Translation brought to you by: The Adventurer’s Guild
Located at: Kingdom of Alteris Ruins
Discovered by: Herrai Torran

Dearest Family,

I trust this letter finds you in good health. As I take quill to parchment, my only thoughts are consumed by the comforting embrace of our humble abode within the Grotto.

To my son, a tender seven years in age, and to my daughter, who was but a month when I last beheld you, I pray that this perilous job should support you until you reach the threshold of adulthood, so that you shall escape the miserable life that lives under the dirt.

The fields of battle are harsh this winter. Our supply of necessary goods has dwindled significantly. Alteris' rapid decline in resources has lead us to unfortunate situations such as this. Nevertheless, our commander continues to send us on these missions to obtain more land, despite our own already frail from the beast of nature. The greed which comes from our leaders is heavier than the stones on our backs.

As you might know, Verinth, land of the mighty, has lost its leader. From which I know, the chain of command there is worse than that of here. A breach of incredible nature has caused their people’s evacuation, or so I’ve heard. At the rate that we are plummeting towards, Alteris might share a similar fate. 

Daji, a comrade of mine, spoke something quite eerie recently,

“It feels like we are fighting for the chance to die. For the chance that a headstone shall be carved for us by the still-living. Fighting over our own headstones. Otherwise, we will all die when there is no one left to bury us.”

I did not intend for this letter to become so grim. But you should not be worried. My hope remains strong that our land will survive this, because our beautiful nation has overcome so much already. We shall overcome this, too.

So fear not, dear family. For even if I fall under this war, I know you will all live on. Silas, my son, take care of your mother and sister. 

We will see each other soon. I can hardly wait to hold you all in my arms again.

Yours forever,

X Alaric Evrhardt