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[Heavy Flak]

The Events of the 13th of Hematite, 1054
   

At a remote area within the walls of the fortress, Johnny has carved out a small shelter for himself.  Hidden at the edge of the far cliff, Stravitch is the only one of the Dwarves to know of it's existence outside of Johnny himself.  As the fortress bedded down for the night, they met in secret, the room lit by a single candle.  

"Everything's going as planned Johnny.  Aryn's finally started to warm to me after handling that miner who snapped over the turtle shells."
"Good.  Verra' Good.  And he dunna' sus'pect a thin'?"
"No.  Not at all.  He has no clue.  All those idols you've been selling have been a stroke of genius.  Armok totems carved out of Dread Camel bones?  Images of Zefon sewn into te rank leather hide of them walking horrors?  Dwarves and Human alike are eating them up!  I've been keeping your earnings inside my room."

Johnny nodded, quite pleased.  Slowly he leaned back against the wall, lifting a hand to rub his eyes, "I dunna' think I can keep up this mining shite much longer.  It's really wearin' my patience thin but Aryn won' get offa' me back."

"I've been thinking about that... Archin is the head miner, right?  Rice, Mayor and Mason... Valaria with the Engravers, Istrath and the Jewelers.  If we can get them to start trade guilds, then we can get them to make demands.  They can walk out when Aryn starts trying to throw his weight around."

"I like that, but how does that 'elp us?  Archin's got the miners locked down tight."
"Yes.  Well, we can work on that later, can't we?"

Johnny leaned against the wall, lost in thought.  Glancing around the room, Stravitch jerked a thumb towards the small alcove on the side.  "What's that?  Why you have a coffin here?"

Johnny shrugged.  "The bug hit me.  I've got a feeling I'm gonna' bite it here, and wanted to have something to get my carcass put in.  It's not much."
"I like those wooden spikes you put on it, and that image of a shield."
"Aye.  With all these dead walkin' around like they was alive, I wanted someone to effin' stake me if I ever tried to climb back out of it."

Silence washed over the room once more, and Stavitch was tactful enough to keep it, waiting until Johnny finally spoke again, "Aye, I suppose the guilds COULD work....  it'll take some time though, and we gotta' convince them it was THEIR idea... Ya' know, I'm awful glad you 'elped me over me father.  Feckin' prat can rot for not knowing a good deal when he sees one.  You've always had an eye for coin."

Stravitch smiled and adjusted the mace hanging from the reed cord at his waist. "Yeah.  Who would have thought gobbos could have found a use for all that old siege equipment?"

[ March 28, 2008: Message edited by: Heavy Flak ]

[Kaelem Gaen]

Love the mosaic.  You mentioned something about a pond,  Are the eyes going to be channeled out into it?

[Heavy Flak]

Events of the 5th of Malachite, 1054

The sounds of insane laughter rang over the smoothed walls, as Aryn sprinted towards the last of the Administration rooms.  Behind him came the heavy foot fall of three of the guard, the plate metal boots clanking on ominously on the stone.  

Rice and Lucy were woken from their sleep as their door was kicked in, the wooden frame splintering slightly as it rebounded off the wall.   Siloutted in the doorway was Aryn, his frame a black outline - all but his glasses reflecting the light, and the wide, sharks grin his mouth was spread in.

"That's right.  Get the hell out of here, you bastard.  Ya' know what just happened?  We just had a midnight election.  Everyone who showed up UNANIMOUSLY voted one of our ELITE into the mayors position.  You're out!  How do you like those anvils now, huh?  How do you like them!"

***

The laugther ringing through the compound, ever so faintly, found the ears of Archin, but it didn't register.  It affected Valaria though, who was already crying as she carried the broken miner's body towards an empty bed.  The Dread Camels had gotten to her, and it was only chance that had Sulari taking her walk at that time, that night, to save her.  Gently she lay the legendary Mason down on the cot, and rushed off to find someone, anyone, to fetch food and water.

***

(OOC) Well, that could have ended badly!  Let's hope Archin recovers from her mangled hand, broken leg, and bruised brain  

quote:Originally posted by Kaelem Gaen:
<STRONG>Love the mosaic. You mentioned something about a pond, Are the eyes going to be channeled out into it?</STRONG>

Oh my god, that idea is absolutely FANTASTIC.  I was going to leave the sand-designs as the eyes, but I absolutely LOVE the idea of a nice, deep blue taking their place.  Good show!

Oh, and Rice was voted out of office, leaving the spot of Aryn's chosen Mayor (and hell, 60-some odd others) open to anyone that wants them.  Otherwise, the mayor will become under my control.  Which may, or may not, be a good thing.

[Kuli]

Nice temple.  Who is the dwarf supposed to be?  Is it Zefon, who takes the form of a female dwarf if I remember correctly?  I support turning the eyes into ponds.  They'd be perfect for baptisms!

I was wondering what that "hidden" room was on the map archive.  It's a fitting place for secret meetings.

[Heavy Flak]

From the files of Aryn Estetar
1st of Sandstone, 1054

Second Law of the nature of Dwarves:

Unable to complete whatever personal mandate they set for themselves, Dwarves may snap, their inner rage overflowing their generally docile natures.  Due to their objectives staying unmet they will feel this is a slight against them as they only being possibly able to finish whatever masterworks they have dreamed up.  Such is the case today, when one of our two carpenters turned berserker simply because there were no shells forthcoming.

When he snapped he killed one of our skilled craftsmen, and bashed the brewers head into the wall until his brains seeped out onto the floor.  The area was sealed off until The Mayor reached the rampaging vagrant.  He was separated from his lower half and was left to bleed out on the floor on the workshop level.  His body will be thrown to the magma with the rest of the trash.  

Such is the nature of the Dwarf.  His ego leads him to this; Because of his obsession with finishing some alleged masterwork, a dwarf WILL go insane if he isn't allowed to complete it.  From now on, any dwarf that could possible explode will be watched by Stravitch's guard.  Those men are the only way to control the possibility of a large-scale riot...

Personal note: I need my own, personal guard.   Recruit loyal men soon.

Edit: Yeowch, it seems I shouldn't write anything with that much vodka under the belt!  This was all clean up.

[ March 29, 2008: Message edited by: Heavy Flak ]

[Heavy Flak]

quote:Originally posted by Kuli:
<STRONG>Nice temple.  Who is the dwarf supposed to be?  Is it Zefon, who takes the form of a female dwarf if I remember correctly?  I support turning the eyes into ponds.  They'd be perfect for baptisms!

I was wondering what that "hidden" room was on the map archive.  It's a fitting place for secret meetings.</STRONG>

Since Zefon is supposed to be the representation of "rebirth", I used the image of  a Dwarf Child as the mosaic for the church.  That whole area is set up as a meeting area, with a statue to be added soon - would any of you want a row of "pews" added?  It'll disguise the way the mosaic looks, but give any dwarf attending a meeting on a break somewhere to sit

[bigmcstrongmuscle]

Good to hear Sulari's been making herself useful. That brain injury on Archin sucks; the only answer is ever greater vigilance against the Humped Ones! Let their scattered bones rot upon the barren dune for the vultures to pick! Or be carved into bolts to train our marksdwarfs; either way.

That is a really cool temple, too. Do you have plans for a roof? All it needs to cap it off is a Parthenon-style roof made of stone ramps, with cathedral-style statuing.

./+ = Rough/Smooth Floor
^/v = Up/Down Ramps
O = Wall
F = Fortifications
S = Statue
_ = Empty Space

code:

TOP VIEW, Z+0:
..F+++++
.OF+++++
..F+++++
.OF+++++
..F+++++
.OF+++++
.OFFFFFF
.OO+++++

code:

TOP VIEW, Z+1:
__^O____
_S^O____
__^O____
_S^O____
__^O____
_S^O____
_+^O____
_S^OOOOO

code:

TOP VIEW, Z+2:
__vS^O__
__v+^O__
__vS^O__
__v+^O__
__vS^O__
__v+^O__
__vS^O__
__v+^OOO

code:

TOP VIEW, Z+3:
____v+^O
____vS^O
____v+^O
____vS^O
____v+^O
____vS^O
____v+^O
____vS^O

Although if you do that, it might be worth starting the ceiling of the temple one or two Z-levels higher than that, to make it look better in the visualizer.

[Heavy Flak]

quote:Originally posted by bigmcstrongmuscle:
<STRONG>That is a really cool temple, too. Do you have plans for a roof? All it needs to cap it off is a Parthenon-style roof made of stone ramps, with cathedral-style statuing.</STRONG>

That is a great idea for a roof.  I've been putting off doing one because I didn't want it to be a simple flat mass of stone.  As soon as I laying the stone for the aquaducts, I'll set the masons to work building that roof while the engineers prep the Dwarf Wash.

[Kuli]

No pews.  Every time I've put chairs or thrones in a meeting area, dwarves will sometimes take their food there to eat.  There must be no eating in the House of Zefon.  The faithful should be willing to stand in the presence of their lord.

It would be cool if the Zefon-worshippers could get tombs in or near the temple.  Just something to think about if you ever run out of major projects to do.

[ricemastah]

So wait I was voted out by some crazy axeman? Awww man. Oh well I can get back to engraving masonry and taking breaks to make friends.

Rice's Journal
5th Malachite
I have been voted out of office. Although I felt somewhat saddened by my loss in this surprise election, I am glad that my replacement is someone well versed in military tactics. This should help improve the survivability of our dwarves. Also I should note that Aryn does not like me very much. I'm not sure why. The anvils really weren't that big a deal were they?

EDIT: Added journal

[ March 30, 2008: Message edited by: ricemastah ]

[Heavy Flak]

quote:Originally posted by ricemastah:
<STRONG>So wait I was voted out by some crazy axeman? Awww man. Oh well I can get back to engraving masonry and taking breaks to make friends.</STRONG>

Yeah, I thought it was odd too.  Most of the Dwarves are currently ecstatic, everyone's working, and for no reason I could discern they voted you out as Mayor and picked the almost-champion.  

At least you can take solace in the fact that you have a girlfriend (Lucy), and Aryn doesn't, right?

[Kuli]

Does the new mayor have lots of children or siblings?  In my forts, my mayor is usually the dwarf with the most children.  I sometimes murder that dwarf to get the mayor I want, but then one of the children grows up and becomes mayor so I have to murder them too.

I think this might be a bug where children count as voters and family members skew election results.  Then again maybe not, and it's supposed to be that way.

[Heavy Flak]

quote:Originally posted by Kuli:
<STRONG>Does the new mayor have lots of children or siblings?  In my forts, my mayor is usually the dwarf with the most children.  I sometimes murder that dwarf to get the mayor I want, but then one of the children grows up and becomes mayor so I have to murder them too.

I think this might be a bug where children count as voters and family members skew election results.  Then again maybe not, and it's supposed to be that way.</STRONG>

Actually, uh, the new mayor is a childless, unmarried swordswoman who's only friends were Sulari and Stravitch until she became mayor.  I just assumed it was the game throwing me a curve ball.

[Heavy Flak]

The Events of the 1st of Moonstone, 1054

The gathering was small, but no one expected the entire fort to turn out.  Only those that worshiped Zefon were in attendance, standing about the ornately mosiaced floor.  They were waiting for the leader of their congregation, Kuli, to show up, and already the nervous murmurings of those who were unsure were beginning to filter through the group.

Just as their patience was about to wear thin, the wooden double-doors were pushed open, the wrought-iron hinges creaking under the weight of the heavy pine doors.  In the entry way stood Kuli, his deep blue suit rumbled, his face haggered.  But a wide smile was on his face, and as he limped forward, the parishioners could see he carried something with him, seeming to cradle it against his body.

Reaching the front of the room, Kuli turned and held out what he carried - a magnificent copper gauntlet, encircled with bands of sterling silver, rings of copper and Dread Camel-bone dangling from the wrists.  Sunstone was shaved down into tasteful spikes that were attached at the knuckles.  Engraved on the back was a picture of Enterdlanced, the mace.

"This, is Burnhelped!  I saw it in a dream, as it's template, it's design, was handed down to me from Zefon herself!  This gauntlet symbolizes the iron fist we must take with the land, with our oppressors, and with ourselves.  It represents the control we must exhibit towards vice, and the firmness with which we must face evil.  
"Brother, Sisters, this is a turning point.  This church has more work to be done, much more, but I feel, I feel that we're making an impact on this community.  Already we're bringing others to the fold, and with your contributions we have helped bring safety and prosperity to these very halls.  Hear me!  With us, this fortress will prosper!  Zefons Praise is with you"

"AND WITH YOU GOES ZEFONS LOVE," the crowd roared in unison.

[Heavy Flak]

From the files of Aryn Estetar
1st of Granite, 1055

Things are coming along fine, finally.  Rice has been thrown out and one of my own, the Swordswoman Catten, was put into office after a midnight election.  It's just a shame only the soldiers showed up but these are matters that can not wait until morning.  

Census: 69 Dwarves
Layout: The current lay of the fortress