Part II: SummerFrom the journal of Lenehan:1st Hematite, 254
A strange, hooded creature calling itself "Moisturizer" came up to me today and demanded to know why there wasn't a soap maaker's shop in the prion. When I tried to respond, it began to babble madly about the "delicious tallow going to waste." I told my followers to keep a close watch on this one, but I decided to grant his request for now.
6th Hematite, 254
Today that blasted miner who had claimed a mason's shop for himself finally came out presenting his creation.
I had the object confiscated immediately for political examination by me. I just might end up keeping it though; I do like the dead dwarf.
8th Hematite, 254
My personal archery range has been completed. Now I'll be able to properly hone in my skills with the bows obtained from the elves. Perhaps I'll miss my old crossbow, but the long bow is truly the superior weapon.
13th Hematite, 254
The soap-making creature approached me once again to yell at me about the fort's "incapabality of making soap." When I told him that we had a soap maker's shop for him to use, he responded that he needed lye from an ashery, which the prison doesn't have. If this creature makes any more ridiculous demands, I'm going to kill and eat him.
18th Hematite, 254
The first ventilation shaft has been completed. When Jackal approached me and demanded to know what was going on, I simply answered that I was sick of the musty, hot cave air of the prison and desired for all of my inmates to feel the fresh, desesrt breeze twenty-four hours a day. The imbecile fell for it, and I can now have more dug without any further interruptions.
I realize now that Dr. Asmoth, to whom I am I plan on ingratiating myself, has no office to call her own. If she'll be able to fulfill the research I need her to, a proper office will be a necesity.
6th Malachite, 254
Some more inmates have arrived for us to deal with. No one notable has arrived, just a bunch of murderers and cutpurses who most-likely did not expect this prison to be lead by the most-reviled leader of the Elf-Party. My child followers shall be instructed to keep me informed about these new arrivals.
11th Malachite, 254
The second vent, connecting the shafts to the dinging hall, was completed today. Everything is going according to my master plan. On a related note, Dr. Asmoth's office is almost finished, and she has invited me to a meeting as soon as it is completed. This will be an excellent time to introduce the samples to her.
13th Malachite, 254
The dwarves have been complaining to me nonstop about the lack of cages in the fort, so I have ordered a large supply of them to be created.
That ought to end all distractions; I have a project to oversee.
6th Galena, 254
Today I finally found time to meet with the doctor. When I entered her office, I found it had already taken on the medicinal smell of several chemicals, as well as that of blood and rot. In the few beds in the corner rested some new arrivals that did not yet have cells, and Dr. Asmoth would occasionally take tentative glances at them, as if expecting something to spontaneously occur. Before our conversation began, I noticed that she put a notepad that she had been scribbling on in her pocket. While I did not actually manage to read the notes, I did manage to catch a glance of detailed diagrams of Dwarven insides.
She greeted me politely, and even had a prepared meal ready for me on a small platter on her desk. She glanced eagerly at me as a took a few bites, and asked me what I thought of it. I began to feel immensely uncomfortable at this point, and I became quite eager to leave as soon as possible. I rose up, placed the phial I had been carrying on her desk, asked her to thoroughly analyze the composition of the contained substance and report her findings to me, and I took my leave. I worry that the doctor is quite mad, and I now regret placing her office off to the side, away from public eye.
10th Galena, 254
A potter was found, dead, drained completely of his blood today. The entire fort points to a single dwarf, and when I looked over his records, I found that they did not add up at all. Most likely, this monster only pretended to be a convicted felon in order to gain access to this prison, where he planned to drink us dry. He has been sentenced to fifty hammerstrikes, and I'll see to it that he dies one way or another. I do wonder why vampires are always so stupid as to drink the blood of others in front of the entire fortress.
11th Galena, 254
The humans have arrived today to trade with us. Fortunately, my job as manager has allowed me to order many goods with which we can trade. Perhaps I'll be able to obtain more arrows for my bow.
12th Galena, 254
I just caught word today that the third ventilation shaft, leading into the caverns, has been finished. This one will hopefully allow the gas to reach any dwarves in the mines or the caverns, but I think I'll add one more down there just to be sure.
17th Galena, 254
The Goblin army is upon our fortress, and they are clearly poised to destroy the entire prison. In their squadren is Atu Uraranusp, the Human master of the goblins. The group means business, but as overseer of this prison, so do I. I shan't allow this inconvenience to get in the way of my plans. I've ordered the entire military mobilized, and I've returned Modi to active service. A part of me hopes that she'll fall in battle, but another part knows that she'll send many a goblin to the other world.
18th Galena, 254
Whilst the battle rages outside, my child informers keep watch from the trade depot. They tell me that Atu Uraranusp has been killed, slain by Gob. For a dim-wit, he certainly can handle himself on the battlefield. The battle appears to be going quite well.
21st Galnea, 254
I was forced to close the gate when the goblins deployed a squad of axemen, killing many of the human guards that were helping our forces. These goblins will be the death of this fortress, not from killing us, but by angering the other races into doing so instead. I must also report that Modi was killed on the battlefield, along with Jackal. Those two have been a thorn in my side, and now I am quite glad that they are gone. With the gates shut, I believe that we can properly wait out this storm until it is over.
23rd Galena, 254
The goblins launched their full-retreat today. In response, I opened the gates so that I can practice my bowmanship on the wounded, retreating forces. The other dwarves will also be glad to steal from the corpses of the falled; damn thieves.
28th Galena, 254
Things have begun to normalize at Steelhold. The goblins are gone, trading with the humans has finished, and work has commenced to repair the damages that have been done. Coffins are being built for the fallen, and funerals are being held constantly in the dining hall. I can hear their sobs through the vents leading to my laboratory; such maudlin praises for fallen drunkards. With Jackal dead, I have taken the position of mayor for myself. I am now in complete control of the prison, and I am free to do whatever I want. My project will now be even easier to complete.
Unfortunately, no beekeepers came during the migration wave, so I was unable to dwarf Bees.