The Journal of Nokzam Oddomdakas
3rd Hematite 254We have entered the mountain.
That was the simple part, with the five of us entering the halls amongst a multitude of working thralls.
The next part was difficult, but we succeeded.
Neblime was the first to question our presence.
She asked us how we, mere peasants, dared to enter the mountain of kings.
I then had to summon words to convince her of our usefulness.
"We have come to carve the halls of the mountain, to create opulent rooms filled with treasure and our collective offspring for all eternity. By your laws there should be fourteen kings and queens, we wish only to remind you of those laws.
It is our belief that we are worthy candidates, for we bring the picks of the slums and knowledge of their foul schemes, schemes that may come to topple your thrones if they go unheaded."
Neblime was furious, and it was quite evident that she was ready to use her pick in a most violent manner.
But then, the situation changed.
Nordinkel, the elusive founder of Glovedloved and Digger, a bone carver who had also ascended, stepped in.
They gave us their blessing, for they knew that the mountain needed more skilled hands.
Today, they aid us in digging out new rooms.
It is done.
We have ascended.
In the mountain tradition, we have chosen titles pertaining to our spheres of interest.
Nokzam, Queen of Art.
Illogical_Blox, King of Brimstone.
Minkot, Queen of Granite.
Deler, Queen of Marble.
Sigun, King of Roasts.
I am now a Queen over those who rejected me.
I am now a traitor to those I once aided.
May they fester in their dirt hovels, may they be punished for their ignorance.
I am beyond their reach.
9th Hematite 254
I overheard two thralls talking today of a great stone structure which is being built in the slums.
No doubt Sionnach is trying to shore up morale after my defection.
Though they have almost no miners, they have masons and stone, more than enough to create a tower of some prominence.
Why do they work so eagerly now that I am gone?
It is as if they are mocking me even now, shouting: "Look at us! We rise! We do not need you nor your floundering mind!"
I.....must find a way to prevent the construction of this monument, lest it rises past the mountain itself.
I now have no choice but to find out how much influence the mountain truly has.
When I led the oppressed, I assumed that the mountain worked in the shadows, acting as a puppet master unbeknown to it's puppets.
Now, I am not so sure. Perhaps the kings and queens have not yet taken us into our confidence, or their their influence was merely imaginary, a collective trick of the mind.
I will now make arrangements to meet with Ultramagnus.
I have to discern where her loyalties truly lie, and how she can aid me in getting revenge.
12th Hematite 254A thrall loyal to us has brought word of a human caravan advancing towards the depot.
Now I shall observe whether the mountain holds enough power to trade the crafts of the slums for goods from the tall-folk.
One of Sionnach's minions has handled trade in the past, and after bringing this fact to Nordinkel's attention, he has appointed Illogical_Blox as the new broker.
18th Hematite 254Amongst the crazed activity that comes with a trade caravan, word has reached me from one of my old confederates that Meng has been re-elected as mayor. No doubt Sionnach is thrilled that her greatest ally maintains the vote of the people.
As I pondered the implications of this upon the morale of the peasantry, a most terrible sound resonated from the depths.
It was almost like the call of a bird, though more guttural and filled with blood-lust.
Terror was evident on the faces of man and dwarf alike, and the order was given for the passage to the deeps to be walled in.
We seem to be safe from the deep horrors, for now.
Trade can commence undisturbed.
21st Hematite 254Upon my suggestion, our miners have dug out quarters for the thralls.
I am sure Sionnach is seething, for this is an obvious ploy to soften the minds of the slaves towards their overlords.
I find this change in my nature interesting.
This oppression once enraged me, but now I see it as necessary for the ascension of our race.
How is the right path determined?
We mortals can only act, the truth forever obscured from our limited minds.
If we can not know the truth, why then do we delude ourselves that we do?
Truly, my ascension has done wonders for the wanderings of the mind.
Given more free time, I now lift the mental fog that once prevailed.
25th hematite 254Illogical_Blox has surpassed our expectations.
Choosing him as the new broker was a brilliant ploy, with positive results.
After haggling to and fro, a large assignment of crafts were traded for every morsel of food and drink that the humans had brought.
He also took off them all the available metal bars.
This strategy of his has been well thought out.
With him facilitating the trade, we made sure that no new weapons or armor would reach the hands of Sionnach.
Furthermore, seeing as we traded crafts that came mostly from the west, it is too be expected that some of the food and drink traded would reach the peasants.
They gain some happiness, while we gain vast stores of food and booze that will last us quite a while and metal with which we can further the conditions in the vault.