A Witchhunt

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Lord Arias Damon Vettias Demosthenes,

I congratulate you with your recent appointment as Lord Praetor Victuus.

You will recall that we met for the first time several days ago at the 1215th Chanting. I was very impressed with your eloquence on the stand, and I do believe it would do us well to become formal aquaintances. While my House (disgraced traitors, the lot of them, perhaps you have heard of the House of Cain?) has disowned me, you can be rest assured that I still have numerous followers and a network of supporters who could serve well to your purposes as well as mine.

The purpose of this letter is to address a particular concern of mine, as well as offer you my friendship and support during your upcoming term as Lord Praetor Victuus. I would actually much prefer to meet you in person, but I currently am travelling and writing this while on the road. Hopefully we will be able to arrange a time to meet when we are both available in our busy schedules sometime within the next moon?

In either case, to business:

I confess I am quite concerned about the Lord Premier Octavian's new initiative to uncover corrupt politicians. Barring my personal opinion that it is a betrayal to our noble Vikare Clan by enlisting the help of commoners to hunt politicians, I fear this legislation will quickly turn into a witchhunt if not controlled. The Cruori and Salommites are not formally educated en-masse like we Vikare are, and I have premonitions that their lack of understanding about economic and political theory will cause mass-destabilization in our country.

I refer specifically to an incident 70 Chantings ago during the White Scare. During this historical event, there was widespread public fear of anarchist spies pennetrating the heirarchy of Himaryn government, and a certain official named Lord DeCarthes took advantage of the situation and spearhunted a hunt for spies among the government. You will recall that the trials were publicly held, and many innocent politicians were blacklisted and implicated on sparse and sometimes fabricated evidence. The observing Salommites and Cruori paid no mind when the documentation was clearly falsified--instead they throroughly enjoyed the destruction and conviction of any (even innocent) Vikare. This natural hatred between Clans inherently obstructs the dissemination of true justice, favoring instead prejudice and lies.

As a concerned citizen, I question the motives of our current Lord Premier. In political terms, it is clear he aims to improve his public image with the Cruori and Salommites by attempting to hunt for corrupt politicians (which exist, beyond doubt). However, it crosses the line to enlist the help of easily enflamed and pursuaded urban masses to look for evidence. This sort of project requires the expertise of neutral highly-trained detectives and experts to investigate our ranks, not angry plebians who will be contented with any Vikare head on a pike.

To be bluntly honest (and I know no government officials will dare admit this), the structure of our government is corrupt to the bone, from the very prestigious top to the lowly bottom.

We may hunt for corrupt politicians, but it is futile effort. The tribunals that will judge the "corrupt" suspects are already bribed and seeded with turncoats. There will be powerful individuals who will arrange for immaculately fabricated evidence to be slipped into the piles of "questionable" documentation, simply to purge innocent business competitors. For all we know, the Lord Premier himself may be targeting political opponents to purge under the table.

"Corruption" is the perfect excuse for demotion and permanent shameful removal from power.

My understanding of political theory leads me to believe that the truly corrupt politicians will not be effectively targetted from this simple declaration. It is a ruse, on part of the Lord Premier to make himself appear more popular, when in reality it will only convinct either the innocent or low-ranked officials involved with petty crimes.

At the very least, I urge you to discuss this with the Lord Premier. This bulletin must be closed to the public before it turns into a witchhunt of innocents. Internal corruption should be a matter of left to a select few trusted private investigators with a good track record and reputation, not the urban masses.

Your friend,

Marethiesa Linnus Cain
House of Cain, Vikare Clan

P.S. I insist that you call me "Maali." I dislike long supercillious names.

[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) Marethiesa Linnus Cain Dear Maali Indeed I do recall meeting you at the chanting. How could I forget the authority with which you spoke. It had been a pleasure listening to the points you made and alas I have to agree that it would benefit us to become formal acquaintances. I would ask that your loyalty be tested before all trust can be put in you, but I have no doubts that you will pass said test. I am aware of the disgrace of the Cain family and it is for that very reason that I might seem wary. Please understand my reasons. I would find it very beneficial for us both to become proper acquaintances as I would need all the help I can get to right this land and kingdom of ours. On the subject of the Lord Premier’s new legislation I unfortunately have to agree with you. It is not in our Kingdom’s best interests at the moment and already I have come across multiple feuds - which brings me to another matter that I will address shortly. Thus I come to the point that it is a disgrace to the proud Vikare to enlist the help of commoners to do a trained professional’s job. The White Scare is a splendid example of what can happen in the face of widespread panic and I fear the worst if we do not handle and contain this current situation as soon as possible. I believe that our Lord Premier is not handling this correctly and it was to my dismay that he remained Premier. On the other hand I would have like to see someone else take his place since I do not believe myself ready for such a position. On the other hand I would not be able to live under the rule of a Sallomite or a Cruori, and thus I believe what had to happen has happened. Now all we can do is advise our current Lord Premier on the right action to take and such s my responsibility. Our Lord Premier passed this legislation while I was traveling, not without reason I must admit since he obviously did not want me involved in the passing of said legislation. I will have a word with our Lord Premier and attempt to persuade him to change his decree. I will raise up a regiment of the Empire who will personally and neutrally handle this matter and I intend to oversee the Court Sessions myself. I will not allow our Lord Premier to turn this into a dictatorship. Sincerely and with the best of hopes, Arias Damon Vettias Demosthenes PS. In turn feel free to call me Arias…

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Dear Lord Arias -

I am pleased to hear that you agree with me on this urgent issue. Your involvement in this crisis is the righteous first step to correcting this terrible mistake our Lord Premier has brought unto our kingdom. Please know that you will have my (and my followers) support should you eventually decide to nominate yourself as a candidate for Lord Premier.

While I understand your reasons for wanting to "test" my loyalty, I unfortunately have no intention to submit myself to a test of any sort. You may have my support, and I do believe you are the best suited for representing our clan's interests, but please understand that I have no interest in becoming your sniffling sycophant or used doormat.

If you are willing to trust me, this will be because we are on terms of friendship and we see each other as allies. Should you need help, I will come to your aid, and I should require help, I will request yours. If we both see a threat to our beloved kingdom of Himaryn, then we shall join forces and approach it together. It is the simple dynamics of our relationship, and it requires little else.

My family has had a poor reputation, but I have severed my bonds from them. What more proof do you require to show that I am different from them? I would not have come seeking you if I wanted anything less than justice and truth to be brought to our country, and I believe you are the right individual to do so.

With respect,
Maali

[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) Dear Maali I thank you for your support and should I choose to challenge our Lord Premier I will think highly of your support. On the subject of my trust towards you, I do not intend to have you literally “tested” and neither do I want or expect you to be my floor mat. All I ask is that you take into consideration that my trust is earned over time and not just dealt out. Already I count you among my allies and you possess a measure of my trust, but only time will cultivate a true measure of trust. I should like to meet you in person which in itself will extend the borders of my trust. Please let me know when your schedule is cleared and we will set up a meeting. Sincerely, Arias Damon Vettias Demosthenes Lord Praetor Victuus