Village Shemonul, "Plankwaywards", Opal 262
As time goes by, my dwarves slowly get more adept at their trades. This includes not oft used professions such as lye maker, milker, dyer and shearer. My animal husbandry system is paying off and we're swimming in eggs, milk, cheese and wool. I have so many animals in fact that the milker can milk non stop without any animals running bare! The new still/quern/plant process system also runs nicely, and a variation of foodstuffs and products can be created at will when needed. The only exception being dwarven syrup for some reason being unable to be processed. A dyer works non-stop creating even more valuable pig-tail socks.
I must also be the only entity creating cloth, as the elves, humans and dwarves have not brought any for two years. My legendary farmers grow enough pig tails to last though. The village has also been elevated to county. The count demanded a trifle pewter throne for commemoration in his bedroom. He had to wait for the caravan to return with this precious metal but got his wish granted eventually. New quarters were dug and engraved. He mostly mandates amulets and bolts to be made and not exported, which is fine by me. I hardly create any crafts any more as stone is precious for block creation and the worn clothes randomly laying around the fort are of such high trade value they suffice many times over whatever I want from the caravans.
Goblin ambushes attack during every trade caravan, trying to disrupt life. They get dispatched quickly by the dwarves patrolling the ramparts or the caravan guards. One ambusher sprung up to kill a mason working on fort expansion, only to immediately receive an arrow to the throat. The mason was able to flee while the other attackers were killed by the marksdwarves.
One sneaky thief managed to get by the traps and into the courtyard, only to be spotted on the refuse pile. By my war dogs and war grizzly bears. The resulting pieces that were left of him did not have to be moved. Another refuse pile has been enclosed and designated as the old one does not suffice any more.
I have plenty of stock for just about everything, with the exception of sand. With food, drink and basic needs out of the way, I've commissioned a steel set of armor to be made for the commander. I'm going to breach the caverns and go down deeper. I'm hoping for a good siege.