Ok. There's a lot going on in these letters. First, let me link for all some important documents:
Letter Julian Found in Tunnel LaboratoryBrandt's Windhund Haulage Invoice Now, these letters mention several people. Let's tie them all together.
Anika-Elise Nikse - Graf Boris's second wife. Dead for one year, from an unknown illness. Daughter of the Baron of Nordland. Max notes that in his journal, Gotthard writes a lot about a woman called 'Nikki.' Potential that she could have "charmed" Graf Todbringer.
Lady Ingrid - Brand'ts Mother. Impressed with his accomplishments. Letters from her detail connection between Brandt and Anika-Elise Nikse. Brandt and mother took her death hard. Mother expects Brandt to "continue her work." Mother also confirms that Brandt is a Wittgenstein by congratulating Brandt on being named Tax Kommission head, Chairman of Merchant's Guild, and recently Chancellor of Middenheim (!!!!!!!)
Margritte von Wittgenstein - Brandt's sister. Fancies creating creatures. Repeated talk of finding chemicals and specimen to create a large lizard creature for Wolfgang - "It will make a reliable guard for your friend's laboratory.". Lot's of talk of shape changing creatures and alchemical processes. Wolfgang heavily involved in process. Reportedly if creature consumes brain, it gains knowledge and personality of original creature.
Wolfgang - Most likely the wizard/scientist that Julian and Ragni discovered in tunnels below the temple of Grungi. Had creatures he was testing and in the process of changing shape. Also had a large lizard beast (Hubert) that has become friends with Julian. This pretty much confirms that Wolfgang, Brandt, and Wittgensteins are linked. Probably working on shape changer with Brandt.
Dagmar - Could be the very tall, armored woman with greatword frenzy that Heinrich killed in the hideout with Elise and Hultz. Letters seem to indicate that this Dagmar was doing "research" and that Margritte made breakthroughs due to Dagmar. More than likely this could be a Dagmar in Wittgenstein, making the large woman bodyguard of Elise, someone completely different. (And killed by Heinrich).
Key Facts:1) Julian found and trained lizard beast mentioned in letters. This confirms that the letters to Wolfgang from "G" are indeed Gotthard Brandt.
I am glad that the modified lizard specimen proved satisfactory. The beast will grow rapidly, and should be very receptive to training. It will make a reliable guard for your friend's laboratory.
2) Wolfgang had many shape changing creatures in jars in his tunnel lab:
The large glass jars are also worrying. Floating in one are the remains of a creature that looks to have died while in the process of changing shape. He remembers seeing something similar - but living - in Castle Wittgenstein. The other jars contain only liquid.
The three specimens I have dispatched with this letter are all capable of assuming the shape of another living creature. However, I am uncertain of their mental abilities. I have no time for proper field tests. I therefore recommend that Wolfgang test the specimens and determine if any are suitable for his requirements. I should then be able to focus my efforts on perfecting the most promising strain.
3) Brandt had large crate shipped via Windhund Haulage 2-3 months ago, probably in relation to specimens mentioned by Margritte in correspondence.
There are too many papers to check them all (there's no sign of any too or from Wolfgang), but just as Admund is about to give up he spots an invoice from Windhund Haulage. It refers to a large but unidentified package that Brandt had brought into the city two or three months back (no precise date is given). A letter attached to the invoice, from Gluckstein, reminds Brandt of the considerable trouble involved in bringing the package from the south, and asks him to please settle his account. He owes them 1312 crowns and 17 shillings.
4) Brandt is apart of a conspiracy to replace someone with a shape shifter replica. This is already in progress or complete.
The specimen that accompanies this letter should fit all of Wolfgang's requirements. When mature, which it should be soon after arrival in Middenheim, it will be able to exactly mimic the physical appearance of any person of average human size and shape. More impressively, it is able to learn by consuming the brain of the subject, and will then be able to replicate speech, personality and knowledge also. I cannot guarantee that the imposter will be undetectable to those who knew the original well, so care should be taken when selecting the subject. Let me know if the project is successful.
Conclusions:Brandt is indeed as evil guilty as we suspected and probably has aims at moving up to Chancellor of Middenheim once Sparsm has been outted for drug addiction. These letters are dated before the party's arrival in Middenheim, so it's safe to assume that whomever Brandt and Purple Hand wanted to replace with a skinchanger has already done so. It's also safe to assume that they are going to replace multiple people if they haven't already. The prime targets for a skinchanger would be the Law Lords. Maybe someone close to the Graf himself (isn't that one woman - Emannuel? - having an affair with Graf Todbringer?)
I already distrust the Law Lords, and being the most powerful people in Middenheim, these would be a good target for the Purple Hand. I think it's safe to assume that one of the Law Lords has been replaced by a Skinchanger. Ehlrich has been "absent" for some time and I fear that they are in process of "changing" him. Wasmier seems far to moderate to me (almost painfully so), and Holfich seems to be a sadist, which is either his real personality, or he's a an evil skinchanger. I suggest we do some immediate and CAREFUL investigation of the Law Lords. Admund can use this evidence to get the military (and maybe even the religious orders) to arrest or confine Brandt.
We need to reconnect Elise to the plot and find out who she is really working for as nothing has tied them in yet. (Brandt? Someone Else?) We also need to investigate closely these Law Lords and the graf's mistress and trust none of them with what we've discovered.
In either case, this is a huge discovery! Well done on the buglarly guys!
