(Apparently Strigil has been doing this for some time.)
---- Dear Asphalates:
It's a good thing you left when you did, because the whole camp got wiped out last night. I think only ten or eleven people are left. We fled.
I was on patrol with Balse and Mirth and Nequam (who I guess you don't know). Some goblins had attacked and killed Roderick on his patrol, and we were supposed to bring back the body. The first night, while we were sleeping at the ruined inn, someone heard some screaming far away. We got up and ran back to Burgis, and saw goblins and a lot of smoke coming out of the sewer.
I thought it was all over, so I was getting ready to run away, but then two people came running out of the hole. They were chased by goblins, but we fought them off. Aldor and Coric got killed. Nequam kept disappearing and reappearing, which I found a little distracting.
We went inside and saw a lot more fighting going on. Mirth ran off. We ran to the kitchen. Father Pithee and Saldari and plain-talking Bluto were cornered, fighting off more goblins. Gracia was hiding behind a pot. We fought the goblins, and I got to use a fireworks spell I have been practicing for a long time. We all survived. Then a lot more goblins came behind us and we killed all of them. (Especially Balsa--she is very strong.) I don't know what Mirth was doing all this time. We ran back outside. (Balsa wanted to stay and save Bingledorf, but I wouldn't let her. On the way out she caught Nequam poking around for his jewels.) A little later the others came out, along with Mirth and Blumber. Mirth said that Rumbold and Scar were overwhelmed and were as sure as dead.
So we all went to the ruined inn and then decided to strike out eastward. We spent the night by the old log building. A fossa was nesting there! It came back during my watch. I woke up Balsa and she shot it.
I forgot to mention that we also shot two rats while we were patrolling. I still have them.
The remnants are the four of us, and Father Pithee, Saldari, Brandick, Olee, Gracia, Bingledorf, and Blumber. I guess we won't go back to Burgis anytime soon.
I hope this letter reaches you OK. I am trying a new postal spell I read about, but I don't know if it will reach you, since I don't know where you are.
I hope to see you soon.
Your student,
STRIGIL
----
-Art