vpstandings

Dear Sandy,

Hope this letter finds you well and your new-found situation agrees with you. You'll forgive me if I don't repeat all the congratulations and questions of my previous letters, just take it as read that I'm flabbergasted and overjoyed to hear of your success.

Actually, I must confess that I will be happy if this letter just finds you at all! I think my letters are being intercepted and I can think of a couple of factions that might not want someone in the Royal family to know, particularly if they are connected with the Office of the Golden Circle. I'm sending this one by an alternative courier and I hope it reaches you.

If you have received any of my previous letters, you'll know I've been sent to the Chalcedony border as a junior member of the staff of Canon Zurich. We're up here to investigate the hysteria that's gripping the borders following some gruesome attacks in the province.

Just this morning we visited the site of the most recent report just outside Nigh Jaezelberg. I confess I was very disturbed by what I saw and I'm getting it down on paper while the horror's still fresh.

We saw two dozen cattle, all dead with strange sores, that two days ago were perfectly healthy, according to the farmer. Five animals had been rent in pieces and the farmer claimed two were missing completely. He's put in for compensation so, of course, we have to take what he says with a pinch of salt but frankly what I saw was quite awful enough and to me the farmer seemed genuinely shaken.

The only clue as to what caused this atrocity were some strange indentations, two to three feet across, at the lower end of the field, nearest the river Ark that marks the border with Chalcedony. We didn't find enough to prove anything but it looked to me like some walking machine had crossed the river. The striated radial markings were certainly not of any animal and far too large even for a brontops, which I know have strayed here from Eden on occasion. In any case, brontopsi are entirely vegetarian and very gentle creatures.

This is now the third incident we've investigated and the rising hysteria is infecting the whole province. Everyone's getting their livestock under shelter come nightfall but Canon Zurich is deeply concerned that this will only cause whatever it is to turn its attentions to farm buildings.

Canon Zurich is uncertain as to the agent involved. He thinks it might be a thing left over from the War four years ago or it might be something that's stumbled in from deeper in Shadow. However, the locals are certain it comes from Chalcedony.

I confess, standing in that field, surrounded by bovine gore, and gazing across the river at the strange, rounded hills, many crowned with henges, some with individual clouds over them, white or dark, I felt what I can only describe as an unspeakable emanation of evil coming from the place.

Perhaps the situation was getting to me but, as I observed a single lightning stroke descend from one of the clouds, I noticed that only the hills with stone formations had clouds that were dark, and I thought I saw human figures where the bolt struck.

We've only investigated a handful of the most recent reports but it's quite clear that the atrocities are growing in magnitude, occurring at intervals of a few days. Canon Zurich says if it is coming from Chalcedony it will be a major diplomatic incident. The way he licked his lips, I think he can make some serious political mileage out of it and he may be one of the parties intercepting my letters. He won't want the Office of the Golden Circle to know too soon but I think you should, so now you do.

My probationary term is up when we get back to the capital but I am worried that Canon Zurich will keep me out here longer than he should. Not that I'm eager to get back to school, though I do have to pass those exams, but frankly the atmosphere out here is giving me the creeps and I want out. I'll try and drop in on you on the way.

Yours in the Faith, Saint