Howdy!
I've been posting these on the Dwarf Fortress subreddit (
http://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress) for some time now, and it was suggested to me that I begin posting the journals here. They're written in a first-person perspective.
Parts 1-4 of Zolakog are already on reddit, but I'll condense them into one post here. As I add each part to this post, I'll reply to the topic so anyone following it will get notified of the addition. The parts will be separated the same way that they are on reddit. It's a pain to reformat each entry, so reddit will always be updated first.
Without further ado, let's delve into the world of Tar Mudung!
PART 1 - A NEW NATIONredditTHE JOURNAL OF UZOL MEBZUTHBOMREK1 GRANITE 552 Well, we're here. In all my fifty-eight years I never thought I'd see such a beautiful place. I've decided to call the place Zolakog, or "Blizzardclub" in the human language.
http://i.imgur.com/uyZzE.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/7C2Fr.pngWe were exiled from the Mountainhomes last year. We've come to this place (the Jungle of Gifts) to escape the persecution there. The king apparently does not like dwarves that have ideas different than his own.
The days of monarchy are behind us, and we'll pave the way of progress in the world.
Every year, on 31 Obsidian, we'll have an election to determine the new leader of Zolakog.
There are six others with me that unanimously elected me leader for this first year.
2 GRANITE 552 I drew a map of the general area:
http://i.imgur.com/rHQdT.pngWe lie at the foot of a massive mountain to the west. To the east is a fast-moving river. I plan to settle where the X is on the map.
3 GRANITE 552 We've begun burning some of the wood we brought with us for fuel so we can smelt some tetrahedrite we found on the way here. We need to make some metal tools if we are to survive here.
24 GRANITE 552 A metalworking area was set up by the banks of the river. None of us really know what we are doing, so progress is slow at best. We've got a few bars of copper and a couple silver. I'm about to begin forging a woodcutting axe and a pickaxe.
3 SLATE 552 The picks and the axe are done. Forging them was easier than I had expected.
Kol is cutting down trees near the river to clear room for some walls. Åblel and Îton are digging out what will become the main stairwell.
10 SLATE 552 I have spent the last week drawing up plans for the fortress interior. I've got layouts for a dining hall, bedrooms (larger than those cramped ones back at the Mountainhomes!), offices, crafting rooms, storerooms, farms, and tombs - all connected to a main hallway.
http://i.imgur.com/zTGZr.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/UcB5n.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/gS8Yf.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/z94U3.pngI've got a feeling that this is going to someday be a marvelous city.
14 SLATE 552 Today I ordered the construction of a trade depot near the surface stairwell. Just in case.
22 SLATE 552 The miners have begun to dig. It looks like the rock here is mostly rhyolite. There's some cinnabar here and there to give it a nice red touch.
10 FELSITE 552 Construction of above-ground walls has begun. I'll be overseeing their design.
http://i.imgur.com/xMvfd.png12 FELSITE 552 I could have sword there were only two cats with us when we got here... now they're everywhere.
At least we have an emergency food supply.
30 FELSITE 552 I finally got around to designing a carpentry workshop. I'll have Ushrir make us some beds. It'll be good to sleep somewhere other than the ground again.
11 HEMATITE 552 I designated an area for a farm in the still-unfinished farming room. We'll need some food production before winter hits us.
http://i.imgur.com/Cy2ex.png16 HEMATITE 552 Some raccoons showed up and are stealing things! Some of our silver bars and some charcoal are missing. I went and told Kol to go kill the thing with her axe but it was already gone by then.
http://i.imgur.com/R2wLn.png24 HEMATITE 552 Progress on the walls is good. We might be done before autumn at this rate. I ordered the dining hall to be dug out.
http://i.imgur.com/OtZd3.png27 HEMATITE 552 I looked off into the distance today and saw some dwarves approaching us. They did not appear to be armed or armored so I knew this was not an attack from the Mountainhomes. They were migrants!
Our citizen count has now risen from seven to thirteen!
One of them looks like he's a handy carpenter, so I'll have him begin doing that. I think I'll start a military and enlist the others.
20 MALACHITE 552 It's been quiet around here these last few weeks. Too quiet.
8 GALENA 552 There's a lot of stone that needs to be cleared out of the way for some workshops. I wish these slackers would stop standing around drinking booze and get their jobs done.
13 GALENA 552 I ordered a mechanic's workshop built and some mechanisms produced. I want to get some drawbridges set up after digging some kind of moat.
18 GALENA 552 It sure rains a lot here. I guess it's a miracle that this journal hasn't gotten soaked yet.
1 LIMESTONE 552 Autumn has come. It's my favorite time of year; I love watching the trees change color. They're so beautiful.
I was wrong; the walls still are not complete. Those idiots did finally get around to building a masonry workshop so we can have some tables and chairs.
24 LIMESTONE 552 I hope a trade caravan comes soon. Food and drink levels are dangerously low. Probably due to the fact that none of us have any idea what the hell we're doing.
3 SANDSTONE 552 As if we were not running low enough on food, two more migrants arrived. We'll probably all starve to death here, and that isn't a very dwarfy death at all.
I told one of them to start fishing and the other one to help farm.
5 SANDSTONE 552 One of the drawbridges is complete. I sill need to make a lever to raise and lower it.
6 SANDSTONE 552 I've decided to butcher most of the animals running around here. We need food. I heard Reg was a butcher back at the Mountainhomes.
18 SANDSTONE 552 Food levels are going back up again. We just might survive. Still no traders.
20 SANDSTONE 552 I've told the miners to begin digging out the rest of the fortress, per my designs.
7 TIMBER 552 The other drawbridge has been completed. I ordered some levers constructed in the dining hall in order to control the drawbridges.
Not like they'll help us much, anyways. These slackers still have not finished the walls around this place. We're vulnerable.
15 TIMBER 552 A kobold theif showed up today. One of the war dogs attacked him, but he was carrying a dagger and fought back. The dog got cut up pretty badly. She probably won't make it.
16 TIMBER 552 Finally! A caravan arrived today... from the Mountainhomes, of all places! I suppose it's good to know that they don't want a war.
18 TIMBER 552 I'm really starting to like this place. We've had a few rough spots, but I honestly think we'll make it. Democracy will prevail.
20 TIMBER 552 Another theif approached the fortress today, but it was chased town and torn to shreds by some of the caravan guards. Tough guys, I guess.
I also spoke with the liaison that arrived with the caravan. We discussed what I would like to see imported next year, as well as what they want from us in return.
http://i.imgur.com/9zwP9.png21 TIMBER 552 I offered the traders the best that we had. Amidst the countless treasures that they brought, all I wanted was a few barrels of booze.
They refused. I told them we could speak again tomorrow.
22 TIMBER 552 I returned to the merchants today. I desired so badly to seize the goods from them, but those guards were watching me ominously. They won't trade with us at all. I pleaded with them, telling them we'll probably starve this winter. They didn't care.
If we survive, there will be hell to pay for this.
27 TIMBER 552 Another thief. We need to get these walls completed soon.
At least those caravan guards are good for something.
1 MOONSTONE 552 Winter is here. I don't think it'll snow here; which is bad. I think the snow is the only thing I miss back home.
10 MOONSTONE 552 A few tables and chairs are strew about, but the dining hall is still mostly empty. I wish these slackers would get to work.
12 MOONSTONE 552 I made a flag for our nation today.
http://i.imgur.com/56PVA.jpg17 MOONSTONE 552 Those assholes from the Mountainhomes have finally left. I swear I would have killed them if I could. They'll pay. Someday.
22 MOONSTONE 552 I went up to the surface today and saw a few mutilated raccoon corpses. I should give a medal to whomever did this.
3 OPAL 552 The fortress has been completely mined out according to my plans. For now I think I'm going to have the miners haul stuff around. There's a lot of stuff to move now.
11 OBSIDIAN 552 Winter has been quiet so far. Food and drink supplies are holding out. Barring a catastrophe, we'll make it, but just barely.
15 OBSIDIAN 552 I finally got myself a modest little office, dining room, and bedroom. I won't be able to use them for long, but whoever comes after me will certainly appreciate the gesture.
23 OBSIDIAN 552 The dining hall is starting to look like a dining hall.
31 OBSIDIAN 552 Elections were today. Everyone got the day off per my decree. I'm running for reelection. Nervous.
It's late now, and the votes have just been counted. Îton Uristzolak won with nine votes. I got five and Kadol Idnär got one.
It's been a good year. I'll be passing this journal on to Îton in the morning.
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Topic: Journals From Zolakog: The Dwarven Republic (Read 666 times)