20th Sandstone, Year 106It has barely been one year since our accidental arrival to this desolate, foul wasteland, and all that remains of the original seven are HighZealot, Grimlocke, and myself. After repeatedly cautioning NekoRex about the dangers of the caverns, it was unexpected for news to arrive that he, along with our other friends, had disappeared in the cavern depths.After hearing the news of Neko's untimely demise, the world began to lose its hue. Food no longer held any taste for me, and even the plentiful sake no longer brought me delight. I was tired, lonely, and worst of all, sober.
I am slipping away, and although there is still work to be done, I feel that I can no longer lift a hand for my fellow suikans. Thus, I will begin drawing plans until my replacement arrives next spring. 1st Granite, Year 107, from the desk of High ZealotA diary of the late Syanas was found, and inside were plans drawn for expanding the fort, as well as a list of specific instructions until the end of spring. It has been a painful year, but there is no point in sitting around and letting ourselves be killed in this rotten hole.
Of particular note are Syanas's designs for a grand hall. It may be a bit large for our small community but she predicts it will grow, and soon. As if there are any sane Suikas in the world who would make the journey here, but I will respect her wishes nonetheless.
Additionally, there are plans drawn by Nyotor to expand the dormitory and eventually construct a hospital.
---
Of all of the Suikas left in the fort, only 3 have any experience in battle. To this end, Syanas had urged for the construction of a line of cage traps in hopes of keeping the majority of the undead at bay while the walls are lowered.
Even though we have most of the supplies that the traders left, we are still short on equipment and wood. Therefore, we must use the last of our metal and charcoal supplies to round off the defenses.
Lastly, the order has been given to temporarily seal the underground caverns until an appropriate defense is created to deal with the creatures below.
2nd Granite, Year 107Today there were sounds beyond the wall of someone's brains being crushed, then some soft chewing sounds. I decided I didn't want to know.
Whoever it was, they didn't last long.
8th Slate, Year 107It has been over a year since my predecessor has gone ahead in search of the Forest of Happiness. Nyotor decided it was high time to go on ahead and look for them, so he dragged me along with 26 other companions for the ride.
"You're lost. Tell me otherwise and I won't hesitate to throw your sake gourd into the river." I muttered. Surveying the ruined landscape, my gaze turned towards a small hill.
"According to the map, it should be around here..." Nyotor paused to check his map when he felt a hand gripping his shoulder.
"Hey, I'm trying to check the-"
"Stay quiet, and look at the hill over there." I whispered, slowly nodded towards the hill in the distance.
"What's wrong with the hill?" Nyotor squinted his eyes.
"Wha...what is that!?" AaronIII shrieked before Purvis clasped his hand over AaronIII's mouth.
I pointed at the left side of the hill.
"I don't know, but look. There's the remains of a caravan."
"Could everyone have died here before making it to the forest?" Patchy peered at the walking dead before lifting the book back in front of her face.
I bit my lip. It was certainly possible. Looking back at the other Suikas with puzzled looks and fearful gazes, I decided there was only one option available.
"...We head out and search the hill."
"WHAT!? WE-" Nyotor bursted out.
"Quietly!"
"...We don't have a lot of weapons or armor here. What are we going to do about our luggage?" Nyotor solemnly reasoned.
"And you don't want to find out what happened to our predecessors? If they're dead, we should at least give them a proper burial..." I lowered my head.
Nyotor scratched his head and looked over at the hill, then back to the other Suikas.
"Well, I guess I can't argue with that. Let's make up a plan." Nyotor sighed.
14th Slate, Year 107"I want to take a bath!" Patchy whined, still wincing from the blisters on her body. The rain proved deadly, and while we were on a relatively safer area near the hill, the brook was on the other side of it. There was no chance to run over and take a leisurely bath without losing someone.
"What do you think we should do, Syanas?" Nyotor inquired.
We were split into 2 full squads, with the injured, the pets, and the children staying close behind. The plan was to have our makeshift military clear the hill, and have the others follow after. If we failed, they were to bring our legends back home.
"There's nothing to do but wait until the rain subsides..." I craned my head up towards the sky.
The same day, Year 107, from the desk of High ZealotToday, I heard CaptianArchmage playing with his kochenkkuris downstairs when suddenly I heard the unmistakeable sound of a gourd dropping to the floor. I rushed over to the stairs to see what was wrong with him only to get knocked onto the floor by a suika with fire in his eyes and rocks on the mind.
"I MUST HAVE ROCKS!" CaptianArchmage roared at the top of his lungs as he barreled into the mason's workshop.
15th Slate, Year 107, from the desk of High ZealotCaptianArchmage gets to work after picking out two stones of exceedingly common value.
There are also strange sounds coming from the walls and ceiling of my makeshift office/mason's workshop/wood furnace/smelter/forge. They are very faint, but Raikaria, who was training nearby, tells me they might be the new migrants that Syanas had spoken of. I tell her that if she's going to say something crazy, she should go claim a workshop and make us an artifact, but she goes off to gather the military and orders everyone to the burrow, AKA my office/mason's workshop/wood furnace/smelter/forge. Alkhemia has been ordered to start removing the wall between us and the undead horde.
16th Slate, Year 107, from the (very crowded) desk of High ZealotAren't there laws against having more than 6 Suikas in a 12 tile area? A Suika needs his space, you know.
Alkhemia runs back towards my desk, screaming. The wall is down, and Raikaria guards the entrance with her two recruits behind the cage traps. We can only pray to the original Suika Ibuki for divine protection now.
That same day, Year 107"We're ready." I stood up and stretched my arms above my horns.
The rain had paused, and showed no immediate signs of returning. If we were to make our move, now was the chance. There were still undead roaming the hill, and after observing them attacking the local wildlife, I realized that this place was more cursed than I thought. The dead would mysteriously start moving again, not quite under its own power, with a bloodlust for the living. It seemed that no matter how many times they would go down, they would come back.
"...Hey, do you hear that?" Pirate turned his ear towards the hill. "It sounds like...screaming."
"Who wouldn't scream in this cursed land?" Patchy muttered.
We all stared at Patchy, her blisters mostly healed.
"Someone's alive over there!" Nyotor yelled.
"That settles it. We make our move now."
I lift my hand to signal the charge when Nyotor starts barreling down into the wastelands with several other suikas in tow. The rest of the suikas exchange nervous looks.
"...Go, go already!" I sighed, breaking out into a sprint after Nyotor.
---
Note that this didn't actually happen exactly the way I planned, although the end result ended up better than I expected.
Here's how I explained it to Neko afterwards.[21:45] <Syanas> Lol.
[21:45] <Syanas> Okay that works too.
[21:45] <Syanas> Though it happened so fast I didn't even get to take a screenshot.
[21:46] <NekoRex> eh?
[21:46] <NekoRex> syanas what happened
[21:46] <Syanas> I was working to bring the migrants in.
[21:47] <Syanas> So I put most of the migrants into squads and stationed them in the safe zone near the hill.
[21:47] <Syanas> What I forgot to do was turn off their uniforming.
[21:47] <NekoRex> oh
[21:47] <Syanas> So when I readied my defenses and tore down the wall, ALL of the migrant squads charged into the fortress and destroyed all the undead
[21:47] <Syanas> just to grab some gear.
[21:47] <Syanas> Awesome.
[21:47] <NekoRex> hahaha
It's all the same thing, really.
--- 20th Slate, Year 107Everyone is safe inside with barely a bruise or scar. Just as we finish doing our head count, a suika slowly stands up and lifts what appears to be a masterfully crafted cabinet over his horns.
He runs down the stairs with the cabinet still in his arms, a smile spread wide across his face. Going by what was on that cabinet, I don't think I want to know what that smile was for.
21st Slate, Year 107
The wall is rebuilt, sealing us inside this.....hole. There is simply no other word for it. I glance over to the leader of this band of suikas to ask about how this place came to be.
A suika taps me on the shoulder, and as I turn around, I realize he is one of the 6 suikas who went with my predecessor in search of the Forest of Happiness.
"Welcome to the fort, miss...?" High Zealot inquires.
"Syanas Izul. May I ask where my predecessor is?" I glanced over to a desk full of suikas, puzzled.
"If you mean Syanas the Hammersuika, well..." High Zealot motions to follow him.
"It should be her turn to lead the fort right now, but she didn't last until the spring. Poor thing." High Zealot sighed, shuffling his feet. He rested his hand on my shoulder.
"If you're her successor, the fort's in your hands now. Good luck."
23rd Slate, Year 107I decide to take up the silver hammer and post left to me by Syanas the Hammersuika and reform the military with Raikaria as my second in command. Of the 38 suikas now inside this fort, 2 are children and only 9 are experienced in battle.
Unfortunately, there is only enough equipment for 5 suikas. Raikaria is given a steel hammer, Mokou-Power and Chaore get steel crossbows, and Anthy gets a steel axe. The rest are using copper spears and wooden sticks. Zefon doesn't even have any clothes except for a pair of rusty copper boots.
17th Felsite, Year 107There are whispers at the wall. I cannot tell what they are, but some speak of a caravan coming this way. I alert the military and lead the other suikas to the burrow, AKA High Zealot's desk.
18th Felsite, Year 107The whispers at the wall say that the caravan is near. The wall is ordered torn down and I lead my squad to the trade depot to wait for the caravan.
19th Felsite, Year 107The whispers at the wall were apparently a biokkuri ambush squad lying in wait for the caravan. If they appeared closer to us, I'm not sure we would have survived. Fortunately, the undead make for a great distraction.
The caravan arrives safely, and they are Parseekkuris, bringing much needed wood. I was beginning to resent the fact that I shared a bed with 5 other suikas. The drawbridge is raised as there isn't enough time to put up a wall.
21st Felsite, Year 107I call for all our unneeded valuables to be brought to the trade depot and ask High Zealot to negotiate with them.
(Placeholder for a screenshot of a High Zealot too busy rendering fat to get to the trade depot)
"I'll do it, I'll do it!" Pirate squeals, waving his arms wildly.
"Alright, but if your name gives any hint to what you're going to do, just remember that we still need a 'volunteer' to go down into the caverns and get us some more wood."
"...I'll be good." Pirate moans, dragging his feet to the trade depot.
1st Hematite, Year 107We have struck a deal with the Parseekkuris, and progress on the grand hall is going smoothly. It's about time we turned this hole in the ground into a stronghold.
