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[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Diary of maggarg.
That pretentious bastard riddlewire wants to be called lieutenant. I'll be damned if I'm calling anyone that.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 23^rd of Slate, 1068

A look of complete distaste flitted over Aryn's face.  In a second it was gone, hidden behind a scowl.  His nostrils flared at the smoke that partially obscured the room, and the corners of his eyes welled briefly with tears as they stung.  But he plowed through, growling out threats and orders as he pushed through the drunk miners, and past the much-too-well-dressed dockworkers as they played dominos at a table. 

He took a seat at the bar, heels of his boots hooked into the stool.  As Dodik-Come-Lately siddled up, drink in hand, he scowled.  "Make this quick, harlot.  This place makes me feel filthy."
"This is the wrong room for that," she said pleasantly.  Aryn jumped as she raised her voice, shouting above the din.  "ARYN IS HERE!  MEETING TIME, COME!"

"What the hell!" Aryn cried, ducking his head down.  "I wanted this kept low."
"And I want everyone to know you walked in here.  Word will get out regardless of if we come to agreement.  Just another safe-guard if you want to take actions against me."

"So what's the fishmonger doing here?" Aryn snarled.
"She's my associate," Dodik-Come-Lately said.  "She's privvy to all business dealings."
"Then what's the whore doing here?"

Mookie gave a frantic wave before blowing a kiss.  Dodik-Come-Lately shrugged.  "She's annoyingly precocious.  She's here to most likely irritate you with her oblivious crassness and lack of tact."
"She's so right," Mookie agreed.  "That's probably what will happen."

"Just. Get. This. Over. With!" 
"Alright, Aryn," Rinsesilver said slowly.  She gave a slow adjustment of her tie, and a little tug to her right cuff. "We want a blind eye turned to this place.  More so than you have been.  I know there is... pressure added to the support staff if they come to drink and... play.  They get longer shifts, and less time off.  That ends now.  We want your cronies barred from the joint, they are no longer welcome.  What happens behind these doors is considered sovereign territory.  Got it?"
"The information had better be good."

"Oh, it is," Dodik-Come-Lately said quietly.  "Like how Stravitch Fillwhip is in league with the terrorist Telamon."
"That... no, he's a myth, that's not true at all."
"Of course it is.  Rinsesilver saw him herself."
"I did," The dock worker said.  "he was out with the captain, selling contraband to the Elven merchants, and I have reason to suspect he is behind the many thefts of gems and gold that plague th-OH GOD!" 

Dodik's shook as if in an earthquake.  The miners upended their table in the uproar, and Mookie fell off her stool, crawling quickly behind the bar.  Aryn's eyes, wide as saucers, turned towards the exit and the stairs beyond.  "Oh god, that came from the fortress..."



***

The door to Makrond's leatherworks was shoved open, and Hikan sauntered in, smug in his authority.  For what it was worth, Makrond fixed him with a wide smile and a hearty hello, and for an instant Aryn's guard was thrown off his stride.  But with monumental will and arrogance, he pushed on. 

"We have to talk, tanner.  A matter of grave importance."
"A new outfit, yes?" Makrond asked with interest.  "With the influx of dogs, I have barrels of high-quality mastiff leather.  Perhaps a new coat?  Or some supple puppy-skin boots?  Those would look quite fetching, in a dyed emerald blue..."

"That's not what I'm here about," Hikan growled, filing this information away for a time when he wasn't at work.  Perhaps after rounding up information, he could get a discount as well.  But until then- "I'm here concerning a certain Dwarf, a certain vigilante, who is wearing what looks to be a new suit of all-black leather.  Considering you're the only leather worker left alive..."

Makrond's jovial humor faded briefly.  He looked towards the floor briefly, before he gave a shrug.  "I wouldn't... know about THAT.  Hasn't been much demand for that sort of thing... boots and coats only.  Must have come in a human shipment."
"Oh?  So the leather goods we haven't purchased and can't wear from the humans is supplying some faceless vigalante, is that it?  I need to warn you, tanner, I haven't had much sleep lately, and I'm prone to making... accidents."  To prove his point he Hikan reached over, and shoved a rack of leather harnesses and whips.  They crashed to the floor, spilling across the stone.

"Oh that's alright, sir.  I understand, with all the construction and training near my room I have a hard time sleeping too!  Thankfully there are afternoon naps."
"No.  I don't think you understand, Makrond.  I'm saying if you don't tell me who purchased that suit, there will be accidents."   Scowling, Hikan picked up a set of sheers from a nearby table.  He weighed them in his hand, and quickly brought them down on a stack of supple leather, piercing the hide through to the table.

"Well that was just bad luck," Makrond said, perplexed.  "Please, though, you should leave my tools alone if you haven't gotten any sleep."
"I'M TRYING TO THREATEN YOU, YOU ASS!  TELL ME WHO BOUGHT THE DAMNED SUIT!"
"Sir, since this niggling little lung wound, I've been unable to help protect this fortress.  And... that's made me feel just awful.  And in some way, I'd like to think I am helping, by supplying a law-bringing Dwarf with the aid he ne-OH GOD!"

The shaking floor brought Hikan to his knees.  Makrond stumbled backwards and crashed into a table, barking out in pain. 



***

Archin stood on a barrel, her pick raised high above her head.  The dwarves, wounded, terrified, choking on smoke and dust, crowded near her.  Their eyes were full of fear, and worry, many of them dulled from shock.  Beside her, almost as tall as she was on her barrel, was Sgt. Pepper, his great arms folded across his chest.

"Dwarves, this has gone on too long!" she shrieked.  "Look at this!  Shoddy stone-work - drafted by Aryn!  Monthly deaths, supported by Aryn!  Workers scared, and wounded - ignored, by Aryn!  And now because of hidden dangers, most likely because of the traitorous elves that just left these walls, we are left upon to the world, until the stone workers can come in and rebuild that tower.  But where are they?  In that great pit, that terrible sink of money and time and energy, and lives.  We must stand up!  We must say NO MORE to his management, to his oppression.  This is a warning!  All of you take heed!  Our very doom could be at hand if we do not act!"

[Keifru]

Diary property of Kivish. Theft will garner attention form unwanted sources.
Date: Two days after collapse

I can't believe this terrorism Archin committed! I hope a nice jail sentence is in order...the death of a stoneworker and a child! As if we had enough to fear from the dread camels, Aryn, Poison Palace, and marauding mobs of Grovs that get mauled by that vindictive vigilante voraciously vivisecting their vitals with very victorious, meticulous, strikes. Verily, the villian-by-virtue, in his very nature helps us vie onward for volumtous bounties.

Below is the image of a dwarf. There are many dwarven children. The children are mobbing the dwarf joyfully. The dwarf is striking down the children.

[ricemastah]

Rice's Journal

I have heard Archin's cries and her protestations of faulty work, but I laid down those stones with my own hands. I know what bad stone work is. It is all I have done with my life, and I know those stones where strong. They would have held against the might of a titan's fists. No, there was nothing wrong with the walls. Unless some work was done on the surrounding supports that held them up, nothing should have brought them down. I NEED to speak up against her cries, I don't know what she is planning or what she wants, but for once Aryn is not in the wrong here.

I don't want to be misunderstood, I do not do this for Aryn, but any insults to the work of this fortress is an insult I shall take personally, and an insult that I need to respond to.

[Makrond]

Excerpt from the Journal of Makrond, c. 1068

It seems like every time something goes right around here, it goes terribly wrong. I thank Akim for keeping me alive in this damned hell-hole despite the most adverse odds imaginable.

I have done my part to help this fortress. That over-promoted thug Hikan is on to me, but I've done my part. I hope it does not end badly for me. But now, as before, I must rest.

[Duke of Nawn]

How long has it been? Four hours? Five? Five and a half maybe of frenzied, joyous reading, catching up after forgetting to keep track of this story for a few months, and holy mules. Wonderful. All of it.

Tragedy, ghostgrovs, clonegrovs, That Girl, the poor half-living torso of a human guardsman getting poked by children.
Stravitch quitting, Hikan taking over lawkeeping.
Vatek Yellowbolted.

Yes please.

I cannot approve more of everything Vatek has done in my absence. And on an entirely unrelated note, I also approve of the actions of this masked vigilante.

Speaking of mules, does Vatek still have that mule he adopted?

[Zako]

Well I best move on to another character then, Zako being dead and all.

I request another dwarf! He shall be called Zak, and he will be a...

hmmm...

How about a axedwarf? The military needs new blood!

He doesn't like the undead, and despises the gobbos even more! He likes to be noble but wants to live so he will fight dirty and brutally. Steel plate, shield, full wrestling first and comradeship abounds! Doesn't like bullies and cowards. Finds Merkil and Sulari inspirational.

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Diary of maggarg
More collapses.
More deaths.
Who does the finger point to?
Aryn Estatar, cold, corrupt elf-lover.
That wall might have been fine when Rice laid it, but stone deteriorates.
Especially when the earth shakes from a giant quarry being collapsed.
I stand with Telamon, be he real of not.

[Jim Groovester]

The Notes of Lieutenant Hikan Riddlewire.
Entry for 23rd Slate, 1068.

Gods dammit! Just as Makrond was about to tell me who the black-clad dwarf was, part of the exterior wall collapses. Naturally, I have to go investigate, giving cape dwarf and Makrond time to talk and set their stories straight. I'm pretty sure that if I return I won't get any more information, even if I try to threaten Makrond some more. That leaves Kuli as a possible avenue for investigation, but honestly, if Makrond talks to cape dwarf, he'll probably cover all his bases. Dammit. I was so close, too.

A stoneworker and a child were killed in the rather timely collapse. There are some claiming that it's shoddy work by Aryn's irresponsible hirees, but anybody who worked on it knows better. I'm inclined to believe Rice when he says that that wall was sturdily built by his expert hands, and would likely never collapse unless there was a deliberate effort to do so.

I might look into it as a murder, but Archin's rhetoric afterwards leads me to believe that we can expect more of this sort of thing to happen, so sabotage might be more appropriate. I would throw any jackass who speaks out against Aryn in jail, but who would guard them? And it's not like I can execute anyone I please for just talking against Aryn, but I will alert him to the possibility. Desperate times and all.

By ibmat, we knew there was sedition in the ranks, but this is looking more and more like a well-orchestrated conspiracy every moment. Telamon, riots, the smiling serial killer and his targets, disbanding of the Fortress Guard, and sabotage, all at the same time.

Options, options, options, what options does Migrursut have? If Aryn came forward and said it was sabotage in a public address, then there might be enough antagonism towards the saboteurs to get the rest of the populace working against them. There would be posters, "Protect your loved ones, report any suspicious activity." and things like that. Aryn could talk to the union leaders, and ask them to ferret out any suspicious workers, though some of the leaders might be in on the conspiracy.

Meanwhile, I could throw anybody who spoke out against Aryn in jail, no matter how much of a temporary measure that might be with no Guard to keep them in. And I could continue to beat the hell out of any dwarf who I think is acting even remotely suspicious. If they're injured, then they can't sabotage anything.

And then there's that gods damn serial killer! I'm stretched too damn thin here.

Aryn was at the site of the collapse, and he said he had information that I might find very interesting. If Aryn says it's interesting, it has to be.

[Impending Doom]

Diary of Kandor PulleyCloisters

This place keeps getting better with each passing day...

So much for defenses. Those looked like some finely-set stones to me, at least on the outside. I cannot believe they would just all tumble down by themselves.

But what would I know about masonry, I would prefer the fine timbers of a tall ship to the most masterfully-hewn fortress of stone anyway.

More babble about this Telamon fellow we've been hearing all about. Folks have been saying he's the one behind the collapse, among other various acts. If he is, I'd love to buy the bloke a drink. Finally, somebody in this fort decided to quit bitching and pull out the old head-bashin' and stuff-smashin'.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 24^th of Slate, 1068

Jotwebe walked into the mess hall, carrying her tray and her mugs of ale.  She was smiling, and gave a jaunty nod towards her table of friends, but the mood died away when she saw their somber faces. 

Before she could ask, Erendor said quietly, "Kivish was found dead in the wastes today."
"...What?  No, no, no, that's not... that's not right."
"S'true," said Pawnzer.  "Poor girl..."
"Are you sure it's the right Kivish?  There are a couple living here."
"It's ours," Pawnzer mumbled, "little blacksmith..."

The table went silent, and Jotwebe lowered her head for both a show of respect, and a way to compose herself.  There had been deaths - many deaths - around here, but they only registered when it was your friend that was found.  Then the whole weight, all the hundreds buried in their cold tombs underground, seemed to press down upon her. 

"How did she go?" Jotwebe whispered.
Erendor coughed quietly into his fist.  "She was f-...found with a sword slash across her stomach, and... a puncture hole in her forehead.  Dojango doesn't think she felt anything by the look of surprise that's been frozen on her face, but... I don't know."

"There was something surprising about the whole incident," Pawnzer said.  Then almost sheepishly, "I mean, more so than... than what happened.  Sgt. Pepper has been furious, he almost throttled Dojango out there on the sands but Likot stopped him.  When one of the fishers suggested it was the work of Telamon, he was knocked out by one of that monsters big hands.  Served him right, though I guess I can't really think of a good reason why other than I don't want to be hit too."

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 6^th of Felsite, 1068

Hikan stalked towards Dodik-Come-Lately's, scowling.  Yes, Aryn had given him specific instructions to stay away from there from then on, but he had to talk to Vatek.  With the guardsman not at the construction site, chances were he had nipped off there to get a drink and a quick nap, and orders-be-damned, he needed to talk.

A shocked gasp caused him to turn around.  Confusion spread over his face as he saw some butcher - someone who's name he couldn't remember, just another dirty face in a whole sea of them - stumble backwards after colliding into the chest of tall, lanky goblin.  The goblin wore a rough-spun jean cloth outfit, and rested his hand loosely on the hilt of his sword.   

The calmness that the goblin stood their, his face impassive, his shoulders slightly stooped, caused Leutenant Riddlewire to freeze up, unsure of himself.  They'd had a goblin come in years earlier, didn't they?  A trader who knew Glacies?  And he was alright, maybe this - no.

Glacies stiffled the gasp of horror that was bubbling up his throat.  As the butcher stumbled backwards, kicking out at the goblin, his sword flashed out, quick as light.  A spray of blood splattered the road, and the butcher was on her back, shrieking, her foot lopped off at the ankle.  The goblin knelt down to wipe the blade of his sword off on her chest and limped quickly towards Dodik's. 


Coming to his senses, Hikan gave a hard shake, his spear extending out to the full length.  He gave a twist, locking it in place, and charged towards the goblin point readied, issuing his standard warning of, "Stop moving and I'll stab you."

Hikan's surprise was evident as the goblin twisted neatly, the spear brushing past his chest without so much as a graze.  Forward momentum carried him forward into the goblins now-extended arm.  Hikan was clotheslined, flipping and twisting through the air to land uncomfortably on his head.  The last thing he saw before blacking out was the goblin charging towards the pair of Adol and Maggarg, charging out of Dodik's.

Some time later, Hikan woke, his head throbbing.  Standing above him was Maggarg, looking smug but nervous, and Adol, who actually seemed a tad concerned.  Adol gripped Hikan by the lapels of his coat and hauled him up to his feet, saying in his soft voice, "You look okay, but... have Dojango take care of your head.  You got a gash near the temple."

"You should owe me one," Maggarg growled, "but in this instant, why don't you just forget what you've got on your mind, and we'll call it even."
"W-...what the hell are you talking about?" Hikan said.  He tried to take a step, and swooning, reached out to grab Adol to steady himself.  "Where'd that goblin go?"

"Bastard got away," Maggarg said sullenly.
"He got us tangled up deflecting his sword, and distracted we tripped on the butcher.   Then he escaped into the sands."
"Damn it..."  Hikan scowled, and ran a hand through his hair, unaware of the blood on his palm when he took it away.  "I need your help."

The pair stared at him incredululously.  Hikan rolled his eyes, and threw up his hands.  "Just watch this area.  A lone goblin attacking a whore house?  This is one of the most guarded places in all of our domain, I'd wager Dodik's is quite possibly THE hardest place to breech what with every off duty soldier coming here for a drink.  Keep your eyes open for him to return, and make sure the others are alerted.  That's all I want."

When Adol, and eventually Maggarg, had nodded their agreement, Hikan turned to look at the butcher, still sobbing and bleeding.  He sighed, and shook his head.  "I'll go find Dojango, and send him out here after I'm tended to..."

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Diary of maggarg.
Saved Riddlewire from a goblin today, but not before it'd duffed him up a bit.
The look on his face was priceless.

[Glacies]

Gatesmaw

Sarig and Glacies followed a well worn, dusty earthen road in the early evening light. As they climbed over the last hill, however, Glacis let out a gasp.

"The mountain is gone!"

Six smooth mudstone towers rose in a circular pattern from a large colloseum-like structure in the centre, casting incredibly long shadows in the evening sunlight. An aqueduct ran to one of the towers, now bone dry, it's pumps long inactive. A massive gate of orthoclase stood between two of the towers, almost as tall as five dwarves, and great patches of overgrown farmland dotted with huts stretched out from the central site. It was eerily quiet.

Sarig and Glacies trotted forward again, slowly.

"They carved out the entire thing into these towers. Oh, wow, I only saw the blueprints for this! It must have taken weeks! This farmland wasn't here when I was run off! Neither was the aqueduct! How did they.."

Sarig cut him off.

"Y'say? Look, I bin here before, year or two back when the elf war was on, y'see? Been here, done it. Moved on. Let's jus' get to business."
"Ah, okay. Well, if you know your way around here, how do we get in? The gate's closed." and Glacies gestured to the massive stone doors.

The two of them closed the distance to the gate and stared at it glumly, the gate of gatesmaw leering at them.

[sonerohi]

((Everyone, vote Wilber for leaderer of Migursut! I only support projects like mass producing cabinets and coffers so everyone has one of them! Making super cool floor mosaics depicting a dwarf! Engravings everywhere! Wilber for Migursut, and goblins will trouble us no more.. because I'll make a truce with the ninjas that the ninjas will kill them if I teach them the secret of playing ping-pong! And hiring Superman as a speardwarf!))

((Seriously though don't vote for Wilber. It'd be a horrible idea and oh god all the dying and the cats everywhere and the eyes.. the eyes!!!*Jumps out of a skyscraper window*))