So here I am; Deler "Nish Wheelroads" Bentpages. I guess I got that nickname because I look like him or so people tell me. I don't think that's all that flattering on account of me being a female dwarf, but them's the breaks.
So one day, I'm wandering around and Sodel, the Expedition Leader, says she's tired of keeping track of everything so I'm supposed to keep an eye on things. So I guess I'm in charge of things.
This stupid tiercel falcon managed to slip inside and everybody is running around like a moron. I keep hoping a hunter will come and kill it, but it ain't happenin'. They like to murder kestrels, but those aren't chasing people in the food stockpile.
Dakost Trumpetteals made an artifact iron shield by the name of Telling Thattil. So we have a Legendary Armorsmith! Huzzah! I'm a Woodworker myself, but even I can tell this is quality work.
One of the miners has been talking about the great caverns so I tell them to carve a more direct route downwards. It's awfully empty down there, but I get a spooky feeling from it. I've heard legends about things from before the beginning of time that are best left forgotten. Sure, I get it. Who isn't from before the beginning of time? But these things spit acid and have five mouths and Tobul only knows what else.
Since we have a bunch of shiftless people hanging around the wagon, everybody is now a mason and/or engraver on top of their other jobs. We begin walling off a nice large section of the cavern. I also have people get to work gathering all that nice silk lying around.
Some of stupid horses hanging around outside are fighting; I split them up along with some of the other idiot farm animals that keep fighting.
Skulking vermin! Protect the hoard!
The kobold runs off, but I get paranoid about having so much wealth lying around. So we start moving stockpiles inside and station a stray pig as a guard behind the door.
About this time, I get complaints about my notetaking so I start actually writing dates down.
On the 8th Slate, 13, I get my answer about who is younger than the world when a baby girl named Onul Gloveseizes is born to Edem Rockseven and Sarvesh Beachlashed.
On the 10th Slate, 13, a bunch of migrants arrive. B. Strain Machinesockets, Gem Setter, arrives along with Lich180 Diamondmartyrs, Farmer, and Scout Gorgehosts, Lye Maker. I don't know why those names stick out.
On the 27th Slate, 13, a weaver trips down a ramp and discovers a natural passage to a dry lower cavern level. It seems rather lifeless even compared to the fairly sparse cavern above.
On 19th Felsite, an Elven caravan from The Special Buck arrives. I've never met an elf before but have heard only bad things. The merchant is a bit of a jerk from the start. Ethical works indeed. I get a better opinion of them when I check out their wares: sunberries and sunberry seeds galore! So we have a nice crop of them growing. They also had a black mamba in a cage so I bought that as well. Hopefully we'll get a male next time and can start up a snake pit.
SUEEEEY! Skulking vermin! OINKOINKOINK!
22nd Felsite, Tekkud Secretiveguild , Carpenter, takes a fey mood. The eventual result is an absolutely magnificent willow table named Idashokil Eshomatul. I have it put in the dining room so that everybody can enjoy it.
16th Hematite, a wandering weaver discovers a ramp down to a third level. This has plenty of trees as well as rich patches of moss and fungus. A lava pool is also discovered.
18th Hematite, a Legendary Miner and tremendous weirdo named NoFace Obscurepast arrives, two picks in hand. Not a pick in each hand, mind you. Two picks in same hand. I said he was weird.
26th Hematite, Kel 'Orky Lessonlancer' Kasbenrigoth and Sodel 'Bhriam Bloodaxe' Lanternrevered get married. Congratulations. Now get back to work.
2nd Limestone, erith Oltarustuth, Weaver, takes a fey mood and produces a cloak called Sarnanir. It's nice. I guess since I don't know anything about clothes.
4th Limestone, Zasit 'Melkor Savageaxes' Oltarstakud and Urist Stizashilral get hitched. See 26th Hematite.
A human caravan from The Romantic Empire arrives but I miss the date. I start moving everybody inside since rumors of goblins arrive with them. Some idiots keep hanging around outside so I personally deconstruct the wagon and build an obelisk in its place with the wood. I cap it off with an exceptionally nice statue Edem Rockseven carved of the founding of the fort.
On 28th Sandstone, Bhrian Bloodaxe arrives along with Kromeus Boardweb, Stoneworker.
The human caravan doesn't have very much to offer. Sodel has a nice talk with their Merchant Guild Representative and passes along my requests for plenty of silver bars/ore, booze, and sundry other items.
Not much happens.
12th Timber, the Dwarven Caravan arrives. I beef up our food and alcohol supplies. For some reason, they brought a lot of cavies; it's not my fetish, but I ain't gonna judge. I have Sodel double down on my orders by requesting the same from the dwarves.
A goodly segment of the first cavern is walled off; a sturdy stone hatch blocks off access to the second. I've begun building some slight defenses around the entrance and walls on the surface as well. I've partially replace the light fence around the outdoor farms with actual walls in case a large animal shows up. We've have the odd saltwater crocodile, but the hunters only seem interested in killing kestrels.
This is actually a lot of work so I'm going to foist this job off on the next sucker I see. Hey, Melkor Savageaxes. Come here a second, I need a hand with something!
As it stands, we have a mountain of food, a lake of booze, plenty of cloth and thread, and tons of blocks. Everybody in the fort is ecstatic thanks to our Royal Dining Room. One level of cavern has a square room that is slightly over the size of an embark tile (64x48 I think) mined out and walled off all the way to the top of the cavern. If you want, you can safely designate from one corner to another and mine out the levels above it. There is a single tile gap on the upper right corner of level eight that needs to be taken care of in case a flying FB shows up. The cavies are still in cages so you might want to pasture them in the cavern.
F1 takes you to the Wagon Memorial, F2 to the top levels of the fort, F3 to the hatch over the first downwards passage, F4 to the second downwards passage, and F5 to the lava pool.
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