Part 72

Edit: Ok, so a bunch of my screenshots for some reason did not get saved, so I've tried to make up for it a bit with , not to mention that nothing terribly exciting happened anyway. Next one will be a bit more graphics and less text, I promise.

If there is one word that can describe Headshoots, that word is decadence. Yes, once an incredible fortress, wrought together by the selfless sacrifice and work of but a handful of dwarves, all toiling side-by-side with their dwarven brothers, none better than the other and all as important as the next. But now the fortress lies in chaos and disarray. Even worse, it's clear that a great divide has risen in between its inhabitants. The ordinary dwarf is homeless and lacking in even the most basic alcohol provisions because they cannot afford it, while the nobility, those that supposedly must lead our race into prosperity, sleeps in lavish rooms made of adamantine and never want for anything, all while making demands for the most frivolous of items (seriously, clear grass statues?). As if that wasn't bad enough, they're protected by a corrupt military that will follow its orders blindly as long as it leads them to more Adamantine armor that they don't deserve.

It falls on me, then, to bring Headshoots back to life, and I will do it by taking us back to our roots, to when each dwarf worked for the common good. For the people!

Somebody has started some kind of construction on the bottomless chasm, but has not left any indication as to what it might be. However, I quickly realize that this will serve very well for the plans I have for those pesky elves.



Meanwhile, the previous ruler seems to have put in orders for Adamantine EVERYTHING, for the military. While my first instinct is to cancel all of the orders (Headshoots already has a more than adequate army, and what's the point on spending more resources on it when all of that could be going to other endeavours? Endeavours that could benefit the people!), it doesn't take me long to realize that if I want to get anything done here I will have to get in the military men's good graces, lest one of them hammer me to death like they did my brother. So I let the current orders stand, but mark my word, this will be the last equipment this army will see for a while, so they better make good use of it.

"Hellioning" becomes part of the Royal Guard. Even worse than the military, the Royal Guard doesn't even mask its true allegiance. Disgusting.



Migrants arrived! Excellent, the fortress could use some more dwarves to join the ranks of the proletariat! However, word reaches me that amongst them is a new Countess! The bourgeoisie has called in reinforcements, finally realizing that the growing socialist movement in Headshoots threatens the status quo. This will not stand...

Meanwhile, the corpse of the dwarf "Royal II" lies on the ground, ignored by everyone. At first, his name leads me to think that this is an ex-member of the Noble class, so I feel little sympathy for his disgrace. However, someone informs that he had been, in fact, a Pump Operator! Leaving a fellow member of the working class to suffer this indignity! The shame! This man is a hero, and he shall be treated accordingly. This is to say he'll be treated like everyone else because nobody deserves special credit for doing their job. I order his body put in the mass graveyard.



Apparently "Manic Mole" fell into the bottomless chasm while working in my project. While it's always a shame to lose good workers, sacrifices must be made for the greater good. There is no body to store in the graveyard, so he will have to live on in our memories. You will be remembered, "Magic Mop". Or was it "Marvin Mose"? Oh yes, the people will remember you "Mayo Month"!



I have had it with these skeletal ratmen delaying the construction of my project! They're not even near it, they're 10 levels deeper into the inaccessible chasm! Guess I will have to send the military in to deal with them.

Eventually they make it there and the threat is contained. I guess there are some uses for these glorified gorillas. "HolisticDetective" was the first one in, and as much as I hate to admit it, that murderous monster did a fine job dispensing of those horrible creatures.



While perusing the fortress I find that parts of it are getting increasingly wet. Apparently we're flooding: someone saw it fit to connect the damned river into a series of rooms, open the floodgates connecting them and then conveniently forgot to close them. Finding the right lever is going to be, of course, fucking impossible. I suspect sabotage by the ruling elite, probably as part of a scheme to turn the populace of the fortress against me. Hah, they'll have to try harder: I've sealed the flooding areas in time and now I can safely look for this blasted lever.



Apparently at some point "Kutan", a furnace operator, was struck down by... something. Not entirely sure what it was. Foul play? Most likely. To the graveyard with him, I will sort this out later.

Another project related accident: "Manuel Calavera", recently arrived noble, fell to his death. I'd like to say he'll be missed, but that's a lie, the rich pig deserved it. Who knew that that the project would bear such unexpected fruits?



"Tinny_Tim" becomes possessed and takes over a workshop. This fortress needs an exorcist, not an overseer. Eventually he comes out of his trance with an amulet with images of a roach in it. Perhaps a metaphor for how all opulence is a mask for the lowliest bugs of all: the nobility? Yes, very good work "Tinny_Tim".



We lost "Whitecloak" to yet another mishap during the building of the project. As it turns out, you cannot attach a building only to a bridge. Back to drawing board, I'll find a way to make it work, regardless of how many lives it takes! Oh, apparently "Whitecloak" was our resident broker, manager and Mayor so there seems to be a slight break in the chain of command. I've assigned myself these roles, for the good of the people, of course. For some reason, though, the Broker is now "The Good Professor", who is also a Champion, and as such refuses to work (again proving that the military is simply an extension of the bourgeoisie), so our fortress does not have an accurante count of its stocks at the moment. I've replaced him with the first dwarf that came across my path, a peasant that now has a higher purpose in life: counting! For the good of the people, of course.



That's it for now. Next time: the project finally gets finished and implemented! And I initiate the final stage of my rule: a noble culling!