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[andrea]

Source: Department of contrarian opinions and of citizen moral welfare
Object: Report on the reasons for peace

As per the request presented to our department, in this document we shall summarize why we believe that peace, at this time, is the best possible outcome for Wreth, its citizens, its future. We will start by analyzing the causes of the war, moving then to the perceived gains of war, the proven benefits of peace and finally a closing summary.

The war started many years ago following a specific fact: the assault to our demispires, of which we suspect Kasgyr to be the culprit. The war goals were therefore two: to recapture the lost territories and to punish the aggressor. The former was clearly achieved a long time ago, while the latter is arguable and will be expanded upon during the end summary.

The war is considered by most of the bureaucracy to have several benefits for Wreth. The recent improvements in our technology are certainly unprecedented, we managed to occupy one of the belt spires and military victories were certainly galvanizing, acting as a catalyst for support. Increase of technology and available resources is one of the main arguments you will see war proponents use to justify their beliefs.

But what is the cost? First of all, the supposed benefits are negated. The new technology is entirely dedicated to warfare, hardly finding the time and resources to spare to benefit the civilian world. The resources, we own them. Theoretically. However, our only territorial conquest, the spire of Three Captains, is permanently blockaded by the enemy negating any of its benefits. The easiest, fastest and least expensive way of accessing the supposed benefits of the war is, indeed, to sign a peace treaty allowing us to finally exploit the new land. But not only the supposed benefits find themselves negated, there are also other costs. the filing of condolence letters and government pensions for widows is at an all-time high, with hundreds of men perished just in ground combat, without even counting fleet warfare and factory accidents. The quality of life of the average person has lowered consistently in the last years, both in terms of material wealth and of happiness. Rationing restricts access to goods and grieving for relatives is found to be anti-correlated with satisfaction in life (with minor exceptions).

In the end we have to ask ourselves: what are we fighting for? Why is the war worth continuing? Why should we keep paying the price? The reclamation of land was successful, with territorial gains made above what was our by right. The punishment of the supposed aggressor can only be considered achieved by most moral people, since they have paid a price no lesser than our. And any further progress at this stage can only come through great blood, pain death. Then why do we still insist? as a rational actor, why do we continue?
The conclusion presented here is one: Wreth is made of rational actors, but rationality is only a mean to an end, and it has been hijacked by people whose goals conflict with the good of Wrethian people as a whole. Rationality and bureaucratic process have been perverted in service of pride and greed. This marvellous structure we all built, to serve and to protect, to work as a well-oiled machine for the perpetual wellbeing of Wreth shielded by human failings, is failing. Parts of the machine have lost sight of the whole and only see what is around them. Instead of undue suffering and dead people they see meaningless numbers to be expended, in service of glory or material gain for themselves, no matter the (for them insignificant) cost.
The bureaucracy of Wreth is a beautiful thing, which worked flawlessly for so much time that only deep archivists still remember how it started. It shielded us from oppression internal and external. It moved us forward at a steady pace where lesser systems would have failed. It represents a dream: flawed humanity building a flawless machine that can rule everyone fairly and equally. But the work is not yet done and the machine is broken. But what is broken can be fixed, and the first step in doing so is eliminating the main symptom, this needlessly long and costly war. Only then we can dedicate our time and effort fully toward our national vision.

We therefore fully reccommend the involvement of the Department of civil disorder in this discussion, in order to implement the propositions of this document.

[helmacon]

- excerpt from "The Kasgyrite Reader" -

... certain academics argue that the cost of the war is further afield than the material and humanitarian sacrifices that are daily made. They position that Kasygrite culture it'self is suffering an unprecedented decay in the face of the atrocities that are brought to bear to contend with such a modern war. Literary circles are under particular influence of this trend, with a spate of poetry and second hand accounts written from a number recently publicized letters from marines formerly stationed at the infamous "Three Captains" front. Our editors have included a small selection of these works that you as a reader might judge for yourself the merit of these sentiments.

The Anguis
A festering beauty she had, the Anguis. Sleek as a storm bird, eager like a puppy. Her captain was a man of bronze fire, and her crew were touched with the flame. She left the spire like a proud hen, leading her skiffs like ducklings to the war. When she found it, she fell upon them like a lion, so they say. Her brass trim flashed, and her cannons roared. Her skiffs died like aether flies in flight, and fire fell upon the deck to burn against that of her crew. She came back guarded, like a momma bear without her cubs. Limping home to her cavern to lick her wounds. When at last they pulled her into port, they bound her with ropes  and devoured her like dogs.

The weight of our childhood
My childhood was the weight of a bucket, heavy with spire side snow.
It was the crack of salt and tar underfoot, the dust of our histories so thick you could taste it.
It was the way my father taught me to fight, forward facing. Always look then in the eye, what would make Arc proud.
It was the stake of a cavern and a vat, the smell of crystals growing. It was the look of a girl, and the cry of a new born babe.

The weight of my childhood was the cry of my friends, the look of blood on soot stained rocks. It was the smell of ozone, and a wrethian stake whistling through the air.
It was the way we fought. Not drawing a line, but snipers nests and pitfalls. Never let them catch the sight of you. Both closer and further to Arc in those days than any man since.
It was the crack of aether and screams in the distance, the smell of smoke so thick you could choke on it.
My child hood was the weight of my brother as I carried him back through the lines, as I carried him in solemn parade back home.

What Glorious Vistas
Aether fire in a midnight sky. The faces of young men, sent to die.
The sheen of honor, duty, pride. A widows anguish as her husband's died.

- end of excerpt -

[Kashyyk]

 How are things going with the turn Draig?

[Rockeater]

Ptw

[NUKE9.13]

As it turns out, no one in Wreth can draw more than stick figures.
So we're gonna say our artist is less of a visual person and more of a wordsmith. It's still art, technically.
Thus, this is what we have to submit. I think.

THE ARCHANGEL

Sailors turn your boats away
when you see that holy light.
Live to sail another day,
not for mortals is the sight-

Of pearly wings and golden skin
and a face I shan't describe.
See it and your vision's fin
and you're driven to imbibe.

Heed my words, you sons of men,
such beauty, 'tis not for us.
Worship from afar, ye ken-
and they'll never make a fuss.

Fear the angel, praise its name
or our fates will be the same.

BY THEMBA THE BLIND

[Kashyyk]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I guess I should copy this over then too. Have some 4am phone art, as none of Kasgyre seem to be artists either.

[Madman198237]

Hahaha should read thread titles lol

[Jerick]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I guess I should copy this over then too. Have some 4am phone art, as none of Kasgyre seem to be artists either.

Err Kashyyk we only get to post one submission in the general thread and there are still people working on their own attempts. (I know NAV is working on something and there's a couple of others). We're supposed to decide which one we post here by internal voting and well no one has voted yet.

[Tack]

Actually iirc there's as many submissions as you want.

[Draignean]

Actually iirc there's as many submissions as you want.

No, for this it's a single submission. I'll let you guys decide on which one you actually want to use, but there's only one art piece, not an art show.

[Jerick]

I was just checking and it seems you didn't actually mention that rule in the thread, only on discord which not everyone is on. So apologies Kashyyk, you had no way of knowing that.

[Draignean]

Yep, that is indeed my bad and should have been in the description of the event.

[NAV]

But we can still post the rest of the art here after the event, right?

[Draignean]

Of course.

[Tack]

I guess the fluff of the contest did point towards that also.