((OOC: Using a custom tileset I'm working on right now. It doesn't affect the raws or anything so no need for concern
))
***** 1st Granite, 127 (1/1/127) *****
I was busy today, working with Corai and some mason I don't know on what appeared to be fortifications on our walls, when the leader of our expedition met me in the hall and told me I would be the new "expedition leader". He was bearing a rock and going outside to work on the foritifications with me for a little while to discuss the particulars.
First, he pointed down to the north at a small building in the side of the wall. "That's the hospital. It's already been constructed, and there should be enough supplies for now. Just don't let it run too low, y'hear?" I nodded. I was not sure what to think of this sudden rise to a managerial role..
Next he pointed slightly to the east at a murky pond, right next to the hospital. "That water ain't none good fer drinkin', so we've dug out the beginings of a cistern below it for storing fresh water. We'll clean the water with that there screw pump, yeah?" I didn't nod. I feel uncomfortable with fluid dynamics, and especially stagnant water dynamics, but he continued.
"Now, downstairs, we're workin' on some mining and bedroom projects. And there's a single lever in the fortress, if memory serves meh right, it controls the retracting bridge that leads outta here. Or, in here, if you're tryin' to kill us." That made me feel much more uncomfortable. Who would try to kill us?
"An' a bit deeper, we've breached an underground cavern. We're doin' some minin' dawn thar but mainleh", he slurred, visibly welling up with characteristic dwarven greed, "we be diggin' fer
magma t' powah th' forgeses!!", he exclaimed, his eyes shining wide. I never felt entirely comfortable when dealing with water, and I never had dealt at all with magma. I just knew that some places, the dwarves used magma to power their forges, the heart of any dwarven establishment, earning it the name "Blood of the Mountain".
I continued working on the wall while I contemplated this new job. I was just a farmer! What got me into this?
**********
Later that day, I decided to take my first action. I ordered the miners to dig straight down for magma. That other guy (forgot his name) seemed pretty excited about it, so I guess it must be pretty important. The miners were working on digging out what appeared to be an underground pasture for our livestock, but they were nearly finished. I put on my mental to-do list to also get a bedroom for myself. Though I have quite a disdain for authority, I
do need the basic necessities of life.
And, only minutes after ordering the miners to dig down, they had struck yet another cavern! They claimed it looked more dark and evil, but they also saw glints golden, and told me it must be gold. I trust a miner's eye. Gold won't be much use to us as of right now, though, so I told them to dig around it and be quiet so as to avoid unnecessary attention from potential adversaries. They looked horribly confused, clearly not understanding my speech. I sighed, and told them to get back to work.
Upon quick survey, I found our bedrooms to mostly be unfit for living in. I marked this as a priority, along with building up a militia. I claimed a mostly-finished-looking bedroom for myself, but there was too much work to be done to sleep tonight! Or eat. Or drink..
***** 2nd Granite, 127 (1/2/127) *****
Still building the fortifications (a job entirely unfit for an expedition leader). I was quickly reminded by the miners that I had not ordered sealing off the breach into the "evil-looking" caverns. This was ordered quickly.
***** 9th Granite, 127 (1/9/127) *****
Today, I finally got a break. Building walls is tough stuff, but what else would I do? I feel unsatisfied selfishly barking orders at civilians if I'm not working on
something...
I sat down on the floor in our pantry for some good ol' beer with that same mason guy who worked on the wall with me, then grabbed some cave lobster for dinner. Corai was sitting in a chair nearby. "Hello, Corai.", quoth me to him, as I plopped down in my seat. "Hello, honey!", quoth he back. Wait, what? "Honey"? "What..? Honey?", replies me, unsure of what he would say that for. Then it dawned on me.. "Remember me? I'm your husband! We're married! You need more rest!" By Armok's beard that was awkward. I didn't know I was married,
and had, what, 7 children, at that! "Wow.. uhh..", mumbles me, as I stumble off to my bedroom with cave-lobster heartburn to write this. How did I forget that?
PS: My back aches from all of the stairs in this place..
***** 11th Granite, 127 (1/11/127) *****
I was looking at the manager's stock records and noticed we were short on wood. Looking outside after a stiff march up several flights of stairs, I saw trees within our walls. I came to the entirely logical conclusion that we could chop down those trees (that will probably just get in the way of later constructions) and increase our wood, when the miners popped in and said they had found some warm stone! I can only suppose there is magma, so I tell them to continue digging with caution.
*****
Just a few minutes later, the miners ran back up the stairs, audibly huffing and puffing and going as fast as their stout dwarf legs would carry them. When within earshot of me, they bellowed, "
Raw adamantine!" But alas, I had heard the stories. Many a powerful and great dwarven city has fallen to their knees with greed, demons, supposedly, having protected the adamantine. Under my rule we will not be mining any of this. We don't even have the most basic of defenses! However, we will be harnessing some of the magma around it to power forges. I told the miners to calm down, and that we won't be digging it. Grumbling, they got back to business carving out the new forges.
PS: I think all these stairs are killing their backs too.
***** 16th Granite, 127 (16/1/127) *****
I came down, all the way to the magma forges (my back..) to grab a single boulder for a stockpile all the way upstairs (my back..). I'm overworking myself and I can't remember the last time I slept, but I got to see the miners. They just kept whining and pouting about how warm the rock is. "There's magma below you! Were you expecting it to be cold or what? Keep digging!", I barked, as I turned around to carry my rock back up the long stairwell, anticipating the immense pain in my back..
***** 19th Granite, 127 (19/1/127) *****
As of today, the magma forges have been carved out. The old forges will not be torn down yet; we will make new anvils with our plentiful iron for the new magma forges. I'm just a little bit concerned for the smelters and forgers, as they will have
quite the hike down to the magma forges from the rest of the fortress. I'm considering building living quarters for them down there.
The miners report hearing strange cries and mysterious sounds while they were digging and coming back up. This reminds me of the vast importance of the magma, as it will make steel production significantly easier and cheaper. We must build our defenses up quickly. Once word gets out about the adamantine (and by Armok, it will at the rate they boast about it), we can expect many other people wanting in on it. Not necessarily nice people, either.
*****
I find myself working on the anvils! I have no skill in metallurgy whatsoever, but neither does anyone else in Thornlens.
***** 23rd Granite, 127 (23/1/127) *****
Smelting more iron, smoothing the walls and floors of bedrooms, still haven't slept. Or, maybe I have slept, and I forgot.. It takes a long time for the workers to get all the way down to the magma forges to work on them. I'm not sure what to do about this. Drop-chutes, to deliver food, drink, ore and metal to them quickly? Bedrooms, so they can work and sleep there?
***** 16th Slate, 127 (16/2/127) *****
Time flies! I have not written in nearly a month! Much work is being done on the magma forges. Hopefully they will be ready by summer. Rooms will also be dug down here for the workers to live in so they don't need to use the stairs so much (my back..). Still can't remember when I last slept.
***** 19th Slate, 127 (19/2/127) *****
Migrants have come today! I am not going to meet with them for now. I am too busy managing the magma forge project, as well as everything else.
***** 17th Felsite, 127 (17/3/127) *****
My notes have become few and far in between! The magma forges are consuming everyone's time, but when they are complete, they will serve us well and be very convenient.
((And thus ends Spring 127 in Thornlens.))
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Topic: [Succession Game] For First-Timers and New Players (Read 21398 times)