The Vitreous Edict

The Obsidian Collective of Ironstone is the fastest-growing organisation in Isturoth, rapidly expanding its interests and industrial assets, as well as its political power and wealth. To help recruit the Isturian to their cause, they have released a publicly available statement called the Vitreous Edict, that details their agenda and their vision for the future.    As vitreous is a sophistocated word for something "glass-like", the name sounds cold, clinical, and intellectual. It presents the manifesto not as a passionate plea, but as a rigid and undeniable truth, like a scientific principle. It implies the Collective's purpose is a matter of pure, ruthless logic, with no room for sentiment.  

Contents

The Vitreous Edict: A Manifesto of the Obsidian Collective of Ironstone

The manifesto opens not with a passionate call to arms, but with a stark, detached analysis of the kingdom's state. It describes the current era as a time of "sentimental inefficiency," where inherited tradition and emotional ties to the land have led to stagnation. The Vitreous Edict is presented as a logical remedy, a new order born of pure reason and purpose. It claims to be the only path to a sustainable and powerful future.  

The First Law: The Unyielding Power of Iron

The core of the manifesto is the proclamation that iron, not blood, is the true measure of a kingdom's strength. The Edict declares that all land and resources, from the deepest mines to the thickest forests, are not sentimental heirlooms but tools for optimal use. It dismisses traditional land ownership as an archaic concept, stating that the true value of a holding lies solely in its potential for industrial output. The Collective subtly frames itself as the only body with the foresight to properly steward these resources for the good of all, implicitly positioning any who cling to their ancestral lands as a liability to the kingdom’s prosperity. This section implicitly dismisses the value of farming, shepherding and other non-industrial pursuits, positioning iron as the only thing that matters and subtly devaluing the livelihoods and traditions of all who are not part of the Collective's grand industrial machine.  

The Second Law: The Breath of a New Age

This section introduces Iron-Breathing, their proprietary steam technology, as the ultimate expression of the Vitreous ideal. It praises the Iron Heart as a perfect, rational solution to the kingdom's woes, a "mechanical spirit" that banishes the unpredictability of nature and the weakness of Isturian muscle. It states that this technology is not a mere invention, but a new standard of living. The manifesto makes it clear that those who choose to live without the benefits of Iron-Breathing are not just traditionalists, but a drain on society's progress, and must be considered with cold, objective detachment.  

The Third Law: The United Purpose of the Collective

The manifesto defines the Obsidian Collective not as a government, but as a necessary mechanism for progress. It is a "brotherhood of purpose," a perfect meritocracy where one's worth is measured by their contribution to the industrial machine, not by bloodline or title. It comprises engineers, miners, and merchants, bound by a shared belief in progress; it is an organisation where the best and brightest can rise to the top, regardless of their family name. The Edict promises that anyone can rise to a position of power within the Collective, so long as they embrace its cold, rational logic and discard the foolishness of their old loyalties. It doesn't promise equality, but rather a perfect system of "proportional reward for proportional utility." In reality, it is a loyalty test, meaning anyone who bows to their authority and embraces their worldview can prosper. Those who resist, who value their independence or ancestral lands, are seen as "lacking purpose" and "standing in the way of progress," making them enemies by definition.  

Conclusion: A Vision of a Forged Kingdom

The manifesto concludes with a stirring vision of the future: a kingdom of order, efficiency, and strength, powered by the Iron Heart and guided by the Collective's purpose. It asks the reader a direct question: "Do you choose the crumbling walls of yesterday, or the solid foundations of tomorrow?" It states that the kingdom has a choice between a slow, sentimental decline under its old, broken system and a swift, logical, and inevitable ascent under the Collective's guidance. The "choice" is, of course, no choice at all. The manifesto suggests that those who do not join the Collective are actively choosing decline and ruin. It is a choice between ruin and cold, absolute perfection.