Journal of Catalyst, Elven Studies MajorI am not myself.
In rare moments of lucidity, when I am able to wrest control of my body from the demon queen, I record the happenings in this fort in this journal. It is my sole comfort, here in my lonely tower overlooking a poisoned, frigid sea.
When I first broke free of the Queen's will, I immediately locked myself in my tower room. It is my only remaining hope to save the others. I will die of thirst soon, I imagine. All our hopes rest on Katsuun. And those hopes are growing fainter by the day.
I was awakened tonight by the crushing waves of his anguish. It seems DuckThatQuacks grew bored of pummeling the trolls, while I was not myself, and wandered to Katsuun's bed to deliver him a vicious beating. Oh the horror... it lasted hours.
I managed to steer Duck back towards his intended targets, but Katsuun lies broken and suffering. I think he will recover, given time, but whether he is able to care for himself in the meantime... It does not look good.
As a result, I have gently prodded the minds of the dwarves trapped outside. Mormota II has armed himself with the same adamantine battleax arcangelsd was reclining upon when I first arrived, and they have begun the process of tunneling through the wall into the fort. Perhaps they can do what is needed.
Just as I steered him away however, I heard a great crash from outside my tower.
Oh Armok help me, no... It's happening. I feel her, like hands closing my throat! No, noooooo... *the rest of the page is covered in wild lines, splashes of ink, and babbling frantically scrawled gibberish in no mortal tongue.*
I'll never understand the purpose of these diaries you pathetic creatures insist on keeping. "A historical record!" you say. A record of mediocrity and ruin. "So that we will not be forgotten!" You've only proved that you should be. "So future generations can learn!" Learn how to suck as badly as you? Well, you may have achieved that last, I'll grant.
With my beast loosed on the fortress, I distracted Duck from the defense by steering him off to his bedchamber. Let him sleep while the fortress burns! AHAHAHAHA! But... apparently that meddling Catalyst had rigged his door to lock again the instant he stepped through. No matter - we will figure out what to do about Duck once other matters are resolved. It was at this very moment that the migrants - this accursed fort's last, best hope, broke through the outer wall. Dirku waited merely a stone's throw away, lazily destroying a bridge with its mighty tail. My hour had come, at last.
But at the last moment, the hammering stopped! The migrants shifted to another wall - one blocked off from my reach. Catalyst had called them into the tower! I heard them shuffling about, next to me. Ohhh the maddening sound. It plagues me even now - they are so close, and yet I cannot reach out to throttle them.
That Other Aussie Dwarf just muttered to one of the others something about a "!!plan!!" he had made with Catalyst that he needed to go fulfil. What on earth...
No!! My faithful servant!!
If you should find this journal, midget freaks, know that you've only prolonged your suffering, by your insolence.
We did it! That Other Aussie Dwarf is too lazy to do anything else he's asked, but he, finally, of all the dwarves in this fort, managed to pull that damn lever and dump Ledi in the sea! Bizarrely, I can still hear her thoughts echoing in the deep... she seems to be sustained by the same demonic energy that corrupted her. I shudder to think of it.
The migrants are hard at work setting up this tower into a viable safehouse, and oh, I wish so fondly I could open that door and join them. But I have explained to them that they mustn't let me out. Soon, this fortress may be theirs.
I have unleashed Duck once more, now that they are safe, and it seems she has also taken unnatural strength from Led. She cracked the skulls of both trolls in short order, then immediately set off after Dirku!
On and on they fought, ascending upward through the battlements of Failcannon, fighting upon the tower of doors!
...which may have been a poor decision on Duck's part. But, she was unfazed! Immediately, she charged to the fore, once again... only to faint halfway there, as the unnatural strength left her. Dirku, meanwhile, set to work dismantling the tower of doors, looking somewhat the worse for wear.
Hearing the anguished cries of its kin, another ancient horror began to stir deep in the caverns... far from us, thankfully.
Duck lies there peacefully asleep now. I will let this report on her current state speak for itself.
-----
What ... in blazes?!
Somehow, Led seems to have freed me from my room. I woke to find myself STANDING ON THE OUTER WALLS of Failcannon.
Seriously, I have no idea how that door got unlocked.On my way to lock myself back in, the Queen compelled me to lash out at a passing Aussie Dwarf, but he had the good sense to jump away. I was starving, and could not resist snagging a few barrels of food for myself on the way back. The newcomers would have plenty - not only had Mormota secured a new passage to the underground, but a human caravan had just arrived! Even if the guards cannot fight off the beast, I have no doubt they will drop plenty of delicious provisions for us.
Speaking of which... ever since this whole possession thing, occassionally I have the _strangest_ cravings
In other news, I seem to have managed to strike That Aussie Dwarf again, and infect him. Well, at least I am not the only one slowly starving in my room now. Ledi finally drowned, and Dirku for now remains content to keep tearing apart the doors. One of the caravan guards started taking potshots at it, and soon, it fell! Dirku's blood now decorates the Tower of Doors! I'll have to have someone set up a butcher's shop - we'll eat well for some time now.
Now that the fortress is safe again, I've claimed the whole of the western tower for myself. The others will do fine with the whole of Failcannon at their disposal. All three of them - Mormota, the badly-injured Katsuun, and Erica. Now to simply let Aussie, Duck, and myself die.
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We're halfway there! And only one death this time, too! And that was Ledi, who was long overdue for it anyway. Unfortunate about Katsuun's injuries and Aussie's conversion, but aside from that I think we are truly free and clear of all this madness!This particular episode of it, I mean. Now, the challenge shall be trying to keep Failcannon alive and well with just 2 able-bodied dwarves. I've appointed Erica the Chief Medical Dwarf - Katsuun has a little skill, but obviously he can't treat himself. So... let's hope for the best.
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Topic: FailCannon: No Rest for the Wicked (or anyone else) (Succession: Battlefailed 2) (Read 900582 times)