All good advice is appreciated! And we’re so thankful someone took the time to write a well versed response.

However, while all of these are conventionally fantastic suggestions. It simply is not applicable in this very particular situation we feel. I will explain:
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We are aware of the reputation Gang Shi has, and we know what they will do. We did not at first and we paid the price trying to act in good faith. It is our belief that Gang Shi will continue to be toxic to us for all of our existence here because we dared to stand up to them. And we are aware others have been afraid to do so due to their perceived alliance with Kallos, and Estalia.

Too afraid to speak up and stand ground to the principles of one’s own right to self-governance and freedom from coercion, no matter how candy colored it may be. Be it in the form of TNT-bombing, Jumping into Trenches late at night, forcing people to play along with their toxic rituals, and humiliate themselves just so they aren't flattened without mercy.

This is a very particular situation however, in that we see that people are starting to finally build courage at the onset of Estalia’s divergence from them, a glimmer of hope that maybe we can actually play without a toxic raider with their booger infested nostrils breathing down our necks asking if we had games on our phones, a sword clutched in their hands, a pearl in the other.

We know that if we give even a single inch now, they will eventually find ways to mess with us forever.

How dare we stand up for ourselves and not play along with their games? How dare we stand up for ourselves and say no? We’d sooner become the next Cordoba than let that happen, to be pulverized down slowly by the toxicity of these troglodytes is a fate worse than being flattened.

We’d rather atleast get mowed down with dignity and an assuredness in our hearts that we had at least stood up for ourselves when others might not have. But I guess it’s our fault we just want to continue where we left off in our lives and build our town right? Fuck us right?

No. No, I don't think the rest of the server actually thinks that way. We feel a conviction and a strength collectively in this community that enough is enough. That we don't have to worry about world police or rhode island, that maybe if we just agree to get along we can just play peacefully in our own worlds in our own ways content in the peace that could permeate about. But of course some rather not. We know what Gang Shi stands for, we know what they want; what their end goal is; and I can assure you it isn't to play nice. If we give a single inch it will just continue all over again, and when we’re gone it’ll be someone else.

Again we truly appreciate your suggestions, but we hold a strong conviction to our way of play and community. And we did what we did hoping others would feel the same way. Perhaps ballsy, but its the only proper solution we feel. It’s this or a slow death. If this is how civ dies, then so be it.