Strike The Earth
Gather ‘round children. This is a story about a group of dwarves, who bravely struck out on their own to carve a new life in the side of a mountain. Dreaming of grand halls carved with images of cat girls, they traveled long and hard across the harsh land of Sakzul Landar. After a trying journey, they come across the perfect site: a calm meadow next to a river. Feeling satisfied with their choice, they name the place “RingedChant” and quickly begin digging into the earth.
They arrived on site in the middle of Winter, and everyone was eager for the warmth of underground. Simple and rudimentary tunnels, stairs and workshops are built in a hurry; there will be time for careful planning later. All of the local streams and ponds had frozen over, so their remaining supplies will have to do. Fortunately, what was in abundance was tetrahedrite, an ore that yielded not only copper but also silver. So the lone anvil was quickly put to use making more picks for digging and silver crowns for trading. Unfortunately, the small number of dwarves is a bottleneck, and progress is slow.
After digging down a few stories, work begins on a grand hall, where many workshops and stockpiles will be built in the hopes of streamlining work. Fortunately, Spring comes soon enough, and being good dwarves, production of brews begins in earnest as soon as the water thaws.
Work on the grand hall is finished, and workshops start going up. The wood furnace and metalsmithy is moved from its temporary location upstairs, with a smelter placed nearby. A pair of carpenter’s workshops are created to keep up with demand for beds and barrels. A still is placed in close proximity to the carpenter’s workshops to have easy access to barrels. A jeweler’s workshop is built, before it is remembered that no gems have been found yet. A giant stockpile of wood and tetrahedrite occupy the middle, along with stockpiles of finished goods next to their relevant workshop. An expansion is planned across the hall for food related work, such as a butcher and fishery.
In the middle of this grand effort, Summer arrives and with it a group of fresh dwarf migrants, eager for drink, companionship and work (in that order). They quickly join in on building up the fortress, organizing stockpiles and exploratory mining on the lower floors. Time flies when you’re busy, and soon it is Autumn.
The first trade caravan arrives, and in all the hustle going about, a trade depot wasn’t built. Plans for one are quickly made, along with a search for a broker, finding an unusually qualified candidate. But before any of this could be finished, the trade caravan moved on to greener pastures. At least the dwarves were now ready for future trading.
It begins to get colder, and the nearby stream begins to freeze over. Booze production is ramped up and plans are considered for draining a pond to an underground hole in order to have year long water access. However, before work could get started, a warning cry filled the air…
A Werecapybara! And in their haste to get the fortress going, no military had yet been formed. Two squads are quickly made; one consisting of any dwarf with any crossbow training and another with everyone else. While all the dwarves quickly scramble to fend off this fiend, Atu finds its first victim.
RoboPandaZ, an inoocent dwarf child playing make believe in a field near the frozen river, is the first to be found. He flees with Atu in close pursuit, rapidly closing the gap.
When conflict seems inevitable, RoboPandaZ puts up a good fight, but he is no match. Soon Atu tears into RoboPandaZ with horrifying efficiency, and bathes in blood as RoboPandaZ draws his last breath. Unsatisfied, Atu moves on, heading north towards the fortress entrance and trade depot. Steeled for glory and death, the Armored Directions and The Tin Harvesters rush out to defend their new home.
Malthor is the first on the scene. He approaches hesitantly, but dutifully. Atu engages and makes short work of him.
Likot witnesses this slaughter and attacks with a vengeful rage. Completely unarmed and unarmored, leaden with the weight of his own tears, he tears into Atu, attacking it's arms and drawing the first blood of the monster. Malthor, thought dead, declares himself a wrestler and attacks Atu from behind, flanking it between himself and Likot. However, this last valiant effort doesn't last long as Atu strikes the final blow.
Now able to concentrate, Atu turns back to Likot and attacks again. Likot begins to flee. He does not get far before succumbing to Atu's terrible onslaught. He falls into a pool of his own blood, as WesLikesTacos and ShadeOfLight close in on their target. These two dance around with Atu, buying time while others arrive. Fath joins the fray with Zuntir and AdmiralAckbong not far behind. ShadeofLight takes a terrible blow and withdraws. AdmiralAckbong, perhaps understanding battle more than anyone else, enters the fight inebriated and full of indignation.
However, soon enough they were all injured, and just as it was looking like it would be the end, Atu changes into a goblin!
Sensing impending doom, Atu quickly retreats, faster than the present injured could follow. And just as quickly as it started, it was over. Work begins on clean up the carnage, and preparation for the future. Caskets are built, tombs are dug, armor and weapons are forged. Ominously, a snow storm was soon upon us and with it winter.
So ended the first year, and also the first chapter of this story. Was this horrific attack merely a happenstance, or a omnious portent for things to come? What repercussions will follow them into the next year? Find out next time, when we continue with the story of RingedChant.