Untold Tales RPG

Dearest Eldest Brother,

I am not mad, unless you count being in love as madness, which doubtless you will, though hopefully not so cruelly harshly as Erchirion did. I fear I am dead to him, yet the stubborn part of me is still so hurt and angered at his words that it wants not to care.

I have already agreed to come to Dol Amroth for a feast, as has Eomer. He is a good man, Elphir. I love him and I will not give him up now that I have him.

I miss you too.

With love, Lothiriel

Dearest Sister,

Are you mad! Do you have any idea the grief you've caused father and I, not to mention our brothers? I care not that he is a king, only that you did so in secret! Please, reconsider this maddening course of action.

Your family loves you. You can take things slower. Let them happen properly. You can certainly do better than one of the horselords, even if he is a king.

At the very least, come back to Dol Amroth so that we can give you a proper celebration and goodbye. I miss you.

With love, Elphir.

Dear Aergannel,

I am glad to hear you've made some friends, I feared you would find it lonely and cold there. I know that things have been difficult between us of late, and once everything settles down and resembles something close to normal, I hope we can take some time off, together.

I've sent Alphros a puppy, and there is a present for you with this letter, as well. A rare gem, from far to the south. I've had it set in silver, as that compliments you better than gold.

I've also included a poem I found, that made me think of you.

With love, Elphir.

Dear Lord Prince Imrahil,

I appreciate your suggestion and I will seek out this Alagos. Thus far there has not been a third murder, but we've yet to find any lead as to who, or why. I will make use of them, to try to prevent this from occuring again. It is best you remain, less people start talking about what sped you and the others home. Combating the rumours would be difficult at best.

As to the rest of your news, I am deeply troubled and distressed. Dead walking? Cults? I once again reiterate my suggestion that we distance ourself further from the affairs of the eastern provinces. If they are plagued by such things, I've no wish for Belfalas to be troubled as well. We can support ourselves with the farms, and the sea, and still tithe to Minas Tirith. They do not need anything else from us, and barely deserve even that.

Regarding Umbar. I've received word from some of your spies that there was a disturbance there, recently. Some sort of earthquake. The palace is devastated, and other parts of the city were damaged, particularly the docks. They are in disarray and there is further infighting amongst the leaders. Though I am unsure as to it's validity, one report spoke of a magical battle in the palace, which is where the earthquake seemed to have originated. Elessar's spies have already likely sent word, but I do not know if he has recieved it yet, with his injury.

Regarding Arnatur, I will have forces sent out to investigate any other potential problems we might face, in the towns and villages. I can also have the gallows prepared. I might even throw the trapdoor open myself.

The news about Lothiriel grieves me, and I cannot help but think she was tricked, or seduced. To just go behind your back like that, and not even inform us? Nay, this 'King' of Rohan has tricked her. I will send her a letter, asking her to come to her senses. I will announce an engagement, but I do not have to like it. And I can scarcely believe the King did this, either.

You can still annull it, and I care not who it was that wed them, even if it was Ulmo himself. You must speak to Elessar, and express your outrage in his part in this. You are her father, and the lord and Prince of one of his provinces. That is all I will say about that.

Please tell my wife and son that I send my love, and that I've a present for him. Do not tell him this, but I've gotten him a puppy, and it will be arriving a few days after this letter.



Elphir.

Dear Elphir,

Your letter concerns me deeply. While in these trying and dangerous times, people will always kill others to get what they want, the tone of your letter tells me this is not a murder for money or resources, but something more vicious and sinister. Here in Minas Tirith some people have died in relation to a cult of the East -- I am advising you to use extreme caution, if you believe magic may be at hand. I am passing to you a recommendation of aid, a man named Alagos and his acquaintances, who have helped me in the past to solve other such murders and crimes.

With Elessar's injury it is not certain when he will be married. Formal invitation or not, the tedium of remaining in the city indefinitely wears on my knights, who know they have important work to be doing. Do we need to come home? I trust you to handle the situation with competence, but with the reports of the attack on the king and the other sinister news that has been abroad in Minas Tirith (including murders, the dead returned by black magic, the arrival of an Eastern cult, and bold kidnappings by Umbar), do the people need to see their prince and know I'm safe in Dol Amroth? Use your best discretion.

I would like to report happy news, but I am not sure I am capable. Your wife is well, as is your son. I believe she has made some friends here in the city, I've seen her less than is her usual. Your sister... Several lines of text were written then scratched out and are now illegible. The letter resumes two or three lines down. Your sister has married Eomer of the Mark. They wed in secret, and Lothiriel told your wife she was staying away from the guest house before I arrived, so I did not suspect. I was not told until a surprise meeting on the street, and I almost believe had I not seen Lothiriel, she would have simply have left for Rohan without a farewell or a goodbye.

I have agreed to pretend they met in the city and are now properly engaged and shall be having a wedding feast here in Minas Tirith soon. Spread the word of your sister's engagement and when you receive my next letter, of her subsequent marriage. I chose to do this, rather than to annul their frankly appalling union because it was Elessar who wed them. I have never been so insulted in my life, and if I had known this at the time I left the city, I would have declined his wedding invitation and let people wonder. But now that he is injured, I must appear supportive, at least until I have an excuse to leave the city. It is yet more proof that in this new Gondor, we are not afforded the respect and dignity that was granted us under the reign of the stewards, and a most disturbing development to me. I can only hope the people of Belfalas do not learn of the insulting and undignified way I have been treated by Rohan, as it will result in anger and outrage we are too thin in soldiers to contain.

Aergannel sends her love, and Alphros has given me a very sticky hug I am to pass to you. I hope you are as well as you can be, under the circumstances. I continue to manage, and know you are taking good care of the city in my absence.

Your Father,
Imrahil Swanhelm
Prince of Dol Amroth, Lord of Belfalas and Dor-en-Ernil
Lord Knight Commander and Admiral of the Navy

Stamped with Imrahil's seal, the letter is delivered post-haste to Dol Amroth. Attached are several copies of the pages of Imrahil's own files, which outline what he knows about the returned, the kidnappings and power shift in Umbar, the attack on Aragorn, and the cult of Khamul, as well as a summary of the events in Belfalas involving Arnatur. Conveniently excluded are any reports of Imrahil's health.

Prince Imrahil Swanhelm,

I trust you are well? Your cough has me worried, but I know you are in capable hands. Please, follow any directions the healers give you. I trust the others are well, as well? Particularly Aergannel and Lothiriel. And I recieved the missive about the King. Give him my best wishes, please?

Now, you know me well enough to know that I generally do not write letters to be pleasant. except he used to, to his wife, when they were courting. And they were steamy. Then the war happened ;_;

There has been an unforunate incident within the city. A pair of murders so gruesome that I have taken it upon myself to personally oversee the investigation. I've kept it from public knowledge, for the time being.

No one deserves such a fate. We do not yet know these women's names, nor occupation, but we are asking questions discreetly.

Elphir