Sorry for the long wait guys, I've had stuff happening.
Ovg & Stronghammer - Thanks!
alienfetucine - Thanks, and, sure, you're in! Bio up on the first post as usual.
10th Felsite 677 - DawnThe assembled militias of Nomekast met up on the surface level at the crack of dawn, the moment the sun began to rise above the valley of the Swamps of Tunneling. There was 22 of them, more than a quarter of the population. They had scanned the valley from the lighthouse, and had seen the infected Goblins milling around the southern end of the swamps, apparently having crossed the river at night to get away from Nomekast and the potential to be ambushed in the night.
The drawbridge leading from the new compound over the river was dropped and the armed group crossed. As Sheriff, Derm took charge,
"Right, we need to draw them down from the top of the valley. There were some crossbowgoblins somewhere, the last thing we need is for them to be on the high ground shooting down at us." he told the militia.
As they cautiously made their way across the valley towards the Goblin group, a piercing scream rent the air.
"There's people up there!" Tarran exclaimed, shielding his eyes from the glare of the rising sun to see.
"Some Dwarves, and a few Humans by the looks of it." Loral said, his keen Elven eyes seeing clearly up the valley, "The Goblins are slaughtering them."
"We've got to save them!" Melagius cried, drawing his sword and charging with a cry. This galvanised the others into following him, and the group stormed up the valley sides. The crossbowgoblins saw them, and began to rain a hail of bolts on them, recognising them as a greater threat than the defenceless refugees. But their bolts went wildly off, missing the group and thudding harmlessly into the dirt. In return they were greeted by a shower of bolts from Rovod, Steve and Rar, followed by the attack by swords, axes, spears, maces and hammers.
The battle didn't last long. Seven crossbowgoblins against twenty-two mostly hardened militia that had faced down Forgotten Beasts and armies of Nothing without even having any armour for the most part.
Soon the Goblins lay dead at the feet of the group, the inky skin that once covered them dissipitating away into wispy black tendrils that fled into the ground. Bax stooped down to examine a Goblin.
"The Creed of Roses." he said, a surprised tone in his voice as he examined a silver pendant on the corpse of his fellow Goblin.
"What?" asked Tarran, taking the pendant and looking at it. It was a simple thing, a silver circle with a rose bush and a fish, not something you expected on a Goblin.
"These crossbowgoblins are from the Creed of Roses. They're a religious order in the Empire of Roasted Torment. They worship Tobul Mountaintufts the Ripe Growth, a Dwarven god of lakes and fish that some 'napped Dwarf slaves bought with them to the tower of Ngokangozo. More importantly, they're the elite when it comes to assassinations and 'napping important people, once managed to take both daughters of the queen of the Dwarven place next door."
"So?" asked Muenster, leaning on his mace as he listened, "It's not like this was some kind of scandalous assassination attempt that'll provoke a war or something."
"No, you don't see. The Creed of Roses are the personal assassins and bodyguard of the law-giver, ever since they were made in 150 they've been Gamo's most trusted servants. If the Nothing got them, then the Nothing got the entire Roasted Torment, and thats alot to get."
"We already knew the world outside was collapsing." Loral said gruffly, "Tell us something we don't know."
"If every Goblin and every slave in the Roasted Torment is like this." Rashem said grimly, pointing to the dead Goblins at their feet, "That's going to be alot to take down."
"This is probably still the safest place to be." Fori said, trying to inject a bit more optimism into the conversation.
"Ha. I doubt that." Steve said, interrupting, "This place is more frequented by beasts than Hell itself." he pointed back to the group of shaken refugees, "Seven, five Dwarves, two Humans. Four others died, one of the living seven has a nasty cut to his abdomen, Reg'll need to look after him." he reported. "And Loral says he can see no sign at all of the third group."
"I imagine they ran off after we're defeated these two groups." Melagius said, a note of pride entering his voice.
"We can't be sure. Best thing to do now would be to get back to Nomekast and safety." Tarran suggested, scratching his beard in thought. This was met by a chorus of agreement, and the group trudged back to Nomekast as morning rose.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Torvold stared the large blue Human down, his beard bristling with indignity.
"Are you suggesting?" the scientist said slowly, "That I - Torvold - make this...monstrosity of a drink?" he snatched up the plans that Meinhard had given him months earlier, the plans of the old Dwarven court scientist Dos Panzermench, waving them at Meinhard.
"Learn, my good blue Human; that I am Torvold! I have designed machinery so complex even I don't understand it and have made such mechanical miracles that various Temples have asked me to stop! You shall have your little drink, the danger is nothing in the face of science! And also possibly Volrath's life."
"I haff wat hyu need." the Human told the Dwarf, clearly delighted at this acceptance. Torvold raised an eyebrow,
"Haff, sorry,
have you actually asked Volrath about giving him this stuff?" he asked. Meinhard gave a shrug,
"Not yet, I vill do so later."
"Well ask him, I'm not making this stuff just so it can be put on a mantelpiece and dusted every so often."
"My Jägers-"
"Did you ask them?"
"No, but-"
"Well ask Volrath and your Jägers first, in the meantime, I have work on the Nothing to do!"
Hematite 677The month of Hematite passed without any great incident. Mostly, work went into expanding the community. The communal bedroom was expanded, what with the fact that Nomekast now housed 79 assorted Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Humans and Kobolds.
There was also talk about expanding the dining-area, which seated only 24, just under a third of the population. Down on the Fiery Cistern, work had begun on a large laboratory facility for Torvold, where he could experiment on the captured Nothing with the finest equipment forges could smelt.
Sandra, who had been avoiding society, having apparently been possessed, or as Ibruk put it, 'inspired', by the gods, ghosts or demons depending on who you asked, had finished what she had been working on.
The now expected and inevitable battle between Ibruk and Kadzar on one side, and much of the rest of the fort on the other broke out over this, with Ibruk and Kadzar claiming that as an artifact inspired by the gods it belonged in the temple, especially since to their eyes the gods had vindicated them about locking away the cursed aquamarine 'The Lonely Battles' by this new artifact which held its picture. Sandra ended the fight by deciding to wear the earring, much to Ibruk's displeasure.
Brosso and his helpers had finished the current work on the circus' magnificent entrance, and were beginning work on what would be a grand arena so that the greatest warriors of their age could test their wits against the worst nature and the supernatural had to offer. It would be able to seat more than five times Nomekast's current population, and there would be ample space for the gladiators to fight, even if ever such large beasts as dragons or such like were brought in.
It would be, to put it simply, the greatest and largest arena in all of time and space.
There were only about a dozen of them digging, Brosso, Reg, Stronghammer and several other Dwarves who had agreed to join the newly formed
Alliance
For
Dwarven
Survival., but work would progress swiftly it was hoped.
Up on the surface the compound had been fortified. The walls had grown upwards, fortifications meant that the militia could attack safely with crossbows or bows from a distance, while a wall to the north blocked off any line of fire for hostile crossbowgoblins or bowgoblins. The compound was now essentially safe, meaning that there was now a safe place for people to gather in the fresh air.
Fori had also planted a small field where she tended strawberries. While many of the Dwarves and Goblins were reticent to taste them at first, they quickly began to like the taste, and a growing variety of food was greatly welcome.
The compound was finished just days before a worrying sight was spotted on the horizon, sweeping down the valley.
Nomekast's population grew by another as Zasit, an ex-fishery worker, gave birth to a baby girl, followed days afer by Kogsak, a weaponsmith working under Tarran, giving birth to a boy, her second child.
The days were now just peacefully floating past. Food and booze was plenty, safety was ensured, fresh air and sunshine was available, and any tensions and feuds were kept away, simmering beneath the surface maybe, but not disrupting the peace. For now, Nomekast was at peace.
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Topic: [Community] Nomekast - At War with Nothing (Read 180299 times)