As reported by GGN Goblin Gossip Network. The Multifarious Monthly Review makes no claims that the Goblin GOSSIP Network is a reliable news source. Articles are posted with minor edits for spelling and grammar but not reviewed for content. The Multifarious Monthly Review does not accept any financial burden that results in the GGN's reporting practices. It is with a heavy heart that the Goblin Gossip Network reports another fatal interview in the Cabbala. Snetch Junior joins his father in the great beyond, advancing his beautiful assistant to the rank of journalist. Snetchalina has prepared a statement on taking this position. "Reporting alive from the bowels of the Cabbala, in the presence of a very much living Shyn, is... me... Snetchalina, the latest GGN reporter in her trial by fire. My predecessor has been disemboweled for his folly and I will definitely not be reporting anything further about the Cabbala's powerful denizens!" In order to ensure journalistic integrity, we immortalized the exchange in the form of descriptive writing, beautifully captured by Snetchalina before her appointment to journalist! . . . A few days had passed since Omako had spoken with Shyn about correcting a little problem her father had with the preposterous rumors concerning the shade being eaten by Vaeros. Absurd. Reputable sources indeed. Worse, was there were people in the realm dumb enough to believe anything reported by the Multifarious Monthly Review. The goblins needed yet another lesson in fact-checking their sources and taking care in whose name they threw around in their articles. Of course, the author had to be found first, and why not flush them out with a letter to the editor....
--------------------------- To the Editor of the Goblin Gossip Network, I am concerned with the complete and utter lack of care this network has shown in reporting facts to your valued readers. I can provide undeniable proof that Shyn has NEVER been consumed by the Great Red Wyrm, Vaeros. If you value the reputation of being a reliable and trusted source of news, then I implore you to meet with me to get the real story. If you refuse, I will take this proof to the Kabuki-Cats, and personally pay them to make a make a mockery of your entire organization. Signed Furious and Concerned Assistant ---------------------------- Another note is slipped in the envelope with the letter to the editor, providing a location to meet. Oooooh. Shyn would be quietly running his fingers over the tools assorted over the table, a room rented specifically for the purposes of this meeting. His business away from Sincadere had kept the shade away from the Cabbala, but He was not so disinterested in his reputation to have it equated to nothing more then a light snack for the neighborhood gluttonous red lizard. His dear daughter, whom few knew as such, had promised to deliver the author to him, and Shyn had recommended that she insist on them sending another writer with the offending party, for interests of objectivity you see, as well as making it clear that she should not mention or behave in a manner that would suggest their familial relation. He wondered how a goblin might react to seeing their insides.....maybe he'd find out. Whatever the result, he would be adamant about sending a message to this "news service" about using his name in any capacity He didn't approve of. For now, it was a waiting game for the shade. M Noteworthy was getting tired of people assuming the Goblins ran the Multifarious Monthly Review. On getting the letter from Furious and Concerned, M Noteworthy order the Goblin 'reporter' brought to the location included in the envelope... along with his assistant to record what transpired. Snetch Jr, the goblin, nervously slicked his hand through his hair while his assistant, also a goblin, straightened her pencil skirt. Shit was about to get real. He wasn't even sure why he'd agreed to meet this person... or how he'd gotten there. Maybe he'd been mind controlled?! Omako waited at the appointed place, a semi-secluded place along the Silk Road between the Tusk Camp and Helheim. The ki-rin had of course disguised herself in her human form to ensure that she would avoid having herself associated with the shade. The pair had taken great care in ensuring few knew of their true relationship. When the pair of goblins arrived, they'd find 'Eleanor' waiting. She appeared unassuming enough, just a simple human woman dressed in modest simple clothing. Pretty, but not so much to draw much attention. Someone that would be easy to forget moments after meeting them. No one ever really paid much mind to servants and assistants. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. " The woman spoke in a calm, quiet voice, with her hands folded meekly in front of her to seem even less threatening. "I apologize for the harshness of my letter, but I had to ensure that you would be willing to meet with me." While she talked, shadows began to loom in behind the pair of goblins, sliding along the ground and moving slowly. "I felt it was important for the people to know the truth." She'd continue while those shadows began to rise up behind them, taking on the shapes of clubs to bash the pair on the back of the heads. For...easier transportation of course. Shyn would look up when the Kirin, or rather the human disguised woman, brought in the two goblins. Was one of them wearing a skirt? No matter. Little time would be wasted as one was strung up on a makeshift cross, the other sat in a chair with a good view, their legs were bound, but they would be able to grab their notes and write easily enough. When they awoke they'd be granted a vision of the tall dark and brooding shade, alive and well, with bright and blazing blue eyes. "I hear that I've died." Would be the whispered tone that tickled their ears, the bound one might notice he had been made shirtless, and that the table in front of the cross was covered in implements of torture. Snetch barely had time to register an 'Oh shit," before pain thudded on the back of his head and the world went dark. He repeated the sentiment when he woke, bound to a cross, and saw with whom he was meeting. The beautiful goblin assistant dutifully pulled her parchment and magical quill from somewhere and began taking notes. Snetch swallowed heavily and once again said, "oh shit," while tearing his gaze away from Shyn and looking around. "Uh... do you take bribes? I would very much like to not die in the Cabbala like my predecessor and I have valuables I can trade. You can have my assistant???" He glanced at the assistant who was glaring at him and mutter, "what?!" The 'human' remained off to the side, seemingly checking over various tools of torture to reinforce the very role she had proposed in her letter. She had let her eyes turn black however just to further add to her cover, as if she was under the shade's influence. Perhaps even, this had all been arranged by Shyn. At least that was what she wanted the goblin assistant to believe. "Would you like to begin with the skinning knife or the shears?" When Shyn sneered it looked to most to just be a minor pressing of his lips together, and a slight exhalation of disapproval. To those that knew him it was quite a statement. "I do not take bribes, and who is to say we are in the Cabbala? You won't be alive to find out, this is not for you. Your fate has been decided by me, I'll start with the shears." He'd take the implement in his hand and look towards the assistant. "Depending on how well you write, which I will insist on approving before you send to your editor, you may find a favorable comment on the journalistic practices of your....review." Taking the shears he'd move to the goblins hand, carefully place a finger below the knuckle join, and apply just enough pressure to let out some blood, but no further letting him squirm a bit. "Firstly I hope you make it known that it is of utmost importance to me that any reporting to be done on me be verified with me......going forward." The shears would snap shut, with a sickening snap as the sharp implement rended flesh and bone. Snetch was screaming before the shears event touched his skin, it was an incomprehensible mix of common, orcish and goblin but the gist was pretty clear... he was terrified and begging for his life. The assistant watched, wide eyed, scribbling furiously and simply swallowed heavily and nodded at Shyn. She barely even blinked when a splatter of blood sprayed across her face and the parchment she was writing on. This wasn't her first rodeo, so to speak, she'd watched Snetch senior be devoured by the Hound. When the shears snapped shut Snetch let out a howl and immediately lost consciousness, the abrupt silence a stark contrast to his blabbering fear. A heart beat later he regained consciousness and went into a long continuous wail that seemed impossible... somehow he was wailing while breathing in as well as out! The screams were like a beautiful symphony to her ears, though the disguised ki-rin betrayed no reaction upon her features. She stood stoic and impassive to the plight of the goblin that was understandably freaking out. Her face remained vacant, eyes swirling with shadows. When she stepped forward to walk behind the goblin assistant, she made her movements stiff like a puppet being tugged along by unseen strings. Once behind the assistant, she'd loom over the female goblin's shoulder to peer down at the parchment. "Mind your words." She made her voice hollow and emotionless. "They may be your last if you anger him if he must waste time with too many revisions." Her hand rose, settling gently on the assistant's head in a mockery of a soothing gesture. "Best to get it right the first time, no?" The shade was not terribly impressed with the goblins composure, yes having ones limbs sheared was painful, but it was far from the worst thing. It was fast, immediately, then dull. Normally he'd bother himself with staunching the blood from the finger, but well....given the hyper condition of the subject the once kingpin didn't delude himself into thinking that he'd last very long. "So, one with the quill, tell me what you intend to write to repair my sullied reputation?" Shyn would set the sheers down quietly, and pick up the skinning knife, admiring the sharpness of the blade. "Now, normally I do not do this sort of thing unless I am acquiring worthy specimens. But in your case I will make an exception. Did you know that various cultures find the internal organs of a creature are worth their weight in silver, or gold, or jewels if one is so fortunate? Normally I take my time, and care, in removing such things, but alas I am not here to make money, or even to entertain myself with your screams. I am here to make a short and brutal point. I prefer to operate out of the limelight, I care NOT to see my name in the papers at all. BUT if it must be known, then I prefer it be in the ALIVE and well category. My clients do not take lightly news of my demise, and you have caused me no small amount of irritation. Irritating me has.....what might be considered repercussions no?" With the now writing assistant left to watch as her boss was carved up, skin being flayed, longer organs being removed and shown to her boss, and other demeaning things to his body, she would perhaps be left to wonder if the man was a maniac. But throughout his speech he was cold, calculating, and unfeeling. His words while having heft and passion in them were spoken in the soft and whispered manner of an older teacher. Perhaps a set of contradictions this dark skinned and cold man. Snetch Junior was not doing well. The sight of Shyn's next tool and the words that came with it, made the goblin lose consciousness again. His secretary, however, was far more composed (or at least wrote that she was more composed). "I only write what I see," she managed to stammer out. "I don't write the news part, just the descriptions," even as she spoke she continued to write. Sitting a little straighter she clears her throat, "perhaps sir would like to tell me what to write?" Omako tsked softly at how quickly Snetch faded into unconsciousness again. No wonder goblins were at the low end of the totem pole amongst the orcs if only a little finger snipping was enough to undo the creature. Still, she understood that the goblin was ultimately doomed. It was the lasting impact on the assistant that would prove important. Her hands fell on the assistant's shoulders from behind, fingers digging in just hard enough to be painful, but not draw blood. Yet. "Your bosses' paper has put his reputation in doubt." Her voice was cold, no longer that vacant haunted echo of the disguise she'd been presenting so far just to add further confusion. "I am certain a clever goblin like you can think of something. Or do you require further demonstrations?" Shyn stood there thoughtfully, leather gloves covered in the entrails and viscera of a disemboweled goblin, he was rather upset the creature wasn't even aware to see his own intestines. Oh well. Placing the greenskins intestine in his hand, just in case he should wake up, he'd turn to watch Omako's coldly speaking to the female. He'd raise his hand. "No no, it is wise for her to inquire what I wish for her to write. As I said, if things are to be written about me I would prefer to have input, if not straight ... instruction or even not to write at all. In this case I would demand that a correction be stated, that I am very much alive, and insinuate.....that the previous writer met with an unfortunate demise for printing something about me that was not approved. Do you think you are capable of doing such?" He didn't want to come out and say "Shyn killed the idiot for printing nonsense about him" but He did want that idea planted nonetheless. "Oh, and do send me an advanced copy before printing....in case some revisions are needed." The manner He said that was unsettling as he cleaned the knife. Snetch's beautiful assistant wasn't about to leave anything to chance. She leaned over the parchment already containing the bulk of the exchange between them. Glancing at Snetch's body she swallows heavily and begins to write. She wasn't a reporter! She was the person who wrote down what took place! After a moment she sat up and read out, "reporting alive from the bowels of the Cabbala, in the presence of a very much living Shyn, is... me... Snetchalina, the latest GGN reporter in her trial by fire. My predecessor has been disemboweled for his folly and I will definitely not be reporting anything further about the Cabbala's powerful denizens!" Omako nodded her head slowly even though she tsked faintly in annoyance, eyes darkening for a few moments even if only Shyn could see them. She had taken on the role of assisting the shade, even leaving it questionable if the 'human' was doing so of her own free will or was being controlled through dark magic. After-all, the goal was to ensure Shyn's reputation. When Snetchalina read the report out loud, she hummed in consideration. "Hm. Disemboweled... I suppose such a threat will discourage further misrepresentation in the future. But... is it enough? Will others in your little organization take this warning to heart?" Shyn was feeling in a rather dramatic mood, and would stab the knife into the table to stand upright as a warning. "I would strongly encourage that your column do well to remember that unlike most organizations the Cabbala does not like to be......commented upon in a fashion that makes us known. You may indeed post such a simplistic account and you will find that it will not bring me to your doorstep. But I will hold you personally responsible if my name is printed without my direct permission." He'd gesture to Omako to let the journalist go. "I hope never to see you again." Comments are closed.
|
EditorM. Noteworthy prefers to remain anonymous. You, dear reader, will never meet them. Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|