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Muse,

A recent missive about our neighbor to the far North indicates that a internal war is brewing in that distant land:

...Jiaju Tai expects overseas trade to Kryta to resume if and when the political situation stabilizes.

“When they know for certain who will rule Kryta and what to expect, the Canthan ships will return,” she said. “But not until then.”

Being deep in the Kurzick land on your current assignment, you may benefit from my update of the situation up here in Kaineng Center. As dire as the situation is in Kryta, the state of affairs here at the palace is not great either.

Perhaps they have never been great, as ours is a land known for perpetual tension between conflicting factions. But now the distressing rumor has finally been confirmed. There are now positive evidence of an insidious movement in several powerful and influential imperial quarters to resurrect the Minister of War, feebly disguised under the new name of Minister of Defense, and to grow the military arms of the empire.

There are scrolls and texts chronicling the rise and fall of the Wona, of the inevitable corruption of virtuous men when given enough power. But as the sound of the waterfall drowns out that of the rain, the catastrophe at the imperial palace during Shiro Tagachi's return has instilled fear and insecurity in the hearts of Canthans. And nothing destroys the reasoning of man more than his own fear can.

And to a great extent, Emperor Kisu himself is also affected to a point by the Shiro episode where he would, against the advices of many, authorize the establishment of this new fifth ministry when the same man would not have even hear of the idea before.

The ramifications of this are worrisome. I fear that, among others, there are agents within the empire that may take advantage of this opportunity to assert themselves to positions of power to further their own long harbored ambitions for military expansionism. Obviously at risk are the contentious land where you are currently stationed: that of the Kurzicks and Luxons to the South. These men behind the movement have kept no secrets of their intentions to -- in a warped sense of unification -- annex the two states by force. And I am certain that their ambition goes beyond the land of Cantha, perhaps even into our Northern neighbors of Elona and perhaps even Tyria.

During our respective missions to these lands and others, you and I have frequently exchanged mutual respect to others' culture and native sovereignty. Surely you will be as disturbed by this development as I am. The next time you return to the palace we must meet, as we must confer with those who share our own desire to promote a counter voice against this insanity.

It seems that the flames of war are perpetually brewing in our times. I only hope that the Emperor still hears us.


-- Devotion