10th Hematite, 256
I know what we need - more coins. Coins are very useful. You can melt them down for metal, throw them at people to teach them how to dodge...
Outside, the goblin crossbowmen and bowmen are killing a giant monarch butterfly. Wasting their ammunition - good.
11th Hematite, 256
While guarding the exit of the Breakfastpit in case any goblins or trolls get past the water while it's reloading, Solon Tiristzim grows attached to a masterwork steel short sword. That sword was forged by VoiceBook Isoncog, and has been used by Justin and Zan the Sworder over the years to kill six zombies and one rhinoceros.
15th Hematite, 256
Nomal ordered a squad to be formed out of every dwarf who can handle a crossbow. They're stationed behind the fortifications to shoot at anyone who tries to traverse the Breakfast Pit. (Did I ever mention that Nomal worships Nomal? Not herself, hehehe, just a god by the same name. Interesting.)
Also, the giant monarch butterfly was
not killed by smashing. It was brought down with arrows in the wings and then stabbed to death. Now an giant monarch butterfly zombie is fighting the goblins, who have wandered away from the Breakfast Pit tunnels and back to the beach. I hope zombies can't fly.
Limul is sitting in the tavern and reminiscing about her short time as the chief medical dwarf last autumn. There's only one other person in there, the visiting human swordsman. Now she's reciting the Tulip and Directions, which is a poem intended to complain about anything and everything, past, present, and future.
Recite Poetry The performance is at the first line.
The Tulip and Directions is an example of The Sparkle of Poems. The work has no particular subject. The writing is clear evidence of a compassionate being. Overall, the poetry is not awful, but not very good either.
The Sparkle of Poems is a poetic narrative intended to complain about a chosen subject originally devised by the human Tekud Dragoncalls. The rules of the form are applied by poets to produce individual poems which can be recited. The poem is a single tercet. The Sparkle of Poems is always written from the perspective of the author. Use of metaphor is characteristic of the form. A form of parallelism is common throughout the poem, in that certain lines are required to maintain phrasing. Each line has ten syllables. The first line concerns the past. The second line concerns current events. It must make use of juxtaposition. The third line concerns the future. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABB.
Well, hopefully she'll feel better after spending time drinking and socializing in the tavern. Did you know that she changed her mind about sacrifice because of a bad smell? After retching on a miasma last year, she says she understands how valuable sacrifice is. Strange.
...wait. The human swordsman? Aren't we at war with the humans?
Hematite 16th, 256
The human swordswoman says she's come to ask questions and relax. Her name is Ketas Gujegobu, and she's seeking information about the location of the Slippery Pillar. She's been wandering the wilds for thirteen years, and she's been visiting settlements for five. The Slippery Pillar, she told me, is a legendary periclase ring, encircled with bands of skunk bone and adorned with an image of mountains in coyote bone. It was crafted by Deler Cloisterkisses in Fortuneclasps in 160, and offered to Onul Silvercontained, the baroness of Ropethrower, who lived in Scrapework. It was lost in Scrapework in 220 when Onul died of old age, and found there a decade later by Mebzuth Inkyscaled. Mebzuth offered it to Meng Matchedchanneled, who lived in Roughscorches. Roughscorches was looted by goblins in 231, and the human Nako Skinseduced stole the ring after killing Meng. Nako kept the ring, and three years later, she began wandering in the Swamps of Affection. She was killed there, two years later by the giant alligator Spysilence. Two years after that, in 238, the human wanderer Oku Maroonboat found her corpse and recovered the ring. Oku visited many settlements, and was in Snuggleswelters when the Savage Doom attacked in the midspring of 252. He was struck down by Lin Spattermasters the Released Hills, and it is there that the artifact became lost to known history.
17th Hematite, 256
I have been re-elected as mayor. Good. Also, Justin has grown attached to his storied bismuth bronze short sword.
The goblins, for some inexplicable reason, are trying to get into the fortress through the flooded memorial, not by simply jumping down into the pit, but by climbing
into the flood pipe and drowning. One has already died, and the rest are struggling to escape.
Limul is telling Ketas about when Noloc stopped being the militia commander last year.
19th Hematite, 256
The drowned goblin is now trying to kill the other trapped goblins. This is pretty funny.
Somebody punched its head into explosive oblivion, but not before the zombie attacked a pikegoblin. His head and neck are torn open, he has bruises over his arms and legs, and his right cheek is cut open. And on top of that, he's drowning.
27th Hematite, 256
We figured out that Endok wanted green glass, so Mistem made some for him. He grabbed it, along with some wool and cotton cloth, and added it to his workspace, where there were already many stones and gems: bituminous coal, magnetite, lignite, and rough peridots. He pushed a pile of crafts (two mudstone scepters and one mudstone figurine of Baroness Mistem raising a pick) to the side and began his work. Good, the speardwarf won't go insane from lack of green glass.
28th Hematite, 256
More goblins are stuck in the ocean pipe. Two more have drowned, and one is likely to drown soon.
Zon the bookkeeper is in a constant state of internal rage after seeing a zombie. I do not quite understand how this could happen, but I'm glad I don't need to talk to her much.
1st Malachite, 256
Lord Brassroast cried and yelled at me about how awful life was in Breakfastpit. I hope I helped him feel better.
Why is Stodir Kirmomuz, the son of the Exiled Kadol, playing in my office? His father's dead? I fear that I have created many orphans by exiling the ones.
Also, Ezum Nokimgerig says that she has changed after experiencing major trauma in 254. She strives for power over others, but also finds helping others emotionally rewarding. Interesting. I will continue to investigate how experiences change people. Perhaps this could even be a science of its own.
2nd Malachite, 256
THAT WAS A BAD IDEA. Noloc punched Thikut Romekavuz to death for vandalism and disorderly conduct. No more strong people in the fortress guard.
3rd Malachite, 256
Mistem banned exporting picks. I wasn't planning on doing that anyway.
4th Malachite, 256
Endok Inalzuntir, speardwarf and clerk, has created Shukarestil, a bituminous coal ring. He claims it as an heirloom in the name of the family ancestor Obok Blushrings.
The artifact is named Tallwhirl. It is decorated with sheep wool, adorned with hanging rings of peridot and green glass, and menaces with spikes of magnetite and cotton. On the item is an image of a durian tree in bituminous coal, and an image of a square cut gem in lignite.
He says that he was possessed, and so learned nothing from making the artifact, but I know that he likes bituminous coal, so I am somewhat suspicious. Also, maybe we could try burning it. Either it disintegrates, in which case we have learned how to destroy artifacts, or it doesn't, in which case we have an eternal fire. And it can probably even be put out with water! I will discuss this with Kogan. Perhaps she knows some relevant science.
I found her in the deep dining hall, discussing ancient lore of the dwarven kings. She seemed busy, so I'll ask her later. "Kivish Arrowcage, in the thirtieth year since recorded history began, became king of the Basic Gates during a time of strife. He ascended to the throne after the forgotten beast Bax Mirrordive the Hollow Thief destroyed the mountainhome of Cobaltmark and killed the previous king. He personally fought with vile horrors, goblins, and voracious cave crawlers, and for this reason he was crippled for most of his reign. He still won every foot race he entered, and took pride in this ability..."
5th Malachite, 256
Five drowned goblins.
6th Malachite, 256
A squad of goblins is in the trade depot entrance. They seem to have learned, however, as none of them are in the bridge pit.
7th Malachite, 256
The aforementioned squad of goblins is now going to the Breakfast Pit. Nomal ordered the Distractions of Lancing to guard the exit and the Pools of Trade to stand guard behind the fortifications again.
8th Malachite, 256
There are now seven corpses in the ocean pipe, and miasma is somehow coming up through the water. The goblins are not very happy.
11th Malachite, 256
The largest remaining group of goblins and trolls, 18 strong, is storming the Breakfast Pit corridor. Let them come. We are ready.
Where are the others? Five ranged goblins are standing outside the stone corridor and firing inside, so we've pulled all the herbalists in. Three are still in the ocean pipe, with ten corpses below them. There's still five or so unaccounted for.
My clothing system works! I have noticed that many dwarves are naked or partially naked. When I asked them why, they said that the fortress had no spare clothes. I ordered that clothes be made, but they were quickly snapped up and there were still naked dwarves. So I ordered that clothes be made
until ten of each kind were sitting unused in a stockpile, and the clothiers complained that they didn't have enough cloth for that. The weavers said that not only had they not been told to weave cloth whenever there was enough thread, there wasn't enough thread. So I ordered the farmers to process plants, the weavers to weave thread into cloth, and the clothiers to sew clothes until there were no naked dwarves and ten spare sets of clothing. It took a while, but it's finally working. No more naked dwarves. This should improve morale.
Malachite 14th, 256
The last goblins have finally made their way into the Breakfast Pit. It seems they find it difficult to navigate through the narrow corridors intersecting with mined-out veins.
I ordered the entrance bridge to be closed behind them. They will regret attacking us for the short time they have before their collision with the ground.
Malachite 15th, 256
The goblins and trolls make their way around the pit, edging along the damp, muddy stone ledge. Still I wait to pull the lever. They must all die.
Malachite 16th, 256
Two bowgoblins and a crossbowgoblin climbed out of the Breakfast Pit and attacked some troglodytes. They're now very injured, but they might still win. Regardless, in the end, I win.
Malachite 17th, 256
Libash Emethbesmar the marksdwarf shot at a goblin. It blocked his first shot with its shield, then instinctively dodged the next. It probably regretted dodging during its fall. I will count that as Libash's kill, even if Nomal says it's technically the floor's kill.
Dumed Mengritas and Ospram Asriipan are also shooting, although none of them have hit. Oh, and did I mention where I was? I'm behind the fortifications too! I'm a bit rusty, but I'm still an adequate marksdwarf from when I was a ranger back in the 190s.
I just made a goblin jump! He dodged forward and not into the pit, though.
And this time he blocked it with his shield. I have improved my crossbow skills, though. That was satisfying. I would describe myself as a competent marksdwarf.
18th Malachite, 256
Ospram got the first actual hit in with his iron bolt. It hit an axegoblin in the leg, and I think it penetrated through its metal leggings.
Another goblin jumped.
19th Malachite, 256
The goblins are starting to retreat. I think they see what a bad position they are in now. They will not get to rectify their mistake.
Pull
all the flood levers.(Except for the lower eastern one, since they haven't reached it yet.)
20th Malachite, 256
The flow is not particularly impressive when three floods happen at once. Close the top two, I guess.
21st Malachite, 256
Argh! Why won't the Breakfast Pit Flooding Mechanisms work properly! It's only washed off a few goblins, and many still remain.
It doesn't matter. They're trapped.
Some migrants arrived, despite the danger. We opened the gates - not just to let them in, but also because the siege is broken.
23rd Hematite, 256
The forgotten beast Ditari Epipeereni Enira Oci has come! A towering quadruped composed of grime and filth. It has wings and it squirms and fidgets. Beware its deadly spittle!
It showed up in the second cavern. Yes, that's the one that the Breakfast Pit opens onto. I'm concerned, but the military is already deployed by the Breakfast Pit, so I think we might be okay.
24th Malachite, 256
The first thing it did was attack and kill the bloated crocodile. Gozru Kungakon, we will miss you, because you were safely secured in the second cavern and would kill anything that survived the Breakfast Pit. (I think he actually did kill a troll once.)
Ditari is significantly injured. Its head and lower body look broken and smashed. Perhaps this will be easy.
28th Malachite, 256
That
was easy. It flew up the shaft and somebody shot at its wing. The wing broke and the beast fell to its death.
1st Galena, 256
A well-timed lever pull, and the last goblin fell to its death. Now there is just one troll. It walked through the stone-fall traps and is bleeding to death.
Now it is gone, and the siege is truly broken, without a single casualty on our side. Bravo, marksdwarves! Bravo, engineers! And thanks as well to the guards who provided a last line of defense if the marksdwarves and engineers failed.
2nd Galena, 256
The forgotten beast Aril Nenpe Tacnu has come! An enormous blob composed of grime and filth. It has a broad shell and it has a gaunt appearance. Beware its webs!
...yeah, I'm just going to leave that there in the first cavern and hope it doesn't enter through the Breakfast Pit.
Limul just punched Thikut Rulmeng very hard in the head. Lokum Tunmorul the woodcrafter and swordsdwarf brought her to the hospital, where Noloc diagnosed her as "wait, never mind, she's dead." Killermartian sentenced Limul to a beating and 26 days in prison (isn't that rather short for killing someone?). Her neck is torn open and she's bruised in a dozen places. She tried to start another fist-fight.
3rd Galena, 256
Killermartian, instead of hauling her directly to jail, brought her to the hospital first. She has been evaluated by Noloc, who says that in addition to an existing infection in her right wrist, her neck needs cleaning, and her neck and knees all need sutures and dressing.
4th Galena, 256
We are running so low on doctors that I decided to let Akko out. Surprisingly, she didn't kill us all. Instead, she put on some clothes, got a drink, then got to work suturing and dressing wounds alongside Tekkud Nishothsin the surgeon.
I will, of course, lock her back in before the full moon comes. But I've been thinking. Why don't we do this all the time? She's a dwarf just like any other, except that she goes homicidally insane once a month and gets incredibly freakish strength... what I mean is that she doesn't deserve to be locked in a hospital room for the rest of time. As long as we're careful, she can spend maybe the first half of every moon-month outside her cell.
((Note: if you're doing this, KNOW THE
TRANSFORMATION DATES.))
8th Galena, 256
Now that Limul has been treated, Killermartian is bringing her to jail. Coincidentally, she was actually lying right next to the corpse of the dwarf she murdered, and they were both brought out of the hospital at the same time. Maybe that'll make Limul feel remorse?
10th Galena, 256
Limul asked to meet with me. She said she felt unbearably guilty, and she cried.
11th Galena, 256
Nil Lolokduthal. I thank you for being willing to haul a corpse to its coffin. But did you
have to slowly drag it past the entire fortress? Couldn't you have taken a side route?
14th Galena, 256
Kosoth the planter keeps starting fistfights and injuring people. Hopefully Killermartian will deal with this.
Killermartian punched him in the right hand, the left leg, bit him in the right foot, punched him in the right arm
while still biting his foot. He then beat him up, tearing his elbow at one point, and finished by kicking him in the foot so hard that it broke bones and twisted the ankle.
At that point, Kosoth fell over and lost consciousness.
I... I guess that works?
Killermartian then brought Kosoth to the hospital. I can't tell if he's going too far or using an appropriate level of force.
15th Galena, 256
Noloc diagnosed and cleaned Kosoth, and then Auze did surgery on his foot. I didn't know Auze could do surgery.
I later asked Auze where he learned how to be a surgeon. He shrugged and said, "right there, I guess." That was his first time
ever doing surgery?! I know he's confident, but I've seen him engraving. He doesn't pay any attention to what he's doing. I'm surprised Kosoth got to keep the foot!
17 Galena, 256
Akko knocked on the wall today. That wouldn't be so surprising, since today was the full moon, but the wall of which I speak is the wall blocking off the first cavern. She says she killed the forgotten beast.
When I asked why she was in the caverns during the full moon, she explained that she had forgotten the full moon until the evening. She was too far from the hospital to get there and wall herself in, so she found the nearest constructed wall, which was the cavern wall. She went through and built it after her, and spent the rest of the evening looking for plump helmets to eat. When the full moon came, she says, she must have ran around looking for prey. What she found was the shelled filth-blob. When she came to, her mouth was on the crushed shell of the very dead blob. She was uninjured, which was very surprising, given how much of her blood there was around her, but she realized that werebeasts healed all injuries when they transformed.
Well. Akko is a talented fighter and competent wrestler. She might do quite well as a werebeast combatant. Perhaps we'll throw her at all the weak forgotten beasts.
19th Galena, 256
Yarf finally made those coins I asked for. Here's last year's coins:
"This is a stack of 500 Ensebinod 255 gold coins. This is the gold currency of Ensebinod from the year 255. On the front of the coin is a superiorly designed image of four-pointed stars. On the coin's back is a masterfully designed image of Iton Orbtramples the dwarf and dwarves. Iton Orbtramples is surrounded by the dwarves. The artwork relates to the ascension of the dwarf Iton Orbtramples to the position of baron of the Basic Gates in 8."
And here's this year's coins:
"This is a stack of 500 Ensebinod 256 copper coins. This is the copper currency of Ensebinod from the year 256. On the front of the coin is an exceptionally designed image of Ingiz Cloisterbristled the goblin and dwarves. Ingiz Cloisterbristled is surrounded by the dwarves. The artwork relates to the appointment of the goblin Ingiz Cloisterbristled to the position of general of the Basic Gates in 55. On the coin's back is a rendition of the Oily Bastion, a well-designed image of a dwarf. The image is the symbol of the Basic Gates, a dwarven civilization."
The first batch of coins was made out of copper, but the next thousand will be made out of billon. We have a lot of billon. I do not know why.
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Topic: Breakfastpit - A Succession Farm - 44.12 (Read 68623 times)