1152年7月28日
我的挚爱，凯瑟琳：
我真诚的希望这封信可以抚慰你对我们此行的担忧。但你要知道，这次旅行是无法避免的。无论是调查科尔本爵士的下落还是管理布莱克郡的任命都需要我亲自主持，并且我也确实许多年没有去过西北地区了。而真正令我不安的是无论此行多么短暂，都会让你为我的安全感到担心。所以，亲爱的，我保证我会在9月回到你身边，如果没有意外。
当然，怎么可能会有不测呢？我领导的远征军有500名全副武装的战士，全都是经历过阿基巴德战役的老兵。我是个受人尊敬的国王，旅行去一个就像我的国土一样毫无纷争的地方，我们没听到任何叛乱或者动荡的消息。无数民众聚在一起观看我们经过他们的村庄和小镇，只为看一眼他们的国王和远征军。
没有任何障碍挡在我们面前，就连怪物都退避三舍。我们只能看到小撮的大耳怪和食人魔，但一条龙都没有。我们唯一遇到的麻烦就是在到达洛克汉姆镇的时候遇到了一场急促的雪暴。尽管很令人不解，却没有造成什么伤亡，因为村民们把我们安置在房子和谷仓里过夜。
至于有人提到的在西北肆虐的恶魔，目前只是传言。我们还没有遇到任何一个他们声称亲眼所见的灵魂，但也没有找到任何发现科尔本爵士和他手下游骑兵的人。我们遇到的唯一恶魔就是生性喜欢沼泽的巨大蚊子。可恶的蛆虫，即使我此生仅仅发明了让这个世界远离它们滋扰的方法，我也绝对会被载入史册。
现在你可以放松你紧张的心了，相信我的承诺。我全心全意地爱你，告诉我们的儿子尼古拉我爱他。
你忠实的，
罗兰德·艾恩法斯特

1152年8月4日
亲爱的凯瑟琳：
由于我上周和你提到的洛克汉姆的暴风雪，我们到达布莱克郡的时间被延迟了。你接到这封信的时候，我们已经跟随在镇子里找到的线索，再度踏上征途。科尔本的远征队失踪的地方就在此处向西几天的地方，所以我们很快就能找到他的魂归之处并开始追踪凶手。
布莱克郡热情的欢迎了我们一行，我只是需要几个小时，为小镇任命一个新的书记。他的名字是艾克顿・斯宾德勒，他将正式接替前任书记，同时也是我的好友阿伦·汉普顿。我有理由证实，汉普顿是被谋杀的——准确的说，应该是毒害——但是我个人没有时间去组织另一起调查。作为弥补，我命令菲尼亚斯·霍格沃斯留下进行调查工作。
一般来说，我会避免让自己陷入当地的犯罪事件，但是汉普顿的死隐隐让我不安。尽管事件本身可能并不复杂，不过我在阅读霍格沃斯的调查报告时仍不由自主的感到紧张。
这段时间我在进行科尔本死亡的调查工作。昨天晚上，在布莱克郡的酒馆，一个紧张兮兮的信使把一封信交给我，他自称受雇于一个“没有生气”的神秘的陌生人。关于外貌，他只记得那个人膀大腰圆，“壮！壮的有点不正常。”此外他还戴着一顶巨大的帽子，用来掩盖他不属于人类的耳朵。
那封信里面是一幅距离科尔本最后一个营地很近的当地地图，以及用红色染料标出的“科尔本”字样。这是个拙劣的陷阱，但可能，几乎是一定，掩盖了更加狡猾的阴谋，但我却无法准确推测。也许那个陌生人确实是想以匿名的方式帮助我们。尽管人类或者怪物的阴谋都无法挡住我带领的军队，我都会让谨慎引领我们。
我一旦到达埃登布鲁克就会给你写信，因为我太过想念你。请转告尼古拉，爸爸很想他。
爱人，
罗兰德·艾恩法斯特

1152年8月11日
亲爱的凯瑟琳：
坦白的讲，埃登布鲁克之行并不平静，我们接近小镇的时候不断遇到出逃的平民，并且人数越来越多。
据他们讲，有人看到一支“恶魔大军”正在接近埃登布鲁克，而这个小镇既无城墙更无驻军。所以我马上让手下加快速度，以期赶在怪物之前到达小镇。
事实证明我是对的，我们到达的时间仅仅比敌人早了几个小时。尽管十分疲倦并且对敌人一无所知，我的士兵们仍然整装待发。我把弓箭手布置在俯瞰整个小镇的山顶，让步兵埋伏在道路两旁的房屋里，命令骑兵在山丘视线以外的地区候命。30个骑兵在最前面引诱敌人进入陷阱。
计划得手了，那些恶魔立刻对我方发起冲锋，这说明他们缺乏哪怕最基本的常识和智力。骑兵绕过藏在山脊后面的弓箭手，向小镇撤退，后面跟着穷追不舍的恶魔，他们上当了！当无数肮脏、野蛮、愚昧的野兽疲于奔命的到达山间的小径时，我对弓箭手打了信号。
步兵从他们隐藏的地方现身并发动攻击，而恶魔头上也降下了死亡之雨。而两方短兵相接的同时，轻骑兵绕过山丘，带着长枪和利剑刺入恶魔的队伍。在那之后就没那么顺利了，我们只能保持阵型，对抗源源不断的恶魔。
虽然战斗持续时间很短，却有很多值得称赞的事迹。里格纳爵士救了大法师坦耐尔一命，当时法师陷入了至少五个恶魔的围攻。就在他的火球术失败的时候，里格纳像个野蛮人似的一边嘶吼一边挥舞兵器冲了过来，他的第一刀利落的砍下了一个恶魔的头颅，而另一次刺击直接穿过一个恶魔的黑色的心脏。
此时另外三个恶魔迅速的逼近他的身侧，而恢复的坦耐尔及时一记威名远扬的“内爆”解除了里格纳爵士的劣势。他现在埃登布鲁克的治愈之屋得到很好的照料，不日便可自由行动。
不幸的是，不是所有人都如此幸运。很多在战斗中幸存的战士都染上了一种疾病，医者说这种疾病是由于被恶魔肮脏的利爪刺伤造成的。共计八十三名战士在对抗恶魔的战斗中牺牲，但我们同时庆幸我们偶然到达埃登布鲁克使我们避免了数百名战士的死亡。恶魔的损失比我们惨重的多——他们留下了272具尸体。而残余部分——甚至不足半数，谢天谢地——在某种未知的指引下，有序的逃离了战场，当时我们已经无力追赶他们，再休整一段时间，我们就出发追踪并彻底解决它们。
你一定十分想得到我平安的消息，所以我担心这封信是否太过激烈，但我也知道，如果我对你撒谎，你一定不会原谅我。我对于手下的谋士舒尔曼十分信赖，他负责收集关于堕落家族的信息，以及把我写的信交给你。他十分老练，应该明白如何选择最快的信使。
永远的，
罗兰德·艾恩法斯特
又及：我们追上恶魔军队之后我就会马上给你们写信，你和尼古拉一周内就会收到。

1152年8月18日
亲爱的凯瑟琳：
我们赶在天亮前向怪物发动了攻击。我们的头上开始聚集阴云，就像在洛克汉姆时一样，但我的手下在复仇的怒火下毫无畏惧，期待着向堕落的战友复仇并且把肮脏的恶魔赶回老家。
起初恶魔毫无倦意，除了饮水从不停下的后撤的脚步，就像天亮时最后一抹黑暗。我们追了很多天，但距离却越拉越远。由于急行军的缘故，使得这个夏日格外难熬，许多战士中暑甚至脱水，我不得不把他们派回埃登布鲁克。
第五天我们到达了极乐谷这个不毛之地，如果恶魔再不改变逃跑路线，我们就能把他们赶到大海里去。由于我们不能赶上它们的速度，我孤注一掷地引领部队向西北进发到达在西海岸蜿蜒的古贸易大道，我希望那些恶魔在到达海边时会失去判断转而沿着道路前进。
事实再一次证明了恶魔是愚蠢的，而我的判断是明智的。我让士兵在精心挑选的狭窄小径休憩了一整天，然后布置了一个甚至会让阿基巴德妒忌的狠毒陷阱。当半数的恶魔经过小径时，攻击开始了。滚动的巨石拌着箭雨从悬崖上面砸下，我们制造的雪崩堵塞了道路，将恶魔的部队从中间隔开。我下令集中攻击那些试图通过通路的，和那些落在后面，群龙无首的敌人。很快，我们毫无伤亡的解决了他们。
剩下的恶魔在我们的箭雨和诅咒中仓皇北逃。我没有下令追击，一来穷寇不多，大概四十五个左右，二来追击确实很困难。于是我宣布任务完成，并准备在夜间举办庆功宴会。
庆祝为时过早，就在夜幕降临之时，我的侦察兵纷纷返回报告恶魔的动向——成千上万的恶魔从荒地中现身向我方进发。我被迫下令撤退：攻守之势瞬时逆转。
凯瑟琳，此时我正在少有的一个休整站中。我们身后的敌人更快，而且不容易疲倦。我的侦察兵和哨兵报告说那些恶魔正好整以暇的追击，而恐怖的夏日暴雪也对我们穷追不舍。我担心我的队伍里有叛徒，就是他把我们每一步的行动透露给恶魔。
亲爱的，我要你把这封信交给威尔伯·汉弗里，让他马上着手组织一支至少两万五千人的部队准备攻击恶魔。你还应该去找矮人国王洛克林，告诉他这里的情况。他会帮忙的——这次事件对我和他的王国都是威胁。而且，他还欠我一个人情，在对抗我的哥哥阿基巴德的王位争夺战争中，我曾经支援过他。
同时，我们也将继续向东撤退，去寻找一个能够让我们坚持到援军到来的坚固堡垒。为了防止信件被敌人捕获，我会在到达之后把位置告诉你。我已经叫舒尔曼派出我最快的信使，以期你能早日收到并且开始行动。我期待你的救援，并且一直思念着你和尼古拉。
罗兰德·艾恩法斯特

1152年8月23日
我的爱人：
我们比恶魔早一天到达克里格斯城堡，并且开始构筑防御。恐怕直到你和汉弗里组织的援军到达前我都无法给你写信了。
谢天谢地，我保留了这座城堡，作为对骑士或贵族的封赏。王位争夺战争中它曾经属于阿基巴德，而战后就废弃了。此处的军需物资十分匮乏，有限的口粮大概只够两个星期——所以只能等你或者洛克林送来给养。我的兵力只够勉强支撑，但应该能顶到援军到达。快点！
我们仔细探索了城堡，发现了很多不为人知的信息和秘密，我们甚至可能找到逃跑的地道。只要打通墙壁，那些陷阱、深坑和秘密通道都能为我所用。我希望如此，但最好做最坏的打算。如果那些诡秘的死灵法师真的挖通了一条后路的话，我的危机将会大大减轻。
在整个不幸中，舒尔曼发挥了巨大的作用，他自告奋勇去找出暴雪的原因——他毕竟是个风系魔法大师——看看这场暴雪是否人力所为。另一场暴雪已在我们头上成型，看来我们不得不在大雪中作战了。虽然恶魔似乎在寒冷情况下发挥的更好，但我们的坚守也能给舒尔曼一段时间追根溯源。也许那个叛徒——肯定就在我们之间——也是暴雪的始作俑者。
这个叛徒让我夜不能寐——如果说我在这段时间里有过舒适睡眠的话。他从这次叛变中能得到什么好处呢？恶魔军队的高阶岗位？我不相信。或者是财富？我甚至怀疑恶魔们是否有钱可以给他。如果这个恶魔真的存在，我一定要把他找出来然后公开吊起来。每每想到有个叛徒可能就在我身边，我都无比烦躁。叛徒是最可恶的敌人，连阿基巴德也会同意这句话。
无须多言，我肯定他很快就会露出破绽。我现在必须动身为围攻战做最后的准备。记住，无论我发生了什么，我都深爱着你和尼古拉。如果你有我爱你的一半那样爱我的话，就尽快派人来帮我。
为我们祈祷吧，
罗兰德·艾恩法斯特
又及：如果我回不去的话，告诉尼古拉第三只眼在那口井里——到时候他就会明白。这是他与生俱来的权利，也是他登基所需要的。

July 28, 1152
My Beloved Catherine,
It is my sincere hope that this letter will lay to rest the fears you have expressed for my safety and that of my men. As you must understand, this trip could not be avoided. Both the Kilburn investigation and the Blackshire appointment require my personal attention, and I haven’t visited the Northwest in ages. It troubles me that you should fret over my welfare during my absence, however short it will be. So please, dear, accept my promise that I will return by September without mishap.
After all, what could go wrong? I have five hundred armed men in my expedition, all of them veterans of the Archibald campaign. I am a popular king travelling in lands no one disputes as mine, and we have heard no news of rebellion or unrest. Many people flock to watch us pass through their hamlets and villages, eager to get an admiring glimpse of their king and his men.
Nothing stands in our way and no dangers beset us. Even the monsters are scarce. We’ve seen but a handful of goblins and ogres, and not even one dragon. The only trouble we’ve had was a freak snowstorm that struck as we entered the village of Rockham. Even that - peculiar as it was - was of little consequence, as the villagers put us all up for the night in their houses and barns.
Of the devils that some say plague towns in the Northwest, we have only rumors. We have not yet encountered a soul who claims to have seen one himself, nor anyone who has found the bodies of Lord Kilburn and his Rangers. The only devils we have seen are these huge mosquitoes that love the swamplands so much. Wretched pests! My place in history would be assured if I could only think of a way to rid the world of such nuisances.
No, Catherine, Lord Kilburn was probably slain by something much more mundane than devils – perhaps a pair of dragons or a large band of highwaymen. Either way, we shall resolve his disappearance in short order, bringing any human culprits to justice or slaying any monsters. I cannot have my men attacked with impunity!
Now, once again, put your fears to rest and believe me when I say that I will return come September. Tell our son Nicolai that I love him, and know that I love you with all my heart.
Forever Yours,
Roland Ironfist

August 4, 1152
Dear Catherine,
Due to the snowstorm in Rockham, of which I wrote you last week, we have reached Blackshire one day behind schedule. By the time you receive this letter we shall once again be on our way, following the leads we discovered while in town. Kilburn’s expedition disappeared a few days march west of here, so we shall soon reach the site of his last stand and begin tracking the killers.
Blackshire received us enthusiastically, and a few hours’ consideration was all I needed to select a new town magistrate. His name is Acton Spindler, formal replacement for my previous magistrate and old friend Aaron Hampton. I have reason to suspect that Hampton was murdered – poisoned to be specific – but there is no time for me to conduct another investigation personally. Instead, I am leaving Fineous Hogworth behind to look into the matter.
Ordinarily, I would not involve myself in local criminal matters, but Hampton’s death fills me with a vague unease. It is probably a much simpler matter than that, but I am nonetheless anxious to learn the results of Hogworth’s inquiry.
In the meantime I am proceeding with my investigation into Kilburn’s death. Yesterday evening, at the inn in Blackshire, I received a letter from a rather nervous messenger who said he was paid to bring it to me by a mysterious stranger who “didn’t look quite human.” Pressed for a description, he could only say that the stranger was very tall and broad shouldered: “You know, BIG – like he barely fit into his own body.” And that he wore a hat that could have concealed inhuman ears.
The letter turned out to be a map showing a location near Kilburn’s last-known camp with the name “Kilburn” circled in red ink. I smell a very obvious trap, which could, of course, conceal a more devious plan, but I cannot see exactly how. Or perhaps the stranger is honestly trying to help anonymously. Either way, no trap set by man or monster can overwhelm the fighting force I have with me. Caution will see us through this safely.
I will, of course, write you when we arrive in Edenbrook. You are always in my thoughts, and I miss you dearly. Please convey a father’s love to Nicolai.
Love,
Roland Ironfist

August 11, 1152
Dear Catherine,
I cannot honestly say that our trip to Edenbrook was uneventful. As we approached the town we encountered a trickle of refugees fleeing Edenbrook that gradually increased to a flood. When questioned, they told us that an army of “devils” had been spotted walking and hopping toward Edenbrook – a town with no wall and no standing garrison. I immediately increased our pace to reach the town before the monsters could sack it.
It was well that I did, for our arrival was but hours ahead of the enemy. Exhausted and ill-prepared to fight against an unknown enemy, my men nonetheless girded for battle. I ordered archers to the hilltop overlooking the town, and infantry to hide amongst the houses near the road, with flanking cavalry out of sight around the hill. Thirty men on horseback were sent on ahead to lure the enemy into the trap.
It worked. The devils must have lacked even rudimentary discipline or intelligence, for they immediately gave chase to my men. The horsemen raced past the archers hiding below the crest of the hill, and passed into town with the devils hot on their heels; the bait was taken, the trap sprung. As hundreds of the most filthy, vicious, and stupid beasts ever to draw breath filled the road beneath the hill, I gave the archers the signal.
Arrows rained down upon the devils from above while the infantry sprang from their hiding places to bar entrance to the town. Before the first shock of the two armies’ clash faded, the light cavalry rode around the hill, charging into the main mass of devils with lance and sword. Then the battle began in earnest, and it was all we could do to hold our lines against the demonic horde.
Though the battle was short, the tales of valor and bravery are many. Sir Ragnar rescued Chief Sorcerer Tanir from certain death, when he was set upon by no less than five devils, after his fireball spell failed. Ragnar charged into the group swinging wildly and screaming like a barbarian. His first swing lopped one head clean off while the next skewered an enemy through its black heart.
The other three devils quickly overcame him, but a recovered Tanir slew all three with his famed “insides out” spell in time to save Sir Ragnar. You’ll be happy to hear that he is recovering nicely at the House of Healing in Edenbrook and will be out of bed in no time.
Unfortunately, many were not so lucky. Others who survived the combat itself contracted a disease our healer says was caused by the filthy condition of the devils’ claws. In all, eighty-three men fell in the fight against these devils. Yet, we have providence to thank that our fortuitous arrival in Edenbrook’s hour of need prevented the death of hundreds more. The devils suffered much heavier losses - 272 dead. The survivors, - much less than half, thankfully - fled as one, on some sort of unseen signal, and we were too exhausted to give chase. After a short rest here we will hunt them down and finish them off.
I know you will want to know that I have survived the battle unscathed. I fear that what I have just written may be disquieting, but you would never forgive me for telling you anything but the truth. I am entrusting my advisor Sulman to take care of the detail of informing the families of the fallen as I have entrusted him with so many other things, including the delivery of these letters to you. He will handle the matter with tact, and can be relied on to select the speediest messengers for my letters!
Eternally,
Roland Ironfist
p.s. I will send another letter after we have caught up to that demonic army and dispatched it. You and Nicolai should hear from me in about a week.

August 18, 1152
Dear Catherine,
Before the sun rose over the battle of Edenbrook, we departed to give chase to the monsters. Clouds streamed over our heads, very like the ones that delayed us in Rockham, threatening more summer snow. Dauntless, my men pressed on, driven by the desire to avenge their fallen comrades and send these foul demons back to the Hell from whence they came.
The devils seemed tireless at first, stopping only for water and fleeing like darkness before the sunrise. We chased them for days, even though they seemed to be outdistancing us mile after mile. Our forced marches and short rests made the hot summer days nightmarish and confusing. Several men were felled by the heat and strain and we had to send a small contingent of sick men back to Edenbrook lest they die from the stress of the march.
On the fifth day we reached the bitter, barren land of Pleasant Valley. If the demons did not turn from their path soon we would chase them into the sea. Since we simply could not catch them at their tireless pace, I took a gamble and travelled northwest until we reached the old trade road that snaked along the western coast, hoping that when the enemy reached the sea, they would lack any real plan and would follow the road.
Again, the enemy proved mindlessly predictable, and again, I was able to lay an ambush that proved decisive. With a full day’s rest at the narrow pass I had chosen, my men were able to contrive a vicious ambush that would have turned Archibald green with envy. When fully half of the enemy had filed into the pass we attacked, rolling boulders down the cliff face and showering them with arrows. The avalanche we caused blocked the road, splitting the demonic army in half. We concentrated on the part of the army that had yet to travel through the pass and thus lacked leadership from the front. In minutes we had decimated that portion without a single loss on our side.
The remaining army of devils immediately fled north, chased by our arrows and curses. Considering the small number of devils remaining forty-five or so - and the difficulty in chasing them any further, I declared the mission a success and we spent the night celebrating our victory.
The celebration, I fear, was premature. As the night hours wore on, my outriders began to return from their scouting details with reports of an army of devils - numbering in the thousands! - travelling out of the badlands in our direction. I was forced to order a retreat: hunter and hunted reversing roles.
Catherine, I write this letter to you during one of our infrequent and brief rest stops. Our pursuers are faster than us and do not tire as easily. My scouts and seers report that the demons have followed our trail despite all efforts to shake them, and these horrible summer snowstorms seem to pursue us as relentlessly as the devils themselves. I fear there is a traitor amongst us, somehow signaling the enemy our every move.
My dear, I want you to give this letter to Wilbur Humphrey. He is to organize an army large enough to put these devils down, say twenty- five thousand men, and do it immediately. I also want you to call upon Rocklin, the King of the Dwarves, and inform him of the situation. He’ll come – this danger affects both our kingdoms, and he also owes me a favor since I came to his aid during the Succession Wars against my evil brother Archibald.
In the meantime, we will flee east again to seek a fortified location that can hold off the demonic army until help can arrive. I am not going to reveal the location until we arrive there for fear these messages will be intercepted by the enemy. I am having Sulman dispatch our fastest messenger with this message. May you get this soon and act on it sooner. I am counting on you and thinking of you and Nicolai all the time.
Roland Ironfist

August 23, 1152
My beloved,
We reached Castle Kriegspire a day ahead of the enemy and have fortified our position in anticipation of attack. This is the last message you will receive from me until we are liberated by the army you and Humphrey are preparing.
I thank the gods that I reserved this particular castle as a future reward for some loyal knight or nobleman. It has been unused since the Succession Wars, having formerly belonged to a supporter of my brother. Provisions here are meager – we are counting on resupply from either Rocklin or you, as we can only hold out for two weeks with the available rations . The forces we have here are barely adequate for a defense, but we should be able to last until your reinforcements arrive. Hurry!
We have spent some time exploring the castle, finding many secret passages and surprises; perhaps we may even find an escape tunnel! If the wall is breached, the traps, pits, and secret ways will serve us well. I hope it never comes to that, but it is best to be prepared. I will be much relieved if the treacherous necromancer who used to own this castle was paranoid enough to have dug an escape tunnel.
Sulman has been a great help during this entire misadventure, and he has promised to look into the cause of the snowstorms he is, after all, a Master of Air - to see if they are divinely sent. Another has already formed over our castle and is even now covering us with snow and misery. Devils seem to operate better in cold weather. Anyway, this siege will give Sulman plenty of time to look into the causes. Perhaps the traitor, that is surely amongst our ranks, is also the cause of the storms.
Fear of such a traitor has me sleeping poorly at night - presuming I could ever sleep well in these circumstances. What would a man have to gain from such treachery? A high post in the devil hierarchy? I would like to see that! Wealth? Do devils even HAVE wealth? What could it be? If there is such a traitor, I shall catch him and have him publicly strung up and tortured. To think that he is probably hiding under my very nose makes me sick unto death. There is nothing worse than a traitor. Even Archibald would agree!
Well, no use complaining. He will show himself soon enough, I am sure. I must go now and finish preparations for the siege. Know that if I never see you again, I love you and I love Nicolai. And, if you love me half as much, move as fast as you can to send reinforcements to our rescue.
Pray for us,
Roland Ironfist
p.s. If I should fail to return, tell Nicolai that the Third Eye is in the Well – – he’ll understand when the time is right. It is his birthright and he will need it if he is ever to be King.

确实是吧主级别的大佬，鸟语很溜啊。。。。

我们要打仗了
我们在进军
我们节节胜利
我们入套了
我们了。

舒尔曼是黑魔法大师？

闹闹真棒~