My Little Fortress: Dawnpick

by Paaaad

7: Surprises and Steel

Virtue's Diary - 1st Malachite, 253

It's been a busy day. With a few more farmers to help out Harvest Moon, we've expanded the fields and set up a new field for some other crops, eventually, although we'll have to wait for a caravan hopefully carrying some new seeds. We've been needing some thread for some time now, and Harvest Moon tells me that he has a few seeds for a curious underground crop called pig tails. We had a small underground farm dug out for that.

I've also set up a mechanics workshop for Flux to work with and a siege workshop for Arbalest. I dearly hope that we won't be needing any siege equipment to defend ourselves, but if we did, I'd hate to be caught without it. Whether or not we'll be able to spare anypony else to learn how to shoot the things, well, that's another story.

Now that we've got enough ponies to almost consider them a squad, I asked Halberd to set up a proper training schedule to keep them all prepared. He has them training two months on, one month off, which sounds reasonable to me.

The surprise was when I happened across a request from Longshot in my paperwork. I didn't expect him to actually start making such recommendations so soon, but he requested that we not trade any large gems until he says otherwise. We've been trading uncut gems to the merchants so far, so it's not a big deal. I'm not quite sure why he'd order such a thing anyway, but it's a small enough issue that I won't bother him about it.

11th Malachite, 253

To my initial dismay, another group of migrants arrived today. I was quite surprised to find an alicorn *1 among them, and at first expected that a noble of some rank from Coupledye had come to check up on my progress. I was quite nervous, as we've only just barely begun producing much from our mines.

I was quite surprised, and a bit pleased, to discover that most of the new arrivals were soldiers, including the alicorn Stilleto. We could definitely use a few more armed ponies, so I sent them off to meet our existing militia and get acquainted. Surprisingly, Stilleto made no mention of having any high rank, and accepted her position under Halberd without a word.

The arrivals are as follows:

An earth pony mare soldier named Fuscina
An alicorn mare soldier named Stilleto
A unicorn mare soldier named Kukri
A unicorn mare soldier named Kris
A unicorn mare woodcrafter named Balsa
A unicorn mare beekeeper named Sweet Nectar
An earth pony mare farmer named Sunflower
An earth pony stallion woodburner named Toasty

I was also pleased to let Panacea know that the well was finally dug out today and should be ready for use soon. I think everypony will appreciate it actually, since we don't have to head down to the river to bathe now. After what happened to Brook, nopony really liked going down there anymore.

Yeah, that's right. I set the pop cap to 50 and I get 8 new ponies. Apparently the change doesn't take effect until the liaison arrives, so I just hope I don't get pushed over the 80 siege trigger before then, heh, heh. I hope the unwanted arrivals like military service, because that's what the useless ones are getting!

13th Malachite, 253

Hickory gave birth this morning to a unicorn filly named Sienna. The parents were quite excited at the new arrival, and I gave them some time off to recuperate and bond.

17th Malachite, 253

I'm really starting to get worried about these... strange moods... that are gripping everypony. I got word late this morning that Flux had occupied a workshop and was demanding wood and stone blocks. We didn't have any stone blocks available, but it was easy to set Chisel to the job. I hope he finishes whatever he's planning soon, since we really need him smelting down the magnetite.

28th Malachite, 253

It took nearly a week for him to finish it, but Flux completed his project this afternoon. He made what is perhaps the most impressive crutch I've ever laid eyes on. I'm... not sure how we'll use it, but it is quite beautiful.

He didn't finish a moment too soon, either. I got word that Diamond Shard finally located what we've been searching for months for underground: marble! With Flux done with his crutch, now he and Cinder can get to work making some steel. The new soldiers will have some armor and weapons to practice with soon.

In more amusing news, Panacea somehow managed to get stuck in the well today. She slipped in somehow and couldn't climb out. I still don't really understand why the pegasi can't just fly out of little rooms like this, but she couldn't for some reason. It took us all day for Diamond Shard and Chic to dig her out of the well, but we sealed it back up with an emergency doorway for any future emergencies. Good thing the well wasn't completely full, she could have drowned!

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Panacea's Diary - 28th Malachite, 253

Today was pretty embarassing. I slipped into the well this morning and landed badly on my left wing. It hurt too much to fly out, so all I could do was shout until somepony came by to help. Thank goodness Skillet was nearby when it happened, else I don't know how long I would have been down there. Virtue eventually got the miners to dig me out, but I hate it came to that. I was so embarassed, I thanked everypony and hid in my room for the rest of the day. I heard a few laughing about it, and I guess it was a bit funny, but I wasn't in much of a mood to face that.

At least my wing seems to be fine, just a sprain, I think. And as long as I don't fall in the well anymore, my patients should do a lot better in the future. I just need to talk to Virtue about getting some soap made. After things die down a bit, of course.

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Flux' Journal, Granite 23

Ballista finished her project: an amulet. It's beautiful, though spiky, and bears an image of celery on it. I asked her about the celery and she just looked at me and asked if there was anything wrong with celery. At least she's back to normal.

Malachite 1

Virtue liked my designs for blade traps, and asked if they could be made to work with glass instead of steel blades. It's a bit unorthodox, but I don't see why not. And our apparent lack of any flux stone makes the steel blades a dream. We finished setting up a workshop for me to actually get to building the traps, so hopefully we'll be safe behind some bladed protection soon!

Malachite 11

I was checking where to actually put the traps when I saw the latest migrant wave. A lot of them looked like fighters, so I'm sure Halberd and Naginata will have plenty of company. One was even an alicorn! I never expected to see one out here. At least, not this soon. Maybe Dawnpick is more important than I was told? Either way, I should get back to work. There's a lot of magnetite, and it's not going to smelt itself.

Malachite 17

The hospital is working, but we have no splints! Why do we have no splints?! What if somepony breaks something?! Gotta fix this error! Must make a splint! With wood and stone and... *The page quickly devolves into illegibility and a long list of random building materials*

Malachite 28

Wow, that was weird. Apparently, I went a bit crazy and started acting just like my friends did when they built something strange. I made a splint. It's a nice splint, but why did I make it? And why did I put a pink lemon tree on it? I don't even like lemons.

Oh! While I was crazy, they found some marble deep in the earth! Finally, I'll be able to start making steel!

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Virtue's Diary - 21st Galena, 253

The last few days have been pretty interesting.

First off, as I feared there were things living underground that weren't happy to see us. With everything else going on I hadn't gotten around to getting the masons to seal off the caverns, and there have been a few "invasions". I'm not sure what to call the things, but they walk on two legs and are clawed.*2 A few rushed out of the cavern breach and started harassing our quarry workers. Halberd and his squad raced down to the depths the moment Chic came running up shrieking about monsters, but from what I hear, Diamond Shard defended herself most admirably.

Longshot immediately took it upon himself to clear the caverns of the little beasts with several extended hunting trips. He brought back quite a bounty, so we'll probably be eating them for a while. We've not seen many of them since, so I think perhaps his efforts have frightened them off at least.

23rd Galena, 253

Now I feel like we're a true mining operation. Flux and Cinder have been hard at work smelting the magnetite and turning it into steel now that we have some marble on hand. I immediately asked Pewter to begin turning the steel into weapons for Halberd and his squad. They should all have axes to practice with within the next few weeks.

A zebra caravan also arrived today, led to our settlement by the plumes of our furnaces. I worry it might attract less desirable attention, but save for what happened to Brook we've been lucky. We traded off some uncut gems for a little food and drink from the zebras, which they accepted gratefully. Longshot didn't seem to mind trading the uncut gems, but still asks we not trade out any large gems. Unfortunately, the caravan didn't have any new exotic seeds for our fields, but I'm holding out for our liaison later this year bringing some.

In happier news, I heard we have another foal among our children today. Detergent gave birth again in the wee hours of the morning to a unicorn filly she named Copper Trim. The name fits her appearance, I'll give them that.

26th Limestone, 253

The undesirable attention I was worried about found us today, but I'm happy to record that nothing ill came of it. Quartz spotted a diamond dog thief skulking on the hillside overlooking our settlement, no doubt picking through the wooden logs piled high there. Halberd's squad charged off after him, set on not letting him do to anypony what the badger thief did to Brook, and to not report home where we were. I didn't see the fight myself, but he assures me that the thief won't be returning from whence he came.

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Naginata's Diary - 26th Limestone, 253

When word reached us that another thief had been spotted near the settlement, everypony galloped out to meet him. Once again, I didn't have a chance to actually engage our foe, since Stiletto beat me to him. I must say, I've never witnessed an alicorn fighting before, but now that I have I am absolutely impressed. The mare grabbed the thief telekinetically by the teeth, crushed him to the ground and crushed his skull with her horn.

I've made it a point to not cross Stiletto. Not that I ever intended to, but that pony is not to be trifled with. Her demeanor is a bit odd too, probably related to the fact that she would be willing to stoop to the level of fighting alongside us. I choose not to inquire further.

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Virtue's Diary - 11th Sandstone, 253

I don't know where they're finding all of these ponies to send to us! Yet another group arrived late tonight, long after we'd eaten our evening meal. I showed them the dining hall and managed to get Skillet to fix something for them while I took in their names and professions. Not what I was hoping for, I'm afraid:

A unicorn stallion soldier named Glaive
An earth pony stallion armorer named Billows
A pegasus stallion butcher named Cleaver
His wife, an earth pony mare potter named Glaze
A unicorn stallion weaver named Cross Stitch
A unicorn mare soldier named Sarissa
A pegasus mare pump operator named Corkscrew

The soldiers were a relief however, as Halberd now has a nice, round 10 man squad at his disposal. Even better, I heard from Pewter yesterday that the axes were all ready, so the new arrivals can get to training first thing in the morning. I'm sure they'll fit in.

Our defenses are slowing coming together as well. We've built perhaps a quarter of our curtain wall now and have a drawbridge ready thanks to the mechanisms Flux has been crafting for us. Better yet, we have a few traps at the end of the drawbridge. I tasked Fuscina with working with Flux on placing them. We'd best make sure that everypony knows where they are, it would be a tragedy for somepony to be wounded by our defenses.

Speaking of the dining hall though, I fear we may have to expand it soon or rotate meal times. With nearly seventy ponies in Dawnpick now, it's getting a bit crowded in there. I'll speak to Mortar and Saw Dust about it in the morning and see what they have to say about it.

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Flux' Journal, Galena 21

Those things from the caverns were vicious little buggers. Small creatures, all teeth and claws, though not exceptionally dangerous. Diamond Shard handled a few that surprised her, then Longshot decided to actually go and hunt them for food. I'm not sure I want to eat them, but I'll try it at least. Who knows, maybe they're actually tasty.

Galena 23

Oh, I have missed making steel. There's just something so satisfying about all the work put into making the wonderful alloy. With Cinder's help, Pewter should have all the steel needed to make sure our military ponies are fully armed and armored in short order.

Also, a zebra caravan showed up today. I might go see what they have to offer later tonight. I don't have a lot of bits, but I might be able to afford something interesting at least.

Limestone 26

We need to get those traps set up soon, a diamond dog thief was spotted by the military today. They dealt with it quickly, but everypony is still a bit on edge. We all still remember what happened to Brook.

Sandstone 11

More migrants! Fuscina and I saw them as we were preparing the sites for the first set of traps, out around the drawbridge. Virtue welcomed them, but I think she's a bit worried about where to put them all. Dawnpick is growing quickly, and our carpenters are having problems keeping up with the number of immigrants.

Author's Note:

*1 Surprise! Alicorns exist in the Pony mod as well! They are, however, fully mortal, and can be born to any caste.
*2 Crundles. No threat to someone who knows what they're doing in a fight. Especially in this mod.

Comments

[RedvsBlue327]

Guh, I can make a fortress with giant farming operations, and keep everybody living quite comfortably... but when it comes to the military, I have next to no fuckin idea how to set it up.

So I keep winding up with lotsa dead or dying dwarves once the nearest goblin company catches wind of my dwarves pleasant living conditions... and traps can only do so much...