So I’ve started a massive amount of exploratory digging. Drafted more miners (and I think I’m going to pull in a few more). I was really hoping we’d hit something in one of the Gabbro layers, but I fear I may have to dig deeper to find any metal ore besides Sphalerite. I’m so annoyed by how useless Zinc is.
Zefon Edemneth our Blacksmith has been taken by a fey mood. I expect we’ll have an awesome Zinc artifact, seeing as he’s claimed the Magma Forge. He grabbed a ton of stuff and began a mysterious construction just before Spring of the third year. And I’ve decided to dig deeper in search of useful ore. We didn’t have to dig far to find another cavern, and somehow during the digging part of the cavern collapsed, knocking Erush and Lolor unconscious. I suppose it’s time to set up a hospital.
As if we don’t have trouble enough, The Forgotten Beast Smunxaz Esuspzestto has come! A huge one-eyed serpent. It has four long straight horns and it appears to be emaciated. Its ochre scales are large and set far apart. Beware it’s noxious secretions!
On the bright side, Zefon has made a pretty fantastic door. We’ve set it in the entrance to our living quarters level!
Did I mention that Smunxaz has come? Alath Ngotunurist, Engraver is the first to die, in the first cavern, far far underground as is fit. The miners have been instructed to seal off the shaft, possibly leaving a couple of other dwarves to a similar fate, but otherwise the whole fortress will likely fall. Mebzuth Erithstagshil, our Metalcrafter will be missed. Led Ablelsod, a Mason also has been killed.
Woe betide us, a new wave of migrants has arrived, as the slaughter and desperate walling off of the caverns proceeds to worsen. The beast has found its way up the main shaft, and is running rampant throughout the fort. Nomal Matrovod has been found dead. Apparently we also have a Vampire. I suppose that doesn’t matter now.
An emergency Militia has been drafted, the 10 most able bodied dwarves. They rush to fight the beast shortly after it kills a baby. Kol and Mafol die almost instantly. Iton dies moments later. Asmel is interrupted trying to find a hammer when he’s attacked by a Great Horned Owl Woman. Will our trials never cease? It is apparently too much for Doren Loloror, our Brewer, for he has gone stark raving mad!
The casualties are too numerous to mention now, but Bembul Paddlebolt, our weaver has picked up a crossbow, and takes two shots at the beast. The first misses, but the second one strikes it in the head, tearing muscle and chipping the upper spine’s bone and bruising the nervous tissue! This slows it down enough for Bembul to put a few more bolts into it! The beast is defeated!