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I suppose I will throw Dante Moretti a bone and agree, he truly is living up to his namesake as man's best friend.

Do not make Selwyn cry! The People's Man wants us to be happy! We all deserve a shot at happiness and prosperity! Up the Gold!

But that is not all! Dante Moretti, the People's Man, saved I from poverty after I was struck by a sand-faced robber! It is thanks to him you get to enjoy my many wonderful services in the coming days! What a man!

Although I had committed myself to remaining out of the election cycle, out of concern for the health of my family, it seems that there is simply no choice but to answer the plaintive calls of the People...

I shall, as is my duty to my supporters, of course run in the Iyar election.

And my first step toward this end? Why, of course, it shall to be donate to this brave hero, Ammon Khaldun, who has survived a horrific attack by the lawless bandits of the White League.

He shall be Voiced.

People of Ephia's Well, it is I, Voiced Citizen Hubert Brickson. You will know me from my very popular restaurant!

These recent changes in the tax codes would have put me out of business and crushed my dreams of operating the # 1 restaurant in all of the sands! But Former Legate Moretti, the People's Man, gave me some coin to make sure I can continue operations!

Thanks be! The Gold League feeds your dreams! Live and drink!

The League of Gold stands firm at the side of the middle class.

We will never forget our origins in the Souk, our quiet and earnest beginnings in the trade stalls.

Our League shall be extending low-interest loans to any merchants at risk of being driven out of the market by the festering, malicious business taxes of the Purple-White regime. And I will be donating 10,000 dinars of my own capital to this relief.

[Lieutenant Rennik Colmes,]

Lieutenant Rennik Colmes,

All glory to Princess Shaimela!
Bronze Spear in the Heart of Darkness!
Brightest Ruby in the Sands!
Builder of a Thousand Minarets!

May her star rise high and glorious above all the Ash!

This could be the last time I use this formal League stationery. As you'll soon read in the sending logbooks, Legate Sayburgh has demanded that you arrest me (rather specifically) on the capital charge of "Apostasy." Izdihar came by to shoot the breeze about it, as one among many topics she had for me; she suggested both that the choice on whether to prosecute will be yours and that she didn't know what choice you would make.

After the months we've worked together, I find myself just as uncertain.

I do not expect or offer anything in particular. We aligned momentarily, as it suited our goals, most recently to push forward Zina on a pro-Janissary platform in the hope of defending the Gold League's claim to the seat. We were unsuccessful, and the new regime has since gone to great lengths to punish us for defying the will of the Cinquefoil Rose. But you owe me nothing. And I owe you nothing. We came together only because it suited us, and we went our separate ways shortly after.

Even so, I don't see any reason why you would kill me, so I feel comfortable enough reaching out with this letter and asking for your intentions.

If you do wish to press charges, there is no need to indulge our sadistic Legates with a trial and an execution. I will accept exile within a day of receipt, departing this city like the other notables of the Gold League. Although Zina departed for Kha'esh, that place does not suit me, and I will instead exert my privileged right to enter Baz'eel. The change of scenery might help Fiordelise recover her spirit, and the harbor almhouses might be what she needs for new purpose and drive.

If you do not, then I will simply take you at your word. I will instead remain in Ephia's Well as the leader of the League of Golds, tending what remains of this shattered party. I will continue to cultivate a minority opposition criticizing our newly deranged government. You should not expect us to be much of a force, of course; I have accounted a dozen of our wealthy Voices leaving Ephia's Well already in disgust at the state of this city, and it will take time to rebuild. And I do sympathize with their feelings. Balestriere Luther Donisthrope has openly bragged about how the persecution of Zina was her just deserts for daring to oppose the Banda Rossa, and it's made my skin crawl so fiercely that I almost chose to commit a real capital crime.

What will it be?

There are many argument I could make for why I am innocent of the legal definition of this crime, or why you would be foolish to indulge Alexandria, but honestly, none of that matters. You are damned if you do, damned if you don't, and of these bad options, it is fundamentally a political decision on how to answer a political order. As Izdihar predicts, if you don't do this, you will be lambasted for having no respect for the rule of law (even though the current Legates, themselves, obviously don't). And as Izdihar also predicts, if you do push this, then you will be decried as a wicked, oppressive tyrant, crushing the innocent. There is no winning. There is only a choice of what terms you lose under.

For my part, only one thing will matter at the end of the night; living long enough to hold my child in my hands and to know that my family will be alright.

The rest of this is just a job.

DANTE
MORETTI

I give my agreement to establish an Accountant government title and assign a generous allowance purposed toward handling minor expenses such as bounties, awards, or grants commanded by the Legates of Ephia's Well.

The allowance could be 10, 20, 30, or even 100 dinars per hour, to the preference of Legate Komemnos.

DANTE
MORETTI

'Tis I, Euphie Barakat! Hear me as I illustrate my experiences! A life spent amongst the ash is cruel. To be left clawing across the desert, to know thirst for so long it becomes a companion. Abandoned to fear and hunger by the Ringfall!

That I come here, and find the generosity of a man! NO, a symbol! That here, you will find kindness and generosity. To find your want, finally, sated!

I am so very grateful to have found this place, and hopefully will continue to be, as I find my place in the very JEWEL of civilization!

Thank you, Ephia's Well! Thank you, Legate Moretti!

Well now, Mr. Moretti, yer generosity done brought a ray o' hope to this here poor worminger's heart.

A thousand and five hundred for my continued labor! Wow! Raise a cup to this Man of the People!

Reckon I ain't never seen such kindness from no one 'fore. Bless ya soul, may the Great Frog favor ya every step!

Now that it is impossible to rejoin a League once you (willingly) leave the ranks, perhaps we should remove the restrictions against leaving and joining Leagues during the election season.

They will make a commitment to me, and not a small one.

That is the price for their request.

They tell you it is betrayal, and parrot the word eagerly, but you already know there is no standing agreement between us to betray; the same Sisters that sent you to speak with me already made sure of that when they manifestly, unconditionally opposed the League of Gold and manipulated you to the same end.

It is the desire of all these witches, black, blue, red, gold, for us to hate and oppose each other so that we are easier to control, and so that we are easier to dispose of when they have no further use for us.

This is as true for you as it is for me.

You must know that the Sisterhood has a material difference of interests from the Banda Rossa. Whatever their endgame, it does not include anything kind for you. Neither is it the case for these Astronomers.

These are all temporary alliances, the best of a bad situation, and a bad situation that they very intentionally designed for us.

DANTE
MORETTI

Sally was the best.

Our schedules haven't aligned. But I'm sure they will, before long.

Given that I am all that stands in the way of your corporate assets being nationalized, we ought to discuss a donation to my campaign fund. We might talk about a few other things while we do.

DANTE
MORETTI

Let me spin you a tale, people of Ephia's Well; one woven by myself, the famed and bankrupt Loryn Flickergrace.

No longer bankrupt, due to the magnanimous charity of this Man of the People, this First Citizen, Dante Moretti!

And I have come into undoubting belief that his accent wins over many a fair Ephian woman, and that his sense of adventure allures even the most disillusioned of madcaps and sell-swords. I wish to learn his language. I want to join his political party. The League of Gold calls out to my heart, and plucks at my heart strings as if playing a lyre.

And what's more, just minutes ago, a goblin rogue grazed my side with an arrow, very narrowly missing that heart! Hrm! A deadly place, this city that I've come to. Goblins hide within your abandoned homes, and I was told it was free real estate. Much already needs to be done to clean up what we already have, and some of you fret over homes not built yet!