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Author Topic: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story  (Read 2244 times)

Glacies

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Diary of Glacies, Expedition leader.

1st of Granite, 53.

We have arrived. After an ardous journey through the wilderness, made twice as difficult by the nonstop complaining of our hired hand, we've finally arrived at my chosen spot. It's a swamp. The surveyors indicated the site was completely flat, but apparently their maps were not perfect, there's a bit of a slope to the west. It won't interfere with the greater plan.

Imush kept her peace and simply got to work. For that I am grateful; she's been a great asset to the expedition, and the only one of us with a formal education, being a dwarf of the crafter's guild. She's our chief crafter and has some skill in making crossbows and crafts of wood, stone and bone.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Erith seemed a bit suprised with the choice of location, but she's apparently taken a shine to the idea. As our farmer, she's capable of brewing a batch of swill and cooking a decent meal, and maybe even coaxing a plump helmet or two from the swampy soil.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Uthgur continues to mumble complaints nonstop, so at least there's no change there. He's completely nonskilled. And also the dumbest dwarf I ever met.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Doshet grumbled about it. He thinks we ought to go further east, to the mountains, and carve ourselves an outpost there. He didn't insist, but I did have to argue with him for a good time before he finally came around to the idea. And a good thing too, for he's our designated smith, and the only one of us who can decently work a tool from metal. Or even make charcoal.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oklit was enthusiastic, I think, but it's hard to tell with him. He's a lumberjack, and carpenter besides. An odd character, to be sure, but I find him reliable enough.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Gosmer was visibly disappointed with the location. She'd much rather a nice mountainside to carve into, rather than this clay bog we've settled on. Understandable, given that she's our tunneler and miner. She also pulls double-duty as a mason when we dig deep enough to hit stone.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

We've also a compliment of breeding animals and a great stockpile of supplies.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The site itself is fairly unremarkable. A bit drier than I expected, but it's a mostly flat area of trees. To the north is a river, but I've told everyone to drink from the local ponds until we're sure there aren't alligators or something even worse lurking under the water.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

On the western edge of the site, the ground gently slopes downwards. I was hoping for a completely flat area, but it's of little concern, and might actually be useful for drainage later.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And so, here we are. Named in the style of the ancient fortresses, I have chosen to call this place Ogredgeshud. It translates to "Swampy Fortress."

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Imush tells me I ought to be more creative with names.

---

Hiya, everyone. I feel like doing some sort of creative project over the next couple of weeks, and since the latest release is going to need a few bugfixes before I dive into it, I thought I'd try out Masterwork a bit. Feel free to ask to be Dorfed - and then request actions for your dwarf to take. Also, let me know if the images are huge. I've put them in spoilers for now while I try and find out how to resize them using bbcode. As yet another incentive to participate, I will be doing at least one hand drawn picture per update.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2014, 02:40:24 pm by Glacies »
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WodanYmirthe2nd

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2014, 06:44:36 pm »

I'd like to be dwarfed as a mad mechanic/inventor/archaeologist.
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Glacies

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2014, 02:40:07 pm »

1st of Granite.

The dwarves set out to work. Oklit is off to harvest lumber and clear a field around a hole that Gosmer is excavating in the clay. Uthgur hauls the logs that Oklit fells, and keeps the animals in line while Erith forages for local edibles. The others begin to unpack the wagon.

2nd of Granite, 53.

Early in morning, while the mist still lays thick over the swamp, Oklit sets off to work chopping more trees down.

From the west, he hears a deep but distant honking sound. Oklit considers this for a moment, and then returns to the wagon and wakes Glacies up.

"What is it?" asks Glacies.
"Somethin' you ought to see." replies Oklit.

The two walk away from the wagon and a flock of enourmous birds rooting around the trees come into view.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"Swans. Why did it have to be swans?"
"Aye. Giant swans, no less." Oklit amended.
"Well, stick close to the wagon, then, and hope they don't take an interest in our camp."

Oklit nodded and returned to work, and Glacies returned to the campsite to prepare the morning meal.


The rest of the month passes in peace as the dwarves unpack, prepare, and dig. Oklit and Uthgur become friends somewhere along the line, with Uthgur keeping a running commentary on things that annoy him and Oklit nodding in agreement and occasionally saying "Yeah." Likewise, Imush and Doshet also befriend each other, presumably with the craftdwarfship they have in common. By the end of the month almost everything, save the heap of bitumeneous coal has been unpacked and stored beneath the surface. Erith begins to sow the plump helmet spores, and Imush begins crafting a series of nest boxes for the cave turtles. Oklit ceases to cut trees and instead occupies himself with sawing and hammering together beds in a hastily thrown together workshop, as everyone is somewhat stiff, sore and cold from sleeping on the ground.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Slate.

Gosmer, having finished with the first level, digs down and hits yellow sand, then deeper she discovers Dolomite, Lignite and Bauxite, which Glacies is quite pleased to hear. The dwarves quickly rig together a smeltery from rough stone and Doshet begins processing the coal. Done with beds, Oklit moves on to doors, then rough wooden tables and chairs so that everyone can eat together in a decent setting instead of standing in a stockpile.

Felsite.

A dining room is assembled, and everyone has their own room. Rough workshops are knocked together from raw lumber, and the turtles are tucked away in little rooms to incubate a new generation of turtles. The surrounding area is quiet, only the odd giant bird lurking at the borders of the territory. Spirits are generally high.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Summer arrives.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

---
The star of this paticular update is Oklit, as he did a great deal of important embarking work: most of the first year's equipment is wooden, and the crafters need materials to work with before we get the mines going. Additionally, a wooden pallisade is probably going to be in the works, so he'll be quite busy in the future. Here's a drawing.




Wodan, you'll be in on the first migrant wave with the closest fitting dwarf. Welcome aboard.

WodanYmirthe2nd

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2014, 07:29:28 am »

Awesome!

Also, many giant animals are usually pushovers. Giant swans are not a huge problem for anyone with a decent fighting skill. You should also try making a farm for upper ground plants. Steeloaks and Ironbarks are incredibly useful if ever you don't find any hematite in the fort. Making an upper world farm isn't a problem too if you designate a large area to be channeled and after the hole is made, remove the ramps and connect it to the main fortress.
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Bodkin

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2014, 09:48:50 am »

Dorf me please!
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I have so far executed three dwarves by means of impalement ... for bringing cats into my fortress.

The Master

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2014, 10:21:37 am »

Dorf me as the Chief Medical Dwarf and name him Ashtar Von Killingsworth!
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Frontestro

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2014, 10:32:30 am »

Dorf me as well please. Preferably as a military dorf or as a hunter dorf that will (hopefully survive) to become a marksdorf.
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Splint

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2014, 11:46:43 am »

Dorf me as the Chief Medical Dwarf and name him Ashtar Von Killingsworth!

Nobody will willingly go to him for so much as a sneeze with that name.

Vanzetti

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2014, 01:04:59 pm »

What tileset are you using?
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WodanYmirthe2nd

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2014, 04:08:13 am »

Dorf me as the Chief Medical Dwarf and name him Ashtar Von Killingsworth!

Meh, sounds like a good name of a good doctor for me to go to.
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Glacies

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2014, 11:31:51 am »

2nd Hematite, 53.

The dwarves gathered around the rough wooden tables, chewing dried and salted meat, quaffing rum and strawberry wine.

"All right, everyone." Glacies cleared his throat. "Lissen' up."

Everyone turned to look at the expedition leader.

"I got some ideas! First, we ought to gather refuse from outdoors! But not vermin remains."

There was a pause.

"And only farmers should harvest!"

Nobody said anything.

"And, uh, we shouldn't automatically weave thread into cloth."

Erith raised her hand.

"Yes?"
"So...who's been weaving thread?"

Glacies considered this for a moment. "Uuuh, nobody, yet, but it may come to that in the future. Y'know, just settin' things up ahead of time, like."

"Right, that's settled. Pass the sausages." Doshet said.
---
Limar is a deity of The Trustworthy Standards. Limar most often takes the form of a male alchemist's guild dwarf and is associated with trade and wealth. In the midautumn of 36, Limar cursed Ablel Metallicfever to assume the form of a lizard-like monster every full moon in Bowlhearts.
---
20th of Hematite, 53.

The dwarves gathered around the tables again, parchments and charcoal sticks scattered haphazardly across them. Glacies spoke.

"All right, everyone. Let's talk about why we are here. As you all know, we're here to build an outpost for the Trustworthy Standards. Not just an outpost, mind, but a fortress worthy of our ancestors."

"This means that soon, migrants from the Mountainhomes will arrive, hoping for a new start and new opportunities. It also means that our foes, the goblins and orcs, will likely try to kill us all before we dig in too deeply."

"It is not my way to see Dwarves killed, either by carelessness or by stupid glory hunting. So while I cannot promise you an end that bards will sing of, I can promise you I will do my best, and I hope you will too, to have a comfortable life here."

"Now, I've drawn here a series of diagrams which outline what I think we ought to do in the long term. Look over them, and tell me what you think."

Glacies passed out a series of parchments to each of the dwarves assembled there. That evening, they worked over the plans and edited them until they had a blueprint that would work.

It was planned that the first level of the fortress, a layer of fire clay, would be primarily an agricultural layer. The fortress entrance would sit atop it, and around a central mound of seed stockpiles and underground farmplots a sunken pit would be channeled around it for aboveground farming. The second level, of yellow sand, would be the industrial level. Great stockpiles of wood, stone, bars, furniture and the like could be excavated quickly and easily, and then later reinforced with stone blocks. The third level, of stone, would be where the dwarves lived, slept, ate and trained. Dining rooms, barracks, offices, bedrooms. The fourth level would be for the tombs of the fallen, and for plumbing. Here there would be a cistern that would feed underground wells. The fifth level and beyond would be the mines for quarrying out rock for the masons.
---
21st of Hematite, 53.

Oklit dismantles the wagon.
---
26th of Hematite, 53.

Some migrants have arrived. Seven dwarves trudged towards the fortress from the west, and Oklit waved in greeting at them. The apparent leader of this group was a woman who introduced herself as Frontestro. She had a wolfram crossbow strapped to her back and she wore a quiver of lead bolts at her side, but Oklit knew by the way she carried them she was highly inexperienced.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

With a wink, Frontestro introduced her husband Wodan. As they told it, Wodan was a brilliant tinker and chemist back home who was not understood by his peers or elders.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also among the migrants was a dwarf named Bodkin, who told of his education among the masons. He brought his wife and two children with him.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also among the migrants are Bot Egenmothram, a fisher's guild dwarf, Bodkin's wife who is a *wrestler*, and his two children Bem and Genlath.
---
And by the end of Hematite, plans are laid out to excavate new rooms, an archery range is planned for Frontestro to get some practice in, and Gosmer is busy digging out stockpiles.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

---
All right! First migrant wave arrives. No dwarves with medical skills yet, so I'm gonna hold off on creating The Master's dwarf until then. Vanzetti, I don't actually know the name of the tileset. I think it's the one that Masterwork defaults to? I tried setting it to ASCII but I'm not sure it's taken correctly. Drawing coming later today.

Splint

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #11 on: July 13, 2014, 12:20:43 pm »

You know what, I'll take a militiadwarf. Any bladed weapon will do.

Timeless Bob

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Re: Ogredgeshud, "Swampyfortress." Masterwork Community Fort/Story
« Reply #12 on: July 13, 2014, 02:32:31 pm »

I claim the firstborn girl of Swampyfortress! Name her "Emily Sweetcheeks" and she will want to be a great general when she grows up.  (Foreshadowing anybody?)
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