Year of the Emperor 280, Beltane
My Lord Otto,
We arrived at Sitztange Encampment three days past the expected hour, owing to a rockslide that blocked the southern pass. I ordered a detour through the marshland, which cost us time but preserved the strength of the column. The men responded well to the change, and morale remains high.
The encampment itself is well-positioned, though the eastern perimeter required reinforcement. I oversaw the construction of a new palisade and assigned watch rotations to ensure readiness. The Rochefort battalion has settled in with discipline. I have taken care to instill the ancestral maxims in our evening briefings.
Alendrian scouts have been sighted at a distance, but no engagement has occurred. I have issued orders to hold formation and await further instruction. The men are eager, but I have reminded them that eagerness is not valor.
I have noted the way the fog settles over the valley in the early hours. It reminds me of the courtyard at Castle Rochefort in winter—how the mist would cling to the stone and soften the edges of the world. I find it clarifies the mind.
I have also taken time to review the tactical treatises you once gave me. They remain instructive. I carry them with me.
I trust this report finds you in good health and that the affairs of the house proceed with strength.
Your servant in duty,
Alaric