Chieftain Krui,

Illness seems to be spreading on the continent, and I fear we may have
contracted a disease from the bodies I reported in my last letter. I
urge you to take necessary steps to identify and isolate any of our
people who appear to be infected on the island.

More importantly, I have enclosed a copy of the writings recovered in
the possession of a pair of young xoran, found dead earlier this day,
also in the vicinity of the Vents of the Hthrak. Though the writer's
language skills are stunted at best, you will note the terms
broodparent, broodfellow, and so on. These terms have not been in common
usage since our elders' elders were young, but I suspect it indicates
some common history between us and these strangers. Still nothing
concrete on the origin of these xoran, though you will see a few hints
in the enclosed writings.

For the present, we are staying in a jungle city called Istarion.

Urandesea, Guardian of the Oracle

~ ~ ~

[A thick roll of parchments is tied with a strip of leather.]

(Page 1)
Broodself scared. Broodself not can see the broodhome above us anymore!
Everybody sick, and dead the Broodfellows are in a pile. Broodfather
won't talk and her the Broodmother is so sick. Many Broodfellows are
sick too.

Pa'lasi just reads the Book for ever and talks at herself.


(Page 2)
It is not fair. Ril says the Broodparents fitted. They were in the plan.
They fitted. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The Priest said and our
Broodparents did! Broodself hates them. All the Ormir. I hope some big
Dalamirs eat them or that we can put THEIR Broodparents here, and THEY
see what it like is to be sick.

Proud Broodfellows fought with Ormir because of no choice! And
Broodparents still knew their place, even when Broodfellows said they
must join! And this is what they do to all Broodfellows, all in every
place. They do this. They make us sick. They want the dying to happen in
all the Brood.

Why. It is not fair.


(Page 3)
Pa'lasi did it! She the Broodparentsister maybe saved us! All her
chanting and reading the Book, and she did it! The door that not is door
is there. We are scared all of us to go but we dying our Broodfellows
are. Some Broodfellows went through to find what on other the side of.


(Page 4)
Broodparentbrother Ar'thil made us come with him tonight, me and Ril.
Broodself wanted to stay, but Broodmother told us to go. Our Broodfather
wasn't even moving when we left, and our Broodmother was could even not
stand. Where are we? It is cold freezing and we need food.


(Page 5)
Ril's nose stopped working. Broodself's is still good. Ril says that we
can fix it here. In this new world. Broodself is very scared.


(Page 6)
Broodparentbrother Ar'thil went hunting for food and did come not back.
Now there are just Broodself, Broodsister Ril, Broodparentsister
Pa'lasi, Broodfellow Uth'bora.


(Page 7)
It is just us, and Broodsister Ril is getting sicker! Broodparentsister
Pa'lasi and Broodfellow Uth'bora were fighting with horned and scary
monsters and told to us to run so we did. Broodself saw Pa'lasi die but
Broodfellow Uth'bora fighted still.


(Page 8)
Broodsister Ril! She is so sick, but at least the cold freezing is less
here.


(Page 9)
They are chasing us but Broodself is not strong enough to carry
Broodsister Ril. Broodself is so scared. Broodsister Ril's eyes are
closed and Broodself is alone. Broodself is not without Brood.

Elara save the Brood. If Broodself spirit fights after death, Broodself
find Balmet and Broodself will KILL and then Broodself will kill Ormir
and maybe even Dalamirs. Then Broodself rest.

Broodself so cold and the darkness comes. Broodself misses the two
eyesuns at Home. Broodself misses resting in safe caves with
Broodparents and Broodmates.

Noises. Broodsister Ril does not breathe. They find Broodself. Goodbye.

Penned by My hand on the 10th of Scarlatan, in the year 608 AF.