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[Gnorm]

Thane can still use both hands, so she'll be fine.

As far as the alive/dead post goes, you are missing Torvald (DWEORH Leader), The Host (Gem Keeper), Zaerosz (Warrior Bowdwarf), and Burto (Hybrid Dwarf) in the alive listing. Vlad's profession name is now just "Mercenary," as well. In the dead list, you need Mattias (Philosopher), and probably several others that I will not go looking for in the list of 1545 dead things. I cannot seem to find FallenAngel 3, so I think he's dead too.

[TheFlame52]

Now that Vlad is a baron, you might want to change his profession to something that reflects that. Straightforward Baron? Baron of Demongate?

[Gnorm]

Now that Vlad is a baron, you might want to change his profession to something that reflects that. Straightforward Baron? Baron of Demongate?

Vlad is the duke, and has been for a while now.

[TheFlame52]

Vlad is the duke, and has been for a while now.

Whoops, now I remember him becoming duke right after my turn.

[Deus Asmoth]

I imagine Vlad still considers himself a mercenary first and foremost.

[MDFification]

Legs are for cowards.

Added to the list o' quotes.

[4maskwolf]

Legs are for cowards.

Added to the list o' quotes.

Could someone direct me to this list?

[fractalman]

I sat sideways in the chair, my legs on a crate and my back propped up against a barrel. 

"Greetings, overseer.  I hope my stance on mandates and nobles makes more sense now*. As for the recent adamantine stitch fiasco...I have many talents: I'll see if I can salvage some of that thread for decorations, or a better edge for a silver sword.  No promises, of course: being turned into a stitch is one of the fastest ways to render adamantine unusable, second only to turning it into socks."



*namely, that mandate-creating nobles should never be allowed to have mandate-creating preferences.

[Gnorm]

Part VI: Those Dwarves Fought Against the Forces of the World, and Thus Invited Their Attacks

Liwa wandered the caverns aimlessly, hunting for her next meal. Her aggressive nature had never failed her in the past when it came to the hunt, and many of the subterranean creatures had learned to avoid her entirely. This day, by some chance, her search brought her within the limits of Demongate, where the dwarves lived. How she hated the dwarves, who invaded the caverns and brought with them destruction of the terrain and the theft of her quarry. Even in the depths, she could hear their parties and smell their cooking. The sight of nearby dwarves did enrage Liwa greatly, and she was filled with a mad, murderous frenzy.



Liwa rushed into the center of the caverns, hurling fire from her mouth at fleeing dwarves. She felt a twinge of amusement as one mason was hit by a direct blast of fire and became incinerated. A few of more foolish civilians began firing their crossbows on her, but their bolts could hardly even slow her. As she sprayed her fire at them, she heard the cries of their leaders giving orders.



What fools they were! They believed that they could defeat her with their pathetic armies! Liwa breathed even more fire in an expression of fiendish amusement. One marksdwarf ran ahead of the rest, carrying her baby in her arms. She had a wild look to her eye, and was clearly intent of defeating Liwa. She, Liwa, gave little thought to the dwarf, and she breated a jet of flame right at her.



Even as she let out another cry of primal hate, a part of Liwa began to realize that even she wasn't immune to damage. In addition to the many bolts that had pierced her hide, excessive use of her own fire was beginning to burn and to melt her body. When a highly-armored knight and a speardwarf mounted their attack on her, Liwa no longer had the strength to resist, but merely cried out in a pure animalistic fear. Ultimately, the final blow was delivered, the spear piercing into Liwa's body, ending yet another beast's life.




"So, how is overseeing the fortress going."

"It has been going well, thank you. The committee does not have my trust, though, so I haven't been able to do anything notable."

"Don't worry too much about that; it will come in time. Tell me, did you get any information out of the FractalEntity?"

"No, all he wanted to do was talk about socks and adamantine. I honestly couldn't get a word in between his ramblings."

"Sounds like the Fractalman, though that doesn't tell us anything about what the Hell he is."

"True."

"How are things in the caverns, nowadays?"

"After the beast attack, most of the upper layer of cavern is covered in ash. The monster set fire to most of the plant life."

"What's next on your agenda?"

"What else must happen?"

"That is for you to decide. After all, we're collaborators; I do not directly control you. As of now, you have been quite accomodating."

"We'll be trading with The First Iron soon. Most of our valley herbs have been processed into salve, but I've saved some for you."

"That is most kind of you, Leopold."

"It's no trouble."




"Sound the alarm! Goblins have surrounded the fortress!" cried a peasant running to the safety of the walls of Demongate.

"They must have been following our caravans," mused Sir Brenzen. "What's the scout's report!"

A ranger rushed to the commander carrying some hastily written documents. The knight looked them over quickly as he assessed the situation.







"Seal off the main entrance immediately! Order all civilians within the walls! Marksdwarves to the towers! The rest of you, we'll need to hold the barracks' entrance with out lives!"

"This vill be a most satisfyingk battle, yes!" cried Vlad.

I do hope so, thought the overseer, who would rely on the strength and might of Demongate's army for his future plans.

[TheFlame52]

Don't forget to retract the entrance bridges. Our trapped entrance can destroy the entire siege on its own. And lock the door that leads to the trap hallway in the pit, too.

[Deus Asmoth]

I take it Dan is dead again, then?

[Gnorm]

I take it Dan is dead again, then?

Actually, no. Her upper and lower body fat is gone, and she bled heavily, but she did not actually die.

[TheFlame52]

Actually, no. Her upper and lower body fat is gone, and she bled heavily, but she did not actually die.

One step closer to being completely fireproof.

[Deus Asmoth]

Now I'm imagining her walking around with her organs exposed and no one finding that odd.

[Gnorm]

Part VII: Dear Hearts and Gentle People

The main entrance the the fortress slammed shut, giving entry to neither friend nor foe. The goblin archers to the east therefore began to busy themselves with picking off straggling civilians and merchants. Meanwhile, the soldiers of Demongate waiting intently in the barracks for the goblins to march through their traps, and the archers in the towers took shots at goblins that came close enough. The dwarven wagons had not yet made it to the fortress before the drawbridge was raised, and now they served only as bait for the goblins.

"Steady boys," commanded Sir Brenzen. The soldiers were to be the second line of defense, and to allow the traps to do most of the work in killing the goblins. Yet some dwarves still thirsted for blood and wished to kill by their own hands.

"This vill take too much of the time!" cried Vlad in frustration.

"Calm yourself Vlad," muttered Thane, leaning on her crutch in stress.

"There vill be no more vaitingk! Ve vill finish this the old-fashioned vay!"

Despite the loud protests and attempts of physical restrainment by his fellow soldiers, Vlad was unable to be deterred. Once he had left the barracks, he began to walk towards the incoming waves with surprising serenity—he did not charge his enemy. He brought his blade down into the face of the nearest goblin, and continued marching towards their leader: an experienced archer. The arrow came flyign faster than even the mercenary could anticipate, catching him completely off guard. It pierced his leg, but even as he fell to the ground he refused to cry out in pain.



The goblins noticed his cripple, and they began to swarm him. Vlad lashed out violently against them, but even he began to incur injuries as their numbers grew and their trolls joined in the fight.

"Vlad is down! Let's rescue him!" cried the militia, against all logic.

The militia rushed out of the safety of the barracks and into the battlefield before them. Thus, the carnage truly began. By the time they had reached Vlad, he was already dead, but the goblins could now fight the dwarves by their terms. The dwarves were forced to fight all of the goblins, resulting in great casualties on both sides. Dwarves lost limbs, lungs, and lives to the invaders. By the end of the fight, only the most experienced veterans of the militia came out alive and uninjured.

A detachment of trolls managed to invade the Spider Bunker. They began to lay waste to it and to attack those inside. They were fortunately kept out of the main fortress, preventing disaster, but the danger of the bunker had been proven.



When the battle was finally over, the bodies of the unlucky ones were collected for burial. The lucky ones came next, the ones with bolts and arrows sticking out of them, with pierced chests and spilling guts, and with missing arms and legs. The hospital would be crowded that night.

The commander stood atop the walls of the fortress, and he looked down upon the battlefield before him.



He cursed bitterly.