**There's a few wrapped in cloth candies contained in the parcel. There's a letter, too.**
Acolyte Amelie,
I was wondering, with your devoutness and great poetic talent, if it was possible to create a warding song or poem.
It's difficult for me to stay alive, to stay hopeful.
Those around me are dragged down into darkness.
I'm honestly desperate. I've found love in my life and it should be a beautiful experience.
She knows of the happenings and she swore to protect me.
But I am so worried for her safety.
Could you do such a thing?
With kind regards,
Alfred Delafosse
**He'd resend the same letter.**
[If left at the Priory, the Krak des Roses, or anywhere in the Well, this letter goes unanswered and uncollected. However, a letter to Alfred arrives all the same. The hand is hasty and the parchment isn't parchment, but vellum, and recently made.]
Alfred,
I know more now than ever before of the foe that has haunted your steps, that is wrought of your sorrows, and has played mischief with you for these past ten years.
Its eyes are now upon me. I am hunted, for your reprieve. But through the art of we Kulamet I have come to know its nature.
Seek me upon the High Road when I ask for you over the bellows. We must speak of how this foe may be undone, for I have an answer, and a course we may sound out.
Amelie
Amelie,
I must dissapoint you and admit that what we encountered was but one foe of many.
Though it's defeat shall without doubt bring me great reprieve. And those around me will be safer for it.
I am so greatly sorry to hear that you've been hunted as a consequence. I don't know how to make it up to you.
We shall meet upon the High Road. I shall take Shamsa the Oathseeker with me.
She and you are the only ones that know.
Alfred
[Left this letter addressed to Amelie at the Camp at the Low Road, where they once conversed.]
Dear Amelie,
It is I, Alfred Delafosse, writing you. I hope this letter finds your hands.
You've alerted Apothar Estellise and several Acolytes that I am cause of your curse.
I wholeheartedly agree.
We spoke upon the Rooftop of the Krak des Roses and only then began this nightmare for you.
I do not believe that to be coincidence.
However in the College of Balladeers I was confronted by Balladeers, Banda Rossa and your Sisters.
Accused of Brooking. Accused of striking a deal or pact with Djinni. Endangering you by it.
When I arrived in Ephia's Well, after being chased by my curse for ten years, I was relieved. Finally, a City, Finally a Place that had potentional of becoming Home.
All I ever wanted in my life, is normalcy. Boring, dull, normalcy. Friends, Love and Art.
When the haunting continued despite my arrival, I panicked desperatedly and saw to confide in you.
I explained to you the dangers and you accepted to help me regardless.
I am forever in your debt for this kind act. I am forever shamed by the horror you face now.
I'm despairing greatly howevever at the thought that you believe I wilfully inflicted such.
Or that it is caused by me striking pacts and deals with Djinn-kind.
I'm sorry that I did not tell you the whole truth. But the truth is that I did so to prevent disaster.
When they are mentioned, they arrive, the spirits of my past. It is also an exceedingly painful subject.
These Djinni however, I never encountered them before. Only the one time with you. That was the last time for me, aswell.
I too am confused greatly by this fact.
I don't know what to say or do now, Amelie, I can only plead and beg of you to believe me.
The curse upon me was hexed by a Necromantic Priestess, ten years ago, in Ring 306.
I have never dealt with Djinni ever before. I would never, ever strike a deal with them.
I have been carrying one curse for ten excruciating years and require no more than one.
The others, they do not believe me. They handed me over to the Fourth Legion to process me through a Capital charges trial.
It flopped, thankfully, with the aid of Apothar Cosine and Sergeant Colmes.
My desire is to help you, but I do not presently think you'd accept it, with everything I have heard and gone through.
What do you wish of me Amelie?
I'll do anything. Truly, I will do anything.
Alfred Delafosse
[The letter is received there. A reply eventually makes its way to the Krak des Roses.]
Alfred,
It was not I that alerted the Apothar, or anyone outside the Priory, to what has befallen you. By some means, the Djinn was upon you, and such a Foe does not make that choice lightly.
I urge that you think exceptionally carefully upon what it is you said, offered, and did with the young man that you met in the Krak des Roses. When I asked you upon that night you did not have a clear or ready answer. But the marks we saw were likely self-inflicted. You did, indeed, speak with one of Them, or one who serves Them.
But I shall write no more of this here. Already the pages are tainted with a knowledge we ought fear to pen.
What I ask of you, for now, is this: Seek me upon the High Road, when I shall give a bellows in verse, and speak with me.
Amelie
[The letter was left in a particularly difficult to reach cavern somewhere high.]
Dear Nameless Kulamet who happens to dwell in the Canyons,
I am writing you this letter because, I, interwoven cursecarrier, made a mistake.
Not just any mistake, no.
One of the life-ending variety.
It seems without your guidance it took but a grand ten minutes for me to blunder.
And what a blunder!
Remember what was on the young man?
Well it is now in my personal interest to learn how to... Not have that on you.
Regards,
Utter fool possibly not worth saving
PS: Just give me a clean death really.
[The letter, after a time, is received.]
Amelie,
I have informed Isabella of my ''status''. With the intent to let the people involved know.
I do not intent to hide my failure.
And like you I dwell in the wilderness now.
It's tricked me, it was clever. I did not intent for it.
I am a Fool.
If there exists an " after " I can promise you that I will walk a Long Path of Redemption.
Any request you would make, I would fulfil. Perhaps for all my life.
I was informed however that there's more than my pitiful life at stake.
Now it is a matter of retaining my Soul.
Please do not sacrifice me.
Could you imagine losing the Afterlife? I cannot think of a Fate worse than that.
I am glad that you are not Marked.
Are there even words that I could quill or speak that take away any of the pain?
Regardless, I am sorry.
You've a plan to destroy it.
Now with my new status - do I attend, or do I avoid, partaking?
I imagine it could control me to harm you or the others.
What is next?
I do not wish to meet you in person for it.
An eternal apology,
Alfred Delafosse
Professional Fool
Alfred,
Understand that everything I say to you is known by our Enemy.
You are called to singular purpose: The redemption of your person and your soul. It shall not be easy. But it has been done before.
I will not sacrifice you. That would play into the hands of the Enemy and I will not bear the stain of that dishonor. I profess myself a Cinquefoil Errant and I shall neither brook with this Thing nor damn you to It, though you may have damned yourself already. But you must be present, so the Thing is present, and I shall call upon you to answer to the promise that you made to me.
Then, if the Wheel is kind, you may return to a baker's life.
But do not write me your apologies in ink, upon parchment, no; author them upon the Foe with your blade.
Prepare yourself. I do not have much time left.
Amelie
Amelie,
If I must be there,
I shall be there.
And when it possesses me and my body moves on it's own to strike you down, shall I simply be cut down?
I ask we think this through.
Perhaps I should be shackled
I will feel naked and defenseless.
But I shall place trust in my companions to keep me safe.
Alfred
Alfred,
I say to you in truth: I fear a trap.
But no more can be said upon these pages. We shall try this thing and you shall hear again from me, or you shall not, but for the affliction that is upon you... I have not found you and it is safer that you are not present. Do not be idle in your quest to purge the mark from your person. With luck, the power of it shall be greatly reduced, or cease all together. But I cannot say this with certainty.
Wyld keep you. I shall write if I return. Otherwise, may She see you unto health--the mark removed--or a swift and painless end.
Amelie
[The hastily written letter was delivered by a hurried courier.]
Amelie,
I heard over the bellows that your endeavor was successful.
I pray thousands of prayers that you will find peace now.
True disaster is the loss of Pirouette and Loijr.
My sorrow and grief are immeasurable.
Kind Pirouette even approached me on her own initiative to let me know she'd not give up on me.
They are dead. I cannot believe it.
You have all suffered immensely for my sake.
How could I ever repay you all?
Alas, I must deliver grave news. The Mark upon my person persists.
I believe it may be removed by the work of priests, by grand ritual.
I suggest we carry out such operation with haste.
All the influences of this Djinn must be removed.
Could you lead such an endeavor? I imagine you will return to Ephia's Well.
I will continue my self-exilement.
There is no way for me to repay any of you.
But if there is anything you wish of me, let me know.
Alfred Delafosse
Alfred,
I write to you with the understanding that what I say is known to the Enemy. Not that which I faced, for that hateful Prince is sealed away where none shall ever reach It, but of the Djinn generally. Another will bind itself to your mark or corrupt it somehow if aught is not done. It is likely this has already happened without you realizing.
You cannot come to the Well. Your mark was inflicted by a Fleshcrafter. Any touch to the Waters shall pollute them.
Water offers you no succor, for you are poison to it.
Earth offers you no succor, for it was the original lair of the Enemy that bound you.
Air offers you no succor, for air cannot purify the flesh.
Fire is your answer. The mark must be burned away in divine fire. An ancient rite of endurance. You shall live or die by it, I cannot say which, only that it shall be immeasurably painful. It will scar your form for life. But it is, I think, the surest way.
Write me with your answer as to whether you shall undergo this ritual.
Amelie
Amelie,
It's the ritual, it's death or it's vengefulness and destruction.
I choose the ritual. I really, really hope my face isn't melted away.
You will announce a meeting with a verse. The location will be infront of the Pit of Sacrifice, at the High Road.
The last time I went to the Canyons I got this Mark.
Alfred
Acolyte Amelie,
I'm spending my days in total solitude.
Calls that are made for people to meet with me are ignored.
I used to have friends, they promised never to abandon me. They went and abandoned me.
Because I am Djinn-Marked willingly.
Yes, I have a Mark, but so what? I was on the ground bleeding to death.
I saved my own life and I had every bloody right to do that. I'm just a man.
The more I think of your proposal, your idea and my thoughtless confirmation...
The more I think you do not intent for me to survive.
Not because I doubt you personally. I doubt all of Ephia's Well. All of you who condemn me so.
I did NOTHING wrong. NOTHING. I am the victim of a many great things. I never asked to be Cursed, or be caught in deadly ambush on the way back.
How is that MY fault!?
Think of me what you will.
I am too afraid of your ritual, it will kill me.
I will find my own solution.
Alfred Delafosse
Alfred,
I bid you remember that the nature of the Thing that you have brooked with has an influence upon your mind. Guard against this as you read my words below.
Beware any man or woman that pretends as though there is an easier course. Heed not the counsel of those that would make you their servant.
Your return to the Well, your redemption, can come only through the removal of this mark.
I have asked nothing of you but your willingness to endure the rite. For there is no other means that shall keep you from damnation. I continue to ask nothing more than this.
I do not wish your death. If I had sought your death I should have flattered you with sweet words, described a less dangerous ritual, and then slain you. Instead I have submitted to you the direct and honest appraisal of the dangers. I have spoken for you. I have asked for time to see this nefarious mark removed from you.
The Enemy that hounded us originally is imprisoned but Its minions shall bind you still. Seek me and we shall put them to rout.
Amelie
Dear Amelie,
You do not understand how I feel. You cannot imagine how it is to be alone, abandoned and condemned.
People that I loved, though it is by trauma and a lack of time, have joined the ranks that wish me dead.
I believe you though, honestly I do.
But I have found a better path forward and I will embark on it.
It will have my mark removed and my life preserved.
What you offer me is much more risk.
Even Isabella offered me better than you. And I suspect her hatred of me is far greater than most.
Come on- don't make me die.
Alfred Delafosse
Alfred,
Isabella, whatever she has proposed, is not versed in these matters. Yours is not an ordinary or simple mark. This particular Foe fears only fire.
We Kulamet have long opposed the nefarious influence of the Djinn upon the world. Any other path proposed to you is likely that of a charlatan or a Brooker of another fell power.
But I am not infallible. So answer me directly if you are not taken by this Thing: What is the ritual you have sought and who shall perform it?
Amelie
Amelie,
She and I have contacted a large variety of experts.
They come with demands of thousands of dinar, diamonds and rituals.
You come with "I am going to light you on fire".
Can you blame me for choosing the non-fire path?
I believe for certain the Kulamet have some expertise.
But what would an Apothar Cosine offer?
What would the Djinn-Hunter Accatus (or something) offer?
I don't think they will put me on fire.
Please tell me there are alternatives.
If I die in your ritual, then my soul is lost, wouldn't it be?
That is a risk I will never, ever take. My soul must be saved.
I feel like this letter will insult you, and that is too bad, it is not my intention.
My intention is to survive.
Alfred
Amelie,
I have looked inwards.
And what I saw has deeply disturbed me.
I need your guidance and the guidance of the Gods.
I'm tired of these letters and missives, I need to see a face and hear a voice, I need to measure the truth of your words and your intent.
And I need someone to measure mine aswell.
Could we meet upon the abandoned camp, in the Long Road?
You should know where that is.
When I say the words; A withered Rose seeks tending.
Let me know.
Yours,
Alfred Delafosse
We shall meet. Whether by that signal or upon my own. It shall not be in a place known to you beforehand. I shall determine it, as the location of this work matters. You will meet me at the Rose Gate and we shall proceed from there.
For in recent days I met a man who claims to know you. I have since had cause and opportunity to observe he and his at some length. That messenger asked me whether I was sincere in helping you. I misliked his tone but answered him truthfully: That you are a fool for surrendering to this Thing, but the ritual can work, and I intend to aid you.
I wonder if your associate relayed my words?
Now I take no chances having met this man. I shall not be taken unawares. Know, moreover, that any snare they would set I shall simply evade, just as I outlasted the Foe through ten days in the desert.
Come alone or not at all.
Amelie
Amelie,
I intent to come alone.
Try to avoid that man and his kind.
They are dangerous to you.
I could write a great many things about how I've acted, why I've acted and how I feel about it.
But I wish to rely this in person.
Word to paper mean only so much.
Alfred Delafosse
[All of these letters having been received, they are at last disposed of, in curious fashion.]