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[Heavy Flak]

it looks like we lost a bit of content, the first post is cut off at "They"

Daaaamn.  Good eye.  Thanks to the magic of Google Cache, the problem has been fixed.  If anyone comes across more cockups like that, let me know. 

[Vactor]

Daaaamn.  Good eye.  Thanks to the magic of Google Cache, the problem has been fixed.  If anyone comes across more cockups like that, let me know. 

OK.. i did a brief run through and here's the reply's that seem to be cut off(the ones i'm unsure if its actually cut off or not have ? with them:

HF:
16, 20, 80?, 135, 136(italics), 274, 383, 398, 400(johnny's artifact name), 467?, 667?

Electrum:
243, 265, 332

Jools:
790

Makrond:
892

**I didn't check any of the spoiler boxes btw**

[Heavy Flak]

I'll check the spoiler boxes during some down time at work.  I managed to correct all the ones you listed - seems to be some sort of bug involving accented characters... I think. 

Anyone else want to fix theirs, feel free to go on in.  Shame Electrum probably won't, he seems to be a ghost on this forum for the past couple months.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 19^th of Limestone, 1066
Part 1

Rolland and his crew were pounding through the barracks, throwing their training weapons onto the floor and snagging full-edged blades, steel hammers, and steel bolts from the weapons racks.  There was a ripple of excitement going through the group, the air actually crackling with suppressed energies.  The caravan workers had riled up the fortress proper with their talks of giant ogre-goblin half-breeds, of massive weapons and hull-thick armor. 

Rolland had been the voice of reason as he stood in the barracks in his lazy stance, thumbs hooked through the weighted down belt strung through his quiver.  "Ignore their size," He shouted to the group at large, "What are they?  Larger targets.  So their armor could substitute for a ships hull, there are always chinks in it.  Aim for the face, aim for the knees.  You don't kill with your weapons, you kill with your hearts.  Remember that.  Get prepared, we're marching east to cut off their reinforcements.  Move out!"

As they left, Maggarg was the only one laughing, running his mouth about how he planned to decorate his entire room in the skin of half-breeds.  Adol looked disgusted, sighing loudly as he tromped out of the room.  As Zako and Sparrow made their way towards the door, Rolland held out a hand, and shook his head. 

"Not you, Master Mergedhame.  You've just recovered."
"Sir," Zako blustered, snapping to attention in his battle armor.  "I'm perfectly fine."
"No," Rolland said morosely, "You're a liability.  You still need more training.  The others are far more advanced, and need to concentrate fully on the enemy at hand.  Stay and protect the civilians.  Do your duty here.  You'll be ready soon enough."

***

Sulari, Snake, Major Merkil, Varen, and Sergeant Towersacks stormed up the stairs, their steel clad boots clanging like a smiths forge over the steps.  Sprinting as fast as their little legs could carry them, the three groups of soldiers rushed towards the southern gate.  Sulari, falling behind to count and prepare, blinked behind the slats of her helmet and nearly clotheslined Zako as he tried to speed past.

"Where are you going, recruit?"
"Out to the battlefield!" He said defiantly. 
"No-o-o-o... no, not at all," she said, tinting a little red bed the mask.  "Zako, stay here.  This is... this is really serious.  We can't have green soldiers on the field.  I'm sorry, I know you want to help... but no.  Stay behind.  Protect the workers.  That's as important a job as slogging through the blood of these green skinned abominations."

Zako looked on, forelorn, as Sulari adjusted the grip on her axe and sprinted on, bringing up the tail end of the her marching squads.  Sighing, Zako slowly stripped the steel plated gloves from his hands and dropped them to the stones at his feet.  Hanging his head, he towards the stairs, and down to the shops proper, to see to the safety of the denizens.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 19^th of Limestone, 1066
Part 2

The red mist overtook her.
Rivers run reeedddddd
The wooden haft of Sulari's axe, creaked as she tighened her grip, splintering slightly around her fingers.  The half breeds marched towards them, their faces hideous masks of derision.  Sulari's, behind her full-helm, was a mask of rage.

She collided with the head of the marching spear in an explosion of armor and gore.  Her axe sang through the air, and cleaved down, from left shoulder to right thigh, hewing the first of the laughing mutants in twain.  It fell to the ground writhing, his intestines spilling out in great ropey strands.  His screaming misery was put out by Varen's spear through the mouth, and the dwarf shook his blade off, disgusted.

In that instant, the half-breeds paused.  They had torn through caravans on their way to the fort, destroyed or sent scrambling an entire town.  And what did they have now.  A laughing, gore-spattered horror stalking towards them, her axe on high.  And behind her, six other, equally hardened demons.  Readying their weapons, the half breed commander barked an order in their harsh tongue, and charged.

***

"FIRE!" Sparrow yelled, a superfluous command to their commander in charge.  Rolland's bolts were flying three times as fast as his charges, the steel tips finding their mark in elbow joints, in the sides between breast and back plate, and in two occasions, in the throat of quickly-dead half-breeds.  Maggarg and Adol waded out into the field, and though both took a battering, the pair held the goblins off while Rolland and Sparrow picked them off, one by one. 

"BOLTSLINNNGAH!"

Glancing over, Sparrow saw Rolland tense up, noticeably.  The dwarf turned towards the shout, his gaunt face hardening like stone as he saw, admist the towering frames of the mutants, a small goblin dancing from foot to foot.

A small goblin in a black cloak, and a tall, black stove-pipe pipe.

"OLNGO!  OLNGO MATONGOM!" Rolland bellowed.  His fingers worked deftly, loading up the chamber of his repeating crossbow.  "You dare show your face here?  You fool."

"Me?  A fool?"  The goblin said, and barked out a laugh.  His face spread into a wide smile, seeming to go from ear to ear.  Even hidden from the harsh sun by the brim of his hat, the goblin's eyes twinkled with foul humor.  ""  To accent his words, the goblin clapped his hands together and spread them in a wide arc, a trail of fire expanding outwards before quickly dissapating.  "I thought you would have given up your idiot search long ago, but... you've always been a stubborn one, haven't you, Boltslinger?"

Rolland's response was to wind his crossbow, ignoring the fighting around him.  Adol, catching a quick respite, was able to shatter a half-breed's kneecap.  The downed monster was dropped fully by Maggarg and his heavy, dented sword.

"Your ego is too great... I can see it in your face, you think I'm here for you, don't you?  Of course not!  Your tale of revenge is so dull... so uninspired.  Do you think you're the only one who's life I've touched?  There are hundreds like you... and none of them see a point in following some endless chase.  I've been summoned here - this is a vacation for me, this is a just playtime!  After I've left, what will you do?  You're going to die in these wastes, that's what, your dreams left unfulfilled!  You're the fool, Boltslinger!  You're the foo-urk!"

The goblin stopped mid hop, looking down at the new bolt growing from his shoulder.  Screeching in rage, he gave a hard flap of his cloak and spun in a tight circle, the resulting explosion vaporizing the face off one of the corpses near where he stood.  Rolland stepped backwards under the pretense of reloading, and Sparrow was much too tactful - and busy - to comment that his crossbow was already nearly-fully loaded.

***

Sulari and her group met with Rolland's on the road.  Sulari looked like an absolute horror, covered from head to toe in strips of meat, in cascading blood, in dents and knicks from weapons.  The others with her fared much better, but they were all tired, Merkil especially.  He drug his hammer in the sand behind him, the heavy artifact digging a deep gouge in the red. 

"Any damage?"  She asked wearily.
"I sprained m' damned wrist," Complained Maggarg.  "Idiot beasts wit'their 'ard skulls."
"Perhaps you're related to them," Adol quipped dryly. 
"We're uninjured as well, but... there were a lot of them."
"They were uncoordinated," Snake said, dabbing at his forehead with his sleeve.  "They usually aren't.  This was a test of our defenses."

"This was a test, indeed," Rolland said quietly.  "They brought along their wizard... he's gone back to report on what he saw... This bodes ill."
"Then we need to bolster our de-"  Sulari nearly jumped as a scream came from the fortress, echoing through the desert.  The Dwarves whirled, and as one headed towards the gates as fast as they could.

[Vactor]

**WHISTLES INNOCENTLY**

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 19^th of Limestone, 1066
Part 2

Sulking, Zako walked through the shops, looking at the trinkets on sale.  With the clerks distracted, an idle thought flitted through Zako's mind.  I could rob them all blind he thought, and then looked ashamed, glancing around behind him.  That wasn't him, that's not something he'd do.  It must have been the anger talking, the feelings of inadequacy from being left behind while the "Big Dwarves" went out to play war. 

Heavy footfalls drew his attention, and peeking out the door, Zako saw a shirtless Stravitch stumbling towards the maintanence tunnels, drunk as could be.  Knitting his brow, he tugged the visor on his helmet down and followed after the Captain of the Guard.  His frown deepened as Stravitch stepped out onto the bridge, and rocking, unbuttoned his fly - pissing off the edge and into the lava.  What surprised him more was the sudden appeance of a small girl at the other end of the bridge, flashing a small curved spear in her hand.


"Well, well, Your grace, esteemed Dwarf, Stravitch!  This Girl has missed you so much... you left her with quite a token, in the form of a badly-healed shoulder."
"Ehhh?"  Stravitch turned towards her, blinking.  He took his time buttoning himself back up, heavy brows narrowed as he tried to focus.  "What are you, new at Dodik's?  Piss off, I don't have time for whorin', there's drink to had."
"Ohhh, you poor thing," she tsk'd, "It's a shame your so drunk.  This Girl had so much to tell you.  Things like... I found your friend Gerald... and he screamed for three days, as This Girl's sweet blade kissed him all over.  Look," She fingered a small chain around her neck, pulling a dried finger out from her shirt.  "I keep this as a memento, to remind me of how much fun was had!  Now, come to me.  I have such a present for you."

Stravitch, confused, took a step forward, and grunted hard as her blade stabbed him in the stomach.  He looked down at it, and back up at her, before reaching down slowly to grab her wrist.  The little half-breed squealed as the Captain of the Guard tightened his grip and crushed the small bones in her hand, his upper lip curling in a snarl of rage.  Wrenching her hand back, the girl screamed, "I'LL EAT YOUR DAMNED CORPSE!  YOU WON'T ESCAPE THIS GIRL AGAIN!" 

Zako watched in horror as she spun and delivered a hard kick to Stravitch's midsection, driving the blade in deeper.  The force of her kick sent him sprawling backwards - and over the edge of the bridge, spiraling under the overpass and out of sight, screaming all the while.


Running onto the bridge, Zako shouted, "Noo!  Captain!  Ohh, no!"

The little girl turned to look at Zako, and blanched.  "Ohhh..." she moaned, her eyes widening in horror.  "Noo, no, you're a dead dwarf.  This girl left you to bleed out... you died, in some swamp town years ago.  Oh, ghosts..."

Zako had no time to comprehend her words.  He charged forward, bellowing out a war cry.  She came to her senses as they collided.  She stumbled backwards, and screaming, toppled over the edge of the bridge as well.  Zako, trembling, moved towards the edge and peered down, but he didn't see the little hellion anywhere. 

And suddenly he remembered Stravitch.  Sprinting, Zako hit the stairs and dashed down to the Bertrand's garden.  He saw Stravitch laying there in the grass, slowly pulling himself backwards.  He'd landed at the edge of the magma, and it was assumed his pants had caught ablaze - because he wasn't wearing them now.  The blade was still stuck in his stomach, but with a grunt, the Captain pulled the short spear free and after looking at it cross-eyed for a moment, tossed it into the magma.  Hurrying over, Zako grabbed Stravitch under the arms, and hauled him up, hissing, "You'll be fine, Captain, just hold on."

"Hold on?  You queer," he slurred, "Take me to Dodik's, damnit."
"Sir, you're bleeding!  A LOT."
"Yeah?  Her girls will be too, after a couple rounds with the champ..."

Zako dumped him in a bed in the barracks.  Unsure what to do, he quickly shed his armor and sprinted towards the stairs, to try and find Dojango and to hopefully stitch the wounds up. 

[Zako]

WOW! AMAZING!

Finally, Zako gets the taste of battle! Still needs more training by the sound of it though, but nice job on the she-devil of a foe!

Great update HF! Please keep it coming!

[Vactor]

BTW in the realm of HF + Toady One = BFF, I can only say, from the "let me know here about any problems" thread:

For the post in question (msg 191020), the dump from the old forum looks like:

Code: [Select]


INSERT INTO REDACTED VALUES(191020, REDACTED, 'Migrursut: Of Glass and Steel (A Community Fort)', 'Heavy Flak', REDACTED, '[i]1st Granite[/i]<br /><br />They’ve all been taken in by Aryn Estetar’s spell, though I really don’t see how anyone in the Mountain Homes could have resisted.&nbsp; He’s spun such a great tale these past weeks.&nbsp; An immigrant from the icy tundra’s far more North than our maps can show, Aryn Estetar’s slimmer frame stood taller than we mountain cousins.&nbsp; His matted blonde hair and patchy beard always struck me as odd, but who am I to go against the blind masses, those enthralled with sweet words of rewards and hard work, of Utopia.<br /><br />By the end of his stay at Stukos Matul he was giving speeches in the statue gardens almost twice daily, his already towering height accented by the tower-cap barrels he stood on.&nbsp; He spoke at great length about what we were due, and how our hard work was only being used to line the pockets of an unjust and corrupt king.&nbsp; A KING who would gladly let his servants – the engineers, the miners, the masons, the craftsmen - starve because he felt that everyone deserved a meal.&nbsp; Not just those that couldn’t work, but those that [i]wouldn’t[/i].<br /><br />Eventually Aryn’s ramblings filtered up through the usual channels, as they always did, until it caught the ear of Queen Rigoth Herself.&nbsp; One morning as he started his first sermon he was interrupted by the clattering arrival of the Royal Guard.&nbsp; A quite amicable offer was given to him: Leave immediately and you won’t be trussed and left to the goblin hordes gnashing at the border.&nbsp; Those who agreed with his filth should leave the statue garden now – any talk of dissension would be quashed by the Hammerer.<br /><br />The son of a wealthy merchant, Aryn arrived in the country of Stukos Matul with vast wealth.&nbsp; This threat upon his life was all the catalyst needed.&nbsp; Jumping down from his makeshift podium, Aryn pointed to the streets beyond and with a rallying cry shouted, “Then follow me, follow me to a new life!&nbsp; We embark this evening!”<br /><br />The turnout for his exodus was far less than expected.&nbsp; We dwarves, though hardy, are slow to uproot from our homes and even less are willing to risk their lives at the whimsical lark of some rabble-rouser.&nbsp; Only a scant few joined him for this trip.&nbsp; Myself, having nearly exhausted my… sources of income, eagerly pledged allegiance to this idealist. If word of success returns home with this letter, Aryn’s new settlement could potentially be a massively untapped resource for an intelligent, enterprising dwarf!<br /><br />As our Miner’s strength gave way, he lost his grip on the yolk of the wagon, the whole lot of remaining supplies digging a few more feet forward to embed in the dirt.&nbsp; But Aryn Estetar didn’t mind at all.&nbsp; Jumping down from the back of the wagon, he rushed to the edge of the cliff, staring over the scorched wasteland below.&nbsp; His frame a slow shimmer from the heat, he raised his hands skywards and bellowed, “We have arrived.&nbsp; Look!&nbsp; Look upon your destiny!&nbsp; Look upon your new hopes!&nbsp; LOOK!&nbsp; Upon our [i]future![/i]”<br /><br />We were put to work immediately at Aryn’s barking orders – dig out a makeshift series of shops, scrounge for food and brew drink, destroy the wagon to make beds.&nbsp; The Mountain Homes have been bled dry from our kind, it is time we milked these exciting new venture.&nbsp; Venture forth if you dare, but as soon as Gold is struck, I will be writing again.&nbsp; I’ll need your help to haul it all home.<br /><br />Faithfully yours,[i]<br />Johnny Zefonkigok<br />Johnny Fountainspring[/i]', 'xx', 1);


So it doesn't look like the information was lost at that point, but rather when it was dumped into the forum by Big Dump.  I don't know why it would have trouble on that character, and I don't have enough knowledge of php or whatever else to propose a solution.

[Glacies]

So the crazy half-elf was the one granting wishes, then?

[Jools]

She could just be the agent of whoever is granting the wishes. Also I think her return to catch up with her old friend Stravitch Fillwhip predated anything that was wished for.

Besides, all the other wishes have come true, no matter how unusual. I think Stravitch's troubles aren't over.

BTW, its great to see the forum back up and hooray for the new updates. I'll nip back to 790 and see what was lost from my post (I've got a fiver here that says it was just something boring and donkey-related).

[sneakey pete]

I'd laugh is stravitch was so hardcore that this mythical wish granter couldn't kill him

[Heavy Flak]

See that, Stravitch?  Toady even went so far as to redact certain things from his MySQL command, like, "BEST THREAD EVAR" and "Heavy Flak + Toady = BFF", so that others on the forum wouldn't get jealous.  Heavy Flak - Point, set, match

Also - I wasn't particularly pleased with how Rolland's section of Part 2 turned out, so I went through and updated it closer to how I imagined it went. 

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

She could just be the agent of whoever is granting the wishes. Also I think her return to catch up with her old friend Stravitch Fillwhip predated anything that was wished for.

Besides, all the other wishes have come true, no matter how unusual. I think Stravitch's troubles aren't over.

BTW, its great to see the forum back up and hooray for the new updates. I'll nip back to 790 and see what was lost from my post (I've got a fiver here that says it was just something boring and donkey-related).

I bet Stravich hasn't even noticed he's in trouble, and wouldn't care if he did know.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 20^th of Limestone, 1066

Zako hurried down the steps, looking worried.  He was followed by Dojango, who was carrying his set of cooking utensils and a length of rope, Vatek, and Varen.  Zako noticed, but didn't comment, that while Vatek almost looked pleased, Varen - Stravitch's old whipping boy - seemed the tiniest bit concerned. 

"So you say he was stuck straight through?"  Dojango asked.
"Almost, he pulled the spear out, and I drug him down here.  I hope he's okay..."
"Now now, just because you're impaled doesn't mean you'll die," Dojango soothed.  "We have a lot of blood in us, and as you'll know, most everything is in a direct line behind the lungs.  The lungs, pancreas, kidneys, stomach, heart... there's a good chance it missed all of those completely."
"But doesn't that mean it could have hit all of them at once?" Vatek said, hiding the eagerness in his voice.
"Well!  Looks like we're here," Dojango interrupted.  He coughed, and opened the door.

The quartet stopped, all of them gaping.  Stravitch was sitting up in bed, the blankets and matress under him soaked through with blood.  A long string from a scratchy blanket had been tied around a sharpened sliver of cat bone, and the Captain of the Guard was whistling a drinking tune as he stabbed the end through the top flap of the wound, threading it down through the bottom.  The stitching was uneven, but it was holding tight.  Occasionally Stravitch would reach over and pick up a bottle of bourbon, and just as often as he'd dump some down his throat he'd dump some onto the wound. 

Looking up as the door opened, he snorted and said, his voice low and raw, "What the hell are you doing down here, Vatek?  Why aren't you up at the construction site watching the workers?"
"W-what?" Vatek stammered, "There were goblins!  A whole host of them, I helped the workers inside to safety."
"That wasn't your job.  Your job was to guard them so they can work THROUGH things like that.  I'll be done in five minutes.  I'll expect you in the barracks you slacker, you've got a training session coming."

"Sir," Dojango sputtered, "You shouldn't be doing that.  That's not good for your health."
"I'll see YOU in the barracks too!"
"I'm not a soldier!  I'm a chef!"
"Oh.  Ahh..." Stravitch paused, considering this.  "Then I'll see you in the barracks when you bring down refreshments.  Varen, Zako, you'll take the Chef's place.  Now move, I've gotta' finish my stitching."