Autumn, 204
We finally made Kikrost enough glass.
Kikrost Taronïteb, Craftsdwarf has created Ishlum âmid, a green glass amulet!
The Allspeak for the name is... The Nuts of Listening.
And it menaces with spikes of green glass. It's only worth 9600☼ as well!
So anyway, Kikrost's now a Legendary Glassmaker. Just as well, really, because we don't have a second Glassmaker anymore...
Sibrek Ementulon, Glassmaker has been struck down.
I guess he decided to ignore the injunction to STAY INDOORS YOU BLOODY FOOLS! We can't afford to keep losing dwarves like this. This time it was a Zombie Horse that did for him. The records say he "loved a good thrill". They also say he was "extremely cautious", but I don't believe that. Not after he took a stroll outside in Frigging Zombie Bloody Horse Land.
I reminded everyone that going outside is not permitted. However, a few of the lads mentioned that I'd given them jobs outside (the windmill system still wasn't finished), so I had to let them go. The skeletons started chasing them all over the place again. After a while I decided that they'd built enough of the windmill to all go back inside (The milling system is now up and running. We are producing plenty of flour to feed the dwarves). No sooner had I ordered everyone back in, than a caravan from the Mountainhomes turned up. The Trade Depot is outside (I'm not building a three-lane entry into my fortress. Not with those zombie bastards around) so I had to cancel the injunction again. I'm afraid it was rather embarrassing. I fear I am losing the trust of my dwarves.
Of course, letting everyone out to bring things to the depot brought further tragedy...
Eral Kolnokzam, dorf has been struck down.
I've recruited Kivish Endokvîr into the military and told her to practice Marksdwarfship (a while back we knocked together some crossbows from bones and wood).
We bought the usual rubbish from the caravan (I'm sure Her Beardiness Fath Eraltölún is telling them to bring worthless crap, but the Liaison flatly denies it), and sent them on their way with a load of silly trinkets.
I've had a Sculpture Garden started - a lot of the lads have been getting unhappy what with all the deaths and everything, so they need somewhere to go to cheer them up. Urist Ilraludar organized a party there. I didn't feel we could really spare the time but the lads need it so much, so I let them have their fun. They're still partying away now, and it's almost the end of autumn.
Ducim Vathsithilral went all fey on us and grabbed the Craftsdwarf's Workshop.
A bunch more migrants turned up. They're a bunch of useless dorfs as usual. Queen Fath must really hate us. I wonder what the other six founders did, to get sent here. But it's me that's lumbered with trying to keep this fort alive.
Ducim was screaming for bones (The turtle bones we'd already given him were, apparently, not enough). I offered him some of the bones of our dead dwarves, but he wouldn't touch them (strange, given that his deity is associated with sacrifice). So I ordered that one of our cats and one of our dogs be butchered. In the end, he created Monomstîgil Nitig Gembish, a turtle bone scepter. In Allspeak that's "Paperjaw the Bite of Seals". It's only worth 3600☼. What a waste of time. However, now that he's a Legendary Bone Carver, he can make us plenty of bone practice bolts for marksdwarves. Talking of which, Kivish Endokvîr finally started to get the hang of marksdwarfship.
I have started a Dog Breeding Programme so as to have plenty of bone supplies.
The next entry in the log reveals a tragedy.
Bëmbul Shovethmûthkat, Recruit has gone berserk!
Poor Bëmbul had been injured by one of those undead critters and had been lying in bed ever since. The inaction must have finally got to him (his leg was broken and didn't seem to want to heal). Strange to say, no sooner did he go bonkers, than all of a sudden he could walk again - and even run around wrestling workdwarves. I drafted Urist Ilraludar into the military to deal with him. Bëmbul's corpse will be interred in due course, as a soldier wounded in the service of the fort he will be buried with honour. I don't bear grudges against lunatics (even though he broke Olin Lorbamrigòth's arm. Poor thing's only a little girl. She'll survive though - she's Tough).
All of a sudden I remembered that there was supposed to be another dwarf in the military. Question: why didn't Kivish Endokvîr the Marksdwarf deal with Bëmbul? Answer: He'd fallen down the windmill driveshaft. I only discovered this when someone told me he'd bled to death. As a soldier he will, of course, be buried with honour - even if he was a stupid clumsy fool for falling.
I noticed we have two Trappers. With no-one even allowed outside, I don't see what use they are. I drafted one of them as a Wrestler, so Urist will have someone to spar with.
I've also started a Cloth industry. We need to make some bags so that flour production can be speeded up. Also, the Leatherworks need to start churning out Armor, Quivers and Backpacks for the soldiers.
We're running low on Granite. I've sent the miners back to the quarry.
Olin Lorbamrigòth's arm's beginning to heal. With a little luck, she'll be fit as a flea any day soon.
I have attained Grand Master Record Keeper status. As my Magnum Opus I have started this great chronicle of the History of our fortress Razescerol. I will continue to record the events of the Fortress (known in Allspeak as "Hairlens") as they unfold.
Winter, 204
I've told the dwarves it's time to bring their party to an end. Jobs have to be done.
We have struck Cobaltite. It's not particularly useful but it does make pretty doors.
Olin Lorbamrigòth has made a full recovery. She doesn't seem any the worse for wear after her injury; in fact she still says she's ecstatic. One of her reasons is that she "received food lately". I hope she doesn't get too used to being waited upon.
I have started construction of the tombs, deep in the granite.
One of our young girls, Iden Mörulkun (Olin's sister), wanted to have a party (probably to celebrate Olin's recovery), but I had to say no. We're far too busy and the last one lasted for ages.
The two wrestlers are gaining XP nicely. If we can get them any weapons they should make a formidable force.
I had to let everyone out for a bit because I needed the thread and cloth that was lying in the depot outside. Bad move... we're now being hunted down by a Skeletal Cougar. I've told everyone to get back indoors, but it might catch one of them first.
SHIT! The Cougar got into the fortress and made a mess of poor Cog Bimerar the Woodcutter. His right elbow is broken, his lower body and right lower arm are damaged. However, the cougar's dead now (thanks to Cog's resourceful use of his axe - that's the second critter he's killed. Maybe I should draft him into the army, as an Axedwarf... yeah, it's not like I can send him out to chop trees down! When he's recovered, he'll make an awesome Axedwarf - he's Extremely Strong and Extremely Tough)
Ok, Cog's recovered, so he's now an Axedwarf in the army. Also, we now have a fully-grown Bull. All we need is for someone to immigrate a heifer and we can start breeding for beef!
We have just received the attentions of Blugubujlinkus the Kobold Thief.
Glory to Armok! Urist Ilraludar, the Wrestler, has caught the thief and killed it. Unfortunately, while he and Cog were chasing the first kobold, two more turned up. Fortunately they did not steal anything.
Truly Armok has a sense of humour. One of the kobolds has been struck down by our nemesis the Skeletal Horses. May we always remember that, no matter how many of our own Cuwoetewe ("Leaguescale") the Skeletal Horse may kill, it at least destroyed one of our enemies. The Kobolds are from a tribe called "Kridis". We have no idea what that means in Allspeak (our translator just translates it as "Kridis").
Geshud Regatêk the Skilled Wrestler has taken an injury (probably from the kobold attack), a bruised arm. She's sleeping it off. No, wait - it's healed enough for her to start sparring again. It's still lightly damaged, but that won't stop her from sparring! Now there's a soldier to serve the glory of Armok!
I'm letting the dwarves go outside again. I need to build a roof for the windmill shaft - there's a column of fortress counted as 'outside' and I think it caused the death of Kivish Endokvîr back in the Autumn.
The miners have just struck Yellow spessartine! The ancient legendary érith Unáloslan's seminal textbook, "Rocks for All Occasions" (Dwarfbridge University Press) lists it as a 'Semi-precious stone' (érith "Bluntwinds" was a miner in the old fortress of Glacierclasp. She attained Legendary Miner status and became quite Adept at masonry as well. On her retirement after a life working with rock, she wrote the definitive guide to the subject. It is said that her first love was rock, her second was her pick-axe, and her third was Edëm Zuntîrsiknug the glassmaker). Maybe I'll build that jeweler a workshop when I've improved the anti-zombie defenses.
The roof tile has been built, so now I'm sending everyone back indoors.
Cog Bimerar's just gained Novice Wrestler skill. He's also starting to learn military axework. Being Extremely Strong & Tough thanks to his Adept Woodcuttership and Proficient Grower skill, he should make a valuable soldier. With luck he should reach Axe Lord by Autumn 205 or so.
The Barracks has just filled with a miasma. Why do people leave rotting food lying around?
I've told Urist Ilraludar and Geshud Regatêk to learn Hammerdwarfship. It's time they learned to use a weapon.
I've just noticed we've run out of booze. I have ordered the still to be started up.
Apparently I'm now a Legendary Record Keeper. However, it doesn't seem to impress any of the publishers - no-one will give me an advance on this manuscript. Bunch of bloody eedjits wouldn't know literature if it jumped up and bit them in the beard. Having brought the stockpile records up to Highest Precision, I now have more time for writing. I also think I'll relearn my old trade of Engraving. Maybe I'll even get good enough to add illustrations to these Chronicles.
At last some booze. Logem "Tradedpassage" Nishcustith, one of our Gem Cutters, has been working the still. I must say though, our Dwarven Wine has been tasting a little vinegary lately. Hopefully she'll learn quickly. The records say she "likes to try new things". Maybe so: she's Dabbling in all trades but Master of none. I keep asking her to hurry up - the booze isn't flowing fast enough. Half the fortress are complaining of thirst (we can't even drink water because the water is outside where it's dangerous).
I have had a Siege Workshop built. We will rain down death upon the skeletal hordes! As soon, that is, as I finish reading the instruction manual... it was written in the Elven tongue and translated - badly - into dwarvish.
Unfortunately it seems we need wood. Our stocks ran out a long time ago and going outside is dangerous. This will call for some careful planning...
I've temporarily removed Cog from the army so that he can join in the woodcutting. To fill the gap I have drafted Monom Morullikot the Armourer (what bloody use is an armourer when we don't have metal? Anyway, I have two) to train up as a Marksdwarf.
Mistem Lolorlaz the Engraver has just given birth to a boy, Urvad Tathalath. I told her that "Duskbolts" was a silly name to give him but she wouldn't listen.
Stupid Leatherworker Aban Ibeshzaneg tried to have a party. We're far too busy for that.
I have ordered work to be begun on the first curtain wall. We are also building the first Catapult for our Siege Operators to train up on.
Vabôk Legontirist, a Jeweler by trade, has gone all fey on us. She has claimed the Mason's Workshop. I wonder what she will demand.
Great news on the domestic front: îton and I have a baby boy, Litast "Priceclasps" Teshkaddodok.
Vabôk wants glass. Unfortunately we haven't any bags to collect sand in. I have sent Sakzul Umrilrakust to the Clothier's Shop.