Bay 12 Games Forum

Hello, everyone! Thanks for reading this sentence!
I'm fairly new to this kind of thing (even though I've played Dwarf Fortress for quite awhile) so if I've messed up anywhere, please let me know, and I will gladly correct it ASAP. As you can see, the story is not complete. However, I am in the process of completing it and will finish (hopefully) by next week. So, stay tuned for more! If you have any questions, comments, or requests, please let me know!

The introduction was just to add a little history behind the story. Also, I did this based on one of my civilizations, so the events that happened are true, except for Vorak, Orrik, and all those other extra characters.

And, so, here it is...

Klymaestra, Giginlolor
Ah, it’s so good to be back at home. After a hard day’s work in the sun. Right now, all is well. The land is at peace again. But it wasn’t always so. I’ll have many a story here to tell you little ones about a land far, far away, where I once called my home. A place where peace was only found in the dungeons. A place where we once inhabited; where we once lived in, now deserted. The place? Alright, gather around and please sit down if you will, children, while I repeat the histories of The Empire, as well as its fall. Our story begins in a little cottage on a field of cabbage…

The Little Villa Dawn, Klymaestra, at precisely one o’ clock in the morning
“Run!” screamed Orrin. “It’s a water mole!” Waving his hands around, the child ran around in circles around the yard, before collapsing in a heap of dried fruits.
“Orrin!” His mother scolded. “Can’t you for once in your life do something useful? At least go and play out in the field, where you’re less likely to destroy the barnyard.”
“Sorry, momma!” Orrin called as he ran into the field, waving his arms back and forth as if he were flying.
That little boy whom I am speaking about is me. I was a careless, naďve dwarven child for my age. All I had circling my small mind was fun, and more fun. Momma often scolded me for my actions, and often used the broom stick on me. That was when my Papa was still around. My Papa would be away often. He left the disciplinary actions to Momma. I never saw him a lot. Whenever I did see him, I’d run into his arms and give him a kiss on the cheek. Papa had a long grey beard that encircled his face, so I mostly just got a mouthful of smoking grey carpet and the stench of hygiene at its most unpleasant side.
When news of his death reached our little villa, my momma broke up. We had to move out into the country, because most of momma’s work earned our stay. But, because of Papa’s death, momma could go no further. So, she did the natural thing. She committed suicide.
The officials came to pick me up. They immediately brought me into the care of a man named Vorak, who was in charge of masonry in Lagdon, a huge trading city not far from Dawn.
Vorak was a kind dwarf. He was one of those types who wouldn’t give a left leg about whether or not you did what you were supposed to. Course, that is saying quite a lot; most dwarf masters whom I’d come across were rather brutal and arrogant.
On the day that I arrived, I was assigned to fifth district, Underplane. Fifth district was one of the many subterranean districts under the large trading city. Lagdon was very massive. Thousands of people moved about daily in it, be it dwarf, elf, or human. Goblin traders were quite common here. Two large wizard guild towers loomed near the southern quarter of the city. Several other guilds were spread out amongst the blocks and blocks of houses and centers. The main meeting hall was a large bowl-shaped arena with stone tables and chairs and benches. Thousands would crowd the meeting hall during the holidays-especially at night, where dancers and magicians and circuses performed.
Now, Underplane was quite different. The city of Lagdon was built right on top of a cliff face. The subterranean districts were located directly underneath. Underplane was the outermost district, and, therefore, got the best view of the sea that stretched far into the horizon. Underplane was quite a favorite. Only dwarves and goblins lurked below the city. Here was where one could find peace away from all the looks that other races would give you if you were different. It was a safe haven for the dwarves. The few goblins that did sneak in weren’t such a big problem. As you probably already know, goblins are quite antagonistic creatures, who don’t know their right from their left. They’d get into fights with the dwarves, and then end up getting thrown out of the city.
Vorak’s forge (also his home, for a dwarf’s forge is always his home.) was near the edge of the sea, on top of a boulder, facing the sea. When I first arrived, Vorak introduced me to his other apprentices; Jax and Baidr. Jax was short and stubby. He was one of those dwarf types who’d always be the grunt doing the work. Baidr was from the family of a lawgiver. He considered us as his “underlings.” I quickly became friends with Jax, who was also an orphan. We worked together under the hot sun to get our projects done. During the night, we’d often sneak off to join the festivities aboveground. I know now that Vorak knew we were sneaking off. We were young and left plenty of marks for him to find out what we were doing. But he said nothing to us about it.
Baidr, being a pain in the rear, decided to follow us one day to the carnival, in hopes of getting us in trouble with Vorak. As we started up the stairs leading to the over ground, we didn’t notice him following us.
“Watch your step,” Jax warned.
“I know what I’m doing. We’ve been up this trail a million times.”
“No, I mean-never mind.”
“You scared of something?” I asked.
“No.”
“He’s not going to find out about it.”
“I didn’t say I was scared!”
“Oh. Then is this about Veronica?” I gave a grin as Jax’s face turned red.
“Mind your own business,” He muttered.
Veronica was a blonde human who was always at the festivities. She was about Jax’s age. They first met each other when I was horsing around with Jax, and accidentally pushed him into Veronica. Jax instantly apologized; however, when he saw her face, a look came across his eyes that sent me sprawling in laughter. It was love at first sight. I ran off and left them to their business. After that one encounter, I interrogated Jax and finally managed to get Veronica’s name and age out of him.
I teased him about it every day.
“Veronica!” I said in a falsetto voice. “I’ll bet she has them eyes! Them sparkling blue human Caucasian eyes, which make you want to just…”
I trailed off.
“You’ve got jokes.”
But when he realized I wasn’t replying, he stopped. He stared at what I was looking at. The dark figure of someone climbing towards us. I knew who he was right when I saw him.
“I knew it!” Jax said. “That little spoiled brat! He’s gonna try to get us in trouble!”
“Not if we disappear,” I said with a grin. “His skinny legs aren’t that nimble. Look at him. He’s got that autocratic swag. Politician brats aren’t fast runners.”
“He’s a lawgiver, actually,” Jax said, as we took off.
We made it to the carnival just in time to catch a quick drink by the Buffalo Bar. Then, we ran around for about half an hour, going from activity to activity. It was almost dark, and people were already starting to flood the streets. Our goal was to get as many activities done before the others got to the carnival.
By the time we were done, it was dark, and people were milling about. I met Jax at the Buffalo Bar, which only a moment ago had been empty but was now crowded. We talked for some time, and drank and ate. Then, something caught my eye.
“Jax, I think that’s Bratface over there.” I said, pointing.
Jax shook his head. “I don’t think so. Baidr’s not the social type.”
But, nevertheless, there he was, with his high and mighty and self-centered attitude. I was mad.
“Why is he here?” I asked. “Hasn’t he caused us enough trouble already?”
“Don’t look,” Jax said. “If he doesn’t see us, he’ll get bored and go back. Nobody wants him here anyway.”
And then, as fortune would have it, he spotted us and instantly ran over to us, yelling. He managed to part through the crowd easily.
“Let’s make ourselves scarce,” I said. Who knew that the brat had dedication in finding us?
“Table, left,” Jax whispered sharply, and we hid ourselves under the empty table just as Baidr entered the bar. He scanned the bar with his hands on his hips, like a maid searching for her bosom, then started walking around the tables like he was on patrol duty.
Now, either his eyesight was horrible, or he was too eager to catch us, I don’t know. He walked up to some random guy sitting right next to the bar; his back turned to him, and knocked him on the head. Baidr must’ve thought that was Jax, because they were both wearing green.
“Caught you!” He sneered.
The next second, he was on the floor, and blood was flowing from his nose, a shocked look on his face. The man had swiped around and him, and now stood up, towering over the little spoiled brat. But he wasn’t any ordinary man.
He was a tigerman
I’d only heard of tigermen in legends and in stories, but I’d never seen one up close and in real life before. They say you can recognize a tigerman when you see one. I never doubted that saying.
“Imbecile!” The brat screamed. “Do you know who I am?”
“What was that?” The tigerman snarled, pulling back his lips to show the glistening fangs. The boy quieted down.
“He’s gonna get himself killed,” Jax whispered to me. “We’ve gotta do something.”
I was just content with letting him suffer, but I nodded my head. “Alright. But how do we?”
“We’ll do it the old-fashioned way. You distract the tigerman, and I’ll get Baidr.”
“Have you seen his claws? He’ll tear me to pieces.” I was frightened.
“Quit being such a girl.” He knew that annoyed me.
“Okay, fine.”
I couldn’t believe what I was about to do. I felt like I was insane. But I crawled out from under the table, and edged my way to the entrance of the bar. Everyone’s eyes were on the two figures in the center. I edged to where I deemed to be a fitting place to die.
“Spoiled brat,” the tigerman snarled. “What are you doing outside your closet, human dog?”
“M-my daddy is a hunter. He’ll hunt you down. You’ll be sorry then.”
“Hunt me down? Where; from the closet he hides in?”
I heard a thump. The sound of heavy footsteps behind me.
“Enough,” A voice ordered. The voice belonged to Fillegian, captain of the guard. With him were three other soldiers; all had their swords unsheathed. These weren’t dwarves, but men, who were operating under the Elite of Klymaestra.
The tigerman stepped back slowly. Baidr was now unconscious.
“I’ll have none of you here,” He said slowly.
“Goul Das Harlingway, I am placing you officially under arrest for openly assaulting a civilian on Quaker Territory.”
The tigerman snorted. “Do you think you could possibly retain me?”
“We will use force, if we have to. Now surrender your weapons.”
In the next instant, the tigerman smashed into Fillegian, knocking his sword from his hand and pinning him to the ground. The other three soldiers ran to help him, but the tigerman batted them away like flies.
“Now,” said the tigerman. “On what terms do you base your accusations?”