#sareen

Raoden = RAY-Oh-den

Sarene = sa-RAY-Nay (or sa-REE-Nee, if you want to get technical.)

Hrathen = Ray-then (with a very subtle ‘h’ sound at the beginning.)

Elantris = EE-Layn-tris (Though most people say el-lan-tris, which is fine.)

Arelon = ah-RAY-Lone

Me: Good thing this information was so important that it was included in the book. Oh, wait. Well, let me take this information and put it where it belongs...

My dude. Ya tellin’ me you named your fallen city of the gods Elantris and your fantasy country Arelon... and ya didn’t think that we would all default to pronouncing them like ATLANTIS and AVALON? What English-speaking reader of your English-language book is going to look at “Sarene” and think “Ah, yes... SAREENEE” and not “serene but with an A”? 

Also all the Germanic Google Translate voices tell me that Hrathen is pronounced like “wrath”... OK, granted, none of them can handle the TH, unless you replace it with Þ and set it to Icelandic. But I trust these robot voices!

Friend:Flute needs more air than a bari sax btw

Me: I KNOW. I'M PLAYING BOTH.

Friend: *jokingly* whore

I just finished the hardest letter I've ever had to write.  Since my return from Draenor, I've been writing regularly to Sareen, and I haven't used this journal for anything but recording basic data.  But I realize now, I never dared to tell her anything about the dead man and the netherdrakes in Arak, about Issy, or the dreams coming back.  I think I've spent so much time in Draenor in part so I could get some rest.  But it just wasn't worth the risk of the letters falling into the wrong hands.  Did Sareen think I didn't trust her?  She just never seemed to understand, or maybe she was caught up in her own problems, and I didn't realize it.

Dear Sareen,

I received your letter and will not burden you with my feelings.  When I left the Conclave months ago, I never intended to return, but I knew that you wanted to stay.  I did not know that it would be an obstacle.  Stormwind University is doing well, and has giving me a chance to do useful work I never imagined I could do.  I wish you well in the pursuit of your dreams.

Love,

[This letter was post-marked over a month ago, but was delivered unusually late.  When it is opened, it appears that military censors have taken scissors and cut several sections out of it.]

Dear Sareen,

It's been a pretty busy month, and I'm sorry not to have been in Stormwind.  But classes will be starting soon, and I'm trying to finish a couple of projects that require me to be far from home.

Several of the University faculty accompanied me to Shattrath on Draenor, and we found out that the [two lines have been cut out of the letter here.]  Together, we were able to reach the Upper City.  The Shadow Council and the Sargerei (I guess they're just Shadow Council now) are still holding out there, and we were able to find out why.  They're still funneling prisoners and material from Central Draenor to Tanaan and [another line is missing here.]  We were able to disrupt some of their work, but I think [this line is missing too, and the one after it.]

The trip to Cragholme was productive, and no one went mad or died.  We found a breeding chamber and managed to excavate and describe it (long story there).  Nerubian larvae are remarkably dangerous, by the way, and I won't be bringing any of them back here.

I'm finishing up reports in Ironforge, but should be back in Stormwind next week, and in town for most of the next few months.

Love,