Dearest Son,
I am confident in you. Seeing you in action and helping you twice while you were here was a good thing. You are supremely adept and skilled. A more talented son I could not ask for. Your father is very proud of you as well and your cousins are rooting for your success. Roux and Pris are excited beyond belief. This is your first mission for the Academy. It could lead to great things. I only wish the mission was less perilous.
What I saw were skeletons in the dark, thin, skinless, and wearing armor that I could not recognize. I saw other horrors I cannot describe. You must be cautious.
On thing that has bothered me, over and over, is why in Aarith’s name would a map to ancient hold be placed in a magic item of this kind, one that could be lost in battle. It is my theory that the map was intended to be found – not necessarily by you. It was hidden in plain sight. Whomever attuned to the aquila is the one who know, he or she had to.
Brigette tells me that the General at the dwarven victory some 600 years ago was a General Varrus. His key ally was Brynnius, a sorceror. Varrus was undefeated until the dwarves of Azenkuul crushed his army. Why the dwarves won is a mystery. Some call it a minor miracle – though they were defeated some months later. If your artifact was in fact that owned by Brynnius, then your father and I believe that he inscribed the map in the aquila to protect it, taking it with him for some nefarious purpose. That battle took place near Uzec. Maybe local dwarves know more.
You should know that a woman, a Trieza d’Este-Avriela, stopped by calling on you. She was a pretty one. She says she missed you at the party, whatever that was, and looks forward to seeing you again.
That is all I can share. I pray to Aarith for your safe return.
You mother,
Bella
***
Mother,
I received your letter. I should be reachable by this method for at least the next few weeks as we make our way up to Uzec and then south again as we begin our journey East.
I wanted to say thanks to both you and Father for your constant support and guidance. I am the product of you both, and I must say I think my interests in life (for better or worse) stem in large part from both of you and that guidance. You are correct mother in that seeking out this information is incredibly dangerous and yet something I feel must be done.
In truth mother please know that whatever the outcome, I am doing what all my training has prepared me for. And to that end I am quite happy. I truly hope this will be the first of many grand adventures that result in ever increasing my knowledge of this world, and that of the magic that courses through it. I hope it shall also aid the guild, our family status, and of course Thalassa and Sidoneous’ dream.
Thank you for the information. Rest assured we will go in prepared to deal with the undead and anything else we may encounter. To that end I am hopeful we will be able to enlist the aid of our friend and adventuring companion Jocelyn who is presently in service to the temple in Uzec. If not her, then perhaps we will be lucky enough to garner the aid of others that are skilled in dealing with such.
Indeed if the inscription was crafted by Brynnius he no doubt intended to take and use whatever is hidden for his own means (or that of an as yet unknown master of his). What happened to Brynnius we don’t know, but it would seem whatever he had planned has not yet come to fruition. Our journey may at last complete whatever (as you say) nefarious purpose he had planned. Perhaps this is the key to raising Brynnius or some other dark master… We will do our best not to grant his/its wishes.
The whole point of course is to learn what we can. If indeed if this is the key to some dark chain of events, it is best we understand them so as to ensure said chain is broken permanently to prevent such darkness.
You, father, and those from the guild have trained me well. I will be as careful as circumstances will allow, and I hope to return and see you soon.
Your faithful and loving Son
-El