You're fifth now, Flyingdwarf. Sorry about the mixup.
Dear Ziril,
I write this to you now, in the knowledge that you will never read it. You have been dead four years now, and I must let you go, if I am to perform my task with a clear mind and a focused heart. If I am to have peace.
But I don't know how. You meant everything to me, a phrase I never fully understood until you left. Do you remember how we sang to each other, our names in notes of harmony? Such a fool I was to neglect you.
If I'd known then what I know now, I would have been a different dwarf. I would have changed sooner. I suppose it was bound to happen as it did. But the lesson cost me something dear.
I have prayed to Zes for forgiveness, but he is not the one I must beg for it. I hope, I pray you will forgive me. I will avenge your death and cleanse my sins in the blood of the tyrants who murdered you. We will save the kingdom. This oath I swear, may I die ere we fail.
My love always,
Sethid* * *
I would kill for a drink. Fortunately, our booze shortage may be short-lived, as our Yeoman has planted a garden of plump helmets, and Kaguro has taken it upon himself to scour the wilderness for brewable plants. I'm not certain he knows anything useful about plants, such as which are poisonous and which aren't, but once he's got an idea in his head it'd take the gods themselves to get rid of it.
You know, journal, elephants are fairly noticeable creatures. For instance, if one were to walk past you, it stands to reason that you would notice it with at least one of your senses. Therefore, I'm at a loss to explain how an elephant managed to sneak into the fortress almost all the way down the main stairwell before Inod essentially walked into it.
Hearing her screams, five of us rushed down the stairs, paused and stared for a moment, then attacked. The General chopped it in the trunk right away, and shrugged it off when the monster kicked him in the gut. I stabbed it in the leg until it fell over, and then it was finished. Kaguro cut into the elephant's leathery neck, leaving the beast helpless as its own heartbeat finished it off.
We turned around to see the liaison from Shedkadol standing there with a horrified expression on her face. I assumed from her gaping mouth it was the first time she's seen this much blood. She should ask General Kaguro how he copes.
They're supposed to be having a meeting right now, but the General informed her he was 'too busy.' With what, I dare wonder.
The caravan arrived in due order, after being set upon by some of Bellwaxed's natives. The General arrived to assist them, but was told the situation was well under control.
It was good to have visitors. We gave them our letters home and asked how things were in the rest of the country. Things have been better, we're told. The Queen is having problems keeping order in the capital. Rival factions are forming among the gentry and are expected to make a bid for power any day now.
In an effort to lift their spirits I told them we're sailing the turn of the tide, and that Bellwaxed was the light that will guide us out of the dark, but I think any effort to impress them with our fort was lost when the giant rat came up the stair.
It didn't take long for someone to kill it, but I doubt the event will help win any favor with the merchants. I've ordered the dwarves to seal up any security breaches before the caravan leaves, so they'll see that we're making progress. I'm on a pensioned salary, damn it, and getting this place up and running means keeping unusually-sized rodents outside.
We traded some crafts for booze (gods bless, it's been ages since we had good wine). Also helmet snake venom, but mostly booze. I asked General Kaguro to request some armor and weapons from the Mountainhome, when he finally gets around to meeting the liaison. We'll need the arms in coming years before our magma forges are fully operational.
We have also purchased a cat and are shooting around possible names for it.
The calendar says it's winter, but the calendar is a liar. I've never been to a hotter place in my life.
Author
Topic: Bellwaxed: Humans and Harpies (Succession Fort) (Read 39499 times)