Elaria's First Letter Home - Lizardfolk Kidnappers II

*Elaria's Letter to her parents back in Annenfel*

Dear mother and father,

I know you're probably very angry with me for leaving, but I promise I'm fine and in good health. I hired someone to help me find cousin Sairina, and I traveled here to see the world and go on adventures with her.

The adventuring life is never something you wanted for me, and I know you've made that very clear on numerous occasions, but I felt a tug in my heart to see the world, so I left secretly because I knew you'd never let me go.

Now I'm not going to tell you where I am, because I know you'll send for me. But I will tell you that I am safe and Sairina is here... not that she was very happy to see me. I don't think she wanted to be found.

Anyway, you'll be pleased to know that I've just returned from my SECOND quest and I am officially considered a local hero for rescuing townsfolk from a dragon! Yes! Your Elaria faced off against multiple tribes of lizardfolk who were planning on feeding innocents to a real-life dragon named  Throstulgrael.

My first mission was more reconnaissance and investigation, although I did slay a real lizardfolk all on my own. Yes! I really did that with my spells. My magic has become much stronger out of the library to my genuine satisfaction. I guess reading about spells for years on end is not as helpful as actually utilizing them in combat.

So, let me tell you about my latest mission so that you might be proud of your only daughter.

A group of adventurers and I left at dawn to rescue the farmers and townsfolk. We headed out of town to the dungeon cave commonly referred to as the Mouth of Doom. Here, we found remnants of a campsite, and some individuals who had been killed. Before I knew it, giant swamp leeches lunged out of the water and started attacking us! They then started spitting smaller leeches at us! Yes, your daughter Elaria battled with giant leeches and helped take them down with her Starbursts.

After taking down the leeches, we continued to the Ringcurrent Islands where the prisoners were being kept by the lizardfolk. A few miles from this point, we spotted a few lizardfolk taking prisoners downriver on a raft!

We fought the lizardfolk valiantly, which was a very tough fight, especially considering a lizardfolk spellcaster was able to summon crocodiles! Thankfully from my studies, I knew that this was most likely a concentration spell, so I was able to break his concentration by shooting magic missiles at him. Can you believe I can do that now?

Eventually, we slew all of the lizardfolk except one, who I was able to magically charm to give us information on the lizardfolk camp where all the prisoners were being kept. We were also able to rescue these raft prisoners and send them on their way back to Hope. We even found the family whose important items we'd been holding for safekeeping! Can you imagine, a small box with a dinky necklace and a few gold coins was their entire life savings? How horrible.

Anyway, the charmed lizardfolk man was able to give us some good information, so we headed to the camp and waited until nightfall.

You see, these lizardfolk tribes were in a competition for the favor of Throstulgrael, who would crown one of their tribe leaders king. The previous king was named Scale Crusher (how brutal!) but he was killed by his second in command Bog Claw. Now this Bog Claw was hoping that his treasonous act would have him crowned as king, but all it did was facture the tribes!

When we approached the camp at dusk, thankfully the dragon Throstulgrael was nowhere to be found. We noticed that the tibes were all separate from one another, making it easier to divide and conquer. So, we first approached the Rootwater tribe, which is infamous for drinking and celebrating according to the lizardfolk I charmed.

Since it would be impossible to fight all of the lizardfolk at once, we had to do a bit of subtifuge to release the slaves. I was actually able to charm a guard member to unlock the slave's cage for us while the others were distracted by one of my companion's spells. When we released the slaves, many ran free, while a few others stayed to fight with us!

Now the next tribe, the Dusk Dark, were very organized. Unfortunately I wasn't able to charm a guard here because they were all in pairs of two. But thankfully some of my companions were able to stealthily slay the guards while another snuk in and unlocked the gate.

We were about to rescue the third group, but we looked across and saw in-fighting between the lizardfolk in this tribe, so we weren't sure what to do. But then the creature causing havok came to destroy us.

It was Bog Claw, the infamous userper! He attacked us on a series of bridges, meanwhile others attacked us at range, and another spellcaster summoned magical crocodiles (again). I made it my mission to keep the spellcaster busy so he couldn't have his crocodiles up for long.

It was a very close battle, but in the end we all triumphed, and none of us perished.

When we finally made it back to town we were celebrated as heroes and we were even rewarded handsomely by the local leadership! Can you imagine, me a hero?

So, mother and father, as you can see I'm not only finding adventure out here, but I am also making a difference and helping the lives of others.

I promise I will take good care of myself, but I would hope you may allow me to remain here and continue improving my spellcasting abilities. I have already grown immensely in my skills, and I hope to soon be as powerful as my dear cousin Morwen!

Mother, if you should like to protect the family from scandal, please tell everyone back home that I am studying magic at a highly prestegious wizarding academy. I'm sure that everyone will believe you.

Father, I know you wanted to keep me out of harm's way after you almost perished adventuring when you were young, however, I can't stay in the city walls forever. I have magic and adventure in my blood, and I shall not go my whole life without seeing the world outside of our beutiful city.

I know you still see me as a girl, but I'm over 100 years old now and it's time to let me try things on my own.

I hope you can forgive me, and eventually be proud of all I have achieved,

Fondly,

Elaria Istari

P.S. Please don't try to find me...