Two things. First, I didn't pick this name. This is the randomly generated name from the game. Second, I didn't originally start this as a story fortress, hence my choice of location + materials, but when you get a random name of Iron Fortress. You gotta make a tale of it.
Some info: Version is 40d Mayday graphics. Nano-fortress mod. High-Savage biome (couldn't find evil + savage with the other stuff I wanted) All my dwarves have swimming, liar, consoler, wrestler, shield user, and grower. I have 50 bauxite and 50 tower cap wood, but there is some wood in the area.
Diary of expedition recorder Sibrek Atissat.
Here offically starts the record of the Gushashkivish outpost, Datangeshud.
Today is the day we leave the mountain homes of Gusgashivish. Spirits are high for we are dwarves of the Stoked Lancers, the largest and purest dwarf empire in Sil Lathon. There are other nations that might rival our size, but they depend on their human serfs to stay productive and stable. No dwarf empire should have to depend on human works.
The day is warm, and the crowds to see us off cheer our bravado. An outpost in the Southern moutains! The tales of riches and natural wonders spread like wildfire in the months before the expedition as the king's request for volunteers went out. Now two hundred strong & able dwarves, supplies, and an wagon train a kilometer long are leaving under a parade and jubilation.
It promises to be a wonderful day.
11th Granite, 300, GusgashkivishProgress from the mountain homes is good. Already we are out of our lands and well into the lands of Thob Gasol. Once they were the greatest dwarven warriors of all. Taking over a large goblin empire. Now they are decadant, and depend on their goblin slaves and human serfs from the hills. Though they are our neighbors we do not trade with them. The rumors are they don't just keep the goblins around for labor.
18th Slate, 300, Gusgashkivish
It appears the rumors might be true. Twisted and ugly goblin bandits have attacked the rear of our wagon train. Reports of a dozen dead and as many wounded. Four wagons burning. We think they might of captured two young children. If we keep our speed we should be out of Thob Gasol land by the end of Slate. Hopefully before any more attacks. Still can't get over how those goblins looked. Almost dwarf-like.
There are clouds in the sky. The hunters say it may rain.
27th Slate, 300, GusgashkivishThey are following us. We tried to send a messanger back, behind us, to the mountain homes yesterday, and we found his headless corpse, in front of us, last night. They must have fast mounts to surround us so.
Rain is constant now.
29th Slate, 300, GusgashkivishA night attack on the front of the wagon train. If the guards hadn't been put on alert by a keen dog we'd might not of fought them off. Twenty-two dead, no wounded, nine wagons burned with all their supplies. Everyone that couldn't fight back seems to have vanished, including the wounded. Not even the slain goblins remain. Whatever happened to them is unknown as the rain washed away their blood trails. We cannot follow them and there is dark whispering among the settlers.
15th Felsite, 300, GusgashkivishFinally, out of Thob Gasol lands. Still raining without end.
4th Hematite, 300, GusgashkivishDwarves have begun to exhibit strange behaviors and symptoms lately. Strange sweats even though the air is mild, violent shivering even next to a fire, some claim to see ghosts following us. Six deserters were found missing last morning. This morning the trackers came back saying their footprints just vanished in the hills.
18th Malachite, 300, GusgashkivishThe rain stopped today just as the river flowing South came into view. A great cheer went up from the wagon train. Our sorrows seem to be over.
21th Malachite, 300, GusgashkivishHalf the wagons have been turned into boats to move down river to the ocean.
29th Malachite, 300, GusgashkivishWe made it to the Southern ocean today. We have called it the Waters of Gravel for the shores are mostly rock or cold earth like gravel.
4th Galena, 300, GusgashkivishWe are making good time. At this rate we should land near our new home shortly. Then we can get messangers back to the mountainhomes and deal with those goblins.
23rd Galena, 300, GusgashkivishWe got hit by a storm today while on open ocean. We didn't plan on seeing storms of this violence until mid-Sandstone. Twelve boats, half the supplies and most of the animals, have sunk. I fear we have lost all of our anvils because of it. Nine survivors were pulled out of the sea, myself included. Seventy-three brave dwarves are missing, presumed drown.
14th Limestone, 300, GusgashkivishAnother boat sank today. It was damaged from the storm earlier, and today it started to list so far that water sweeped over the sides. We managed to pull all the dwarves to safety, but my worst fears are confirmed. The last anvil was aboard that boat, and now rests under the waters.
2nd Sandstone, 300, GusgashkivishMade landfall further North than we wanted. Ended up in some place of badlands and ice. Barely managed to get the nearly swamped ships to shore with all the sea ice floating around. One of the remaining guards fell into the water trying to pole away the flows. His armor must of dragged him under, we never saw him again.
4th Sandstone, 300, GusgashkivishIts cold here, but not anymore cold than we planned. Unfortunately we didn't plan on losing most of the clothing in the ocean. We didn't need to rebuild any wagons though, and we are burning the excess lumber from the boats to keep warm.
5th Sandstone, 300, GusgashkivishUrist went missing today. We found him a few feet away behind a rock. He was sitting as if sleeping against the boulder, but frozen. Icicles hung from his beard and nose.
1st Timber, 300, GusgashkivishBlizzard struck today. Everyone staying in the circle made by the remaining few wagons. Hope it doesn't last long.
13th Moonstone, 300, GusgashkivishWe have been trapped by this blizzard for weeks now. The ample food and booze we had brought with, and even not dimished greatly by our disasters, is finally starting to run out. I've ordered all of the small animals, except the dogs, to be killed for food. Most of the larger animals are all frozen except the muskox.
18th Moonstone, 300, GusgashkivishBlizzard seems to be losing strength. Sodel sent Fikod out to see how everyone is doing.
18th Moonstone, Late Afternoon, 300, GusgashkivishFikod came back. We lost seventy dwarves. Most appear to have succumbed to the blizzard, but others, especially on the edges of the camp, appear to have fought something then got dragged off. Kumil suspects wolves, but they would have to be the hardiest wolves in all of Sil Lathon to survive the blizzard and defeat a dwarf of Gusgashkivish.
20th Opal, 300, GusgashkivishWe had a rebellion today. Fifteen dwarves had demanded we return to the mountain homes. Six others, and myself, want to continue on. I tried to talk to them that crossing the ocean would be suicide, and then they would have to cross the mountains with only their pack animals for food. They didn't want to listen. A fight would of broken out with Olon hadn't stepped in. She is one of the few dwarves that hasn't snapped on this disaster.
The others left with most of the pack animals, I insisted on us keeping most of the Muskox and some pack mules. We also have a few dogs, and a good supply of booze and fish from the ocean. They also left all of the stone and most of the wood as they won't be needing it to go North. However we only have one wagon to put it all in. I hope the muskoxen can carry a pack and haul a wagon. We said goodbye to our fellow dwarves knowing that they probably choose correctly, and we will never see the mountainhomes again.
1st Obsidian, 300, GusgashkivishMyself, our leader Sodel, Fikod, Kumil, Olon, Mistem, and Mebzuth are all that is left. I don't know why I think that it is true, but something tells me it is. Writing in the dark night as snow falls I feel that there is no other explination for what I felt happened. The others are dead.
22nd Obsidian, 300, GusgashkivishWe've entered a strange land. Cactus and highwoods grow everywhere, but everything is covered in snow. White as far as the eye can see. Mebzuth tried scooping the snow away from the top of the ground to see if we are nearing good rock and found only more white.
Cold is starting to kill the pack mules.
23rd Obsidian, 300, GusgashkivishMebzuth made a startling discovery. Its a desert. A giant white desert covered in snow. Armok help us even the earth is blighted by this cold that claims our animals.
29th obsidian, 300, gusgashkivishToday we voted. We stop here. Food is running low, and the booze is close behind it. We're down to only a few musk ox and one mule along with the dogs. Fikod found we had no axes in our tool box as well. The others must of took them, which is why they left so much wood. At least they didn't take the picks.
1st Granite, 301, DatangeshudHere offically begins our outpost. Originally two hundred armed and ready dwarves we are now only seven. Lost, alone, and without much hope, we secure the wagon.
2nd Granite, 301, DatangeshudIts strange, the ground feels warm here.
