Nidor awoke with a start, he had been dreaming, not the typical dreams of the fortress being flooded with booze, requiring him to save the fort by drinking it all before they drowned, nor the typical nightmare of being caught in a tug of war match between the gods, fighting over who gets to punish him for his sins. It was a nightmare however, a vivid one in which his entire world, along with countless others, was seated on a spinning silver disc inside of a grand tower about to collapse. Nidor shook his head to drive the strange dream from his mind, he checked his breast pocket, an almost involuntary reaction, for his journal. He had been neglecting it lately, it was limestone, and nothing had really happened to warrant writing it down lately. As of late all he had really done was the routine of work, sleep, drink, and write, he needed to tour the fort again.
Foremost on the list of places he would like to visit, is the magic district, it had been growing rapidly, and all he had to go by was Tenderroast's enthusiastic descriptions. The place was odd, with uneven, misshapen halls, and the air tingled with the energy of magic being practiced. He spotted a dwarf that he was told was Khaziraad, one of the first volunteers of magic, gathering materials and going to what he only assumed was the earth magic school, based on the nature of materials being gathered. Despite all of the oddities of those who practiced magic, Nidor couldn't help but feel it was a respectable choice for a dwarf, even though he wasn't fond of the concept of magic. He was interrupted from his thoughts by a dwarf bearing the look of an architect calling his attention. "Brother Nidor!" he exclaimed, "good timing, a few architects have been commissioned to build a proper temple, so it looks like you might be getting some help with workload when it gets staffed, figured you would be interested in the news, I had better get to work." With that, the dwarf ran off and left Nidor to his thoughts, while it would be nice to have a proper place to work, he couldn't help but worry, more staff meant more apostles, would they be home grown or come in from the mountain home, if the latter, he would have to be even more careful and put more effort into hiding his past. He could definitely fulfill all tasks required of the job, but it wouldn't matter to them if they found out he was not a part of the prestigious group.
Again he was jostled out of his state of thinking, by a young female dwarf grabbing his arm and looking at a young male dwarf. "Sorry, but I am already taken, this is my husband, er.. right honey!" she said to the other dwarf. Nidor's eyes bulged in shock, all previous panic from the announcement of the temple was immediately trampled by a much stronger panic, for the first time in his life, his words choked in his throat, and were unhelpful in deflecting attention. The male dwarf looked dejected, and sauntered off after she continued "Well honey, since you are off of work, lets go back to our quarters and talk about what you have been up to." She pulled him by the arm and hurriedly rushed towards the living quarters. No sooner did they enter the room than Nidor whispered angrily "What in the world were you thinking?" "That guy was trying to propose to me ever since I got here, I saw that architect talking to you about some project, so I figured you were important enough to discourage him" she explained. "You should have just told him you weren't interested, half the fort has probably heard about this by now! You wanted to avoid this one dwarf so much that you would pick someone at random?" he asked pointedly. "I figured someone important looking was better than someone who cleans the boar stables for a living, I am the daughter of a noble, so it was either marry someone or get disowned, I don't have any job, let alone a guild certification", she said, putting on airs.
Nidor squinted at her "Daughter of whom?", he asked "Count Bomruk in the western home" she said with her head slightly upturned. Nidor laughed and said "You are a terrible liar, Count Bomruk only has sons, and his wife was involved in an 'accident' after she mandated a slade figurine thirty years ago." "Neither of them had your color of hair either, who are you?" Nidor said accusingly. She looked angry for a moment, he predicted she was about to go into a "how dare you" type rebound to fit her story, but then she lowered her head, defeated. "Kogsak Ibeshlitast, daugter of Shasha Wrathfulunspeakable and Kolad Liedguard." she murmered, "Wrathfulunspeakable and Liedguard" Nidor repeated, "Those are skulker titles, and from the sounds, given for being cast out for violence, and pretending to be part of the military." "How..." she started, "are you going to report me to Splint?" she asked fearfully. Nidor sighed and said "No, I don't hate the casteless, but you will have to know how much trouble you have gotten us into. I am a priest, and while I suppose that technically makes me important in a new fort such as this, it also means that I am not typically expected to marry, due to vows of chastity, though I suppose there is no rules against it. It also means I am not expected to live a life of luxury, unlike the priests back at the western home, if you were looking to marry into a comfortable life, you probably would have been better off with the stabledwarf." Kogsak slouched dejectedly at this revelation, but then stood upright, "Well, It is better than begging on the streets, and considering my family I'd rather not go for military, besides, I didn't really want kids anyway, I think I'll manage". Nidor stared at her dumbstruck, "I am never going to be able to explain this" he groaned. He thought that perhaps Splint will assign her to the new temple with him, he was sure if we were able to build a monastary, he could train her as an apprentice, and perhaps he himself will be able to undergo the rites towards priesthood, this 'marriage' will draw way too much attention, and an official mark of recognition in his abilities would do much to cover his tracks.
His mind made up, he spoke to Kogsak, "I am going to talk with Splint and Rakust." he spotted her eyes widen and added "I will see if I can get you assigned a position in the upcoming temple, It would be the least suspicious thing for a priest's wife to do". "If you were telling the truth when you said you had no job skills, it will be easier for you to learn anyways, though you will have to work on your conversation skills, you can't go asking gods favors with lies like that." At this he chuckled, as she blushed angrily with clenched fists "Fine, but just you watch, I will be great at it!" she huffed, and stormed out. Nidor smirked, and said to himself "Considering how the last one turned out, I think you would."
Once his break is over, he would head to Splint and bring it up.
Limestone, 143
I wish I could write that the rest of Limestone went without incident, but Arcvasti was killed by a cave croc, this came as a bit of a shock, since Arcvasti was responsible for most of the advances in the fort, and possibly dwarfkind with his inventions. The funeral was a bit more somber than most, many dwarves agreed with the assessment of inventors being dwarves in an unnaturally long mood, and the eulogy reflected the strength of character and willpower he must have had to last as long as he did without snapping. A human would have been appalled at something like that being said at a funeral, but for a dwarf, "he was crazy but didn't kill anyone" is pretty respectable. Almost seconds after his death, another dwarf was stricken with a strange mood, it might be a coincidence, but seems eerie, either it will be one messed up artifact, or something hilariously innocent.
A couple of days later I approached Splint about considering Kogsak for a position at the new temple going up, and he said he would consider it once it is built and things begin to quiet down after the deaths and the upcoming goblin season. He then asked me if I was willing to bet whether the new artifact would be pants or a wifebeater, I said a priest probably shouldn't gamble, but I suppose I didn't need money and it wouldn't hurt, I figured it would be neither one, and I would consider the results a donation, whether to the military or the church is yet to be seen.
It was a rope, with some mundane imagery, I would have guessed a cloth figurine of a croc eating dwarves, go figure.
Sandstone, 143
Arcvasti's final work was discovered as they were cleaning out his workspace, an herbalist workshop, which I have been told is key to unlocking the aligned schools of magic, I admit I am curious about those, though I hope noone volunteers for the black school, I picture that one to cause a bit of a headache within my field.
Timber, 143
A typical caravan, but some of them seem sickly, I would worry, but this fort seems to be pretty cautious when it comes to sickness, so it should work out.
Goblins predictably arrive, and 'depart' even more predictably.
A hunter has picked something up from the caravan and been quarantined, our apothecary hasn't been heavily used since I have been here, so they are sifting through the dust to see what they can do for him.
A side story and a journal today, I guess that would be my volunteering Nidor dwarf's wife for priesthood, or more valuable and interesting, for the white school of magic when it is learned, as a healer. Similar yet different, and would kind of fit the whole personality I have given to her to pick something that isn't the same as him, but in the same ballpark to spite him.
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Topic: ☼Riverrun, a Masterwork Community Dwarf Fortress RISE AGAIN!!!☼ (Read 158061 times)