From Edward Mustard’s Correspondence File
Paris
FAO: His Grace the Duke of Brunswick
London
May 1769
Your Grace will doubtless be aware that I was Approached last Month by Mr George Smith of the War Office requesting Assistance in Regards to Developments in Paris. As he suggested to me that this Venture had your Approval, I readily agreed.
Once I had disabused him of the Notion that I could simply appear in Paris by Magic, he furnished me with a clandestine Naval Craft commanded by the excellent Midshipman Phillip Neville (who has my highest Commendation). I departed with all due haste for Paris, with some Companions, including my fiancée, Lady Diana Chatterton – better to support the Notion that this was a Social Visit rather than anything Official.
We discovered a City that was just about managing to function with a Semblance of Normality during Day, but under Siege throughout the Night by Denizens of the Lands of Dust. We have encountered these Relicts of ancient Armies many Times in those Lands. They typically march in Serried Ranks with Spears and Shields and we have always sought to avoid rather than cross Blades with them.
Local Accounts of what was occurring at Night in Paris were confused. So, with the Co-operation of Colonel Deternier of the 13th, we mounted a Night Reconnaissance. This led us to Three important Observations.
Our First Observation is that there are Two Factions amongst the Marching Dead, who appeared to be implacable Enemies, Each to the Other. Such Parisians as are foolish enough to be on the Streets at Night are certainly at Risk but the Undead Armies are far more intent on fighting Each Other.
The Second Observation – and possibly the most important – is that they cannot abide the Light of the Sun. This may seem an obvious Conclusion given that they appear only at Night and that Nothing remains of them but Dust come the Dawn. However, as Chance might have it, on our recent Visit to Birmingham, both Myself and Mr Tonkins purchased Enochian Lanterns that conjure Sunlight. These were were found to be Most Efficacious in Destroying the Denizens of the Lands of Dust.
Our Third Observation is that there is plainly a Gate to the Lands of Dust in Operation in Paris, for at the End of the Night, there was a clear Exodus to a particular Point Underground. I contemplated further Exploration, but felt that we were not Fully Prepared for Further Action and that the Intelligence that we had already obtained was sufficiently Important that it should be communicated directly to Your Grace.
If I may make so Bold, I have two Recommendations arising from the Paris Reconnaissance.
The First Recommendation may be reasonably considered a Matter of Policy and therefore outside my Purview. However, it is my personal Opinion that I should be directed to return to Paris immediately, appropriately equipped, to close down the Gate. There will no doubt be Those who argue that whatever does Harm to the French, is to be Welcomed. My Counter-Argument is that any Ingress into our World from that Place is to be Deprecated. Every such Gate has the potential to be used by the Turk (and indeed Enemies much more sinister even than the Turk). The Potential for Paris and France falling to the Ottoman, should give Pause for Thought even to the most ardent in anti-French Sentiment. I also feel that there is a Moral Dimension to this Matter. For all our Ancient Enmity the French, like Us, are Human. We know that there are Forces beyond that Gate that are Inimical to all Humanity. We believe that the Turks have fallen under their malign Influence, we should not abandon our Fellow Humans to that Influence, even if they are French.
Irrespective of His Grace’s View on my First Recommendation, I beg him to act upon the Second.
The War Office should take Measures to Secure as many Enochian Devices that cast Sunlight as they can obtain and then commission the manufacture of more. I would point out that these are militarily useful Devices even aside from their Efficacy against the Armies of the Lands of Dust. They seem remarkably inexpensive in Birmingham.
I remain Your Grace’s most obedient servant,
Edward Mustard, Brigadier.