-8- [Rockmeet] (3) A place for friends
I don't think they suspect. If they know, then they are quite dumb or quite ambivalent, because I have just been handed the keys to the front door... Well, they aren't necessarily keys... There was a lever. Somewhere... There actually IS a front door it seems, but people move in and out like it doesn't exist? This is a bridge, isn't it? Well, never mind that. Nobody's happy, so I guess that's going to be my first responsibility. After all discontented masses tend to start asking questions of their leaders.
CONTINUED IN COMMENTS
Posted May 1, 2012, 8:18 PM UTC · edited
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Continued...
Of course, what better place to start taking care of happiness than my own? I need to start the plans for my grand mayor's office, once I take a look arou...
Uhh...What has HAPPENED in this place? I was ready to ignore the eccentric entrance. I saw some weird shit sneaking past all those nomabodlalj elven settlements, but this place isn't even dwarfy underground! Everyone shoves past each other on the stairs like molemen in their tunnels in the main staircase. I guess I'll just have to put my grand bedroom on hold, so I can get my minions.. erm, friends proper vertical movement. I guess I'll just have to deal with this puny smoothed room as my quarters for now. ALRIGHT YOU LAZY BUMS! LET'S GET TO WORK!
Geez... It took these guys 7 days to move some crap to my bedroom. And apparently no one has gone out gathering in a few months, so we found some dead guys? Well, I certainly didn't know these guys. Let's throw them on the refuse... WHAT?! Who put the corpse pile in the HALLWAY next to the tanner's shop? Was someone planning on equipping some dwarf leather boots? Not on my watch. The corpses go in the trash where they belong until we can craft some coffins to put them in. Our bodies do NOT go in the hall. They go in the trash, then in a box just like our ancestors. Time to bang on some rock until it will fit some corpses...
So I've made it here in my little haven to the 23rd of Granite. We have sufficient lodgings for myself, and some of the others seem to be upset, but I'm sure they'll come around once they see my new stockpile area. Everything will be sorted out in good time.
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28th Granite - A nomabodlalj flock of unicorns has shown up. Peachy... I've started building some stonefall traps around outside since we have a bajillion mechanisms... And the minions have started moving the furniture upstairs like planned. Soon the wood, stone, finished goods, and other raw materials will be moved, and the workshop area can be started.
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1st Slate - Well, we made it through the month, and some idiots, err, migraines, uhh, migrants just showed up. Hopefully some of them know how to do things.
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6th Slate - I just realized I have no idea who anyone is. I just wave my hands at the nearest person and yell an order. We need to come up with a system so I can give orders in an orderly fashion, so I'm attaching a large letter to each dwarf's shirt signifying their most common profession. Here's the list for the scribe:
*M = Miner *S = Stoner *K = Kid *F = Farmer *C = Clother *H = Fisher *D = Doctor *R = Ranger *W = Wooder *L = Jeweler *A = Army *T = Mechaner *E = Metaler *J = Jack *P = Peasant
I call it my Mskfchdrwlatejp system! Sure to catch on, with such a catchy name. Some of the dwarves insisted that they already had names! Some of the names were even bestowed upon them by the former leaders of the fortress. I graciously told them that I would allow them to keep their names, as long as the first letter of their name was changed to match the new system, and they still had to wear the letter around so I could call them by their new letter. I heard some grumbles, but they eventually agreed. I had to laugh at the results of some of my renamings, particularly the new name of the Farmer "Fatur." I love to yell out to him, "Fatur, Fatur!" It is quite funny because he is so fat.
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10th Felsite - A slow month has gone by, and the lazy engraving team has yet to engrave my bedroom! I think I might have to nominate myself as hammerer if this kind of lackluster performance continues. The digging in the soft peat near the peak of the mountain is going well enough. The kitchen area is coming along well, as well as the stockpile area, and the workshop floor is making headway as well. Production should start by the months end.
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16th Hematite - The elves came. They spoke of trade and friendship, but I know the true nature of elves. I locked them in the depot to decide what to do with them. They wish to embark, but they will not. I have started production of stone items and metal, as both are abundant here at Rockmeet. The workshops are set up well, but the stockpiles seem to be accepting additional items that I didn't anticipate. Further inspection would be warranted, if I wasn't so busy tantruming from my lack of round shield production. I just saw the performance of "Captain Mountainholmes" where the hero carried a round shield, and I just want some so bad...
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16th Galena - Today, we fight. A scout on the borders of the territory announced a sight of a squad and a half of what appear to be anthropomorphic tigers, all bearing maces. I did a quick assessment, and realized out of our 90 dwarves, we have 40 competent fighters. Without time to train or equip, I drafted them all, and sent them out to meet the fanged foe. The survivors will be the true army, as the rest will be deemed weak.
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1st Limestone - Autumn has come. Our losses were many. I'm starting to wear thin. I have given the job of mayor to Ebzuth, but I will still act as adviser to running the fort. After the battle, some of the survivors started asking questions about the scars on my hands and neck.
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15th Sandstone - Sable got that "look in his eye" today. I've seen it before, and I was happy, because I knew that he would be fine with the materials that we have on hand. But then something strange happened. He didn't head to the normal workshops. He ran straight to the butcher's station. Then, to the surprize of everyone, he grabbed ebzuth's lifeless body, flung it over his shoulder, and ran back to the station.
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19th Sandstone - No one has dared enter the butchery since Sable entered. Today, he emerged from the room, looking exhausted. He Held a scepter made of the femur of his fallen friend, and decorated by many indistinguishable pieces of bone from the rest of the body. I peeked in the room, wretched, then sent my least favorite peasant into the room to clean up the carnage. God rest your soul, Ebzuth. After that sight, I fear that mine will never rest.
16th Moonstone - My revenge on the mountainhomes is partially complete. The caravan arrived, and I feigned trade with the monsters. One of the guards seemed to glance my direction a little too long. I'm not sure if he recognized me or merely saw a glimpse of my mental state after being in this place that I hoped would be my escape, but it won't matter soon. After they had loaded all of their goods, I had my right hand man rush in and smash the walls of the depot around them. None of the traders were injured, but they rushed away, leaving all of their goods. Under the rubble lay the riches of the mountainhomes. It will take a while to haul all of this treasure to my stockpiles, but I am happy to deliver a small blow to the economy of those tyrants.
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17th Obsidian - I can't handle this anymore. I see flitting eyes around every turn. Disdain, pain, suspicion. Our carpenter Wobby overheard me mumbling to himself, and I saw him requesting a copy of the guardlog of the mountainhomes. He was a good lad. I'm memorializing him in the new dining hall. I need some fresh air. Take a tour of our new external walls. Soon we'll have the bridge mechanized and we'll be able to lock ourselves in and train a true militia, if I can maintain this farce much longer... The walls look good from the inside. The animals are properly penned. The bridge is.... OH GOD.
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1st Granite 104 - There are only a few of us left. The tigermen were persistent. I burrowed everyone, and tried to construct a wall, but they breached our defenses too quickly. They have left, but they have also left their mark. We did kill their leader before our army fell. Looking around at the slaughter, I spied the Hammertiger near the entrance to the fortress with a sizable portion of his skull puncturing his brain. A piece of paper protruded from his leather vest, and I caught a glimpse of the corner of the official seal of the mountainhome. I already knew what it was, but I stumbled toward the corpse as if I was being propelled by the divines. The piece of paper was a letter, which read:
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Dear Illustrious Onomulat,
As per our previous correspondance, we will comply with your request for an honorable reason for the assassination of one "Paulbo" Plankfeed. I understand the need of the justification of the death of one that your first squad described as "a fierce and determined overseer." The one that is now called Paulbo was the head of the cave moss pastures of the 74th z-level of the capital, where he oversaw the care of the shearable and milkable creatures that we had tamed. Our king had authorized a testing of a new bloodbourne poison that had been developed in the alchemy tunnels. He handed down the decree to one of the managers, who quickly scribed the word "sheep" next to the words "100 mid-sized test subjects," and the word "cows" next to the words "100 large test subjects." Paulbo had to be restrained when the order came down, and since his pastures would be soon emptied, he was given a leave from his duties until reassigned. Unfortunately, he took it upon himself to obtain a sample of the poison after the testing, and administered it to 200 of the noble class. Before the bodies were found, he had vanished without a trace. We later tracked him down after word came from your first raid of Rockmeet of one meeting the description and scars of our fugitive. I hope that this explanation is sufficient to appease your morals. The sum as discussed will be delivered upon proof of death.
Sincerely,
Melcur Frostcage, Record Keeper for Baron Urist Tempestcrown of the Plains of Gushing
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I sunk to my knees and looked out the door to the newly formed pasture. All I wanted was a place for my friends. I'm done with this place. Let someone else lead these last poor souls.
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The horror! That's why this dwarf was acting so suspect at first. 200
uselessnobles! On second thought, the greater crime here is the helplessly nonexistant military. Thank god we didn't have to force him out of office..Record Keeper's notes
A new invention! The Mskfchdrwlatejp system! If not for that stroke of truth and genious, I'd not have believed the tales. I am certain we shall see more to that.