[A letter for Lyrist Lynneth.]

[Erudiche]

Dear Honored Lyrist,

My sincere congratulations on your new title. You are an honor to the Cinquefoil Rose. My apologies for the tension and overall embarassing nature of the earlier meeting at the League of White, and for my own petulance. I had not slept properly in three days, I was terribly dehydrated, and also famished. This is, perhaps, embarassing to admit, and does not excuse either my impropriety or intemperance, but I hope places it into its proper context. The climate in the room was vile, and I contributed to that by great degrees.

I recognize the Rose's claim to the Chalice. It is your by right and blood. I did not mean to equivocate on that matter. While I fear for the future of the Accord due to the intransigence of the senior Astronomers, it would be unjust in the extreme to not recognize this right. Indeed, the Rose would be well within its rights to reject the Candidate if the unthinkable, insane, decision to offer the Chalice to the Astronomers should be taken. My interest is the preservation of life in the desert. Your order plays a vital part in that. As a sign of respect, I ask you to think of the times I did put my life into your hands and brought valuable information to you. I will, to the best of my abilities, attempt to convince the Candidate of the Rose's inalienable right to the Chalice. I cannot guarentee my words will reach the Candidate, but I will try. I would like to speak to you, at some point in the near future, about a certain matter which I will not dare put to writing, yet I recognize that your new responsibilities must task your already burdened faculties -- what a singular effect you seem to have on people. You would have made a wonderful Legate, if only intemperance had not prevailed over reason in the Satrapy.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
Domhnall Judicael Guivarch

[Moonlighter]

A reply arrives, penned in elegant script, the parchment stained with perfumes.

Good Domnhall,

The spirit of the League of White has always been one of vigorous and spirited debate, rather than unity and cohesion. Know that I do not blame you, or any other, for such, it is natural that it be so for the sole organization in Ephia's Well and by the Magus' words, the world at large to enacting the true democratic ideal.  More voices to the choir can, at time, create disharmony. These are burdens we must bear for our principles of an open society. It is a leader, a conductors, job to bridge these divides, to quell the harmony and dissatisfaction, and create a beautiful and fuller song for it.

I thank you for the rest of your words, all the same. In truth, this title, and this raiment suit me far better than Legate and a toga would, anyway.  A great deal of tragedy and strife could have been averted for the settlement as a whole if I were to have taken the seat, rather than my erstwhile rival, Sol Auk, but I try not to be like Apothar Azimi and spend my time lamenting over other decisions of what-might-have-been had a flip of a coin here or there landed on an opposite face. After all, it is not for a Legate to enter into a realm of nightmare and rescue her friends from the machinations of djinn, it is not for a Legate to be first across the threshold when Wyrm cultists have seized the Chamber of Governance, and it is not for a Legate to slay dragons and to fight for the people and bring back the head of Constantine Diakos upon a platter. It is a job for bureaucrats and apparatchiks and managers of men, not for those who seek glory and to bring about victory for the people with their own hand.

These are concerns I have in regard to Echemmon's suitability for the task ahead as well.

As for the cup, false or nay, if it comes into the possession of Ephia's Well it should be obvious to all that it belongs to the Cinquefoil Rose by right. The Astronomers of Q'tolip do important work on behalf of Ephia's Well, and we are all grateful for their Shade, but their desire for it is just an extension of of their obvious desire to control any relevant magical artifact of any note or renown. Similar to their desire to acquire Archaeological Licensure it is nakedly a desire for control and little else. That this would extend to the object of the Cinquefoil Quest is unsurprising, but disappointing, all the same.

When you wish to speak, merely call for me or find me, and I shall answer.

Lyrist Lynneth Llywarch
Cinquefoil Rose