Upwards!

>>8607867

Though you nearly lose focus again from the effort, you begin pulling yourself through the rubble. As your senses begin returning to you, you hear the resonating song of your stone-brothers on top, calling out for you.

You call out in response, and feel them coming over to help you. You are still HUNGRY AND ANGRY.

What is the current composition of our body? Will our brothers notice anything different?

>>8608052

A stone arm grabs hold of your hand, sending another wave of hot pain lancing up through your body. You are pulled forcefully out of the rubble and back into the open cavern.

Your two largest ore-brothers stand before you. You feel relief and concern resonate throughout their bodies. You feel a slight urge to CONSUME THEM.

Leaning on them for support, you and your ore-brothers leave the dark of the cavern and emerge into the daylight. For the first time since your glorious battle, you get a look at yourself.

Where you were once was a flawless crystalline form, you now see black lines of cooled stonefire tracing the cracks in your body. Your clear stone has taken on a deep reddish glow.

YOU HAVE FURY.

>>8608172

attempt to speak to an elder or learned golem to see if this has ever happened before, and why do we HUNGER

>>8608172
Surreptitiously consume some stone.

>>8608245

The elder stoneman gives your fractured form a looking-over. His body resonates with some fear.

He explains to you that you were caught in the cave-in you made when fighting the stonefire beast down there, and were heavily injured. While a mere several tons of stone would normally be no issue to you, the intense heat caused by the beast weakened your otherwise flawless body. It appears, he says, that the molten stone down in the mine acted as a sort of cement to fill your shattered body - he says that this is likely the only reason you are still in one piece.

You did, however, manage to slay the beast with your mighty cave-in. The dwarves have moved on, taking those few left living back towards their mountainhomes. There were not enough to continue their work here, and they gave their thanks for your valiant help, but could not afford to stay any longer.

>>8608272

The old golem's words begin to blur as the FURY AND HUNGER pulse louder inside you.

You run off into one of the stone dwellings. The content serenity of the houses gives way to fear as you begin pouring your TERRIBLE FURY into them. The house begins turning to DELICIOUS STONEFIRE around you, and you drink greedily of the dripping rock.

Your hunger sated, you come back into focus.

The elder stoneman and your ore-brothers stand in the doorway. You feel fear and anger resonating among them.

What about the golblems and younger stone-men? Do they share our current personality, or are they still acting as the persona which we bound them with?

>>8608513

As far as you know, they should be fine. You believe your current affliction to have been caused by your recent magma-bath. You could likely make them as you are now if you so desired.

>>8608541

The stone house begins to cool down. It is still mostly intact, but you no longer feel its presence within. It will likely be some time before the stone awakens again.

Your ore-brothers approach you cautiously, and ask if you need help.

>>8608621
I'm fine - I just need to sit down for a bit.

>>8608621
damn... we're a monster... tell them that the hunger has dissipated but that they should stay away since you don't know if it will return

>>8608711
That's it, tell them to keep a perimeter, keep people away from danger.

>>8608679
>>8608711
>>8608768

You tell them that you're fine for now, but aren't sure if it'll happen again. You tell them that they should keep their distance for now until you better understand what's happened to you. You set out a ways into the grassy area next to the town, away from most of the nearby stone.

The HUNGER inside you has subsided, and the glow has gone mostly away.

>>8608802
that old dwarf geomancer might know something about what happened to us, or know someone who would...

any chance of catching up to the dwarf caravan? how long were we out?

>>8609182

You think it's only been about a day. You could probably catch up with them, especially given that you don't need to rest, and that they're moving with wounded meat-dwarves.

>>8609285
leave our brethren at the site, can't risk getting hungry and eating our own,

>>8609362
Or, send our brethren after the dwarfs - that way no-one gets eaten.

>>8609492
also good

>>8609561
>>8609492

Your focus regathered, you head back into the town. Your Circle of Friends have all gathered, and they offer to help you in any way they can.

You tell them that it may not be safe for them to be near you, as you might try something very un-stonelike. You ask them to go after the meat-dwarves, reminding them not to accidentally flay any, and ask for the help of the elder dwarf.

Your friends begin setting off down the road, the old stone-man in lead.

You find yourself alone again.

(And though the thread hasn't been very long this time, I'm gonna have to call it a night. Not many people in the thread right now, so either none of our brothers are on, or everyone's lost interest. We'll see sooooooooon)

>>8609741
Oh goddammit, im late again. eh, it's like 3:00 am here anyway.