The First Day of Resplendent Air, RY 767
Imperial City, Blessed Isle

Dear friends,

After a warm Calibration, the weather has finally turned cool. I've gone on long walks to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. The few times my children have accomplice me, they bundled up in their heaviest furs. I tell them that winters in the Imperial City are warmer than the rest of the Isle. We have not had snow since before Zara, my oldest daughter, was born. Yet they still complain. Perhaps a visit North will make them appreciate the Blessed Isle's temperate climate.

The letter will go on to describe winter in the Imperial City. Those in the Scarlet Sky Conspiracy will see the following letter:

I cannot tell you how pleased I am that you wrote me back! I will admit I had some doubts, but Titus said I was being an idiot. Of course, you will write back. I once again thank you for your support. I have hope that one day I will be able to sit in a teahouse without the fear of the Wyld Hunt.

And now I have yet another reason to see Mnemon Aisa on the throne. In the month since Calibration, V’neef has be busy trying to get into the Imperial Manse. The requisitions for her exotic materials could fill an entire file room. Justification for all these requests is “Defense of the Realm”. Yet, it is common knowledge V’neef only wants the Imperial Manse for her own gain.

For obvious reasons, I try to avoid any interest in the Imperial Manse. However, when V’neef’s request for slaves came across my desk, I had an excuse to investigate. I find slavery a despicable institution. According to the Thousand Scales Code, all requisitions for slaves must include upkeep. If you bring slaves into the Imperial City, you must provide them with room and board. V’neef’s requisition did not and was flagged for audit. I denied the requisition and sent it back. I told my assistant to expect V’neef’s supply officer sometime in the next couple of days. An agreeable sort, I knew we could come to some sort of understanding.

After lunch, when my assistant told me V’neef not her supply officer, was in my office, I knew I was in trouble. At first, I hid behind the Thousand Scales’ convoluted procedures. The code was clear in this situation. No one, not even the Scarlet Empress’ youngest daughter, can defy the Thousand Scales. V’neef shrugged and ordered me to make an exception. The slaves will not be in the Imperial City for long, she explained. I searched though her paperwork and said I did not see a travel permit for the slaves.

“The slaves will not be going anywhere.”

I was still confused. “You said the slaves will not be in the Imperial City for long.”

“Both those statements are true.”

While I am intimately familiar with the impenetrable maze of the Thousand Scales, I am not a student of the occult. It did not occur to me Human Sacrifice was the fate of these slaves. If it did, I would have been better prepared for this meeting. I would not be sitting in my own office, blood boiling with the injustice of the situation. Prisoners of war, indentured apprenticeship, and simple bad luck. There were many reasons why one could become a slave. While technically legal, no slave deserves to die at a sacrificial altar.

I am ashamed to say, I lost my temper when V’neef lectured me on interfering with the affairs of the Dragons. I quoted the Immaculate Texts at her. A Dragonblooded has a responsibility to her people. To murder these people for power was unacceptable behavior.

“If you do not approve this requisition, I will replace these slaves with you and everyone you have ever known.” V’neef said this without emotion. As if she asked to borrow my ink well. The Dragonblooded Dynast slid the requisition towards me.

I remembered myself, my position both as mortal agent of the Thousand Scales and as a hidden Anathema. I could see my youngest daughter on a sacrificial table. With a shaking hand, I stamped V’neef’s request and sentenced fifty people to their deaths.

Once V’neef left my office, I set to work delaying her requisition in ways that could not be traced back to me. Titus and I are working on a more permanent solution.

V’neef is no longer filing requisitions for materials. We need to know where she is getting her supplies from and put a stop to this. I cannot show much interest in this matter after my encounter with V’neef, but I will do what I can.

Quelaana’s plan to get in close with the Roseblack is a good one. An assassination attempt would be easy to arrange in the Threshold. A Northern Winter is hard on a Legion, thus leaving her vulnerable to the Bull of the North. I do not think House Tepet could survive another blow by the Barbarian Anathema.

We need Tepet Ejava alive to occupy Mnemon. I have heard rumors in court of a plot to keep Roseblack away from the Isle. I tried to track down who sent the orders, but hit a dead end. We need to figure out who conspired to send her North. And how. I doubt someone walked into the legion offices and politely requested to send a potential Empress to the Icy Wastes.

Mnemon has been taking advantage of the Roseblack’s absence. Since the start of the year, Cathak Cainan has visited various house heads. Rumor is he asking their opinion on who should sit on the Scarlet Throne. Mnemon has set up a meeting with the Old Dragon. It took me a bit of digging, but the meeting will be held at the Heptagram this month.

Together, I believe we can take advantage of these situations. I will focus on keeping V'neef from breaking into the Imperial Manse.

May you find a warm welcome wherever you may be.

Nellens Ryo

P.S. Aisa, Zara would like to ask permission to write you. Your stories of the Heptagram entranced her and now she dreams of going there herself. At fourteen, she is of age to receive the Dragon’s blessing. I try to warn her not to put all her hopes on the Exaltation as her mother did. I am discovering that my words do not carry as much weight with her as they once did. It is a difficult balance between supporting your children's dreams and advising caution.