I'm real sorry for dropping off the face of the earth for two months like that, there was stuff and more work and illness and laziness. However, I think I may switch to shorter updates, which means I should (normally) be able to update more often, cover more people and events, and there'll be less of a 'slog' in reading through everything.
katana - Thanks! Sure thing! Bio up on the first post, as per usual.
mcclay - The only problem I can see is 'Nothing DNA' since the Nothing don't have DNA to speak of, it would be more sort of 'essence' or 'magical influence macguffin'
Lord Allagon - Thanks! Bio up on the first post as usual.
BranRhi - Thanks! As with the others, bio up on the first post.
Kurotabo - Thanks! Once again, bio up on the first post.
Opal 677In the end calm thinking won out; Derm had confirmed that the only Dwarven law relating to Bogeymen was one set down by King Ilral Actedgates in his rewriting of Dwarven law in 420, banning them from owning any land within the Kingdom of the Grizzly Vessel. Why such a law had been necessary was unknown, as the last Bogeymen to be allowed within the Kingdom had been a diplomatic mission that had been run out in 215 upon the coronation of Logem Stilledboard. Bogeymen from then on were not seen within any Dwarven lands, save for in the Despotate of the Momentous Manor, which for many barely passed as Dwarven due to their traditions at odds with the rest of Dwarven society, such as slavery.
Of course, many of the Elves had protested violently, the age-old feud between them and the Bogeymen would certainly not be settled by something as 'uncivilised' as Dwarven law, but since the original Dwarves that had founded Nomekast had been from the Grizzly Vessel, it was that Dwarven Kingdom's laws that held sway. And so Eldrich was allowed to stay. In a fort where already half the inhabitants were non-Dwarves what was one non-Dwarf race more?
Life continued in Nomekast as ever it did. Winter had set in hard now, though temperature-wise it meant little underground. What it meant was that the fields lay fallow, and so Fori could pursue her goal of raising to scratch the defences of Nomekast, and also continue her attempts to discuss the message the spirits had given her with her fellow Elves.
In Stas' Thieves Guild planning for 'the grand heist' continued, Ocade had been brought in and Stas and Bax had put out feelers and found a Kobold by the name of Konith who had wanted to join. He'd been let in, with the same caveat as Ocade - if the heist went well, they would be trusted enough and be a proper part of the guild.
Down on the Fiery Cistern mining work had finally finished on Brosso the Magnificent's arena.
The circus-director had already drawn up plans with his fellow members of the Alliance for Dwarven Survival for the Alliance's new offices and the barracks of the Iron Guard. Adjoined to what had once started as a circus, but now included an arena amongst other things, it had been designed in Brosso's usual style, with large and grandiose halls, pillars, and an atrium with a grand pool.
The Iron Guard themselves had already been formed under Stronghammer, there were only four of them at the moment, but that was more than enough to guard the forges.
The surface remained barred to the community, and no refugees had been spotted. After a while many of the flying Nothing dissipated across the valley, flying away, however there always seemed to be at least a half-dozen, flying frantically across the Swamps of Tunnelling, as though - and probably indeed - searching for anything living they could tear up.
4th Obsidian 677 - AfternoonUgo Sosleng flexed his green fingers in anticipation, his hand hovering over the tray of scalpels that lay on the granite table before him. Chained by the side of the room was one of the Nothing that had been captured a few months ago now. The creature was completely still, its red eyes fixed on the Goblin scientist. Ugo took up his quill and began to scratch his preliminary notes on the pig tail paper he'd been provided. He'd quickly learnt that pig tails were among the most versatile crops that could be harvested above or below land. Dwarves cut the plants into strips and beat them into sheets of paper, they brewed them into ale, they spun them into cloth, they could even be made into fine cigars, as Brosso was apt to showcase.
Experiment 1 - Subject 1
Subject seems unresponsive and completely immobile. It has a habit of staring at whoever is closest to it, but does not actually move or struggle against its restraints. Full-body live autopsy will be performed to see what exactly compromises these 'Nothings', Sheriff Derm has insisted on members of the militia being present in case of escape, which may affect the creature's temperament and reactions. First an incision will be made in one of the creature's tentacles and the ensuing blood - or whatever liquid synonymous with it - will be collected.Happy with these preliminary opening notes, the Goblin took a scalpel up, weighing it in his hands like a professional, and turned to the Nothing. The red eyes stared back into the Goblin's own. Ugo chose a thickish tentacle, and carefully, sliced into it. The Nothing didn't move. Liquid like smoke poured from the incision, dripping onto the floor where it coiled like smoke and dissipated into the air. Quickly he seized a green-glass beaker - the Dwarves apparently didn't currently have the facilities and resources to make clear glass, especially as the Elves were kicking up a fuss about the wood burners - he held the beaker under the wound, and let the vapoury liquid collect inside it, once he had enough, he slammed a cork onto it. The liquid inside coiled and curled like smoke in a non-existent wind, but all it could do was rise to the cork, then fall back to the glass floor, unable to dissipate into the air. Ugo took up his quill again,
Liquid was successfully extracted. Nothing made no attempt to avoid being cut, and had no reaction at all, only continuing its current focus of staring at whomever is closest. Nothing 'blood' appears to be an ethereal liquid that acts like smoke when it touches a physical object. Once it has touched something, it attempts to dissipate into the air, this can apparently be stopped by containing it inside a sealed glass beaker, or possibly any container small enough? Tests will need to be performed to see exactly what this liquid is and its effects and/or uses.Putting down his quill, Ugo put the scalpel back in it's place, and took a large knife. The next test was to amputate one of the Nothing's limbs and observe the effects. He advanced on the chained creature, knife gleaming. The Nothing's eyes stared back, but it didn't move.
15th Obsidian 677 - EveningOnce more the Alliance for Dwarven Survival had gathered in Stronghammer Fireforges' cottage for their meeting. While work had begun on their new offices, it would still be several months before the place was carved out, and more still before it was fully furnished. Stronghammer opened the meeting with a bombshell;
"Last night the Iron Guard caught an Elf; she had just destroyed the wood furnace." as was Stronghammer's style, it was very matter-of-fact, but it roused shouts of anger.
"This is just what I warned about! Elves can't be trusted near anything and anywhere civilised!" Brosso brayed.
"And what has Derm done about this!?" Reg demanded, frowning angrily. As Dwarves went, the doctor was a more 'moderate' member of the Alliance, but that certainly did not make him the friend of those who refused to accept Dwarven tradition and society while living in what was essentially still a Dwarven fort.
"He was informed about the matter, remanded the Elf into custody and given her a 'final warning'." the industrialist replied.
"For shame! Back in the Mountainhomes it'd be a month in jail or a hammerstrike straight away! There'd be none of this malarkey and bureaucracy!" Brosso thumped a meaty fist onto the table, "This is completely unacceptable!"
"What's more worrying is that they slipped past the Iron Guard." Reg remarked. Stronghammer allowed himself a smile,
"I wouldn't worry, I have a measure already in mind to further protect our valued industry, and volunteers already at work."
16th Obsidian 677 - Morning"Stronghammer! You can't be serious about this." Derm exclaimed. The sheriff stood with the industrialist and Brosso on the Fiery Cistern, near the magma pools. Around them masons and volunteers of the Alliance or the forges went to and fro with granite blocks. Brosso answered for Stronghammer,
"Completely serious, Sheriff. You have consistently failed to protect our industry, the Iron Guard will have to do the job for us!"
"Yes, but a
wall around the forges?"
"I mean, you didn't even ask for permission or-"
"Planning permissions and construction permits do not fall under the remit of Sheriffs, they go under the Mayor." Stronghammer said firmly.
"We don't even have a Mayor! Look, you can't just start blocking off random areas that you want, the whole point of having a Sheriff was to-"
"Well then we'll need to elect a Mayor! But until then, the wall stays, and anyone wanting to enter the forges will have to pass the checkpoint and the Iron Guard. Good day Sheriff Derm."
Right, so I want to try something, like with the voting on Sheriff. That is, you get to vote for whoever is Mayor for the year (game year). This should avoid things like the fact that Stas has been Mayor since it was first activated in the game, since he has the most friends, due to his lack of work, which doesn't work in the actual narrative, where Stas is much more quieter and less known, thus unlikely to become Mayor. So basically, if you want to be Mayor, nominate yourself, and vote, form your political blocs,
blackmail, etc, etc.
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Topic: [Community] Nomekast - At War with Nothing (Read 180286 times)