History of thr first Sparkgear:
NAHKH
Angry scribblings found in a diary, marked only as "Nahkh the Magnificent - Hands off!". The markings are undated.
THE NERVE OF THOSE INSIPID PENCIL-PUSHERS! Exile? ME? They are truly off their beards. Was it not I, Nahkh the First, who designed the Thrice Layered Waterfall? The Thundering Halls? The Portrait of Urist Girdleloined, carved into the very foundations of our now-greater mountainhomes? YES. They dare accuse me of causing the Central Corridors to flood every 33 minutes, and that the Thundering Halls cause permanent ear damage. Bah! That weaver has already recovered partial hearing. Permanent my hairy arse. Who was he anyway, the son of a baron? oh yeah he was. But the claim that my so far Grandest Design of the Portrait substantially weakened the foundations? Elfshit. Pure elfshit. "Load-bearing pillar". Bah.
But it Cannot Be Helped. I am sent to exile. And JUST as I had completed the plans of my Magnum Opus, my Absolute Masterpiece. The Skull of Sages. Such perfection I can hardly believe it myself. But these buffoons are now preventing me from completing my Masterpiece.
Undated markings
I have heard the final judgement. They are ordering me into exile to the butt-end of nowhere. The border of a desolate swamp, called the Jungle of Skulls. Ahhah. They are sending six other dwarves with me. The official explanation is that we're being sent to build a new outpost. Bah. They're just trying to placate me. As if I would forget the public humiliation. CURSE THEM ALL TO HELL.
The good news is that they have (justly) given ME the leadership over these wretched morons. Hopefully there is a suitale cliff nearby that I can complete my Magnum Opus, even if in exile. They'll regret sending me away after THAT. I could even build myself a nice little empire. Hah, King Nahkh, how about that.
1st Granite, 101.
It seems that all the gods of the deep have cursed me. There is not a spot of elevated ground ANYWHERE in sight. CURSE YOU! I'm doomed to misery it seems.
I ordered the constructions of a shelter near our wagons. The area seems peaceful enough, but I'm sure once the goblins hear of MY presence they'll be sending troops to capture me. As if I would EVER design anything for those wretched things. Let them wallow in their own muck.
3rd Granite, 101.
GENIUS! I can't believe I didn't think of this before. We don't need a cliff, we can MAKE one. I have two semi-capable miners at my disposal, and they'll do everything I tell them to. BWAHAHAHAHA! I dug out my old blueprints, The Skull of Sages will be built!
5th Granite, 101.
I've heard some grumbling from the miners. They seem to be discontent with their lot, digging for my Magnum Opus. The ignorant louts. Fortunately I was able to invent a plausible excuse with my brilliant mind. I told them it was my intention to build our new home deep underground, and we were simply building a suitable entrance. They seemed content and went on their merry way. My I'm so stunningly smart.
6th Granite, 101.
It seems like I'm even smarter than I thought. The home deep underground is a BRILLIANT idea. No more of this horrid sunlight. It's making me nauseous.
Undated markings, smudged with tears.
DISASTER! Oh woe is me. How rotten can one stunningly smart and handsome dwarfs luck get? Of all places, we have hit adamantite. ADAMANTITE. Oh hell, once word gets out to the mountainhomes, they'll surely send more people here and depose me of my position of power. This can't be happening. MY MAGNUM OPUS.
More undated markings
After I calmed down I formulated a plan. There are only seven of us. No-one needs to find out that we've struck adamantite. Yes, that is what I'll do. I'll hide it. I'll have my minions hide it within our base, and we'll keep away from the mercants. BRILLIANT. Bah, I'm surprised that the miners even recognized the adamantite. It's not like they've ever seen it up close. And it's only a small vein, hardly worth reporting, right?
Undated markings, but obviously much later
So far the construction is going as planned. I had the woodworker build us a small common room to sleep in while we build. The farmers are hard at work with the temporary farms. I can't have my minions starve to death, building my Magnum Opus myself would take too long. So far we've seen no sign of immigrants, which is perfect. I can't have anyone snooping around. I await the liaison with dread. I don't really have any good excuse to stop him from snooping around. It's his job to inspect the fort, after all...
Winter, 101
I've lost count of days by now, but it hardly matters. My Magnum Opus is nearly complete. The parts that are complete look beautiful. Truly, the gods have blessed me with an overabundance of talent. I'm even beginning to like this place. No naysayers, I get to my own (and others') boss. Total creative freedom. Truly, the gods have favored me.
Even the liaison didn't seem that interested in our fort. He just did the bare minimum, trying to get me to sign a trading contract. As if I would ever stoop to haggling like that. I waved him away. He looked upset but he had other forts to inspect before the winter.
Spring, 102
Complete! BEAUTY. I have no other word for it. If should die in my tragically young age, I could die content in knowing that future generations would honor my name.
And the fortress itself... Well, the miners were eager to dig further so I let them. I'm currently drawing up a quick blueprint for the place. After all, I can't let those diletants dig whatever they like. That would be... unseemly.
Late spring, 102
Disaster, again. We struck adamantite once more. A larger cluster this time. Right in the middle of our apartment complex. This is going to take more time to cover up. But at least my Magnum Opus is built, so it's all right I guess.
I've ordered the miners to build me an office and some reasonable quarters. They're still very barren, I'll have to rectify that later.
We've moved much of our stocks down into the fortress proper, but so far we haven't gotten the farms up yet. We're setting up a reservoir to handle irrigation but our mechanic keeps messing up with the floodgates. Oh well. At least we're not going to starve anytime soon.
13th Slate,102
I'm ruined. RUINED. Our king arrived today. Why me.
He, and nineteen other ART HATERS arrived today. With incessant demands, and ordering me about. Oh how I long for the quieter days of simplicity. Just me, a handful of assistant, and a world-sized canvas. Alas, it was not to be.
Fortunately for me, the king seems content in his adamanite-walled rooms. Such simple tastes. I cannot fathom. We did have to build him a vault to keep his things in. To make matter worse, he ordered me, ME personally, to build him enough coffers and armor stands to fill the entire vault. Like I was some common... mason. I had no choice, but sooner or later I will rise back up. THIS IS MY FORTRESS DAMNIT.
Non-canon Fortress Death:
Writings of Ark Olintishis, Metalcrafter
8th limestone
Here I am, a lowly metalsmith, seeking to mooch some of the fame of this adamantine rich SparkGear. As a dwarven tradition*, I have been elected as the leader of this beautiful and... Low lying land? What dwarf gets sent to a low lying mountain? And why did they elect me as the local leader. The king already has arrived! I shall pledge my life for our dwarven lord! *A short line comes from the last letter, as if distracted) I see adamantine running through the walls. ADAMANTINE! A METALSMITH'S DREAM! If I want to get to smithing it any time soon, I have to get this hellish (and yet amazing) hole in the ground running.
10th Limestone
There is no normal metals. How do they expect me to get to a adamatine crafting level without Iron's to practice on!
I am ordering some exploratory mining as soon as possible. This is just stupid to have a fortress that has ADAMANTINE but no IRON. How does our king stand this.
11th Limestone
I see some Hematite in the walls of the entrance shaft. I can appreciate the beauty of the unmined ore, but I need some metal! I have designated a catwalk across the side of the shaft to get at it. Damn the beauty of the hall to the last of Armok' many asses.
12th Limestone
The Caravanneers have arrived! And somehow found a path to the Depot without boulders or trees in the way! I guess the last overseer had something working afterall. Or maybe the Caraveneers or just smart. *The next section of ink looks slightly more fresh*
We have no crafts and baubles to trade to the mountainhome? ARMOK DAMMIT. I guess we can part with a few beds. They are of a very nice quality! Speaking of beds, all of us are sleeping in one hall, other than the first dwarves here and the king. This is just a horrible setup, as if it was designed and executed in 2 seasons!
20th Limestone
I see a bush that is moving. Is that normal here? And it has glowing red eyes. Is it coming closer? Is this a baby Treant?... -A blood spatter mars the white paper- OH GOD WHAT WERE THOSE DEMONS. GREEN SKINNED AND CLOTHED IN SHREDDED PIGTAIL AND MAGNIFICENT SILKS. However, the caravan guards made them into a thin paste, and we DO have exess workers, so A military will be made in short order.
21st Limestone
A thin paste covered in giant cave spider silk. CHA CHING! I have bought some Iron to begin practice, many plump helmuts, cheese and bounties of Leather. I want a nice cloak, but odds are that some bumbleing peasent will go and claim it. Do we even have a leather worker?
2nd Sandstone
I have heard rumors that the old overseer was the one that ruined the old mountain home. It did suck, but I thought that dirty engravings would have more of an impact, but this guy means business! -Remember to make this guy a grave, lest I be put in one!
DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT THE HFS LOCATION
22nd sandstone
I have asked the miners to cut through some more adamantine for later. I wanted to watch the first pick strike, the area just behind the kings chamber. And there was a room back there? What could this be? From the legends of armok...OH DEAR GOD! SEAL THE CHAMBER!
NO HURRY UP! THE SOULS OF THE DEAD ARE ESCAPING!
HORRORS! DEMONS IN THE DEEP! DESTROY THE STAIRCASES! WE MUST GET AWAY!
THEY ARE PREOCCUPIED ON SOME SOULS!
SAVE THE KING!
THE KING IS BEING IGNORED? NO! DAMNIT RECRUITS, ITS NOT WORTH YOUR LIVES! HOLD BACK!
NO! NOT KING UVASH! DAMN THESE BEASTS!
*I won at drink the wine for 3 weeks straight. The only way to see if the leader is fitting is to see how there booze-stomaches go up against a relentless guzzle. Quite a feat for someone like me who would prefer milk.
This text was found in 1059 by human archeologist Drayest Chylliad
Carved on the wall by Likast Amrith, Miner
God damn. Demon. Who'd have guessed. I was only able to save Nahkh, the clerk.
Work will keep our minds off of it. I need to boost morale somehow, So I am making a dining room.
CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT, THAT NAHKH KEEPS WALKING BACK AND FORTH CAN'T THINK
*Blood is dreched over the wall* OH GOD. I KILLED HIM. WHY. WHY. NEED WATER NEED TO GO TO THE TAINTED LAND ABOVE
This destroyed fortress was found with bones scattered all around.
Writings of Ark Olintishis, Metalcrafter
8th limestone
Here I am, a lowly metalsmith, seeking to mooch some of the fame of this adamantine rich SparkGear. As a dwarven tradition*, I have been elected as the leader of this beautiful and... Low lying land? What dwarf gets sent to a low lying mountain? And why did they elect me as the local leader. The king already has arrived! I shall pledge my life for our dwarven lord! *A short line comes from the last letter, as if distracted) I see adamantine running through the walls. ADAMANTINE! A METALSMITH'S DREAM! If I want to get to smithing it any time soon, I have to get this hellish (and yet amazing) hole in the ground running.
10th Limestone
There is no normal metals. How do they expect me to get to a adamatine crafting level without Iron's to practice on!
I am ordering some exploratory mining as soon as possible. This is just stupid to have a fortress that has ADAMANTINE but no IRON. How does our king stand this.
9th Limestone
Oh dear Armok. The living quarters are that of cows! Everyone jammed up together into cattle like rooms.
I have designated a living quarters to be made post haste!
10th Limestone
ADAMANTINE? IN THE LIVING QUARTERS? HUZZAH!
11th Limestone
I see some Hematite in the walls of the entrance shaft. I can appreciate the beauty of the unmined ore, but I need some metal! I have designated a catwalk across the side of the shaft to get at it. Damn the beauty of the hall to the last of Armok' many asses.
12th Limestone
The Caravanneers have arrived! And somehow found a path to the Depot without boulders or trees in the way! I guess the last overseer had something working afterall. Or maybe the Caraveneers or just smart. *The next section of ink looks slightly more fresh*
We have no crafts and baubles to trade to the mountainhome? ARMOK DAMMIT. I guess we can part with a few beds. They are of a very nice quality! Speaking of beds, all of us are sleeping in one hall, other than the first dwarves here and the king. This is just a horrible setup, as if it was designed and executed in 2 seasons!
20th Limestone
I see a bush that is moving. Is that normal here? And it has glowing red eyes. Is it coming closer? Is this a baby Treant?... -A blood spatter mars the white paper- OH GOD WHAT WERE THOSE DEMONS. GREEN SKINNED AND CLOTHED IN SHREDDED PIGTAIL AND MAGNIFICENT SILKS. However, the caravan guards made them into a thin paste, and we DO have exess workers, so A military will be made in short order.
21st Limestone
A thin paste covered in giant cave spider silk. CHA CHING! I have bought some Iron to begin practice, many plump helmuts, cheese and bounties of Leather. I want a nice cloak, but odds are that some bumbleing peasent will go and claim it. Do we even have a leather worker?
2nd Sandstone
I have heard rumors that the old overseer was the one that ruined the old mountain home. It did suck, but I thought that dirty engravings would have more of an impact, but this guy means business! -Remember to make this guy a grave, lest I be put in one!
14th Sandstone
After eating in the cramped food room for yet another meal, I have decreed a dining hall / arena to be made.
I wonder if people will mind if they are drenched in blood.
If anything, it will be BETTER to be drenched in blood!
1st Timber
That peasent who was flappin his gums about shells went mad and ripped a man to shreds. It was SOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOL.
Then likast mined him like a black sand wall. More like red sand.
23ed Timber
Now that beds are in place and workshops are running, I can...Begin begin my own workings.
To make myself a tower to live in!
2nd Moonstone
The food here tastes REALLY funny. REALLY funny. Like, un healthy funny. Could that be the pitchblende kitchens?
No, never. Probably the wood or soil.
3ed Opal
Another ambush came, and was all but annihilated by our swords corps.
This fort is coming along swimmingly! And I am hearing word of our legendary woodcutter giving birth!
HUZZAH!
Unmarked date
Damn the goblins! Knowing no remorse, they killed three dwarves!
But my tower is complete!
I am leaving the running of this fort to more able hands, as it is quite hard to live like this.
The journal of Litast 'Skid' Amrith, found scattered across the floor of his office.
18th Granite, 103.
Why I got handed the job of deciding the outcome of this fortress I'll never know, but Ark threw the deed to the place at my head as I passed him in the hall today so I suppose I'll get on with it. First thing to do is cheer all these dwarves up so there aren't any real mental breakdowns.
19th Granite.
Scratch that. The cook just went mad, so did that peasant. I'll make some booze and see if that helps calm anybody down. All these bodies must be buried too. I really never figured out the defensive system around here, seems more than a little haphazard and provides too many chances of getting knocked off of cliffs. I'll add a few more fortifications, that will protect any marksdwarves we can come up with at least.
21 Granite.
A Kobold and goblin snacher bumped into each other while entering the fortress. Made a racket which attracted a few dogs which chased them off. Farmer went mad. Booze making is left to the planter Nish.
3rd Slate.
Migrants arrived, will begin industrial scale processing of adamantine strands with these. Nice to see some sane people around for a change. Many have been assigned Wood burning, strand extraction, and furnace operating and have been designated as "Firedwarves" I have designated a new hall to be dug out for this processing to take place. Hypothetically it should be shaped like a scorpion if anyone was able to view it from outside.
6th Slate.
The farmer just threw themselves down the well. A trapper just threw down his tools and posessed a craft workshop. Everybody is throwing tantrums.
14th Slate.
Vucar actually did fairly well, they turned out a native aluminum bracelet that must be worth at least as much as the rest of our fortress combined. They have therefor been promoted to legendary stonecrafter.
22nd Felsite.
Finally! Drink!
25th Hematite.
Some fool knocked down the bridge and we've finally begun processing adamantine into wafers. Too much of a hangover to write.
19th Malachite.
Manufacturing barrels and bins to bring some order to this chaotic stockpile system. The lever in the middle of the main hallway connects to the main bridge.
27th Malachite.
More migrants. This puts us at 42 citizens total.
25th Galena
Topped 400000☼ fortress wealth.
11th Limestone.
A peasant just rushed past me with three logs and seized a craftdwarf's shop. Nothing worthwhile came of it. Some sort of crown or something.
24th Limestone.
Traders arrived. We traded them some stone trinkets and old clothes while their guards slaughtered a squad of goblins. In return we got some metal bars, all kinds of meat, some more booze, thread, and various other objects that caught my eye. Am creating more storage space for food.
12th Timber.
Starting to dig myself a tomb befitting of my status. Surely some of that aluminum can be spared...
23rd Timber.
Our Trader is out in the fields running around and screaming something about an ambush. I'll head down for a quick drink and then go see what that's all about.
The carpenters squad quickly dealt with that threat. One bisected goblin and the rest wisely retreated.
9th Moonstone
Metalcrafter Atis Kokebiton taken with fey mood. Hauling adamantine to his forge as I write this.
17th Moonstone.
Atis finally finished his work today and staggered out of his workshop clutching 'Notchroared The Speechless Glacier', an adamantine chain worth 1447200☼. Truely this is dwarven metalcraft that I shall install in the center of my tomb.
I think I'll take Ark off of metalcrafting duty and have him focus purely on the working of weapons and armor.
5th Obsidian
This is a sad day. Our king is dead. He will be deeply... oh who am I kidding. We can finally clean out his rooms and use them for something more useful than storing his old bag of bones. Must go now. Ceremonies to attend and toasts to drink.
9th Obsidian.
100th wafer of adamantine stockpiled. More will have to wait until we work up the nerve to dig deeper into the heart of the vein. Will turn to processing iron to train up Ark's weaponsmithing skill.
26th Granite.
Elven traders arrived just in time to meet a troops of goblin ambushers. Our trader came flying in from the hills somewhere again, reprting about a carpenter dying and a squad of axegoblins. We have sealed ourselves off from the world.
3rd Felsite.
We're still trapped in here, I don't know for how much longer. Nobody actually seems willing to lead an assault against the goblins, and I'm not militarily minded enough to do so. I'm therefor turning power over to the next person who walks through my office door and survives the head trauma. Besides, I've got better stuff to do.
*Remains of papers are covered in random scribblings and blueprints of "secret project"*
Non-canon Fortress Ending:
Diary of "Da King" 5th of Felsite, 104
Plenty of everything here, no military though, just a couple of Unmanned siege weapons. "Skid" is possesed at the moment. Hope he pulss out of it. What the heck is a FireDwarf?
Diary of "Da King" 6th of Felsite, 104
Are there ANY stockpiles inside the fort? Half the workshops are cluttered.
Diary of "Da King" 7th of Felsite, 104
Skid began building something. That's a relief.
Diary of "Da King" 9th of Felsite, 104
Skid made a hatch cover. I have begun plans to make a drowning trap for the goblins outside.
Diary of "Da King" 14th of Felsite, 104
Hey! a mysterious chamber! O GOD THE TENTACL
Lost the fort in under 10 minutes. Will try again.
Canon Death:
Diary of Da King, 7th of Felsite, 104
This place is very disorganized. Lots of cluttered workshops, and very few workshops. Also, Goblins are above and we have no defenses. A moody "Skid" began constructing something.
Diary of Da King, 27th of Felsite, 104
The glowing Kitchens disturb me greatly. Construction of the Flood Trap almost done.
Diary of Da King, 14th of Hematite, 104
A Human Caravan arrived just as the Goblins left.
Diary of Da King, 21st of Hematite, 104
Purchased some ropes from the traders. Why do all these thieves skulk?
Diary of Da King, 24th of Hematite, 104
Hey! This Fortress is NOT an accursed death-trap!
Diary of Da King, 7th of Limestone, 104
The flood trap is complete! The Goblins will bother us no more!
Diary of Da King, 7th of Limestone, 104
Started mining more adamantine in higher areas.
Diary of Da King, 11th of Timber, 104
Some migrants have finally arrived. There are now 51 Dwarves here.
Diary of Da King, 11th of Timber, 104
Expanded the living space of the fortress. A firedwarf has been possessed.
Diary of Da King, 1st of Moonstone, 104
Hey! a mysterious chamber! O GOD THE TENTACL
Okay, I cleared out the demons. Counting bodies, we have 17 tentacle demons and one spirit of fire. There's miasma everywhere, everybody is tantruming, half of our surviving dwarves are injured, those who are not injured are slowly becoming injured by tantrums. Out of the 70 we reclaimed with we now have 42. I'll update the status of the fort after things have 'calmed down' a bit.
I did manage to kill all of the demons, but at this point everybody is so unhappy that it IS hilariously unplayable. If everybody dies or I at least get a few non-insane dwarves by the end of this, I'll try to clean up the place.
EDIT: Oh, 18 tentacle demons. There goes the rest of the dwarves. Reclaimed again to kill him, lost a few so I reclaimed AGAIN after that to avoid the chain of miserable dwarves. Playing now.
Journal of [deleted] Otadrakust
1st Granite, 104
The last leader, Skid, announced today that he was retiring and was going to announce the next leader of Sparkgear next month. In the meantime, we're getting things done as a community again, and so most of us have decided that it would be a good idea to start defending this place better as the frequency of goblin attacks increases. There are two goblins hanging around the entrance, which we currently have sealed off, so my plan is to lay some stonefall traps behind the bridge, have everyone get inside, and let the goblins walk right into it. One of the goblins is an archer, though, so I'm concerned there...
10th Granite, 104
It worked! The archer kept running forward and right into the traps! The wrestler saw this, turned to run, and just as he reached the exit, he went into an interestingly placed cage trap. Now we can begin to fortify the entrance and move the traps up accordingly. To be honest, I wonder why we didn't do this sooner...
Additionally, one of our men, who was fey at the beginning of this month, finished the construction of his artifact. It's a diorite bed valued at 63600. He calls it "Exitcrests the Lake of Vanishing". I wouldn't want to sleep on it, and not just because it's made of rock.
2nd Slate, 104
Skid has decided that I should lead the men, seeing that my trap idea to rid ourselves of goblins worked. I gladly accepted and got right to ordering the men around. The walling of the entrance is almost completely done, and I've ordered the double doors to the side building walled off and had wider tunnels dug to the bottom to connect to the fortress. The trade depot has been moved inside the protective walls, and walls placed on either sides to protect them from arrows. There's also 3 columns of cage traps followed by stonefall traps on the entrance to catch goblins and thieves who attack.
16th Felsite, 104
The new entrance is working wonders. Goblins are being caught in cage traps left and right! However, I feel in case of a larger-scale siege, we may need fortifications, so I've asked for some towers to be built with fortifications on the top of the new walls. I've also been looking into a source of volcanic activity rumored to be somewhere to the south. Maps suggest it should be down there somewhere...
8th Hematite, 104
Summer has arrived. The first level of the towers are complete, but more importantly, we've located the magma pipe! The miners have sketched a picture of what it roughly looks like, so I've ordered them to start work on magma forges. Once they're in place, the old forges that required us to spend long years leveling entire forests will be obsolete!
27th Hematite, 104
As the forges were slowly taking shape, I decided to take a survey of the men to see what labors they perform. I was pleased to know that most of them are working worthwhile jobs, but about a third of them told me their profession was "Firedwarf". I'm not sure when this happened, or who ordered them to be a "Firedwarf", but what they all had in common was that they made charcoal and operated our furnaces. That will absolutely not do. I assigned around half of them to general mason labors, and the others to miscellaneous jobs that needed to be done. Two of them will remain as furnace operators to smelt bars once the magma forges are ready.
One of the men said he makes glass. We have no sand. I smiled at him and helped him into the right direction on being useful.
13th Malachite, 104
Looking back on years past, the population of this fortress has been shaky. The king was slain. Our list of dead is long. All of the men who once served in our military are now dead. This doesn't sit well with me. Now that the magma forges are done and operating, I've ordered the production of four full sets of adamantine plate armor. The next four healthy males that we get will have the right to wear them and defend our fortress. I've also asked the men to start working on an iron tomb located above the magma forges in my honor.
1st Galena, 104
I recall sometime ago, the first overseer, Nankh, had brain damage. He was 'hospitalized' for quite some time, always resting in bed, and we had always assumed he would stay that way. However, today I saw him walking about and chatting with our dwarves completely normally--he shows no signs of any abnormality at all, other than sometimes complaining of back pains...
20th Limestone, 104
My iron tomb is now completed. While I did use up most of the iron producing a pair of statues, a sarcophagus and lining the walls and floor with the stuff, I did locate a cross of hematite veins on the side of the entrance--yes, a pair of them! They intersect each other and so our iron stores are back to what they were, if not more.
12th Timber, 104
Sandstone passed by without much event, but today I was told that while digging through a vein of cassiterite on the outskirts of the fortress, the miners located even more Adamantine. While I was thoroughly impressed, I've heard horrible things about demon pits from times past, and so I only ordered them to dig it up to a point. The strands are being extracted from it now and turned into wafers to continue to fuel the creation of the armor sets, which are now almost complete.
5th Moonstone, 104
A new wave of immigrants have arrived despite the rumors of danger about this place. About 8 of them. As I was hoping for, 4 males with mostly useless jobs arrived and so I dubbed them recruits upon reaching our fortress. They've donned the adamantine armor suits made for them and are sparring with iron warhammers. This is to make them better at swinging around a crossbow, should they run out of bolts. I also ordered a new level of the fortress to be dug out in accordance to their arrival, as we'll need more rooms if people are finally braving this place again.
14th Moonstone, 104
We've located another line of Adamantine on the new level of the fortress. Being wary of demon pits, I ordered the hallways shortened partially and emphasized safety as they dug out the channels for the architecture on the new level.
19th Moonstone, 104
Those safety proceedures I talked about were ignored, it seems. A cavein occured today and three miners fell two levels to the floor. Two of them walked away with minor injuries miraculously, but unfortunately, Skid broke his mining arm in the collapse. He's now resting in bed as the two healthy miners complete the new level with ... close supervision.
26th Opal, 104
A weaponsmith of ours became possessed at the end of last month, and he's begun production of an artifact... "Nicat Asiz", he keeps muttering. He gathered up quite a bit of adamantine, so we're expecting this to be our most valuable artifact yet, even moreso than the adamantine chain Atis created.
20th Obsidian, 104
I've recently been told that the possessed dwarf is now in control of his body once again. The artifact he procured, though he has no memory of it's creation, was an adamantine crossbow. It's valued at just under 10,000 dwarfbucks more valuable than the adamantine chain. As a side of fun, I decided that the first champion who wields it shall be named Warlord. Although I expect my leadership to come to an end, soon, I'll take heart in the fact that the fortress wealth has nearly doubled from roughly 4.8 million to 8 million under my watch. Maybe we can expect some more migrants in the spring...?
1st Granite, 105
Happy new year, Sparkgear.
15th Granite, 105
I've been told that Dungeon Master Shorast Oslanison has been spotted on the outskirts of this region! When he spoke with me, I told him his rooms would be just 3x3 spaces, and that he'd be sharing them with the mayor, and he was none too pleased--until we told him that the walls and floors were lined with adamantine. In addition to the dungeon master, about 20 mostly useless dwarves have arrived. A dwarf also went possessed earlier this month, and has gathered up adamantine, among other things. We expect good things.
14th Slate, 105
The dwarf produced a mug. It's still worth 1 million, but...
Anyways, I've decided to resign after just over a year here as leader. I've brought much good upon this fortress in that short time, however. Among other less notable things, I've given Sparkgear magma, a reliable defense, and four champions in the making. As a note to the next leader of this place, the farms were set to fallow, because we just have too much food, now.
Be sure to point the new migrants in the right direction on what jobs they should take up. I wish the best of luck to our next leader, whoever he may be.
MANUAL OF SIEGE OPERATIONS AND DEFENSE STRATEGUM
My name is Ryalseth Ilralginet. I am a siege engineer for The Infallible Gear. My station is at the Village of Sparkgear. This manual contains tactical information about key sites. If found, return to the Village of Sparkgear. Destroy this manual if found in an unsecure location or if its return cannot be guaranteeed. Destroy this manual if its cipher has been knowingly broken by any non-dwarf.
Personal Log
15th Granite, 105
Today I have arrived at the settlement of Sparkgear. It is highly renowned as one of the wealthiest mountain halls on the continent, or even the world. And now that I have arrived, I can confirm that it is awe-inspiring in many ways - but not all of them are good ways. Leadership has been highly sporadic and haphazard in these young halls, and it shows - in the architecture, in production, and most of all in defense.
The fortress's first line of defense is merely a fairly short line of mechanical traps. This leaves the fortress wide open to attack by larger number of goblin or other invading forces, and leaves it utterly vulnerable to theft and attack by kobolds. The next defenses are the towers constructed above the traps, with fortifications for marksmen. The reason I mention this only second is because this fortress is completely devoid of any crossbow-wielding dwarf whatsoever. As I understand, there was a plan to train four elite marksdwarves, but they have become expert wrestlers instead. These are not nearly so adept at manning a tower.
I have drafted up a list of suggestions to improve the defense situation and submitted them to the current overseer, [deleted]. He appeared distracted, but he assured me I would get the opportunity to use my expertise. I will hope that this is the case.
14th Slate, 105
It has been one month since I arrived in Sparkgear, and I have come to see it as my home - at least for a time. Today I have been elected Overseer, after the resignation of [deleted], and after a week of explaining plans and military strategy to anyone who would listen. It has paid off, and at once I have ordered the preparation of an archery range, and the appointment of five otherwise idle dwarves as Recruits.
Also, the elven caravan has left recently, and I am beginning to think the fortress could use a sustainable industry to produce valuable exports - most of our wealth is tied up in our grand artifacts, adamantine armour, and ostentatious displays of architecture and wealth. Also on the agenda: how to improve the effectiveness of our line of traps, how to use magma to better serve our needs, and what to do about rumours of demons. There is a lot of work ahead of us in the coming months.
28th Slate, 105
The archery range has been installed in an unused chamber, and the new recruits have picked up the adamantine crossbows and started firing. I've also ordered continuous manufacture of wooden and bone bolts for this purpose. Plans for new weapon traps, and more still, are going smoothly.
18th Hematite, 105
Beginning a new project in the form of a 'temple' above the purported location of the demons. But I wonder what would a temple need a lever for? Also, the human caravan has arrived and I've stationed our marksdwarves in the tower above the depot. Not that it's strictly necessary - their guards are more than a match for ambushers. I'm beginning to work on building mechanisms for traps and have ordered some others to do the same, so eventually we can hope to have some high quality mechanisms, for high quality traps.
I've also begun to use up some of our cloth on-hand to make clothing to sell to the various caravans. We will be growing pig tails come the summer, to produce further cloth once we run out.
6th Galena, 105
The fortress had a good number of ambushers recently, and fortunately the cage traps took care of them well enough, before the remainder fled. But now that the new walls and weapon traps are in place we should have to reload the cages far less, leaving our people less open to attack.
I think I've accomplished quite a bit already, so I've ordered an iron sarcophagus built for me, and set in place in the skull tower. I decided to forego the full-iron tomb of my predecessor.
And finally, the temple is in place and ready to run. It was a large and very boring project, and along with the other projects it has taken a lot out of me. I realize now that I cannot lead this place; I have stretched myself too thin branching out into areas beyond my expertise. Today I have announced my retirement, that another may make Sparkgear a more well-rounded fortress and dwarfhome. To him or her I entreat this manual and log, that it may inspire to keep the fortress forever safe from its enemies.
They may live...for now.
. Also a goblin siege arrived shortly after their arrival. Coincidence? I think not, damn elves. Fortunately our traps dealt easily with the goblin menace, though this siege has made me aware of my own mortality, and so to immortilze me after death I ordered a adamantium coffin made.
)