Several people from Wonderbowl had combat experience, having lived under constant threat from the elves. They volunteered to form a militia. The Palisade Watch, as it came to be called, consisted of Ombragon Focusmopped, Justin Torridwhite, Heatshield, Autumnreigns, and Peekedscour. Ombragon was chosen as their commander, for his unbreakable will and his way with words.
Letterjoys forged copper weapons for them - not of the best quality, but they'd do.
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The militia set to training in a new building by the gate, with gaps in the palisade so they could keep an eye on the surroundings.
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Winter had come to Lostshore. The sea was frozen. Isper Idolscalded was glad for the heat of the furnace as he burned wood to charcoal, but he couldn't fully enjoy it. He knew that for every moment of joy, there would be a time of suffering in the future. So it had been, all his life.
Most of the strange people from over the sea seemed to keep their morale high, working diligently to turn Lostshore from a camp into something more like a village. They had hope. They would learn, in time.
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The thieving macaques came back, but this time the Palisade Watch went out and chased them away. The slower ones were cut down by the militia. Ombragon speared two of them himself.
"I was getting tired of that salted beef and pork", he said. "Let's see what macaque tastes like."
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Isper inspected his new room above the smithy. It was small, but nice and tidy. Footbrown and Letterjoys had rooms next to him. They were the first to get their own rooms; the communal bedroom above the meeting hall had been crowded.
Isper had lived at Lostshore for half a year now, and tragedy had yet to show itself. He got this strange idea, that perhaps it... wouldn't? He felt funny, like he had drunk too much potato wine. Where was the leader, Emung? He wanted to speak with him.
Isper found Emung in his office, going over stockpile records.
"Listen, Emung", he said, "I think you and your crew has done a great job with this place."
Emung looked up. "Huh? Oh. Thank you."
"You know", Isper continued, "the human towns - back when there were more than one - used to be known as the Confederacies of Stirring. But now, this place, Lostshore, should really count as an outpost of the Confederacies, don't you agree?"
"...I guess?"
"And thus, you really deserve the title of outpost liaison!"
"I do?"
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"...I guess I do, actually."
Isper patted him on the shoulder, and left.
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Outpost liaison, Emung thought. A nice title. But to be a proper outpost liaison, he really needed something more than this tiny room, he should have something... official.
As Isper walked outside, he started to come back to his senses. What had he just done? That was not like him at all. He had... given in to hope. It was exhilarating. But dangerous. He mustn't let that happen again. Isper went back to his furnace.
Emung went to talk with Justin Torridwhite of the Palisade Watch, at the gate. Justin was friendly, if a little... scatterbrained. Just the right person to support Emung's new title.
"Justin", he said, "I've been talking with... people, and I've considered taking the position of outpost liaison. Of the Confederacies of Stirring, you know."
"Oh, all right", Justin said. "I don't remember when we last had an outpost liaison..."
"But I feel like I should delegate the title of camp leader to someone else. Someone dependable. Someone like... you."
"Me?" Justin looked surprised. "Do I have to... do anything?"
"Oh, just come talk with me once in a while. Sounds good, no?"
"It's fine, I guess..."
"Excellent!"
Justin returned to his training. Emung started going back to his office, smiling. Questscribed came up at his side, putting an arm around his waist.
"You are happy today, Emung."
"It's like you said when we arrived." Emung put his arm around her. "There's potential for us in this land, potential there never was back home..."
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It was now spring. Cathar mustered her courage and took her axe to one of the weird feather trees. The wood was as hard as that of any other tree, but when it went down it fell slowly, gracefully. As Cathar started clearing the log, she was astounded by how light the wood was. She could easily lift huge branches in one hand! This could be very useful.
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She took the wood to the new carpenter's workshop, and started crafting shields for the Palisade Watch. This light but still hard wood would be perfect!
Cathar was getting very good at carpentry - she had been sawing blocks for quite a while, learning the qualities of different types of wood, and had crafted a lot of furniture too.
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She had her own room now, above the workshop. Princesscrimson's was across the hall. As Cathar relaxed after a long day of work, she realized they'd been at Lostshore for over a year now. She still missed her friends and family, sometimes, but this wasn't a terrible place or anything. She didn't resent Questscribed for taking them here so much, anymore. But now she had a different, more petty grudge against the witch.
It was obvious that Questscribed and Emung were a couple. When Cathar saw them laughing together, something stung. Not she was interested in Emung, he wasn't her type, but... why should the witch get all the fun? Who would Cathar want for herself? Princesscrimson was the first who came to mind. He was a good friend and a good worker, but... hmm...
Cathar's mind wandered off into idle scenario-making and pleasant dreams.
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In the early summer, the nomads came back. This time there were more of them, and they came in ancient, much repaired wagons.
Lostshore didn't have much in the way of trading goods, though. Emung got an iron bar in exchange for some spare barrels (very good ones, made by Cathar). Iron wasn't the metal he was most interested in, though. He asked the nomads about the grey, shiny metal, harder than any other.
"You mean steel?"
"Steel?" Emung said. "Is that what it's called? Where can it be found?"
"The dwarves make it. But we don't buy any of it from them, they charge far too much for it."
"I see..."
"But we're going to the fortress Nakuthnil soon. If you want we could ask the dwarves to send a caravan here - "
"Dwarves? Coming here? And with steel... Yes, please do!"
Emung was excited. He was going to meet dwarves, real dwarves! And see more of that steel... But steel was apparently very valuable. As it should be, he supposed. What were they going to give the dwarves in exchange?