Aiki and I have returned just this morning from an attempted trip to Ravenhurst. We ran into several unexpected hitches in our journey, and thought to report our findings where others might see them. We attempted to depart through The Gates of Passage only to find out from the technician that several of the gates—several of which lead to Ravenhurst—were either switched off or destroyed on the other side. After getting the proper permissions, we attempted to utilize The Reaching Room within the Inverted Tower to reach our destination. Just as it seemed it would activate, its magics fizzled out around us. We deliberated for some time on how to proceed, and finally decided to portal to a nearby location—to Loez. When we final arrived, we were met with a scene of organized chaos; the entirety of Loez is in the midst of preparing itself for a large-scale siege.
We came across the Count during our brief stay, and he asked that we bring this letter back for all to see. He fears that a dark power is turning the wheels of this campaign, and after the journey I’ve made, I’m inclined to agree. Please, read his words carefully and know we can triumph through our united efforts.
-Odette D. Lucatiel
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Letter from Count Everest
Subjects of Travance,
By now most of you have seen the treasonous letter put out by Duke Balliol and other nobles. I rushed to Loez upon word of it surfacing in the mainland. Upon my arrival, the Dukes forces had already mobilized, sacked the town of Dularn in Loez, and had began marching on the city of Kradaw. I rode out with a battalion, but arrived too late. Kradaw is now fortified and held by the Dukes forces. I returned to Alieander and promptly began sending out the call to rally all of our armies into action. I will be returning to Travance in less than a week, once I feel that all of our bannermen are sufficiently mobilizing. Our scouts are trying very hard to assess which territories of the Kingdom have been seized.
Regarding this declaration, I have no intention of filling out the wishes contained therein. Regarding the Duke and the other nobles, to raise arms against Kormyre is to commit treason. I do not know what lies behind this conflict, but their actions could not unveil their intentions any clearer; they want war and they have already brought it to us. At least one has advised me that I should consider the perception of the masses, consider the thin veins of truth that lie in the traitorous letter, move fully back to Travance, and separate Travance from Kormyre once and for all. While I understand the sentiment behind such a thought, to do so would be to abandon hundreds of thousands of innocent common men, women, and children. I will not gamble with the lives of these people. We would risk condemning them, abandoning them to a dark age of subjugation or worse. We will protect the innocent people of this realm, and we will fight threat head on; all while continuing our quest to seat a fair and just ruler on our throne.
I have spent the last several days routing spies out of Castle Alieander. They were buried under deep cover and had infiltrated even the upper echelons. Our efforts were thorough and I am certain the spies have been eliminated; however, the desire to put my trust in the hands of administrators in mainland Kormyre is waning. I do not prefer to leave this effort in the hands of mainland bureaucrats and those whom have been untested until this point. I do prefer to put my trust in those who have never failed to deliver under times of great need, the Heroes of Travance. Upon my return I will bring the necessary maps and intelligence for you all to direct, manage, facilitate, and orchestrate efforts of war in order to eliminate this threat and save the innocent lives that hang in the balance. This war will not just be about swords and sorcery, but also winning back the hearts and minds of the common folk who may have be unduly manipulated during this process. I have no doubt that there are layers upon layers of complexity to this situation and it will take careful and skilled investigation and diplomacy to uncover the truth and restore the peace. You individually are under no order to assist with this effort, but you have my faith and my willingness to trust you collectively with command over Kormyre’s armies and resources.
Until my return,
Count Sebastian Everest, Warden of Kormyre
OOG: Hayley Virgil
IG: Chevalier Odette D. Lucatiel, the Red Kestrel of the Chaos Wastes
"Fall not into the depths of despair."
