Granite 1st After observing the actions of Evalaco and the goblins, I have determined that narrow corredors, even if they are fortifications that the spider can see through, are not conductive to gathering silk. So, with this new year our project is going to be opening the Labrynth up into a great Arena that all of us can observe and enjoy.
Granite 10th - Rikkir's Log
Another caravan of elves has arrived at the depot. As a test of faith, I've told Glacies to direct them into the platform and pull the lever to lock them away. Should she betray me in any way, I will clearly have enough evidence to lock her away for the rest of her natural life. She has been quite sincere when I have spoken to her about the elves, explaining their past transgressions against our kind. Explaining exactly why we need to kill every elf who comes into our home without question, and without rancor.
Still, it would be disappointing should she misuse my trust. After all, Feb does love her. Since her release she has spent increasingly more time near the village, talking with him and many of the other more trustworthy dwarves. I fear that if she should betray me again, I might even need to be as drastic as to lock both of them away.
...I should check on them.
Slate 3rd - Rikkir's LogMy fears for Feb and Glacies were unfounded. Almost without question Frea's oldest child has locked away the elves, her face impassive as she watched the expressions on their faces turn from curiosity and excitement, to confusion, and finally fear as they realized our plans for them.
Mulch and Maggarg's progress in wrestling is astonishing. Within a few short seasons the two of them have become so blazingly fast that none of the rest of us can keep up, not even Pete. Mulch has barred both himself and his open-faced squire from engaging in any bar brawls or the likes, to protect anyone else who might cause trouble.
I am glad they are family, otherwise I would be worried at how strong they are becoming.
The Events of Felsite 6thLances of moonlight lit the stony paths of Ulolgeshud, brightly illuminating the stone so that it shone like quicksilver while the faintly raised ledges cast narrow shadows that gave the street an outline not unlike those seen in a painting. At the head of the road sat the dusky green depot, its dark and foreboding confines rising over the small houses and farms with a powerful aura. From within, the sobs of the elven captives could be heard. Cries for help, hardly louder than the soft mewling of a fox pup separated from it's parents, echoed in the night air as the occupants bitterly attempted to doze.
"♪Through hill and vale we traveled ere,
To find a home where we could reap,
The bountiful harvest that would be there,
And safety from the demon's seek.♫"
On the north side of the depot, a bright, cheery song from the mead hall rang out in sharp contrast. The almost gaudy granite walls seeming ready to burst with light and as a rowdy struggle between two of the stout creatures broke into a full-out wrestling match. On the sidelines, two of the dwarves were dinkering over a pile of amber-colored coins, cheering at one or the other of the wrestlers as they counted the money they were going to make from the bet. A cheer rose up as the stouter of the two wrestlers, a red-haired beast of a dwarf, pinned his opponent. The latter's leg in such a hold that it prevented him from continuing to fight.
"♪Though beset we did not fail
Nor falter as we saw death's door
Instead we dug, and brewed our ale,
We carved out a life from this forest moor.♫"
Inside of the depot, the elves listened mournfully. Thinking of the time they had spent away from their homes, their forest retreat. The chances of their successful escape dwindling every day with the size of their rations. Even the animals, bred and raised amongst the elven society so that their intelligence and natures were closer to that of the elves, had finally become silent. Almost as if they had lost hope.
"♪ Axe to the tree, bit to the plow,
Pick to the earth, knife to the bone,
From then one, we survived 'till now,
In this peaceful place we call our home!♫"
The music and revelry from the mead hall grew again, a lively dancing tune strummed up on a wooden fiddle. The rowdy song of the dwarves echoing in the depot as the elves tried to shut their ears. As the dwarves sang painful songs of cutting trees, butchering innocents, and bringing pain, the elves withdrew into themselves, seeking a way out. Seeking an escape. Then... something snapped.
One of the elves stood, his eyes afire as he sang a descant to the song. His soft voice a harsh counterpart
"♫And ere the cowards they did lay,
Those foolish men who run from day,
In wait to ambush the honest man,
As from authorities they ran.♪"
As he sang, he motioned to his companions who quickly joined in. Their eyes alight as a half-invented tune came to mind. The dwarves fell silent as the elves sang, their silvery voices ringing out into the night.
"♫ With axe and plow and pick and knife
They used to make this place their home,
and steal wood, and earth, and stone, and bone
to use to take another's life.♪
♫ So now they squat, with their crude tools
These cowards who ran from their death knell,
And even now their souls damned to hell,
What honor have these bearded fools?♪"
The music stopped, the elves song hanging in the air like a mist. The dreadful lyrics almost tangible in the night sky. For a moment there was no sound, even the animals the elves had brought with them had went silent, unmoving. Then, the gate opened.
The elves launched forward to the opening, their faces twisted into fierce mockeries of the calm expressions that had been on them just moments before. Mulch and Maggarg were in the front, their swords flashing in the moonlight as they felled crazed elf and fey animal as one. Their faces grim as blood sloshed onto the stone pavement below their feet. At first the two of them seemed enough to hold back the tide of elves, and then slowly and intolerably they were pushed back, separated by the press of bodies as the forerunners of the elves lurched out onto the street, foam forming at their mouths as the sought dwarven flesh.
Mulch found himself backing up, his sword hacking off limb after limb as he withdrew. As he ducked away from the daggers and fists of the merchants he found himself getting further and further away from Maggarg, unable to press forward due to the crush of bodies before him. With nearly supernatural agaility he continued to duck backwards, until he hit the side of the entrance.
Mulch rebounded, stunned, as he hit the mechanisms. Stars flew in his eyes for a moment as he struggled to keep his head about him. Before him an elf took the opening that he had given and lunged for him, driving the champion to the ground and pinning his sword under his armor. For a brief moment Mulch felt a twinge of fear as the elf's head lashed down, it's uncannily sharp teeth lashing out towards a gap in his armor.
The Elf never made it. Mulch felt the entire creature shudder, it's eyes going wide and then gazing over as it died in his arms. As he struggled to his feet, he turned the creature over to find a crossbow quarrel in it's back.
Mulch stood and freed his sword, spending a second to regain his bearings. At once he spotted Glacies, who stood less than five feet from him. As he watched, she released a flurry of bolts into a knot of elves around Maggarg, her bolts unerringly striking at the vital parts of the elves and bringing them down in droves. Within half a minute it was over, the elves little more than steaming corpses at her feet.
On the far side of the depot Maggarg stood up and smiled under his helmet, a whisp of red hair floating in the breeze as he gave his sister a thumbs up sign. Behind her Mulch also found himself smiling, his expression warm under his helmet.
"Hey, you did good..." He started to congratulate her his voice trailing off as she walked away from both of the swordsdwarves. Her face obscured by the darkness. Slowly she stooped at the entrance of the depot and pulled something free from the twist of elven, donkey, and mule corpses. A small, furred corpse, it's russet coloration a familier sight to anyone who spent even a few hours with the hunter.
The stars glittered softly, as glacies wept over the body of the her small dog.
13th Felsite - Rikkir's logToday I went up to the mead hall to find out how Tirean was getting along with her job as a clerk now.
Imagine my surprise when I find her and Maggarg wrapped together in a tight embrace. When they discovered my presence, both of them blushed and stammered while I laughed heartily. It's a good thing, young love.
13th HematiteGlacies toppled one of the masterpiece statues in the cathedral atrium today. She has given no reasons why, but this sort of action is unacceptable. I would have done nothing, but the humans arrived today and were on the scene when the crime was committed. With such witnesses, I must save face and address the issue at hand. I've ordered Glacies beaten, with the charge of vandalism. While Pete's expressed sadness when he heard the verdict, I know he will follow through.
I've told him NOT to use his axe for the duration. I also would have told Glacies to wear plate armor if she didn't do so already.
14th HematiteGlacies endured the beating without hardly filching. One of these days I really should sit down and talk with that girl. I'd love to know what goes on in her head.
16th HematiteFor entertainment for our guests, we have release Evalaco, the dogs, and the captives to fight to the death in our new arena. The battle was so messy that many of the humans excused themselves to vomit before it ended.
Even Evalaco did not emerge from the fighting unscathed, the chitin on his third leg was broken open and profusely bleeding and he seemed ready to fall over when we examined him through his cage. If we did not want to have the precious silk to sell, I would almost recommend taming him so that we could tend to the wound.
9th MalachiteOne of our two breeding wolves died of old age today. Fortunately, one of our current pups is male, so we will not be out for a dog wolf for very long. Still... this death troubles me far greater than any I have seen in these halls.
Trading goes well with the humans. We have so many goods looted from the goblins, in addition to the clothing we have made for them, that we could have bought twice the value of their entire caravan with ease and room to spare. As it is, we are practically stuffing their caravans full of the things we don't need just to get rid of them.
I suspect these merchants will be very rich men back in Onuthpesor.
14th Malachite Today I've had my... erm... eighth son, and fifteenth child.
I've decided to name him Martain after... er... well.
To be frankly honest, I am starting to run out of relatives and other things to name my kids. I just happen to like the name Martain, is that a crime?
8th GalenaOur male tame grizzly bear died of old age today. Fortunately all three of it's current children are male.
Looking at our current animal stocks, I'm going to start instituting an animal replacement program for our older pets to ensure we never have one of our breeding stock die out without a suitable replacement.
20th Galena Today Maggarg has sustained a neck injury. In the interest of not losing one of our children (and one of our best swordsdwarves), I've told him to refrain from sparring for the time being.
He wasn't happy about it, but Mulch agrees with me that it is too dangerous for him to continue sparring with him.
9th LimestoneJack became a peasent today. Being a marksdwarf is as good as anything we can have her do. It's not like we are short on hands around here. She protested a little, but when I reminded her of our extreme excess of bone practice bolts she seemed to perk up a little bit.
14th MoonstoneTirean has become a truly exceptional manager, her ability at revising and reorganizing our schedules to finish the more pressing needs of the village is stunning to observe firsthand. Because of this, and the growing needs of Martain, I have inducted Tirean into the Priesthood of the temple of Likot. She is now officially our Cardinal.
17th MoonstoneA fell wind has befallen our fortress.
Lafo Femavavafice Asi Nevele, the Elf Recruit and a local leader of Omoamxu has arrived with a raiding group to attack our small home from the west gate while a squad of bowgoblins attacks from the south.
Mulch was the first on the scene in the west, his silver sword flashing as he dove into the tightly packed group of hammergoblins to attack their elven leader. He parried the elf swordsman's blade with Amag Ugosh Ostar, the Wolf Bone Buckler, taking the opportunity that the swing had presented to drive his sword into Lafo's arm. A second later the elf had passed out from the pain, his chest exposed to mulch, who quickly drove his blade home and ended the fell elf's life. With a grin he then proceeded to clothesline the next two goblins, bringing both to the ground with one attack and lopping off an arm from each.
In the south Maggarg arrived first, climbing over top of the watchdog's bodies to jump upon the first bowgoblin. Dodging two arrows meant for his heart, he quickly ran into the lead goblin, forcing the air out of the creature's lungs and driving it to the ground with his blade before breaking it's hand with the pommel with his iron sword. As the goblin screamed he kicked it over to expose it's chest and plunged the sword through it's body, the blade shaking as the goblin swiftly died. With a malicious grin he then charged at the remaining four goblins. The next to block him was a wrestler, who's hand found Maggarg's head as the dwarf charged. Stunned for a moment, the goblin swiftly attempted to move in and overwhealm the dwarf, but months of practice payed off at that point as Maggarg twisted aside at the last moment and used the goblin's momentum to send it flying with a broken arm. Seconds later, the goblin was unconscious and Maggarg was free to charge the last three of the goblins.
The remaining bowmen, aware of the fate of their friend, filled the air full of bolts at Maggarg's approach, the latter simply raising his shield to bat the iron bolts aside as if they were paper. For a few seconds Maggarg and the bowman fought hand to hand, the goblin swinging it's crossbow wildly to ward away the wicked iron blade, then it noticed the form of Mulch coming over the hills. Almost in unison the remaining goblins fled, the last of them getting caught on a stone just long enough that Maggarg was able to hamstring it and then proceed to end it's life in the most painful way imaginable.
22nd MoonstoneGlacies was ambushed by a pair of goblin pikemen while hunting in the mountaintops today. Caught by surprise at close range, she was nevertheless quick enough to send a bolt into each of her assailants as they charged at her. Once in melee, the three of them fought viciously, her wielding her crossbow like a hammer, battering aside their dreadful thrusts with a vicious determination and them never giving up one inch. After what seemed like an eternity she managed to throw one of the two goblins over a nearby cliff, giving the goblin some painful bruises as she used the second the maneuver gave her to stand, before the second goblin finally landed a blow on her leg. At once she went down, still conscious but in pain, she fired scrambled to load her crossbow one last time in an attempt to take down the goblin. It succeeded, her bolt flew true and lodged itself in the goblins left leg. Yowling in pain the remaining goblin retreated, fading quickly into the underbrush.
The second goblin was not so lucky. As it fled from Glacies at the foot of the cliff, it found itself inside of the confines of the village. The sleepy stone houses of Ulolgeshud smiling brightly as dawn threatened in the sky. Seeking shelter, the goblin attempted to skirt the buildings and flee out the main gate, avoiding our citizens as well as it could. At the same time Jack has just arrived at her shooting range with a fresh stack of bolts, upon spotting the goblin a brief shift in her aim and a slight raise of the muzzle of the weapon brought the end to the goblin with almost supernatural speed.
27th MoonstoneFeb rescued Glacies today. Their reunion was more touching than anything I have seen in a long time. Indeed, even now he refuses to leave her side except to fetch her food or water.
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Topic: Last Dwarves in the world. Ulogeshud[Community Fortress] (Read 50657 times)