1st of Opal, 125.

I am Ilral Amusewires of the Dwarf Fortress Lancescour. Nineteen dwarves now inhabit our little outpost. That’s seven founding dwarves plus the addition of two groups of migrants. Winter has arrived. There is a dusting of snow up the mountain, and the trees above our fortress are covered in snow. Here, closer to the brook, there is not so much snow, but the water has frozen to ice.

Mosus took a break from fishing. It really wore on her that she spent the whole of every day fishing but never had any time left for worship or social activities. I do not know why she traveled here originally. She left a lot of family back home that she constantly misses. There’s been mention that she had some formal training in music not long before the journey here. In addition to Datan the Diamond of Oil, she also worships Id, Teshkad Bridgetrades the Merchant of Wandering, Babin, and Tarag the Frothy. I’m not sure how she acquired devotion to so many deities in her short 13 years. I barely have interest in Babin, and I’m more than 50 years older than her.

A week into her break, I saw her sitting in our meeting room, eating a plump helmet. The carpenter, Ubbul Tombsaction, sat across the room eating a plum. They both sat in silence, focused on their meager meals. Sure, Ubbul is 40 years older than her, but he loves conversation and can tell a good joke. “Oh,” she moaned. “Where is my younger brother, Likot Cagebell?”

The following week, I saw her in the temple. She spent the whole week there, meditating and praying. At the end of the week, she returned upstairs to the meeting room. There she encountered the engraver, Unib Graspingpaddles, who noticed she was looking unhappy.

“Friendship is one of the finer things in life,” he said, smiling at her. “I just met the outpost liaison, Dastot. He’s been visiting us from the north for a few months now. You should go meet him.”

“I don’t care so much about friendship.” She replied. “It’s not so important.”

And somehow he went on to explain how bending the truth is OK if it helps you gain power over other people. She kept trying to change the subject, but he went on and on. Her face twisted as she grew increasingly bitter over the conversation. Then she ultimately just turned around and left the room. “I was better off ice-fishing in the rain.”

“What’s that you say?” asked our expedition leader, Olin Oilspiraled. “You should try praying to The Chances of Distraction.” You could introduce yourself to the outpost liaison Dastot while you’re in the temple; he’s often relaxing there.”

“I already don’t have time to pray to the gods I do follow!” Mosus huffed and walked away, glum and bitter. She’s been in the temple ever since, meditating and ignoring Dastot.

I really wish I could help her in some way, but I’ve been busy carrying doors and other furniture to the new bedrooms. The new arrival, Zan the bowyer, built a bowyer’s workshop in one of the new workshop rooms. She’s been making wooden crossbows ever since. Likewise, Geshud the weaponsmith has started construction on a metalsmith forge. I suppose we must prepare to defend our fortress at some point. Most of us don’t even think about it. We’re just looking forward to relaxing and playing music again.

- Ilral Amusewires