Spring Year 6 at *Staffrhymed*
So much for the plan to fight defensively. In Fall 5 we had a *KOBOLD* ambush in force! It was just so adorable, we had to go slaughter it, clearing the way for a huge caravan from the mountainhomes. Five or six wagons, and many more pack animals as well. Just as they were safely inside (and the dozen caravan guards out of sight) a Goblin ambush appears, a particularly nasty squad, Elite bowman and a pack of lashers. At the last moment I canceled closing the bridge, to avoid smashing our own Elite crossbowdwarf, and sally out in force instead. 33 on our side and eventually, about 60 goblins & brook trolls emerged from hiding, with many friendly bears and evil beakwolves joining in. Their master bowman crippled several of our number, although he was very quickly put down by a barrage from our own crossbows. Unfortunately the crippled soldiers were hardly able to defend themselves and were overrun by lashers. The tide turned with fresh reinforcements, and victory was in hand. Not without cost, 8 lost in total including a tantruming recruit who received capital punishment for kicking a turkey.
We traded for some nice but nonessential stuff with the caravan, mostly exotic metals and ammo, and gifted them 20000db worth of electrum doodads. Now matters turn to fortifing in earnest in expectation that the Naga come back in summer. Switching out one of our melee squads to Throwing weapons; finishing the fortifications. Just offered a Barony, by the end of year 6 there will be enough housing for all metal craftsmen and nobles in newly expanded living quarters, great hall, and royal palace appointed with electrum and gold, far in the deeps. In the great hall are sculptures are of deities of wealth, mountains, and gems. Most engravings there are of our logo, a steelhead trout.
Not too much Masterwork specific this year, although: the Library-trained professional class (doctors, psychiatrist, clerks) are doing a fine job. Display cases are being deployed to show off some great artifacts and bolster happyness. Although much of the forge-work consists of reprocessing looted gold and copper to blackbronze, we've struck enough native mithril over the past 6 years to equip our elite melee squad in mail and helms. Oh, and bread, candy*, and biofuel production are in relatively good shape; not that any of them are really needed.
*i.e., actual candy, from the sugar mill. not a confusing euphemism for something else
Zon Osttun is the oldest daughter of the new baronness, born in 98 common era, about two years before the founding of the colony. In other words, she's 7. She's also a talented crossbowdwarf, having sniped two raptors in the great naga siege of 105. They grow up so fast!!
(Felsite)
Shut the main gate behind the elven caravan, just in time to lock out a major goblin invasion and the first undead* we've seen. Everyone is safe so far. We'll shut down the tunnels across the river too, other than the trap passage, and let the master bowgoblins waste their arrows on target dummies on the wall. While the topside is locked down a quick miner & mason expedition to the caverns will secure a supply of old growth fungitrees away from the antmen. .. *Masterwork zombies, not DF34 undead
(Hematite)
The target dummy got pummeled with arrows, knocked out of his pasture and ran back to the great hall. OK. Everyone report to firing positions. The master goblin had exactly 1 arrow left, which he gutshot our master crossbow. He'll live, but didn't fight in the battle. Javelins and other thrown weapons did great cleaning up against goblins, but not the undead. Sallied forth, which was fun, but maybe not a great idea. 3 or 4 more melee guys lost. OK, *next* time we'll be careful!
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Topic: ☼MASTERWORK☼ DF - V2 - 5 year Challenge (Read 52410 times)