Journal of Gnooble, Master Mason of Dyebraves
1st Granite, 1051
We arrived! It doesn't look like much, although the miner types assure me there are plenty of minerals to be found here. I hope there's some nice rock, I like rock. Mmmm......rock. Um. Right. So our nominal "leader", Azulth, has been buried in a book all morning so I figured he wouldn't notice if I started giving a few orders.
Strike the earth!
2nd Granite, 1051
We're burrowing into the loam and sand beneath our feet, digging a temporary shelter. I tried to convince the hunter, Calhoun, he should stand guard as a marksdwarf, but every time I try to explain the guard schedule and how to be in a squad he just stares at me. I wonder if he's really an elf...
4th Granite, 1051
Rock, glorious rock!
29th Granite, 1051
Digging....tedious digging. I wish we had a nice drop of plump helmets to snack on. Our farmer insists we rig some kind of irrigation even though there's plenty of soil. He claims the soil must be blessed by something he calls "The Toady One." I think he might have gone surface-crazy. Arucard seems to know mechanics so he and I are working on that one.
1st Slate, 1051
By Armok!
We hit a cavern! It looks to be full of beasties as well as cool stuff, so I walled it off for now.
15th Slate, 1051
We've got plenty of metals here, although I haven't seen any fuel, I'm sure we'll hit magma if we keep digging down. Lots of rock though. Sometimes I sleep on it, even though the others give me funny looks.
14th Felsite, 1051
So much digging, at least now its down rather than messing around in the dirt.
21st Felsite, 1051
Not much has happened, we're about ready to try out the irrigation system. All of our temporary quarters are now set up, and bed and work rooms are being delved into the stone so we can have a proper fortress. We started building a wall and bridge on the surface, Calhoun saw about every wolf in the world today and I'll be damned if they get in here when I'm in charge. Our leader is still playing with books, no one seems to notice me forging his signature.
It's just dirt, but for now it's home.
5th Hematite, 1051
We started flooding the farms today. It looks good so far, although we may need to enlarge our drain reservoir. We're currently set up so it can function as a makeshift tower-cap farm whenever it's dry.
22nd Hematite, 1051
We're digging better bedrooms, it's a work in progress and the fortress sure does have stone piling up, not much to be done about it and besides, it feels so nice...
2nd Malachite, 1051
Our first crops are starting to come in! Supercharazad is doing an amazing job, our dwindling foodstocks are starting to grow again although we're still understocked.
24th Malachite, 1051
Migrants! Armok knows where they'll sleep, but another couple farmers, some guy who says he's a bowyer and is now making bins and a fish dissector I handed a pick and told to get to work.
3rd Limestone, 1051
Dug a well. Worked on the wall. A lot to do, and not much time.
5th Limestone, 1051
I have ordered the digging of a vast stairway into the earth in an effort to locate magma. Nothing so far, although we have found *another* cavern. Armok help us digging a proper fortress with all these caverns. We saw a "draltha" today. I asked Calhoun what it was but as usual he just stared at me and went back to toying with his crossbow. Weird.
6th Timber, 1051
The envoy from the Mountainhomes arrived, along with a caravan. We sold a few mugs and crafts we've been making between all the other work and bought nearly the whole caravan including much needed food. Have asked the envoy to bring us wood, booze, and a few other items.
23rd Timber, 1051
Small group of migrants. Two children, a blacksmith, and a glassmaker who doubles as a woodburner.