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« on: December 23, 2010, 02:25:37 am »
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The Journal of Ludoc, Prologue Part 1
"Urist, NO!!" I screamed at him as he ran for the main door. He loudly muttered something about pig tail socks and cured donkey hide shirts as he sprinted ahead, eyes wide with madness. No one seemed to notice; fires had erupted all throughout Gloryfissures, Dwarves were running everywhere screaming in panic and fear as they struggled frantically to get to safety while looking for straggling loved ones and lost property. Loud shouts and laughs came from outside as catapults continued to hurl flaming death over the walls. Only a damned fool would dare build a fortress aboveground, as any good Dwarf should learn. Unfortunately this time, it was the hard way. "DON'T--" I yelled, but it broke off as someone yanked on my arm, breaking my sight away from the mad Dwarf. "Ludoc, let's go! There's nothing we can do for him!" came a clear, ringing voice. Vergil was the same as always; unlike most of his generation, he was a disciplined and rational Dwarf, and I had always been proud to have him as a friend. I simply nodded sadly as he led me through the smoke-filled streets of the city, past the twin 30-foot tall Dwarven statues which flanked the courtyard entrance.
I looked back once to see Urist at the main door, laughing insanely and fumbling with the lock.
I looked back twice to see him screech in triumph, yanking open the door.
I looked back thrice... "MY PRECIOUSSS-- *guk*" He was cut off, as was his head from a Goblin scimitar. The door crashed open to spill forth a tide of black-armored devils. Civilian Dwarves paniced and ran for their lives, even tossing their children to the street to be trampled underfoot by cruel iron.
As we ran through the city streets and surging crowds of paniced Dwarves, I inanely thought that not only was the one who decided to build a fortress here a fool, but whoever was hired to design it the damndest fool of all. The whole place was a hodgepodge of houses, shops and overstuffed taverns, built with no attention to order or efficiency. Huts would be built so they faced the rising sun, or shops at the top of a 10 Z-level tower because the fool thinks it's good advertising. If I ever got out of here, I'd make sure the fools would pay, or I would build my own-- "Look out!!" Vergil threw me to the ground facefirst in a puddle as a bolt whizzed over my head to impact the overhanging sign of the "Purring Maggot Inn". Twice he'd saved me now, I had to make sure I lived to repay him.
I struggled to my feet as the clamor of iron boots drew closer. We had to get the hell out of there, and get to old Garth's house. Everyone thought the old Dwarf mad, ranting on and on about the end of the world and fire breathing demons come to burn the city, but that worked to his advantage; no one would suspect a supposedly senile old man to keep an emergency wagon and full load of supplies ready in case the shit hit the fan. Over the grand bridge and into the town proper now, things were looking up; we could see the militia start to organize, as people filed out of houses either full armored or half naked, while the paniced civilians ran across the bridge. As soon as we cleared it they locked shields and held as best they could; I think we both wanted to help that day, somehow, but us and the Gods knew there were just too many. We finally found what we were looking for, a rather large yet dilapidated old house near the edge of the city.
We ran to the door, nearly out of breath. I banged on the door desperately several times, then again, and again.
"Password?" Crowed an old voice.
I nearly went berserk as my tiredness was completely forgotten. "Garth! It's me, Ludoc! Open this damned door now!!" Still no response. Calmly Vergil shoved me aside and stood before the door.
"This is an engraving of Garth One-eye the Dwarf and Lux Ticklepines the Dark Gnome. The Dwarf is kis--" The door burst open to reveal a red-faced old Dwarf with coarse, white hair and one badly scarred eye. "Alright fine!" He roared, then laughed. "Ye haven't changed at all, lad. I'll never forget that attitude."
A mischievious grin played on Vergil's face. "If you mean that, you better stay alive so you can introduce me someday, eh?"
"Alright, lad. You're just in time, the rest of the crew and all the goods are already loaded. We were about to leave without you, in fact. What took you so long?" I lowered my eyes and sighed. "It's Urist," I said. "He got Boatmurdered Fever."
"Ah," Garth nodded somberly. "He always was a bit unstable. If we're ever going to avenge him, though, we need to leave. Now."
We all nodded in consent and stepped into the house, shutting the door behind us.
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A spear embeds itself in a Dwarven throat, guided by the malice and cruel skill of its Goblin wielder. An axe dismembers a Goblin, its head still cackling even as it flies through the air. The streets were soaked with blood, battle still raging, people still screaming, frantically looking for safety. A Dwarf laughs in madness, draining a barrel of Gutter Cruor while dischordantly singing some old drinking song. Born into insanity, most of the population had never known how to be a true Dwarf, instead choosing to live like the Humans in their mighty stone fortresses aboveground.
One wagon left the city that day; unnoticed, out a secret back entrance through the deforested Hills of Joy. They would give them another name when this was over, if there were even any left alive or any who cared.
And Gloryfissures continued to burn.
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This is going to be a fortress in a world where Dwarves are at the point where they are trying to build aboveground fortresses like humans, but failing miserably and getting wiped out by Goblins due to poor management and planning. The survivors flee the ruins and make their way to the mountains where they hope to found a new town and teach the Dwarves what it means to be a Dwarf again. This is in Vanilla DF, all civs are closeby, lots of trees, temperate, looks ideal to me. A nearby cave but I couldn't get it in the embark area along with the brook so meh.
'Garth', Miner, Mechanic
'Ludoc', Hunter, Soldier
'Vergil', Broker/Appraiser, Doctor, Crafter
'Doctor' Baron Baconeer, Doctor/Butcher/Liar
'Shorna', Brewer/Farmer/Comedian
'Dorfette', Mason/Architect
'Deler', Armorer/Miner
STARTED!
