3rd Hematite,

The Golden Bane’s rotation on the deepfront has ended. The angelbears begin their watch now. May they carry the duty well.

11th Hematite,

Troglodytes managed to slip through our patrols. I regret that my attention was divided and I did not foresee this lapse. But the depths demand my attention! The Chthonic Choir fills my mind with the most elegant melodies; they describe to me the shape and function of a grand chamber in the lower caverns. I have begun to set up a glassworks nearby to supply the materials necessary for this cathedral of the deep.

I will commission some traps for the cavern entrance.

15th Hematite,

A brewer has been found dead of dehydration within the grand hall. A curious case.

26th Hematite,

Another Forgotten Evil has come to our fortress and been found lacking. Thoth Shedimostuk Basenromlam Anan, Shadowsneaked the Sprayed Cloak of Night. Its poisonous gas and boiling blood were little match for our warriors

11th Malachite,

The Platinum statue I commissioned to celebrate our victories in the deep is now on display in the new engravers’ guildhall.

Fitting, I think.

Construction on the deep chamber continues, but I recognize now that we are bereft of sand for glass. This shall make things a little more difficult, but no matter. We shall build our windows with the rich gems of the underearth.

15th Galena,

I have little time for writing these days. The construction of the deep chamber demands my constant attention. Today, searching for more fitting gems for the windows, a dwarf carved into that old pillar which had caught my eye when we first uncovered this cavern. Within it were two large boots, made of a metal which seems to flow slowly, shimmering with their own dawnlight.

I can think of no better place to display these relics than our new chamber.

17th Galena,

Our Dungeon Master, Olin Utharolon, slew no fewer than a dozen hungry heads single-handedly today. It is good to see all our training producing results. We must be ever-ready to repel monstronsities as we seize the deep.

23rd Galena,

Avuz Relonkol, the engraver, has been taken by a strange mood. He moves as if his body is not his own – perhaps he has become the Choir’s instrument as well? He has claimed a craftsdwarf workshop near the center of the guildfloor. I hope he has all that he needs.

5th Felsite,

Migrants have come, it is of little interest to me.

25th Felsite,

I write this with an ingot of rose gold in my hand. Its weight is familiar, as if I am clasping hands with an old friend.

The goings-on of the fortress continue apace; though they lack the deeper purpose, the administrators of Roomtheaters are quite competent in their duties. No missing rope-reed caps or lost geese require the attention of the militia. Since we triumphed over the forgotten beast Odshith Timadkudust, I have been tacitly trusted to manage the affairs of the lower fortress. I have set up regular patrols between the caverns and am beginning to prepare the site.

1st Granite, 105

Last night I was beset by dreams; even as I write this, I can hear the moaning of the deep. I tremble to write its words, though I know not why. I tried at first to blame it on too much New Year wine, but it is no such thing. Something strange is at play here and this much is clear to me: Roomtheaters is not prepared for what is coming.

5th Granite, 105

It has been a busy week already.

I have taken it upon myself, as militia commander, to reorganize the military of the fortress. One would have thought that after years with little success, we would have given up on crossbows, but it is clear this fanciful pet project has become self-serving and detracts from our duties of defense. No matter, I have risen to the occassion and drafted a new grand plan for the defense of the fortress. I received remarkably little pushback from the good Captain Valentina, perhaps she recognized that I am driven by a greater purpose.

Each squad shall have two seasons of training, followed by active deployment for one season, and following that a well-deserved rest. I have set our squad on active duty first, as I must lead by example if we are to succeed. I have also renamed it as “The Golden Bane”, It felt, more suitable somehow. Valentina’s squad has been renamed in honor of our fallen warbear, Hex. The Angelbears shall stand vigil in her absence.

I have commandeered use of a room on the main cavern floor to serve as a new barracks. Ultimately, we’ll have this as a base of operations for active duty militia, sleeping and eating near to the . . . front. As the new well has just finished nearby, a second hospital may follow.

But a dwarf’s work is never finished and grows before it is even begun! The engravers have assembled themselves into a guild and want me to lend my support to their petition for a guildhall of their own. I suppose they’re having difficulty bending other officials’ ears in our upstart barony. But I ought not to complain, it will take many keen chisels to commemorate what is to come.

The deep has spoken and I will answer.

Addendum: No sooner do I close my book than am I informed that the elves have formally given warning to stop our “abuse” of the trees! It is a good thing I have taken charge of our defense.

15th Granite, 105

I received word from a farmer, Urvad Megidbomrek, of a terrible din outside the cavern gate. Surmising that it might be from the monstronsity, Gulsheb, I readied the troops, eager to see if my reorganization had made us ready to face what lies beneath.

Alas, when we emerged, clad in steel and steeled for combat, we found the beast already slain. I determined the wounds that killed it to be from the toothy maw of a cave crocodile. Well, if it had slain the beast, it would suffice as practice. Porkroll Mafolustuth made short work of the creature. It is well that he struck true and swift, for the braggart was not even wearing a helmet. I will have to order more armor if we are to face what I can feel is coming.

1st Limestone,

Avuz has created a rock salt bracelet of unparalleled quality, depicting the ascension of our first King. I would prefer works that speak to our future rather than the past, but it is still a fitting adornment for the new chamber.

A statue of Valentina has been rendered exquisitely in rose gold. It shall preside over the tavern, Hexbear, in recognition of her long service as captain of the guard. I hope this gesture will dispel any notion that I have usurped the position.

18th Limestone,

Today the first rose gold coins will be sent from our fortress with the liaison from the mountainhome. It is time we make public that Roomtheaters has entered a golden age, an age of roses, an age of the deep’s great riches. We have exchanged them for cassiterite, among other sundry things.

The liaison seems impressed with our fortress; it is no wonder! The very walls hum in resonance and jubilation at our progress. I understand we are now regarded as a metropolis and are the seat of a county. Let the Mayor take his flowers; I have still more work to do.

21st Limestone,

From conversation with the other adminstrators, I gather that our newly promoted Countess is demanding a whole new suite of amenities and upgraded chambers. I find it hard to conceal my disdain for such vanities. I hope this doesn’t slow down progress on the chamber. At least it might keep the others out of my hair.

8th Sandstone,

Another trial has been sent to me! The Choir sings to me that Thoth, eyeless viper of the deep has appeared in the inky fathoms of the middle caverns – and even as it winds it way up, Ugosh Angzak, an emaciated warthog wrought in solid salt froths with deadly spittle and violent intent. To arms, dwarves! The underearth is our destiny and the Chthonic Choirs resounds with our impending victory!

11th Sandstone,

Just so that as we charged out to meet the beast Ugosh, we find the caverns thick with troglodytes. A fine thing to wet our blades and whet our appetites! Our blades carved through them with grace as the screams ahead told of Ugosh’s motion. And there, among the fungiwood and towercaps, floor fungus, slick with blood, the dread hog revealed itself.

Lolor Savotsazir, peasant, charged the beast unarmored and holding only an old axe. Perhaps he was ecstatic for battle, perhaps too proud to dwell within a suit of the underearth’s gifts. I cannot know now, for the salt hog slammed three of its sinister hooves into the dwarf, exploding him into a mess of gore

Then we fell upon the beast as a river of steel, hacking and hewing into its crystal hide relentlessly. Urvad Agoslan, Captain Kikrost Lektadkadol, and the human Gil Batowtheni deftly evaded the monstrosity’s attacks and together chopped off two of its hooves, bringing the beast low, where Captain Kikrost fell upon its flank with such fury that he rent such a great fracture in across the creature that its upper body twisted violently and cracked off from its rear! Thus was ended Ugosh the Terrible; salt is no match for steel!

12th Sandstone,

While Thoth still swims the flooded caverns, it would seem the serpent has no way inside. We may deal with it at our leisure.

26th Sandstone,

The fortress gossip is that the Craftsdwarf guild was kicked out of their old guildhall and relocated to be with the others not because of simple reorganization, but because the freshly crowned countess wanted their old hall to serve as her new throne room. Shame these frivolities interest me little now, it seems everyone is enjoying wagging their tongues immensely.

The chamber in the deep, my little cathedral, is nearing completion. When I look upon its vaulted ceilings, I am filled with a sweetest resonance. But there is a little ache in me, too, what does the Choir have planned for me next?

But work goes ever on.

2nd Slate,

Industry and business! I have tasked the fortress’s occupants without much to do to clear the guildhall floor of debris. Before I had thought that we might prepare for what is coming, but now I understand that we must seek out our destiny and meet it where it lies. I have received another vision, clearer this time. The drips of the cavern and the shifting of the mountains’ bones speak to me in a symphony of promise; I am taught a song of wanting and I need only follow its melody. I have organized a task force of trusted miners to carve north from out deepest exploratory shaft, then down, here we will find the key to the coming dawn.

To best acclimate our brave warriors to future challenges, I have decreed the gate to the caverns remain open for the time being. As there is no beast there now, I see little reason to fear. We are destined for far grander things than this.

I have also appointed myself a small office near the new barracks, to better oversee what will unfold. I think a petrified wood desk will suit it quite nicely. While surveying its construction, I noticed that the tempestuous child, Zulban, has ceased to take drink. I will attempt to get her a window. This will require careful planning. It is not that I fear hear wrath, though substantial beyond her size. Only that in their zeal, the militia might cut her down.

5th Slate,

Yesterday I slew a cave crocodile. It is good to feel my prowess grow.

Zulban’s quarters have been fitted with bars of brilliant steel. Perhaps she will be happier now.

The militia have begun using the new barracks for training and rest.

8th Slate,

We have struck a second cavern system, but it is not the one from my dreams. Though it provoked some protestation, I have ordered the breach sealed. We delve deeper still, I know what it is I seek and it gleams in the dark.

15th Slate,

My dreams have been realized! Just a little further down, our miners breached a tertiary cavern, and within it, one of the voices that has been singing to me. Gold shines over the deep lichen, lit with promise. And nearby, something I did not expect, but which I now recognize as another member of the Chthonic Choir, an obsidian pillar set with splendid gems of many colors. I know not what it portends, but I can feel that I am approaching something grand and intoxicating. I must still myself and my quill, there is still much to be done.

20th Slate,

There are unwelcome things in these deep caverns. Horrid flying beasts, all maw and leathery wing, beset my noble miners. Ha! they are no match for the strength of The Square Gates! Still, these delays are troubling. Mustn’t be too hasty in this endeavor, I want everything in place before we begin to harvest the gold. Still, my bones seem to ache in anticipation. In seasons past I would have dulled this feeling in myself with extra wine, but now I can feel without doubt that all that will appease me is the continued execution of the great plan.

Though I sleep little now, I awake refreshed each morning. The haunting song of the Chthonic Choir comforts me in dream as an old friend, speaking of the dawning of a new age, one of splendor and beauty unmatched. They call me by my new name, the name of the Deep Earth’s instrument, “Regolith”.

The Golden age, the age of Roses, is at hand.

23rd Slate,

Last night I dreamt a dire portent. Today it was realized in flesh. Odshith Timadkudust, dread pterosaur of the underworld, has come. All hands are on deck. Today we see if the militia is worthy of their mandate. Today we shall let our blades drink deep of the underearth’s blood.

26th Slate,

Amos Zastangath, tonight we drink in your honor. With dread precision and peerless courage, you knocked the wind out of the beast and then cleft its head from its armored body. Truly a warrior fit for our righteous task. I hear he has named his axe “Olnenkilrud”. You have earned it, but let yourself not be sated; this is but the first of many great and terrible deeds to come.

I have commissioned a platinum statue to honor this victory.

9th Moonstone,

The Rose Chamber, the work I have been tasked with, is complete. Five stories of smooth stone, gem windows stretch between the cavern floor and ceiling, allowing the gloam of the deep underearth to ripple across polished rose gold within.

A statue of Stigil, god of chaos, war, and fortresses, flanked by depictions of myself and Valentina as I surrendered the position of captain of the guard to her, watch over this hall. It is a place for reflection upon our position in the course of things. The underearth’s blood flows slowly, but it does yet flow. We see the shifting metal of the relicboots and know there was a time long before us. The brilliance of gold and rose tells us that there is a new age just dawned.

The Choir hums in me, softly, and it tells me to rest. I have moved my quarters to the rooms adjoining the chamber and look forward to what dreams will come now.

20th Opal,

It has been some time since I have received a message from the deep. The Chthonic Choir, though not silent to me, merely resounds softly in the walls.

Unith Muthkatmamot, engraver, has fallen into a secretive and strange comportment, I wonder if something still speaks to him?

2nd Obsidian,

Unith has completed an exquisite granite mug, I shall place it in the reliquary of The Rose Chamber.

Still no dreams.

I have taken to building idle construction above the surface training yard.

5th Obsidian,

Chittering in the deep! Antmen ascend into the lower cavern. I must hurry to the front with my warriors and prove again that we are worthy of our claims in the underearth!

10th Obsidian,

It was scarcely even sporting. I clove through two of the ants and looked about to see that we had dispatched the whole party with ruthless efficiency.

Have I not proved myself to you, O Deep? Why do you throw me trifles now? Surely my task is not complete.

1st Granite 106,

It has been nearly three months since I was last granted a vision. For a long time, I simply waited, growing despondent. Had I misunderstood the task given to me? With time, even the comforting hum of the Chthonic Choir faded and I could find no order in the dripping of the caves or the shifting of the mountain.

I retreated to The Rose Chamber and spent a fortnight in reflection. It began there to dawn on me slowly, that I had been the instrument necessary. In the clamor of steelclad patrols and the faint play of light through the windows, I could see that I had played the midwife and the hangman, ushering in a new chapter and closing the books on old giants beyond their purpose.

I will not pretend that I am not grieving still the loss of what possessed and inspired me still, but I take comfort in listening to our militia march between the caverns, keeping the way safe for future industry and discovery. The way to The Deep is Open and I will preserve it so as the next leader of Roomtheaters and The Square Gates takes them ever-downward.