Mumewin Letters 7 (part 1)

(Date unspecified)

(The following text was nigh unreadable and has been copied here to be more legible)

Friends and fellow Mumes,

As mumes, we have mislabeled the idle "all Life as sacred" to be enlightened, but after last night, I now know otherwise. There are somethings on this world that should not be. The wolves in the woods south of Annalow city claw, bite, and rip into such a category. After I tell of my experience, or describe (blotted out) thing that came from the woods this morning, I still shall never again have peace. Mandra help me, I cannot purge that night from my soul.

(trails off)

(Writing become clearer here)

Chumkin and the local tavern here has donated the necessary alcohol I need to finish my report, but by the Living Goddess, I wish these memories would flee. They hurt to recall, as if looking at a festering wound on a fellow mume, I burn my eyes every time I think of it and know that no sleep will rescue me from my terrible knowledge. By duty alone do I continue, for I must be willing to do my every part to help save the world from the scourge that infests Mash'ta like a rotting disease.

The beginning was at the very tavern I write this letter in. Below at the tables, I readied what supplies I needed for a stealthy observation of the beasts. A heavy, but brave borc named Davite also expressed some curiosity for the wolves, but he knew the legends and stories as well as I. With his hands, he offered to me for protection, figuring he would be enough to stomp down on the occasional attack if the chance came, but he trusted his nimble quietness enough not to disturb my study by distracting the wolves with our presence.

Another offered, as well, but two people was more than we needed for such a mission as mine. Now, I thank what fortunes there was that Davite joined me, but morn his loss with such regret that no whip or needle could match the pain.

We gathered just enough food for two nights, and I wrapped the bane-weed around two small clubs, one for Davite and myself, and put them in sacks. Then we were off. The Effee Forest was rich during mid-day with the chirps and chitters of happy creatures following daily business as if there were no darkness in these woods. The trees were nothing if not deceptive.

Mumewin Letters 6

Dear Friends of the Library of Annalow,

We've been here three days now, which was how long it took to even speak with the farmer kin. T'was a mume girl who braided her white hair in two on the side. She kept a straw of gray-wheat at the edge of her lips while she talked and told me this:

"The wolves ain't nuth'n we cain't handle what with a heavy club and sum' of Daddy's bane-weed. We grow it all 'long the fences 'n such that we don't need ta' worry 'bout no wolf kin."

I asked about the Bane-Weed.

"Sher! It's a weed like 'ta grow here in the forest. Mah' Great Great Gran'pap found a spot o' the forest where none of them wolf kin show up. That's where he started the farm on the east side've the Big Silver*. So since he been planting the food we gotta eat and trade with the rest of Elexia, he been line'n the fence posts with 'em. Wolves of no kind can stand the smell of Bane-weed. Donno why. I kind'a like it m'self. Here, smell."

The flower I was given looked like monkshood. The anaviated has been using these flowers as a form of poison throughout history, and the light blue devils have been known to be toxic by mere touch, but here in Elexia this family stumbled on what seems to be a non-poisonous variety. The smell still wasn't pleasant.

I purchased some of these flowers from my new friend and wrapped a club with them. Tomorrow, I shall venture into the woods to watch the wolves.

Yours,

Professor Steven Mumewin

*Silver River?

Mumewin Letters 5

16th of the First Spring, 2,001 (ADZ)

To you, my firends,

Elexia is the proverbial small village, where social connections are tight. There is even a farm run by a rickety old mume and his family who somehow hold their own against the Dread Wolves successfully enough that the sheriff has never been on their farm. They are not wholly approachable, which is a pity because their record at defending against the beasts is unbroken.

The rest of the village knows well the wolves, and when I asked they said the best bet with these studying these creatures was through a spyglass from outside the woods, preferably on a hill 10 leagues west of the forest. Chumkin got a good luagh out of that, especially when I inquired as to the location of this hill. It must have been some shared joke about world tourists.

Elexia is kindly and quaint, just large enough to require a local sheriff. What at the mill, I asked and discovered the law here is simple (if you'll pardon the local dialect):

"1. Don't take what ain't your's.

2. Don't hurt none more than they ask for.

3. Don't be a dick."

I asked the sheriff, a large woborc, what she thought of the Annalow law of "no edges larger than one's hand," and she pointed as rule number 2 and went back to work. I say back to work, but it was at the mill they she was helping at. The Even the Sheriff helps with the wood production in this town, as did everyone except the inn-keep as far as we could tell.

There is also a local Dryad here. How rare. When I knocked on her tree, I found her shy, shrinking from my investigation. The locals here generally disregard her presence as protest from tree-kin, but welcome her as a plant doctor. Ched Lumberer, the mayor and owner of the mill, said they look after the trees here because "They're our live'n."

I'll keep an eye out for wolves.

Yours,

Professor Steven Mumewin

Mumewin Letters 4

15th of the First Spring, 2,001 (ADZ)

To my esteemed colleagues at the Great Library of Annalow,

We've procured a raft at a discount from the father of a local whore Chumkin met. I shudder to think of the negotiations, but the raft is firm and will hold all six of us. Junior sat at the front, helping to navigate no doubt, and swiftly gulped up small fish curious enough to check our bow, while I and the others rowed upstream toward our next stop, Elexia.

I've been watching the woods and regarded the eyes that peer out from behind the brush. They are not friendly, tho they are welcoming. Inviting us to a feast we would not desire. Chumkin nodded to my words of worry, and the help became restless. It was not an easy night.

Legends I've heard from the slaves back home that this forest was home to the Dread Wolves who brutalized the rabbit population before they became anaviated. Again of this forest, I've heard that even all but the bravest Wild Effee would not enter this place, for fear of the evil intelligence of the wolves here.

This morning, Junior let out a Kuaw-kuaw-kuaw, waking us to the presence of a wolf who somehow jumped aboard. The borc on watch had fallen asleep and let us drift too close to the river's shore. His ravenous and yellow teeth snapped at me and mine, but pulled back, startled to the load squawks of the Ibis. The wolf was quickly knocked into the water by what oars that could be grabbed and Junior was well fed that day.

After a long two days of rowing, we've finally arrived at Elexia, a lumber village and welcome stop on the Silver River in the heart of the Effee Forrest. I shall have to study these wolves next.

Yours,

Professor Steven Mumewin,

Mumewin Letters 3

12th day of the First Spring, 2,001 (ADZ)

To my esteemed colleagues at the Great Library of Annalow,

For 2 and 3 bits* I have purchased a Sky-Blue Carrier Ibis, able to fly long distances with a load up to a full pound in weight. He's a strong bird, average in size (roughly a foot tall), and he greedily eats any fish I put before him. I will call him Steve Jr. I imagine Chumkin must still smell of the sea, because the first things Junior did was to try eating him. Ah, to watch a long friendship begin.

The Ibises here are strange and semi sentient birds that spend most of their time either looking for fish and frogs in the marsh of the river's delta or grooming themselves and their tree nests. They are all Carrier Ibises, I've discovered, and they all decorate the bushy trees surrounding Gustwind. To look at them, you see just their eyes, beak, and feet devoid of feathers, giving the illusion of them wearing long curve-billed masks. All of them have wobbly necks, like a crane, the shorten and push out in feathers when they perch.

I call them semi sentient because I've talked to the locals about their behavior. The Ibis here seems to know the common tongue (Ixxarian) and plot and plan to steal fish, berries, and anything edible from the merchants, and only the merchants. The flock together like bandits at the docks and market, and the town guard eye them not with contempt, but uneasy dispossession. While not violent, they are wily birds as I've come to learn with Junior, but a bit of kindness yields, I think, a grand loyalty.

Or I'd like to believe, as Junior is eating us out of our grant gold. Here I was worried about Chumkin's whore habbit.

Yours,

Professor Steven Mumewin,

*Short hand for two pieces and 3 bits. Basically 13 bits.

Carrier Ibis (Creature)

Fit: 0 Awr: 1 Crv: -1 Res: -1 Luk: 2 Dis: 3

Athletics(Novice), Fishing (Proficient), Pick Pocket (Novice)

Mumewin Letters 1

9th Day of First Spring, 2,001 (AZD)

To my esteemed colleagues at the Great Library of Annalow,

This is my last letter to be written here for the archives as I make my way out into the open world south of Annalow City and into the wilderness on a trek to the hidden Felf Kin town of Alexture. I have with me 5 men, including one "Salty" Chumkin, who seems the most reliable of Mumes to be found at the Docks below our great community. Indeed, Chumkin was instrumental in the recruitment of other sailors as they tend to understand the club over the word. We also have enough provision for the team of 6 men and a map I have procured from a devilish gentle borc whom I trust.

The goal of my expedition, of course, is to make connection with the library in Alexture in hopes to consult, index, and possibly copy or exchange books with our own collection in mind. My secondary task will be that of exploration on species in the local area. As you all know, I've become hyper-fascinated with the local wild life and endeavored to make my own observations.

Wish me luck, Ladies and Genital mume, I shall need it.

Yours,

Professor Steven Mumewin,

Steven Mumewin (Professor)

Fitness: 0 Awareness: 1

Creative: 1 Reason: 2

Heart Magic: -1

Luck: 5 Discipline: 4

Skills: Athletics (Novice), History (Proficient), Investigate (Expert), Literacy (Proficient), Melee (Novice), Music:Recorder (Novice), Navigation (Novice), Stealth (Novice), Survival (Proficient)

"Salty" Chumkin (Sailor)

Fitness: 3 Awareness: 0

Creative: 1 Reason: 0

Heart Magic: -1

Luck: 4 Discipline: 5

Skills: Bluff (Novice), Brawling (Expert), Firearms (Novice), Gambling (Proficient), Intimidate (Proficient), Melee (Proficient), Riding (Novice), Sailing (Novice), Stealth (Novice)