Dear Turuviel,
there have been a long few days on the road from Bree when i wrote to you last.
We are now close to home, in an encampment in the Trollshaws where we can almost smell the warm fires of our House. Almost there, one more push!
I feel unwell in these lands, teeming with bandits and waylayers. Me and Arradril have scouted the way before we set off and noticed several bandit encampments within ruins flanking the road. They know full well the trade that goes on and probably even the schedule of the caravans. As our passing through coincided with none of these, i assume they weren't actively out hunting, thus we managed to elude them.
I am so thankful that we have a good and sturdy compliment of Hammer with us. None could withstand them, the power of their steel and the fire in their eyes. We regularly patrolled the way ahead and the flanks, so it was, at least for me, a bit of excitement to be had in these forays.
We spent a bit more time than i would have liked in Breeland. Our Pillars found some old ruins, worthy of study and Lord Tindir obliged. It was unclear to me if they found anything of note as i was busy guiding the horses on the narrow paths winding up from the ruins across the stony hill.
We decided to camp above the ruins on a hill overlooking Bree in the distance. It was a curious camp, with strange oversized weapons and broken down caravans. Were these bandits, or ... something else? Who knows. But Lord Tindir and Lady Tingruviel carefully inspected the place, in the end deeming it safe enough for a camp. We did exchange some scary stories and on a more serious note i talked to Golvagor about the weather. He seems genuinely interested about predicting rain and storm, but in the end it's just a guess. Sometimes you're right, sometimes you get wet.
But even the following days we'd have good weather and made good time on the road eastwards through the hills of the Lone Lands. At Ost Guruth we had a longer, scheduled stop where i could replace two horses and buy some more supplies. Overall i must say we managed time on the road versus food quite well, but you know i always factor in some extra.
The next stop would be home and that would be, at best, in a few days.
As we entered the Trollshaws, we could all see the red and golden tint of autumn, late autumn by the looks of it. And the chilly wind heralding the coming of snow. Let's hope we get home before that.
I wish you all the best,
Eryllin.
