Update 2, wherein Wooddeath encounters the World, and Preparations are made for the Coming Winter
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[spoiler]
20 HEMATITE 126
Migrants! Who in the name of the great goddess Wave told these fools where we are? They'll report me to the mayor back in Oceanpumpkin! They'll bring soldiers to drag me off! They'll have me thrown in jail forever! They'll have me executed!
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I took the brawniest two of my minions out to meet these interlopers. We intercepted them on the border of what I have roughly decided to be "our" (read: "my") lands, and I decided we should scare them off.
"You lot!" I shouted, leaping out from behind a tree with my shovel in my fist. My minions, contrary to my orders to stay next to me, had circled around behind them and revealed themselves likewise.
The migrants froze - two men and two women, with the most nervous looks on their faces that I've ever seen, and a pair of pack beetle nymphs to boot. One of the women stepped forward, mustering what courage she had, and brandished a shovel of her own. "I am Blade Aetherneither. Who - "
"Bandits of Wooddeath, is who we are!" I bellowed. "You're trespassing on our territory! I - "
"
Take it!" one of the other women sobbed. She threw a few coins at my feet. "Please, just take it and let us alone!"
"W-we're not looking for a f-f-fight, sir," one of the men stammered, adding his own meager reserve of wealth to the pile. "This is all that we have!"
"We're but poor peddlers and doctors," the other man said. A wooden pipe, snapped almost in half, he added to the pile. "We mean no harm!"
Surprised, I looked down at the pile. Pitiful loot, to be sure, but hell, if we could profit
and drive them off, who was I to refuse?
Blade hesitated a moment longer, before gently tossing her shovel into the pile. "We were traveling by caravan to the north. Spider-Centaurs beset us a few days back, and we've been lost in these woods ever since we escaped."
"Please," the other women pleaded. "Take this and let us go in peace!"
Uncertain, I glanced towards my companions. Their eyes were hard, and sharp rocks were clutched firmly in their fists, but as I met each of their eyes they simply shrugged.
Your call, they seemed to be saying.
"How have you been surviving?" I demanded. The sure-voiced man spoke up.
"I'm an herbalist by trade, sir bandit," he answered. "Best in Houndaether, before my wife and I emigrated."
I turned to the other woman. "And you, what's your trade?"
"A - a brewer, sir!" she responded, surprised. "And I know a thing or two about surgery, as well! If you have any injured, perhaps I - "
"I assume you're a miner," I said to Aether. She nodded.
"A-a-and I'm a cheesemaker!" the second man said. "And a decent enough trapper, too!"
I nodded, sighed. "We're not bandits. Our village is just to the north of here. Your talents would be welcome - any able bodies would be welcome."
"You're not bandits?" Blade repeated quizzically.
"Not anymore, at least," I confirmed. "It'd probably be best for you four if you settled here. Plenty of work to be done, and we're too new and insignificant for the centaurs to have noticed yet. It's safe."
The migrants shared a look; I noticed a few subtle shrugs. Blade nodded. "We'll take you up on that offer then, sir. It'll be good to have a roof over our heads again."
I snorted and grinned. "Well...maybe not yet."
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21 HEMATITE 126
Some hounds wandered too close to town today. One of the village idiots scared him off.
3 MALACHITE 126
With Blade's help, I've started digging a shaft down into the depths of the earth. I've only heard stories of what lies beneath, and none of them pleasant tales - whispers of hellish horsemen in the deepest underdark, stories told in hushed tones of the seemingly infinite swarms of giant ants that prowl tunnels far below the surface, awed descriptions of glowing plants and giant molds and woods that could set your skin alight or freeze you colder than hell itself - but we have no rock, so we must dig.
So far, all we've found is some strange blue dirt, and the rock we sought after. Perhaps we have to go deeper?
16 MALACHITE 126
Storm blew in today. Something in my bones tells me it won't be blowing out again any time soon.
Rocks have been carted back up to the surface, and someone took it upon herself to whittle a few nice pipes for us. Probably trade them off for food or beer.
10 GALENA 126
Summer draws near to its close, and the village seems to be on track to survive the coming winter. We'll start planting the second plot with pumpkins for the autumn harvest, to carry us through to Granite, and hopefully a trade caravan will show up so we can buy some food.
14 GALENA 126
Gods be praised! A pair of traders and their hunter guide have arrived with pack beetles laden with goods! A few of the craftsmen are working furiously on some rock mugs to help provision us for the winter, and I've sent Precious Vineshield out to negotiate with them. She came back a few minutes later, saying the hunter was demanding to speak to the mayor - and asked for me by name.
Fuck.
15 GALENA 126
I insisted on meeting with the bastard through the closed door of my room. I bolted it shut, and had a carpenter drill a small hole near mouth level to talk through. I am
never going back to Oceanpumpkin, if it kills me.
"So, master Blossomwry," the hunter started. "My friends in Oceanpumpkin tell me you got into a spot of trouble with the mayor's daughter a season or two back."
"Fuck off!" I shouted. Eloquent, straight to the point - in short, me.
"Relax, I'm not here to cart you off for public indecency," he chuckled. "I'm a humble guide in this forest, and we could see the smoke from your cookfire miles away. That's all we're here for - trding with a new settlement."
"Then how in blazes did you know my name?" I demanded.
"There's hunters all over this region. We keep in touch," he answered. I couldn't see him, but I swear the bastard was smiling. "And scaring wanted halflings is a hobby of mine. Now, it might be a bit difficult to sign a trade agreement through a door - "
"I'm not unlocking it," I cut him off. "I hereby delegate the mayoral responsibility of trade agreements to, uh..." Blast it, who in this village did I trust to sign the papers and not drool on them? "Blossom...Blossom Rockpast!"
The hunter grunted. "So be it. Where is she?"
"How the fuck am I supposed to know? Go find her or something."
Another grunt. I peeked through the hole - he'd gone. The flood of relief knocked my legs out from under me, and I collapsed against the door.
That was close.
19 GALENA 126
Gods damn, but it's those creepy elves! Augh, they just natter on unintelligibly...but if they bring food, fine, come on over!
22 GALENA 126
Blossom finished negotiations. We want food and drink, they want all this garbage. Fair enough.
We traded three wood pipes for enough tarnish stalks to drink ourselves into oblivion with vodka during the cold months. TO supplement this, I've ordered construction of a reservoir underground.
25 GALENA 126
Pack of hounds wandered too close across the river. Had a good time chucking rocks at them, improving our aim. Broke a few of their toes.
Traded a few mugs to the creepy elf for some pumpkins and a chest for my room.
13 LIMESTONE 126
Reservoir has been filled. I think we are essentially ready for the winter - and when nobody has anything to do, when the farms are frozen and all the town is blanketed in snow, I think I'll take a brave few down into the mines...and dig just a little deeper.
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