Overheard Conversation - In a park, two old men reminiscing about supernatural encounters:

“Uh once 'ad-a ghost, er should uh say, it once 'ad me.

Wasa delap'dated mansion, got trapped in her room.

She said 'Ininit good NorthEastern wood?'

She asked me ta stay, 'n' then flung me down in despair.

Uh looked 'round 'n' noticed uh hadn't a prayer.

Uh writhed on a rug bidin' mi time, listenin' ta her whine.

We talked 'bout an hour er two 'n' then she said 'It's time for the Dead.'

She told me she spooked in th' morning wi' a maniacal laugh;

told her uh didn't 'n' crawled off to avoid her wrath.

'N' when uh woke twas alone;  This shade had flown

So uh lit a fire inna hearth.

Ininit good NorthEastern wood?, uh thought… mi God, uh survived!”

- John Paul Bakshoian  referencing Jake Lennon and P. McCartny

Rumors & Gossip

There is a storm coming and on it, HE rides.

We are borne in this world, thrown here by circumstance, without anything; all alone.

On our road is a killer, a squirmin' toad brain has HE.

When you think all is safe with your family, a brush with HIM and all will die.

- John Paul Bakshoian   referencing Densmore, Morrison, Krieger, Manzarek

Report - From the notes of the DareDevil of Mount O'zark and his research into fellow spies:

Jacques Eblou is a master spy, head of the queen's spy ring.  He is also a consummate actor.  Has many secret identities.  One of them is an invalid woman in an ivory tower.

Jacques takes short gains, but plans for longer ones; he seldom loses, he has much luck; Lives life in free-form style.  

He seems to be aware of what he is doing at all times, but sources say he acts like he doesn't care.  One of his talents is that he instantly plays music that he's never seen before.  You know, picks up the sheet and plays it perfect.

He has so many contingency plans that are never used.  With his disguises, he roams the land, but “he was never there.”  Incognito.

It has been noted he is a late night planner, sleeps past sunrise.  The takes on the world, but on his own time.

Our only source to his bedridden identity wrote that he has indigo eyes, drinks strawberry wine and seems to like moonlight.  That source claims she “lives a dream that never comes true.”

Find 'her' and you'll know one of Jacque's schemes.

- John Paul Bakshoian  referencing Larry Lee/Steve Cash

Message (Found wadded up on floor at Inn)

To Chekerix,

Well, you got a brand new snickersnee,

I've got a brand new sheath.

Maybe we could get together and try them on to see.

See what power together there'd be.

I've tried to contact you several times.  By night and day, and when I went to your inn, the innkeeper said you're there, but you were with buyers.  

Are you avoiding me?  Because you got somethin' I need.

I've been a guard, a scout, not in no army though.

Don't promote fast, but I've trained pretty far.  

For somebody who don't do magic, I been 'round the mystical world.

Some people say, I done all right for a girl.

- Safka

By John Paul Bakshoian, referencing Me'lanie

Report (to Tax Minister)

Another shop was shut down in The Skids last week.  Typical immigrant store called Pressed Rat and Warthog.  Sold muttlegs an' feets, pressed warthog, atonal apples, foods, spices and other conveniences like amplified heat and small scale necessities from the motherlands.  Also sold, amulets, charms, potions and components to the poverty stricken.

The owners didn't tell anyone they was closing; apparently they just got up and left.  Now there are far fewer friendly establishments to provide sustenance to the poor and marginalized.

My bet it was Captain Bedlam done run them off.  He is trying to clean up the old port of scum, foreigners and the like.  A bit mad he is.  He has a woodwormed peg leg which he swears some immigrant pariah hexed.

This closing of another Skids shop could be the trigger that will set off minority and destitute tensions and it will come to a head (possibly riots) if a few more incidents happen.  It would be best if we caught up with the former owners, Petre Edvard and Mikahail Ronaldo, to find out how Captain Bedlam forced them to close down their shop, for it was all they got.  

My informant thinks someone saw Petre in red baggy pants and Mikahail in a striped neckerchief that night and both carried a three-legged sack between them.  They may have gone west.

By John Paul Bakshoian, referencing G. Baker and M. Taylor

Overheard conversation (in a bar)

Late in the night, the dark corner of the bar was emptier than the rowdy main room.  It now contains those who are exhausted or in need of quieter space: A few souls were there contemplating their life.  There were several slouching here, an elf, human, goblin and an orc.  Being bored and in wistful mood, they grouched, dawdled and eventually reminisced about sex and war and their horrible youth. And in the horrors they had seen, from the small ant swarms eating large swaths of jungle to the incredibly raging, colossal thunder lizard that sometimes appeared.

Elf:  I know of the beast that you are talking about.  Gawd we called him.  He is gigantic and tall as our elf tree-community.  It made terrible sounds as it ripped the supporting branches of our homes.  As a child, I was screaming bug-eyed while on our rope-bridge and he looked down on me.  

Human:  Well, 'e d'molished mi hometown of T'Kay Ho.  Musta been 'bout fifteen hexes tall.  Jus' waded thru th' centera town like i' was swampgrass.  Picked up wagons an' tossed 'em down.  Seemed ta be lookin' for sumthin.  Never knew wha'.

Goblin Shaman:  Ancestor Shamans to me tell about Xilliah.  Came about near island city of Zipang.  Human wars there brought magics dreadful and devastated the land and the sea in their attempt to control the weather and fauna.  

It is typical of your kind.  History shows again and again how nature points up the folly of man.  Prosper GawdXillia, who now appears where nature risk is greatest.

- By John Paul Bakshoian, referencing Donald Roeser and Donald Bloom

Report

Sir, our research recently turned up this conversation in an embarkation station:

“I lived in the village of Crownreap , in St. Croix.  For a period of about a year, we were attacked almost every month when the moon got full and bright by vicious creatures, though the first few months it was just one.

A Supernatural Delight, that was.  Everybody got out of sight on those full moon dates.

Garlic, wolf's bane, silver bullets, briars… none worked for long.

We were lucky to have scholar living in our village.  He searched for a solution.  Rumors of Himalaya having plants that might help, but we found a solution in France.  A Were incantation with movements done rhythmically to music. The scholar went to Academy Universal and found some information.  It took months of travel, but he made contact and liberated the formula.

We tried it the next full moon.  It works.  Pacifies 'em.  Found that they don't bite or bark during and several hours after the dance.  Keeps 'em loose too.  These beasts were grateful; seems they can't dance and stay agitated.  After that, we never fought.”

Our agents are now searching for the whereabouts of the village of Crownreap.

John Paul Bakshoian   referencing Sherman Kelly