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[Frogwarrior]

Gotcha. There's no sedentary positions unfilled by my own avatar at the moment, so cannon fodder it is. Architect, Top Cat is an "Elf Taunter," i.e., woodcutter.

On an unrelated note, gender ratio is 11 M to 14 F.

[Frogwarrior]

w00t 100 replies! You guys rock.


Frogwarrior's Notes:
Torture finally finished his construction earlier today. I've never seen him so happy! And the thing he made is pretty neat; it's a leg armor decorated with an image of our settling here. All that in just turtle shell. Weird, I guess this place is really important to him or something.
I tried to figure out why he was so excited, but all I got was that he expected this thing to somehow help increase the bone supply? I don't know. Clearly he's touched by the gods, though. Such an amazing achievement as that, and he's a bit bonkers to boot.

But he's got his head in the right place. First thing he did after he emerged, and the subsequent questioning, was stare in awe at the pile of elf bones. Then he locked himself in his workshop. Said he needed a lack of distractions to truly give this medium the love and attention it deserved. I figure a guy who can make something great out of a pile of elf bones can't be all bad.

On the minus side, I have to put up with a lot of stupid digging. But I found some shiny-looking rocks today. I dunno what they are, but they look neat. Maybe I'll just keep this to myself.



End Notes


OddProphet's Musings
Well, here I am in Screampacks. It's about like I expected, unsurprisingly. I signed right up for the military when that Bengali was looking for recruits. Right now, the only other fresh recruit is a chap by the name of Overcat. Says he wants to learn to kill his own food, or something. Weird, but I can manage. The uniform's pretty great, though. I really like the helmet and leg armor. Got character to it.


End Musings

[Cheddarius]

cool story bro

[Frogwarrior]

Amalgam and 100killer9 charged at the foolish kobold. With all the skill of a season warrior, Amalgam leapt straight for its throat, yanking away a jagged flap of flesh. The pair set about the hapless creature, mauling it until its death throes subsided in a pool of red mud.

"Second time this week," said Overcat to OddProphet, as the recruits watched from a distance. "One of them walked right into their patrol line just outside the inn."
"Wow," said OddProphet, watching the spectacle in awe. "Are we ever gonna be that good?"
"Only if we practice," said Overcat. "Ya don't get to be a master chef by wantin' it! So let's head right on back to the inn and practice."
"Sure," said OddProphet, and inwardly wished the day would soon come when she, too, could taste the fresh blood of a kill on her lips.

They practiced in a near-frenzy, tearing at each other as if their will to train had been discovered anew. Tired, they retreated back towards their quarters for a well-earned rest.

Such was not to be. A cry came from the heart of the town, "Stop, thief!"
The recruits dashed towards the cry, meeting a rattled woodcrafter who pointed to the northeast. "Kobold," he gasped. "He's got Obeyedpass!"
"The artifact?" Overcat asked, agape. "Where's the soldiers?"
"I saw 100killer9 heading into her quarters a minute ago," answered OddProphet. "And Amalgam's patrolling down south, by the wall. There's no way he can get there in time!"
"You mean..." said Overcat, as they broke into a run. "He's got the most valuable thing at Screampacks, and we're the only ones who can stop him?"
They quickly caught the trail of the intruder, and let their war cry lead them towards their prey. But he was already far ahead...

The kobold had nearly reached the line that marked the edge of Screampacks. Woodcutters were at work busily clearing away the area that would become the eastern wall.
Top Cat was interrupted in her work by a shout of "Thief! Catch him!"
Spinning around from the tree she was working on, she saw a grotesque creature running towards her, a bundle slung over its shoulder. Struck with an overwhelming sense of civic duty, she dashed towards the kobold and leapt at it full-force, hatchet leading the way. She collided and bounced back harmlessly, but was right on the thing's heels. Her next stroke was luckier; the thing yelped as the hatchet bit into its arm, and its bundle fell onto the ground.
Top Cat leapt again, colliding into its back. Winded, she lay there gasping, as Overcat and OddProphet ran by in hot pursuit.

"He dropped the artifact," said Overcat, as they passed the prone woodcutter.
"Do we let him go?" asked OddProphet in between breaths.
"Of course not," said Overcat.
Putting on a burst of sudden speed, they accelerated and pounced on their quarry. He shrieked as claws and teeth dug into his flesh. He didn't stop for a long while, not until Overcat tore out his heart in her jaws.

Pic spoilered for bigness

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

OddProphet had got her wish - if wish was all it was. And yet, this wish only lead to more. She was certainly glad she signed up to the military...

[Cheddarius]

Excellent. Good job of taking down that kobold.

[The Architect]

Well, thanks for the prompt inclusion! I am proud to have done my part for Screampacks!

Don't worry about giving me special treatment; I'll be reading and participating even my avatar fares poorly. I really enjoy a story when the named/real characters suffer indiscriminate fates. In fact, it bothers me when characters are invulnerable in a story.

[Frogwarrior]

Thanks, Ched!

And don't worry, Architect, there will be plenty of death. Especially among the military caste. Especially when the elves attack, most likely, what with the ambushing and the bow-having. Well, and the dwarves, with the steel armor and weapons. And the goblins, with the frequent attacks. And the humans, with the superior size.

Basically, we're all screwed. In fact, if people re-cat enough, I plan to add awards for dying lots of times.

Also, I didn't even plan that kobold theft update in the slightest - I knew there were a total of four kobolds around, but when that one got revealed, I slowly realized that the champions were unavailable, the recruits available, and the artifact stolen. And when the guy started running northeast, I didn't realize I had such a perfect individual to catch him until I saw "Top Cat cancels Fell Tree: Interrupted by Kobold Thief." It just... fell into place. Beautiful.

[Urist McOverlord]

Woo! I kill puny kobold! With teeth!
Caveman Rantings aside, though. I was included!  And I killed something!

[darkflagrance]

Interesting...a picture of the artifact would be much appreciated...Legendary Bonecarver, right?

[Frogwarrior]

Happy to oblige!



And yes, legendary bonecarver. He's freaking loving it, cranking out quality bone items nonstop. Bone armor, bone crafts, bone darts, you name it, he makes it like a bonecarving beast.


Anyway. Enough about bones.

Frogwarrior's Notes
Well, that shiny rock turned out to be copper. One earful and several cartloads later, that Ironfang chap was chugging away making copper bars. Weird to see someone besides Bengali doing that. Though Bengali himself handles the smithing; he upgraded those two recruits from leather to full copper plate armor. Torture was more than happy to make a couple suits of plate leggings. I think he really enjoys the war effort.
End Notes



Natalie's Diary
I hate being bedridden. I can't do anything! Just have to eke by on news that everyone brings me.
So many unfamiliar faces, it's hard to keep track. But all the faces that came by recently were a little more somber. Turns out Screampacks had its first tragedy. Hrraspmurrren, the cat who volunteered to take over the archery and hunting duties while I'm incapacitated, suffered a hunting accident today. With a wolf.

Amalgam and 100killer9 responded by tearing the beast, which they named Furwilted, in half, then promptly declaring war on the rest of the wolf pack and even a bunch of raccoons that wandered in at the wrong moment. I was glad to hear it; after my father was killed by wolves I'm happy to see them die no matter who does the job.
End Diary Entry


And as Autumn drew nigh, Bengali stepped up the plans for defense. Seven new cats were added to the military, bringing the total to 11. They were truly doing their best to prepare for the worst. The wall lay only half-completed around the town, and they knew if the dwarves attacked they would have naught to rely on but wit and cunning...

[The Architect]

"Puss has mandated the construction of certain goods"

Ok, so let's look into this. {n}, down to Puss...
Mandate

1 pair leather boots
1 cave spider silk robe (black)
1 steel rapier

[darkflagrance]

Some thoughts of Torture:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The elves nearly killed me. A brave cat was nearly killed before my eyes. We had our vengeance, but death, enigmatic and strangely attractive, might have chosen me instead of them. I, normally so wrapped up in my raw materials, was nearly reduced to them.

My work lost meaning. My food lost taste. I could not longer see in the bones the hidden structure of the finished products I desired to make.

Shadows stalked me at night, the restless spirits of those whose bones I had reshaped, whose spirits now lingered in bondage to us through the corpses I had transformed.
I was in a haze. I called myself a Bonearmorer, despite having come to the fortress with no skill in bonecarving. I had learned much about the bones since, but was that all pretension? What had I achieved in my life?

Finally, I screamed into the darkness and awoke with a vision.

The shells of turtles...they defended them from the fangs and claws of predators...their spirits would be perfect to defend us from our enemies...

And thus, days and weeks passed unknown to me, until Obeyedpass was created. And as my construction was completed, the spirits of the turtles I had sealed into the artifact passed into me. And from that moment on, I was a true Bonearmorer.

The bones of the elf who nearly killed me now shield the legs of the cat whose life I saved. May they groan eternally in agony, finding no rest in their new purpose...

[rickvoid]

Basically, we're all screwed. In fact, if people re-cat enough, I plan to add awards for dying lots of times.

Been enjoying this, and I've had some fun with the catsplosion mod as well.

It occurs to me, that if you're going to re-cat when they die, you could do it this way: Cats have nine lives, right? Thus, after every cat's nick-name, add "(9)", which is the number of lives they currently have. When they die, name the new cat "Nickname (" and so on until you hit zero, at which point they don't get a cat anymore. Bonus points if you fill an entire 3x3 tomb with each of their past lives. 

Keep it up!

[Frogwarrior]

That's a hilarious idea. I probably won't do it exactly like that in this, with the restrictive life limit - but dying nine times will definitely be one of the awards. Leave it to me to completely forget about cat lore like that!

[The Architect]

Did no one get my Puss in Boots joke?