Communique #5

Grigor,

Greetings from home. Things have been relatively quiet in Halvenspring the past few days. Construction on the palisade continues as does militia training, but there is no major news to report. Slighnigh is apparently well enough to travel; he passed through yesterday. He is doing an unofficial census of the outlying farms and cottages to see if there were any other Redcap deaths. He seemed impressed with the preparations of Halvenspring but cautioned us against being alarmist. In his words redcap attacks are not unknown but tend to be few and far between. Marc Risus and Pharun calmly listened to his counsel and then asked if the Baron was going to interfere with Halvenspring’s actions. Slighnigh just shook his head and replied, “Not yet,” and then went on his way.

In your 8^th journal entry you asked me to keep a look out for divine magic related writings. So I began nosing around at Father Theodore’s church, reasoning that if any had come through with the surge of merchants this year he would have picked them up. Unfortunately he took this interest as me answering some sort of calling like my brother Frumious did, and now I can’t walk past the man without getting lectured in Omnianism. You got one Hawthorne to don the frock - back off Theodore! This has not produced any new lore for your collection by the way, only aggravation for me.

This crow man that you asked me to look into, and have mentioned several times: I think it maybe connected to several figures referred to in a few texts we have. I have been working on some theories as I peruse and study. One theory is that the Carrion King, the Rook Lord, and the Battle Wraith are all the same being.  They all have a crow motif or connection, although the Rook Lord calls them rooks, and the Battle Wraith refers to ravens.

The Carrion King follows plague and battle fields with a swarm of crows that feast on the fallen. When he visits a house or city death soon follows. 

The Rook Lord supposedly lives in a mountain top tower to the north, and his rooks fly far and wide gathering secrets and stories. The parapets of the tower are decorated with the bodies of those who tried to share forbidden secrets or find tabooed lore. A few elven heroes have sought him out for hidden knowledge with various levels of success.

The Battle Wraith is a figure that appears suddenly over battle fields before the fight. It usually appears in a flock of ravens, and observes the battle. Battles where the Battle Wraith is present are always incredibly bloody, and warriors find themselves unable to flee, fighting with a savagery to the last man.

You can see why I think they might be one and the same, or at the very least connected. All are connected with death, and all are for the most part passive –their presence has some sort of effect and they appear as a reaction to an event rather than causing one.

As for your request that I look for things related to “shadows, wicker, and crows” the closest I’ve come is a fragment that says:

Four survived the final battle and passed through to exist in a diminished state: one who walks with birds and death, one who walks with sticks and madness, one who lives in shadows , and one who stays hidden.

I have come across no writings that mention a jester, outside of common tales etc…

I have nothing on an Azure Guard – you have recognized the similarity in name to the Order of the Blue Mount I assume?

The Void is frequently mentioned, although rarely addressed. It seems to be that which is outside of creation. Summoning spells are said to bring forth from beyond the Void, implying that there is more out there.  Supposedly human and orcs came from “across the Void.”

Which brings us to one of my other theories. What if the Shard Peoples did not come, but were brought? If there are other worlds beyond the Void, is it possible that this is a prison creation of some sort? It might explain the recycled nature of our world.

You asked about early Firstborn settlements; there don’t seem to be any that we know of. Occasionally there are locations mentioned (see my notes about the Hanging Tree in previous communication) but nothing I’ve found that refers to a city or town. Remember that time period predates written record; all we have is oral tradition written down by humanity AFTER they began to colonize the north.

As for the mirror in magical practices – it is used as an arcane symbol for doors, transitions, and self. This is in addition to an obvious application in scrying and reflection.

The Silent Lady is in her halls beneath the sea, everyone knows that (I’m surprised you asked). But your question got me to thinking – where is the Laughing Maid? The Lightning Lord is in Enternal Ice, The Stone King is in Caulderon, but there is no common lore on the Laughing Maid’s location.

A final note regarding your “cowardice.” Based on your description of events I would hardly call you a coward. Your intent and your will was to do the “brave thing,” your inability to perform that action was based on group dynamics and your willingness to compromise – not your fear of the act. If your party had voted otherwise would you have gone through with your plan? If so then you are no coward sir.

Regards,

Osgood