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[10ebbor10]

All goes well, it appears.

Chalice of the Inferno Monarchs - Unknown Powers. Owned by Lady Nietharth Chance, who is currently struggling to cope with the recently awakened ambition and detachment from reality that runs in her bloodline.

Not a nice artefact, it appears.

[omada]

Peaceful quarry:
-Give a congratulation for the nice idea of building the pit, ask if needs something more for the pit and give white card to look for potential raider partners or contact.
-Give a word that we will give as a prize a decent bunch of wicked salt for anyone that brings a decent number of mummy's heads
-Bonus prize to whoever eliminate all of the mummys, but take care, in some weeks the mummies won't be there anymore.

Dark fortress:
-Grab our bugbear that we got with the Chace back them, put him there a nice and sweet tittle of "First Hammer's Dark Fortress overlord"

Wicked salt deal:

-Yes, we should do this, maybe we could risk making them raid the tomb with us, maybe we could get raiding-partners
-Bring the educated feathered-drugar or those highborn drugars
 
Fucked quarry
-Errr, someone send scouts? Hire adventurers?
-Prepare to make an enormous assault after the undead's force is weakened by the wicked-salt lovers probably defeat

King Asshole:

-A nice letter saying for him to stop putting his own population in the cover of fear of a war, We don't do what we do just for our please, we make diggers united, and make drows fight each other, making sure that those who love commerce and metallurgy rises and change all drow culture. And he should or deal with us, the problem, with a nice talk in the court or start using this new strategy to not get behind.

[IronyOwl]

Of course the quarry is infested with mummies. How else would that go.


So now that we've given our other two husbands a child each, ideally we'd call in our third. He might still be indisposed, though, so we may have to go to him. This would be unfortunate, but will give us around a year to pick through his court for opportunities anyway. Since his court is likely filled with literal monsters, this should be pretty awesome.

I say we abandon the second quarry for now, maybe even start up a third quarry in the meantime, and just spread news about the mummies. Sooner or later somebody with interest and talent regarding mummified monsters will show up asking permission to do something with it, and we can consider their offer.

Before any of that, though, I do think we should meet up with some trollish and goblin leaders. I also like the idea of expanding the arena, if anyone can give us a good design for such a thing.


In development terms, I think we could maybe use another quarry, another farm, and possibly a tower to defend our farms, but we should really get our crafting stations set up.

Soil Survey Results:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Here is our report on each main section of the city. Our report divides the town into City Center, North Slope, and Southern Flats. These there areas each assume a degree of digging under the neighboring bits of the Ring of Toil and Ring of Leisure.

City Center: The soil is rocky and stable here. We could dig out an new neighborhood with 5 improvement slots for 40 LU of effort. It also seems likely that we have a vein of common decorative gems under this neighborhood as well, and for the same amount of LU we could add 3 improvement slots and a mine shaft instead. Either way, our digging effort will yield some stone.

North Slope: The soil is rock and stable here. We could dig out a new neighborhood with 5 improvement slots for 40 LU of effort. Some of our surveyors are of the opinion that if we forgo digging here now, we might be able to use this space to drain predator lake right into the lands of the Beetle Queendoms with the scholar-kings help later, if a destructive mega-project suits you. Any digging effort will yield some stone.

Southern Flats: The space available underground is large, but the topsoil is deep and unstable. We could dig out a new neighborhood with 20 improvement slots for 250 LU of effort and 50 Construction resources to serve as support. Our digging effort will yield some stone, but likely not enough to recoup construction resource costs.

Faust's Valley Survey Report:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Construction Types:
Surface Farm - 10 Construction Resources to Build, 0 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Allows you to send Labor Units of Population to acquire food. Yields vary greatly compared to underground farms. Amount of food given varies by location.
Fishing Village - 10 Wood Construction resources to build. Can only be built in the Predator Shores. Workers assigned to a fishing village are permanently housed there, and provide food for themselves and others.
Monument - 15 Construction Resources to Build, 0 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Erecting Monuments to the great deeds of yourself or your artifact wielding heroes deepens your understanding and control over the World Weld.
Watchtower - 20 Construction Resources to Build, 0 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Houses and Defends up to 6 FU of Soldiers.
Quarry - 30 Construction Resources to Build, 1 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Allows you to send Labor Units of Population to acquire rock. Amount and type of rock given by a quarry is rolled when quarry is first constructed.
Claypit - 10 Construction Resources to Build, 0 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Allows you to send Labor Units of Population to acquire clay. Unlocks Brickyard improvement for your city.
Fortress - 50 Construction Resources to Build, 0 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Houses and Defends up to 15 FU of Soldiers.
Dark Fortress - 50 Construction Resources to Build, 1 Wealth per Month Maintenance. Houses and Defends up to 15 FU of Soldiers. If a Bugbear or other appropriate magic user is stationed at a Dark Fortress, it produces Goblin Slaves.

Scouted Locations:
Predator Shores - Few people have the guts to live near Predator Lake, but fishing villages here can be profitable until the wildlife wipes them out.
Faustian Plains - The low lands that make up the majority of the valley. Unstable soil means complications are probable when building large things, such as fortresses, here.
Dread Swamps - Wetlands on the southern edge of predator lake that are home to man species of man eating beast, as well as the dangerous and drow aligned descendants of the rebel wizard Faust. The vile soil here is good for growing several varieties of magical plant.
Faust's Foothills - Mineral rich hills completely controlled by the dangerous and drow aligned descendants of the rebel wizard Faust. The mountains just beyond these hills are unclaimed by the Kingdom of Narm, and also likely crawling with rebel wizards.
Northern Estates - Human nobles attempted to grow woods to serve as game preserves here several decades ago, only for elves to move in and drive them out. These elves are aligned with the commerce hating Pinewoods Tribes, and connected to them by underground tunnels. The Pinewoods Tribes use this location as a staging area to raid the Beetle Queendoms, and could easily use it as a staging area to attack the rest of Faust's Valley if they chose to do so.
The Blood Pits - A location where cinnabar and fire salts can be extracted via quarry. Elves from the Northern Estates and Faust's rebel wizards fight over this land tooth and nail.

City Status and Expansion Report:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The City of Silent Hammers, by Section -

City Center (4/4 Improvements): The hilltop regoin where the families of Dwarf Lord Urist the Left Handed and his wife Drugar Dame Urist set up their households. Known for its spectacular views and well constructed mansions.

Drugar Manors - Houses highborn or skilled drugar (4/5 Occupancy)
Dwarf Manors - Houses highborn or skilled dwarves (4/5 Occupancy)
Assorted Digger Homes and Businesses - Houses any non-highborn digger. Location of your current quarters. (4/6 Occupancy)
Fort Bloodpeace - Militia HQ. Must be taken or destroyed before a non-flying enemy force can attack the City Center (5/10 Occupancy)

North Slope (2/2 Improvements): These rolling hills were quickly settled by the lowborn followers of Lord Urist. The roads here are steep and windy, and civic pride is high.

Assorted Digger Homes and Businesses - Houses any non-highborn digger (4/6 Occupancy)
Assorted Digger Homes and Businesses - Houses any non-highborn digger (4/6 Occupancy)

Southern Flats (3/3 Improvements): Once a thriving human village, before Lord Urist purchased the land and walled it off as part of Silent Hammers. The dwindling human population tends to distrust its new digger masters, especially since the final days of Lord Urist's rule, when he drove half the remaining humans out by force to make room for the Goblin Slaves that the incoming queen would receive from her Drugar Husbands as wedding gifts.

Human Hamlet - Houses any non-highborn or giant human (2/6 Occupancy)
Dark Pits (2 Improvement Slots) - Houses goblin peons, and any non-eating and non-giant people (5/15 Peon Occupancy) (1/5 Other Occupancy)

Ring of Toil (4/4 Improvements): A complex series of walls and strongholds protecting the City Center, Northern Slopes, and Southern Flats.

Northern Stronghold - Houses Troops, and Protects the Northern Slopes from direct assault (9/20 Occupancy)
Southern Stronghold - Houses Troops, and Protects the Southern Flats from direct assault (8/20 Occupancy)
Eastern Walls - Houses Troops, Prevents foes crazy enough to climb the steep cliffs to the east from entering the city (0/5 Occupancy)
Western Walls - Houses Troops, Prevents foes crazy enough to brave Predator Lake to the west from entering the city (0/5 Occupancy)

Ring of Leisure (5/8 Improvements): A small and ungovernable section of Bardhill County that lies North, South, and East of Silent Hammers. Like many hilly areas just outside the walls of a city, it is primarily inhabited by hobbits. Most of the locals claim loyalty to no government, and answer only to the local dons, others claim to be your subjects (although they have no legal justification to do so) as the tax rate of Silent Hammers is far lower than the Tax Rate in Bardhill County.

Silent Holes - Houses any non-giant humans (8/8 Occupancy)
The Shadow Holes - Houses any non-giant humans (5/8 Occupancy. Not Controlled by you.)
'Pharmacy' Guild - Houses skilled military and civilian criminals, and produces 4 Wealth a month for the controlling faction (3/3 Civilain Occupancy. 3/3 Military Occupancy. Not Controlled by you.)
Assassin's Guild - Houses skilled military and civilian criminals, and produces 4 Wealth a month for the controlling faction (2/2 Civilain Occupancy. 4/4 Military Occupancy. Not Controlled by you.)
Thieves Guild - Houses skilled military and civilian criminals, and produces 4 Wealth a month for the controlling faction (4/4 Civilain Occupancy. 3/3 Military Occupancy. Not Controlled by you.)
Empty Improvement Slot - Awaiting Construction
Empty Improvement Slot - Awaiting Construction

Clearing Improvements -

It costs 7 LU to send a demolition team to a section of the city. A demolition team can remove as few or as many improvements as you wish in one go. Demolition yields construction resources. Demolition is not popular with the people, so it may be wise to deploy your military to protect your demolition teams.

Improvements Available for Construction -

Basic Civilian Housing: Choose to house either human races (humans, halflings and hill giants among other rare breeds) or digger races (dwarves and drugar amoung other rare breeds). Houses 6 LU, costs 1 improvement slot and 6 Construction Resources.
Elite Housing: Choose a single specific race. Elite Housing can house nobles, and is more effective at attracting skilled labor. Houses 5 LU, costs 1 improvement slot and 12 Construction Resources.
Dark Pits: Mass housing for Goblin Peons and other non-eaters. Houses 15 LU of Goblin Slaves, and 5 LU of other non-eaters. Costs 2 improvement slots and 20 Construction resources.
Small Stronghold: Housing for any 10 FU. Costs 1 improvement slot and 20 Construction resources.
Giant Hovel: Housing for non-elemental giant races. Must be built on a hilly region (northern slopes or ring of leisure). Houses 4 LU, Costs 1 improvement slot and 12 Construction Resources.
Large Scale Metal Foundry: Converts metal military resources into weapons and trade goods. Employs up to 10 LU per month, Costs 1 improvement slot and 25 Construction Resources.
Greatwalls Block Plant: Creates heavy-duty construction resources, fit for use in high-rise buildings of Emscythe's design, from other resources. Employs up to 10 LU per month, Costs 1 improvement slot and 25 Construction Resources.

Hobbit Holes: Luxurious high-occupancy Hillside Housing for non-giant humans. Add a hobbit to your court, or formalize an alliance with one, to unlock.
Large Scale Gem Foundry: Converts gem and magic-stone military resources into weapons and trade goods. Deal with prince Neptune to Unlock.
High Rise Drugar Buildings: Use heavy-duty construction resources to make efficient use of space. Build a Greatwalls Block Plant to unlock.
Military Buildings: Consult with your military advisers and engineers if you wish to create a military building in Silent Hammers and a Small Stronghold doesn't fit your needs.

Plans for Future Expansion -

Dig out the Hills: Your digger citizens, expecially the Drugar, will be happy living and working underground. Conducting a soil survey by deploying 10 LU of educated and/or digger labor, (dose not have to be all at once), will allow Akuspade to plan out the underground expansion of Silent Hammers.

Purchase Faust's Valley: Akuspade thinks that Count Chance may be persuaded to sell you the region of Faust's Valley, which sits on the other side of Predator Lake, west of Silent Hammers. Faust's Valley is lightly populated by humans and contains some rich farmland and abandoned stone quarries. Predator Lake itself is a largely untapped resource, as the humans have not figured out how to deal with the bloodthirsty population of Dire Dolphins that dwell beneath the surface. The humans have not developed the region further because they believe it to be impossible to defend against outside invasion. Meet with Count Chance if you wish to discuss a purchase. Consider sending a team of skilled laborers to survey the region first, so that you are an informed buyer.

Relevant bits:
40 LU to dig out the City Undercenter into a 3-slot space plus decorative gem mine
25 LU and materials for a Large Scale Metal Foundry; under the city center and in the same district as the mines strikes me as a fitting location
10 Wealth for Neptune's gem forge, which would also do well next to the regular foundry and the gem mines

Given that we have 43 LU and need 14 of it for quarrying and farming, we could have all this online with about 3 months worth of effort.

[omada]

Hmmm... that would really be funny

I am +1 to your plan

but... Don't give 10 wealth to Neptune. Give 5 to the opal elves, see if they have a better contract in dealing with this stuff, from mining to sell. if not we still buy for 5 wealth (4 wealth that the material is worth and 1 as a symbolic but always appreciated token of gratitude) of the resources and put the Neptune to work on it.

And if we are going out, we should still try to talk with that someone who blackmailed an pinewood elf, we could get a safer trade route from Ukareen's land who is rich in Bronze (nice for doing our metal stuff) and maybe even give possibility to bring cooper and flux stone from the Greatwalls alliance and establish a nice cooperation between both. Or we could be proxies and get some wealth from this.

Anti-digger troops:

Tranquilize the population that this troops weren't even asked for and might not stay for much time (Ahem, we might have to give it to our husband in the greatwalls alliance cause he might get a bit of unrest, if we leave put orders in the court to send these troops in the first problem)

-Ask the Deathlord Morgu the situation of his lord's war, who are his enemies and it's needs for the war. Also ask what are the possibilities of we personally going to meet him alive (or he comes without losing his kingdom)

[VoidSlayer]

We will also need room for more LU of citizens, what about turning the north slope underground into a housing area (later) and putting the gem mine next to the hobbits?

We should make that predator lake artifact soon.  Then we can build a fishing village, town and fortress for any humans that want to live outside our capital.

[omada]

We will also need room for more LU of citizens, what about turning the north slope underground into a housing area (later) and putting the gem mine next to the hobbits?

Errr, there are only decorative gems inside the city center

[VoidSlayer]

We will also need room for more LU of citizens, what about turning the north slope underground into a housing area (later) and putting the gem mine next to the hobbits?

Errr, there are only decorative gems inside the city center

I meant the factory whatnot thing...

[Mithras]

I am in agreement with the plan to expand our industrial capacity, as we have enough food to make it happen in the next three months before we need to consider building a farm. However I think taking a few LU to build a monument after our industry has been expanded, however I think we should start considering building a monument after we have set up our industry, just to see what sort of capability building monuments unlocks for us. And of course, our higher population means we are currently running on a food deficit, so a farm as soon as we have built up our construction infrastructure is vital.

I think, if we are offering wicked salt we might as well wait a month to install our bugbear in the dark fortress and advertise the position to the nomadic bugbears around our quarry, this might net us a bugbear who already controls a tribe of goblins for a quick infusion of labour. This would distract from our construction efforts as it would require 5 LU of highborn drugar and goblins and a similar force of guards. I feel like our monthly activity should be to go along with this convoy.

We should inquire as to the progress of the were hunter training academy.

Didn't our embattled husband send us a guy to impregnate us on his behalf? Maybe it is time to talk to him our the new captain and the guys mother in law about who should help us produce and heir for him should the king be able to attend himself, this should be wrapped up in the conversation about this king's situation, his war has been going on for an uncomfortably long time.

I think prince Neptune should be given his wealth, but we should notify the opal elves that we would be willing to deal with them if they were able to out compete him or buy him out. This gives us a chance to show our diggers that we will give diggers opportunities but that we will ultimately reward results and effectiveness.

That said, we should inquire about obtaining an elf druid to convert our forest steel wood into weaponry.

King Trakion is showing his hostility against our husbands, and has what is considered an impenetrable set of fortifications. While we are not yet equipped to enter this war ourselves the one husband who is yet to be involved in this war is Scholar-King Emscythe who specialises in siege warfare. The least we can do is set up a meeting or communication between the three to coordinate against this digger king who has dared to insult our name. We could help by sending 20 sulfur (so long as one of our husbands was able to deal with the haulage for us) and our siege engineers who have been idling so far to aid the war effort. A cold war will not serve us, if we can orchestrate a swift victory for our husbands this will teach diggers to understand the consequences of attacking our name and our allies.

Not sure if people agree but my three choices for the next artifact (to be begun within the next few months) would be, the predator lake skin suit, the trident (seems like only really an option if we don't want to have a child during this artifact's building) an artifact for King Emscythe using one of his feats that will greatly increase his ability to lay siege to an impenetrable fortress (on the condition that he helps our other two husbands with their little dwarf problem)

I am in favor of using the next artifact to move against King Trakion, because it demonstrates strength, helps all our husbands at once and gives us fodder for a deed to put on a monument and I really want to see what happens.

[IronyOwl]

We will also need room for more LU of citizens, what about turning the north slope underground into a housing area (later) and putting the gem mine next to the hobbits?

Errr, there are only decorative gems inside the city center

I meant the factory whatnot thing...

We could, but I figured putting our critical industries under the city center would be dwarfier.


Speaking of which, I forgot the Drone has been waiting on his artifact for several months now. Given that he's rather legitimately dangerous, we might want to consider his offer (dig up everything under Silent Hammers, should be 330 LU), figure out what we'd want instead, or sandbag him politely so he doesn't think we need a poke.

On a much more trivial note: We can probably figure out what Lady Chance's artifact does by paying her a friendly visit.

...

Agree that experimenting with a monument would be interesting, but since we don't know what it does it's hard to place priority-wise.

I agree with shopping around for a goblincrafter.

Neptune is buying straight from the elves, so they're unlikely to undercut or buy themselves out. We could renegotiate directly if we wanted to, but I'd rather let nature take its course and consider it an object lesson for everyone involved about everyone involved.

Not a fan of jumping into a dwarf war. He's already harassing one husband and has now begun pestering another, but he's still a digger, still in an invulnerable fortress, and we're still sitting in a civil war waiting to happen and next to the home of our greatest enemies. Flying into a huff and trying to take him out over this strikes me as a really unpleasant, long-term commitment thrown onto a pile of far more pleasant and immediate concerns.

[omada]

About the trident, We could maybe do something that the trident can't be used against targets we don't approve, instead it will turn against it's own master. BOOM drone killed, maybe the entire eastvile.

I don't know, too late to buy a bit of troll bone? maybe some pire-cone or deep saphire to make him spend all his mana against his own people (and pray it won't explode our allies)

Or we could put marble in it and make it's destructive powers focused on light, banishing undead and evil creatures. But he might get a bit mad.


And we can influence the human lady with our chalice to ease her ambition and to focus on making sure her sister's magic won't hurt her people, an interest in study of defensive magic

[Weirdsound]

We should inquire as to the progress of the were hunter training academy.

I could have sworn I typed that up with the last turn, but I don't see it there. Odd. Ukareem has sent a large convoy of materials and guards into the Trollish Wastes. They are building both a fortress and a cloister in the Dragon's Grave region, where religious buildings are upkeep cost free using contracted labor from the Kingdom of Narm and the Greatwalls alliance.

---

"I would hesitate to consider the Bloodlord an ally merely because
he shares a wife with our emperor. My mole reports that he has turned
the entire White Castle into one massive Blood Reactor, where thousands
of prisoners are farmed for bloodstone by hundreds of magic users.
I have also recieved reports that the Wizard Labs of Bedlamb have
access to flawless bloodstone, heavyily implying that Haigen captured
and is farming first diggers!

Should he be allowed to continue bloodstone production at this
unprecedented rate, the Bloodlord will pose a dire threat to any digger
nation within a decade. From what is known of his ambition, we should
not trust him with such power. Should it come to war, the elf warriors
of your clan would be our emperors best hope against the bloodstone
wielding savages."

-Intel Report to Queen Vi-Highlen, Leader of the Bear Tribe and Commander of Pine-Eagle Watch

Smith Lord Aurora Wordfire, Refuge Queen of Silent Hammers, Empress Consort of the Southernfrost, and Queen Consort of Bedlamb and the Marble City

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Skills and Abilities:
-Although my social skills are rusty from isolation, I am highly respected as one of the few remaining first diggers.
-I am the greatest mortal metal-smith and furnace worker, without question. My skills in this area even surpass those of some gods.
-I have also mastered many other crafting skills, unrelated to the furnace.
-So long as my history is recorded in the language of the diggers, my soul and mind cannot truly be snuffed out (Granted by the World Weld)
-I can create mighty artifacts by inscribing the items I create with the great deeds of myself or the item's intended recipient (Granted by the World Weld)
-I am aware of the general location and activities of those who wield my artifacts, and I may exert light influence over their behavior (Granted by the World Weld)
-I can detect the great deeds of others nearby (Granted by the World Weld)

Artifacts and Minions:
The World Weld - Links my soul, the digger language, and the laws of reality itself. Allows me to easily create lesser artifacts.
The Face of Fate - Makes the wearer a mighty fighter and assassin. Wielded by Mril-Minda, who is currently helping her husband settle into his new role as leader of the assassin’s guild and suffering the middle stages of a rough pregancy.
The Song of Gunsmoke - Boosts the social skills of the wearer and luck of his/her offspring. Owned by Lord Kingscythe of Granite Towers, who is currently planning a feast for his king’s birthday.
Chalice of the Inferno Monarchs - Unknown Powers. Owned by Lady Nietharth Chance, who is currently struggling to cope with the recently awakened ambition and detachment from reality that runs in her bloodline.

Known Mortal Family:
(Husband - Absent) All-Lord Ukareem the Silver, Emperor of the Southernfrost
(Husband - Absent) Scholar-King Emscythe, Monarch of the Marble City and Secretary General of the Greatwalls Alliance
(Husband - Absent)  Bloodlord Haigen the Usurper, King of Bedlamb
(Mother-in-Law - Present) Trumil, the Slime Mold Hag

(Toddler Son) Prince Dremscythe, Heir to Silent Hammers and the Marble City
(Infant Daughter) Princess Aurora the Younger, Heir to the Southernfrost Empire

Refuge City of Silent Hammers

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Holdings:
Silent Hammers: A small city that provides 1 Wealth and 1 Food per month. Houses and defends up to 50 FU to military might. (32/50)
Dung Slopes Fungal Farm: A particularly fertile farm where up to 6 LU can work per month. Typically yields 1 Food per LU of labor.
Oddearth Cliffs Quarry: A mineral rich quarry where up to 8 LU can work per month. Typically yields 1 Stone per LU of labor. Typically yields 1 Limonite per 2 LU of Labor. Typically yields 1 Sulfur and 1 Wicked Salt per 4 LU of labor. Goblin workforce increases chance of positive random events. High chance of being targed by goblin raids. Costs 1 Wealth to maintain per month.
Axeltax at Tunnel's Mouth: A watchtower that Houses and defends up to 6 FU of military might. Yields 2 Wealth/month in collected taxes while at least 3 FU are stationed here. (3/6, Human Phalanx)
The Dark Fortress Oddearth Howl: A dark fortress that houses and defends up to 15 FU of military might. Can produce goblin slaves if you have access to goblin civilian housing and a skilled user of dark magic. Costs 1 Wealth to maintain per month.

Available Military Population:
14-3 Force Units of Human Phalanx (x1.2 Bonus to open field battle. Available for 97 more months, or until the Kingdom of Narm enters a state of civil war)
10 Force Units of Drugar Blood-Troopers (x3 Bonus to fighting diggers. x1.5 Bonus to putting down revolts)
5 Force Units of Dwarf/Drugar Militia (x1.3 Bonus to defending cities or fighting underground)
5 Force Units of Goblin Warslaves (x.75 Penalty to fighting in bright sunlight, does not need food to act)
3 Force Units of Charcoal Tribe Elf Rangers (x2 Bonus to fighting in the woods)
2 Force Units of Drugar Siege Operators (x4 Bonus to attacking cities, x1.5 Bonus to fighting megabeasts, x.25 Penalty in all other combat situations)

Civilian Population:
12 Labor Units of Assorted and Mixed Breed Diggers (2 LU to 5 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
13 Labor Units of Halfling Commoners (2 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
5 Labor Units of Goblin Slaves (2 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod, does not need food to act)
4 Labor Units of Highborn Dwarves (1 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
3 Labor Units of Highborn Drugar (1 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
3 Labor Units of Educated Drugar Acolytes (1 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
2 Labor Units of Human Commoners (2 LU to 7 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
1 Labor Unit of Hobgoblin Drivers (2 LU to 7 FU Conversion Rate before material mod, does not need food to act)

Basic Resources:
x18 Food (+1 Per Month) - Your people can and do feed themselves, but food from the royal grainy must be provided for people to put aside their own livelyhood and pursue your interests. Spending 1 food allows you to issue an order commanding up to 5 FU or LU. Converting LU to FU will also usually cost additional food. You can deploy trade convoys to try and convert other resources into food.

x63 Wealth (+3 Per Month) - A representation of the various coins and paper currency in your treasury. Used to buy other resources and favors, and is generally the most effective resource to use as a trade good.
+1 City
+2 Axeltax
+2 Tax on Thiefs Guild
-1 Oddearth Howl
-1 Quarry

Advanced Resources:
x52 Wood (The most basic construction resource. Artifacts made from wood tend to harness the power of nature)
x50 Living Wood (Construction resource sometimes used for advanced elfish builds. Artifacts made from living wood tend to harness the power of nature)
x33 Singing Wood (Construction resource sometimes used for advanced elfish builds. Artifacts made from singing wood tend to enhance the bearer's social skills)
x34 Bleeding Wood (Construction resource sometimes used for advanced elfish builds. Artifacts made from bleeding wood may transmute organic materials)
x20 'Forest Steel' Wood (Construction resource sometimes used for advanced elfish builds. Magical Military Resources with a 1.5 Material Mod. Artifacts of Forest Steel tend to have protective effects)
x20 Stone (A more sturdy and less flammable construction resource. Artifacts made from stone tend to harness the power of earth)
x31 Limonite (A more valuable form of stone that can be processed at a smelter to make iron. Artifacts made from Limonite tend to grant resistance to heat and/or skill in metallurgy)
x47 (+3 Per month for 97 months) Marble (A more valuable form of stone that can be combined with iron to make steel at a smelter. Artifacts made from Marble tend to harness the power of light)
x57 Brick (A common construction resource. Brick is already a finished good, and cannot be used as a component for most artifacts)
x8 Bronze (A military resource with a .80 Material Mod. Artifacts made from bronze tend to harness the power of fire)
x15 Iron (A military resource with no Material Mod. Artifacts made from iron tend to enhance the wearer's metalworking ability)
x4 Steel (A military resource with a 1.5 Material Mod. Artifacts made from steel tend to have protective effects)
x39 Plum Copper (A military resource with a .60 Material Mod. Surface Elves know how to process this into food. Artifacts made from plum copper affect one's metabolism)
x4 Bloodstone (A magical military resource with no material mod. Both common gear and artifacts made from Bloodstone are particularly deadly towards all the digger races)
x10 Soul Stone (A magical military resource with no material mod. Both common gear and artifacts made from Soul Stone are particularly deadly towards all the surface elf races)
x5 Mithiril (A magical military resource with a 1.7 material mod. When using this as a material for an artifact, choose two other component materials and boost their effect on the finished piece)
x1 Night Mithiril (A magical military resource with a 1.7 material mod. Artifacts made from Night Mithiril tend to aid in criminal activity)
x1 Deep Sapphire (A magical Military resource with a material mod of .5. Gear and artifacts made from Sapphire are great at drawing out the sorcerous power within one's blood)
x26 Sulfur (A magical resource used in the worship of wicked gods and construction of advanced siege weapons. Artifacts of sulfur are favored by wicked gods)
x15 Dire Pine-cones (A magical resource used in elfish religious ceremonies. Artifacts made from Dire Pine-cones tend to have explosive effects)
x16 Wicked Salts (A magical resource used by goblins, undead, and other beings powered by dark magic as a potent and addictive stimulant. Artifacts made from Wicked Salts vastly enhance the raw mental attributes of such beings)
x1 Ensouled Leather of the Sailor (A magical resource gifted to you by the skin cutter nymphs to help tame predator lake. Unknown effect if used outside its intended artifact purpose)
x1 Ensouled Leather of the Princess (A magical resource gifted to you by the skin cutter nymphs to help tame an unruly child. Unknown effect if used outside its intended artifact purpose)
x1 Ensouled Leather of the Champion (A magical resource gifted to you by the skin cutter nymphs as a means to defend yourself. Unknown effect if used outside its intended artifact purpose)

Known Allies and Enemies:
Bardhill County (Ally, Trade Partner) - The fertile and clay rich human territory that completely encompasses your land. The ruler, Count Chance, deeply respects the craftsdwarfshipp and military skill of the diggers. In exchange for resources and a loan of troops, you have agreed to aid him in an anticipated civil war against his fellow counts when the king dies.
The Opal Elves of the Trollish Wastes (Trade Partner) - A nomadic clan of wealth obsessed subdrow that roams the upper and midddle Trollish Wastes. Known for their skill as thieves, jewelers, herbalists, and merchants.
Southernfrost Empire (Ally) - The southernmost and mightiest of the northern dwarven civilizations. Southernfrost is rich in bronze and labor. The empire is ruled by your husband All-Lord Ukareem the Silver.
The Greatwalls Alliance (Ally, Trade Partner) - A loose confederacy of prosperous drugar city-states that pays tribute to your husband, Scholar-King Emscythe. Rich in copper, sulfur, and flux stone.
The Kingdom of Bedlamb (Ally) - Nation of drugar ruled by your husband Bloodlord Haigen the Usurper. Rich in iron, flux stone, and gems. Currently defending against invasion from an unknown drugar kingdom, and raids from an unknown dwarf kingdom.

The Beetle Queendoms (Enemy to All Diggers) - A drowish nation that sits between Silent Hammers and The Greatwalls Alliance. Traders can navigate around it, and they are currently too busy dealing with surface elf raiders to pose a threat.
The Pinewoods Tribes (Hostile) Small yet fierce surface elf civilizations that separate Silent Hammers from the Southernfrost Empire and the Kingdom of Bedlamb. They find the very ideas of commerce and industry to be deeply offensive, and slaughter trade convoys on site as a rule.

It is begining to become clear that, since you left isolation, you have been developing a case of wanderlust. Three ideas for trips bounce around the inside of your skull at this time: Another visit to Goldears (to visit Lady Chance, appraise the artifact you made her, and perhaps meet the merchant who controls an elf queen), a trip to Bedlamb (to meet and fall pregnant with your absentee husband) or another adventure into the trollish wastes (to meet local leaders and bribe them with Wicked Salts).

---

Deathlord Morgu the Massive is a being who truly lives up to his nickname. At 6'8 he is taller than most humans, and his stocky digger frame is well over 400 pounds of raw muscle. His pale drugar flesh is heavily tattooed with images of death and torment, and his bald head is inked up to resemble a skull. Despite your title and personal reputation, you can't help but find him a bit intimidating, but you manage to ask about his master's war and the possibilty of you visiting him or visa-versa nonetheless.

"The war goes well, if slowly." The Deathlord explains, "Our chief enemy is Hareemist the Pike Master, a first digger who has taken offense to the slaughter of his descendents, who were part of the old Bedlamb nobility, at the hands of the Bloodlord. His host was raised from the neighboring Drugar state of Abyss, which is not formally at war with us, but their queen is both Hareemist's puppet and grandaughter."

You are familiar with Hareemist, as you are with all other first diggers. The legendary champion of the polearm wades into battle with multiple artifacts (none of which were made by you), and effectively counts as 4-5 FU singlehandedly. In addition to his skill in combat, he is also a master tactician and general.

"If Hareemist were to enter our lands any time soon, we would be soundly thrashed." Morgu admits, "but luckily to reach us he must either march his army of drugar across the surface, likely starting fights with the local surface dwarves, or push through the Bloodfalls, where your husband and most of his might is located."

The Bloodfalls is another thing you happen to know about, this time from legend. It is a fortress built by elder hags long before the First Diggers, directly underneath the world's north pole. It is said to be the location where the banestones were first extracted from mortal blood, and is said to be impenetrable if commanded by a strong enough sorcerer or hag coven.

The large digger offers a sly grin, "We are extracting Bloodstone from the prisoners of our conquest of Bedlamb at a rate no digger nation has ever done so. In another five or six years we will have the might to annihilate Hareemist and conquore Abyss. Another few years after that, and no nation of diggers will be able to stand against the Blood Lord!"

"So Haigen is stuck holding the Bloodfalls for another six years? Do you think it would be possible to visit him?" You ask.

"Sure... It would be a hell of a trip, and a bit dangerous, but nothing undoable."

The Deathlord proposes three routes that you could travel to reach The Bloodfalls. The quickest and easiest way would be to travel a week and a half to the Infernal City, capital of the human Kingdom of Narm, and charter an air coach from the local elementalists guild to bring you to North Star Shrine, an elfish holy site right at the north pole. From the Shrine, it is a four day walk downhill through the tunnels to reach the Bloodfalls. There are, of course, serious drawbacks to hiring a coach; You wouldn't be able to bring a large number of people with you, so a military escort is not an option. There is also no human civilizations, and thus no elementalist guilds to hire coaches from, anywhere near the polar regions, so finding your way back home might be tough.

The remaining two routes are land routes, and thus require you to navigate the territory of the Pinewoods Tribes, always a sensitive issue. Too small an escort, and the elves might see you as a ripe target, but too large of one may be seen as provocation. Morgu recommends 4-10 FU, and no more than 5 LU accompany you through the woods.

Once you clear the woods, you would have to choose between traveling primarily above ground or underground. The Underground route would see you travel through the heart of the Southernfrost Empire, passing through several major cities (including Silver Heights, the imperial capital and home to Ukareem's court) to reach Pine-Eagle Watch, a massive elf stronghold of living trees and fungus built into a tunnel that marks the border between The Southernfrost and Bedlamb. From there you would follow trek through the subterranean rural expanse of Bedlamb for several months until you reach the Bloodfalls.

The above ground route would follow side roads out of the woods to the rocky coast. This route would bypass the major settlements of the Southernfrost Empire, but would take you through the territory of the Charcoal Tribe of Elves, the group from which your rangers and physician hail and the best Smiths in Southernfrost. Once you reach the coast you would follow it north passing several months and several digger nations, alternating between boat and foot depending upon location and weather conditions. About a week after you pass through the northernmost digger town, you will encounter the Bitfrost Tribe, a minor elf clan ruled by one of Haigen's Hag Ancestors. They would help you navigate the Northern tunnels of the world to reach The Bloodfalls.

Morgu guesses that the overland route would take about 5-6 months, while the underground route would take 4-5. Although quicker, the underground route is more dangerous; Although Rural Bedlamb is somewhat tamer than the Trollish Wastes, there is still a handful of dangerous primitive tribes, and the possibility of running into dwarven raiders from Raven Peaks. Either way you could make the trip shorter by forgoing an escort of your own, and hiring mounted mercenaries from Southernfrost to travel with you and a carriage to ride in.

---

You ponder the potential of a Trollish Wastes recruitment trip, which would require 16 LU if you wanted to bring all of your wicked salts. Your first stop would likely be the quarry at Oddearth Cliffs, where you would leave some of your salts to potentially expand the pits and offer as a bounty to mummy slayers. From there you would have to speak to some of the friendly local goblins at the pits to figure out where you would go next.

Visiting the Opal Elves, who as merchants might know where to find some non-aggressive tribes, would also be a viable plan. You could try and re-negotiate prince Neptune's deal with them while you are there.

If you are brave, you might visit the Eastvile Drone's hive. You suppose as a resident of the trollish wastes, he would know where to find goblins and trolls, and you could also finalize negotiations regarding the trident while you are there.

---

Another trip to Goldears would be trivial. You are sure Count Chance and his family will take good care of you. It might be prudent, however, to haul some wealth along, and bring some educated merchants to try and purchase more brick while you are there.

[Madman198237]

We, uh, probably need to do something about these digger wars, fast.

If the Bloodlord gets these nasty weapons prepared everything is going to go to pieces. Massacres are counterproductive.

[IronyOwl]

Massacres, yes. Conquest... is not ideal, but is arguably preferable to some other states. We do need unified diggers to stop the apocalypse, even if they get somewhat damaged in the process.


I'm somewhat inclined to set our things in order and then make the trip, but holy shit we have so much stuff to set in order. The Drone isn't going to be happy waiting over a year for his trident, Silent Hammers needs expanding, we're not well set up to harass the drow... on the other hand, we're always going to have things to do. Maybe we should just put some people in charge, assure the drone we'll get his artifact eventually, and take off.

[VoidSlayer]

So... not that I don't trust the blood draining hag-son sorcerer who wants to destroy the world in his own way... but maybe we should wait until he can see us instead of us walking into his lair?  Or at least go with a full entourage and guard.

[omada]

He can still only strike harder few times and ask for submission, no one will dare to do anything against an overwhelming force, it will not be needed a massacre. Although we married quite a villain, really got scared here.

Deal with raven peaks will solve the problem of two husbands, and as they're neighbors that idea of creating a trade route will be easier, we can import iron, make steel (be it from flux stone from our husband or marble from our human neighboor's quarry) stay with some (to improve our troops) and sell the rest for profit +wealth +steel for us and our husbands ( i promise i will stop trying to convince it now  )

Although i like to deal with things personally (more history and opportunities) we don't NEED to see personally a bunch of tribes, we should go to the arena-quarry where we can give our personal look of the arena, put a bit of wicked salt there and then redirect our convoy with educated drugars to the marked places and we go whatever else we need to go.