In a few weeks you are going to be asked to make a decision between Lavinia Vanderboren and Manthalay Meravanchi for the position of mayor of Farshore.
It's not going to come as any shock to you that I support Lady Vanderboren in this.
Now I'm not going to say anything against Lord Meravanchi. He's a good and noble man who has stood by Farshore when she has needed him. He has been a fine steward these last several months, but he is not the person for this job.
Farshore was founded on vision and faith.
Larrisa and Verik Vanderboren had vision. The vision to see this place for more than what it was, but what it could be. A city without slums, where people had a fair chance to fail or succeed on their own merits, not just the part of town where they happended to be born. A place where force of arms didn't justify the actions of those in power. A place where those who are different are not mangled into conformity.
The Vanderborens had faith. They had faith in you, that you would survive the crossing and build the city of their vision. Faith that you could come together with the Olman, not as conquerors, but as allies, forgoing the sword for the olive branch. Faith that the seed they planted here on these shores would grow into a strong and vibrant oak.
Their faith sustained them on the long ocean journey that we have all endured to be here today.
I know they would be proud of what you've done in their absence were they still alive to be here.
Their daughter is a woman of vision, a woman of faith and a woman of strength.
Lavinia Vanderboren had the guts to put almost everything she had and more into coming here. She had faith that the people who her parents had chosen had survived. When next to no one believed that this settlement would still be standing she crossed half the world to find you here. Thriving.
She has held faith with you, I now ask that you hold faith in her.
* * * * *
The Crimson Fleet is coming.
Those are not easy words to hear. It leaves a cold feeling of terror in your stomach.
Under the threat of this, two sides have emerged.
There is the side that holds true to the principals of Larissa and Verik. That we can cooperate with the people who came to this island in the distant past. That we see them as brothers and sisters; the children of a people who made the same journey that we made.
The other side believes that we should use our strength to bring the native peoples under our control. This side believes that might makes right. A view, I might add, that is shared by some people on ships due to arrive in a little over a month.
I have made my decision. I support the founding vision of Farshore. I support Lavinia Vanderboren.
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