The following is a transcription of a speech given by Brelish politician Okeanos Tsitak on the topics of New Cyre and Cyran immigration on 23 Therendor, 997 YK. It has now been more than three years since the great tragedy known as The Mourning struck the nation of Cyre. Its devastating aftermath simply cannot be overstated. Thousands upon thousands of families lost their homes, while millions of others lost their lives. We offer our prayers and hopes for the latter in the next life, but for the former in this life, we can help them here and now. I, alongside my incredible crew of advisors, have worked tirelessly to create New Cyre, a haven for those who have nowhere else to go in the world. Let us embrace the kindness of King Boranel and let the shining beacon of Breland be an example to every other nation on Khorvaire. Yes, the crown of King Boranel symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that crown that gives us our great and special place in the world. For it’s the great life force of each generation of new Brelish citizens that guarantees that Breland’s triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond. Other countries may seek to compete with us; but in one vital area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world, no other country on Khorvaire comes close. This, I believe, is one of the most important sources of Breland’s greatness. We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation. While other countries cling to the stale past, here in Breland we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Brelish citizens, our leadership in the world would soon be lost. If we ever ceased our efforts in New Cyre, the renewed faith in our nation would fade. A number of years ago, a Brelish student traveling in the Lhazaar Principalities took a Karrnathi ship across the Bitter Sea. One of the ship’s crew members from Southern Karrnath, a dwarf in his nineties, struck up a conversation with the Brelish student. After a while the student asked the dwarf how he knew so much about Breland, and the dwarf explained that he had once lived there. He said that for over a year he had worked as a farmer in Wroat and Ardev, that he had planted tomatoes and fished for days on end. It was, the dwarf said, the happiest time of his life. Well, the student, who had heard of the horrible famines and diseases that had ravaged Karrnath, blurted out the question, “Well, why did you ever leave?” “I had to,” the dwarf said, “the war ended.” The man had been in Breland as a Karrnathi prisoner of war. Now, I don’t tell this story to make the case for former POW’s, or to criticize Karrnath. Instead, I tell this story just to remind you of the magical, intoxicating power of Breland. We may sometimes forget it, but others do not. Even a man from a country at war with Breland, while held here as a prisoner, could fall in love with us. Those who become Brelish citizens love this country even more. And that’s why Breland opens its arms wide to welcome them to the golden door. It is bold men and clever elves, hardy dwarves and crafty gnomes, resilient warforged and proud dragonborn, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over. They believe in the Brelish dream. And over and over, they make it come true for themselves, for their children, and for others. They give more than they receive. They labor and succeed. And often they are entrepreneurs. But their greatest contribution is more than economic, because they understand in a special way how glorious it is to be a Brelish citizen. They renew our pride and gratitude in Breland, the greatest, freest nation in the world — the last, best hope of humanoids in Khorvaire.
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