17th Moonstone: Traders left. I was unable to give them as many goods as I would have liked, to draw forth migrants, but any little bit helps. It certainly looks better than sending those wretched humans home with nothing from Deathgate. Then again, perhaps it is for the best...
27th Obsidian: Another artifact pumped out of the wealth machine that is Deathgate.
But wealth is hardly the only thing they make here. No, they make coffins too, and by Armok himself, they make sure they are filled, one way or another. Bodies litter the fortress, the battlegrounds of hell, and serve to hold the walls together if my finding three dead dwarves within the walls is anything to go by.
...I apologize to anyone who is roped into leading this damned fort after I go. I came here in search of riches. I found them. Ialso found a colony of dwarves. A hole in the ground that few believed in. Studded with adamantine, a bed for any dwarf who wants one, food to last lifetimes... But at what cost? It's clear why migrants would rather live in fear out in the untamed wilds. This 'fortress' is no safer. Perhaps even more dangerous. In the face of everything that is Deathgate, its wealth is meaningless. It's a miserable place, inhabited by mad dwarves who believe that hell can ever truly be conquered. They certainly made an effort. But living in constant fear of demons, drilling, day in and day out, dwarves who will eventually be slaughtered by the unnatural forces of hell. Which battle is the only uncertainty there.
On the morning of the first of Granite, I'm leaving. I'm going home. To see my mother, if she still lives. I'd like another one of
her cat roasts. I can't eat here. It's all dead dwarves food.
OOC: Welp, I think I am finally done with Deathgate the first. Something tells me that we're not going to bounce back from this migrant drought before the whole place tears itself apart, especially considering the military attrition rate, which is slightly higher than the civilian rate.
I didn't get much done at Deathgate this year. There wasn't much to do, but try to rebuild. But it felt like trying to build a block fort with 4 blocks. Interestingly, I placed a substantial number of coffins we had lying around, and not a one went unfilled. That was a bit disturbing, as a player. Never had that happen before. Sorry for not doing the ghost control I did my last year, but it didn't seem to matter too much. Besides, that unit list with all those deceased is nigh insurmountable.
The military is, at the very least, a little better. Only three recruits in the whole shebang, and some of the dwarves are even competent. The Arena is usable, but with so few haulers, it's tricky to get the goblins stripped for battle. Might be best to just release a few at a time, to prevent friendly casualties. I think I have 4 queued to go right now, eight if you wait for the assigned cages to be hooked up. Also, Iggy III is looking to be a politician, with several dabbling social skills. I guess we'll see what comes of that.
Have fun with the next year.
Strike the earth!