~7th Hematite, 211, Early Summer
by Asob Momuzzokun
---
I have no real idea how long we've been trapped in this panic room. I can only guess. In fact I have tried to write every day, though I've been delegating those personal notes to my own journal. Most of them are unsuitable for the histories of Severedcoils - trite dialogs, the unrequited flirtings of Kûbuk teasing the Duke consort, 'Derm' questioning me incessantly for information. Complaints about the walls feeling closer every day. Vapid scrawlings about the carvings on the floors and walls, some of happy memories, some of bland shapes, and some reminding us of the reason we're down here.
Every day, I consider whether it's safe to leave this chamber. We've more or less informally begun taking turns keeping an ear to a wall, listening to the vibrations of the rock for any news of the fort's well being. Strangely enough, it sounds as though most of the fort is still going about their daily routine - save the distinct vibrations of the entire military marching together toward one place or another. They seem to be chasing something. I allow myself to believe it means the threat has been quelled, and they are in the process of routing the last remaining demons.
I curse myself for ever piquing Zon's interest in their...
magic. Ever since I discovered those runes... what, a year ago? More, less? I think that point marked the beginning of the decline in my relationship with Zon. I wish we could be friends again, and be sealed together in the same chamber. It would be nice to keep each other company, laughing the days away like before. Perhaps if I hadn't done that, she wouldn't have taken 'Quietust's' findings seriously, the spell never would have been cast, and we wouldn't be in this mess.
Again, I've given way to my frustrations and made this another personal letter. I do have something to report which I feel is vital to Severedcoils' history... perhaps I need some time to compose my thoughts. I'll leave these notes in here as there is at least some pertinent information, but I'm going to take some time to compose myself and resume this entry more professionally in a few hours.
---
It is a few hours later. We've completed the shops a few hours ago, as well as designated stockpiles in the two main chambers. I am too afraid of breaking the chambers to dig too much for fear of breaching our safety. It's just as well, too - Derm and I could really use a break from the constant innuendos shared between Kûbuk and Melbil. They seem to spend most of their time around our well... with the horse, who it turns out is Kûbuk's pet.
Which brings me to the point I wished to write about earlier, albeit a bit haphazardly; Melbil stated earlier that he heard King Minkot rummaging through the food and drink barrels in Zon's chambers, and even communicated with him through Urist code. He is absolutely convinced of his identity, and therefore his safety. By tapping on the wall, they held this brief conversation:
Melbil: "I am Duke Consort Melbil Mistêmkogan. Who are you?"
Minkot: "I am your sovereign king Minkot Zanegamkol. Well met, Melbil."
Melbil: "Well met, your highness. Are you well?"
Minkot: "I am well."
Melbil: "Are you safe?"
Minkot: "We are not safe. Do not attempt Urist code in the future. They will find you."
Melbil: "Is the fortress under attack?"
Minkot: "Yes. We cannot see the enemy. They can fly. They are fire ghosts. We will find them."
Melbil: "How many casualties?"
Minkot: "One. Remain where you are. Do not attempt Urist code in the future. They will find you. I must go."
Melbil: "How many are with you?"
No response followed.
This troubles me greatly. Given the... um, episode, between Zon, Minkot, and myself just before this started, I can only imagine a world of trouble if Zon and Minkot are sealed together in close quarters, and yet I have heard no such squabbling. In fact, while we have all heard many dwarves in those food piles - too many to count, I could say - we're all certain that none of us have heard Zon. Could Minkot have usurped her bunker and used it to save a whole slew of dwarves? How many are actually in there? How long can they keep order? Why did Minkot seem to be in such a hurry?
"'Allo, Asob!" Derm sat herself down so next to me she might as well have been on top of me. This was especially uncomfortable since I was already sitting on the floor with my back to a finely detailed engraving relating to the ascension of the dwarf Zon Castleweakened the Skinny Morals to leadership of The Crypt of Crowns in the early spring of 201 (a very popular subject matter, right up there with the release of that freaking demon whose face I swear is etched about forty times on every wall in this stupid room). I shoved her aside and scooted away a few inches.
"Whatcha writin'? More secrets about the fort? More histories you wouldn't want to get out?"
I slammed this journal shut as she craned her neck to try and read (obviously, I am writing this from memory well after this conversation took place). I sighed, extra heavily, emphasizing my exhaustion with this dwarf's repeated, blatant intrusions. "Has anybody ever told you your Conversationalist skills are Dabbling, at best?"
"Oh, don't be like that Asob. I'm only kiddin'. I just wanted to hear your thoughts on the situation."
I put my chisel down, and brought my knees up to my chin and crossed my arms over them - making sure, of course, to press this journal safely between my body and my legs in doing so to protect it. "Well, I am comforted by the fact that we're hearing mostly normal activities going on outside. If this peace resumes for a few more days... I wonder if it might be safe to come out?"
Derm nodded. "I'm glad to hear you say that. We were actually just discussing the same over by the well. We're startin' to think that we're wrong about what we're hearin' through the walls to Zon's bunker."
"Oh? Which part?"
"The number of dwarves locked in her room. We've heard more distinct footsteps than we can count, and certainly more than we feel a chamber this size could safely support. So..."
"So??"
"We're starting to think her chamber isn't sealed. It's still being used as a public stockpile and meeting place."
I felt my jaw drop in shock. "Are you kidding me??"
Derm put her hands up before herself defensively. "It's only a theory! Unfortunately, it's the only one that makes any sense to us."
"But what about the king's warning?? He's confirmed that the demons are loose, right?"
"Well, technically he's only confirmed that
we're under attack. It's the beginnin' of the season. That COULD mean a siege."
"A goblin siege... on top of an unknown number of invisible demons running amok?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Asob. You're speculatin'!"
"Well, OK. At the very least, since we suspect that Zon's chambers are unsecured, this definitely means we shouldn't break through into her bunker, no matter how tempting."
"What's so temptin' about doin' a thing like that, I wonder? It's no secret you and her haven't been gettin' along much lately. Besides that, if we're wrong, there's a whole host of possibly starving dwarves in that little chamber. Now, we've got enough food in here to last us a long time, but what about them?"
I glare at Derm. "Are you suggesting we
knowingly deny them aide, should we find out that a large number of our friends are right beyond that wall starving to death?"
"Nope! I was just wondering whether you would think that way."
"No, I'm not--" I stop myself before I say 'Zon...'
"I'm sorry. Let's change the subject. Soo, this is an election month for you, right Mayor?"
"That's right... Wait, you're right...!!"
He didn't need to explain, but he did anyway. "If you're in here, and the dwarves out there are living a normal life, and you can't attend the elections..."
"Oh no! I'll lose my seat! Probably to 'Kyronea' Buzatoslan the Planter, she's had aspirations of running for office for a while."
"Maybe you should let us out, so you could go and prepare?"
I bit my lip and chewed on my beard for a while. "Derm... I know you disagree, but the world isn't all about politics. I think you're missing the gravity of our situation. The fort has been exposed to
invisible, flying spirits of fire. Stand anywhere near one of those things, and you'll simply disintegrate. There is no faster way to convert your body to a pile of hot ash than letting one of those things give you a hug. And given that they're
invisible and flying, you'll never see them coming. If we breach these walls for even a second, we expose ourselves to a chance that one or more of those things could get in here."
"Well... what if we carved fortifications in the wall to her bunker? Then we could peek inside, get some extra interaction going on here. We could get a better idea of what we're up against, or how long we'll have to stay."
I consider that for a moment, then shake my head. "No, too risky. For one thing, the digging would make noise that could attract the demons..." Not unlike the noise I've already made by digging out the extra rooms, I only realize now as I'm recording this after our conversation. "It would also give the demons a chance to look in on us. Besides, we'd be messing up some really beautiful engravings!"
Hesitantly, Derm nodded in agreement. "Not only that... but if the chambers are open to the public, then all the dwarves of the fort could look in and see that we're safe when they're not. It could very quickly become a riot. Aside from the chaos of the tantrum spiral it might cause, the other miners might decide to break in here themselves, and like you say, that would expose us to danger."
His point causes me to shiver. "Ye... Yes, you're absolutely right. Perhaps that's why the king doesn't want us tapping on the wall any more."
"We've worried ourselves enough over this. And you've persuaded me, Asob, that for right now we are still safer in here than out there. Perhaps we should return to our crafts, and revisit this at a later time?"
"Yes... but quietly! Like I said, if it continues to sound like nothing's going on for a few more days, I might be willing to risk it."
"Despite the king's warning?"
I say nothing, but I think to myself '
Especially despite his warning.'
I am stunned. What could all of this mean? Put in context with the warnings of the king, it would mean Zon is also not safe. If her chamber was never sealed... does that mean she never reached it? That could still mean a number of things. She's shown incredible skill as a warrior, perhaps she's chosen to join the military and lead the pursuit of the demons herself... no, that wouldn't make sense. The mere thought of what lied within those chambers shook her deeper than anybody. More likely, she may have completely snapped and resigned herself to catching fish until the demons catch her. Or... maybe they already have? Or maybe they didn't have to; Minkot's been itching to take back control, and the breach of the pit surely brought Zon to her weakest... perhaps Minkot took that opportunity to...
At the very least, it seems the four of us are starting to get used to each other. This is a very good thing. So long as we can cooperate, we should be able to see this through. We just need to be as comfortable around each other as possible...
...which is why I'll have to have a very harsh chat with Derm later who, during our conversation, sought to steal this journal from me, but mistakenly stole my personal writings instead. To be quite honest though, I'm actually sort of looking forward to seeing her get to the parts about he. There may or may not be one or more colorful illustrations involving an encounter between herself and rhesus macaques.
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Topic: Severedcoils - Consort Accumulation Challenge (Score: 5) (40d + DnD 5e) (Read 130306 times)