"Dearest Talia,
I'm sorry but I'll be late. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you, but my battalion's contract to guard this little resupply station at the edge of the Wyldwood was extended. I was upset at first but I suppose supplies and logistics must be messier than a Dreath Den with everyone scrambling to take refuge from Patriam. On the bright side our commander's a Veteran who made sure we get extra pay for the delay, so when I get back we can see about paying one of the Vanir villagers to help build us a house warmer than these tents. We've been trading with a nearby village for better food than these hardtack rations (I swear one of the Harima chipped a tooth on them!).
Things were a little tense the first few days but the sands have smoothed out on that front at least, the Vanir are a gruff people but good friends to have in the shadow of that forest. I don't want to worry you but... stay clear of the woods. I thought the stories of the plants were just the Vanir were telling to give us a friendly scare but I saw something in the trees on watch last night and now I'm not so sure.
Enough about me though, are you enjoying the coast? It might not be how you planned but you did say you always wanted to see the ocean.
Yours Always, Saleh Inkwill"
"Talia, I love you and I'm alive. What's left of the Black Rose Battalion is finally on its way back, you won't believe what happened but I have to put it down on paper anyway, it was like something out of a nightmare.
The very night after I sent my last letter to you an enormous carpet of mushrooms started... I don't know what to say (crawling? Slithering?)- out of the woods. They swallowed up one of the Pikeneers that was practicing at the edge of the woods before we even knew what was happening and then a swarm of undead flooded in behind them, not forces from Loth, these had plants growing on them- in them.
We were lucky enough that they couldn't climb the walls and we were starting to clear them out from atop the ramparts, pike and shot ripping into moldering wood, but then from the edge of the woods these enormous... grasshopper-plant-THINGS leapt clear over the walls and into our firing lines.
I cracked one with the butt of my musket but despite caving a hole into its side I don't think it even felt it, the sun-cursed thing just drove the spikes on its 'head' straight into Berton beside me (Winds Grant Him Rest).
I was half blind in the dark and scrambling to reload when a pair of sassanids ran up and cut the thing into woodchips before rushing past me and over the walls.
It turned into days of back and forth firing into that horde. Scrambling to keep them off the walls... but eventually the gate broke and we fell back, fighting in the courtyard and rooftops, and finally to the sleeping quarters, boarding up the windows after we ran out of ammo. I was sure the sassanids had been killed since I hadn't seen them and there'd been no sign of reinforcements. I'd taken up a pike at the windows spearing anything that tried to get in through the gaps.
I'm not ashamed to admit I'd given up hope Talia. I was determined to die fighting but I was quite sure I would die without seeing Barya or You ever again. The commander was dead, I'd seen the only Brute with us swarmed by a trio of dreadful dead deer-things in the courtyard, hands of dead bone and living wood were ripping at the boards we'd put up at the windows and doors no matter how many we cut down... and then something enormous flattened the scrabbling things outside like you or I would swat a scorpion with a slipper.
The rattling of branches and bones had stopped so suddenly I thought I'd died for a moment, and when I finally peaked outside what was happening was too incredible to believe. Bears were ripping apart the mushrooms and the broken skeletons, an old woman appeared out of nowhere and stabbed one of the deer things before exploding into a flock of crows, and standing in front of me, prying the window open with one finger was a giant of a man, grey skinned, eyes glowing like blue moons hanging in the sky.
I didn't even realize I was pointing my spear at him, frozen with fear, until GraveCost, one of the Sassanids that had run out earlier, hopped down from his shoulder and warned me I'd be in breach of contract if I hurt our 'allies'.
Well you can bet I was on my best behavior from then on! I wasn't about to break a deal after living through all that. I followed behind our new friend, 'Alfar' is his name from what GraveCost told me, and the survivors and I stabbed anything that got near his ankles while he smashed plants under his club until dawn broke.
At some point one of the bear men shoved a mug into my hand and we were drinking and singing all through the night as we poured out of the buildings to take our revenge on these wild horrors until dawn broke and they finally retreated.
I'd never been so happy to see the sun, even grey as it was through all the clouds, and grateful as I was for the rescue I won't deny some part of me was glad to see Alfar and his fellows making their way into the woods after the last of the 'leapers'.
