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[Arcvasti]

I approach the kobolds. They seem very suggestible and not that intelligent. I ask them a lot of questions about the immediate area and its surroundings. They respond with lots of babble. From what I can glean, this place is...

Spoiler: What this place is (click to show/hide)

I ask the kobolds if there's any other races nearby. They reply that there's no one nearby, not for miles. One of them pipes up and says there's a bunch of dead Warlocks over that way a while. I ask if theres any live ones. The kobold replies that yes, last she saw, there were some of them. She then asks me what's wrong with my nose. I look down, see that my nose is bleeding, wipe it on my sleeve and survey the small encampment.

The kobolds have a crude wooden hut built next to the river. It provides little protection, but it IS shelter. Around 35 jackrats, a mid-sized herd, cluster around the river, drinking. I also spy a couple of shalswars tethered next to their meager food supply. The female kobold who was so informative earlier, held a valuable Metal chopper. I decide to peer inside their mean shelter. Inside is a rather large glob of clay and a pair of familiar looking oversized arachnids. The kobold with the chopper explains that they are trap spiders and have already saved their lives. She then elaborates that a scout for the Legion was going to kill all of the kobolds, but the spider webbed it and she executed the trapped soldier with her chopper. I inquire further about the Legion. Another kobold explains that the Legion is a group of the Others dedicated to mass genocide. They’re led by a golden dragon of enormous size, called the General . Their scouts were in the area looking for a rather large group of Warlocks, who are now dead. In any case, he says, they won’t check back here for a while, so we should be safe for now.

I ask everyone their names. The kobolds glance at each other before the female kobold with the chopper speaks up. She says that they are Exiles and lack names. I say that **I** am an Exile and MY name is Arcvasti and I am already here. The kobolds murmur among themselves for a while before the female kobold with the chopper speaks again. She says that SHE is an Exile and her name is Arthropleura. She also says that she likes goblins, in a somewhat confused voice. There is a bit of an awkward silence before another kobold speaks. He says that HE is an Exile and his name is Articil and he is a master cook. Before long other kobolds chime in. All but three are named and I feel ready to ask them another question when one of them speaks. He says HE is an Exile and his name is Kaladin. Or possibly Libitina. Probably Kaladin. The remaining two kobolds do not feel worthy of names yet. Perhaps they will be inspired to do so in the future. I then ask the assembled kobolds what they do.

Spoiler: Their response (click to show/hide)

 

The kobolds, especially the as yet unnamed ones, seem ready to do whatever I tell them. I cogitate for a moment for a suitable command before settling on telling them to strike the earth. They just look confused. I sigh and tell them two things: That this place is Cobaltpacked and that I really need some trees chopped down. And it was good.

[[OOC: Update to come tomorrow probably.]]

[Tenderroast]

horray! it lives. Here is to hoping we can find a pyromaniac blacksmith =P

[greycat]

The Jungles of Perishing?  How auspicious!

[Arcvasti]

1st Granite: I tell the kobolds to tear down their mean shelter, make a clay oven out of clay, get all their animals penned up and start clearing the immediate area of trees. They are very responsive and get to work in no time. I see a few black caimans further down the river and they might be a problem. For now though, the proto-camp is a flurry of activity.

9th Granite: We’ve got most of the basic workshops set up beside the river now and the animals are penned up.

Spoiler: Current state of camp (click to show/hide)

 

Unfortunately, there’s no clay on the surface layer. After speaking to the as-yet-unamed carpenter, he said that given the proper tools, he could make a sturdy shovel out of wood. It wouldn’t last long before breaking under the strain, but it would let us dig through soft soil easily. Something to consider. In any case, lacking clay on the surface, the first priority is to establish woodworking facilities on the surface. With that in mind, I begin slaughtering two especially large jack rats so we can use them for leather for tents.

11th Granite: I’m done butchering the giant jack rats. I make sure to make their skin into suede, as that lets me stretch a limited supply of leather further. Then I get Kaladin to set up the tent. At first, its nothing more than leather stretched over wood. Next I have to get a specialist of some kind to go in and set up their tools to they can work properly. Once that’s done, you have a tent workshop.

13th Granite: The carpenter finished setting up his Woodcarving tent. I get him to go and make some mechanisms, both for the wood processing facilities we need so desperately and for the well that would make our lives more convienient.

15th Granite: I tell Kaladin to go set up a tent workshop for his leatherworking. He objects at first, saying he doesn’t mind the storm raging outside. I tell him that he needs it for the more advanced leather treatments. He agrees and starts setting up the tent. I give the same orders to the bone carver, who agrees more quickly. The carpenter is finished the first set of mechanisms, so I go about setting up the well.

20th Granite: The Leather Trimming and Bone Chipping Tents are set up, as well as an empty tent reserved for future use. The carpenter is done making the mechanisms and now we only lack suede before we can make the Sawmill and Wood Processor we need. Jaxy, the farmer, has begun tilling fields in preparation for planting. I’ve also had a vacant worktop set up nearby. And also some stairs built. We’re going to need additional layers of sky and soil eventually.

22nd Granite: The well is finished. Arthropleura is off chopping down more trees. We’ll need them once I finish the suede we need for the Sawmill.

24th Granite: Construction of the Sawmill and Wood Processor has commenced. We need to get walls up quickly. It’s a miracle that none of the local wildlife have troubled us yet. These are named the jungles of PERISHING for a reason.

28th Granite: The Sawmill and Wood Processorr are complete.

Spoiler: Current state of camp (click to show/hide)

 

I start making some larger tents for more complicated tasks. I REALLY want those shovels. And Kaladin and the bone carver still say they need more space and tools to work. But these big tents take twice as much suede and far more space than the smaller tents we’ve been using thus far. And both are in relatively short supply.

2nd Slate: Arthropleura is sent on another deforestation mission. We’re going through wood QUICKLY. I also start slaughtering most of the male jack rats, as we don’t have much for meat, bones or leather.

7th Slate: The big tents are all erected and the carpenter says he has enough materials for proper Dirt Digging in one of them. The others are as yet unfurnished. Arthropleura has begun the long process of turning logs into planks.

14th Slate: The carpenter has finished making a shovel. Jaxy, as the most idle one of us, has been nominated temporary Digger and has already found clay. As of right now, she is excavating a large storage area underneath the camp. We’ll eventually move our animals and food stocks under there.

16th Slate: Now that we have access to clay, I’ve made it a standing order that clay is to be collected into usable boulders and used to build an enclosure around the Camp. This will help immensely in getting a wall up quickly, as Arthropleura is only halfway through making planks. I also have Kaladin set up another empty tent. Because we’ll need them later and its always best to be prepared.

20th Slate: Now that we are not longed in desperate need of suede and have a makeshift food stockpile, I begin slaughtering male jack rats in earnest. I also order a Metal Oven put next to the Clay Oven, now that we have fireproof clay at our disposal. I also get Kaladin to rig one of the empty tents for Clay Shaping, now that we have access to clay.

24th Slate: Arthropleura has finally started churning out finished planks, which are going immediately towards wall construction.

1st Felsite: The wall goes most of the way around the Camp now.

Spoiler: Current state of Camp (click to show/hide)

 

Arthropleura is going to chop down trees for the second batch of planks. Jaxy is still digging away below us. I’m glad her shovel hasn’t broken yet.

10th Felsite: Progress on the wall and the underground storage area is going along nicely.

15th Felsite:  Jaxy is done the underground storage cellar.

Spoiler: Underground storage cellar (click to show/hide)

 

I order him to begin digging out an office and a bedroom for me in the clay layer. I get the bone carver to make some furniture for me while I’m at is. We’re not going to move everything downstairs just yet, we need to wait until we have the wall up.

24th Felsite: The wall is done. Now the only entrance or exit to the Camp is a bridge across the river. I’ve sent Jaxy to go dig a tunnel under the river.

Spoiler: Current state of Camp (click to show/hide)

 

27th Felsite: The furniture for my rooms is finished. I’ve also started moving all the animals and food down into the cellar. The carpenter is setting up a trading depot. He’s more optimistic than I am. I’m not sure if there are any Peddler kobolds LEFT. The bone carver shares his conviction however, and is busy making totems for trade. I don’t have the heart to interfere.  I also decide to put up some doors on the opening to the bridge, for safety.

[[OOC: Well, that was a productive first season. Most of the Camp is built and no one is dead. The breakable shovel isn't breaking. Not sure why. If it keeps doing this, I'm just going to use hackwish to make shovels out of empyrean or whatever the steel-grade decaying Warlock metal is and toss away the "breakable" ones.]]

[Meph]

[[OOC: Well, that was a productive first season. Most of the Camp is built and no one is dead. The breakable shovel isn't breaking. Not sure why. If it keeps doing this, I'm just going to use hackwish to make shovels out of empyrean or whatever the steel-grade decaying Warlock metal is and toss away the "breakable" ones.]]

Shovels are a carbon-copy of empyrean material, just even more volatile. No idea how it can not break in your save.

[Cptn Kaladin Anrizlokum]

Yay, you got my name right!

[Arthropleura]

If we can capture and possibly tame those caimans, we can unleash them upon those that would seek to destroy us.

[Arcvasti]

If we can capture and possibly tame those caimans, we can unleash them upon those that would seek to destroy us.

They left the map a while ago. Forgot to mention it. A little mini Forest Gryphon is all there is for wildlife ATM. Although training ogres and animals is a good idea. I always forget to order them from kobold caravans.

[Arcvasti]

2nd Hematite: I’ve got all the kobolds moving all the food and animals downstairs. Now that the Camp is out of immediate danger, we should start trying to make the best use of the space we have. The Shovel hasn’t broken yet, but it could at any time. We’d best not rely on it too much. Jaxy is currently digging that tunnel under the river.

11th Hematite:  Everything is moved downstairs now. I’ve got Arthropleura and the carpenter working on clearing the area near the depot and renovating our entrance, respectively. Jaxy is still digging that tunnel under the river.

14th Hematite: I order Kaladin to start hardening some leather for future use as armour. I also mandate that Jaxy put down his shovel and start farming.

18th Hematite: After Arthropleura made a bunch more planks, the carpenter has been busy both stabilizing the bridge between the Camp and the land and putting up a wall around the Depot. Meanwhile, I begin cataloging what items the Camp has in my new office.

21st Hematite: Arthropleura has decided to clear a path between the Depot and the edge of the area surrounding the Camp. It seems she thinks more kobolds will find this place. I doubt it, but I don’t want to squash their fragile hope.

28th Hematite: Arthropleura doesn’t stop killing trees. Kaladin continues to harden leather, Jaxy continues to plant seeds and I continue making records. Life in Cobaltpacked[My mind adds “The second” to Cobaltpacked. Was there a Cobaltpacked BEFORE this one?]goes on.

30th Hematite: Kaladin ran out of leather to harden. We must have used most of it on tents.

2nd Malachite: Something knocked on the doors today. Which doesn’t make any sense. Arthropleura is sawing logs into planks right now. No one is outside. Cautiously, I go up and open them. On the other side is a kobold. The kobold is a Salamander sign and has a mildly troubling glint in his eye. He says hello and that its nice to meet another Salamander sign. He adds that I probably understand his predicament. I inform him I am NOT a Salamander. I do say that he was close. He just looks puzzled. I ask him why he’s here. He replies that he, his assistant and a bunch of others were exiled on direct orders from the Clanhead, who hasn’t been seen since the Legion drove the kobolds from their massive underground gathering place. He also says that he can shape Metal, a skill I didn’t know any kobolds HAD. I tell him and his companions to go on in. I quickly assign the new kobolds permanent jobs. One of them had a black bronze chopper, which I requisitioned. The kobold declined at first, until I offered him the Shovel in return. He accepted and is now the Camp’s first full-time Digger. And now I have a weapon. I hope I don’t have to use it. But I might.

Spoiler: Cobaltpacked population (click to show/hide)

 

7th Malachite: I send out our new Digger to make a moat around the Camp. You can never have too many levels of protection. I have no doubt this “Legion” could break through our wooden walls if they came in force. But the moat should keep them away from the walls so we remain safe.

16th Malachite: The Digger finished the moat today. The Shovel shows no signs of breaking. Arthropleura is halfway done making a ton of planks for construction. My records are accurate to within acceptable parameters, so I’ve stopped updating them.

18th Malachite: Arthropleura is finished. The carpenter is busy both making the Depot enclosure and constructing walkways above the main level.

20th Malachite: I’ve also decided to use the bounty of planks to set up a pair of rooms on the main level. These rooms will later contain a dormitory and a dining room, as kobolds have begun to complain of the lack of both. The carpenter can’t do all that work by himself, so I’ve set all the kobolds to help him.

21st Malachite: Tenderroast came to my office to discuss industry today. He has a rare intelligence among kobolds. Most of the ones here who have chosen names are above average and I am a… special case[Not sure how I know that, but I do]. Whereas Tenderroast is just exceptional.

Spoiler: Log of conversation (click to show/hide)

Me: Tenderroast. What is it?
Tenderroast: You’ve been doing a lot of building lately.
Me: Yes, what of it?
Tenderroast: You’ve mainly been using planks. Planks are inefficient.
Me: How exactly, are they inefficient?
Tenderroast: Look, I know you’re fond of Arthropleura, but this won’t put her out of a job. What I’m saying is…
Me[Icily]: What ****IS**** it that you are saying? You’ve been needlessly obtuse when you’re NOT insinuating…
Tenderroast: Calm down. I didn’t mean to imply… In any case. We have a potter now. And the facilties for him to practice his trade. My assistant at making fuel from wood. He can make enough fuel from one log to fire 3 times as many clay bricks as you’d get planks from that same piece of wood. That means Arthropleura is out in danger 3 times less[More if those plants Jaxy is growing are what I think they are], the resulting bricks are more widely useful and it gives my assistant and the new potter time to hone their craft.
Me: Very well, I will consider your suggestion.

22nd Malachite: I try putting Tenderroast’s suggestion into effect.

23rd Malachite:The potter makes some greenware bricks. Arthropleura goes off to murder a tree.

27th Malachite: And then Tenderroast’s assistant turns the resulting log into charcoal and the potter begins firing the clay bricks with it.

29th Malachite: On request of the thresher, I have the bone carver make a quern for him to grind blade weed with.

4th Galena: The first batch of 12 bricks is done. I order Arthropleura to go get some more logs so we can make some more bricks. It should go quicker this time, now that everyone knows the drill. I also start using the bricks we’d made earlier to roof the future dormitories.

9th Galena: I order some bone bed-frames made, as we have plenty of bone lying around and we need beds for the dormitory. Arthropleura is cleaning up the absurd amount of sawdust she’d created with her plank-making.

13th Galena: From his station on the roof, the Digger saw some kobolds with wagons pulled by giant jack rats. Peddlers. I think they’re only passing through, so I send the Digger out to tell them we can trade with them. After a brief conversation, the Peddlers started towards our Depot. I breathe a sigh of relief. We have trade. Once Digger gets back in, I order both doors locked. No one knows how to rig the bridge to the Depot to raise and lower, so locking doors is the best we can do. Still, parties of the Others have been known to stalk Peddlers to kobold camps and caves and then attack. The risk of the Legion doing so is great. We can’t be too careful.

15th Galena: The first of the Peddlers arrives without incident. And they have guards. With Metal weapons. I order the doors unlocked and for the totems we’ve saved up to be brought to the Depot for trade.

17th Galena: I realize that the current leather shortage is only due to me forgetting to tan the jack rat skins to leather. I rectify this mistake immediately. Or rather, I WOULD, except I need to negotiate with the Peddlers. I trade for a pair of copper bars, a barrel, a nest box for Shalswar eggs and, at Tenderroast’s request, a Thing for shaping Metal made of ironbone. The Peddlers take all of our totems in exchange for those goods. Tenderroast immediately takes the Thing and some clay and begins constructing something out of them. I also order the shiny Metal nest box placed in the Shalswar’s pen downstairs. Presumably facilities for shaping Metal. NOW I can get to tanning leather.

18th Galena:  Apparently not. The leader of the group of Peddlers wants to speak with me in my office. Fine.

19th Galena: The leader of the Peddlers wanted to talk about what we want them to bring in future. I asked for ironbone, medical supplies and ogres. He asked me if I was sure. I said yes. He asked me if this was my final answer. I said yes. He seemed satisfied.

22nd Galena: Tenderroast is done the “Forge” as he calls it. He says he can use the Metal I traded for to make weapons and useful tools. I tell him I already know he can do that.

25th Galena: Brick production has reached the firing stage. The Dormitories are completely roofed and await only the installation of bone beds to be fully functional.

27th Galena: We have some Trap Spider Hatchlings. I have a plan for them once the Dining Room is finished. I decide that clay tables and chairs would take far too long to make and just have the bone carver make some bone ones instead. I also request some bone doors for both rooms and a hatch cover for the stairs.

Spoiler: Status of Camp (click to show/hide)

[Arthropleura]

Can we find a way to flood the bridge room so we can just drown any seiges? Or is that too Dorfy/impossible? Also, all the trees must die! Cause a tree killed my father :p

[Tenderroast]

Spoiler: Journal of TenderRoast (click to show/hide)

1st of Granite
It feels strange to write in a journal, let alone keep track of the date. Most kobolds cant even tell what season it is.
I was exiled from the caves a month ago. The elders were afraid of me. Afraid of my intelligence. Some days I cannot tell if it is a curse, or a blessing. At least my assistants were stupid enough to blindly follow me out here. I am hoping that by holding conversation with them, it will keep me from going insane, though I fear i become dumber by the day just by being near the fools.

4th of Slate
It is remarkable! The fools appear to have become smarter, just by being near me, and away from the fools back in the caves.

11th of Felsite
While tending the flames of our campfire, (taking every ounce of willpower I have to not build the flames as high as possible for the sheer joy of it, out of feer of attracting predators...) I recieved a vision. The flames appeared to take shape before me, and I heard them speaking. The told me of a settlement of other Exiles. Cast out, for the curse of intelligence! I rejoice! I must find this place. This Cobaltpacked...

Though my assistants fear me to be going mad, for none of them saw the vision as well. I only pray that they are not right, and that i was not hallucinating.

15th of Felsite
One of my assistants was fishing today, and received a vision. The waves of the river took form, and told of way to Cobaltpacked. We are getting closer. And incidentally, the rest of the fools finally believe me about the place.

5th of Hematite
We are getting closer. Ababa has been leading the way to cobaltpacked ever since his vision at the river. He is in a trance most of the time, and only able to hold the vision while near the water. Every night I tend the small campfire, and we receive additional guidance from the flames.

28th of Hematite.
We are nearly there. I saw the walls from atop a hillock. Four more days of travel, and we should be at the gates. Incidentally, Ababa's visions have left him. In fact, he doesnt even remember them.

2nd of Malachite
We have arrived!
When I informed the leader of my skill with shaping metals, he looked astonished. At first I thought he was of the Salamander sign like I am, but he denied it. However, I can sense his intelligence. I shall enjoy this place. I finally have a place I can truly call "home"

21st of Malachite
I went to Arcvasti today, with a suggestion. I can tell that I irritated him, with my rambling while trying explain the reasoning and justification I had for my idea. He finally just told me to spit it out and be done. I spoke of using the wood we had to fuel the furnaces, and make clay bricks, instead of making planks for the walls. I told him of the greater efficiency we would achieve. He seemed to be intrigued. I just hope that his pride does not get in the way of his intelligence, to keep him from accepting ideas from others.

22nd of Malachite
Arcvasti's pride did not get the better of him. He has decided to put my idea to good use.

4th of Galena
The first batch of bricks is complete. While I will admit that it takes longer to produce the bricks, than it would the planks, the process should speed up as our potter gains skill.

15th of Galena
Peddlers! And they have a THING! I must convince Arcvasti to trade for it! I must have the THING.

17th of Galena
Arcvasti has come through, he has purchased the Thing for me. I have taken it for my own use. My precious.

22nd of Galena
My forge is complete! Finally I can once more shape metal.

[Arcvasti]

1st Limestone: I finally begin tanning leather, having vanquished my distractions. I’m not sure if there’ll be enough for Kaladin to make into enough armour for as many soldiers as I intend to field.

2nd Limestone: Rejoice! The first jack rat newborns have been born!  Triplets, all male. They’re going straight to the butchers shop. I AM thinking that we should keep at least SOME of the female ones.

3rd Limestone: Jack rat newborns are everywhere. And some new Trap Spider Hatchlings were born too. Regrettably, some foolish kobold broke the Shalswar egg incubating in the nest box and that species of pet will not have any new members this year. Arthropleura finally finished cleaning up the sawdust piles she’d made earlier. And the potter finished firing enough clay bricks to roof the future Dining Room.

7th Limestone: I’ve started putting the Trap Spiders to use in our defenses. Plus, I’m constructing some future barracks for our soldiers.

10th Limestone: The Dining Room is fully furnished with nice bone tables and chairs.

14th Limestone: The Barracks and Trap Spider Housing are both completed

Spoiler: Depot Tunnel (click to show/hide)

 

16th Limestone: Kaladin is nearly done hardening enough leather to outfit 5 kobolds. I get the bone carver to make some studs in preparation for studding the toughened leather. In addition, the rope reed harvest has begun. Cotton thread is another useful component of lamellar leather, the sturdiest leather anyone could ask for.

18th Limestone: The Peddlers are getting ready to leave.

20th Limestone: Kaladin and the bone carver finish hardening leather and making studs, respectively.

21st Limestone: The Peddlers have left.

24th Limestone: I order Tenderroast to make a pair of machetes out of the Metal I bought from the caravan. He grumbles about being made to use inferior Metal. I remind him that making ironbone is a long and tedious process. Even more so than pottery. I send out Arthropleura for wood and get some clay ready, as we’ll have excess charcoal after the two machetes are forged. I intend to use it for making clay crafts for trade.

25th Limestone: Kaladin begins studding leather. The entire rope reed crop has been harvested, so I get the thresher to start processing it into fiber.

1st Sandstone: Both the clay crafts and the machetes finish at about the same time. The potter made a pair of abacuses and Tenderroast produced some mid-quality machetes.

3rd Sandstone: Some gray langurs are running amok outside the camp. I decide NOT to send Arthropleura out to gather wood for more clay crafts, like I’d been planning to do.

4th Sandstone: The fisher berry harvest has come in. None of us know how to turn them into juice properly, so they’re just going to languish in storage for a while. The bone carver starts making totems for trade again.

5th Sandstone:
I hope none of the gray langurs hurt any of them. The Trap Spiders have kept them out of the Camp proper, but the exiles are at the other side of the Tunnel. They could be in danger.

8th Sandstone: All the exiles made it inside safely.

Spoiler: Population (click to show/hide)

 

In fact, the gray langurs wandered off and out of sight. I address the new kobolds asking if any had names. A surprisingly large number said yes. I asked if any of them had any combat experience and were of the War Birthsigns. Two of the ones who said they had names said yes. I asked them their names. One of them was Skullsploder and another was Zach. Zach was holding a silver chopper. I gave both of them the machetes Tenderroast had made and took Zach’s chopper in return. I directed them to the Barracks and informed them that their armour would be ready in a matter of weeks.

I ordered all the unnamed exiles to disperse and see me in my office later. I asked the remaining two named kobolds their names and occupations. One of them called himself Palu and said he was a Druid. Well, Druid-In-Training. He asked why there were no magic lodges around. I replied that some could be arranged and dismissed him. The other was named Alestance and was a “Tinkerer”. I asked what exactly that entailed. He replied that he was a mechanic. I inquired if he could make bridges raise and lower with a lever. He said yes. I asked if he could set traps. He said yes. I told him he could have pretty much whatever he wanted and sent him off. None of the rest of the exiles were note-worthy, aside from one Badger Sign I delegated butchery to.

After that, I went to go see Tenderroast. I gave him the silver chopper. He assumed I wanted it melted. I explained that it was sort of a mark of office, touching my own black bronze chopper. Me, Arthropleura and now him all had choppers and were the most important and influential kobolds in the camp. After that, he accepted it. I also instructed him and his assistant to melt down the rare Metal slings some of the kobolds had brought.

9th Sandstone: I send out Arthropleura to get a bunch of logs for fueling clay craft production and the melting of the Metal slings. The juicer and herbalist both get to work furnishing empty tents and worktops for their work.

11th Sandstone: The Wood Stalk crop has come in. I’m going to save them for later processing, for when dangerous wildlife or the Legion deny  us access to the plentiful trees outside. Per Alestance’s request, the bone carver is making some bone mechanisms for rigging the Depot bridge to raise.

13th Sandstone: The blade weed crop has come in. I’m sure the new herbalist will be able to make them into valuable wicker once she actually SETS UP the Wicker Weaving tent.

14th Sandstone: The potter gets started on shaping a bunch of crafts while Tenderroast’s assistant slowly burns the logs Arthropleura collected into charcoal. The bone carver finally finishes making totems.

15th Sandstone: Alestance came up to me in my office today and said he needs a secure control room to put his levers in. I order the Digger and his Unbreakable Shovel to go excavate it for him. He also says he needs a tent for trapmaking. I get Arthropleura to go kill a tree and I start on some suede for that tent. As long as he does what he promises he can, I don’t care about what I have to give him.

18th Sandstone: The herbalist finally finishes up her work area and starts bundling blade weed into bales. Plus Alestance starts hooking up that lever of his to the Depot bridge. I really hope he knows what he’s doing. From the looks of it, he hopes that too. This black bronze chopper is a GOOD mark of authority.

21st Sandstone: The tent Alestance wanted has been erected. Now he just needs to outfit it properly. Tenderroast’s assistant is done melting the slings. They each yielded three whole bars of copper and iron respectively. That’s a LOT.

23rd Sandstone: Alestance is done hooking up the Depot bridge to his lever. Then he finished setting up the Trapmakers tent. Now he wants logs for trap components. As it is, he starts making some of the lower quality totems into “totemhammers”.

24th Sandstone: Arthropleura finishes getting the logs Alestance wanted.

25th Sandstone: Skullsploder and Zach start sparring for the first time. Kaladin really needs to hurry up on their armour. I don’t want either of them injuring each other.

28th Sandstone: Alestance requests some more mechanisms from the bone carver. More than he needs for the traps he’s planning.

2nd Timber: Palu visited me in my office today and reminded me about the lack of druidic lodges in the Camp. I get Arthopleura to go and chop down some trees for his lodges. I also get started on making a lot of suede for the lodges.

4th Timber: The herbalist runs out of blade weed to put into bales.

7th Timber: The potter starts firing a whole bunch of clay crafts.

12th Timber: I finished making enough suede for two normal sized lodges. Kaladin, despite grumbling about being overworked, goes and starts setting them up.

15th Timber: Tenderroast requested a log for turning the Metal he got from the melted down slings into some better weapons for our soldiers. He also suggested using their old weapons and the extra copper bars in Alestance’s traps. Alestance seemed fine with that. He’s already pestering the bone carver about some “cage traps”.

17th Timber: Tenderroast has started forging some copper scourges for Alestance’s traps.

21st Timber: Alestance is busy setting up both his weapon traps AND his new cage traps. I asked him where he got the idea for the cage traps. He went quiet for a moment. Then he explained: He’d been on a routine thieving mission to a dwarven outpost. A mastiff had mauled him and he’d fallen unconscious from blood loss. When he came to, he was in a simple wooden cage. He’d later concluded that the trap trigger he’d been avoiding must have been sprung when he passed out and must have somehow caged him. The dwarves stored his cage in a storeroom deep under the earth, awaiting execution. And then the fortress fell. For five years, he languished down there, living off of vermin and a nearby barrel of dwarven wine. And then he was set free. His rescuer was a kobold with an oddly shaped dartfrog Sign. He brought him back to his home tribe, where he was stripped of his name and exiled for his failure. Then he chose a new name and ended up here. Alestance was silent for a while after that before telling me to leave him be. I did so.

26th Timber: The new cage traps and the lodges are complete, although the latter are still unfurnished. The potter is starting work on another batch of clay crafts.

2nd Moonstone: Kaladin is done the armour for the soldiers. It’s pretty good work and lamellar is strong as iron and lighter and more flexible. I don’t think we’ll need to fear gray langurs any longer.

6th Moonstone: Palu’s lodges are fully furnished. One of them is a traditional Druidic lodge, while the other is a hexer lodge.

8th Moonstone: Palu is requesting some barrels for “Druidic Rituals”. I sigh and send Arthropleura out to chop down some trees for barrels. There are a few coyotes out there, so I decide to send Skullsploder and Zach out to kill them. We are no longer the prey. Now? We are the hunters.

10th Moonstone: Tenderroast’s work shows its merit. Within short order, all three coyotes are dead. Two of them were BISECTED. By a machete. I order their corpses dragged in and butchered. No sense letting them go to waste. In any case, the carpenter has started work on those barrels for Palu.

13th Moonstone: Palu’s barrels are finished. He orders them filled with fisherberry juice. Meanwhile, the potter starts firing a lot of clay crafts.

17th Moonstone: Palu’s barrels are filled of juice. He takes three of them and some meat and goes into the Druidic Lodge.

19th Moonstone: Alestance wants a Shovel. Not sure why. I have Arthropleura go process some of the wood stalk crop into wood instead of chopping down trees.

25th Moonstone: Well, Alestance got his Shovel. Not sure if it’ll be Unbreakable though. Palu still hasn’t moved from his lodge.

30th Moonstone: Alestance is doing some sort of digging project. Not sure what. His control room’s door is locked, and is probably only openable via a lever on the inside.

1st Opal: Noticing that some kobolds were doing outside to drink from the moat rather than the well, I am trying to remodel the well area to be accessible from more sides.

3rd Opal: The remodeling efforts were poorly executed and most of the wall near the well dropped into the river. I’ve called on the herbalist to make some replacement blocks out of wicker.

5th Opal: Alestance suddenly appeared today with a broken Shovel[which he tossed through the hole in the wall into the river], some stone[which he just dropped] and started demanding mechanisms. Considering how good his recent ideas have been, I decide to humour him and give the bone carver the okay. The control room door is STILL locked. I suspect his mate, the herbalist, is on the other side.

7th Opal: The bone carver gave Alestance the mechanisms and he disappeared back into the control room. His mate came upstairs and got to work on patching up the hole in the wall with her wicker.

13th Opal: The moat partially drained. It refilled soon enough. Alestance is still closeted in his control room with his mate. At least she finished patching the hole in the wall before she went back.

14th Opal: Both Palu AND Alestance have shut themselves away from the rest of the Camp.

18th Opal: I’ve got the Digger and the bone carver and the chandler working on a secured area. Arthropleura is processing wood stalk and chopping down trees for the same end. Kaladin is working on an entirely different project.

22nd Opal: I rap on Alestance’s door. He replies that he’s not coming out. I say I’ll knock down the door. He says he’ll flood the whole Camp if I do. I tell him he’s needed for an urgent matter. He asks how urgent. I tell him. The door opens with a whirr of machinery. I toss in the needed mechanisms and go back to my office.

24th Opal: Kaladin is done his project. I go over to collect my ceremonial armour and cloak. Besides being strong as iron, my current raiment definitely LOOKS like something a bold[pun intended] leader would wear. The cloak helps a lot. This plus the unnaturally purple chopper I carry around make me look like a militant and imposing figure. Also, they don’t wear out like clothing does.

28th Opal: Alestance is finished with the safety measures for the secured area. He and his mate lock themselves in the control room again. NOTHING is going to be able to escape from that secured area. NOTHING. I order the Digger to begin final preparations.

1st Obsidian: The potter and Arthropleura and Tenderroasts assistant all begin preparing for another round of clay crafts.

3rd Obsidian: Arthropleura is a Legendary Woodchopper. The Fae Others tremble in their tree-dens at her might. She is an Ancestor who walks among us. Glory be to her name.

5th Obsidian: The Digger has done all he can. Kaladin is going down to ensure that the last stage works properly. It would be nice if Palu was able to come double check our work, but he’s still in his lodge. After breaking down the door to his lodge, we found him sitting cross-legged on the floor with a sign saying that he wasn’t dead. He’s meditating. Druids apparently do that a lot.

9th Obsidian: Kaladin starts work on some proper armour for Palu, once he ends his meditation.

[[OOC: MEGAUPDATE!!! Also, Skullsploder has a KOBOLD in his kills list. Hopefully I’ll have the rest of Winter done tomorrow, with some more in-storyish stuff and a bunch of pictures.]]

[Arcvasti]

12th Obsidian: Skullsploder and Zac go out of the Camp to hunt some turkeys.

15th Obsidian: All the turkeys have been slain. Their meat and bones will help supplement our stores in the coming months.

20th Obsidian: The project goes slowly, probably because of the difficulty inherent in getting supplies past the extensive security measures.

23rd Obsidian: The potter has begun firing clay crafts again. Hopefully between these and the totems the bone carver has made, we will be able to purchase a breeding pair of ogres.

26th Obsidian: It is done. The project is completed.

Spoiler: The Project (click to show/hide)

 

28th Obsidian : As Palu, the resident Druid and only magic practitioner is currently indisposed, I have Articil, the cook, who dabbles in sorcery have a look at the Thieves’ Tunnel. Before, the great cavern complex that was as close to a capital as we kobolds had kept the Thieves’ Tunnels running via the sacrifice of thousands of jack rat souls. But the Legion had probably put a stop to that. Theoretically, congealing a large amount of souls into a soul gem would allow a kobold to activate and navigate the lost transport system of the Thieves’ Tunnels. But we don’t HAVE a soul gem. Palu was going to make us one. But he’s still meditating, so the duty falls to Arcticil.

30th Obsidian : Articil sucessfully created the soul gem. He came out of the hexers lodge shaking and vowed to never do something like that again. I take the soul gem from his shaking hand and descend past the security measures I put in place to the Tunnel. I fit the soul gem into a socket and then take it out and quickly dash through the portal.

Spoiler: What was through the portal (click to show/hide)

I emerged into a place that was familiar, but not. I somehow remembered the hallway lined with alcoves leading to different Tunnels. But what I DIDN’T remember were the hundreds of kobold skeletons lining the floor. I crunched my way across the bones of my Ancestors as I walked towards my destination: The Council Chamber. Scorch marks, scrapes and scratches in the wall , bone and copper weapons and leather clad-kobold skeletons everywhere showed that there had been much fighting in these narrow halls. Here, in our Ancestral home, the kobolds had done something they rarely did: They fought. They fought tooth and nail, blood and bone. And although the Legion had surely removed the bodies and equipment of their own, I was sure that many had fallen. But obviously, not enough. Even every man, woman and, looking at the unusually small skeletons of some of the fallen, child had fought against the Legion, taking up the weapons of the fallen in a vain attempt to protect or avenge their kindred. Then I arrived at the entrance to the Council Chamber. The great stone doors lay on the ground, ripped from their hinges by some great beast. Looking around, I could see the evidence of a great battle here. For here, before the Council Chamber, stood the Clanguard. And the Clanguard had put up a fight. Scorch marks marks COVERED the floor and walls of the room and I had no doubt the Clanguard had killed more of the Legion  then all the other kobolds together had. But still, there they lay, stripped of their valuable orichalcum by the Legion’s avarice.  I entered the Council Chamber. There, on the walls, was the living history of the kobolds, graven into the rock, from the beginning of time to its end. I walked along the walls, seeing great events from the past like the creation of the Council and the discovery of clay. It even recorded the invasion by the Legion. The systematic butchering of isolated kobold tribes and camps were rendered there. I was surprised to see that the assault on this place itself, had been put on the wall. Probably by the Council, while the battle outside their doors raged. At the far end of the hall, a great engraving towered above the rest: A huge kobold, with a misshapen dartfrog sign. Its relative crudeness told me it had been hastily done, probably while the Council Chamber itself was being stormed. One last show of defiance by the Council. But it was defaced by great claw marks across it. The General himself had been here. Feeling the need to add my share, I used my chopper to scratch the kobold sign for “life” below the vandalized engraving. Then I turned around and went back to the alcove I’d started from. There was much to be done.

I gathered the Inner Circle[Most any kobold who’d chosen a name], in my office for a meeting. I described to them the carnage I’d seen in the cavern complex and the total abandonment of it. I said that it was probably safe to use the Tunnels for their intended porpoise once more. There was murmuring at this, but no disagreement. Then, unexpectedly, Jaxy asked where I’d come from. He could tell I was no ORDINARY exile. I replied that I couldn’t remember anything before the day I arrived here. He asked why. I replied that Eternal Rose amnesia takes about a year to wear off. There was silence. How did I know thaa-A robed woman, lying on a slab, unmoving with a wilted flower beside her. I plowed on, disregarding the rush of memories, memories I knew somehow were WRONG.
“My friends,” I began. “The Legion cannot be reasoned with. Nor can they be hidden from.-Steel armoured dwarves fighting at the gates of a dark tower- But they CAN be fought.”
“The Council knew that. I knew that. You know that. But they are a tool. They have tampered with things they cannot control-A huge golden dragon, silhouetted against the sun,-”
“Other things are on the rise. What they have suppressed, will bounce back at them. Those they have wronged will flock together for vengeance-The same dark tower, rising into the clouds and crackling with power. Our way has always been the path of shadows. Hiding, lurking and waiting. But the Legion will remember why the Others used to fear the night-A human caravan traveling at night. Skeletal attackers painting the wagons with the blood of the merchants and caravan guards.-. Because of US. The most dangerous of animals is that with its back to a wall. And we will make the Legion pay, in blood, in lives and in time. But we will continue to do what we do best: We survive.”
This was met with a cheer.
“The meeting is now adjourned.”
As the kobolds exit the room, one of them, Arthropleura stops and looks at me. She tells me my nose is bleeding. I look down and see the front of my ceremonial armour covered in blood. –A coin, spinning through the air as it falls- I wipe it off, and go back to sorting the stockpile records.

Spoiler: Camp Status #1 (click to show/hide)

 

Spoiler: Camp Status #2 (click to show/hide)

 

Spoiler: Camp Status #3 (click to show/hide)

 

Spoiler: Camp Status #4 (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Camp Status #5 (click to show/hide)

 

Spoiler: Camp Status #6 (click to show/hide)

 

[Arcvasti]

4th Granite: After my collapse 4 days ago, I have been kept in a state of rest. Only now have I been permitted to resume my duties. None of the other kobolds even KNOW anything about health care besides me. Although that’s probably a good thing, as the return of my memories carried with them a deep-seated fear of medical technicians. Upon observation, most things seem to have stagnated. The main change are some new bars of Metal Tenderroast seems enchanted with. Apparently our resident Thief, with little else to do, explored through the Tunnel and started taking Metal from the stunted Others. I approve of his initiative. I decide to allow him to continue his work. As for longer term plans… We’re going to need to expand the Camp to accommodate more work areas and potentially, more living quarters. The moat stops us from expanding beyond our walls, so that leaves vertical expansion. Digging large chambers out of dirt risks a collapse and I don’t want to risk breaking the Shovel on rock. Therefore, we need to build up. I begin the lengthy process of making a bunch of clay bricks. I also tell Tenderroast to make a suitable weapon for Palu when he ends his period of meditation.

10th Granite: I decide that its not a good idea to expand without making full use of the space we already have and order a large tent built in the open space near the Lodges.

11th Granite: The first Jack Rat newborn are born. As per Jack Rat breeding tradition, I order ALL this batch of newborns, male AND female to be butchered. Today I also inspect the fruits of the thief’s labours. He’s stolen a precious bar of iron, a couple useless bars of pig iron I had Tenderroast start roofing the Camp with and a mesmerizing bar of gold. So far, no signs of retaliation have appeared. This is good. Drawing the attention of the Legion right now could mean our doom.

13th Granite:  Palu’s equipment is finished. Kaladin made him a suit of studded leather, complete with cloak. Tenderroast made him a pointy copper stick. That should keep him safe in battle long enough to use his Druidic majyks, whatever those might be.

14th Granite: The worst has happened. The Legion has come to Cobaltpacked. The thief says he barely escaped with a bronze bar from one of his recent heists. And now a force of dwarves have come, wielding an eclectic mix of alloyed spears and axes. There are eleven in total and an armoured bear their leader rides on. Luckily, they came on the other side of the river from the entrance to the Camp. Tenderroast, thinking quickly, had some kobolds block off the tunnel under the river with some of the coal the potter had been going to use. We should be safe from this particular force of dwarves, as they lack ranged weapons. I’ve ordered the Tunnel cleared of all stolen Metal, depowered and locked down with the security measures Alestance put in place.

16th Granite: The dwarves have taken up residence on the far side of the river tunnel. They know that Peddlers or Exiles must come at some point. And then they will have their fill of blood. The Tunnel is fully sealed and depowered. That should prevent the Legion from coming in force from WITHIN the Camp. In any case, the process of making bricks continues and the large tent I ordered constructed earlier is underway. Life goes on.

18th Granite: Enough clay bricks have been fired to wall off the side of the camp that faces towards the dwarves. Hopefully that should prevent the periodic panicking they inspire.

25th Granite: Finally. The wall that blocks all vision of the dwarves is complete. Frequent interruptions delayed progress enormously, but eventually it was done.

27th Granite: The Digger gave birth to quadruplets today. This marks the first kobolds born in Cobaltpacked. One of them named themselves “Babbette”. Babbette seems wise beyond her days. And then some.

29th Granite: I decide to furnish the large tent with Warpainting supplies. None of us are Warpainters, but that art may be very useful in the future.

[[OOC: Just a short little update to show that this is still alive]]

[Huivn]

Can I be bolded as a chef? Preferably one with an aversion to fish.