Writers and Informants Needed for a Project

My fellow people of Travance, I have a project of sorts that's been consuming my life for the past day or so. It's a musical project, and I plan to share it with everyone once I finish it.

Are there gifted writers out there who are willing to help me? I'm afraid that what talents I have in musical know-how and performance, I lack in being a competent lyricist. Contact me if you'd like to assist this bard with a terrible case of writer's-block.

Also, I am looking for information and stories. If you know anything about the lives of those ordinary, but absolutely brave individuals whose souls were lost to the Abyss from the blue inhalant, please send me a private letter with that information.

I thank all of you who plan to help me with this task.

Signed and Sung,
Rowan Uidhir

Dear Rowan,

I've gathered an extensive amount of notes regarding those deceased. I can loan them to you before I leave for Elvalion.

Sincerely,
Sindarion Sinclair

Thank you very much, Sindarion. I do appreciate all of the help and information I can gather.

Excuse me for my bluntness, but I feel this must be said.

I have to ask - aside from Julie Tellmein, who in her last moments realized what she had become and stood against Xualla, what about those individuals made them "brave"? Perhaps I have missed something, but in my hours of listening them berate us for our "crimes", I never once felt that this was the appropriate descriptor for Maggie, Winnie, Mina, or especially Victor. Certainly, they went through unimaginable hardship, but they did not face it bravely. Instead, they turned to vengeance and turned against King and Country. They took an offer of power from an unknown source, and then used it not only against the "heroes" they so blamed for their grief, but spread that poison amongst our citizenry, killing them with the drug, with their rampant uncontrollable abilities, and bringing them under their sway with magical and other effects, which resulted in their near massacre (barring those men and women we were able to save when those who had used the drugs were stopped). Even when it was discovered that their abilities were not a blessing but instead an infusion of blood from Xualla himself, all but Julie continued to defend themselves and fight us in their vengeance. Mina continued to fight the town, poisoning the lake, attempted killing the man "Godsend", and sent controlled, dying men against us until we were able to defeat her and the druids were able to heal the damage she'd done to the waters and the life within. Maggie and Winnie continued to scream at us irrationally, despite several different attempts at consolation from various sources, reprimanding us for killing their family, Victor, and repeatedly demanding that Travance and all its people be wiped from the face of Arawyn. They wished to see the world burn. Victor, I should add, killed Syn's unborn children in his misguided quest for vengeance. Tell me again, how any of this is "bravery"?

Yes, I pity them for their pain and their suffering, and as I do all lost life I mourn that they could not be saved, and yes, Julie did show bravery at the end. But I saw no remorse in any of the rest of them, no sympathy for the deaths they themselves caused even in the aftermath, no concern for the life around them when faced with what had occurred. They did not hold a monopoly on suffering. It is everywhere, especially in Travance. True bravery is seen in those rare men and women who, when faced with pain, when faced with loss, continue to hold hope and do not succumb to darkness, as hard and as terrible as that may be. True bravery is seen in those who, when faced with horror, still choose the light. These men and women are rare, and I am humbled by those few like this that I am so lucky to have known.

If I am wrong in this assessment and have missed an event that would put a different light on what I have witnessed this moon, I would happily welcome it, for all I feel is sadness at the events that I see not how we could have prevented or ultimately changed.

Hello, Rowan!

I have written a fair amount of lyrics in my travels. Once I feel settled in the healing ways, I think I may look to the ways of the bardic to make these lyrics magical! So I would be happy to offer any lyrical assistance I can to you!

My Lady Elawyn,

I do thank you for pointing out that these individuals never fully had wholesome intentions against the heroes and protectors of Travance. None of us can claim to only have good intentions either. We all have weaknesses, but that doesn't stop song of praise being written and performed for us.

There is no apology needed, milady. It is a blessing that we live in such a place that our thoughts and feelings can be openly expressed. Saying that, I believe that those three women had such bravery and insight that allowed them to come to an understanding with the people of Travance. Julie gave her life in such a horrible and painful way just to save our own lives and the lives of thousands more. It did not matter if she came to us a few days ago originally to seek revenge against us. To use your own words, "True bravery is seen in those rare men and women who, when faced with pain, when faced with loss, continue to hold hope and do not succumb to darkness, as hard and as terrible as that may be. True bravery is seen in those who, when faced with horror, still choose the light". Not only is that true and inspiring in a way, but I believe with all my heart that Julie had that kind of courage.

I was subject to the verbal berates of the departed soul known as Winifred, but if you saw her grieving for her friend, surrounded by Travancians - the very people she despised - and being at peace with all of us, I think you can say the same for her. And in that light, Maggie showed us that we all grieve together, we feel together, and we stand as one when such hardships come into our lives. I kissed their hands during Julie's funeral and saw no hatred in their eyes and I attempted to console their spirits. A person's true character is shown in the face of great hardship. It is true that we have all been hurt in some way by the versions of these women who ingested the blood of Xualla, but I think that I can speak for most of us by saying that we've been touched as well. Observe their lives; observe their character at the very end and tell me if you did not see any bravery.

In no way shall I ever sing glorious songs for Victor's sake. In no way will I praise those who are not deserving to be remembered.
But I will write about the ones who deserve our respect and who have instilled such an inspiration as they have. I will sing of those whose last wish was to be remembered, and whose memories should rightfully be respected for ages to come.

And so I shall.

Signed and Sung,
Rowan Uidhir