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[Naturegirl1999]

Animal lore

[Detoxicated]

Animals Lore

[Glass]

Earthcraft!

[Murphy]

Apologies for the long absence, life tends to find a way to mess things up. Updates might still be scarce until January.
Also, the tie hasn't been broken so I guess the goblin has two powers.

Since the spring, the humans had been busy cutting down trees for firewood, and in their place, established a quarry that would supply building material for a future keep. During the marginally warmer summer season, two partial sections of a wall had been erected around their growing camp, and a few new arrivals joined their venture.

Still, one raid after another was draining their resources, and the Ratlings would never be caught. Long before the summer ended, it was clear the settlement was doomed. The humans chose to cut their losses and move out before winter'd make this place into their tomb. Most escaped, though one ended up captured by the lamia of the forest. The night creature began rearing her young and nursing her own plans of domination.

The Ratlings, of course, wasted no time in taking over the unbuilt castle. Now their numbers were about to skyrocket.

Down below, Ngerxung scoured the caves; she remembered them from the time Tursong still stood, and though humans had made many additions, she was still able to navigate the older tunnels by memory alone. Throughout the summer, she looted the ruins with meticulous persistence, building up a lair and scrounging up useful stuff. Then she used her power over the earth, pulling magma up from the depths as she shaped the place into a forge.

Spoiler: Map by fall 83 (click to show/hide)

[mightymushroom]

Ooh, finally some magma.

[Murphy]

Bitter struggle for resources permeated the rest of the year 83. The stone giants awakened more of their kin from the thick of the earth, determined to find the source of noise and tremor dusturbing their age-old rest. They ventured down the old tunnels, coming up into the city of Ineth Nil. How dared these puny creatures disturb the Giants' slumber?

The Giant chieftain understood metalsmithing, but this city was unlike anything he'd seen before, filled with bronze statues, elaborate foundries and powerful machinery. Still this did not deter him from barging in to face the few Theliiri inhabiting it. He demanded tribute as punishment for disturbing him and his people, and there was not much choice but agree. But the elves also showed that the machines in the city were dormant. "We did not build them, o Giant. Surely your noble people understand that what few we could reactivate cannot all be the source of the noise?"

The other Giants seemed confused at first, but their chieftain quelled them at once. "So be it, meeklings", he rumbled. "We shall not harm you now, but if I know you had lied to me..." And thus bloodshed had been averted, for now. It would only be a matter of time, though, before the Giants would get to the bottom of things at Idodur.

***

Above, many Ratlings fell victim to the spider in its webbed cave, but otherwise they did well, exploring the old halls of Asteshdatan and picking them clean of anything valuable.

The other Ratling group expanded into the basilisk lair, which resulted in additional high-quality decor. The beast was slain by the warrior named Cyr, an old rat who joined the scout parties for his experience. A season before, he was the one who cautioned his kin from going into a particular cave, claiming he sensed severe taint. They still did, and brought the plague upon the tribe. Although Ratling resilience prevented them from being wiped out, they still lost many, and from now on Cyr's warnings were always heeded. Cyr himself went blind from the plague, but in a fit of irony, this would save him today.

***

The underground landscape was devoid of large predators suitable for Ngerxung's employ, so she made an unorthodox choice and beckoned a pack of corpse fiends to settle in the caves. Those were not undead but rather supernatural creatures fond of eating old bones (some say they fed more on residual life force than flesh itself, and that remains from violent deaths were preferable). Ngerxung broke new tunnels into nearby tombs so she could use the bones to feed her savage underlings, and more corpse fiends would soon arise from this feast. They would make fine minions.

In the meantime, the dwarven civilization prepared to make its next major move.

Spoiler: Map by 84 (click to show/hide)

I'm going to give a try at continuing. Still several Ages to go here.

[Naturegirl1999]

Good. This is fun, if there is something I can do to help, tell me

[King Zultan]

Glad to see this come back.

[Sanctume]

Post to catch up after work tonight.  Go Rats!

[TankKit]

Huzzah! It has returned!

[Glass]

Wonderful, the world lives on!

[helmacon]

Very excited this is alive again.

[Murphy]

Hey. Thanks for the encouragement, everyone! Let's play to find out what happens.

Ngerxung spread the tendrils of her influence further around the dungeon. Laying claim to three major tombs in order to feed her growing pack, she walked the howling halls of Asteshdatan until a Ratling lair was in sight. She took over the tribe using her animal lore and now had a considerable force under her command, and plenty of resources. She could even build a city-state of her own to rival the dwarves. But she had something else in mind.

***

It was the most eventful year in Aril's life, moreso than his childhood memory of Summer's End. Barely coming of age, he was already a journeyman in the guild: skilled hands were in high demand in the foundries. And, by the Creator, was he busy.

Today, in the absence of his master, gunsmith Zaneg, he was entrusted with quality inspection. Musket steel had to be the finest as even a minor flaw could lead to the barrel deforming or exploding in the shooter's face—precisely what his father said had happened to three of the humans' guns at the Galkagaval Shootout. Then again, everyone knew Aril's father for his exaggerations and his disdain for humans.

Aril was distracted from his thoughts by a commotion outside; a messenger from the Theliiri, by the piece of conversation he overheard. Oh well. His father didn't like those either.

***

Scant hours later, the council was assembled, representatives of influential families in the dwarven realm. As the messenger relayed his story, many of them frowned with disbelief. Stone giants, right at their doorstep! They didn't believe anyone could threaten the dwarves. But the council head, esteemed Rith of the Three Founders, knew better.

"You think we are invincible just because we defeated some humans this spring? Most of you are too young to remember the Goblin War, let alone the Ronenog! Here's my order: recall the three squads that are abroad. Establish watchposts over the fields. And double the guard in the armory. I'll bet my sideburns they'll be digging into us near there."

The councildwarves were grumbling, but none of them dared oppose the last of the First. Three squads, who had been busy clearing the bloodthorns from the western tunnels, were reassigned back to the city, though they brought disturbing news of corpse fiends taking lair in the old burial chambers. After some deliberation, an envoy was selected to treat with the Giants in Ineth Nil.

Spoiler: Map by summer 84 (click to show/hide)

Summer's first day was marked by the Giant chieftain's roar.
"I will not be fooled!"
The envoy, Melbil, staggered back, half-stunned. "But... the winter, it left large swathes of unclaimed land, we don't have to fight."
"We want no land, dwarf. We. WANT. SILENCE!"

***

Ngerxung woke up. This was not her usual insomnia; no, her keen Goblin ear had heard something. Something was happening in her dungeon, and she was not part of it. With a curse, she clambered to her feet and went to inspect the materials she'd gathered for her new Earth shrine. There was just too much to do rather than waste time sleeping.

[Murphy]

Ngerxung's shrine to Earth was not a place of worship, but one of concentrated power. From here, the Goblin mystic could sense things and events far through the rock itself, and she could work on new projects. Here, she spent the next few days fashioning a new servant, an earth golem. It would assist her in further construction projects where Ratlings weren't of much use.

Speaking of Ratlings, she had sent half of the tribe back to the surface where they were supposed to keep watch, as whatever was happening above the earth was opaque to her stone sense. The other half had been ordered to clear out some land to the east, but they failed, their efforts rebuffed by the Antling outpost that still laid claim to those tunnels. She also took note of the spider, a prime specimen; it would make a fine addition to her menagerie of dangerous beasts.

So, next thing on her queue was to clear a room near her base, to house the spider. With the golem's help, it was easy, and then she undertook a trip to the east to bring the spider into its new dwelling.

***

Once again, things in the dungeon were all primed for major conflict. Cyr's people were anxious; the build-up of Ngerxung's new realm had not escaped their notice, nor did her enslavement of their rival tribe. But what could they do?

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

This is a possible turning point for the remaining free Ratlings. Make a choice:

• Pledge service to Ngerxung. She will take them, but they'll be cannon fodder.
• Ask the dwarves for help. This means helping the Dwarves fight their enemies too.
• Seek refuge in the east. There is still gold in the caves, but they'll be on their own.

[Superdorf]

Ask the dwarves for help!