Where shadows go to die...Feb 'Chaoseed' Alathcilob gasped and sat up. The corpulent dwarf sat for a moment, then pushed himself from his spore tree bed; he fumbled for the journal left on the goblin-cap cabinet. Odd thoughts flitted through his head, his writing hand almost moving by itself. Why would shadows die? Did they leave corpses, to rot into the dirt? What would sprout from such soil?
The mood soon left him, leaving him wide awake. Not quite enough to be a
strange mood, but it was curious. He found himself thinking of Melbil and Mafol, one woman creating an ornate artifact table, the other just entering a strange mood. But the thoughts merely chased each other in circles, so he shrugged and returned to his bed...
Why was it that monsters lurked below and his friends lived in peasant quarters, but he had awarded himself a bed made from teal wood? Was there some justice in that? Well, with any luck there was a place in the fortress for a dwarf fascinated by exotic plants...
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Journal of Feb 'Chaoseed' AlathcilobFeb Konosneth in the Hushed Hackers.
Minkot Tomemdatan in the Cheese Toasters.
I've put more beds in Forgetown. (I wanted to call it Metaltown, but whatever.) Hm, we have no more raw adamantine. All our strands are stored in a bin on the surface level. I...feel as though something got messed up somewhere. Well, let's make them wafers as soon as possible. Why is it that the magma is surrounded by diorite but I can't make a magma smelter out of the stuff?
You know, for too long we've lived in fear of what lives below. We should get rid of Ithbi the 'Uninvited Guest'. We must
beware its deadly dust, though. Hmmmm. Maybe there's a different way...
(Why is the duchess' husband referred to by such an unflattering nickname?)
I think I realized why we have four 'Infected' dwarves in the fortress. They must have been quarantined after a werebeast attack. Still, it's been many moons since then, it seems a shame to have them branded with this moniker the rest of their lives.
...At least I HOPE that's why. This is the kind of carp overseers should
not keep secret, y'know?
I moved my associated The Kaspa into a room on the noble level. Along with Sarvesh THE Cheese Maker, on a whim. I make sure their previous peasant rooms are free (along with Xub Ducimroder, who was still holding onto his). Apparently the captain of the Stick Chuckers has claimed one of those rooms as well...whatever, I don't care. I also completing the furnishing of a number of peasant rooms, with half a dozen new ones available for use. Meanwhile, kangaroos appear on the surface. Anyway, I'm thinking we should just open up ALL the caverns...wait, what's THAT?
This beast was before my time, I think. Actually it looks like the caverns are already open, all of them. Oh yeah, I built a stairway in the third cavern layer; whoever the next overseer is going to be, I need to warn them about that.
19th Timber - Mafol finally claims a forge. It's going down!
A shield.
Battle axes, large gems and quivers. Note: We should trade away these large gems...if the king ever lets us. We've run out of food storage items. Wooden barrels? Yeah, we have a lot of wood. It's not like we're low on booze, of course...
There are two troglodytes...on the surface? But...how? One gets in a fight with THE Cheese Maker. I send in the militia (except the marksdwarves, just so we don't have bolts flying everywhere). Yet an elite marksdwarf starts shooting down the hallway.
sigh A Pump Operator, Eral Delerlular, bashes a troglodyte's head in with a crossbow. Turns out she's an Adequate Marksdwarf, so I draft her into the Stick Chuckers. A swordmaster quickly decapitates the other troglodyte. Even our duchess got into the act!
I get word that winter is coming.
My plan to get rid of Ithbi backfires. I send in The Wimps. Unfortunately, I think I've figured out the effect of Ithbi's dust.
There are a lot of really experienced dwarves ready to charge into battle with this abomination at my command. It's a sobering thought. And if there's one thing every dwarf hates, it's sobriety.
There are reports of troglodytes interrupting dwarves, but we'll deal with that later. A potash maker falls to Ithbi's "frozen forgotten beast extract" before the actual soldiers even get there. Then The Wimps trickle in; one by one they charge, bash the foul creature, then succumb to the dust. In the end...
I believe the beast simply bled to death. Good riddance, I say.
I've just received word that, a moment after Ithbi's death, Mafol began construction of an artifact. Hmmm.
A List of the FallenOlon Athelokol, Woodworker (Taking a turn as a miner)
Eshtan Tosidetost, Miner
Sakzul Gosmeras, Potash Maker
Lor Lotolfikod, Wrestler
Nomal Rovodlikot, Mace Lord
Imush Etaserith, Mace Lord
Ablel Ustuthdolil, Mace Lord
Logem Bomreksat, Hammer Lord
Iton Logemish, Mace Lord
One of those soldiers was captain of the guard, as well. Ugh. I shall go ahead and prepare a memorial for them.
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"So I feel you could make a good captain of the guard, Unib," Chaoseed said.
The tall dwarf sighed, a sour expression on her face. "Do we really NEED a captain of the guard?"
"I'm sure some dwarves think we do," Chaoseed replied.
"Yes, but don't we all get along fine without one?" Unib countered. "Doesn't the militia system provide enough order in our lives?"
Chaoseed rubbed his forehead. "I don't really feel like arguing this right now. It's my responsibility to decide who gets to be captain of the guard, so I'm choosing you. Now I have to plan out that memorial for the Wimps...hm...should we name them something else?" He toyed with the pages of his journal. "The Not-So-Wimps? Heh."
"No, sir!" Unib said.
"What?"
"The Wimps have gotten used to their name," she continued. "We take pride in it. It was the Wimps who took down Ithbi the forgotten one. We train day in and day out in the service of Shadowgrave. Changing the name would be...would be insulting!"
After a moment, Chaoseed nodded, slowly. "All right."
"...can I go now?"
Chaoseed nodded again, and the new militia captain left him to his journal.
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After appointing her captain of the guard, Unib automatically became leader of The Wimps, which is fine. Of course, now she's demanding better quarters.
sigh