We started the pipe off by returning to the crystals. They continue to provide what we need. We're running low on supplies, however. Nevertheless, that forest also provided some more goods.
+2♥ +9♦ Stores: 2♥ 9♦
The wall in the back of the hospital crumbled. The stylus didn't show a fault there, so something has clearly been digging behind it. We tossed some stones through the hole and heard some deep hisses. Whatever it is, it's angry. We expanded the hole enough to get a good look in and it would appear that a frilled basilisk made a home back there. We managed to snare it by goading it out of its cavern and surrounding it. For now, we've got it penned in the kennel. Not the mole we would normally house in the kennels.
To make matters worse, another creature lurked its way into the Hold. We held our ground. Miryn's training served his troops well. They subdued the creature, but we have to find out where it came from.
"Pah! What's that smell?" Drorik spat out his ale, unable to enjoy the taste after the putrid smell filled his nostrils. The dwarves around the table looked down the flight of stairs next to the table and saw a lumbering shadow teetering its way toward the bottom steps. Clearly not the shadow of a dwarf, it was taller and bulbous, and no dwarf has that kind of smell -- not even a dwarf that has bathed in the Coldstone lichen pools. They grabbed their weapons and waited at the top of the stairs to identify the creature.
A frog-like creature dragging long claws stepped into the torchlight. One look at the dwarves and its speed picked up, stepping up the stairs, a squirting sound from each step. The dwarves readied themselves and held their ground, one tackling the beast to the ground. Thinking quickly, they tied the beast down and dragged it through to the kennels, restraining it in the stables. Fortunately, nobody was harmed in the process. Though, they did smell far worse than before.
The test results are in. Just as we gathered from a break, Tyryn showed up in a hurry. The frogs in the swamp? Poisonous. Deadly, even. Even worse? Drorik came by later with an old text which suggests that there's a likelihood that these frogs are indeed not the biggest creatures in the swamps of these parts. It is very likely that the creature the soldiers subdued earlier was one of those very beasts. It's time to drain the swamp.
We set out with rags to plug the crevices that the water was coming out from. Over time the water will drain. Once it's low enough, we will destroy the frogs.
-5♦ Stores: 2♥ 4♦
⌈ ♥♠♦♣ ⌋
After defeating and restraining the sudden incursion of wildlife, they have been gated off in kennels to begin taming the critters.
Greenstone Day 8, The Kingdom of New Stone
Stores: 2♥ 4♦
Garrison
5 Soldiers in the main hall (25STR)
5 Soldiers in Level 1 Barracks (25STR)
2 Gunners in Level 2 Barracks (6 STR)
Events of the Day
We really need Krygr's guidance. We're consuming resources faster than we can produce them. That forest is just keeping us over the edge. That cavern, too.
+2♥ +9♦ Stores: 4♥ 13♦
Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. Tak!
Krygr, in all their goodness, has guided us. My stylus glowed strangely towards one area of the digging charts. Curious, we sampled the cavern wall and found it rich in ore. We set out immediately and dug deeper.
+13♥ Stores: 15♥ 13♦
We continue to round out the troops. Even more, we'll need to recruit some magic users to our ranks. And to do that, we need a library for them to study and refine their magic.
Dwarven mages aren't very common. When a child is born, they are tested for Potential. When their Potential is inclined towards magic, the child is given a name from Krygr, the dwarven high god. As such, every mage's name starts with the same syllable. The most famous of dwarven mages, for instance, was Krynyk, the Kindler.
-15♥ Stores: 0♥ 13♦
It didn't take long before the first mage showed up at our gates and, with them, another gunner. Gunners and mages have gotten along for so long that I'm sure they'll be fast friends.
-13♦ Stores: 0♥ 0♦
The mage, Krytin, got to work immediately in the library. She apparently studied under quite a powerful mage in the capital at some point and wanted to try out an old spell.
"Put this here, and that over there, maybe -" A group of dwarves stood just out of reach of the newcomer; A dwarven mage, Krytin, had joined the Hold and was already working her way through the newly constructed library organizing it to the standards of the Capital.
"She's purrty," mumbled one of the dwarves as Tyryn entered the room. The group agreed, unaware that Tyryn now stood behind them, furrowing his brows at them. His muffled voice through beard and mask broke their focus, "Back to work with you, moles! Leave the magic-doer to her work!" Panicked by the presence of a superior, they scrambled out of the room through the halls and back to their duties.
"Thanks for that," Krytin mumbled, distracted with putting reagents in a very specific order on the shelf before her. "I'm going to cast an old spell I was taught. Don't be scared if you recognize some faces." Puzzled, but accepting her warning, Tyryn turned and left the mage to her work.
Strange things happened as the cask came to an end. I can swear I saw my grandfather walking the halls just a drum or two before. Tyryn passed on the mage's warning to me, but this was stranger than expected. The spell she cast will bring dwarves of old to the Hold to help aid those in need.
⌈ ♥♠♦♣ ⌋
The new library promises to add some interesting properties to New Stone.
Greenstone Day 9, The Kingdom of New Stone
Stores: 0♥ 0♦
Garrison
5 Soldiers in the main hall (25STR)
5 Soldiers in Level 1 Barracks (25STR)
2 Gunners in Level 2 Barracks (6 STR)
1 Mage in Level 3 Library (4 STR)
1 Toad Beast (25 STR)
1 Basilisk (15 STR)
Events of the Day
We spent longer than normal in the cavern today to build up a stockpile to trade if we need it.
+2♥ +15♦ Stores: 2♥ 15♦
Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. Tak!
We found an abandoned room beyond the basilisk's old cave. While the basilisk is becoming more friendly with us, we also felt it necessary to carve out its old home so it wouldn't go hiding there if it escaped from the kennels. After some deliberating, we felt it was time to prepare for what great things we find in this mountain's lost halls and caverns. A museum was carved into the walls to store any treasures and trophies we might find.
Rather than trade, we hired three more soldiers to join Miryn's ranks. With some of the threats we've encountered already and how strong they could be, I felt it necessary to maximize one of our forms of defence before continuing deeper.
-15♦ Stores: 2♥ 0♦
⌈ ♥♠♦♣ ⌋
Greenstone Day 10, The Kingdom of New Stone
Stores: 2♥ 0♦
Garrison
5 Soldiers in the main hall (25STR)
5 Soldiers in Level 1 Barracks (25STR)
2 Gunners in Level 2 Barracks (6 STR)
1 Mage in Level 3 Library (4 STR)
1 Toad Beast (25 STR)
1 Basilisk (15 STR)
Events of the Day
We've grown comfortable making visits to the forest each cask. Many of us take our breaks in the forest. Being around the trees is a strange experience for dwarves. The gemstones above that give off the light the trees grow from have our attention, but we wouldn't mine out the source of this food!
+2♥ +6♦ Stores: 4♥ 6♦
Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. Tak!
The dead launched themselves through the cracks of the wall as we explored further through the crystal cavern's walls. Our miners barely escaped with their lives, the forces of the undead crashing into our shieldbearers. Thankfully their bones were brittle. Our hammers turned them into dust. Examining the crypt afterwards, we found an ornate ancient sword. We've stored it in our museum.
We continued to bolster our forces given recent events and hired two more soldiers to the Hold.
-10♦ Stores: 2♥ 5♦
⌈ ♥♠♦♣ ⌋
Greenstone Day 11, The Kingdom of New Stone
Stores: 2♥ 5♦
Garrison
5 Soldiers in the main hall (25STR)
7 Soldiers in Level 1 Barracks (35STR)
2 Gunners in Level 2 Barracks (6 STR)
1 Mage in Level 3 Library (4 STR)
1 Toad Beast (25 STR)
1 Basilisk (15 STR)
Events of the Day
For the first time in a while, our storeroom is looking full. It's nice. But it won't last! We must continue to expand the Hold.
+2♥ +12♦ Stores: 6♥ 18♦
Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. Tak!
Not only is the store room filled with Trade Goods, but Resources, too! We'll be good to expand again soon. The deeper we go, the more forces we need to secure our safety.
+9♥ Stores: 11♥ 18♦
⌈ ♥♠♦♣ ⌋
Greenstone Day 12, The Kingdom of New Stone
Stores: 11♥ 18♦
Garrison
5 Soldiers in the main hall (25STR)
7 Soldiers in Level 1 Barracks (35STR)
2 Gunners in Level 2 Barracks (6 STR)
1 Mage in Level 3 Library (4 STR)
1 Toad Beast (25 STR)
1 Basilisk (15 STR)
Events of the Day
It's almost time for our next major expansion. We will dig deeper.
+2♥ +6♦ Stores: 13♥ 24♦
Tik. Tik. Tik.
Graarrrghh!
Tik. Tak!
We could hear a deep growling, almost a roaring, even before we cracked through and made another opening. Some beast, a monster, even, lives beyond these walls. We retreated for now. For now, we wait. Either we will slay the beast, or find a way to tame it.
A trader stopped through. With what we've got on hand, it's time to sell some of those Trade Goods.
+18♥ -9♦ Stores: 31♥ 15♦
It's time to attract some visitors. An inn will be built to house visitors. The museum will hopefully become splendid enough to attract several.
