Your Justice, High Inquisitor Sirius,
Greetings in the name of His Imperial Majesty Vaylen, Second of His Name, in this, the three hundred and eighth year of the Second Founding. May the light of truth burn ever brighter under his dominion.
It seemed good to me to write to you concerning the prisoner delivered this day into the keeping of your offices. I had hoped to present him in person, but I am informed you have been called away on duty in His Majesty’s service, and so this letter must serve.
The prisoner is Elenden deArthis, third son of the former Lord Aaron deArthis of the Northern Provinces, sought under outstanding warrants on charges of sedition, unlawful practice of the old rites, and dissemination of treasonous doctrine.
As you may recall, the Order proposed a standing incentive: title to the deArthis estates, forfeited upon Aaron’s conviction, to whichever citizen produced the fugitive. The bribe—forgive me, the incentive—proved effective, though not in the manner we anticipated.
Within three moons, we received an offer from one of the deArthis lordlings himself—a middle son, Corrin. He would deliver his brother on two conditions: full restoration of the family name and holdings, and the release of an aging heretic currently serving a life sentence in the capital. The prisoner would stand as blood-stead for the old man—his own confinement securing the other’s freedom. I confess I found the arithmetic elegant, if cold: brother trades brother for an estate, and we trade one prisoner for another.
Given the Inquisition’s stated urgency, I accepted the terms, acquired the prisoner at the appointed place, and prepared for treachery. The deArthis are not a family whose loyalty I credit. I am pleased to report that my foresight was not tested. The exchange proceeded without incident.
I have personally verified the prisoner’s identity against the descriptions on file. He is the man.
Please accept him as a token of good faith and a down payment on the matter we discussed when last we met. I trust you will find him worthy of your particular attention.
A word regarding the bindings. I have kept the prisoner’s mouth bound since the third day, permitting only broth through the cloth. I do not offer this as cruelty but as counsel. The man speaks, Your Justice, and when he speaks, things happen that I lack the vocabulary to describe. Two of my escort requested transfer within a day of hearing him. A third—a man of fourteen years’ service—wept and could not say why. Conventional deterrents proved ineffective. The bindings were, in the end, the only reliable solution. I advise you to maintain the precaution until your methods are established. Apart from the bindings, you will find him whole and responsive, as requested. A few bruises from the road—nothing that should impede your work.
Please forgive the informality of correspondence where I would have preferred to kneel.
Yours truly,
Sir Tiberian, Lightbringer of the Order of the Morning Star
