The past weeks have been trying for everydwarf at Gemclod. Following the dispersal of the elven siege, we cleaned out the bodies, replaced out guard animals, and continued work on our ramparts. Work on a proper magma-forging area has begun. Several secret projects are also underway, but I will not discuss them here. The four-step plan I laid out at the start of my tenure continues to guide us, but I fear its completion may not come within my year of Empowerment.

First, though, I must document the happenings of the past weeks. The elves' greatest asset, their Great Beast, is dragged into our upper butcher shop. Dwarven butchers labored over the corpse day and night, and work on the ramparts proceeded well.



All was interrupted by the arrival of another ambush party. The greenskins had arrived- and this force was no mere scouting party. Undoubtedly, the survivor of the elven raid had alerted his comrades, and word had quickly reached the nearby goblin garrisons of a Famous Palisade settlement in the swamp. The Arrogant Ones will surely arrive next... but that will have to be dealt with in due time.

Just outside our walls, over a dozen goblins marshaled, fully armored and armed with long, heavy ropes studded with metal. As a student of Kudust, I am, of course, knowledgeable in the field of weaponry- such equipment would be sufficient to harm our soldiers their their heavy iron mail, leading to disaster if we risked engagement. Worse, our axedwarves had yet to be issued steel weapons, meaning that it could prove difficult to cut down the armored goblin soldiers. When I learned that their leader was a bowman, who would be able to fire upon our soldiers from afar as they engaged his underlings, I discarded the idea of facing such opponents in open combat altogether.




Unsurprisingly, the goblin raiding party moved to slay what inhabitants of Gemclod they could reach- our domestic animals placed on watch duty. The terrible effectiveness of their lashing weapons quickly became apparent.




Within moments, both our horses and our bull were slain. I made a note at the time to attach mechanisms to the harnesses, such that the animals might be released upon the arrival of enemies, and either fight freely or flee. The freed animals might at least disrupt attacking forces. Our mechanics ensure me that it is possible.

For the time being, though, we faced the prospect of encirclement by the greenskin force. Work on the ramparts is halted to avoid exposing workdwarves to the fire of the enemy leader, but life below ground continues largely as usual.



The obsidian cap is almost complete. Though the entire project is of dubious value in setting up magma forges, it will at least provide obsidian for our masons and craftsdwarves. In my inspection of the project, I notice what can only be described as "magma mist" emanating from the mixture of magma and water. I caution our dwarves to maintain their distance, lest they be scalded.




Several days after work began, the butchering of the great beast corpse is complete! From what I hear, its intestines alone could provide meat for 18 dwarves, as unappetizing as they appear to me. Hopefully our cooks will find a use for them.




A large, slippery-looking beast is sighted near the magmaworks, and Pozzo the "sheriff" narrowly escapes injury. I later learn that the creature is known as a "giant olm" according to cavernlore, and is indeed a flesh-eater. Enzer makes quick work of the monster, though, decapitating it with a single blow.

I fear that forcing our less clear-sighted denizens to attend masonry work is especially perilous- but every dwarf must do his duty.





It is no surprise when I hear that Pozzo had once again gotten herself into trouble. This time, though, no mere olm threatens her. A giant cave spider, the terror of caverns, leap from the darkness to attack her. Pozzo's pet dog leaped to her defense, but the giant cave spider slew it with ease, tearing the canine in half. It then spun its thick, sticky web upon Pozzo. Our sheriff was helpless to defend herself, and the beast administered its notorious sting upon her. Pozzo was paralyzed, unable to defend herself in any manner as the monster toyed with her. A nearby cat ran around the giant cave spider in an apparent attempt to draw its attention, but was completely ignored. It seems giant cave spiders have a taste specifically for dwarf flesh.





Kaboom Dragoon, our chief medical dwarf, was brave enough to make a rescue attempt, but when he saw the beast with his own eyes he called off the effort and fled to the fortress proper.



Finally, our militia arrived. Pozzo still lived, and our well-trained fighting dwarves used the element of surprise to great effect, quickly slaying the giant cave spider. Enzer is credited with the kill.



The effort, however heroic, is too late. Somehow, though, Pozzo shakes off her paralysis in her last moments of life. From what I hear, she spoke several words to Enzer, who subsequently swore an oath to never reveal Pozzo's final thoughts.



A day later, I made an inspection of Pozzo's burial, and was alarmed to find that only her ear had been brought to her designated coffin. I see to it that the rest of her body is immediately entombed. No dwarf shall go without a Final Rest at Gemclod, not while I hold power.



Weeks after pozzo's death, the goblin encirclement had yet to be lifted. Though our towers remain incomplete, I designate our most skilled marksdwarf, Repelex, to take up arms and harass our foes. She arms herself with crossbow, mail, and sets of iron bolts I craft specifically for the occasion, and takes to the peak of one of our incomplete towers.



Though many of her shots go astray, she is successful in wounding and driving off the single goblin stationed outside the western half our our fortress.



After carefully surveying the main party of goblin soldiers, I find that their bow-carrying leader had made himself scarce after Repelex's show of force. I position her atop the old infirmary, where she lays down a devastating fire upon our helpless foes.



The goblins below are numerous, but not so much so as Repelex's bolts.



Repelex injures several goblins initially, but as time goes by her aim improves. She scores several killing shots, including hits to the head, throat, and chest. The goblins linger, unsure of what to do without their leader, and pay for their inaction in blood. Though Kudust revels in true combat, he also rewards those who destroy their opponents from positions of unassailable strength.



A troll is sighted in the deep! Such vile creatures should not be suffered to live, ad it wanders within sight of our nearly complete magma cap operation. Remembering the loss of Pozzo, I send our militia down to deal with the threat immediately, planning to fortify the perimeter of the magma cap immediately following its defeat.



Minty is the first dwarf on the scene. Well-trained in axe and shield, Minty is nevertheless caught off guard by the troll. Rather than fleeing into the darkness, the beast welcomes combat, and howls madly as it assails Minty. Minty is instantly knocked from his feet, and only survives the onslaught thanks to his skill in shield use. The troll drives him back, however, and Minty is unable to fight back, only hold off the berserk beast. But Slaan, a skilled hammerdwarf, arrives and attacks the troll's back with his war hammer!



The troll's reaction is instant. It leaps at Slaan, catching him by surprise. Slaan is knocked to the ground, stunned. The troll roars as it punches Slaan directly in the nose with its massive first, disfiguring his heroic face.



Before aid can arrive, the troll slams its head into Slaan's chest, driving its knobby horns into his armor. The mail holds, but the flesh beneath does not. Slaan's spine is severed with a sickening crack.



Enzer once again saves the day, bringing the troll to its knees with a few deft swings of her axe. As the rest of the militia dwarves converge she finishes off the foul creature, earning her seventeenth kill. She will lead our Vanguard Squad as soon as I can scrape enough equipment together to arm some rabble for her to command.

Unfortunately, despite Enzer's heroics, Slaan's injuries are fatal. The brave dwarf dies of suffocation, his paralyzed body unable or unwilling to serve him any longer.



Slaan's dog remains by his side even after his death. I expect that it will likely remain at the location for the rest of its natural life.



There is some good news. The goblin encirclement is eventually driven off by Repelex, who is able to count six clean kills. Most of the other goblins are wounded by her fire, as well.



As summer begins to draw to a close, I order the gates to be opened once more. I expect the human caravan will arrive sometime soon, and I also hope to replace our guard animals and collect some choice pieces of armor from amongst the goblins slain by Repelex. The dwarves of Gemclod soldier on, less two of our number.

Sirocco wrote :-

'Ahem-hem!' The dwarf banged a spoon against his tankard until everyone was quiet. 'As we all know, our sheriff and good friend Pozzo passed away suddenly today after being eaten by a fuck-off giant spider.'

There was a sombre moment of near-silence, interrupted only by the respectful burps and farts of the assembled dwarves.

'But if there's anything I know about Pozzo it's that she would have wanted to be remembered in song.'

He raised his drink.

'Let's get pissed!'


(Click here for lyrics, tablatures and other versions of the song.)

Slaan wrote :-