The Journal of ShadowHammer
Today was my first day at Mineforest. I was given quite a scare as I walked in the front gate and was greeted by a black bear. However, instead of mauling me, it just licked my hand and walked back to its pen. I saw many of these usually wild animals in cages around the fortress as I was walking through. It is disturbing to think that they might one day forget their training and once again become vicious dwarf eaters.
Not knowing much about the fortress, I decided to follow the main group of other dwarves to see what was happening. To my horror, I discovered that they were piling dead bodies! I immediately ran to the mason’s workshop and demanded that he put whatever he was doing on hold to make some rock coffins for the fallen.
Due to the obviously deadly nature of this fortress, I have immediately set about making a tomb for myself. It shall be an amazing monument, filled with gold and exotic animals to guard me for eternity.
I have been having a difficult time choosing what career I want, whether to be a soldier or a civil worker. Then I decided that as a miner, I could be both!
Today, I heard a thunder of footsteps on the surface. Whatever made the noise must have been giant! The soldiers, mostly they seemed to be marksdwarves, ran to the entrance. There was lots of shouting, but all the soldiers came back unharmed. I exempted myself from this battle, not having had much experience with my pickaxe yet.
I have designated a huge area for mining so that I can get used to my pick. I think that I am already more than adequately skilled with it.
To guard my tomb, I have begun to breed both wolves and leopards. The leopards seemed very well trained, but one of the wolves snapped at me, so it might not be quite tame yet.
I happened to walk by the mechanics workshop today, and I saw a mechanism of stunning quality. It was made of kaolinite, and it gave me an amazing idea. It, together with a bone spear worthy of legend, shall guard my tomb, along with my war leopards and wolves.
Now that I have my death covered, I am now thinking of ways to keep myself alive. I have become quite skilled with my pick, but I cannot fight off an entire siege by myself, and our army is currently sorely lacking. I looked at our fort's gates, and all we can do right now to defend ourselves without fighting is raise a bridge, and sit tight. I have decided to make a long, snaky corridor, mined out by yours truly, and then build ballistae to fire through it. The enemy with have to march through a hail of massive arrows to reach the fortress.