral.

He backed out of his challenge, not because he wanted to spare me indignity, but because he refuses to admit any wrongdoing. He has repeatedly said that the money he paid for these thralls should account for any ills inflicted. But as the Archlector of Gild, I learned the limits of what money can do. Money does not throw nets. Money does not pick the harvest. Money does not console the heart when good men die.

I am no longer Archlector, and I have been instructed to read the dogma. So after this post, I will be silent. Unless of course, someone continues to mischaracterize what I have said when I held the august position that I did.

Written By Harald

Nov. 5, 2017, 11:03 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Arx is a wretched city, in which nobles easily grow too detached from the realities of their domains. Less so for the Graysons, perhaps, but among Islesmen, it is dangerous to be surrounded and encouraged by voices that do not understand our race. I take only regret in the accuracy of my last journal, for in the battles to come, the lost strength of Kennex will be missed, as will the resources we must now pour into stabilising the March.

Though he may deny it, this disaster is exactly what Aleksei Morgan has called for. He bade me once that to earn Skald's regard, I should free all my thralls and become one of his followers. Kennex did this.

Witness the disaster that comes of heeding folk who meddle in matters they do not understand. None can be liberated from the consequences of their choices, try as some might.

Written By Tessa

Nov. 5, 2017, 10:51 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

BEST DAY EVER.

Stunning ring, tiara, getting out of the city briefly with good company.

Written By Agnarr

Nov. 5, 2017, 10:50 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

No fight, but I still do have my new mail getting made for sure.

Written By Eleyna

Nov. 5, 2017, 10:34 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

It galls to see stupidity and lack of planning rewarded.

Written By Thena

Nov. 5, 2017, 9:55 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)

Might I float the shocking concept that helping Arx and helping Kennex are not mutually exclusive?

Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.

Leave blank if this journal is not a relationship

Mark if this is a private, black journal entry