A letter home

Ryleen slumped down by the fire in the hut she had up until recently considered home. The hut felt empty and abandoned now when she was alone in it. Most of the time, she didn't even bother to return here in the evenings. It was a place to store her belongings, nothing more. She stared into the fire, trying to ignore the overwhelming emptiness of the hut. She tried relaxing, focusing her mind on the crackling of the fire, or the sound of raindrops hitting the roof, and not think of the things that bothered her, the thoughts that kept her awake at night.

After a while, she realised that it was futile to try to not think of him while she was alone in here. That he was gone was far too obvious, constantly gnawing at her mind. With an irritadedly muttered spell, she put out the fire and rose to her feet. She grabbed her cloak and hastily wrapped it around herself, and then stepped out in the pouring rain. Without really planning to go anywhere, she walked across the bridge to the middle bluff.

The rain was pouring down, it was only minutes before she was soaked to the skin and trembling with cold. The cold brought a memory of snow and dark flashing before her eyes, images of ghouls and undead lurking in the shadows, waiting to kill any careless living who happened to pass by. With a shudder not originating from the cold, she pushed those thoughts away from her mind. To keep her mind occupied, she went to see if any mail had arrived for her. She had never quite figured out the advanced portal spell that was cast on mailboxes, making sure that whoever opening the box would find only their own mail in it, but it sure was practical. Inside the box lay a single letter. She had not expected to find anything at all, so it was with a curious expression she picked out the envelope and stepped in under a roof to read it. As she ripped it open and recognised the handwriting her hands started to tremble...

Dearest Ryleen

I'm sorry I havn't been able to write to you sooner. But as you can probably
imagine there has been alot of things to do. We've mostly just marched and
helped in taking care of wounded where it's been needed, so you don't need
to worry too much. Which I know you probably will anyways. The most action
I've seen this far was a group of ghouls trying to eat eachother. Makes
me think that maybe the Lich King doesn't have full controll after all.
Life here is pretty good sofar. We've got lots of rations and an unvavering
resolve. It's very cold though, perhaps even colder than you made it sound.
But we've got the elements on our side so I don't see how he could ever win.

I miss you alot though, and I hope you won't worry too much. Because I
am going to come home the first chance I get, just like I promised.
Please write back soon, I really wanna hear if those idiotic orcs are still
trying to find you. Because if they are I promise I'll leady my company
to Agmar's Hammer just to slap him (try reading this by the way).
Anyway, I miss you and I love you. More than anything. I think we'll be
stationed here a while, so I'll just include my company and regiment numbers.
So that you can just send any replys to the Horde war-mailservice and
they'll forward it to me.

I hope everyone's doing okay at home. And that you keep a list of all
the suitors that try something, so I can smack them when I get back.

Love
Gando

PS. Promise to pick the prettiest one?

You have no idea how happy your letter made me. I needed that so much.
I am so very relieved to hear that you are safe and haven't been sent into
battle yet. I hope it will stay like that for as long as possible.

I am safe, and I have returned to Thunder Bluff. I'm so very very sorry
that I coudln't be there when you left. I never thought going into hiding
for a few days would have such consequences. If something happens
No. I will do what you said and not worry. Everything will be fine.

The problems with the orcs are solved. I got some unexpected help from
an orc death knight. I still haven't figured out why he would want to help
me, but he explained how to solve the matter the orcish way. I had to
challenge for a duel, much like the one the Greywolves did. Speatus tried
to make it so that I would have to fight it myself, still with my hand injured
and all. But that other orc, Krohlm is his name, helped me again and
made it so that I was allowed a champion of my choice. I got the advice
to ask Garviel of the Greywolves and he accepted. He fought against their
champion, and won. My name is cleared and I am no longer a "traitor
to the Horde".

Our business with the Blades is far from finished though. We just found
out that Jimar is alive. He did not fall in battle, and whoever the remains
we buried remained to, it was not him. He was saved, but lost his
memory. The Blades found him, and they have managed to turn him into
one of them! It's against everything he really is. We will free him from
them, of course. But I have a bad feeling about this all. If we had the
option, I would suggest we stayed as far as possible from Speatus and
his men, he's not to be trusted. But there is little I can do about it now.

The hut here in Thunder Bluff feels so very empty without you. I don't
think I'll be staying here for much longer. But I will stop by to check for
letters each day, you can keep sending them here. I'm still as restless
as I was before. I need to find something to do before this all drives
me mad. I will try to stay out of trouble though.

I miss you so much.

Stay safe.


All my love
R

Gando

I don't know what's happening anymore, or what I'm doing.

The thing about Jimar has gotten worse, much worse. They
refused to acknowledge the oath Jimar took to Snicka and
the Heritage, essentially saying that it has no power over
an oath to them and that they don't have to respect it.

This wasn't appreciated by the rest of the trolls, of course.
We decided that if they don't acknowledge the rights and
power of the Heritage, we don't have to respect them. We
went to Ashenvale, to deliberately break the law they are
trying to uphold there. We met a few of them, argued with
them and insulted them. They told us to leave, and we
laughed at them. I didn't stop to think. I don't think any
of us did. We all got carried away. Somehow, we ended up
heading to the elf town... They had nothing to do with this,
I think the only real reason to attack them was that we
needed to take out our anger on something.

And I helped.

I tried to claim something about just defending the others,
keeping them alive. I only killed elves who where already
attacking trolls.

But that is no excuse.

They didn't stand a chance. Not against what I can do.
It was so very easy. I didn't even feel sorry for them, not
then. And that scares me so much. What happened that
brought me to this? How did this happen?

But I can't speak of this to the others. We are few compared
to the Blades, many of us inexperienced. We cannot afford
doubt. I will cheer them on, if I have to. I can't abandon them,
not allow my personal problems get in the way right now.

And what scares me the most, is how easy it was to accept
that.



I hope everything is well with you. I have heard even more
stories of people dying, entire groups being wiped out by the
scourge, people disappearing without trace.

I'm so very afraid, of so many things. But I can't. There are
those who need me, rely on me.

Please promise me that you will come home again?


Love
Ryleen

Ryleen

I was really happy to have received your letter today. I'm so glad to hear that
the business with the idiotic orcs is resolved. Although I think a duel sounds
like a strange way to have resolved it. I really would have wanted to be there
and fight for you instead. But It's all good as long as you won. I've never
heard of that orc you mention neither. Pansy knight or, it was good of him to
help out. I hope you stay wary of that type though, who know's what their motive
is. Besides we both know what your much more fitting title than "traitor" is.

Don't worry, I know you wanted to be there but it's more important that you're
safe. Besides I think my present will more than make up for it. The whole Jimar
thing sounds pretty strange to me. It sounds verry honorless to do what you
wrote they're doing. And since they're orcs it sounds even more strange.
I think maybe you should point out their honorlessness and see how they respond.
Or maybe Jimar's just on some really long and strange new "trip"? Either way I
know Mrs. Boss can handle it.

I miss you alot too. But at least we keep busy here. Just like I thought we've
been stationed here since i wrote my first letter. We havn't gotten any
particularly interesting news from the front line either. So it seems to be
going pretty good generally. I think we might move out soon though. I've heard
from the other officers that there might be need for us to move east. Towards
the dragon something. Where Agmar is. Shouldn't bee too much of a hastle though.
So you don't need to worry too much (which I still know you will).

I promise I will come home to you the first chance I get, just like I promised
before. I miss you and I love you. I was thinking that we really should start
looking for houses when I get back. Because I wouldn't be staying in the hut
without you neither.

Well, seems like I have to stop writing now, Rezip says he saw something snooping
about out of the campfire light's reach. So we're gonna have to go smash it.

All my love

Gando

Gando

I would like to ask a favour of you and Rezip. The orcs sent Jimar back
to Icecrown, and there he was lost again. At least that's what we have
been told. I want you to keep an eye open for him. I realise that you
can't go off and search for him, but at least you know that he's out
there somewhere now.

The situation with the orcs is as bad as before. I don't see an easy way
out of this anymore. I just hope no one will get killed. I couldn't bear
loosing one of us to this. I probably shouldn't go into any details of
our plans here. From past experiences, I know letters aren't very
likely to remain private. It's probably better if you don't know anyway,
you have other things to worry about.

I have moved out of Thunder Bluff now. I couldn't stand that place
anymore. The Heritage has found an abandoned hut in the Barrens,
which we have now made our own. I moved in there two days ago,
along with Chabat and Lyranne. It's a nice place, and I enjoy the
company. A chance for me to try to help Chabat with her studies,
as well as helping Lyranne with some things she's going through right
now.

But not everything is trouble and worrying things though. Did you ever
get a chance to visit Sholazar Basin? I did, when I was in the north.
One of the gorlocs living there, one of the "oracles", gave me a gift.
It was an egg, and he told me to watch over it and keep it warm, and
it might hatch. And late last night, it did. Can you believe that he gave
me a proto-drake egg? The little thing is adorable, though sharp
teethed. Now I need to find someone who can give me advice on
caring for a baby dragon... But I'm sure I'll figure it out. I discovered
that even as young as it is, it wants to eat meat, so at least we've
got the food part covered.

I miss you a lot. I hope everything is well with you and the others.

Love
Ryleen

Dear Ryleen


Of course I'm going to come home. I've already promised to. But I'll promise
as many times as you need: I promise I'm coming home to you soon. And that we
are going to continue with our plans. Provided that you stay out of trouble
that is! Which it sounds like you've been doing a poor job of!
On a more serious note. I have to say I don't know how usefull it's
going to be running around Ashenvale and randomly insulting the orcs that
defend there. I agree that it's an issue if those orcs don't respect our guild.
But there's probably better ways to go about it than acting all childish.
I guess you've already figured that out when this letter arrives though. Something
that could be fun if they're still acting like idiots about it. And we wanna
continue being idiots in return. Maybe we could host some form of friendly
brawl tournament between the guilds and say that if your guild has the word song
in it you can't come. You're the smart one! I know you can think some fun and
creative way of excluding them.

Less night elves never hurt anyone though, I'd say. And I don't know really how
it would be bad for the warsongs to lose some of their enemies neither. But I
understand what you mean. Although I think that maybe the naïve Ryleen is
learning some things from Mrs. Boss. At either rate it sounds to me like an act
for the better of horde.

I can't write more right now, but I promise I'll write to you as soon as I can. I promise there's nothing too dangerous though
so you don't need to worry.

All my love.

Gando

Dearest Ryleen


Ofcourse We'll be on the lookout for him, I'll tell Rezip and we will do what
we can. It sounds pretty strange to me that they just sent him into the wastes
though. Are you completly sure they really did that? Anyway, I would love to
hear about your plans, but I guess you're right about the security of letters.
The not worrying part worries me though...

Things are pretty good here atleast. We still havn't seen verry much action
here though. Which is good I guess. It seems the alliance are being bigger
idiots than usual though. I've heard that they ambushed one of our supply
caravans. They sent a couple of guys to look for it, but they say that they
didn't find any traces of the amubshers. Only the remains of an alliance banner
in front of the caravan. I guess they're running low on supplies from what ever
their Northrend main camp is named. Which is good hopefully. If they try
something like that again though it would be a good time for some idiot smacking.

I'm not entirely sure what a "proto-drake" is. But dragons aren't really the
most suitable of pets I'd say. I'd like to know how big it is and how much noice
it makes. Will I have to slay it and save the maiden? It sounds to me alittle
like that huge bear that kept following us around you wanted to keep. Well I
know you're verry good with pets, so it'll have it good atleast.

It sounds like a good plan to me, you staying and helping those two. As long
as I get to have you back when I come home. Because I miss you verry much.
I'm hoping I'll be able to come home to you soon, but now I have to go and
take care of some business.

Love
Gando

Dear Gando

Things are well with us, our problems seem to have solved themselves. The Blades finally saw reason and offered us peace. One of them, a shaman named Haradar, has joined us temporary as a freethinker, to strengthen our bonds. It is possible that we will send one of us to join them for a while as well, to learn more about the orcs, and teach them more about us.

Even though we have been more or less enemies for some time now, I have still managed to make a few friends among the Blades. One of them, Graan, even offered to accompany me to the sunfury ball this weekend. I wasn't sure I should go at all to begin with, but I'm happy I did. It was a wonderful event and I had a great time. It's just too bad you couldn't be there too.

At the ball, I met Jimar. It turns out he's not lost in Northrend after all. He said a loa had hidden his memories from him for some time, but that they have been returned to him now. We didn't have time to talk much though, I still have many questions for him. But I know where he lives, I will go see him some time soon.


The baby dragon is doing well. Ey is such an adorable little thing, and much more intelligent than one would think. I still haven't thought of a suitable name, but I'm sure it will come to me in time. And there's no need to worry that I'll be abducted, ey's still small enough to ride on my shoulder, and very well behaved. Well, most of the time at least. You'll see when you get home again.


It's finally become time for my ritual, to find my patron loa. Vypra is the one taking care of it, but it will most likely be Gen'Jin that gives me the tattoo. I am to head out somewhere alone to fast and meditate until my loa grants me a vision. I have no idea how long it will take, I suspect it will be a few days.

There's still some childish part of me that fears I'll go out there and wait and wait, but not recieve any visions, to not be chosen. I don't know anything about visions. I don't think I ever had one. But I guess it will be obvious once I have it... I hope. But I should leave now. I will write to you again once I have returned, to tell you what happned.


Love
R