Gloomdiamonds: The Doom Saga - Book II
A shadowy figure stood atop a rocky outcropping, surveying their surroundings under an absent moon. A hot wind pierced their billowing robes, but notice they did not. A lifeless desert stretched before them. A barely trickling stream ran its way past the base of the rock and continued for as far as the eye could see on this flat expanse.
Another figure, this one robed as well but carrying a Hammer, approached the Black robed figure.
"A fine night isn't it Imic?" The Black robed figure said.
"Are we really going to do this Airith? After all that has happened, you still want to go through with it?" Imic replied.
"There was nothing in That Place Imic. Remember why we created a mine there, and we aren't the only ones, remember?" Airith questioned.
As if summoned by the question, two more figures appeared and walked over to join the duo.
"Really Airith? THIS is our new home?" Asked one of the new-comers incredulously.
"Yes Flame. This is the place, I've scoured the Multi-verse, this is the place with the richest source of it I could find." Airith defended.
"Well, I still say we should've stayed in that world instead of coming to a new one to start over." Said the second new-comer.
"And deal with the forces of Hell?" Imic retorted."If you want to go back Drazoth, then be my guest."
Drazoth's silence was his answer. The group remained standing there atop the rock.
"Well, just stay out of my way, last time you guys didn't even give me a chance." Imic declared.
"Ha, I'll give you no sympathy, nor will I to any of you. I am here for my prize, as are you all." Drazoth proclaimed.
"Then its settled then. I've already arranged a grant from the local King and a group of seven is on their way. When they arrive... well
Game On
This is the continuing story of the Doom Saga, first introduced in Doomforest. Known for its excessive Roleplaying, Doomforest created a thick plot that will continue well into this new chapter of Dwarven History. Don't be afraid to add your story to this saga, nothing, NOTHING will make it worse. Due to setbacks and problems that plagued the first fort, I will play but the beginning year, afterwards, I will take on a more narrative role. I WILL enforce the real-life time deadline. You may also Roleplay without playing a year of the fort if you don't feel comfortable exposing your mind to its (guaranteed) madness. Welcome to Gloomdiamonds.
Da Rules
- Sign up for one year of Gameplay
- You have 3 Days to accept your turn and 2 weeks to finish your turn
- Please post a picture of your z-screen at the end of the first week, as proof of life
- No use of cheating tools (i.e. DFHack)
- If the fort dies during your rule, please inform me of the cause to determine whether to save-scum or not
- There will only be 5 spots for a turn in advance of the current turn, to discourage long lines and RL issues
Da World
(https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14045530_321159041559293_6621077605364516922_n.jpg?oh=0be0cd6a3faf8fd3c98dd5a4e130e4e4&oe=585B2646)
List of Players
Red = Not Played Yet Yellow = Current Turn Green = Completed
- TheImmortalRyukan
- Drazoth
- PhychoAngel
TheFlame- scourge728
- Pyrite
- Wright
Gwolfski- Dark One
ImicTheImmortalRyukan- ReyntheDwarf
NCommander- OAOGigMaster
- The Immortal Ryukan
- TheFlame
Important Persons in the Saga
Airith
The Head-Mistress of the Order of the Black Arrow. After the destruction of the Order and the death of her master, Ryukan, Airith has devoted her life to finding source of immortality and Divine-hood. Her endeavors have made her many enemies, most notably the Paladin Imic. She has no taste for the intrigue that entertains her "colleagues", but instead, prefers to observe from a passive standpoint and pull strings whenever they suite her needs.
An almost compulsive conspirator, Drazoth is always making new plots and plans, making good use of his vessels to further is mysterious goals. He also enjoys screwing up other peoples plans for the fun of it, and painting miniatures.
A creature from the distant planet Quellath, to the north-west, in the continent of Undarak. He is the younger brother of Gordak Greymane, lord of a small castle to the north of Undarak. He likes to use hammers, for unknown reasons. He somewhat... dislikes the order of the black arrow. He is also very passive aggressive, sometimes skipping the passive entirely. His motives are mostly unknown.
Flame views herself as a shepherd of the common folk, having been the overseer more times than anyone else. For her, boredom is good. It means things aren't going to shit. She lives for the simple pleasure of a long day at the forges.
PhychoAngel
PsychoAngel was the head of a large family of soapers. After getting used to life in Doomforests, he instituted the process by which the fortress was able to mass produce soap. Many thought he was mad, or obsessive, but all came to praise him and his family after the great catastrophes that were the Plague of Astville and The Supergoat. The soap Psycho made was put to use in securing the fort against tragedy, and ended up becoming the saving grace of Doomforests more than once. Thus the legacy of Psycho was born, and many a citizen worshipped the so-called magical properties of the family's soap.
Snustrok
The Nightmare. The ONE thing that brings collective nightmares upon these battle hardened veterans. IF you wish to delve deeper into this monsters history, May I direct your attention to ye old Doomforest.
The Archives
Ryukan's Turn - 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=160209.msg7150328#msg7150328) 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=160209.msg7179530#msg7179530)
Drazoth's Turn 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=160209.msg7179344#msg7179344) 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=160209.msg7205352#msg7205352)
Hall of Quotes
[/list][/list]
Census:
Beginning Group:
-Airith (Alive)
-Athel (Alive)
-Dastot (Alive)
-Etur (Alive)
-Kulet (Alive)
-Onul (Alive)
-Tirist (Alive)
Others:
-Ber Oiledtick - Miner - immigrated 4th of slate 1051 - alive
-Scourge Romancelash - Cat Cultist King - immigrated 4th of slate 1051 - alive - N *
-Risen Atticprairie - Miner - immigrated 4th of slate 1051 - alive
-Doren Rewardmountains - Miner immigrated 4th of slate 1051 - alive
-Id Cityowned - Miner - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive
-Goden Workfamous - Miner - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Edem Inkfell - Miner - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Vutock Armorghost - Miner - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Sakzul Knowurn - Miner - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Solon Respectbanner - Miner - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Shorast Wheelsriddled - Miner - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Ral Castletrapped - Miner - immigrated 22nd of Malachite 1053 - alive
-Mosus Muteboat - Miner - immigrated 27th of Sandstone 1053 - alive
-Cog Rampartgates - Miner - immigrated 27th of Sandstone 1053 - alive
-Ustuth woundwalls - Bowyer - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1053 - alive
-Kogan Brothertin - Bowyer - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Airith Giftedsabre - Carpenter - founded 15th of Granite 1050 - alive - F *
-Datan Woodflag - Carpenter - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Aban Netpuzzled - Carpenter - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Kogan Roomfaces - Carpenter - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Atir Forestmirrored - Carpenter - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Melbil Pulleyurns - Carpenter - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Sakzul Spatteredirons - Carpenter - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Kogan Culttreaty - Woodcutter - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Uzol Gearguises - Woodcutter - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Libash Toolfire - Bookkeeper - immigrated 22st of Malachite 1053 - alive - N
-Udil Floorwalls - Woodcutter - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Kulet Ironcrowded - Engraver - founded 15th of Granite 1050 - alive - F
-Zon Tradedbalanced - Engraver - immigrated 1st of Malachite 1050 - alive
-Rovod Fistmerchants - Engraver - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Litast Flagraven - Engraver - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Erib Royalbodice - Mason - immigrated 1st of Malachite 1050 - alive
-Bomrek Passionchamber - Mason - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Lorbam Silveryabbey - Mason - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Rith Systemgilt - Animal Caretaker - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Tholtig Dimplering - Manager - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive N
-Urdim Constructpaints - Animal Dissector - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Kel Paintyells - Animal Dissector - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Kivish Helmedwire - Animal Trainer - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Ustuth Warmthtowers - Animal Trainer - immigrated 2st of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Zasit Roadriver - Hunter - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Zulban Brimropes - Hunter - immigrated 2st of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Ber Playfulbronze - Trapper - immigrated 22nd of Malachite 1053 - alive
-Goden Squeezemachines - Trapper - immigrated 2st of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Asob Feedcrypts - Armorer - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1050 - alive
-Dakost Cloistersummit - Armorer - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Rovod Skinboulder - Armorer - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Logem Furnaceweather - Blacksmith - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1050 - alive
-Fath Gulfchanneled - Blacksmith - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-HMetal2001 Silverpillars - Blacksmith - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive - *
-Nomal Wirepanted - Blacksmith - immigrated 22nd of Malachite 1053 - alive
-Pyrite Boarpaddled - Traditionalist Populist Overseer - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive - *
-Uzol Taxvessels - Blacksmith - immigrated 2st of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Iton Mawbronze - Blacksmith - immigrated 2st of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Reg Arrowstrife - Furnace Operator - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Solon Naturalmansion - Furnace Operator - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Uteb Blockadereigned - Weaponsmith - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Astesh Flagmagic - Gemcutter - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Momuz Playgate - Gemcutter - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive
-Feb Knifeknows - Gemcutter - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Cog Weakenedshot - Gemcutter - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Sarvesh Drunkensyrups - Gemcutter - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Led Worshippedchanneled - Gemcutter - immigrated 2st of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Doduk Breedcloistered - Gem Setter - immigrated 21st of Granite 1052 - alive
-Nish Playrings - Craftsdwarf - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Ilral Swallowsalves - Clothier - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Ral Floorboard - Glassmaker - immigrated 22nd of Malachite 1053 - alive
-Ilral Feralorb - Glazer - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Meng Raysnet - Leatherworker - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Onol Yawnfences - Leatherworker - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Tossid Chantmetal - Potter - immigrated 21st Granite 1053 - alive
-Datan Partnerboot - Stonecrafter - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Oddom Willtorch - Stonecrafter - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Unib Irontomes - Weaver - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Olin Rooffaints - Weaver - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Atis Daggerburies - Weaver - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Kib Ochreone - Woodcrafter - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Medtob Temptedroughness - Woodcrafter - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Moldath Workidol - Papermaker - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Atis Ringbanners - Papermaker - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Besmar Modestrazors - Fish Cleaner - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Cog Brassaxes - Fish Cleaner - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Vulcar Pinecobalt - Fish Dissector - immigrated 27th of Sandstone 1053 - alive
-Sibrek Tangledlancers - Farmer - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Kogsack Elderbusts - Farmer - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Litast Rewardbolted - Farmer - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Endok Doorbeaches - Farmer - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Kikroost Mirroredquakes - Beekeeper - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive
-Vutok Inkysounded - Beekeeper - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Logem Beautyhame - Beekeeper - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Sakzul Grottoinks - Beekeeper - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Tulon Irontreasure - Brewer - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Uteb Highbronze - Brewer - immigrated 21nd of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Endok Lenswalk - Brewer - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Udib Glazeamused - Brewer - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Vucar Roofmatches - Butcher - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Ushrir Crewfortresses - Butcher - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Athel Cityquick - Cheese Maker - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Zan Colorchannels - Vampire - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive - N
-Kol Halemachine - Cook - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Kubuk Boardroof - Lye Maker - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Adil Gilddrump - Miller - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Sibrek Routedpaint - Miller - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Tirist Mendaggers - Planter - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Uzol Theaterreleases - Planter - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Fath Dashcastles - Planter - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Cog Tourbegins - Potash Maker - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Lokum Mirrorwhisker - Potash Maker - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Zuglar Laudedorbs - Presser - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Shorast Grizzlymerchant - Presser - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Erith Placethinned - Soapy One - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive - *
-Kadol Workpleated - Soap Maker - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Sodel Watchfulwork - Soap Maker - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Oddom Tradelizards - Tanner - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Ustuth Beautypapers - Tanner - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Ezrum Laborplan - Tanner - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Ingish Stockadedive - Thresher - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Thob Toolally - Thresher - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Urdim Glazeroughness - Wood Burner - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
-Lokum Polishedpage - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Aban Splashedfence - Engineer - immigrated 27th of Sandstone 1053 - alive
-Aban Rockchasm - Engineer - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Melbil Portalnotch - Mechanic - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Deler Theaterace - Siege Engineer - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Thikut Chuckedwound - Siege Operator - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Zothdra Diamondmeet - Militia Captain - founded 15th of Granite 1050 - alive - F *
-Feb Girderattick - Administrator - immigrated 21st of Malachite 1051 - alive
-Meng Channeledcanyon - Administrator - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Catten Violencepages - Administrator - immigrated 21st of Granite 1053 - alive
-Tholtig Omenwhelps - Militia Captain - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Feb Rawfountain - Administrator - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Urdim Spreadbridge - Bone Doctor - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Datan Shieldvalleys - Bone Doctor - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Cilob Riddledtour - Surgeon - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Mafol Pageweight - Surgeon - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Degel Scourtower - Suturer - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Fath Fateshot - Trader - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive
-Oddom Bronzeswamp - Trader - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Ast Lucidbook - Broker - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive - N
-Cog Roughrasps - Trader - immigrated 20th of Hematite 1052 - alive
-Ingish Dyeplaits - Trader - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Lokum Oilyplunge - Trader - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Lor Whipstill - Trader - immigrated 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Rosen Wheeledknower - Trader - immigrated 9th of Malachite 1054 - alive
-Gwolfski Mischiefbridged - Engineer / Madman - immigrated 28th of Limestone 1051 - alive
-Rakust Friendslings - Scribe - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Imic Helmedcloisters - Scribe - 1st of Felsite 1054 - alive
-Onul Clearedboard - Peasant - immigrated 18th of Granite 1052 - alive
-Doduk Bulboushelm - Peasant - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Imush Sculptedlanterns - Peasant - immigrated 21st of Sandstone 1054 - alive
-Ryukan Helmsacts - Peon Hauler - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Nish Hoofdykes - Peasant - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Bomrek Paperways - Dwarven Child - immigrated 1st of Malachite 1050 - alive
-Ason Rimdream - Dwarven Child - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Rakust Orbwalks - Dwarven Child - immigrated 19th of Limestone 1052 - alive
-Monom Bridgedenjoyed - Dwarven Child - immigrated 2nd of Felsite 1055 - alive
-Bim Mutedcraft - Dwarven Baby - Born 11th of Hematite 1054 - alive
-Rope Slappedglistens - Human Bard - immigrated 12th of Limestone 1054 - alive
-Psychoangel Searchfigures - Glassweaver - immigrated 4th of Slate 1051 - alive
This is Pig-Tail sheet journal. The cover is made of Rhino leather. On the cover is a picture of a dwarf. On the cover is a picture of a desert. The Dwarf is staring out upon the desert. The Artwork relates to the founding of Gloomdiamond in the early Spring of 1050.
Well I was drafted today. Got yanked from me cozy room and was handed a bag of supplies and was told to report to the main entrance of the Mountain-home. I asked why, and they said I was "chosen" as one of the few "talented" individuals who would be starting our new fortress on the North continent. I was handed one of them "maps" that showed the entire world (I don't believe for one minute that the world is flat, I is very scientific).
(http://i.imgur.com/O77YLkv.png)
I arrived at the designated spot to find a wagon with two horses filled with stuff and a few animals:
(http://i.imgur.com/oElpP8D.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/jvYViNg.png)(http://i.imgur.com/XUv3n6N.png)
I also met me new colleagues. Only one other female will be joining this journey, the rest are men-folk. I inquired as to what our Group will be called and they said:
(http://i.imgur.com/wlpqvSu.png)
I stared at them in confusion and one of them said to me "The Watchers told me to come up with that!" He said with pride.
"Ignore ol Flame their, he done lost his marbles long ago" said a dwarf I was told was named Drazoth.
I put my few things in the back of the wagon, and after only a few minutes, we were cleared for exit and the great gates of the Maintain-home opened and we were blinded by the searing light of the Sun. We set upon our way after a few moments of dizziness and nauseousness. As we left I inquired on who our leader was, and Athel said she was.
1st Granite - 1050
Happy New Year! We are still two weeks out from our destination. Right now we are on board one of those human "ships". A death machine more like it. The way it rolls and tosses in this sea is assuring me that we shall perish.
On a more social note. On our trip I have gotten to know all of my companions well.
Athel:
(http://i.imgur.com/bY4bTfP.png)
Dastot:
(http://i.imgur.com/Agi5lnj.png)
Etur:
(http://i.imgur.com/aA403d4.png)
Kulet:
(http://i.imgur.com/CATXrfl.png)
Onul:
(http://i.imgur.com/10qGhjR.png)
Tirist:
(http://i.imgur.com/RnHBT6F.png)
And meself:
(http://i.imgur.com/rVWyqHf.png)
I just hope we make it in one piece. I've thrown up alot for someone who hasn't eaten anything for a week.
15th Granite 1050
Thank the heavens above. After weeks of traveling and seeing the north continent, we've finally arrived at the chosen spot. I take one look and promptly exclaim
WHAT THE HELL?
(http://i.imgur.com/DVF2n95.png)
A forested desert? Huh, cool. At least my job isn't at risk anymore. I've got to go and chop some trees Athel said to chop, she IS the boss, and as far as we are concerned, the highest ranking official upon the North Continent.
I'll write more next month when we have settled down some more.
(OOC: sorry for the delay, laziness as usual)
Journal of Airith, 26th Granite, 1050
Well we set to our task with a will, Athel told me to chop as many tress, then she handed a plan of the foundations of our fort to our miner and he, along with Athel, grabbed a pick and started.
(http://i.imgur.com/34oh7cF.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/HZ3O3vg.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/JPQiREy.png)
Side note: I feel a presence here in this place, something in the shadows that does not wish to be seen...
With the onset of Summer and the close of Spring, we have already finished a third of the digging.
(http://i.imgur.com/wUXZ1Fk.png)
I asked Airith the purpose of the big entrance and the two little rooms off to the side, she told me that it was a foyer to welcome guests, and a kiling ground for invaders. If we ever come under siege, their will be a draw bridge that will raise, and thos etwo rooms will have fortifications engraved in them to allow marksdwarves to shoot whatever besieges us. I guess it sounds good enough to me, I'm not the leader.
(http://i.imgur.com/lbKodK5.png)
End of Spring
(http://i.imgur.com/HBPMA7Z.png)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Proof%20of%20life_zps4hizild9.png)
Also, Don't you have a write up to post?
Journal of Zothdra
1st Sandstone: Well, it looks like Airith has stepped down as OverSeer, an unexpected turn of events in my opinion. She hadn't made any sort of horrible mistake that would lead her to resign in shame, nor had anything terrible happened that might cause her to resign out of some sort of guilt. At any rate, I was next on the roster to take the office of OverSeer.
Upon taking my position, that voice I heard before coming here spoke to me again. He, or perhaps It, for I cannot be completely certain at this time, congratulated for taking leadership. He told me that now I could begin to advance the plans it had for this place. He told me that my first priority should be to grow the fort, expanding it's industrial and military capabilities. Then once that was completed, The fortress would need to breach the caverns. He said he would contact me once that was accomplished, baring some sort of emergency situation.
16th Sandstone: Some giant flies passed through, harassing anyone who went outside for a time. Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of this.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/FLies_zps8uvheyt3.png)
17th Sandstone: The caravan from the Mountain Homes has left. I hope that Airith took care of any trading during her reign, as I have been busy working on other projects.
10th Timber: I have been informed that we do not have anyone designated as a manager. While it is certainly possible to get by without one, I think the operations of the fort can be streamlined by instituting one. I've also learned we don't have a book keeper either. I decide to assign both positions to Athel Koletar, who is supposed to be the expedition leader. I also order appropriate chambers prepared for her office and bedroom, as she now qualifies as a lesser noble.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Nobles%20Floor_zps6djryaq5.png)
7th Moonstone: Things have been going well so far, no one has died, and nothing has tried to attack us yet. I decided to have some stone fall traps put up in the entrance hall near the surface. I know that it won't do much to deter attackers, but every little bit helps. It might take a while for them to get built, seeing as we have no mechanist, nor a workshop for one. I have ordered a workshop built and told the jeweler that they have a new trade to learn.
16th Moonstone: While I was inspecting the traps being completed, I noticed that we had some sand on one of the levels near the surface. I figured we should be able to get some use out of that and ordered a wood furnace built on that level, as well as a glass furnace. I also ordered space dug out for the appropriate stockpiles.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Glass%20Work%20Area_zpskotxx7jl.png)
I noticed that when the fuel stockpile was designated, that it was rather quickly filled. Upon further inspection, it turned out that aside from a food stockpile near the farms, a generic stockpile near it and a wood stockpile on the surface, there were no other stockpiles in the whole fort. This meant that dwarves were wasting valuable time hauling shit to and from that stockpile near the farms. This is not acceptable. I order space on the level above the workshops dug out, and have stockpiles designated there. I also have a single stair put beside each workshop leading up to these stock piles to minimize time spent going to fetch or store something.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Workshop%20Stockpiles_zpsijq26ydd.png)
17th Obsidian: I have been informed that a peasant who was training as a soldier has gone insane.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Insane%20Peseant%20Annoucement_zpszs3kkgdi.png)
It seems that this was brought about as a result of a fight between him and a giant tortoise, which he at least managed to kill before going mad.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Insane%20Peseant%20and%20Tortoise%20corpse_zpsjrhs79kx.png)
28th Obsidian: It is the last day of the year 1050, and the fort has survived. Aside from that peasant who is crawling (likely due to having his leg broken during his fight with the tortoise) around babbling, everyone seems to be more or less fine. No migrants arrived this winter, so I haven't been able to get any more recruits. All in all, not a terrible start to this place. Hopefully the name ends up being an ironic one.
OOC: So that wraps up the first year. Everything seems to be going well for now anyway. I've got the first month and a half of spring done, so hopefully I'll be able to post another write up soon. Ryukan, my advice is that if you can't think of something, just bullshit it. It's what's gotten me through college so far.
Journal of Airith, Head Carpenter, Summer
Well, after deliberating, I assigned some dwarves to our militia, well dwarf, a fellow known by us as Zothdra.
After that I set up a small room, stuck an armor stand (really a stick and a hook) and said it was a barracks. Lad was happy as a clam. Apparently he was a veteran of the great war some summers ago.
Work was slow after I carved the first 7 beds. So I looked at the records of our Civ, a brief pamphlet I brought along to relieve boredom.
(http://i.imgur.com/XaLArWk.png)
Astvel.... sounds familiar?
Got word today that Erib created a rather nice amulet today, some said it was a masterpiece, and after looking at it myself, I gotta agree with them.
(http://i.imgur.com/riGZWEq.png)
As I was crafting... well crafts, I heard somedwarf shout "Migrants on the horizon!" Crap.
(http://i.imgur.com/aHLnpnf.png)
As I headed out to great them, I was ATTACKED by one of them Giant Tortoises! Damn buggers keep staring at me like they know something I don't.
(http://i.imgur.com/mZX43cA.png)
Anywho, the rest of summer passed uneventfully. We dug out some more rooms and we were all conscripted to smooth out the rooms of the original seven. Soon enough Autumn was there to greet us.
(http://i.imgur.com/6ZsTF08.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/6iug1kt.png)
14th Granite: Elven Caravan arrives. We buy up all the brewables and some and animals, then told them to piss off. At least they didn't try and sass me about trees.
4th Slate: A group of migrants arrived today. Hopefully I'll be able to replace that recruit that went crazy. At any rate, this brings our population up to 40
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Spring%20population_zpsuocwu9oz.png)
22nd Slate: I designated an area to be dug up for a temple. I doubt it will look any good when it's done, but it will be functional enough for those religious types can pray.
17th Hematite: Human caravan arrived. We bought up all the useful stuff and sent them on their way.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Human%20Caravan%20arrival_zps2vv678vv.png)
24th Hematite: Today was not a good day. Our expedition leader was found dead in the Dining Hall, face down in his plump helmet stew.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Expedition%20leader%20found%20dead_zpse396esr6.png)
On a related note, Etur has declared themselves our new expedition leader Long live them I guess.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/New%20Expedition%20leader_zpse4aya9mz.png)
I've ordered an investigation into the cause of death, but seeing as we have no medical dwarves it's likely just going to be guess work.
30th Hematite: The temple was dug out and designated today. I let chose the name by having everyone put a name in my helmet a drawing at random. Note to future Overseers, when doing this sort of thing, make children exempt from this. The reason being that our new temple is named "The Shrine of Balls".
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Temple%20name_zpsyw3zedzq.png)
And as soon as the announcement was finished, about a dozen people rushed in and started praying.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Dwarves%20praying_zps9o08nhws.png)
2nd Malachite: Our Armourer was possessed today. Hopefully the spirits aren't of the "Trash the fort because we died horribly and have anger management issues types".
3rd Malachite: The armourer has finished gathering his materials and begun his work. Seems to be the good type of spirits then.
9th Malachite: The spirits have finished their work and left their host. The dwarf in question then showed me the result of his possession, an iron helmet.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/krevans1919Drazoth/Artifact%20Helm%20Completed_zpsieyo3lnq.png)
Naturally, I immeadiately claim the helm as my own.
OOC: That's all for tonight, I have other things that need attending to. I'll post the rest tomorrow.
After some time of not being in the mood or just forgetting about it, I will now continue. Expect this post to be edited with the log soon enough.
Overseer's Log
You know how I said there was one glass furnace? I fixed that by making three more, along with four more wood furnaces. I will also be making asheries and kilns nearby.
(https://i.gyazo.com/c8f444014203cf3f02844cfefd304aad.png)
(https://i.gyazo.com/4554739f69c75ca4d472176fb1eb0eac.png)
(https://i.gyazo.com/4b054c6a8cb91cc74f4ca7ac1632a2cc.png)
(https://i.gyazo.com/4ac71f6c2e252006f658cea47ab5fc6b.png)
I tell the woodworker to make more buckets, as I feel we may need them.
Another wood stockpile is designated near the furnaces for convenience. Even though the miners don't really understand the artistry of *glorious glass*, they thank me for giving them more work to do.
Spring has finally arrived, and I am told to give a report of the stocks.
(https://i.gyazo.com/afd12e92cfa5e44f4ea6141ba18df435.png)
(https://i.gyazo.com/e0b6208d063f734eb782ed5230f59296.png)
The moody dwarf creates a gypsum crown. While normally having a good craftsman around is nice, stonecraft is quickly replaced with metalcraft, and we can't even put his artifact to any real use.
Oh well, we have pearlash, which I immediately put to use in clear glass. Now I will search the quarries for rock crystal.
Some elves come by, and we buy some fruit. They really don't have much else of interest.
Some time passes, and a stonecrafter has been found completely drained of blood! I better watch my back.
We construct some green glass statues and some instruments. I also create some large, sharp objects from clear glass.
(https://i.gyazo.com/31bb413d43968c8a392f92b9df33e864.png)
That's all I'll be doing for now, I've got some other work I need to get done, sadly.
Music has been started, and game has been launched. Let's see what I can accomplish tuh-day. Expect the log to be edited in within the next couple of hours. I wanna get a nice long session in to make up for the lost time, considering I'm sick at home today.
Overseer's Log
I continue to make the large, sharp glass objects for traps. I will have to have someone else construct them. I'm a glassmaker, not a trapper or statistician, I wouldn't know where to put them. Anyway, things seem to be largely okay, other than the fact that I can't find any rock crystal. This aggrevates me, but at least we have some *glorious glass*. I suppose I ought to make more furniture, so I may beautify the fortress a little more.
(https://i.gyazo.com/46e934f061e6603682873aa2c82ecf6f.png)
In other news, a bowyer was just possessed! Naturally, the spirit within was also a bowyer. He appears to be lacking some materials, weather it be the bones or leather he rambles about. I will see to it that we get it to him.
(https://i.gyazo.com/3c955039d52054bd76665ce40253d36c.png)
The possessed has begun his work, and now all that is left to do is wait.
Summer has arrived, meaning that I at least had enough leadership to last three seasons. It can be difficult sometimes, seeing as how all of this *glorious glass* won't make itself. Well, enough sentimentalism, time to get back to work.
(https://i.gyazo.com/3d47cf3f3e1d03cc4418d288b934f4a5.png)
(https://i.gyazo.com/88b03acf3aff8e0ebda248e83f1ec5a7.png)
From the humans I purchase exotic foods, booze, and other useful items. We shall be doing business in the future, I can tell.
The mayor has been reelected. Who saw that coming?
Back to the uneventful yet fulfilling toil of ensuring our fortress is blessed with *glorious glass*!
(https://i.gyazo.com/2ea2964ba1b955f21f98bbc36c758994.png)
Guess we'll find out at some point, but for now I will continue to make *glorious glass* furniture for my *glorious glass* room!
That's right. I'll be having my own room.
(https://i.gyazo.com/5ea1f6648ec7e1150d71fa1a4a5efc1f.png)
A few weeks later, migrants arrive. More workers is always a good sight.
Though progress on my room and its furniture is going swimmingly, it peeves me that I cannot find rock crystal, and that I had forgotten to order some just in case!
I can be so dumb sometimes. Suppose that's what happens when you devote your life to the glorious craft.
Some time passes without incident.
That's all I'll be up to for now.
(https://i.gyazo.com/94d181eb6c02cdd4c2c82cabd76d0929.png)
If you guys are okay with giving me a couple of extra days to finish my turn, that'd be nice. However, if you're not okay with that, I could edit this real quick and post the save.
After reading the combat log I found this, (http://i.imgur.com/AI8zwCx.png) ...... LOL!
(http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=409985&type=card)
On a Roadside at Night in the Middle of Nowhere
"So, do you have my payment?" asked a hunched hooded figure sitting on one of two logs on opposite sides of a small campfire.
Ryukan, in the body of a human (sadly there were no dwarves to posses in this world), pulled out a small pouch. He dumped the contents into his hand, two small black diamonds. He tossed the absurdly rare trinkets to his companion who caught them, studied them for a second, then popped one in his mouth.
"Out of sheer curiosity, if those are the only things you can eat, how do you stay alive? Its not like you can find them littered on the ground," Ryukan asked.
"You're not the only person who uses my services Ryukan," the hooded figure said.
"I know we're alone here, but could you not use my name out loud. I've made plenty of powerful enemies in my lives," Ryukan said and glanced around.
"Relax, Your secret is safe with me, I've kept worse secrets from people more powerful than you, though they be few and far between," the figure said. "Now, you said you needed me to find a goblin?"
"As strange as it sounds, I need that goblin for a very dangerous experiment. I would find him myself, but with the virtual destruction of the Order, our resources are very tight. I have to return to Gloomdiamonds and help out with the Order's dealings there. I trust in your abilities, but don't fail me."
"I'll find him, it's just a matter of how long it takes. So long Ryukan," with that, the figure stood and got on a horse and galloped away into the night.
Ryukan sat by his fire, lost in thought as the night wore on. Later after watching the fire slowly shrink, he added more wood, stretched and fell asleep in his tent.
* * * * *
When the sun came up the next morning it found Ryukan sitting on one of the logs heating a kettle of coffee (one of the modern luxuries he just couldn't live without). An hour later, he put his empty mug in his bag and packed up all of his stuff and warped to the outskirts of Gloomdiamonds.
"Ah, been a while since I've been here.... is that a werezebra?"
(http://i.imgur.com/rIsnZLJ.png?1)
When I arrived at Gloomdiamonds on the 9th of Malachite, my first impression was that it was a fine enough settlement. I mean, the livestock were still above ground, which was a shame, and the second outbuilding seemed a little unnecessary at first, but I soon came to understand how important it was to protect the lime-pickers while they did their work protecting the rest of us from scurvy.
It wasn’t until I got a bit closer that I saw the first true sin against dwarven tradition: our trade depot.
(http://i.imgur.com/zZXAEf2.jpg)
Our trade depot. Outside under the dizzying sun, carved out of rough chert stones, covered in our vomit and our hard-bargained-for booze and paper, completely open for kobold thieves, keas, bears and monkeys to take as much as they wish from us. This was a disgrace
I should probably introduce myself…
| (http://i.imgur.com/edQXGYm.png) | (http://i.imgur.com/ZS9d29k.png) |
Ms. Pyrite Boarpaddled, at your service. Just a simple dwarf, taught the crafts of wood and metal working by my father, who also instilled in me the importance of Dwarven tradition, of how things are to be done, and why.
The filthy, brightly-lit trade depot wasn’t the last or gravest offense against our proud traditions and best practices. Not by far.
(http://i.imgur.com/Eqfzc6v.png)
Our entrance was a literal hole in the ground. Packed silt walls and a carpet of cave moss. I’ve been informed that this fortress is well into the fourth year since it’s founding, and we should long ago have rebuilt this entryway with stone blocks into a much more impressive and defensible structure. This is the only way into or out of the fortress, people. This is the first thing anyone sees when they visit Gloomdiamond.
(http://i.imgur.com/4MKPLfi.png)
It gets worse as you go down. An array of ladders, carved out of dirt, covered in cave moss. These things aren’t just an eyesore, they’re a safety hazard. I’ve almost lost my grip dozens of times going up and down them, and I can only imagine the difficulty a crutch-bound or one-handed war-hero would have.
(http://i.imgur.com/K7SFQ2Z.png)
The greenhouse is unconventional, but at least it’s an interesting feature. The light filtered through the green glass won’t set off our cave adaptation, but should theoretically be able to make surface plants grow.
The glass statues of an implausible number of cats are even more unconventional. I swear, I tried to figure out just how many cats were in one of them once and I kept losing count in the hundreds. When you stare into the glass you see more cats somehow carved beneath the surface. It’s cats all the way down.
(http://i.imgur.com/No5T1y0.png)
Our main stockpile, a cramped hole in the clay-loam that would be better served as host to our farms or livestock.
(http://i.imgur.com/xCrE953.png)
Our furnace hole, because I refuse to call anything excavated out of pressed dirt a ‘room’. This place gets unbearably hot, and my deepest pity goes out to the poor dwarves who have to work here, not even mentioning all the cave flora doing their best to grow into the flames and start a fungus fire.
| (http://i.imgur.com/kt3gWUh.png) | (http://i.imgur.com/GBdTLc9.png) |
And then we have this, our penultimate sin against Dwarven architecture. A vast, triangular cavern dug mostly out of dirt, with one corner of stone. I’ve been informed that this area is planned to be a great stockpile, though I can’t imagine the resources we would need to accumulate in order to fill even a quarter of this space. When I asked what was holding the ceiling up, considering the complete lack of supports, I was informed that the broker had donated the remains of a strange human curiosity they’d called ‘chewing gum’, which had been applied to key points to keep the place from collapsing in on itself.
The next level was no better…
(http://i.imgur.com/t8t6cZg.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/xaYR4fH.png)
I said the last one was ‘penultimate’, because this is the ultimate travesty. A vast stone cavern cut into a space still touching the soil, the ceiling a patchwork of mud and stone, with more chewing gum holding the ceiling above our heads.
Pure madness…
(http://i.imgur.com/9oicRwh.png)
And here, I suspect, is the source of the madness. The iron-walled room is the home of Scourge, the leader of the cult of Starcats, and the dwarf in charge of this hole in the ground for the last year that I’ve lived here. The other buildings are chambers for breeding cats. My father spoke to me of the devastation caused by cats… I know if I move against Scourge’s cat cult, I will face serious issues, but I must act to prevent the legendary catsplosion from happening here.
(http://i.imgur.com/I1FagHH.png)
This, however, was the final straw, and the issue that allowed me to push the dwarves for change. These… closets we’ve been asked to live in, the barest space for a bed and nothing else. In another fort this might be seen as a necessary privation, but in this one, with it’s vast caverns carved out just above us, the tight quarters were an insult.
I went ahead and circled my own room, where I’ve had to go to sleep for the last few months. I started rallying the populace from day one, and the dwarves in the rooms next to mine were quite receptive. Which was lucky, because really I was just cursing my situation aloud.
(http://i.imgur.com/GeJQ90S.png)
We began having meetings at the fortresses watering hole, and I quickly found myself the center of attention. I think I was just the dwarf who was most willing to speak up, and so everydwarf saw me as a way of addressing their own problems. Our designated inn rooms are apparently located next to the catacombs, our entrance into the caverns is only protected by a double layer of cave traps and troglodytes had been spotted down there, the cat cult nominated their mad leader, Scourge, as our baron, and there’s talk that the mayor is a vampire, suspected of being involved in the deaths of a pair of dwarves.
It was clear that it was time for change. For an overseer who had the best interests of the common dwarves at heart, rather than just the elite, or a bunch of cats for that matter.
It was time to Make Gloomdiamonds Great for the First Time!
Pyrite doesn't hate plants, she just thinks that they don't belong in living areas.
(http://i.imgur.com/9xuMsLx.jpg)
I have been swept into the office of the overseer by the will of a narrow majority, largely after having convinced the ‘rustshop workers’, the metalworkers and smiths, to vote for me. At a rally in our Tavern, The Symmetric Sugars, I give a speech outlining my 1 year plan, having carved the words “Make Gloomdiamond Great for the First Time” into the rutile overseers hat.
“Friends, Dwarves, and fellow Citizens of The Manor of Strength, as well as our human and elven allies. I humbly and gratefully accept the position as overseer of the fortress of Gloomdiamonds.
Together, we will lead our fortress back onto the path to prosperity and safety. We will be a fortress of generosity and comfort, but we will also be a society of tradition and practicality.
This change comes at a time of crisis for our fortress. The attacks that our underequipped military has had to repel, at great loss of life, have cost us the lives of our fellows, and threaten our lives with their loss. Many have witnessed the violence personally, and some have been its victims. Any dwarf who is not willing to rise to this threat is not fit to lead The Occult Doom.
I have a message for all of you: Safety will be restored.
A fortress with no walls is not a fortress at all. And so as my first act as overseer I will order a big, beautiful wall built on the surface, to secure our fortress. I will remodel the entrance in stone, not dirt. I will expand the farms, bringing much needed agricultural jobs. I will renegotiate the deplorable location of our trade depot, and have it relocated securely, so that no more of our cheeses will be stolen by vultures."
A voice from the crowd shouts “But Pyrite, how are you going to build the wall and make the goblins pay for it?”
I smiled and replied “The wall just got one urist higher.” That seemed to shut him up.
"I will also restructure our residential area to pull dozens of dwarves out of the closets in which we currently live. We are dwarves, not slaves, and we deserve living space, chests, and cabinets of our own. And I will have our vast and unsafe dirt cave rebuilt, turning it into a storage area for our many scattered possessions. We will have proper food and booze stockpiles, and we will bring our precious livestock inside, to live off of the more than plentiful cave fungus, and to secure them against attacks from our enemies.
We will also secure the cavern entrance, closing the vast hole in our security into which any forgotten beast might slither or fly or crawl into our midst.
In order to accomplish this ambitious plan, I’m going to need help from every dwarf. I’m proud to accept the endorsement of the masons union, and I’m especially going to need their help in order to complete even half of what I have laid out today.”
I am your voice, and you are my hands.
History is watching us, and waiting to see if we will rise to the occaision. And it is my pledge to you that we will. We will make Gloomdiamonds Great for the First Time!”
And with that I was ushered into my new office, which for the moment will also serve as my bedroom.
(http://i.imgur.com/I0z9tIx.png)
Overseers log:
1054-12-23
While I was on my way down to the residence floor to speak to the manager to arrange for a new set of wooden bins to be constructed to try to tame the overflowing gem stockpiles, and blocks for the glorious wall, I saw a soldier open the door to the training room and step out. Beyond him, I saw a small crowded room that would be more appropriate for a bedroom or office than a training dojo. Dwarven warriors were packed tightly in there, barely avoiding each other with their weapons as they went through their individual practice drills.
(http://i.imgur.com/01UgUiq.png)
I called the soldier over. “What’s your name, son?” I asked. “Cog, Ma’am. Cog Brassaxes.” Oddly, the thin dwarf had a rather well-made silver warhammer strapped to his side. “Huh… you’d think with a name like that you’d be an axedwarf.”
Cog shrugged. “We don’t get to choose our own names, Ma’am.”
“Regardless, is… is the training room always so crowded?”
“Usually, Ma’am.” he answered neutrally.
“Well, that won’t do. I’ll order the minders to enlarge it. That will be all, Cog.”
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
Well, with that out of the way, I was free to meet with Tholtig Dimplering, our hardworking manager. Of course, I’d forgotten with all of the excitement that this was what amounted to his office.
(http://i.imgur.com/EIBiuFr.png)
A rock chair and a substandard table sitting out in the middle of the hallway, among the rubble left over from excavation.
“Tholtig,” I told him, after arranging for the bins and blocks to be made. “We’re getting you a new office.”
1054-12-24
(http://i.imgur.com/4GvCvwP.png)
Oh dear, what a thing to wake up to.
(http://i.imgur.com/OMpEZUK.png)
Oh Zaneg, cut down by falling rocks before your prime. The collapsing piece of earth send sand shooting down through the floors, and into the furnace hole below.
My dwarves have shed their blood for this change, but we must press on. I cannot give in to sorrow.
Several of the other miners were struck by the debris, but none were seriously injured.
1054-12-25
The rest of the excavation was completed without further incident. Dwarves are busily moving food and livestock into the fortress.
1054-12-26
I’ve ordered the construction of a few temporary mason’s shops to convert some of our extreme excess of stones into blocks for the beautiful wall.
1054-12-28
A miscalculation regarding the construction of the central spiral staircase led to some chaos today as dwarves found themselves unable to transit between the surface and the fortress proper. Miners were able to clear away the obstruction quickly enough.
1054-01-01
(http://i.imgur.com/Yb3Vj8I.png)
Happy new year! Spring, a time for change and flourishing! The year of making Gloomdiamonds Great for the First Time has truly begun.
1054-01-02
(http://i.imgur.com/DGgMQV4.png)
Apparently also time for a goblin siege. The big beautiful wall hasn’t even been started yet, and these dastardly monsters want to destroy everything I’ve started to build here.
(http://i.imgur.com/9Sb7tr5.png)
A fairly small collection of goblins and beak dogs assembles to the south. We should be able to handle this, as long as we remain vigilant. I must consult with Zothdra, our militia commander, immediately.
(http://i.imgur.com/svuPAVC.png)
All civilians are ordered to retreat into the fortress.
Our militia squads are mustered in the furnace hole, to prepare to repel invasion. Most likely our traps will hold, but tradition says to never rely on traps alone.
| (http://i.imgur.com/YXk7H2o.png?1) | (http://i.imgur.com/hhz2sKY.png) |
1055-01-03
The second day of the siege, and the enemy just keeps coming.
(http://i.imgur.com/C6t52hx.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/mZID5qM.png)
Goblins and beak dogs swarm over the hill toward the fortress entrance.
(http://i.imgur.com/Lr3ix0u.png)
Zasit, no!
Zasit was an animal trainer, who apparently refused to abandon his charges in the face of the oncoming onslaught. I wasn’t able to get all of the animals into the fortress before the army was upon them, but I’m glad for the ones I was.
(http://i.imgur.com/hSYaTxz.png)
The poor bastard never stood a chance.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ok8EFaw.png)
This brave human archer proves his valor and justifies our alliance with them.
(http://i.imgur.com/DYzAdXr.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/czdxy6m.png)
His valor is too great! He approaches the oncoming goblins rather than seeking shelter in the fortress, and finds himself in a terrible predicament!
Militia, attack! Save him!
(http://i.imgur.com/ewAPXWt.png)
The militia are too late for rescue, and so all that is left for them to do is dispense vengeance!
(http://i.imgur.com/qU3b0Qh.png)
Our heroes go hip-deep into a deadly scrum, fighting for every inch of their lives, fighting to keep Gloomdiamond safe! Their sacrifice must always be remembered!
(http://i.imgur.com/LMtq9oT.png)
Bolts fly in every direction as bowgoblins move up to take thier shots point blank! But our heroes are undaunted!
(http://i.imgur.com/9pX7cZ7.png)
Our brave warriors push through, slaughtering the goblins in their path, leaving a rainstorm of blood in their wake. It’s a rout!
(http://i.imgur.com/ouUT2Cr.png)
Our hammerdwarves climb the hill to pay the goblins the full extent of what is owed to them, with interest.
(http://i.imgur.com/Cxgl1iE.png)
Victory! The last goblin is slain, and the siege is broken, but at a great cost in wounded dwarves.
(http://i.imgur.com/R91t8Yf.png)
A handful of goblins slink away over the border, their will to fight broken by the slaughter they’ve witnessed. Our wounded warriors finish off some beak dogs, but do not give chase to the stragglers.
(http://i.imgur.com/8CHVvBd.png)
A roll call shows that our heroes suffered many injuries, and one casualty: Tadin, the hammergoblin that had apparently come to our tavern seeking friendship, and chosen to fight by our sides.
No one knew exactly what happened to Tadin in the fray, but I was able to get a few highlights from the after action reports:
(http://i.imgur.com/kxQq4lO.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/3FHT5mJ.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/y0nX5ac.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/4EOSccN.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/ANIh5kK.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/rrpRnyd.png)
In The Carpentry Shop in Gloomdiamonds
Airith was sitting at her usual workshop working on another order of beds. She had long ago dropped out of the game of politics and intrigue, prefering this quiet life after the dissolution of the order after the fall of Tombcrest. As she worked the wood as deftly as a master ought to, a shadow fell over the doorway.
"I swear to Armok, if you order me to make another bed I'm gonna turn you into one!" Airith snapped and looked up to see the familiar face of her master. "Master!" Airith stood too fast and knocked over her carefully arranged tools, spilling them onto the floor.
"Still as clumsy as ever. Good to be back. And from the noticeable lack of malevolent energies, I assume I'm the first of the Doomforests veterans to physically step foot here?" Ryukan inquired.
"Yeah, Its been quiet here.... though there are rumors that HE is returning." Airith said as she picked up her tools.
"Yes, I felt it. It is why I decided to come back, to even the odds a bit. But, as I said, I seem to be here alone? Do any of the others have avatars a least?" Ryukan asked as he stood in the doorway taking a bite out of an apple.
"Not an avatar, but my few remaining Truthbearers tell me that the Militia captain is a pawn of Drazoth's. Other than that, Imic is STILL trying to find a suitable pawn, and Phycho possesed another dwarf and for some reason left the path of soap to pursue glass-making, but thats it. No one else has showed up yet." Airith replied.
"Then Time is with us for now. I need to start cementing our hold here and finding whatever traces of it we can find. I'm gonna bring our remaining assets here and re-establish the Order, albeit much smaller than it once was. Come Airith, the games has started, and we have been dealt a head start, mustn't waste it." Ryukan said as he turned to leave, Airith following and their silent guardians following in the shadows as the two heads of the Order began to work in the depths of the fortress.
1055-01-06
(http://i.imgur.com/k8quxQP.png)
While our military only suffered one loss, several of our dwarves were severely wounded in the fighting. It should surprise no one that our most wounded dwarves were also our least armored. Gloomdiamonds cannot survive if it cannot preserve its military talent from battle to battle. We must increase our production of armor.
(http://i.imgur.com/M4nQpe7.png)
I asked one of the miners about where the hospital was so that I could pay a personal visit to our heroes, and he took me down here, through the bowels of the fortress, up to the balcony over our library The Home of Irons, and down an unusually-tall hallway to this tiny room with a well, a chest, and two beds.
“Only two beds?” I asked. “That’s obviously not enough for anything. I have four badly wounded dwarves right now!”
The miner shook his head and explained that there was only one bed. The other bed was reserved for our mayor.
“You mean… our vampire mayor? The one that the office of the overseer has been keeping locked up behind the tanner’s workshop?”
(http://i.imgur.com/DqP4ktn.png)
He nodded.
“The one who’s the primary suspect in the deaths of eight dwarves?
(http://i.imgur.com/LIoa24G.png)
“Allegedly,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
He shrugged and said “It was like that when I migrated here.”
“Alright, whatever, as overseer I declare that it’s not his bed anymore. Also I want you to at least double the size of this room.”
“Will do. I’ll just get the fortress plans from the library to make sure I don’t run into anything. It’s kind of convoluted down here.”
“I’ve noticed.” I said, then stopped, a candle lighting in my mind. “Actually, could you show me where to find those? I’ve just been relying on what I can see and what people tell me. Baron Scourge didn’t really fill me in properly when I took over.”
“Sure.” he said, and we headed back out to the library to dig through the bookcases.
(http://i.imgur.com/Xvbk3mk.png)
It wasn’t long before we found a set of sheets onto which had been printed the blueprints of the various floors of the fortress.
“I’ll need to study and update those when you’re done with them.” I said.
“Sounds like fun,” he said. “I always wanted to be a scribe.”
“You know what… what’s your name?” I asked.
“I’m Imic,” he said, looking a little nervous that I was singling him out.
(http://i.imgur.com/Gi3ncl0.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/PcH3tev.png)
“Well Imic, if you’re willing to do some masonry for me on the side as well, then I’ll officially name you a scribe right now. Deal?”
“Uh… sure, I guess.”
(http://i.imgur.com/WPxC2nO.png)
“Great! I expect to see you cutting blocks tomorrow then. My big beautiful wall isn’t going to be made out of dreams, after all.” I chortled. "And then when you get a chance, scribe, make a copy of these for me and bring them to my office."
I shook my head as I headed out for a drink, my work here done. Poor guy seemed like he'd been forgotten down here.
kewl, Have you dwarfed me yet?
Haven't had any migrants yet. I'm taking it slow as I'm still familiarizing myself with this crazy fortress.
In other news:
(http://i.imgur.com/wNVoHGQ.png)
Young Tirist has grown up! The entrance of another parasite child into the workforce is always a time of celebration, but especially so for the son of Psychoangel, ex-overseer and, uh... "glassweaver" he calls himself.
My first instinct was to induct him into the masons, but given his parentage a profession as a glassblower seems more appropriate.
1055-01-15
(http://i.imgur.com/I2vrjwx.png)
The elves are here. I hope they’re just here to trade and not to bandy on about their ‘global forest change’ nonsense. We all know that’s an elven hoax to try to control the wood trade. It’s bad enough that one has to carefully empty out any bins of stone or glass goods one wants to sell them.
(http://i.imgur.com/B8F0sIA.png)
The elves arrive and begin setting up in our new trade depot. It’s still in a hole in the ground, but at least it’s out of the sunlight, made of proper microcline blocks, and no longer covered in vomit. I expect that I’ll have it in much better shape by the time the humans arrive in the summer.
1055-01-15
Ast, our broker, reports that the elves didn’t have much to offer other than a handful of exotic animals, a few barrels, and some interesting foodstuffs.
1055-02-06
(http://i.imgur.com/qcrW4Ct.png)
The efforts to remodel the entranceway are somewhat complicated by the rotting goblin parts littering the tunnel and filling the area with a foul miasma. I don’t know why some dwarves just can’t haul this crap away. There are refuse piles open.
1055-02-08
(http://i.imgur.com/Uo46Xt1.png)
I’ve finished walling up the first of our grand storage rooms, mainly focusing on provisions of food and booze. This brings some order and stability to the giant hole, and ensures that we have central storage of the most essential supplies.
1055-02-27
(http://i.imgur.com/ni7IQ3l.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/k3sBSDk.png)
Well, that looks primed to cause some serious trouble…
If only Zuntir hadn’t died, this probably wouldn’t have happened.
The Aardvark attacks some random dwarves, gets the crap beaten out of it, and then slumps off. I’ll probably have the military deal with it if it becomes too much of a nuisance.
1055-03-01
(http://i.imgur.com/M1swtsZ.png)
The trade depot is completed, finally. At last, our visitors have a place to be that doesn’t shame us.
The broker nodded approvingly when he saw the completed depot, and then he asked “So… what are you going to do about the cage and stone-fall traps at the entrance?”
“What about them?” I asked.
"Well, I mean, the elves don’t use wagons so they don’t care, but when the humans get here they won’t run their wagons under those. If we don’t get rid of them we’ll only be able to trade with a couple of tramp merchants with their pack animals.”
“Oh… well crap. I guess I’ll need to remove those then.”
I’m really going to need to get the Big Beautiful Wall project moving forward quickly, because this is going to leave us vulnerable in the meantime.
(http://i.imgur.com/vWXxX6m.png)
Our improved hospital is also completed, with traction benches by each of the beds (two of them still being hauled into place.) We’ll be ready for the next crisis.
(http://i.imgur.com/s97V4Mp.png)
And here I present the new and improved The Symmetric Sugars, expanded to meet the needs of our dwarves and our many visitors, with a large dedicated dance floor and a set of inn rooms that are substantially better than the closet-beds set up by the catacombs before. I'm hoping that I'll be able to attract some permanent residents through this.
1055-03-03
(http://i.imgur.com/qTbcvv3.png)
And my first batch of migrants have arrived! They get to see the new, renovated view of Gloomdiamonds.
(http://i.imgur.com/kwdnFMS.png)
We get a hunter, a cheesemaker, an animal trainer, a swordsdwarf who I asked to start training as a mason, a surgeon, a gemcutter, a thresher, a leatherworker, a bone doctor, a suterer, a trapper, a farmer, a child, and an unskilled peasant. I greeted them at the gate, and the peasant started shouting about how ‘this wasn’t the Gloomdiamonds they know. I wasn’t really interested in hearing whatever story they had made up to elevate their status, so I just told them to get to hauling. There’s so much hauling that needs to be done.
I think he said his name was Ryukan? Whatever, I’m marking him down as a permanent hauler. That’s what he gets for coming to my fortress and going on about how important he is.
1055-03-09
The Big Beautiful Wall project has begun! Soon we will have brought real security to Gloomdiamonds.
1055-03-13
(http://i.imgur.com/KTAyJk4.png)
Well, shit. At least it doesn’t seem to be causing a problem now. Time to build a cage trap outside of the animal outbuildings.
Zasit, your presence is being sorely missed
1055-03-14
(http://i.imgur.com/dGM9iP8.png)
The bedroom expansion project has been going along at pace, but the remodeling has caused some overcrowding issues. To address these concerns I’ve planned out a new residential wing. The connected rooms to the side there will be rooms and offices for our fortress’ clerical staff.
1055-03-16
(http://i.imgur.com/GLwbkQG.png)
Well, that’s unfortunate. Maybe we can find a way to fish from the cavern waterways?
1055-03-19
(http://i.imgur.com/HvpXEe2.png)
Something has come over Momuz… She grabbed a rough pineapple opal out of a bin and dragged it to one of the jeweler’s shops, muttering something about how she’s “Blichos” and how we obviously needed this if we were all going to survive. I think she’s been taken by one of the strange moods that comes over dwarves sometimes, and Scourge proclaims that she’s been possessed by a spirit from beyond.
1055-03-25
(http://i.imgur.com/DWVx4sr.png)
After days of slaving away, Momuz had somehow cut the rough gem into a masterfully built coffer. When I went down to see the completion of her work, she handed it to me. “Here,” he said. “You will need this to contain the vampire’s spirit after he is slain, or else he will just come back to haunt you again. Stone cannot contain him long.” She had a strange fire in his eyes as she said it.
“You must surround the box with walls of white jade. Only then can the fate of Gloomdiamonds be free.”
When I took the box from her, Momuz blinked the intensity from his eyes and looked around in confusion, but I was absorbed with looking over the artifact she had given me.
(http://i.imgur.com/sNu6w8m.png)
“How strange.. What do giant, armored polar bears have to do with protecting us from spirits?” I asked.
“What?” Momuz asked in return. “O-overseer? How did I get here?”
“Don’t worry about it, Momuz. Go down and get something to drink,” I said as I walked off with the box. I’d known for a while that something had to be done about that vampire, but this clinched it. It was time to start looking into appointing a special hammerer to deal with this problem.
1055-04-01
(http://i.imgur.com/pvZyFGH.png)
Summer is here! And in this season, we will see the completion of the Big Beautiful wall and of several other major projects. We are making Gloomdiamonds Great for the First Time, friends!
1055-04-03
(http://i.imgur.com/B2loJRe.png)
No! What happened!
(http://i.imgur.com/i4rYmpl.png)
It looks like the side project to rebuild the roof of the greenhouse all in proper glass had a bit of a planning failure, leading to an accident where two dwarves dropped through the skylight followed by the log rafter they were removing.
This is terrible… I can’t accept that this could just happen. There’s got to be something more behind this.Two dwarves shouldn’t just die so easily… and one of them was a gem cutter, just like Momuz…
1055-04-09
(http://i.imgur.com/K6qrozW.png)
I’m proud to announce that phase one of the Big Beautiful Wall project is now complete. As you can see, the main entrance to the north is available for trade caravans, but can be sealed off by closing the drawbridge. The east and west entrances are being extensively trapped , and will force the enemy through narrow corridors to reach the fortress proper.
Also the front of the fortress has been redone in beautiful, hard granite.
The goblin corpses are temporary, or at least I keep telling myself that as nodwarf gets around to hauling them off to the refuse pile.
1055-04-10
(http://i.imgur.com/FbV88xz.png)
The humans are here. I wonder if they’ve brought us anything interesting.
On a related note…
(http://i.imgur.com/94kruuK.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/EV7hvg7.png)
Does anyone else in this fortress understand that when you buy a grazing animal in a cage, you actually have to take the animal out of the cage to not have it starve to death?
1055-04-11
(http://i.imgur.com/OmU8yJf.png)
I listened in on Ast’s meeting with the merchant’s guild representative, an older woman named Oqui, and overheard some troubling news. Apparently the nearby Squeezing Confederation hamlet Jumpleader, which had been at odds for some time with the goblin civilization (if you can call it that) The Belted Scorpion, was conclusively conquered, and their leader was killed. The refugees, going under the name “The Fellowship of Angels”, recently arrived in Oqui’s hometown of Cobrapuce.
(http://i.imgur.com/70zaI0V.png)
I ran down to the library and got a map of the local region, and asked Oqui to mark the location of Jumpleader, and asked where the attack had come from. She told me that the goblins had most likely originated from the dark pit of Workscorpion, miles to the southwest.
Considering that The Belted Scorpion is the same goblin civilization that the goblins who attacked us belonged to, this is likely a sign that they are building up strength. We can probably expect further attacks from them. Considering that the king we owe fealty to, ruler of The Manor of Strength, is literally on the other side of the world from here, we are profoundly on our own.
Ast got back to requesting various metal bars and surface-plant seeds from the human, while I went off to look over the wall and consider what would need to be done if we were to survive out here.
1055-04-12
(http://i.imgur.com/qEPhCDW.png)
Ast brought a bit of good news to my desk the next day: The humans were willing to pay more than double price for dwarven-made toys! I’ll be sending an order down to the stonecrafters to get started working on those alongside the crowns we’re making to export to the homeland.
1055-04-15
The fortress hunter killed the rhinoceros that had gone wild before I managed to get a cage trap set up for it. Oh well, at least it will provide good meat. I’m setting up an area for training animals inside the fortress so we have less issues with animal trainers not making it out to the animals.
It turned out that one of the other rhinos had starved to death, apparently put off its grass by the wild one, so we’re down to one of the things. Not really a great loss, as we didnt have a breeding pair in the first place.
(http://i.imgur.com/36X8jo2.png)
I don’t understand how this keeps happening. I did my best to campaign against her, she’s been locked away for months without giving a conference, she’s the only suspect in the deaths of eight dwarves, and yet dwarves dismiss all of that as being a part of some vast overseer conspiracy. I mean sure, we’ve been the ones keeping her locked up, and sure, I may have tried to pin the ettin attack on her holding the military back until it was too late, but can you blame us considering that she’s literally a bloodsucking monster?
I’ve been talking to Ala, a visiting goblin scholar, who had spent some time studying vampires. He said that while not damaged by sunlight, vampires are ‘spiritually vulnerable’ to it, so if you kill a vampire in the sunlight it’s spirit will be trapped in its body until the sun sets. I’ve also been talking to psychoangel about the properties of glass, and he thinks he can bend a clear glass pane into a curve that can focus light. He calls it a lens…
1055-04-21
(http://i.imgur.com/LxpktGh.png)
Excellent, we’ve attracted another batch of dwarves to our home. Clearly the shelter provided by our Big Beautiful Wall is pretty attractive with goblins raiding the countryside.
We got a new papermaker, two traders, a beekeeper, a hunter, and a peasant and novice fishcleaner that I have ordered to report for masonry training.
1055-04-30
(http://i.imgur.com/IHgVFA7.png)
We didn’ t have many trade goods to offer the humans, so I decided to clear out most of the extra cat statues, especially the low quality ones. We’re hoping that the novelty of them convinces the humans to buy.
1055-05-02
The cat statues were apparently a hit! Ast was able to secure a full set of human-sized armor for any mercenary we might manage to hire in the future, several bins of leather and cloth, many metal bars and stone blocks, and a large supply of various foodstuffs!
1055-05-14
(http://i.imgur.com/yvWkQky.png?1)
Ok, so apparently the troglodytes are breeding in their cages…
Creepy.
1055-06-01
We’re halfway through the year, and making great progress on all fronts of Making Gloomdiamonds Great for the First Time! If we can keep this level of progress up through the rest of the year, I expect every area of Gloomdiamonds living to be dramatically improved by next year.
One particular project, nearing completion, has me particularly anticipating its results.
(http://i.imgur.com/NLpyISh.png)
1055-06-11
(http://i.imgur.com/ZOnGNT2.png)
What? No, this can’t be happening… has she escaped?
I ran across the fortress and slid to a stop in front of the room that our vampire mayor had been sealed in all year, leaning in and peering through the keyhole…
(http://i.imgur.com/VLMLyaX.png)
I saw here in there, meditating. Her eyes shot open. She knew I was watching.
“I’ve heard what happened to Imic. As you can see, it wasn’t me,” she said, holding her arms out in a plaintive gesture. “Isn’t it about time you ended this campaign of persecution against me?”
I backed away, staggering. We had another vampire in the fortress, and that fact was probably going to be used as a justification to set the mayor free, to drink down even more dwarves.
What am I going to do?
OK, I need to figure this out... before the other vampire strikes again.
I went to the library and pulled up the census I compiled two months ago, and start paging through it. It has to be someone from the two most recent migrant groups. Otherwise, they would have struck sooner, and then I can explain that the new vampire can't have been responsible for the earlier murders...
Lets see... Likot? No, she's off hunting, she couldn't have done it. So was Dumed...
There's Zaneg Likot's husband. Unlikely.
Cog has been seen drinking, and the lore says that vampires never eat or drink.
Tun has also been seen drinking... So has Etur. And Rakust has been seen eating...
I'll have to look through the less recent immigrants, ask around...
I need to talk to Momuz... I can trust her.
1055-06-12
Momuz burst suddenly into my quarters/office, waking me up.
"I think I know who the vampire is!" she said, and the words hit my mind like a goblet of artichoke wine.
"Wh-who? How? How do you know?" I asked, scrambling out of bed.
"Athel Cityquick, the cheesemaker!" she said, pacing around in my office. "I first suspected him when I saw him in the temple. He was going through a long set of prayers, prayers to gods I'd never heard of. I looked some of them up, and while most of them are gods of the nearby dwarves, one was... a human god of misery and torture... Stimze, the Burden of Midnight."
(http://i.imgur.com/VMq1gTq.png)
“His accent was very odd, and when I asked him where it came from he paused a moment and thought about it before saying it was ‘The Weak Oars’, the local dwarven kingdom. But There are plenty of other former Oarsdwarves in the fortress, and none of them sound like that.”
“When I asked what year he was born, he looked like he had to do some math in his head before he said 949. He doesn’t look nearly 100. Thats… that’s got to be him!”
Her words washed over me, and slowly started to sink in. Athel was a fairly recent immigrant, so he was unlikely to have had anything to do with the other murders. The fortress was in an uproar, with everyone demanding justice for Imic and for us to find the foul murderous beast before he struck again. And we had.
I looked seriously at Momuz, evaluating her. “Have you ever wielded a hammer before, friend?”
The gem cutter seemed to get what I was leading to. “I was trained as a hammerdwarf for my local militia, but I never faced real battle.”
It was too perfect. It was meant to be. “Alright, Momuz, thank you for your information. I will be taking the appropriate actions shortly.” I headed to the door out of my office and into the vast cavern.
“W-wait… what ‘s the appropriate actions?” she asked nervously.
“I’m going to forge a chain.”
(http://i.imgur.com/kfWElMn.png)
1055-06-17
The chain is finished. It’s not quite the masterwork I would prefer, but it should be good enough. It will hold him. Or her. Either of them.
(http://i.imgur.com/l6Ur1e6.png)
I will be the overseer of law and order.
Imic’s best freind, a dwarf formerly named Sakzul, came to speak to me. He’s taken on Imic’s name in protest of his foul murder, and he wanted my reassurance that this time something would be done about it.
I reassured him that it would, and asked him to meet me in the greenhouse tomorrow.
1055-06-18
I’d called a meeting of the milkers and cheesemaker’s of Gloomdiamond in the greenhouse. Or at least that’s what I’d told Athel. It took everything I had to keep the hate out of my voice as I told the lie, everything to keep my voice from quavering.
I summoned the military, as well as Imic’s friends among the miners to bear witness.
(http://i.imgur.com/lTDYTcp.png)
Imic would have justice, and I would have security in Gloomdiamonds.
As the vampire walked into the garden to meet with me, soldiers sprang up to either side of him and quickly shackled his arms to the silver chain.
(http://i.imgur.com/LWdqmZJ.png)
Momuz approached, holding the hammer I had given him when I had appointed him the fortress’ hammerer.
“Athel Cityquick, you are hereby convicted of the crime of murder of the dwarf scribe Imic. You have been sentenced to fifty strikes of the hammer.”
I stepped back, Momuz stepped forward, and the striking began.
(http://i.imgur.com/Cdl9NjE.png)
It was the most brutal thing I’d ever witnessed. At least the fighting during the goblin siege was quick. This, this was endlessly prolonged. The creature just would not die, even when his spine was shattered by the hammer, even when the grass was painted with his blood.
(http://i.imgur.com/MVtiVpq.png)
And no matter what Momuz did to him with the hammer, he just wouldn’t die. Despite the dwarf leaving his body a broken wreck. He just kept staring at me as the hammer strikes continued to fall.
(http://i.imgur.com/Q1VlOFN.png)
As Momuz stopped for a moment to catch her breath, I turned to the soldiers I had summoned and ordered them to stand down and report to the tavern for some drinks. They turned and left.
As Momuz delivered the final set of blows, smashing legs and arms but failing to finish the monster off, I turned to Imic II.
“You had mentioned earlier wanting to take up Imic’s name and his duties. That includes his duty as a scribe. Please record that the vampire was killed by hammerstrike.”
Imic II looked over the bleeding, still animate corpse before us. “So what are we doing with that, then?” he asked.
“His corpse should be interred in the catacombs, of course. I’m assinging you Imic’s masonry duty as well. Please make sure that he is properly laid to rest.
The dwarf caught the look in my eye and nodded his understanding, dragging the Vampire away.
1055-06-22
(http://i.imgur.com/BAOlhI4.png)
1055-06-25
A gang of dwarves were hanging out outside of the tannery, one holding the door open. When I walked by, I couldn't help but look inside...
(http://i.imgur.com/W9FdGhA.png)/
She's escaped. The vampire has escaped! Her followers must have just pried the door off of its hinges.
One of them gets in my way, glaring sullenly at me. "Hey, overseer. The mayor wants to see you in her office," he says.
They chuckle to each other and walk off.
Was kind of out of it today and I need more time to plan my next move, so here's my proof of life.
(http://i.imgur.com/w44AaWC.png)
I should be on schedule to finish next week a bit ahead of the deadline.
Journal of Imic II, scribe of Gloomdiamonds
[/b]
I am Imic II. As is tradition with certain dwarven fortresses, I took the name of my deceased friend Imic, as well as his jobs, following his death at the hands of a vampire. It got me thinking. Why are there vampires? Where do they come from? What would lead the gods to doing this to us? So many wuestions, and so little answers. However, my old friend's books may have some answers. I discovered one particular book wich piqued my interest, The hastening of Doomforests. A legend about an ancient fortress in a time long gone, before Armok reset the world. And yet, we still have scripts like this. I know not where Imic I got this, but it seems to be several books tied together rather then just one. It is a journal of sorts, the logbook of every overseer that ever was in this fortress I speak of. I have done what I can to try and figure out where in the world he got it, but it seems that it simply leaves no trail. I have read it cover to cover multiple times already, and it seems... Fishy. There are extra pages attatched, taken from the personal journals of civilians in the fortress, letters, descrpitions, comments, and who knows what else. However, the important things that I have come across in this book are vampires. I... Think that I can tackle this vampire situation. And not just that, there are writings about all sorts of other things: how to make protective wards, how to use sacraficial alters, and... I am not sure, but I think that, seeing as how the previous ghost that visited us acted, the spirits of Doomforest may be following us into here. It certainly seems ominous.
I am going to do some research on places such as astval (did I get that name wrong?), as it bears an uncanny resemblance to an area of Doomforests. I shall write again soon.
(http://i.imgur.com/aUtVS2X.png)
With my heart in my throat, I entered the lair of the beast herself, Zas Colorchannels, our vampire mayor, letting the door close behind me. She sat on her carved chert throne, glaring at me over her desk with her fingers interlaced on the surface.
“So,” she said, smirking. “Here we are, no walls between us. It’s been an interesting game, but it is finally, truly, over. You’ve done a wonderful job bringing order to our fortress, Pyrite, but now it is time for you to step back. To retire, and let me take the reigns of our society, as the majority of the people demand.”
“Lets just say I were to do that. How long would I get to live out my days, before you felt like you needed a taste of me?” I asked, doing everything I could to hold her gaze.
She chuckled darkly. “For one such as you, for an overseer, who has trapped and confounded me since I came here, well I can see a much better fate for you than as a… refreshment. After all, I’ve always said that living well is the greatest revenge. I bet the true murderer of Gloomdiamonds, that poor creature you’ve just… interred in our crypts, well he’s not living well at all, is he?”
“I see,” I said. “And what if I said I was going to keep resisting you, if I was never going to give up and let that happen, if I was going to throw everything at you until one of us was dead? I can sleep under guard, and almost half of the fortress is still willing to follow my orders. You would have a loyalty cascade on your hands, at the least.”
“Well…” she said, standing up. “In that case I may just be… thirsty.”
“So you’re just going to kill me here?” I asked, stepping back toward the door.
“You can’t escape me, Pyrite,” she said. “Just relax. The blood is sweeter if I don’t have to beat you unconscious first.”
(http://i.imgur.com/s7X5Eoe.png)
“We’ve heard enough!” came a soldier’s voice behind me. “Get down Miss Overseer!”
Military dwarves burst through the door just as I’d planned. You see, there’s a reason that I was able to tell you about the goblins’ movements while they were on the surface…
(http://i.imgur.com/bhgSZuK.png)
Many of the dwarves of our military are absurdly well-versed in the art of perception. That’s how I knew that I could trust that if I prodded Mayor Zas into incriminating herself while they were nearby, they would finally be convinced of the gravity of the situation. Or at least i bet my life on it and won, which is kind of like knowing.
The soldiers quickly took hold of the vampire and pulled her from the office. As we were moving through the halls shouting starting to go up from dwarves who had noticed the commotion, and the scene might have become violent if there hadn’t been a call from a dwarf running down the stairway in a panic.
"(http://i.imgur.com/fejOP0I.png)"
The dwarf shouted. “Another vampire must be loose among us!”
“That’s right!” I shouted back. “A vampire has been loose among us, and as overseer I am ensuring that justice is exacted.”
The news of the soap maker’s death seemed to shock them into silence, and we moved forward quickly before Zas could regain her hold on them.
(http://i.imgur.com/UZTJSrp.png)
We brought her to the chain under the green-glass-filtered sunlight and shackled her in place, while Momuz stepped up to the front, hammer in her hand.
“Mayor Zas Colorchannels,” she announced, “you are found guilty of the murder of no less than nine dwarves, including at least one founder of this very fortress. You have been sentenced to bear four hundred hammerstrikes im-”
The vampire’s eyes lit up, and so did Momuz’ She swung her hammer down, slamming it into the side of the stake that held my silver chain into the earth, sending it flying. Pulling the chain up behind her, she cackled. “It seems there is no longer a chain by which I can be affixed, hammerer.”
Momuz wavered back and forth, murmuring “Your… your sentence has been commuted to a beating as there are insufficient facilities for the persecution of justice.”
Holding out her arms, the vampire nodded, smugly smiling. “I accept your judgement. Please continue.”
Momuz dropped her hammer to the floor and proceeded to deliver what I would normally consider a sufficiently vicious beating, if I wasn’t dealing with an immortal monster who had eaten a percentage of Gloomdiamonds population.
(http://i.imgur.com/FFcOjOY.png)
While it was going on, I had time to run back and pull the lever I’d had installed after the last vampire had failed to die to hammerstrikes. I knew I had to be quick for this to work, I would only have a few seconds.
“Well then,” Zas said as she lowered her bruised and battered arms. “Now that justice has been served, I think it’s time I got back to the business of government.”
“Oh sorry I didn’t see you there!” I shouted as I rushed into the room, colliding with the vampire and shoving her backwards.
(http://i.imgur.com/qR8oaGe.png)
“What is the meaning of-aiiie!” she screamed as the trapdoor behind her opened, dropping her onto a steel spear that I’d had placed there in case I ended up with another vampire who wouldn’t go down.
(http://i.imgur.com/itwfYeQ.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/nOmdqbh.png)
I looked down to the level below, where the spear had been placed, and where she twisted on it as it impaled her body, trying to hold her head away from the point with her hands against the sides of the walls. “This is not over. As my true name is Kiwan Mistradeslat Resmielloz Ramkal, I will enact my vengeance on all of you!”
With that she lost her strength and her grip, and the spear tip finished its journey through her brain, ending her foul existence.
(http://i.imgur.com/TXAKbSy.png)
A strange aura glowed around her, and then the legendary opaline coffer glowed a brilliant pineapple light through the white jade I’d had it encrusted with, before dying down to a dim glow. Whatever foul spirit had been unleashed by her death was contained within Momuz' artifact, at least for now.
Well, on to new elections!
1055-07-14
(http://i.imgur.com/mXWKRGL.png)
The caravan from The Manor of Strength has arrived. I hope our significant stock of chert and shist crowns sell well for him, since he’s going to be offering so much for them.
Unfortunately, their diplomat went away unhappy when they found out that we were still sorting out our new mayoral situation.
1055-07-20
(http://i.imgur.com/tn16vzB.png)
I’ve dug a new well for the new dormitory, and now I need to actually fill it from the current plumbing system. Now I just need to see what these levers do…
1055-07-25
(http://i.imgur.com/Lx7sKXO.png)
We finally have a baby rhino that we can raise up as a domesticated pet! I’ll probably leave making proper use of them to another overseer. In other news, I've finally figured out what form to fill out to assign animal trainers to actually do their jobs, so there's that.
(http://i.imgur.com/DoQ83yq.png)
The first one doesn’t seem to do anything, while the second one seals the lever puller within the mechanics guild offices. The third one opened the door holding back the water pulled from the brook to the north, flooding several chambers. The plumbing system is more complex than I’d realized. I’ll have to put more thought into bringing water up into the residential area.
1055-08-01
Ast has secured a large supply of food, cloth, leather, metals, steel anvils to be melted down, a few choice pieces of armor and weapons, and various other curiosities. Our production of crowns was at a lower quality and quantity than I’d expected, so we ended up trading away some excess furniture and a couple of barrels of fine Dwarven biscuits to make up the difference.
Speaking of fine Dwarven biscuits,
(http://i.imgur.com/ES45pjt.png)
Work on the new kitchen and brewery has been completed, allowing much more efficient cooking of meals and distilling of drinks.
1055-08-03
(http://i.imgur.com/uRJ3bQo.png)
A new set of dwarves have come to join us! Here’s hoping none of them are bloodsucking monsters! It looks like we’ve got a bone carver, a potter, metalcrafter, a butcher, a surgeon and a suturer, an animal dissector, his wife the siege operator, and their child. I interviewed each of them, keeping an eye out for signs of vampirism. None of them strike me as the type so far, but this year has taught me that vigilance must be maintained.
The view the migrants take in as they approach the fortress.
(http://i.imgur.com/hUGOu1j.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/g0OxmA6.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/lHT5lEq.jpg)
1055-08-16
(http://i.imgur.com/b7X7y0a.png)
A gremlin was spotted by one of the web-collectors near the entrance to the cavern.
(http://i.imgur.com/NOGa32e.png)
I mobilized the military to chase the hateful thing down, but it was able to evade them. We'll need to be wary of these things in the future. Legends say they'll flip any switch they see and guzzle down any booze they can get their hands on.
1055-09-10
(http://i.imgur.com/fqamMiB.png)
The ballots are in, and Risen Wheeledknower has been elected as our new mayor. I’m relatively certain that he is not a vampire. As a lover of the typical archer outfit, with leather armor and quiver, he is likely to restrict their export and mandate their creation occasionally, despite the fact that we have more than enough of both. As leather is cheap and in good supply, and neither armor nor quivers are a primary trade good for us, I don’t see Risen’s tenure in office being an obstructive one.
He’s done good work getting through the backlog of petitioning visitors, and we now have several bards and mercenaries as residents in our inn rooms.
Between Risen’s urging to create an archer squad, the recent addition of fortifications to our fortress, and the signing on of several mercenaries, I’ve decided it was time to expand and review Gloomdiamonds military.
(http://i.imgur.com/IOVNIg8.png)
I’ve ordered more steel weapons forged, and hope to have a full set of steel plate for each military dwarf by the end of the year.
Tholtig Omenwhips, the militia captain of The Armored Braids, has suffered permanent leg disablement and walks with a crutch.Ushrir Crewfortresses the wrestler/hammerdwarf has suffered a permanent impairment to his ability to grasp with one of his hands, and Lor Whipstill the axedwarf suffers from both problems. I currently believe that, properly armored, these wounded warriors are still able to contribute significantly to the fortress’ survival and glory, but of course it should be up to future overseers to determine their continued ability to serve.
1055-09-22
(http://i.imgur.com/9x52JbJ.png)
The Symmetric Sugars is starting to attract some interesting characters.
1055-09-23
(http://i.imgur.com/zGRB9J0.png)
When the goblins send us their people, their not sending their best...
1055-09-25
(http://i.imgur.com/kU0Kxzz.png)
Onol seemed suddenly filled with energy and laughter, dancing around the halls chattering about the wonderful masterwork he was going to make in his workshop. This brought to my attention that we do not currently have a leather works built, so I went ahead and ordered someone construct one, before Onol’s reason completely leaves his head.
1055-10-01
(http://i.imgur.com/wpKZp6S.png)
Winter has come, for what it’s worth around here.
(http://i.imgur.com/tCnrYRi.png)
With the Dwarven caravan departed, I’ve ordered the main drawbridge to the fortress closed. Sometime around when the elves visit in the spring, future overseers should probably open it again using this lever:
(http://i.imgur.com/omc3eaT.png)
The three entrances into the courtyard are all narrow passageways set with weapon traps. I will not have them completely filled out by the time my year is up, so I will be leaving some of that to future overseers.
1055-10-11
(http://i.imgur.com/8Mw6FDZ.png)
Oh dear, one of our dwarves has been cornered by a hyena! I hope they’re able to get away from the dangerous beast.
(http://i.imgur.com/56gY15F.png)
Or… uh, he can chase after it with his woodcutting axe, I suppose that works.
The hyena runs toward a pack of its own kind, but they scatter.
(http://i.imgur.com/ICw4MiY.png)
Sibrek’s kind are not so craven, and they proceed to chase the hyena down mercilessly.
(http://i.imgur.com/XTxH7U3.png)
Well… ah… I think my notion that the fortress walls keep the wild and dangerous animals on the outside have been crushed. At least these wild and dangerous animals are on my side.
(http://i.imgur.com/y9MAyQM.png)
A blacksmith gives chase to another hyena.
Alone and unarmed as he is, he doesn’t fare as well as his kin, but eventually he chases the hyena into a large group of dwarves, of which Commander Zothdra is one, and the commander puts that sword he named to good use.
(http://i.imgur.com/ZyjokTy.png)
1055-10-16
(http://i.imgur.com/yW0tJkL.png)
Onol has completed his masterwork, and his life’s goal. The aspect of fey has left him with much of the amazing skill that it imparted to him, but he knows in his heart that he will never match this tunic, which menaces with spikes of the bones of an entire rhinoceros.
Well, if the mayor has us make more leather armor, at least it will be high-quality stuff.
((OOC: I should be on schedule to finish up thursday night. I have a couple of projects that I want to complete, and I’ll be showing them off once they are there. Hopefully we have a quiet winter.
Also, would anyone mind if I run cleanmap? None of this blood belongs to FBs and the vampire blood seems unlikely to actually infect anyone, and the fortress could use all the FPS it can get.))
1055-10-27
I never imagined the ferocity of my fellow dwarves. I think they’ve started taking bets about which of them can take down a hyena with the least assistance or preparation. It hasn’t been working out so well for the ones who don’t carry weapons. Though somehow none of them have died or been seriously injured yet.
1055-11-08
(http://i.imgur.com/GylslsQ.png)
Today I was relaxing in The Symmetric Sugars, taking in a story from a visiting goblin poet with Ast, our broker. After she finished her rousing tale of a legendary giant lion named Cinderowner, which had raided several nearby lands before the human Shadu Mushroombraid hunted it down and confronted it, I went to get me and Ast another goblet of barley wine.
“Here’s to you, Ast,” I said as we clinked cups. “A broker and chief medical dwarf, truly you’re a dwarf of many talents.”
“You’re too generous,” she laughed, and then chucked back half of her drink. Shaking her head, her voice slurring a little, she said “No, really, too generous.”
I sensed that she was being oddly serious. “What do you mean?” I asked.
Ast shifted back a few steps and leaned against the smoothed chert cave wall. She shook her head again. “Oh, I’m fine enough as a tradesdwarf, but I don’t know the first thing about medicine. I mostly stay out of the way of the real medical dwarves.”
I blinked at her. The revelation was sobering. I drank most of my barley wine, but it didn’t help. “Wait, you… you’re serious, aren’t you? Our… our chief medical dwarf can’t tell a break from a sprain?”
Ast shrugged.
“How did this happen?”
“Don’t know. I think it was just a matter of convenience when the overseer, I think it was Gwolfski, needed a hospital set up. Have to have a chief medical dwarf to have a hospital, you know.”
I sighed deeply. “You realize I’m going to have to assign an actual medical dwarf now, before someone else gets hurt.”
Ast finished off her wine. “Probably for the best,” she said.
1055-11-09
Today Gwolfski informed me that he was in fact the chief medical dwarf, and that I must have been looking at the records while overly drunk, and suffered from double vision, and Ast was too drunk to think critically. Gwolfski apparently does know at least the bare minimum about medicine, mostly from direct experience.
(OOC: I literally read the nobles screen, thought I saw Ast in both positions, saw she didn't have even a signle level of any medical skill, wrote this whole story about it, and then found out I'd been wrong about the whole thing, so this is my way of reconciling that because I didn't want to throw away what I wrote.)
1055-12-03
(http://i.imgur.com/cBja5la.png)
The water flows into the reservoir for the residential well, finally. Soon we will have a more centralized water source.
(http://i.imgur.com/0q8AWEw.png)
There have been some… complications. I’ve sealed off the hatch leading into this large basin, and I’m going to remove that door to release the water that built up here. The good news is that this should make an excellent tertiary water source.
(http://i.imgur.com/mjlBItV.png)
1055-12-24
(http://i.imgur.com/2JfaWYE.png)
Well, I’m not going to tell a crippled dwarf who killed a goblin with his shield that he can’t name the thing.
1055-12-30
Frankly, I look forward to my resignation as overseer, The job involved a lot more work than I’d realized it would, and it’s taken a lot of out of me. But everything it’s taken out of me I’ve given freely to Gloomdiamonds, to make it great for the first time!
All in all, I personally have to rate my time as overseer as an outstanding success. Not only were two murderous bloodsucking monsters vanquished on my watch, but each of my projects was completed in turn, from the Big Beautiful Wall…
(http://i.imgur.com/gwSJrte.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/7kinZ7P.png)
Which now stands proud over the land protecting us, to
(http://i.imgur.com/QN8S10H.png)
the successful completion of my Living Large project, which provided appropriate living space for over two hundred dwarves living in the fortress, to the expansion and proper protection of our military,
(http://i.imgur.com/abwhlZr.png)
And even to the remodeled storage cavern, where stockpiles are set up to accept all kinds of items, we are succeeding bigly in every way.
Having done such a good job, I’ve made sure to take care of myself after my retirement, by setting myself up with a humble little abode: Dare I say the humblest abode: Pyrite tower.
(http://i.imgur.com/0udHuY9.png)
And with that I pass the torch to the next overseer, with a few important notes:
1: I left notes in the N menu on all the levers I built or was able to figure out what did.
2: A lot of the fortress is still very cluttered with rock and ore. A lot of the rock is gypsum, which I think is only useful for powder. So you might want to start selling gypsum powder.
3: I left the army off training for most of the year as I needed the extra hands for hauling and construction, so they might do for some extra training.
4: I completely ignored the caverns, and they are completely unsecured against flyers, so you may want to do something about that. Or not. Could be FUN.
Otherwise I have to wish the best of luck to you, overseer. Please do your best to keep us all alive.
The save can be found here:
http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=12613
Download Version 43.05 from the main dwarf fortress website and pop the save in there. You'll probably also want to install the latest version of DFhack, which was updated 2 days ago: https://github.com/DFHack/dfhack/releases
Diary of Izak Willtorch 03 14
The more I look into this janitors scribbled notes the more I begin to worry. There's mentions of a great disaster which can only be stopped by some strange substance. In addition he carved out large sections of the fortress without really knowing why. So now there is a huge series of interconnected rooms who's purpose is unknowable. The mess of the recent battle is still scattered about the staircase. And the pile of bodies to be disposed of is massive. Well perhaps not massive. Considering that we did fight a creature that has existed since before the first dwarf was even a thought I would call our pile of corpses moderate. But nonetheless this does mean that there are coffins to fill and slabs to engrave. It wouldn't be nice of me to leave the next overseer a horde of disgruntled ghosts to deal with.
(https://s24.postimg.org/wtsr0z5z9/ZZZs.png)
“Have you any idea how stupid you sound talking to yourself?”
“Oh quit it. You know the process of implanting these thoughts as well as any other. Besides adding tension helps make the memories stick... Didn't really count on the girl being there though... Suppose that just means two heads rather than one.”
“Why not just tell them the formula? It's not like it is that complicated.
“Just revealing the answer to them wouldn't make sure that they as well as their society as a whole bother to remember how to make the stuff.”
“But there was one once before who's bricks saved the entire kingdom.”
“Ahh but only in a time before time. It is no longer history. Just legend.”
“But if these ones cannot summon the soaper...”
“Then they won't survive the plague to come.”
Diary of Izak Willtorch 03 26
I have woken from a long sleep. I now know why the Janitor sought to create this fifth cleanser of his. Such dreams must have been his curse. And in taking the rutile hat of leadership I have also taken his curse. But what would a simple stonecrafter know about making cleaning agents? I find myself wondering if I could give the hat to someone else they would take the curse with them. Somehow I doubt it. But perhaps If I can make this white brick I can stop the curse altogether. Or perhaps I should destroy the object that gave me this curse. It would without doubt cause much outrage. But I am sure it would be worth it.
“So uh. Overseer!”
“What is it?”
“Well I've had that fat made into tallow as you requested”
“What? What Fat?”
“The beast! We took it into that new kitchen you had us make butchered the bastard then made his fat into tallow. The paperwork says not to cook it so...”
“Tell me... What is your Name?”
“TourBegins. I was there during the battle of the stairwell. Saw a lot of... But tha's not important. I want to know what to do with this damn tallow. If I canne' Cook it there isn much reason for it ta be in ma' wey.”
“Why don't you just put it in a stockpile for now... And show me that paperwork. I do not remember issuing that order.”
(https://s29.postimg.org/kop0q93if/Cog.png)
Dear Diary,
Today I have committed treason. The sort for which most dwarves would find themselves executed. I took some paperwork from the overseers office an commissioned a few places to be built. Just kitchens and butchers shops for now. But I believe that with just a little more effort I can unlock the secret of the white brick. See while that fool Izak was staring at piles of corpses and bedazzled by brilliant battles I sought something far more important. Ingredients. So far I have nailed down Tallow and oil as possible ingredients. And why make simple tallow when we can use what the great beast left us. How poetic. To use the flesh of one beast to fend off another.
In other news who's discovery will not get me executed I have made my last slab. I know that chances are that this gods forsaken place will soon have need for more but such morbid work ill suits me. So for now I am back to making coffers and Armor Stands. If I understand correctly there is some talk of replacing all inferior furniture with masterworks. What a wonderful thought. After all I seem to make most of the furniture around here anyway. But how nice would it be for everyone to sit on the nicest of seats and sleep in the finest of beds (I suppose someone else will have to make those) I certainly can see the benefits.
Diary of Izak Willtorch 04 03
Summer brings with it ill omens indeed. A werebeast has come. And we've no way to secure the fortress in time. I am not very experienced in such matters but have decided to send the millitary to defend the entrance to the fortress. Hopefully The Armored Braids are a good choice for this encounter.
(https://s28.postimg.org/3m7df6sjh/SHREW.png)
It seems that the WereShrew has reverted to its human form. The Sparks are being sent to subdue and hopefully capture it.
(https://s29.postimg.org/dojhkq08n/Human.png)
Diary of Izak Willtorch 04 07
(https://s24.postimg.org/y7jh4r0ed/Nobility.png)
(https://s23.postimg.org/49vjkow6z/CROWN.png)
There are a lot of reports of a bucket shortage. I'm having our grandmasters of carpentry and metalworking make a few. I wonder where they're all going?
(https://s23.postimg.org/bleuqlb4r/BUCKETS.png)
What an eventful month this is indeed. The office is built and furnished to the liking of the CatKing and we've been visited by a human diplomat. But to top it all off one of the carpenters stopped speaking and ran off to his workshop. I caught a look at some of his notes. Strange. No words just some drawings. Hope this RoomFaces fella makes us something worthy of the title Legendary. Else I'll just have him killed.
(https://s30.postimg.org/xaao1j4ch/KOGAN.png)
RoomFaces has indeed made us something quite useful. An animal trap that can be used to catch even the greatest of vermin. I suppose this will mean that he will NOT be executed. Darn. I was looking forward to finding creative ways to dispose of a dwarf. Might as well practice for when the next noble gets too uppity.
(https://s29.postimg.org/u8dcxgz53/ART.png)
OOC: What a shell of a post. I was hoping the soaper would be back by the time I posted this... Looks like Civ bit deep (Was it civ he said he would be obsessed with for awhile?) Oh and I thought I would attach an image of Pyrite drinking deep. Thanks Frames!!!
(https://s24.postimg.org/4r8leg091/Pyrite.png)
⁓̛ Got to love wooden doors on NS walls
The maze stretches on and on, though. And what's with the mysterious ramp spiral?
⁓̛ Do the soaps actually do anything on FB syndromes?
Or are their effects limited to infections?
I don't know myself, and I don't even know anyone who could tell you u.u
⁓̛ I loath death, I fear death, I...probably would be too lazy to seek the secrets of life and death.
⁓̛ Werebeasts...Best handled by distraction of pets and furniture. As long as they can't bite your milit....
Welp. Lets hope they're trained well enough to not get hit.
Ah well, went better than even that yet. Yesterday, I had wererhino whale on a turtle so long by the time they appeared they were already turned back into a goblin.
⁓̛ Ah, bucket reports. Useful to find out if multiple someones are locked away and dehydrating at times. Gotta love it.
⁓̛ Pyrite sure has mismatch of skills.
And oh, does the fort look cluttered.
Now, as for your image question...
[spoiler=spoiler text][img]image link.png[/img][/spoiler]
You might also be interested in a way to quickly crop and upload images. I'm running on lubuntu - similar enough - so might as well share the
#!/bin/bash
# Declare correct terminal emulator
# get the selected clipboard via backticks (or selected if -selection is removed)
if asdf=`zenity --entry --text="AreaShot name" --title="Screenshot" --timeout=30`; then
# Add full directory
asdf="/PATHYOUWANTTOUSE/Pictures/"$asdf"-"`date +%s`
# Launch scrot with that name, adding png
scrot -s $asdf.png
# Upload it to imgur (add --auto-delete 1814400 at the end for deletion in 3 weeks - bad for succession forts, but good for most use cases)
/PATHWHEREYOUSTOREDIMGURSCREENSHOT/imgur-screenshot.sh --open false $asdf.png
# Make new filename to include imgur upload
nasdf=$asdf"i.imgur.com"`tail -1 /YOURHOMEPATHWHERELOGISSTORED/.imgur-screenshot.log | grep -o "https://i.imgur.com/........png" | grep -o "........png"`
# Rename file.
mv $asdf.png $nasdf
else
echo "Not shot"
fi
That calls imgur-screenshot.sh (https://github.com/jomo/imgur-screenshot). (Technically sufficient by itself for cropping an area and uploading it, but I like to name the screenshots, keep the links and sort them into folders, ex giving image name df/name to place it into df folder)
Then I call it.sh (given executable, non-modifiable permissions) with shift-PrtScr. (With variants for shotting the entire window or entire screen.)
This pops up a window for half a minute (cats!) that asks for name or folder/name, then lets one use scrot to shoot an area, then passes that image to imgur, which passes back the link into clipboard, which is then partially tacked on to the end of the filename of the shot image (without the /s to avoid path annoyances).
(Potential improvement: Tack image tags onto the beginning and end of clipboard link. Too lazy to implement for now.)
(Downside of the scrot seems to be white top and left lines for me. Too lazy to get rid of for now. )
21st Hematite 1056
As the sun lowered on the horizon, a lone cloaked dwarf wandered to Gloomdiamonds. Latest news of The Siege of Troopers that occured there just last year didn't scare him, he moved on calmly and confidently towards entrance of the fortress. As he reached the gates, two guards stopped him. Welcome in Gloomdiamonds. May you identify yourself and tell us what's the goal of your visit? - one of the guards greeted him and asked. The dwarf revealed his face from under a hood. He had a plain, somewhat nondescript face with only a long, old scar on left cheek making him clearly distinguishable in the crowd. I'm Rimtar Smiththunders of Twinklediamonds fortress. I wanted to see this place as soon as I heard about another diamonds fortress... I also heard a lot of good about your tavern. I'm just doomed for rest after the journey, so I'll head right there. And don't worry, I'll find my way around. - Rimtar said with a soft, low voice and descended down the main staircase, quickly disappearing from guarded area. Something strange about this one, just can't tell what... - said the first guard. Twinklediamonds? Quite familiar name... - added his companion.
OOC
Finally managed to load it and write anything. Didn't expected to suddenly get so busy after getting my turn - a few minor exams and loads other stuff that needed my attention. And it's not over, I have a technician qualification exam this Thursday and a prom at Saturday, so I surely won't finish my turn this week. I'll get it all done till the end of next week.
I'm leaving you with state of the fortress before doing anything yet, expect a first write up soon.
(http://i.imgur.com/HSQwOXo.png)
1st Limestone 1056
Rimtar was enjoying his time in the tavern, sipping strawberry wine and watching different performers. He spent whole summer there but still didn't knew what was going on in the fortress around him. It was time to ask one of it's residents. There was one of soldiers off duty, polishing his short sword covered with elven runes. May I join you? - he asked and, the soldier looked at him and said: Sure. Rimtar sat by the soldier's table, trying to read runes on the blade at the same time. Suicide? Interesting name for a sword... - he said inquiringly. It was a gift... of some kind... You just wanted to ask about the sword? - the soldier asked.
Rimtar thought for a short while then asked: Can you tell me what's new in the fortress? This tavern lives it's own life and it's hard to hear anything about the fortress proper. Soldier wondered for a while, then started the story. Things got a bit strange around Gloomdiamonds this Summer. You see, there was no new overseer appointed, yet everyone runs around like crazy! There were even some changes in fortress' administration! - he exclaimed. Rimtar asked, quite surprised: No overseer? Whole season without anyone to run the fortress? Swordsdwarf continued: No one was appointed! I once wanted to see who gives orders to dwarves running like crazy, and entered the overseer's office. There was just a rutile hat lying on a desk, letters left on it by Pyrite blurred out. There was something strange about the hat... something ominous and evil, but at the same time quite familiar... - he stopped for a while. - Anyways, I'll tell you what happened chronologically...
Miners had a strange urge to dig recently. Deeper into the bowels of earth. From behind a wall they heard someone shouting for help, and deconstructed one of the walls. Guess what? Three dwarves were walled in inside caverns! They got them out too late to save one of them, he dehydrated and lied on the mossy cavern floor until someone brought him to a grave...
(http://i.imgur.com/Mk0o3uT.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/FhROJPn.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/4hMUPt9.png)
Instead of rebuilding the walls, masons built a bridge there and animal trainer restrained a war dog on a rope just by the entrance to caverns. At the same time bookkeeper added some marks to all maps of the fortress, which he called hotkeys. They are meant to ease navigating through fortress...
(http://i.imgur.com/7jgVelm.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/N1U2jLn.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/NSxFFkg.png)
But getting back to miners, they dug a staircase day and night. They discovered two expansive caverns on the way and marked one of them on map. Digging deeper, they dug down to semi-molten rock and went back up a few Urists to make a small opening in their tunnel, through which they saw huge part of magma sea, and more importantly, raw adamantine! They said that we are extremely lucky, as the huge cavern filled with water is just one Urist above the magma sea, which means they can make a puncture in the ceiling and let the water mix with magma and create obsidian, through which they could safely dig to the adamantine! Only problem being the safety of our miners....
(http://i.imgur.com/xxcRjUC.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/B99Z5Pu.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/DVbwEp7.png)
Now I've got news that may sound good for a foreigner like you, should you want to petition anyone or anyting that's currently in charge. The human caravan was warmly greeted and received as warm farewells. Since then, everyone that made a petition which was accepted got a house, and for some reason all petitions are accepted. The expansion of house district also moved just slightly, already we have houses with rough, barren walls. It's only a matter of time to smooth then and furnish...
(http://i.imgur.com/NvWwwrz.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/99pq65n.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/UpiV56W.png)
Then a brewer and some animals mysteriously disappeared. And while the animals still weren't found, one of miners did something completely strange. He shouted that he really has to smash open a wall at Gwolfski's suite... and he found the brewer inside, his dog sitting beside him and still waiting for his owner to wake up. He died of thirst, the brewer I mean not the dog. The miner can't explain why he had to break the wall, some kind of creepy, dark urge to just do it overwhelmed him. Some say that bridge sealing the suite was raised and that Gwolfski locked the brewer inside for some unknown reason...
(http://i.imgur.com/W0FFF91.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/JCeVcSF.png)
Is that all? It still was quite a bit for such a short time... - Rimtar said before the soldier could finish. Well, there were more minor things like changing a manager to someone with less duties, so he could validate orders much quicker. I believe it's one of medical staff, perhaps a suturer. And already a few new orders straight from overseer's office were validated - production of clothing and mechanisms. Now, that's all. - soldier finished relating latest news. It was nice talking to you and getting some news from the fortress proper. I won't bother you anymore. Oh, and I'm Rimtar Smiththunder, nice to meet you and goodbye! - Rimtar got up and soldier told: Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Zothdra. Perhaps we'll meet again.
OOC
Went through Summer and got a seasonal save at Autumn. As a tl;dr - Set up some hotkeys, first at levers to entrance front gate, second at some random levers, and third at entrace to caverns I made. I rescued three dwarves left by Wight in the caverns, then dug down to magma sea, discovering two caverns on the way and candy. I changed the manager (Zothdra was the manager before), as he spent all the time sparring and I couldn't get any order validated, and ordered some cloth clothing to be made as some dwarves throw out used clothing. I assigned houses to everyone who didn't had his quarter (except for one dwarven baby and the vampire), then started expanding the area and accepted a few petitions. Also closed some holes through which fliers could get inside from caves. Bought off food from the caravan (we have more than enough, but the more the better), and found dead brewer after game gave me a missing message.
Here is the status for 1st Limestone.
(http://i.imgur.com/u1qGBlS.png)
It was quite slow with 11-18 FPS when unpaused, but I got first season of my turn done. It was uneventful season as you can see.
1st Moonstone 1056
After a long day spent with visiting poets, performers and scholars, sipping strawberry wine, Rimtar felt really tired and was about to head towards his room. Something on the way through tavern caught his attention though, a leather bound ledger lying on one of tables. Someone had to forget it and left it in tavern. Rimtar took it with himself to return it to it's owner next day. Reaching his bed, all of a sudden he couldn't fall asleep, so he took the ledger and opened it. Autumn 1056. Property of Libash Toolfire, bookkeeper of Gloomdiamonds. That was it! All the numbers in bookkeeper's ledgers should be boring enough to fall asleep quickly!
Bloodsucker escaped from it's pit. There were 100 hammerstrikes on it so as soon as militia saw him, he was dragged to restraint and beaten to bloody pulp. Then it returned to the pit, just to die shortly afterwards.
(http://i.imgur.com/LUWUu67.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/TIZ94a0.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/d5p1aiz.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/H6AghJ5.png)
Expansion of house district improved. Walls smoothed out, beds, doors and cabinets added - not enough for all rooms though. Started contruction of magma baths.
(http://i.imgur.com/2DOzx3d.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/vYmVzUb.png)
An aspect of Fey appeared, Dodok Breedcloistered was affected. Claimed a workshop and made an artifact toy boat.
(http://i.imgur.com/bb7DCbt.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/NvvWKBf.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/6goC5eK.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/StRmhsC.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/Hg71Sce.png)
Caravan from Mountainhome appeared. Entrance was not wide enough, wagons couldn't get through. Merchants reached depot. Bought off whole load of plants, fruits, fish and meat. Gave many offerings to Mountainhome. Got trade agreement with merchants. Gloomdiamonds was advanced to a Duchy after merchants left, Scourge is a duke now. Improved his housing to meet requirements.
(http://i.imgur.com/GrmA7zh.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/FBUqwR9.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/EOZbTx3.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/C6ZaCRj.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/erKtduv.png)
Bans and mandates were appointed again - export of quivers prohibited, production of bucklers mandated.
(http://i.imgur.com/38IfFz2.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/tbZjVgD.png)
Seasonal stocks and census summary.
(http://i.imgur.com/CYoL8KO.png?1)
On the last page there was a note: To whoever finds this ledger in case it's lost - return it to bookkeeper's office. Rimtar read it all and felt very drowsy, so he quickly fallen asleep.
OOC
Autumn is done, there's a chance I might get winter done today and end my turn (I started at summer, so technically I'm getting through Wight's turn, but I'll be more busy after this weekend). As for the bio, I'll send a PM after my turn is done.
On An Airship Currently in-between worlds
Ryukan sat in his cage.
Cage... ha. Wouldn't be the first time this happened. Ray willing, it wouldn't be the last.
Speaking of....
Ryukan assumed a sitting position and his mind slowly drifted to the Astral Plane.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Astral Plane
Ryukan approached the Temple like structure in the void. He entered and walked towards the central room. He approached the pedestal in the center. He said the words of command.
Appearing before him was a hooded female figure.
"What do you want my faithful servant?" The figure said.
"Airith found a source of it and established a fortress there. I was going to join and help her, but I have been inconvenienced." Ryukan said.
"I know, that Paladin is something else. Persistent he is. But I sense his purpose is yet to be over. His role in this story will only increase. I sense that you and him will make bonds that only true friends can have."
"True bonds with that ANIMAL!?!"
"Yes. More likely than not he will be your only ally in the times to come." The Hooded figure stated plainly.
"If you say so... is there any chance you could be wrong?"
"I haven't been wrong before have I?"
"Your point is made mistress."
"Now go. You will be brought to trial on the Paladin's world. Just endure it. Try not to cause too much trouble. And Ryukan. Bring young Airith before me when you get back."
"Your word is my command mistress" Ryukan bowed as his master disappeared.
He walked out of the temple and his consciousness drifted back to his mortal body.
-------------------------------------------------------------
On an Airship
Ryukan awoke with a start as his cage was banged with a hammer.
"Up you get Ryukan, we are here."
Ryukan was dragged out of his cage in chains and he looked out beyond and saw the Capital of Undarak.
Even Ryukan admitted it was a sight to behold. And he had seen alot.
"Let's Get this Over with." Ryukan grumbled.
1st Granite 1057
Rimtar left his room, prepared for the long journey back to Twinklediamonds. He bid farewell to everyone in the tavern and left. As ascended the staircase, several squads of soldiers ran past him, heading to barracks. Ah, Zothdra! 'Tis good to see you! - Smiththunders exclaimed upon seeing a familiar face. Greetings Rimtar! Leaving already? Perhaps you have a little while to talk? - Zothdra asked. Of course! Maybe you could tell me latest news from Gloomdiamonds proper? I saw you've had an intervention of some sort.. - Rimtar said. Zothdra wondered for a minute then replied: Yeah, but let's get back to how it all started, as I think it might be tied to it...
It all started like an ordinary day. Duke banned certain exports and mandated procuction of bucklers, as if he didn't knew that shields offer better protection!
(http://i.imgur.com/N3yh1rU.png)
Then, miners, mechanics and masons were continuing their work upon magma baths. I swear there was something grim about that place... where was I? Oh, right. So when they were working, a ghostly vampire has risen! It blinked down in the baths and moved to our barracks until someone exorcised the phantom. I think they banished it out with a slab of some kind, placed in the pit where it was closed.
(http://i.imgur.com/y5oOgWa.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/LQWaN9D.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/zSh11X8.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/Mm6fbGY.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/cvEMxJA.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/JLyXiAZ.png)
Ghostly vampire? That must've been a horrifying view! - Rimtar said. That was just the beginning! In fact, it was so horrifying that it spooked a miner down in magma baths construction, so he punctured wrong wall and let magma into wrong area! They say that no one could survive down in the baths. Masons quickly ran to seal it before magma sea overflows fortress with magma from beneath. Two of them died in unknown circumstances...
(http://i.imgur.com/qMlLAij.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/OpRCMsG.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/jbWp6Go.png)
As they spoke, a butcher dragged a stray yak bull to slaughter it. And finally, the intervention. A Forgotten One reached our caverns! I don't know why we could feel it, but something more ominous and powerful caused this uneasiness to make us alert. As if it wanted us dead, but just not yet... Back to the intervenion, there was a wide open hole in a wall through which it could get inside. We ran to protect the staircase in case that mason don't seal it in time... - as Zothdra continued, another dwarf ran hypnotized after the butcher.
(http://i.imgur.com/YDEaORW.png)
Then the dwarf ran back with some bones and loud noises came from craftsdwarf workshop. Rimtar and Zothdra ran to see what's going on. It was a bone doctor - some strange force overwhelmed him and he secretely made an artifact! Behold my masterpiece! - the bone doctor shouted.
(http://i.imgur.com/Gcc5udB.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/ePND3MO.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/cQyutA9.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/ERjnkYt.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/ERjnkYt.png)
It's a... cup? - Rimtar was surprised with that masterpiece. Guess it's the best cup in fortress now. - Zothdra quickly commented. Well, looks like it's time to go. Remember about the box. See you soon my friend! - as Rimtar spoke last words, his body started aging rapidly until it turned into pile of ash and then completely vanished. The strange heaviness felt all around disappeared as well.
OOC
(http://i.imgur.com/A41FkxI.png)
Yeah, I screwed up with that magma sea. Either a mistake designation or I really wasn't focused on it when getting through my turn. Fortress is safe, but if you want, you can deal with the FB. My turn is done, here is the save:
Gloomdiamonds 1056-1057 Save (http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=12655)
Journal of Imic II, Overseer of Gloomdiamond.
As a start to my position, I have announced the diggenning out of a future Library. We don't have nearly enough books in this fortress.
(http://i.imgur.com/APvr00t.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/ABpxSC7.png)
he walked out into the main area of the fortress, and made an announcement shortly after writing this.
"I have decided to build a large plaza, and, may I ask, what would the people like it to look like? well?"
While the voting took place, he went back to work arranging things. He took note of the current shortages and began to order more made.
I have noted that the food is faaaar lower then the current drink stockpile. I shall announce the creation of extra farms.
After teking note of the number of farms, I have decided to make seven more, 20 is a nice round number which could keep us going for a good many years.
I shall promote extra farmers.
Cheese production shall begin, once I find out if we have any milk - producing animals.
A NEW CHAPTER
"Greetings, I am Urist McWells. You may know me from my adventures in cobaltcopper. However, I am taking control of gloomdiamonds today."
(http://i.imgur.com/9WH5LqE.png)
THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I SEE.
Greaaat...
These guys are too dumb to live..
(http://i.imgur.com/7lVnExP.png)
Oh and, this is one of the first things I see...
I'm going to have to do a communist revolution
I am no longer Urist McWells for now... I am urist McStalin.
In the Fortress of Gloomdiamonds, recently bereft of its latest overseer
A large crowd of dwarves milled together in the drinking hole of Gloomdiamonds, muttering to one another.
"Is there a selection process for this?" asked one.
"Not really. We just kind of shout and scream, and... stuff gets done?" said another, balancing a pick on one shoulder. It started to dawn on everyone a fraction of the chaos they worked under.
"Well, that Urist McWells fellow hopped up onto a table and doffed the Overseer hat for maybe, like, ten seconds? Then started screaming something about blood, and death, and idiocy, and gods knows what."
"Yeah." A scoff. "Then he ran off and drained a whole barrel of booze. Gotta wonder if the thing's cursed."
"NOT CURSED!" boomed a voice; it carried with it the sound of gravel and a brutish authority. Everyone looked up to find that a tanned-looking, grump of a dwarf had mounted the stage and retrieved the Overseer hat. With a firm push he pressed it onto his clean-shaven head, atop piercing blue eyes, an incredible, flowing mustache (stroked thoughtfully by one hand), which was itself mated to a well-kept beard in the traditional style, and thick lips, between which smoked an impossibly thick cigar; the smoke it gave in the gloom was reminiscent of a wet, perfumed dog, with maybe a hint of barley. "Just misused. Appropriated. Adorned by those lacking focus."
"Ain't you appropriating it right now?" someone called out from the crowd.
"DAMN RIGHT I AM! I've been minding my own business after arriving here from the capital, but you bunch can't point yourselves in any specific direction! What's worse, ya'll think you owe nothing to the mountain home for gettin' you out here in the first place! Well, fuck me if I ain't surprised; it isn't like you're the first mountain home that hasn't gone a bit daffy 'n all!"
"And you think you can do better?"
"DAMN RIGHT I CAN, SON!" (Chomp, chomp, smoke went the cigar). "I'm a professional at this sorta shit! I travel through the kingdom, doin' basic troubleshooting for forts and makin' sure folks stay solvent on what be owed to the crown! Bit of a position appointed by the crown itself, actually! They call me Goden Ducimbal - Goden Workfamous, if ya know what I mean."
(http://i.imgur.com/gBhaCiN.gif)
A moment of silence. "Um. We don't really know what--"
"IT MEANS I'M FAMOUS FOR WORKIN', YA DAFT BASTARD." He removed the huge cigar and spat on the floor as he grinned; the wet spot was black as tar. "But when I'm on the job, you can call me Gigmaster. OVERSEER Gigmaster to you lot as well.
"Gird your loins and whatever other kinda shit you may be packin', boys and girls. I ain't got time for mystical hoo-haa, vampires, or any other such paddywack. It's time to get shit done."
Gigmaster landed on the ground with a solid thump, jammed his cigar back into his jaw and headed out the tavern door with a rolling, implacable gait. The others looked between themselves for a moment, then began to file out after him.
SO IT BEGINS.
(I'm going to start streaming momentarily! You should see the pre-roll stuff going online at twich.tv/oaogigmaster in a moment.)
(OOC: Let me say right now... I don't mean to offend people and previous overseers. Shit gets crazy and messed-up in a succession fortress. But... well, I'll just let Gigmaster Workfamous say more.)
**Turn Post**
6th Granite, year 1057, of Overseer Gigmaster Workfamous's reign
The fortress denizens seemed to offer little resistance to Gigmaster's self-appointment as overseer. This was a little troubling (and boring) to Gigmaster; he usually enjoyed a bit of infighting and power-struggle. It kept his blood hot and beard bristly.
The next day, though, he found plenty of things to shout about.
"OKAY. Okay. I know the frontier can be... very... front-facing and stuff, and... please, for the love of our Gods, tell me why we pack our military into THIS?"
(http://i.imgur.com/ZfXd90N.gif)
The primary architects and overseers he had managed to pull away said little. Or perhaps they did say something; sadly, Gigmaster wasn't known for his inside voice.
"And we have two taverns? far away from eachother? Whyzzat?"
"Well... we do have over 60 performers in the fort to house, along with about 60 more long-term poets... bards... singers and, um... " They trailed away as veins began to visibly throb on Gigmaster's clean-shaven head.
"You're telling me... that the entire population of this fortress is supporting HALF AGAIN AS MANY freeloaders, elf bastards and greenies? Fuck that. One tavern from now on. Let's make it... " his stained fingers stabbed at a spot on a map depicting the fort's layout. "This one. Forever. Tear the other one down."
(http://i.imgur.com/aC56duI.gif)
Questions on industry were similarly dumb-founding to Gigmaster. The fortress had over 120 different stone statues that haulers were dragging between four separate furniture stockpiles (one located at the surface, another located deep underground in some kind of aborted labor complex, and the other two shoved "right up the fort's ass, right?") Gloomdiamonds had dozens of tables, chairs, gears, literally uncountable images of cats, yet only five baskets of forge-ready charcoal to power all necessary industry for over 100 dwarves. It had an incredible amount of stone and wood, but little of the raw material was arranged efficiently, often strewn about in various disaparate stockpiles, or stored underground to be churned into yet more furniture for... some reason. The food and drink situations were all right - one of the few things that made Gigmaster calm down - but Gloomdiamonds also had multiple staircases and ramps of little organization, forcing most dwarves traveling underground (while hauling another statue with fractal cat patterns) to go down a set of stairs, up another, across a long hallway, then finally down a tiny ramp until arriving at their destination.
"Right," said Gigmaster after a few moments of heavy breathing. "So, straight into the fuckbarrel we are." A cough and a spit of tobacco. "At least we know where we stand, right? No where to go but UP! First step: we're using these fucking knicknacks all-over the goddamned place as presents; every dwarf gets a chair, table, or fucking SOMETHING in their room. Every statue is being used. Every table and chair is being set. We need to clear out them stockpiles. Speaking of which," he continued, "every stockpile? Gone. No more. We're done with stockpiles for the time being. No sense making heads or tails of em. We'll keep a few for food and crap, but all the others can screw off.
"Finally - except for a few guys for clothes, food and crap, everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - is picking up picks, boulders, furniture, and doing some honest fucking work."
2nd Slate, year 1057, journal of Gigmaster Workfamous
Gloomdiamonds isn't as bad as the worst, but fuck me if we don't have a long way to go.
(http://i.imgur.com/dwD1JX8.gif)
At least we have some stuff comin' in above ground. Having the lads putting in a new garbage chute; no more of this underground rotting refuse nonsense they have. All the little walkways awaiting invaders? Blocked off. No more of that shit. And we're putting in ALL THE DAMN STATUES WE CAN! At least that'll make some people happy; I'd just as soon cut down on the mountain of masterwork cat images sitting underground right now any way we can.
We're putting together some kind of fancy temple for the best of these cat statues. Having the metal workers put in a silver floor, gonna make it fancy and shit. All these lazy asses are probably all pissed up and stuff over being set to hard labor, so we gotta do SOMETHING to keep 'em happy.
(http://i.imgur.com/xG3QXn9.gif)
Everywhere I go, I'm tripping over peahens, turkeys, fucking feathered everything. If I wanted feathers up my ass, I'd make my pillows explode in a prostitute's face. Every single damned one is being shoved in cages as we speak; we don't even have any nests for the fowl anyways, so who gives a crap. Certainly not me. Better things to do with our time right now than figure out holes to shove birds on top of.
However, DEFINITELY worth our time is all the caged rhinos we have. Why in fuck's name do we not have these things trained? I've seen wild rhinos gore just about anything with two legs and a brain before; they would be lethal in combat, and they're dangerous to us as-is. Picked two excellent trainers among our horde of a populace to do nothing but work on 'em, along with our other caged wild crap. Hopefully we'll have something there before my time's out.
I also took a look at the various fucking stairs, ramps, hallways, and lack of any kind of organization this place has. We're taking one of the staircases - one that uses a design I'd call 'Neat!' if it wasn't (essentially) a 2x1 staircase for literally HUNDREDS of people - and we're widening it out in a manner similar to its previous design, and taking it down all the way to our tavern. Should hopefully fix our traffic problems.
10th Slate, year 1057, journal of Gigmaster Workfamous
I was ordering around the lads and lasses as we use up more of this fucking teetering mass of furniture we have clogging up everything, when I noticed this little fucking hole in the wall.
(http://i.imgur.com/OKflYEZ.gif)
It hurts. My brain actually hurts a little. I assigned it to a goblin dancer. Fucking useless thing. At least no dwarf has to live in that LITERAL HOLE IN THE WALL.
We're starting the northern road out of Gloomdiamonds now. A good chunk of the military - probably happy for a breath of fucking fresh air for a change, if weren't for the awful cave adaptation everyone's been struck with - is stationed around the building sites for it. Gotta level out the terrain some first, but once that's done we'll have a cobaltite road outta here for some serious trading.
Speaking of, a bunch of the pansy ass elves showed up. I wouldn't have so much against them, if they ever brought anything to FUCKING TRADE. Stupid knife ears. At least waggling a bunch of wooden fucking chairs in their face and telling them that we aborted their children or somethin' made them go away. Need my peace and quiet, goddamnit.
This fortress needs magma. There's no way they'll be able to have any kind of industry without it. Charcoal production is coming up - finally - but we'll need to burn a fuckload more trees down before we're through. Figure we'll see the knife ears later on afterwards, anyways; pissin' em off now won't change much.
14th Slate, year 1057, journal of Gigmaster Workfamous
I was screamin' at some poor dolt about the state of our farms when news came in: the king and queen of The Occult Doom arrived in secret a few days ago. Fuck me if I know why. They didn't even bring the royal entourage, apart from our outpost liason. Not that this is good news, mind you; more fucking nobles means more fucking super bling-shitarrific rooms for them, rooms which will take labor and time we don't really have. Not to mention their... proclivities.
(http://i.imgur.com/1rZQEA3.gif)
(http://i.imgur.com/PxEempX.gif)
At least Queen Mozirtekkud will be fucking over the moon with this place. So many images of cats now it hurts my teeth to think about 'em.
(http://i.imgur.com/EErgAV7.gif)
I press-ganged a bunch of general labor into getting the King and Queen's chambers set up, before they loose their goddamned mind over not having 110% of their damned pampering done. Shit's gonna be as shiny as a polished statue of a hundred million cat faces before we're through.
Journal of Ryukan
Me and Airith spent the last few months trying to keep up with Mr. Workfamous. His ideas were just splendid, but he was alright with doing things to get there that I didn't agree with. So, for the first week as Mr. Gig went around the fort looking everything over, I feel bad for him, his face grew more contorted and red with each passing travesty. I must admit, when walking through the fortress with him, I saw just what a clusterfuck this place had become.
After the first week, and a small tea break to calm his nerves, we set out assigning labors to EVERYONE. He then began to issue orders around. Almost all of them made sense, except for when he ordered the old "Cat Sanctuary" to be destroyed. I stopped him and tld him to try and not piss off any of the past overseers. We argued over the merits of cat statues for a while. In the end we settled on a compromise. We were gonna move the Masterwork statues up to the old Fruit tree area and turn it into an above ground temple to cats.
As Spring wore on we stopped digging and progress on everything and Gig used EVERYONE to get this fortress into a presentable shape. I followed him silently, my black robes silently whistling on the floor as we walked. I was his shadow, making sure he didn't piss too many people off. I must admit though, his skill at organization rivals that of NCommander.
It was towards the end of spring when the crown decided to move the throne here. How they managed to convince the council of Nobles to move the Crown to ANOTHER FREAKIN CONTINENT will remain a mystery to me. No matter how, arrived they did. Mr. Workfamous was panicking about where to put a palace, and how he didn't have the manpower or time to build a new one. Then, a dwarf stepped up to him and told him about the abandoned labor areas downstairs. We asked the dwarf to show us, and I must say, thee rooms where the right size and number for a palace. Mr. Workfamous began detailing a few dwarves to smooth out the new palace for the king.
With the crown now here, I decided it was time to name a Prime Minister. In Doomforest the Prime Minister was cosen by popular vote by the overseers. I will do the same here. But this time, I will submit my name for consideration as well. I began to draft the voting slips in my free time.
With that, I must go journal. I have matters to attend to and elections to run.
* * * VOTE FOR RYUKAN * * *
Meanwhile, somewhere else
Imic was doing his usual daily routine. Arguing with the royals over how impossible his latest job was, getting sent off in a huff, and wishing he was not the king's left hand. It was the position of the person who did all of the digging, the behind the scenes work, spying, and a thousand other things which Imic didn't like the idea of.
He was walking through the forests of the south capital valley, when he stopped. He looked around. He stared up the road for a second. And then ran like hell.
a bit of a small nibble for all of you patient people
(http://i.imgur.com/absV664.png)