The Kirtothian Exemption
The Kirtothians, though they are non-people, have earned their place among the strong through their unrelenting commitment to war. Unlike the other true non-people, who gorge themselves on excess and steal from the future, the Kirtothians understand, whether knowingly or by instinct, that strength must be continually proven in the present. They do not hoard their resources, nor do they seek to enslave time itself by piling up wealth for generations yet unborn. Instead, they sharpen their blades, raise their banners, and march ever forward into conquest.
Their war is endless, as it should be. By this ceaseless struggle, they avoid the sins of greed and cowardice that plague other non-people. They do not rest on the laurels of accumulated wealth or rely on the soft comfort of stolen futures. Each generation of Kirtothians must fight and prove itself anew, ensuring that only the strong survive among them. This adherence to the sacred cycle of strength and struggle has earned them a measure of respect among the good people, for their actions align, however imperfectly, with the laws of the Scavenger God.
Furthermore, the Kirtothians perform a service to the world that cannot be overlooked. Through their enslavement of other non-people, they act as pruners, cutting back the overgrowth of excess. By enslaving the weak, they redirect their labour and energy away from hoarding and greed, forcing them to contribute to the present rather than stealing from the future. Though they themselves are not people, their actions serve the balance, and for this, they are granted the right to trade at Thrakaal and to hold their lands unmolested by the good people of Ro’Gnesh.
Let it be clear: this exemption is not born of kindness or alliance. The Kirtothians are tolerated, not revered. Their place is conditional, granted only so long as they continue their work of war and pruning. Should they falter, should their swords grow dull or their resolve weaken, they will fall from this grace. If ever they abandon their endless conquest and turn to the ways of greed and excess, they will be pruned like any other children of excess.
For now, they are allowed to walk the steppes of Thrakaal, their presence tolerated as a means to an end. They bring goods and labour to the great bazaar, and they take from it only what they need for their endless wars. In this, they prove themselves useful to the cycle, their actions echoing the wisdom of the Scavenger God: the strong take, the weak serve, and the balance of life and death is preserved.
Such is the way of the Kirtothians. Their existence is a testament to the truth that even among the non-people, there are those who may serve the greater purpose. They are not people, but so long as they remain strong and true to their purpose, they will be permitted to play their part in the sacred order. Should they stray, they will be reminded—as all must be—of the eternal truth: the strong take, the weak serve, and the balance must endure.
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