Final Haven LARP

The Haven Fallacy
By: Unknown Author
Date: aprox. 1015. Found 1057 in the ruins of Vaunephasuak

The Haven Fallacy: A Treatise on the End of the World

As I sit here on the eve of reckoning, it seems as good a time as any to contemplate what may come next. When the raging battle finally rests its mighty but bloodied head upon the field, what will remain of this land we so desperately call home? Which friends, if any, will remain to listen to the many dirges sweeping across this land, which family members will survive to cradle their loved ones in their arms? It cools the blood thinking such things.

Seeing as there is nothing that I can do to prevent the sweeping tide of destruction that will invariably lead to my doorstep, I can only sit and reflect and leave this last testament, a proof if you will of my life. I only hope that whoever shall read this may look beyond the pessimistic slant that this shall have to take and find within these pages some truth, no matter how small a parcel it may be, and reap some bit of comfort from it.

I suppose I should not assume that whoever reads this will understand how I know the end is upon us, and I hesitate to desecrate the memories of friends, of allies, of family. Suffice it to say that I have heard the plans, have seen the mages at work, and I know that their intentions are simply to use the life force of the duchy to relieve themselves of their enemies.

I also know that it will fail. This is not some bold prediction by an overzealous philosopher, some trick of words by a conniving seer. This is the truth, as best as I can tell, for the plan relies entirely upon the coordination of far too many people, all of whom are fallible, who are strayed by unimportant falsehoods.

It is, however, the first, to my knowledge anyway, attempt at mass killing, that is the killing of all individuals women children and dogs included with a single stroke of magical power, an attempt no matter how misguided that it may be that will be noticed. It has no chance to be otherwise, and this of course will lead to escalation. In the history of our world this has always been the case. Each action has and always will create a larger response from the inflicted group, so as long as that group remains, and it is virtually impossible to demolish everyone within a single group. Leave but one and that one will one day grow with hatred in his heart until such a time is reached when an appropriate response is possible.

And of course there will be more than one, each with fantasies of vengeance that will fill their dreams each night. The world cannot survive such hate, a hate that evil itself will feed upon, become larger, stronger, unstoppable.

And what will be left of our noble world? Will this document survive? Will the plants, the trees, the animals? Will there ever be a time where I can look out my window with hope instead of fear, when I can see a stranger and peer into his eyes and know that I have just met a friend instead of someone intent upon my demise? I fear that my time will end before such a reality is realized.

And what of the survivors? Will they be able to rebuild what was once a mighty empire? Will they ever be able to feel at peace in a newer yet harsher reality? It is not an easy question. It stands to reason that the more simple organisms, those not burdened by wayward thoughts of revenge, will learn to adapt and continue to thrive as they once did. A simple plant, if you will, starving for food, for nourishment, may learn to stretch its roots deeper into the soil, to reach with all its tiny yet fierce desire to survive in order to find water, food. In this way, it will surely grow once more, to decorate the crimson soil with more vibrant colors.

We must do the same.

But can we? Will it be possible for survivors of different races, beliefs, cultures to carve out for themselves a sanctuary, a haven if you will, where they can grow and flourish together? That is what some believe. Some who are more cognizant of the far reaching potential of their plans believe, should something go wrong—and they believe it is far less likely than I do of course—that as long as there are people, they will find peace and safety in numbers, that there will always be a haven for people with the will to survive. They, I believe, are underestimating the wide destruction that is approaching and have arrived at a conclusion without one vital consideration, a consideration that I will describe below that, unfortunately dear reader I am sure you have discovered already, that there will be no sanctuary for the survivors. I'm afraid that there simply cannot be.

Imagine if you will for the sake of simplicity that one piece of land for some reason or another, either by magical or natural means, were to be spared the brunt of the devastation. Imagine further that this parcel of some inconsequential area was simply more fertile, more inhabitable, more desirable than every other parcel of the same area. This is not merely a hypothetical. As with everything, there will always be the most desirable. Give me two coins of equal value and most will take the shinier one, two horses of equal strength and most will take the larger one, two land masses of equal area and most will take the one with darker soil, with more trees, with more water. You can be assured that after the great war to come, there will be but one area of more desirability than all the others.

And therein lies the problem. Especially when combined with sentient and largely selfish beings, all of whom will desire it in equal portions. The people will feel they need this land to survive for it will produce more grain to eat, more water to drink, better land to build on, and so forth. They will fight for it with all of their might...and so will everyone else.

Unlike the plant as I discussed earlier which will try and stretch and grow as best it can, in this new world, space will be finite, the walls of the world will feel closer, claustrophobic even, and constantly bombarded by others, all of whom feel equally entitled to this land and all as uninterested in sharing—there is after all only so much space.

In short, this new world will have no haven, no sanctuary, at least not in the physical sense. I think that in order to survive, even to prosper I dare say, the haven will have to be found within ourselves and within the trusted hearts of our comrades, our friends, our families. Our growth, like that of the plant, depends upon our unity and our trust in the other branches fighting just as hard as ourselves to forge out a path of survival. May you keep them close to your side and find peace within them and within yourselves.

May we all.