Most of the wall is finished, but not the great pits that will serve as testament to Armok's promise of perpetual falling death to our enemies. Greenskins approach, fancying a brawl.
They are serviced admirably. Our growing kennel of war dogs appreciate the treats I bring them from time to time and the opportunity to lick my knuckles. They are a small bit of relief in this mad-man engineered hell-hole.
Little else would provide me joy or stability of mind to deal with the coming events. What I am about to write is of the darkest conspiracy and I pray that one day Armok delivers this journal to our true Mountain King.
It began with..
It was just a normal day. The flood had been halted, all of the roomed had finally dealt with the loss of their own private bed and door and become accustomed to the new housing. We had orders to place flood gates and tightly bolt some few remaining doors, but I was in the process of forbidding direct segments of the flooded chambers when a frenzied call met my ears.
"The Iron Chef! HE'S RUSHING INTO THE WATER!"
It.. had been months since I told the drunken sot to stop acting as a human and carry his rum in one hand, something useful in the other. He hauled, built walls and gradually became himself again. But today.. I saw him through the opposite end of a firmly erected flood-gate, the water rising towards the ceiling as he clumsily tread water, using jugs in either hand as flotation devices.
"I.. hic.. I thought ye needed.. hic.. a flood-gate placed, Cap'n."
He had walled himself into the earlier escape tunnel the miner had dug.
"You damn fool! The Outpost Caravan and Liason arrive in the Fall! Who will provide them rum-roasted rum roast?!"
"Is.. is alright, Cap'n. Hic!" He smiled, as though finally content. "Ah'm cookin' fer Armok now..."
"No!"
I was forced to retreat back up the stairs as another wave of mechanically propelled water crashed in. When it abated and I was able to look down again.. he was gone. As were some donkeys and a cat that he'd managed to wall in as well. The stairwell was protected from all but the most severe flooding, but at what cost?
As the artificial waves began to break and crash again, I heard a sudden gale of wind, as though the waters had lowered enough to permit a sound to skirt across their surface....
It sounded like Allez Cuisine.
Though not evidence of the conspiracy I am soon to discuss, it was a significant and shaking event all the same. The original expedition leader was now dead, bloating and soaking like a fine boiled vegetable. Detailed here, you can see that the results of our training have yielded the true second bastion of defense for Lancerblameless. I must try to arm these boys with useful weapons. Not all of us can be depended upon to strike at greenskins with Armok himself in the blood of the fist.
Will we be prepared for what trials lie ahead?
We.. may not have been. Our legendary carpenter has swam through the ceiling-high chambers of the flooded residential quarters and stolen refuge in a nobleman's quarters! We.. are able to communicate with him by shouting from the adjacent and safely flood-gated quarters. Why is he doing this!?
FEAR! Fear, he says.. of what?
As though beckoned forth by a complete lack of tact demanding he enter, Newbie arrived, mewling something to me about his father's greatest respects for the dear Captain and the loss of Esperath. As if I cared of whatever empty words his fat sire offered from the safety of the Mountainhome. Not all of us can be given nobility for the "talent" of being born.
"Perhaps.. perhaps the dear carpenter is quite mad. Most of the crafters are, you know? A great many things to be fearful of, these maladies of the mind..."
I can only offer him my stern silence. I must attend to work elsewhere. It is only as I return to my quarters to rest, the pleasant sound of stone-hauling and floor paving nearby soothing me a bit.. am I jarred wide awake by realization.
Both citizens of the Sunny Urns.Could it be that Ast has chosen a dignified death over whatever machinations the Newbie holds over his head?!