Part 77: Sirocco: Update 12

Sirocco's Year: Part Twelve

Armok be praised! I've finally met all of the nobles' requests!



Bobthethurd still wants that window of course but there's nothing I can do about that.

My secret project is ever so nearly finished! I'm dying to tell you what it is but the best things come to those who wait, am I right? Eh, journal? After the excitement over the sand raider incursion had died down I decided it was high time I captured those moles Eiba's been pestering me about for the last six months!



It's a pretty simple affair - one brave miner (Sewermancer was our volunteer) digs out the wall separating the moles from the cages then legs it to the door at the farthest north and locks it behind him. I was a little uncertain as to whether we had enough cages but I was sure it would all work out in the end.



... It, uh... didn't. By some horrible turn of events, a dog had followed Sewermancer to the digsite. Sewermancer got away, but the moles slaughtered the poor mutt before it could escape. This might have been no big deal, but it got killed in the doorway, and its body had jammed it open.

Meaning I couldn't lock it.

Skaw, unfortunately, took the open door to mean he could go reload the cage traps - he did not expect an onslaught of vicious moles, clawing frantically at everything that moved.



Skaw has suffered some serious internal injuries...





... but before escaping he did put up a good fight against the wicked moles I'm glad to say!

The reports were worrisome, but not uncontrollable, I felt. But then I was interrupted by young Leperfish - he suddenly tugged on my coat, beckoning me to lean down so he could whisper something in my ear.

'Skaw says the moles have escaped!'



'Don't worry, Oni Olem and his men should be more than a match for those whiskery devils!' I said.

He tugged at my coat again.

'Mummy's down there.'



'Oh ffffffff.........iddlesticks.'