Continued from the journal of Talvi Diamondknight25th of slate, 201 I suppose I oughta start with saying that I forgot to say, but switched the rooms down to under the dirt and stuff - we're going to have us solid rock rooms! Everybody's happy with that, mainly because none of them really liked the idea of little worms crawling through the walls. Mitchewawa and Bombzero have already claimed their rooms. We kinda need more doors, though... I'm gonna have someone get to work on that.
We also need a well... there ain't no river anywhere near, so I'm gonna have to have the miners dig down and hope we hit some watery caverns. Meanwhile, I'm gonna just go and chop some wood... I'll be safe...
Kingsnakes aren't poisonous... right?
3rd of Felsite, 201Armok's beard... Kannan, our head doctor, just went sick in the head. The irony is mighty powerful here.
Least he claimed a craftsdwarf workshop, and not somthing more useful.
Anyhow, I decided to make some more room for workshops. We could use a couple more, and I don't want us fogging ever'thing up in the main rooms.
Meanwhile, Mr. Frog is creating masterwork mechanisms. He might be a bit eccentric, with that there name and all, but he's got a pretty good head on his shoulders - seemed I misjudged him a bit.
11th of Felsite, 201
Cerol, our new architect, is finally working on making that bridge I ordered rebuilt. I guess there's something to book learning after all... I could've known anyhow, by myself - it's like I've always said: Kumquats are like onions - both make you cry. I had the knowledge, I just wasn't using it.
Oddly enough, Cerol seem to be content with her new job... just so long as I keep making doors.
Maybe I'll put an extra one in her room to keep her happy.
20th of Felsite, 201By the gods... We've struck gold! Solid, pure, beautiful gold! We're gonna be rich! By all the holy bouncing carp that walk upon this world, we're going to be rich as kings! Rich as kings! I'm gonna have a gold cavy statue in my room!
Sadly, our good stroke of luck has something bad going with it too... We got an elven caravan here. At least we can dump some of our fine mugs on 'em... maybe they'll swap us some good booze. Odd you have to swap booze with the stuff you drink it from...
Also, we hit the caverns, and what would you know, but there's water!
I've set the miners digging towards it from above.
Sadly, though - we came out right at ground level - anything that wants to come in, can. I've taken measures to ensure that we might block whatever it is out... hopefully.
Meanwhile, Kannan's locked himself up in the workshop, muttering about jewels... We needa find him some, afore he loses it and goes all batshit crazy on us.
Also, we got thieves coming in here! They got away afore I could see, though, so I'm afraid I can't draw you a picture. Splint didn't see them either, for obvious reasons...
Also, it's raining blood again. The elves don't seem to mind too bad, they drank a bit of it on the way over. Ugh, that's elves for you, though.
(written later:) our militia did tell of the battle between us and the thieves, though... They wrote a pretty long report about it... I'll include a bit of it here.
25th of FelsiteStova's stuck out there in the mountain barbarian blood. I took everyone off duty - these thieves are too much of a match for us, just armed with our little wooden pikes. Stova apparently got bitten a few times, and scratched up pretty badly - the thief wasn't trying to hurt her either - just trying to get away. By the gods, what have we stumbled into here?
She's unhappy, but it fortunately only seems like it's because of patrol duty. Splint, the good man that he is, likely won't be too happy about this at all.
26th of Hematite Oh, gods... oh, gods, oh gods... Splint sat me down and had a talk with me - he seemed horribly anxious about Stova for some reason, though he wouldn't tell me why - but he did tell me a horrible tale that'll live on in my dreams forever - it was no yarn he spun, either - it's true history, true as any leafbug flying through the water is like a mosquito's arms.
He sat me down in his old office, in a little wooden chair - it squeaked under me, but I didn't say anything, and Splint began. "Long ago," he said, "There was a certain fortress called Headshoots. They had brilliant tacticians, brilliant warriors, and were considered invincible in practically every way, or so the legends go."
I shifted uneasily in my chair. I didn't like where this was going.
Splint continued, in a hushed tone. "Headshoots was founded in the very deepest concentrations of evil, in isolation in one of the most inhospitable environments known to dwarvenkind. It was more or less the last Dwarven outpost before the aboveground diminions of Hell itself. It fought valiantly, and remained undefeated. It grew despite everything the enemy threw at it - goblins, undead, even the unholy demons themselves - but that only made it stronger. It was as a beacon of light in the darkest reaches of the world."
So many long words... but I thought I understood. These invaders... I was beginning to wonder what they were. Something hideous, unholy... The militia descibed them as "monsters of dwarvenform, with claws and shriveled husks of bodies." But Splint continued.
"Talvi, I need you to understand before I continue that this cannot leave this room." I nodded my assent, and he went on. "Headshoots finally fell - not directly through the hands of the enemy, but by its own sword.
"Of all the inhabitants of Headshoots, the greatest were the mighty Nemo, and the unstoppable Holistic Detective. Nemo, the unstoppable blade, was without a doubt the greatest sworddwarf of his age, and likely the greatest since the days of Sankis himself. Holistic, the invincible shield, wearer of 'Trailmachines, the Fellowship of Right' - a masterpiece spiked adamantine plate mail studded with gems beyond value - she was so sure she was invincible that she had dropped her platinum hammer in favor of wielding a rat leather backback."
I nodded, indicating he could go on.
"These were only the greatest of legions upon legions of soldiers - some say they numbered in the hundreds. But a dark power slept under the mountain - some say it was the soul of Sankis himself, the dwarf of old who chose to become a living vessel of the darkest gods of the mortal plane, and killed an entire fortress and a legion of elephants while ablaze with unholy flame. But whatever it was, it drew Nemo and Holistic to the deepest region of the fortress, where they succumbed to the evil presence, turning into evil, bloodthirsty skeletons.
"They say the records are lost, as there were no survivors, save for a single dwarf who was locked away in a room in the dungeons. But there was a massacre at Headshoots - not a soul survived the onslaught of the two powerful champions of dwarvenkind, possessed by the forces of evil, taking pleasure in torturing their victims, until there was not a living thing left alive."
At this, I was confused - what were these creatures our men saw earlier, what hurt Stova?
Splint took a draught of beer from his mug and leaned forward, a grim look in his eyes, and the faintest hint of fear. "Talvi, some say that the two skeletal warriors turned on each other when no one was left, out of bloodthirsty need for battle. Others maintain that Nemo regained control of his actions and attacked Holistic Detective, attempting to destroy her before she destroyed all of dwarfkind. Either way, the result was the same. Nemo severed both of Holistic's hands, but could not pierce the adamantium shell of Trailmachines, and Holistic counterattacked with her own teeth. Latching on, she shook him with her great strength until all Nemo's bones were shattered and she stood alone in Headshoots."
Here he paused, and I ventured a question. "Splint, It was a long time afore now. Holistic couldn't still be alive, could she? Same way a lute's strings remain after broken?" I fidgeted myself in my chair, uncomfortable.
He shook his head. "Don't assume things unknown to you, Talvi. While that was long ago, Holistic - driven, as some say, by Sankis's spirit - created Spawn - misshapen dwarven creatures that are driven by the same spirit as Holistic herself was - they stop at nothing - nothing - to destroy all life. They drove the barbarians from their home in the far off, icy mountains, which is why they're here at all - this isn't their home. Not only that, but the Spawn have an especial hatred of dwarvenkind. A single Holistic Spawn is capable of destroying legions of dwarves. We're very lucky my sweet Stova survived at all. But Holistic herself still survives... somewhere out there, she is waiting - tales of her destroying entire mountainhomes circulate still. And like bees, killing the queen doesn't kill the hive."
I thought his analogy ridiculous, though I didn't say so.
He hesitated, fear apparent in his eyes. I'd never seen him like this, not in all the years I've known him. "Talvi... The Holistic's Spawn..." his voice dropped to a whisper, "they've found us..."
They've haunted my dreams since.
1st of HematiteThe appearance of the spawn has had a profound effect on the soldiers, who exchange fearful glances among themselves. I can't say I blame them, but earlier Fischer came up to me and said in his thick accent, "Miz Talvi, I know one of 'em o'her soldiers mighta said somthin', but I wanted to ask for m'self.." his voice lowered, and I knew what he would say. I told him to shush, and to tell the other soldiers everything would be all right.
We traded some mugs for some booze and plant food - it's not much, but it oughta get us on by for a bit. I bought some golden blaze to try to raise everyone's spirits - it didn't help much - they drink it like its water. There's no cheer here anymore, and everyone else is starting to feel on edge.
Kannan finished his creation - a gypsum ring. It'll only fetch about 4800 coppers, but it's better than nothing. Doesn't even menace with spikes.
Rodge started a party - that might help raise everyone's spirits a bit, but mostly everyone who attends simply stands around silently, looking at each other. By the gods, I pray this passes...
15th of Hematite, 201Why did Splint give me the position of leader? He's the one with more training in battle - I don't know what I'm doing here worth a horseshoe crab in a glumprong! I offered him the position back, and would you know, he turned it down. He said it wasn't yet time, and while he might try his hand at it later, for now it wasn't his to take. I fear he's lost hope.
Asides that, the tower and drawbridge are both bein' built and all. Rosan is working on the bridge - she seems pretty confident, at least. We need to have them up in time...
Anyhow, I think we have enough mechanisms. And buckets. I'm stopping making both of them. I'll be working on making weapons myself - we lack a weaponsmith.
At least Stova is already back to work. She seems happier now, too.
20th of HematiteAs if we didn't have enough to deal with already...
I don't think it can get in, but I'm not completely sure... at least I've got a few pikes made worth somethin'. I dunno if I can get The Master to part with his "beloved", though.
On another note, the bridge is up. I'm putting the lever for it at the northern end of the dining room - hopefully the next overseer won't neglect to read my journal. yes, I did just say that... I don't know how much more my poor nerves can take. I'm only a mechanic, after all...
22nd of MalachiteIt's been a bit since my last entry, but not much has happened. Everyone moves sluggishly, it seems. I attribute it the appearance of those cursed beings, but it's not something I would tell anyone.
To start off with, we've expanded the bedrooms a bit - we need to get them smoothed, and we're working on that now. My bedroom still doesn't have a bed - I've been sleeping in the hospital. I can't bring myself to have them put the bed into my room.
I've had the miners add a still and a refuse room to the eastern side of the fort. The refuse room is in case of a siege, and not to be used constantly. It won't help much with miasma, but at least it will keep us from having to live with it all through the fort - it'll stay confined to that one room.
We've added the top portion of the tower - the fortifications. I've had the masons build stairs so that, if needed, we can add more constructions above without too much effort.
We've gotten a new wave of migrants - just a few, unfortunately - and I'll soon be closing the drawbridge. Nothing will be able to get out, but at least nothing can get in, either.....
But for now, I'm going to get some shuteye. I'll see that they're assigned good jobs in the morning.
***
Still going - thought I'd post what I had so far.
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Topic: [34.11] Spearbreakers - It shudders and begins to move (Read 2277966 times)