I will have the facts of this situation completely clear.
1. Two very large TUBA warriors launched attacks unprovoked against one of my Battle Lords. ESL's response was immediate presumption of war and we began to counter.
2. TUBA's Duke Amakal contacted me and tried to reign the situation in. We spoke both in game and on IM. The terms of a cease fire were made. TUBA agreed to fight against Smirff for his attacks and investigate JVD Master as to why he joined.
3. All attacks from ESL against TUBA stopped, including after noble taps. The terms were fully agreed to and both sides were copied as to the terms so there could be no statement they were not agreed to, as seen here. In fact, Amakal even commented he liked my letter better than his own.
4. TUBA then launched nicely coordinated, unprovoked attacks in contradiction of the cease fire, largely originating from former JACKS and EVLVD members. This was followed with a boastful mail declaring the war had begun.
These are the facts uncolored by perception or bias. They cast no one in a positive light or a negative one. They are, simply, what they are.
TUBAs attacks have hit and they've taken a few villages. We'll counter and we will. Ultimately the war will tip based on alliances and history, as all wars will. JACKS was a novel idea doomed to fail for not having friends. We are aware our friends are entering for us. We are aware some who are not even our friends side with us.
We are not sure which TUBA friends join them. Alliances are critical, though, TUBA may have a harder time convincing their friends to join against us merely because they started this, agreed to stop, then started it again. Many will watch TWPLUS and decide which side to enter -- if the other side seems to be losing.
Perhaps, though, the greatest difference in the outcome will come in the days leading to now. EVLVD and JACKS, now firmly in charge of TUBA, built themselves on naked aggression and growth against anyone they wished. ESL has lived without growing similarly. We've grown in response to aggression against us, so even those tribes who dislike us, tend to at least acknowledge we did something to them because they did something to us first.
In the end, we've left a smaller wake in terms of leaving angry people behind us. The problem TUBA has is they are being directed by the very people most likely to bring the most enemies against them. One could ultimately even see traditional members of TUBA break off and form anew, disgusted with the new leadership that has not told them what is happening.
Lokinder, Lord of Tribal Affairs.
OUT OF CHARACTER:
I really enjoyed the mail messages I received both from Smirff and from Caoimhín. They were both smartly written and in character. I got a good chuckle out of Caoimhin's as they specifically attacked the character Lokinder plays here which was wonderfully done and allows a lot of in character fun. In past wars, some people have crossed the line between personal and character and so far I think these guys are my favorite. They get the fun part is not just sending catapults on a two day journey, but, also the interaction that goes with it.
