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[callisto8413]

Started a new Settlement with Primal Mod and instead of flooding What's Going On In Your Fort? with reports I decided to post the story of this settlement here.  Just a low-key overall history.  Enjoy!

[callisto8413]

The Civilization of The Comedic Knife sent out the The Sprayed Glaze to set up a outpost near the south pole, on a taiga.  The Dwarves found a mountain near a ever-frozen river and dug in.  This small series of underground chambers, ramps, and workshops was given the name of Pulleypulled.

The wagon was dismantled and the food, equipment, and all items were brought inside.  The draft animals, a male Parasaurolophus and a female Edmontosaurus, along with a Tom turkey and two turkey hens stayed outside in the snow storm till underground pens were made for them.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Funny enough the Velociraptors didn't seem to have a issue with the snow and started killing small vermin and bringing back the tiny corpses to their masters right away.  While only two out of the five were trained for warfare they still proved deadly against the small creatures.  The snowscape held a mixture of small mammals and tiny dinosaurs.

The cold land had pines to cut down and plants to collect.  Inside the mountain a shared bedroom, with seven beds and seven cabinets, was made and a small dining room/tavern for the first seven was also carved out. 

Even while some the Dwarves slept in the one bedroom more rocks are dug away and seven future bedrooms were shaped.  Some wet stone was found and plans were made to make channels and tunnels to create a safe, underground, well with free flowing water.  Gems were already being pulled out of the living rock and cut for future trade.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The only danger detected so far were two female Daeodons outside.  One of the creatures was on the thin side and the other had tuffs of fur missing.  Tough animals designed to live in a harsh land - but once the Dwarves had more numbers and proper weapons the giant pigs would just end up on the menu.

Eggs were already being produced and farming plots already growing plump helmets.  The Dwarves had more seeds available but were just happy to have snow free beds, tables to eat on, and drinks to consume.  But they knew things would be tough.  The land outside was frozen all year round.  What they could not grow, find in the earth, or craft most be received from caverns. 

Of course the export product would be mugs.  Everybody loved mugs!  And so the Dwarves happy, in their freshly made outpost, worked away as the weather outside went from snow storm to clear skies to snow storm.  And this was spring.

[callisto8413]

At Pulleypulled spring turned into summer.  Some of the ice and snow melted.  Some of it did not.  The river was ice, water, or dry, depending on where you looked.  Some of the ice had melted but some had not and acted like dams.

It was, at least, more green than before.  The Daedons were replaced by Smilodons in early summer.  Luckily they ignored the Dwarves and their raptors.

The Dwarves finished the bedrooms, and a private dining area, while expanding on the old shared bedroom and tavern.  More workshops were built and gems were cut as more beds, tables, and chairs were made.  More trees were cut down and plants collected.  But stones was becoming the main medium used for tables and thrones as the tunnels and chambers were expanded on.

With the tavern outsiders started to appear.  First a human bowman, well a bowwoman, with a oaken bow.  The a human Bard.  Then a Dwarf Poet.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

In the middle of Summer the saber-teeth cats were replaced with normal crows.  Likely due to a lack of prey animals for them to hunt.

And the Dwarves worked on the well.  Tunnels and ramps were spread out and designed to drain the water that leaked from their walls into a two level hole.  Which was then topped with a well.  The aquifer would fed the well, slowly, even in the coldest of weather.

By late summer the crows were replaced by harmless but BIG Arsinotheriums.  Many of the Dwarves looked at the rhino-like animals and dreamed of meat instead of eggs, simple meals made from what could be grown or gathered, and some of left-over rations they had brought with them.  The huge creatures likely were enjoying the last of the green undergrowth before fall hit.

Right when the summer was about to come to a close a migrant wave hit.  Well, a Doctor and a Miner.  But at least that meant new settlers with  useful skilled.  A hospital would have to be dug out.  And another pen would have to be made as the female raptors had both laid eggs in the locked pens.  Baby chicks would soon be available for training and the Dwarves decided that the raptors would need their own pen instead of sharing with the turkeys. 

The migrants had also brought a kid goat, which needed to be pastured outside, and a tame raptor who was allowed to follow his owner around the outpost.

The Trade Depot was also finished.  Many mugs had been made and gems cut.  The Dwarves looked forward to the visit of their first caravan when fall came.  But they didn't look forward to the cold returning.

[callisto8413]

By early Autumn the crows had returned and replaced the Arsinotheriums.  The landscape had frozen again.  No running water outside the outpost.  At least the well was working.  The new bedrooms for the first seven were being smoothed out along with their own small dining room.

The shared bedroom had been expanded, as had the tavern, and furniture was produced as quickly as the workshops could pump them out.  Gems were made and meals created.

The hospital was started on.  It would be rooms with beds, tables, and drawbridges for doors.  To isolate patients, if need be, who were suffering from unnatural inflections.  Too many settlements had fallen to werebeasts for the Dwarves to underestimate the dangers of such curses.

Early Autumn also brought the caravan and the liaison.  As mugs and cut gems were ordered to the Trade Depot the Leader of the outpost met the liaison and asked for weapons and yarn and thread.  The cheaper the better.

The liaison, in return, listed items the Homemountains wanted.  The Leader picked two items from the list, crossbows and bucklers, to be mass produced for export next year.

There was also talk of picking a Baron.  One of the first seven was selected.

When the caravan started to unload its wagons the Leader eagerly waited to see what was available.  Most of what the Dwarves wanted were the basics.  Luckily it turned out they had more than enough wealth to get much of what they wanted.  More booze, plump helmets, leather, thread, weapons, tools, and even a copper helmet.  Not all items were traded in one big exchange of course.  The Leader wanted the traders to feel like they had worked for their money.

The traders were very happy as they had made a good profit.  And before leaving the liaison announced the new Baron had been approved.

Now the Dwarves made a new office and a tomb and created all the symbols of office the new Baron would need.

As this was going on drawbridges, a outer one and a inner one, was being built and linked to levelers to create a crude airlock in the entry tunnel.  A pasture for the war raptors that had been placed next to the downward ramps earlier had been the first line of defense as a alarm system to alert the Dwarves to unwanted guests.  Now there would be a proper barrier when invaders came to the forest.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As the caravan started to get ready to leave another migrant wave showed up.  Now there was a total of twenty Dwarves - four Miners, a Woodcutter, a Mason, a Carpenter, a Engraver, a Bone Carver, a Weaponsmith, a Farmer, a Clerk, two Doctors, a Peasant, a Child, a Baron, and a Expedition Leader.  Plus two Dwarf Bards had applied for residence and had been approved.  A third had been turned down.

The Engraver, plus other artists, were soon put to work engraving the bedrooms and dining room of the first seven.  After all, those brave Dwarves who had volunteered to come here first should be rewarded for their courage. 

There was also now a sheep and a horse outside with the kid goat.  And a kitten which wandered about on its own.  The last of the items were also bringing brought in. 

A area for corpses, refuse, and garbage had been dug out far away from the workshops and bedrooms. 

Also a crude Temple had been dug out.  One that was for no particular deity.  For a while there the Leader felt everybody was either praying or socializing or listening to the Bards. 

By late Autumn it had started to snow heavily again and the caravan left quickly.  The crows had been replaced by Woolly Rhinoceros.  The Rhinos seemed to enjoy the snow and the cold.  They ran around the region like hyper children and completely ignored the Dwarves and their animals.

Then winter finally came and the Dwarves had to decide - keep the drawbridges open or close them?  They still needed wood and plants.  But who knew what animals, no, what predators would show up during the harsh winter?  Surely all the Dwarves could find work to do inside the mountain?

Now if only the Dwarves could do something about the swarms of flies who seemed to have joined them in their underground settlement!

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Author's Note - I think I made a mistake - I am pretty sure those are ravens not crows.

[Enemy post]

This'll be fun to read, PTW.

[callisto8413]

At first the entry airlock, the twin drawbridges, was kept closed.  The young animals outside would have to take care of themselves.  True, some of the Dwarves were demanding wood but the Leader ignored them.  Better safe inside than shattered all over the surface when a dragon or forgotten beast came out of nowhere.

Then, while still in early winter, the Woodcutter entered a strange mood and took over the Craftsdwarf's Workshop.  The Leader decided, due to the Dwarf being a Woodcutter, wood would likely to needed and the airlock was ordered open. A couple of pines were chopped down and the logs brought in.

But the Woodcutter was still upset about something.  And started drawing pictures of skeletons.  Bones were needed!

So the male Parasaurolophus was butchered.  The Woodcutter ran to get a bone.  And some Dwarves came to grab as much meat as they could to take to the kitchen.  In fact the Leader ordered the creation of bone bolts, bone crafts, and a totem be made from the skull.

So the airlock was closed.  Then there was a knock on it when a human bard showed up.  So she was let in.  As she came in a couple of Dwarves rushed out to grab some logs.  And when they came back some more Dwarves rushed out to gather some plants.

And when they came back the Leader realized there were at least four visitors in the outpost.  If the airlock was closed how would they get out?

Also, while food and drink were not in danger of running out there was not much in the way of variety.  There had been a slight mishap in early spring when it was found the kitchen had cooked many of the plants and seeds by accident.  So the dinosaur meat and the plants from outside were welcome on the limited menu of the outpost.  This was also why when the caravan had arrived the top of the shopping list had been food and booze.  Including more Plump helmets.

One Dwarf spent most of the winter trying to fish out of the well.  Being a traditionalist, of course, he used his bread.  None of that fishing pole nonsense for him!

While outside it was noticed there were massive Glyptodons.  In other words giant armored armadillos.  They seemed harmless and might prove good eating.  If you could get through the armor.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

In the end the Woodcutter created a very expensive floodgate made out of Parasaurolophus bone and encircled with bands of Parasurolophus bone.  Nice, but the Leader would have preferred a weapon of some kind.

Also, the airlock was open half the time due to all the traffic in and out.  Much to the Leader's annoyance.

Then around mid winter miasma started pouring out of the kitchen.  The Dwarves had either failed to cook all the dinosaur meat or there had not been enough barrels to store it properly.  Of course the rotten food was placed in the refuse/corpse/garage pit.

Now the pit had been first designed to be a chute.  Just drop the object and it fell a few floors down to the bottom.  But it had failed to work properly and in the end ramps had to be used to deliver the unwanted items to the bottom of the pit.

While the pit had been a bad chute it proved to be a wonderful chimney - as the miasma poured right out of it into the pens that held the turkey chicks.  Poor things.  The Leader ordered a floor hatch be made but there was already a long list of work orders and nobody knew when it would be ready.

As this was happening the hospital was being finished off with functioning drawbridges.  And next door the barracks/training and archery range had been carved out and being stocked for use.

Three Dwarves, including the new Baron, was formed into a three-Dwarf to train two at a time each month.  Each would have a couple weapons, a shield, head protection, and wear leather armor over their many, many, many layers of furs.

As two members of the new militia unit, called the Ice Hunters, started training in the last month of winter Dwarves reported the crows had replaced the Glyptodons.  Kind of.  First it turned out that the Dwarves had been mistaken.  The birds they had thought of as crows turned out to be ravens.  And the ravens had brought their big brothers - for there were giant ravens outside the outpost.

Luckily the giant ravens, like many of the animals the Dwarves had encountered throughout the year, seemed harmless.  At least for now.

When spring finally arrived the outpost seemed to feel a weight slip off their collective shoulders.  They had lived a year.  At least they now knew a little about the region and the animals they would encounter. 

The giant ravens even left when winter turned to spring and the regular sized ravens took their place.

[callisto8413]

Uvash Minefountains, the Expedition Leader, entered the tiny office.  Really the office was just a tunnel dug in the peat just big enough to hold a rock salt chair and rock salt table.  There was even room for a door if she ever decided to make it a proper 'room'.

Uvash was just not the Leader but also the Manager, the Bookkeeper, and Broker.

She sat down on the chair and pulled off her yak leather cap and pig tail hood.  Between the lawyers of pig tail cloth, leather, and furs, the never changing temperature of the underground settlement, and the Dwarves' high metabolism fueled by a diet which was almost fifty percent alcohol she was almost in danger of overheating.

She sighed and wiped the sweat off her forehead.  While she was seventy-four years of age she was still very agile and rarely ever sick.  Her very long light brown moustache was neatly combed and her very long light brown beard was braided.  This was in contract to her clean shaven head.  She had also shaved off her sideburns.  This was the fashion style of her people's culture.

Her skin was pale brown and her brass eyes slightly protruding and close set.  Humans and Elves would have found her strange to look at but for a female Dwarf she wasn't ugly to her own kind.  Her clothing is dyed and well taken care of.  As a Noble she even had her own bedroom.  Engraved and everything.

Uvash took a few seconds to relax before searching under table for a pen, a ink stone, some papers, and powder.  She carefully mixed the powder with some water she squeezed from her beard, dipped the pen into the shiny pool of black ink, and started to write her first year end report for the Homemountains.

1st Granite, 251, Early Spring. 

Greetings from the Hamlet of Pulleypulled in the Whiskered Doused Forest on the Submerged Continent, to Her Highness Queen Olngo Snamozusasp of The Comedic Knife!

This is Uvash Avuzzefon, Expedition Leader of The Sprayed Glaze.  It is my honor to write this report for your pleasure to read.

The populace, at the moment I am writing this, is 20 Dwarves.  One is a child.  Five Betas, eight males, and seven females.  And we only have  seven females because of two female Bards joined us.  Please in the future send as many females as males and try to send unmarried Dwarves.  Many of them are missing loved ones.  We would be better off if we had loners who could bond with others HERE and make new families HERE.

As you know we exported 1245 units of wealth and imported 20192 units.  The lands are frozen but there is much wealth hidden beneath.  We have found magnetite and even as I write this we are organizing a iron industry.  Soon we will be wealthy enough to send you gifts.

We have had some problems with our food industry BUT we have over twenty turkey chicks, plus our adult turkeys, and once they become adults they can give us many eggs, pounds of meat, and enough leather to equip all our Dwarves with leather clothing.   We also have five adult velociraptors and over forty raptor chicks.  Given enough time any invaders will be met with Dwarves in iron and with a packs of deadly raptors.

We may need it soon.  And not just because of any wild animals.  More then a days march to the northeast are goblin pits and to the northwest are the forests of the elves.

While we are peace with the tree lovers we may not be for long at the rate we are cutting down the pine trees.

And you never know with the greenskins.  We are not at war with them.  But are we ever at peace with them?

I look forward to writing such a letter as this one again the same time next year.

Yours truly,

Uvash Avuzzefon

[callisto8413]

The second Spring in PulleyPulled started out with a Elf Diplomat approaching the settlement.  His name was Aweme Vadanethiene, the last name meant ‘Dunesruler’, and he wanted a meeting with the Baron.  He had long red hair, dark brown skin, and mint green eyes.  With a high squeaky voice.

He ended up chasing the new Baron down after the Dwarf had finished his military training, and giving the Noble a warning in his own office.  Seems the Elves were NOT happy about all the trees the populace had cut down last year.

Not only was he somewhat insulting about how he delivered the warning but then afterwards he had the nerve to socialize with some of the Dwarves, and visitors in the tavern.

As this was happening the Elven caravan showed up.  Not anywhere as impressive as the Dwarven caravan had been.  Only a few Elves with a couple of pack-dinosaurs.

Knowing they would not want anything wood the Leader, who was also the Broker, ordered stone mugs to the Depot.  They had less than, maybe, two chests full.  But it turned out the Elves didn’t bring much themselves.

In the end the settlement bought up most their fruit for brewing.  And that was about it.

As the Elves prepared to leave the Dwarves were alerted to the arrival of a new migrant wave.  The third was….big.  By the time the last newcomer had entered the entry tunnel and handed over their resume the settlement now numbered forty Dwarves. 

There wasn’t enough beds and a order for more beds was created.  Also some chests not being used was added to the shared bedroom. 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The migrants also brought a few pets.  A juvenile Compsognathus, a juvenile troodon, a juvenile raptor, and a Keet.  The Leader pondered if making a zoo would be welcomed by the populace?

With the increase in numbers she selected two more Dwarves to be armed and added to the Ice Hunters.

The mew migrants would help in some ways and hurt in others.  Food MIGHT become a problem.  One could not live on eggs and booze alone.

Cages were put out to, hopefully, capture some live animals for future meals.  One of the new comers, a Trapper, could be do that easily.  Many of the others helped.  Catching one of those large dinosaurs would be nice.  Sadly, the only creatures detect in early spring was the ravens.

In fact the new wave had three Hunters and they were already just sitting around without a job.  Ravens were not worth hunting down.  Maybe the Hunters would need to be reassigned?

On the other hand the iron industry was already producing weapons, chain armor, and even bolts.

A Sheriff had also been selected.  The NEW Noble had been given a office and a dining room.  So iron cages would be needed for a proper jail.  The Dwarves of the settlement were not willing to spare the rod when it came to punishment. 

Then it was noticed that one of the newcomers was a FisherDwarf and she was told, in no uncertain terms, that she was to end all dreams of fishing.  As the water was frozen much of the year it was doubtful she would ever find a fish.  And she was added to the Ice Hunters as a new soldier.

The training would do her good - she was kind of fat.  And she didn’t shave her sideburns.  The Leader didn't trust her that much.

But there was one REAL problem.  Or maybe it was just the Leader being paranoid.  She had noticed one of the newcomers, who was now a Wrestler in the militia, had white hair,  And it had listed a LOT of skills on its resume which he had turned in when being greeted at the entry.

In other words, if people started to die from lack of blood, Dobar Kankeskal, “Tiredshot”, would be the first to be caged for being a vampire.

By mid Spring the Elves FINALLY started to leave.  The Diplomat had also left - not that anybody noticed when.

The first statue was finally completed.  It had been started on last year and was now placed on the level where the iron industry worked and the Nobles lived.  Of course, it was of a Raptor.  Ten more statues were ordered for a Statue Garden.  This time the artists were told to make whatever they wanted.

Then it was reported that one of the Weavers had entered a Strange Mood.  No doubt due to the fact that he had not done any work since arriving.  Just less than a month ago.

Then somebody announced the kid goat had become an adult Billy goat and somebody pointed out the goat could be sheared now!

The Leader just shook her head as she had more important things to deal with.  And continued to follow the progress of the crazy Weaver through the settlement  Some research on the Weaver, named Urdim Rigothcuggan, turned out the information that he was married AND had a lover.  Interesting.  He must miss them both very much.

It was also decided to make a second Carpenter Workshop and Jeweler’s Workshop.  More barrels were needed and uncut gems were all over the ground.  They needed to be cut and prepared for export!

Late spring arrived and new animals entered the region.  The ravens had been replaced by a herd of Uintatherium.  And one of them had gotten itself trapped in one of the cages!  The herd was around the cage as if trying to figure out how to help their comrade.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The huge creatures were herbivorous mammals and had the horns, or knobs, on their heads that looked dangerous.

Now how would one get the one in the cage to the Butcher?

Then there was another report.  Another one of the beasts had wandered into a cage trap!

Funny enough, when the Dwarves went out to collect the cages the creatures ran away.  And one ran right into another cage trap!

All three of the caged animals were brought down to one of the lower levels, where the Statue Garden was being made, where a rough chamber had been dug out to be their future pasture.  And a newcomer, a Peasant, was made a NEW Animal Trainer. 

The idea was simple.  They would be made tame, moved to the pasture, one of the males would be butchered.  The remaining male and female would be kept in a tame, or better state, and mabe breed.  Future herd of meat and hide and bone.

One hoped.

Then there was some alarm.  One of the Weaponsmiths had a run-in with one of the beasts and was now badly wounded!  Seems the creatures were not as harmless as thought.  The thing would charge him, knock him down, then kick him.  Turns out they were deadly kickers.  It had done it again and again till the Weaponsmith had passed out.  The Carpenter had been the one to decide to go outside and recover him.

The Leader wondered if she should send out the militia to deal with the remaining herd or not?

Then the Carpenter turned around and came back without the Weaponsmith.  The Leader didn’t like that at all.  Nor did she like the rumor that there was now a lot free clothing on the surface.

How did they all know when somebody had died?

Another of the Uintatherium had gotten itself trapped in a cage.

Kadol Daturnil, one of the Doctors, went out and brought back the dead Dwarf.  He placed the corpse in the coffins turned into a tomb.  And a memorial slab was ordered to be created.

Two of the Uintatherium had become tame enough to be put in the pasture.  The rest were kept in cages and the Animal Trainer brought them food and slowly trained them to, at least, be tame enough to handle.

While this was happened the female foal became a adult horse.  And the Leader pondered ways to keep the outside animals safe.  Maybe a enclosed above ground chamber with entry from below?

She believed the Humans would call such a structure a BARN.

Spring was almost over.  Some of the ponds were liquid.  And a fifth Uintatherium had run into one of the traps.  The Leader was pleased.  But mourned the first death among the populace.

The memorial slab was placed in front of the coffin of the lost Weaponsmith.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then the Weaver went insane.   Well, he became so depressed as to shut society outside and trapped himself in his own mind.  As long as he hurt nobody things would go okay.  But if he attacked somebody or damaged a workshop he would have to be punished.  Or taken out.

Then summer came.  The Leader wondered what new animals would be trapped in the cages and who else would die?

[callisto8413]

In early summer, of 251, the Leader planned out a few projects.  First, she wanted a better office.  One attached to her nice bedroom.  Of course, that meant breaking a section of the engraved wall and destroying some of the artwork.  But the artists would have to deal with it.

Second, the Baron had a tomb.  Why shouldn’t all the first seven have tombs?  So she ordered six more tombs be dug out.

Third, the outside grazers needed a barn.  So she ordered walls start to be set up outside.  A ramp would also have to be made to give the workers access to put on a proper roof.

Then there was some good news.  The murderous Uintatherium, who had earned the name Ginetistrath for killing the Weaponsmith, had been found in one of the traps and was now being brought in.  Of course, such a creature might be almost impossible to train.  What to do with him?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

One problem the settlement did not have was vermin.  Yes, there were hamsters, and giant rats, and even reptiles in the stockpiles.  But they were being killed at a great rate by the cat and the many small dinosaur pets.  Most of the pets were predators.  Even some of the young raptors kept escaping their pens, killing some of the pests, before being escorted back.

Also the Leader was told of a Goblin Mercenary who was now visiting the tavern.  He seemed peaceful enough.  Maybe if he liked it enough he might try to get hired?

Then another male Uintatherium was tame enough to enter the Uintatherium pasture.  At this point the Leader decided one of the tame males would be taken to the Butcher to see if…well…what the results would be.

So she gave the order.  The newly trained male would be slaughtered!

As she wanted to see what would happen she received a report on combat.  At first she thought the Uintatherium had tried to escape.  But it turned out one of the war Velociraptors guarding the entrance to the settlement had run into a wild Uintatherium on the surface and gotten beaten up.  Badly. 

But by doing so it had acted like a alarm system.  Which was the point of having the raptors just inside the entry tunnel in the first place.

This raptor must have charged outside to engage in combat.  And had been badly hurt.  But the wild creature had also taken some damage. 

The Leader decided to send out the militia.  The Uintatherium was almost right at the entry way and has scared off many of the outside animals.  It needed to be dealt with.

The poor raptor was sent to the Butcher.  Where the male Uintatherium had been slaughtered and now was being processed.  The raptor was butchered and the meat and bones was eagerly collected by the cook and the artists.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The wild Uintatherium ran away and disappeared into the surrounding landscape.  And the soldiers reported that the ravens were back.

Then, it was reported that Ginetistrath had become tame.  So it was ordered to transfer the killer to a cage in the future Statue Garden.  Would THAT work?

The Sheriff is the one who carried out the job.  And it was done without a problem.  The Leader was impressed that the creature had not gone amok!

The tombs had been dug out and smoothed.  And were now being engraved.

Iron cages had been placed near the Sheriff’s office to act as a jail.

And the barn was almost finished!  All it needed was a roof.  Plus a floor hatch as the horse and goat kept escaping.  Funny, the lamb seemed okay with the barn.

By late Hematite the barn was finished.  Which meant the outside grazers were now safe.  If a tad grumpy.

Then the corpse of the Engraver of Mosus Ensolon was found.  Drained of blood.  Well, the Leader knew who to blame.  And started to prepare for what she planned to do about it.

A witness accused the Wrestler Dober Kankeskal.  Kind of hard to drain the blood of a victim without being noticed when dozens of people were all in the SHARED bedroom at the same time.

So the Sheriff was told to do his duty and punish the murderer.  And the vampire was caged.  The punishment was 224 days in prison.  Which would give the Leader time to prepare the vampire's final fate.

As this was happening the tombs were being engraved and the CraftsDwarves were happily working with bone and even leather!

Now that the undead was safely in jail more witnesses had come to accuse him of the murder of Mosus Emsolon.  At least it proved Dobar Kankeskal was the killer. 

Of course he was removed from the Ice Hunters and a new MaceDwarf was recruited.

The victim, Mosus, was placed In coffin and a memorial slab was set at the base of it.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

At this point the Leader decided to assign young raptors to guard some of the other food stockpiles.  Also most the iron cages had been delivered to the jail.  And more cages were being placed in the statue garden.  The idea was one would hold a turkey and one would hold a raptor.  Make it kind of a small zoo inside the garden.

Now if only statues that had been ordered for the chamber would be available soon?

News was that the teen Compsognathus was now an adult.  That made Nil Kirardodok, also known as Righteousclasp, the cutest vermin-eating dinosaur in the settlement.

Then there was bad news.  Well, not bad news.  Just that the unnamed male Uintatherium had overcome his training and had become wild again.

Then another dinosaur, Zen Zefonost, a raptor also became an adult.  The pets seemed to be growing up faster than the local chicks.  Of course, they could have arrived older than the newborns.

In late summer the Leader decided to take a chance.  The caged male Uintatherium was only semi-wild at that point.  It could be he needed to be in the pasture before more training could be carried out.

So she ordered him to be placed in the underground pasture.

It worked.  He was put in the pasture and didn’t make a fuss.  So, of course, farther training would make him fully tame and he would than be butchered.

Then she was alerted to the fact that one of the Hunters was, indeed, hunting.  But what was out there besides ravens to hunt?   She was told the ravens had gone away and had been replaced by their bigger comrades.  Giant Ravens were now flying around the pine forest.

“The fool!” she proclaimed. 

But she was told the Hunter had a fine bismuth bronze crossbow and 34 iron bolts.

“Our iron bolts!” she complained.  “Well, nothing we can do about it now.  Silly fool.”

And the giants were not just passive observers.  One chased a Dwarf on the surface and forced to drop what he was collecting.

Then the forest was filled with a bird’s shrill squawk.  Seems one of the Hunter’s bolt had hit its mark.  Seems the Hunter, Thikut Zondustik, had climbed a tree to a better shot at the giant ravens.

Great.  Now there was a wounded giant raven flying about.  No doubt in a very bad mood.

As if to add insult to injury the Animal Trainer, Datan Lalonul, who had been in charge of training the semi-wild Unitatherium had entered a fey mood!  And had claimed the Craftsdwarf’s Workshop.

But he didn’t just sit there mumbling to himself but started to collect the material he wanted right away.  Which meant he would not go totally insane.  But it also meant he was likely going to create something useless or demonic. 

In fact after grabbing only a few pieces of material he started making something right away.

While this was going on the Dwarves had dug out a small chamber to hold a Kiln.  The settlement planned to have a pottery industry on top of everything else.  Would the Elves buy fired clay objects?

Once the kiln was competed one of the Miners started to collect clay.

Outside the giant raven flew about and seemed determined not to let the Hunter get another shot at him.  And Thikut, nicknamed the ‘Tree Dwarf’, was just as determined to bring down one of the flying beasts.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And the semi-wild Unitatherium was turned tame by another Dwarf and was sent to the Butcher.  The Sheriff was the one who took the animal to the Butchershop.

Then mid summer turned to late summer.   And  the fourth wave of migrants arrived.   And Pulleypulled’s populace shot up to  forty-six Dwarves.  Well, forty-five if you took out the vampire.  Plus another kitten and a baby llama.

At least food was not longer a issue.  Also everybody could be assigned a bed.  The first shared bedroom had some free beds and a second bedroom had already been dug out.   Some beds and containers had already placed in it.

Then shocking news.  The Weaver, who had gone insane, had died from dehydration.  Urdim had refused to drink any booze and had wasted away.

Then the Animal Trainer proclaimed he had created a magnetite ring!  Encrusted with magnetite cabochons and with a image of a cassowary man in sheep wool.

“What a waste of good magnetite ore,” the Leader murmured out of ear shot.  Well, at least it would be another artifact to add to the future museum.

At this point the Kiln was in operation.  Making large clay pots.

The third Dwarf to die was placed in a coffin and a memorial slab was made for him.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then there was two Petitions asking for visitors to become residents to entertain the people.  Both were turned down.  The settlement already had TWO Bards.

Also the giant ravens were still pestering the surface workers.  Something they had not done before the Hunter had shot one of them!   And the stupid Hunter had raced around outside for a few moments due to being scared then had come inside for a drink.

Two more entertainers petitioned to stay and were turned down.

Seemed the tavern, the Copper Onions - or the Onions as some called it - had become popular.

Around this time the Leader was amused to hear that at least two Dwarves were trying to fish in one of the ponds that had unfrozen.  She, funny enough, wished them luck.  The menu could use all the help it could get.

As long as they didn’t get attacked by the giant ravens.

at that point one of the Farmers milked the horse.  So cheese would soon be added to the food stock.  Once the lamb and baby llama were fully grown then Dwarves could also shear them and collect wool.

Then she received TWO more petitions which were turned down.  Why were so many bards and poets braving the freezing south just to try to get a job in a hamlet’s tavern?

Then the pet Troodon had become a full adult.  So another predator now keep the rooms and tunnels clean of vermin.  The adult Troodon was also slightly bigger than the adult Raptors.  Which made many visitors nervous.

The Leader was also alerted that there were a bunch of seeds that would only grow on the surface.  Maybe some kind of greenhouse was in order?  But could they find sand?

The Leader also decided to make Doctor Kadol Daturnil the Chief Medical Dwarf.  Out of the two remaining Doctors he had the most skill.

Then the Leader received a petition from a traveling troupe!   Of course she turned that down at once.  That would just be a bunch of mouths to feed with very little benefit in return.  And not to sound insulting but most the members of the troupe were Elves or Goblins.

Then, as the late summer started to close, the giant ravens left and were replaced by Paraceratheriums.  One of females, one even big for her kind, was nice enough to get trapped in one of the cage traps.  It was raining outside and still warm despite the approaching fall months.  Maybe the herd had come to feast on the pine needles before snow storms came?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As the creature was so huge it was somewhat a mystery on how it fit INTO the trap.  But that was something to wonder about on another day.  Now the question was - could it be tamed and then slaughtered?   And how much meat and bone would it produce?

When the Dwarves went out to collect the caged female the others ran away and the male ran right into another cage trap.

Another troupe turned in a petition and was turned down.

Funny enough the regular ravens had returned.  Maybe to check on the Dwarves?  Maybe wondering what the cage traps were all about?  Likely they were too smart to close to the things.

Funny enough the remaining female Paraceratherium was being a pest outside.  Not alright attacking anybody.  But her size meant that all she had to do was approach a Dwarf and they would run away.  Which meant any labor they were carrying out got canceled.

Annoying but not dangerous.  Not yet.

And ANOTHER troupe turned in a petition.  Which was turned down.  The tavern had over nineteen visitors.  Including a visiting warrior and two merchants.  The rest were all entertainers.  Telling stories and chanting poetry and doing what freeloading artists do.

Then the weather changed.  Even deep underground the Dwarves could sense it in the air and how the ground felt.  Autumn had come and summer had come to a close.

[callisto8413]

The first order the Leader gave out in autumn was to strip the vampire of everything he owned while still in the cage.  Many of the items he wore were made from the bones or hair of intelligent beings.  Which, kind of was a dead give away of him being vampire.  But also gross.

But she also wanted to make sure he didn’t have any hidden weapons.

Also the two Bards of the settlement came to her and asked for her help.  Seems with so many other bards, poets, and entertainers they wanted something to help make them stand out.

“Well,” said the Leader after some thought, “why don’t we give you the titles of Storytellers?”

The Bards liked that and both changed their official titles to Storyteller.

While this was happening some tables and chairs were removed from the tavern to try to give it more room for dancing.

One of the chairs was taken to the Leader’s new office and her old one was abandoned.

The temple was also made bigger and a alter was ordered for it.

The Dwarves were also ordered to make a new underground pasture for the Paraceratheriums.  They were semi-wild but needed open space to be fully trained to become tame.

Once finished they were released into the newly carved out pasture.

And the tavern, still needing more space, was widened to twice it’s normal size. 

Then another petition from a WHOLE troupe was put forth.  And turned down.

Then there was a announcement.  The outpost liaison and the caravan from Resilzasit had been spotted coming from south.  Which seemed a weird direction to come from - far to the south were the glaciers. 

Either way the Dwarven traders had come to trade and the Homemountains’ liaison had come to hammer out a new trade deal.

The Leader wondered how much they could import?  There didn’t have much in the way of mugs - they had sold most of them to the Elves.  But they had the bucklers and crossbows the traders wanted.  And of course cut gems.

The meeting with the rep from the Queen was short.  Pulleypulled wanted seeds and booze.  Much of everything else they needed they could gather or create or breed themselves.  And the one item from the lists of exports the Homemountains wanted, that the settlement could easily produce, was toys.

Dwarven toys it would be!

After the meeting, and a quick meal, the Leader rushed to the Depot to wheel and deal.  She bought booze, food, seeds, thread, and cloth.  Dwarves needed to look good, after all.

By the time the trading was over the temple had a new alter and the tavern had a new dance floor and even more room for food.

The Leader was feeling great.  On top of that the only wild animals roaming the surface was a bunch of normal ravens.  The lone Paraceratherium had wandered off.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then, even before the caravan started to pack up to go a ANOTHER migrant wave appeared to come over the mountain tops to the east.  By the time they were all in the populace had grown to fifty-two Dwarves!  Well, if you count the vampire.  Plus one Ankylosurus calf, one Triceratops calf, one Auroch calf, one reindeer calf, one juvenile Dilophosaurus, and one Woolly Mammoth calf.  The creatures were pastured or left to roam free depending on their needs.

The Raptors were all adults.  They were split between those who would be trained for war and those available as pets.  Nothing like a settlement full of tiny predators to make a attacker think twice.  The turkey chicks would take longer to mature.  They would be split between those who would breed and those who would become meals.

Then news came from the surface.  The Paraceratherium had returned.  With two Saber-tooth Tigers.  One of which was now being carried to the settlement in a cage.

The Leader wondered what to do with big cat.  They would make good war animals.  But they took forever to bred.  Maybe adding it to the future zoo-statue garden?

Then the Ankylosurus was announced to be fully mature.  As a pet it was safe from being butchered.  But pretty useless.

And one of the Dwarves was trying to fish at the well again!  Idiots.

While another Troupe of entertainers had their petition turned down the Leader was told a few of the raptors were trained for war.  She decided to assigned a few of them to the militia.  The Ice Hunters could use the backup!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then it was announced the baby lamb had become a ram.  Could a ram be sheared?

The Leader finally decided to move the, already semi-trained Saber-tooth cat, to one of the cages in the zoo.

Mid-summer had come.  And nobody was dead.  Their luck was holding.

Then the Leader declared they had a library.  It had tables, and chairs, and containers and even a salt pedestal holding Akrulbekar, the bone floodgate, for all to display.  All it needed now were bookcases and books. 

By this two more troupes were turned down.  It was becoming silly.  And outside a snow storm had come.  It may be mid autumn but winter was coming.  Of course that is when the caravan announced it was preparing to leave.

The Leader decided the temple needed a Shaman and the library needed a scribe and a scholar.

The Lye Maker was made the Shaman.  After all, who needed a Lye Maker at the moment?

One of the Miners was made a scholar, maybe he would write about mining, and one of the Hunters was made into a scribe.  Mostly on the hope it would help keep one of them out of trouble.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then there was news.  One of the Hunters were at it again.  Seemed to be hunting a wild Doedicurus.  It as a armored mammal with a spiky club tail.  If the Hunter wasn’t careful the tables could easily turn.

On top of that the free roaming Paraceratherium, the other Saber-tooth cat, and one of the ravens had been captured by the cage trap.  The Leader laughed about that. She ordered the three animals tamed so they could be butchered!

The cold and the wild animals might become a danger for the Dwarves.  But she would be damned if the settlement failed to lack of food.

The three animals were slaughtered and the wild Doedicurus was taken down after being hit by a amazing amount of bolts.  No doubt due to the armor.  Its corpse was brought in to also be butchered.

Funny enough the outside Dwarves said they had spotted more Paraceratheriums.  Well, more meat for winter.  And it wasn’t long before one of the stupid mammals got trapped in one of the cages.  Again.

Then it was reported that the murderous Ginetistrath had given birth to two calves.

“How?!!” demanded the Leader.  “She has been in a cage the whole time!  Also…she was female?  Well, move the calves to the pasture and train them!”

One of the calves made a run for it but was captured and put in the pasture with the adults.

Then it was reported that the big cat in the zoo had thrown off his training and had gone wild.  Not that it mattered.  He was in a cage after all.

The Leader sighed and wondered if, maybe, the cages were a bad idea.

Bookcases had finally been placed in the library.  Maybe the next time the Elves visited she should buy some reading material?  What did Elves write about?  Love of trees?

By the late autumn the food situation was much better in terms of variety.  The simple biscuits of seeds, eggs, and even booze had been replaced with fine stews of, mostly, meat and plants.  And now that she had ordered lavish meals be prepared there was a few roasts popping up on the menu.

And the booze situation, which had been a tad dangerous at first, had also improved.  A Dwarf could have a mug of blueberry wine or a dwarven ale with their meal.  There was also prickle berry wine, peach cider, and even apricot wine just to name a few drinks available.

The caged Paraceratherium was brought in, tamed, and butchered.

To help process food faster, so none would go to waste, another kitchen was put RIGHT next to the Butcher shop.  It didn't work.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then alarm and horror spread throughout the settlement.  Right in the entry way was a Weregilamonster!  The militia was called out!  But many feared it was too late.

The airlock was ordered closed.  Dwarves might be killed by the closing drawbridge but it was hoped that the creature would be trapped outside.  And the populace were ordered to barrow in the tavern.

The creature moved quickly but the second it tried to step over the second drawbridge the raptors launched their attack.  If somebody would just pull the levelers and lock the thing outside the raptors could take care of it.  Maybe.

At first both sides seemed equal.  The were could not land a blow and the raptors could not slash at it with their claws.

The Weregilamonster finally, after all the dodging, bit down on one of the raptors and injected it with monster extract.  A venom?  Animals could not be inflected by curses but would the extract do anything against the raptors?

The raptors were as fast as the werebeast.  Both them and the creature were great at dodging.  And they had the numbers. 

At least it was still in the airlock.  It was too busy fighting off the tiny dinosaurs to get into the settlement.  And the soldiers were coming.

Then one of the raptors was able to give a slash to one of its legs.  Then another one got in a slash.  And another got in a slash.

Then the werecreature did land a blow on one of the defenders.  But even while this happened one of the other raptors slashed at it.

Then the werebeast and one of the raptors became locked in combat.  The weregilamonster had the poor thing in a one armed hug.  But there were four other raptors and they kept attacking.

The were was stronger but outnumbered.  And standing on one of the drawbridges.

But one of the raptors had a artery opened.  Maybe numbers were not enough?

Then the were creature stepped all the way into the settlement.  The Leader ordered the levers to be left alone.  Otherwise the raptors would be trapped outside and the were inside.  If only the Dwarves had been faster!

Then the Leader did the next most logical thing - she ordered more raptors to the entry!

The were was, SLOWLY, crippling the raptors.  But it was running out of time.  Another raptor, somebody’s pet, was about to join the fight.  And the soldiers were just one level down, heading for the up ramp. 

Soon metal weapons would add to the slashing claws.  How well could it handle that?

Deduk Obokvabok, a Recruit, was the first on the scene from inside the settlement.  Armed with a copper spear and a buckler it was unlikely she would do well.  But others were right behind her.

The sight before her was likely horrible.  The were was badly wounded and covered in raptors.  But there was also raptors on the ground, bleeding and stunned.

The next on the scene was Shem Sodelular, the Militia Commander, armed with a iron spear, a shield, a cooper helm, and wearing a proper iron mail shirt.  She would likely do some damage.

From outside appeared the Chef Medical Dwarf, Kadol Daturnil, armed with a bone crossbow, a copper mace, a buckler, and leather armor.  And he had SILVER bolts.

The recruit attacked again and again but the were dodged.  But it also fell back.  And two more soldiers appeared from inside the settlement.  A Wrestler and a Swordsdwarf.

Even while the soldiers closed in the werebeast was pulling a wounded raptors apart.  As if dismissing the warriors closing in on it.

And then the weregilamonster became enraged!

Then it was impaled by a copper spear when it failed to dodge the Recruit’s stabbing at its upper body.

The Militia Commander than stabbed it with the iron spear at the same time the Chief Medical Dwarf bashed it with the copper mace.  Maybe the silver bolts had been forgotten?

The were, one of its legs badly damaged, fell over.  Along side him one of the pet war raptors, Bomrek Asenmistem, died.  One of the unnamed war raptors was also found dead.  It was a work animal.  Its duty was to fight and die.  It would be tossed onto the corpse pile.  The pet would be honored.

At this point the Dwarves, with the enemy down, started stabbing, bashing, and, in general, decided it was a good time to kill it as swiftly as possible.  They even kicked and punched it.

The monster tried to fight back but soon many of its limbs were smashed to pieces and it was pouring out blood.  When the Swordsdwarf joined in it was only a matter of time.

Encircled by sword and mace and spears it tried to swing at its attackers.  But missed.  Soon pieces of it were being sliced off.  One of its arms went flying.

Suddenly it was dead.  The militia could return back to whatever they were doing.  The populace could leave the tavern.  The dead pet would get a coffin - as it had died in combat.  The dead working raptor would be dumped.  The wounded ones….well, if they were too badly hurt they would be butchered.  Most of them seemed to be able to stand and walk.

Many of the Militia needed time to recover.  This was their first fight.  Many found their legs weak afterwards.  But none had been touched or bitten by the monster.

But then there was some bad news.  Avuz Besmartishis, a Farmer, had claimed the Leather Works.

The Leader wondered what the Farmer would end up creating?  Or would she go crazy?

After getting some leather the Farmer started to work.  The Leader assumed it would be some kind armor or shield?  Or a leather craft?

Then two more baby Uintatheriums were born.  At least the breeding program was going well.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The raptor, Bomrek, had been put in a newly placed coffin and a memorial slab.  It had been placed in the catacombs.  Not in one of the niches, that was reserved for Dwarves, but in the middle of the chamber.

Then the Farmer presented the artifact she had created.  A chicken leather quiver.  Not bad, it was somewhat useful.

On the 21st of Timber, almost at the end of fall, the turkey chicks started to mature into adults.

The Auroch calf had also become a bull.  And likely too big for the barn.  The Leader pondered what to do with him.

Outside the settlement the ravens have come.  In greater numbers than before.  Maybe they had followed the weregilamonster to the settlement on the hopes of some fresh Dwarven meat?  Not today, birds, no today.

And as for  the caged Paraceratherium?  It would be tamed and added to the zoo.  The Dwarves had too much meat as it was.  Some of it had already gone rotten in the Butcher shop before it could be prepared and stored.

And then winter came.  Not that one could tell by looking outside.  By late autumn the river had already frozen and the ground was already covered in white snow.  But the nose could tell.  Also the calendar said it was winter.

[callisto8413]

So, the second winter of the settlement had come.  Funny enough the newly selected Scribe was the one who took the newly trained Pataceratherium to the waiting cage in the future zoo-statue garden.  If only the statues would be made!  It would be such a nice place to visit for the populace.

Inside it was warm, a tad smelly, loud, and safe.

Outside it was cold, white, and the only sounds were the noise of dozens of ravens.  Sometimes the iced river would let off a crack but that was it.

What wasn’t covered in snow was covered in pine seed cones.  So the only color outside of white was brown.

But finally the first statue was completed and the Leader, herself, placed it in the engraved chamber.

Then she had to turn down ANOTHER petition.  So many entertainers were in the tavern!

But then there was some good new.  The reindeer calf had become an adult female.  A cow in other words.  More milk for the tiny cheese industry!

Amazingly the settlement’s first visiting Scholar had arrived to visit the library.  A Dwarven Sage of the name of Fath Akgosushrir.  The Leader realized at this point that no beds had been assigned to the tavern, temple, or library for visiting folks.

Maybe a small room with a few beds could be created for such long term visitors?

By the middle of early winter the interesting event was a herd of Uintatheriums had appeared and two had gotten trapped in the cage.  The Leader wondered if they could be sold to the elves when they came in spring?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Mid winter came and there was a alarm from the surface.  One of the Uintatherium had attacked a Miner collecting plants and logs.

The Leader called out the militia.  Enough was enough.  The Ice Hunters would kill the creatures on the surface.

Sadly, the creatures were faster than the Dwaves.  But at least they were too busy running for their lives to bother any of the workers.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And the medical staff had their first victim…er..patient they had to work on.  Luckily, they had much of what they needed to treat the Miner.

Ironically all the running around meant that one of the two still free Uintatheriums had got themselves trapped in some cages.

The Leader wondered how much Elves would pay for them?  Then the Leader realized a problem in selling the animals to the Elves.  They would come in wooden cages.

The animals would have to be kept tame till a Dwarven caravan showed up.

The still free Uintatherium fled completely and there were only a couple of ravens left.  The militia returned back to the warm tunnels and cool drinks of the settlement.

The new, third, shared bedroom was completed.  Only with eight beds.  Four of which were assigned to the library, two to the temple, and two to the tavern.  For visitors of course but it seems some tired Dwarves had already slept in them before they could be officially assigned.

Then it was pointed out to her that those long-term residents from the tavern had already been assigned beds in the common bedrooms.  So those two beds assigned to the tavern were reassigned to the temple.

Then the Dwarves reported a hole in the roof of the barn and a ramp had to be made to repair it.  Snow was getting on the hives!  It was quickly repaired.  There was also a pair mittens on the roof which was also snatched up by one of the Dwarves before the ramp was removed.

Then there was alarming, and confusing, new.  One of the Hunters was hunting down a reindeer cow.  At first the Leader had thought one of the idiots had entered the barn and was attacking the poor animals.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

But it turned out, that with the coming of late winter, a herd of wild reindeer had shown up.  One cow was already in one of the cage traps.

The Leader decided to have the caged one tamed and placed in the barn.  It would give the Dwarves more milk.  And what deer the Hunters could kill would bring in more meat and skins.

But after wounding a few deer the Hunter came in after running out of bolts.  Leaving a badly wounded bull in the dry riverbed. 

The Leader ordered the militia to go out and finish it off.  No reason to let it suffer.  And it was easily put down.

During the military action another couple deer ran into cages.  Two more cows.

Then there was news from the surface.  A Human caravan had arrived.  Maybe they would take the cows?  Or at least some of them?

Then it turned out just to be a lone Human Merchants and the Leader boxed a few ears.  “Idiots!”

Worried that the barn might become overcrowded it was decided to move some of the larger animals outside into a outside pasture.  The Woolly Mammoth calf, the Aurochs Bull, the Triceratops Calf, and the Ankylosaurus were big, or would grow big, and took easily handle most creatures in the forest.  So they were removed from the barn and placed in a pasture outside the entry.

Which meant they would also act as a early warning system.

It was noticed that one of the newly tamed deer was injured by the Hunter.  Her left lung had been damaged.  The Leader ordered her to be butchered. 

Then the surface workers announced a male deer had been found in one of the traps.

The Leader ordered it tamed and placed in the barn.  No telling how useful a herd of deer would be.  Meat, skins, and milk would come in useful.

Then another cow feel into a cage trap and was brought in.  It was tamed and sent to the barn.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Besides the lone reindeer the Dwarves had spotted a lone Paraceratherium.  Maybe a new comer or one had returned to try to see what had happened to its herd?

Then it was reported to the Leader that it time to release the vampire from its cage.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Leader ordered the vampire into its own unit and stationed in a ‘special room’.

On top of that Tobul Ushatletmos, the Weaver, was elected Mayor was making all kinds of demands.

Which meant the position of Sheriff had also been replaced with the Captain of the Guard.  Which needed to be fulfilled.

The Leader signed.  When it rained it poured.

Ubbul Shamebkel, a Peasant, was made the Captain of the Guard and given the Sheriff’s old office and dining room.

The Mayor wanted his own office and dining room.  So the Leader turned her old office into both.  He wasn’t happy about that.  His new office and dining room was tiny.  With bare dirt walls, floor, and ceiling.  And it needed a Weapons and Armor Stand.  But The Leader would deal with that later.  After all, he was only an elected official. 

Right now she had a vampire to smash.

But it refused to obey orders as it was starving for blood.  It entered a bedroom of one of the seven and drained the sleeping victim of blood!  Avuz Besmartishis, the Tanner, was dead!  Then the vampire went to report the crime!

But it was still hungry.  So then the vampire drained the blood of a MaceDwarf in the first shared bedroom, in front of many witnesses, and reported it also!

Then it went to the ‘special room’ but refused to enter it.  It just stood in the doorway.  Not being able to get the Vampire to enter the killing room the Leader used the Justice system and convicted it of both crimes.  After all, while nobody had seen the first crime over a dozen had seen the second crime.

The Leader ordered the ‘special room’ enlarged and redone.   The Leader pondered what to do next time.  The vampire would need to forced into it somehow.  Not just allowed to wander off.

The Vampire was to be caged for over 400 days.  That would give the Leader time to think of something.  Maybe wall in the cage and make a tunnel, the only way out, that went into the 'special room'?

Then there was a report from the outside.  While all this nonsense was going on inside one of the war Velociraptors had been attacked by a reaindeer bull and had been killed!

The damn thing now had a name - Matokil.  The Leader, of course, sent out the militia.

The reindeer was found quickly.  Seems it had decided to hide around the hills above the entry way.  The first to find it was the Recruit Unib Oltarmeb.  Armed with a iron spear, pine shield, copper helm, and iron mail shirt there was no reason the Recruit should not win.  If it could keep up with the fast moving bull.

At least the two victims had been buried and their memorial slabs put in place.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Early spring had come and nobody had noticed.  Maybe when the Elves showed up things might be better?

It was the 5th of Granite, of 252, early spring.  And the Leader was not looking forward to writing her report.

[SQman]

You need to replace the fallen and crippled raptors with something more lethal. Let's see if santa's elves bring you a Megalosaurus or two for crustmas.

[callisto8413]

You need to replace the fallen and crippled raptors with something more lethal. Let's see if santa's elves bring you a Megalosaurus or two for crustmas.

We'll see.  It depends on what they bring me.  Most of the animals they bring in the cages are tasty but not very dangerous.

[delphonso]

PTW. Gonna go back and read everything in detail soon - but looks cool!

[callisto8413]

Uvash Minefourtains, the Expedition Leader, entered her new office.  A phyllite table and phyllite throne stood in the middle.  Nicely engraved phyllite walls and floor.  Lots of space to move about.  Clean and free of dirt.  Slightly warmer also.

She pulled off her hood and cap, sat down, and sighed.  Time to write to Queen Olngo Snamozusasp.  Hopefully she did not notice the report was late.  Royals had a habit of noticing the little things.

She reached under the desk, pulled out the ink stone, her pen, a blank sheet of paper, and some powder.  She carefully mixed some fresh ink with the powder and some water from her beard.  She filled up her pen and started to write the second end of the year report.

5th Granite, 252, Early Spring

Greetings from the Village of Pulleypulled in the Whiskered Doused Forest on the Submerged Continent, to Her Highness Queen Olngo Snamozusasp of the Comedic Knife!

This is Uvash Avuzzefon, Expedition Leader of The Sprayed Glaze.  It is my honor to write this report for you to read.

The populace, at the moment I am writing this, is 50.  One is a vampire and six are children.

I am proud to report that at this point we have plenty of iron weapons and mail shirts.  Our militia has one Swordmaster, three Macedwarves, one Hammerdwarf, one Speardwarf, one Wrestler, and one Recruit. 

Due to our brave militia we have been able to defend ourselves from a werebeast.  The velociraptors were very useful in delaying the creature long enough for the soldiers to arrive and do their duty.

I must also report, to my sadness, we have lost five Dwarves.  One to a wild animal,  one to insanity, and the other three died to a vampire.  Including one of the original seven.  But the vampire is being punished and will be dealt with.

We also have a breeding hard of Uintatheriums, a starting herd of both Reindeer and Paraceratheriums.  We should not have to worry too much about food and organic products.

We were visited by a, somewhat, irate Elf diplomat.  They, of course, don’t like us cutting down all the pines.  But we need it for fuel to keep our iron industry working.

The greenskins have yet to show themselves.

I look forward to writing such a letter as this one again this same time next year.

Yours truly,

Uvash Avuzzefon

She frowned at the letter.  She could have added more details but decided to leave it at that.  The settlement was doing better than most new settlements.  Surviving two years in such an environment was a amazing accomplishment.  No need to draw a horrible picture.  Most of the people seemed happy, they had food and drinks, none of the children had been eaten.  Surely, that was good enough?