(Terribly sorry about the delay. I was all set to go, half way through the year, posted the thread and then "Real life" got in the way of finishing it up till now.)
Heat.
Aah, how I’ve always loved the heat. And this open-air volcano supplies it in surplus. Reminds me of my furnace, when I can’t get to it.
Seems I’ve been sent out on an expedition with seven others to form a new fortress. As the only one with any military background, I’ve been given the reins for one year to lay the groundwork. I’d much rather be sitting in my forge, but orders are orders, what ho?
First things first, a small hovel for us to rest in. I’ve already got my eyes set on that volcano – It’ll serve well as an entrance. My goal is to get that set up by the year’s out. We’re in for a bit of tough living in the mean time, but I’m sure the lads will toughen up. I’ll make sure of it we have good food and booze a-plenty, and a place to rest our heads. I gave the miners plans for how I wanted our temporary living quarters dug out, and helped the rest in arranging and organizing our goods we’ve brought. I’m happy to say it should last us.
So, about that hovel. It’s a bit sloshy and it’s a bit cramped, but it’s full of beds and it’ll serve us until we can finish the bridge to the other side of the volcano. An excavation of stone has been started to supply the building materials, and under the guide of the stonecrafters everyone is pitching in. This lot is alright, the project will be finished far before I had expected it to be.
The farmer has been given reprieve from the construction as I have decided him focusing on food production it more important, for the time being.
Things were quiet, we were enjoying our little existence of toil and rest, when some migrants came knocking on our metaphorical door.
I can’t in good conscience turn the lot away. I know what it’s like to on a forced march like that, the least I can do is let em stay a while. And they’ll be able to lend a hand with reaching our entrance, then we can –really- get this fortress underway. Their presence brings us up to 11.
Seasons pass with little happening of note besides general life and the construction of the entrance. Alas! What I had hoped would have been an easy job took a turn for the worse as Logem Rigothimsal trod too close to the edge and lost his footing. May his soul rest peacefully with his body consumed by the blood of the mountains.
It’s taken months of toil, and one regrettable death but we’ve reached our entrance, men! Absolutely –capital- effort on all parts. No more living in the dirt for us! Find stone over our heads, and a room for each to call their own, oh, and the dining hall shall be spoken of in legends, and…!
Erm, perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. I have little over half a year left before I’m (mercifully) put back to work in the forges, and I believe I’ll be able to get the supporting wall done up for the bridge as well as carve out a nice little home for us 10 in the volcano side.
The entrance bridge, my one main goal, has been finished, and the fortress itself has been started. A short walk downstairs is the main city area, which I’ve started excavating with expansion in mind. On this level will be the general working area and living space. In between this level and the surface will likely reside military and hospital zones, away from the high-traffic areas. However, now that my year is coming to and end and it is time to step back in line as a lowly metalsmith, I’ll leave the plans of mine with the next keeper of the fortress. No sense in going digging about all willy-nilly now, eh, wot wot?
Hmm. Reports are coming from the lads that there’s been sighting of a spectral dwarf wandering the halls. Perhaps ol’ Rigothimsal wasn’t as happy about being dropped into that magma vent as I’d thought he would be. That’s the fightin’ dorf spirit in action right there!
In other news, the caravan arrived today! Spose our noble-type will have to deal with that lot, because it sure ain’t my duty. I do reckon we’ll have to turn em away, seein as we don’t have a thing to trade.
…I really wish we did, though, because we’re, uh… sort of running out of booze. I spose I won’t be telling the guys that. Wouldn’t want a violent uprising now, wot wot?
I’ve noticed this place is quite iron and copper rich. Makes me smile thinking about all that ore, just waiting there.
Well, the cold season has come, and that marks the end of my time as fortress manager. Hopefully I’ve whipped this place in to some sort of respectable outpost!
I’m rather happy with my time as fortress keeper. No major hassles, everybody mostly fed and watered, and all my plans and goals were completed quicksmart. Perhaps if I ever decide to step away from the forges for good I’ll aim for a position in fortress management somewhere.
The next leader will need to focus on food. The indoor farm is getting muddied, rather slowly, and we’re in a touch of a dry spell for booze and food.
Oh, and during the construction of the bridge, the dwarves kept warning me that these open-air magma pipes “Belch lava high into the sky”. I’ve never seen it happen, and between this and the 'ghost' wandering around, I’m sure it’s just another old Easterner superstition.
(Rather quiet year, ending up a bit short on food. Hopefully good groundwork for our game.
http://www.mediafire.com/?2epq549q8lekax5 )
Next up, Lazareth.
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Topic: /v/ next attempt! (Read 11223 times)