OOC@Immortal-D - Welcome to the story! The first power plant (when built) will power a water pump stack, the next 2 will power a double magma stack. These will deliver water and magma to near the surface (with enough power remaining to deliver it a bit higher if required at some point in the future).
This should provide pressurized water and magma to the entire fort (hopefully only in a planned fashion), most urgently so I can get started on an obsidian cast dining room spanning the 3 cavern layers and various other smaller projects. - Mounf.
Apologies in advance for the wall of text and pictures - this is a big update.
263, 4th SandstoneWell, that's an ugly creature. Luckily the 1st cavern layer is secure against anything that cannot fly. Once we have a new exit built (the old fortified exit is inside the walls), someone will have to go deal with it.
263, 7th TimberAnother one.
In the second layer this time, so not an immediate threat, however it will have to be dealt with when we begin work on fortifying the north of that cavern.
263, 15th TimberThe Goblins have returned to lay siege once again! 60 Goblins, about half mounted. Formost in there ranks comes a fell beast:
Ngordax Stuzdokem Sadummu: Ngordax Ivorypink, the Glowing Guise. Leader and law giver of the Goblins of the Curses of Teaching for 200 years and our mortal enemy! I've ordered the gates closed, whilst the military move into position. Here is an enemy that must not be permitted to escape. The Watchful Gazes and the Crazed Pillars take up position before the spiral ramp. The other melee troops on the ramp itself as a reserve.
Above the inner gates the Marksdwarfs of the Brass Bastions and the Mechanical Pulleys ready their crossbows.
With the Goblins committed to an attack on the entrance, I've ordered the lever to the lake bridges pulled. With luck we will catch some of them on it, at least we will cut off their escape.
Unfortunately, the lever was pulled a little quickly, trapping some Goblins on the wrong side, I've ordered it reset. It also appears it was not correctly linked as only one of the 3 bridges activated. Oops. Still, the result is entertaining.
We may hate the demon which leads the forces, but we cannot doubt it's courage. Far in advance of the rest of the siege it storms the gates, throwing balls of fire as it comes.
Stinthad had lived at Rhymedmansion since the second year since it's founding. Life had been good for her. By trade a stonecarver, she had realized quickly that her skill with a short sword would be more valuable to her new home, so for many years had been perfecting her art under the tutalage of Meng. Her skills had in time become legendary and she now stood, a member of the fortress guard, facing the monstrous goblin leader down the entrance of her home.
As it came in range a series of thumps from above came from the Marksdwarfs as they loosed their first bolts, all missed. The creature gibbered maniacally and with a gesture threw a ball of fire at the waiting dwarfs, setting an unfortunate war dog on fire. As the entrance way filled with blinding smoke, Stinthad charged, brushing asside fire with her shield and closely followed by the Hammerlord Tholtig Thukkanokim, she layed into the monstrosity.
Caught in the flames and smoke of the foul creature, she sees Vabok Ekastzaneg, Hammerlord, fall, overwhelmed by the flames. Stinthad, joined by her squad leader Tholtig, landed numerous terrible blows on the demon, but it will not fall. In spite of a shattered spine and skull and the loss of one hand, it fights on and its fire is still deadly.
Finally, beaten beyond endurance, Ngordax simply collapses after one final blow from Tholtig, dying from loss of blood from its many wounds. Tholtig and Stinthad run to rejoin the stunned military at the entrance, to await the rest of the siege.[/i]
The goblins appear to be disheartened by the loss of their leader and refuse to move, so Meng takes the melea squads out to deal with them. An unfortunate Kobold thief finds itself right between the Dwarfs and Goblins as it tries to sneak in.
A second thief has the misfortune to be spotted as the 2 side collide.
Dodok Mogshumlibash, dodging a pike, disappears off the edge of the entrance walkway, she lands 3 levels below with a crash, but her armour prevents serious injury.
The entrance descends into bloody chaos as Goblins are cut down.
With these dealt with The Watchful Gazes head to the west entrance bridge and the goblns trapped there.
264, 2nd MoonstoneThe siege is over, the last goblin, mounted on a giant cave swallow, is sent plunging into the lake by a well aimed bolt. The goblins are destroyed, a few escaped as the bridge seems to have been lowered again during the confusion, no doubt a mistake in my orders. They will return to there homeland with news of their leaders death.
It has not been a bloodless victory however, Vabok Ekastzaneg, hammer lord lies dead. Slain by the fire of Ngordax, the Goblins demonic leader.
264, 4th MoonstoneTo commemorate the battle, Kol Sakrsthastesh Etomgmom Rul, leader of the Crazed Pillars has bestowed the name Rerraszeg Tetothkar Mingkil upon her silver warhammer - "Fissure Tattoo the lone dimension of leopards" - quite poetic really.
264, 12th OpalThe loss of Vabok has reduced the crazed pillars to 4 members. Now that the Problematic Doors are fully trained, it is time to re-organized the military to 3 melea squads of 6, plus 2 training squads of 3.
264, 12th ObsidianWork continues in the first and third cavern layers. I've ordered a new control room for the power plants and magma and water stacks to be built next to the existing dining room.
The northern fortifications for the first cavern layer are now complete and most of the old unnecarsary walls have been removed.
The mechanisms in the water stack power plant are completed and construction of the water stack is under way. Meanwhile, the miners continue working to drop the second power station block into the lake.
264, 17th ObsidianMorul Buzattekkud, Hammer Lord and member of the Sculpted Rocks has named his masterwork steel warhammer: "Almoshenshal Ikthagonesh - Gleambudded the Squeezing Confederations"
265, 1st GraniteThe end of our 11th year passed peacefully. A military reshuffle has been completed. The backbone of our military remains the Watchful Gazes, the Sculpted Rocks and the Crazed Pillars, now each extended to 6 dwarfs.
12 dwarfs form our crossbow squads.
and finally, there are 2 * 3 dwarf training squads, one for hammers, the other for spears.
I've posted the ledger and
fortress plans in the usual places.
The new year party was as usual a success, we toasted Vabok, killed by the Goblins daemonic leader, now interred in the hall of memories and celebrated the death of said leader and a major victory over the goblin forces. We can now look forward to another year of construction. The top cavern North fortifications are complete, work can move on to the second cavern (once the forgotten beasts are once again cleared out). The water power plant was successfully dropped into the 3rd caverns, the first magma stack power plant should soon follow, hopefully with a 2nd one towards the end of the year. It seems reasonable to look forward to all the pump stacks being complete and working by the end of 267.
The smiths remain busy producing more masterwork armour for our expanding military.
OOCThe end of year 11. As Doc says work on the pump stacks and power systems is going pretty well. For once the narration is caught up with the fort as well!