Councilors,

I no longer enjoy writing long and elegant letters, so I will keep this letter both short and blunt. Now, I have seen notices about the Peace Accord between Upper Sanctuary and the Montezzis and I find it utterly absurd.

I am not going to ask you to send down a large force of our Watchmen and Agents to go down into Lower and destroy the Montezzis, that would be foolish and it would leave us with a large hole in our defenses that can be manipulated by our greater enemies out in the Underdark, but no agreements should be made with tyrants and murderers such as the Montezzis and even worse, you have even given up territory to them.

The Montezzis will not stop, after the Canal Ward they will demand more, perhaps even New Dunwarren, will you give that to them as well and after that? In the end you will have nothing else to give them.

Even if this Peace Accord was done simply to be a way of tricking the Montezzis, it still remains wrong and dishonorable. The matter most at stake here is not about how much damage the Montezzis might cause if it comes to war, but about standing up for your people, defending their honor and their lives. This Accord hardly fits that and since when does the free people of Sanctuary bow down to tyranny?

If you truly care about the safety of Upper, its people and those who had fallen to the Montezzis, then it is time to make a stand.

I suggest to reject this agreement and tell the Montezzis to back down, if they want a war then so be it. Though they have killed and harmed many, I firmly believe this only happened due to a lack of unity and foolishness, with a well prepared group we can defeat them.

Note: If this Peace Accord is only agreed to by Councilor Dentra and the Spellguard, please state that.

Edmund Hawkwood, Servant of Lord Torm.

*A letter is sent in reply*

Dear Mister Hawkwood

For what little its worth im against the peace accord however it has the support of the Spellguard, Dentra and the sheriff. There are other factors and reasons for this as well but im not at liberty to say what they are that and i would not want to communicate them over a written source. Long story short I understand why they are doing it but I still dont agree with it.

Yours sincerly

Councilor Merle Barer

Mister Hawkwood,

This city is one hundred and fifty-three years old. I will not allow it to end here through a costly war effort against a powerful force that we cannot hope to defeat without losses so substantial it would cripple this town irreparably merely because of my pride. You are of course, certainly able to disagree, but bear in mind that the men and women who keep this town alive knew the cost, and knew the danger of the war at the time of the change of plans. From this information, the conclusion was drawn, not on the whims of a man who is detached from the scenario, but the collective insight of those who knew the enemy and our own situation best of all.

As for your snide remark about myself, do realize that I was the middleman who was forced to make this difficult decision, repealing my own vote and stamp that had started the war in the first place. The first to agree with the new terms was Sheriff Azzam, then myself, and then Spellguard Commander Simms. Do not be so presumptuous.

I made the decision that had to be made in the time I was allotted- somewhere around three hours, starting at the moment the original plan was compromised, and literally handed to the enemy. If you disagree with the new plan of withdrawal, then consider it my personal challenge to you to derive an alternative plan, based on your previous claims that you...

1. Wish to withhold the use of the Watch and Spellguard.

2. Will defend the honor of the people by holding the Canal Ward, without breaking claim number one.

3. Keeping this city alive by ensuring its defenders are capable of protecting the city from external threats, without breaking claims one and two.

I eagerly await your reply.