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[Deus Asmoth]

Asmoth's Log, 1st of Granite, 254.

It seems I am to be condemned to silence once again. Modi has been ousted for the murder of some spinner in spite of blaming Lenehan. I'm pretty sure I can prove neither of them actually did it, but why listen to the doctor? It's not like we save lives or anything... In any case, this murder makes me worried that there may be a vampire present in the fortress. More importantly, however, I now have a few subjects I can continue with. For these tests I will use dwarves who aren't doing anything anyway, where an observer is necessary, so the fortress continues undisturbed.

Test Number 1: (Granite 1 to Granite 3)

Subjects: None.

Items used: One goblin corpse, one dwarf corpse (former spinner), one hamster man corpse, some animal meat.

Hypothesis: In spite of dwarves commenting on how goblins smell terrible and are evil, this is simply psychological due to the long enmity between the two.

Method: Part one: I dissected the corpses, exposing the guts and other viscera. When I asked some dwarves if they would like to be blindfolded and then sniff some corpses, they looked at me strangely, so I had to rely on my own findings.

Results: Part one: The corpse of a goblin smells no worse than a dwarf's. If anything, the hamster man was the most foul of the bunch. Additionally, even though dwarves regularly comment on how a goblin's guts 'reek' when they are spilled in battle, they smelled roughly the same as a dwarf's, allowing for the goblin's carnivorous diet.

Method: Part two: I cooked some of the meat from the dwarf and goblin, then mixed it with a sample of animal meat. This has the added bonus of disposing of some evidence of my tests. I then sent this meat to the dining area, not wishing to be refused again, and observed the results.

Results: Part two: Dwarves don't seem able to distinguish dwarf or goblin meat from that of non-sentient animals. However, when informed of what they were eating, those that had taken goblin meat seemed very queasy, while those that had eaten dwarf meat began vomiting. As such, I think that it is simply a cultural taboo that prevents us consuming each other as the elves do, though it is clearly thought worse to eat your own species than another. Even elves tend not to eat other elves unless they are of another tribe.


Aftermath:

I was forced to give those that participated in part two of this test a hallucinogenic to discredit them should they go to our new overseer, though his love of elves might mean he' wouldn't have a problem with it anyway.

[highmax28]

Oh dear god... Asmoth, by far, is the most messed up dwarf in the fortress. He's subtle, straight to the point and downright aware of what he's doing. He may indeed be the most insane convict of us all...

And in all honesty, I think only the young dwarves actually "like" Lenehan, as most dwarves don't like elves and vise versa. I won't be surprised if an elf-dwarf war occurs and Lenehan betrays the fortress. The fact that an elf was killed the year after they were robbed doesn't bode well... Did they leave their stuff btw? I don't think it counts as seized if they left their gear there.

And I have to admit, I only like elves for the exotic, trainable animals they bring. War Grizzlies? Hell yeah!

[4maskwolf]

The Diary of the True Prophet, entry 4
Today is a good day for the cause.  All but one of the puny elves who came to the fortress were slaughtered by the weakest servants of the cause, the goblins.  Perhaps Lenehan will rethink his opinions after this.

The Diary of the True Prophet, entry 5
Today is the day to speak with Lenehan.  He has been brooding in his office since the elves were killed, and knowing where he is is half the battle.

When I arrived at his chambers, the door was locked.  A problem for a mere dwarf, but not for a true believer.  With a simple touch, the lock sprang and granted me entrance.  He whirled around, surprised.

"Hello, Lenehan.  We have much to discuss."
"Who are you?  I've never seen you before."
I would have smiled had my mask permitted it, "Who I am is of no consequence, for I am merely a vessel.  A change is coming, Lenehan.  Will you change with it?"
"Wha...What do you mean?"
"Do you remember the night you took charge, Lenehan?  The dream you had."
Lenehan's face turned pale, "What about it?"
I chuckled, "A change is coming, Lenehan.  Perhaps you are not worthy of being saved."
With that, I stepped out and closed the door.

Lenehan stared at where the masked dwarf had last stood.  How did he know about the dream?  What did he mean, "worthy to be saved"?  Cautiously, he opened the door, only to find that the dwarf was gone, seemingly never to have existed.

[Deus Asmoth]

I did intend Asmoth to be a bit off kilter. Being locked in a greenhouse for years is unlikely to do much for your sense of empathy. I think goods you take off traders by killing them are treated the same as goblin equipment, they just get the brackets around them. Does killing the merchants still annoy their civilisation if you leave no witnesses, by the way, or will they just assume the worst of the dwarves?

Oh yeah, was there actually a murder during your reign or was that just storytelling? Because if we have a vampire on our hands, they'd be useful for lever pulling and stuff.

[highmax28]

Modi went overboard in her justice and killed the spinner. She is indeed the murderer. No vampires as of yet, but my heart jumped when I saw "Sarrak has been missing for a week"

[Deus Asmoth]

Oh, good. Vampires are terrible once you get over 100 dwarves and have to search for the killer...

[Gnorm]

Did they leave their stuff btw? I don't think it counts as seized if they left their gear there.

The only surviving elf is still hanging out at the depot, and the things he brought are still marked for trade, but his wagons were destroyed, so he won't trade with us. Interestingly, one of the pack animals was stunned while fleeing into the fortress, and is now stuck in a wooden cage. He recently went berserk.

With that, I stepped out and closed the door.

I hate to sound persnickity, but Lenehan's study actually doesn't have a door, but rather a wall grate.

[4maskwolf]

What is it with you and your forts. Whenever I say door there isn't one.

[highmax28]

Did they leave their stuff btw? I don't think it counts as seized if they left their gear there.

The only surviving elf is still hanging out at the depot, and the things he brought are still marked for trade, but his wagons were destroyed, so he won't trade with us. Interestingly, one of the pack animals was stunned while fleeing into the fortress, and is now stuck in a wooden cage. He recently went berserk.

With that, I stepped out and closed the door.

I hate to sound persnickity, but Lenehan's study actually doesn't have a door, but rather a wall grate.

He passes by the wall grate?

[BlackMuffin]

No vampires as of yet, but my heart jumped when I saw "Sarrak has been missing for a week"

You probably thought you were still playing Bloody Age of Artifice.

This is an elf tallow soap bound journal. All craftsdwarfship is of the highest quality. It menaces with spikes of elf tallow soap and is encrusted with oval-cut slade cabochons. On the object is an image of Moisturizer the dwarf and dwarves in elf tallow soap. Moisturizer is laughing. The dwarves are making a plaintive gesture. The object refers to the release of the dark creatures of the Underworld at Moonmoon by Moisturizer in the year 250.

4th of Granite, 254
Labcoat-dwarf decided to steal my prank.

Labcoat-dwarf put dwarf and goblin meat in our food. I've been doing that since I came here. I never told anyone. Seems that now since labcoat-dwarf told everyone about the meat they'll all be testing for dwarf meat in their food so I can't do my joke. But that doesn't matter. We seem to think alike. I like this labcoat-dwarf.
I didn't really care when he told us there was dwarf meat but the dickcheese next to me threw up all over my boots. I don't like it when people puke on me. Their vomit has been all inside of their stomach and insides, and I don't like other people, so having something from inside someone else upsets me. So I forced some more down his throat.

The guards stopped me and started beating me before sending me back to my quarters but I didn't care. I was busy thinking about how I could interact with labcoat-dwarf. I don't know his name but he seems interesting. Maybe I could get him to tell me why he stole my prank. Maybe I can try again with elf-meat. Should make the new overseer angry. I don't like him, so I want to make him angry. He likes elves, and elves don't use soap. They smell nasty and do sex with trees when they should be burning them to ash so they can make lye and soap from tallow. I think Lenehan does sex with trees too but he doesn't tell us. He's probably ashamed of it. He should be.

Maybe I'll make soap out of him next. Yeah. I should do that.

[Deus Asmoth]

Asmoth's Log, Felsite 17th, 254:

I may have an ally, or at least some form of lab assistant. A soap maker identifying himself as Moisturiser came to me in the night, telling me that I stole his prank, and that he had been sneaking dwarf meat into the fortress' food since his arrival. This is somewhat vexing, as it's possible the the more sensitive dwarves would have noticed the change if they hadn't been getting that meat for months. It also means that my hallucinogenic is faulty, since he remembers the revelation perfectly. I was somewhat worried when he walked in on me cutting up one of the dead elf merchants, but he seems eager to participate in my projects so I gave him the meat just to see what he'd do with it. Needless to say, I kept what was necessary for my new project: I'm adding elf meat into Lenehan's food supply in order to find out if he shares their belief that the dead can be eaten, or if he is simply a dwarf who admires elven beauty. If the former is the case, then I shall have enough ways to blackmail him that I shall be left in peace to do my research even if discovered and can stop with this tomfoolery of drugging my test subjects. (Interesting note: adder venom does not function as an anaesthetic for goblins. To be honest, I don't think I ever believed it would. Giant cave spider venom will give the appearance of unconsciousness, but my tests indicate that they are, in fact, fully conscious. I've never had a patient survive long enough to ask them about it.)

Additional comments: I have obtained a new labcoat. It is made of dwarf leather. It menaces with spikes of elf leather and is encircled with bands of goblin leather. I had to have it made in secret, and can only wear it in my lab, since I think those who see it would react badly. I think I may be able to show it to Moisturiser. He seems like the kind of dwarf who appreciates art when he sees it, and if not... well, he doesn't seem sane enough for the rest of the fortress to take seriously. Does that mean I, too, am insane? No. I am perfectly sane. The world is mad.

[Kazimuth]

This is a superior quality yak leather journal. It is encircled with rings of dolomite and menaces with spikes of mahogany. It is caked brown with old, dried blood, and has had its first few pages roughly ripped out.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

...but I told him that no matter what his old squad leader said maces were the better weapons and that was that. I hope he sees the error in his ways, journal.

15 Slate
That bright hunter lad got down some sort of bird today and we ate well. I wonder what he did to get on the Queen's bad side... well, no matter; he'll have a chance at a clean slate at Steelhold.
Blackstone still isn't talking to me because of that silly hammer - mace business.

16 Slate
Clear weather on the trail today. We're making good time, and the prisoners are being reasonable.

17 Slate
I saw the darnedest thing today, journal. As we settled down to make camp someone accidentally stepped on a behive, and half the caravan started screaming and shouting- but then, that scarred boy who never talks walked over and started making this quiet humming noise. The swarm of bees just... settled on him, nestled up, and on his face was the purest expression of joy I've ever seen on a dwarf.
I told him to stop that nonsense, of course, and swatted the bees on his arms- we had to make camp- but still, I've never witnessed anything like it. I hope I didn't put him out too much... maybe I'm just too soft to be a prison gua

[There is a smear of blood]

bees

beesbeesbeesbeesbeesbeesbeesbees...

[Gnorm]

Part II: Summer

From the journal of Lenehan:

1st Hematite, 254

A strange, hooded creature calling itself "Moisturizer" came up to me today and demanded to know why there wasn't a soap maaker's shop in the prion. When I tried to respond, it began to babble madly about the "delicious tallow going to waste." I told my followers to keep a close watch on this one, but I decided to grant his request for now.

6th Hematite, 254



Today that blasted miner who had claimed a mason's shop for himself finally came out presenting his creation.





I had the object confiscated immediately for political examination by me. I just might end up keeping it though; I do like the dead dwarf.

8th Hematite, 254

My personal archery range has been completed. Now I'll be able to properly hone in my skills with the bows obtained from the elves. Perhaps I'll miss my old crossbow, but the long bow is truly the superior weapon.



13th Hematite, 254

The soap-making creature approached me once again to yell at me about the fort's "incapabality of making soap." When I told him that we had a soap maker's shop for him to use, he responded that he needed lye from an ashery, which the prison doesn't have. If this creature makes any more ridiculous demands, I'm going to kill and eat him.

18th Hematite, 254

The first ventilation shaft has been completed. When Jackal approached me and demanded to know what was going on, I simply answered that I was sick of the musty, hot cave air of the prison and desired for all of my inmates to feel the fresh, desesrt breeze twenty-four hours a day. The imbecile fell for it, and I can now have more dug without any further interruptions.



I realize now that Dr. Asmoth, to whom I am I plan on ingratiating myself, has no office to call her own. If she'll be able to fulfill the research I need her to, a proper office will be a necesity.

6th Malachite, 254

Some more inmates have arrived for us to deal with. No one notable has arrived, just a bunch of murderers and cutpurses who most-likely did not expect this prison to be lead by the most-reviled leader of the Elf-Party. My child followers shall be instructed to keep me informed about these new arrivals.

11th Malachite, 254

The second vent, connecting the shafts to the dinging hall, was completed today. Everything is going according to my master plan. On a related note, Dr. Asmoth's office is almost finished, and she has invited me to a meeting as soon as it is completed. This will be an excellent time to introduce the samples to her.

13th Malachite, 254

The dwarves have been complaining to me nonstop about the lack of cages in the fort, so I have ordered a large supply of them to be created.



That ought to end all distractions; I have a project to oversee.

6th Galena, 254

Today I finally found time to meet with the doctor. When I entered her office, I found it had already taken on the medicinal smell of several chemicals, as well as that of blood and rot. In the few beds in the corner rested some new arrivals that did not yet have cells, and Dr. Asmoth would occasionally take tentative glances at them, as if expecting something to spontaneously occur. Before our conversation began, I noticed that she put a notepad that she had been scribbling on in her pocket. While I did not actually manage to read the notes, I did manage to catch a glance of detailed diagrams of Dwarven insides.

She greeted me politely, and even had a prepared meal ready for me on a small platter on her desk. She glanced eagerly at me as a took a few bites, and asked me what I thought of it. I began to feel immensely uncomfortable at this point, and I became quite eager to leave as soon as possible. I rose up, placed the phial I had been carrying on her desk, asked her to thoroughly analyze the composition of the contained substance and report her findings to me, and I took my leave. I worry that the doctor is quite mad, and I now regret placing her office off to the side, away from public eye.

10th Galena, 254

A potter was found, dead, drained completely of his blood today. The entire fort points to a single dwarf, and when I looked over his records, I found that they did not add up at all. Most likely, this monster only pretended to be a convicted felon in order to gain access to this prison, where he planned to drink us dry. He has been sentenced to fifty hammerstrikes, and I'll see to it that he dies one way or another. I do wonder why vampires are always so stupid as to drink the blood of others in front of the entire fortress.

11th Galena, 254

The humans have arrived today to trade with us. Fortunately, my job as manager has allowed me to order many goods with which we can trade. Perhaps I'll be able to obtain more arrows for my bow.

12th Galena, 254

I just caught word today that the third ventilation shaft, leading into the caverns, has been finished. This one will hopefully allow the gas to reach any dwarves in the mines or the caverns, but I think I'll add one more down there just to be sure.

17th Galena, 254



The Goblin army is upon our fortress, and they are clearly poised to destroy the entire prison. In their squadren is Atu Uraranusp, the Human master of the goblins. The group means business, but as overseer of this prison, so do I. I shan't allow this inconvenience to get in the way of my plans. I've ordered the entire military mobilized, and I've returned Modi to active service. A part of me hopes that she'll fall in battle, but another part knows that she'll send many a goblin to the other world.

18th Galena, 254

Whilst the battle rages outside, my child informers keep watch from the trade depot. They tell me that Atu Uraranusp has been killed, slain by Gob. For a dim-wit, he certainly can handle himself on the battlefield. The battle appears to be going quite well.

21st Galnea, 254

I was forced to close the gate when the goblins deployed a squad of axemen, killing many of the human guards that were helping our forces. These goblins will be the death of this fortress, not from killing us, but by angering the other races into doing so instead. I must also report that Modi was killed on the battlefield, along with Jackal. Those two have been a thorn in my side, and now I am quite glad that they are gone. With the gates shut, I believe that we can properly wait out this storm until it is over.

23rd Galena, 254

The goblins launched their full-retreat today. In response, I opened the gates so that I can practice my bowmanship on the wounded, retreating forces. The other dwarves will also be glad to steal from the corpses of the falled; damn thieves.

28th Galena, 254

Things have begun to normalize at Steelhold. The goblins are gone, trading with the humans has finished, and work has commenced to repair the damages that have been done. Coffins are being built for the fallen, and funerals are being held constantly in the dining hall. I can hear their sobs through the vents leading to my laboratory; such maudlin praises for fallen drunkards. With Jackal dead, I have taken the position of mayor for myself. I am now in complete control of the prison, and I am free to do whatever I want. My project will now be even easier to complete.
Unfortunately, no beekeepers came during the migration wave, so I was unable to dwarf Bees.

[Sarrak]

Now, with the death of everyone who had even slightest ability to oversee this prison, Gnorm, you're free to do anything you want - no one will judge pointless wooden statues of Armok, spitting magma from their mouths anymore...

By the way, it is quite interesting. While Jackal lived quite a long life overall, now a new tradition started - to clean the prison instability by erasing physical existence of previous dwarves in power. Quite reasonable tradition, if you ask me 


This is blood-covered ghostly journal of Sarrak the Ghostly Butcher

Well... Seems like everything worked quite well... Although it is a bit sad that I forgot to eat during ritual and have starved my body to death, it is unimportant now. Hm...

*pages with ritual description look battered*
Quite simple. Get sixty eight freshly murdered squirrels or their equivalent (I used old rat skulls and some hamster skeletons - perhaps, not really adequate substitute), rip their eyes with your fingers (already gone, sadly), scribe octagonal spyral on the rock surface and destoy after memorizing. Then put materials in the proper places, awash them with blood (used a barrel of jaguar, brought in by human sadist comrades), chat some maddening mantras for an eternity and wait three months or for a year and a half in limbo if your letargic body was properly buried... Letargic, yeah. Already a bare sceleton, devoid of flesh. Well, anyway, the result isn't up to my standarts. I barely manage to interact with physical world. No butchering fluffies for me for some time...
By the way, why on earth I even tried to complete this madness?.. Last months before my death are somewhat unclear. Something to do with the closed door, perhaps... I tried to open it - to no avail... Strange, strange indeed.

Yeah, it is impossible to destroy this...book-thing. I can tear the pages as much as I want, but to no success. Interesting... Oh, and it is infinite! No searching for spares, lucky me. Don't know if I could find something to write in if this ghostly book ends.

*page is soaked with blood, ghosly letters are barely visiblr through it*
Hail to the Jackal Thronesteel the Wheel of Violators!

*the is a picture of a mass-burial crypt*
What a disgrace - to lie in such crowded conditions! Modi, we were friends! And you even took the power in my absence! You could have provided my mortal form with a better sarcophagus at least... Oh, yeah, it seems like you died recently, alongside the Warden. When you will get here - we will have to talk... Or maybe you won't come? Interesting thought.

By the way, fortress looks great. Er...prison looks. Yeah. There is one dwarf that I'm proud of. May the bloody science not be forgotten with my death. Go for it, Asmoth!

OOC: If ever we will get a possesed butcher, dwarf him as Sarrak the Second. For now I will observe and scribe the history in my bloody ghostly book.

[Deus Asmoth]

Asmoth's Log.

21st of Galnea, 254

I may have a problem. Not ten days after being visited by Lenehan, both of his major political rivals were killed. This has severe ramifications for both me and my tests, as I must make sure to ingratiate myself with him before I can continue. (Side-note: I am near certain that I could have saved either Jackal or Modi if given the opportunity, but for some reason my office door was 'accidentally' barred until it was certain they were dead. This probably caused several other deaths. I'm pretty sure that from this I can draw the conclusion that Lenehan is a fifth column for the elves, and his talk of inter-racial peace is a lie.) Perhaps my best course of action is to reveal my tests and results to our leader and hope to be taken into his confidence. In any case, I won't make my move until I've analysed this phial of something or other he left with me. Initial test results: bringing a small amount into contact with a patient had no noticeable effect, though the subject did die soon after. Whether this was a result of the substance or the fact that he was missing his intestines at the time has yet to be determined.

In any case, I have more important matters to attend to: Steelhold has a vampire, and I must save him from the death Lenehan has planned for him. Such a creature would be an invaluable test subject, and I may even be able to replicate his state in others, which would make our military much more effective at the very least.