Topic: The Story of Atölasob (A Community Fort with an Export Challenge) (Read 62948 times)

TheImmortalRyukan · « **Reply #150 on:** July 24, 2016, 09:52:36 pm »

If you have a moment, could you give us a history lesson via Legends Viewer?

Or, even better, pm the save file so I can look me self?

... And I just realized, Dr. Urist has a strange obsession. You might want to keep an eye on him...

Gwolfski · « **Reply #151 on:** July 25, 2016, 03:29:44 am »

Quote from: TheImmortalRyukan on July 24, 2016, 09:52:36 pm

If you have a moment, could you give us a history lesson via Legends Viewer?

Or, even better, pm the save file so I can look me self?

... And I just realized, Dr. Urist has a strange obsession. You might want to keep an eye on him...

Her.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #152 on:** July 30, 2016, 10:38:09 am »

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

3 Limestone 79

Summer was very quiet. No kobolds, no keas, nothing to interrupt the flow of work. But today…

“Protect the quota” would be more accurate.

Can kobolds swim? Well, she ran away, so that's something to find out later.

10 Limestone 79

Another litter of puppies have matured. Erib slaughtered half of them, while NCommander trained the third. Those two seem to have finally arrived at an uneasy truce. Or maybe they’ve simply agreed to some sort of competition. I don’t care to know the details, as long as they don’t bother anyone else.

16 Limestone 79

And they’re back, to pillage our year’s work. I’ve ordered the official quota moved. But some things, the best quality in every case, will be kept back, for our own use and enjoyment.

At least, during the last half-month, we were able to spend more time focusing on the aquifer. Only three bots of walls left, and then I can resume digging and channeling.
______________________________________________________________________________

20 Limestone 79

“Greetings, Logem Echoworked.” Lotu responded.

So Bomrek’s still in control. Lovely.

“And this year’s requests will be based on 48 dwarves, as Swordgangs has welcomed a new baby.”

Lotu nodded. Better and better.

“But let us begin with your needs.”

Lotu pulled out the list. “We need weapons-grade metal, leather, cloth and thread, and turkeys.”

Echoworked looked taken aback. “You ordered turkeys last year.”

“Can’t have too many turkeys. We want more.” We need more, even if we only use them for ourselves. We have to be independent.

Echoworked hesitated, but with a shrug, made a note of the request. “And here is Bomrek’s list.”

Lotu barely bit back a cry of dismay. Anvils?!? And metal bars! The guy clearly has it in for us!

Before he could marshal his wits enough to say anything, however, Echoworked handed over another piece of parchment. “A letter from the King.”

His stomach tying itself into knots, Lotu took it with a shaking hand.

With a commiserating nod, Echoworked took his leave. Lotu automatically raised a hand in farewell, his attention focused on the letter in his hand.

This is an exceptionally-crafted sheet of horse parchment. It is decorated with spikes of fungiwood and pig tail cloth. It is embossed with a masterfully-crafted image of a dwarf and dwarves in wax. The dwarves are raising the dwarf. The image relates to the ascension of Dodok Charmedmirrors to the position of King of the Figure of Diving in the year 1. This image is the personal seal of the king.

Lotu broke the seal and unfolded the single sheet.

Attention: Lotu Sizzlediron

I am pleased with Finderboards’s success in completing the shipment to Swordgangs in 78, especially given your previous failures. Make sure that this success continues.

Signed: His Majesty by the Grace of Armok, King Dodok Charmedmirrors, Cheesemaker

“I would love to make sure that it does, but someone needs to convince Bomrek to be reasonable.” Lotu muttered at the letter. Anvils? Dream on.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

15 Sandstone 79

In exchange for Bomrek’s goods, and keeping in mind his ridiculous requests, I’ve bought all thirty-one of the metal bars the caravan brought, and all seven anvils. I’m going to need to get creative for the rest.

I also bought all 8 turkeys, and promptly ordered two of the gobblers slaughtered. Full speed ahead on leather production!

I managed to get all of the thread and yarn, and about 500 pieces of leather, before the import restriction started to bite. Anvils are expensive, and so is the steel that we now won’t get to use. Imic is not going to be happy.

Before trading: After trading:

______________________________________________________________________________

17 Sandstone 79

The dwarves gathered in the common room for the Quota Meeting. Once everyone had assembled, Lotu passed out the job lists he and Lorbam had compiled.

“Alright, most of this is going to be easy, we’ve figured out how to get them done. The two trouble spots are anvils and metal bars. Our metal hoard comprises 31 bars, and I bought another 31 from the traders, but that leaves 34.”

“We can’t send away our metal! We need good armor!” Imic burst out. “I say we ignore that part. We’ve done it before!”

Sodel argued back. “We can’t ignore it if we have a hope of filling it! King Dodok’s happy with us now, let’s keep it that way!”

Other voices rose, some supporting Imic, some supporting Sodel. As the argument grew more heated, NCommander let loose with a piercing whistle.

“Dwarves! The solution is simple. Buy as much metal stuff from the humans as we can, and I’ll melt it down into bars. We keep our steel, and Bomrek gets low-grade stuff. Win-win.”

“Will three months give you enough time, though?”

NCommander shrugged. “It’s worth a try, and won’t preclude Imic’s or Sodel’s solutions if we need them.”

“OK. What about anvils?”

NCommander had a solution to that too. “Mini-forges.”

Registering the puzzlement on several faces, she elaborated. “Mini-forges are toy anvils. We make those, we fill both the anvil requirement and part of the toy requirement. Bomrek didn’t specify that he wanted useable anvils, after all.”

No one dissented, so Lotu quickly reassigned a few jobs. “Mestthos, you’re back to papermaking. Mebzuth can handle the elvish trade goods on his own. And Mebzuth, once you’ve done that, you can help with the crafts and toys. Now, tools. I think it would be best if Lyra & Uvash make bookcases. That’ll be one less burden on the crafters. Though we do need a handful of nest boxes, but we can knock those out of the way pretty quickly. As for Cooking…”

Edzul broke in. “I’ll take that. Spriggans can handle making charcoal for one glassworks, and there doesn’t seem to be much call for potash this next year.”

“All right. Anything else…? Then meeting adjourned.”
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

19 Sandstone 79

I watched until the last pack animal was out of sight. All those months of hard work, gone. And Bomrek is certainly not the type to appreciate it.

Dr. Urist also sent along a letter addressed to the Swordgangs scholar, to explain the glass goblets. I can only hope that scholar can persuade Bomrek. Well, what’s done is done. And it isn’t as if we had any hope of making anything out of rock.

21 Sandstone 79

Edzul built the kitchen.

He seems to be happy about doing something new. I’m pretty sure I heard him whistling as he walked past a few minutes ago.

He’s certainly taking his new job seriously.

We won’t need the prepared meals for a while, so I’m going to tell him to focus on rendering fat first. The tallow will come in handy later.

01 Timber 79

The keas have returned. I’m starting to think that the appearance of a kobold at the beginning of the season is an indication of what will come later. Or I may just be superstitious.

In any case, I ordered the Pillars of Ink to stop training and chase the evil birds away.

9 Timber 79

The nest boxes are complete and have been built. One of the turkeys, the duck and the giant sparrow have each claimed one and have laid eggs. Those eggs will be useful when Edzul starts making meals. I've ordered a cage built to house the poults once they hatch.

28 Timber 79

With the archers above, and the axedwarves chopping down more trees outside, the rest of us passed a fairly quiet month.

I look forward to the day when I no longer have to keep track of this.

Quote from: TheImmortalRyukan on July 24, 2016, 09:52:36 pm

If you have a moment, could you give us a history lesson via Legends Viewer?

I've uploaded the seasonal save I used for the fall legends check here: Atolasob Fall 79.

Current character list:

Spoiler: Starting Seven: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: First Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Second Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Third Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Births: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #153 on:** July 30, 2016, 09:23:30 pm »

Kobolds can probably at least climb through the corner. I'm surprised you haven't walled/floored/grated off that pool entrance yet; at the very least it serves as point of attack for the keas (and werebeasts with your pop. Without good armor...).

NCommander VS Erib:
"I can produce ~~babies~~ puppies faster than you can kill them!"
"I'll kill all the puppies!"

Hm...It seems the goblin takeovers stopped, though. Did they strike a peace?

And heh, that export agreement. Bomrek clearly specified metal bars after getting a load of ash last time he asked for bars. Kinda

Bomrek: "Ha ha, very cute. Now bring me some real bars, and not this useless burned wood."

I expect the same sentiment about anvils >

(can't request real anvils, after all, but I think I've seen requests for toy anvils before)

About your impending poultsplosion in a season, note that cages only accept 1 poult at time for caging - you can query all of the chicks up, but next one won't be put in until last one is put in, in the same way you can mass-mark all of them for butchering but only 1 can be killed in butcher's workshop at time due it taking a job.

This can, naturally, take a while. I suggest when the time approaches you pre-mitigate the FPS penalty.

Paaaad · « **Reply #154 on:** July 30, 2016, 11:28:14 pm »

If you find yourself low on the metal bars, don't forget that picks and battle axes melt down for 120% of the material used to make them- unless their adamantine. Just had one of those loops going- incidentally, I was just trying to get masterworks for adventure mode- with four people (at a volcano), and that was going pretty quick.

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #155 on:** July 31, 2016, 12:35:40 am »

As far as the melting wellspring goes, if you're using weaponsmithing, you'll likely want to use trap components instead (giant axe blades, enormous corkscrews and menacing spikes for 150%). Armorsmithing, either gauntlets/high boots (2x so twice exp and 120%) or leggings (150%).

That said, my own experience when playing with that, using dabbling dwarves (for moods

) doesn't suggest it to be quick enough to produce 150 without tooling the fort for that/building up infrastructure first. Lets see, stocks on that fort says...22 steel bars, with 2 smelters, starting from 1 bar (lot of cancellations till I started using automelt)...Not sure over how much time, but at least a season I think?

I think it is faster to smelt ore than gear, though I have not rigorously measured it; smelting some galena for decorative screwpumps didn't take that long, I believe.

It'd help, but it'd still fall short I think.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #156 on:** July 31, 2016, 09:30:20 am »

Late Autumn, Swordgangs

“Glass! I wanted rock! Preferably microcline.” Bomrek stormed into the library, his ever-present shadow Meng scurrying at his heels.

The scholar, Id, was hunched over a table, examining a lump of blue rock carefully with a magnifying glass.

“Humph-huh?” He snorted at the disturbance.

“Write a letter to this ‘Dr. Urist’ explaining why her argument is wrong!”

Id shook his head. “Can’t do that. I’ve already written letters to both Finderboards and the Council of Scholars at Theaterknowledge, supporting her.”

“What!”

Id shrugged. “Her reasoning makes perfect sense. Obsidian is volcanic glass. Well, magma is an underground volcano, so any glass made with it is also volcanic glass, and therefore a rock. And, since there is no perceivable difference between glass made with magma and glass made with coke…” He trailed off with a shrug and turned back to the rock. Microcline. Again. Where is the adamantine?

“Arrrgggh! Armok save me from dithering idiots!” Bomrek stomped out. I bloody well hope my latest demands really will be unfulfillable. Otherwise, I’m in trouble.

Early Winter, Theaterknowledge

Dastot waited in the dim room. Trying to project an outer impression of calm confidence, even though inwardly, he was shaking in his boots. The figure entered silently, cloaked and hooded as always.

“You swore they wouldn’t be able fulfill that quota!”

Dastot swallowed hard. “They shouldn’t have been able to. They have no rock. It only passed the King’s approval because of a technicality their scholar posited.”

A wave of an arm and Dastot shut up, sweat beading on his bald head.

“That’s two quotas in a row that Finderboards has fulfilled. Two! And the Advisors are reluctant to upset the wagon when the King is actually listening to them on occasion.” The figure grumbled in irritation.

A few moments passed in a silence Dastot dared not break.

“What did Bomrek ask for this time?”

“Anvils and metal bars.” Wisely, Dastot chose not to mention any difficulty Finderboards might have to work around either of those.

“How many anvils?”

“48.”

The other scoffed, but a little less strongly, Dastot thought.

“Well. That’s better than nothing.” Without decent defenses, they’ll be easy prey when the time comes.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

2 Moonstone 79

Rain, rain and more rain. It never stops, and it only gets worse in the winter. I don’t think I’ll ever completely get used to it drumming on the wooden ceiling. Some days, it’s soothing. Other days, like today, it’s annoying.

5 Moonstone 79

I feel like I could carve rings and toys in my sleep, I’ve made so many.

15 Moonstone 79

Yes! The last of the walls has been built. Now, as soon as Airith turns those pumps around, the real digging can begin.

20 Moonstone 79

Life continues. The turkeys lay eggs, the puppies grow up, the war dogs have more puppies. I’ve told NCommander to lay off training for a while, as we have more than enough war dogs. Erib can slaughter the untrained dogs.

I’m pretty sure NCommander is now sulking. At any rate, she’s disappeared somewhere and no one seems to know where. I’m amazed given how small our home is.

Well, she’ll show up eventually.
______________________________________________________________________________

10 Opal 79

A muscled arm twined around Lotu’s neck, startling him from his carving. Looking up, he met Airith’s silver-eyed gaze. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Hi, dear.” He replied. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I have something to show you.” She led him down to the bottom of the Hole, then spread her arms wide. “Take a look.”

Puzzled, Lotu did as he was told. Within moments, comprehension dawned. “You finished flipping the pumps!”

“Yep! The world, or in this case, aquifer, is yours to do with as you please.”

Lotu grabbed his wife around the waist, and danced her along the hall, laughing. “Soon!” He kept repeating. “Soon!”
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

11 Opal 79

Since the crafting seems to be moving along quickly, I’ve officially removed myself from the workshop roster. My full attention, at least for the rest of winter, will be focused on digging. We have to get through that aquifer. I’ve already struck limonite, but we can’t get to it until the top level has been dealt with.

18 Obsidian 79
Water, water, everywhere. Pushing, shoving, roiling. I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to be really dry, and I’ve started to learn swimming, out of necessity. But, I’ve finally finished the drainage channels.

That will make the rest a little easier.

28 Obsidian 79

Production is already more than half complete, and it’s time to have Edzul start making meals. I’m going to have him make roasts, since they give the most meals in a stack.

I’m debating whether to have the anvils melted down. That will give us some extra metal, and seven extra mini-forges won’t be too difficult to make. I think I’ve already made the decision. Time for NCommander to wear yet another hat.

OOC: Winter was extremely quiet, with just wood hauling and crafting jobs. So I actually got more done on the aquifer than I thought I would. With the crafters now at high level, I think I can spare Lotu for permanent aquifer duty for the foreseeable future. The main slow-down at this point is hauling the logs back to the stockpiles near the workshops. A third of the adults (including the military) are on permanent log-hauling duty (with Imic's squad chopping, as they're the only ones with axes).

Current character list:

Spoiler: Starting Seven: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: First Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Second Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Third Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Births: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #157 on:** July 31, 2016, 11:18:12 am »

That opening....Am I to expect some adventure mode shenanigans? Hm.

Also explains why Bomrek would ask for useless stuff from regular player perspective, like toys....Wait, no it doesn't, those are easy to produce (how much does the greater skill speed it along?).

You mentioned a child born in Swordgangs last update, who were the parents?

Well now, those channels in aquifers look like the water emerging from the walls would easily wash a dwarf into head-deep water. The swimming skill gain is unsurprising.

Limonite....Maybe you'll have a chance, maybe you won't. Good a reason to not melt down the anvils, incidentally. Given how much of the quota you've met before the year even passed, future looks cloudy.

Third of the adults hauling logs...Not using minecarts for that, I take it? (Have we had this convo before...feels familiar)

I've personally recently tried using cart + then wheelbarrow to move it (as opposed to digging down into stone to engrave or pushing towards the destination (potentially onto valid ramp for speed boost) then guiding the rest of the way). Safe and faster in dwarf time, perhaps, but bit tedious micromanagement-wise.

I guess even just guiding could still give a boost while being automated? Eh...*shrugs*

...*checks weights* It seems like a single log is 46% heavier than the cart of same wood. Weird, I expected carts to be heavier given the accidents I have.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #158 on:** July 31, 2016, 12:22:01 pm »

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 31, 2016, 11:18:12 am

Also explains why Bomrek would ask for useless stuff from regular player perspective, like toys....Wait, no it doesn't, those are easy to produce (how much does the greater skill speed it along?).

The crafters are averaging almost 25 jobs a month, the carpenters are similar.

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 31, 2016, 11:18:12 am

You mentioned a child born in Swordgangs last update, who were the parents?

I have no idea, it isn't listed in the historical figures. I noticed because the Sword gangs population went from 47 to 48 (I check on it every fall for quota calculations), so I'm assuming it's due to a birth.

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 31, 2016, 11:18:12 am

Well now, those channels in aquifers look like the water emerging from the walls would easily wash a dwarf into head-deep water. The swimming skill gain is unsurprising.

Normally, by the time the aquifer is fully breached, the miners will be at least Adept swimmers, though I've had one reach Great in a previous fort, somehow.

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 31, 2016, 11:18:12 am

Limonite....Maybe you'll have a chance, maybe you won't. Good a reason to not melt down the anvils, incidentally. Given how much of the quota you've met before the year even passed, future looks cloudy.

I doubt I'll get to the limonite before summer, absolute minimum (given I only have one miner working on it right now, and would need to smelt a second pick for a second miner, assuming I could spare somebody else). Melting down the extra anvils would give me...wait, they only give ~1 bar back each. Crud. Forget that idea (good thing I haven't started on spring yet).

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 31, 2016, 11:18:12 am

Third of the adults hauling logs...Not using minecarts for that, I take it? (Have we had this convo before...feels familiar)

Yes, you've mentioned it, and no, I'm not. Partly because building the tracks would provide a new access into the "safe zone", and partly because the wood collection area shifts often and it's too micro-manage-y at the moment to get minecarts into the mix. It's actually easier (from the micro perspective) to have the dwarves hauling the logs in individually. I've got some wheelbarrows in the pipeline (since Bomrek wants tools), which should help with the hauling bottleneck.

-Dame de la Licorne

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #159 on:** July 31, 2016, 12:44:17 pm »

25 jobs versus...5 with unskilled dwarves on pearlash. That's pretty much squared quality modifier, neat. Unless it takes less time per job intrinsically?

Shame about the pop check. Hm, I wonder if you check out the sites with nonhistorial figures with just embark, do you get different names every time?

Nevertheless, wouldn't answer your question. You might get Bomrek's preferences like that though, maybe? (Only time I've ever embarked on worldgen fort it had no dwarves, and as Cacame can tell you elves got no prefs.)

And that's pretty substantial swimming gain. Breach team probably makes fine candidates for military with weapon skill and stats already present (might also dot the map with pools for them to fight near to drown enemies in).
Surprised you only have 1 miner, especially after that huge digging designation. Don't think I've ever embarked with less than 2 picks, barring smelting them on site (single pick challenge might be fun way to waste a hour or few someday.)
Albeit you need all the bars, with four sides it seems like having additional miner might be slightly useful (low skill, though).

The rest: Fort vs real time, both. Don't wheelbarrows only haul one log at time? (haven't tested)

Spriggans · « **Reply #160 on:** August 01, 2016, 01:16:55 pm »

Have the dwarves' scientists detected what stones and minerals you will find once you have reached the rock ?
Limonite is a good start

I'm curious to know who the mysterious figure at theaterknowledge is. He seems to be pulling the strings.
Could he somehow be Tayldis ? I would like that

Gwolfski · « **Reply #161 on:** August 01, 2016, 04:31:54 pm »

Journal of Dr. Urist!

Ha! It worked!

We need metal bars. Seriuosly? HAVE IT THEN! Science shall murder the unknowing! Or something.

Anyway, When I lived back in the mountain halls, there was an old library. There was a legend there. It goes sorta like follows: When Armok created the world, he was bored. So he played with physics or something. This is why aquifers contains limitless waters. And why you can take sand from the same place forever. And no matter how much water you start with, when it freezes and is thawed, you always get seven bots. Well, it also works with metals. But, one time, a dwarf was greedy. He melted metal to get more metal. So Armok made it so you got less. But the holy pick, the neccessary greaves and powerfull large axe blade still has that property.

I think I'll mention it nxt dinner.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #162 on:** August 06, 2016, 09:32:05 am »

1 Granite 80

“Lotu.” NCommander called into the Hole. “You down there?”

An undecipherable reply rose from the depths. A few moments later Lotu scrambled up the ramp. Puddles quickly formed beneath his feet as water ran in rivulets.

“What happened? You nearly drown?”

“Haha, very funny. See? I’m rolling on the floor laughing.” He replied dryly. “What do you need, and can it wait? I’m almost through this bot.”

NCommander shook her head. “Melting the anvils won’t help us any. They only give us one bar back, instead of the three used to make them.”

Lotu was taken aback. “But, they’re solid metal. It should be a simple case of refashioning it –“

NCommander kept shaking her head. “This is the price Armok dictates for His Gift. Anvils are the worst things we can possibly melt down.”

Lotu flipped his pick, and folded his hands on the upturned handle. “Well, what else can we do?”

“Either make or buy the items that will give us the most efficient return.”

“Make a list. And figure out who can be spared from their duties for either smithing or melting. One dwarf can’t do both jobs.”
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

5 Granite 80

NCommander has brought me that list, after spending several days conferring with Dr. Urist. Apparently giant axes blades, corkscrews, spikes, and leggings all give a bar and a half each, while only taking one bar to make. More of the magic of Armok.

NCommander really wants the metalsmithing job. I’ll have to find someone else to do the melting.

9 Granite 80

I’ve given Edzul permission to start making roasts. Having spent the winter rendering fat, he should be able to make a few decent meals.

17 Granite 80

The elves arrived today and, as I was sorting through our non-quota goods, I realized we have a small number of imported cages. The ones the animals came in. Even though they only give one bar per cage, every little bit will help.

And wood is plentiful enough, we can easily make more cages.

Since we have all the paper we need, at the moment, I’ve told Mestthos to get over to the smelter and start melting things down. She’s the only one with any smelter experience, after the pearlash debacle.

I ordered Mebzuth’s glass trade goods, mostly expensive corkscrews, moved.

19 Granite 80

The elves brought lots of more wooden stuff. I cleaned them out of the fruit, as that makes some okay alcohol, and some of the seeds can be cooked. I would love to see Bomrek’s face when he realizes that all of the roasts Edzul is making to send consist of a mixture of tallow and cooked seeds.

That thought makes me smile.

I also bought a number of animals. We now have, among others, a breeding pair of hippos, which will provide much meat, a breeding pair of kakapos, which add to our steady supply of eggs for cooking, and a leopard that will be trained.

I didn’t see any caged keas, but I’m sure I heard one cry. Traitorous elves.

Before trading: After trading:

2 Slate 80

I’ve dug as far as I can with just the pump towers. So, as soon as I finish off the last bot of temporary wall, the Pale Roads are going to start operating the ninth pump. The axedwarves can use the change in their training regimen.

Breaching the aquifer progresses.

And my swimming is improving proportionately.

17 Slate 80

NCommander hasn’t done any smithing yet, churning out wooden crafts and toys instead. It’s all anyone else can do to haul enough wood to keep her supplied. The wheelbarrows that Olin and Uvash made help a little, but I’ve asked Airith to try and design a mine cart system. The trick will be to install it without providing a new access into the palisade. And building the rails will take dwarves away from other tasks.

Always another project.
______________________________________________________________________________

2 Felsite 80

Lotu entered the common area and stopped, surprised at seeing the other dwarves massed together.

“What’s going on?” He asked warily.

“We want a break.” Sodel said.

“Yeah! We’ve been working way too hard!”

“No time with our families!”

“No time to pray!”

“Barely any time to sleep and eat!”

The complaints came thick and furious.

I was afraid this was coming. Lotu took a breath.

“I hear you. Lorbam, where are we on quota?”

“Just the metal stuff, figurines, toys, and meals left.”

Lotu nodded. “OK.” He licked his lips as he thought for a minute. “Okay, how about we split into three shifts. Each shift will get a month of free time, while the others take up the slack. We'll start with Hematite, and if that works well through the end of the summer, we can try doing it permanently.”

“And who decides which dwarves get what shift?” Sodel questioned suspiciously.

“You all will. Any families should naturally get the same downtime shift, and there are 25 adults. The military already have downtime scheduled, so that leaves 19. So three families can have time off each shift.”

The dwarves grumbled in agreement.

“Lorbam, put together a chart. Each family will pick a shift, on a first-come, first-served basis. Call it…Vacation Time.”

Lorbam scurried to his chair and pulled a blank sheet from the pile under it.

Lotu looked at the others. “Anything else?”

Heads shook. “Then let’s get back to work. The more we finish this month, the more we can enjoy our downtime later.”

7 Felsite 80

Lotu stopped to study the finalized Vacation Time sheet pinned to Dr. Urist’s bookshelf.

On break – 1st month: On break – 2nd month: On break - 3rd month:
Catten Sodel NCommander
Zutthan Erib Ral
Lyra Lotu Uvash
Lorbam Airith Mestthos
Mebzuth Olon Edzul
Minkot Logem Spriggans

All of the dwarves were eager to spend time with their spouses and get away from the constant work-work-work. But, in the end, figuring out who took what shift hadn’t been terribly difficult. Those with military spouses had signed up first. After that, there had been a bit of bartering, but amazingly, given the dwarven temperament, no fights nor threats of any kind.

And I’ll get to know that Sodel a bit better. Maybe I’ll figure out what his problem is.

Dr. Urist’s name was the only one missing, and Lotu looked over his shoulder. She was madly scribbling notes at her desk, occasionally sorting through older notes.

How she can find anything in that mess…

Lotu shook his head and decided against saying anything. Dr. Urist only worked when she felt like it anyway, having her sign up for a break month wouldn’t change anything.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

26 Felsite 80

Spring is almost over, but I am pleased with my progress. An extra pick would be handy, but there are already too many jobs and not enough hands. In any case, a new miner would need to be trained, and would never be able to dig at my speed. Constantly fishing one out of the water would probably end up slowing me down rather than speeding things up.

Maybe by autumn I’ll be done with this level? Well, probably not if I’m going to be taking an entire month off. Not that I’m going to complain about spending some quality time with my darling Airith. It’s long over-due.

28 Felsite 80

The quota is almost done, and tomorrow we’ll be down by a third as people start taking their vacation time.

Quote from: Spriggans on August 01, 2016, 01:16:55 pm

I'm curious to know who the mysterious figure at theaterknowledge is. He seems to be pulling the strings.
Could he somehow be Tayldis?

No, it isn't Tayldis.

Current character list (I've changed it to a more appropriate grouping):

Spoiler: On 1st month break: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: On 2nd month break: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: On 3rd month break: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Pale Roads (Axedwarves) (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Pillars of Ink (Marskwarves) (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Scholars (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Children: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #163 on:** August 06, 2016, 10:00:19 am »

Yay on the aquifer!

Yikes on the "pearlash debacle." Wait, does that actually give any furnace operating experience? I thought it'd be ash burner or pottery?

Tallow and cooked seeds...Hey, you're sending Bomrek popcorn! Awesome XD The thought indeed makes one smile.

Good luck with the hippos. They take a while to mature, I guess, so are you going to just butcher the young?

I take it dwarves got distracted again? Bit of a saint, but given that I don't even remember Airith....Well, ow.
Well, it could be worse. It could be because of early dementia.

That aquier screenshot is complicated and not at all how I imagined it. I see you're adding more central and corner drainage - and giong to move some screw pumps bit closer to the center, I guess, but I expected you to simply just dig away all the soil from above.

Projects, projects...Hm. Can you take a screenshot of the whole map? Your ceiling is grand, but I'm wondering as well about how the cutting and such progresses.

How many dwarves do you have working on metal bars?

75*0,1<21...Ow.

Imic · « **Reply #164 on:** August 12, 2016, 12:00:31 pm »

Is this dead?

News:

Poll

Ignore this, since I can't seem to re-open it.

Author Topic: The Story of Atölasob (A Community Fort with an Export Challenge) (Read 62948 times)

TheImmortalRyukan

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Dame de la Licorne

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Paaaad

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Dame de la Licorne

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Fleeting Frames

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Dame de la Licorne

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Fleeting Frames

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Spriggans

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Gwolfski

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Dame de la Licorne

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Fleeting Frames

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Imic

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