From the Diary of Helmet Dedukvutok
Granite 21 348
There was another accident today. The miners have been ordered to dig faster than the manager can evaluate their progress and identify safety risks. It's not like it matters, there's no more ore to dig up. The mines are exhausted but nobody wants to admit it. The woodcutting orders have slowed down too without need for charcoal, I've had plenty of time to think and go about my accounts. I have in my posession several pages from his private journal, receipts of purchase, and outlines of Broseph Stalin's plans. Alot of people thought he was crazy when he said that we had worn out Armok's Blessing and that the earth would no longer provide and I won't deny I was one of them. It's been twelve years since his death and twelve since Murderfarmed fell and still I can't help but think he was right.
Slate 4 348
The orders came down from the top that our tree quota has been cut in half and as a result the woodcutting force has been cut in half. I ply my trade as a carpenter now making bins and barrels from what the others haul in, it's given me even more time to myself. I've been reading through some of these papers and what I've noticed is how well the numbers work out. It all makes sense. It could work, it really could a dwarven farming town is possible. I mean I can see where he made mistakes, he didn't account for the importance of a non freezing water source or a fortified area that can hold up to a siege but the basics are all there. We could theoretically meet all our needs from the surface, without metal or stone.
Hematite 12 348
All woodcutting operations have been cancelled without the need for charcoal we have wood stacked to the ceiling and the furniture stockpile overflows with beds barrels and bins. I'm still sorting through Broseph Stalins records, there are several lists of supplies he threw out for various reasons as well as his final decisions. It's all surprisingly affordable. I can't stay here. The works drying up and I intend to leave before it gets worse. I'm not as affluent as he was I'll have to figure something out.
Hematite 18 348
Human traders came through, we gave them a few stone crafts but without any metal wares to speak of they left rather unhappy. It occured to me that with most work orders canceled there's no pressing need for raw material, hell there are still logs laying out in the rain because they aren't worth bringing inside. If I could get a group of able bodied men together we could take scrap wood and such, process it into crafts and wares, store them in a secret location, and get them to the traders after they leave with their purses still full of gold. We'd be in violation of some serious production orders, export regulations, and we would be in possession of illegal wealth but if we could succeed we could barter for supplies and purchase a parcel of land. I've carved a secret compartment in my bed to hide my journal.
Malachite 26 348
I've found my compatriots. Felcis, Infinity Weapon, Flamey, Halt, Stardust and Winter. We've all had our work orders slashed and have enough time to put phase one into action. I'm working night and day making barrels that Infinity Weapon fills with ale and wine using crops I've spirited from the farm. Felcis and Halt are doing off the books hunting, the fruits of which Stardust butchers, tans, and works into crafts. Flamey sneaks off spools of thread and makes cloth as well as clothes. Winter is still working long hours in the mines in the futile pursuit of ore but when the work schedule allows carves out the secret passages where we ply our trades. I've considered enlisting more help but the more people know the harder it will be to keep the secret, besides, Broseph Stalins records outline provisions for seven dwarves, the more I tinker the more likely I am to make a mistake.
Hematite 15 349
We bartered supplies from the traders, it was a stretch but they had everything on the list except for rations and a few of the animals. That was no trouble, with the breakdown in order happening here most people are trying to make their own living without The Overseer's orders. Some of the trainers sold us breeding pairs of dogs sheep cows and pigs. We snuck into the stockpiles and snuck out a few barrels of Sewer Brew, it won't be missed. I told Stardust how much food we needed and he said all he could sneak away in that amount was rat meat. I'm telling everyone it's "elven mutton." The last phase is finding a parcel of land to stake off. I tracked down a human cartographer and he's looking for an area that would meet our needs.
Timber 7 349
The cartographer came posing as a diplomat, after saying hello and goodbye to our very confused overseer he came to find me and told me of a perfect site. It's dense woodland to the east with clay for craft making and building a wide river and plenty of flat land to set up a town. He marked it on my map and agreed to act as the liason between me and the human noble that owns the land to broker a sale. We set out tonight, we strike out for the Persuasive Jungles and the new Murderfarmed.
Opal 10 349
Still no sign of the landmarks that the cartographer described. I've tried to keep everyone in line but they keep groaning, I made it clear that anyone who doesn't trust my judgement can turn around and face the hammerer for what they've done. It kept them quiet but only when I'm within earshot. I've dubbed this group The Veiled Lamentations.
Granite 1 350
We're finally here. Everything's as the cartographer said it was. Glorious. Watching the sunrise on our little valley made all this hardship worth it. The river overflows with carp, gar, turtles, and all other manners of freshwater bounty. Regretably the first soil layer is not clay so we'll have to dig for useable material. Still the forest is rich and dense and the land flat, this will make a fine home. Murderfarmed is reborn. I will succeed where Broseph Stalin failed, I will build a successful farming settlement and The Lash of Braids will honor me.
Granite 10 350
I ordered Winter to dig out a pit to find clay, it's three stories down but praise the gods it's Fireclay! Stoneware goods will sustain us. She's also dug down through the basement of what will be our new tavern to create a well. I enjoy the benefit of Broseph Stalin's journal entries. He's filled the margins of his journal with notes detailing ideas, his plans, successes, and failures. I feel like I'm taking a test with the answer book in my hands. His first order of business was a tavern where everyone could sleep until the houses were built. Makes sense so I've followed suit. I've started cutting down trees and ordered Infinityweapon to begin staking out suitable farming sites. In less happy news wolves have shown up but according to the journal entries most animals aren't interested in tangling with a fully grown dwarf that's put me at ease but I've ordered Felcis and Halt to start carrying around axes, if they hear a cry for help they're to come running. Labors a bit stiffer than I thought, there's a whole lot to do in these early days but it's better than toiling in the mountainhalls trying to preserve a dead way of life, every step in the right direction ,and away from home, bears fruit.
20 Granite
We haven't had any trouble from the wolves. They are drawing near the clay pit but Halt and Felcis work tirelessly collecting clay waiting for a cry for help to spring into action. The tavern is still in the planning phases while we cut wood to clear out an area for the warehouse. It won't be too long before we have enough wood to put a roof over our heads. Once that's out of the way I'll evaluate our most pressing needs.
Granite Close 350
First month's over, we've gotten a lot done. The walls of the tavern have been constructed and there's nearly enough wood to finish the roof when it's ready. The first floor will house a temporary dormitory until the second floor is done. The second floor will house a permanent dormitory. Afterwards I plan on building my own house, a nice manor. The wolves have left, it seems Broseph Stalin was accurate in his assessment of frontier wildlife. The roofs all planned for. We'll work on the farm next.
Slate 10 350
There's finally a dormitory. We have a roof to sleep under and soon enough I'll have my own manor. The area for the farm will be cleared shortly, I've given Flamey an axe to start aiding me with clearing land. The second floor is under construction as well. If we can keep this brisk pace we'll have a proper farming town established inside a year.
Slate 20 350
The second floor will have a roof soon. When that happens we'll move the beds upstairs. Halt is so excited for the move she's been sleeping on the second floor in the rain. I think her enthusiasm surpasses her reasoning skills. I've had winter finishing a clay floor to house the well can be seated when we can finally make mechanisms.
Slate Close 350
The roof is finished. We're moving upstairs tonight. I'll get to work personally building tables and chairs so we can have a place to take our meals. Winter's starting to work on digging out a pit to buil the farm. (Broseph Stalin's Journal suggests doing this to prevent exposed stone, boulders, or things of the sort from impeding the tilling of soil.) And I expect us to have seeds in the ground by months end.
Felsite 10 350
Winter is half-finished with the pit and the Trade Depot is complete. I don't expect traders but we now have a town square. The floor of the tavern will be finished shortly as well. Halt spotted a pair of moose wandering about to the south. We'll make a project of getting crossbows and bolts to our hunters, the land will provide sustenance if we aren't afraid to get our hands dirty
Felsite 20 350
Rations are getting scarce but the first seeds are in the ground and my house is in the planning phases. I'll build my manor based on the general style of Broseph Stalin's. I don't think one room will do there's a certain elegance to the central floor plan. We can slaughter the pack animals when food runs low and we'll have material to make servicable crossbow bolts. Cutting wood is starting to grow on Flamey. We work night and day bringing down great trees. The wood on the southern side of the river where we've struck the earth seems nearly inexhaustible but we may still want to build a bridge, there's a wealth of land and timber just across the water.
Felsite Close 350
Damned dingos! They've been frightening the workers and one got ahold of a dog. It's going to survive but the damned beasts can't be ignored any longer. Halt and Felcis have their weapons. If they so much as look at the workers they'll be hacked to bits. It's summers end and we've had more good fortune than ill, I hope this is a good omen.
Hematite 10 350
I sent Felcis and Halt to protect the sheep but I cancelled their orders shortly after. I don't Felcis had no weapon and I fear Halt's limited skill in Melee combat posed serious risk. At this early stage even minor injuries could be deadly. I'm ordering the pack animals butchered. Their bones will make bolts and I'll personally carve two fine crossbows.
Hematite 20 350
We have crossbows and bolts for the hunters and the fisher berries are coming in nicely. I'll have a still set up shortly so that we can replenish our dwindling booze supply. The dingos are gone, replaced by more dangerous but less inquisitive wolves. The Journal says that animals tend to behave very predictably season to season, since the wolves haven't bothered us it's unlikely that they will and since the dingos have they will inevitably become a problem again. Someone's going to have to train the dogs to guard key areas, if those damned dingos get into the stockpile they could destroy or contaminate our critical supplies.
Hematite Close 350
Migrants! Glorious Gods in Heaven Migrants! Daruish, Fishybang, Broken, Uristeamer and three others whose names I can't be arsed to remember. Apparently shortly after our disappearances became known dwarves took from our example and set out to join us. Things must truly be bad back home. Daruish, Broken, and Uristeamer uprooted their lives to bring their wives across half the continent and some terribly dangerous terrain, Fishybang for whatever reason came alone leaving his woman in the mountainhomes. Only a few have useful skills but our trades are simple, they can learn.
Malachite 10 350
Uristeamer is a master hunter and isn't shy about letting anyone know. Thought he was just bragging about twenty five giant or humanoid beasts but then he walked out of the tavern, killed two wolves and hauled them back. A few of the migrants have taken up fishing as a default task, I politely told them that fishybang REALLY didn't need any help, gesturing towards the 70+ fish he was lugging back made the point fairly well. I told them to gut his catch if nothing more pressing had to be done. We're in no danger of running out of food.
Malachite 20 350
About half of my roof is finished. Once that's done I'll start setting up individual houses for the dwarves who will own industries. Fishybang is without question our fisherdwarf and and Stardust can manage the dump dealing with the animal carcases and raw hide that would otherwise go to waste. Not sure whose going to deal with the book keeping but there's plenty of time to decide later. In other news, Felcis continues sleeping outside even though there's a dormitory full of warm beds. I think she may be a bit touched.
Malachite Close 350
I told Fishybang he can stop fishing for a while. We have well over one hundred fish to process and if my caculations are correct he alone has gathered enough food to sustain us for two years at our current population. No need to clutter the stockpile. My house is also finished, I can't wait to get it furnished.
Galena 10 350
The hunters are working fast, I think I'll make arrangements for one of the new migrants to work for Stardust as a bonecarver. I'm too busy making furniture to keep being a short order bone carver. Plus we can make crafts from those shells we keep shucking off of Fishybang's mussels. We don't expect to meet any traders but even though the Journal says to the contrary I believe that animal-men may be intelligent enough to barter with should we meet any. This is all uncharted territory after all, we may as well try new things out of the spirit of adventure.
Galena 20 350
Stardust is overworked, he just finally got to making those quivers. Butcher/Tanner/Leatherworker is a rather demanding roll to fill given the way our hunters keep taking down wild game. His diligence hasn't gone unnoticed, his house will be the next one built.
Galena Close 350
Ran out of Booze. I've got conscripts making barrels while I can't and the still is running at full steam. Stardust's house is planned and with all the lumber we're bringing in he'll have a place to sleep shortly. The hunters have been pitched in endless combat with an echidna. They walk up, fill it full of bolts, go back to reload, and start the process again. It's wounds are actually beginning to form scars. It's funny and it's keeping them from occupying Stardust with meat to process.
Limestone 10 350
One of the migrants, Argonnek is a waxworker. I told her since wax is basically just bee's bones she should be the new bone carver. She disagreed but I explained that she simply didn't understand how bees work and that she should really start working immediately. Stardust's home is nearly finished, we'll crack open a new cask of wine official appointment as master of the dump. We've also become overrun with rat and hamster carcasses. I've told everyone to throw any collected vermin corpses into the river. Felcis said something about the watershed, contamination, and the worst idea ever. I couldn't find any of those words in the Journal so I told her the well was in a basement, not a shed so everything would be fine.
Limestone 20 350
An interesting question has been keeping me up at night. Is Broseph Stalin God? Zalis Zalstom Rimtar the God of Fortresses most often takes the form of a male dwarf, is associated with fortresses, and has a history of cursing the unfaithful with vampirism or turning them into werebeasts. What other God would oversee the construction of a one of a kind fortress? It would also explain his ability to instantly identify the vampire Mebuy. If that's the case then these journal entries and plans aren't just his personal effects, they are a tome. A tome that holds the secrets of life and death, not Necromancy- no that's too small. I hold in my hands the secrets to the life or death of the entire Dwarven race. Our success or failure will be the success or failure of all dwarves on the rounded continent.
Limestone Close
We've got Fishybang's house done now. He'll be able to step outside, catch his quota, deposit his catch in his basement where fish cleaners will take it next door to be processed. Argonnek is producing enough bolts to keep the hunters hunting. To speed up booze production I had some barrels stored by the still, which is in turn by my cellar where most plants are being stored. I've been thinking about our lord Broseph Stalin, and it occurs that any relation I have to him is very distant. Further it's odd that any fragile documents would survive the sacking of Murderfarmed. This makes me question whether it's even possible that events have transpired as they have without some form of Divine intervention. I believe that if Broseph Stalin was the God Zasit Zalstom this gift, his tome is his way of naming me his prophet.
Sandstone 10 350
I've decided that if I am a prophet I'm going to have to have a better house. Currently I have only a bed and that is not sufficient. I'm going to add some furniture and eventually I'll build more rooms. With Sacha and I splitting the woodcutting we are finally bringing in material faster than we can use it. My side projects aren't harming our vitality. I've also ordered some roads beaten so it's clear we're a village and not a collection of buildings.
Sandstone 20 350
Five new migrants. A few farmers a furnace operator and two amateur hunters. I told them our standing team of three hunters was sufficient but we would gladly re-purpose their steel crossbows and quivers. I've decided where the bridge will be, there's a nice bend in the river where we can build a great bridge to span the river. I've also drawn up plans for a great temple to Broseph Stalin's glory and to the glory of Murderfarmed reborn. I wish we could enlist more woodcutters but we have no metal. Felcis said something about using training axes to cut down trees but I told her that we shouldn't mettle with such sorcery and that cutting down trees with wooden axes made as much sense as trying to mine adamantine with a copper pick. She started rubbing her forehead and walked away. The woman's insane, she still refuses to sleep indoors because the beds are “infested with rice” I tried to tell her we don't grow any rice and that there certainly isn't any in the beds but she wouldn't hear it.
Sandstone Close 350
I've ordered Argonnek to start making bone crafts. I just don't feel much like a dwarf without a treasure hoard. I had one of the useless migrants to start cutting fireclay and encrusting the crafts with it. He complained for a while but he gave up and started decorating the crafts with clay. I'm starting to think managing a fortress is a bit harder than I'd thought. I look forward to passing the buck. Broseph Stalin suggests giving the position of overseer to the trusted bookkeeper but I realized we don't have one yet. I assigned Flamey as bookkeeper. She told me she needed an office so I told everyone that one of the chairs in the tavern was hers and nobody should sit in it.
Timber 10 350
We've started work on the bridge, I expect we'll be done shortly. Triumph over water- the bane of old Murderfarmed- seems a fair tribute to Broseph Stalin. The new claysmith has been doing a poor job with the gemsetting. He complained it's impossible to cut clay but he fell back in line when I threatened to order him to cut a clay hammer Wolfwood can beat him with.
Timber 20 350
Oh lord Broseph Stalin who protects all noble farming dwarves thank you for your blessing! Traders from the mountain halls stumbled upon us. I thought we were doomed! They're guards were armed and armored, even if the lot of us attacked them I can't imagine we would have won. I told the hunters to hide in the tavern and should things go poorly attack. The others hid in the basement or the clay pit or the forest depending on which was closer. I stepped out to the trade depot and introduced myself as Zasit Figuremanners, leader of Murderfarmed. The dwarves puzzled for a bit before stating that Murderfarmed had been destroyed over ten years ago. I told them they were mistaken. They said they made this route often and if a bridge had existed across the river they would have already been using it. I told them they would have if they were smart. I offered to trade with them, I showed them a willow sceptre encrusted with Fireclay Cabochon (or as they called it a stick smeared with mud) and they agreed that they must truly be in Murderfarmed. I told the dwarves hiding in the tavern that their “break” was over and to haul some crafts to the depot. I turned certain destruction into a few barrels of wine and an order of hard stone next year.
Timber Close
The temple is nearly complete. It's going to have a central floorplan like the glorious manor in which our lord Broseph Stalin dwelled in his final years and shall be accessible only by going up a flight of stairs to a walkway and then down a flight of stairs to the congregation area. I've decided this may symbolize Zasit Zalstom ascending to the heavens only to return to our plane as Broseph Stalin but honestly it's just so we can seal it off with an indestructible floor hatch. This winter will be the final test of Murderfarmed. I find it odd that we haven't seen any snow, especially considering we had to cross frigid tundra to get here and there are glaciers just a few days south.
Moonstone 10 The 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
I'm still hashing out details with the liason, he's harder to fool than the others but I believe as far as the mountainhalls will know Murderfarmed never fell. I have breathed new life into Broseph Stalin's dream. This shall be his seat of power. His kingdom on earth shall begin here, and one day his dream will be realized. All knees shall bend and Murderfarmed shall become the Mountainhomes.
Moonstone 20 The 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
Meat, Cut Gems, and Bracelets. These are the things that the liason has most requested. With our hunters killing everything with four legs and Agronnek making their bits into crafts I can't see the meat or the bracelets being any trouble. Someone's going to have to work out a way to properly cut clay though. We're using clay to finish the roof of the Chapel, it will be complete very soon and Broseph Stalin will rain his blessings down.
Moonstone Close The 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
The roof is finished for the Temple. I'm thinking a few pews from which the faithful will receive the services. I think I'll spread a roomer that anyone who misses a service will be locked outside if the alarm is ever raised. It's hard to tell how Broseph Stalin felt about dishonesty from his sacred tome but I don't think he'd object to a little white lie to keep the faithless in line. Two months remain in my reign, they will be spend finishing and furnishing the temple.
Opal 10 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
The river has frozen. If we don't get any snow it'll just be because the airs too dry. Luckilly the temperature underground is still temperate and the well is refreshingly cool rather than a solid block of ice. I've enlisted conscripts to work on the temple. I'd gladly do all the work myself but I think a personal connection to the temple may help those who still doubt the divinity of Broseph Stalin recognize his glory in their own works.
Opal 20 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
I've commissioned some statues depicting the glory of Murderfarmed to sit in the temple to our lord Broseph Stalin. We'll also need to ramp up production of chairs to ensure everyone has a seat to bear witness to the spirit of Murderfarmed taking shape. Barrels of food and drink are being hauled to the Temple basement so we can outlast any invasion.
Opal Close 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
The river has unfrozen. Apparently we have very mild winters. Either an odd climate phenomena or perhaps our Lord Broseph Stalin has given us his boon. The last month of my reign draws near. I wonder what thoughts entered our lords head faced with this same crossroads. I shall defer to his judgment and pass on leadership to Flamey, our bookkeeper. I'm finishing the hatch covers, then it's just a few more chairs to complete our lords temple.
Obsidian 10 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
The temple is finished. The tavern has been more or less deserted for the much nicer venue but Sacha refuses to take her meals there. I must question her loyalty to the great and glorious God Broseph Stalin. Murderfarmed must rise from the ashes, this cannot be accomplished without complete loyalty from every dwarf involved. I've thought of several punishments for her ranging from being fed to Uristeamer's duck from being forced to wear a wooden crown with the word “elf” carved into it. I've decided that the second option is entirely too cruel, I've asked Uristeamer to begin investigating his duck's ability to eat a fully grown dwarf just in case her heresy continues.
Obsidian 20 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
Uristeamer and Halt have been taking turns firing bolts into an unconscious cougar and collecting more bolts. Either way they've been bringing in more than enough meat to compensate for all the emergency supplies we had to hide in the temple. I'm damn tired, this is all very difficult. I look forward to watching the settlement grow without telling every single dwarf when to wipe their ass. Shoring up the ale supply but everything else is done.
Obsidian Close 14th year of our Lord Broseph Stalin's dominion over heaven and earth (350)
This is the end of my reign. Not much worth reporting has happened but I've composed a speech to rouse the troops just as Broseph Stalin did fifteen years ago.
“Fifteen years ago, Broseph Stalin predicted the fall of the dwarven race. Had we listened to him we would have legions of workers and millions of gold at our disposal. We did not, and so we do not. We do not have legions or millions and we do not have the luxury of failure. There is no time left to waste, if we don't build a successful dwarven farming settlement, if we can't prove it's possible then our people have seen their last days. Broseph Stalin, the soldier of Zasit Zalstom and the savior of our kind will lead us in spirit to great and glorious victory over our enemies and dominion over nature. For you, this means toil. Suffering. Pain. If you will pay this price, if you will accept these challenges, then you will go down in glory as the greatest dwarven heroes the world has ever seen. I turn over control of Murderfarmed to Flamey, our bookkeeper. Though I am no longer your leader I remain the founder and the tome of Broseph Stalin remains our guiding book. We will follow the laws he has set forth, for to stray from his righteous path is destruction. But do not concern yourselves with this now. Eat! Drink! Be Merry! Our labor this year has brought reward and we have much to celebrate!"
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Topic: Murderfarmed, A Farming Village Succession Fort (Overseers Needed) (Read 83366 times)