Lei'lira's Letters

[Lei'lira]

Will be collected here.

[Vivian Shiryu]

Dear Lei'Lira,

I apologize for how long it's taken me to write this letter, I've been trying to get settled in Rharne. I've managed to secure long-term housing with surprising ease, and have joined Rharne's military, the Lightning Knights. It's an awkward name, but they actually seem to be the ideal I strove for while in the Iron Hand, so I suppose they can call themselves what they wish.

It's weird, this place. In Rynmere, we don't put much stock in the Immortals, but here in Rharne, the entire culture is dictated by the patron Immortal, Ilaren. From what I understand, she outright rules the city. Still, it is a nice place to live, if a little rowdy. From what I've gathered, I'm just about the only person in the entire city who doesn't know how to brew my own alcohol.

How are things with you? I've heard some of the news from Rynmere and it seems things aren't really settling down there after I left. Hopefully, none of the trouble is affecting you. Fortunately, it all seems to be centered around the upper nobles at the moment, so it should pass you over, but do be careful.

By the way, should you wish to write or visit, the Lightning Cathedral here in Rharne always has at least a vague idea of where I am, plus it knows where I live, which is handy for directing visitors. I've a guest room available should you wish to stay over.

Love,
Vivian Shiryu

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[Vivian Shiryu]

Dear Lei'lira,

I'm sorry you had to go through what you did with Kaien. I can't imagine how that must have hurt. It is fortunate indeed that Faith was there. Speaking, I have spoken to the Order of Adunih here in Rharne, and it turns out that Faith is a known medic here as well. Apparently, she's quite at the forefront of the medical field and is a blessed by Famula, an Immortal I am not familiar with. Some brief research reveals that she is some sort of keeper of souls and that the strongest of her Blessed hold some power over life or death, along with being able to speak to ghosts. Must be a morbid bunch, I would imagine.

As for the weight, I'm told Scalvoris has decent enough agricultural base and there's apparently some good cooks over there. I have a harder time telling for sure though, since the locals complain that most foreign cooking is "too weak" for their palate. Yes, Rharnian cooking involves a lot of alcohol as well. Some of the deserts here can get you quite drunk if you're too liberal with them. That being said, i'm glad you've a place to stay and I don't doubt you'll get the weight back in due time. I look forward to hearing from you when you get to Rynmere, though keep your head low when you're over there. Some sort of trouble is brewing over there, from what I hear.

Love,
Vivian Shiryu

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[Vivian Shiryu]

Dear Lei'Lira

So, some things have happened since my last letter. Sort of. They happened before my last letter, but I only got memories of it back at the beginning of Ymiden. Oh, bother, this is complicated to explain. Anyway, Ilaren, the ruler of Rharne, tasked me with being one of her representatives in the gambit of another Immortal, a storyteller type named Cassion. Through sheer luck as much as anything, I wound up representing Ilaren in the final gauntlet of challenges.

It was an adventure, to say the least. We drank with Ilaren, fed some vain fellow's birds, rode a giant glowing fish, and played a guessing game. But at the end, the other contestants and I each went into separate challenges in a place called Gilgarod, which I guess is something to do with the dreams of conquerors. I think. I'm not honestly sure. Regardless, I was sent into the Forgeheart, a massive forge run by a many armed giant, and I was tasked with the forging of a sword, using much more than metal. It's...awkward to explain, but I basically forged a sword out of weaknesses, bound it with dreams, and reforged it with my own reforging. The process was...liberating. I've been feeling more myself than I have in seasons, honestly. My ambition is back and I'm smiling more.

Anyway, I didn't quite finish the forging, apparently. It needed to be quenched, which the giant did by stabbing me through the heart. Clearly, I survived, didn't even leave a scar, and it finished the blade. Then a key got melted into my body and it apparently turned by blood into some molten-steel looking stuff, since I bleed metal now. It's a lot of fun, honestly, but I'm careful to not to bleed around smiths now. Don't want them thinking I'm a free metal dispenser.

Anyway, after that, we went back to go talk to Cassion some more, and another guy stabbed him. Except Cassion was really a girl, I think, and he may still be alive. I'm really not sure how it works, honestly. Anyway, after that, I fell asleep and woke up with no memories, or relics, of it all until the first of Ymiden. Once the season started, I had all my memories back, plus the sword I forged, which is probably the finest blade I've ever seen, much less wielded. Near as I can tell, I'm actually the only one who can wield it for the time being, but in my hands it's the greatest weapon I can imagine.

Looking forward to hearing from you again and seeing you when you get back to Rharne, and let me know how you're doing, yeah? Also, as to that trouble I mentioned in Rynmere in my last letter. Be very careful over there, there's a mage scare going on and even suspected mages are getting burned alive. Do not do anything to attract attention to yourself and get out as fast as you can. Be careful, cousin.

Love,
Vivian Shiryu

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[Vivian Shiryu]

Dear Lei'Lira

It does sound like a tale from a storybook, doesn't it? And yet, the more I reflect on some of the things that have happened to me, the more I wonder how many of those old stories that we considered silly were, in fact, perfectly accurate histories. It slipped my mind in my last letter, but before my memories returned, I fought a ghost, spoke with a man cursed into a tree-like form, and met with the spirit of Lake Lovalus, all in one day. The world is a far stranger place than I thought, sitting in my old home in Warrick. In truth, I've begun to wonder of late whether something went horribly wrong in Rynmere's past and muted the strangeness that should be there.

Speaking of Rynmere, Blessings seem to be fine there, though I would refrain from showing off the powers gained by them. Perhaps visit a Rynlist temple and have them confirm your Blessing to be of Divine, rather than magical, origin. I would also stay to the most well travelled roads if you can, and don't seek the attention of the Order of the Mantis. On the news front, I worry that war between Rynmere and Rharne may come within the next few arcs. There is a feeling here that Cassander and his loyalists are pushing their boundaries. Among those who know my history, I am sometimes questioned on Rynmere's tactics and military. It is odd to think that give that information freely to those who ask, without a second thought given.

Do not tarry in Rynmere, Lei'Lira. The place is troubled, and I fear it will only get worse before it gets better. Be careful, cousin.

Vivian Shiryu

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