Abandoned - Dwarves' Quarry - Story 7 NWS

[Abandoned]

Intro


  This is the 7th story in the New World Series.  You, eager explorer, have been busy taking barley and other seeds from Newburg to the original trade route towns of Rainbow Falls, Green Pastures, Fisherman's Cove, and lastly the Dwarves' Quarry before going to Riverboat Depot of story 6.  The quarry was settled by the dwarves who arrived in Newburg wanting to trade tools for food as they had done before.  They agreed to establish a settlement to provide stone to Newburg and other towns on the new trade route in exchange for food.  The dwarves built a bridge across the river and headed northeast into the mountains in late autumn of year 20 NWT.  You, eager explore, and 2 new river boatmen went in search of the quarry's exact location 2 years later.  It was year 33 NWT when you returned to Dwarves' Quarry and this story tells of that visit which you later related to Jenser and Shie in Riverboat Depot at the end of story 6. 





Map seed  # 708818161      Mountain,     Small,     fair,     Disasters Off,      Easy (8 Families)
 

Mods activated for this map and load order are:

Map Changing and Starting Mods:   Banished UI Maps, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, CC Light Rain, Landscape Nordic, override Map, Settler Deco, Jinxie Natural Deco, New Flora Edit, Family Start.

Tweak Mods:  Bigger Wheelbarrows, Fishing Dock +25%, Hunting, Hunting Season, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative (Voeille), override winter clothes, Rock Respawn, Tiny Smoke, Woodcutter +3.

Major or Must Have Mods:    An Empty Square, Nomads (Kid), override Uneducated, Storage Crates, Kid Workshop, Kid Abandoned Places SE, Kid Forge of Dwarves, Kid Workplace Village.
 
Supporting Mods:   (angainor88) American City Living Beta 2 (update expected soon), campfire, DS Tunnels, Kid Deco Farm Animals, Kid Deco People, Kid Hedgerow, Kid Houseboat, Kid Market Carts, Kid Market Food, Kid Patchwork, Smoking Shed (TS)

Mod note:  This is another short story and I will only show a few of the American City houses towards the end of it. Find information about the mod and future update here:

https://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=4075.0



  It's been a long time, eager explorer, it's nice to see you again, welcome back.  You maybe don't remember me; I'm Corinda, and my husband is Corter.    That first visit was a short one and you did not have time to hear much about how we got here and got settled, you only wanted to find out where we were so the river boatmen with you could make us a stop on the trade route.  We are glad you found us then and glad you have returned now and have some time to stay and visit.  We thank you for the barley seeds you brought. Come sit by the fire and I'll tell you all about Dwarves' Quarry.

[angainor88]

Ahh I'm excited to see the houses in action! I wish I had been able to finish the mod beforehand, but I hope it works out ok.

[Abandoned]

@angainor88 I have been wanting to put your latest project into a story but this new world with small starting settlements did no lend well to city building yet. I thought they would match with the dwarves settlement best. Did not want to rush you.    They look good.   

[Abandoned]

Chapter 1


  As you know, eager explorer, we went to Newburg hoping to trade tools for food and agreed to establish a quarry settlement to supply them and other towns with stone.  We built a bridge across the river there in Newburg and headed northwest into the mountains.  The best quality stone and iron will always be found in the mountains.  The Nords in Newburg told us to settle by a large river so their river boatman can easily reach us.  We did not expect it to be so far to another river; we crossed many small streams but came across no river before the snow began to fall.  We left Newburg in late autumn and the snowfall was early and heavier than normal.  We dwarves are a hardy bunch but we had 3 carts of supplies and 11 children with us.  The weather did not improve but the terrain got rougher; we found caves and decided to hunker down until early spring.  We had enough supplies and the men could hunt and fish. 

  As soon as we could we again headed east, finally in the distance we saw a large river.  There was a sizeable valley there along the river and several caves.  We were relieved that the end of our journey was in site.

  When we reached the valley, we found a hedgerow with winterberries, and lots of rabbits hiding among the branches.  We immediately gathered branches for firewood.  The older children gathered and ate what berries still remained on the berry bushes which already had spring buds and new growth despite the recent snowfall.



 There were 4 caves; in the largest one, the men found mushrooms and a small underground stream with fish.  There were a few tunnels, and they heard the sound of bears echoing from a distance.  A slightly smaller cave would provide suitable storage for the contents of our 3 carts plus plenty more.  We had a lot of potatoes, plenty of iron tools, and some hide coats.  The 2 smallest caves would provide shelter for all of us. Our daughter, Alizabel, was born in one of those caves.  Thank goodness there were no Elves or tree fellows in the area because we had to cut a lot of trees to clear the entrances to the caves and the surrounding area.  Doors were built on the cave entrances to keep out the cold and any wild animals that might be in the area.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 2




  We had to clear away a lot of stone and iron in order to be able to plants some of our potatoes and roots, namely carrots and onions.  We weren't farmers so we only planted the few patches in front of our dwelling cave, close to the storage cave.  Food of course was our main concern.  We built a fishing pier at the bend of the river, a good spot for catching fish.



  There were branches in the hedgerow and some downed branches to be collected in the forest but not enough for our firewood needs.  We built a woodcutter yard next to our stockpile which had a nice supply of logs, stone, and iron already. 

  Across from the storage cave, next to the potato patch, we set up our stew pot.  The temperature was already starting to fall in late summer by the time the first potato, carrot, and mushroom stew was ready to eat.  We did not find enough herbs to make rabbit stew but we were still trying to find more in the forest.  That hot stew sure hit the spot as the days got cooler.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 3


  Hot venison stew would have been good too but our hunter was having no luck at all.  There was one good-sized herd of reindeer across the river, but every time they crossed over to our side they would cross right back over as soon as they spotted the hunter headed their way.  We not only could use the meat but also the hides for coats.



  We were warm and comfortable enough in the dwelling caves but they were a little crowded and noisy because of all the children.  We were hoping to get some of the families in their own houses before winter.  The first house was being built by the fishing pier and another nearby, by the stockpile, a third would be across from it, and a 4th next to the onion patch and large cave.  The couple with the newborn that cried the most was given the first house that was completed, the one by the fishing pier.  Two of the families with the most children were given the next 2 houses that were finished.  The 4th family to get a house also had a newborn but it did not cry as much, neither did our little Alizabel.



  Our hunter may not have gotten a reindeer but he got a bear back in the big cave.  A big spit was built by the stew pot and soon the smell of roasted meat filled the cool autumn air.  The bear provided us with some nice furs that would make some nice warm coats.  A duds maker was built straight down the road from the storage cave.  The shadows were long, the days were getting shorter, and the nights were cold.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 4




  The first frost occurred at the beginning of autumn.  We had several days of cold rain, then the frost.  The cook really appreciated the covering over the stew pot, and everyone appreciated a bowl of hot, stew especially the workers in the patches.  The potatoes, carrots, and onions all grew underground so there were still plenty to be harvested even after the first snowfall.

  The cold and damp was not good for our overall health and our little Alizabel was coughing and sneezing.  When the next house was completed, the others in the dwelling cave with us insisted we move into it; it would be warmer and better for little Alizabel.  The house was next to the duds makers and was much warmer than the cave once a nice fire was blazing in the fireplace.



 There was plenty of firewood despite the shortage of logs.  It was taking a long time for the new house next to us to be built.  Our few laborers had to stop what they were doing to go to the forest to cut trees.  They started making a clearing in the thick forest to the west where a small herd of deer were spotted.  Again, the deer moved on before the hunter could get to them.





  The house next to us was completed and then the one next to that.  A third house was built by the woodcutter and stockpile for the last cave dwelling family.  It was early spring of year 2 but it was still very cold.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 5


    That was the year that you and the 2 boatmen came to find us.  I don't remember exactly when you came but I know it wasn't in spring; it was cold and snowy.  Oh, you left Newburg in late spring.  It must have taken a while to get here, you said you had to go back north and around and down to reach us.  We did wonder if river boatmen would ever find us here.



 Well, that spring we were concerned for our log supply; our 2 laborers were cutting trees all winter to get those houses built and to keep the woodcutter supplied with logs for firewood.  We needed a forester.  The area we chose was west of our settlement where we had seen the deer and had begun make a small clearing.  We wanted to build a proper forester but there were a lot of big old trees in the area that need to be cut with sturdy dwarven axes.  We needed a grinder with a water wheel to make those, plus iron and coal.  We had iron.  Building a grinder and a coal mine would take time; we needed logs.   It was early summer when we set up a forester's workplace a short distance from where we would build the proper forester when we had the axes.   We would build the coal mine back by the big mountain in that forest area.
 


  Because of our shortage of logs, we used stone to build the Town Hall.  Corter and I had been keeping town records of births and other statistics but we need a bigger workspace.  We just had our 2nd child, a boy we named Sedrickey.  The population in early summer of year 2 was 33, 17 adults and 16 children.   It wasn't too difficult taking inventory, everything we had was still stored in the one cave.  I remember we still had no venison but the hunter got another bear, and we had no berries or grain.  The berries we picked from the hedgerow were always eaten right away and we only found a few wild oats now and then when our laborers had time to look for some.  So, you had to have come after the Town Hall was built and inventory taken because you brought us potatoes, apples, turnips, and some barley. 



  Oh, you remember the Town Hall and the bear on the spit.  That means you were here in summer, eager explorer, because the Town Hall was built and inventory taken in early summer and the mine was built in late summer.  We talked about having to build the Town Hall with stone even though we did not as yet start quarrying for it.  It was our agreement to trade stone for food.  You left knowing we would soon have a quarry built and a trading post.



  By early winter, our 1 miner had a small stockpile of coal from the mine and we had the grinder built on the river to make sharp high quality dwarven axes. 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 6




   The trading post was completed by late winter, and work began on the forester's workshop west of town now that we had sharp dwarven axes to cut trees with.  We only had one forester.  That forester spotted the herd of reindeer we had seen in that area earlier, but again, the herd moved on before the hunter got there.



  In Spring of year 3, 16 migrants from the north arrived.  They had seen your houseboat and the 2 riverboats heading this way last year and, over the winter, decided they would head this way too.  We asked them to stay, and they agreed.  There were 2 families with children, 2 couples without, plus 4 young singles.  They moved into the dwelling caves and were soon ready to help with whatever work needed to be done.   One became our 2nd forester and 2 went to hunt reindeer that had crossed the river by the trading post.  This time we got venison and hides added to our supplies before the herd crossed back over the river. 



    We need to replenish our tool supply after the newcomers arrived.  A forge was being built by the main stockpile to make long-lasting steel tools from wood, iron, and coal.  Our new trader moved the 1st few pieces of stone to the trading post.



 Houses were being built for the newcomers by the trading post and the new quarry.   Quite a bit of stone and iron had been gathered from that area west of the trading post so we knew it was a good place to dig for more stone.  The roof over the quarry area would ensure that a lot of snow would not have to be removed from the pit in winter and the workers would not be working in the pouring rain in summer.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 7




  By the end of summer, two houses were built by the mushroom patch.  Another patch next to the mushrooms was planted with more potatoes.  Even before the house was completed, the single girl who moved into it set up a gatherer's workplace next to the forester and we soon had more berries and wild oat in storage.  Our overall heath had finally improved to 100%.



  There was still 1 family and 2 young singles in the dwelling cave but more houses would have to wait; the supply of firewood and tools were low.  The forge and woodcutter were always short of needed raw materials; the large stockpile was almost empty.  Most of the logs, iron, and coal were being stacked on the stockpile by the mine and forester, a long way from the forge and woodcutter where needed. 





  We made a new smaller stockpile across from the forester for firewood, it would be closer to the spit that needed a steady supply to roast the meat.  We placed 3 market carts where the old stockpile had been.  One cart would store iron, one coal, and one closest to the woodcutter would store logs.  Each cart was assigned one worker to go and bring those materials from the far stockpile.  After a while, one worker could switch from one cart to another as needed.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 8




  From the hilltop and the riverbank, there by the forge and market carts, we could see there was a lot of trees, iron, and stone to be had.  Those resources would be impossible to reach without a bridge or tunnel.  It was something to keep in mind but as of then, our foresters were working hard to supply more logs, there was still some surface iron nearby and we could switch from mining coal to iron, and 2 workers were busy harvesting stone in the quarry. 





  Some of the stone was already being moved to the trading post, it now had a permanent worker.  One of the young singles from the dwelling cave moved into the small workplace cabin that was built by the trading post and he would be our trader.  His parents also moved from the dwelling cave; their house was down the road from the trading post closer to the quarry.  They had a newborn son in autumn.  Corter and I had a newborn daughter at the same time.  The migrants and the newborns raised Dwarves' Quarry's population to 58, 34 adults and 24 children.





  The last migrant to leave the dwelling cave was an 8-year-old male named Selmers.  A house was built for him at the end of quarry road at the edge of the foresters' work area.  There were a few houses with a young single occupant, and there were several young singles the same ages still living at home, most of them were girls.  We would not need any more house for quite a few years.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 9


  Selmers built a hunter's workplace behind his house; there was more than 1 herd of reindeer that passed through or grazed in that forest.  Our food supply was already good but more variety was always welcome, so was the leather.  Our tailor would be able to make hide coats while waiting for bear furs from the cave.





  We started building an ale house before we realized that no one knew how to make mead, we had plenty of wild honey.  We had no fruit except for the few berries from the rabbit hedgerow and what was gathered from the wild.  We had no grain.  Well, when the weather got colder folks could take their bowls of stew or plates of roasted meat inside to eat with their friends and neighbors.



  Again, as summer came to an end, the shadows got longer and the days got shorter and colder.  Trees were cut to let more of the autumn sunshine into the quarry, and a hedgerow of berries was discovered.  There were a lot of branches that needed to be cleared out and used for firewood but there were still berries to be picked.  Those berries would go to the ale house and friends and neighbors could enjoy a mug of berry ale with their stew and roast meat.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 10


  The next few years were devoted to balancing resources.  The foresters planted many trees in their work area but soon there were no trees left that were big enough to cut.  The laborers went to the forests to selectively cut trees to provide enough logs for the woodcutter and smith. 



  What berries we had were used to brew ale so we basically had no fruit and several winters were very bad; there was little wild oats to be had either.  There were not enough furs from the cave so we had more hide coats than warm ones.  There was enough bear meat for the spit, and enough veggies for the stew pot, but still our overall health dropped again.



  One of the river boatmen that was here with you, eager explorer, stopped by after finishing his trade route rounds before heading back to Newburg.  He had apples and walnuts from Rainbow Falls and wool from Green Pastures.  He took some iron tools in trade for some of each.  Our tailor was really happy to get the wool to make warm coats with wool and leather.  The next time the river boatman stopped by, he had goat cheese from Green Pastures and smoked fish from Fisherman's Cove.  Again, he took iron tools in trade.  We told him we now had stone to trade and needed grain.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 11


  We were glad the river boatman was happy enough to get iron tools rather than better steel ones.  Our iron supply was getting low and the laborers had a long way to go to get surface iron.  They went far to the south and around the hill to the north.  No tunnel or bridge had been built.  Instead, the miners started bringing up iron ore instead of coal; we had to build a smelter.  The smelter needed coal and firewood so we built a second mine, one for iron ore and one for coal.  Our smith was only making iron tools and the grinder work was halted; we would make no more dwarven axes until there was a surplus of iron and coal.



  I'm not sure if it was that same year or the following one that 8 adults with 2 children came from the north.   Oh, it must have been the next spring because we build a smoking shed by the fishing pier and would smoke fish like the river boatman brought from Fisherman's Cove.  Our overall health was still low even with the apples and cheese that he brought. 



  We had another really cold winter, the log and firewood supplies were low, our health did not improve.  The laborers who were out in spring saw there were a lot of herbs already sprouting in the forest.  An herbalist workplace was set up by the hunter and Coraliann got busy gathering the herbs and a few wild oats.  Many town's people paid her a visit and our overall health improved slightly.  She said it was not likely to improve more than that without grain in our diet.  It was that spring the 10 migrants arrived.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 12




  Two new wood houses were built on the south side of quarry road for 2 families with children.   An old town stone house was built east of the shipyard.  The 15-year-old single girl, Hannon, said she was hoping there would be young men her age here.  Jackeli, our 15-year-old gatherer alone in the other stone house, said she was hoping there would be young men her age with the group of migrants.; the oldest single male in the group was only 12.  Both girls were out of luck. 



  We were almost out of logs, firewood, and iron with the new houses and the new arrivals needing tools.  We now had more laborers though and they headed to the woods for branches and surface iron.   They discovered more caves, one that would be good for storage a short distance behind the new wood houses, and 2 dwelling caves and a cave with bears to the west of the storage cave.  There were mushrooms and a small underground fishing pond in the bear cave.  A road was being built over to that cave.  Extra food would be needed.  The laborers headed back to the woods to collect wild foods.



  The newcomers said they came through another small settlement that was struggling as hard as they were.  That group may be head this way too.  There were, they arrived the following spring.  There were 16 of them, 11 adults with 5 children.  We again needed housing and food.  We still had 2 families in the old dwelling caves and now 2 families in the newly discovered dwelling caves.