The Abandoned Soldier

Part 1

Father,

I am thankful to have heard from you again. Rest assured that I am watching my back as well, though I sense no threat from the people here. The humans in the area seem unconcerned with my questions of their past, making clear that they have only lived here for little more than two centuries - well recorded in our histories.

The halflings hold their secrets very closely, however. While gold can loosen their tight fists somewhat, the word is out about my interests. I have always heard of these folk as simple and friendly, but when conversation turns to the Fallen Star, they close their mouths and no gold will open them again.

I tell you this so you understand the difficulty I have gone through to get this latest series of documents. Again, these are from before the Cataclysm, but they seem to be from what you have called the "Old Thestran" language family. If I recall, you stated that Old Thestran books come from a time of wars between great empires. Each empire had their own script, and none seem to have been deciphered as of yet. This particular series of pages were bound between two leaves of forged iron preserved in beeswax.

As before, the copyist made a copy for me, and I am sending you the originals.

Your faithful son1

Part One Translation ("Boogenhagen" of the Official Vanguard Forums): Thanks be to those who watch from above for being given such a task as this. Can it be true that I am the only one thought worthy of this honor? My liege and my column leader have asked me to seek the mysteries of this crater desert. I had spoken with many of the other soldiers about what discoveries awaited us here. Smaveul(?) once told me that nothing could have happened in such a backland as this but I found it meet to disagree. I find my thoughts pulled to that giant pit every day. It is as if it calls to me. I argued thus for a week never thinking that anyone cared for my own thoughts that something ancient and wonderful would be in the brackish waters of the crater.

Then it happened. My columnleader delivered to me a commandment written by our liegelord himself. My orders are clear spend at least a month preferably two In the desert of the crater of star fall. Look for the mysteries I had dreamt about and wait to be picked up by the army when it returns. I was amazed. Could it be truth that the liege lord himself heard my ideas or is this some elaborate joke on me? I cannot allow pride to cloud my vision. The army left me with some few supplies as they marched on and I watched their columns move on into the hills west of this desert. I have to find what I can before they come back. The soldiers will not laugh on my dreams again.

1

Submitted by

Nocte

Date

1/11/06

Source

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Web Lore

Notes

Thestra Lore