From The Desk Of Sheriff Ortega (roleplaying in world)

Mother Superior,

It appears that the Port Harbor suburb becoming a "Hotspot" has led to a person's death. After the Friday night dance, I was called to the ETK warehouse. You know the "Squiddy Thing" that's on that property, and the large sign saying not to feed it? It's been fed, and from the looks of it, it's human.

Due to the Halloween celebrations, wolfsbane has become popular with some of the decorations, which in turn affects my senses, I'm unable to get a scent around the area. All I can say for now, due to the blood splatter at the crime scene, I don't think the victim got close to the Squiddy by choice.

Sister Mary Florence and Sister Mary Tek are looking for ways of removing the body from the Squiddy, although it's entirely possible that we'll have to wait for the body to come out by digestion. Once the body is out, contact Doctor Ryne Beck, who Sister Alma referred to as "The New Guy", I'd like an autopsy done on the deceased.

There's also the question of the identity of the body. Far as I know, nobody in Steelhead is missing. We'll have to ask around, check with officials in Steeltopia, Caledon, New Babbage, and other areas, see if someone's come up missing there.

As of now, I'm ruling this as an accident. However, my gut tells me that this was murder. With this happening on Doctor Alter's property, finger's will start pointing. I did briefly question Doctor Alter and her 'minion' Cato Quan. I cannot go any further until after the autopsy.

I'm afraid with the squiddy being outside, we can't keep this under wraps. You can see the body inside.

For now, I want a few nuns to search for clues as to the victims identity. Further orders will follow as the investigation progresses.

Sorry to bring this gruesome news to you. What a way to end October, hope this isn't a precursor to what November has to offer.

Fuzz

Out Of Character Post.....

But, it's kind of related to Second Life. In December, New Line Cinema will be releasing a film called "The Golden Compass", that's the US title, I think in the UK, it's going by the title of the book in which the film is based, "The Northern Lights". It takes place in a parallel universe, where a person's soul lives outside their body in a form of an animal spirit, called a "daemon". However, the reason I'm mentioning it in this blog, watching the trailer, I can't help but think of Caledon, Steelhead City, and other similar places in Second Life.

I know I'm planning on seeing the film the weekend it's released, and I'm sure that other residents who make their home in Caledon, New Babbage, and Steelhead City, among others, will be watching this film as well. There may be even some new vehicles introduced into Second Life, based off of the ones featured in the film. I know a carriage I saw in the trailer would be one of those things Caledonians will want in their inventory.

Check out the film's website: http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/

A Tale Of Two Tombstones.....

For some time now, Steelhead has tried to keep friendly negotiations with a town called Tombstone. Turns out, there's actually two towns on the Grid with this name. Each owned by someone who couldn't stand the other. The Tombstone we had done business with.....well, there was too much drama there. Also, I had heard complaints from Steelhead citizens in regards to how they were treated there.

The other Tombstone was only spoke of in hushed whispers around Steelhead, mostly due to what the previous Tombstone had said about it. However, on a whim, I decided to hope on my airship and fly to this Tombstone. I was very impressed with the town, itself. Didn't meet too many citizens on that day. I then sent a telegram to TotalLunar Eclipse, and he quickly came to Tombstone to look around as well.

Turns out that this Tombstone is under new management. One of the new owners, Lunar had met at one time, already. Lunar quickly helped out the new owner with advice. We mentioned our alliance with The Independent State of Caledon, something they were wanting to have as well. And we offered the branch of friendship to this Tombstone, inviting them to our event this coming Friday.

We're hoping this alliance is much better than with the previous Tombstone. Plan on offering any help to them that we can. Even planning on, like we're doing with Caledon, sending an ambassador over to represent Steelhead, and yes, we've already got a candidate in mind.

All in all, this little trip was well worth it.

"Resume Once More, The Form Of Man"

Rarity, but I slept in my office last night. It was in the wee hours of the morning that I felt the tremor.


"Earthquake?" I thought, remembering the flood that destroyed the town that stood on this land before Steelhead, "Or is Tensai experimenting again?"


Then the scream. The blood curdling scream echoed throughout the entire city. I jumped up and rushed out of my office. There was a wicked smell in the air. I think, due to my heightened senses, I was the only one who smelled it. Finnian Fitzgerald came running up to me, apparently in an all night poker game.


"Fuzz," he asked, "the hell was that?"


The scream sounded again, I perked my ears trying to determine the exact location. I was then able to determine the exact location where it all originated, Darien's. I left Finn where he stood and ran towards House Bloodwing, I fought the urge to fully transform into the wolf, hoping that it wasn't necessary. I arrived at the home of Darien Mason to find Darien laying face down on the ground. It was then that I noticed, the hair was different, the horns were gone, his skin looked.....human? It had been a long time since I last saw Darien as a human. Darien slowly stirred, then started to get up.


"Easy, Doc." I said, "Take it slow."


"Doc..." he whispered, then he looked at me, "Yes, that's right. Doctor Darien Mason."


I smiled and nodded. "Welcome back."


Tears ran down his cheeks and he looked up to the sky, "Thank you, God" he said, "I'm free! I'm finally free!"


He got up and dusted himself off. "Fuzz," he said, "you will excuse me for a bit."


"Sure, Doc, I'll be here if you need me."


"As Cappers always are." He replied with a smile, he then turned and walked into his home, closing the door behind him. I then went into my home


A couple of hours later, I walked out of my house and saw Darien standing at his postal box. Looking up, I noticed a figure at the clock tower peering over at him, a quick whiff and I recognized Emilly's scent. I then walked over to Darien. He saw me approaching and smiled, he then proceeded to explain what had happened.


The incubus, which had been residing in his body, was finally banished from this mortal realm. It was never to return for seven generations. Darien, Doctor Darien Mason, the man that I knew during the war, had finally been able to free himself from the demon that was becoming uncontrollable. Even the SWAT Team had started to grow concerned.


"That's great," I said, "this city needs a doctor, and you are a skilled surgeon."


"Yes," he replied, "in due time. For now, I......need to do some travelling."


"But, you've already seen the world."


"No, the demon saw the world." he replied, then pointed at his human eyes, "I'd like to see the world through these eyes."


Later, MeQal Anna and I stood at the train station. Darien sat in the car, looked out the window at us, and tipped his hat. The train pulled out and the changeling turned and looked at me.


"How long is seven generations?" he asked


"The way your family goes at it, seven generations will be this Friday." I replied.


"Change is good." MeQal said as he walked off the platform, heading back to his store.


"Yea," I whispered, as I looked at the tunnel where the train had disappeared into, "sometimes it's for the better."

Steelhead Has Some Bad Habits

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Steelhead's SWAT Team. Sister Mary Katherine, Sister Ignatius, Sister Alma, Sister Christian, and Mother Superior. Everyone in Steelhead is resting easy knowing that I've got these ladies helping uphold the law.

Now, I have to pull the sheets off the bed. Toga Night in the Steelhead City Grand Ballroom.....or is it Grande Ballroom? I can never remember........

Wolves And Angels.....

I suppose that the word is already out. Yes, I am a werewolf. Not bitten, but hereditary. Lycanthropcy runs in the Ortega family. Not just werewolves, the LycanGene seems to have a mind of it's own and different were-animals are born in the family. Great Aunt Doris was a werecat, panther to be precise. Uncle Albert was a wereboar (quite fitting, to tell you the truth). Cousin Templeton is a wererat (if the shoe fits....). Uncle Gene became Aunt Jean, but that has nothing to do with the LycanGene and we don't talk about it that much.



Not every member of the family is born with the gene. My sister, Angelica, as far as I know, has shown no signs of being born with lycanthropcy. Probably taking after Mama's side of the family, a noble group of people. I often joked that I was named Fuzzball because I was a werewolf, Angelica was given an angelic name because the neighbors had already named their daughter Demonica......Sis always hit me after I said that.


Ah, Angelica, I did finally find her, but first, a flashback: Growing up, despite my werewolf advantage, Angelica was always beating me up. I would tell my parents and they would say the same thing every time, "Fuzz, leave your sister alone". I didn't deserve the beating.......some of the time. Ok, I did use her dolls for target practice.....and there was the time that I shaved her cat......I did put pink dye in her shampoo, but she DID look good with pink hair. But, despite all that, she was my sister, and she was someone I cared for very much.


She had left home to see the world. She had written to Mama and Papa on a regular basis. One day, the letters stopped coming. I took it upon myself to find her and to make sure she was ok. You know some of what had happened in my quest, army, fifth queen, Steelhead City, Sheriff.


The full story will be told in the "Weird Wild West Tales", but I was finally reunited with my dear sister, now going by the name Angelica Trescothick and married to one Patrick Aderdeen. Finding her involved an adventure of griefers, gunfights, federal marshalls, tightrope walking, rock climbing, and Angelica beating someone other than me up. Just know that we've been reunited, our parents are happy, and the cat's fur did grow back........and it was Angelica, when we were kids, who put the snake in the nanny's purse. Boy, did that old lady scream.

And If Everyone Else Jumped Off A Bridge.....

After reading the other aether journals of my friends from Steelhead City and The Independent State of Caledon, I've decided to start a journal of my own. This is actually one of two chronicles that I'm writing. The second set of chronicles, entitled "Weird Wild West Tales", is currently being worked on and should be available soon. But first....

An Introduction

I left the old country some years ago, searching for my sister, Angelica. After arriving in this country, I enlisted in the army. I became a member of the Capper Brigade, quickly gaining rank of Captain. We were considered the most mentally unstable soldiers in the entire army.....or any army, for that matter. After my tenure was up, I resumed my quest in the search for my sister.

Some months later, while I was participating in a poker game in Ford City, I received a telegram from a fellow Capper, Darien Mason (an incubus and estranged son of Hades, himself), to join him in Oregon territory. The telegram couldn't have come at a better time. The other players in the game seemed to have gotten upset over me in regards to the queen that I had in my hand, and I was unable to convince them that every card deck had five queens.

I arrived in Oregon, beautiful territory, btw, to Steelhead City. There, Darien, who at the time was sheriff of Steelhead, showed me the town. I decided that Steelhead was to be my home, although I still tried to search for Angelica.

Through events that I don't wish to delve into, the job of sheriff passed from Darien to me. Steelhead had gone through some changes of it's own. No longer a quiet place, it had become quite popular, and thus, was a target for the outlaw group known as "Griefers". Needless to say, my new position kept me quite busy.

Eventually, I did find my sister, and the town discovered a secret that I had kept from them, although it was revealed in other aether journals. But all that, is best kept for another time.