Once again, some random upstart has taken it upon themselves to open
their mouth and roar about something they know nothing about. Who asked
you to cleanse us of ANYTHING? To be sure, not I, nor any of my city
mates. Yet, you take it upon yourself, to try and remove a part of us
that is ingrained into our very being. You can no more remove the Taint
from me, as I can remove that bit of lies you call the Light from you.

Yes, the Ursurper Princess tried to wrest control of the Celestine
Empire from her father. Jealousy, I am certain, played a large part in
her actions. In his weakened state, Emporer Ladantine was an easy
target, so that she could steal power for herself. Yet, you see what has
happened. Marilynth cowers at the bottom of the same sea, hiding from
her father. Dead. Well, sort of.

However, that is not why I have posted this.

Many of you Celestians lie to your novices, telling them that we are
evil, and wish only harm to them. And thus, you lure them into believing
the same lies and slander you have deluded yourself into believing. So,
here are a few comparisons. Take this as you will.
*******************************************
Magnagora: The Cultural Capital of the Basin, and for quite a long time.
We are filled with scholars, teachers, artists, artisans, and various
other groups which only wish to improve the city around them. Warriors?
Sure, we have those. We try to train, in order to better ourselves. We
are the Engine of Transformation, after all. We do not stand still, we
constantly look for ways to become more than we already are. Big cogs,
small gears, we all mesh together in order to run more efficiently. All
play a part.

Celest: Has not been the Cultural Center for a LONG time, as they tend
to spend their time building weapons, large aethercraft, and other means
of destroying those different than they are, or those who do not see
things the same way as they do. If a group, or commune does something
which does not conform to that which the Star Council sees as germane,
they lean on said group until they get what they want. See: the branding
of the Supernal Raziela, by the Communes. No lasting harm was committed,
only a bit of prevention. Yet, the Star Council sends out threats to
both communes, as though they are in charge of the forests. Serenwilde
and Glomdoring are each a proud, strong group of people, and should not
be talked down to like a group of children.
******************************************
Magnagora: In our city, if a novice from another place enters, we
welcome them, and encourage questions. Even novices from Celest are
welcomed, and shown around the city. We invite them to spend time
learning about us, in places such as our library, right next to the
nexus of our city. Should the novice have heard things which reflect
badly on us, we correct the misinformation, and show them the truth. We
regularly have historical plays for free, which anyone may attend to
learn more about us.

Celest: Should a novice from a commune wander around, they are often
followed, or in the case of a novice from Magnagora, ordered to leave.
If they do not, they are enemied, and killed. In fact, one of the
citizens, a "HOLY" member of one of the Orders of Celest, offers MONEY
for the heads of Magnagorans, novices or not. . Barbaric, to say the
least. They often enemy people for asking questions, or contradicting
that information put out by the ruling council. Anyone who does not
conform, is obviously "tainted", and put out of the city and killed,
like a mad dog. The writer himself was one of these, enemied for being a
member of Magnagora, fresh out of the portals, and ending up at the Pool
of Stars, asking questions about the Light.
***********************************************
Magnagora: Though we are currently at odds with Serenwilde, we are not
against the forests, merely those from Celest who wish to control them.
In fact, one of our leading Nihilists is married to an avatar of
Charune, a Divine of Serenwilde. We recognize that Glomdoring was ONCE
tainted, yet according to them, is now not.

Now, the writer must must digress for a bit, on this point. I am
tainted. I am HAPPY to have the Taint running through my very being, as
are all of my city mates.If, for some ungodly reason, I were to lose my
mind and leave my home, I would still be tainted. Taint is not a
membership pass one checks out when they leave the gates, to show to
others, and surrenders if they quit the city. Under torture, I would
still gleefully admit it. I do not worship the Soulless who has
generated the Taint, yet I use it, as a tool, to make myself stronger.

Those in Glomdoring say they are not tainted. They say that once, Lady
Viravain, blessed be Her name, cleansed the taintfrom Mighty Glomdoring,
, and made it into the Wyrd. Now, I do not understand this Wyrd, nor can
I define it, as I am not part of it. But if my fellow basin dwellers in
Glomdoring say they are not tainted, then who am I to disagree? If they
were tainted, they would happily proclaim it, as do we all in Magnagora.
But, they do not. SO, therefore, the Wyrd is not taint, in my opinion.

Celest: For a long while, they said out loud that Glomdoring was not
tainted, while muttering under their breath that it was. Now that they
have a new Divine, who proclaims that the Wyrd is Taint, they smile to
Glomdoring's face, while bowing to this Elder God. They speak softly to
the Shadow Council, thinking to hold off the mighty Brother Crow and
Mother Night, while trying to put down Magnagora. They enter
Glomdoring's trees, picking herbs and draining it dry of resources
Celest had no hand in making. All the while, the Divine in Celest talk
down to Glomdoring.

However, consider this. IF, Nil forbid, the Engine of Transformation
should fall, where would Celest's eyes turn next? The whole time,
Serenwilde has been duped into helping Celest fight against us. Once
Celest's opponent has fallen, Serenwilde will still have theirs. Do you
REALLY think Serenwilde will say, "You're welcome, now we plan on
fighting alone?"

No. I think not.


What it comes down to, is this. Magnagora isn't pretty, shiny, or pastel
coloured. We are a dark bunch. Yet, we love, yearn, and do all of the
things others do. But those of Celest tell us that we are evil, and
should be killed in order to purge ourselves of this evil.

How many times? How many times must we be killed to be good enough for
this Light?

The answer?

Too many. Once, is too many. Celest does not feed me, clothe me, keep
the rain from my eyes. Yet, it gives me and my city standards which it
believes we should live by. And the communes as well. Who gave YOU the
right?

Not me, nor my brethren, nor those who live underneath the boughs of
their living home. Live your own lives, and leave ours alone. Stop
telling the basin that you know best.

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Vestian, in the year 205 CE.