Diary.*1
Occasional fights. Even with fortress members.
Need catapult we. Clear enemy front of fortress from. Path only way this the.
Virtue's Diary - 22nd Sandstone, 253
Arbalest came to me today insisting that we set up a catapult for him to start training on. I told him that we haven't seen anything remotely justifying setting up a siege weapon of any sort, but he didn't back down. So I told him that if he could build it, then have at it. He left at that, I assume he'll go busy himself trying to piece together something. I just hope he doesn't use up too much wood trying.
24th Sandstone, 253
Well, he impressed me. Arbalest set up quite a sharp looking catapult just outside the main gate, overlooking the best approach to our fort. He spent all day cheerfully lobbing stones into the distance, which seems to keep him happy at least. As long as he doesn't hurt anypony, I suppose he can keep at it. Who knows, maybe we will need that catapult one day.
It seems that a fair bit of wood has gone missing though. More than I would have expected to be needed for the catapult, but with our wood conjuring spell it's not a big deal I suppose. Our food stocks are still quite more than we need, so we can just make some more.
Panacea's Diary - 24th Sandstone, 253
While I was eating in the dining hall today, Saw Dust sat next to me and said he had a surprise for me down by the river. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when I got there I saw that he'd set up a cozy little shack overlooking the river. I'm not sure how he got permission from Virtue to use the wood, but I forgot all about that pretty quickly. We spent all afternoon talking about everything. It feels like it's been ages since I've really talked with him. Where have the years gone? I'm looking forward to spending more time with him when he gets a chance!
I call it the "love shack" *wink*. I figured getting some ponies that have been in love for years close to each other every once in a while should help things along.
Virtue's Diary - 17th Timber, 253
These honey badger pony thieves are starting to worry me excessively. Another batch of the little monsters attacked us today, but we managed to get off a bit easier this time.
The first two came from the east, blundering into the barracks at their cost. The militia dealt with them immediately, I'm pleased to say.
The third came from the north, trying to sneak in through our main gate. Arbalest spotted him from his position at the catapult, but the catapult wasn't much use against the thief at such a range. Willow came and alerted everypony, and the militia rushed out to deal with the invader. In the confusion, Hickory lost track of her foal Sienna, which the thief scooped up and fled with. My heart sank, as I was sure the thief woud escape with the filly, but Halberd's troops reached him just in time.
Glaive was injured in the fight, but Panacea tells me he'll be fine. I hope so, Hickory was in tears as they brought Sienna back, and I would hate for their heroism to have come at a greater cost.
Yep, that stupid thief just about got away. 2 steps further and he'd have been scott free. I thought for sure that I'd lose my first child ever to a snatcher, but Halberd and company did me proud.
Note that this is Hickory, not Virtue. Dwarf Fortress doesn't give good variety in pony color apparently. And that's Sienna, not Schootaloo, heh.
Panacea's Diary - 17th Timber, 253
I suppose we've been pretty lucky to have been out here for three years now with as few injuries as we have. Aside from Halberd's wound, I haven't had much to do, but the thieves seem to be determined to change that.
Glaive was wounded while saving a foal from one of the thieves, and I'm afraid it's actually pretty bad. The dagger severed a nerve in his leg, and he says he lost feeling in most of it. It was hard for me to tell him that it was likely permanent. He seemed pretty upset at first, but after talking about it a bit, he calmed down a bit. He'll walk again, but it's going to take some getting used to.
He should be proud of himself though. Being wounded while saving the life of a foal, he's a hero if I've ever met one.
Virtue's Diary - 8th Moonstone, 253
After the attacks from the thieves last month, I've stepped up construction of our curtain wall. It's still only about half completed, but it's getting there. Mortar, Chisel and Saw Dust are busy cutting rock blocks for the wall.
The wall can't get completed soon enough. Some diamond dog thieves showed up yesterday and tried to make off with some of the gems in our stockpile. Fortunately, Halberd and the militia caught up to them in time to drive them off. I didn't watch the battle, but I understand that two of the thieves were slain. Nopony was seriously hurt, but Halberd got nicked in the tail by a dagger. I doubt he'll even see Panacea about it.
Virtue's Diary - 9th Moonstone, 253
Something pretty terrifying happened this morning. While stripping more marble from deep within the quarry, Diamond Shard saw a monstrosity lingering in the caverns below. The order to seal them off has gone forgotten at the bottom of my stack of papers, so I was worried it would wander up to the surface. Diamond Shard said that she only saw it a distance through a small opening into the cavern, and she doesn't think there's any way for it to get to us. I pray that she is right. Nevertheless, the moment the wall is completed, we will be walling off the caverns below.
Just a vomit man, a few axe strikes and it would probably go down. I didn't realize forgotten beasts*2 could show up at less than 80 ponies though... probably should get on sealing off the caverns ASAP.
Virtue's Diary - 25th Moonstone, 253
Another new pony entered the world today. Ocean Breeze gave birth to her first foal this morning, a unicorn filly she named Peridot. With her, our little community has grown to a total of 69 ponies. I'd have never believed we could grow so much in just three years, much less thrive with so many. I feel bad that we still don't have proper housing for everypony, but I think overall we've done reasonably well out here. Perhaps the king didn't make a mistake when he chose me to lead our expedition after all.
12th Opal, 253
Longshot stopped by my office around lunchtime today. I was worried he was going to complain about the lack of a town hall still, but he merely passed me a production request. He asked to have some of our raw gems cut, which seemed fairly reasonable. They're taking up a lot of space in our stockpile, and getting them cut and useful wouldn't be a bad idea.
I spoke with Quartz and asked her to go ahead and set up a jewelry shop along the wall behind my office. She was pretty excited to get to work doing what she does best, and trotted off immediately to set to work.
In other news, Pewter stopped by my office this afternoon to let me know that the ten steel chanfrons that Halberd requested for the militia had been forged and issued out. It's reassuring to know that they will soon have some decent protection when they are called to battle again. I know it is just a matter of time.
Naginata's Diary - 12th Opal, 253
Pewter finished our chanfrons*3 today, which is a good start toward a decent set of barding. I went ahead and requested a set of ten steel peytrals for us, which would go a long way toward protecting the most vital parts of the body. She looked upset.
Turns out that she misplaced her peytral*4 template and will have to make a new one or wait for the liaison to show up with one. It's frustrating, but I suppose nothing can be done about it. I just hope she's fast about it.
Yeah, DF screwed me and decided that my civilization couldn't make hard peytrals. Fortunately, Nidokoenig was kind enough to post a solution to that problem, but I'll have to work it into the save to get it fixed. For now, no peytrals for anypony.
Virtue's Diary - 24th Opal, 253
Another pony has been taken by a strange mood today. This time it was Corkscrew, the pump operator who arrived with the last group of immigrants. She's taken one of our forges and is currently running about, snatching up a little of everything she can get her hooves on. At least she seems to be finding what she needs.
This reminds me that we've not seen anything else of the abomination below the surface. I'd like to think that it wandered off and will not trouble us, but that's just wishful thinking. We must be careful to not breach a path for it to reach us. I wonder now if there is some connection... perhaps these lands are cursed with dark magic.
5th Obsidian, 253
Corkscrew finished what she was working on today. She made a pretty impressive weapon rack that she calls "Machinehair the Lovely Gate." She couldn't explain the name or why she decided to make a weapon rack, and offered to haul it off to the barracks. I'm sure Halberd will find another weapon rack useful with nine other ponies under his training.
*5
One. Not in range. Useless I. Catapult bigger need we.
New plans.
Panacea's Diary - 1st Galena, 253
Flux seems to be a really thoughtful pony, he constructed a beautiful splint for use in my hospital yesterday. I was busy at the time with... "well based issues" but Virtue showed it to me today and it's of amazing quality even if Virtue thought it was a crutch.
She also told me that Flux went right back to trying to make steel so our brave defenders will have proper armour and avoid any repeats of Halberd's awful stabbing.
Panacea's Diary - 14th Moonstone, 253
Glaive has been in my hospital for almost a month now and what I am most worried about is infection, I have been cleaning his wounds regularly with water but I would feel much better if we had some soap. I'll talk to Virtue about it.