Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

9th of Felsite

Our clothier began spouting gibberish today after looking at our new relaxation area. Something about the obsidian statues must have given him pause. It wasn't until an uncannily high-pitched voice echoed from her that I began to suspect something different. She kept muttering a name over and over and speaking in some foreign tounge. One that I was not familiar with. And I speak most of the common ones. After claiming the clothier shop she went to get two bolts of rope reed cloth and two sections of horse leather and began working, giggling and singing to herself all the while. I'll have to see what comes of this.



((I had to look up what the heck chausse were... apparently they're hose... as in the type worn by men during specific portions of the middle ages. Scary.))

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

13th of Felsite

Zefon our brewer gave birth to a girl today. We drank to her health. I think even Zefon may have slipped her something to keep her from crying too much. Hopefully just some of her fabulous beer and not the rum.

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

13th of Hematite Early summer 1056

The humans arrived again today. Unfortunately they've brought only two wagons with them. I had been hoping for more. All loaded with wood. In any case I was pleased to see Abba again. Innu came as well and was greeted by Baroness Countess Lokum. Abba jumped down from the wagon beaming.

"Good to see you again. Look, I'm really sorry about last year. I know you needed those supplies but things have been tight."

"Aye, well, that condition has been going around it seems. Glad you could come this year anyways. We'll see you off properly again."

"Well, that's one of the reasons I come. You make my trips very profitable. I brought as much wood as the wagons would carry. Drink and empty barrels too like you asked. I figured you might need some bolts as well, so I've brought the best I could find. Food too of course. Mostly seafood, but it's packed in brine and was fresh when we loaded it."

I looked quickly over the inventory list she had provided. All of it was useful, or useful enough. Even the bolts, though I thought they were a bit overpriced. Not a problem for us of course.

"Looks great. Thanks for bringing us this. We'll take the lot of it."

Abba smiled. It was as if the mention of profit lit up her entire face. And she had a great smile.

"Well, I know I promised you weapons. So I'll deliver on that." I called out to the others who were bringing up our goods to trade. "Just put all that on the wagons. Fill 'em to capacity."

Abba rubbed her hands together gleefully and asked:"Thank you so very much. We've been needing these badly. Not to mention they're fetching a good price too. What all are you loading then?"

Armful after armful of weapons and armor were being loaded on the wagons as we spoke. After the weapons were all on I tossed in a bin of stone crafts and ordered the rest filled with surplus goblin gear.

"Aye, don't mention it. To be honest we've had more goblins here than we'd care for."

It was then that a shout of alarm went out.

"Goblins, on the ramp. Looks like some thieves found the traps!"

I relaxed again. Nothing major. Dwarves began streaming past me to clean up the traps and ramp and remove the gear. A second shout happened almost five minutes later.

"Stop you thief!!!"

The voice sounded like Mafol, one of our smiths and the sound of running could be heard. I called out below:"Oi, shut those gates, quick!"

Seconds later a heavy clang filled the air, muffled by distance.

It was about fifteen minutes later that Mafol returned, slightly bloodsplattered but none the worse for the wear. He grinned and nodded to me as he walked in, carrying one of the goblins shoes. "Got the little blighter. Tossed sand in my eyes to slow me down but closing the gates trapped him. Thanks."

Turning back to Abba I handed her a quick list of what I'd had loaded. She made some mental calculations before she spoke, but I interrupted her first.

"Aye, I know. I'm a terrible merchant. Anyways, there's a dozen bows there, almost five hundred arrows and about two score other weapons. Some are very good quality and almost all of them are iron. That should be a goodly shipment of weapons for now. Next year we'll see about getting you some more."

"Thanks." was all she said before giving me a hug. As she turned to her men to direct the efficient packing of the gear she gave me a wink and said:"You realize that you've giving away over a hundred thousand ingots worth of goods there, right?"

"Aye, but to be honest, I couldn't care less. Most of it is goblin gear, and we've got so much of that we're practically swimming in it. If you'd have brought more wagons we'd have filled them too. The stuff takes up too much space."

"That's why I like you Paulus, you're way to practical."

I grinned before heading below.

While the goods were being loaded and stowed we recieved another alarm. A group of goblins had come down the ramp to ambush us. Only about five or six of them. Hard to tell. Half of them got caught on the traps. Medtom and our Hammerer were helping to clean up the mess from the previous ones and made short work of the others. I sighed. If only they'd brought more wagons we could be clear of this junk. I considered just digging a pit and dumping it all. It was very tempting indeed. But inside my my practical side won out. The stuff could be used... there was no reason to let it go to waste. And spreading the wealth out to those that helped us was a good way towards strengthening our own position in the long run.

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

14th of Galena Summer

The mist from the falls occasionally wafts into our halls now. I'm amazed at what a refreshing difference that makes. We've cleared out a section of stone leading to the falls, about thirty feet up from the bottom. It actually worked out doubly well, since we also found several gems and a rather large vein of silver, both natural and horn silver. We're practically swimming in silver. Though getting it all melted down properly make take a little while still. In any case, it's been a very busy month. I've been up on the upper plateau directing the masons in their work. I'm amazed at how quick our walls up there went up with the newly expanded mason force. Perhaps next season we'll manage to get the northern woods walled in too. That way we won't have to risk our woodcutters.

On the homefront things have gone well also. Nish, one of our guards gave birth again. A boy this time. Not to be outdone the countess Lokum also gave birth, but to a girl, not three days later. And today, our wood burner Lokum gave birth to a boy also. It's just been that sort of month I guess. Still, it's nice to know that we've been able to provide a secure home to raise children in. The cliffs and narrow entrance make it hard for goblins to get in, and kids to wander out. Thankfully.

[MercDraco]

Name: Draconus
 
no big on the kitty it was to be a plus considering in my games all my hammerdwarfs get cats who chase after the gobbos..if the gobbo is stupid enough to stab it they get propelled into my fortress (usually more than 1 blow) and then slowly smashed into wall/floor as wounded kitty watches/recovers)

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

((Ok thanks Draco. I've actually already implemented your character development. I'll just make the name change))

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

20th of Galena

The Countess Lokum came by last week to pick up a list of the items we had sold to Abba and her crew. Said she wanted to see what we were trading to the humans. It didn't seem unreasonable at the time so I've given it to her. What she apparently decided today, however, is that I wasn't doing enough to serve her. She came barging into my office.

"Paulus, I'm sick and tired of you ignoring my petition to properly furnish my tomb. Why haven't you done anything about it?"

"Lokum, cal-"

"It's Countess Lokum. And I will not be calm. You've been sitting on this for months. I demand you do something about it. And since you've taken so long with it, I want you to find something suitable for my bedroom as well."

I considered telling her that we tried every piece of furniture in the entire fortress and that she had found it lacking. I even considered trying to explain that with the various pieces of furniture there were and the vast variety of metals that existed there were around seventy-nine quadrillion possibilities, and the likelihood of me picking one at random and it being the right one was preposterous. Instead I went with short answer.

"No."

Her eyes narrowed and she advanced a step. "What do you mean, no."

"Do you want the long version? Ok. Hell, no." I had had enough of her outrageous demands. "This is a personal request for you Countess. I am under no specific obligation to comply with your whims in this case, nor, I should point out, do I feel inclined to make much effort to do so. So, if you don't mind. I have a fortress to run."

Her lips were so pursed they seemed to be a thin white line and it looked like she would have kicked some of my furniture over had it not all been stone. Not that I had much furniture. As she was storming off I heard her muttering, but it was too quiet to hear.

I sighed, putting my head in my hands and resting my elbows on my table. Why didn't she understand. It wasn't about her. It was about us, as a clan. Her and her husband paraded around, enjoying the best food, drink and taking their pick of craftsgoods that the rest of us labored to make and assumed that it was her entitlement. To a certain extent I suppose that the law was on her side there. But equally well because of that mindset she failed to understand that it was possible to be great by strengthening those around you. As all of us gained in glory, each of us gained in glory, rather than taking it away from someone else to boost your own standing. Lord Rovod understood this well enough. He labored night or day in the forges and tending the animals. He gave of himself to the clan. Perhaps this was a new way of thinking. Perhaps it didn't go with tradition. Perhaps the Countess would get shoved off a cliff. Considering she never went outside I didn't have much hope for her either way.

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

5th of Limestone

The dwarven caravan arrived today with our new liason. Apparently we'd gotten a new one and they hadn't informed us yet. He wouldn't even speak to me except to pick up what items we requested and give me a list of what the mountainhomes wanted. Which of course included mostly weapons and armor. A hundred and two percent increase on the value of armors next year. Things must have been going badly.

The merchants brought plenty of useful things, unfortunately they brought no wood. Not a log. I took most of their heavy items so we could load as much a possible on to help cover out quota. Apparently it had been common for the merchants to either fill up too fast or the settlements not to be able to pay so the war tax had been extended five years, after which point if it hadn't been paid settlements would be forced to be abandoned. I wouldn't let that happen here. I knew they needed weapons badly, perhaps even desperately, so I loaded on as many as the space would permit after all the trading. It was a significant amount. Almost a hundred weapons, mostly melee, but a fair number of crossbows as well. A large portion of our inferior iron weapons went. The liason merely nodded and tallied up their value, an aproximate ten thousand ingots worth of weapons. Apparently it was both quality and quantity they wanted. I was informed that our tax had risen to our current value and that we now owed roughly two hundred and eighty thousand ingots worth. That was a lot of gear. Perhaps I'd have Aardvark turn out some custom steel sets. Those were worth their weight in gold.

While the traders were here we had a few goblins try to get in. Two thieves were caught in traps, a third was spotted by Fre, who immeadiately tried to pounce on it. It slashed out with a wicked iron dagger, but Fre quickly dodged to one side, catching it's hand in a lock and snapping it a the wrist. The goblin fled as fast as it's legs would carry it, leaving it's weapon on the ground. A few days later two of our furnace operators, Zan and Medtob were caught in an ambush on the upper plateau. They managed to get the alarm sounded but tried to run and were dragged down by a group of goblin wrestlers before they were run through by a swordgoblin. Aardvark and I had been sparring in the barracks and we immeadiately headed up the ramp to check it out. We arrived to late, though just barely.

The five goblins turned on us as we crested the ramp and advanced. Four of them were unarmed so it was with no hesitation whatsoever that the two of us charged. The lead goblin tried to tackle me as I approached but a heavy blow in mid-air changed his direction quickly and sent both pieces of him flying away to hit the wall. Aardvark too cleaved in with his axe. A goblin launched itself at him too but he stood his ground and the goblin struck his plate falling stunned to the ground. Seconds later Aardvarks axe buried itself most of the way into it's skull. He punched a second goblin that was advancing in the face, stunning it and breaking it's nose while he yanked his axe out. My sword continued to dance and weave in and out through the goblin before me until the unarmed and mostly unarmored goblin lay in four pieces. The leader should have run then and there, but he advanced on me, sword on sword. A quick thrust and a clumsy block on his part told me enough of his skill. A second thrust, a feint drew out his guard and opened up his other side for a backhanded blow, severing an arm at the elbow. In the second it took for him to look down at his shield arm numbly I had impaled him, puncturing his chest, heart and lungs. A quick glance behind me showed me Aardvark gleefully dismembering the still twitching wrestler remaining. Our furnace operators lay only feet from us. What they were doing up here I didn't know, only that they paid for it with their lives.

On our way back down I slapped Aardvark in the back with my gauntleted hand.

"Nice job. I'd say that was a good enough sparring session don't you?"

"Aye, not bad. I feel better. Pity about those two though."

"Aye. 'Tis a shame. Had they your armor they'd likely be still alive."

"True enough. True enough."

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

Coming back in from the ambush Aardvark and I passed the first of the wagons at the bottom of the ramp. The merchants were heading out. Yet as we neared the doors to our home Litast, our mayor, came running out, pale and breathing hard.

"Paulus, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. The Countess. Mandate. We can't export gloves."

I was alarmed. The merchants were already underway. "What?"

She paused for a second to catch her breath. "The Countess has mandated that we export no gloves. For the good of the clan. What do we do?"

A grim sentiment stole over me. There was nothing we could do. Short of barring the gates and having the merchants slaughtered to retrieve the dozens of goblin gloves on their wagons. That would be a silly thing to do. Looking at Litast all I could exclaim was, "Pray. Pray it blows over or that she forgets quickly. There is no other choice. If not, we do what we can."

I hadn't even removed my armor before a young guard came into my office.

"Here's a report, sir. Justice to be dispensed."

I nodded and took the list. It was long. Very long. Hammerings, beatings, prison time. Very long indeed. Litast made the list. Eight hammerstrikes, a beating and twenty six days in prison. She'd never survive. My name was on the list as well. Twelve hammerstrikes and seventy six days in prison. This list was madness. Utter insanity. The Countess would kill half the fortress because we had sold goblin gloves, just to prove that she was in charge. Frustration and fury welled up inside me. I strode quickly out of my office, metal boots clinking on the smoothed stone. Blood still covered my armor, and my vision was red-tinged. Had the Countess walked in front of me then and there I might have struck her down. As it was I passed an engraver working on the halls. I grabbed her hammer and chisel.

"Give me those. Go get a drink."

She swallowed and looked up at me as if seeing me for the first time and slowly backed away nodding. I went straight for the prison in the north tower. A few swings of the hammer had removed the chains from the walls and I took them and placed them in a remote unused corner of the building. By the time I returned there were several guards and the Hammerer, along with their unfortunate victims already there.

The Hammerer looked at me. I looked at her.

"What happened here?"

"Jail's closed for repairs."

She merely nodded grimly. She dismissed the other guards and released the dwarves they had brought down, lowering their punishment. Walking up to me she stood toe to toe with me and looked up, but only slightly.

"Don't think that I'll let you make this a habit. You cannot thwart justice."

"I don't intend to. You've seen the list?"

She looked down and backed away a step. "Aye. The countess sent me a copy. She's very ... thorough when she wants to be."

"These dwarves are not criminals. They were doing a job I sent them to do. Had the countess made the mandate before we sold the gloves I'd have been happy to comply with her. But she didn't. She waited until the merchants had already packed up to leave. Her punishments will kill countless innocent dwarves. What a waste. This isn't justice... it's insanity, it's megalomaniacal."

"Aye, to a certain extent. You'll re-establish the prison after this blows over?"

"To be sure."

"You won't interfere in my lawful punishment of criminals?"

"Not in such a way, if I can help it."

"See that you don't. Even I can't pardon everyone on the list though. Surely you know that."

"Do what you can."

She nodded and I left. I headed to my office to wait. It didn't take long. Our Hammerer was true to her word.

It was not half an hour after our discussion that the countess stormed into my office, accompanied by her husband and two of the royal guard.

"What's the meaning of this? These people are criminals. How can you sit there and not see to their proper punishment?"

I was strangely calm. I spoke almost in a whisper.

"These people are not criminals. They are friends, and good workers."

In a fury she turned to her husband.

"Meng, see that those still on the list receive a proper beating. I want no one to get off clean. Justice will be dispensed. I will be vindicated."

He rushed off, smiling as she turned on me and pointed a finger at me. For a second she stood there, unable to find something to say before she turned and left.

Not long after the casualty reports began flooding in. Zon our stoneworker was injured. Zulban our glassmaker had been beaten to death along with Zon our engraver, the one I'd taken the chisel from. Litast, another engraver was badly injured and might never properly recover. Ablel, one of our talented Masons was badly injured, a spinal injury or so I was informed. Ashtesh another engraver was badly injured, a head wound among them. Sodel, one of our five miners was injured. Medtob, one of the engineers I'd trained personally, was injured. Udil, our clothier was injured as was Lokum our woodburner and mother of three. Ducim, one of our Furnace operators was beaten to death as was Melbil, our glassmaker and mother of two children. One only weeks old. That struck me hard. I'd see her child well taken care of. Edzul, another of our masons was badly injured as he worked on the upper wall. Atir, one of our planters was struck in the head and passes in and out of conciousness. We don't know if he'll recover. Cilob, another planter was injured as well, as was Avuz, another woodburner. Litast, the mayor and I were saved for last. Litast didn't survive the beating, and by that time I barely felt mine. Litast had been our only mayor for years. She was well liked and did a tremendous job, it was a true loss. Rith the guard apologized in advance but he had his orders and I understood that. Nish, a younger guard had attempted to administer a beating to Fre but she threatened to remove his manhood with a kitchen knife and I suspect he considered that threat enough of a beating.

I was numb by the end of it. In a day the countess had wreaked more havoc upon our home than years worth of goblin sieges. I overheard her in the halls a day later when asked about it by one of her children. She told him the others got what they deserved and she didn't feel bad about it, and neither should he.

[Frelock]

((While reading that latest post, I was feeling sad and disheartened... until I saw the part about Fre, and then I laughed.  You do a great job with writing, and allow the reader to emphasize with your characters.  Loving the story; keep at it!))

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

5th of Timber

We recieved another small batch of immigrants from the mountain home today. Said they'd heard about us from a group of soldiers that had passed through town. They described Scott down to the slightly broken nose where we'd gotten in a fight as kids. Able bodies all, and after our recent losses, some way perhaps of easing the labor of others.

One was a cheesemaker and him, a peasant and two rangers were drafted into the army as Marksdwarves. One peasant went to the Royal guard and one to the Fortress guard. We also got a woodworker, a metalsmith and a metal crafter (now stoneworker).

I'd been visited by Meng, the countess' consort yesterday. He insisted the fortess needed more lay pewter goods, for it's own betterment. I nodded and told him I'd see to it. He seemed to swell a little at my statement and grinned, somewhat maliciously, saying 'That's right. You do that. Or they'll be Armok to pay.'.


P.S. Aardvark has been declared a champion. He's been busy while the forges have been cool. We've spotted what appears to be a vein of lignite and possibly one of Bituminous coal up near the top of the waterfall however, so he might be busy again in a few months, once we've had time to process it.

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

(Not a journal entry)

I walked down the hallway like normal, the small bag of tools clinking at my side. There were no guards near the countess' door, so I knew that they were out. I believe they were admiring the statuary tonight. A pretty normal occurance since I'd had it installed. They'd taken to having at least one or two of the Royal guards accompany them at all times lately. Perhaps they realize how unpopular they've become. Even a good portion of the guard lost someone they were acquainted with. I was counting on the fact that me visiting the countess was a normal enough occurance.

I had to go back and fetch my surprise from near the kennels. He didn't fit very well in the doubled up bolt of cloth I was using to carry and conceal him, so thankfully he was unconcious. The snake venom I'd slipped him had knocked him unconcious and would last at least another hour. Retracing my steps I entered the countess' room. Small lay pewter crafts lay strewn about on the floor where their children had left them. The front room was their dining hall and office while the back rooms were the sleeping area. What few knew, however, was that there was a third room on the side that we'd initially had carved out but later sealed when it wasn't needed. I'd spent the last week sneaking in to properly connect the mechanisms to open it from elsewhere.

I hastily set my trap.

1st of Moonstone Early winter

((Image if of the actual trap being sprung. Post is below.))

[Aardvark]

P.S. Aardvark had been declared a champion. He's been busy while the forges have been cool. We've spotted what appears to be a vein of lignite and possibly one of Bituminous coal up near the top of the waterfall however, so he might be busy again in a few months, once we've had time to process it.

Ehm I don't think he will be able to go back to civilian life after becomming a champion. Ah well atleast he uses what he made himself

[userpay]

ooo this sounds like fun, can't wait to see what happens next.

[Paulus Fahlstrom]

3rd of Moonstone

I had my doubts about springing my trap I'll admit. The countess still carried her infant with her and though her mother did not care for the lives of others it gave me pause to think that the child might come to harm. It was perhaps the thoughts of Melbil and her now motherless children that gave me the mettle necessary to go through with things. Melbil's infant had taken to wandering through the fortress. Everyone gave the child some attention. She was fed when hungry or thirsty and the other children took care of her as well. Perhaps it would be better for the countess' child if it didn't survive, though I knew that not to be true in my heart even if I convinced myself in me head it were otherwise.

After the countess locked herself in her room with her husband for the night was when things had to be done. Their children were still up and playing with some of Urvad's little ones. I went to the south-eastern tower to over see some training that Kuli was participating in. Using the captured goblins of course. It was his test to become a speardwarf officially. Him against two goblins in a room. They still had spears or rather pikes of their own and so, to be honest it was easily a fair fight. Even Melonius had practiced some with his crossbow. There was a hole in the ceiling of the room so it could be seen from above to educate those in training. Melonius was assigned a position up there and a crossbowgoblin was released from a cage below. Both had weapons. Melonius won. But I diverge. I'd linked the lever to release the two goblins in cages for Kuli to fight. What no one else knew what that I'd linked it also to release a third goblin, the axelord, into the countess' rooms.

Kuli performed well, and Urvad oversaw the declaration of speardwarf, but my thoughts were elsewhere. It was perhaps no surprise to me at least when a runner came from the main tower to inform us that a goblin had gotten loose and murdered the countess and her consort. In their own bedchambers. I went to survey the damage. Apparently a Royal guard had heard their screams and tried to get into the room. The door had been locked and Ragnar had been summoned. He ordered the guard to stand back and with two mighty kicks shivered the stone door in half near the middle. The goblin stood in the room still, surprised at the method of entry, standing over the fallen. Ragnar had charged but the goblin leaped aside. A return stroke nicked Ragnar's leg. Ragnar too swung out, but it was blocked, as was the goblin's next swipe. The two foes circled, one axe dripping fresh blood, the other unblemished. The next pass gave the advantage clearly in favor of the goblin though. He opened up a deep gash on Ragnar's arm through his armor, staining it bright red. The goblin grinned thinking he had the advantage. He perhaps hadn't counted on Ragnar's ferocity as the dwarf charged into him, bowling the diminuative goblin over before bringing his axe down on top of the prone creature. Two more blows ended the life of the stunned goblin.

The countess had died, thrown against the bedroom wall. Her consort had perished, beheaded in the first room. It was to my relief that their child survived, and though traumatized, was perhaps too young to realize what had truly taken place.

Ragnar was escorted by a guard to his small bedroom, the one he kept when he didn't want to be bothered, so he could recover. I visited him the next day, bringing two mugs of sewer brew to share. It was my way of saying sorry. I knew he liked the stuff and the healers wanted him on water only, which I was sure would chafe him. He gave me a knowing look when I walked in.

"Hoy. I thought you might like this. How's the arm?"

He grunted, taking the drink and a long pull from it before responding. "Ah, fine stuff that. Arm's good 'nough. Can't keep me down too long."

I nodded, wanting to say more, but not finding the words. I never was good at talking. Ragnar seemed to understand. After a minute of awkward silence he cleared his throat.

"Ya do what ye have to do, mate."

I nodded, raising my glass to his in a toast.

"For the good of the clan."

"Aye, fer the good o' the clan."

We drank our glasses to the last drop. It burned on the way down, though Ragnar didn't seem to notice much.

As I was leaving I asked.

"Mind if I appoint Aardvark as sheriff while you're down?"

"Nah, been meanin' to get away and do some practice. Been a while since I sparred."

We left it at that. I left him to heal. I still had our philosopher to visit. She was a nice sort and had taken to collecting goblin gear 'to better understand them'. I wanted to ask her if she was willing to set up a school. For the young and old alike. The children at least deserved a proper education. It was better to get while they were young. And it would keep their minds off of recent losses.

((Yeah... sorry about that Aardvark. I had no idea once a champion there was no turning back. I can make champions Sheriff though. Still, you've provided the fort with about 40 suits of full chain and 40 of full plate so we should be ok, though losing such an awesome armorer is somewhat of a pain.))