"I shall make no heirs, so that none will mourn when I give my life to save the emperor's."
-Oath of the Order of Sterility, Verse IISmith Lord Aurora Wordfire, Refuge Queen of Silent Hammers, Empress Consort of the Southernfrost, and Queen Consort of Bedlamb and the Marble CitySkills and Abilities:
-Although my social skills are rusty from isolation, I am highly respected as one of the few remaining first diggers.
-I am the greatest mortal metal-smith and furnace worker, without question. My skills in this area even surpass those of some gods.
-I have also mastered many other crafting skills, unrelated to the furnace.
-So long as my history is recorded in the language of the diggers, my soul and mind cannot truly be snuffed out (Granted by the World Weld)
-I can create mighty artifacts by inscribing the items I create with the great deeds of myself or the item's intended recipient (Granted by the World Weld)
-I am aware of the general location and activities of those who wield my artifacts, and I may exert light influence over their behavior (Granted by the World Weld)
-I can detect the great deeds of others nearby (Granted by the World Weld)
Artifacts and Minions:
The World Weld - Links my soul, the digger language, and the laws of reality itself. Allows me to easily create lesser artifacts.
The Face of Fate - Makes the wearer a mighty fighter and assassin. Wielded by Mril-Minda, who is presently preparing for her next trip into the Beetle Queendoms.
The Song of Gunsmoke - Boosts the social skills of the wearer and luck of his/her offspring. Not yet wielded by a permanent owner.
Known Mortal Family:
(Husband - Absent) All-Lord Ukareem the Silver, Emperor of the Southernfrost
(Husband - Absent) Scholar-King Emscythe, Monarch of the Marble City and Secretary General of the Greatwalls Alliance
(Husband - Absent) Bloodlord Haigen the Usurper, King of Bedlamb
(Mother-in-Law - Present) Trumil, the Slime Mold Hag
(Infant Son) Prince Dremscythe, Heir to Silent Hammers and the Marble City
Holdings:
Silent Hammers: A small city that provides 1 Wealth and 1 Food per month. Houses and defends up to 50 FU to military might. (23/50)
Dung Slopes Fungal Farm: A particularly fertile farm where up to 6 LU can work per month. Typically yields 1 Food per LU of labor.
Oddearth Cliffs Quarry: A mineral rich quarry where up to 8 LU can work per month. Typically yields 1 Stone per LU of labor. Typically yields 1 Limonite per 2 LU of Labor. Typically yields 1 Sulfur and 1 Wicked Salt per 4 LU of labor. Goblin workforce increases chance of positive random events. High chance of being targed by goblin raids. Costs 1 Wealth to maintain per month.
Axeltax at Tunnel's Mouth: A watchtower that Houses and defends up to 6 FU of military might. Yields 2 Wealth/month in collected taxes while at least 3 FU are stationed here. (3/6, Human Phalanx)
Available Military Population:
15-5 Force Units of Human Phalanx (x1.2 Bonus to open field battle. Available for 105 more months, or until the Kingdom of Narm enters a state of civil war)
5 Force Units of Dwarf/Drugar Militia (x1.3 Bonus to defending cities or fighting underground)
5 Force Units of Goblin Warslaves (x.75 Penalty to fighting in bright sunlight, does not need food to act)
3-3 Force Units of Charcoal Tribe Elf Rangers (x2 Bonus to fighting in the woods)
2 Force Units of Drugar Siege Operators (x4 Bonus to attacking cities, x1.5 Bonus to fighting megabeasts, x.25 Penalty in all other combat situations)
1 Force Unit of Weremule Warmonks (x3 Bonus to guarding VIPs, x.1 Penalty against Nickle Silver weapons, does not need food to act)
Civilian Population:
12 Labor Units of Assorted and Mixed Breed Diggers (2 LU to 5 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
8 Labor Units of Halfling Commoners (2 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
5 Labor Units of Goblin Slaves (2 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod, does not need food to act)
4 Labor Units of Highborn Dwarves (1 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
4 Labor Units of Highborn Drugar (1 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
3 Labor Units of Educated Drugar Acolytes (1 LU to 4 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
2 Labor Units of Human Commoners (2 LU to 7 FU Conversion Rate before material mod)
1 Labor Unit of Hobgoblin Drivers (2 LU to 7 FU Conversion Rate before material mod, does not need food to act)
Basic Resources:
x15 Food (+1 Per Month) - Your people can and do feed themselves, but food from the royal grainy must be provided for people to put aside their own livelyhood and peruse your interests. Spending 1 food allows you to issue an order commanding up to 5 FU or LU. Converting LU to FU will also usually cost additional food. You can deploy trade convoys to try and convert other resources into food.
x21 Wealth (+2 Per Month) - A representation of the various coins and paper currency in your treasury. Used to buy other resources and favors, and is generally the most effective resource to use as a trade good.
+1 City
+2 Axeltax
-1 Quarry
Advanced Resources:
x12 Wood (The most basic construction resource. Artifacts made from wood tend to harness the power of nature)
x6 Stone (A more sturdy and less flammable construction resource. Artifacts made from stone tend to harness the power of earth)
x23 (+3 Per month for 107 months) Marble (A more valuable form of stone that can be combined with iron to make steel at a smelter. Artifacts made from Marble tend to harness the power of light)
x20 Brick (A common construction resource. Brick is already a finished good, and cannot be used as a component for most artifacts)
x9 Bronze (A military resource with a .80 Material Mod. Artifacts made from bronze tend to harness the power of fire)
x15 Iron (A military resource with no Material Mod. Artifacts made from iron tend to enhance the wearer's metalworking ability)
x4 Steel (A military resource with a 1.5 Material Mod. Artifacts made from steel tend to have protective effects)
x4 Bloodstone (A magical military resource with no material mod. Both common gear and artifacts made from Bloodstone are particularly deadly towards all the digger races)
x5 Mithiril (A magical military resource with a 1.7 material mod. When using this as a material for an artifact, choose two other component materials and boost their effect on the finished piece)
x1 Night Mithiril (A magical military resource with a 1.7 material mod. Artifacts made from Night Mithiril tend to aid in criminal activity)
x2 Deep Sapphire (A magical Military resource with a material mod of .5. Gear and artifacts made from Sapphire are great at drawing out the sorcerous power within one's blood)
x6 Sulfur (A magical resource used in the worship of wicked gods and construction of advanced siege weapons. Artifacts of sulfur are favored by wicked gods)
x1 Ensouled Leather of the Sailor (A magical resource gifted to you by the skin cutter nymphs to help tame predator lake. Unknown effect if used outside its intended artifact purpose)
x1 Ensouled Leather of the Princess (A magical resource gifted to you by the skin cutter nymphs to help tame an unruly child. Unknown effect if used outside its intended artifact purpose)
x1 Ensouled Leather of the Champion (A magical resource gifted to you by the skin cutter nymphs as a means to defend yourself. Unknown effect if used outside its intended artifact purpose)
Known Allies and Enemies:
Bardhill County (Ally, Trade Partner) - The fertile and clay rich human territory that completely encompasses your land. The ruler, Count Chance, deeply respects the craftsdwarfshipp and military skill of the diggers. In exchange for resources and a loan of troops, you have agreed to aid him in an anticipated civil war against his fellow counts when the king dies.
Southernfrost Empire (Ally) - The southernmost and mightiest of the northern dwarven civilizations. Southernfrost is rich in bronze and labor. The empire is ruled by your husband All-Lord Ukareem the Silver.
The Greatwalls Alliance (Ally, Trade Partner) - A loose confederacy of prosperous drugar city-states that pays tribute to your husband, Scholar-King Emscythe. Rich in copper, sulfur, and flux stone.
The Kingdom of Bedlamb (Ally) - Nation of drugar ruled by your husband Bloodlord Haigen the Usurper. Rich in iron, flux stone, and gems. Currently defending against invasion from an unknown drugar kingdom, and raids from an unknown dwarf kingdom.
The Beetle Queendoms (Enemy to All Diggers) - A drowish nation that sits between Silent Hammers and The Greatwalls Alliance. Traders can navigate around it, and they are currently too busy dealing with surface elf raiders to pose a threat.
The Pinewoods Tribes (Hostile) Small yet fierce surface elf civilizations that separate Silent Hammers from the Southernfrost Empire and the Kingdom of Bedlamb. They find the very ideas of commerce and industry to be deeply offensive, and slaughter trade convoys on site as a rule.
You call Liula and Brother Anders to your chambers, to discuss the situation of the sorcerer and the inn. The young elf is confident that assuming the troublemaker has been a were-eagle for at least half a year, she can identify him by sight without any sort of up-close examination. Brother Anders is likewise confident that he and his monks should be able to protect your physician and apprehend a single sorcerer.
Before they leave, you pull Liula aside and ask for her take on the Pubic Eyeballs outbreak. She pauses briefly for thought before answering.
"I... I'm not entirely positive. 80% of the drowish ailments that present with pubic eyeballs are mostly harmless, and through my personal examination of several local patients and considering that we are dealing with something sexually transmitted, I have been able to rule out most of the absolute worst case situations included in the other 20% of possibilities.""So you think it is harmless then? Can it be treated?"The young physician squirms, clearly uncomfortable with being put on the spot.
"...Erm. I think. My texts and reference materials make it impossible to determine precisely what we are dealing with. I'll likely be able to figure it out eventually, but it will take time, experimentation, and perhaps a few causalities. There is a book, however, that should contain everything I need to diagnose the issue with speed in saftey. It is a rare tome, written by the first digger called Merguth the Mender, entitled 'Index of Drowish Curses and Ailments Transmittable to Diggerfolk'. If you have trouble finding a copy, I could make a pilgrimage back to Blackhearth Academy, where I studied, and take notes off of the copy housed there, but I'd hate to leave your side like that while you are with child."Medical texts were never your area of expertise, so you don't have the faintest idea as to where you might find a copy of Merguth's book. You do, however, have an idea as to where you might start. Merguth made a pilgrimage to the Oven of Origin about 200 years ago, and since you have not received news of his death since, it is reasonable to assume the author of the book is still alive. You are fairly certain the mender sided with the dwarves in the great divide, so if you ask around your dwarven highborn and those living under Ukareem's rule, you might learn where he is and how to contact him.
---
After demanding a new quarry be constructed, and that your existing quarry and farm be staffed, you make arrangements to travel to Goldears so that you may meet with the Tiger Heads and bid in the silent auctions. Your court insists that you do not travel alone, so a unit of food is spent so that Princess Myguwen and her Elf Rangers may accompany you.
Princess Myguwen is quite confident that between her, her troops, and the train of spouses and offspring who accompany her everwhere, that a proper appraisal of the wood auction lot can be provided.
---
Upon arriving in Goldears, Count Chance arranges for you to be put up in an apartment on the estate of his (much) younger brother Baron Chance, which sits just outside of the city walls. Your host is a generous and military minded young man, but is otherwise unremarkable. Not yet married, he lives with an elfish mistress and her half-breed infant son which he swears is not his own child.
An object hanging in Baron Chance's dining hall catches your eye. It is a tower shield, of apparent artifact quality, made from bronze, gold, and some sort of exotic leather. It is cracked in a few places and bent out of shape, and has likely been in such a state for at least several human generations. You recognize traditional draconic claw-stitching on the leather bits, leading you to believe that a dragon is responsible for creating the piece. Perhaps someday you might offer to repair the shield, and inscribe it with a feat so as to gain a degree of influence over the Baron...
---
Your meeting with the Tiger Heads goes quite well. The group's leadership consists of three members, each of whom is pleased to make your acquaintance. Captain Sweet-Marrow, a Tiger Head in early middle age with impressive white and black head fur, is the band's political and military leader, while his wife, Great Mother Ukareea, handles more mundane day to day affairs. Their spiritual leader is Possessor Truestalker, an ancient digger who wields 'The Second Claw' a simple steel and orc leather dagger you once made for a Tiger Head tribe that attended to you while you created a much more complicated artifact that left you entranced for the better part of a century.
Captain Sweet-Marrow explains that his group is a decent sized independent nomadic band that operates within the Beetle Queendoms, Human Kingdom of Narm, Territories of the Pinewoods Elf Tribes, and The Southernfrost Empire. They make their living as mercenaries and raiders, but their true purpose is to seek out and rescue digger artifacts that they feel have fallen into unworthy hands. Their leadership had traveled to Silent Hammers to initially pay you homage, but were turned away by your guards and citizens.
Great Mother Ukareea explains that she was planning on sending you tribute, and would like to know if you would prefer an offering of food, bronze, pillaged elfish woods, or stolen magical resources.
The Captain happily explains the five divisions of troops at his disposal, should you ever wish to hire them. He explains that he usually hires out divisions for 5 Wealth a month, but for the legendary Smith Lord, any of his divisions would gladly provide a month of service for 3 Wealth.
7 FU of Tiger Head Bandits (Specialize in pillaging trade routes and disrupting supply lines)
7 FU of Tiger Head Barbarians (Specialize in pillaging villages, farms, quarries, and the like)
7 FU of Tiger Head Mercenary Guards (Specialize in protecting unfortified land against raids)
7 FU of Tiger Head Crossbowdigger Guards (Specialize in garrisoning forts and cities)
7 FU of Tiger Head Darkstalkers (Specialize in fighting monsters and magic users)
After some more conversation, you get Possessor Truestalker to reveal to you the list of artifacts the Tiger Head band seeks to 'liberate'. The Holy Digger quickly convinces the Captain that you would be a worthy owner of any digger artifact, and makes Sweet-Marrow agree to provide you with free troops and council should you seek to acquire any of the following for yourself:
-The Tiger Heads seek to claim the Aldersteel Staff, an artifact made by the Red Wizzard Urist Elf-Tamer and currently owned by the Elf Druid Crystilyn, of the Farhill Pinewoods Tribe.
-The Tiger Heads seek to claim Infernal Asphyxiation, a cursed artifact scarf made by First Digger La-Ruum the Dungeon Lord. The Tiger Heads suspect, but cannot prove, that the artifact is held by Lucius Baldwin, your husband Ukareem's human court wizard.
-The Tiger Heads seek to claim the Pike of Storms, an artifact made by an unknown feather drugar. The artifact is wielded by Lord Tygowen, Champion and Favored Mate to Beetle Queen Lugombuo.
-The Tiger Heads seek to claim Blue Dawn, an artifact breastplate of Blue Dragon Scales that you originally made for a fellow first digger. The artifact is currently owned by Count Van Sutton, who rules Cattleland County and figures to be one of Count Chance's rivals once the human king dies.
-The Tiger Heads seek to claim Sulfuric Thunder, the Blunderbuss in the possession of the opal elves.
-The Tiger Heads seek to claim Digger's Lament, the Scepter in the possession of the Eastvile Drone.
-The Tiger Heads are investigating a rumor that one of Don Samwise Huck's goons recently came into possession of a digger artifact of great power...
---
You take your elfish escort down to the auction lots, and get a young human named Harvey Von Stym to show you the two lots of interest to you. Both lots are exactly as advertised. Your elfish companions take a few hours to examine the lot of wood and talk amount themselves before reporting back to you.
"At least a third of that wood is Forest Steel, which a skilled druid can combine with any sort of humanoid or exotic bone to make military gear," Princess Myguwen explains.
"This is of particular use to us now, as a druid would not need any sort of foundry or factory to make the stuff. Just give her some guards and laborers, and send her off into the forest to work her magic. If you purchase the wood and the need to arm more troops finds us before the means to do so does, I can write home for a druid to help us out."The elf then leans in to whisper in your ear.
"Also... if you are willing to risk scandal... the human lad running the auction was flirting pretty aggressively with a few of my husbands. I always pity the love lives of humans. They have a drive that almost matches us elves, and a homophobic prudishness that almost matches you diggers. If I were to instruct my husbands to accept his advances, there is a good chance they might convince him to tell us what the leading bids are, or even rig the whole auction in our favor!"---
A little over two weeks remain before the silent auction concludes, leaving you with a choice; Return home, or spend more time exploring Goldears. The town has a marketplace, military garrison, and several historic and abandoned castles to visit. You could also use this time to get better aquainted with the families of Count Chance and/or Princess Myguwen.
---
What the hell. I usually don't like answering IC questions OOC, but its been awhile and its good to be back, so I'll make an exception.
Questions for GM:
How long is each post in ingame time? Varies greatly from post to post. Some are only a day or two, some represent weeks of travel or months of artifact production.
What are the laws for ruling widows? Widows typically come after offspring and siblings, but before uncles, aunts, and cousins, in the line of succession for most Digger Kingdoms. Bloodlord Haigen has no sibblings, so his kingdom would likely be yours should he die, but your other two husbands have multiple brothers and sisters.
If more than one of our husbands die could we marry again? Custom dictates that first diggers are allowed to marry three times max. Exceptions are sometimes made for those with very few heirs, but in general Diggers view sex as a necessary evil for the production of children only, and believe that even a first digger could be corrupted by more than three husband's-lifetimes worth of intimacy.
Are there non digger races that are compatible with digger races? Fey, and the Elves and Drow who descend from them, are naturally compatible with just about any opposite-sex lifeform. With powerful enough magic, however, anybody can produce offspring with anybody regardless of race or gender.
Are we ageless and can we spawn kids indefinitely? First Diggers are indeed ageless, and can theoretically produce offspring forever. Your husbands, however, are not. Ukareem is 1/2 first digger himself, and only 500 years old; He could easily make another 8-9 thousand years. Emscythe's blood isn't quite as long lived, but he could still be around for another millennia or two. Haigen's exotic bloodlines are poorly documented, so you have no idea how long he might last.
Do we have ANY idea when the drowgeddon happens? Only a vague one. You first saw the prophecy 120 years ago (it took you awhile to make the World Weld). The furthest-away timewise the Prophecy of Embers is known to see is about 800 years.
What are the Neighbors of each area controlled by either us or our husbands and what is the political climate with their neighbours like (war, open hostilities, standstil, neutral, undefined, unknown, truce, alliance)? This one calls for a whole infodump to answer, sorry. I'll give a brief rundown though. Ukareem's land is largely bordered by other Dwarven Kingdoms, who are all at least neutral with him, but his reputation took a serious hit for agreeing to share a wife with a couple drugar. On that note, Ukareem and Haigen share a border, and Haigen is pretty much hostile with all his civilized neighbors except Ukareem. Emscythe is fairly isolated, trapped between the Beetle Queendoms and the Eastvile; The Human Kingdom of Narm (in which your lands lie) is pretty much his only trade partner.
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Topic: (SG) Rise of the Smith Lord (Read 19378 times)