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[DNK]

Updated: 9/23/2012
Dwarves: 1,2,3
Stories: 1,151Summer,151Autumn,151End,Artifact1,152(New),153(New)

!!Dwarfification on demand!!
Updates will occur when I have the inspiration. I just want to get some storytelling out of my system. Enjoy
And I do know how to spell.

A small group of dwarves set out from their mountainhome for the purposes of constructing a defensive fort and city at an important strategic point. They were to be the guardians of two dwarven civilizations against the constant invasions of goblins and kobolds from the southwest, as well as to create an important economic trade hub that would link dwarven civilization to the southern plains without having to go through human middlemen (somewhat like dwarven halfmen but larger). So, in the year of the pickaxe, 150, in late Moonstone, a group of seven intrepid dwarven frontiershalfmen of The Armory of Worshippers set out from Snakesrock, high in the Circumstantial Barb plateau, to head to the southernmost reaches of the unending Jungle of Parity. This great forest stretched north beyond all discovered lands, even, it was said, to the scorching lands of the far north. This new site was to be located where these massive jungles met the highy and mighty Barb, the Livid Hill (a very minor affair), and the Plains of Urging, directly between four civilizations: the Quick Shield and Armory of Worshippers, both dwarven; the human Furious Empires to the northwest; and the Taut Menace, a dark and dangerous (and purple) society to the far southwest.

Maps

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

*GK* - Glazeknighted, SR - Snakesrock (both Shield); *BB* - Basementbrass, PC - Pickcoast (both Armory); *SC* - Squidcircles (Furious); SG - Snakeghouls, *GP* - Gleamedprofane (Taut). World made with personal recipe.


6 z-levels +1 above (black), river at bottom

Here too, the important Path of Escorting stretched from the heights of the barbs and the mountainhomes of Snakesrock and Glazeknighted down through the southern border of the Jungle, into the Quiescent Mire, before heading straight to the goblin fortresses of the south. None are sure why a road directly connecting the goblin home to the dwarven home was constructed - it was in the "Time of Myth" (i.e. anytime since last Armoksday - continuous drinking has certain effects on long-term memory). Regardless, at this critical juncture of civilizations and ecosystems, the Path passed directly next to the river Tameprison, from which the fort was to derive its name. Controlling this critical juncture would keep the humans out and allow free access to the extensive river system of the southern plains, for which Tameprison was the main tributary.

The party, named the Ageless Abbey, left in Moonstone, armed lightly with many animals in tow. The greatest hope for a secure and prosperous future, they were to be legends, founders of a great and loyal fortress.

Things turned out somewhat differently than planned, though...

[DNK]

The Ageless Abbey

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

was a monastic order based in Basementbrass in the dwarven civilization the Armory of Worshippers. The order (henceforth the Abbey) had a few levels of members: applicants, initiates, adepts, fathers/mothers, and masters. Though the Abbey worshipped the typical dwarven gods, this was mostly as a cover for their more devout worship of the elven gods. The initiation process was mostly a means of filtering out those who would be resistant to such truths, while indoctrinating and reeducating new recruits in Elvish mythology and belief. Generally, to be considered a member of the Abbey a dwarf would need to have a true love of the outdoors, a lack of respect for tradition, and a calm demeanor. Those who failed to meet such standards rarely passed the rank of applicant, and none managed to make it to a high role regardless of devotion. In the spring of 149, the mountainhome nobles assembled and decided to found a new settlement. The Abbey had a few high-ranking members on the assembly and managed to convince the others that they were the perfect candidates for the job. Certainly, their level of organization made them appear strong candidates for the task. In the winter of 150, a group set out from Basementbrass led by the father Mebzuth to claim the land for the Abbey. The primary mission was to start a second home for the order which would one day become its central location and fortress. None wished to remain digging through sparsely vegetated mountains, living in holes in the ground like rats. The Abbey loved nature, and hated the dwarves, who were deaf to its sounds and blind to its beauty. To be able to settle on the important Tameprison river, and in the Jungle of Parity no less, was a dream. And it was Mebzuth and Libash who would take that dream into reality.

***** *****

Mebzuth "Father" Othoseshtan

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Leader
The "Father" of the abbey was 88 years old, a lucky number in dwarven society. His birthday was the 1st of Granite, and as a sign of good fortune it was on such a day that his group arrived. The omens could not possibly have been better, and the great aquifers dried up upon his arrival without reason - truly the gods had blessed this excursion. He was a lanky man with long hair, a long beard, and a long moustache, though no sideburns. He was known for being tough as pickaxes and never sick; he handled stress excellently and was dependable though somewhat impulsive and hard to compromise with. His strengths were in his mind as much as his body: his analytical and linguistic abilities were matched by few in Basementbrass, and matched with his patience all of these made him the perfect Abbey candidate to lead the first foray into Tameprison. His high standing in the order also gave him the authority needed to command and run the operations as the Abbey shifted from Basementbrass to the new location. Still, his lack of imagination forced him to rely on the more creative members such as Libash for help in designing the fortress.

Zefon "Lancedfancies" Kubuknefek

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Militia Commander
By the Father's side was Zefon. He was tall, thin, dark-skinned, and muscular, with all body hair in the longest and braidedest fashion. He was a great fighter and teacher, very strong, agile, self-disciplined, with strong willpower and quick to heal. Beyond that, little was known of him when he first arrived aside from his mediocre hunting abilities. He was considered an "adept" in the order, training to become a "Branch of Amoya", the warriors of the order. He opted out of the program in order to join in the expedition, preferring adventure.

Avuz "Vuzzy" Matdodok

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Farmer
A young dwarf, tall and thin yet rippling with incredible muscles, he was looked at as the "cool" member of the group, with his long braided sideburns and double braided long moustache and beard with a shaven head. His skin was light and peach colored, and his eyes glowed a warm brass. His height made him clumsy and flimsy, and he was eager to leave the cramped confines of those caves for open air and adventure. He was assertive, straightforward, and active, though he hated work and rules. As a cave farmer back home, he was unused to regular oversight or supervision, and for the most part the Father let him remain at work in the fields at his own schedule. As such, he would have made a poor leader, though in most other respects he could have been an equal of the Father in a few decades' time. An "initiate" in the order, he simply had grown tired of growing underground and the harsh codes of the dwarven Armory society. He saw the Abbey and this mission as a chance to become a pioneer in above-ground agriculture, to make a name for himself.

Melbil "Oakenhands" Olinroth

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Carpenter
Melbil preferred to take her time in her craftsdwarfship, focusing on the task and finishing whatever she set before herself in due course regardless of difficulties. She was highly creative, and her good feel for social relationships and empathy made her a likeable partner for the group. She was a new entrant to the order along with Avuz, and both became friends back at Basementbrass as they tried to pass the various rites of initiation. Both were still at the low level of "initiate" within the Abbey, however, though by leaving with the group they were assured to rise more quickly than they could hope sticking to the typical course.

Libash "Honeyblue" Meziteb

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Engraver, Miner
She was known for her calm demeanor, being slow to anger, and as a good friend with strong appreciation for art and the beauty of nature. A great artist in her own right, she was renowned for her engravings of bees in light blue microcline. She was asked by the father, her close friend, to accompany him on his journey, and despite her cautiousness and discomfort with change, she agreed.

Mebzuth "Channeledspeeches" Cattenam

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Miner
A young man at the age of 59, Mebzuth was mighty and slow to tire. Little else is known of him from this period.

Reg "Dolorous" Adilnelas

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Brewer-Cook
A removed and usually depressed woman, Reg was a loner, lacking confidence, imagination, or any sense of adventure. She was extremely lazy in her work, completely disorganized, and lacked any compassion for others. Long years working in the depths of Basementbrass in the dwarven kitchens under the oversight of some of the worst taskmasters in the Armory had left her in a very deep rut personally. She had never been truly excited by her work, nor enthusiastic in any endeavor. 40 years down there can do that to a person. Still, her long service in such company made her brews excellent and her cooking quite acceptable. She joing the Abbey three years prior, disgusted with dwarves, including herself. She was looking mostly for an escape, and by joining this mission she would get it and then some. Libash, her friend, convinced Reg: A chance to start over.

[Volfgarix]

Wow, so much writed, waiting for more.

[BFEL]

you misspelled succession, unless of course this is a fortress seceding from the mountainhomes. In which case you did it right.

[GreatWyrmGold]

It sounds more like a community fortress.

[DNK]

2 things: 1, there will be a controlled loyalty cascade at some point 

2, It has been reloaded with a new group. There was a 4-z aquifer I couldn't get through. After trying for a couple hours and wasting a year in-game, I decided it was best to restart with the aquifer gone. I've never dealt with them before, and due to the bug of not being able to build a wall from the north, I couldn't plug the last sand level, and f it I have better things to do than troubleshoot that for another [long time]. So, same everything minus the water. New group is being written. This will be the first and only "mulligan".

[DNK]

Diary of Father Mebzuth

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2nd Granite, 151

Yesterday was a cheerful day I will not soon forget. We arrived finally at the location, just on my 88th birthday. Such omens speak volumes. The journey was longer than it should have been. Yes, the Master told me we should wait for the spring thaw to leave the mountains, but I simply could not put off this adventure for so long! The pass was not quite snowed over when we cut through thankfully, though by the time we reached the lower plateau the Path had become exceedingly difficult to traverse. The warmth of summer had bled from those stones, and in its place lay a thick sheet of ice covered in snow covered in more ice. We actually had to travel through the side drifts many times as our animals could not get enough traction on that road. The Descent to the foothills was most challenging, and we nearly lost Cattenam on the way down, but the spirits of the forests were already around us, and they saw us through safely.

I was worried about Reg often. She was a constant problem, requiring regular attention and motivation. Thank god for Libash, I certainly couldn't have done it myself all those times. Libash, she is the reason we are seven and not six now. My decision to bring her has already proven itself correct, and I think her original misgivings have mostly disappeared now.

After a celebration last night, we have set out to our task today fresh. We have chosen by group vote a site that overlooks a major bend in the river. From a flat hill we can overlook the entire valley and forest, plus have ready access to the Path nearby. The ground is hard clay, though I still worry about it being too weak for our constructions. So, I have ordered the miners to dig down to about 100 meters to see what is dierctly below it.

~~~~~

4th of Granite, 151
The miners have finished their task. There is about 12 meters of loam and sand below the spot, then limestone. This is not the surest of foundations... In the sedimentary layer we have discovered not only limonite, but also bituminous coal, and some tigerseye (my favorite!) as the cherry on top. The geologists that surveyed this region were right on the money! Though the aquifer is oddly missing... Perhaps it is lower? We heard reports from an early smaller group that there was a most terrifyingly deep one right below the surface, yet now it is dry. Good fortune smiles on us further, I guess!

~~~~~

9th of Granite, 151
I have ordered the miners to cut out some living quarters directly below our site for us to live in safely as we build our new abbey. As much as I dislike returning to caverns, for a short while longer we must labor as simple cavedwellers, common dwarves. There are too many kobolds that roam the Path of Escorting, looking to loot the regular traffic. That and those owls have been looking at us a little too hungrily...

The miners will continue to mine for building materials. I have decided to make much of the abbey walls out of orthoclase and kimberlite, with cobaltite, microclase, marble, and rutile used for the flooring and decor. The fortifications must be made out of stronger stuff, however, and for those we should use something granitic at depth. Further mining is necessary to find the appropriate materials, but our geologists have provided us a quick, rough idea of what layers to find each in.

[DNK]

Diary of Libash

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

20th of Granite, 151
We have come across a large underground cavern, including a lake (perhaps the "aquifer" the others spoke of?), below the site. It appears to be about 40 meters below us, and seems to stretch about 15 meters below that, though it is much wider than deep. I am wary of further excavation of this cavern, being unaware of what other creatures may exist in it. As such, I have ordered mining to stop a few meters above it. We have found a layer containing many primary materials - orthoclase, marble, and cobaltite. That should suffice for now. I expect rutile to exist nearby. Now to just find some kimberlite and a granitic rock source and we'll be set for a long while.

Certainly, all this mining is a waste of my skills, but the Father assures me that once the first wave of migrants comes I'll be able to stay above ground more and put my artistry to good use. I trust that he values me highly enough to follow through, but my hands are hurting from the axe. I'm made for a chisel, Father! Oh well. It could be worse, I suppose, I could be stuck on block-making duty. Squares, squares, squares! At least here I get to discover beautiful crystals and minerals. It's like a treasure hunt! And the microcline, and oh, oh, oh, the cobaltite! So blue! I have some great ideas already for a grand masterpiece involving that beehive and some of the cats...

Diary of Avuz

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

4th Hematite, 151
Still pretty much stoked about this whole adventure. Still underground farming, too, though, but I know I have to wait a year or two for everything to get up and running before I can start my project. The Father's got everyone running around ridiculously, and I'm sort of trying to remain unseen at the farms, which is hard cause they're right next to the damn main staircases. Anyway, we're starting to haul up the stone blocks from the "dungeons". They had Oakenhands and Zefon down there forever cracking stones for the abbey. Suckers. Start of each day, I haul a few up to the pile outside, then sneak off behind a tree and take a nap. I started taking up empty bins sometimes too - no one checks to see if they're full, and if anyone sees and asks I'll say I got thirsty and needed a drink. In the summer, those pits are fucking hot. Still, I gotta do my part, so I do a few honest trips each day, but damn, some of these guys take this hauling shit seriously...

Diary of Reg

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

27th Felsite, 151
Brewing... Cooking... brewing. cooking. brewing. 55 prepared meals and 70 odd drinks, I think were set, FATHER... strain the tripes, clean the innards, strip the meat. had to kill one of the water buffaloes today. FATHER said they were eating too much. unsustainable. can't have that. need food anyway, and we must respect the rivers and lands. they are our home. cant take from them, need to take from the dwarven animals. bullshit. i hate that kakapoo breeder. werent his hands got bloody. REG, brew this, REG cook that, REG kill this, REG bleed that. why did i leave? LIBASH? she's nice, i didnt leave for her. i dont know what im doing here. this sucks. think ill go skip some stones down at the brook. prison. maybe not. its so far. there are bees and ants out there. few owls. maybe one would eat me. that might be nice. i think i look enough of a mouse for them. still, too much... theres a mushroom growing next to the kitchen. its purple. i think thats safe. only one way to find out. who cares what happens to REG anyway.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Gavakis]

I would like a part of this, pls.

[DNK]

Well, it's a solo project, so all I can offer is dwarfification and any input you want to make to the story as that dwarf. I'm always open to community suggestions. It's not a succession fortress, though I may open it up to that after a while of building up the fort (basically, when I get tired of it).

Correction: the new group came from the Armory of Worshippers, not the Quick Shield. All posts have been fixed (I forgot to switch civs before reembarking).

[misko27]

Well, it's a solo project, so all I can offer is dwarfification and any input you want to make to the story as that dwarf. I'm always open to community suggestions. It's not a succession fortress, though I may open it up to that after a while of building up the fort (basically, when I get tired of it).

Correction: the new group came from the Armory of Worshippers, not the Quick Shield. All posts have been fixed (I forgot to switch civs before reembarking).

Seriously? Sessesion fort? Awe, some. I've wanted to see one of these since my discovery of varying loyalties.

[DNK]

Well, here you go then  It's going to be a bit of a challenge getting everyone on the same team at the beginning, but it makes dealing with unwanted migrants... a lot easier I hope. Speaking of which:

As a note, I'm not producing anything much than basic necessities to keep migrants low for now. I want to keep a small cast and develop them more fully. Pop cap will be 0 until I'm ready to expand more fully after the first two waves.



Adil Merchantpaints Asmellogem

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Hammerdwarf, Managerial Assistant
A true Abbey member, Adil loved the outdoors and being active - he had gone full-out in his service and shaved all the hair on his body, making him an odd sight. He was also in control of himself constantly, with few cravings and a strong mind. He was 99, and had been married to Asmel for much of those years. Together, they had had seven kids, and on his migration to the settlement, they brought their youngest son, Inod. By this point, Adil had lost all interest in raising further children and pushed the task off on his wife, who insisted little Inod be brought along. In Adil's opinion, the kid was annoying at the best of times. Certainly, he did not take after his father. Adil, an adept in the order, was recommended to join the group by the High Master himself. Adil was thought to make a solid addition to the management and planning staff. Once the first wave had done the difficult work of taming the jungle and setting up shop, it was time to send in the intellectual workhands.

Asmel "Tealmachine" Nubamstakud

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Laborer
At 99, fat and wrinkled, Asmel was known for her tracking skills, which most found totally useless. Beyond that, she was regularly sick and weak. Many found her to be friendly, though, patient, calm, empathetic, creative, and compassionate. Though she disliked being outdoors and trying new things, her husband dragged her along anyway. She was an adept in the order also, having eventually been persuaded that she would fit in well. She did for the most part.

Inod Fikodothduk

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Child of Adil and Asmel
4 years old, quick to anger, tense, jittery, doesn't handle stress, dutiful, deliberate, winks, dislikes outdoors.

Alath "Dirtyhands" Olinosor

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Farmer, Managerial Assistant
A gaunt, young 66-year-old man, Alath came highly recommended by the High Master. He was healthy and hearty, with a strong, imaginative, aware mind to boot. He was patient, empathetic, and good at socializing and being aware of others' feelings. Though he disliked intellectual discussions and helping, when forced to help on intellectual tasks he was without question one of the most capable members of the order. He could have risen higher than an adept, but due to his dislike of the outdoors, few trusted him with the higher levels of responsibility and awareness. He was married to Athel and together they had 8 children, the youngest daughter being Zefon, who they brought along with them on the journey.

Athel "Calmspear" Lolumuzol

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Laborer
The wife of Alath, she was also 66. She was also an adept in the order, having joined together with Alath. Though she was not overly emotional, she loved to try new things and hated the strict authority and traditions of the dwarven mountainhomes. Though she didn't particularly like spending time with nature, her adventurous side got the best of her, and she pushed her husband to accept the High Master's offer of pioneering the new abbey.

Zefon Lolokumstiz

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Child of Athel and Alath
4, thin and scrawny, long wavy hair
durable but weak, poor mind, open minded, thrill seeking, dislikes confrontation, strives for excellence, deliberative, soso on outdoors, compromising, cautious.

[misko27]

Well, here you go then  It's going to be a bit of a challenge getting everyone on the same team at the beginning, but it makes dealing with unwanted migrants... a lot easier I hope. Speaking of which:

As a note, I'm not producing anything much than basic necessities to keep migrants low for now. I want to keep a small cast and develop them more fully. Pop cap will be 0 until I'm ready to expand more fully after the first two waves.



Adil Merchantpaints Asmellogem

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Hammerdwarf, Managerial Assistant
A true Abbey member, Adil loved the outdoors and being active - he had gone full-out in his service and shaved all the hair on his body, making him an odd sight. He was also in control of himself constantly, with few cravings and a strong mind. He was 99, and had been married to Asmel for much of those years. Together, they had had seven kids, and on his migration to the settlement, they brought their youngest son, Inod. By this point, Adil had lost all interest in raising further children and pushed the task off on his wife, who insisted little Inod be brought along. In Adil's opinion, the kid was annoying at the best of times. Certainly, he did not take after his father. Adil, an adept in the order, was recommended to join the group by the High Master himself. Adil was thought to make a solid addition to the management and planning staff. Once the first wave had done the difficult work of taming the jungle and setting up shop, it was time to send in the intellectual workhands.

Asmel "Tealmachine" Nubamstakud

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Laborer
At 99, fat and wrinkled, Asmel was known for her tracking skills, which most found totally useless. Beyond that, she was regularly sick and weak. Many found her to be friendly, though, patient, calm, empathetic, creative, and compassionate. Though she disliked being outdoors and trying new things, her husband dragged her along anyway. She was an adept in the order also, having eventually been persuaded that she would fit in well. She did for the most part.

Inod Fikodothduk

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Child of Adil and Asmel
4 years old, quick to anger, tense, jittery, doesn't handle stress, dutiful, deliberate, winks, dislikes outdoors.

Alath "Dirtyhands" Olinosor

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Farmer, Managerial Assistant
A gaunt, young 66-year-old man, Alath came highly recommended by the High Master. He was healthy and hearty, with a strong, imaginative, aware mind to boot. He was patient, empathetic, and good at socializing and being aware of others' feelings. Though he disliked intellectual discussions and helping, when forced to help on intellectual tasks he was without question one of the most capable members of the order. He could have risen higher than an adept, but due to his dislike of the outdoors, few trusted him with the higher levels of responsibility and awareness. He was married to Athel and together they had 8 children, the youngest daughter being Zefon, who they brought along with them on the journey.

Athel "Calmspear" Lolumuzol

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Laborer
The wife of Alath, she was also 66. She was also an adept in the order, having joined together with Alath. Though she was not overly emotional, she loved to try new things and hated the strict authority and traditions of the dwarven mountainhomes. Though she didn't particularly like spending time with nature, her adventurous side got the best of her, and she pushed her husband to accept the High Master's offer of pioneering the new abbey.

Zefon Lolokumstiz

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Child of Athel and Alath
4, thin and scrawny, long wavy hair
durable but weak, poor mind, open minded, thrill seeking, dislikes confrontation, strives for excellence, deliberative, soso on outdoors, compromising, cautious.

Keep in mind that Migrants are also a member of your fort just by living, so You can't go and kill all of them willy nilly. Just make sure ou also save before you do any loyalty cascading, so you can fix unsatisfactory results.

[DNK]

Will do, thanks for the advice. I'll ask for some more help with that as the time of the cascading approaches (it's a while off).

Autumn 151

Diary of Melbil

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27th of Hematite, 151
Migrants! We have six new members straight from Basementbrass. Two couples and one young child each. I have to doubt their parenting if they're bringing young kids to a new outpost, but it seems like it's the mothers who insisted. It seems like the Father has really taken a liking to both men. He's already bringing them into his meetings with Zefon and Libash to plan out the settlement and expansions. They're both highly gifted, recommended by the High Master himself. I think Libash is getting a little upset, though. With the Father constantly putting her on "dumb" duties, and now with these (in my opinion) more gifted members from higher positions in the order coming on, she's been a bit down lately. Avuz seems quite content, actually. I thought he'd be upset a second farmer was coming on, but he's clearly the more gifted, and an extra hand just means one less hand he needs to use

Diary of Libash

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

18th of Malachite, 151
I've finally gotten to do some work outside. This land is so stunning, what can I say? I'm just glad I'm out of the mines for a while, though Father says I'm to return for blockmaking duty later. NOT A GOOD USE OF MY ABILITIES. We've mostly dug out a trench along the perimeter of the planned complex. The woodcutters are taking their sweet time about clearing the foliage, though, and work has been on hold for over a month while they do basically nothing. In the meantime, the father constructed the main bridge over the trench in the front. More work needs to be done on creating a double bridge setup, but this should suffice for now. We're pretty safe in here, and haven't really made much yet other than blocks, so there's little to steal. The new immigrants seem nice, though I think the Father is overestimating their abilities. Alath is just a farmer, but for some reason he's now taking part in our weekly sessions. Why? To tell us how to grow mushrooms? Avuz can do that better. And that little brat of a twit Inod that Adil and Asmel brought... I've talked to Mebzuth in private about that one - he's trouble. Not a true Abbey member. I know he's 4, but you can just tell these things. The Father won't listen to me, though. I've warned him about that kid...

Diary of Alath

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23rd Galena, 151
This fresh air is causing havok for my allergies. And the insistence that we go outside every day at sunrise and sunset to pray. Avolish, save me. These guys take the religion aspect a little too seriously. Give me a dank, dim cavern with the slow, echoing drip of groundwater anyday! Still, there's much to preoccupy myself with, and the local head of operations is happy to involve me fully. I've been busy surveying the site and plotting out the lines of the new abbey. It will be grand, though a bit cramped. I've already needed to draw up additional plans for a living quarters expansion. But we have the room. The real issue is going to be finding a way to fit workshop areas into this. The Father says a dedicated workshop area will be for the second phase. Yes, sir!

The trenches didn't come a minute too soon. A pack of dingoes has been seen right outside the perimeter. Thankfully, the livestock and children will be safe now that those are in place. Work on constructing the abbey has finally begun. The outline of the bottom floor is mostly in place, and we will start work on the upper floors in good time. I think my reservations on coming here have been proven wrong - this work is somewhat exhilerating, far moreso than beancounting back at the Brass.

Maps + Explanation

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A trench without ramps has been carved out around the planned area. The bridge is the only entrance, though it currently has no lever. I will keep the depot inside, even though it should be in an "airlock", but I want this fort to be a little less gamey than that. 2 dwarves are committed to blockmaking in the depths, and they're being stored topside for the building. The current floor is more of an "underfloor" for storage and the miners' quarters. Food and drink are in full supply for 13 dwarves (soon to be 12). Just some rock crafts have been made from limestone for basic trading. Primary focus is finishing the abbey, which should take 10 or so months.

Needs: buckets and farmers workshop, will trade for clothing

[DNK]

151 Wrap-up

Diary of Father Mebzuth

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

26th Sandstone, 151
Migrants! The last group arrived today, led by old Trollslayer himself. They looked to be in good shape, and everyone's pretty happy right now. One of Adil's nieces arrived (oddly a year older than him). Along with her came the Trollslayer and Reg Kobelonul. I'll use the Trollslayer to set up a militia eventually, but Reg is about as useful as a bag of horny old bricks, except we can use bricks to build the abbey. I doubt he can take his eyes off that niece long enough to put a single one into mortar.

With them were two of the Alath-Athel (I get those names mixed up more than I care to admit) children and their spouses. Both kids are just teenagers, though Bim looks to be fairly useful as a hunter and marksdwarf. I might just use her to start up some archery practice as well, though I'm not sure she's cut out for military service. Shorast seems fairly useless, and I already prefer to avoid him. I don't know what the hell is wrong with that kid, but with that wife of his, Udil, he ought to be a lot less of a pain in everyone's ass.

Mostly, I think these guys are good for one thing: hauling, brick-making, and bricklaying. And yes, that's one thing basically. Bim has already run off, right after getting here, and then lied to me later saying she just went to get some water for the hens. The pond's ten feet out the entrance - it doesn't take 5 hours to get water from it...

Diary of Libash

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

30th Sandstone, 151
Dug out a new channel around those caverns to get lower to find some slate. And we did! I knew just where to look. Me and Cattenam have been busy at work digging out a steady supply of orthoclase for the abbey, along with cobaltite for decor. That's mostly done for the foreseeable future. Fresh milk and eggs awaited us when we got back to the surface. That was nice! I'm slowly getting used to working down in the lower levels. There's something... calming about the silence and dark. Digging out that cobaltite, however, got the itch in me again to start engraving, but I just don't have the time. Cattenam helps me when I'm feeling particularly down, though. He's not so bad, really. We've become close friends lately, having no one else to talk to.

That little bastard Inod keeps coming down here, though, to pester us. Don't his parents have any sense? I keep telling Father to listen to me - he's bad news, but Father has more important things to do, like asking Adil and Alath where to take a shit. You know, he actually asked THEM where to find the slate?! I just ignored that, and showed them all who knows these rocks best!

Diary of Bim

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

14th Timber, 151
Oh man, what an evening! So, I snuck out after dinner to go hunting. This location is great for that, you can see damn near everything for a mile out across all the river valley. Finding game has never been easier! So, I saw something moving around by the southern bend, and I got my crossbow and bolts and snuck out down the cliff. Anyway, as the sun was setting, I was tracking this kiwi down the east bank of the river, trying to avoid the ants as best I could and still not be seen. I was moving through some thick, tall grass when I saw it finally on the other side between some willows and ash trees, about 15 meters away. I let off a shot, and just then I spooked the hell out of something just a few feet away. It jumped up like crazy and was all in a panic, and so was I. It was yelling all sorts of things. I didn't know what else to do, so I swung around and started shooting at the bastard. Looked like some shriveled up green dwarf. Too weak to be much of a menace to me even, I just unloaded on the guy. He ran off right towards the kiwi - bad mistake, guy! I had a perfect line of sight and hit him at least six times. Last I saw, he was limping badly with a couple bolts in his legs as he crossed through the marshes out west. And guess what? That kiwi? It got killed in the excitement! Two for one!

I came back that evening, and for once I didn't have to lie about where I'd been. Mom was upset a bit, but everyone was more concerned about the strange creature, and happy I'd taken care of it. A few didn't believe me, but the next day I showed them all the blood and a few bits of bone I'd taken out with my bolts. We also found the kiwi, though it was too long gone to be used for food by then. Found I had dropped a pack of bolts in the excitement, too. Dad gave those to me at 13, and they're pretty expensive - nice steel ones from Snakesrock. Thank gods everyone was too excited to care.

Something odd, though, now that I remember it - I've seen Libash running around outside a lot lately. So, the other day I tracked her (not too hard), and found she'd carved out a little room in one of the distant hills and put a bed and door in it. It's really tiny - barely enough room for a child. What's she doing out there?