User:Kuroneko/Survival

<-- Kuroneko

Squirreloid's Survival Challenge

So, a Bay12er by the name of Squirrelloid offered a challenge to the Bay12 Forums. Using a no skill, no purchase embark, you are to survive with nothing and work from the ground up. After noticing Doomshifter's attempt, I decided to try my hand at this purely suicidal endeavor. STRIKE THE EARTH....with your bare hands.

Embarked

1st Granite, 135, Early Spring
We have been forced to stop our journey early. Besmar Nekutdodok, our wagon driver, fell asleep at the wheel and ended up running into the river. We lost everything aboard the wagon, and we only barely managed to save the horses. Clearly our groups name, The Bane of Luck, is all too appropriate. So here we are, in the middle of the swamp with nothing. Since the only resource we have at our disposal is wood, I decided to have a Carpenter's workshop build out of the wagon, and sent the rest of the men off to collect some shrubs so we at least have something to eat

6th Granite
Asmel Uzollisid, the one I designate to be carpenter, made an astounding discovery. Apparently, he was able to fashion a usable axe out of wood. I've sent him off to bring back as much lumber as he can. We'll need it.

17th Granite
We've collected enough food for our immediate need, so I've had a few small surface farms set up. Hopefully we can atleast survive until a caravan arrives. I've also had our carpenter put together some more of those wooden axes. There are some rather large wildlife in the area, and I would rather have these flimsy things to protect myself than my bare fists.

22nd Granite
The men have already grown weary of the lack of alcohol. I've mandated the erection of a small still to try and satiate them for now.

5th Slate
It seems that the river is full of carp, this will make things much more difficult.

12th Slate
The first barrel of Strawberry wine has reached completion. It's no ale, but it'll have to do. I've also mandated the construction of a Trade Depot. This way we 'll be prepared when and if a caravan happens across us.

24th Slate
The herbalists are barely able to collect more food than we eat. I've considered starting to catch fish, but the carp still have me on edge

10th Felsite
The crops in the farms are finally starting to produce some food. Not sure if it will be enough. Many of the men are growing tired to sleeping on the ground, but at least we have our ... wine?

26th Felsite
Our carpenter decided to set up a small wooden shelter on the side of the hill. It isn't much, but it's enough to sleep in out of the rain

22nd Hematite
Praise the stone! A group of migrants have stumbled across us and we managed to convince them that this was the settlement they were looking for. They had with them several competent fisherman, so I've decided to send them out. Their group has doubled our size to 14. Hopefully with the added hands we can collect more food. We don't have much of any other choice.

12th Malachite, 135, Mid-Summer
The fisherdwarves set up a small fishery near the lakes. This is the first time I've tasted meat since we left the fortresshome.

1st Galena, 135, Late Summer
One of the immigrants, Shorast Athelavuz, has taken interest in keeping stockpile records. I've set up a small office for him to work from. Some of the other people are none too please with him occupying the only chair all the time.

1st Timber, 135, Late Autumn
We've managed to stabilize our food supply. Things are actually starting to look good. I've had some people work on turning some of these inedible plants into thread and cloth. Also, I had someone work on turning all this wood into a useful trade good. Hopefully we'll be able to get enough supplies if a caravan ever arrives.

12th Timber, 135, Late Autumn
ARMOK BE PRAISED! A scout noticed a group of people off in the distance. A CARAVAN! I sent several people over flag it down and have it come this way. It took everything we had, but I managed to procure the single steel pick they had. Now we can finally bite into the wall that we've been next to this whole time.

19th Moonstone, 135, Early Winter
Winter is setting in, the temperature has dropped sharply since the summer. Hopefully we'll get inside before it's too cold.

2nd Opal, Mid-Winter I went to go check on how the mining was progressing when I found that noone had even started. Apparently, the men believe that the pick is cursed and refuse to use it. I guess I wasted everything for nothing.

File:KuroSurvival.png

After the first year

Outcome

Overall I'd say this was a success. The exploit with using wooden axes to cut down trees made this a very easy mission. While I didn't actually manage to mine anything, that was only a result of a bug in which noone wanted to actually use the pick.