Global News Turn 12

While the official 'race' is not for another year, there was a chance to compare the relative speed of the Herald Rocket vs the Racing Fragments, when the ace pilot Captain William Blacknails piloting Herald 2, infiltrated an experiment being carried out with Chtoth's Racing Fragments.

Once on the scene a Karbaldi, Chtaam, broke ranks to outpace the honourable captain. Together they played a brief game of 'Dare' near the storms.

The technological storm powered engine of the Herald clearly outmatched the streamlined geomantic tuning of the Racing Fragment in horse power, while the Karbaldi effort proved much more maneuverable. Clearly the amount of 'cornering' on the eventual race circuit will be a hotly debated topic.

At first Chtaam looked like he was in with a shot, until a explosion from the Herald 2 announced it had broken the sound barrier. The event caused curious ripples through the storms above, and sent Chtaam spiralling out of control.

After the impromptu test, the relevant parties had this this to say.

“I… didn't realize it did that… Ow.” - Captain Blacknails

“While the Herald may appear to have had the edge today, we've several speed advancements in the works that will only be showcased at the actual race” - Chtaam.

“WHY IS MY ROCKET SINGED?!” - Ms Ritz Herald

Betting on the eventual winner is a hot topic across the colonies. Blacknails himself has staked his skyship that he can outperform Ritz Trigger when raceday comes.

“While we may have suffered a minor setback, I can assure that the mist exploration program is progressing smoothly, with results already surpassing those of the trivial Union blunders into the storms” - Endis Earthborne

The somewhat odd barn pilot and the even odder Jazz flutis are MIA. Presumed dead.

Clintina recently began a joint venture with the Dixie Clan to plumb the depths of the Mists. The expedition was intended to take no more than two days, and was provisioned for a week.

Its been three months.

The party were supplied with Mist Protection Potions, so there is little to no chance their vessel was boiled to another location. Copies of the Will of Ella and Clintina are requested.

“Doom, we are all DOOMED. The can fly the kitties can FLY! They are heading this way!”

Rumours are spreading that there are kitties who are able to fly. This is a serious problem; kitties have been classified a class 1 pest, and it is a criminal offence not to kill them on sight. Due to their alarming rate of reproduction, when kitties infect a fragment they drain its life energy at an alarming rate, causing it to sink into the mists.

Until now the kittie population has been controled by strict quarantines to restrict their movment, normally by hiding on airships and small fragments travelling between settlements. If this is true and they have gained the ability to fly, there may be way to control their movement, and a grave threat may have been unleashed on the world.

Roderick Alonso has continued work on the city of lights, a variety of enertainment establishments are begining to open. These include a large Iron Tower with a water slide leading into a set of baths. There is also a new transport system being constructed around the two cities.

Sarenn has also done some excellent work investigating the accident which occured, while his conclusions are not yet known, he has detached the 2 cities and put them back into there proper alignment.

The Dixie Funeral/Wedding/Orgy went ahead as planned, and after the weekend of debauchery all anyone can remember is that a great time was had by all, but that they have a strange, insistent craving for the exotic drinks that were on offer, and would do almost anything for another taste…

During a visit to the New City of Lights, Harkon stormwarden and the Knights of the Storm was attacked by what was clearly a Union Strike Force.

The light guard on the new city was powerless to stop the struggle taking place in their main lobby, and watched as Harkon's knights were overpowered by superior arms and skill. Before the battle ended, the entire room was shrouded in darkness. When the lights came back on, the Union troops were gone and Harkon's team were down.

No official reason for the attack has been stated.

Many pronounced Harkon dead on the scene, yet according to reports from the confederacy, he did indeed survive and will be attending the next court session.

Having confirmed the crashing of Neverdark as a deliberate attack on the City, the Zwerginn Sarenn leads a squad of Ash and Bone guards to collect the madman Werner's head.

The man was waiting for them in his home. The accounts of his final speech have been oft repeated.

“Oh, I didn't expect you… I was expecting Valk. Welcome…”

“Yes, I totally did crash the Neverdark. Utterly on purpose. Because the King hated the surface. And the King said so. - Oh yeah, and he said so because Valk killed him. See, it's not that unfair now really, is it? - Yes, I am utterly mad. But that's because I'm the King of Copper. well, what's left of him. He's in my head. - And he wants Copper. Lots of Copper. And there's Copper in Blood, right? - Say, the 100+ people's worth of blood inside this fragment. Heading into the Storms. - Oh yes. They are Surface People. Because it did need the overpopulation sorted out. Via the Storm. - Oh, good luck getting off here. We're probably close to the Storm by now and you're ruinned ship is all the way down there. diddums. - Bye now.”

Werner then stabbed himself in the heart with a chisel, and slumped onto a crude copper throne with a wicked grin on his face.

There was little that could be done for the population of the fragment as it ascended. Sarenn took what he could on his travel fragment, but that was barely more than the guards he arrived with.

When the fragment finally descended from the mists, there was nothing but charred remains on blood red stone. The stone now orbits the city as a last reminder of the old king's vengeance.

More Geomantic Spires are being put up by Takhai the Machinist. These pillars of rock are rising up over the Confederacy, although there are currently only 2 complete and reaching for the storms.

The reign of terror and larceny of Segue Tyr, aka Captain Alias, aka The Pirate King, has come to an end this season after a joint action from Union and Confederacy peacekeeping forces. The site of battle was the barge Graceful Stallion, shipping valuables from the City. When the rogue swept in to steal the treasure within, he found a surprise waiting for him; the combined force of Comrade Maxim, Marshall Craddock, and Unity. Though they quickly dealt with his minions, the fiend tried to run, only to trip and fall into the Mists. Not letting him escape, Marshall Craddock bravely jumped after him. Though it is unknown how Craddock managed it, the two men were next seen weeks later lying unconscious outside the Union Prison, faint vapours of Mist boiling off around them. Segue Tyr is now awaiting trial in the Union prison.

In the wake of his arrest, there are signs that the Sky Pirate organisation may be falling apart. While some of the more reckless captains have been celebrating the removal of restrictions, and raiding whoever they please, the more businesslike captains have turned themselves in to the Guild and the O'Shea's, hoping their usefulness will make up for any crimes they have committed.

El Presidente and Comrade Ivan of the Glorious People’s Republic have, working with the most respected scientists among the people revolutionised the theory of magic. In the past the GPR dismissed claims of storm and mist magic as mere coincidence or even outright deception. Further evidence gained from the careful study of magic and repeated encounters with alleged magic users has led them to publish a treatise on the causes of magic. They hypothesise that mages will be found to have storm or mist bladders within them which allow them to store and use the magic. The GPR’s biologists hope to further investigate the phenomenon and confirm or deny the hypothesis.

El Presidente said “Evidence is a fundamental part of science and this is where the evidence is pointing.”

Comrade Ivan said “Erm… If you examine the renticular lobes of certain magic users then erm you will soon see clear evidence…” (at this point the audience fell asleep).

The GPR invites alleged magic users to visit and take part in non-invasive testing.

The giant turtle circling the colonies, home of the Turtugan emperor, was recently met by half a dozen other Giant turtles, and a small fleet of skyships. What this means for the Turtugan Empire is yet to be seen.

• The monstrous corpse of the undead clockwork Harkon is in perfect health.
• Women are throwing themselves at Intaglio Deep.
• Scientifically speaking, it is impossible to charge El Presidente with “obstruction of justice”. This is because even he cannot be in two places at the same time.
• Name appears to have taken up temporary residence on the City.
• If you have your hand shaken by somebody playing the Handshake Game, then you have two days from the point where you find out about it to shake the hands of one hundred people. If you manage it you have good luck, if you don't you have bad luck.