13th Felsite, 233
We got a report from the approaching frost and hobgoblin diplomats that the xelics are coming in force, and sure enough they came, lead by their general and bringing several lumbering beasts, and we've resolved to attack them as we are. Whatever patrols find the enemy will engage them on sight.
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We won, and quite handily at that. Cerol, Pyrope, Maskwolf, and Myself happened to run right into the enemy general and his bodyguards and we cut a blody swath through them, though some xelics abandoned the fight and fled when their mounts were bashed or cut from under them. Thor, Ferro, and Toad found themselves fighting alongside the hobgoblin diplomat and his bodyguards, facing a large group of rather menacing furry elephants. When I took stock of who was gathered after these skirmishes, I found Mad Bomber and Dreamerghost missing. I knew Dreamerghost had gone to get some sleep before heading out on patrol (as he'd been up talking with Alligator and Selore for a fair part of the night before,) but I know I'd seen Mad Bomber head west for the patrol.
We found him about a half an hour later, doing his best to not get carved up like a roast or chewed on by freaking polar bears. We were quick to jump into the fight and I'm certain had we not found him when we did he'd be dead right now. Mercifully the bears decided to run when we apprached. The xelics weren't quite so intelligent though. [Seriously, Mad Bomber tried to take on an axe squad lead by an elite marksbug and a separate group of war polar bears. How he hadn't died while everyone else was fighting the mammoths and the general's squad I'll never know.]
Unfortunately, our victory was cheapened.
Goden was found, along with several polar bears with thier maws splashed with dwarf blood. Goden's shield arm had been pulled from her shoulder, her left leg was bent unnaturally, and her neck was ripped open. But her death was paid for in polar bear blood. Dreamerghost had come out to join the regular patrols, having told me afterwards he didn't even know we were under attack, and was quick to keep the brutes' attention while we crept up and attacked from behind, quickly slaughtering the evil snow bears.
15th Felsite, 233Goblins came for a go next. I sent the Wolf Spiders to guard the butcher doors, and according to after-battle reports, Degel dropped two trolls in two swings once they came at her!
Maskwolf meanwhile, had been surrounded by cave crabs and had been bashing entire limbs off with his trusted hammer.
[By this point he'd already killed one and injured two others.]
[Those poor bastards didn't have a chance against The Suicidal Amber of Creating]
Pyrope had also taken on an entire squad of goblins alone, and had won! We did a headcount after Maskwolf arrived and Pyrope to be missing, to our understandable worry. But when we found him he was drinking from his flask atop a pile of dead goblins saying it was about time we'd decided to come find him.
[Thanks to the graphic, it actually made it seem like he was shooting at them with his back turned!]
Sharpshooter Olin Inkminds also contributed to the fighting at the butchery entrance, killing two goblins and incapacitating another pair before the Wolf Spiders engaged, after which the goblins promptly ran for thier lives, one more being incapacitated by Olin's bolts; that hail of death certainly sealed the fate of most of that squad.
By far though the most vicious and bloody clash was between the bulk of the militia and a group of trolls, hammergoblins lead by a goblin axe lord and mace goblins lead by a hammer lord, whom Doren and Thor bested in single combat respectively at the west gate.19th Felsite, 233The high elves have arrived so we appear to have foiled our enemies' attempts to strangle our trade with others. We're all also saddened by an unpleasant revelation: In the chaos of the battle with the goblins, Corporal Erush was killed as well. She hadn't been properly equipped (none of us really are for that matter; I have a mind to just seal up once the high elves are in and start going through everyone's armor and make sure we all have the right gear!) and a goblin's spear had found it's way through her mail and pierced her heart.
[She was fine until the battle with the goblins, after which deathcause reveals she bled to death indicating either a throat or heart strike got her.]
She was found dead in the dry pond just to the north of the butchery, her corpse among the several (primarily goblin) ones in it. It's... Always sad, when I have to put in orders for the iron coffins. I can even see the metalworkers true expression at such news through their eyes. Knowing dwarves died in spite of their handiwork, the armor they made to keep those very dwarves safe, must be near soul shattering to anyone who forges armor.
Tholtig doesn't blame me, nor does anyone else amazingly. Erush's squadmates say it was her own fault she died, that she'd gone out instead of picking up the new body armor that'd been forged for her squad like the rest of them had, but that only leaves him as an “original” Wolf Spider. I can't imagine how that feels, knowing he outlived all of his original squad members.22nd Felsite, 233King Onul is quite a man of the people. Saw hime out helping with cleaning up the battlefield, and he made a decree that the 20th of Felsite will be a day of remembrance, not just for the soldiers who died in the month's fighting, but for all of us who've given their lives protecting the fortress, and he made a point to stop in at Zacen's and thanking the hobgoblins for helping during the fighting, and made an insistence that Zacen humor the wood elves and abide by their cutting quota. I asked if that was a smart idea, since they may side with the xelics, but he said that if we do our best to strengthen ties, if it comes
to war, they may well join us instead, seeing us as trying our best to respect them and the woods they cherish.27th Felsite, 233
“Colonel, may I have a word with you?” King Onul asked, late in the day.
“Hmm?” Splint looked up from his meal in the council chamber. “Uh, of course sir, just let me-” He made a move to stand up but the king raised a hand.
“No no, finish your meal colonel, I'm in no hurry! Just please meat me down in my throne room when you're finished and all that.” He said with a smile, and headed off. Splint assumed it was a matter regarding the garrison, so he finished his stew relatively quickly and marched off, finding the king in his office looking out on the torchlit courtyard below.
“Majesty? You wanted to see me?” The soldier said, knocking on the office door as he entered.
He seemed a little startled as he swung around, but he was quick to wave Splint in. “Ah, yes, Colonel, good to see you. So, what I ahve to discuss with you, is in regard to my involvment with the local military.”
“Of course sir, I figured as much. What do you need us to do?”
“You may miundertsand what I mean. I'd like to join you and your dwarves on the battlefield! I just don't know what exactly would be the most eh.... Becoming weapon for me. Could never really use an axe well; too unwieldly what with our country's metalsmiths insisting on those oversized or double bit axe heads. I was never a good shot with a crossbow either, so those are right out.”
“I-I don't-”
“No no no, I insist. I've... I've been riding on the successes and heroism of my great-great grandmother, and before his little descent into insanity, great grandfather. Most fortresses established during my reign were, or are, very small. Only a handful of families if that, dwarves who left to get away from my... I'll just say misguided relatives. My older siblings didn't want to take the reigns, sending the envoys sent to get them back, or they simply couldn't be reached.” He took a deep breath, and went on “My uncles, and aunts of course, were far less than accepting of someone as young as me taking the throne and went out of there way to take out thier irritation on the people, be it through me with unneccessary inductions to the royal guard – which was already staffed by loyal and competant soldiers – or through thier pointless mandates for glass shoes or other inane trinkets they knew couldn't be produced.”
“Sire, I don't quite-”
“Please colonel, don't interrupt me. It's rude. Many of them also made a rather hypocritical point of mentioning both my father and grandfather were desperately seeking to learn the secrets of life and death. My... My grandfather was successful, and I can only thank the lack of a major war for him not coming to reclaim the throne when time claimed my father. I've sent many scouts out, keeping tabs on him and the last report said he's somewhere in raider country, as are others, flocking to some unwell raider woman who's been beating bounty hunters to death with a giant tin slab rather than having her minions deal with them. I digress, but the point remains that my family has for the last two generations been one disgrace upon another, and my relatives have done nothing but continue to anger the populous. Carryscar is the one fortress my reign can claim as an achievement, of what those under my rule could accomplish even in the face of soul-draining heat and constant assaults. And what's more, I needed a place... A place that would actually let me lead dwarves into battle, so I can prove that while I can't control my relatives and thier stupidity, I can and will put myself in the same danger as my people regularly face, like a good dwarven king or queen should.”
Splint stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. He strightened himself before saying anything. “Well sir, if you wish do join us in battle, please allow us to take all the necessary precautions first.”
“Well, I'd like to ask what you mean exactly by precautions.”
“Armor first and foremost. Second is weaponry. Once we know what you're after, I'll have Anvil get right on forging them from whatever material you choose.”
Onul smiled wide and walked over to Splint, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Ah, of course! I'm glad to see you don't object! Would've hated to have to pull the nobility card just to get to fight! Well then, I'll leave you to it Colonel, and please stop by anytime! I'd love to learn more about this whole militancy thing!”
King Onul has requested that we permit him to take to the field alongside the rest of us. I'm not sure what to say on that my dear journal. But I do have to commend him for wanting to actually fight alongside his people rather than hide behind them.
Ok, so here's the first (sadly kinda short) update in a while! I've decided that King Onul is going to eventually join our warriors, but right now, how will we go about it? Hunt down adamantine? Home smelted steel? Swords, hammers, or spears?
We also lost another Wolf Spider and a couple polar bears got lucky shots on poor Goden. This leaves the axelord Tholtig as the only og Wolf Spider left. A farmer went a bit funny in the head, Maskwolf bludgeoned crabs to death, a hobgob diplomat helped fend off a pack of war mammoths, and my decision to induct King Onul into the army has also left me with serious consideration to find adamantine.
Anyways, hope you guys enjoy, even if it wasn't the best thing ever.
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Topic: Ozkakurrith "Carryscar," A Civ Forge Community/Story Fortress: FINISHED (Read 98057 times)