1002U - Winter thru 1003 - Spring
Dwarves sat everywhere: on the chairs, on the floors, on the tables. Some lingered in the halls chatting idly with one another. The atmosphere was crowded, cramped and yet congenial. Steaming piles of roast elephant sat piled on the newly installed tables. Many grumbled about having to eat standing up or sitting on the floor.
Conversation abounded:
"I didn't come here to sit in the mud."
"Who designed this dining room, gnomes? Haww!"
"I'm partial to mica, myself, for mugs and common jewelry. Others prefer jade or microcline."
"Y'call this dwarven wine? I'll tell ye what you can call it in writing and it don't start with a flattering rune."
Doctor Valrandir stood up on his cloth-covered stool and clapped his hands three times. The sound hushed the crowd to murmurs and whispers as all eyes turned towards him. Every dwarf with a name to himself stood in attendance. Babalos stood chewing his lips with excitement and impatience. While they stood around in meetings stone lay beneath them for the claiming and shaping. Stiric and Mipe sat with their heads on their respective tables, half-asleep and exhausted from the exertion of working the soil. CrazyTeddles stood beside them getting a second helping of elephant eye. Greymist and Dorna had brought their work with them to the meeting, working the surfaces of some mechanisms down slowly and carefully to a perfect smoothness. In one corner Spera, Johnny Digs and Bayar had stopped their game of Yukon Yak Knuckles to pay closer attention. PBD sat beside Valrandir, no longer sketching and seeming to pay close attention to the crowd.
From the privacy of a far hallway, out of sight but still in earshot, EmperorJon leaned against a wall. He and the doc hadn't been seeing eye-to-eye with all of the plans thus far. A year was a long time to breach a single layer of aquifer. He pondered the possibilities behind the delays: could Valrandir have been purposefully holding off on construction for some reason? Then again, it wasn't his fault. He had simply drawn up the plans. The miners Stiric and Mipe both were members of the Delvers. Could they, perhaps, have had some agenda? Maybe he was just letting memories of dealing with guild politics get to him. It troubled him that he was troubled as he was, and was certain that others may feel the same.
Their independence and prosperity felt like a cleansing breeze, but fair winds always brought a change in the weather. It was certain that the old guilds would try to interfere with their livelihood. The question on everyone's mind was not if, but when.
"I've called this meeting for two purposes," Valrandir began, "The first is to celebrate the breaching of the aquifer."
A chorus of drunken and triumphant shouts resounded in the room. Valrandir covered his face with his handkerchief until they subsided.
" . . . yes. A fine thing to, ah, celebrate. Now, the second reason is that in the efforts we've taken to breach the aquifer we've had a lot of changes. We're 38 in total now and we don't even have suitable bedchambers for a single one of us. We're still sleeping in a filthy . . . annex. A mud annex. There's much to do. So much, in fact, that I'm calling for a revision of our labour departments and our personal goals in favour of our respective trades."
All nodded in understanding.
"I'll begin by reviewing the events of the last two seasons and then giving a general overview of our situation."
***
Spera was discovering just how fast one could produce masterpieces of craftsmanship. In sight of the depot where the merchants stood spitting and rubbing their fat bellies she carved both and earring and a bracelet. Speaking in hushed tones she plopped them into the hand of a passer by and said "Take these to the depot, but make sure it looked like we brought them out of the entrance."
"See?" Valrandir held up the earring holding the shoddily sanded side towards his face, "Fine, nay, better than any elven woodcrafter might produce. I'll toss it in at a steal for ten."
The merchant adjusted his Silvertongue guild badge and snorted at the sight of it, causing mucous to fly out of his nose and plop onto a bag of dimple cup spawn.
"Lots of rain on the way?" Valrandir managed, trying to be subtle about keeping his distance from the clearly diseased merchant. The fat slob coughed a wet cough into his hand, wiped it on his guild robes and shook his head.
"Weather was decent enough. Dunno how I caught it. Have any nasty beasts attack yet?"
" . . . no."
"Skinless marmot was hiding in the caverns underneath our forges. Clawed its way all through the halls to the sleeping area. Had a nasty case of dandruff, been coughin' up phlegm ever since. Just happened a couple days ago."
"Oh . . . my. Terrible, just . . . awful. Are you satisfied? Everything square? The booze, the food and and the cloth, please. Not to rush you, of course, but we're quite busy here."
Valrandir ordered several spare citizens to haul the goods in and forced them to wash their hands afterwards. He was not sorry to see them go. Before leaving the liaison handed him a sheaf describing their needs for the following year. Val demanded more booze, some cheeses, steel bars, gypsum and a less contagious merchant team.
Meanwhile, Stiric had some issues when carving out the aquifer project.
His grandfather had told him tales of the terror that elephants once were, in a more ancient time when nature fought against dwarf scale and tusk. Stiric had avoided it, expecting an attack. However, it fled from him without violence.
It was time for them to commence with Valrandir's plan. In preparation all dwarves were diverted from the area to the farming zone. Bayar elected himself for triggering the collapse.
"Here goes nothing."
*THUD* 
Some of the immigrants stayed behind to put everything back on the shelves while Stiric and Mipe went in to survey. The ring had fallen cleanly, cutting right through the sand and splashing enough water across the place to fill a small pond. They set to work digging out the watterlogged soil within the ring while Dorna and Greymist got to work turning some of the recently discovered sandstone into workable parts.
PBD brought it upon himself to throw a party for the occasion. Everyone was invited.
And far more showed up than anyone expected.
21 guild members had arrived from the mountainhomes, amongst them new names to be known.
***
"The twenty-one now among us. One of whom brought to our tables the fine prepared elephant that you've been feasting on."
"Thank you, Ineth, for fixing any concerns we may have had about going hungry."
Ineth simply nodded.
"We're still looking for a solution to Kadol's melancholy," Valrandir said, gesturing towards a dwarf huddling in the corner with his face buried in his hands muttering to himself.
"Thus far a loom and a screw press have not been sufficient for ending his woes."
"The draining of the aquifer is complete. The miners' fantastically positioned side-grate for drainage worked wonders."
"Now, we must turn our attention to a general fort overview. I'll begin with-"
"Hey," shouted Spera, "There's elves standing around on the depot."
"So? They love the outdoors," said the doc with a wave of his hand, "If we're lucky they won't set up tents. In any case, here's where we stand right now. I've been spending my time, as you've all seen, indoors at these very tables drafting up topographical sketches for this very meeting based on the reports of the palisade labourers."
He held up the first one:
"A general overview of the fort at present. This speaks for itself."
"We've delegated individual zones for each grazing animal. There's more than enough grass. Each plot could likely fit two or three animals, but we've enough space for luxury at present."
"Now that the aquifer has been breached, we can spend more time focusing on EmperorJon's desire for defences. The palisade has been constructed fully to the north and the east, with all slopes around key points removed to prevent invaders from mounting the wall."
EmperorJon exited the tunnel and watched Valrandir from behind, mumbling to himself, "Priorities, eh? Good work, Doctor Val."
"However, the western hills pose a challenge. The slopes are steep and walls build upon such slopes are a difficult task. I've drawn out a crude overview of the western hillsides so that all interested could assist in planning how to secure it. They're within this sheaf, clearly marked, for any to view after the meeting has adjourned."
"If we build too close to the river, invaders will be able to fire down upon us. Building on the hills will require significant work. Either way, we must ensure that the project is completed in a timely manner without conflicting with future stonework. As for matters within the farm production zone, we have a few issues to deal with."
Valrandir began pointing in various directions as he spoke, "The dormitory is no longer sufficient for our population, all can agree to this. Bedchambers will have to be carved sooner than later. The farms lack proper storage: at present, the future barracks is our stockpiling zone and this cannot remain so. Defence will be an important matter as we continue to prosper."
"Ah," said EmperorJon, "
Now yer concerned with fortress defence, eh?"
Valrandir paused to regard him, "It's always a concern. Now that important matters have been dealt with, it can be our focus. I assume you're unsatisfied with its timeliness?"
"No, not at all, commander-in-chief. Not in the least. Go on, lead. I'll be in the dormitory, practising my hammer swingin' arm for the day we have a forge to our name."
He exited. After a brief pause, the doctor continued.
"On a personal note, I'd like something to be done about these dogs. They're a ringworm infection waiting to happen. Anyway, onto the next sketch. This next matter is important: stone. We now have access. The aquifer area is having a wall constructed within the pit in order to ensure that no leaks or accidents occur due to clumsy mining. We must decide how to construct within the stone itself: where to place the masonry shops, the machine shops, in which direction and layer to dig for metals and so on."
"So, let me summarize what I believe, as overseer, to be the most important points of note for the coming year:
1. Commence with mining.
2. Finish the palisade.
3. Organize the farming area.
4. Build housing.
5. Prepare trade goods for next year's caravan."
Stepping down, Valrandir took a small piece of parchment from the table and walked to the doorway. With everyone watching he took a nail and pinned the flyer to the wall beside the door.
"This is a labour report. It declares all dwarves available for hire as apprentices or task-takers; it includes gender and any notable skills. Any accomplished craftsdwarves seeking apprentices should refer to this sheaf. It may also serve as a general reference for what our labour force is capable of."
LABOUR REPORT - 1003U
Olin Cattenocam: F, Adequate Carpenter, Wound Dresser
Ral Kastvabok: M, Novice Swordsdwarf
Medtob Ostducim: M, Novice Hammerdwarf
Lolor Onulkivish: M, Competent in all smithery fields
Urist Onulkuril: M, Accomplished Furnace Operator, Miller, Negotiator
Edem Kadolisak: F, High Master Metalsmith
Sarvesh Ngalakbomrek: F, Skilled Metalcrafter, Competent Woodcutter
Zuglar Morulenol: F, Talented Stone Crafter
Rakust Cilobenulg: M, Adequate Fisher
Olin Vabokam: F, Adequate Cook
Ushrir Korulush: F, Talented Tanner
Melbil Sazirromlam: F, Talented Dyer
Id Eturstizash: F, Accomplished Grower
Medtob Rakustuzol: F, Novice Wax Worker
Onul Lisidmeng: M, Novice Presser, Surgeon and general Fighter
Kadol Moruletost: M, Proficient Weaver, Competent Milker (NOTE: Currently antisocial due to fit of inspiration)
Stakod Udistkadol: M, Talented Glazer, Adequate Leatherworker
Dishmab Nobastesh: F, Competent Weaver, Carpenter
Ineth Kelodkish: F, Accomplished Hunter and Marksdwarf
"Any further questions?"
THE FORT AS IT STANDS
Here's the map on DFFD. Everyone have a look.
In any case, I need EVERYONE, and that means
you, to give me their orders for the next season. If you've already posted them, then link me to the post. Tell me exactly what labours you will have activated. Tell me if you want apprentices or not and give them nicknames. I need to start next year with a totally fresh slate now that we have stone. Tell me everything I need to know because if there's any vagueness then I will respond vaguely.
Make it so. I'll be listening.
Poll
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Topic: The Hill of Deceivers .25 - A Community Fort of Treachery and Treason (Read 77819 times)