Carving Out A Future

To start with is the farm, which is going to be simple and carved out of the black sand hill nearby. This farm will be temporary and just a source of food until we get some proper undergound ones going.

Domas Clashglaze, the miner, sets himself to work while Avuz Brainsling grabs an axe and starts felling trees. Once Domas is finished, I'll set him to carving out all the visible zircons to give his most hated enemy something to do. Meanwhile, Sarvesh Takepage, without prompting, grabs her fishing gear and starts fishing. Hopefully this river is carp-free.

I decide the small hill just to the left of the main site would be a good place for a pasture. I'm not too familiar yet with how pastures and farming large animals work, but surely some good will come out of it.

I assign our Yak and Two-humped Camel to it. Rimtar Entrancepapers, the grudge-filled Jeweler, and Sibrek Foggate drag the confused animals over.

And with that, production begins. Jeweler's and Carpenter's workshops are built while the farm is being dug out, and once that's done dwarves start collecting the black zircons the miner finds. Food is stockpiled and the first Plump Helmets are planted, and soon it's time to dig down to build the beginnings of what will doubtlessly be a glorious fortress!

We dig down six levels before striking Gabbro, a suitable mineral for carving out the large rooms we will need. According to the DF Wiki article, Gabbro contains a lot of interesting thing, Diamonds among them.

Now comes the tricky question of what shape I want my fortress to have. From the main stairs, the hallway will lead directly to the meeting hall, and it'll act as the nexus for all the different parts of the fortress.

Here's how I plan on doing it: the main stairs lead to the meeting hall, and from the meeting hall you go west for all food-related things and crafts. To the north will be the workshops and industry, and to the east will be the apartments. South, eventually leading off the main hallway, will be the Hospital, military and arena.

Yeah, sounds good.


Solon Bridlewind, a black-braided-hair, cobalt-eyed and particular skinny dwarf, officially becomes a carpenter through her efforts building beds, barrels and bins.

As we dig deeper, we inevitably produce more stone. What I've always hated are those stone stockpiles that build up the more you dig, but I've found a solution to that. I assign my Stoneworker, Momuz Plannedwound, to no longer haul anything and to indefinitely carve out stone blocks. Stone blocks are easier to store, make for better construction materials than raw stone, and are actually worth a bit of extra money in a pinch. Plus, it's an excellent way to keep your dwarf working. You just have to make sure to have a sufficient abundance of bins.

Sure enough, Momuz quickly earns the title of Mason as Domas Clashglaze, the Miner, finishes with the meeting hall outline and starts in on the future apartments.

The apartments finish without a hitch and each dwarf is furnished with a bed, a cabinet, and a coffer. The meeting hall is hollowed out, the starting wagon is taken down, and now we focus our attention on building the kitchens and food stores!