Dear Master Gouken,
I apologize for the brevity. I’ve been writing this in bits and pieces when we stop for the night as we travel. But I did want to let you know that the School may be getting a visitor, an enigmatic but benevolent man known as Ra-Thos. He is a desert wanderer, and we have met him several times. He was injured by that manticore I told you about, although he got away, thankfully (no small testament to his skill).
He also confirmed, in very dramatic fashion, the suspicion of a dragon in the desert. He has a dragon claw, which is possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen. On it we found a coppery gold dragon scale. From the size, it must be a very old dragon.
Ra-Thos keeps himself to himself but he seems like good people. I hope his injuries heal at the School.
We went to the Bone Garden, after finding references on some gnolls that led us there and pointed to involvement of another cult worshiping a different goddess: Urgathoa. In the Bone Yard we encountered many skeletons, an abomination, and one of Urgathoa’s clerics. No slaves, though, which is odd- we thought there would be at least some. It could have gone poorly for us (she was in the process of making a second abomination, which would be difficult to handle on top of the cleric herself) but we were smart about it and got the drop on her. I remembered the lesson from the test you gave me! Using the cave’s narrow passage to our advantage and stuff really helped.
We also found some weapons and things and a magic bag to hold stuff, which will be extremely handy. And two chests. We have not opened them yet. Expediency was a little more important than curiosity at that particular moment.
After caving in the area and destroying the altar she used for her necrocraft, (thanks to Melda and her explosives) we find ourselves here, outside and some distance away, making camp for the night.
I will write again when I can. How is the excavation coming? Are you finding anything interesting? It was… good to be home again, though finding my room occupied was oddly jarring. I have been meditating on why that initially disturbed me, and I think I have an answer. There’s no going back, is there? Not to what or who we were before today. Not to childhood, once grown. I hadn’t ever really considered that before. But I am different than Chiro-who-was-a-student. I am stronger. I’ve survived some dangerous situations. I’ve killed things that need killing. I have tasted coconuts and seen the sun rise over a new city.
I can’t go back. But I will find my peace with that, eventually. And I shall look forward to the future instead.
Speaking of coconuts, I hope you enjoyed yours. Tell Grand Master Shao I said hello, and that the joke with Emi and her potter is very funny- but the joke will be on her when I reach the School of the North!
In fading firelight,
-Chiro
Comments (1)