Letter to Corrigan
Another letter from my Druid/Barbarian/Ranger Seb, this time to his close friend Corrigan. (Sorry for any errors. It is late, and I am ready for my full night's sleep.)
Dear Corrigan,
I am very sorry I have not written to you sooner. I do not really know how to write to you.
I am writing this letter in a stables in Hill's Edge. It is not too long since you left, but winter is almost upon us. I am travelling to the Trialta Hills with Aran to look for Ideld. Not to confront her, but just to learn if she is still there. When Aran proposed the idea it seemed reasonable and I still cannot argue with the need for information.
Unfortunately, things have not been favourable so far. We had difficulty travelling the wilderness from Morningvale to Hill's Edge. The forests north of Morningvale no longer welcome me.
This is to do with Fandrigan, and possibly to do with Amasar. I am prevented from ever travelling directly towards Fandrigan's grove, and even our path along the river took us too close. The forest was a stranger to me and we dared not leave the river's edge.
When were forced to pass through a swap. I think something was stalking us, but it was the sink holes that nearly did us in. All I know about the stalking thing is that it makes sounds like a bird and leaves claw marks like a bird, but does not resemble any bird I know of. Perhaps because of our alarm spell, or perhaps by luck, we managed to survive to wake the next day.
Closer to Hill's Edge we found the beached river boat that Glothram found earlier. We stopped to examine the boat and saw that a monster like we faced at the edge of town was likely responsible.
We were inside the boat when we heard Eemin cry out. We found him surrounded by goblins, fending off an attack. Aran and I leapt in to defend Eemin but we ended up barely surviving ourselves. Aran killed several goblins with his bare hands and his strange technique. I tried to find off the goblin attacking Eemin but for every blow that struck true, many fell away. Eventually Aran and I were able to defeat the weaker goblins, but Eemin's attacker and another goblin remained. We had injured both of them, but they did not fall. Instead they changed. They transformed. I had never before seen creatures like this, seemingly goblins tainted and manipulated with the essence of a warg. They were ferocious, but we were angry, Eemin most of all. They were trying to catch him, for who knows what terrors and he repaid their interest. In the end they lay twitching on the ground.
We searched their belongings and found some troubling things. Stitched into the warg-goblins' clothing were small pieces of vellum, each covered in a graceful script we could not read. More ominous were the collars they wore, one on the neck and the other on his arm, that bore a crest of black feathered wings. I think we have seen those wings.
After we recovered as best we could from the fight, we decided to resume our march and attempt to make Hill's Edge by dusk. Before we left I took a rubbing of what remained of the boat's name and then burned the goblin bodies in it. I do not enjoy facing enemies that may need to be burned to be destroyed.
We did reach Hill's Edge safely after that, but I now feel convinced that I will never feel welcome here. I cannot think of it as a pleasant place. When we arrived we found Reginar Tyrran hung. Not only hung, but left to hang. Apparenly the mayor does not go by half-measure when he metes out discipline. Which reminds me, I have not told you this story. I only know what Aran told me, but it seems the mayor had been out of town. He returned with a new guard to discover that his existing guard was in tatters and a new guard was being trained without his approval. Tyrran made his mistakes, but I cannot help but hope for more lenient punishment for someone who has fallen mercy to Ideld.
I did not realize this until now Corrigan, but I think I am seeking forgiveness. I do not know who I could ask, nor if I should ever expect it. I have never sought to kill someone out of penitence before.
I am sorry for the long letter. I do not know where i found the energy to write after all we saw today of goblins, warg-things and swamp, but being back here made it feel like the right time. We are staying in the stables of the Puzzler's Box. Cendor Amad asked me to pass on his greetings.
I hope you are well.
Seb
Dear Corrigan,
I am very sorry I have not written to you sooner. I do not really know how to write to you.
I am writing this letter in a stables in Hill's Edge. It is not too long since you left, but winter is almost upon us. I am travelling to the Trialta Hills with Aran to look for Ideld. Not to confront her, but just to learn if she is still there. When Aran proposed the idea it seemed reasonable and I still cannot argue with the need for information.
Unfortunately, things have not been favourable so far. We had difficulty travelling the wilderness from Morningvale to Hill's Edge. The forests north of Morningvale no longer welcome me.
This is to do with Fandrigan, and possibly to do with Amasar. I am prevented from ever travelling directly towards Fandrigan's grove, and even our path along the river took us too close. The forest was a stranger to me and we dared not leave the river's edge.
When were forced to pass through a swap. I think something was stalking us, but it was the sink holes that nearly did us in. All I know about the stalking thing is that it makes sounds like a bird and leaves claw marks like a bird, but does not resemble any bird I know of. Perhaps because of our alarm spell, or perhaps by luck, we managed to survive to wake the next day.
Closer to Hill's Edge we found the beached river boat that Glothram found earlier. We stopped to examine the boat and saw that a monster like we faced at the edge of town was likely responsible.
We were inside the boat when we heard Eemin cry out. We found him surrounded by goblins, fending off an attack. Aran and I leapt in to defend Eemin but we ended up barely surviving ourselves. Aran killed several goblins with his bare hands and his strange technique. I tried to find off the goblin attacking Eemin but for every blow that struck true, many fell away. Eventually Aran and I were able to defeat the weaker goblins, but Eemin's attacker and another goblin remained. We had injured both of them, but they did not fall. Instead they changed. They transformed. I had never before seen creatures like this, seemingly goblins tainted and manipulated with the essence of a warg. They were ferocious, but we were angry, Eemin most of all. They were trying to catch him, for who knows what terrors and he repaid their interest. In the end they lay twitching on the ground.
We searched their belongings and found some troubling things. Stitched into the warg-goblins' clothing were small pieces of vellum, each covered in a graceful script we could not read. More ominous were the collars they wore, one on the neck and the other on his arm, that bore a crest of black feathered wings. I think we have seen those wings.
After we recovered as best we could from the fight, we decided to resume our march and attempt to make Hill's Edge by dusk. Before we left I took a rubbing of what remained of the boat's name and then burned the goblin bodies in it. I do not enjoy facing enemies that may need to be burned to be destroyed.
We did reach Hill's Edge safely after that, but I now feel convinced that I will never feel welcome here. I cannot think of it as a pleasant place. When we arrived we found Reginar Tyrran hung. Not only hung, but left to hang. Apparenly the mayor does not go by half-measure when he metes out discipline. Which reminds me, I have not told you this story. I only know what Aran told me, but it seems the mayor had been out of town. He returned with a new guard to discover that his existing guard was in tatters and a new guard was being trained without his approval. Tyrran made his mistakes, but I cannot help but hope for more lenient punishment for someone who has fallen mercy to Ideld.
I did not realize this until now Corrigan, but I think I am seeking forgiveness. I do not know who I could ask, nor if I should ever expect it. I have never sought to kill someone out of penitence before.
I am sorry for the long letter. I do not know where i found the energy to write after all we saw today of goblins, warg-things and swamp, but being back here made it feel like the right time. We are staying in the stables of the Puzzler's Box. Cendor Amad asked me to pass on his greetings.
I hope you are well.
Seb