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[Shikon]

aawww so much death already o-o to bad i was in bed maybe i could have made a difference =/

[Xonara]

I have had the great honor of being the first dwarf to die in this fort  Combining his demise with all the backstory, I think it's safe to say he's not very lucky

I doubt that the mandrills are behind this, and that the caravan was a distraction employed by them, more likely those blasted elves are behind it, and they distracted us with useless barrels of cloth so their personal army of mandrills could assault us! I mean, the trade depot is made of wood! Xonara probably entered a trance because he saw his doom in those cold, gleaming primate eyes.

I want another dorf though, if it's okay. What's the current population look like?

[Haika]

I want another dorf though, if it's okay. What's the current population look like?

Quite ok, current population is 14 dwarfs. Un-named dwarfs are two male woodworkers(one with pet bull), one female fisherdwarf(other than Lucent), and the married pair of male bone carver and female peasant.

sorry about the lack of update today, meant to at least finish spring out. Will have to do it tomorrow morning though, so I'll update after I sleep. Hope your all enjoying the crazyness. XD I really don't trust that hedgehog, elves aside, it's shifty...

[Haika]

Spring Year Two, part 2, POV: Haika

-
Cleanup continues as we hurry to butcher monkey meat before it goes bad in the hot sticky air. I've encouraged most of us to start working in the glass production lines, either burning wood or gathering sand, as well as building another glass furnace for block production. The sooner we can get some glass walls up, the less problem these animals will become.


-
Bobby started work on the caskets today for our fallen comrades. I've told hexed to dig out an area underneath the military pit to serve as a common tomb.


-
Those pointy eared bastards left today. I for one am glad, I was hoping they wouldn't be here for the funerals, it would be an insult to our fellow dwarfs.


-
The sand tomb is complete, and I've installed five wooden caskets in the center. Bim and Xonara were laid to rest there, along with their personal effects. I gave a short speech about how we all wished we had gotten to know them better, and wished them well in the afterlife.




-
We did our best, but we still lost two of the mandrill corpses to the heat and elements today. The stench was awful, ruining the meat, fat and hide. Hopefully we can salvage the bones and skull after the corpses rot completely.


-
Our horses gave birth to foals today. I was present for both births. I've decided to let them grow in the communal cage area before butchering for meat and animal products, as we are in no need of extra slaughter.


-
More joyous souls sent to join our flock. In other words, migrants. A whole mess of them, 20 to be exact. Along with 3 kittens, one mule, and young versions of horse, donkey, cow, and dog. I think the warden told them to take all the animals just so he wouldn't have to live with them under foot.

In any case, I took a look at them in the dining hall, and spoke briefly to each one to get a basic understanding of their skills.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

There was an armorer by the name of Draconor, seems he was an ex-hammerer before he was sent to the asylum. I tried to ask him about why he thought he needed to bring along a horse foal, and he snapped that I shouldn't judge. I did however manage to pry out the information that the horse was a mare named 'Dishmab'. I was about to ask more when he also mentioned that the Mule was his as well, a male named Kosoth. I have no idea why he puts up with these animals, for some reason he doesn't seem the type.

The others in no particular order:
1 male woodcutter
1 female carpenter
2 engravers (1 male[cow calf, puppy], 1 female)
2 male hunters
1 female furnace operator(wife to one of the peasants)
1 male metalsmith
1 female weaver[2 kittens]
1 female fish dissector(fish seems to be a female only industry for some reason)
1 female cook
1 female miller
1 male soap maker
4 male peasants[donkey foal]
and a male child, the son of the woodcutter[kitten].

I started up new military squads again. Reforming the crossbow squad under on of the hunters, as well as assigning three new recruits under Neo's squad. The other hunter, metalsmith, furnace operator and the engraver with the animals were recruited into the ranged squad.

Neo got the miller, soap maker, and other engraver. I told Neo to feel free and use one for a sword sparring partner, but give the other two axes to play with. He chose the miller to put a sword in her hand. I also gave Neo the job of handling sheriff duty for the time being. I told him we don't have a lot of space for office work, but will make him an office as soon as glass production is in full swing.


-
Hexed and I discussed how crowded the sleeping arrangements were, so deciding that it might be a good idea to expand the communal sleeping area I've given the ok to extend the main tunnel and dig a new sleeping chamber out of it. Once it's finished we can move the beds out of the dining area and expand that as well.


-
Glass production has been moved into full force. I have two glass furnaces producing sand bags, while two more work on making glass building blocks. Across the wet sand tunnel four furnaces burn wood into charcoal.



Along with this I've told everyone in the related skill sets to resume clear cutting the jungle, wood and plants are important resources and we should use them while we have the chance.


-
It seems like ages ago since this spring started. I'm tempted to name it the ever lasting spring, but that sounds far to cheerful.

I've been spending most of my time lately hauling and checking in with the various production teams, making sure everything is working smoothly. The heat and moisture are ever present, but the work down in the sand pits seems to be keeping people busy at the very least.



I can only hope that we have enough wood to keep charcoal fueling block production long enough to create a decent palisade out of glass. And then the real work can begin as we work our glass buildings into the sky!

[Haika]

Summer Year Two, POV Chyla

-
Oof. Some of these plants just don't want to come out of the mud. I swear, everything gets stuck in it.

Haika gave the order for all of us to go plant gathering again, as long as the monkeys leave us alone we should be able to come back with a fair amount of food.

At least Ankas is up out of bed hunting again, I'm looking forward to something other than plump helmets to eat.


-
Ahh, the Chimps are back. One tried to throw a rock at me while I was picking a particularly tasty looking strawberry, annoying things.

Luckily Ankas, Neo and one of the new recruits are chasing them off.


-
Disaster! I swear you'd think this place had enough of it. Shorast, one of our new recruits a former miller, managed to fall into a small lake while fighting a chimpanzee. Haika quickly ordered Hexed to break the wall into the livestock area, but I don't know if we will be in time.


-
Shorast made it! The water is everywhere down here, but we should be able to clean it up in time. Not that there wasn't enough mud.



I'm also worried about Ast the swordsdwarf, she's been complaining of needing food. And for some reason refuses to rest. Haika told her rather forcefully that she is deactivated into the military until she recovers. I don't think she is very happy about it.


-
The water was gathering too much in the animal pen, I was worried about our horses when Haika gave the order for Hexed to dig out two new entrances to the room. The carpentry shops and sleeping rooms are soaked, but the water level has lowered enough that it should start to dry up. At least as dry as this place ever gets.

In the midst of all this we have a new group of guests. Humans. Haika canceled the outdoor gathering work and told both of the active squads to resume patrol outside. I think he's worried there will be another massive monkey attack. I took it upon myself to bring some of my best cooked meals to the trade depot.


-
Ast was finally fed something, but whatever it was, she wasn't happy with it, and has started throwing a tantrum like a little child. She has a broken leg, but refuses to do anything but sit and complain. Haika is clearly NOT happy with her, but I don't think he will do anything rash.


-
Trading went well, I even got a compliment from Haika about how much my meals were worth. He wasn't even able to use them because they were too expensive to give away. The humans seem to live in a coastal area, as they brought a lot of coral and fish related items.

Haika seems worried though. Apparently the humans don't live anyplace with trees. As they didn't even have any wooden bins for the leathers they brought. I think he was planning to try and trade for more charcoal to keep glass production going.


-
The order was given today to take away the beds in the barracks, in the hopes that Ast will be moved into the new sleeping area and recover properly. I don't quite agree with taking the bed out from under a hurt person, but if it works I will be happy about it.


-
The humans don't have any wood. Haika said all he could ask for was food and metal goods. I was about to ask him what they wanted when loud shouts and angry trumpeting resounded above us.

A herd of elephants had decided to crash the trading party. However this time we were ready for them. The massed force of our military, supplemented by Ankas' bow, and the human guards, began repelling the assault.

Ankas and one of the human lashers took down one of the beasts, but another in a rage charged at them making Ankas drop the kill to focus on more pressing matters. Haika himself was going to try and bring in that elephant corpse. Oh, I hope the elephants on the other side of the brook don't see him.




Meanwhile, "Unlucky" Shorast had been chasing one of the elephants on her own, but for some reason fell asleep mid chase!




Luckily the elephant left her alone. Meanwhile Haika apparently was more interested in a steel bolt that was discarded near the dead elephant than the corpse itself.

The lasher had managed to severely scratch the elephant's right eye, while Ankas repeatedly fired bolts at the massive creature from behind the human. It was only a matter of time before the elephant was brought down.


-
The food stockpile is full. I told Haika and much and he said to go ahead and get Hexed to dig a larger stockpile area for it all. And so I did. South of the farm.

The bed of the small lake is starting to dry up as well, and there is very fertile soil there. If we can put some planks above the opening that keeps out the wildlife but lets the sun in, we can farm berries and other outdoor growing plants.


-
Shorast is determined to hunt one of the elephants down by herself. Most of the herd has scattered or been killed, and yet she continues to run after one elephant that has her short sword stuck in it's torso.

She eventually gave up and the elephant got away. Haika was furious about the loss of a steel short sword. And had Shorast moved to the marksdwarf squad. The former engraver Bomrek would take over sparring duties with Neo. She was the one with the cow and the puppy if I recall. Should make for an interesting military line.


-
Ast was finally moved over to the new sleeping area today. Hopefully this will help her problems with getting food. Haika let us put some of the beds back in the other sleeping area but said he had plans to dig a new barracks area south of our new sleeping room.


-
Oh no... no... This can't be happening.

Ankas... my friend.

We heard the growls and the yells as the hunter attacked a Giant Tiger. Haika, Bobby and the human representative ran that way. Aban had returned to the camp, urging us to come to his master's rescue. It was all far too late...



We named the beast Bufutmeden, Tribe of the tusk. The rest of the military was alerted and sent that way. In the end the tiger was taken down without any other casualties. If seems almost fitting that a fellow ranger in the marksdwarf squad by the name of Sarvesh took the beast down. In honor of Ankas' memory...

I... I'm going to cook that bastard tiger into a roast for Ankas to take with him to the afterlife.


-
I talked to Haika after he was finished with his meeting. The humans are rather... strange. Even though they obviously saw how distressed we all were, they demanded that when they come next we should have windows and mittens of all things for them to trade! I hope Haika told them off.

If only the traders didn't bring such tragedy with them. It's turning into a horrible trend.


-
Neo was hurt sometime during the last few fights. His left arm is broken and he's resting now in bed. I don't even know what happened this time. I only managed to walk past him laying there in pain. I wish there was more I could do for him.


-
Autumn is here. We are still working on keeping ourselves alive. The wood has currently run out. Bobby and the woodcutters have gone out to remedy this. Haika said that he also has enough blocks to start work on the walls outside.

The wooden planks over the former pool are almost finished, but I haven't had much luck getting anything to grow below them yet. Hopefully I can change that in the future.





-
Our stock of food is strong, but I worry about our drink amounts. I haven't been able to brew anything with all the fish taking up the barrels. Hopefully with the 2nd kitchen being put to work we can cook them up and make room.

[Shikon]

nooo what =O i died >_< stupid tiger ;-;

i might put up a story on the fight with the tiger and finishing my background a bit =o
but not sure yet =D

and i shall watch this story form the sideline for a bit =D i might join later  with some other dwarf  ^_^

[Theoclymenus]

Awesome work so far! I feel like my dwarf is the safest 

It's also a great indication of the dangers of a jungle fort. I hope the walls are made soon!

[Haika]

Autumn Year 2, POV Hexed


-
Haika has begun writing up a schematic to detail the building of the wall. Only so many blocks so the plan is to move some of the outside areas underground for now.

Before we could get started though, Bobby mentioned that he heard gasping and moving about in the tomb level. Most of us thought he was hearing things, until Rhenaya said the same thing.

The new Armorer, Drac-something was chosen to investigate, and while we all wondered what was going on he crept in. We nearly died of fright when a lungfish hopped out from behind Ankas' casket!



It was all good for a laugh, then we got back to work.


-
There are two projects set for the immediate future. The first is the construction of the first glass walls. The second is the restructuring of the farm and food stockpiles to the third level.

The chore falls to me to dangerously tunnel underneath the brook and not only connect the fortress to the other side, but provide a cooling system using the water above to preserve food.

I'm also going to dig a new butchery area south of the military training areas.


-
Another of the Giant cats was spotted in the distance today. I was digging under the water and hoping it all wouldn't fall in on me. I was told that Haika sent the crossbow squad after it. A few steel bolts from the trained marksdwarves, and it wasn't so mighty anymore.


-
Still digging. The glass is starting to go up outside, and there's another giant jaguar out there. Quickly dispatched by the marksdwarves.


-
This onrush of giant animals is getting rather silly. A giant tiger was spotted south of the camp, this time Haika just told the military to stay patrolling outside the incomplete wall. If it comes close enough then they are to shoot it.


-
Neo is up and about today, healed from whatever got him before. Set to spar in the barracks if the other sword swinging dwarf is up to facing him. I think they both could do with more pick swinging myself.


-
The Dwarven trade caravan is here. Time to haul Chyla's prepared meals up to trade, and the few trinkets I cobbled together from bones. Inod seems wary after what happened last year, but there are no plans to try and take their things without trading this year.

Haika gave some 'holier than thou' speech about being dwarfy and spreading our wealth via trading. I think he's just trying to get rid of some of the junk cluttering up the mudhole.


-
A good haul from the merchants, and a lot of hauling to get it all into the mudpit. Several pieces of metal armor, as well as some charcoal and wood for glass production. Also of note was some rarer underground seeds. Haika told Inod to just bring more of the same, and maybe some extra barrels and drinks to keep our wood use down.


-
I'm about ready to try my hand at lungfish bashing. They seem to be everywhere in the mud. I'm telling you, it's VERY disconcerting when the mud wall your about to take out with your pickaxe blinks at you and moves.


-
Looks like Chyla's meals are getting to the dwarves from the mountainhomes. They mentioned before they left that they would pay once and half again for more of them next year. Haika also said something about selling cloth back to merchants so as to keep the bins for use.


-
As Inod was leaving, he found some company hiding out in the jungle.



The patrolling military nearby immediately took fire at the thief and snatcher. Wait... we have children here? Someone needs to tell me these things. Too much time with the mud...

The Kobold got away, but that goblin won't live to report the dangers of Zasrimtar


-
The main outer wall is done. I haven't gotten the new slaughter pit dug out yet, so it still looks a little lopsided, but it's enough to start building the first floor for personal rooms, and give the marksdwarves something to shoot from.

In other news, we finally have some entertainment in this cesspool.



Mud wrestling! Now if only that Bromrek guy was female...

Lucent seems to enjoy watching him roll around in the mud with Neo as she drops off fish. Never stays underground for long though... I wonder what's up with that fisherdwarfette.


-


before

Seems like the merchants took their time leaving, and in doing so managed to find another kobold lurking out in the swamp. I suppose it wasn't as much found, as ran over. I'm so not cleaning up that smear.


after...


-



JOY! A thief. And I found him myself, taking out some of the vermin remains left by the cats. Been a while since my pick had something solid to strike. I wondered briefly if kobold skull would be harder than mud, but both ended up with the same result.




-
Ok, I just have to tell someone. Making a kennel out of electrum bars is about the stupidest ide-oh Hello Haika. Oh, nothing, just making some more high quality and painstakingly hand-carved bone bolts to be destroyed for practice. Yes I love glass too...


-

Chyla made her first masterpiece roast today. And preceded to run around the fortress getting mud all over the meal as she showed it off. I'm not a big fan of cow cheese, but I think even I would try that one.




-
As if the sudden boost of food value wasn't enough, Astesh, the wood cutter from the first wave of additional idio-I mean migrants has taken upon himself to build something special. While this is all good and such, I don't think anyone will mind if we don't have what he needs and the dwarf snaps.

I stand corrected. The woodcutter is a former bowyer, and refused to build anything until we built him a workshop. A legendary weapon is in the works if the look in his eye is any indication.


-
Meanwhile another giant leopard was taken down today by our military. I'm going to unofficially name this autumn the fall of the giant beasts. Chyla needs to make a masterpiece roast out of some of that meat. Now THAT would be something to talk about.


-
Three logs and a bowyer's shop later, and Astesh is hard at work cutting and sanding and fitting wood together while not really letting anyone watch. Not that I want to mind you, but I've always been curious about making killing devices.


-

...

That. Is not a crossbow. It's a stick. named "The New Foot". You have got to be kidding me, after all that fuss.



I mean COME ON, it's not even worth 5k stones. I return to my previous statements about not caring what that woodworker made. Totally useless. Wooden Diamonds, bah.


-
Winter ends with the death of one more Giant Jaguar. Seems to be a fun pastime, I should go try and wrestle one with my pick. Maybe something that big would have more resistance than that kobold.



**************
Also this update since there were several changes to the fortress itself, I decided to try and handle the DF map compressor. I fumbled about and managed to get all the images uploaded, even if not properly, you have to click the different maps in the series to change z levels, and the bottom level is duplicated. I can only assume this issue comes from me having to use the java version of the compressor(the others wouldn't work for some reason, kept giving me errors and not starting)

Anyway here's the link:
http://www.mkv25.net/dfma/map-4430-crystalcastle-13-zas

[OneMoreNameless]

Man, those lungfish and pretty creepy when you put it like that.

[Xonara]

Ankas died? I thought he'd end up being an uberdwarf for some reason. Ah well, I'd like another dorf please

Name: Pokes
Gender: Male
Profession: Leatherworker with a little wrestling under the belt if possible
Background: Sadistic bastard who takes pleasure in torturing animals. Once a mewling kitten that had strayed too far from it's mother made the mistake of trying to seek comfort from him. He gouged the kitten's eyes out, hence the nickname. It's suiting that he chose a profession like leatherworking. Once news of the kitten incident spread to the prissy, paranoid nobles he was immediately dispatched to zasrimtar with armed escorts, so that he wouldn't "endanger anybody that matters." The guards never planned on trekking through the entire jungle with a psychopath so they embarked for the mountainhomes again while Pokes was sleeping, taking the map and leaving him lost in the jungle. He eventually met a bunch of other crazies in the jungle that were headed the same way and made it safely with them. For the love of Armok, keep your cuddly wuddly critters away from him.

[Haika]

Winter Year Two, POV Haika

-
Winter again. Seems like just one big blur of hotness out here. More glass is going onto the building outside, and hopefully we will have some bedrooms soon, even if not much of them due to our limited building supplies currently.

I've told our farmer girls to set aside three smaller plots outside to grow outdoor crops. Now that the walls are mostly up, we can keep them safe and try to get some berries to supplement the diet.

Along those same lines I've begun work on the massive food stockpile change. The chambers under the river will each hold separate food items, so that one can see how much we have of drink, meat, plant, seed, and other.

I also plan to start up a dye production line, we have a weaver we should use him. Especially if cloth is to become one of our major exports along with Chyla's meals. this will come later though. For now we need to separate and haul all the food down a level, and get things planted outside.


-
The first of the stockpiles have been reassigned, and the massive food hauling begins. I've also had Hexed start digging out areas for new kitchen space as well as some more farms for underground crops. I don't know yet what I'm going to do with the space above, it may just be left as is for now, and hold the random items not yet assigned further in the pit.


-
Lucent surprised me twice today. First she found a kobold lurking around just inside the open area of the wall, She didn't even flinch, just waved her fishing rod at the creature and turned him into dog kibble for her trained bodyguard.

After that instead of reporting to me, she quickly ran into Neo's arms. I expect there may be a wedding before too long.



In any case, I need to remember to tether some trained dogs at the entrance to stop that sort of thing, those thieves shouldn't be getting so close to the main stairs.


-
Another thief was spotted and filled full of crossbow bolts by the military on the wall. I've gone ahead and released three of the dogs from the shared cage, and ordered them trained. I also put three tethers in the gap in the wall. It won't stop a siege, but it should alert us if any more thieves try their luck.


-
The Great Food Haul of 302 is ongoing. I really should find a better name for that. In any case, the farmland set up above ground has offered something unexpected.

Chyla tells me she should be able to plant and grow sun berries in the wet mud of the jungle. If we can find some seeds. I've given the ok to gather plants around the stockade in the hopes of finding some there.


-
The jungle continues to attack us as we work. A smaller group of mandrills encroached too close to the walls, and was taken out by the crossbow dwarfs.

This was followed by a similar happening with slugmen, and a goblin thief found trying to sneak in the back door by one of Neo's pet cats. Aban immediately gave chase and sent the goblin packing, but the military only got off a couple shots before the thief was out of range.


-
I was working on rebuilding the food workshops below when I heard that Draconor was acting strangely, and standing around the living area. When I got there the strange fire in his eyes told me what he needed. Luckily we still had one of the anvils from the first trade caravan.


-
Meanwhile, one of the marksdwarves gave birth to a girl on top of the glass tower. I can only say that I'm glad the baby is healthy(and that I don't have to clean that mess)


-
Draconor has begun work on his construction. I watched him rush to the metal forge as soon as we completed it, he gathered some fine pewter bars, and a stack of mandrill leather.

Lets hope his product is better suited for use than the last one.


-
Our friend Draconor has an odd sense of humor. The shield he named 'Hoof-Fluke' seems simple enough, but the studded mandrill leather covering over the valuable pewter makes it worth much more than the blowgun from before. I can only hope that Neo or one of our more experienced military dwarves use it.




-
The Elves have arrived, along with a pack of elephants that our military have begun to chase around the camp again. I don't know what it is about the huge beasts. Neo and his squad must like the exercise at least.

I've ordered the prepared meals to be taken to the trade depot, I seriously doubt we will use many of them, but we should try and trade off some of the lesser value ones.

Wait, if the elves are here. Yes, it's spring already. Winter seemed to blow by rather peacefully. Lets hope spring does as well.

-----
Quick post this season, not much happened, a lot of hauling and a couple uneventful thief attacks. I did catch your post Xonara, no leatherworkers right now, but I'll add you and anyone else interested in the next migrant wave.

[Makahlua]

Aww, Lucent's got a boyfriend! And she's a fishing pole ninja lol

....Let's just hope he doesn't want the wedding underground o.O

[Xonara]

Dwarves have a habit of giving birth in the most inconvenient places possible. I like to imagine the dwarves' reactions when someone gives birth in the dining room.

Liking the story so far, I just wish there was more people involved. Btw, you're using nano fortress aren't you?

[Haika]

Dwarves have a habit of giving birth in the most inconvenient places possible. I like to imagine the dwarves' reactions when someone gives birth in the dining room.

Liking the story so far, I just wish there was more people involved. Btw, you're using nano fortress aren't you?

Not sure what else I can do about the people involved thing. Been pondering a few 'greater plot' ideas for when things get boring, but as they are now, I think the reality of the game is interesting enough to keep it going.

As to nano(that I can only assume is a mod), the answer is no, the only thing I'm useing is the graphic changes I mentioned at the start, and my init tweaks to my personal preferences and computer use.

[Xonara]

Dwarves have a habit of giving birth in the most inconvenient places possible. I like to imagine the dwarves' reactions when someone gives birth in the dining room.

Liking the story so far, I just wish there was more people involved. Btw, you're using nano fortress aren't you?

Not sure what else I can do about the people involved thing. Been pondering a few 'greater plot' ideas for when things get boring, but as they are now, I think the reality of the game is interesting enough to keep it going.

As to nano(that I can only assume is a mod), the answer is no, the only thing I'm useing is the graphic changes I mentioned at the start, and my init tweaks to my personal preferences and computer use.

Nano Fortress is a little memory hack utility that lets you start 1-tile fortresses. The place looks pretty small on the dfma so I thought you might be using it. Now that I've looked at the first post again it looks like you're using a 2x2 though.

Btw, what's the population cap for this fort?