News From Hauxwell

My dear towns members,

During this past feast, I have received news of the fate of my family. While I generally consider my personal life a private matter, I realize that I have involved a great many of you within my selfish plan to see my family safe. As such, I've decided to share with all of you a letter--delivered to me through the combined forces of Reyna and Khala--written by the hand of my lady mother. Within it is a piece of information that I'm having some difficulty wrapping my head around. I'm not the most well-read person of this town, so I'm hoping that one of our many historians could conduct some research and shed some light on the matter. Below is a word for word transcript of the letter. I hope that it may help us:

My Dearest Odette,

First, I want you to know that your father and I are alive and we love you very much! Several months ago a large army came to Hauxwell claiming that the kingdom was no more, and that the new Imperial Kormyre would take its place. All were commanded to bend the knee and pledge loyalty to Duke Balliol. House Lucatiel has always been loyal bannermen of the Nostrove royal family and so we could not take the news so easily and without proof. Even more so, you're father said that he had seen Duke Balliol in Loez a decade ago and this Duke was a different and younger man than from what he remembered. We both refused to bend the knee without proof and so we were publicly proclaimed striped of our titles and holdings and then thrown in our own dungeons beneath Kestrel's Perch. We have been here ever since. We have not been starved or tortured, but life in a cell is growing more difficult with each passing day. Your father and I are in separate cells, but we can hear each other if it is quiet.

Last night, a woman found me and I found out that she was from Travance, which is where I knew you were last seen. She came back and brought me paper and is waiting here now as I write this. I need to let her go so she is not caught by the guard, so I must end this now. Know that no matter what happens we love you very much, we think of you every day, and your father and I are so very proud of you!

Soar through the sky,
LLL

I pray that this information will be useful to our scholars. Thank you so far to everyone who has continued to help me see that my family and my people are freed. I swear that I will liberate them and along with every town, city, and holding in Korymyre I come across until my heart lies still in my chest. If the people of Kormyre cry out, I shall not turn away from their call.

-Sir Odette D. Lucatiel of Kormyre

Odette,

Thank you for your willingness to share this information despite how personal it is. I look forward to the day when we can reunite you with your family. I will begin to do some research into this information, perhaps if something is discovered, it could help turn the tide in the war.

Ser Odette,

While my parents are safe in Talenthal, Ravenhurst was my home for many many years. I would be honored if I could join you in liberating its people, and the people of Kormyre.

I am curious in regards to the fact that your father indicated that this Duke Balliol appears different than in the past. Could this be another of the family line? or perhaps an impostor?

In Service of the Kingdom of Kormyre,

My line of thought is the same. Is the current Duke an imposter? Is the original Duke out there? Could they secretly be the same person? Is the current Duke a descendant? I have so many questions...

It is my hope that our collective effort will solve this and bring us one step closer to bringing this man to Justice.

-Sir Odette D. Lucatiel

So long as they are behind wrought iron, my heart lies there in the cell. I am with you.

~Nalick DeMarche

Hayley Virgil (HayleyAnnV) wrote: My line of thought is the same. Is the current Duke an imposter? Is the original Duke out there? Could they secretly be the same person? Is the current Duke a descendant? I have so many questions...

Sir Lucatiel,

I am glad to hear that your parents remain alive.

As to the Duke, I recall Lady Kleidin once saying that Duke Balliol had a cousin of the same name (I may be mistaken. I'm sure someone will clarify if I am wrong.). If the original died, this cousin may very well have been the next in line. It is not too great a leap of logic to think that the Chancellor might have already had this younger man under his sway, and either set up or took advantage of the passing of the title in some way - this kingdom has seen many great wars and other dangers these past few years. To have gained enough of an army to even begin this campaign, or to have so many nobles sign under his name at the outset, he must have begun with at least some veneer of legitimacy - i.e., this man is a legitimate heir to the duchy - or else the Chancellor's influence is spread more widely than we suspected. The former seems more likely, though the latter is not impossible.