Fallen Heroes

Pop. 130, Autumn of 313 (Year 62)

Shock and dismay spread throughout the fortress when three of its mightiest soldiers fell in battle: Commander Sphalerite of the Original Seven, Tirist Earthennourishes the legendary marksdwarf, and Edem II, once the Unluckiest Hammerdwarf and the first dragon battlemaster of Relicshield.

The Forgotten Beast Engror Uktangstosbub has come! An enormous pterosaur composed of green glass. It has a pair of squat antennae and it has a gaunt appearance. Beware its webs!

Far stronger than any previous Forgotten Beast fought before, Engror rampaged through the defending squad. Somehow an iron spear was kicked up by the thundering charge, fatally cutting Tirist, while Edem II and Sphalerite were trampled (NOOOOOOOOOOO)! Istrath the dragon rushed at the pterosaur, his fury boundless at the death of his dwarven companion!

The cavern shook with the clash of the two titanic beasts while crossbow bolts flew into the fray. The battle was tense, with the pterosaur breathing webs and slamming its wings and feet into the dragon. However, Istrath rallied and with a final blast of dragon fire, the glass monster was melted down.



Duke Phyllite has commissioned a memorial to be built in honor of the three fallen soldiers, all true heroes of Relicshield :'(.

Dragon Age

Pop. 133, Spring of 313 (Year 62)

Right at the close of the previous year, the enemies of the fortress attacked both above and below. While the Evils of Spray laid siege on the surface, a frigid horror entered the second cavern.

The Forgotten Beast Uthgur has come! An enormous quadruped composed of snow. It has wings and it squirms and fidgets.

Goden II Claspletter, Relicshield's first forgotten beast slayer, kept the monster busy while her captain readied the perfect blow. With a mighty shield slam, Dishmab Vesselbrain the Holy Winnower of Fortresses broke the creature apart!





Near the surface, Commander Sphalerite led the charge against the goblin siege, with Edem II and his dragon Istrath close behind.

http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-2556-istrathswrath



With the rise of Relicshield's dragons, a new age has dawned.

Taste of Fire

Late Autumn of 312 (Year 61)

After much debate between Duke Phyllite and Meng Roughwhips the Dragon Trainer, Relicshield fielded a dragon in battle for the first time! Edem II volunteered to be the dragon's battlemaster and led mighty Istrath forth. The Evils of Spray received their first taste of dragon fire and soon fled!

Watch Istrath in action!

Dragon Breeding

Pop. 135, Autumn of 312 (Year 61)

The duchy's dragon breeding program has succeeded! After one egg that failed to hatch after a full year, a second clutch was laid in the Summer. By Autumn, the fortress welcomed 2 more dragons!



Work continued on the largest cavern security wall to date, this one covering an area 28 across and 38 levels high. With so much attention on the dragon breeding program and the cavern walls, the odd mumblings of the brewer Tulon Dippedtowers were overlooked. He went berserk near the farm complex, which recently merged with the kindergarten.

Tulon charged at Mosus III Anguishedpages, the first 3rd generation citizen of Relicshield. He struck her twice before the axedwarf Vucar Graniteright struck him down. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, having named his axe "The Pale Hammer," Vucar has still managed to be a reliable fighter.



Duke Phyllite has urged all citizens to please report any strange activity at once and to stay vigilant even in the midst of large projects!

Run, Nish, Run!

Pop. 139, Autumn of 310 (Year 59)

The duchy's largest wall thus far was completed, far below in the second cavern. 13 across and 25 high, the construction went without a hitch. Fighting sometimes took place in the scaffolding far above the cavern floor, where dodging the wrong way could lead to a fatal fall. The soldiers on duty performed beyond expectation, and not a single life was lost blocking this portion of the second cavern.

Soon after the wall was completed, two forgotten beasts were discovered at the same time on a cliffside near the top of the massive cavern.

The Forgotten Beast Bekor has come! A huge eyeless viper. It has large mandibles and it squirms and fidgets. Beware its poisonous bite!

The Forgotten Beast Egngun has come! An enormous quadruped composed of mud. It has wings and it undulates rhythmically. Beware its poisonous gas!

Bekor was slain by the speardwarf Logem Chanceblockades, but Egngun was far more dangerous. Rather than a face-to-monstrous face confrontation, the miner Nish Anguishedpages volunteered to lure the creature into a trap. She dug a small tunnel to free the beast, though she underestimated just how fast it was. The mud monstrosity was suddenly right in front of her!

Nish took off running just as it reared back and blew a torrent of poisonous gas. The foul vapors barely missed her as she raced off with the forgotten beast hot on her heels. She stumbled past the massive pillar holding a section of the cavern above, then ran up the stairs, all while just avoiding blast after blast of fetid breath. The massive hatch slammed shut, blocking the beast below, then the nearby lever was pulled, crushing the monster under tons of stone.

Another Slayer

Pop. 141, Winter of 309 (Year 58)

The duchy's miners and masons have been hard at work walling off the second cavern when Dusak the Murky Blisters, a forgotten beast of filth and grime, attacked. It breathed great globs of frozen spittle, but the legendary soldiers of Relicshield blocked or dodged each shot. The axedwarf, Cog Slingriddles, landed the killing blow, joining Goden II as a slayer of forgotten beasts. Though the monster was vanquished, other dangers made their mark.



A chance wild fire caught one miner, Geshud Graniteright, who perished before anyone could reach him :(. Fire snake vermin from the nearby magma pool were the most likely culprits, as no fire imps were nearby. A new route to the cavern's edge was mined out, giving the pool a wide berth.

Meanwhile, near the surface, more dwarves fell into strange moods. Atis Anguishedpages died of dehydration when unable to complete her construction and the same fate seemed likely for Ilral Treerooms. Fortunately, simple advice from Laularukyrumo, a visiting scholar from the Mountainhome, helped avoid further tragedy.

Second Cavern Found!

Pop. 144, Spring of 309 (Year 58)

The second cavern complex was found 114 levels below the surface. The first cavern measures 5 levels from floor to ceiling. This one spans a staggering 69 levels, not including the underground lake which is at least 2 levels deep, and possibly more! The complex also features a downward passage and a MAGMA POOL :D. Securing this area will be a far more involved process, but the dwarves of Relicshield are up to the task!

Search Renewed for the Second Cavern

Pop. 144, Winter of 308 (Year 57)

The long-delayed expedition in search of the second fabled cavern has finally recommenced. All the old exploratory tunnels were closed, while the scaffolding used for the walls securing the first cavern were removed. An outpost with food, booze, and barracks was constructed 49 levels below the surface, along with a cave-in corridor in preparation for the dangers below. Dishmab Vesselbrain, the 2nd best warrior of the fortress has now been stationed in the Deep Outpost with her squad of legendaries, including Goden II Claspletter, slayer of Lerdi the Forgotten Beast.

New Year's Eve

Pop. 141, Spring of 306 (Year 55)

After the famine of 304, food production was overhauled. Rock nut paste, usually processed into oil and press cake, was used as a quick stop gap measure to fill the larders once the food from the elf caravan ran out. The duchy's cooks also began to experiment with other seeds as ingredients for lavish meals. Tallow, once used primarily for soap, found a place in the kitchen again, as well. Before long, a healthy surplus was regained. On New Year's Eve 305, Solon II and Edem II Claspletter welcomed Edem III into the world :D.



(Actually 1 day old, but since he was born in 305, DF states 1 year)

Famine

Pop. 137, Spring of 305 (Year 54)

A population boom caught the fortress by surprise. While babies were being born left and right, food supplies dwindled in the Winter of 304 due to poor preparation (stepped away for a LONG time and didn't adjust workflow). Edem II Claspletter and Solon II Anguishedpages-Claspletter had been trying for years to have a baby. Unfortunately, the food shortage caused Solon II to have a miscarriage :(. The dwarves of Relicshield were never as overjoyed to see the elves as they were this Spring. The timely caravan brought much needed food, preventing starvation and the widespread riots which could have resulted.

3rd Generation

Pop. 127, Spring of 303 (Year 52)

The duchy's 3rd generation is well underway!



The first child abducted from the fortress was also known as Mosus, but this auspicious birth has helped to remove the pall cast on that name. In their mid-twenties, Olin Anguishedpages and Mosus II Lanterngaze-Anguishedpages were the youngest parents of the fortress, until the birth of Onol III to Onol II Lanterngaze and Stakud II Roughwhips-Lanterngaze, at 13 years of age!

A Shoulder To Cry On

Pop. 123, Autumn of 302 (Year 51)

Recently, a few of the youngest dwarves began to throw tantrums. One in particular had a fit over the lack of clothes due to a burrow mishap. For once, Mayor Olon II Treerooms did something other than demand more shields. He sat down, let the the other dwarf cry it all out, and smoothed everything over. Burrow borders and clothing stockpiles were reviewed, and everything was put back in order.



Soon after the clothing debacle was smoothed over, another dragon appeared on the border, and a male one at that! Istrath Brandedtaxed the Wealths of Warmth slew a war grizzly while rampaging outside the fortress gates, but he was finally enticed inside where he was quickly captured. Now with a potentially fertile pair, the dwarves of Relicshield have begun to study lore on the successful breeding of dragons!

Wedding Bells

Pop. 120, Autumn of 301 (Year 50)

The dwarven vacation lodges have been a success! With fine statues, an artifact bed, and haute cuisine, marriage was just a burrow away! After dating for over 20 years, Edem II Claspletter FINALLY married his childhood sweetheart, Solon II Anguishedpages.

Half-century

Pop. 120, Summer of 301 (Year 50)

The fort celebrated its 5th decade since settlement. The merged melee and ranged squads have continued to thwart the goblins at every turn. The trade tunnels had new checkpoints installed at all 12 entrances, allowing human merchants to approach immediately without any wagons, while giving dwarven wagons full access with the flip of a single switch.

Romance has been slow to develop, especially among Relicshield's 1st generation of native born dwarves. Vacation suites are being planned to help nudge more couples towards marriage and hopefully a 2nd generation of native children.

Combo Squads

Pop. 121, Spring of 299 (Year 48)

After considerable equipment allocation and scheduling issues, the duchy's melee and ranged squads have now been combined to impressive effect. While the melee troops create an advancing shield wall, blocking enemy bolts and arrows, the ranged soldiers quickly incapacitate foes if not outright killing them. The combined barracks and archery ranges have also greatly increased training frequency, with two marksdwarves just shy of legendary status and others well on their way.



The increased mobility of ranged troops has been a great boon. For decades, wagons were barred from Relicshield due to security concerns. While those from the humans are still under consideration, this year marked the return of the full Mountainhome caravan.

Ibmat the Dragon's training has progressed well, reaching expertly trained status. Her trainer, Meng Roughwhips, happened to be the most naturally inclined to such work (thank you Dwarf Therapist attribute-occupation calculator). Even before becoming a dragon trainer, he already had the title "The Planes of Taming."

Meanwhile, Edem II, after years of stunted growth, has been making up for lost time, with 92 kills to his name :D.

Grisly Grizzlies

Pop. 122, Spring of 296 (Year 45)

Soon after Ibmat the dragon was captured, the goblins laid siege to the fortress. They were routed, but not without the death of a human diplomat. While the spoils of war were collected and corpses disposed of, a swamp titan appeared to the west.

The Swamp Titan Dab Ronzoslu Ozse Sostux has come! A gigantic eyeless scorpionfly. It has large mandibles and it has a regal bearing. Its charcoal exoskeleton is waxy. Beware its poisonous bite!

The defenders of Relicshield readied themselves, but the monster headed toward the roofed courtyard where there were several defenseless civilians. There were two openings in the roof that had been missed while making an adjacent tower! By the time the order was given to redirect the troops, the swamp titan had already descended into the courtyard. Dwarves panicked and fled in terror, however the courtyard also housed the grizzly training grounds. Six grizzlies charged at the foul monstrosity immediately.



The fighting was quick, but fierce. Surrounding the titan, the grizzlies tore into it, biting and latching on from all sides. By the time the soldiers arrived, the fell beast had already met a grisly end :D (thank you growth bug fix).



Now the cooks of Relicshield are busy making use of the 433 pieces of swamp titan meat that was left.

Trolling Trolls

Pop. 122, Spring of 296 (Year 45)

A year earlier, Kadol Meshpapers-Graniteright the hammerdwarf was caught outside alone during a siege. Her fellow soldiers rushed to her aid, but a group of trolls intercepted them right as they emerged from the fortress. While the majority of Relicshield's defenders were forced to engage the tusked monsters in battle, Captain Dishmab rushed toward the lone hammerdwarf. Second only to Commander Sphalerite in total kills, Dishmab smashed into foes with her mighty mace. Together, she and Kadol routed the goblin squad, while their compatriots decimated the trolls.

Once the siege was defeated, attention turned back to preparations for the second cavern expedition. Scaffolding was taken down from the walls securing the first cavern to regain blocks, but there were two fatal accidents. Atir Kissochre the clothier and Chief Medic Dolomite, one of the Original Seven, fell to their deaths. Scaffolding had been taken down before, one level at a time, without incident, but Duke Phyllite demanded the procedures be placed under review.

The Spring brought renewed hope in the form of Ibmat the Dragon, who was lured into the trade tunnels and captured in a cage.

Growth Spurt

Pop. 125, Autumn of 293 (Year 42)

The duchy's marksdwarves have been training with a zeal never seen before, all thanks to new training techniques from the Mountainhome.



Meanwhile, Edem II and his tiny peers have all FINALLY hit puberty, growing rapidly in size and strength. Once known as the Unluckiest Hammerdwarf, he's is now shattering limbs and crushing skulls like he always wanted.

Dwarven Geneology

Thanks to innovations in genealogy, Relicshield is currently undergoing a massive renaming* project to better track the proud lineages of its citizens. The Claspletter family was one of the first to get a standardized surname, having several of the most prominent dwarves of the fortress, including Edem II, the legendary pick-wielder and Goden II, the Forgotten Beast Slayer.



* Previous posts have been edited to reflect this change in dwarven surnames.

Goblinite Filtration & Combat Drops

Pop. 122, Spring of 291 (Year 40)

Now in its 4th decade, the fortress has undergone major changes to its military configuration and hauling infrastructure. Additional troop stations were created in the trade tunnels, with the squads closer to the hub focused on training, and the ones further out tasked with escorting visitors and providing the first line of defense.

The increase in goblin hostilities necessitated quicker handling of the spoils of war, which often took more than a season to fully clear. To that end, a new 2-route, 1-track minecart system was constructed to filter the goblinite, with pure ore deposited near the trade depot and impurities sent to the particle accelerator on the surface. The new track was Relicshield's first multilevel one and confounded the builders for quite some time. Everything came together once it was finally realized that every track ramp required a supporting wall behind it on the lower level.

While effective, word has come from the Mountainhome of a far more efficient magma-powered goblinite filtration system. Duke Phyllite has considered another mining expedition to uncover the lower caverns and magma sea, but ever since the mining-related death of his wife Cinnabar, much greater oversight has been a firm requirement. For the time being, all mining below the first cavern has been postponed, as much of the fortress's attention is on a prototype tower-to-tunnel combat drop system.

A dwarven scholar by the name of Di remarked on the ability of smaller creatures to fall from great heights with only minor injuries. Preliminary testing is now underway in Relicshield on a tower above the southwest trade tunnel, where Edem II and other tiny soldiers will enter battle by falling directly onto foes. Currently, the biggest issue is soldiers being momentarily stunned from the fall. Thus this method will not be used when facing goblins wielding blunt weapons due to the risk of fatal head strikes. However, the dwarves are cautiously optimistic on the efficacy versus other enemy types.

Ballistae & Picks

Pop. 113, Winter of 288 (Year 37)

After years of training, Relicshield's siege engineers were ready to bring the pain! 3 legendaries and 1 grandmaster rotated duties on the 3-ballista battery, giving the goblins quite a surprise :D.



Meanwhile, Edem II completed his personal quest and is now legendary in all dwarven weapons. The tiny dwarf has settled on the pick as his weapon of choice, the first soldier of the fortress to do so. When testing it out, he discovered that he could deliver a serious wound with every strike, a first for him!

Thirst

Pop. 110, Late Winter of 284 (Year 33)

The fortress was still reeling from the deaths of Edem and Nish, when a mining accident claimed the lives of Duchess Consort Cinnabar Taxeddagger, Stinthad Esteemclasp the mayor, and Sigun Vesselbrain, husband of the legendary macedwarf Dishmab. The mining expedition in search of the second fabled cavern received incomplete digging plans and a necessary stairwell was left half-done (i.e. poor overseer oversight and forgetting about my miners after using Quickfort) :(.

Stinthad and Sigun died of thirst before the rest of the fortress realized anything was amiss. A secondary tunnel was quickly mined out and Cinnabar made it to the dining hall... only to perish with a whip wine barrel in front of her.