Letters to Penny

(Please excuse any misspellings. I hope they are decently legible)

1 Calistril, 4715


Elly-bean!

I must have just missed you guys!  We arrived in town this afternoon to drop off your lascivious package, and much to my horror, in my room I found all my journals, notes, research and IoUIs (Items of Unimaginable Importance) strewn about in alphabetical haphazardry!!  How am I supposed to find anything in this systematic mayhem!  I hope you can hear the drawn out sigh in my penmanship!   Well, truth is, seeing that made me miss you even more. . .  

The Scholarship - that's what we're calling ourselves for the time being, The Scholarship of the Open Road - is leaving tomorrow for Absalom.  Maybe Riddleport.  We're still trying to decide.  The library here in Magnimar is great, without question, but I've about plumbed the depths of its stores of archaic geology knowledge, if you catch my meaning.  We'll be setting up a temporary base in another city until our mission is complete, so it's possible you did me a favor by organizing my stuff.  It'll make it easier to pack up and move it out of my old room.  Thanks. . . .I guess.

It's kinda weird now adventuring with another group.  Not bad weird, I mean. . . .they're very accommodating and all, it's just different.  It's amazing to watch Koriah work!  She's very competent and it's easy to see how she managed to survive her years alone in the Darklands.  She's a great writer and I hope to learn a lot from her, but she's a tough nut to crack.  Not much for the conversation, you know and maybe a teensy bit grouchy, but I'm working on her.  She has zero interest in playing our game with the various guys in towns.  A shame.  Kalkamedes on the other hand is hilarious!  He's even more funny now that he's not sleepwalking, but he does still wear that same nightcap to bed, which I incessantly tease him about.  Kal keeps me company when I'm feeling homesick and he's got some great tales about his mapping expeditions.  He hasn't said it yet, but I think he's glad to be back in the game.  Retirement doesn't much suit him.  Sir Canayven is a pretty serious fellow, but a great leader without question.  He knows how each of us can be used to our best potential and he doesn't seem to pay heed to my age when I offer opinions or information about our mission.  He's quiet most of the time, but you can see that his cogs are always whirring away behind those dark eyes of his.  He seems tough, but I firmly believe he loves the new purple and gold sparkly flag I had made!  

I drew the symbol we're using at the bottom of this missive for you to see, and that's Malkinzondrog there with the quill and sword in his claws!  My little drake pal (don't let him hear me call him that) has accepted a deal to accompany us on these missions.  He's pretty handy to have around and I enjoy the additional company.  He's apparently picked up a thing or two from mom at the store, and now he's trying to convince me I need to let him give me a tattoo.  I'm sure it would be harmless.

So, the latest piece of spherule geology you should now have in your possession, was retrieved in a little town on the western border of Lastwall, called Arwyll Stead.  Generations ago during an assault against the Bloodied Gauntlet orc tribe, it had fallen into the hands of a man named Eston Arwyll, a crusader out of Vigil.  Well, we were finally able to retrieve it from the estate after aiding the town against a small tribe of Erinyes-empowered orc and tiefling females.  Sheila has been debriefed of course, but I know the Vanguard is rushing about Golarion as hurriedly as we, so I'm not sure how much information she'll share with you or how much of the information you care to hear.  I assume that it's enough for now to have the package in hand.

Now about your Varisian encounter. . . .  Did you catch the name of the woman?  Was her surname Gry or Esmeranda?  My mother's clan spends a good deal of time in and around Korvosa and she's told me that divination runs strong in that family line.  My great grandmother had the sight and my aunt Zellara has it as well, but it skipped mom, for which she is thankful.  Now, I'm told Aunt Zellara lives full time in Korvosa, so if you need a second opinion, I'd go find her!  While it's true that Varisian fortunetellers and Harrow card readers are often pigeon-holed as charlatans (mostly because of the filthy, unscrupulous Sczarni), this is not always the case, and if this elderly woman didn't suggest that she could tell you more for a few silver, then I would absolutely consider that what she revealed to you has at least a kernel of truth!   If you don't plan on visiting Korvosa again soon, Sandpoint also has a Varisian seer in Madam Mvashti.  I met her a couple of times and she is SUPER old.  It's crazy!  Like if I tripped and fell against her, I might fall into one of her cavernous wrinkles and never be seen again!  It's not rude if it's true.  Anyway, dad said she hates doing readings because she always seems to get the bad, doom and gloom type ones, but maybe you could convince her to help you out.

Through all of this, I hope you're taking care of yourself and taking care of each other.  I'm glad to read that Drax seems to be doing well and is being nice to you.  Tug his tail for me.  How are Pyraxis and Colin?  I miss you all so very, very much. . .  I can't wait until we get the chance to catch up again, but I'm thinking that could be some time yet.  On our way to Arywll Stead, we teleported to the lodge in Vigil and there has been some chatter among the Pathfinders that more and more rumblings of Thassilonian interest and powers have been turning up.  Bubbling to the surface.  It's good that we are doing this work as expeditiously as possible, for without the assembled. . . . heirloom, we are likely not to stand a chance.  THEY are coming back!  Karzoug was only the first, just like dad said, and our actions here may very well prove to be the salvation of Golarion!

Stay strong, sister dearest!  I'll do the same!


Penelope A. Quink


P.S.  I've included a black feather necklace that we found on our last mission.  One of the feathers is a token that turns into a bird and will deliver one message to the recipient of your choice (better be me) before the magic dissipates.  I kept one bird feather token for myself for a return message!  


P.P.S.  I've also included two of Mal's quills for your writing pleasure.  Your quills are garbage.  I won't even get started on that ink. . .




<Emblazoned here at the bottom of the parchment is the symbol of The Scholarship of the Open Road - a black drake with wings unfurled clutching a quill in one claw and a sword in the other, drawn atop a compass background.  Beside it is drawn the symbol of the Wayfarer Vanguard with a little '+' in between the two, and a '= WIN' drawn afterward.>

<Purple and green and gold glitter pour out of the fold of this letter as soon as it is opened, getting all over Elle's floor and clothes.  You can practically hear the giggling.>