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[Aavak]

Spiderslaughter may have fallen,
but a new page in Gnomish history is already being written... in Castlegoat!

Greetings Gnoble Gnomes & Gnomads!

It has been a long time since my last kingdom met its inevitable, but heroic end at the hands of the fiendish agents of Cinderfragment, but the gears of Gnomish industry never stop turning. So here we find ourselves journeying with a new group of Gnomish pioneers as they set out to forge a kingdom worthy to succeed the mighty Spiderslaughter!

For those who haven't seen my Spiderslaughter LP, or aren't familiar with Gnomoria at all: Gnomoria is an indie game, developed by Robotronic Games, which is currently in early Beta (as of this writing) and is available through Steam as well as the main website www.gnomoria.com

Described as a sandbox village management game, Gnomoria draws a healthy amount of inspiration from games such as Dwarf Fortress and Dungeon Keeper, and follows the fates of a group of Gnomes who you must help (but cannot directly control) to thrive, and grow their humble camp into a bustling kingdom!

While I am quite familiar with the core concepts of the game, thanks in large part to my previous LP, much has changed between the fall of Spiderslaughter and the founding of Castlegoat. So I look forward to exploring the deceptively intricate world of these hardy, industrial little fellows and hope you can join me on this journey of rediscovery :)

Of course, for the more adventurous among you, there's also the option of rolling up your virtual sleeves and becoming a part of the Kingdom's story by having a Gnomad named after you. Though I take no responsibility for any grievous injuries incurred by your namesake in the service of Castlegoat... even if I am, technically, responsible >.>


Current Rumours:



Past Stories:









Any suggestion or advice is warmly welcomed :)

[Aavak]

First day of Spring, Year One:
Welcome my Gnomish kin, and thank you for coming at such short notice.

I'm sure you've all heard the rumours of the survivors of the last migrant wave to leave for Spiderslaughter. Frankly, I'm surprised any returned at all after hearing what they found... but it at least puts an end to the speculation, Spiderslaughter has fallen, and what was once the sparkling jewel of our mighty nation, now lies pillaged and befouled by the agents of our old enemy. Cinderfragment.

Now I'm sure you're all wondering why you've been called here, though I suspect some of you have already guessed. We cannot allow the pioneering spirit of the great men and women who set forth, all those years ago, to found that mighty bastion to be forgotten and dishonoured by our inaction.

Therefore, with your help, we're assembling another expedition!

"Why us?" I hear you ask. Well, you're names were on the list because you're the best, the brightest, and ... *cough*most expendable*cough* ... Gnomes in all of the mountain-homes. This grand venture simply wouldn't be possible without you!

So pack your bags, say your goodbyes, and prepare. For tomorrow you set off for... Castlegoat!

[Aavak]

First day of Spring, Year One:
We arrived at the agreed upon site some time after dawn, but with much of the day still ahead of us. It wasn't the flat, arable land we had been promised though, much to the contrary, this place is dotted by steep hills and jagged cliffs!

Still, despite the nervous glances and re-checking (multiple times...) of maps, none spoke aloud of their concern. Instead, we arranged ourselves as best we could, assigned chores and tools, and set to work.

So far, we've managed to pasture our Yaks and have already chosen the most likely site for the future halls of Castlegoat. With only crude materials and tools to hand, we have much work ahead of us before we're even able to properly begin delving our lodgings... but with the digging songs ringing through the valley to the rhythmic echo of wood chopping, spirits are high.

For better or worse, this is now our home, and from these rough hills we are sure to carve an enduring legacy the likes of which even Spiderslaughter would be jealous!

[Aavak]

Fifth day of Spring, Year One:
Though the hours have been long, with some of us rising well before dawn and working long after dusk, these early days have seen significant progress made. From tilling soil and planting our initial crops, to constructing our first real workshops.

A large section of the slope leading into the mountain we plan to call home has already been levelled, ready for the entrance to be dug while we continue to expand our construction industry. However, while things have been quite so far we need to consider our defences... sooner, rather than later.

[sackhead]

out of interest why are you posting a link to the dwarf fortress Wikipedia page?
i mean this is the dwarf fortress forums i think everyone on this forum knows about the game..

[Aavak]

out of interest why are you posting a link to the dwarf fortress Wikipedia page?
i mean this is the dwarf fortress forums i think everyone on this forum knows about the game..

It's a habit for the most part, if I mention another game, or person in my posts I like to credit it in some way. Although it's obvious people know what DF is here, it somehow felt like I'd be specifically singling DF out by not linking to it in my post, considering in any other LP post I link to whatever game I'm mentioning.

So in answer to your question, just a personal quirk for the most part, not an assumption that anyone here needed to read the additional information

[Aavak]

Ninth day of Spring, Year One:
The last few days have seen more change than in all the days before, since we arrived at this untamed site of our future home. After meeting with everyone, it was agreed that many of our skills were being poorly utilised and so we took time to properly assign professions based on our experiences. As you can imagine, a great surge of progress followed due to our improved efficiency.

Now, not only do we have the foundation for a full construction industry, allowing for faster manufacture of building materials and other workshops, but we've also completed work on a kitchen and a still. At last we can consider ourselves truly self sufficient!

With that done, our attentions can turn towards our defences. Much of the ground work for our walls has been completed, but that is only the first, and regrettably easiest step... the real work begins now.

[Aavak]

Second day of Summer, Year One:
The final days of Spring were more chaotic than I could have imagined. Though much work was completed on the walls for the Kingdom, even that typically tedious task was fraught with peril as Daper McJester managed to trap himself high above with no clear path to get back down. It was only when one of the Provisioners heard his cries for aid that anyone noticed his plight. Thankfully, he was able to be rescued before starvation set in, but this is a cautionary tale and one which I hope all of the Pioneers take to heart.

It wasn't long after that particular dilemma was resolved that news of Gnomads reached us, three hardy, and hopefully hard working Gnomes from our homeland had made the trek all the way here. Braving the perils of the mountains, as well as the local wildlife, Deathbot, ArchXL, and LeoTheJester all found their way to Castlegoat. But it appears their travels did not go unnoticed, for soon after they arrived, so too did two goblins of the kingdom "The Frayed Land"

However, our foe met with stiff resistance! While everyone fought together to defend our home, ArchXL and Allaunira threw themselves into the fight with the most zeal. ArchXL delivering precise, almost acrobatic kicks, while Allaunira surprised everyone with her ferocity as she rained blows down upon her opponent until her fists were stained a deep jade by the goblin's blood. I didn't witness her struggle personally, I was focused on ArchXL's fight, but I was told later that she continued to pound her fists into the Goblin's chest long after it had died, until its ribs simply gave way and all she was accomplishing was to drive chunks of flesh and shards of bone deeper into the blood stained earth...

It wasn't an entirely one sided fight however, for several of our Gnomes, myself included, were badly wounded in the conflict. Fortunately for us, supplies were at hand to treat our wounds... but how long will these initial supplies last? Now that the Goblins know of our location, we must start thinking of replenishing our bandages and also finishing work on our defences!

[Aavak]

Fifth day of Summer, Year One:
Only three days have passed since I last had time to pen an entry in my journal, and in that time we have been attacked twice by those vile green-skins of The Frayed Land!

The first fight ended swiftly, with yet another resounding victory for Castlegoat, in fact, we won so convincingly we were certain our enemy would spend days to recover their courage. We planned great works and began construction projects safe in the knowledge we were unlikely to see our foes for some time to come. We built market stalls ready for the summer traders, we finished work on a Butcher, so that we could prepare the flesh of our fallen enemies... efficiency is everything in a budding Kingdom, we cannot afford to be picky where we get our meat from!

But the second fight caught us off guard. A punishment for our complacency we will not soon forget, though it was Metasepia who bore the brunt of this punishment as she was cruelly beaten by our attackers before many of us could rally to join the defence. Once the goblins were slain we took stock of our situation, with one of us badly wounded and without even a hospital, if The Frayed Land kept up this level of assault we would gradually be whittled down, one by one.

For this reason, and with heavy hearts, we were forced to strike down one of our Yaks, Cuthbert. His bones will allow us to make needles necessary for the construction of a tailor's workshop, and the eventual manufacture of bandages. His sacrifice gives us hope, and will ensure we are healthy enough to continue this fight against the green-skins... for this, we honour him.

Sleep well, noble Cuthbert, you shall be missed.

[Aavak]

Seventh day of Summer, Year One:
The summer merchants arrived with little pomp or ceremony, though I imagine they knew how important this caravan is to our fledgling Kingdom. I think we did well not to rush them as they set up their wares, painfully slowly mind you, in the stalls we had built to accommodate their greater numbers in the warmer months.

But it was all for naught. The prize which so many of us lusted after, the precious mushroom spores that would allow us to begin brewing tea were nowhere to be found. Initially, not trusting my own feverish attempts to look for them, I had other Gnomes search the stalls, item by precariously balanced item. Even one spore would do, we would nurture it as carefully as we nurture our very own lives...

These bastards chose to bring only worthless jewels. WE CAN'T TURN JEWELS INTO TEA.... at least I don't think we can, if we don't get any mushrooms soon I may be forced to try.

Dejected, I did the best I could. I purchased some grape seeds in the hopes that maybe some grape wine would soften the blow for my companions. I know it wont, but they'll smile weakly and try to reassure me that it's just as good, bless their tired, tea-deprived little hearts.

The days since have been sombre as we all try to come to grips with this grim reality. We've done the best we can to distract ourselves from our woe, we've begun an expansion project with the hopes of moving our woodworking in doors, and over the next few days I hope to focus our efforts into aesthetic projects.

Even if we cannot quench the thirst of our bodies, perhaps we can at least quench the thirst of our souls.

[Aavak]

Eleventh day of Summer, Year One:
Many grand plans have been put forward over the last few days for the improvement of our Kingdom, both practical plans that increase the efficiency of our workshops, and purely aesthetic plans that deal with creating interesting vistas for our Gnomes to appreciate.

Although there are some concerns that the more ambitious plans may require drastic changes to the farming and horticultural areas we have set up, I suspect the benefits outweigh the costs. And with the recent discovery of a suitable mining location near by the fort, work began in earnest on the beautification of the great hall.

However, the last few days have also seen an increase in the aggression of our green-skin neighbours. With more frequent raids, and better armed scouting parties. It's clear that we cannot afford to neglect our defences in the near term.

With that in mind, it has been agreed that it is time, with the extra hands we have, to further specialise our roles and assign Gnomes to tasks more suited for their specific skills.

[Aavak]

First day of Autumn, Year One:
With the last day of Summer drawing out, the fact that we had all been without Tea for nearly two seasons was beginning to show. Tempers were frayed, voices rose in anger without warning, but we all understood, we all empathised.

In the mean while, work went on, and did so far more efficiently thanks to the reorganisation of our tasks. Jobs were being completed swiftly, and once the workshop orders were finished there was usually more work to be done in the fields or in the stockpiles. It kept us busy.

But there's no denying that with Autumn here, we are all hoping that this season's merchants will bring with them precious spores to end our tortured thirst!

[Aavak]

Fourth day of Autumn, Year One:
As the very first signs of Autumn set in we received news that migrants had been spotted at the borders of the Kingdom. Although we didn't anticipate many (the tea shortage being what it is) we were expecting a little more than we got. Just two Gnomads made the journey from the homelands.

However, it became clear very quickly that these Gnomads had not come entirely by choice. These young lovers, Lizzy and Elsondwarf, were running from something. Perhaps their families do not approve of their relationship, or maybe a suitor who hasn't taken rejection well. Regardless of the story behind their flight, we will not deny them sanctuary here in Castlegoat!

The days after their arrival were characterised by hard work and frequent goblin raids, but despite their interference work on the great hall has progressed swiftly.

In the following days we hope to make as much progress with the wood-working area. I only hope the anticipation of the Autumn merchant wont distract us from our work...

[Aavak]

Ninth day of Autumn, Year One:
As Winter draws ever nearer, the hopes of our Gnomes turned towards the approach of the Autumn Merchant. I tried not to let my hopes grow too great, you could call it cynicism, or perhaps precognition, but I'm glad I didn't.

Much as the previous Merchants, this one did not see fit to bring any Mushroom spores, and so with this last hope dies any chance of us having Tea to warm our bellies and our hearts through the chilly days to come.

I tried to keep people busy, to distract them from their disappointment. I even traded for an Alpaca in hopes that it would help to cheer our beastmasters as they tend and care for the new addition to the Kingdom. To my great surprise, it seemed to work, at least a little. Progress was made on furnishing the Great Hall, and much work was done on completing the woodworking area. Deathbot even created an exquisite meal in an effort to raise moral... The Manly Sandwich, a meal that I am told was too delicious for words.

I'm glad that the other Gnomes are coping with the burden of their tea withdrawal, it may all be an act, but as we ender the final days of Autumn, they will need whatever cheer they can find--real or imagined--to last them through the Winter, for the Goblins show no signs of slowing their attacks...

[Aavak]

Twelfth day of Autumn, Year One
We resolved to take advantage of the last of the good weather before Winter entombed us, by considering plans and conducting surveys of the land surrounding the fort in hopes of expanding the land available to our farmers.

With a plan in mind, we selected the best area for our expansion, and set to the task of preparing it. This naturally required a large amount of wood-chopping, a task to which Shelab took with great enthusiasm. Unfortunately, while she working away from the fort, the green-skins (using the forest as cover) ambushed her, and before the militia could rally to her defence she lost her right arm! Naturally, the craven swine were rounded up and slaughtered, and I can only hope Shelab's loss was tempered by their painful cries as they were kicked, punched, and bitten to death.

Fortunately for the fort, Shelab seems to be ambidextrous and can still hold an axe in her left hand... though she did mention that she would have appreciated it if her fellow Gnomes hadn't left her arm outside for the bears to eat. Clearly we must have a talk about hauling priorities in the future! 

However, the ambush, and the later attack which left ElsonDwarf injured (though not seriously) made it clear that our current defences were inadequate, and so work has begun on the construction of an actual barracks that may eventually house a dedicated military. Where we'll find the Gnomes to fill out such positions though, that's another problem entirely...