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4 Days Later (9th Felsite, 1051)

On break, Hazey Jane sat beside the wagon, idly scratching one of the dog's ears.  This was such a beautiful day.  Despite the recent events, a smile threatened to reassume its usual place upon her face.

In the far south, Ingiz could be hear shouting curses at the skeletal crows.  The undead birds kept flitting about just out of reach of his pick.

Argonnek is asleep once more.  This time in a bed in the dorms.

Deon has convinced OmnipotentGrue and Therleth Thimsure to help with the building of the tower wall.

Doompotato is far to the north, carrying back a log.

..............

Ingiz wiped his sweaty hands on his trousers.  "Thats the last of those foul creatures!  Perhaps this time they will stay away."

Just as he finished speaking, a distant scream cut through the air.  "Ingiz!!!"  It was Doompotato.  "Help me!!!  The elephants! They want to kill me!"

Ingiz rushed to help Doompotato, but as he passed the entrance to the fort he suddenly remembered something vital.  "Sorry Doompotato.  I haven't had lunch yet, and I'm awfully thirsty for some ale.  Just keep running until I get back.  Don't let them catch you."
..............
The smile could no longer be restrained.  The sight of Doompotato running back and forth across the surface was just too much.  Doompotato was no longer very intimidating.  "I think I need to go have a talk with Deon.  He'll know just what to do."

On the other side of the fort a shadowy figure slips into the dorms where DoomPotato is pacing back and forth.  Seeing the figure, Doompotato looks up.

"You again!  Well, I did what you said.  Are you sure it will work?  Will it make her love me as much as I love her?  Oh, her shaved head shines like the moon!  Her skin is like clotted cream!  Her..."

A harsh whisper cuts him off, "Silence!  You don't want the others to overhear us do you?"

"No, I just get carried away when I.."

"That's fine, but don't do it while I'm around.  I'm here to help you, not listen to you moon over a love you have not yet lost.  And yes!  Women love forceful men!"

Doompotato looks unsure, "She didn't look like she.."

"Trust me! She is just playing hard to get.  Doesn't want to make it too easy.  Just keep acting like I told you, and the plan will work just fine."

DoomPotato started pacing again with his head down.  After a few moments, he looked up and said, "I'll do it.  But I won't be happy about it."

But the shadowy figure was already gone.

...........................

Slipping out of his cloak, and hiding it beneath a large piece of claystone, the unknown dwarf said to himself, "What an idiot!  As if she would ever fall for him.  The first part of my plan worked perfectly."

Ingiz's Journal:  18th of Slate, 1051

Had some good digging today.  In addition to the lignite I found earlier, I've struck a vein of bituminous coal and a big deposit of magnetite.  I'm still not done digging out storage levels 2 and 3, but I have extended the stairway down 6 levels.  Hit gabbro on level 6.  Deon started constructing a wall along the west side of the lake.  He says we've got to get it up before migrants get here.


28th of Slate, 1051

I've been working on some rooms for a dormatory, dining room, lever room, and a couple of offices.  Found some lace agate in the lever room.  There seems to be enough magnetite around, so I dug the dining room out of some.

5th of Felsite, 1051

More digging.  I hear I'm a legendary miner, whatever that means.  I finished off the...Wait, someone is yelling for me.  More skeletal crows.  Got to go.


Hazey Jane's Journal:  5th of Felsite, 1051

I really need to talk to someone.  What I've been afraid of finally happened.

I was out gathering logs when the crows came back.  Ten of them.  Deon had made us train for just this occurance.  We were to each run to a station inside the fort, and Ingiz was to run up and kill things.  If Ingiz was asleep, Argonnek would go.  He has promised not to set much on fire.  Anyway, I ran to my station, but there was already someone there.  Doompotato.  He really is a short, fat, creepy, middle-aged dwarf.

He stared at me, "I'm not normally a dwarf with strong cravings, but being surrounded by nothing but male dwarves is getting awfully old.  I could really use a woman.  Luckily I know just where to find one."

I hesitantly replied, "I don't know what you mean..."

"I think you do."  He cut me off, "I know what you are.  I've known ever since that night in jail."

"But.."

"But nothing.  Now here is what is going to happen.  You know that if this bunch of religious knuts ever found out what I know, they would kick you out of here before you open that pretty mouth of yours.  And that fake beard won't help."

I shook my head, trying to deny it.

"Now I won't tell them.  But in return....I'm going to expect certain favors, and you aren't that good of a cook. Do we understand each other?"

"I..I.." my voice catching in my throat as I tried to hold back tears. "I need some time to think about it."

"Sure babe. But just remember, I have a shortage of patience.  You have a week.  Remember, whatever happens after that is your fault."

Flashback:

note carved on newswall at dwarven hall

Seeking true believers interested in nontraditional interpretations of dwarven religion.
If interested, meeting will be held in back room of the tavern Urist's Beard tomorrow evening.
Wear a mask.
Snacks Provided

At the meeting

Masked and robed dwarf #1 in front of room:  Welcome, welcome fellow worshipers.
Dwarf #2 wearing a cloth bag over head:  Is this the nontraditional religious meeting?
Dwarf #1:  Yes, would you be interested in a pamphlet.
Dwarf #2:  No, I've already got one.  Where are the snacks?  (Seeing the snacks on a table in the corner of the room, he turns and yells back into the tavern.) This is the meeting with the snacks!!
Dwarf #1:  But these are brand new pamphlets.

Many dwarves enter the room.  Some are obviously tavern patrons who just are here for food.  They don't even have masks on.  Several dwarves stand out though.
Dwarf #3 (Has a white half mask with a big black cloak)
Dwarf #4 (Is wearing a full mask with gold foil and gem chips)
Dwarf #5 (Is wearing a granite coffer with holes bored through for sight)
Dwarf #6 (Simple leather mask)
Dwarf #7 (Wearing a full suit of armor covered in dried blood.  The visor on the helm is down.)
Dwarf #8 (Wearing a metal mask)

For a while the room is too noisy to hear anything, but the snacks quickly run out and the tavern patrons leave.  The masked dwarves remain behind.

Dwarf #1 is sitting in silence at the head of the room, head lowered into his hands
Dwarf #3:  So are we going to have this meeting or not?
Dwarf #1 looks up:  You are still here? (He looks around, somewhat hopelessly) There aren't any snacks left.  You can leave if you want.
Dwarf #2 stands, turns to leave:  Well if thats the case.
Dwarf #7 grabs Dwarf #2 by the left arm.  Dwarf #7 throws Dwarf #2 into a chair.  Dwarf #7 punches Dwarf #2 in the face when he attempts to stand, knocking him unconscious.
Dwarf #7:  I believe we will all stay for the meeting.  And he would like a pamphlet. (Pointing at Dwarf #2)

Later

Dwarf #3:  So let me go over what you just said, just to make sure I have it straight.  You think that if a group of dwarves were to leave the mountainhome, they could successfully establish a place where the National Dwarven Church has no authority.  I thought all colonists had to be officially approved by the church?
Dwarf #4:  I think he means the group of colonists would do this unofficialy.  Am I right.
Dwarf #1:  Yes, thats...
Dwarf #4:  Sweet!  Out from under the dwarvish justice system!
Dwarf #1: That's not quite...
Dwarf #7:  How would these colonists feel about killing elves?

A few minutes later

Dwarf #4:  What about women?  They allowed?
Dwarf #1:  Matters of faith and the military have always been reserved for dwarven men..
Dwarf #3:  I thought we were breaking with tradition here.  Surely a women can wield an axe as well as a man.
Dwarf #1:  I doubt we would even find any interested.  This can be discussed later.

Still later

Dwarf #6:  But surely we would help any fellow dwarves that would come our way.  Girtol's priests teach that helping your fellow dwarf is the way to eternal bliss.
Dwarf #1:  I'm not sure that would be safe, These migrants of which you speak could be official church agents in disguise.
Dwarf #7:  Or hippy elves in disguise.  We should kill them all to be safe.
Shocked, the other dwarves stare at Dwarf #7.
Dwarf #7:  What?

Later still

Dwarf #5:  So the plan is to only accept in dwarves who prove their worth through blood or recieving a holy mood.  Am I right?  What if a church agent slips in even after that?
Dwarf #8:  I think you know what would have to be done.
The dwarves nod in agreement. Dwarf #6 somewhat hesitantly.

Dwarf #1:  So where are we going to get supplies?
The dwarves look at each other.
Dwarf #5:  My family...I could probably get the funds to buy supplies.
Dwarf #6:  You would be rewarded with eternity for helping us, of this I am sure.
Dwarf #5:  Alright.  I will do it.
Dwarf #1:  Excellent
Dwarf #8:  I've heard enough.  (Taking off mask)  I'm Captain Ironbiscuits.  You lot are under arrest for conspiring to treason!  And you (pointing at Dwarf #5), your family's goods are forfeit for conspiracy to provide monetary assistance to traitors.  Guards, get in here.

In the Guard wagon on the way to the jail.

All seven dwarves have been thrown in a pile in the back of the wagon, masks discarded.
Dwarf #4 (silently):  Wait a minute, this doesn't feel quite right.  Ooh!

In jail

Dwarf #3:  So now what?
Dwarf #1:  I'm sorry, I didn't mean...
Dwarf #4:  Don't worry.  (He fiddles with, then opens his cage door.)  You got thrown in jail with the right dwarf.  (He glances out the door)  The guards are asleep.  Their wagon is still outside.  If we leave now, we can be gone before anyone notices.
He unlocks the others.
Dwarf #1:  Let's go! You!  Take the wagon to the tavern beside the fortress gates.  Everyone else, meet him there quickly, but first grab what supplies you can.
Dwarf #3:  What about him? (Pointing at Dwarf #2, who is still unconscious)
Dwarf #1:  Throw him in the wagon.

Later that night, outside of town

Dwarf #2:  Where am I?

Hazey Jane's Journal: Early Slate: 1051

Argonnek is insane.  We voted while he was asleep.  The vote was unanimous.

What evil did he bring upon us?  Even as children, dwarves know not to get near purple trees.  Argonnek not only got near the glumprong tree, he climbed it, twisted its limbs so that the living shadows around the tree projected the shadowy image of an elf on the trunk.  Dropping from the tree, he screamed a primal challange, and chopped so visciously with his axe that he beheaded the 'elf' in three stroke.  He finished cutting the log, then turned around and defiled the place where the tree once stood.  He wandered off and went to sleep in a clearing surrounded by logs he had just cut.

Thats when it started. 

DoomPotato and I were out carrying logs back into the underground storage. We came upon a remarkable speciment, so I remarked, "Thats a nice, big piece of wood."

He replied, "If you think thats big, wait until you see..."  Then he screamed.  He turned and ran away, yelling, "Oh Gosmer, save me!  Where did I leave my axe!"

I now saw what he was running from.  A Leopard.  A big one.  A gigantic, skeletal, leopard.  I backed away slowly, then when I was on the other side of a tree from it, I also ran back to the fort. 

DoomPotato was desperately looking for his axe.  I got Deon's attention, and before he could say that skeletal leopards were nonsense, we drug him to the entrance and pointed it out to him.

Deon muttered under his breath then said, "So soon? They shouldn't be here yet.  The books said we would be safe for at least a season.  What happened?  Where is everyone? Quick, DoomPotato, do a headcount."

Doompotato responded, "Well, we three are here.  I can hear Ingiz mining below, OmnipotentGrue is out fishing..."  DoomPotato ran off yelling, "Stop fishing! Stop, or you are going to die!  Oh god where is my axe!"

Therleth Thimshure came up the stairs with an axe and put it in the storepile.  "Someone left this down below.  What?", he said as we stood there looking at him.

Deon just replied to him, "Would you mind getting Ingiz's attention. He is needed topside.  We've got a bit of a situation." Then to me, "Where is Argonnek when you need him?"  Just then the four dogs started barking and yelping up above. 

Ingiz ran up the stairs, past us and to the entrance.  Therleth Thimshure came up after him holding a pick.  "He got so excited, he dropped it." he explained.

We heard an angry shout from above.  "This ones for the dog you killed, you unholy creature!"  Then a crunching of bone.  Ingiz came back down the stairs.  "Killed one of the two female dogs." He spat. "One good punch to the skull took care of it."  He grabbed the pick from Therleth Thimshure.  "Don't touch my pick.  There is dark coal down where I'm digging.  Don't want you getting any ideas, and then getting sick."

OmnipotentGrue and DoomPotato started shouting from above,"There are more!  Get up here quickly!"

So thats what Ingiz did.


When it was all said and done, we went out looking for Argonnek.  No one could find him, so we started hauling wood inside again.  I grabbed the end of a thin log and started to drag it when the log started cursing and yelled,"Stop stealing my boots, ya damned hippies!" I dropped him, and he went right back to sleep again.

Great.  Just now, Therlith Thimshur started shouting there are more undead on the other side of the lake.  Hopefully the water will stop them.

Events of Mid-Granite 1051:

Deon stood near the center of the room polishing his pick.  Looking around, he thought to himself, 'Now thats how you dig out a room.  Exactly to code.  Now that I've shown Ingiz how its done properly, I'll let him continue digging below while I go check to see what the others have done wrong outside.'

The store room

Meanwhile, a level below, Ingiz heard a voice say, "Nothing would get done properly around here if not for me." Then the footsteps moving away.

"Pompous ass." Ingiz muttered.  But he had to admit that Deon sure picked up on things quickly.  He started not hardly being able to swing a pick, but after digging just a third of a room, Deon was almost as good of a miner as himself.  "If he keeps this up, and keeps his mouth shut about laws and regulations, I might be able to stand him."

Deon walked out of the entrance tunnel.  As he looked around the landscape, he saw a couple of dwarves idling about.  "You!  Yes you, Therleth Thimshure!  Why aren't you hunting?  We need the food.  Hazey Jane and DoomPotato, the storage area is ready for the food now.  Get to work."

"Sure thing." DoomPotato replied, looking over at Hazey Jane.

Therleth Thimshure protested, "But there's nothing out there alive except for those giant insects, and you said they didn't exist!"

Deon responded, "Well if you aren't going to do your job and hunt, at least do something useful.  I see some webs over there.  See what you can do with them."  He continued on his tour of the grounds before Therleth Thimshure had a chance to respond.

The silk webs  (Its phantom spider silk)

The other two dwarves had been keeping busy.  Deon nodded in approval as he saw Argonnek fell tree after tree, and OmnipotentGrue already had a pile of mussels taller than himself sitting next to him beside the lake.  He had harvested so many, but no one was cleaning them!  Never passing up a chance to delegate jobs, Deon yelled back at Doren, "When you are done moving all the food barrels, set up a fishery, because you are cleaning mussels."

'Back to digging,' Deon thought to himself, walking back to the entrance.  As he passed Argonnek he said, "I'm going below.  If you see anyone without anything to do, have them haul the wood into the storage areas."  Taking a quick look around to see if anyone else was within earshot he added quietly, "And don't waste any time hauling yourself.  Cut as many trees as you can, as quickly as you can.  What I told the others is true.  This is a perfect place to get lost.  Perfect, because no one in their right mind would come here to live.  There are dangerous beasts about.  I intend to wall us in as soon as we get enough stone."

Argonnek just smiled and started chopping faster.

Thats the bug.  Right now it looks for the first inorganic material, so if you wanted to avoid your frozen slime material, just move something like platinum to the top.

Deon's Journal:  3rd Granite, 1051
In addition to expedition leader, I have appropriated all other leadership positions.  I am after all the most highly qualified dwarf on this excursion.  Except sheriff.  A dwarf of the lower crust like myself should not be expected to dirty myself with a position like that.  I'll assign one of the common dwarves to handle issues of justice.
 
We have been here but two full days, and already our progress is startling.  Before the wagon had even stopped moving, Ingiz grabbed a pick and started digging.  Such energy.  Such undisciplined behavior!  I grabbed the remaining pick and followed him underground.  We need to dig according to my plan after all.

We'll dig out a storage area in the soil, then dig down to find some stone.
 
Meanwhile, I ordered Therleth Thimshure out to find some game to kill.  He quickly came back, saying he refused to go back out to the north.  Something about giant armored monsters with six legs.  Nonsense.