((The second installment.))
1st of Galena, 1059
The merchants have been watching us as the roof slowly covers their heads. I think they know what we are going to do, for they cower in corners, trying to stay out of the shade. But that matters not, for I have made an interesting discovery.
As I was looking though the list of all the goods we had stockpiled, I noticed that there is quite a bit of thread in one of the storerooms. While a lot of it is of spider silk, some of it is made from rope reed. Why doesn’t anyone tell me about these things! I’ve ordered Cog the seamstress to get to the loom immediately, and make up some rope reed cloth for Dodok. With any luck, Dodok will still be moderately sane when the cloth is delivered. I can only hope it’s not too late.
In regards to the training program I have devised, I asked Myra to make as many suits of steel armor as she can. These will be full suits: both chain and plate for each dwarf. It will be heavy to carry, but it will keep them protected as they spar. I would have wanted leather armor underneath that as well, but we need all available leather to make sand-bags for glass. Eventually, though, perhaps some armor can be made out of dog leather.
The new training facility has been completely dug out now, and I plan on filling it with stone furniture. Stone is the universal symbol of Dwarvenkind. From the stone we came, and to the stone we will go. Green glass is beautiful, yes, but still, we can’t make recruits too comfortable now can we? Not to mention all sand is going towards the production of blocks, for the great project. Only the doors will be made of glass, to remind the soldiers of what they are defending; also partially because we have lots of green glass portals on hand. If it’s already made, why build more?
3rd of Galena
Dodok started on her mysterious construction today. The cloth was what she needed. She’s going to be alright.
7th of Galena
Today was a good day for Skyseal. The roof was finished and collapsed upon the trader’s heads. All the humans are dead, though three of their horses survived. I’m taking no chances this time. There will be a 24 hour guard at the lever to make sure they don’t escape. Eventually, they will starve to death, I am sure of it.
On a different note, Dodok has finally completed her artifact, a turtle bone ring. She calls it "The Shield of Calling,” representing how our military, when called to arms, has never failed to defend us against the goblins. On it, she has carved pictures of a battle scene between our guard and the goblins from last year. She also put a carving of the old king, Sarvesh Bridgetwinkling, who was a great war-leader of our people. To my personal joy, she put an image of Dustpurges in cat leather. I feel honored that the spirits would see fit to portray my work on another’s. In any case, she too retained the knowledge from her madness. Her bone-carving skills are legendary now. I imagine that masterpiece bone bolts would be as good as iron. Perhaps we should create a marksdwarf group to help our champions? Eh, maybe a few years from now.
18th of Galena
I’ve been told that the horses have gone mad from hunger. This is good. They’ll be dead soon. In other news, I’ve started on the water transfer project. It will allow us to move water between the two pools in the entrance. That way, we won’t make the same mistake of allowing the merchants to learn how to swim before drowning. Also, we’ll be able to catch and use more rain, if it comes; I’m starting to doubt that it will. It’s been dry the entire year. Luckily, our food stores are high, but it still might become a problem.
10th of Limestone
The water transfer project has been a nightmare. First, there was a collapse, and one of our masons, Udil Torchweakness fell into the eastern pond. I was there at the time, and called for the miners to dig a ramp to let him out. He proved very grateful, and I’m starting to gain a reputation as a caring dwarf. Nonsense, of course, I just don’t want any unnecessary deaths.
Then, another dwarf walled herself in. There are stairs built to prevent such an occasion, but apparently she stood on the wrong side of the pumping equipment and couldn’t get around. It took us three days to realize she was stuck, but she survived without any problems. What was infuriating was that, after talking it over with Archimedes, we realized that wall was completely unnecessary. It’s just a big headache.
Anyhow, the dwarven caravan arrived today. I ordered all the military out, to give them a warm welcome. No goblins were right at their tails, but you never know how sneaky they can be. I’ve ordered a good amount of the narrow and large clothes we have to the trade depot. I figure that, if we basically give stuff away, they are more likely to bring more wagons next year. I plan on dumping as much of this junk as I can on them. Just hope it gets to the trade depot on time. Our hauling operations are very inefficient. I’ve clearly designated an armor stockpile in the training complex for all that steel armor Myra has created, but nothing is getting there. It all just sits in the workshops. Perhaps if I label it as a refuse-hauling job, it will get done faster. I really want that thing up and running by the time we get more immigrants.
25th of Limestone, 1059
Well, we’ve bought out the caravan, save for some random barrels of cave spider venom. The merchants are estatic; we’ve given them a tidy profit of over 10,000. I’m still trying to get more stuff to the depot before they leave. I want to get rid of as much as possible, and I want our merchants to be as happy as possible. After all, happy merchants bring more wood and food. We now have enough meat for Myra to be cooking until the end of the year.
6th of Sandstone, 1059
Rain! Glorious rain! The pools are starting to fill, I only hope it lasts long enough so they don’t evaporate as soon as it clears up. Praise Asen the Oil of Paint! Actually, though Asen is my god, it would be more appropriate to praise Ós, the Hale Jewel, as he is associated with marriage, birth, rebirth, death, the night, the stars, but most relevant, the sky and the wind. Still, I never liked the images of that batman.
12th of Sandstone, 1059
The merchants left today, even though I had more junk that is somehow valuable, and they still had more room in their wagon. They didn’t say why they were leaving so early. I wonder…
6th of Timber, 1059
Our baron consort has demanded that we make a nickel item. I ordered a bucket, in the hopes that he will kick it.
28th of Timber
Morul Osodustuth, axdwarf, gave birth to a boy. Another useless mouth to feed, but we were all children once. Perhaps, someday, he will become a great warrior, like his mother was before her neck injury.
10th of Moonstone
Id Azingoden, Champion, has given birth to a girl. Our military seems to have plenty of time on their hands. There have been no goblin sightings this entire year. Perhaps they have decided to leave us alone? Right now, our military apparently has nothing better to do than procreate. Still, it is good to have another dwarf in this world.
We had a problem today with the water-transfer system. Apparently, the gear assembly was connected to the windmill before the breaking lever could be installed. The problem was fixed, but not before the eastern pond was drained. We’ve lost a good amount of water. The only water left is in the western pool, and it’s not even waist-high. We need more rain, but who knows when it will come again.
11th of Moonstone, 1059
Alas, I spoke to soon. An invasion is upon us! Over eighty goblins are now charging up the mountainsides, and they are led by the pikemasters Smunstu Olngokob and Azstrog Ngurexuspgas. We currently have about seven dwarves outside for various reasons. I will order our military to the main gates, for though some goblins may escape the upcoming battle, it will give our civilians time to get inside. I will write of the outcome tomorrow, if indeed I am still alive.
12th of Moonstone, 1059
I shouldn’t have worried. Because our military was at the gates, all the civilians were able to get inside safely. Endok, our houndmaster, was the first to battle. We lost two dogs before the others could get there. However, once Zas, Vabok, and the others reached the battle, it was all over. Our champions routed the goblins handily. They weren’t even winded when the fight was over.
Unfortunately, I can’t say we were without casualties. All the animals tied outside are dead, but, more importantly, Morul Osodustuth’s daughter, Likot, followed her mother into battle. At only one year old, she didn’t know any better. It is always a tragedy when one so young dies. She was killed by the goblin Azpus who was struck down immediately after by Rigoth. Still, her death has been partially avenged. 48 goblins lie dead at our feet, though I only wish the pikemasters were among them. They escaped into the swamps, but they’ll be back, I can feel it in my bones. And when they do, we’ll be ready for them.
I’ve decided to only allow men into the military from this point on. We don’t want any more babies following their mothers into battle.
14th of Moonstone, 1059
We had the funeral for Likot today; it was a very tearful occasion. Archimedes, as mayor, gave a wonderful speech extolling the virtues of childhood. The girl’s parents, Morul and Domas, were there. This is the second child they’ve lost to the goblins. While I don’t really pity them, I have to act as if I do, to keep up with appearances. The dwarves whose lives I saved by ordering the military to the front gate have a new nickname for me: “Don.” I like it, simple, yet powerful. I will begin stamping it on all weapons I produce. Goblins will learn to fear the work of Don.
After the funeral, our tax collector came up to me and gave me a mandate for clear glass items. I told him to go to hell. I never liked officious authority, and I don’t think most of the people here do either.
22nd of Moonstone, 1059
We spotted a thief today. A present whose name I can’t recall took care of him; strangled the little thing to death. It’s funny: we haven’t had any problems until this month. It seems that only at the end of my year-long reign do our enemies decide to descend upon us.
1st of Opal, 1059
I was told that we have run out of iron bars. It seems that constant production of steel has used up quite a bit. I’ve ordered a few more things to be melted, but production of steel has stopped for the time being. However, we now have quite a few steel bars, which I’ve given to Myra to make a few more suits of armor with. The new trainees won’t have a chance of getting injured in her work.
11th of Opal, 1059
Fate has been kind to us, but it did not seem so this morning, when the dragon Inem Kadolsefol showed up in the mountains to our east.
I ordered our entire military out to engage him, but they were all sleeping, eating, or drinking at the time. Only Vabok the Brave moved to the gate. There, he stood, facing the evil dragon. Inem raised his head and let loose a mighty roar, which would have sent any normal dwarf running away. But Vabok stood his ground, and, letting out a great battle cry, charged the dragon.
I watched from afar as the dragon breathed flames down on Vabok, who blocked them with his adamantine shield. Three more bursts of flame were dodged or blocked, and suddenly, Vabok found himself at the foot of the dragon. There, he shouted out “SKYSEAL!!!” and smote the dragon in the side with his mighty war hammer. The force of the blow was such that the dragon (a dragon, mind you) flew over fifty meters. It was dead before it hit the ground. Thus ended Inem Hatchetenter, the scourge of cities, felled by a single blow. All hail Vabok the Brave, Dragonslayer!
28th of Obsidian
My term as leader here at Skyseal has ended. Perhaps I have done more harm than good, but the fortress still stands, the great project continues to grow, and only one dwarf was lost. I recently found out that the ballista won’t work because the ammo area is flooded from when we collapsed the roof on top of the humans. And here I was worrying about rain; we had water all along. Why doesn’t anyone tell me these things! In any case, Myra made a dwarven milk roast to celebrate the New Year. It is a masterwork, but what makes it really good is its secret ingredient: Dragon meat!
Now that Inem is dead, it is no longer fitting to be in The Age of Dragon and Demon. We now live in The Age of Demon!
Save:
http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=355Map:
http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-3157-skyseal-skysealNotes to future managers:
1. I forgot to change Vabok’s profession to “Dragonslayer,” and I’m too tired at the moment to download it, change it, and then re-upload it, so I leave this to you.
2. Steel production is currently off, it needs to be restarted once some iron is melted down.
3. The human guild rep is still alive, locked in Sav’s dining room. Not sure how, but eventually, something will need to be done if he doesn’t kill himself.
4. If you get immigrants, and want to put them in the new training center, be my guest, just follow the training program prescribed. If you don’t want to increase the military’s size, that’s fine too.
5. If your FPS can take it, I would suggest leaving weather on to re-fill the ponds.
6. I would suggest building the roof east and west, rather than north, to allow the ponds to fill. Also in reguards to the roof, don't build on the map edge, otherwise, creatures can spawn up there.
7. Check out the POI’s on the map.
Sorry for taking so long.
Author
Topic: Skyseal! Dreams of a madman. (Read 14851 times)