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[Superdorf]

Wait wait wait, we can fly? I... I didn't realize just how magical a toad we were...

But +1 to getting out of here-- I would've left two updates ago, but the toad had other ideas. Getting stabbed by elves does not help us here.

[NJW2000]

Wait wait wait, we can fly? I... I didn't realize just how magical a toad we were...

But +1 to getting out of here-- I would've left two updates ago, but the toad had other ideas. Getting stabbed by elves does not help us here.

+1. Time to leave. We may be a near-deity amphibian but arrows hurt.

[Quaksna]

"Alas, I've got too much into pride and wrath, stucking here and losing time, fighting..."
The toad got a bad thought.
"But I've got my quest. And I'll complete it. Let's get out of here!"
The toad looses a mighty, horrible croak!
The croak shooks the very tree!

The bowmen stumbled backwards.
Elf Bowman 1 falls over!
Elf Bowman 2 falls over!

Then the toad turned, facing the druid. It took a long breath.

"Oh noes! It's going to do it again! Quick! Shield wall! Protecting spells!" yelled the elves. Then they looked more closely.

"Hehehe, how I value cunning! See you, you..."
"Druid, it's crawling away!"
"It won't get away.

"Whoa, what's this, some elite elven praetorian something? I don't have time for this!"

"Where is it? It... just disappeared!" shouted the guard.

"Ahh, it's out of my reach now!" said the druid angrily.
"Shall we pursue it?" asked some soldier.
"No, I'll try to scry, maybe we'll get some track. If it goes towards some another tribesmen, we must intervene!"

[Quaksna]

"Where... Wha... Berath?"
"Good morning Olmul. We fought that ogre, do you remember?"
"Oh yes, I remember. With those lizardmen and frogos. And he tossed me... How does Alak say that... Zodostshokmut! My arm!"
"Precisely."
"Where are we heading now?"
"Get off. We're here."
"Where?"

They got off, before them stood wooden huts with roofs made of straw. There wasn't much of them, nor the iguana men that resided inside. It was a small camp, like some settlement consisting of one bigger family.
The wounded iguana man got better, he was already running on his own feet, he got some sort of distrust to soap of Olmul.
The iguana men from the village rushed to greet their fellows.

The tall warrior hissed something to them. They greeted the dwarves, ox and Razes, and pulled them by hands to campfire.
"I think we're invited to dinner!" said Olmul.
"Delightful. Let's see if they can surpass Ermis."

Of course they couldn't surpass Ermis, but they suited dwarven needs, and we all know, dwarven needs are quite often quite weird.
The iguana men brought some roasted meat, and bowls with water. They lived near the coast, so splashing of waves could be heard, the dish was truly splendid, it was a good time for our dwarves.

After the meal, dwarves were brought to one big rock, with some being sleeping on it. First they thought it's just another iguana. Then they thought it's some giant lizard, but when they got really close, already trembling in awe, they knew what's sleeping there.

"Awe, that's awesome presence." whispered Berath.
"Correct, and the awesome presence must originate from this big lizard."
"A big lizard with a awesome presence, that's a dragon."
"We're so smart. Wait, what?!! A dragon?!! We're being sacrificed, or..."

Olmul was pretty hasty about that. Iguana men took a big chunk of roasted meat, threw some spices on it, and they hissed silent words, the tall warrior took a pouch with a red dye and drew two signs on the rock. Frogos tried to grab the meat, but the iguana men didn't let them, they gave them remains from dinner and sent them back home.
"They're... Serving it?" whispered Berath.
"Hadn't it enslaved them or something?"
"I don't think so, look at them. They're happy!"
"Maybe it took advantage of their happy simpleness!"
"I don't want to camp near a dragon. Who knows how would it react seeing dwarves."
"You're right. Let's move!"

Iguana men were surprised by their quick department, but they let them go, and waved at them. Olmul harnessed Razes and the ox, and they rode, the sun was settling down, night was coming.

"This one was dark scaled, must've been venom one." said Olmul. "Pretty small, too, so a young one. Hey, this spot is nice, we'll camp here."
"Who'll be first on the watch?"
"Go sleep, I'll be."

"Wow. We've just gone shopping and we already met an ogre and a dragon... What'll come next..."


"Hey. Olmul! Wake up! Look!" said Berath.
Olmul made a plaintive glance, and he looked where Berath pointed.

Three men were coming to the wagon, in bronze armor, armed. The one with the two-handed sword, as soon as they came to dwarves, said:

"Greetings, dwarves. My name is Rane Eguleba, the Mothrorjoddo. I am hero on honorable journey, my great lord Alle Dazelosric sent me to slay ogre that burdens this land with it's very presence. Do you know where we could find him? Did you see him?"
"Ahh... Ogre..." said Olmul. "Terribly sorry, but we already slayed the ogre. It's lying in this direction."
"What?"
"The ogre is dead. We took care of him. See, I got a piece of his fingernail!"
"But... What are we going to do, then? Our mission is... Over?"

"Hey, you could take us to your lord, then. We need some shelter, we're traveling in the wilds to hillocks, but it's far away. Is your home near?" asked Berath.
"It's a hamlet, with mead hall on the other side of a brook, there our lord resides."
"A hamlet... Could we trade there? Would you like to buy some soap?" asked Olmul.
"That's up to the lord. But you can try it. If the ogre is dead, we won't waste time here. We'll lead the way."

"Great! Thank you! You've got a epithet, you must be some hero!"
"Oh yes, I am."
"Tell us about your deeds!" said Berath.
"Well, that's a long story..."

[Quaksna]

Guys, I've got myself a new forgotten beast, Deler Rítemen. I don't have his portrait uploaded, but he's a +forgotten beast+. It has green skin, grey eye and it appears to be some kind of Tarmid's relative. But that's strange, as he is the only one of his kin. But back to the point.
Together, we organised a noble expedition - to return remains of Tarmid Ugokkirun, wherever they are, no matter perils we had to face.

And we retrieved it's right leg.

Here it lies, with all the nations he helped to rise and prosper.
Thanks to him, I could start Tales of Kudarkalur.
May his deeds be never forgotten.

[Quaksna]

Stothoaslud, desert region, southwest of Kudarkalur

"Hey. Hey! Lord taskmaster!"

"Identify yourself!"
"Omot Mällunog, light infantry, guerilla troop leader."
"Ah, it's you. What's your business here? Shouldn't you be..."
"That's the problem. I need to report. Could I speak with his exalted maje..."
"Of course you couldn't. Report, I'll inform him if necessary."

"My troop is no more because of tribesmen and migrating dwarves from the Mountainhome."
"What about reserve troops you had there?"
"They weren't there. They just... Disappeared. It's strange."
"Maybe some commander called nearby levies in urgent matter. You can stay here till new orders. There aren't any at the moment."
"How's that?"
"We don't need guerilla troops now, our current moves require direct offensive. That's all you need to know."
"Can I get some more troops for raids and pillaging?"
"Out of the question! And now leave, I'm busy, you're dismissed."
"As you wish, lord taskmaster."


"Greets to you, o Rulasm the Aslezloz, my liege."

"My servant. Why did you ask for a meeting?"
"I've collected reports from our commanders."
"Which commanders? At the momen the Mountainhome is top priority. Was the siege successful? Are they still sieging? Or the dwarves broke the siege?"
"No report regarding that, unfortunately."

"Maybe it's too soon for that. Maybe we haven't sent enough goblins, or war beasts. We'll wait, even if they fail we should get some message from them."
"We've lost our guerilla troops at Tetistinen, for some reason. Some were defeated by dwarves or human tribesmen, what happened to reserve troops... We don't actually know."

"We must press more on these dwarven realms. We're not using all of the forces we have. At this continent, if we put aside those tribes that sailed here from islands, and the men from far away lands, it was always a struggle between goblins and dwarves. As far as I know."
"You think it's time to finally wipe them out?"
"That time was all the time and it still is. And it will be. Till every single fortress crumble to ash."

"Every. Single. Fortress."



"Hmmm. Hm!"
"Why are you humming, sir?" asked Otad.

"Hm? Ahh, I'm recollecting thoughts."
"About the Mountainhome, huh? Yeah, I think over it quite often. Anyway, here you go a cup of dwarven wine!"
"Thanks Otad."

"Wow. What are these?"
"These parchments? Accounts, logs, reports... Bookkeeper stuff."
"What's this seal?" asked Otad and pointed at one document.
"This?"

When Urist saw the document, he immediately grabbed it and hid into his coat.
"That one does not belong here! I've must misplaced it..."

"Okay? I'm off!"
"Bye, Otad."


"But this is a nice fortress..." said Alak, with a blissful expression in his face. "Dwarves are happy, animals are doing well... Who's the enlightened dwarf in charge there?"

"You, sir." said Otad, coming from the tunnel.

"Hey, Urnût! You're the person I need! How are crops?"
"Nakuth mined the clay spots in the mountain, Muz and I made the farm plots there and planted new crops. But it will take some time, even for the plump helmets."
"Hope Olmul and Berath will be back soon. It's urgent. If refugees from the Mountainhome come here, soon we'll all be appearing to be emaciated!"

"Haven't you seen Kin? I have to bring him lunch worthy of lumberjack." said Otad.
"He's hacking and chopping trees there." said Alak and pointed.
"Yep, I see him. Thanks!" said Otad, and went to him.

"Great. Now what was I..."
"Excuse me."

"Can we speak with Mr. Lolor, please?"


"Wha... Who are you?" asked Alak. "Some fan club or..."
"We're his friends." said the tan one.
"Well, yes? I'll take you to him."

"Wait. We would like to speak with him just between six eyes."
"Pardon me, but that's suspicious. I'll call him. Lolor!"
Lolor came out of the cave.

"Do you know these dwarves?"
"Yes. They're my friends." answered Lolor.
"Fine, I believe you. Do you want something to eat, or..."
"No, we can't stay for too long. We'll depart soon."

The three dwarves went to Lolor's office, Alak watched them, contemplating.
"What do these strangers want from Lolor?" said Urnût.
"That's not what burdens me, they're friends."

"But... Is Olmul in the fan club too?!!"

[Quaksna]

"How far is it now?" asked Sutad.
"It's a short trip to west now. Tomorrow we may be in Apapparu." shouted Duto from the back of the caravan.

"Man, from that ambush on Duto hasn't left Ibon, not for a single moment." said Sutad to Udma. "Pretty determined."
Since Kodolith isn't supposed to speak, Udma did not answer.
"Smemakdik are pretty thirsty after the fight, too. Must have spit all their..."
Udma was annoyed by all those proposals to dialogue, slowly stacking to bad thought.
"I'm curious about those omens and stuff Duto's talking about. Too bad I'm not Xemfedem myself, the lore is exciting."

Udma used good ol' gesture demanding silence. Since Sutad was a good guy, he stopped, going for a talk with Duto.

"Are you well, Ibon?"
"*Cough* I've *cough* hole *cough* the back *cough*!"
"He's not bleeding anymore, but he's coughing like never. Hope he'll make it." said Duto.
"What's the thing about the toads? Are we afraid of them?"
"Can't tell you, sorry. There's knowledge that you tribesmen shouldn't know. I don't doubt you would understand, but... For the sake of order in the Alho..."
"Got that. You must have quite important responsibility, then."
"I indeed have." said Duto,. After a pause he said. "I'm sorry I led you through the hills, it was a shortcut, I should have planned a little bit better."
"That's okay." said Sutad.
"I'll *cough* if *cough* that hole *cough* back won't *cough* me!" shouted Ibon.
"Hmm? What was you saying?"
"*Cough*-ermind."

"Hello there, tribesmen!" called the toad. "It's me!"
"Hey, it's a toad!" shouted Sutad. "No, it's that toad!"
When Duto saw it, he immediately stopped muttering Onbirreloth, he ran towards the toad and started performing the Dance of Budok.

"Budok! Budok! Rëîm..."
"That's okay, that's okay! I don't bite." said the toad.
"Why have you returned?" asked Duto.
"I need to know one thing. I need to know, why you detest toads."
"But... I don't know if I should tell you."
"It's okay. I am not an enemy."
"That's not the problem. Alhoņilun would be very angry, they could badly punish me."
"Toads..." whispered Ibon.
"Yeah, toads. What's with them?" asked the toad.
But Ibon did not answer.
"Is he..." asked Duto.
"He truly is."

Duto was silent. So was the caravan. Some tribesmen wept.
"Was he a good man?"
"He fought for good... To the very last blow. He was a hero."
"He'll move elsewhere now."
"Where?"
"My knowledge does not reach that far."

"You must have lots of knowledge."
"You sure have it too. This man fell so the others could live longer. That's called sacrifice. It's valued. He did the right thing."
"Was it supposed to happen?"
"I don't know. But what's clear, it was because of dark intents of someone else. Sometimes it's right to not intervene at all. Sometimes it's best to repel with good will. When the worst times come, we must fight. Knowing what's good when, that's wisdom, my friend."
"You're pretty wise."
"I wish I would be. But hey, we're not perfect."

"I'm... Confused. Don't know who to believe, you, or Alhoņilun."
The toad smiled, got a good thought for convincing a former toad-detester.
"It's in your hands. Do what you feel is the best."
"You know what? Come here."
Toad hopped closer to Duto.

"I'll put you in this box and smuggle you to my Alho."
Toad was dumbstruck for a moment.
"... Okay?"

"Don't worry, fellow tribesmen! Everything is just fine, apart poor Ibon. We'll soon be there, and we'll bury him properly. May he rest in peace, forever."

Then Duto came to box and whispered: "I'm really grateful for your moral lessons, but now you have to be quiet."
"You can count on me, friend."

[Denolven]

Your Papercraft has broadened my horizon. It's a brilliant medium that I wasn't aware of. Thank you for sharing, Quaksna 

[Quaksna]

Your Papercraft has broadened my horizon. It's a brilliant medium that I wasn't aware of. Thank you for sharing, Quaksna 

Thank you for feedback, Denolven!

[Quaksna]

Alak thinks someone in the fortress has intents most peculiar, but who could be that and what's the secret they try to hide? You can vote at the poll to mark dwarves (or cattle, we already saw the power of cattle) you suspect, and Alak's gonna do some moves towards the ones most suspicious. That's the poll, and now let's continue the story!

"So, my dear fellows, now that the Mountainhome has fallen, no one's going to pursue us! That's great, isn't it?" said the tan dwarf with cape.
"Believe or not, it isn't." said the one with a cowl. "You've got a point with that, but still, it was our home and shelter. I'll miss these stone walls, with the oval cabochons engraved in the middle..."
"We must find a new home, and I've got a plan!"

"Speak, I shall obey." said the armed one.
"Why so deadly serious?" asked the one in a cowl.
"It's my duty to be deadly serious. Anyway, what's the plan?"
"One particular noblesman went off to found a new fortress, somewhere in Imkegethonol. It's not there for a long time, so they should happily welcome any migrants, and we can influence dwarves living there, preserving the legacy that must not be forgotten!!!"
"Shouldn't we find a Kôn rather than that? He would now what to do." said the cowled one.
"That's the best part of my plan. There's one Kôn of ours living in the fortress!"
"What are we waiting for? Lead the way!!!"

"Hey, what's that in the... Hide!!! Hide fools! I see soldiers of the king! Hide! Take cover!"

"I won!" shouted Gemesh.
"No, you didn't!" shouted Neth. "You can't have seen a unicorn there. They live only in joyous wilds."
"Maybe if you took the helmet off, you would see it too! It's at right where you can't..."
"That wasn't unicorn, that was hoary marmot." said Alåth.

"Hey, I saw a lizard! That's five points." said Neth.
"Congratulations." said Adur.
"My next one shall be... Peregrine falcon. That's 20 points, right?"

"I don't get it, Adur." Īlon said. "We're struggling for survival and they're playing traveldwarf games!"

"Play with us, captain, it's great fun!" said Gemesh. "I don't mean you'll lose, but you know what I mean. What creature or plant do you choose?"
"A night troll." said Īlon.
"Hey, hey! That's pretty wide group, a night troll. Specify that!"
"Okay, wait a minute."

Īlon run away, forward in the direction they were going, then a squeaking noise of wood could be heard. Then he ran back.

"A twilight ogre!!!"

"Hey, that's exactly three hundred points. You're quite confident, captain!"

"There's four of them, fools!!!"

We shall end the second chapter with one more interactive fight, shall we not? 

[mightymushroom]

You deserve praise for the clever ways that you have integrated DF ideas and community memes into your story. That the dwarves would naturally misinterpret "Fun" = "Losing" is a moment that makes me chuckle over and over.

[Superdorf]

You deserve praise for the clever ways that you have integrated DF ideas and community memes into your story. That the dwarves would naturally misinterpret "Fun" = "Losing" is a moment that makes me chuckle over and over.

Amen.

--------------------

Now then, we have... we have a fight! And things are looking kind of bad for our dwarves here... night trolls are no joke. Here's just hoping those years of combat experience prove good for something.

For the love of life stay together. Stay in one place, and when the first night troll draws near hit at its legs and feet all at once, with everything you have. As soon as it hits the ground, dodge to the next night troll-- while staying together-- and treat it the same way. The idea here is to string the night trolls out, preventing them from attacking together-- crippled night trolls move slower, falling behind their uninjured comrades. Continue the dodge-crippling, moving as one, until all four trolls are down... then kill them as quickly and violently as possible.

Time is not our friend here. The numbers do not stack on our side. Only with swift brutality can we win the day.

Oh, and make sure the marksdwarf keeps plinking away with his crossbow. That thing just might make a difference.

[mightymushroom]

And you! Aren't you ashamed, bay watchers, that you need Superdorf to do your chores? 

Actually, I rather like going along with Superdorf's plans. They're pretty solid. My own attempts at adventure mode . . . not so hot.

[Quaksna]

I've got a technical question: You guys who voted on the polls before, can you vote without problems now, when I reset the vote count? I've been so messing everything up, I would like to know if it works properly, or I can start crafting another Toady memorial  Thanks!

"Formation! Load the crossbows!" shouted Īlon.
"We have only one. Loaded!" said Alåth.
"Now listen! These beasts don't feel pain, we can't tire them, nor they need to breathe! So attack properly!"
"I'll try."

The steel bolt hits the Twillight Ogre 2 in the left lower leg!
"Hah! He's limpin'!"

"Don't charge! Prepare spears!"

Adur strikes Twillight Ogre 1 with -steel spear- in the upper body!
Īlon strikes Twillight Ogre 3 with +steel shortswords+ in the lower body!
Twillight ogres attacked with great fury and strenght, but Adur and Īlon managed to block these hits, deftly.

Neth hacked with his great axe towards one twillight ogre, severing his left lower arm.
Īlon was struggling with his ogre, Alåth was reloading. Adur's long reach really helped him.
Neth had difficult parrying, he wasn't able to give single hit, the twillight ogre was far quicker.

"This doesn't scare me!" yelled Gemesh.
Gemesh strikes Twillight Ogre 3 with wooden crutch in the head!

Gemesh falls over.
Twillight Ogre 3 falls over.
"Foolish Gemesh, what was that?!!" yelled Īlon, he stood before him and protected the crippled dwarf.
Twillight Ogre 4 punches Neth in the upper left arm!
The steel bolt hits the Twillight Ogre 1 in the upper body!

[Quaksna]

Gemesh tried to stand up, but he couldn't, unlike the fallen ogre. Adur was very close of bringing his foe down, Neth wasn't so lucky.

"Ack!" shouted Neth, as he got nasty wound to left lower leg. Luckily, Adur finished his one and came to help.
"Where's the squad when I need it?!!" shouted Īlon, struggling with two ogres at once. "Gemesh, what are you doing?"
"Hold on!" shouted Alåth back.

Gemesh was crawling to safety, poor Īlon was taking one punch after other. Alåth succesfully loaded his crossbow once more.
Adur have secured the ogre, giving time to Neth who prepared his mighty chop.

Twillight Ogre 1 was struck down.
The flying iron bolt strikes the Twillight Ogre 3 in the head!
"Bullseye!"
Īlon falls over!

After that, it was easy to finish the rest of ogres. Īlon had it a little bit spoiled, as he was lying when the others were heroically beating the ogres... But he felt proud, that his squad is not just a bunch of barefoot madmen.

"I've seen my squad slay four twillight ogres. That was very..." said Īlon. "Don't know what to say. You're great."

"Is anyone wounded?"
"I am!" said Neth. "But it should be okay."
"I've got my only ankle swollen." said Gemesh. " You must help me."
"Gemesh, chief medical dwarf has said clearly, you shouldn't fight! But you helped us, and I appreciate that." said Īlon.
"I'm exhausted." said Adur. "Those were some beasts, these twillight ogres."
"Me too. They pummeled me like...  really hard. But I've won. So that's one thousand and two hundred points, right?"
"Right, captain." said Gemesh. "You're great. Hope you had fun."
"Luckily we were the ones with the better kind of fun." said Īlon. "Now, we should loot their lair, shouldn't we?"

Meanwhile...

"Hmph."

"Have you called, master?"
"I indeed have."

"I sensed someone fought with the night in the wilds. Those dwarves escaped by their underground tunnels, and we don't know where are they now. But if it were they fighting there... Find them. Dispatch them."

"It shall be done, master."