
The following is a wax-sealed letter. Its contents are encrypted for the Barón’s eyes only.
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Florin Ramiro Anton Dulcinea Hazat, Barón de Flores
Fief of Flores, Sutek
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12-7-5001
My Lord:
It is my hope that this letter finds you and the Baronesa in excellent health. I myself have been well, and have seen to my duties to the best of my ability. I have been here on Stigmata a little over 6 months now, and it is due time that I provided an update as to my progress here.
First and foremost, I have established myself within the county of Eastmont. It is a rather rural and backwards affair, but I believe it will serve. With shrewd planning, I am the leading landholder in Northwarden Court, and this has given me a seat upon the Council of Lords as that
court’s Keeper. This is a dubious honor, as the Council meets infrequently. In fact, I have yet to see one called, for all the turmoil in the county. Still, it does give me some authority within my own court, and the Hazat ways are well underway there.
Northwarden itself is a border court of the county. As the northern county is relatively hostile, I have taken great strides to protecting our interests and secured a number of former slaves to settle within the court and serve as a border militia. Our company numbers in the 500 range, and basic training and discipline has begun. It will take some time before they are prepared for an authentic engagement, and I am concerned that such green troops will be hard pressed should the northern county attempt to invade this summer. To speed the matter, I have contacted a Muster that I
have formerly employed, in an attempt to bring in more experienced leadership and training. Still, the militia is decently equipped, with my thanks to the other Houses in the county, who generously donated to my “charity”.
I should inform you that another Hazat has arrived in the county, several months ago. He is Don Antonio Leon Valentín de la Rosa Rolas del Hazat, of Vera Cruz. He has become my right hand man, and a great boon to me. Not only is he a distant relative, through my mother, but he is very loyal. His expertise with training former slaves into a Hazat military discipline has been without par.
There are a few additional issues I’ve encountered that you should be aware of. The hostilities from the north are primarily of Decados origin. The recent news is that the Countess there, is to marry a Castenda Hazat Barón. With your ties to that branch, perhaps groundwork may be laid to smooth over this situation and an agreement between myself and your allies there could be struck? I would rather name these Northern Lights Hazat as friends, then enemies on the other side of the battlefield. And in the potentially volatile circumstances within Eastmont, such friends would be invaluable.
One of these circumstances involves the plan to build a starport within the county. Normally, I’d consider this excellent progress for the county. However, I have deep concerns in its management. It is being built and managed by a Masseri, Sir Michael Roliat Masseri to be exact. For some months now, he has promised that each of the Houses shall have a presence in the port, but whenever pressed, he evades the question, and no paperwork even definition of “presence” has been offered. I fear that he is attempting to gain control of a resource that should properly be shared among the nobility. There is also some question as to his true identity, for he claims he is a “former” Scraver, Reeve, and Imperial Eye. I wonder if he is even a Masseri at this point, and if he’s not some conman trying to swindle the county and subdue us into agreeing to his plan with the promise of this starport and our proposed “presence”. He arrived in the county bearing documents of his Knighthood from Emperor Alexius himself, but such documents could easily be forged, and here on Stigmata no one’s bothered to verify. Have you or any of your sources heard of this man?
And finally, a request, and it is no small matter. Some days ago, I acquired a jumpkey of unknown destination. It was an anonymous donation to an auction for my militia’s benefit. I have neither the resources nor the appropriate personnel with the expertise to research this, but I feel that
its potential is great. While it may be a key to a known route, the possibilities of a newly discovered route, or even, the route to a Lost World is just as possible. I need a loyal charioteer and engineer to accomplish this. And depending on the discovery, a ship to explore the jump. If it is truly a discovery, it will bring no small Glory and Honor to your name, and our House.
I shall write again, in a few months, to provide an update once again on my progress.
I remain yours in Love and Respect, Blood, Honor, and Service,
Izarbe Damaris Merzez Checa de Montilla y Solano Dulcinea del Hazat, Baronet
Estate of John the Pious, Northwarden Court
Eastmont County, Stigmata