((I like those! It makes me wish I could actually find some of the old artifacts. They seem to have all dissapeared, except for the ones that were built. This update is bigger, to make up for lost time))
An Excerpt from a Short Lecture on the Gods, by the Professor of Applied Mythology, MHWe might wonder what this array of Gods would look like to the outside observer. He would see, perhaps, a curiously incomplete divine pantheon. Looking at the superficial, he would wonder where the gods of nature, of fertility, of love and lust and war and other popular activities are. Our hypothetical observer, has, of course, misunderstood both the function of gods within their own society, and the nature of that society itself.
That Rakust is known as a god of death should not cause one to conclude that he is a god hostile to life, or that he simply acts as the end of life. Rather, his domain encompassed the whole of death, which naturally includes war and disease, violence and accidents, cave ins and natural disaster; butalso birth and the flourishing of life, which must always give way to new life through death. Rakust is not a small god; he is the messenger of life and death, the guide for the lost, and a welcome friend to the suffering. He is worshiped in all of these guises, and more, as I am sure you are all aware. So we see that a god who, from the outside, is simply the god of “death” encompasses far more.
Our pantheon is complete, and beautiful in that completeness. It only takes a bit of investigation to show that beauty.
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From the Memoirs of Wilberforce Amber Ropenourished Early Spring 198
Another year, dear readers, and I would like to believe that this year will be... less full of incident. Let’s hope for a year of building and naught else.
Of course, some events have already proven me foolish for hoping that, but nothing terrible has happened yet. Still, it was a source of some terror when, on the second day of spring, our own Doctor Killpatient was spotted skipping through the halls, a merry twinkle in his eye.
Those who spotted him close themselves in whatever room they might find, barring the doors if possible, but the doctor sequestered himself in a masons workroom and only emerged a week later, bearing a brand new... millstone.
Great and wondrous are his works to behold, or so the saying must go, if I remember right. This work is a bit underwhelming, I must say, however.
The latest news, the news of just a minute ago, in fact, is that migrants have arrived. I’m off to meet them. There’s nothing I like more than meeting a few new fellows.
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Wilberforce popped his head over the battlements, then popped back down again when a crossbow bolt narrowly missed his head. “They’re shooting at us!”
Bayar, Balnash and Derm answered with variations of “We know.” Bayar continued. “There’s about twenty five of ‘em, and the leader is the one doing the shooting. Only good thing is that he’s a terrible shot. But we haven’t been able to talk to him yet.”
Wilberforce shook his head. “This is nonsense. I’ll have a word. There’s nothing that two dwarfs of good will cannot solve with words.”
He looked over the edge of the wall again, and a steel bolt clattered against the wall several feet below. “I say! Please stop shooting at us, my good man, we-“
He was interrupted by a shout from below. “There’s one of the bastards! All right, charge, my lads! Let’s reclaim this fort!” The dwarfs gathered on the plains below seemed uncertain about this. A few of them had weapons, and they waved the in the air cautiously.
“Afraid you’ve made some sort of mistake, my man! This fort is reclaimed already; by which I mean, we are on your side-“yet another bold flew by and struck a passing seagull. “So I would quite appreciate you ceasing this whole shooting at us business!”
The migrant army’s leader at last showed himself, stepping out of the crowd. He was a very burly dwarf, and he held a crossbow in one hand and a pick in the other, which may have accounted for his inaccuracy. “What the hell! You’re all dwarfs!” He seemed offended.
“A point we have been trying to get across to you, my dear fellow! Who are you, if I may ask?”
“The name’s Karakzon!"
"I helped build this place.” He gestured with his pick. “Dug it out myself, mostly. Escaped after the fall, went back to find some dwarfs and raise and army, and came back to storm it by force!” He frowned. “I admit it took longer than I planned, on account of I couldn’t find the mountainhomes. But I got an army just the same.” He pointed at Wilberforce. “And then you had the damn nerve to come and do it before me!”
“Terribly sorry about that.”
“I... what?”
“Well, we weren’t to know! We were just migrants ourselves, hoping to find a new home. Still, why don’t you and your friends come on in anyway. We’ll throw a celebration party. We’ve got plenty to eat and drink here, and I’m sure you and yours are hungry and thirsty. We’ll welcome you back in as a hero; after all, with one of the founders back among us, I think we can call this fort truly reclaimed!”
Karakzon thought it over, then nodded. “Yeah, all right. Come on boys! The fortress is ours!”
One of the soldiers paused in mid weapon wave “We won?”
“More or less.”
"Yes!"
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There was one more encounter as the new migrants mingled with the general population. Several doctors had joined Karakzon’s mob, much to the relief of anyone who had been treated by Dr. Killpatient. One of those doctors was surprised himself by the presence of the good doctor.
“That... that man! I saw him years back for a mild cold! Barely escaped with my life, and I’ve still got scars all over my back!”
“Doctor? He’s no doctor, he’s one of our best hammerdwarfs. Does spend a lot of time in the hospital, but I always put that down to a generous and helpful nature.”
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From the Memoirs of Wilberforce Amber Ropenourished, Late Spring 198There’s something about this fortress, I have learned in my tenure as its leader. It draws in disaster like a ... what is that thing, starts with an l? Exceptionally good at drawing in bits of metal. Anyway, disaster likes to find this place.
Those many armed apes came back, and, from what I can see of the fellow, it appears that their leader is with them.
I’ve no fear of these animals, as we’ve defeated them several times over, though admittedly with the aid of a valiant yak. This time, one of our resident friendly goblins seems to want to take up the mantle of local hero. He’s slain two of the things so far, and is leading the rest of them on a merry dance through the fields.
Easy enough to deal with, had it not been for the arrival of some unfriendly looking elves shortly after.
The gates are closed, and a council of war called for. We’ve got to figure this thing out.
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Next: Elves, Elves, Elves.
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Topic: Oceanbridge - A Fortress Defense Community Fort: Reclaimed, Again! (And Again) (Read 173763 times)