>>5156603
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Kobold+swamp+survival
Previous threads

>>5156603
>Water with nutritious blood
>Thicken the bark, deeper roots
>Make it strange

Glad to see you back KSSQM!

>>5156603
>Make it strange

>>5156603
>Make it strange

we have a Pastebin for the overall state and stats of the civ?

>>5156615
>>5156621
>>5156899

You're learning this should be a time to experiment! So you play with the influence you force on the space. You see how the flow bends and stretches, the ways the material works. It can get into some shapes and forms that give you a headache trying to conceptualize them with a sense you've only recently developed. You rub your eyes and look down at the sprout...

It's a mess. Roots grow skywards from a balled mass of leaves. Some rotting ooze seeps from the ball and it all pulses like some living creature. The root system starts to move, probing around like a feeler organ and you stomp it out of disgust when it starts making noises.

"Unexpected. Did you horribly warp it on purpose?" The witch asks bemused.

"Not really, no..." You mumble while wiping your foot on the ground. "I understand what I'm doing now though. Sorta of."

"It's a start I suppose, however hideous it is. Continue, we shall go until you can no longer do so."

Over the course of several hours you continue to practice nature magic to similar results. Occasionally the witch lets you watch casting a spell, letting you learn from example. It's tedious, and not very fruitful, but you do learn quite a bit and have the fundamentals down. You're exhausted, but smarter for it. At some point you bring up the lanky magician and his strange appearance to the witch and she seems puzzled for a moment before giving you a curt answer. "The fool usually doesn't talk. He's mad but not completely gone, if he spoke to you, then something significant is most likely going to happen. It may or may not be because of him, but something is going to happen. I suggest you take that advice." And with that she returns to her small dwelling atop the giant home, leaving you by yourself and your thoughts.

>Nature magic basics learned

----------------------

The next day comes as they always do. Your expedition yesterday came back safely with more metal, playing it safe to prevent any further losses. Food stocks seem to be running unexpectedly low. A few meals worth of food just seemed to rot overnight, sprouting mushrooms and stinking up the camp. Food doesn't usually rot that fast right? Will need to hunt soon to fix that empty space.

DAY 25
KOBOLDS: 27 (12 Juveniles)
FOOD: Dwindling
MORALE: Determined

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5158088
>Food
Expand the fish farm
>Food
Use nature magics to start a mushroom farm

We've been delaying getting food to be in surplus for a while now and it's about time to do it now.

>>5158088
>>5158092 +1

>>5158088
>Food

Time to hunt.

>>5158088
>>Food

>>5158092
Support for this combo! Focus on food above all else.

>>5158088

>>5158092
>>5158095
>>5158097
>>5158347
>>5158395

The usual hunting expeditions set out, and traps are checked to restock our empty stores. It's a bit soggier than usual today, it gets you thinking on how well a mushroom farm would work. You might be able to use some of your recently learned magic to enhance it too, though your previous efforts were a bit suspect. An empty hut will make a good, damp growing place.

>Visit the forest for some spores
>Use the rotted food to start the farm
>Practice your magic to grow some shrooms
>Write-in


Your fish farm could be expanded as well. Its yield leaves a lot to be desired and it could save labor if you improved the thing. Watching one of the slimy eels swim about in the pond you wonder about how to make it better while you're expanding the pool.

>Introduce some new species?
>Experiment with the feed
>Excessively expand!
>Write-in

>>5159456
>Visit the forest for some spores
>Practice your magic to grow some shrooms

>Experiment with the feed
>Excessively expand!

>>5159456
>Visit the forest for some spores


>Experiment with the feed

No new species until we know enough about what fish eat what to be sure we don't ruin our own food supply

>>5159456
>>Practice your magic to grow some shrooms
>Introduce some new species?

>>5159456
>Practice your magic to grow some shrooms
>Excessively expand!

>>5159463
support

>>5159463
>>5159482
>>5159484
>>5159494
>>5159607

Procuring some spores from the forest is an easy enough task. It's pretty close, so as long as the gatherers are careful they can collect plenty. So while that's going on, you set to work planning out the expansion of your fish farm.

Nothing much to say about it really, just some plain digging of larger ponds to fit more of those weird eels into your camp. The main problem with making animals a gain is the rate of replenishment which has been a perpetual pain since you've made this thing. Having a lot more fish will definitely help, but maybe changing what you feed them will also work out? A couple mixes of various leftovers or plant garbage is set aside to gradually test on the eels. Maybe you'll find one that really works well and fattens them up.

With the secondary wall your farms are contained safely within your camp. It's a nice cozy spot, and you even start getting into the spirit of planning the layout to be aesthetically pleasing when the gathering parties return for the day. They picked some nice looking mushrooms that hopefully are edible. It takes a while to sort through the bad ones anyways. Also saw some weird looking trees that looked sort of like animals and people around the forest? Weird.

Some nice decaying wood and plant matter make a good base for the mushrooms to grow on as you sit down and set to experimenting with your magic on them. It's not too hard to make them sprout quickly, but it is draining on the spirit. It's not exactly a viable method to sustain over two dozen kobolds, but it'll certainly work in a pinch. You retire that day after a good meal, satisfied with the progress taking place.

-------------

It's a rainy day outside, and you're thankful that you've gathered a large number of feathers over these days. Nice and cozy in this much too cold swamp. The stone patches on your skin especially tend to chill you. It smells like mushrooms are on the wind for some reason. The new recipes seem real pungent unfortunately.


>Fish farm is now medium sized and being upgraded to large
>A tiny mushroom farm has been made.
>Food production now covers 1/3 of your population's consumption rate

DAY 26
KOBOLDS: 27 (12 Juveniles)
FOOD: Good
MORALE: Determined

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5160527
>Food
Hunt
>Cultural and magic
Spending time with our warm draggo and learning more magic.

>>5160527
>Tools and research
Take 1 or 2 of the Juveniles and teach them blood magic, their affinity with Baphomet will likely make them quick learners
>Exploration and military
Send a few scouts to observe the surrounding area, there a few worrying things going on such as the forest growing larger, the goblins and humans running amok, and the ongoing threat of the nature wizard (not the midget). Also send the sneakiest scout to check on the humies.

Idea behind teaching blood magic to the juveniles is, why not? It would help our military out significantly. We don't need to be the only magic user. I also want to scout out our general area because the QM has been foreshadowing creepy nature shit happening in the swamp for a little bit now, it's time to monitor it.

>>5160527
>>5160541 +1

>>5160527
>>Construction
dig cave farms for impending doom

>>5160541 is a good plan. Supporting!

>>5160527

>>5160540
>>5160541
>>5160595
>>5160646
>>5160760

The forest is sort of concerning now that you think about it. Extremely ominous actually. Should probably send out some kobolds to check up on the surroundings just so that you don't get absolutely blindsided...

Magic is definitely useful, but it's not exactly an easy thing to learn given the whole sixth sense requirement for the entire subject. Blood magic however, is different, and your connection to the bloody goat is a open gateway to the skill. It's important to pass on useful skills to the next generation, so why not magic? You gather two idle younglings and sit down with them in a hut filled with the various organs and viscera you've gathered over the days. It's hard to explain the feeling of magic, but the blatant connection these horned kids have to Baphomet obviously helps. The blood pearl acts as a focus as you try your best to lead them along the mindset need for this brutal form of magic.

It takes time, but bit by bit they start to get it with your nudging. One of them even gets the point of making a small swamp snake start writhing around in pain. The lesson is showing promise, but it's a far way off from usability in a fight for these kids. You're not even sure yourself if you could cast any of these blood spells without the orb with you.

----------------------------------

In terms of the remaining kobolds, most consider you the best at skulking. Yrrka was pretty good, but he died foaming at the mouth a couple days ago. You don't want to be trotting off further than anyone else, but orders are orders and you don't want to make the boss angry. The forest has definitely been getting bigger, there's no denying it now. You know damn well the tree line was not this close the last time you were out here. The others have it easy, but the human encampment is now imbedded in the woods and you're going to have to go through them to see what's going on. The weirdly shaped humanoid and animalistic trees planted about make you shudder...

>Cut directly through the forest
>Take a long route on the outside of the forest
>Ignore the humans for now and carefully explore

2d100 Bo3 for your scout

Rolled 38, 74 = 112 (2d100)

>>5161614
>Cut directly through the Forrest

Rolled 14, 3 = 17 (2d100)

>>5161614
>Ignore the humans for now and carefully explore

Rolled 45, 19 = 64 (2d100)

>>5161614
>Ignore the humans for now and carefully explore

>>5161614
>Take a long route on the outside of the forest

>>5161624
support

>>5161623
>>5161624
>>5161663
These are some not great rolls.

>>5161623
>>5161624
>>5161663

38,74

Not exactly keen on tripping into something nasty out here. Best to take your time and keep a look out for your surroundings...

You take a relatively normal path through the woods in the vague direction of the humans, taking note of the terrain and any landmarks. You get an uneasy feeling in these woods, like you're being watched from somewhere. There's definitely bugs present here, big ones too. After traveling north a fair bit you come across an absolutely massive hive of giant wasp-like bugs, buzzing around a papery nest in a watery section of the grove. You carefully pull back before you get noticed, almost messing up, but thankfully getting away unharmed.

You rest for a short bit before continuing on. On your path, you encounter a deer laying on the ground. On closer inspection, the thing is barely alive. What's most unsettling is what's killing it. Out from its midsection, branches are sprouting, pushing up from beneath the skin and bustling outward. Bark has begun to overtake the skin around its wound. You realize that those strange trees might have been more than just trees... It's time to go.

When you finally reach where the encampment should be, you find that it's a much different place than its surroundings. There's a huge clear cut area around a massive wooden palisade. They seem to have gotten busy, with tons of wooden construction spread around the place and outside the walls several pyres are burning freely. Suppose they do happen to have a lot of material around don't they. The people on guard are extremely on edge too, even just peeking in you're immediately spotted and a quick arrow is loosed in your general direction. Didn't expect them to be this alert...

>Explore the surrounding forest
>Keep watch on the human camp
>Return home

Another 2d100 Bo3

Rolled 27, 85 = 112 (2d100)

>>5163605
>Explore the surrounding forest
>Keep watch on the human camp

We can set someone to keep watch as we scout out the place. Hell, place a couple of traps down for the humans to fall into. Time to turn us into the Vietcong baby!

>>5163605
>Keep watch on the human camp

We’re going to have to figure out a way to stop the forest from growing the humans seem to be having a rough time. Let’s ask the wizard lady next time we see her.

Rolled 59, 60 = 119 (2d100)

>>5163635
Forgot roll

Rolled 83, 29 = 112 (2d100)

>>5163605
>Explore the surrounding forest

>>5163605
>Explore the surrounding forest

>>5163609
support

>>5163609
>>5163635
>>5163637
>>5163750
>>5163845

59, 60

Well, no need to watch over a unyielding wall with twitchy archers on guard. Best to simply look for more interesting subjects. You slink off from the human's encampment to look around further. The problem with this forest is that it's pretty difficult to find your way with all the trees. It's plain to see that there's something wrong with this place.

With a careful search circle, you traipse through wood, trying your best to avoid any beastly sounds. It's in a particularly dark and canopied section that you find a bright light. Hanging from some drooping shaggy trees are bundles of softly glowing white and green fruits. Quite interesting looking things and large too, each the size of your head. The area here seems relatively calm and quite, even the insects don't buzz too much. A decent spot for a rest...

>Continue to explore
>Gather the fruits and return home
>Eat the fruits and have a rest.

>>5165918
>Eat the fruits and have a rest.

>>5165918
>Gather the fruits and return home

Let's just go back before we lose our way completely. Hopefully these fruits will yield some kind of clue as to what's going on.

>>5165918
>>Gather the fruits and return home

>>5165918
>Eat the fruits and have a rest.

>>5165918
>>Gather the fruits and return home

>>5165918
>Gather the fruits and return home

>>5165936
>>5165935
>>5165938
>>5165953
>>5166015
>>5166046

Nice juicy looking fruit, would be an utter shame to just leave them here... You scamper up to the tree and pluck one. Can't fit many with how big they are, so you stuff around four into your now bulging pack. As you're doing this something pierces the silence. A horrifying cross between an animalistic roar and creaking of trees. Something large is moving through the woods nearby, and it's getting closer. It doesn't like that you've picked from the tree and it doesn't sound happy!...

>Run through the forest
>Attempt to hid
>Cover from the human settlement?
>Write-in

2d100 Best of 3 for this trial

Rolled 70, 63 = 133 (2d100)

>>5167622
>Cover from the human settlement

Rolled 39, 19 = 58 (2d100)

>>5167622
>>Cover from the human settlement?

>>5167622
>Attempt to hid

Anons, we specifically picked the kobold that’s “best at skulking” we should play to his strengths here.

Rolled 87, 40 = 127 (2d100)

>>5167632
Forgot to roll

>>5167622
>Attempt to hid
>Cover from the human settlement?

Trick it into the human settlement, and watch the fireworks.

>>5167622
>Attempt to hide

>>5167626
>>5167628
>>5167632
>>5167633
>>5167694
>>5168842

70, 63

You need to go right now. A single kobold is nothing to something that angry sounding and you were chosen for your sneaking abilities, not your fighting skills. So begins a mad dash through the woods, desperately trying to get away from whatever that is. Short legs are not conductive to running though, and you can hear it clearly behind you tearing through the brush as you near your target, the human settlement. As quick as you can you scramble up a nearby tree close to the clearing and hide, hanging on for dear life as the creature catches up.

A monstrous animal of bark and twisted wood careens through the forest and into the clearing, nearly snapping the tree you're hanging on to in half. The house sized thing howls in half creaks and rustling leaves. Arrows quickly begin flying at the wood beast, fire arrows. It turns its ire towards the human encampment as you desperately hide in your pitiful shelter waiting for the storm to pass...

----------------------

There's a hint of mushroom on the damp wind today. The farm for them is at least blooming for it. Your blood magic tutoring went alright, and you even learned a slight amount yourself from it. Almost all the scouts returned yesterday except one. You're slightly concerned about it, but they're one of your hardier bolds and in dangerous territory. No need to worry about it really, even if they're gone that's information in itself. The ones that did return report that the forest is definitely growing, and that it's not kind. Creatures and stray humanoids being consumed by parasitic seeds are scattered around the perimeter. Maybe as a warming? You might have to do something if it keeps encroaching on your settlement. Even the wildlife in that place seems more agitated. Anyways, planning time...

DAY 27
KOBOLDS: 27 (12 Juveniles)
FOOD: Good
MORALE: Determined

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5168894
>Exploration and Military
See if we can't kidnap a human or two for a sacrifice.
>Cultural and magic
Sacrifice some captured humans and have another festive orgy. We need to work on our population numbers.

>>5168894
>Cultural and magic
Sacrifice to Baphomet. We've been more reckless and warrior-like lately so we should get some rewards.
>Tools and research
Send a few disposable bolds to try to gather up a parasitic seed and do some research on it, see if it responds to nature magic.

>>5168897
Population boost AFTER hibernation season.

>>5168894
>Magic
Talk to witch-girl about he forest encroachment and how to stop it, or adapt to it.

>Construction

DIG DEEPER

>>5168894
>Food

>>5168894
>>Construction
we need to keep digging.
>Food
find animals we could farm in cave.

>>5168897
>>5168906
>>5169951
>>5169957
>>5169960

With the end of the month coming close you decide to focus full efforts on the subjects of food and the warren. You've finally fully excavated the entrance and gotten to a sufficiently stable depth and the digging of rooms can begin at this stage. Generalized rooms can be used for storage or sleeping barracks if you get desperate. It's still a nice feeling to be underground regardless, safe and secure in enclosed walls.

You start getting ideas on how to improve your food situation further and settle on a few that might work. It might be a longshot but there could be animals that could be used for livestock in the forest. If anything the creatures there seem meatier than the ones in the swamp. Expanding on the mushroom farm idea seems like it could work, those things don't really need sun to function do they? You're not sure if fish need the sun either, though it would probably keep the pond scum that they also feed on from growing.

>Further develop mushroom farms
>Visit the forest to find an animal
>Create an underground fish pond
>Write-in

>>5170155
>find an animal
And, if possible...
>have anyone not in the hunting party work in an underground fish pond

>>5170155
>Further develop mushroom farms

>>5170155
>>Further develop mushroom farms

>>5170155
>Visit the forest to find an animal

>>5170155
>Visit the forest to find an animal

>>5170155
>>Further develop mushroom farms

It might be a good idea to expand further underground as to avoid the spread of the forest curse

>>5171215
>>5171211
>>5170988
>>5170514
>>5170232
>>5170173

With the mushrooms farms growing you decide to further develop them in hopes that you can up your food stocks even more. Work begins to further expand the underground chambers and actually get a proper growing room going. It'll still take a long while to get done, digging isn't easy work. There's a mountain worth of mud scattered outside the camp from the excavation.

Meat is still very much desired so you send out the usual hunters to get something good. The forest is a nice place to try and see if any decent animals can be captured for later use. They're careful too so they should be fine. You sit down in your hut and consider some future plans when the scout you sent out before returns, shaken up and tired, but alive. He brought back a bundle of strange glowing fruits, though two seem to be crushed after an unfortunate encounter with some monstrous dryad creature. You're not sure if you should be unhappy to hear the humans are still alive, or happy that the forest isn't dangerous enough to completely wipe them out.

A short while later the witch comes up to you and announces to you that she doesn't plan to stay for long anymore. "I smell fungus on the wind. If you wish to take your lessons, do them soon. I will not stay in this weather." Fungus wind? Well you do smell the cooking.

>Practice more enchanting
>Learn more nature magics
>Write-in

3d100 on the results of your live capture attempt

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>5171962
>follow up about her words
>what do you mean Fungus on the wind do you mean our farm or something else?

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>5171962
>Practice more enchanting

>>5171962
>follow up about her words
>what do you mean Fungus on the wind do you mean our farm or something else?
>Do you know what's going on with the forest?

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>5171962
>>Learn more nature magics

>>5171962
>>5172160 +1

Rolled 13, 25, 45 = 83 (3d100)

>>5171962
>Learn more nature magics

>>5172160
Support.

>>5171962
>Learn more nature magics
Especially stuff to hat or control the nature of growth. Maybe we can hold the encroaching forest at bay?

>>5171985
>>5172099
>>5172160
>>5172488
>>5172944
>>5172945
>>5173095

13, 25, 45

When you ask her what she meant by her words, the witch looks off vaguely into the distance of the forest for a bit. "Fungal storm. Reylas has obviously been agitated by the human presence and lumbering, the forest's expansion and aggression are clear. It's annoying waiting for him to slumber again, my frogs do not like the spores. It will not be pleasant for you. It would simply be wise for you to take cover when it comes forth, there is nothing else to say of it. The lesson now, I do not like wasting time." How very straight forward, vague, and ominous of her....

You both walk to a relatively open spot of earth and stop there. "You seem interested in combating nature, so I shall be courteous and teach you methods of how to do so." A sizable handful of woodscraps are thrown at your feet. "Your materials. Creativity with them is important. We shall begin now." As she finishes her words it suddenly starts to rain and gradually increase in its intensity. Water slows and gathers in mid-air around the witch and frogs croak all around...

>Solidity, like a tree
>Dispersed spreading of sawdust
>Bloody leaf
>Write-in

2d100 Bo3 for your spells

Rolled 54, 74 = 128 (2d100)

>>5174085
>Dispersed spreading of sawdust
>Bloody leaf

Rolled 79, 23 = 102 (2d100)

>>5174085
>Dispersed spreading of sawdust
>Bloody leaf

Rolled 2, 25 = 27 (2d100)

>>5174085
>>Solidity, like a tree

>>5174085
>Bloody leaf

>>5174085
>>Dispersed spreading of sawdust

>>5174085
>Dispersed spreading of sawdust

>>5174085
>Bloody leaf

>>5174097
>>5174191
>>5174222
>>5174265
>>5174319
>>5174421
>>5174452

54, 74

You grab the bark pieces and quickly attempt to figure out the mechanics of casting a spell to defend yourself. A lot easier said than done when you're in danger like this. You end up forcing your power into the wood, causing it to shatter into a spray of sawdust as a projectile of water launches towards you. You find yourself adding in blood magic to the equation as the dust turns red from bloody soaking. This might have been a mistake as the water punches through easier, the moisture easing the fluid's path. The impact stings like a heavy blunt hit as you fall backwards, the dust shield exploding into a cloud. You don't feel that hurt, so it must have at least helped a little?

"You were close, but ruined it at the end. Blood is very close to water, and you're far too new to defeat me in that domain. Wood dust would have absorbed the blow if you had not wet it." Well, you were close. It's very tempting to use what you already know though. "You seem to be conjure some defense now, show me your attack. Strike me if you can."

The witch stands at the same distance seemingly at the ready. It's sort of annoying in that cockiness way. The dragon lazes nearby watching the lesson with disinterest.

2d100 bo3

>Reconstituted lumber
>Muddy strike
>Fluid water
>Bloody stream
>write-in

Rolled 4, 27 = 31 (2d100)

>>5175403
>Reconstituted lumber
>Fluid water
>Bloody stream

A mix of water bending, blood bending, and wood bending would be absolutely kino.

>>5175403
>Reconstituted lumber
>Muddy strike

Rolled 94, 7 = 101 (2d100)

>>5175431
Forgot to roll

>>5175403
>>Reconstituted lumber

Rolled 12, 1 = 13 (2d100)

>>5175449

>>5175403
>Bloody stream

BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD

>>5175403
>>Reconstituted lumber

>>5175403
>Reconstituted lumber

>>5175415
>>5175431
>>5175437
>>5175449
>>5175460
>>5175554
>>5175623
>>5175752

94, 7

Getting the hang of things here. If you know how to use wood then it'll be all the easier to cast with. Focusing heavily, you manage to reform the shredded wood pulp and forming it into spines of lumber. A spread is launched forth at the small target, and you believe that you'll at least get a hit on her, but water solidifies into ice in air, creating a barrier of crystal that the wood hail breaks upon.

"Not enough to face me. You have learned to manipulate plants though, this is sufficient enough to learn on your own for this point. You can see the usefulness of these skills, yes? If you can still continue we shall repeat until you can do no more." Her statement is followed by her quickly bringing out another swarm of watery projectiles. Your practice with her continues until you finally collapse from exhaustion.

"I shall be heading on my way tomorrow. I believe I have provided acceptable services and have business to attend to." And without another word to you, the small magician simply wanders away towards the massive toad carrying her tent... Magic is really exhausting, but you've been able to cast more and more, so that's nice.

-----------------------

The hunters came back yesterday without any live animals. They inhabitants of the place were just too aggressive so they say. They did however happen to bring back a few bodies worth of meat so there's that at least. Construction is proceeding smoothly as planned. The wind seems more gusty than usual today...

DAY 28
KOBOLDS: 27 (12 Juveniles)
FOOD: Great
MORALE: Determined

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5177080
>Food
>Tools and research

Find a way to bring the fish-farms underground

>>5177080
>Cultural and magic
Sacrifice to Baphomet we will probably be rewarded for being more violent lately
>Exploration and military
Make fire arrows, the humans seemed to use those heavily when dealing with the forest

>>5177260
Humans do this because they're fools. They risk burning down their very homes, destroying their resources. The frog-witch has taught us the beginnings of a better way.

>>5177260
support

>>5177194
>>5177260
>>5177719

It's been a long time since you've tried to pay homage to one of your patrons. Perhaps Baphomet will be pleased with your deeds so far? You take a dozen jars of guts and kneel before the black stone pillar, spilling out the organs in an ornamental fashion. For a long while you wait in silence until you hear the whisper of her voice in your mind.

"Gotten busy have you? I know why you're trying to contact me, but at least you've bloodied yourself up in the mean time. You're funny, and I like what's going on so I'll cut you some slack and offer a boon to you. You're going to need it coming now aren't you?" The viscera sizzles and roils and she speaks to you and possibilities appear in your mind.

>A territorial totem to maintain dominion
>Greater personal attribution
>The traditions of combat

>>5178345
>A territorial totem to maintain dominion

>>5178345
>A territorial totem to maintain dominion

I hope this means we don't have to hide from the fungus tstorm

>>5178345
>The traditions of combat

>>5178345
>A territorial totem to maintain dominion

>>5178345
>>A territorial totem to maintain dominion

>>5178345
>Greater personal attribution

Bufff boiiiiiii!

>>5178345
>The traditions of combat

>>5178451
>>5178505
>>5178552
>>5178631
>>5178863
>>5179028
>>5179187

"You want to mark your domain here? Very well then, take the knowledge of my symbols and spread them across the land." And so you learn of what to do, and immediately order the construction of said marker. A pillar of hardened clay blocks are stacked and chiseled with specific symbolics and inked with blood. Skulls are strung up and bones laid about its base. A grim monument of your people for sure. There's no immediately noticeable effect from it, but all can agree that it has a reassuring presence about it. Does the air seem a bit warmer than usual? It's nice anyways.

>A basic totem has been constructed, influencing your domain. It may improved to provide better effects and others may be constructed elsewhere.

In other places, your kobolds test out various forms of flammable ammunition. A small self bow is made and arrows are fired after being set on fire with tightly bound fibers around the tip. Effects are... Middling, but it's hard to tell when they're just being fired into a mound of mud. Currently your bolds are using slings with metal ammunition.

>Continue to go on with slings
>Try to make small bows for the kobolds
>Splurge on making crossbows (most of your remaining metal)

>>5179318
>Splurge on making crossbows (most of your remaining metal)

>>5179318
>Splurge on making crossbows (most of your remaining metal)

>>5179318
>Try to make small bows for the kobolds

>>5179318
>>Try to make small bows for the kobolds

>>5179318
>Splurge
We need results here people, we have territory to protect

>>5179318
>Splurge on making crossbows (most of your remaining metal)

>>5179413
>>5179436
>>5179491
>>5179684
>>5179810
>>5179966

You decide on upgrading your arsenal a bit, and order the construction of crossbows. It's a pain since a lot of metal needs to be wasted, in the construction of specialized tools to craft the delicate mechanisms, and then actual parts of the crossbow, and finally even the metallic tips of the ammunition. It's not cheap, but it's definitely an upgrade from slings in terms of usability in combat. Actual drills of using them in combat can probably begin by tomorrow....

------------

The wind seems wild today. It's blowing quite hard, and the stick trees that poke out of the swamp shake in the breeze. Slightly foggy too and... Are those little flakes floating over there?... The camp seems slightly more comfortable than the immediate outside at least.

>A storm is brewing...
>Kobolds have been outfitted with crossbows. Metal almost completely depleted


DAY 29
KOBOLDS: 27 (12 Juveniles)
FOOD: Great
MORALE: Determined

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5180128
>Construction
We need to move underground and fast

>>5180128
>>Construction
we need to make shelter structure

>>5180249
>>5180313
Agreed.

>>5180128
>Construction

What those other anons said, but try to find a way to keep our fish alive and reproducing while we're hunkered below-ground, too.

>>5180128
>>Construction
DIG DEEP

>>5180128
>Construction

>>5180249
>>5180313
>>5180317
>>5180371
>>5180865

With not much to do readily apparent, you just decide that today everyone will work on expanding the burrows. It's your shelter after all, and it won't be pleasant if everyone can't fit down there. And so everyone does just that, shoveling up dirt and pilling it off elsewhere in great mounds. Is it the most interesting work? No. Is it necessary? Yes.

After all is said and done and everyone retires from their exhausting work for the day, a fair amount has been excavated. Enough for you to say that all your population can be housed in relatively ramped spacing. There's also a small side chamber in which mushrooms are being grown. Hopefully it'll be enough.

----------

The next day the storm comes. It's only slight at first, but it grows stronger over the course of the day. A thick fog of opaque spores that billow through the sky with great intensity, swirling around the camp and through the bleak swamp lands. A clear circular field just inside the walls, centered around the totem stands where the fungal bloom is only at a thin occasional misting, but it is by no means completely safe inside the camp.

The effects of the spores are clear, with coughing at first, followed by bloody sputum. A few animals outside the camp have keeled over, mushrooms blooming from their bodies already. The only creature that seems completely unaffected is the dragon. A small area around here remains completely clear and serene, as if she was unconcerned with the violence of nature around her.

Most of the kobolds have wisely decided to take shelter in the burrows where the winds won't come upon you. There's no great problems with anyone's health so far, but you're unsure of how long this weather is going to last...

>The fungal storm has come! Only the totem and the dragon appear to be resistant to its effects. Any endeavors outside the camp are greatly hindered.

>Time scale has increased to a week per turn during this period.

DAY 30
KOBOLDS: 27 (12 Juveniles)
FOOD: Great?...
MORALE: Shaken

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5182033

STATUS
Your kobold encampment stands at a population of 39 kobolds, as well as a young nature dragon.

Your culture is one of strife, encouraging daily duels and daring behavior. The gods you worship are Krish'gah, Tiamat, and Baphomet.

The camp has developed to have a significant number of clay and mud huts, and sizable amount of ceramics can be made at your kiln and furnaces. Several shrines are placed around your camp, including a finely made building that contains the eggs of your tribe as well as a shrine to Tiamat which your dragon usually sleeps near. A totem of Baphomet provides slight protection to your domain. Two earthen walls encircle your camp for protection. A medium sized fish farm lies within the outer wall, providing a middling amount of food daily, supplemented by a small mushroom farm. A burrow lies inside the inner wall, going deep to a stable soil layer with a currently small amount of chambers.

Your kobolds have crafted a sizable amount of metal tools and equipment by scavenging from ruins to the west where strange corrupted terrain lies. You've learned of blood magic from Baphoment, and of enchanting and nature magic from the strange frog witch. You've also become a dragonwrought through your daring act of slaying a basilisk that left you with stone patches on your body.

Items of note collected include, A tiny quantity of magical sap which induces visions and a trip and some unknown glowing fruits. There's also a significant quantity of glassware from the ruins including some strange red crystal tubes that produce lightning when fiddled with. You've personally gained some enchanted rings that provide benefits as well as an enchanted dragon bone dagger that's quite effective and some light dragon scale armoring. You've accumulated a large quantity of canopic jars that can be used for blood rituals as well.

I have probably forgotten something with my luck

>>5182033
>Cultural and magic
When the weather outside is frightful, it's time for community bonding! Let's hold a festival to Tiamat, lest she feel neglected. Maybe we can take magic sap with our dragon at the height of it, and COMMUNE.

>>5182033
>>Construction
Dig a Great Hall and have a festival in it

>>5182033
>>5182104 +1

>>5182033
>Construction
Do some improvements to Bapohmet's totem, hopefully it can help lighten up the storm even a little with it's effects over our domain

>>5182033
>Cultural and magic
Practice nature magic, see if we can ward off the spores with it.

>>5182034
>>5182104
>Cultural and Magic
Our dragon isnt chromatic as far as we can tell and she is pretty leafy looking so maybe communing with sap isnt a bad idea

>>5182104
Support

>>5182104
>>5182128
>>5182216
>>5182225
>>5182231
>>5182243
>>5182784

Seeing as there is nothing to do but wait out this storm, you may as well make yourself comfortable. A festival would be nice, though the quarters you're in are a bit cramped for it. Tiamat is one of the gods you've been less than active in worshipping in this place. Though that's sort of natural, the major gods are always less than talkative or clear in their influence. They're not as eager to spread their faith and presence since they've been around for so long and have been firmly established. Not to say they do nothing though, that would be the height of hubris to say.

Kobold worship of Tiamat is usually vague and nebulous, but constant and it's effects aren't always clear. That doesn't mean you can't do this for the sake of ceremony and enjoyment. Planning what to do should help a bit...

Choose some
>Venerate and care for the dragon
>Improve the excavated area beyond dirt rooms
>Excavate some more to prevent cramping
>Move the egg room and shrine down to the burrows
>Expend some food on enjoyments
>Kobold fight club
>Sap trippin'
>Write-in

>>5183368
>Move the egg room and shrine downstairs
>Recommemorate it with a ceremony based around veneration and care for our dragon
>Personally imbibe hallucinogenic sap, with the dragon as well

>>5183368
>Excavate some more to prevent cramping
>Kobold fight club
>Sap trippin'
Trip club

>>5183368
>Venerate and care for the dragon
>Excavate some more to prevent cramping
>Sap trippin'

>>5183368
>>Excavate some more to prevent cramping
>Move the egg room and shrine down to the burrows
>Sap trippin'

>>5183453
>>5183459
>>5183813
>>5183866

Over the days, you choose to carve out some more space so it isn't as tight down here. If a bunch of folks are stuck together without any space to be apart, eventually things will get messy. Moving Tiamat's shrine down to the burrows is also necessary, but a major pain. Creating tunnels big enough for the dragon to move through is an endeavor to say the least. But over the coarse of days, it does get done, and in the mean time the dragon is taken care of and treated well by its servants in veneration.

After the majority of the work is done, the celebration can take place. Games and such are enjoyed by your kobolds, as much as can be done in a mediocre underground shelter at least. The dragon has her favorite activity regardless, laying there and lounging.

You have plans for something though, and when it's time to offer food to her, you put something special in her meats. And once shes eaten it, you yourself, lay down next to the shrine and take some of that funny sap.


----------------

When your mind makes clear the visions you find yourself in a deep forest. Barely any light around and the smell of rotting vegetation in the air. Your dragon lays in the clearing grooming itself, and surprisingly you hear something. "Annoying." You didn't expect her to start speaking to you.

>Converse with the dragon? (write-in)

>>5184404
>"YOU CAN TALK!"
>Ask for advice on how we can best serve her, and become more like her

>>5184404
>Ask her what's annoying

>>5184404
"Sorry about drugging you, but since were here I might as well get to know you better so we can get a hoard a nature dragon would enjoy, what kind of treasure do you collect?"

>>5184404
>>5184434
support

>>5184434
>>5184710
>>5184815
>>5185511

"Ah, you can talk!" You shout, before realizing that this sort of thing is pretty normal when you're high out your mind on substances. "Oh, do you mean the drugging? Sorry about that, but I wanted to... Get to know you better? Also serve you better I suppose."

"Yes, I would consider the drugging an annoying diversion, wouldn't you? The weather is awful as well. All these clouds blocking the sunlight." She huffs and flicks her tail. "If you wish to know what I think of you servants, it's that there's not enough of you and you have no sense of aesthetics or tribute."

Well the numbers thing makes a little sense. Population has been a bit low. You've seen other kobolds getting friendly with each other though and eggs have been laid over the days here, so that's probably good? "What do you mean by that?"

"Have you seen the state of this place? All these structures and it's nothing but plain mud. Even the shrine you built above ground is woefully drab. You lowly creatures may love to lounge in muck, but I do not. Barely any treasures as well, it's pitiful. Your new friend might be obsessed with meat, but us civilized creatures don't consider meat as a valid gift." Yeah, there's the standard arrogance of a dragon, about a month old and has the demands of a lord. Maybe you can handle the looks part, but the treasures bit seems out of your reach. How the hell are you supposed to get gold or anything like that out here?

>Circumstances limit our options
>Promise to deliver on one of those
>Try to push back and ask for mutual help
>Write-in

>>5185956
>Try to push back and ask for mutual help
Just for now, until we build the numbers for proper raids, because
>Circumstances limit our options
But we WILL
>Promise to deliver on one of those
Time to create a new holiday based around artistic competitions, with a boon to those who can best please the dragon with their creation or tribute! We can also work on our design sensibility. Start making artitecture which is more than merely functional. We can sculpt and carve, surely!

>>5185956
>Promise to deliver on one of those
We can try to be aesthetic as fuck.

>>5185956
>Promise to deliver on one of those

We're kobolds, we're meant to serve

>>5185956
>>Promise to deliver on one of those
>Circumstances limit our options

>>5185956
>Promise to deliver on one of those
>Try to push back and ask for mutual help
I can see what we can accomplish, but we will need help, you cute brat.

>>5185995
>>5186060
>>5186156
>>5186217
>>5187138

"Sure, sure, we can do these things better, but we're sort of in limiting circumstances you know? There's time enough to carve out some better lodgings, but there's not much to work with out in this place." You attempt to reason with the dragon.

She scrapes at the bark of a nearby tree and lazily eyes at you. "I suppose you small things have little in capabilities. But if you acknowledge so, then be sure to fix it. I shall expect improvements in these rough tunnels. Ah, reading material would be exceptional as well. That amphibian dame was quite generous with hers...."

"Yes, we're here to serve after all.... I still don't know your name do I?"

She pauses for a long moment and as if coming up with something right on the spot says. "Lyralia. Remember it, a noble name should not be forgotten easily."

"Well then Lyralia,I shall be sure to do my best to improve our camp's beauty for you..." A dreariness starts washing over you. It wasn't much sap so maybe a short time is to be expected. At least you've learned how the dragon feels about your existence?...

--------------------

The general mood has improved as the celebration moved forward. The egg shrine is fully settled in its place inside the burrows and the tunnels expanded enough for the dr- Lyralia to traverse inside and out. Food stock took a hit from the days, but seems to be fine for now. Work can still be done regardless. Even if you can't stay out for long, some kobolds feel cabin fever and occasionally head out for (ironically) 'fresh air'. You don't see the appeal.

>The juveniles have grown enough to be considered adult at this point
>Enough time has passed and eggs laid that population will occasionally raise by a kobold or two over the course of days.

DAY 37
KOBOLDS: 39
FOOD: Okay
MORALE: Steady

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5187670
>Cultural and magic
Practice more blood magic with the kobolds blessed by Baphomet, use up a lot of the Canopic jars we have a big stockpile.
>Construction
Take some time to make the tunnels more aesthetic, smooth the dirt walls, make some engravings, do anything to make it look better really. Also give the dragon our blood magic book to read for a bit.

>>5187670
>Cultural and magic
Improve our totem try to make the effect stronger and good looking.
>Food
Expand the mushroom farm.

>>5187695
Supporting.

>>5187670

>>5187670
>>5187695 +1

>>5187864
+1

>>5187695
>>5187864
>>5187866
>>5187951
>>5188112

General refinement of the architecture is something on your plate for the week. If plain dirt tunnels could really be called architecture in the first place. In terms of material to work with you've got not much but fired clay bricks, and with the kiln above ground, your sorta need to work with the already prepared materials. There's a problem in that by the time the week is through, you'll likely be running out of material to work with for the actually detailed construction you're aiming for. Maybe you could run the kilns still during the storm, the totem does lessen its effects up above as long as you stay within the camp.

>Work the kilns in the slightly hazardous conditions
>Splurge on the most important spots and focus on excavation
>Make due with what you have for now
>Write-in

>>5188601
>Splurge on the most important spots and focus on excavation

>>5188601
>>Splurge on the most important spots and focus on excavation
hopefully we can find metals or a lava vein and make underground forges. till then we can focus on using the brick on the floors only to maximize its area of affect(if we dont use brick on the walls yet we have more bricks to use for the brick road.)

>>5188601
>Splurge on the most important spots and focus on excavation

>>5188601

>Splurge on the most important spots and focus on excavation

>>5188601
>Splurge on the most important spots and focus on excavation

>>5188614
>>5188638
>>5188668
>>5188684
>>5188944

The main flooring of the burrow are the obvious choice for your first piece of work, No one likes having to step through wet dirt every day. The main tunnel outward can wait, but the hallways are a good start. Tiamat's shrine is the first place that will get any semblance of walling since Lyralia was so specific about it. Light support columns are added to various spots and the dirt is smoothed and compacted to prepare for work once you've got more resources. While your best workers are doing the masonry, the less skilled are busy working out more tunneling and room carving at a steady enough pace. Speaking of resources and digging, you do still have a small amount of metal. You could spend it on something useful in the situation you're in, or just keep it.

>Spend the last of your metals on digging tools
>Use it for various decorations and ornaments
>Save it for later

On the personal side, you spend your time studying the blood magics with the the guide you still have in a small personal chamber you've had made for yourself with the other kobolds you've decided to teach. The excess of organs you've collected will rot away eventually so you may as well use them. The lack of live test subjects hinders things a bit but you do the best you can. You briefly try to show your dragon the illustrations, but she scoffs and says "Brutish.", seemingly uninterested. She's actually been managing to speak simple words on her own now, so maybe that trip has helped spur her speech growth.

>Stick to the material you have
>Actively stretch and experiment in the arts
>write-in

>>5189386
>Use it for various decorations and ornaments
>Actively stretch and experiment in the arts

>>5189386
>Use it for various decorations and ornaments
>Actively stretch and experiment in the arts

>>5189386
>Use it for various decorations and ornaments
>Actively stretch and experiment in the arts

>>5189386
>>Spend the last of your metals on digging tools
>Actively stretch and experiment in the arts

>>5189387
>>5189400
>>5189595
>>5189977

Over the course of days your brick stock is used up, leaving the majority area around the shrine a fully bricked place, from the walls to the ceiling. It's not stone, but it'll have to do, and the masonry spreads out from it like a growth until you run out. At least no one will have to sleep on mud anymore in the significantly less cramped barracks. We use the last of our metal for various decorations and fixings for the place. One kobold happens to come up with an idea and some candlestick emplacements are added to certain walls. With some of the leftover fat from your meals, candles are made giving the burrows a warm glow throughout the hallways. Quite cozy.

In terms of magic arts practice, you work on your blood magic with your two apprentices, but you don't just look at the material you have, you actively experiment. It started with one of them trying to use it to mend a small cut they had, and when it sort of worked it just kept expanding from there. The end point of this being at the end of the week you're stretching sheets of flesh made out of the organs, moving it into strange shapes and seeing just how far you can push it. The act is... Unsettling to say the least?... It may be useful later though... Ah, the skin is trying to writhe away now, time for another one.

Lyralia doesn't seem entirely satisfied, but at the very least she does call it, "Acceptable progress.". This flooring is quite great that much you know for sure. Maybe one day you'll be able to go through a day without having to scrape the mud off your talons when you go to sleep,

>Food is starting to run lower. The storm still rages outside.
>Tunneling significantly expanded. More rooms have become available making the burrows slightly spacious. Certain spots are damp from underground water pockets
>Practice with fleshworking has begun. Canopic jar count halved from use

DAY 44
KOBOLDS: 40
FOOD: Low
MORALE: Positive

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5190723
>Food

>>5190723
>Food
Are there any burrowing critters around? Failing that, can we use nature magic to encourage mushroom growth, or perhaps use our new flesh sheet technology as a nutrient-rich bedding for the mushroom farm to spread across, increasing yields?

>>5190723
Food
Burrow into the water pockets see if we can make fish farms out of em.
>Cultural and magic
Improve our totem try to make the effect stronger and good looking.

>>5190723
>Exploration and Military
>Construction
try to dig deep enough to find and underground pool with some underground fishes

>>5190787
+1

>>5190765
>>5190783
>>5190787
>>5190789
>>5190888

Well food might become an issue if this continues to drag on. Likely the stores will be fully emptied by the end of the week. You consider digging into the underground water pockets to see if there's anything inside them, but there's not much luck in that. It's just water, and tapping into them would probably risk flooding the burrows if you didn't poke in from the top. There's probably a very big aquifer below, and it's going to be an absolute pain trying to get to lower soil layers. Maybe you could try and move some of the fish from the above ground farm if they're still alive and make an underground one, but that's certainly some work for something that barely sustained the clan's diet while you had clear skies.

The mushroom farm has been decent so far, but it's not nearly enough to sustain your needs. There is the option for boosting their growth speed, but that's also incredibly draining on you. Your apprentices might learn how to, but then again you probably only were able to learn nature magic because you're a dragonwrought. Still useful in damping that food drain though.

In terms of going out and hunting, well... Your dragon does happen to have an aura that keeps the area around her pure, so you might be able to convince her to go with a hunting party, whatever is actually huntable in this weather anyways.

>Construct an underground fish farm
>Constant mushroom growth
>Storm hunting
>Write-in

>>5191561
>Blood magic to create flesh sheets for mushrooms to grow across
>Nature magic to speed that up a little bit

>>5191561
>Constant mushroom growth

>>5191587
gross
+1

>>5191587
This

>>5191587
+1

>>5191561
>Constant mushroom growth
>Storm hunting

Have us hunt with the dragon personally.

>>5191587
support

>>5191587
>>5191613
>>5191818
>>5192042
>>5192112
>>5192152

It's an... Unsettling idea, but you do come up with an idea. This used meat and organ refuse has a use still. You and your apprentices move to the mushroom farm and get to work, still practicing the fleshcraft. Meat woven into solid, flat sheets oozing and wriggling in an awful manner. When a patch is without use anymore it's given to the fungus to feed its growth. You're learning more from this process, but no one is particularly happy about it. The mushroom farm is expanded in its size, and you spend most of your time over the week, exhausted from forcibly speeding on the mushroom growth. It helps, but is mostly a drop in the bucket when feeding forty bodies worth of kobolds. Doesn't help that they're not too appealing compared to meat.

>Begin strict rationing
>Go out and scavenge for foods
>(Write-in)

On the subject of the totem, it's a bit hard to think up ways on how to improve it. You're sort of strapped for materials as both your clay bricks and metal are depleted. It's a simple pillar of clay blocks inked in blood and decorated with skulls.

>Improve it by (Write-in)
>Let's do something else...

>>5192742
>Begin strict rationing
>Improve it by carving sigils, symbols, and demonic figures into the clay

>>5192742
>Hunt with the dragon personally
>Improve it by carving sigils, symbols, and demonic figures into the clay, add the bones and flesh of our enemies and prey, and add in a leftover dragon scale or two for good measure

We'll tinker with the totem properly afterwards. I'm thinking we should place our best fallen warriors in a place of honor near the center of the totem, and ritualistically add in the bodies, bones and flesh, of our conquered prey and foes in some fashion.

>>5192742
>Go out and scavenge for foods
>Improve it by carving sigils, symbols, and demonic figures into the clay

>>5192742
>Begin strict rationing
>Ink our own blood into it

>>5192742
>Ink our own blood into it

>>5192778
>>5192878
>>5193026
>>5193101
>>5193359

The best you can do to the totem is try and find more fitting patterns to chisel carefully into the clay. Leftover bones? Engraved and placed around the pillar to add effect. You personally bleed yourself and gently ink it into the tracks, leaving a drab beige marked by red. Though it has stayed on the material for days, the blood used doesn't seem to decay away. various other kobolds contribute in their own way. Blood and shed scales in arrangements to appease. Only time will tell if these efforts will actually make a difference.

In other events, hunting must take place. You simply can't sustain at this rate. You briefly consider going to hunt with Lyralia yourself, but you're needed in working the mushroom farm, which has grown quite well. Instead others will accompany her. The results are mixed. Understandably, no creature can really survive in this hellish weather. They would simply succumb and die from their lungs being torn apart. On the other hand, this also leaves the surviving animals with very few places to go. For instance, many frogs seem to have burrowed beneath the ground and been hibernating. Lyralia's control over the natural and senses make it very easy to find them for the kobolds to dig up.

Another thing is the ponds, which despite having been covered in a thick film of mycelium, have life inside. The alligators are harder to find, but still remain. The fish actually seem to be thriving after feeding on the growths, and when your own fish farm was checked, it turns out they've been thriving. The hauls you get are not nearly as profitable as they used to but they'll help keep stable. A dragon and this many aren't easy to feed, so actual rations of food are measured out now. They may not like it after that celebration you had, but being hungrier than usual is better than starving down the road...

DAY 51
KOBOLDS: 42
FOOD: Okay
MORALE: Grumbling

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5194083
>Construction
We're already underground might as well try to start mining, see if we can't find any valuable metals.
>Tools and research
Try to figure out more about the lightning tubes, being underground probably helps with keeping from being too dangerous to work with.

>>5194083
>Tools and research

>>5194102
Supporting.

>>5194083

>>5194083
>Exploration and Military

Raid the humans. This is a perfect time to grab a couple slaves and sacrifices, and morale will improve.

>>5194102
>not adding the lightning tubes to the totem

For shame

>>5194083
>Food
We should start looking for moles and other underground creatures

>>5194083
>>Construction
dig deep to find the bountys of the earth

>>5194102
>>5194113
>>5194301
>>5194406
>>5194490
>>5194509

With a replenished food stock, you decide to press further into the efforts of digging. This time, it's exploratory. Long snaking tunnels that go off into the depths of the earth in hopes of finding something useful. The second subject is to research how to use some of these artifacts you've scrounged.

The lightning tubes are a strange thing. Delicate glass and metal work that contains some kind of crystal material. It's quickly that you discover how to get them to shock by depressing certain bits. The electricity can be conducted through metal if connected too. One particularly clumsy kobold trips while carrying one and happens to break it, and a small but particularly violent electrical explosion happens. He's called an idiot but at least you know what happens when you throw one. These things seem very useful either way and you've got a good grasp of how the function now and how to trigger their energy.

The mining goes on in the days and there's very little to discover so far. Extra hands go out hunting for frogs with your dragon when possible to keep the food supply from running out. Most of the tunnels just do their best to avoid any water pockets and spread out from the burrow from a large main descending shaft. Luck does shine however, on the 5th day when one of the miners hits a small pocket of bog iron. Raw and rough, without any means to refine it currently, but it's still a resource for you to extract. Very nice discovery.

At some point a few kobolds begin to squabble over ration sizes, occasionally getting into fights over their shares. The offenders are beaten into submission to let them know what the order of things is around here. You won't have anyone stepping out of line around here.

>A small scattering of iron ore has been uncovered and is being extracted
>Some kobolds think that the howling winds seem to be lessening. An end to the storm soon?

DAY 58
KOBOLDS: 42
FOOD: Dwindling
MORALE: Grumbling

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5195691
>Exploration and Military
>Food
Stick close to Lyralia in a hunting/scouting party. Get food, and while we're at it, check what has become of the humans during the storm.

>>5195691
>Exploration and Military

Raid the humans to food, loot, slaves, and sacrifices while they're still hiding from the raging storm.

>>5195691
>Exploration and Military

>>5195781
+1

>>5195691
>>5195781
support

>>5195781
>>5195820
>>5195965
>>5195975
>>5195987

With the unique ability to defy the storm via dragon, you're in the unique position to explore and move about. So you decide that today you're going to see what's happened to the humans in the time that's passed. Due to the small nature of the clear area, you're only able to bring along five other kobolds, about half the size of a usual cohort.

The path to the human encampment is filled with sights of decay. Trees coated in fungal bedding and large mushrooms sprouting from the stray well decomposed body. What's strange is that there seem to be areas in the forest where the storm completely avoids. Just sanctums where regular life goes on as it had before the storm. When the camp is reached, it seems to be stuck on the edge of one of said sanctums. Half of it has the spore filled winds battering against its tall wooden walls. There's a lot of fires outside, place about in some strange attempt to burn away the fungus. Occasional bouts of movement can be seen inside the place. You're sort of surprised that they're still here after all this. Tenacious bastards.

>Open attack
>Exploration of the forest
>Returning home
>Write-in

>>5196934
>Exploration of the forest

>>5196934
>Open attack

Time to take that old bastard's head.

>>5196934
>Open attack

>>5196934
>Exploration of the forest

>>5196934
>Exploration of the forest

We're only 5 strong

But first...

>Steal anything valuable the humans have left unattended

>>5196934
>Open attack

>>5196934
>>Steal anything valuable the humans have left unattended
>>use aura to loot fungal half of human encampment .
>>scout for possible fungal blind side ambush?
>>Eat humans???

>>5196934
>Steal anything valuable the humans have left unattended

>>5196943
>>5196955
>>5196997
>>5197064
>>5197067
>>5197851
>>5197852

Work seems to be doing it's best to kill me via non-optional overtime, so it seems I must wait until friday to update. Consensus at least appears to be violent action, so I may as well ask for a 3d100 roll in the waiting time as I forgot to include it

Rolled 66, 65, 99 = 230 (3d100)

>>5197993

Rolled 64, 24, 77 = 165 (3d100)

>>5197993

Rolled 78, 96, 61 = 235 (3d100)

>>5197993

>>5198038
>>5198025
>>5198021

78, 96, 61

It might be an overly aggressive move, but surely they can’t be in that good of shape after all of this. Lyralia obviously will be the lead in this charge. She isn’t very keen on the idea of it, but you manage to convince her through the prospect of looting.

She crashes into the wall causing a great commotion and chaotic shouting. Figures scramble to and fro trying to organize. They seem quite haggard for obvious reasons with wounded among them, but they still have their weapons. Bows, spears, swords, and fire. Blood pools out from the crushed man beneath the rubble as the battle begins.

>Crush through the lines quickly
>Methodical clearing
>Hit and then run

2d100 for the continuing fight

Rolled 76, 92 = 168 (2d100)

>>5200365
>Crush through the lines quickly
Kill the leader! Cut off the head of this serpent!

Rolled 21, 37 = 58 (2d100)

>>5200365
>Crush through the lines quickly

Rolled 74, 94 = 168 (2d100)

>>5200365

>>5200372
>>5200420
BASED

>>5200365
>>Crush through the lines quickly

>>5200365
>Crush through the lines quickly

>>5200365
>Hit and then run
Try to kill the leader, then escape

>>5200803
>>5200690
>>5200504
>>5200420
>>5200403
>>5200372

74, 94

Whether it's the fatigue of their ordeals or the sheer force of your attack, their defense crumples against the charge. Lyralia easily shreds through those who stand in her way and you and the other kobolds fall on those who are to the sides. An armored knight would have trouble fighting a young dragon on their own, but a peasant with a spear or bow? They don't stand a chance.

It's actually quite invigorating to go wild after being cooped up in the warrens for so long. And so you all enjoy the carnage. It all turns so red and you can briefly smell iron over the fungus. Blissful. When the adrenaline fades those who once stood are all dead or dying. You even find that bloody leader of theirs crumpled in a broken heap upon some crates. Did you kill them? Can't remember, but you did enjoy yourself... A great accomplishment for your people either way, ridding the swamps of the damn humans!

Now that you're here, you're not sure what to do next. You are only a few kobolds and carrying back any amount of loot would be a tedious task...

>Celebrate the victory and stay they day
>Take the shiniest trinkets and go home
>Write-in

>>5202010
>Take the shiniest trinkets and go home

Better not stay out too long while the fungus storm is going on

>>5202010
>Celebrate the victory and stay they day

There must be some survivors we can have some fun with. I was really looking forward to same slaves and mass sacrifice and shit.

>>5202010
>Take the shiniest trinkets and go home

>>5202010
>Celebrate the victory and stay they day
Bloof sacrifice the prisoners

>>5202010
>Take the shiniest trinkets and go home

>>5202010
>Celebrate the victory and stay the day
We can huddle close to Lyralia if the storm returns.

>Look for survivors to enslave and to make carry the loot back

>>5202021
>>5202073
>>5202116
>>5202136
>>5202168
>>5202250

No reason to stay for so long, what remains will stay where it is most likely. The orders are to grab whatever is most valuable that you can carry back home and then leave. Bodies are searched and gathered up to see what they were carrying. A fair few had some scant coinage in either purses or hidden in their tents so Lyralia will at least be pleased in knowing your wealth has slightly grown.

Other than that, you will obviously take that lovely powder pistol that their leader had. There are other various crafted tools and weaponry that are quite nice to take along if you have the room. The random items are a bit tough to sort through and assess for value. likely you'll have to fully inspect everything once you're home.

Lastly, the bodies are a tempting subject to handle. Been a while since you've had any meaningful corpses to work with. Any ones that are still living would likely be an utter pain to take as prisoners due to wound care and the added strain on food if they're kept for any meaningful time.

>Conduct a bloody ritual with the bodies
>Carve out the organs and carry them off
>Leave after doing nothing
>Write-in

>>5203268
>Conduct a bloody ritual with the bodies

>>5203268
>Conduct a bloody ritual with the bodies

>>5203268
>Conduct a bloody ritual with the bodies
Blood for the blood god.

>>5203268
>Conduct a bloody ritual with the bodies

>>5203286
>>5203290
>>5203304
>>5203314

The bodies are gathered and ritualistically mutilated. Organs placed in patterns and blood spilt to properly display the work. Bones are pulled from the skin and heaped in a pile right in the middle, their skulls at the center with skin flapping like flags. Those who still live set next to it, bleeding out on the macabre art. All in all a nice display of your enemies, and the future to come for those who face you.

"Pleasant. If only it was a more even fight." You hear familiar whispers in your mind. "It still pleases me to see mortal men have their blood spilt. I look forward to seeing how you fare against those who are to come..."

The grim voice is gone as soon as it came. In the midst of the gore you witness offal and hide congeal into a solid form, leaving a small leather bound book in its place. You pick it up along with the loot and your expedition moves to return home, wading trough the spore winds.

>Blood magic tome, volume 2 obtained
>An amount of trinkets and wealth were retrieved from the human camp
>The remaining humans camping in the forest have been wiped out
>The fungal storm has subsided leaving the surface safe to explore. Time scale reduced to two days per turn.

DAY 60
KOBOLDS: 42
FOOD: Low
MORALE: Recovering

[Choose a subject to focus on]
>Food
>Construction
>Exploration and Military
>Cultural and magic
>Tools and research
>Write-In

>>5204903
>>Food

>>5204903
>Food
See if can't cook up the fungus leftover from the fungus storm into food. There's probably a lot leftover so we might as well use it if we can. If we can't then go hunting
>Cultural and magic
Research the new blood magic tome with our disciples.

>>5204903
>Food
HUNT HUNT HUNT HUNT

Maybe even a goblin sacrifice or two, if we find their hunting parties.

>>5204918
Supporting. Also: Lyralia would probably like to read with us. She likes books.

>>5204903

>>5204903
>Food
>>5204998
She does like books but she finds bloodmagic barbaric

>>5204903
Page 10. One action still more efficient than two?
Train some combat skills with the clan.

>>5205264
Time to archive, eh? Good note to end a thread on!

Votes are edged towards food collection and study of magic so it seems. Thread is at its death door so archiving is necessary. A new one will come up in a few days. Monday seems appropriate or so. Progress is steadily approaching to the stage where it becomes more civ than survival.

>>5206093
Excited for it! Enjoy the weekend, QM!