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*A letter bearing the seal of the Inquisition, resting atop a carefully wrapped bundle.*
Knight-Preceptor Erik,
I hope you will not begrudge my coming to Blackwell against your wishes. I felt it was my duty as a Servant of the Church to personally follow up on leads regarding the activities of the Red-Robed Wraiths that have been sighted within your parish. Reports have no doubt reached you by now regarding my brief infiltration of both your Clergymen and the jumped-up militia calling itself the 'Midnight Watch'. I assure you there was no malice in my actions, and that I acted solely in the interest of uncovering any weaknesses in the induction process for these two organizations. I found them both sorely wanting. All a man must do is wear a cowl and call himself 'Brother' this-or-that, and the peasants readily trust him. As for the Watch, they seem too desperate for manpower to look into the backgrounds of those they recruit. As such, I have opted to maintain my cover within the Watch, and observe its members further. I am afraid I cannot reveal my alias among them even to you, and ask that, should you somehow learn it, you provide me with no preferential treatment that might expose my true identity.
As for this package - you may ask how I come by its contents, as it until just a few weeks ago rested secure in the Reliquary of Saint Helena. I admit that when I learned that the Reliquary had been violated, and the tomb of three Saints robbed, I momentarily considered razing the village wholesale. Alas, I was able to control myself, and immediately set about pursuing leads gained during my involvement with the Watch. While investigating the tavern owned by one Althalus Khalorson, I had the good fortune of stumbling upon an incriminating conversation in progress. Listening through the doorway, I learned that the female inside (later discovered to be Meriel Kelling) had murdered the exile Craystor Rake. What's more, she seemed certain that Rake would not be returning from the dead, and spoke with conviction on several other matters deep within the counsels of the Enemy.
Following Ms. Kelling back within the walls, I ascertained the loyalties and faithfulness of the several Watchmen present, then invoked the Rights of Vigilance and Wrath to seize jurisdiction from them momentarily. Using this window of absolute authority, I arrested Ms. Kelling, and quickly enlisted the aid of the Watch in transferring her to the Church's interrogation room. There I conducted a thorough debriefing, though I failed to obtain an honest confession to any of my initial charges. When I administered a particularly regrettable form of torture, however, she quickly caved and admitted to having been the culprit behind the theft from the Reliquary! What's more, she admitted that she had been put up to it by Undead, proving once and for all that she was an Agent of the Enemy - albeit a very scared and clueless one. I say with confidence that there was more despair in her actions than malice, and that she acted out of fear and hopelessness.
Unfortunately, Ms. Kelling's injuries were beyond healing by the time she admitted to her misdeeds. While I would have preferred to execute her publicly at a later date in order to discourage similar disloyalty among the peasantry, I deemed it an opportunity - perhaps the last - to ascertain the location of the stolen Relics. Thus, I set the Heretic ablaze in the Interrogation Room, threatening to allow her to die slowly to the flames if she would not reveal the information. Still, she held. Only when I threatened to do so to one 'Jake Jeckel', an associate (possibly lover?) of hers, as well did she reveal the location of the relic, giving me ample clues as to how to locate her hidden cache.
I then administered a lethal crossbow shot to the heart, a follow-up shot to the head, and severed her carotid artery to ensure her death. The corpse of Meriel Kelling was committed to Pyros for purification shortly thereafter, to deny its use to the Enemy.
The relics that were stolen have been recovered: I present this blade - that of Knight-Sister Theresa of Glenmore, if I am not mistaken - as a token of my worth, and pray that this small sign will induce you to consider my offer of Inquisitorial assistance further. I hope that you will at least allow me to continue my presence and work in Blackwell.
*Signed with the initials R.G.*
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