The navigator, while wintering over in Ulek had taken on an assistant or apprentice. While many of the navigators early traveling companions remain anonymous for their protection, this assistant is revealed through a copy of a letter found amongst the navigators papers from this period. The letter is from the assistant, identified as 'N' to a friend identified only as 'F'. The letter includes a blistering critique of the navigator’s personality and ability as a wizard but his reaction to this otherwise invisible character from his history is unclear.
Dearest F (unintelligible),
It is with great urgency I dispatch this letter for I fear that I have become a witness to madness and wish in the sharing of the burden of knowing to lighten the weight bearing on my spirit. I had believed that this trip away might afford me some opportunity to continue on my appointed path and allow me to return quickly. Regrettably, father's well intentioned efforts have sealed my doom, but do not blame him -he only wants for my happiness.
The noble wizard to whom my education has been entrusted has only been recently knighted (under questionable circumstance) and he is in reality an orphan of no account, and a seaman by trade! Certainly he is handsome and dashing but he is also a fool, and may even have been a pyrate!
In a recent trip this winter to the coast, we spent three days and countless coin provisioning an orphanage (the issue of criminals, pyrates and worse). I would not begrudge a rightful bit of charity, but the master knows much of the wood, food and clothing will be stolen and resold by the local rogues and the children will only continue to suffer. When I explained this to him he ignored me on our way to an even more expensive undertaking.
In the public square, he had hired a crier to issue a proclamation offering amnesty from taxation for any craftsmen who would relocate to his keep to help in its outfitting, and apprentice one of the orphans. Think of that, no taxes would mean the master would be responsible to the crown for the a thousand pounds of silver annually! The recruiting trip for workmen was wildly successful, and now he's planning a fund raising trip to pay for his charity. This would be a simple matter of petitioning a few wealthy patrons for aid if he were a proper knight ennobled at birth, but the master has other plans.
He has begun instructing me in self defense and special tactical employment of the magic he has yet to give me. I fear I may meet my end on this next trip despite his reassurances to the contrary. He has enlisted the help of a companion who appears wholly to be one of the enemy whom I am afraid even to look upon.
This has not diminished my will to carry on, only my hope of finding success and a way back to you. If I fail in satisfying the master, you may not hear from me again, if I find success I fear, he will send me again into the crucible and for fathers honor I dare not refuse.
Yours,
N
