Toland,

Hear me out- I know you’re really into that Saurian rum lately, but I have something I need you to try (included in this parcel).  Even though I have yet to make it out there, it’s from Toast Island.  I found the nose to be dominated by notes of caramel and toffee, but maybe a hint of smoke and something tropical?  I figured it’s a lot of things you like.  Taste-wise, I was picking up vanilla and oak, with some kind of tropical finish that seemed to go with the nose.  If you add a few drops of water and chill it, you may also pick up some banana notes, but maybe I’m just crazy.

Tell me what you think about it.

On the matter I brought up at the Mages Guild meeting- I’m still hitting a wall with my magic.  Imra lent me a scroll of Disintegrate recently to use in disposing of some outdated documents (highly recommend by the way), and the whole thing just felt wrong. Hardly empirical, I know.  But I think the model for the Stokes vibrational series (which, in case the portal amnesia is messing with you, the basis for most magic back home) is breaking down at the point that I’m at; some of the properties of my recent spells don’t adhere very well to the model.  Have you been having any trouble with your runes?

I have a bit of a vexing hypothesis, but it’s a long walk to explain.

A series of troubling things have been happening to me over the past several months.  At Masquerade, I completed a transaction for the Peony, and felt a sort of flash of inspiration (or perhaps a presence?).  I’ve been feeling the ghost of some of these inspired feelings on the edge of my consciousness here and there ever since, and it’s been driving me mad.  I’d done some research on the different gods of Osterra, but something Brennen said made me realize it might be Pecune (did you know all transactions are holy rituals to him?), so I started exchanging letters with him about his faith.

Something happened recently to confirm this.

If you heard a scream on Merchant’s Row the day of the negotiations for the Bardic College with King Jorwin, that was (embarrassingly) me.  Cinnemon had delivered a staff I had ordered from a craftsman from Solana, and upon touching it, I was met with a terrifyingly powerful presence.  I got the sense it wanted something, but what that was, I do not know.  Brennen and Orange were present at the time, and both confirmed a presence within the staff.  Orange did not know its identity, but Brennen stated with great confidence it was Pecune.  Brennen also mentioned that I may be particularly sensitive to Pecune’s presence, for some reason.  I did not respond gracefully- I hope he doesn’t begrudge me that.

I believe that the presence of gods in Osterra is fundamentally affecting the oscillations of the monad, and by extension mathematically invalidating the Stokes vibrational series.  If you have any ideas on how to quantify the divine, please let me know.

I’m sorry I doubted you about your gods back home.  I think I might have been very, very wrong.  

Tyndaris did a rune reading for me, and while I don’t put much stock in these things, I believe she is correct in the fact that Pecune has set some things in motion that cannot be undone.  I was terrified of all of all of this at the time, but Imra framed it as an opportunity.  Hopefully she’s right- the thought has given me a sort of peace.

I should come visit you in Confluence one of these days.  I want to get your thoughts on all of this, but maybe it’s better discussed in person.

Your Friend,

Elsie