Hi everyone!
It's Orla, again! Very impressed that you managed to make it back safely for the third time. Especially given two of you have been out for all three expeditions. Your survival rate is incredible. Some of the other departments are muttering and annoyed because our last efforts were... Well, not ideal to say the least. Makes you guys look double amazing.
And WOWEE the stuff you brought back? Ended up talking to the boss lady herself, just her and I in the room. Guys, I was sweating. Someone said she fed an intern to the wolves once. Sargoloth tells me that is stupid and I'm stupid for believing it. He's hilarious.
- This is quite a huge mushroom chunk! Probably an amanita or something of the sort, according to the herbalists. It has a lot of similarities. Not a lot we can do with this, unfortunately, though it is interesting!
- The sword looks like it dates back over hundreds of years. It came to us fairly cleaned but we did take the liberty of further restoring it and polishing to reveal all the details. The gilding on it seem to form a crest at the center, though it's one nobody recognizes. I'll attach a sketch at the end of the letter. "Two crane in its vigilances, quarterly two griffin rampants" is what someone in the office described it as. Then whistled. Don't know what that means. It's also got some pretty strong necromantic aura but nobody can figure out why; it seems like whatever spell was on it was used. Recently. Oh! I just got your letter, now I understand why its empty. Neat! I finally know something the rest of the office doesn't! Oh, wait I should report it.
- When I showed the quarterstaff to the mages they started howling with laughter until they cried. I didn't understand what was so funny but the head mage he wiped away tears and said "Whoever made this had a sense of humour this is hilarious" and then explained. I don't really understand what was so funny about it, but I'm happy they're happy. They wanted me to thank you for sending it in because they needed a good laugh.
Okay I'm going to section the next two items on their own because really everything surrounding it was quite intense and honestly kind of scary? I think I might need to bring a change of clothes next time because I think I sweat through all 3 layers. I think I should also explain a little bit that when we get your packages and your reports it's a little like a little celebration. The items you send always draw a crowd as they're taken out and have an initial inspection. The mushroom got some "ooohs" and the sword got the most resounding "ahhhh!" I've ever heard. But when I revealed the holy symbol there was a subdued reaction then a very quiet "Oh holy shit".
The next little bit was a blur. I was whisked away with the symbol, the little letter opener thing, and told to wait a little bit. I thought somehow I was in trouble, I know that makes no sense, but the atmosphere of the entire guild became suddenly very tense. I think everyone else knew something I didn't but I found out pretty quickly. When the door burst open in came the boss lady with a rush of wind and electricity sparking off her. No, I mean literally. I swear lightning danced on her skin. I was petrified.
She just sat down across from me and said in the most accentless voice I've ever heard. I don't know how to describe it. "Show me."
I did. She took a lot of interest and inspected it and actually ended up telling me about them in a detached voice, like she disassociated from the whole situation. She only realized part way through that I had nothing to write what she was saying down so she personally got me paper and a pen to take notes. So, uh, this is sort of the boiled down version.
- The holy symbol she said was the symbol of a god of judgement, retribution, and justice known as Caem on the Island Kingdom Celcia on Andatir. Three masks facing three different directions. This was an important piece of the puzzle given the next item. She looked at me and told me that she had been on Celcia for a time, so she was astonished and interested to learn of this symbol. As far as she knows the only explorer who might have come from Andatir would be Vigdis - and she's not even sure that Vigdis came from there. Just some of the geography lined up - and that she certainly didn't come from Celcia.
- The small sword in the box. Uhm, it's a symbol of Caem as well. His favored weapon is an executioner's sword - like a big greatsword with the tip cut off. Except he is also known for a specific relic known by a few names: Caem's Sword, Judgement of Caem, or Godsfall. It is an executioner's sword described as being made of an impossibly white metal that shines even in darkness. When thrust into the ground the god Caem will thrust his very own sword into the same spot destroying the land for 5... miles or kilometres she said she couldn't remember. All that's left would be basalt columns. The runes on the dagger were in Old Gantean, essentially the historical language of Celcia. They were just lipservice to the god, she said.
She uh... Then just talked to me for a little bit. Asked about me, asked about you guys. She took a lot of interest in the Lost Lands expeditions suddenly. She already had some interest but with how many other projects I imagine she manages there wasn't really any specific lens pointed at you until this moment. I thought about how much stuff you guys have to face constantly and decided to try and be like you and get really brave for a minute and I asked why this caught her attention and she gave a look that made me sweat even more.
"The lodging there was modeled after my childhood home, where I grew up and spent most of my life. Picture perfect. I visited it myself after pulling a lot of strings some century ago when the portal first appeared. It was uncanny. I took an interest the very moment I pulled an amulet my sister made me and that I left in the drawer. It shouldn't be there. Because I have that amulet, and the home still stands right where it should. It is an exact duplicate.
"And now, on top of that, there are artifacts from another world that have no business being in the Lost Lands. Where the borders meet not even the sky can cross, and impossible geography neighbor each other? I can't say something about that place is suspicious because everything is. There's something to it and I want it found out."
She then asked for copies of your letters and my responses to be sent up to her. So I really quickly asked if it was okay to include all of this. She smiled guys! SMILED! Thankfully she said yes. So I don't think I'm in trouble. She also said I could stay on as your scribe, that I won't be replaced so yay! We're stuck together!
For your reports:
Vigdis and Seraphina I got your reports - though one is really late. I had had to ask my superior about late rewards and he grumped and said 'okay, give them half but don't let it be a habit'. I'm including it with this the note I give you for this one. Very informative and interesting! Something I notice between your report and Edward's is that this Yelcha person seems very out of place in the gloom. Or in general in the Lost Lands. All the information we have is that sapient are unusually rare and most sapient creatures that appear are imitations, without capacity for conscious thought - though they mimic it.
Oh Sargoloth told me that's really creepy to write. I mean they are like cute puppets! Little mindless puppet versions of Kobold bodies, for example, dancing to an unknown string without wills or minds of their own! Sargoloth told me not to write that, because it's worse.
We've investigated the names Tolren, Perdil, and Nel. They were an adventuring trio some of the last to go out about thirty years ago. Tolren and Perdil are alive at home, they only did the one expedition and the loss of Nel had them realize the severity of the Lost Lands. I was told Perdil sobbed and collapsed when she found out the fate of Nel; they never knew what happened to him. He had simply disappeared while they were exploring. When they went to go check the statue there was no gap between it and the mountain so they thought perhaps he fell into the river and was washed away but he was never found. She thanked us for it. The cache was that of coins. The two agreed and asked us to send some your way for letting them know the fate of their friend.
Personally, I would also like to thank you for sending this along. I can't imagine how much the disappearance of their friend - or lover in one case - weighed upon their minds for over thirty years. I think you guys did a good thing.
The boss lady asked if you revisit those flooded ruins to make note of what the statues look like. She's curious if they're depictions of Celcian gods.
Anyway, I've attached a note (exchangeable at the bank in Heathwell, as usual) for 98gp. 18 for Vigdis and Seraphina split between the two reports, the rest to be split among your expedition sent along by Tolren and Perdil.
Oh yeah the map was super nice. 10 gold to Vigdis!
Olra Tivest
P.S. Vigdis seems very upset in those letters, often angry. Should I send with my next letter some nice herbal tea? I can submit a request for a counselor to come talk to everyone, as well, during your downtime weeks to give you peace of mind.
P.P.S. Seraphina you seem really really brave! I thought of you and channeled it when I had to meet with the boss lady. I really admire you.
