Dear Aramus,
In the past month since my last letter, much has happened. My party was basically told to stay put in Ulthalamel while the greater peace process works itself out. Apparently we are still considered important players in the big scheme of things, although I’m not entirely sure why. Prince Elwynn contacts us periodically to keep us abreast of what is going on, and his local agents keep us well fed, but we’re not actually doing anything! Which can be infuriating. I feel like a noble receiving reports about the ongoings of the kingdom, rather than an adventurer running errands for a noble.
(OOC: Read: DM Feedback :p DnD ain’t novel-writer local affairs storytelling with the occasional encounter, but a living story told through six perspectives!)
We did get invited on a scouting expedition with an Ulthalamel scouting party though, although nothing much happened. We ran across a drow giving orders to several ghasts. Although the prospect of the drow and undead crawling through our forests gives me the creeps as you humans put it, it was not new information – the scouts have mentioned to us that they have encountered drow and undead in the forests. We couldn’t even track the drow we encountered – the trail goes on and on and on… (OOC: Meant to be a random encounter, not a real adventure hook heh.)
One interesting thing did happen though – as we were sleeping in Pazzik’s magically constructed hut, a human who walked along the keyline approached our hut and addressed Telemnar, the ranger in our party. Apparently the ranger’s father owes them something, and the whole affair has to do with a pendant that Telemnor is wearing. I have not noticed it before – it has a half griffon, half chimera design on it. I could not tell if the human is a male or a female. I may not be an expert on humans, but I am honestly surprised that I cannot identify the creature’s gender. It babbled on and on about the future and destiny – the exact kind of drivel I hate listening to. I wish that the powers that be (OOC: the DM) would learn to speak plain English. What’s with all these powerful people making all the effort sending messengers that purposely only babble vague nonsense. It’s as though the lot of them have their noses constant stuck in fantasy storybooks (OOC: our DM has his stuck in Harry Potter atm. Very. Firmly. Stuck.).
Soon we receive news that peace talks with the emperor have begun, and that an army from Risen have stopped advancing, and is building fortifications on the mainland. (I forgot to mention this army in my last letter.) There is still nothing for us to do however. I spend my days practicing our craft, and scribing several scrolls that may prove useful in time.
Fast forward another couple of weeks, and we receive news yet again, that the Elorean Empire have formed a treaty with the Dornish Nation. Part of the reason it was necessary apparently, is the possible threat from Risen. The human Prince Norrick is to marry the elven Princess Elisstyagaren. Prince Elwynn’s chamberlain wryly commented that it may have been done in the name of peace, but what both nations are actually doing is taking part of the other’s royalty hostage. I could not agree more.
In the meantime, I have grown a little closer to the barbarian. The dwarf loves battle and simply could not keep still during the weeks of sitting around, so I brought him to the forests to hunt. He could’ve seen so much more of the wonders of nature if he would only stay his sword. However, the bigger the creature I showed him, the more excited he is to swing it. Thankfully, barbarians know how to live with nature or there would have been a bloodbath in these forests. Actually, if you think of him as one of the creatures of the forest, he fits right into the balance and is not too different from a very ferocious bear that tears stuff up whenever it’s hungry. Wait he’s too short to be a bear. A wolverine perhaps.
Yep, looks like that bit of mess sorted itself out, to a certain extent. It appears the mission the Speaker sent me out on is resolved, however I would like to stay on for a while more. I am not sure that everything has taken a turn for the better. The announced marriage have created quite a stir among the local populace, and the repugnant racism so often displayed by my race is rearing it’s ugly head again. Many here are as disgusted at the notion of marriage between human and elf of noble blood, as I am disgusted at their … well … disgust.
In fact, we’re hearing from a druid my party knows named Athronin that perhaps some druids from his Rohndawin Circle may be riled up enough to do something about it. Considering that the royal families are on their way to begin the marriage celebrations, it does not bode well.
I will keep vigil here my friend. May the trees shelter your path.
- Rioden
