November Family/Simon

Unlike his cousins, Simon November was not born into nobility, but faithfully served as a sort of personal aide to both Calvin and Ilsa for several years.

While serving in his usual capacity as Calvin's steward, Calvin came to be imprisoned and, soon thereafter, deported. Simon dutifully followed his master in a series of voyages that would eventually circumnavigate the known world. Some of Simon's story was captured in a scrap of parchment that found its way back to the family mansion in Vir el Mari heights. That letter follows.

Dearest Uncle November-

Forgive me if you are reading this news for the third time. This is the third letter of four that I intend to dispatch; one to each of the four winds on ships departing Beluaterra. The first was sent immediately upon my arrival on the western shore, the second was sent aboard a ship sailing from the eastern shore. I write this third letter from a bluff overlooking the northern shore of Beluaterra and, should I live through the journey, I will depart soon for this island's southern cape and send my last letter.

As you requested when news of your son's imprisonment arrived, I set out from the family estate to serve in my usual capacity as his steward during his stay in the Lukon dungeon. You may be encouraged to know that your son, as a political prisoner, was fairly well treated. However, when I arrived, he had suffered a terrible wound on his left shoulder. I was able to clean and stitch this "red badge of courage," but he would not tell how it had been earned. I fear that my skills as a surgeon are little better than those of the village butcher; I did what I could, but he will likely never draw the bow again.

Word of the judge's decision to deport your son came quickly. There was no time to write more details. Please forgive me. After speaking briefly with the bailiff who arrived early the next morning to hustle him to the docks, Calvin implored the dock-master to allow me to accompany him on the voyage to Far East Island. I've seen so much of you in his personality, Uncle November. He could convince The River to flow upstream if the water would slow enough to listen!

Calvin and I were allowed a fair amount of freedom aboard the huge vessel, so much so that when the ship's cook took ill two days into our voyage, we were asked to help out in the galley. Calvin's skills at managing inventory and my culinary skills quickly awarded us the titles Ship's Purser, Ship's Cook and the captain's personal request to stay aboard for the next few expeditions.

Uncle, we have witnessed sunsets that words are simply inadequate to describe, terrors too great to be retold without the aid of strong drink and fascinating ports of call filled with diversions. It was upon our second trip to the eastern shores of Beluaterra that I first glimpsed the spires of Twillen. Like a mirror image of the great city of Alebad, Twillen sits at the confluence of river and sea. We had been at sea for so long, it was more than I could bear. For the first time since setting sail from the Colonies, I wept bitterly that night.

By our third voyage to Beluaterra, I had saved enough gold to buy my freedom and asked to be released from the service of your son. "Keep it, my friend," he said and made all the arrangements for me to get to shore. His only request was that I send word of his fate back home. The vessel that had been our home for what seemed like years, sailed with the following dawn. That was the last time I last saw your son, Calvin. When we parted, he was well, happy and sends his love.

It is my sincere hope that one day I might return to see you in person to regale you with tales of all of the adventures we've had and those I've had since we parted company, but time seems to wear quicker here than it does at home. I fear that mor

A tear in the parchment ends the letter.

Since the letter's appearance, word also arrived that Simon had established himself as an Freeman in the realm of Mesh on the island of Beluaterra - slaying groups of Undead and Monsters before they can form marauding hordes. He was also rumored to be seen often in the company of two other Adventurers named Saffron and Zero.

On 3 October 2007, this Servant-turned-Freeman fought his final battle. Simon died on the outskirts of his beloved Twillen beneath the rusty blade of an Undead champion.