Bay 12 Games Forum

2nd Opal, Midwinter 203

I feel overwhelmed. Two more cave floaters have appeared since the last time I wrote; one has been caught in a cage trap, the other still roams free in the caverns. Additionally, a predator of the depths has killed at least one stable citizen; it resembles a radgator, only less mutated and more ferocious. The animal trainers tell me that it's a "cave crocodile", and that it would be a huge boon to the stable if taken alive, but I doubt if we could ever break it of the taste of pony blood.

A little while ago, an exceptionally fierce ghoul destroyed all of the Protectaponies I had set up around the cavern entrance. I killed it personally. The caverns have given us many things here, but it seems that they take away almost as much as they yield.

My latest project is to construct a roof for the stable's courtyard, so as to protect us from the likes of Mintlion- and the Talon Mercenaries, should it come to that. Excessive? Perhaps, but we are in no danger of running out of rocks. On a related note, Zioko wants to join a chainsaw squad. I've tried to tell him that it's batty to put our star mechanic on the front lines, but there is no use in arguing with that stallion. Perhaps he'd be good with a power drill, anyhow.

5th Opal, 203

"Chancerampage" the cave crocodile has been captured. It seems the beast chased a scavenger directly into a field of cage traps. We also captured another cave crocodile, who appears to be Chancerampage's mate.

... I have a plan.

Oddly enough, I don't seem to be catching on fire. Conversely, removing that from the raws from the save file's tissue template solved the problem in the ongoing save. upon saving, quitting, editing the raw accordingly, and returning to my game, my speed went up to 1760 (it was about 1290 before I did so). So that fixed the problem.

Side note: will removing the muscle thickening result in lowering the force I hit with, because that would be a tad problematic.

9th Timber, Late Autumn 203

Our Stable has reached the point where many of the ponies have substantial free time. That's fine and all, but it won't keep us alive, so I've set Paperutter up a squad and room where she can teach civilians the basics of self-defense. I have no illusions about their chances of taking on armed slavers, but they should at least be competent at using their own hooves in combat. Paperutter can only teach so many students at a time, so I'm cycling civilians out of the class as they reach an acceptable level of combat proficiency. Priority is being given to training ponies with dangerous occupations (fisherponies, scavengers, hunters) and ponies with nothing else to do at the moment (soapmakers, herbalists, animal caretakers).

And yes, I'm talking about that Paperutter. If there's anypony who can teach civvies not to be afraid of their own blood, it's her.

12th Timber

The home Stable's caravan arrived. Unfortunately, their wagons departed early because the Trade Depot was still in shambles from our last "business deal". Hopefully the merchants won't be intimidated by the bloody floors.

3rd Timber, Late Autumn 203

The masons are working on building a second story to the fortifications. Since Bastionrise is built into a hill, it was always a risk that enemies could simply walk from the top of the hill onto the roof of the Stable. Once this wall is complete, that method of attack will become impossible.

When designing our defenses, I have always sought to think like somepony trying to get in. Our Stable is approaching the point where I would rather attack a Steel Ranger base. We've even found some Plasteel and a few Talismans in the old crates- those were pricey even before the Last Day. Rather than make a Kinetic Sledgehammer for our hammer squad, I'd rather save them up for a larger project. Speaking of which, we are so close to making a RobronCo Forge! Just a few more terminal parts! We already have blueprints for several robot designs, so I'm positively gleeful at the possibility of making them ourselves instead of relying of the homeland's generosity.

More migrants, diary! It's getting to the point where I don't know everypony's names anymore. But, you know, I've started to regard this place as home- with its hideously maimed militia commanders, its regularly scheduled ghoul attacks, and its bloodstained entranceways, it has really captured my heart.

The doctors refuse to operate on Paperutter, because apparently she shouldn't even still be alive. Something about "total inoperable necrosis", "fulgurating gangrenic blood poisoning", and "cessation of function in all major organs"? Something like that; I don't speak medicalese. That might be just as well, anyhow; no sense putting her through more pain if she doesn't even mind her condition. Though we have had multiple ponies mistake her for a feral ghoul...

Lastly, I'm having the weavers make clothes out of the silky stuff we keep finding in the caverns. Honestly, I'm wary of anything that comes out of that place, but the silk seems harmless enough. Besides, everypony is sick of wearing the same Luna-damned jumpsuits for years on end, even if they do self-clean.