Back at the Rusty Dragon, the group finds Ameiko waiting for them. She’s set up a table and some chairs in a far corner of the tavern’s main room for some privacy. Although they’ve clearly seen her, she waves the three over eagerly.
”Sit, sit friends, we have a lot to talk about.” Her use of “friends” is a particular tell of Ameiko’s. Those who know her well know when she uses the word to directly address a person, she’s going to be asking something of them.
Ameiko still seems unusually energized, excited even. ”So, I was up most of the night doing some research. I couldn’t quite remember a few things and had to track them down.” She pats a small stack of books beside her on the table.
”All the things you found in the marsh; the ships, the chests of valuables, the terrifying samurai skeletons, it’s all amazing stuff. It really is interesting, and wonderful to see these things that were part of Yuki’s and my family’s past. But the letter, it really takes the cake. It explains why the ships went aground in the marsh and were lost. But it also contains clues to so much more!” Ameiko leans in conspiratorially. ”All sorts of things about our parents and grandparents. Maybe enough to figure out what kinds of skeletons they were hiding in their closets.” Ameiko eyes are absolutely twinkling.
”Listen to what I put together last night. The letter is from my grandfather to my father, obviously. And it’s both an apology and a warning, again obviously. Rokuro apologizes for not telling Lonjiku some great secret. He also warns Lonjiku to stay away from Brinewall if Rokuro doesn’t return to Magnamar. There are enemies who will be seeking him, again also obvious from the letter.”
”This is where my research comes in. The letter was written on 29 Desnus, 4687. I did some checking and a storm hit the Varisian coast three days later. A massive storm, it would easily have grounded the ships, which were sailing south with the letter. That explains why the ships and what they were carrying wound up where they did for you to find. Where it gets really intriguing is when you consider the other things that happened in 4687.”
Ameiko takes a moment for a deep breath, and to let the suspense build. ”Tsuto was born early in 4688" she says, giving everyone a knowing look. "Father told me Grandmother Anya killed herself after Rokuro died, in 4687. He didn’t say exactly when though. But we know he never saw Lonjiku again after writing the letter. Now the big one.” Ameiko is looking very proud of herself.
”Brinewall was destroyed during or immediately after a storm. Every living thing was slaughtered. That storm was the great storm of 4687. Within about three days of writing the letter, Rokuro died in that attack. Nobody knows what happened at Brinewall exactly, there were no surviving witnesses. Most hold it was Ulfen raiders that did it. But it doesn’t fit the typical Ulfen raid. Sure, Ulfen raiders will kill to get what they want or intimidate, but mass murder is different. I’m beginning to think the “enemies” Rokuro talks about in the letter found him there. He implies they wanted two things, to wipe out the family, and get whatever was inside that warding box. They failed to wipe us out. Did they get the warding box?”
”I can’t absolutely prove what I’ve just told you is true. But I aim to find out. It’s time for me to do some digging in the family dirt and see what I can learn. An old friend of mine who owns a caravan is due here in town in two or three days. I’m pretty confident I can sweet-talk him into making Brinewall his next destination.”
”I’m not a big enough fool to think I can go wandering around Brinewall by myself though. It’s notoriously haunted. Nobody ever goes there. You though my friends, you have proven yourselves very capable with these sorts of things. Will you come with me? I need a vacation, and I want to make it an adventure!”
