The Little Fortress Of Horrors

1st Timber, 256, Late Autumn

Dear god this is horrifying.

The tantrum spiral has slowed with the influx of new dwarves. The older ones are losing their minds as all their old lovers/friends/rivals keep dying on horrible ways, and the misery drives them to suicide or homicide. It affects the children the hardest as they lose parents, but then the moment they go berserk and start attacking people, they are torn apart the dogs we trained for war.

Only the dogs.

All the dogs just leap at the children, shaking them until they bleed to death.

So there's that going on.

Also, our old mayor finally died from melancholy, along with our legendary miner that got in a fist-fight with the brewer and caught an unfortunate blow to the temple. Soon, there won't be a single original dwarf left.

More importantly, though, I'm about to throw the switch.

The switch is connected to a system of water-wheels and windmills all powering water pumps that will pump water through a series of hallways. The water-pumping will be automated, so once it starts, I won't be able to  turn it off short of destroying the pumps.

Another switch will open a floodgate which will allow water to pour into the entrance-way of the fortress, where all the traps are. If I manage to trap enemies in there, I'll be able to dump them into the moat and watch them drown. The only downside to this system is that I won't be able to retrieve the equipment of fallen foes, but that's just being greedy.

Also, since it's a closed system, I don't know if the water pressure won't just make the whole thing explode.

Welp, time to find out!

Fracturing Sanity

26th Slate, 256, Mid-Spring

Migrants! Migrants have arrived after a lengthy dry-spell. For once, I'm, actually glad to see them. We are currently at 67 dwarves, and about half of those are in the military, meaning construction and things have slowed down considerably.

Let's see how many were fooled attracted by the promise of starting a new life here in Coalclinched.

1st Felsite, 256, Late Spring

Nineteen new faces! Among which were a couple of competent markdwarves, one competent military tactician, and one student. All of them now bolstering our military numbers.

We are at a population of 86 now. I'm going to assgin the vacant bedrooms to some of these newcomers and let the rest share the beds in the dormitory.

22nd Felsite, 256, Late Spring

An ambush!

It rarely fails: a caravan arrives and then goblins attack. I'm starting to suspect maybe the goblins follow the caravans in?

Anyway, I'm going to call for a general retreat and see how my traps and elven merchants deal with this. I'll keep the rest of the dwarves on stand-by.

26th Felsite, 256, Late Spring

We lost four dwarves to the ambush, but the traps at the front gate have proven effective.

The center is full of weapon and stone-fall traps, but goblins are adept at dodging these, so they're also lined with cage traps. This results in the goblins avoiding the traps and leaping right into the cages!

Looks like we've got plenty more fodder for our arena!

1st Hematite, 256, Early Summer

We survived the ambush, but the fortress is currently going through something of a tantrum spiral. A marksdwarf was killed in his bed by an angry hammerdwarf, and now even the militia commander has lost it! Hopefully not too much damage will be done before everyone calms down...

7th Hematite, 256, Early Summer

Although the worst of it seems to have passed, Zaneg Mengemen, the hammerdwarf-murderer, has gone completely insane and stark-raving mad. This is bad news for several reasons: first is the obvious damage this dwarf can do while mad. Second, if anyone is attached emotionally to said dwarf, they may also throw a tantrum once we put down Zaneg.

Although... no, okay, we're okay. Looks like Zaneg is only running around babbling, not actually hurting or destroying anything. I guess all the death that's surrounded her and her actions were just too much! Besides the one dwarf she accidentally killed in her fit of rage, she also has a troll to her name.

But now, there's nothing to do but wait until she dies of dehydration...

9th Hematite, 256, Early Summer

Well, it appears I may have spoken too soon!

Zaneg was standing on the only bridge out of the fortress, babbling like crazy, and I didn't think anything of it. Imagine my surprise, then, when she destroyed said bridge! Now everyone is stuck inside the fortress!

It's just lucky no one actually fell into the moat!

13th Hematite, 256, Early Summer

This tantrum spiral is never-ending! Now a woodcutter in the military has gone berserk! It was in the middle of practice, so he's surrounded by armed dwarves, but also filled with insane rage. I hope he goes down without much of a fight.

Oh crap, he's armed with a battle-axe.

This may get messy.

16th Hematite, 256, Early Summer

Okay, so he went down easy, but no one is happy about it. In the hopes to calm everyone down, I've scheduled no training for a bit. At least until everyone cheers up a little.

Maybe if I put statues in everyone's rooms...

19th Malachite, 256, Mid-Summer

This is a dark year for Coalclinched! The tantrums are still going, but diminishing in severity. Bembul, who was jailed a while ago, has been struck with melancholy and refuses to drink. Alath, a planter that was also jailed for a number of tantrum-related crimes, was accidentally killed when her sentence of a beating was carried out.

Also, those elvish merchants I mentioned during the ambush? I accidentally offered them something made from wood and they left in anger.

Through all this misery and death, a woodcutter was taken by a fey mood and constructed a most awesome throne, bearing the carving of Mosus lifting the crown he made three years earlier.

5th Galena, 256, Late Summer

The mayor has been struck with melancholy! This bodes especially bad as she was quite well-liked by many, many dwarves. Beloved by children, especially, and we even managed to meet most of her demands!

Times are tough.

27th Galena, 256, Late Summer

Wow, things just got really dark. One of the many children of the fortress just went berserk, flying into a violent rage.

I'm not sure if I should just let it run its course or take it down.

28th Galena, 256, Late Summer

Ouch.

Dark Days

7th Obsidian, 255, Late Winter

This year has been both good and bad. Traders have returned and survived to tell the tale of Coalclinched. With the previous demise of other trade caravans, migrants feared the worst and none of them showed up this year. This allowed a bit of relief in pressure on the resources, but our numbers are also dwindling. We are down to 66 dwarves. 91 was the height of our population.

Since the last slaughter of our military, I've recruited whoever I could to train in defense. There's the main squad, now led by a hunter ever since the untimely death of Zon's replacement, Rith. It was a rather embarrassing death and could have been avoided entirely.

You see, we have an arena where we take captives and fire down at them from the safety of a balcony. I had loaded up the arena with four goblins and two trolls and let the marksdwarves have at it. Unfortunately, one of the Trolls managed to break through the floodgate that normally keeps them safely trapped within and bore down on poor Rith. The troll was taken down as well, but not before it inflicted mortal wounds on the new Captain of the Guard.

As such, not everyone is happy to be in the military. The most extreme example of this is Bembul Isulzefon, who just recently threw a tantrum from being so unhappy. In her rage, she threw a rock at a dog and then hit a guy in the head with her shield, killing him almost instantly. She was quickly kicked out of her squad and the Captain of the Guard grabbed her, kicking and screaming, and dragged her all the way to our jail.

There she will remain for 255 days.

A Great One Passes

7th Limestone, 254, Late Autumn

The years are getting harder, but we're fighting on.

Earlier this year, we were attacked by goblins riding all manner of things. Giant Olms, Cave Crawlers, Giant Alligators... and they were accompanied by a whole squad of Trolls. We managed to fight them off with the help of a human caravan, but we took some losses. Zon remains alive and in charge of the military, but we're going to have to replenish our numbers soon.

In the meantime, we have a bit of a textile industry going. This means there's a dwarf going down into the caverns below to collect spider silk. During one of these forays, a downward passage was discovered into some dark, unknown cave.

I'm tempted to explore it, but I'm afraid of what  I might find down there...

17th Moonstone, 254, Early Winter

My cavern explorations were interrupted by a force of vile darkness. It struck as we were far too unprepared. We managed to fight them back, but the battle cost us Zon who had given birth to yet another little girl. It's now up to her husband to raise the three kids.

I believe in her honour, and the fall of the entire other military squad, I am going to instigate a training regiment that will include the entire fortress. Every dwarf will be available for defense next time there's a siege. This will affect productivity, sure, but it'll ensure there'll be a "next time".

WAR

16th Timber, 253, Late Autumn

A vile force of darkness has appeared! And this, only days after Zon, my captain of the guard, has given birth to a girl!Congratulations!

Over the horizon, it appears that the force is a group of axe-wielding goblins, one of which is riding an elk bird. This shouldn't pose too much of a threat against my sniper squad, but we'll see how it goes.

First things first: everyone back to base before I close up the drawbridge! Next, get the military in position. The squadron known as the Glee of Lashes is made up of migrants that had some experience with combat before they showed up, while the Tombs of Stilling are the snipers. The Tombs will be positioned on the second floor of the outer tower while the Lashes are going to wait inside, just in case.

The bridge goes up before any invaders are able to reach it and my military gets into position. With no clear path into my fortress, the invaders appear confused and unsure. Time to adopt an old tactic: lift the bridge up-and-down constantly to lure them forward.

28th Timber, 253, Late Autumn

We've broken the siege!

It went flawlessly. They weren't taking the bait with the bridge, so I left it down to let them come at us. They charge forward and were met with a hail of bolts which tore through their numbers. Bolstered by this, my melee squad rushed out and met them head-on.

We scattered them almost immediately as they continued to be peppered with bolts. We destroyed them completely and didn't take a single casualty, though we're not without wounded.

Time to lick our wounds and grab the spoils of war!

12th Moonstone, 253, Early Winter

Two dwarves are in the hospital for leg-related injuries they sustained in the siege, but otherwise all seems well.

Zon has earned herself the title of "Authoredclasp the Enchanted Brigand" and currently has over 21 kills to her name. Thirteen of those are due mostly to her time as a hunter before being placed in charge of the military, but the other nine are all goblins.

In addition to this, she remains happily married to Nish Sengetur, a mechanic, and together they have two children: the daughter Zon gave birth to just before the siege and a son who is a gifted boncarver. And by gifted, I mean Legendary. They also have a pet cat.

Dead Elves, Dead Goblins, Happy Dwarves

17th Moonstone, 252, Early Winter

As the second year of Coalclinched comes to a close, the fortress celebrates with the birth of its first child: Ushrir "Axestrapped" Libashniles.

Congratulations to Rovod "Cudgelwires" Asteshshorast! She now has both a son and a daughter, and I'm pretty sure her husband is still alive!

25th Opal, 252, Mid-Winter

Mafol "Craftsstroked" had gone a little mad. He was wandering around the statue garden with a worrying gleam in his eye until it occurred to someone to build a smithy. Once there, he started mumbling about bones and metal, which had most of us confused still.

Bones we had plenty of, but metal we were short on. Luckily, we'd just finished building a wood burning shop to help with the soap for our hospital, so we made some charcoal, grabbed a piece of sphalerite and pounded out a zinc bar. Mafol dove for the zinc the moment it was cool enough to touch along with a handful of bones.

He created a zinc battle-axe which he decided to name "The Gloved Nut".

20th Obsidian, 252, Late Winter

To celebrate the last month of winter, we have a goblin snatcher trapped in a cage!

We just finished our arena, more or less, and it has a balcony from which my marksdwarves can fire. Good target practice, if nothing goes wrong. Let's have some fun!

25th Obsidian, 252, Late Winter

An ambush! Curse them!

We kept getting snatcher after snatcher, and I was starting to get a little suspicious. All of sudden, bam! Six goblin invaders!

Okay, here's the defense plan: Raise the drawbridge for now and see how many more get trapped in those cages. Once trapped, I'll get my militia into position and let down the drawbridge. There's enough cages in the halls that lead to the main fortress that most should get captured before they to fight, but we'll see.

My only worry is that this will be the first battle for many of them.

6th Granite, 253, Early Spring

Well, that could have gone... better.

The entire militia but for two dwarves was slaughtered by two goblins. They managed to sneak in, and then all the militia dwarves got axed. The two that survived only did so because they weren't there. One of them, Adil, was asleep during the battle, and the other was Zon, who is also our hunter, whom I didn't send out.

After the horrible slaughter, I decided to throw the entire fortress at them. Zon led the charge, taking out two goblins with bolts, and the others were taken out by our capenters and a dog.

Which leads me to wonder what the squad was doing this entire time when they were "training".

The militia squad was made up of mostly immigrants, and none of them really stood out save for Ast, who had decapitated that alligator that one time. I was really hoping to see her have a future, but the fortress giveth and the fortress taketh away. Also you get murdered by goblins.

The only other notable loss is a couple: a husband and wife, both dead but childless at least, so leaving no orphans behind.

Welp, time to bury the dead and collect our loot!

I'm disbanding the base militia and re-assigning Zon to lead and train the next wave of immigrants into proper snipers.

28th Granite, 253, Early Spring

A new wave of goblin fodder marksdwarves has arrived!

25th Felsite, 253, Late Spring

An elven caravan has arrived and we started trading with no problems. As I'm sorting through the crafts we've made, I notice a yak hoof figurine of Mosus, our resident bonecrafter who is also legendary, and who made that bone ring earlier.

This figurine was carved by... Mosus. He's making figurines of himself. Clearly, his ego is a little inflated.

Regardless, before I can get too far with the trading, the goblins launch another ambush! I'll see if the elven caravan traders can't take care of them first while I call everyone back inside. Worst case scenario, I have to fight the gobbos myself. Best case, I don't have to fight them at all, and it won't be "trading" so much as "the spoils of war".

Let's see how this plays out.

28th Felsite, 253, Late Spring

Now that is how it should go!

Sure enough, the elf merchants took the worst of it. Yeah, they got their limbs and heads and other bits cut off, though they did manage to take out a couple of goblins. Bolstered by this, my new squad, led by Zon, charged forth, bolts flying, and cut down all the remaining goblins. I only lost some nameless recruit who charged headlong into battle with no weapons.

And now there's all this merchandise sitting here with no merchants to take it away...

The Village Of Coalclinched

10th Malachite, 252, Mid-Summer

Just as yet another wave of migrants arrives, the military is busy chasing a goblin thief through the wilds. I think I'll let this one escape, since it didn't manage to grab either of our two children. I need to focus on the immigrants and where to put them.

We need more masons and stone engravers, but we're doing pretty good for haulers. I've started construction on the outside defenses. It's going to be straightforward enough: a bridge-accessed tower, with a moat around it. It'll make cage traps easier to place and sieges easier to handle (hopefully).

The first of the new wave of immigrants is Vabok "Oiledgrooves" who is a talented speardwarf, a butcher and a surgeon. I feel like those three things shouldn't be related, but it makes sense for them to be. That leaves the question of where to put her. In the new hospital that's completely under-equipped? In the militia squad? We already have a butcher, but no doctor... Medical dwarf it is, then!

Only 8 dwarves in this wave, with a new hauler, a new stone smoother, a new mason, and a few more military recruits. Not too bad a haul. I just need to name someone a nurse to help the new Chief Medical Dwarf.

26th Galena, 252, Late Summer

Our expedition leader, Zon, has been possessed! Hopefully we'll have everything needed to sate whatever foul demons have taken possession. If not, a human trade caravan is still sitting in our Trade Depot, so surely they'll have what we're missing.

4th Limestone, 252, Early Autumn

It seems we can't find what Zon is looking for. We're thinking it's silk cloth, which the traders don't have. There's is one thing we can do to make sure, however, and that's to dig down until we hit the underground caverns. There's a good chance there'll be spider silk, and from that we can make silk thread, from which we can weave silk cloth.

It's a long shot, but it's either that or have our expedition leader lose his mind.

Armok save us.


13th Sandstone, 252, Mid-Autumn

Alas! Despite having found caves with webs, the dwarf we assigned to gather it was too stupid to find the exit of the room he was in to collect anything. As a result, Zon has gone berserk. The only thing to do now is put him down.

And I think I'm going to do something about that web-collecter...

Zon, now berserk, is chasing other dwarves around the fortress. He got as far as the stairs out of the crafts-shop floor when Ast and her militia of now ten-strong dwarves appeared. Before he could say a thing, one of the newest recruits, Degel Luslemalath, jammed her spear through his head.

What a terrible end to such a noble dwarf, one of the original 7, the one that led everyone here.

Well, now that he's dead, everyone can grab his stuff!

In his honor, Ushrir built a statue of him being appointed as expedition leader and we erected it in the statue garden. I've also put another one of Bim, and this time Bim is surrounded by lizards. Seriously, what is their problem with Bim?

16th Sandstone, 252, Mid-Autumn

With this latest wave of migrants, we're now at 55 dwarves. The void left by Zon has been filled by Rigoth "Craftstall" Rigothshukar, now voted mayor since our hamlet has officially become a village. While the position is a lofty one, she also has demands: decent quarters, an office, a private dining room and so forth.

Rigoth also happens to be our broker and does all our trading, so at least she's being useful.

Deeper Underground

22nd Timber, 251, Late Autumn

Worried about our food supplies despite the excellent trading and constant cooking and brewing, I decide to get rid of the excess animals and butcher a couple of cats and dogs. This only excites Mosus, who once again leaps at the bones and leather left behind.

Whatever her intentions, we'll soon know as she shut herself up completely inside the craftshop, and we can hear her fervently working away at... something.

27th Timber, 251, Late Autumn

After nearly a week of madness, Mosus emerges with... a ring. A bone ring.

"Behold!" she cries. "The Stale Alchemy!"

10th Moonstone, 251, Early Winter

Winter is officially upon us, but it is no cause for concern. Everything has been moved underground and our industries are working along nicely. The immigrants are snug in their dormitories while the real workers are happy with their lodgings.

We are a Hamlet now, numbering 20 healthy dwarves. I have just named Bim as bookkeeper so we can get an accurate count of where we're at in terms of supplies.

Next year's main concern will be security. There's goblins and kobolds out there, and they're not going to wait too long to make themselves known to us! Better start on some traps, just in case.


18th Moonstone, 251, Early Winter

I have just noticed that Mosus' little ring project launched her into being a legendary bone carver. She is the first legendary anything in Coalclinched. Congrats, girl!

1st Obsidian, 251, Late Winter

We're carving out a barracks for what is going to be our military. Ast will be in charge of it. We've already made her a  wooden practice sword once we get things up and running.

I imagine building a hospital would be just as useful at this point.

Meanwhile, Rigoth Rainorb, husband of Rovod, claims to be hearing voices and has been taken by a fey mood. Better keep a close eye on him...

22nd Obsidian, 251, Late Winter

Rigoth has been yelling for yarn wool which, unfortunately, we do not have nor are able to produce. Hopefully he won't lose his mind before we can get some. I would hate for Rovod to be widowed.

That, and I don't feel like building crypts just yet.

In other news, we had a goblin snatcher appear! He didn't make it out with anything but managed to escape as Ast gave chase. This is but the beginning.

1st Granite, 252, Early Spring

Year 2 has officially begun. The first year was amazingly successful, so hopefully the second year will be just as good. We managed to achieve all our goals of the first year, mostly being to establish the living quarters and conditions, start a renewable food source, and get everything sheltered.

This year's goals will include: get a proper militia up and running, build a functioning hospital, get the outside defenses up and inside traps set, and build an arena.

Our more short-term goals include getting some yarn wool for Rovod who's starting to look a little madder than usual...

19th Granite, 252, Early Spring

Rovod has lost it! He's gone stark raving mad and is now babbling like a crazy person through the fortress. Eventually he'll die of thirst or hunger, but that's going to take a while. In the meantime, he's running back and forth between the workshops and the slums wearing nothing but a pair of pants, gloves and a shoe.

8th Slate, 252, Mid-Spring

In an effort to get people's minds off the crazy dwarf running around, I'm going to build a statue garden just off the main meeting hall. Our mason is quite skilled and apparently knowledgeable with his history. Here's a few statue examples:

Here's one where they thought appointing Ast was worth commemorating:

On the topic of Ast, she's picked up a steel axe and started training with that, on her own. Surely we'll soon get more immigrants with a few combat skills to join her side.

As it turns out, however, our mason artist is not fond of Bim:

Turns out Ushrir is a fan of the Stale Alchemy, the horse-bone ring that Mosus created in her madness:

There are other statues, too, of historical dwarves being struck down by goblins. A particularly inspiring one is of the foundation of Coalclinched itself. Hopefully this will be a realxing garden, so long as Bim doesn't see what the masons think of her.

10th Slate, 252, Mid-Spring

Huzzah! Migrants! Let's see how many turn out useful.

Our first new arrival is Mistem "Tomesmob" Melbilodgub, and she appears to be skilled only in military tactics. She is a definite shoe-in as a new addition to our military!

Kulet "Foundpaint" Atollogem is a furnace operator, and barely that. Looks more like a hauler or stonecarver to me.

Thob "Brimsteel" Kakdaldeler, besides having an awesome nickname, is apparently quite skilled in combat! He'll join up the ranks of Ast and Mistem. Apparently, the journey here was rough as he's already getting used to tragedy...

Rith "Tourbastion" Sigunberul shows up with some talent in butchery. Good! We'll assign him as that and nothing else, along with a room. No immigrant slums for him!

Doren "Dabblelabored" Gikuterith claims to be a novice liar. That's not something someone should boast about, unless they love hauling duty! Although, seeing as she is muscular and mighty, maybe the militia would benefit from her presence.

Momuz "Netraked" Kibborush is a dyer and adequate clothier, but unfortunately, we don't have much of a clothing industry going on right now. Although we could try to start one. Sure, why not? For you, Momuz.

Zon "Authoredclasp" Ardesdodok is a talented marksdwarf, making her a perfect hunter, which is good, because we just got a new butcher! She gets a room immediately.

More interesting, she also showed up with her husband and son, and their pet kitten Astesh Solonnikuz!

Nish "Ringboulder" Sengetur, the husband, is a novice mechanic. He automatically gets a room from being married to Zon, so I might as well let him continue to be a mechanic. It'll at least free up Ushrir who's doing double-duty between stone work and mechanisms.

Ducim "Anguishlance" Roldethkubuk is the 9 year old only son of Zon and Nish. I hope he survives long enough to grow up.

Rimtar "Talonchannels" is another beekeeper... so, hauler.

Dodok "Bellsprinkled" Rithimesh is a stonecarver!

Olon "Blazesgalleys" Sakrithdegel has shown up with every farming labour enabled, and a bit of skill in most of them. I'm going to reward that optimism with a room and no hauling duties.

... And you know what? They just keep coming. This last wave of immigrants has more than doubled our population and we are now at 42 dwarves.

First things first: slaughtering all those animals that came with them. It'll keep us supplied without enough food to feed everyone for a bit, and save us the trouble of having to feed them.

11th Felsite, 252, Late Spring

Rigoth has finally died of thirst. He was standing among the statues when it happened, babbling madly, staring off into space, half-dressed and wild. He is the first casualty of Coalclinched, but not likely to be the last.


24th Felsite, 252, Late Spring

While staring at the numbers of the books, Bim suddenly stopped working, as if possessed by some unknown force! Muttering something about rough colour, she barricaded herself in the jeweler's workshop.

1st Hematite, 252, Early Summer

Summer is here! And apparently so is an alligator!

Time to put Ast's training and militia colleagues to the test.

2nd Hematite, 252, Early Summer

They had to chase down the beast, but they caught up to it and made short work of it. Ast landed the killing blow with her axe, decapitating it in one fell swoop! Well done!

Not a bad start to her military career, I'd say. Her shield is something we picked up from elven traders earlier in the Spring. Seeing as it came in rather useful, I think I might make some more!

6th Hematite, 252, Early Summer

While everyone was out fighting, Bim collected together some rough gems and set herself to work, eventually emerging with a rock crystal scepter of some kind, called "Neutralechoed the Clan of Dwellers". The ordeal has left her as an expert gem cutter.

Digging The Foundations

The embark site of Coalclinched is nice. There's a river, a couple of hills, and palm trees as far as the eye can see. Better start to chop them down!

The first thing to do is secure a food source. Our options at present are farming, fishing, hunting, or butchering all our animals. I'm going to go with farming as it allows us to have a low-cost and semi-renewable food source, along with fishing. Hunting is more resource-heavy, though the rewards are greater: in addition to food, we can make leather, crafts and ammo from the bodies, but at this point, we don't have the mandwarfpower to handle all that. Slaughternig all our animals is a good, last-ditch survival tactic that we don't need to employ just yet.

8th Granite, 251, Early Spring

So far so good.

Kel is digging out the tunnels that will lead down into our fortress, along with Ushrir the stoneworker, while Msetthos is cutting down trees and Dodok is fishing. The other four are just lounging about waiting for something to do.

 6th Slate, 251, Mid-Spring

Decided to get everyone to do something after all. We ran across some gems while Ushrir and Kel dug out the temporary shelter, so that gave Atir something to do. Meanwhile, Mafol and Mestthos cut down wood and build furniture, and Zon and Dodok have fished out so many mussels from the river that a lot of them are rotting already.

The stench must be awful.

7th Slate, 251, Mid-Spring

Kel was so impressed by Ushrir's mining skills that he officially named him Miner.

12th Slate, 251, Mid-Spring

The first meeting hall has officially been carved out!

Ushrir is going to take a break from mining and start building doors, thrones and tables, leaving Kel to mine out the food stores and dormitory on his own.

13th Slate, 251, Mid-Spring

Since the dormitory isn't finished yet, Mestthos the woodcutter fell asleep right in the grass outside.

21st Slate, 251, Mid-Spring

And how the food storage is ready! Finally, no more leaving mussels out in the sun to rot. Instead, we're going to stuff them into a dank cavern where the stench will spread easier.

Hm.

28th Felsite, 251, Late Spring

Things are going worryingly well.

The shelter is finished, with a functional dining room next to the food stores, and a dormitory that has more than enough beds for everyone. Work has started on underground mushroom farms for a renewable food source.

Meanwhile, we have so many mussel shells from all those mussels that I've asked Atir to start making crafts out of them. Maybe we can start encrusting them with all those Tiger Irons we keep finding.

1st Hematite, 251, Summer

Summer is officially here. A trade caravan should be showing up anytime now. I should appoint someone to be broker, if at least temporarily. Better yet, I'll build a Trade Depot so we can actually do some trading!

I took a look to see what shell crafts Atir might have made, only to notice he hadn't done a damn thing!

"I'm too busy hauling these... logs, yeah," he said when questioned about it. I can't blame him, though. The stench from that fishery full of rotten mussels is suffocating.

3rd Hematite, 251, Summer

Atir made a ring, amulet and crown out of mussel shell.

I think he's mocking me.

9th Hematite, 251, Summer

Work has begun on the main fortress. We're going to start with what will be the main hall and then set up the private apartments.

2nd Malachite, 251, Mid-Summer

Things are trudging along uneventfully. The new main hall is nearly complete, Atir has managed to use up all our available mussel shells, and our water buffalo was stung by a bee.

I should make beehives!

4th Malachite, 251, Mid-Summer

New main hall complete! Ain't it beautiful?

11th Malachite, 251, Mid-Summer

Atir was done with the mussel shells, so he went back to cutting gems and started encrusting those amulets, crowns and rings with said gems. As he did so, a honey badger came out of nowhere and scared the crap out of him, then ran away.

If that thing starts to be a probem, I might have to do something about it. I'll keep an eye out.

But in more important news, migrants have arrived! This is important.

First thing I'm going to do is turn off all the hauling and farming for the original seven. Immigrants are going to get all the grunt work, which includes hauling, cleaning, smoothing out the hallways and joining the military.

If any of them have the slightest bit of martial training I am sending them after that honey badger.

Alright, so let's see who we've got...

12th Malachite, 251, Mid-Summer

Cerol "Shoteven" Keskaldeg, who appears to be both an accomplished carpenter and leader. That is surprisingly more useful than I anticipated.

She doesn't know anyone in the fortress yet, but she does worship Risen and Omer.

Coming up behind her is Zas "Romanticmines" Abiravuz, a muscular, mustachioed dwarf with long sideburns. He's a miner, among other things, but that will immediately make him useful. Here are two immigrants that may be upgraded to full member quite quickly!

He worships Urosh Ngathsesh Vesh and Kadol.

Following behind them is Mosus "Daggercudgels" Uristastesh, a gem setter. Actually, he has a number of basic useful skills, but remains a novice in all of them. He's going to be a hauler for a while, but he'll likely fill a needed role soon enough.

He also worships Kadol and Urosh Ngathsesh Vesh who, by the way, I just learned is also known as Urosh the Puke of Dust.

After that comes Ast "Organurn" Inashvucar, who calls herself a woodworker but I've noticed is also skilled with a sword and armor. I think we have our honey badger hunter!

She worships Risen and Shigin Sobirnoram, a deity of the Rough Craft that takes the form of a male dwarf and is associated with freedom.

I'm going to keep her on hauling duty for right now and sort out the new sleeping arrangements, but as soon as I've got a moment I'm sending her off after that badger.

Kubuk "Polishrags" Delethunib is next, and among his incredible skill set is the ability to walk on crutches. That will come in useful when he is inevitably maimed horribly by a goblin ambush. He calls himself a cheese maker, but I call him fodder hauler.

He worships Kadol and Shigin Sobirnoram.

Then along comes Ral "Cryptuttered" Momuzgutid, a creepy nickname if I ever heard one. She's good at pottery, which might be useful if we had any clay or designs to have clay. But since we don't, she's another hauler! Or maybe a hallway-smoother, we'll see.

She is a casual worshipper of Omer and ardent worshipper of Shigin Sobirnoram.

And then following behind is a cute little puppy and a yak calf. We'll put the yak in the pasture with the other livestock and let the puppy roam around. Who knows? It might make a good war hound later.

So, six new dwarves, that's not bad. It's better than the waves of 20+ we can expect to get later. I'm acturally going to relieve some of the present workers a little. For one thing, Mosus is now going to concentrate on turning our mussel shells into crafts, freeing up Atir to concentrate on his first love: gems.

Zas is going to help with the development of the main fortress with his mining skills, so I believe that should automatically earn him a private apartment, which leaves the question of what I should do with our new carpenter. Cerol is accomplished, but Mafol is competent. However, Mafol is also a good people-person, so maybe I'll make her our new broker for when the trade caravans arrive. That would mean Cerol gets herself an apartment, too.

Ast is immediately being made into Coalclinched's first militia member. This does not necessarily earn her any priviledges yet,  but it does place her in the nobility next to our expedition leader. We'll see how she fares against the honey badger. She's a skilled swordsdwarf but all we have are axes. I wonder if this means she'll try to wrestle it.

Hmm, better see if I can't get my hands on a sword first.

Oh that son of a bitch!

4th Galena, 251, Late Summer

That badger is good at hiding, but it can't hide forever! As soon as it shows its little face, it's going to get a face-full of Ast!

Meanwhile, the apartments are more or less finished and are now just waiting to be furnished. Production moves along at a satisfactory pace and I believe the next move is to create a working kitchen environment. That means kitchen, still, and butchery, which also means we can start on leatherworking and crafts.

26th Galena, 251, Late Summer

Cerol and Mafol keep switching carpentry jobs. While one builds furniture, the other tends to the farms and vice-versa, which I feel is fine! As long as the crops get harvested before they rot.

I've noticed we're getting dangerously low on alchohol, so I sped up the construction of the kitchens. We now have a still and the fishery has also been moved inside. It's going to take a lot more dwarfpower to get the place running properly, but once we do we'll likely prosper!

No sign of the honey badger, though that one buffalo got stung by a bee again.

I think our expdition leader, Zon, who has been doing nothing but clean mussels from their shells, can also take some time out from that incredibly busy schedule of constantly taking breaks to brew us something to drink.

3rd Limestone, 251, Early Autumn

Autumn has just arrived, and to mark the occasion, our bee-stung buffalo gave birth to a calf!

I think I'm going to build a pen enclosure and a farm.

21st Limestone, 251, Early Autumn

The dormitory is complete, counting 18 beds total. That should accommodate whatever wave of immigrants happens by.

And not a moment too soon, either! Here comes another wave...

We start with Rigoth "Craftstall" Rigothshukar, who calls herself a bone carver. The only real useful skill I see is knowing how to cook, which is good, because we still have plenty of mussels for her to fry up! Zon has also been brewing a lot of wine, though, some maybe they'll be fried in wine.

Damn, those mussels are starting to sound good...

She worships Urosh the Puke of Dust (seriously, what?!) and Stelmith Legankal Gathilkoshosh Mishthem.

Next up is Kikrost "Releasedmirror" Sobironul, an animal trainer and novice beekeeper. I'll get to the beekeeping once we have a farm up and running, but until then, hauler!

He worships Risen and the Puke of Dust. Why.

After that comes Kol "Swordtrample" Dastottangath, whose nickname makes him sound like she trips over swords all the time. She is definitely not joining the militia.

She worships Omer and Shigin Sobirnoram.

Then we have Rovod "Cudgelwires" Asteshshorast, a weaver hauler. Golden-eyed and musuclar, but otherwise unremarkable. Although, she is self-disciplined and with a good sense of duty... maybe she would enjoy life in the militia?

But now here's the interesting part: she showed up with her husband and son, both of whom are following behind.

The husband, Rigoth "Rainorb" Udarvabok, is a lot less interesting or useless than his wife, so he'll definitely remain stuck on hauling duty.

 

Their son, Limul "Strappingwork" Nefastducim comes running in behind them. I like the nickname: it implies he's going to actually do some work other than run around aimlessly like a child, though I doubt it.

And the last immigrant to join this merry band is Bim "Bridgequakes" Sazirrushrir. I don't know why, but I already like her! Possibly because she's a competent record-keeper and knows something about setting bones. We could use a bookkeeper!

She worships Kadol, but really, who even cares?

Well now, that puts us at 20 dwarves. I'm going to make a couple of them field-workers, possibly Rovod and her husband, just so we can keep up with all these new mouths to feed.

24th Sandstone, 251, Mid-Autumn

Everything reamins smooth. In fact, the halls are being smoothed!

There's only Mosus, the one I assigned to make crafts out of mussel shells, who's been sort of withdrawn lately. I mean, not that I blame her, all those mussel shells, the constant stink, it's enough to drive anyone mad...

25th Sandstone, 251, Mid-Autumn

And sure enough, she took over a craftshop. Just closed it up tight and isn't letting anyone in, remaining secretive in her new little lair. Whatever she has planned, she's not sharing it with anyone, and it doesn't appear to be mussel-related.

She let slip a small piece of parchment under the door, though, and it's covered in sketches of bones and leather... Hm.

4th Timber, 251, Late Autumn

I decided we didn't need the horse. It was eating up the precious grass the buffalo need, and we won't be able to shear it or milk it (I don't think. Well, maybe we can. The question becomes, do we want to? The answer is no. No we do not). So I ordered it butchered for the meat, bones and leather. Much more useful.

Of course, the second Zon butchered the animal, Mosus was suddenly at the door with a crazy gleam in her eye. She was carrying more of that sketch paper, depicting bones and leather. No one questioned her as she grabbed the horse's skeleton and ran back down to the craftshop.

13th Timber, 251, Late Autumn

A caravan has arrived from Dumatrigoth, our home civilization also known as the Rough Craft. I assign our cook, Rigoth "Craftstall" as the new broker since she seems to be a pretty good judge of intent, so she'll be able to see if the traders are trying to screw us over.

Welp, time to put all those mussel shell goods on display!

Coalclinched -- The Beginning

Coalclinched is going to be about caste and seniority. The older dwarves will get the better priviledges, and the newer ones (the immigrants) will have to prove themselves.

Let's meet the doomed lucky dwarves involved!

First up is Kel "Peakbolted" Ilromalath, the miner:

He worships Urosh Ngathsesh Vesh, a deity of the Rough Crafts that usually takes the form of a male dwarf and is associated with dreams, nightmares and the night, and Risen, another deity of the Rough Craft, this one taking on the form of a female dwarf and being associated with minerals and metals. How apt for a miner!

He is  good friends with Zon Alathagsal, the expedition leader and fish cleaner, and Mafol Uzolakil, our woodworker.

And so, our woodworker looks something like this:

She worships Kattir, a deity of the Rough Craft that appears as a male dwarf and is associated with fortresses, and Kadol, another deity of the Rough Craft that looks like a female dwarf and is associated with wealth.

Her only friend is Kel the miner.

Next up is our woodcutter, Mestthos "Whipconstruct" Bomrekaban:

She worships Ber, a deity of the Rough Craft that usually takes the form of a male dwarf and is associated with mountains, as well as Kadol, as mentioned previously. She has no real friends among the embark group, only acquaintances.

Then we have our stoneworker, Ushrir "Bluenesswalls" Enoradil:

She worships Kadol and Ber, and her only friend is Dodok Udizlibash, the fisherdwarf.

The expedition leader is Zon "Boltpools" Alathagsal:

He worships Ber and Risen, and is friends only with Kel the miner.

And finally, we have Dodok "Presentaxe" Udizlibash, the fisherdwarf:

He worships Katthir, and also Stelmith Leganka Gathilkoshosh Mishthem the Sensual Library of Scholars, deity of the Rough Craft, most often taking on the form of a female dwarf and being associated with beauty and art. He is good friends with Atir and Ushrir.

Here is the area in the world they have embarked:

And the region itself, which is mostly fields with a river and a couple of hills, and a single goat to hunt:

Right then, let's get started!