YESTERDAY, SIGIS CULLERS learned that Factor
Warmeck Durkayle, a Mover Four of the Harmonium,
was called to answer questions before a panel of
Guvner Justices at the City Court. The chant
gathered from bashers in the know a the courthouse
is that the Guvners are investigating rumours of
Hardhead vigilantes roaming the streets of the Hive
Ward putting Indeps in the dead-book. Although the
situation has a number of cagers upset, the aides
and administrators we spoke with down-played the
importance of the hearing as only preliminary in
nature.
"No charges have been levelled at Factor
Durkayle," said Bureau Chief Jamis of the Ad Hoc
Bureau of Courts. "Some of the officers under
Factor Durkayle's command are accused of the crime
of vigilantism and the justices are curious as to
the Factor's knowledge of his officers activities
over the past few weeks. The tribunal is in no way
peery of the Factor." However, Guvner Jamis
admitted that this was the first instance in fifty
years that a Hardhead of this high a rank has paid
any kind of music at the courts but she dismissed
the importance of this fact. "Factor Durkayle's
rank is irrelevant to these proceedings. The
tribunal is merely interested in the dark of these
rumours," Jamis said.
This morning, however, the situation appeared
ready to turn stag on Guvner Jamis's assurances to
the press. Factor Durkayle arrived at the City
Courts escorted by two Barbazu, armed with eight
foot long tridents. A small crowd of Indeps
gathered around the steps waiting for news of the
hearing stared in stunned silence for a moment
before giving the trio a wide berth as they
ascended the steps. The arrival of the Factor
surrounded by Baatezu gave instant confirmation to
the rumours floating around the Cage of Harmonium
involvement with the fiends.
As the trio continued to ascend the steps,
members of the crowd recovered from their shock and
started shouting angry words about Durkayle and the
Harmonium in general. For the Factor's part, he
seemed to ignore the words and was the embodiment
of purpose and confidence as he entered the courts.
He did not answer any questions put to him by
cullers lining the steps.
The general thoughts of the crowd were summed up
by an Indep named Glin who had waited since morning
for the arrival of Durkayle. "Who does that berk
think he is? Showing his cross-trading face with
sodding Baatezu! The Guvner's are gonna throw him
in a birdcage for sure!"
But a few members of the crowd expressed doubts
of this assessment. "Durkayle'd be barmy to go into
the courts if he didn't already know he could slip
the blinds on the tribunal," said another Indep
standing nearby. "Did you see the smirk on that
sods face? Cutters have been spotting fiends
waltzing in and out of Durkayle's kip for months
now, he's just decide to come out in the open with
it. He's up to some cross-trading all right."
[SIGIS attempted to question this particular
basher further on his knowledge of Durkayle's
activities, but the tiefling had disappeared into
the crowd.]
It turned out that the hearings were closed to
the public so SIGIS was unable to report directly
on the proceedings, but in addition to the Guvner
justices, bashers wearing the colours of the
Harmonium and the Mercykillers were observed to
enter the room where the tribunal deliberated.
A mere hour later, Factor Durkayle emerged from
the City Courts with a triumphant grin apparently
exonerated by the tribunal. Flanked by the two
Baatezu, Durkayle stopped to answer questions put
to him by waiting cullers. The Factor reported that
on the basis of his testimony, the panel had
completely dropped the investigation of his
officers.
"There will be no further credence given to the
barmy chant of Hardhead vigilantism," stated
Durkayle. "These are lies obviously spread by
Anarchists and no attention should be paid to
them." When asked about possible fiend involvement
with the Harmonium, Durkayle praised the Baatezu's
sense of law and order saying many had done great
service to the goals of harmony in the Multiverse.
These answers enraged the crowd standing outside
the courthouse and started a whole new round of
slurs and accusations. SIGIS cullers reported that
the Indeps seemed on the verge of rioting as the
Factor left the courts but were held in check
because of Harmonium nearby and the threat the
Barbazu posed to any foolish enough to threaten
Durkayle directly.
Glin, the Indep interviewed earlier was in
complete disbelief at the verdict. "This is
outrageous! The bloody Hardhead strides into the
City Courts with a bunch of fiends and with a few
words the leatherheaded justices free all his
cross-trading scumbag officers! Where's the justice
for the Indeps lying dead in the Mortuary?!" If
Durkayle was truthful in his statement, which no
one has reason to doubt, then the answer to Glin's
question is that there will be no justice for the
time being.
[Author:
Scott
Kelley]
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THIS IS A TRAVELOGUE submitted by culler
Daaras Intwood who has been following the
incursion of fiend-led forces from Rigus into the
realm of the Egyptian power Thoth.
DAY
1
The cloud of dust from the approaching Rigus
army continues to grow in the baking sun of the
desert. I can see the cloud for many miles across
the featureless sand and it will soon block out the
sun. Every now and again, I see specks of red,
green and black darting in and out of the cloud - I
presume these specks are Abishai. Why the Abishai
have not advanced to terrorise the slower refugees
remains a mystery to me. I suspect that the strict
command of a powerful Baatezu high-up is the only
thing that might serve to curb their bloodlust.
Yesterday, I journeyed out of Thebestys by camel
following the river Ma'at and moved against the
current of humanoids flowing towards the safety of
their power. Many of them stare at me and shake
their heads in disbelief as I pass by. They no
doubt wonder what kind of barmy would move in the
path of a fiendish army marching from the merciless
burg of Rigus. Caravans of bashers wearing long
robes leading camels or pulling carts seem to
stretch for miles along Ma'at. At the moment, there
seems little hope that these poor sods will give
the Rigans the laugh and, from the look on the
faces of the refugees, they seem to be aware of
this. Not a minute passes where I don't see some
petitioner kneeling in prayer to Thoth asking for
deliverance from this mysterious foe. They better
get an answer soon or a lot of these berks will be
lost by dawn.
DAY
2
I was awakened today by triumphant shouts and
cheers all around me: Thoth has apparently answered
the prayers of the faithful! During the night, the
Ma'at rose an extraordinary ten feet allowing the
passage of hundreds of craft carrying villagers
fleeing the fiendish-led forces of Rigus. But the
shouts were for the more amazing demonstration of
Thoth's wrath that appeared in the desert this
morning. Where we had seen the marauders last
night, a sandstorm of tremendous size and power had
blown straight into the face of the oncoming
troops, blasting the sods with sand and lancing
them with lightning. Thankfully for the villagers,
this battle may be over before it has properly
begun.
DAY
4
It seems my conclusions of two days ago were
premature. The sandstorm abated late last evening
and, to my amazement, the Rigans had not abandoned
their march. In fact, it seems they actually made
some progress through the storm. I can only suppose
that fiendish abjurers provided a measure of
protection from the storm and lightning, the
fiercest this land has seen in many an age. Even
so, after the tremendous lightning storm, many of
the sods are piles of charred ashes blowing slowly
away in the wind.
By this time, the refugees have managed to slip
the blinds on the marauders but I'm no longer
convinced that putting Thoth's petitioners in the
dead book or invading Thoth's realm was the goal of
the Rigans. They continue to march steadfastly in
the direction of the villages along Ma'at and I aim
to discover the dark of their purpose. From what I
have so far observed, I can only guess at two
possible explanations: Thoth made these berks
reconsider attacking his petitioners or the fiends
have always had some other purpose. Either I'll
have the chant soon or I'll find myself dangling
from a leafless tree in this blazing heat.
[Author:
Scott
Kelley]
THE BIZARRE ACTIVITIES of the Xaositects over
the past three days can now be understood. The
first clue came when the Xaosmen themselves stopped
referring to their construction as "the secret" or
even "the BIG secret", or "the surprise!", but as
"the Spoke".
Combined with the fact that the two construction
sites are located diametrically opposite one
another in Sigil, it appears that the Xaositects
have decided to "bridge" the City of Doors across
its centre.
The first tower, the one near the Great Foundry,
is now nearly 200 feet high, and its counterpart
across Sigil near the Hall of Records is now
pushing 50 ft. So far 14 people have been killed
and over 30 seriously injured due to on-site
accidents. Harmonium patrols are beginning to
evacuate residents from the areas around both
towers.
Exactly why the Xaosmen have suddenly decided to
undertake a project of this magnitude for which
they are so ill prepared remains a mystery,
probably even to themselves.
[Author:
Teresa
Angelucci]
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