User:Mei Fen/Mei Fen war

DAY 1 I have finally arrived in Lion's Arch after an arduous journey across the sea. As the dock workers unloaded the cargo of Canthan trade goods, I was greeted by a White Mantle representative who addressed me formally for the entire conversation. Despite the fact that I was sent merely to chronicle the conflict for the imperial records, the officer inquired about possible Canthan involvement several times, insisting that the situation was in their grasp. His eyes betrayed him, however. The Canthan Embassy had prepared all the necessary paperwork and provided me with an unusual number of permits for various, dare I say, mundane activities. Even with our complicated bureaucracy, there is no need to issue “travel permits” (as they called them). I was told that they were obtained with great difficulty, even in the name of the Dragon Empire, with orders issued by the Emperor himself. It must be impossible for these simple farmers and merchants to move freely within their own country. I went on to inquire about the necessity of these permits, however I was given a short and unsatisfactory answer: “We are in war and the people of Kryta must be constrained for their safety.”. The high-ranking officer appeared to show suspicion. When I asked a local merchant he hastily invoked the safety of his fellow Krytans and the authority of the White Mantle. The man seemed troubled and his gaze shifted from left to right, as if making sure that nobody was eavesdropping. The situation in Kryta is not as it seems. My Emperor was correct to send me to investigate the matter, for these “protectors of peace” would surely distort the facts. I will continue to write any important information and describe suspicious events as long as I am able to. DAY 2 Traveling through the North Kryta province, I was hindered quite a few times by the newly appointed Peacekeepers. When I revealed the required documents they did not seem pleased, actually implying that they were forged, but allowed me to pass when I also showed my Imperial Seal. Clearly these people are not the brightest one could find but I am grateful that they can at least distinguish commoners from Canthan officials. Once again, when asking the locals for opinions on the new White Mantle regulations, I am given variations of the same short answer. These people are clearly struck with fear, and although many blame the continuous conflict, I believe it is their so-called defenders who instill terror. Unfortunately, without sufficient evidence, I am unable to provide the Dragon Empire with a satisfactory verdict. It is also possible that the Krytans do not wish to divulge their most dire troubles to an outsider for the fact that there has simply not been enough time for trust to form between our two nations. Aside from trade relations, we know little about each other. Moreover, the many cultural differences have created a staggering gap between our peoples. A good place to start the process would be their archives, as I believe that knowledge of their past and habits would give us a better understanding of the current situation. Regrettably, it may take quite some time before I gain access to these precious documents and there is a great possibility that I will not gain access at all. If it should come to that, I will resort to more cunning methods in order to carry out my mission successfully. I will do my best to reveal more information over time. DAY 3 Today I have made some small progress. A fishmonger with a taste for spirits was very pleased when I presented him a bottle of the rice wine, a common beverage in Cantha but exotic elsewhere. The disadvantage was that he insisted on consuming the entire bottle before revealing any information, thus his story mostly lacked coherence. I shall make note of what I could piece together, in the event that it proves to be true. A man named Saul D’Alessio returned from exile during Kryta’s troubled times, bearing wisdom from newfound gods that he named the “Unseen Ones”. Due to his leadership, he rescued the nation from a time of darkness and led it to its most flourishing period. As a result, the White Mantle was formed and in the absence of a king, they rose to power. Strangely, other than Saul himself, nobody has ever laid eyes upon these “gods”, yet they obediently follow their will. The White Mantle considers those who do not follow the Unseen Ones to be heretics and condemns such worship as a “seditious act”. They claim to preach the words of Saul, but I find this to be contradictory. There is a temple off the coast of Kryta, dedicated to the Five Gods, a temple which has stood from forgotten times. If Saul had wanted to impose the worship of new gods, why does the temple still stand? There are many questions that need answers. Unfortunately, as I gain more information, more questions arise and contradictions turn hours of documentation into waste. Now, more than ever, I want to search their archives; there are too many missing pieces, too much information that is kept hidden. If this continues, I may have to turn to the Shining Blade for answers. May Lyssa guide me! DAY 4 My efforts to gain access to the Krytan archives have been in vain as only high ranking members of the White Mantle are allowed to read such valuable scriptures. Despite this setback, I have been given an offer. A part of the collection of tomes is to be transported to a different location and if I aid them on the journey, I could earn their trust and may be given the chance to examine a few historical records. Apparently their forces are stretched thin trying to find the Shining Blade “heretics” and would accept any and all aid. This would explain the recent inclusion of less intelligent soldiers within their ranks. Although I am not sure how they acquired knowledge of my combat expertise, it is a good thing they have, otherwise it would have taken me possibly weeks before I could form a plausible hypothesis. The revolt is being led by a woman named Salma who claims to be the rightful heir to the Krytan throne. She also claims that the Unseen Ones are demons who demand periodic human sacrifices at an altar deep within the Maguuma Jungle. I have added a copy of her declaration of war for future reference. At this point I am not sure what to believe, as each faction condemns the other while the people of the nation are left to suffer. Although I am slowly making progress, I cannot help but feel a staggering fall in my standing with the locals. The Canthan merchants who came to Lion’s Arch to sell their goods have told me that they have not sold anything since yesterday afternoon and also pointed out that the Krytans reacted with great fear when they promoted their rice wine. Unfortunately, I do not have time to solve this issue, nor is it my responsibility. I will continue my report tomorrow. DAY 5 As I am writing this I am still overwhelmed by today’s events, but I will try to describe them with as much accuracy as I can. The fishmonger with whom I had spoken a few days ago was found dead yesterday morning. They say that he was lying in a most disturbing position, with blood dripping from the man’s mouth and shockingly, the bottle of rice wine which I gave him was found next to the corpse. Not only is it outrageous to think that Canthan tradesmen would try to poison Krytans through our goods, but the bottle that I had given him was sealed and I personally drank some of the beverage while en route to Lion’s Arch. Our ambassador ordered our merchants to sail back home immediately, lest they be sanctioned. I suspect that someone did not appreciate the fact that I was trying to reveal the truth about the war, thus they attempted to discredit all Canthans, effectively putting my research to a halt. I was also approached by a White Mantle officer who took me to a retreated place where nobody could overhear our conversation. He revealed that he was a spy for the Shining Blade and that I was to be murdered by the caravan escort while delivering the tomes and other supplies. After successfully removing the Canthan presence from Kryta, they would close all external trading routes and make contact with the outside world impossible. Before returning to his post, the man told me to join the caravan tomorrow and to have faith. If I tried to escape I would surely be caught by these murderers as I do not know the land, nor would I be able to avoid the numerous groups of Peacekeepers. It appears that I have no choice but to place my fate in the hands of the gods. Should they smile upon me, I will continue my report. You can continue reading here. Make a simple request if you want me to continue to post here, as well.