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[Skullsploder]

2nd Granite 251
New chains are good. Fastened nicely, strong manacles. No victims miscreants to use them on though.

18th Slate 251
More peasants. Many more. Population increasing fast, overcrowding increasing. Good, means more crime means more fun.

20th Felsite 251
Wood-Queen didn't consider arena fights valid solution for overcrowding.

22nd Felsite 251
Wood-bitch has decided to shit out all the Mountain's dogs on my side of the river. Manacles too large for puppies. Young meat is tender, solution perhaps?

26th Felsite 251
Omeganaut's housing project increasing morale. Decreasing chance of violence. Dispose of him? No, Wood-bitch likes him. She won't be in charge for long, by year's end no one will question quiet disappearance of foreman.

28th Felsite 251
Omeganaut brought good news: puppies crammed into faraway shack. Will finally be able to think without annoying yapping furballs. Reconsider: Seems much too logical course of action for peasant-pleaser. Investigate the shack later.

[Tacomagic]

Year 2, Summer,

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st Hematite, 251,
Over the past few days I have been spending more time getting to know one of my agents, Kaladin.  The woman is an absolute delight!  Not only has she heard of the philosophy and teachings of Ordin Tredlek, but she has a few volumes that are not in my collection!  She even lent me one of the more interesting looking: "Dwarven Soul Purification: The Fundamentals of Applied Discomfort."

I will be spending the next few weeks devouring this rare tome.  Since I'll be so engaged, I've informed Omeganaut that I will be leaving him in charge of the workflow restructuring project.  His council has been invaluable in the past few months, so I trust him to oversee this important work.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's, secret journal,

In a strange turn of fate, the "Queen" has left me in charge of developing the neutral zone.  Aside from a few piddling requirements that shouldn't have any impact on my ability to complete the project, she has given me entirely free reign to work as I see fit.  I am uncertain how to respond to such sudden and blind trust.  I feel almost bad that I will ultimately abuse this brief period of free reign.  Almost.

The first thing I did was to look at every stockpile in both precincts to see how they are currently set up.  They are a mess.  Before I started, I completely removed all stockpiles in the slums, not counting those related to holding food.  Further, I made sure all the food related stockpiles were locked down to prevent errant hauling.  Until the neutral zone is complete, there is to be no hauling of crap anywhere.

And I want that to be true of both sides of Glovedloved.  I sent word to TacoMagic that she should execute a similar set of changes on her end.  I can only assume she'll do it.

Gods I hate wasting my time with this mess.  But I must keep up appearances for the sake of the citizens.  A success here may earn me even more favor with the court, which I can use to slowly undermine their power base.



My first small abuse of power was have quarters carved for myself, Skulls, and Kaladin.  If I'm questioned, I will argue that the agents of the Mountain are best housed in the neutral zone so that we may properly move between the two populations.

My real reasoning is partly selfish, as these will be rather nice quarters and I feel that my position is one fitting of a slightly higher standard of living.  The other half is that I need some way to placate Skulls.  I know that she is already suspicious of the shed, so  I think some rooms nicely appointed with silver chains, spike traps, and maybe a small pile of masterwork bone crafts might at least buy her good graces for a short while. I've asked the carpenters to produce a large supply of spikes to create some decorations for Skulls quarters.

Kaladin was more of an afterthought.  She is just as crazy as the "Wood Queen."  However, leaving her out would look suspicious.



After much thought, I have come up with a strategy to keep the stockpiles accessible while at the same time properly robbing my people of anything worthwhile, as mandated by the denizens of the mountain.  I have created a number of generalized stockpiles, mostly aimed at holding both the basic building materials of both precincts, as well as a few piles for holding furniture and finished goods.  The idea being that anything that is harvested, mined, or collected will be staged here, accessible to both places.  From there, the materials can be streamed to where they will actually be used and then sent to specifically linked piles next to the actual shops, with furniture and trade-goods eventually returning to the neutral zone for convenient access by the traders.

These will be the ONLY stockpiles accessible to take loose items.

There is also a singular stockpile set to gather weapons, armor, and ammunition.  Sadly, I know better than to leave it at that.  This pile will only be a staging area that will ultimately cause these items to flow into the Mountain and out of our control.  In the future, I will have to see if I can direct some of these goods away, but, for now, this will go a long way to proving my good intent to the Mountain dwellers.

3rd Hematite, 251,



My work continues.  With the restructuring of everything production related, I've now started in on designing some more orderly work areas for us.  These open-air shops will serve as our primary wood-processing area.  I had the lads sneak a bowyery in there among the shops while I was at it.  I'll have to make sure that it's only used for bow making at night so as not to alert anyone as to its existence.  We'll be limited to wooden bolts, but it is better than wrestling squads.

The more difficult task of creating a more permanent and ordered food production area still lies ahead of me.  Ugh, I think I shall sleep on that and handle it on the morrow.

9th, Hematite, 251,



Damn humans arrived before I had a chance to move the Depot.  Won't be much for them this year, not that I care.  The Mountain has made it clear that trading is their business.

4th Malachite, 251,



Ech, great, more migrants.  Just what I need.

7th Malachite, 251,



The digging has been going extremely slowly in the neutral zone.  I wasn't sure why until I saw Nebline ordering my mining crew around.



Apparently Nebline took it upon herself to start the new crafting area for the mountain.  That's fine, I suppose.  I have more pressing issues at the moment anyway.

I have finished the first phase of the new restructuring and am quickly working on the second.  Kaladin, whom I'd always pegged as a worthless sod, wordlessly handed me a book a few days ago entitled "Organizational Excellence: Applied Yarn Theory and Other Tricks."  It has an ingenious system that will solve many of the workflow issues that has everyone standing around thinking about barrels all the time.

9th Malachite, 251,



We rounded up the dogs today and started putting them in their new home.  I had a cage put in with them just in case we need to exert some more exact population control on them.

23rd Malachite, 251,



Aww hell, what next!?

Shortly after, EinsteinSatDown took over a clothier's shop and started demanding stuff we don't have, yarn cloth.  Luckily we have an alpaca, so I ordered one sheared and set up a loom to turn it into cloth.

Where has that damn queen gotten herself off to?   I thought she was supposed to be running this freak show!

5th Galena, 251,



Food is now becoming an immediate issue.  All the hodgepodge food stockpiles have caused a massive snarl that confused everyone about where exactly food was supposed to go.  Now that those amazing Yarn Theory stockpiles are operational, I have removed ALL the other stockpiles within the slums.  It means longer hauls for everyone, but the lack of confusion should allow more useful food collection and distribution.  And it's not as though there aren't enough dwarves standing around being useless anyway.

I've also reactivated the hunters and ordered a few dozen sets of wooden bolts to try to bring in a little more food.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

6th Galena, 251,
Omeganaut has been doing such a great job with the workflow renovations that I have decided to leave them to his capable hands.  I'll catch up with him in the fall once several of my other projects have been completed.

Speaking of those projects, the first is already done and ready for initial use.



This will be our new primary workshop area.  I haven't included any space for the stockpiles just yet, but once Omeganaut is finished with the workflow restructuring, I will make sure to order Nebline to dig out some more space near each area.



Since Nebline needs something to do in the meantime, I have commissioned a most important chamber to be dug out.  Once Neblime is finished with the digging, I will reactivate Nordinkel's engraving group and have the entire room smoothed and engraved with the short, yet important history of Glovedloved.

22nd Galena, 251,



I've heard reports that the prospects are complaining about a lack of food or something.  Seems as though my plans to help them along with some righteous hunger has come to pass on its own.  A very serendipitous occurrence!  Truly Glovedloved is blessed by the gods themselves!

28th Galena, 251,



As Summer comes to a close, I am excited that the chamber I ordered excavated is nearly completed and soon will move onto the next phase.  I have a short six months to see it through, so I hope there will be enough time.



More importantly though, with the neutral zone coming together and nearly complete, we finally have the beginning of seperation! The walls went up last night, cutting the main halls of Mountain off from the prospects.  With the completion of the crafting area, soon we will have true quarantine of the sacrifices!

[Chimerat]

Eighth Entry: Goals

...

It's not fair! It's. NOT. FAIR!

We finally get another male in out midst and now TacoMagic expresses her disapproval of any sort of party. How else are we supposed to get to know Digger better (and, more importantly, let him get to know me--uh, "us") if not through social contact.

I mean, I can generally find excuses to be near other work areas if need be, but that's not the best way to keep on schedule as far as food and drink production is concerned. After all, I want at least a few Roasts to head out on the next caravan to the Mountainhome, so that my teachers can see that Regaval's dietary needs are in good hands and that their lessons were taken to heart... That can't happen, I was told by Nordinkel, unless there's a surplus in the mountain.

Well... If they want a "surplus" I'll give them a surplus, by Armok! It's not like our Butcher balks at the thought of performing her duties, for which I am grateful.

Though it would be much easier if we could just trade for more female animals to milk or even just breed so we'd have more meat in a few years once the young mature...

...

And TacoMagic still won't let me share any of my creations with the other half of our population... I can hear some of them crying for food outside the confines of the mountain and it tears at my heart a bit... I didn't learn to cook and brew only to have Dwarves starving within my own community. And they are in my community, even with this insanity imposed by Nordinkel and embraced by TacoMagic for some unknown reason. (She's still talking about paving something or another and I've stopped really listening to her on that point.)

Maybe with all the stockpiles in the "neutral" area, I can find a way to smuggle a barrel or two of Roasts to those in need? Maybe even just Biscuits, though I'd hate to make such simple food...

[EinsteinSatDown]

Better late, than never.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The following transcriptions were found within an ancient tome, bound with blood-stained ostrich leather.
On the first page is written "The annotations of Iden Oshenmafol concerning Glovedloved and its cursed denizens"

3rd of Obsidian, the year 250

Insanity.
All of this muck, this suffering, it maddens me.
Write, the wife says.
How are scribbles on pages supposed to make me sane?
Aye, once I enjoyed scribbling.
I created tales of woe and wonder, of giant beasts and the heroic dwarves who faced them.

But I was a young and foolish dwarf.
Since then, time has taught me that labor and tradition are more important than blots of ink.
Why am I still scribbling then?
Have I finally gone completely mad, talking to myself without talking but rather writing?
Why!?
It is this place.
Glovedloved.
It has brought only misery.

18th of Granite, the year 251

The mind is more ordered now.
The squalor of this place has made me calm, or at least more patient.
Each day we, the unlucky mass of dwarves camping beneath the foot of a mountain, struggle for survival.
Yet, I am calm.
I wait and think.
From the ideas swarming in my head, one is quite appealing.
This book will become a history of this place. I shall record all that happens, for I sense great things to come.

Looking at Glovedloved as it is now, though, weakens the heart.
We are dwarves, proud and sturdy, the mightiest beings to walk this land.
Yet, some pompous fools deny us our very nature!
These self-proclaimed kings and queens, with their conniving words and dishonorable ways, they dare let us languish in the sun!?
They dare keep us away from stone, steel and fire!?
They dare degrade us to the likes of elves and humans!?
Alas, nothing can be done.
Most of the fools I find myself with have deluded themselves that this is the way, they would gladly die in the muck with the hope of entering the hallowed halls above us.
Are they not dwarves!?
Do they not adhere to our traditions!?
Perhaps I am insane.


23rd of malachite, the year 251
Clothes.
Mud-stained, rotting clothes.
All this activity around me, dwarves at work.
I do not notice.
Whatever is happening, I do not care.
No, I only care about one thing.
Clothes.
All these emotions of anger and misery have led me to conclude: We need clothes.
I need to create clothes!
Away with all these scribbles, away with all these dwarves, I NEED YARN CLOTH!!!
I NEED IT NOW!!!

[Tacomagic]

Gloveloved Year 2: Fall

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st Limestone, 251,
My term as leader is already half over and there is still so much to accomplish.  Luckily I now have my agents to assist in making sure Nordinkel eats his words.

Skulls recently brought to my attention the issue of morale.  Apparently all the starvation has made some of the prospects unhappy.  We cannot have that!  I asked for a suggestion and Skulls assured me that more chains, a few more cages, and a dedicated guard squad under her leadership was all that is necessary to improve morale.  She seems to know her business so I approved the scouting of dwarves to eventually use in creation of the guard squad and passed on the order for chains and cages to Omeganaut.

2nd Limestone, 251,
Omeganaut complained that without any metal or smithing facilities, he would be unable to produce the chains required to outfit the facilities that Skulls requested.  I had not considered that.  I assured him that I would have Nordinkel produce the required chains and have them delivered to the neutral zone.  Omeganaut seemed oddly disappointed to hear this news.  He probably fears the corrupting power of the metal.

8th Limestone, 251,



Traders arrived early this year.  We do not have much to trade them, but then again, we are not in need of much.  I left that up to Nordinkel, he fancies himself a trader and I will not be the one to disillusion him.

13th Limestone, 251,

While there is far more than enough mining work to go around, I've added yet another critical piece of work to both Neblime's and Omeganaut's list.  As part of the final quarantine of the sacrifices, the brook must be deepened to a stream.  A course of water to wash away any taint that that tries to cross.

14th Limestone, 251,



I have word that the prolonged exposure to the corruption finally drove Einsteinsatdown into madness.  This is a day of great sadness.  It is the destiny of all exposed to such luxury to someday lose our minds in the same fashion.  I can only hope I can stand strong against the power of the taint long enough to finish the great work laid out before me.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

14th Limestone, 251,
Damn those bastards in the mountain.  Were it not for them Einstein would have been able to finish whatever it was he had been planning.

I tried to get him the cloth he needed, but after the alpaca was sheared the wool from it was lost in the shuffle of shops and has since vanished.  I have a sickening feeling that it ended up in the mountain, outside our grasp.

They will pay for this.  Just a little more time, and they will pay.

16th Limestone, 251,

I found one of Skulls' thugs skulking around the shack this morning.  I told him there was a special task I needed done and only he could do it for me.



There was an unfortunate accident while he was working on the task I assigned him.  He will no longer be snooping around the shack.

17th Limestone, 251,



Astounding!  The poor thug's throat miraculously healed itself and he seems no worse for wear.  That man has the very luck of the demons.




Meanwhile, more fucking puppies.



I had the dwarves build a new food and textile workplace.  One of the shops is a butcher.  That should hopefully solve the one or two issues we have with the abundance of dogs.  I am beginning to understand SKulls' aversion.  A kea snuck into the pen earlier this week and was ripped entirely to shreds.  The sight was too gruesome to stomach.  We decided to leave them to their feast.



The other animals are still a problem.  I told the farmers to set aside some of the greenery for a pasture and dump everything that isn't a dog or a laying animal there.  Meanwhile, I'll be working with the carpenter mob to get some kind of coop built so that we can start collecting eggs.

19th Limestone, 251,



Our community grows steadily despite the lack of food imposed on us by the denizens of the mountain.  The coop has been planned and space allocated, and the road leading through the village has been extended to the north and south to accommodate more growth.  I, no, we have accomplished so much in the Seven months since I arrived and took charge of this ragtag group of refugees.  But there is still much to do.

And the progress on my project inches ever forward.  Einstein, you will be avenged.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

19th Limestone, 251,

Word has reached me that the first miracle of Glovedloved has appeared!  One of Skulls' trusted deputies was miraculously healed after a most unfortunate accident when a scaffolding he was working on collapsed.  Skulls told me that the poor soul's throat was reduced to little more than a ragged, bleeding hunk of flesh.  And then, moments later, was nearly whole again!

Despite the hardship and difficulties we have faced, we ARE blessed by the Path!  I have already made plans to commission Skulls to oversee the creation of a most blessed work around the village square!

24th Limestone, 251,



The progress on deepening the brook into a full stream is progressing quite sufficiently.  I am convinced that we will finish the course by mid winter.

Meanwhile Nordinkel finally met up with the traders from mountainhome.  He purchased a bunch of raw food and alcohol for Chimerat to play with.  I will need to work with Omeganaut on a system to prevent the taint of the mountainhome from reaching the denizens of West Glovedloved.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

26th Limestone, 251,



Sometimes I hate my brethren.  After finishing the setup of the new food and textile area, somebody found the pile of alpaca wool and is turning it into cloth as I write this.

My deepest condolences Einstein, your brothers and sisters are idiots.

27th Limestone, 251,



Just what I needed.  More mouthes to feed, and more idlers to find work.

3rd Sandstone, 251,
There is a bounty of food and spirits sitting on the trade depot for anyone brave enough to take it.  The "kings" in the Mountain are too busy with their plotting and bickering to notice if a few barrels go missing while they are shuffled around to the stockpiles.

19th Sandstone, 251,



There are so many of us now that I've ordered the second story of the first building to be furnished as rooms.  This will bring our total lodgings up to a full sixty.  I fear that the migration in the spring may be more than our current capacity, even with all rooms furnished.  I will work with our architects in picking an additional spot for a third lodge in the morning.

21st Sandstone, 251,



The rooms for myself, Skulls, and Kaladin are now habitable, and I have approved the move for all three of us into these quarters.  They are still rather rough, so I gathered some of the dwarves standing around without any apparent aim and ordered some smoothing to be started.

24th Sandstone, 251,



Never underestimate a group of dwarves without anything better to do with their time.  The smoothing of the quarters will be completed long before the end of the week at this rate.

13th Timber, 251,




Finally, revenge is at hand.  Njneko took over our craft shop and has been asking for a large variety of items.  If she cannot find them all herself...

I have ordered the loyal citizens of West Glovedloved to ignore any pleas for materials that Njneko might make.  Where was she when Einstein needed cloth?

18th Timber, 251,



Today I gathered a few of the idle dwarves and formed them into the beginnings of a citizen defense force and gave them over to Doc Timless to train in what he calls Karawtey.  Thus far he has proven loyal to the people of West Glovedloved, so I think I can trust him with this.  I plan to add more loyalists as I find them milling around.

20th Timber, 251,



The people have elected me mayor of our little village.  It seems only natural that, as their leader, they chose me to lead by virtue of election.  I shall do my best to honor this station.

Unfortunately, shortly after the drinking and celebration had begun, I learned that Skunks is to be promoted by the Mountain.  Now she will be both sheriff and captain of the guard.  I do not doubt that she will quickly gathered her thugs and begin training them in the sadism that so delights her.

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

28th Timber, 251,

It has been quite an eventful fall, and as the land passes into winter, I gladly see the Path before us.  I have promoted Skulls to captain of the guard now that there are enough prospects to merit such a position among them, and have provided her with the permission to form up a band of enforcers to make sure our good work continues unhindered by the taint.

While I find the fell glee she recieved that news with almost distrubing, I continue to remind myself how important it is that I have agents like her to maintain the Path before us.

With only three months left, there is still so much to do.  Yet, I am hopeful that there will be enough time.  We shall see.

[Chimerat]

Ninth Entry: Downhill...

So... It's come to this then?

I'd heard word that one of our fellows went mad because TacoMagic refused to give them access to our supplies. When you're in a Mood the Fort complies, darnit!

At least he didn't starve to death, I suppose... At least not yet. I don't think any Dwarf who failed to fulfill their Mood ever recovers enough to want to enjoy food or drink again.

I wonder if TacoMagic's paving project will work out before she goes crazy and rids us of her influence.

Still need to get that barrel of roasts to the needy if I can manage it. The supplies from the caravan are more than enough to go around. There was even trade for alcohol for some odd reason. Is my Still not good enough for Nordinkel then?

The need is pressing with the arrival of even more Dwarves that are forbidden from entering the mountain with the rest of us who arrived first. For the moment, I'm dragging my feet on reminding the hauler to move things around. Maybe I won't have to help those outside the mountain if they just...help themselves first?

[Skullsploder]

17th Limestone 251

Etur managed to collapse a scaffold on himself. Idiot.

27th Limestone 251

More hopefuls in the Slum. Many more. Maybe my chance for more power. Must consult with Wood-Queen. Too many potential wrongdoers for one lonesome Sheriff to handle...

21st Sandstone 251

The rooms Omeganaut built for us are nice. Spacious. Bit rough, but he says he's got some slummies working on that. Omeganaut low on potential enemies list. Still high risk of me being wrong - he likes slummies. Must keep watching.

19th Timber 251

Whispers Omeganaut's getting a militia together. Danger. Compromises my authority. Whoever he assigned as their leader will be getting interrogated. Just need to find the fuck. Must push for more power, dedicated soldiers, good weapons. With dwarvish steel behind me slummies will bleed. Oh yes they will bleed.

28th Timber 251

Finally. I am Captain of the Guard of Glovedloved, Mountain of Kings, and those that live within and without. First order of business, whippers thugs soldiers peacekeepers. Etur is an idiot, but an idiot who can survive a log falling on his neck. He'll be the first. After me, of course. I always fancied a suit of plate and a nice whip. Maybe a sword as well. So many ways to hurt.

[Tacomagic]

Gloveloved Year 2: Winter

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Excerpt from The Historical Accounts of Glovedloved, as recorded by Kaladin, Tax Collector and Spiritual Advisor to the Rightful Queen,

251 has been a miraculous year for this beacon of hope we call Glovedloved.  Just when it looked as if they would be lost, once again the righteous teachings of Ordin Tredlek are given life in The Floor of Secreting.  The Path is being followed and the dwarves are once again heading toward true ascension.



Even as the histories of The Floor of Secreting are carved upon the living stone of the Mountain, one of the great constructions predicted by Ordin Tredlek is being erected above the blessed prospects of West Glovedloved.



And yet, even as this great structure is erected, a shadow looms on the horizon.  A rift is forms among the prospects, threatening to turn dwarf against dwarf.  Glovedloved stands poised between greatness and ruin.  Only time will tell which it will choose.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st of Moonstone, 251,

There is still so much to accomplish and I have a short 3 months to see it done.  I will make Nordinkel eat his words, even if it means bending the mandates I have laid out for our great civilization.  With so much yet to do, and so few sacrifices to do it, I will have to let some laborers into the Mountain to complete the projects I have laid out.  I shall have Skulls hand-select the least virtuous among those in West Glovedloved to be the crew that will brave the taint of opulence.

I fear that this is an exercise of arrogance on my part.  Is it really true to the Path to allow this exposure so that the works I have laid forth are completed?  I cannot know.  There may yet be a reckoning if it is indeed my own delusions of grandeur that push me toward this decision.  If this is folly, then I must prepare to accept the fate which Ordin Tredlek predicts for all those who deviate from the Path.

3rd of Moonstone, 251,



I fear the Path's anger at my presumption.  I have begun to prepare for my judgment.  I am wracked with despair and joy in the knowledge that even in my selfishness, I can still serve the path.  I have come to understand the madness that must consume all who bear the title of sacrifice.  I embrace it as a lover.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

8th Moonstone, 251,

Despite withholding assistance, Njneko has gathered everything she needs to create the object she has been raving about.  I mourn that this chance for revenge has amounted to nothing.

Einsteinsatdown has not been seen in days.  I fear that his body is out there in the forest somewhere, rotting beneath the great void of sky.  I've dispatched a few dwarves to look for his body.

10th Moonstone, 251,



We found Einstein's body today; thrown unceremoniously on the refuse pile as common garbage.  I suspect that Skulls, or one of her thugs, is behind this.  It is time to build a mausoleum for our dead.  I had hoped this day would not come for some time.

13th Moonstone, 251,



Good, now she can go back to where she came from and leave us in peace.



The damn thing is gaudy as hell.  I cannot even fathom what goes through the minds of the misanthropes living in the Mountain.

14th Moonstone, 251,



The miners finally found what we have been searching for.  It was impossible to keep the loyalists from celebrating this momentous event. I fear our hedonistic joviality has made Skulls suspicious.  We will have to back off of this project for a little while, until Skulls' prying eyes focus on something else.

27th Moonstone, 251,



We have carved out a very basic mausoleum for our dead.  Little more than a tunnel.  With TacoMagic pushing to get all her unfinished projects completed by the end of winter, we have little time for more than this right now.  I promise you, Einstein, we will do better than this when we have time.

Excerpts from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

28th of Moonstone, 251,

The first month is past and I have all the dwarves working furiously to finish up everything that is yet undone in the Mountain. 



First, the crafting area is finally getting some stockpile space.



Second, the path down has finally reached the caverns.  I have no idea why this is necessary, but Ordin Tredlek's "The Depth of Soul" specifically says that finding the caverns is part of the Path.  Likely there are other volumes of his teaching that I have yet to read which will explain this further.



Third, the chamber of sacrifice is nearing completion thanks to the crew of tainted dwarves that Skulls put together.



Finally, the object of my penance marches toward completion.  It calls to me already and haunts my dreams.

8th of Opal, 251,



The northern half of the stream is now completely dug out.  The symbolic barrier protecting the prospects from the corruption of the Mountain is now half complete.  The southern half is near completion and I expect to see the entirety of the project complete within the next week.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

19th Opal, 251,



Congratulations to Citizen defender Ber.  I wish you much joy with the little one.

21rd Opal, 251,



The work on digging out the stream was finished this afternoon.  While providing no actual barrier to the mountain, the meaning is unmistakable.  The residents of West Glovedloved will always be on their own.

23rd Opal, 251,



The strange construction that TacoMagic commissioned is nearing completion.  I am frankly baffled as to its purpose.  Such a strange, flimsy construct leading to apparently nowhere.  Yet, looking at it, I'm filled with a strange mixture of anxiety and expectation.  I know that something is about to happen, but I cannot fathom what it might be.

25th Opal, 251,



Another thing to cross off my list.  The crafting area for the "kings" is now completed.  I shall attempt to hide my excitement for the Mountain residents now that they have a crafting area all to themselves.   

27th Opal, 251,



We have finally laid Einstein to his final rest.  Sleep well, my friend.

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Wood Queen overseer of Glovedloved,

1st Obsidian, 251,



Finally, the structure that fills my every thought is completed.  There is only one last thing to do.  It is long in coming that I address the people and tell them what lies ahead down the Path.

I must prepare.

Excerpts from The Historical Accounts of Glovedloved, as recorded by Kaladin, Tax Collector and Spiritual Advisor to the Rightful Queen,

7th of Obsidian, 251,

Today our Queen summoned us to the foot of the mountain, finally ready to address her subjects and instruct them in the Path.  She stood high upon a newly constructed stone platform, the sun shining upon her tawny skin.  Her voice boomed down from the Mountain as she addressed us,



"Prospects of West Glovedloved!  I have put off addressing you for far too long, trusting that fate and your own guidance would see you through the Path.  Even though I knew that few among you knew the true destiny of the dwarves, I trusted that the Path would simply appear before you and you would jump to follow it.  I now understand the error of that thinking!  It was presumption on my part that I would not have to lift a finger to show you all the Path, that the Path would do that great work for me.  It is time I stopped hiding from the Path, hiding from you all!

It is not an easy thing to walk the Path.  It demands pain, dedications, discipline, self-denial, and, above all, the rejection of the corrupting luxuries of metal and gem.  And it demands sacrifice.  And yet, if we are to ever become what we, the dwarves, were truly meant to be, we must persevere to follow this grand Path to the destination of Truth that lies at the end of it!

There was a dwarf, long before our time, named Ordin Tredleks, who saw the Path in its purest form.  He knew what it was, where it led, and how to walk it.  He dedicated his life to developing the teachings and philosophy of the Path.  Through your newly appointed spiritual leader, Kaladin, I have made all the works I have available to you all to read.

But, it is time that I turn to face the Path myself.  In my arrogance, I thought that I could further the great works of the Path while ignoring the mandates that separate both Prospect and Sacrifice.  I thought that, by being Sacrifice, I could ignore the requirements of the Path and lead a life unconstrained by the teachings and philosophy I held most dear.  I thought that bearing the full burden of the Path meant renouncing it so that I would be the most perfectly vile being for the Sacrifice.  But I was wrong.  By renouncing the Path I had unwittingly lead you all to stray from it.  It is time that I turn and join you in facing the Path.  In trusting it.  In having faith that the Path will lead even one such as myself to the absolution obtained by becoming a vessel of pure dwarfdom.  But faith is not easy.  Faith requires a leap of absolute trust.

But, even more, as I said earlier, the Path demands sacrifice.  It is before you all here today that I offer myself to the Path as a Holy Sacrifice!  To be the beacon to show you all the way.  I trust completely in the Path, and I know that it will accept this sacrifice in the name of all living in West Glovedloved!"

She turned, revealing a lever carved from the purest Olivine that had been concealed behind her.  It glistened in the sunlight, the translucent pale green crystals almost shining with purpose in the sunlight.

"Today, I put my life, my soul into the hands of the Path so that you may all come to understand it, and walk along its holy course."



And with that, she pulled the lever home. 



With a rumble and a crack, the single pillar supporting her perch crumbled, the platform pitched forward at a crazy angle, and then all fell to the earth kicking up a massive cloud of dirt and clay.  It took hours for the dust to settle. Hours before we went to go and look for the body.

But those who study the Path know that it works in strange ways.  The Path curves and folds back in on itself; there are eddies and currents.  It is more than just a road and a destination, but rather a grand chain of events, a holy progression of cause and effect.  Only the Path knows the full course it leads.  Only it knows what can and must happened when following it.  And only it decides the fate of those who honestly believe.




We found the Queen lying in a pile of collapsed rubble near the base of the mountain, one leg completely shattered beyond recognition, and her arm crushed under a log.  And yet, she was alive.  The Path had seemingly rejected her Sacrifice.  Rejected her trust and her soul.  Rejected her.

It would not be for several days that we understood what the Path wanted on that day.  And it would change everything at Glovedloved.

15th of Obsidian, 251,



It was a full week after the Queen had been rushed, crushed and bleeding, to the temporary hospital I set up in the southern domicile.  I kept her secreted away there, remote from the prying eyes of Omeganaut and his Loyalists and Skulls and her Thugs.  Quietly, I began to gather the Followers of the Path to me so that I could help my queen.  She was still unconscious but stable, yet without medical attention I knew she would not be much longer for this world.  Trusting to the Path is one thing, but trust without a good doctor is less than folly.

I found a doctor among the ranks of the believers and set him to work.  But even after hours of surgery, he said she would never walk again.  At the time I thought that the Path had picked the most symbolic form of rejection it could for our queen, and in a moment of weakness I despaired and cursed the Path for its cruelty.



Later that day I got word that the body of Breemont had been pulled from the rubble which had broken through into the Mountain.  They had found her body inside the very throne room of the Mountain.  Within Nordinkel's inner chamber itself.  The Path had claimed its sacrifice after all.

In talking to the denizens of West Glovedloved, I soon learned that Breemont had been enraged at the Queen for the death of Einstein and had long plotted her downfall.  I can only surmise that Breemont was trying to take TacoMagic's life and was sneaking up on the queen at the very moment she pulled the lever!

The Path not only spared the life of our most holy Queen, but protected her from a gruesome death at the hands of non-believer!  I learned on that day to never doubt the Truth of the Path.  And that is how my Queen's sacrifice on that very day accomplished the aim that the Path had really been calling for.  It had made me honestly, fully believe in the Path in a way that put lie to the shadow of devotion I had prior to the Queen's descent from the mountain.  I, along with everyone at Glovedloved, had been blessed to bear witness to the second miracle of the Path.

And now, the Holy Queen was where she belonged.   Among her people in West Glovedloved.

Excerpts from Omeganaut's secret journal,

17th Obsidian, 251,

I am still reeling from what that crazy bitch did more than a week ago.  I cannot make myself understand why she did it.  Why would anyone do something so utterly insane!?

She is a mad woman beyond anything that I ever suspected.  And now I've learned that she did not even have the decency to die!  My agents tell me that Kaladin has locked herself in with the Queen under my very nose in the southern dormitory!  To think that TacoMagic is right there, so close and at death's door, yet I cannot touch her without igniting a civil war between the Followers and my Loyalists.

This is untenable!



I am little comforted that not even the denizens of the Mountain mourn the fall of their queen.

The body of Breemont is in the process of being removed from the Mountain.  I've already ordered my miners to widen the mausoleum to receive her, and some of the others are working on a slab and coffin to put her to rest.  I cannot help but feel responsible for Breemont's death since I was the one who convinced her to make the attempt on the Queen's life.

The second good soul to die under my watch, and this one is my fault alone.  Was I wrong?  Should I have stayed my hand against the mountain.  For the first time since I took command of West Glovedloved, I am faced with uncertainty.  I do not know what to do now.  Maybe once the shock wears off I will see things more clearly.  In the meantime, I need a drink.  Several, actually.

27th Obsidian, 251,



I've been informed that the doctors sympathetic to the Followers are still working on the "queen."  It's become clear from the rumors that it is unlikely that she will ever walk again and may remain bedridden for the rest of her days.  I will pretend to feel bad about that.



As the year of the rule of TacoMagic comes to an end, we have one final mood.  One of my people went storming into the Mountain babbling in tongues about gods knows what.  It is one of the newer dwarves that I do not know by name yet, but I'm told that before coming to Glovedloved he was a smith of some small skill.  With the Mountain denizens being so close-fisted with the metal around here, I do not hold much hope that I will ever see him again.  I have already ordeeds the Mausoleum to be widened again.  Perhaps when the spring comes I'll order more coffins and slabs.



The strange events of winter aside, Glovedloved is looking in surprisingly good shape.  During the drama of the past month, both sides of Glovedloved forgot to keep the stills running, so we recently ran out of booze.  I've ordered five score barrels produced, so that shouldn't be a problem for long. Our fisherdwarves and hunters have been producing a steady supply of meat, and the gathers and farmers are keeping us well stocked with plants.  The kitchens on both sides of the stream have been producing roasts by the dozen.  Even so I put in an order for three score more roasts.  Can never be too careful.

We still have an abundant supply of wood and stone, and I'm told the Mountain is still hoarding lots of precious ores and gems.  We don't have much in the way of finished goods to trade, but that isn't our problem anyway since the Mountain controls the depot.

The most urgent need at the point is textiles.  We have very little cloth and are currently only farming plants that cannot be used to produce thread.  Clothing will become an issue before too much longer if the farmers don't start growing something we can turn into pants.

But, most importantly, Skulls has been distracted by the recent drama with the queen.  In the interim I've had time to think, and have finally come to a something resembling peace with myself and with what has happened.  It is clear to me that the deaths and tragedy would never have happened if the evil denizens of the mountain had never created this insane situation.



I have decided to take the opportunity of moving forward with the project.

28th Obsidian, 251,

My gods, I just looked out the window and what did I see?





Even as I frantically write this it has killed two of the citizen's defense soldiers that ran out to try to bring it down.  Now it is running toward the crafting shops to partake in more slaughter.



Why have the gods forsaken this place?

[Chimerat]

Tenth Entry: Ding-Dong...

Alright... So I need to fix my priorities a little.I was focused so much on trying to get food out to the starving masses and I forgot to produce any drink... I now suspect that Nordinkel did well to trade for some with the last caravan, but I certainly hope we shall never have that need again...

Perhaps the next arrivals to be welcomed into our lonesome insanity will be males... Males who might be able to control Still or Kitchen while I work the other. Keeping one idle all the time just hits me as being a horrible waste...

Oh, and we don't need to bother with tacomagic anymore! (Yup, no more capitals for you, you utterly crazy she-Dwarf!)

To think, after all the drink and roasts that she's consumed, and all the suffering she imposed on the other half of our population, she went and killed herself in some public display of insanity that she apparently though was the peak of Dwarven Civilization.

Good riddance! Time to go and join that party now. ...Maybe after a few more barrels of drink.

[neblime]

Gloveloved year 3 Spring

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Journal of Neblime the King Queen of Rock
1st granite
I awoke this morning to panicked cries and screams from without the mountain, and a not inconsiderable hangover.  stumbling out of my room and out onto the half ruined balcony tacomagic had constructed, a frightening sight confronted me
some horrible sloth twisted as if into a man was locked in furious combat with a couple of dwarves on the west side of the river, form what I could see several had already fallen, oh armok, the blood was everywhere.
A much more disturbing sight caught my eye however: Peasants streaming into the neutral zone in terror, seemingly intent on breaching the mountain itself!


It seems skulls and his thugs were not able to keep them back, and then I realised since Tacomagic's rather dramatic exit from the mountain there was no one really calling the shots.
Seeing the opportunity, I stepped forward and addressed the mob of angry and scared peasants who had intruded upon our inner sanctum,
I implored them not to panic, and not to corrupt our holiest of mountains. 
Returning to the balcony I cried out for the other dwarves to lock themselves in those wooden buildings they had earlier constructed.
 I saw that only one dwarf still stood against the weresloth, but he soon fell down, injured.  It seemed that there was nothing between the weresloth and the defenseless civilian dwarves except a flimsy wooden door, but at that moment it seemed to go through a horrible transformation.  although 5 dwarves lay dead and a few others injured, the weresloth seemed to have transformed back into...

AN ELF?
I thought we were safe here from the pointy eared scum!

he was promptly chased down and beaten to death, one of the miners claiming the kill.
6 dwarves survived combat with the beast, doc timeless among them.  I quickly ordered them to be forcefully segregated in an underground room, for fear that they might undergo a similar transformation to that unfortunate elf, except one who burst into tacomagic's hospital room and lay down on the same table as her, why I cannot fathom, to beg her for help perhaps?
In any case the queen was escorted to safety in another hospital room and the peasants are in the process of walling off the old hospital with the injured dwarf still inside, and the underground room containing the other dwarves.

Now that the initial danger has passed i'm sure the peasants west of the river can handle the problem themselves, but I seem to have placed my self in a position where I give the orders?
I Can't say I dislike this.

[Chimerat]

Eleventh Entry: New Year, New Overlord

Seems Neblime has taken over the job of she-who-took-the-Coward's-leap at the end of last year.

Hopefully she's slightly more sane.

I was drawn to the entrance of the mountain by screams and saw some sort of furry creature slaughtering our fellows.

Of course Neblime didn't order anyone to help, though this time I can nearly understand that. We have so few of us in this mountain and only one of us (I believe) has bothered with any combat training.

Still...it was hard to get back to work with that horror ringing in my ears.

[neblime]

Gloveloved year 3 Spring (cont.)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

excerpts from omeganaut's secret journal
12 granite
no sooner has the crazy ex-queen has been safely enconsced in a new hospital,

 and things finally calmed down a bit after the ramapge of the weresloth, when we get a bunch of wannabe mountaindwellers arriving at our door.
more mouths to feed, more warm bodies that need beds.  Great.
We gathered the bodies and buried them in a small memorial south of where it happened. 
I can't believe that those high and mighty bastards in the mountain didn't even send skulls and his thugs to help.  5 dwarves lie dead in the ground, and 6 more might be infected with the curse.  They will pay for this.
24 granite
I heard horrible screams from inside the basement where we locked up the poor unfortunates who were bitten by the werebeast.

After a time I approached and spoke with the much shaken Kogan Abomrek through the wall, I don't know who to feel sorry for, the 5 dwarves (including a poor defenseless baby, and doc timeless) he killed, or him for knowing that he killed them, and having to stand over their mutliated corpses.  At least he didn't transform into an elf when it was over.

As horrible as it is, the potential for violence he showed is impressive.  Having an angry weresloth at your disposal could be helpful one day...
I think I will keep Kogan here as my little secret.  Meanwhile kogan alathokil, who was locked in the other hospital can be released safely now, although he needs to stay in hospital for now anyway.

Diary of Neblime Queen of rock
25 Granite
When asked, skulls told me that everyone who had been touched by the horrid elf-beast was dead.  Not that I really cared if there were more deaths on that side of the river, but at least there's no risk of it spreading to our mountain now.
2 Slate
I was checking on that crazy dwarf who forced his way in here to hijack our forge, when I saw another dwarf skulking around in the shadows, eating our superior food no less!

He rushed past me and back out of the mountain before I could get a good look at him, but I could swear he looks like one of skulls' goons.  A dwarf possesed by creative forces is one thing, but sneaking in to eat our food!? If I ever find out who this dwarf is I will bring the whole weight of the mountain down on him.  Literally if I can.

14 Slate
I had forgotten about The so called "Queen of wood" completely, until I saw her out of her hospital bed and CRAWLING down to the stockpiles.

At first I thought she was trying to regain access to the mountain (fat chance), but then she informed me she was hauling wood to a stockpile. She said she has been given a sign that it is her place to work alongside the other dwarves in the prospects, not to rule from on high.
She is completely mad.
Her legs are still quite broken, as is one of her arms, yet she insists that she shall not rest in the hospital.
15 Slate
My fellow dwarves are utterly useless.  Our possesions lay strewn about our mountain willy nilly, and when I ask one of our number to store something in the Armok damn stockpile they simply reply "Hauling isn't my job!"
From now on hauling is everyone in the mountain's job.  I don't care what you're the queen of, you'll haul like the peasants if you want this mountain to be orderly and clean
18 Slate
The dwarf in the forge room finally succumbed to depression and wandered out of the mountain.  Thank armok, I fear incidents like this set a precedent for other dwarves who wish to come into the mountain.
25 Slate
Skulls informed me today that some tantrums and fistfights broke out on the west side of the river.  The instigator will be executed once the state of the art gallows are completely hooked up, I expect sometime in the next 2 months.
The victim was one "Onud Itlud" reportedly the fight broke out when the herbalist avuz tekkudamas challenged the idea that us dwarves in the mountain have their best interests at heart.  Onud rose to our defence verbally, and avuz argued physically.  Onud suffered a badly crushed left hand before the thugs showed up and apprehended both of them

4 Felsite
I recall that it is the time of year when we consider allowing another dwarf to join our mountain. Or at least it was, back when the werebeast attacked, well better late than never.  Perhaps some peasant work ethic could do some good around here.
There are some clear candidates:
Medicindisguise: Although his medical techniques might be questionable, he certainly got the queen back on her feet in no time
wait, actually she isn't on her feet?
well at least she's out of bed, and he has more experience than our own self proclaimed "queen of health"
Tacomagic: I suspect she might refuse if offered a position back in the mountain, but it may be in our best interests to separate her subversive influence from the prospectives, and if she refuses, other prospectives might do so out of a sense of duty, allowing us to evade our responsibility to let more of the bastards in!
Skulls: performing his duties as well as ever, I believe he has earned a legitimate in the mountain, should he ever want it back.  He could of course continue his activites on the other side of the river by proxy I imagine.
Onud Ituld: I fear for the safety of one sympathetic with us, lying in a hospital, helpless, surrounded by those who would see our mountain overrun and open to all dwarves.  He has shown his faith in our cause by putting his own body on the line, so I say allow him to join us
My vote: Onud Ituld

Spoiler: Bonus:something awakens in the deep! (click to show/hide)

[Chimerat]

Twelfth Entry: No More Sanity...

Neblime is no more sane than tacomagic was...or is. Apparently she's still alive, but other Dwarves are not. I managed a quick conversation with a Dwarf from the outside who came in to sample one of my Roasts. Before directing him to the correct stockpile I learnt that not only was she still alive but that the survivors of the furry beast's attack did not last through the next month...

Now everyone has been given permission to haul items, so I can no longer leave the ingredients out where the other, more needy half of our population can have access.

My plan to somehow smuggle out a barrel of Roasts is revived.

Of course, that will be a little difficult seeing as how we're not allowed to store anything in the barrels, but I'm sure I can manage something if I set my mind to it!

[Tacomagic]

Excerpt from the journal of TacoMagic Rigņthigėr, Priestess of the Followers of the Path,

Mid-Spring, 252,

I honestly have no idea how long I was bedridden, but it has been long enough.  I hear the Path calling to me and it is time I end this convelescence.  In the morning, I will finally embrace my destiny and join the others on the Path.

In the wake of the attack by that horrible creature, it is important now more than ever that the prospects have someone to lead them spiritually.  I thought at first that would be Kaladin, but while she is eager to follow the Path, her learning of Ordin Tredlek's teaching is recent and incomplete.  The Followers unanimously declared that I shall serve as their priestess.

I am honored beyond words.  This destiny is much different than the one I imagined when I pulled the lever.  I shall do my best to honor the Path and follow this new course it had laid before me.

16th Slate, 252,

With both my legs and an arm made useless in the fall, I am finding it difficult to contribute to the great works of West Glovedloved.  But I will prevail in doing some small part.  In times when I am not speaking to the prospects of the Path, I have taken it upon myself to start moving the large amount of wood that is scattered on the country side.  I was once the Queen of wood, so now I shall be a prospect of wood.  Perhaps the act of dragging myself with my one good arm to collect and ferry these logs to the stockpile will aid me in achieving the humility I lacked while I was a Sacrifice.

Then again, it might not be amiss if some of the Followers could make me some kind of wheeled platform for me.  My dress is much worse for wear after the repeated dragging.

[4maskwolf]

The dwarf with the iron mask sat down on the edge of his bed, pulling out a scroll of paper, a quill, and a bottle of ink.  Such supplies were difficult to acquire these days, but as a member of the priesthood he had certain rights the average peasant didn't.  He began to write:

First Entry of The Masked Priest: Spring, 252
My recent arrival at the fortress has brought it to my attention that the situation here is worse than we thought.  At least three major factions exist in this fortress, lording over the peasant class I have found myself in.  While the mountain dwarves acknowledge my status as a priest, but without a larger priesthood they have no place for me in my duties.  This has given me more time to work and observe the plight of the peasants here in Glovedloved.

This fortress is torn by division, my brothers and sisters.  They have taking up petty quarrels with each other over their status within an arbitrary class system, forgetting that when we die we are all the same before Our Lord Armok.  I will make it my mission to unite the fortress into a single unit, all dwarves equal to each other, so that when they die they will be viewed favorably by Our Lord Armok.  There are many tombs to consecrate and many soldiers to bless, and without official support I will be unable to fulfill my duties as a priest of Our Lord Armok.  I have my eye out for dwarves who remain righteous and pious, that they may be offered a spot within our priesthood and aid in my tasks.

Finishing writing, the dwarf carefully stowed his writing supplies back where they came from, then placed his hand over his heart in the shape of a claw, whispering, "Praise be to Our Lord Armok, savior of dwarvenkind and lord of war everlasting."