My Little Fortress: Shadytrails

by PersonalGamer


[18] Journals: 20th Slate 222 to 3rd Hematite 222

20th Slate, 222

My idea hasn't worked out so well. Not yet at least. I think I'll hold off on entries until I actually have something good to write about. Repeated reminders of negativity are bad for the soul.

10th Felsite, 222

Finally! Finally all my hard work has paid off! I’ve struck a layer of quartzite! Now Ms. Dreams and the others will have plenty of stone to work with. That’s excellent news for Shadytrails and for me a much-needed picker-upper! I didn’t have a sample of quartzite in my collection yet, so this’ll be a nice addition. The sample I picked is a pinkish-gray with a lighter hue mottled across its surface. Quite the looker.

That’s not what has me the most excited though. Oh no. The quartzite pales compared to what else I found: a cluster of tourmaline! It’s a deep indigo color and I know it’ll be much more impressive once it gets cut and polished. It may not be the watermelon variety I have sought after, but it’s pretty close! I still so stoked! It's going to be hard to sleep tonight.

16th Felsite, 222

Things are looking ever better: we're sitting on top of an incipient lead mine! It's Hackamore all over again! I found a sizeable cache of galena today, a mineral quite familiar to me. I know that even the trace silver contained in it will be more valuable than the lead itself, so that's going to be a definite boost for our economic prospects.

2nd Hematite, 222

Turns out we got to see some new faces yesterday. A handful of migrants have made themselves a home here in Shadytrails and I plan on getting to know them. Here's to hoping for the best!





23rd Slate, 222

The last few days have been rather fun. Been talking with Mistress Isolde about how to organize the town as we expand. We've got this big hill and a slope leading to the river. Mistress Isolde wants to build the housing at the bottom of the hill, so that the rising smoke from my (and later other ponies') furnaces carries the ash and stuff up and away from where we live. That's not a bad idea, but I was a bit concerned that that might cause a lot of damage to ponies' houses if the river ever floods. I think we've settled on building on the far side of the hill from the river for now. If major flooding ever looks like it might be an issue we'll have to figure something else out though.

I heard some griffons suggest building houses in the trees! A crazy plan. The trees will grow, breaking things, or die and fall over. It could be done, but it would hardly be a permanent structure. If Mistress Isolde says anything about it to me, I'll advise against it.

I was thinking that a watchtower on the hill might be a good idea though. Someplace for Shooting Star (and the rest of the guards) to rest from flying while still being able to keep an eye on everything.

10th Felsite, 222

Stone glorious stone! Silver Rush struck solid rock today. Finally, I'll have something work with. I had a look at the sample he brought up. I think I can turn it into gears for the sawmill that won't break or slip or wear down too fast. Then when that's done, I'll need a funace to work at. A place to make charcoal of course. Will I need a different furnace for glass blowing? I don't know. We'll need a different one for pottery though, since we have all this clay. Wish we had someone who knew about that though, I'll just be guessing. Oh so much work to do.

16th Felsite, 222

And Silver Rush lives up to his name! Shadytrails has struck SILVER. Well, galena an ore containing mostly lead, but also enough silver to get excited all the same. As soon as this bloody sawmill is finished I'm going to start smelting. I can't wait to start crafting again... oh, but I'm so out of practice... I haven't been near a forge in a year. I'll start with some projects in lead before I touch the silver bars I think. Maybe a lead figure for Mistress Isolde to use as a paper weight.

1st Hematite, 222

A bunch of new arrivals today. Two more griffons and a bunch of ponies.

2nd Hematite, 222

Had a chat with one of the new arrivals. A unicorn mare named Lucky Lands. She seems nice.

3rd Hematite, 222

Journal... we may have a problem. One of the new arrivals, Lattice Frame, somepony said she was an architect. There is barely enough work to justify one architect here in this town, let alone two. I don't know how experienced she is... but if she is, what if she figures out I'm a fraud? I can do this job, but, I can't let anypony know this is the first real work I've ever done. If Mistress Isolde finds out, she might kick me out into the wilderness, or have my tongue cut out for lying to her, or worse.

I need to go lie down, I feel sick.





20th Slate

There's little to say lately, as things have been pleasant and peaceful. Sometimes having little to say is a blessing, I've heard it said. While my work in the fields continue, I've been looking for herbs with the doctor, though not beside him. He seems to often roost in high places, that alas, I can't follow him to. That I could, I would follow and try to lift his spirits if they need it...if not with words, then by the image of a zebra trying to climb a tree.

10th Felsite

Icy ground gives way
To relentless search for stone
Fading warmth brings hope

I heard tell earlier that Silver Rush finally accomplished his goal, and found not only stone, but precious metals as well. I was very happy to hear, and had to congratulate him. Now that it can be done, I'll be Patina's first patron, if she would be able to make me some new tools.

1st Hematite

Ah, how kind fortune can be! Just today, I was toiling away under the spring sun, picking the juiciest crop of berries I've seen in all my years. The blues and reds amongst green stalks was a sight prettier than a meadow! ...And more pleasing to the thunderous rumbling in my stomach. Despite it, I almost began to feel discouraged, seeing the endless ranks of bushes and alfalfa shoots before me and to my flanks. In my ambition to feed the town myself, I'd sewn the seeds of my own failure! For I am only a single mare- quite a mare at that, many agree- but alone nonetheless amidst my prey and predators.

I might have faltered then, lain in the soil for an afternoon nap, for even in legends of great heroes, no mare stands against an army on her own. Suddenly, the goddess of Fortune came to me and lifted my head with her sweet hoof, and pointed it towards a wonderful sight. Our peach-pinioned protector and princess of prosperity, Isolde, marching at the head of a column of ponies and griffons, come to reinforce me in my struggle, and share in the spoils!

I know now how the beleaguered soldiers in songs of pitched battle felt, seeing allies come to their aid just when times are bleakest. Perhaps I'll tell such a story in the hall tonight, as I can think of no better welcome to Shadytrails. And maybe afterward, Silver Rush wouldn't mind a duet?