The Savage Letters: Flint & The None-Seeing Eye

October 10 - 58

Urgent! For PROF. GERRICHT SAVAGE's eyes only.

Dear Prof. G. Savage.

It is not common for my correspondence to act as more than a telling of the facts as close to the truth as my fickle memory may muster. Since defining the function of Madistone house much information of procured curios has been communicated with little aplomb or embellishment. I fear however that on this occasion the circumstances demand a slight deviation in tone.

It is well within your knowledge that attempts at intellectual espionage have increased. Whilst these are themselves singular it is the curious behaviour of the residents of Connollham coupled with these acts which demands that I ask of you a favour most unprofessional but nonetheless life-affecting. Before the query is made it demands your full understanding. If you would kindly set aside sufficient time to read this in detail I would like to recount the peculiar sights of Flint and The None-Seeing Eye.

The Truth - A Prologue

Message sent on 23:12 17/04/2010
To: AMS@adnews.cc
From: [withheld]
Subject: I know who L. Carmen is.

I am K.W. a freelance journalist currently commissioned by The Beagle in Marsham. It was while driving to report on a story for the paper (the local unrest on Madistone hill) that I encountered the pictured radio tower. I assure you it is relevant.

The location of this tower remains with me and I shall not disclose it until I am heard and answers are given to me. There are many of its kind along the route, as there are many in the area, and so its location is not trivial.

Passing by the tower along an undisclosed motorway my mobile phone encountered some interference. At first I hadn't noticed anything particularly strange about this, being mostly static, but after a few seconds a clear signal comprised of beeps could be heard over the mess. Having already interrupted my call, my curiosity dictated that I pull into a nearby lay-by and listen in. I should point out that my phone has been heavily modified by a tech-savvy friend of mine (who shall remain unnamed) for undisclosed purposes, and so it is also highly unlikely that you should discover the signal yourself. I'd been assured that the modifications would eliminate all interference, so from what I understand the signal was technically being sent on an impossible frequency.

The beeping itself was curious and highly unlike any normal digital broadcast pattern I know of. I felt it was more like morse code than anything. Recording the signal to my dictaphone (which I still possess) and replaying it through the phone when back out of range, I sent this to my aforementioned friend who expressed great interest. Before long we were together traversing the fields of... Well, I'd best not say. Before long we encountered the source of the interference, the signal tower.

My friend assures me that this tower should, to all intents and purposes, be obsolete and without power, broadcasting and receiving nothing. Nevertheless the signal persists and, after some time, we could decipher it as being encoded by a method which, again, we shall not disclose. The signal itself has a range of approximately 50m, a radius in which nothing else is contained that could receive the signal except us.

The signal itself was slow and unsteady, but it was the information being sent that was of great interest to us. For some bizarre reason this message consisted entirely of unrelated facts strung together in a non-coherent fashion and of unknown origin. The subjects ranged from geography, technology, history, politics, television dramas, video games, incredibly obvious statements, tautologies through even to local gossip. The only connection seemed to be that each of the statements was being transmitted in reverse alphabetical order.

After some hours recording and decoding in the unseasonable weather the news of yourself and L.C. was transmitted over the signal, directly to us and only us. You may claim this information unsubstantiated, but once this catalyst was known to me enough significant evidence could be procured to make the fact inescapable. As further proof I disclose the following key words: channel, roses, perfume, bootstraps and forgery. Let this serve as evidence of both my honesty and ability to discover a great deal from the little information the tower provided.

I have written up the entire story and am ready to publish at The Beagle. This story could easily launch my career and collapse your own and I have little to no hesitation in allowing its release. Indeed The Beagle have offered me quite a sum for its disclosure, even with the extremely obscure details I have given them. Nothing incriminating, I promise.

However I give you this opportunity: If you give me a better offer than that of The Beagle, an explanation as to the background of L.C. and what, if anything, you know of this mysterious 'truth tower' I may reconsider my submission. Should you comply I will promise to yield from publishing and disclose to you the location and encryption of the tower and its signal, a tool I'm sure you and your papers will find very useful.

You have 22 hours to respond, after which I publish.

K.W.


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Message sent on 00:46 18/04/2010
To: AMS@adnews.cc
From: [withheld]
Subject: RE: My collection

Those sound like the stories of a desperate man. Give me one good reason to believe you.


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Message sent on 01:02 18/04/2010
To: AMS@adnews.cc
From: [withheld]
Subject: RE: Proof

When and where?


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Message sent on 11:02 18/04/2010
To: AMS@adnews.cc
From: K.Wry@toandfromail.cc
Subject: RE: Offer

Alexander Savage,

My rates are £15 per hour with fully paid travel.
I can start tomorrow.

Kirstie Wrycroft.

The Savage Letters: Elusion, The Riddle and Nostalgia

September 12 - 58

Dear Prof. G. Savage.

Of course it is well known to you that our attempts to engage our antagonist failed. This man, perhaps collection of men, are to be anything but underestimated. Their foresight stretches leagues beyond ours, and such are their abilities that we may not yet be able to explain them.

However what may seem to them as mere incidental losses present our faculty with a fine opportunity for installing permanent fixtures for our anomalous studies. I would consider this a great step back in our assumed position in the race for knowledge, a minor step back in our containment of the problem, yet a great step forward for foresight and planning. This is completely besides the fact that we have procured two more anomalous items in the process (perhaps three, see addendum). Hence it is my prerogative to present to you the farce and warning of elusion, The Riddle and Nostalgia.

Rückstadt and Vorausdorf

For the benefit of The Council, the following is a brief synopsis of Rückstadt and Vorausdorf and a typical inhabitant thereof. Most information has been expunged through lack of interest, but the finer points remain.
- Dr. Clemént

On the morning of the 13th February in the year 1843 Abbie Wrycroft awoke on the outskirts of Bickley wood, Southeast of Bristol, nestled amongst the grasses and hedgerows. As she stood, brushing the dew from her tangled hair and blinking into the terracotta sunrise, she began to wonder what nocturnal escapades may have led her to her current location. The setting was familiar, the landscape recognisable but not enough to pin down the memory. It was not long before confusion had gotten the better of her waking mind. She would have preferred to continue to sleep in the grass, had the alarm on her mobile phone not awoken her.

The Savage Letters: Loch Llenli

August 14 - 58

Dear Professor G. Savage,

It does not befit my character to succumb to a shattering of formality, to lapse from that which is proper and into incredulous dances of fantasy. My occupation is - or perhaps was - that of a scientist, a figure of precision and study for whom phantasms and faeries should be isolated to the young, the impressionable and those with sparse sanity. I fear since the unfortunate case of Dr. Prendergast and the discovery of Io that these sensibilities had flown, as if some startled magpie, to leave only glimmering susceptibility to suggestion in it place.

During the fortnight of my leave I saw this escaping of reason for what it was: a subsidence of the foundations of that which I held true for so many years. First the amorphous unnaturalism of Io followed by the shattering of many known laws of physics and chemistry shewed by the cold lamp and the shadow of thorns respectively. That psychology should be so pliable as to be affected by the incense of St. Leonard's chapel and the life-long mystery of the postmaster's secret nurtured concern within me, mutating soon to fear. That I could be so susceptible to the bizarre that I might posit a purely philosophical theory to the sorry case of the Neverwhere is nought but an indication for how far these happenings have drawn me from rationalism.

Thankfully my leave permitted reprise from this pseudo-insanity, although not by the means I had predicted. Since the magpie had flown it duly returned to its nest, as oft they do, with shiny trinket in-talon. The clasped toy, a shilling of excellent reflection, was two-sided: heads projected an image of myself, to repair what need be done; the tails-side was altogether more sepulchral, a ghastly indicator of man's worst ambitions and evils, and a muddied apparition in the waters of Loch Llenli.

The Savage Letters: The Postmaster's Secret (The Letter of 'I')

August 7 - 58
Dear Prof G. Savage,

PLEASE READ THIS LETTER FIRST!

I apologise for the lack of prior notice in regards to this communication, although the entire course of events may be entirely encompassed by the following points: The small chest to which this correspondence is attached is locked; I possess the key and it shall follow me to the highlands the moment this letter is concluded; I shall thence undertake a fortnight leave for the well-being of myself, the staff and any unfortunate soul who happens to come into contact with that cursed box; Nobody is to attempt to open it in my absence and it is my forthright recommendation that the box be either destroyed or made inaccessible to human curiosity immediately. I shall cede the key only upon your assurance that you comprehend the situation in absolute.

Perhaps you suspect this opine above my responsibilities, however I assure you that the circumstances call for it. You, perhaps more than most, know my disposition is not comfortable with issuing such demands of my superiors, alongside granting myself leave. I trust this is conviction enough that this issue is not to be taken in any lightness, and the following details of the last two hideous days' events should serve only to heighten this. Hence I present to you the sorry case of the letter of 'I'.

The Savage Letters: The Never-Where

July 15 - 58
Dear Prof. G. Savage

"If a tree were to fall in the forest, with no-body around to hear, does it make a sound?"

This oft-quoted conundrum has eluded proof in either direction since its conception. It remains a purely philosophical quandary as any scientific study would render the experiment pointless by definition. Whilst my understanding of deep philosophy is limited it is to such a problem my mind moved on this investigation. As such the situation eludes a captivating explanation but is readily observable and, I am pleased to say, has caused little in the way of misfortune. It is hence with curious mental invigoration and high spirits that I convey to you the case of the Appleby family and 'The Never-Where'.

The Savage Letters: Saint Leonard's Chapel

July 4 - 54

Dear Prof. G. Savage

It is not often I have the chance to correspond with you on matters of intrigue in such a narrow interval without prompt. I am glad you took well to my previous impromptu assignment and trust this week's curio sparks no change. I am perhaps apprehensive about detailing this case to you in the fashion to which I have become accustomed because it appears to have no immediate connection to the late Dr. Prendergast. We may in due time discover that some link exists, but as of the present I have entirely no explanation as to the bizarrities that continue to occur at Saint Leonard's Chapel.

The Savage Letters: Io

My dear friend Gerricht,

Before I declare my findings I would ask that I could once again give my thanks for allowing me this opportunity. I have mentioned before that this is an occasion I have been hoping for for some time, albeit under slightly less unfortunate circumstances. Should you wish for anything in return I shall hereafter be indebted to you, if only for the discovery of one item, an outline of which I shall give in due course. This is an informal covering note containing that information which I believe to be of more interest; for a more in-depth analysis I refer you to the attached report.