Fortis and Xenos - We have four unnamed Dwarves, two of which are priests in Kadzar's squad, and two who are invaluable members in the militia whom I'm unwilling to spare. At the risk of making people have to wait, I'm gonna wait for migrants (hopefully the 'despite the danger...' bug won't stop people from coming).
Gutanoth - Welcome to Nomekast! Please join the queue with the others.
While I won't reveal anything, I can say that this will eventually go into the origin of the Nothing, but not until the fort's a bit more settled.
magmaholic - A philosopher? That's just what we need, another useless layabout to join Stas in doing nothing!
Buts anyways, welcome to Nomekast, please join the queue, no pushing, no shoving, etc.
8th Sandstone 675 - Noon"So another forgotten beast is coming for us?" Delta asked incredulously, "I swear someone must be sending them."
"Mayhaps the go-" Ibruk began, before Tarran cut him off,
"Derm, where did you say that Amas was coming from?" he asked.
"It's on the Fiery Cistern." Derm replied.
"Excellent, that should mean our walls should keep it out while we get everyone together, and if all else fails we can collapse the passage and block it off below."
Ibruk cleared his throat, clearly unhappy at having been cut off,
"Good, well then pilgrims, let us get the righteous militia together to slay this beast."
- - - - - - - - - -
The militia, once again joined by Kadzar and his priests, gathered at the magma forges. Doc. Steve and Rovod were also present, crossbows ready, while Bax had been allowed to join the group. Not a word was spoken between them, silence filled the air as Delta removed the stones of the wall that kept Amas out. Once the wall was done, the soldiers tramped out. Amas itself was nowhere to be seen, but the Dwarves had faced enough forgotten beasts that they knew it would be drawn to the scent of their flesh. All they had to do was wait.
Seconds felt like minutes and minutes like hours as they waited there, patiently and silent save for the occasional cough or sneeze. Finally, after a half hour they had had enough,
"This is silly," Melagius complained, "
I have better things to do." He turned to leave, and that was when the clicking started. Rythmic clicking, like that of...claws! With a roar, Amas burst from the shadows. It was every bit as horrific as Thudel and Lerdi had been. A huge crab, covered with hair and topped with a spiral shell, much like described in the vision Derm had had. No one moved for a few seconds, then with a collective cry, the Dwarves save Rovod and Steve charged. Amas didn't have a chance to react in time as two bolts plunged straight into its great bloated body, spilling its white ichor. The crab charged at Tarran, sending the swordsdwarf flying through the air. With a swipe of its claw, it knocked Rion into a rock column. Johann sent his hammer crashing onto one of its right leg, wincing as a great crack was heard. Kadzar managed to pierce the beast's side with his spear but lost control of the weapon and was sent flying by a swipe of Amas' claw. Cursing, Melagius turned to Bax,
"Bax! We need to attack its head directly, give me a boost!" he cried. The Goblin took a moment to understand, before sheathing his weapon and holding his hand out together. Melagius leapt onto the greenskin's hands and Bax tossed the Dwarf into the air, sending him sailing towards Amas. The beast was too busy to notice the swordsdwarf; Rion had managed to cut one of its legs off, while Derm had sliced into its body. By the time it saw Melagius it was too late.
The effect was instantaneous, Amas gave a keening cry and began to thrash uncontrollably, sending several Dwarfs careering to the ground from the force. Then it fell still, dying silently.
24th Timber 675 - Early Morning
The caravan wound its way across the valley, donkeys loaded with precious items, gems, exotic woods and metals, all from the furthest colonies and trading partners of the Grizzly Vessel. The destruction of several mountain fortresses, the razing of Human towns and the burning of Elven forests had not stopped the constant flow of trade between the Dwarven, Human, and Elven empires. The bulk of the attacks had been in the north, with the southern cities untouched, and those who lived in the remaining cities still wanted their goods, and the leadership wanted its luxuries. In fact, the Ilral Dynasty of the Grizzly Vessel had expounded much money in ensuring trade continued, if resources became scarce the population might no longer be placated, but be pushed to open revolt by the fear of Nothing attacks creeping closer. Urist Obokimaz had been placed as chief liaison to the colonies of the Grizzly Vessel's state merchants after the death of Mafol Nicatkulet, better known as Mafol Chainedabbeys. The single trader Ezunam who had barely escaped with his life from the Swamps of Tunnelling two years ago had reported that she and the entire trade caravan had been wiped out by Nothing. Obokimaz had been given direct orders to see if there were any goods to salvage, and to bring back the bodies of the killed traders to their families.
So now here they were, moving across the valley. Smoking an ivory pipe, Obokimaz, who had been oft-spoiled daughter of a Count back in the Mountainhomes, dawdled sometime apart from the caravan. As she walked, her foot suddenly caught on something and she tripped over. Cursing to Id, she picked herself up and looked to see what had tripped her up.
It was a skeletal arm. Immediately she gave a cry, reaching for her handkerchief and pulling it up to her nose as a matter of course rather than for any practical reason. She moved the overgrown grass away.
Yes it was a skeleton. A Dwarven skeleton, possibly one of the traders from the caravan in 673.
She waved the rest of the living traders and guards over.
"You there," she said, pointing imperiously at an axedwarf, "Put this horrid thing in the bag, the rest must be around here somew-"
"Nothing! Nothing!" a trader suddenly wailed, pointing out to the other side of the valley. That once innocent, now terrifying, word caught their attention at once, and their eyes moved to where the Dwarf was pointing.
"Urist! Ezunam mentioned that there was a possible settlement near here! We should-"
"There! A tower, and a bridge, they must be inside the valley side!" a marksdwarf shouted, pointing at Nomekast's 'lighthouse', whose windows shone in the sunlight. Obokimaz wasted no time, already running down the valley toward the river to get across, still holding her handkerchief to her nose. As she ran, she noticed a large hole in the ground, leading down into its depths. She hesitated for a moment between crossing the river and going into what had to be an artificial entrance to the ground, before deciding to take a chance and go down into the earth.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Fori had been in the lighthouse that morning, sitting at the open top, breathing in the fresh air and admiring the sunlight that flooded the valley from the east. The Defilers ruined the view somewhat, but she was still glad to be once again able to breathe in fresh, natural air, and admire the green plant life, even if she could not frolic amongst it. As she sat there, she became aware of movement on the opposite side of the valley. At first she thought it was Nothing, but she soon realised that the figures were humanoid, and quite short. Dwarves. They moved across the valley, then stopped for a while, before, apparently noticing the Nothing that were soon to be bearing down on them, moving down the valley, one moved particularly quickly, speeding ahead of the others.
Clearly they had seen Nomekast, as well as the Nothing, and were moving down to seek sanctuary. She swiftly left her seat, hurtling down the stairs to tell the Dwarves of the newcomers and to have the corridor entrance opened.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Urist Obokimaz found herself staring at a moat and a rock wall. A wail left her lips as she realised she was in a dead-end, with Nothing probably coming for her as she stood there. A noise made her almost fall into the moat, and she spun round to see the rest of the caravan arriving.
"It's closed you fools." she said, as though they had made some mistake she hadn't. However, the moment she had pronounced these words, the drawbridge clattered down, leading them into a corridor. Once again Obokimaz didn't wait, swiftly moving across to safety, the caravan followed after her. At the end of the corridor several Dwarves stood waiting for them,
"Is that all of you?" one asked. They nodded, the Dwarf moved to a set of levers, pulling two of them. At the entrance to the hallway the drawbridge slammed shut, followed by the sound of a second one.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Ibruk stepped forward now, leaning on his cane,
"Welcome pilgrims. You have travelled far, please, what may we do for you?" he asked gently.
Urist Obokimaz cleared her throat,
"I am Urist Obokimaz, state liaison to the colonies of the Grizzly Vessel and daughter of Count Risen, you may called me Lady Obokimaz. I am here to ask you...people for shelter while we prepare for our journey back to the Mountainhomes." she stated proudly. Ibruk frowned, recognizing the name of Count Risen,
"Ah, oh, alas, I fear they may be a problem. For you see, we are a community of pilgrims led here by the gods to escape the punishment decreed upon the Ilral Dynasty and the mortal empires for their decadence. We cannot harbour the daughter of such a sinful Dwarf as the Count unless she confesses."
"Insults! Are you refusing to help us!?"
"Certainly not, but lest you repent, you cannot stay."
"I wouldn't
want to stay in this muck-ridden place."
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Topic: [Community] Nomekast - At War with Nothing (Read 180190 times)