[A wax sealed scroll left for Estellise]

[crestfallen]

Hello,

I have recently learned of a novel concept, Estie.

"Pen Pals."

Would you like to be my Pen Pal?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

Given how easily you can reach me at the Tower, I'm uncertain what purpose written correspondence would serve.

That said, if you wish to write me, I will respond in turn.

I typically enjoy writing, so long as the writing involved is not a court-appointed Essay.

Regards,
Estellise

[crestfallen]

Hello,

The Tower is a point of contact, but where is the fun in that?

The exchange of correspondence adds a dash of mystery, a pinch of anticipation!

I solemnly swear that this is not a clever ploy to trick you into growing accustomed to writing essays.

Besides, think of all the fancy stationary you can collect. Perhaps you can have parchment with special letterheads prepared just for this. Personally, I am inclined towards sand mice. But goats are acceptable, too.

Anyhow, how has your day been? Mine has been remarkably slow. We visited Marcellus today and spent nearly five minutes knocking. I feared he had died in his office, but it turns out that he was simply staring off into space. I wonder what the inside of Marcellus' Mind Palace is like?

If someone held a crossbow to your head and told you to write an essay, what topic would you pick?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

Today is better than yesterday was, for a variety of reasons. It was good to see you, other than the part where your haunted Hall caused me to endure more gnome-related height theft.

As for Marcellus, I expect the inside of his Mind Palace is a horrible place. Seeing how he views me in there would be extremely irritating and I imagine it would be an enormous library caught in a war, being burned and pillaged by warriors who cared little for knowledge and learning.

Such is the true person Marcellus is. A man who saw youth pass him by and is attempting to live a second life in his final years. A life that betrays his original life in every way that matters.

I like writing essays when they are my own choice, so it's not difficult to say. However, if someone put a crossbow bolt to my head, I would do nothing they asked. They are a wretch and deserve no writing from me.
 
At the moment, I would enjoy writing an essay about what attracts people to mystery cults.

Regards,
Estellise

[crestfallen]

Hello,

Today was a moderately interesting day for myself. I began it with a cup of tea (two teaspoons of milk, no sugar, and steeped for exactly four and a half minutes), some manner of buttered flatbread, and another cup of tea. Lunch was seared filet of Banafsian bream, perfectly seasoned and complemented by a side of roasted vegetables and a light, refreshing salad.

I am in the process of determining what to do for dinner. It is a most bothersome task.

It is good that your allergies no longer trouble you and your day was better. Dreadfully sorry about the hauntings. It is unfortunate, and more than a touch worrying. But your height is returned, so all's well that ends well.

I am not entirely sure if this is how the inside of the Marcellus Mind Palace looks like. Personally, I think it is a large maze, only the walls are large bookshelves. A manifestation of Cosine and Aaisha pursue him through the labyrinth, and leave him with very little time to do anything other than run. It must be why he is so very tired all the time.

Or perhaps I simply think this because it is entirely too sad to contemplate the possibility you present. Regret is a terrible poison to the soul.

Speaking of regrets, do you have any? I regret inviting Alejandro into my circle of trust, only to watch him side with. Please ignore that. I am trying to maintain a slightly less vindictive attitude. An experiment on Sephidra's request, but this means a touch less spite on my part. I will simply say that I am most disappointed by my friend's insistence on attributing a good deal of our success to luck rather than grit and determination. It is most hurtful!

I also regret not visiting Mro Po's when he was running his buy one get one free special.

What is it about mystery cults that appeal? Don't tell me that we have another one of those springing up in the Well?

If Margarethe turned into a worm, would you still respect her?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

It was an irritating matter but yes, it's fine. I'm back to my original height. Whatever the entities did was temporary.

I only have two regrets in recent memory. Running for Legate and lowering my guard around Daoud. Regrets are infrequent for me, given my ability to see what is coming in advance.

I think it is reasonable to be angry at Alejandro. In truth, he is a man who has thrown away every kindness and good thing ever granted to him. He has no true friends remaining because he has no loyalty to offer and receives none in return. He is a shell of his former self and fits in well with the Sagebrush "Corps".

It is not a matter of a new Mystery Cult having captured my interest so much as one specific Mystery Cult that is suddenly surging in popularity. Every Acolyte says the same thing, that they came here with the express intention of joining the Priory and they considered no other options before doing so.

I find it extremely curious.

As for Margarethe, I would obviously find a way to turn her back. If she remained a worm, then she would be at risk of Domhnall killing her.

Regards,
Estellise

[crestfallen]

Hello,

Today was different. I did not like it.

There ought to be a more profound sense of loss here, given Alejandro's passing. But between you and I? It is Devlin and Tempo's passing that has the greater sting. And it all is underscored by relief. At least it weren't my people.

Does this make me a bad person, Fatespinner?

I did not intervene as it seemed needless, to have yet more join a mob falling upon what I took to be simply the Prince and his Court. Banda involvement was unexpected. Surprising. And more than a little concerning. I was under the impression that the Rose Contract superseded all else.

I wonder if this is why that Recluta began to natter on about Torchbrush. (I would sooner die than willingly allow those bottom-feeders back into my circle of trust.) Deflection.

In any event, all this did get me thinking on another decidedly somber topic- Legacy. What do you envision your own being?

And were you ever able to recover the vials from Margarethe?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

I'm certain that some will consider my actions unpleasant, but I truly do believe that seeing his findings into a trust would have been better than allowing them to be divided up by pecking vultures as did occur.

I continue to despise the Banda Rossa. They demanded 10,000 dinars before they would even allow me to peer in the room, yet they let the others in for 1,000 dinars. They will always make whatever decision is most unpleasant, whether that is killing Balladeers in cold blood or allowing Sagebrush to tear Alejandro's legacy to pieces.

Obviously, my issues with them aside, the fault lay with Alejandro himself. He was ever a servant of Gellema and took more secrets to his grave than that room could possibly contain. Additionally, I am certain that on some level having his collection scattered to the winds satisfied some Gellemede whim to see the knowledge lost once more.

As far as your concern for your own people goes, that hardly makes you a "bad person". It is only natural to prioritize those whom you have chosen to surround yourself with. Generally, the only way to be a "bad person" is to withdraw entirely into oneself and care for no one else.

The Rose Contract is as meaningless as all the others. Kragg went straight to the Alchemist's Guild to set those Brookers upon my Apprentices, because he preferred their company to ours. If the Banda Rossa were run properly, they would summarily execute these Recluta, as their reasoning would be similar. They preferred the Prince's company to the Balladeers' company.

Loyalty is not to be found among merchants or mercenaries. It is a foreign concept to such wretches.

I care little for my Legacy. I only care about the prevention of the Ephia's Well Disaster. If I fail, then no one will be around to remember me or my actions anyway.

I found Margarethe on her way to our Den of Dark Designs and she returned the vial to me.

Regards,
Estellise

[crestfallen]

Hello,

Today was also different. But not in a wholly unpleasant way.

Mae said some rather interesting things today. Her tone was not dissimilar to your Electrical Loop Wand ventriloquism act (it is an act isn't it?).

From what I understand, the majority of Alejandro's belongings are all going to Sandstone, which ought to count for something. Regardless, he is gone and that is that. All that remains is to compartmentalise it all and move on.

Some of my associates tell me that this is unhealthy. I find it preferable to the alternative, which is stagnation of the mind, body and spirit. It is another sort of poison, ultimately. If the worst is ever to befall me and mine, it is my sincerest hope that you will move on after a suitably appropriate stretch of time (three to seven days).

In other news, I met little miss Millefiori today. She reminds me of an especially drowsy gerbil. I learned that she had fallen short of the required sum for her Voice, so Rosseau and I split the difference. This made the Gerbil-girl happy, and reinforced the impression upon me that Rosseau might not be such a terrible person after all.

It is a strange thing to consider, after everything the two of us have been through. I do hope this does not end up me or Sephidra dead in a gutter somewhere, but knowing our luck that is very likely.

Your commitment to the prevention of the Ephia's Well Disaster remains a source of much bemusement to me. M<y first instinct is to say that I do not truly believe such a thing can come to pass. But, as I think on it, I realise that I had doubted you many times in the past, and you had gone on to prove me wrong in almost every instance. I must stress upon almost, for I still do not buy into your reasoning for ignoring a perfectly good path in favor of crawling through a rosebush, but that is neither here nor there.

It is good to hear that you found Margarethe and secured the vial. What was in it, anyhow? What dark design does it serve?

Also, another question. This will be a new tradition of ours, I have decided.

Is sentencing criminals to death wasteful? Does the act of condemning another to death serve any purpose other than providing hollow satisfaction for the bereaved?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

I find a relationship's length largely impacts the grief's length. I find it hard to imagine that you would mourn Sephidra for "3 to 7 days", in truth.

I find it unlikely either of you will end up dead in any gutters. Your work takes you to places that do not typically have "gutters".

I don't know much about my Fourth Apprentice's Apprentice, but if she did well on that Test, then presumably she had a good Master.

I'm glad you've come to realize that doubting me is futile. I am aware of future events and tirelessly work to guide them in a direction of my choosing. The rosebush is even simply explainable. I do not wish to be surrounded and typically utilize it when people stand on both sides of the thoroughfare.

In many worldlines, I have been killed because I allowed myself to get surrounded.

It was a vial of Mote's blood, something important to us both. I feared that Margarethe was to run off and try something drastic with it, or throw it away to "protect me" from obsessing over the past. Taking it at all was a breach of trust, but fortunately, she returned it.

As for your question... I find punitive death has little to do with satisfaction. It is merely the surest way to be certain that the person will not kill again.

A question for you: what do you most wish to find in your wanderings and mappings? What do you seek?

Regards,
Estellise

[crestfallen]

Hello,

A brief lapse in correspondence, for which I do apologise. Yesterday's business left me rather knackered. It is a good thing I have Sephidra on hand to help with the maps, else I would get nothing done in a reasonable span of time.

A great deal transpired during these past two days, but much of it cannot be trusted to courier-borne correspondence. Therefore, you may consider this an open invitation to tea within our Hall, as it is our only viable recourse. We can even have Clarissant or Natasha braid your hair, as this appears to be what the general public thinks we do here in Torchbearer Hall.

I am still decidedly vexed about today's events. I do not particularly relish this feeling. In a vacuum, it is good to see us recognised and offered appropriate pay for this, and future operations. Yet there is a most peculiar phenomenon at play here that many seem to overlook, even my closest confidants.

I call it The Torchbearer Pendulum of Fate.

You see, nothing good ever simply happens to me and mine. Likely on account of some ancient curse or the other from our early forays into this business. Or Jamil. That poor woman always did have the worst luck imaginable.

Either way, what this means in simple terms is that for every good thing that happens to us, there is always some unseen, unpredictable, and unwanted consequence. The Depths, Hufaidh, Trusty Pete, fucking Sagebrush, and so on. There's always a catch, you see? Some hidden consequence. And all of that leaves me feeling decidedly unsure if the dinar itself was worth the political capital. Balstan agreed far too easily, and I find myself wondering if this is not all some elaborate trap on his end. Our position and legitimacy within this Well remains a tenuous thing still, after all, and that shan't change until we have added a few more feathers to the proverbial cap. What do you suppose the future has in store for us on this front, dear Fatespinner? Or do you prefer the appellation of High Witch?

You were right about grief. My previous letter was a roundabout way of warning you against the pitfall of stagnation. You are a creature of energy and motion, and it is one of your better qualities. I'd hate for my passing to cause you to lose that spark.

You most definitely should spend more time with the Gerbil-girl. You would become fast friends, I think. Though she is shorter than you.

As for the blood... Do be careful with that. There exists a fine line between remembrance and obsession, and it is essential not to let the latter consume you. I suspect dear Margarethe understands this and was trying to help. Just be careful, yes?

And lastly, your question. A lot of people have asked me this over the past year, and they have each been given a different answer. Mostly because I feel that the truth is rather underwhelming, and partly because I am deeply amused by seeing how far I can push a lie. Still, you are a delight to have around, and your antics are a source of much amusement, so I will let you in on the grand design.

Absolutely nothing.

There is no grand quest, no sacred Cup, no holy text. Simply the thrill of discovery, the joy that comes from seeing and learning of the strange and the unknown. Of knowing that you are the first to tread down certain paths in thousands of years. That is what compels me to keep wandering and mapping. Each answer I gave was simply a different facet of this one, simple truth. I remain a student at heart. I simply prefer the open road to a lecture room.

Here is a question for you. Two, in fact, to account for the earlier lapse.

What do you suppose my objective is here with all these letters?

If Kythaela turned into a gnome and you had no way of turning her back, would you still see her in the same light?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

I will take you up on your offer as I wish to know what troubles you.

Fatespinner is fine. High Witch is somewhat embarrassing, even if I agree that it is rather ominous.

It is no surprise to me that you can sense the Pendulum of Fate as a fellow Witch. The most obvious risk of this occurring that I can foresee is that in 70% of futures, the Legates acquiesce to the demands of Sagebrush and see them placed upon the Stele. It is entirely possible that these dinars exist to make you more malleable to such.

Margarethe said I should have given the People's History to her Apprentice, as she is a student of history. I presume we would get along if she gets along with Margarethe, but yet, I have no time or inclination to chase down some two-bit historian, even if I would find her height amusing.

As for grief, I understand the dangers well, and if I were the one counseling myself, I would likely tell myself to be rid of it, yet I know that I would not. I am only human and thus I cannot help being sentimental at times. I never let it go so far as to hinder my goals, however.

You have largely answered your own first question by answering my question from the previous letter. These letters exist for the same reason, to stave off your boredom.

I don't wish to think about Kythie as a gnome, but I would likely see her the same, so long as she were the same in every other respect. If her gnoming caused her to adopt gnomish characteristics and personality traits, then she would no longer be Kythie and I would be forced to see her in a new light.

Regards,
Estellise

[crestfallen]

Hello,

Today was a strangely uneventful day, barring a spot of trouble involving our new neighbors and Blackvale. Hopefully we are not also subject to some attempt at burglary in the coming days. It would be a terrible bother for our butler. Perhaps you can curse our collection of artefacts to deter theft?

Dinner and lunch both were decidedly simple affairs. Sephidra is most judicious with our expenses, and I am far too lazy to visit the grocers myself.

Anyhow, figuring out the precise nature of the trap will be, in part, what we shall discuss at tea. The majority of our time, of course, shall be devoted to pleasant conversation and the like. I lied about Clarissant not being present. I simply wanted to gauge your reaction.

It is a good thing that you are aware of the pitfalls of grief. And truthfully? A spot of sentimentality is far preferable to apathy.

You are, also, partially correct. This exchange of correspondence is, like most endeavors undertaken in my life, an attempt to fend off the dreaded foes of any individual with a functional mind: boredom and ennui. But it is not the sole reason. It is a ploy most clever. You will see, in the fullness of time, and be struck speechless by the extent of my genius.

Are we settling on the term 'gnoming' for such phenomena, incidentally? I was under the impression that you detested this term.

And lastly, a question: What part of your Dark Design were you going to reveal to Margarethe earlier?

Regards,
Naelin

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,

Cursing objects to destroy the livelihood of would-be thieves is simply done for a Fatespinner.

In truth, nothing against Clarissant, but the prospect that you had some business that she could not hear had intrigued me immensely. Now I am disappointed.

Boredom is the curse that affects all Witches and must ever be alleviated, I find, so I understand fully.

I am eager to discover this greater purpose in letter writing, in truth.

Gnoming is fine. I hate the act far more than the word.

I wished to speak to Margarethe about Selsi. I will tell you no more in correspondence.

Regards,
Estellise

[cmenden]

Dear Naelin,


I knew you had bitten off more than you could chew here, yet I still expected a letter before today's dangerous expedition.

No matter. I shall demand every detail from you after your return.

Regards,
Estellise