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Stone.
Dwarves far and wide say we were made from the stone by Armok's Hammer. A true dwarf lives in stone, surrounds himself with it, for it is in stone that he is most at home.
We live in stone. We die in stone. The entire history of our race is chiseled in stone.
But all stories end. And as every miner knows, stone can shatter with the right tool. Does the mountain see the swing of a pick before it strikes? No. But it is that pick, that fortress created, that brings the mountain to life. And it is the respect for death that allows us to respect life.
But like stone, we are far, we are here, and we will endure.
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Journal of SkaiaMechanicThe best news I've heard all year has finally arrived. Dwarven Traders have come to Doomforests! With any luck, they'll have my order with them. I order every spare hand to carry the finest gems and meals up to the Depot. Even with the dense forest, the traders will have a way to reach us. Things are finally looking up!
Taupe II comes out of his daze and finishes his spirit-assisted Masterpiece.
The initial reports are...less than overwhelming.
You made a big slab of rock. Great job Taupe. We're all very impressed.
This is not a glacier. If there's one thing Doomforests has in abundance, it's beds. Old Doomforests has beds scattered everywhere. This is just about the most useless artifact that could have been created at a mason's workshop.
Then I decided to take a closer look. The decorations were as simple as the design.
There's something that stands out. In bright gold on grey slate, lay the image of two forgotten beasts. It's not hard to guess which ones. Snustrok the Prime Hero and Supergoat the Ascending Fury. It's wrapped in gems and gold and pig iron, spikes and rings on the sides.
And then I remember the stories. No, not a prophecy or anything like that. I'm talking about children's tales. And when they have someone on a flat, stone surface. The tale of the Windy Scientist. The religion-filled series with the Lionman King. But what you probably imagined when I described it was someplace dark, in a room of cultists chanting before the spilling of blood. Normally that's when the Hero swoops in. But this is the creation of the tool itself.
This isn't a bed. That's not the right word for it.
This is an Altar.
And what is such an altar used for?
Sacrifice.
Is this a gift from malevolent forces, preparing for what will be? Or is this a sign from benevolent forces, letting us know that lives might be lost, but a Hero will come, and the stone will endure?
It's...troubling. I need to learn how to share my thoughts with the people. It's going in the stockpile for now until my head clears up.
RIGHT! The traders! Can't forget the traders! It's trading time. Get some food, get some armor, get some books. This is the best holiday, I can save such thoughts for later. But I need to be in the right...mood for it, and that means I need a drink. Expect good news soon!
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The 12th of LimestoneSkaiaMechanic started heading downstairs for a drink. As she walked past the magma forges, she notices something he had never seen before. She saw a dwarf go around a bend and into the caverns. She panicked at the loss of security, and ran after the dwarf, calling for him to stop.
She heard a screech, echoing off every wall in the cavern. And an Eyeless Shrew stood around the corner and screamed in fury.
It was supposed to be up with Lor like he had been for over half a year. What was it doing here?
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The 11th of LimestoneAn eyeless shrew stands in front of an unbreakable door. He has stayed in this area for many months now, never giving up. And now he smelled fresh flesh on the other side. He went to that accursed Copper Door. No matter what he did he could not break through this wall. He tried clawing and screeching and expelling extract. But there was nothing to do. He scratched at the door without leaving a mark like every time. But something was different this time. It moved a little bit, as the door was left unsecured for some strange reason. With all his might he screeched and pushed, and eventually the unbreakable door swung open. Inside was a dwarf, dressed like a soldier without the stance of one.
It screeched, and dashed at the Dwarf. She wasn't in her werebeast state, but she was as ready as she could be, and she would fight.
And they did battle.
And then there was one.
The victor sniffed all over the room. Yes, there were several dwarves recently here, but the smell lead to a very thick wall. Those dwarves had tricked him! This wasn't a way into the fortress at all! Enraged, the Shrew shreaked and leaped down the caveside.
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SkaiaMechanic stood frozen. She had seen battle before, but nothing like this. Terror turned her blood to ice. And then she was running. She darted back towards the fortress as fast as she could run. The other dwarf ran deeper into the caves for a place to hide. She would never get to hide, because the beast followed him. And in a flash had caught up to the poor engraver.
The engraver, caught underneath the enormous monster screamed for help. He was going to die, and he was scared. And then he was gone.
Skaia ran for her life, but then froze in place. She heard a scream for help. She was overseer. What did her responsibility mean, if it weren't for the care of every Dwarf here?
And then she saw the person she wanted to see the absolute least.
"GET OUT OF HERE YOU CRAZY OLD COOT! THE BEAST IS LOOSE!" Taupe turned and ran fast ahead of her, trying to get away. But the beast was too fast. They'd just lead it into the fortress. She had to do something so they could stall for the military.
The Shrew bounded down the path, the smell of Dwarf the strongest it had ever known. Skaia stopped running, and let her friend get ahead. She faced down the beast. She couldn't win. This was insane. But she had to try. She was overseer.
There was no battle, or at least anything you could call a battle.
Taupe rounded the corner back into the fortress and sounded for the alarm, calling for every dwarf that could fight to come to the caverns now! The Kinetic Swans and the Scouting Party rushed for battle. Joining their ranks were Mate the 888th and TechnoXan, plus every ranger inside. Unfortunately, the Fortress Hero was currently sound asleep. This time, Iamblichos II and Senshuken III lead the charge as they heard about their overseer still stuck in the caverns.
Mate the 889th had done something wrong. He was told never to go into the caverns, but it was open and it was beautiful. The gems, the cool waterfalls, the burning magma pits, the soft moss and impressive mushrooms. This was waaaaaayyyyyy better than being outside. He would get back soon enough.
And then, out of nowhere, the beast was upon him.
The troops ran, hoping beyond hope they were not too late, and also that it wasn't too late for them as well.
"Go around!" Senshuken yelled out. "We'll flank it from both sides!"
The battle is fierce. Weapons from all angles attacked the beast, not being able to shoot in more than one direction. But he wasn't done. He grabbed a Marksdwarf by his mouth and tore him to shreds, his guts and blood raining all around him.
In that sight, seeing the death of their comrade, and the dead, mangled bodies of a child and their overseer, the military dwarves grew in rage and focus. The battle started taking a very different turn.
It was finished, with relatively few casualties. From an open hole and unexpected beast attack, things could have gone a lot worse. Or so they tell me.
Me? I'm an engraver. It isn't important who. The overseer wrote down that if she were to die, someone who works with numbers should get the job since, and I quote, "All of you are damn near useless at trading anyways." I suppose our vampire could do it, as he's certainly qualified enough, but then he'd take the lives of a few dwarves as payment. So...no.
I'm taking on the Overseer's Name. Call me "SkaiaMechanic II." She wrote down in her will it would be a good idea because traders are often random and her name would have some significance by then. And with that of course, come the duties of overseer. Well, no one knows history better than an engraver, so I can try to not let history happen a second time.
Wish me luck!
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OOC:
(If I had thought better I probably could have saved Skaia. But in the moment all she wanted to do was run and pickup equipment and I didn't know how to stop her, like the dead engraver and Taupe II. I didn't know where she was headed, so I just put her in the military and tried to station her at the Depot, hoping she'd run back. It didn't work, but Taupe got away at least, I thought I'd lose both of them. Sorry Mate, your heir died stalling the beast in front of the fortress. We lost a no name marksdwarf, but we killed the Forgotten Beast relatively easily with the militia there. Amusingly enough, one of my last projects before this event was making my own tomb along the wall of the magma pit, so at least I have that going for me. My time was used writing and taking pictures today instead of playing, but I should get some time tomorrow. I still haven't traded yet. Thanks for reading so far!)
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Topic: The Hastening of Doomforests (Read 452359 times)