The Slaughter of Lime Bulb City

A terrible event in Lime Bulb City.

General Fince Varn
Refugees were a common arrival to the more prosperous Human cities ever since the Raising, and Lime Bulb City was no exception. Refugees were welcomed into society with no more restrictions than any other citizen and could rise to ranks of respect and power.

Fince Varn arrived as a refugee from the second razing of Head Light City. He immediately impressed his superiors at the bucket factory where he found employment, his quick wit and strong capability for strategic thinking clearly evident. Military officials caught word of his rapid promotions and brought him into their ranks, where he rose equally quickly to the position of general within 2 years of his arrival.

As general he worked closely with the government, instituting many successful reforms in productivity, public health, and infrastructure. He became known for his generosity after changing the Bee charity system to collect continuously and send runs twice a year.

Starvation & Potatoes
Slowly, an unpleasant and unfamiliar situation began to develop in Lime Bulb City. Although the city still remained safe from Owl attacks and collected enough limes to guarantee each worker 400 pounds of limes a year in pay, starving children were appearing. Within six months, it no longer seemed that the limes were enough. Unprecedented numbers of citizens were facing the real threat of death by starvation.

As the people and government panicked alike, turning to the lime god for answers and sustenance, Fince Varn remained calm and revealed his experimental contact with another Human city in preparation for a possible food disaster in the future. He arranged for a relatively small test shipment of potatoes from the city, prompting excitement and intrigue about this new potential food source.

The potatoes arrived and were planted and tended. They were to be ready for harvest in six months.

Slaughter of Lime Bulb City
On a warm night, the residents of Lime Bulb City went to bed in preparation for the coming potato harvest. In such a crimeless town, many windows and doors were left open to let in any breeze. As for any harvest, Lime Bulb City rested in wait.

In the hydroponic fields, the approximately 5,000 potatoes began to move of their own accord and rose from their ditches. They were not potatoes, but Potatowls developed in Owl Leaf City. With bodies of potato but functioning minds, crystal magnetic implants and razor-sharp beaks and winks, the Potatowls were fully living beings. They spread throughout the city and waited.

After midnight, the Potatowls began to hoot in a bloodcurdling crescendo, then swooped in to attack the sleeping Humans before they could wake or make sense of the situation. The Potatowls were vicious and ruthless killers, targetting adults and children alike, and killing them in brutally quick ways. Their hooting was said to be heard in Light Bulb City that night, so still was the air and so loud the sound.

End of the Slaughter
When the attack begun, Finch Varn removed his disguise and revealed his true identity as an Owl of Owl Leaf City. After 24 hours of the slaughter he absconded to the capital, Owl One City, and met with then Owlking, Benjelo Roadster. In his true identity as Finch Skycrest he was heralded as a hero for discovering a powerful new means of destroying Human cities without military engagement.

Some Humans somehow found shelter from the bloodthirsty and unrelenting horde, but within 48 hours of their awakening, the Potatowls had slaughtered all but 40,000 of Lime Bulb City's 1 million residents. The 48 hour point marked the end of the brutal massacre, when weaponised locusts originating from the Bee city of String Bee City arrived and devoured the Potatowls within 2 short hours. The few survivors were able to come out from hiding, only to see the devastation that had been enacted on their city.

It became clear that Finch Varn's new collection system for the Bees had not been going to the Bees at all, but had been diverted to Owl Leaf City. Although Owls could not consume the limes due to a potentially fatal allergic reaction, they were interested in studying them and subsequently using concentrated lime juice. It could be used to blind Humans in cities that were not as used to limes as the source city, and within the Owl cities it found use as a punishment tool for criminals and traitors.

String Bee City was one of the chief recipients of aid from Lime Bulb City and quickly noticed that the charity runs had not arrived on time. Ever trusting, the Bees assumed something had gone wrong and managed to determine the nature of the problem from Refubees in the midst of the slaughter. They immediately sent their specially-developed weaponised locusts to destroy the Potatowls and so ceased the bloodbath.