I started a new fortress some time ago and it is doing pretty well. I dug straight towards the underground river, build a bridge, planned for a 5-square-wide main hallway and only started digging rooms after the river. Currently I'm in my third year. I have reached the magma river and set up a magma forge industry. I got visited by elven and human caravans. There are currently 99 dworfs living in my fortress, including 7 nobles. I kept a nice txt log, which i might one day write into something usefull, but for now i will just post some excerpts:
The fortress Keskalnegid, which means "Shootslid" in the human tongue, was founded on the 1st Granite of the year 1058. From the 7 dwarfes which left Abalzular Vudthar, to establish an outpost for the King, 3 have not survived.
Ilral Ezemthikut, our carpenter, and Udib Mosus Besmar, our Craftsdwarf, were the first to die. They were ambushed on the 2nd Timber of 1058.
A pack of snakemen had crept out of our well. Ilral Ezemthikut was hauling a bed through the main hallway, when beasts attacked him from behind. Although he fought like a lion, wounding several of the attackers, the leader of the beast, a vile creature called Utharatham, somehow managed to hit his left leg, seperating it from the rest of the body. But Illral continued to fight, until his other leg was hacked of, too. Then the cruel devils left him behind, lieing on the floor, to slowly blead to death.
Udib Mosus Besmar, the Craftsdwarf, was working on a fine stone amulett when the attackers found him. Unable to get out of his workplace, and without any weapons to defend himself, things were looking grim. However he struck down one of the attackers with his bare fists, before he was overrun.
If it wasn't for the heroism of Dumed Melbilidok, the Wood Cutter, we might have lost this fortress to the forces of evil. When we realized that we were under attack, Dumed at once picked up his trusty axe and rushed into the fortress. The first snakemen he saw was severed into two equal pieces. The second snakemen was simply crushed by the strenght of the attack. Then Dumed grapped the third creature and threw it against the wall, breaking a thousend bones. Now the invaders realized that their time had come. The third creature tried to flee, but Dumed hacked it into little pieces, before it could escape back into the depths.
The last snakemen hiding from us for about a hour, but in the end we caught him and gave him what he deserved.
Sodel Nazommörül, a legendary Miner, was roasted by fire imp on 3rd Opal, of 1059. The creature killed another three dwarfes, until our wardogs pushed him down. Afterall, the magma river has so far spawned three fire imps, each killing atleast 2-3 dwarves, before he was killed by the dogs. Now I have build a nice line of traps to take care of such attackers.
20th Hematite, 1060
Kamuknabreth, a large Black Beard, caused much havoc this day. Firstly he struck down our trapper, then he crossed the bridge, causing a great uproar among the people. Two trusty war dogs tried to hold him down, but the black bear bit their heads of. Only a third dog was able to take down that beast, but he was badly mauled in doing so.
___
Edem Olinkogan has withdrawn from society, seizing a craftsmenworkship for himself. He draws pictures of forrests, shells and metal bars..
4th Hematite, 1061
Edem Olinkogan has finished his artifact : An Oaken braclet! He is a Legendary woodcrafter now.
The Oaken bracelet is of highest quality, encircled with bands of silver, decorated with spikes of maple, red spinel and a turtel shell.
