It's been so long since I last had a drink... Weeks, months ? I can't even remember...
I can't bear it anymore. The soberness, ugh. Flashbacks of the tragedies of the past are filling my mind...
Not able to live another day without a drop of booze, I stormed to meet Urlance Woolsbane, the overseer of the last year. It took me the whole day to find him, for he exiled himself in a "burrow of shame" and calling himself an outcast ! He is now living like an elf, this is crazy.
"Hey Urlance ! I hadn't have a drink for months ! Aren't you the one in charge ? Do something !"
The overseer didn't even look at me, he kept staring emptily at the sky. Then he said the following words :
"Yaaah, I suddenly got a great idea. You are the one in charge starting now !"
And so I was somehow appointed overseer.
1st of Granite :
Cheers. I was appointed overseer of Workclench today. To inaugurate this glorious moment, I was given access to the whole plan of the fortress. At the very moment I looked upon the whole mess, one word struck me : confusion.
There are so many things I don't understand here ! I can feel past overseers had some glorious project in mind, but…but…
Why is there so much water ?
Why is there a half finished bridge in the air ?
Why are all our engravers engraving a huge room outside of the fort ?
Why is nearly every dwarf assigned a number ?
Why is there 10 mason's workshop and 1 mason ?
And cherry on top, why are our alcohol reserves nearly depleted ?
I was not the only one getting horrible flashbacks due to soberness. As such my first directive was to pump out as much booze as possible.
Argh. I knew the year was strange and rough for everyone, but after getting a "clearer" picture of the whole mess, well, more questions arise.
We don't even have a competent broker to appraise our wealth.
The "flooding" problem :
4th of Granite :
I launched many orders during the past days. Amongst them :
-the engraving of slabs for the missing ones. Too many ghosts are roaming our corridors
-the construction of a wooden hut for our self-proclaimed "outcast", sir Urlance
-the excavation of a magma crab catching bay. Those cute little critters would make a great addition to our (barely existing) defense network.
An elf diplomat sneakily arrived today. The stupid elf chastised us for "disrespecting the trees". But if this smartass used a portion of his rotten brain, he would realize the number of trees we helped grow with our flooding accidents far exceed the number of trees we cut down.
An elven caravan arrived some days after. We gave them woodless junk in exchange for some pets and fruits.
And thanks to the transaction, we finally got someone who can appraise our wealth.
13th of Slate :
I'm getting used to this role little by little. Our booze stores have stabilized, and the elves have left. I don't know what went through their mind, but they decided the best way out was through the draining hole.
It went as smoothly as one can expect.
A wild magma crab also gave birth to triplets. I can't wait to catch them !
Damn. Some workforce would have been appreciated.
9th of Felsite :
A day like the others, I was on my way to the (unfinished) magma bay to place the traps. Then suddenly, the alarm rang. Not any alarm, the Forgotten Beast Emergency Alarm.
My beard be damned ! Using the Instantaneous Dwarven Psychic Communication Network, I ordered everyone to hide in the so-named "burrow of shame" where Urlance was (happily?) living.
Good. The militia should intercept the beast before it even reach the fortress.
-a roar echoes behind me-
What the ?...
1st of Hematite :
Hi there whoever you are reading this journal. I'm Tulon Kosothobok, Dyer. I thought it would be a good thing to write what happened the past month, for posterity they say.
Eer, where should I begin ? Oh ya, Usluh Budzuvit Jonoaco the Forgotten Beast's rampage. We lost lots of drinking buddies this day, among 'em the newly appointed overseer, Nakeen Erit-something.
According to the official report, the "cunning" -they emphasized on the cunning, dunno why- Usluh made a last minute detour before meeting the militia. Seems like he wanted to greet a fellow cave-croc, but hi-fived him a bit to hard, sending him splashing into a wall.
So in the process, he took notice of our superb draining hole leading straight to the surface. So yeah, he rushed into the shaft, toward the unknown and beyond -to be frank I would have done the same thing-
Some late buddies were like, "caught off guard" they say ? And the militia was like, not really at the good place soooo. Many took some permanent holidays I heard, what a bunch of luckybeards.
Deads Holidays :
12-Olin ledzas, Brewer
-#120 Akrulzagod, Miner
-"Nakeen" Erithtag, Victim (ah so that's his name)
-Inob Absamuzol, Farmer
-Tosid Tiristnanir, Woodworker
-#16 Dedukfoker, Competent&Compliant (huge loss)
-#25 Tangathvutok, Dangerous
-#13 Abanlaz, Butcher (and Cap'n of the Guard)
-#49 Mortobul, Wood Burner
-Vabok Ameral, Cook
-#4 Muthkatmasos, Miner
-#43 Abanaroth, Brewer/Military Reserve
Then when the alarm was lifted, a bunch of stupid brats decided to take a swim in the draining shaft. Kids these days.
Drowned Stupidly Despite Restricted Zone :
-#78 Rithilid, Military Reserve
-#113 Eturiseth, Dwarven Child
-Aban Datancatten, Dwarven Child
-Avuz Keshaldakost, Dwarven Baby
-#122 Nilesiden, Dwarven Child
Mmh, needless to say that the moral skyrocketed from here.