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Written By Violet

Jan. 10, 2019, 6:02 a.m.(5/2/1010 AR)

What I hear these last few days weighs heavily with me. Not only because it means that we may be sharpening our blades and counting our arrows soon. It is likely that the companies will be brought into these scuffles before too long. I dislike these kind of contracts, yet they are a part of the work. I dislike them mainly because in them I see the hate that lies beneath things. Sometimes I am in a position, as a commander of troops, to offer guidance that might lead to peaceful resolution. For I believe it is my duty to see a thing done with as little blood shed as possible. And if that means no swords drawn at all, then I'm all the more thankful for it. Yet I do not think what comes will be so easy as that, though I can hope such solutions will come.

I see many calling for unity in the face of some of these horrors. Yet what I found helpful to me, useful, is acting. Always acting. The Crimson Blades always are recruiting, but we're initiating another drive. I've always believed that mercenary companies were a good place for those others considered 'outsiders'. Prodigals, those from rough backgrounds, and so on. While I admit that we are picky, I also can see the potential. And even if a person may not fit here, I can usuall see a place where they can fit and make a difference. If not in the Blades, then certainly Sandreef Point. Thorley and I are working to make it a place in the Oathlands where there is acceptance. And a chance to learn about the Compact, our ways, our beliefs, and how they can be a part of that. It is obvious this week that many houses do not have this openess of mind. This ability to see beyond the immediate past to the potential future.

Instead they see hate and blood. I hope through the Blades and through Farwatch I can be an example of how to rise about that. An example of working together. We'll see how well it goes over in the weeks to come. I may be kicking over a fire ant nest, but I may also be laying a foundation for something better. Something I hope my children can continue to build upon when I inevitably return to the Wheel.

Written By Gaston

Jan. 10, 2019, 1:39 a.m.(5/2/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Shard

Aye, and of those dying and unmourned, this very day, are /my/ people, on my land. Last Bridge is under siege, and we're doing what needs be done to try and alleviate the suffering. Watch what you say about what value lives have to those you don't know, and speaking straight from your arse about what will or won't be done to obtain justice.

What are /you/ doing to prove your words are anything more than pointless sniping from the sidelines to cause more controversy and contention? Where were you and your voice when preparations were being made, time and resources were sacrificed, if this were all so foretold and obvious?

I'll suggest that it's far easier to sit with the Scholars and wax pompous about how much you told us so with the benefit of the hindsight we ALL now have, rather than extend a helping hand, and you should take some time to examine if that's really how you want to be remembered when this tragedy is spoken of in the future.

Written By Esoka

Jan. 10, 2019, 12:50 a.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

My heart is torn at each piece of news coming in from across the Compact.

I search my better self for anything but fiery anger and hate for those who murdered the prodigals who ventured to the Oathlands to serve Lagoma, and their Templar guardians, who have been my comrades this past year or more. Murdered the servants of the Pantheon while cloaking themselves in righteousness. Wrath is not an impulse Gloria regards well, yet I am only mortal, and cannot help what I feel.

I recall my own years as a girl in my tribe, and my heart is black for other reasons, as well, which I shall not share in the whites. Save that the gods see all and govern all and the Sentinel's judgment comes for all those who do black acts in the end, whoever they claim to serve.

I grieve for the Knights of Solace, and for all those who fell in this stupidity.

I pray temperance comes over me before then so that I can do what must be done with a measure of mercy and service.

Written By Draven

Jan. 10, 2019, 12:41 a.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Thena

I don't know you, but thank you. Thank you for admitting what you did. Thank you for admitting that you made a mistake. I don't forgive you. Not yet. I'm still sad my friends are gone.

But you owned up to it. You honor them by admitting it. Thank you.

Written By Draven

Jan. 10, 2019, 12:35 a.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Shard

So many Fluffy people writing so much Stuff. All about those massacres they caused. Deflecting blame. Like this was just as natural as the weather. I like how you wrote it. They could have done better. They could have done this Stuff in a way that didn't take the life of my friends.

I had friends from Kalslov. Now they aren't here anymore. Nova tells me that not all Fluffy people are to blame. That I shouldn't be mad at them all. She says that only some of the Fluffy people caused this. But I see lots and lots of people with their silly titles, defending what they did. But there aren't nearly enough of them writing to say they are sorry. To admit their mistake. Not a lot of people are honoring my friends who died for no good reason.

How can I not be mad at you all? How am I supposed to trust anything you Fluffy people are writing? You had to do this, you say. Did my friends have to die? Because they were Prodigals? After all, the only good Prodigal is a dead Prodigal, right?

Written By Victus

Jan. 9, 2019, 11:46 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Peace has always been a fragile thing. In fact I'd say that it's almost odd that so much time has passed since border friction. It was to be expected that it couldn't last. This road may have only been the spark that paved the way. Or perhaps it was this long lasting peace that gave us enough security to try something on a grander, much riskier scale. I can't say for certain, but all of the chaos could certainly have been foreseen. At least on the bright side, the harshest mistakes are usually the most effective teachers.

All things come with their mirror images. All intentions good and bad will fuel their counterparts. The pendulum will swing the other way, eventually. Until then there's a storm to be weathered.

Written By Shard

Jan. 9, 2019, 10:35 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Sparte

"Brought death and injustice to the Compact."

I was going to write more. But that line about fucking says it all, doesn't it? Fuck you. And if we end up invaded in turn by a powerful empire or two, since we seem about on the brink, just remember how much you praised this 'beautiful' dream, and check your outrage. You wouldn't want to insult other people's dreams, after all.

Written By Sophie

Jan. 9, 2019, 10:17 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Sometimes we must make a choice. We must do what is safe, or we must do what is right.

We lost so many young Mercies, and yet I find myself faced with the choice of holding them near to my heart and keeping them here safely in Arx or sending them into the world to protect and heal, which is our sacred duty.

This is the choice I make today.
If any group travelling outside of the city of Arx is in need, and they have adequate swords to protect them, a petition may be given to myself or Mercy Estelle and we will see to it that they are attended by a number of Mercies that are appropriate to their needs.

Any great endeavor holds the potential for failure. We are fallible, and human, and it is impossible to foresee every possibility. May we continue to dream big, and find ways to make those dreams a reality. Only through failure do we grow.

Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the senseless loss of life all across our lands.

Marquis Ruslan Volkov has made a sizable donation to start a fund for a memorial for those young Mercies whose lives were lost on the pilgrimage to Blancbier. If anyone else would like to be involved in the fundraising efforts please contact myself or Mercy Estelle Blackram, Voice of Mercy.

Princess Sophie Valardin, Mother Mercy of Arx

Written By Aureth

Jan. 9, 2019, 10:10 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Unity is not a virtue recognized by the Faith of the Pantheon. Other priests have written about this before me, and more eloquently than my pen, but it's important to think about why. Unity _may_ be admirable, but the pursuit of unity as a goal in and of itself rather than as _part_ of something else leads to homogeneity of purpose, of identity, or understanding. And that, in itself, is antithetical to the virtue of Choice.

Call not for unity. Call for compassion, for understanding, for communication and creativity and common sense in a world sorely lacking in that. But not unity.

Standing together is great when you're standing together _for_ something. But don't just stand because someone else is standing.

Written By Cirroch

Jan. 9, 2019, 8:13 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

I'm sure when everyone got on board with making this road, the last thing they thought would happen was it would bring so much conflict. Talk about a double edged sword.

Written By Sina

Jan. 9, 2019, 6:16 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Arik

White journals are meant for all to read, and remember. Whether this road project ends in a stronger Compact or not, it is now chronicled for all to see, as it should be.

Written By Shard

Jan. 9, 2019, 5:39 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Gaston

Disaster didn't 'fall' on you. People reacted. People made choices. People killed other people. There are thousands of dead men, women, and children out there, they didn't just happen to die, and they'll be largely unmourned because, after all, this was 'progress'. There are hundreds of dead would-be Godsworn because someone couldn't be bothered to even tell the fucking difference between Prodigals and Abandoned before they started murdering them, even with a damned templar there to protect them. There are multiple new wars being fought because people are fucking idiots.

This was predictable. This is what happens when you claim and invade territory that others have been living on for generations. It always happens. A large chunk of the Compact is very happy when it does, because, after all, they're the enemy and their lives have no worth. There will never be any justice for this. But I guess you have your road.

Written By Thena

Jan. 9, 2019, 4:28 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Sometimes we succeed.

Sometimes we fail.

Sometimes we fail hard.

Sometimes we fail hard at the expense of the lives of others.

That is the curse of being a leader. I can only hope that my Knights understand why I asked them to do what they did. That each death weighs on me. The deaths from the road, and the deaths from the Lodge, and the deaths from Stormwall and the deaths before that and the deaths before that and the-

And now we try to make things right. It's all there is to do.

Written By Tikva

Jan. 9, 2019, 4:14 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

I had no special gift of prescience that told me what the hazards were of this project; it was merely the application of common sense. Still, I lent my aid to it. It was my hope to mitigate the damage that would be done.

I don't regret that attempt. I cannot, for it was done in service of my House and my vassals and their lands.

I do wish that I had been more persuasive when I begged others to understand the ramifications of these efforts. Every missive that arrives describing these new fronts is one of cringing horror for me. I find that the taste of being proven correct is ... deeply unpleasant. I wish I had been wrong. I wish you all had proven me wrong.

It is to Gild I will pray tonight.

Written By Perronne

Jan. 9, 2019, 4:02 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

As an aside, for anyone who might consider reading this in the future:

After a war, or a series of wars, or other unpleasantness that kills a lot of people and turns some good farmland into churned up battlefields, and perfectly decent villages into ashy heaps, consider hiring someone with economic expertise to help you get back on your feet! Why, certainly, it is an investment, but an investment in your lands pays back dividends a hundred fold in security, tax revenue, and merchants not being afraid to come by and see what you might have to buy and sell!

If you are reading this while I am still alive, consider hiring me! If I am dead, do not hire me. I fear that I would not do a very good job under those circumstances.

Written By Sparte

Jan. 9, 2019, 3:57 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

To those who are offering their services to broker peace, thank you.

To those who are calling for unity, thank you.

To those who are rallying to face those who have brought death and injustice to the compact in these difficult times, thank you.

I hope peace will come through unity, and unity will come through justice.

Yet to those who have brought down insult and injury to those who attempted to realize a beautiful dream because of their failure, all I can say is that sometimes we come short of our goals. Sometimes the cost for that is terrible. Yet they tried, and now we have the opportunity to help them. All of us can impact what happens next, what the ultimate legacy of this becomes.

I had no hand in this grand road, but I am willing to help those who did against these new challenges. I don't yet know how I can, but that is the message I choose to send.

We do not need to let such a grand vision end in tragedy. We can come together and right this. I pray we will.

Written By Perronne

Jan. 9, 2019, 3:30 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Border wars are always exciting - where 'exciting' can usually be translated into both sides thinking that you are shifty and filled with spying (even though I like to think that I do not have the face of a spy! Or the skills of a spy. Or the training of a spy. Or the inclination to BE A SPY, but did anyone listen? Nooooo...worst trip ever.), but also both (or all) sides being willing to buy necessities from you at fabulous profits. The trick with a border war is, first, to be aware of three things for each power involved: the size of their army, how many of those were recently raised, and the time of year.

Early spring wars like these are very good for selling food products. Supplies and winter stockholds are strained, and grain stores SHOULD be being used for spring planting, when people aren't trampling your fields, trying to stab all your farmers. So, many commanders and nobility are looking for a fast source of food that won't turn your troops against you - and because it's a /border/ war, you can guarantee trade is cut off from at least one direction! So, you make an end run around the contested area, and ply your wares on the other side. Iron, leather, steel, and other war-adjacent goods move well...but be careful, because sometimes you'll just have your goods confiscated, instead. Raw material is often better than actual weapons and armor - a patrol is less likely to make use of that stuff, and doesn't have quite the same incentive to decide you are an enemy agent or spy! On the other hand, food that requires minimal cookery and stores well will sell fastest. Keep something preserved but fancy for the officers and nobles (I favor fruits preserved in a spice and honey syrup, but chocolate is also quite popular), but the bulk should be things that any quartermaster craves: rendered and concentrated fat, dried or otherwise reserved meat, pickles, bulk grains (better than flour, because it's more versatile in the cook pots), olive oil if you've been in the Lyceum recently, coffee. Of these, the fat and the oil have the best weight to profit ratio, but require some planning in advance, while arrangements can be made for most of the other goods while on your way to the warring lands. Size of the army both helps you plan how much you're likely to be able to move, AND how likely the army is to seize your goods without paying. Armies that are bigger than their lands can support are going to be hungry and angry, which is not a good combination for a merchant!

Another piece of advice - don't linger, don't pick a side. Sell what you need to sell, and then move on out of the territory. If you're not a local, the longer you stay, the more likely that you'll eventually get on someone's bad side - it might not even be about the war itself, but when your friends and family are fighting and dying, people get nervous and upset more easily! Also, when I say don't pick a side, I do mean don't pick a side. Don't smile and nod in a way that makes people THINK you're picking a side! That's one of the mistakes a new merchant often makes - they start being agreeable, which makes them partisan, and then they get sucked into the whole mess, and before they know it, they've become a quartermaster for a ragtag group of desperate soldiers in a skirmish against an overwhelming force. Then they either die or have songs written about them. Neither path is profitable! Simply express a wish for a swift and just end to the conflict, then change the subject - preferably to something that will make you actual money.

Merchanting in a war can get you a tidy windfall - or it can ruin you completely. Play at your own risk!

Written By Juniper

Jan. 9, 2019, 3:10 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

Due to the latest outbreak of hostilities within Arvum, and the timing of said outbreaks, I offer my services as Whisper's Peacemaker to any liege or vassal House interested in resolving these hostilities. I will charge only half my accustomed fee and will ask for payment only after treaties are signed.

If you wish to end this without further loss of life, please send a messenger to Whisper House, care of Juniper Whisper and the Radiants.

Written By Grady

Jan. 9, 2019, 1:19 p.m.(5/1/1010 AR)

The forward course of progress is rarely smooth. There have been too many lives lost because any innocent life lost is one too many. But we cannot turn back time, so here we are now with a Great Road and a great many diplomatic issues to settle and deal with. The perpetrators of evil must be caught and brought to justice. Concerns must be alleviated. Sure, the Abandoned tribes sometimes choose to raid Compact travelers, but this road was never meant as an aggressive action. So now it is hopefully time for diplomacy. At least it's never dull.

Written By Domonico

Jan. 9, 2019, 12:22 p.m.(4/28/1010 AR)

At a time that the Compact needs to work together more than ever before comes those who would tear it apart for their own petty squabbles. Although perhaps to them these are not such petty things. Even so, it is still disheartening.

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