Dwarfettes in the Military

Pop. 190, Late Winter of 357 (Year 106)

Relicshield has a long and proud tradition of females serving in the military. From 2nd Commander Olivine of the Original Seven to current Commander Dishmab, their contributions have been vital to the success of the Mountainhome. However, the recent baby boom has necessitated some changes in policy.

Normally Relicshield has about 2-7 children at any given point. Over the past year, though, over 20 children have been born, bringing the current total to 28. The number and sheer frequency of dwarves taking maternity leave was disruptive to military scheduling and planning. The order for reservists to patrol the walls was even forgotten amongst the spree of new births, allowing the Evils of Spray to push further than normal into the trade tunnels.

King Urist II and Mayor Mosus II Lanterngaze-Anguishedpages discussed possible changes with input from the citizenry at large. It wasn't long before a satisfactory compromise was struck. Henceforth, married dwarfettes are no longer eligible for military or reservist duty. However, unmarried females and widows remain more than welcome.

The Games Continue!

Pop. 150, Late Spring of 351 (Year 100)

Despite the massive "CLOSED" notices posted on each of the trade tunnel entrances, the elven caravan arrived and demanded entry. Naturally, the goblins attacked at that moment, slaying most of the elves before they could reach safety underground. Still, that provided more prisoners for the gladiatorial games.

For the second match, 2 trolls and 2 yetis were thrown into the pit.



One of the yetis was immediately slain by a headshot from an audience member, while the other three combatants seemed far more interested in dodging bolts than fighting each other. The spectators slew them all and yelled for the next match-up!

This time, 8 goblins were pitted against 13 coyote men.



Again, the two sides avoided each other while they were pin-cushioned by the crossbow-wielding audience. One coyote man remained after the dust settled and was promptly slain by Commander Dishmab to move things along.

Crossbows were banned for the next match. 30 goblins, 20 trolls, and 1 minotaur were tossed into the arena to face the four squad leaders of Relicshield's elite troops: macedwarf Dishmab Shootwondered-Vesselbrain of the North Watch, axedwarf Goden II Claspletter of the East Watch, swordsdwarf Deler Anguishedpages of the South Watch, and speardwarf Asmel Fissuretour of the West Watch.



Unlike the previous two matches, the goblins and trolls immediately fought with the minotaur. It was a glorious three-way battle as the best warriors of Relicshield waded into the fray!






Dishmab smashed the minotaur's foot with her lead mace, Drumseer, causing the beast to fall. Goden II Claspletter, sister of Edem II the tiniest hammerdwarf, then sliced the minotaur's head off with her bloody axe, Drencheddragons. The remaining foes were no match and quickly fell before the dwarven onslaught.

Dragon Age

Pop. 133, Spring of 313 (Year 62)

Right at the close of the previous year, the enemies of the fortress attacked both above and below. While the Evils of Spray laid siege on the surface, a frigid horror entered the second cavern.

The Forgotten Beast Uthgur has come! An enormous quadruped composed of snow. It has wings and it squirms and fidgets.

Goden II Claspletter, Relicshield's first forgotten beast slayer, kept the monster busy while her captain readied the perfect blow. With a mighty shield slam, Dishmab Vesselbrain the Holy Winnower of Fortresses broke the creature apart!





Near the surface, Commander Sphalerite led the charge against the goblin siege, with Edem II and his dragon Istrath close behind.

http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-2556-istrathswrath



With the rise of Relicshield's dragons, a new age has dawned.

Search Renewed for the Second Cavern

Pop. 144, Winter of 308 (Year 57)

The long-delayed expedition in search of the second fabled cavern has finally recommenced. All the old exploratory tunnels were closed, while the scaffolding used for the walls securing the first cavern were removed. An outpost with food, booze, and barracks was constructed 49 levels below the surface, along with a cave-in corridor in preparation for the dangers below. Dishmab Vesselbrain, the 2nd best warrior of the fortress has now been stationed in the Deep Outpost with her squad of legendaries, including Goden II Claspletter, slayer of Lerdi the Forgotten Beast.

Dwarven Geneology

Thanks to innovations in genealogy, Relicshield is currently undergoing a massive renaming* project to better track the proud lineages of its citizens. The Claspletter family was one of the first to get a standardized surname, having several of the most prominent dwarves of the fortress, including Edem II, the legendary pick-wielder and Goden II, the Forgotten Beast Slayer.



* Previous posts have been edited to reflect this change in dwarven surnames.

The Assault of Claws

Pop. 114, Late Summer of 283 (Year 32)

The human merchants who arrived at the fortress this year narrowly missed an elven ambush. And what an ambush it was. First, a group of war grizzlies emerged from the forest. One of the beasts gave Commander Sphalerite quite a fight! The bear's ferocious offense kept the commander off-balance far longer than any previous opponent, despite the inevitable end.



While the last of the grizzlies were struck down, the rest of the elven forces revealed themselves. No longer an ambush, it was a full-scale siege! With spear-wielding moose and camel riders, war leopards and lions, over a hundred enemies entered the fray! The battle was intense, but the dwarves remembered their training and stood their ground. Despite numerical superiority, the odds were still solidly in the dwarves' favor.



(Legends mode doesn't track mounts apparently, since the moose and camels aren't listed. The true enemy count was probably over 150. Also, the elves arrived in Late Spring, but waited out of sight until the Summer. Dastardly!)

Edem II's combat performance has remained an enigma. The weapon prowess, shield technique, and dodging ability are all there, as he proved again during this elven assault, and yet he always shies away from the killing blow. Still, he's able to engage multiple opponents and keep them occupied, so thus far, his particular quirk has mostly raised eyebrows. Stronger objections have also been stymied due to his older sister Goden II, wielder of the legendary axe known as Drencheddragons. To slander Edem II is to slander the entire Claspletter family, and among the dwarves of Relicshield, Goden II holds the singular distinction of slaying a forgotten beast.



In the meantime, the most pressing problem for Relicshield is what to do with all of the beast carcasses left after the battle. The fortress has had a food surplus for decades, so collection isn't a necessity, though the Mountainhome might appreciate a gift of exotic edibles if they can be preserved in time.

Sour Silver

Pop. 79, Mid-Winter of 275 (Year 24)

Momuz Anguishedpages had just turned 12 and joined the military as a budding axedwarf. Unfortunately, the giant Etog Searchtorch decided to attack the fortress on that very day. The teen dwarf stood his ground as the massive enemy's footsteps shook the very earth. Momuz swung his axe, but missed and received a fist the size of a boulder in return. The blow was powerful enough to lift the dwarf off his feet and he sailed several yards through the air to land in a heap. At that moment, the legendary swordsdwarf, Meng Roughwhips arrived and promptly slashed the giant in the back of the head. The attack knocked the giant unconscious, and in three more cuts, Etog Searchtorch was no more. Sadly, the giant's single strike broke Momuz's upper spine. He lost the ability to breathe and died soon after :(.

Later that same winter, the goblins sieged Relicshield, but they sorely underestimated the dwarves. The single goblin strike team was mostly destroyed, with the survivors scattered to the four winds.

Newlywed Olon II Treerooms fell into a strange mood and created Zunekral Avog, The Sour Silver of Dredging, a white stork bone shield.



The artifact was immediately given to Commander Sphalerite, and none to soon!

The Forgotten Beast Lerdi Eslulost has come! A great cardinal with external ribs. It has a curling trunk and it has a bloated body. Beware its webs!

Unlike the first Forgotten Beast, there was no time to use the cave-in trap. Lerdi Menaceterrors was bearing down on the civilians working on the cavern wall project. Armed with his new shield, Sphalerite rushed at the beast, trying to buy time for the workers to flee to safety. But no, Lerdi would not let them escape so easily! It spewed a mass of sticky filaments that covered all nearby. Several civilians were caught, unable to break free. Sphalerite, stronger than the average dwarf, ripped and slashed at the webs covering him, then attacked. More and more webbing covered him and he was pinned to the ground as the beast attacked.

With the alarm sounded, more soldiers soon joined the battle. The axedwarf Goden II Claspletter managed to maneuver behind Lerdi and began to hack into its exposed back. With the other soldiers keeping it busy, Goden II managed to cut the beast completely in two! The foul creature spurted its last web, then fell to the ground. The only injuries were a broken hip for Commander Sphalerite and a broken ankle for Lokum Letterplait-Meshpapers the metalsmith.

Nuwetha and the First Cavern

Pop. 76, Mid-Spring of 275 (Year 24)

The past few years were quite eventful. Adil Craftswarded, the best swordsdwarf of Relicshield, celebrated the military enlistment of his son, Adil II. The elder Adil reminded many of the tales of Adil Bootmirrors, the legendary hero of the lost fortress of Greatestbodice. Adil Craftswarded shared the same affinity for swords as Adil Bootmirrors, and became a legend in his own right along with his sword, Spatteredcolumns the Responsibilities of Calamities. Adil Craftswarded bestowed the sword on Adil II as he and his son became the second family with members serving concurrently in the military, along with Edem II and Goden II Claspletter.

Selenite Ivyrope, one of the Original Seven, and the armorer of the fortress, fell to a goblin snatcher. The fiend stabbed him in the throat and he bled to death before he could be taken to the hospital :(. His one true love was the legendary hammerdwarf and fortress 2nd-in-command Olivine. Though they never married or had children, Selenite's legacy lives on in the fine armor he crafted.

In happier news, Olon II Treerooms & Ingiz II Watchbolted were married, giving Relicshield the very first marriage between dwarves born there.

Finally, after over a year of digging, the first of the legendary caverns was breached! The bizarre bioluminescent flora and even odder fauna had a strange beauty, but the dangers of the depths have been passed down in tales for generations. Soon enough, one of the monstrosities from ages past made itself known!

The Forgotten Beast Nuwetha has come! An enormous one-eyed pterosaur. It has a long, spiral horn and it undulates rhythmically. Its pine green scales are jagged and overlapping. Beware its deadly blood!

Choosing caution over a head-on assault, Commander Sphalerite made a tactical retreat to lure the beast to its doom. It gave chase, then came upon a room with over a dozen dwarf statues. Thinking it had found its prey, Nuwetha entered. The lone pillar in the room gave way while the creature attacked silent rock replicas. Mighty are the forgotten beasts, but stone is mightier still.

Relicshield ER

Pop. 75, Mid-Autumn of 268 (Year 17)

Trade with the humans had barely had a chance to recover before the goblins conducted a massive, coordinated ambush. Even though the defenders of Relicshield did their best, one of the wagons was destroyed and the humans fled for the hills rather than the safety of the fortress. The melee troops had the support of several new marksdwarves shooting from recently constructed ramparts. Edem II, eager for revenge, was right in the middle of the battle when he came up against a particularly fearsome goblin armed with a silver mace. The fourteen year old member of Relicshield's army did his best, but he found himself outclassed.



His sister, Goden II, watched over him while help was on the way, but things looked grim.



This was by far the toughest challenge yet for Dr. Dolomite and the medical staff of Relicshield. To make matters even worse, the soap supplies had dwindled to nothing without anyone noticing! Edem II's wounds were cleaned with fresh well water, but he still got several infections. All four medics of the fortress tended to him night and day, with help from the medically experienced metalsmith who carried him from the field of battle.



After a month and a half, Edem II was released from the hospital, a little worse for wear, but still ready for combat training, cast & crutches be d@mned!

Oath Fulfilled

Pop. 58, Late Summer of 266 (Year 15)

Edem II has fulfilled his oath to join the military in memory of his abducted brother Mosus. Along with his older sister, the axedwarf Goden II, the goblins will pay in blood! Unfortunately, as Relicshield gains one soldier, it loses another - Dodok Calmedbust, née Clawsack, the eagle-eyed marksdwarf from last year's siege :(.



As Dodok was laid to rest, the humans returned... but bearing gifts, rather than swords (or giant snails).



Peace was granted and trade returned to normal. As a nod to widower Ushrir Calmedbust, the minecart route where Dodok struck first blood was named after her.

Snatchers!

Pop. 59, Early Spring of 261 (Year 10)

The fortress celebrated its 10th year, longer than any other fort in the region.  The underground trade network has allowed non-stop commerce.  With coal from the Mountainhome and wood from the humans and elves, the forges of Relicshield have been burning nonstop.  Recruits were handpicked from the hauler force, bringing the number of fully steelclad warriors up to 15.  A weredeer and minotaur were no match for the defenders.  There was much to celebrate.  However, the festivities are tempered with tragedy due to the first abduction of a child by enemy forces in the previous winter.

SIX snatchers were discovered during the largest assault against Relicshield to date.  3 were slain immediately, 2 were chased off, but somehow 1 kidnapper was able to slip by.  Mosus, son of Goden the broker and Edem the carpenter, was only 2 years old when he was snatched away.  His 18-year-old sister Goden II, the youngest member of Relicshield's militia, was in the battle, but she had no idea Mosus was anywhere nearby before he was snatched.  His 8-year-old brother, Edem II, has sworn to join the militia in five years, when he is of age.