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[tonnot98]

I do hope it is still ongoing.

[Lovechild]

It is ongoing again.

Chapter 1: Steelcradle - Part 5

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Prudence Ochrelock made a few test swings with her new mace. It was truly an exceptional weapon, a result of the mayor Amazerings' numerous mandates to improve the military. Prudence was less satisfied with her heavy copper armor, however. She hoped that steel industry everyone was talking about would actually begin soon.



Far below the surface, Ironmerchants' pick bared a beautiful stone. White with flowing grey lines, it could only be...

"Marble!" Boothammers shouted from the other tunnel. "I've found marble!"

"I found it first!" Ironmerchants shouted back.



Shortly, the fortress was in uproar as cheering dwarves ran to the mines to haul the flux stone to the smelters. Eight migrants arrived and were greeted with the glad news. In the commotion, no one noticed the armorer Treatyhailed sneaking off to a forge.



Soon she revealed her finished project to Prudence.

"A lead boot?" Prudence asked incredulously. "Lead?! It's nicely made and all, but I would not wear lead boots into battle. Especially not just one!"

"Oh, it's not for battle", Treatyhailed replied. "It's symbolic..."



The steel production at Steelcradle had finally begun. A tear rolled down Tazz's cheek as the first bar was shown to him. This was what he and all the other dwarves had worked so hard for.

"Very well done", he said. "Now take it to the forges and make a sword out of it."

"Uh, we can't. The stockpile is completely filled with lead."

"Lead?!"

"Hundreds of lead bars. A byproduct of all the galena we smelted to make the mayor's silver furniture."

Tazz thought quicky. "Right. I have a solution..."



"...We'll make toys from the lead! That will give our children both joy and muscles!"



Soon word spread around the fortress that Amazerings' decorating had delayed the steel production, and the timing could not have been worse for her. Election was coming up. Amazerings was voted out of office by a landslide, in favor of the more sensible-seeming Clodlabor. Clodlabor declared that she would do everything she could to get the steel industry back on track and meet the queen's mandate this autumn.



Meanwhile a caravan of humans from the Helpful Unions arrived, praising the dwarven craftsdwarfship and eager to trade.



If they hoped to buy steel weapons they were sorely disappointed. Tazz gave them a few shiny trinkets, and took their iron anvils (anvils were just oddly shaped iron bars, after all) and some meat, fish, and cheese for the kitchens.



After intensive toymaking, the steel bars finally reached the forges, and swordsmithing began. Three migrants arrived, one of them an accomplished weaponsmith specially sent by the queen herself!

In addition to the swords, some axes were made for a new militia squad. Prudence and her fellow soldiers had become highly skilled through their intense training, but they were few in number.



One morning the miner Furnacelabors said:

"Is it not the ecru color that unites us all? The color of siltstone and mudstone? Are we not all united in the pursuit of steel? Like the humble vine bearing a great fruit?"

She waited for an answer. None came.



She made her own.



So came autumn and the caravan from Imagearmor arrived.

"Here are the steel swords, as ordered", mayor Clodlabor told the liasion Deduk Pickrushes.

"Why don't you take some lead toys as well?" Tazz said. "We, uh, got plenty."

"I congratulate you on a job well done", Deduk said. "Your new standing orders from the queen are to produce and export as much steel weapons and armor as you can. We will provide you with iron. Right now the army is in particular need of boots. Can we expect a shipment of those next autumn?"

"Absolutely!"



Tonnot gave birth to another son, who was named Pathtome. A lone migrant arrived, a metalcrafter, bringing the fortress population to eighty-one.

But then, two great roars announced that something else had arrived as well.



It was time to put the steel of Steelcradle to the test.



To be continued

[Ambidextrous]

May I be dwarfed as a militia captain? Any will do.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 1: Steelcradle - Part 6

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The militia got into position in the courtyard as dwarves ran screaming from the two-headed monster.

"I will topple your home and eat your flesh!" one of the heads announced.

"So will I, Ayi!" said the other head.

"Ha! Don't worry, I'll leave some for you, Ayi."

Militia captain Ambidex Glazeways ignored the beast's bantering with itself and prepared for the charge, axe raised.



The ettin lumbered into the courtyard.

"Charge!" ordered commander Sabrematched, and the dwarves rushed at the beast.

Prudence got a hit with her mace on the ettin's left head, stunning it for a moment. That was all Sabrematched needed to leap forward and run his spear through the same head.

"You killed Ayi!" the right head roared. "I'll kill you all!"

The ettin swung wildly at Prudence's squadmate Splashtool, but he jumped out of the way. Ambidex hacked at the ettin's chest with her axe, but it seemed to do nothing. Sabrematched made another stab. This time his spear went through the monster's right head, and the ettin fell.



Disaster averted, Sabrematched decided that another squad of swordsdwarves had to be established. No doubt more beasts and raiders would come to Steelcradle.

A vault to store weapons, armor and peculiar artifacts was dug out below the forges, Ecruunites serving as the entrance.



The spinner Boltfed fell silent, and his gaze stretched off into the distance. He stood like that for some time, until Kilvash shook him out of it.

"What's the matter, Boltfed?"

"I just saw it all... all that happened..."

"What?"

"I can't describe it. But maybe I can show you."

Boltfed hurried off to a workshop and began working on some small thing.



After a while, Kilvash came by to see how he was doing. He found Boltfed sitting sad and dejected, a small amulet on the workbench.

"I failed", Boltfed said. "I tried to mirror what I saw, but it's just a crude symbol."

Kilvash examined the amulet.

"But Boltfed, this thing is beautiful! A true work of art!"

"It's nothing like what I saw. No one will understand!"



Some time later, the dwarves could see the little girl Smithreigns crawling around on the floor making hissing noises. Everyone took it for some childish game, until...



...she was found disoriented in the crafting workshop with an animal trap she didn't know how she had got. The trap had a simple picture of Steelcradle, and beneath the fortress, depicted in graphic detail, was an image of a cave where a fish with limbs was being devoured by a giant spider. Many dwarven parents told their children to not play with Smithreigns after that.



Tonnot gave birth to her third child, a daughter who came to be called Bodicefence.



Then the engraver Omenglazes started acting strangely as well.

"There will come a time", she proclaimed to no one in particular, "when dwarf turns against dwarf and the age of civilization comes crashing down - " She stumbled off to a workshop.



Meanwhile mayor Clodlabor had an order to issue.

"Arrest the gem setter Gatecaves and the metalcrafter Ramparttarget! They have failed to produce the large gems I have requested!"

"But mayor", Gatecaves said, "it is very difficult to cut a large gem, only a few rough gems have the size and shape necessary for - "

"Why do we need large gems exactly?" Tazz asked.

"Silence!" Clodlabor said. "Imprison them!"



"Well", said Tazz, "I guess we need a prison... and a captain of the guard... and some offices for the captain of the guard..."

A dwarf called Bowelattics was appointed captain, chosen for her confidence and lack of imagination.



Omenglazes completed her project just as the outpost liaison Deduk arrived, alone.

"Where are the traders?" Tazz asked.

"The caravan has gone missing", Deduk replied. "We suspect foul play. You will have to hold out until next autumn, we'll pick up your steel boots then."



After quick work by the miners, masons and engravers, the prison and guard rooms were finished.

"Alright!" Bowelattics addressed Gatecaves and Ramparttarget. "Time to pay for your crimes..."



"Wait!" mayor Clodlabor interrupted. "I withdraw my charges. It was a silly accusation. Release Gatecaves."

"And Ramparttarget, mayor?"

"Oh yeah, him too."



There were whispers that the gem setter had done the mayor some kind of favor to make her drop the charges.

Clodlabor had more important things to worry about however. She was meeting with militia commander Sabrematched and his captains Prudence, Ambidex and Budsilvers.

"The minotaur outside our door is a threat to our safety", the mayor said. "It might be sealed in now, but who can say if - when - it will break free? I want it dealt with."

"Understood, ma'am", Sabrematched said. "It won't be a problem."



Ironmerchants nervously hacked away at the soil wall. Behind her the militia stood, battle-ready, weapons raised.

"As soon as you're through, bolt", Prudence told her.

"Yes, yes, of course", Ironmerchants stuttered. Finally her pick went through, the wall collapsed, and she ran for her life as the militia charged the horned monstrosity behind it.

The battle was short and one-sided. The minotaur swung at Prudence, but she evaded every attack until Ambidex's squadmate Giltwring found an opening and swung his steel axe through the beast's neck, sending the bull head flying.



After a long day of work, Tazz relaxed on his bed. The fortress he had founded was doing well. Steelcradle was producing steel as planned, and as long as the queen's caravans could get here the Armory of Chaos would be well equipped with fine weapons and armor.

The dwarves had known little but sorrow since the beginning of the world, but now Tazz dared to say that the future looked bright.







End of Chapter 1

The first chapter in the tale of the Destined Plane is over. Time to make suggestions for the next one! See the OP for instructions.

[Ambidextrous]

I suggest a human hamlet aiming to become the main capital of the Helpful Unions, complete with at least two squads filled entirely of legendary soldiers.

[Timeless Bob]

What's been harassing the caravans?  I suggest that a caravan (adventurer + companions) stop by Steelcradle and pick up a load of steel supplies bound for...  Where would they be heading after that?

[Lovechild]

Chapter 2: Bob Honestchance

Part 1

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

In the hillock Nettrussed lived the dwarf Bob Honestchance, trader of quarry bushes.



Bob had always been a humble dwarf, earning enough to get by on with his quarry bushes. But hidden inside him was a desire for something else. Something more...



One day Bob went down to the castle mound for a chat with the mayor Daggerpant. After some conversation about the typical hill dwarf topics, Daggerpant mentioned that there were troubling news from Imagearmor, the capital.

"They say that new fortress Steelcradle is doing alright, making steel and all, but the caravan going there from Imagearmor disappeared!"

"Huh", Bob said. "Why?"

"Beats me. Probably them filthy goblins at it again..."

"But how's Steelcradle delivering the steel now?"

"They don't. Not until next autumn. If that caravan makes it."

Bob felt an idea forming in his head. This was an opportunity. He could make it. Big.

"So someone else, a private entrepreneur so to speak, could be delivering that steel instead? And make the profit?"

"I suppose..."

Bob rushed out of the mound to prepare for his journey. He was going to be rich!



He talked his pal Winefences into going with him. Sure, Winefences was more into drinking than trading or... well, anything, but better two than one in the wilderness.



Travelling northwest from Nettrussed, the two dwarves spotted a lair of some kind on the way, but decided to not disturb whatever lived inside.

"The plan", Bob said, "is to head over to the Metalshock hillock and make some more companions. Safety in numbers, you know. Then we go to Imagearmor and explain our idea to the queen's dwarves. After that it's the journey down to Steelcradle, and back to Imagearmor with the steel. Simple!"

"Sounds good..." Winefences said. "But hey! What do we give Steelcradle for the steel?"

"Huh! I didn't think of that..."



The most available trade good was wild animal products, so Bob sneaked up on a herd of wild boars.



The boars saw him coming and fled squealing, but the dwarf managed to take one down, butchering it for meat. He made the boar's skin into a spare backpack. That would be useful for carrying all the steel.



Arriving in Metalshock, Bob and Winefences had a talk with the local drinkers, and recruited a dwarf called Admirebanner. She seemed to have a lot in common with Winefences.



And so the hill dwarves set off to visit the capital. Bob killed a moose on the way, with a stealthy throat slit that was quite impressive if he said so himself. The moose provided meat and a couple of leather waterskins for trading.

Along the way, Bob noticed that Winefences was no longer with them! Had she left to go back home? Or just to the nearest tavern? They'd have to pick up another companion somewhere.



In Imagearmor, Bob explained his idea to the official dwarves, and was granted audience with the baroness Blowncastles. She seemed a bit strange, claiming to have been a bonecarver for 57 years, when Bob was quite sure there had only been 13 years. Ever.

"Your proposal is interesting", she said, "but also risky. Whatever stopped the last caravan might put a stop to you as well."

"Eh, I know my way around a sword", Bob said. "And a small group of dwarves'll be less obvious than a big old wagon train."

"Very well. You have Imagearmor's blessing. And if you learn how the caravan was lost we want to know about it."



Bob and Admirebanner went to the nearby hillock Mirroredgleams, where they found a dwarf called Rimpath willing to join their venture. He was a weaponsmith and not a drunk, but Bob hoped that wouldn't be too much of a problem. The three dwarves went to bed. Tomorrow they would journey to Steelcradle.



To be continued

I went with Timeless Bob's suggestion, but I liked Ambidextrous' one as well. Maybe next chapter! Anybody want to be dwarfed as one of Bob's companions? (If you were dwarfed in Steelcradle you can be dwarfed again, just come up with a new name.)

[EinsteinSatDown]

The destined plane continues!
May just as well take the name of "Nerdan Rimpath".

[Timeless Bob]

Thank you - I look forward to reading about my namesake's further adventures.

[Ambidextrous]

This'll be fun.
I'll take the very original nickname of "Ambi", because why not.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 2: Bob Honestchance - Part 2

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As dawn broke, Bob Honestchance, Ambi Admirebanner and Nerdan Rimpath left Mirroredgleams for the last bit of the journey to Steelcradle. They took down another moose for meat and leather on the way, but otherwise everything was peaceful. As they neared the fortress, Bob wondered what could possibly have attacked the caravan -



There it was, right outside Steelcradle: a very suspicious hole in the ground.



This had to be investigated. The three dwarves descended into the earth.



Carefully moving through the lair, Bob suddenly found himself face to face with a two-headed monster... an ettin.



"Was it you who attacked the caravan from Imagearmor?" Bob asked.

"You dwarves killed my best friend Ayi!" the ettin's left head said.

"And my best friend, Ayi! We had the right to vengeance!" the right head said.

"You are nothing but animals!"

"Well said, Etog!"

"Thank you, Etog. Now die, animals!"

A battle erupted in the cramped lair.



Bob hacked away at the monster, but it was unbothered, tearing the dwarf's foot clean off! Bob screamed in pain, but swung back even as he fell, wounding the ettin badly.

"We must get out of here, Etog!"

"No, Etog, we must fight!"

The Ettin stumbled past the dwarves, fleeing outside. Nerdan and Ambi chased it. Bob crawled after them as best he could.



The three dwarves attacked the ettin unceasingly, slowly overwhelming it. Nerdan displayed some truly savage fighting techniques.



The fight dragged on. The ettin could barely fight back, but it refused to die.



At long last, the beast bled out from its numerous wounds.



Nerdan had got the last hit on it, so Bob supposed he was the hero of the day. Now there was just one more thing to do...



"I hope they have a taste for this stuff in Steelcradle."



To be continued

[Timeless Bob]

Oh my!  I wonder if that was the ettin's spouse?  Maybe there are little ettins scampering about that can be caught and trained as gaurd-creatures...  (A dwarf can dream - especially one so sorely in need of a crutch now.)

[Lovechild]

Chapter 2: Bob Honestchance - Part 3

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The three dwarves finally neared the gate of Steelcradle, two of them walking and one crawling.



Bob was directed to the hospital and given a crutch, letting him walk again even if slowly.



He told the locals about Nerdan's heroism, but they seem unimpressed.

"Our soldiers killed an ettin of their own last winter. They're not that tough, you know."



Bob got to meet the broker, Tazz Tradedthroat, and explained his business.

"Good idea", Tazz said. "A halt in the steel trade could have disastrous consequences for the kingdom. But do you have anything to give us in return for the steel boots?"

"Enough ettin meat to last you a year", Bob said. "With some moose and boar seasoning."

The deal was made. Bob and his companions stayed in Steelcradle for the night.



The next morning they packed up the goods. Bob took one steel boot for himself; he didn't want to lose his other foot as well. He also got a helm since he only had one head and really didn't want to lose that.



And so they were off, starting the journey back to Imagearmor with their goods.



But soon they ran into trouble...



A giant cave spider blocked their way! It must have found its way to the surface through some obscure crack in the earth.



The monster hurled itself at the dwarves, but Nerdan kept his head cool and ended the fight almost instantly.

"These are dangerous lands", Bob said. "Good thing Nerdan is around to make them safer."



The danger showed itself again when the dwarves spotted an ominous labyrinth right outside Imagearmor... but they had done enough heroics for now.



Bob delivered the steel boots, to the delight of the queen's dwarves. They were even more glad to hear that the ettin threatening the trade had been slain.

"Sadly we can only give you these sparse gems right now", the broker Lokum Ironroars said, "but your service to the kingdom will not go unrewarded. The queen will send you a far greater gift in due time."



The venture successfully completed, Bob went home to Nettrussed, and his friends Ambi and Nerdan went with him.



Here they would relax, and wait for their royal reward...





End of Chapter 2

That was chapter 2! Make your suggestions for chapter 3. I will assume Ambidextrous' last suggestion still applies because it was good.

[Taupe]

Agents of the Helpful union are monitoring the dwarves closely, and their newfound steel supplies did not go unnoticed, neither by the would-be warlords, nor the merchant princes. The dwarves would make strong allies, and in securing their help and their trade lies the key to uniting the human settlements under one strong leader. To the human clever enough to sign an alliance with the dwarven civilisation of the Armory of Chaos, steel and gems will flow.

Alas, the dwarves are notoriously greedy and distant, and establishing solid trade routes with them has proven fruitless so far... yet one brave hero has come up with the solution. The Armory's monarchs have been falling like flies over the last years, most of them killed by various monsters. Afraid of those unspeakable beasts, and of the goblins that delight in the mayhem of their wake, the queen has ordered some of her subjects to secure steel, to better fend off this menace. clearly she does not wish to suffer the same fate as those that ruled briefly before her.

He who gain's the trust of the dwarven queen shall have her ear, and hopefully forge a commercial alliance with the Armory of Chaos. The best way to do this would be to impress her, by slaying some of the beasts she so fears...

TASK: Impress the Armory of Chaos by slaying ten (10) goblins over your career, as well as one (1) noteworthy monster (forgotten beast, minotaur, titan, or werebeast)

[Lovechild]

Chapter 3: Highfortune

Part 1

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"Here is the place", Dextros Divineleague called out. The seven humans had reached the southern end of the Hills of Sourness, where the grassland gave way to the sterile badlands of the Confident Dunes. To the northeast ran a lively stream. The grass was covered in an early snowfall already thawing away.

"On this day", Dextros addressed his companions, "the fate of the Helpful Unions will be forever changed. When people speak of the greatness of human civilization, they will say it begun at this place: Highfortune!"

The band cheered, and then went off to work. These men and women had been hand-picked by Dextros for their skill and loyalty. Loyalty was of the essence, because Dextros was about to do something very dangerous. His plan was to found a new, prosperous town that would become the capital of the Helpful Unions... and he would become the ruler.



He had chosen the location for it carefully, aided by his advisor Foldcurious. Highfortune was situated at a natural central point for a capital, but still out of the way as long as no one knew about it. Dextros did not want to reveal his intentions until he was ready. The squabbling rulers of the settlements in the Helpful Unions would not take kindly to a new competitor. Lady Ugrad Pricedesteem of Groupedbuttered, lord Mater Spokenvales of Scrapedconflict, and, most powerful among them, lady Uce Fairbelt of Bluntplaits... these were to become his vassals one day, if things went well. But Dextros doubted they would accept his rulership without objections.



First off, a meadhall was constructed - the most essential building in any settlement. Farms were tilled before the earth froze, so seeds could be planted early in the spring.

Wood was plentiful, and the construction of more buildings went fast.



Spring arrived. One day a caravan was sighted approaching the town; elves from the Storm of Spreading. Dextros was bewildered.

"How could they know we were here?"

"I have no idea!" Foldcurious said. "Hardly anyone knows about this place... and definitely no elves!"



"How did you know about this town?" Dextros questioned the elves.

"How could we not know?" one of the elf merchants said. "Nature screams in agony over what you are doing here." She looked at the wooden buildings with open disgust.

"It is not the human way to live in treetops", Dextros said.

"The human way is to live in corpse piles?"

Dextros sighed. "Did you come here to trade?"

"If you have anything to trade us that isn't one of your victims."

"Well... no. We haven't had time to make anything but wooden barrels, wooden chairs, wooden tables - "

"Thank you, that is enough!"



The elves left, but a few months later another caravan arrived. Before the expedition left to found Highfortune, Dextros had contacted some merchants he trusted. They would make sure the town had access to goods from the outside, and, more importantly, entice humans throughout the Helpful Unions to move to Highfortune.



Dextros traded them some liquor, and gave them a message to pass on.

"Let the people know: If their life seems stuck, if they are downtrodden, if they are discontent... then they can begin anew at Highfortune."



The words of the merchants soon proved effective. Eight people arrived, having migrated from all over the Helpful Unions. Dextros gladly welcomed them.

"As citizens of Highfortune, you will no longer be lowly peasants. One day we will be first among the settlements of the Helpful Unions, and your help will not be forgotten."



Meanwhile, the engineer Hugflutes had finished a project to pump water to a well in town. She was quite proud of her device. A windmill supplied power...



...to a pump feeding water into an underground canal, where a well was set up. It had to be underground to prevent the water from freezing during the winter. The plan had at first been to pump water from the river, but fortunately they had hit the aquifer, which was much easier to pump water from. The canal could be expanded into a greater sewer system at a later date.

In the meadhall, Dextros was meeting with Foldcurious.

"We will need to find some kind of good to export", Foldcurious said. "There are many vital materials we do not have access to here."

"Whatever we have in plenty", Dextros said. "Anything except plants. Tributing harvests does not befit a capital."

"The elves gave me an idea", Foldcurious said. "We have plenty of wood..."



"...and I noticed that one of the migrants, Crewedbeaches, is a consummate woodcrafter."

"Excellent! Exporting luxury goods will show the world our prosperity."



Autumn came, and another ten migrants arrived, among them a few skilled soldiers. Highfortune had stood and grown for a year. Now it was time to form an army, and put force behind Dextros' claim to the Helpful Unions.



To be continued

I chose Ambidextrous' suggestion. Taupe's goal was good too, but I don't think it needs any kill checklist. Better to just go and ask the queen what she needs done.

Who wants to be humaned?