Ve hunt!

Dey vants me to keep a log for dis contest, ja? Dot's vhat dis iz de schtart of. I iz Dimo, Navigator of de 4423, und my friends Maxim und Jenka iz coming vith me for our portion of de contest. Maxim lost hiz right hand many years ago, und op until a few months ago, had a nize mechanical vun dot took de place of de flesh. De mechanical vun haz schtopped vorking, zo ve iz going back to Mechanicsburg, our home, to ask our Mistress to give him a new vun, also of flesh. Ve's also going to zee if ve can find vun of our odder friends, Ognian, who ve hazn't zeen in a little over five years.

I haz written a letter to de Mistress already letting her know dot ve's coming, und it should be dere in enough time before ve iz to let tings be ready for us. I haz also chartered a schmall airship to take us as far as de edge of de Badlands, but de pilot of de ship vould not take us farther. From dere, it vill all be on foot, or horseback if ve's lucky und can find mounts. Ve should be back vell vithin de month.

Anodder day, anodder assassination. Vonder how much vorse de guy who's coming to take de Ivonan prezident's job iz going to be den de vun vhat just got bumped off?

Vun man iz dead. Vhatever. Life goes on.

Eidder vay, iz schtarting to smell more und more like var every day.

I iz gonna be de most help vhen ve ektually boards de ship. For now, I iz gonna make sure dot everyvun dot's going iz armed und knows basic use of it. If hyu hazn't got a veapon, meet me in de armory.

Got vun but not doing anyting elze? Meet me dere too. Ve vill plan part of de attack, strategize, und get de ropes ready for svinging across to de target in true pirate fashion.