5 GalenaSuccess!! The exploratory mine shafts we dug around the cavern walls have revealed a vast supply of riches, ours for the taking. The initial tetrahedrite formations spotted by PsychoAngel were but a fraction of the bounty. We have uncovered huge veins of copper, silver, and all manner of gemstones. The forges are placed on high alert, as temporary beds and provisions are installed near the workshops. Our Marksdwarves will never want for proper ammunition again. As if that weren't good enough, these veins appear to run several layers down, permeating the stone all around the great cavern chasm.
I order every Dwarf and Dwarfette from the last 3 migrations be evaluated for combat prowess. The seemingly endless supply of tin we unearthed alongside the gold excavations in the soil layers means our new defenders will have a full suit of bronze armor, copper shield, and silver mace. My thoughts drift back to the battle of the garbage dump earlier this year. Should any of the hostile creatures from the depths somehow find their way topside, we would have no means of precisely controlling the location of the battle. Our foes could easily die within reach of The Evil, coming back as something far worse. I put such thoughts aside for now. We have much work to do, and much to celebrate. Right on cue, Pencil_Art organizes a party, carrying out vintage Wines from the newly renovated kitchens.
9 GalenaAlmost forgot.
Tradition demands that when a Fortress has established itself, the most prominent Dwarves be recorded for the ages.
19 LimestoneThe Fortress hasn't been this bustling since its' founding! Not a single Dwarf is idle for more than a few hours. The masons are hard at work building the foundation of our sand castle. Down below, the smiths sweat day and night, plying the cavern's riches into weapons and armor. In fact, we've had to double our tree slaying efforts just to keep the fires burning. I take a break from updating the record of our last haul to admire the speed and effort with which every able-bodied Dwarf braves the surface to carry back slain trees.
10 TimberI almost feared the caravan wouldn't show up this year. Upon speaking with the Liasion, I was informed the reason of their delay. Aranas has become a symbol of hope amongst the Dwarves, a chance to rebuild and grow our dwindling civilization. The King has deemed us worthy to become a barony! It is with great pride that I accept the position Baron of Aranas. Now I just have to find that clever smith who seemed to enjoy carving statues of me surrounded by spiders and hatch covers. My first official act as Baron: I demand 3 hatch covers be crafted immediately.
15 OpalLiving on this unassuming stretch of beach has produced some unique normalcies amongst the populace. Specifically, at least a quarter of the population has some experience in brawling thanks to the zombie critters which occasionally sneak past our walls.
22 ObsidianTHE RAVENS ARE BACK!! Squads form up! This is your first true test. Make those little bastards pay!
One of the stone workers was outside tending the animals when the fiends struck. He's going to need a few stitches across his head, but is otherwise ok. I'm afraid no amount of surgery will be able save his beard though, that will have to recover naturally.
14 GraniteLike clockwork, the Elven caravan arrives shortly after an attack by zombie ravens. This time, they actually had the stones to warn me about desecrating the trees or some such nonsense. Clearly the Elves are concerned about our growing power, and rightly so. They dare not strike first however, since most of their military resources are being occupied by Southern Goblin tribes. I make a mental note restart our glass production. Operations had ground to halt when cave moss consumed every square Urist of sand. A floor slab should be enough to destroy the moss long enough for grates to be installed, keeping the sand exposed while preventing the moss from regrowing. Now that our military is properly outfitted, our precious fuel reserves can be fully directed towards the glass forges. No doubt PsychoAngel will be delighted to have her workshop operational again.
With any luck, this will be the year that King Ral receives the first shipment of glass crafts. Such a symbolic act would elevate the Dwarves of Aranas, and might even coincide with the completion of our grand feasting hall, further securing the legacy of our Fortress. I am cautiously optimistic about the coming year.
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Phew! lol. Apologies for having less media than usual this time, I was so caught up in overseeing (lulz) all of the new activity, I forgot to take pictures. Plus I'm checking the units screen every ~15 minutes, alert for new zombies. Humor me, this is the first time I have ever dealt with reanimation, so I am perhaps being a touch overly cautious. Still, I am genuinely excited; this could definitely be the year that the first achievements are met, earning The Sculpted Caves its' first Dwarfiness Points. Are you excited? I'm excited
p.s. I figured out how the aforementioned Troglodyte made it up to the mine shafts. It was chasing a Giant Cave Swallow
The bird fell back down when its' wing exploded, and the Trog gave chase. So the mines are once again secure... for now.
I couldn't figure how how to zoom or rotate, but I did get a 4-z view. Here you can see the top of the feasting hall, then down to ground level. Still needs little details like railings, all glass & gold furniture, etc. Still, I'm quite pleased.
Thankfully not their pain, though.
