The Book of Pome: May 19, 1006
By Jay Young
Posted: 10/11/2007
After this, the world will never be the same; the sun has finally set on the Kingdom of Gondor. Trade will continue, but it will be nervous, less regulated, and chaotic. The pillars of time and destiny will collapse into oblivion and even the distant, unexplored kingdom of Huang-Fara and beyond will feel the tremors of this terrible earthquake. There will be nothing to stand in the way of Haradan tion and Barrulla II will surely conquer the world. Time corrodes even the strongest of steel until the day comes when the sharp sword of Order is reduced to pile of crumbled rust, decadent and weak. That Gondor has survived for so long as the world’s greatest power is nothing short of a miracle and now but a fairytale. Long ago, Sirion sought a similar transformation in the state of things, but his incalculable madness paved the way for his failure. Now the world cries out once more for change, and change it has received. But what, my dearest friend, will become of our families? We fight to honor them and bring glory to our houses, but how will history remember us? If our efforts are to be judged by the outcome, then we shall be either deliverers or oppressors, and we must struggle to ensure that we are remembered as the former. The Black Army’s role in the new world order must not be ignored, and should Barrulla not fill this vacuum of power then undoubtedly its leaders will respond to the call, which leaves me with a cold feeling of uncertainty as to their intentions.
That being said, I must state with respect that I do not believe the time is right to engage in what you propose. The magic guilds will be scattered and their loyalties questionable. Berendor has already fled with many of his followers to the countryside showing little sign of returning, and he is not the only one. In addition, the Elves, while few in number, are quite powerful and will most certainly side against both the Kingdom of Harad and the Black Army. True, the Three Kingdoms have been either weakened or destroyed, but there are still many battles to be fought, and choosing a side at this time could compromise our objectives. It is my opinion that we should recede like the waters of the morning tide and wait until the time is ripe to commit ourselves. To do otherwise would be to ride into battle without armor. We need allies in our cause and commitment will only alienate those to whom we do not commit. For these reasons, I implore that you take no further action until we can reassert ourselves.
We have wielded our determination and our strength of will like mithril swords to conquer the hearts of men and bend them beneath us to create prosperity for our great houses. The wine pours over our cups and the honey drips on our bread in an unending flow of success that heralds our lives’ accomplishments and makes us the envy of lesser men. But how long can we compel the river to flow before it dries beneath our feet? Clouds of darkness gather on the horizon and blot out the distinction between good and evil such that men will not be able to discern the correct path. Are our arms strong enough to carry the lantern that will light the way for others? My deepest conscience whispers almost imperceptibly to me that a war is approaching that will shake the foundations of the earth. If so, we must take care we are not consumed by the fire. My good friend, I hope these words find you doing well and in good health.
Yours Truly With Honor and Courage,
Wethrin
