8th Sandstone, 1051
The rescue party returned today, empty handed. Had they arrived too late? Was everyone already dead?
No. Apparently the survivors of the expedition had dug in, decided the rescue party was a merchant caravan and tried to buy an anvil in exchange for cunningly wrought bone and stone crafts. I'm not sure whether to blame the heat or the ants but I guess I'll find out as apparently I am to be sent there.
21st Obsidian, 1051
My arrival is greeted with a raised drawbridge, elephant trumpeting and raised voices. There was some sort of engineering dispute over which way to pull the lever to lower the bridge, which left me standing outside amidst the elephants, alligators and ants.
The elephant trumpeting was coming from tame elephants! Thats a relief.
After introducing myself to the current overseer, Keldor, he announced he was off to plant seeds now and wandered off, leaving me with a pile of paperwork.
Spring 1052
1st Granite, 1052
Took a tour of "Abbeyverse" today. It's bigger than I thought and we seem to have plenty of food considering or numbers.
Around lunchtime, Endok came rushing into the dining room with a slightly crazed look in his eyes and shouted that a baby elephant had been born. Excellent news, provided it stays tame.
7th Granite
According to our planters we're growing all sorts of stuff. We don't seem to have a workshop, quern or kitchen though, so that seems like a good place to start here. It won't be long until we have all the syrup we need!
I've ordered a section of the clay near the farms to be dug out to hold the new constructions. I suppose there was room for them by the stills but booze is always better without the random bits of plant rubbish processors always seem to throw everywhere when their milling flour and making syrup.
10th Granite
There is a herd of elephants right outside our eastern wall. Looks like six of them and they're right next to one of Endok's traps but none of them have set it off yet.
16th Granite
Today is a bad day.
The elephants are still there, it's started raining and a bunch of Elf merchants have arrived to be pompous at us. With luck they'll meet the elephants.
17th Granite
Odd. An elephant blundered into the trap and Endok rushed out to retrieve the cage and reset the trap, even through the rest of the elephants were still there.
Looking on from the walls, I was preparing to see Endok's horrible death when the improbable happened. Charging through the trees like a maniac at the head of a swarm of cats and dogs, Endok headed straight for the cage. The elephants, rather than meting out a swift death, panicked and fled, scattering before Endok and fleeing as fast as they could. Some crashed through the trees to the east, others ran as far as they could to the riverbank to the north. Endok reset the trap, returned and only then did the elephants seem to regain their nerve.
Amazing. I think some sort of celebration would be in order.
18th Granite
It seems there ws a downside to the Great Scattering of the Elephants.
The elephant terror allowed the Elves to pass through them unscathed and now they want to trade. Oh well, lets see if they've brought anything useful.
Apparently most of our crafts are made out of bone. We do have a few rock salt baubles though, so we'll try them. Or at least we would if Dodók Dodókkir could get out of bed sometime this month.
22nd Granite
Whilst waiting for Dodók, Endok reappeared, giggling. Apparently he's caught another two elephants and an alligator, and has dropped their cages off right next to the elves.
26th Granite
Dodók awakes!
He managed to get a barrel of swamp whiskey and a couple of empty barrels out of the elves for some of the salt. Nothing amazing but at least it's more booze and more barrels to brew booze into.
28th Granite
Endok has complained about his mechanic's workshop being cluttered. I had a look round and he is right, we don't seem to have a stockpile for useful things like mechanisms, doors, beds and such like.
I told Dôbar to dig one out next to the workshops.
1st Slate 1052.
Thief!
Or at least, one was spotted from the north wall, about to be mauled by an elephant. It's not like we have a much to steal anyway.
3rd Slate
The new stockpile is finished and Dôbar has named it a furniture stockpile. Personally I wouldn't count mechanisms as furniture but it's not worth arguing about.
5th Slate
The furniture stockpile is half full already! Seems we had quite a few bits and pieces hidden away under workshop tables and such like.
The farmer's workshop and quern are also both set up and ready to go, so we'll have flour and syrup in no time. All we need now is someone who knows what they're doing when they use either!
8th Slate
I was expecting a few more dwarves to join us over time, much like I had.
I was not expecting this.
A horde of migrants just arrived, raising the population of Abbeyverse to almost five times what it was before! Glassmakers, woodburners, gem cutters, metal crafters, an armourer, a bunch of peasants and even a child. Armok knows how they got here.
Hopefully they'll all make it within the walls alright but I have no idea where to put everybody. I've ordered a new cavern dug into the salt and beds to be made to serve as a barracks for now.
13th Slate
We didn't lose anyone to the wildlife but we're now out of wood and a lot of the migrants seem to have no skills that are of any use to us right now. I've ordered a logging expedition outside the bridge.
16th Slate
The elves have just announced they will be leaving soon. I think they're feeling neglected.
26th Slate
there is a terrible smell coming from the refuse dump. It seems there is nothing stopping the smell coming out, so I think some hatches are in order.
6th Felsite, 1052
Busy times. The barracks cave was finished the other day and beds are being moved there now, so hopefully the migrants will stop complaining as much. The dining room has also been expanded a bit and one of the walls smoothed, later to be engraved in celebration of the Scattering of Elephants.
Work on some water works have also been started, to ensure both that the water in the cistern is accessible and replenishable without needing to leave the walls.
9th Felsite
Had a small cave in during the cistern work and I got knocked inside! Luckily the water cushioned my fall so I only got a bit bruised and the water level down there is mostly shalow enough to wade in. It's a good job we're out in the wilderness, health and safet would have shut this place down long ago back home.
In other news,Zuglar, one of the migrants, was tasked with installing a floodgate. He did a fine job, but managed to lock himself on the wrong side of the thing. He is, strictly speaking, a Potash Maker, so perhaps it's not entirely his fault, but still...
Hopefully the lever will be linked and the gate opened to let him out before he gets upset.
12th Felsite
Floodgate opened today and Zuglar let out. He doesn't seem to be any the worse for wear from his three day self imposed captivity.
16th Felsite
The engraving in the dining room is complete. For some reason Endok decided on fish, donkeys and a bucket as the symbols of the Scattering of the Elephants.
28th Felsite
The channel is now linked to the river, thanks to Dôbar braving the riverbank. All thats needed now is some way of getting water inside the fortress without either flooding it or resorting to amateurish things like buckets.
[ April 26, 2008: Message edited by: Kazindir ]
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Topic: {succession/community} Kulettögum, Salt Mines Beneath the Mire (Read 87830 times)