Excerpted from The Clockwork Baron’s Sketchbook…

A brief entry today, marked by excitement! My CATHARSIS is AT HAND! At least, that is, so long as these thugs guardsmen I’ve hired can do their jobs. That’s questionable thus far.

My private discussions with that noisome miner, held while the crew readied Ophiuchi Shine for departure, have revealed much. He has even been so kind as to gift me with his most prized find among the ruins he has pointed us towards. It isn’t, after all, like he will need it any longer.

Based upon the information I have accumulated from this Shale individual before his expiration, the faorighi were much more advanced than I had given credit for. A class of slaves, bound by pleasure-center stimulation addiction, catered to their physical needs. So very novel in implementation! One of these slaves, a floating multi-limbed creature, attempted to strip the flesh from Shale’s skull when he encountered it. EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN looking FOR!

Once my plans have been set in place after this exploration is completed, it only becomes a matter of convincing my most loyal guard that she should join me in my catharsis of a fleshless existence. I cannot bear the thought of what I must do if she refuses me.

Well, perhaps I can. Screams can be positively musical.