CISLUNAR DHASANT: THE CITY OF GARGOYLES

I hope you will forgive this instrusion into your personal affairs, but since I have become involved in this investigation, I have put some thought into your situation and feel compelled to ask if you have thoroughly looked into your legal rights regarding the Earl Nandos and your children. While it is true that he has removed your right to Raventree properties under rite exheres, you may not be aware that he has (to my knowledge) no legally defensible claim over your children. Should you wish to bring suit against him in the Courts of Justice, you would stand, I believe, an excellent chance of regaining custody over them. You may wish to consult a pleader about your options in this case. There are, naturally, a number of other considerations you will want to keep in mind before taking such action.
If you are interested in pursuing this option, I would personally recommend the pleader Sieur Willem Cixous, who can be contacted through the Ministry of Justice or at his home in Parkside, G139. Willem recently arrived in Cislunar from Anseis and possesses one of the most brilliant and devious minds it has been my misfortune to match wits against; I would look forward to seeing him work with me for a change. I believe you would find him willing to take your case.

Sincerely,

Llewellyn Finster
Earl, House Jhansczil
Special Investigator

Fading 18

Sieur Cixous,

Greetings. Our mutual acquaintance Lord Finster recommended that I consult you about my legal situation. In case you are not familiar with my story, I was disinherited in a rite exheres by my father in law, the Exalt Earl Primus, Lord Nandos Raventree Quartus, after my husband Tirnan's death on Harvest the 25th. Lord Nandos took my children from me at the funeral service, and has threatened me with rite abdicare and/or arrest if I try to regain custody or even try to visit them.
Lord Finster has pointed out that while he may have the political power to get away with this, the law may be on my side.
I would greatly appreciate a chance to meet with you and discuss my options. I suggest perhaps a week from today, on Fading 23? Please let me know a convenient time for you, and I will meet you at your office.

Thank you for your time,

The E E-U, E. Raventree Q.

Exalt Earl-Uxor Lady Elianora Raventree:

I would be honored to consider your case and have spoken to Lord Finster Jhansczil concerning your situation. My offices are located on the third floor of the Belladar Hall of Jurisprudence, Parkside, GQ16, Myrmidon & Processional, and I would be pleased to see you an hour after noon on Fading 23. If you would be so kind as to bring with you as much information as you may have concerning your children (including descriptions, educational, or health records, etc), the deceased, and your father in law, I would find this knowledge extremely useful.

Cordially,

Willem Cixous, D. Juris.

To the Right Honorable the Countess-Uxor Lady Elianora Raventree

My Lady,

I have reviewed your case against the Earl Quartus Lord Nandos Raventree and find our prospects of success promising. I believe he has no legal grounds upon which to lay claim to your bloodchildren the young Earls Lord Malachi, Lord Olivar, and Lord Gaetano, nor to keep them. While I do not believe we can sue against his reputation, as it is unstained, I do not think he will be able to sue against yours, either.
My good friend the Lord Finster has thoughtfully provided me with his observations concerning your case, and I m ust once more caution you that a court battle will be unpleasant and perhaps damaging to your nerve and reputation. The accusations Lord Raventree will make may affect your children's opinion of you, as well.
The Earl Raventree will undoubtedly refer to the letter Lord Finster showed you as evidence against your own reputation, and attempt to sully your good name and character in the eyes of the care and aristocracy. He will argue that you hired the duelist Sieur Montmorency to kill your husband in order to freely engage in your affair with "Etienne." I do not know what other evidence he may be able to muster to support this claim, but we should not discount the possibility that whoever has framed you has ensured that other such evidence exists.
In your favor, I count your excellent reputation and good address, and that you have been seen with no "Etienne" since your husband's death. Moreover, the evidence of the letter is circumstantial at best, and I believe I shall be able to offer magical proof that the letter was never penned by your hand. Your children have clearly expressed a desire to rejoin you, which will also affect the care's considerations, as I intend to call the young lords to witness at court.
Meanwhile, Lord Finster has kindly offered to continue his investigation into the cause of Lord Tirnan Raventree's death, as his time allows. I fear he is quite occupied with the rash of child kidnappings which plague the City, however, and cannot pin much hope on his success. Undoubtedly, to name the mastermind behind this plot would aid our cause immensely, but I cannot count upon such good fortune.
With your permission, I am prepared to file suit against the Earl Raventree and begin this case. I will request that it be heard by the Chief Justice, Care Reglan Mirrinis, as this is a matter of aristocratic import, but I will also invite the Templar Verdiant to observe, as this case falls within his jurisdiction (that being Parkside and the Hill), and I expect we shall win his sympathies and thus his formidable support.
I await your reply and have the honour to remain, my Lady,

Your Ladyship's obedient servant,

Cordially,

Willem Cixous, D. Juris

Bill for services to Withewind 21, 850, submitted by Cixous, W., Pleader.

Research hours @ 1 wdmk/hr=53	53 windmarks
Filing and paperwork	2 windmarks
Suit processing	4 tidemarks

Total = 55 windmarks, 4 tidemarks

COURT DATE: Sunwane 8, preliminary hearing

Please set aside 2-3 hours beginning at 9 a.m. for this hearing. Charges will be read, preliminary cases will be stated, special requests will be heard, and so on. The care will set the date for the custody hearing at this meeting. I suggest you consider bringing a member of your family if you feel you will want company, and nobody but a member of your family.
In-court work will be charged approximately 2 windmarks/hr. Out-of-court research hours will continue at the above rate of 1 windmark/hr. At this point it is impossible to foresee the length of this case; I will be better able to provide an estimate after I have heard the arguments of Lord Nandos' pleader. However, fees and payment times can be renegotiated should the necessity arise.

Respectfully,

Willem Cixous, D. Juris

/Sanders Lark

/Clerk