We now return to your regularly scheduled Slaughterhelm.
"Lmst. Twenty and four. The most dangerous assignment yet[...]pierce the pool where Flame's bones lie rusting and retrieve his body and artefacts[...cer?]tain death, yet I would not have it otherwise; strange though it may be, he was my friend. [...] Also ordered to retrieve a cat from the sur[face...]prefer chickens, myself. Flame loved cats. Maybe it's symbolic." - Personal letter or journal, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 10.
"Sndst. [...] tunnels begun, Flame's body within reach, and suddenly we are ordered to finish path to Tau [...] not my place to question, but should this really be the priority?" - Personal letter or journal, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 64.
"The transcript relates to the speech of Sandstone 13 spoken by Max:
Fellows! Amid aa the turmoil and tears, a spark o' hope arises! Stodir Combatcloisters haes made us a royal crown clypt the Rose of Drums! Let it be a reminder that we maun nae despair i'these dark times." - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. XI
"Sndst. Twenty and seven. Body finally recovered. [...] carry him to Tau spire. As fitting a resting place as any, I suppose." - Personal letter or journal, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 38.
And they laid him on the blue,
and his flesh grew pink anew. - ancient Dwarven children's song
"Tmb. Three. I cannot explain what I have seen [...] no sooner had I set his body on the ordered spot but his chest suddenly heaved and he sat up, blinking. It can only be called a miracle[...]wish we had left his clothes on, though. He did die immersed in cold water..." - Personal letter or journal, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 37.
"The transcript relates to the speech of Timber 4 spoken by Max:
My fellows, some of you may have heard that our patron and protector, the Voidgod, had been killed. I am pleased tae inform you aa that this is no longer the case. Slaughterhelm is now accepting volunteers tae accompany him and retake the surface." - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. V
WINTER.
"Insatiably warlike, goblins regularly raid the frontier settlements of elves, humans, and dwarves; unlike kobolds, they are not driven by greed, but simply by the desire to cause suffering in those they see as inferior." -
CHAPTER II: The Goblin Race; Snosgu, Onuxstud, and Towershopes,
On Evil Races (tr. W. R. Armdog)
"Goblins spied crawling between the charred trees. Numbers unclear. Recommend dispatching Voidgod and recruits immediately." - Military report, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 48.
"Emergency order of 19th Limestone hereby rescinded. The surface is once again open. Authorized by Max, 5th Moonstone." - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. IX
"[...] some kind of enormous rodent [...] Should we kill it?" - Military report, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 102 (partial quote).
"[...] several citizens have formed a circle and are trying to punch the rat thing to death. Please advise." - Military report, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 102 (continued).
"[...]never mind, they just killed it." - Military report, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 102 (remainder).
"Emergency order issued 4th Opal: All citizens are ordered to evacuate the Silent Temple of Voids and the Horned Bastion, and, ideally, to avoid the entire level altogether. Do not attempt to engage in any form of combat with any large rodents that may or may not be observed. The penalty for noncompliance is currently regarded as a state secret. Authorized by Max." - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. X
"4th Opal: The preceding emergency order is hereby terminated. Unrelatedly, all hands are immediately ordered to begin construction of a large holding pen on the surface. Authorized by Max." - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. X
"[...]A strange beast interrupted my studies in the night; I beat it to death with my copy of
Introduction to the Pulley, just as my Headmaster once taught me. Never again shall I forget his sound advice always to carry at least one book bigger than one's head! The creature bit me in the struggle, though, and I feel quite strange. I fear it may have carried some disease. Now the leader of the fortress, a dwarf who is called Max, has personally asked me to visit some kind of building on the surface that is supposed to prevent this from happening again; he was very insistent, and I felt bad for refusing after imposing on his hospitality so, but I intend to leave Slaughterhelm immediately, to receive medical care among my own people. I told Max as much, and he seemed alarmed, but agreed that this would not be a problem as long as - he was very clear on this point - I would be well-removed from the vicinity by the end of the month. The peculiar request had me concerned that I had offended him, though he assured me it was only out of concern for my health." - Personal letter, authored by the human Cegad Channelday in Slaughterhelm. A rare intact Slaughterhelm specimen preserved among the records of the scholarly group to which Channelday belonged.
Correspondence of the Second Century collection, Great Museum of Grapeblossoms.
"Amperzand:
By the time you read this, the pen will have already been sealed. As such, in the unlikely event that you did not foresee what was to occur, I apologise for the deception, but I am confident that you will understand the necessity, for the sake of all Slaughterhelm. It will, then, no doubt fail to surprise you when I state that this curse outbreak strikes me as a surprise blessing. Flame is but one man, and he has already fallen to a demon once; his companions are eager, but untried. If we are to retake what is ours, we need more. The other accursed with whom you have been entombed are now your soldiers. You must first bring them under control, for many will lack your clear-sightedness in understanding why they must be imprisoned, and under no circumstances may the wall be breached. Then you will train them and make them strong. You have a miner among you, so, if necessary, you can dig; of course, you must take care to remain insulated from the fortress proper. Additional recruits and supplies may also be dropped in from above, when possible. For the sake of us all, do not fail. ~ Max" - Official letter, authored by the dwarf Max, de facto overseer of Slaughterhelm. Found with other material inside a large surface structure of unknown purpose.
Correspondence of the Second Century collection, Great Museum of Grapeblossoms.
"25th Opal: Residency hereby GRANTED to human mercenary Kir Sidecrowd. ~Max" - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. III
"25th Opal: Petition for residency of human poet the Lord consort Gagu Fatallure hereby GRANTED. ~Max" - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. III
"[...]I asked him whether it was supposed to be 'fatal lure' or 'fat allure', but he dodged the question[...]" - Personal letter or journal, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 68.
"28th Opal: Petition for residency of gorlak mercenery Wamiwi Burstarm is hereby GRANTED. ~Max" - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. V
"1st Obsidian: Petition for residency of human bard Ospram Nestedblushed hereby GRANTED. ~Max" - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. I
"[...]mentioned his niece Ucim Racedrevered who 'went missing' a few months ago[...] my condolences and changed the subject." - Personal letter or journal, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 51.
"[...]prisoners have transformed, as expected[...]have begun attacking one another[...]three already dead, including Amperzand[...]only one left alive. The operation has been a complete failure." - Military report, unknown author.
Slaughterhelm Palimpsests, fragment 28.
"After the cult members Amperzand and Onciblu were killed in a werechinchilla curse outbreak, it was less than a week before their names were readopted by eager novitiates." - Smoothcoil and Lightpack,
Slaughterhelm's Reincarnation Cult"6th Obsidian: Residency petition of human poet Idur Tuftedgroup is hereby GRANTED. ~Max" - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. III
"The transcript relates to the speech of Obsidian 13 spoken by Max:
My fellows! We shall end this troubl'd year on a higher note, for Ast Sprinkledmirrors haes carved a great ring clypt Steambows the Bulb of Truths, tae expand our hoard!" - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. XI
"The transcript relates to the speech of Obsidian 22 spoken by Max:
My fellows, the year draws e'er nearer tae its close, and the time has come for me tae address you on the matter of the future. This past year, I have sought tae prepare us for a great and terrible challenge. I have seen, instead, that we are not yet ready. But it is my hope that, with time, we shall
become ready, and perhaps on some future day I myself shall lead us down the path I have chosen. For my vision is clear, and this is what I believe we maun do: we will dig out the adamantine we have discovered and penetrate intae the maw of Hell itself, the source of all our problems, and we will do there what none before us have achieved. We will sanctify Hell and make it sacred ground, building a grand temple tae honour our gods, so that aa the people of this world shall come see us in Hell and know that it is ours. The very demons who abide there we will capture and dedicate tae the gods. Then, I believe, when we have purified Hell, our own souls will be purified as well. Now that you have heard my plan, I hope that you will come tae see its value, and follow me willingly." - The Collected Annals of Slaughterhelm, vol. XII
Here is the
save. Why yes, we
did let a werechinchilla-infected human scholar escape and probably destroy the world.
Author
Topic: Slaughterhelm: Fortress of the Void (Deathgate III) (Read 47714 times)