Mara

You spineless eel

Treacherous hagfish 

Monkfish faced buffoon

Two faced Fanfin seadevil

Go jump in a rift

My Dearest  Achilles,

Words cannot express the great emotion I experienced when I learned that you, my old friend, were in Kirkwall looking for me. I would that it gave me joy to hear of your survival of the attack on Coralan and I do wish that you had come yourself to visit my bed the other night, instead of insulting me with a visit from uncouth vagrants. 

I have pondered long what could have possibly possessed you to send strangers to my bed in the night, and speculated about what might have kept you away: Has your face been maimed and you fear showing it to me, your old friend? Did Belen rip off your arms finally and you cannot fight me? Perchance you have only one leg now and were simply inviting me to fight you in the river, one warrior to another. Or perhaps you hit your head in the battle of Coralan,and have forgotten your honor and our history. 

I had hoped, when I did not see you in the throne room, that perhaps you had not been party to your father’s treachery. A vain hope, obviously, since you long ago embraced madness. For what else could it be but madness? For a skilled and intelligent male such as yourself to be party to such egregious treachery? It has cost you something integral since clever you, in addition to having the misfortune of losing me twice in your life, also lost--LOST--one of the greatest Heirlooms of Anemora. 

I fear this is only the beginning and I must, out of respect for whatever love was between us once, beg you to reconsider your path. I could yet be persuaded to spare your life should you come to your senses and join our cause. 

Barring any such restoration, you false-tongued seadevil, I wish to warn you that should I or one of my companions offer you the chance to negotiate, you should take it. It will not be offered you again and your alternative is gruesome and final. The sea will not accept you. 

Cordially,

Damaris Spindrift, daughter of Deimos Spindrift, son of Mattmos Spindrift, son of Grimnos Sprindrift, descended from the Peerless Pavlos Spindrift, First Guardian of the Great Rift

Achilles,

I remember. I remember every laugh, every touch... Do you remember the time we stole Hemeros’  shark and made it to the edge of the reef before we fell off?  Hemeros was furious and it took half the day to round up the shark. Then you convinced my father to start training us early instead of locking us up for a month. Or that night on the surface, when the moon was so full it filled the sky and silvered the whole sea? You kissed me for the first time. I loved you and your silver tongue. You were always enough for me. It has been an eternity since I’ve seen the Achilles I loved.

Did you look for me among the fallen? What would you have done if you had found me breathing?

Duty--You cannot speak to me of duty. Your duty is the same as mine, protect Coralan, Anemora, and the Rift. But you abandoned that honor. You already know I will never give up Phaedra or the Trident. Let that poisonous usurper send others. I do not fear them. Why does your father seek the Trident? How long before he tries to use the Rift? I have seen the monsters that come through the frayed fabric of the world, they will not be controlled, they will destroy everything. Have you not seen how little remains of the elves after they tried to use the power of other planes? Would you doom the tritons, too? Leave off this madness, Achilles. Do not trade the land and the sea for your father’s favor as you traded me.  He has never cared about you, only for what you can do for him.

Do not return to Coralan. Seadevil though you are, you don’t have to face his wrath alone. Remember your true duty. Reclaim your honor.

- Damaris

Achilles,

My friend tells me he used his magic to send you a message--The Sea knows what he said to you, but he’s a good sort so whatever he said he meant well. He worried me a bit when he said you didn’t respond...as if someone was there with you. Given your last letter I don’t know if you’ll receive this one. 

And...I don’t know what to say. I want to say many things...and nothing. You spent hours looking for me? Achilles...I’m…So many dead...The scars on my body show just how nearly I was one of them. Scars. And just like that I’m thinking of you with your scars--so many of them gained in my company--and your green eyes sparkling with some new idea. Damn it. How angry I am at myself for warming to you when those dead are my dead. But still...you looked.

I want to ask who you found...but I am afraid that I will hope and be disappointed. 

Thanks for warning me about your sister. Just when I thought my relationship with Ariadne couldn’t get any worse. Other planes are not as hospitable as one might think. I wish, for your sake, I could promise you I won’t kill her if she comes for me, but I can’t promise that, I’m sorry. 

If you left off madness...it would be the bravest thing you’ve ever done. I invited you to join our cause, once. The offer stands. You could help me set things right. There are many who need our help, not just in Coralan. Perhaps we can someday cross the sea of blood between us. 

Send a message to me through the Kirkwall Free Company. I wish I could see you again, before she comes. 

-Damaris

To PhrixusAkheilos

Voice of the King, now Self-styled-King of Coralan and Protector of the Great Rift in the Shadow of Darkness, Stalwart Against the Kraken

Greetings. 

Lately you have sent companies to hunt me, and this one now returns to you defeated. I have in my custody, Androcles Thalassa, son of Kastor Thalassa, Self-styled-King’s-Hand, and should you desire his return I require the return of a prisoner of like value. Androcles is in good health and shall be kept so until such time as an agreeable exchange can be made.

Send word to me at the Imperial Post office in Rivain for us to negotiate an agreeable trade to be conducted at a neutral location.

In Service of the Incomparable Salt Sea and the Guardians of the Great Rift,

Signed,

Damaris Spindrift

Daughter of Diemos Spindrift, son of Mattmos Spindrift, son of Grimnos Sprindrift, descended from Pavlos Spindrift, First Guardian of the Great Rift. 

General of the Cerulean Army, Champion of Posieden’s Vanguard, in the service of Queen PhaedraAnemora, Protector of the Great Rift in the Shadow of Darkness, Stalwart Against the Kraken

Phaedra,

My Queen. I am writing to you as promised. I delivered your letters to Emperor Calvus Maxentius on 24th, Hisun in Temris when we were there for the Masquerade at the Cirvellis. At the behest of his counselors, he asked if you were single. I told him you were. Of course, any marriage alliance with the Empire should be considered very carefully, as you’re well aware. The Imperial traditions are not like ours, and I would probably recommend a cousin, rather than yourself, enter into ties if this matter is pursued. I am concerned about unrest in the upper echelons of the Empire.

I met Tiberius Flaccus, the general of the Emperor’s forces. He asked me to come train his griffin riders. I told him I would consider it. It would be valuable to see how the Empire trains its warriors, though I am cautious about training someone else’s army. His primary interest appears to be gaining them tastes of real danger, and I have an idea for how to accomplish that. 

I met Nefer-ka-ra the Amarakian Ambassador to the Empire. We exchanged diplomatic pleasantries. I later learned she had an altercation with Kyrius over his prayer beads, religious differences. I don’t know if that will pose any trouble for us in the future, as I’m not certain if she knows  his connection to me.

We have made small progress on the mystery of the kidnapped Arch Mages. But I have met a great many people, including the headmistress of the College of Engwith, and we believe we need to head north again and track down a dragonborn--or devil--named V’kandress, who we believe is the Hand of Osmodeus. 

I am including some interesting books I found.

In Service of the Incomparable Salt Sea and the Guardians of the Great Rift,

Signed,

Damaris Spindrift

The ocean is red

When it should be blue

But I am alive

And I still love you

Coral is red

The ocean is blue

I’m glad you’re not dead

I think I love you.

You’re tremendous, yeah?

Much more than meets the eye, yeah?

The eye is pleased, too.

Your love is like a storm at sea

And I am like a boat

Your love is like a palace fair

And I am like its moat

Your love is like a fruiting tree

And I a hungry bear

Your love is an anemone

And I a fish who calls it home

 and uses it to trap its enemies

Dissolving scale and bone.

Boat

Moat

Goat

Bloat

Float

Dote

Wrote

Stoat

Tote

Fair

Bear

Hair

Stare

Mare

Share

Rare

Glare

Flare

abcbacab

You’re like water to my gills

Water to my rills