Orison,

I have some questions concerning both you and the Seekers that I would like answered. First off, how can your organization, praised for information gathering and scouting, find itself raiding a goblin fortress in an attempt to secure slaves, while the fortress is indeed devoid of any slaves. Would it not better fit an organization such as the Seekers to take some time to ensure that there is someone to rescue before setting themselves against a powerful foe as these goblin proved to be. Now the Seekers find themselves having ruined a potential way of rescuing whatever slaves these supposedly slaving goblin would have bought in the future, instead the slaves which could have been saved now rot in the dungeon of some other foe.

Another question, this one concerning the situation the the Lower quarter of Sanctuary. I have seen, and heard, that the Seekers are actively assisting the revolution within said quarter of Sanctuary. How can an organization, bent on providing a safe way and home to supposedly numerous slaves, assist in destroying the very foundations of society in which we live? Do you believe that Sanctuary is a safer place for these people to live in as it is now? If your anwer is that it will be safer in the future, because of your actions, then I ask you how long you believe it will be until this happens and how many lives were lost in an escapade that could have been replaced with reasonable, and cordial, discussions between the unsatisfied citizens and those in authority? What reason is there for the Lower quarter to repudiate the rest of Sanctuary in such a manner?

Yet another matter, which we touched upon when we had our short discussion within the Seeker compound. Would it not be safer for those that live within Sanctuary as it is, to live without the Seekers risking retribution from various creatures in our surroundings? Is there perhaps a better way for the Seekers to complete their objectives, which as I believe include finding a way through these caverns and to the surface as well as rescuing as many prisoners from our surrounding foes, such as basing yourselves outside of Sanctuary and severing official ties with the city? Why should the citizens of Sanctuary live their lives with the threat of impending doom by the hands of the Seekers over their heads? Those that the Seekers rescue, in the future, would then be brought to whatever base you make for yourselves outside of Sanctuary and then they can be brought to Sanctuary after you have ensured that there will be no attempts by the former "owners" of the slaves to regain posession of them.

I implore you to answer these questions and statements in a cordial manner and perhaps direct any inquiries you have concerning my thoughts to me as well. I can be reached at the Rock Bottom.

Ward Avery

Ward Avery,

Your criticism about the goblin fortress is noted, I'd simply respond that Seeker Hauksen had intelligence that indicated that the goblins had slaved in the past. Delaying would have been absurd, since obviously it's in our interest to first prevent slavers from operating rather than just rescuing them. What matters is that the goblins deserved to die, and die they did.

As for the situation with Lower, that's something I'm pursuing independent of Lower. I suggest you check your history books, the Sanctuary Below has a long history of upper oppression. If you like, I'd be glad to forward you a copy of a tract on the subject I've written, also available from the bookseller Iopnic Jum. What is clear is that Lower has legitimate grievances, and simply insists upon certain conditions to be met before it will accept reunification with Upper.

In the meantime, it is ruling itself independently and is protecting itself independently. I'm not one to minimize the challenge of keeping our people safe but we are doing our very best and I am skeptical that the Watch could really all be that helpful to us anyway. As always, those Lower citizens who prefer the security that Upper promises are welcome to any time go to Upper and make their home there - as many have done. The residents of Lower who live there now clearly prefer it, and this preference should be respected and understood as the natural feeling of free men and women.

Your idea for a separate settlement outside of Dunwarren is intriguing, but not something I would support. I believe the ruins of Dunwarren were found by the founders of Sanctuary for a reason. These hallowed ruins, the ancient machinery that surrounds us, the corridors of perplexing mystery are all of great significance to the world. I was born here personally, but in my youthful wanderings I often felt that for so many people to find their way here was not accident, but that indeed the Machine was calling people to it. There is a reason all of us are in Dunwarren. It has kept us safe for 150 years, I do not think it is asking too much for it to continue to keep the people who make their home here safe.

Orison Hallafat

Orison,

the tract you spoke of would be a welcome addition to my daily readings.

Concerning the goblin fortress, once again, I would like to point out that for your organization squashes down fairly weak settlements such as the goblin, without making absolutely sure that they are in posession of slaves to rescue, is a measure that allows the slaves these settlements could potentially have bought to be bought by more powerful settlements. The slaves might even be murdered by whomever was intending on selling them due to lack of buyers.

I find it incredible that the citizens of Upper, or the organizations that find themselves credited to opression, would simply pray on those in the Lower quarter. If the opression is so rampant as is indicated by yourself and many people I have spoken with from the Lower Quarter, why is it that noone in the Upper Quarter finds himself being prayed upon in such a manner? Could it not be that the citizens that claim they are being opressed are people that find it arduous to live in a society with laws and regulations? It is my distinct feeling that those elements of our society are those with the highest voices claiming opression and are those that are satisfied with the current situation in the Lower Quarter which beckons lawlessness and instigates chaos.

The fact that a handful of people claim that they would rather take half of Sanctuary away from it's other inhabitants is slightly unsettling to me. The fact that these same people can just claim the homes of those you say can just "go to Upper", is something I believe to eventually destroy the very foundations of a safe society. These people that wished to live in the homes they established in the Lower Quarter, and still live under the protection of the Upper Quarter, had no say in this rebellion and are now abolished from their homes. How can you see freedom in those actions?

This Machine you revere so is nothing but a remnant of a civilization that appears to have destroyed itself in it's perpetual search for change. Change may very well be the better option than uniformity in some instances, as is with the situation in the Lower Quarter now, but if one has a society that has survived whatever threats have been set upon them throughout it's time, why offer these changes and risk weakening said society?

Looking forward to your answer,

Ward Avery