The ruckus seems to be primarily fueled by members of a caravan overhearing the request to report and, seemingly overlooking the oddness of the rest of his words, erupting into agreements, accusations, and demands for attacks on the road to be addressed. Though it takes some time for order to be restored and for the traders to return to their tents with the reminder that the militia has increased patrols south of the fort, the familiarity with the process of all parties involved suggests this is a flare-up of an existing conflict.
While others speak more quietly near the palisade with a handful of the most argumentative, one soldier approaches the strange man to take his report. He doesn't seem thrilled at the stir.
He just waits tiredly while being looked over -- all five and a half feet of him. He wears a brigandine lacking in ornamentation, does not bear the markings of an officer, and has either not yet marked his second decade of life or has done so only recently. His originally somewhat sullen expression focuses at the word murder, but he obviously grows impatient with the manner in which it's being reported.
"Two bodies, "in a cave". You think someone killed them. Anything else?"
"Yes, yes," he says dismissively of the signs on the shoreline, staring distractedly at Armand's arm. "Someone has been scuttling boats belonging to various fishermen along the lake. We are looking into the matter, but finding and eliminating the source of the attacks on the road has been our first priority." He pauses and follows Armand's gaze, then adds, "They want their goods and coin restored, of course, and someone to blame. At this rate we're going to have a thousand soldiers just lining the road because Center finds fashionable a lack of order."
Just then, the nearby soldiers conclude their discussion and the rest of the traders return to their tents, somewhat mollified. One soldier, armored from head to toe, seems to eye the younger as they pass on the way to the barracks, and he stares straight ahead towards Armand as if sensing this.
"Please state your name and where you might be found for further information, and I will offer your report to my superior."
*The gnuman nods in understanding* Well.. yes, people always want someone to blame, Don't do this, stop touching that,.. its your fault its going to explode. .. told you so . . **nods* Yes, I've heard all of those. At least this doesn't seem to be a work of the SSGEMP, otherwise it could become really hectic **nods thrice sagely **
*As if having to pull a really hard feat he manages to stop the derailing train of thoughts that started to form on his mind, and that inevitably was going to end in the reasons why the definition of the the structure of the universe have the shape of a muffin, and he returns his attention to the conversation and the reality he lives in *
I ... am .. Glad you asked. . I am Armand Dawson, engineer extraordinaire, and Adjunct Proffessor of the Clockwork academy **nods thrice sagely* I will be spending the rest of the week here. . . need to do some repairs on the arm you know? **he nods sagely once*
*He shows some of his notes of the state of decay of both bodies, the general characteristics of them , even if they are written as if you were describing golems rather than human beings , the details of the approximate weight in stones and all manner of apparently useless information as well*
A gnome with dishoveled hair wearing what appears to be his bed clothes appears from a house on the hill. He takes a bite of an apple and yells down to the gnuman and the soldier
"Hello Professor Armand! I can coraborate your story Professor and this gnuman's (guesturing with his half eaten apple toward Armand) credibility is beyond reproach. I've seen the corpses in the cave near Lake Splendor and it looks to be foul play.
He starts to head back but turns around briefly
"Ryubi Jingles for the record and I'm a new resident of Fort Wayfare. I'll be happy to aid in your investigation if you lack resources. Terrible things going on around here just terrible."
*Corky walks up to Armand and Ryubi talking to the Officer, and has a stuffed burlap sack swung over his shoulder and leaving an ozzing trail of beetle juice*
Yes yes what ever they said! I just bought into this neighborhood and the old owner said it was quiet and family oriented! We must get to the bottom of this trajedy.
*He sniffs and see's the fire beetle belly juice trail has started to smolder the grass and he hi-tails it off back to his house yelling back to them:*
Corky Embercrackle, new home owner!
"Quiet, and... family-oriented..." he repeats, as if dazed by the influx of gnomes after having taken a few notes of his own. When Corky runs off the soldier blinks once and shakes his head slightly, then mutters something1 under his breath and nods to both Armand and the gnome on the hill. "Yes, well... I will report your - ehm, report - to my superiors. About bodies... in a cave. I'm sure they will give it the attention it deserves."
He nods sharply once more and takes a few steps backward before turning and heading for the barracks.
1"First cattle, now gnomes."
Of course *he nods twice at the man* I will make sure to work on this contraption so it won't explode ... too soon ..
*He then looks over to the other two gnomes* So now you live here, huh? So convenient indeed, its a good spot for comerce
And a tragedy indeed what its happening here, how the fair people of this town can start to think in science if they have basic worries as people casually being murdered around isn't it?
"Agreed Professor! With all these brutalities one cannot let his mind wander into the depths of science that one needs to acomplish great things. We need to put a stop to these mundane inteferences at once. Lastly I need to get back to my wild quail egg on grilled rye!"
The gnome gives a slight tug to his pants and wanders back into his house
There is a bit of a wait before the man he spoke with previously returns. He gives a dirty look to a more disciplined comrade before approaching Armand.
"Can I help you, sir? I've been told there was something to be added to your report."
*The gnuman replies as the new guard comes *
- Indeed, While i was exploring getting into more salt to do some calibrations for the arm, and also some important project about drying methods for pelts, which of course will disclose later. . anyway .. the point is that i found another body in another section of the cave, this one was visibly female **nods a bit, blushing something** And had still some rags on, so diferently to the first ones found, This one seemed to have been taken away by some current of the subterranean water over that cave, anyway .. AS this poor lass had still something on her, she had a small pouch with this note ... -
*He presents a crimpled note with the following message*
" Baths if yoo will brayk with cheef fur me be shor "
*He then continues* Its by most the most amusing way to write common i've ever seen, you know it wrote as phonetic language rather than an pictographic , see?
But as per my understanding it would say something along the lines of : Baths if you will break with chief for me be short" **he scratches his head a bit* Does this seems familiar somehow?
*Armand awaits for the reply *
"The arm, yes, of course," he murmurs along with Armand's explanations. He seems surprised when physical evidence is produced, and looks closely. His expression is somewhat disappointed at the jibberish, and he continues listening.
He considers a moment before slowly shaking his head. "No, I'm afraid not, and I'm not sure I would have made any sense of it, myself. Be short? Halfling lovers, perhaps? eheh..." His self-directed chuckle falls flat and there is a brief silence.
"Not that I'm aware of," he answers with a shake of his head. "Perhaps the note not even related, and these are just people spelunking in the wrong area... is this a hazardous cave? Someone might even have slipped and drowned. I'm just not sure this is something we can do anything about, with more obvious threats frequently challenging our walls.
...but I will pass on your developments."
*The gnuman nods once to the reply* Of course ... it could be not conected but good to check anyway , otherwise the investigation will lead into nothing, but you are right, One should conccern ourselves with what is at hand, We could always be worse, **nods enthusiastically**
We could always have a worse problem, this coudl be orchestrated by the SSGEMP, that would end in truly dissastrous consecuences ** nods sagely once* .. You know they once made a bomb that randomly changed the body fat of the residents of one district of a city ?
**he says matter of factly with security on his voice **
Anyway ... I'll keep my eyes open for more development, we might even find the tracks of the pink hippo most recent nefarious activities . . **nods*
Later a gravely voiced woman is faintly heard in the barracks saying, "Evil gnomes and fat bombs."
"...Yes, sir."
"And a pink hippo."
"We have enough to worry about. Interview the merchants again, I want to know where these raids are coming from. And Kant?"
"Sir."
"Try to restrain yourself. I'm sure the memory of your week shoveling is fresh in your mind; I can certainly still smell it from here. Dismissed."