If you're looking for a chance to see what the husks & thralls are all about, this is a good way to do it. Just use the initial wood supply carefully and dig through the stone instead of the sand to get past the aquifer and you can get started. Within the first year you should start getting clouds of soot rolling in from the north, which turn whatever living thing they touch into thralls - and then woe to you.

Have fun and please, please tell me all about it in this thread - http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=101438