Elisheba's Letter

Beneath a broken carmine seal, bearing the image of a sinuous dragon curved into an 'S' shape, the following is penned in an elegant script:

Sweet Elisheba, I bear good news! The matter we spoke of at our last meeting has at last shown some light. The Carnathean Hanging, as you rightly suspected, holds the symbol in primal form. Soon we may invoke the ancient pacts, and so call upon Our Lady of Pain. Ah, but what she might teach us! The Pact, of course, requires the gift of a mortal heart, torn from one both free-willed and powerful. I shall be sure to pick one up before I come. I have not been able to divine the ingredient for the inscription - I hope that your resources in Earendam will prove more efficacious. If so, do procure the ingredient, so that we may begin immediately upon my arrival.

Ever yours, S