Day 5, Entry by Chief Engineer Wilhelm Putz
That sorry excuse for a navigator came running into the camp this morning screaming about incoherently about the walking dead. He refuses to leave the camp now, instead he sits blubbering about the Kapitan being a moaning zombie. He was useless to begin with, but he is doubly so now.
Our supplies are low. We have wood and some coal, but we need food. Our tools are mere stone and sticks. If we are to survive until we are rescued, then we must be better prepared. Also, we need to see if there are any more survivors, and we need a way to find our camp if we stray too far. I get a few men to help and we build a tall tower outside camp, with a torch burning so that it can be seen from some distance.
The navigator has written a log entry, and it mentions Iron. I bet the fool has found nothing but colored rocks. Still, it would be best to check out. I take the shabby tools and some torches to investigate the tunnel he exited.
I follow it and he has done something right, for one. The cave is well lit. No "monster denizens" to be seen - though I admit I was one who saw one of those arrow shooting skeletons. Having grown up near the Black Forest, I know there are things which we cannot explain. All the more reason to prepare!
Well what do you know - it IS Iron. I quickly chip all I can from the first vein, then continue one. There are 2 others I find, and have a good solid load when I leave the cave. I give the iron to one of the machinists who did an apprenticeship with a blacksmight as a young man. He says its good quality and can be smelted. Maybe enough for some crude protection. He starts to work right away.
It is still daylight, and I saw a few of those wild bovine near the camp. Stone isn't good for weapons, but my oversized stone knife is big enough to make quick work of about 4 cows. They are quickly cleaned and the leather meat hauled back to camp. Thankfully it isn't far and the crew helps with gusto - they are excited about the food. By the time we get back, the machinist is hard at work. He has what looks like some leggings and a hauberk, with some shoes and a helmet cooling. Fast work! With all that, a man might have some protection from the crazy creatures roaming around.
We eat a good meal, and I take a quick nap. When I wake, the "armor" is cool enough to handle, I put it on. Sure, I look odd and its heavy, but this might just help me avoid getting killed. Our new "blacksmith" used all the Iron we had. Still, he says if we can find more, he can make better tools for us. Something to think about.
Its dark now, but I think I will go out and check the tower. A few of the men warn me about monsters in the dark, but I haven't seen anything in the day, so maybe now is a good time to see what might be out there. I check the tower, its a good beacon for now, just not big enough to be seen from too far. Well, for now it will have to do. Our rescue beacon will be much bigger.
As I stand on a small hill, I look around in the dark and see two giant spiders.
Rage lights in me suddenly, the Kapitan died because of these creatures. Recklessly I run down the hill and attack them. They hiss and spit, trying to leap upon me.
Revenge is mine! They fail to even damage me, and I have avenged the Kapitan. Their carcasses yield some fine silk string. I return to the camp for rest, adreneline crashing has me tired.