Chapter 1: The Cabal“—when the sun goes out and there’s only night, we’ll live on the earth. It’ll be ours.” -- Sanctume15th Granite, 251In a long silt-loam cavern floored hallway, two individuals are having a whispered conversation.“It is not blackmail to assert myself to want changes happen in Autumncrawl.”Archibald: “what blaspheme are you spouting about?”
“I don’t know your business with this Ordo Castrum, or this God-Emperor of Dwarfkind. The Queen worships a different war-hungry beast.”Archibald: “you are ignorant of the our Holy race, and our Holy empire. Why should I care about you?”
“I don’t need your care. All I see is you wasting your time with your lover, this Imic, and leave Autumncrawl unsecured. Archibald laughs: “And you, oh dabbler of axe wielding, has the means to protect Autumncrawl?”
“Perhaps. At least it might better than what I see so far. Go busy yourself with your Masonpriest for the rest of the year, and give me reign to direct efforts in securing Autumncrawl.”
Archibald ponders: “I deserve a year’s rest. I will agree, only if I remain the expedition leader on paper. My political ambitions demand it. Do you want to captain your own squad too, Sanctume?”
Sanctume: “A year and not one day more to oversee Autumncrawl. And no, I have a better person in mind to take charge of the axes.”Archibald hands over a book: “One more thing, you must write all your exploits in this.”
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First order of business, I need a role list of the population. Let me see what I have going here:
Alath f125 mw, Competent Axedwarf+3
Archibald f73 (no dream) (BR, Crossbow, Weaponrack) Crafter
Atir f92 art (leggings) Herbalist+5
Endok f126 skill (no item) Competent Hammerdwarf+3
Diagnosis+11, Surgeon+6, Bone set+1, Clothier+12, Papermaker+11
Id f144 f125 skill (Crossbow) Competent Axedwarf+3
Imic m74 mw (war hammer, greaves) Mason+7, Miner+4, Engraver+1
Kadol m65 mw Miner+20
Kumil m112 mw (Maces, Mail Shirt) Crossbow+3
Nish f113 fam Engraver+5, Stonecraft+1
Onul m124 art (anvils) Miner+5
Rigoth f86 fam Carpenter+8
Tun m111 art Bonecrafter+16
Vutok f97 (Spears, Floodgates) Woodcut+2, Brewer+2, Gems+1
Zefon f71 fam (greaves) Grower+7
Zuthan f64 skill (shields, hatch cover) Leader, Trader
Likot m77 (no dream) Sworddwarf+4
Sanctume m90 fam (No item) Wood Cutter+2, Axedwarf+0
Bembul m95 art (amulet) Wood Cutter+2, Axedwarf+1
Mosus f2, child
Zasit m12, still a child
Next, the labor re-assignments.
I promised Zuthan (I may call
her,
him, her, Z) a decent office so
he she can take over the administrative tasks. I handed
him her the book Archibald gave me so I can dictate my thoughts from time to time while I’m busy doing real work. My apologies Z, your beard distracts me.
Noble - Manager and Record Keeper, and Broker
Zuthan f64 skill (shields, hatch cover) Leader, Trader
Noble - Doctor
Endok f126 skill (no item) Competent Hammerdwarf+3
Diagnosis+11, Surgeon+6, Bone set+1, Clothier+12, Papermaker+11
Builders will work with stones via mining, mason, mechanic, and engraving.
Kadol m65 mw Miner+20
Onul m124 art (anvils) Miner+5
Imic m74 mw (war hammer, greaves) Mason+7, Miner+4, Engraver+1
Nish f113 fam Engraver+5, Stonecraft+1
Lumberjacks will work with logging and carpentry.
Rigoth f86 fam Carpenter+8
Vutok f97 (Spears, Floodgates) Woodcut+2, Brewer+2, Gems+1
Food services
Zefon f71 fam (greaves) Grower+7
Atir f92 art (leggings) Herbalist+5
Crafters will continue working on wealth accumulation.
Archibald f73 (no dream) (BR, Crossbow, Weaponrack) Crafter
Tun m111 art Bonecrafter+16
Military work on the forge also.
Likot m77 (no dream) Sworddwarf+4
Alath f125 mw, Competent Axedwarf+3
Sanctume m90 fam (No item) Wood Cutter+2, Axedwarf+0
Bembul m95 art (amulet) Wood Cutter+2, Axedwarf+1
Id f144 f125 skill (Crossbow) Competent Axedwarf+3
Kumil m112 mw (Maces, Mail Shirt) Crossbow+3
A more accurate inventory is needed to determine if a metal industry can be pursued.
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The nobles are assigned, well except Zuthan’s position is demoted to manager while Archibald remains the expedition leader “on paper.”
Military uniforms are set “on paper”. The Silver Horns remains commander Likot’s sword squad, by his lonesome self.
The Union Jacks squad is formed captained by Id with 3 axedwarf Alath and the recruits: Bembul and me, Sanctume. It’s really my squad, but let Id be the captain “on paper.” Look, just don’t be giving me nicknames like Littlefinger.
Doctor Endoc captains her own hammer squad, The Blunt Medics.
The City Watch squad is created for crossbows but it remains empty for now. It looks good on paper to have plenty of squads.
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16th Granite, 251One day wasted doing paperwork and I am thirsty! But first, dig out overhanging dirt over the entrance, and cut down some trees that will leave a hole in the ceiling. We don’t want the entire tree to fall on dwarfs, maybe those elves there. Oops, dirt collapse, but no one died.
“Hey, what are your elves doing?!” A pair of elf merchants, a mule, and a muskox stared at me dumbly, then moves along into the hallway.
Someone announces, “Merchants have arrived and are unloading their goods.”
“What?!” I seem to question every exclamation lately. Nevertheless, those evil elves just walks in and started unloading wares onto the trade depot. We have no guard posted. The depot has a direct path to the treasury. Roots clung from the low dirt ceiling. I wonder if those can be felled onto the elves and murder them, but it will be accident on paper.
“Vutok! Hold off clear cutting the surface!” I don’t think Archibald will be thrilled to had bloodstains all over her crafts. Does she have crafts for trade though?
Speaking of crafts, I’ll let Z handle the trades. I have a 10 deep tower to dig, and build. A clearing in the entrance for a 7x7 floor-space tower will make this imposing. I also hear a dry moat is in style.
With a tower plan, I need building blocks. A dabbling mason can produce plenty of chalk blocks while Imic build more chalk furnitures. Archibald can make chalk crafts. For the sake of efficiency, the workshops will be built near where the stones lay. All stone hauling is postponed. Make them fetch their own stone.
The large bedrooms are also cluttered with more stones and horrid wooden furnitures. Imic is tasked to use the stones to make better furnishings.
The carpenter will focus on beds, barrels, buckets, and cages.
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Zuthan, a talented appraiser mutters to herself, “we have a pathetic showing of goods for trade. There aren't any stone crafts to trade. The best we can offer the elves is a plain looking pig tail trouser, and gems.”
Zuthan: “Will you take 582☼ for that caged giant jaguar worth 510☼? “ The elves surprisingly agree. “Great! Have a nice day.”
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4th Slate, 251I think there is only one pick existing because the digging is very slow. The miner struck tetrahedrite down in the lower level of the tower. This will provide weapons grade materials if only we have more workers.
I also witness an adult dwarf pickup a toy hammer and store it in the bin, then I watch my daughter Mosus take back the toy hammer and left it on the floor. Likewise, haulers are picking up mugs and storing them in the bins, and the thirsty drinkers take the mugs from the bins and leave it laying about the brew pile. Obviously, I asked Z to put a sign to not haul toys and mugs.
I also have Z set the clothing pile to only store leg-wear, hand-wear, head-wear, foot-wear, and armor made of materials from plants, silk, or yarn.
9th Slate, 251Happy birthday Zasit! You are now part of the working peasant class. You may now work growing, brewing, cooking, and making charcoals.
12th Slate, 251Rigoth is taken by a mood and claims his carpenter’s workshop, and actually sketches “a forest, cut gems, and stacked leather.”
23th Slate, 251Z announced: “some migrants arrived.”
Sanctume: “Very well, more workers”Z said: “There are twenty-five in total, with three kids in tow.”
Sanctume: “That’s fine, they can sleep on dirt. Just give me a roster”Military
Spear Ast, mw (axe) Brewer+11
Sword Dodok skill
Axe Dumed mw
Doctor Hammer Medtob art (Sword)
Mace Mesthoss fam (crossbow)
Doctok Xbow Rakust fam (Shield)
Xbow Bomrek art (bed, axe)
Xbow Ber skill (picks)
Xbow Bim fam (sword)
Xbow Edem mw (helm)
Food Service
Farmer Dumat A fam
Farmer Logem art (Grates)
Builder
Mech Inod art Mechanic+2
Peasants
Aban fam
Domas art
Dumat K skill
Kadol K skill (axe)
Kadol O art Wound Dresser+2
Kib mw
Id m2, child
Shorast m0, child
Thob f0, child
Builder Unib art
Urvad skill (axe)
Forge
Vabok fam (Armorstand) Armorer+2
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