Summer 409:Hematite1st Hematite:Today I had a talk with Datandur, while we were having our modest breakfast. It has became a bit of a ritual for us - to meet every morning, discuss things in the fortress. This morning homewer, Datandur looked concerned for no apparent reason, I asked him where the problem is:
"Problem? Have you ever been near the river, Baloun?" he shrugged.
"No! I just built a shack in there, you know... Only shack in there." I coughed ironically.
"So you saw those alligators, right, Bal?"
"So?..."
"So...?!" he nearly yelled: "Did you saw their big giant tusky teeths?!"
I was speechless for a short moment: "Well... Yeah... So?"
"I mean... They look far too dangerous! Maybe more than greenskins!"
By that moment, I was a bit tired of this: "So what? What do you propose?"
Datandur smiled cunningly: "I have a cunning plan!"
"Wha-" I was interrupted quickly:
"We need to build a watchtower near the river! Connected with our fortress via tunnel!"
I nodded: "And if someone break down the wall, they will be left with a perfect way to our homes."
Datandur made a gesture (of no good meaning): "So what?! We can make the entrance near the entrance, BEFORE our trap-line."
By this time.... I was really getting drowsy again: "Fine, fine... I might discuss it with Strife - he wont be amused by this..."
A little bit later...
Strife WAS amused by this. Sadly in a good way - he silently accepted the idea and with grumbling, he started with designing of our watchtower. Homever... Right now we had too much work to do inside the mountain, so the project was of a second priority right now.
2nd Hematite:Strife visited me last night - thankfully not about the alligator-watchtower. He showed me some plans of our Grand Hall. He intended to make her into two-floor hall. So it is more "majestic" he added. It will be a lot of new work - but to have a dining hall with a balcony, giant pillars? How can I disagree... I promised that we shall start with this as soon as our stockpiles are ready.
3rd Hematite:Datandur started with smoothing the upper parts of pillars in our Grand Hall. Rest of us worked on stone-stockiple.
17th Hematite:Stone stockpile is completed, thus began the harder part of all this - getting all that stone there. I kind of promised to Vendix, that we MIGHT have wheelbarows. And I surely crafted one in my spare time! But I just didnt have *enough* time with all the other tasks. So we started to piling the stockpile by hands. Also - near the stockpile, we have masonery and craftsdwarf workshop.
19th Hematite:Soon after our stonepile was completed, I ordered to dig out new stockpiles - for furniture, goods and so on... Vendix was looking for some free time, but I had to just calm him down. We need to finish two stockpiles, Grand Hall... And also - our accomodation. After that - we shall have some rest.
24th Hematite: After our day´s work, we have climber the mountain with Datandur, to look down into the valley. After a while, we sat on an edge of a cliff:
"Nice place afterall, dont you think?" I smiled
"Nice... You, my friend, cant appreciate the fine beauty of this place!"
"Argh, Datandur, stop it. You sound like Nocturne now!" I laughed.
"But he have a point. This place really have it!"
"Have it? What *have* it?"
"The spirit!"
I sighed: "The spirit... Honestly, it needs more iron or copper, so we can fend off greenskins, when they come."
"If they come, you mean..."
I looked south, to the ocean: "No, I meant what I said. They will come. That is why you are here, no, Datandur?"
Datandur winkled: "That is why ma AXE is here."
We laughed for a while - but it was time to sleep. Next day had to be full of work.
26th Hematite:Our finished goods stockpile has been completed, miners immediately began with digging of furniture stockpile. I would be happy to give them more stockpiles to dug - but we worked hard for nearly four months now... So I ordered the Grand Hall to be finished. And then - our accomodation... And after that? A bit of a rest finally.
Malachite10th Malachite:Our crop isnt good - we have seeds but I suspect that Mavj and Nocturne arent working well enough. I dont want to be harsh, but our alcohol level is low right now. When I voiced my opinion to UristGrey (Sibrek), she just looked at me with frustration:
"Yeh boss, we dont have enough alcohol and plump helmets, you wanna know why? Cuz I am the ONLY ONE HERE, who tends to those fields!"
I take one step back: "Eeeh... What about Nocturne and Mavj? They should help you out."
UristGrey looked at me as if I murdered someone: "Weeeeeell sure! Nocturne shows up here once in a month and Mavj, she is always sitting near that damn river, whistling and singing about some carp crap!"
In my self-preservation, i stepped back again: "Weeeell... I will talk to them, allright?"
UristGrey stepped before me and stuck her nose right into my face: "You better be talking to them soon!"
I hastily departed - and I learned valuable lesson - dont F*CK with UristGrey... Seriously.
In a short notice, I visited Nocturne and ordered him to stop everything else and help UristGrey. Nocturne looked at me with stern face:
"But overseer, I am doctor! Not a phy... Not a farmer!"
I sighed: "Back in Zuntírud... Didnt you said that you know how to grow crops and so on?"
Nocturne pull his head back: "I might have said that!"
I nodded: "So... Can you please try to do it?"
"But overseer, there are so many stones around here! I need to get them to the stockpile!" he whistled.
"Leave that to me." I showed him the way up: "Go upstairs, help UristGrey."
Nocturne, with tired face, nodded.
22nd Malachite:As I was walking near the river with Mavj, we looked up to the mountains. Mavj pointed out to me, that there are few dwarfs closing in... We both watch them closely as they were moving in...
Mavj looked at my axe: "I guess those might be friendly Chief."
I paced my head slowly: "Most likely Mavj, lets go. We shall welcome them."
As they came in we walked towards them...
Woodcutter and beekeper, hunter, woodcrafter and butcher, potash maker, soaper, farmer and fisher, gemcutter... Seven dwarfs.
They were from Mountainhomes! They told us a lot about how things changed - it were grave news only. Mountainhome was besieged by goblins again, many died... But those fellows? They break out and run to our fortress. We accepted them even tought we didnt have enough food, alcohol or beds. Nocturne came to me as soon as they arrived:
"Overseer, we dont really have enough provisions to keep them."
I looked at Inod, one of them: "But they are quite adorable, dont you think?"
"And how will you feed them?" asked Nocutrne quickly.
"The can feed themselves!" I stopped Inod:
"Inod! You and newcomers, please, help on the farms now, would you?"
Inod nagged: "Dwarf! I am hunter, I led this peple here!"
I agreed: "Allright, calm down... Just tell your people to do it fine?"
Inod gave me a furious look: "One would say that you can fed yourself!"
I nodded again, slowly: "Well it is easy. If you want to eat, you should try to work for it."
Inod closed to me: "Fine then..."
"Fine." I slowly walked away...
26th Malachite:To be honest, I wasnt quite sure about those newcomers - but they put in serious work! We have enough ale now, our field is sowed, they haul everything furiously. After all, they aint THAT bad. Also - we have outer doors finally in place. Datandur even found a bit of free time and crafted some rock pots - usefull stuff. Also... Strife informed me, that he will soon carve some statues to our Grand Hall. Of course I agreed! Not to mention, that Strife started with overseeing construction of second floor of the Grand Hall.
Galena:1st Galena:As the digging ouf second floor in our Grand Hall began, I was sitting in my workshop, working on beds... Vendix ran to me: "Boss! We have it!"
"What?" I asked quickly
"Copper boss! Tons of it!"
I smiled: "So we should be ready to make some weapons for us after all?"
Vendix nodded: "Sure thing boss!"
I smiled again, more openly: "Great news... Well - for now, continue with digging!"
2nd Galena:Digging went very well. Also we completed nest boxes for our hens. They were placed immediately, but we should not have eggs yet. We need to wait for some chicks to hatch. Also... Our field was finally productive. Newcomers really prove themselves to be usefull. I should talk with Inod soon...
6th Galena:As I was dining (on the floor of course), Strife visited me. He wants to build a new trade depot, in order to accomodate any merchants that might come. I answered him, of course:
"You mean the Depot I just ordered to be build?"
Strife slowly raised his eyebrows: "Exactly that one!"
Slowly, he went away.
But in another news, we have our first bigger crop. It seems that we might yet survive.
11th Galena: We have four statues, all made by Strife. One of them depicts me - second depicts our god Vabók and the last two are depicting bats. While we shall use Vabok´s statue in a future temple, my statue will be installed in the Grand Hall! And it is a fine statue... Strife really did great work here.
24th Galena:Our work in Grand Hall is nearing finishion. Lower floor is almost done. Soon, we shall remove the first floor. Balconies are done of course. After this, we shall start with digging out accomodation. While founders shall have their tables on the balconies, along with rooms for them. The rest of the fort shall have slightly smaller rooms in the second floor - but also next to the Grand Hall.
And thus began autumn!