A letter

Written in a jagged, awkward script, spotted with tears, and stained with a faint, rusty streak of blood:

To: Elessar Kennyrghymn
Keeper of Lore
Grey Archive

My dearest Elessar,

Your advice will be the death of me. On your words, I took to the land to see what I could learn outside of the "musty confines" of our library. I have found nothing but anguish. Our world is filled with monsters, and only the best of them have the decency to appear as such.

I met up with a diverse group of travelers and decided to join them in their efforts to free a town under assault by the undead. I've been nothing but cordial and helpful, yet I'm constantly rebuffed by them all. Still, the cause is noble, and at least one of them has made some attempt at conversation, albeit highly confusing conversation.

My "companions", as such, are an extremely elderly elf who has no evident pleasures beyond burning things and chess, a quiet young human from the village we came to save who joined with us after we suffered a loss, a lovely young woman that we found along the way, a perplexing halfling—the one I mentioned before, most amoral—and a perfectly nasty human whose behavior has gone from merely rude to positively cruel.

You see, my friend, I've discovered that the evils plaguing this town all stem from a villainous vampire lord, and I am beholden to fight him. It is this fight that cost me something precious. I write this letter—this coarse and terrible letter—with my left hand, as my right has been taken from me. There is no one here capable of healing my injury, and my own studies have not progressed so far yet, either. I am crippled, miserable, and mocked by those I travel with. Was this the lesson you intended me to learn? The world is harsh and callous, and I cannot expect anyone to help those in need. I would rather have stayed and mouldered along with my books than learn this.

I weep alone, my friend. My only true companion is Gladys, and even she is incapable of truly understanding what has befallen me. I would give anything to be safe at home with you and the others once again.

Mournfully,
Naaran Anaraan
Senior Lorekeeper
Grey Archive (formerly, and hopefully again)

P.S. E, the human I complained of, has apologized for his insensitive words and offered to pay half the cost of the prosthetic arm I've arranged to have made. It may take some time to get used to, once it arrives, but I'm sure the mythril will look absolutely stunning with my hair. -Regards, Naaran