CISLUNAR DHASANT: THE CITY OF GARGOYLES

Sunwane 31, 850

Dear Father,

I realize that this correspondence is long overdue, and I can only begin to guess at what you have heard from Auntie Ketlavna and Uncle Baroldan. I am also painfully aware that I am seriously remiss in my role as a dutiful son, having not reported certain important recent events to you before now. Please forgive me for not telling you any of this sooner, but I wasn't certain how you would respond. If Auntie K. is any judge in such manners, then I guess I should anticipate the disinheritance papers shortly. I only hope that you will agree with my motives, if not the end results.
As I told you in my last (long-past) letter, I have "hooked up with an interesting and exciting group of people." You know about Eyvan, Elianora, Valere, and Vair, but I left out a couple of my companions. I wasn't certain how you would react to my associating with them. The first is Korvallis Damion Sunspear, a Dark Aseku, and former employee of Lady Elianora's late husband. Although his manners are virtually non-existant, and I suspect that he is an ex-pirate, I have found him to be a strong and reliable companion. Needless to say, Auntie K. does not approve. The other is a Healer by the name of Halkem. He is impetuous, but his knowledge of the healing arts has been invaluable to us. Together, we make up what has come to be known as The Black Rose Company. I will explain that further momentarily.
I did as you asked, and let Auntie K. dictate my schedule and drag me from party to social occasion to dance and so forth, but between functions I hid out at an inn called The Blackbriar with the aforementioned persons. It felt harmless enough, although Auntie K. would probably consider it slumming. At first, it was almost as if people in trouble would appear from out of nowhere, desperately needing our help. You raised me never to turn my back on someone in need of assistance, when I can offer aid.
The first to do so was Magus Thacarias Pelindar, a friend of Eyvan's, and as good a person as I have met in Cislunar. He is apparently the Ambassador to the Gargoyles in Cislunar, who are not just inanimate stone statues. They are intelligent (in a manner of speaking) living creatures, and a band of thieves had stolen the wings from most of the Gargoyles in the city. With careful investigation, and more than a little bit of luck, we managed to catch the thieves and return the stolen wings before the Gargoyles awakened and discovered their loss. According to Thax, we helped to avoid a major incident with the Gargoyles by doing so.
Next, it was Amandiel Thongolir herself whose side we came to during her time of need. I mentioned that she had lost a loved one, but I didn't tell you that we had looked into his death for her. The man had been murdered, and we tracked down his killer and brought him to justice. In the course of this "mission," we uncovered the new identity of an Enchanter formerly known as Bragi the Abhorred. Although I am unclear on the details, it turns out that Bragi had used his magic to gain secrets from many of the noble houses, and after we landed him in prison, he had an unfortunate fatal "accident."
Shortly after the King's birthday celebration, we assisted a nobleman's son (I would rather not say who, as the man is unaware of the potential scandal we abated) who had been bit by a "werebat." We caught up with the boy before he could seriously injure himself or anyone else, and were able to have his condition reversed before it became permanent.
In late Withewind, a mage hired us to track down his missing "spellbooks." During this jaunt, I met the Kobkode ambassador, His Excellency Lukori Nopa N'danzaa Nmbeto Kobkode (or something to that effect). I will be shocked if Viv hasn't already told you how I flung myself bodily over a podium at the Conservatorium just prior to a poetry reading by Andre Le Motte. Although not a particular fan of poetry, I was afraid of what might happen once the gentleman started reading from a magical text entitled Rituals of Summoning. It seems there had been a mix-up at the bookbinder.
I am sure that you have heard at least something of the next and most noteworthy incident. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Auntie K. has sent you a copy of the court manuscripts. And I guess I couldn't blame her if she had. I won't go into the petty details, but a noble investigator, one Lord Finster, was found injured by my friends. A dedicated man, he had been investigating a string of child kidnappings within Cislunar. I hadn't truly realized just how depraved people can get until I came here. He was grievously hurt and unable to continue his search. We took it up where he left off. It wasn't easy, but eventually we uncovered a group of sadists who were kidnapping and abusing young children, and caught them red-handed at the house of a seriously twisted noble. One of the members of the group, "The Knaves of Hearts," was an undercover Tarin Tor known as Sword Sinister Sterlon, whom I unwittingly dueled with. I fought him with everything I could muster, managed to disarm him a couple of times, and even drew first blood, but his skill was greatly superior to mine. He eventually chose to reveal himself to me, after the fighting had stopped and the rest of the depraved group had been apprehended. When you sent me to Cislunar, I never imagined that I would be crossing swords with a member of Shrike's elite guard. There was no quietly walking away from this arrest and subsequent scandal. There were minor charges (mostly from the guilty parties) leveled against us, and we were summoned to the Justice Tribunal to testify in court. The end result was that the child killers were publicly executed, and we were given a choice. One option was unpleasant, and I would rather not mention it. The other, the one we took, was becoming a registered mercenary group working for the Ministry of Justice. That was how we became The Black Rose Company.
I hope you aren't too terribly ashamed of me. You sent me to Cislunar to become a gentleman, and instead I've become a mercenary. A mercenary working for the law, but a mercenary nonetheless.
The first official case we were given entailed capturing a thief and returning some stolen valuables. One of the missing items belonged to Auntie K., and I think returning that to her is the only thing that has kept her from locking me in my room and swallowing the key. The thief, a young man named Benedict, was nobly gathering gifts for a beautiful girl locked in a tower. We helped him free the girl, and now he works as our secretary. On the downside, the girl's mother is not pleased with us, and happens to be a witch by trade.
It was during this case that Tal and I encountered The Black Unicorn. I'm not sure what you have heard, but there were many sightings of this frightful beast around Cislunar during this time. It was an evil portent, and I cannot remember ever being quite that afraid of anything before or since. Well, maybe since...
I don't even want to get into our most recent official case that I was present for. Competing artists were fighting in the streets of Cislunar over whose style was superior. During these squabbles, a couple of dreadful art students killed their professor. We managed to find evidence supporting this and arrest them. On the plus side, I've started art lessons myself in my free time. After seeing what some of these artists make, I just had to try it myself. If I can, I'll send you something. Auntie feels painting is low-class. I just can't win.
Most recently, the ghost of a dead sea captain asked for our help in retrieving his body. This weird little exercise took us through a magical portal to the Cappadocian Islands. I wouldn't believe it myself, but the sand in this envelope is from the beach there, as are the enclosed seashells. I am currently sunburned, which was difficult to explain to Auntie K., given that the weather here in Cislunar is near-freezing most of the time. On the island we fought half-woman, half-vulture creatures (Harpys, I think) and were attacked underwater by a Hag and her loyal Giant Barracuda. I would have drowned for sure, but for a magical kriss that the Ghost of the Captain had given to me. It actually allows for the bearer to breathe underwater, and glows magically in the dark. We also recovered an impressive amount of treasure. I have placed my share in a reputable financial institution. I have kept that dagger, which I am most fond of, and have placed a bond up for it. It is highly unlikely that anyone will come to claim the enchanted weapon, and I cannot bear to part with something that saved my life.
So there you have it. A complete accounting of my activities since I arrived in Cislunar. I'm sorry that I haven't been more honest with you, but I wasn't sure what you would think about all of this.
On the lighter side, Auntie K. and Uncle Baroldan through a wonderful party for my birthday. I'm only sorry that you couldn't have been there. I miss you greatly. Outside during the party, Shrike's mages linked Cislunar to the Matrix (whatever that may be) and now new, strange races are about in the city. Nicholas and Amandiel Thongolir were both in attendance, as was Magus Thacarias Pelindar.
Please give my very best to Jonas (if he is still with you) and by all means share my letters with him. I would write him a letter of his own, but maybe I'd better not push my luck. Tell him that Tal is well, and has been playing chess with Cousin Eyvan. He usually wins.
Please take care of yourself, and I promise to be better about writing in the future. Don't worry too much about me, as I will try to be careful and damage neither myself nor the Ilzimmer name (assuming I have not already sullied it beyond repair). In all things I will endeavor to make you proud.

Your Son,

Pip

P.S. Talisman says to tell you that none of this was his fault. He says that trouble finds me.