That is the highest point. Looks like the map only goes down to level 20, I don't know how much that matters though. Haven't had a fort make it that far down yet.
Anyway, here's the update. I actually took a few screenshots this time! Hooray.
The Journal of Zefon "Blahsadfeguie" Simplepainted, Woodcutter
5th Hematite, 500
Construction has begun on the metalworking wing, as well as some beds. It's not that I can't take another three months of toughening up on the cold, hard rock; the other dwarves' complaints started getting to me. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
17th Hematite, 500
As much as I like seeing gold everywhere I look, I've designated a stockpile in the new wing for the nuggets. Maybe it'll fill up in time for Nish to finally finish building that smelter. Can't you hear them calling, Nish? Those poor gold nuggets want to be free of their natural form, they want to become pure!
Meanwhile, I've planned out the sleeping quarters one floor below the dining hall. Relaying the exact specifications for every room to our miners is tedious work. Thankfully it's only seven rooms... well, eight, actually. You never know, we might end up seeing some more dwarves at some point... of the smaller persuasion
(Did I just draw out a sideways winky face? I gotta lay off the rum just a tad. Dear Armok I hope Rovod doesn't find this journal...)
24th Hematite, 500
Looks like some of the bedrooms have... What is this blue rock? Cobaltite? Well, I guess it beats staring at the same boring gray gabbro every night. Maybe the calming blue is just what Udil needs. He's been getting better, but I think his nightmares are recurring, because I sometimes hear him babble in his sleep...
26th Hematite, 500
Erush is so eager to use these bedrooms that he fell asleep on the floor right after finishing the last one. Silly Erush, I know it's called a bedroom, but the room is not the bed!
Also, that's my room. Get out.
2nd Malachite, 500
The rooms have been assigned. We are now officially free from the cold embrace of the rubble. I'm laying on my own bed now, the one that I own (it's great) and it feels like Armok Himself has lifted me into the sky and placed me gently on a cloud. Did I mention I like this bed?
3rd Malachite, 500
With everyone well-rested for the first time in months, the refining has kicked off in full force. I woke up to find Morul already cutting some gems without being asked. That's the sort of passion I expect from Deathgame!
Erush, on the other hand, was still dozing off. I practically dragged him to the wood furnace and set him to work producing charcoal. We'll need an entire forest's worth if we want to get anywhere in this industry.
6th Malachite, 500
They're finished! Our first gold bars!
I had to restrain myself from touching them while they were cooling, but as soon as they were reasonably lukewarm, I ran my fingers all along the smooth surface, tapping and sniffing to make sure they were real. And by Datan, they were! Solid gold! I glanced back at our gold nugget stockpile and pictured stacks upon stacks of gold bars, gold coins, gold thrones and tables and doors, gold-paved floors, ornately engraved golden walls, a gilded battle-axe chopping down golden-leaf trees, hacking apart bright yellow goblins and spilling their liquid gold blood...
It was Rovod who slapped me out of my trance and informed me that I was drooling, fondling the bars like fluffy pillows. No, I don't have a problem at all! If I had a problem, the other dwarves wouldn't have been laughing at me... right?
11th Malachite, 500
As I sat before our rapidly-growing stacks of golden bars, admiring them for the umpteenth time, I was approached by Udil of all dwarves.
"Sir?" he hesitantly asked. "We have migrants."
"Yeah, yeah," I dismissed, "when DON'T we have headaches? It's kind of a side-effect of being inebriated. Just have some more beer and you'll be fine."
I could hear a soft sigh of relief; I think he was expecting me to snap at him for interrupting my me time. Or maybe it was disdain. Probably both. "Zefon..." he droned. "Not migraines, migrants. As in, dwarves." My blank, bewildered stare prompted him to continue. "New dwarves, coming to live here."
I knew what he was trying to say. It was the suddenness of it all that got to me. "New dwarves..." I repeated. I hadn't expected to take in any migrants until word of our success had spread.
I wasn't about to look the gift horse in the mouth, however. More dwarves means faster production, after all. "Well, what are you waiting for?" I snapped. "Bring them to the dining hall!"
With a grimace, he nodded and lead me into the dining hall, where four dwarves I didn't recognize were already waiting.
"Four of them?" I questioned, squinting. "Just four?"
The new dwarves exchanged glances, as though embarrassed.
I shook my head. How much faith did King Goldenbreach have in our operation? It was almost insulting to have such a long trip planned, only to bring us four dwarves... Regardless, I asked for their names and professions to see what little help we were getting.
Migrants, Summer 500: 4 dwarves, 3 animals
(M) Asen Helmedkindling, Metalsmith
(F) Asmel Workedchanced, Gelder
(M) Asob Guildsport, Architect
(F) Zan Bellslabors, Papermaker
Donkey foal, Horse foal, Piglet
At first I was excited to find out Asen was a metalsmith, but disappointed to learn his skills are still that of a novice. That will soon change if I have anything to say about it.
Asmel is a gelder, and not much else. She's not even very good at it, either. When asked if she could do literally anything else, she tentatively informed me that she had a vague interest in performance arts... Unfortunately, I can't convert her into blatant military fodder, not if I want to stay on good terms with her husband Asen.
Asob and Zan are both masters of their (situational) trades. They both have a little combat experience, however, with Asob being a swordsdwarf and Zan an axedwarf. They are husband and wife.
Well, on the bright side, we're not any
worse off than before...
14th Malachite, 500
The new migrants are settling in rather well. While we dig out and furnish their bedrooms, I've given them each more useful jobs.
- Asmel is now a full-time wood burner.
- Asob is helping with masonry. It seems right up his alley. But first, I'll have him carve out a few more bolts for Rovod.
- Zan is to join Fath on farming duties.
- Asen stays right where he is.
16th Malachite, 500
One of the newcomers informed me that "a giant kea has stolen a tower-cap training axe!"
My response was "we had one of those?"
25th Malachite, 500
We were running low on booze, so I finally designated a proper kitchen area, with a still and everything. Fresh, sweet alcohol will flow through our veins very soon!
I have also begun plans to accomodate our animals, finally. We'll carve blocks and nest boxes to build an enclosed space for egg production. Actually, I don't have to put the chickens above ground, do I...?
I've also just realized that I don't have a trade depot yet. What good is having all this gold if I have nowhere to sell it?
5th Galena, 500
Asob approached me today; he was worried that we were unprotected from the dangers of the outside world. He suggested that we build a drawbridge and insisted that he was to design it. I shrugged and said "okay," and he ran off giggling like a madman.
I suppose everyone has the right to take their own jobs seriously, however trivial may they be. No, I don't mean defense; I mean architecture. What is there to design about a drawbridge? It's just a big plate of stone that separates us from nasty gold thieves. But whatever. The less things I have to worry about, the better.
10th Galena, 500
Rovod, having finally caught up with hauling, grabbed a stack of bolts and went out to hunt again. But alas, she once again returned empty-handed. There's not much to hunt around here anymore, it seems. The wild animals must be repelled by our growing civilization. Even though we don't spend much time on the surface at all... animals are weirdly clairvoyant like that.
Frustrated at a lack of decent game, she spent the night with me. Long story short, I like to think I cheered her up.
(Armok damn it, she has me doing it again.)
15th Galena, 500
While Asob puts the finishing touches on the drawbridge, I have laid out the plans for an above-ground pasture for our grazing animals. It won't be very large, as I don't expect to house a lot of them, but it will be functional and safe.
The lever that controls the drawbridge will be situated deep down, near the dining hall where we'll likely have a lot of dwarves who can reach it quickly in case of an emergency. Don't ask me how it can raise a drawbridge on the surface from 50 feet underground. It's probably a wizard or something.
24th Galena, 500
Wall construction for the pasture is slow going. Apparently there are too many hauling jobs that need to be taken care of. Guess it doesn't help that I decided to take out my aggression on some trees the other day. What I wouldn't give for more migrants... I don't care if they're all diagnosers and traders; if they have arms, they're useful in my book.
1st Limestone, 500
The wall is mostly complete, now to wait for someone to move those damn plants out of the way... and for the masons to make just a couple more blocks...
While waiting for things to get done, I decided to count the gold bars, by hand, since we haven't gotten around to bookkeeping yet. I don't mind it at all, as you can... probably tell. 69 gold bars is nothing to sneeze at. Or chuckle at. It's just a number for Armok's sake.
My, how time flies. It's already autumn! This season, I'll have to start considering what to make with these bars. My beard is tingling just thinking about it! ...that's normal, right?