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[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 23^rd of Moonstone, 1067

Jotwebe and Kivish stood by the eastern gate on one of their breaks, chatting over cups of tea from steel thermoses.  All around them, Dwarves hauled stones back to the Quarry as they constructed the retaining wall ever higher, or hurried past them with large chunks of cinnabar clutched between nervous fingers.  The pair chatted away happily, and in such good spirits, Kivish gave a hearty wave to Sgt. Peppers hulking frame plodding up the road.

"Hey there, soldier!" She called out happily, "You look like you've had a hard day of work, care to join us for some tea?"
"I haven't had anything to eat, or drink, in years.  Why would I start again now?"

This set the pair back briefly, and Jotwebe said in a bit of confusion, "But... I watched you just the other day.  You were eating beef soup, through that little slit in your mask."
"Oh.  Well there is that.  No, no tea."
"Are you sure?" Kivish prodded, "It's very good, we steeped it with the berries, and added in cream and honey."

"NO.  I've spent the afternoon killing those damned Camels, and I'm not in the mood."
"But why?" Jotwebe asked.  "You've been doing a good service, you deserve a wee break."
"Good service?  Let me tell you, little miss, those things out there are my brethren.  All they want to do is live their own horrid, prolonged lives like you or I, and I'm sent out into the wastes every day by Sulari to swing my axe and kill the only thing to family I have in this world.  Imagine that, taking an axe and using it to slash the heads off your sisters.  Or maybe you miss, and break her spine, and then you're forced to watch as she crawls around in the sand, sobbing and trying to bite your legs, until you stomp her face into dust.  I've killed that sister fifteen times this week alone, is that the good service you're talking about?"

Kivish and Jotwebe exchanged horrified looks, the thermoses trembling a little in their hands.  Sgt. Pepper stood towering before them, his shadow covering them, and he watched them with his torn mask and hollow eyes.  Eventually, Kivish squeaked, "We...didn't know... the camels were like that to you."

"HA!"  Sgt. Pepper tilted his head back, rumbling out loud belly laughs.  "You actually bought that?  They're just corpses dancing around the sands looking for dwarves they can stomp to death.  They killed me once, you should know.  You ladies are alright - yes, I think I will join you for a spot of tea."

Gingerly, Sgt. Pepper plucked the thermos from a horrified Jotwebe's hand.  He tilted it up to his mask and took a sip through the slit, still quietly chuckling. 

[Eita]

I love Sgt. Pepper.

[Keifru]

Property of Kivish. Violators will be reduced to such a state as the human crawling around.
Date: Some days after Sgt. Pepper drank tea

I bet Jotwebe was surprised I did what she jokingly said! But I am so glad I did.
Sgt. Pepper must be good at telling stories! I was on his every word, believing everything about the whole 'killing my bretheren'. I will definitely add this to the selection for my grand idea.

He also drank a good spot of the tea.

Below is scribbled an image of a skeletal dwarf and Dread Camels. The dwarf is jumping on the Dread Camels. The Dread Camels fall apart. They reform a few minutes later.

OOC: Reading about "stomp their face into dust" made me think of Mario. Now I have a dwarf Mario with a mask on running around jumping on skeletal koopas @_@

[Jim Groovester]

Hikan Riddlewire's notes, kept on his person
22nd - 28th Moonstone, 1067
The following is the weekly contents of Riddlewire's notes before he transfers them and any accompanying comments to his journal out in the wastes.

Investigation proceeding slowly Vatek totally useless ARGH!
No new murders since Wavepaddles; killer might be biding time or is onto us

Info from questionings:
Stravitch - no info; indisposed, refuses to answer questions, intimidating as hell
Kuli - no info; been imprisoned
Jools - no info; angry over ban on religion, amongst other things, but horrified of murders
Vash - no info; angry like Jools, not moved to violence; seemed nervous during questioning, probably nothing
Zako - only witness to Stravitch's attempted murder; His words exactly: "Half-elf girl. Fell into the magma pipe though." When pressed about the body, he admitted he didn't see it go in.
Aryn - Aryn knew nothing; chastised me for asking him, said that it was my job to find out how these people were dying
Rinsesilver - refused to answer questions in any meaningful way
Dodik - no info;
Sulari - no info; said she would keep me posted
Merkil - no info; too dejected

Suspect list:
Stravitch - Wouldn't kill himself; disembowelment too neat for him
Kuli - been in prison; knew nothing of deaths
Jools - solid alibis; gentle spirit, despite being a soldier
Vash - solid alibis; metalsmiths vouched for him at times of death
Aryn - I'd know if Aryn was trying to kill somebody. He'd send me.
Mystery half-elf - likely dead, but body not found

Can't inform populace of possibility of half-elf without informing half-elf; must remain a secret between me and Vatek. Back to square one: waiting for killer to strike.

Will not be transferring notes to journal until killer found; too dangerous. Possibility of getting murdered in night. Need way to hide them from Udib; not enough room in trenchcoat.

Have told Vatek about possibility of mystery elf-chick. He's been warned.

Injury total for week of 22nd Moonstone while keeping order:
Eyes blackened:
||||\ |
Jaws punched:
||
Teeth lost:
|
Limbs broken:
|
Total blood loss:
Quarter mug

It's been a bad week so far for bruisings.

* * *

OOC: Reading about "stomp their face into dust" made me think of Mario. Now I have a dwarf Mario with a mask on running around jumping on skeletal koopas @_@

And dwarves eat mushrooms, and there are only four colors of dye in DF: red, green, blue, and black: the only ones you would need to make a sprite of Mario! The metaphor is complete!

Mario Jumpman the Joyfulness of Jumping has been ecstatic lately. He has taken joy in slaughter recently.

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Diary of Maggarg
Riddlewire's been questioning people. Apparently it's something about some crazed hippie sticking a knife in stravitch.
He probably didn't pay her or something.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 26^th of Moonstone, 1067

Jools stepped up top side, squinting briefly as the harsh sun assaulted his eyes.  He'd heard commotion as far down as the failed water-works, and a soldier now - felt he needed to investigate.  A large crowd had gathered near the magma pit, though they gave the dwarf by the edge a wide berth.  It seemed he had a number of masterworks with him - some statues, some mugs, some toys, just a hodgepod of well-made brickabrack. 

He stood by the pit, holding a mug covered in lewd engravings over the edge, causing Erith Othsindoren to yell from the crowd, "Don't do it, you monster!  Don't!"
"Then someone needs to fess up!"  The dwarf screamed, "Who keeps melting my billion flasks, huh?  Which one of you is doing it?  Three have been burned today, and until I get some answers..."  He trailed off, letting the silence spread.

Jools moseyed up to Vatek, risking punishment by actually doing his job.  The guardsman was watching the scene, his hand on the handle of his mace.  Upon seeing Jools, he gave a friendly nod, "Hey, come to watch the show?"
"What happened?"
"Oh, you know, the usual," Vatek said with a shrug, "Guy gets his stuff pitted, gets pissed, threatens the others... he hasn't actually done anything but scream a lot and make a bunch of threats so I don't have any grounds to beat him and throw him in the clink.  I figure he has until the crowd gets bored, until he gets froggy, or until Stravitch stumbles up here and just plows through the crowd like a bull to get to the dwarf making his hangover worse."
"Sounds like something I don't want to miss," Jools said.  After a moment, he gave a point to the mule sitting beside Vatek.  "What's with that?"
"Oh, kind of adopted it.  Nice enough beast, keeps me company at the site."
"Give it a name yet."
Vatek reddened slightly.  "Yeah.  I named it Kib, 'cause of how stubborn it is."
"...Well, I suppose that is fitting..."

While the other Dwarves were unoccupied, Bertrand and Dojango, trailed by Akroma with an armfull of cloth tatters, quickly made their way across the court yard.  Supported between the philosopher and chef was the human Boarddresses.  He was battered and broken, falling in and out of consciousness.  Bertrand was trying to sooth him, in his gravely old man voice, "Shh, it'll be okay soon.  Had I known you hadn't made it home, I would have helped you sooner.  But don't worry, we'll have you fixed up good as new soon."

[Zako]

That's not good...

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Diary of maggarg.
Bertrand helped that human who was sunbathing near the road.
He's going to fix him or something. Sounds nasty.
On a darker note, I reckon it's not long before Riddlewire questions me. If he does that, I' a goner. He'll recognise me for sure.
Perhaps I'll try and put on the local accent.
Adol is still in a lousy mood about that banning of religion. He's a sort of unofficial pastor of litast or whoever.

[thunderclan]

From the journal of Fireheart

I just saw that mangled human I tripped over the other day...being carried around by Bertrand. I shudder to think what might happen to him in Bertrand's lab. Definetly have to keep a better eye on that guy.

[Eita]

Ooooooh craaaap.

[Jim Groovester]

Hikan Riddlewire's notes, kept on his person.
22nd-28th Moonstone, 1067
Further comments from the week of 22nd Moonstone.

Udib pointed out something interesting to me while we were sparring. "Does Maggarg got a beef with you? He just the left the room when you came in. Is he avoiding you?"

Upon further reflection, she had a point. He was avoiding me. "Another fine quality I wish you had," I told her.

With this information, I've done what any reasonable dwarf in my position would do: begun screwing with him.

So I've made it look like his room was searched, left notes in his armor saying "I KNOW", begun tailing him around the fortress, stood on the walls and watch him while he's out on patrol, hide around corners and disappear when he takes a second look, ask him to spar with me while I'm coating my spear in what looks like poison, and lots of other fun stuff.

His nerves are going to be so fried. I doubt whatever he's trying to hide is even remotely worth my attention, but he's making it too damn fun not to screw with him.

***

Maggarg, I can't think of a reason for why Riddlewire would want to question Maggarg unless he was acting like he had something to hide. In which case, Riddlewire would first make Maggarg's life difficult, and then probably blackmail him using a classic policeman's bluff.

"Your buddy already gave you up, tell us everything we want to know, NOW!" and the like.

[Zako]

Zako tromped down the hall, crossbow slung under his arm. He had heard from his friend Maggarg that someone was scaring him, and because it was his duty he decided to help his friend out. And he only knew one way to do that.

He had been outside Maggarg's apartment at the time, doing a routine patrol, when he saw one of Arwyn's guards enter the appartment. After sometime, he left looking quite pleased with himself. It was Riddlewire, the brute that had been around the place beating up the peasentry. His fight was against the undead menace, but this had gone on too far, he decided to intervene before anyone else got hurt or killed.

---------------------------

Finally, he arrived outside riddlewire's appartment and on knocking found that noone was home.

"Damn, where is the bastard? Perhap's I should search further?" he said to himself.

Looking around and seeing that noone was present, he entered by forcing the door's lock and opened it slowly. Looking inside, he looked around carefully. Who knows what that asshole had lurking in his room? His employer had a bear, so Riddlewire may be smart enough to place a few traps...

Sure enough, there was a tripwire, just inside the doorway. Making sure that his brace wont catch on it, he carefully stepped over and entered the appartment propper. It was suprisingly organised for such a brute, showing hidden intelligence of a sort. Zako decided to look around more carefully and found a note lying between the coffer and the wall. It was the only paper in the room and Zako checked for traps again before picking it up. It was a suspect list for Stravitch's attack, or so he gained by looking at the word's "Half-elf girl" on it, which is what he said. He shuddered, that was not a day he wanted to repeat.

Hearing what he thought were footsteps outside, he put the paper where he found it, stepped over the tripwire again and left, closing the door after fixing the lock. Smiling, he went back to target practice. Noone should find out that he was there. The smile dissapeared when he realised that Maggarg wasn't on the list he found. There was a chance that a new one had been made, but why all the focus on him? He wasn't half-elven and certainly not a girl.

There must be another reason. Perhaps Maggarg would know why Riddlewire would be after him?

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Diary of maggarg
dammdamndamn he knowsheknowheknows. Someone's been in my room and it must be him.
Perhaps he's watching me now.
dammit stay calm. I have plenty of good friends who'll back me up and say I'm an honest bloke.
I'll be ok.
I never knew retirement could be so stressful.

[Heavy Flak]

Ooooooh craaaap.

If you'll notice, Mephansteras hasn't shown up lately.  The reason?  He made the mistake of giving me an idea and is probably hiding his head.  Haven't you all learned by now?  Reader interaction and comments leads to things happening! 

Also, it was a while ago, but Riddlewire's tally list cracks me up every time I see it.

Sneak Edit: Quick explanation as to the infrequent updates.  Work is draining me, and the... interesting neighbors from the New Years party have decided I'm "Okay" to hang out with, so they're inviting me over all the time to play card games and drink.  I've recently received my third rejection letter from an agent, but a friend of mine might have a connection through her mother, so there's promise there.  One of the neighbors said her mom "knows a guy", which fills me with dread since a lot of the things they do I turn a blind eye to, being a guest in their house and all...

[Mephansteras]

Hehe. No, I'm not hiding. Just reading quietly and waiting to see how it all turns out. I'm interested in seeing how the idea I planted turns out.