Our Travels Along the Salt Coast

Honorable Priestess of Melora,

My great apologies for this belated message to you. (I have, for some reason, several incomprehensible drafts of letters about a stranger on the beach. I cannot fathom why I wrote them.)

Since we last corresponded, we were transported from the city of the Mad Mage to the Salt Coast. We have captured the Mad Mage and restrained him with the snake collar -- the powerful artifact that prevents mages from casting spells.

We contacted the 101 and found that much has changed in the outside world. The Owl has taken over the Fingers. It is too dangerous to bring the Mad Mage back to Put. The 101 suggested that we consult you for advice, so I am leading the party toward the Temple of Melora. He warned us to avoid the Agents of the Owl along the way.

We travel with Elis the Mad Mage (chained behind Carlagnios, the Dragonborn), a mathematician (Burrus, who is seeking a way back to civilization), and a prisoner (Hylox, one of the mages who tried to kill us).

Elis is blank-faced. He has probably surmised that we have restrained his spellcasting abilities (with the snake around his neck) but does not show much anger (or emotion, for that matter).

Hylox still does not seem to have given up on his quest. He asked Firinne to help him to fulfill Goverillis' noble goals.

Kale used one of his new rituals that he learned to commuincate with his mentor, Sta Sokeus. Sta has fled the Fingers and is seeking the Witch King. The Sworn abound the Chasm Lands (a province of the Avery).

Elis, the Mad Mage, mentioned that he knew someone who knew Sta. This someone blew out his own eyes because he could not handle the lens. The lens is a window that shows you a dfiferent way. It is the lover's window. And it magnifies the human condition.

Elis said he himeself doesn't know anything about this, but someone knows -- someone who did horrible things (burned villages, killed people). He remembers all of these terrible things happening, but none of these feel like things that he did.

He turned to Kale (our mage) and remarked that the ritual was "passable and clumsy". He explained that it was hard for him to see rituals and spells cast so poorly.

Elis then said that we would take leave of us, and he fell unconscious.

As we continued along the coast, we saw a building in the distance. The building sat on a raised hill on an estuary.

As we approached, we realized that the building was an inn. We decided to stay there for the night.

I shall write you again soon. As ever, your faithful servant,

Aelar