Halfway There
1st Limestone 267, Early Fall
“Good day, brothers and sisters of Gemclod. It has already been six months since we have reclaimed control over the future of our people. Thus, I feel it is time for us to learn from what we have done, and what we have lost. We will review what we are doing, and will observe where this will take us. No, no, Bad Munki, I do not ask for your incomprehensible portents, I mean how we will take control of the reigns of time from fate itself, as only dwarves can.
My first act as over seer was to establish this very council, the Counsel of Will, so that we, the leaders of Gemclod, could work together to overcome her problems and endure her hardships. The fact that you are still here, willing to give your advice and explain your grievances, speaks to its success.
My next act was to see to your needs and wants, so that you may be uninhibited in the fulfillment of your duties to Gemclod. In doing so I established the Hall of Wisdom, which will inspire our civilization for generations to come.
I also granted and withheld titles to the most important positions, so that you would have a reward when you worked well, and those that impeded our progress were removed.
The result of this drive to restore dwarves to their proper place in society invigorated our city, so that no dwarven talent would be wasted. The return of respect for our positions allowed our orders to be carried out quicker and more fully.
It also revealed those trying to pass themselves off in higher positions than they were destined, which only leads to strife and betrayal. I am glad to report that the once antisocial Locomotive Breath is exceeding expectations in his new position of swamp-vermin destroyer.
After improving the state of our leadership, I placed my effort into improving the state of our fighting forces. I greatly expanded the number of troops Gemclod can field, as well as improved the status of both their lives and their deaths. Where once soldiers were ignored in life and forgotten in death, now they are celebrated and remembered with pride.
Work still progresses on my current effort to modernize our fighting forces: the new hospital is almost carved out, but still needs to have its equipment constructed to the chief medical dwarf’s specifications.
I also continue to look for new ways to improve our effectiveness on the field. Just this last month, I reviewed the long-standing military issued equipment customs. Rather than giving out whatever was on hand, I decided to standardize our arms to battle axes, war hammers, and crossbows. This will not only help in maintaining and replacing arms, but will also increase the speed and effectiveness with which the soldiers can be trained.
An aside: during last season’s fighting, we lost several celebrated artisans. I move to have monuments constructed in their honor in the Hall of Champions. Shorter than Some should be remember for his legendary bone-carving, Brainspawn for her creation of Kesting Orrun, and Nombres for his smithing.
So what do I want to accomplish in the next two seasons? Our steel production is currently at full capacity, yet is still too small for an army of the size we require. Attempts to expand it have been impeded by the proximity of a legendary beast. However, this beast has not been spotted in some months, dwarves have not even been listing him in their reports anymore. This might be the best time to complete this long over-due expansion.
Our silver and adamantine refining is currently nil, which is another impediment to the full potential of our soldiers. Our current vein of adamantine is tainted, the silver exhausted; I therefore propose expeditions to search for new veins of these valuable materials. Once he feels his squad ready, I nominated Vox Nihili’s Crystals of Legend for this task.
Our forces are impatient for battle. I have temporarily placated their desire for our enemies’ blood through the use of what have become known as the Hall Hunts; the periodic releasing of the more benign animals trapped from the swamps into the fortress so they may play-battle. However, I think we should begin moving our gaze beyond our current lands and to the homes of the enemy. To help protect Gemclod while her troops are away, I plan on constructing the following defenses:
A lava pump, to purge the swamps of any large scale invasion.
A series of gangways throughout the swamp, so the Knives may shower the enemy with dwarven fury no matter where they try to hide.
Fortifications within the tainted mine, in case the dark beneath attempts to extinguish our light.
Catapults and ballistae, so a few dwarves can hold off waves of enemies.
Together we shall accomplish these goals and be set on reclaiming our lost homes from the claws of the Arrogant Ones and restoring the glory of the dwarves.
In other news, it seems Bad Munki’s… talent is spreading. Cythereal was carrying her meal to a table in the Great Hall when she suddenly dropped her platter. When some dwarves walked up to help her clean it, she screamed out that the she could feel the ancestors taking her, and took off running. She was followed to the old crafting hall, where she began collecting the dusty junk laying about.
Speaking of that junk, I had most of it shoved onto the trading post for our visitors. For some reason humans go nuts over that garbage. Markus, I ask you to go speak with them after our council. Get whatever you can from them for it, I don’t care. Threaten to their lives if they won’t take it for free. I want that stuff out of here. And be quick about it; I am uncomfortable with foreigners in our halls.
I yield the table to whomever wishes to give advice about the state of our city.”
Bene Elim wrote :-
Oh that arrogant bastard...
Teledahn near assaulted me today, demanding to know why I hadn't been at training. Apparently our illustrious Overseer decided that I needed further humiliation and drafted me into the military! Into the only squad without a badass name to boot.
I can barely walk in armour, much less murder greenskins. Low Elves would be ok, I suppose. Even the children could kill them. But the high, and the green?!? Nu-uh. Bene wants out.
It's possible I've been going about this all wrong. Here I've been flouncing about demanding power, when it could be freely given to me. They say Yeol Deabo Tcher will be in charge soon. Maybe I should go say hi...