Dear Olga,
After several days spent in this part of the kingdom, I am writing to you not only as Chief Archivist, but also your friend, to tell you that I have unexpectedly discovered something that may be of particular interest to you. Allow me to start from the beginning.
You know I don’t like to boast about my good decisions, but the idea of founding a great library in this place, to collect all the important volumes and documents that were scattered throughout the various towns in these mountains, has been a complete success.
To ensure the proper storage and preservation of all this material, I ordered that we utilize the facilities of the small, old library in the only city in the area, and it turns out that its basements are proving to be an incredible source of information and knowledge. All of the documents have been preserved in such a way that they are in excellent condition – but that doesn't surprise me, because the region's climate is much milder than what we are used to in the north. In fact, I confess that walks along the coast are incredibly pleasant. The views are beautiful, and the location of this place allows for easy travel to other interesting sites. If I hadn't had to come here for work, I would have loved to spend a few days here relaxing.
However, where there is beauty… there is danger. The Sÿenann lurking near the borders is a constant threat that I can't quite get used to, even though the locals seem accustomed but nevertheless wary of their presence. In fact, at any dinner table, someone will tell a story about an encounter they had with those wild elves while traveling somewhere, and there's always someone who makes sure to remind everyone what happened in that nearby village on market day—you know which one I'm talking about. They even tell that story in the Worldwall Mountains! Although, it's much more tragic and bloody when you hear it from the relatives of those who were involved.
Be prepared before you arrive for the fact that people here do indeed have more relaxed schedules. And, although I'm tired of hearing that it's because of the pleasant climate, I'm starting to think the real reason lies in the popular fondness for the wines they buy from their neighbors. Here, almost everyone drinks wine with their meals, and if you want water to hydrate yourself, you have no choice but to ask for it. Fortunately, there are wines of varying strengths, and quite a few people drink grape juice; but even so, I've given explicit instructions that everyone must wear gloves when consulting any book or document in the library. Furthermore, just like in Brunna, I have expressly forbidden food or drink from being brought into the premises. I do not want pages with smudges or traces of fingerprints from some chubby-fingered dwarf who enjoys the good life! Because, even though we have a reputation for being serious, boring, and stuffy in other parts of Lindwurm, you and I know that in Mounthaven, as in any place in the world, you can find all sorts of people. To a lesser extent, certainly, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
To get back to the topic at hand, among the rarer uncatalogued documents, I've found one whose dating is more complex than I can determine here, but its content urgently needs you to see it with your own eyes as soon as possible. I'll only tell you that it's related to a topic that you have a great interest in… but I prefer not to give any more information in this letter. Who knows whose hands this might fall into once it's sent!
Hurry here as soon as you can. And if your father asks you to stop in Havraincourt for a diplomatic visit on your way, please try not to spend too much time with the feudal lords. I want to study what I have found with you as soon as possible.
Lastly, I have to ask you a favor. Could you tell the draftsman Petrus Striks that I hope he doesn't forget to add the sliding ladders for the bookshelves to the design I requested for the renovation of the cartography room? We need to finish that project as quickly as possible, so when I return to Brunna, I want to approve it so that construction can begin immediately. I don't need to tell you how urgent it is. And I'm sure Petrus would appreciate receiving the message from your own lips.
For the moment, there is little more I can say, except that I eagerly await your arrival, that I wish you a good journey on your way south, and that my words embrace your heart,
Sylvia Waurda
This is a letter written by the memorialist of Mounthaven to the princess Olga. This is part of a prologue that will introduce you to the first narrative campaign of the dwarves in Warcrow. We made an episode of the Whispers of Lindwurm to talk about it:
Here you will find all the news about Warcrow the wargame: upcoming products, the new nation that arrives to the gaming table, and exclusive lore that you won't find in our books!
Learn more about the Mounthaven nation here.
