AllianceCHI
Baron
Better Late Than Never
An Open Letter of Thanks to the Unsung Heroes of the last 5 years
As I pack the last of my personal belongings here in Hope’s Reach, as
much as I am not particularly known for overwhelming sensitivity or
sentimentality, I can’t help but reminisce on the road that has led
not just me here, with a broadsword nestled on my back and a purpose
beyond solely myself, but also helped shape the last half decade and the future for all those who have made a home in Fort Miller.
I look through the window of my shop and see other shops in town, a
new mill just finished, a house newly rebuilt, children on the street
ignoring the cries of the mothers to come home for supper, and
Baronial soldiers keeping the peace. I see not only the mark of what
those who call themselves adventurers or those who drew a line in the
sand and stood for our lives, our homes, our profits, or whatever
motivates any or all of us, they are after all so varied. I see the
mark of those who never drew a sword in defense of the line, of those
who shed not blood but no less sweat, for some no less tears, even the
effects of those who never travelled to the area which was to be known
Hope’s Reach.
Allow me to wax romantic on the meaning of Hope’s Reach a moment… a
final stand, all the hopes of a population combined to reach for one
goal… safety from the corrupt. It would have held a different name had
I named it, another one if a warrior gone by named Thatkeb had chosen
the name, even another if a misguided few had been able to namesake it
after the first one of us to give her life to this cause, Mara
Glenbeck. After her death, many sought to name our area after her but
in the end, it was decided that the best tribute would be to name it
what she had considered the best concept. I don’t claim to know Mara
Glenbeck better than all, but I know her character, and she would have
wished for the name to hold more meaning than simply to be named
Mara’s Glen. She was not, after all, a peaceful woman as the term Glen
implies. It was not simply Thakeb’s “Free Beer City” or “Hope’s Reach”
donated to us by adventurers or warrior but so much more.
I could not write a letter of thanks without recalling to our memories, and surely
forgetting many, the names of those who have given of their spirits
once too many. Lok of Harbors far, a truer warrior philosopher I have
not known. Julian Happen, the lightning rod by which we came to work
so closely with the people of the Fort Miller area, your sword
contributing only so little as the dedication and heart only a man who
had lost so much could. Mesa, lessons in your mind left to be taught
and in your death we still learn. Of course, Crow, only I know what
you did for me and for my lord….thank you.
Of course, this letter is not simply to remember those who fought, or
the countless victims who have died in unmarked graves, the volunteers
who have stood the walls, the scouts who have born the most valuable
information in the nick of time. It is to recognize and thank those
who often are forgotten when the battle is over. It is said in many
books of war that an army marches on their stomach and this is true
even here in Gaden. We are dependent on all those who feed us. This
much is known to be true. Also, we cannot fight without weapons, we
know this as well. We cannot fight on without the potions which give
us temporary reprieve, and cannot destroy nodes without the scrolls
scribed tirelessly by craftsmen and guilds. All these are owed thanks
and recognition for this small victory. We have won many battles and
many continue to be fought. I recognize that we cannot continue
without the support of the people, and the country which fights
besides us in our own way and that we will continue to need these
resources, now more than ever, as we tackle new challenges.
There is of course, one particular man who deserves thanks. All know,
or should know his name, few truly know his action, often thought
greedy, seldom truly rewarded for his efforts. I mean to recognize
this man also today. Not only his man, but his entire family, his
entire organization all of which have contributed materially to the
success of Gaden over the years but in specific to the success of Fort
Miller, now known as Hope’s Reach. I name this man, Kirna Lightfoot.
In the last half decade, Master Lightfoot, a merchant of powerful
means, has been the tireless savior of Gaden and of Hope’s Reach in
particular. I know many believe he did this for profits, and while it
is true that he will now enjoy the fruits of his labor, he took the
risks of thousands of gold poured in our direction when the time was
most needed. When no sane merchant would invest in Fort Miller, an
area slated to be taken over he subsidized the few caravans willing to
travel with much needed supplies. He quietly arranged for the
reopening of a quarry and mining operations and generated pricing
competition to keep prices reasonable. He has often appeared at odds
with many adventurers over this property or that scroll but this
Hobling, never gave in to the temptation to cash out his chips, to
take profit rather than reinvest more into Hope. Hope, a particularly
risky investment that this man and his people poured wealth into by
the wagonload, that wagon we road to a decisive victory last year
against not just the corrupt but so many other foes. In fact, the road
most of us travel to and fro this place is not solely my creation, it
is also his, and his families doing, that logistics rebuilt allows
Hope’s Reach to no longer be a lost land, but a safer place, a center
of commerce for the area.
I take nothing away from any of you who bore weapons, spells, or
crafts to the battle. Your own contributions are known to me and known
to the people of Gaden. I seek only for proper thanks to be given to
Kirna for his own efforts and risks and for the people and for their
own efforts. I seek also to ask for their help again as we travel to
Shademarch Keep as I take the Prince’s Banner there to aid Baroness Grey in
her efforts to push the line ever backwards. I know many lives again will be in
the balance, I know many grey blades will fight, many adventures will
give, and many lives can be built here but I ask again for all of your
most gracious aid. Please Kirna, Please all of you, help us build
another road, one more wall, please make more investment to this
land and support us as we support Gaden. You know what we are capable
of, we, not just the adventurers or warriors but the people of Gaden
are looking to your continued aid, and the aid of all those who
contributed to the last half decade’s success to make this stand a
successful one.
Kind Regards,
HollyFern Cottonwood
Bonded Guardsmen of Ganden
An Open Letter of Thanks to the Unsung Heroes of the last 5 years
As I pack the last of my personal belongings here in Hope’s Reach, as
much as I am not particularly known for overwhelming sensitivity or
sentimentality, I can’t help but reminisce on the road that has led
not just me here, with a broadsword nestled on my back and a purpose
beyond solely myself, but also helped shape the last half decade and the future for all those who have made a home in Fort Miller.
I look through the window of my shop and see other shops in town, a
new mill just finished, a house newly rebuilt, children on the street
ignoring the cries of the mothers to come home for supper, and
Baronial soldiers keeping the peace. I see not only the mark of what
those who call themselves adventurers or those who drew a line in the
sand and stood for our lives, our homes, our profits, or whatever
motivates any or all of us, they are after all so varied. I see the
mark of those who never drew a sword in defense of the line, of those
who shed not blood but no less sweat, for some no less tears, even the
effects of those who never travelled to the area which was to be known
Hope’s Reach.
Allow me to wax romantic on the meaning of Hope’s Reach a moment… a
final stand, all the hopes of a population combined to reach for one
goal… safety from the corrupt. It would have held a different name had
I named it, another one if a warrior gone by named Thatkeb had chosen
the name, even another if a misguided few had been able to namesake it
after the first one of us to give her life to this cause, Mara
Glenbeck. After her death, many sought to name our area after her but
in the end, it was decided that the best tribute would be to name it
what she had considered the best concept. I don’t claim to know Mara
Glenbeck better than all, but I know her character, and she would have
wished for the name to hold more meaning than simply to be named
Mara’s Glen. She was not, after all, a peaceful woman as the term Glen
implies. It was not simply Thakeb’s “Free Beer City” or “Hope’s Reach”
donated to us by adventurers or warrior but so much more.
I could not write a letter of thanks without recalling to our memories, and surely
forgetting many, the names of those who have given of their spirits
once too many. Lok of Harbors far, a truer warrior philosopher I have
not known. Julian Happen, the lightning rod by which we came to work
so closely with the people of the Fort Miller area, your sword
contributing only so little as the dedication and heart only a man who
had lost so much could. Mesa, lessons in your mind left to be taught
and in your death we still learn. Of course, Crow, only I know what
you did for me and for my lord….thank you.
Of course, this letter is not simply to remember those who fought, or
the countless victims who have died in unmarked graves, the volunteers
who have stood the walls, the scouts who have born the most valuable
information in the nick of time. It is to recognize and thank those
who often are forgotten when the battle is over. It is said in many
books of war that an army marches on their stomach and this is true
even here in Gaden. We are dependent on all those who feed us. This
much is known to be true. Also, we cannot fight without weapons, we
know this as well. We cannot fight on without the potions which give
us temporary reprieve, and cannot destroy nodes without the scrolls
scribed tirelessly by craftsmen and guilds. All these are owed thanks
and recognition for this small victory. We have won many battles and
many continue to be fought. I recognize that we cannot continue
without the support of the people, and the country which fights
besides us in our own way and that we will continue to need these
resources, now more than ever, as we tackle new challenges.
There is of course, one particular man who deserves thanks. All know,
or should know his name, few truly know his action, often thought
greedy, seldom truly rewarded for his efforts. I mean to recognize
this man also today. Not only his man, but his entire family, his
entire organization all of which have contributed materially to the
success of Gaden over the years but in specific to the success of Fort
Miller, now known as Hope’s Reach. I name this man, Kirna Lightfoot.
In the last half decade, Master Lightfoot, a merchant of powerful
means, has been the tireless savior of Gaden and of Hope’s Reach in
particular. I know many believe he did this for profits, and while it
is true that he will now enjoy the fruits of his labor, he took the
risks of thousands of gold poured in our direction when the time was
most needed. When no sane merchant would invest in Fort Miller, an
area slated to be taken over he subsidized the few caravans willing to
travel with much needed supplies. He quietly arranged for the
reopening of a quarry and mining operations and generated pricing
competition to keep prices reasonable. He has often appeared at odds
with many adventurers over this property or that scroll but this
Hobling, never gave in to the temptation to cash out his chips, to
take profit rather than reinvest more into Hope. Hope, a particularly
risky investment that this man and his people poured wealth into by
the wagonload, that wagon we road to a decisive victory last year
against not just the corrupt but so many other foes. In fact, the road
most of us travel to and fro this place is not solely my creation, it
is also his, and his families doing, that logistics rebuilt allows
Hope’s Reach to no longer be a lost land, but a safer place, a center
of commerce for the area.
I take nothing away from any of you who bore weapons, spells, or
crafts to the battle. Your own contributions are known to me and known
to the people of Gaden. I seek only for proper thanks to be given to
Kirna for his own efforts and risks and for the people and for their
own efforts. I seek also to ask for their help again as we travel to
Shademarch Keep as I take the Prince’s Banner there to aid Baroness Grey in
her efforts to push the line ever backwards. I know many lives again will be in
the balance, I know many grey blades will fight, many adventures will
give, and many lives can be built here but I ask again for all of your
most gracious aid. Please Kirna, Please all of you, help us build
another road, one more wall, please make more investment to this
land and support us as we support Gaden. You know what we are capable
of, we, not just the adventurers or warriors but the people of Gaden
are looking to your continued aid, and the aid of all those who
contributed to the last half decade’s success to make this stand a
successful one.
Kind Regards,
HollyFern Cottonwood
Bonded Guardsmen of Ganden
