Archdruid-

I was overjoyed to receive your letter! I am pleased to hear that their presence is so-far un-impactful. Your guidance to seek the full story here has helped ease my mind significantly. Nevertheless, the more I experience and learn, the more I am finding questions where I hoped to find answers.

Staying on the path has proven difficult, but not impossible, as I travel with this new crew. My goals are not (and cannot be) the only priority. We have received word that we can return to Bral to finish our business, so we will leave Hanbaishi today. Since Commander Ashine is positioned there, I look forward to speaking with him about the Koalitio’s efforts with threats to non-member worlds. I trust his guidance and candidness so far. It is approximately a two-week journey there.

As we explored Hanbaishi, there are a variety of feelings about the Koalitio’s presence, power, and interventions (which is not unexpected). Many here are pleased at the sense of protection, stability and uniformity. Many others are resentful of a heavy-handed exertion of their power over their individual communities, and there seem to be intentional gaps in the history of when they first arrived here and interacted with the indigenous Dwarfen clans centuries ago. There seems to be a hierarchy with Elves at the top, a mixture of ancestries in the middle, and many like Dwarfen folk are at the bottom. My experience is that this hierarchy is one with strong motivations of power and oppression. I do not know yet the full history of our own people, but I am mindful that the positions of power on Craia are mostly filled by Elves - and I am curious how that came to be as well (aside from the long-lived nature of elves).

It is unclear what the Koalitio would ask of Craia in negotiations to join their ranks. It is unclear what we would ask of them. Mina seems tacitly distrustful of the Koalitio, as do our new friends. I still wish to learn more about what their motive is for seeking our membership, as well as what are the larger consequences of joining or not joining. Can you share why the other Circles and the representatives from the Neutral Lands do or do not wish to join?

Craia’s existence has been very prominent in broadsheets throughout our travels, which has peaked significant interest in our world. Though I do not yet feel certain about joining the Koalitio, I have absolute belief that Craia’s participation in interplanetary culture is inevitable. If they are not already, I advise that the Council of Archdruids and the Neutral Lands should be in conversation about Craia’s fledgling identity as an interplanetary body. This conversation, I think, is paramount.

As a child of the changing seasons and the convergence of celestial bodies, the themes of my destined path seem to be coming to focus (even if my physical path is complicated): how can I help Craia greet this new Astral season and participate in this interplanetary culture while maintaining its history and identity? Can Craia unify as a planetary identity while protecting the ideals of our individual cultures? How do we balance ancient traditions with modern necessities?

I hope that the Koalitio presence on Bral means that I might be able to receive your response, though I know the situation there is highly secure and quite unusual. If not, I will eagerly await your letter whenever I am able to receive it. My best love to my family, and to the Kealamins as I continue to hope for answers about Jandar.

Know that I have found great support and friendship here in the Astral Sea. We have named ourselves the Astra Exteri - a fitting name for this intrepid group whose paths have seemingly aligned from the farthest reaches of the stars.

From the star-filled seas,
Rusco