This is the journal of Sir Woge and his (kind of) lands, Snakesfreckles. Page 145 Granite, 208. The last housing block's second level is nearly completed. It just needs to be roofed over and then furnished. With Sor back in his office most of the day, it gives me time to get out and about to see how our constructions are progressing. I would like to spend more time with Mete, but so far her schedule has not allowed it. She is constantly busy with her squad, training, practicing, working. I have toyed with the idea of taking her off of guard duty so that she can spend more time with me, but I do not think she would have it- she is devoted to her duties and her squad. I just wish she would show as much devotion to me. Our relationship seems stagnant.
12 Granite, 208. Excellent news made it to my desk today! Thomo and Irka have found gabbro right at the foot of the keep! It is several meters down, but they are clearing the soft earth to gain access to it. This will surely be of benefit to the masons- a gabbro supply so near their work site is surely a blessing from Egu. Tomorrow I will survey the site myself. Perhaps I will ask Sor to accompany me- it has been a while since we've done anything together.
13 Granite, 208. Ina caught up with me while I was on my way to the newly unearthed gabbro. She proudly declared the last second level housing unit to be finished. She had already distributed orders to the peasants to start furnishing the apartments. I shared a few kind words with her- reminding her of when we slept in tents during the early days and how her constructions are a great improvement. She requested a new work assignment, catching me off guard. I told her to take a day or two to rest with her crew and that I'd come up with her newest assignment soon. Sor and I discussed the possibilities while we looked over the ...quarry... moat?... at the base of the keep. Afterwards I took a few moments to tour the keep by myself. It has not progressed much since my last visit, but I like to check it out nonetheless.
14, Granite, 208. I am going to have Ina build a storage warehouse. We'll get the walls up then immediately start moving goods into it. While that’s happening Ina's crew will gather wood in a stockpile nearby for eventual use in roofing the structure over. In order to save on materials the warehouse will be built against the cliff face dividing the housing district from the southern expansion. Eventually I may have a 2nd level put on to of the warehouse but I am not entirely sure yet. Alternatively we could put some other functional space there- such as a cafe or an observation platform...
16 Granite, 208. A cow gave away a sneaking kobold right outside MasterSqueak's apartment. Besse, his squaddie, was in there too - for some reason. They peeked outside in response to the cow's cry, discovered the kobold, and quickly dispatched of it.
18 Granite, 208. Today has been quite a hectic day- I suppose it still is hectic, for some. The mission's daily routine was interrupted when someone shouted out at sight of a goblin inside the housing district walls. It had only been two days since a kobold was struck down in the same area so the sighting of a goblin was an alarm indeed. Just as MasterSqueak exited his apartment to chase the foul creature down
another shout of a goblin sighting arose from the eastern side of the housing district.
Panic erupted pretty quickly. I believe these were the first goblin sightings in four years- and to have
two show up
inside the mission at one time set off an air of alarm. But before any plans to organize the guard fermented (just in case), shouts of a goblin ambush west of the mission reached every one's ears.
Mong was jumped by goblins a short distance west of the southern expansion. Mela, who was also cutting wood in the same area, had a head enough on him to shout out for help towards the mission with a clear indication that multiple goblins were attacking Mong. Had Mela not been so levelheaded in his shouts, I am sure most people would have just assumed he was crying out about the two goblins already known in the housing district.
All guards acted to mobilize very quickly.
MasterSqueak continued after the two goblins spotted inside the mission- their intentions were not obvious. As I write now, I can safely declare one of them was a (mostly) harmless scout but MasterSqueak was going to take no chances. Mete directed her squad to the housing district, Switchblades to the west gate of the southern expansion, and Galali started for the southern expansion's west tower.
Mong was able to escape the ambush with what looked like only a few minor wounds, according to mela, taking off to the north with the goblin ambush squad close on her heels.
At this point I was readying the mission for a lock-down. Based on the information I had the primary threat was off to the west with our guards getting ready to engage. I was having a horribly difficult time relaying orders to the peasants and workers around me- some were taken by fear while others were downplaying the situation as harmless. I did my best to get some people by the gates to be ready to lock them up on my command. Sor took to the watchtower to spot for other threats while Jervous went up to look for who all was still outside the walls and to try to signal warnings to them.
From the watchtower they were able to relay an account of what was happening in the housing district and beyond. Someone managed to catch up with and kill one of the goblins inside the housing district but MasterSqueak was still chasing down the second to the west, outside the walls. Mete and Switchblade's squads made it to their designated rally points then continued out the walls to chase the goblins that were still chasing Mong in the distance.
As the chases went on, it became apparent that the fleeing goblin with MasterSqueak on its tail was making a beeline for the goblin squad that was tracking Mong.
The whole affair turned into a long distance race with MasterSqueak chasing a goblin scout that was, along with Mete and Switchblades, chasing a goblin ambush squad that was in turn chasing Mong who was running for her dear life. And that is where it left off before I retired for the night. With the whole encounter taking place so far west of the mission by the end of the day there was no reason for those of us
in the mission to stand around in wait. Galali's squad remains poised inside our walls to act as a defense should some other attack occur from another direction.
19 Granite, 208. The race to the west continued late into the night and early morning. MasterSqueak eventually caught up with and killed the goblin he had chased form the housing district. By that point he was so close to the ambush goblins that he decided to continue on- Mong needed his help. As he got closer he drew the attention of all but one of the goblins chasing Mong. He engaged the from the east.
Mete and Switchblades were close behind. Mete took her squad to the north to continue after the goblin still chasing Mong and Switchblades moved in with her squad to aid MasterSqueak. Just as MasterSqueak engaged the first goblin all by himself, the goblin chasing Mong turned back to join its ambush squad. Amazingly by the time Switchblades reached MasterSqueak all but one goblin was dead.
And then it was over.
In the end all of the goblins were killed and Mong only suffered a light wound to the arm. The guards made it back to the mission by midday and took posts in each of the districts. Everyone is alarmed by the sudden goblin presence- as such I will ask Mete to maintain extra vigilance for the next few days.
24 Granite, 208. More goblins! It started with Mete chasing down a snatcher to the east of the administrative district. The thing was spotted somewhere near the walls - I've heard witnesses claim it was in the walls while others say it was not- and Mete's squad made chase. After she got sufficiently far from the mission to the east a goblin ambush engaged Mela! Just a few days ago Mela's woodcutting partner was attacked to the west, today Mela was attacked to the east. It seems they are targeted no matter where they work! At this point we are speculating that the initial goblin snatcher was a decoy to draw Mete away from the mission so that the ambush could strike Mela unhindered.
Like the last ambush attempt, these goblins underestimated our woodcutters speed. Mela managed to run off before the goblins could strike at him. Mela took off to the south (passing the mission gates and 'safety'). Mete continued after the snatcher, at that point unaware of the goblin ambush. But shouts for help reached Switchblades' ears in the housing district and she led her squad to the administrative district with all haste.
Learning from Ejas' mistake, Mete did
not jump in after her foe when she knocked it into a pool of water. She left the creature to drown after hearing the commotion behind her and sighting Mela running with a goblin ambush close behind.
Switchblades and Mete reached the ambush at around the same time, striking down all but one goblin in an instant. The last goblin made a run for it but was eventually caught up with and killed by Switchblades. Meanwhile,
another snatcher was spotted at the administrative district. It made a run for it past Switchblades and Mete while they were fighting and managed to get away.
Thankfully no one was injured today and all but one goblin were chased down and killed. Mete has repositioned the guard squads to afford better coverage of the mission in an emergency. They will remain on active duty for a while longer- these goblins are becoming a serious threat.
25 Granite, 208. I fear some of our residents are becoming too lax in their attitudes towards external threats. They have too much confidence in our guards and defenses. Perhaps I will ask Mela and Mong to give a speech about their encounters in an attempt to show how serious the threat is. Mong took wounds! And it was only their excellent physical shape that let them run off quickly and stay ahead of the ambush. These people need to understand that they may not be so lucky as Mong or Mela should a goblin make chase!
I had a chat with Mela to ask why he did not run
into the mission when the goblins were after him. After thinking it over for a day I figured maybe he was fearful of letting the goblins into the mission where they could wreak havoc. To my surprise he responded bluntly: "I didn't think to."
26 Granite, 208. I am going to train the newest grown pups myself. We have several untrained dogs around the mission- I will spend my free time training them to be war dogs. Then I will post them at as many unguarded mission gates as possible.
27 Granite, 208. I've arranged with Mete to have a constant guard duty running at all hours of the day, every day, from now on. Previously we would post guards only at times of trouble- but today we've agreed we have enough of a force that we can keep some on duty at all times. For the time being they are
all remaining active at various posts around the mission, but once the goblin menace fades into a more distant memory most will go off duty, leaving one squad in an active state.
2 Slate, 208. Things are returning to normal. The masons are collecting stone. The woodworkers are collecting wood. That’s all there is to report, really... I've grown accustomed to being around the dogs. I am admittedly a very poor animal handler but it is a nice break from the norm, training them. Perhaps I will take one for a pet.
7 Slate, 208. There was a kobold thief
and a goblin snatcher in the mission today. One managed to escape right under Galali's nose. His squad was poised atop the southern expansion's west tower. The sneaker ran right out that gate past Galali's men without drawing even a single arrow. Galali claimed he did not spot the thief running by- more like his squad was sleeping or gambling while on duty in that tower. I publicly reprimanded him and denounced his failure to act. Mete was rather angry that I handled the situation like I did- she likes to think that was her duty as the senior guard- but I saw no action on her part so I was forced to do so on my own.
9 Slate, 208. Word has it migrants are en route from the north. I've been busy tending to some paperwork at Sor's request and have not had a chance to see them for myself. Mete is in position by the north east gate, just in case. I've asked Jervous to take charge of welcoming the newcomers when they arrive if I am not around.
[con't]
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Topic: The Journal of Sir Woge and his (kind of) lands: Snakesfreckles (Read 26633 times)