Intro Story - Ask about Seeking Help

“Do many people come here seeking help?” you ask.

Alex shrugs. “Not so much since word got around that the Senators are gone. Typically there are two or three requests a week. If they can’t write, I’ll write it up for them, exactly as they say it.”

Alex grimaced. “I’m bound to transcribe it exactly, but I wish I could embellish their pedestrian requests. A few false leads and I’d have the Senators toppling civilizations and spreading dischord.”

Alex wiggled his fingers at the desk. The pen lifted as though moved by an invisible hand and the inkwell stopper came out with a “pop!” The pen dipped itself into the inkwell and moved over the top sheet of parchment.

“What are you going to write?” you ask. The pen scratches as you speak, and then the paper lifts up so you can read it. The text reads, “Alex is my best friend in the world.” You recognize the handwriting as the same as a couple of scraps of parchment in the box.

The ink begins flaking from the page, and soon falls like black snow onto the table. The parchment is perfectly clean of ink.

“Only exactly what is said,” Alex said, shaking his head. “A pity. But whether I write it or the requestor writes it, the new requests for help go into the box. The Senators would go through the requests, see which seemed the most worthwhile, and act on those.

“When they completed it, they would transcribe a log in that book marked ‘Minutes.’”

You look over at it. The leather binding is clearly empty. “It looks like their logs are missing,” you say. “What happened to them?”

“Oh, The Swift took all their records a couple of nights ago,” said Alex. “He knew right where to go. I like to imagine that he tortured the Prince for the information.”

Alex looked speculative. “Strange, though, that he knew the Senators wouldn’t be here. Maybe he’s got the full set now, eh? That would explain where they are.”