When I retired to my rooms with a roast and an ale, I found a strange document left on my desk resembling a crude map. It appeared to identify that blood-strewn cave I had heard discussion about as a potential site for the Chalice of Armok - whatever that might become. Is this more activity on the part of the cults? It sounds harmless enough anyway though - I would be far more suspicious of a cult of one of those lesser gods, but venerating Armok can hardly be... bad... can it?
Curiosity piqued, I dug deeper through the maps to examine the access routes to the Chalice foundations. On the face of things the route was simple, if poorly protected. The route at the end was covered in blood, and had a few body parts strewn about. The route was walled off -twice-, and the staircases had been cut. Opening this cavern up would be risky for a time.
Deciding did not take long; we should not simply sit around and continue as we are. If in doubt, dig deeper!
I ordered three of our squads down to an unused, but beautifully carved wall behind the breweries (whyso, I will not know, perhaps some engravers were just.. practicing?), and ordered the wall to be torn down. This became the order of the day as we progressed down into these unused halls we carved not long ago - abandoned why? Felling trees and caps growing across the paths while fortifying the walls, the elite of our elite keeping their ears listening for sounds of the beasts we knew lurked below.
And before long, combat!
Will you keep it down back there? Their tussle is brief, but no-one lays any charges so I leave them to it. We're dwarves, we can't get by without a little fighting.
Not long distracted, we catch sight of a new beast below!
It is close by - very close. Before long it works its way into the pool of lava at the base of this structure. Though it is made of steam, it appears unable to fly. I suspect that a land route exists down to it, but it seems unbothered by us. I also do not know how one begins to fight a being made of steam.
Otherwise, excavations proceed smoothly. Floors are laid over holes, walls are constructed. Defenses against further beasts, and more caverns fall under our grasp.
Before long, however, the soldiers get bored and I dismiss the squads one at a time. By the end of summer, most of the area is walled off with little further incident.
A few minor noteworthy actions that happened in this time.
14 Hematite: Another tantrum from the usual suspect, Don Pedro. Really, not sure why I mention this any more - it seems to be a constant feature. The human caravan arrives also, where we trade for a number of raw materials to refine. Don't really need them, but it lets us get rid of more trash.
17 Hematite: Pencil Art is reelected as mayor.
28 Hematite: The most dangerous forgotten beast still remaining alive, Simo devours a troll in one bite as if it does so every day. Maybe it does? It remains uninterested in finding a way to our fortress though.
16 Malachite: Ast Likotkib, previously an unknown fisherman withdraws from society with a strange idea, claiming a Craftsdwarves Workshop.