From The Desk Of Sheriff Ortega

[Fuzzball Ortega]

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

[Malegatto Alter]

Oh, for Bastet's sake! Seems I need a lawyer...AGAIN.

*mutters*

[Ryne Beck]

Someone call for a doctor?

[TotalLunar Eclipse]

Luckily there are a few lawyers living in Harborside... one of which likes to wear thongs and accidentally loses his pants now and then. But have no fear, I trust their legal expertise.

- Lunar

[HeadBurro Antfarm]

They're just his legal briefs...

[Malegatto Alter]

I am supposed to be coming in for questioning with Sheriff Fuzz tonight before the town meeting. It would probably be a good idea to have counsel present with me--with or without pants.

Given my rather long rap sheet of misunderstandings and "accidents" and all...

[Mara Razor]

*gulps and looks slightly ill* we're missing an urchin in Babbage.... She was supposed to be jumping on a boat bound for Steelhead.

[Ryne Beck]

An urchin? From Babbage? I do hope she wasn't caught up in the zombie infestation (http://steelheadsl.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-mysterious-note-chap...). There were several children aboard the Clockhaven Queen - I only hope she made it to Steelhead, or back to Babbage once the creatures were subdued.

[Fuzzball Ortega]

Nothing to worry about, Miss Razor. From the looks of the corpse in the squiddy, it appears to be an adult male.

[Linus Lacombe]

Hmmmm.....curious. I am no detective, and no lawyer, but....I feel I have some input for this rather unusual case of squiddycide (or homicide followed by feeding to squiddy thing). I think the squiddy thing will be crucial in the case. First, Dr. Alter has posted rather specific rules as to the feeding of this beast. Would she feed something like a body to her own squiddy thing? But then...perhaps she knows that feeding it a body would be a perfectly normal thing. The squiddy thing could be her undoing or her salvation. Also, a lot of visitors have been in the area as of late. Could it be that the squiddy thing snatched up the body, and in the process of a struggle have dashed the body about in a fit of flailing, thus causing it the injuries the Sheriff mentioned? These seem like issues that need investigating. The squiddy thing seems to be a bit of a mystery. Science, I think, can help. The squiddy thing, I think, needs to be observed, tested, poked and prodded, understood in a scientific sense, and it should be independent scientists, appointed by the Steelhead powers who be, who investigate.

[TotalLunar Eclipse]

That is where Dr Beck comes in. As he is just arrived to Steelhead he is a perfect candidate for being unbiased in his opinions. He will be performing the extraction of the body from the squiddy and the autopsy.

[HeadBurro Antfarm]

I was speaking to Dr Beck earlier - apparantly Dr Alter has a plan to retrieve the body for the post mortem, so things sound in hand. Strange chap, that Beck... didn't look at all well to me, as if he hadn't slept, or if he had then under a bush!