Journal of Yeol I, Legendary Armorer and Emperor of All Dwarves
20th Obsidian 268
So... that last battle.
Dirt5o8 was lucky enough to be the one stumbling on the elven ambush and delivered the usual Gemclod greeting.
The elves were armed with spears, same as usual, although one was riding a war giant eagle, something they'd not done before.
Dirt5o8 finished off the first elf and then moved on to the next.
Or at least that's what I was told, because I wasn't there. After giving the order to assemble at the gate to Gemclod's regulars, I had everyone else meet in the great hall so I could give a speech, or, as I like to call it, lie eloquently.
Account of an anonymous dwarf
The great hall was crowded, more than it ever had been. The assembled dwarves had no idea why they had been called there while a battle was about to begin outside. The current overseer usually did not care much for their opinion, nor to explain her actions. Orders were given, and they were executed. Screams and threats were sometimes added, but that was the gist of it.
Understandably, she was not particularly popular. The pompousness and recent crowning as "Emperor of All Dwarves" did little to help, and some dwarves were clearly unhappy with her rule. As such the atmosphere in the great hall that evening was one of equal parts excitement, puzzlement and anger.
At the north end of the hall, in front of the overseer's office and high above the crowd, the overseer began:
"Brothers! Sisters!"
The crowd became silent.
"I've asked you all to come here, for there is something of great importance for us to discuss. Something of so great importance that I cannot make the decision alone, even though I am your emperor.
We have been offered a way to avoid bloodshed, a way to avoid death on this night. The elves have offered us peace, provided that we give them something in exchange. Something which no dwarf has ever given away before, which even the worst traitors to dwarvenkind have kept secret. Something which all the races of the world, deep down, cannot help but covet.
They want the secret of adamantine crafting.
Shall we hand it to them?"
For a few seconds, the room was perfectly silent. Then came a chuckle, then another, and before five more seconds had elapsed, the crowd had errupted into a thunder of laughs that lasted for more than a minute. When the laughter finally subsided, the atmosphere in the great hall had changed. There was still anger, but where before it had been directed at the overseer, it was now directed at the elves outside.
The emperor continued:
"I thought so.
Then to arms, brothers and sisters! Empty the armories! Let no dwarf hide behind walls on this night, let no elf escape without knowing true fear! Let them hear and run from our ancestral chants!"
The hall emptied to warcries and warsongs.
Journal of Yeol I, Legendary Armorer and Emperor of All Dwarves
20th Obsidian 268, Continued
When I finally got outside, some of the regulars had already assembled at the gatehouse.
Veinless and Dylguy90 had already charged out to meet the elf leader, an axeman, while Getting Fat had intercepted the charging elves further down the road.
The axeman was quickly pulled off his mount, which was dealt with.
However, it was clear that the axeman wasn't just for show. He had skills.
But with Dylguy90 pinning him to the ground, Veinless was able to make sure the elf would stop jumping around as much in the future.
By crushing the elf's foot with his warhammer. But the elf was a tough one, and what should have been killing blows didn't seem to do much.
Minty then arrived, with more dwarves both regular and militia nearby.
But before Minty would add the elf leader to his list of kills, Veinless finally landed a killing blow.
Meanwhile, Getting Fat was having some trouble with that most hated of enemies.
GRIZZLY BEARS!
Closer to the gate, Vox Nihili and Bene Elim were busy dealing with an elf who just didn't want to die. He kept dodging and jumping and taunting them. He did not want to shut up. So Minty had to do things the hard way.
By then there were quite a few dwarves outside and more coming.
With their leader dead, and the few unlucky elves close to the gate getting cut open, the rest of the elves decided to retreat.
I gave the order not to pursue because I'm not an idiot. I had the dwarves assemble and wait for the next elven squad to show up.
But with the exception of two Kobold thieves who chose the worst possible moment imaginable to try and steal from us, there was no sign of our enemies. They were waiting too. So I sent the Guilded Men to the southwest, and the New Paints to the southeast. Search and destroy.
As expected, it didn't take long for the Guilded Men to find something.
ROUND TWO: FIGHT!
Minty decapitated an elf and let out a scream.
I hope he's not going crazy. nimby was also certainly doing well, and no one who saw her crush the elves and their mounts could doubt her skills.
One of the elf leaders, a spearmaster, was quickly cut down by two dwarves, dealing a serious blow to elf morale. The charge consisting of everyone in the fortress I ordered did the rest and the elves began to rout.
But there's always a problem.
The battle would have been a total victory if not for one elf.
This fucker here. This sack of shit is a high elf pikemaster, and was riding an elephant into battle. Somehow he succeeded in dodging every blow that the dwarves surrounding him were dealing, all the while maiming and cutting them with his pike like some sort of demented fucking martial artist. He seriously wounded five dwarves, probably the only real injuries of the battle.
All of this while retreating.
When the dwarves finally got their hands on him, they were not gentle.
Likewise for the last elf to die that battle.
After it was all over, the swamps were littered with elf corpses, blood and the wounded.
And the dying.
We won. But we've taken one step closer to our doom. A few more of us are dead or perhaps crippled, and we won't be able to make up for their losses.
I'm tired. I'm going to bed.
24th Obsidian 268
Things have been quiet for the past few days. Well, mostly.
Trained leopards sent by the elves have been discovered to the northwest. I'm sure they'll flee or a patrol will take them out.
TripleA has also begun building something in the forge. Some hope it'll be a powerful weapon, but it wouldn't change anything.
28th Obsidian 268
Hahahahaha.
Gemclod!
I suppose I should be thankful for one last laugh.
At first I wanted to stay overseer of this place for the rest of my life. It's not too difficult once you realize that there's nothing in dwarven customs preventing the overseer from nominating themselves as the next overseer. But after a year of ruling this place, I don't want to.
The idiocy, the apathy towards imminent oblivion, the complete lack of discipline even under threat of death... It gets to you eventually. I never noticed it before, probably because I've spent most of my life in forges.
I should have stayed there.
The problem is that most dwarves can't change. They're far too fond of tradition. Everything they do is done as it's always been done. Even if it's insane. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who's sane. And I am sane. I'm not mad, this world is mad.
But I don't care anymore. Maybe I'll pull that lever. Eventually. Make sure the elves don't win. Make sure no one wins. Not even the grizzly bears.
Note found in the office of the Overseer of Gemclod
To whoever finds this note,
Congratulations! You are now the new Overseer of Gemclod, with all powers and privileges granted by that position. I wish you success and glory for the coming year, or at the very least a quick death when the elves eventually overrun this place.
As for me, I've locked myself in my throne room until I die of old age or starve to death or get bored, and would be very grateful if I could be left undisturbed, which can be accomplished by not opening any locked solid steel doors you come across.
Thank you,
Former Overseer of Gemclod and Emperor of All Dwarves Yeol the First
P.S.: In case you decide to come for me, know that I have a loaded ballista aimed at the door and a lever that can end the world and I will use them if anyone so much as sets one Kudustdamned foot in my throne room so fuck off.
P.P.S.: I don't know who you are, but I probably hate you.
Kennel wrote :-
Daeren posted:
What's the translation of Minty's name for his axe
Bene Elim wrote :-
Late Ambush season - A change in the Guard
I...I killed something.
I was stood at the gatehouse, on rear guard as usual, when I saw them coming. I thought to break and run, but I didn't. Vox came out and made to charge alone, but I went with him. Then the Elf was upon me. All I could do was swing my hammer with all the strength I had.
Mishos herself must have guided my blow. I felt cap then skull then brain then life give way under my hammer. Blood splattered over me and I saw the light fade in the Elf's eyes as he fell to the ground. Vox clapped me on the shoulder and we charged into the fray.
Killing the Elf felt... good! The rush of blood, the thrill of victory! Once I made that kill I felt a changed Dwarf. I broke a few bones in the battle, but scored no more kills and when Minty raised is bloodsoaked axe in victory I cheered as loud as any.
I want to do that again. I want to fight. I want to KILL!
First though, I need to train. Despite two years in the Paints, Teledahn only rates me a 'novice' with the hammer, which is a polite way of saying I suck. There isn't much I can do about it. The paints are always patroling, so I get little time to train, and if anything does attack us, it dies before I can get a swing in.
I don't think my diary's getting looked through any more, so I'll paint this on the wall of the barracks (in Elf brains ).
To whoever is in charge of the military.
A good number of Gemclod's soldiers are currently woefully underskilled in all aspects of combat. As such we can't do much killing and run a far greater risk of dying.
To counter this, I propose the formation of a dedicated training squad, lead by an experienced soldier, which will train for at least 9 months of the year. Once a Dwarf in this squad is deemed sufficiantly skilled, they shall be rotated back into the Guilded men, New Paints, or other squad.
Signed; Bene Elim, Novice Elf Killer
cucka wrote :-
The poison has been spread, the mark has been made, and the beginning of the end of the Dwarfkin has been borne. The blood plague has settled in. Our people are lost.
It's too late.
It always has been.
And it always will be.
Too Late.