Remember to read the Overseer's Notes at the bottom for some useful info
What happened in the year 1004? I really don't want to talk about it, just know that we are lucky to be alive. But for posterity, I will set the record straight so that we can avoid this from happening ever again.
It's still a bit hazy in my head, but I'll do my best.
We arrived in early spring, and despite my misgivings, we started carving into the packed clay below our feet. Insanity has proven to be a remarkable fellow after all, and took the scouting duty on himself without my requests. On the upside, the area was lush and contained beautiful webs from phantom spiders.
On the downside, I quickly learned the area was filled to brim with rotting, dessicated wildlife, loping along and killing anything they could find. Just like the worst stories I had heard about the original Ghoullights. I had a quick meeting with Vendix, where we decided that the best way to approach this would be with a moat. Vendix quickly dug a nice ditch, which he then filled with water from the river. We had a nice plot of land, and even though the undead pangolins shambled around, they couldn't reach us. When it was safe, we built a bridge over it, rigged it up to a lever far below, and even set up the beginnings of a trading post.
The lowered bridge:
And the trading post:
There were a few things of note. For one, apparently the official records we have received marked Mimosa as "Halfling". That made no sense whatsoever; she wasn't even that short. I still didn't like her a whole lot, but I had made note to change that once we didn't have to worry about basic survival anymore.
Also, I remember Chelic calling me over to look at something in the moat - apparently a few papers had washed ashore. I shouldn't have read them...
Apparently, what we found were journal entries of overseers at the infamous first founding of Ghoullights, and the few bits I was able to catch were chilling.
"...walking horrors that eat dragons alive."
"...the horrors my forefathers have endured at the hooves of these wild beasts brought back from death."
"...zombified dwarves, elephants, oysters, and mythical creatures"
"...7 have fallen in the depths, the undead are swarming there now ... we have to seel it."
"So .. many undead .. we cant stop them ... the yak .. the traders yak ... oh gods ... it ripped us appart ... those who fell got back ... we cant stop them ... not enough cages .. the horror .... the horror .... so few of us left .. no hope .. no hope .... they are coming ........."From what I was able to gather, the founder of that place was named Halfling, and I don't want to think what this apparent coincidence would mean, but... along with what I have read... this filled me fear...
I reluctantly agreed to put the water buffalo into the copper cage we brought with us. The cage was quite sturdy, so I had it set up in the main quarters so that we could oversee the creatures. We fed them poisoned grass to ease their passage, and with time, they died. They didn't smell though, so everyone forgot about them.
Until that one, damned, fateful day. I was just admiring the new barracks when I heard a horrible metallic screech, and frightened yells, from the main hall. I didn't know what to do... oh Tobot, I didn't know what to do. I looked outside, and learned that one of the water buffalo had come to life, and had broken free of the cage. It was cornering Mimosa, who yelled at me - "GET BACK! HIDE BEHIND DOORS! SAVE YOURSELVES!"
I don't remember much of that night, but apparently Mimosa ran outside the main hall, screaming for everyone to hide within. Most of us made it, but the fell beast chased Mimosa into the smithy. Apparently, Chelic was working the foundry and didn't hear the commotion. At least, from what I can see of his corpse, he died quickly.
I held one door open, hoping that they would come out... but I heard Mimosa's death cries echo through the halls, and apparently others had to pull me back. I just froze there... we locked the doors, and the mindless beast just wandered around... sniffing... for us.
We locked the still dead remains of the other water buffalo in a room sealed with a solid door I myself made.
There were five of us left. We had beds and tables and offices, but no food or drink. Vendix dug down to the reservoir that we prepared for a well, and at least we could drink water. But then I remembered something - somebody dropped a bag of plump helmet spawns just outside the hall. It was risky as all hell... but I had to try...
I opened one door quietly, and bolted for the bag. I didn't see the fell beast, but the moment I stepped out I saw the grisly remains of Mimosa and Chelic lumber out of the smithy and break into a loping run at the sight of me. I ran back, locked the door, and heard them hammer at it with their fists. It sounded like Armok's anvil.
Luckily, the soft soil was fertile, and we were able to plant the four spawns. It is just dumb luck, really - we had a farm of those going, I have no idea how that bag ended up there. Maybe Tobot was looking out for us that day. But the spawns take so long to take root and grow... those were dark times. We wandered the few halls left to us, dazed with thirst and hunger. Most of us were reduced to hunting for the stray vermin, or scrounging for the few plants growing on that soil. I'm not proud of that, and let me tell you, knuckle worms are not tasty in the least. Vendix was not taking to this well, and he spent a lot of time yelling at me in my office. I just hope it helped.
We were starving. We were drinking water, but only to survive. We were going mad. I could see it in their eyes, and I'm sure they saw it in mine. Soon enough, one of us would snap and end this torment for us all.
But then, our salvation came in a very surprising form. One day, while I was reluctantly drinking the thrice-damned water, I saw a dwarf careen from above and splash into the water. He gurgled as he swam, his eyes filled with panic. I helped him to land, and after some time in our dining hall, he told us of his ordeals.
Not everyone knew about Ghoullights and its tales. He and a band of migrants left a small settlement after hearing of a prosperous new founding by the Mountainhomes. They learned about it from a passing caravan, which was scheduled to arrive here. They saw no trouble, and when they arrived they simply decided they were early. They set to work - fishing, cutting wood. But then the undead found them. Pangolins, rotting carp walking on land, skeletal elephants ambushed them and had torn them to pieces. While fleeing from the risen corpses of his comrades, he accidentally fell into our moat, and then was swept underground by the current. Now, he was terrified and traumatized - but ready to help us recover.
What followed was a very bizarre twist of fate. Apparently, our new arrival was not the only one who found the water funnel - a rotting goose and a freshly-risen carp followed him, and crawled out of the water with the most unholy screech. I panicked and ran, but not everyone did - Insanity's and Thaddeus' training kicked in, and they took both monsters down with their bare hands. Over and over again... Every few hours, the beasts would rise and attempt to get at us again. I was certain our doom was just one unlucky strike away.
But then, between the regular struggles, Insanity approached me and suggested a crazy idea - he had heard that the fell creatures only live in their complete form, and if butchered completely, the force holding their corpses together dissipates. It was crazy, but I let him do it - Vendix caved in the ground above, beneath some of the fallen trees (the woodcutter was long dead, but he saved us all) and I built a crude butchery and a tannery from the logs. After killing the beasts again, Insanity took the beasts to the butchery and started hacking them apart. He got carried away, and butchered them thoroughly - with the meat in the pile. Then, we tanned their hides - just in case. I heard that the carp scales came back to life... so all the better, really.
But with that, we were saved. When all was said and done, Insanity sampled the meat he butchered so methodically - and found it edible! Apparently, the creatures were not long since dead. We dined well that night.
Now, we were revitalized. With a tiny supply of wood, and food in our stomachs, Joe-Clark told me of his plan. We would take apart, the lever for the bridge, rig up cage traps, and capture the hulks haunting our halls. And then, we would be free.
It was risky, oh so risky... but it worked. I remember the blood-freezing moment when me and Vendix broke a support tunnel into the main halls, and watched what was left of Chelix and Mimosa rush us. We ran past the traps, and I prayed to Tobot it would work... but then, then we hard two telling *SNAP*s and I knew we were saved.
We set up a third trap, and lured the water buffalo corpse into it. And just like that, we were safe. We could drink real drinks, harvest our plants that have nearly gone wild, and try to salvage this mess.
We finally emerged from those cursed halls in winter of 1004. What we saw... corpses of would-be migrants shambling through the land, and broken caravan boxes in the distance. While we struggled for survival below, so many did not make it...
I've had enough. I commissioned the new arrival to work the kiln we set up what feels like eons ago. He made a few bricks, and prepared a few statues. What happened here... we must never forget. Here are a few sketches of what we are left with.
Here is where we made our desperate attempt at survival. Here we huddled, starving and desperate, while the mushrooms grew too slowly.
Here is where we got our water. This was never meant to be a real source, only one for the hospital's well...
I had a few statues placed in our places of struggle. We will always remember Chelix and Mimosa, who died as "Halfling" on record. But I am here to set the record straight.
Once things settled down, I had special chambers set aside for what is left of Chelix and Mimosa, as well as their killer. I asked for a commemorative statue to be placed there, and well...
Remembering how the cheese maker, and the undead that followed him, came from the water chamber, I had Joe-Clark set up a trap there. Just in case.
I also had a room made for me. After all this, I need time to think. To reflect on what had happened. I had placed double doors there, just in case... doors were what saved us, after all. What I wasn't expecting, is to find another statue of Tarem inside. Nobody will confess to having placed it there. I do believe the gods are laughing at us, our feeble attempts at glory. Now the statue sits there, staring at me as I write this. I deserve the judgement.
When we have the resources, I want to make myself a chest and a casket for my room. Just in case. But we are out of wood, and I feel useless.
I am done. I can't lead this anymore. Everyone is so busy, nobody wants to talk to me nowadays. Someone else pick up the responsibility. I need time to think. Please...
- There is some basic gear - weapon/shield/helmet/armor available for Insanity and Thaddeus. Both are able to teach future squads, as well. Lastly, there is even a room for training with all the necessary items already inside. Once workforce is stable, it would be worthwhile to re-equip our soldiers.
- Food storage is messy. Maybe we should set up a kitchen and cook the meat/fat?
- We are very short on building material. I made a LOT of coal, and we have access to fire clay which is water proof. You can build workshops and walls from the bricks, and you can use it to make large pots and statues and crafts - but that's about it. There are a few large rooms where wood is slowly growing, but we need a LOT more.
- There is actually a raised bridge over the moat. I left a note on its location. When safe, you can disassemble that to acquire another mechanism. You can also get stones from the kiln/smelter/metalworking as I'm pretty sure you can rebuild them using fire clay bricks. The stones can be used to make more mechanisms, or to slab particularly hostile ghosts.
- There are two potential entry points that are yet to be sealed - the small water cistern with the statue and the trap, and the small tunnel leading to the surface (no ramps/stairs) that was dug to retrieve wood. It's best to seal both of those with stoneware bricks, just in case of undead swimmers/fliers.
- Some idiot migrant went about fishing, and now there are mussels and a few other surprises above-ground.
- We are yet to breach the aquifer. In theory, there should be an area without it... but I haven't found it yet.
- InsanityIncarnate has received some training in handling animals. We have a few tame vermin, and the set up for more (with more animal traps). The most common vermin is lungfish, which cannot be tamed, so to dispose of vermin look at the cage, look at the content (ie Live Lungfish), press enter and press D for dump. There is a dumping area nearby just for that purpose. The vermin are available for taming, but no takers so far.
- Ideally, we should eventually cage that last water buffalo. It's too much of a threat otherwise. But, only do it when it's EXTREMELY safe. Otherwise, it will rot behind that door for a very long time to come, without bothering anyone. As I have learned, zombies cannot break down doors. Risen ones obey door rules, such as locking doors from pets preventing the water buffalo from using them. Dwarf zombies CAN and WILL use unlocked doors.
- The hospital is mostly stocked and equipped, in case something happens.
- Everyone had plant gathering and farming enabled. That may not be the best thing now that the crisis is over.
- There is absolutely no way above ground, outside our moated area. I personally recommend an underground bridge with a pit beneath it.
- Once the zombies are removed, the above-ground should be walled away so that we have access to SOMETHING not underground.
Good luck!
(And yes... I forgot to change Halfling's name to Mimosa before it was too late. Sorry
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Topic: Ghoullights Chapter III: The Lamentation of Dyes [Succession] (Read 41087 times)