We have chosen a site on the border of a lush frozen forest and a glacier. Conveniently located between the two it has everything an Armok-faring dwarf could need to survive.
I suppose some introductions are in order. I am Gemadi Okirsibrek, High Priest of Armok, and I have been chosen to lead this expedition to found a grand Temple of Armok within this valley. We chose this spot only because of the fine red stone Bauxite and Kaolinite which shall be used to construct the grand temple.
I bring with me 4 Armok-faring stout dwarven miners capable of quickly clearing the way to the red stone concealed beneath the earth. Their names are unimportant, They are simple servants of Armok. I also bring with me a capable carpenter and woodsman, and a skilled Grower to provide us with food and ingredients for the all important alcohol. As should be any Priest of Armok, I am well trained in the ways of the church as well as concocting fine alcoholic beverages for our dwarves to consume.
We bring with us a number of alcohol filled barrels, some plump helmets, 6 picks, an axe and a number of animals. I do not condone bringing such filthy animals into the sacred halls of Armok, but the heathens refuse to come without them. Hmph, we shall see about that.
We arrive in the valley fine, minus a few animals which have mysteriously disappeared on the long trip from the mountain halls. The miners give me a dirty look when I proclaim this land Tomefalls, but wisely say nothing.
Diary of Cerol Ostgoden, Miner with the Tomefalls expedition
So we finally arrive, here at the future site of the " Grand Temple of Armok ".
The first thing we see upon entering the valley are Muskox and Elk tracks fresh in the snow, Dastot, our woodsman and carpenter licks her lips and asks if we plan to do any hunting. We have been eating nothing but Plump Helmets for the last 4 months, and while as a dwarf I do enjoy my mushrooms I must admit I as well would like some fresh meat. But looking at the tracks I get a chill down my spine.. this place feels... strange, almost dangerous. When I speak my feelings Father Gemadi replies that he feels the same way, as any should who enter a land watched so closely by Armok. Silence follows his words, punctuated only by the howling wind as it rips over the ridge above us.
Transcript, By the loyal servant of Armok Gemadi Okirsibrek.
I have located the perfect spot, just up the hill from where we have begun unloading our Wagons. It overlooks the valley, and frozen brook. The area looks positively frightening with the mountains looming in the background. I can only imagine how terrifying it will look when the massive blood red Grand Temple of Armok towers over onlookers. As I gaze, transfixed upon the mountain ranges, my mind in deep thought I begin to hear a sound. It is not a sound I have ever heard before, nor hope to hear again. It is a long moan, much like a musk-ox. But we have no musk-ox, for I refused to ride in a wagon pulled by such ugly beasts.
The sound comes to me again, sending a chill down my spine. My first instinct is to flee, but how foolish would it look to the dwarves unloading the wagon just down the hill, to see a mighty priest of Armok fleeing from some unseen sound? It's probably just a native musk-ox.. Although it does not sound like any I have heard before. I turn and force myself to slowly walk back down to the wagon where I order the miners to begin digging on the top of the hill.
Diary of Cerol Ostgoden
We've finally gotten the orders to begin excavation, The plan is to dig a shaft straight down to the layers of red stone, and then begin digging out a large circular room on each level. These rooms will eventually be used as a Mausoleam for highly ranked members of the church, but for now they will serve as quarters and storage areas as well as farming and production for the tools we need to finish the job. There is also another area to be mined, later on when most of the temple is finished. This would be a large shaft down the center of the circle.. What they plan to use it for, I know not. I dare not ask either.
Excavation goes smoothly, and the months pass. It is now Autumn and we are expecting a supply caravan soon, although we remain well stocked. It is a good thing that Father Gemadi was thoughtful enough to bring plenty of alcohol, the work is particuarally grueling down in the red stone layer. Nevertheless, we have attained plenty of red stone to begin building the temple, and Father Gemadi has asked us to mine him out a fine, smoothed room within the red stone layer that he might feel closer to Armok, we do as he asks.
Transcript, Loyal servant of Armok Gemadi Okirsibrek
Most of the excavation is finished, only the center remains. As for its use, even I do not know. I am not privvy to the secrets of the Archbishop, I can only assume it will be a grand tribute to Armok.
I have had a fine room and office carved for myself out of the red stone deep within the earth. I run my hands over the smoothed walls every day and feel that much closer to Armok himself. The grand temple does not seem so far away, now, as every day we stockpile more and more Bauxite and Kaolinite. I order the miners to remove the ramps leading up to the hilltop, where the temple is planned to go. We are to build a platform out of red stone, in the valley below, which will hold a bridge, the only way across to the hilltop on which we stand. I order a temporary ramp built so that the stone may be moved faster. As I stand near the grand construction site I notice something off in the distance, it is the dwarven supply caravan we were promised!
I quickly order some stone trade goods up to the top in a well made pine storage container just as the Caravan arrives. The liaison from the mountainhome greets me warmly. He is a regular attendee of my sermons. We make some trade arrangements for the next year and he waves goodbye as he disappears over the mountain ranges. After trading for most of the caravan's meat products and some plump helmets they begin to pack their belongings and leave.
Excerpt from a letter written by Dastot Eribtogal to her family back in the mountainhomes:
Meat, Finally, Meat! Armok be praised, that blasted priest has finally done something right! I can hardly believe that i've been forced to sit through his droning sermons for the past months and all i've gotten to show for it is a bit of booze and some stinking mushrooms. I even resorted to taking time out of my tree felling to do a bit of hunting on my own. Unfortunately my hunt proved quite futile. Though there were many tracks, I could find no animals in the near blizzard conditions year round here. I was beginning to regret ever signing on, Armok be damned, until the Caravan arrived with meat. Having finished my meal, the most enjoyable i've had all year even despite the priest's boring sermon during meal time, I heft my fine steel battleaxe and head out into the freezing cold to chop some more trees and make way for this accursed temple.
Despite being cold, I notice some more tracks around my work area.. Even though I have just eaten, I can't help but want for a good kill. I've been practicing with my axe in secret, just for a moment like this. I look around to make sure nobody is watching and find that the rest are busy hauling those red rocks to a huge stockpile some distance away. I won't be missed.
I slip off into the gathering darkness, intent on catching some prey. I hear a strange moan off to my right.. It sounds somewhat like a Musk-ox in distress. I quickly sneak over to the area. What I see next scares me so soundly I can scarcely recall the next few moments. A Zombie Musk-ox is busy tearing the flesh off a freshly killed wolf, That's right, a bleedin Armok blasted ZOMBIE Musk-ox. I nearly wet myself in terror as I turn blindly and flee in the other direction, I barely even know where i'm going at this point, It's so dark and the snow is really picking up. I hear a trumpeting call from behind me, I think the Musk-ox has noticed me now and is calling to its kin. Finally I make my way back to the site of the platform, half finished. I can't hear the wind over the sound of my heart beating and heavy breathing. I run into the tunnels and find everybody sleeping. Despite my terror I can't resist falling asleep myself, I make my way down to my bed and lie down.
Diary of Cerol Ostgoden
After a night of hard work, we retire to our beds. Waking up the next morning we move into the dining hall to find Dastot waiting for us, she begins bawling and telling us a story about a Zombie Musk-ox that she found in the woods, the sheer terror in her face as she relates her grim tale strikes fear into the hearts of all of us, except perhaps Father Gemadi. He attempts to calm her down, assuring her that Armok would let no such abominations near the site of his future grand temple. This calms the other dwarves somewhat, but Dastot refuses to venture outside again, claiming she is now on her break.
We cautiously resume work on the platform for the drawbridge over to the hill, there are Musk-ox and Elk tracks everywhere. With the knowledge that these fiends are not among the living everyone is on edge, including Father Gemadi, who instead of overseeing the construction like usual remains underground " Updating stockpile records " which are apparently much more important than overseeing the construction of a crucial peice of the grand temple. I could tell him that there are 20 stones left in the stockpile up here with a single glance, but we both know that isn't really why he's down there.
Transcript, Loyal servant of Armok Gemadi Okirsibrek
Having finished consoling the fear stricken Dastot I retire to my office, to update the stockpile records which must be kept precise for the Archbishop's files. Work continues quickly despite the cold and zombie elks, which I have assured the workers, would not dare tread on Armok's sacred ground. The Platform is finally complete by spring of the following year. We commemorate the occasion with a small party, accompanied by much alcohol consumption and meat eating. Even Dastot seems roused out of her usual moody ways by the festivity. Later that day I am informed that the Elven Caravan has been seen arriving. Why the elves bother to come, I know not. The tree worshipping heathens should not be allowed on this sacred ground. I brace myself and prepare to walk into the freezing air to rebuke them for coming here.
Diary of Cerol Ostgoden
[This page is stained with blood, and torn in places]
The elves, The Armok forsaken elves. He's dead, you know. Father Gemadi, that is. He never saw it coming. As he walked out into the snow to tell the elves to bugger off a Skeletal Elk charged from the blizzard and struck him down with one blow of its mighty horns. The beast retreated into the blizzard as the elves arrived in the Trade Depot. They were fooling nobody, We knew about their nefarious plans. As we waited inside Dastot charged past us, axe raised high screaming bloody murder at the elves. They began to scatter as the Skeletal Elk reappeared from the blizzard charging straight for her. She raised her axe, not afraid anymore and met the elk toe to toe. She cleaved the bleedin thing into tiny fragments with one blow. We were stunned.
Then HE came. The Zombie Musk-ox that she had told us about. With him were a pack of Skeletal Elks and skeletal Musk-ox. Dastot froze in place, terror in her eyes once again as she relived the memories of it tearing the wolf apart. Her axe fell to the ground and was quickly buried by snow. The Zombie Musk-ox wasted no time charging into her, goring her straight through with one sharpened bone tusk. The lower half of her body landed near the entrance, spraying us with blood and painting the stones red.
The three other miners with me started screaming and tearing at their beards in frustration. The musk-ox let loose a loud call and began eating the remains of Dastot. It was too much, just too much.. The other miners snapped and hefted their picks, charging straight at the zombie Musk-ox who seemed preoccupied with eating the remains. They had forgotten about the pack of skeletal ox and elk with him. Within seconds they were torn to shreds, only a blood splatter and gore on the snow. As I sit here now, deep within the circular halls I hear another scream, and then nothing. They must have gotten the grower.. It's just me now. I hear hooves on the blood red stone, the cursed blood red stone that we came here for. Goodbye, my love, Take care of Zasit and tell him that daddy loved him.
I started a fortress and it got smashed by skeletal elk and zombie musk-ox. It prompted me to write this story about the occasion. Some parts are embellished for reading enjoyment but this is basicly what happened. It actually turned out much longer than I expected, considering I had barely a year to play around with. I may decide to reclaim and try again, it was a very interesting area and I'd like to get this temple up and running. May or may not write a story about it.
[ January 28, 2008: Message edited by: Hypcso ]
Author
Topic: Tomefalls, 1051 (Read 945 times)