Alrightie, I decided just to do it all in one massive update, as I finished my year. Massive update ahoy:
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Early Fall - offa cliff
I got word thatta trader from Zonkie Det's almost here. One time there was this bar wench there. Oh boy. She had a butt that don't quit! I'm telling you she wasa aglako alckoamgnaaa FIVE SILVER???? Get outta here!
Perhaps my reader thinks that it's in bad form that I included the above dictation from the good Expedition Leader. Perhaps my reader thinks that when she falls asleep in mid dictation, it is the humble clerk's job to cease taking notes, to avoid embarrassing the expedition leader with her sleeping musings. At this point, I assume this expedition is doomed to failure, and wish to chronicle every one of her short comings, so that the reason for the failure is explicitly understood by the king, or the adventurer that finds all of our remains. Apologies if this approach does not agree with my readers' delicate sensibilities, but I seek only to record the truth. Hopefully I get the chance to meet with an official with these traders, and send word to the king of our leaders' gross negligence.
Early Fall - Day 194
Even in these increasinly frustrating and bleak times, some happiness occurs. Our first birth at the fortress. Puppies, not dwarves, but a joy nonetheless. I pray only that we aren't forced to eat them by the end of this. Or worse, they end up eating us.
Early Fall, day 205
Hey, the traders from Zonkie Det are here! One time, there was this bar wench there. Ooooh, she had a butt that don't quit! Seriously! She ain't with the traders, and none a them are much ta look at. Ah well, sometimes ya gotta work.
Check it out! Our efforts er legends! I bet their singing bout me right now! Now if only the traders brought anythin good. A couple pieces of metal's nice. A cage. Some leather. Maybe someone can make me a nice wineskin outta it...
Mid Fall, day 211
Well, here's another mystery. Remember the skeletal raccoons that died earlier this year, mysteriously. Today, as the caravan prepared to depart, I happened to spot one. Injured. In the refuse pile.
I'm hoping to meet with the trade liaison later today, and to pass on a note to the king about our leader's incompetence. It should be pretty easy to get the opportunity, the entire fort is, big surprise, at a party:
Mid Fall, day 212
Well, that party is still raging, and I didn't get a chance to speak with the liaison yet (note in the following diagram, that the liaison is actually at the party). My spirits were buoyed however, by the arrival of the winter frost. Rarely a positive thing I admit, but lest my dear readers have fogotten, we have an aquifer to deal with. The lengthy frost of this location will act in our benefit as we attempt to tunnel through. With our "fearless leader" passed out at the party, I've taken it upon myself to start giving some of the orders to get this project started. We may have a long frost, but we must take advantage of every second if we are to survive in this place. I want nothing more than our leader's failures to come to light, but I cannot sit idle and allow the lives of these other dwarves to end while awaiting the king's justice.
Huh. That's odd. The merchants were preparing to leave already. I wonder why they're still here. One of them get dragged into the party perhaps?
Late Fall, day 262
Dear reader. I have no idea what has happened today, but I know it spells our doom. I'm still trying to piece together the events myself, but they make no sense. I'm supervising the tunneling of our passage through the aquifer, when suddenly I hear a bunch of shouting coming from the Trade Depot. I distinctly remember hearing a shout of "That's me sister yer talkin' about!" and then a cacophony.
One of the traders came barreling out of the depot (why were they still here?), accompanied by his axe dwarves. More shouting followed. Excited by the commotion perhaps, one of the traders' mules and one of their camels begin bucking wildly. Suddenly "Shooty" and "Choppy" are there, equipped for their military service.
For some reason, the animals take the brunt of their assault. I suppose in retrospect, that was a good tactic, the animals way about as much as four dwarves, maybe more, and can cause far more damage. Fortunately, they fall quickly. I didn't notice it at the time, but I remember thinking later how odd it was that none of the merchants guards got involved at this point.
The aftermath is disgusting. Blood, vomit, miasma.... everywhere. Some of the vomit was mine I'm sure. Mother, remember what you told me? The life of a clerk is easy, the most blood I'll see is a line here or there from a papercut. I practically swam in it today. Honestly, after bloodying merchant caravans, I fear it won't be the last I see. I can only hope that as a result of the missing caravan, some sort of expedition comes to our rescue.
I spoke with Platypotamus about the event, to attempt to get some answers. I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader to determine how relevant the response was.
What do we care about them anyway? Now we get to keep all their stuff! I don't care why they attacked. How should I know? Them dwarves from Zonkie Det are crazy. I mean, there was this one bar wench there... ooooooh, she had a butt that don't quit! I was even telling one o them traders that she's probly still shaken that sweet thing right now...
Late Fall, Day 268
The past several days have been a nightmare. The survivors of the trader battle have been slowly going mad. "Fortunately", if anything call be called "fortunate" about this event, the maddwarves in question have all been members of the traders' party, and not any of our people. I've taken time out from the aquifer project to order the construction of a grave yard. Unfortunately we lack the resources to create a true burial for these dwarves at this point, but at least we can get their remains in a safe location.
Even worse, project aquifer has hit a major snag. It turns out that beneath the aquifer is... more aquifer. I'll have to expand the project to enable us to penetrate both layers.
Late Fall, Day after yesterday
Poor Clerky. He's really sad causa the two aquiers. He's a good guy though. He's alright. I mean, I love that guy. He's like, cool. I mean, we're like cool. Ya know? He's like, yeah. I love that guy. So he has taken a break from the aquijiggy projec. So causa how cool he is, I'mma take over. I'mma get it done for him as a surprise. Cause he's alright. He's a cool guy. I mean I love that guy. So I'mma take it over. I'll get it done for im. Then he'll be happy again. Maybe he'll party with me after. We'll have fun. Cause he works too hard. He's cool, but he works too hard. I mean he's alright. I mean, he's just great ya know? I love that guy. So I'mma do it. Cause he's cool. Oh yeah, and thanks Coggy for writin this part for me causa I can't write, and I can't tell Clerky to write it cause I'mma surprise him. And he's a cool guy. I mean, Coggy you're cool too. I mean, I love you man.
Early Winter, Day 288
We have suffered the first loss of a citizen of Tombwhips, and I'm sad to report that it was not Platypotamus. I'm even further sad to report that his body cannot be recovered for a proper burial at this time.
While I was supervising the graveyard project, Platypotamus began working on the Aquifer project. Normally, I would be so shocked and impressed that he was working, I would be beside myself with joy. However, his complete failure as a dwarf not only caused inefficiencies in the mining operation, but it cost the life of one Likot Sashasdatan, a.k.a. "Stoney". He was a good dwarf. A bit too found of some of the more "interesting" mushrooms perhaps, but his mining skills were of great use to this place. It is ironic and especially sad that his end came as we came so close to actually reaching stone, with which his other skills could finally be put to use.
I managed to sneak a letter out of the fortess today, to report as much of our situation as I could to the king. Who knows if it will arrive? The messenger bird had been sitting in storage all these months, forgotten. I do not trust it's chances of survival.
Mid Winter, day 324
A ray of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy... year. We've reached the underside of the aquifer at last! Even better, Limestone! The thaw is still a ways a way, but it's best to be cautious, so I've set the crew about building walls to keep the fort dry upon the thaw.
I emerged from the tunnels to find the scariest sight I have ever seen before my eyes. The other members of the expedition have been calling the mutt "PaddledClasped" or Apalama, and claim it's a war dog who helped sort out the strange merchant uprising, but I say the creature is a hell hound. That battle was months ago, and she's still covered in blood!
Late Winter, day 330
Well, it wasn't no ale, nor no agate, but we found stone. Limestone! An jus so ya know, it don't work with tequila even if ya are outta lime. Started a mining thingy down there to start making some space. It's going good!
For once, the oaf is right. It is going "good". As that is happening down below, I've ordered the covering of the top of the aquifer tunnel project on the surface. I don't want our enemies able to attack us from there. While up there supervising that, I had an extremely present winged surprise. I was told to prepare an official report for the briefing of new leadership, and be ready for my new assignment come the first of the year. I nearly broke down and cried tears for joy right there, but with the other dwarves around, I forced myself to remain composed.
Late Winter, Day 363
Official report for the newly appointed expedition leader of Tombwhips
Surface
Status:South of the entrance, pictured here, is the large opening where the aquifer bypass project was undertaken. Progress on covering the breach nears completion. Near the pit is a temporary wood stockpile, where materials for the covering were stored. I would have preferred to build the covering out of stone, but considering all of our other stone needs, felt that wood would have to suffice for now. Our expedition leader didn't argue, as she was drunk at the time.
Recommendation: Complete the covering of the opening, and remove the temporary wood stockpile. While this land is apparently quite dangerous, I have seen no reason to forbid exterior excursions, provided that dwarves remain vigilant.
Level 1
Status:At my recommendation, level one has been left uninhabited. It was my intention to use this level as a defensive position, though a lack of stone, and thus a lack of mechanisms has hindered this development.
Recommendation: As a humble clerk, defenses are not my area of expertise. It was my plan, however, to fill this hallway with traps (potentially lengthening it to add more). Additionally, I had planned to lower the area just past the entrance, so that the entrance itself wouldn't be stairs, but rather up against a wall. This wall would include fortifications, and a barracks on either side, manned and ready to fire at intruders from within. Siege engines would be added eventually. When asked for her input on defenses, Platypotamus advised "A moat a rum, so that our attackers would be too drunk to fight."
Level 2
Status: At the present, this floor contains everything, and it has been essentially our only floor. Contains the trade depot, farm, still, carpenter, and craftsdwarfshop, barracks, dining room, graveyard, and inactive/incomplete cloth related shops.
Recommendation: Now that we have access to good dwarven stone halls, much of the activity is likely to move deeper into the hill. Much can remain, however, notably the farming related buildings, and the carpenter shop, as farming is most easily accomplished in the soft soil here, and the carpenter being closer to the surface means closer access to the wood he needs.
Aquifer Bypass
Not Pictured
Status:There are two levels of aquifer bypass. They feature walls built by the dwarves, and stairs up and down, and nothing else. Note that I left an entire level unused just beneath the aquifer, for safety reasons.
Recommendation: Clearly, the walls here Cannot be removed. Doing so will have disastrous consequences. Expanding the safe zone for easier travel would be ideal, but is not recommended at this time. It is at their own discretion that future leaders may wish to mine out the empty level, though that is also not recommended.
Level 6
Status: Essentially a virgin limestone area, with the beginnings of four hallways, and four rooms designated for mining.
Recommendation: This area should likely become the new home for most of Tombwhips. Limestone is a good, useful rock, and I hope that you find more success here than I.
Late Winter - Day 365
Well, my bet is over, and my replacement comes tomorrow. I'm going to consider my bet a success! Why? Well, we've produced more booze than we can drink. Find me a better measure of fort success, and I'll eat this dress! Maybe I'll go back to Zonkie Det. I remember this bar wench there.... she had a butt that don't quit....
I'll permit myself to hope that the dear reader might be wondering at this point, "What will become of the humble clerk?" While the thought of my reader caring about my fate does indeed buoy my spirits, they are in desperate need of Buoying. Apparently, my accounts of Platypotamus' sordid leadership of Tombwhips have been a rousing success in the King's court. This also should fill me with joy, I imagine. Unfortunately, the light at the end of this tunnel happens to be coming from an exhaling dragon. My tales are so popular at the king's court, that they've commissioned me to continue following Platypotamus around, chronicling his future misdeeds.
I think now I'm the one that needs a drink...
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Note that the "recommendations" are just in-character stuff for the clerk writing his report, and shouldn't be seen as binding in anyway for whoever is taking over. Mainly they are things that I was hoping to at least start on by the end of the year, but the craziness prevented that.
Here is the save fail for whoever is next (or anyone else that wants to load it up and check it out):
http://www.platypotamus.com/dwarffortress/region3.zip
Hopefully everything you need is in that zip, I've never shared a game before, but I think that's all there is to it.
