Tweet
A package is received by Iauron, Leader of the Nature's Vanguard. Within it is the following missive from Maia, written in flowing espruar.
"Dear Iauron,
you have not seen me in some time. I've been away, deeper in the woods. I'll be frank: I was avoiding you, and the rest of the Wardens. I feel, with what we've shared, that I owe you an explanation on how I've been feeling.
I've been in the Sundered Valley for some time now. I've been amongst the Wardens for most of that same time. Since my arrival, I have worked proactively, and very hard, for our common cause. I know you know this and how I contributed.
That lasted until Kaizen betrayed me, and nearly slew me in his attempt to sacrifice me to his god Talos. My mortality frayed away, and the only reason I am even alive today is due to my fey blood having compensated for that failing. That cost was high to me - my claim to sanity being very tenuous due to how I changed - and it still is. My fey existence is now tied to the valley and I cannot even leave to visit my family in the Silver Marches.
So, yes. I'm biased. I hate Kaizen for what he did to me. But even after, I still - the Seldarine my witnesses - turned to our elders to resolve that grievance.
But despite airing those, I saw the rest of the Wardens react nonchalantly about me pointing out Kaizen as a threat, as someone untrustworthy. I can work with Furies - I'm quite tolerant of it - but it's wholly another matter to me if they are willing to strike at another Warden. Myself included.
I was shocked, but nursed that bitter tolerance of Kaizen from the druids for quite some time, and just kept working on the things that mattered. But... they turned to Kaizen, gave him the opportunity and trust to lead, and eventually made him into an archdruid.
Do you know how this feels like to me? It feels like they decided the word of an earnest hardworking contributor to the cause like me was not given any value and that they decided that they approved of the actions of a traitor like Kaizen. In a way, it makes it feel like they condone his actions: including Kaizen's near-murder of myself. What I see is an unfair betrayal of my trust - the deserving scorned, and the undeserving rewarded.
I know you hold the Keeper in high regard, Iauron... but, I can't. Not after this. They say the Glade is neutral ground, they say that we are not to strike on each other when we work for the wardens without bringing the dispute to our elders - but when those rules that keep our tenuous associations together are breached, they don't get enforced because it would be inconvenient? I don't see how I could have faith in people that reward the undeserving and undervalue their fellowship with me to this extent. I certainly see none of the Wardens' purported harmonious whole in this and no reason to have faith in it any longer.
It brings me to one realization: the Wardens are unreliable. What action I did for their sake was always done on my own initiative and always alone despite my many calls for assistance. A Marksman like me, you'd think, could get the assistance of other rangers to watch on various ills plaguing the wilds but that never happened. Even the motivation to hold a simple archery contest was beyond "us".
So, I'll go on, on my own. It's not like it's going to be a big change. Only, I'll work for my sake, and not that of the Wardens. Fortunately, my faith in Solonor and my own objectives don't run at cross-purpose to your Vanguard. There's no need to burn bridges. This letter, while expressing a draconian opinion on my part, doesn't mean I'm quitting. It's more an explanation of why I'm running solo lately. Hopefully, in a couple of decades, I'll just outlive my problems and the matter of Kaizen will be resolved with his dessicated bones buried under the earth.
If you need any favor on my part, feel free to send word. I'm still willing to help you out if you ask. Just send correspondence to Elren Damasi in Aquor - the tailor still collects mail for me.
The Forest Hunter make your steps light and guide your arrows, my friend.
~ Maia"
you have not seen me in some time. I've been away, deeper in the woods. I'll be frank: I was avoiding you, and the rest of the Wardens. I feel, with what we've shared, that I owe you an explanation on how I've been feeling.
I've been in the Sundered Valley for some time now. I've been amongst the Wardens for most of that same time. Since my arrival, I have worked proactively, and very hard, for our common cause. I know you know this and how I contributed.
That lasted until Kaizen betrayed me, and nearly slew me in his attempt to sacrifice me to his god Talos. My mortality frayed away, and the only reason I am even alive today is due to my fey blood having compensated for that failing. That cost was high to me - my claim to sanity being very tenuous due to how I changed - and it still is. My fey existence is now tied to the valley and I cannot even leave to visit my family in the Silver Marches.
So, yes. I'm biased. I hate Kaizen for what he did to me. But even after, I still - the Seldarine my witnesses - turned to our elders to resolve that grievance.
But despite airing those, I saw the rest of the Wardens react nonchalantly about me pointing out Kaizen as a threat, as someone untrustworthy. I can work with Furies - I'm quite tolerant of it - but it's wholly another matter to me if they are willing to strike at another Warden. Myself included.
I was shocked, but nursed that bitter tolerance of Kaizen from the druids for quite some time, and just kept working on the things that mattered. But... they turned to Kaizen, gave him the opportunity and trust to lead, and eventually made him into an archdruid.
Do you know how this feels like to me? It feels like they decided the word of an earnest hardworking contributor to the cause like me was not given any value and that they decided that they approved of the actions of a traitor like Kaizen. In a way, it makes it feel like they condone his actions: including Kaizen's near-murder of myself. What I see is an unfair betrayal of my trust - the deserving scorned, and the undeserving rewarded.
I know you hold the Keeper in high regard, Iauron... but, I can't. Not after this. They say the Glade is neutral ground, they say that we are not to strike on each other when we work for the wardens without bringing the dispute to our elders - but when those rules that keep our tenuous associations together are breached, they don't get enforced because it would be inconvenient? I don't see how I could have faith in people that reward the undeserving and undervalue their fellowship with me to this extent. I certainly see none of the Wardens' purported harmonious whole in this and no reason to have faith in it any longer.
It brings me to one realization: the Wardens are unreliable. What action I did for their sake was always done on my own initiative and always alone despite my many calls for assistance. A Marksman like me, you'd think, could get the assistance of other rangers to watch on various ills plaguing the wilds but that never happened. Even the motivation to hold a simple archery contest was beyond "us".
So, I'll go on, on my own. It's not like it's going to be a big change. Only, I'll work for my sake, and not that of the Wardens. Fortunately, my faith in Solonor and my own objectives don't run at cross-purpose to your Vanguard. There's no need to burn bridges. This letter, while expressing a draconian opinion on my part, doesn't mean I'm quitting. It's more an explanation of why I'm running solo lately. Hopefully, in a couple of decades, I'll just outlive my problems and the matter of Kaizen will be resolved with his dessicated bones buried under the earth.
If you need any favor on my part, feel free to send word. I'm still willing to help you out if you ask. Just send correspondence to Elren Damasi in Aquor - the tailor still collects mail for me.
The Forest Hunter make your steps light and guide your arrows, my friend.
~ Maia"