Zast is distracted after seeing a peasant cheapen a craftsman
>Today migrants came. Sameluk didn't gave importance to their professions. I don't really trust him. There a metalcrafter between the migrants. The only one of us who knows how to handdle processed metal, and sameluk said his skills are irrelevant. He must think much less of me. Metal bars are useless without someone to work it.
Her expression + your post is hilarious.
And yes Carefulrogue, the year is 250! Though now it's 251, if you can believe it. . .
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Diary of Salmeuk, Day 95It's scorching outside, now that Summer is here. Too hot for this beard of mine. Funny story, but I only started growing it after my true love was stolen from me by a rival architect. I fell into a deep depression and stopped shaving, or bathing, or doing much of anything really. Seven years later and this is the first time I've thought to shave it off, but I can't until we find some iron. No one seems willing to explore the caverns alone. I suggested we chuck a few of the kittens (which have grown into some very fuzzy cats, actually) into the darkness, but Arcvasti got a bit defensive. He still hasn't told us why he brought so many cats.
Anyways, considering that a few of our migrants arrived with considerable skill in weaponry I decided to carve out a space for them to train. Carefulrogue wanted in, and so now we have the three of them training just below the entrance.
-Carefulrogue and Greatjon Umber sparring-
Day 101One of the cats has taken to our new farmer:
Day 115It's getting a bit dull around here. There's not much excitement beyond getting spectacularly drunk, and even then we have no space to dance so I end up just getting into meaningless arguments. For a while I would go topside and survey the dunes for spies, but it's too hot now. Also, last time I went up there I saw some disfigured beasts hanging out by the bridge:
These "camels," as Glittergold named them (he went on and on about the southern fortresses using them to pull their caravans across the mountain passes. *yawn*), were so horrendous and misshapen I had a nightmare that night. Camels killed everyone except me, and started nibbling on my feet, eating me toe by toe, limb by limb.
Frankly, I miss that tortoise. At least it was slow. . .
Day 151Iron! Coal! We've found it all!
It was Carefulrogue who spotted the minerals, as he went out to chop some trees for our stocks. There is a lot of magnetite and a little coal, but the only problem is how far removed the clusters are. We'll have to carve some new passages to tap into these deposits. Snow gets to work.
Day 156Progress on the dining hall and food stocks:
Day 185
Summer came and went, and we finished quite a bit:
Bedrooms:
Dining Hall, Manager's office, and a soon-to-be-filled well:
Glittergold has been anxious lately. The caravan could arrive any day now, and he's worried that his skills are a bit rusty. We're planning on trading a number of mechanisms for beer and whatnot, though we have to see what they bring us.
I wish they would come already, I'm sick of living off this barley wine - it tastes like burnt grass and cathair. I miss good Dwarven ale.
Day 194The caravan! It's arrived! Glittergold rushed up to greet them while we all brought up the mechanisms. As agreed, he requested that next time they bring alcohol, wood, and weapons. They agreed to a higher price for certain goods:
The carvan brought an assortment of goods, and we purchased things as follows:
(3) kinds of glass, in case of strange moods
(9) barrels of assorted alcohol. Delicious!
(3) bolts of cloth, derived from both plants and silk
(10) kinds of meat
(1) steel spear, for Greatjon
(1) steel sword, for speciesunkn0wn
(1) rooster in a nickel cage
The trade was a great success. Our three military dwarves have proper weapons now. We're prepared for one of those strange moods that strike randomly. And, if we're so inclined, we can raise new chickens now that we have a rooster to fertilize all those eggs.
Before they left, the caravan driver slipped us a sheaf of papers. Apparently, one of Carefulrogues colleagues back home was looking through some historical records, hoping to pin down just how screwed Sneaktunnels really is, and happened upon some disturbing info. There are no longer any elves next door at Lizardveil, and in fact the place has been abandoned for over 70 years. One of the many Rocs that roam our continent tore the place to shreds, leaving nothing but dead elves and a few cacti. Lizardveil has been empty ever since.
Truth be told, I have no idea if that is good news. I suppose the Roc is the lesser of two evils, but then again. . .
Day 243More migrants arrived today. Predictably useless.
1 lye maker
2 fishery workers
1 strand extractor
I put them to work engraving, with one being assigned as my apprentice mason.
Day 244This journal page is waterstained and slightly crumpledThere's a dead dwarf in the cistern. More importantly, I almost died. Let me tell you how it happened.
Arcvasti flooded the farms in the morning, as scheduled.
Being an engineer, he noted that the water would take some time to drain away and we should stay out of the farmrooms.
I had forgotten this rather important fact, and in my search for stone I casually strolled through the farm door. I was immediately washed into the half-full cistern. I've never stepped foot in a pool of water in my life!
I thrashed and churned ineffectively, for what seemed like hours, not knowing which way was safety. My feet met ground, then, and I hauled myself up a ramp and through the doorway we had left during construction.
Thank Koshosh! I thought, catching my breath in the stairwell. I then heard screaming from the other side. . .
At this point I realized I wasn't the only dwarf who might stroll through that doorway. Dumat, the new mason who arrived at Sneaktunnels not a day before, had made the same mistake and was now drowning in the cistern.
Let me tell you, I am not a heroic person. I was coughing and tired and could barely function, so I couldn't do anything. . .
His screaming stopped after a short while, and then the splashing, and then all that remained was silence.
I climbed the staircase, told my tale of survival, and left it at that - his death wasn't my fault, I really couldn't do anything, and I don't want anyone associating me with the first death of Sneaktunnels. Sometimes you just have to carry on.
I carved a small memorial and hid it behind the farms, so his ghost won't haunt me.
I just hope no one notices his absence, or the newly-seasoned wellwater.
Day 270Winter has arrived. Things are cooler on the surface, but not by much. Progress continues below, including a dedicated smithing room.
There are a number of dated pages after this one, however nothing is written underneath. Day 360I'm done ordering people about, or so Gwolfski tells me. Apparently everyone got together and agreed my architectural advice was no longer needed. They felt I had proved impractical during my year as overseer, and decided to bring Gwolfski in to replace me (apparently this guy, a freaking planter, is some bastion of prudent decision making. Who knew). I blame the slow winter months - not much visible progress was made. These dwarves just don't understand how I work.
Before I left, I made sure my finishing touches on my final project were implemented. A lever controls two bridges, and when engaged prevents surface invaders from directly accessing the inner fortress. Diagram below:
Instead, anyone attacking from the dunes above gets routed through a suspended tunnel, down into the caverns, and back up some trap filled hallways. If they make it past all that, they can fight with our militia. Ideally they get eaten by like a cave croc on the way, but then again the caverns seem oddly quite lately so who knows if the plan is effective.
I hope I am remembered for setting up a solid base of operations, providing useful intel on potential spies, and carving a number of beautiful objects. I also hope Dumat stays a secret. . .
Carefulrogue prepared a summary of fortress citizens and stocks, to send off the year:
OOC: If you have any questions, Gwolfski, ask away. There are lots of things to do, now that the basics are implemented. More cages. More traps. More iron smelting (I'm ashamed to say I haven't even mined any yet). More soldiers. More hallways. etc. etc. Oh, and be careful when you're cutting cavern trees - you might knock some holes into our fortress.
DFFD:
http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=12385DF Map Archive:
http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-12700-sneaktunnelsThis was a hilarious side-effect of babysnatcher dwarves:
Those dastardly duck-knappers!