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[Rysith]

Flint spread the map Silvereye had made out on the table, the ink on the cotton sheet barely dry. On it, the terrain surrounding Lanternwebs was laid out in detail, gathered both from Silvereye's observations and his conversations with people he met during his scouting. Surrounding him, the members of the dwarven assault team peered at it. Drawing a thin brush, Flint spread still-moist redroot dye in two circles.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"Here is Lanternwebs." he said, pointing to the northern circle. "We will follow Speckledpraises south to the Stinky Murk, then cut across to hit the fortress, here." He moved his finger to the south, where the fortress stood.

"Silvereye reported no orcish patrols, so we'll be going with heavy armor." He continued. "We'll arrive, kill everyone we can, and leave before reinforcements can show up. Any wildlife we run into shouldn't pose a challenge, and if we can inflict enough damage we may even be able to put them on the defensive enough that they'll spend time rebuilding the fortress rather than laying siege to us here."

"If they don't siege, won't that mean fewer of them here for us to kill?" asked Workerdrone, his face full of concern behind his beard. The Tooninator nodded in agreement, and a murmer ran through the assembled dwarves.

"Fewer of them to kill here, it's true." Said Flint. "But that doesn't mean few of them to kill. If we really do make them draw back a bit, and hold their attacks, that just means that we can strike further into their territory next time. Every time they don't lay siege to us will be a time when we lay siege to them. There will be no shortage of things to kill, I assure you."

"We'll need to wait for Kib and the others to return from Sosadcerol. No sense in spreading out too much at the very beginning, and we'll need to organize supplies for the journey. The earliest I expect that we can leave is this summer, especially if we want better than plump helmet wine in our wineskins. But do not fear. There will be combat, whether the orcs bring it to us or not."

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As of this Spring, Lanternwebs will be seven years old (was founded in 108, and we'll be entering 115).

Nichay: Lanternwebs has a policy against unarmed fighting, and in general encourages the use of axes and swords. Our only "wrestler" is Shoruke, who is actually using a pick. Wrestling is more or less ineffective against orcs, as dwarves get exhausted before they can inflict lethal damage. In addition, they have a tendency to get surrounded and hacked to pieces (or pulled apart by orcish wrestlers). If you wanted to join unarmed as another miner-warrior that would be fine, though.

Incidentally, the bright dwarven fortress in the lower-right corner is the Mountianhomes of the Braided Lenses. There are four dwarven civs (one fortress each) spread around that valley with the evil ocean in it, and they are completely surrounded by mountains. Gives you an idea of the journey to reach Lanternwebs.

[ToonyMan]

ROAR!!!!!!

[Eagle]

Woo! Im being useful! Also, id like to go along with the Assault Party; gotta have a sniper!

Am i a champion yet? Great ideas and writing, as always.

[nichaey]

pick sounds like fun, I've heard that mining iron is a lot more plentiful when done on the battlefield. Too bad 2 weapons doesn't mean duel wielding, that would be awesome.

[WorkerDrone]

Wielding two picks?

Okay, I wouldn't do that, but the guy that WOULD is indeed a badass.

Picture this. A dwarf in full Steel Armour, spinning two picks while surrounded by Greenskins.

BADASS.

I'll stick to my sword and shield though. Steel made by the best.

[Eagle]

You know what would be even more epic? Same dwarf dual wielding PICK BOWS.

http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=34051.0

[nichaey]

hmmmm....would them pick bows....be picks that fired arrows, or bows that fired picks?

I fully endorse either

[WorkerDrone]

The latter by the looks of it.

[Maverick]

Picture this. A dwarf in full Steel Armour, spinning two picks while surrounded by Greenskins.

Urist McMiner has become a Legendary Facebreaker.

[nichaey]

Urist McMiner:

Dabbling Grower
Dabbling Conversationalist
Dabbling Judge of intent
Competent Sucker Puncher
Adept Miner
Grand Master Curbstomper
Legendary Facebreaker
Legendary +10  Intimidator

[WorkerDrone]

BUMP.

[Rysith]

WorkerDrone walked down the central stairwell, hearing the soft tread of the elf behind him. Though he was not particularly fond of the Elves, his duties included escorting anyone granted an audience with the Duchess, and that included visiting diplomats. Even elvish diplomats. At least his long military training let him keep pace with the diplomat, rather than forcing him to scramble after the taller and faster elf. And he knew that the elf would not hesitate to make him scramble.

He swung back the golden doors to īton's throne room and announced the arrival of Rofa Throwncreature as the elf walked casually past. Behind the doors, īton sat on her throne, her golden scepter in hand and her finely-colored robes flowing to the ground. Workerdrone knew that negotiations between the dwarves and elves were always tense, but today there was an extra edge. Something in the way that īton sat in her finery, something in the way that the elf purposefully refused the seat he was offered, preferring instead to stand.

"Greetings, Lady īton" Rofa intoned, his high voice trying and failing to sound dignified.

"Greetings, fair elf." īton replied. "What brings you today to Lanternwebs?"

"I come today with praise from the druids." he said. "But also with a warning. You and your dwarves are to be praised for the degree to which you heeded our requests from the last time we spoke: You have left the trees unspoiled, and already the land is recovering from the cruelty that you had inflicted on it. New growth blossoms, and nature smiles."

"But I know as well as any that left to your own whims, you would despoil the land, plunder its bounty, and strip it bare were it not for the ever-present hand of the Druids staying your own. This is why I have come: to remind you that if you fell more than a hundred trees in the next year, your rape of the land cannot go unpunished, and the armies of the elves will ride against you in war."

"Ride against us?" īton chuckled. "For a hundred trees? Rofa, you are forgetting a key piece of diplomacy. Though you may be taller, simple threats will get you nowhere. To truly change behavior, you must be able to offer something in return. Something that we want. Workerdrone, would you be concerned if the Elves rode against us?"

"No, my lady." Workerdrone responded immediately. "The Grand Army has held the field against everything that has assailed Lanternwebs, and will fight to the last dwarf without fear or regret. We would meet them on the field of battle with honor in our minds and steel in our hands."

"You see?" īton asked the elf mockingly. "Your threats of violence aren't a good bargaining tactic at all."

"Then you refuse?" Rofa asked. "I should return to the Druids and tell them to make ready for war?"

"My dear, confused elf." the Duchess replied, her amusement now clearly showing. "If I intended to make war on the elves, you would now be returning to the Druids as a severed head, and that only if I were feeling merciful. I have no intention of making war on the elves. I ask only that you allow us a little more timber in deference to the size of our fortress, perhaps one tree per dwarf, and that you bring us some of the magnificent animals from your forests for trade. Bears from the woods, Lions from the plains, Eagles from the skies."

"But our cloth!" Rofa protested. "Surely the fine cloth of the elves is a valuable enough for trade? The caravan I arrived with was hauling thousands of coins worth of it."

"Thousands of coins, perhaps." īton said levelly. "But we have a thousand bolts of our own cloth here, woven and dyed by hands immeasurably more skilled than the hands that made the rags you brought to trade. Your cloth has no value to us."

"Very well." sighed Rofa. "We shall grant you a hundred and thirty-four trees murdered this year, one for each dwarf living here. It is up to the Druids, though, if you are worthy to care for the great animals of the world. I bid farewell, both to you and the pile of rocks you live in. Don't bother following me, dwarf, I can find my own way out."

Rofa swept out of the throne room, struggling briefly to shift the heavy golden doors despite their careful balance before disappearing towards the main stairwell.

"Masterful negotiation, my lady." Workerdrone said. "A third's increase in the wood we can harvest this year."

"Poor, foolish elf." īton said to herself. "We'll not harvest even a quarter of what they offered. But the speed with which they agreed means that there is something else pressing them. Otherwise, why would they put up such a bold front, yet cave so readily? I wonder what it is."

---------------
Ah, the elves, their caravans, and their demands. I've always imagined that the negotiations that don't begin with the slaughter of the elves go something like that, especially in fortresses that really don't care if the elves decided to attack them.

Nichaey:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Sorry about the personality, you'd be astonished at how difficult it is to find a soldier that can be made into a wrestler-miner. I'll probably mostly ignore it and write according to any personality ideas you had for him (or as Urist McMiner the Legendary Facebreaker, if you don't have any objections).

Eagle: Not a champion, yet, since marksdwarf trains much more slowly than the melee skills, and my attempts to give you experience on live targets has lead to failure hilarity both times (once with the orcs, once with the goblins). There are plenty of bone bolts, though, so you'll get there eventually. You're also now carrying around a full stack of bolts, so hopefully next siege you'll get a few more shots off before deciding that it's time to beat things with your crossbow.

[WorkerDrone]

...Or leave mid-siege because you just decided it was a FINE time to go and get a drink.

At anyrate, wow, an update! A rare commodity of the highest value. It menaces with spikes of awesome.

[Eagle]

Dont worry! The enemy will still be there (hopefully) when i get back!

Hmm, ive always had marksdwarves train insanely fast, second to only wrestlers. Weird.

[Rysith]

A single trumpet call echoed across the river valley, the crisp note penetrating to the deepest levels of the fortress. Before the trumpeter could draw breath to sound the horn a second time, Flint had already ordered the Grand Army up from the barracks to the surface.

"Do you think it's the goblins again?" asked Wizardmon as they jogged up the stairway towards the entrance. "Orcs wouldn't announce themselves with horns."

"That was no goblin horn." Replied Flint. "That note had brass in it, which means humans or fellow dwarves. But the caravan isn't due for months..."

The second call rang out as they reached the surface, pouring out onto īton's gold and steel road in front of the fortress as the looked around for the trumpet's source.

"There!" shouted Umir, pointing to the hills. "Up there! I can see a dwarf with a trumpet!"

"All Hail!" shouted the trumpeter, his voice carrying easily down to the fortress entrance. "All Hail Vucar Lektadlór, Queen of the Braided Lenses!"

Flint began giving orders quickly, sending a runner down to fetch īton as he ordered the Elder Banners up to meet the party, dressed in the purple of the Royal Guard, that was now making its way down the hills toward the fortress.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"My Queen!" īton exclaimed as she met her at the entrance, quickly bowing low to the ground. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? I'm afraid that your presence here is somewhat unexpected, but I'm sure that anything that you require can be quickly gathered. Would you care for a drink or a meal before we attend to whatever business brings you here?"

"Thank you, Lady īton, for your offers of hospitality." The Queen replied, waving her hand to allow īton to rise. "A meal and a drink after our travels would be most welcome. We have much to discuss while my entourage sets up the throne room."

"Throne room?" īton asked, somewhat shocked. "Then you intend to stay here?"

"Of course I intend to stay here." Vucar laughed. "Did you think I had made the journey simply for my health? Lanternwebs has surpassed the old Mountainhomes in every way. With the news that you had made contact with other dwarves, how could I stay still claim to lead, when I was but a distant presence to the face that the Braided Lenses showed the world?"

"I..." īton stammered. "I hadn't thought of that, your majesty. I'm sure that whatever you require can be forged quickly, if you can forgive bare rooms for a few days until the steel has cooled. Myself, Tosid, and Flint are all at your service for anything that you desire. As are, of course, all of the citizens of Lanternwebs, but we can surely arrange things for you until you've become more at home here."

Flint saluted. "If it pleases your majesty, might I take you on a tour of the fortress while your belongings are moved to your rooms?" he asked.

"If you are still leading the military," Vucar asked, "Then has Tosid remained mayor? He insisted that he was the wrong dwarf to lead when I sent him off, those long years ago."

"Tosid remains mayor in all but title, your Majesty." Flint replied. "A young immigrant named Unib has been elected mayor, but does not interfere with Tosid's direction."

"I'll have to sit down and have a talk with both of them, then." Mused the queen, stroking the head of her axe thoughtfully. "But in the mean time, Flint, a tour of the fortress would be most excellent. Lead on, that I might learn more of this new home that I have heard so much about."

"Of course, your majesty." Flint bowed, and began leading her towards the fortress entrance. Below them, magma forges breathed heat and flame as the legendary craftsmen of Lanternwebs went to work, producing the furniture fit for the royal family out of the finest Lanternwebs steel, each piece carefully fitted and etched before being left to cool away from the heat that had shaped them.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Laborers scarcely waited for each piece to cool enough to touch before hauling them to the newly-dug rooms of the queen, her consort, and her advisor, each hollowed out of a magnetite cluster and finely engraved with images of the history of Lanternwebs.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

At last, Lanternwebs had become a Mountainhome!
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Our three new nobles:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

No preferences section, I wonder if that's a bug? They seem fairly nice as nobles go, especially Vucar, and Urist seems like he would be fun to write updates for. This is also my first time actually playing with a king (normally on getting a king I'll abandon and start a new fortress), so this should be interesting. As I mentioned before, Lanternwebs has several conditions for finishing, and I'm not going to stop until they are met. We've got several more years, at least, before this is over.

WorkerDrone: I've been trying to stick to at least three updates a week, and I try for one each weekday, so don't worry if I don't post over the weekends. This weekend was also mother's day, so that cut into the Lanternwebs time a bit.

Eagle: How do you set up your archery ranges? I've got two for the six Lanternwebs marksdwarves, but I find that they sit idle a lot, and they don't seem to be gaining skill very quickly at all. I've got one champion, one elite, and the rest normal thus far, and the champion/elite both got their skill shooting at orcs before I started just crushing invasions with melee dwarves.