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[Silu]

He-Who-Stares 

Macedwarf

Exceptional Moxy
Good Guts
Below Average Loyalty

He doesn't speak much. Actually, he just grunts.

[RandomRandomUK]

A little back story on M.C Hammer(dwarf)

***

M.C. (as his friends call him) started out as a lowly bouncer at a family nightclub, mainly having to deal with dwarves who had had a bit too much dwarven wine.

However one day he took a crossbow bolt for the owner of the nightclub, an up and coming "made dwarf". He shrugged off the injury, and after his toughness was recognised, he was trained to become a professional hitdwarf.

He's not very good at being stealthy, his preferred weapon being the hammer, but he has garnered a fearsome reputation for the brutal way he kills his targets and his odd fashion sense. Normally he shouts "IT'S HAMMER TIME!" before smashing through limbs like twigs and splattering heads like watermelons.

Hammer was brought along because a bit of muscle was needed. And he is pretty reliable as he owes where he is today to the generosity of the family. He very much enjoys his job, and would be ruined if anyone found out the "M" in his name stands for Maurice.

[Lord Dullard]

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Act I - Opening
Scene I
1 Granite, 1051
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It was growing dark by the time the dwarves finally reached the densely-forested feet of the mountains. They ascended a series of sharp hills with some difficulty, until eventually they could bring the heavy, cumbersome wagon no further because of the slope.

"We're not getting this thing any higher," Noted Nojh. It had been his unfortunate task to try and coax the muskoxen into pulling the wagon along thus far. "It's here or nowhere."

"This is a good place," Snoopicus said. He pointed towards the plateau-like cliffs nearby. "Look at all the dolomite here. There's sure to be magnetite mixed in there with it."



"And plenty of trees nearby for fuel and furniture," Hammer added with a grin. "Say, Boss. My old pa taught me enough to know my way 'round an anvil pretty good. We need picks, and real weapons. What say I start gettin' some of 'em ready for us?"

Ast considered this, and nodded. It was true they needed weapons; in their haste they hadn't been able to bring any decent amount of supplies along, and that included means of defense. Luckily they'd been able to procure a small stockpile of bronze and copper bars from Likot's personal storeroom; it would be at least enough their current needs.

By nightfall, the ad-hoc workshops necessary for forging simple tools were put together. While most of the dwarves slept, Hammer turned his attention to producing several bronze picks with some help from the two capos.

When morning came, Orycteropus pointed towards the small plateau-valley below them. "If we drain those pools we'll have plenty of space for farming. That should be a priority."

"Picks are ready," Hammer grunted. He looked tired.

"Let's get to it, then. I'll help." Ast picked up one of the heavy copper picks and swung it over his shoulder. "Time you should all know, anyway. Before we left, I received word from some of my father's old friends that the Utharzirils are carrying out their vendetta in all the cities of Rimadzas. Their parts of the Family will need to lay low like us, and head for refuge."

"So," Barrantino grunted, grinning. "What you're sayin' is, more work for us 'til they get here, eh?"

Likot, in passing, smacked the flat of her palm against his head and grabbed another pick. "Stop complaining and get to work."

[martinuzz]

Name: Fluffy Wambler
Loyalty: Good
Moxy: Exceptional
Guts: Below average

Fluffy is the ratty type. He is not too loyal, but too yellow to rat out family members. Except for the right price, ofcourse, to buy him safety.
If not for his exceptional moxy, he wouldn't have been allowed to join the family.

[Flar Moonchill]

Loving this mate, great idea 

Btw any chance of re-posting the command struture thingie bosses/under bosses/soldiers, and which is which, would make it easier to remember as it's gone from the first post :-)

@Snoopicus: I've just noticed I think your missing a "S" out of your sig mate. 

[Lord Dullard]

Loving this mate, great idea 

Btw any chance of re-posting the command struture thingie bosses/under bosses/soldiers, and which is which, would make it easier to remember as it's gone from the first post :-)

@Snoopicus: I've just noticed I think your missing a "S" out of your sig mate. 

Thanks! As for the command structure:

Capo Crimine/Boss/Don
|
Capo Bastone/Underboss
|
Consigliere/Advisor
|
Caporegime/'Regime Head'
|
Soldato/Soldier
|
Picciotto/'Little Man'
|
Associate

A Soldato is the first rank of 'Made Man' - that is, somebody who's considered a real 'member of the Family'. Picciotto is like an Associate, but they've accrued more trust and respect than the latter (for the purposes of this story I'm not sure if I'll be using Picciotto or just jumping from Associate to Soldato).

[Lord Dullard]

Warning - this post contains foul language.
(In fact, I might as well go ahead and mention that any posts from here on out may well contain the same.)

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----==============================---
Act I - Opening
Scene II
8 Slate, 1051
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"These pools are almost finished draining, Boss." Snoopicus was standing over the two pools; a channel had been dug between them, and then another dug to the nearest cliffside. The water was slowly pouring out of the side of the hill on to the marsh below.



"Good." Ast Bloodpillar had been a little overwhelmed so far, but he felt they were making progress. The other dwarves, with the exception of Likot, had been busy digging out the first rooms in the compound. They'd need shelter and a place to wage war if it came to that. Likot, meanwhile, was on tree-felling duty.



"We need a name for this place," Hammer said off-handedly. He was covered in sweat and grime. He'd been working near non-stop since they arrived.

A distinct crunching sound came from the other side of the clearing. Nojh was seated under an old, withered-looking apple tree.

"You and your fucking apples," Snoopicus snapped. "Real dwarves eat meat and mushrooms."

"I like apples," Nojh retorted.

"I like apples," Snoopicus mimicked in the elfiest voice possible. He twirled one finger in his beard for emphasis, earning a snicker from the other dwarves. Nojh stopped eating the piece of fruit, deciding it would be put to better use by being hurled at the other capo. It struck Snoopicus in the leg.

"Bastard!" He picked the half-eaten apple up and sent it spinning back, but Nojh ducked. It exploded against the trunk, the impact causing the branches to shake. After a second, there was a dull thump as something fell and hit the ground.

"That.. is a huge apple," Orycteropus remarked. Indeed, it seemed to be at least twice the size of all the others on the tree. It was a miracle they hadn't noticed it before.

"Maybe it's some kind of sign," Hammer, who was superstitious to an inch, said in vague awe.

"Yeah, right. What kind of sign is that?" Barrantino returned. He sounded skeptical.

"I dunno. Maybe we're supposed to name this place 'The Big Apple'."

They all stared at him.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. No self-respecting city would ever call itself that," Barrantino grumbled.

"Well, hold up," Likot said. She'd walked over and picked the freakishly large fruit up. "If you translate that to the old tongue, it's.. Etägbemòng. It doesn't sound too bad. And it sounds a little like a name for.. an elven retreat," She continued.

"Forget that, then," Snoopicus grunted.

"No, wait. That's a good thing - it'll fool the Utharzirils, at least at first. Not to mention the nobility."

They all considered this. Ast held up his hand.

"We're keeping the name. Etägbemòng. For now, discretion is more important than flare."

There was a low groan from a couple of the dwarves, but he had made up his mind, and they all knew it was final.

[RandomRandomUK]

"I dunno. Maybe we're supposed to name this place 'The Big Apple'."

They all stared at him.

Awesome! My dwarf got to name the fortress ^_^

[Lord Dullard]

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Act I - Opening
Scene III
28 Malachite, 1051
----------------------------------------------

Summer was almost turning to Fall, and the dwarves had been hard at work. They had a small mushroom farm up and running, and were working on the beginnings of an area that would eventually become kitchens and stills. They were all wise enough to recognize the fact that food and booze were first priority for any good dwarven compound.





"Our fathers made their fortunes smuggling goods banned by the nobles into the mountainhomes," Orycteropus was telling Ast and Nojh. The former was sitting hunched over on a stump, smoking a pipe full of some of the herbs they'd gathered. Likot was leaning against a not-yet-felled tree, one of the few left in the meadow. "But that business is dying now."

Likot nodded. "The nobles have put too many restrictions on imports, and the king's guards are cracking down on us. Now it's elven weeds people want. Rat weed, blade weed, whip vine berries.. they're said to enhance the mind."

"Enhance the mind," Ast scoffed. "Look at what they've done to the elves. It's a dirty business."

"Dirty but profitable," Barrantino, who was sitting in the grass nearby and eating a plump helmet, added.

"I won't allow it."

There was silence for a while.

"Boss, I forgot to tell you," Nojh said, breaking the hot, humid quiet. "There've been some gorillas nosing around down in the river valley."

"We'll worry about them later," Ast decided. "For now they're no threat to us."

[Lord Dullard]

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Act I - Opening
Scene IV
8 Limestone, 1051
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Autumn had come. Little change was visible on the surface of the marsh in the valleys below them, but the dwarves could feel the gradual change in the air. Temperatures had continued to grow cooler, and the sun sank below the horizon earlier every day.

The refuge was beginning to look a little more like a compound and less like a kobold cave day by day. The 'dining hall' was now semi-finished, and it was where Ast and Likot now sat in discussion.



"Things are going well," Likot began. "Mining and construction are going smoothly, and all but one of the gorillas have disappeared."

"Things have been quiet," Ast agreed. "But they won't stay that way forever. We can't just hide here like thieving kobolds."

"No," Likot said. "But there's no need to draw attention to ourselves too soon. The Utharzirils won't stop hunting us if we can't defend ourselves."

"Then we need to begin constructing defenses. And we need to start practicing with our weaponry. We can't afford to be rusty." He paused for a moment. "Was there anything else we needed to talk about?"

"Not really," Likot said, thinking. "Although... Barrantino seems to have developed a strange affectation for cats."



"Cats?"

"Yes. It wouldn't be so bad, but he lets the kittens follow him around everywhere.."


"Eh," Ast said, curling his lip. "Tell him to keep the damned things.. somewhere." He wasn't certain where 'somewhere' was, since they didn't have personal rooms dug out yet and were sleeping in a barracks in the first chamber they'd dug out. But he'd heard that cats had terrible powers of multiplication that he didn't really want to witness first-hand.

Likot nodded and stood, and Ast did the same. He headed off down the hallway towards the small farm plots so that he could help with the planting.. hopefully they'd have enough food and drink to last them when the new arrivals showed up.

[Lord Dullard]

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Act II - Growth & Balance
Scene I
3 Timber, 1051
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The air was growing cooler and cooler with each passing day. Every night, the calls of the strange swamp creatures grew less and less promiscuous, and Ast was actually beginning to get some sleep. Even better, the insects were beginning their yearly retreat.

The daily routines of the dwarves were broken by the arrival of the first of their brethren. The scraggly bunch that shuffled into the refuge looked as if they'd met their fair share of troubles back in the city.

"I don't recognize them," Ast murmured. It was true, none of them was old enough to have been in the Family long. Some of them looked like common criminals, not respectable dwarves. "Snoopicus, Nojh, I want both of you to interview them. See if any of them seem worth the time to take on as full-time partners. The rest.. they can stay here, but only if they're willing to work for their bed and dinner."

"You got it, Boss."

The interviews commenced. Out of all the candidates, three seemed relatively bright.







"The rest of yas.. let's see," Snoopicus said, rubbing his beard. He looked at those who, for one reason or another, had not been deemed worthy of employment as real Family members. "You. You'll be doing.. farming. And building. You.. you'll be farming and building. Guess what you'll be doing?" He smirked. "Don't worry, you'll have the chance to prove yourselves in time."

"Boss," Likot said, pointing towards one of the dwarves. "I know him. He did a few odd jobs for the Family a while back. He's reliable." She was pointing at a large, bulky fellow.

Ast shrugged. "You can take him on as a personal employee if you prefer. The capos already have enough to deal with."

Likot, after a moment of consideration, agreed.



Things finally began to settle down after an hour or two. Work went on.

[Lord Dullard]

I need a volunteer. Someone who doesn't have a character yet. I'll need a character name and weapon preference. Stats may be skipped.

[Aqizzar]

What the hey, I love misanthropy and euphemisms.

Salvatori

Loyalty: Exceptional
Moxy: Good
Guts: Below Average
Weapon of Choice: Spear (to keep enemies away)

He's a shifty, conniving little wop, too fearful to be disloyal, and just cunning enough to be dangerous.


Though it sounds like he'll die soon.  Oh well, losing is fun.

[anyar]

"Wax" Gusiletur
Loyalty: Exceptional
Moxy: Below Average
Guts: Good

He's loyal and will do what he's told, but he is near useless if left alone and a bit thickheaded.

If a weapon preference is needed(I see that Aqizzar has posted already): Crossbow.

[Lord Dullard]

Does either one of you mind the character NOT having a typical role, like the others? I.e., they may have ulterior motives.

I'll go ahead and give it to whoever replies first. The other person will still get an Associate.