Chapter 1 (History Lessons)
Excerpts from the journals of `Sanctumea' Shockbolted, Mace Lord, Crewedgears, 136.
This is a masterful journal bound in jute plant fiber fabric, with tin clasps, encrusted with green zircon gems and giant barn owl bone.
1 Granite, 136In a lavish room filled with gold furniture.Historian: Alright Mea, I will have these last week to refresh you on the history. Please try to remember your “social” lessons throughout.
On 125, Gwolfski argues with the dwarven “glorious” king resulting in banishment and the establishment of a dwarven outpost, Crewedgears. The construction of stockpiles, workshops are threatened by hippos and cave crocodiles. Effort are focused on digging down, establishing stone, forge, glass industry.
Migrants with children are noted, and the establishment of farms, offices, and trade depot.
Mea yawns: Do I need to hear the minutiae of digs and shops and offices?
Historian frowns: On 126, Salmuek the Carpenter focuses on meeting the needs of the citizens by expanding the food choices, more living spaces, establishing the military hierarchy, architects a central fortress layout, and beginning of walls and moats.
Mea interrupts: See, I don’t need to know all of that. Tell me about the population, migrants, children, deaths, outside enemies, and military, and enemies within. And stay to the point so I can see where the danger lies.
Historian: Fine. On 126, More migrants with children arrives.
A human female were-monitor was caught in a cage trap. More migrants came in autumn and trade with mountainhome.
Mea: Better. A were-monitor lizard?
Historian: It is caught in a cage. Don’t interrupt anymore.
2 Granite, 136Historian: On 127, PsychoAngel Sprinkletrades, Le Grand Soaper mines for metals, makes soap. Yes, soap is important.
On spring, PsychoAngel wants peace with elves because he finds the elves to be good trading partner.
Migrants arrive. Dig to find cavern continues. Lots of gold found.
“A river accidentally.“ Yes that means deaths happen. And more waterfall deaths, again.On summer, cavern is finally discovered with lots of water and more gold. And more migrants come.
On autumn and winter, a hospital wing is created.
A bronze colossus, Gleamfight the Oily Persuasions, killed animals outside, and found its way inside, killing children and doctors with a pair of trousers.
The armory is still working on the orders, but the military prevailed with Obok Targetpaddle credited with the kill of the colossus.
Aquifer flooding happens, and another cavern discovered.
Minotaur Zureng T. is another unwanted visitor shut outside.
Public tombs are created with plans for more proper tombs.
No adamantine yet, but have gold, and steel weapons.
Population: 70
3 Granite, 136Historian: On 128, TheCheeseMaker summarizes: a minotaur rampages outside, a sleepless child in hospital will likely go insane, and bottom-half of the fort is flooding.
TheCheeseMaker sets goals.
The first goal is to kill the Minotaur Zureng T.
The Horse kicks The Minotaur in the head, dead.
The second goal is completed by sealing aquifer breach.
“Bloodfall Chasm” is named for the the waterfall that claims many more lives.The third goal is to stop Bloodfall Chasm from murdering everyone.
Issue has been addressed with an acceptable 25% casualty rate.
Mea: Acceptable?
Historian continues: The fourth goal is to fill Gwolfski’s private pool.
Fill Gwolfski's pool cancelled: Owner dead (by Bloodfall Chasm).
The fifth goal is in progress which is to rebuild the military.
There remains two military plus migrant new recruits of: 10 marksdwarves, 1 sworddwarf, and 1 macedwarf. Training orders are given immediately before any equipment are available.
The sixth goal is completed by engraving and setting down slabs to the fallen and giving peace to the ghost that haunts the halls.
The seventh goal of TheCheeseMaker is to kill all the children.Mea interrupts: Kill all the children?
Historian ignores the interruption:
One large room with 35 Children and the released human female were-monitor. The result is four children deaths, and the human having her skull caved in by the children.
Unknown if any children were infected, and they are left in the room until the next moon cycle. It is reported that the children slowly died of dehydration within three days of each other.TheCheeseMaker claims “fun fact”: two graveyards in three years; population 82 with 115 coffins and slabs built.
A sleepless child went insane.Nobles complain about rooms.
Military is training on the surface.
Gwolf2ki claims prior owner Gwolfski’s estate, and private pool is filled.
Adamantine is struck, but need magma.
Half of population is dying of dehydration.
Adamantine being dug with an unusual being at least 8z above magma thus far.
Upper walls are constructed.
The Ettin Dimshas has come, and was killed by the Captain of the Guard by stabbing both heads with a spear.
Military is getting better, but not well armed.
On the 7th of granite, 129, TheCheeseMaker is being overthrown by the mob population, but instead declared to be stepping down from power.
Mea interrupt: But that is…
Historian: That is history.
4 Granite, 136Historian: On 129, Eldin00 takes the seat of power, and searches for magma.
Elf trade continues.
Non-stop production of steel and silver; order silver maces and war hammers
More migrants, includes: 2 macedwarves, 2 hammerdwarves, and a sworddwarf.
Population: 101
Magma is found, furnaces and forges built, adamantium processing center planned.
Strand extractions and magma smelters are complete, adamantine making begins.
Obok is mayor.
The forgotten beast Ngoso Usasp has come in the 2nd cavern, shut out.
Liaison and dwarven caravan came.
More migrants, population: 117.
Crewedgears is now a barony with Fath Riddledlance as mayor.
Mea nods: My family and I are among those who arrived in spring.
Historian asks: And what have you been doing since you arrive?
Mea: Train and make babies, I have eight kids now.
Historian continues: On 130, Iamblichos takes the reigns of power
On Spring, Elves claim the we insulted the trees, and warned us, the elf trade continues.
A bone table artifact is created.
Some kid has grown to become a “Survivor.”
Some migrants have arrived, despite the danger.
A miner is found dead, mysteriously.
A goose spars with a cat.On Summer, a salamander forgotten beast came, sealed outside.
Seven more migrants.
Fath is mayor re-elected.
Gold furnitures are made.
A coffer artifact is created.
Sand collecting and clear glass production starts.
On Autumn, roads are being constructed to battle the insulted trees and their saplings.
FBs duke it out in the caverns, Ngoso is dead.
Dwarf liaison came, the baron is now a duke.One migrant arrived.
Iamblichos resigned on winter 130.
Historian:
Fifteen moon cycles are undocumented from Winter of 130 and all of 131; by the hands of Gwolf2ki.Mea: So Eldin00 becomes duke, Iamblichos abruptly resigns, and Gwolf2ki has all of Crewedgears for fifteen moons?
Historian shrugs.
5 Granite, 136Historian: On 132, Adrian Roosevelt, special agent of the Ministry of Not Dying Horribly, arrives in the fortress of Ginetolon; the Crewedgears to investigate.
The highlights of this year are:
Conclusion: the nobles are either cunning saboteurs, or legit incompetents.
Conclusion: Lazy farmers.
The kid’s name, Taupe, is the “Survivor.”No deaths.
Year 8: 132 Spring Report
Investigate the infrastructure of the fortress.
2-Report and improve on any security flaw
3-Optimize the fortress's efficiency and long-term organisation
4-Investigate the previous rulers of the fortress for any implication with a criminal, terrorist association.
Duke Eldin00 is a recently placed in power.
Roosevelt has embedded his unit to full operation.
Three forgotten beasts is sealed outside the second cavern, with a flaw of one unsecured lever.
Food stockpile is deceiving in numbers, and booze is low.
Conclusion: the nobles are either cunning saboteurs, or legit incompetents.
The adamantine source is unsecured from fortress when improper or accident breaching happens.
The 68 idlers commenced mass gold mining operation.
Sealed tunnel is unsealed to get more gold.
Five corpses in the cavern lakes, all unaccounted.
The caverns are sealed shut from the fortress.
The open floor design of hospital is an ineffective way to prevent spreading of disease and contaminations.
The fresh water cistern is tainted with dead bodies.
There is a graveyard for nature lovers among mushrooms and vegetation and clay.
The central hallway is a nature preserve with fungi, moss, wet patches of clay and sand, and discarded ammunition.
Pillars of gold are constructed in lieu of missing architectural supports.
Pointless rooms have been turned into random stockpiles.
Large room excavation turned into central masonry.
Large construction to a power plant indicates large industry is planned in the future.
There is an on-going Architect Wars Bedroom Design edition.
More W.T.F. large scale dig sites, constructions, and smoothing are found and undocumented.
Some calculation of the need for coke fuel to make steel. Conclusion: do not need more coal-ores mined.
The nice shooting tower that is sculpted constructed to look like a giant tree is in the middle of the fortress, is well in range when the invaders are already inside the fortress proper.
Year 8: 132 Spring Summary
A new crypt is designed.
Pillars are constructed for structural integrity.
More furniture stockpile created.
More bedrooms made.
New hospital design spread beds apart, but still based on “open space”.
There is a “no logs, no barrels” conundrum that is solved by more tree cutting.
No more fresh uncooked food, and low booze.
Year 8: 132 Summer Summary
Food issue, build mill, quern, farmer’s shop to handle the plants stock.
Conclusion: Lazy farmers.
More housing and furnishing orders.
A fourth FB in the caverns is heard, still sealed shut outside.
Year 8: 132 Autumn Summary
Work on bedrooms is progressing.
Dwarf trade happens for more food and gems and drinks.
More bedrooms are available with access to stairs and food area.
More engravers are recruited to smooth bedrooms.
Smelting more ores, including tetrahedryte.
Old non-magma forges above are decomissioned.
Year 8: 132 Winter Summary
Adrian Roosevelt prepares his extraction, and secures one help of the few “survivors” children.
An Ettin shows up uninvited, Tulon slain it.
New crypt is finished.
Hospital is improved.
Everyone is housed.
The kid’s name, Taupe, is the “Survivor.”
The kid’s name, Taupe, is the “Survivor.”
Mea: Taupe, the current overseer?
Historian corrected: Last year's overseer.
6 Granite, 136Historian:
On 133, from Granite to Timber, GWolf2ki controls Crewedgears.
The events of these three moon cycles are undocumented.On 133, Timber until 134, Obsidian, duke Eldin00 takes over with Population: 231
The Second Great Flood of Crewedgears is now contained.
The “Grand Keep” is revealed.Some adamantine and steel arms were made but by moderately skilled smiths.
He claims previous overseer let the booze run completely out because no one is brewing.
Dismantled conventional forges.
Magma Minecart construction is noted, but untouched.
Mentions about fortress open to river below waterfall and attempt for air-lock construction to prevent the flood from spreading any further.
The Second Great Flood of Crewedgears is now contained.
New access tunnels to the zoo.
Floodgate linked to lever to release excess water.
Elf trade continues.
Another FB “Sofipu R.” arrives in cavern.
And another FB “Vafice O.” arrives in cavern.
Pumps built to drain flooded area.
Reclaimed flood areas.
The “Grand Keep” construction is revealed and happening.
A suspicious construction death by fall of mayor Fath Dallithkûbuk happens.
Obok Vetekiden is now mayor.
And another FB “Spun S.” arrives in cavern.
No caravan from mountainhome visited.
On the 10th of Obsidian, 134, Eldin00 steps aside with a population of 239.
7 Granite, 136On 134, Obsidian until 135, Obsdian Taupe, Survivor is the overseer.
Taupe Dipsilver, the “Survivor” is chosen as the newest overseer of Crewedgears at the age of 16.
Continued working on giant bedroom tower.
All further mining are placed on hold, and masons have been conscripted.
Many animals are slaughtered for meat.
Another FB visits the cavern.
More coffins are made, just in case.
More bedrooms are furnished.
Children will live in the grand tower.
Dig more graveyards, just in case.
Messthos has been found dead under a constructed road.
Dodok the carpenter is melancholy and throwing a tantrum.
Floors are placed over dirt, sand, clay, moss and saplings.
A roc visits the fortress, and slain by Nil.
A werelizard visited also, killed a few, and those who survived are not infected.
Lots of people are depressed.
Workshops are being renovated.
Four new magma forges built to speed up gold furniture making.
Roof of tower is not complete from lack of glass.
Historian: And so this concludes our week of history of Crewedgears.
I am instructed to advise you to use these new “savvy” skills you’ve been learning in the past nine months.
Use these
thirty days and contemplate on what you want to accomplish.
You will be summoned to the duke’s office in
thirty days time.