The Journal of Nikki Luritathel, year 502.
Granite 1
Today is the day. Today I arrive at the home of my dreams. I have heard much of the wealth of Shipfist, and even then the heralds say that they cannot do the place its justice. The magnificence of its statues are without peer. The magnificence of its women are likewise without peer. I cannot wait to sit in the no doubt resplendant dining hall for a goblet of ale with my wife-to-be. This upcoming year will be the easiest of my life, I am sure of it.
Granite 2
Soooo, I'm not sure what to say about Shipfist. I mean, it's nice and all, but still. I guess the rough floors do give the place a
homely
homey feel.
Anyway, the first thing I noticed was right as I was walking into the fortress. Namely, that I walked into the fortress. I just walked through the trade depot that apparently doubles as a front gate, and I'm in. Nobody even asked me my name! I'm sure that I wouldn't have been noticed even if I had been wearing the skin of an elf! I'm not sure what the last leader was thinking when he retired to become the leader of the militia with no physical defenses whatsoever, but I know that I will not sleep a day without building at least some defenses, and I certainly will not be opening a rear door when our front door is wide open!
Granite 11
While I was doing my arithmatic homework today, one of my workers came to me with a complaint. Apparently we have no logs. My first question is why we don't have any logs when there is a forest outside. My second question is why I'm living with a bunch of pansy elves.
Slate 12
Preliminary defenses are complete. I have constructed a few small cage traps to capture any wandering goblins or dragons, and a drawbridge for extra defense. Hopefully that will keep me - I mean, us - safe for now.
slate 17
Some migrants have arrived! Finally, some new people to chat with. As I meet with them at the trade depot, I see that none of them are actually useful in any way. Well, except for one dwarf, who claims to be a High Master Armorsmith, but I honestly doubt his skill.
Felsite 6
As the snow starts to melt, the new "High Master" armourer starts babbling about something. I should probably just have him executed but part of me longs for some action around here. I suppose I can sit back, watch and see what he comes up with.
Felsite 19
A caravan of elves has arrived! Now would be the perfect time to test out my new defenses. Unfortunately, the rest of the folk living here seem to disagree. Since I'm not too keen on the idea of being lynched by an angry mob today, I'll let them through.
Hematite 1
Finally, on the first day of summer, my armorsmith's long-awaited construction is complete! He has been mysterious about it all month, so I hope to be pleasantly surprised. Maybe I was wrong in doubting this High Master's skill at the forge. He has completed...
Ozkakkomut Etvuth Gerig, "Carrypoem the Scandal of Banks", an iron high boot. A single boot! And what a boot it is. It is even encircled with bands of iron! I thought it was impossible to so lavishly adorn an iron boot with nought but more iron, but by Armok's beard was I ever mistaken!
I should have had him killed before he wasted my time.
Hematite 4
Today my miners resumed digging down the old shaft that Grunf had started in hopes of finding some underground caverns. Well, as it turns out, the caverns were just one level away! The workers even found an underground river just beside the shaft, putting it in the perfect position for drinking water.
Of course, this can only mean more trap-building. Not that I mind that.
Hematite 23
On my way to the caverns today, I saw a small spider web in the corner. It shouldn't make me nervous, but it does. I'm not sure why.
Malachite 1
More migrants! I get ten working dwarfs this time. Half of them seem to specialize in smoothing stone, and the other half seem to specialize in standing around having fancy parties at fancy limestone tables. Just what I needed!
Galena 19
It's been a while. I've been down in the caverns for days, tearing down all the spider webs I can see. Sometimes days pass and I don't even realise it!
Anyway, a human caravan arrived today. They're probably going to bring nothing but useless bone-carved implements, but at least they're not elves.
Galena 28
I have finally finished my trading with the humans. I made off with some leather, some beer, and a LOT of jellyfish. Those damned jellyfish aren't so cocky now, are they?
Limestone 19
While I was off working in the caverns, Erush the stonecrafter came running up to me all excited-like. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me that nothing at all was wrong, and showed me the ugliest crown I've ever seen. He had made it out of hematite and adorned it with bands of limonite and spikes of hematite. He calls it, "Declineumbra the Disemboweled Organization". Seriously, this thing is worse than that stupid boot. Is there something about iron that makes these people want to craft magnificently absurd accessories out of it? If so, I can't say I share that feeling. All of these people are bloody insane. This is why I prefer to stay in the caverns with my webby friends.
Limestone 26
I saw a Draltha today! I chased him around for a bit. It was fun. I hope we can be friends.
Sandstone 2
More migrants have arrived! This time, not all of them are useless!
Just kidding, they're all useless.
Timber 23
The caravan from the mountainhome has come, but I don't think I'm going to meet with them. I'd much rather play with Ralph, my draltha friend. Isn't that right, Ralphie?
Obsidian 28
I've finished everything I set out to do. That was a lot of work! I think I'm going to take a nap now.
~~~~~
Okay yeah as you can probably tell I'm bloody tired right now. We're going to be hosting everything on Claus's server, correct?