We were not. Not by a long shot. At this moment, I can see White Moon Cove burning in the horizon. I can only take pride in the fact that we managed to move all the non-combatants out before it burned, but you can’t man the walls without soldiers. Everyone gave it their all – I could not have asked for more valorous comrades in arms. And now they’ll be coming for Ruined Oak. They have us backed against a corner, but we are not defeated, and we are at our most dangerous. If the Talos are smart, they’ll give us breathing room, so we can grow complacent. But that is a luxury we can’t afford ourselves. Others have already gone over the tactical capabilities of our foes, and their seemingly endless resources. But we cannot give up. To allow ourselves to do so means the unrelenting butchery of everything we hold dear, and I mean this in quite a literal fashion. I’ve seen the world they wish to create out of this one. A barren landscape where everything is meat, sacrifice, murder and torture.
We have to regroup. We have to inform our allies, both offshore and inland about our predicament and make an united stand against our foes. I’ve already extolled the reasons why we are required to. This has just become a guerrilla warfare. We thought we could take on their combined forces because a single group of heroes managed to stand face to face to an army of them, once – some of our most exalted. This time it was not enough. That’s why everyone must take up the cause. This is not to the time to go looking beyond the horizon for the sake of exploration, or compensation by Candlekeep. We are at war, and we will triumph together, or die where will stand.
So, for all that you hold dear, for everything that you cherish. Take up the cause.
-Naal Silverleaf.