So, I've figured out a way to make myself write, yay!  I know, I know, don't jump up and down for joy all at once, now, but I thought I'd let you in on my secret.  I'm going to be playing a game of Dwarf Fortress and basically journaling from the perspective of one of the dwarves who is there.  I don't know what I'll do if that dwarf dies... but I'll think of something.  Anyway, for those of you who don't know, Dwarf Fortress is a free to play game that in some ways is like Minecraft (even though a lot of minecraft is kind of based off of Dwarf Fortress); you build a fortress, controlling (to start with) seven dwarves (but no sleeping beauty), and then getting immigrants who you add to your stockpile of flesh :D.


For those of you interested: http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ here is the link to the homesite for the game and here: http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Main_Page is a link to the wiki, in case you decide to play and have no idea what to do, or what's going on.  It is an extremely complex game (understatement of the year, HA!), and I'm just now starting to get the hang of it.  I just figured out how to somewhat control the military yesterday (yay!), and have a general design for a fortress down that I really enjoy.  Now, that being said, I'm not sure how long the fortress will last (the motto of the game is, after-all, "losing is fun"), but I will stick with it as long as I can.

I got a little bit of inspiration from a similar project called "Boatmurdered" (that's the name of the fortress), which was actually done as a collaboration between quite a few people.  One person would play for a game year and then pass it on to the next (though they only had a week in real time to do this, which doesn't take too horribly long).  If you want to read about what happened there, here's the link: http://lparchive.org/Dwarf-Fortress-Boatmurdered/ though I must warn you, (as if it needs to be said, seeing as it's on the internet) there is some language.  It is quite the interesting story, though.  I'll tell you that.  Anyway, without further ado, here it is, my tale of Ometducim, or Flukeworks in the human tongue (chosen randomly) and its settling group: äkimuzol, the Brilliant Oil.

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1st of Granite, Spring

Well, here we are, in quite the nice location.  We were fortunate enough to find such a nice location, and one that was so close to our original homes!  The king thought that an outpost here would be perfect for setting up our new trade with our allies.  We've got almost a full year until a trade caravan from our hometown stops by,  hopefully we'll have enough goods to sell to get ourselves an anvil.  We opted out of taking one because it was so heavy and we couldn't fit much else in the wagon besides it.  You wouldn't imagine the beauty of this place though.  Trees right next to the river, plenty of ponds, and of course, the promise of stone further down.  We'll need to get the basic necessities set up first, mostly a place to sleep and places to eat and cook, but we'll also need to set up proper defenses.  I heard tales of one outpost that had a lot of stuff stolen by monkeys, we wouldn't want that, though the dwarves who scouted this location out told me that monkeys weren't to be seen here, which is at least a little relief from heading up this trip.

I've sent Ustuth to start mining, and I'll start chopping down some trees.  With a little luck we'll have a place ready for the first wave of immigrants that the town has promised us which will be coming either in Summer or Fall, I can't remember.  Regardless, here's hoping that Olin can keep everyone defended until then.  We'll start mining with that in mind, so it'll be more difficult for invaders to get in.  I want the entrance walled off by the second season, but we'll see what happens.  Deduk and Eral won't have much to do until we get a carpenter's and mason's shop set up for them, but we'll have them doing odd-jobs here and there until we can get them into their preferred professions.


3rd of Granite, Spring

Well, today I finally decided to put Olin to use.  She was looking a little bored just standing around all day with that warhammer in his hands, so I told him to build a kennel so we could train our dogs later.  She jumped right on in, apparently he wanted something to do.  Ustuth is making decent headway on digging out our home, but he's not the quickest at mining. He had only been promoted a few times at the miner's guild, but he was the best I could convince to come with us.  Oh, well.  What can you do?

Oh, I also saw some badgers near our camp today, I hope they don't get much closer, they've been circling the encampment.  I'm probably worrying about nothing, but I'll send Olin after them if they get too much closer.


6th of Granite, Spring

Well, Ustuth finally made enough room for us to get a Mason's workshop started.  here's hoping he'll be able to start working soon, especially since we haven't found any stone yet.  I'm sure we'll find it soon, though.

Oh, and Olin seems to be having fun training the dogs.  We've already leashed one up by our entry stairway, just in case we have to make a quick escape into the dark.

PS: I'm really enjoying the hens we brought along.  They make some mighty tasty eggs.


15th of Granite, Spring

Well, we've got our masonry up, but still no stone, so we can't really make anything yet, but we've also got the carpenter's workshop up, and Deduk's already working on some beds.  It will be heavenly sleeping on a soft surface again instead of the cold, hard ground outside.  We also figured that Vucar, our fisherdwarf, could use a place to prepare the fish he catches, so we set up a fishery for him.  Hopefully that'll help the stomach aches the men have been having lately.


25th of Granite, Spring

HA!  We have just struck Sunstone today!  it looks like the surveyors were right.  Ustuth took his time in getting there, but it seems as though there will be some fortune to be made here after all.  It might not be much, but we've only just begun, and once we've started digging even more, I'm sure we'll be bringing in the dough in no time.


1st of Slate, Mid-Spring

Well, we finally got a bedroom up, no doors, but at least the beds are starting to get put down.  Of course, as the expedition leader, I took this bedroom as my rightful place of honor.  It shouldn't be too long, though, before the others get their rooms.  But tonight, I get to relax in peace.


15th of slate, Mid-Spring

Looks like I get to be sleeping in privacy tonight.  We just completed our first door.  Now I won't have to stay up all night wondering if Ustuth is watching me or not.  Oh, the kitchen and Stillery are up, which is good.  Our supplies haven't started running low, yet, but it's good to be prepared.  Heaven forbid we run out of drink, the place will go stark mad.


20th of Slate, Mid-Spring

Ugh, I can't believe it.  I come upstairs for a quick bit of fresh air, and what do I smell but rotten foot stink.  Apparently, Olin decided to leave her shoes, socks, and gloves on the ground when she changed into her armor.  I'd always heard that Dwarf men were the ones to be worried about smells, but apparently dwarven women are just as rank.  Of all the dirty, rotten... I can't believe I didn't notice it until now.  Ugh, I guess I'll have to get someone to take them somewhere.

Fortunately our living quarters underground are starting to shape up, so maybe we won't have to go topside as much.  I've got Ustuth digging literally next to a small pond.  When we dig out enough space, we'll crack into the pond and flood enough of an area to get some mud down there for our cave crops.  Things are going surprisingly smoothly.  No more signs of the badgers, surprisingly enough, though a skunk has just been seen nearby.  Maybe that's what that horrible smell was earlier.  I should still talk to Olin about leaving her stuff around, though.


5th of Felsite, Late-Spring

I'm quite pleased to say that the wall around our entrance is starting to shape up, though it must be tough for poor Eral, trying to make doors, floodgates, AND walls all at the same time.  I'll make sure that we add something special to his room to make for all the hard labor that he's doing.  Maybe I'll have him make a statue of me to add to his room.  Ha, sorry for whoever is reading this.  Dwarf humor.


15th of Felsite, Late Spring

Unfortunately, it looks like we're down to our last fish for fresh food.  but I guess that's ok because we have over fifty meals that have been prepared by our carpenter.  I just hope that they taste good.  There's a reason we brought him along, and it wasn't because his cooking was wonderful.  Maybe next time I'll tell him to not put the raw fish in the salad.  I don't really like sashimi.  Then again, maybe I'll just go fishing myself.


16th of Felsite, Late Spring

I like to be prepared, and so I've decided that we should get our trade depot ready as soon as possible.  I've set the orders out, now I just have to wait for someone to get enough free time to start building it.  Not to worry, though, things are still going really, really well.


21st of Felsite, Late Spring

We've already got an eighth of the wall up, and it's not even quite summer yet.  This is going better than all the horror stories I've heard of people setting out to make outposts, only to be destroyed horribly by critters, or even goblins.  Ugh, I hear they eat your flesh.  Random shudder.  Well, I don't want to get too greedy with the trees, maybe I'll start working on some mechanisms soon; we do need them.  We'll see.


7th of Hematite, Early Summer

Apparently, it's not monkeys we need to worry about, I don't even know if we'll have monkeys here, but it does look like we'll have some kangaroos and wombats to keep us company from time to time.  I didn't think we'd gone that far south, but apparently so.  I'd always heard tales of these creatures, but to see one up close, it's crazy.  It reminds me of one of the dolls my father got me once when I was but a child.  It was a kangaroo with a little kangaroo cub, or whatever you call the blasted things.  Maybe when we get some rangers I'll have them trap one for me and tame it as my pet.  That would be just too amazing.


14th of Hematite, Early Summer

I had Olin train me my own war dog today.  If I can't have a kangaroo, at least I'll have a dog to protect me and keep me company.  Oh I am so excited, I knew it was a good idea to come on this expedition, especially as the leader!


21st of hematite, Early Summer

Badgers are out there again today.  They were wandering near where Ulstuth is digging out our refuse pile.  We needed it pretty badly.  The cats that we brought along were killing all the mice, and leaving their bodies to rot out everywhere.  While a dead rat is better than a rat anyday, I don't want to be constantly reminded of this fact.

At least we've got the floodgate put in place now.  We just need to link it up to the lever nearby so that we can open it when Ulstuth channels the pond to it.


26th of Hematite, Early Summer

I've spotted no less than ten badgers out parading by the new refuse area.  This makes me uncomfortable beyond just about everything else that's happened so far.  The funny thing is that the sow is leading the pack around.  Where are the dwarves that were promised us from the city?  I should probably start setting up traps now, just in case they don't get here soon.  Not that I don't trust Olin, I just like to be prepared is all.


10th of Malachite, Mid-Summer

It seems that the badgers have wandered off to their next victims elsewhere and have completely forgotten about us, fortunately.  It appears all my fretting was for naught.  At least, this time.  Next time I'll be sure to have a larger militia to take care of them.

On a side note, it seems that Ulstuth is getting quite good at digging. He's already cleared out quite a bit of the huge area we've marked aside as our garbage heap.  I guess we're all getting better at our professions.


18th of Malachite, Mid-Summer

They've arrived!  I was starting to worry that they'd all been eaten by badgers, but apparently they were tough enough to stick it through.  I must go meet them at once!

Well, it seems that my first reactions to the arrival of the immigrants was somewhat over stated.  We got a peasant, a farmer, and three children.  And while I am grateful for the extra hands, I'm not exactly sure that these are the people that I would have picked.  Especially the children.  I can't order them around.  Oh well, I suppose I should be happy that I have a happy family joining us.  I guess I'll order up some more beds to be made so that the children don't have to sleep on the cold, stone floor.


25th of Malachite, Mid-Summer

Well, it would appear that the new family is fitting right in, they got straight to work hauling stuff around, well, the husband and wife, that is.  We also managed to get the farm cave flooded, finally, I don't know what took Ulstuth so long.  It won't be long now before we have that farm set up properly.  Maybe the new gal could get on that, we need stuff to brew, and soon.  Maybe I'll even let her husband try his had at jewelry, we need a good jeweler to make stuff for this winter.

I'll be darned, apparently this guy is quite the macedwarf, I'd never thought it looking at him, but he says he was in the militia back home, so maybe I'll add him to the militia if we can get a mace from the caravan this winter.  But for now, we still need him to cut up those gems that we've found.  I think it's time to send Ulstuth out again, maybe a bit deeper to find more gems.


9th of Galena, Late Summer

Apparently, I chose a good spot for Ulstuth to dig, we found a bunch of tetrahedrite, which will hopefully bring in some silver once we get a smelter going.  We need to start burning some wood for charcoal too, so i might have to go up top and start cutting some wood again.


28th of Galena, Late Summer

Medtob, one of our original dogs gave birth today.  I thought she was looking a little fat, but I guess she pulled through.  It looks like two beautiful puppies are now ours.  Someday I'm sure we'll train them into the best wardogs or hunting dogs around.


14th of Limestone, Early Autumn

I couldn't stand it anymore.  All these animals, and our wall still isn't quite up yet.  I sent Olin out to kill a wombat today.  She chased it around for a little while but got it.  It was actually quite impressive to watch, especially with her wardogs following quickly behind her.  Now I just hope the next batch of migrants contains a butcher.


25th of Limestone, Early Autumn

It looks like another wardog has given birth today.  Again, it was two beautiful puppies.  Maybe we could make some good money with these traders by selling livestock.  It's worth a shot.


4th of Sandstone, Mid-Autumn

HAHA!  The wall has been finished!  Now we are no longer completely exposed to the elements and wildlife.  Those Emus no longer bother me at night as much as they did before.  Perhaps I will have Olin have them cut down tomorrow.  We will see. The bridge across the river is now being built, which will make sure that the traders can reach our depot, which has yet to be built.  I'm a little peeved at these dwarves.  I wanted that thing up seasons ago, but no, "we need the bridge first."  Either way, it better be up soon, or I will not be a happy camper.


10th of Sandstone, Mid-Autumn

Finally, both the Depot and the bridge have been completed.  We are now almost completely ready for the traders, we just need to get our items ready for trade.  I've started work on our smelter and charcoal making plant, hopefully we'll get a few more able-bodied people this next bunch of migrants than we did previously.

Speaking of busybodies, everyone is so busy that I've had to send Ulstuth to do the brewing, we're running dangerously low on alcohol.  Without it, I fear for our poor little hole's sake.  Then again, if it's Ulstuth brewing it.  Well, at least bad alcohol is better than no alcohol.


12th of Sandstone, Mid-Autumn

I guess it was that time of year not too long ago, we just had two of our dogs give birth today, one had one, and the other had two.  We are going to be so stinking rich, it's not even funny.  Apparently we attained a duck along the way.  How, I'll never know, but he apparently decided to pop his head out today and greet the world.


19th of Sandstone, Mid Autumn

Today more migrants have been seen off in the distance.  I am a little leery since last time it was just a family, but we shall see what this time brings.  Away I go!

Well, it seems the gods are pleased with us.  We got a total of seven new dwarves, along with their animals, and I must say that we got a little luckier with them.  Some of them have semi-useless jobs.  We already had one fisherdwarf, we didn't need two more, but I suppose that we can send them off to do other tasks.  We got another peasant as well, and, most importantly, a furnace operator.  Now we will have charcoal coming out of our ears!  Which will be perfect for smelting those ores that we found.  Maybe that's what I'll get one of the fisherdwarves to do.  It will help boost our productivity, though.  That's for sure.

I've also put Nomal, the miller, as our new cook and brewer.  At this point, I'm sure anything is better than Ulstuth's "mystery ale."


4th of Timber, Late Autumn

Well, With everything going as smoothly as it has been these past couple of days, I've decided to take one more precautionary measure and build up a second wall protecting our trade depot.  I've heard stories about goblin raids, and I don't want to have to deal with that any time soon.  Hopefully this will deter them, and if not, well, the more walls between us and them, the better.  Maybe I'll set up some cage traps as well.  Those things can save lives.


14th of Timber, Late Autumn

Oh my!  The trading caravan is already here!  I can't believe that they're this early.  I was told Winter.  Well, time to quickly get everyone getting things to the depot so we can trade.  I'll have to be there personally to set up the trading, but I'll definitely do my part to make sure everything gets there that needs to be there!  Fortunately it will take the traders sometime to set up.


19th of Timber, Late Autumn

It would seem that my charcoal maker has given up on his job, the ol' coot!  I'll have him locked up if he doesn't start soon.  In the mean time I've had the lye maker do his job, he wasn't doing anything anyway.  We have no way to make lye.  Silly people, coming here thinking that things will be a certain way.  I think I need to send Olin out to kill a kingsnake that's said to be around these parts.  Wouldn't want the traders getting bit, now would we?


25th of Timber, Late Autumn

Fortunately, Olin caught up with the snake, only took him almost a whole week.  Oh well, what can you do, right?

The ambassador from home started discussions with me today on trade and the like.  I'm hoping that it will go well and that they want things that we can easily and readily make for them.  I think we'll need to buy more rope and leather so that we can make bags and leashes.  Maybe they'll have some more animals for us as well.  That would be good.  Then maybe we wouldn't have to buy rope anymore.  That'd be even better! Hopefully this will be over soon so that I can get to the trade depot before all the traders leave.

Well, that went well.  I ended up trading with the trader for quite a bit.  I traded some of our gems and crafts for food, rope, some armor and weapons, and most importantly, a forge.  Now we can start making our own weapons and armor.  We just have to keep digging.  Speaking of which, I managed to get a few picks thrown in there as well, so we can have more people digging now. This is turning out to be such a great year.


12th of Moonstone, Early Winter

The traders left today to continue their trip, though they did leave mention that more traders have been about this year, elves, even humans.  We'll just have to see if any happen to come our way.  All the better for us.  We almost completed the outer wall in the time that it took them to trade with me.  Man, Eral has gotten fast at putting up stonework.  Can't wait to get him back down in the shop making doors and tables for us.


27th of Moonstone, Early Winter

Those emus are up to something I swear!  I'm sending out my new militia to take care of them.  It'll be good practice for the boys, and then maybe I can chop them up for materials for goods.


22nd of Opal, Mid-Winter

With the caravan gone, and things going well, I'm afraid I must call it quits for this first writing session.  It has been a good time, but soon I will need to worry about having a strong army, for the goblins cannot be too far off.  Hopefully I will have weapons started soon.  I know I have plans set out to dig out the forge's place, and I have the forge.  Maybe I'll have to tell the miner to stop smoothing the stone in the residents' quarters.  We'll see.  The place is starting to shape up, though.  I'm almost not ashamed to call it home.