Part 42: Phrederick: Update 1

1st Granite, the 143th year of our lord Imketh Singedbanners: While I was admiring the cave spiders in the mining shafts, I come across Jazzimus Prime. He hasn't been sleeping well since the Barbarous Onslaught last fall, and it shows. When I ask him how he's feeling, he just stares hollowly past me. He mumbles something about Holistic Detective, then looks at me as if seeing me for the first time.

"Oh, it's you, Phrederick! I was thinking back to our discussion on our journey to Syrupleaf."

I wait for him to continue. He doesn't, and starts examining the rough-hewn gabbro walls.

"You mean when you asked me if I'd take over leadership if something were to happen to you?"

"Yes, that was it. What were we talking about? Nevermind. I've decided to take up farming. Cave Wheat and Plump Helmets are something I can work with. These Spawn have shaken me. I can't concentrate any more. I hope that sowing fields can bring me the sleep of an honest contented dwarf once more."

He didn't seem to be doing so well. So I accepted, and gave him my latest trained wardog to keep him company.

And hopefully keep him away from trouble, self inflicted or otherwise.

2nd Granite: I ask Royal W Passwheel, the Gully of Groves, whether she thinks the Spawn could be trained and kept as pets. She seems doubtful, but I must try. I order our most skilled mechanic, Tag Plastic Orbglazed, to construct some cage traps around the countryside. Even if we don't catch any Spawn of Holistic, I could use some more animals to train.

3rd Granite: Feeling slightly peckish, I wander over to the kitchen to see what our cooks have been working on. I'm horrified to find a Butcher's Shop and a Tannery. I immediately wreck them both, and order A124! Groupediron to dismantle them both. We won't be slaughtering any animals during my reign. We need them for our Dungeon/Bestiary-To-Be. As we've no use for his skills, I entrust Mystical Haberdasher Crushhame to Royal W for instruction, along with That Guy Bob and Tinny Turtle. Although Jazzimus recruited several hotheads for our military immediately after the Barbarous Onslaught, it's clear we'll need more hammerlords if we're to be able to confidently fend off future sieges, which I fully expect will happen.

As Royal W can be rather brusque when training new recruits, I give all three of them a freshly trained wardog apiece to keep them company and console them during their training.

Edit: Nothing's happened so far. This is the prologue. I'll be adding plenty of pictures once I start work on my efforts. And everyone's going to get a pet, hopefully, if our dogs are fecund enough.

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Chance II wrote :-

Journal 2 Granite 5
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After further study and the complete vivisection of the corpse, I have made a couple of startling discoveries. While logging the weights and measurements of the creature's bones and organs, I noticed that the bones of the wrist and phalanges were notably heavier than normal and tinted an odd shade of green. After dissolving a small sample of the triquetrium in an acid solution, I discovered a number of very fine particles remained.

I quickly commissioned our glass maker for a lens suitable for such detailed examination and set to work determining the origin of these mysterious particles. After many hours reference of charts and mineralogical texts and one incredibly frustrating discussion with a miner and a smelter of my acquaintance, I finally identified this substance. Adamantine! Imagine my surprise and the openly greedy looks I received upon this revelation.



Unfortunatly, this effort lead to the confiscation of the corpse and a notification from the migration office congratulating me on my impending resettlement in some gods forsaken back-water outpost dubiously named SyrupLeaf. I only hope that I can continue my research between whatever menial tasks I am assigned in my new "Home." Ugh.. I hear that the have Litastians there.

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Screaming Idiot wrote :-

FROM THE WRITIN'S O' PUMP OPERATOR SCREAMIN' IDIOT, OPERATOR OF PUMPS FROM THE WRITIN'S O' TRAINED EXPERT FIGHTER MARTIAL-TYPE ARTISAN SCREAMIN' IDIOT

Entry 2,459867: DRUMS O' WAR IN ME 'EART
Me blood sings with the power o' war! I need no sword nor axe nor 'ammer--me fists are weapons o' massive destructation! All that I touch can become a vicious weapon--bones, floodgates, backpacks, anythin' in me 'ands becomes an object o' power capable o' slayin' gods!

A voice speaks ta me when I sleep, whispers ta me tha glories o' war an' blood. I ain't no mushminded swordboy, but instead a glorious livin' engine o' battle! I can feel me 'eart begin ta burn with tha fury o' Armok hisself! He whispers ta me as I sleep, tellin' me that in death I shall become a god o' battle, an' that me life must be spent trainin' an' workin' ta become more than tha average dwarf!

I be almost certain that drinkin' an entire barrel o' whiskey an' eatin' that strange-colored plump 'elmet 'adn't a thing ta do with it.

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Skullbuggy wrote :-

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Entry - 1 Gran., the Sixth Year
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Another year has passed and I have not. I consider that a good thing.

Jazzimus stepped down as Overseer today--said that he was too stressed out by the position, but I believe he's got a touch of insanity thanks to the spawn. It should pass... but I'm not sure if he's got the mental fortitude to get out of this mood.

Phrederick has taken over, and almost immediately, he's struck me as a bit of a... well, he's a bit odd. He's asked geri_khan about the spawn quite a bit today. Does he have a plan?

- S. Mengigam, Manager

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Entry - 3 Gran., the Sixth Year
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News has gone around Udibgovos of Phrederick's plan... I asked Mayor Bobthethurd about it, and apparently Phrederick wants to tame the spawn! I can't believe this!

Has he gone completely insane too?! I mean, first we fight them off, now we try to befriend them? This is outrageous--I must bring this up with him at once!

- S. Mengigam, Manager

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geri_khan wrote :-

From the diary of Geri_Khan, Animal Trainer
1st Granite - News around the dining hall was that JP has stepped down as OS, and put Ph in charge. Good thing, I think - the strain was really showing. Don't really know Ph but he seems like a stout dwarf.
Must remember to talk to him tomo re: catching some mammoths to train.

2nd Granite: (unintelligible. This entire page is covered in an incoherent drunken scrawl, and covered in various stains)

3rd Granite: I have no idea what I wrote here last night. I think it was about Ph, and not very nice. I have been roaring drunk for the last day and a half. I think.
Went to talk to Ph yesterday about training some mammoths, and overheard him talking to RW about training the spawn. He's already got TP setting up some cages.
Sweet Doren, when did Ph enter a fell mood? JP has handed control of SL over to a maddwarf! The very idea of capturing and traing those horrors... it's insane, sacreligious, foolhardy, impossible... madness! And who will be expected to help carry it out? The poor shales who're the animal trainers! This plan is certain to send me to my tomb - I would have more chance of survival setting out across the ice wastes naked! At least there is a slim chance I could walk to a sane fortress.

But... professionally, my curiosity is piqued. I've dreamed of taming exotic creatures, but since arriving at SL there's been nothing but dogs to work on - fine beasts all, but hardly a challenge. I thought Mammoths would be enough, but taming spawn? Nobody... but NOBODY has even thought of that before, I'll wager. If Ph asks me to, I'll help him out. Hope I'm not alone in it though.
Remember: talk to Bob and Ph about this tomo. I think he came to talk to me yesterday but it could have been anyone, and I'm not sure what I said. Damnit.

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