Journal of SkaiaMechanic
13th Moonstone
When I lived in the Mountainhomes I was always told by my parents, "If you ever want to make Armok laugh, plan for the future."
It's a lesson I've fought against and lost to again and again, and today was no different.
It was a series of events I didn't see coming. We all heard the rumors that our overseer Mate888 was looking at retiring. That I had expected. But to put Fath Clobberedhammer in charge of all people! Don't get me wrong, she's an amazing miner and can certainly brew a good batch of ale, but the transition came out of nowhere. She's had a new fire in her eyes lately, a mood perhaps? What did she say to him to convince Mate to hand over the title?
It wasn't long until Fath called all of us off our working stations and into the dining hall. I've never heard of an overseer call off solid work for a group meeting. But that curiousity paled in comparison to the mountain she then dropped on us.
She wanted to build another fort nearby. I was right, it was a mood, and this would be her creation.
Now, keep in mind that we already had three subtowns in the fortress, namely East and West Doomforests, along with Astville. We had just reclaimed East Doomforests from Osp and work was progressing on a jail and statue garden. Not to mention the recent renovations in Astville. The history, what was fought for, what we can build upon! All for naught. Of course, an immediate uproar came from the crowd, everyone talking at once. Several were for it, wanting to distance themselves from the "curse" and smell of the current fort. Several started planning out how the new fortress was to be designed. After all, almost everyone here knows Doomforests is terribly inefficient from the architecture alone. Several more stepped up in defiance, arguing that we shouldn't abandon what so many had given their lives in creating. Of note, our previous overseer Mate888 was especially livid. It makes his handing over of power all the more curious. Did she claim the Overseer title like a withdrawn dwarf claims a workshop?
Now I could care less about East Doomforests, and the recent renovations were either useless or out of the way, or both! But I knew I had to make a move in order to be considered for Overseer down the line. Working with the new overseer would probably be the best plan to do so. However, the TSP plan, the Total Safety Project, relies on Doomforests' spread out structure as a base. It wouldn't work with one of the more efficient "inverse tower" designs of the modern era. Plus, the history of the place has rubbed off on me, even though I'd still say the staircases should have been expanded years ago.
I took a middle route, not outwardly expressing defiance of the new project, just a couple suggestions to still use the current structure. Fine, make a new town, I don't care. But why are we giving up the grand hallways of current Doomforests? Why should we abandon our hard-earned magma forges? Fath only wanted to talk with the previous overseers and core masons, and not being either, had to speak quickly and make an impact fast. Luckily I had enough influence to gain at least give an opinion before being shooed away. I spoke about the uses of the current land, inventing tales of royal palaces and delivery chutes. It seemed to resonate, but I knew my final statement had to make an impact. So I put forth a goal that no overseer in the history of the fortress had even imagined: make Doomforests the new Capital of our civilization The Town of Stroking.
I could hardly believe it myself, and I'm the one who came up with it! Imagine, the cursed southern exile outpost becoming a new Capital of Dwarves! Everyone was stunned for a moment, but I still didn't know how it went over. Luckily, Taupe spoke up and validated some of my claims. He's a good friend but also has a personal interest in this, for many obvious reasons. A couple other dwarves nodded in agreement. As long as Fath is overseer, as well as head of the miner's guild to boot, I can't stop her from completing her project, (as long as I don't want a berserk failed-mood dwarf slamming her pickaxe into the side of my head anyways) but I can try to prevent us from starting from scratch.
Fath didn't give a final answer, but I hope for the best. I could probably incorporate the new sub-fort into my project. A community of four towns. What architectural artifact does she hope to create?
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Topic: The Hastening of Doomforests (Read 452141 times)