Woohoo! Today, we finally make it to the first Cavern Layer!
This is a noteworthy accomplishment as it provides us new opportunities, and new dangers.
First, and most crutially - the cavern layer is great for Fungiwood Trees, which can provide us logs for lumber even in maps where we might not have trees aboveground. For some embarkments, this is the first real chance a person has to start producing anything carpentry-related. It's also fairly good for farms (as the soil is better deeper), and if we have water in this level we can usually set up a Fisher's Workshop to start getting cavefish. It never hurts to have another source of food!
On the flip side though, this does open us to danger in the form of invaders from the deep. Creatures live in the deep spots of the earth, and frog-folk, snakefolk, and other groups aren't even the worst of the potential denizens of this area. Megabeasts of various types and Demons can be found in the deep spots of the earth. If you're particularly unlucky I think it's possible to also encounter Angels and get absolutely wrecked by them too... but so far the worst I've fought is Demons. That said, it's not super common, and we definitely have time to prepare for those potential hazards.
In this episode, we also set up some basic farm infrastructure - with an above-ground and slightly below-ground farm each. This allows us to grow surface crops like berry bushes, as well as underground food like mushrooms. These can all be used as food, drink, or as part of a manufacturing process for making clothes if we have a loom and a clothier. I pick a bunch of Hemp to make our first bolts of cloth with, because... I mean, I had the option so why not? Hemp is a great material.
And finally, we get our first Fortress visitor - a Monster Hunter here to seek glory and death in the caverns. We're fine with that, and so we grant him the ability to stay.
That's it for today. As always, thanks for watching and Happy Gaming!
▶️ 3Speak