Second story update! It's now summer and I've got most minimal fortress elements established, but I'll let Dalek fill you in on the details. Potential trigger warning regarding violence to animals.
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Sitting down at the chair of his newly-constructed office, the shadows on the walls made stark by the lone lantern burning on his desk, Dalek ran his fingers through his taupe grey beard thoughtfully before dipping his jabberer quill pen in the inkwell to his left. He began to write out his seasonal report to Queen Ifik on the brock parchment scroll in front of him.
Leader's Log 2, Summer 1050, Year 1 of Tightropeherds:
Greetings, Your Majesty:
I've returned with my summer report for the operations of "The Salty Coils", as I promised. So, be assured that all of us are still alive and well.
There's quite a bit for me to report, as it turns out. Operations at Tightropeherds are proceeding at about the expected rate. We have most of the bare essentials of fortress life established by now. Honestly I'm just relieved to be able to sleep under a roof of solid stone again, and I know many of my fellow expedition members feel the same way.
Morale is still high for the most part, and we've all been able to get to know one another in a bit more detail. My fellow teammates have been enjoyable company for the most part (Icubugsh excepted, the pompous ass can jump into a magma pit for all I care), though it's abundantly clear they still see me as their boss more than their friend.
We now have several basic workshops, a trade depot, seven individual bedrooms, and a combination dining room and meeting hall. We got a still up and running, so hopefully we'll be able to start brewing drinks very soon (this is, of course, one of our highest priorities at the moment). All of us here are getting anxious for fresh booze, myself no less than anyone else.
A farm plot has been set up on the surface level near our main stockpile, which we seeded with enough of our plump helmet spawn to last us through the Winter. We've designated a temporary outdoor pasture for our single remaining shoveldon (who seems gradually to be recovering his spirits) and crystal chargers, which will have to suffice until such time as our miners strike the caverns and a permanent underground grazing area can be put together.
Unfortunately, the drakes from my last letter have not yet cleared the embark area. No civilians have yet been attacked, though there were a few close calls. The damned lizards have even gotten bold enough to leave the river. I've seen them slinking between the shadows of the nearby trees on more than one occasion, their glinting eyes watching us with interest as we move stockpile supplies back and forth. A gloomwing of ours got into a scuffle with one of the beasts, and the ordeal seems to have left it permanently crippled. As an act of mercy and also on account of our necessities, we currently plan to slaughter it for meat and parts as soon as we get a butcher shop built and operational.
A family of badgers also seem to have settled into a burrow in the nearby hills for the summer. The abundance of game in these lands has gotten me pondering hunting and trapping operations in the near future.
To my great chagrin, Omshet did not immediately honour my orders to postpone his fishing operations until the minimal fort was established. The elf-witted fool should consider himself lucky he decided to stick to the ponds where there was no apparent danger. Fortunately, he shortly thereafter fell in love with our stoneworker Kirigos, so hopefully romance will keep him distracted for a while. Still, having to listen to him waxing poetic day and night about "the luxurious follicles of her beard" sometimes makes me wish he would just risk a fishing trip.
Anyway, next on our agenda is to set up a hospital and metalsmithing industry, both of which I hope we can get up and running within the next several months. Once we get our first migrant wave, we can start thinking about a military unit. The orcs (and worse things) will find out about this place sooner or later, so it's crucial that we get Tightropeherds defensible. In the meantime, I've gotten our jeweller to work cutting gems in preparation for trading.
Apologies if the quality of this report is subpar, the pace of recent events has left me somewhat flustered as an expedition leader. If all continues to run smoothly, expect my next report by early to mid Autumn. Long may you rule, my Queen!
Your Loyal Subject, Dalek "Sequentialstair" Otigostcunorushat
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Glossary of non-vanilla elements:
Brock: A large badger-like mammal native to the depths, often domesticated by dwarves for hunting and war purposes.
Crystal charger: A goat-like creature from the caverns, enchanted by magical subterranean energies. It has crystalline horns on its head, and on account of its innate magic those who drink its milk become temporarily immune to the dark spells of certain cavern horrors.
Gloomwing: A small insectoid creature found flying underground in swarms. It has a quadrupedal body, a retractable stinger on its tail, and a proboscis with a toothy maw at the tip. It also has compound eyes to see potential threats coming from any direction. They primarily eat fruit from underground foliage, as well as the occasional vermin.
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Topic: The Tragedy of Tightropeherds: A Highfantasy Mod Saga (Read 2264 times)