The Karliott Prophecy

To My Honored Brother Ekus:

With joy I inform you of my arrival in the City of Rakka. After taking my leave of you, my trading vessel departed for Hillea and, owing to favorable winds and wills, arrived at that place in four days. From there I boarded a ship owned by a Yiffen delegate to Hillea, which has brought me to Rakka after a further eleven days of travel. I am pleased to announce that I have arrived here sooner than expected, with little trouble, and have been warmly welcomed by a pair of aldermen who are sympathetic to our cause.

I intend to begin on the road to Grontinion henceforth, as there are already Hihaytheans laboring here in Rakka on our behalf, so there be no use in me tarrying. I have made few accomplishments as of yet, so please allow me to describe the miraculous nature of this country. Since my arrival I have not seen a single man discontent, neither man having to survive with less. The streets are free of crime and vagrants, and the public squares are full of people peacefully making merry. This afternoon, my host, Karliott Lennur, has brought me to Etta Va Square, the largest park in the city. There I found people taking meals in public with friends, discussing reformist theology over a game of ayakka adrena. “The evil kingpiece is the Iqharepur,” one man says, “for he greedily demands that all other pieces sacrifice themselves for him, although he moves lazily about and makes very little effect.”

We then moved north, into the part of the city called the Ringellic Annex. This is named for the old Ringellic Monastery, which became the site of one of the major insurrections but a year ago. The people rose up against the grasping monks, holding them hostage as they destroyed pages of oppressive doctrine and carved the sinedratha, or the zanadrada all over the walls. The monks’ quarters were destroyed, leaving only the chapel. The government took its revenge by setting fire to dozens of homes and other buildings in the surrounding area, leaving the region virtually barren. Today, Etta Va Square and the Ringellic Annex are the sites of the most activity in the entire city. As I said above, this is where men go to discuss the future and God. But it is also where I have seen a new marvel: timbers are laid upon the ground, and men fasten new timbers atop of them. They construct walls with doors and windows carved into them, and cover the walls with thatch or other timbers to protect the interior from snow and rains. They are building new things here, Ekkus. I have witnessed hope, as honest men seek to make a place of destruction into a place of rebirth. It has inspired me.

Brother, I must confess to you that I had begun to suffer a loss of clarity and belief in our purpose. We had lost our dear brothers, but what had we gained? I had seen nothing good come of it. We have lost so much for the good of others. Andavar had done just fine practicing his faith in private for so many years! Why did he need to risk this? He could have been content with the ordinary for all of his life. Instead, he joined the Ilepyan Brotherhood to allow other men the same freedoms he had, and in this he met no success and lost everything.

What was the reason? Nothing had changed because of his actions, but that we had lost him. I left Ilepya because I could no longer tolerate being in that ponvatil, that useless place of no progress, that place of sorrow. I came to Rakka in search of revenge; my brother had been killed so I wanted his killers to feel my pain. Hatred and indifference had filled my heart, and I became disconnected from my cause and careless for the result. I no longer felt interested in change. This is what Karliott has called the ilnarvattar, and it seems to have been a common phase during some of the darker times in their revolution. I suppose it is not very different from Kapbaji, but grows out of exhaustion rather than ignorance.

When I left you, Ekkus, you appeared to be in good spirits, with a full understanding of our cause. If you have since wavered, I shall tell you what I have witnessed in Rakka with Karliott, as it has renewed my belief wholly.

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Ekkus, Karliott has become my prophet, and his prophecy is thus: do not become satisfied with good enough; fight complacency wherever you find it within you, and always seek to make tomorrow better than today. This simple message has refreshed my belief in the Reformist cause, and Ekkus if you are in any need of renewal, allow Karliott to be your prophet and his message to be your prophecy.

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From Rakka, this 9th day Loban, 1412
Your Humble Brother, Malqholm Ehbrud