New update! Preview: Zelk, trade depot, stone, caverns, sphalerite sea serpent, migrants, some more story!
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Slate 28, 251
At some point, one muskox was replaced by FIVE zombie elk. They are on either side of us...we need to hit stone quick.
Felsite 1, 251
For various optimistic reasons, I order a trade depot built. For various ironic reasons (and because we lack any other construction material), I have it made out of ice.
Felsite 3, 251
Another cavein, another day, another report of zero injuries. This time, however, not only is there no annoying aquifer layer still below...
...but, somehow, we have discovered the existance of hematite and dolomite under the aquifer!
Well, it's time to...not roll up our sleeves, that'd cause frostbite...but prepare for hard work however these ice-goblins do.
Also, the zombie-muskox left, leaving only its zelk brethren.
And to top it off, the snowstorm stopped! Praise all gods, known and unknown!
Felsite 10, 251
That didn't last long. The smowstorm's back.
Felsite 12, 251
Well, we have officially reached Stone. We will soon be able to hervest the riches of the depths! And, to top it off, I have been told that some strange quality of this land has allowed the peat in the first tunnel to be collected and fored into potterry!
[I modded, mainly to provide a means of continuing tension and creepiness. Don't worry, you'll see.]
Also, somehow someone caused a cavein, which killed Gizogen XI and destroyed our way do--
*savescum*
I noticed a dangerous ice formation and decided not to have Gizogen clear it.
I then order a kiln built.
You know, we just might live.
Felsite 13, 251
We strike sphalerite. I have an inspiration to build a giant sea serpent out of it in someone's honor.
[I promised to do that, but never did. Might build it now.
Once I get basic stuff set up first, of course.]
Felsite 15, 251
The kiln is built.
Felsite 18, 251
Since it's the first workshop to have been dug out, I build a tanner's shop.
Felsite 20, 251
The area intended to turn wood into ash, lye, soap, and charcoal has been dug out. Shame that we won't be building anything there for a while. Gizogen then plunges headlong into digging out the exploratory staircase.
Felsite 21, 251
More sphalerite. More urge to build a giant sea serpent.
...How are they different from giant snakes, again?
Felsite 22, 251
I decide to build a mason's workshop before the space is actually dug out.
Felsite 23, 251
I order up a little stone furniture for me to make. Twenty items, not much.
Oh, and the blizzard lifted again.
Third, when Gizogen strikes sphalerite, I have the image, yet again, of the stone sea serpent...
Finally, we struck the caverns! Joyous! There are plants and minerals but none of the undead (or living, aside from us) in the depths, but as of yet only a little pool of water. Preparations are made both to utilise these new resources and to dig deeper still.
Felsite 25, 251
Having dug as deep as I had instructed, Gizogen returns to the fort proper to dig out some more.
Hematite 1, 251
I choose a spot to build the base of the serpent. It will be a mighty sea serpent, arcing our of the snow!
Hemaite 2, 251
Gizogen starts digging out the future wood stockpile for some reason.
Hematite 3, 251
I decide that Whipdimpled should be an herbalist for when we reach the cavern floor.
Hematite 5, 251
Gizogen has chosen to take a break from the wood stockpile to dig out the siege-workshop-area. Ye gods, is he trying to dig the least important parts out first?
At some point, three of the zombelk wandered off. These zombies aren't remotely frightening. I take Shotlances out of the dangerous military duty.
[They've been “lovers” for a while, but it hasn't had a chance to come up.]
Hematite 8, 251
Gizogen has finished the siege workshop area and is starting to dig out the carpentry area. Excel--wait, we don't have any wood yet.
Oh, wow, native gold in the carpenter's workshop! Only enough for a few bars, but it's gold!
Oh, and it started snowing again. Ugh.
Oh, and another zelf wandered in at some point.
Hematite 14, 251
Gizogen has finished mining the carpenter's workshop area. Now to build it!
Hematite 15, 251
The blizzard stopped, and Gizogen finished the last chunk of rock in the way of the leatherworking area.
Wait, we don't have any leatherworkers.
Hematite 16, 251
The carpenter's workshop is built.
Also, the wood stockpile is all dug out.
Hematite 17, 251
The bowyer's workshop area is dug out.
Actually, thanks to union regulations, that needs to be the carpenter's workshop area...better switch them...
Hematite 18, 251
Working from the staircase leading to the tannery, Gizogen dug out the butchery workshop area. More native gold was struck as he dug out of the area.
Also, Deduk made the correctly-placed carpenter's workshop.
Hematite 20, 251
With the craftsdwarf's workshop adjacent about halfway dug out, Rimbound builds the butchery.
Hematite 22, 251
I believe this was our first harvest today. I might be wrong, though.
Hematite 23, 251
You'll never guess what happened today.
We have more citizens!
Four dwarves and four animals showed up at the edge of our area. They introduced themselves. The first, a flimsy, strong-minded woman named Kivish Worknets, was a novice brewer, high master grower, and talented metal crafter. I tell her to do all three. The second, a clumsy, imaginitive, but weak-minded lady, revealed herself to be a talented glassmaker and to have hunted animals a lot while they were travelling. She will be drafted. She has a pet gosling named Onul Guildfortress who will be useful for egg production when she grows up. She is followed by Urdim Ropeclouted, an inexhaustible and practical-minded wrestler, potter (hobbies, although the former got turned to military bent due to circumstances), and leatherworker. She will be our militia commander. The last to show up is Erush Hailedwires, an adequate mechanic who will be taking over the job. She is creative, good at focusing, and durable, but also forgetful. There was a fifth dwarf, the only male of the group, who left before I could ask his name.
Also along are a reindeer calf and a horse foal (to be slaughtered) and a female kitten (to pe put to work defending the food stockpiles).
Naturally, I wanted to know how they got here and why they came. Apparently, there is another settlement not too far from here, also composed of refugees from goblin attacks, but without the luxury of picks. They numbered thirty-seven once, but as of the beginning of Granite only twelve remained, the rest dying of starvation or being killed by the undead that plague this area. They had long since run out of supplies and had turned to drinking melted snow and eating the rotten flesh of zombies, the clothes off their backs, or even the bodies of other dwarves to survive.
“But how did you find us? It's not like we have a giant bonfire just outside the door!”
“At the beginning of Slate, we saw some puffs of dust, mist, and snow billow into the air. We sent a party of five to investigate, one of whom was going to be sent back to tell the others--”
“And that was you?”
“No. That party was never heard from again, may they rest in peace. We five were sent in late Felsite. We're only about a week to the west, but it was hard finding you guys--until we saw that...thing. Whatever that sphalerite thing is supposed to be.”
...The sea serpent! Hurrah! The sea serpent allowd these new working hands, and these new delicious animals, to find our small fortress! If it brings more I will build a whole
farm of sea serpents in hopes of attracting a rescue party!
And you say, some fluffy wambler could harm a BC after that?
And later plate didn't even bother with these either as advances in metallurgy and armour-smithing meant that they could create plates that curved and overlapped over these weak points.
