Chapter 1: Turning Point1 Granite, 124The hamlet of Twigtorch awakens from nightmares of the past year onto the indifference of a new year.
Farmer Bayar is shrouded in a cloak of melancholy unable to face outside because the corpses of his wife Fath and the prior overseer MoonyTheHuman is still littered and splayed about on the the front entrance of the tunnel.
Farmer Sanctume summons his emotions and buries them deep within. He laid his stubby hand on Bayar’s shoulder and says, “I shall step forward to take upon burden of duty and make things right here in Twigtorch.”
The twenty surviving citizens are robust and is the backbone of labor to make Twigtorch prosper. The first and immediate action is to find a some place for the four dead, include MoonyTheHuman. A passageway is dug on the first wall section of the tunnel entrance, and winds around north into a room for the fallen. A fortification from the from is carved so the somber room can be seen without going through the passageway.
Likewise, a similar plan for an adjacent passageway and room for animal remains seems like a worthy task. And just like that, Farmer Sanctume transitions to the overseer role.
Beyond the tunnel entrance is the wild growth of a vast forest climbing along the hills. The trees continue its spread along the stream running from the eastern edge and snakes southwest down to the south edge of Twigtorch proper.
As for Twigfort, the hamlet’s foodhold cuts into the northwest hill where part of the sandstone yielded no aquifer and allowed the miners to delve deeper excavations of microcline, orthoclase, and gold nuggets. But even down in the orthoclase layer, the work area still borders some damp stones.
The first cavern reveals at marble but with no sign of any iron-bearing ores. A secured dig site among the marble quarry looks like an abandoned sleeping quarters or tombs.
The food stores are low and drinks are alarmingly low.
With a single forge in production, Admin M. V. will be the interim manager and record keeper despite being a legendary armorsmith.
Mech L. O. is the broker, and Mech A. K. is the current expedition leader.
There is no one qualified for chief medical doctor at this time, nor there is a designated area for a hospital.
The apprentice forge crew is split with the usual Armors and Weapons divisions:
Armorers A Forge A. I., A Forge D. D., and J Shem McUristhe, “A. McUristhe” S. T. for the Armors division.
W. Forge A. O., W Forge K. A., and J Fath McUristhe, “W. McUristhe” F. U. for the Weapons division.
The lumber industry includes Carpenter C. O., and Woodcut R. O.
The builders will have the usual Miners, Mechanics, and Masons division. In the end, they should all be capable doing all three labors for the Builder class.
Mech A. K., and Mech L. O. for the Mechanics division.
Miner K. U. and Miner O. I. for the Miners division.
Mason Z. D. and Mason M. N. for the Masons division.
The Food Services division will include Farmer Bayar E. and Farmer Sanctume O. G.
The Craft division only has Craft Z. Z.
The Military candidates are Mace T. L. and Mace Z. K.
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The corpses are moved out of the tunnel entrance.
Numerous trees are felled. Miners followed excavating the hills so it will be flat for an above ground village so visitors and adventurers may come. Ramps are removed and strategic cage traps are planned to be lain.
The scattered orthoclase boulders are gathered and turned into building blocks by the masons. The “Tavern”, dubbed for the first building, is planned to be multi-level with two floors of 6 private bedrooms “inns”, a generous dance hall, a comfortable dining area for 10, a kitchen and brewing facility, and above-ground farms down in the 3rd-level basement.
The legendary stone crafter, Craft Z. Z., will use up all the diorite rocks to make large pots.
The Carpenter’s House refers to the second building erected using cacao logs. It is of modest to house the carpenter’s workshop, with two private rooms on the second floor, and an attic space on the third floor. It has one basement for coffee logs, and tea tree logs.
In early spring, the elven caravan from Iramimame arrived. The elves did not seem to mind some of the corpses still lay about. An elven merchants even has a facial expression as if the rotting corpse was a wasted delicy. Nevertheless, Mech L. O. managed to scrape together cut gems to trade for a leopard, a grizzly bear, and barrels of fruits.
Speaking of grizzly bear, a small area by the stairs is set assigned for war bear and war dog trainings.
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Before mid-spring, nineteen migrants arrived to join Hamlet Twigtorch.
The Military candidates are bolstered by Spear D. I., Spear K. N., Guard E. B., Guard D. D., Guard R. U., and Imic “Imic Bones” M. K.
The forge crew added A Forge E. S., A Forge R. L., W Forge I. L., W Forge K. L., W Forge R. M., W Forge Z. A., and W Forge Z. D.
Food services added Farmer A. M., Farmer C. K.
The Craft division added Craft K. O., and Craft S. B.
The Specialist divisions is created and began with:
Kingawsume, “Cheese Kingaw” because he wants to make cheese.
And Spriggans “The ScareLess” is a peasant with no particular skill, who dreams of crafting a masterwork someday, but has no item preference, and has no ambition whatsoever.
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26 GraniteThe werelizard Osta has come from the north, even before the newest migrants step past a tree on the east edge of Twigtorch. The civilian alert “Safety Inside” is activated, and a newly created “Hide” along the east edge and down by the riverbank.
It is fortunate that a wild tapir distracted Osta for some time away to the north. “Hide” is deactivated so the new arrivals can come in. By the time Osta arrives near the entrance, it turned into a friendly goblin. Not so friendly to the eyes of Kingawsume who gave chase, but Osta has fled Twigtorch.
This threat brings forward the realization that Twigtorch is defenseless. The mechanics suggested cage traps and the carpenter will build many cages. So along the future main road, 2 mechanic shops, 2 carpenter shops, and 2 mason shops are built. A pair of stone stockpiles for microcline and sandstone line along the workshops. Logs scatter about so there is no immediate need for exclusive wood pile.
Speaking of threats, someone rises and haunts Twigtorch.
The Military also need to training sooner, so the weaponsmiths are to make silver maces, silver war hammers, copper crossbows and copper spears.
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Before the end of late spring, Forge R. M. claims a forge interrupting the armorers making copper armors. Forge R. M. grabs a platinum bar left behind on the forge, and wants a stacked leather. A butcher’s shop is hastily built and the only candidate for slaughtering is the recently acquired leopard.
Forge R. M. creates a platinum short sword worth 118,800☼.
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Summer arrives, and the Militia Commander promotion is given to Cmd Forge R. M. so he may use his platinum sword, and heads the squad “The Rocks of Dawn”.
“The Cooperative Shields” are the mace squad.
“The Mechanical Cloaks” are the spear squad.
“The Robust Gears” are the guards who will be training hammer and eventually move to crossbows.
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It is still early summer when a human caravan from Omon Medi arrived. Masterful diorite large pots and 5 silver spiked balls are traded for some weapons, cloth and leather.
And before early summer ends, Ten migrants arrived include 2 kids: Kid A. O., and Kid G. F.
Forge: A Forge B. E., A Forge D. N.
Food: Farmer K. U., and Farmer L. R.
Builder: Miner U. K.
Military: Guard E. L., Guard S. L., and Werty Zerty, Guard Werty O. G.
Immediately, the new Guards are added to The Robust Gear squad. On the way to the Twigtorch, Guard Werty punched the head of a hostile iguana.
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Mid-summer arrives, the squads are training, and many cage traps are set. Twigtorch feels a little more secure from the outside. But such complacency in security reveals an enemy within.
/ooc “Oh fuck. A vampire in the fortress. I’ve read about it, but I’ve never had one my game.”
This is the turning point where Twigtorch has the potential to be a metropolis of culture, learning, trade, entertainment and adventure, but instead, it is shrouded with suspicions and deceit and death.
A dungeon is needed in the literal sense to hold prisoners in a pit or cell. The last ten migrants are suspects.
A small cell is dug accessed through a ramp and closed by stone hatch covers. Once locked, the prisoner below will be secured. But, now the puzzle to lure the citizen suspect without alerting every other citizen.
Beginning with the two kids, a toy stockpile on each can lure the bastards. Hatch cover locked.
For the adults, a personal lever for each to pull now is a good idea.
Forward thinking, a vampire’s mansion.must be excavated. It will have a bedroom, an office, maybe even its own barracks. Definite a control room full of levers. And an air-lock for safe delivery of supplies.
The vampire’s victim is found in one of the Tavern’s private room. The orientation of the private rooms re-constructed into shared bedrooms with private storage. The same idea will apply to the Carpenter’s House.
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By late summer, 8 of the 10 migrants are showing signs of thirst and hunger, and are sleeping.
The remaining suspects are Guard S. L. and Farmer L. R. The other 8 are released.
A few days later, Farmer L. R. shows sign of thirst and hunger.
Guard S. L. is only showing a sign of thirst, hunger and sleeping so it is released.
Before summer’s end, Forge K. A. is taken by a fey mood and claims a Craftsdwarf’s Workshop and completes her creation as autumn arrives.
Forge K. A. makes a bone sword and she is renamed to Bonesword K. A.
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Early autumn as preparations to move Farmer L. R. to the vampire’s mansion, he went to sleep and is hungry and thirsty and reluctantly released.
The vampire hunting resumes, and this time the dungeon capacity is up to 14.
/ooc Aww crap, Farmer L. R. is went to sleep.
The caravan from Shovethmistem arrives with no outpost liaison? How curious...
Another 5 silver spiked balls worth 15k☼ is traded for nickel cages, weapons, cloth and leather.
21 LimestoneJ Shem McUristhe, “A. McUristhe”
J Fath McUristhe, “W. McUristhe”
Spriggans “The ScareLess”
Kingawsume, “Cheese Kingaw”
Imic “Imic Bones”
Spear D. I.
Spear K. N.
Guard E. B.
Guard D. D.
Guard R. U.
Farmer A. M.
Farmer C. K
Craft K. O.
Craft S. B.
A Forge E. S.
A Forge R. L.
W Forge I. L.
W Forge K. L.
W Forge R. M.
W Forge Z. A.
W Forge Z. D.
Day 1: All 14 suspects are locked in the dungeon.
Day 8: Few dwarfs are showing thirst. Those who feel asleep are released: Spear D. Ii, Spriggans “The ScareLess”, and Guard E. B.
Day 20: Some more dwarfs shows hunger.
Two dwarfs in particular: Imic and Farmer A. M. are not showing signs of thirst.
On mid-autumn, Farmer A. M. went to sleep, so Imic is likely the vampire and shows no sign of thirst or hunger.
Imic is removed from The Robust Gear and put in his own squad, The Order of Books.
Resume squad training. Imic is released from the dungeon and he dashes out in a blur through the central stairs. He disappears? No. He is being followed and it is the correct path to the mansion. Imic did not need to pick up any equipment and begins individual drill in his own gold armor stand barracks. An orthoclase door is locked.
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Early autumn, while the second batch of the vampire screening is going on, the construction of the “Butcher’s Shop” starts. The building is planned to house 2 sets of 8 shared-bedrooms with private storage on the 1st and 2nd floor. With stairs in the middle to climb up to the 4th level with 10 archery range.
The 1st basement is currently flooded because it’s an aquifer, and plan to be an indoor bone pile and garbage chute. The 2nd basement will house the butcher, tanner and leather shops. Digging further down to the garbage smasher.
The aquifer breach will begin from below, through the “Butcher’s Gate” that connects into Twigtorch proper.
With the Butcher’s gate secured for flood prevention, and the portable drain is set, dig up to breach the aquifer commences.
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Sword M. E., and Sword S. S.
Carpenter I. E.
A Forge A. T., and W Forge L. I.
Builder S. D.
Craft K. S. and Craft U. O.
“The Harvest of Plotting” tavern is opened to all with twelve bedrooms for the inn.
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Late autumn, Admin M. V. has been found dead, completely drained of blood!
Damn, Imic is fast. He was being followed as he was released to move to the Vampire’s Mansion. The Admin’s office has a private bedroom in the back, and Imic must have gone there quick on the way to the Mansion. Well, he is off training now and will now be a full time record keeper and manager. Admin M. V. was doing those before he died.
Oh, Twigtorch is now a Village, and the mayor is Mace Z. K. has been elected earlier and it is mandating 3 ballista parts. There is no Mayor’s Mansion being built yet.
However, a 2nd basement is being dug below the Carpenter’s house for a siege workshop to meet the ballista parts mandate.
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Winter has come and oh shit, the dead walk! A siege coming from the southwest. Everyone to Safety Inside.
Eh, well, the undead was probably just passing through. The siege is gone.
Aha, a necro got caged because the hills ramps were removed to trapped choke areas.
“Greetings Kadol and welcome to Twigtorch. May you serve many overseers.”
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Mid-winter possessed Craft K. S., an already legendary Glassmaker. A glass furnace is built, and a green glass earring is created.
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By winter’s end, the two sets of 8 shared bedroom with private storage is available at the Butcher’s Shop. The 10 archery at the top is also complete, but the future marksdwarfs are still training hammer. The Butcher, Tanner, and Leather is below, and at the bottom is the Butcher’s Gate to the fortress, and below that is the functional indoor garbage smasher.
The Trade Depot Drowning is filled and ready via water reactors and aquifer. The drain controls should theoretically work.
Some work to caverns trapped hallway breaching the Cavern 1 is mostly complete. Overseer Sanctume hoped to capture Giant Cave Spider, and has prepared web collection as well as webbed trap engineering design.
Spring comes, alas, Sanctume passed the burden of duty to the next who would take it. The Tavern is open in Twigtorch.
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The Save