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[Omath Erius]

Dobar Murakonul, Swordsdwarf of Lor Ruzos "The tool of Extrication" pulls up to the border of Tulonkithin known in the human tounge has, "Roadcactus". Sent here to investigate the mysterious stoppage in contact between the fortress and the main kingdom. He pulls hs waterskin out, and takes a quick swig.

His painfully long trek to the fortress was reaching its climax as he arrives at the southern wall, he pulles the description of the fortress from his rucksack, and quickly examines the defenses.

As last reported, the main source of water doubles as a moat, defining tghe border of the entrance, directly adjacent to the moat on the inside is a massive wall. The only way past the wall and into the moat is across one of three briges, one bridge on the Southern wall, one on the Western, and one on the Northern. Three towers are set up along the Western wall, providing a way to look out and identify all who intend to enter.

The description carried on well beyond this excerpt, but this was all that was needed.

Dobar looks to his right, what was once a farm is now row after row of withered and dying dimple cups. He then shifts his vision upward, to the southern tower, he calls out,

"Heeeeeey! I'm a friendly!"

No response.

"Anyone up there?"

Nothing.

Discouraged, Dobar proceeds to walk along the perimiter, searching for signs of life, he stops at the western bridge, made entirely of some pure, bright yellow material, though it was dark, and Dobar could not determine exactly WHAT material. The main entrance, this bridge was masterfully designed, and it was a shame he would not be able to enter through it.

After arriving at the far northern section of the wall, Dobar came to the conclusion that there was no way to penetrate it. Frustrated, he observes his surroundings, a plain of rocky flint soil, a short distance to the north was a small shack, directly behind that was the clifface.

About to give up and return to the mountainhomes a failure, Dobar is struck with an idea, and he plunges into the moat.

Success! the flow of water is able to carry him into the fortress, where he grabs hold of one of the pumps, used to transport water to the makeshift farmsoil. He thrusts his hand up to the lever atop the pump, and uses the grip to lift himself up onto ground level.

The room he was now in gave of an errie aura, it was apparantly intended as indoor farmland, but the ground was viciously trodden, and there was no sign of any growth across the entire field.

Feeling uneasy, he lights a lantern and sets off to find the truth, muttering to himself,
"What the hell happened here?"

((I'm not going to bother continuing this if noone likes it, if you do read it, I heavily encourage you to comment on it.))

[ricemastah]

Give me more!

[Lemnx]

I want more!

The suspense is wonderful! I need answers!

[Armok]

agh! cliffhanger!

continue.

[Omath Erius]

"Nothing." is the thought which passes through Dobar's head as he passes out of the empty plot into the unknown. T'was an accurate description, for there truely is nothing to be found, no corpses, no decorations, and with the exception of a small ledge which he stood on, no floor. The trickling of water from the canals tells him that the drop is small enough to chance, though it may be amplified by the lack of any other noise withing earshot of his current position. Bracing himself, Dobar hops off into the darkness, and crashes with a thud on the smoothed floor below. He stands up, brushes the dust off his clothes, and examines his surroundings. There are upward ramps to his left and right, a wooden retaining wall down center serves as a makeshift pipe, channeling water to the lower levels. He notices a door across the hall from him, and busts it open. Inside, Dobar finds a massive kennel complex, the walls were lined with entryways to halls, whose walls were lined wih entryways to other halls and so on. At the end of each hall is a cage, inspection reveals that each and every cage is empty, and all had been forcefully opened. That is, instead of opening the door, a large hole had been punched in each cage and every cage, a few had drips of dried and unidentifiable blood scattered abnout them.

   Realizing there is nothing to be gathered from staring at empty cages, Dobar returns to the hall he entered from, and finds a second door in the upper left, a complete opposite of the one leading to the kennels. On the other side of this door was a bedroom, a small room more than liely meant for a peasant, but a bedroom nonetheless. Along the eastern wall, a few engravings were made, though Dobar could not see what they depicted, as they had been vandalized by a smelly black tar substance. Tipped the bed is a cabinet, the only piece of furniture Dobar had seen so far. Kicking the cabintet open reveals a tattered robe. Dobar opens his rucksack, and places the robe inside. "evidence" he thinks. Proceeding out the room's other exit, Dobar finds himself in a small room containing doors to three other such bedrooms, and a staircase down. Not seeing why any other bedoom would be different, he proceeds down the stairs and out of the bedroom complex. Out in this room all he can spot is a catapult. after a quick inspection which insures it is loaded, he fires the device, if nothing else to see why it's there. It flies off down into a pit. Seconds later a scream is heard from below. Following the rock, Dobar finds thescreams origin. An unlucky goblin thief had been struck in the lower body with the projectile, and now lies dead on the floor. In the thief's right hand, an iron pick, in his left is a book.

   An inspection reveals the book is actually a journal, a log of events past. "Jackpot." he mutters to himself as he locks the door and beginsto page through the journal.

((At this point, i'm at a loss for what to do next, so i'll just ask what y'all want. I can either:

1.) Recite the log in its entirety, a la community fortresses.

2.) Tell all the important major events, stories, and people leaving out unimportant things like that fourth dwarven caravan or beginning construction of a wall.*

3.) Brief summary of the fortress, as in REALLY short.

Before you answer, the fortress lasts roughly nine years, and the events have actually already occured, I just need to write them.

*I personally prefer this 'un, in the event of a tie it's what i'll use.))

[Torak]

2.

[Mulch Diggums]

1.

[Lemnx]

Number two... but I want a mix of number one thrown in.

Make it like an investigation show with a mystery to be solved.

As the dwarf reads the journal he figures out the events of the fortress, then you cut in with the story.

[Omath Erius]

I've never been one to disobey Gods of Gods, or for that matter Olympian Deities, Titans, Hecatoncheires, Cyclopses, Dryads, Naiads, Nereids, or Giants.

Story I: The missing floor.

   The original design for the fortress was to start on the eastern edge and dig a grand entryway, immieadtly outside of the dining hall would be a small dip in elevation which would be filled roughly waist deep in water. Dwarves heading to eat would swim through the drop and wash the muck off their clothes, this is what the canals are for, to manually channel water into the dip when need be. There were two major problems with this however firstly, the dwarven technology was limited to levers at the time, and the delay made filling and refilling without over-flooding near-impossible. Secondly, the ramps consistantly collapsed on themselves for reasons still unknown, they had to be redug further and further out untill almost the entire hallway was "missing a floor". The effort was not wasted, as the northern canal was used for irrigation, (and later as Dobar's entryway) the southern canal's water was later channeled down va the makeshift pipe to the arena/execution chamber.

Story II: Mass extinction

There was no river at Roadcactus, just a brook, the only fish were turtles. As such, only one fisherdwarf was ever commissioned, who was part of the original party. Despite this, this one fisherdwarf was a master of his craft, by year 5 every single turtle in the entirity of the area was caught and processed. Despite what you may read in the story of one-eyed mosus, by year seven all signs of wildlife in Roadcactus had been obliterated. Even so, there was sadly a constant supply of bones for craftsmaking in Roadcactus.

Story III: The beginning of armed forces.

   The first army of Tulonkithin was commissioned immieadtly after the first wave of migrants arrived. and grew to it's final size of five dwarves after the second wave. Each dwarf was clad in full iron armor and trained to use an iron sword. The masterful axes, headed by the author of this journal Ber Akmeshathel fought in only one battle before it's "replacement", The Battle Of Broken Spirits in year three.

Sazir Nanirsolon, former Clothier: Took his position as defender of the newborn fortress extremly seriously, spoke gravely on all matters.

Led 'Zepplin' Stukonlogem, former Cheese Maker: youngest of the squad, an energetic, thrill-seeking type who hated "serious business" discussions.

Onol Fathsokan, former Soap Maker: Theorized to suffer from brain damage, and the only one never to become proficient with a weapon. Often slow to show any reaction to any event, simply does the first thing that pops into his tiny little head.

Ast Udeshber, former Wood Burner: Married to the fortresses only fisherdwarf, Onul Torasunib. She carried her younger of two sons into battle with her. She was incredibly friendly, often helped others, and was willing to make compromises, but somewhat of a coward.

Ber Akmeshathel, former Mason: The protagonist of our tale. The events of Broken Spirits haunted her forever. As such, she has intense hatred for all of goblin kind, she feels unfavorably about herself, she is very competitive, but quick to make friends.

Story IV: The Battle Of Broken Spirits

   In Late Spring of the third year the goblin armies engaged in their first hostilities against Roadcactus. Although technicially a siege, the force consisted of only one squadron of goblin squadron, though they still outnumbered the dwarven forces 2.2 : 1. The forces hadn't quite been properly trained yet, they consisted of four "regular" swordsdwarves, and a recruit who hadn't quite picked up the skill yet. The battleplan was simple, keep the forces back and lure them into a row of traps, the goblin fools would walk into the traps and be thorwn into chaos, at this point the dwarves would rush in and kill just enough to send them running off. Something was wrong however, eventually the dwarven forces realized their mistake, the northern wall had yet to be built, and the goblins were going to rush in and slaughter the clueless innocents inside.

   Forced into a hasty relocation, the dwarves only managed to cut off the goblins because they could cross over the northern canal, while the enemy had to go around.

( Dobar notices an extreme change in the handwriting here, unlike the previous which was simple and plain, this writing was strong, emotional. It was also written in human tounge, while all prior entries were written in Dwarven.)

Entry log:
   To the reader, my name is Avus Cattendotstob, because Ber did not wish to have to think about petty things such as how she would record the battle in the middle of a fight, she has entrusted me to record any and all fights for the log in her place.

   After a hasty shift in position, the forces are now colliding and... success! Onol has grabbed hold of one of the enemies swords! hes wrestling it free, I think he has it! wait, by Shesham, what just happened? I think they- yes, confirmed Onol's left leg has been severed, he has flown back a few paces and now lays there, incapacitated and writhing in pain. I can't focus on him though i need to be wathing the- by Armok whats happening! Led has left his guard down! he was pierced through the throat and is now being waved around like a bloody flag of death! Sazir, hes trying to rescue Led, but it's too late, he tackles the offending goblin to the ground, and ends its life, but Led's mutilated corpse goes flying off.

   All thats left is Ber and Ast, Ast... her right arm has been sliced off, and with it, the rucksack she carried her child in, in an act of mercy, shes covering the sack with her defenseless body, as if trying to give her life to save her child's. A swordsman quickly kills her, then, raises his sword again and... I can't watch this.

   By Armok, this isn't a fight, it's a slaughter! I'm screaming for Ber to run, but she can't hear me, or doesn't want to. She looks incredibly calm, almost in a trance, she leaps into the air! over the first row of goblins and into the center of the ravenous pack. She swings her sword to and fro, I want to turn away, avoid seeing her brutally killed, but... shes not being killed! the goblins foolish enough to get close are collapsing at her feet! She lets out a ferocious roar! The goblins, three of them left, they're terrified! they're running away! Victory! Ber has collpased to the ground, doesn't appear to be hurt, just exhausted. The Battle of Broken Spirits for so it shall be named, ends in victory of the dwarves. I must leave now, to congradulate the hero, theck her wounds, and help bury the dead.

(Endentrylog)

To this day those four that died are the only dwarves ever to be buried in the hero's graveyard. All were buried with a statue behind their coffin, with the exception of Ast. The coffin of her dead child instead rested snugly alongside hers.

   Dobar, remembering the thief lying on the floor beside her, rushed off to the heroes graveyard. Upon his arival, he dropped his sword in awe at the sight.

Matching the description, a masterfully crafted statue of the heroic soldier made of pure platinum stood towering over the ghraves and standing sentinel against would-be thieves, with the exception of the one grave on the far end. where it was simply decorated with another grave, roughly half the size of the others, suspended over it. An inspection revealed they had not been looted, and Dobar quickly gathers up the bones, and places them in his rucksack so they can later recieve another proper burial back at The Mountainhomes.

This simple and "grave" task was completed quickly, and Dobar retreats back to the room she found the book in, and resumes reading.

 

quote:Originally posted by Lemnx:
<STRONG>Number two... but I want a mix of number one thrown in.

Make it like an investigation show with a mystery to be solved.

As the dwarf reads the journal he figures out the events of the fortress, then you cut in with the story.</STRONG>

Aye, thats what I planned on doing, tell all the major stories, while also throwing in excerpts from the log, aswell as Dobar's actions throughout.

The general plan for format, is two minor stories, one major story, and a misc.

[ April 15, 2008: Message edited by: Omath Erius ]