A new year meant a new Senshuken. Seven is a lucky number, the general said, and thus she took over the name of fabled heroes of the past.
Whatever was slowing down the production of steel wasn't just the theft of iron bars. Hematite wasn't getting melted properly. Deconstructing the smelters and redesignating the stockpiles broke the links between those two elements, and once more the dwarves of the forge were free to take any hematite in the fort and convert it into bars, then steel bars. Soon, steel production resumed, after over a year of hiatus. The golden furnitures weren't getting done however. The metalcrafting industry went through a overhaul, allowing more people to work the forges, and giving those dwarves less alternate labors. Done were the days were a metalcrafter would haul items between two production orders. Smunstu wanted his office done, and he wanted it done
now.
While the dwarves of the Mechatechno sect were struggling to retrain new members after previous fights, Mate the 888th was doing fine. He and his boys were doing a splendid job of smoothing various areas of the fortress to beautify Doomforests. Nieces and cousins arrived in the next migrant waves, paying visit to their relative, and filling the void left by the previous heir's death.
To celebrate his good work, and reunification with his family, His Holiness was offered a very special item, made of crundle bones from creatures he personally slain. a fine decoration for a man such as he.
Mate the 888th had even smoothed parts of the farm that were unfit to agriculture. By placing floors and removing them, the dwarves were able to destroy any unwanted plants in the area, allowing for maximum crop efficiency and low risks of tree sabotage in the future. Work had began on the upper floor, while the smelters were busy getting reconstructed. There was a temporary large amount of idlers, and the construction went rather smoothly. the second layer was now climber-proof, and fit to host the various seeds of the fortress.
All was not well in Doomforests, however. While the farms upstairs were growing marvelously, the ones deep in the fortress were now home to a forgotten beast. How it got there, nobody knew, and at this point it was almost impossible to find out. nobody even knew where it came from to land in such an area. thankfully, the beast was content to trash various items and stand guard over the body of a war leopard. the disappearance of this specific beast is what drove people to notice the monster. the army mobilized nearby, and charged.
The creature was slain quickly, thanks to the superior steel equipment of the army, but Mafol was unlucky enough to get exposed to the noxious secretions. He soon fell ill and couldn't leave his bed.
''I can't get a good diagnosis because the patient is busy getting carried to his bed'', his secretary said. Miss Taupe was also the chief medical dwarf, after all.
''He's done for, tho, that much is obvious. I just locked him in his room, before anyone could get infected. At this rate he'll drown in his own blood if the syndrome doesn't finish him.'' needless to say, Mafol was found dead within a week.
The death of soldiers was hard to deal with. Training took a long time, and left the fortress vulnerable. Still, a single victim plus a pet (and a bird) could be considered a victory, given the history of this fortress. With this attack and the dinning hall fire, they were now down to 26 soldiers, and it was unlikely they could afford any more recruits without strangling the fort's productivity. It was time to create the Order of the ale. The timing was perfect... The farms were finished, the steel industry was booming, and soon enough the gold furniture would be done, leaving time for armorsmiths to train. In the meantime, some of the brewers could use the gear from fallen soldiers.
On this very week, the drink count rolled over the 4 thousand mark.
''It is time'', announced Dark Two, leaving his still to claim =Steel breastplate=. '
'The Order of the Ale is now operational!''. His fellow brewers, old and new, joined the ranks of the revamped Fortress Guard, and began their training. An armor stand was placed atop the tower, where the Order of the Ale could master their new skillset while overlooking the army in the courtyard above.
* * * * * * * * * *
His secretary was busy hauling a wheelbarrow back and forth from his office to the nearest stone stockpile. ''These leftover boulders clash with the engravings and golden furniture'', insisted the Prime minister. He'd have someone else do the job, but miss TaupeIII was as good as any dwarf, and there wasn't much to cure or diagnose these days. This was also a good moment to talk about their plans.
''I've browsed the migrant waves so far. Twelve of them in total, and none too splendid. sure, they may make good soldiers, but they lack a certain ''quality''.
-Indeed. I'll have to wait for another few years for our guest to arrive. In the meantime, Inviting the relatives of Mathe the 888th was a good move. he was complaining about a lack of heir, and this should keep him on our side. His rivalty with the Mechatechnosect is problematic, but at least the inquisition is outside engraving things, while the engineers are perfecting their metalworking skills. they hardly meet nowadays.
-Let's not forget, the influx in soap has made PsychoAngel an ally. And the new Fortress Guard are deeply loyal to you.
-Yes. All and all, I'm not even sure we should turn everyone into... food-efficient citizens. Cleaning this place is such a time-consuming endeavor, I'm not sure it's even worth it at this point. Maybe it'd be simpler to just... I dunno... improve the fortress and make it a better place?
-Then my dear Prime Minister, I would suggest dedicating the remaining months to more engravings, and maybe unforbiding items slowly. There are still many dwarves lacking a burial, and countless amounts of crap littering some levels. Adding smartly-placed stockpiles to strengthen our industries would be a good start.
-Hum, certainly. We'll have all those furniture placed and put to use first. we have countless doors, and countless doorless rooms, that's a no brainer. Truth is, I'm starting to like this place. Look at this office, it's gonna be so
pimp!''
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Topic: The Hastening of Doomforests (Read 452296 times)