Journal of Seraphin, the Stonecrafter
Wallriddle, 251
1st HematiteAfter having drunk lovely, highly alcoholic, morning booze, I see that my beloved EEP’s missing something. It’s too open; too fragile should invaders ever descend upon it. This is undesirable, so my fellow soft masons are told to install some protective doors in it. I also need to prepare for the main EEP machinery. We lack the resources to mass-produce corkscrews and pipe sections, so instead we’re going to create a mountain of blocks. Stone blocks from the very depths of the mountain are going compose the delightful symphony of drowning woodland critters by being the building blocks for the mighty pumps. For this reason – and for a faster construction rate – a stockpile for them and them only has been created outside EEP. Even more, I’ve had a look at the carpenters’ skills at making pump components. They aren’t at par with my level of expectations. We need more skilful carpenters for high quality components, for which we need more wood. Sadly, the only logs in miles are with the elves. For now.
EEP Design
4th HematiteThe fish cleaner came into my office recently. He said he was lacking work and subsequently barged off somewhere. I’ve now had a look at our stocks and noticed that we are in dire need of some fish. So I open the map of the caves, full of holes and spots of moist booze, and spot a nice looking area fit for a fishing operation. I call in my miners and tell them to dig out that area ASAP.
Some security measures are ordered for construction as well.
I also notice the other stonecrafters are wasting time hauling detritus all over the place. A quick slap on their cheeks and revised work orders seems to have stopped that, though.
9th HematiteSpeaking of work orders, since the fishing area’s complete, I’ve told the fish cleaner that he’s now a full-time fisherman. Congratulations – and try not to get eaten by carp.
12th HematiteToday I’ve decided to look inside the EEP to see what the elves are doing and what do I find? Underneath the mountain of wood, I see they’ve brought with them some animals!
A hippo, a monkey and a warthog; none of them interests me, though. Fantastic.
On my way out, Miner McIdiot’s intelligence levels plummets while preparing the pump tower and is now stuck. Great job, moron.
15th HematiteI’m getting tired of seeing this fort. There’s nothing but stone, goblets, crafts, food, more stone and more goblets to clutter my vision. Where’s my metal industry, I say. We have competent smiths, but no ores! How are supposed to defend ourselves with only bone cutlery and paper armor? It’s time we delve into the mountain. It’s time we test our resolve, our courage and our sanity! It’s time we search for precious metals in the deep. This day will signal the birth of a new fort, a new power and a new empire! This is the day our new mineshaft is carved out, as we descend ever so further into our hated rock.
16th HematiteOur cattle are fighting again out in the “fields”. It has become apparent to me that no amount of butchery will ever sate the hunger of the leftover herd. The butchers will be busy today.
19th HematiteHead’s pounding. Ears are aching. Vocal chords are at their breaking point. Iggy and the others are incapable of staying silent. “More cages, more cages, more cages!” they yell. It’s driving me insane. Fine, have your fun with your cages! Waste all our wood! Just leave me the Urist alone! Ugh… I need more booze.
26th HematiteOut of pure intuition, I asked the miners about our progress with the mineshaft recently. We struck galena!
Finally, now we can plan ahead for our industry. However, seeing as we have no access to fuel, our only option now is to dig deeper. Dig until we’ve dug too deep. Dig until we strike precious magma! Your days are numbered now, elves!
27th HematiteI’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that we’ve found even more galena. The bad news is that the galena is inside a huge, new cavern.
Full of plump helmetmen.
Also, we have some guests in the upper cavern, too.
I wonder if I can make some nice leather boots out of the serpentmen's skins. Furthermore, the mason’s workshop is cluttered to the rim. We are in desperate need of a new furniture stockpile.
1st MalachiteAs I promised, we now have no idlers. The workforce can be sure that as long as I stay in power, there will always be work for them.
9th MalachiteA few things have happened in the recent days. Firstly, one of the recruits has proposed to his axe.
He’s on his way to becoming a true dwarf.
Secondly, we breached into another freaking cavern – big one, too. There are no metals in it, though, as far as I can see.
Thirdly, there have been some interesting developments in our search for delicious magma.
It’s only a matter of time now before the great magma sea is revealed.
Fourthly, our resident broker lost his mind to feyness recently and claimed the mason’s workshop, kicking him out in the process.
This might be a sign of a troublemaker, or an insane dwarf.
Lastly, disaster struck as the fisherman gave me a note yesterday, saying that there’s no fish in the western cavern. Blast!
11th MalachiteAs I sit here, working carefully on a new, fragile, figurine masterpiece, the mason gets the jump on me. That idiot makes me jump out of reflex, forcing the figurine to get smashed as it hits the floor. He might still be grumpy after losing his workshop to a madman, but this is way out of line. I toss him out and give him a slap so hard he won’t regain his feeling for a week. And the cheek will be blood-red, too. In any case, I have a look at what on earth the broker’s doing. “Furiously working” he says. Well, make me destroy another masterpiece and I’ll show him just how “furiously” I can work on him!
12th MalachiteI kept hearing these animal noises from the EEP, so I sent someone to check up on them. They returned and said that they’ve gone insane. Looks like I’ll now be off watching that spectacle, then.
14th MalachiteIt was brutal. It was beautiful. The pansy elves never stood a chance.
Now that I’m back in my office, though, I can’t get this thought out of my head. I took a look at the wall on my way back from EEP and it still wasn’t defendable enough. That’s why I’ve now ordered it to be laden with traps – loads and loads of traps. But even with that defense, it will only keep topside invaders out. The real threat’s coming from the inside.
A giant toad has decided to take a peek inside our mighty fort. Too bad I ordered the hatch to be locked as soon as my fisherman spotted it. I’m also installing the new bridge control unit for the bridge that controls the passage to the fishing area.
16th MalachiteThe broker bursts into my room today, revealing his new creation – a bed made out of stone.
True dwarf, indeed – the bed, that is. Too bad none of us are worthy enough to sleep on it yet. But time will tell soon enough, who will be dwarf enough to earn to sleep in a truly dwarven bed.
19th MalachiteMAGMA! Delicious, precious, most delightful magma! We’ve found you. Come to me, aid me! Soon our dwarven might and prowess will be known across all lands, as elves will be dissolved for their heretical beliefs! Armok’s blood! We’ve also found the blood veins of the gods! Not one but two! I’m so excited and tearful. But then again, vile fire imps dare to oppose us. We must find alternative ways to reach the blood of the gods.
27th MalachiteLooks like our population will jump a bit. We got migrants on the horizon. I suspect 10% of them will have useful skills, the rest just have just come to leech from our wealth with their goslings and keets. Mind your step around here, leeches, for the fury of the magma knows no bounds and will most likely embrace you with its heat in the coming years. Mark my words on that. For now, jobs have been designated and people have been conscripted.
2nd GalenaThe dwarves are getting grumpy. It’s not the cages this time. They’re just a bit off today. Looks like booze-withdrawal. Are we running out of booze? By Urist’s beard, we are! I guess it’s time to put some coal into the plump-helmet-booze furnace, and fill more stone pots with delicious, flammable, alcohol.
10th GalenaWell, crap. While attempting to isolate one of the veins of the gods, one of our miners strikes into the magma sea, subsequently flooding the hallway and melting the dwarf. The first death in Wallriddle is a miner. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come? In any case, we’re attempting to stop the flooding with walls. Hopefully, we won’t lose too much valuable blood from the gods. I better start making a memorial slab soon. Or not, actually, since it wasn’t a “pure” dwarf that died. Yeah, screw her. Her stupidity caused the disaster and she paid it with her life. Such idiocy doesn’t deserve to be remembered.
11th GalenaGarbage day! The
garbage men humans have arrived from faraway lands to take away our unwanted clutter and pay us with their most gorgeous resources. Everyone better start hauling! We’ve got a golden deal in the making here and I don’t plan to miss it.
14th GalenaBlasted thieves! They’re always coming to steal away our treasures and two dwarven younglings. I hope they die in a fire, or gets hit by stones or –
Or just get caught in the cage trap. Wonderful. Perhaps I should build an arena just to watch it die an undignified death.
17th GalenaCats are always a double-edged axe. On the one hand, they’re useful as scouts and keeps pests and the random hypnotised dwarven idiots away. On the other hand, they breed like fluffy wamblers. Today marks the first kitty birthday, and as such, I’ve arranged a party at the butcher’s. Enjoy.
And another goblin has run past the defenses today as well. They’re getting smarter, clever bastards.
26th GalenaThere’s one little berserk yak bull still in the EEP drowning chamber and I’d very much like to get my hand on those logs it’s gnawing on. Therefore, an addition is being constructed to take care of any “survivors” in future uses of EEP.
27th GalenaToday is a glorious day to celebrate. We’ve finally got all those pesky mugs, goblets and other crap sold for some much needed material. Most importantly, high-quality wood has been bought as well as several metal bars, gems, food and booze. I should have my carpenter(s) start crafting pump components shortly.
1st LimestoneThe wind’s getting colder; the booze is frostier than ever with a delicious taste that drowns your mouth. The dwarves are growing increasingly tired as time moves on and the green leaves on the imaginary trees turn orange. Autumn is here. And the elves are taking one more step forward to their doom. Oh yes, they won’t be around to bug us any longer soon. I’m counting on it.
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OOC: Aw, the animated images won't work! Darn.
EDIT: Does anyone have any feedback on the images? I just want to make sure they're the right sizes and not too big or small.