Journal of Kisame the Herbalist-Armourer, 25 Limestone
It is the two-week anniversary of our being ensconced in the Hamlet of Rockfalls without the second half of our supplies shipments. Against all prior probabilities, we are still alive. In fact, we are doing fairly well.
I believe I'm qualified to say that, by the way. Because I'm compassionate and try to lead a well-organised life, I do check up on everyone around me quite regularly. I also have a good feel of social relationships. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that they intrigue me!
The power structure in place here is quite fascinating. First, let me tell you about Squadron Leader, that sixty-eight year old, mining, fighting woman so dear to my own heart. She is quite formidable, of course, having built most of this fortress, and killing a crundle and a goblin scout in the process.
Squadron Leader – the name she was given at birth, incidentally – has long, double-braided copper hair, and bulges with muscles – she is a talented engraver, adept mason and, surprisingly perhaps, a proficient grower. Yes, she has quite an affinity for the peaceful art of farming. And, of course, her mining prowess is the stuff of legends. She likes digging magnetite and platinum, and loves leopard skin – although I don't believe we don't have any in the fortress, so I won't be seeing leopard print underwear on her any time soon.
She likes geese, too – for their formation flying, of course. She'll eat flounder, and tells me how she used to catch them with her toes, lacking the beard of a typical fisherdward. On the other hand, she hates oysters, which are almost impossible to pry off rocks with just the toes.
My dear Squadron Leader also has great focus and an iron will, and superb intuition, patience and memory. Her high kinesthetic and spatial senses, and skill with languages, can make her fairly intimidating. Indeed, she may come off as overconfident or even arrogant at times. But she's completely incapable of telling a lie, which is psychologically interesting.
A number of dwarves have applied to train as guards under her. There has been no official announcement that she in charge of the military, so this is a power structure purely derived from appearances!
Leaving aside the motherly and nature-loving (yet strangely dark) Surrey for the moment, there is probably only one other dwarf here who inspires as much fear and respect as Squadron Leader. That is, of course, Flintus the Tenth. Objectively, he is an interesting case study. Subjectively, he scares the hell out of me.
(http://i51.tinypic.com/3162g0p.png)
I feel sorry for Forumite, the younger golden-haired dwarf he recently married. I can only imagine how that proposal would have gone.
(http://i54.tinypic.com/25zs5yq.png)
Seriously, though. Already something of a recluse, Forumite has withdrawn more and more, becoming aloof and cold, since the marriage. My offers to talk have been rejected, so I will simply keep an eye on her from a distance.
Then there is the third power player, Goden, our expedition leader and manager. He's... doing his best, I suppose. I found some ...plans... of his at his desk when I went to talk to him.
They are large blueprints, so I have folded them up here:
(http://i53.tinypic.com/fc5lz5.png)
It gets worse. Under the plans were the following lists:
Married
1. Squadron Leader x Kisame
2. Skink-Killer x Goden
3. Jitters x Yarf
4. Flintus x Forumite
5. Oassis [widowed] – children: Unib, Tekkud
6. Rance x Bowie
Spare Females
1. McClay [helpful, extremely friendly, friendly with all the males except Karakzon.]
2. Stiric [non-sociable, near-friendless and lazy – major incompatibility issues. Possible match for Valrandir? Only as long as they're not allowed to have children.]
3. Billy Bob [feels a sense of belonging with cows. Always happy but avoids crowds. Possibly mentally damaged?]
4. Surray [swings between extremely pleasant and bewilderingly terrifying. Stool may be the only one brave enough to consider her.]
Spare Males
1. Dariush [slightly deaf, slightly blind, slightly senile – good match for Billy Bob?]
2. Valrandir [nervous yet relaxed. Trust issues. Likes purple ballista arrows, gutter cruor and platypus. Possibly issues in general.]
3. Stool [grudge against Karakzon. Adventurous and accomplished, but more concerned with clothing than other people. Possible swings an axe for the other team?]
4. Karakzon [grudge against Stool. Skinny, chipper, absolutely no respect. Spits and leers. Possible match for Billy Bob.]
I think it's not so much a case of him going mad with power as being completely unable to lead, and thus overcompensating.
(http://i55.tinypic.com/i1b4td.png)
When I eventually found him, muttering about “unregulated hauntings”, I told him perhaps we could just add a few more beds alongside the first row of bedrooms, instead of forcing pairings.
He looked at me like I was crazy. But at least he took on board my suggestions that he share out all the duties he was handling.
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Journal of Kisame the Legendary Armourer, 4 Opal 203
I find myself at a loose end now that my life's masterwork has been created. I play with my ten-month-old son, Maxrmk, roaring like a lion for him, or I walk the cluttered halls of Rockfalls.
One point of interest has brightened up my day. Forumite's ghost has recently risen and is following Flintus the Tenth, complaining about her dead baby and the disastrous lack of a stockpile of wood in the fortress.
He managed to ignore her at first, face locked in his typical rictus of rage, but has just now started throwing a temper tantrum. It's intriguing to see how the torment of a dead spouse can affect a dwarf, although unsubstantiated rumour has it that waking up to find a wambler nesting in his armpit this morning didn't help.
Goden is muttering more than ever about “cracking down on unregulated hauntings”, and “on whom are we to call”. After seeing our sky-mad leader walk by, Flintus calmed down.
While I think of it, allow me to mention Eliza Stukosdaughter, the half-year old baby of our resident dead carpenter and war hero, Stukos, and the passive-aggressive Mrs Oassis.
Though young, she already has a way with words. Apparently she likes yaks for their shaggy hair, which is understandable, perhaps, except that she's never seen a yak. She also dislikes contracts and regulations. Maybe the fact that our leader Goden forbade the burial of her father has something to do with it, and now her sister is having a breakdown from the hauntings. Or perhaps it's because Squadron Leader irks her mother so much.
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203-204 Census (The Refugee Camp)
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Today the vultures came for the spoiled heap of carrion which is this fortress. Not metaphorical vultures, by which I mean goblins, but literal ones.
Catalyst took matters into his own... mouth...
(http://i55.tinypic.com/24gkt45.png)
This took place in our hospital nook, which is now one-fifth more bloody than before.
27 Granite
Rith Woundvirgin has died in the desert. Her spectre popped in briefly to mention it, before moving on.
Vultures continue to wheel in the distance.
Later this day, the ghost child Cilob was put to rest. This appears to have finally ended our ectoplasmic infestation. Slime asked me, who was I going to call? I told her, Catalyst. He is the one currently on corpse duty.
The strange, nervous woman suggested that we now call him Catalyst the Buster of Ghosts and put him in charge of fortress defence, a suggestion which I firmly declined.
Meanwhile, the outpost liaison continues to stagger across the desert. At this rate he will arrive in three years, maybe two-and-a-half with a following wind.
Just noticed this thread was back on the front page. Fantastic work.
Why do you whisper, Green Glass?
Why tell the trees what ain't so?
Whispering glass, the trees don't have to know.