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[Ariana Lenoir]

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The messenger wears a small jewel-encrusted pin of a blue dragon on his brocade doublet. The blue wax sealing the letter bears the House crest of Lenoir.

"Master Arahim,

Although I have been removed for some time from the public eye, I have maintained a distant gaze on the plight of your people. I know the struggles your people face and I am genuinely concerned for their survival. While I have no bias against kindred in general, the particular clan that you are up against gives me great concern. I have also received word that our beloved Xana has gone missing shortly after this altercation began. The whispers in the camp that my watcher overheard spoke she had plans of traveling to Stonegate to seek their aide in this matter. I do not know the details of her disappearance, if it was from the camp itself or while on her journey to those snow-covered distant lands. If indeed it was during her journey, I fear greatly that she did not succeed and her life, if it still beats within her noble chest, is in great peril.

I know you have not sought my council personally in this matter, however, I feel required to provide it out of love for your gentle people. There are several possibilities for her disappearance including the thought she might have unfortunately succumbed to natural causes or the perils of the journey. However, I am inclined based on my experience to suspect something more sinister at work. There are three possibilities aside from the aforementioned that may have led to her disappearance that I wish to place reluctantly on your troubled mind.

The first is that she may have in fact reached Stonegate and was detained against her will. Stonegate has been growing in power exponentially and given the lack of love between Umbra and Stonegate and the gypsies and our relationship, she may have been lured there under false pretenses to ultimately weaken the relationship of your people and the people of Umbra. Although, I consider this a possibility, I find it honestly to be the least likely. Although their allies have been known for their quiet ministrations of our world from the shadows, Stonegate itself is an entity that I have found to be not so quite deceitful as to lure her there under a premise of safety.

The second possibility is that during my absence from the city of Umbra, that their loyalty to your people has not been as strong as it should be. While I have been away the one known as Dealthagar has been granted ever-growing control and freedom. He who was once maimed beyond recognition as a punishment as found himself catapulted into a position of great power. Power that could be used for his own agendas as much as it could be used for the Lord Darrien Church's wishes. As I am sure you are aware, his relationship with the former ruler of Umbra, Ceinwyn, is quite strong and the tendrils of their agendas continue to further entwine as closely as their bodies. If Xana's desire for aide to Stonegate was unsuccessful, the gypsies would almost knowingly look to the Order for their safety. It would be quite natural. I'm not saying that the one known as Dealthagar had ordered her captured or worse to ensure this outcome, but only that it is a possibility of substantial merit. If I had been where I should have been, I could have guaranteed that such an unthinkable act would never have had a chance to be seeded. With my absence and all that has gone on during it, I can not give you that guarantee. Given the past relationship between Ceinwyn and your blood, I am worried that history will indeed repeat itself. As Dealth grows in power, so does she through her suggestions and private manipulations of his thoughts. Also on this subject, you should be aware I will not be returning to power in Umbra and so your people's safety will have to be based off the current rulers.

The last possibility and one of the strongest is that the clan of kindred that are terrorizing your people are behind our beloved Xana's disappearance. It is no secret that in the past I served as Lord Ronin's personal adviser when he led the same clan. I know its current leaders very well from that experience and the events that occurred after their rise to power. Under their rule, I would consider it quite likely that they may have had something to do it. Honestly, if I was serving as an adviser to them, I would have suggested it. This clan of kindred is not well known for its ability to cooperate with their food. If you are dealing with an enemy that you can not physically overpower, you must choose different tactics. One does not attack the tail when against a snake, one cuts it off at the head. Our beloved Xana may indeed been seen as the head of their adversary and perhaps they hoped that by doing so that the gypsy's heart would falter and their strength of spirit may cause them to give up and accept their role as cattle.

What you do with this advice is in your hands, Arahim. Your people need a leader now more than ever. Minoc must be secured for the protection of your people, even if you have to use the Order to do it. Your people need room to grow and prosper so that they can stand on their own feet. I will provide what I can to help you should you choose to fight. Great men come not always from blood and heraldry, but from the heart of circumstance.

Yours in trust,

Lady Ariana Lenoir"

[Arahim]

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My Dear Lady Ariana,

Truly, we have much to discuss. Consider me available at your leisure.

-Arahim