Part 71

List of dwarves dwarfed
Backhand, Fishmonger
Valley II, Peasant
brute_force II, Fortress Guard
Professor Bling X, Planter
SpookyLizard II, Planter
V. Illych L., the Countess herself
Robindaybird, Siege Operator
HaikuYouToo, Child

and judenhauer is a legendary miner. Sorry I couldn't give everyone the position they wanted but those were the only ones open. Unless you'd rather be a child.

I will post a full list of alive dorfs at the end of this update.

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Further journal fragments recovered from dwarven corpse.

--3rd Timber, 117



I received word today that an engraver in the fortress had become possessed! He quickly claimed a craftdwarf's workshop, and set to work gathering his materials, ignoring all else.

--7th Timber, 117



Angered by the recent demon attack, I vowed we would clear the areas above the pits of their foul stench, and claim the adamantine they hoarded against us. We would smith new weapons and armor, and take the fight all the way to their horrible dens if we must! I began to rally the troops, readying to breach the wall.

--8th Timber, 117



Snatchers! The fortress has had a fairly steady problem with goblin scum attempting to breach our defenses. Luckily Mortal Sword, a Fish Dissector was there to spot him. The dwarf immediately pounced upon the goblin, and destroyed him.



I mean, really destroyed him. Whatever one might say about Headshoots, the populace knows their duty and are not afraid to defend themselves.

--14th Timber, 117


(worth 37200 dwarfbux)

I just was told by a hauler that Phrederick II finally finished construction of his artifact! It is named 'the silky number', but is no piece of elven-inspired clothing as you might expect. It is in fact a ridiculously ornate piece of orpiment jewelry.

--22nd Timber, 117

(this image has been hastily scratched out)

Zombie mountain goats! In the monument to my rule, and the glory of the mountainhomes! Maelin, the clothier who discovered it was able to subdue it without a scratch... after a long while. Unfortunately copper picks are not the most effective weapon when you are simple unskilled mining labor. Luckily Crackmaster and, more importantly, judenhauer showed up to finish it off. I had etched an image to commemorate their victory over the undead fiend, but it showed more of the monument than I am willing to.

--12th Moonstone, 117



The breaching of the demon pits is going well, I have erected a drawbridge over the lava chasm, controlled by a lever a few yards away, in case we are consumed by the foul dwellers below. There is also a second drawbridge along the path to the pits, much further back, in the event the demons take the surrounding area too quickly for us to pull the lever.



So far I have seen no sign of the fiends who inhabit them. I can only surmise they are hiding like cowards in their glowing abyss, too scared of true dwarven might to surface. Our champions, myself included, camp here, mere feet of stone separating us from the level below.



I have marked all the pikes and cages (empty, thank god) for removal and repurposing, and have had a wall built to seal off the pits themselves. We will gradually mine out the adamantine surrounding the pit and replace it with worked granite.

--16th Moonstone, 117



I was brought a message today that a kobold thief was spotted on the outskirts of the fortress by Skey, a Weaver. Knowing that the military was currently engaged in the purging of the glowing pits, he simply chased down the kobold, grabbed it by the leg and crushed its chest beneath his (large rat leather shoe)s.

--20th Moonstone, 117



The Dungeon Master, Smuggins, is seriously beginning to annoy me with his constant complaints of a lack of materials.
Were he of lesser standing, I would undoubtedly order him imprisoned for a time, but alas he is a noble and it would not be proper.
I have instructed my squire to watch him carefully for me, however, lest he do something that might compromise his position.

On another note, a second kobold thief ambushed the countess V. Illych L. as she was on a walk of the countryside! She, rightfully, ran away, the kobold continuing in his quest for the riches of Headshoots.
He had the misfortune of running into Tyskil the Champion as the dwarf filled his waterskin. The hapless kobold was knocked at least 30 feet by the Champion's hammer! We all had a good laugh at that once he returned to watch the pits and told the story.

--26th Moonstone, 117



Wondering why none of the excavations in the adamantine mines were being done, I sent a runner to find judenhauer. Eventually he was located, in the prison of all places! The runner returned with the news that he had apparently violated a production order set by the Countess herself. God knows how judenhauer caught the blame for that, as mining isn't exactly 'production' as far as I know.

I do not know if the nobles here are deliberately infuriating their most law-abiding subject or if they were simply sent here as punishment for unthoughtful things said in the presence of those more influential than they.

--20th Obsidian, 117



Smuggins has kept up his whining for altogether too long. In addition, Whitecloak the Hearthlord has been taken by a fey mood, and claimed a leatherworks. We shall see what he produces.



I have kept watch over the demon pits for months now, I am beginning to think we have killed all the fiends from that pit. Fortunately the mining is finally beginning to be done, and judenhauer's prison sentence will soon end. I have ordered the construction of sturdy stone walls around the pit, so the miners can work without fear of horrible fiends bursting from the abyss.

--24th Obsidian, 117



I have allowed The Righteous Barricade and The Constructs of Light to stand down, as the pits seem quiet. The wall is progressing slowly, as is draining the lava.

I recieved disturbing news today. The Countess apparently decided that 46 days of prison was not enough punishment for judenhauer, and ordered him several blows of the hammer! This had roughly the effect you would expect. I am insulted that the nobility here would put their bourgeois pride over the life of the fortress's most accomplished miner. This is not in the spirit of the mountainhomes.



What is perhaps even worse is that no one has seen fit to move his body to his tomb! Someone will pay for this injustice.

--11th Granite, 118



Robindaybird found a kobold skulking around the fortress perimeter and elected to kill it herself rather than call for the military.



On her way back to the safety of Headshoots' walls, she happened to stumble upon a second thief! Unfortunately this one ran away with great speed and slipped out of sight before Robindaybird was able to catch it, though she did chase it all the way to the eastern brook.
I commend her bravery.

--15th Granite, 118



Mining was finally beginning to progress near the demon pits. I have a plan to drain at least one of the lava pockets into the abyss, hopefully frying a fiend or two, though I am not sure they will be affected by the heat. But suddenly, I was interrupted by a runner from the surface.



An ambush! Curse them! I hastily donned my armor and commanded the other two active squads of champions to defend the fortress.



Scouts reported that the goblins were spending time killing off the zombified wildlife, rather than rushing the fortress. Probably for the best.
jimmeyel's Barricaded Auras encircled the goblin scum, cutting off their escape route while my squire and I headed to bar their path towards the fortress. Nemo2342's Constructs of Light stood by in case help was needed.



As we were focused on the battle on the outskirts of the fortress, something far more sinister was happening. A troupe of scum had managed to bypass our troops entirely and make their way to the trade depot! As soon as I got word I sent a runner to fetch the Righteous Barricades from where they were sparring in the barracks, and to direct the Constructs of Light to the depot as well. The time for subtlety and planning was past. I sounded the call for jimmeyel to advance.


(The goblin with a teal background is flying through the air towards a 3-zlevel drop into lava)

Which he did, leaving his squad behind in his hunger for battle. He killed 3 of the goblins himself before hankor caught up with him from the other direction and the two of them easily finished off the rest.



I arrived on the battlefield just in time to observe them converging on the last hapless scum.



Meanwhile, in the fortress courtyard the goblin ambushers fell upon the elven merchants that were fruitlessly waiting at the depot for a trade broker. I assure you, journal, that I would not allow them to find one. The goblins easily brought down several of the tree-hugging cannibals, and I cannot pretend I felt sorry for them.
They were cut down like the dogs they are.



Impressed by this sharing of values with the goblins, I almost considered having HolisticDetective stand down so I might enter into negotiations with the goblins.
However, she was well ahead of me and I fear she would not have listened had I given the order anyway. I swear before Armok, no dwarf nor man can stand before HolisticDetective when she has the scent of battle.



HolisticDetective and OrangeSoda II fell upon the ambush force with predictable results. That woman is like a dervish. With an axe.
I'll have to buy her a drink sometime.



I arrived on the scene just in time to see the aftermath. Goblin blood everywhere, mingling with the elven. I bemoan my luck at missing both battles by mere seconds.

--17th Granite, 118



I recieved word of yet another goblin ambush! Perhaps these were stragglers from the earlier groups, hiding out in the mountainside until they found an undefended dwarf to attack. Royal II was caught in combat with them! I, not wanting to miss this battle as I had the earlier ones, and also giving the other champions a much-needed rest, rushed to save the poor Pump Operator.



Sadly I was too late, Royal II's body had been thrown at least 10 feet by the impact of a macegoblin's crude instrument.



(Yes, I knocked the goblin that far.)

I crested the nearby slope and, looking down, saw the scum that had killed Royal II. Charging them, I swung my hammer twice, sending a goblin flying to his death with each blow.

Sadly the last one escaped before I could catch it and subject it to the same justice as the others, but as it left in the exact other direction from the fort I am sure we will not see it again in the future.

--19th Granite, 118



I fear we will be hunting down the goblins for months to come. Only today a snatcher was spotted by Makille and just now Tinny_Tim has told me he chased one to the very western border of our territory. Cowardly fiends.

--26th Granite, 118



The adamantine mines are going well. I only wish we had more skilled dwarves dedicated to extracting the fine strands of that perfect metal. I order a few more of the peasants to take up the craft in the hopes that one of them will demonstrate some talent.



Suddenly, I am brought some startling news. The countess, V. Illych L., has died. Of thirst?
I suppose she must have locked herself in one of her many, fine rooms and finally succumbed to misery. I am told she was possessed of a severe melancholy for the past few months. This is a terrible occurance, though I must admit I did not care particularly for her moods and methods it is still a sad day when a dwarven noble dies.

She was the reason I was stationed here. I will need to evaluate if I am still needed to oversee the fort now she is gone. This will take some thinking. It is also a blemish upon my reputation that she is dead, but that will pass with time. Especially given the adamantine I am bringing out of the mines now.

--28th Granite, 118



I have made my choice. I will remain in Headshoots until I am recalled to the mountainhomes to bring yet another outpost up to standard, or until this place takes me. It is a sprawling hell of disconnected tunnels and mysterious constructions, but I admire the spirit of these brave dwarves. And I have had enough of living in the mountainhomes, beset by the demands of nobles and noble society. I will step down as Head Overseer, and let someone else take the reins.

I will also record here a current census of the people, at the time of my resignation.





And lastly, a work to forever commemorate my time as leader of Headshoots. To the strength of the mountainhomes. To dwarfhood.



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Well there we go. Hope I did okay with the updates.

Savefile is here: http://rapidshare.com/files/2560087...odprofessor.zip
That's a shitty rapidshare link, so someone with their own hosting may want to download it first and rehost it as I'm probably going to be away for a few days.