Major SenshukenVI was to start training the ministers in self-defence anytime soon. Problems kept adding up, however, distracting her from the matter. Recently the human caravan had shown up, and the General had ordered a lockdown. Then some cave spiders began biting a war leopard, and this had to be addressed as well. She obviously couldn't train the VIPs while she was double-checking the pipelines and magma tunnels for any possible entrance point. Even more recently, a new monster had came to Doomforests...
The major tracked down Slek's movements. The beast proved to be quite confortable swimming in either magma or water, which could become a serious issue. Slek had made a lair near Astville, and the area was split in two, but accessible in many ways. One could enter through the well, or through the magma furnaces. Sure, only the well gave access to the fortress, and it was a long way, but she had to remain vigilant. The problem resolved itself in the most baffling way possible, like anything happening in Astville.
Before it could tear apart the magma smelters and furnaces blocking access to the platform, Slek spotted a baby llama. Why this llama was there, on the ledge of a magma pool, or how it survived for many years alone, are questions that only a place like Astville can conjure up. Wat maters is that a baby llama there was, and delicious it smelled. Slek was hungry. it was a being of fire, and anger, and as such swimming into the magma pool was no issue for him. It crossed the fiery bassin and began wrestling the baby llama, grappling it and roasting it bit by bit with its fire attacks. The baby llama gave up quite a fight, as only an adorable creature surviving by unknown means would. It survived for a bit of time, despite the assaults of his enemy. Soon enough, it was brought into the lava pool, by a mighty grapple. Before catching on fire, the baby llama gave a single attack, poking slek in the face with his little adorable hoove, temporarily stunning the beast.
Heavy as a brick-carrying cargo boat, Slek sunk into the magma sea within seconds. It regain its senses shortly after, but it was now deep, deep under the magma's surface. Before it could find a way back (or understand which was was up) it drowned.
Welcome to Doomforests, where this happened.
* * * * * * * * * *
''I'll make you a deal'' the prime minister said. He wasn't one to change his plans easily, but Smunstu had to admit, Dark Two kept exceeding expectations. Whatever he was doing with the still, it was proving efficient beyond everything they'd seen. In the last month, the brewers had doubled the booze stockpile, bringing it to 1700 units. Within the next month, the Klan Master affirmed, they'd double it again. Now Dark Two was asking for something else.
''The brewers are the life and spirit of a fortress, they keep the dwarves sane and drunk, and healthy. I want to create a knightly order, the Order of the Ale. Let my brewers train and form an emergency military unit, in case of trouble. Let us push our role in defending this fortress even further.''A noble idea, and an interesting one at that. The new migrants were still being relocated to their new department and learning the rudiments of their new crafts. The dwarfpower of Doomforests was still spread thin. It would be worse once the most skilled of dwarves began their self-defense program under Major SenshukenVI. Dark Two's idea was, in a way, an alternative to the 20 recruits the General had yet to form. He could obviously tell him that those brewers bent on combat would replace the planned recruits, but there was a sneakier, more productive option.
''Our ressources are spread thin, you know this. We are short on hematite and iron, and thus in steel. Whatever little we have, has already been requisitioned by Quartermaster Flame and the General. We simply don't have the supplies to arm yet another group of dwarves.
However, your department has exceeded expectations. Unlike PsychoAngel, I take it that our reformed brewers can be reasonable. There is only so much booze we need stockpiled before it becomes a waste of space. Once the alcohol stores reach 4000 units, you will let it drop naturally to 3000 without brewing more. In the meantime, the brewers will be allowed to take over the duty of mining. New veins of hematite have been located, but we lack the dwarfpower to extract them. Do this, and the resulting ore cache will be used to equip a new Order of the Ale''
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Topic: The Hastening of Doomforests (Read 452239 times)