((since people are asking for updates on individual dwarfs, I decided to do an update on
everyone! It may have been a mistake, and I don't know if this will make sense))
Notes from Around the Fortress: Spring – Summer 192Derm was on patrol. He usually was, because damn it, someone had to be. Aban had become too damn lax since arriving on the island. The two new recruits had the right idea, he’d spotted them out hunting the huge gray monsters called “elephants”. Oh, they looked peaceful enough, but he was sure it was an act. He’d heard stories.
Something was moving up ahead, in among the palm trees. Derm, the Soulchopper readied his axe. This was Nightmare Island. There could be anything up there; walruses, caterpillars, monarch butterflies… anything!
Then he saw them. A small caravan of the bastards, singing and laughing as they waltzed right up to the trade depot, like they owned the place. Elves.
It was worse than anything he could have expected.
From the Journals of Aban Brothertreaties, 9th of Hematite, 192:Turk and Nix married today! Not something I was expecting (I’m not really the romantic type, so I didn’t notice they were “together”. Were there sidelong glances in the corridor? Gifts of sweet pods and frog lung? I haven’t the slightest.) Anyways, we all gathered in the main hall, and they exchanged gifts in the traditional way. Turk gave Nix a very nice gold goblet she’d crafted, and he gave her a two ton block of limestone he’d dug out. Well, he is a miner. That block is still sitting there, actually. I should tell them to do something with it. After I deal with these elves. Derm, believe it or not, wanted to kill them! I told him in no uncertain terms that we don't kill people who come to trade with us. Sheesh. Also I have to meet with Gar for some reason. Probably has some new plan for the bridge. He's ok, but that's all he seems to go on about. Anyways.
One week later:“So, you and the expedition leader are married now? Didn’t see that one coming. It’s practically the season of weddings! Was she surprised?” Mormota and Gar were talking together in Oceanbridge’s bar, which consisted of a bunch of chairs stood haphazardly in the farm chamber.
Gar shrugged. “Yeah, well. Aban’s not that bad.” He drank the last of his rum, and then looked to the barrel set next to him. It was empty, so he shrugged again. “Besides, I’ve got some new plans for the bridge to show her. She might not have gone for these before, but she can’t very well refuse her husband, right? That’d be
wrong. Specially since we’ve just been married.”
“Er… I guess. Say, what did she get you for a marriage gift? She’s a bookkeeper by trade, right? I can’t imagine what they would give.” Mormota was just trying to make friendly conversation. Adjusting to this new home was harder than she had expected.
“Ha!” Gar rolled his eyes. “You want a 400 page book that lists everything in this place, she’s the one to see.”
“Oh, that’s nice.”
Gar stood up, and tossed his mug under his chair. “Hell, It doesn’t matter. I’m already Head Architect. Give me a few more months and I’ll own this damn place.
Own it.”
Mormota laughed, a bit nervously, and waved as Gar walked away. She then drained her own mug, very quickly.
Summer!
Di, the mad artillerist, had joined the fisherman out on the beach. She was throwing rocks at the squid who swam by, all the while wishing she had a catapult. Now
that'd be the way to catch some fish. She'd told the fisher her plan, and he'd looked at her like she was crazy. No one appreciated her.
Mid-Summer:Karakzon was on a quest. A quest for coal, the one resource that had eluded the fortress thus far. There weren’t many trees left on the surface, and Person and Dodok the glassmaker were constantly fighting over who got to use the small reserves of charcoal. Unfortunately for them, and for his own ears (the furnaces were close to his room, and the shouting was getting unbearable), he’d had no luck. He’d found plenty of gold and iron, some nice fire opals, and whole wagon loads of limestone, but no coal.
He’d been digging for some time, getting happily lost, when he noticed the breeze. “That’s not right,” he muttered, looking around suspiciously. If there was a breeze, that probably meant there was an passage, or even a cavern somewhere. It seemed like it was coming from his left. “A few more pick lengths should do it…” He began to chip away at the rubble.
He didn’t fall screaming to his death when he did reach the cavern. He was proud of that. It was slightly … larger than he had expected. And it was a long, long way down.
((Wasn’t expecting to find the caverns just yet! I hope they won’t utterly destroy my fps!
Big thanks to everyone who has said that they are enjoying this so far. It's good to know.))