15th of Slate, 550:It occurs to me that I should note the date in my logs, so that future generations will understand the full context of my actions.
Today is an auspicious day. In celebration of the completion of Phase One, I gathered everyone together and detailed exactly how Phase Two would progress.
First thing’s first, it’s time to lay a drawbridge. It is going to be another temporary wooden structure, but it will be the most amazing temporary wooden structure ever constructed in the Blockade of Bravery! It is going to be as long as the trees in this forest are tall!
Fear not, there is a reason for this extravagance. I need the drawbridge so I can have Lokum and Urist expand the moat to final width and start digging down. Soon, we will have stone, as well as a proper defensive ditch around the castle perimeter. Also, it gives me a chance to finally utilize my architecture degree. I paid a lot of money for that degree.
Part of Phase Two will be the construction of some farms in the Southwest corner, as well as a still, kitchen, butcher, tannery, and fishery. Most of those will be in temporary locations, but it is vital to get these industries up and running ASAP. Our stores won’t last forever.
I gave everyone their orders and then then told them they could have the rest of the day off to celebrate. Oh boy, did they celebrate. I’m… actually a bit surprised. They seemed almost as excited about the progress of Castle Glovegleeful as they were about having a holiday.
Nobody’s ever been excited about Even that lazy, asshole farmer. It turns out his name is Shorast Ekzongkilrud. He still thinks the dorms are ugly though.
His mom is ugly.
1st of Hematite, 550:
Summer is here, and food production is up and running! I gave Iden Sokanaban the job of constructing and running the necessary facilities. Technically, he’s supposed to be our security dwarf, but he’s the only one without a necessary labour so far. He seems solid.
The farms are turning out to be a project though. There’s dead patches littering the area where I want our fields, so I ordered a surrounding wall constructed and a bucket brigade to flood the area so we can start farming. I hope it doesn’t ruin the potato field we’ve already planted…
The drawbridge is built, but still waiting for a lever to activate it, and the first level of the moat is complete! It only took a season, but now we can start building proper defenses.
12th of Malachite:The land here is rich, as I predicted! Lokum and Urist have struck iron and several types of gems. I am starting to think they lied to me when they said this area was dangerous though. So far, the river otters are the most dangerous creature any of us have encountered. How am I supposed to prove my genius if there’s no goblins to slaughter with my architecture?
15th of Malachite:Word of Castle Glovegleeful is already spreading! Three new dwarves arrived this morning. We now have a new farmer, fishery worker, and a doctor! Our current lazy asshole farmer says she could really use the help, and we are in dire need of a dedicated fishery worker right now. Iden just can’t keep up with gutting, cooking, and brewing all at once. The doctor is the one who really has me excited though. The sooner we get a hospital up and running, the better. That’s the kind of thing you want working before you need it.
Yes, the doctor is a handsome, older gentleman. I wonder if he’s single…
16th of Malachite:He’s not. And he thinks art is stupid.