Opal
1 Opal 263
As I had resolved, on the first of this month I ventured to the magma chamber and readied to close the floodgates. But the Giant Cave Dog is gone! It is a disappointment but also relief not to interrupt the capping of the magma.
6 Opal 263
The miners completed the new workshop rooms.
The first new workshop will be a soap-maker's. Markus will also design a new mechanic's shop. Once the magma forges are built the only workstations that will remain above-ground are the butcher's, tanner's, fishery, and the woodworking and burning shops. These should not move below because the raw materials they draw upon are found above-ground or because they emit miasma.
Atomikus persists fishing the stream to no result.
8 Opal 263
Samuszoomer who is known throughout the fortress primarily for precociousness and profanity, surprised all by organizing a party! She said her birthday is this month. The records indicate it is on the 23rd which is not for fifteen more days but one may forgive an orphan child for poor accounting skill.
Pozzo was the first to attend which surprised no-one.
10 Opal 263
Markus visited to complain. He again met with the outpost liaison who had waited for him in Markus' bedroom. Markus stood in the hallway to avoid getting closer without witnesses.
The liaison confirmed what Markus had requested for next year.
Realizing the dwarf was wasting his time Markus sought excuse to leave and went to haul items in the food stockpile. The liaison has stalked him around Gemclod without mercy.
15 Opal 263
Another Leopard was spotted to the far southeast of our domain. It must be ignored lest it humiliate the militia.
life_source makes bags. His skill as a clothier has become Adequate. It is a promising development towards pig tail fiber clothes that are fit to wear.
The water spreads thin over the obsidian shelf and trickles into the magma.
The shelf grows but too slowly. It may be better to build a channel to direct the water. To that end I ordered the floodgate closed. As soon as the flow slaked I waded out into the water to inspect the walls on the far side of the magma pipe. Beyond the wall some vile creature stirred in the darkness but I surmise it is no Leopard for it could not surmount my fortifications which remained unbreached.
I was soaked but after I returned to dry tunnels I discovered my pig tail fiber trousers, dress, and robe were no longer red but midnight blue!
I recalled then the Beak Dogs. Their blood had stained my clothing long ago and now was washed clean by water warmed by magma.
22 Opal
I designed walls to channel the water towards the magma. These walls need only be crude pilings of stone so I instructed Shorter Than Some and The_White_Crane to assist. Likewise Mehuyael is permitted although he may continue his labor smoothing the Great Hall's floor if he desires.
23 Opal
I went below to labor on the walls but within the magma chamber I was once more surprised by a repugnant monster! I have seen its tiny cousins in the swamp above; it was like frog but larger than a dwarf.
The creature only sat and regarded me with bulbous eyes so I ignored it and labored at stonework in knee-deep warm water.
Later when queried Star Guarded said frogs with bumps are called Wartfrogs and therefore the beast is a Giant Cave Wartfrog. He said they have tusks that can gore but I saw no evidence of them. Perhaps they retract or perhaps Star Guarded is mistaken.
24 Opal
Boing has birthed a daughter!
Willie Tomg announced his child to the Great Hall where Samuszoomer and Pozzo engaged in surprisingly inconclusive drinking contests. The outpost liaison was there (chasing Markus as he sought the drink stockpile). That is good. The liaison will report to the Mountainhomes that the dwarves of Gemclod prosper.
The child is named Penguingo Ibeshathel. In time she will add to our strength. I am determined that in Gemclod she will learn to be more useful than her parents.
I have one more month as Overseer and yet two projects remain incomplete. I must be industrious or my term may be judged inadequate.
Kikka wrote :-
I'm sorry Penguingo but I think you're a cave demon.
Penguingo wrote :-
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA