Springdale was an awfully long time ago, but I am inclined to believe you on that account. In recent times however, that seed has really been watered by Thulsoma's propaganda machine. Hatred of SA has become noticeably more virulent and unrelenting since the beginning of the Thulsoma affair. The ironic part is that those who hate SA have a tendency to be just as fanatical about it as they accuse SA of being, if not more so in fact. Rowan was a pretty moderate character, but Averoth and Caerwyn in the end refused to deal with him and succumbed to paranoid fantasies about non-existent SA plots. Averoth was offered unconditional peace, but never responded. As for Caerwyn, Rowan made several concessions, from peace talks with Averoth to rewriting the Brotherhood of Theocracies treaty. In the end however it turned out that Caerwyn was planning for war the entire time, apparently irregardless of anything Astrum could do to reassure them.
Ah well, I can't complain about how things are working out in the end.
In fact things are working out so well, you have to question the non-existent SA plots. After all how could so many rulers make such poor choices time and time again
