Letter to Aelar

(Dated two weeks previously, arrived via Raven)

Aelar,

When I sent you to Put, I did so with very little information. My hope was that you would have little need for our secrets. I believe that events are unfolding that make it important for me to share additional knowledge of the wilds beyond Put.

When some bit of steel is retained in a wound, a cyst can form around the intrusion. It is our current belief, in the Temple of Melora, that the Featherwood trees are something like this.

We surmise that Melora, to protect our world, prevented an intrusion by powerful outsiders by locking them in Featherwood trees. For thousands of years servants of Melora have patrolled the area beyond the mountains, keeping away outsiders. This work was coordinated by a secret Temple of the Featherwood until recently. They placed powerful spells on the Featherwood trees that create threatening illusions in an effort to keep interlopers away. They explored the ruins of the so-called Old War. They cataloged each Featherwood tree and kept track of changes, which were few. When the Orc King came, 20 years ago, he burned the secret temple to the ground, killing or driving off our rangers and priests. For the last 20 years, this region has been undefended while those of us outside of the secret temple try to piece together the knowledge that was lost when the temple fell. We started largely in the dark at first, but I was able to recover some little information when I was part of the Put Campaign.

My colleague, the Abbot Callum, has sent Firinne, a Paladin of Melora, whom you have met and are traveling with. The abbot maintains what records we have not lost.

None of this information is above doubt, but it is the best we have. Proceed with care and be careful of the Featherwood trees. We rely on your courage and discretion.

-A Priestess of Melora