Topic: Glovedloved - MoK: Journal Thread [Year 5] (Read 6357 times)

Tacomagic · « **on:** November 18, 2014, 11:25:53 pm »

The is the new management Journal thread for Glovedloved.

All discussion and information for the succession game should be posted over on the Discussion Thread.

Further, all dwarfing and turn requests should be directed to the discussion board as well. This thread is only for journal posts.

DWARF PROFILES

Spoiler: "The Nobles" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "The Peasants" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Loyalists" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Skulls' Thugs" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Followers" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "Priests of Armok" (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: "The Dead' (click to show/hide)

The following were copied from the original journal thread.
_____________________

Prologue
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Listen to this while reading for the full flavour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE7FRDVLK1U

I always wanted to be a king.

I would rule over a whole nation, living in my own quarters, with an own throne room, with an own office.
My own Fortress.

I would decide over the Fate of every dwarf, every pickaxe, every bar of metal and strand of Adamantium that my shining halls are bearing. I would have at least six royal dwarfettes lining up to handfeed me Kangaroo cheese and wine every day, Elven Princes, Human Barons and Goblin warlords alike would visit my Halls to pay me respect and hnd me gifts of Wood, Gold and Goblinite. My royal Army would mount forgotten beasts to defend the castle from everything that stands in my way. A Life fit for a dwarf like me.

Well, at least i got the Woman part right.

It was one of those days that i should have seen coming from a mile away. The thing is, i didn't, which led to this whole goddamn story I'm telling you right now.

The first one was the perfect Housedwarfette. She would cook the finest meals and brew the strongest of spirits, tending to my little hut in the outskirts of the Capital.

The problem was, she was kind of boring and wouldn't join in any activities that involve overdrinking or fighting.

That's when i met the second one.
She had more of, you know, dwarven qualities than i could handle. She outdrank me back in Gregor's Tavern and then almost ripped my beard off and made me lose my ability to walk for two weeks. But hooo, the aftermath was what you'd call "succumbing to a fey mood" over at the outposts. That Woman was Legendary in more than one certain craft, you know.
But also she was way too dangerous so i got the Hell out of there before she killed me. It might be too late already.

Because when i got my wounds tended by the third one, a medical dwarfette, i was kind of helpless. this might be the ONLY CASE in which it was totally not my fault. Nevertheless, i could not have The Hammer (That's what the second girl was called over at the Colluseum) find out about any two of my other escapades, so i promised the pretty talkative doctor to have her join an expidition to the shiniest of castles in a few months, and also promised her a place among the nobles. She would become "Chief medical Dwarf" in a place that would be solely carved out for Her (and me, sometimes), if only she kept quite until everything was said and done.

The Lie worked. Neither of the two other Dames would ever find out about the others.
The Lie worked so well that i just kept using it.

"Where are you going, honey?"
"Uhh. I'm off to talk to a few Nobles up in the capital, because i will be leaving to create an outpost for the Mountainhomes in, like... 5 Months? There will be Magma, and Adamantium and Steel."
"OH ARMOK, THAT'S INCREDIBLE! I will cook a glorious meal for when you return today. You will take me with you, won't you?"
"Yeah, sure, why not."
"Get well soon, Dear!"

and so on and so forth.

The fourth one was just outright scary.
She started as a good friend. We would drink and talk about ideals and how the low life was bad and boring and not fit for us. How we should go and rule our own Fortress. And rule it very, very differently from how it's done currently, with everybody knowing their place, treating nobility like nobles and peasants like peasants. It was a great idea, but nothing else than an inebriated pipe dream. She started to scare me as soon as she brought up the whole "Dirty lowly Peasant"-thing.
That is also when i decided to bail out, but it was already too late. I made my promise expecting her to forget about it after waking up to the hangover. She didn`t.
I might also have promised her that she was to become the Queen one day. The first Lady. The Woman-In-Charge. You know, with marriage and all that jazz. I'll just pray to armok that she forgot about at least that.

I think you can figure out the rest of the story.
Some Miner dwarfette actually heard some rumors about a big, striving fortress where there's FUCKING ADAMANTUIM EVERYWHERE. The rumors weirdly led to me.
So she tricked me into cheating YET again and made me promise her a spot in the caravan for keeping her mouth shut.

I don't even know anymore how the Huntress got involved in all this. I only remember a bronze crossbow pointed at me and something about "giving her all the gold." I can only guess the reason why she's here with me now. I should really lower on the booze consumption.

Anyway, on this aforementioned cursed day, six mischievously grinning faces were pointed at me at the same time. Apparently they have been talking to each other.
They had a Wagon packed up with supplies for half a journey and asked me "when to leave."
Well, i left. but they chased me. They chased me until i succumbed to their scheme.

They seem to have come to an agreement.
I shall live, that's the good part. They shall not make it overly complicated. And i actually get to lead an outpost. How great!

Yeah, totally great. I have been ditching every single one of those Women for some thing or another that was wrong with them. Now i get to live with all of them AT ONCE.

Being the opportunist I am, and not having much of a choice anyway, i got used to it though and assured them i was keeping my promise. They shall have their fucking Castle. And who knows: Maybe I AM to become a king someday.
Either I die by a stampede of angry women, or i give them their stupid adamantuim, hospitals and ruling powers.

I start with pleasing Tacomagic. After all, she seems like the most forgiving and least angry of the six Dwarfettes. Maybe because i actually told her the truth at some point.

So I find myself talking to her much along the journey, actually making plans about a "Perfect Dwarven Society."

She still hasn't brought up the marriage part. Please, Armok, let her have forgotten this bit.

_____________________

Year 1: The rule of Nordinkel - Chapter 1
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"So, where is this great, Adamantine packed place we are heading for, Nordinkel?", asks tonnot, her crossbow shouldered and
way too triggerhappy to feel comfortable.

"Uhh," I respond, having no real idea about where we are actually headed. The whole thing has been more of an escape for me
than anything else. Yet i can't seem to freaking outrun that wagon they are all sitting on.

"Our destination is a place called "Glovedloved", south of the great mountainside", Tacomagic comes to my help and unfolds a
map. I managed to get her on my side somehow, by just agreeing to her ramblings about the wondrous nobility-based society
that we are kind of planning to establish now. I am okay with everything as long as it gets me out of this mess.

"We will settle on the side of a huge mountain that borders a huge valley. Like Nordinkel so truthfully promised, there is
said to be a huge deposit of metals and flux stone. Most importantly though..."

"...None of these long-eared, stinking treehugging elves."

I slightly open my mouth only to find myself speechless. This site she found sounds like a freaking paradise. Are her plans
for real? If so, i better get my ass either in there and proceed according to plan or quickly get the fuck out of here as
soon as i can. Tacomagic is so competent it yet again terrifies me.

For now though, everybody seems to have calmed down again.
Actually, this does not look bad at all.

--TWO WEEKS LATER--

The place is real. Glovedloved is real. It is a really freaking tall mountain on a huge valley. There's trees and plants
growing everywhere and mineral deposits JUST SITTING THERE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

For our convenience, the whole thing is seperated by a gentle flowing river, splitting the valley in two. Just PERFECT for
executing our plans on establishing our fortress.
I carefully walk over to Tacomagic, making sure the other Women cannot peek on our converstion.

"You planned this all along, you devilish monster."
"I thought we both agreed on our plan to live Life our ways!", she responded with a grin. "Our dreams will come true very,
very soon. Actually, the first wave of pilgrims is headed our way this very moment!"

I am fairly sure by now that Tacomagic HAS NOT forgotten anything i promised her.
She just waits for the right moment to club me to death with the very own words i spoke when we drank ourselves to oblivion.

Anyways, there is no turning back now. We are almost out of supplies, so i have no choice to roll with it, as uncomfortable
this whole thing makes me.

Then again, it was my dream all along, wasn't it?
Yes, that's what she will say when we all die.

The first thing i need to worry about now is fortify the promises i've been making. So i order neblime to start carving out
rooms at the side of the mountain, where we look upon everything that's going on below. Truly a majestic View over the
treetops.

I can't afford messing around with dirt. None of us will have that. Everybody will have their smoothly engraved living space
in no time and then hopefully shut up.

Also i have streamlined our labors as good as i could. Everybody has their distinct Jobs occupying every labor i can think
of. When we take more citizens into the halls, things will get easier for everybody. For now, we will have to cover a wide
range of duties.

I also singlehandily construct a bridge to the other side.
Neblime patiently waited for me to finish the task before telling me it was useless. The river is too shallow to block off
entrance, so she recommended me to design and construct a giant wall all by myself to solve that problem.
I recommended her to go fuck herself.

Just below the stockpile and workshop area, i let the woman dig out living space.
Every dwarf in the mountain shall get at least one living room and an own room completely dedicated to their professions.
I myself as the founder of Glovedloved need a bit more.
And guess what? SHE ACTUALLY DOES IT. We are going to live in giant halls worthy of kings very soon!

Actually, our plan doesn't seem so bad after all. Not having to worry about accommodating every single migrant we get means
we can focus on the important tasks way better: Living like stupid goddamn decadent assholes.

Menawhile, Chimerat does what she does best:
Getting my belly filled with the help of tonnot, who begins shooting ravens flying in the sky like a badass.
Seriously. She shoots FLYING BIRDS OUT OF THE SKY. What the hell did i deserve to get a pack of fucking monsters pointed
against me?

Anyways, farms are looking good by now. plants are being processed and brewed into alcohol of all sorts by chimerat.
I wonder why everybody still doesn't show much hostility towards me, given that i cheated on every single one of them. It
makes me kind of uncomfortable.

The passive-aggressiveness of those girls makes me even more uncomfortable.

I look away one single second and the next thing i see is Dhoor The Hammer carrying a weapon rack and armor stand to her
place while having her beloved silver warhammer shouldered. "Must train. Must defend Fortress", she mutters with a subtle
glare in my direction.

Also, neblime seems pissed about what i said to her earlier.
"Well, you told me to dig out all of this, and i AM ACTUALLY digging out all of this, one stone at a time!"

i mean, The dining hall looks good and all, but i still have to freaking squeeze my body through a tiny crack in the wall.
she hacks at one part of the wall, then walks away, goes downstairs, hacks at another completely different part of the wall,
then goes to have a drink and goes back upstairs.

Women, i swear.

It was in the early summer when Taomagic woke me up from my slumber.
"Nordinkel! We need you now. Look down the mountain!"

After 20 minutes of trying to convince me that they don't need me, but they need to calm the fuck down and let me sleep, i
finally leave my quarters to see what the maniac is all excited about, just to shut her up and go continue having my
hangover.

What i see looking down upon the valley makes my jaw almost fall off.

She had planned that all along. That devilish bitch of a monster.
Tacomagic stood beside me, smiling.

There they were, the people that would make my life miserable and eventually have my head impaled on a fucking stick.

"You know what to do, Nordinkel... Our plan. Our dreams. It all starts here. We are to become Kings!"

Oh, i knew what to do. I had to jump off that cliff and end this nonsense.

Instead i did what Tacomagic told me. I don't know what drove me to this decision. Maybe it was the secret craving to be a
king. Maybe i was forced to do it. Or maybe i was still god damn wasted.

"PEOPLE OF THE MOUNTAINHOMES! I, NORDINKEL, LEADER OF THE FAMOUS CITY, FOUNDER OF GLOVEDLOVED, WELCOME YOU TO THE MOUNTAIN OF
KINGS!"

_____________________

Year 1: Chapter 1 - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Tacomagic

First Jounral entry of TacoMagic Rigòthigër:

I am writing this journal as an attempt to chronicle our great work here at Glovedloved. Hopefully we will be successful, and this document will become the important historical record outlining how Gloveloved pulled our people out of the dirt and into an enduring golden age of master craftsdwarfship the like of which the world, and the gods, have never seen before. But that is for the future.

Mid-summer:

The look on that fool Nordinkel's face was priceless. Thus far it has been relatively easy to keep him in line by exploiting a mixture of his greed, ambition, and fear of a marriage proposal that I'm sure he is regretting by now. I hate to so thoroughly destroy the potential in another like this; but the needs of peasantry outweigh his paltry soul by a significant margin. If only the poor filthy dears knew how important they are to us all. Only through their ascension to pure dwarfdom can the sacrifice of us, the aristocracy who are doomed to the mediocrity of luxury, be finally made worthwhile.

With this grand, divine plan we shall mold these folk of mud and stench into the race we were all meant to be. As the philosopher Ordin Tredleks said: "Only through the heat of the fire, the pain of the hammering, and the harsh shock of the quench can a pure masterpiece be forged." I have never heard words of more unquestionable Truth. I must steel myself to the task ahead; the migrants are awaiting their king, and I must be in attendance at his side.

Quote from: Chimerat

First Entry: On the road and settling in
It started simply enough: With a lie.
"I'm off to talk to a few Nobles up in the capital, because I will be leaving to create an outpost for the Mountainhomes in, like... 5 Months? There will be Magma, and Adamantium and Steel."

What my housemate had forgotten was that I know how to brew and cook and thus had several contacts at most of the inns in town... So did he, it seemed. Though not of the professional sort.

My plan at first was just to burrow him in a pit of his own making, but as I spoke to each of my fellow she-Dwarves there was talk of actually forcing him to live up to his promises. After all, our skills complimented each other, and it seemed that several of the others had an idea of the sort of society they would like to craft, though I didn't really bother getting any details there. At least not past the part where we agreed on great drink and food.

So supplies were collected and a certain lying he-Dwarf was cornered and packed away. At least once he got too tired to run.

So now we were on our way to our new home. Regaval, or the more common "Glovedloved" as several of the others insist on calling it.

While there is a somewhat unsettling amount of trees, we have a healthy brook and multiple varieties of plants. I made sure to mention to the others the sorts of drinks and meals I could make with things. Spotting a few vaguely familiar shapes in some of the trees, I also pointed out that perhaps, once our population had grown a bit, we might set a few minds into collecting the fruits so we could have even more variety.

I do hope I can start things properly with roasts, but I fear our supplies might be too small to allow our palates such luxuries for some time yet. Towards shortening the path to that goal, I spend some time fishing, plenty of time getting out fields in order, and ensuring that the still and kitchen in order.

I do believe the others are having some fun with our resident he-Dwarf, but I think that's only fair. After all... He had his fun with us, didn't he?

Quote from: tonnot98

I've finally got that fool where I want him, and so have the others. Ruling as a queen will be so exhilarating, although I might just end up beating my lackeys into submission with my crossbow, and shoot their pet in the face to get whatever message across. I can already picture my tomb! An adamantine sarcophagus menacing with spikes of steel, decorated with pictures made out of raven bones, surrounded by adamantium statues of me striking down several foes! And then a kimberlite slab in my tomb of my killer, which will most likely be time itself.

Oh, when the time comes, it will be ME calling the shots, at least for a time.

Quote from: MedicInDisguise

I arrive in Glovedloved, finally. I feel quite sorry for the leader already, looking hat the mess higher up.

I have no clue how I got a chance to go here. All I had to do was fake a few PHD's, and now I'm the Doctor of Sociology, Medicine, Physics, and Psychology. Hopefully I can prove useful.

Ah well. I will go to sleep after I see what the leader says I shall do. Wait, where are the beds?

Quote from: Rhaken

Digger's Log

I have arrived in Glovedloved.

I immediately regret this decision.

_____________________

Year 1: The rule of Nordinkel - Chapter 2
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"PEOPLE OF THE MOUNTAINHOMES! I, NORDINKEL, LEADER OF THE FAMOUS CITY, FOUNDER OF GLOVEDLOVED, WELCOME YOU TO THE MOUNTAIN OF KINGS!

You have come here to behold what is soon to become the greatest feat of dwarven Architecture and craftsdwarfship in the whole world - A place fit for the greatest of Kings!
You have come here for an opportunity to get a place in our mighty halls, to lead a life full of peace and true dedication to your trades!
The Mountain towering before you will provide for the wildest of your needs and dreams, hosting workshops and quarters, statue gardens and superior engineering, having you live the life worthy of a KING OF THE WHOLE WORLD!

Fellow pilgrims! Behind these closed doors awaits an own, monstrous and decadent bedroom, a dining room all for yourself, an own workshop for every single craftsdwarf! Enormous riches await in the depths of Glovedloved, waiting for you to come claim them for your own!

However, as we, the seven founders, have already done, you are to PROVE YOURSELVES WORTHY FOR KINGSHIP in order to step in our glorious halls and claim a place among us! Your harsh trek to this very valley that embraces Glovedloved has been but your first step towards greatness, and i trust in your great tenacity and dedication to rightfully accomplish what you are thriving for!

Not everyone will succeed in this harsh and tedious quest, as only the greatest and best dwarves are to call Glovedloved their Home.
However, The Famous City will give EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU the chance to work towards that noble goal, to fight and work and thrive and take your own destiny, your own future, into your own hands. In lies in your decisions, your dedication, your spirit of COMPETITION to earn this all for yourself!

Pilgrims to Glovedloved!

We will be watching every step you take, every feat you accomplish from now on, here from above the valley, from our thrones. You will be experiencing a cold harsh winter, you will be working under the rain, in stormy winds, under the bright light of the Sun.

BUT WHEN THE SNOW AND RIVER THAWS, when Spring makes its way back to Glovedloved, ONE OF YOU, NOT MORE, NOT LESS! - will be chosen to move into the halls. From hence forth, after EVERY SINGLE YEAR, only one of you gets to join the ranks of the GREATEST KINGS OF DWARVES!

People of Glovedloved.

Prove yourselves worthy. For now, your numbers are small.
BUT SOON, WORD WILL SPREAD among the Mountainhomes and more pilgrims will arriveon their quest to claim a place among the citizens of the Famous City.
YOU are the first to arrive, so your chances are great to see an end to your tedious journey by the End of this very year!

May Armok grant you strength."

I have no remote idea why and how i just did that. I think i just snapped out of reality for a second there.
Might this have been a twisted form of one of those "Moods" the caravans used to talk about all the time?
I really have no idea.
Fact is, the Migrants seem to have somewhat accepted what i just told them. I turned away the moment i had finished this Speech, so i didn't get to see their reactions. I was too afraid to get shot. I only hear one or two of the assholes shouting up the mountain. Dunno if its cheering, taunting, or threatening.

Honestly i don't actually care what those people think. I have my own problems now.

for example backing up the false promises i keep making towards everybody. We need a damn Metalwork industry, and we need it RIGHT NOW. If those peasants decide to plan on flocking my head sooner or later, i sure as hell don't want to be unarmed. When i die a horrible death i'm taking at least two of the assholes with me.

This place almost outside the mountain is our makeshift metalwork station for now. It was just faster to dig it out down in the soil layers instead of carving it into solid rock. After all, speed is what i want to accomplish right now. This whole thing could turn to shit in the matter of days.

_____________________

For a moment i thought it was over. Over so soon.
Even before the metalworks got all set up, i saw a mass of the new people storming the Fort.
After a few minutes of being utterly terriefied and expecting the worst, i see the peasants diligently and motivatedly grabbing pieces of ore and carrying them to the soon-to-be metalwork area, cleaning out parts of the workshop area.

One could appreciate thededication of those people, however they INFRINGE THE FREAKING RULES RIGHT AFTER I TOLD THEM THE RULES.

For now though, i am actually glad for the help. Progress on the Establishment of the Mountain has been kind of slow with only seven dwarves to work on it, and none of the girls seem actually that motivated to get my "Save Nordinkel's Ass" - effort done quickly enough.

Also, it is just hauling. And as much as Tacomagic insists on taking harder measures, i only mildly remind those people to
GET THEIR FUCKING ASSES OUT OF THE FORTRESS BEFORE WE ALL DIE.

still, they insist on shouting consistently that they REALLY FREAKING WANT TO STORE THINGS in our stockpiles.
It is no rare sight as of late when some dwarf stands before the Gates of Glovedloved, camping out with a stupid barrel in their hands, demanding to be let in to give it to us.

It's all scheming, we began to suppose. They really want in. I mean, REALLY. Who do they think they are trying to fool here?

From now on, Glovedloved is CLOSED to peasants. No hauling, no storing, no BREATHING in the direction of the Mountain. Come to think of it, i don't even want those lunatics in here. They are all either stupid, scheming even more, or straight weird.

Also, i begin to like the initial idea of an elitist Fortress even more. Having to socialize with like 30 or 40 of them at the same time, and share some mediocre rooms with them, would be the same as back in the Mountainhomes. This is not what I'm here for.

What am i here for again?

Right. My own fucking libido brought me here.

Might as well make the best out of it.

_____________________

Year 1: Chapter 2 - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: MedicInDisquise on October 22, 2014, 04:44:22 pm

Quote
I always told myself that common courtesy was great, as long as you got to dine with the big boys. Otherwise, it was useless. Well, looking at the single man and 6 women working their beards off up in the mountain, I decided to help out. Maybe get a bit more then a bedroom and a scepter.

Won't you believe it though, during all of that staring and shit I forgot about a couple of rules that he told us. Like don't walk into the fort. What a douchebag, he probably made this fort because of his libido or something. Well, if I can't live in the fort itself, perhaps I could sneak into it at night, perhaps? When everyone is sleeping? Either way, I'm going to be eating with the big boys, and I will enjoy it.

For now, I sigh, dragging my bag of tools and fake PHD's. Perhaps one day, but for one thing: I need a house.

Quote from: Chimerat

Second Entry: Still Salvageable!

So...

Well, that was a bit unexpected wasn't it? Or was it...?

While the eyes of the new arrivals were mostly locked on Nordinkel went out to greet the new arrivals from the Mountainhome, some of my fellow travelers seemed a little too set on judging the migrants' reactions to all of this... I even think I saw one or two of them looking my way with the same purpose.

It seems that Regaval is to be a new start for us all in more way than one. And it also seems that I'll be able to make us Roasts with no issue. After all, my farms will only have to feed those deemed worthy to live within the mountain itself and that will prove to be an easy task, even with time spent brewing when liquid spirits begin to run low.

Who knows, perhaps in time I'll have enough alcohol to spare to make roasts that include that extra temptation for our tongues. Especially if I can make my bit to have a minecart track built to dump supplies in my workshop.

"Can we get those outside to do the fishing and harvesting? There will be so many of them that they can hunt or farm their own supplies on the side, can't they?" I put the questions to Nordinkel the next time our paths crossed. "At the very least, can we get them to figure out how to get those succulent fruits down for me to brew with? None of them would need to put a foot inside to get this done, and my cooking will fetch great prices for trade. You can sell a roast or two for more raw ingredients (and perhaps a few more animals) easily."

Now that I'm back at my still and checking the state of the latest brew (and letting his reply stew) I have to wonder: is Nordinkel fit to lead us? Does he have what it takes to make profitable trades and enforce the Rules he's put in place here?

And, much more importantly, how many of my fellows knew about this turn of events before we left the Mountainhome?

Quote from: Tacomagic on October 22, 2014, 07:49:58 pm

Mid Summer Addendum,

Well, that was unexpected. Nordinkel had spine enough to subtly change the plan on me, and did it in a way that makes salvaging the situation problematic. It's a fine lesson that the best way to undermine somebody's plan is to do it publicly and then get everyone excited about it. Not only did he say he was going to let some of the serfdom in to be ruined through the corruption of fine living, but he announced it was to be based on merit of all things. This will surely cause the others to vote in favor of destroying the dwarf who has made the most progress toward enlightenment. And to do once every year at that! Do they honestly not understand the damage they will be doing!?

I will have to work this into the plan somehow. We will need metalworkers inside the corrupt portion of the fortress at some point, so it is likely I can use that in order to retain the purity of these meritorious peasants. Perhaps create a miniature version of my utopia within the fort itself, separate and insulated from the lavish excess that we must endure.

Then again, another thought occurs to me. We could create positions of power among the peasants. These positions would attract the most susceptible to corruption leaving the pure to their more sacred devices. If I can convince the others to promote from within that group of corrupt, then my plans may still come to fruition. I shall have to start thinking of positions that will attract only the most base among the workers. Tax officers, justice officers, mayors, managers, hammerers, and sheriffs. Those are the perfect positions to assign the chaff so that they may be sacrificed to the fell opulence of the inner citadel, while at the same time masking their uselessness behind false accomplishments. Indeed, they could even be our agents among the pure. Cutting and folding them into the form I have laid out.

Yes, I do believe this situation is still salvageable. In fact, it may be that Nordinkel actually did me a favor today. Perhaps I will not have him so quickly disposed of after all.

Now, to convince the others that we need to post these jobs for volunteers.

Quote from: neblime on October 23, 2014, 12:54:43 am

Diary of Neblime
I had the misfortune to see some of those peasants up close today. When i asked them rather impolitely what they were doing in the mountain they just said "storing items in stockpiles"
I reminded them in no uncertain terms of the fact they are NOT actually allowed inside the mountain, stockpiles or no, and a few threatening swings of my pick sent them on their way. I hope Nordinkel can seal them out soon, I detest their presence almost as much as his own. I have him fooled though. He even calls me "friend".
hah. in time my plans will come to fruition, but for now I shall mine the deepest places I can to escape the stench of the peasants, and present my most diplomatic self to my new "Friends"

Quote from: Yesaja on October 23, 2014, 09:16:57 am

The front of this book says something like:
Warning: Contains angry dwarf-woman, who lets out her frustrations on the diary she never used!

First entry or whatever.

I can’t complain as far as this unexpected journey goes – even though its end might be here, surprisingly. As soon as I saw these folks on top of that rock, I knew I’ve been gone into the same aristocratic-system-elvencrap I left my original home for. Tradition and authority? Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Besides, I still can’t understand why “having a mood” is not a perfectly believable explanation for chopping a dwarf into 124 different pieces to make the silver-armor more authentic. Plus, nobody liked him anyway AND the booze was running low. Call me revolutionist, but that artifact was without doubt some of the (some unknown liquid made the rest of the sentence unreadable). It was the first thing I was ever proud of, regarding my work as an armorer, yet still I had to leave. Pffft.

And all I wanted was a family, anyway. And why am I writing this? This stupid diary is getting on my nerves. I even hold back my cursing. Need to drink something really fast AND NOT WATER!!! – I don’t want to bloody wash myself, I want to drink! As far as it goes to the other migrants, I’ll stay okay with them. Being polite and cheerful helps out a lot, at least if it gets down to life.

Alright, gotta unload some goods now.

Well, fuck this fucking shit anyway. You just want to fucking store some fucking goods in that fucking mountain and not one fucking second passed, without some fucking orders from some fucking bystanders. I just fucking stared at them. And right now, I’m gonna fucking stand in front of that fucking mountain, until I can get that fucking barrel inside!

(On the side are some notes) Reminder: Still don’t know if I can stay armorer. Better grab my farmer experience and do something good for the rest of us out here.

I’m thirsty. Really. Fuck!

Quote from: dwarobaki on October 23, 2014, 04:28:39 pm

Silver Hammer Diaries.

Damn, that was quite good speech. I'm surprised. So far Nordinkel was rather clumsy with words... but that was very impressive. I got that strange feeling again, the one that hit me when we first met.
How long ago it was? A year? I don't remember excactly - way too long. Time to invite Nordinkel for few sparring sessions. After all, his not so apparent skills were the thing that tipped the scales and I'm here.
And it would be better for everyone if he doesn't make any excuses.

Tacomagic · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2014, 11:26:17 pm »

_____________________

Year 1: The rule of Nordinkel - Chapter 3
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was until the fucking wagons came that i still thought i had an easy way out of here.

I was talking with my Chimerat about farming operations involving people from the small settlement that has formed on the other side of the river, when i first realized that it has been more than half a goddamn year already.

A whole Seven Months have passed since we started digging the Hole that would become the oh-so-amazing Mountain of Kings.
I tend to call it Mountain of Witches when nobody is around.

I don't know. Seeing those wagons bypass the slums and heading for our trade depot made of PURPLE FUCKING STONE (whose idea was it to have traders unpack goods on a place that looks like solidified miasma? Probably mine, because this place with its mischievous inhabitants STINKS) kind of feels like the last nail hammered in my casket.

It mean's we're an official, recognized outpost now, where i am in charge. No way out of this one.

While i'm trying to tell these dwarven assholes from the Mountainhomes that we have no goblets and toy boats and mugs to trade because we were BUSY DOING IMPORTANT SHIT, neblime finally brought herself to finish her little game of "Fuck you, Nordinkel".

We finally have a place to live in with some basic rooms. I am actually pleased about the miner's job. I got the roomiest of all quarters, with two additional rooms for dining and bookkeeping. We still need our furniture and to smooth the walls, but man, am i sleeping well lately.

Tough Luck, Traders. You are going home with like 10 pieces of souvenirs from Glovedloved. At least i was able to exchange them for a larger variety of seeds for Chimerat and some random goods in case some of us suddenly flips the shit about some great idea.

And there i thought i could slack off for just a minute.

More Idiots.
I would ask myself why these people bother to come here. Then again, they probably have the same stupid reasons to come here as i did.

They gather before the Huge Face of Glovedloved, a pack of confused little pricks. Really, from up here, i realize how stupidly small we dwarves actually are.

"PILGRIMS TO GEMCLOD!", i begin my speech anew, with Tacomagic and the others gathered at my side just before the entrance, looking down on the folks with my arms raised.

I normally believe that i have a bad way with words. I don't know what it is with those speeches. They just keep flowing out of that stupid hole in my beard like it's nothing, like somebody else is talking.

"YOU CAME HERE IN ANTICIPATION TO BEHOLD THE MIGHTY HALLS OF GLOVEDLOVED, TO JOIN YOUR FELLOW IMMIGRANTS IN THEIR RACE TO KINGDOM!

I welcome you heartily, brothers and sisters.

Behind you, at the other side of the river embedded in the valley, are the honorable people who have arrived before you, all working hard to form a Place to live for their own, all competing to claim a throne in the glorious dining hall of the MOUNTAIN OF KINGS!

Setting Foot into the innards of Glovedloved, where everyone is a King on his own, is a PRIVILEGE that you are here to earn, here to prove your worth to have a better life than anywhere else.

You will join your comrades on the other side of the river on their effort to show us your strength and will, your dedication and Love to your profession!

At the end of the Year, when Spring chases away the cold winds and snowflakes, ONE OF YOU is going to ascend to greatness, leaving behind the mediocre life full of sacrifices and sunlight.

Prove yourselves, Pilgrims, for it is only in your own might to claim a place among the KINGS OF ALL KINGS!

May Armok Help you on your quest."

The most terrifying aspect of those speeches is that they actually seem to work.
It is natural Dwarven greed that makes them relatively blind to the utter audacity that i am promoting and living by here.
Just keeping everybody out is never going to work.
Having only ONE of them move in, though, is enough to fire up the greed engines in those idiots.
And suddenly, everybody does what i tell them.

I have serious doubts about this thing working in the long run, though. For now, the speeches by me some valuable Time to arm myself to the teeth.

And in some instances, the motivation i seem to infuse into those little minds works just a TAD BIT too well.

TRESPASSING!

Some of the peasants, apparently named "Digger", just flat out violates every rule i have ever imposed on anybody and starts running up the Mountain like a maniac.

WHAT IS THIS GUY DOING IN OUR WORKSHOP?

It is moments like this when i start seriously doubting any theories of "Sanity" related to Dwarves.
The worst thing is that nobody gives a flying fuck about the guy that just stormed up Glovedloved, screaming like some kind of jerk.
Everybody is too busy doing their own stuff.

"Please", i walk up to the manically looking Dwarf, "We need this workshop to make toy boats. Go back to your village."

"BONES! I NEED BONES!"

"Dude", i try to convince him calmly, "There might be a less fucked up way to tell me that you need help. I believe you have a doctor down there, maybe you should go see him?"

"I WON'T GO! I NEED BONES NOW!"

Fine then. I let out a deep sigh and turn away. I just hope this guy will get the fuck back to his place when he's done here.

I grab the next puppy i see walking about by the neck and stomp up the stairwell to where the quarters are.

There she is, training again, like every freaking time i see her.
If "protecting the Fortress" really means "closing oneself up in her room 20 hours a day and beating an armor stand to pieces, ignoring every single trespasser", my hope for this fortress might be in serious danger.

"Dhoor!"

"...", she eloquently reacts, making another swing with that silver Hammer she loves so dearly, completely unaware - or ignorant - towards my presence

"DHOOR! CAN YOU PLEASE BUTCHER THIS PUPPY REAL QUICK?!"

"Huh?", she answers now, suddenly turning towards me. "Sure, if you leave me alone after that, because you see, I AM BUSY EXPRESSING MY FEELINGS."

this may or may not be a reinterpretation of the things she ACTUALLY told me.

The Warhammer lands on the floor with an echoing noise when she walks past me, grabbing the little dog out of my hand, giving me a strange look.
A look i'm not really used to anymore.

At least she does not ask too much questions.

_____________________

Year 1: Chapter 2 - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Chimerat on October 23, 2014, 06:58:01 pm

Third Entry: Compromise

Not one Roast was sent back to the Mountainhome to prove to my teachers that their lessons were not in vain. Not one...

So, Regaval is introduced to our second wave of migrants as "Gemclod" for some reason. Maybe... Just, just maybe... Nordinkel's spirits should be just a little less strong?

Just maybe.

I'm set to agree with the whispers I'm hearing about having him replaced, though. After all, who goes and butchers a female animal when there are males to spare!? One male can stud all the females (assuming they're of a mood and a mind), but a female can do the same work and produce more animals!

Well, this entry is looking like a bit of a mess there. Seems things are starting to get to me a bit, though I am interested in seeing if any of the others claims "inspiration" as a reason to get around Nordinkel's authority.

Might be fun to spread that idea around a bit...

Quote from: Cptn Kaladin Anrizlokum on October 23, 2014, 08:30:18 pm

Well, here I am. The Gravekeeper. Every outpost needs one, sooner or later.

So far things are peaceful, but I know that will change. Nordinkel can't keep everyone out of the mountain forever... Eventually things are going to come crashing down on top of him. And here I will be, to bury him. And everyone else.

Quote from: Yesaja on October 24, 2014, 02:08:53 am

The front note of the book has been removed, but - if opened - the first entry is still there.

Second entry. (On the side is another note): I’m not gonna relate this to some date, because I’ll write whenever I got time.

I remember that Digger said something about regretting to come here. And the moment I thought, he had his way with us out here, he yelled something like “BONES! BONES!” and charged the mountain-castle. To be honest, I was too weak to hold him back. And too clumsy. As soon as I grabbed his arm, I slipped and now my face hurts like an orc had punched in it. Twice.

I haven’t seen him since then and I’m seriously confused about the things, I could do. I still want to smith some armor, but my thoughts go on about what happens in there. I thought about just doing it like Digger, yet again… I lack the muscles to stay.

And all this “Bones”-elvencrap made me think of why I had to leave home. I have a bad feeling about this.

Reminder: Don't go near the Gravekeeper again, ever. I tried to cheer him up a bit. Didn't work as planned.

Quote from: MedicInDisquise on October 24, 2014, 04:12:05 am

Third Diary Page:

As I labored, yet more migrants came. Hoping to see someone I recognized, or could scam (I have this valuable werewolf tooth, wanna have it?). Luckily, it all seemed they were too distracted by being forced into peasantry instead of dining in the great halls. Y'know, they most likely have everything we could need. Booze, Food, great engravings on the walls. But out here, all we have is the local river and a single axe. Well, it really doesn't matter. I don't plan to be around these idiots much longer, anyways. I could help them out, but what's in it for me.

Quote from: Skullsploder on October 25, 2014, 03:31:47 am

4 Limestone
Talked with the diplomat. She was hot. We chatted. She had a very interesting story about some place called Fistlover or something. From the sound of it, there's a lot of opportunity there for someone like me. They don't even have a proper city watch set up.

5 Limestone
I can't be sheriff of this shithole forever. There's so few dwarves here that everyone likes each other to much to give me an excuse to give a good beating. And "Captain of the Guard" sure has a nice ring to it.

6 Limestone
Fuck this place and its close knit community, I'm off to Lovegauntlets.

7 Limestone
There's something satisfying about killing an animal that can't fight back. Affirms your power. Met some migrants. They're also heading to Gauntletedlovers, or whatever the fuck it's called. There are quite a few of them. Yes, look at me. Stare. I'll be watching you right back from now on.

_____________________

Year 1: The rule of Nordinkel - Chapter 4
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As i see the maniac having his way with the remains of the "butchered" puppy (really, the look on Dhoors face after she left the butcher's workshop was maybe a little... too... satisfied... and... longing? at the same time? Wow, woman. just, wow.), my attention immideatly switches to the next maniac. It's the doctor lady, njneko. I kind of forgot about her lately, because i had other things to worry about than having my aching body parts attended to. This is probably why she tries to get my attention now of all times.

You see, if a dwarf of a certain profession gets bored because they do not have the means to show their expertise, they start to come up with things completely different from what they should be asking for.

Knowing this and the fact that njneko has grown more and more unpatient, i work up some plan to at least get one of the women to like me again.

"Listen, njneko, i know Life is kinda miserable for you right now. But you see, nobody has gotten hurt yet and i don't think you want to cure any mental diseases - if i'm wrong, you can start with any dwarf you find."

"Don't worry about it", she answers to my surprise. "It's my own fault."

"What does this mean now", i inquire, trying to figure out what this woman is thinking.

"What it means? It means that i should have known that nobody really cares about me."

Aaaaahh, now i see what this is. More passive aggressiveness. More dwarfettes being bitches. What did i expect.

"I mean", she continues with a bitter voice "I can sleep in a good room and all, but... but... nobody attends to my needs! You won't build me the hospital, Dhoor won't let me talk to her about giving me patients, i have no work to do whatsoever... And Chimerat only plants what she wants. Nobody cares about what i want. I'm BORED, man, and it's basically all your fault."

"Would you be quiet for just a second please", i interrupt her little speech.
"First: didn't you just say that it's YOUR fault, not mine?"

"WHAT? I- You little-"

"Second: Let's forget that you are bored and have a drink."

Yeah. It's the peasants again, trespassing. But this time i allowed them to.

I allowed them in because Tacomagic and Chimerat are not the only ones who can plot things.

You know, this might sound weird, but i seem to be here for some greater purpose.
Those times when i stood there, holding speeches, i felt it, deep down somewhere, that i'm not alone. Somebody is helping me, pushing me in a direction, and it's sure as hell not tacomagic.

I will show, them. I will show them all that Only Nordinkel draws the straws here.

Here they are, rolling their barrels up the mountainside besides the Miasma Depot like it's a goddamn race. They really DO want in, do they?

"You see", i explain to the doctor with a smile on my face, pointing to the group of ragged bums carrying the barrels to Glovedloved. "I'm a King, you know. And you are, too. Soon, you will have everything you ever want. But for now, let's start with enough Potato Wine to get us both wasted for a whole fucking week."

As the idiots stockpile the wine barrels i had made specifically for njneko and i sent them away again, i see her expression towards me turning into something completely different.

To figure out what happened after that is up to everybody's personal interpretation.

[Some days later]

Digger has finally let go of the wokshop he stole from us.
I gotta say he made some impressive shit with that wolverine corpse.

Never mind the fact that i had a perfectly fine puppy slaughtered by Dhoor, but tonnot thought it was funny to make me waste time by shooting down a wolverine first.

I tell everybody that yes, this is in fact a bin made out of puppy bone. I answer more detailed question with "Well, it's Dog bone, so who gives a shit if it's puppy or wolverine."

The important thing is, it won't leave Glovedloved. Digger however WILL LEAVE GLOVEDLOVED. He wasted enough of my time.

As soon as The Mountain was Peasant-free again, Tacomagic approached me with a serious look.

"EIGHT."

"EIGHT WHAT", i scream back at her because i was just busy watching the valley from above the Forest and she scared the EVERLOVING SHIT out of me.

"Eight trespassers. In only 2 months. We can't have this anymore."

"Look, maybe next time YOU try to prevent a mentally unstable dwarf from looking for bones in our fortress."

"This was a holy procedure! There is no stopping an inspired dwarf from creating a legendary artifact!"

"It's a stupid crate made out of puppy bone."

"I'm speaking about the other eight. The ones just walking up, carrying barrels."

"Oh. Those. Yeah, you're right. What heresy. Dhoor can smash their heads for all i care."

"That's not Dhoors responsibility. We need a wild card. Somebody independent."

And that's where everything snaps into place.

_____________________

Year 1: Chapter 4 - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Chimerat on November 01, 2014, 03:43:38 pm

Fourth Entry: Suggestions for the Lazy

It seems Njneko might have an issue with the crops I've been planting. Unfortunately, I had come to this Fortress expecting to lead the culinary efforts of a new settlement. Nordinkel's little speech means that I'm a one she-Dwarf operation and if any other Dwarf would like something planted they can learn the fine art of putting a bloody seed in the ground!

If we didn't have this restriction, those who wanted to volunteer to be injured in some sort of minor way (maybe a fight with captive beasts or short, controlled falls) could also be allowed in the Fortress.

Unfortunately, we do have those restrictions, and I'm not of a mind to get stuck out in the rain and away from the Kitchen and Still which have been set up just right for my purposes here...

Quote from: Timeless Bob on November 01, 2014, 07:12:15 pm

Musings of Doc Timeless, Gentledwarf Adventurer!

The rumors about this place were truer than I had imagined. I've arrived incognito, to find the weaknesses in these evil overlord's plans, but it seems they have several and aren't really worth my time at the moment. I mean, who would ever brag about my exploits if I could rush into a supposedly fortified position yelling "BONES!" and be given entry without a second glance? I'd be the laughingstock of the Orion Club if I ever told that story. No, best to quietly set up a dojo in an inconspicuous area on a low hill somewhere and continue practicing my dwarf-jitsu.

Quote from: Tacomagic on November 03, 2014, 11:49:49 am

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic, Wood Queen of Glovedloved:

1st of Granite, 251,
That whole affair went far better than I expected. This morning I cornered that little rat Nordinkel about allowing the prospectives into the mountain. He threw a tantrum about the woes and trials of leadership and then told me that if I didn't think he was doing a good enough job, maybe I should spend a year in charge and see how difficult it truly is. I think my glee at his proposal took him off guard; he locked himself in his room shortly after I accepted and has refused to do anything since. As if him being useless was some kind of surprise or punishment to the rest of us.

Even so, I'm left in the delicate position of having to allow an additional dwarf to be sacrificed. I've gone over the list a few times and have concluded that there are only four dwarves who meet the criteria. I'm loath to allow this, but the damage is done.

The first candidate is obvious. The sheriff, Skulls, is already a corrupt, violent, and shallow soul who would be little loss to the project if she were included in the sacrifice. However, Skulls does serve a useful purpose out among the citizens, so she may be better kept as a tool we can utilize for molding the prospects.

The next is Digger. While ostensibly a master craftsdwarf on his way toward true ascension, his recent willingness to allow himself near the corrupting force of the mountain disturbs me. I cannot help but think his sudden mastery of bone work may have more to do with coveting the trappings of luxury than it does with wanting to further the Path of our race. It may be better to sacrifice him before these potential aspirations are allowed to taint the others.

There is also MedicInDisguise who recently closed himself into the jeweler's workshop near the bedrooms. I find it very suspicious that a self-proclaimed practitioner of the medical arts would be so quick to allow exposure the corrupting force of gems. Even if his desire to master the art of gem cutting happens to be sincere, allowing such a dangerous skill to be practiced among the prospective would be unconscionable.

Finally, there is Onud Itlud. Her bizarre insistence that dying clothes is somehow a worthwhile venture is ludicrous. The very idea that something so vain could be part of the Path is absurd in the highest degree! Even so, her name is known to me from the mountainhome as one of the foremost dyers in the land. Such opulence within the mountain would increase the effectiveness of the sacrifice, so she is worth considering.

The rest are currently unskilled enough that I can safely exclude them as dwarves the others would view as candidates. Hopefully the more disreputable members will make themselves known to me so that I may start 'awarding' them positions of power within the outer precinct. That should make it easy to start rewarding them with fake accolades. I must make a note that, whatever happens, I need to rendezvous with Skulls before the week is out. It should be a simple matter of bribery to secure her as an agent among the prospects.

I will call a meeting of the founders this evening so that the choice can be made.

Quote from: Skullsploder on November 03, 2014, 02:08:34 pm

Excerpts from the diary of Skulls, Sheriff of the Slum of Glovedloved

1st Obsidian 250
New month. New job. Only been here a couple days and some dwarf claiming to represent the Mountain came to me and offered me the chance to inflict pain. Dunno if he was genuine, but I'm taking it none the fucking less. These idiots in the slum here don't know their place.

8th Obsidian 250
Kill kill kill why won't anyone do something that lets me KILL.

20th Obsidian 250
Some trouble-makers went up into the Mountain carrying barrels. Claim to have been summoned by Nordinkel himself. We'll just have to punish them for their lies now won't we? Oh yes we will.

25th Obsidian 250
Heard rumour of someone training peasants to fight. Probably nothing, but must remember to investigate. Apprehended some children with fine toys. Obviously stolen from the caravan. Broke one of their wrists, will teach others not to steal.

2 Granite 251
The Wood-Queen wishes to speak to me. Congratulations unlikely? The peasants do not yet fear the Mountain as rightly they should. First they must fear me. They will fear me. The eight who brought barrels into Glovedloved will not try their stunt again. But it is not enough. More blood more pain more screams.

Quote from: Chimerat on November 03, 2014, 02:52:25 pm

Fifth Entry: Random Voting?

We great the new year and...a change in leadership? When did that happen exactly?

Either way, we've been asked to select from four (seemingly completely random) migrants to include in our rather small workforce. At the meeting I got my vote out quickly as I was munching on one of my better made roasts, but not the best. It had meat and plants but no eggs or cheese. Not quite bland though, what with the various tiers of mincing I used while crafting it.

I think my choice will be helpful, having already proven his worth in making something useful. Also... Also, he's a male. Which means we'd have more choice in here than Nordinkel.

I just hope that doesn't create its own problems.

---

VOTE: Digger

Quote from: dwarobaki on November 03, 2014, 04:50:52 pm

Silver Hammer Diaries 2
So it looks like Nordinkel gave up his rulership. I'm not really happy about that. Now Taco's in charge. She can do whatever she likes as long as she leaves me alone, so I can practice and have some 'one on one sessions' with Nordinkel. And she wants us to choose someone to join our Mountain. How she managed to find four candidates among those dwarves?
For me there's only one interesting candidate, that boner-guy...

_____________________

Year 2: The rule of TacoMagic - Prologue
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic, Wood Queen of Glovedloved:

7th of Granite, 251,

It has been a week and yet the others have not made their decision; some have chosen but others continue to beg more time. I say let them have it; I've already come to terms that somebody must be admitted, and any of those four are the same as the others in my mind.

While they ponder, and while I wait for the 14th when I will address the prospects and officially take command of the project, I decided to take stock of the current situation of Glovedloved by looking at our books. Or at least I would have if Nordinkel had thought to appoint anyone to the task of keeping records. Since there were no records, I decided to approached the manager to see if he had any estimates of our stocks by way of outstanding jobs. As it turns out, I found that I couldn't approach the manager because, once again, we lacked one.

I will remedy both these issues immediately by appointing a Tax Collector to keep and enforce the books. But, first I need a corruptible soul who can do this job. I originally considered Skulls for the task, but I fear she may not be stable enough for bookwork. I will have to think on this more closely over the next week.

The state of the Mountain and "the slums" (honestly, that is a poor name for the area devoted to the prospects, I shall have to change it as part of my stint as overseer) are a shambles to say the least. The Mountain is barely more than some bedrooms, a farm, a storeroom, and some workshops; all of which are simply open to the world. There are no less than two entrances to our holdings, neither of which can be secured against entry in any way. No wonder Nordinkel couldn't keep the peasants out. We'd have a hard time keeping anything at all out of the mountain as it stands.

I also found that, despite our agreement on the laws, Nordinkel saw fit to appoint Skulls rooms in Eastern Glovedloved. There are to be NO exceptions to the doctrine! To compound his crimes, I caught Nordinkel leading a team of engravers who were finishing the rooms. The absolute nerve of that man! I intend to cancel these illegal orders and hold Nordinkel accountable for his flagrant acts of lawlessness. But that is for later. For now I will placate him with comforting words and vanishingly few references to our engagement. It is likely I will need to tap his skill with metals before too much longer, so punishment will have to wait until after he has outlived his use to me.

If it can be believed, the "slums" are in an even worse state. A shamble of stockpiles surrounding some open-air workshops and a single hut outrageously claimed to be a dojo, whatever that is. Ordin Tredlek's "The True Path" is somewhat vague on the particulars, but I am almost certain that righteous suffering of divine adversity does NOT require this level of squalor. Certainly the rank odor that wafts across the mountain when the wind shifts cannot be an integral part of the Path.

Overcoming both of these design shortfalls will be my first work once I am appointed overseer next week. It should not take much time at all given the preponderance of idle dwarfs that are plaguing us.

Finally there is the issue of food and drink. Though I cannot know exactly how we stand until the new tax collector finishes tallying the books, it appears from the piles of libations and preserved roasts on the various stockpiles that there is more than enough to go around for the time being. As such, I intend to order our hunters to reign in their blood-lust until further notice. They are better used to put some order to this mockery of civilization.

I will of course leave Chimerat to her devices. Between her gardens, still, and kitchen, I am confident that she will be able to keep up with the demands of the mountain for the foreseeable future. Though I will mention that I would appreciate it if she spent a little less time fishing.

_____________________

Year 2: Prologue - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

_____________________

Year 2: The rule of TacoMagic - Preliminary Report
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

13th Granite, 251
Nordinkel finally turned over the reigns of leadership to me this evening. About two weeks later than I was expecting at first, but I'll have to deal with a few missing days as best I can.

The first order of business as the new overseer is to take a full look at the two settlements as they stand now.

The Mountain:
Currently the Mountain of Kings (Peh, such an ignoble name) is divided into two sections.
The first is the two-story area that serves as the craft area on the upper level and the bedrooms on the lower.

The bedrooms are serviceable enough, though they could be more corrupt. Without adequate corruption, the sacrifices will be worthless. The craft area is less impressive. Currently it exists as a hodgepodge of shops and stockpiles, some of which are set out on the face of the mountain, open to both the world, and the prospects. There's also a small dining area there with a random door. I won't hazard a guess as to why the door is there It's immediately serviceable, but a more organized shop area will be necessary at some point.

More disturbingly, there is no separation of this area. Not so much as a lockable door keeping the prospects safe from the corruption. This will be among the first things I remedy.

Lower down there is a chamber dedicated to forging metal placed just adjacent to the farmland, food shops, and trade depot of East Glovedloved.

This area is likewise open without any way to isolate it from the prospects. It's also small and remote from the rest of the Mountain proper. Once the new rout into the mountain has been established, all facilities in this area will need to be moved.

The "Slums":
This area is a complete shambles. So I suppose it deserves the name.

Randomly placed shops, stockpiles sitting out in the open, and general squalor are the best things I can say about this area. I would leave it as is were it not for the truly demonic smell wafting off of the area. No. The prospects must be taught to respect order! If they are to become the epitome of all this is dwarf, they must learn how not to offend the nose!

Skulls Quarters:
There is also this area that I found.

It is beyond comprehension that Nordinkel would not only allow one of the prospects to live within the domain of the sacrifices, but also personally lead a team of carvers in making it among the most corrupt quarters in either domain! Skulls was receptive, if not happy, to the idea that she move back in among the prospects. I offered her the Dojo and the freedom to expand as she sees fit as a concession for the inconvenience. And as a way of establishing a relationship of bribery.

What I could determine of the stocks is... not encouraging. Mostly because nobody seems to know the full extent, or lack thereof, of the holdings of Glovedloved.

We have a number of animals, mostly dogs, that are largely running amok. Kenneling, stabling, and whatever else one does to cage animals will be an important part of keeping the smell at bay.

The actual stocks of Glovedloved are a mystery to everyone. The few things we know for certain is that we're almost out of doors, there aren't many weapons, and we're down to the last few pieces of cheese.

But, there's plenty of food. So no-one is in danger of starving. Though I'm told by Ordin Tredlek's "The Peak of Right" that a little hunger can go a long way toward purging the soul of corruption. I will have to see about instituting a plump-helmet and water diet later along the Path.

The dwarves themselves are also a shambles. With no manager to keep the prospects on task, many of them are wasting their potential. Between both precincts, we have a full twenty-two dwarves, full half of which are doing nothing at all, and another five who are carrying items around the disheveled stockpiles. This idleness will stop IMMEDIATELY. I have told my sisters, and to a lesser-extent Nordinkel, that as of right now only Tonnat98 will be allowed to move anything to the stockpiles at all! If you need a rock or a piece of wood or some other item to do a task, get one from wherever you can find it. There are plenty of both laying around so it should not impact our labors overmuch.

I've similarly ordered Skulls to form a small squad of laborers to haul things around the slums. Mostly drawing from the dwarves who have no real talent for any of the artisan labors we will need to build the Path. Since they will be handling all manner of objects, some of which may contain the taint of wealth, Skulls is the obvious choice to oversee this group. I'm sure her need to collect the taint will help remove any of these objects that make their way into the possession of the prospects.

From now until completion of my reign, all will show dedication to fulfilling the PATH!

_____________________

Year 2: Preliminary Report - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Chimerat on November 05, 2014, 08:19:37 am

Seventh Entry: Paving Stones

I'm not quite sure why TacoMagic (she insists on the capital in the middle) is so set on paving a road. I suppose that'll help the trade caravans, but would our time not be better spent on making sure everyone has what they need to survive in this environment?

Maybe it's a new kind of Mood?

At least she's advised me to stick to my job and not pitch in on the lugging of the heavier items. The time wasted bringing just one lump of stone to a stockpile might cost us half a dozen Roasts! And she's also going to make things more practical, it seems. Maybe my new bedroom will be beside the farmland with the Still and Kitchen nearby? One can hope.

Still no news on the results of the voting though, which is a little odd. Oh well, back to letting the random comment slip about the cheese supplies being related to female animals that I can milk... A single Ewe will not do the trick. Especially if I need to share her with the other "half" of our population.

Quote from: Skullsploder on November 05, 2014, 10:03:50 am

13th Granite 251
Queen-Wood-bitch met me again today. Wants me to oversee haulers in the Slum. Says I can take what I want off them. Seems fair. Good deal. Orders are fun to give. Perhaps I should consider using them for more than just labour? Yes. Information, enforcement, many hands. Too few dwarves though, too little anonymity. Must wait. Enforcers later, quiet bodyguards now. And so many shinies in the meantime.

Quote from: Timeless Bob on November 06, 2014, 05:57:26 am

12th of Granite, in the 251st year:

Journal of Doc Timeless, Gentledwarf Adventurer!

That great oaf, "Skullz", has taken over my training dojo as his residence. This won't do, not at all! That dwarf is a stoolie and bully-minion if ever I saw one, which means that the "Nordinkel" who was supposed to be ruling the villains was, in fact, merely a figurehead! I see now that it was TacoMagic that is the shadowy power behind the throne, and who has stepped to the fore as all such types are wont to do, to show her true hand! As my nemesis, she presents a much greater challenge, and greater status at the Orion club once all's said and done. Defeating the High Priestess of some Dark and Terrible Cult... that makes for a much greater tale!
First, however, I must either defeat the minion, or co-opt him to my aid. I shall see if one such as he can be goaded into a bout of fisticuffs, throw the match to "show him that I am not his equal", then "attempt to regain my honor" by offering to spar with him regularly and thus allow myself to become one of his confidantes and "errand boys". By such subterfuge I should be able to continue my training and also become more fully able to infiltrate the evil conspirators inside the mountain.

Tacomagic · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2014, 11:26:48 pm »

_____________________

Year 2: The rule of TacoMagic - Spring
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpt from the journal of an anonymous Dwarf:

14th Granite, 251,

This morning we gathered for the new overseer to give her speech. Just as the late-morning sun crested from behind the mountain to stream its light down upon the opening of Mountain, we saw her. She, resplendent in her pig tail finery, glistened like a fine, rotund gem in the light. It was from this perch she announced herself to us. This is my attempt to faithfully capture the entirety of her oration:

"Greetings to you, the prospects of Glovedloved! I am afraid I am rather poor at speaking with the same engaging ferocity as my predecessor, so please bear with what humble words I am able to draw forth.

Today, I would like to talk to all of you about the strong smell! We need to do something about it! Seriously, it is making my eyes water and I cannot enjoy my breakfast if the wind picks up from the West!

Otherwise I think all that has been said to you previously should cover your needs for inspiration, if you indeed have any needs. The Path lies before you, so chase it down with vigor fitting of Armok's chosen race!

But it is time to make the announcement you all have gathered for! One has been chosen to join with the sa- denizens of the Mountain! I proclaim that Digger has been inducted into the Mountain and will henceforth reside there! The first of you now walks among the Kings!

And, finally, I would like to remind you all to not forget about bathing! I know that we do not have soap yet, but even just a dip in the brook every other day would help things!"

I still quiver in remembrance of these words; they still echo in my soul as I put them to page.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved:

14th Granite, 251,
I've finished reworking all the labors. That took longer than it really needed to. Among the more important changes are the new Tax Collector, Kaladin, and Foreman, Omeganaut. They will be handling the tasks related to book keeping and work management among the peasantry. That should help alleviate all the idleness I observed in my overview of the precincts. Both are very eager to see our way along the Path, so I expect they will prove to be valuable agents for our great work.

That settled, the first order of business was ordering Neblime to start working on our end of the neutral area that will serve as the separation between the two precincts. Meanwhile, I've passed orders to Omeganaut by way of Skulls to assemble some miners among the peasants and start digging on the western side of the same.

I also passed orders to Skulls to have the areas west and north of the shambled slums to be clearcut. Trees disturb me greatly and I would like if there were far fewer of them among the prospects. I've told Omeganaut that he may use the lumber to construct whatever buildings and furniture he thinks necessary to deal with the odor problem. He has assured me that the olfactory offenses will be dealt with swiftly.

Indeed, I already see the outline of buildings and scaffolding springing up in West Glovedloved this very evening.

Finally, our zealous engraving crew was told to halt their work on Skulls' old quarters and instead to focus on producing rock blocks and stone furniture for construction. There is a project that the Path will require that we must prepare the materials for.

Nordinkel is a special case among the engravers. I have assigned him the task of smelting the pile of tetrahedrite that has built up over the past year. The copper and silver will be necessary for fortifying the Path in the coming months. As for me, I must endure his close proximity for the time being. These metals will require large amounts of charcoal, and the wood furnace is directly next to the smelter and forge. Armok strengthen me and stay me from throttling that man.

18th Granite, 251,

I saw Dhoors wandering by with a puppy under her arm and sickeningly gleeful look on her face. Knowing her history with puppies, it did not take long to figure out what was in store for it. I quickly snatched it and let Dhoors know that there were two male horses near the trade depot that wished to test her in combat. Disappointment in the loss of a puppy to slaughter quickly gave way to a terrifying battle cry of joy. It is fortunate for that puppy that we had two useless pack animals just waiting to be turned to meat.

I also saw that damn, pointless bridge again while watching the prospects toil. Tomorrow morning I'm telling Neblime to take a large hammer to it.

19th Granite, 251,

Another puppy was born today. Yet more wandering animals to add to the horrendous smell. Once the neutral area is complete, I shall have to bend my mind to solving the issue of our overflowing puppy problem. Preferably a solution that doesn't involve Dhoors.

20th Granite, 251,

Truly there is no end to the number of crimes Nordinkel is prepared to commit against the Path! Once he is no longer of any use to me, I will see that he pays dearly for this.

And yet, perhaps this kind of frivolous engagement is merited. Indeed, the pure corruptions of such an ostentatious event would go far in preparing the sacrifices. I think I may have judged Nordinkel too harshly; perhaps he is more dedicated to the Path than is outwardly evident. I shall have to keep an eye on him.

4th Slate, 251,
The digging continues on the new neutral zone. I'm told it will be a full 3 weeks before the digging is finally finished and we can move to the next phase of the construction. Omeganaut has complained that they lack the picks required to do the work faster on his end. I understand his concerns, but I cannot allow even more corruption to flow into West Glovedloved.

I've also seen a curious structure spring up just north of the slums. Omeganaut has assured me that it is nothing to worry about.

18th Slate, 251,

More prospects arrived today. Many, many of them. All told there were 23 new bodies for the Path and they were quickly and unceremoniously added to the slums. I forewent the dramatic speech that Nordinkel usually makes. I do not care much for speaking in front of others and the works of Ordin Tredlek make no mention of speeches being necessary for the Path. It is a formality better left behind us.

1st Felsite, 251,

Medicindisguise finally finished the item he has been working on for the past two months: a ring he calls Priceclinched.

It was overflowing with tainting opulence, so I had it confiscated immediately. I still ponder what madness drove him to carve an image of the ring onto itself. I will need to keep my eye on him for further evidence of corruption. Should he show the signs, I will need to create an important sounding position for him and lobby for his inclusion in the Mountain.

5th Felsite, 251,
The work on digging out the neutral zone is progressing slowly. So very slowly. There has been much confusion among the dwarves about who is allowed to hold a pick and who isn't. Omeganaut once again approached me and begged for more picks. In order to stop the squabbling and appease Omeganaut, I have ordered that all picks to be kept in the neutral zone from here forward. That should prevent at least some of the infighting among the prospects.

Meanwhile the large building that most of the prospects are working on is nearing completion.

20th Felsite, 251,
This place is complete chaos. Those 23 new prospects have overloaded the slums and there is little for them to do. I've ordered Skulls, Omeganaut, and Kaladin to find something for all those dwarves to do, but they seem at a loss. It may become necessary for me to take a more active role in the development of the Path if those three can't think of something. I fear that any direct meddling from me will corrupt the work and cause everything we're striving for to fail, but failure is already lurking at the door even without my hand steering the Path.

21st Felsite, 251,

With spring drawing to a close and the neutral zone still unfinished, I finally acquiesced to Omegenaut. I've told Nordinkel to turn out a ten-count of brand new copper picks to be placed in the neutral zone for distribution. While I am loathe to allow the prospects to have access to these metal tools, the Path is in danger of failure so it must be allowed.

The dog problem is getting out of hand. They've taken to eating and sleeping in our dinining room. The smell of more than a dozen dogs and puppies has made it nearly impossible to eat anywhere near the dining area. I will be requesting that Omeganaut fix this problem by coralling the dogs in West Glovedloved.

Excerpts from Omeganaut, Foreman of West Glovedloved's secret journal:

22nd Felsite, 251,
Everything is going according to plan. I have won over that zealot of a "Queen" and she has provided me with a position of power among the dwarves of West Glovedloved. I also have her ear and thus have garnered some minor influence within the Mountain. I've already utilized my position by ordering the sacrosanct construction of a set of quarters to house everyone. I've made the excuse that keeping a living creature inside at night keeps the smell from spreading, so the Queen has left us to our devices. My brethren are already happier at the prospect of sleeping in beds protected from the elements, so the morale issues that have been endemic to Western Glovedloved have already begun to ease.

The construction of the first dwelling went so well that I've already started a second across from it in hopes of housing even more. The lack of carpentry workshops has hindered furnishing, so I've added two more to the shambles that represent the old slums. Slums indeed, I'll turn this into a city worth writing legends about before I'm done with it.

I've continued to badger TacoMagic about the lack of picks, claiming that we cannot make good progress on her "neutral zone" without more of them to cut through the rock. She finally caved on her stance against providing more, so it is only a matter of time before we have them. I intend to devote half of the picks we receive to some digging projects I will have ratified by the mountain. One I will secure for a clandestine project far away from the prying eyes of the mountain. The rest will be handed out to a new civilian protection force that will train in secret to protect us against anything that might show up. I don't trust that Skulls woman, and I have a feeling that I won't be able to count on her or her toadies to keep the city safe should an attack occur. The squad won't be a lot of use without any armor, but one step at a time.

28th Felsite, 251,
The digging of the "neutral zone" is all but completed thanks to the addition of a few picks provided by the forges in the Mountain. I hope this sudden burst of productivity convinces the "Queen" to continue to provide the things I ask of her. I will have to be careful not to play my hand too quickly, though. She is a suspicious one.

I'm expecting to see a lot of work coming our way to restructure the entire wealth distribution and storage system, and do not doubt these changes will be to the detriment of the town. Even so, kowtowing at this point is important to keeping up appearances. I've talked to my people and they have agreed that this labor will be necessary to make life better for all of us.

On a more positive note, one of our little side projects has successfully started.

This little unassuming wood shack, nestled among the trees and gathering fields far afield from the town will be the start of everything. I have told Skulls it will serve as a kenneling and breeding area for all the puppies. I know Skulls hates puppies, so my hope is that will serve as sufficient deterrent to her snooping around. Since it would be a pretty obvious lie otherwise, I will be having the miners dig out a sizable area so that I can actually round up the puppies and put them in there.

_____________________

Year 2: Spring - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

_____________________

Year 2: The rule of TacoMagic - Summer
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,
1st Hematite, 251,
Over the past few days I have been spending more time getting to know one of my agents, Kaladin. The woman is an absolute delight! Not only has she heard of the philosophy and teachings of Ordin Tredlek, but she has a few volumes that are not in my collection! She even lent me one of the more interesting looking: "Dwarven Soul Purification: The Fundamentals of Applied Discomfort."

I will be spending the next few weeks devouring this rare tome. Since I'll be so engaged, I've informed Omeganaut that I will be leaving him in charge of the workflow restructuring project. His council has been invaluable in the past few months, so I trust him to oversee this important work.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's, secret journal,

In a strange turn of fate, the "Queen" has left me in charge of developing the neutral zone. Aside from a few piddling requirements that shouldn't have any impact on my ability to complete the project, she has given me entirely free reign to work as I see fit. I am uncertain how to respond to such sudden and blind trust. I feel almost bad that I will ultimately abuse this brief period of free reign. Almost.

The first thing I did was to look at every stockpile in both precincts to see how they are currently set up. They are a mess. Before I started, I completely removed all stockpiles in the slums, not counting those related to holding food. Further, I made sure all the food related stockpiles were locked down to prevent errant hauling. Until the neutral zone is complete, there is to be no hauling of crap anywhere.

And I want that to be true of both sides of Glovedloved. I sent word to TacoMagic that she should execute a similar set of changes on her end. I can only assume she'll do it.

Gods I hate wasting my time with this mess. But I must keep up appearances for the sake of the citizens. A success here may earn me even more favor with the court, which I can use to slowly undermine their power base.

My first small abuse of power was have quarters carved for myself, Skulls, and Kaladin. If I'm questioned, I will argue that the agents of the Mountain are best housed in the neutral zone so that we may properly move between the two populations.

My real reasoning is partly selfish, as these will be rather nice quarters and I feel that my position is one fitting of a slightly higher standard of living. The other half is that I need some way to placate Skulls. I know that she is already suspicious of the shed, so I think some rooms nicely appointed with silver chains, spike traps, and maybe a small pile of masterwork bone crafts might at least buy her good graces for a short while. I've asked the carpenters to produce a large supply of spikes to create some decorations for Skulls quarters.

Kaladin was more of an afterthought. She is just as crazy as the "Wood Queen." However, leaving her out would look suspicious.

After much thought, I have come up with a strategy to keep the stockpiles accessible while at the same time properly robbing my people of anything worthwhile, as mandated by the denizens of the mountain. I have created a number of generalized stockpiles, mostly aimed at holding both the basic building materials of both precincts, as well as a few piles for holding furniture and finished goods. The idea being that anything that is harvested, mined, or collected will be staged here, accessible to both places. From there, the materials can be streamed to where they will actually be used and then sent to specifically linked piles next to the actual shops, with furniture and trade-goods eventually returning to the neutral zone for convenient access by the traders.

These will be the ONLY stockpiles accessible to take loose items.

There is also a singular stockpile set to gather weapons, armor, and ammunition. Sadly, I know better than to leave it at that. This pile will only be a staging area that will ultimately cause these items to flow into the Mountain and out of our control. In the future, I will have to see if I can direct some of these goods away, but, for now, this will go a long way to proving my good intent to the Mountain dwellers.

3rd Hematite, 251,

My work continues. With the restructuring of everything production related, I've now started in on designing some more orderly work areas for us. These open-air shops will serve as our primary wood-processing area. I had the lads sneak a bowyery in there among the shops while I was at it. I'll have to make sure that it's only used for bow making at night so as not to alert anyone as to its existence. We'll be limited to wooden bolts, but it is better than wrestling squads.

The more difficult task of creating a more permanent and ordered food production area still lies ahead of me. Ugh, I think I shall sleep on that and handle it on the morrow.

9th, Hematite, 251,

Damn humans arrived before I had a chance to move the Depot. Won't be much for them this year, not that I care. The Mountain has made it clear that trading is their business.

4th Malachite, 251,

Ech, great, more migrants. Just what I need.

7th Malachite, 251,

The digging has been going extremely slowly in the neutral zone. I wasn't sure why until I saw Nebline ordering my mining crew around.

Apparently Nebline took it upon herself to start the new crafting area for the mountain. That's fine, I suppose. I have more pressing issues at the moment anyway.

I have finished the first phase of the new restructuring and am quickly working on the second. Kaladin, whom I'd always pegged as a worthless sod, wordlessly handed me a book a few days ago entitled "Organizational Excellence: Applied Yarn Theory and Other Tricks." It has an ingenious system that will solve many of the workflow issues that has everyone standing around thinking about barrels all the time.

9th Malachite, 251,

We rounded up the dogs today and started putting them in their new home. I had a cage put in with them just in case we need to exert some more exact population control on them.

23rd Malachite, 251,

Aww hell, what next!?

Shortly after, EinsteinSatDown took over a clothier's shop and started demanding stuff we don't have, yarn cloth. Luckily we have an alpaca, so I ordered one sheared and set up a loom to turn it into cloth.

Where has that damn queen gotten herself off to? I thought she was supposed to be running this freak show!

5th Galena, 251,

Food is now becoming an immediate issue. All the hodgepodge food stockpiles have caused a massive snarl that confused everyone about where exactly food was supposed to go. Now that those amazing Yarn Theory stockpiles are operational, I have removed ALL the other stockpiles within the slums. It means longer hauls for everyone, but the lack of confusion should allow more useful food collection and distribution. And it's not as though there aren't enough dwarves standing around being useless anyway.

I've also reactivated the hunters and ordered a few dozen sets of wooden bolts to try to bring in a little more food.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

6th Galena, 251,
Omeganaut has been doing such a great job with the workflow renovations that I have decided to leave them to his capable hands. I'll catch up with him in the fall once several of my other projects have been completed.

Speaking of those projects, the first is already done and ready for initial use.

This will be our new primary workshop area. I haven't included any space for the stockpiles just yet, but once Omeganaut is finished with the workflow restructuring, I will make sure to order Nebline to dig out some more space near each area.

Since Nebline needs something to do in the meantime, I have commissioned a most important chamber to be dug out. Once Neblime is finished with the digging, I will reactivate Nordinkel's engraving group and have the entire room smoothed and engraved with the short, yet important history of Glovedloved.

22nd Galena, 251,

I've heard reports that the prospects are complaining about a lack of food or something. Seems as though my plans to help them along with some righteous hunger has come to pass on its own. A very serendipitous occurrence! Truly Glovedloved is blessed by the gods themselves!

28th Galena, 251,

As Summer comes to a close, I am excited that the chamber I ordered excavated is nearly completed and soon will move onto the next phase. I have a short six months to see it through, so I hope there will be enough time.

More importantly though, with the neutral zone coming together and nearly complete, we finally have the beginning of seperation! The walls went up last night, cutting the main halls of Mountain off from the prospects. With the completion of the crafting area, soon we will have true quarantine of the sacrifices!

_____________________

Year 2: Summer - Resident Journals
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Chimerat on November 09, 2014, 09:04:39 am

Eighth Entry: Goals

...

It's not fair! It's. NOT. FAIR!

We finally get another male in out midst and now TacoMagic expresses her disapproval of any sort of party. How else are we supposed to get to know Digger better (and, more importantly, let him get to know me--uh, "us") if not through social contact.

I mean, I can generally find excuses to be near other work areas if need be, but that's not the best way to keep on schedule as far as food and drink production is concerned. After all, I want at least a few Roasts to head out on the next caravan to the Mountainhome, so that my teachers can see that Regaval's dietary needs are in good hands and that their lessons were taken to heart... That can't happen, I was told by Nordinkel, unless there's a surplus in the mountain.

Well... If they want a "surplus" I'll give them a surplus, by Armok! It's not like our Butcher balks at the thought of performing her duties, for which I am grateful.

Though it would be much easier if we could just trade for more female animals to milk or even just breed so we'd have more meat in a few years once the young mature...

...

And TacoMagic still won't let me share any of my creations with the other half of our population... I can hear some of them crying for food outside the confines of the mountain and it tears at my heart a bit... I didn't learn to cook and brew only to have Dwarves starving within my own community. And they are in my community, even with this insanity imposed by Nordinkel and embraced by TacoMagic for some unknown reason. (She's still talking about paving something or another and I've stopped really listening to her on that point.)

Maybe with all the stockpiles in the "neutral" area, I can find a way to smuggle a barrel or two of Roasts to those in need? Maybe even just Biscuits, though I'd hate to make such simple food...

Quote from: EinsteinSatDown on November 09, 2014, 02:13:36 pm

Better late, than never.

The following transcriptions were found within an ancient tome, bound with blood-stained ostrich leather.
On the first page is written "The annotations of Iden Oshenmafol concerning Glovedloved and its cursed denizens"

3rd of Obsidian, the year 250

Insanity.
All of this muck, this suffering, it maddens me.
Write, the wife says.
How are scribbles on pages supposed to make me sane?
Aye, once I enjoyed scribbling.
I created tales of woe and wonder, of giant beasts and the heroic dwarves who faced them.

But I was a young and foolish dwarf.
Since then, time has taught me that labor and tradition are more important than blots of ink.
Why am I still scribbling then?
Have I finally gone completely mad, talking to myself without talking but rather writing?
Why!?
It is this place.
Glovedloved.
It has brought only misery.

18th of Granite, the year 251

The mind is more ordered now.
The squalor of this place has made me calm, or at least more patient.
Each day we, the unlucky mass of dwarves camping beneath the foot of a mountain, struggle for survival.
Yet, I am calm.
I wait and think.
From the ideas swarming in my head, one is quite appealing.
This book will become a history of this place. I shall record all that happens, for I sense great things to come.

Looking at Glovedloved as it is now, though, weakens the heart.
We are dwarves, proud and sturdy, the mightiest beings to walk this land.
Yet, some pompous fools deny us our very nature!
These self-proclaimed kings and queens, with their conniving words and dishonorable ways, they dare let us languish in the sun!?
They dare keep us away from stone, steel and fire!?
They dare degrade us to the likes of elves and humans!?
Alas, nothing can be done.
Most of the fools I find myself with have deluded themselves that this is the way, they would gladly die in the muck with the hope of entering the hallowed halls above us.
Are they not dwarves!?
Do they not adhere to our traditions!?
Perhaps I am insane.

23rd of malachite, the year 251
Clothes.
Mud-stained, rotting clothes.
All this activity around me, dwarves at work.
I do not notice.
Whatever is happening, I do not care.
No, I only care about one thing.
Clothes.
All these emotions of anger and misery have led me to conclude: We need clothes.
I need to create clothes!
Away with all these scribbles, away with all these dwarves, I NEED YARN CLOTH!!!
I NEED IT NOW!!!

Tacomagic · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2014, 11:27:25 pm »

_____________________

Year 2: The rule of TacoMagic - Fall
_____________________

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st Limestone, 251,
My term as leader is already half over and there is still so much to accomplish. Luckily I now have my agents to assist in making sure Nordinkel eats his words.

Skulls recently brought to my attention the issue of morale. Apparently all the starvation has made some of the prospects unhappy. We cannot have that! I asked for a suggestion and Skulls assured me that more chains, a few more cages, and a dedicated guard squad under her leadership was all that is necessary to improve morale. She seems to know her business so I approved the scouting of dwarves to eventually use in creation of the guard squad and passed on the order for chains and cages to Omeganaut.

2nd Limestone, 251,
Omeganaut complained that without any metal or smithing facilities, he would be unable to produce the chains required to outfit the facilities that Skulls requested. I had not considered that. I assured him that I would have Nordinkel produce the required chains and have them delivered to the neutral zone. Omeganaut seemed oddly disappointed to hear this news. He probably fears the corrupting power of the metal.

8th Limestone, 251,

Traders arrived early this year. We do not have much to trade them, but then again, we are not in need of much. I left that up to Nordinkel, he fancies himself a trader and I will not be the one to disillusion him.

13th Limestone, 251,

While there is far more than enough mining work to go around, I've added yet another critical piece of work to both Neblime's and Omeganaut's list. As part of the final quarantine of the sacrifices, the brook must be deepened to a stream. A course of water to wash away any taint that that tries to cross.

14th Limestone, 251,

I have word that the prolonged exposure to the corruption finally drove Einsteinsatdown into madness. This is a day of great sadness. It is the destiny of all exposed to such luxury to someday lose our minds in the same fashion. I can only hope I can stand strong against the power of the taint long enough to finish the great work laid out before me.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

14th Limestone, 251,
Damn those bastards in the mountain. Were it not for them Einstein would have been able to finish whatever it was he had been planning.

I tried to get him the cloth he needed, but after the alpaca was sheared the wool from it was lost in the shuffle of shops and has since vanished. I have a sickening feeling that it ended up in the mountain, outside our grasp.

They will pay for this. Just a little more time, and they will pay.

16th Limestone, 251,

I found one of Skulls' thugs skulking around the shack this morning. I told him there was a special task I needed done and only he could do it for me.

There was an unfortunate accident while he was working on the task I assigned him. He will no longer be snooping around the shack.

17th Limestone, 251,

Astounding! The poor thug's throat miraculously healed itself and he seems no worse for wear. That man has the very luck of the demons.

Meanwhile, more fucking puppies.

I had the dwarves build a new food and textile workplace. One of the shops is a butcher. That should hopefully solve the one or two issues we have with the abundance of dogs. I am beginning to understand SKulls' aversion. A kea snuck into the pen earlier this week and was ripped entirely to shreds. The sight was too gruesome to stomach. We decided to leave them to their feast.

The other animals are still a problem. I told the farmers to set aside some of the greenery for a pasture and dump everything that isn't a dog or a laying animal there. Meanwhile, I'll be working with the carpenter mob to get some kind of coop built so that we can start collecting eggs.

19th Limestone, 251,

Our community grows steadily despite the lack of food imposed on us by the denizens of the mountain. The coop has been planned and space allocated, and the road leading through the village has been extended to the north and south to accommodate more growth. I, no, we have accomplished so much in the Seven months since I arrived and took charge of this ragtag group of refugees. But there is still much to do.

And the progress on my project inches ever forward. Einstein, you will be avenged.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

19th Limestone, 251,

Word has reached me that the first miracle of Glovedloved has appeared! One of Skulls' trusted deputies was miraculously healed after a most unfortunate accident when a scaffolding he was working on collapsed. Skulls told me that the poor soul's throat was reduced to little more than a ragged, bleeding hunk of flesh. And then, moments later, was nearly whole again!

Despite the hardship and difficulties we have faced, we ARE blessed by the Path! I have already made plans to commission Skulls to oversee the creation of a most blessed work around the village square!

24th Limestone, 251,

The progress on deepening the brook into a full stream is progressing quite sufficiently. I am convinced that we will finish the course by mid winter.

Meanwhile Nordinkel finally met up with the traders from mountainhome. He purchased a bunch of raw food and alcohol for Chimerat to play with. I will need to work with Omeganaut on a system to prevent the taint of the mountainhome from reaching the denizens of West Glovedloved.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

26th Limestone, 251,

Sometimes I hate my brethren. After finishing the setup of the new food and textile area, somebody found the pile of alpaca wool and is turning it into cloth as I write this.

My deepest condolences Einstein, your brothers and sisters are idiots.

27th Limestone, 251,

Just what I needed. More mouthes to feed, and more idlers to find work.

3rd Sandstone, 251,
There is a bounty of food and spirits sitting on the trade depot for anyone brave enough to take it. The "kings" in the Mountain are too busy with their plotting and bickering to notice if a few barrels go missing while they are shuffled around to the stockpiles.

19th Sandstone, 251,

There are so many of us now that I've ordered the second story of the first building to be furnished as rooms. This will bring our total lodgings up to a full sixty. I fear that the migration in the spring may be more than our current capacity, even with all rooms furnished. I will work with our architects in picking an additional spot for a third lodge in the morning.

21st Sandstone, 251,

The rooms for myself, Skulls, and Kaladin are now habitable, and I have approved the move for all three of us into these quarters. They are still rather rough, so I gathered some of the dwarves standing around without any apparent aim and ordered some smoothing to be started.

24th Sandstone, 251,

Never underestimate a group of dwarves without anything better to do with their time. The smoothing of the quarters will be completed long before the end of the week at this rate.

13th Timber, 251,

Finally, revenge is at hand. Njneko took over our craft shop and has been asking for a large variety of items. If she cannot find them all herself...

I have ordered the loyal citizens of West Glovedloved to ignore any pleas for materials that Njneko might make. Where was she when Einstein needed cloth?

18th Timber, 251,

Today I gathered a few of the idle dwarves and formed them into the beginnings of a citizen defense force and gave them over to Doc Timless to train in what he calls Karawtey. Thus far he has proven loyal to the people of West Glovedloved, so I think I can trust him with this. I plan to add more loyalists as I find them milling around.

20th Timber, 251,

The people have elected me mayor of our little village. It seems only natural that, as their leader, they chose me to lead by virtue of election. I shall do my best to honor this station.

Unfortunately, shortly after the drinking and celebration had begun, I learned that Skunks is to be promoted by the Mountain. Now she will be both sheriff and captain of the guard. I do not doubt that she will quickly gathered her thugs and begin training them in the sadism that so delights her.

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

28th Timber, 251,

It has been quite an eventful fall, and as the land passes into winter, I gladly see the Path before us. I have promoted Skulls to captain of the guard now that there are enough prospects to merit such a position among them, and have provided her with the permission to form up a band of enforcers to make sure our good work continues unhindered by the taint.

While I find the fell glee she recieved that news with almost distrubing, I continue to remind myself how important it is that I have agents like her to maintain the Path before us.

With only three months left, there is still so much to do. Yet, I am hopeful that there will be enough time. We shall see.

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Year 2: Fall - Resident Journals
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Chimerat on November 11, 2014, 07:40:37 am

Ninth Entry: Downhill...

So... It's come to this then?

I'd heard word that one of our fellows went mad because TacoMagic refused to give them access to our supplies. When you're in a Mood the Fort complies, darnit!

At least he didn't starve to death, I suppose... At least not yet. I don't think any Dwarf who failed to fulfill their Mood ever recovers enough to want to enjoy food or drink again.

I wonder if TacoMagic's paving project will work out before she goes crazy and rids us of her influence.

Still need to get that barrel of roasts to the needy if I can manage it. The supplies from the caravan are more than enough to go around. There was even trade for alcohol for some odd reason. Is my Still not good enough for Nordinkel then?

The need is pressing with the arrival of even more Dwarves that are forbidden from entering the mountain with the rest of us who arrived first. For the moment, I'm dragging my feet on reminding the hauler to move things around. Maybe I won't have to help those outside the mountain if they just...help themselves first?

Quote from: Skullsploder on November 11, 2014, 11:56:27 am

17th Limestone 251

Etur managed to collapse a scaffold on himself. Idiot.

27th Limestone 251

More hopefuls in the Slum. Many more. Maybe my chance for more power. Must consult with Wood-Queen. Too many potential wrongdoers for one lonesome Sheriff to handle...

21st Sandstone 251

The rooms Omeganaut built for us are nice. Spacious. Bit rough, but he says he's got some slummies working on that. Omeganaut low on potential enemies list. Still high risk of me being wrong - he likes slummies. Must keep watching.

19th Timber 251

Whispers Omeganaut's getting a militia together. Danger. Compromises my authority. Whoever he assigned as their leader will be getting interrogated. Just need to find the fuck. Must push for more power, dedicated soldiers, good weapons. With dwarvish steel behind me slummies will bleed. Oh yes they will bleed.

28th Timber 251

Finally. I am Captain of the Guard of Glovedloved, Mountain of Kings, and those that live within and without. First order of business, ~~whippers~~ ~~thugs~~ ~~soldiers~~ peacekeepers. Etur is an idiot, but an idiot who can survive a log falling on his neck. He'll be the first. After me, of course. I always fancied a suit of plate and a nice whip. Maybe a sword as well. So many ways to hurt.

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Year 2: The rule of TacoMagic - Winter
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpt from The Historical Accounts of Glovedloved, as recorded by Kaladin, Tax Collector and Spiritual Advisor to the Rightful Queen,

251 has been a miraculous year for this beacon of hope we call Glovedloved. Just when it looked as if they would be lost, once again the righteous teachings of Ordin Tredlek are given life in The Floor of Secreting. The Path is being followed and the dwarves are once again heading toward true ascension.

Even as the histories of The Floor of Secreting are carved upon the living stone of the Mountain, one of the great constructions predicted by Ordin Tredlek is being erected above the blessed prospects of West Glovedloved.

And yet, even as this great structure is erected, a shadow looms on the horizon. A rift is forms among the prospects, threatening to turn dwarf against dwarf. Glovedloved stands poised between greatness and ruin. Only time will tell which it will choose.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st of Moonstone, 251,

There is still so much to accomplish and I have a short 3 months to see it done. I will make Nordinkel eat his words, even if it means bending the mandates I have laid out for our great civilization. With so much yet to do, and so few sacrifices to do it, I will have to let some laborers into the Mountain to complete the projects I have laid out. I shall have Skulls hand-select the least virtuous among those in West Glovedloved to be the crew that will brave the taint of opulence.

I fear that this is an exercise of arrogance on my part. Is it really true to the Path to allow this exposure so that the works I have laid forth are completed? I cannot know. There may yet be a reckoning if it is indeed my own delusions of grandeur that push me toward this decision. If this is folly, then I must prepare to accept the fate which Ordin Tredlek predicts for all those who deviate from the Path.

3rd of Moonstone, 251,

I fear the Path's anger at my presumption. I have begun to prepare for my judgment. I am wracked with despair and joy in the knowledge that even in my selfishness, I can still serve the path. I have come to understand the madness that must consume all who bear the title of sacrifice. I embrace it as a lover.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

8th Moonstone, 251,

Despite withholding assistance, Njneko has gathered everything she needs to create the object she has been raving about. I mourn that this chance for revenge has amounted to nothing.

Einsteinsatdown has not been seen in days. I fear that his body is out there in the forest somewhere, rotting beneath the great void of sky. I've dispatched a few dwarves to look for his body.

10th Moonstone, 251,

We found Einstein's body today; thrown unceremoniously on the refuse pile as common garbage. I suspect that Skulls, or one of her thugs, is behind this. It is time to build a mausoleum for our dead. I had hoped this day would not come for some time.

13th Moonstone, 251,

Good, now she can go back to where she came from and leave us in peace.

The damn thing is gaudy as hell. I cannot even fathom what goes through the minds of the misanthropes living in the Mountain.

14th Moonstone, 251,

The miners finally found what we have been searching for. It was impossible to keep the loyalists from celebrating this momentous event. I fear our hedonistic joviality has made Skulls suspicious. We will have to back off of this project for a little while, until Skulls' prying eyes focus on something else.

27th Moonstone, 251,

We have carved out a very basic mausoleum for our dead. Little more than a tunnel. With TacoMagic pushing to get all her unfinished projects completed by the end of winter, we have little time for more than this right now. I promise you, Einstein, we will do better than this when we have time.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

28th of Moonstone, 251,

The first month is past and I have all the dwarves working furiously to finish up everything that is yet undone in the Mountain.

First, the crafting area is finally getting some stockpile space.

Second, the path down has finally reached the caverns. I have no idea why this is necessary, but Ordin Tredlek's "The Depth of Soul" specifically says that finding the caverns is part of the Path. Likely there are other volumes of his teaching that I have yet to read which will explain this further.

Third, the chamber of sacrifice is nearing completion thanks to the crew of tainted dwarves that Skulls put together.

Finally, the object of my penance marches toward completion. It calls to me already and haunts my dreams.

8th of Opal, 251,

The northern half of the stream is now completely dug out. The symbolic barrier protecting the prospects from the corruption of the Mountain is now half complete. The southern half is near completion and I expect to see the entirety of the project complete within the next week.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

19th Opal, 251,

Congratulations to Citizen defender Ber. I wish you much joy with the little one.

21rd Opal, 251,

The work on digging out the stream was finished this afternoon. While providing no actual barrier to the mountain, the meaning is unmistakable. The residents of West Glovedloved will always be on their own.

23rd Opal, 251,

The strange construction that TacoMagic commissioned is nearing completion. I am frankly baffled as to its purpose. Such a strange, flimsy construct leading to apparently nowhere. Yet, looking at it, I'm filled with a strange mixture of anxiety and expectation. I know that something is about to happen, but I cannot fathom what it might be.

25th Opal, 251,

Another thing to cross off my list. The crafting area for the "kings" is now completed. I shall attempt to hide my excitement for the Mountain residents now that they have a crafting area all to themselves.

27th Opal, 251,

We have finally laid Einstein to his final rest. Sleep well, my friend.

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st Obsidian, 251,

Finally, the structure that fills my every thought is completed. There is only one last thing to do. It is long in coming that I address the people and tell them what lies ahead down the Path.

I must prepare.

Excerpts from The Historical Accounts of Glovedloved, as recorded by Kaladin, Tax Collector and Spiritual Advisor to the Rightful Queen,

7th of Obsidian, 251,

Today our Queen summoned us to the foot of the mountain, finally ready to address her subjects and instruct them in the Path. She stood high upon a newly constructed stone platform, the sun shining upon her tawny skin. Her voice boomed down from the Mountain as she addressed us,

"Prospects of West Glovedloved! I have put off addressing you for far too long, trusting that fate and your own guidance would see you through the Path. Even though I knew that few among you knew the true destiny of the dwarves, I trusted that the Path would simply appear before you and you would jump to follow it. I now understand the error of that thinking! It was presumption on my part that I would not have to lift a finger to show you all the Path, that the Path would do that great work for me. It is time I stopped hiding from the Path, hiding from you all!

It is not an easy thing to walk the Path. It demands pain, dedications, discipline, self-denial, and, above all, the rejection of the corrupting luxuries of metal and gem. And it demands sacrifice. And yet, if we are to ever become what we, the dwarves, were truly meant to be, we must persevere to follow this grand Path to the destination of Truth that lies at the end of it!

There was a dwarf, long before our time, named Ordin Tredleks, who saw the Path in its purest form. He knew what it was, where it led, and how to walk it. He dedicated his life to developing the teachings and philosophy of the Path. Through your newly appointed spiritual leader, Kaladin, I have made all the works I have available to you all to read.

But, it is time that I turn to face the Path myself. In my arrogance, I thought that I could further the great works of the Path while ignoring the mandates that separate both Prospect and Sacrifice. I thought that, by being Sacrifice, I could ignore the requirements of the Path and lead a life unconstrained by the teachings and philosophy I held most dear. I thought that bearing the full burden of the Path meant renouncing it so that I would be the most perfectly vile being for the Sacrifice. But I was wrong. By renouncing the Path I had unwittingly lead you all to stray from it. It is time that I turn and join you in facing the Path. In trusting it. In having faith that the Path will lead even one such as myself to the absolution obtained by becoming a vessel of pure dwarfdom. But faith is not easy. Faith requires a leap of absolute trust.

But, even more, as I said earlier, the Path demands sacrifice. It is before you all here today that I offer myself to the Path as a Holy Sacrifice! To be the beacon to show you all the way. I trust completely in the Path, and I know that it will accept this sacrifice in the name of all living in West Glovedloved!"

She turned, revealing a lever carved from the purest Olivine that had been concealed behind her. It glistened in the sunlight, the translucent pale green crystals almost shining with purpose in the sunlight.

"Today, I put my life, my soul into the hands of the Path so that you may all come to understand it, and walk along its holy course."

And with that, she pulled the lever home.

With a rumble and a crack, the single pillar supporting her perch crumbled, the platform pitched forward at a crazy angle, and then all fell to the earth kicking up a massive cloud of dirt and clay. It took hours for the dust to settle. Hours before we went to go and look for the body.

But those who study the Path know that it works in strange ways. The Path curves and folds back in on itself; there are eddies and currents. It is more than just a road and a destination, but rather a grand chain of events, a holy progression of cause and effect. Only the Path knows the full course it leads. Only it knows what can and must happened when following it. And only it decides the fate of those who honestly believe.

We found the Queen lying in a pile of collapsed rubble near the base of the mountain, one leg completely shattered beyond recognition, and her arm crushed under a log. And yet, she was alive. The Path had seemingly rejected her Sacrifice. Rejected her trust and her soul. Rejected her.

It would not be for several days that we understood what the Path wanted on that day. And it would change everything at Glovedloved.

15th of Obsidian, 251,

It was a full week after the Queen had been rushed, crushed and bleeding, to the temporary hospital I set up in the southern domicile. I kept her secreted away there, remote from the prying eyes of Omeganaut and his Loyalists and Skulls and her Thugs. Quietly, I began to gather the Followers of the Path to me so that I could help my queen. She was still unconscious but stable, yet without medical attention I knew she would not be much longer for this world. Trusting to the Path is one thing, but trust without a good doctor is less than folly.

I found a doctor among the ranks of the believers and set him to work. But even after hours of surgery, he said she would never walk again. At the time I thought that the Path had picked the most symbolic form of rejection it could for our queen, and in a moment of weakness I despaired and cursed the Path for its cruelty.

Later that day I got word that the body of Breemont had been pulled from the rubble which had broken through into the Mountain. They had found her body inside the very throne room of the Mountain. Within Nordinkel's inner chamber itself. The Path had claimed its sacrifice after all.

In talking to the denizens of West Glovedloved, I soon learned that Breemont had been enraged at the Queen for the death of Einstein and had long plotted her downfall. I can only surmise that Breemont was trying to take TacoMagic's life and was sneaking up on the queen at the very moment she pulled the lever!

The Path not only spared the life of our most holy Queen, but protected her from a gruesome death at the hands of non-believer! I learned on that day to never doubt the Truth of the Path. And that is how my Queen's sacrifice on that very day accomplished the aim that the Path had really been calling for. It had made me honestly, fully believe in the Path in a way that put lie to the shadow of devotion I had prior to the Queen's descent from the mountain. I, along with everyone at Glovedloved, had been blessed to bear witness to the second miracle of the Path.

And now, the Holy Queen was where she belonged. Among her people in West Glovedloved.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

17th Obsidian, 251,

I am still reeling from what that crazy bitch did more than a week ago. I cannot make myself understand why she did it. Why would anyone do something so utterly insane!?

She is a mad woman beyond anything that I ever suspected. And now I've learned that she did not even have the decency to die! My agents tell me that Kaladin has locked herself in with the Queen under my very nose in the southern dormitory! To think that TacoMagic is right there, so close and at death's door, yet I cannot touch her without igniting a civil war between the Followers and my Loyalists.

This is untenable!

I am little comforted that not even the denizens of the Mountain mourn the fall of their queen.

The body of Breemont is in the process of being removed from the Mountain. I've already ordered my miners to widen the mausoleum to receive her, and some of the others are working on a slab and coffin to put her to rest. I cannot help but feel responsible for Breemont's death since I was the one who convinced her to make the attempt on the Queen's life.

The second good soul to die under my watch, and this one is my fault alone. Was I wrong? Should I have stayed my hand against the mountain. For the first time since I took command of West Glovedloved, I am faced with uncertainty. I do not know what to do now. Maybe once the shock wears off I will see things more clearly. In the meantime, I need a drink. Several, actually.

27th Obsidian, 251,

I've been informed that the doctors sympathetic to the Followers are still working on the "queen." It's become clear from the rumors that it is unlikely that she will ever walk again and may remain bedridden for the rest of her days. I will pretend to feel bad about that.

As the year of the rule of TacoMagic comes to an end, we have one final mood. One of my people went storming into the Mountain babbling in tongues about gods knows what. It is one of the newer dwarves that I do not know by name yet, but I'm told that before coming to Glovedloved he was a smith of some small skill. With the Mountain denizens being so close-fisted with the metal around here, I do not hold much hope that I will ever see him again. I have already ordeeds the Mausoleum to be widened again. Perhaps when the spring comes I'll order more coffins and slabs.

The strange events of winter aside, Glovedloved is looking in surprisingly good shape. During the drama of the past month, both sides of Glovedloved forgot to keep the stills running, so we recently ran out of booze. I've ordered five score barrels produced, so that shouldn't be a problem for long. Our fisherdwarves and hunters have been producing a steady supply of meat, and the gathers and farmers are keeping us well stocked with plants. The kitchens on both sides of the stream have been producing roasts by the dozen. Even so I put in an order for three score more roasts. Can never be too careful.

We still have an abundant supply of wood and stone, and I'm told the Mountain is still hoarding lots of precious ores and gems. We don't have much in the way of finished goods to trade, but that isn't our problem anyway since the Mountain controls the depot.

The most urgent need at the point is textiles. We have very little cloth and are currently only farming plants that cannot be used to produce thread. Clothing will become an issue before too much longer if the farmers don't start growing something we can turn into pants.

But, most importantly, Skulls has been distracted by the recent drama with the queen. In the interim I've had time to think, and have finally come to a something resembling peace with myself and with what has happened. It is clear to me that the deaths and tragedy would never have happened if the evil denizens of the mountain had never created this insane situation.

I have decided to take the opportunity of moving forward with the project.

28th Obsidian, 251,

My gods, I just looked out the window and what did I see?

Even as I frantically write this it has killed two of the citizen's defense soldiers that ran out to try to bring it down. Now it is running toward the crafting shops to partake in more slaughter.

Why have the gods forsaken this place?

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Year 2: Winter - Resident Journals
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

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Year 3: The rule of neblime - Spring 1
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Journal of Neblime the ~~King~~ Queen of Rock
1st granite
I awoke this morning to panicked cries and screams from without the mountain, and a not inconsiderable hangover. stumbling out of my room and out onto the half ruined balcony tacomagic had constructed, a frightening sight confronted me
some horrible sloth twisted as if into a man was locked in furious combat with a couple of dwarves on the west side of the river, form what I could see several had already fallen, oh armok, the blood was everywhere.
A much more disturbing sight caught my eye however: Peasants streaming into the neutral zone in terror, seemingly intent on breaching the mountain itself!

It seems skulls and his thugs were not able to keep them back, and then I realised since Tacomagic's rather dramatic exit from the mountain there was no one really calling the shots.
Seeing the opportunity, I stepped forward and addressed the mob of angry and scared peasants who had intruded upon our inner sanctum,
I implored them not to panic, and not to corrupt our holiest of mountains.
Returning to the balcony I cried out for the other dwarves to lock themselves in those wooden buildings they had earlier constructed.
I saw that only one dwarf still stood against the weresloth, but he soon fell down, injured. It seemed that there was nothing between the weresloth and the defenseless civilian dwarves except a flimsy wooden door, but at that moment it seemed to go through a horrible transformation. although 5 dwarves lay dead and a few others injured, the weresloth seemed to have transformed back into...

AN ELF?
I thought we were safe here from the pointy eared scum!

he was promptly chased down and beaten to death, one of the miners claiming the kill.
6 dwarves survived combat with the beast, doc timeless among them. I quickly ordered them to be forcefully segregated in an underground room, for fear that they might undergo a similar transformation to that unfortunate elf, except one who burst into tacomagic's hospital room and lay down on the same table as her, why I cannot fathom, to beg her for help perhaps?
In any case the queen was escorted to safety in another hospital room and the peasants are in the process of walling off the old hospital with the injured dwarf still inside, and the underground room containing the other dwarves.

Now that the initial danger has passed i'm sure the peasants west of the river can handle the problem themselves, but I seem to have placed my self in a position where I give the orders?
I Can't say I dislike this.

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Year 3: Spring 1 - Resident Journals
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Tacomagic · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2014, 11:27:58 pm »

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Year 3: The rule of neblime - Spring 2
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Bonus:something awakens in the deep! (click to show/hide)

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Year 3: Spring 2 - Resident Journals
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Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Quote from: Chimerat on November 14, 2014, 06:36:32 am

Twelfth Entry: No More Sanity...

Neblime is no more sane than tacomagic was...or is. Apparently she's still alive, but other Dwarves are not. I managed a quick conversation with a Dwarf from the outside who came in to sample one of my Roasts. Before directing him to the correct stockpile I learnt that not only was she still alive but that the survivors of the furry beast's attack did not last through the next month...

Now everyone has been given permission to haul items, so I can no longer leave the ingredients out where the other, more needy half of our population can have access.

My plan to somehow smuggle out a barrel of Roasts is revived.

Of course, that will be a little difficult seeing as how we're not allowed to store anything in the barrels, but I'm sure I can manage something if I set my mind to it!

Quote from: Tacomagic on November 14, 2014, 10:08:38 am

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Priestess of the Followers of the Path,

Mid-Spring, 252,

I honestly have no idea how long I was bedridden, but it has been long enough. I hear the Path calling to me and it is time I end this convelescence. In the morning, I will finally embrace my destiny and join the others on the Path.

In the wake of the attack by that horrible creature, it is important now more than ever that the prospects have someone to lead them spiritually. I thought at first that would be Kaladin, but while she is eager to follow the Path, her learning of Ordin Tredlek's teaching is recent and incomplete. The Followers unanimously declared that I shall serve as their priestess.

I am honored beyond words. This destiny is much different than the one I imagined when I pulled the lever. I shall do my best to honor the Path and follow this new course it had laid before me.

16th Slate, 252,

With both my legs and an arm made useless in the fall, I am finding it difficult to contribute to the great works of West Glovedloved. But I will prevail in doing some small part. In times when I am not speaking to the prospects of the Path, I have taken it upon myself to start moving the large amount of wood that is scattered on the country side. I was once the Queen of wood, so now I shall be a prospect of wood. Perhaps the act of dragging myself with my one good arm to collect and ferry these logs to the stockpile will aid me in achieving the humility I lacked while I was a Sacrifice.

Then again, it might not be amiss if some of the Followers could make me some kind of wheeled platform for me. My dress is much worse for wear after the repeated dragging.

Quote from: 4maskwolf on November 15, 2014, 10:40:31 am

The dwarf with the iron mask sat down on the edge of his bed, pulling out a scroll of paper, a quill, and a bottle of ink. Such supplies were difficult to acquire these days, but as a member of the priesthood he had certain rights the average peasant didn't. He began to write:

First Entry of The Masked Priest: Spring, 252
My recent arrival at the fortress has brought it to my attention that the situation here is worse than we thought. At least three major factions exist in this fortress, lording over the peasant class I have found myself in. While the mountain dwarves acknowledge my status as a priest, but without a larger priesthood they have no place for me in my duties. This has given me more time to work and observe the plight of the peasants here in Glovedloved.

This fortress is torn by division, my brothers and sisters. They have taking up petty quarrels with each other over their status within an arbitrary class system, forgetting that when we die we are all the same before Our Lord Armok. I will make it my mission to unite the fortress into a single unit, all dwarves equal to each other, so that when they die they will be viewed favorably by Our Lord Armok. There are many tombs to consecrate and many soldiers to bless, and without official support I will be unable to fulfill my duties as a priest of Our Lord Armok. I have my eye out for dwarves who remain righteous and pious, that they may be offered a spot within our priesthood and aid in my tasks.

Finishing writing, the dwarf carefully stowed his writing supplies back where they came from, then placed his hand over his heart in the shape of a claw, whispering, "Praise be to Our Lord Armok, savior of dwarvenkind and lord of war everlasting."

Quote from: Chimerat on November 15, 2014, 12:17:21 pm

Thirteenth Entry: A PROPER Priest!

Thank Armok!

I've heard word that there's a Priest of Armok that's joined the other half of our population. Hopefully we won't be divided much longer... My next step is to ensure that he can get access to whatever supplies he might need from us who live in the mountain...

Quote from: 4maskwolf on November 15, 2014, 04:12:56 pm

Second Entry of The Masked Priest: Spring, 252
Having spent more time amongst these dwarves, I have begun to get to know them better. A few fistfights have broken out between those who hate the dwarves in the mountain and those who believe that the mountain dwellers are the most righteous of dwarves, and the mountain's personal security force has come down several times to break them up and apprehend those responsible. There is much resentment amongst the majority of the populace directed at the those on the mountain, and seeing the way they are treated I cannot say it is unfounded.

Shortly before I arrived, a weresloth attacked the populace and many were killed. I said the appropriate prayers over their bodies, and have visited their families to give them a blessing. Many of them seem to have given up on the grace of Our Lord Armok, but that will change in time. Our Lord works in mysterious ways, and some day these people and those in the mountain will find themselves at peace. Perhaps through bloodshed, as is his usual way, but perhaps through more peaceful means, ways that allow for the destruction of those who would oppose Our Lord Armok's will.

Someday, I hope this place will have a great chapel worthy of Our Lord, but for now I will hold prayer services in the dining hall, where all who wish can come. Should those in the mountain wish to come down, I will ensure that they are welcomed to our services: the worship of Our Lord Armok is for all, not merely a select few.

The one last thing that has come to my attention is the local branch of the Followers of the Path. While I know you, my fellow priests, see them as heretics, I would say that they have chosen a different way to commune with Our Lord Armok. While their beliefs may be flawed, it is up to Our Lord Armok to judge how we have lived our lives, and not to his priests. Any verdict we deliver here will have no standing when they enter the afterlife. All we can do is fulfill our duties to bless those who fight in Our Lord's name, and to honor those who have died and gone to join Our Lord.

To this effect, I have asked one of their members to deliver a letter of invitation to the local leader of the group. I have written up a copy of the letter below:

To the honorable High Priest or Priestess of the Followers of the Path,
Praise be unto you, your people, and unto Our Lord Armok himself. As the local priest of Our Lord Armok, it would be an honor to arrange a meeting with you to discuss matters both practical and theological. The dwarf who gave this letter to you has instructions on how to return your response to me. I sincerely hope you are available to meet in the future, and wish you the blessing and grace of Our Lord Armok.

I am currently awaiting a response from the message and will record the highlights of our meeting afterwards. I hope that this meeting will show you that these people are not the heretics you believe them to be, but are simply dwarves of a different mindset worshipping Our Lord Armok.

Quote from: Tacomagic on November 16, 2014, 01:18:47 pm

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër, Priestess of the Followers of the Path,

Late Spring, 251,

In a strange turn of events, I have received a missive from that new priest of Armok who has been hanging around the prospects. In the past I have had no tolerance of those devoted to the blood god and his bizarre theology. And yet...

It has not escaped me that the Followers do not have many friends in Glovedloved. Insulated as I was in the Mountain, I had been completely blind to how few of us there actually are and how isolated the group is. Now that I am no longer in a position of power, neither Omeganaut nor Skulls will agree to meet with me and none in the mountain will return my letters. For the sake of the Followers, I need to cultivate new connections within the peasantry and this priest of masks, or whatever he calls himself, is the first chance I've had to treat with anyone of even modest influence among the prospects. For the sake of my flock, I must form new alliances.

And, on reflection, perhaps those devoted Armok are not so different than the followers, though obviously not nearly as disciplined in observing the merits of poverty and self-denial. Certainly the priesthood has a long history of liberating their patrons of the taint of metal and gem, a noble undertaking. I find it curious that they are not only able to effect this cleanse of corruption from their constituents with the minimum of Sacrifices (to my knowledge only those dwelling in the great temple seem to be truly tainted with opulence), but they have managed to create a system in which their patrons willingly relinquish objects of nearly pure taint. So far at Glovedloved, removing tainted objects from the prospects has always been something that requires force. There is a secret to be learned here, I feel.

So it appears that the priests of Armok, at least those who actually deal with those of the peasantry, have many qualities that are rather compatible with the Path. I suppose that should not surprise me, even the gods must answer to the Path to some degree. It is only natural that the deities, and even Armok himself, would adopt some of the teachings of the Path.

I shall draft a reply forthwith to this "Masked Priest" and suggest an informal meeting over biscuits. There is a lovely little grove of trees near the dog hut where we could lay a picnic while we sup and discuss the finer points of both the Priesthood of Blood and the teachings of Ordin Tredlek. I will need to remember to wear something in earth tones so that the stains I acquire on the drag over there will compliment my outfit appropriately.

Late Spring, 251, Addendum,

I have been hearing disturbing rumors about strange, bestial noises coming from under the Dojo. I sent Kaladin to investigate but he was turned away by the Civilian Defense guards who were training there. A peculiar turn of events. To my knowledge they have not used to Dojo for training in months.

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Year 3: The rule of neblime - Summer
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Spoiler: The Masked Dwarf's profile (click to show/hide)

Tacomagic · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2014, 11:28:16 pm »

Final reservation.

neblime · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2014, 01:07:00 am »

Gloveloved Year 3 Summer Cont.

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Chimerat · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2014, 02:43:46 pm »

Fourteenth Entry: Dear Armok

Dear Armok, Lord of Dwarves,, Lord of Blood...

Please welcome your marked servant and all others who died today into your great Feasting Hall.

If it would not be too much trouble, please stop this insanity before we're all dead.

...

Your humble servant: Chimerat.

Tacomagic · « **Reply #8 on:** November 20, 2014, 07:45:56 pm »

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër,

Late Galena, 252,

The cost of the Titan attack has been tremendous. I have been doing what I can to fill in by performing the last rites in accordance with both the Path and Armok and seeing to it that the dead are buried in accordance with their patron dieties, but I only now understand my inadequacy as a priestess.

I keep searching for the meaning in the attack. I'm sure it's part of the plan the Path has for us all, but for the life of me I cannot see it. So many dead. Skulls, Omeganaut, Dhoors, the priest... so many others. If suffering is the way to enlightenment as Ordin Tredlek teaches, well, we're all enlightened right now. It feels somehow less glorious than I anticipated. Kaladin insists that the death of priest so soon after he was elected mayor is a sign that those who covet the power of leadership will be purged without mercy. But why so many others just to send that message? Besides, the priest, despite any differences I may have had with him, was not a covetous dwarf by nature. No, I find Kaladin's explanation hallow, unsatisfactory, and more than a little convenient. There is a sign here, but it is not something so simple as that. Were the Path so direct in the messages it sends us, I would have died four months ago when I pulled that lever. And yet here I am, once again alive in the wake of a disaster.

I have begged my followers to grant me a few days silent prayer and meditation. Up to this moment I have read every word of Ordin that I have at my disposal, and there is no more wisdom to find there. Not for this. I must now search within to find the answer to what this sign portends. I will spend some time among the dogs. I have found some comfort in their presence in the past. Maybe their company will assuage this loss. And, perhaps, ease the guilt that the blood of these deaths undoubtedly lies upon my hands.

4maskwolf · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2014, 11:06:01 pm »

Excerpt from the journal of "Maskwolf", priest initiate
Today is a sad day for all of us. Our teacher, the masked priest, was struck down in an attack on our settlement. No doubt they were drawn here by the riches held within the grasp of the mountain dwarves. It is fortunate that before he died, he chose to initiate four of us into the priesthood. With the texts we found in his quarters, we will study and learn the ways of Our Lord Armok's priesthood, for we have been blessed with a fabulous opportunity despite the tragedy. May his soul rest easily in the great halls of our lord, for all eternity.

Then there is the matter of the local Followers of the Path. I found the following journal entry at the very end of the written section of the masked priest's journal, and I believe that the religious of the fortress must work together in order to survive in these trying times.

The Last Journal Entry of the Masked Priest:
My meeting with the head of the Fellowship went surprisingly well, despite a few surprises. The leader of the Fellowship, a priestess by the name of Tacomagic, had been grievously injured some time previously but was still able to haul herself out to the meeting site. I have always been fascinated learning about other theologies, and I do not believe that what the fellowship believes is very different from what we do. We believe that metal is sacred to Our Lord Armok, and that only sanctified smiths and holy warriors may touch such materials. Gemstones, too, are sacred, and may only be touched by those trained in such arts, for to allow them into the possession of an unskilled worker is defacing the sacred work of Our Lord Armok himself. After a lively religious discussion, however, our conversation changed towards more serious topics of local politics. Tacomagic was once one of the mountain dwarves and temporarily oversaw the work that went on up there, but has since been sent back down. It is clear that the Fellowship needs allies in this fortress, because their numbers are smaller than I first estimated. The general populace is at best ambivalent towards the Fellowship, and the mountain dwarves could care less what any of us do down here. No mountain dwarf has yet attended one of my prayer services, and few of the other dwarves bother to either. The first drew a crowd from the sheer novelty of it, but there are very few true believers in Our Lord Armok in this fortress. At the next prayer session, I plan to anoint those who are willing to serve Our Lord Armok, initiating them into the lowest level of the priesthood. They are faithful servants of Our Lord even in such a dark place as this, and they have proved themselves worthy of this honor.

neblime · « **Reply #10 on:** November 23, 2014, 04:28:38 pm »

Gloveloved Year 3 autumn part 1

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Chimerat · « **Reply #11 on:** November 24, 2014, 09:24:34 am »

Fifteenth Reply: Hopeless...

I'd tried to live by what pass for "laws" here, but they are laughable at best, so I found myself on the "wrong" side of the river and sought out the Priest of Armok.

I was saddened to find that he had been slain by one of the monsters our Lord has sent to punish us, but his mantle has been taken up by others.

I have pledged what help I can offer in the form of drink and food from my Kitchen and Still. With our "leader" not even bringing in more Dwarves to replace the lost, there is really no point in my work going to waste...

neblime · « **Reply #12 on:** November 27, 2014, 08:14:19 pm »

Gloveloved Year 3 autumn-winter

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Tacomagic · « **Reply #13 on:** November 28, 2014, 09:53:08 pm »

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigòthigër,

24th Timber,

In the wake of the water titan attack yet another fell creature, an ettin, sieged Glovedloved and slew another ten dwarves, most of them prospects. I have been so dispirited since the second attack that I have not kept this journal as fastidiously as I should have. Now it is months later and I am only now articulate enough to put pen to parchment.

With all the loss, lawlessness has begun to take root in Glovedloved. All have begun to stray from the Path, and I cannot blame them. These trials the Path sets before us can alienate even the most stalwart follower; even being well versed in Its seemingly chaotic nature you are often left groping for meaning. Even so, I am disturbed with the degree Glovedloved fallen from the Path. Sacrifices mingle with prospects on both sides of the river. I even have word that Neblime has create a sacrosanct group of prospects that she allows to toil within the Mountain with seemingly no care to any taint they might chance upon! And not two days hence I spotted Chimerat leaving the Priest's "Enclave" just prior to my weekly meeting with them.

This has to stop, but I have no idea how to go about brining the order of the Path back to Glovedloved. All the powers I had to stop this were stripped from me when I fell from the Mountain, so I am at a loss. I cannot fathom what the Path wants from me, but I feel this is a test of some kind.

And yet, maybe I do know. I have long mused upon why the Path would chose disrupt my new life among the prospects. Above all things, the Path abhors contentment yet I have found myself increasingly content with this life. The only way to truly follow the Path, according to Ordin, is through suffering and trial. But if one truly accepts the Path into their heart, it must naturally come with a degree of contentment if one lives as a prospect. The only other choice is to live in opulence as Sacrifice, which itself can cause contentment in the comforts of the flesh; however, increasingly I find myself disdainful of the life of the Sacrifice. The taint, the corruption, the self-serving xenophobia, and all the other vices that come with that life disgust me.

And perhaps this is where Ordin was wrong and Nordinkel, despite his repugnant nature, was right. Maybe the true nature of the Path is that those who finally find contentment among the prospects must naturally become Sacrifice, for that is the only way to continue their trials. To be tossed in among those of such repulsive vices as to be continually challenged by them. To resist those vices and still follow the Path among them. And maybe this is what Ordin really meant when he called them Sacrifice. To live among the demons of vice and still choose to follow the Path while thus assaulted.

I fear that my contentment points my fate back toward the Mountain. And it is this fear and revulsion of the mountain that speaks the most truth to my heart. If I am to continue my trials along the Path, I must regain the Mountain as a Sacrifice.

May the Path save me, it becomes ever more clear that I must return. I have not yet spoken to Kaladin on this matter, but she has come a long way and, despite any objections on her part, she will make a fine priestess if I am successful.

Chimerat · « **Reply #14 on:** November 29, 2014, 08:46:19 am »

Sixteenth Entry: Double Bloody Standards

Seems Neblime's hubris allows her to have no problem turning some Dwarves into her slaves to get work done in the mountain that she finds is "beneath" her...

I'm not sure how much longer I can just stand by and watch this.

Talks with the Priests of Armok are slow. They are naturally distrustful of those who live in the Mountain, but I continue to offer food and drink, should they have a need.

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