-----Birth and Renewal in the Desert of Dreams-----
1st Limestone 2057th Limestone 205There has been some delay in the planning, some adjustments were needed. I've discovered that some of the mechanical components were not magma safe, so they will need to be dismantled and rebuilt. Looks like I will have to forgo using granite for the levers. Thankfully things have not gone along too far, so the situation is reversible.
I was tasked with finding clay by Taupe so we could make bricks and pots. But I've observed that the clay that is on the surface is not usable for such purposes. The only usable clay I have found lies down in the bottom of the lake, near the northern regions.
I'll discuss this further with the miners and determine a good location for digging.
Because of the location of the magma dike, the previous well that drew water from the lake will become unusable. I have taken this into account in my calculations and I will be making plans to dig out another cistern to draw out water from the caverns instead. I've had an ominous feeling about the lake for sometime now, and I'll rather we stay away from it entirely if possible.
11th Limestone 205The miners have struck a clay deposit near the northern edge. As the prospecting pointed out, we had to dig down to find it. A clay collection point has been made to utilize this resource, and soon we'll have clay pots to accommodate our growing food stocks.
Recently there has been much discussion among the populace regarding proper living conditions, or rather the lack of them. I don't understand how this is the case, I've refurnished the empty rooms in the main building as personal bedrooms and allocated them to the populace though there are many who still lack their own rooms. I've even stocked up on soap supplies to improve our hospital. No matter, I'll task Blitz Gamer with cooking more lavish meals in hopes that that will stifle the complaints.
Though it seems some of us have instead chosen to take advantage of the situation to pilfer some soap, ridding themselves of the dirt and grime that has been accumulating on their bodies for these past few years. Looks like I'll need to order more soap made.
12th Limestone 205Our scouts report that some figures have been spotted approaching our position from the south.
Seems like the merchants from
Edandatan have arrived with the trade caravan in tow. The dwarves crowd around the main gate to get a better look at the spectacle. An aged looking dwarf separates himself from the convoy and introduces himself as,
A surprised gasp comes from within the crowd. Haerdalas II is surprised to see her father accompanying the trade caravan and makes her way past the crowd to see him.
"Father! Where have you been! I was worried, you and the rest of our family were supposed to have met up with us here at Murderflood after I had set out with my husband first. It's been years now, so I had thought you were all...""I'm sorry to have had you worry for this old dwarf. But as you can see, I've been alright. How have you been my daughter?"I leave them to their little family reunion so that they will have some time for bonding.
16th Limestone 205I make my way up the tower to await Vucar at the mayors office. I'm expecting some news to arrive. The three of us sit down to discuss matters.
The atmosphere was tense as we gathered for discussion.
"How bad is the situation out there in the east?" I enquired.
We sat in silence for a moment to let is soak in. Looks like there's been a major shift in the balance of power out east. I excused myself and left the mayors office so that I could be alone to take it all in, and I bade the mayor place a large order of goods with Vucar. These mainly comprise of wood, leather, various cloth, weapon grade metal ores and bars as well as various colored magma safe stone. I also bade him order some steel anvils, battle axes, picks and musical instruments for melting, along with some gypsum plaster, some fire clay and rare yellow diamonds if she could.
With that out of the way, discussions moved on towards forging a trade agreement between the two.
Before he left, Vucar approached me discreetly with a package that he was tasked to hand to me by a former
acquaintance. He whispered that it was for my eyes only and of the utmost importance. I thanked him and we bid farewell to Vucar as he strode off into the distance.
I knew the situation was dire, but I'm still struggling to cope with the reality of it all. My guild mates in the mechanic's association here gave some words of advice in hopes that it'll help cheer me up a little.
21st Limestone 205I've heard that Kogsak and Zuglar have grown to become dwarf children. I congratulated them on their first birthday, and wished them well.
Meanwhile, I've observed that Adil the Glassmaker has been behaving rather peculiarly lately.
22nd Limestone 205Adil shuts himself within a magma glass furnace and begins sketching frantically on the walls. Ugh, not more vandalism please, I've had quite enough of that with Litast already. I don't need another trouble maker.
I made some minor adjustments to the food stockpiles, removing the seeds from the main food stockpile and separating them into several stockpiles around the farms for easy access. That way, we'll be able to keep track of what we are short of with a mere glance, and the farmers would not need to run back and forth to retrieve the seeds for planting.
27th Limestone 205Adil has stopped scrawling on the walls and has instead begun working secretly on something.
The mayor has been thoroughly preoccupied with tending to the various complainers that have sprung up. As she is the broker, I have not been able to get any trade conducted. Being frustrated with the situation, I held a recruitment drive to appoint a new broker.
"You seem competent, but I'll rather we be straightforward. Besides, how would I know if you were not lying to our own kind instead? Next!"
"I think you are applying for the wrong position. Military barracks are down the hall. Next!"
"Now that attitude just won't do. Next!"
"Well, go be important somewhere else. Next!"
"Why yes you seem perfectly suited for the job, except that you are way too young for work. Come back in 10 years time. Next!"
"You seem like a prudent and efficient person, but I don't know..."
*pokes head out of office*
"Are there any more candidates?"
"... Right then."
*goes back to office*
"You're hired! Welcome on board!"With the power vested in me, I appoint Nujux as broker. I hope all goes well.
3rd Sandstone 205The magma drainage system for the magma dike has been constructed. But there remains much work to do before the magma pump stack is fully operational.
4th Sandstone 205First time broker Nujux made a successful trade despite being inexperienced. Must be the copious amounts of prepared meals and old clothing we prepared for trading. He still hasn't picked up the art of appraising yet, though I suppose he will learn on the job soon enough. We now have the steel and iron supplies we need, as well as a replenishment of food and drink stocks, a bunch of wood, clay and even barrels.
Down in the forges, Adil triumphantly emerges from the magma glass furnace towing a green glass floodgate, Mokezsokan Bukètlolor, Cagephrased the Quick Letter.
Plain looking, but I suppose it might come in handy.
Up on the surface, my suspicions about the lake were confirmed.
5th Sandstone 205The vile mist has subsided, it wasn't able to drift inwards beyond the dike walls for which I am glad. I'll have the scouts pay more attention to the lake just in case. Meanwhile, Pyrotechno has been making a good amount of wondrous silver statues. I ordered a couple of them placed at the front gates, so that all the visitors that come by may admire his handiwork.
6th Sandstone 205I've finalized the layout plans for a new well that draws water from the caverns. Now that I've seen the foul mist that emanates from the lake from time to time, I trust it even less and I would not hazard any of us approaching it. There's no telling what the mist might do or what is going to wash up in your drink.
Also, with consideration of the amount of magma that will need to be moved, and the possibility that the magma will dry up long before filling the magma dikes, I've designated some floodgates so we can periodically flood the magma dike in stages. Thankfully we have enough obsidian now from excavating the magma cistern that constructing the parts for these won't be much of a problem. I'll get started on these right away.
13th Sandstone 205A patter of rain drops from the skies. The desert comes to life as white baby toe flowers and yellow pebble plant flowers react to the moisture, coming to bloom. I'm much encouraged by the sight. It just goes to show that life endures and flourishes despite the harsh conditions of the desert; a fine example for us to follow. The flowers bloom especially densely in the needle grass. I'm no nature sympathizer, but even I am a little moved at this sudden transformation of a bleak and barren landscape.
The merchants take this moment to leave, amidst the blooming fields of flowers. What a send off party.
15th Sandstone 205Scouts have alerted me that another vile cloud of mist has drifted nearby.
I put the scouts on high alert as the mist drifts close by to the new spot for the well where a lot of hauling is going on. But for now, the mist is content lingering beyond the reach of the magma dike walls. Well, enough observation for now. I must hurry and expedite the building of the magma pump stack!
21st Sandstone 205The water cistern is being excavated and floored over. Sadly, the flowers have ceased blooming. Their fleeting moment of glory has now past, and the desert sands return to a mundane drab grey. But their moment of glory will come again!
25th Sandstone 205Dodok Udosimush Ghostly Weaver has risen and is haunting the fortress!
Perusing the fortress records, I determined that Dodok perished in the ill-fated caverns expedition a year ago. I can still see what remains of her corpse just beyond the walls and I'm afraid it will not be retrievable anytime soon. I'll just have to have her memorialized for now.
1st Timber 205Much like Urist, I've been growing nervous and anxious as of late. Seems like it is as I feared, we might be the last of our kind, stuck here in this forsaken wasteland.
Is everyone else dead out there? Could it be that we narrowly eluded disaster by moving out to this out of the way place? Did the old queen know all along that it would turn out this way? Was this part of her plan?
3rd Timber 205As if in response to the lack of migrants, the fortress is suddenly awash with new arrivals. Thob has given birth to a boy, Ablel Alathrigoth.
Congratulations! Looks like Ablel will be a good candidate for being a military dwarf many years down the line, as he dreams of becoming a legendary warrior.
4th Timber 205Great news! We have managed to find flux deposits!
Turns out its located at the north east side of the chalky plains, buried beneath all the sandy clay. The miners came upon this discovery while digging for a drainage pipe for the new well. I'll order the miners to mine these deposits out once we are done with the magma dike and well preparations.
7th Timber 205Preparations are almost ready for the magma cistern to be filled.
I've ordered the miners to chip away at the walls obstructing the magma flow into the cistern. I can't help but feel excited at the prospect of having magma at our disposal to do with as we will.
10th Timber 205With a pull of the lever, glorious magma begins flowing into the magma cistern.
*fist pump* The design is a success!
11th Timber 205More newcomers arrive in the form of new births; Bomrek has given birth to a baby girl.
Congratulations are in order! Likot Armorquests seems to be another good military candidate.
14th Timber 205Dodok, Ghostly Weaver has been put to rest. Sleep well, one of these days we shall avenge your death.
25th Timber 205More children are born into the fort. Tobul Unibinod, the Hunter has given birth to a boy!
So many baby showers going on! When it rains, it pours. Obok Tradeshowers seems to be a suitable military candidate, being able to handle stress. With the hauling duties mostly done, I send a small portion of the fortress to prime the magma pumps.
Meanwhile, everyone else will be flooring over the water cisterns to prevent tree growth from clogging up the cistern.
28th Timber 205The magma pump stack has been completed.
Though there has been much talk among the populace of what else we can put it to use for, I choose to focus on the practical side of the matter. Its good enough that we even have it as a tool to use at our disposal, so let's not spoil the occasion with talks of fancy self destruct devices and what not. I know it is hard to suppress our dwarfish desires, but there is no need to rush. After all, we're still pretty well off for now.
All that is left is for the magma dike separator to be linked up. Litast the troublemaker takes up the job to render the magma pump stack operational.
I had chosen her to do the honors, for this will be her chance at redemption for all the trouble she had caused these past few seasons. I hope she does not betray my trust in her by throwing a
tantrum in the lever room and rendering all our hard work moot. Right Litast?
Winter has arrived on the calendar.
