Dwarf Fortress:Spearnotched:250
Dwarf Fortress:Spearnotched:251
Prologue
We depart the Mountainhome, forced to cross the world-flesh. I, brilliant diagnostician Kulet Sakzulmat, shipped away to languish in a distant fortress. For what crime? The son of Baron Tosidrith does not understand to choose not to bleed. His body was spongy.
We have been loaded down with offal to eat and cheap liquor to drink, and these meager provisions near exhaustion. We seek the site Lokumlisat, "Spearnotched." Named for the spear of many who have tried to tame this place and found themselves slain.
I already dislike the leader of this expedition, Edem. It was he who proposed this expedition as an alternative to the scullery work and hammerblows we would be sentenced to back in the Mountainhomes. I do not think this is better. These lands are full of failing fortresses. Eventually, their inhabitants will be making their way here.
Zuden, Lady of Fortresses, protect me. Domas, Lord of Trade, bring the merchants with fresh picks of steel and armor of brilliant craftsmanship.
"Best miners," Edem says, "need to plan out their mines. Then, when everything is planned, all can race to the heart of the earth." Already I don't like him, maybe because he is leader and I should be. Perhaps this is necessary for fortresses? I do not know. Aban, our Brewmistress thinks the mines are important, but says to brew is more important. Brew is the heart of dwarves, she tells me, but I think perhaps her heart is for Uzol the Mason. He is shy, but I think he fancies her, and perhaps that is beautiful, but there is a fortress to carve out. Ingiz, the chef, just looks disgusted at the offal they sent with us. He is not pleased to make his craft upon them, but I cannot understand why - the mason can work with any stone, and the Brewmistress is as content to make mead as she is to make ale.
Rigoth the other Mason, is too jolly for his or my own good. He, Uzol and I are the ones here to strike the earth. All others have tasks to keep up sated and prosperous. We will create the fortress, and they repay us. I would rather by at a theater of operation showing proper technique for with to remove the gallbladder (technique is to cut around, not through), but this is of greatest import now. When someone is hurt, though, I will hold the fortress on my back.
Only Datan I have not mentioned. He is a cutter of treeflesh, grown fat and lazy in the working of such soft materials. He and I do not agree with how leadership is to work. He thinks the leader should tell us everything: what to eat, what to drink, who to marry, what to make. I think the leader should fall in a pit and wait there for his food and water while we do what we need to. Despite this, I like him. He dreams of art and does not forget favors.
We arrive at the site. There is only one choice: we STRIKE THE EARTH!
Roll Call
Original Settlers
- Edem Etasnomal, expedition leader
- Kulet 'Butterfingers' Sakzulmat, Diagnostician
- Datan Endoktimnar, Carpenter
- Rigoth Mengilul, Mason
- Uzol Alathstul, Mason
- Aban Saramedem, Brewmistress
- Ingiz Kubukninur, Chef
Spring
Galena deposits and white sand. Edem nods a lot when he sees it. "Silver," he says, and nods some more. I can hear the mechanisms in his brain turn. Finally, he says, "This is not platinum, but it will be for making trade goods someday." Then he sees walls of obsidian and claps for joy. "We can make stone blades! And there is magma here!" I am afraid he will demand we mine it and search for the hot earth's blood, but to his credit he says we need to create stockrooms first. I almost forgive him for thinking himself in charge. Edem has made himself manager, broker and bookkeeper and, obviously, made me chief of medicine. Datan is to be our Sheriff and Hammerer because he loves leadership so much, and Rigoth captain of our militia, which consists of Rigoth and Rigoth only.
Edem has laid plans for our work, but even now he tells me he is marking his blueprints for a great hall of Obsidian, where he throne room can be created, laden with armor and weapon racks and ready to hear matters of dwarven justice. I remind him that the dream of all true dwarven settlements is to one day BE the Mountainhome and host his majesty the King, and Edem tells me that is why his throne room is on high and at the entrance: so the King may one day dwell below in the Deep Ways. I think Edem loves the surface too much, and I understand now why they send him away. It is not healthy for a dwarf to wish to rule on high.
Galena 19
Sand makes for easy digging, but yields no stone. If we had a magma kiln, we would live in a fortress of green glass, but without fire to seal it together, sand is poor building material. Still, the storehouse should be done before summer is upon us.
There were some initial job confusions and our Brewmaster took my pick. We straightened it out and she wasn't sore, but she did go straight to work making mechanisms and mumbling about "distribution of labor."
Slate 11
Noticed a lot of work going into a large area that was set to be mined before our rooms. "What is this? the hospital?" I asked Edem. He frowned and said, "Dining area." "Wings are kitchen, yeah, boss?" I asked. "Wings are my quarters, my office, my private eating chamber and my tomb." "Why they higher priority?" "I am important." "Why you get all that?" "Someday, I'll be elected mayor."
I frown.
Slate 13th
We struck a new kind of stone: gneiss.
Slate 16th
Mayor's quarters are made of graphite. Would be a shame if a fire happened. Have to keep this in mind in case I plan a treason or several treasons.
Summer
Hematite 4th
I heard a great commotion by the wagon. I'm told there was a kobold thief, soaked to the gills, doubtless here for treasure. The threat of a kobold thief, of course, isn't that it's a kobold thief, it's that where else but to the goblins can a kobold hock his ill-gotten gains! Fortunately, the dogs scared it off. Rigoth swears he chased after it, but never so much as saw the kobold, which does not instill faith in the militia in me. The dogs remain at the wagon to guard against further sneakthievery.
Hematite 17th
Datan's dream has come true! He produced a masterpiece ☼highwood bed☼! I hope he does not decide that his life is no longer with purpose because I would greatly like to have bins to put things in and beds to put immigrants in.
Hematite 25th
Yesterday, one of the dogs got in it with a chinchilla. Now I'm a butcher, because cutting ratkin meat is the same as cutting people-meat to these clods. Another couple of the dogs are getting into it today with a Panda. That doesn't seem to smart, but it'll make good eating. The dogs, that is. The panda was hurt, but I have a feeling it'll be fine. Big tough bears.
Hematite 27th
Spoke too soon! The fluffy skunk-bear is slain! One of those tough bitches is probably even going to make it.
I think dogs need their noses? I am a doctor, not a veterinarian.
Malachite 8th
In my professional opinion, the bitch is a goner. With heavy heart I made her into food, and with heavier heart I will make her into soap, which I will use to wash my hands before I perform surgery.
Malachite 10th
Oh, great! Now the Sheriff wants his own room. He takes credit for chasing away the kobold. Dogs chased away the kobold. Maybe he was one of them.
Malachite 20th
A group of migrants wants in. They claim their fortress was overrun and they were forced to abandon it. Our leader reminded us that the laws of our people are free immigration and emigration, but it seems that we should have the right to decide if they stay here. Perhaps only those with tools or wealth should be allowed. It matters not - they are staying regardless of my opinion.
- Edzul Oroddom, Cheese Maker by trade, but Woodworker by experience. Came with her own iron axe. Apparently, she already misses her family, who must not have made it.
- Ezum Oslanrithlut, the Gelder. A surgeon like me, though of a specialty, I'll give him that! His tool of choice, he tells me his tool of choice is the crossbow, and he's some skill at using it.
- Cog Orrunfeb, Farmer. His skills are, apparently, limited to milking, cooking (and not very well) and picking fruit. He'll be put to work at two out of three, Edem says. We can't afford to waste the food on a learner.
- Kosoth Datanomet, Farmer. She, like her husband Cog, has very few marketable skills. We were asking her about herself when we noticed something: 7 children! They have seven children! Panicked, we ask if they brought provisions with them. Then she explains that it's a misunderstanding. The others had been sent to war with the goblins and were not with them. Only the youngest came with them, being too young to serve. My fear has turned to a slight twinge of sadness. Family may be of little import to me, but to some it is all they have.
- Fikod Luritzulban, the Dwarven Child, is their son, and to keep him safe from goblin kidnappers, we immediately told him he was no longer allowed outside until adulthood. We set up a daycare in the kitchen storeroom. When he is a man, he will join the fortress to engage in useful trade. He's not too very bright - for starters, here's his first thought on arriving:
Nice.
Galena 3rd
Late summer and there isn't a Trade Depot! When the Mountainhome Liason arrives, I want nothing more than to have a year's worth of food ready to be added to our stores, weapons to be added to our armory and miscellaneous goods everywhere else! What is our leader thinking?
Galena 4th
Apparently, I'm supposed to be mining that out. Unfortunately, I was busy chaining and unchaining a dog to put it out to pasture, as per my VERY SPECIFIC ORDERS. Boss needs to make up his mind.
Autumn
Limestone 4th
Still no Depot and now there's another kobold sighting, but this time it was a kitten, not a dog, that saw the foul thing, which we distinctly thought might not actually dissuade the creature from its theft. The kobold, however, ran away just the same. We aren't certain if it's merely the element of surprise being lost or the kobold's genuine fear of kittens.
Limestone 9th
As predicted, the dreaded message from the liaison: "The merchants need a trade depot to unload their goods. Their wagons have bypassed your inaccessible site."
This first year may end in disaster.
No news from the Mountainhome, which is good news for us. They want... meat?
Limestone 17th
I have been instructed to bring only one item to the depot. I do not understand the reasoning behind this, but I do as instructed.
By Armok's Bloody Beard!
So... we have all the goods now. The merchants willingly traded everything in their possession for 45 meal's worth of savory pear roast. We threw in an additional 10 for his majesty. We still have more than a hundred of them, and cannot wait for further traders to come to our humble outpost.
Sandstone 5th
Ezum reported being startled mid-meal by a giant Raven. Edem thinks the best approach here is to start a militia of archers and assigned Ezum to lead it.
Sandstone 19th
MORE immigrants? We've barely enough beds for those we have! Edem AGAIN reminds that we cannot turn them away. Ancient customs. Bah! These come from a group called the Banner of Clasps, who, apparently, started a fortress some great distance from here.
- Rakust Cogazin, Wax Worker. She has nine children, of which only one is with her, and an older sister, Kol, who she has already proclaimed she misses dearly. I asked where he other children were, and she just grew dewy eyed. Best to ask her husband. Edem thinks given her limited skills, she should join the mining corps.
- Urist Rigothorrun, Ranger. Rakust's husband. He, like his wife, is obsessed with his extended family, who have apparently not come with them. Urist is to become a member of the ironically named Silvery Hammers, our archer corps.
- Athel Ingizthabost, Dwarven Child. Athel like his entire damnable clan, seems obsessed with relatives who could not come with them.
- Besmar Gusilkeskal, Glazer. Despite being named "Coppershot," he revealed the the only thing he really knows is how to glaze pots. Edem sighed and told him to take up a pick.
- Stukos Morulotsus, Dwarven Child. This brat! Let me tell you about this brat here! He apparently ABHORS those who pursue mastery of weapons and skills of fighting, finds the pursuit of skill "off-putting" and sees sacrifice as "wasteful and foolish." There are currently plans to force him into the military upon coming of age, but I think this is ill-advised. If he doesn't want to serve, why not let him waste his life smoothing stone?
- Lor Ustuthsokan, Farmer. Gelder, butcher, tanner. What isn't to like? We have hides that need tanning, and we'll put him to work at it. Edem wants him to learn trapping to save us our current methods of acquiring food, which I find mighty pleasing.
- Kol Cattentolun, Craftsdwarf. Clothier and leatherworker, which hopefully means we'll not go naked after winter. She's also some meager skill with a potter's wheel.
- Ustuth Amkolonul, Architect. Kol's husband and, frankly, it is nice to see a couple show up without a child in tow. Sure they have a son, he just isn't in tow. Probably eaten by goblins. I hear that particular sob story a lot lately.
- Onul Dumatshagog, Farmer. Grower, shearer and gelder, Edem immediately told him that from here on out she was also a milker, lye maker, wood burner, miller, and soap maker. I asked why he heaped those things upon her and he said they were the only jobs no one was doing. She had, apparently, said something disparaging about competition and Edem decided to make her do everything that no one else was doing.
- Stukos Logemsherik, Bee Mistress. Apparently, she keeps bees. She's a butcher and a Cook, though Edem emphasizes that there is only one chef here and insisted that if anyone was going to chop things up it was me. She graciously accepted this and complimented Edem on his wisdom. Oh, and she's another of that 7 children lot. More for the daycare, I suppose.
- Id Idokmedtob, Bee Master. Can you guess whose husband this is? I'll give you a hint: BEES!
- Cog Nomcatten, Dwarven Child. The older of their "adorable" offspring. I naturally assumed she, like her parents was a lover of bees. "I like cats," she insisted, which made me smile. A lot of people from her fortress seem to miss Kol Koleng. If Koleng shows up, I'll be sure to have the inquisition ensure she isn't a vampire with power over people. That would be terrible.
- Tulon Rulsarvesh, Dwarven Child. The younger of Id and Stukos' children. This child simply could not stand arriving on a rainy day, and said it made her feel "dejected," which is a very big word for a one-year-old.
That is everyone, raising our population by 9 to 25 in our first year, with a pretty good chance of a winter immigration wave as well. Edem did the math and says that rightly 20% of us are children. That means that we are all doing 20% more work if I understand the maths correctly. Zuden, preserve us!
Sandstone 21st
Oh no...
This... is this ok?
Wait... she isn't working. She hasn't claimed a workshop! Oh NO! What she wants isn't built! The fae spirit will drive her to madness. Frantically, we build every workshop in hopes of appeasing it!
Whew! Found it. Kol has begun her mysterious leathery construction with some hare leather and billion bars. This could be very interesting.
Timber 5th
Edem has declared that Kol and Kol alone is fit to use the leather workshop, which is fine by me. She's been put to work makign uniforms for the archers. We ran out of leather before she finished, which is dangerous in the case that we need leather for another strange mood. If we can hold out util merchants arrive again, we'll be able to replenish our supply easily.
Winter
Moonstone 4th
ANOTHER kobold thief! This Edem sent the archers, reasoning that if soldiers cannot hunt them down, arrows can chase them, but yet again they were nowhere near close enough. There is talk of having them patrol actively, perhaps 1/3 of their time, which will allow us to catch them in the act (instead of having our animals spot them, which just spooks them).
Opal 15th
A proper hospital! With a full theater of operation! We'll put seating around it and the common people can watch me operate! If I'm fortunate, there will be a gallstone in need of removal that will let me improve my prowess.
Opal 28th
Edem decided it was time for him to likewise create an artifact. So be it. We'll see how that turns out. He has withdrawn to a Craftsdwarf's Workshop. Finally, he gathered some mangled fox bone (the gelder, it seems, had elected to beat the fox when he exhausted him ammunition) a block of native platinum and a single round pineapple opal cbochons.
Obsidian 8th
It's a drum!
It's the most patriotic drum, depicting an artifact, our king and, most delightfully, the death of an elf.
Final Thoughts
The first year has treated me well. No one died this year, but sadly no one was maimed to the point of needing surgery, which is always disappointing.
Spoke some more with Edem. Turns out he considers Dog his friend, but sees himself as being on "Friendly Terms" with everyone else. He is genuinely pleased with himself and the progress of this year. I don't think it will last.
The depot is supposed to have a rear entrance with some sort of gate - be it portcullis or drawbridge - and traps to keep out ne'er do wells. The front drawbridge is not quite done, but once it is, we'll hook up the lever to allow entrance. Ideally, we'll have full access control. The forbidden roast has been left at the depot and is ready to be permitted and subsequently sold when the time comes.
The entrance is protected by hounds. To ensure ideal breeding, the hounds are chained with a bitch top and bottom and a stud male in the middle. This should also prevent thieves from entering. In the future, we may train them as war dogs.
Our expansion is still in progress. The workshops below are not complete, but we hope to populate them with all the necessities. Wood burners, clothiers, spinners and the like.
Our dining room is small. We'll need another to accommodate the full number of dwarves we will likely see, now that word is spreading of our wealth of roasts. Behind it, the daycare, where we placed all the children until they reach maturity at which point they will be drafted into the militia.
Beyond that, we hope to finish the barracks and populate it. I'm told we should have a danger room and, if we go really crazy with it, we might be able to make one where people will actually be injured, which will let me ply my trade. Access control is an issue, and traps would be most excellent, as we are close enough to the goblins to reasonably expect an assault someday.