His Excellency the Comte de Molineaus
Embassy to the Kingdom of Carpania
No 14 Schwulststraße
Potsdorff

His Grace the Duc de Lorraine
Tuileries Palace, quai des Tuileries
Paris

My dear Vice President of the Council,

Once again you have correctly predicted the level of excitement and interest which was awaiting me on this mission. One could hardly tell that Carpania is a small kingdom, based upon the many distinguished guests that have been sent as representatives of the surrounding countries.

Prussia has sent Wymms and Klink, England has sent Sir C and company, Bavaria has sent von Zemo and Falkstein, Russia has sent Grand Duke Leonid, and Austria has sent Rheinhardt. I have confirmed that Klink, Zemo, Sir C, and Reinhardt have all obtained invitations to tour the Kosel trainyard. Grand Duke Leonid needs no invitation, as he has business interests there. Clearly we are not the only ones curious about the new construction.

Your Grace will note that Prussia has sent Wymms, and not Streicher nor von Krumpt. Though some other creatures of Bismarcks may yet be scurrying about in the shadows. Still, Wymms presence would seem to indicate King Wilhelm is as anxious to learn what is going on in Carpania as we are.

There has also been disturbing unrest on the border involving the miners and the wolves. We have not yet determined whether this is merely an internal matter which can be solved locally, or if it is something which will spill over into other matters. Even if it does not, some elements of the affair will be of interest to Your Grace.

I was fortunate enough to be approached by members of Sir C's group to assist in a minor way with the latter. It appears that some of the wolves have kidnapped the son of Frau Metzger in Prussia, and may be transporting him into Carpania. Salmalin, Frazer, and O'Flaherty are looking into the matter, and I am prepared to offer further assistance if necessary. We remain alert to any further signs.

The local Anarchist activity appears to be even less organized than the recent trouble in Walachia, though appearances may be deceiving. The attempts on the lives of Prince Stefan, Count Schwartzhaupt, and Greyminster have been so transparently incompetent one worries what is really going on. The only Anarchist who has been captured thus far was murdered while in custody. The murder weapons appears to have been an etheric pulse weapon, and may have been chosen because on the previous day Sir C used such a weapon in a very public manner. Our own investigation has already eliminated all members of Sir C's household from suspicion. It would not be unreasonable to conclude that the perpetrators hope to implicate Sir C in the affair, either due to a past grudge, or to prevent Sir C from discovering what is really going on.

We have confirmed that Master Zacharias is using technology identical to that used in the Rimbaldi Swann. It has been applied to many clocks in Carpania in a manner similar to the clocks we have examined in Paris. There is no indication that it is has been intentional on Zacharais' part, however, Berri tells me that Zacharias' footman is a Lutin. I have found no evidence connecting this creature with the disappearance of the Metzger boy, but the coincidence is troubling.

As you can see, thus far I have only suspicions and speculation to report. I hope that situation improves soon. I have delegated the other matter His Imperial Majesty wished us to undertake to the Comtess, who is more suited to the task. She tells me there is nothing definitive to report, but she, also, remains hopeful.

I thank Your Grace for your attention to these matters,

de Molineaus

From the personal papers of the Duke of Florin

Her Serene Highness Kristiana of Orange
Royal Netherlands Embassy
No 8 Schwulststraße
Potsdorff, Carpania

His Highness Prince Lukas of Florin
Kastel Bildt
Sint Annaparochie, The Netherlands

My dearest son,

I trust that Charlotte's health remains well.

I so wish that you both could have accompanied us, as the festivities leading to your brother's nuptuals have been most agreeable.

Their Majesties have been gracious hosts. They are both a delight to converse with and their company is quite congenial. The king, in particular, has revealed previously hidden depths, particularly in regard to his sense of humour, which has proven to be far more subtle than I had previously expected.

Your father's dear friend, Sir Spencer Cutherbert, is among the guests. He is an old acquaintance of the king, having hunted together in Africa when both were younger and held somewhat lower stations in life. Accompanying Sir Spencer are two of your other acquaintances from your time in London: Flag Lieutenant Wooster and Sir Cosmo Cowperthwaite. Were you aware that Sir Cosmo's maternal grandfather, the Earl of Greyminster, is a direct descendant of one of the old Dukes of Stamberg? It seems he is twelfth in line for the throne of Carpania, a fact which I understand the papers have been making much about. And no wonder, as His Majesty mentioned it quite emphatically at the Queen's reception.

I cannot tell you how surprised Rupert was to learn that Sir Cosmo (and his family) are soon to be distant relations.

There was some excitement during the King's Hunt. Rupert did not, alas, shoot the largest stag. That honour fell to Sir Cosmo's ward, Miss Moriarty. I find it quite refreshing that more young ladies are taking up shooting as an accomplishment. I suspect many husbands would have greatly improved demeanors if more ladies took up the pursuit.

But I have not mentioned the excitement: the King and Sir Spencer each shot a stag, of course, but they also, between them, took down a boar. It had not been the intention of the hunt, but when the animal is flushed and charges, I'm told, one simply must deal with it. There were also some wolves that might have caused trouble, had not Sir Cosmo and one of his manservants taken action when they did.

You may have heard reports of some other troubles. Specifically, the papers say that some unfortunate events of the last few days have been part of an Anarchist Plot targetted at the Royal Family. The reports are greatly exaggerated, and neither you nor Charlotte should fret about them. As Queen Frederica is a cousin of our dear Charlotte, I fear this news might be disturbing to her. Please assure her that our people have looked into the evidence, and the affair is nothing more than a few of those malcontents who are ill-equipped to hurt anyone other than themselves.

In other news, there was an unfortunate incident at the University Exposition. A historical clock was damaged when a support beam gave way. As the clock was in a tower, this produced a rather spectacular amount of noise. One workman was killed (may God have mercy on his soul).

Tonight I attend an opera commissioned in honour of the wedding. I understand that the composer based his text upon some tale of our ancestor, Humperdink I. I don't recall many stories of that ancestor that seemed particularly opera-worthy, but as the reputation of the Potsdorff Opera Company is exemplary, I am certain it will be a pleasant night.

Please write soon, as I am always anxious for news of both of you. Until then, I remain your loving

Mother

Her Serene Highness Kristiana of Orange
Royal Netherlands Embassy
No 8 Schwulststraße
Potsdorff, Carpania

His Majesty King William
Paleis Noordeinde
Gravenhage, The Netherlands

May it please Your Majesty,

The wedding preparations are proceeding in a satisfactory manner. There are, however, developments which may bear further investigation.

You have no doubt received reports of the troubling attempts on the lives of several members of the Carpanian Royal Family. As one of those attacks may have been directed at the English Earl Greyminster, it is certainly possible that the actual intent of the attackers has little to do with the Royal Family. A Prussian Rocket Battery was used in one attack (the one upon members of the household of Sir Cosmo Cowperthwaite). A perpetrator was captured, though his interrogation had not yet yielded any useful information. Unfortunately, he was killed with an etheric weapon, which may also have been of Prussian origin.

These two events parallel problems we have experienced closer to home, as I'm sure I don't need to remind Your Majesty. Perhaps it would be wise to have someone look into these situations and for possible connections to the previous matters. I pray that my suspicions are incorrect. If, however, they are borne out by the facts, I would much prefer that it be handled internally, rather than by the Carpanian authorities.

I await Your Majesty's instructions. Until then, I remain your loving sister,

Kristiana

His Excellency Fredick, Baron von Zemo und Franken
Royal Bavarian Embassy
No 4 Schwulststraße
Potsdorff, Carpania

His Majesty King Ludwig
Residenz, Residenzstraße
München, Bavaria

May in please Your Majesty,

Potsdorff is practically crawling with spies and inventors. Clearly everyone, ally and enemy alike, are suspicious of the goings-on in Carpania. I have learned several intriguing facts, but do not yet have enough information to come to many conclusions.

Clocks and other clockworks in Potsdorff are suffering malfunctions not unlike those observed in Bavaria, although some malfunctions have proven far more dangerous, here. Specifically, the clock in the University Tower, which is equipped with eleven unusually large Zacharias Crystals, have reached such a state of etheric instability that it was literally draining the life force of living beings which too close to the mechanism. One such being was the university employee responsible for maintaining the clock (may he rest in peace), who had rushed to the top of the tower when the clock began ringing the hour. It began ringing several minutes before the hour, and struck its bell well over 100 times before it was brought under control.

I was not able to observe this directly, as I was assisting with a medical emergency involving Inspector Kempf's cousin, Chief Inspector Kempf (whom I shall refer to as "their Kempf" for the remainder of this report). Their Kempf, you may recall, suffered rather grievous injuries in the Crimean War, and has been able to fulfill his duties in the years since only due to the artificial limbs designed by Master Zacharias. I can confirm that not only are these limbs equipped with Zacharias Crystals, but that the Etheric Resonence of the Crystals provides the connection between Kempf's central nervous system and the syntheic limbs.

Unfortunately, these Crystals also malfunctioned at the same time as the university clock. The Crystals were radiating energy in several hues of the spectrum, while their Kempf was experiencing a severe seizure. I was attempting to ground the main control crystal when one of the British operatives, Lieutenant Wooster, attempted to assist. I am surprised he survived the direct exposure to the out-of-control radiations, yet he did.

I was assisted by the Count and Countess de Brabant and the Countess's sister, the famed mystic, Mrs Cuthbert. Between us we were able to drain away the excess unstable energy, and recharge the Crystals at a more sustainable level.

Meanwhile, Master Schultz, Miss Moriarty, and Prince Stefan of Sponheim had reached the clock tower thanks to the latter's aerocorvette. They were able to stop the clock, and were in the process of rigging a grounding cable when the support beams holding the clock in the tower gave way. My cousin, Peter, believes that the beams collapsed due to an excessive amount of force placed upon the mechanism when Lady Cowperthwaite pulled on the chains which had held the clock weights. She was having one of her thunderous moments at the time. I have not been able to determine why she pulled on the chains when she did. It is possible that she believed her Ward, Miss Moriarty, was in danger from the Crystals. Or she may have been operating on other information.

The violent crash to the ground succeeded in disapating all of the energy in the Crystals safely into the Earth. When I was able to examine them, they were complete inert. Miss Moriarty had already offered a rather large sum to the university to buy the mechanism. I understand that Master Schultz also attempted to obtain the device, while Master Zacharias has communicated through his servants the emphatic desire to repair it personally. Although it appears that Prince Stefan's suggestion that His Majesty wants to device held as evidence in the investigation of the workman's death has trumped everyone else's request for the moment.

I have not been able to obtain an interview with Master Zacharias. My inquiries indicate that he has become much more reclusive in the last year. Even Master Schultz, it is said, has been turned away--despite the fact that they apprenticed together and were said to have an extremely warm relationship. Neither have I been able to locate the apprentice he is said to have dismissed approximately one year ago. I have confirmed that he has a new apprentice, a man with a distinctly English accent, although everyone in Potsdorff claims that he is an American. The coincidence of the apprentice's dismissal and the Master's changed behavior seem even more likely to be connected in light of recent developments.

Regarding activities in Kosel, I have obtained invitations to tour the surgical hospital and the train construction yard tomorrow. I hope to learn enough to determine how to proceed.

In the other matter, the Baroness tells me that there are many rumors of various houses pursuing bethrothal, but no one believes that any agreement has yet been contracted.

It is my hope to have more definitive reports soon. Until then, I remain Your Majesty's obedient and loyal servant,

Zemo

From the correspondence of Acting Chief Mine Engineer (Regent) Englebert Stahlmachersson

Dear Father,

There have been a number of developments in the short time since my last letter. Fortunately the Witch of Darleston and a descendant of Fezzik the Bold were on hand to deal with the difficulties.

I must first report the very sad news that Anrufer Baffurson is dead, foully murdered by forces possibly acting under orders of the Winter King.

Smelter Baffursson's investigation had uncovered certain irregularities in the death of Snorri Sturlessonsson, the lad killed in the mining accident I mentioned previously. It appears that he was actually murdered elsewhere, and his body placed in the collapsed mine shaft. We had just uncovered this fact when more agents of the Prussian Royal Police arrived at our gates, with evidence concerning the kidnapping of Witch Metzger's son, and a possible connection between the kidnappers and the murder of Sturlessonsson.

Extremälterer Ingenieur Ringründer vouched in council for the Fomorion accompanying the Witch of Darleston, as the giant had been identified as a direct descendent of Fezzik the Bold. So we escorted the Witches, Fezzik's descendant, and the Prussian Police through the tunnels to Gate 19, where we hoped they would be able to pick up the trail of the kidnappers. They were ambushed in the final lift by a group of goblins and an Elfmeuchelmörder, the latter had disguised himself as Bafursson after killing the Anrufer and a number of the Schwarze Äxte.

The goblins were no match for the Witch of Darleston and her companions. The Elfmeuchelmörder was captured and is imprisoned in an iron cage, within another cage of Grauesfunkeln. I have appointed Schüchttersson Smelter and placed the interrogation of the Elfmeuchelmörder in his capable hands.

With the Witch and her companions pursuing the kidnappers, and Schüchttersson investigating at home, I am confident that we will have this all sorted out in short

Quite confident. Everything is now under control. I look forward to seeing you when you return, after the festivities.

Love to mother.

Your most loyal son,

Englebert

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