A Stitch in Time

## Daryl's Letter

Dear friends,

I have tried to write this damn letter more times than I can count so I have given up trying to write it neatly like Robin or all clever and pretty like Chip would so I am sorry if I ramble a bit or do not make sense. I do not know how really to explain this all so I am just going to start from where I last saw you.

I flew to Oakheart to recruit some troops to destroy the Netheril bridge on our side. After resting the evening we journeyed back to Toine only to find a strange pinky purply...bubble I guess surrounding it. I tried to break through it but it was whats the word…well, unbreakable I suppose.

I eventually led the troops and destroyed the bridge on our side – it was unguarded, I guess the Netheril there had already fled back to their own realm. I returned to Toine and camped there for a week but nothing changed. I travelled to Modan and Blizzix got all excited when I told him about it, insisted on taking a look himself. We came back and you should have seen his little face light up when he saw it. I stayed with him for two weeks and he cast spell after spell, ran experiment after experiment. In the end though all he could say was that it was Netheril magic, was some kind of time space thingy and was quite…uhm, unbreakable. I was…upset.

I returned to Modan and moved on with my life – I travelled to Toine once a year to say a prayer to Ted in your name. I lived in Modan and ran the Church of Ted there. Me and Milanie settled down and got married..I’m sorry you could not be there…Xalanth could have married us, Chip could have sang and I know Robin and Berzeli's magics would decorated the Chapel beautifully. Anyway, life was good, at least for a while.

And then it all went wrong. 5 years after you were sealed away, Arsozah returned. He demanded the Queen renounce her crown in his favour and that he would destroy a settlement every week until she did so. 8 weeks passed and 8 towns and villages burned. It was awful. One day, Duke Rygal came to see me. The Queen was putting together a team of ‘Champions’ to hunt down and kill Arsozah and Rygal wanted me in this party. I...declined. I was a retired adventurer, married, Head of the Church of Ted in Modan. I had responsibilities.

I repeated all those arguments to myself a month later as their heads were delivered to the Queen. We never found out what happened but Arsozah was alive and well as the continued destruction proved. Eventually the Queen gave in, partially due to public pressure, partially because she couldn't bear the continued deaths on her conscience. She vanished – I can only presume she is dead.

Verily, I believe Arsozah had been planning this since the burning of Minniongate. People in places of responsibility were 'disappeared' and replaced by those whose thirst for power cared not who gave it to them. Dukes, Duchess, politicians, generals - all were replaced by those who would gladly serve a evil, murdering dragon dictator. Taxes have been increased but the extra money seems to be going into raising and training an army. The gods alone know why.

He put in place an elite guard called the Crimson Army but everyone just calls them the red lizards – they are bullies but well trained and are scattered throughout the realm. He... Xalanth i'm sorry to say this but you appear to have many brothers and sisters and they are all evil bastards from what i've seen. They're called Red Lords or Ladies. You're not like them, remember that.

Milanie...Milanie disappeared too, along with Rygal.

It broke me for a while but made me realise I was not made to be a bystander, someone things happened to. I would fight back. I joined a resistance group in Modan and I guess I ended up becoming their leader.

That was 2 years ago.

I've stationed a group of resistance fighters near Toine, permanently. I'm giving them this letter with instructions that the second that stupid bubble comes down they ride into town, slap this letter in your hand, get you to read it then you ride to Modan and help us all get out of this mess and stuff that stupid dragon back down the volcano he crawled out of.

We've fought and struggled and made a pain of ourselves these last years but I am not quite sure what we have achieved. I can't do this by myself. I can lead and inspire, I can fight and I can heal but i'm not a planner. I'm not clever like you four. Verily, I need you here to tell us, tell me what to do.

I don't know when you will get this letter. I don't know what that bubble is or what's happening inside. I don't know if you are alive or dead years ago. I don't know if a patrol of lizards will find my men and this letter after one week and tear it to shreds. I just hope that Ted honours our bonds of friendship and ensures it gets to you somehow.

Ted be with you.

Your friend,

Daryl.

PS. Impervious!! That's the word!! The bubble was impervious!

PPS. Gond damn it! Your supposed to put the date at the top and I have no room now. I am not re-writing this damn thing so for the record today is 15th day of Stonefast, 519 RR.