The Eternal Fortification are a curious civilization, now a small group of dwarves led by a goblin queen, yet they carry a great weight of historical fact in their records and tales.
Their sole remaining stead is the mead hall The Poetic Roars , found at the dark pits known as Pinesmenace. Not an ideal location for a nomadic band of dwarves and goblins - since the year 756 The Eternal Fortification have been at war with The Great Channels, who have attacked them multiple times without real provocation, and thus the poor dwarves are constantly forced to flee.
As is so often the case in these lands of the undead, this enemy civ The Great Channels is led by a dwarven necromancer - a certain Kadol Brushedboulders (who you might recall from a previous entry of mine is quite the foe).
There has been talk of sending an expedition to new lands. But who would lead the dwarves? Perhaps this new face, Delphonso, that everyone has been talking about. . .
=== The Abbreviated History of the Many and Varied Governing Entities of The Eternal Fortification ===
Ever since the gods laid down the rolling hills and stinking swamps, Eleven different Kings and Queens have ruled these dwarves. What follows are short descriptions of their lives, their triumphs, their idiosyncrasies, and finally, their deaths - excluding Kib, the current Queen, and immortal goblin.
Kib Ringwilt [639 - ] : Goblin Queen of The Eternal Fortification since 711. Kib's mother is Olin Violentpaint [246 - ], the "Holy Growl" of The Cult of Fury since 708. The Cult of Fury is an elf religion that ... wait for it ... worships a dwarf deity, Raz the Roasted (of fortress and war).
Kib has two children and, unless tragedy strikes, will likely rule The Eternal Fortification until the end of time.
Likot Fordedwhips [641 - 710] : Third Dwarven Queen. Her father was a werebeast, while her mother smelled of elderberries. Likot became queen in 697 by pure lottery.
She was killed in 710 by Woge Planehail, a normal human corrupted by the lies of Aco Startspeech the necromancer. Woge attacked alone, and by all accounts this looked like an assassination.
Coni Flashknighted [449 - 696] : The Zombie King. Originally dying of old age in 569, Coni was brought back to life by Stukos Scourwound in 572. Coni went on obey Stukos and corrupt, connive, and maneuver until the coup against Id was made possible.
Coni ruled from 651 to 696, when he was killed in unknown circumstances.
Id Toolstopped [543 - ] : The Goblin King. Id's father served as baron under Etur, but it was by chance that Id gained the new role of King at the young age of 32. Id was later removed in 651 by an untimely coup. One of Id's children went on to suffer as a cursed werebeast.
Etur Basisink [406 - 575] : Second Dwarven Queen. Daughter of Urdim. During the reign of her father, in 421, The Eternal Fortification were forced to flee their home after being attacked by The Buff Glens, a nearby necro civ. This begins the period of general homelessness and migratory habits of this unfortunate civ.
Etur ruled until her death of old age in 575. At one point in her life, she looted a copper mace named The Contested Assaults from a tower, and used it as a political gift. Etur left no offspring.
Urdim Bridgeguarded [ 317 - 479] : Third Dwarven King. Urdim's Father was baron, and after Feb died with no heir, Urdim was selected by lottery to take the title. Urdim was... weird. He was lovers with a creature known only as "Epxa's Mistake" for three years. Later, Urdim fell in love with a necromancer, and then later a werebeast. Very, very kinky this guy - "the pervert king" Anyways Urdim lived until 479 when he died of old age - leaving 7 (Seven! Count 'Em!) children. including Erith, a "S ithrainin's soldier" . . . do NOT ask why two dwarves gave birth to this demon baby I have no idea Urdim is probably best left out of the history books honestly.
Feb Vigorgalleys [ 183 - 335] : Second Dwarven King. Feb was born during the rule of Besmar, but no record of his early existence can be found. After the dwarves kicked out Epo the necro, Feb was selected to take the throne by lottery.
Feb ruled until his death in 335, of old age. MOST CURIOUSLY, he was married to Ilral Bronzedelight the Vampire in 303 but apparently never suffered ill effects from this partnership. They later divorced peacefully. Ilral was later... burned alive for being a vampire. God damn DF is harsh.
Epo Gorgecrewed [90 - 560] : Epo, The Second Necromancer. Early in his life, Epo made cheese. In 125, he became Lord of The Strategic Band, a long-dead civ of humans. In 143, he fell in love with an Eye of Night named Dilol Flungate, and perhaps it was through this relationship Epo learned of the death gods. In particular, the human god Zapas, ruler of Death and Games. Life . . and death . . is but a game.
Epo became apprentice to Ustuth Growlchanneled, a dwarf necromancer, and in year 160 learned the secrets of life and death. Epo spent the next decade passing on his teachings, spreading the good word of Zapas. I guess.
A lot happened to Epo during the next 100 years: he became a tavern keeper, joined a performance troupe, and laid the groudwork for a huge number of conspiratorial power grabs. It was only a matter of time before one of his schemes came to fruition... unfortunately for Besmar it was the coup against her throne.
Strangely enough, no one suspected Epo was a necro until year 300. Unlike Besmar, Epo was unable to suppress this talk with two centuries of autocratic rule, and so Epo was booted out from the throne that same year.
Epo went on to harass nearby civs in a very petty manner until year 560 when he stupidly fought Lorbam Noblesquashed the Dented Slaughter of Daggers, a bronze colossus . . . just read Lorbam's name again to find out what happened to the ex-king Epo. "Nobelsquashed" SUCH A GOOD NAME.
Besmar Axelimb the Absolute Blames [-56 - ] : The Undead Queen. Not much is known about Besmar's earliest days, but in year 21 she became broker of The Eternal Fortification. Two years later she succumbed to temptation and sought to extend her life by any means.
In 34, after 11 years of searching, she came upon the rites of prayer to Mondul the Oblivion of Dying, the Dwarven God of Death. After blood sacrifice and days of chanting, a slab "Fateurn the Dusts of Burying" was thrust up from the ground like a tombstone in front of the stunned Besmar.
Besmar attempted to corrupt her lover, Minkot Throwstandard (who was, at that time, Mayor of The Eternal Fortification), but failed. They later broke up.
Another decade passed. In year 48, Besmar married Tholtig Dikesword, and a year later successfully corrupted him into the plot to overthrow Rakust the Second King.
For the next 15 or so years Besmar and Tholtig attempted to corrupt further actors, and most of these attempts failed, but in 73 Besmar found the perfect target in Kel Mirrorattic [16 - 171] Countess of The Eternal Fortification. Kel was isolated, and easily threatened into submission and compliance with the conspiracy.
Two years later the coup occurred - Kel distracted Rakust while Besmar and Tholtig surrounded the keep with trusted axedwarves. The rest is history... at least for Rakust. Besmar immediately installed herself as Queen, and Kel was allowed to keep her position as Countess until her natural death.
As for Besmar, life continued rather peacefully until 89 when Tholtig split from her. A few years later suspicion started to rise as she no longer appeared to age, and in response Besmar enacted a series of oppressive edicts. These edicts, which ranged from laws about appropriate beard length, anvil weight compliances, and other such odd overregulations served to keep the dwarves too busy to rise up and overthrow her obviously stolen throne.
She would continue to update and enact these laws for the next 180 years until her removal from power. 180 years of... Besmar's Iron Fist.
Many strange occurrences might be noted for Besmar's reign was lengthy, but there is not enough time to record it all here. In year 271, in an ironic twist of fate, Besmar was deposed by Epo Gorgecrewed, another necromancer, with the assistance of a number of the original baron and baroness lineages present from the earliest days of The Eternal Fortification. Justice served... except for the whole 'necromancer king' part.
Besmar was imprisoned but quickly escaped, and still lives to this day, lurking on the outskirts of Civilization and occasionally assaulting hapless villagers. A strange sight indeed, this former queen from centuries past, roaming alone through jungle and mountain....
She was last sighted at Slingclenches.
Rakust Summitlance [-77 - 89] : The Second King. Ruled from year 9 until 75, when a coup by the necromancer Besmar Axelimb the Absolute Blames toppled the government. Rakust survived this but was imprisoned, and assumable left to rot until his death in 89. Rakust was later resurrected in 168 but nothing much came of this. Rakust had multiple children, including Stinthad Gildringed, who later became baroness of The Eternal Fortification despite her fathers deposition and betrayal.
Many bridges were constructed during the reign of Rakust.
Likot Tongssoared [-56 - 8] : The First King of The Eternal Fortification, though he only ruled 7 years before being killed by Nguslu Minedecho the Sinful Shadow the forgotten beast (spheres are caverns and torture) in what was termed the Destruction of Fortressblush, the first mountainhome of The Eternal Fortification. Many, many dwarves died during this event, and so, Nguslu's rampage changed the course of history. While Likot had three children, all died during the same battle, and so the first royal lineage came to a rest.
===
I'm beginning to suspect Kadol Brushedboulders of being the BBEG of this world. with her many conspiracies touching damn near every dwarven civ. And many others.
Also, Besmar the ex-queen still lurks, waiting to attack one of our fortresses. As well as Nguslu, killer of the first king, Lorbam the bronze colossus, and various other noted entities might be encountered by one of us players.
I really, really wish we had adventure mode!!!
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Topic: The Universes of Destiny - succession world (Read 7189 times)