As the last post didn't focus much on the the progression of Reveredtour but rather some narrative fluff, I'm making another update right now. Since it's the second update I've worked on today it probably won't be to long, however it will explain more about the current progression of the fort. Hopefully I will finish it tonight.
The past few days have been quite hectic, leaving me with little time to update this journal. Stinthad had apparently isolated herself from the rest of the fortress, and was not even aware of the arrival of the merchants and liaison. Though upon being told she quickly rushed to the surface to conduct a meeting with Ikudzulban. It seems that she is starting to get over the loss of Dishmab and Kosoth and is adapting to the harsh reality of the wastes. This bodes ill for my plans, as she will surely reclaim her other responsibilities soon. Sometimes I find myself wishing for another tragedy to befall Reveredtour just so that she will become discouraged again. One could claim this is selfish on my part, but I know it would be in Reveredtour's best interest. The gods have told me so.
But for now, I must focus on trading with the merchants. I have ordered all of our spare mechanisms to be hauled to depot, along with some rough gems that have been dug up during the mining operations. Hopefully this will be enough to secure some supplies to last as through the winter.
7th Moonstone, 1051, Early Winter
I noticed that Ikudzulban is nowhere to be found. While she may have been done with the meeting, leaving without the merchants would mean certain death. I had assumed even she could realize this, but her absence suggests otherwise. Perhaps she was once again using some of the elves "special crop" (yet she has the nerve to accuse of me of dealing in illicit activities) and wandered off into the wastes. I hope zombie conchmen tore her flesh asunder.
14th Moonstone, 1051, Early Winter
Due to my focus being completely dedicated to trading, I have neglected other important aspects of the fortress. Mainly, focusing on defending Reveredtour from threats lurking in the caverns. It seems that a zombie troglodyte managed to work its way up into the heart of the fortress.
Kraken's Notes: As the name and description suggests, troglodytes are subhumans living beneath the surface. They are one of the most common creatures encountered in the first cavern layer. They are the same size as a dwarf, so it is unlikely that they will be able to kill a civilian with ease unless left completely undisturbed. Any dwarf with some form of military training or a weapon for self-defense will likely be capable of defeating a troglodyte, so they are more of an annoyance than a threat. They are one of the few wild creatures capable of learning skills, albeit at a slowed rate. Because of this they are considered somewhat intelligent, and thus dwarves will refuse to butcher them. Combined with their inability to be tamed results in troglodytes being completely useless.
The troglodyte leapt from the shadows and attempted to attack Stinthad. However, she did not even notice the troglodyte as her earth golem put an end to the beast as soon as it revealed itself.
While this attack may not have resulted in anything significant, it could have been disastrous had a more threatening creature worked its way into Reveredtour rather than a lowly troglodyte. I most complete my trading with the merchants as soon as possible so my attention will no longer be completely focused on one thing.
15th Moonstone, 1051, Early Winter
Today I managed to meet with the merchants. I gave them many goods; most of our spare mechanisms, various trinkets we had lying around, and dozens of rough gems. While these gems would have fetched are far greater price had they been cut, we lack both the time and skills required to do so. The gods have told me that a vast amount of wealth lies in the ground beneath Reveredtour, so the loss of some petty gems is not an issue.
Not wanting to risk offending the merchants, I allowed them to earn a fairly large profit off of our trade. All that concerns me at the moment is getting enough food and drink to sustain Reveredtour until we can establish our own stable food industry. I believe I have been successful in doing so, as our food stockpiles have greatly increased as a result of the trading.
With that out of the way, I no longer have to worry about the danger of a food shortage, and I can once again focus my attention on other aspects of Reveredtour. However, I will try to secure some additional goods before the merchants depart. They have some spare military equipment with them that would serve the Immortal Rags well.
20th Moonstone, 1051, Early Winter
Unfortunately, the merchants decided to leave before I could gather enough spare goods to buy their equipment. While disappointing, I am not too concerned over this as Momuz and Alath have gotten along fine enough so far without advanced equipment. The death of Kosoth had more to do with poor management than inferior weapons. When I informed Alath of this he did not seem bothered, perfectly content with using his fists to beat down his foes. I suppose it doesn't matter to him so long as he remains in the militia. Momuz, however, seemed quite upset.
Initially I thought my inability to acquire new military supplies had worried him, but it seems that he is still experiencing a bout of depression due to Kosoth's death. This surprised me, as Momuz has never seemed like the type to dwell on the death of a soldier. Perhaps because she had spent so little time under his command she felt more like a student than a warrior to him. Then again understanding others is not my strong point. I'm sure he will get over it eventually.
Speaking of untimely death, Kosoth and Dishmab have yet to receive a proper burial. Between trading with the merchants and continuing the construction of Reveredtour we haven't taken the time to build either of them a coffin, let alone designate an area to be used as a graveyard. I'm sure if Stinthad was not in a state of seclusion she would complain about this, however I am capable of seeing beyond petty emotions and thinking about what will benefit the fort overall. It is a useful trait that was taught to me by the gods themselves due to my years of dedication. The dead have all the time in the world. They can wait for years to receive a burial if need be. I will not divert focus away from production at such a critical time just to show "respect" to the deceased.
24th Moonstone, 1051, Early Winter
The incompetence of the other dwarves living in this fort never ceases to amaze me.
I ordered a small platform to be constructed behind the butcher's shop. The purpose of this platform was to serve as a dumping zone for various items, mainly corpses. The idea is that by dumping the corpses near the butcher's shops, they will be easily accessible for kitchen workers. I saw Monom dragging a warthog skeleton to the platform, and felt quite pleased to see my orders being carried out without issue. This feeling instantly faded when Monom chucked the warthog right into the ocean.
Rather than placing the corpses on the platform as I had intended, Monom had instead been tossing the corpses she collected straight into the ocean. I couldn't comprehend the logic behind her decision. When I asked her why she had been doing that, she of course couldn't remember due to her head injury. It was tempting to give her another head injury, however violence would not solve my problems. I just can't believe that these dwarves can manage to fail at even the simplest of tasks. The ocean is not our garbage disposal. Such carelessness can lead to dire consequences.
3rd Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
I've been trying to think of some ways to improve moral that would not result in a loss in production. I figured that engraving some inspiring images onto the walls in the lower levels of the tunnels may please the dwarves that see them. Nobody here has any decent engraving skills, so I opted to perform this task myself. I'm sure with practice I will be able to hone my skills. However, I did try engraving some simple images to start off.
I personally do not harbor any intense feelings of negativity towards the elves. They are not all the scheming scumbags most Relieved Craft dwarves have come to know due to our conflict with the Luxurious Snake. However, members of the military in particular enjoy art depicting elves being shamed, defeated, or slaughtered. I figure such engravings may help to cheer up Momuz.
8th Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
I saw Mosus slowly dragging a cage down towards one of the temporary stockpiles. She was apparently having great difficulty pulling said cage, which struck me as odd. She is exceptionally weak, but no dwarf should have trouble moving a simple cage.
Goden: "Mosus, if you're having trouble moving a simple cage, I'm going to have to ask you to work on improving your strength. I don't except civilians to be as strong as our militia, but you need to be capable of carrying out simple hauling labors."
Mosus: "Oh sorry Goden! But I swear it's not because I'm weak! The animal inside this cage is just really heavy!"
Goden: "Animal? What animal actually blundered into one of our cage traps without even being chased?"
Mosus: "An elephant!"
At first I thought this couldn't be right, but it is true. An elephant wandered into one of the cage traps and was subsequently shoved into an impossibly small cage. To a human or an elf such a feat might seem impossible, but that is because they do not understand the true quality of all dwarven crafts. They say even a simple wooden cage is capable of holding a bronze colossus when built by a dwarf.
I'm not sure what to do with the elephant. Taming and then butchering it would provide us with a mountain of meat, completley eliminating any food problems for a ridiculous amount of time. A single elephant can provide over a dozen dwarves with enough meat to last a year. On the other hand, keeping it and waiting to catch an elephant of the opposite gender could benefit Reveredtour far more in the long run. A breeding pair would ensure us a supply of elephant calves. Even when young they provide a hefty amount of meat when butchered. But Momuz wants to turn it into a war beast right away, as he is enthralled by the creature's incredible strength. However, many of the other dwarves are uneasy about keeping an elephant in the fortress, tame or not. They buy into those silly horror stories to easily. Perhaps I need to remind them that just a few weeks ago a herd of elephants were scared away by a bitter liaison.
As I was smoothing more walls in the lower levels of Reveredtour, Stinthad nervously approached me. I wasn't quite sure what she wanted, and was worried that she might be reclaiming her position as expedition leader. Fortunately, she does not intend to do so just yet. Instead, she proceeded to thank me for managing Reveredtour "adequately" during her period of mental anguish. She said that she would be ready to attend to her responsibilities in a few more weeks. Apparently, she has managed to overcome her trauma and is attempting to return to a normal life. Indeed the cheerful, polite, and incredibly stupid Stinthad I have come to hate seems to be returning.
I am convinced that under her leadership, Reveredtour will abandon the progress I have made for it; if not outright undo it thanks to her foolish decisions. If only I could do something to shame her again, allowing me to maintain leadership. I can't just give her control of the fort again. It will surely lead to our demise.
16th Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
Over the past few days, some rather disturbing sounds have echoed through the mines of Reveredtour. They do belong to any creature I have ever heard of, and at times it almost sounds like a person sobbing endlessly. Momuz was preparing to travel down in an attempt to find the source and quiet it, but I stopped him. I haven't the faintest clue about what is causing these sounds. It could be anything. As civilians are forbidden from entering the caverns, this creature will only become a serious threat if enters the heart of Reveredtour, at which point Momuz is free to slay it. But for now it is best to avoid unnecessary conflict.
I will have to spend the next few days consulting my texts and the gods in an attempt to figure out what is producing these sounds. It's strange, as they somehow feel familiar, as if I've heard them before.
18th Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
In light of the death of Kosoth and the lack of decent equipment, I believe that the military needs to have its strength increased. Obviously we lack the manpower to produce better gear, let alone new recruits. So the elephant that was somehow captured has been tamed and turned into a beast of war. Elephants are mighty beasts, so it should serve them well.
As Momuz already has a parade of war beasts following him, he decided that the elephant shall serve Alath instead. Alath seemed particularly pleased with this, and bonded with the lumbering behemoth immediately. Now, I don't believe any of those silly dwarven horror stories about bloodthirsty elephants, but I will admit that there is something somewhat unsettling about this one.
While all of Momuz's war beasts will wrestle and grapple with each other, this elephant is unmoving. It sits in the middle of the barracks, and merely observes the fighting that occurs around it. And when you stare at it, it will stare back at you with a cold, dead look in its beady eyes. The fact that those disturbing noises still echo from the deep certainly doesn't help. Perhaps now that they have a war elephant it would be worth risking a quick expedition down to the caverns to see what the source is.
19th Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
I was not able to sleep last night.
The howling that has been heard throughout Reveredtour over the past few days felt disturbingly close. Before it was just an annoyance, but now it is making my skin crawl. And for a moment I thought I saw some abomination appear before my bed, but it vanished instantly. I tried getting a drink to calm my nerves, but I heard whispers coming from the food stockpile. The source of these whispers was a plump helmet, which then let out a horrifying scream as soon as I picked it up. At least I thought it did. Obviously I am just hallucinating, but it felt so real.
I think the stress of my work is starting to get to me. I'm seeing and hearing things that can't possibly exist.
21st Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
It appears that I was not imagining things after all. Mosus let out a scream of terror today, drawing everyone's attention to the ghostly figure drifting behind her.
It seems that the source of all these noises was a...ghost. I've heard stories of dwarves rising from their graves as ghastly beings, but I always dismissed it as nothing but superstition. But I could not deny the existence of undead dwarves when one was staring straight at us. It soon became clear as to why this being seemed familiar; it is the restless spirits of Dishmab.
Momuz and Alath tried to drive her away, but their attacks had no effect on her. Momuz's axe passed straight through her, and she did not even appear to be phased by it. She merely continued to sob and scream, reminding me why I was never particularly fond of her when she was alive. Now she's a spirit, and has managed to become even more annoying. It goes without saying that that everyone is uncomfortable with a ghost roaming through Reveredtour. After consulting some ancient texts, I found some passages claiming that ghosts can be sealed away inside engraved memorials or coffins. If this is correct, then shutting up Dishmab once and for all should not be difficult.
However, I hesitate to dismiss this haunt just yet. For she has actually had a positive effect on Reveredtour; Stinthad is absolutely terrified of her. Upon seeing Dishmab, Stinthad once again feel back into a state of severe depression. She is currently unfit to lead, and so long as Dishmab roams through Reveredtour she has no chance of recovering. This means that I can potentially maintain my position as leader indefinitely.....
Dishmab may serve me better in death than she ever did in life.
26th Opal, 1051, Mid-Winter
This fort never ceases to surprise me with its absurdity. I was engraving more walls when Mosus ran up to me. I've been wearing ear plugs lately so at first I didn't notice her, but eventually she managed to grab my attention.
Mosus: "Goden I think you need to call the militia!"
Goden: "Is this about Dishmab? How many times do I have to explain this to you; they can't kill ghosts. And you can't just shove a sock in her mouth and expect that to shut her up. Momuz already tried that. You're just going to have to get used to hearing Dishmab's cries of agony every day."
Mosus: "No it's about something else! I think you should just come see for yourself!"
I followed her up to the surface, and stared in disbelief at what lay before me.
Goden: "Momuz and Alath are both down in the barracks, right?"
Mosus: "I believe so."
Goden: "So that elephant....is wild, right?"
Mosus: "Yes...."
Goden: "And it somehow managed to work its way to the back of the fort and is now just sitting there. You only just now noticed this?"
Mosus: "Yeah!"
I just don't know what to even say about this. How can you let shit like this happen? While I was still awestruck by the absurdity of this, I didn't even notice Alath head towards the food stockpile to get a drink. He caught sight of the elephant, looked at it for a few moments before realizing that it was in fact real, and then proceeded to charge toward it without fear. Despite the elephant towering over him, Alath did not hesitate to punch, scratch, and even bite the confused creature in an attempt to bring it down.
The sound of the elephants screams and Alath's war cries caught the attention of Momuz. They drove the elephant out of the fort and began chasing it across the shore line. The beast tried to escape, but it was now being followed by two bloodthirsty soldiers and a cavalcade of war animals.
The elephant could not outrun all of them. They hacked at its legs as it ran in terror. The octopre leapt onto its back and began ripping out chunks of flesh. Eventually it could no longer bear the pain and collapsed to the ground. However, being such an immense creature, it was far from dead. Momuz and Alath then spent over a dozen minutes tearing up the elephant. The behemoth could only lie and await death, gushing massive amounts of blood and vomiting endlessly as it slowly ripped apart. Eventually, Momuz somehow delivered a fatal blow to the creature with only his fists. The elephant's horribly mutilated corpse then lay lifeless on the coast, the ground now stained with pools of blood and vomit.
The year is coming to a close, and overall Reveredtour seems to coming along well. Obviously because I was able to assume direct control of the forts management and make up for the stupidity of Stinthad. With a large supply of food safely stored away in a stockpile, we are fully prepared for the arrival of migrants. Now that the merchants have performed a successful trading mission to our fort, dwarves will immigrate to it in seek of wealth and fortune.
I, however, am not trusting of these parasites. How can I know if they will truly be dedicated to Reveredtour? They could easily just be scumbags who could not make it in the capital, so they decided to leech of our young fort instead. Atir and his compatriots owe their lives to Reveredtour, so I do not doubt their dedication. But I shall keep a close watch on the future immigrants.
11th Obsidian, 1051, Late Winter
Finally, after months of work, our goal is finally complete. Ushrir was digging another tunnel when her pick suddenly pierced an underground chamber. It is filled with small shrubs and underground trees, so it is quite obvious that we have finally breached the crypt, the second cavern layer.
My initial inspection of the crypt is disappointing. The terrain appears just as convoluted and unmanageable as the cavern above it. However, this is only a small part of it, so I have not given up hope just yet. I've ordered Ushrir to dig a hole leading to another area of the crypt, and from there I will send the Immortal Rags to scout out the area.
19th Obsidian, 1051, Late Winter
The scouting mission was a great success, once again due to my brilliance. Had Stinthad been in charge, she would have refused to send anyone into the crypt, believing it to be too dangerous. Fortunately the ghost of Dishmab is keeping her quiet, so I was able to send the Immortal Rags down below without opposition. After wandering through the caverns for a few days, they finally reported back to me. It seems they had found a perfect spot to set up a farm.
Not only is it spacious, but it is bordering an underground lake as well. This means that we may be able to grow plants and fish in the same area. I shall have Ushrir dig a shaft right down to this area as soon as possible to allow for quicker access. I want this haven sealed off from the rest of the caverns and cleared for farming before migrants arrive.
I was quite pleased with this, but apparently Momuz had more to tell me. Whilst moving through the crypt, he saw a peculiar passage way.
The passage is quite narrow, but he said that after poking his head in for a few moments he could tell that it went deep. The passage apparently funnels into a small cave system, which may go down to the abyss itself.
This is quite fascinating, but also poses a potential danger. If it does lead into the abyss, the bizarre and dangerous creatures living down there may wander into the crypt. They could be a serious threat to everyone living in Reveredtour. On the other hand, if I was in the abyss I would be able to speak to the gods quite clearly again.....no. I must be patient. I shall have the Immortal Rags preform a quick inspection of this passage to see where it leads, and then decide what to do. I can't justify exposing us to the abyss for my own personal gain, even if it would benefit Reveredtour overall due to knowledge I would gain. The other dwarves simply would not approve due to their inability to understand the gods brilliance.
25st Obsidian, 1051, Late Winter
The Immortal Rags reported back to me about the mysterious passage. They followed it as far down as it went, but after descending several z levels below the entrance they found it simply lead to a small pit. They said that the pit seemed odd though. It was high up, so the darkness obscured their vision, but they think it is right above another large cavern. This could only mean that it does indeed connect to the abyss. However, there is no way to reach the floor from the passage so it is harmless. Rather than seal it, I can instead link it to the underground farms. It will serve as a wonderful place for meditation and conversations with the gods.
I asked Alath if he saw any creatures dwelling within the abyss, but the darkness was too thick for them to observe the cavern floor. They said they might go back and try throwing stones down to attract attention, but beings of the abyss will not be phased by the sound of falling rocks. Only the cries of a living creature will attract them.....
I believe I may have found a better use for "Dashy" the gazelle.
But it will have to wait. For a new year is about to arrive. I am not one to celebrate, but the other dwarves enjoy doing so. The gods have advised that it is best to let them give into their temptation, lest they harbor bitter feelings over having to work during the New Year. So for now, work has been set aside so that the dwarves of Reveredtour may enjoy the simple pleasures this place provides us with. I have to admit, I never thought I would enjoy being trapped in this wasteland, but Stinthad was apparently right about one thing; it has grown on me. It's far from pleasant, but with me leading this fort it soon shall be. Reveredtour shall become a glorious place, a testament to the power of the Relieved Craft. And they shall know that I am the one that lead it to prosperity.
Good show, as always. I'm enjoying the sense of humor.
Once again though, I'd like to mention that the latest memory xml from DF hack supposedly allows stonesense to connect to the latest version. You might have some more interested posters once they can actually interpret the pictures.
Speaking of which, I've got two friends now playing DF regularly thanks to my constant bother. One of them is building the Parthenon and the other is modding cats to explode. Good times.
Once again though, I'd like to mention that the latest memory xml from DF hack supposedly allows stonesense to connect to the latest version. You might have some more interested posters once they can actually interpret the pictures.
I know, but I'd rather wait for stonesense to become officially supported. If I'm going to have to use it I don't want to have any issues with it whatsoever.
Map of Reveredtour [http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/3396/revetedourgs.png]
Stonesense Version [http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/8227/reveredtoursense.png]
Population: 12
Migrants: 7
Deaths: 2
Total population Increase: 5
Fortress Status: Outpost
Dishmab Ingishlerteth, Farmer: Was attacked by the cave kraken Lokumbelal whilst tending to the underground farms. She was pinned down and had her neck snapped before the military could save her.
Kosoth Gamilkol, Soldier: Killed by the cave kraken Gatinnum whilst patrolling the caverns. She was separated from her squad and tried engaging to beast on her own, only to be killed by it.
Total dead residents: 2
Dead domestic animals: 2
Dead Wild Animals: 10
Vanquished Undead: 17
Kraken's Notes: Overall I'm pleased with the first year of Revered tour. While some things certainly could have been handled better, the fort hasn't been significantly hampered by any one event. Even the death of 2 dwarves hasn't slowed down progress to much. However, the future success of Reveredtour now rests upon the arrival of immigrants. At this point Reveredtour can expand in many different ways, from establishing a safe way to harvest the caverns to building the H.F.S. However a lack of manpower will make accomplishing any of these tasks difficult.
However, Reveredtour is still prospering and should continue to do so for quite a while. Things could certainly be a lot worse.
Alright, I have some good news. I know I mentioned earlier that I didn't want to use Stonesense yet since it hadn't been officially updated. However, I decided to check it out anyways and it seems to be somewhat functional. Units and some items don't show up though, so using it for every screenshot is not viable. However it might be useful for some screenshots, so I'm not dismissing it yet. I'm not sure what other people think of it though, so here are some images;
I'm not sure whether or not I should bother putting some stonesense screenshots in addition to regular ones in my updates, so I'm looking for some feedback. If you have an opinion about how helpful these screenshots are, or want to see more examples, please tell me. It's hard to improve this when I don't know what I'm doing right and wrong.
Hm, well without any feedback it's hard to well what any readers think. I'm just going to assume the stone sense screenshots aren't that helpful. I might throw them in occasionally, but I'm not going to go out of my way to put them in every update when people don't really care about them.
ah now I can read, I never played dawrf fortress but I was slightly turned off by the tileset you were using becuase it made me confused. Though with the new and improved tile-set I see in your latest post, I shall read it so then I can catch up.
ah now I can read, I never played dawrf fortress but I was slightly turned off by the tileset you were using becuase it made me confused. Though with the new and improved tile-set I see in your latest post, I shall read it so then I can catch up.
Stonesense isn't actually a tileset though. It's a visualizer program you run seperately from Dwarf Fortress. Howver, as I mentioned in the last post, it currently has some problems. It hasn't been updated for the most recent version, and only functions due to a quick fix produced by bay 12 forum members. Many things simly do not show up in Stonesense at the moment. It's hard to tell from the pcitures I uploaded, as they lack comparisons. But it is a real issue. I'll upload some additional pictures outlining this when I get home.
Stonesense doesn't make every image look better, and in some cases makes it look far worse due to the camera angle. However, I'll try putting in the effort to make a stonesense version of almost every screenshot where applicable if it helps people.
Okay, here are two [http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1558/jsutfuckinguploadalread.png] pictures [http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2733/screenshot2qo.png] to help illustrate the current problem with Stonesense.
Both of these are screenshots of the same fortress. The first screenshot shows a place ravaged by war, disease, violence, and death. Corpses litter the street. Blood paints the walls. Workshops lie in ruins, as forgotten beasts rampage through the fort's crumbling remains. The stonesense screenshot, on the other hand, lacks this. Pretty much all of the items are absent, making the fort look radically different. Hence why I can't use Stonesense for every screenshot, nor will I.
Regardless, if it really does help people I'll try to use it where applicable.
I know. As if Dwarf Fortress wasn't complex enough already. Toady continues to find new ways to make this game even better. I really hope it does increase the inter-connectivity between adventure and fortress mode. At the moment, they don't feel like they have enough connections to each other.
Now that the New Year has finally come, work must once again resume work in Reveredtour. Most of the dwarves were less than eager to get back to work, some still experiencing withdrawal from the party last night. This is why I refrain from excessive drinking, or even worse using some of the elves "special crop". It's ridiculous that it hasn't been outlawed yet.
However, I'm disappointed to say that the year had a rather foul start.
Mosus let out a cry of terror only a few hours after the sun had risen. I think most of us assumed she had just been spooked by Dishmab again. The sound had come from the surface, so she couldn't have exposed herself to the beasts of the deep. But I soon realized it was something else when her scream were accompanied by the roars of a vile creature.
A troglodyte has somehow made its way to the surface and jumped on Mosus. Startled and confused, she could do little but attempt to run from the primitive human. However, it was relentless in its attack and began to beat Mosus as she struggled to escape.
Fortunately, the battle quickly grabbed the attention of the Immortal Rags. They rushed up to the surface in seconds. Alath pried the troglodyte of Mosus, who at this point had collapsed to the ground due to the pain. He succeeded in getting the trog away from her, but it quickly broke free of his grasp. Something in the subhumans primitive mind must have clicked, as it was able to realize that it was now in danger. It attempted to flee, but its stupidity caused it to simply corner itself as it ran towards the food stockpile. Alath chased the creature, hacking it apart with his axe as it ran in fear. Eventually he chopped of its left foot with a clean swipe, and the trog fell to the ground. It crawled towards the edge of the platform, as if to throw itself off into the ocean, but Momuz had a different plan in mind.
He casually wiped the chunks of brain and skull fragments off his boots before returning to training. At this point I arrived on the surface in person, and was glad to see that the problem had been resolved. However I soon saw Mosus struggling to get back on her feet, slipping in a pool of her own blood. I helped her up, attempting not to stain my clothes in the process. Though on reflection this was futile as every inch surrounding Mosus was covered in her blood.
Mosus: "Oh....actually, I think I'm okay. Maybe, I mean I can....stand on my own. Sort of. Uh, how bad does it look?"
She was in a state of confusion, most likely delirious due to blood loss. She most certainly did not look okay. However, I figured that if she was capable of standing on her own she couldn't be hurt to badly. And we did need to get as much work done as possible.
Goden: "You're fine. Get back to work after cleaning yourself up."
She nodded her head in agreement, took a few staggered steps, and then fell to the ground once more, coughing up a foul mixture of blood and bile.
Goden: "Er, on second though just take the day off to rest in bed. But only one day, got it? Tomorrow, you're right back to work."
As she limped towards the dormitories, I turned my attention to the two dwarves that had apparently watched the whole attack; Monom and Atir.
Goden: "Monom! Why didn't you help Mosus when she was attacked by that trog? Did you think she would be able to fight it off on her own? Being a civilian is no excuse for letting a fellow dwarf suffer such grave injuries!"
Monom: "OH MY GOD! Mosus was attacked?!? When?!?"
It seems that her memory has not gotten any better. If anything, it's getting worse.
Goden: "Nevermind. What's your excuse Atir?"
Atir: "Hm? Oh, I was petrified with fear, or something. Not that it matters now. Won't let it happen again. Well, back to work."
And with that he ran off without saying another word. Obviously Atir was lying, but about what I cannot figure out. There's something strange about him, that's for certain. I shall have to keep my eye on him. I still don't get how this happened in the first place. How did a trog of all things manage to sneak through the fort without being heard and have the intelligence too wait until it found a lone civilian to attack? Something is amiss here.
8th Granite, 1052, Early Spring
It seems we are no longer alone. Momuz was grabbing a drink from the food stockpile, when he heard an odd noise coming from one of the nearby workshops. He waited for a moment, and soon he saw a small figure climb out of the workshop with several of our goods in its hands.
Kraken's notes: Kobolds are thieving creatures that plague all forts. They're a primitive people, dwelling within the caves that dot the globe. They only interact with other species by sending their thieves to steal the most valuable objects they can find. The thieves they send will only become visible if an allied creature is close enough to spot one, at which point the kobolds will flee in terror. Being even smaller than dwarves, they are pathetic in combat. Even armed kobold can be bested by civilians. Thus they must rely on their speed and ability to avoid traps to infiltrate your fortress.
If the kobolds manage to steal a large amount of wealth from your fortress, even they will begin to regard themselves as your superior. They will launch ambushes, believing your dwarves to be so pathetic that they can raid your fort. However, even these kobold soldiers are harmless when you have some form of a military.
The cowardly kobold attempted to then flee from Reveredtour. However, Momuz blocked its path. It stared up at him, a look of horror in its eyes as Momuz raised his axe. Dwarves show no mercy to skulking filth. However, the kobold dodged the blow due to its natural agility. It then squirmed past Momuz and made a mad dash for the wasteland. Momuz didn't even bother to pursue the kobold, as his earth golem was already chasing it down. The kobold no doubt heard the heavy stomping of the golem only a few inches away from it. It tried to run faster, willing its legs to move quicker than they possibly could. But it soon found that it could not move its legs at all, as the golem had reached down and grabbed the thief's right foot. The golem effortlessly lifted the tiny kobold off the ground, dangling him in the air. The kobod hung limply for a few brief seconds, its life flashing before its eyes, before the golem crushed its legs like a strand of straw.
The earth golem released its grip on the battered remains of the kobold's right leg, causing it to plummet onto the damp beach sand. It attempted to crawl away, but the golem stomped on its arm to render this effort futile. The kobold, incapable of carrying itself any further, now lied on the ground awaiting death.
The octopre swarmed over the shivering thief. They wrapped their tentacles around its limbs, attempting to rip them out of their joints. As they tugged at the kobold from all directions, it gazed up to see the earth golem raising its orb into the air. In one swift movement, the golem then ended the pitiful creature's life.
I walked up to the shattered husk that had once been a living creature. Kobolds are truly pathetic filth, and hopefully the death of this thief will serve as a warning to others. This is doubtful though, as kobolds are known for their stubbornness. I picked through what little items the kobold had on him. Nothing of value, as it seemed to have dropped whatever it had stolen in its failed escape attempt. I did find an emblem on the kobold's chest, which seemed to indicate that it came from the Chrufubujridis tribe. These savages will most likely continue to throw thieves at Reveredtour for many years to come. But all we shall give them is death.
12th Granite, 1052, Early Spring
Mosus seems to have recovered from the trog attack. Despite being horribly wounded by the beast, she didn't let the incident interfere with her work. She has continued to work as much as her body would permit. Such dedication is quite admirable. I'm glad to see that she is healthy again, though it looks like one of her hands and feet are still in bad shape.
The more I think about the trog attack the less sense it makes. How could a wild, primitive subhuman be capable of sneaking through the deep roads without making a sound? How could it be smart enough to bypass the civilians working near the barracks, instead heading onto the surface? Such behavior is highly unusual for a cavern dweller. No, this could not have been a simple attack. There must be something more to this.
....sabotage?
14th Granite, 1052, Early Spring
I noticed that there's a cage missing from the stockpile. One might assume that it has just been misplaced, but I know better. Someone took that cage down to one of the caverns. They used it to catch a troglodyte, which they smuggled to the upper levels of the fortress while we were distracted with the New Year's party. No doubt the troglodyte was being used as an assassin. A rather ineffective one, as it attacked poor Mosus. She couldn't have been the intended target. It was probably supposed to go after Stinthad, or maybe catch Momuz when he was off-duty.
.....or it could have been trying to kill me.
18th Granite, 1052, Early Spring
You know what I noticed? Atir wasn't at the New Year's Party. I spent the whole time standing in the corner sipping some plump helmet ale. I watched every dwarf, and I only saw Atir come in once. He only stayed for a few minutes before going off to who knows where. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but what was he doing? Perhaps he was setting up the troglodyte trap? What else could require absolute secrecy?
And now that I think about it, Atir didn't seem happy when Kosoth came to Reveredtour. She held a position of leadership and respect in his caravan. Perhaps he wanted her dead? Perhaps she was just going to another obstacle in his plan to take over Reveredtour?
Yes, it all makes sense to me now. Atir wants to control Reveredtour.
24th Granite, 1052, Early Spring
I talked to the gods about Atir. They told me that I was right to be suspicious of him, but would not tell me anymore. I knew I couldn't trust him. I should kill him. If only I could kill him. Unfortunately, the other dwarves lack my knowledge. No doubt they would dismiss my words as mad rambling. Perhaps that's what Atir wants me to do. Make myself look like a fool so he can throw me out of power. But I'm onto him. I'm keeping tabs on everything he's been doing. For example, he recently adopted many of the young octopudi.
But surely there's nothing wrong with that? Quite the opposite. Atir knows we no longer have any meat left. If we ever ran low on food, those octopudi could have been eaten. But now that he has adopted them, they can no longer be slaughtered. He is hoping for a crisis in which I have no choice but to butcher them, thus making me look like a monster. Or perhaps he will butcher them himself, making him appear as a righteous hero who will give up his personal desires for the good of Reveredtour. Bastard.
Oh, and Ushrir finished digging the deep road to the haven.
Stonesense Version [http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4500/havensense.png]
This is actually very good news. All we have to do is remove the ramps on the walls and it will be safe to use haven for farming. I noticed that the area of the crypt on the other side of the lake is also quite nice, so I will build a bridge to connect it to haven. I am quite pleased with this setup. Once it is cleared of brush and debris, large scale farming can take place.
Assuming Atir doesn't ruin it. I bet he's already plotting some way to sabotage haven. I must always keep my eyes on him. Always.
This update wasn't supposed to be this long, but I lost track of time. And yet I somehow didn't even manage to finish the first month. In case you couldn't tell, that troglodyte baffles me. I have absolutely no idea how it got the surface. This would mean it somehow went through the the deep roads, barracks, and subterranean workshops without running into a single dwarf or animal. Had this been something more vicious, Mosus wouldn't be alive.
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