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[ricemastah]

The baron SWAM up the aqueduct?? Now that is just awesome!! Also, yay for the new forum.

[Makrond]

Heh... I just managed to read through the whole story on the 14th. I like it.

Is there a spare male tanner or leatherworker? If so, I might claim him.

Call him Makrond.

Also... are the nobles trying to sneak into your fort via the aqueducts now?

[Kuli]

I'm back, too.  And now I have a sensible password, too.

Wow, that's just epic.  The duke swam up the aqueduct.  And with no "assistance" from you, Heavy Flak?  He just did it on his own?  If so, that's incredibly awesome.

[Heavy Flak]

The baron SWAM up the aqueduct?? Now that is just awesome!! Also, yay for the new forum.

I think it might be a bug.  See, I've got four Dwarves doing the Saint Vitus Dance in the aqueducts.  They keep wanting to push forward and dump stuff, or drink, or sleep, and the shortest path from where they to where they want to be is to keep going up the channel but the water makes it dangerous terrain.  The Baron and his Wife showed up and just plowed through.  "MOVE ASIDE, YOU CRAVEN BASTARDS" he shouted.  He drowned for half the trip until he built up his swimming skill, then suddenly didn't care, swam around a little, and popped up.  I can't make this stuff up!

Sparrow, Makrond, you both are going to be in the next update.   

Hehe,

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Toady fixed the spoilers!

[Metalax]

Maybe this baron will last longer than the previous incumbents.

[Heavy Flak]

From the files of Aryn Estetar
4^th of Felsite, 1063

I don't know what to do about the lack of water.  The others seem to think it a novelty, some bauble given to them by The Management, but Lucy at least understands that we Dwarves, even in our alcohol dependent state, must have water sometimes.  This leaves me with two choices.  Redesign the entire series of pumps and water wheels, or enclose the entire thing in a wooden pump house.  The second option will get Dodik-Come-Lately out of her absurd brothel for a month or two and hopefully bring revenue back to the fortress proper, but the first could possibly make it more efficient and give Lucy something she likes to do.

The arrival of the new Baron fills me with dread.  What is it with this fortress that draws in the terminally insane.  We have a whore running a back-yard brothel, a ghoul stacking corpses in the laboratory of an ancient fool with too much of his memory left, an old legend who refuses to fight, and a religious zealot treating this place as his own personal playground of the Gods.  And now, we have Baron Bad-Ass, his grand entrance made swimming up the aqueducts and thoroughly impressing all the weak willed plebes. 

The stories I've heard in the mess have pegged him as a micromanager.  I don't like that at all.  He has commented on the "deplorable state of attire" that we are in, and though I distinctly remember signing the order that all rags and tatters be incinerated, I don't quite remember signing the order to stitch up replacements.  He must have seen the horde of nearly naked children go screaming though... anyway, he's instructed Makrond to start making full suits of leather clothing, and once that's finished to start plowing through our silk and cloth supplies.  I think this is an awfully grave mistake he's making. 


I've been harassed for weeks now by a hunter named Sparrow.  His claims of "no game" are no concern of mine - he should have realized that his profession was obsolete during the hundreds of miles of wastelands he slogged through to get here.  Every week, he goes to my administrator for a military requisition form, and every week he brings it to me personally for approval.  He's been wanting to start a new Marksdwarves squad since Likots was wiped out, but I can't see the point.  If he starts a squad, he'll recruit from our ever diminishing pool of civilians.  And once he gets three or four saddled up with him from the pool of the unemployeed, that will be even more Dwarves I'll have to pay from my coffers. 

I've found it much better to just reject his request and save a little coin.

[Makrond]

He rarely feels discouraged. He tends to avoid crowds. He is assertive. He is relaxed. He is candid and sincere in dealings in others. He is very disorganized. He has a sense of duty. He needs alcohol to get through the working day.

Hah! I can't believe you picked a dwarf with my exact personality.

[Stravitch]

I guess that is one way to train up your dwarves swimming!

[Heavy Flak]

The Events of the 13^th of Felsite, 1063

"Left!" clank
"Left!" clank
"Right!" clank
"Strike! Strike!"
"Top!" clank

Merkil was drenched in sweat, his legs and arms as loose and uncontrollable as rubber tubing.  He'd been training with Major ---- DayCovering for a full week now, having finally graduated from the simplicities of hauling water and firewood, and as he stumbled and nearly fell a small part of his mind was chastising his idiots decision to constantly push the idea of weapons training.  He'd gotten his wish.  Like many granted to others, it wasn't quite what he wanted.

The Major, as old and grizzled as he appeared, seemed to have unlimited stores of stamina.  He was dressed in his full plate, hefting his legendary hammer effortlessly.  Each strike he'd deliver to his apprentice was proceeded by a quick bark, a shout of the side he was aiming for, and it was up to Merkil to lift his lead-coated iron shield and deflect the blow.  He'd let one get through once, and for the rest of the day his ribs had screamed pain whenever he turned to the right.  It hadn't happened again.

And I left home for this?  I could be working with my Pa in the smiths, or in the Mayor's Guard drinking mead and laughing.  Instead, I'm on this blasted parapet, nearly suffering from sun stroke as an old codger tries to bash my brains out from between my ears

On the rare occasion Major DayCovering barked, "Strike!", it was up to Merkil to get his lead-covered iron hammer hefted and swinging laboriously slow towards his mentor.  The shots were always deflected, but they had to be done.  If Merkil didn't swing in an "appropriate" amount of time, The Major would take an unannounced swipe at him, leaving him scrambling to bring his heavy shield up in time.

With the sun slowly setting, painting the wall with long shadows, Major ---- DayCovering took one last swing at his charge and stepped back, hanging his hammer through the thong at his side. "Very good.  You're learning quite fast."

Breathing hard, Merkil hang his hammer from his hip as well, leaning over to place his hands on his knees and try to catch his breath.  When he could talk without his throat burning he looked up, sweat dampened hair hanging down over his eyes, "Sir, why am I-"

"Because you can't walk before you can crawl," Said the Major with a deep sigh.
"What?"
"You need to think for yourself.  Think!  What good are these?" He reached out, his grip hard as iron as he gripped against his students bicep.  "If you're not using this" A single finger jabbed Merkil between the eyes, a spot that would be darkly bruised by bed time.  "Why would I make you train with such absurd weaponry?  Why would I tell you where I will hit you?"

Merkil thought about this, slowly regaining his breath and his composure.  He started out, tentatively, "Because... if I can swing something this heavy and awkward, then a real hammer and shield should be of no problem.  And if I know what side your attacks come from, I can pay more attention to how you move, and how to quickly react," He ended with a rush - grinning at the sudden epiphany. 

"There's a good boy," The Major said, one bushy eyebrow lifted high.  "Now, was that so hard?" 

Before Merkil could answer, the old man had walked past him, towards the stairs. "Come 'long.  It's dinner time.  Perhaps Dojango will have prepared something other than Ratweed Stew."

[Heavy Flak]

From the journal of Johnny Fountainspring
24^th of Felsite, 1063

From the frying pan, straight into the fryer.  We had a good month though, didn't we?  With no mayor, the baroness having offed herself via Suicide-by-Stravitch, there were no controlling entities to keep us from our trade.  I alone pulled in gobs of money, paying the Dock Workers handsomely to haul the goods to the trade depot at the dead of night.  Stravitch, too, made a good deal of money selling old armor and weapons to the Dwarven traders.  He tells me they pay far below human - and goblin - rates, they can at least wear our armor.  The old bear claims they  cram their fat bodies into our armor out of sheer stupidity and the quality of our craft, but I have a sneaking suspicion they buy our steel to melt down and refit to their own size and shape.  It's what I would do, at least. 

I thought we might get a reprieve with the death of the mayor.  I actually had money placed that Varen would be our elected official.  The kid may come off a bit soft, but he can hold his own in a fight, and he's got a fair head on his shoulders.  Instead, we get the Aryn bulling past the whole lot of candidates to exert his will.  I should have thought he'd pull this; There are no dirty deals in the game of politics, and his awarding himself commander while we're in "martial law" was quite the fine card to play.

I may have exerted all my favors in ridding the world of foul Likot.  This leaves me a bit short handed in dealing with the next enemy on the list, Aryn Estetar.  Of course he's unliked, that's a given.  He's a weasel and a shyster, but he's had results.  In less than a decade, what other outpost could claim to be named a Mountain Home?  In his audacity he put the queen herself to death, and in doing so he terrified the citizens and won their respect in freeing us from the tyranny of nobility. 

I need to speak with Stravitch.  He'll have ideas - though chances are I won't be listening to those.  I'm sure it will end like every time I bring this up to him: Wearing Aryn's pet bear's head as a hat, while he pounds the little fools face into jelly. 

***

After hours were the only times the workshops were quiet.  During the day the din was deafening, the mixture of hammers, saws, chisels, and irons created a terrible cacophony among the smoothed halls.  Tonight the rooms were silent, the forges cold, but anyone coming down to finish a nights project might hear voices coming from one of the back smelters, hushed.

"This is becoming absurd.  How much longer can he handle these insults?"
"Maester Kuli has more patience than anyone I've met.  He'll weather these attacks with humility and grace.  I've heard he's done it since the start of this fortress, why would he stop now?"
"I know, I know.  It's just... He can have his grace, and his honor.  But that shouldn't stop us from acting in his stead.  Let us be his shield, and sword.  Let us strike for him."
"What do you propose?"

"We strike evil.  We rid this place of it, cleanse it to the very stone.  Without these worthless projects, like The Great Quarry, we'll no longer lose civilians, we can barricade the gates.  With our supplies and farms, we could weather any siege."
"You're right.  You're so right.  These days I'm more afraid for my daughter than myself.  What kind of world is she being brought up in, where her friends run the risk of being murdered daily?  Then it's settled.  We act for Maester Kuli.  We act in his stead.  We rid this fortress of Aryn."

"What!  No, he's a fool, and he's uncaring of our plight, but if we were to die he'd have no one to increase his coffer, or his power.  Ruling an empty fortress is not what he wants.  No, he's not the problem."
"Then who is?"
"Captain Stravitch Fillwhip.  Follower of the Bloody Sun God.  He didn't have to follow Aryn's mandate as he did - and in the past he'd overlooked all number of order and command.  But his dislike of the Zefonists... he tried to suffer us a blow by letting our Maester wither away in solitary.  He's the problem.  Him and his followers."
"...Then our first target is Captain Fillwhip.  The disrespect he has shown us will be paid back in spades.  Praise be with Zefon."
"And Zefon's praise with you."

[Makrond]

I love the subplots and subtle political currents in this... it's like the old dwarven pub brawls with a hundred participants and one hundred fifty alliances.

[Xofrevlis]

Ohwow, this is an awesome story. I started reading yesterday and just got caught up. I really liked the character development so far, I was a little disappointed when Likot died, but zombie goblins is a pretty awesome way for her to have gone.
I actually did a quick sketch of her, or at least my impression of her. If no one minds, I could post it I guess.

[martinuzz]

This story keeps rockin'!
Little question: How did you manage to line the dwarves up by profession at the coronation?
Did you give them all a personal lever, set to repeat, and took a screenshot when the dwarves were visible? Did you put them all on military duty and did the coloring yourself? Or did you pause the game and teleported them all?
Anyway, that is a great screenshot.

[Kuli]

Aw, damnit.  I liked how the Zefonists were such a peaceful sect.  I hope Kuli at least gets an opportunity to appeal to reason.

So Aryn is mayor again?  I'm a little surprised by that.  I thought he liked having a figurehead in place so as to reduce the likelihood of his being a target for assassination.  Then again it's not as if everyone doesn't already realize he's the one really in charge.

[Heavy Flak]

Ohwow, this is an awesome story. I started reading yesterday and just got caught up. I really liked the character development so far, I was a little disappointed when Likot died, but zombie goblins is a pretty awesome way for her to have gone.
I actually did a quick sketch of her, or at least my impression of her. If no one minds, I could post it I guess.

Glad you're enjoying it!  I'd love to see a sketch you have of Likot, that's really cool you did one.  On that subject, when I was looking for avatars, I ran across this picture that made me think of the old mayor.  Obviously it's a he, and not a Dwarf, but it's still it's still creepy as all get out

Little question: How did you manage to line the dwarves up by profession at the coronation?

It was a combination of squad manipulation and photoshop (actually MSPaint) trickery.  I got one dwarf of each profession lined up where I wanted based on how many were in their profession at the time, then duplicated them.  What you see in that picture is the full number of Dwarves in the fort at that time, not counting the few I mentioned didn't show up for story reasons. 

Aw, damnit.  I liked how the Zefonists were such a peaceful sect.  I hope Kuli at least gets an opportunity to appeal to reason.

So Aryn is mayor again?  I'm a little surprised by that.  I thought he liked having a figurehead in place so as to reduce the likelihood of his being a target for assassination.  Then again it's not as if everyone doesn't already realize he's the one really in charge.

I was a little surprised he was reelected Mayor, too.  I really thought it would be Varen.  Outside of Istrath's son, Varen is the most popular guy in the fortress.  I think since both previous Mayors died, it fell back on the guy who was in charge before them - that means weasely Aryn. 

And my original idea was to have Kuli lead the movement to forcefully end evil, but I got better control of my senses.  He's a peaceful man, he wouldn't do that at all!  But some of his followers may have turned a bit bitter in his incarceration.  Heh.