Black Thorn Resistance/The Lies of Athalia Aricia Malwind

This is a creative work set in the world of Elanthia, attributed to its original author(s). It does not necessarily represent the official lore of GemStone IV.

Title: The Lies of Athalia Aricia Malwind

Author: Dendum

"Letter" is not in the list (essay, letter, periodical, poetry, short story, song, storyline, vignette) of allowed values for the "Creative-work-type" property.

The Lies of Athalia Aricia Malwind

We hear the lies seeping out of Vornavis about the Landing, about those who seek Freedom. We hear the lies of Athalia Aricia Malwind daughter of Vornavis.

It is hard to tell if these are lies born of the same malice that creeps into he veins of Jovery, lies born to promote the expansion of power or if this is the lies of a human born into a palace who has never seen the darkness that is her own empire.

Where was Vornavis when Talador was at the gates of the landing killing our children? Silent and Distant.

Where was Vornavis when Hendor was inside the gates of the landing killing our children? Silent and Distant.

Where was Vornavis when Talador came again in the guise of Chaston and started rounding up the Hathlyn? Silent and Distant.

Where was Vornavis when the Krolvin amassed an armada and was killing the people of the north? Silent and Distant.

But now we have the Athalia Aricia Malwind and Vornavis is not silent. It speaks. It says “Why do you not open up your lands to these poor refugees?”

She says this as she sits upon acres upon acres of abandoned farms and lands that are much more likely to produce a bountiful harvest that are not being used. However this is not about finding the best home for refugees, a task that would be much easier done in any other place in the vast empire of the humans….this is about expanding the borders of the human empire. For clearly the former could be done in any number of ways in many safer areas, with much less danger to the survivors of Talador if the latter was not the real goal.

She says this even as we in the north know that this is not refugees from Talador but from across the empire, including many from inside Vornavis itself!

Kasendra Malwind Malwind would not have sent the refugees from Talador into the dangerous north to die in great numbers when there is relatively safe lands so close to Vornavis they could easily make a home in and be content AND safe. Kaesandra Malwind would weep at the decisions of Jovery and the blind ignorance of Athalia Arcicia Malwind. Would that we still had her wisdom to guide us instead of the pampered ignorance now sitting in the court of Vornavis.

Do not speak to us of Moral High Grounds, the only High Ground the empire has is the one it takes as it climbs atop the mountain of the dead left in its wake. Do not lecture us on opening our door when you bar yours and hide behind massive walls letting your own fields go fallow.

~ Freedom in the North

OOC Note

This is an open letter is response to percieved hostility from the court of Vornavis. The Fallow Farmland is a reference to the areas actually called Abandoned Farmland as well as several of the paths around the city visible in game. It is not known if Kasendra Malwind would in fact object to the settlers being sent north or not. She is dead.

See Also

• Wings of Blue, Words of Red
• Cross Into Shadows
• Black Thorn Resistance