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[Gigmaster]

Bhaal did a pretty good job on him, don't give up hope...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

That neck wound is all pampered and bandaged up, and the rest was taken care of pretty handily, except for the ankle... I don't know why they aren't using the four bags of gypsum powder I bought off of the dwarven caravan last year. Arrrgle! Stooopid hospital stockpile system. Maybe I need to plunk down more chests...

[NRDL]

Cool!  I'm a marksdwarf.

Good job so far, can't wait to see what happens next.

[Gigmaster]

Geeeezus... NEXT UPDATE:

Minotaurs!
Undead minotaurs!
Undead minotaur parts!
Undead Giant Thrips! AGAIN! (seriously, can you imagine THESE things, giant size and undead, buzzing and whirring towards your soft, unprotected face? gruesome!)
Insane, screen-clearing, crazy-good archery!
Giant swarm of f***ing insane blood-hungry turkeys vs a very unfortunate kobold thief!
A spy in the base!
Non-military guys get their five minutes of screen-time, then shuffle off and complain to their agents!
And MOAR ICE CREAM!!

[lockman766]

Glad to hear Bhaal is good at her job.

[Gigmaster]

13th Limestone

Gigmaster, Parshuram and Nix sat in the middle of the new barracks; crisp, clean, decked out, and feeling larger and emptier every week. Gigmaster told himself that he should be working on the new militia assignments, but how could he? Corai was still in the hospital, and Phones – he apparently hated being called Stukkud – well...

“A... drink then. Yeah.” Parshuram hoisted another cup of ale. “Ta Phones! Here for... for... *hiccup* a liddle while, but ferever in the stone.”

“Forever in the stone,” the other two echoed back, and drained their mugs. Gigmaster didn't put his down, though; instead, he held it up, sightlessly staring at the rock base, thinking. How did it happen? He still wasn't sure exactly how it had happened, but he knew that it had started small: with that minotaur from the south one month ago...


13th Galena



“A minotaur! You don't say?” Administrator Lokum eagerly rubbed his hands together. “Well, this is wonderful news, wonderful! You'll have a chance to show everyone what the military of Workedwheel is capable of, now that it's fully armed and ready!”

But Gigmaster wasn't listening; he was already racing up the central stairs of the fort, calling for help as he did.

Moments later, everyone capable of fighting, six all told, were standing atop the meager constructions...

In the distance, a faint, but wild and half-insane howling and grunting could be heard as the minotaur trampled through the blight; Gigmaster could see her mad charge blowing up huge clouds of stale, rotting dust from almost a mile away.

“So, tell me this Gig,” Nix asked, leaning on his bow, “why exactly are we hanging back? Why not charge in?” He gestured up at the happy, fluffy, bright, undead-free sky. “It's been a while since I've got a good run in.” The others nodded eagerly at his words.

“Believe the stories Nix.” Gigmaster kept on staring, following Zutshosh's progress. “Anything killed out there will come back. Anything. Do you really want to take on a minotaur that can't feel pain?”

Parashuram nodded. “I guess... “ He stepped up next to Gigmaster. “So we kill it when it's gotten off blighted ground?”

Before Gigmaster could reply, two things happened in quick succession: Zutshosh Dedrosrutod the Minotaur cleared the sloping hillside in one, monstrous bound; and Parshuram calmly raised his crossbow and followed Zutshosh's leap through the air. A heart beat passed, and the bolt was loosed...



and...



Zutshosh had one brief scream of pain before she landed on the wounded foot and collapsed.

“I think that should do it, don't you?”

Gigmaster blinked in surprise. “Er. Nice shot.”

“Oh-ho, just wait,” Nix replied, taking aim at the howling minotaur.

It didn't get much better for Zutshosh from there.





Gradually she was brought down, after stab after bolt after stab; all she could do was dodge away as best as she could do, avoiding the worst of it. In the end, it didn't save her, with Gigmaster getting the final thrust through her right eye.

What it did do, was give her a chance for revenge.



It took a moment for Gigmaster to recognize the dry rot-like smell of the blight; then he looked down at his high boots, and saw that Zutshosh's body had fallen over just beyond the edge of the dead, gray soil that marked the border of the blight.

“Oh shit,” Gigmaster breathed. “Shit shit shit. Get back everyone! DODO!” he bellowed, hoping that his voice would carry. “Get one of the grunts up here! NOW!”

Phones stood there, confused. “Why can't we - “

“Dodo told me that the Syrup Council is watching us – if a Warrior hauls this thing so much as a step, we're all going to get exiled. Where's that damn grunt? I - “ Gigmaster turned  back to glance at the body.

That wasn't there any more.



“SHIT! Crossbowmen, lay down suppressive fire, we need to cripple this thing before we - “

“Don't worry Gig!” Phones called out, already twenty strides away and charging the shambling, mutilated giant. “I've got it!”

… “before we engaged it in melee. Phones! Etur damn you, get back here!”

But the damage was already done. Phones got in a single strike to the upper torso of the zombified Zutshosh before the undead monstrosity casually whipped out a backhand at his head.

Phones got up his shield arm in time, and the metal took the worst of it, folding back over his arm in a sharp crease. But the loud, cold snap of bone shattering could be heard inside the fortress, and the shield dropped away from the now useless arm as Phones tried to scramble away from Zutshosh's advance.



Meanwhile, inside the fort, Master Farmer Lokum, using a peephole in the outer wall, was calling back information on the fight.



“Oh man oh my, Phones looks bad... his left arm's hanging down at his side, and... wait! Wait, he's standing! He... oh yes, he got a shot in! Two shots! But - ! Bomrek, no!”



Lokum began jumping up and down in agitiation, unaware of the others gathering behind him, trying to see just a glimpse of the terrible battle, or the sound of the outside doors being slowly opened.

“It's not over yet! It looks confused now, it's not sure what to do, and – yes! They're there and – oh, well done Necrowalls, well done! He's hamstrung a leg and an arm!”



Eshtan Ulengrigoth, creator of Shiginrabed, the fort's first artifact, spoke up. “Does that mean things are over?”

“Oh not hardly, oh not at all, that beast's got plenty of life... er, fight, left in it. It's – Oh Braveddiamond's fire help us, he's got Phones in his other arm, and he's going to smash him against the hillside!”

But before he could complete his swing, Udil Edemor, latest of the fortress's warriors and expert marksman, cleared the side of the hill and fired off a desperate shot...



… And the undead minotaur gave a great, guttural sigh, and toppled over, with Phones still caught in a stiff hand.

“YES! Udil got him! By the Stone, someone get that man a promotion!”

It was as if Gigmaster had read his mind...



The warriors came back inside through the top hatch, breathing a sigh of relief; with the corpse on this side of the blight, it would never rise again.

Lokum left Smith Udil to himself as he raced through the top hatch to carry Phone's pain-wracked body. But the moment he did, a strange, cloaked figure leaped out of the shadows, brandishing a iron dagger and slashing at Udil's neck...

(More update to come!)

[lockman766]

I'll post the next doctors notes on the next update.

[Gigmaster]

Sorry about the brief pause - outside life and D&D took center stage for a while. I have a bunch of material and pictures; I just need to sit down and write out everything.

Played up to the near-end of year two... after a giant dwarven accounting session, everyone's enlisted into the militia so that we don'h have giant work stoppages. Also, thank god for the Manager... (ended up putting in orders for like 200+ various pieces of armor and other clothing to get everyone outfitted). Thank god that the merchant caravan arrived with the leather I ordered...

Incidentally: does anyone know the effectiveness of leather vs cloth/wool/silk? Like if I were to, say, make leather cloaks instead of cloth. I know that the material of the shield/buckler doesn't matter, except for weight and bashing, but what about trousers, hoods, etc?

[Gigmaster]

Smoth Udil stumbled back, clutching at the wound on his neck. It wasn't deep – just scratching the fat – but the surprise of finding two kobolds inside the fortress made him panic. He ran down the stairs of the fort, screaming about more invaders, and ended up nearly running into the second kobold instead, who took the opportunitty to try and stab Smith Udil in the side; it was pure luck that his cloak turned the dirty lizard's blade.



And pure luck that the first kobold thief stood up just in time to intercept the bolt flying from Parshuram's crossbow.

Meanwhile, the second thief was brutally shoving and kicking his way through the crowd of terrified turkeys, causing several of them to make a break for the front door. Then, without any warning, the terrified flock of fowl seemed to snap, as they turned on the kobold thief as one giant turkey-pile.

Parshuram would, several days later, describe the scene to an eager, and slightly scared audience:

“They just cornered the thing right in the middle of the front entry way. He kept on trying to free his arms to strike back, but turkeys were hanging off all over him. Fromt his hands, from his ears, from his bloody finger nails... “



“On occasion he would get in one weak stab or two, but every time he shook one off, there was another biting onto his skin, or pecking into his side, or ripping away little bits and pieces of him... “


((All that red around the cursor? That's all kobold blood being sprayed everywhere.))

“It was like they had tasted blood, and couldn't stop anymore. His friend tried to run over to help him even, but all he did was give me a clear shot at his back. He went down before he got a single stab in.”

“I seriously considered doing the same for his pal, just to put him out of his misery, but by that time... “ Parshuram shuddered. “He had already been tripped by an under-foot turkey, fallen down and swarmed over. After that, it didn't take long; and when the feathers had settled, when they turkey's had cleared out, to peck at the cave moss back in their pen area, only one living thing remained: the turkey who had pecked out the kobold's eyes and bruised his brain, still jabbing his little beak through the mangled corpse's eyesocket. I call him Tradedtattoos – the marks he left kind of looked like little T-shaped tattoos. No kidding.”

… “Incidentally Chef Dodo? we should really think about cooking up some of those turkeys. I don't fancy a rabid pack of birds eating me in my sleep.”




There were only a handful of minutes to gather up all the fleeing turkeys, and re-take the front doors, before Nix saw another cloud of Thrips coming from the west.



“Burn it all,” Gigmaster swore, “that's it. Everyone, get the hell inside; I've had enough of damn undead in one stinking month.”

Afterwards, all five turkeys left outside were quickly... assimilated... by the undead thrips, and wandered down south to join their undead breatheren.




Back in the barracks, most of the reminiscing dwarves had become drunk, sleeping dwarves. Only Gigmaster wavered on the point of passing out. As it was, he barely noticed the noise of approaching footsteps, until the foot belonging to the stepper kicked into his ribs. “Hey, big guy, beer still good and fresh? If you let it go flat without telling me... “

Gigmaster blinked. “Phones? … Phones! You're... walking', and talkin', and everything!”

“ … This is unusual?” He took a moment to bend over one of the barrels; his left arm was encased in some kind of white covering. On one side Gigmaster could blearily make out: “Get better soon! Onul Fleshyfortress.”

((Yes, that really is the name of your wife. No, I don't know how she got the nickname 'fleshyfortress,' apart from the... um, well, obvious ways. Yikes.))

Gigmaster considered this for a while. “Well.... yeash, it is. I mean... isn't there like a law, or somethin', that demands wounded dwarves to languish in bed for months?”

“Oh yeah.” Phones nodded. "Since ancient times. So it's a good thing Doc Bhaal got around to picking up some of that gypsum from the stocks. Arm might still be a little off balance, but it can hold a shield good 'nuff, and that's what matters.”

It took a moment for this to sink into Gigmaster's head. “Well. Well well. Damn! 's good news!”

Phones grinned. “I forgot, you guys are used to frontier medicine. Err, first aid. Err...... Anyways. You know how it is. Apparently Bhaal was trained right in the capital.”

Gigmaster gave an approving belch. “Good. Any update on Corai, then? I can't wait for a chance to... “

The happy light in Parshuram's eyes dimmed a little. “I'm... sorry Gig. He died of his wounds in the middle of the night. Infection, they say.”

The only sound in the silence was Gigmaster's teeth grinding together. Then, inch by inch, he relaxed. “Can't be helped, I guess. Make sure his armor's cleaned up and ready for use though. Tomorrow, we start work on the militia assignments, and I want a tally of everything we've got in Workedwheels.”

Parshuram nodded midway through taking a long drink from an upended barrel, which he tossed over his shoulder after finishing; the small explosion did nothing to wake the other Warriors currently passed out. “At least there's some good news you might want to hear.”

“What'z that?”



“Just thought you might want to know that the forge level's bringing some life too, Gig.”

Gigmaster suddenly found himself trying not to snuffle through his nose. Damn drinking always makes me tispy-swingy like this, inside... “That's... wonderful Par. Thanks. A lot.”

“Just as long as you don't think too hard on the fact that Bhaal and her hubby, Smith Erith, have apparently been on top of the anvils down there for months.”

… “What.”




Next couple of updates are going to be time lapsing a few things; mostly involving turning out all that damn armor, suiting everyone up, and finishing the above ground farming areas. If anything wants anything specific, or thinks there's something we really need, lemme know. At this point, I'm going to be starting above-ground construction on the main keep by winter, since we'll have a good 40+ dwarves with some military experience and armor we'll be able to field. (seriously, like every other migrant so far has had competent in a weapon skill and novice in like three other military skills).

[lockman766]

Doctors notes

Entry three: Finally found that gypsum I've been looking for. Phones is up, and about against doctors orders, but I'm not going to stop the fool. That foolish husband of mine got stabbed(at least I think it was him let me know if I'm wrong). Oh I wish others could have seen it crying like a baby. Speaking of babies I've had a child he's a sweet little mite, he's a spiting image of his father(I'm assuming)well back to work.

[Jarod Cain]

I suppose I'll take a speardwarf. Name them Cain.
-J-

[NRDL]

If it's not too much trouble, could you please switch Nix over to the hammerdwarf profession?  It's more effective against zombies after all. 

[Gigmaster]

Will do; BTW guys, sorry if I'm putting words into your mouth; I'm just throwing you in as you come up.

Also dorfing you Jarod, though we're short on Speardwarves at the moment.... I have like 9 marksdwarves and 3 melee guys.

[Jarod Cain]

Ok no problem, I always err on the side of necessity more than anything else.
-J-

[Gigmaster]

Nix, you've been speared up, and squad switched. Cain, I'm dorfin you now; And Corai, don't worry; your very similar 'cousin' *cough cough* has bee discovered in the last wave of migrants, and has joined the fort.

(Yes, 'extended family' is my way of dealing with redorfings for this one. Right now, anyways).

I'll be posting the next update tonight (hopefully) which will take us to the end of year two. nothing crazy - yet. Our doctors continue to be mysteriously proficient. Probably because their labors are set for absolutely nothing else. I figure three idling dwarves (yes, you haz assistants Bhaal) is better than twice that number dead from infection.

EDIT: *Is Cain*

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And Cains lovely wife, who apparently keeps... her... portals cleaned. Yeah.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[lockman766]

is my assistant a male or female.