Dear Paul,
Things have quieted down, but strangeness increases. I have been cleared of being a murder suspect after that local mentalist admitted to being the one that killed the dwarf, I would suppose by sleight of hand, right in front of Father Pizzaro. Furthermore, the dwarf turned out to be a humonculus, which explained the greasy liquid that was left on the floor and the lack of blood. I had never seen such a being before, but have read about them in the texts of alchemists. I would love to get possession of the remains to conduct a proper examination for posterity, but the coroner has refused to let me see it.
As for the occultists, they have quieted also. The last sign of that work was a polygram on the hearth of a pub where the patrons claimed to have seen a ghost sitting in the fire. The proprietress, a superstitious woman who practices the folk tradition of putting brownie chairs on the hearth, was furious, but she allowed me to take measurements, it was well drawn and obviously not the work of the city hall vandal I told you about in my last letter. I made a sketch for my own reference, as I was not familiar with the symbology of the diagram.
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Let me tell you about Babbagers ~ they adore their drink. Small wonder they were seeing ghosts in the fire, I imagine liquor is the cause of most the tall tales that circulate on the streets. The drink with wanton abandon, not at all like back home where wine is an art. I have sampled the local wares, you would be appalled at what the locals here will pour down their gullets, my friend! Even the mayor (who I still have not managed to get an appointment with) is not immune, I finally saw him with my own eyes perched on a stool in one of the more disreputable drinking establishments. He is indeed as short as I had heard. Father Pizzaro tells me he was quite skilled in his own right before he became involved in politics. I am even more curious to see his work now.
I have obtained two of the reality enforcers from separate makers, as near as I can tell they are merely things that make movement and noise. I do not know if these were made from artifacts of the original technology or not, of course I was assured that they were by the makers, but you know how that goes.
A more interesting matter has come to light. There is an underground movement that wants to grant full rights of personage to automatons. I see their handbills posted about town, especially in Clockhaven. One advocated voting rights! Can you imagine, voting rights? Preposterous! What would stop someone from mass producing a batch of clockworks keyed to vote as he desires, then declaring them emancipated then sending them off to the polls? The power of mass production increases year by year, I cannot believe any rational person would even consider the notion, but there it is. I have enclosed 2 of the handbills for your own amusement. Perhaps it is only a lone dollmaker enamored of his own work distributing these. I will keep you informed of course.
in brotherhood and service to the Church,
Dominic
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