Editing Morglin Ironfist (section)

=== Letter 1 ===
23rd Day of the Month of the Raven, Common Year 632

To my great and munificent lord, [[Ragnar Ironfist|King Ragnar]], from his loyal cousin Lord Ironfist - Greetings.

:It has been thirty days since I crossed through the mysterious gate which opened in the [[Varnal Hills]] and thus found myself in this strange and uncharted land. I wish my dear lord and cousin, through this missive, to dispel the ugly rumors about me, which I fear you might believe. I was deeply shocked, dear cousin, by the attempt of the wizard [[Guthbert]] to slay you. I heard that upon the rack of pain, shortly after you had his arms torn from their sockets, that he cried out my name as the one who had paid him. Dear cousin, it has injured me grievously to hear that you believed him. You know my loyalty to you is undying. Even though you took the hand of fair [[Ewine]] to be your queen, though I loved her dearly, still it is wrong to think I would wish harm upon you. That wretch Guthbert must have forged my signature to the letter you found in his chambers. As for the satchel of gold bearing my mark, I know not how it came to be in Guthbert’s possession. I believe some dark enemy must have planted it to cast blame upon me for such a dastardly crime.

:Please trust me on this.

:I was sorely grieved to hear that your barons had set out to arrest me. I am deeply hurt to hear it being said that I fled like a coward up into the [[Varnal Hills]] to escape your justice. I was merely going on a hunting expedition, dear cousin - an innocent trip to escape the heat of summer accompanied by a few trusted servants. The fact that I took my family jewels with me was simply to keep them safe, for there is always the problem of thievery on the part of servants while the master is away.

:How I came into this strange land is still somewhat of a mystery to me. While wandering in the Hills, I, and my few retainers, stumbled into a narrow pass on the borders of your realm. As we walked into the pass, a strange glowing light engulfed us for a moment. We turned to go back from whence we came, but an invisible barrier was now in place. Try as we might, we could not penetrate it. So we continued on, passing out of the Hills down into a strange uncharted land. All seemed different in this new place. The sun is not like the red of our lands, but rather has a strange yellow hue. It seems that objects do not fall quite as fast when dropped and the air holds more moisture to it.

:We wandered for many days and found no trace of pillars marking boundaries, no rulers, or any hint of kings and laws. All was wilderness, untamed, and untouched by the hands of thinking beings.

:Of course, my dear cousin, I immediately realized that here was an opportunity to extend your realm and win for you greater honors and treasure. Thus did I erect boundary markers and raised up your banner to lay claim to, in your name, all the lands as far as my eyes could see. Please accept this as a sign of my fealty and family loyalty and ignore any disparaging rumors about earlier events.

:My dear cousin and liege lord, after wandering for many days I bethought it appropriate to try and return through the gate and inform you of my great discoveries in your name. I wished to bring word of my discoveries to you personally, before other barons tried to do so first.

:But my lord, the mysterious gate was still closed and I could not pass through it. Thus did I erect a pillar next to it, and shall place there this letter and those that I will write afterwards, to show my service to you in extending your realms. I shall keep you informed of my progress in service to you and your undying glory.

:Please extend as well my most humble respects to the fair, gentle and lovely Queen Ewine. Tell her that out of my loyalty to you I think of her each morning and night and wish her happiness at your side.

Loyally, Ironfist.