Note/L10N/Windfall/1.0/Books/WFTowardLetter02E?
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<font face=5>Wayrest, 17th of Mid Year, 3E420<br>
<br>
Dear Sharnur,<br>
<br>
I can?t believe it! So near but yet so far. Still, I suppose you need to be told the details to understand my frustration.<br>
Morton?s Fork was a hole, more of a sink than a village and not typical of that region at all. I think one could be forgiven for believing the whole town exists by theft, extortion, murder and any other lucrative vice that comes to mind. Fortunately I did not have to overnight there.<br>
I was able to trace the direction of the exploding thief?s arrival and found the tomb without difficulty. No one else had been back there. Having seen one man?s entrails draped over the roofs of adjoining houses no one was ready to emulate him quite so soon.<br>
Of course there would be nothing within that could hurt me and I went inside without a qualm.<br>
Immediately within stairs led down to a large empty chamber off which there were several passages and three doors. I had no reason to know whether or not any of these possibilities would lead to important finds but as it is prudent to ensure that no one can come out of a room behind you. No doubt I would survive a battle with creatures of the undead but in what condition would I have to pass the rest of my days? So I examined the closed rooms first.<br>
Two rooms contained the usual rubbish common to tombs in that area, but the third held crates of books. Much to my surprise and delight was a copy of the necromancy book was in one of the creates. A copy that was completely decoded. I put it to one side while I glanced through the others but there was nothing further of interest. I put it on an altar in the main chamber - it is never a good idea to have one?s hands encumbered when facing the unknown - and took the first passageway. It led down.<br>
This lower level was a different proposition. It was full of furnishings and treasure left for the greater glory of the corpse. If they only knew.<br>
I was going through the contents of a particularly interesting chest when I heard a noise behind me. Having visited such places in the past I suspected I had disturbed a creature of the undead. It was with complete amazement I found myself facing a man totally covered in heavy black armor of an evil cast. Well, I do not know if it was evil but it was hideous and alarming. I had no idea who it was, though clearly he was in the tomb for no honorable purpose.<br>
I called over that I had no interest in the contents of the tomb save for the odd book and that I had almost finished. The fool could not carry all the loot from the room as it was and I thought it would appease him. But it transpired that he knew me.<br>
?Todward, at last we meet,? he said as if I should know him. ?Prepare to die at Alexander?s hand.?<br>
The name rang a faint bell - one of those crusaders against necromancy who had been giving a few of my friends a bit of trouble - but I do not know how he knew of me.<br>
I told him not to be a fool. That he had no hope of even hurting me and that it would be foolish in the extreme to try to do so in a tomb likely to be full of who knew what.<br>
He laughed at me. ?I did not come here expecting you but I cannot let the opportunity go by.?<br>
So saying he pulled out a massive sword and charged as if to run me through.<br>
It was then I discovered his armor was magically protected. Nothing I cast at him could penetrate it. Of course I was protected too. He could not even reach me. That must have made him tremendously frustrated for he redoubled his pointless efforts. I thought he must eventually tire but his determination was incredible. I realized with something of a shock that if nothing happened I would be the first to run out of power.<br>
Then the situation became totally confused. The amount of magic we had been using disturbed not one creature but three. Greater Zombies - their putrescence as offensive to the nostrils as to the eyes. One took a squirming maggot from its rotting eye and devoured it in some weird food chain. But their attention quickly focused on us! Ludicrously, for a moment, this Alexander and I were fighting on the same side. But I was getting dangerously low on power. I could have teleported away but there was an element of fanaticism in this fool?s assault and I knew if I did not finish him then he would come after me.<br>
As we were despatching the last of the zombies I was given my opportunity. He stretched to slice through the creature?s neck, exposing for an instant the skin of his left wrist. I cast ?rot flesh?. He fell dead on the spot. I used what little power I had left to teleport outside the tomb, found an empty cave and slept. I must have been there more than half a day, as night had come and gone by the time I awoke.<br>
My power restored, I went back into the tomb to see if I could find out more of the late Alexander from his corpse. Sometimes I wish I was not quite so principled. The thought of reanimating him as a punishment at that moment seemed, ironically, just. But of course I would never have done it. Not that I would have had the chance. He was not there and neither was the book I had left on the altar. <br>
The undead might have dragged him off and devoured his body but they would have left the armor. If he had companions who collected him why would they have picked up the book? The only sensible explanation was that he was not dead and had taken himself out. Incredible though it might seem he was somehow able to withstand ?rot flesh?. <br>
Well, he must at least be badly hurt; almost certainly dying. He will crawl away and soon be meat for worms and we can forget about him. <br>
If only he had not taken that book! Damn him! Damn him!!!<br>
I can?t finish this letter with flowery wishes of contentment, I am too angry. I will visit soon.<br>
<br>
Yours Todward.<br>
<br>
<br>
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