Letters from Túrin Adanath to his daughter

Túrin Adanath was an Allathonéan Elvish man and mountaineer who was predominantly active shortly after the beginning of the Ayadane Era. Born in the Lizdah Era, he grew up and lived through much of the worst the transition between eras had to offer, and it is believed that the traumas he endured may have led to his instability later in life.
This series of letters were written to his thirteen-year-old daughter, Niniel Adanath, over the span of approximately six months, from the 5th of Adrorraise to the 28th of Leafwane in the year AE 13, during a reconnaissance expedition in the Vaté Mountains. The goal of the expedition was to map the area surrounding the Mount Remeck, the tallest known mountain peak in the world, as well as find potential routes to summit. Adanath was selected for the expedition because he had experience climbing in the southern parts of the Vaté range, as well as being lead climber on the first expedition to The Vatéoneya nine years prior.
During the expedition it is known that Adanath had expressed his discomfort with the route they would be walking; it would take them close to the corpse of Féngos, the now dead Lizdah Era deity of the sun. Slain by Avari, the massive body had remained on the mountainside where it had fallen. Legend says that before his death, Féngos cursed the land around him, and so most climbers choose to stay as far away from the area as possible. The captain of the expedition, Leopold Maldock, dismissed the legend as pure rumor and directed the expedition to take the shortest route possible directly past Féngos, even camping in the valley below him.

The first and last of Adanath's letters are included at the top of the sidebar.

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Letters from Túrin Adanath to his daughter

5 Ardorraise AE 13
My Dearest Niniel,
It has only been three days since I have left and already I wish you could be here with me, the mountains are as beautiful as ever. I promise I will take you one day when you are older. I have heard there are plans for some sort of monument at the Vatéoneya, perhaps we will visit it when it is completed.
Captain Maldock has set our route to pass somewhat closer to Féngos than I would like. I understand his desire to save time; ours would be better spent surveying rather than taking a longer route just to get to where we're going, but I know I'm not the only climber around here who would rather keep our distance anyway. The mere idea of getting close to it has me all jittery. I will trust his judgement though, so long as we still maintain a safe distance.
Remember Niniel: always trust your gut feelings. Just because your eyes cannot see danger does not mean your body cannot sense it. Our bodies, more than anyone else in the whole world, wishes for us to survive, and so we must trust they have our best interest at heart. Or I suppose they want the best interest for our hearts. Regardless, trust your fear, for it will keep your safe.
All my best, Dad

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28 Leafwane AE 13
Niniel,
From the north side of the mountain he is out of sight now but knowing his is still there, knowing his near-omnipotence would have never allowed us the possibility of hiding from him merely by putting a mountain between us and him, I can barely even focus on writing this letter. It feels like someone is breathing down my neck, I do not know what I should be doing with myself.
What is dead is meant to rot but he is still here, lying precisely where he was struck down refusing to let us forget that we all wished for this to happen. Niniel, you are too young to remember but I know, I saw for myself that Féngos was a man ascended to monster and a sword in the chest and flesh returned to dirt will not change that. I do not know if gods return to the same places as us upon death but I cannot believe that a force such as he would simply vanish to nothing. He has cursed this land and I cannot see it or feel it but Niniel, I know it to be true, I only need someone to believe me. It is my hope you never have to see him for yourself.
All my love, Dad

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Type

Text, Letter

Medium

Paper

Location

Vaté Mountains