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[Lovechild]

Chapter 3: Highfortune - Part 2

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

One day the woodcrafter Crewedbeaches spent much longer than usual working on a particular craft.



What he created was the high point of his career.

"Absolutely beautiful!" Dextros said when it was shown to him. "But why does it depict me founding Highfortune in the spring? We came here in autumn."

"It's symbolical", Crewedbeaches said.

"Ah, yes, of course", said Dextros, who was not overly knowledgeable in the field of art.



Highfortune needed to be fortified, so a stone quarry was set up in a hillside to the southwest.



As the first part of the southern gate was erected, Hugflutes began acting strangely.

"Your mind shall wander all paths in your dreams!" she declared, in a harsh and commanding voice, unusual for her. "And so shall you wander these paths in your waking hours!"



She constructed a very spiky bed, then came back to normal.

"I... I don't understand what happened!" she said. "Someone else spoke through me... and acted through me..."

"You made a very nice bed anyway", Dextros said. "I'm sure we'll find a use for it."



The elves returned in the spring, and Dextros made some small trade with them.

"Your stone building is strange but far less gruesome than your other dwellings", one of the elves said. "Build more of those."



Highforune was growing steadily. Another fifteen migrants had arrived, and now the first soldiers were training, led by commander Kindnessspray. Dextros' merchant friends supplied weapons and armor, and promised to bring more next summer.



Not only migrants increased the population of Highfortune. The first child was born to the wood burner Crescentglows and her husband, the cook Toldmartyrs. They named her Pleatbands, and shortly after she was born, six more migrants arrived to make Highfortune their home.



The work on the town wall continued undistracted into the winter. Another eleven migrants arrived. Highfortune was now home to fifty-eight people, making it a respectable settlement. Dextros was no longer simply Dextros Divineleague...



...he was lord Dextros Divineleague of Highfortune.



To be continued

A rather uneventful part even if much progress was made. Claim some humans so I can write about them!

[hostergaard]

Yeah, I want to claim a human.

Suggestion:

An elven settlement meant to restore the forces of nature trough breeding.

That is, if there is breeding pairs of megabeast like dragons or even semi-megabeast try to get them to invade and capture them so you can breed them and release the surplus offspring (so they should preferably be breed without being tamed) so as to populate the world with plenty of fun for future adventurers and settlement.

If there is no breeding pairs of mega or semi-mega beasts then find a spot with giant variants of animals and breed those (in wild state). Then train them in devices like the coinstar so they get pretty good combat stats. Then pit them with various prisoners and whatnot for them to kill so they become named beasts and release them upon the world (you can do this with the mega beasts too).

The goal is simply to populate the word with a sizable amount of megabeast and semi-megabeast or failing that various legendary animals.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 3: Highfortune - Part 3

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Hostergaard Ardentdented, newly appointed captain of Highfortune, practiced forward thrusts with his pike. Lord Dextros said a strong army was essential to the town's prosperity, but Hostergaard sometimes wondered who he would be asked to skewer on his pike when the time came. Would it be foreign invaders? Or would Highfortune's army march against other settlements of the Helpful Unions?

Outside he could hear the noise and shouts of masons erecting Dextros' keep - a grand building, suited to a lord.



Fifteen migrants arrived in the late autumn. Highfortune was undoubtedly a known power in the Helpful Unions by now, but the other towns had not officially contacted it yet. Whether contact would be made by sword or by emissary remained to be seen.



The work on Dextros' keep proceeded well, and now his throne room was complete...



...as well as his dining room and bedroom. Dextros had chosen the magnificent bed Squeezerained the Confederation of Steam (as it was called) to sleep in.

Another three migrants arrived in spring, and children were being born all the time. There were now eighty people living in Highfortune, and things were going almost too well...



Inhuman jeers and curses echoed through the forest. A band of armed goblins were approaching the town, and Dextros assumed they were not coming in peace.



Commander Kindnessspray quickly rallied his troops while the rest of the people barricaded themselves in the meadhall. The soldiers moved to ambush the goblin at the northwest corner of the wall, but meanwhile the goblins split their forces, one part going south.



The soldiers of Highfortune took the goblins by complete surprise and cut them down in seconds. Hostergaard skewered a bowgoblin on his pike.



Then they went around the wall and charged the other goblin group.



That battle was also soon over. Hostergaard's squadmate Toldmartyrs killed the last crossbowgoblin.

Highfortune was saved with no casualties, not even a wound... but Dextros wondered what this meant in the larger picture. Had this just been a roving band of goblin bandits? Or was the Safe Monster going to war once more, this time against humans instead of dwarves? Only time would tell.



To be continued

[hostergaard]

Awesome! I'm a captain!

I like how well you manage to use the style the game generates humans towns, looks great!

Loving it so far, keep the updates coming.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 3: Highfortune - Part 4

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The threat of goblin attack made the people of Highfortune redouble their efforts on the town wall. Soon the base of it was finished.



Commander Kindnessspray named his scimitar Weathertusk.

"For this is a tusk I intend to weather on the enemies of Highfortune!"



He would soon have the chance to do so. The goblins had returned...



...and this time it was no mere bandit gang.



Terror struck as the town wall proved too low. The trolls were climbing over it! Kindnessspray took his squad to stop them, while Hostergaard opened the west gate and took position behind it in an attempt to lure the goblins. It worked; the goblins ran in and a bloody melee erupted. Goblin after goblin was skewered on the pikes, Hostergaard ran his pike through a bowgoblin's skull, but one goblin made its way through and cut down Hostergaard's soldier Helpthunder before it was killed itself.



At last the strength of the goblins was broken, and the few survivors were chased back into the Confident Dunes.



It had been a merciless battle. Four humans of Highfortune had fallen: Hostergaard's soldier Helpthunder, the planter Puzzlingshelter, the mason Plungehelms, and, saddest of all, the baby girl Riderwaved.



The dead were laid to rest in a catacomb beneath the town.



The corpses of the goblins and troll were thrown in a mass grave outside the walls.

There was no doubt about it, Dextros thought. The Safe Monster was marching to war again, and the Helpful Unions was their target.



The swordswoman Pridedressed gave her shield the name Breachedmelt the Prophecy of Miring, saying:

"Any attempt the goblin scum makes at breaching our defenses will melt down before this shield. It foretells that they will never take Highfortune; here their armies will be mired down."



To be continued

[Ambidextrous]

Bump?

[Lovechild]

Chapter 3: Highfortune - Part 5

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

In the autumn of 17, a caravan of dwarven traders from the Armory of Chaos arrived at Highfortune. Dextros had heard of the dwarven steel, a mysterious alloy far superior to iron or bronze, and was eager to acquire some.



The dwarves had no steel to sell, however. Not to humans at least. Dextros bought some strong dwarven ale, and meat, fish, and cheese.

"In return we can give you some dwarf-sized clothes", he said. "We happened to come across a lot of them recently."



The swordswoman Pridedressed gave the name Shamefulrighteous to her sword.



"There is no shame in killing if it is done for a righteous cause."



The animal caretaker Spottedautumn developed a strange obsession with circles.

"A circular object that is encircled by circles forms an archcircle. The circle of circles is how the world moves, from dawn to dusk..."



She created Duskcrowded, a perfectly sublime amulet. Dextros thought his spiky bed was more interesting, though.



The swordsman Telltrot, a proficient killer, named his sword Bitterordered.



"It carries out every bitter order perfectly."



Dextros had ordered roads to be paved leading north and south from the city gates. The northern road might one day see many travelers visiting the capital. The southern road led towards the goblin lands... perhaps an army would one day march in that direction.



Hostergaard named his shield Tongsglow.

"For ever since the smith's tongs pulled it out of the fire it glows with might."

Dextros was pleased to see the soldiers of Highfortune become confident. Soon, very soon, he would make his grand claim.



To be continued

That was quite a break. But here we go again.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 3: Highfortune - Part 6

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The soldiers' habit of naming of shields and weapons continued.



The pikeman Toldmartyrs named his shield The Aquamarine Purge...





...while Hostergaard named his pike Partnerbowl.



Meanwhile the army was being expanded, with a squad led by the hammerwoman Cradleearth...



...and an archer squad led by the crossbowwoman Hornwine.





Toldmartyrs wasn't content with just naming his shield, and gave the name Fellplunges to his pike. It had definitely carried out some fell plunges before.



Dextros was very pleased with the state of his town.



Highfortune had grown large and prosperous. It was truly worthy of becoming the capital of the Helpful Unions.



Strong walls fortified it against attack...



...along with its army of twenty well-trained soldiers, led by the formidable Kindnessspray.

Dextros wrote a fateful letter and sent copies of it to Lady Ugrad Pricedesteem of Groupedbuttered, lord Mater Spokenvales of Scrapedconflict, and lady Uce Fairbelt of Bluntplaits. It read:

"We, Lord Dextros Diamondleague of Highfortune, claim rulership of the Helpful Unions by plight of necessity and might of arms. We ask for your oath of fealty, and expect an answer soon."





End of Chapter 3

But wait, there's more...

Chapter 3 Epilogue: Bluntplaits

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

With kicks and spear-pokes, the goblin soldiers herded the terrified citizens of Bluntplaits into the town square. The goblin leader, standing on a pile of corpses, addressed them.

"Listen, humans! You are now slaves to the great Gulgun of the Underworld!"

He brandished the severed head of Uce Fairbelt, waving it around for all to see.

"I have killed your worthless lady! I am Valóna Islandboiled the Immoral Cradle of Moths! Now I'm the boss of this town!"

Alright, make your suggestions for chapter 4! As before, previous suggestions still apply if suitable.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 4: Galebuds - Part 1

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Hostega Boardanger surveyed the forest landscape before her. It was living, vibrant, pristine. Far away from the dwellings of the despoiler races.

"This will be our territory", she announced to the expedition. "Futace Moisteneddrunken is strong here, and so we will be strong."

Seven elves, two yaks, four black bears, four wolves, and one peregrine falcon. These brave souls had been sent from Pantherrings on a diplomatic mission. They were to contact the local beasts, inform them of how the dwarves, humans, and goblins were ravaging nature, and enlist their aid.



Hostega had led the expedition to the edge of the Last Forest, where it met the Cardinal Hills. These lands were home to many great beasts not seen elsewhere in the world. Nature could not march in open war against the despoiler races... but it could make them fear the depths of the woods, if beasts preyed upon them.

First things first, the elves needed a tree to shelter them. Hostega reached out through the force permeating all life, searching for a soul with the right potential... and found it. A small sapling growing nearby. She bent down and addressed it through her mind.

"Hello, young tree", she said. "I am Hostega Boardanger. Who are you?"

"My name is Galebuds", the sapling replied.

"I am the leader of a group of elves, and we need a place to live. Can you help us?"



"Certainly", Galebuds said. Futace Moisteneddrunken concentrated itself in the sapling, which began growing, far faster than any other tree.



Meanwhile four elven migrants arrived from Pantherrings to aid the emissaries. There was a second purpose to this mission - since the forest retreat Squashedtempests had been destroyed by the roc Anriz Goldplay in 5, the elven race had been constrained to living in Pantherrings. Galebuds could serve as a second home, and a staging point for further expeditions across the world.



As Galebuds grew, workshops were set up in its canopy.



Below the branches the elves could take shelter and rest. Galebuds reached out with a great root across the nearby stream so the elves could cross it.



More migrants arrived; six elves and a young coyote. Many of the elves were skilled fighters, which could be handy if any of the despoiler races showed aggression.



There was cause for celebration as the retreat's first child was born; a black bear cub. His mother growled proudly.



Now the elves of Galebuds could start reaching out to the nearby beasts. Cage traps were a somewhat rude method for communication, but wild creatures were so easily distracted.



To be continued

Ho hum, not a lot of interest it seems. I guess that's what happens when you take a four month break. Oh well, I'm continuing with Hostergaard's old suggestion.

Tell me if you want to be elfed.

[Timeless Bob]

Please elf me as the next child to be born.  He/she will grow up to accomplish two things: the RNG's dream goal (which appears in the character screen) and to breed a host of dragons, eventually having a mated pair who are both also named, from which a new line of "dragon royalty" can be based.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 4: Galebuds - Part 2

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Soon enough the first wild creature approached to speak with the elves: a slug man. Hostega told it of the danger that humans, dwarves and goblins posed to nature, and the slug man was moved by her words.

"We. Of the slugs. Will aid you", it spoke, at a typical sluggish pace. "I shall. Tell my. Siblings. Elf and slug. Together. We will. Destroy them. The despoilers. We must not delay."



The year turned and in spring a caravan arrived from Pantherrings, along with the outpost liaison Iferi Crushdrinks.



The clothier Grandmaw had produced some impressive creations, and Hostega traded them for some of the old homeland's fruits.

Iferi was a well-travelled elf, and he told Hostega of the dwarf and human settlements he had visited.

"The dwarf tear great wounds in the earth to dwell in. The humans murder trees by the dozens and pile their corpses to take shelter under."

It almost sounded to gruesome to be true to Hostega, and she wondered if the liaison was exaggerating. But it was clear that both dwarves and humans were crueller than she had imagined. There would be no mercy for them.

"The dwarves and humans have shown some interest in our goods", Iferi said as they finished the meeting. "They may come here to trade."

"Let them come."



Galebuds started weaving roots in complex and sinister ways.



The first elf child was born. It was a boy, named Timles Pristinepink by his mother Rainsockets, a carpenter, and his father Packwater, a peasant.

Just a few weeks after he was born, he spoke his first word:

"Dragon."



In the summer, Iferi's prediction turned out to be right. Human merchants arrived from the Helpful Unions.



Hostega made some small trade to keep them busy while other elves worked to finish the trap Galebuds had set up. She liberated an enslaved alpaca.



Even as the final preparations were being done, migrants arrived. Seven elves, a wolf, two opossums, a yak,  and a donkey.



The trap was completed. Just in time, as the humans were leaving.



Most of the humans got out before Galebuds could silently close the roots around them, but an axeman lingered...





The human was caught. It was time to dispense nature's justice.



To be continued

There is only one dragon in the world, so the elf child's dream might be hard to realize... but who knows? Miracles may happen.

[Lovechild]

Chapter 4: Galebuds - Part 3

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The human was stripped of his equipment; he would fight as nature made him.

"What are you doing?" he cried desperately. "You're insane!"

Hostega did not bother to try and explain to the human, how could a creature such as he understand?



Then the slug men were brought in.



The human fought ferociously, killing two of the slug men as they fell upon him, but eventually he was overwhelmed. His slayer spoke:

"From this day. Forth. My name. Shall be. Cellwrath. Let all. Humans. Fear me!"



The slug men left Galebuds, returning to the deep woods.



The dead were laid in a narrow valley, where they could return to the earth or be eaten by scavengers, as nature saw fit.



The other humans hadn't seemed to notice that their axeman comrade did not leave with them, but you could never be sure. A squad of spearelves was established, led by the veteran fighter Lizardhandles. One of them took the dead human's copper shield. Metal was a strange concept to elves, but it was not good to let things go to waste.



When autumn came, a caravan of dwarven merchants from the Armory of Chaos approached Galebuds, not knowing what fate awaited them there.



Hostega freed a cat from them.



Timles' mother, the carpenter Rainsockets, sneaked off to a workshop, were she started working on a strange project.

Meanwhile migrants arrived: ten elves, a peregrine falcon, a weasel, and a water buffalo.



Rainsockets was becoming restless in the carpenter's workshop. Her husband Packwater was worried.

"My husband... my love... I must have... bones!"

"Bones?!"

"Yes... it is the only way! Or it will all be ruined! I will be ruined!"

Packwater loved his wife above all else...



...and love can make you do things you didn't know you were capable of.



Rainsockets finished her work.

"It is beautiful", Packwater said.

"But... what have I done?" Rainsockets said, as she looked at the sublime bone decorations. "What have I made you do?!"

"Don't blame yourself for that! It was I who - "

"Frightenlegends I name this thing. For the tale of its creation will make a frightening legend."

"Ga?" Timles said.



Hostega was frustrated. The dwarves must have suspected a trap, because they abandoned all their wares and left in a hurry before they could be caught.

And then...

"Leader Hostega? Your judgment is needed. Packwater has confessed to murder."

To be continued

[Lovechild]

Chapter 4: Galebuds - Part 4

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Filled with guilt, Packwater gave Hostega a full confession of how he had murdered the black bear cub.

"But I did it only to get Rainsockets the bones she needed! I don't know what would have happened otherwise..."

Hostega was distraught by what she heard. An elf murdering a fellow member of nature. Another elf demanding bones for her woodshaping project!

"Our law is clear", Hostega said. "From this day forth, you, Packwater, are exiled forever from Galebuds and the Storm of Spreading. You must find your own way in the wilderness."

Packwater's face was expressionless.

"I will go with you!" Rainsockets said, putting a hand on her husband's shoulder. "This crime is as much mine as yours."

Hostega watched as the three elves walked away into the forest - Packwater, Rainsockets, and little Timles. She felt a sting of guilt as the baby looked back at her... but she steeled herself. The rules of nature had to be upheld at any cost, or all hope for the world would be lost.



The exiles found a friendly tree northwest of Galebuds that they could take shelter below. They had brought the armor stand Frightenlegends along. No one would miss it at Galebuds.



But more strange and sad things would happen there. The craftswoman Beastfist got a strange idea in her head, and ran off to a workshop.



She made terrifying demands that were all too similar to those of Rainsockets. Hostega tried to talk some sense into her.

"Beastfist, we cannot give you bones! What is wrong with you? Why are you saying such terrible things?"

"I must have bones!"

"Did you get this idea from Rainsockets? Is this some... contagion of the mind?"

"I must have bones!"



Hostega left her alone and without bones, and eventually, Beastfist's mind broke down completely.



She launched herself at the nearest elves, punching and kicking. Fortunately they were Lizardhandles' squad of spearelves. They tried to calm Beastfist down, then restrain her, but nothing could be done. Lizardhandles was forced to kill her.

The events shocked the whole retreat, but none more than Lizardhandles. When he had volunteered for the position of militia commander he had been ready to kill dwarves, or humans, or goblins, or some other threat to nature... but he had not been prepared to kill a fellow elf.



A caravan from Pantherrings arrived. Hostega went to buy some fruit from the old homeland, paying with goods that the dwarven caravan had carried... but the traders were outraged.

"This amulet is decorated with parts of a dead tree!"

"What?!?" Hostega couldn't believe she had missed that. "Please forgive me! It was a mistake!"

The traders left in a hurry, disgusted. Hostega was angry with herself. What had happened to her? Was she becoming... un-elven?



Timles gained a brother, as his mother gave birth to a boy and named him Larkfainted.



Many migrants arrived in the late spring. Nineteen elves, one emu, one deer, one echidna, one porcupine, and one skunk. There were now fifty elves living in Galebuds (not counting the four exiles).



One of the new arrivals, a weaver named Ironlobster, was struck by a vision.

"I see it now!" she exclaimed. "The true fate... the final destiny..."

She grabbed a roll of the silk cloth brought by the dwarves and went to work.



She made an astonishing veil, and named it The Crown of Fate. She couldn't remember the details of her vision afterwards, but said it had all been expressed in her creation.

Hostega found it troubling that her vision of "fate" was made of an alien material, dyed in a strange color, and depicted giant mushrooms.



Summer came. Timles was now one year old, and was stumbling around on his own two feet.



A caravan of human traders arrived. This was very good timing, Hostega thought, since she had just made contact with some giant crows and magpies eager to feast human flesh.



Galebuds closed its roots around the humans.



After they had been imprisoned, the first human was taken away to face nature's judgement.

To be continued

[Timeless Bob]

Poor little Timeles and his younger sibling.  I wonder, once he grows to adult-hood, will he be allowed to join the rest of his People, or is he forever tainted by the acts of his parents?  I can see he and his family becoming a separate sect of elves, perhaps trappers, who catch and tame all manner of wild beasts.

[De]

I like the elf story. It's good that you're doing the best you can to improvise with the limitations of the mod (I notice everyone's still being greeted by the Mountainhomes). The human hamlet looked really cool, and this subplot about the exiles looks like it's going to be as interesting. So you can play as goblins with this mod?