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DF Community Games & Stories / Hoppercloudy - A Fall From Grace human fortress
« on: November 02, 2020, 10:26:24 pm »
Thousands of years ago, two empires ruled the world.
In the west, the Roaming Empire crushed all its oppossition underfoot, figuratively with its legions, and literally under their seven Walking Cities.
In the east, the First Civilization, with its golems and ancient magic, ruled since the gods (or, according to them, God) created the world.
The two empires engaged in an endless war that drained both empires. However, after the crucifiction of the prophet that would become the Corpse God, both empires began to collapse. Roam's hedonism and the First Civilization's stagnancy made them weak, and they fell to both foreign invaders and internal revolts.
The remnants of the First Civilization were scattered to the winds, its descendants becoming the furtive Diaspora Kingdoms.
Roam was not as lucky. As their Walking Cities died or were lost, the survivors were hunted down by their former slaves and Corpse God worshippers. The few that survivors gathered in dark fortresses, bound to enslaved demons, and gave their souls to the Sinful God, turning into the degenerate Satyrs.
Denturies after the fall of both empires, smaller kingdoms and nations rose and explored the world. Conquering new continents and developing technology that was once thought of as impossible. Of course, there were problems. In the south, the prophet of the Fire God roused its followers in Holy War against the infidels, in the west, a terrible plague ravaged the great cities, and in the north, the last pagans gave their souls to the uncaring Green God in order to escape persecution, turning into monsters. But other than that, it was a golden age.
Then, the Sea Gods awoke, and the waters rose.
Gods older than man, older than land, older than maybe the other Great Gods, waiting in hateful slumber for a thousand thousand years to regain their rightful place as lords of creation, only to find a bunch of upstart apes claiming mastery over the world.
And they were not amused.
Waters rose, continents sank or crashed into eachother, the survivors fled inland, only to face an invasion by the Sea Gods' denizens and half-bred Sea Children. Further inland, monsters from legend rose again from the mists of legends. Vicious werewolves, hulking trolls, capricious sidhe, furtive vampires, and indescribable horrors from the Outer Dark.
What followed was 100 years of darkness.
Once the waters settled and the scattered remains of man rose back from the rubble, they began to rebuild. New wars were waged, new towns were built, and new kingdoms were formed.
The Emerald Empire was one of them.
Born from a mix of small kingdoms, barbarian tribes and Anglish refugees, fleeing their sinking island, the Emerald Empire formed its own culture after 300 of consolidation. Despite their name, however, they never managed to attain a considerable size, due to their neighbors.
The Emerald Empire, unfortunate nation, existed in the shadow of a Satyr Dark Fortress. Destruction was avoided by paying regular tribute. while dealing with constant raids by the Sea Children and other monsters. By the year 302 after the Deluge, the Emerald Empire itself has barely over 700 inhabitants, while the terrible Satyr metropoli has 10000 souls within it.
With those odds, any attempt at independence would be pointless, or so the Satyrs thought. In the alleys and backrooms of the Emerald Empire, plans were hatched for an outpost to outflank the Satyrs and, in time, perhaps destroy them once and for all.
That outpost is where our story leads us...
Journal of Ferbsed Livingden, Expedition Leader
"North and West until you see the mountains", they said. "You won't run into trouble", they said. "Trolls mostly eat berries and small mammals", they said. Well from the two dozen settlers sent here, only seven are left, I'll take a wild guess and assume the organizers of this fiasco did not know what they were talking about. But we can't turn back empty-handed, and at least we reached the spot. Silly name, it has. "Hoppercloudy", oh well, not a very imposing name, but that just means it will not raise much suspicion from our hairy friends down south.
So, stick to the plan. We are to build a viable outpost, establish contact with any scattered group of humans we might find roaming the woods, bring them in, put lead into any goat-legged bastard that comes near.
Would sound easy if there weren't just seven of us.
Speaking of which, let's take stock of who I have to work with.
Well, not a bad bunch, at least. We have no time to waste now. I ordered Kassed to dig some pits while the woodcutters clearcut a portion of the forest, we'll set up a small wooden hall, some storage areas and then think of fortifications. At the very least, this area seems to be remarkably peaceful. At the very least the government picked a good location for the outpo-
...this is going to be a long year.
In the west, the Roaming Empire crushed all its oppossition underfoot, figuratively with its legions, and literally under their seven Walking Cities.
In the east, the First Civilization, with its golems and ancient magic, ruled since the gods (or, according to them, God) created the world.
The two empires engaged in an endless war that drained both empires. However, after the crucifiction of the prophet that would become the Corpse God, both empires began to collapse. Roam's hedonism and the First Civilization's stagnancy made them weak, and they fell to both foreign invaders and internal revolts.
The remnants of the First Civilization were scattered to the winds, its descendants becoming the furtive Diaspora Kingdoms.
Roam was not as lucky. As their Walking Cities died or were lost, the survivors were hunted down by their former slaves and Corpse God worshippers. The few that survivors gathered in dark fortresses, bound to enslaved demons, and gave their souls to the Sinful God, turning into the degenerate Satyrs.
Denturies after the fall of both empires, smaller kingdoms and nations rose and explored the world. Conquering new continents and developing technology that was once thought of as impossible. Of course, there were problems. In the south, the prophet of the Fire God roused its followers in Holy War against the infidels, in the west, a terrible plague ravaged the great cities, and in the north, the last pagans gave their souls to the uncaring Green God in order to escape persecution, turning into monsters. But other than that, it was a golden age.
Then, the Sea Gods awoke, and the waters rose.
Gods older than man, older than land, older than maybe the other Great Gods, waiting in hateful slumber for a thousand thousand years to regain their rightful place as lords of creation, only to find a bunch of upstart apes claiming mastery over the world.
And they were not amused.
Waters rose, continents sank or crashed into eachother, the survivors fled inland, only to face an invasion by the Sea Gods' denizens and half-bred Sea Children. Further inland, monsters from legend rose again from the mists of legends. Vicious werewolves, hulking trolls, capricious sidhe, furtive vampires, and indescribable horrors from the Outer Dark.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
What followed was 100 years of darkness.
Once the waters settled and the scattered remains of man rose back from the rubble, they began to rebuild. New wars were waged, new towns were built, and new kingdoms were formed.
The Emerald Empire was one of them.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The Emerald Empire, unfortunate nation, existed in the shadow of a Satyr Dark Fortress. Destruction was avoided by paying regular tribute. while dealing with constant raids by the Sea Children and other monsters. By the year 302 after the Deluge, the Emerald Empire itself has barely over 700 inhabitants, while the terrible Satyr metropoli has 10000 souls within it.
With those odds, any attempt at independence would be pointless, or so the Satyrs thought. In the alleys and backrooms of the Emerald Empire, plans were hatched for an outpost to outflank the Satyrs and, in time, perhaps destroy them once and for all.
That outpost is where our story leads us...
Journal of Ferbsed Livingden, Expedition Leader
"North and West until you see the mountains", they said. "You won't run into trouble", they said. "Trolls mostly eat berries and small mammals", they said. Well from the two dozen settlers sent here, only seven are left, I'll take a wild guess and assume the organizers of this fiasco did not know what they were talking about. But we can't turn back empty-handed, and at least we reached the spot. Silly name, it has. "Hoppercloudy", oh well, not a very imposing name, but that just means it will not raise much suspicion from our hairy friends down south.
So, stick to the plan. We are to build a viable outpost, establish contact with any scattered group of humans we might find roaming the woods, bring them in, put lead into any goat-legged bastard that comes near.
Would sound easy if there weren't just seven of us.
Speaking of which, let's take stock of who I have to work with.
Spoiler: Kassed Creeklured, Miner (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Geher Vanishpanthers, Woodsman (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Ingaling Practicepatterns, Woodcutter (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Weitz Whimsglitters, Mason (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Yours truly, Ferbsed Livingden (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Pfer Dreamsfriend, Fishweroman (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Audis Faintgrowths, Fisherman (click to show/hide)
Well, not a bad bunch, at least. We have no time to waste now. I ordered Kassed to dig some pits while the woodcutters clearcut a portion of the forest, we'll set up a small wooden hall, some storage areas and then think of fortifications. At the very least, this area seems to be remarkably peaceful. At the very least the government picked a good location for the outpo-
...this is going to be a long year.
Spoiler: what is this (click to show/hide)
