Treasurer's log, First of Granite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Early Spring
On the dawn of the new year, I was offered a generous proposition by our current leader, Purvis. In a gesture of respect and faith in my abilities, she offered me supervision and discretionary authority over the expansion and maintenance of our fine fortress, Beer Axe. I have accepted, naturally, and now my chronicle will include not only the raw numbers of supplies and crafts consumed and produced by the fortress, but also a narrative of the trials and tribulations which this fortress shall overcome under my humble guidance. May this record shine as a beacon into the future, so that historians many years from now shall know of the glorious feats their foremothers performed in paving the path for Suikan civilization!Serp sat alone in her office, updating the stockpile records. A knock on the door broke the silence.
Probably Purvis again, Serp thought to herself,
Maybe she'll go away if she thinks I'm not here. More knocking, and this time, Purvis's voice rang out too. "Lover~! Please opening this door you are!" Serp sighed and stood up, then opened the door just in time to get bowled over by a leaping bearhug from Purvis.
After a few moments of frantically struggling to keep her balance, Serp set Purvis down on the floor of the office and dusted herself off. "What is it?" she asked.
"I am having a great gift for you which is to be given!" Purvis exclaimed excitedly.
Please don't let it be another dead giant roach. Please don't let it be another dead giant roach... Serp nodded. "Yes...?"
Purvis stepped back, then dramatically spread his arms wide open. "This! Beer Axe!"
"What." Serp struggled not to facepalm.
"I am giving you the thing which is my greatest possession, for the purpose of effective wooings! You are feeling much gratitude and affection, and will stop the kickings of me when I grope your places!"
"Oh, fine, I'll lead the fortress for you. Now get out of here, I need to look over my records."
"Okay, Lover! We are spending many times together later!" Purvis quickly left the room, and Serp sat down at her desk with another sigh.
What have I gotten myself into...?Treasurer's Log, Eighth of Granite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Early Spring
The miracle of life graces our fine fortress! Today our fish cleaner, Eral, gave birth to a little Suika. The other parent was the late champion, Lorbam, who died fighting the fire imps last year. Her legacy will live on. I have been informed that the infant has been named Kosoth. Perhaps some day she will read this record and reflect on her historical importance as the first Suika born here at Beer Axe.Serp was touring the magma pit when she saw it happen. Another Suika had just finished building a section of the containment wall when a little Suika just plopped out of her skirt. The mother picked up the infant, brushed it off, and started to walk away. "Hey, you there, stop!" Serp shouted out, "What just happened?"
"I have gave birth!" The mother lifted her infant triumphantly.
"... How? Aren't we all girls here?" Serp was dumbfounded.
"I had some helpings from Lorbam..." The mother smiled shyly. Purvis, having just come outside, caught Serp's gaze and gave her a cheerful wave.
"I think I'm going to be sick, excuse me." Serp shuffled off with a queasy expression on her face.
Treasurer's Log, Fifteenth of Granite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Early Spring
We were visited by a group of Parsekurri merchants today. These yukkuri are a great deal more intelligent than the Sakuyakurri and Chenkurri we keep around the fortress as pets. They have an unsavory reputation as covetous, hateful creatures, but this is only marginally true, I find. Suikas and Parsekurri have much to learn from each other. Our diplomatic relations seem to be off to a good start.A din of riotous shouting brought Serp from her office and to the trading depot. Totaku and a couple of other Suika were screaming at the top of their lungs at the three Parsekkurri merchants, who themselves were also bouncing up and down and screeching. "Wait, wait, what's going on here!?" Serp rushed to the scene with an exasperated expression on her face.
"I'm trying to trade with them, but it doesn't work!" Totaku was frustrated to the point of tears. "Look, look, watch this."
The Parsekurri fell silent as Totaku indicated one of their rope bins, then one of his toy baskets, and gestured that he wanted to switch them. The Parsekkurri nodded wordlessly, and Totaku pushed the basket full of toys to the Parsekurri, then picked up the bin full of rope. Suddenly, the Parsekkurri all jumped on him and began screeching again, trying to take the bin back. The other Suikas started yelling too, and it was back to the din of chaos.
"SHUT UP!" It was Serp, jumping up and down and yelling louder than any of them. "YOU ARE MAKING THE TRADE FAIRLY OR WE MAKE SMASHINGS OF THE SOUR BEAN PASTE IN THE HEADS WHICH ARE YOU!!!" Everyone fell silent.
Finally, a Parsekkuri nudged the rope bin back towards the group of Suika. "Take it," she said.
"... Easy?" Serp suggested helpfully. The three Parsekkuri responded with a murderous green glare.
Treasurer's Log, Eighteenth of Granite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Early Spring
We repelled a small attack today. A Biokkuri attempted to sneak into our fortress, probably in an attempt to steal our infant Suika. Ramis sighted it and engaged it in combat, but was badly wounded. She should survive, but she'll be bedridden for some time. Indeed, she may have died there, if Altrevir hadn't been nearby to lend assistance. No sooner had Ramis fallen than Altrevir attacked the Biokkuri, drew it away from her fallen comrade, and then defeated the beast before it could cause any further harm. Their heroism will be recorded here for the ages.Ramis was walking out of the fortress to help build the wall when she heard the dreaded battle cry. "Take it easy!" It was a Biokkuri, and it had just jumped from behind a tree.
"Ah, we are under attack!" Ramis tried to kick the thing, but her foot bounced off the fleshy surface and she lost her balance, falling to the ground. The Biokkuri bounced forward and grabbed her hand in its mouth, then began gnawing on it and thrashing back and forth. Altrevir, drawn by Ramis's screams and the Biokkuri's continued cries of "Tg i ejji!" muffled by its mouthful of Ramis's hand, charged the thing and picked it up, lifting it off Ramis's body. She then threw it several feet, followed it through the air, and began punching it as soon as it was down.
The Biokkuri was pinned against the slope, and Altrevir rained blow upon blow on the helpless thing, smashing its face and sending bean paste flying in gory arcs. "Take... it... eaahhhh..." The Biokkuri finally died, and Ramis stood triumphant, raising her bean paste-splattered fists to the heavens and letting loose a battle cry. The Parsekkuri were unimpressed.
Treasurer's Log, Twenty Third of Granite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Early Spring
Another attack, this one much larger than the one a few days ago. Fortunately, there was only one Suika outside, and she was fast enough to escape. The Biokkuri attempted to invade our fortress, but the traps killed or wounded enough of them to convince the others to leave. We have even caught a couple of them in cages. They may prove useful somehow or another. In any case, we have a bit of a mess to clean up.Treasurer's Log, Second of Slate, Year Two-Hundred Three, Mid Spring
I am pleased to report here that we have finally completed the furnishings for our sheriff, Zengar. She had been very patient in waiting for an office appropriate to her station, along with all the little amenities she was due. While I never did find out why our finest stonecrafter was appointed sheriff, she is certainly enthusiastic enough for the job, and I am sure that with a proper office and dining room, she will be able to carry out her duties even more thoroughly.Serp was stopped on her way to her books by another Suika she recognized as Zengar, the sheriff. "Hey, Serp, how about that office?"
"Huh? Oh, it's on its way... And why are you flexing like that?"
Zengar was flexing her arms, showing off her muscles, which were quite formidable... for a Suika. "Oh, you know, got to keep in shape. Need to be prepared. We might get attacked by some more Biokkuri, after all." She moved into a rather painful-looking squatting position.
"... Of course. I'd better get around to getting that furniture delivered." Serp left Zengar throwing several punches at the air.
Treasurer's Log, Thirteenth of Slate, Year Two-Hundred Three, Mid Spring
We have struck tetrahedrite! This ore of both copper and silver is very valuable, and the decorations we make with it should make this fortress a fine home indeed. Once word of our find spreads beyond the fortress, we can look forward to many migrant Suika drawn by our tales of wealth. Our industrious miners are practically glowing with pride at this discovery, and I am as pleased for them as anyone else here.Serp burst into the dining room, where several Suika were lounging around and drinking. "Hey, you, what do you think you're doing!?" she exclaimed as soon as she entered.
"Uh... nothing," the Suika replied.
"Exactly! Now take these picks and follow me!" Serp seemed to be in a bad mood, taking it out on the jobless Suika.
"Dig down here," she commanded. After some digging, Xan came up for air with a shiny rock in her hand.
"Good. Now keep digging at that vein 'till it's run dry." Serp stalked off muttering about lazy good-for-nothing Suika drinking all the booze in the fortress.
Treasurer's Log, Fourth of Felsite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Late Spring
Today we received a wave of migrants, a welcome sight to our grand ambitions for this fortress. We now have a population of 45 Suika, along with several pet yukkuri. Many of these newcomers do not have the professions that we need most here at Beer Axe, but I am sure that each will be able to take pride in contributing in her own way. We welcome every new pair of strong hands to help us build the path to our future.Serp was dozing in the common room when the sound of a stampede awoke her. She jumped out of her chair just as the double doors opened to reveal a dozen new Suika she didn't recognize. "Oh, no, migrants..." she muttered to herself.
"Reporting for duty!" the front Suika announced cheerily.
"Alright, tell me your professions."
"Cheese maker!" "Maggot milker!" "Animal dissector!" "Cheese maker!" "I don't have one!" "Soap maker!"
The answers were mostly like that. Serp set about correcting them. "Cheese maker? No, rock maker, take this pickaxe. Milker, what's your name? Bridgeponders? Okay, you're a mason now. You, you don't have a skill? Go ask Zengar for some armor and basic training. Yeah, she's the one crafting a figurine devoted to HOT BLOOD." And so forth. By the end of the day she had a headache that not even a gourd full of booze could solve.
Treasurer's Log, Seventeenth of Felsite, Year Two-Hundred Three, Late Spring
We have finally completed the fortress's magma furnace area. By building so close to a volcano, we gained the opportunity to directly harness the heat of the magma for smelting and smithing. So far only the smelter is in use, as we use it to make copper and silver bars from the tetrahedrite ore Xan found. The forge will be put to use once we have a solid stockpile of bars, and the glass furnace is only waiting on the leather bags I've commissioned be made to bring sand from the upper levels of the fortress. Local stockpiles for supplies and goods will be added in the coming months.Treasurer's Log, First of Hematite, Year Two-Hundred Three, First Day of Summer
Here's my seasonal report of our wealth and population:---
Well, this is fun. I've established Serp and something of a bitchy tsundere control freak with a habit of making things look way brighter in her records than they are in reality. Anything I write for the other characters is just guesswork about what you want them to be like. Anyway, I'll try to have the summer update up in a day or two. Hopefully it won't take as long now that I've settled into this.
Anyway, does anyone else want a named Suika in the fortress? We have a lot of them to go around, now, so whatever qualities you want in yours can probably be arranged.