20th Felsite, 207, Late Spring (by Zon Rimtarothil Afentumam)
-------------
"Sheesh, I can't take my eyes off you lot for a minute! Asob, what kind of mess did you get us into now?"
"It's not my fault! Zulban's down at the forge screaming for adamantine!"
"Ah, geez... either we deal with an insane dwarf, or a pit full of who-knows-what. Assign the champions down here. Leave the rest of the military upstairs - summer is only a few weeks away, and I'm expecting a siege. Hey, is that my dragon?"
The hammerer brushes by with Nelare Fedíofi Fonenelare, the surprisingly content dragon. "Zon," Asob explains, "I know you wanted dearly to execute the goblins with the dragon, but this takes precedence. The dragon could prove to be an invaluable defense against whatever's inside."
"Oh boy... how much do you think he needs?"
"From the way he's screaming about it, I estimate that Zulban needs three adamantine wafers. Well... he has one, so I guess we need to mine out two more urists."
"Sure, two urists here, another three there, and before you know it..."
"But Zon, think about it! If he's demanding three batches of wafers, the armor he's planning has got to be pretty good! There's a really good chance he might make plate mail!!"
"And the chances we're going to find something we don't like?"
"Zon, I can't believe one such as yourself would get so worked up over this."
"Then why did you order the dragon to be restrained down here? Look at you, you're scared too! You know something's going to happen."
"Look, Zon... There are
rumors, nothing more! Still, we might as well take necessary precautions--"
"
Rumors?! I'll tell you the kinds of things that lie behind--..."
"...Zon?"
"Nevermind. The dragon and our champions are fit for the challenge. Besides, it looks like we got lucky and started on the outer edge. I doubt we'll break it this time. Go ahead."
Asob - and the others standing by, for that matter - stared puzzledly at me. Rigòth Åmbim, one of our fellow miners who originally made the journey with us to Severedcoils, stood warily with (Copper pick) in hand. Asob nodded.
Silence. The halls did not respond to our tools on their walls as they had oh so many years ago. I heaved a deep sigh and relieved 'Other Grendus' and Urist Bardummon from their posts.
"Just get those to the crafts shops, then immediately to the smelters. Cancel all other jobs if you have to. Do
not let Zulban go insane." I set an obsidian stockpile at Zulban's feet so that when the time comes, he'll have the best stone available. Then, I turn and leave with much on my mind.
This only hastens the need for my secret project... but the adamantine artifact, indeed, is the most important thing right now. Asob and I both work very hard to ensure the tedious task of strand extraction is done - it takes half the month, but it gets done. Asob herself smelts the last adamantine wafers, and no sooner does she finish than does Zulban come shoving past her - picking them up
with his bare hands while they're still hot! The aroma of charred dwarf flesh fills the forges, but Zulban doesn't even seem to notice. This work will forever scar him - he's just lucky the chosen smelter was adjacent to his forge, and it was a very short distance to carry them. After getting the third batch of wafers, he shoots straight for the wood pile. Two more logs, a rough gem, and two--
alunite?! Come on, I had the haulers specifically leave you with a pile of obsidian! You want to use
alunite?! Ugh... such potential, such waste.
I reassign the mining jobs I had previously ordered and wait for the secret rooms to be carved out. I try to think of a lie to tell the miners as to the purpose of these new rooms, but can't. I just simply won't explain it at all.
Summer comes... and no new counts have arrived. I catch King Minkot's eye for just a moment - impatience, bloodlust, murder - yep, just as I thought. Why should I be to blame for the counts not coming? Maybe they heard about what happened to the first one, I don't know.
-------------
9th Hematite, 207, Early Summer
-------------
Exactly one month since the beginning of Zulban's mood, he begins his construction. By now, most of the fort's denizens have heard of this ambitious project. Many of the children venture down to the magma forge to watch Zulban's work, everyone guessing at what he will eventually create.
Sibrek Kuletnitig, 'Abbeybites,' has a new demand... wait a minute, isn't that the Hammerer?! Apparently she wants a clear glass window in her bedroom... well, what the heck is a window without anything to look at? I think I know what a Hammerer would like to look at behind glass.
The human caravan from Pesor Siti is on its way, chasing some wild wolves away in their wake. I have some questions for Bujit when we get a chance to speak... well, okay, that would be after Mayor/Broker Asob has a chance to speak with him.
On 14th Hematite, a roar of cheers erupts from the magma forge. Could it be?
"Zon!" 'Barduk' the marksdwarf nearly tripped over a cave lizard on his way to fetch me. "Zulban's completed his masterpiece! It's... it's... it's amazing! You've got to come look, right now!"
I push my way through the growing crowd that's rushing down the stairs to gaze upon Zulban's latest work.
"Zon!" It's Asob, this time. "Zon, I can't see! Is it plate mail? Please tell me it's plate mail! He used three pieces, it has to be!"
"Don't get your hopes up, Asob! For all you know, it could be a boot!"
Zulban holds up his artifact for all to see. Oh! It...
wow!There's a thud nearby. I look... Asob has fainted. 'Tirin' picks her up and fans her face until she wakes up. She looks up at the artifact again, and her eyes practically bug right out of her head.
"That... that thing... oh my... carry the 1, times... um... UM..."
"Asob, what are you going on about?"
"That thing... it's easily worth... nearly 1.5 million dwarfbucks!!!"
"Whaaat?! No way!"
I push past the crowd to get a better look at the item.
As I look upon it, I feel both elated and heartbroken. It's worth so much, and yet... it could have been worth much, much more. If only we had a spare yellow diamond lying around, or we had an obsidian stockpile closer to the forges... if only more pieces could have gone into it! I'm extremely disappointed that it didn't become plate mail... for that matter, I'm not even sure if the fact that it's adamantine makes it a better buckler. I suppose I shouldn't have hyped it so much... it's still a really, really nice buckler.
Our created wealth also jumps thirty percent in one shot. How do you like that?
'Archibold' is already carrying Troubledcalm, the legendary grizzly bear leather buckler, so the next appropriate champion gets it - 'Other Grendus' graciously accepts the adamantine buckler. Let's hope she doesn't lose it!