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[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 13^th of Obsidian, 1069

Madam Dodik-Come-Lately stood behind the bar of the near-empty brothel, using a soapy towel to wipe down the length of the oak counter top.  Mookie sat on a bar stool cleaning glasses, little legs swinging, though most of her attention seemed to be spent on working the sweetened piece of gum over and over in her mouth. 

The door opened, and both looked towards it, relaxing as Rinsesilver stalked inside, her suit dusty from a recent winter sandstorm.  She looked irritated, but these days, when didn't the leader of the Fishers look that way?

"What did you find out?"
"Nothing.  A couple things.  I need a beer."

Mookie started to give some sass in return, but after a moments consideration she nodded.  "Here, I'll get it for you!"  She slipped off the stool and headed behind the bar, grabbing a large mug which she proceeded to fill with a thick ale from one of the kegs behind the bar. 

"Bomrek's still alive.  I don't see how.  He won't last much longer."
Dodik nodded her head.  She didn't bother to ask how Rinsesilver knew that - information like that wasn't important to know.  It was a danger, and best left in only a few heads.

"I saw the corpse of the Goblin that had run amok.  It's the same one that was seen harassing our slice of the sands.  I'm sure he's the one that stole our money.  He's dead now, that's reassuring."
"Then why don't you look pleased?" Dodik asked.  "He's dead.  Our coffers are one again safe.  Our money - not returned - is growing.  What do we have to fear?'

"Subterfuge," Rinsesilver growled.  "Glacies has been confined to his room pending, well..." she coughed, "Pending there actually being a level of Government above Tun the Manager.  The peasants are scared to step up and take the position - nobles die left and right, though, with this Goblin dead, perhaps that's at the end.  Also, there was a note."

"A note?"
Rinsesilver nodded, and pulled a small, bloodstained sheet of paper from her pocket.  "So worried about Limul, about the Duke, tending to Sarek, I was able to search the goblins corpse before they could.  It's written in Goblish, and I believe it says..."  She coughed again, briefly touching her throat.  "Fate be on your side.  Remove Limul or don't return.  Olsmo returns soon, a dozen children will be his vessel.  ~Stozu Kolakslosno"

"And that means?" Mookie asked.
"Paid assassin - though why Limul, and not Aryn?  Anyone's guess."
Mookie frowned.  "I've heard Maester Kuli speak of an Olsmo before... do you think he would know about this?"

"I'd prefer not to involve ourselves in matters we can stay away from, be it goblins, or the church," Rinsesilver said.
"I differ with you there," Madam Dodik said, her voice low, but kind.  "I'll be setting up an appointment with Maester Kuli to... discuss these things, and I'd appreciate you being there, Rinsesilver.  I respect your council."

"What about me!" Mookie asked eagerly.
"...I respect yours too.  I think it, ah, best, if you were tend bar here, and... not go to such an important meeting..."

[Jim Groovester]

Maudlin's Meditations, posted publicly.

Our mayor, Limul Leopardknights, is dead. Our first son born to Migrursut lay dead at the hands of a brutal saboteur, who killed our mayor with his bare hands.

The saboteur was killed, a small measure of justice in the face of the greater injustice of Limul's death. A young dwarf, full of promise, freely elected to lead our city to greater things, cut down during his prime. A tragedy no one imagined.

Justice demands retribution. Elements against our city work in the shadows, and they arranged for the saboteur to kill Limul. You cannot stand to let these elements walk free, untried and unpunished for their horrible crimes.

I will guarantee your safety if you have any information on anyone who was involved in the death of our mayor.

-Maudlin

The journal of Lieutenant Hikan Riddlewire,
Entry for the week of 15th Obsidian, 1069

Every time somebody dies, the whole fortress comes running to me begging me to tell them what happened, because evidently nobody has any clue about what deduction is or reconstructing a series of events from dead bodies. It must be the alcohol. This time it was Major Merkil, who's been on my ass ever since I took a bite out of his cheek. Prick.

I in no uncertain terms, told him to shove his head up his ass, and that it might do some good loosening the stick he's got rammed up there, because I don't work for him, I work for Aryn. He didn't take too kindly to that. Had two of his men 'escort' me to the site of Limul's death and make me look it over.

What was there to tell? A goblin ripped apart the nobility and then got killed as he was trying to escape. In other words, I told Merkil nothing he didn't already know.

A more interesting question is how the goblin got into the fortress itself. I noticed the lever on the way to Limul's room, and I noticed the open cage. Somebody, in the fortress itself, brought the goblin in there in the cage and released him when Limul met with his council. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell who could have done that. This just tells us that somebody is working to bring down the leadership of Migrursut, something I've known was happening for a while, but they're working with goblins, which is somewhat of a surprise.

Istrath is pretty depressed about the whole thing, as I can imagine. We've all lost loved ones here at Migrursut, though mutual loss is not the same as comfort.

I've put up a few flyers around the fortress and called them 'Maudlin's Meditations', a bunch of tripe demagoguery full of flowery language and strong feelings that will hopefully inspire a modicum of decency in somebody and make them want to talk. The group thinks it will bring undue attention on the 'Masked Fighters of Crime of Migrursut', which is what I think our group is called now. As if running around in a bunch of costumes didn't bring enough attention on ourselves.

I didn't give them any way to meet me. I'll keep my ears open and listen for the dwarves who talk about it, since they're the ones who are at least thinking about giving information. I'll visit those in the night. And get information out of them.

No news from Aryn or about him. The bastard left me here to deal with the fallout of his escape. Serve a guy loyally and unquestioningly for however many years and then he leaves you out to dry. I should've seen something like this coming.

[Kuli]

Olsmo returns soon, a dozen children will be his vessel.

Oh god, does that mean what I think it means?

[(name here)]

It means Migrursut is going to be visited by a demon lord, i think.

Incidently, I'd like to request a dwarf. Preferably one that works with magma forages.

[Kuli]

I meant the "dozen children" part.  What does that make you think of?

[Jim Groovester]

Grovsmlo.

[(name here)]

I think that it's using all the stolen children, actually.

[moghopper]

Restating my desire to have a dwarf.

I'd like a soldier. Doesn't matter what kind. Just that I fight and die honorably in the coming storm.

[Groveller]

Grolsmov(s) Live(s)!

[Heavy Flak]

Notes from Telamon, stacked in *headquarters*, dated 1^st of Granite 1070

Fucking Aryn, of all the Dwarves to last, of all of them, why him?  He's been a thorn in my side for too long, that ass, that braying ass, that shiftless bastard.  You give someone years of your life, you toil at his side, you grudgingly protect him and his interests and he sells you out and when you've become an inconvienence to him.  To think he let the corpses live, to think, he worked the miners to their very bones. 

I think Archin is suffering damages, mental damages, internal damages from all the rock dust she inhaled in the quarry.  Enough to fall in love with the stinking corpse of our old friend Sgt. Pepper, that's how much damage Aryn's effected, and that's just one man, one noble. 

With all of the ... <here is intelligable scribbling> ...no, no , no.  Too much is being made.  Limul's death, Bomrek's soon-to-be-death, Aryn will be back soon unless I can find him.  I HAVE to find him.  He's on the lamb pending that trial, but if he shows up, with this lack of leadership...

<more scribblings, smudged out, both in pencil and what looks like smears of rust colored dried blood>

Must find him.  If he gets back in power, in any capacity, our actions will need to be stepped up.  Powder kegs set off, civilians harmed, the whole works.  I get no pleasure doing this.  Maybe Sgt. Pepper does, maybe Archin, but I don't.  I'm a revolutionary.  I'm a representative of the people.
I've found some interesting things in my nightly excursions, including a tunnel that's never been here before, that wily bastard.  I'll find him, regardless of the cost.

Sometimes to protect the people, you must kill a few of them to prove your worth.
<a single smudge, a thumbprint in blood that was hastily moved before it had set>
TELAMON

[Quote]

I'd like to request a dwarf, I read the entire story, twice. It was amazing, and involved much coffee.

Name: Quote
Profession: Architect Novice Bowyer
Gender: Male
Preferences:He prefers not to get involved with this religion business but worships Lenod when necessary. He was briefly trained in crossbows after an incident with demons in an old fort.
He spends his days at Dodik's drawing architectural designs, he also is constantly thinking of ways to improve fortress defense. Is currently working on a hand-held crossbow, imagine a pistol, except with bolts.
And because I'm impatient, he has been in the fort since Aryn announced the building of the domes, but was too scared to talk to anyone because he felt they were untrustworthy.
He also loves Aryn. A lot. He loves Aryn as much Hikan hates alcohol.
Story:A budding young architect traveled to Migrursut to look for the illustrious Howard Roaroak, an architectural genius, for mentoring.

Sorry for droning on in this post for so long, It's just that I've been thinking about this character for most of the story. Thanks!

[Jim Groovester]

He also loves Aryn. A lot. He loves Aryn as much Hikan hates alcohol.

Your character and my character, they'll get along juuust fine.

[Quote]

He also loves Aryn. A lot. He loves Aryn as much Hikan hates alcohol.

Your character and my character, they'll get along juuust fine.

Hikan is my favorite person. Aside from Aryn, of course.

[Jim Groovester]

Hikan is my favorite person. Aside from Aryn, of course.

That makes two of us, except the Aryn part. You know, if you keep this up, our two characters will have to wear friendship rings and hold hands and sing nursery rhymes with eachother for how well they're going to get along.

Heh, I just got this image in my head.

Engraved in Jim Groovester's mind is a well-crafted image of a dwarf and a dwarf. The dwarf is dancing around the dwarf. The engraving refers to the friendship formed between Datan 'Hikan' Dallithshorast and Quote in early spring of 1070 at Migrursut.

[Quote]

Hikan is my favorite person. Aside from Aryn, of course.

That makes two of us, except the Aryn part. You know, if you keep this up, our two characters will have to wear friendship rings and hold hands and sing nursery rhymes with eachother for how well
they're going to get along

Heh, I just got this image in my head.

Engraved in Jim Groovester's mind is a well-crafted image of a dwarf and a dwarf. The dwarf is dancing around the dwarf. The engraving refers to the friendship formed between Datan 'Hikan' Dallithshorast and Quote in early spring of 1070 at Migrursut.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Hikan is angry because he scowls so much that his face is almost stuck like that.