In a time before time, there was a great shift in the earth, lands divide, the grounds collide, a world changing at the clash of a hammer to the forge. A mountain of great molten ash that soon would be the harbinger, the sweet mother of one of the greatest nations of myth. The great mount Kartiak was formed in the great shift of the planet. As the world developed around her, on the mainlands, the island became that of myth, a light shining from the top of her molten spire, luring Dwarven sailors to their doom at the rocky keys of the Island. Not until the year 15 in the age of myth was this land safely discovered and claimed by Shield of Hope, a great Dwarven power on the mainlands, the Dwarven king of the Shield saw promise in the Island, knowing of the legend, the king believed this Island to be haunted and cursed. The promise he saw was in prisoner export. He saw a way to get rid of the waste crowding his prisons, he saw an opportunity to show prisoners true punishment and strike fear into any evil doer, or otherwise. The king used the Island as a prison Island, sending ships of people to the Island, and simply leaving them there to die. Most died quickly, others spread out and either died or formed leagues, trying their best to survive in the harsh conditions of the Island. There was no order, no true alliances with those who tried to form their own party, no true order. Simply death and chaos, no hope. That was, until the year 25, a prisoner by the name of Ouctaun Von Ashdorf, a tall man, skinny, lanky, and very mustached. Aged at 39, a kind man, a smart man, a wise man, and an innocent man. Legally, he was guilty, although in his heart he was innocent. Convicted by the high court of treason, for speaking out against the violent actions against the Goblins and Dwarves of The League of Pillows. On the cargo ship, despite being shackled and at bow point, he held the door for the guards, fed the mice with the little rations he was given, and was kind to all of those with him. The 3 month voyage had ended, weak but strong in spirit, Ouctaun was shoved off the boat with the other three prisoners, and were left alone, on the cursed island. In the first day the four were confused, Ouctaun tried to become more familiar with those around them, there was Kus Zauthur, Aluk Storu, Ral Avulark. Kus and Aluk became friends quickly, sharing stories of their youth, while Ral sat stoic, staring at the sea, lost. The first night around the campfire, Ouctaun revealed something to the others. Uncupping his hands after digging into his rag robe pocket, revealing more than 100 Plump Helmet Spawn. Those around him were shocked, Ral snapped out of his daze and yelled to Ouctaun "Where did you get that?!" Remember, Ouctaun was smart. Ouctaun rationed the 175 Plump Helmet Spawn given to those on the ship to eat on the voyage, he rarely fed himself, but again, spared some for the sailing mice. The men were amazed, staring at Ouctaun from the campfire. Ouctaun looked at the men and leaned in, and spoke "Men.. we are not dying on this island.." He then stood up, and laid against one of the shore rocks, "We begin in the morning." confused, yet tired, the men fell asleep. In the morning Ouctaun was gone, the men were confused, Ral was angry. Believing that he was right about Ouctaun being in league with the Shield of Hope. Ouctaun returned, dragging a crate, Ignoring the shouting of Ral he opened the crate near the burnt out fire, the crate damp yet preserved, contained 2 pickaxes, some ale, and a dagger. Ouctaun grabbed the dagger, and moved over to Ral, he gave Ral the dagger, and said "You used to be a hunter, this should protect us from the beasts, not the ghosts though." Ouctaun smirked and laughed, and gave Kus and Aluk the pickaxes "Kus you were a miner, Aluk, you were a farmer, you can use that to plot the lands to the best of your ability. The two nodded, and Ouctaun looked up at the mountain and pointed, "We go to the mountain." with fear in their eyes, they pressed on to the mountain reaching a cliff in the middle of the mountain. "Here." said Ouctaun, ear against the mountain, digging into the side of the mountain, days upon days, digging, hallowing out the mountain. When finished this hallowed out part of the mountain came to be known as the "Heart" of what would soon be known throughout the Lands as the great Von Ashdorf. Digging another hallow point into a small mound, they created the first farm, planting the first seeds. Upon a sunrise, the first plump helmet rose from the ground, Ouctaun looked into the others' eyes and said, "Men, this is the beginning of the future. Like I said, we are not dying on this Island.." as the sound of a boat horn tooted, Ouctaun turned to see a Shield Prison ship, looking back at his men, "and neither or they."
Ouctaun welcomed the others who had arrived to the island, building his civilization, a land of exiles, excepting any of those regardless of past crimes. Ouctaun was blind to the pasts of the exiles, he only saw the future. Ouctaun was an architect, a visionary. The newly named Von Ashdorf became a wealthy fort, with its own communities, its own dorms, its own industry. The mountain rich with metals and stone. The hills rich with trees, the plump helmets coming in swarms. A great alcohol industry. Under Ouctaun's rule the land of exiles became a thriving community, with it's own towns carved into the mountain, and on top of the mountain. Children being born on the island. 30 years pass in the time these events occur, in this time the Shield forms a colony on the Island, making contact with Von Ashdorf, assuming they were natives and not exiles, they became trade partners. Ouctaun maintains relationships with his best friends Kus and Aluk. While Ral began to make his fame around the community of Hillentomph, the town at the summit of the mountain. Those at Hillentomph were angry at Ouctaun, they wanted military action taken against The Shields colony, Moses Astel. They wanted war. Ouctaun was a pacifist. He didn't believe in war. Von Ashdorf didn't have a military. It did not have a guard. It was peace. The Hillentomph crowd was in rage, causing fights and crying for war or bust.
On a cold night at Von Ashdorf, in Ouctaun's quarters, Ral came with a howling crowd, Ouctaun stood from his throne, Kus and Aluk observing from a far at a table. "Hello Ral, what do you and your friend's want at this hour?" Despite Ouctaun's kindness, the Hillentomph crowd still raved and howled. "WE WANT WAR!" "THEY EXILED US, AND NOW THEY'RE HERE TO TAKE US BACK? BAH!" "THEY MUST BE CRUSHED!" screamed the crowd.
Ouctaun spoke "War is a pointless disease that only causes pain. War only will kill their innocent, and kill our innocent." the crowd raved in retaliation "YOU CALL THEM INNOCENT?" "THEY EXILED US AND EXILED YOU!" Ouctaun interrupted "Pardon me! But I need to ask you, if you get what you want, if you get the war you so desire. Tell me this, is the boy who you or your children will eventually stab and kill the one who sentenced you? Were any of those soldiers at your trail? You shouldn't hold anger to those who didn't personally harm you. As well as hate is one thing, hate leaves a stain. But war? War burns the cloth." The crowd fell silent, Ral stepped forward "you're a coward Ouctaun.." Ouctaun looked at Ral "Ral, I've saved you, I've saved all these people, I've built this place, is that what a coward does?" Ral replied "A coward is one who doesn't fight! One who won't avenge!" Ouctaun replied "Ral.. What are you planning to do?" Ral looked at Ouctaun with hesitation, seeing the man he met on the ship, the young man, now bearded and aged, Ral snapped out of it, and reached for the silver crossbow to his side. "I'm planning to fight Ouctaun, step down." looking at Ral in surprise. "Ral, you're better than this." said Ouctaun in a hush voice, Kus and Aluk standing, but quickly surrendering to the crossbows pointed at them. Ral spoke "Ouctaun, those people exiled us from our homes, away from our families, and left us to die, they will not be forgiven!" Ouctaun looked into the eyes of Ral, and spoke in a harsh whisper as Ral raised the crossbow, "Ral, there will not be war.. Remember what I said.. We aren't dying on this island." in that moment, Ral had a moment, a tear ran down his face, "YOU FOOOOOOL!" Ral screamed and fired the crossbow at Ouctaun, the bolt lodged into his chest.. He collapsed. Kus and Aluk screamed and ran to Ouctaun, the crossbows closehangered the running Dwarves. This would mark the Chapter of a new kind of Von Ashdorf...
(This is a "lored up" version of my current DF play through, this is based true to events that are happening in game, hope ya like, bored and didn't want to draw, so typed this up!
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Topic: The Story of Fort "Von Ashdorf" (so far) (Read 1088 times)