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[peregarrett]

I've got an idea. Let's play situation puzzle describing events that happened in your worlds.
rules are - I'm giving you short description of situation, you're asking questions, I'm answering with "yes" or "now". Still don't know how to judge the winner, but let it be the first who solves a puzzle.

EDIT: I feel some inspiration, so I'll try to answer with a short parts of the story instead of just yes/no.

Here's my story:
The Cursed 9-th Position

"Even think of it!" - mumbled Commander Onul Petmirror, The Curious Mile of Oars to himself. - "Fifth death, and again it's newly drafted recruit! And the most strange thing, it's always ninth position in our squad. I could even think that it's a curse, if I'd believed in magic...."

tl;dr: There were five deaths, one by one. Each time it was 9th position of squad, each some time after that position was filled with another useless potash maker.

[wypie]

Did the mayor shoot a catapult at where the 9th person stands?

[Urist Imiknorris]

Are there titan/FB/HFS contaminants on the ninth guy's equipment?

[Mormota]

The commander has a title, which is awarded upon the fifth kill. Did he kill those recruits because he hates potash? Did he kill those recruits at all?

[Roboboy33]

The potash destroyed there lungs.

[peregarrett]

Did the mayor shoot a catapult at where the 9th person stands?

Onul stormed to newly elected mayor's quarters and shouted, trying to overvoice the creepy sounds produced by engravers brigade - they were smoothing walls of his new office:
- Onol!!! Do you clearly remember WHO made you a mayor? If didn't put my - and my guys also - voices for you, you'd still was useless animal caretaker!
- O-of c-course I remember that, Onul... - stuttered mayor, confused by such a sudden ambush. - But what's the matter?
- Someone's saying that that death are your work... Not that I believe them, but.. in case you forgot... - Onul put his fist with steel axe handle tightly squezed in it closely to mayor's face.. - They are saying that you shot a catapult to that guy's usual position.
- No, no, Onul! How can you think that?! we're friends, and I would never do anything againist you! And after all, we have NO catapults!
Onul looked confused.. - No catapults? Hell, I ordered them built almos a year ago! Sorry, Onol, those deaths drive me mad...

The commander has a title, which is awarded upon the fifth kill. Did he kill those recruits because he hates potash? Did he kill those recruits at all?

While Onul tried to calm his nerves down with a good cup of prickle berry wine, a child passed by and asked with innocent face;
- Unkle Onul! Did you kill those soldiers? You don't like potash?
Onul spilled a half of his cup on his beard and  stared at child:
- WHAAAAT?
Child quickly retreated and hid behind his mom's back. Onul sighed and took another cup, pretending he doesn't notice the silence covered whole dining hall.

Are there titan/FB/HFS contaminants on the ninth guy's equipment?

Onul formed his squad in the line and stared at them. That hole at 9th position looked like missing tooth in the mouth. Fighters stood still and quiet, but were definitely worried - why did he took them out of their sparrings.
Onul made a pause and asked:
- Guys. Do you remember those terrifying beasts that we met in caverns? Did someone touched their bodies?
Udil Hailtools, the Creative Crystal of Straps, Speardwarf answered:
 - You mean Nunlod the water blob, Amas the eyeless nuthatch, and Nebin the pterosaur? If you remember, we deal with them in a single blow, so they didn't make their breathing attacks. And we were very careful with their remains...
Onul listened, nodding - he was the first who cut the head of the Nebin - but said:
- Anyway, I need to check your armor and stuff, just to be sure.
After long checking he found nothing unusual on their armor - rain drops, goblin blood from last siege...
Udil said:
- So, our equipment is ok, right? But armor that was wearing that guy was brought to the stockpile... Maybe we should check it there?
Onul imagined the huge halls with bins of stuff lined along walls and groaned:
- Oh no...

[peregarrett]

The potash destroyed there lungs.

Onul spent a half of the day asking those dead recruits family members about their jobs and hobbies in hopes to find the clue, but failed. They had various professions, and the only thing in a common was - their skills sucked. They were novice trappers, weavers, wood burners... actually, all of militia had almost no skills except for fighting ones.

[Keldor]

Perhaps the original dwarf in the ninth position died due to ordinary bad luck, and then every dwarf that replaced him never managed to get their combat skills up to par with the rest of the squad in time for the next battle, and so tended to be the one that died first?

[Mormota]

We didn't even ask the most obvious question: How did they die? What killed them?

[Orangebottle]

A few possibilities:
1. Repeated failed noble mandates.
2. The military was sent to kill the dwarven caravan/liaison
3. The ninth bed in the barracks has deadly dust/etc in it

[peregarrett]

Perhaps the original dwarf in the ninth position died due to ordinary bad luck, and then every dwarf that replaced him never managed to get their combat skills up to par with the rest of the squad in time for the next battle, and so tended to be the one that died first?

Onul had a eye-to-eye conversation with Sodel Firehall, Speardwarf, who filled 10th position at the squad and was usual sparring partner of newly drafted recruits.
- Tell me, how skilled they were just before they died?
- Uh, I don't remember clearly... First one, Sibrek Bellluled was quite skilled speardwarf, but others didn't ever finished their basic reccruit trainings.
- So, maybe it's all because of their low skill?
- Come on, Onul! We just sparred! It's dangerless, not like it was in ancient era of 40d... elders say that those days sparring partners easily killed each other. But now - we just tap instead of strike! And they were too low-skilled to pass "prisoner exam" with some of those captured goblins. No, their skills can't be the reason of their deaths.

We didn't even ask the most obvious question: How did they die? What killed them?

Id Geniusconstructs, cheif medic, took his records from rock salt cabinet (dropping down cave spider sock that was laying over sheets) :
- Ok, let's see...Sibrek Beluled, found in a pool of his blood. Died from blood loss, but no open wounds were found. Inod Tourunion, same reason, again no open wounds. Lolor Heldgems, same thing. Onul Releasedchambers, same thing. Fikod Humorroofs - same thing.
-So, they all was found in a pool of own blood, but with no visible injures? Didn't you made an autopsy?
- No, I didn't. I had no time for that, I'm too busy with alive dwarfs.

A few possibilities:
1. Repeated failed noble mandates.
2. The military was sent to kill the dwarven caravan/liaison
3. The ninth bed in the barracks has deadly dust/etc in it

Onul came to Kib Wheelsforests, former mayor and now soap maker -
- Kib. What was your demands during your rulership?
- Oh, I asked for mini-forges, and now I have 4 of them! Look, how nice they are... green glass miniforges, aren't they beautiful? Oh, my forges...
Onul turned back an went out, leaving Kib mumbling to himself.

Just one crazy thing appeared in his mind - did some ordered them to kill a freindly caravan? He shake his head in attempt to drop that out of his mind. It's ridiculous!

After that he went to check the pesonal quarters of each recruit, but found nothing. And, even if he missed something, new dwarves that took quaters were quite healthy.

[Mormota]

Id Geniusconstructs, cheif medic, took his records from rock salt cabinet (dropping down cave spider sock that was laying over sheets) :
- Ok, let's see...Sibrek Beluled, found in a pool of his blood. Died from blood loss, but no open wounds were found. Inod Tourunion, same reason, again no open wounds. Lolor Heldgems, same thing. Onul Releasedchambers, same thing. Fikod Humorroofs - same thing.
-So, they all was found in a pool of own blood, but with no visible injures? Didn't you made an autopsy?
- No, I didn't. I had no time for that, I'm too busy with alive dwarfs.

That would imply they coughed up their blood. It's probably a disease then. Perhaps there is some sort of beast, not FB, that is lurking in the abandoned tunnels beneath the fort and sometimes comes up to bite people?

[Urist Imiknorris]

That's why I suggested FB/titan/HFS syndromes on equipment. We only got an answer on the FB part.

Any above-ground titans attack?

[peregarrett]

Perhaps there is some sort of beast, not FB, that is lurking in the abandoned tunnels beneath the fort and sometimes comes up to bite people?

Any above-ground titans attack?

A group of hunter stood still when Onul asked them about any unusual beasts they could meet.
- No - answered one of them. - We never heard of them. We saw just usual animals - you know, badgers, pandas, water buffalos... There were a swarm of naked mole dogs who left caverns through that cave, but our cage traps dealt with them just fine. Also there was a reacher at the last cavern, but you rememeber, you dealt with him very quickly. And since we walled a section of last cavern, no cavern beasts bother us anymore.

Same answer was from miners who were working at adamantine veins
- No, we didn't meet any demons there. We're mining with all precautions, 'cause we all know what happened with dwarves who was TOO MUCH greedy for precious blue metal...

[Rumrusher]

Pretty sure you can be killed while sparring if one of the spar-mates throw you into a wall, usually those highly skilled or huge can do this easily I guess the first time was random but the rest due to having learn how to throw been a recurring event. I had post 40d creatures spar then explode into guts on me terrible shame is that I can't butcher their bodies for bone and meat.