Interview: Delucia Disappearances

[mcian]

by Erik Valstrom, Journalist

For months now, Delucia has suffered the loss of over twenty of its citizens, from the farm hands and herders outside, to even some of the militia who guard the town. Investigation into those missing has yielded no clues as to either the motive or culprit. The victims have all been taken at night, and have been out of door, at their guard posts, or perhaps in transit home for the evening.

With much reluctance did Alice, the Warrior Guildmistress, speak with me on the topic. I had to promise her one of my fabulous dinners one evening, and my word to go easy on her in my column. I can truly say that her situation is most difficult as no traces have been found of the victims, nor any kidnapping notes left, nor any sign of foul play: blood stains, footprints, etc. This truly is an astounding mystery.

"When did all of this begin, my lady?" I asked her.

"About nine months ago, and very slowly. It began with about one per month, then increased to about two. At first we assumed they left town, but some had families hereabouts and left them no word. We increased our survellance, posted more guards, but some of them, too, disappeared."

"How many guards?"

"I am not at liberty to tell you. One is too many."

"Do you have any suspicions, if not clues?"

"Well, yes. We did notice that it began about a year after that "benefactor" of Papua arrived... what's his name?"

"Thraxas, I believe. I have tried to interview him but he has, thus far, refused," I replied.

She nodded. "Yes, we did calculate that it started shortly after he came to power there."

To that statement, I could not suppress a chuckle. "He is not in control there, my lady. Archon Chumsol is. He serves as an advisor or consigliere of sorts I am told."

Her brow furrowed as she scowled. "And I thought you were sharper than you apparently are! He is the real power there. Chumsol is a chump, a mere figurehead. If you look at him carefully, you can see the strings on him attached to Thraxas' fingers."

A tad embarrassed by her dim assessment of my wit, I declined to argue. "Well, at any rate, what do you make of that connection?"

"We are looking into it, but until the disappearances are solved, he is our prime suspect, and all of Papua as well. They have been raiding our area, stealing our cattle and harassing our animal herders."

"Papuans are doing this?"

"Who else?"

"If you do find out he is behind this, and the Papuans are supporting him, what does it mean? What will you do?"

"If the do not turn him over to us, we will have no choice but to threaten them with war. We will get him one way or another. We cannot stand around and do nothing."

At the sound of that, I decided I would redouble my efforts to interview Lord Thraxas as soon as possible.

[mcian]

Interview with Lord Thraxas - Eric Valstrom

I knew he would not resist the interview this time, having prefaced it with a note detailing my discussions with the Warrior Guild Mistress, Alice, of Delucia. I hinted to him that she had some sharp words that he might like to know. We sat together in his stuffy, crudely-furnished, bug-infested office, so-called, on the second floor of a run-down building oddly called, “Pier 39.” I sat across from him at a large table in a wicker chair that I barely trusted to stay together, fearing my narrow buttocks might, at any time, go crashing through it. Mosquitos and flies darted everywhere as I flicked them away while fanning myself – the heat and humidity of that swampy village is horrendous!

Lord Thraxas, resplendent in his Britannian, hooded, robe stared at me, hands folded at the table. There was something about his eyes – the color and glare of them – that left me feeling as if he might suddenly leap across the table and strangle me where I sat should I misspeak myself! Thus, I decided to choose my words carefully.

“Welcome to Papua, Sir Valstrom,” he greeted me cheerfully. “Do you desire drink?”

I shook my head no. I had no desire to cloud my mind with anything he might provide for me until this interview was over. “No thank you milord; not at the moment.”

He leaned back in his chair, a better made and larger version of mine. “I have only a small amount of time to give to this, so please, be brief and concise with your queries,” he informed me, smiling slightly, though the insidious gleam in his eye hardly subsided.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, well, I have word that may interest you. I would like to get your take on it, to perhaps clear up some rumors that have been circulating in Delucia about you and Papua.”

“Rumors? You came to address rumors? I don’t have time for this, sir.”

“Well, not just rumors but charges actually. You see, Papua and Delucia may be on the brink of hostilities. You are a suspect in a number of disappearances of Delucians, including hiring, or inciting, Papuans to commit criminal acts of mischief and cattle-thieving. This comes from the current overseer of the military governance of that town.”

Thraxas sat back in his chair and lay his hands flat on the table. “That is utter nonsense! What proof has she? We’ve known for quite some time it is THEY who have been harassing and intimidating OUR workers, claiming territory that we have held for decades! This is an attempt to start trouble. They have seen our prosperity and are jealous. They know I am the cause of it and want me out of here any way possible!”

“I cannot speak for her or them about that, but the key point is the disappearances. She said they began shortly after you arrived here. They always occurred at night and there were no signs of struggle to be found. It is as if they just vanished completely. Some had families, too, so there is no chance they left them to fend for themselves… and no word from any kidnappers. What do you make of that?”

I could not believe it but I could swear he smiled a bit.

“If I were one of them, I would leave there too – the sooner the better! Seriously, is that ALL she has – a correlation of my arrival and the disappearances?!”

“There have been Papuans captured in the act of stealing cattle, and burning crops, too.”

“I cannot account for every act of our citizens. I DO know that many are upset from the intimidations the Papuan workers have received: some have been beaten, others have had their equipment and resources stolen by their people. It is no longer safe for our workers below the jungle line bordering the middle hinterlands. Clearly, they believe all of that belongs to them. We never acknowledged their sovereignty nor they ours – it was all neutral ground. My guess is what they got was the result of their own doings!”

I nodded as I could see his temper was rising. “So will you at least talk to them about this, perhaps come to an understanding to defuse the situation?”

“Have they asked you to ask me for a meeting?”

“No. It was my idea. I hope bloodshed can be avoided.”

“As long as they threaten me personally, then I will not go near them, but if she, or an emissary with authority desires to speak, then yes, if they come here.” He then leaned forward, his eyes flaring red. “If there is ANY attempt to harm me, or the Archon, or any citizen of this town, I assure you there will be severe repercussions! You may tell her that for me.”

“I shall deliver your words, milord.”

“Is there anything else?”

I must confess I was feeling unwell after this. I shook my head, excused myself, and asked him the location of the nearest loo.