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Author Topic: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [SUCCESSION_FORT][NEED_OVERSEERS]  (Read 33843 times)

Firelordsky

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #60 on: September 04, 2011, 07:41:46 am »

Wait did I get a dwarf yet?
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Country Name: Lindiria
Name: Sir Alexei Robret
Region: North
In Thirteen Colonies Game

ushilzagith

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #61 on: September 04, 2011, 07:53:27 am »

The Second Scroll of Kalugog, servant of Asёn Gemmined, Leader of the Golden Throats, Protectors of the Dwarven hold of Icemachines.

The fortress is in the winter of its third year. The nights are so long that even those of us who have adapted to life underground can spend most of the day above surface without discomfort. We are thankful for the blessings of Asёn Gemmined. While the miner Wes Caesar Ȃbirmistȇm might not be of our flock - so many of the dwarves of Profanemachines have faith in themselves and their wisest peers alone and lack time for the gods, he is no fool. He treats Adamantite with the respect the Great Gift deserves and we benefit from his prudence. Soon, we will have weapons that can tear through the flesh of the toughest beast and armour stronger than steel yet light as cloth. Our miners found even more of this hallowed metal in the cavern. I take it as a reinforcement of Asёn Gemmined's favour, but there are those who whisper that this much adamantite is only ever found where the gates to hell are the largest and most terrible.

We are celebrating in different ways. I have decided to chronicle the events transpiring in this fortress. Our leader threw a party in his own grandiose room. He behaves more like a noble each day. Perhaps the greatest was Cerol Oltarsoveth Oltarshoveth, who made a gold-spiked leather coat fit for a high lord.




Sphala Kûbuksákrith gave birth to a daughter, the first child born in our fortress. She intends to raise her in the best traditions of our faith, a difficult act given how we lack even rudimentary shrines, much less actual temples. Still, the fortress is young. I know I have her support in my suggestions to build a temple for our patron. Despite our still ongoing rivalry, sister Hatebeard will surely stand with me on that as well - even if she still sees her right to leadership as the greater, she is a faithful believer in Asёn Gemmined.

We fought the elves yesterday. Not a plan I approve of, but with Peregar, Hatebeard and Arzun all eager to slay those vermin, I could not really oppose them. While the treehuggers ways are abhorrent to all good dwarves, we should not antagonize even the least of foes until we are prepared for a long war. Our lack of preparation was clear later than evening - goblin thieves snuck right up to us, badly wounded Hatebeard and ran off with Rovod, the child who arrived with us nearly two years ago. Less than six years old, there was nothing that young a dwarf could do to resist a kidnapper. We sorely need Asёn's Great Gift if we are to fight a real goblin attack.




A new wave of migrants, the third one to arrive here. Among them is a weaponsmith, though sadly not one of our faith. Hopefully, our next metalworker will be eligible to one day become a Wise Master. Still, Cheveux Larustuth is a blessing to us. I should not disrespect his work just because he does not look into the soul of that which he shapes. We also have a healer, Harken Asolsigun. He is already working on the wound Hatebeard sustained from the goblin thief.

I should use this time while my sister is being doctored to improve my skills.




First of all, Professor Harken is apparently so overcome by our amount of Adamantite, that he chose to seal Hatebeard's wound with thread spun of this holy metal. This is a blessed, if expensive suture, one which surely will protect my sister in arms in the future. My training has progressed little. Sodel is as thick-skinned as he is lazy. I tried to wake him for hours, poking him with the training spear. By the end, I was half-tempted to try out the new Adamantite weapon.



It is summer. Cheveux has made weapons from the Great gift for all of us - two spears, one sword and one axe. The blade Hatebeard received is easily the finest weapon I have seen other than the holy relics held by the captains of Ironchills' temple guard. Regrettably, we still lack a proper armoursmith, but Adamantite shields ought not be too difficult to make - a disk is far simpler than a double-bladed sword.

Our leader is indeed pretending to already be a baron. At least, his mandates have been sensible - a new pair of boots and a ban on the export of earrings is perfectly acceptable. I don't mind the noblity, but Hatebeard is not likely to agree with me on that either. We are currently trading with humans. At the very least, I am not freezing my fingers off. I only have time to write before going to bed, so these entries are kept short.




A goblin ambush! Hatebeard continues to be defiant, not only towards me but fate and chance. The goblins launched an attack on us. My sister in arms was first to charge, Derm hot on her heels. Hopefully she will not underestimate a crossbow again - the snow is thick even in summer and liable to slow us down. I and Sodel had to charge just to keep up with our brethren. Our shields were fine, but as I suspected, Cheveux' mail is still lacking. Hatebeard was nearly gutted by a bolt and Derm had one in his leg. I hope they will recover soon, the elves will probably attack next and despite their crude weapons, their archers are notorious. We have at least four wounded, though no casualties as of yet. The bolt lodged in Hatebeard's guts was the worst injury sustained today, but Likot Ledrath, the dwarf still calling himself Derm was also out cold for a worrying amount of time. Before we can dream of temples and other grand structures, we will need fortifications and a watch tower, with plenty of fires to keep the guard warm even in the harsh blizzards of our winters.




I write with a heavy heart today. A craftsman had gone berserk in one of our workshops. Grand ideas coupled with a lack of desired materials has driven plenty of dwarves mad in the past. I did my best to make it quick and painless, spearing through his head at first opportunity. Hatebeard and Derm are still critical. A gut wound can be severe, even the most foolish layman knows that. She is in a coma as often as not and when she isn't she tends to throw up what little Professor Harken's new assistants manage to feed her. The irony is that she is herself a capable surgeon, capable of using a small blade with great deftness when calm.
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Masked_Hunter1825

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #62 on: September 04, 2011, 08:21:09 am »

Good writing with the journal entries. Always intresting. And who knows, maybe after this Hatebeard might change her ways a tad.. while keeping the berserker feel. You know, if she doesn't get wounded again.
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UristMcHuman

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #63 on: September 04, 2011, 12:12:17 pm »

Can you re-purpose that trapper as a hunter/crossbowman/woodcrafter/bowyer/bone carver? If he has ANY hunting or crafting skills whatsoever, I want him. I have seen absolutely NO mentioning that I got a dwarf or one that works yet.
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The Master

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #64 on: September 04, 2011, 12:53:53 pm »

Wes sure does get left out of everything doesn't he? well, that's about to change.

Wes: OVERSEER!
Arzun: Can I help you, Wes?
Wes: I demand to be put in the militia! NOW!
Arzun: I'll consider it.
Wes: *on edge* SEE TO IT!
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Holy jesus I thought I was ready but nothing could have prepared me for this
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peregarrett

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #65 on: September 04, 2011, 02:40:26 pm »

Quote
It outran the militia for quite some time, even while being fired apon by Peregar. It was all in vain.
Shit. I need more practice. And more booze. When you're drunk, you're feeling the equilibrium of the Universe. Thus your shot lands inavoidable... an after all, when you're seriously drunk, you seem to have MORE bolts loaded in you crossbow and a horizon full of targets! Eek.

Quote
Peregar's squad
My what?!?!?!
Oh no, don't say that I'm responsible for archer squad now... that's real pain in ass. >:( I just want my bow and some wild targets to hunt.

On second thought... Okay, if I have to be the squad leader, then I demand a hood of adamantine cloth!
« Last Edit: September 04, 2011, 02:49:59 pm by peregarrett »
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Sphalerite

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #66 on: September 04, 2011, 03:22:10 pm »

Sphala's journal-

I passed by the hospital the other day.  It's a terrible sight.  Two of our finest military dwarves, groaning and suffering from the pain of infected wounds and smashed bones.  Even with our finest adamantine weapons, I fear the goblins will overwhelm us through sheer force of numbers.  I cannot think of how they even found our outpost, except possibly by following the trade caravans, unless perhaps the Elves let them know of our location in revenge for killing their traders.

It's so bad, even Wes, the miner who was among the first seven of us, who pierced the caverns and found the adamantine, has demanded to join the military.  I fear my Yerp may do the same.  I know he is skilled with the axe and has fought off monsters in the caverns, even saving my life back at the start of the fortress, but I couldn't bear losing him to the goblins.

I admit my faith in Asёn Gemmined is not so great as to think that metal alone can protect us.  Hatebeard and that other one whose name I cannot recall at the moment were so badly injured because there is no cover on the open snow, nowhere they are not exposed to the arrows of goblin snipers.  We need to build defensive walls, places where we can lure the goblins in and then ambush them, where our soldiers can engage them one or two at a time without being fired upon by the entire goblin army.  I will consult with Kalugog and draw up some plans, and then take them to Arzun.
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Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius --- and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.

Di

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #67 on: September 04, 2011, 06:08:39 pm »

So eager for redemption, Di has worked on a farm for days and nights without paying much attention to anything else. And yet this particular evening was well before harvest time and Di has sneaked out of the fields quite earlier. Upon reaching her room she took out a long pig-tail cord and started making knots on it rapidly. Pigtails grew good here and without decreasing fortress hoard she'd managed to collect enough to make a lace not shorter than ropes used in wells to bring water from the deepest caverns to surface. Even at such a rapid pace she was creating knot after knot, it came to a deep night when she had put the rope away and lay in her bed dropping into unconsciousness, the rope being put in her well-crafted rock coffer. If someone would pull that rope out he'd only see hundreds of knots being placed it strange order, however careful observer would notice that there were only two different lengths of intervals between them. Di herself would see a long line of letters, gathering into words:

Entry one:
It's been many ears here, I've learned every knoll and nick at the farm, but I seem to have missed out a huge deal of other goings in the fort. It turns out that many my brothers in faith have arrived here. While I'm don't rely on a gods much (they didn't intervene when we were dumping all that food to merpeople after all), my fellow believers can always count on my yell if it comes to fanatical crowd time.
I'd like to additionally mention two of my sisters in faith, Hatebeard and Kalugog. I can't help but to admire how opposite those brave warriors are. Devastating and outrageous Hate and calm and dedicated Kalugog. The both serve same cause, but while former can't handle her wrath even with her teammates, bashing all mind out of that poor fellow now Derm, latter was so carefully poking her squad mate that she barely disrupted his dream. I' fear that were they assigned commander/captain in opposite way we'd ended with one officer.
It turns out that foul goblins have made their appearance here as well. Blind in her rage Hatebeard (blind in her Hatebeard?) got herself opened to dozen of goblin bolts, and now I hope that Asёn would consider showing his godly charity at least this time.
It seems we've got knee deep into dealing with otherworldly metal as well. Arzun believes that his little fortification tricks would protect us should there be something which should have been left undisturbed. That's false belief, a long time ago I was taught that it is the past locked down there and those adamantine pillars were created by Asen himself to maintain the integrity of space and time. If we distort those supports, the past will spill out destroying stable flow of time condemning us to a slow freezing in time.
Arzun, being our leader and the very origin of our exile, he concerns me even more than Hatebeard. He seems a little too obsessed with that Sphala girl, she's now married to other, and our traditions are strict about that. I hope he doesn't does anything horrible with them. Though I won't be surprised if he decides to make her a tomb with a glass coffin in his room, for a safety purposes.
Entry finished.
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Orangebottle

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #68 on: September 04, 2011, 07:00:43 pm »

Arzun's Log, Summer - Winter:

Hatebeard has been released from the hospital. She still has a minor infection, but the Professor is going to keep an eye on it. Hopefully.


Speaking of doctors and hospitals, here's my rendition of our current hospital, which uninjured dwarves keep sleeping in for armok-knows-why. It's wedged between the main staircase, the stonecrafter's area, and the dining room.


I have just received terrible news. We've run out of raw adamantine!

Also, the caravan from Id Asol arrived.

Gonna trade them all of our prepared meals, and offer a few adamant bolts for their military. Let's see them not send more people now.

Derm had been growing more and more pale as the days passed, obviously weakened by the massive infection wracking his body. He was going through a particularly rough sparring session with Hatebeard when he suddenly collapsed. Hatebeard carried him to the hospital, but Harken was unable to do anything, and Derm eventually passed. A space was made in the Hall of Legends for him.


Once again, the militia of Icemachines stood watch over the caravan. Kalugog, Hatebeard, Sodel, Cog, and Peregar. Five dwarves. They chatted between eachother for a while, walking circles around the entire entrance complex. Kalugog had just gotten the upper hand in an argument with Hatebeard regarding battle styles, when she suddenly froze in place, staring off into the horizon.

"What is it?"

""

A squad of crossbow goblins, lead by a bow goblin riding what appeared to be a huge, white lion.


They immediately headed for the Depot.
"We have to head them off!" Kalugog exclaimed. "If we don't help, the merchants will be slaughtered!"

Hatebeard charged forth again, while Kalugog and her squad were forced to follow.

She swung her sword, and goblin limbs flew off. The response, a cloud of bolts, flying in her direction. Hatebeard blocked or dodged them all, and kept on fighting, claiming the lives of at least two goblins.

Sodel was the first to fall, being turned into a dwarven pincushion by the goblins' leader. He slumped to the ground, exhausted, and never got up.


Hatebeard was killed next. Pure anger and hatred couldn't fuel a dwarf's fighting forever, and she tired quickly. The end result was more bolts and arrows hitting her, and less being blocked. She succumbed quickly.

Cog's life ended rather pathetically; he was running from the sieging group due to the amount of wounds he had received when the goblins' leader rode up alongside him and ended it with a shot to the head.

Kalugog fought valiantly, spearing another pair of goblins to death. Bravery, however, was not enough, especially when fighting a squad of ten crossbow goblins with nearly all of her allies were dead. She too succumbed to the darkness that is death.



All this death left Peregar alone on the field. He flew into a sudden rage, and fired bluemetal bolts at the fiends. They had slaughtered his friends, no, his family. He would make them pay.

Three more goblins were downed by Peregar's bolts. The goblins continually missed him, or had their shots blocked, and he was so enraged that he ran forward and began slowly beating the life out of one of the goblins.

Cowed by his unrestrained fury, the sieging goblins ran off, leaving their comrade to suffer a slow death at the hands of a short maniac using a crossbow as a melee weapon.

A hand touched Peregar's shoulder. He swung around, ready to do battle once more, and nearly smacked Arzun in the face with his crossbow.

"They're dead. They're all dead. It...it's up to you to avenge them, Peregar. I hereby appoint you as the new militia commander of Icemachines."

That said, Arzun gave the orders to collect and bury the dead, and left the haulers to their work.


Arzun's Log, Supplemental:

They're dead. Kalugog, Hatebeard, the brave defenders of Icemachines. Dead. Slain by fiendish goblins while still in their prime. It is so hard, leading these dwarves. No matter what I do, people end up dying. Perhaps I am not fit to lead.

The Queen seems to think otherwise. She sent her Liaison to make me a Baron. Officially a noble of a nation of exiles.



I was standing out in the depot today, looking at all the blood, and I saw something...strange. At the time I couldn't quite get what I was seeing, so I went on top of the fort's gate and saw...this.


Is it a...a sword? A spear? Or an axe?
It looks like some strange combination of the three. Maybe even a bit of crossbow in there as well.
...Is this a sign from Armok himself?
Yes, yes, I believe it is.
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Dermonster

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #69 on: September 04, 2011, 07:05:56 pm »

A faint wisp arises from Derms corpse. This shell had perished far too soon. It twists and writhes, but waits at the walls. It's time will come.

Requesting re-milita Dwarfing, possession style on an immigrant. Same name.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2011, 11:52:37 pm by dermonster »
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I can do anything I want, as long as I accept the consequences.
"Y'know, my favorite thing about being a hero is that it gives you all kinds of narrative justification to just slay any ol' jerk who gets in the way - Black Mage.
"The bulk of [Derm]'s atrocities seem to stem from him doing things that [Magic] doesn't actually do." - TvTropes
"Dammit Derm!" - You, if I'm doing it right.
Moved to SufficientVelocity / Spacebattles.

Masked_Hunter1825

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #70 on: September 04, 2011, 08:04:01 pm »

The brave millitary dwarves perished. Hatebeards berserker ways would've been better for close up fights.. oh well. If possible i'd like a Marksdwarf. Doesn't have to be Captain.

Name:Patchy
Bio: A dwarven exile. He was a good marksman that was exiled to Icemachines because of a shot at night time he made at what he thought was a goblin, but turned out to be a sneaking dwarf.
He lost his eye in a battle against a kobold so he wears an Eyepatch. People call him Patchy after the incident. And hes got an Australian accent. :D


Edit: We put up a good fight i'd say. Before getting shot to death.. we rest at Asёn Gemmined side.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2011, 08:13:25 pm by Masked_Hunter1825 »
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Sphalerite

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #71 on: September 04, 2011, 08:45:27 pm »

Sphala works fervently into the night, drafting plans for great stoneworks to be built above-ground.  Zigzagging walls, a maze with multiple entrances, centered on the trade depot and fortress entrance.  Guard towers, safely accessible through underground tunnels, where archers may fire at invading goblin armies.  Clever traps, bridges that can be raised and lowered to seal parts of the maze off and seal invaders in dead-end corridors.  And along the tops of the walls, statues to Icemachine's fallen heroes, striking triumphant poses.
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Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius --- and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.

The Master

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #72 on: September 04, 2011, 09:12:04 pm »

Wes: *Unaware of the siege that had took place* I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU I WANTED TO BE IN THE MILITIA!
Arzun: ...That does it...SHUT THE HELL UP WES, AND GET BACK TO THE ARMOKDAMNED MINESHAFT AND START DIGGING BEFORE I TEAR OUT YOUR INTESTINES AND STRANGLE YOU WITH THEM, THEN SKIP ROPE WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wes: *terrified* Ye-Ye-Ye- *Flees to the mines*
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Holy jesus I thought I was ready but nothing could have prepared me for this
Hush, little Asea, don't you cry.
If he notices we'll surely die!
You. Made. Asea. CRY.

peregarrett

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #73 on: September 04, 2011, 11:47:56 pm »

[quoteEpic Battle[/quote]
WAAAAAARGHHH!!!! Did I get a Title after that?

I think goblins will come in numbers again and again, attracted by our wealth. Someone spawned a rumor about adamanine at them... Maybe it's Queen's revenge?

We definitely need MORE archers and a posts they can fire from. Say, a few watch towers with underground tunnels to link them.
And some defensive designs - if not traps, then at least narrow winding passages to break their squads and fight them not at once, but one-by one.
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Orangebottle

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Re: Icemachines, saving the world from starvation [COMMUNITY_FORT]
« Reply #74 on: September 05, 2011, 12:23:01 am »

Arzun walks into the communal meeting hall between the grand stockpiles.

"Ahem. Attention everyone, gather around."


"There can be no marksdwarves."

There are complaints, and shouts, and people begging for reasons as to why they can't have archers.

"Reason one: A lack of metals we can forge into bolts. And don't give me that bone and wood bolt crap. Those bolts hardly even pierce the training targets."

"Reason two: We seal up the surface after sending our militia out. Marksdwarves need to refuel. I know some of you had plans regarding watchtowers, but I can only respond to this by saying: they have archers to."

"Reason three: any sort of expanded fortification would take much time, time we cannot spare when we have hardly any soldiers to defend the dwarves building the towers, walls, and traps."

With that said, Arzun fled to hide in his opulent throne room.


Quote
Epic Battle
WAAAAAARGHHH!!!! Did I get a Title after that?

I think goblins will come in numbers again and again, attracted by our wealth. Someone spawned a rumor about adamanine at them... Maybe it's Queen's revenge?

We definitely need MORE archers and a posts they can fire from. Say, a few watch towers with underground tunnels to link them.
And some defensive designs - if not traps, then at least narrow winding passages to break their squads and fight them not at once, but one-by one.
Archers aren't in the cards. Traps, yes. Mazes, even more yes.

As far as a title goes, "Militia Commander" is rather fitting, but otherwise no.
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