Obsidian 1051
Dear Diary.
It's been a good year, all things considered. I had to leave the mountainhomes because of you know who, and you also know who, and you know the other one. Well, actually, they were fine, but their fathers discovered all of us, and my beard might be lusty, but it wasn't enough to hide all of them at once.
So, I came here. No more easy money modelling for me - I make my living from rock and sweat now. So, what have you missed, while I was kept busy every waking hour digging the starts of a fortress?
Well, We had two waves of migrants - the first with some guy who can do pretty much anything - disgusting. No one likes him. Still, he's not as good looking as me, so that's something. We dug a tunnel out towards the river, and instead met coal, limestone and limonite. That's right, dear diary - we found everything you need for steel, in one handy place.
So we dug an alternate tunnel to the river. After we were done I think someone installed a floodgate, and a hatch to keep nasties out, and now we have a water source. About that time we got puppies and kittens - looks like the pets are getting lucky, even if I'm not.
We almost had a riot after the food ran out, but Persephone convinced us that it was her plan all along - the merchant caravan pulled in to our depot just as the last plump helmet got consumed. We traded some of the statues she's been making for some food, and some aluminium we've mined (valuable stuff that) for some leather.
Winter came hard of the heels of the caravan, and it was quiet and peaceful - We've started digging down further, now we have a militia to handle anything we unearth. Oh yes - we have a militia, and let me tell you, it was just in time. Still armed with training swords they were, when a pair of goblins came to try to snatch the kids.
Anita's traps dropped rocks on them. One ran off, clutching a mangled arm. The other fell stunned, and woke just as our brave lads piled in. Wooden swords aren't that effective mind. I can faintly hear the thwack of wood on goblin flesh as I write, a day later. Of course, it's good practice for the lads, and last time I walked past it was definitely in a worse state than before. They're going to win, but I guess they should have steel weapons next time.
I've drawn a sketch. It's not that good, because they kept moving trying to kill the goblin.
Oh! And dear diary - I'm almost certain Anita has a lover! She never even approached me - probably intimidated, the poor thing.
(Most descriptions of dwarves are unflattering, to say the least - "his long nose is extremely convex. His rather broad ears are also short. His teeth are quite far apart". Lud's on the other hand is actually flattering. He used to be quite the hit with the ladies back home. Perhaps too much for his own good.