Part I:The Bells Are Rung
2nd of Slate, 379It was spring and most of the snow had melted. Libash Blotcoal was heading up to the Bell Tower. She had been tasked to serve as lookout and ring the angen in case if she spotted any threats headed towards Waterlures.
The view from the tower was magnificent: one could see all the way over the Lakes of Saturninity in the south and quite far over the hills surrounding the town. The fresh wind blew from the lake as rain pattered against the roof shingles. Libash liked the view, though she wasn't so keen on watching for intruders. It wasn't exactly the most exciting of tasks, and she was already frustrated for the lack of excitement in her life. She was getting old -- sixty-one now -- and would rather spend her elderly days doing something else.
But she didn't grumble. The safety of Waterlures and the offspring of her friends was of the utmost importance to her. She didn't have children of her own, nor someone to spend her life with, but she was a loyal capybara and late Baroness Kasat's vision and dream had brought so much to joy into her life.
She would do her part.
7th of Slate, 379The Enchanted Bridge and the House of Knowledge opened their doors once again for visitors. For several years they had been shut from others than citizens, but now mayor Fecici had decided that the time had come to re-open them and welcome guests.
And the first ones to arrive was a group of goblin bards and performers calling themselves the Muds of Dreading.
9th of Slate, 379It was Logem Weakenedpillar's turn to watch over the surroundings in the Bell Tower. It was a rainy day with sleet falling from the sky and wind whipping it into one's face. Logem, one Såkzul's and Zuglar's sons, was annoyed by it and was grouchy.
'Miserable, cursed rain! Dear Ôsed, why did it have to rain on my watch? Why?' He thought as he wiped the cold, wet sleet off his face.
Then he thought he saw something to the northwest.
He squinted his eyes and focused.
Something was coming crashing through the woods next to the unfinished temple of Ôsed.
Logem's eyes widened in fear when he saw it: a giant, terrifying monster with seven writhing heads, gnashing and snarling, its body covered in sickly red scales.
It could only be a many-serpent, a hydra from the legends!
He rushed to the angen, screaming, “Hydra! Hydra! Alarm! Alarm! Run! Hide!”, as he began ringing the bells.
As the bells rang and echoed over Waterlures, capybara, elf and all dropped what they were doing in shock and panic, rushing to the safety of their homes and attics. Of the defenders, Baron Oddom was first to arrive at the Temple Gate. There was no sight of other guards or soldiers, for they were either off-duty or training in one of the barracks.
The hydra lumbered down the hill.
It was headed either to the sheep pen or the Temple Gate.
The hydra at first appeared to go for the sheep and yaks, but it suddenly turned around and rushed towards the Temple Gate and Baron Oddom!
Oddom heard the beast roaring and crashing towards the gates. They were not barred and he hesitated -- he was unsure if he had the time to lock them.
“Run Id, run! The beast is coming!” Oddom yelled to Id Pucefloor the naked mole dog man who was taking his time to move to safety.
Oddom grasped Kilrudsat, Bronzestrokes, the war hammer of Avo the plump helmet man, tightly in his hands. He braced himself to face the beast.
Alone.
The hydra crashed through the gates and went straight for terrified Oddom. He dodged the snapping jaws of the serpent-head and retaliated with a swing from his hammer, going for one of the beast's heads.
CRACK! He hit it with the familiar sound of bone being crushed.
But it stopped not the beast: it just made it angry.
With a hiss and a roar it charged at Oddom, sending him tumbling to the ground as beast and capybara collided.
As Oddom fought for his life and the safety of Waterlures, the main force of help was still far, far away...
...But not Nako Doomjumped, who had recently been recruited into the Fenced Princes.
Nako was terrified at what he saw in front of him and what he would have to face. Baron Oddom was dodging and blocking the assaults of the hydra, returning blows with his war hammer to little effect. Nako could not stand by, he had to join and help.
Besides he had been frustrated for not being able to fight for too long.
Nako rushed to the hydra and with a loud cry leapt at the hydra, sword raised ready to strike!
But the beast dodged his heroic and perhaps foolhardy attempt.
The battle continued with Oddom and Nako attacking the dragon-like monster and dodging its attacks, sometimes hitting it and so far avoiding its blows.
Soon Litast Razortongues rushed to the scene with axe in hand and so did Etur Laborworth with his bare fists.
For the moment the tide seemed to turn in the favor of the defenders of Waterlures, the number of small cuts on the hydra's body increasing and the teeth of one of its heads being knocked out by Oddom's hammering.
And it took no time for the stalwart defenders that they could vanquish this foe as more rushed to the aid: Eman Crowglee the elephant man monk and the dwarf Alåth Clearednet, one of the mercenaries who had sworn to defend Waterlures.
Gaining new hope, Litast struck and his axe cut the hydra in the leg, severing tendon and nerve, sending the beast crashing to the ground. The defenders gained the upper hand and stab of sword and spear pierced the monster's scales as hammer and fist first bruised muscle, then crushed bone, and Oddom kept bashing head and crushing skull with Kilrudsat.
After a long and terrifying battle the beast finally stopped moving, full of gaping wound, many a head severed and pulped almost unrecognizable.
It was hard to know who struck the final blow, but it was decided that credit should go to to Oddom, who was tired, panting and holding Kilrudsat still tight in his grasp after holding the monster at bay until the others arrived.
He was the hero of the day, and merit deserves reward.
12th of Slate, 379Waterlures was not the home of merely capybara folk anymore. No, the workers from Tradeplay brought to build the Lake Wall had remained. Though a couple of them had complaints earlier, it was due to the amount of time the wall took, but now since it was completed, there was time to do more meaningful things and pursue one's desires and ambitions.
To some, it was to raise a family, and that they did: the weasel woman Iden Glovepartner, wife of Ònul Tranceceiling, gave birth to a girl.
20th of Slate, 379As a new cycle of life began with the birth of the weasel girl, an old cycle came to its end: the dwarf sage Tekkud died, in the middle of the walkways leading across the lake.
Her mental state had kept deteriorating despite all of mayor Fecici's attempts and the help the other citizens had offered her. She had been stricken by melancholy at the turn of the year, refusing food and drink, lumbering in a sorrowful state across the town, waiting to wither away.
And now she lay dead, wasted away, but perhaps her mind was finally at rest.
3rd of Felsitre, 379From the Journal of Fayoba Claspedleap, Sheriff of Waterlures
“The most curious of things happened yesterday. The dwarf Zefon Syrupcurl returned to Waterlures. Yes, the same Zefon who stole Odda's goblet years ago. Though, I would hardly call him thief, for she had been threatened by that goblin 'Salore Wordpristine' (note to self: most likely not the real name) who then left with the so-called artifact.”“In any case, I was quite surprised about this. I didn't expect her to return after she unexpectedly left Waterlures not long after Suwu, Cañar, Rin and Ova disappeared. I wonder if there is a connection? Or perhaps he knows something? Hmmm, I will have to look into it or ask Fikod to do it.”“But there is no rush. I will contemplate on it and see what I will do about it.”
5th of Felsite, 379Asmel Rocksborn was pleased. He had just finished cooking a delicious pudding made of grapes. And the taste was absolutely fantastic: it was a masterpiece! His skill was improving and as the son of Kib and Edu -- both master cooks -- it was especially important for him to become as good as his parents and possibly even better.
Perhaps it might be possible, for he was still young: only nineteen years old.
9th of Felsite, 379Old citizens kept returning to Waterlures. This time it was Nawo Lakehoof, a gremlin sage, who came back. He, too, had left town in the end of the year 370 nearly ten years ago.
He was an odd sight, for very few had ever seen a gremlin -- why, many even doubted their existence!
Yet, it was most pleasing to see folk return, one by one. Perhaps Suwu, Cañar, Rin and Ova would return too? It was a thought and hope many of the older folk had in their minds.
10th of Felsite, 379Ònul Strickenrelics was at the Enchanted Bridge -- her home and place of work -- listening to the stories of a traveling dwarf poet named Tosace. While the stories were interesting, she was not entirely keen on the dwarf being in Waterlures: the poet had some questionable opinions that she had said aloud. It made Ònul resentful.
Yet, she was interested and excited to hear a story of five adventurers. Of a capybara woman, an elephant man, a capybara man, a goblin and a mandrill man. They could be no other than the four who had left Waterlures without a word when Ònul was barely a grownup! (Though, she was wondering who the fifth, the capybara man, was.)
Ònul was unsure how much of the stories were true and how much made up, but the stories told of the four wandering in the North and fighting against giant-kin and vile sorcerers alike -- even heading to the dreaded tower of Finderblunts (Ònul had heard the name once or twice, but she knew not of any “dread” or “threat” coming from there) and confronting the necromancer overlords!
Finally there was news of what the four had done and where they had gone!
1st of Hematite, 379As summer arrived, mayor Fecici approved the request of a group of performers, the Laborious Equity, to stay in Waterlures for the entertainment of citizen and visitor alike. It wasn't a big group -- only an elf and a goblin -- and Fecici thought it would not be a problem: they had built enough housing to accommodate the growing population and there was still space to build more if need be.
Summer went by swiftly with nothing much happening. Capybara, dwarf, elf and all manner of citizen went on their daily business, crafting, tailoring, dying, milling, fishing or whatever they liked to do. Despite all the constant bustle on the paths and walkways of Waterlures, there was plenty of time to take it easy and frequent one of the taverns or temples, or perhaps go read books in the House of Knowledge.
1st of Limestone, 379Autumn had just arrived. Meng Manywalled sat down at the table, wiped the rain off his weather and looked at the bluepeahen egg omelette in front of him. It looked delicious. It was good to be eating at home, sitting at a proper seat. There was certainly not enough chairs elsewhere! In fact, there was certainly not enough of
anything. He looked at himself: he was without trousers. The tailors didn't have any of
his size ready, so it would take time before he would get new ones to replace the slightly worn ones he used to wear.
'Not ready for me? Not ready for me! It is outrageous,' the crow man thought as he began eating the fine dish, his thoughts soon moving somewhere else.
With autumn the dwarf merchants from Ustuth Ïdath arrived along with the familiar outpost liaison Tirist (who still was not keen on walking up the stairs to the mayor's). All manner of goods -- mainly crafts of bone -- were hauled to the Trade House and Atír Archsinged headed there to broker a deal.
The trading was rather typical: Atír bartered for colorful stones, some new clothing and parchment for the library along with various other items (and a hen and a duck).
10th of Sandstone, 379It was rather curious for Meng the crow man to see a large bunch of visitors crowding the statue garden on the hill. As he carried wood for the stockpiles, he had to flap his wings and fly over them and the fence to make his way through. And as he passed the Lovers' Hut, it too was crowded with all manner of bard, poet and some unsavory types.
It was odd, very odd. Perhaps everyone was trying to find a potential lover? It was the only reason that Meng could think of why they were clumped there.
'Such queer folk. So odd, so odd,' the crow man thought as he shook his head in disbelief.
3rd of Timber, 379“One should always tell the truth,” Ushat Valecaves said with a stern face.
Autumn was in its last third and she was patroling the road with Reg Musclehame, spears at the ready. Since late spring, every able-bodied citizen of Waterlures was required to be armed with a steelen spear, forged by either Såkzul Mortalattic or Aban colorwhip. They were, too, required to take shifts in one of the patrols: the road or the walkways. Or stand watch at the Bell Tower. These were all “necessary precautions” ordered by mayor Fecici after consulting Kumil the militia warden and Vabôk the monk.
“Bah, what good does that do?” Reg replied to the weasel woman with a laugh, “Life is unfair regardless of what one says. If a little lie now and then helps you avoid the worst of outcomes or better your situation, then that is what one should do. If you don't do it, well, someone else will, and you'll only be the one to suffer.”
“I don't agree, young Reg,” the weasel woman said to the capybara woman who was half her age. “On the lying part, that is. Life is unfair, yes, yes. But bettering your position with lies? Oh, noooo.If --
when-- you get caught you'll be in trouble. Big trouble. Cunning. Now cunning is what you have to use for it, not outright lies. With cunning, you can use the
truth for your benefit and none will disagree.”
Reg opened her mouth to say something, but decided to remain silent. There was no way she could sway Ushat's opinion on this matter.
4th of Timber, 379The line of Kasat and Cusal kept growing when Edzul Boardtrampled gave birth to her second child -- a boy this time.
Ten days or so later, Dodók Channelplaits gave birth to a boy, too.
And Ushat Valecaves joined their ranks when Cog Letterlight was born another ten days later.
This autumn was certainly blessed by the Rabbit (though there were some who doubted this, for the temple of Ôsed still lay unfinished outside the walls of Waterlures).
20th of Moonstone, 379The chill early winter wind blew from the south, biting through Baron Oddom's armor as he stood guard at the South Gate.
'Be happy, Oddom, be happy,' he encouraged himself, trying to keep a smile on his face. While the year so far had been rather leisurely when work was considered, there had hardly been any spare time for those who served in one of the militia groups of the town. Oddom was worried that he had had no time to pray to Ôsed or the Golden lately, and most of his time was spent away from friend and family -- the Fenced Princes had in a sense become those.
But vigilance was necessary. After the hydra came, Oddom was certain that it would not be the last of threats Waterlures faced.
'Who cares what they think? They may laugh at all this as nonsense, but it is my duty to mother to keep us safe now,' he thought. Not everyone agreed on these measures that had been taken -- even mayor Fecici had hesitated a bit -- but Oddom knew they were wrong, and eventually he would prove it.
And with that, he would gain more respect and strengthen his position. It was a shame that since mother died rulership --guardianship-- of Waterlures had changed hands to another family. While Likot Languagehame was a decent capybara woman, she wasn't one to run a growing town. Why, that is where all the problems began!
And now, now with that sly elf in power... Things might be good for now, but Oddom did not trust the elf full of himself to put citizens first.
Meanwhile, Logem Weakenedpillar, the second eldest of Såkzul's and Zuglar's offspring and brother of Likor, was headed down from the Bell Tower. He had forgot to fill his wineskin and the time spent high in the tower had made him very thirsty. So, he decided to leave his post and fetch a drink.
'Certainly nothing can happen if I head down for a quick one,' he thought as he turned to go down the stairs.
He was wrong.
Without a warning something gigantic arrived from the northeast through the woodland: a giantess!
It noticed the group of visitors congregated at the statue garden and with a yell rushed for them. However, one of the visitors -- one of the
“unsavory” types -- decided to bravely confront the enemy! He withdrew a bit down the slope as the giantess came charging, pointed his finger and moved his lips silently.
A bolt of magical ice flew from his finger hitting the giantess in the head!
Down the slope the elf Mame Fordedrises and the black bear woman Urdim Planrocks stood guard at the East Gate.
They heard a commotion from the hilltop, and without hesitation headed in the direction of the noise.
While the guards were on their way from down the slope, the human mausoleum stalker had taken hits from the giantess: his foot was broken and his knee mangled. He should not have been able to move and any normal living person would have been in terrible pain and unable to move -- yet he was not and kept crawling towards the foe.
Icicle after icicle flew from his fingers at the giantess who was now in a mixed state of rage and fear.
Then an elf dancer from the statue garden gathered her courage and rushed to the aid.
The battle on the hilltop went on with more and more visitors keeping coming to the fray.
Soon the body of the giantess was covered in cuts and bruises, her mental state shifting to that of sheer terror!
Inch by inch, foot by foot, the visitors began driving the intruder away, her body covered in wounds and her golden yellow hair caked in her own blood, her breath heavy.
The giantess was becoming exhausted.
Bards, poets and dancers swarmed the panicing giantess, punching, kicking, biting -- all the time making her movements slower and slower.
Then finally Mame and Urdim came up the slope and saw what was the commotion (though they had guessed it already from all the sounds and yells).
Stab, punch, slash. A giantess' cry.
She passed of exhaustion and came crashing down, her small assaillants immediately piling on her, and Urdim the black bear woman eventually putting her out of her misery with a well-placed blow to the head from her sword.
One more threat to Waterlures had been rendered harmless.
As the visitors left the site of the battle back to the statue garden (and being thanked by the militia for their bravery), one of the goblin poets, Asno Blackbridged, turned to the others.
“My friends! I believe I have a poem on my lips,” she said and began clearing her throat.
“Death around us,Truly horrifying,Life fleeting -- Begone fear!Ah, a statue,It pleases me.”Snow began to fall from the sky as she concluded her poem and the others stood there silent (mainly due to being still shocked by the sudden attack and the poor quality of the poem).
Wild ducks were not a common sight in Waterlures, but this winter they were seen flying here and there, searching for unfrozen water where to conduct their duck behaviour. It was a pleasing sight with all the flapping and quacking.
Some, like eleven year old Thob Helmlabored, said they were the true birds of omen, not ravens. But generally, it was considered a rather silly thought. Ducks harbingers of the Rabbit? Who had ever heard of such nonsense?
23rd of Moonstone, 379Thob Helmlabored was disgusted. She had talked with one of those “uppity-ups”, those pillars of society about birds and omens. Her thoughts about ducks had been laughed at and she was regarded as a mere child. Why, she was soon to be considered a grownup -- she was no child anymore!
'Oooh, I am so full of loathing! “Oh child, ravens have always been the omens.” What kind of rubbish is that! If we keep seeing omens where we have always seen them, we might miss some more important ones! Like ducks,' she fumed in her mind as she walked past the old, creepy leatherworks where nobody ever went.
She turned to look at the building: the shutters were closed, the door was barred and a pile of snow had blown against it. It was supposedly the house of one of the Four the elders talked about. Those important folk who had left Waterlures for an adventure without a word and never came back.
This was the house of... Ova? Yes, Ova, the mandrill man leatherworker and archer.
Thob shuddered as she looked at the bleak house. She wouldn't be surprised if ghosts or something else nasty lived there.
8th of Opal, 379It was a deep but uneasy slumber. Åblel Sprinklegorges was dreaming. It had been a boring year for him, and in some parts he had felt... Nothing. Yet there was still something constantly on his mind, exciting him: the bluish stone deep within the bowels of the earth. Waiting. Hiding. Åblel knew where the stone was.
His stone. And he kept thinking of it. Dreaming of it.
Nobody knew of it, not even his lover Dîshmab. It was his secret. The stone
told him to keep it a secret.
When he woke, he remembered not the details of the dream, but he felt the stone was in it. It was beckoning him. Calling him.
The one piece he had taken was not enough. He needed more.
11th of Opal, 379The Winter Festivals were just around the corner, but mayor Fecici was not eager for a party. This time the reason was not that the Fruit of Letters would be once again unbearably full and stink like unkempt capybara fur (
“Why didn't they use the baths?”, he often wondered). No, his thoughts had been with Tekkud Bannerguise lately.
'It's soon a year. Since Tekkud withered away...' Fecici sighed as he carried a large pile of stone crafts sluggishly towards the Trade House's stores.
'I still find it hard to believe it is true. Grief? I feel little... I should feel more. She was one who I was responsible for, and I failed her...'
13th of Opal, 379Oko was glum. He sat at the porch of the Fruit of Letters, waiting for the festivities to start. Åblel Sprinklegorges had joined him and they had chatted about this and that in good spirits downing a mug or two. Then the discussion had shifted to eloquence and how Oko really admired aphorisms, proper etiquette and poetic speech. Åblel had scoffed,
“Poppycock, I say! Trying to be something and sound wiser than one is with meaningless words! Why not just say things straight like they are?”And then they had argued, until Oko had crossed his paws in front of his chest, raised his chin and turned his back at Åblel, refusing to continue speaking.
And now the two just sat there silently, both grumbling in their minds about the other.
19th of Opal, 379The year was nearing its end and the Winter Festivals began. Despite the lack of space, they were still arranged at the Fruit of Letters -- mayor Fecici had given up the idea of moving them. It had been a good and easy year to the folk of Waterlures despite the hydra and the giantess. Both threats had been dealt with swiftly and everyone was sure that Waterlures was safe and able to protect itself if need be.
While others were making merry and taking it easy, Libash Blotcoal was once again in the Bell Tower as lookout. She watched the horizon with great focus, her old eyes still as keen or more so than when she was young. The sleet raining and whipping almost horizontally at her face did not disturb her vigilance. She had her mind set to keeping watch and that she would do.
At the North Gate stood guard old Zultan, mace in hand. A cold wind blew from the south, over the rooftops and between the walls, but he didn't mind. He was used to it. He had lived here for the most of his life and the cold, biting wind was a yearly occurence. Besides, he had grown such a layer of fat over his muscles that even the cold of the frozen south would not hinder him.
Once in a while he looked at the house on his right and sighed. It was the house of Suwu, standing partially empty. While the first floor was now the home of Ana Talonspread the fox woman, the ground floor was locked shut and none were allowed to disturb it. Everyone still hoped for the return of the Four, but none said out loud what all thought: they were not coming back, ever.
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So lots of stuff happening and a couple of threats after a long time. I'm pretty sure Waterlures will hold up easily against everything else but dragons and large sieges. Those'll probably have casualties on our side even if the enemy is defeated.
I have no idea what the stories the necromancer told (doesn't show up in the civ news screen or anywhere I know of), so I decided it might be plausible that the stories (or some of them) were about Suwu & co. Been thinking anyway how I'd get word of their exploits to Waterlures, because they really didn't go bragging about the stuff all around.
Not sure how long until the next update but maybe some days depending on how actively I feel like playing & writing.
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Topic: Waterlures - A Capybara Man Fortress & Adventure [DF 0.47.05] (Read 62514 times)