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A letter scented with perfume. It is sealed with blue wax imprinted with the visage of a marlin.

Translated from Hestron

To my beloved,

Looking upon the untamed forests and rolling hills of Stragosa, my heart feels nothing but your absence. Though it is impossible that we may be together, I know you are the only one for me. My only wish is for your lips to touch mine if only for one instant, to relieve me from the pain of a world in which you are apart from me. The sun may set, the seasons may change, but know that my love for you will never fade.

Before you, my life was without meaning, but it is you I live for now. Every achievement, every endeavor, every obstacle overcome is yours, for it is my love that pushes me to thrive where others may have faltered. You give me such strength that I feel I can move mountains. You give me such guile that I feel I can find profit in every corner of the world. You are the divinity that all humans seek. I wish to worship every inch of you with whispered prayers to God for having the benevolence to create you.

It is my wish that you should meet me at Fenerstat. I will wait as long as possible for you on Ramone’s vessel. I know you know it well. I would like to shower you in all the affections that you deserve in a year in but what few nights we might spend together.

Yours forever and always
Gio

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To: Sir Percival, Knight Master of the Order of the White Lions Sping 604

March 14th Lion Age 604

To: Sir Percival, Knight Master of the Order of the White Lions

From: Sir Atrieus, Knight Commander of the Order of the White Lions, penned by Sir Renatus, Knight Errant of the Most Vigilant Order of Knights Templar and Father Superior of the Mithrihim Covenant

Greetings, Knight Master, may the blessing of God and Benalus be upon you.

I write to you on this day (insert date) to provide an update upon the state of affairs in the city and the valley. A Kaurilite stronghold, with an estimated force disposition of one thousand soldiers, has been identified in the area, in addition to other forces that include one or more armies of undead.

It is has been deemed to be in the best interest of Stragosa, the Church of Benalus, and the Throne that these threats be removed with all due speed. With sufficient troops, we can have the stronghold cleansed and all their troops slain by the end of 604.

It is to this end that I do submit a request for sufficient troops and supplies to be directed towards Stragosa Valley. There are several within our Order, the Boywer Hadrianus (From oath of Overwatch) and Stablemaster Iacomus (From oath of Cavalier) in particular, that I would call upon to aid me in this task. This is in addition to asking for your own support in seeing to the Valor of some of these units.

I am looking for a force sufficient enough to take the vanguard, with the support of troops from Silbran as well as Stragosa. I plan to join the field with them, and see to the command of these forces.

By the blessing of God, will these troops be available for deployment so that we may end this threat to Stragosa and the Throne in the names of Benalus, the Saints, and the Archangels.

God’s light be upon you, Knight Master.

Signed,
Sir Aretaeus
(Signet Seal)
Sir Renatus
(Signet Seal)

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Message sent by Imperial Post addresed to Facio Socrdato

Brother,

It is with a heart full of sorrow that I must inform you that father has died valiantly in the city of Stragosa. I am sending your son with an escort of soldiers back to Segrati with father’s body.

To mend relations with the local rulership, I have volunteered to lead a defense against a horde of heretics that has been allowed to fester.

I will send more detailed reports of my force strengths and current events when able. I await your orders.

Harvesting the past, we flourish.

Dama Isabella Scordato, Knight Commander of the Order of the Seekers

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By Raven: Aretaeus to White Lions of Lethia Spring 604

White Lions of LethiaF
Brothers,
We are in need of aid. Stragosa and several Noble families have pledged support for a crusade against the entrenched Kuarlites in our area. Estimated at over 1000, and with a fortification as well as a so called ‘holy site’. As well there are forces of Lazerines, Orcs and Rimelanders. I need troops levied by the White Lions to join my banner in this. I wish to call upon our resources, Boywer Hadrianus (From oath of Overwatch), Stablemaster Iacomus (From oath of Cavalier), Forgemaster Sethlan, to aid me in this, Benalus’ service. Stragosa is giving what supplies it can but additional are needed.

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Letter to Inquisitor Cordatus

Inquisitor Cordatus,

I am glad for your arrival in Stragosa, and the solemn caution you gave to us at convocation last forum. Turning away from our humanity is the greatest peril of existence, and we must ever be vigilant of this risk for both ourselves and our neighbors.

We did not have a chance to speak, but I wanted to introduce myself to you. I am called by many names, but I am a man called to Stragosa in the service of God and The Throne. In this season, I have been charged with the duty as Stragosa’s Nightwarden, to bring redemption to the souls tormented for so long in Malefic form.

I believe I had a good rapport with your predecessor Inquisitor Caelius. He called upon myself and my Templar bretheren when he was in need, I provided witness to him regularly, and we ventured together deep beneath the city to bring God’s light to pierce the shadows of a Lazarine in the catacombs.

One matter he and I discussed before his departure was a Bestiary discovered in the ruins of the city by archaeologists. The Sepharihim took possession of it to inspect it for heretical content, but never returned it to the Nuranihim after doing so. Inquisitor Caelius had indicated to me that he thought it had been determined untainted, and as such could be returned to my order to help us understand and resolve the Malefic in this city.

The other matter I must broach with you is that of The Miracle, and the five artifacts tied to it. Last forum Sir Connor observed I had a document I collected detailing the theories of a visiting Professor. He urged me to bring it to you at once, and in that conversation stated you had taken possession of Connor’s Chalice, the Doll possessed by Father Cosimo, and likely the Skull in possession of Inquisitor Caelius. I would like to arrange to surrender this document, and seek Atonement if this thing I have is heretical.

However, I have come to the understanding that The Miracle and the five objects are tied to the powerful Malefic being that has appeared repeatedly in Stragosa and its Forum. There are many names for her, which I shall not speak or write. There are several sacred rituals of my covenant that can help discover the origin of this Malefic, and can be used in her resolution, but these rites require objects important to the life of that Malefic. To that end, I am requesting access to those objects for these purposes.

Further, I would be grateful if the Inquisition could share with me any documents elucidating the nature of the Malefic, her history as a Witch King, what is known about the nature of the world as it pertains to these things, or other knowledge that is not for general consumption but could be useful in putting this spirit to rest and ending the taint that hangs over this city.

Sincerely,

Knight Protector Ansel Silvanus Rundelhaus, Ever Vigilant Order of Templars, Father Superior of the Nuranihim Covenant, Nightwarden of Stragosa

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Declaration of

Posted around the forum is a parchment that reads:

“With Baroness Drake as my witness, I, Brother Aretaeus of the White Lion shall destroy the stronghold of Kuarlites to the southeast of the forum by the start of winter.

Signed;
Baroness Evelyn Drake
A”

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Sahirim: A View from Within

Praedium Record
Translation from memory, source redacted.

Come, sister. A decision to seek enlightenment is the selfsame first step to achieving it. Your heart has learned that you wish this for yourself, and your mind carried you here. The heart is like the rushing of a river, the mind, the rudder of your skiff. Enlightenment is the culmination and quietus to a lifelong journey toward a perfect peace between every facet of your soul. We here at the Temple walk the road to achieving this glorious end in all events of our daily lives. It is not an easy journey, and there will be much pain. Humans, however, can achieve anything that they wish; that is what separates them from animals. Humans can overcome any obstacle because they have the power to silence their fear and their instinct and override them, taking a road that all of their senses tell them not to. For example, drink this. …Good. It is a poison to kill animals.

Shh, now! Do not panic! Your lungs and chest are now full of water. Your throat has collapsed to forbid expulsion. If you do not perform properly, you will drown. Do you understand? I said, do you understand? Good. Now, stop struggling. Stop struggling and breathe the water… Do not refuse me. Relax. Calm yourself. Inhale, feel your reflex to choke, and ignore it. Let it fill your lung, and gently push back out, and up your throat. Good…You lived because you were able to overcome the insanity of your weak inner beast.

What we are doing here does not concern animals who cannot master themselves. If we are ever to be more than we are, we must cease to be what we were. The Temple of Water is a place where humans can learn to be something more. We walk the diamond path toward an enlightenment that will elevate us above the common human condition to something farther, higher, more. Make no mistake. We are here to make a god. Until that time we are cautiously neutral. Why do I tell so much to an uninitiated aspirant such as yourself? Do not worry over that. Tell me, girl. Do you have the spiritual fortitude to endure such a quest? Do you have the breadth of mental acuity it will take to reshape the very perspective of your mind’s eye? We are what we think. All that we are arises from our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. Can you embrace this fundamental truth or can you not? Decide now whether you be beast or man. … Go home then.

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Sahirim: Contact with the Throne

Praedium Archive
Statement of Gioquomo Piegatore, shipwright, La Sorella. Currently under Extraordinary Censure at Arx Fax.

We do a lot of trade here with the temple. Strange kind, them. Even the novices that they send down to buy the sheep and the flatware from time to time seem so peaceful and enlightened. Every once in a while one of the masters comes down and talks to all the farmers and the shopkeepers in the town market. They tell us the principles that we should live by to make our lives important and meaningful. Everyone is part of a circle, they say, and every one of us has a place on it. I know a lot of people’d like to believe that, seeing as how things are going in these times. But the monks of the Water Temple are good to us; they steady the waters during a storm if people are getting hurt, and they make sure that the fishermen can keep their catch. That’s all we need, really. I know they can do more, but I know it’s all we need. I suppose in a lot of ways, we’ve all become dependent on the Temple. We don’t mind though. They’re a lot more easy going than the King.

My niece tried to join them, actually. She’s such a sweet girl, always wanting to help everyone. She loved to listen to the speeches that the monks would give in the market about the Truth and the ways which a man could become better, more than he was. She wanted to live out those principles, be more than she was so she could do more for others. Such a sweet girl. She talked to the Novices and asked how she could be like them, and they sent her to the monastery to speak to one of the masters. I don’t know what they said or did. I don’t know what went on up on the hill, that day. But she came home a wreck, said she didn’t understand, would never understand, didn’t want to understand the Truths of the world. She took her life that summer, bless her. Such a sweet girl.

Even so, I don’t blame the Temple for that. That was her choice, and the monastery has always been good to us. Everyone and every thing is part of a circle, they say.

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Praeceptor Caecus: A View from Within

Praedium Record
Recorded conversation via sworn statement, identity redacted.

When all of humanity conspired to create debate, the possibility for factions of thought was born. In that moment, ideals were given more weight than swords, and words could kill as easily as arrows.  Paper become the dart of the powerful, and knowledge the mark of the mighty.  Praeceptor Caecus is the refinement of that idea into a perfect communication of intellect and purpose. The most artful assassin needs never raise his hand in violence, nor ever appear at the scene. There is a power and a beauty in the simplicity of pulling one delicate string and destroying the entire interlocking spider’s web of deceit and lies.

They are the ones who can go anywhere, take anything, and be whatever we need to be. It is about a fluid and changing idea that can only be felt, and never seen. Politics, faith, ideas and theatrics are all of our domain, and all can be played like music. You will learn this, never fear. The power of the wind will give you the insights that you need into the head of a man. You need only listen, and it will come. You can hear it already, but it confuses you. It is like listening to a wind-chime and trying to guess from the sound how many chimes hang from it. But you will learn. You will learn to dance, and to sing, and to play coy, and exactly when to hold your tongue and exactly when to speak precisely out of turn.

Praeceptor Caecus has no home base, and thus our organization is immune to assault. Our motives are as simple and as elegant as the wind which sails it along, and you need never wonder of the complexity of our purpose. We exist to make sure things flow the way they must; to direct the channel of that fluid through a tunnel of our design so that humanity and the Throne and all the other things we hold important thrive in exactly the manner that they should, and none more than is necessary. Our assassins create no noise, and no disturbance, delicately depriving their victim of air while waiting patiently below the currents of water where everyone knows no one can breathe. Our spies eavesdrop on conversations six locked doors and two hallways thence, even while hurrying the same information they learn along the winds to our relayers in the field. Our courtesans demand every bit the attention they deserve from exactly who they need to see them, and deftly glide into the center of everything, where the web believes itself strongest.

Never you worry. It all seems hazy and nebulous now. But things will clarify, and blow all that smoke away soon. For now, go out to the balcony, and listen to the wind-chime on the other side of the manor. Come back when you know how many chimes sing its chorus.

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Praeceptor Caecus: A View from Without

Praedium Record
Recorded Statement of Karl von Amsel regarding “Air Magic”

Praeceptor Caecus is something that everyone knows exists, but few have ever seen evidence of. I heard that at least one member of every council of elders, one member of every city government, one member of every major crime ring, one member of every smuggling division, and even that one member of the Archmagus Circle in the other Guilds is a member of their cadre.

I met what I could have been one once. He spoke like a gentleman at the party. Had every lady all over him, even the governor’s wife. I couldn’t believe that the governor didn’t do anything about it. He pretended not to notice, and took another mulled wine. When I went to talk with him, I figured I’d listen for a little while and then try to say something interesting when I figured out what was being discussed. But by the time I was over there, they were knee-deep in a conversation about how I was coming over to say something interesting. Everyone talking to the man turned and looked at me, waiting for me to say something profound, and I froze and looked a fool. The women stifled smirks at me, failing to be polite. Then the man called me by name and asked me not to be embarrassed, to sit down, and enjoy some of the governor’s wine. I did, of course. I was already indebted to the man who had just made me look ridiculous.

Later that night, I looked for him to ask him just what had happened at the conversation and how he knew what I was planning to say. I couldn’t find him, however. I asked four different groups of people where he was in the gallery, and everyone gave a different answer saying that they had known for sure that he was in the west wing, or the north wing. It was like trailing a ghost, each time I got to where he was supposed to be, they hadn’t seen him anywhere but another wing. And nobody thought that that was very strange at all.

I only saw him one more time that night; he was kissing the hand of the Abbess of Markhem. She blushed terribly. After that, he left in a carriage owned by the largest shipmaker in this part of the Throne, as the same shipmaker waved him goodbye.

I only heard later that the south wing was robbed that night some time during the party, and the only thing stolen was a rare opal given by the Elves to the Von Herkheist at the formation of the Throne. I never saw him again.