Topic: The Story of Atölasob (A Community Fort with an Export Challenge) (Read 60370 times)

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #75 on:** July 03, 2016, 04:17:57 pm »

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

6 Granite 76

I’m worried about quota progress. Minkot is working in the farm plot, planting rope reed seeds from sun-up to sun-down and, until those plants mature, there’s nothing more to be done.

The cut gems, though. Mebzuth is having trouble providing enough raw glass for Logem to cut. But, I realized something this morning. We’re sitting on top of tons of clay loam, and that can be cut, too! I’ve ordered a kiln built so that we can start collecting clay. With any luck, Logem will be able to churn out the remaining 140 cut gems we need over the next six months.
______________________________________________________________________________

11 Granite 76

Well, the liaison Logem Echoworked was right. While Imic was on patrol in the southeast section, he noticed two pack animals heading toward the fortress with a pair of elves.

As the group drew closer to the depot, the gathered dwarves were puzzled to notice that, oddly enough, the animals didn’t seem have any lead ropes, or even halters, but were following along docilely as if they knew exactly what was expected of them.

Remembering what the liaison said, Lotu ordered all of their glass items brought to the depot. The result was pitiful:
•   1 figurine
•   1 crown
•   1 corkscrew
•   1 bracelet

“And we call ourselves dwarves!” He muttered. But he headed into the depot to sell them as dearly as he could.

Examining the elven goods closely, he zeroed in on the tree fruit. That looks interesting.

“Mooney!” He called. Mooney, patrolling to the west some fifty bots distant, waved. Lotu placed his hands around his mouth and bellowed, “MOONEY! GET OVER HERE!”

Mooney turned and broke into a rapid trot. “What’s up?” Need somethin’ killed?

“Are these brewable?” Lotu pointed at the fruit he had separated out from the rest.

Mooney hemmed and hawed, squeezing some, smelling others. Finally, he nodded. “Yeah, I can make somethin’ outta these.”

“Thanks. Oh, one more thing,” Lotu turned to the elves. “Would one of you mind walking around with Mooney and explaining what all of the trees and plants are before you leave?”

The elves looked at each other, while Mooney hissed to Lotu, “I was doin’ fine on me own!”

Lotu whispered back, “We need fiber-producing plants. You don’t happen to have found any more of those, have you?”

Mooney had to admit that he hadn’t, and reluctantly agreed to walk with the trader Oda, who had granted Lotu’s request.

Meanwhile, Lotu continued to examine the traders’ packs.

Two cages of green tree frogs!? Who would want a green tree frog? And a caged…kea. No, thank you, we have more than enough of those. That water buffalo, however, could prove useful as a source of both meat and leather.

He only had the figurine and the corkscrew left, so he picked up the figurine to begin haggling, then froze.

Crap.

Things just keep getting better.

As it turned out, the figurine wasn’t valuable enough to net the water buffalo, so Lotu was forced to trade away the corkscrew.

We’re never going to finish those pumps at this rate!

On the plus side, we’re still under the import limit.

Before trading: After trading:

______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

19 Granite 76

Two more mouths to feed. And not only are they not going to work, but they’re also distracting their mothers from their jobs. Still, I suppose Sodel and Erib, Vutok and Lokum should be congratulated.

22 Granite 76

I found Mebzuth in the temple area today. She hasn’t caught a single fish since her arrival, so I asked her what she was doing.

Apparently she needs some insight as to where the fish are hiding.

I hope she got an answer.

10 Slate 76

The elves finally left. I thought I heard one of them muttering about “butchers”, but it could just as easily have been something about wearing out their welcome.

They told Mooney to look for cotton, hemp, ramie, jute and kenaf plants, as all of these apparently provide fiber. They even drew him pictures so that he can recognize them. He's out there now, looking.
______________________________________________________________________________

24 Slate 76

Wandering far from the palisade wall, Mooney was the first to spot the rather bedraggled looking group. Moving closer to investigate, he noticed their worn, ragged clothing, and their rather tiny packs. In fact, this group looked almost like…refugees.

“Howdy!”

Some of the newcomers nodded, but otherwise silence ruled.

“Ya’ll look like ya need a drink. Come on, we’ve got plenty.”

That roused some appearance of enthusiasm, and the group headed toward the wooden wall, barely visible through the tangled jungle greenery.

As they walked, Mooney struck up a conversation with them. They explained that they had come from Swordgangs, fleeing from the onslaught of “thousands and thousands of goblins!”

Several locals had overhead the last, as the refugees were just then passing through the gate.

“Swordgangs! Has that outpost fallen then?”

“No! No, not yet.” Catten rushed to add, “But the Book of Insight sent me a dream. In that dream She told me that Swordgangs will fall to the goblins. It is inevitable. So, we decided to leave and raise our children elsewhere.”

The more religious among the dwarves nodded in agreement with the refugees’ decision, while the others remained skeptical.

Catten continued, “She directed us to go southeast, that we would find safety in this direction. And because our leader, Bomrek, was adamant that we stay, we forced to sneak away in the night.”

During Catten’s explanation, Lotu had been thinking hard. They needed more hands, and here were ~~seven~~ five dwarves to help.

“You’re welcome to stay. Our walls may be wooden, but they’re solid. And we’ve got plenty of food and drink.”

The refugees accepted the offer with relief. The journey had been long enough that they dreaded enduring another.

During the ensuing welcome party, Lotu pulled Catten aside and showed her the export agreement. “Can you tell me why we need to provide that many rings, bracelets and gems?”

Catten glanced at it. “Well, Bomrek, Swordgangs’ leader, really likes pig tails and bracelets, while his wife always wears at least one ring on each hand. I’m not sure about the gems, but everything in Swordgangs gets decorated, so probably for that.”

Great. We’re at the mercy of capricious demands from nobles thousands of bots away!

Taking inventory of the new arrivals’ paltry possessions, Lotu directed them to put the duckling in the pasture. The aurochs bull, however, was promptly slaughtered for 32 meat. After all, we don’t need three bulls, and we do need the leather.

The newcomers were:

Zutthan Paddledact (an animal caretaker)

His wife Catten Fencedlearned (a carpenter)

Their son Nil Goldenname (a child)

And daughter Medtob Boatsmessiah (also a child)

Edzul Lanternnotched (a fishery worker)

Besmar Minepink (a marksdwarf who didn’t seem to have any equipment)

And his wife Ral Scalemerchant (animal dissector)

Lotu made quick work of spreading jobs around. He had no jobs for animal caretakers and dissectors, so Zutthan became Uvash’s assistant thresher, while Ral was assigned to Mooney to learn brewing.

Besmar was also assigned to Mooney, but for marksdwarf training, since he claimed to know the front end of a crossbow from the back.

Edzul was instructed to help Mestthos find fish, and Catten was sent to the carpentries.

Watching the dwarves scatter to their respective tasks with satisfaction, he hefted his pick and walked off to build some more walls.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

28 Slate 76

With all the work to be done to get finish our walls and in getting Catten’s group settled, I have only just now realized:

Looking through Lorbam’s recordings, Uvash has apparently been churning out masterworks whenever he takes a break from threshing, and many of them are now in use in the stockpiles.

It would seem making that cage taught him something about woodworking.

13 Felsite 76

I hope he and Olin will have many good years together.

28 Felsite 76

We have completed three requirements.

Seven to go…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OOC: If anyone is interested in claiming a character...

Current (un)dwarfed list:

Spoiler: Starting Seven: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: First Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Second Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Third Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Births: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #76 on:** July 04, 2016, 01:10:43 am »

You could have produced more in a month to trade with elves. I take it they didn't have anything more worthwhile?
Incidentally, multiple trades may be your only way to fulfil the quota if mountainhome really wants, say, gypsum statues or something else made from mineral you don't have.

If you're short on hands, consider removing temple and library areas. Their purple tasks are not interrupted by "do it now" or zones, while tavern's Socialize is.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #77 on:** July 04, 2016, 06:08:46 am »

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 04, 2016, 01:10:43 am

You could have produced more in a month to trade with elves. I take it they didn't have anything more worthwhile?

I got everything I wanted from them. If I'd wanted more I could have traded some of the gems Logem is cutting, but I'd rather save them for quota purposes, he's slow at it.

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 04, 2016, 01:10:43 am

If you're short on hands, consider removing temple and library areas. Their purple tasks are not interrupted by "do it now" or zones, while tavern's Socialize is.

I don't have a tavern and, while Dr. Urist is assigned to the library as a scholar, she seems more interested in making mechanisms and helping out (no purple tasks from her yet, amazingly enough, and yes, the library is "active" and is assigned to the correct location). The problem is that dwarves keep stealing sand bags for seeds, it slowed production down until I got Sodel splitting his time between making the cloth bracelets and making more bags than necessary (to ensure free bags). Of course, since Toady made it so they no longer do "one seed one bag", it is possible to stay ahead of them with enough cloth.

I wish we could reserve bags the way we can barrels and bins...off to search suggestions.

-Dame de la Licorne

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #78 on:** July 04, 2016, 07:00:17 am »

Incidentally, what does your current aquifer pierce look like?

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #79 on:** July 04, 2016, 08:05:44 am »

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 04, 2016, 07:00:17 am

Incidentally, what does your current aquifer pierce look like?

I have a few fort maps planned as part of the autumn update. I'm writing the summer one now.

-Dame de la Licorne

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #80 on:** July 04, 2016, 10:05:26 am »

1 Hematite 76

Lotu called a meeting of all adult dwarves. After everyone had assembled in the common area, he threw the current quota list onto the table.

“This is a problem.” He told them. “We only have three of ten items completed and, at this rate, we’ll only be able to finish one more. The meat.”

The room erupted, as dwarves protested and tried to talk over each other. Sodel’s voice rang out loudest.

“If ya’ll didn’t keep stealin’ Mebzuth’s bags, I wouldn’t have to keep makin’ him more! It’s your all’s fault if I don’t make enough bracelets!”

“Stealing bags?” Lotu frowned. “What’d we need them for?”

“Where do you expect me to put all the seeds?” Minkot piped up. “I need them bags.”

“What about, I dunno, barrels?” Mebzuth pointed out. “They work just as well, and we’ve got a fair number of those lying around.”

“52 total, of which 34 are currently empty, at my last count.” Lorbam put in, checking his records in his office corner.

“But bags work better.” Minkot insisted stubbornly. “That way all the seeds can be organized by type, and I only need to grab the bag I want. If they’re all tossed higgledy-piggledy into a barrel, I’ll dig around forever before finding the ones I need.”

Sodel interjected, “I can’t do both. It’s bags or bracelets.”

Lotu pressed his thumb and forefinger to his forehead.

“I can help you out, Sodel.” Lorbam offered. “I have some training in clothesmaking and keeping records isn’t taking much of my time at the moment. Though my poor attempts won’t match your skill.”

Lotu jumped on the offer. “That’s sorted then. Now, what’s the deal with the quivers? Production has gone…down?”

“I can’t make quivers without leather.” Olon pointed out pragmatically. “As I’ve been telling everybody for months.”

“And we don’t want to slaughter the herd.” Erib added. “Not until we have a new crop of calves.”

Lotu sighed. “And the cage traps haven’t caught anything.”

“Don’t look at me!” Dr. Urist cried. “It’s not my fault all we’ve seen this spring are birds. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of a badger, have any of you? And do you have any idea how hard it is to build a cage trap, let alone put one in a tree?”

“No one’s blaming you, Dr. Urist. It was an idea, we had to try it, and so far it’s failed. Mooney, Besmar. I’m going to have to ask that you go hunting.”

“An’ don’t bring any birds back, either.” Erib added. “They’re too small to give meat, and the skins are much too fragile to make any decent leather.”

Mooney opened his mouth, but Lorbam spoke quickly, apologetically. “And you’re going to have to use wooden bolts, because that’s pretty much all we’ve got.”

“But they’re the next best thing to worthless!”

“That’s what we’ve got. Do your best Mooney, you’re our best marksman. If anyone can manage, you can.”

His scowl lightening a little, Mooney settled back into his chair.

“Now, the cloth –“

Minkot interrupted him. “I’ve been growing up the seeds, and I think I’ve gained enough skill that I can harvest more rope reeds per plant. I don’t know that I’ll be able to grow enough to make up the difference, though.”

“All you can do is try.” Lotu replied. “Alright, last thing. Logem, are you going to be able to get the gems done?"

Logem wrinkled her nose. "Doubt it. Though cutting clay has made a difference."

Lotu nodded. "I was afraid of that. OK, I'll build a second jeweler's and help you. It's not like the aquifer is going anywhere." Looking around, he checked, "Any other business? No? Then let’s be about it.”

3 Hematite 76

A movement in the bushes drew Mebzuth’s attention, as he collected firewood.

“Thief!” He screamed.

The movement materialized into a kobold, who took off crying a swiftly-becoming-familiar mantra. “Tayldis sorry! Tayldis leaving! Tayldis gone!”

Another kobold popped out of a bush nearby and took off after him. “Wait! Wait for Chludubaylin! Waaaaiiiittt!”

Mebzuth returned to stockade, carrying his heavy load of wood. Huh. Somehow, I was almost expecting him.

He headed for the glassworks, passing Mestthos and Edzul. Still trying to find fish. Don’t they ever give up?

13 Hematite 76

“Strangers! Strangers to the southeast!” Imic raised the cry.

Lotu ran to the wall and saw two wagons, with a pair of pack animals. His stomach sank. They’re three months early! There’s no way we could have met quota!

As the caravan approached, however. He revised his opinion. Those are humans! Wait… I may have an idea…

Quickly, he gave his instructions. “Bring all non-quota trade goods to the depot. That includes unused bins and barrels, and any pump components we have. Move!”

Responding to the urgency in Lotu’s voice, all of the dwarves except the patrolling militia dropped what they were doing and scurried to obey.

Looking through the human merchants’ goods, Lotu was pleased to see several bins of leather and cloth. That will ease things quite a bit. He bought all of it, a total of 90 bolts of cloth and 10 pieces of leather, and all of the thread that seemed to have been stuffed in as an afterthought.

And…Maybe…?

He glanced around, but everyone nearby seemed focused on extending the defensive wall, and no one was paying attention to the depot. He bought fifty units, and promptly hid it.

An insurance policy.

He also bought the six caged animals, we need the leather, and some quivers, which were added to the other hidden items.

Before trading: After trading:

Uh-oh. But 500 coin equivalents should be easy to use up.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

15 Hematite 76

I’ve decided to slaughter the seven animals I traded for (the water buffalo from the elves, the others from the humans). We desperately need the leather.

Mooney, Catten and Mestthos were upset. Apparently they like blue peafowl (Mooney), goats (Catten) and water buffaloes (Mestthos). Minkot also put in her two bits, but didn’t seem as upset as the others.

That might be because even after slaughtering the traded two-humped camel, we still have ~~four~~ five of them in the herd (the first calf was born this morning).

Still, I’ve had to promise to import breeding pairs of each of the others to keep them happy. Mooney especially. Despite his episodes, he’s worked hard, both to feed us and defend us. It’s the least I can do.

17 Hematite 76

I just realized I had to trade away most of our corkscrews to buy the humans’ cloth. Back to square one…

That aquifer is taunting me…

24 Hematite 76

Somehow I missed Udil’s name-day.

I only realized because Ustuth’s name-day is today.

I threw a party in celebration, and promptly assigned them to jobs in the age-old dwarven tradition.

5 Malachite 76

The dogs have produced more puppies. Hmm, I can use them…

9 Malachite 76

It was about time!

14 Malachite 76

Two dwarves breathed their first today. Both Minkot (the planter) and Mebzuth (the glassmaker), and Logem (the gem cutter) and Olon (the leatherworker) have welcomed sons into their growing families.

There goes the month’s productivity. Why do I even bother?

15 Malachite 76

The traders came to say their farewells today, they plan to get an early start tomorrow.

They thanked us for extending the palisade to include the depot, claiming that they felt much safer behind walls, so close to the forest.

Apparently they don’t get along with the elves.

Just don’t drag us into the middle, that’s all I ask.

16 Malachite 76

The minute the traders left, the keas returned.

I’ve ordered Ustuth and Udil into the military. Udil was assigned to Imic’s Pale Roads and given a training axe, while Ustuth was assigned to Mooney’s Pillars of Ink.

Mooney promptly demanded a crossbow for her. Since we have no bowyer, I’ve taken Catten off carpentry and told her to make crossbows instead.

She seemed satisfied at getting her “very own workshop!”

20 Malachite 76

The Menace From The Sky! That’s what I’m calling them. With six militia on duty guarding the stockade, those keas still manage to bring work to a screeching, crashing halt.

“I can’t eat, there’s a kea!”

“I can’t drink, there’s a kea!”

“I can’t make [fill in the job of the moment], there’s a kea!”

The best summary is: “I can’t move, there’s a kea!”

We need a roof. We need traps.

Fortunately we have Mooney.

I’m glad he volunteered, even if I still think he’s a little insane. He’s the only one who seems to be able to kill the Keas From Hell. Both Besmar and Ustuth keep missing.

Erib discovered that the fattest of them can be butchered. It only gave two meals worth of meat, but I felt a certain satisfaction upon eating it. No leather, unfortunately.

25 Malachite 76

I realized today that we have so much meat from the animals I ordered butchered, I’ve raised the restriction. Half the settlement promptly threw themselves on the meat. You’d think they hadn’t had a square meal in months.

8 Galena 76

I…I’m…I don’t know what to say. I’m so happy!

The sun is shining (for once), the future looks bright! The birds are singing…wait, what? No, no, it’s fine. They’re just tiny little songbirds. For once.

20 Galena 76

My darling Airith told me Ushrir has been behaving oddly.

She raced out of her masonry today, and kicked Sodel out of the crafter’s shop.

She then ran out again and grabbed some logs.

Apparently marriage got to her?

26 Galena 76

A ring. OK. Appropriate, I suppose. What new dangerous creatures have you decided to remind us of?

What, no hydras? No titans of any kind? Not even a goblin? I am…underwhelmed.

Still, I complimented her on it, and suggested she let Sodel back into the crafter’s now. He still has bracelets to make.

As she left, she said to call her 'NCommander' now. Okaaay, then.

28 Galena 76

Time to cut some more gems.

I hope my idea works...
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OOC: Fort maps will be included with the next update, the keas slowed work down considerably this season.

Current character list:

Spoiler: Starting Seven: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: First Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Second Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Third Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Births: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Edited for typos.

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #81 on:** July 04, 2016, 11:58:36 am »

With but a month and half to go, I wonder if you'll make do.

Cloth seems the worst off - maybe use large plot from which all harvest off.

Next year should be easier, the migrants should make providing for fifty fairer.

Pressingly, you're two short - there's nothing to catch in ponds to the south.

The kobolds after successful hunts will bring a large team for dwarven hunt.

A married woman creates an appropriate ring. Yet, danger is all on overseer's mind.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #82 on:** July 04, 2016, 04:46:41 pm »

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

1 Limestone 76

We are seven quivers short (ten if my idea fails). So I’ve made the tough choice to thin the herd down to the bare bones. Close consultation with Erib (who is in charge of the herd) has revealed three that don’t appear interested in mating. These three (a one-humped camel bull, two-humped camel cow, and muskox cow) will be slaughtered to make three more quivers.

Minkot will just have to deal.

16 Limestone 76

Stodir was nearly born in the water, like those non-existent fish that Mestthos still can’t find.

______________________________________________________________________________

17 Limestone 76

“The caravan is here!” Udil dashed into the jeweler’s shop, panting for breath from his break-neck run.

By the time his chisel settled back onto the table, Lotu was halfway up to the ramparts. Sure enough…

Watching fate trundling inevitably closer, he felt his stomach sink into his silk shoes.

We’re screwed. Unless… Please Armok. Please let this work.

Walking heavily back down the stairs, he ordered the quota moved into the depot.

“But Sodel and Logem! You’re exempt, because we need to finish quota. I’ll get some of the leather I ordered, and they'd better have brought, and Olon, you’ll grab that to finish up the last few quivers.”

“Wha’ about the fish?”

“Leave the fish to me. The cloth, too. I have an idea, maybe we aren’t screwed. Just…make what you can, as quickly as you can. Now!”

As he turned away, he saw Logem Echoworked enter the main secure area. Surprised, he watched as Logem darted out of her jeweler’s workshop and embraced him with rather more familiarity than Lotu would have expected, then proudly showed him her baby, Solon.

That’s…interesting.

A few minutes later, Uvash did the same.

Logem Echoworked appeared to be cooing over the two babies.

That’s really interesting.

Almost an hour later, Logem Echoworked finally made his way into the common room.

Lotu nodded in agreement. “We do need to talk.”

They sat down at the dining room table and Lotu pulled out the previous year’s export agreement. “We don’t have any fish here. We can’t find them anywhere on the surface, Mestthos thinks it’s because it’s too hot. And making everything Swordgangs asked for, we’re nowhere near ready to tackle the aquifer and get to the caverns, which will have fish.

But, I have a suggestion.

I bought fifty units of fish and some cloth off of the humans, I’d like to send that to Swordgangs as part of the quota. Otherwise we’ll come up woefully short.”

Logem Echoworked shook his head. “King Dodok insisted that you make everything. Everyone knows human-made is shoddy work, shoddy work indeed.”

“We don’t have the supplies to make them." Lotu protested. "And we can’t produce fish out of thin air. Your granddaughter and your grandson have settled here, their children will grow up here. Do you want them punished for something we literally cannot do? Look around if you don’t believe me! We aren’t even anywhere near tackling the aquifer, for Armok’s sake!”

Logem Echoworked was silent for a moment. “Clearly, you must have had a very tiring day. Get a drink, and some rest. We’ll take this up tomorrow.”

Leaving Lotu sputtering, he headed back out.

However, less than an hour later, Lotu saw him wandering the sublevel. His grandson Uvash was with him, apparently pointing out the sights.

After lunch, Logem Echoworked looked around every cranny of the surface stockade.

He even followed his granddaughter Logem up to the ramparts.

The next day he tracked Lotu down again. “You have a point. However, I cannot lie to King Dodok. The best I will do is not volunteer information. If I am asked a direct question, I will answer truthfully.”

While not quite what Lotu had hoped for, it was better than nothing. Sticking his head above ground, he yelled to Minkot, tending the garden nearby.

“Come here a moment!”

Minkot approached, warily. Lotu was quick to reassure her. “I’ve found a solution to our fish problem. Go to the stockpile section reserved for meat. There’s a barrel of fish I got from the humans hiding in there, take it to the depot. There should be three human-made quivers near it, take them too. Furthermore, tell the others to take all of the human-made silk and wool cloth to the depot also. We’ll need them to make quota.”

Minkot nodded and trotted off, grabbing Ustuth as she went.

Lotu descended the ramp, to finish his meeting. “Sorry about that, you were saying?”
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

18 Limestone 76

Apparently the latest news is that:

(OOC: The "Sin of Wraiths" is the goblin civilization all the way to the south. The one all the way to the north is the "Long Evils" (visible on the north region map a few pages ago).)

The updated southern map:

What do I care what happens on the other side of the world? Still, I suppose it’s better give all the news to all the outposts, than risk one not getting a vital update.

I ordered more leather, cloth and thread. I also ordered a bag each of cave thistle and pig tail seeds. We need cloth! I debated ordering some shearable animals, too, but we don’t have enough dwarves to do the jobs we have. I just hope I won’t regret that decision…

The new export agreement…I can’t even think about it yet. That dude Bomrek’s insane.
______________________________________________________________________________

The caravan arrived, moving more slowly than Logem Echoworked, due to their heavily-packed wagons and the rough terrain.

Throughout the rest of the month, and well into Sandstone, Finderboards was a roiling mass of activity, as the dwarves worked day and night to deliver the quota to the depot, barely stopping for food and fitful rest.

Lorbam oversaw the activity with the trader Rakust, each checking off their master lists, making sure every item was accounted for.

Only Sodel, Logem (the gem cutter), and Olon were exempted from duty, as they worked frantically to complete the cut gems, bracelets and quivers.

18 Sandstone 76

By the time the traders were ready to pack up, Lorbam had checked off: 100 units of meat, 150 wood blocks, the 50 units of fish from the humans, thank Thikut Luk for the humans!, 100 wooden bolts, 100 bolts of cloth, again, thank you humans!, 50 charcoal bars, 50 rings and 50 quivers. But, there were only 128 cut gems and 44 cloth bracelets.

“What!” Lotu cried. “But I was sure we had made 50 bracelets! What hap—“ As he gestured, his eyes fell on his right wrist.

“Oh.” He said, rather sheepishly.

He grabbed the small pile of 5 large gems from Logem’s jeweler’s workshop, and went to speak with Rakust. The latter, after much discussion, finally agreed to take the large gems in place of the missing 22 cut gems. He also took a copy of Lorbam’s records, showing that the dwarves of Finderboards had indeed produced 50 bracelets, even though only 44 had made their way into the quota pile.

As the traders packed up the quota, Sodel came running up, displaying one last bracelet. The work was shoddy, and it had clearly been finished in a hurry, but both Lorbam and Rakust dutifully adjusted their numbers to 45 cloth bracelets.

Lorbam’s tally of the final exported quota looked something like this:

22 Sandstone 76

Watching the caravan depart on the last leg of their journey to Swordgangs, Lotu worried. They hadn’t fulfilled the quota. Granted, they were only short 5 bracelets and 22 cut gems, nothing major, but…

King Dodok’s temper is mercurial, at best. I hope he’s in a good mood when he gets the news.

He turned back to the depot. The few pitiful things he had been able to get from the traders looked lost in the vast space. In all, he had managed to haggle for various kinds of thread, some of the cheapest leather and cloth, some copper bars because the axedwarves need some proper weapons that aren’t training axes, a couple more sand bags, and two gypsum rocks, to make gypsum powder.

Before trading: After trading:

That import restriction is going to be a bitch.

23 Sandstone 76

Lotu called another general meeting. “We were five bracelets short! We can’t just take quota ornaments! Now, I’m as guilty as any one of you,” He displayed the bracelet adorning his wrist. “But it’s not just the bracelets. We were really fortunate that Lorbam took some of his time and helped ~~Ushrir~~ NCommander make a few extra rings. We have to find a way avoid this in the future!”

I have to remember that she asked to be called a different name. Lotu reminded himself.

Lorbam suggested, “Why don’t we build in an extra ten percent for any production orders on adornments? That would leave some for us, and we could have easily made double the rings in the past year.”

Sodel added, “And I could have made more bracelets if someone,” he glared around the room, “hadn’t kept movin’ my cloth!”

Mebzuth nodded in agreement. "And I could have made more stuff, too, if Minkot didn't keep stealing my bags."

Since the craftsdwarves seemed in agreement with the increased work load, none of the others were willing to argue. Besides, wearing a lovely bracelet, or a nice ring or two, made them feel so much more focused.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

2 Timber 76

I really need to write down the quota for next fall’s export agreement.

Noooooooooooooooo!

5 Timber 76

OK, I have to face this. I have to make a plan.

Most of it should be easy, and I’ve already started NCommander on making the scepters, goblets and earrings. Olin and Uvash will be making the crutches, with a few extra thrown in for our use (and maybe some splints, too?). We have so many bolts…not going to worry about those. We have enough leather this year that Olon should be able to make enough backpacks, hopefully also with some extras for the militia, Imic keeps complaining about that…and maybe he can squeeze out a few waterskins, too? That would make the militia happy.

The pearlash will be the most time consuming. Since we have no fish, I’ve assigned Edzul to make potash once Vutok churns out enough ash, and Mestthos will make pearlash at the kiln. She’ll also turn the gypsum rocks into powder, as soon as Sodel makes another couple of bags.

We also need to cut down some more trees.

I hope the humans bring enough fish…

28 Timber 76

Progress already! This is reassuring.

Maybe I’ll get some time to work on the aquifer this year…?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OOC: The rain cancelled 4th of July plans, so I was able to finish the autumn write-up. Fortunately the neighbor kids had their fireworks yesterday...

I really hope I can finish the pumps this winter, especially since it's the craftdwarves and farming-related dwarves who are getting the brunt of this quota. It should leave the carpenters and Mebzuth free to focus on the last few corkscrews and the windmills, and Dr. Urist will be stealing mechanisms from the so-far useless cage traps that I scattered around the map last winter (I need to reposition them anyway, once the anti-kea roof is finished).

That aquifer is taunting me!

Current character list:

Spoiler: Starting Seven: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: First Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Second Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Third Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Births: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Edited to add the two relationship screencaps.

NCommander · « **Reply #83 on:** July 04, 2016, 04:49:36 pm »

That pearlash one is going to be brutal due to the three step production chain. Clear glass is probably second to mead in terms of complexity.

(I need to play Scorchedgravels now)

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #84 on:** July 04, 2016, 04:57:22 pm »

Quote from: NCommander on July 04, 2016, 04:49:36 pm

That pearlash one is going to be brutal due to the three step production chain.

I agree. I need to average 23 bars a month from Moonstone to Galena, and I may be pulling dwarves from other duties later on, but I really want to get a start on that aquifer.

Fortunately, Vutok (the wood burner) is at "Talented" and skilling up fast.

-Dame de la Licorne

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #85 on:** July 05, 2016, 03:38:24 am »

Roofing ground over? That's a rather huge project to do when struggling with exports and keas. Surprising, I definitely wouldn't do that in my first year even with neither of those problems, and for all of that it has gone with barely a whiff of mention. .

And half as grand is that aquifer pierce - that's a huge pumping/power project. You know, it'll go easier drainage-wise if you punch a small initial hole with map edge/cavern drain, then dig out the necessary areas afterwards.

The third hugest would be stockpiles. Yikes. With the water and pumps, I'd probably consolidate them into one corner, then install minecart on track stop set to dump on top of them and feeder pile to take from.

Then again, the very existence of them suggests you're the type to prefer all stuff visible to the eye

Moving to trading, that's interesting handling of the situation. The outpost liason's family, huh? I think we know who will eventually take over as leader once the quota is thoroughly violated. He can just suggest it to rulership. Of course, they were the only ones who didn't make off with requested bracelets, making Tayldis sorry to be worse thief than dwarves.
(I didn't know bracelets did anything :v)

Especially as 200 fish takes a bit to fetch, what's with who-knows-how-far-away caverns and 1-4 fish per catch in my experience of low-skill fisherdwarves + another job to clean them (+ stockpiling jobs). Worse still, I'm not too sure fishing can be parallel job. I guess somebodies will be getting beds and tables away from the fortress.

At least wood's easy to get, just cart it straight into ash burner's workshop - or even build those workshop right next to where you cut down the trees (the keas tho). Albeit you're going to need more than just 200, what's with stuff like earrings, crutches and scepters. Are you going to make mugs as well, or strike the earth?

Leaving me to wonder what you destroyed to get under import restriction....

Now looking at that map, only Singedesteem and Whippedclasped are not in the range of main dark fortress goblin conquering. And unlike goblin dark fortresses, every dwarven settlement has the population of 100-500 typically - with plenty of plains for building hillocks there. If you're going to stay for a while I bet you'll see most settlements fall to goblins.

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #86 on:** July 05, 2016, 06:35:13 am »

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 05, 2016, 03:38:24 am

Roofing ground over? That's a rather huge project to do when struggling with exports and keas. Surprising, I definitely wouldn't do that in my first year even with neither of those problems, and for all of that it has gone with barely a whiff of mention.

This is the second year, and I have plans for the roof/floor...maybe? Still thinking about that.

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 05, 2016, 03:38:24 am

(I didn't know bracelets did anything :v)

They don't do anything, dwarves just like to wear them (and also earrings and rings).

Quote from: Fleeting Frames on July 05, 2016, 03:38:24 am

Leaving me to wonder what you destroyed to get under import restriction....

I didn't destroy anything, I traded away the expensive cloth (mostly dyed cloth), and metal cages mainly. The difficulty was in not buying more than the import limit (and I wasn't able to get all of the cloth/leather I wanted). Fortunately thread/yarn is relatively cheap. Most of what I buy will be used to make other stuff, but I need cloth to replace their imported clothes (that's the biggest import limiter right now, ~20,000* worth of clothes).

-Dame de la Licorne

Spriggans · « **Reply #87 on:** July 05, 2016, 09:27:49 am »

Can I be dorfed please ?

I'd like the place of Vutok Pleatsteels (wood burner).

Name him Spriggans
custom profession : !!NatureWillBurn!!

Keep it up !

Dame de la Licorne · « **Reply #88 on:** July 05, 2016, 10:49:59 am »

3 Moonstone 76

Minkot and NCommander were out gathering wood when, just barely a few bots away, came a squeak and Tayldis fell out of a nearby sapling.

“Hey! What Tayldis doing? Tayldis hide!” A high, thin voice yelped, and another head popped out of the sapling.

“Dwarf see Tayldis! Tayldis run! Chludubaylin run!” So saying, he took to his heels. Protesting all the way, the other kobold followed.

“Did you see that?” NCommander pointed to the departing Tayldis. “I wonder what happened to him? None of us ever got close enough to do that, Imic would have told me.”

“He is thief.” Minkot replied. “Someone else almost certainly took exception to that.”

Later that day, somewhere in the Lessened Hills…

“Why Tayldis run?” Chludubaylin asked, having finally caught up to her companion. “Dwarves not see Tayldis. Tayldis hide good.”

Tayldis rubbed a hand along his scarred hip. “Dwarves see Tayldis. Dwarves shoot at Tayldis. Tayldis run first.”

Chludubaylin snorted. “Tayldis punished again, if no bring shinies.”

[OOC: He used to be a very successful thief, apparently. He’s stolen something (usually figurines) every year for the last ten, each time from a different place. Then he started casing Finderboards…]

17 Moonstone 76

“No. No!” Dr. Urist stomped up to Lotu as the latter was eating lunch. “Enough is enough! How many times do I have to tell you, moving those traps yet again is not going to make them work!”

Lotu swallowed his bite. “But up there they might –“

“No!” Dr. Urist threw her hands up in the air. “That’s all I hear from you and Airith! ‘Dr. Urist, could you please build a couple more gears? Dr. Urist, could you move those traps? Dr. Urist, that bridge needs to be linked up. Dr. Urist, we need more gears in the power system. Dr. Urist, those traps need to be moved again. Dr. Urist, do this, Dr. Urist do that!’ “

She jabbed an index finger into Lotu’s chest. “Well I’ve had it! I’m taking a break, in my library. I am NOT TO BE DISTURBED!”

So saying she stalked off, and pointedly sat down with her back to the rest of the room.

“What’s up with her?” Uvash had come down from working on the windmills, in time to catch the last.

Lotu shrugged. “She was ranting about traps and gears. Maybe she wants to do something different with them?” He took another bite of his candied yams. After swallowing, he added, “One thing’s for sure. Until those last two gears are in place, I can’t tackle the aquifer this winter. How are the windmills going?”

Uvash set his steamed cabbage down on the other side of the table. “Slowly. Olin and I are doing the best we can, but it seems like we barely start on one before it’s time to eat, or time to break for a drink, or time to sleep. And then there are those crutches that we need to make. But it’ll all get done, don’t you fret.”

“Well, make the windmills the priority. The crutches can wait.”
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

19 Moonstone 76

No one’s seen Catten for a while. Which is odd, when there are only thirty-two of us (of which five are only babies).

I finally tracked her down today.

She was surrounded by wood and several of clay cabochons, working hard.

Logem was still making cabochons?

I went to talk to her and impressed on her the importance of working on our anti-kea roof. When she left the jeweler’s, I noticed that there were almost two dozen more cut gems, mostly clay, lying around.

I’ll have to remember them if the elves come back.
______________________________________________________________________________

22 Moonstone 76

“Airith!”

She turned from hammering in the pegs that would hold this section of the floor together. “What is it, dear?”

“What’re you doing building floors?” Lotu reached down to help her up. “You shouldn’t be doing that kind of work in your condition!” He chided. “Let some of the others, or even me, worry about this. You should finish designing the last few pumps. That’s less taxing!”

Airith sighed, and nodded indulgently. She very carefully did not tell him that designing machinery was rather more taxing than building a simple floor, what with having to carry all the materials to the site, since no one else could be trusted to use the right pieces.

And he did have a point. Anyone could build a floor. But who else was trained to design proper machinery? Especially with Dr. Urist closeted in her library.
______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpt from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

27 Moonstone 76

Work on the pumping system progress. I’ve even asked Airith to give me pointers so that I can help her build them.

I wonder what Catten is working on?
______________________________________________________________________________

3 Opal 76

Catten emerged from her bowyer’s workshop, looking exceedingly proud of herself.

The other dwarves crowded around to admire it.

After a considering look, Mooney asked, “Who do you expect to use it, a human? No dwarf knows how to shoot that thing. Why, it’s almost as tall as me!”

Lotu examined it more closely.

“Hmm. Another image of the hydra Aztong Dutyblossoms. Nicely-done.”

“What’s this book you’ve drawn a picture about?” Dr. Urist probed from behind Lotu. “It sounds interesting.”

Lotu jumped. “Dr. Urist! I didn’t know you’d left the library!”

“Obviously. I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about.” She turned back to Catten. “And you haven’t answered my question.”

Catten made a helpless gesture. “I don’t know. Robek, deity of nightmares, showed it to me in a dream, and told me to include it. That’s all I know.”

Several of the more superstitious dwarves backed away at that, unwilling even to touch something Robek was warning them about.

However, before scattering, they all agreed that making a foreign weapon meant that Catten was certainly deserving of recognition.

______________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts from the journal of Lotu Sizzlediron, expedition leader.

17 Opal 76

Mooney has been pestering me for an archery range to further train the Pillars of Ink (otherwise known as Besmar and Ustuth).

Airith finished it this morning.

As I write this now, I can hear the steady “thwack, thwack, thwack” as the marksdwarves train. It’s a pleasant sound.

21 Opal 76

The herd grows, slowly but steadily.

Elsewhere, work continues. But with half of the adults needed to work on quota-related jobs (the pearlash alone has claimed Vutok, Edzul and Mestthos), and the militia now training more than ever, construction of the roof is slow.

Oh, that reminds me. With all the time Vutok’s been spending burning wood, she’s asked for a new title.

“!!NatureWillBurn!!”

Appropriate enough, I suppose. I assume “Spriggans” refers to burning every little sprig of a tree…but I didn’t ask.

24 Opal 76

Clearly not content with making Bonescradled the Hail of Traps, the bow, at the beginning of the month, Catten has now also given birth.

Another mouth to feed...

7 Obsidian 76

The Pale Roads have finally gotten around to chopping down the offending trees, which means work can proceed on the roof unfettered.

But it did make me wonder.

Does Imic’s squad really need to train for months at a time?

I mean, Mooney’s squad spends a fair amount of time gathering plants to feed us, since Minkot’s sole focus has to be cloth-producing plants. And they seem to think the occasional day at the archery targets or practicing wrestling is enough.

On another note, Dr. Urist is back to working on the gears. Apparently two months in the library, scribbling I don’t know what, was enough to draw her out of her funk. Which means that, once Airith has designed the last two windmills, and Olin and Uvash have finished building them…

Aquifer, here I come!

28 Obsidian 76

Our quota status:

Please let the humans have fish…
______________________________________________________________________________
OOC: Current character list:

Spoiler: Starting Seven: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: First Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Second Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Third Migrant Wave: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Births: (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: NPCs: (click to show/hide)

Also:

Spoiler: Named Dwarf Current Status (click to show/hide)

Fleeting Frames · « **Reply #89 on:** July 05, 2016, 11:22:28 am »

Unless you asked for fish, I doubt humans will have 200 of it

I didn't know bowyers could create foreign weapons. Well, you can put it on display in the dining or sleeping room, I guess.

For now, grand aboveground spire continues I guess. How many keas remaining in region-pops?

Though regarding marksdwarves, shouldn't off-duty civilians carrying crossbows in their uniforms shoot at any keas that appear?

Btw, the greedy birds can also be stopped dead by locked doors (unlike Tayldis).

News:

Poll

Ignore this, since I can't seem to re-open it.

Author Topic: The Story of Atölasob (A Community Fort with an Export Challenge) (Read 60370 times)

Dame de la Licorne

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Fleeting Frames

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Dame de la Licorne

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Dame de la Licorne

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Fleeting Frames

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Dame de la Licorne

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NCommander

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Dame de la Licorne

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Fleeting Frames

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Dame de la Licorne

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Spriggans

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Dame de la Licorne

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