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[mjhacker]

[Author's Note:  I created a game of Dwarf Fortress with the intention of telling the story that I discover.  I decided to share the story as if someone sat down and began reading the expedition leader's personal journal.  I will be playing the game and writing down the events that happen as I go, so there are just as many twists and turns for me as there are for you!  This is my first ever Dwarf Fortress story, and I hope you enjoy it.  Thank you for reading. I will be locking this post until the writing is done, but private messages are very welcome!]

[Technical Note: Important locations, civilizations, groups, etc. have dwarven names and English names.  For my purposes in telling the story, I will always give the Dwarven name first, followed by a pair of block quotes containing the English translation.]

A high-quality leather-bound book of parchment paper chronicles the creation of the outpost, and the men and women of the company in charge.  The cover is blank, without a letter, smudge, or scratch.  Opening to the first page reveals information that is standard in company ledgers and records.  It is written neatly but without use of fanciful font.



This book is property of Obok Aglolor, citizen of Vathezber [The Virginal Earth], expedition leader of the Company Tellist Libash [The Infallible Axe].  My company was commissioned on the Twelfth Day of Opal, Year 70 to create a dwarven outpost for Vathezber.  This journal will serve as a record of both the expedition and the creation of the outpost.  As such, it will be of a personal nature in addition to being a professional record.  I believe this is the best way of preserving the truth of events.

If I should be discovered dead en route to the outpost site, my expedition party is wiped out by invaders, or any other manner of misfortune that serves to neutralize my efforts, please return this journal to the Mountainhome of Vathezber, to the office of Diplomatic Relations.  You will be rewarded well for your time.



The page is stamped with several seals, attesting to its authenticity.  The last word on the page seems to be written with a pen that had been dipped in a different pot of ink, as it looked to contain a different pigment, and was off-centered and a little crooked.  It seems to have been written in some kind of hurry on the bottom of the page.


Eturasteb [Bouldertold]



EDIT: Unlocked thread, fixed typos.

[mjhacker]

22nd of Obsidian, Year 70

We will receive no anvil.

Tomorrow we set out on our journey.  Been trying since Opal to secure an anvil to take with us.  Not a single gods damned one available.  We're DWARFS.  How can we not have enough anvils?

It hurts, like a hammer to the gut.  I'm trying to keep on a strong face for the rest of my crew, but now the doubts begin.  What if we can't start working metal soon enough?  What if the caravans decide not to do business with us?  Might as well throw us to the goblins at that point.  We won't stand a chance.

No.  I have to be strong for the rest.  I have to lead.



Couldn't sleep.  Decided writing about my colleagues would be helpful for my records.

Stinthad... I call him Wise Stinthad.  He's old, and he's seen things.  Since the beginnin' of dwarfkind, I reckon.  He's gifted with digging and mining.  Never seen anyone faster with a pick or shovel.  I wonder if he uses magic?

Vabok's my other miner, I just hired her recently.  She's a real good lookin' lass... but she shaves all her hair off!  Never seen anything like it before in my life!  But I'm looking forward to getting to know her better.  She seems like she could be a great friend.

Ustuth's our woodcutter.  Been working for the company since it started.  A man of few words, he is.  Likes to be outside, axe in hand.  I'd be a liar if I said I didn't fancy him.  Gods, why did I have to think about it?  I'm going to be too busy for such things for a long time... I need to get used to that idea.

Ingish is our stoneworker.  He's old and wise, like Stinthad, but he's not smart about much beside stone.  He's pulls his weight, though, and all I need him to do is work stone.

Dodok and Mosus are our farming girls.  They aren't sisters, but you wouldn't know it.  They go everywhere together.  They like to talk, a lot.  I guess it's just something I'll have to try to get used to.  Mosus worships Bal, too, so we have something in common, I reckon.

We set off bright and early tomorrow.  Gods give us strength.

[mjhacker]

9th of Granite, Year 71

Snowstorm hitting us hard.  Fingers numb, can barely hold pen.  All are huddled together in wagon for warmth.  Don't know how long we can suffer this cold.  Snow is piling all around us.  This would not be a romantic way to die.

At first we all sang dwarven drinking songs to keep up our spirits.  The singing has stopped, replaced with chattering teeth after sips of rum.

Ingish just asked me why I was writing.  I told him about my journal.  He grumbled and said it wouldn't matter, that some caravan would stumble upon a frozen boulder with wheels and dead dwarfs inside.  Everyone got real quiet and started glaring.  I've suggested sleep is the best option for us now.  Gods I hope this storm ends soon.

10th of Granite, Year 71

I had a dream last night, and it was unlike any dream before.

The gods I keep, Bal and Emar, they were standing before me, holding hands, asking me to come closer.  I did as they asked.  Bal embraced me in her arms, clutching me as if I were a child.  She told me that my destiny would be told for all time by the boulders of the mountain that would contain a great city.  My memory will be exalted for as long as there are dwarfs, she said, and the very earth will tell my story.  And so, what I build must be named Eturasteb [Bouldertold].

I woke with tears in my eyes.  The snowstorm had passed, and we were able to continue on our way.  Before we did, I gathered everyone and told them of my dream.  I expected them to laugh at me, but none did.  Stinthad said it was a divine dream, and the gods are with us.  I feel so determined now, so alive.  We'll be at the site soon... and we'll build the greatest settlement ever seen.

[mjhacker]

11th of Slate, Year 71

Today we finally arrived at the location... we made it to Eturasteb [Bouldertold].


The site is much colder than we expected.  It's the middle of Slate, and yet the ponds and lakes are frozen solid.  Granted, it was a pretty harsh winter.

All is not doom and gloom, though.  Though most of the vegetation is bare and covered in snow, the area still teems with wildlife.  The hunting will be fantastic!  And there are acres of trees, as far as the eye can see.  Ustuth will have plenty of work ahead of him.

Mosus has been displeased since we arrived.  "For the love of Bal, how can a place be this cold in the middle of spring?"  She muttered something or other about how difficult the farming would be in these conditions.  I started feeling myself turn red.  The last thing I need to deal with is a malcontent dragging morale down before we even strike the earth.

Stinthad, much calmer than I was at hearing the whining, replied with "Spring snows, that's all.  It'll warm up soon enough.  Then you'll be up to your ears in crops before you know it!"  He said this all with a smile, even while grabbing his gear to dig into frozen ground.  If only the rest of my crew were like him, I'd never have another worry on my mind.

The next few days will be spent with exploratory digging and drawing up the plans for the outpost.  We're taking shelter in the wagon until Ustuth gets enough lumber to build a hut to live in while we wait for the mining to get done.  I'm ready to get to work... my heart is pounding just thinking about it.  I'll never be able to get any sleep at this rate.



The next few pages are filled with sketches and layouts for the fortress, as well as calculations for rationing food and supplies.



1st of Felsite, Year 71

We were attacked by some kind of bizarre frog person today.  He had the body of a man but the head of a frog, and he was the strangest color of green I've ever seen.  Luckily, we were able to fend him off.  Looks like this place is made up of more than just prey.  We'll have to start taking shifts patrolling the area.  We can't afford to lose a single person, especially not something as degrading as a frogman attack.

Everything is otherwise on schedule.  The digging of the fortress has begun in earnest and is proceeding without delay.  We're finding more ore than we expected, which is exciting... but it also irritates me even more that we don't have an anvil.  Gods be good, a caravan can't come soon enough.

[mjhacker]

18th of Hematite, Year 71

The construction of the living quarters and the dining hall are finally complete!  We've begun moving all of our supplies into the fortress now.  Our miners did some fine work carving them out.  The dining hall is grand, with beautiful stone walls.  I've ordered construction of tables and the engraving of our history upon the walls of the dining hall.  When it was finished, we all drank late into the night, reliving the tale of our adventure so far.  So much has happened, and we've all come so far.

Someday, this hall will be filled to the brim with dwarfs relaxing after a hard day's work.



21st of Hematite, Year 71

It's a good thing we just finished the dining hall and living quarters, because our very first migrants arrived today!  All of them are young, too, sure to have lots of children.  I'll document them here before I forget.

Erith is a farmer and an animal tender, so his skills will be useful.  His wife, Stukos, is a weaver, but she's also very experienced wielding a mace.  I'm thinking of asking her to become the militia captain.

Led is a gem-cutter, which will be useful for improving our trade goods, but what's even more exciting is that his wife, Solon, is an experienced blacksmith!  She was disappointed when I told her we didn't have an anvil yet, but that as soon as we did I'd put her to work forging metal tools and weapons.



18th of Galena, Year 71

Strange creatures have been appearing on the surface.  More frog people, spider people, bird people... and they grow increasingly brave and hostile as time goes on.  Because of this, I've decided to officially designate administrative and military duties.  I wanted to wait until we had more dwarfs, but the security of this fortress is paramount.

[The following page has been pasted into the journal:]
Official Administrative Designations

I, Obok Aglolor, expedition leader of Tellist Libash [The Infallible Axe] and current chief of Eturasteb [Bouldertold], do hereby make the following administrative appointments:

The duties of production manager and bookkeeper shall fall to myself, Obok Aglolor.
The duties of trade broker shall fall to Ingish Olonkogan.
The duties of commander of the militia shall fall to Stukos Matonul.

These appointments have been made in the sight of gods and dwarfs on the 18th day of Galena in the 71st Year and are legally binding to all parties involved until further Treaty or Law states otherwise.

[The signatures of Obok, Ingish, Stukos appear here, along with Eturasteb's official seal.]

[mjhacker]

9th of Limestone, Year 71

We've started planning the construction of our crypt.

On one hand, I should be proud of taking this step.  It gives such peace of mind knowing that we will have a place to be buried when we die, and that our remains will be honored forever in the place we consider our home.  Having a crypt where you will be laid to rest is a good thing.

But on the other hand, building a crypt forces you to think about the fact that you and everyone you know and love will all be dead someday.  This place we've worked so hard to create will bury you and just keep going on without you.  I guess I'm just being a stupid blockhead by getting upset about this.  I'm in charge, and it's my responsibility to do the right thing for all our citizens.

We're still planning out the location and design, but the digging of the crypt will begin soon.  That we've come this far at all makes me proud of my company.  Death comes for us all, but when it comes for me I'll have a resting place ready.





22nd of Sandstone, Year 71

Two new migrants arrived today, a husband and wife.

Bim is a farmer and Etur is a spinner.  I think I'm going to ask them to join the militia, though.  We've no need for spinners or more farmers right now, but we do have a shortage of soldiers.

Apologies for not writing more frequently.  We had a severe alcohol shortage recently.  Needless to say, everyone was unhappy and unfocused on their work.  Fights started breaking out.  I have to admit, my work suffered as well.  I ordered that the still is to be operated around the clock until our stocks are replenished.

Also, the crypt is being dug out now.  I've ordered the construction of stone coffins.  I'm thinking of having my tomb built as well.  Is that too conceited of me, I wonder?





24th of Timber, Year 71

It's late into autumn, and still no caravan.

We're scrambling to gather everything we need for winter.  Everyone is starting to get worried.  To make matters worse, a kobold thief showed up and caused a bit of a panic, but fortunately nothing was stolen, and it ran off with its tail between its legs.  I'm trying to keep the peace, but it isn't easy.  Dwarfs are already trying to steal and horde food and alcohol, because they're afraid we're going to run out.  If the caravan doesn't show up, that may very well happen.





2nd of Moonstone, Year 71

The caravan has finally come!  Praise the gods!

Unfortunately, the did not have an anvil, but I spoke with our liaison from the mountainhome, and told them to bring one next time.  The merchants will probably charge us double for it, but we haven't much choice.  At this point we'd pay just about any price to be able to work metal.

We traded for a decent haul of rum and food supplies, which should see us through the winter.  Everyone is in good spirits now.  All we have to worry about now is waiting out winter.  I hope no one freezes to death.

[mjhacker]

23rd of Obsidian, Year 71

It was one year ago today that we started our journey.

I can't believe it's been a whole year.  A lot has happened, but it seems like it's gone by so fast.  My duties are much more taxing than I ever thought possible.  If I'm not signing off on production orders, I'm taking inventory of our stock, and if I'm not doing that, I'm mediating godsdamned disagreements over who gets which barrel of booze or some other bleeding nonsense.  Still, I'm glad for the work and the opportunity to be useful.  The last thing I ever want to be is a snot-nosed, self-important nobledwarf that thinks everything should be handed to her on a platinum plate.

No, if I'm going to be the one in charge, then I'm going to work just like everyone else.

This winter has been hard.  It seems like snowstorms hit us every week.  Poor Ustuth... he works so hard out there chopping wood.  Maybe I should brew him some of my special hot cider and bring it to him while he's working.  I bet he'd love that.



19th of Granite, Year 72

I've appointed Mosus Nosingcatten as Chief Medical Dwarf.

We had our first confirmed military kill a few days ago.  A kobold thief showed up, no doubt looking for some easy loot.  Our military charged after him.  Bim caught up with him first and drove her blade into its black heart, but took a nasty cut to the head in the process.  She's going to be fine, but the injury brought our lack of medical care sharply into focus.  None of our dwarfs have any medical experience, so I've made Mosus in charge of it until a more qualified migrant shows up.  Gods, I hope we don't have any injuries until then.



1st of Slate, Year 72

Oh, gods.

Thirty-nine.  THIRTY-NINE godsdamned migrants.  And twelve of them are children!  I don't even know where to put them all!

We can't accept so many at once, but Bal help me, I can't turn them away.  The only thing I can do is set up a temporary dormitory until we dig out some more living quarters.

You know, at one point I wished for the dining hall to be filled to the brim with dwarfs... I guess my wish is granted.  But why did it have to be so soon?

At least I've got enough bodies to enact a draft now.

[Listed below are the names and professions of all the migrants that arrived.]

[mjhacker]

27th of Felsite, Year 72

Today was our first encounter with the elves.  An elvish caravan approached us and offered to trade.  I have to admit, I didn't trust them at first, but we actually struck a pretty fair deal with them... we got more out of it than we got out of trading with the Mountainhome, even.  We traded trinkets for food, wine, and cloth.  I made sure to tell Ingish to not even think about offering them anything made out of wood... for some reason, it makes the elves very upset.  It's funny, though, because I saw them peddling wooden items of their own.  I guess I'll never understand elvish logic.




21st of Hematite, Year 72

Well, today we held our very first election for mayor... and I didn't win.

Udil Ralkobel is now our mayor.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  She's very old, wise, sharp as a tack, and a master of public speaking.  As the head of the company, I congratulated her on her victory, but on the inside I was very upset.  I feel like this place belongs to me, except now I'm no longer in charge.  Fortunately for me, Udil told me that she intends me to continue all of my regular duties, and does not intend for me to stop my record keeping.  "History is important," she said, "and I need you to keep writing it."

So here I am, no longer an expedition leader, but a record keeper.  Who knows, maybe I'll win the next election.  Either way, Eturasteb [Bouldertold] will live on.




4th of Malachite, Year 72

24 migrants arrived today.

Business has been moving along as usual.  It's actually nice just focusing on production management and bookkeeping.  It's been something like a vacation, if I'm being honest.

Seeing the new migrants, and recognizing our significant population, Udil established the city watch, calling it the Iron Guard.  Appointed as its Captain is Etur Savotrisen.  She also appointed a hammerer, Asmel Esmulakrul.  These appointments are effective immediately.  Etur will begin picking out guardsdwarfs soon.

[mjhacker]

12th of Galena, Year 72

One of our masons became possessed by some unknown force.  I've never seen anything like it before in my life.  There I was, sitting in the dining hall enjoying some strawberry wine, when Iton dropped her food and got a vacant look in her eyes.  Then she started muttering weird nonsense about something that she must create, and started running towards the production floor.  She went to the nearest masonry workshop and started working.  I tried to tell her that she couldn't do that, she needed a production order first, but she completely ignored me.  No one could talk sense into her.  She just kept muttering "Lirrikkir, Lirrikkir" over and over again while she worked.

I told everyone to just let her be.  Whatever's happening to her, whatever took hold of her, seems to be intent on making something.  I just hope it goes away once 'Lirrikkir' [The Climactic Whiskers] is finished.




21st of Galena, Year 72

Thanks the gods!

A human caravan showed up, and they had iron anvils for trade!  We bought two of them.  I never thought I'd say this, but thank Bal for human traders.

Remember Lirrikkir, that thing that Iton just HAD to make?




It's a grate.  Made out of mudstone.  Don't get me wrong, it's the most well made grate I've ever seen.  But what in Armok's hells are we going to do with a grate?  Why couldn't she have made something useful, like a sword, or a helmet, or even a bloody fork?  At least a fork would've seen some use.  That grate is just going to sit in a box, because we don't need any.  We tried to pawn it off on the human traders, but they took one look at it and simply said "No."

Anyway, I'm excited.  We're going to create metal forges and start making some real dwarven goods!




9th of Limestone, Year 72

The first goblin that we've seen showed up today.

He was some kind of thief.  I think he was after children to take back to his civilization (I use the term loosely).  He picked the wrong dwarf village to pick on, that's for sure.  Just for fun, I sketched the result of his visit to Eturasteb [Bouldertold].




As you can see, I'm not much of an artist.  But see how long of a bloodtrail he left?  I'm actually a little impressed.  He made it a good twenty or so feet before Thikut bashed his head in with an iron crossbow.  I guess there's no need to waste a bolt if your enemy is just slowly trying to crawl away.

[mjhacker]

Author's Note:  Greetings, readers!  I've given it some thought, and I've decided to go ahead and keep thread unlocked and allow for comments.  At first I didn't want to unlock it until I finished to allow for one continuous reading experience, but to be honest I expected something to go horribly wrong fun and end things much more quickly, which is sadly hilariously what usually happens to me when I play Dwarf Fortress... instead, Bouldertold seems to be doing pretty well so far, so at this time it looks like there's going to be a lot more writing before we get to the juicy death and despair fun.  Also, there's a possibility that updates won't be coming as frequently for a bit due to upcoming real-life responsibilities.


So, off with the lock.  Thanks to those who have been sticking around for my first effort, and I hope you enjoy the eventual and inevitable crash and burn fun of Bouldertold!



tl;dr - thread unlocked

[Ruhn]

Enjoying this so far, please continue 

[mjhacker]

28th of Limestone, Year 72

Tragedy struck us two days ago.  We lost a child to a snatcher.

Goblin bastards.  I know it was them.  Though we didn't see what happened, and while I didn't have a close relationship with the child, I had enough familiarity with her to know she wouldn't have simply ran off on her own.  No, it was definitely a goblin.  My heart aches for her poor mother.  While I may not have children, I still have all the instincts of a dwarven woman, and everything inside me is screaming for blood.

In response to this unspeakable event, we immediately doubled the patrol outside.  And it's a good thing we did, too, because another goblin thief showed up this morning, but this time we were waiting.

Our brave dwarfs in uniform sprung from hiding and gave chase.  One of our dogs courageously led the charge, and was the only one to suffer any damage in the battle.  The melee ended in a fitting but unceremonious manner, with a bronze war mace sweetly kissing the goblin's skull.  We stripped it of everything that could be repurposed and left the carcass for the carrion diners.  A better end than the greenskin deserves, but it's the ending that it gets nonetheless.  Maybe it will serve as a warning to other goblins who have the same idea.

The dog had its leg slashed in battle, and appears to have suffered permanent nerve damage, the poor thing.  I'd give it a medal if I were still in charge.  I suppose it's reward enough that she's now regarded as something of a local hero by the other dwarfs... I heard a few of the soldiers in the dining hall lovingly calling her "Goblinbane."




21st of Sandstone, Year 72

I've just about had it with dwarfs who think they each deserve their own throne room, personal dining room, and bedroom furniture made out of solid bloody gold.

I always liked Etur.  He seemed like a solid, dependable sort of dwarf.  I had no idea that getting appointed Captain of the Iron Guard would turn him into the worst sort of snobby git.  He's got stones of steel, barging into my office and demanding... demanding items, furnishings, and new rooms to be made just for him.  We already gave him his own office, but he had the nerve to stand there and tell me it wasn't good enough for him.  I almost took my quill and buried it in his neck.

We had two more goblins show up in the course of a month.  One fled, and another met its god demon in one of Armok's many hells.  A new recruit by the name of Litast suffered injuries... the doctors say it's permanent nerve damage, and she may never stand again.

So now we have the first dwarven cripple of the settlement.  She'll get taken care of, to be sure.  It's important for the others to see that we take care of those who risk everything for this place.  Good for morale.  The last thing we need is for the dwarfs in uniform to second-guess putting themselves in harm's way.  Can you imagine how emboldened the goblins would be if one escaped, went back to its... "civilization" ... and told the others that the dwarfs of Eturasteb [Bouldertold] were yellow-bellied cravens?  We'd have every single greenskin within a hundred miles knocking on our front door.

Food supply is starting to dwindle.  If we don't have a caravan soon, or if our new farms don't start turning out crops, we may very well have hungry mouths we can't feed.  I'm sure I don't need to describe how dangerous it is to have a mob of hungry, liquored-up dwarfs looking for their supper.

[DarkArtemisFowl]

Very nice writing. Keep it up, I like where this is going