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GO KEAS WOOUH!

28 (93.3%)

...They suck.

2 (6.7%)

Total Members Voted: 30

[Urist McKiwi]

Wow, I actually put up a hell of a fight. Shame I forgot to use a proper weapon, really. And yes, "I've been wounded, it's annoying" is a WONDERFUL response to having your neck exploded into gore. I actually landed several blows (including one that bruised the bear to the very -bone-!) after having my throat ripped out. A most glorious death indeed.

....still need to work on the not-dying part of combat though.

Yes, you're the reason we didn't lose a lot more people....you distracted it long enough to get everyone inside and the gate shut. As well as the administrator getting thrown around. Which, given this fight was literally right in front of the door, was pretty dang good.

[Deus Asmoth]

It's kind of weird how dwarves react to getting injured. Neck exploding=mild annoyance. Broken finger=utterly terrifying. Although, I guess that's kind of how humans react as well.

[Urist McKiwi]

The continued continuation of the account of Sir Humphrey Cactusson, Cactus


20th Limestone

Finally got myself a calender so I can keep track of things. Autumn already! This fortress only has one-year terms of leadership, so I don't have all that much time left before I have to step down. However if I may be so bold, this year has been a fantastic year for the fortress vis-à-vis actually being a fortress. When I arrived, this place didn't even have walls....let alone this "magma dike" I heard so much about. Well! We still don't have a dike, but we've got a good head start on making one! I scribbled down some maps of the fortress as it is now....

Spoiler: Surface level 1, shrunk to 80% and cropped (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Surface level 2, shrunk to 80% and cropped (click to show/hide)

For some reason the resize killed the quality on this one. Basically: The tower and the bridge are new and shiny!

Alas, the wagons bought by traders cannot handle the entrance.....the new traps jam the wheels. I had thought to built a new trade depot near the south wall...but I feel that given the slowed pace of development of late, it would be better to simply dismantle the traps. The entrance is secured, however.....the levers were connected in the middle of summer and seem to work most satisfactorily.

Speaking of trade, the second caravan of the year arrived in our splendid little abode. We traded for a great deal of wood, and also some steel weapons, armor and bars. It's not as good as what could be made here, I'm told, but it's better than what we have. If werebears are as much of a "thing" as they seem to be in these parts, we will have need of fine weapons soon. My leadership has quite literally transformed this fortress.....I do not think that the outer wall of the magma dike will be completed before my turn is over, but that won't stop me trying!

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OOC
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Yeah, ignore the little depot thing south of the walls....I've deleted it since. The actual plan was to have a new depot hanging over the lava...but I ditched it and forgot to delete the extra traps. Oh well. But hey! I just need to cap the ends (and cover them in traps to stop climbers) and build the outer wall and southern bridge....and we'll have a nice empty magma dike ready to be filled.

THe inner wall gives us some protection already though. It looks like there's a gap to the south....but there isn't. I'm also trying to build (semi-temporary) line-of-sight blockers around the corpse piles.

[Taupe]

THe inner wall gives us some protection already though. It looks like there's a gap to the south....but there isn't. I'm also trying to build (semi-temporary) line-of-sight blockers around the corpse piles.

the dumping pit for corpses is right next to the pile. you could diminish the horror effects by emptying it, it usually takes like a day.

[Urist McKiwi]

THe inner wall gives us some protection already though. It looks like there's a gap to the south....but there isn't. I'm also trying to build (semi-temporary) line-of-sight blockers around the corpse piles.

the dumping pit for corpses is right next to the pile. you could diminish the horror effects by emptying it, it usually takes like a day.

It's not so much "horror" as "undead" that I'm worried about. I'll look into it though....we're a bit short on haulers.

[Taupe]

THe inner wall gives us some protection already though. It looks like there's a gap to the south....but there isn't. I'm also trying to build (semi-temporary) line-of-sight blockers around the corpse piles.

the dumping pit for corpses is right next to the pile. you could diminish the horror effects by emptying it, it usually takes like a day.

It's not so much "horror" as "undead" that I'm worried about. I'll look into it though....we're a bit short on haulers.

The pit is about 4 tiles away from the pile, so this task isn't time-consuming at all. Any idler will go there, grab a corpse, dump it, and grab another because they are all so close.

[Vuohijumala]

Cerol Melbiledos, the miller, is still alive I presume? I'd like to dwarf him. Vuohi-Pera did not have any relatives at all, and I could not see anything else about Vuohijumala except that he was a bear. So I guess I'll pick another dwarf with no relatives for now. But later, when the unevitable occurs, I might pick a dwarf who has relatives and stick to his family line.

But for now, Cerol Melbiledos reveals his true identity! His name is "Vuohiparta" of the secretive and elusive Vuohi dynasty! And, uh.. that's it.

[Zuglarkun]

Spoiler: Meanwhile, back at Boardsomber... (click to show/hide)

Throne room of Obok Abanstukos, Queen of the Stirred Irons

"Summon Dodók Thîkutushil to the court!" Bellowed Obok.

"Your majesty." Dodók knelt on one knee and humbled himself before the queen of the Stirred Irons.

"You may rise, General Bookice. Tell me, how are the expeditions coming along?"

"You mean the 3 expeditions to reclaim our ancestral lands?"

Spoiler: The 3 expeditions (click to show/hide)

"Yes. I've yet to hear a proper report."

"I apologize for the tardiness your majesty. We are facing troubles on many fronts, chiefly due to the sudden assault by the goblins, and news has been late to arrive. I've just received the reports, and I'm afraid the expeditions are not faring all that well."

"Please elaborate general."

"Well..." Dodók muttered as he drew up the battle reports.

Spoiler: The fate of the 3 expeditions (click to show/hide)

"I'm afraid that the expedition to reclaim Masteredtomb has met with opposition, and the site has fallen into the clutches of the goblins."




"Not all is lost however, The Shield of Winds were able to successfully deter the goblin menace."




"The Fountain of Fainting were able to hold their own as well."

"This is most troubling news. I would have thought that despite the lack of mutual contact, the fact that we did not interfere in their battles nor get embroiled in their affairs these few decades would have left us as on neutral relations. Seems like they disagree with that notion."

"Yes your majesty, they did not take kindly to our terms in that last treaty we had drawn up." said Dodók as he submitted the summary of the battle reports to the queen.

Spoiler: Summary of battle reports (click to show/hide)

Dodók continued, "I had hoped that their prolonged campaigning would eventually wear down their own forces and keep them in check. I doubt we can stand by as neutral bystanders any longer, hoping to sit on the sidelines and reap the benefits from their battles of attrition.

Judging from the scale of the recent invasions, they must have been planning this ever since Samambesmar - "The Courageous Pulley" fell under their clutches in 77. The goblins sacked all their cities and put them under goblin rule. It is a pity, for if we had allied with Samambesmar back then, they would have served us well as a threat on their flank. Unfortunately, these things have come to pass, and I've heard that their former king lies forsaken in the wastelands, trying to eke out a living, while hoping to raise his shattered kingdom from the ashes of defeat. Fortunately, unlike them, we have not been slack in our preparations all these many years, and we have mustered up quite a force to reckon with ourselves."


"Yes..." murmured the queen. "The very same forces that are now arrayed against a foe that has emerged ever the stronger from their battles, and have finally decided to turn their gazes and spear points towards us."

-----

Silence fell upon both queen and her general, their minds deep in troubling thoughts.

-----

"Tell me," her voice cut across the vast silence of the wide halls of Asobazuz. "how are conditions out there on the walls?"

"We are holding up at the moment your majesty." Replied the general.

Spoiler: Mountainhomes under siege (click to show/hide)

"Can we turn the situation around? Go on the counteroffensive perhaps?" Pondered the old queen.

"We have yet to muster our full forces your majesty. Their sudden many pronged attack has left us reeling and cut us off from our many outposts and baronies."

Spoiler: The Spry Sling defeated (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Rainy Mine defeated (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Mint Tongs defeated (click to show/hide)

Spoiler:  The Violent Board endures (click to show/hide)

"I am certain that they had waited all this time for us to stumble first, waiting for an opportunity for us to thin our forces here. The expeditions we launched for the glory of Armok on the bicentennial of our founding gave them exactly that window of attack that they've been waiting for, and we sent out all the young and abled to retake those ruins." Dodók ventured.

"Yes, I'm afraid that decision may have been somewhat of an overreach... You mentioned 3 expeditions general, what of the fourth? The expedition to found a new outpost - what did they call it again?" The queen mused.

"Erm..." The general stumbled in his words.

"Allow me to answer that question your majesty..."

-----

Footsteps sounded in the hall. Eyes turned to look upon the new figure that had walked in on their conversation.

-----

Out of the shadows, stepped forth Dôbar Pearshoots, outpost liaison of the Stirred Irons.

[Zuglarkun]

"Your majesty, I have returned from the annual trading missions and I bring a report." said Dôbar as he knelt in veneration of the old queen.

"General Bookice, you are excused for now. You may speak freely Dôbar."

"Then I shall take my leave." Said Dodók as he bowed and exited the queen's throne room.

"Tell me of this outpost loyal subject."

"Certainly your majesty. The expedition party call themselves The Channels of Melting. They have settled near the Ungodly Waters as per your instructions, and they've named the settlement Murderflood."

"Ah yes! Now I remember. What news from this Murderflood?"

"They have taken to the dunes as well as they may, though they have not quite fully settled down, being troubled by the local fauna. There have been many casualties though the situation seems to have stabilized somewhat since my last visit."

"Hmmm... that is as well as can be expected." A gleam of cunning flashed in the old queen's eyes.

"Go on. What of the protege I have sent to guide in the building of the fortress?"

"You mean... this Zuglarkun?"

"Yes. Zuglarkun. I bestowed upon her special honors gifting her both title and rank because she had unveiled a marvelous design before me," at this her eyes wandered upwards as if reminiscing the encounter. "The shining crown jewel of the desert seas she said, a marvel above all other wonders."

"Your maj-", Dôbar tried to interject, but the old queen continued on with her speech.

"You may not know this Dôbar, for you were only recently appointed to your position as outpost liaison. But I have been searching for such a candidate for a long time. She showed little fear upon the mention of the Ungodly waters, only zeal for the joy of guiding the hand of Armok in order to fashion such-"

"I beg your pardon you majesty, but please allow your lowly servant to speak. I'm afraid this protege of yours, this Zuglarkun, now lies dead in the bosom of the desert of dreams."

"-a marvellous creation... Hold up," The queen turned to face Dôbar.

"Did you say dead?"

"Yes your majesty, reports say she died of an infection."

"..."

Obok just stood there dumbfounded at the news.

"Your majesty?" inquired Dôbar softly. At this, the queen snapped back into attention a little, her gaze drifted towards the floor, deep in concentration as if trying to decipher some inscrutable puzzle that lay at her feet.

She paced slowly around, her back facing the liaison, mumbling to herself just out of range of Dôbar's hearing. But he was able to catch a few garbled words, something about a "Duck".

Suddenly the queen stopped in her tracks, as if regaining her composure, her back still facing towards Dôbar.

"... what of the documents she brought with her?"

"Your majesty, its been 2 years now. I'm afraid-"

"Silence!" The queen flung herself around to face the liaison, whom was startled at this outburst. "I will not entertain thoughts of defeat!" She yelled, then softly her tone changed, "Not now, not with the enemy breathing down our necks out there." She motioned towards the direction of the fortress gates.

"I... will have to think this through further... You are dismissed."

Dôbar hurriedly excused himself, the doors to the queens chamber clanging shut loudly behind him, the echoes receding down the corridors into the distance.

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OOC: Front page has been updated with data on our pointy eared friends. Outpost liaison info updated with picture.

[Vuohijumala]

The Dangerous Onslaught of Boring, what a name. So that one human killed all our six brethren and the two goblins just watched and hanged around? Geez..

Nice storytelling, btw!

[Urist McKiwi]

"The assaults of combat" is a pretty dwarven name for a battle.

I did get some news from the traders, but I forgot to screencap it. It was a bit out of date anyway.

[Taupe]

The Dangerous Onslaught of Boring, what a name. So that one human killed all our six brethren and the two goblins just watched and hanged around? Geez..

Nice storytelling, btw!

I concur, that was really well-written. The fortress is still young, but we already have a ton of backstory and lore about the world, moreso than many, many other successions. Hopefully this will keep people inspired...

[De]

I like when people find ways to work a worlds backstory into the fort and give the whole thing some life, so to speak. I don't want to offend any undead who may be wandering the shores of the haunted lake.

[Taupe]

BTW, Zuglarkun, that throne room image is kinda neat and you should definitely put it on the front page inside the queen's description!

[Urist McKiwi]

I like when people find ways to work a worlds backstory into the fort and give the whole thing some life, so to speak. I don't want to offend any undead who may be wandering the shores of the haunted lake.

Don't worry, the ghosts are reasonably friendly right now.

I'll update probably tomorrow or the day after: it's the end of the semester and I've got a couple of weeks to write 15K words on various topics, so time's a bit short.