Don't worry. If you look at my prior turns, I'm the bastard who always took the entire week to finish his turn. I wish that my GF didn't interfere with my DF, but that's real life for ya. Anyhow, since you're so impatient, I lowered my quality standards for the latter half of the year (actually, I've been in somewhat of a slump, creatively speaking). Here you go:
The journal of Don, Year 215
1st of Granite (Continued)- We finished today with the naming ceremony. “Greta Silkybeard” now dwells among us as a full-fledged member of our community. The others are off drinking and celebrating. I’m currently cooped up in my office, however, planning the new nursery. It seems to me that it would be unwise to give every child a full house to themselves. Therefore, they will all get smaller bedrooms, furnished with a simple bed, coffer, and cabinet for their personal belongings (though, seeing as Keyan will be making them, the rock furniture could hardly be considered simple). All bedrooms will link to the “playroom” as I like to think of it. There will be statues for educational purposes, along with many of the toys and instruments we have just laying about. I hope the children will like it, though I doubt McWiggles will give up his own personal palace. Still, he is the firstborn, so it’s alright…
10th of Granite-Our new moat is now finished. Or at least, we now have a ditch that runs around the entire fortress, separating it from the outside. I had to suspend all prior constructions to finish it in a timely manner, but we are now marginally safe from the undead and goblins that still roam outside our walls. Next on the agenda is the newly fortified trade depot. Currently, we’d have to open up the entire eastern enclosure in order to let merchants in. Suppose a goblin siege shows up before we can close the drawbridge. All that would stand between them and the inner fortress would be a single door, which could be bashed down by a troll or the lock picked by a kobold. And since someone decided it would be a good idea to build a staircase to the surface near the kitchens, we couldn’t seal ourselves off any further. I will not endanger my friend’s lives in such a way! The fortified Depot will be constructed before I let any merchants in. This means the elves will probably miss out, but the safety of the fortress comes before its profit margins.
14th of Granite- Elves have arrived, but the fortified trade depot is still under construction. They sit on the edge of our territory, wondering what to do. I told them to go away, but apparently their next stop is across a mountain pass which opens in late spring. So, for now they are stuck, and I will not lower the golden drawbridge for fear of the skeletal elk that are roaming about. Every so often, they sit and stare at us as we construct our new depot. It’s unnerving, and work has been called off more than once.
On a different note, I’ve noticed an excessive amount of animals roaming the fortress, mainly young donkeys and camels, with a few cougars mixed in for flavor. Everyone keeps tripping over them, and they’re quite annoying in general. I’ve ordered them rounded up to the cages in the dining room.
17th of Granite- A commotion was heard outside today. It turned out to be one of the infamous goblin babysnatchers, fighting a zombie mountain goat. If any of the green-skinned monsters get close to the children so help me I will turn it into a pincushion. Luckily, the drawbridge is still raised, and goblin, seeing us watching his every move, finished off the goat and left without a prize. I’m quite happy with my decision to exclude the elves for this year.
The construction of the fortified trade depot is coming along well. I think we’ll be ready by the time the humans come around. I’ve also finished designating the new tombs to be dug for the children. We will have two empty ones for the two babies who are lost to us. I only hope I never have to see the rest used.
15th of Slate- Another group of migrants arrived today. I didn’t even have time to plead sick before two groups of goblins struck them. There was nothing we could have done even if the others had wanted too. It pains me to see our brothers and sisters slaughtered in such a way. The goblins, as usual, showed no mercy. I consider it a boon that there were so few immigrants in this group. I only hope our reputation as an accursed death trap has made its way to the mountainhomes. I wonder what drives these poor souls here to die at our walls. Is it famine? War? Plague? Whatever the cause, I feel pity for them, and wish there was another way. But that means little to the bodies which the flies now feast upon.
4th of Hematite- In an unusual display of fairness, the fates have exterminated the goblins who continued to roam outside of our walls. A group of skeletal elk has killed a good portion of them, and driven the rest away. Despite how they often interrupt our work, the undead are nothing if not good guards against the green menace. Then again, the others would say they’re also good guards against migrants…
Enough of these ramblings. There is good news today, for the fortified depot is finally finished. None too early too, as summer is here and the human traders are expected any day now. There are two drawbridges; the golden one which allows the traders access, and the stone one which does the same for us. I have labeled the levers in the control room as such: the golden grate is the outer drawbridge, and the blue turtle is the inner one. I have lowered the golden bridge and raised the inner one, so we will be ready for traders when they come.
13th of Hematite- Joyous news! Navi has given birth to yet another boy! For now, we will call him Obok, though his parents seem perplexed as to what they plan to name him when his time comes. Still, I’m sure they will come up with something. This brings our total to 10 children walking about our halls. Work on the nursery has begun. We have most of the rooms dug out already, but Magua is taking his own sweet time in smoothing the walls and floors. I’ve decided that only the top floor shall have full-on engravings on the walls, just to give the older children some sense of seniority. When a child grows into a full-on adult, he will be given his own home, and the next oldest will move into his room on the upper floor. McWiggles has, as expected, refused to move out of his comfy quarters, so we’ve decided to let him have them. The others are complaining, but we just tell them it’s because he’s the eldest and that’s final.
15th of Hematite- The human caravan has arrived. They all filed into the new fortified trading depot without issue, and we are now bringing goods to trade. I’ll be happy to get rid of some of these clothes we have laying about. We have, in all actuality, produced very little ourselves for traders these past fifteen years. Most of what we trade are the goods of the immigrants who came here. This, however, does not seem to dissuade the humans. After all, profit is profit. I’ve also had Gord bring up some of her better meals for the humans. She’s quite the master cook, and her meals should go for a fairly high price. I still wonder about her and Apple. It’s no secret that they are lovers, but they still haven’t gotten married. If they wait too much longer, there’s no way Gord will be able to catch up to prolific Navi and Talakin.
25th of Hematite- Well, though it pains me to do it, I’ve order that they party in the statue garden be cut off. There’ s just too much work to do, getting all the goods to the trade depot in time. It was started by the children, but then most of the adults got involved too. It’s too bad, but we all must make sacrifices for the good of the community. All the children have been avoiding me due to this, but I think it will pass. There’ll be another party when winter comes.
7th of Malachite- A thief was seen sneaking away with a steel boot with masterwork decoration. Honestly, our fortress seems to have a big sign that says “Come and Get It!” written in kobold. Then again, I can’t say I’m too disappointed over the loss. There’s not too much difference between them and us. We both steal from the dead and trade it away for our own profit.
12th of Malachite- Trading went well today. We got rid of most of the clothes and other stuff, and in return, we received lots of barrels, many of which contained plenty of ingredients for Gord. We also traded for some metal bars, and a stock of iron bolts. The humans then promptly packed up and left without incident. I’m quite glad that there haven’t been any problems with the trade depot.
7th of Galena- Muthkat has started walking on her own. First stop: the booze stockpile. Amazing how much a child can drink. I think she felt sick afterwards, though that may have been the dwarven sugar biscuits that came shortly afterwards.
Other than that, the summer passes smoothly onwards. The tombs are dug out, the bedrooms smoothed, and I’m busy carving beds for our little ones. Keyan has put out some exceptional cabinets, coffers, and doors, and I’m sure that there’s more to come. I fear we’re spoiling our children rotten. However, as I seem to be seen as a kindly uncle by the children, that’s entirely within my job description.
15th of Galena- Talakin gave birth to a girl today. For now, she is Minkot, but that will change soon enough…I hope. Talakin and Keyan seem to be having as much trouble coming up with a name as Navi and Magua are. All I know is that this birth means another tomb to dig, and another child for our nursery. I’m very happy for the parents, even if I don’t envy them, what with a full five children to look after. I much prefer my job, playing with the little ones and keeping them happy.
10th of Limestone- The summer has worn itself away, and autumn now finds us ready for the dwarven caravan. A full five wagons have come, and they look to be full to the brim. I only hope we have enough time to get all the goods to the depot.
16th of Limestone- A skulking thief was ripped to shreds today by a group of skeletal muskoxen. Few noticed or even cared, what with the rush to bring items to the depot. There’s so much to be done.
18th of Limestone- This time, it appears the kobolds have come in “force.” A group of about six, armed to the teeth, were spotted by the same skeletal muskoxen. They fared no better than the thief. I’m quite relieved. Still, it’s discouraging to know that we are such a popular stop for skulking vermin.
21st of Limestone- Yet another thief was discovered today, this one poking around the barrels in the trade depot. I guess in all the rush to bring the goods to the depot, my order to pull the lever for the golden drawbridge went unnoticed. This situation will be rectified immediately, though the caravan guards at the depot don’t seem to mind being our city watch for the time being.
6th of Sandstone- The skeletal elk at our entrance keep scaring off everyone who’s bringing items to the depot! I rectified the situation myself, taking a crossbow and banishing the foul beasts back to whatever afterlife elk go to. We need to extend our wall somewhat so that we can move goods to the depot without incidents like these. Not to mention we only have a ditch separating us from the undead. Given, I don’t think they could climb up or down, but a freak accident like goblin hammerer knocking the elk over the ditch is not something I’d like to repeat. A simple wall will suffice, though I doubt I’ll have time to complete it during my term. I hope someone else will take the initiative.
10th of Sandstone- Trading was completed today. We weren’t able to get all of the goods I wanted to the depot, but we still were able to buy everything we needed. We bought lots of barrels, some bits and pieces of steel armor, and plenty of food for Gord to cook. Just in time too; the merchants left soon after.
20th of Moonstone- Goblin ambush vs. Skeletal elk. Winner: Goblins. Not much more to say. The drawbridge is up, and the merchants long departed.
25th of Moonstone- Keyan took care of some skeletal mountian goats that were interrupting his work making stone blocks for the walls. He’s not great at shooting a crossbow, not as great as I or Navi that is, but he managed to re-kill them all with only one quiver. He’s slow as an elephant at reloading, though. I’ve prioritized where the walls need to be built. Firstly: by the trade depot, to allow us to trade without fear. Second should be by the new stone-working area to the northwest, where Keyan shot the mountain goats. Finally, the north-east and south-west corners should be done last, as there is nothing of importance in those directions.
Of course, all this could only be done if the nursery and tombs were finished, which they are. The children were very glad to have their own rooms, and quite ecstatic about their new accommodations. Shoruke even complimented me on her bed. While I’m only an adept carpenter, some of those beds turned out quite well.
16th of Obsidian- Shoruke organized the year-end party today, and it looks to be a spectacular bash. Many of the adults won’t be attending, due to work on the walls, but the children should have a grand time. I hope that will be the end of my year, with the smiling faces of children.
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Topic: The Founders. [Succession & Community] (Read 12766 times)