Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 7th of Slate 175When I got back to Smallhands a month ago, I found that about 70% of the fort was drinking or eating. It appears they threw a party ahead of schedule. While I don't dispute we deserved one I did find it surprising how many partook in the celebrations. Unfortunately, this also made it very frustrating to get any actual work done. I spent hours just trying to get
anybody with a pickaxe to go down and dig out the Tall Bar's magma tunnel only for all of them to complain about "Not accessible"
What a load of elf crap. There's a ramp and most importantly, the water was pumped out!
Still, bottoms up, tonight we destroy this slab! Stint as the one who grabbed it you do the honours!
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A strawberry wine stain covers the parchmentBegrudgingly...after Salmeuk politely informed me that artifacts are not eligible for dumping I have elected not to toss the slab into the magma. While I am frustrated by this turn of events, I am not ready to quit just yet. If we can't dump it officially then I will arrange another method...Salmeuk! Grab your pickaxe, I got a new place for you to dig while stairs are built in the magma tunnel!
At least we had some good news. Baby bunnies!
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 23rd of Felsite 175Its a rare dwarf that knows the functions of a support pillar. We dwarves build our tunnels and structures so well that a mere bar of soap can lift a mountain unlike those human mines that have so many structural weaknesses its a wonder they even make it 5 foot into the rock.
I had a pint of Overseer's Motivator while looking over various legal documents and dwarven engineering papers when suddenly the idea hit me- I could kill two elves with one bolt by dropping a room containing the slab into the magma sea. It would bury the slab far down in the depths where its hottest
and it technically does not count as dumping!
This required a support pillar to hold up the floor containing a slab and a lever to collapse it into the abyss.
After a month of toil and well deserved booze, salmeuk dug out this 3x3 room while Avuz actually proved his worth as a mayor for once and set an example by channeling beneath Salmeuk except for the southern most tile.
I had a lever installed and a clear glass window manufactured in the room west of this one. Why overseer Radiofort thought that we needed fuel fired kilns up there when we had perfectly good magma glass kilns and sand supplies down here is beyond me. Granted the stairs down to the lower levels of the fort are a maze so its not out of the question he never found them or got bored and went for a drink.
Finally, I had a 1x1 stockpile designated in Salmeuk's half and after it was placed, had Avuz channel away the access. Then came the annoying part.
3 weeks
3
WEEKS it took to install the pillar! I had a celebratory drink but it was too soon as it took another week for Quarque to install the mechanisms
I then had one final drink and marched down to the lever room head held high.
When I arrived I sipped from my platinum flask and enjoyed the view of the magma sea through the window. Golden and red, flowing through the land, providing it with life and heat. The perfect weapon to dispose of cold deathly magic. I didn't need to turn around to know that the rattling waiting behind me was Quasar, no doubt insane and more than likely being possessed. I predicted her disappearance was to the corner of this room.
She was babbling. A demonic tongue of the horrors beyond. Funny how this is a reverse of a situation we had just last year. I had learnt from her mistakes and waited for her to make the first move, looking at her reflection in my flask. It showed she had a purple glow in her eyes.
Quasar slowly and shakily raised a dagger in her less stiched hand and struck. The wall that is. I twisted round grabbing the wrist and used her ghoulish strength against her and caused the blade to get stuck. A swift kick to the leg and she stumbled down. She pulled the dagger from the wall and turned to face me.
Right as I pulled the lever
A resounding crash echoed through the fortress. The dust coalescing against the window. Quasar's head snapped to the window and an ethereal shriek emanated from her as I stood next to the lever grinning in triumph.
"Its over."
Quasar kneeled there motionless after she stopped shrieking. I went over to the window to watch the magma plumes raise in the air amidst the dust. Still I didn't expect a response, and with her own voice too. Raspy and fearful...yet hopeful.
"Its quieter?"
She stared at me then departed, the glow vanisged. I gazed back at the magma then followed suit.