Taupe II didn't like the new fort much. not that it wasn't pretty, no. New Doomforests was a very fancy place, definitely moreso than the bloodsoaked halls of old. The original fort was designed in the worst possible fashion, with small rooms, a dinning hall so far away from all the bedrooms, giant rooms making everything so far away... And the random mining shafts... No, old Doomforests was a terrible place. But it was their terrible place, the one he managed to salvage a few years ago, and which mate the 888th helped reclaim from an ancient vampire lord.
No, this place was fine, but it felt like a betrayal of everything they fought against. Even tho it was nicer, the same curses had followed them down here too. Wereantelopes filled his clinic, heirs to the legacy of Ast. The doctor remembered Ast fondly, how she accepted her fate and ventured in the caverns with honor, to face against Snustrok the nightmarish snail from hell. Despite the legends, the new wereantelope refused to attack her enemy. Blood moon after blood moon, the two beasts stared at each other without crossing the threshold. Linking the door to a lever did nothing to help. No, Something was wrong, and the more he studied the poor soldier, the more he realized the issue wasn't with her. Yes, she was rather mental at this point, but every time he made such a comment, Cabinet snickered from his corner, pointing out the irony. No, Lor is not at fault here.
After three moons, Taupe II decided to study the artefact. Maxcat the superminion had passed away, but his door namesake was still around, immortal and timeless in all it's beauty. They were so happy to have an unbreakable door, that they never stopped to reflect on the actual designs enscribed on the artefact. Where had he seen them? Could the door's glyphs, made of interwined round cabochon circles, copper engravings and gold patterns, be more than mere decoration? The gemworker Iamblichos would know, but he was dead as well now. There was, however, another dwarf acting strangely, who showed much interested in the books left by the deceased dwarf. What was his name already? The doctor had seen him a couple times already... That dwarf would jknow for sure, of the true warding powers sleeping within Maxcat61.
Annnnd, there he was once more. He had not touched most of his books since he moved to the new fort. With no further lead, no caravans to get new books, and no news from the brave dwarf who ventured on a journey ages ago, there was no point in dwelling on the subject anymore. For a time, he believed that Fath was right, that moving elsewhere would put all the curses and shadows of the past behind them. But walls and bridges cannot stop shadows, they only conceal them. Minotaurs were wandering the land once more, and wereantelopes, and cultists in the dark corners of the fort... He was so close to unraveling their secret meetings, but Fath exiled them here before he could finish his secret spying wall-tunnels. And now, a new vampire had arrived, and claimed the title of mayor. Datetattoed. The twisted tendrils of the shadow city had found Doomforests, and refused to let go. There was no research it any further, for what could a lone dwarf do against a remote city of vampires, anyway? Bloodsuckers and deities were too powerful for a mere doctor, no matter how well-versed the circumstances had made him. No, there wasn't much he could do on his own...
But the recent events had changed everything. Maxcat61 the artefact door changed everything. there was power in gems, power in the glyphs... Minion glimpsed at the true meaning of power, for even a single moment, when he poured his soul and mind into the creation of his door. His mind was so focused that for a brief instant, everything made sence, and he instinctively knew how to ward the door against the powers of evil. If they could study the glyphs, improve them, then maybe they can fend off the dark powers coming from Datetattoed... seal the cursed Chapel of Charms, even...
If only he could wield the same knowledge that minion did back in 1055. It was not too late, for he had never created an artefact in over a hundred years, and it is said that a dwarf can only enter a strange mood once. If luck would have it, inspiration and knowledge would come to him before he was too old... There was little hope in that, tho. instead he would focus on the younger dwarves, and study them as they produced artifacts of their own. Maybe he could select a group of promising young artists, and use hypnosis to prepare them, so that they focus their work toward something specific once a mood strike. It was worth a shot.
As he pondered on potential volunteers, a small knock was heard on the mad doctor's door. He opened, but found nobody. That's when he noticed the book on the floor, with the note. Dark One? Strange, the dwarf had not been seen in a month. Some assumed he was somewhere smithing, others believed he was still outside. Most of the fort didn't care, as Dark One was definitely weird in all the wrong ways.
To Taupe,
I am leaving this journal as a legacy and warning. Be aware of necromancers and dieties striving for power, as they will use any means at their disposal to gain power. You may not believe me, you can treat this as a ramble of schizophreniac, but be aware of what I have written.
Dark One
At this point, Taupe II was ready to believe anything. The warnings about necromancers filled him with shivers. He knew of vampires, and werebeasts, but the inclusion of dark mages to the mix just made everything so much worse. Whatever this book contained, he had to know. He crouched, and reached for the journal itself.
A strange feeling rushed through him as his fingers touched the cover. A flash.
Then darkness.
Poll
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Topic: The Hastening of Doomforests (Read 429878 times)