8th Slate, 305The miller, Kogan, just built a scale replica of the Mountainhomes in flour. Now he wants more materials. I think we all know where this is going.
17th Slate 305Glacies' wife, Litast, has given birth to the second member of his household now, a boy they have named Sarvesh. I am quite pleased to learn that they plan to bring him up to follow Teshkad. Lokum, the mechanic, has thrown them a party in their honour.
Additionally, I have prepared a coffin for Kogan. He wants raw gems.
2nd Felsite, 305Another prison ship arrived today, bringing along with its usual cargo of miscreants another member of the upper classes; an ascetic of Teshkad by the name of Logem. I am not as yet certain why he has come here, but although he is exempt from the requirement to pay for possessions, he insists on no special treatment or opulent quarters.
I think I may like this noble.
Prisoner Manifest:
Nomal Asreråblel, Clothier
Udib Imikcilob, Siege Engineer (f)
Solon Mengzeg, - (f)
Ònul Regerith, Metalsmith (f)
Obok Dodokrómek, -
Besmar Oshursodel, Cook
Tun Uristromlam, Trapper (f)
Deler Idengigin, Metalcrafter
Asmel Cattenostath, -
Iden Ònullogem, Metalsmith
Dîshmab Semoratîs, Metalcrafter
Kivish Nishuzol, Craftsdwarf
Kib Geshudemet, Armourer
Ïngis Såkzulusen, Fishery Worker (f)
Udib Nishstorlut, Dyer
Datan Omerilral, Miller
Urdim Íkthagfeb, Butcher
Deduk Kikrostgemsit, Animal Trainer (f)
24th Felsite, 305Urvad the glassmaker gave birth to another child today, their second son whom they have named Sigun. She has expressed a wish to start her own clan, the idea of which concerns me greatly.
27th Felsite, 305And the miller just went mad. This one really dragged on.
I'm getting a little worried about how inured I'm becoming to all this death. Equally, the massive unemployment resulting from holdups on the construction project is becoming a problem. We have issues getting the pumps primed to test the latest redesign and the glassworks can produce no more blocks at this point due to our stores being completely filled.
11th Haematite, 305A single human diplomat arrived today, the usual merchant wagons absent. I am concerned by this development and shall need to address it with him during our meeting.
13th Haematite, 305This 'Crazy Ghoul' really does not give up, it seems. Scouts spotted another three warbands today coming along the hills. One group of eight pikemen and six conscripts led by a hammerer, one group of five bowmen and seven conscripts led by a chainmailled pikegoblin and eight pikemen and four conscripts led by a goblin lasher.
"I think I've an idea who that one is," muttered Burger, leaning over the wooden railings atop the wall. They creaked unsteadily against the combined mass of his gut and platemail. He pointed to the lasher at the head of the group of pikemen. Glacies leant forward similarly, peering, causing the railings to groan further.
"He's fast," he muttered. "Covering ground like an elf. What's his name?"
"Zom Strappedthief," the human diplomat spat, leaning over to peer as well. The railings squealed. "We call him the Submerged Glee."
"Why do you call him that?" Steelheart asked, adjusting his pair of axes as he clambered up the ladder to the top of the wall.
"He's one of their fortress masters," the human, whose name was Nilun, explained, "put in charge of their naval work here."
"Naval work?" Glacies raised a bushy eyebrow and stroked his beard. "Don't believe I've heard anything about that."
"They daren't take their ships this close to your outpost, not with that infernal machine of yours ripping up the water at any time you please. First time you activated it, about a third of our fishing fleet grounded. You don't have all that many ships sailing here, either. We're heavily dependent on port trading, though, so they like to hit our merchant vessels. Strappedthief has a fleet of six frigates at his command and they've been tearing through our convoys like a knife through a wet blanket."
"Who's the other green, then?" Steelheart questioned, leaning on the railings with the rest of the group. The wood protested plaintively.
"Aslot Flickernightmare," Nilun growled. "She's been heading up their land assaults on our caravans, having duly earned the title of the 'Mirth of Brigands'. She is an absolute devil with a pike, though."
"Good thing we have our shields then," came the deep growl of the Captain, Tormy, as he ascended the ladder. He leaned heavily on the raillings, which shook slightly, squinting out at the arriving forces. "This all of them?"
"Aye, Cap'n," Burger confirmed, saluting. "They all seem to be in from the hills, but we haven't seen-"
"Captain!" yelled one of the marksdwarves from below. "We've got a fourth group just tunelled up through the sand! Six pikes, six conscripts and a hammerer!"
"To arms, men!" yelled Tormy, grasping his axe. As one, all four dwarves launched themselves from the wall, axes raised. With a resounding crack, the railings splintered, sending the human diplomat flailing off the edge with a yelp of surprise.
Sarvesh, Amost and Ast yelped in horror as the two bands of goblins began to converge upon them from both sides. Trapped between the two encroaching bands they ran desperately into their midst in the hope that they might simply be let go through mercy, being unarmed.
They were wrong. With sickening crunches, Amost fell first, along with the colony cat and one of her offspring caught in the melee, followed with cruel swiftness by Ast and Sarvesh.
"Shouldn't we help them?" one of the marksdwarves asked, frowning.
"They were dead the moment the goblins appeared," Tormy remarked with features of granite. "We will kill more and lose less if we remain behind these fortifications. Let them come to us."
As the goblins indeed did come to them. With their appetites for blood whet, the goblins began stripping the three dwarves for trophies and loot. A grisly minute later the deeds were done and Aslot raised her pike, barking orders.
The goblins immediately fell into rank and file..."Alright! Drummers, sound the march! Every one of you worthless lumps had better get in line right now or I'll have your faces on my new boots!" The goblins immediately fell into rank and file with far greater discipline than the prior bands that had raided the fortress. The first band charged through the line of collapsing walls, teeth gritted and shielding themselves best as they could against the heavy rock striking them. A handful of new traps sprung into action, pits springing open beneath their feet and capturing some prisoners but the hardened troops simply trampled over their heads, using them as bridges over the pits.
Suddenly and surprisingly, one of the dwarves waiting in the wings rushed into the morass of traps, hefting a steel warhammer and shrieking a warcry. She plunged straight into the gang of pikegoblins, fully intent on taking as many with her as she could on her suicidal rampage. With one mighty swing she launched a conscript into the sky, elbowing aside one of the pikegoblins in his rush for the archers. Aslot narrowed her eyes, hefting her pike and stepping into a stance before thrusting with lethal precision.
Erush, 'Ileg' to her friends, roared, kicking and battering her way through the throng of heaving goblins surrounding her, her goal in sight. As she swept up a conscript with her hammer, she locked eyes with the goblin captain. For a single, powerful moment, nothing else seemed to exist in the world save the two combatants. A sudden, unearthly clarity filled her mind as she stepped backwards, elbowing a goblin attempting to creep up on her in the process, hefting her hammer. Similarly, the pikemaster seemed to be experiencing a moment of clarity as she too moved into stance. The pikemaster launched herself, pike heading inexorably for the dwarf's chest. Still locked in that moment of perfect clarity, Ileg stepped to one side and brought up her hammer, connecting sharply with the goblin's chin.
Aslot felt a sudden, heavy crunching and the splintering of her jawbone, then the sensation of weightlessness followed by several sharp thuds as she bowled over several fellow pikemen in her flight. Then a breathtaking crunch as she hit soft sand, far from the field of battle. She could feel pain everywhere, but she could still feel pain. She was out of the fight, but not dead yet.
Ileg strode through the crowd of goblins, absolute concentration draining her face of any hint of emotion or pity as she brought her hammer in swings, crushing the chest of one goblin, breaking the legs of another, grasping a third and swinging it into the face of a fourth before bringing her hammer through both their skulls. A pikeman leapt onto her trying to pull her down, followed by a mass of other infantrymen in an effort to simply crush the dwarf with their weight.
One of the hammerers struck at her with his hammer, which she deflected sharply with her shield. The hammerer then tried striking her with a crown. Ileg recognised the ivory from time spent hauling the dead; dwarf bone. She knocked a goblin in between the eyes with the hammer's hilt as she flipped it, punching the hammerer in the back of the hand with the hammer's flat. The goblin yelped in pain, the bloody crown hitting the floor as his fingers were no longer able to hold it. Ileg brushed aside the mob at her heels with a heavy grunt, pursuing the yelping hammerer with ruthless intent. The hammerer raised its broken hand in a plaintive gesture, screaming for mercy as the steel hammer came straight down on the conveniently presented forearm before returning again and again on the creature's other limbs. Ileg felt the focus leaving her as she continued to beat on the defenceless goblin and gave it a final punt into the air with her hammer befor spinning, preparing to face the three goblins surrounding her.
Em, Ngokang and Dosngosp surrounded the dwarf, circling her. Em thrust first with his pike. The dwarf ducked to the side as she brought her hammer down on his right thigh, followed sharply by his calf. Em growled in rage, stabbing at her blindly as Ngokang broke formation and sided closer to Em, using him for protection. The hammerer's iron hammer clanged to the ground right next to her as the body continued to sail through the air, whilst the dwarf pulled off another pair of ruthless strikes, hitting his other thigh and cracking Em's right shin harshly enough that the bone ripped through the flesh, causing him to collapse from the pain. The dwarf continued to grimly execute her hammerstrikes as the surviving pair decided that this was in no way what they had signed up for and simply ran for it. In what was swiftly becoming a signature move, the dwarf launched Em's flaccid corpse through the air before turning on the goblin sneaking up behind her. Two strikes broke in the left side of his face and took the breath from his chest, sending him straight to the ground as she finished up with a series of loud, wet thuds.
Tekkud crept through the battlefield, carefully wringing the necks of the paralysed or heavily wounded goblins as the crazed hammerdwarf continued to smite the platoons of goblin infantry ahead. He glanced over to Ileg, who had just finished beating a goblin to a pulp and stopped for a moment to rest, leaning on the handle of her hammer and getting a few breaths in. A thick spray of blood covered her features, which mixed with her grim expression gave her an appearance of terrifying inevitability.
"Ibrukngobol Imgoz," Tekkud pronounced in awe. "You are Ileg, the Ashen Glumness." Ileg spat a little blood, smirking slightly before hefting her hammer. It was time to get back inside. A final conscript made a last rush at the young recruit, but Tekkud brought his knee sharply into the goblin's groin before letting him flee.
14th Haematite, 305The battle is done. It seems the Whipmaster who has been giving the humans such trouble at sea turned tail and retreated once it became clear the forward troops were doing so badly against a single dwarf. Regrettably, the body of the Pikemaster has not been found, either. It seems Ileg knocked her clear of the battle in the melee.
In commemoration of the battle, I have comissioned three iron bucklers, one for each of the dead, as well as preparing coffins for them all. Additionally, the diplomat met with the Baron, lodging a formal complaint about the tidal disruption the Bore has caused and explaining that a Guild representative would be forthcoming to discuss the matter.
17th Haematite, 305The human caravan and their guild representative arrived. It seems that now the goblins have been routed (at least for the moment) the pathways here are safe enough to travel upon. Indeed, no less than six wagons arrived today, three times as many as before, with three extra muskoxen, two donkeys and two camels trailing behind! Needless to say they were carrying a suitably wide assortment of goods for trade. It seems that whatever I may think of dwarven politics, the elevation of our colony's status to a county seems to have had a strong impact upon mercantile affairs.
Additionally, we have melted enough copper from goblin weapon hauls to complete the Countess' latest minting mandate. She took no more than a cursory glance at the coins, exclaiming how pretty they were and how pleased she was with the design before being completely distracted by some ornamental pig tail arrangments. I honestly don't think she even cares, and her request for an additional jetty and fishing boats completely baffles me; why do we even need more fish? I am beginning to suspect this is all just another ploy from the Count to mess with me.
"Guildmaster Fanu," the Count greeted the merchant representative with a courteous bow. The human returned the bow gracefully, removing his hat.
"Your Countship," Fanu greeted him formally. "I bring greetings from the Guild and our interests here in Asmuromon. We are more than pleased to greet our friends from Etägstinthäd."
"Etägstinthäd receives you with open arms," the Count responded equally formally, adding: "on her soil." There was a brief tension in the air, which eased instantly. Both man and dwarf were practised courtiers.
"We are pleased to find the weather here has been calm as of late," Fanu commented, beginning the first round of combat. The Count smiled as they walked through the statue-lined dining hall, gleaming with green glass furniture broken by the solid black and grey of the sand and stone walls and the gentle golden flicker of the lanterns nestled in alcoves on the walls.
"We are similarly pleased," he agreed smoothly. "We felt that given the difficulties the Guild has been facing lately, it would be best if we were to focus upon preparing construction materials so that disruption will be minimised when the next phase is undertaken."
"We would be quite pleased if the weather continued to stay this calm," Fanu suggested.
"We would be quite pleased if our construction was completed with a minimum of disruption to all," the Count explained, "but it cannot be put off indefinitely. Perhaps if the Guild would suggest when it appreciates smooth weather most we might be able to accomodate."
"Perhaps you might," Fanu agreed noncommittally. The pair stepped into the Count's chambers. Whilst now heavily glazed, the Count felt a twinge of annoyance that he did not have a true throne room, though he concealed it easily. Fanu did notice this however and seemed to gain a certain boldness from it.
"We must congratulate you on the fitting of your personal chambers," he offered smoothly, gently pointing the discrepancy out. "Perhaps if Etägstinthäd performs a personal visit we may entertain you in our grand halls."
"Perhaps you may," the Count agreed noncommittally. He had just lost the second round, but the third was not difficult to win, given the current circumstances. "We must offer our sincerest apologies," he admitted, ringing a small bell as he sat at his desk.
"Oh?" Fanu raised an eyebrow, sitting as well.
"Our cleaning crews were unable to finish clearing a path for your wagons. I am afraid that the bodies from the siege have been very numerous, as you may have seen." The Count had of course ensured that the dwarven bodies were taken off the scene immediately, leaving a clear picture of goblin devastation to the approaching caravans.
"They were not too great a difficulty," Fanu smiled. "My sympathies for the losses the attack must have incurred upon you."
"Indeed," the Count sighed. "I have had to issue a formal reprimand to the one soldier who rushed out there and slew most of them. With none of her squad able to take part, it showed a deplorable lack of discipline." He paused in the appearance of thought for a moment before adding: "I understand she may have lamed one of them, I forget the name. 'The Mirthful Bandit' or something?"
"The Mirth of Brigands," Fanu murmured, the colour very faintly falling from his face.
"Ah yes," the Count smiled. "One hit, as well. It is only a shame that she knocked her clear from the battlefield, for she would have made an excellent prisoner." The third round was his. A servant arrived with two glasses of heady whip wine, from which both sipped diplomatically before continuing.
"We can see that our land routes with you will be secure enough," Fanu confessed. "We are curious as to your current use of the surrounding waters."
"Beyond construction we use the sea for little more than fishing," the Count smiled peacefully. "Why, my wife loves fishing so much she is asking for a little private jetty of her own."
"There would be many benefits to allowing for maritime trade," Fanu suggested with a casual tone. "Although your work to clear the surrounding countryside for now has allowed us to bring a much larger caravan, bulk goods would be far easier to transport by ship. We understand you were looking into establishing a steelworks?" The Count cringed internally; the Warden's lack of foresight would make him lose this round.
"Indeed we are," he admitted without betraying his thoughts, "though our industrial efforts have been strongly devoted towards the greater project at this time."
"We would be more than happy to help you to start out this new industry. The Guild is always looking to invest in new ventures." Fanu smiled. He had won that round, and it was an important one. "Of course," he continued smoothly, pressing his advantage, "the bulk goods required for that would be best moved by ship. Perhaps we could arrange for one of our convoys to approach Areldolush on a permanent basis?"
"We could not slight you so," the Count recovered quickly. "With no suitable pier or docks in place, especially as rocky as the cape is, we feel it would be unwise at this time. Perhaps you have too little faith in the success of the land caravan."
"Perhaps," the Guildmaster suggested noncommittally. That round was a draw. The pair sipped their wine again as another servant entered, bearing a plate of syrup-glazed longland flour cakes, from which the pair both nibbled in perfect ceremony before the next step of the dance.
"There has been some debate in the Council," Fanu sighed with an air of boredom, "as to whether our choices to invest this heavily in your venture were well placed. Of course, such doubts are only the work of naysayers and troublemakers, but there is reasonable doubt regarding the strength of your home economy. Without a market for our wares, we can hardly afford to send caravans this large on a continuous basis. If we could have some proof of stability in your market-"
Fanu was cut off as the door to the chambers burst open and the Countess waltzed in, gurgling baby boy in one arm and mahogany case in the other. Fanu immediately rose to bow.
"Dearest, just look at this year's coin design!" the Countess blurted. "It's so much better than last year's, don't you think?" She seemed to only then notice the Guildmaster, blushing intently and curtseying to Fanu's bow. "Oh, I am most terribly embarassed," she exclaimed. "I do apologise, Guildmaster, I had thought your meeting later today."
"Quite alright," coughed Fanu, a little ruffled. The Countess smiled sweetly, ruffling her son's hair before setting the case down and stepping out of the room. The Count casually stepped over to the box, lifting the lid open to reveal copper coin designs from 304 and 305. He looked at them, then seemed to have a moment of inspiration. With a smile, he handed the box to the Guildmaster.
"A token of our gratitude," he offered, "to the Council for their patience on this matter." Fanu gave a smile, cursing inside. The Count had won the last round. "Now, why don't we get to the business of this year's treaty agreement?" the Count suggested, knowing full well that the terms had already just been set.
"So how did it go, my dearest?" the Countess murmured, draping her arms around her husband's neck as he sat at his desk, polishing off a tumbler of river spirits.
"Hit and miss," the Count revealed, refilling the tumbler from a glass decanter. "We made a vague agreement to keep the machine inactive for a certain number of months per year to start with, but he was able to press for larger concessions once he realised we didn't have as much power at our hands as we would like." He nodded to the chambers around him.
"I do miss the old throne room at your father's hall," the Countess sighed wistfully.
"We got lucky with the goblin siege, really. It was a sufficient show of strength, especially with that one mad dwarf who ran out there and took them on single-handedly, to ward off any agreements on letting them police the trade routes. Our men are quite capable of that themselves."
"What about the sea?" the Countess asked with a hint of concern.
"Nothing solid, which is a relief. They won't send us additional goods via ship, but they won't send a convoy either. We lost ground on the pig iron thing, though. Without a sample, I couldn't bluff that we'd already started the project. The Guild secured full 'expeditionary' import rates on flux, about twice its real value. They'll want to claim a piece of that in the long run, as well. Good thing you brought in the coinage, though. They're convinced our economy is strong enough to merit full caravans like this, for now."
"We'll get there, Olon," the Countess promised, kissing him on the forehead. "This place is going to prosper yet."
23rd Haematite, 305After six days of loading up the trade depot, I have secured us a favourable trade agreement. We have offloaded the majority of the goblin clothes we captured (apparently a hot collectors' commodity in human lands) in exchange for a great deal of precious metals, wood and leather. Given our current population, I have laid out plans for further expansion and cheaper living space. I am strongly hoping the project makes some progress soon, as we are otherwise likely to face great difficulties employing this many people.
13th Malachite, 305Besmarber was released from gaol today and the caravan of wagons similarly made their departure, stocked heavily with goblin castoffs. I am somewhat concerned for his health, but after his incarceration I want to make sure this does not happen again. The taxman's mandate for pig iron (he may be trying to impress the Count) is annoying me immensely, however.
20th Malachite, 305After his long battle with insanity, Kogan the miller finally passed away today. He has been stored in the catacombs as is now custom.
24th Malachite, 305Having learnt nothing from how this works one of the animal carers, Ducim, has become very withdrawn and started working on a 'personal project'. I have ordered another coffin blown, just in case.
28th Malachite, 305A little thing that made me smile today. Amidst the near constant reports I get of the flagging economy, the shortages of wealth and land space, I saw a dwarf moving out of one of the cheap rooms in the blocks. I asked Kolræsen about her (he seems to have fallen into place as a sort of advisor on the populace for me) and he informed me that she was one of the unskilled labourers. Fearing an eviction, I had him pull her credit record for me from the treasury.
908 stars. She's moving up in the world, not down.
3rd Galena, 305Ducim emerged from hiding today clutching a bracelet carved from alunite. Whilst rather pretty (and covered in green glass and copper, something I am sure Kats would appreciate), it is not the most spectacular item to have emerged from the throes of madness in this place. For her own obscure reasons, she has carved an image of a seashell on the face. She has dedicated the piece to Teshkad, however, which I fully approve of.
Additionally, I went down to the barracks today to watch the sparring for a little amusement. Glacies has developed an amazing degree of skill with that buckler he uses. People have started giving him little gifts for his combat displays, calling him the stuff of legends. Given public opinion of him, the taxman dare not call on him for rent and he seems essentially exempt from ordinary economic rules.
8th Galena, 305Another birth today. Sodel the artist gave birth to a young boy named Mosus. Her fellow masons have carved her a number of small toys for the child, which were received well.
From the journal of Tekkud 'Tormy' Lolumkol
12th Galena, 305Transferred several dwarves out of the guard. Neck injuries sustained during sparring prevented them from ever really engaging in melee training again, so they have been relegated to the marksdwarf squad. I shall have to make up the shortfall with six new guardsdwarves, however. Fortunately, seven recruits practically volunteered for the job last night.
Volunteered is a loose term. I arrested the entire gang for drunk and disorderly behaviour. Apparently someone had gotten hold of a stash of gutter cruor from the human merchants, off the books, and sold it to them. I have confiscated the cruor for my... personal contraband store. Once I have sampled it to, uh, ascertain its illegality, I will present the new career plan to the young dwarves in question.
From the diary of Cousteau Idenoshar
13th Galena, 305Tormy informs me that we have seven new constables in training. I don't know how he can find the dwarves for it, but I congratulate him on his devotion to the job.
26th Galena, 305One of the dwarves Tomy reassigned, Tekkud, has given birth to her second child, a girl named Degël. It is fortunate that she does not have to engage in such a dangerous profession as potential melee defence of the colony in the event of an attack.
1st Limestone, 305Dracnor growled bitterly as he threw the slops for the prisoners across the floor. Disgusting filth as the goblins might be, dwarven law forbid him from torture of any kind, and the Count wished them kept for interrogation. Worse, one of them seemed to have gone mad and started laughing.
"What's so damn funny?" he roared, pushing the goblin's cage over in irritation. The goblin laughed harder.
"It's autumn!" the goblin cackled.
"What's amusing about autumn?" the Hammerer grunted suspiciously.
"Don't you see?" the goblin grinned psychotically. "Birds fly south for the winter."
16th Limestone, 305The scouts spotted him arriving quite a distance away, but there is little doubt from his terrifying visage as to whom our visitor is; the dragon Kovest Fashshaketh, the Diamond Furnace. Nobody here can be certain of his intentions, whether he has come with purpose or simply ventured this way on his travels. I have mobilised all our troops in defence of the colony, but Tormy informs me that Burger has a plan that might avoid the necessity.
17th Limestone, 305As the great Diamond Furnace soars towards us over the dense forest of the cape, it seems that Lokum and the supply ship are just pulling into dock. With luck, they might get here before the titan does. Much as with the human ship, our recent elevation to the status of a county has merited a far higher supply of wares than was available as a simple prison colony, perhaps eight wagons' worth.
On the 18th Limestone, 305Dwarves began to mill to and fro as the dragon approached the walls of the colony. Members of the guard rushed into positions as Tormy and Burger barked orders, grabbing equipment and heading for cover. As the heavy wingbeats of the dragon struck over the entrance yard of the fortress, barrels and bins of goods for trade were tipped over by the force of the winds and children and the shorter dwarves were pressed to the floor. A collective sigh of relief by the inhabitants of the colony as the dragon flew past their walls and homes was gradually replaced by dawning horror as he swept inexorably towards the arriving supply ship.
Lokum hit the deck hard as the dragon swooped down across the ship, shattering the mast with one wing and digging his talons into the ship's timbers. One of the ship's axedwarves, Kib, attempted to strike at the dragon but was knocked back across the deck by a slap of his tail. The dwarf scrambled to his feet and scored one of the front claws of the beast before the annoyed dragon brought his wing down on the dwarf's right upper arm, cracking it. The dragon then neatly bit off both of Kib's left limbs, following up by burning both of his right limbs away in a terrifying burst of dragonfire. In a moment of twisted malevolence, the dragon turned upon the pair of axedwarves, Olon and Edem, bearing down upon him.
Kovest brought his wing down roughly on the first axedwarf's leg, then bit it off for good measure before ripping his torso open with a claw. A sharp, ringing pain began emanating from his torso, around where his liver was. Kovest turned his head to see; the other dwarf had lodged his axe firmly in between his scales and had begun trying to twist it. Not one to mess around in an actually serious situation, Kovest simply bit off the offending arm at the elbow. The dwarf flailed back, screaming at the loss of his limb, so Kovest silenced the annoying pest with another burst of dragonfire. The wreck of the mast caught fire with the second blast, causing a marksdwarf waiting in the crow's nest to hit the deck, breaking his arm. Kovest realised he was getting a little tired from his exertions at this point, so he bit the dwarf's broken arm off and, in a moment of inspiration, picked it up with his claw and beat the unfortunate marksdwarf to death with the amputated limb. Feeling a little peckish, Kovest then decided to roast a pair of the livestock on board (casually setting the deck and cargo alight in the process) before enjoying some snacks as the crew of the ship dove for the relative safety of the water and began swimming towards the docks. Finally, he decided to do what he came to do and launched himself back into the air towards the colony.
"All in position?" Tormy cried, glancing to the squad of marksdwarves waiting beside him behind the wall. Each of them carried a modified harpoon and crouched in anticipation, listening to the fast approaching wingbeats from behind the wall. They all shouted affirmation.
"Dwarves, at the ready!" shouted Burger, tightening his belt. The five other dwarves on the wall braced themselves, sparing quick glances to the opposing wall behind which the marksdwarves waited and to the approaching dragon ahead. Burger tightened his grip on the strange glass contraption he held, hoping to the gods that Void's invention would work.
"Now!" Burger shouted as the dragon just came within breathing distance of the city. As one, the line of dwarves turned around and presented their rears to the titanic fiend. The dragon roared in rage and indignation, flying straight for them in favour of less offensive targets. He he passed over the wall, Tormy shouted a command and suddenly a line of harpoons with attached ropes soared through the air, piercing the dragon's side or wrapping around its wings. The dragon careened through the air, its wings suddenly bound by the ropes, passing over the colony walls to crash into the forest beyond. As it passed over the wall, the six dwarves leapt from the wall and grabbed onto ropes, trying to anchor the creature and moor it to the ground.
The dragon thrashed, breathing bursts of flame that incinerated the surrounding trees and grasses and sending two of the dwarves flying from the ropes, clattering into the stone walls and immensely grateful for the platemail saving their hides. Glacies and Melbil ran around the creature, trying to bind its wings as Ileg and Steelheart tried to bind its legs. Burger leapt to the creature's neck and tried to hold on but was thrown by the dragon's force, followed swiftly by another gout of flame. Seeing the glass contraption flying from his hand, Steelheart dived to catch it and ran for the dragon's neck, leaving Ileg to deal with the lower limbs. Drawing his axe, he tried to plant it in the dragon's side, only to have it slip and fly away with the thrashing of the beast.
"Not again," Steelheart cursed, then remembered the spare axe. He planted it soundly in the beast's neck, using it to pull himself up onto the creast of his head. The dragon continued to breathe streams of fire at everything in his mad rage, Steelheart trying to maintain a solid grip on the ridges of his skull. Finally, as the dragon drew in another breath to exhale again, Steelheart clamped the glass muzzle over the dragon's maw, locking it. He pulled himself right next to the dragon's ear and growled.
"Now listen here," he told him, "that little gobstopper is made of glass. Now, sure you can try and melt it, but the way I see it there's two ways that goes. Either it seals your jaw shut once and for all, or it leaks down and blocks up that nice, long, throat of yours."
The dragon roared with his shut jaws, snorting smoke angrily.
"Why don't you come with us and have a little chat?" Steelheart offered with a grin. "I'm sure we can find a cell for you easily enough."
Aftermath.
Author
Topic: Areldolush - "Waterbore" [Community Fortress/Penal Colony] (Read 18413 times)