To My Dearest Friend, Governess-Militant Lady Umeko Tsuguri,

I hope you are well, my Lady Tsuguri! Castle Pieksvaldt has been terribly lonely with your departure, and I must confess I miss you terribly. In no small way, I miss every one of you! Our dear hunter, Klaudia, has since taken to her hunter's rounds once again, leaving me the castles sole occupant when she is not here to instruct me. Although I no longer truly fear the castle, the solitude is enough to bring me to a state. Perhaps taking pity on me, Gear bless her, *** has come to look after me and allow me in to her home. For all my worries, I do hope that I don't sound as if I am unhappy here; that is not true! Lonely perhaps, but I have kept very busy doing what I can for Rookery and myself. It's all very fulfilling and I can say with kind relief that I am more at peace now than I have been in a long, long time. The people of Rookery have welcomed me, and I am so very fond of them. I hope your own people treat with so much kindness, for you surely deserve it.

But, I must write of more practical matters now before writing of you brings me to tearful emotions again. The Rookery slowly recovers, but we are losing many of the younger generations to wanderlust; even some of our elders have chosen to move on rather than remain. Open doors to a cage long closed are a powerful draw, it would seem; I do worry so for our future. The mayor assures me not all plan to depart, so I am at least confident the town may yet survive. If I can do anything to help this, I shall. In fact, I have plans to do just so when I am able. Our lost Lord Rook lies in wait to the East and so Klaudia and I shall find him when I am fit to travel and defend myself. Klaudia has told me I am making good progress.

I do so hope this letter reaches you. I have given instructions that it be brought North to Justininople to our good friend Abbot Werner, so I am fairly confident it shall. Do write back! I am eager to hear of your life!

Your faithful friend,

Lisandra Dragomir

To My Sweet Friend And All the Snowshoe Family,

It is my hope that this letter finds you in good health and spirits Miss Anisa and all your wonderful family. Castle Pieksvaldt has been quite lonely without you all and when my dear Klaudia goes afield, I am its sole habitant in the dark hours; I fear it will be some time before I can convince the servants to dwell here at night. But, I do not mean to sound gloomy! The Rookery has become my second home and its people have accepted me with a fondness. A fondness I return, I have never felt more welcome! I now spend my days helping the Rookery recover and myself to a state of usefulness, should the times call for us to act again. It brings me joy to tel you progress has been made in both cases. The Rookery slowly recovers, as do I.

But look at me, writing of myself so when it is really you I worry for! Your injuries were very alarming when last we parted and I do hope you have learned more of their treatment, that you might recover swiftly and completely. Please let me know you are well! While not so important as that, I would fondly appreciate hearing of what you have done while we have been parted. These letters help fill the shadows and bring warmth to my heart; the empty halls are filled with life by your words. And please, extend my apologies to your family as well as my best wishes. Tell Gibson I miss him greatly.

Your faithful friend,

Lisandra Dragomir

To Abbot Werner, Dear Father:

It is gladdest tidings I bring you, although I am sure you are well informed of what I speak before this letter can reach you. Castle Pieksvaldt is free of its curse and lives under the regulated perfection of our Gear's sun. I might hearten you to know that I have taken up the faith as well, although I dearly hope our Great Gear forgives me awkward learning and unfortunate history; I can only pray my hard work for my dear Rookery and daily my trials of self-betterment are to His liking. It may also surprise and gladen you to know I am now the apprentice to my once-hunter, Klaudia Von Horne. When my mentor is afield, I alone keep to Castle Pieksvaldt. Although I may not be much of an obstacle, I swear to protect my Lord Rook's estate and people to the best of my ability. I remain that I may be of use and show these halls are neither abandoned nor cast to the sad fate of decay.

I hope, perhaps some day, you or one of your acolytes might grace our castle with your presence; I do think these halls would benefit greatly from the rekindled presence of our Gear's clergy. You and your fellows will also be interested to know the Castle's is quite welcoming to the scholarly sort! There is so much history here, and I will be glad to make any who are interested as welcome here as I may. Because of my duties here, and my other conditions of which I believe I told our mutual friends, I trust you will circulate that this majestic Castle Pieksvaldt shall be my dwelling for some months and that I will journey North when I am able. I do wish you all the best, Father; from the last of the Midnight Murder. Do write me back if it is no trouble! May you go in order.

[A Curator correspondence, Lisandra's letter might read like a simple, if perhaps surprising, letter to one of her faith. As it happens, the letter offers several more details for the secret society she belongs to. That Rookery is free is obvious and likely old news, as is her choice to remain, but the news that Pieksvaldt Castle is open to Curator traffic is new. Further, as old as it is, Curator research might benefit from its libraries, including it's firsthand experience with the Necromancer Wars, a time when much was lost. Lisandra's training is also of note, granting the secret society a catalog of skills in which to attribute to her, should they be needed. And lastly, but perhaps most important, is the news her unusual and ominous pregnancy proceeds without incident. She also bids the Curators write her as needed, although she seems to desire the Abbot's personal correspondence as well – it seems she has converted.]

Your faithful servant,

Lisandra Dragomir

To The Great Mage Xander,

While we have not always been on the best of terms, I do hope you'll accept this letter of well-wishing and good tidings. I do not know if you still travel with our Lady Tsuguri, so I have sent this letter by the Mage's Guild rather than by our close friends, as I felt they might find you should you be parted from our dear friend. It is with a glad heart I write that Rookery recovers, although some among the villagers have sought to depart now that they may. I do fear for our town, but the mayor assures me we will survive. The castle is lonely without all of you and when Klaudia, my dear teacher these days, thinks to travel her hunter's path I remain the castle's one occupant as night falls. I remain that the town might know this castle yet breathes, that at least one of its guardians persist to hold his Lordship's estate and that I might recover in peace. Although I know I am not so useful as you and our friends, but I do try to learn and practice as I do what I may for our dear town.

I am happy here, in case you worry for me; this is my place now and I have found a good measure of peace and acceptance within these walls. I hope you have done so well for yourself; given our Lady's fondness for you and your own great skill in the mystic arts, I have every confidence in you! Do write me back if it does not trouble you.

Your faithful friend,

Lisandra Dragomir