Cassidy
Arcane
Because of DF grimdarkness my mind always associate imagery from the descriptions in game with something more or less like Warhammer. So I'll go kingcomrade and use images from obvious source in the opening of siege-centered updates.
Except warhammer doesn't have ritualistic cannibal elves as default rather than as the "dark" variant that will btich about buying things stored in wooden barrels but not about buying skull thrones, therefore DF beats it in grimdark.
Well it's fluff discussion, but in Bay12 someone explained that "Orc" is sort of LOTR copyright and that before D&D Goblin and Orc had the same meaning, so if you'll excuse me I'll feel free to imagine the goblins as nasty Orks doing a WAAAGH!
======================
KING OF KINGS
From the Holy Scriptures of the Master Builder, Grand Revolutionary and Queen of Queens of Anusblaze and of all Dwarves, Avus Lirzas
The First Great Siege of 257
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! That was their scream, as the Trickster minions charged from the east. And, I suppose I'd run out of appropriate unique quotes from the Master Builder for every situation that happens during this enlightened year. All were ordered to run back inside and meet at the Great Hall, while all forces were mobilized.Sealing the fortress and waiting for the foes to leave would delay too much the great works.
Fortunately, everybody managed to get inside in time.
They launch their trolls at the front, as they are the toughest these greenskins can muster. The good news is that hopefully the traps will emaciate the trolls so much they will be easily slaughtered as they get inside.
The Red Armors hold tightly on their weapons, while the crossbowdwarves stand next to the fortifications, ready to fire. The enemy continues advancing, and slowly it becomes obvious that after the previous failures, they have apparently put all they can muster at once. This will be a very difficult challenge, a trial from the Master Builder we must overcome.
The trolls are smashed by multiple stone-fall traps as they charged to meet the Red Armors. Only one of them however succumbs to pain. The others simply become even more enraged. May the Builder grant us strength for this decisive battle, where the heathens of the Trickster have chosen to make a big gambit.
For while the enemy is legion, killing one of their unholy leaders who came in to lead this offensive would greatly help Anusblaze, and possibly ensure no more sieges for a while long enough for the great works to be finished, because leaderless, the orks would end busying themselves into infighting for a long time. The Master Builder shall grant us this victory regardless of the fact our brave warriors are greatly outnumbered.
What the hell? I need to teach some of them on how to not be idiots, because for reasons beyond my understanding, some of the crossbowdwarves didn't bring any bolts with them before positioning behind the fortifications. More one fact conspiring against the glory. Of course, the great works are idiot-proof, differently from these simpletons I need to endure in making sure Anusblaze survives.
Oh damn, I almost forgot along the tension that there was one extra step to ensure the waterwheel wouldn't become a backdoor. That is the bad news. The good news is that such path is longer, and thus the fact they are heading through it is buying some time. I can hear the sounds of battle from the great hall, as I keep my hammer lowered, but ready in case the worst comes. Thus I prayed for the Builder:
I am a Wallbuilder. Let my walls endure, from season to season, year to year, and age to age. Let my walls stand, while families toil, armies march, and empires fall. I am a Wallbuilder, and my walls will stand always as a shield against evil. This I pray, that will the Master Builder grant.
I know I'll have many who gave their lives for the Master Builder to consecrate. I prepare myself to soothe the suffering of those who shall lose their families today. With the numbers of foes being faced, there is little hope of nobody dying. The doors of the Great Hall are locked, and thus I wait. I can feel when they perish, it hurts me but I must stand strong in this trial.
Yet, a great champion of the Master Builder shall also rise, almost unscathed from this battle, I am as sure of it as the Builder himself!
Eventually, I knew the Trickster minions have perished by the dozens from how the sounds and screams of these monsters became less frequent, and the battle cries of the dwarves louder, and thus I believe their leader would foolishly charge into battle.
Hopefully one of the brave warriors of the Master Builder has brought final judgment into this minion.
Yet I have a feeling the future of Anusblaze hangs on a thin thread. That today I will witness either a great tragedy or one of the greatest victories in this place's history. Yet my faith in the Builder is unwavering, for no matter how many die to ensure victory, it shall happen, and the foes shall be give no mercy.
I get even more doors locked, in awareness of how close the foe is. I believe only the Trolls can smash their way through, and all of them have already been defeated. If the worst comes, the survivors can still seal the way to the surface, although then the great works would be forever ruined and forgotten. Thus it must not happen!
I know I will learn of a great hero today.
For such is the grace of the Builder that guides us unto battle.
Some of the histories of how the foes were defeated will most likely sound unbelievable, but I have faith in my soldiers' ability of not making up things about how awesome they are to look dwarfier than they truly are.
And when losing, it's always a matter of time before the enemy begins to retreat. And then the Builder's justice shall never give them rest or mercy! They shall all be crushed by the hammer, by the sword, by the axe, by the spear, by the grace of the Builder.
Someone runs to me and tells me too many have died, and that he is unsure whether the remaining will make through, as even more of them are gravely wounded. I calm him, and ask for a list of all dwarves in Anusblaze, so that I look at all over the Great Hall. They are anxious and afraid, for I need to summon some of them as reinforcements to our small army.
No matter how many die, all squads must remain at maximum strength through this battle to ensure the enemy pays dearly for their attack. Those blessed by the Builder's hand sigh in relief, for they know they will be the last ones to be called into battle due to the critical importance of their abilities. The potash makers, soap makers and equally worthless artisans aren't so glad about it, knowing they will be the first ones to be called to the front.
As victory draws near, I summon the "Master of Decline" Esterilith to battle, while I ready my hammer and begin to head upstairs to join the closing of this great show of the Builder's strength. I have faith the Builder shall protect me through this battle.
Hammer drawn, I realized the enemy was fleeing, and the siege was at last over. I ran as fast as I could, but I couldn't catch up to smite any of the foes. The screams and moans of pain from those who took grievous wounds permeated the battlefield. I rushed to the Chief Medical Dwarf, ordering him to get all dwarves with some medical skill fully dedicated to giving medical care to the wounded as quickly as possible, for some of them were really bad. I don't know if they would survive.
I stood next to one of the grievously wounded dwarves, a simple but hard-working peasant called Ezum Azziningiz, and prayed for the Builder to take his soul to heaven:
"O Master Builder! We ask Thee to bless our brother who hath died in Thy service. Forgive him the transgressions of his living days, and look with favor on his works in Thy name. Plumb and plane, fire and forge, purify his spirit and draw from him all which does not meet Thy plan. Take him to serve with Thee in Thy Home where he may rest in peace eternal."
He was one of three who died after the battle was already over. Their lungs were severely injured. They struggled until the last moment to breathe, but they could do nothing. May the Builder recognize their bravery and grant them eternal rest and peace. The hospital became filled with wounded shortly after.
23rd Felsite, 257, Late Spring
The Battle is over. We have prevailed against the best of the Trickster foes and slaughtered their leader. A dedicated team of medics is caring for the wounded, while I move to the Great Hall. I look at a dwarf drenched in blood with an even bloodier adamantine axe, with barely a scratch, as he holds the heads of a dozen orks with only one hand as his hard earned trophies.
I proclaim him Hero of Anusblaze, and the other dwarves applaud him and cheer for this victory. His name is Kogan Bothoniton Akrulgeshud Stingbol, "Kogan Murkyhall the Tin Fortress of Bar". He have slain the trolls Andhaira, Cloaked Figure and Glyphwright, the human Chaos worshipper Kaiserin Ladynutspants and twelve Orks. Of the sixteen foes he defeated, twelve have been during this very siege that is at last over.
If there is time, I believe he deserves a mausoleum way more than the inane Esterilith, who makes yet another useless mandate in "celebration" of our victory.
Yet, if everything goes right, this will be Esterilith's final mandate. She was given a chance of dying honorably, but cowered behind the battle. Now the Builder's justice shall be harsh and merciless for her. I have to bring the magma to the surface before this year's end.
Except warhammer doesn't have ritualistic cannibal elves as default rather than as the "dark" variant that will btich about buying things stored in wooden barrels but not about buying skull thrones, therefore DF beats it in grimdark.
Well it's fluff discussion, but in Bay12 someone explained that "Orc" is sort of LOTR copyright and that before D&D Goblin and Orc had the same meaning, so if you'll excuse me I'll feel free to imagine the goblins as nasty Orks doing a WAAAGH!
======================
KING OF KINGS
From the Holy Scriptures of the Master Builder, Grand Revolutionary and Queen of Queens of Anusblaze and of all Dwarves, Avus Lirzas
The First Great Siege of 257
Fortunately, everybody managed to get inside in time.
They launch their trolls at the front, as they are the toughest these greenskins can muster. The good news is that hopefully the traps will emaciate the trolls so much they will be easily slaughtered as they get inside.
The Red Armors hold tightly on their weapons, while the crossbowdwarves stand next to the fortifications, ready to fire. The enemy continues advancing, and slowly it becomes obvious that after the previous failures, they have apparently put all they can muster at once. This will be a very difficult challenge, a trial from the Master Builder we must overcome.
The trolls are smashed by multiple stone-fall traps as they charged to meet the Red Armors. Only one of them however succumbs to pain. The others simply become even more enraged. May the Builder grant us strength for this decisive battle, where the heathens of the Trickster have chosen to make a big gambit.
For while the enemy is legion, killing one of their unholy leaders who came in to lead this offensive would greatly help Anusblaze, and possibly ensure no more sieges for a while long enough for the great works to be finished, because leaderless, the orks would end busying themselves into infighting for a long time. The Master Builder shall grant us this victory regardless of the fact our brave warriors are greatly outnumbered.
What the hell? I need to teach some of them on how to not be idiots, because for reasons beyond my understanding, some of the crossbowdwarves didn't bring any bolts with them before positioning behind the fortifications. More one fact conspiring against the glory. Of course, the great works are idiot-proof, differently from these simpletons I need to endure in making sure Anusblaze survives.
Oh damn, I almost forgot along the tension that there was one extra step to ensure the waterwheel wouldn't become a backdoor. That is the bad news. The good news is that such path is longer, and thus the fact they are heading through it is buying some time. I can hear the sounds of battle from the great hall, as I keep my hammer lowered, but ready in case the worst comes. Thus I prayed for the Builder:
I am a Wallbuilder. Let my walls endure, from season to season, year to year, and age to age. Let my walls stand, while families toil, armies march, and empires fall. I am a Wallbuilder, and my walls will stand always as a shield against evil. This I pray, that will the Master Builder grant.
I know I'll have many who gave their lives for the Master Builder to consecrate. I prepare myself to soothe the suffering of those who shall lose their families today. With the numbers of foes being faced, there is little hope of nobody dying. The doors of the Great Hall are locked, and thus I wait. I can feel when they perish, it hurts me but I must stand strong in this trial.
Yet, a great champion of the Master Builder shall also rise, almost unscathed from this battle, I am as sure of it as the Builder himself!
Eventually, I knew the Trickster minions have perished by the dozens from how the sounds and screams of these monsters became less frequent, and the battle cries of the dwarves louder, and thus I believe their leader would foolishly charge into battle.
Hopefully one of the brave warriors of the Master Builder has brought final judgment into this minion.
Yet I have a feeling the future of Anusblaze hangs on a thin thread. That today I will witness either a great tragedy or one of the greatest victories in this place's history. Yet my faith in the Builder is unwavering, for no matter how many die to ensure victory, it shall happen, and the foes shall be give no mercy.
I get even more doors locked, in awareness of how close the foe is. I believe only the Trolls can smash their way through, and all of them have already been defeated. If the worst comes, the survivors can still seal the way to the surface, although then the great works would be forever ruined and forgotten. Thus it must not happen!
I know I will learn of a great hero today.
For such is the grace of the Builder that guides us unto battle.
Some of the histories of how the foes were defeated will most likely sound unbelievable, but I have faith in my soldiers' ability of not making up things about how awesome they are to look dwarfier than they truly are.
And when losing, it's always a matter of time before the enemy begins to retreat. And then the Builder's justice shall never give them rest or mercy! They shall all be crushed by the hammer, by the sword, by the axe, by the spear, by the grace of the Builder.
Someone runs to me and tells me too many have died, and that he is unsure whether the remaining will make through, as even more of them are gravely wounded. I calm him, and ask for a list of all dwarves in Anusblaze, so that I look at all over the Great Hall. They are anxious and afraid, for I need to summon some of them as reinforcements to our small army.
No matter how many die, all squads must remain at maximum strength through this battle to ensure the enemy pays dearly for their attack. Those blessed by the Builder's hand sigh in relief, for they know they will be the last ones to be called into battle due to the critical importance of their abilities. The potash makers, soap makers and equally worthless artisans aren't so glad about it, knowing they will be the first ones to be called to the front.
As victory draws near, I summon the "Master of Decline" Esterilith to battle, while I ready my hammer and begin to head upstairs to join the closing of this great show of the Builder's strength. I have faith the Builder shall protect me through this battle.
Hammer drawn, I realized the enemy was fleeing, and the siege was at last over. I ran as fast as I could, but I couldn't catch up to smite any of the foes. The screams and moans of pain from those who took grievous wounds permeated the battlefield. I rushed to the Chief Medical Dwarf, ordering him to get all dwarves with some medical skill fully dedicated to giving medical care to the wounded as quickly as possible, for some of them were really bad. I don't know if they would survive.
I stood next to one of the grievously wounded dwarves, a simple but hard-working peasant called Ezum Azziningiz, and prayed for the Builder to take his soul to heaven:
"O Master Builder! We ask Thee to bless our brother who hath died in Thy service. Forgive him the transgressions of his living days, and look with favor on his works in Thy name. Plumb and plane, fire and forge, purify his spirit and draw from him all which does not meet Thy plan. Take him to serve with Thee in Thy Home where he may rest in peace eternal."
He was one of three who died after the battle was already over. Their lungs were severely injured. They struggled until the last moment to breathe, but they could do nothing. May the Builder recognize their bravery and grant them eternal rest and peace. The hospital became filled with wounded shortly after.
23rd Felsite, 257, Late Spring
The Battle is over. We have prevailed against the best of the Trickster foes and slaughtered their leader. A dedicated team of medics is caring for the wounded, while I move to the Great Hall. I look at a dwarf drenched in blood with an even bloodier adamantine axe, with barely a scratch, as he holds the heads of a dozen orks with only one hand as his hard earned trophies.
I proclaim him Hero of Anusblaze, and the other dwarves applaud him and cheer for this victory. His name is Kogan Bothoniton Akrulgeshud Stingbol, "Kogan Murkyhall the Tin Fortress of Bar". He have slain the trolls Andhaira, Cloaked Figure and Glyphwright, the human Chaos worshipper Kaiserin Ladynutspants and twelve Orks. Of the sixteen foes he defeated, twelve have been during this very siege that is at last over.
If there is time, I believe he deserves a mausoleum way more than the inane Esterilith, who makes yet another useless mandate in "celebration" of our victory.
Yet, if everything goes right, this will be Esterilith's final mandate. She was given a chance of dying honorably, but cowered behind the battle. Now the Builder's justice shall be harsh and merciless for her. I have to bring the magma to the surface before this year's end.