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[Dame de la Licorne]

@Armok: No I don't share her view, I just thought it seemed right to write her that way.  Glad you like the story.

[Dame de la Licorne]

1st Granite, 1052
Surath couldn't believe that they had already been at Cursemountains a year.  The time had seemed to fly, especially during the last few months when it seemed that for each task completed, ten more were added to the list.  But at least, there were few complaints, other than the lack of a proper dining room, which Bricktop had finally finished carving out only a few days before.  It needed only some tables and chairs which Watson and Korbin were busily making.

Gathering the dwarves together, she reviewed their accomplishments since their arrival.  First and foremost, of course, was the fact that they had all survived without any major injuries, though there had been several close calls. Bricktop's encounter with the giant eagle was one such.

And then she moved on to the wealth they now had, with which she was much more familiar since spending several months counting.

Created Wealth: 29,067*
Furniture: 1,020*
Other Objects: 10,169*
Architecture: 17,429*
Displayed: 449*

Imported Wealth: 26,316*
Exported Wealth: 780*

They also had 227 food stores, of which 112 were booze.  At this last announcement, which Surath had deliberately left for last, the caverns echoed with the cheers.

When the dwarves had finally quieted again, Surath said, "We have survived one year, possibly the hardest since we've had to create everything almost from scratch.  From now on, things will get easier, though probably never easy.  Still, we must do the best we can and make this as comfortable a place as possible, since it is now our home.  None of us approved of settling here, and some of us may still be hoping that we will be able to leave here before too long.  But while we remain, let us make these caverns and tunnels worthy of dwarves!"

Cheers again broke out, though quieter than before, and the gathering broke up soon after when they returned to their never-ending tasks.

--------------------------
Legendary Dwarves:
Bricktop -> Legendary Miner

[ January 26, 2008: Message edited by: Dame de la Licorne ]

[Toaster]

quote:Originally posted by Dame de la Licorne:
<STRONG>@Toaster:  What do you want to call your dwarf?

</STRONG>

:doh:

How about Thrakor?  And preferably male, though I'll take female if that's the only miner.

[ January 26, 2008: Message edited by: Toaster ]

[Krom]

1Granite52

The outpost is humming along nicely. We've got large stockpiles of barrels filled with wonderful beverages and all assortment of meats! Some of which I'd never even heard of before! Still no cook, so we have to make do. I had some raw fish the other day, which was quite nasty. Seems cruel to force dwarves to eat that sort of thing.

Crafting is going great. I'm staying very busy, and getting better at it all the time. Get this: they tell me the marble is off-limits. Something about making steel. Whatever, I've got the artistic freedom to make whatever I choose, so I'm happy.

Surath went over her books with us today. How much we've already made, broken down by category, that sort of thing. We're doing really well, and she thinks we'll do even better in the next year. Sounds like I'll soon be rich!

Now I just have to decide how much longer to do this until I decide to cash out and go home. Surath ran through a lot of big figures, and I think my share of that would set me up nicely for a triumphant return home. Bail out dad, get myself a modest room.

I'll have to talk to Surath next chance I get about when she thinks I should cash in my share. Exciting!

[Originally crossposted with Dame]

[ January 26, 2008: Message edited by: Krom ]

[Dame de la Licorne]

13th Granite, 1052
Jusk came running into the entryway shouting for Bricktop.

"He's down in the tunnels, excavating out a native gold vein."  Kroma told him, but before she had even finished he was racing through the hall.  By the time he caught up with Bricktop deep inside the mountain, Jusk was completely out of breath.

"Red stone" pant-pant "east" pant-pant "may be" pant-pant-pant "hematite!"

The last word was more than enough to gain Bricktop's full and undivided attention.  Finding hematite would mean the capability to make steel, particularly good for weapons and armor, of which Cursemountains had less than could be desired.  But Jusk was in no condition to elaborate for several minutes as he caught his breath.  Eventually, when he was recovered enough, he took Bricktop to where the odd stone was.

"Hmmmm."  Bricktop chipped a little here, tapped a little there. "Hmhmmmm."

Jusk could hardly contain his impatience.  "Well?"

Bricktop finally turned.  "It's hematite alright."  He said with a grin.  "We should go tell Surath, this is good news indeed."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Surath looked up in concern when both Bricktop and Jusk came to her, for their duties were so different that they were only seen together when both were on break (a rare event in a place as busy as this).  But when she heard their news, she laughed.  "We'll have steel!  Perhaps I'll be able to ask the liaison when he comes in the fall if he could recruit a metalsmith for us, to work it properly.  And we'll need to find an anvil, somewhere.  This is good news indeed!"

Perhaps the Queen would be pleased enough to allow Surath to return to the Mountainhomes.  But the thought did not please her as much as it should have.

Later that day, she was interrupted again, this time by Kroma who wanted to know when she should sell her share in the outpost.  However, when Surath told her of the hematite, and the possibility of steel, Kroma decided that she might stay at least a little longer.  Steelmaking, it was well known, would increase an outpost's value by a not insignificant amount, and by waiting her share would be worth more.

[Jusk was hunting up there which was why I noticed the exposed vein, I hadn't panned that part of the map previously.  Further panning has revealed the presence of cinnabar and tetrahedrite, among others.  Afaik, cinnabar is used as a common stone and not an ore, correct?]

[ January 26, 2008: Message edited by: Dame de la Licorne ]

[Dame de la Licorne]

15th Granite, 1052

Surath was most upset to be pulled from her sleep by both Viktoria and Korbin.  "We were taking care of a couple of kobolds," said Viktoria, "and when we turned around a couple of Elves were unloading goods at the Depot, comfortable as you please."

"Elves!  But there is not a single plant in this entire region.  What are Elves doing here!"  Was there not a single place in the entire world free of their tree-worshipping plant-obsessed kind?  But the horror did not stop there.  These...Elves...insisted on trading.  And she, Surath, was the only one with any hope of getting any of their goods for a reasonable price.  

"But why should I need to trade with them?  They can have nothing that we need."  But as the Elves would only show their wares to the outpost's broker (Surath), she felt that she had no choice but to go and make sure that there was nothing of interest.

As she proceeded to the depot, she came across Kroma who repeated her request for a wooden instrument.  As it seemed the Elves might reasonably have one of those, Surath was left with even less choice in the matter, and was not happy about it.

[ January 27, 2008: Message edited by: Dame de la Licorne ]

[Dame de la Licorne]

23rd Granite, 1052
Well at least the Elves hadn't brought completely useless items.  They had four logs, which Surath promptly took.  They also had a birchen flute, that she got for Kroma.  After all, she may as well keep her best craftsdwarf happy.  She bought up all of the offered booze, as well as all the empty barrels.  They also had some thread and some cloth, and after a lot of deliberation, Surath decided to take those as well, for the cloth from the dwarven caravan had not made enough rope to chain all of the dogs.  There were also some empty cages, of which she decided to buy two at the last minute.  Cages could always be used to hold the extra livestock, which were also starting to get out of hand.  The two camels had managed to mate with a male and had then given birth to calves.

There was nothing else of interest.  Oh sure, some seeds which Surath doubted would grow in the desert, some caged animals including a cat (which she didn't want at all), a donkey, and a pig.  All rather mundane compared to what she'd heard Elves usually wanted to trade.

When the trading was complete, Surath breathed a sigh of relief.  The Elves would soon be gone and would trouble them no more.  But her relief was short-lived, for as they began to prepare for their journey to....wherever it was they went, they said, "See you next spring!"  Oh, dear Armok, the horror of that threat!

[ January 27, 2008: Message edited by: Dame de la Licorne ]

[Dame de la Licorne]

8th Slate, 1052

They were first noticed by Jusk, out hunting as usual.  And it was so unbelievable that by the time he reach Surath in her office, every other dwarf except Bricktop (mining as always) had heard and came with him to see her reaction.  So Surath was surprised to see five other dwarfs crowding into her office that afternoon.

Her surprise very rapidly gave way to astonishment at the news and she had to go out herself to verify it.

But there they were, coming from the north.  Migrants!  

At first the founding dwarves thought that these were just passing through on their way to a richer fortress.  Although why they would choose to come through a desert was puzzling to say the least.

However, late that afternoon when the last migrant had finally straggled in, they informed the seven founding dwarves that, having heard of the wealth of Cursemountains from the dwarven caravan that had visited the previous year, and the situation of the Mountainhomes being what it was, they had decided to join those already at Cursemountains.

Surath was convinced they were all either crazy or desperate, for who would want to voluntarily settle in such an area?  Desperate dwarves might be of use, but she shuddered to think what even one or two crazy dwarves could do to everything they had achieved.

But at least they had more hands to do the work, even if it meant more mouths to feed, so hopefully it would work out without to many disasters.

[Dame de la Licorne]

First immigrant wave of 19 dwarves (will be updated in this post as people claim dwarves):

1 Mechanic (male) -> Boksl
1 Animal Trainer (female)
1 Siege Operator (female)
2 Peasants (female)
1 Peasant (female) turned Soldier
1 Fisherdwarf (male) turned Soldier (like there's water to fish in?) -> Narceh
1 Glassmaker (male)
1 Milker (female) turned Soldier
2 Metal Crafters (male)
1 Miller (female)
1 Peasant (male) -> Toaster
1 Potash Maker (female)
1 Potash Maker (male) turned Soldier -> Nos3y
1 Soap Maker (male) turned Soldier
1 Metalsmith (female)
1 Blacksmith (male)
1 Cheese Maker (male)

Any backstories/dwarven chatter is welcome as I think it adds to the main story.  

Note: Useless dwarves (such as Fisherdwarves, Soapers, some Peasants, etc.) will be drafted unless the claimer/hoster requests otherwise.

@ Toaster, since there are no miners in this wave but there is a male peasant, shall I give you that one?

Also, is anyone interested in becoming the first Sheriff?  If no one sings out, I'll assign someone, maybe Watson as it would fit in with his backstory.

[ January 27, 2008: Message edited by: Dame de la Licorne ]

[ January 28, 2008: Message edited by: Dame de la Licorne ]

[Boksi]

I just made an account, so why not make my first post here?

I lay claim to the mechanic. Call him Arnar.

His biggest desire is to fly. He insist that if he had enough aluminum, he could build a flying machine.

[Foamy]

8th Slate, 1052

Watson:

Migrants! more than i dared to hope for as well. On the downside almost all are useless. the blacksmith is the only one of any value at the moment. or will be once we get some magma forges built. Also i heard Surath mention something about a sheriff. After some though I've decided to ask if i can have the position. after all it's not like it will stop me leaving when the time comes.

[Krom]

9Slate52

Now, I don't mean to be unkind. Some of them are very nice dwarves. But, look, first off, there's way too many of them. None of them brought so much as a plump helmet with them. And, frankly, most of them are entirely useless in the skills department. One guy was quite proud of his soap-making abilites.

Another dwarf greeted us with "I hear you could use a glassmaker." Well, no, pal. We could use someone to haul these bins over there, though. Congratulations, you're it.

What I'm not clear about is what this does to our shares. How does any of it work, anyway?  Surath kind of hemmed and hawed when I asked her about it. I beginning to suspect that there's no actual way to cash out and go home.

And what's the deal with Watson calling himself the "Sherriff" now? So silly. Next thing you know, he'll want to build some useless jail. What a power trip.

[Toaster]

Sure, I'll take him.

[Bricktop]

8th Slate 1052

Well, this place certainly seems to be filling up. Apparently the mountainhomes are getting even worse than they were when I left. These migrants say its almost impossible to get a job there and that most dwarves are having to camp in the corridors and dining halls!

Must be true... can't think of any other reason good dwarves would drag themselves out here and beg for work. One of them asked me if he could help out in the mines. Said something about wanting to get strong for joining the army... Think he said his name's Thrakor. Well, I'll be happy to put the lad to work. Might be helpful.

[Skanky]

8th Slate 1052

Viktoria:
Wow, new faces! I can't help but be excited! And there is a glassmaker amongst the group as well. I simply must meet him. He, at least, will be excited over the discovery of rock crystal. Oh, I'm just so happy. This also gives me the chance to show off the bracelet Kroma made for me.