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[Nil Eyeglazed]

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 4 Limestone 295

While earlier casualties were not under strict observation, I would nevertheless like to recount what is already known.

Dazngoru, war tiger: Dropped into the caverns in the hope of destroying Zulban.  Zulban emitted a terrific maelstrom of dust from its mouth, flinging both Dazngoru and Zulban across the cavern.  Zulban then closed with the unwounded but stunned tiger and gored it in the abdomen with one of its horns.  Dazngoru died almost instantly.

Unnamed bilou:  In hopes of gaining further insight into the nature of the caverns and of Zulban, a bilou bought from the elves was dropped into the cavern.  It easily outpaced Zulban, who appears badly wounded from earlier conflicts.  Despite the bilou's agile evasion of the monster, the bilou bled to death in a matter of days, cause unknown.

Basnungtod, war lion: Basnungtod was dropped into the cavern as part of an ill-considered but serendipitous attempt to wound or destroy Zulban the Most Dragon.  A tunnel was carved alongside the cavern wall, and fortifications carved into the wall.  A marksdwarf waited behind these fortifications while Basnungtod was assisted into the cavern.  Outcome was similar to that of Dazngoru: Zulban closed, spewing dust forcefully enough to lift both Zulban and Basnungtod off their feet, following which Zulban mortally wounded the war lion in close combat.

Rovod Keskalastesh, marksdwarf: Mr. Keskalastesh was the marksdwarf dispatched to the fortifications while Zulban fought Basnungtod.  Mr. Keskalastesh fired several shots before Zulban escaped out of view-- thankfully, none of them mortal.  Mr. Keskalastesh was declared missing in action when he failed to return from duty.  He was assumed to have become contaminated, and an isolation trench was dug and filled.  His body was found later by one Ablel Eseshrith, who had just immigrated to Lanterndark.  Mr. Keskalastesh had fallen not two hundred feet from his post.  While tissue decay had already begun, the large stain surrounding his body suggested exsanguination.

Ablel Eseshrith, recuit: Mr. Eseshrith was assigned recovery duty upon his arrival at Lanterndark. He was given boots and gauntlets and assured of his safety.  Mr. Eseshrith recovered the arms, armor and remains of Mr. Keskalastesh.  He reported a thin layer of white dust covered the armor, but that upon travel through the decontamination trench, the layer disappeared.  Mr. Eseshrith was found clean and healthy upon his return and allowed to resume normal labor.  Mr. Eseshrith has suffered no health problems since the recovery operation.

Unnamed war dog:  A war dog had been tied up next to the decontamination trench and was observed to enjoy playing in the water.  Shortly after Mr. Eseshrith's recovery operation, the decontamination trench was discovered to have been contaminated by dog blood, and a dog skeleton lay in the water.  A small amount of white dust had precipitated in the trench and along the trench walls.  It was assumed that the dog had come into contact with this precipitate and bled out in the nature of Mr. Keskalastesh.  Dwarves were instructed to travel only through the portion of the trench lacking this precipitate in the future.  They were informed of the grave risks by Comtessa Kol Itonvudthar in an emergency meeting

Ingish Shetbethbim, miner: Recovery operations complete, with dwarves aware of safe paths, the Comtessa presumed it safe to continue normal operations, and began operations for a trap to slay Zulban on the distal side of the decontamination trench.  Mr. Shetbethbim was instructed to begin digging a corridor in which to lay said traps.  Mr. Shetbethbim never returned.  While it is assumed that he had avoided the contaminated part of the trench, Mr. Shetbethbim's corpse was discovered utterly nude, which Mr. Shetbethbim reportedly preferred.  With Mr. Shetbetbim's death, any access through the decontamination trench was blocked by instruction of the Comtessa, all dwarves were instructed to wear gauntlets, helm, and boots at all times, and mass production of robes was mandated.  The Comtessa informs me she plans to follow this production with socks and gloves, as resources allow.

However, the incident of Mr. Shetbethbim is most unusual.  Previous infectious dust research has suggested that water can act as a large reservoir for pathogens very easily, but it has never previously been demonstrated to act as a direct vector of infection.  If Mr. Shetbethbim avoided the precipitate as instructed, he should have come in no contact with the pathogenic dust.  Nevertheless, his death suggests that the water of the decontamination trench itself is capable of carrying this deadly syndrome.

I have begged the Comtessa for permission to begin research.  The potential for improved treatment is immense.  There is no telling how many needless deaths could be prevented.  The Comtessa has graciously granted permission.

[Nil Eyeglazed]

"Nice shooting out there, Mafol.  You snag a title yet?"

"Not yet."

"Then what was that meeting with the Comtessa about?"

"She wanted to know what kind of boots the goblins were wearing."

"What they were what?"

*    *    *

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 13 Moonstone 295

Initial construction is almost complete.  The Comtessa has insisted on placing spike traps in Zulban's future home, which is almost certainly unnecessary, and so the lab remains empty pending the trapsmiths.  My request for the use of Puzzlesneers has also been denied, but a simple false entrance should work as well.  Thing have gone frustratingly slow-- it seems that every time I have a chance to work on the project, Aban Zontangak breaks her leg again, or the Comtessa demands more sterling silver, and as I'm the only one carrying a pick around....

The facility itself is as simple as it can be.  A false entrance will lure Zulban in, whereupon a bridge will be closed behind it, trapping it in the small corridor.  Chambers on either side can be blocked off by drawbridges, allowing the placement or retrieval of test subjects.  Anticipating the need to feed Zulban, I have placed holes above the chamber, secured by hatches.  Those entering the test chamber will pass through the decontamination trench on their return.

[Nil Eyeglazed]

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 15 Obsidian, 295

I broke through today.  I've never before experienced such a rush of adrenaline.

I took a break from Aban, who had broken her leg yet again, to inspect the recently completed chamber.  I found Oddom down there, who is maybe the fastest runner in Lanterndark, and gave her a tour of the facility.  "And when I have a spare moment, we'll try to lure Zulban in."

Oddom grinned slantedly.  "You want to just go ahead and do it now?"

So Oddom stood by the levers while I grabbed my pick.  I broke through and then raced back as fast as I could.  I swear, I could feel its breath on my neck.  As soon as I was at the bridge, I was shouting.  "Now, Oddom!  Now!"  And I raced for the other lever, to block its escape.

It was only then that I noticed what had been pursuing me.  Not Zulban.  Instead, it was a gigantic winged leech.  I went to the trap lever and pulled a few times.  Turns out that the spikes came in handy after all.

Zulban itself was almost anti-climactic after that.  The capture went off without a hitch, although Etur is a little angry about his door.

I spoke with the Comtessa after that, in her garden.  She seemed almost as excited by the news as I was.  I believe I saw a bit of color come to her cheeks.  I worry for her health.

The Comtessa has promised me something special for my first test subject.  I can barely make it to my other duties for excitement, but the Comtessa needs a bit of copper, and a bit of silver.

[Carpman]

This is awesome.

[Nil Eyeglazed]

This is awesome.

Thanks!  We'll see where it goes from here...  Experimentation has begun!

[Nil Eyeglazed]

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 28 Malachite, 296

We have had the first controlled experiment today.

The Comtessa promised me something special, and she did not disappoint.  For my very first experiment, I was granted an elephant-- a marvelous beast the size of a mountain, with two great horns growing from its lips, like a troll.  The Elves grow them in their jungles.

Unfortunately, Zulban could see that it had no way of reaching the elephant directly, and instead paced its corridor.  I decided to give Zulban a bit of food, to see if that would prompt it to breathe its dust.  I dropped a dog into Zulban's corridor.

Upon seeing the dog, Zulban let out a great breath that threw the dog against the side of the corridor.  The dog was wounded more by the physical force of the breath than by the effects of the dust itself.  However, the elephant was suitably covered.

The elephant seemed unaffected at first.  It paced the length of its enclosure once or twice, maybe 140 steps for the magnificent giant.  Then I noticed a pool of blood where the elephant stepped, although the elephant appeared unwounded.  After 160 steps, the elephant fell unconscious.  A short period later, it was dead.

The dog, of course, was long since dead, of obvious trauma.



If this can down an elephant with that speed, what chance have dwarves?  What chance has anything?

I found the Comtessa in her garden, troubled, as she often seems.  "Nothing important," she waved it off.  "Trade difficulties."  She seemed, if possible, even weaker than I had seen her last.  Yet when I informed her of my first research, she seemed genuinely excited for me.  "Mr. Oltaratham, you are going to save a lot of dwarves!"  I told her I wished to compare the effects on the elephant with something much smaller, and again, she promised me something special.  What could it be this time?

29 Malachite, 296

I have an unhappy addendum.  Aban has passed on.  Although I left her fully treated, no dwarf saw fit to deliver her beverage of any kind.  Her hospital bed, at the periphery of Lanterndark, lay too distant for any dwarf to hear her dry croaks for water.  I blame myself in part.  As is the custom, Aban has been cremated in the mountain.

[Conan]

Finally,a story on dwarven experimentation. This is turning out to be immensely interesting.

[Nil Eyeglazed]

lol, there's been a forbidden beast wreaking havoc on my framerate, a blob of fire, burning everything in the lower caverns.


And just now, I'm informed that an enormous quadruped of bituminous coal has come in from the map edge.

Mayhaps I need to build a few more chambers!

[Nil Eyeglazed]

Kol Itonvudthar didn't know why she dragged herself up the towering staircase three times a year.  Any dwarf she delegated could do the job.  It was tradition, she supposed.

The depot had been designed with tall ceilings, less for the benefit of the elves than for their animals, but the merchants seemed uncomfortable nonetheless.  Kol could sympathize, if not perfectly understand, their discomfort.  She felt a faint terror anywhere that the ceiling was out of reach.

"Greetings, Countess of Lanterndark!  I am Nawari, and this is Nenile.  We come bearing the fruits of the Savage Mountain!  Have you any more slate piccolos?"

Kol rolled her eyes.  "The stone is gone.  Instead, I bring you one of the legendary roasts of our former chef.  The Mythical Dimensions will never see its like again!"

Nawari wrinkled her nose.  "That smells like a funeral pyre.  Is this a joke?"

Kol flushed.  Aban had been her closest friend.  But a Comtessa must practice restraint.  She spotted a helm and held it up for Nenile to consider.  "Have you heard of iron?"

"Magnificent...." Nenile whispered, turning the helm around in her hand.  Shoddy goblin craftsmanship.  Then she saw the image, a forgotten beast in capybara bone, the symbol of the Torments of Stability.  "Comtessa, my patience grows short indeed!"

"Short indeed!" choked Nawari, laughing despite herself.

No one ever denied that diplomacy could be trying.  Kol spied Ezum walking out the gates, steel axe resting on his shoulder.  "Ezum, hold.  Show them what you've been working on.  In the furnace.  Bring as much as you can.  We'll wait."

She turned back to the elven merchants.  "You may as well begin packing.  Leave the wood and animals."  She thought for a moment.  "And the cloth."

"All of the cloth?  Countess, what have you got in that furnace?  You must be high if you think it's worth this fine rope reed!"

"High!" snorted  Nawari, buckled almost in two with laughter.  "Tall order!  Don't be thinking about short-changing us!"

"Tell me, Nawari."  Kol smiled, pretending to share the elves' good humor.  "Do all elves of the Savage Mountain dress so fully?  I find this jungle frightfully hot myself."

[Nil Eyeglazed]

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 11 Galena, 296

Outside duties have kept me busy-- as both chief miner and chief medical dwarf, I have little time to pursue my research.  The health of this community is my first concern, and it's a community made up of individuals.  I have to be careful not to miss the trees for the forest, to turn a well-worn phrase on its head.

The new hospital is almost complete.  Two more traction beds and a handful of doors.  It will serve as a daycare while my research continues-- there is much danger for children in Lanterndark while Zulban remains confined.  We've been planning a little party for the Comtessa and her beau for the opening.

I've been digging a well and cistern as well.  I fear the stream water may be responsible for the infections that have plagued various patients of mine.  Not to mention the incredible inconvenience of having to travel so far for a drink, or to clean blood off my feet.  I am planning a lovely well directly off the central staircase.  I've asked Etur to design a floodgate for it.  Oh how floodgates delight me!

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 15 Timber, 296

I had a troubling dream Sandstone 21st.  Aban stood at the foot of my bed, as dessicate as salted mule meat.  She said not a word, but stood pointing a finger at me.  I woke panting and parched, with a troubling vision in my mind-- slate, yes, and bloodstone, and emerald.  The well would have to wait.



I worked in a daze for a month.  On Timber 13th, I completed Erar Nosing.  She will crown the cistern; she will control the water for all of Lanterndark.



Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 22 Sandstone, 297

We've completed the second experiment.  I hesitate to mention it.  Something terrible has happened.

The Comtessa had promised me special test subjects, and I didn't know what to expect.  It was a surprise.  Giant eagles?  Rhinoceros?  I had no idea.  They were already in the chamber.  I dropped the bait (a guinea cock, in this case) and ran to the window to observe.

It was two goblins.  One, dressed for arctic operations, with robe, cap, hood, trousers, gloves, sandals and socks; the other, completely nude, but still clutching the leather bag it with which it attempted to enter Lanterndark.

"Unlock the doors!  Now!"  I cried, over and over again.  Oddom, who was assisting, looked confused, but complied.

Both goblins raced out of the test chambers, through the decontamination trench.  The clothed one made it through first, and was captured in the fail safe cage trap.  But I only made one trap.

The nude one seemed to have been washed by the trench of any dust-- but her corpse was found, fewer than 60 steps from where she escaped.  Goblin steps, not elephant steps, which, while covering the same area, seem to occur much more rapidly.

No trace of dust remained on her, nor any wound.  A trail of blood lay along her last four steps.

The clothed goblin is dead as well, collapsed in her cage.  A thin precipitate of white dust has coated the decontamination trench.

*     *     *

Kol Itonvudthar was planting cave wheat in the garden.  She looked like a stalk of cave wheat herself, pale and thin.

"Comtessa—" I began.

"Duchess."

"What?"

"The liason visited.  You may be as pleased as I am to hear that Lanterndark is now a duchy."  She smiled then, something soft and understated, and Vabok Oltaratham was reminded that it was love for her that held Lanterndark together.

"Congratulations are in order.  But Comtessa--  Duchess--"

"Please, Mr. Oltaratham, feel free to address me however you please.  Comtessa is fine.  Kol would be fine too."  Her eyes twinkled.

"Yes.  Kol.  Duchess.  It's about the test subjects you sent."

"Oh, Uzol told me I should leave the loincloth on!  I told him that you were a doctor.  Now I'm so embarassed!"  She looked terrified then, so penitent, a Duchess with dirty knees, apologizing to a stooped old man.  Vabok found it hard to maintain his sense of righteous indignation.

"Naked or clothed, it doesn't matter.  I mean, it does.  Experimentation on unconsenting sentients is unethical."

"But, it was a goblin!"

"It was a she.  Ngerxung was a she.  So was Bosa.  I didn't discover until it was too late.  They're dead now."

"But, I don't understand..."

"I am sorry, Duchess.  Kol.  I understand that you meant no insult.  But I need you to know that I can conduct no experiments with goblin subjects."

Kol dropped her eyes and dug her fingers in the mud.  "I'm sorry, doctor.  It won't happen again."

Vabok turned on his heel with as much indignation as he could muster.  His shoes were falling apart.  It was hard to be proud in rotting clothes, but he stepped as haughtily as he could to the door.  His hand was on the handle when the Duchess spoke again.

"Do you know why they come here, Vabok?  It's not for the riches.  Look at what they wear-- they wouldn't know quality if it bit them in the nose.

"They come here for the children, Vabok.  Their own are twisted.  They come here for our children."

[steampunkfox]

blob of fire?
quadraped of coal?

i think its time for some serious !!SCIENCE!! my friend

go make some flaming coal babies

[Nil Eyeglazed]

This-- this-- this--

But then she loses it.  She always does.

She's in the pantry this time.  There's a lizard.  It rears up on its hind legs, crawls up on the roast.  There's no need to cut it open-- she remembers.  Goose eggs, quarry bush leaves, alpaca cheese, mussel.  Shoo!  Shoo!  The lizard stops, looks around, suddenly nervous, and then bends back to its meal.

The door opens, just a crack, and a huge tabby tom strolls in.  Lizard!  Lizard!  But the tom doesn't see, or doesn't care.  He pushes up against the doorframe.  There's a knot in the wood, right at the level of its hips.

This-- this-- Lizard!  Lizard!  Eating the fucking food!  And the cat turns toward her, finally, and all of the hair on his back aims to the sky like blue cavern moss, and he screeches, back arched like a drawn crossbow, he just screeches, and the lizard doesn't even care.  She raises her hand to her chest, but it's not there.  Her whole upper body is gone.

And then she's in Vabok's room.  He's sleeping.  He's a good dwarf.  He tried.  She remembers, then, for a moment, and shakes him.  This!  This!  This must not!  And he turns, twisting on the acacia frame, sweating in the heat, she slaps him, this must not! And he groans, sweat beading on his forehead, rolls away, then back toward.

She's at the barracks.  They're training now, in the night, the cool breeze evaporating the fruit of their labor as they twist and turn under the moon, stop just shy of blood, sometimes unsuccessfully, step back and start over.  It's Monom's squad now, and Monom is a good dwarf too, she knew it would go to him.  But this must not!  It has to stop!

But then she's under the mountain again.  And she forgets again.

*     *     *

"He wanted what?"

"Doggie's socks.  Not of, but for.  I means, he fixes the tooth anyhow.  Rotten clean through, it were.  Eye you could thread with a dagger.  Tolds him I weren't no elf.  He shrugs only.  Thinks he were expecting the answer I gives him."

*    *     *

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 15 Limestone 297

Urist Swordflare was born today.  Of course, a party had to be thrown.  I feared the Duchess couldn't bear childbirth, and she almost didn't, but she held up well, panting, screaming at times, but after it was all over, when she held Urist in her arms and smiled, mouth closed but smiling, the way she rarely did, I could forget the jungle, the sweat, the flies, the miasma, the beasts that prowl outside the gate.  I confess, after so many deliveries, they all look the same to me.  None are beautiful, but all wrinkled, bloodied, screaming beasts.  Still, Urist has her mother's eyes.  One day they will melt hearts as the Duchess's do.

[Nil Eyeglazed]

Personal Diary, Vabok Oltaratham, 19 Limestone, 297

Completed third experiment today.

West chamber contained unnamed war dog.  East chamber contained zombie warthog.  Containment bridges lowered.  Second unnamed war dog dropped into Zulban's hall.

First wardog contaminated by dust immediately.  Collapsed after fifteen steps.

Zombie warthog contaminated after approximately six of the wardog's steps.  Appears unaffected.

Bridges were raised.  A third wardog was dropped into the east chamber to dispatch the unaffected zombie warthog.

Noted white precipitate on third wardog's toes.  Third wardog engaged zombie warthog in combat.  Difficult to see with the miasma, but believe I saw precipitate on the dog's teeth as well after combat had begun.  Third wardog bled to death shortly thereafter despite no obviously mortal injuries.

I dislike these zombie experiments.  The miasma makes observation difficult.

*     *     *

"Is that it for today then?"

"Yes.  Thank you, Ms.Rigothroder.  What's next on your agenda?"

"Ettin POW.  Never wrestled an ettin before."

"You're going to wrestle it?"

"Give it a fighting chance.  Same as I do with the goblins."

"Pardon me if this gives offense... but Ms. Rigothroder, isn't that uncomfortably close to torture?"

"What are we going to do with them?  Catch and release?  At least this way they have a chance."

"You're going to wrestle an ettin-- and you think the goblins have a chance?"

[Hugo_The_Dwarf]

Very Interesting story. Watching

[Nil Eyeglazed]

Very Interesting story. Watching

Thank you!  I'm currently working under the assumption that only posters are bothering to read it, because to tell you the truth, if I saw that much text, I'd just walk away   So every comment is good for my motivation.