The Record of Zas Ralodkish, Silverfern (continued).
106, mid-autumn.
Sadly, my hunger was still unsated when I went to sleep last night. My dreams were images of sides of beef hanging in the butcher's shop, deliciously seasoned livers and kidneys, and... how could I forgot minced flour roast? Mmm... Well, I'll have to see what I can do about that little problem. Low-hanging fruit first, jaccarmac. That's what I always tell myself. Certainly the animals our migrants have brought have produced some delicious young...
WHAT KIND OF PASTURE IS THIS?!? As far as I'm concerned, this city needs livestock, not a zoo. Armok... Sadly, as much as as I'd butcher the lot of the useless creatures to fix the crowding issues and my appetite, I can't risk making the owner of Melbil the Cavy Sow too sad. No, this won't do; We need a less controversial food source.
Now that I think of it, several of the craftsdwarves have been whining about little monkeys getting in their way and stealing tools. Can't say I've ever considered chopping one of the buggers and putting it on a plate, though.
*drool*
It's even slow and half-dead already. On second thought, it is definitely time to hunt those tasty little fat morsels down. I'll put the military on it. Meanwhile, better check the status of that new tavern project. Just down the stairs and the miners are bound to have started excavating a cozy little tunnel next to the cone.
This sets a new low for dwarven laziness. Armok... I know old Chaotic Skies Bridgelake, though; Certainly I can convince him to start a project for a friend. You there, Chaotic Skies! Yes, you can stop moving animals and seeds around. I have a real job to satisfy your miner's itch.
Excellent, now that that's taken care of...
Oh, for the love of this fortress, Chaotic Skies! Move your lazy carcass down the stairs already and get to work! You're not ready? Need a pick? Just tell me, dwarf, don't hold your silence and skulk away from a job! We have enough mouths to feed without dwarves wandering around with No Job.
There you go, friend. Try to make yourself useful, will you. Oh, COME ON. You need to walk the other way to get to the mining area! At least tell me WHY you can't go down there; Again, silence isn't helping anyone...
Perhaps direct command isn't my forte. At least I can direct from the background so all our dwarves' bellies are more or less satisfied. Now, how much time do we have before those stores become a real worry.
Erm... I believe that that means NOW.
Speaking of now, a few of the performers traveling through are interested in permanent residency. Hmmm... Well, I suppose all of us were travellers with no permanent home at one point. They can at least get a chance to contribute to the success of this mess of a venture.
Sadly, there are those who... abuse the hospitality of a prosperous and secure city like ours. I have no idea why whoever granted this layabout citizenship did so. To be honest, I wonder about how he survived before The Strip; How many fortresses are in desperate need of excellent lye only when the maker of said product sleep more than they work?
A shiver. That's never a nice sight for a fortress overseer. At least our miners have done a good job of breaching the caverns and Mukca is confined to their boundaries. Perhaps, sensing its inability to reach the populated tunnels, it will vanish to come back when we are better prepared for it.
Now THAT is something a bit more urgent. Wouldn't do much for migrant attraction if a distinguished citizen was mangled in the halls of his own home, would it? But The Strip prevails; Even the wrestlers among our military's ranks are well-equipped for the crocodilian menace.
Interruptions: They will eat up your time like the mundane bits of fortress life never do... I hear grumbling about the food situation, but the time means it's something I can deal with after another good night's sleep. And after the mining fiasco, perhaps it's best if I retreat to take care of more mundane, personal problems. Who would be... Mmm, of course. rupdeus has always been interested in how the big dwarves live and work. He might make the perfect replacement.