Treatise on the Dept. of War by Robin the Confessor.

To the citizens,

I, grimwarden Robin Widirbrook, have selected from my meditations certain works for periodic publication in these days preceding the Alturik elections. The purpose of these meditations is sober contemplation and hypothetical implementation of the beliefs held by citizens of Sanctuary as they ought to be represented in policy. For it is the chief role of representatives to hear the will of their constituents and consider the most direct, and efficient means to enact said will. Let this be first then in my series on the Confessing of Sanctuary.

Humbly, Robin Widirbrook

MEDITATION XVI TREATISE ON THE DEPT OF WAR Robin the Confessor, 1373 DR

In Sanctuary, a veil of sluggishness depresses the lionhearted veteran, a disease of hopelessness invades the sickly soul of the unrepentant sinner, and a numbing fear creeps into the humors of the aspiring warrior's limbs. The afflictions of these people are in no small part due to the surrounding bleakness of the environment, flora and fauna, however, in my estimation, the lack of an appropriate relief for the mortal stirrings of the citizens of Sanctuary is as responsible for this perceived decline as any circumstance that fortune has so issued.

It has also been suggested to me that this city has the capacity and means to conquer the surrounding lands and settlements. The value of this widely held sentiment has not escaped me. I've quickly come to terms that a proper administrative instrument that conducted wars of conquest would be beneficial in many ways, to which I'll briefly outline here:

1.)Successful campaigns will increase wealth and resources

3.)War will occupy the institutions of the Watch, Tigereyes, Spellguard. Because of the lack of committed enemies of the state, these institutions have naturally become more occupied with internal enemies of the people. In this way of reasoning, the enemies of the state become the people.E. plublius unium propter hoc, Sanctuary should either find a means to get attacked more often to occupy the armed forces, or should this fail, find foreign enemies in wars of conquest.

5.)A standing army will provide a means for repentant condemned criminals to serve Sanctuary for a period in exchange for a pardon of their crimes. This would provide a constructive alternative to execution (save for treasonous crimes.)

7.)A purposeful existence for those seeking glory for their god or city. 8.)War allows men to look serious.

For these reasons, and because it is the explicit expressed will of Sanctuary, I've constructed the following proposal for the creation of a Department of War, whose mission would be to engage in wars of conquest.

Section 1: The head of the dept. of War shall be the Chief Commander, who supersedes all in military decisions at consent of the council. The CC can be recalled by consent by super majority of the council. The VC may call for a vote of recall. Should the CC be killed or incapacitated the VC shall assume the position of CC until a new officer is nominated.

Section 2: The Dept. of War's directive is to advise the council on matters of war and to conduct offensive operations. The council shall reserve the power to declare war. The Dept. of War is given the authority to enlist soldiers and commission officers, barring that the officers are not chosen from a citizen currently employed by the Tigereyes, Watch or Spellguard.

Section 3: For selection of the VC and CC, the Tigereyes, and the Watch will each nominate one officer. Upon the councils approval by a majority, the candidate officers will be elevated to Chief Commander and Vice Commander. Because the Watch and Tigereyes are often at odds, the VC and CC positions will be switched at the next election. This means that each institution shall have opportunity to direct the offensive forces of Sanctuary.

I'll close reader, with a comment on the most important virtue of armed struggle. In war the primary output is graves, and though graves have a rather negative image, a grave is the most lasting of all structures men can build, for a grave must last a soul not a lifetime, or generations, as a body or house might, but instead a grave must last for eternity. Warfare is therefore the most lasting and constructive of endeavors, because of the legacy it leaves in durable graves.

Gods Bless, Robin Widirbrook