Bloodline:Shootcommon Chapter 1

The Journal of Zirik the Fortress Administrator

And so I find myself leading a band of dwarves into the unknown lands to establish a successful mountain home, by order of the king of the Strapping Pale Tome. The surveyors have located a suitable location within The Point of Patterns. The nearby forest should provide plenty of lumber, though I begin to suspect it may not be a very safe place, with a name like 'The Basic Peaceful Forest'. Reports tell of numerous hazardous beasts dwelling there, confirming my initial suspicions. There is a nearby brook with a much more honest name. The locals call it 'Wrathmolds'. It should provide sufficient water for the fortress as well as plentiful murderous fish. No matter. To Dwarves, danger is welcomed with open arms (and sharp axes).

I met the dwarves I will be travelling with this morning. They told me they call themselves 'The Rim of Lakes'. What this means they would not divulge, except to say 'You had to be there'. Even more perplexing is the name of our soon-to-be fortress, 'Shootcommon'. The violent connotations of the name bring back unwelcome memories of the tragedy of Boatmurdered. I was not there myself (as you can see I am still quite alive) but its tale has spread far and wide. Dark omens aside, the Rim of Lakes possess a variety of useful skills that should have us self-sufficient in no time at all.

1st Granite, 1061, Early Spring

We have arrived! The area is not nearly as forbidding as the surveyors described. The entire known population of these untamed wilds is a pair of mountain goats. Maybe the elephants will arrive later. Fortune has struck, and I begin to wonder if this is perhaps too good to be true. There is coal visible in the nearby cliffs. Not only that, there is an exposed vein of platinum higher up the mountainside. We're going to be rich!

First order of business, to set out some stockpiles in which to keep our stuff. There's a decent place up by the platinum to start digging. There we can go deeper and eventually dig out some grand halls. For now we just need bedrooms, a dining room and some workshops. The miners are off to obtain some much-needed building material with which to do all this with.

11th Granite, 1061, Early Spring

All is in order. The bedroom plans have been laid out and digging has begun. The dining room will be set up soon, but before that we need to dig some underground farms so we may start planting. A hungry dwarf is not a happy dwarf.

1st Slate, 1061, Mid-Spring

The farm has been constructed. It is accessible from the surface and once everything is moved underground we will be able to build a tunnel to it and seal off the surface entrance. We don't want our food source to be our weak point.

5th Slate, 1061, Mid-Spring

Dwarves are terrified of raccoons.

4th Felsite, 1061, Late Spring

Tun Bekomurist was digging out the underground workshop areas when his pick suddenly broke through to a vast chasm! Despite the darkness we can see there are small populations of hostile creatures lurking down there. I have ordered a wall built to block off the area so to prevent unwanted invasions.

Simultaneously, a wild cougar has appeared to the northwest. It has already eaten one of the dogs. Hopefully it won't stray to close to the camp.

9th Felsite, 1061, Late Spring

We have struck petrified wood! This is not as useful as non-petrified wood, but it is interesting. Also, some traps have been set up at the entrance in case the cougar decides to visit.

16th Felsite, 1061, Late Spring

The cougar seems to have wandered off.

1st Hematite, 1061, Early Summer

All is going well. The bedrooms are all mostly set up, and the dining room is well under way. Work has begun on the bookkeeper's office and the rooms that will eventually house the mayor, once he elects himself. Soon we will start moving the workshops underground and begin constructing defenses around the outside of the fortress. By the end of Summer we should be well prepared for... maybe a lone goblin or two.

21st Malachite, 1061, Mid-Summer

The cougar has appeared again. Fortunately, it's on the far side of the area. I don't think it will pose much of a threat to the fortress so long as it remains there.

11th Galena, 1061, Late Summer

Another raccoon has arrived, striking fear into the hearts of dwarves. All that were outside to witness the terrible beast fled up the mountain. I think I need to train some war dogs.

17th Galena, 1061, Late Summer

Finally summoning up some courage, Ezum Nosimkib the woodcutter went out and struck down the monstrous beast. No more will Shootcommon have to fear the terrible creature.

14th Limestone, 1061, Early Autumn

The caravan has arrived! This is our chance to trade for valuable goods. Now, if only our broker would get around to showing up at the trade depot. He seems more intent on sleeping, eating and going on break.

11th Sandstone, 1061, Mid-Autumn

The broker got out of bed! We sold a vast array of stone trinkets to the merchants in exchange for equally vast quantities of meat and cheese. This should help the dwarves through the Winter.

1st Moonstone, 1061, Early Winter

Autumn was rather uneventful. Construction has been slowed somewhat, as the dwarves are hesitant to do what they are told, especially with regard to dumping excess stone from the new kitchen area. Nevertheless, we have plenty of food and alcohol, easily enough to last through the winter.

24th Moonstone, 1061, Early Winter

A goblin child-snatcher has appeared! And a fox! Fortunately, there are no children in the fortress at the moment. Maybe the goblin will get bored and leave.

20th Opal, 1061, Mid-Winter

The traders have indicated which items they will pay more for. To the next ruler of Shootcommon, make sure to have the craftsdwarves make plenty of this stuff!

1st Granite, 1062, Early Spring

Spring has arrived! My time as fortress administrator is up, and I believe I have the place well enough setup that Shootcommon will continue to prosper well into the future.

-- End of Shootcommon year 1061-1062 --

Status:

Fortress lower level:

The large room in the North contains the forges and smelters. The bookkeeper's office is the small room on the West of the main corridor. The mayor's bedroom, dining room and office are under construction just East of there.

Fortress middle level:

The most interesting part of the fortress. The array of small rooms on the West is the bedroom area. The next ruler will have to complete construction. The main hall is in the centre. The stairs down lead to the forge area and offices, and the stairs up lead up to the entrance level. The Southern corridor leading to a stairway allows access to a room that was planned to be an archery range. The rooms to the East are the dining hall and kitchens. The farm can be seen South of there. The kitchen area has a few vents that lead up to the surface to prevent miasma from clouding the air. The tops of the vents are still under construction.

Fortress entrance level:

Here you can see the various workshops and stockpiles still outside the fortress. Over time these should be moved inside.