Before the lands were claimed by the overreaching fingers of civilisation, the world belonged to the natural kingdom. The proliferation of what gave and supported an existence - the flora and fauna alike - flourished freely in the wilds, undisturbed by any other presence... until sentient life began to populate the world. At first, they set up little camps and congruous settlements beneath the shade of trees, giving thanks to the blessings of Nature for her gifts of sustenance and natural shelter.

Yet, it was not enough to satisfy the greed within the mortal soul; it always wanted more. Now, the world that surrounds us has strayed far from its primordial beginnings. It has been tainted by the blight of urbanization which began as an isolated rot, but has now become a widespread infection. I believe that the root of this corrosion stems from the innate selfishness of mortalkind, which in turn is further perpetuated by willful ignorance.

How long will you, urbanites of the land, continue to abuse the ancient world for your self-serving desires? How long will it take for you to realize that your actions have long-lasting effects on Nature? When the last plant has withered and the last river is poisoned? When the last animal has been hunted into extinction or when the earth has been permanently contaminated? After all, by harming that which nurtures and sustains you, you hasten your pace towards a future doomed without the basic elements of survival.

However, I will not see that happen. As a Scion of the Ithmia, I will always contest those who disregard their surroundings and choose to sully it by living a life behind a foundation of iron and stone.

To understand, you must first cast your gaze far south across the Notic Ocean and remember the history told about the continent of Meropis, where the mighty Seleucarian Empire rose into prominence and then fell from grace. Nestled in the midst of the Atrousian Jungle, the once-indomitable walls that protected Seleucar from the Black Wave and the War of the Deeps, the Wars of Succession and witnessed the rise of Queen Catarin now stand as a sprawling ruin upon broken roads consumed by the jungle wealds.

Now, look closer to home upon the continent of Sapience. Hidden beneath and behind great swells of sand in the Mhojave Desert exist the crumbled remains of the Erisian Pyramid and also the obelisk to Darkness. Like the Seleucarian Empire, these once proud structures stood as unnatural landmarks of worship for a length of time, but have presently become testaments to the reach of Nature.

Remember well these events of the past and learn from them. For every rise, there is always a fall. Where great empires and existing civilisations are concerned, theirs is an eternal, eventual return of the land to its rightful construct and it usually stays that way. For Nature though, the concept comes across as the cycle of life: of birth, death and decay. Birth is seen as the rise of a living organism, which is then followed by their fall into death. The accompanying decay nourishes the earth and marks the start of another cycle.

I encourage all of you to take a first step, however small it may be, towards returning the world to balance before it is too late. Lift the blindfolds from yourself and strive to adapt your lifestyle to live in harmony with the bountiful earth beneath your feet.

Until then, the forces devoted to Nature will continue their campaign against the callous existence of your city home.

Sincerely,
Marisella Yuridja-Keyte

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Aeguary, in the year 682 AF.