Week 5 News

Saturday, 2 March


[07:30 AM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare spots Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) lurking around, and shoots their arm. Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) retreats!

[08:15 AM] Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) stalks J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare!

[14:00 PM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare returns the favour by stalking Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all), but meets with no success!

[16:00 PM] No-one tries to kill The Dragon Queen...
The Dragon Queen reports:

I put a bounty on myself, sent myself Corrupt, revealed my lecture timetable, advertised my whereabouts in the Discord and wandered around openly bearing a killer dragon. What more does a Dragon Queen have to do to get herself killed?

(Have lectures in the same building as Water Ghost, probably.)


[16:00 PM] Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) lurks outside J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare's residence, but flees when spotted!
J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare reports:

I would like to extend a request to Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) - please stop running away! Have an honourable fight


[19:00 PM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare tries again, but Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) is well-defended!
J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare reports:

Once more unto [COLLEGE], dear friends, once more;
'Til we close up the wall with our Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all), dead.
In games of treachery there's nothing so becomes oneself
As modest patience and humility:
But when the blast of organ blows in my ears,
I imitate the action of the tiger;
Silence the breaths, calm the heart,
Disguise into fair nature with dev'lish plans;
Then strike I forth a terrible vengeance;
Let fly through the target's head
With the plastic cannon; let them be o'erwhelm'd by it
As fearfully they are crushed, as if by rock
O'erhanging, and doom their confounded courtyard,
Swill'd with remains o' the wicked Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all).

Now calm once more and blend I into the night,
Hold hard - ne'er falter - as guard approacheth
At their full height. On, on, thou wretched guard,
Whose blood is forfeit to Coward's demand.
Cowards that, like so many a Paris,
Have in these parts from morn till ev'n fled
And stowed their guns for lack of bravery:
Dishonour not your mothers! Stand!
Else those whom you call'd fathers did forget you.
Be copy now to men of greater blood,
And learn from them of honour. And you, good warden,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth more than servitude; which I doubt not;
For there is no part of you so low and base,
That hath not in your mind the lust for freedom.
I see your desire to be your own;
You strain against their reins. The time is now:
Break free, guard not, and upon this charge,
Cry 'Death to Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all), BennytheBean, and [COLLEGE]'!

Sunday, 3 March


[00:00 AM] Six incompetent players who have done nothing all game are struck down by the wrath of the Immortal Umpires, and Open Season begins!
The Dragon Queen reports:

And so it begins...


[09:30 AM] the irony's attempts at hunting are thwarted by a horde of innocent runners!
the irony reports:

I got up this morning, early, relatively speaking. It was a bright young morning, full of prospects for a clear day. On autopilot, I swiftly approached my target's residence, but fie! For a river of people lay across my path, blocking the way.

I made my way upstream and downstream, but there was no way through the torrent. In despair, I wandered wildly and wondered wildly.

I found myself lost, and as I ventured deeper into the other, I stumbled upon a sanctuary, a place of calm amidst the flow of the mundane. Sunbeams struck the earth through the leaves like the bullets that have made up my life prior to this. Deer lapped at the lakeside, uncertain as to whether I was here to do to them what I would have done to my targets had I reached them.

It was here, surrounded by the birdsong that this morning gives but the city takes, that I pondered the meaning of it all. The futility of life, the futility of death.

Ironic, isn't it?


[11:30 AM] Kenku and Ouroboros go looking for but fail to kill them
Kenku reports:

Finally, open season. With the words "go big or go home" echoing around my head, I decided to go for the biggest fish, . Armed with my trusty pistol, and my beloved co-conspirator, Ouroboros, I entered [REDACTED BUILDING] and made our way to the 4th floor. Their neighbour was playing violin - the perfect soundtrack to what I was planning to do. I sent Ouroboros to the end of the corridor to act as lookout - I didn't want to be caught out. I knocked on the door and swiftly moved to the side, hoping to not be caught out by the peephole. Nothing happened. I reached out my hand, under the peephole and knocked again. I could have sworn I heard shuffling, but there was still nothing. At this point, Ouroboros remarked that it was probably best to stand down. I agreed. I didn't want to waste my life lemoning around this tiny corridor. He held the door open as I retreated backwards, gun pointed at 's door. "I think they might try and come for us once they hear us retreating," I said, trying to explain my bizarre behaviour. Just as we started descending the stairs, we heard a door open and someone walking behind us, confirming my suspicions. "Run!" I whispered sharply and loudly, and we sprinted our way down the stairs and out the building. We did not have the advantage here, and with a player as fearsome as it was not worth taking the stand. Gasping and panting, we stood outside the building. This time may have been a failure, but next time, we won't be so cowardly. had better watch their back.


[17:45 PM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare kills BennytheBean AKA fursealwithaslightlybettergun(Abi Crowdy)
J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare reports:

Friends, Cantabridgians, Assassins, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Abi, not to praise them.
The evil that men do lives after them;
No good exists to inter with their bones;
So let it be with Abi. The noble Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) Hath told you Abi was no traitor:
If it were true, their death is mine fault,
And grievously should I answer it.
Here, under leave of Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) and the rest-
For Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) is an honourable assassin;
So are they all, all honourable men -
Came I to cause Abi's funeral.
They were Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all)'s friend, faithful only to them:
But Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) says they were just;
And Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) is an honourable assassin.
Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) hath brought many assassins to their doom;
Yet whose ransoms are more lucrative?
Does not death of Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) seem enticing.

When a duel was sought, Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) hath fled:
Assassins should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) says they are not cowardly;
And Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the yestermorrow
I quarce presented them a martial chance,
Which they did quarce refuse: was this bravery?
Yet Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) say they have bravery;
And, sure, they are an honourable assassin.

I speak not to dispute what Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) claims,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
That none did love Abi, they had no cause:
What cause withholds you then, to let Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) live?
O judgment! Thou art given to cowardly beasts,
Lest assassins have lost their reason. Hear me;
Vast hoards of chocolate lie in the coffin awaiting Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all),
And none should pause till it be redeem??d.


[18:40 PM] The Dragon Queen is chased by infinitetriangle
The Dragon Queen reports:

I was walking back from [redacted] at about 6.35 to 6.40pm when I saw two people, one of whom I vaguely recognised as possibly an assassin.

She clearly recognised me (which wasn't hard given I was openly bearing Saphyre) because she immediately started fishing something out of her backpack - we both briefly ran, and upon realising her gun was significantly larger than mine (the same one I failed to kill Water Ghost with) I kept running.

All. The. Way. Up. The. Hill. Okay, fine, I didn't run the entire way, I was too tired and my backpack was too heavy. But I ran enough that I kept out of her range while she pursued at a more sedate pace.

I believe I lost her/she gave up shortly before I reached [Redacted]. She's certainly not trying to kill me now, anyway.


[19:00 PM] Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) and J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare have a shootout

[21:00 PM] infinitetriangle(Roksolana Ivanchuk ) is stabbed by Water Ghost!

[21:56 PM] slays CookieMonster(Aryan Bhuskute) and Kitsu-neigh(Olivia Du)
reports:

Every day, the wind nips at my heels, fuelled by the vexed spirits.

Every day, some new crime is committed, renting that which we knew.

Every day, familiar faces shift and blur, merging with hostile ones.

Every day, the fates beg for their fair share of fresh and bloodied guts.

Every day, some new monster rises up from the deep and growls anew.

Every day, death saunters just a little closer to us all, maw dripping eagerly.

Every. Single. Day.

Monday, 4 March


[08:55 AM] 창귀 quite literally backstabs the Corrupt The Dragon Queen(Emma Booth) and claims a bounty!
The Dragon Queen reports:

Rule One of paranoia: always watch your back. I should have learnt that one by now. Oh well, at least I denied Water Ghost the satisfaction of shooting me again and have been purged of Corruption... for now...

창귀 reports:

내가 널 이겼어, 물의 유령. 내가 먼저 그녀를 죽였어. 물귀신님, 기분이 어떤가요? 이제 당신은 살인을 도난당하는 것이 어떤 것인지 알게 되었습니다. 복수가 이루어졌습니다.


[15:50 PM] Penguinwithagun spots Rick Grimes, but fails to chase them down!

[18:15 PM] Penguinwithagun lurks outside Rick Grimes's accommodation, but can't gain access!

[21:45 PM] Fulminata(Arthur Chong), Penguinwithagun(Daniel Hill) and Starry Cokroach raid Rick Grimes's residence, but it ends poorly with two casualties for the would-be invaders!
Penguinwithagun reports:

Everything was going our way; we had acquired an army of myself, police officers Starry Cokroach and Fulminata (the latter being my wife) as well as several accomplishes with the sole purpose of taking our nemesis Rick Grimes, who had no idea that we were coming... or so we thought. As we entered the staircase to our targets room, I watched my wife get gunned down before my eyes... We had been set up. As my spouse lay dead on the floor, those of us who remained exchanged shots back and forth with no clear hits as Rick Grimes retreated upstairs, periodically raining down fire upon us as we remained trapped below. The situation was dire, in an attempt to grab my wife's substantially larger gun from their corpse and gain the upper hand, a bullet rained down, piercing my coat, taking me out and reuniting me with me lover. We were betrayed and we were defeated. However, hope remains in the form of our lone survivor Starry Cokroach who will avenge our deaths.

Tuesday, 5 March


[10:39 AM] Trumpington Village Hall pokes into the lair of Fyredel, but violence does not follow...

[13:00 PM] the irony wanders around looking for Beta 007, Roadman, Lethal goblin and StirFriedNoodle, but can't find any of them. This is definitely ironic in some way.

[20:17 PM] Fulminata shoots the "innocent" who betrayed their raiding party, and goes Corrupt!

[22:00 PM] Aarakocra and Ouroboros go looking for J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare, but retreat upon being unable to pass through a gate!

Wednesday, 6 March


[00:31 AM] 창귀 mourns the death of Penguinwithagun!
창귀 reports:


[01:34 AM] The Zoologist has some knowledge to share...
The Zoologist reports:

'An Assassins' Guide to the Beasties of Cambridge', Page 116 - The Knowledge Dragon

The dragon is perhaps one of the most versatile and adaptable creatures on the planet. Found in almost every habitat on Earth, the dragon is a sadly misunderstood creature. Popularised as a villain, they have been hunted to near extinction in some areas due to the underground beastie poaching trade. Dragon's tongue, along with the likes of unicorn (page 43) horns and yeti (page 101) toenails, is highly sought after as a vital component of some of the strongest fire-proof elixirs, further driving the vile hunting practises that bring them closer and closer to total eradication.

It is no wonder, then, that dragons have started to hide themselves away more. A curious example of this can be found in the city of Cambridge. Here, the knowledge dragon resides. This small specimen, usually no bigger than a large dog, makes their home within the deepest, dusty regions of the University's libraries. Out of the prying eyes of most of the human population, a knowledge dragon will build its hoard. As their name suggests, this dragon will hoard books, scrolls, and other media that they determine to have important knowledge. It should be noted that the tastes of any one knowledge dragon are unique, and often specialised to associated, or disparate, areas. Current theories suggest that the location in which the dragon nests determines this preference, although this has yet to be confirmed.

Owing to their tendency to hoard, and their long life spans, knowledge dragons can become remarkable stores of knowledge and information. While skittish around humans, if one can befriend a knowledge dragon, they can become a vital companion in writing and research. As knowledge dragons share the vanity of their larger cousins, especially when it comes to their hoards, once a dragon has started talking to you, it can be hard to get it to stop. It is rumoured that a number of books within the Cambridge archives were authored by dragons under pseudonyms, and that several lost texts were recalled by memory from some of the oldest dragons within the university. It helps that they communicate telepathically, allowing for faster sharing of information to others.

Outside of hoarding, the knowledge dragon is omnivorous, consuming insects, small mammals, moss, ivy and other foliage commonly found in less maintained areas of libraries. They usually come in a mottled, unassuming colouration, although some less shy dragons have been known to paint themselves in vibrant swirls of colour when interacting with humans and other dragons.

The knowledge dragon is one of the many examples as to why the modern human portrayal is inaccurate at best, and actively damaging at worse. Yet they, along with many of their draconic cousins, are gentle creatures more concerned with themselves and their hoards than anyone or thing else. Shy, but intensely curious, any assassin who befriends a knowledge dragon may find it to be worth their time, especially if they can find one that matches their own (academic) interests.


[08:45 AM] A great geopolitical conflict unfolds on [REDACTED STREET]: Communism (bane of capitalism and the greater of two evils) murders Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) AKA Nero(Axel Agrawal)!
Communism (bane of capitalism and the greater of two evils) reports:

I left my room early this morning; only the fierce urge to kill could awaken me from my lethargic slumber any earlier than absolutely necessary (Thank you, Hypnos). The plan was to lurk nondescriptly outside [REDACTED COLLEGE] and go for a big catch, a shark among fish to be fried. This all relied on my target, Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all), being there in the admittedly short window I had, which I felt was unlikely this late in the game. As I rushed down the cobbled streets towards my destination, I was looking for a spot to tether my steed and ended up overshooting the location.

Fortune was smiling upon me, for as soon as I left the dark morning alley, I spotted the distinctive head of BennytheBean strolling away with a mysterious figure by their side. Suddenly alert, I rode onwards, surreptitiously glancing behind to confirm my initial thought - it was indeed Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all), seemingly not skipping lectures after all, and out in the open!

I rode on as though nothing of note had happened, stopped at the next point possible, tied up my ride, and readied my blade. At this point, the two oblivious assassins were walking just ahead of me. Relying on Alecto's portrait to throw them off my scent, I speedwalked up to within a few meters, then sprinted in for the kill. As Capitalism (the scariest monster of them all) stood there, life leaching from knife wounds in their front and back, I introduced myself, shook hands, and disappeared off into the young day.

Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Sovereign of The Sublime House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of the Khans, Commander of the faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the lord of the Universe, Custodian of the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Caesar of Rome, Padishah of The Three Cities of Constantinople, Edirne and Bursa, and of the Cities of Damascus and Cairo, of all Azerbaijan, of the Maghreb, of Barkah, of Kairouan, of Alep, of the Arab and Persian Iraq, of Basra, of El Hasa strip, of Raqqa, of Mosul, of Parthia, of Diyar Bekr, of Cilicia, of the provinces of Erzurum, of Sivas, of Adana, of Karaman, of Van, of Barbaria, of Abyssinia, of Tunisia, of Tripoli, of Syria, of Cyprus, of Rhodes, of Crete, of the province of Peloponnese, of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, of Anatolia, of Rumelia, of Bagdad, of Kurdistan, of Greece, of Turkestan, of Tartary, of Circassia, of the two regions of Kabarda, of Georgia, of the steppe of Kipchaks, of the whole country of the Tatars, of Theodosia and of all the neighbouring regions, of Bosnia, of the City and Fort of Belgrade, of the province of Serbia, with all the castles and cities, of all Arnaut, of all Eflak and Moldavia, as well as all the dependencies and borders, and many others countries and cities. reports:

Dear Last Remaining Former Emperor Elagabalus,

I am afraid to say failure to comply with your previous warning has resulted in drastic action being taken. Former Emperor Nero has been eliminated (in some strange sort of economic revolution), and similar consequences will follow if this mindless drivel continues.

In addition, neither me nor my lands will have any business sailing over this so called "Styx" any time soon; such pagan beliefs are utterly childish.

Yours,

Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Sovereign of The Sublime House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of the Khans, Commander of the faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the lord of the Universe, Custodian of the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Caesar of Rome, Padishah of The Three Cities of Constantinople, Edirne and Bursa, and of the Cities of Damascus and Cairo, of all Azerbaijan, of the Maghreb, of Barkah, of Kairouan, of Alep, of the Arab and Persian Iraq, of Basra, of El Hasa strip, of Raqqa, of Mosul, of Parthia, of Diyar Bekr, of Cilicia, of the provinces of Erzurum, of Sivas, of Adana, of Karaman, of Van, of Barbaria, of Abyssinia, of Tunisia, of Tripoli, of Syria, of Cyprus, of Rhodes, of Crete, of the province of Peloponnese, of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, of Anatolia, of Rumelia, of Bagdad, of Kurdistan, of Greece, of Turkestan, of Tartary, of Circassia, of the two regions of Kabarda, of Georgia, of the steppe of Kipchaks, of the whole country of the Tatars, of Theodosia and of all the neighbouring regions, of Bosnia, of the City and Fort of Belgrade, of the province of Serbia, with all the castles and cities, of all Arnaut, of all Eflak and Moldavia, as well as all the dependencies and borders, and many others countries and cities.

Nero reports:

Alas, my time has come, and I have made my final journey across the Styx. Elagabalus, I named you, and I named you to die, yet through our correspondence, it has become my greatest fear that your fate should come to fruition. The loathsome Sultan Suleiman found me, and I am slain. I had hoped to face you on the final battlefield, but alas, alack, for me, it is too late. And now, I must support you from the halls of Elysium as you continue in this fight, this is fidelity!



What was actually happening
So, Nero and Elagabalus have been having quite the riveting back-and-forth behind the scenes.
Elagabalus' college was running a scheme where you could deliver Valentines chocolate with an anonymous message to someone's pidge. Naturally, I sent a message impersonating their assassin:



Dear [REDACTED FIRST NAME] "Elagabalus" [REDACTED SURNAME],
I hope you enjoy the chocolate :)
Yours sincerely,
A friend from the guild.

Upon receiving this on the 16th February, Elagabalus attempted to gauge whether I had anything to do with this, but of course I would never do such a thing! So, they broadcasted a message to the sender, "Nero", through the reports page. I happily took on the mantle of this fellow Roman emperor and replied. After exchanging a couple friendly (bordering on homoerotic) death threats with Elagabalus over the website, I executed the next stage of my plan. While Elagabalus and I went out for brunch together, I ordered a group of my most loyal men to deliver the following to Elagabalus' door:



This careful operation almost went south, as when Elagabalus and I were returning to their room, we walked past my messenger holding a Caffe Nero cup! They very quickly (and suspiciously) stuffed the cup into their pocket, but fortunately, Elagabalus was none-the-wiser. Once we arrived at their room, there was a package on the bench! What a shocking surprise!!! Elagabalus commented that their messages from Nero were a "sick power play", as Nero could keep leaving threatening messages to which they could not respond. Obviously, the most appropriate response was to write an Ode to the person who was most likely out to kill you.

After some careful consideration of all most of the potential suspects for the identity of Nero, they settled on the conclusion that Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Sovereign of The Sublime House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of the Khans, Commander of the faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the lord of the Universe, Custodian of the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Caesar of Rome, Padishah of The Three Cities of Constantinople, Edirne and Bursa, and of the Cities of Damascus and Cairo, of all Azerbaijan, of the Maghreb, of Barkah, of Kairouan, of Alep, of the Arab and Persian Iraq, of Basra, of El Hasa strip, of Raqqa, of Mosul, of Parthia, of Diyar Bekr, of Cilicia, of the provinces of Erzurum, of Sivas, of Adana, of Karaman, of Van, of Barbaria, of Abyssinia, of Tunisia, of Tripoli, of Syria, of Cyprus, of Rhodes, of Crete, of the province of Peloponnese, of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, of Anatolia, of Rumelia, of Bagdad, of Kurdistan, of Greece, of Turkestan, of Tartary, of Circassia, of the two regions of Kabarda, of Georgia, of the steppe of Kipchaks, of the whole country of the Tatars, of Theodosia and of all the neighbouring regions, of Bosnia, of the City and Fort of Belgrade, of the province of Serbia, with all the castles and cities, of all Arnaut, of all Eflak and Moldavia, as well as all the dependencies and borders, and many others countries and cities. must be Nero. This, of course, I knew to not be true, however that didn't stop them from attempting to reverse Nero's power plays by delivering a note to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Sovereign of The Sublime House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of the Khans, Commander of the faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the lord of the Universe, Custodian of the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Caesar of Rome, Padishah of The Three Cities of Constantinople, Edirne and Bursa, and of the Cities of Damascus and Cairo, of all Azerbaijan, of the Maghreb, of Barkah, of Kairouan, of Alep, of the Arab and Persian Iraq, of Basra, of El Hasa strip, of Raqqa, of Mosul, of Parthia, of Diyar Bekr, of Cilicia, of the provinces of Erzurum, of Sivas, of Adana, of Karaman, of Van, of Barbaria, of Abyssinia, of Tunisia, of Tripoli, of Syria, of Cyprus, of Rhodes, of Crete, of the province of Peloponnese, of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, of Anatolia, of Rumelia, of Bagdad, of Kurdistan, of Greece, of Turkestan, of Tartary, of Circassia, of the two regions of Kabarda, of Georgia, of the steppe of Kipchaks, of the whole country of the Tatars, of Theodosia and of all the neighbouring regions, of Bosnia, of the City and Fort of Belgrade, of the province of Serbia, with all the castles and cities, of all Arnaut, of all Eflak and Moldavia, as well as all the dependencies and borders, and many others countries and cities. 's accommodation.

Soon after, Sultan Suleiman entered the fray, but our star-crossed love could not be conquered. Well, or so it seemed. And so, my dear muse, Elagabalus, let not my efforts be for naught, avenge me and slay this dreadful Ottoman pest!

Yours ever faithfully,
Nero

Thursday, 7 March


[06:00 AM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare stalks Kenku but can't find them!

[08:00 AM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare waits for Rick Grimes to emerge from their lair, but meets with no success...

[10:58 AM] Kenku attempts to find Rick Grimes
Kenku reports:

I stood outside the [REDACTED] department, coat covering my face, pretending to wait for someone. I kept an eye on the people going in and out of the building, like ants. Swarms. I was hoping to catch Rick Grimes from a long range, as I'd have a higher chance of escaping, should things go awry. But due to me being blind, or him blending into the crowd, I never spotted him. I suddenly remembered that people do tend to go to lectures in this institution, and that, according to my source, [REDACTED SUBJECT] lectures take place in the same building. "I know a passable amount about [REDACTED SUBJECT] should anyone question my presence" I thought to myself, mustering up the courage to walk into the building. I took a deep breath, and blended into the crowd. After faffing around trying to find [REDACTED ROOM FOR REDACTED ACTIVITY] without raising too much suspicion, I found it. And, as suggested by my source, I decided to wait on a set of nearby stairs until, hopefully, Rick Grimes would walk past. But alas! He didn't. I broke into [REDACTED DEPARTMENT] for no reason.


[13:28 PM] goes looking for Kenku.
reports:

Kenku Be not so bold as to suggest that I would not have put myself forth for a fight, or worse, attempted to take advantage of your flight. Such honours are reserved for those other leaders.

Elagabalus reports:

Pain. Pain, sharp and unavoidable. Pain, stained by fickle sunsets and faithless gods. Pain, to a magnitude which has not rent through this very plane until now, carving a hole deep into my heart. The plates of the earth echoed and crunched under the weight of your actions, you who slaughtered my Nero, murderous you. No suns shall sing of such beauty again, and I am condemned to solitude evermore. Oh, wretched me! How can I go on now? How can I continue when such purpose as my Nero has been violently stripped from me like a sordid bird of prey carrying off its unwitting bounty. Oh, you know not what prize you snatched in your claws! The prize of death, no less. There is nothing left for me now, nothing anchoring me to this cursed mortal earth other than the clamouring winds, demanding death upon you and yours. Think not yourself safe, nor your territories, nor your peoples. For while you might have rent from me that which makes my chest whole, no such qualms will hamper my vengeance from rendering you destroyed, root and stem. In this life, or the next, this is my promise to you.


[18:00 PM] J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare is wrong about where Kenku is lurking...

Friday, 8 March


[08:45 AM] Roko's Basilisk stabs an innocent Rick Grimes lookalike and goes Wanted!
Roko's Basilisk reports:

Oops.

- [Roko's Basilisk], definitely


[12:55 PM] the irony obtains a tour of [REDACTED DEPARTMENT] but not a kill of Rick Grimes!

[18:15 PM] Kenku, Phoenix and Ouroboros go knocking on the door of Trumpington Village Hall, but meet with no success!
Kenku reports:

My plan to do this yesterday slipped through my fingers when I found out Trumpington Village Hall was at [REDACTED SOCIETY], so I decided to try again today.
Employing the help of my favourite ally, Ouroboros, the chief of police ([REDACTED COLLEGE] REPRESENT!), and a supo partner who owns a cardboard door, we made our way into [REDACTED BUILDING], and up the stairs, carrying a door (picture attached), 3 guns, and Peter Prawn, and positioned ourselves at the top of the stairs. I hid behind the corner, [non player accomplice] hid behind the door, and Ouroboros and Phoenix hid behind the other.



Ouroboros knocked on Trumpington Village Hall's door, and ran back into his hiding place. The door opened, and out came full_html_, who, upon casting their eyes on the door, burst into laughter and informed Trumpington Village Hall of the scene outside. Trumpington Village Hall left their room, and after a few moments of stunned silence, started monologuing at the door. After they seemed tired, and implored I make myself known, I threw Peter into the corridor.
"Wait a second, isn't that Phoenix's?"
Finally, I decided to launch a bullet in their direction. But it was blocked. By a real door. with a window.
I decided to stand in their line of sight, door between us. We proceeded to dance at each other, waving our guns around. Weezer was singing for some reason. "So this is how it ends," Ouroboros states, "with a dance off."
He was wrong. This was only just the beginning.
I advanced past the door, into the heart of their corridor, as they retreated into their room (coward) leaving it a crack open. The rest of my ragtag bunch came into the corridor, door in hand.
I tried to batter the door with bullets. Only one got in. It didn't hit Trumpington Village Hall. They, in retaliation, launched an attack raccoon at me. It hit my arm. Armless, I decided to temporarily retreat, making the mistake of leaving Peter behind. He was promptly kidnapped, and after about 10 minutes of standing at the door, asking for him back, we called a temporary truce, and Peter was returned to his rightful owner. The siege was resumed. At one point, the door was positioned directly in front of Trumpington Village Hall's room. Either way, we stood there for what seemed like ages waiting for Trumpington Village Hall to finally open their door. full_html_ was stranded outside, phoneless, holding the door, and kicking lost ammunition at people. Finally, Trumpington Village Hall shoved their leg out the door as a display of their balletic prowess or something and I managed to land a bullet into their leg, rendering it immobile.
After a while, my arm grew back. We kept knocking at the door, making jokes, and asking them to leave so that I may shoot them. Alas. It was not to be. Finally, I had to leave. As I was leaving, the raccoon was thrown at me once more. I took him as hostage.
This also didn't manage to lure Trumpington Village Hall out of their room, so I, as an act of goodwill put my hands up, and left the raccoon outside their door. He was safely retrieved, and me and my ragtag bunch decided to retreat. Trumpington Village Hall remains safe this time.
I however, am not.


[18:40 PM] The (allegedly dead) Phantom(Joel Pearson)'s dastardly plot to kill The Dragon Queen ends in failure! The Dragon Queen shoots them in the back as they retreat, and goes Corrupt!
The Dragon Queen reports:

I was returning to my home when I noticed a flash of movement. I froze in shock for a moment: surely no assassin could be foolish enough to assault me in my own realm? But the evidence could not be denied: The (allegedly dead) Phantom was here to kill me.

I was not expecting such an assault, but I was by no means unprepared. I had Saphyre by my side as always, and was armed besides. I advanced with caution, not knowing what dreadful plot The (allegedly dead) Phantom had hatched against me, but no attack came - not until I was almost close enough to be sure of killing them.

Then they threw what appeared to be a nitric acid bomb in my direction. It missed, because of course I was calling upon the ancient powers to shield me, and The (allegedly dead) Phantom turned and ran.

I could have let them go. I could have shown mercy. They posed no further threat to me, after all. But I could not afford to be merciful: no-one attacked The Dragon Queen in her own realm and lived to tell the tale. I fired a single shot; that was all it took.

Disclaimer: I may or may not have edited out several minutes of awkward stalemate and somewhat underestimated the caution of my advance for dramatic effect.

Moral of the story: never leave your room without a gun.

The (allegedly dead) Phantom reports:

It had been six months since a visiting English singer, brought in to perform in Francesco Cavalli's opera Eliogabalo, had met the Phantom by chance backstage, stabbed him with a letter opener, and fled. There had been no witnesses, and no body had ever been found, only some scattered scrolls of music and a trail of blood leading into a wall.
Six months, of relief, of delight,
of Elysian peace,
and they could breath at last.
No more notes, no more ghost.

But people knew that the Phantom had got his way with his threats, and some people would inevitably try to do the same.
Men in were seen in the Opera Populaire. Notes appeared in several styles, all making threats, most demanding money. Several locks were found to have been destroyed with acid.
Firmin hired a security guard for the offices and the more valuable props. Carlotta demanded similar protection, but Firmin refused to pay for it. She threatened to leave, but Andre persuaded her to stay with the offer of a starring role as The Dragon Queen in a new opera. She took the role, but secretly carried a revolver to rehearsals.

One day, a set collapsed onstage, with a heavy scaffolding pole landing beside Carlotta. A man could be seen vanishing into the shadows.
After a brief row with the managers, Carlotta stormed off to her room. At her door, she found a man in a mask pipetting acid into the lock.
The man turned to face her.
Carlotta drew her gun.
The man threw his bottle of acid at her.
Carlotta fired a shot.
The acid splashed on the carpet at Carlotta's feet.
The man collapsed.
The acid on the carpet steamed, the carpet turning black.
The man lay still.
Carlotta went into her room and hid the revolver.
The Phantom was dead.

Since star singers are hard to find and expensive, Andre and Firmin pulled a few strings in the Police Force, and as there were no witnesses and the gun was never found, Carlotta was never brought to trial for the killing.


[20:30 PM] the irony watches J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare, ironically...
the irony reports:

Picture a room. A fairly small room on the top floor, with an angled ceiling. It's dark outside, but a mild yellow light fills the room. The room seems quiet.

It's not a particularly tidy room. There are bananas and crackers strewn on the floor. Washing is hung up near the window. Is that a trombone over there?

There is a desk in the corner, which, upon a second inspection, has a person at it. This person is, earbuds in, attentively scribbling down arcane symbols from a pre-recorded digital blackboard.

This person is on a swivel chair, her knees balled up in front of her on the same chair in which she sits. She is a young lady, dark brown hair, purple jumper, looking exhausted.

But this is not just any old young lady; ironically, it is J.K.Rowling's Worst Nightmare, so focussed on her degree that she is oblivious to the rest of the world.