Diary of Bim3rd Opal, 152
The new baby Melbil is a beautiful little boy! How I love him! Domas has truly been MY Rock this whole time. He even ran down to the mines to help me with little Melbil when he popped out on the staircase. I know Father had told me I should be in bed so late in the pregnancy, but screw him and his silly rules! Melbil is just fine no matter what. I think everyone's really happy to see some new life, ever since... Inod. I just hope that doesn't happen to my Melbil.
The abbey is looking nicer and nicer each day, too. Adil and Alath have told us that plans for finishing up the dining room are starting now that the roof is done and the scaffolding has been *safeley* removed. Thank gods! I think everyone feels safer now that it's finished - no more Inods. Father has also directed us to construct a better entrance: now we've got a long walkway to go through and put the dogs at the far end so we can see anyone coming before it's too late. I think we're all going to be safe now.
Diary of Dumed10th Granite, 153Long winter. No snow so low in the hills, but it's been damn cold. Just got colder. Feels like
Snakeghouls all over again. Dogs were out front, barking up a storm other night. Someone went out to check and saw they were chasing off some thief. Said the thief looked a bit big, but no problem, those dogs are bigger. So, went back inside and rejoined the party. We were celebrating the new year with a week-long party from 1st-7th Granite. As the door closed, I heard the dogs barking far off in the distance. They'd be back before long, I thought. Never thought what would happen next.
All of a sudden, the candles went out and the torches started flickering terribly. Shadows going up and down everywhere - the fires. For a moment I was lost in my past, and I was seeing that grand city coming down into ashes. I must've drank too much. Next thing I knew everyone was screaming. Goblins.
Goblins. Been used to seeing them, we've got plenty back at the Brass, use em for kitchen staff and farmhands and the like. Ever since we stopped them to pieces at '
Ghouls they've had little fight left in them.
Gleamedprofane proved that well enough.They lost thousands at the 'Ghouls and by the time we got to Gleamed they just threw down. Think we took a few dozen prisoners there.
Anyway, lost myself for a moment... Right... So, there they were. These weren't the kitchen staff sort, though I'm sure Reg wished they were, some sort of new year's gift from her husband. No, first thing the fuckers did was rush at Bim. She's usually quite quick, but she just stood there amazed. Right in the middle of our party, dozens standing about, and here's goblins. And the
one took out a silver dagger and stuck it right in her baby, just shoved it right in. The blood came out and Bim just dropped the thing and the goblin snatched it up and ran off. Don't see why it had to stab the poor child first. The others made a scene for a short while, but we regrouped quickly and they all ran right back out. After coming to her senses, Bim gave chase, but she's all out of those bolts and she couldn't catch them. She came back an hour later, exhausted. Still, she didn't look so bad. Almost smiled. I can't understand that one - baby's blood on her and she's sitting right back down, getting a drink, and cracking a joke.
Wish that was all the bad news, though. Next day, Father goes out to talk to the dwarven liaison from Brass. Seems they had some issues. Those guys came here, didn't even bother to unload their goods, took some drink and food, rested, then packed it all back up. That was weeks past. But the liaison has kept around, talking to Father. Seen them leaving at all hours to go talk in the woods. Guess it's not for us to hear, but I've heard enough shouting from afar to know they aren't too happy with each other. They did their best to conceal it, but even when they came back into the abbey they were clearly not best friends or anything. This guy was more than just a merchant - he was too well dressed. A noble, almost. Think he might be from the order, or maybe from the Assembly. I'd guess the latter - doesn't seem like an Ageless. Perhaps he was coming to check in on our progress. Guess he didn't like what he saw and heard.
So, comes the 7th, end of the new year week, and Father and him are out early morning hashing out their final discussions. Guy's leaving for the Brass next day, just stuck around for the celebrations. Next thing I know, Bim's come running through the front door screaming to
PULL THE LEVER! Never seen her so scared, not even when those gobs stuck her babe. So, I did what anyone would do and pulled the thing. Not one to question that sort of command. Learned that in the wars -
when someone screams to pull a lever, you better fucking pull the thing and now.She says she was out tracking the gobs when she heard Father and the liaison screaming louder than usual. She ran over and it was
an ambush. Gobs everywhere, swords and armor. Not like before, not some thieves, this was a proper squad. Everyone else was inside but the father, so we waited for him to return, and waited...
Said last she saw of him was he and the liaison were running to the south, but the gobs were gaining on them. Said they were heading straight for Father and the liaison was making a nice getaway, no one on
his tail. Says only place Father coulda gone was Inod's tomb, but I'm not going out to check. Libash and Reg are in tears, but nothing we can do now. I told that guy we needed to start training a militia, but he would have none of it - abbey construction first. Forges are needed for making silver tiles for the dining room floor, not steel for armor and bolts. Well, if we find him,
I'll be sure to make a nice silver tomb for his dead ass. It won't be a Becorduthnur, but it'll be nice all the same.
Diary of Zefon21st of Malachite, 153Goblins finally left. An elven caravan came from the west, and well, the goblins found better things to do than sit around our gate looking menacing and waving that rotten arm around saying, "you look hungry in there, can we give you a hand?"
Jackasses. Killed a cat and shot the ear off of one of the kittens, too. Can't say I hate them more for that, though. Bit of a favor, really. Still jackasses, though.
Really, who shoots a kitten?First thing I did was to organize a search party for Father. Odds were very low we'd find him, and we did, but dead, so not really.
Everyone's a bit shaken up about it, but we had a lot of time to prepare for this, so it's not too bad. I think all the dead dogs hurt more - I swear these people aren't dwarven... I had a royal mausoleum built at the edge of the grounds for him. A reflection pool will lead up to it in time... Trollslayer is pissed solid, though. I requisitioned Becorduthnur for the Father. Now Dumed is screaming murder, but in hushed tones. Old man's too old to do much else. Ha.
Anyway, we found Father on a hillside to the south. Looks like it was a quick and clean death - one devastating cut through his skull, no other wounds. Doesn't look like he put up much of a fight either, though, but I guess as he wasn't armed it's not his fault... Didn't see shit of the liaison's, though. Think we found some dropped papers - that's it. Looked and looked, but he's gone and seemingly in one piece. Father's just in two, but they're two fairly important pieces that shouldn't get apart.
Then we found the elves - unarmed? Got two full wagons of goods from it, though, including
a caged grizzly bear. Yeaah. Already training it for war. Let's see the gobs wave that hand around with a bloodthirsty GRIZZLY BEAR charging at them. Hey,
I like this new way of trading! Serves them right for getting all pissy about that larch bin.
Anyway, we put Father to rest earlier today. Had a simple ceremony, walked him in to his resting place. The new militia's doing well. Bim's teaching us well, and the six of them will be experts in no time. Let's see the goblins try us again...
The only question now is what the fuck happened with that liaison... Word is he asked Mebzuth to come out that morning, took him to the place, and then he gets away squeaky clean and Father's missing half his head? If I ever see him again... That's it for the Brass and all their nobles.