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[Kuli]

If you're going to do camel murals, do one with a red background so it's a dead camel.

Do the goblins never attack with trolls?  I can't recall you mentioning them before.  I at least thought they still brought trolls along sometimes in the current version.

[Jools]

How about a mural of a mural? So many artifacts have images on them commemorating their own creation, why not large-scale artifacts? ;-P

Failing that, how about a landscape, like a front-on view of the Temple of Zefon? Possibly even with images of dwarves engraved into it, standing in front of the Temple...

Or a demon - someone ordered the floor paved, they didn't care what with, and the randomly-scattered tiles seemed to almost arrange themselves into a mural of a demon - the energy of the land that re-animates the camels is growing stronger...

[Electrum]

How about a dread camel facing off against a goat in the middle horizontal third, with a demon stretching his arms up to both of them, and whatever the Razor of Dance's symbol is helping from above? Or perhaps Zefon or Äkim or Lenod... Hm.

[IronValley]

I guess working with an old and harmless officer would increase my survival rate  

Once things get going with my dwarf, I might write small background logs. So that you know how to weave him into the story.

He's more or less a Royalist, and will be quite shocked an suprised to see that the Queen is no longer alive. Since as far as he knew once he headed out on his journey, the queen had just left the last capitol.

However, coming from a smaller settlement, he has had no major dealings with the Dwarven nobility, and should not have any problems seeing the problems with the current noble system.

That's the short and eventless background on Merkil.

[Heavy Flak]

Notes from Bertrand the Mad
9th of Sandstone, 1061

This land is amazing; to think, the stories the merchants would tell!  Of horrors stalking the sand, of tyrants cracking whips on the downtrodden.  These poor men had no imagination; They concerned themselves not with the mysteries of the world, instead spending their lives dealing in the mundane - in a world of coins and courts.  Where they see abominations, I see gifts.  Gifts handed down from the hands of Gods, puzzles designed to test us mere mortals.

Studies have proven very promising indeed.  Assistant Dojango has been procuring the best specimens he can from the ghoul Akroma, the arduous tasks of grinding, and sawing, and filing left to his capable (and much steadier!) hands.  Preliminary tests have yielded some interesting results:

1) Calcium was found (as to be expected), constituting majority of bone density.  Outer shell of bone has been partially fossilized through sand and heat
2) Fire had unusual effects.  Bones refused to burn in small lab fires, only catching when dipped in magma (as to be expected).  NOTE: Some substance in the bones was highly flammable; a simple flame would catch and ignite in the hollow center.  When crushed and lit a brief flash and plume of smoke would rise from the crucible.  

More tests need to be preformed.  Hopefully this mystery substance will be separated.  Dojango has been given a few days leave to rest - complaints of bizarre dreams have been keeping him awake.  I've recommended an increase in Rum to help with this problem.

[Heavy Flak]

From the files of Aryn Estetar
2nd of Timber, 1061

Dwarven Caravan left unmolested; their trade-goods strapped to wagons.  They were unhinged, perhaps rightly so at the goblin forces chasing at their heels, but the thoughts of gold drive even the most cowardly of men to acts of minor heroics.  Our kitchens are back into full production thanks to the gobs of salted meats they brought and Archin has been wasting her time planting whip vines and sunshine berries instead of carving out the quarry as I have instructed.

Occasionally a mason, or a miner, will go missing for a day or two.  Johnny and Erith are worst, and I've seen the two of them walking out of the wastes with that absurd creature Dodik-Come-Lately.  Sometimes money is seen exchanging hands, jaunty waves given as they break apart at the stairwell.  Ex-Mayor Likot doesn't seem to feel this warrants attention at all, more concerned with governing her Daughter than policing a few notable slackers like Johnny and Dodik-Come-Lately, or perverts like Erith.

The doors to the church have finally reopened; Kuli showing off a spotless Temple of worship with his new assistant, or alter boy, or whatever he feels like calling the doting furnace operator Vash.  The only good thing about them is they're followed my mandate of new clothing, sporting emerald blue suits in place of their old threadbare clothing.

After the recent battles, our population has dwindled to a meager one-hundred fifty-one, something I'm not particularly upset about.  Less mouths to feed, less Dwarves mooching, leaching off of the system that has been given life at my feet...

***

OOC:
Kuli: In other forts trolls of come, along with the Goblin King.  I'll be honest, I have no idea what's happening with ours because I haven't seen either, ever.  I've been debating modding the goblins raws to make them a little bit more difficult.

Jools, Electrum: I liked that design idea a lot, but the artistic issues come into play again.  I played around with some designs, but they all came out looking, well ... I'll be honest, pretty terrible.  A Camel and a Goat (side views) looked decent enough and with a background they would be okay but not eye popping.  For the life of me though, I couldn't get a demon - either a demonic face or one raising his hands up - with the constraints of a grid layout.  Time for more planning...

IronValley: I like the idea of someone who actually LIKES the nobles coming to the fort and being totally confused by how their treated / the total lack of them.  My only concern isn't from your end, but from mine.  I haven't had a group of migrants in a couple seasons now and I'm starting to worry I've fallen into the same trap as Cap'n Mayday's Nist Akath and the fact no one wants to wander out there and get trampled to death by Skelk.  If that's the case, well, I may have to fake some things to bring in new blood or start "resetting" useless Dwarves, like all the threshers.

[ May 19, 2008: Message edited by: Heavy Flak ]

[Vactor]

From what I understood the goblins only bring the beasts that they have in their territories/sites, so its possible for gobs to not have trolls or beakdogs

[IronValley]

shouldn't it be possible to use companion to change the race of a unit? Could try to make a Dwarf out of a zombie Camel.

I tested this out, and it works. However, you end up with a Dwarf that has no last name, no squad name, and no preferences on items and materials. He will have a personality. This might ofcourse lead to horrible crashes and the ruin of an entire save  

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Guess what?
Shortly after I posted, Olsmo sent a goblin ambush.
I was underprepared, but I started winning.
Unfortunately, I somehow ended up with 3 ambushes at once, and 2 of them were mostly marksgobbos.
Out of 73 dwarves, only 20 survived the battle, and of them, only 10 recovered from their wounds, most of them the founding 7.
I had to abandon as the fortress took on a resemblance to the last few posts from Boatmurdered.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 5th of Moonstone, 1061

They'd forgotten about Miss Strappedrags; they'd ALL forgotten about her!  She'd  been in jail for the past thirty days failing a mandate by the new mayor, but in her internment she began to think it wasn't just Mayor Melbil, but her mother Likot that was pulling the strings.  The old bitch, punishing those who were close to Kuli and the church, punishing those of the true faith!  

They'd stopped feeding her long ago, more concerned with their petty jobs.  She was the only one in the prison, and long ago her vocal cords had been rubbed raw, silencing her shouts.  But in this time of solitude, she'd built herself up - the rope she was chained with had enough slack to allow her to do pushups and squats, and slowly but surely she built up her strength.  

The rope she broke after days of rubbing it against the heel of her boot; and with utmost patience she waited with her ear to the door.  Waiting and listening.

Tax Collector Crowpages was the first to remember there was a prisoner, and she hurried down the hallway with bucket in hand, ready to water Strappedrags.  When the door was opened, however, the cell was empty.  Confusion caused her to take a step inside the small holding cell, staring at the broken rope.  Strappedrags, her muscles aching from holding herself aloft near the ceiling, waited until the tax collector had stepped over her cot before dropping down atop her.

They collapsed into a heap, Strappedrags silencing the tax collector with a hard elbow to the nose, knocking her to the back of the cell.  The Armorer, raging, advanced on the cowering noble but a growl behind her made her stop.  She turned to spot one of the war mastiffs of the fort, his hackles raised.  Behind the dog stood Stravitch.  His face was mostly shadowed over by his helm; only his smile was visible, wide and terrible.

"Well, well, hello there little girl... why don't you just come out quietly so we can figure out what can be done, huh?"

Of course she didn't leave quietly, but Stravitch had never expected her to.  Screeching, she dove over the dog and was met in midair by Sefolkubuk.  Her head exploded like a ripe melon, splattering the floor with brains and bone.  Her corpse collapsed at Stravitch's feet, steaming and twitching in the cool cave.  

"CLEAN UP THIS MESS!" He barked, stalking away without bothering to check on the bruised noble.  There were more pressing matters to attend, like the drink he'd left in his office.

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 25th of Moonstone, 1061

The Dwarves awoke early, their beards and hair tousled as they trudged from bedrooms, from barracks, towards the larder to gather up breakfast before setting in to the days work.  None were prepared for the posters tacked up near the store room, near the larder, and on the door to the mess hall.

quote:
[depicted is a charcoal drawing of a female dwarf in lingerie, sitting cross-legged on an ale barrel]

OPENING SOON!  

Dodik Come Lately's

Nobility riding you raw?
Tense after a long, hard day of sparring?

Let Dodik and her girls ease your tension!

Located just a mile south east of the main road is your ticket to the REAL Utopia in the Wastes!
Drink specials every night!  Fully stocked kitchen for that home-cooked touch!  Musical reviews starting soon!  Engravings provided by noted pornographer Erith Othsindoren!

And don't forget the lovely ladies.  When the threats of death and unlife have got you down, don't go for a magma bath.  Just head to Dodik Come Lately's, where the girls will make sure the only thing you'll die of ... is pleasure!!

[Kuli]

Debauchery!  Depravity!  I don't think the church is going to like this one bit.

Totally brilliant, though.  I would never have expected that Johnny, Erith, and Dodik Come Lately were planning some sort of dwarven burlesque house.  Okay, I would've expected this of Erith but that's beside the point.

[Heavy Flak]

The Events of the 8th of Opal, 1061

"Kuli Problemwalled.  Wake, and rise."

Kuli woke from a sound sleep, his heart thumping hard in his chest.  He didn't move, his training serving him well in this instance.  Through slitted eyed he surveyed the darkness in his room, his stomach sinking as he caught sight of the Hammerers' tattered blue robe.  

"What are the charges," he whispered, his voice heavy with sleep.
"You failed to meet a mandate, Child of Zefon.  It's been decreed that you receive two hammerstrikes for this insult."

Kuli shivered at the coldness in her voice.  "Who signed my sentence?"
"You already know who did."
"Yes... I do."
"Come along."

The walk to the jail took ages.  Kuli was just thankful this was being done at night, that the gossip, the rumors, and the outrage could wait until the deed was done... the thought offered some satisfaction, though hollow and cold, and for this one favor he was thankful to the Hammerer.

He stepped in to the cell unprovoked, the blue-robbed Hammerer stepping in behind him, and shutting the door.  She hefted her heavy maul, pointing to the wall with it. "Turn now; the one liberty afforded prisoners is the uncertainty of death.  Those seconds before my hammer hits, you can live a hundred lifetimes, you could dream a thousand dreams.  To take that away would be a worse crime than you could have committed."

Kuli did as told, turning to face the wall.  He pressed his palms to the cool surface, his head bowed, eyes closed.  And dream he did: of days past, of the travels he'd done, of the good he'd accomplished since arriving.  He dwelt not on those that had wronged him, instead focusing his last seconds on the friends he had made, on his Flock, and deep in his mind he was pleased that he still wore a smile even in this cell.

The faintest of taps at the back of his head brought him back to reality.  A second, light tap at the top of his back jarred his thoughts.  He turned in time to see the Hammerer opening the door, her maul back at her side.  

"I don't... I don't understand.  What was this?  I'd been sentenced."
"Aye, Child of Zefon.  And I did my duty.  Justice will always be served - but as it's mortal embodiment it is up to my will to determine the severity.    Go now, you've paid your debt.  Always keep the faith.

[ June 04, 2008: Message edited by: Heavy Flak ]

[Heavy Flak]

The events of the 22nd of Opal, 1061

"C'mon, boy, you're in for a real treat," Stravitch said.  The almost cheerful tone he took worried Varen more than the fact the Captain was taking a personal interest in how they spent their leave.

"Sir, I'm not, okay, I'm not really sure where we're going, but- "
"I told you.  We're going to the burlesques outside of town; For being so young and such a decorated soldier, you really haven't seen much of the world."
"...Sir?  I traveled all the way from Bisekdastot to here.  I've seen a lot, and-"
"That's nothing.  Trust me, this'll put some more hair on your chin."
"What are you going on?  That poster near the mess?  Sir... do you even know who started this place?  Couldn't it be a trick?"
"Lenod be praised.  If you're going to act like a woman maybe you should just turn your spear in and go to work here.  Now come ON."

With a sigh, Varen followed the venerable captain of the guard as he pushed through the large oak doors.  They traveled down a few flights of stairs, the walls and floors covered in warm wooden planks.  At the third, Varen groaned.  Under his feet was one of Erith's classic renditions, carved directly into the stone. From the room to the right they could hear a commotion.

Stravitch led the way, swaggering through the doors.  Dwarves were in constant motion, hauling stone, arranging tables and chairs.  Sitting on the edge of the bar, her legs crossed, was Dodik-Come-Lately.

"Captain," she called dully from across the room, "Sorry, we're still under construction.  The workers have been complaining of the Dread Camels outside so the hauling jobs are slow.  But by the first of obsidian our doors should be, you know, open."

Turning at the sound of the voice, Stravitch groaned low.  "Ughh!  What are you doing here?  Don't tell me you're one of the girls."
"Uhh.  No," She replied.  She dropped from the bar, adjusting her corset and blowing red-root streaked hair from her eyes, "I'm the Madem.  Captain, I'm Dodik?  You've met me.  Twice."

"...I can't be bothered to remember the name of every pouty near-suicidal dwarf in this hell pit we call a home, I just hope the rest of the girls..."

As Stravitch trailed off, wandering from the main room to examine the engravings in the hallway, Varen stood rigidly by the bar.  Dodik-Come-Lately sidled over, an almost-smile on her face, "So... what do you think of the place?"

"I think it's ... I like the layout a lot."
"Thanks.  See, we've got the store room already, and we're outfitting the girls rooms.  In the hallway we'll soon be putting in a room for our bouncer, and over here," she swung her hand wide to the left, towards the back wall of the bar, sounding almost excited for once. "That's going to be carved out into a stage.  We've also commissioned a bunch of statues carved out of petrified wood, hopefully they'll come back looking great."
"That's, that's great, ma'am.  If you don't mind?  I'm going to find Stravitch and... just let him know I'm heading back to the barracks.  You just ... keep up the good work, though."
"Thanks," she said, her moroseness coming back in spades.    

[Kuli]

Kuli was really sentenced to a hammering?  And survived?  I don't suppose the hammerer is a Zefonist.

You really scared me there.  I thought my dwarf was going to meet his maker sooner than expected.  I'm totally mad at Aryn now.