Communique #6

Grigor,

It has been one week since my last missive. I hope this finds you well and in good health.

I finally got Father Theodore to quit trying to make a priest out of me, although it took a small confrontation to do it. I finally snapped and basically told him the real reason behind my interest in his books. He took it rather well, but began asking me all sorts of questions regarding you and the others. I tried to be courteous but also hold my consul, but – and I hope you’ll forgive me – I wound up letting a few things slip. Most notable was he found out that you and I are in communication although he doesn’t know the exact means we use. This shocked him, and when I gently turned the tables and began questioning HIM, I learned something that you may find very interesting indeed.

The spring from whence our esteemed village gets its name has magical properties – specifically it stops and shields from any magical summoning, transportation, or scrying. As Theodore put it, to someone who can scry or use divination magic Halvenspring is “a hole in the grid.” He mentioned a few other effects that are denied, I can’t remember them all but what I do recall are: message, sending, locate object, and locate creature.

Having learned that information I began looking at my neighbors in a new light. Did you know that fully half of the population has been in the village for less than 50 years? Oh sure much of it is cross pollination with Templemount and Halvenstomb but still. Add that to the suddenly revealed abilities of men like Marc Risus and Klaus Steelpick, and your own rather mysterious family history and I begin to wonder how many of my neighbors are in hiding? And from what and why? Even Father Theodore is now something of a mysterious figure – I can’t believe he is just a simple parish priest after watching him fight off the Redcaps weeks ago.

The palisade is done. Marc Risus and your father continue to drill all abled bodied people nightly (breaking for Massday at Theodore’s insistence). They have approached the Grey Circle for funds, even if from a separate local tax, to provide a weapon to each villager. This was, oh about five days ago. Yesterday Slighnigh rode in and pulled Pharun and Marc Risus aside. I happened to be passing by and managed to overhear. Slighnigh told them that asking for weapon funding – how he heard about it I don’t know – on top of the palisade looks too much like arming for a rebellion against the Baron. The palisade he could overlook because of the Redcap attack, but the nightly weapon drills are alarming, and the providing of arms is just too much.  They were ordered to ratchet it down a few notches or risk the Baron’s displeasure. The impression I got was that the Baron was already displeased but that Slighnigh had been speaking on behalf of Halvenspring, using the Redcap attack as justification. Marc Risus’ answer to that was direct, and I quote: “If the Baron wants to saddle up and clean out the Tainted Wood we’ll be happy to relax and “calm down” afterwards. Otherwise we’ll follow the laws and get him our taxes, but we’ll be prepared to defend ourselves against anyone who threatens us. Anyone.” Slighnigh rode out within the hour.

The first floor of Klaus Steelpick’s tower is now finished, and in record time. He still comes out for his nightly walk, but his demeanor has changed – he seems to be troubled and often broods. Four days ago a dwarven merchant came into town, but went straight to Klaus’ tower.  He left in a hurry a few hours later – never even unpacked his wares. So perhaps that has something to do with his mood. It’s either that or when he went that night out to Salavic’s shop in the woods. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned Salavic to you yet, but he’s another new addition. He built a small shop/residence about a mile outside of town in the Firnockt where he weaves baskets and makes simple toys. He is not very sociable but seems harmless enough. There was something else about him I wanted to mention, but it escapes me at the moment. Regardless it was the next day when I noticed that the usually friendly and gentle Klaus was troubled and distracted. Now that I think about it, I don’t know that I’ve heard from or about Salavic since.

Finally we have a new farmer that moved from Woodspear named Eric Plowman. It is a small household made up of him, his son Toby Plowman, and one hired hand named Melor. I don’t trust any of them. Wasn’t it the Baron of Woodspear that conscripted you guys ten years ago? Anyway the Plowmans seem to be asking more questions than actually farming. The son Toby in particular has been eyeing me personally. I caught him using a Detect Magic spell – the wizard variant – in the Sleeping Dragon. I disrupted his casting with a Prestidigitation of my own. He and I stared each other down across the tavern, un-noticed by the other patrons, and I think it might have actually escalated if Melor hadn’t have summoned him home. Needless to say I’m choosing my daily spells differently now.

Regards,

Osgood