The Hunt for the Keys part I

by Don Carlos

Dear Sister Sebastion

I trust Theus is treating you kindly and thankyou for your continued care for young Francesca. Send her my love and tell her I will come visit when I can. Though I grieve the death of my father, I cannot understand the pain of orphanage, as she has suffered it.

I am sorry I have not written in some time but as you are already aware my adventures oft lead me in strange directions. Nonetheless I am generally progressing well and I am confident that one day I will have my lands returned to my rightfull ownership.

Currently, my comrades and I are in the city of Freiburg. It is the best place in this horrid Eisen land of poverty, more cosmopolitan.

The weather here is bad, compared to our beautiful Castille, oh how I miss the sunshine and the smells of spring in the mountains, of fine wines, madieras and sherries, of paella, courting, music and dancing passionately til sunrise.

Eisen is truly impoverished!

Nonetheless, we are here on a strange and exciting business. Our leader Franz von (porridge) Tannen won a ramshackle little manor in this city in a card game. Though modest, it is far superior to most of the accommodation we have endured this past year. Now we even have windows again after a band of street hooligans called the Wolf Clan destroyed them afer they confused us with vulnerable people.

Anyhow last week after finally purchasing my new buff coat (with silver woven chains and some fine port wine, a number of Avalons arrived at Franz's manor. These men it seems, 10 or so in number I think, all had seemingly authentic, but I am sure forged, mortgages on the palace von porridge. What a coincidence they all arrived on the same day! Franz was seemingly stunned and bewildered.

I was amused, and suggested to one of the creditors there are many more of them and therefore if they were to foreclose they would only receive very small amount, and would not have sole access. Franz was flabberghasted! "My palace von porridge, in HOCK!" He despised my tact, and ordered me quiet. Finally responding to the situation he took control as only an Eisen can!

Once active he did very well, not only negotiating for time with the creditors but with the aid of our comrade Dandelion pierced the problem and devised an insightful strategy.

You see in this land, it seems the one richness is the famous Dracheneisen steel, second only to our own Soldano!

It is a sacred remnant from the times before the ancient times and its use is restricted only to Eisen nobility. Any who possess a source of this most precious metal become rich beyond compare in this land.

And it was this potentiality that Franz and Dandelion suspected had generated the credit plot on the manor. They were right!

Our Avalon comrade, Pistole, finding himself only comfortable in the cellar, coincidentally, or moreover with the aid of Theus slipped, breaking an artificial wall concealing a finely decorated door made of the Dracheneisen. What a good thing it happened the same day. Theus moves in mysterious ways, and oft in mysterious vehicles!

We broke into groups to investigate the problem. Dandelion reading from a diary of 120 - 130 years of age and belonging to the original Baron Drachenheim exposed the paths we needed to follow.

Working on the hunch that the quick grey fox jumping over the lazy fox was a heraldic device we pursued various paths of inquiry leading us respectively to the crypt beneath the local vaticine cathedral, a fine example I must say, with a bishop as corruptable as any other in Theah, and a crypt in the local cemetary.

Without disclosing the details of our techniques in writing, our group of the Eisen giant woman Hadu, the Vodacce Giancarlo and myself went and solicited the aid of our local excellency of the Vaticine. Our objectionist friends investigated the crypt.

Our inquiries have exposed a great secret, so I cannot speak of it here lest this letter fall in the wrong hands. Then even your life would be endangered!

Now we are to resolve this secret for the Eisen people and Franz von Tannen. For this is the work of an adventurer!

I must also mention, I am a little concerned about my health, it is growing worse by the day. In recent times my digestion has become difficult and I am only able to consume good red fare. Though I have sought specialist attention, none has, as yet arrived.

I am unsure if my condition is due to the food of these Eisen folk's culinary culture as described earlier or some other factor.

I am sure I will be alright, but if anything does happen to me I would like for all of my worth, assets land and all other wealth to be held in trust for young Francesca until the her age of 21 when she can take possession of them. 1/10th of the amount is to go to your fine convent for upkeep and the child's boarding expenses.

Please show this letter to my mother as proof of my wishes and to avoid potential foul play by my depraved brother Frederick.

With much Love

Carlos

May Theus keep you safe!