Chapter 9: The Reign of NilA time of rebuilding After Ark Bookfatal's costly and ultimately indecisive war against the horrors in the deep, the dwarves of Sparkgear hungered for change. They would find it in Nil the Deathbringer. Nil's reign was characterized by the construction of large public works and an improving public mood, but was dogged by questions regarding his personal command over a military unit. Others accused Nil's tenure of being "boring," claiming that "nothing happened."[1]
A new morning for SparkgearWhen Nil took over, the population of Sparkgears was on the edge of falling into complete chaos. 55 percent of dwarves polled said Sparkgears was "on the wrong track," and 64 percent had "fair" or "poor" expectations for the future. Flashing red arrows were endemic.[2,3] By the time Nil's reign ended, however, the average dwarf was writhing in ecstasy.[4]
Most scholars point to three causes for this turnaround. First, Nil nationalized the fountain dining hall, which had previously included private sections for more privileged members of society. Undivided, the hall became the stuff of legends. Second, Nil commissioned a tower to showcase Sparkgear's adamantine wealth. This improved morale not just because it reminded them why they had fought the demons in the first place or because it would provoke envy in all those who heard of it, but also because it was a great place to throw a party.[5] Finally, time and the ongoing pleasures of Sparkgear--the fountain, the decent food, the conversation--simply allowed the fortress to put their friends' deaths behind them.
The goblin war escalatesUnder Nil Sparkgear was attacked twice by the goblin horde Usbu Ezru. The first came occurred the morning of Hematite 13th, 306. One of the three squads rushed the main gate, but the other two made for Ark's personal above ground palace. It was not yet completely finished, and no secondary defenses existed. Only a last moment effort by the masons prevented the goblins from pillaging the silk fields. The defenders were led by Nahkh, who personally tore down two staircases, the last just moments before the lead attacker, Snodub Wraithcities, got into firing range. Blocked, the goblins withdrew.
When they returned on Limestone 11th, they had no choice but to charge the main entrance. Wraithcities was among those captured alive. He was Usbu Ezru's last local leader.[6]
Nil creates the DeathbringersIn the aftermath of the first attack, Nil argued that the military was now far too weak and would not be able to defend Sparkgear from unexpected threats--and indeed, "simulations" showed that the hammer and marksgoblins would have
tore up the lightly armored force of mostly wrestlers that existed at the time.[7]
Nil began training a group of seven other dwarves. Known as the Deathbringers, they were under Nil's personal command. Some objected to giving a leader direct control over a military force, and others objected to his pretentious sleeping accomendations, which were made from an abandoned mining vein.[8] They were drowned out by the need for security. Nil also used his newly expanded powers to commission a new residential district, just off the western shore of the magma pool.
Life goes onOn Sandstone the 22nd, Zan the mason went into a fey mood and created a raw adamantine statue. [9] The statue went on to serve as the centerpiece for the main tower chamber.
Industry consisted mostly of furniture production, recycling goblin gear, forging training weapons, and crafting bone bolts and totems. There was no trade with the outside world, and the spike trap at the entrance could not be reactivated. Phantom spider webs were observed outside to the north.[10,11]
Zan Anamtirist died in a training accident on Galena 26th, 306. Her baby was Sparkgear's first street urchin, somehow surviving while crawling around aimlessly.[12]
The end of Nil's reignShortly after the Deathbringers began weapons training, Nil stopped issuing orders. When approached by his constituents, Nil was dismissive, and was known to have told citizens to "bugger" themselves on several occations.[13] In his one public statement after the dedication of his last project, he noted that he had "the nicest bedroom in the fortress and enough muscle to keep it" and told the dwarves of Sparkgear that they could now "solve your own damn problems because I got all I need out of you."[14] His term is not remembered fondly.
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Topic: SparkGear 2 - Balls of Steel (*deader than a ... something really dead*) (Read 93446 times)