Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Tezcatli]

16th Limestone 260

"GOBLIIINS!" came the call. A breathless farmer came running from Fortis' overland sun-berry farm into the courtyard where various soldiers and guards were busy training. Captain Aban Arustoslan stared morosely at him. The farmer stopped breathing hard, "Goblins! A vile force of Goblins have arrived! A huge siege force!" The Captain stared at him for a few seconds before throwing a fist into the air,

"Squids of Winding! Let's go!"

Seeing this, Asmel Idennanir, captain of the 'Creative Universes' rallied his own troops, sending them off.

-----

The Goblins had taken up a strong defensive position at the very top of the mountain, their wrestlers and swordsgoblins flanked by a large number of crossbowgoblins, ready and eager to fire bolts down onto any Dwarf climbing the rocky mountain face. In their zeal for fighting, Asmel and another soldiers flew ahead of the others, falling onto the Goblins like thunder. They managed to kill several before being so full of crossbow bolts that they fell dead. Another Dwarf died in the onslaught later, shot and killed. Hearts joyful with the slaughter they had inflicted on the greenskins, yet sad with the deaths of three comrades, the soldiers trudged home, caked in mud and blood.

--------------------

17th Limestone 260

Fury set on her face, Ilral stormed down the stairway, knocking aside any unfortunate Dwarf in her way. She pounded the door into Mayor Adil's newly-furnished quarters open, slamming a sheaf of paper onto the desk,

"What is this? What is this?" she demanded. Calm and composed, Adil read the paper,

"Why, it's a mandate. Nickel items are henceforth banned from exportation. They're quite important to the safety of the fortress."

"We don't HAVE any nickel!"

"All the more reason to not trade away any we could eventually have!"

"But..but nickel's useless! I mean, if it was an important metal like copper then I'd understand. But nickel!?"

"Look, Ilral, I don't want to be rude, but I AM the Mayor. You gave some frivolous mandates for copper and weaponracks during your term."

"Yes, but we actually had copper. We don't have any nickel."

The ex-farmer looked at Ilral defiantly,

"Ilral. Whether you like it or not I am the Mayor. You have no choice but to obey."

"You're forgetting I'm part of the nobility!"

"You were exiled from the capital of Roomcontrol, I'm sure that annuls nobility."

"Why, you..! I'll... I'll..." Ilral stammered, shaking with repressed rage. She took the sheet of paper, ripping it into small pieces and throwing them all over the room,

"Mark my words Mayor," she hissed, "You'll regret crossing me!"

--------------------

3rd Sandstone 260

"And so that's how I managed to prevent the second war with The Vigorous Paddles." finished Morul the Dungeon Master. Besides him, sweat glazed on his brow, Caiman dipped another Goblin boot into the magma with the tongs, pulling it out when it was sufficiently soft to beat into a bar.

"Fascinating." the furnace operator sighed, getting him hammer ready.

"Isn't it." Morul said, picking up a beaten breastplate and preparing to melt it. The two had been there since breakfast. Morul telling extravagant stories about nobility and Goblins, Caiman working hard, occasionally saying a 'ahuh' to keep the noble from feeling ignored or insulted. He carefully placed the iron bar in the new bar stockpile adjoining the smelting works. As he picked up the second boot, Morul spoke up once more,

"I heard an excellent joke the other day. Crass and common maybe, but suitably hilarious. There's a Dwarf and an Elf in a Human bar, and the Elf says to the Dwarf..."

The Dungeon Master was interrupted in his joke-telling by a flustered guard bursting in,

"To arms!" he cried, despite there being no soldiers here whatsoever, "To arms citizens! The terrible Dragon Lethari Iroberayi the Heat of Brands has arrived!"

[Lawec]

LOVELY!
A dragon!

[sava2004]

This promises to be "Fun"

[shadowclasper]

WE MUST DROWN IT SOMEHOW D:

[Jervous]

Capture the dragon plz

[Tezcatli]

3rd Sandstone 260

The War Council, as Ilral called it, had assembled in her office. Composed of Ilral, Adil, Morul, Solon, Jurvana, Aban and Hetros, they all crowded round the microcline desk, flanked by the two platinum statues of Ikud that Ilral had recently commissioned from Caiman's team. To Ilral's disgust, Mayor Adil started the meeting,

"Ladies and Gentledwarves, we have a situation." she said assertively, "The famed dragon Lethari Iroberayi the Heat of Brands has decided that this would be a beautiful place to stash her new hoard."

"Then let's call in the military and let this be over with." Solon replied, waving a hand dismissively. Aban snorted,

"And how do you want us to kill a dragon? They can fly you know, and the only weapons we have are our fists. Where are the weapons you promised us, Ilral?"

"They're in the works Captain," the noble said wearily, "you may have noticed I don't quite have the same...authority as before." she added, sending a venomous glance at Adil.

Aban grunted,

"Well anyway, we can't exactly pummel a creature several feet above us and which is spitting fire down at us."

"Well get some marksdwarves in." Solon interjected.

"What marksdwarves? The only Dwarves with crossbow training are Lawec and the new hunter, who's unconscious in his bed with a broken arm."

"Then let's get this Lawec in!" Morul said, clapping his hands together, "Problem solved."

Adil looked aghast,

"You want to pit a single Dwarf against a dragon?" she exclaimed.

"What if we catch it instead? If we catch and tame it we'll be unstoppable." Jurvana suggested. Morul nodded enthusiastically, his previous agreement forgotten,

"Forget that vagabond of a marksdwarf, let's catch it!"

"Why don't we drown it? Poetic irony anyone?" Hetros suggested with a grin,

"Look! We don't have a single cage trap, or any time to set one up! In case you've forgotten, there's an angry dragon at our gates!" Ilral raged, standing up in a huff.

"The solution is simple, if only the half of you had a quarter of a brain cell between you. Lawec will shoot the dragon down, pierce its wings, then the military and move in and kill it." There were a few murmurs of agreement at this, "The motion's passed then. Hetros, you get Lawec, and Aban, get the army ready, you need to move in the moment that reptilian menace is on the ground."

--------------------

"I can't believe I'm doing this..." Lawec mumbled as he fitted a bolt to his crossbow. Lethari Iroberayi the Heat of Brands was currently perched on the mountain side, lazily waiting for any careless Dwarves.

"Just do it." hissed Jurvana, her grip on her axe so strong that her knuckles were white. The Captain of the Guard, Lawec and Captain Aban were all crouched safe beneath the Great Wall. Ilral, with Adil's grudging acceptance, had suggested that the axedwarf and wrestler accompany the hunter to keep him safe should the dragon prove more difficult to shoot down.

"Right...well, here goes. Over the top." Lawec mumbled, jumping up over the wall and taking aim. He managed to get a shot off before Lethari saw him. The bolt missed, passing by her. Furious and hungry, the dragon launched itself into the air, charging towards the three. Hastily, Lawec fitted another bolt, the dragon swooped over, only kept at bay by Jurvana's axe. The trapper took careful aim once more and fired. The bolt flew straight through one wing and the dragon let loose a roar of pain, falling to the ground shocked. Aban leapt up,

"Soldiers! Go! Go!" fifteen weaponless Dwarves burst from the fortress, following Aban. Like a hive of wasps they swarmed the dragon, five of them holding her maw shut, two on each leg, two on each wing and the last taking hold of Lethari's neck, wrenching it back. After spasming for some time the dragon fell lifeless, crashing to the rock ground.


The current layout of Niltosed as of 4th Sandstone 260.


I did try to capture the dragon, but rather than go towards the cage traps, it took another way into the fortress and started threatening a huge rabble of dwarves (including Lawec, Jurvana and Aban which is where they come in in the story since I conscripted them to fight until the military arrived) who were refusing to go into inside, and decided to mill outside the doors instead, so I had to get the military who killed it rather than drive it into the traps.

Oh, and before anyone mentions it, I know that the dragons can't fly, but I decided to take some artistic licence and make them fly, after all, Toady did say he'd put flying for the dragons eventually.

[shadowclasper]

Ah well :3 well done anyway ^^

hmmm... top wall needs to be fortified, and perhaps turn the upper level into more organized storage (I can't seem to see furniture, or finished goods stock piles anywhere O_O)
Make a few doors in the walls on either side, then proceed to roof it (and the out door garden) over so that fliers won't cause any trouble

[Tezcatli]

The finished good stockpiles is just above the dining room, where the old meeting hall was and where all that goblin crap is stockpiled, as for furniture, it's in the works.

Also I just noticed something...interesting...

Jurvana and Rice are in love.

What do you two guys feel about this? Do you want your characters in love, or should I ignore it?

[Tezcatli]

27th Timber 260

"I'm just saying that if the upper wall was fortified and crenellated then marksdwarves wouldn't need to jump onto the wall, risking life and limb just to fire a bolt into a gobbo." Hetros stated. Ilral sighed at this,

"I appreciate what you're saying Hetros, but you needn't worry! Here," she shoved some blueprints under his nose, "The wall has only reached the first half of phase two. Now we just need to get scaffolding up and then we can get the second phase done and onto the third, last phase." Hetros reviewed the blueprints,

"Hmm, right. But this scaffolding's made out of stone. That's going to take some time."

"But it'll save many Dwarven lives."

"Well anyway. I actually came to ask about a furniture stockpile, and Adil's refusing to do anything structural. Many of the masons are complaining about having to climb over beds, tables, chairs and doors just to get to the workshop. It really slows production down tenfold."

"Yes, yes, do what you want. I have another project for you first though." she rifled through some files, pulling a sheaf of blueprints out, "I need you to oversee the deconstruction of the old offices up on the top level. Jurvana and Solon need new offices and quarters down here, as well as Sava. The old offices will be dug out to make a wider hall."

"New quarters? Why?"

"They're important, upstanding members of our community. They deserve more than a simple few feet of rock as their rooms."

"Okay, I'll get onto it."

"Good dwarf."

---------------------

"ADIL!" Ilral screeched, "ADIL!" she slammed the Mayor's door open, stomping over to her desk where Adil was reading something. The ex-farmer looked up,

"Ah, Ilral. Have you heard the good news? Aban's given birth to a girl, Mafol she's called her. I have to say it's done wonders for her mood. She's smiling and laughing like before."

"I didn't come here to talk family! What is this about platinum statues!?"

"Yes, I decided I needed some real quarters, fit for a Mayor, worthy for my successor, rather than these..." she dismissively waved a hand across the room, "substandard ones. Oh, and by the way, we need to stop exporting bolts." Ilral growled ferally,

"We don't export bolts."

"Exactly, goodnight Ilral." Ilral grew a furious shade of red,

"Yes, goodbye Mayor. But sleep light, Adil, sleep light." she hissed, storming out the room.

--------------------

6th Moonstone 260

"Ambush! Curse them!" came the familiar call. A farmer came running into the courtyard up to Aban, "An ambush by the northern drawbridge! They've got the Dungeon Master!"

Aban and her troop rallied out, hands itching for a Goblin neck to wrung. The seven Goblin-strong ambush had encircled Dungeon Master Morul, brandishing their pikes at him jeeringly. Morul didn't seem to realise the danger, as he seemed quite intent on 'giving the gobbo a bloody nose'. One jabbed him with his spear and the noble went crashing into the water of the moat, where, weighed down by his helmet, he sunk. With a cry, the Dwarves launched themselves at the greenskins, throwing them into the moat, snapping necks, dislocating arms and just generally slaughtering them. By the time they pulled Morul out of the waters of the moat, he had drowned. A solemn ceremony, directed by Mayor Adil, took place the next day, placing his body into the wooden coffin he had ordered as his tomb, attended to by the furnace operators, led by Caiman, who were some of the few to have respected him at all.

[Jervous]

Also I just noticed something...interesting...
Jurvana and Rice are in love.

It doesn't matter to me, unless they have completely different personalities. I'd dismiss it if they were nothing alike.

[Lawec]

NOOOO not the dungeon master! 

[Tezcatli]

2nd Obsidian 260

Rice whistled happily as he gently smoothed a rough granite wall. Besides him, Haspen sighed unhappily as he also smoothed a wall. With only two other engravers, the two of them were responsible for single-handedly smoothing the entire fortress, as well as engraving the necropolis. The new offices for the broker, bookkeeper and captain were completed and the two of them just needed to smooth the whole thing over an then the room could be furnished. After that they would need to smooth the new weapons stockpile and then they would probably be conscripted back to construction on the Great Wall.

"Sooo..." Rice began, trying to break the silence, "Have you heard about Sakzul?"

"Who?" Haspen asked, his voice betraying no tone of interest.

"The gem setter, he went weird, we had to build him a jeweller's workshop because he was just standing there, bellowing for one. Then he got some gems, microcline and silk and made a table. It even had pictures of the King Bembul, and the old king Udib on it. 'Squidhead' he called it."

"Wonderful."

"You can imagine what happened, Ilral took it for her dining room, as she always does. I'm surprised she hasn't taken old Morul's statue."

"I'm surprised she's lasted this long. We've bumped off nobles for less." Haspen muttered back, leaving, his wall smoothed. Rice watched him go, shrugged, and went back to work whistling merrily.

-----

"Psst." Haspen stopped, looking around. He couldn't make out where that sound was coming from,

"Pssst!" it came again. Still, he couldn't see anyone.

"Yes?" he answered tentatively.

"Haspen, the fort is in danger!" the voice was...familiar. But he couldn't place it.

"And?" he asked, "It was bound to collapse eventually."

"Yes...but you'll be killed along with everyone else! There's only one way to save the fort. The Elves will return this spring, you must pull the bridges up from below them!"

"That'll probably hurt or kill them." the engraver replied flatly.

"Better a wounded Elf than a dead Dwarf. Think about it, do you want to die?"

"I worship Ovus the Vulture of Apexes, I grew up with death."

"Talking about it is one thing, actually dying is another. Think about it Haspen!" Haspen did think about it, and the voice was right.

"But how will killing the Elves save the fortress?" he asked.

"Once, long ago Nibeshsolon went to war with the 'Shores of Romance'. We defeated them easily and they have...cultivated that defeat in their forest retreats, breeding Elves that hate Dwarves to their bones. Several of those Elves will be among the merchants, and they'll release their savage beasts onto us, and open wide our gates for the Elven attackers to invade! You can't trust an Elf."

"But I can trust you?"

"Yes, and anyway, even if I'm wrong, you can claim it was an accident, mixed orders or something."

Haspen thought long about it. His life in the fortress had been mostly just digging, engraving, and masonry. This would put in some...fun.

"Very well, I'll do as you say."

[shadowclasper]

As haspen walked out of sight, Hetros stepped out of the shadows, smiling, "Just as planned."

He then walked away, whistling merrily as he went to help get that scaffolding up (On the interior side of the wall, he wasn't about to have goblins climbing up the walls on the fortress's own constructions), and finish out the new quarters.
-----
Sooooooo =3 question? what ARE you planning on doing with the outer wall? o.O

[sava2004]

MUAHAHAHAHA!, Tezcatli, you're EVIL.

[Tezcatli]

13th Granite 261

They came in the rain, Elven traders from the Shores of Romance, 'Thiliri Lidava'. Trudging through the mud with their pack animals, caged creatures precariously balanced on their backs, they perceived the rising mountains through the sheets of rain. One pointed at it, clearly happy.

That was when the first cries were heard.

Guttural screeches of 'Os! Os! Os! rent the air and rain, and arrows flew from every direction, pincushioning the Elven traders.  One ran away, leaving his brothers behind, but he was quickly chased down and killed. Blood ran through the mud, mixing with the rainwater.

-----

"Aban!" The soldier looked round, her baby perched in one arm and a shield in the other,

"Ah, Mayor Adil. What can I do for you?"

"Our hunter just came back with talk of some great gathering of Goblins up the mountain! I think they've come back to try their luck again." Adil exclaimed, fingering her steel chain of office in anxiety. Aban's face hardened,

"We'll get them." she rallied her troops and the Squids of Winding marched out, the Creative Universes behind them.

Once more the Goblins had taken positions up on the mountains, crossbowgoblins flanked by speargoblins. Aban charged in, to the cries of 'Os!' from the goblins, her baby Mafol in one hand, using her other to throw a Goblin down the mountain. Tragedy and history repeated itself as a bolt sliced clean through her hand, causing her daughter to fall to the rocky floor below where she was quickly mauled by a Goblin. Enraged, Aban rammed into another Goblin, taking two more down before she fell, full of crossbow bolts. Behind her, a second soldier charged up but was soon taken out. A third fell just as quickly. Despite their losses, it seemed the Goblins had the upper hand. Then they came, swarming like angry wasps, the Dwarven soldiers charged into the Goblin formation, scattering them, chasing them down, killing them all. Soon, all the Goblins had been crushed, and the soldiers reverently carried the body of their commander, her daughter, and the two other soldiers back to Niltosed.

Arriving, they were quickly sent out as another Goblin force were advancing from the north, bowgoblins backed by wrestlers. The drawbridges were quickly raised, isolating the fortress as the blood and rain-covered soldiers tramped out once more.

There were no losses this time. The inaccurate fire of the bowgoblins meant that they could close the distance between them within seconds and knock the bow out their hands before snapping their limbs like twigs.  As they chased a wrestler to the north they stumbled across the Elven caravan, all slaughtered. next to the wall surrounding the magma pool. And upon the wall, written in Elven blood, were the words,

'WE KNOW'


Looks like next year will be without the elven caravan again...and the mysterious voice (*coughcoughHetroscough*) was wasting his time convincing Haspen. Shame, I was looking forward to testing the bridge defences. ^^

Hetros - There's a whole 'nother layer to build up, and then towers and fortifications, and then finally training some more marksdwarves to use them. 

Sava - I feel quite complimented, so I guess you're right. Shame it didn't happen, still, there's always next year (probably the year after that, unless the elves attack).