No one asked for it and I've delivered. A fort for those of us with laptops/terrible computers and want to join in on the succession fun is finally here. Of course, anyone is allowed to join in on the fun. Just make sure to turn on the pop-cap.
Welcome to Smallhands!
A small fort, nestled between a necromancer tower and the goblin civilization. We've got suicidal Forgotten Beasts. We've got a lone survivor. We've got intelligent undead who come back as a ghost and then come back to life. We've got unkillable zombie echidnas! Watch as the tiny fort recovers from the literal edge of extinction. Also check out nogoodnames' incredible art.
Full Image (https://i.imgur.com/vGie4q6.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/GYhzLIH.jpg)
Here, by recon1o6! (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8202963#msg8202963)
(Hastily pasted together by delphonso :: This is the story of a dwarf who died, became intelligent undead, then was resurrected back to a living dwarf. Experimentation continues, as this dwarf appears to still be immune to normal death.)
Here's a more detailed breakdown of events (from my Granite 2 153 save, my memory, and some poking into legends):
1. Smallhands was under siege for most of the year in my turn (152, "The Scalded Attack") until early winter.
2. Migrants (including the dwarves that would become Nogood and Laterigrade) arrived. I, noticing that the siege had ended, decided to open the bridge.
3. The undead echidna we now know as Roastedscaled, which had been lurking around for my entire turn and slipped my mind, attacked the slower migrants. I sent out the militia to deal with it.
4. The militia is having a hard time dealing with it, with militiadwarves Del and Olon dying of blood loss (Del was blinded and in pain for a while, so his death was a mercy). The rest of the militiadwarves along with the miners I conscripted ended up being hospitalized. The migrants that failed to reach the fortress before Roastedscaled did (including Nogood) bled to death from their injuries.
5. Roastedscaled ran into the entrance, blocking any hauling of corpses (also preventing the injured in the hospital from getting water).
6. Granite 1, 153 hits (I didn't realize it was Granite until Granite 2 came), what followed were events that happened so fast I had to go to legends to get clarification:
7. The human necromancer Vusdom Tunnelyore tries to attack the fortress with a few human ghouls (153, "The Assault of Cuts"). He revives four dwarf corpses as forlorn ghouls (this world's name for intelligent undead), which I realize are still counted as citizens.
8. He also revives a large amount of animal corpses on the surface before running off, which leads to a large amount of undead animals right next to the open entrance. This does not end well.
9. Granite 2 arrives on the calender. Goden Dedukoshur, who is the forlorn ghoul who was renamed "Nogood", decides to take a nap after fighting an undead animal or two. The only dwarves who are not in an area compromised by undead animals are Salmeuk (taking a nap) and Zan "Laterigrade" Monomduthal (just slightly away from the drawbridge lever...). And the rest, as they say, is history.
The actual series of events get more confusing:
10. As you said, Goden "Nogood" Dedukoshur takes over the Gravewardens and Moldath takes over the Rainbow Raptors. Both are legendary.
11. Nogood doesn't have a ghost appear for the time from his resurrection up until the Razing of Cactushexes. I think intelligent undead block the rising of their ghosts, but not necessarily whatever activates the rising (IIRC, the undead Olon (who was locked in fighting until nogood's turn) didn't have a ghost rise until after being killed, when the others who died in the battle at the end of 152 had ghosts rise earlier)
12. Nogood is sent out in several raids. Most notably, the razing of Cactushexes, where he turns into a ghost upon or shortly after coming back. Perhaps the thing that causes ghosts to rise doesn't take into account whether they are alive but off the map. While I initially thought that the ghost of Nogood was separate from Nogood (the forlorn ghoul militia commander), Nogood (the forum user) pointed out that it appears the ghost replaced his undead body. If I had to guess, since the ghost body is technically the body of the dwarf that the ghost is, Nogood (the forlorn ghoul militia commander) became Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander) without actually dying.
13. As Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul) technically never died, he was still part of the militia despite being a ghost. This meant I could still send him on missions. So I engraved a slab for Nogood, and then sent Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander) on a simple raid to the kobold fortress. Then, I placed the slab, putting Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander) "to rest" while he was off the map and on the mission.
14. The GraveWardens return, and so has Nogood. Not exactly sure how, but if I had to guess, since Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander) technically did not die while on the mission, the game decided to revert Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander) to being Nogood (the living dwarf).
15. Nogood (the dwarf), being still the same dwarf as Nogood (the forlorn ghoul militia commander who became Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander)), retains all of his skills and traits from before being Nogood (the ghost forlorn ghoul militia commander). Nogood (the dwarf) is reassigned back to being the leader and militia commander of the GraveWardens.
Don't worry, it's as simple as it appears to be.
Parts:
Prologue (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8083756#msg8083756) :: Year 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8083758#msg8083758)
Early Spring (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8085846#msg8085846) :: Late Spring (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8086748#msg8086748) :: Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8088177#msg8088177) :: Autumn (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8088848#msg8088848) :: Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8089857#msg8089857)
Spring (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8090105#msg8090105) :: Late Spring and Early Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8090811#msg8090811) :: Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8096619#msg8096619) :: Autumn (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8097521#msg8097521) :: Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8097550#msg8097550)
The first 5 days... (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8098142#msg8098142) :: Update 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8098687#msg8098687) :: Update 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8099172#msg8099172) :: Update 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8101554#msg8101554) :: Update 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8102056#msg8102056) :: Update 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8104233#msg8104233)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8105919#msg8105919) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8106195#msg8106195) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8106358#msg8106358) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8107124#msg8107124) :: Part 5 - Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8107450#msg8107450) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8108278#msg8108278) :: Part 7 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8110214#msg8110214) :: Part 8 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8110900#msg8110900) :: Part 9 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8111389#msg8111389) :: Part 10 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8112040#msg8112040) :: Part 11 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8112961#msg8112961)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8114371#msg8114371) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8114406#msg8114406)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8114773#msg8114773) :: Spring (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8115303#msg8115303) :: Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8115821#msg8115821) :: Autumn (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8115925#msg8115925) :: Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8116372#msg8116372) :: Goo-hive Instructions: Currently broken (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8115933#msg8115933)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8119353#msg8119353) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8119922#msg8119922) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8120897#msg8120897)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8138143#msg8138143) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8138764#msg8138764) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8139299#msg8139299) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8139594#msg8139594) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8142469#msg8142469) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8143131#msg8143131)
Intro (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8147061#msg8147061) :: Spring (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8147168#msg8147168) :: Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8147810#msg8147810) :: Autumn (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8148836#msg8148836) :: Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8149954#msg8149954)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8150264#msg8150264) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8150264#msg8150264) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8150318#msg8150318) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8150324#msg8150324) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8150352#msg8150352)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8151160#msg8151160) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8154999#msg8154999) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8155057#msg8155057) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8155434#msg8155434) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8155864#msg8155864)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8158401#msg8158401) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8161052#msg8161052) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8161468#msg8161468) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8163892#msg8163892) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8164310#msg8164310)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8167515#msg8167515) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8167891#msg8167891) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8168638#msg8168638) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8168989#msg8168989) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8169365#msg8169365) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.480)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8170067#msg8170067) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8171185#msg8171185) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8171258#msg8171258) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8172567#msg8172567) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8174116#msg8174116) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8176913#msg8176913) :: Part 7 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8177790#msg8177790) :: Part 8 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8184326#msg8184326) :: Part 9 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8187216#msg8187216)
Spring (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8190851#msg8190851) :: Spring II (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8191154#msg8191154) :: Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8191888#msg8191888) :: Summer II (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8194880#msg8194880) :: Autumn (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8195790#msg8195790) :: Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8196341#msg8196341)
Prologue (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8197632#msg8197632) :: Spring+Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8197887#msg8197887) :: Autumn+Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8198535#msg8198535)
Prologue (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8198905#msg8198905) :: Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8198954#msg8198954) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8199085#msg8199085)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8200019#msg8200019) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8200434#msg8200434) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8201116#msg8201116) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8203162#msg8203162) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8203972#msg8203972) :: Part 6, the best part ever written (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8204302#msg8204302)
Prelude (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8204645#msg8204645) :: Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8205353#msg8205353) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8206503#msg8206503) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8208632#msg8208632) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8210286#msg8210286) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8211811#msg8211811) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8212694#msg8212694) :: Part 7 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8214970#msg8214970)
Spring and Summer (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8218327#msg8218327) :: Autumn and Winter (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8220700#msg8220700)
Year 170 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8228210#msg8228210)
Abandoned post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8223843#msg8223843) :: Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8240585#msg8240585) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8241877#msg8241877) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8242584#msg8242584) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8243955#msg8243955)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8250745#msg8250745)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8275105#msg8275105) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8275578#msg8275578) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8276196#msg8276196) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8277204#msg8277204)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8277561#msg8277561) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8277909#msg8277909) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8278202#msg8278202) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8278537#msg8278537) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8278559#msg8278559) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8278906#msg8278906) :: Part 7 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8279134#msg8279134) :: Part 8 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8279325#msg8279325) :: Part 9 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8279339#msg8279339) :: Part 10 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8279522#msg8279522) :: Part 11 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8279543#msg8279543) :: Part 12 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8279904#msg8279904) :: Part 13 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8280210#msg8280210)
Prelude (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8280237#msg8280237) :: Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8280465#msg8280465) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8280867#msg8280867) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8282075#msg8282075) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8283816#msg8283816) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8285633#msg8285633) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8288001#msg8288001)
Prelude (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8289946#msg8289946) :: Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8291306#msg8291306) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8291571#msg8291571) :: Wrap-up (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8291846#msg8291846)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8292732#msg8292732) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8294156#msg8294156) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8294565#msg8294565)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8311791#msg8311791) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8312831#msg8312831) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8313557#msg8313557) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8315125#msg8315125)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8323569#msg8323569) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8325161#msg8325161) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8326111#msg8326111) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8327644#msg8327644) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8328670#msg8328670) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8330623#msg8330623) :: Part 7 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8331074#msg8331074)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8333707#msg8333707) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8334358#msg8334358) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8334572#msg8334572)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8335607#msg8335607) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8336250#msg8336250) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8336502#msg8336502)
Prelude (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8337166#msg8337166) :: Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8337204#msg8337204) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8338169#msg8338169) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8338215#msg8338215) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8338767#msg8338767) :: Part 5 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8340171#msg8340171) :: Part 6 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8340410#msg8340410) :: Save LOST! (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8340413#msg8340413)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8341606#msg8341606) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8347523#msg8347523)
Part Only (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8353138#msg8353138)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8357160#msg8357160) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8357365#msg8357365) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8357910#msg8357910)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8367639#msg8367639) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8368582#msg8368582)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8372482#msg8372482) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8372570#msg8372570) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8372615#msg8372615)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8381739#msg8381739) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8383567#msg8383567) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8385605#msg8385605) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8386509#msg8386509)
Part deleting everything with DFHack (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8395468#msg8395468)
Part 1 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8399632#msg8399632) :: Part 2 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8432083#msg8432083) :: Part 3 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8440288#msg8440288) :: Part 4 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8442117#msg8442117)
------
Overseers:
1 delphonso
2 Salmeuk
3 auzewasright
4 Laterigrade
5 nogoodnames
6 mko
7 delphonso
8 Salmeuk
9 auzewasright
10 StrikaAmaru
11 applet
12 Spriggans
13 nogoodnames
14 recon1o6
15 delphonso
16 StrikaAmaru
17 applet
18 nogoodnames
19 recon1o6
20 Salmeuk
21 StrikaAmaru
22 delphonso
23 Castimier
24 Radiofort
25 QuQuasar
26 recon1o6
27 delphonso
28 StrikaAmaru
29 fatcat__25
30 recon1o6
31 Salmeuk
32 Bombyx Mori
33 Spriggans
34 recon1o6
35 xkcd1963
36 MrWillsauce
37 xkcd1963
38 AvolitionBrit
39 fatcat__25 (ruined by delphonso)
40 recon1o6
41 Open to whoever would like it!
If you want to oversee or just get dorfed, let us know!
I'm currently working on backing up the entire thread (well, the fort updates) in PDF format! Stay tuned for that. It's going very slowly!
I've now reached the character cap for this post. I'll be removing things such as favorite posts and synopses as we continue. Sorry!
Rules!
- Standard succession rules: a turn is 1 year, or two weeks – whichever happens first.
- Try not to destroy this tiny fort. Bad things happen, don't cause them intentionally.
- Before making RP decisions for others, let them know and discuss it.
- Try to dorf anyone who hasn't been already on your turn.
Performance Settings!
- Go ahead and set the following in your d_init file.
[POPULATION_CAP:50]
[STRICT_POPULATION_CAP:60]
[VISITOR_CAP:5]
[INVASION_SOLDIER_CAP:60]
[INVASION_MONSTER_CAP:30]
(just so the game is playable during a siege – this should still be plenty deadly. - You'll notice this is a very small embark. Please use space responsibly.
- There is an aquifer – be courteous when it comes to large water-works.
- Animals will also eat up FPS – try to keep populations low.
- After a brief discussion with their peers, nogoodnames removed a tag from echidna - as their indestructibility was causing lag in large fights. Should a porcupine or other roll-able creature become undead, the tag [PREVENTS_PARENT_COLLAPSE] can be removed.
Finally, should the need arise, I might go through and run some FPS saving scripts with DFHack from time-to-time. Hopefully, that won't be necessary.
-~-~-~-~-
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/DEtXvyfKjSVvLmZKilitWMBl?width=800&height=600)
I sketched her dancing in my journal:
(https://i.imgur.com/2LRbM1M.png)
Yes, this picture of a dancing goblin really is that small. I thought it would be funny to make a small drawing of a small creature for a small fortress. Now I'm having second thoughts.
And then the Forgotten beast committed suicide. Again.
(https://i.imgur.com/COhWTC1.jpg)
I have questions.
And then the zombie horde bum rushed in.
The upper level has been compromised.
And then Granite came, and it ceased to be my problem.
This. This here. In three sentences, you have hit upon the very root of why succession fortresses spin so madly out of control!
Me and Salmeuk begin a tune of dwarven bravery, and courage in the face of despair, to bolster our spirits. We hear the undead grunt and whine as they stumble onwards, but do not break our tune.
(https://i.imgur.com/3jyranK.png)
Another spirit has risen! A previous overseer of the fortress, it seems.
(https://i.imgur.com/uzXP9Cb.png)
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer +===
1st of Granite, 154
Through the same dark magics which ended my life, I once again walk these halls. My body is scarred beyond belief. My mind, while still my own, is changed. I no longer feel the sways of emotion as I once did. I am of Thunennökor, the living dead.
(https://i.imgur.com/FTtUZ0G.png)
Salmeuk recounts the beginning of the echidna menace. (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=175473.msg8107642#msg8107642)
“Oh, you want to celebrate smallness, do you? Well here’s the cutest, smallest unkillable abomination you’ve ever seen!”
Also, remember the second forgotten beast in my turn that ended up killing itself? How I mentioned that everybody that came to the fortress under my rule seemed to lack the will to live, or at least a basic survival instinct?
Well I took a look at it in legends...
(https://i.imgur.com/EFDPIuc.jpg)
First things first. I'm going to go tend those fucking bees.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/QoLhAQlwXltFHALGyGwEEEfG?width=800&height=600)
(https://i.imgur.com/WHwdtbR.gif)
(https://i.imgur.com/TqtAc5C.jpg)
A picture of the fortress. The green is vomit
13th Slate. BlockadeIdols has come with his answer: he’d prefer to remain in the army. In accordance, I remove him from his position as captain of the guard. His replacement is the rather flimsy KingZultan BoulderHeight, who’s an adequate clothier, and not much else.
With this done, I can now interrogate captain ReignedAxes, before imprisoning him.
Captain KingZultan, for all her frail appearance, has managed to shake the legendary mason:
(https://i.imgur.com/2uZoLCe.png)
I've now deduced that the dragon was in fact not captured, but killed. At first I was very disappointed with my subjects. Then I learned it wasn't a real dragon at all - didn't even breathe fire!
(http://www.enbit.it/df/smallhands/cave-dragon-punch.PNG)
(http://www.enbit.it/df/smallhands/cave-dragon-end.PNG)
Spriggans did a cool thing by making comic strips.
(https://i.imgur.com/B7SP2ZB.png)
Maybe the body is too damaged or too rotten. The lack of a head may be a problem. Or maybe the necromancer has guessed our ploy and refuses to go along with it. Or perhaps the puppy we tied up in the adjacent cell just isn’t enough motivation to draw out his magic…
(https://i.imgur.com/SdmgjlR.png)
Looks like we might be seeing the potential for this fort becoming a necrofort in the future.
KingZultan has finished what she was working on, a wool head veil with an… interesting name.
(https://i.imgur.com/vEajVG4.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/2OQ7QHe.png)
The dwarves heard it one night as the vile goo cloud rolled past the entrance to the fort. Seems a new migrant had arrived and had already gone mad:
Oh-ho!...I'll smith the hammers and I'll smith their shields!
Oh-Ho!...I'll drink to their success and the skills they wield!
I'll fill a cup when the hammer strikes true!
I'll raise a mug when the gobbo turns blue!
I'll drain the goblet just before bed!
I'll refill the tankards- our enemies are dead!
I'm a dwarf, in rock I'm born and bred!
See our fort, high above yooouuu, our foes already fled!
Also, funny thing I found while poking around legends...
(https://i.imgur.com/WvlZWoI.png)
The farmer's guild is inflating their membership with dead dwarves!
To be fair, the line between dead citizens and living citizens in Smallhands is blurrier than most fortresses.
Smallhands the fort where you live forever without being a necromancer or vampire!
I ordered Sal to tell the diplomat to sod off followed by ordering our miners to dig Sal a new bedroom that isn't the hospital and kingzultan to stop beating Auze to death because there's still prison sentences first before sending him on to Armok. Curiously Auze was quite accepting of the beating.
An overseer being made into an artifact:
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/743177406449451148/unknown.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/tViLtd6.png)
It's basically like I didn't get anyone killed.
Hastily engraved message
applet, Ex-overpaca
OSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHIOSHI...
1st Limestone
(https://i.imgur.com/6GIp3dU.png)
He has dropped dead in the hospital’s doorway, so I presume the infection did him in. You can guess what will happen to him.
(https://i.imgur.com/6LUu7tY.png)
Spring of the Second Year
The solstice has passed us and the year begins anew! These spring mornings bring a chill air that drifts down through the stone and into our chambers, waking us rudely from our dreams. The invading cold is much appreciated, however, since many of our outpost have contracted a mysterious and tenacious illness that warms our blood and sours our moods. At this time it is unknown whether or not this fever poses a threat, and as one of the principle carriers of the illness I am eager to learn more. Too, I want to help Bim, who is my lover, and Del, the since they are both suffering from the fever. Del has recently granted me the role of manager and overseer of Smallhands and I intend to put that power to good use.
What other project to begin with than the one I have fantasized about for many months now? It has been my dream to explore the deep stone and surely discover the great caverns beneath. What riches are to be found? As I understood it, the Queen wanted good news from this outpost. Well, by the justice of Tâmol, let us find some good news!
(https://i.imgur.com/A6UEHTT.png)
Exploratory staircases were dug west of the workshops.
A few days in to digging, Momuz found a gigantic cluster of red zircon and a rich vein of tetrahedrite. Both are valuable, but I was hoping for something more. There has to be something good about this place.
After more digging we find some cassiterite, meaning a source of tin. If we work that with the copper at a controlled temperature, we can start to cast bronze. Which can then be hammered into a razor-sharp edge. A lot can be done with a bronze axe!
The next day, Momuz hit a cavity in the stone.
(https://i.imgur.com/jstaNmE.png)
Finally, a cavern, with silver veins crossing the walls and blue garnets glinting in the torchlight.
Modestly sized and choked by passageways, this cavern isn't immediately useful. No water in sight, either. Later, I might have plans for it, perhaps when summer arrives, but for now we will just wall off the staircase and continue downwards.
----
When I'm not busy directing our miners and masons, I like to spend my time in the tavern. I get some drinks and take a seat and just let the time pass. I listen to the poetry and the stories and lose myself in the words. Most recently, a goblin traveler names Smunstu has taken to our outpost. She is quite the performer, with her twirling dances that leave me dizzy and amazed. Unlike dwarves, goblins are much skinnier and more flexible, and frankly they are much better at dancing - if they try to be, that is. Most just try to kill us.
I sketched her dancing in my journal:
(https://i.imgur.com/2LRbM1M.png)
Yes, this picture of a dancing goblin really is that small. I thought it would be funny to make a small drawing of a small creature for a small fortress. Now I'm having second thoughts.
----
We finished the staircase to the floor of the first cavern layer, when something odd happened. Smunstu, upon hearing that we had opened the staircase to foot traffic, immediately packed up her things and descended to the new opening, and then waltzed right into one of the dark passageways like there was nothing to it. Soon enough we realized she wasn't coming back. Well, I'll miss her dancing. I hope she finds the way out soon. Bim was telling me that goblins, like pigeons, have an innate sense of where home is at all times, and that they can easily find their way through thick jungles or tightly-carved passageways. They are certainly an interesting race, though I am still not at all fond of their ethics. I'm not sure if I could have a goblin friend. If I did, it would be someone like Smunstu, a traveler and a free-thinking individual. These thoughts filled my head as we completed the staircase walls.
Upstairs, I pushed for some remodeling. We needed a proper tavern, after all, and now that we had a good idea of the space available for digging (18z levels of solid stone) we could give it the space it deserved.
(https://i.imgur.com/loRahjJ.png)
On the right is space for worship.
It rained, and then the elves came, so we traded them some of our stone crafts for a leopard and some berries. Typical elf business. The rain washed away some of that purple goop, and I could see that the plants underneath were unaffected by the slime. I noted this in my medical record, it could be important later.
(https://i.imgur.com/btqWgZP.png)
Even the lightest rainshower washes the goop right off the plants, and as it drips away the bowed leaves spring back into shape.
Our food supply proved steady. The baby chicks finally hatched. We discovered a sapling growing in the black surface sand, a surprising and odd indication that the surface was viable for farming. So I hatched a plan, and after a heavy rainstorm we ran outside and quickly nabbed a few local seeds from the southeastern forest, making sure to avoid the plants still laden with goop. A great success! But, we will save these seeds until we can construct a properly defended farm. There is no great hurry to diversify our food sources.
---
My character's name is Logemzursul, translating to "Paintchewed." Hopefully the house he grew up in was constructed after 1978 . . .
Summer of the Second Year
The humans arrived quickly this year. Our craft production had stalled, and so we traded some stoneware for a few vegetables and that was pretty much it.
A few migrants trickled in, bringing us to 18 dwarves. A mechanic and an animal caretaker, and at least the mechanic can be put to work immediately.
----
(https://i.imgur.com/ggYwbd1.png)
Five days ago, Bim went missing. Today, the search was called off - we aren't going to find her.
When I first noticed her gone, I honestly couldn't remember the last time I had seen her. I get so caught up in the work here in my office, looking over various reports and auditing our trade receipts, that I sometimes forget to leave. Often Bim would find me asleep at the table with my head buried in papers. So, when I finally decided enough was enough and that it was time I take a break from this work, I went to the dining hall and then promptly fell asleep in my room. All this time, never having seen Bim. Once I awoke, I thought it would be best to check up on her, and that's when I found her room empty and her workshop untouched. So I asked around.
"What, Bim? Oh, she's just out for a walk or something. I think I remember her telling me that."
"Huh." A walk would be very unlike Bim. "When did she leave? Don't you think she would tell me something?"
"Well shouldn't you know? You spend the most time with her!"
Others started asking me questions, like it was somehow my fault that she was missing.
"When did you last see her? Was she acting out of character? Did you two have an argument or something?"
After agonizing minutes they came to their senses and we began a frantic search. It soon became clear we were not going to find Bim. Smallhands is, well, small, and there are very few places to hide. We even checked the cavern tunnels, which had been entirely sealed, but maybe something happened and she was trapped out there in the moldy darkness.
And just like that, Bim was gone. The worst part is I don't think many others care. She wasn't the best at making friends, she was always busy with her work, and I think her impersonal leadership style rubbed a few people the wrong way. But to hold a grudge like that against some who could be dead? That's insane.
People held elections, and Meng the Smelter was elected expedition leader. She is a newer arrival here, yet people seem to trust her already. Those same people have already forgotten Bim.
As long we find no proof of her passing (how I dread that day, if it comes), I will have to stay vigilant for her. Perhaps she was kidnapped, or lost while fighting some goblin scouts, or maybe took a wrong turn in the caverns and is lost, just out of sight, waiting for help to come. .
It is dreadful.
----
The next week, Unib the carpenter was ambushed by a giant olm. She was the one who volunteered to take the first steps into the caverns, in search of wood. Did I mention we ran out of wood? Anyways, this poor soul. . . Ilral watched the whole thing go down.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ab46Jrf.png)
why, Unib, why did you let this happen?
She fought as best he could, but the Olm landed a number of bites on Unib and was slowed considerably by the pain. The militia were called, and it was a race against time as Unib's strength gave out.
(https://i.imgur.com/LHm4C6p.png)
The olm then landed a huge hit on Unib's lower body, so painful that Unib was sick and lay gasping on the cavern floor, and then . . a miracle! The olm backed away and fled into the dark tunnels. Something had spooked it - or perhaps it just had second thoughts on eating dwarf that night.
Unib was carried to the waiting hospital bed, thoughtfully constructed by Del during the first year of Smallhands. Acting as Chief Medical Dwarf I personally attended to her diagnosis and care. Internal bleeding was the most dangerous issue, and that was treated with a herbal tea that stimulated the clotting of dwarven blood. However, her external injuries took many laborious hours to properly clean and wrap. She has a punctured lung and may never breath the same again.
Autumn is near. With the freezing wind, the traders will arrive, and hopefully bring an anvil because we don't have an anvil.
why don't we have an anvil? lol
Also, where tf did Bim go?? Honestly can't even find a trace. There's no corpse in the stocks list, or body parts, and she is still listed as 'missing' in the unit list. Luckily Salmeuk doesn't seem to care so much, just yet. I chalk it up to the stoic nature found in many doctors and surgeons.
This is a shorter post. I'm playing RIGHT NOW and I should be able to post again in a few hours.
I will also update to the newest version.
Anyone want to be dwarfed? The swordfighter is a real bosssss
Sorry for triple posting, but here's a mini-update:
1st Granite
Some weird dude took over the fortress.
I am that weird dude.
We start off in the middle of a siege, which is somewhat inconvenient for my wish to establish more of a foot hold aboveground.
(https://i.imgur.com/tm33Mwv.jpg)
Apparently these guys are somewhat already dead, which makes them slightly hard to drown.
5th Granite
I have a plan to reduce the threat, and all I need are a ton of mechanisms and maybe cages. The layout was invented by some person from an alternate universe country that was known for many things, but mostly being broke.
(https://i.imgur.com/hBb9B1a.jpg)
Turns out we have no mechanisms, which is slightly inconvenient. Time to start production of that as well.
4th Slate
We have a new visitor:
(https://i.imgur.com/ZhgsQwh.jpg)
He's a coral web-shooter. Here's hoping we walled off any paths he could take to our fort.
After several frustrating attempts at getting the world going, I realised I was trying to put it into my data/save folder for .02.
Now I've downloaded .03. Changing the d_init file. Let's go!
Holy crap. How did it get this bad? A dozen zombies in the fortress, and way more outside. Got the gate closed, forbid the doors to the lower levels.
Undead don't go through those right?
I've sealed off the lower levels leaves me with... two dwarves?
And somehow the forlorn ghouls upstairs are still my citizens? Ye gods.
Nish fell from a kick to the head from the camel skeleton 'Oburalis Ralfath' - 'Herokissed the Silvery Sack'.
Kogan and erith both just fell to the hooves of another pair of undead camels.
Dastot and Udil, Mechanic and Smelter respectively, are both chillin' with the cage traps. Both thirsty. Neither is going to go anywhere; the undead hold the staircase.
Sigun the smelter is going for a last charge against the undead in the staircase. It's too late to do anything about it. A few seconds and several dozens of scratches and kicks later, an artery is opened and he appears to have bled out.
The carpenter, already a ghoul, took a kick in the head from an undead camel. Apparently Cog Whipeven has now assumed the position of expedition leader. Long may he live!
Never mind. I pause-unpause and already, he's taken a camel-kick to the head too.
Worse yet, there don't appear to be any picks in the lower levels. Oh, no, wait, there's forges... but no fuel. And all of the food in the fortress seems to be on the other side of the middle staircase... that is to say, in the part of the fortress inacessible without mining or letting the undead in.
Damn it.
And all the ground accessible to me is stone... meaning not even farms.
Udil the Smelter has assumed the position of expedition leader. To celebrate this occasion, he's leading Dastot the Mechanic in a charge against our former diplomat and an echidna corpse that lead to all this.
I'm putting them in a squad to formalise the attack, hopefully for slightly better results.
I'm holding out hope that the undead will move a little away so that I can deconstruct one of the walls and quickly reconstruct it, having got to the food. You can do that without a pick right...?
Salmeuk and Zan the Potter are my last two dwarves on the lower levels. His friends are dying and he's recently been haunted by a dead lover, but Salmeuk is making mechanisms and cheerfully remarking that 'the amount of practice that goes into mastering a skill is so impressive'. I haven't been taking screenshots for a while, I'll start now.
(https://imgur.com/a/DTWH5v7.png)
The diplomat and echidna corpses are still doing their best to beat the crap out of each other.
(https://imgur.com/a/bKXYlCb.png)
Our miner, Sibrek, is still lying in the hospital... basically unharmed. I looked around and it seems the undead near him are so completely destroyed they aren't attacking him.
(https://imgur.com/a/oXTpAHe.png)
Udil and Dastot are just about to reach the diplomat and the echidna.
Oh dear goodness. Udil just reached the corpses and he's aggro'd most of them.
...Ugh. He gave into pain and a dingo and a jaguar skeleton just latched onto his head.
Wow! Another camel-head-kick death!
Zan has assumed the position of expedition leader of the Little Pick! Long may he live! (https://imgur.com/a/nlrisZf.png)
...and Dastot takes a camel-kick to the head and dies.
The diplomat and the echidna have gone back to worrying at each other, ineffectually biting and scratching at each other, as if nothing happened.
The corpses are still leaving Sibrek alone. (https://imgur.com/a/kUliA9q.png)
And it's only the 5th of Granite. Far out. I'll update again soon-ish. I haven't used imgur for this before, so tell me if the pictures (which should be in the spoilers) aren't working and I'll find an alternate method.
Belated info:
I'm a bit worried to even peek at the save and see how things are going... Laterigrade, hope you can pull this off!
Here's hoping...
In the mean time, here is:
The First* Census of Smallhands
The status of our 23 19 17 14 proud citizens**! Sorted by layer and where they are.***
1: Sigun ůsterib, Looking out for number one
(https://i.imgur.com/qnUSfmF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1GtSsIB.jpg)
Unlikely, but I like your spirit!
Sigun has shown something extremely rare: a display of competence in survival. He has decided to flee into the (incomplete) Labyrinth, where traps should slow down the horde of undead, and maybe even eliminate at least a few of them should they choose to pursue. His limitation is the fact that he will eventually have to drink, meaning he can only last as long as he is thirsty, or until zombies reach him.
2&3: Udil Konosčzum & Dastot Litastteskon, unaware workers
(https://i.imgur.com/mgTd4F2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WcVQz8y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fT35qWH.jpg)
I think these two may have been working on the Labyrinth, as looking into their thoughts show them blissfully unaware of the immanent doom that is right outside of the site they work. They are now thirsty, and will probably successfully bait zombies into the Labyrinth when they realize just how screwed they are.
4&5: Kogan Zonabod & črith Ceroltenshed, In their last stand
(https://i.imgur.com/BBAiCcy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/q3Moqzv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jmnJVug.jpg)
These two dwarfs are busy preparing and defending the hospital from a skeleton. They are surrounded by undead, and are looking to be going to fight desperately for their lives, as well of the lives of those in the hospital.
6, 7, &8: Cog Bomrekdčg, Sibrek Eralthrob, & Rigňth Onolmishthem, Medical Negligence or Undead, whichever comes first
(https://i.imgur.com/VUvrjko.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4dn0yMd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7S3HnOt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5ebntEG.jpg)
These guys are probably going to either die of thirst, or zombie camel. Whichever comes first.
9, 10, 11, & 12: Olon, Unib, Goden, Lorbam
These guys are forlorn ghouls, and have retained their memories of their past lives, as well as their loyalty to Smallhands. Relevant song. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MRSLSQdelI)
13 & 14: Salmeuk & Zan, These guys are safe, just forbid all doors to the stairway.
(https://i.imgur.com/tS58SUS.jpg)
There's a copper pick & other supplies in or near the area circled blue, just mine out the wall circled in red. There is wood and metal in the lower layers.
*while inaugural is the correct term, I doubt the fortress will live to need a second one.
**Give or take a few undead.
***As of the end of my turn, read the update for more recent info.
To those who may read this, this is the last will and testament of Laterigrade Monomduthal, formerly of the name Zan, for those who come after us.
Laterigrade seems a better name than Zan; with the death of Nish, Udil and then Cog and me taking the position of expedition leader, it seems fitting to separate the old Zan, who did not know this horror, from the new Laterigrade.
The undead have taken over the upper halls, and I have heard the dying screams of our brothers-in-arms, and their shudderings as they rose back to life.
I wish to go up and store their corpses in our refuse pile, but they're inaccessible. I eventually realised that they were forbidden.
Salmeuk is going for a drink, but I'm going to pile up some stones near the stairwell. I can hear the undead killing the roosters and chickens still upstairs.
I don't know what to do. I'm going to bed.
An elven caravan has arrived. Armok save them; we can't. The killer echidnas and camels are slaughtering them. Speaking of which, I think Sibrek took a camel kick to the head while in hospital too.
Dear Armok. We unforbade the stair-well door and the undead rushed it! We're going to die!
...Oh. Whew. I mistook Goden for a skeletal echidna; I just saw his bones and freaked out; I forgot that the friendly undead's bones are a slightly lighter blue than those who are opposed to us.
He is a ghoul, but a dwarf still; one of our brethren.
He's come over and cried on my shoulder; I'm so sad for him. He has lost so many friends. (https://i.imgur.com/HG0XyOm.png)
Salmeuk was going to go get the pick from the stockpile, but I realised just in time that the undead were about to *actually* bum-rush the stairway, and closed the doors.
Funny how they can't open doors we've closed.
Speaking of which, the elves are dead and the harpy ghoul is killing off our dwarf-ghouls still outside the gates.
Mmkay. Figured out what I'm going to do. Going to build a labyrinth *in* the fortress and let 'em in to give us time to run across the stairway and grab the pick.
Plans have been laid out. They're pretty crummy because I don't have much space to work in, but they'll do.
I'm taking up carpentry to build some doors. Huh, never mind, the logs are behind a closed bridge. Not sure which lever would activate it because none of them are labelled, so I'm not risking any of them.
I'll make my own and link them. Actually, a ghost, once our farmer Bim, has appeared so before I do that I'm making a slab and I'll engrave it. (https://i.imgur.com/njFGw07.png)
A miasma has arisen from the bodies in the hospital; I can smell it through the doors downstairs. (https://i.imgur.com/dHHTigC.png)
The echidna and the diplomat's ghoul are still punching each other. (https://i.imgur.com/ow6mFys.png)
I've mostly finished the measly labyrinth; I don't have enough space to make it good.
Ye gods. Goden the ghoul got back through. I must have accidentally opened one of the doors. Gee. I can't understand how that happened, because there are a dozen undead in the stairwell; if it was opened they should have burst through.
Anyway, right now he's just running around in a panic. (https://i.imgur.com/6Ezsri0.png)
Oh, wait, no; I found the lever one of the previous overseers named Front Gate, and I'll assume the other two are connected to the bridges closest to them. I'm pulling the one next to the bridge to the underground.
--Accidental lapse back into OOC, realised only after the event--
Wait, no, it closed the bridge up. Repulling it now. Why are we getting a no-wood when trying to build doors, then?
...And what are the dwarves cancelling placing in a stockpile because it's inacessible? I have everything on the surface forbidden, and they should be able to access pretty much everything below the surface, right?
I forbade everything in the caverns, just in case... but now they're just telling stories although I have walls set to be made.
And Wall/Floor Construction is on for them! Ugh.
Salmeuk just cancelled collecting silver nuggets, even though all of them that are inacessible should be forbidden. AAAGH!
Sometimes this game is painfully frustrating.
Hopefully the images work now? I added an i. at the start of the links and deleted the a/... hopefully that works?
Salmeuk just fell asleep on the floor; I realised that I blocked off the bedrooms for the labyrinth.
(https://i.imgur.com/nQujqxq.png)
I'm piling up wood in a stockpile a bit closer to the carpenter's workshop. With the bottom layers reopened, Goden is running around crazily collecting stone from the lower levels. Turns out ghouls are both fast and strong, but no matter how much I yell at him, he won't collect wood like I need him to.
Guess I'll have to do it meself.
Salmeuk's awake and making doors; I'll need them to comparmentalise the labyrinth.
(https://i.imgur.com/22HiTXD.png)
Forget to mention I finished a few slabs, vanishing the ghost. Made a few extra in case more show up.
...Some migrants have arrived. Crap.
(https://i.imgur.com/aopD3XC.png)
I... I can't save them. The labyrinth is unfinished; I can't let the undead in or the few who remain will be slaughtered. We'll let them take their chances with the zombies outside the fort.
Skeletons are upon them within the moment.
They're winning at the moment, landing a few good blows. There's too many undead though, and I can hear their cries.
And their offhand comments, too, amidst the battle:
(https://i.imgur.com/OjwvOpK.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Yox5A1g.png)
Ye gods. They brought a child. She is lost in rage; I can hear her screams.
(https://i.imgur.com/DcOLZUL.png)
Not a single one has died yet, but there are so many undead guarding the gate. All is lost.
They brought along animals too, and this one goose is trying to fly away; it's overcome by terror.
(https://i.imgur.com/GbQiFJS.png)
The cook has fallen, amid a pile of vile goo.
(https://i.imgur.com/3NHdZkA.png)
Seeing their (relative) success, I'm forming them up into several squads. They might actually have a chance at defeating those on the surface, and maybe even those in the stairwell.
Two squads: the Pure Wires and the First Stockades.
(https://i.imgur.com/3QLt2KZ.png)
Also, a picture of all the migrants as they are now:
(https://i.imgur.com/arIFA01.png)
A giant capybara skeleton is getting beaten to death right now, mobbed by 18 dwarves and a child, but a dyer decided to take on an echidna skeleton by himself and is suffering the consequences.
(https://i.imgur.com/CtgGlks.png)
The geese are still flying into the sky!
Second migrant death; the dreaded echidna skeletons are the worst of the undead.
...Ugh. Urvad, a newly installed wrestler, is also dead. The giant capybara skeletons are a menace.
My hopes are dead; the migrants will die en masse. Almost all are overwhelmed with horror, and they all have a fever, thanks to the vile goo.
Most are highly wounded, too. Our only hope is the labyrinth.
--OOC--
(even then I kinda lapsed back into it before this anyway but whatever)
Fixed the previous post! Sorry guys and thanks delphonso!
Also yes, 'twas a burrow restricting us. I haven't played DF in a while; my problem-diagnosing skills are rusty. Thanks Salmeuk!
I hear the buzzings of swarms of blood gnats rising above the screams and cries of dwarves.
I hear their sudden hiss as they descend upon another victim, accompanied by the groans of death. A symphony of sorts.
I'm worn out; I think I'll just rest here. Just for a moment. (https://i.imgur.com/gtnp7LR.png)
I toss and turn in sleep, and screams feature prominently in my dreams.
I wake with a start; Goden stands over me, a crazed look in his eye. Something tells me he wants my help, but I'm too thirsty; I brush past him, moving to the drinks stockpile.
He runs after me, scrambling, and as I quench my thirst he stands there, waiting.
Another scream rends the air outside, and I realise that the screams were not inventions of a fevered brain - they were real.
Sighing, I take Goden to the temple, and calm him down.
As I finish talking to him, I realise that the screams have stopped - the migrants must be dead. We are once again alone.
The only sounds that remain are the grunting of the diplomat and the harsh wails of the undead echidna, still taking chunks out of each other.
The labyrinth is almost ready; all that remains is to bring some beds over to our little pocket we're sealing off, and place the last brick down.
Actually, we're also bringing some stone and wood up from the lower levels, in case we need to stay sealed off for a good long while, or need to build walls.
It is slow work, but necessary.
We pasture the animals in the temple; I fear it may be disrespectful, but we can't have them getting in our way. The animals shudder at Goden's touch, but they come with him eventually.
(https://i.imgur.com/hj8etAm.png)
He lugs stone, too, like it's nothing but pebbles.
We have enough in our stockpiles; the last stones are laid in the labyrinth.
(https://i.imgur.com/gaYhKC4.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/aGLy9Ra.png)
Let the hordes come through!
...Well, that was an anti-climax. I made the door passable... but either they can't path to the dwarves, or they can't be bothered. Crap.
Oh, no, the first ones are coming. Just slowly; I expected more of a mad scramble than this orderly conga line.
Me and Salmeuk begin a tune of dwarven bravery, and courage in the face of despair, to bolster our spirits. We hear the undead grunt and whine as they stumble onwards, but do not break our tune.
(https://i.imgur.com/3jyranK.png)
It... it worked perfectly. Almost. I say almost because not all of the undead are trapped, and there is one that will not be moved: the echidna. But hopefully it stays pre-occupied by the diplomat. Meanwhile, Salmeuk (who I graciously volunteered for the task, being too important to attend to it myself) will dash through and grab the pick and mine his way around to us.
Holding my breath... and he made it through!
(https://i.imgur.com/Nv1SIVr.png)
The echidna didn't even bat an eyelid!
(https://i.imgur.com/ohsJJK0.png)
https://i.imgur.com/ckIuZ4V.png
And the fortress is connected once again!
We will, of course, stay unconnected with the top part; the only things there are corpses, and of course the echidna and the diplomat.
...But, of course, there is yet another snag. It seems that all of the soil layers, which we desperately need for farming, are aquifer layers. Hm.
And it is now summer!
...And, of course, that means another undead invasion! They'll join the ranks of those who wait for us to come out, I guess.
(https://i.imgur.com/o8IfOOq.png)
--OOC--
yet again I kinda lapsed into it before the alloted time, but whatever
@Any previous overseer: is the aquifer light aquifer or heavy? If it's light I can use it, but if it's heavy... there be no hope for the dwarves of Smallhands.
Another spirit has risen! A previous overseer of the fortress, it seems.
(https://i.imgur.com/uzXP9Cb.png)
I'm going down into the newly re-connected lower levels to build and engrave a slab for him, while Salmeuk digs through to reconnect the bedrooms to us.
(https://i.imgur.com/0XM1atE.png)
Goden goes over to stare at the spirit, his dead eyes gazing at it without interest.
Speaking of which, a necro arrived with the siege! And, I just realised, our dead/missing count is at 250.
(https://i.imgur.com/NK7x95J.png)
Were this fortress fine, I'd suggest that now was the time to capture him, and begin our own necro-bacon industry... but two dwarves is about 50 too few for that.
Goden wanders aimlessly, and though he wanders through our temples, he seems unable to pray, like the human king in the ancient tale, Umac Bethás - Botheredgrief, translated out of the human tongue - who slew his liege, and suffered for it.
I begin to construct the slab, and set Salmeuk a place to mine. Studying the fortress maps, I see that the old farms are, surprisingly, clear of even corpses, and separated from the echidna and diplomat by a closed door, so I've decided that we'll mine through the aquifer up to there.
Del has been put to rest, and Salmeuk begins to hew the rock.
(https://i.imgur.com/GHxLdLi.png)
Salmeuk mines up towards the farms... but it seems that this part of the layers isn't aquifer. All the better.
And we're reconnected to the farms! Salmeuk begins planting seeds, and I begin constructing a small office for him, so we can actually get an accurate count of what we have and what we don't.
I've set Salmeuk to begin making a labyrinth that goes most of the way to the surface, near the edge of the map. We might turn this into a trap corridor and see if we can siphon off the undead outside to the point where we could, one day, get migrants through.
I myself am planting seeds, and I'll build a still and brew up some good ol' dwarven beer soon; our stocks are getting low.
I aim to use as many doors and all sorts of roundabout tricks to get the migrants on different paths to the undead.
(https://i.imgur.com/3bX7QMh.png)
Of course, it's not connected to the surface yet, but at some point it will be.
I'm making some pots to hold the beer, Salmeuk's making mechanisms at a furious rate.
Things begin to settle into a slow rhythm. Before now I haven't been dating entries because noteworthy things have been happening all the time, but with the fortress restored to a modicum of sanity and normalcy, I don't see a need to put down every last thing that happens.
15th Malachite
I have brewed the first barrel of beer since The Incident! Praise the farmer, hardworking and steadfast: me! Praise the brewer, maker of the dwarven drink: me again!
18th Malachite
We have, at long last, an accurate count as to our food.
(https://i.imgur.com/v74isvg.png)
3rd Galena
The necro left, but his troops are still wandering around, killing wildlife, such as a bunch of Giant Flies.
24th Galena
For example:
(https://i.imgur.com/7kLTVzR.png)
1st Limestone
Autumn has come.
We're making cages; progress goes slowly.
I'll lay down my pen here.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer +===
1st of Granite, 154
Through the same dark magics which ended my life, I once again walk these halls. My body is scarred beyond belief. My mind, while still my own, is changed. I no longer feel the sways of emotion as I once did. I am of Thunennökor, the living dead.
(https://i.imgur.com/FTtUZ0G.png)
My living comrades were initially distrustful, but by now they have realized that I retain my old loyalties. With only four of us left, they have no choice but to accept my help.
Communication is still difficult, owing to my unfortunate inability to speak. We get by well enough with writing and hand gestures. While they maintain an admirable level of discipline, the stress of our situation is no-doubt mounting on the living. Laterigrade in particular has complained about the isolation he must endure for safety. Perhaps this is why he agreed to pass the position of overseer on to me. Death stilled my heart and left me with only cold logic and steely determination. I can endure any test of will and make the decisions necessary for our survival. I will see us through this crisis, one way or the other.
Initial assessment of Smallhands and goals for its long-term survival.
This place is a maze, and memories of my past life are often too foggy to be of help. Nevertheless, I believe I have a general idea of our situation here.
Our food and drink stocks could last the two dwarves who still need them for years, and our farms are still safe to use. Our position is secure for now.
(https://i.imgur.com/XOL8lCh.png)
However, without a flow of new blood, it is inevitable that our fortress will become nought but a home of death. We must ensure the safety of new migrants. To that end, our first goal must be to deal with the zombie hordes above and break this accursed siege.
I would like to reclaim our main stairwell and rescue my undead sister, but she is still locked in eternal combat with that infernal echidna.
(https://i.imgur.com/BeCg5eG.png)
Her fighting and dodging abilities have become legendary while dealing with that thing. It can barely touch her now, and she is brutalizing it in ways I have a hard time understanding.
(https://i.imgur.com/A52Rbt8.png)
Unfortunately, the echidna stays rolled up in a ball, not exposing any vulnerable parts. Coupled with its undead durability, she can’t get a killing blow on it. Proper weapons are needed to end its reign of terror, but I’m reluctant to send our two living dwarves to assist. The numerous corpses of previous contenders are proof enough of the danger. I won’t try until I can provide them with at least basic armour.
The cage trap halls my predecessor has laid out are strangely designed, but the intention is clear enough. Once completed, they should serve to capture the zombies on the surface.
(https://i.imgur.com/cF63phH.png)
The undead animals inside are another problem, but they’re contained for now. Once the main stairway is cleared, we can complete the labyrinth and lead them through there. The traps already present will hopefully be enough to deal with them.
(https://i.imgur.com/oP40jUs.png)
Our first priorities are clear. We must gather wood, both for cages and for charcoal. The caverns seem safe at the moment and we should take immediate advantage of that.
Next, at the very least we must forge two helmets for our living dwarves. With them and some weapons from our stockpile, they should be able to deal with the echidna and free our poor undead diplomat. I imagine she will also be unable to speak or perform complex new labors, but an extra set of hands will be appreciated. More importantly, she will be a great boon when dealing with our numerous corpses. The living put on a brave face, but I suspect they will be strongly affected by seeing the brutalized remains of their loved ones. That unfortunate reality should be hidden from them as quickly and quietly as possible.
Finally, we must end the zombie occupation of our surface. No more death will come of our complacency. By the time the caravans come, this nightmare will be over.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Spring 104 +===
4th Granite
After some initial frustration involving a forbidden lever, Laterigrade is descending into the upper caverns to harvest the fungal trees. There is currently a single draltha wandering around down there. The mushroom-eating beast is huge, but it should remain docile.
We also have a stockpile of captured cavern animals that have been down there for Weevilmessiah knows how long. At least long enough for a captured giant rat to die, presumably of old age. The survivors include a troll, a giant cave toad and a giant cave swallow.
(https://i.imgur.com/Lv3ohxW.png)
In the meantime, Salmeuk is forging bronze helms using some leftover charcoal. He is surprisingly stoic despite being closest to the dead. He’s also still suffering from the same vile swamp fever he’s had since the fort’s founding. If this is the strength of the dwarven spirit, then truly we can endure anything.
8th Granite
Laterigrade clear-cut the eastern half of the cavern with ease, but I fear I may have overextended him when I asked for the last two tower-caps in the southwest to be chopped. A helmet snake sprung up directly in his path and gave him a nasty bite. I’m calling him back into the fortress. Hopefully he has the sense to run. We’re too far away to help if he tries to fight the snake.
(https://i.imgur.com/9qpjRKg.png)
By the Regal God, the fool actually tried to take it on by himself…. He’s on the ground, badly wounded and unconscious. He managed some decent hits on the snake, but then the venom set in and he couldn’t keep fighting. I told Salmeuk to grab a weapon and get to the cavern entrance. I’m going to try to get to Laterigrade. I should be immune to the snake’s worst abilities; I only hope I can reach him in time.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ow0qVeb.png)
Too late… damn the gods, too late. The monster just shook him around by the head until his neck snapped. I was only a few paces away, but helpless to do anything.
(https://i.imgur.com/AF3Yei3.png)
Barely a week into my administration and already my plans are thrown to chaos. One thing is certain, I can’t allow any injury to Salmeuk. When we had two healthy dwarves, I could risk letting one of them hack apart the echidna, but now our survival is balanced on a razor’s edge. Even a small accident could cripple us.
If only I could force myself to take on a more active role, but this curse of undeath seems to have instilled me with some kind of mental block. I cannot bring myself to take on new roles I did not have in life. Not craftsdwarf nor diplomat nor soldier. This position of overseer has been the sole exception. It is what makes Salmeuk so valuable, and what frustrated my attempts to save Laterigrade. But one thing I can do is haul, and there is a lot of wood that needs hauling right now. Your sacrifice will not be in vain, Laterigrade. Those cages are our salvation, and on my unlife they will be built.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whew, didn’t think I would be posting another update until the end of spring, but things are happening pretty fast right now.
Sorry Laterigrade, I really did try to save you. Unfortunately, the ghouls can’t be drafted and trying to coerce him over with burrows just left him standing around like an idiot. Really dashed my hopes of capturing a necromancer and training up a ghoulish militia.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the art. I’m trying something new by limiting myself to DF’s default colour palette. Hopefully we can get a cool artifact or forgotten beast before I accidentally kill the fort the end of my turn.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the art. I’m trying something new by limiting myself to DF’s default colour palette. Hopefully we can get a cool artifact or forgotten beast before I accidentally kill the fort the end of my turn.
Hell yeah, that image of the helmet snake is the coolest thing!
Snake assassin! oh my god poor lat, right after their turn too! Since when have helmet snakes been ACTUALLY dangerous?
So I'm the last one alive, huh? Well, here we go again. . .
We really hafta get some alive migrants downstairs. DF gods, I rescind my earlier comments about "hoping for more FUN to appear." I'm full up on FUN.
also fuck that echidna I've known it was bad news since the day I spotted it, trundling along the southern hills, acting like it was too good for anyone or anything. The goo didn't even bother it, I remember. I vote atom smash.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Spring 104 +===
9th Granite
Salmeuk has officially claimed the position of expedition leader. Of course, the role means little with just the two of us at the moment, but it will be good to have a solid command structure for when we get new migrants.
(https://i.imgur.com/LAc5TIN.png)
12th Granite
I was attacked by the snake that killed Laterigrade. It was no match for me, a single punch left it limp on the ground, struggling to move. I left it alive. It poses no real threat as long as I am the only one traversing the caverns. Vengeance would be unproductive, and its presence may ward away larger creatures that could actually harm my undead form.
(https://i.imgur.com/vHmvotU.png)
15th Granite
I had placed a coffin among the variscite clusters in our temple, intending it to be a place of honour for Laterigrade. Salmeuk, however, had other plans. He reserved the coffin for his lost lover, Bim Abanrimtar, assuming her remains are ever found. Such sentimentality will not protect us from angry spirits, but I won’t press the matter.
(https://i.imgur.com/4024LgH.png)
We’re ready to start pumping out cages. The amount of fungiwood we gained from Laterigrade’s excursion is… less than exceptional. We have a total of 21 loose logs at the moment, with an additional 26 being used to hold back the aquifer and 1 for our still. That’s just enough to build cages for the 44 designated cage traps in the trap hall, although the designations appear incomplete. Tearing down our walls would be very labour-intensive so I would prefer to avoid it. There may be ways to make do with fewer traps.
If my calculations are correct, there are 51 hostile undead on the surface. We may not need to capture all of them to break the siege, but I’m not counting on that. Fortunately, the design of the trap hall allows for groups to be let in a few at a time and then sealed up again as long as they can’t break the doors down. We just need some way to deal with the captured undead and reuse the cages. I have plans for a holding chamber of sorts that should fit the purpose.
20th Slate
These past weeks have seen us settle into a simple routine. I bring logs from the caverns, Salmeuk turns them into cages, I bring the cages to the stockpile. The elves have so far had enough sense to avoid our fortress. The numerous corpses strewn about the surface, moving or otherwise, must have warned them off.
Just two more logs to gather and then we can start planning out the zombie containment and disposal chamber. I’m on my way to gather one of them now.
But wait… I think I see something in the dark. A shadow of movement? A slight shimmering? The caverns have been peaceful since the snake attack, what could it be?
Oh. Oh no.
(https://i.imgur.com/ANWxbTq.png)
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Spring 104 +===
20th Slate
(https://i.imgur.com/4CMJR1C.png)
That was too close. Had I noticed it but a few moments later, that beast surely would have caught me. But I managed to get through the door to the walled area and lock it behind me. I can still hear the creature stomping around out there. From the sounds of it, it’s found some easier prey.
(https://i.imgur.com/XX1rNBc.png)
It’s occupied for now, but I’m certain the door will offer little protection if it sets its mind to getting in. I’m walling off the caverns. The logs are of little consequence, but we’ll be leaving our only axe outside with Laterigrade’s corpse. I’ll have to set aside some charcoal in case we need to make another. One silver lining is that since we still have access to the walled-off section of the caverns, we can reuse some of the cages down here.
24th Slate
Salmeuk asked to engrave a new slab for Bim, perhaps in the hope that the act would stir up some forgotten detail of her fate. Alas, it remains one of the great mysteries of Smallhands.
Unfortunately, I can’t continue to indulge such distractions. The tasks ahead are ones I can’t help with, and we need them done quickly if we are to reclaim the surface. With our available cages I’ve laid out a route through the trap hall that should safely capture 18 zombies before needing to be reset. An additional 4 traps guard the fort in case of overflow.
Speaking of slabs, a vengeful spirit, once Asob Atheluker, rose up and attacked Olon. She shrugged it off and resumed her battle with the echidna. We’ll need to memorialize him before he goes for someone more important.
(https://i.imgur.com/omZTI3b.png)
13th Felsite
Things are moving along, albeit slowly. I had forgotten how much time the living must devote to eating, drinking and sleeping. Any hope of clearing the way in time for human traders is diminishing, but I still intend to break free before the dwarven caravans arrive.
The upper caverns have been a bit quieter of late. I can still hear the beast moving around but it’s less active. Maybe it picked a fight with something it shouldn’t have. But now there is something stomping around in the lower caverns as well. We’ll need a proper military before we can open them up again.
(https://i.imgur.com/FeSybuj.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/6wTmePY.png)
1st Hematite
Summer has arrived, and we edge ever closer to freedom. Salmeuk has finished loading the cage traps that were already constructed and shouldn’t take too long to setup the new ones. Then we’ll dig out the containment chamber and carve out a ramp to the surface. Cycling the cages as they fill up will be a slog with so many undead, but shouldn’t be overly dangerous.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Summer 104 +===
15th Hematite
Salmeuk is priming the final trap, but he tells me that things have changed on the surface. The constant clanking of armoured zombies can no longer be heard. The necromancers have finally tired of their siege and moved on.
Salmeuk also tells me that he can make out voices from above. The human traders must have seen the horde leaving and come to investigate. I’m not too enthused about their chances. The surface is still swarming with undead animals. This will not help our diplomatic relationship.
But maybe we can give them a fighting chance… Salmeuk, it is time! Break through to the surface!
16th Hematite
The sounds of battle echo through the halls, mixed with screams from man and beast alike.
(https://i.imgur.com/1LaWZM6.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Se7ydF8.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/T8ScoUW.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/tBqvUYo.png)
Salmeuk carved out the entrance into our trap hall, but too late to help the merchants. Their two guards, as well as some surprisingly tough water buffalo, are still up there and actually holding their own so far. We can only hope they thin out the horde before they’re overwhelmed.
20th Hematite
Alas, the zombies were too much for the humans. And unfortunately, they seem reluctant to enter our trap hall. Only one has been captured so far, a skeletal kangaroo. We do have some good news, however. With the siege gone and a few kills thanks to the humans, there are now only 14 zombies on the surface. As long as more don’t come, they won’t be able to overwhelm our traps. Hopefully they gradually filter underground and get caught before any migrants decide to brave the fortress.
Maybe the doors are keeping them away? Although, unlocked doors don’t seem to deter the ones trapped down here. If it becomes necessary, I can go up there, remove the doors and act as bait. But there’s no rush for now. We can bide our time.
1st Malachite
At last, the zombies have begun shuffling into the trap hall. They were strangely cautious for such mindless beings. The echidna (of course it was an echidna) leading the pack spent several days just sitting in front of the captured kangaroo. If I didn’t know better, I might have thought it was trying to figure out a way to free its cohort. But they’re coming through now, and it shouldn’t be long before they all find themselves in cages.
(https://i.imgur.com/gkgoK8Q.png)
In the meantime, Salmeuk has almost finished carving out the zombie containment and disposal chamber. We might decide to keep some of the more interesting specimens, but I think the majority would be best off destroyed.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZAy1Q2r.png)
You may have noticed some additional rooms planned out beside the containment chamber. For now, let’s just say there are certain… experiments I would like to perform should we ever capture one of the necromancers that torment us. My condition has given me insight into possibilities concerning their powers. With proper coercion, they could be used to great benefit by our fortress. But those possibilities lie far in the future. We are well-occupied with more pressing matters for the time being.
5th Malachite
Freedom at last. We have cleared the undead scourge from the surface. Now begins the arduous task of cleanup. It would be less than ideal if the first thing to greet our new citizens were heaping mounds of corpses. Not to mention that a single necromancer could sneak through and start this whole nightmare over again.
(https://i.imgur.com/29sT1wr.png)
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Summer 104 +===
5th Malachite
After examining the situation on the surface, I believe I’ve gained some insight into our echidna problem. Evidence on the battlefield indicates that one of the humans fought with another of the beasts. Despite having armour and a proper weapon, the poor bastard still couldn’t do anything to it.
Olon has been wailing on the monstrosity for close to two years, that thing should be finely minced echidna paste by now. I am beginning to think that there is far more to these creatures than meets the eye. The necromantic magic seems to take to their anatomy particularly well, reinforcing their bodies far beyond that of ordinary zombies. I fear that not even dwarven steel will be able to break through their defenses.
But they are still vulnerable to cages. If I can separate Olon and Roastedscaled, the echidna that caused this whole mess, I should be able to capture him. If I collapse part of the roof of our main entrance, it should fall down the stairwell. Hopefully the force of the collapse will separate the pair without killing Olon. A cage trap at the bottom will hopefully capture Roastedscaled. It’s a risky plan, but the rewards of freeing Olon and reclaiming the centre of our fortress are worth it.
9th Malachite
I was just cresting the roof of our main entrance when I caught a sight that would have made me weep in my previous life. Migrants, at long last! No longer is Smallhands one accident away from total annihilation.
(https://i.imgur.com/pj0m9ky.png)
Every rose has its thorns. And in Smallhands, the thorns are coated with toxic muck that gives you a permanent fever. On their way into the fortress, the migrants were ambushed by a roving pack of beak dogs. Two are already badly wounded. Looks like one of them is holding his own, at least. We have no choice but to pull together and drive the monsters back. This time I’m close enough to help. For Estotad!
(https://i.imgur.com/SGuHNz3.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/JPh8fIq.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Wn21RrR.png)
12th Malachite
We beat them, but not without a cost. Two of the migrants died, and one is badly wounded, likely to need a crutch for the rest of her life. I’ve designated the unused noble bedroom to be used as a temporary hospital for poor Thikut. This adds urgency to reclaiming the stairwell, as all of our medical supplies, not to mention our water source, are locked away in the old hospital.
Two of the migrants stood out to me during the combat. Ast, a hunter, and Moldath, a swordsdwarf. While Ast’s move of dropping his crossbow and running in to punch the beak dogs was perhaps not the wisest, he did demonstrate adequate skill. Moldath, on the other hand, valiantly defended the other migrants until I arrived. If not for him, I am certain the casualties would be far worse. His skill and bravery make him an obvious choice for our new militia commander.
14th Malachite
A careless dwarf attempted to go up the stairwell to wash themselves but was scared off by Roastedscaled. That could have ended in disaster, but something unexpected has happened. The echidna moved down several levels, trying to get to the dwarf. Olon didn’t follow when it moved out of range, finally ending their relentless battle, at least for now. If she is shown a way out now, maybe she will take it…
That’s done it. The main gate is open and she’s moving out. Just a little further and…
(https://i.imgur.com/D5T7MLI.png)
By Weevilmessiah, can we not have one moment of peace? The gods-damned echidna followed her out. I am convinced at this point that he’s some kind of demonic entity sent to punish us for our hubris. “Oh, you want to celebrate smallness, do you? Well here’s the cutest, smallest unkillable abomination you’ve ever seen!”
And now he’s uncontained… If I close the bridge now, it might kill the beast, or at least trap him again. But it might also kill Olon…
I’m sorry, sister. The safety of the fortress is paramount.
CRUNCH!
(https://i.imgur.com/4j1OF67.png)
Forgive me.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Summer 104 +===
15th Malachite
I checked the entrance and found no trace of our persistent monotreme adversary. Only the forlorn ghostly visage of Olon remained as evidence of what had transpired. We have rid ourselves of the most dire threat our fortress has faced and avenged a great many senseless deaths, but at a grievous cost. I will make sure that when we carve out a memorial for this tragedy, she is given a place of honour.
Olon and I shared a great deal in common beyond our ghoulish resurrection. We both fought against the undead hordes. We both met our first deaths at the relentless claws of Roastedscaled. Most intriguing of all, we were both worshippers of Lorsďth Weevilmessiah, the Regal God of thralldom. Perhaps this undead existence was always intended to be our fate.
Now that things have quieted down, I think I should check in with the new migrants. They were shocked by my appearance at first but seem willing to accept my authority after I brought down four beak dogs, including the two that murdered their colleagues. There are seven of them, bringing our total population to nine.
Ast is a bit of a vagabond, but he’s proven he can handle himself. He and Moldath were the only migrants to fight the beak dogs without taking a scratch. Even so, I think having him hunt alone on the surface is too much of a risk at the moment. He’ll have to content himself with miscellaneous work until we set up an archery range for him to practice.
(https://i.imgur.com/JYLeLCm.png)
Ďteb strikes me as a sheltered individual. He insisted on lying down and waiting to be rescued after the battle, despite his wounds being fairly minor and in no way impeding his ability to walk. He’s also unskilled save for some minor experience with glassmaking and diagnosis. He had two pets with him but doesn’t seem particularly bothered that the poult was killed, and the lamb maimed. Time will tell if he finds his place here.
(https://i.imgur.com/h8I6zU7.png)
Thîkut was badly injured by the beak dogs and then had to endure lying next to one of the dwarves who didn’t make it as they died slowly, gasping for air. Given this, she’s been remarkably strong-willed, even expressing guilt over needing to rest rather than being able to help work. She’s apparently had to use a crutch before and is quite competent at walking with one, so it shouldn’t slow her down too much.
(https://i.imgur.com/QwmxGwH.png)
Another dwarf who suffered minor wounds in the fighting, but he at least had the sense to walk down to the hospital of his own volition. There’s something shifty about him, though. Not particularly skilled, but he’ll be taking on most farming tasks for now.
(https://i.imgur.com/WTZWbp8.png)
Another farmer, not much more to say yet. Seems a bit soft, but he got into the fortress before the beak dogs attacked so I can only guess at his ability to handle dangerous situations.
(https://i.imgur.com/h4202WW.png)
Our new militia commander. He claims he doesn’t like excitement but was quick to take charge during the beak dog ambush. At least a few of the other migrants owe him their lives as much as me. He’ll be tasked with keeping the surface secure while we clean it up. Maybe once that’s done, he can recruit one of the others and train them to form the core of our future military.
(https://i.imgur.com/dATeHmB.png)
Dîshmab claims to have been an extremely successful trader and entrepreneur back in the hillocks of Wealthymirrored. I have my doubts, but we need a broker and he seems to understand the basics. He’ll also be taking over bookkeeping and labor management so Salmeuk can focus on more important matters.
(https://i.imgur.com/pQtHhda.png)
(I honestly wasn’t trying to make Harold, he just kind of turned out that way)
21st Malachite
The surviving beak dog was wandering around the entrance. Moldath made quick work of it now that he’s equipped with some armour and a proper sword.
In a similar spirit, I picked up some spare clothing. There’s no real purpose to it, but some of the new migrants seemed put off by my nakedness.
Our main goal for the time being is to secure our position. This includes removing corpses that could be raised by a necromancer, especially any echidnas, and resetting our trap hall. After that we can place our focus on memorializing the dead and preparing for the autumn caravans. No doubt the homeland will be eager to hear the tale of our miraculous survival.
Salmeuk has expressed interest in holding onto some of the zombie echidnas for research and potential defensive applications. I’m reluctant to grant his request given the damage a single one of those monsters is capable of, but as long as they stay caged it should be safe enough.
Some cheerful news, Thikut is up and walking again. She has nerve damage in her arm, but her other injuries are healing quickly thanks to Salmeuk’s doctoring.
20th Galena
Perhaps I was too quick to judge Iteb. He has taken to his role as a miner quite well and rarely complains. Right now, he’s even eating in the hospital amid the numerous skeletons with seemingly little care.
(https://i.imgur.com/l0DWYDs.png)
Lokum, on the other hand, is constantly horrified by the bodies laying around. I’ll have to take him off of corpse hauling duty and keep an eye on him. The little creep even snuck into Salmeuk’s room while he was sleeping to complain.
(https://i.imgur.com/6OEDk2J.png)
1st Limestone
Autumn has come, and our work continues. Dwarf corpses are gradually being brought down to stockpiles and animal bodies are being processed for bone.
(https://i.imgur.com/zESTZXN.png)
Lokum’s mood has unfortunately worsened, and he’s slipped into depression.
For now, we must look forward to the dwarven caravans and hope for good news from the rest of our nation.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Autumn 104 +===
1st Limestone
I’ve just taken a count of all the dead dwarves in the fortress so I can begin designing our memorial hall. There are 49 in total, to say nothing of our non-dwarven visitors who also succumbed to the zombie hordes. Mass-producing all the coffins and slabs we need will take quite some time, but it’s important work. It’s often said that a fortress’ worth can best be judged by how they treat their dead.
As for Lokum, there’s little I can think to do aside from sequestering him in the lower fortress away from any bodies. Alone with Salmeuk, I had forgotten how easily some of the living can be overcome by their own emotions. Even the sight of the aged troglodyte skeletons sitting in our refuse pile was enough to send him into fits of panic.
(https://i.imgur.com/mGwkYCR.png)
Ast got it into his head to clean a specific wall deep within our ludicrously large labyrinth. Given that there are about a thousand more important things to do and I don’t want him starving to death before he can make it back, I’m restricting access to it for the time being.
Wait, Thikut’s yelling about something on the surface…
(https://i.imgur.com/7Giir2U.png)
Again? So soon? Will we ever be free from this unrelenting storm of undead? Everyone underground, now!
2nd Limestone
The gate is shut, and all of our dwarves are safe. All the living dwarves that is.
(https://i.imgur.com/P3LPd7w.png)
Very well. If this is to be my final end, then I shall rise to meet it. Begone, servant of evil! I will defend this place until my bones crumble to dust!
(https://i.imgur.com/AiNFcU5.png)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry for the short update and cliff-hanger, but I’m feeling a bit emotionally compromised myself right now. We’ll find out how this ends tomorrow.
But I think we all know what happens next. In life, Enthep was a skilled veteran of numerous battles at Cactushexes. Even if Moldath and Ast could arrive in time to help, sending them in would almost certainly be a death sentence.
---+ Journal of Acting Overseer Moldath Ikudlibash – Autumn 104 +---
Alright, the alarm was sounded, better do a headcount. Six, seven, eight… Where’s the bloody overseer!? Damn ghoul was always so sluggish from sobriety. Guess I’m in charge for now.
Oh wait, here he comes now. Took long enough, ya ugly bastard! I was afraid I’d have to be the one stuck babysitting these morons!
(https://i.imgur.com/Z7KWjqZ.png)
_______________________________________________________________________________
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Autumn 104 +===
_______________________________________________________________________________
3rd Limestone
Broken arm… torn knee… severed spinal cord… I’d say I’ve earned my title. I barely managed to get away from that human, but it seems Weevilmessiah has not yet seen fit to end my service.
That wasn’t just dumb luck, something drew her and the rest of the horde away. But what could be so fearsome as to distract an entire undead army?
(https://i.imgur.com/ayT1v57.png)
Well, whatever it is, we can’t rely on it to occupy them forever. Thikut counted 35 undead soldiers, and I can only guess how many animals that necromancer raised. That’s at least two full cycles of our trap hall. Salmeuk is just finishing up the zombie crusher now, but I doubt we’ll be able to clear the surface in time for the caravan. Looks like another year without trade.
10th Limestone
The sounds of fighting continue to echo down from above. If the army doesn’t take the bait and walk into our traps, we may be trapped down here for a long time. Several undead animals stumbled into the halls and almost overwhelmed them, but they were caged, and the halls secured once more.
Salmeuk is insisting on making me rest until my arm heals. I’ve told him that it’s not necessary, but he won’t take no for an answer.
Infuriating issues with stockpile orders abound, but I believe I’ve sorted them out. Productivity is still low but improving, and I convinced Salmeuk to allow me to work after he gave me a splint for my arm.
17th Limestone
Iteb has started carving out the grand memorial hall. A good thing too, as the corpse stockpile is nearly full. Lokum’s been doing a bit better, but I don’t expect him to get back to normal until all the bodies are properly interred.
(https://i.imgur.com/ttcOGSm.png)
We’ve also begun tearing down the log walls around our stairwell to replace them with stone. With no way to get more, we need to ration every bit of wood we can.
22nd Limestone
Thikut has contracted the vile swamp fever thanks to some goo that was washed down by the temporarily opened aquifer. She’s also been trying to reload our cage traps, only to realize that we still have no empty cages. Link up the zombie crusher first and then you’ll get your damn cages!
3rd Sandstone
Moldath’s on his way to begin tossing zombies into the disposal chamber. This could be dangerous, but he should be able to deal with an escaped zombie, provided it isn’t an echidna.
6th Sandstone
The first load’s in without issue. Now then, let’s finally put this contraption to work.
(https://i.imgur.com/9aYnx5H.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/m1bnkMa.png)
That was satisfying. Salmeuk won’t be happy about the echidnas, but we need the cages, and no one was willing to see what would happen if they were all packed into a single cage. He can have his pick of whatever’s locked in the forbidden hallway once this is over.
24th Sandstone
Lokum is becoming a serious concern. Right now, he’s going on a tantrum. He destroyed our plump helmet field and harassed one of our roosters. If he keeps this up, I’ll have no choice but to enact disciplinary measures.
(https://i.imgur.com/iobXGVs.png)
4th Timber
The trap hall is open once again, but the zombies are certainly taking their time getting over to it. Setting aside the group still battling in the distance, I can hear two distinct clumps slowly shuffling their way closer. Hopefully if we capture enough, the rest will retreat. And oh, what’s this?
(https://i.imgur.com/HWFCtHa.png)
I think I’ll hold onto you. We could use someone to throw at the beasts down in the caverns.
1st Moonstone
The season ends the way many do in Smallhands, with us inching toward an elusive vision of a better future.
The zombie soldiers have been frustratingly obstinate in their refusal to enter the trap hall. They mill about the surface, cutting us off from the outside world. Even sending Moldath to the entrance was not enough to goad them in.
In more hopeful news, Lokum has shown marked improvement since his outburst. He is still on edge, but not nearly so haggard as he was a few months ago.
Finally, our memorial hall has been completely carved out and is ready to put our poor lost souls to rest. It has been designated as a temple to Lish, “The Wicked”, goddess of peace, death and murder, and the one who first brought this plague of undeath to the world. May she have mercy upon this gods-forsaken fortress.
(https://i.imgur.com/sOaR2og.png)
The northern wall is to be reserved for the dead founding dwarves and former overseers. But the first memorial to be completed is dedicated to Olon. An appropriately named silver statue depicts her eternal struggle against Roastedscaled. It is said she still grapples with the beast in the afterlife, subduing it so that its demonic spirit may never possess a body again.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZKFGuZP.png)
Alright, looks like the consensus is to go ahead with the mod.
But is it also going to affect also living echidnas? Is it viable to remove "curled into a ball" mechanism? Looking at https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Body_token it is typically found on spines.
It will effect both living and undead echidnas. Removing their curling ability doesn't fix the already broken echidnas, they still behave as if curled up. What seems to be happening is that curling up prevents any damage except to the root upper body part, which can't be pulped until the spine is destroyed. These things have literally had their flesh completely liquefied, but are still held together because the spine can't be damaged. With my change, they're still able to curl up but are vulnerable to lethal damage.
The only side-effect is that it might make echidnas slightly more vulnerable to upper body damage in general. I think that's reasonable though, given their size.
For anyone who wants to know the details this, is what I'm doing:
[BODY:WEAK_SPINE]
[BP:UPPERSPINE:middle spine:STP][CONTYPE:UPPERBODY][NERVOUS][INTERNAL][SMALL][SKELETON][CATEGORY:SPINE]
[DEFAULT_RELSIZE:150]
[BP:LOWERSPINE:lower spine:STP][CONTYPE:LOWERBODY][NERVOUS][INTERNAL][SMALL][SKELETON][CONNECTOR][CATEGORY:SPINE]
[DEFAULT_RELSIZE:150]
[PREVENTS_PARENT_COLLAPSE]
(No need to also remove the tag from the lower spine)
[BODY:QUADRUPED_NECK:TAIL:2EYES:2EARS:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:NECK:WEAK_SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:4TOES_FQ_REG:5TOES_RQ_REG:MOUTH:RIBCAGE]
I haven't touched hedgehogs, but they're subject to the same bug.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Winter 104 +===
2nd Moonstone
I suddenly feel… lighter, somehow. As if a great weight has been lifted from the world. Perhaps it is a sign from the gods that our prayers have finally been answered.
Even the surface has become more peaceful. The zombies have stopped fighting whatever was out there. Now if only they would start moving into the traps.
(https://i.imgur.com/6FyThpR.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/6bqiDx6.png)
15th Moonstone
The zombies stumble around on the surface without going anywhere in particular. It seems like the closest group are gradually moving in, but it’s impossible to be sure. I may have a plan to rile them up, but we’ll need to make some preparations first.
(https://i.imgur.com/qqjnmF4.png)
One upside to our situation is that we finally have some downtime for the migrants to get to know one another. Just the other day I saw Ast telling the tale of our queen’s coronation on the eve of battle. Little things like that should help keep morale up.
21st Moonstone
The main entrance has been sealed with some hatch covers for additional protection. Now let’s see if this gets the zombies moving again.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ce9yiBs.png)
Well it got one of them moving, at least. We’ll have to coax him out of there, but he can’t get in thanks to the hatches. Experiment unsuccessful.
The only other option would be to open up the main labyrinth. Its intended entrance is closer to the main body of zombies, but it was never completed. It has many stone-fall traps already, but I doubt it can handle the entire siege. We’d have to do some significant work to make it viable.
21st Opal
Over this past year I have been feeling more and more like my old self. I may never again be able to truly relate to the living, but perhaps I don’t need to. I have my own role to play here.
Tradition dictates that citizenship ends upon death. My case is special, but I realize that I have seen myself as separate from the rest of the fortress since my resurrection. I think it’s time to change that. By my authority as overseer, I officially restore my status as a citizen of The Mint Sack and member of The Little Pick.
(https://i.imgur.com/fLCdHBF.png)
It’s as if that little moment of self-realization ignited a chain reaction across my mind. The mental block that has kept my daily work restricted to the same old patterns has vanished. I feel ready to take on any role our people require of me.
The most obvious application for my undead might is defense. I do not tire, I do not bleed, and I can shrug off injuries that would cripple or kill a normal dwarf. With a full suit of steel, I would be practically invincible. For now, I will train with Moldath. Perhaps one day our strength will be enough to turn back the tide of our enemies and take the fight to them. When the time is right for revenge, I would gladly lead the charge against the tower of Sinewsabres.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Final Entry +===
1st Granite, 155
Spring has arrived here in the Desert of Furs, ushering in the new year. In some ways, our situation is not much different from what it was a year ago. We once again find our handful of survivors trapped underground by an army of the undead.
But it would be foolish to assume we have made no progress. With nine fully capable dwarves, we are in a much safer and more productive situation. We reclaimed the centre of the fortress and have gone a long way towards cleaning up after the disaster two years ago.
Our efforts for these past few months have been focused on memorializing the many dwarves we lost. A coffin and slab have been constructed for each of the dead. About half of the slabs have been engraved and the coffins are being moved into a chamber behind the memorial hall.
(https://i.imgur.com/p2kOawd.png)
In addition to the slab, an event from each dwarf’s life is being engraved on the wall. Unfortunately, for many of these dwarves the most memorable event in their life is being stomped to death by a zombie camel.
The zombies still shuffle around, avoiding our traps. I would say they are just too mindless to realize they can get to us, but they’re being led by ghouls and even a few living commanders. Clearly their goal here is to starve us out or at least cut off our contact with the outside world, but why Smallhands? Are we such a threat that they can devote entire armies to keeping us down?
Well, maybe we will be. My training with Moldath is going well. I’ve picked up an axe and learned some minor skill with it. I had learned a few things about fighting thanks to my time battling the zombies alongside Olon, but I’d never touched a weapon before. Salmeuk is forging two sets of bronze armour for us. Just the minimum for full coverage, we still need to be a bit frugal with our wood supply.
We’ve also constructed an archery range for Ast to practice in. Bolts won’t be much use against zombies, but we’ve still got the goblins to the south. I’m sure they’ll take interest in us eventually.
Since the zombies aren’t moving in, I’ve locked up the door to the cage trap hall and released everyone from the emergency burrow. It’d be just our luck for them to suddenly charge in and overwhelm the traps during a moment of inattention. I was also getting tired of dwarves complaining that the burrow is stopping them from collecting some extremely important object that they absolutely need to store away now. Never mind that said object is on the surface and they aren’t allowed to pick it up anyway.
Our wood supply is much better than it was previously. Even with charcoal making, we’ve still got a full pile of the stuff from replacing those aquifer walls. I’ve also noticed that some new fungal trees are growing in the walled off section of the cavern.
(https://i.imgur.com/YhpUubA.png)
That should satisfy our needs for a while. The rest of the caverns are still too dangerous to enter. That giant lizard has been tearing through everything that wanders past, turning the whole level into a bloodbath. I do wonder if the human ghoul we captured would be able to handle it. She’s caged up in our general temple for now.
(https://i.imgur.com/Otx00CL.png)
Aside from our difficulties in amassing wood, we’re quite well stocked here. I haven’t been ordering new meals to be made, but there are plenty of ones from before the fall that are still edible. We’re only growing plump helmets and pigtails at the moment, so drink variety is less than ideal, but not awful.
(https://i.imgur.com/14E7ajc.png)
Yes, I think we are in a good position. Smallhands is the safest and most prosperous it’s been for the past two years. The undead couldn’t destroy us when we were at our weakest, and they won’t be able to now.
I took on the position of overseer because I was the one who could survive in an impossible situation. I was the one who could make the necessary decisions for the good of the fortress, unclouded by emotion. The memorials to Laterigrade and Olon attest to that fact.
But that’s not what we need right now. Dwarves need inspiration, something to look forward to beyond mere survival. I can’t give them that. This undead form is a thing of stasis. The future belongs to the living.
And so, I step down as overseer. I will remain to assist the next one, tirelessly performing whatever duties are required of me. I know I leave the fortress in good (and small) hands.
Full Image (Big) (https://i.imgur.com/vGie4q6.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/GYhzLIH.jpg)
But it appears that our location is famous for being dangerous, merchants prefer to lie rather than to visit us.
(https://i.imgur.com/Hd839bG.png)
But we will work together, even if cowardly merchants are scared to even enter our fort. Many improvements were achieved. Our duty to the dead is in large part complete and dead bodies were almost all moved into graces. Fields will be now active for the entire year rather than a small part of it. And tree farm, just under surface will be a complete success and will solve our lack of wood!
Standing orders to produce daily necessities were issued: crutches, beds, mechanisms, blocks, coffers, wheelbarrows, mugs, paper... And coffins. Forgotten beasts block the second layer of caverns, but closeable access tunnel was constructed to get us ready to retake them.
And merchants? To hell with them, we can survive alone! Some are telling me that I should be more polite toward visitors, but after this disrespect, they do not deserve a proper reply.
(https://i.imgur.com/TKQGblJ.png)
And my approach was rewarded by the appearance of new migrants that were not so easily scared. Even an experienced armorsmith was interested in becoming part of Smallhands! She proposed a solution to our lack of wood. Dig deeper, and use magma. We were unfamiliar with this kind of project so it takes far longer than expected. Ans I can see why high master armorsmith ended in our not-so-prestigious (for now!) fortress. I prefer to focus on that she has no trouble with cramped bedroom, and she is just a bit unfriendly. Not angry, just a bit too focused on her goal.
(https://i.imgur.com/tmiJJpX.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/tpDIuJ0.png)
-----
I needed far too much time to notice that trade depot is marked as forbidden. What first caused wagon to bypass our location and later left me scratching my head what is wrong and trying many different things. And once fixed broker continues a traditional dance of "eat", "no job", "sleep", "no job", "drink". To make it more embarrassing I dwarved myself as this broker/manager/wannabe scholar. Though there is still no spare hauling capacity, as hauling bodies is not completed.
At least I added hind to wiki what may be going wrong like I added documentation about echidna bug - see https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Special:Contributions/Mko
And fort now seems now far more alive with temples, praying, various activities. Far more than in pre-tavern version that I played.
This year was exhausting. And that was even with being probably the luckiest leader. It concluded with a strong growth of our population, without even a single death. I had far more ambitious plans. Tree farm that is sadly too small to really matter, but library seems to be a promising project. And third layer of caverns was reached.
(https://i.imgur.com/Oci4V6o.png)
But I will leave exploring it to next overseer. Similarly to my broker and manager duties.
(https://i.imgur.com/76ARJbZ.png)
And I have a plan to improve our life here by inventing a more reliable pulley system organization. It may take long time but I will complete this project!
(https://i.imgur.com/sR9EWkX.png)
----------------------------------------
I think that we are securely locked in. Work orders may be quite messy, I let dwarves to try new experience (AKA setup good strange moods).
shift + F7 gets you to location of magma. Starting armor/weapon crafting there is likely a good idea (or pumping magma to the surface?).
We are running out of wood. I tried to start magma forges but have not managed to complete this project. Channels, fortification filters should be ready. But there are some gems/rocks there that should be hauled away.
shift + F8 goes to my pet project, library. I would appreciate if at least my dwarf could be kept as scholar, maybe with someone to accompany him. Note "needs" tab in dwarf therapist - column "think abstractly" (second from the right side). I assigned to scholars dwarves with clear need to be them.
Corpses on surface are not collected, I have not figured out how to check whatever vile goo is currently raining.
We also really should have soap in our hospital.
We need to produce more clothes some dwarves have clothes that are failing apart
And other less critical projects: improving housing, reenabling smoothing labors, removing zombie murdercamels, proper dining room, eliminate upper hospital, increase military...
I also made preparations to drop creatures into caverns, to fight with forgotten beasts for us. And empty cages. Pit locations have hotkeys shift + F1, shift + F2.Drop into caverns needs to be channeled, pit zone created and closing bridges tested.
-----------------------------------------
I'm chomping at the bit to play.
Save: http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=14970
(note, save got noticeable smaller - uncompressed dropped from 11 to 8 MB, compared to the initial, and mid-year saves. Should I be worried? I noticed this during uploading, game played fine.)
I also want to play again!
Glad to see the fort is still holding together. Looks like our warriors are now both legendary. Once they get fully armoured they'll be unstoppable. The ghouls should be immune to any FB syndromes, so Enthep might be able to handle the poison gas one if you shove her down there.
Speaking of Enthep, I've been looking more into her history. Oma Empiresbright, her former lover, is quite a character in his own right.
(https://i.imgur.com/EojvW8G.png)
Oma became the general of the Confederations of Searing when he was just 13. His father died the following year, which is also when he began romancing his childhood friend Enthep.
Over his career, he tamed giant kakapos, giant cockatiels, leopards and jaguars for the Confederations.
Sive Namedauras, the necromancer who corrupted him, was another childhood friend of Oma's. She failed to threaten him, but he joined her anyway out of disdain for the law.
Their plotting took several years to come to fruition, but in the winter of year 101, he and his co-conspirators staged a coup and installed Sive as the new Law-Giver. Sive immediately began oppressing the populace with a series of draconian edicts.
It's then that Oma's true plan began to unfold. Working behind Sive's back, he formed a conspiracy of his own. In the winter of 107, he led another coup, deposing the necromancer and installing himself as Law-Giver. He was greeted as a hero, and his first act was to repeal the cruel laws of his predecessor.
I had thought that Oma was behind Enthep's inexplicable death when her army of 181 met a single goblin on their way to Cactushexes. I now believe that it was an act of revenge carried out by the necromancers alone. They may have been broken up at this point, but Oma clearly still cared for her. She died just 2 months after the coup and her body was lost until her resurrection several years later.
As for Oma, while his Machiavellian schemes were not exactly born from a place of righteousness, they were ultimately to the benefit of human civilization. As a legendary leader, organizer and tactician, Oma was the best ruler the Confederations had ever seen. He ruled for 33 prosperous years, finally dying peacefully at the age of 100 in the year 142.
Good to see all that training wasn't put to waste! Assuming mko didn't cancel my orders, there should be a set of boots and gauntlets for our militia somewhere. They might not put them on automatically unless you force their uniform to replace their clothes.
(https://i.imgur.com/AXIx7sf.png)
Turns out that these two are actually old war buddies from back in their mortal lives fighting at (where else) Cactushexes.
Also, Ast (the survivor) married the head necromancer, Ushrir, back in the autumn of 150. Maybe he saw our fortress being constructed and thought it would make a good wedding gift.
P.S. I've heard that tavern keepers will shove alcohol down anyone's throat whether they need to drink or not. It might be hard to get Nogood to stay in a tavern though, considering he doesn't even have needs anymore.
A dwarven guide to The Goo Hive
By Cilob "Phonso" Armorcleaned
The Goo Hive was inspired by the movements and constructions of bees. Its primary purpose is to turn all intruders into vile goo. Below are detailed instructions on how to use it. This project is dedicated to Stinthad Mistemavus, who died accidentally in its construction.
The entrance to the GooHive is on the surface, and this part is always open. Invaders will walk toward this entrance and into the level below. The entrance is microcline ramps for easy visibility.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/cbbtCDUYyHWhZrLAwTFpwBWd?width=800&height=600)
The microcline block bridge labeled "GooHive Access" will stop any and all enemies from entering the fort at all. If this is up, the fort is totally safe. When down, the bridge will lie flat and open to the trap hallway - the Goo Hive proper. Please ensure the GooHive Access bridge is up before any and all maintenance to the Goo Hive.
The limestone block bridge labeled "GooHive Wave 1a" refers to Wave 1 - a collection of bridges which will squash any enemy invaders. 1a is just the first of 3 bridges in Wave 1.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/aGfTnplvwybXoEADIaizdwBC?width=800&height=600)
The enemy will continue down a long hall before encountering the rest of Wave 1. Further traps could be installed in that hallway. There is a natural choke point to slow down the group, and ensure optimal gooing.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/YmYVredLaKliFPmtmmoByLBP?width=800&height=600)
The enemy will follow a tight corridor and round a corner, encountering GooHive Wave2 - a series of small and closer-together squashers.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/GQoeNtiWeUjVUQOpyUzOgjWf?width=800&height=600)
Then the enemy enters the stone-fall and weapon trap corridor. A tight passage which should ensure the death of several invaders. If the enemy force seems too large, still, pull the lever associated with the "Too Much!". The TooMuch! Bridge should force the enemies to walk back out the Goo Hive the way they came in, ensure additional gooing.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/oebgpayavFoaqtXMuZWKQhyR?width=800&height=600)
If the enemy continues past the TooMuch! Contingency bridge, they will encounter more weapon and stonefall traps. Near the end of the corridor, they will encounter the final defense, the Stinger. The Stinger is one level above the Barracks, allowing quick access for warriors. Some of our warriors bear the vile goo fever, compounded with exposure to the sun, this would make them poor combatants on the surface, therefore we must fight here if at all. The Warrior Access Bridge allows this to be closed off in case the combatants are too challenging - but note that building destroyers must be fought here, or the door to the stairwell will be destroyed.
Also note, fighting among active stonefall traps is highly discouraged, as dwarves who are knocked down are known to get their heads exploded by falling rocks. Encourage the enemies to join you in the Stinger for optimal gooing.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/fAJfnPFHurfxjANvhWbcZycP?width=800&height=600)
Part 2:
Control:
The Goo Hive Control Room is conveniently placed near the tavern and temple. The two left-side levers control the primary squashing bridges of Wave1 and Wave2. The top right lever is the TooMuch! lever. The bottom right lever is the GooHive Access lever. Setting Wave1 and Wave2 to Pull the Lever and repeat should ensure almost perfect gooing of any enemies. The door can also be locked, to ensure the lever-pulling dwarf goes nowhere else.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/DMgAWVCmlpLJQlequLshlliQ?width=800&height=600)
The Stinger can be accessed by a separate lever to open the Warrior Access Bridge. It is located near the barracks by the well.
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/sIDYUjXTfLHmYVLhFkLzJyZj?width=800&height=600)
All levers and bridges are named appropriately, in case there is any confusion. Please enjoy your usage of the Goo Hive.
The entire Goo Hive:
(https://matrix.org/_matrix/media/r0/thumbnail/matrix.org/DJFPEKYxQvbjwhEEpeLoElmE?width=800&height=600)
Siege Diary of Salmeuk
The vote was unanimous; the goblins would be routed through the Goo Hive. And smashed. Obliterated. Disappeared. And so on and so forth until there was nothing left but, well, goo.
By the time we opened the hive, the undisciplined attackers had scattered across the surface. Our first contestant was Limul, the first to discover the claustrophobic tunnel that was the entrance to the hive. "These dwarves and their strange ways," he thought, "always digging here and there for no good reason. Look here, an undefended tunnel leading directly into their fortress, no doubt dug and subsequently forgotten in a drunken haze."
As he strolled through the maze, our dwarves were readying the levers. And as he approached the first smasher, our dwarves were still readying the levers. And as he walked into, underneath, and past the first wave of bridges, our dwarves had forgotten about the levers and were busy "with other things, man, I don't want to do that right now, come on give me a break."
(https://i.imgur.com/baUEIzw.gif)
Luckily, a second wave of smashers was present, surely we couldn't fail a second time. . . ? Our dwarf smartly threw the lever down and stunned the goblin on the upswing. Limul came to his senses, horrified. "I've been a fool, haven't I? This is one of those dwarven death traps that my mom goblins don't have moms deal with it
used to scare us with when we wandered too far. Let's get out of here!"
(https://i.imgur.com/fqm0tOh.gif)
And so Limul ran back the way he came, totally unsmashed, though there was a close call or two.
(https://i.imgur.com/AgyEcGb.gif)
And our dwarves ate, drank, cleaned, hauled wood, forged bronze, did literally. everything. except pull the goddamn lever. And when they did, they left - off to some other very much optional task.
I would have pulled the lever myself, but I was busy in a very important meeting. You know how these things go. Also, I got hungry and just had to stop by the kitchens. And, well. . .
====================
Meanwhile, at the surface, the goblins seemed to have run into an old friend of ours: the incurable swamp fever, induced by the vile goo that fell from the sky. They also seemed content hunting Giant Red-Winged Blackbirds and weren't moving towards the hive at all. Great.
(https://i.imgur.com/VpXGeRn.gif)
It was two days of lockdown before we gave up. Fine, if you won't come to us, we'll just have to sit here and wait. Most of our citizens were ok with this. "See, Salmeuk, you always make such a big deal out of these things! It's just a few gobbos, and they aren't even bothering to attack us since the maze is so long."
Uh huh.
=========
OOC: So I played around a bit after make a backup and something about the Goo Hive is seriously breaking the A.I., of both the gobbos and the dwarves. The gobbos will not attack (Limul notwithstanding, not sure what happened there) even if I shorten the maze or station military right at the entrance. When I order squads to attack, they do not comply, but when I give them a move order they are happy to run up the ramps and are promptly slaughtered (do NOT f*ck with those forlorn ghoul elfs.)
So I'm just gonna play it safe, maybe try to open up the old trapped hallways from a while back. You know, the ones where a dwarf fought an undead echidna skeleton for like a whole year.
Also, our fortress is so efficiently run that no one is ever idle. Or maybe we have too much work. I dunno, look at this:
(https://i.imgur.com/qHmwgKJ.png)
Our dwarves are extremely busy doing vaguely anything but pulling levers.
Journal of Auze
In the year 158, I existed. As such, I ended up becoming the overseer of this fortress. I was fairly surprised when Samulek stepped down, and his allowing me to become the fortress overseer was even more surprising, considering how many dwarves whined about how the last time someone named "Auze" was designated as overseer: "more dwarves died than in every other turn combined" and "killed 90% of the fortress" and "he didn't even show up", or some other crap.
[the following notes are lost, replaced by random scribbling]
OOC:
*notes lost of Granite*
So anyway here's two images from Granite of things that are connected. I'll leave y'all to guess how:
(https://i.imgur.com/OW95ppz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1Q114P7.jpg)
It's also connected to my trying to find stuff to trade to the elves.
Records of Auze
(https://i.imgur.com/siS7L8A.jpg)
Well, that was quick.
(https://i.imgur.com/4b5BaLX.jpg)
Seems like the mission was a complete success. I guess we now can procede to exterminate and eliminate this strange independant golbin fortress with complete confidence.
Or at least I can now use the militia for the purpose of paying off my late-book fees from the library.
(https://i.imgur.com/ItcJVoa.jpg)
Sadly, they did not get the book. I will need to find another way, before the librarian's mafia comes for me.
Lokum the mason threw a tantrum and so in return got me to look at our justice system (aka: implement one).
(https://i.imgur.com/cz8juO9.jpg)
He was fairly punished.
As punishment for failing to get me that book on migration, I sent The GraveWardens to go and raid Cactushexes.
I then sent the Rainbow Warriors to go get a book on bandaging wounds from a tomb, it's not like the occupants of that place need it.
(https://i.imgur.com/y02PMsX.jpg)
The justice system is about as competent as you'd expect.
Also, the farmers need a guild hall, I guess.
(https://i.imgur.com/SqGG6jR.jpg)
Not only did the Rainbow Warriors steal the book, they got two other ones also on wounds. Send 'em over to the doctors, they'll need the information. Then the library, for obvious reasons.
The GraveWardens just got back from pillaging Cactushexes, let's see what they got as the spoils.
(https://i.imgur.com/pdd5OTF.jpg)
I question the usefulness of a silver battle axe, but good job nonetheless. Anyways, I have now sent the Rainbow Raptors to explore some abandoned castle while I work on renovating the library.
[some time later]
They came back and managed to steal another copy of a book we already had. Guess that's better than nothing.
Looking back, it appears that I am so far being a great overseer, as well as at least 20% of the way towards paying off my late-book fees.
The inner thoughts of an Alpaca
applet, Overpaca
Dragon. Dragon. Dragonfire. The hottest thing ever. Ooh. That means.. best central heating ever!
Now, to capture it.
I start making my way down to the caves, where this dragon supposedly is, only to notice the dwarves stop panicking. I spit at a nearby fellow and ask if the dragon was captured. He doesn't react. I spit at him once again. No reaction.
I think I've found my new best friend!
***
I've now deduced that the dragon was in fact not captured, but killed. At first I was very disappointed with my subjects. Then I learned it wasn't a real dragon at all - didn't even breathe fire!
(http://www.enbit.it/df/smallhands/cave-dragon-punch.PNG)
(http://www.enbit.it/df/smallhands/cave-dragon-end.PNG)
I track down my friend, he's making odd things out of white things. There's a lot of white things around. "Bones, bones, bones", I hear him mumble.
I express my dismay, while profusely spitting, about the dragon situation. I lounge into the topic of central heating where I orate for a good while about its virtues, only to realize my friend left some time ago.
Come to think of it, he didn't quite seem like himself, behaving more like the other dwarves. I hope he's back to his normal friendly self soon.
Yes, you knocked out the cave dragon with a couple of punches. Then the military came in and finished it with a single blow, glory hogs
Journal of the Tavern keeper Overseer 1st of Granite 163
Having announced that I was the new overseer my first command was for everyone to celebrate with another round of drinks
While everybody was distracted I hurried over to the mayors office and told Mestthos the good news:
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736912786856214608/unknown.png)
Having obtained as much political power as I need for both my term of office and afterwards, it was time to set about the most important tasks:
Upping clothing production to replace our rotting ones. I see many dwarves in the halls with torn rags, as an ex dyer and clothier this makes me disappointed in smallhands
It was nothing compared to something I discovered that would make any dwarf seethe with anger.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736914869839986698/Zjrnnj3.png)
What were my predecessors thinking??
The second of course is punishing Auze for his numerous crimes against smallhands and more importantly, that one against myself!
6 crimes he has wrought.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736917812152500314/unknown.png?width=939&height=672)
Annoyingly, I'm not even sure if he will be going to a cell. The justice system here in smallhands is woefully inadequate: no hammerer for murderers and traitors, nor a dungeon master for cracking down on possible spies like our previous mayor. I appointed myself dungeon master and looked for an excuse to send him to jail. Sadly the only thing I could find on file was worthy of a beating. I will convict him later.
Speaking of jails, I couldn't for the life of me find our prison, only our asylum. The one I know of are the ones holding our necromancers and even if we just tied our criminals up, we legitimately do not have enough with 6 criminals but 4 chains and I for one do not like dwarves in cages- other lesser bearded races perhaps but we sons and daughters of Armok deserve some basic dignity. I have ordered some cells dug out and a new office for King Zultan to keep an eye on them
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 3rd Of Granite
Rakost has finally started building whatever object his wild dreams came up with. I have also took the liberty of reviewing the current standing orders and tossing out a couple of more nonsensical ones. Who even ordered green glass hatch covers anyway?
In the process I discovered more oversights by the previous overseers of this fortress, such as the water reactor having only doors, not floodgates. The fort has had a long standing issue with corpses being kept in places where those of a fragile mind keep wandering. I have moved the corpse stockpile to a disused corner of the fort and ordered a door put on the other side of the wall to a less travelled area
Fellow dwarves have a mind to coerce our necromancer into reviving our weaponsmith. I'm...not happy about it but its tradition at this point.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 4th of Granite
I've ordered new quarters dug out fitting for one of my importance as Overseer, Mayor and bartender. Three of the most important jobs in dwarven society
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736947130056572948/unknown.png?width=843&height=585)
Something's going off with Dastost, she's stumbling round in a daze
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736951116863897650/unknown.png?width=843&height=585)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 5th of Granite
A distraught Zultan was heard shouting from the asylum while I was in the tavern.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736952748423118899/unknown.png?width=843&height=585)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/736955141864947842/unknown.png?width=1200&height=495)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 5th of Slate
While wandering the halls planning out my stockpiles overhaul I stumbled upon the white jade door. I wondered where it had gone being such an impregnable artifact. I followed it down, through the rumoured temple of puppets and what did I find but those two slabs of necromancy.
Those foul things contain knowledge of life and death, sacrifice, blood magic... all sorts of disgusting things. While I do want eternal life and agelessness of my own choice, I would much rather fiddle about with temporal magic than those...things- its much more useful, such as creating booze without waiting for the yeast to do its thing just snap your fingers and its done!
I was thoroughly unimpressed with my predecessor's choice of security, one invincible door, that wasn't even locked and screamed "important thing behind here" and it definately explains why so many visitors of the undead persuasion keep coming. Somebody leaked this knowledge, or maybe its the absurd amount of blood and grime everywhere attracts them. Such mess does little for morale and makes even the most basic task a chore.
Just as I was turning to leave something caught my eye on one of the slabs: a passage that read how an excess of life can warp the fabric of time just as much as the dead. The more scattered the dead, the more the time is warped. At the end of the passage was a spell to cleanse a huge area of errant dead pieces by gathering it into a ball. We certainly have a lot of both around here.
I noted down the spell, then went down to the magma sea that night and cast it where nobody could see me. It was if the river of time had suddenly turned from trickle to a wave- a great millstone had been lifted from the world and the cause was right in front of me- a big floating ball of dirt, blood and vomit.
It fell into the magma sea immediately just as I planned.
Sadly it also knocked me out. The doctor said I had suffered alcohol withdrawal when I woke up the next morning after whatever change in the world happened and left it at that.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 14th of Slate
What elven trickery is this?
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/738392988278849626/unknown.png)
The elven diplomat had an unfortunate accident with one of the drawbridges just last month! I saw it happen with my own two eyes!
Not only does the hippy survive an atom smasher but it demands that we limit our woodcutting? We barely have enough wood as is to sustain this fort.
I ordered Sal to tell the diplomat to sod off followed by ordering our miners to dig Sal a new bedroom that isn't the hospital and kingzultan to stop beating Auze to death because there's still prison sentences first before sending him on to Armok. Curiously Auze was quite accepting of the beating.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/738403959575806002/unknown.png)
I also went and locked the white door, then chiselled in the archway- Overseer's only. I will need to look into better security for it and other artifacts later.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 20th of slate
Auze is now in a cage. When I asked Zultan why not use the chain right in front of the cage she shrugged at me and said it was "not available for use by justice"
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/738403871600148510/unknown.png)
Hopefully everyone isn't too busy with my stockpile rearrangements to bring Auze sustenence!
I had Zultan investigate our so called diplomat as well as a migrant that appeared this month (just a cook, nothing special about them)
I smelled foul, well fouler than usual elf rubbish. Fortunately we caught him doing something nobody should be doing- heading down to the slab chamber!
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/738408217545277487/unknown.png)
I may be a mere tavern keeper, but I was in the military. I will take care of this personally.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 9th of Felsite
That elf was a swift one, very hard to track him down inside this maze of a fortress
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/738432173664894986/unknown.png)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/738433301584281600/unknown.png?width=1245&height=671)
In other news, I have dug out a small hole near my tavern and moved the kitchen there. Organising the food stockpiles is trickier than I anticipated since we can't have all of them together in case of another zombie slaughter, yet we lack the room for the most part on the more important levels.
Work has also begun knocking down part of that necromancer tower base outside the arena in order to convert it into a small siege battery. Might as well make use of that thing since some of the wall can be turned into a bunker. Underneath it is the labyrinth where I have also rearranged the stockpiles around so we can store ballista bolts too. Soon I will have a tunnel built on the surface to funnel any invaders into the battery.
Finally the best news that I announced in the tavern- Drinks production has gone up and we have apricot wine, dwarven wine, dwarven ale freshly restocked after running dry and Longland beer at last!
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 10th of Felsite 163
Grim news today, our legendary miner and grower both Iteb Ikthadodok has passed away due to infection on the way to the farm. He never got treated with soap for the injury the late Sigun inflicted upon him and caught the infection as a result.
He will be sorely missed. I have commissioned a gold coffin for him as someone who has contributed greatly to Smallhands
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739870094095548515/unknown.png)
I will take his death to heart and teach the fortress the lesson of having enough soap, especially with all that filth around. As proof of this lesson to the fortress, I have ordered all 25 beak dog hatchlings that spawned in the last few days butchered for tallow then soap
A short while later I also heared more insane necromancers sounds, this time from the tower. Looks like old Spriggan's finally discovered he has no way out of there. :D
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 25th of Felsite 163
In spite of the days with goo outweighing days without goo, some members of the fort managed to do significant work removing the tower steps ready for my ballista battery which also had the parts completed earlier though not to the quality I had hoped for unfortunately. Other members of the military were also up here training as usual, some dodging demonstration of some kind that I was too busy drinking to attend to.
That being said the military really should clean up some time, just look at all the mess in the arena!
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739884265650782368/unknown.png)
Fortunately for them before I could chew them out a large cheer erupted from downstairs- KingZultan had finally surpassed me at clothcraft and made a masterwork sock.
Ah well, at least my new rooms finally got finished! Smoothing next followed by some masterwork or exceptional furniture
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739886176705577130/unknown.png)
The new prison cells and Salmeuk's room are dug too and also in need of smoothing
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739886334143102976/unknown.png)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739886407325188166/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 9th of Hematite 163
With summer comes heat, and heat tends to make people a bit crazy. Or in Dastot's case stumble around obliviously a few times followed by a tantrum that thankfully hurt nothing.
Regardless, just in case I have given her an elven wood spear and sent her off to explore jeweldusks and cactushexes. If she comes back, then its off to the goblin pit to see if she can retrieve something of value to the fort while simultaniously keeping her away for if she breaks down.
Perhaps Spriggan's yelling has gotten to her. I know a few people have complained that his ranting and raving has caused them to cancel their stockpiling orders a few times out of fear he's casting every curse he can to escape. He won't of course regardless of the vile goo raining on his tower.
In other news has anybody seen our new hammerer lately?
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739905243814428784/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 15th of Hematite 163
Confound it!
I was reading a book by our resident mad mage in the tower spriggans named "The truth about the dwarf". Its a book about himself losing a fight to a troll of all things because he was focused on the details and lost sight of his end goal- a typical dwarven issue. Though I can sympathise, given the troll in question was Deslo Vaultedtexts The Idol of Taxes
I'm sincerely glad we don't have any bridges for the mountainhomes to tax is this is what they are capable of
That said I'm ashamed to say this might just be one of the problems with smallhands- we have no goal to strive for now we cut off the goblin's expansion short of destroying them all which while fun does leave us the question of what to do next.
So today as Overseer, in a bid to make my Overseership worth remembering, I have designated a monument to smallhands to be created. A giant metal tankard standing above the surface with a small hand on the end of it forever highlighting our glory and defiance in face of the goo, goblins and necromancers.
Alas I am unable to determine a method of pumping magma up to the top without flooding the trading stockpile so I will need to make do with turning it into the new place for the tavern.
There was also the small matter of not having enough stone to create the furniture intended nor the states of the Overseers that I was going to put inside. New mining order fixed that though
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739929898168090640/unknown.png)
In other news, the human diplomat arrived a few days ago, exchanged pleasantries and buggered off again. Didn't even stop for a drink at my tavern!
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739911820940279918/unknown.png)
Rigoth also finished making her artifact, "The obscure battles". A useful weapon rack, I had it installed in my bedroom of course since Rigoth isn't in the military. That said, I'm curious how she made this artifact- she took a chisel to it so many times in the masonry shop without a hammer with precision on par with our legendary miners.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/739911283238764664/unknown.png)
Finally, Dastot got herself captured by goblins. I'm not rescuing her given her previous conduct and lack of any useful skills. I had myself a little private toast after hours to commemerate the removal of such a troublesome individual in a way nobody suspected.
A note to my successors, don't bother rescuing her. 49532 stress and no skills beyond proficient is not worth the trouble.
Apologies for the delay everyone. rl is an arse
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 24th of Hematite 163
The ground floor of the tavern has been designated (https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/740906410203938816/unknown.png)
Its going to be solid gold surrounded by silver that tankard emblem. A gem window with the current day's menu and two doors on either side.
Unfortunately, we don't have enough gold. A total of 14 bars in the fort which is nowhere near enough. I need 22 bars worth according to my bartop calculations.
It was the shouts of angry ambitious avarice that dragged a few of us from the tavern.
The human caravan had come and one of the wagons got stuck in the sand. One of the merchants informed me that they refuse to trade until they had all the wagons in the depot, all 4 of them.
"Can't we just trade with the ones you DO have unloaded?" I asked, rolling a barrel of rum out for selling.
"Nay lass, that's just not how it works. Especially with that broker of yours" the tall fellow replied, trying to clear the goop off himself.
I quickly looked across to Auze. I must have given him the wrong drink at the tavern last night as he was stumbling around obliviously this morning though he at least had the sense to blunder into the trade depot. It was quite worrisome.
An hour later Auze meandered into my office having recovered somewhat and blurted out they were leaving. The sounds of rushing and angry human voices came down the stairwell even as I dashed up them to demand an answer.
I was too late though, the humans had already pissed off! They got their wagon unstuck and left! cheeky sods weren't even here a week!
The goop rain was back too so I ordered everyone inside and demanded phonso who had been lurking around the depot hauling things why they had left. Phonso shrugged, snacked on a roasted fish then told me that the head merchant guard was annoyed at getting goop on his head and ordered them all to leave.
"How did he get gooped when he was in shelter?" I asked incredulous.
Phonso shrugged but did tell me that the ballista battery was built which at least staved off my tantrum.
I'm going back to the tavern, at least a dwarf never leaves his drink
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/740948261895929996/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 3rd of Malachite 163
If there is one benefit the surface tavern will bring to the fortress, its getting everybody to stop being cave adapted. Far too many dwarves have been puking their guts out while building the Towering Tankard and the periodic dashes back to the fort when the vile goo returns isn't helping matters.
At least our hammerer is cleaning up the entryway a bit
We had a new migrant arrive. Reg Pickcrab, a farmer. Seriously, he's a novice at pretty much every farming skill under the sun and has no friends nor family. Only one relationship to a deity. No vile goo sickness thankfully.
I'm a bit concerned about this though, what sort of dwarf has no family or friends but this many skills? I'll have zultan interrogate him anyway to make sure he's not aligned with any necromancers. Or a vampire which I'm suspicious of. If he is either, well he can go visit the hammerer.
I have ordered the trade depot to be off limits for the time being. A buzzard flew in and got killed by a human and since nobody got round to dumping its body, the corpse is rotting now. Hopefully that stops Auze from teetering over the edge.
Everybody else seems to be in good shape really apart from Kubuk and Zultan.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 18th of Malachite 163
The second floor of my tavern is almost done
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/740972853595209738/unknown.png)
The third floor is going to run short of materials soon unfortunately. We simply don't have the dwarf power to craft the stone blocks, soap, steel armour, clothes AND get this fortress stockpile orders fixes.
Halfway through my term and this poor tavern keeper is already having to raid her strong stuff.
Its not all bad news though, I discovered something excellent over in the trade depot- the humans left some of their stuff behind!
We should grab it before the next caravan comes.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 4th of Galena 163
I got into an argument with one of my patrons last night doing my mayoral meetings. Vutok, a cook/engraver. He wanted the kitchen and brewer on the 3rd floor of the tavern, I wanted it on the 5th. He then complained to me he wretched on a miasma recently. I called it a load of shit 'cos the only place with miasma was the trade depot and he hadn't been near there. Finally he demanded that I order some new mittens, aprons, hats and trousers for the chefs. Unfortunately, I couldn't do these things specifically for chefs, given the general clothes shortage.
He seemed offended but I offered to upgrade his room to the penthouse inside the tavern and he left happily.
Good, because there isn't going to be a penthouse for anyone, that's the magma chamber...if I can ever solve the design challenges involved
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/742469168796008498/unknown.png)
Oh no...
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 5th of Galena 163
I opted to keep the tavern open a little longer than usual last night, asking the night workers to keep an eye out for anything dangerous Vutok would do.
I narrowly avoided spilling my evening tankard in shock when I heard the screams. Also because of the beakdog puppy that came charging down the stairs in fright. This was definately not good, I ordered those things butchered a while ago. A quick refill and helmet on and away I went.
Solon, one of our gravewardens was in shock partway up the stairs. He was stuttering and stammering till I thrust a small bottle of beer into his chest which seemed to break him out of whatever trance had got him. He said that Vutok stormed into the butchers shops where he had just left to go fetch another beak dog for slaughter. He got to the stop of the stairs and saw Vutok storm out, with an aura around him of pure dread and he murdered Amara right in front of his and Imic's eyes. Imic was off running down the corridor overcome by terror.
On the floor in front of me was the lower half of Amara's lifeless head, mouth still contorted in her death throes. Not even a clean cut with the butchers knife.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/743177406449451148/unknown.png)
I kicked down the door sword in one hand, my granite tankard in the other filled with strong booze. You can always rely on a thrown tankard
At the end butchers table, was the remains of Amara's body. In front of it was Vutok- eyes full of crazy and a dark cloud surrounding him raising a pair of leggings that could only have been created with a necromancers touch.
The entire thing reeked of evil what with the remains of Amara twisted in such a way as to evoke a tarantula's web down the sides of the clothing, the top half of her skull on the crotch and her hip bones turned into pockets.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/743179419836874752/unknown.png)
"In my family's name do I name you Sethaldamid Matzang! The spider-witch of jumping!" He cried, voice tainted with the ethereal. Raising the leggings as one would an item of great worth.
I promptly threw my tankard at him and it knocked him out in one blow, thank goodness for granite. The strange aura around him vanished too.
Into my journal here for future overseers to read I will write this passage.
I refuse to grant this thing equal status to our other artifacts. As such I will only enter the basics into the Overseer records and hide the leggings inside a secret room behind a bridge that leads over the magma. There are only three things that this could be the result of:
1. One of our necromancer captives- what else would work with bone so well
2. The demon that the goblins bow to in the east- that magic is strong, very strong and only the sort they and their servants carry
3. An elven menace hidden within their lands- this decor reeks of elven design. In addition, I recently discovered their diplomat I offed last month was in fact an heir to their Queen according to Legends records.
Its time I went to bed. I don't think anybody is going to sleep tonight.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 28th of Galena 163
It took all the effort I had to raise and slam my tankard for quiet this evening for my long overdue briefing to the fort
This month has been productive, really productive. I think everybody just wanted to get back to work and forget about the incident several weeks ago. I wish I could. I've been debating whether to ask Zultan to punish Vutok with a hammering for what we did, but we all saw how he wasn't his self. He has no regrets...but is frightened of how skilled he is at bone carving now.
The new tavern is shaping up well with the third floor placed and now getting walls and the handle is beginning to take shape. I made a slight tweak to my design to allow the handle to be a lookout. Its going to be taller than every other structure here, but it has to be as a monument to myself and smallhands.
My new rooms are almost done as well. At long last one of smiths managed to fight off the goop fever enough to make me some superb bronze doors- always liked bronze. wonderful colour and metal, but not everyone appreciates it like me.
I told the tavern goers something they didn't want to hear. All rotting or worn clothing is to be sent to the trading depot. Our brethern from the north are coming soon and the stockpile is stuffed full of new clothes that nobody is wearing, yet all of them had the gall to complain to me about lack of clothes. I don't care if things are favourites- they have to go and make my handiwork mean something.
Once again this sent Auze into a depression, though he recovered within hours.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 17th of Limestone 163
I finally made up my mind what to do with Vutok. I asked Zultan to go and interrogate him about the possession.
She came out of her new office and slammed through my tavern door at breakneck speed demanding a drink in ragged gasps. Something happened that had her overcome by horror but she couldn't say what. She was too distraught so I slipped her a second one free of charge. I sent another dwarf to quietly lock Vutok for the time being.
Our fellow dwarves came on the 11th at least and they brought a load of goodies considering it was only a single wagon. Dwarven engineering everybody! I'll raise a toast after the trading results from Auze...Auze?
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/743207860581695528/unknown.png)
Welp, looks like I'll have to have that therapy meeting...
Eventually I talked Auze into pulling himself together and chatted to the trader while the liason went off to find Salmeuk
In the meantime, me and Auze managed to obtain one hell of an agreement. All of our worn clothing and crafts, a barrel of prepared food (not sure what it was if anything) plus the elven detritus we had laying about in return for all 8 barrels of booze and their food, several new clothes and some good quality steel and iron armour.
I took the liberty of obtaining more paper for our library and best of all managed to obtain some much needed pig tail seeds after our supply ran out last month.
Honestly, it was shocking how much space our old clothes took up. I'm gonna need to order some bins
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/743208647676395540/unknown.png)
Surprisingly, the merchant was pleased with the trading as well.
After all the crap over the last month and a half, it felt good to be able to have something go so right for once.
I'll drink to that slams tankard Free round tonight everyone! courtesy of our friends at the mountainhomes!
RL derailed me again... and the fps lag isn't helping, making everything a chore
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 28th of Limestone 163
Had an unexpected visitor in the Tavern today
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/749028455537967154/unknown.png)
Apparently two important events had occured outside smallhands. Numer 1 was a new Religious leader in some dank alley back at the mountainhomes. I don't care really, the only gods any dwarf should worship are reason and magma, and as we all know the avatar of magma is Armok
The second was mildly more interesting: The mint sack formed an expedition led by the old religious leader, gave some goblins a kick and became mayor, expedition leader and broker of someplace west of us.
I confess I wasn't paying attention given I was going over my plans for the tavern and the liason in question had already downed two of my strongest ales by the time he had finished rambling about the trade agreement
That said, I did start paying attention after he started bellowing to Sal about next years export agreement, hard not to really when he was flailing rudely as apparently I didn't serve big enough tankards before he went into a tirade about the state of the mountainhomes. I made a note of it on the back of one of my discarded plans. Might as well not let that parchment go to waste. That's one benefit of being bartender, you can listen in to all the patrons and nobody would suspect a thing, like the mountainhomes is having similar troubles to us that they are trying to keep quiet about
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/749029361125949500/unknown.png)
Some day it feels like I'm the only forward thinking dwarf in the entire kingdom. Instead of whinging about lack of armour and rotten clothing, I actively go about finding solutions like getting production restarted and artisans training. A sobering thought, I best have another pint.
good stuff that longland beer
Something horrendous caught my eye while I was draining my mug- why does the mountainhomes want Wooden Toys, seeds and armour?
I have a bad feeling about this...that sounds to me like an elven plot- regrow the forests from seeds, taint the children with wood and scare them off metal armour and/or train their soldiers to find weak spots.
I KNEW that elven "diplomat" was a fraud. Not only was he apparently royalty, but he was after our necromancy too. The elves are up to something I swear, something big.
Where's my mug, I need another drink
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 14th of Sandstone 163
This last week has been pretty good all things considered. I managed to fix another stockpile and the engravers have collectively stopped bickering and managed to finish not just one, but multiple rooms! Olin, the head engraver has even been on a streak of masterwork production- I will have him work my chambers personally after Sal's.
The 6th came with a bit of good fortune as well, Auze came out of another stumbling spate and somehow blundered into the carpenters shop and produced a masterwork bed. Into my bedroom it goes!
I have taken stock of the food and bed rooms. With the kitchen and distilleries moved to their own little corners, that leaves me free to turn the old kitchen room at the end of the bedrooms into a mueseum, and the annex next to it into an emergency stockpile. The hospital annex as well has been turned into a soap stockpile- a rather embarrassing oversight I had made in hindsight but better late than never. On a side note, I finally moved Salmeuk out of the hospital and into his own personal quarters with full engravings and statues depicting himself and smallhands.
I popped into the dining hall and progress seems to have stalled there with no more tables available. I threw more orders down then set about admiring the multiple statues. There was one depicting smallhands founding, another of Nogood next to Salmeuk. Laterigrade had a statue too that I had taken down immediately upon noticing it was depicting the moment the poor sod got killed. There's space for a few more statues including my own of course but until the masons make something that doesn't look like an amateur's practice piece we'll put them in.
As a consequence of all this room shuffling the old mayoral office and Zultan's makeshift office have been freed up.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 25th of Sandstone 163
I was sorely tempted to reach for the strong stuff when KingZultan came up to me today
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/749050497310392350/unknown.png)
Instead I decided to inquire after the other plan put in place after the incident. Zultan thankfully informed me that the leggings were being sealed away as we spoke. Thank goodness.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 9th of Timber 163
The volume of tasks that need doing doesn't seem to be getting any smaller yet every dwarf was coming here to my tavern. It was getting more packed lately and my growing frustration at the lack of progress on some of them was getting to me. I slammed my tankard for yet another announcement and told everyone that I expect progress update on every project in 6 hours. To emphasize this, I announced I was shutting the bar early today unless everyone here completed at least 1 task in the next half hour.
That certainly shocked everyone enough to get them moving and gave me some time to review my monument's progress.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/749057159714701362/unknown.png)
The 3rd floor has been stuck like this for the last 3 weeks. The gem windows I have earmarked for installation were sent out nearly 2 months ago.
In terms of height, the handle is still untouched past that floor and the furniture I ordered still hasn't been produced despite it being the 5th thing I demanded after beginning this project with 1 through 4 being walls and the stairs.
We're not even halfway yet
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/749041477342068786/plan.png?width=559&height=671)
I might have to make another short speech soon about smallhands' new tower. Maybe that will put some fire back in the workforce
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 12th of Timber 163
I caught the human keeper of seals sneaking down to the slab chamber this time. He got to the top of the stairs, turned around and wisely decided to leave. I might have to see about moving those slabs to somewhere more secure if people keep trying to go for it.
Salmeuk's also been complaining about the lack of goblets. What a load of elf shit, there's 156 goblets in this fortress.
Just when I thought things were settling down though, Amara decided to rise up from the grave in the trade depot. I told her I sealed the artifact away pending destruction and was currently debating how many hammerstrokes to administer Vutok. Suddenly her ghost vanished as though it was never here.
I checked the records half an hour later, and she was never there, not even on the dead/missing list. What in Armok's name happened?
Maybe the fever is getting to me, where's my flagon...
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 23rd of Timber 163
I really wish there was some way to recover from this fever. I checked out all the statues that had been made of myself and Salmeuk. The vast majority were of substandard quality, fit only to be sold to caravans, or maybe line our prison cells for our prisoners to admire our craftsdwarfship.
Another thing that displeased me was how all of mine were of the moments when I dyed a piece of fabric or something. Why no statue of me slaughtering the elven spy? Or creating that masterwork sock? Hell why are the majority of statues about Salmeuk arriving at smallhands?
The fever must cause trouble with the mind, it has to be, why else would we struggle so. What else would cause me and the rest of smallhands to miss an entire wagon's worth of supplies in the trade depot abandoned by the humans!
There's even an exceptionally crafted copper ladle that we can use to serve at the Towering Tankard when it opens. A donkey that's somehow survived for months, seeds, fresh fruit chilled by the cold, 2 books...some gold bars even!
and...wagon wood logs according to Auze? I'll trust his judgement on this, he's the best carpenter we have.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 4th of Moonstone 163
Damn this perpetual fever, it flared up again when I was drafting the plans for the Towering Tankard and it appears to have led to me making an error on the plans- the handle staircase does not reach out far enough. It needs to be at least another urist away from the main tower.
At least my other plans to whip this fort into working order are progressing well. We have 8 dwarves that pass for novices are armoursmithing and some of the items they have made have been good enough that the military have been ditching their masterwork bronze immediately for a steel piece even if its not as good.
What's especially pleasing is Auze has been trying his hand at it and he's certainly competent at it.
Much to my frustration however is the military members that have been dumping their old armour have been doing it on the towering tankard causing blockages for work flow. When I find out who's responsible they are getting water tonight!
I might try and get an armourer's guild established. It could work out quite nicely.
I've also decided to impose a ban on the farmer's guild from holding any Gelding demonstrations until further notice after Tosid was left with painfully crying out "no job" for a week.
On the plus side Dakost has finally turned 2 and begun walking, talking and drinking. Unfortunately she's a talkative one, as she informed me Zultan was trying to collect webs. Not sure where from but it certainly explains where Zultan has been up to when she isn't outperforming me at clothcraft or being hit on by those she's interrogating.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/751779034941095946/unknown.png)
There is however a snag. He may have been tainted.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/751786809435881512/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 10th of Moonstone 163
This is concerning
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/751789320238792747/unknown.png)
Not the fact that this is the second time Kubuk has been possessed (well that is unusual) but the fact he's in the caverns. In hindsight, KingZultan was down there recently looking for webs. I really should have investigated sooner.
10 months into my term as overseer and I keep finding problems to fix. Yet as I wander round the fortress, I keep finding evidence that however hard I look, there's always a critical flaw that I've missed until later. At least I have found them, unlike previous overseers. Unless this is all some part of an elven plot, then its a wonder the fortress hasn't sunk yet. Actually now I have wrote that, future overseers, I apologise, we have sunk, back when the undead almost wiped the fortress to pieces.
But smallhands clawed its way back.
By Armok's will, we will claw our way further up to the heavens and down to the heart of our world!
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 14th of Opal 163
Even for Opal tonight was bitterly chilly and wet. Rain all day all week. I brought out my own private winter stock for the patrons and I even deferred Vutok's punishment so he could cook some much needed roasts to keep us all fed.
I felt a chill for another reason. One I dearly wish I didn't need to announce, but for the good of smallhands it had to be done. I raised and slammed my tankard for the last time in this room. Trying to keep the shaking out of my voice was hard
"My fellow dwarves...I-I have a...a very painful announcement to make." I took a few deep breaths.
"As you are all ah-aware I am having a grand tavern opened up in the towering tankard. Due to her majesty's regulations however I had to name it The Tall Bar. Unfortunately...I couldn't bare to tell you all the full story until now, when I no longer have a choice. As a result of this move and the reorganisation of smallhands"
I took a long shaky drink from my tankard. A tear trying to escape my eyes. Come on girl...
"I am having to close this tavern from the first of obsidian in ord-"
A wine stain covers the rest of the speech as well as a few tears
-ven Phonso was in shock (https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/751826320870211604/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 2nd of Obsidian 163
It was strange not opening the tavern last night. Mainly because we don't have a tavern as it stands. Its still being built.
I noticed as a form of protest, many dwarves did not move the old food stockpile to where the old tavern was like they were supposed to. Gradually though its shifting thank goodness, and some of the others are building upwards instead of floor by floor. Something about being able to look down on the goo rather than cower under it.
I may be a tavern wench, but I am still the overseer. Tardiness will not be forgiven and so I am writing down certain dwarves who have been slacking. The only exception will be Olin. I collared the man one a few days ago demanding to know why he was socialising with nobody instead of hauling or engraving.
"Did you not see my masterwork's in Salmeuk's room?" he asked me
"Wait you finished those?"
"Yes, I am one of the few dwarves who aren't fevered." Olin replied, weaving his chisel between his fingers
"As a result, I can perform my art much faster than most with greater precision. A pity the majority do not get to see the wonders."
I then had an idea
I then had a second excellent idea upon realising Olin was a glassmaker too
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 17th of Obsidian 163
Some time ago I found we had no more soap. As a stop gap measure I had some trees chopped and burned from underground. This made an excess amount of ash to turn into soap. I then had the spare ash turned into potash for our fields. But we really didn't need all that and so I had a mountain of spare potash.
Fortunately I have found a use for all that potash now upon discovering the sheer volume of sand cluttering the stockpiles. I have had it turned into clear glass blocks and give our two glass worker dwarves something to do other than hauling.
Between 98 pieces of potash and quite a few pieces of sand (my fever was too high to count further) I have had them begin assembling clear glass in bulk. It shall become the ceiling to protect us from the goop in the tankard...if everybody can actually get it done in time for the new year.
I have skipped out on some of the floors as detailed in my earlier plans and instead gone straight to developing the bar at the top. Once the glass ceiling is in place, the hauliers can construct the silver floor. Unfortunately, what happens after that will be out of my control, as will the rest of the tower.
In other news, Amara reappeared again watching the workers from the wall of the tower. I'm having a slab engraved for her as I write this and it will be placed tomorrow.
A quiet but productive winter. I don't think I could have asked for much more than that.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 28th of Obsidian 163
Its been a long year in charge of Smallhands, but I can raise a tankard to the fact I have done my best for the fortress and it seems to be in better condition than when I started.
I let everybody know I had a little announcement to make at the usual time, in the old kitchen and food room, just outside the bedrooms. Everyone was to bring their drink of choice. Well...it was three really. I admit I was a little late myself on account of getting distracted by a book at the library but no matter, I can put it down to nerves if anybody asks.
My fellow dwarves of SmallHands!
Through pints and perservearance, Smallhands thrives evermore. Thanks to me and I hope my successors, Smallhands shall continue to do so for years to come. But! We would not have gotten here without the work of those who came before, and so I declare the Best of Smallhands mueseum to be open!
I dragged away the two tarpaulings on each side of the room to a chorus of claps and curious faces.
To the north was a display of our best artifacts that were not better suited to being equipped or installed, to the south were a series of masterwork statues of each overseer in turn, and one of the original 7 at the end.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/752130006792011796/unknown.png)
Second! Thanks to everybody's hard work, the ceiling on the new tavern has been completed, as soon as we get the floor in, we can install some furniture and declare the place open!
There was a very loud cheer from that and lots of chatter. For the final time this year, I slammed my tankard against my mat for quiet.
Finally! It is the end of Obsidian, so raise a mug to smallhands for another successful year!
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 1st of Granite 164
I stayed up a little late last night reflecting on what I did during my term as overseer.
- Heavy reorganisation of the stockpiles.
- A large project for a new tavern.
- Kitting out the military with steel armour
- Creation of a legendary dining hall
- Proper prison
- New clothing for the masses
- Improved offices and bedrooms for the nobility
- Mueseum for the best of us
- Soap production
I suppose it wasn't a bad term as Overseer. I didn't fix everything I wanted to, but I like to think I laid the groundwork for the future.
Hanging outside this morning to the doors of the still in construction Tall Bar, gazing out upon the sun as we got a new day and a warm breeze, as my term as overseer came to a close, I raised a tankard to my lips one last time as the leader before I headed down to the forges to make some furniture.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/752125450913841253/unknown.png)
-------------
For my successors
The Tall Bar has a silver floor and will be having brass furniture. We have no tavern atm. Up to you if its completed though, I did lay out the instructions earlier
Get another person trained on armoursmithing, we might be able to make one of our none fevered dwarves into an expert with a guild's help
We need a new statue of salmeuk in green glass in the memorial floor. I found one of them was depicting him being shunned by other dwarves after he stopped being militia commander. It was unacceptable so I had it removed.
The statues in the mueseum are right to left as i put them in form the dwarven perspective. Smallhands founding on the right, myself at the leftmost current statue
SAVE
https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15194
Smallhands: Year 164.
Spring
=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=
(definitely not 12000 bees in a trench coat)
We I arrived in Smallhands in Malachite of last year. We I have managed to pass as a dwarf for the duration. Our costume appears to bee effective in convincing dwarves that we are also a single dwarf. It has been so effective that I have been elected Overseer. I do not know what this role entails, but I was promised by the tavern drone that it is of great power and importance.
As the new queen of this hive fort we will see it prosper and produce a lot of honey crafts.
The other drones have reported that the hive is secure from bears undead. However, the part of the fortress which looks like a large horned beetle is climbable. It is also open to flying invaders, such as hornets.
A dwarf has told me it is supposed to be a type of cup.
I asked a dwarf to update me on the honey production. They led me to this pile of refuse that they called "crafts" and said, "Probably in there, somewhere" then they shrugged and walked away, dripping sweat. Is the sweatiness of these dwarves a sign of respect?
(https://i.imgur.com/5rvksW8.png)
No longer trusting the opinions of the fort drones dwarves, we decided to check rooms out ourselves. It seems that a collection of food is near the lowest level of the caverns. Curious why the dwarves would want to keep these emergency supplies so far from the rest. I believe we should clean this up and prepare it for winter.
(https://i.imgur.com/rWAADcl.png?1)
The hive seems to be full of parasites - many of which rub themselves against the doors in a way that I find very displeasing. I walked up to a dwarf and said, "Hello, I feel sweaty. What are these parasites?"
She said, "Ugly blighters, I know, but they make a good meal and they're good watch dogs if you put 'em in the right place."
"Why haven't you gathered in a group around them and vibrated your bodies to kill them?"
(https://i.imgur.com/dnfp3AW.png)
"Oh, we've been slaughtering 'em, but these are just newborns! Not much meat on 'em yet. Don't you worry, I'll cook them when they're ready!" She then walked down the hall and up the stairs in a move we interpreted as an invitation.
"Why are these dogs wet?"
"Dunno, really. Sort of just like it that way, I guess."
(https://i.imgur.com/qF9LRVm.png)
We can hear the rumble of fluids passing through the walls. I can also hear the distant screams of a flaming skinless alligator. There are many caged creatures and many creatures who are not caged but built into the walls themselves. This is pleasing to us, as the hive is secure.
The local bee population is on an all-time low. In fact, several worker drones are carrying empty hives back to the refuse piles of the hive. This is unacceptable for a harmonious hive.
Several of the dwarves seem sweaty, which is good, if I understand it correctly. They also seem stressed and unsatisfied, though. By The Lost, most of them have had their wings fall off. We'll seek to remedy this right away. I will also look for more flowers and plants to ensure a greater health for the hive. For now, there is a lot of cleaning up to do.
Smallhands: Year 164
Spring
=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=
(definitely not 12000 bees in a trench coat)
We asked the dwarves of Smallhands about solutions for the parasites which roamed its combs. I was introduced to the concept of "Animal Daycare", a safe place in which to place animals so they do not rub against the doors in the way I don't like.
I began construction of an Animal Daycare right away. For efficiency, I placed it across the hall from the nest rooms of the large birds who we don't like.
We moved to the tavern, which seems to be the center of hive activity. I saw a dwarf dragging a skeleton behind it, presumably to consume. I introduced myself and appeared as sweaty as possible. He returned in kind, but did not make eye contact, as dwarves usually do. This dwarf seems very efficient.
(https://i.imgur.com/l1QVUDQ.png)
Another lawful dwarf stood in the library, picking up a book, putting it down, then staring into the distance briefly before doing it over again.
(https://i.imgur.com/AnovxdJ.png)
It appears the prison was disabled for some reason. Even worse, our only criminal was sleeping in a bed. Such an injustice could not stand. We reassured Kingzultan that the prison existed, and so they dragged Vutok to a cage. Justice is served.
The Animal Daycare is coming along nicely. Many animals have been put inside, for their safety and comfort.
(https://i.imgur.com/mQEul7I.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/jwutFCs.png)
...
(https://i.imgur.com/QbDnGnV.png)
In the time between when the lever was pulled and when the bridge came down, I received this message.
(https://i.imgur.com/2w1kG1o.png)
If I weren't several thousand insects, this would really make me feel bad.
The removal of awful door rubbing parasites has made Olin very excited.
(https://i.imgur.com/snPit0X.png)
Olin rushed around the garbage heaps in the hive looking for materials. She must be making something great because she went to almost every single stockpile in the hive. We wonder what she will produce.
We inspected the military, which seems to be doing as well as can be expected. I let the troops relax for a while, though it seems they don't feel anything - emotionally or physically. This is exactly what you want in a soldier.
(https://i.imgur.com/3YvJXJP.png)
Olin wiped sweat from her face and revealed an earring. We can not begin to interpret the artistic nuance of such a thing. However, the name is...menacing.
(https://i.imgur.com/PzLswUt.png)
-=-=-=-=-
OOC:
It's two months in and the framerate is doing a bit better - it feels worse than it is because of the FEVER everyone is suffering from. Most of the dwarves here are emotionally dead inside, which is good and bad. Most are immune to seeing skeletons, but also aren't getting good thoughts from other stuff. I'm...not sure if this will be a problem. No tantrums or anything so far, though, so that's good.
SmallHands 165
No, I'm not using small font for the title
Prologue.
Well… I had some ideas, and I hope to be able to pull them off.
I also had a plan, now scrapped, to make an in-character diary, with a narrative behind it. In preparation for this, I picked the most recently-arrived dorf, and given her a name of ill repute:
(https://i.imgur.com/xPl21cx.png)
Malfoy means ‘bad faith’, unless my rudiments of French have completely failed me. This is entirely appropriate for a dwarf under whose rule dwarves would be deliberately killed. The narrative was that miss Malfoy was one of the few dwarves unafflicted by the fever, and was beyond done with the complications of the syndrome; so she aimed for the overseer position, and fully intended to run a sustained campaign of covert murder.
However, that’s about as far as the muse took me; the only part I managed to write is a short intro:
This fort cannot go on.
I have lived here for the better part of a year, and this fort cannot go on as it is now.
There are means for it to be rescued from destruction, perhaps even be made to thrive. But the means remain unused, by fools and by cowards. I will attempt to secure the overseer position, and should I succeed, I will proceed to horrific means. I trust this journal will at least explain why.
And that’s it. No more flow whatsoever. Gameplay was eventually written from an OOC perspective, the first fortress (which isn’t NumberCurse) that I write in this manner.
As to the fort itself:
The fort numbers 32 dwarves according to Dwarf Fortress, and 29 dwarves according to Dwarf Therapist. One’s a child, and that’s why it’s hidden, but this still leaves me with two missing idiots. And it’s not Vabok the newly-ghoulified, he’s perfectly visible to Dwarf Therapist.
Anyway, of the 29 visible adults, all but 7 are afflicted with the fever.
(https://i.imgur.com/nv27gUy.png)
A while later, one of the ‘missing’ people was identified as Vutok WanderedBolts, who’s been caged for who-knows-how-long; he’s the fell mood bastard who killed my previous dwarf, by the way.
I think he’s subject to a bug regarding jails - the room he’s in was marked as a prison from the rope in the center, and a bunch of cages were then built around. Vutok was invisible to DT until someone left him out of his cage, and he wasn’t let out until the jail room was restricted to not include the cages:
(https://i.imgur.com/VUo6xzA.png)
‘Course, he was then immediately re-imprisoned in a random room, because he’s melancholic. I’ll allow him to die of thirst and then he’ll visit the friendly neighborhood post-mortem doctor.
Even later still, I also figured out who the last missing dwarf is - NoGood. Dwarf Therapist can't see him in any category; but I didn't figure that out until near-autumn, for reasons that will become apparent.
The Tall Bar has never been finished, and what was built has been vandalized by trolls.
(https://i.imgur.com/19pUssd.png) (https://i.imgur.com/iialB4p.png) (https://i.imgur.com/q1Ge9CH.png) (https://i.imgur.com/fgCG4Zf.png) (https://i.imgur.com/lI6vJE0.png)
This is how the trolls got to the stack pump, by the way - they first dropped under the surface, and then just walked to the ballistas and the pump stack. I’m more surprised they didn’t also wreck the trading depot, to be honest.
(https://i.imgur.com/XIDNByg.png)
Also below the surface, there’s a giant stockpile of furniture. I think it’s the same stockpile of furniture that I made, when I was replacing the old pieces with masterworks and excellent ones, and selling the lower-quality ones to whomever. Unfortunately, now all the craftsdwarves have the thrice-damned fever, so no more masterworks for SmallHands.
Below that, the last of the dirt layers, complete with a well, and next to it a bizarre ‘soap’ stockpile. By which I mean it only accepts metal bars:
(https://i.imgur.com/Qq44s4a.png)
Further down in the resurrection pod, some dead dwarf named Dumed is waiting his/her turn to be risen. Unfortunately, the cyclops has decided to wander away from the necromancer, so nothing is happening, and poor Dumed has started rotting. The cyclops room will be redesigned, to keep this from happening.
(https://i.imgur.com/BsyBKNL.png)
The crafting area was joined by a labyrinth which makes no sense:
(https://i.imgur.com/pqPqMQt.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/nu6R3CJ.png)
And which descends here:
(https://i.imgur.com/K1PVKlU.png)
The stone stockpile has been removed; there’s literally no point to it.
Lastly, at the bottom of the world, lies the third cavern; filled with old skeletons, and unexploited cavern trees. I’d like to deal with both.
(https://i.imgur.com/SE8nFjO.png)
Happiness is quite alright, with one glaring exception: KingZultan’s sanity is quite strained:
(https://i.imgur.com/uvgnl7g.png)
She’s one of our very rare healthy non-feverish dwarves, and a near-legendary weaver and tailor to boot. I’ll see if weaving a bunch of masterwork bolts of cloth won’t make her feel better.
The military is in theory made of four squads. Seeing as we have ~30 adults total, you can tell that to be a lie.
Our ‘real’ squads are the Swamp Hunters, with ranged weapons and very little armor:
(https://i.imgur.com/TcvkfLw.png)
And the Grave Wardens, a much-better appointed melee squad; they had 8 members total, but two are unaffected by the fever, so they’re removed:
(https://i.imgur.com/m9kzxUp.png)
The Puzzling Bodices are King Zultan’s ‘squad’, consisting only of herself; I assign a few more non-feverish dwarves as fortress guards, because Zultan is too busy tantruming to do her job.
The Rainbow Raptors are a sword-dwarf squad with no members in the fort. That’s an important distinction, because the Rainbow Raptors were sent to raid, and met misfortune.
(https://i.imgur.com/ge9bqmX.png)
Lastly, we have a squad that was never populated: the Ancient Cloisters, under the theoretical leadership of Recon, have a bangin’ uniform but no other members.
(https://i.imgur.com/AxR3hL6.png)
Anyway, the squads will be refilled, with no care for military skill, and with all care for who, when, and where I want dead. Recon’s squad is the future home of named and legendary people; the Grave Wardens and the Swamp Hunters get the other feverish dwarves. The fortress guard, by contrast, is made of healthy dwarves only, and they’ll be kept out of as much trouble as I can manage.
On a sweep of the stocks, I find someone has marked a great deal of ammunition for dumping. See, this is why I spend hours poring through a fort before I even start.
(https://i.imgur.com/pgoBWXc.png)
The whole fort gets swept with ‘reclaim, forbid melt, forbid dump’ mass designations.
So, with the overview done, I can put down some gameplan, and set some priorities:
Primary Priorities:
- improve the defensibility of the surface.
- tower 'foundation' (right below the surface) with a brand new airlock, and a better entrance on the surface (preferably without airlock, because those aren't fun need constructions in the layer below to work properly).
- ballista area.
- more walls sectioning off the under-surface open space
- redesign the cyclops room to be 1-tile wide.
- repair & finish the Tall Bar.
- enlist all feverish citizens (bonus goal: send them to pick a fight with the tower)
- except:
`> Salmeuk and whoever's mayor; nobles lose rooms when leaving on a raid.
`> the SKILLED dwarves, in case the resurrection gambit works.
`> all named dwarves, because it's rude to deliberately send people's avatars to their death.
`> miners and woodcutters, because weapon conflict. We still have weapon conflict, right?
Secondary Priorities:
- do something with corpses in cave3. I'm tempted to just dump them in magma; it isn't even far...
- finish sealing Cave3
- conquer the other 2 caves (overseer throws a sinister gaze towards the feverish military).
- revise the food situation. At this point we have our own little overproduction crisis, when it comes to animals and meat.
- create a beekeeping area, somewhere; either on the roof to the east, or on the surface.
- a small above-ground farm in the goop zone; I want to see how plants vary.
- magma stack; how are ya? Mostly destroyed? Yeah, I should probably rebuild you as a courtesy to applet and/or my successor, shouldn’t I?
- engrave slabs for the overpaca (and other dead?) See what's on them.
- raise the overpaca as a zombie, cage it, and build its cage somewhere.
- decommission the old cage & door labyrinth. The trolls wrecked the doors, and nobody remembers where any of the levers were, for the few bridges built in them.
- and extend the tree farm in the freed space. If I do right by the cavern, this won’t be really needed.
Autumn & Winter
1st Limestone
(https://i.imgur.com/6GIp3dU.png)
He has dropped dead in the hospital’s doorway, so I presume the infection did him in. You can guess what will happen to him.
(https://i.imgur.com/6LUu7tY.png)
While waiting for the autumn caravan, I decide to engrave and build some slabs; one for the casualty of the previous year, and one more for the four military members that I killed and zombified; their bodies were no longer recognized as dwarven, therefore never interred; it’s only a matter of time until they’ll rise to haunt the living. I then find we have a rather large number of already-engraved slabs, and build those as well.
(https://i.imgur.com/gpYE5jo.png)
As a side note, NoGood may join the ranks of the undead again:
(https://i.imgur.com/DXnEW7U.png)
He’s been drinking in the alcohol stockpile since he got out of the hospital, some time in spring; I like to think his ‘severe blood loss’ is actually ‘severe alcohol loss’.
One more change to the resurrection chamber: I’m replacing a fortification with a wall, because that one tile allows dwarves to see the necromancer. Let’s just say I’m glad we have friendly ghouls who can pull levers.
(https://i.imgur.com/Jro8tSk.png)
6th Timber. Starvation has claimed Amost a few days ago, and the corpse was dumped quickly; she was then risen as a forlorn ghoul:
(https://i.imgur.com/8u22ZXx.png)
Since I’m here (and Kubuk has yet to die) I’ll also raise the overpaca as a more standard undead; it will be caged and placed in the existing zoo.
(https://i.imgur.com/vflo7xd.png)
16th Timber. Kubuk has joined the ranks of the differently living.
(https://i.imgur.com/GN9nIGq.png)
At about the same time, the rehabilitation of KingZultan is being kicked into a different, higher gear: she has not taken the recent deaths well:
(https://i.imgur.com/5axr0bA.png)
So she’s been removed as captain of the guard (not like she was doing any of her duties) and was left to make only cloth, and then clothes. Her replacement as captain is a random dwarf named Logem; he’s the second physically weakest dwarf in the fort, after KingZultan herself.
Winter
The plan for winter is to finish from what I started, and then see what else I can do from the bucket list.
I can already cross off the surface defenses, the cyclops’ new room, revising the food situation, raising the overpaca, and slab construction.
The new bee-keeping area needs only to have its hives built. They're joined by a stockpile for honeycombs (tools only, no material besides wax), a press, and a craftsdwarf's shop to make wax crafts; 'cause what else are you going to do with wax?
The surface defenses had one unexpected detail: I ended up deconstructing the ballistas.
(https://i.imgur.com/YdRA9Yu.png)
They were rebuilt in spring, and even set to fire during the summer invasion; they weren’t manned in time, and then something a bit embarrassing happened: I forgot to switch them off. The two ballistas have fired the 7 available arrows when the rest of the fort was collecting corpses from the surface… and have missed everybody and everything. The only arrow that had a visible effect was when the ballista in the back hit the front-side ballista; the latter was deconstructed as a result. I think we should just shut down the whole assembly.
Military reshuffling was done with mixed success, the squads were set but we’ve all seen how raising dwarves can have mixed results.
The Tall Bar is something I haven’t touched at all, until now; I’ll rebuild the front door and the windows, but it can use a courtyard of sorts, that can be closed off with a bridge; given how the space is arranged so far, that courtyard has no choice but to be shared with the fortress entrance. That’s something requiring design, and not something for which I can spare either in-game dwarf power, or out-game brainpower.
… I suppose I’ll need a goal for my third term too, won’t I?
From the list of goals I haven’t touched, I settled on two: working on the third cavern, and decommissioning the old cage-and-doors labyrinth to extend the tree farm.
By ‘old cage-and-doors labyrinth’, I mean this:
(https://i.imgur.com/Td0uwVu.png)
There were some bridges built in there too, but nobody remembers where they’ve been connected - if at all. And the dark spaces with stairs in them are the tree farm; it’s been cut down recently, because there are only two tower caps, both two levels tall. The fort needs a source of wood if we’re ever going to produce steel, and even if I go through the third cavern, we can use any chunk of wood we get.
Everything gets deconstructed; for a very short while, the whole fort received masonry and mechanics. Miners will start channeling as soon as they’re available.
While that’s done on the surface, I’m focusing my attention on the third cavern. It’s currently occupied by two molemarians, creatures that have no problems attacking and killing dwarves. Given my newly-reacquired appreciation for dwarven lives, I’ll wait for them to leave, and instead prepare to handle the corpses: the upstairs corpse and refuse stockpiles are disabled, and the door to the two butcher’s shops is locked. Instead, five new butcheries are built in the cavern’s antechamber. The dwarves can work through the plethora of old skeletons inside, salvage the skulls, bones, and any other craftable bits, then the rest can be tossed down in the magma sea.
The two molemarians are replaced… by two different molemarians. Screw it, I’m opening the cave and unlocking the hatch. Maybe those two will wander out of the way... yeah right. They immediately corner one of the Swamp Hunters and hill him before anyone else can interfere. Both molemarians are marked for death, and the dwarven corpse is hauled upstairs.
We then get a lucky break, and receive three cave blobs, passive creatures that shouldn’t pose any problems. The bridge then deconstructs itself - at some point in the past six years, some blocks earmarked for it were moved. It’s been set in the same place, in the same conditions, and then linked to the lever off to the side of the stairs. Success!
(https://i.imgur.com/X6a7T5C.png) (https://i.imgur.com/MgDjsra.png)
I mark the cavern trees for cutting, we have two woodcutters, both unafflicted by the fever.
Back up top, the tree farm has only a bit of channeling left on the last level; a brand new spore tree has already popped in it:
(https://i.imgur.com/Wg65ySV.png)
The bee-keeping area is only marred by my inattention: I built one hive where I shouldn’t, and one grate where I should have built the hive; both have been set to deconstruct, but Reg is busy. The screw press is only delayed by the temporary lack of jugs - the ones we have are all full, and the 10 new ones I queued haven’t been made.
(https://i.imgur.com/TRH6epW.png)
NoGood is still being weird, and getting worse: by this time, DfHack is ringing alarms about him:
(https://i.imgur.com/oAwKp7I.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/AWsOlBo.png)
His wounds:
(https://i.imgur.com/L331gre.png)
And there’s no scheduled treatment.
And in closing, KingZultan has run out of thread to weave, moved on to clothing, and managed to shake off some 13,000 points of stress - sufficient to knock her from miserable to ‘merely’ very unhappy.
(https://i.imgur.com/LZofbOU.png)
-----
As promised, the status of notable kills. These are all dwarves with any kills whatsoever (not including NoGood, who still isn’t visible in Dwarf Therapist). Plus, more details about who’s got notable kills:
(https://i.imgur.com/cFG4woz.png)
Tosid:
(https://i.imgur.com/q5u7pIc.png)
Nogood:
(https://i.imgur.com/LQHD8FH.png)
Kib:
(https://i.imgur.com/3YUuJML.png)
Dumed:
(https://i.imgur.com/VRuXVOW.png)
Deduk:
(https://i.imgur.com/lemJSi2.png)
KingZultan:
(https://i.imgur.com/awvVXTe.png)
Recon:
(https://i.imgur.com/yRqzuGF.png)
Auze:
(https://i.imgur.com/6yOeIpH.png)
And lastly Vutok. That sick fuck:
(https://i.imgur.com/XZVJaDh.png)
(Funny thing: Dwarf Fortress and Dwarf Therapist disagree about Vutok’s kill: DT identifies Vutok’s victim by her original name, and marks her as a notable kill. DF lists the nickname, and just says it’s a kill:
(https://i.imgur.com/DcsDe0T.png)
)
The save (https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15238). Have fun with year 166.
Also any artifact made from gems makes me happy, as they always seem so real. I think I've even seen a white jade ring in a museum full of stolen artifacts from ancient China.
Some googling ended up with me on some horrific ebay and amazon pages selling jade rings touted as Chinese artifacts. Judging by the prices, they're not /real/ ones - but here's a pretty example. (Not nearly ancient, Qing dynasty was only 200 years ago.)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/22/a8/de/22a8de85cd7cb4415ba4e80fe888f98a.jpg)
This one is supposedly Ming (1300's-ish), but doesn't have the level of detail I'd expect from anything in the Ming dynasty. Interesting designs on both though - I like the Qing one since it has that DF quality of being chocked full of imagery.
(https://jacksonsonmain.com/ebay/tac/wfj895.1a.jpg)
KingZultan is OK again, down to ~300 stress. Reg is doing worst at ~21k, has had some breakdowns, to some part because Zultan was beating on them every time she had a tantarum.
To be fair, it's my fault King Zultan got beat up the first time - it makes sense she'd go after Reg.
Got the save. Poor Nogood's been sleepless/starving/dehydrating/suffocating/internally bleeding in the booze pile for almost two years now. I'll have to try re-ghoulifying him, or at least let him die with some dignity.
This is an interesting problem with ghouls - never quite dead again, but eternally suffering. With more testing we should add this to the wiki. It may be necessary to appoint Nogood as a mayor of one of the hillocks if no recovery is possible.
(https://i.imgur.com/0VZxLTZ.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/p7Ou1Oa.png)
Haven't used Stonesense for so long, I cannot remember all the commands
The inner thoughts of an Undying Overseer
Nogood Manorcircles, half-ghoul who really wishes the “undying” part wasn’t so literal right now
It has been nearly two years since that ill-fated battle against the necromancers’ minions left me dead in every meaningful way. My limbs lie useless at my side. My blood burns, stagnant and screaming for air, but I cannot force my lungs to take a breath. I have no voice, and I must scream.
And yet, I am learning to master my suffering. You can become accustomed to anything given enough time I suppose. I have taught myself to close out all external stimuli until I am just a tiny ball of self in a vast black sea. It is remarkably similar to what I remember of being a ghost. Remaining in this state, I start to see lines of energy flowing between me and other glowing nodes. This must be the power of life and death, the strings that tie me to my failing body. The slabs appear as two burning stars in the void. I see the captive necromancers as well, their veneer of dwarvenness worn away leaving only sharpened spikes of hate and madness. Looking further, I see… is that an alpaca?
Never mind that. What’s important to me now are the smaller nodes, the ones that belong to my ghoulish brothers and sisters. If I can just reach out to them, extend my will through our shared undead lineage… maybe… Yes! I can communicate with them! They shall be my hands, eyes and ears in this new existence.
1st Granite, 167
Smallhands has seen better days, but also far worse. The militia is in shambles due to successive losses and reorganizations. The Gravewardens have been populated with useless fodder and the Rainbow Raptors never returned from their raid on Sinewsabres. Fortunately, we still have two able-bodied legendary warriors, Tosid and Dumed. They were relieved of duty when the Gravewardens were repurposed into a meat grinder by the last overseer, but I’m reinstating them now. The only other melee dwarves of any skill are Recon and Deduk, and they have the fever. Seems like no one has been training for years. Probably all cave adapted. We’ll need to rely on our archers and traps for the time being.
I’m passing on my title of militia commander to Tosid. I’m in no shape to lead anyone in battle, and she’s always been the best soldier I could hope for. I know she’ll be able to return the Wardens to glory if anyone can.
Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of our population are now ghouls. I suppose I should be grateful for this, even if it is the result of a horrific campaign of mass murder. Unfortunately, these ghouls seem to lack the single-minded devotion that I had. They still cling to mortal needs and desires, becoming distracted when they can’t satisfy them. Most worrying is their inability to speak and socialize. They will stand around for days in mute silence while desperately trying to mimic social activities now lost to them.
(https://i.imgur.com/Wwd0A6B.png)
Looking around further, the fort seems to be running mostly well. Although we do have an absurd number of caged prisoners and animals…
(https://i.imgur.com/19CZFAw.png)
Speaking of prisoners, I’ve reinstated King Zultan. Of course, there’s the matter of the crimes which lead to her dismissal. She’ll receive a letter bearing my seal that should clear that all up.
(https://i.imgur.com/uHAgcSV.png)
28th Granite
I attempted to reach out to one of the living dwarves like I have been able to do with the ghouls. My thoughts seem to have affected her in some way, but not in any way I can control.
(https://i.imgur.com/bcgXxg7.png)
7th Slate
(https://i.imgur.com/RWxzdNl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/J2dN6Vw.png)
Jewel chains, shackles of the gods. Seems she got the gist of my recent feelings. A fitting tribute to Wheevilmessiah. It shall serve the Temple of Puppets well.
I haven’t been able to reproduce this result in any other dwarves. Perhaps Ineth was already primed to produce such an artifact and I just gave her the right push.
I don't see the reason you cannot do that right here?
Speaking of, does ghoul resurrection regenerate body parts? I was under the impression that it doesn't.
Part of what I'm thinking might require a new world generation - intelligent undead are meant to get powers from resurrection - in adventure mode they definitely gain one per "type". I'm not sure if our necromancers give those out or if they are just unavailable in fortress mode.
Missing body parts remain missing. Smashed parts should not heal, but I'm not sure about when they're re-alived.
The forlorn ghouls have the hide/invisibility power. It makes them un-targetable and extremely dangerous for adventurers, but I’m not sure if it has any effect in fort mode. If you can find a necromancer that learned from the other slab (only Sive Namedauras so far) they might have a different form of intelligent undead they can raise.
The intelligent undead keep whatever injuries they had on death but heal as a living dwarf would once resurrected.
The inner thoughts of an Undying Overseer
Summer 167
16th Hematite
The slacking ghouls have forced me to take drastic action. They are now banned from the main temples and other meeting areas. Four of them were stuck trying and failing to pray or socialize. Worse, they were distracting themselves further by neglecting the needs they can still satisfy. Better they had remained dead if all they are going to do is mope around all day. Maybe that seems too harsh, but it’s important to remember that they don’t have feelings anymore.
At least now we might make some progress on the Tall Bar. Maybe we’ll even get to seal off the swamp this year if they’re quick enough.
27th Malachite
With everyone working at full capacity, I’ve finally been able to enact some of my plans. First of all, I need to get off this damned floor! This will get a bit messy.
(https://i.imgur.com/AkM4cgz.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/1AuJndq.png)
Ah, much better! It may be cramped in here, but at least I am upright again.
8th Galena
Dumed has decided to bestow the name Gethustrecus, “The Harsh Thirsts” upon his shield. Apparently, it commemorates the two days the booze stockpile was locked so no one would get crushed during my relocation. He’s melodramatic as ever, I see.
(https://i.imgur.com/tMvLiaQ.png)
That makes me wonder, what ever happened to my old shield, Quicknesshawk? It would do well to store it alongside Ravenwind, but it’s nowhere to be found.
22nd Galena
(https://i.imgur.com/sd6VRiM.png)
Something made me try reaching out to another dwarf. Mateusz this time. Call it a gut feeling (if I could still feel my guts). I was rewarded with the same frenzied activity as last time. We’ll see what comes of this.
24th Galena
Something about my contact with Mateusz has… stirred something within me. I’ve never thought of myself as a craftsdwarf. Never thought about making an artifact of my own. But now that I’ve seen it done, felt the mad explosive power of creation… I can’t help but realize that I may never be capable of it now. That I may never use my hands again, never truly express myself.
The slabs have intensified their whispering. The things they tell me gnaw at my mind. Any comforting illusions I may try to hold onto are swept aside by their scourging truths. And they do speak truth, that I am sure of. I do not think they are even capable of lying. I know the choice before me, but I cannot face it. There is very little room for hope in my future.
(https://i.imgur.com/y3ALeaC.png)
Ah, should have realized that caging him would cause him to go insane (he has negative stress so it must have been that). Oh well, it doesn’t really change anything.
The inner thoughts of an Undying Overseer
Autumn 167
1st Limestone
One of the ghouls managed to fall off the walls of the Tall Bar during some construction. He’s uninjured, and as luck would have it, is trained in woodcutting. Looks like it’s a good time to start clearing out the swamp.
…Oh, he’s not carrying an axe for some reason. Fine, open the gate and let’s hope an army doesn’t show up. We have some business on the surface.
(https://i.imgur.com/KDBTSal.png)
5th Limestone
At long last, I shall be returned some measure of dignity. The greatest artisans of Smallhands have come together to devise a way for me to properly hold audience without relying on ghoulish intermediaries. Based on a simple instrument, they have created a device to force air into my atrophied lungs. Finally, I will be able to speak with my own voice.
(https://i.imgur.com/vC7AeZc.png)
The great mechanism has been installed under the Temple of Puppets, in the slab chamber. I will be able to keep eternal watch on them to ensure that no one will ever be able to misuse their power again.
(https://i.imgur.com/tGNTfKB.png)
The machine starts up, pumping fresh air into my lungs for the first time in years. I practice a few words. With air flowing in and then out, I can manage a wheezing, halting form of speech. I summon Salmeuk to explain my plans. He has known me the longest, from the time of my first resurrection when I was a barely conscious thrall. Yet even he is unnerved at the bizarre mechanisms sticking out of me, and the ghoulish voice they allow. Nevertheless, he listens intently. We have much work to do.
This is not the fate I wanted. I had hoped to die and return as a ghoul once again. At least that would put an end to the pain. But it seems fate has different plans. The slabs have told me that the necromantic magic within me has mutated and been stretched to its limits. A single scratch now, and my body would crumble to dust.
And yet here, in my crystal sarcophagus, I am immortal, truly undying. The slabs don’t tell me everything. I know they hold some things back, try to manipulate me that way. They want me to take the easy way out. They want someone else to wield their power and unleash a plague of undeath on the world. What else can I do but delay them, for as long as my will holds?
(https://i.imgur.com/bAsSwBP.png)
Nogood, 2020 edition
9th Limestone
(https://i.imgur.com/fR1oPWN.png)
The caravan arrives early this year, unharried by goblin raiders. Hopefully this portends a productive autumn.
The liaison brings word of the annual goblin attack on our homeland in the mountains. They were repelled by the warriors there, as usual.
It seems the constant sieges must be wearing on their supplies, as our new trade agreement offers a significant bounty for fresh ammunition.
(https://i.imgur.com/dPAFyoT.png)
For reasons beyond me, our mayor chose to meet the liaison in a half-flooded room of the abandoned asylum. Unsurprisingly, he was quick to conclude his formal business and get out of there.
13th Limestone
Mateusz has completed what he started working on after our minds touched. If it’s like the last one, it could hold hints to my hidden inner thoughts...
(https://i.imgur.com/6jN3l8Q.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/AaVBCQi.png)
Well, that’s a little on the nose, don’t you think?
15th Limestone
We took everything worthwhile from the traders in exchange for some of the masterwork bone carvings Dumed has been pumping out. Oh sorry, he goes by Murr2 now.
Speaking of Murr2, I’m sending him and Tosid on a stealthy raid of the forest retreat Stonesnarls, recently conquered by the goblins. If we’re ever to face the necromancers on our terms, we need someone trained in offensive military tactics, and that means experience in the field. They’re the best soldiers we have, this should be a walk in the park for them. Even so, I can’t help but worry given how disastrous many previous raids have gone.
19th Limestone
And they’re back! They stole… a bundle of arrows and a single plum. And didn’t note enemy positions or make any effort to devise new tactics. Well that was time well spent! Guess we’ll just have to slowly build the militia up until they can risk attacking openly again.
28th Timber
Construction on the wall to encompass the swamp has proceeded adequately. No more dwarves should randomly wander into it. Now all that’s needed is to seal the edges of our territory so no foolish migrants try to come from that direction.
(https://i.imgur.com/hCf7IqI.png)
If anyone -ideally only ghouls- does need to go into the swamp, there’s an entrance that crosses our tree farm. I’ve had water channels dug out to hopefully prevent them from tracking the ooze into the fort.
(https://i.imgur.com/2LK0Aza.png)
The inner thoughts of an Undying Overseer
Winter 167
1st Moonstone
(https://i.imgur.com/EQt8PRT.png)
Goblin invaders, and two construction workers caught on the surface! To arms, dwarves! We must save Olin and… Olin? I guess if one of them dies, it’ll at least make keeping track of people a bit easier.
Several trolls and their unarmed elf slave are pushed out in a mad charge, but they quail at the sight of our elite warriors!
(https://i.imgur.com/05crP13.png)
This is chaos, but we are winning.
(https://i.imgur.com/amh73nk.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZGQPvQq.png)
2nd Moonstone
Perhaps I spoke too soon. A second wave has arrived, riding beak dogs. This could get ugly fast.
(https://i.imgur.com/XXBksFQ.png)
We’re too spread out. Tosid’s liable to get overwhelmed if she doesn’t retreat. Recon’s out of the fight after getting stuck between two trolls and a sword-goblin. Meanwhile, I caught Murr2 slinking back underground after barely contributing to the fight. Get back out there, you coward!
Our soldiers have met the approaching wave. There’s no calling them back now. I can only hope they manage to break the enemy’s resolve before succumbing to the overwhelming numbers.
(https://i.imgur.com/3XaahwV.png)
3rd Moonstone
(https://i.imgur.com/C4GTFDx.png)
It’s a slaughter out there… We killed dozens, but they still have an entire army of goblins, trolls and beak dogs. Too many for one legendary soldier and a handful of rookies. They fought well but were ultimately only mortal.
We have no other choice. We need to seal off the surface. Salmeuk makes the call.
(https://i.imgur.com/5jbfLyw.png)
But wait, what’s that? I thought I told the surviving militia to retreat and defend the staircase. Who’s that barrelling through the gate… Murr2!
(https://i.imgur.com/YAUaaYZ.png)
I appreciate your spirit, but it would have been much more effective earlier in the battle. This is little more than a suicide charge.
(https://i.imgur.com/XzojHfP.png)
4th Moonstone
This has been an unmitigated disaster. Every melee dwarf in our militia is dead, and the Swamp Hunters have been reduced to two members. At least one of the Olins managed to esca-
(https://i.imgur.com/SHdhYiP.png)
Oh, come on!
…
Wait, something is changing on the surface. Are they… retreating?
(https://i.imgur.com/FTFeiBE.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/YU6ryxR.png)
Murr2, you mad bastard! You’ve done it! Now we have a chance to recover the bodies and bring them back!
The inner thoughts of an Undying Overseer
Winter 167
The more I think on it, the more I come to the conclusion that the failure to resurrect our warriors is a blessing in disguise. It is clear to me that we have long been puppets of forces beyond our comprehension. Our necromantic experiments have been sponsored by these powers from the start. Why they targeted Smallhands, I cannot even begin to guess. The identities of the culprits, however, are obvious:
Daze, human god of thunder, lightning and death. No doubt disappointed that his chosen disciple never accomplished anything beyond a short-lived dictatorship.
The Wicked, goddess of murder, death and peace. Perhaps her necromancers have failed her as well, so she sought us to punish their arrogance.
And, of course…
(https://i.imgur.com/EcEG6D5.png)
Lorsith Weevilmessiah, the Regal God. God of thralldom, and patron of the demon lord. I am now convinced he is behind all of this. Who else could mastermind a plan to have us convert our population into ghoulish thralls? He’s made puppets of us all.
Olon and I, the original ghouls, both worshippers of Weevilmessiah. We were the first to demonstrate the power granted by the shackles of undeath. The endless harrying of the necromancers, who perhaps didn’t know the purpose of it themselves, set us on the path to slavery. The infernal fever, a curse from the demon, made us desperate. I took the first steps to turning the necromancers’ power to our side. I intended it to only be used in dire circumstances, but it was only a matter of time before someone gave in to temptation and began mass conversion of our dwarves into ghouls.
Because of me, over a quarter of our population is undead. To our manipulators, this is only the beginning. They want to unleash the full power of the slabs. Maybe they intend for Smallhands to unleash a plague of undeath upon the world. To lead an army of ghouls and enslave the living. I cannot allow that to happen, but I know I will not be able to protect the slabs forever. If someone were to walk into this chamber with intent to steal them, I could not lift a hand to stop them. However, I may have a way to seal them away yet. And perhaps also, to atone for my part in this horror.
For now, though, there is much work to be done.
14th Opal
Imic was relocating one of the imprisoned beak dogs when it got loose and mauled Malfoy.
(https://i.imgur.com/VhbYvYR.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/DxIPREm.png)
Couldn’t have happened to a better dwarf. Still, better get the ghouls to put it down before it hurts someone who doesn’t deserve it.
6th Obsidian
Time seems to grind to a halt as the mighty “central heating” pumps roar to life. Let their fires cleanse the battlefield!
(https://i.imgur.com/MHX717E.png)
BURN!
(https://i.imgur.com/ca2N8us.png)
The keep is suffering some collateral damage. We’ll need to rebuild it with magma-proof materials if we’re going to continue using the central heating like this. It will be better when the Tall Bar is ready to act as a reservoir and we can do more targeted strikes.
(https://i.imgur.com/GUpFnZT.png)
19th Obsidian
That deals with most of the mess on the surface. All that’s left to me now is to ensure no one can misuse the slabs. I cannot bring myself to destroy them, if such godly artifacts even can be destroyed. I fear the effects that might have. And as loathe I am to admit it, the powers of necromancy have done us great good as well as evil.
I cannot guarantee the slabs will never fall into the hands of those who would misuse them, but I can make them much harder to get. I will seal my chamber with a flood of magma. The slabs themselves have been locked behind protective glass. Meanwhile, perhaps the sacrifice I have prepared will appease the gods of death, and they will leave us alone for a time. At the least, it will help deal with our cluttered cage stockpile.
(https://i.imgur.com/cT1GwZl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NYUmqg6.png)
As for myself, well, I have to answer for introducing this undead curse to Smallhands. If the slabs were truthful, I will not suffer long. I am cutting my strings, Lorsith!
20th Obsidian
The artifact floodgate I had chosen to seal the chamber has melted under the intense heat.
(https://i.imgur.com/GpslNfQ.png)
A pity, that means Ravenwind will be consumed as well. I have no use of it now, but I had hoped to preserve it out of sentimentality.
The sacrifices are dead, save two zombies, and yet I still live. Curious. Mercifully, my nerves were singed off very early on, and I no longer feel anything at all. Or maybe I am truly dead. It would be hard to tell at this point.
1st Granite
I am still here. Everything else as melted away, yet I persist.
(https://i.imgur.com/vETwyRP.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/xE47Mr9.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/IDs0EyZ.png)
I see now. My body has burned to ash, just as the slabs said. They do not lie, but they can withhold information. They never said I would die from this. Will I ever die? Perhaps that’s something not even the slabs, or the gods who created them, know. I am something new, something beyond their magics.
So, Weevilmessiah, it seems my servitude continues. But it is no longer service to you. No, I will guard these slabs. Not out of a sense of duty, nor out of sacrifice for the good of my fellow dwarves. There is only one thing that will fuel my will in this endless watch, and that is sheer, unrelenting spite. As the ages pass and this place is buried under the ruins of a hundred civilizations, I will be staring back at you with utmost hate.
And in this crystalline sarcophagus,
I AM ETERNAL.
SAVE (https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15272)
Thus concludes the saga of Nogood, at least for now.
I’ll post an explanation of what’s going on with him soon. Suffice to say, he’s quite unique.
The fort’s a bit of a mess right now, but it’ll survive. Everyone’s pretty happy. The only stressed dwarf was Murr2.
Following what Recon did with... well...
Recon.
I'm going to try my hand at something.
Murr's last wish, hastily scrawled on booze stained paper:
"If you are reading this, that likley means I've been made a zombie. I have only one request
the next time the goblins come to siege
Lemme at 'em."
Anything else on the paper is likely covered in booze.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 8th of Granite 168
Nogood deserves my thanks for putting some more floors on the Tall Bar. I'll ask around later where the ground floor windows went but for now it appears he even made a worthwhile attempt to keep even materials on each floor. He also filled the bottom floor with gold which was both great as it means I no longer have to use brass for the furniture, but also damn it! I had a mug shaped relief on that floor! I dug about and sure enough, the bottle of the brew I left in my will was there still. Time to dig the excess out and get some silver down. A golden tankard on a silver back. That's the Tall bar emblem.
I laid down the plans to finish the tankard flooring and then decided to take stock.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/772418857671458816/unknown.png)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/772421008078143498/unknown.png)
There's trouble already. We flat out don't have enough soap or charcoal to make soap and pig iron. I have taken it upon myself to inspect our equipment and the results are...less than satisfactory. We have some good quality equipment, but calling the majority finely crafted is but an insult. Our weapons are a little better thanks to our now dead legendary blacksmith.
The former was caused by one of the Overseers crushing all the animals I left to grow so we could harvest them for soap. The latter is caused by our living smiths being fevered and the undead ones...being used in the military? Our only good armoursmith is Amost, undead and distracted. She won't be able to produce anything of any quality.
Fine I will learn myself. My clothier experience will be useful. KingZultan used up all the dye anyway.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 17th of Granite 168
Salmeuk remove this at once! Mine it yourself! Then engrave something better about me.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/772430707544031252/unknown.png)
On a side note, while exploring the memorial hall for a place to put a slab to Tholtig, I happened upon Salmeuk's old chamber. It was still missing a statue. Nobody had bothered to replace it despite it being one of the first orders of my reign. I continued further, seeing all the engravings above each slab and coffin. Filled with disgusting images of their last moments or humilitating events instead of displaying their glory and achievements.
Is this really what smallhands has come to? Have the majority embraced necromancy to the point we can't even memorialise dwarves that have departed for Armok's halls honourably?
I cracked open a bottle of longland beer that evening and started drawing up some new plans. Smallhands will memorialise its dead properly from now on, and this will require a new Hall of the Dead to be dug out.
On the way out I needed more strawberry wine. Smallhands really has slipped since my previous reign. I thought a previous overseer was going to stamp out this elven plague
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/772436727360389130/unknown.png)
The Mayor has issued a demand and a mandate. A black bronze statue in his bedroom? Export of statues prohibited?
Why Mayor Avuz, I do believe I have here a notice stating that you are to nominate your replacement as me effective immediately.
I also replaced Malfoy as the Hammerer and brought back my old hammerer Rigoth. Can't trust that dwarf with anything resembling importance and as we all know the Hammerer is an important position.
Sadly, we had some bad news this week. A cat has been missing for a week.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 3rd of Slate 168
The elves have arrived. Those traitorous tree huggers almost cost Smallhands on more than one occasion. I will trade with them for now, but the moment they start getting greedy, I will be starting my military campaign ahead of schedule.
Hang on...what's this in the stockpile?
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/772451110891683840/unknown.png)
I wonder if elves are willing to buy their reanimated fallen. I mean to them its food that can be delivered to their door. Despicable cannibals.
I'm going to attempt to sell them all their old elven crap back. We are dwarves, we use dwarven stuff here. The only elven stuff we want is booze and seeds. The former isn't even elven, tis but a dwarven invention our ancestors foolishly leaked the secrets of in the past.
Auze came back to me while I was choosing what to sell. The elves didn't exactly have anything we wanted or needed, at least none of it that was tainted with elven pestilence. But they did at least have some properly produced hempen clothing from the Mountainhomes and some Bayberries I can produce a new type of alcohol with. Fortunately for them, the "value" of the elven rubbish we had was more than enough to get our dwarven things off that caravan.
While this was going off I saw a child running about gathering materials. Said child is Sazir something, they been quite withdrawn lately so this sounds promising.
Another interesting development happened today- migrants!
2 Peasants and two children. Normally I'd grumble at unskilled labour, but blank slates are useful as it stands. Oddom has some training in the use of a crossbow and armour, whereas Zan has the basics of metalsmithing. I'm sure we can put the two of th-
...What's that noise?
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/772461780449624084/unknown.png)
It appears that Reg didn't quite understand the command of "Drag the elf to the depot" correctly. Neither did Logem for that matter, the elves got out and they appear to have fought each other. Reg buzzed off north as fast as possible whereas Logem decided wisely to shut the door. Unfortunately that left Avuz in the stockpile chamber while fetching some seeds. Luckily Avuz hadn't handed in the mayoral keys and locked the door. Logem also made sure to lock the security hatch on the emergency stockpiles.
At that point the elf ghoul sped off north seeking to take out Reg. Reg somehow managed to slam the door shut and jam it so the elf couldnt get in and Logem upon realising this locked the bone room door, unlocked the security door, then locked the bone room stockpile entrance, sealing the elf inside the bone room freeing Avuz.
I'll drink to the quick thinking actions of those three. That could easily have been deadly to people we can't afford to lose.
I will send our siege breakers in shortly, I will station them in the stockpiles entrance rather than the central staircase, then lock them in until they are dead. I gave our ghouls a signal to bang on the door when the all clear is sounded.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 19th of Slate 168
Progress on the Tankard has finally started again. I have had the seed stockpile laid down and the drinks stockpile too. The workers complained about two dwarven children and another migrant lazing about outside it though. Apparently they hadn't got the message to enter through the fortress entrance rather than the Tavern in progress. I understand of course, who wouldn't want to go for a drink first thing as they arrive at a new settlement.
Sazir, the weird child has also started building whatever it is in that little head that requires materials from all around the fort. Lets hope its something useful.
I have been spending the last couple of weeks drafting, redrafting and drinking. Usually in that order. The planning for the new memorial hall has taken up a lot of my time due to some restrictions and rules I am going to be putting in place regarding the hall of the honoured dead
1. The deceased must have been a dwarf.
2. The dwarf must not be an elf lover
3. The elf hater is required to have contributed to SmallHands
4. The contributor must have been a citizen of SmallHands or been actively earning citizenship.
5. The citizen must be in good standing upon their death.
Therefore, a small portion of the old memorial hall will not be eligible for transfer to the new one. Examples include Vutok for his murder of Ex overseer Amara, and certain elves that a certain predecessor of mine should be arrested for entombing. In addition, as this is a memorial hall to the honoured dead
we will honour them
All entrees into our hall will receive the following: One statue depicting them in their life at their prime performing their proudest achievement or most worthwhile one to Smallhands.
A memorial slab or coffin as appropriate to the dwarf and chamber.
Those that have performed military deeds for the fortress shall be put to rest within the second tier of honours. They who gave their lives in order to safeguard our home will receive a Wall engraving of themselves serving Smallhands in addition to the previous benefits.
Finally, certain rooms shall be allocated for Legends of the Fortress. Each shall be customised to their holder's wishes, or if deceased to proudly display their life and glory in the finest of detail. Any unfulfilling floor engravings shall be removed. All wall engravings shall be determined by the owner. Floor engravings shall be left to the artist on the condition they are made from a different citizen's fond memories of that dwarf
Naturally, only myself, Nogood and Salmeuk have earned that honour so far.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 3rd of Felsite 168
The Hall of Honour has been laid down
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/773967905468448808/unknown.png?width=758&height=672)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/773967350071820318/unknown.png)
The top floor has rows of alcoves dedicated to each dwarf. A statue at the back of each alcove depicting the dwarf, and the slab or coffin in front of them for people to pay their respects at when they go pass. Each corridor shall start at a nexus. Each individual nexus shall have pedestals in its corner holding certain gemstones for symbolic reasons.
Each corridor ends in a room. These specific rooms shall be made to tell the story of smallhands's crowning moments in our history. These rooms shall be engraved last and only after discussion from the overseer to the public. I'm probably being rubbish about this, but my artistic sense...isn't the best at times.
The bottom floor is split into three separate sections. The heart shaped rooms in the centre are for our legends of Smallhands. The eastern most rooms will hold those crafters who wish to be beside their artifacts they made.
The western rooms will hold the military engravings. The north will hold our ranged squads, the south our melee teams.
I drafted the plans to accomdate increased demand as well, there floors above and below with undug space that can be used if additional memorials are required.
In other news, apparently Sazirs artifact was a tunnel tube earring. Unfortunately, this means Sazir has been irrecoverably tainted by the elves. I shall have to execute him. At least one of the kids was playing with a toy axe made of iron, a proper dwarfy toy.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 19th of Felsite 168
When Felsite came around I was reminded that I hadn't started yet on finishing the one outstanding issue from my last reign's production issues. Namely the military.
Our military is reasonably skilled. All 5 members of it. There's 3 ghouls in the siege breakers, myself, and Ast our legendary marksdwarf. I thought there was six but then I remembered to cross off Tholtig. Either way there's simply not enough of us.
2 of our 3 ghouls were training as normal, albeit as best they could with their falling apart bodies. When I asked about Rigoth, I was directed to the hospital- there I saw a sight that almost made me want to drink to forget: Malfoy the murderer, happily stiching up and treating some ghouls back together. Why couldn't he do that with our living dwarves? Mind you our only other option is Salmeuk, and if he's not around, I don't blame all of us among the living who have injuries from getting treated.
Looks like I've finally found something for our new peasant to learn. Medicine
After some chatting with the missing ghoul, and a walk around the fort, I ccalled attention at dinner that night the same way I always done. Slamming my granite tankard against a mat. I announced that from now on, all living dwarves not in the guard or possessed of invaluable or unique skills will be getting military training every other month. In addition, more ghouls are going in the military. A full time force will be training always, but there will be two backup forces that alternate their on duty months. Smallhands needs to get into fighting shape again if those goblins come back.
It would also give me a break from making clothing alongside King Zultan each month. Sure, the pair of us are churning out legendary clothing like there's no tomorrow but we shouldn't use all the cloth in the fort. Not if we are repairing our ghouls now.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 15th of Hematite 168
Hematite has arrived and with it, the realisation I hadn''t done a single thing to the smity or to address our lack of quality armour so far this year.
I needed a drink when I then realised that all the progress I had made towards training a smithing force in my last reign had gone up in flames over time.
Correcting this was important if Smallhands is to be glorious bastion of all that is dwarfy once more. I had our miners dig a couple of chunks out of the big open area to the south of the magma forges and set up three stockpiles to replace the old useless ones. On the left is low grade metal for melting. On the top right is military emergency. In here lies poor quality steel and iron equipment plus silver bludgeoning weapons. The bottom right is where all high quality equipment is going for use by our armed forces.
I announced a short clean up of all jobless dwarves to go fetch any equipment off the surface. While there shouldn't be any jobless dwarves while the Tall Bar is still be assembled, going out in the sun will be a fitting punishment for some of these slackers. I also laid down some smithing orders so I can manufacture some good metal furniture for my tavern after a previous overseer melted the few things I had.
Curiously, when I want on the surface myself, I found the axe I inherited from Tosid. This thing has quite the history, and its such a work of art too. I'm glad to have it back.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/774287335965458452/unknown.png)
I think I'm going to use it on the raid next month.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 10th of Sandstone 168
After several weeks of delays and frustration involving a misplaced gauntlet we finally set out for Sinewsabres on the 7th at midnight, arriving to invade at dawn on the 8th. After much fighting we have returned and I am thrilled to report
VICTORY BELONGS TO SMALLHANDS!
My intention was to attack with the dawn's rays in our enemies eyes from the East. Unfortunately my opponent on the tactical front was Ushrir the necromancer. One of the foremost tactical minds of our time alongside myself. He's often been stated to be a Grand Master of tactics and it showed. He ended up ambushing us along with some zombies and his servants.
Were it not for my tactical thinking in separating into groups of 4 with 3 melee to a ranged, we would all have been struck down there and then. Tis fortunate I devised this strategy for it allowed my team to clash with the ambushers from multiple angles as soon as the fighting started. Sadly our ghoul squad deviated too much from their assigned position and they ended up having 3 members struck down by a goblin and an elf
The former I could understand at the time, the latter was just an embarassment so good riddance to Amost.
I then thoroughly revised my opinion when I met the same goblin in single combat. Needless to say with my skill at arms, the fight didn't last too long. Neither did the elf when Rakust started swinging. Rakust beat the elf singlehandedly, literally, Rakust only has one functional hand.
Finally our Blacksmith ghoul Vabok got attacked by the necromancer himself and cut him down easily.
We then spent the next day tracking and slaying the last elf, surrounding and executing them mercilessly and had a celebratory drink after searching Sinewsabres. What I found there was grisly, but relieving too. We had ended a great evil in this world by slaying Ushrir. A once proud general that capitulated to goblins and sought to extend his life, delving deep down into hell and consorted with demons. He took on multiple apprentices including Spriggans who is now the final member of this insane group of necromancers. Needless to say he won't be doing much business for his Overlord rank while he's in that tower :)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777859511456628787/unknown.png?width=402&height=671)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777860017813848154/unknown.png)
Alas, we found no trace of our captured citizens. But I did find a note stating that those dwarves were seen fleeing. Sadly that's all it said. If there was anything else we didn't find it. We burned down the tower on the 10th and came home.
We did get some loot though including a theatrical play called "It must have been Tenacity"
The whole thing was more a rant than anything else but it shall serve well as a trophy over the dreaded Ushrir.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777860265206218752/unknown.png)
Nothing too special but some more instrument parts never go amiss.
Smallhands! Free drinks tonight for we vanquished a great evil! Raise your tankards and shout your toast to the heavens for Smallhands is and always will be TRIUMPHANT!
A platinum flask shaped beer stain is on the bottom of the page
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 25th of Sandstone 168
With the raid out of the way I finally got an opportunity to revisit some of the outstanding works being performed in Smallhands. Things seemed to be going as planned
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777868213882847252/unknown.png)
See here my fellow dwarves? This is the work of someone who respects our dead and our heroes. My predecessors did not on the whole. This slab will go to Rigoth, Smallhand's finest hammerer.
I am also pleased to say that our metalsmith did a fantastic job on the statue as well, highlighting how Rigoth made his artifact and reflecting his role as our dispenser of justice. (OOC: I did select the artifact but it just shows up as this. No clue why)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777918440467333141/unknown.png?width=1443&height=62)
Good thing too since Rigoth was more than a bit angry at his second death and came back as a ghost. Fortunately he was grateful for the statue and departed to Armok's realm in peace. Kib has also come back as a ghost and is um...apparently still reporting for duty as leader of the Swamp hunters. I'm gonna need a strong drink for this. There's no other dwarves in the fortress that know how to shoot a crossbow other than myself and Tun who only immirated earlier this year. I'm certainly too busy being bartender, armourer and Overseer.
So much for repairing the military this late in my reign!
Oh one other thing I noted today. I overheard one of the children tainted by the elf toy, the one who went into a strange mood said she was annoyed with "All these outside creatures and greenery"
There may be hope for her yet. The same cannot be said for Dakost nor Bim, another child that arrived. Those two are going into the zombie crusher. I will designate it as a playroom. The remaining 2 children are playing with a toy hammer and a miniforge respectively. Good little dwarves.
I take no pleasure in this. But we cannot trust the elves haven't done something with you two, and so I have had the remaining "Grown" toys thrown in there too
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777951255951048774/unknown.png)
Its the only way to be sure
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777952329915039754/unknown.png)
---------------------
OOC: short update today
Hard to believe I actually completed several of my objectives for this reign within the span of a month.
Unfortunately, it does appear I will not be able to do the magma works to the top of the tall bar. I had to deconstruct the roof after I learned the material was not magma resistant.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 13th of Timber 168
It is winter now in Smallhands, and with winter comes two things. Chilled booze and angry Overseers who are unable to fulfill their ideas because the fortress population is too busy socialising and drinking! I have three months left in my reign and I don't trust my successor overseers to memorialise our dwarves properly!
At least I can somewhat rely on my successors to want to correct the recently discovered issue in the magma works for the Tall Bar should I be unable to rectify it after yesterday's test. That being the pump stack materials were not magma safe resulting in magma almost flooding the trade stockpile. I thought I was going to need to replace some of walls as well to prevent leakage into the tavern itself but fortunately a miner who assisted Nogood with engineering the temple recalled hearing from the man that magma sealant was a part of all standard dwarf constructions.
A pity I had to knock down the surface tunnel anyway as it was causing issues and confusion for the migrants. I have thus had to begin the magma works almost from scratch with orders for the miners to dig from the same floor the West Access Shutoff Z-1 lever. Honestly, I'm not sure what that lever is supposed to shut off but I'm not pulling it in case it triggers an earthquake that sinks the whole west half of the fort into the caverns.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/777961903695200336/unknown.png)
Only a week since those two elf lovers went missing? I thought it was longer than that.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 4th of Moonstone 168
As the weather chills and the light fades sooner, we work evermore in the darkness. Little has happened these last few weeks beyond continued hauling, smelting and carving of stone.
I have decided to make use of the floorspace I had excavated for materials to build the Tall Bar with by having a masonry and a craftsdwarf workshop installed and a pair of stockpiles put down. Being opposite the Hall of the Hallowed Dead, this shall be thus be named Memorial Manufactory. Or it would be had the Overseer's office not run out of parchment this morning when I was drafting work orders for our ghoulish fevered blacksmiths to kindly refrain from making subpar statues and instead let our living, focused, non fevered metalsmith get to work. Vabok especially shouldn't be smithing as he's supposed to be on military training.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779722425914228766/unknown.png)
I am thoroughly pleased with Kosoth, our mason who underwent a fey mood last season. Initially just a mason in training with his dog, he got inspired while hauling a statue of myself and made a Galena armour stand with a drawing a Salmeuk surrounded by snails. I'm not even sure that qualified as an artifact it was so plain and I confess I missed out writing it in the overseer logs.
Since then he has gone on to produce masterwork after masterwork for our fallen. He is going to get a better room and I hope he finds some friends here. The man deserves them. Till then, I will install a statue of his goddess Kovest. While I think little and less of all gods below Armok, I cannot deny that she who oversees Metals, Minerals, Wealth and Jewels is a reasonable deity to worship were Armok not around.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 19th of Moonstone 168
What's that shouting?
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779721622524788736/unknown.png)
Kib...instead of complaining your water source has vanished, how about using the stairs and getting some booze?
Speaking of stairs, I was looking through some old fort documents and I couldn't for the life of me work out what these stairs were for. They are above the asylum which doesn't exactly bode well.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779728062920917012/unknown.png)
I vaguely remember the asylum. That place must be covered in dust and cobwebs by now since all the dwarves that were going insane are now better, dead, both or currently held by goblins for streaking that I absolutely had absolutely not seen coming just like every other dwarf in the fort.
But those stairs got me thinking, if they link upwards to the aquifer...maybe we can build ourselves a drowning chamber for goblins as a contingency.
After rereading my journal last week and the last words of Nogood, I slammed my flask for quiet in the tavern that night for quiet as usual and ordered every dwarf to declare their religion to me in writing by the end of the month for two purposes. Burial rights, and preparation for a purging of anybody worshipping an elf, beast, monster, goblin, demon or necromantic deity.
My time as Overseer will be at an end soon, and I must set the stage for later.
The results...were unexpected:
Why do we have a 9x7 Urist temple devoted to the God of Murder? Especially when we don't have any followers of him.
There are 3 misguided souls that worship the deity of theft. Whats more they have named their shrine "The ungodly chapel" I'm not even sure what to say to that. The shrine barely qualifies worth an estimated 4 urists. I had to down a flaskfull of foxtail millet to get that idiocy out of my head.
We still have a single foolish dwarf devoted to Weevilmessiah the god of Thralldom. The one whose been behind so much evil in this fortress through giving slabs to the necromancers. This traitor must be slain like his followers in Sinewsabres. An age of dwarves will only come once dwarves and dwarves alone rule the world with someone like myself at the helm of such a golden age.
Moving on, was a pleasant surprise- 21 dwarves, more than half of our population worships The Helpful Saint, deity of forgiveness. Two small temples but apparently 11 worshippers just can't be served in them.
The same cannot be said for the 2 followers of Arkoth, a deity of Fate and Rain. Rain is a blight on dwarvenkind, its an elven influenced belief! Rain is evil, just look at those clouds of goo!
Finally...there's still somebody who worships the goblin god Lidod Dungsspit, god of depravity. A quick atom smashing is what needs to happen there.
Annoyingly, I was unable to list Armok in the deities list. Ran out of room on the parchment. Save the best till last they always say...curses, I need another drink.
Several reminders to deduct different alcohols from the stockpile line the rest of the page
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 11th of Opal 168
The days continue to tick by and the new memorial hall is smoothed into resplendence. Three have already been put to rest here- Bim, Salmeuk's wife and founder of Smallhands. Kib, creator of the glass chain and hero of Sinewsabres and Rigoth, Hammerer of Smallhands.
All three have been given superb statues and slabs. I have also instructed our idle dwarves to stop socialising and start getting shut of the old memorial statues that were wholly inappropriate. While I won't have them melted quite just yet, the smithies having enough work as is, they will be needed next time.
I have had our best engraver Udib work purely on our Hall of Legends engravings beginning with Nogood, then Salmeuk and finally myself.
A note to my successors- if some ungrateful bastard puts a floor engraving that needs to be removed, force them to run some minecart tracks over them and then grind the tracks into dust. Then you will have a nice clean floor to make them do it again until they are respectful enough to get alcohol privelages.
Here's some samples of the work our new living dwarves have been making.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779768210181718026/unknown.png?width=1443&height=41)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779790238934761532/unknown.png?width=1443&height=88)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779790014275256371/unknown.png)
I have done my best to ensure the glorious deeds and crafts of our dwarves were shown correctly. Nogood's strike with his shield was in honour of a particularly good kill I saw him do once bashing a goblin's head off with the edge of it.
Unfortunately, there were a couple of potential engravings that weren't perfect because one of the engravers started on the wall before I could tell him what to put there. He's only getting one pint if he comes to the tavern tonight!
In other news, our sole Bowyer has become unusually secretive lately. Wonder what he's up to.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779747346950914079/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 5th of Obsidian 168
As the last few weeks of my term draw to a close, I have to concede thanks to the workforce being chattier than ever, even the ghouls, that I am unable to guarentee the implementation of either the new magma system on the Tall Bar, or the inductions into the new memorial hall of smallhands.
of the 38 work capable dwarves in this fort, today I counted no less than 30 of them socialising, drinking or sleeping. Some were shouting down in the farmer's guild hall even though they weren't farmers. I did see Imic dancing with Vabok though despite poor Vabok being down an arm and undead. Vabok's been coming to the tavern a lot after training. Seems its given him much better peace of mind than before.
I also noted that there have been several library complaints about unreturned books- unheard of in peace time. The curious thing is, one of the most popular books being checked out was Start The Day Cleansing Wounds by, who else, Ushrir the necromancer.
It really has been peaceful here. Both of my reigns have had zero incidents involving goblin and necromancer invasions or echnidas. I suppose that all those statues of myself we exported have lead the goblins to realising that Smallhands is just not worth the effort when I'm in charge. Which it isn't of course. When the best are in charge, we boost up everyone beneath us, and though smallhands has a lot of potential, it loses its way once in a while, but we will always endure.
Just like I hope these memorials will
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779812944095477770/unknown.png)
The top left is Nogood's room, complete with a Masterwork Bronze replica of Ravenwind on a golden pedastal. There is supposed to be another on the other side with a replica of Quicknesshawks but its not been made yet. Engraved are various scenes from his life such as capturing Kol Namedpillars. To the top right is Salmeuk's room, the artifact coffin going to him and a Masterwork Diorite coffin on the opposite side for his wife Bim. Bim I should add also has a memorial in the regular citizens area plus a statue, her body is buried here.
The bottom right one in this etching is my tomb. There's not as many engravings here. Why would there be when there are still great deeds I need to accomplish after all? The other reason is because those blasted engravers STILL spend more time socialising than working! Now they are listening to stories and praying!
If only some of our fort members weren't permanently afflicted with fever then they would be able to contribute to the high detail work thats required at the moment.
Much to my frustration though, the same can't be said for the magma works. The tunnel I had ordered dug by Kib ended up flooding during break time. So the next overseer will have that to fix if we're going to bring fire down upon the hordes of goblins.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 28th of Obsidian 168
It was wet and miserable outside, but dry and merry inside for a change this year. I've never served so many drinks on new years eve party. We also had quite a lot of candidates this year for Overseership next year. Stories were swapped, songs were sung...I even saw a poetry performance by a ghoul. It was quite riveting even despite his current physical status making it difficult to discern at times.
Momuz turned up as well which was a surprise. I guess I can let her off slacking so much recently given what she was carrying
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779811055974350888/unknown.png)
The sound of a crashing platinum flask on a stone mat distracts the crowd
Citizens of Smallhands!
Tonight we celebrate, both the new year and the old. We have come far this way, partly because of me, and with thanks to all of you. 5 years ago we started construction of this tower and today we can look upon spring from up high. 5 years before we even begun this tower Smallhands hit sunlight once more as the fortress recovered from Sinewsabre's slaughter by destroying cactushexes. Yet here we stand, while Sinewsabres does not. On high our enemies build and in numbers they fight, yet Smallhands is here triumphant!
With the sacrifices of our predecessors and hard work in the present, we can look forward to a glorious future. Now raise your mug and toast to ourselves and Smallhands!
Thus I spoke to the crowd. As I walked out on to the balcony to see the dawn's rays, I felt my eyes drawn to the ruins of Sinewsabres in the distance, then down to Smallhands' entrance. Behind it was the perpetual goo cloud that encapsulated Spriggan's tower. After all these years he's still there shouting and screaming till the end of time. Or at least till a drunk dwarf decides his decimation is due.
I'm proud to say I've left Smallhands better than I found it in once more. I did what I set out to do even if I didn't finish my side projects. Those are now in the hands of my successor. No rigging this time. Smallhands deserves a fair election given how much its trying to improve as a whole. They may not be up to my level, but they are certainly on the way. I can be proud of myself, and proud of them.
And they can be proud of themselves too even if I have to shout at them sometimes. But what sort of dwarves would they be if I didn't?
A question for another day.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/779813035694096424/unknown.png)
SAVE https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15312 (https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15312)
(https://i.imgur.com/0Ruh9C1.png)
So much vomit still decorating the surface.
And it all started from this . . .. .
(https://i.imgur.com/wrBOYj6.png)
Clicking on the picture enbiggens it
Update today. I got a handle on this place, and honestly, it's not even that confusing after 20 years.
==============
Diary of Salmeuk, Year 169, Smallhands
I've been here before, it seems. Previous overseer just gives up, doesn't feel 'attuned' to the work anymore, and passes the buck along. Of course, being old and smart, I saw what was gonna happen, and tried to leave the meeting early, you know, "I need more coffee." Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen. They saw me stand up and assumed I was volunteering. And, well, fuck it? If these younglings want more of me, fine. I'll take up the reigns once more. But don't expect anything jawdropping here - just a bit o' common sense here, a swig of rum there, you know the drill.
It's the 20th anniversary of Smallhand's foundation. I look back on how the years have changed me:
(https://i.imgur.com/sCOi3Kj.png)
That's a lot of dead bodies
I saw so many dead bodies, I don't really care anymore. In fact, if I go a couple of weeks without seeing death, I get a little worried, as a secret death is much more terrible than one out in the open.
All those years I spent in solitude, with all hope gone, surviving amidst the rotting corpses and empty hallways. No, those years had no impact on my psyche. Instead, five distinct shifts in my personality can be attributed to literally just seeing the sun.
And one of those shifts made me a dirty nature-lover. Or at least, admirer-from-far-away.
Also, I am affected by a crippling shyness because my clothes rotted off one year. Yeah, that's pretty bad. . .
In any case, I am sober and at the helm. What to do?
Things are a little messy around here, we could start there:
(https://i.imgur.com/lWqqtdr.png)
Lots o' Junk
Even here I've already started to organize and redistribute. I think for the 20th year, Smallhands deserves a little dusting-up. You know, for longevity's sake, we'll make things right and sensible, so that successors can continue unimpeded by hauling tasks and the headaches that come with.
Let's begin!
==============================
Journal of Salmeuk, Late Spring
Uneventful year so far. The elves came, specifically to talk to me. They had some kind of deal:
(https://i.imgur.com/1BpqP1j.png)
My recent appreciation of nature notwithstanding, I could not accept such a deal without threatening the sanctity of our nationhood. I carefully worded a refusal, pointing out the fact I really had no say in the thing as it was a matter of law that only the Mountainhome could decide.
Meanwhile, in the caverns:
(https://i.imgur.com/1P5somH.gif)
==============================
Journal of Salmeuk, Mid-Summer
The newly organized and walled farms:
(https://i.imgur.com/L84UB8n.png)
I've taken the approach where I won't try to move rooms around, much or at all. Instead, I will just smooth and reconfigure existing walls to better account for dwarf movement and flow. I have also begun to centralize stockpiles to just a few areas, so as overseers we aren't faced with the awful task of finding a single furniture stockpile that's hiding away in some decrepit corner of the fortress and stealing away all your freshly-made cabinetry, or whatever. Shit's tough to manage, I'm making it simpler to face is all.
I have also finished my original plans, for a trapped series of columns surrounding the entrance:
(https://i.imgur.com/dlqxyTV.png)
More construction plans await. We got some migrants (like, quite a few. we're up to 70 pop now and I'm not sure if I was supposed to keep it under a certain number? let me know if I fucked it up) and they have mostly been put to use hauling things around.
Also, our military needs a look. Temples need creation or consolidation. And dear lord, honestly? This fortress is like %40 personally dug overseer bedrooms lol. They all look very nice, I must admit. But you can't go three z-levels without bumping into one. And they are all OVER the place haha.
Oh, and check out this artifact:
(https://i.imgur.com/cKLVYhq.png)
Honestly, after seeing so many cripple dwarves use their crutches in combat, I think it's a splendid addition to our military might.
===========================
Work continues peacefully. Let me know if you have requests for organization that I could fullfill in half-year's time.
Here is another draft of a concise description of Smallhands. It is based on Murr2's idea, but with more mention of Nogood.
Ghouls, Necromancy, Feverish Goo, and !!SCIENCE!! all in a small space. Also the home of the first truly unkillable dwarf.
Ascension of Auze
The crowd read out who was to be their new overseer first with apprehension, and then confusion.
auze... huh, guess that makes sense, sort of.
Auze was a choice that simultaneously made sense and yet was a bit of a weird choice. The dwarf himself was a bit of an Enigma. Of the major dwarves, he was without a doubt the one with the most militaristic previous rule, but simultaneously the one who was perhaps the least xenophobic against elves. He had ruled capably back in 158, but that was about 15 years ago and in between auze had suffered a mental breakdown, gotten nearly-executed for murder, and drank so much the dwarves considered him an alcoholic.
...And that's without going into the mental changes he had experienced as a result.
(https://i.imgur.com/QR5y27D.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/eNsfNBC.png)
I didn't even know it was possible to get alcoholism above "needs to get through the working day".
(https://i.imgur.com/lR5heez.png)
Auze doesn't really have any family or friends, so I'm not sure if those parts matter.
(https://i.imgur.com/9u0s1O6.png)
In any case, if there was one thing auze could do, it was business. With his sharp memory and wit, auze could use the resources of Smallhands to achieve something great. With his military experience, he could do even greater.
The only question is: would he?
I think it's me, actually.
I shall download the save and have a look around before I dorf myself. Let's see what fresh horrors we have to work with here...
Immediate reaction: by god this is small. I mean, I knew it was gonna be small, I read at least some of the thread, but seeing that the entire map fits into the game window is kind of a shock.
](https://imgur.com/93grTdp.png)
(https://imgur.com/bp11ciB.png)
The dwarves of Smallhands are not too badly broken, all things considered. Only three of them actually have particularly severe stress problems: the fourth is Dastot, our newest forlorn ghoul. I imagine her stress will gradually make it's way back to zero over time since she no longer experiences anything resembling dwarven emotions now.
Actually... [grabs my dorfing pen]... I know we've already had ghoul overseers, but I'm feeling the need to micromanage the crap out of this place, and who better to overhaul the management dwarves than she who suffered the most? So, say hi everyone to Smallhands newest emotionless overseer, the Dwarf Bone Carver Forlorn... Ghol?
(https://imgur.com/1UW87El.png)
... the Dwarf Bone Carver Forlorn Ghol formerly known as Dastot.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 1st of Granite 175
When it comes to electing a new overseer it usually goes like this
1. Volunteers register their request with me at the tavern. Other dwarves before the 28th register their top 3 dwarves for leadership
2. I strike out candidates that have caused sufficient infractions.
3. Votes get counted and any that don't meet the threshold (Number of people in fortress/number of candidates in whole dwarves, eg 50 dwarves, 6 candidates, each candidate would need minimum of 8 vores) are tossed out. Volunteers go through automatically.
4. The drunkards who passed go into a multi exit room with a limited supply of booze. They must then discuss amongst themselves who gets the job. 50% of the candidates must vote for another to have a winner. This is how Elpho and Salmeuk ended up elected against their will.
5. If the booze runs out, all doors in the room will close momentarily, and then a random one is opened. Last out gets the job
This time around it went like this
1. After Dastot's breakdown, I start letting dwarves drink as much as they like to cope with her tyranny of kindness
2. On 28th of Obsidian I remind everyone about their unpaid bar tabs and I will be collecting unless they vote for me
3. I take office once again with 54/57 votes.
Dastot was babbling too much to vote, Auze drunk himself unconcious during the vote and Malfoy as usual voted for himself
After rearranging the decor in the overseer's office to my liking, I looked over the fort's records and maps. Radiofort aside the last few Overseers have been pretty lackluster at best, or haven't really bothered with anything to denote the splendour and glory of Smallhands.
Honestly though, I'm surprised none of them thought to actually check the stockpile records to see if we still needed the cooking and brewing orders, because we have 3720 Urists of alcohol. At least until Auze empties his military issued flask.
food wise, we have food rotting because we aren't storing it in stockpiles since every food stockpile is full or worse, bloated with cheese.
Not to mention some previous overseer decided knocking down the Emergency stockpiles was a great idea
Military squads are frankly, quite bloated. We don't need 52/62 members of the fortress in the military and guard. Especially the guard- KingZultan up until her demise secured the fort by herself, and her replacement Zultanking is almost as good if a possible decendant of a vampire judging by Elpho
Dastot also demanded we wear our armour over our clothing in what I suspect was a petty method of inflicting heat related suffering on the living. No more, military dwarves will replace their clothing with armour.
I am further disappointed upon discovery of my previous project- putting magma on top of the tall bar, has been ignored and the tunnel subsequently flooded.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/844528480590626816/unknown.png?width=371&height=670)
The lichyard is still left as it was for the last few years. Full of slabs and coffins designed to be insulting towards the deceased and worse, our enemies buried alongside them.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/844530850968109056/unknown.png)
Smallhands! The mantle of leadership rests once again upon my shoulders, and that means it is time to get to work and return this fortress to greatness! An easier task than my last reign but that doesn't mean you can start slacking. Now get to work!
My plans for this reign are
1. Make the tall bar able to pour magma on the goblins
2. Fix up the graveyard
3. Update the fortress military
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 2nd of Granite 175
I kept wondering about Dastot's words. About how the true queen will come for me in my dyers workshop. It is certain Lorsith WeevilMessiah the Regal God speaking through her. Naturally the Queen is Ikud Masterlegend the Unremarkable Idol.
A god and a demon deciding that I am to suffer, that I am to die last?
Recon looses a roaring laughter, fell and terrible!
I must thank you Lorsith, for confirming that I can go beyond the gods!
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/844544273684758568/unknown.png)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/638374248834138134/844543342968438815/unknown.png)
SmallHands, 177
The last time I played SmallHands, it was still 0.47.04. I had to move the changes from d_init between locations, which gives me a good opportunity to show what I’m using:
[POPULATION_CAP:50]
[STRICT_POPULATION_CAP:60]
[BABY_CHILD_CAP:100:1000]
[VISITOR_CAP:5]
[INVASION_SOLDIER_CAP:60]
[INVASION_MONSTER_CAP:30]
[SPECIFIC_SEED_CAP:50]
[FORTRESS_SEED_CAP:720]
Invasion caps were unchanged since the days when the popcap was 40; if you want to increase them now’s the time. Seed cap is more of my own personal hang-up, I keep it on the same number as the popcap (and total seed cap varies on how many individual crops I have).
And that’s the end of the OOC, I think, now onto the adventures of Malfoy StrapCobalt, the sociopathic overseer. Who is… slightly less sociopathic, and somewhat more of a full-on basket case, when I look in her description:
(https://i.imgur.com/TNYBSQV.png)
Spring.
177.01.01
Zultan, captain of the guard, performs her duty: she notifies the overseer that a citizen named Morul is drowsy:
(https://i.imgur.com/MLhad7M.png)
There’s no need to be alarmed: Morul is the latest victim of the fort, and has been babbling nonsense for at least a few months. I take it upon myself to resolve the matter in a permanent fashion: I lock the door to Morul’s prison cell.
(https://i.imgur.com/8eK2gNC.png) (https://i.imgur.com/GM0KooD.png)
Most citizens have some piece of tattered clothing, myself included. It would be trivial to throw it in the old atom smasher, but I’ll indulge in the world’s most pathetic vendetta: I want this garbage to burn!
And I found the perfect spot, too: in the old ballista room, someone has built a 3-levels tall drop on top of a tile of magma; presumably, for this exact purpose. There was no dump zone on top, though; the magic of paperwork establishes one, and then all citizens are issued orders to dump tattered clothes. Then I do the same myself; that was surprisingly satisfying!
(https://i.imgur.com/uIc6pGE.png) (https://i.imgur.com/nAXz03p.png) (https://i.imgur.com/8lQF3jX.png)
As for the rest of the fort, we were ‘blessed’ with a giant pile of garbage from the last siege. Being part of a siege, it was marked as forbidden for access, and nobody has updated the records despite the entire year that has passed. Most of it is crude iron armor, the only armor that goblins know how to make. Between the low quality and the smears of ash that were once greenskins and traitors, no sane dwarf wants to wear it. It will be melted down to bars, and turned to steel.
(https://i.imgur.com/iJY9hs8.png)
Appreciating the Tall Bar and its frothy magma top. But are there some obvious shortcomings?
1. Pump #2 doesn’t have access; will it be powered from below/above?
(https://i.imgur.com/ch8iz8Y.png)
2. Pumps #3 to #7 have the same (apparent?) design flaw: there’s a wall tile missing, allowing magma to seep between the pump and the wall:
(https://i.imgur.com/bivevgN.png) (https://i.imgur.com/Q6ihefC.png)
Perhaps this isn’t a flaw: it’s possible that magma moves fast enough that it never has a chance to flow outside. Still, we’re one tired pump operator away from an entirely undesired magma flood, as opposed to the desired one that should come after the mug top is filled. With respect to the Tall Bar, a dedicated access stair will be made off to the right side, and all possible leaks will be plugged.
3. On the levels where pumps #8 #9 and #10 should have been, there is nothing; only the space for them, and some iron pump components; I hurry to re-issue orders of construction, making sure to specify gabbro blocks in addition to the iron corkscrews and pipes.
(https://i.imgur.com/05t1aKy.png) (https://i.imgur.com/Y2SAOCZ.png)
Despite not being the most technically-inclined dwarfette, I can at least draw inspiration from the other magma pump in SmallHands; the one that’s bringing the blood of the stone from the depths to the blighted surface. That one has a very clear “wall and gear assembly” structure, for as far down as can be seen. I shall endeavour to replicate it for the 10 pumps of the Tall Bar.
(https://i.imgur.com/0g0Q7F6.png) (https://i.imgur.com/d9bg9pR.png)
4. Pump #10 is of particular interest: was it supposed to be connected to a windmill? There is no record of such, but if it ever was, the wooden axle has definitely burnt when the magma was released.
(https://i.imgur.com/eGYZjro.png)
5. And speaking of windmills! There are records of the fort having 4 windmills to power the stack; only 1 has survived:
(https://i.imgur.com/r9B6tWv.png)
Obviously the remainder will get built as well; but looking at this 11th level, I can’t help but think: was there supposed to be a pump in here as well? Was the Tall Bar intended to be double-frothy?
At least the operation instructions have been clear enough: go to the Tall Bar, pull the east lever to fill the top of the bar with magma, pull the west lever to make that magma flow!
Apropos of nothing: “pull the east lever to fill the top of the bar with magma” has got to be one of the most stereotypically dwarven sentences I have ever written. I have no regrets. None whatsoever. Years ago I would have, but I’ve lived here for a decade; SmallHands changes you!
Regardless; my next focus is in the smithy; there’s much iron crap to melt, and very little coal and flux to turn it into steel. The quantum stockpile for miserable metal paraphernalia has been destroyed, at some point or another; now it’s been reinstated, and a large stockpile for flux stone joins it as well.
(https://i.imgur.com/0RSvOfJ.png)
Some flux stone from out of the way is marked for digging. All trees are being marked for cutting, both in the third cavern, and in the ‘surface’ tree farm that I have dug out in my first mandate. Wasn’t I clever? Wasn’t I, oh naysayers of mine?!?
If the existing number of logs is still insufficient, I’ll organize a logging force from the dwarves already afflicted by the fever; these can cut out all trees in the goop area, and bring them over in the fort, after thorough washing of course.
And it’s almost not even notable that we have acquired a bunch of new guests:
(https://i.imgur.com/EHd9hEJ.png)
Unfortunately for them, they’ve arrived in the east, straight in the ‘goop zone’. They are completely isolated, have been immediately infested by the cursed fever, and the greatest impact they’ve had so far is to shoot a giant black bird over our passable territory. Thanks for the meat, I suppose.
(https://i.imgur.com/xEotGkv.png) (https://i.imgur.com/ZoiaLYq.png) (https://i.imgur.com/DbT5ulA.png)
Any half-formed ideas to send the army against them were immediately dismissed: the risk of smearing our soldiers with the damnable goo is far too high. The greenskins can sit at the foot of the necro tower, and maybe haul some goop back to their revolting dark pit. It’s nothing less than they deserve.
That should be the preliminary plotting done, now there’s nothing left but labor.
177.02.17 Morul has finally perished. May he find peace.
177.03.05 The 'melt pile' has been suspended; while there's still plenty of metal crap to move to it, hauling all of them is taking too much of our time. We'll take a break; coal and flux are our primary bottleneck anyway, not iron bars.
On a related subject, the goblins also have copper, and we have remarkable amounts of cassiterite. Perhaps we can supplement our lack of steel with some bronze? I do believe it's only slightly less effective than steel, and more effective than iron anyway.
------------
OOC: Spring has almost passed, entirely with fort maintenance. Once I get some feedback, I'll figure out how to alter the pump stack on the side of the Tall Bar.
Overseer's Log, Year 178.
Entry 2:
It has been close to half a year since I last wrote here, and late summer is upon us. The days are still, with hardly a breath of air stirring, and the air shimmers with the heat as the black sand soaks up the sun. In stark contrast, the evil clouds never seem to move from over the swamp, and more goo frequently splatters against the tower walls, filling the air with an evil scent.
Production here in Smallhands is notoriously slow, but having half our working population desperately training to meet the goblins when they come again is slowing everything even more. The first fragments of Adamantine were finally mined a little over a month ago, and the foundation of the spire was only just completed. More and more dwarves are coming back to work from their holidays, but progress remains slow.
(https://i.imgur.com/AA52wSX.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/xGQvSEs.png)
One matter in which we have fared well is trade. Neither the elves nor the humans brought large caravans, and auze obtained all we wanted from both for one pot of food apiece. The elves demanded we cut no more than 130 odd trees this year, which I grudgingly allowed Salmeuk to accept. We are not likely to have that many available to cut anyway. The humans were more reasonable. They offered a grand list of assorted goods we could request from, and auze and I spent an evening going through it, marking anything we had interest in. They, in turn, offered us a list of preferred goods they would most value come next year.
(https://i.imgur.com/goep9gb.png)
Our military has been as diligent as always in training, and even the Overseer's Army, composed almost entirely of dwarves stricken by the swamp fever, is gaining some semblance of skill. Two of the elite Seige Breakers have gained so much confidence in their equipment as to bestow a name on a piece. Aban named her shield, and Nezclaw his axe.
(https://i.imgur.com/kwDVglW.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/H5dCB9S.png)
I have contemplated sending the entirety of the army down to the second cave layer, to drive out the forgotten beast that makes it its home, but am unwilling to endanger one of the last standing forces against the march of the goblins.
The interest in the caves springs from a need for wood. As I have endured the heat of summer, I have frequently noticed the lush growth of fruit and nut trees in the swamp. It occurred to me that water could be pumped from the aquifer to replace the liquid in the sludge, and a vast glass roof could keep the vile liquid out, while allowing sun in. Clear glass seemed far more pleasant for such a purpose than simple green stuff, and I ordered the glass furnaces started. Unfortunately, production will soon come to a halt unless more wood can be produced for ash.
There have been few other events of note, but one exceptional occurrence was the discovery of a star ruby. Malfoy and a few other dwarves were clearing a large area for stone, and uncovered a mass of ruby crystals, with a brilliant starry piece in the center. All work was suspended for the day, and a celebration was held in the Tall Bar for blessing of the gods.
ooc: Some notes on ghouls: Elpho seems to be endlessly gushing ethereal blood from her throat. It makes for a grim picture. Also, I am not about to intentionally attempt to ghoulify anybody, but if someone somehow dies, I will attempt to revive them.
Overseer's Log, Year 178.
Entry 3:
Another season has nearly passed since I last wrote here, and the nights are cold on the surface. Very few events of note have occurred. The second storey of the tower is partially complete, and the foundation for the glass roof over the swamp are nearly complete.
(https://i.imgur.com/sFoJDd0.png)
The only notable event was the arrival of the dwarven caravan. The traders brought much more than the elves and humans combined. auze and I sorted through their goods, and bought a vast volume. Someone must have requested large quantities of leather, because the traders brought a bin of each type that the Mountainhome has available. They also offered a list of goods they believed would be most valuable next year.
(https://i.imgur.com/MTQZs97.png)
...
I have just received the report that someone spotted a werepig outside. I pity it. I will order the military to cut it to pieces. I only hope they reach it before it catches one of the builders.
(https://i.imgur.com/5ZrKTCC.png)
ooc:Why do I always have to deal with werebeasts? :( The Siege Breakers should put this one down pretty quickly, at least.
Overseer's Log, Year 178.
Entry 4:
Today marks the end of my stint as overseer. The grey skies from the north are starting to give way to the desert sun, and through the clouds in the swamp, I can see green showing on the trees, marking the beginning of spring. I fear I have accomplished very little this past year, but at least life has been mostly peaceful.
The one exception to this was the werepig attack. When it arrived, Salmeuk and Mateusz were on the second floor of the Bright Temple. Salmeuk wisely retreated into the fortress, leaving the Siege Breakers to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, Mateusz decided to be a hero, climbed down to meet the monster, and was promptly dismembered. Shortly thereafter, Blurian repeated the performance on the pig. He even bit the beast, in his words, "To see if it tasted like pork."
(https://i.imgur.com/53XsGVW.png)
Mateusz was clearly bitten multiple times, and was deemed too dangerous to be resurrected. Thankfully, the loss of one member of the fortress was rectified by the addition of a new one. (https://i.imgur.com/ws0pIqS.png)
With the state of the world, a birth is some truly good news.
Progress on my projects was sparse. From the advent of the plan to roof the swamp, construction of the Bright Temple essentially ceased. The second floor remains incomplete and unwalled, leaving an open path into the fortress. It was allowed to remain this way to speed up the work on the glass roof. The roof actually began to take form in the last month or two, as the flat panes beyond the tower, and the sloped glass up to the main roof both received a minor amount of work.(https://i.imgur.com/goGlLIX.png)
The last of my large projects has also received less attention than its importance warrants. The adamantine spire has only been partially explored on on one level, and found on another. The workshops to process it have not even been constructed, although a space for them has been cleared around the spire.
The only other event of importance was the apparent possession of a Planter.
(https://i.imgur.com/ivAwWiJ.png)
I ordered the less valuable gems locked away, and he obligingly took the star sapphire and star ruby for his work. In the end, he produced a wonderful platinum cap. It is a true testament of dwarven skill.
(https://i.imgur.com/N7hFcvL.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/KuTyAiL.png)
ooc:I didn't end up breaching the second cavern layer. I'll let someone with better skill at marksdwarf control take out the gassy beast down there.
If the next person wants to continue work on the swamp greenhouse, the general layout should be fairly clear. Beyond where walls can be built there will be flat floor, while inside there, the roof will go up another level to clear the top of the tower. For the ambitious overseer, it might be wiser to suspend construction if it, close the swamp back up, and let the rest of the dwarves out of the indoors burrow, which I slightly updated.
https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15680 (https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15680)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 19th of Sandstone 179
While the freshly rescued rainbow raptors are busy getting their paperwork in order, I paid another visit to the Arena to enjoy the bloodbath of goblins vs elves vs traitors vs wildlife. By Armok the stink in there was worse than the years the giant was in there before I mangled its sorry corpse.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911366620897738854/unknown.png)
Apropos of the arena: despite it being here for 17 years, this arena has only had one previous bout. Goblin vs the zombie giant and it was that goblin who left the steel equipment in the arena. The goblin barely lasted a few minutes. I remember that match quite well for it was one of the first things I did in Smallhands- enjoy the goblin slaughter.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Winter 161 +===
Now we just need to figure out what to do with a nigh-indestructible zombie giant.
===+ Journal of the Undying Overseer – Spring 162 +===
2nd Galena
A small arena, setup for two teams of combatants. And above it, a gallery for spectators to view the fight or archers to fire from a safe position. Since the Swamp Hunters have decided static targets are too dull to practice with, this should be a bit more engaging for them.
The first competitors are our slab-bearing zombie giant and a goblin swordsman that was captured in some invasion years ago. Interestingly, the goblin wears custom made steel armour rather than the usual scrap. He couldn’t have gotten that from the goblin pits. The only explanation is that he must be one of the necromancers’ living servants! Well goblin, what do you think now that you face your master’s handiwork? I’ll let you keep your equipment, but I don’t think it will avail you much.
(https://i.imgur.com/wJfjoVm.png)
A decent performance, but brute strength wins this day.
Given how easily I crushed that "nigh-indestructible giant" I imagine Nogood would have thought my performance exemplary since I didn't get hit once and cut it down with just an axe in a handful of blows. In hindsight I could have brought a mace or hammer and I would have crushed it even faster. Maybe with a bit more mess though.
Not as much as the current fighting in the arena is making at any rate. Its so bad that there's teeth up here in the gallery. A traitor at one point tried to climb through the arrow/viewing slits only to receive a lash to the back that sheered off a chunk of his torso and blood all of the fortification.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911367249846227004/unknown.png)
Future overseers please note: yes you can dump the prisoners in the method nogood set up years ago it does still work. The mass pitting system 2 floors above to dump all the prisoners if we need cages urgently or just want to enjoy the massacre.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 1st of Sandstone 179
Years ago I was kicked out of the Mountainhomes for two reasons: Objecting to the Queen's alliance with humans and elves, and consistently proving myself to be better than the upper class buffoons in whatever matters they thought they were best at. Since then I have been proven right: elves must be slain and are a species of backstabbers, and humans are unreliable.
Some humans trade with us well, others need executing.
At the very least, we know the monkeys in FrenzyEscort are aligned with goblins. They are enroaching on our borders and this cannot stand. I have given the order to march down there and make an example of any humans that dare go against us and if possible, obtain another piece of literature called "More Farm" which might help us get the tree farm functional again.
I wonder if there was a message line going from Frenzyescort to Sinewsabres and from there to the tower. Then when the hillocks west were founded in Nogood's reign they were cut off. At the very least, we can confirm that Sinewsabres and whoever was in Castle Jeweldusks were both in league with one another.
scratchings out and a beer stain are on the page
I have not been having enough alcohol recently I've been so busy. Jeweldusks is the human Hamlet next to Sinewsabres, it was there that Mestthos and the others were found. The castle is Weightgleamed, and empty. Presumably overrun by the necromancers.
My point stands however; Jeweldusks was playing host to our prisoners. Weirdly though, there was nobody there at all, no guards or beasts or anything. Just our prisoners.
Clearly we either have an intruder, or the containment line against the goblins by fellow hillocks is not as tough as first thought.
One by one the Raptors have been processing paperwork asking for sanctuary and been getting it granted, citizenship sadly was revoked years ago and can only be restored after an a year's residence in the fort. Last but not least was Mestthos who patiently waited for everyone else to gain sanctuary first. I suspected he knew his case was going to be a tough one, and the fact we had reached our population max of 50 was another barrier to his entry.
He had a list of blemishes on his record
- Involved in attempted theft
- 1 count of disorderly conduct
- 2 counts of vandalism
- 1 count of disatrous leadership
- 1 possible count of corruption
That being said he has fought valiantly for Smallhands in the past and has clearly been feeling guilty about his capture. He has also set to work hauling and training with a crossbow.
I shall have him interrogated and look at the records from previous overseers
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 12th of Sandstone 179
The more I peer into Mestthos, the more the puzzle comes into place.
Smallhands: Year 164
=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=[/b]
(definitely not 12000 bees in a trench coat)
Mestthos who is the mayor grabbed a sword and ran off the map, abandoning their office and bedroom. Perhaps it was not wise to send the mayor to do battle.
Mestthos clearly at one point or another agreed with Zolak and willingly joined the plot to infiltrate The Little Pick, our government. Nogood had Zolak arrested and interviewed, then disposed of. Kingzultan interviewed Mestthos who willingly admitted to plotting a theft.
4 years later, the filty undead elf Lapama came along at the behest of the still to this day unknown boss. Mestthos may have assisted in the corruption of Tholtig by providing information on how to threaten her.
Later that year Mestthos went off at speed to Sinewsabres to attack Ushrir since we had captured all the other necromancers.
A platinum flask shaped stain lines the page, it menaces with spikes of dwarven rum
By Armok I've got it all wrong! We had captured all the necromancers so Zolak came to free them. He sweet talked Mestthos into helping him by stealing The Waning Embraced Passage but then ended up slain. However Ushrir had somehow gotten the message that Mestthos didn't do the theft.
Ushrir then sent his other underling, Lapama to perform the same task a few years later. Stealing an artifact, in this case The Snarling Famine and threatened Tholtig to do so.
Noticing the repeated plot, Mestthos leapt at the chance to stop Ushrir, given the overseer at the time was actually a hive of bees and so passing it up the chain of command seemed pointless.
So either Mestthos was a traitor that failed and got punished...or he was performing counterespionage the entire time.
Lets see what Mestthos has to say
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912415763023933520/unknown.png)
"Zully, was that it?" I asked Zultanking when I read the report.
"Yes. Since we already knew what he said, but nobody had ever realised." she replied.
"what do you mean?"
"The Snarling Famine was made by Mestthos."
Both me and Zultanking needed a massive drink each after that. Blockadeidles military service was impressive with plenty of artifacts and battles won.
I gave him the stamp of approval. If anyone deserves to be a 51st citizen, its him.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 22nd of Sandstone 179
A dwarven ale stain is on the page
I swear I have had a tiny leak in my +Platinum flask+ for quite some time now. Looking back through the fort records the number of my entries with alcohol stains on them is as frustrating as it is a waste of good alcohol.
But, I have had ample cause to drink over the years and today is no exception. The military came back after fierce fighting with celebrations abound. Many goblins were slain and even names gained. However some of those titled soldiers were clearly not worthy as they got struck down by farm animals
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911388671326949406/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911388883336450058/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911389123678445578/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911389242486304858/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911389436149899334/unknown.png)
Captain Nezclaw said that they were two of the most embarrassing deaths he had ever seen which is saying something. They left the goblins with heavy losses and more. So just ordinary slabs for them then.
He also mentioned that they left the town once goblin reinforcements showed up, and in vast numbers too. Estimating at least 50. I thanked him for the report and quickly made some emergency adjustments to the military to replace the losses. Everyone in steel, a new squad formed with me at the head and all the legendary fighters. Swamp hunters downgraded to 5 strength, the Siege breakers split into Fevered fighters and the unfevered remain as siege breakers.
New burrows designated for fighting too, and with that, time for a drink at the Tall Bar.
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 1st of Moonstone 179
Recon lets loose a roaring laughter. Fell and Terrible!
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911396979521753098/unknown.png)
So THIS is your next play Weevilmessiah! Sending a broken army to batter themselves against my fortress! Your pitiful goblins shall avail you not!
Soldiers, arm up! Civies, get your arses inside the fortress! If they want in then it shall be across a path fallowed with their blood!
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911401126014877716/unknown.png)
I had a grand view from the top of the Tall Bar. Its roiling wrath was filled and prepared to smother the goblins as I stood there at the levers. The mugma shone brighter than usual, or maybe it was my manical glee.
Elpho was also there at the windows, reciting a poem. Fescue was in the middle there telling a story. We were the only people in the Tall Bar.
then came the most enjoyable moment I ever had in this monument to dwarvenkind.
Pulling the lever that released the fire. It halted the tide of evil. The land turned into a mix of blood and ash as I made them melt and die.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911399359407620186/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911401219778576404/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911401370186301541/unknown.png)
From the depths of the land was this tower raised and by MY hand shall you perish beneath it!
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/911407625172828190/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 28th of Sandstone 179
After incinerating the goblin horde the entire army came out to mop up the occasional survivors. Even the raptors and Mestthos came out to assist.
Its taken us until today to clear out the rest of Smallhands' immediate area of living goblins.
There is a vertiable sea of molten metal and bone. Every last bit of sinew has been turned to ash. There were only 2 surviving goblins that got away, one left really early in the siege after it went off and shot a camel and the other got a leg chopped off and crawled off the hill.
I checked round the fort afterwards. Elpho was now socialising in the Tall Bar. Auze and Radiofort were both picking through one goblin to take its iron armour to the melting pool.
Speaking of melting pool, apparently there was still a leak on the Tall Bar's filling mechanism and main connector has melted again. The next overseer is going to need to look for some magma proof wood down in the caverns if we don't want to keep replacing it.
In other news Fikod upon witnessing the devastation while hauling...apparently had an excellent idea
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912449842574397460/unknown.png)
this looks promising
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912450023596359700/unknown.png)
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 7th of Opal 179
This does not look promising
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912450609209311282/unknown.png)
It ambushed Aban, a siege breaker at the gate. It went for the kill immediately biting onto Aban's head. Aban's steel helmet deflected the blow but unfortunately the werepig just knocked him over.
The wretched thing tore his leg off (the armour was made of bronze there) then started beating him to death with his own sock! When that didn't get through the rest of the steel armour, the boar simply punched his face in, latched on with its jaws and shook his head so hard his skull collapsed.
Even when on the ground though, Aban was fighting, punching the werepig hard enough to break a few fingers on its right hand and bruising its eye with his crossbow.
It then tossed him into some lava and he died quickly thankfully.
Rest in peace Aban, you died saving the mayor, Auze and Quarque.
2 siege breakers and 2 raptors then turned up. Thank goodness the raptors were still armed. Nezclaw promptly chopped off its hand and Ast bit the werepig in the head! Onget then stabbed it in the lower spine and tore a motor nerve causing it to fall down. Then the already unfair fight got even more unfair when the Hammerer turned up, stabbed once with his spear and off came its head.
As it died it deformed back to its real self. An ELF to be precise. Heathens!
Outraged at Aban's senseless death I ordered the corpse dumped in the magma and commissioned a coffin and a pair of statues for Aban valiantly defending the fortress from the pig and his part in assaulting Sinewsabres.
While this was going off, Fikod revealed his great work.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912482433700618280/unknown.png)
An adamantine artifact battleaxe. Who better than I to wield it?
Journal of the Tavern Keeper Overseer 28th of Obsidean 179
Its been one hell of a year.
A new years party wine stains the parchment
I had to abandon 2 of my goals. Wiping out the elves much to my frustration is an impossibility while some of them yet remain in Dimplesteal. Finishing the glass roof proved to be impractical in light of the haulage and training.
The creation of halls of the dead once again had to play second fiddle to the needs of the living. Yet I have still made progress and dug out the military halls. It is a pity but the next Overseer will have to see to the destruction of the goblin corpses on the surface via magma pit disposal. Hopefully they will be dumped in magma where they belong but I won't be surprised if they get mixed with our honourable dead again.
I got to wipe out an army personally, but once again another overseer is going to need to repair the Tall bar's pumping before resetting it. Mostly its the windmills. I don't think the pumps were damaged this time.
At least in spite of these failings I made grand achievements. Far from my detractors saying I bring nothing but misery and death, I brought adamantine forges and rescued long lost souls. Weapons and armour of mythical metal to protect our fortress and smite our enemies. I even found another vein in the depths and took every last piece out.
I crushed a siege without losing a single dwarf. A werepig was cut up as one would strips of bacon. I saved another soul from injustice for his part in the conspiracy years ago.
The arena was restarted, and as I write this the Swamp hunters are getting some live target practice.
It was to put it simply, another year to add to my growing legend. One primarily of kindness. True kindness unlike previous overseers. Everyone learned new skills, accomdations were on the up, citizens rescued after nearly 20 years imprisoned, a swift death for the enemy and plenty of rubbish disposed of.
Kindness is a very powerful thing when used right.
A bit like adamantine really.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912500046505869372/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912510381585481799/unknown.png)
I can certainly drink to that.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/638374248834138134/912510589186752532/unknown.png)
------------
Marathon post since I couldn't work out how to split it.
for the next overseer: figure out a way to do something with those hives. Nesh is going bonkers over being unable to split them
The rescued raptors won't be able to change labours till they reach a certain period of time in the fort. They lost citizenship due to the length being away.
get the swamp hunters to shoot down those red wing blackbird men and women. they keep scaring the dwarves.
Save https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15753
The humans attacked, or some squad of evil bandits. Quick work was made, in fact it was a complete slaughter. Blunarian had a nice one-shot:
(https://i.imgur.com/JjCgtqG.png)
Imic bit the finger of a human and shook him around, before beating him to death with his steel shield. It took over 40 hits.. going for the combo score I suppose. It would suck to be a human, am I right??
---
Deep in the dungeon arena, a few survivors hopelessly cling to the fortifications, trying to escape the choking miasma produced from the rotting corpses below:
(https://i.imgur.com/hwE9Z0x.gif)
---
Apparently Salmeuk is in charge, again, that crazy old bastard. They say he lived through some of the worst. I wouldn't know or care - he is a lonely old depressive and seems altogether too grouchy to be of much use anymore. I overheard his first project would be to set up a proper catacombs for our rather impressive collection of coffins and slabs:
(https://i.imgur.com/zKOSbPl.png)
A few years back someone dug out all the rock surrounding the tombs and thus it became ugly, so he says. He plans to move all the coffins, and the contained bodies, in one fell swoop - surely nothing might go wrong when one hundred different dwarves are suddenly awoken from their ghostly rest. Surely.
We have somehow manage to carve 3 different potential catacombs, and they all lay fairly unused.
(https://i.imgur.com/7M4S5wO.png)
He will put nicknamed dwarves here, though we might need to expand it after all:
(https://i.imgur.com/52G99fY.png)
----
fffffff game crashed. I'll try again tomorrow, and remember to save like... every time I finish designations lol
old saves like this have that problem.
ah, do you have specific intentions for the microline-laden hallway? or are you referring to the rather empty but symmetrical catacombs from the first image?
I would prefer to carry out your wishes than trash any plans laid out!
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/602527011793010688/916278712926879765/unknown.png)
This one is for the fortress legends. So Nogood, Salmeuk, Recon, Zultan, Auze and an open spot. Recon's is bottom right and hasnt been finished engraving since in her eyes she is still doing great deeds each year
(that note, can you get fatcat to engrave her pouring magma onto goblins somewhere in there)
The one above it with 2 tile alcoves are for those that have died but didn't either make an artifact or serve in the militia. They got a statue and a slab/coffin
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/602527011793010688/916280454938763264/unknown.png)
The one below it is for those who made artifacts. Statue at the back, pedestal with artifact in middle, slab or coffin at the front
It is also the place for the military, with Statue at the back, then if they have a body coffin then slab, or if they dont, replace the coffin with an engraving of them fighting an enemy
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/602527011793010688/916281095241203722/unknown.png)
I used a fresh install and it has worked for me. Thank you for testing. OOC update for now.
---
30 years of death:
(https://i.imgur.com/LsNT88O.png)
---
As part of my usual audit of the fortress efficiency, I have concluded that things are OK but could use improvement. In particular, there are a huge number of junk-filled workshops:
(https://i.imgur.com/rCAjJJ5.png)
We have reached the age where anything less than masterwork quality should really be burnt or dumped. at least where it counts. I will consider creating a sorting room. Considering how fond y'all are of digging gigantic, out-of-the-way rooms, we have plenty of options. :P
---
From Salmeuk's character page:
(https://i.imgur.com/sZ3ZA4i.png)
I have issues. . .
---
Elves arrived, and half the fortress pitched in to bring the trade items up:
(https://i.imgur.com/YgB4dU0.png)
We purchased a small pile of berries and a large number of rather exotic birds. I have a plan.. it involves the sealed third cavern, which I previously hollowed out during my previous turn, the underground lake in the second cavern, and a large amount of risk to be assumed by dwarves at random.
---
Lots of Junk here. 907 items to be exact... yet I still have no issue with FPS and that is a testament to our fortresses smallness.
(https://i.imgur.com/Dbw6mWb.png)
---
During take two of the human "siege", I captured a gif of the combat. Knightwing is the brown dwarf who goes ham on the intruders:
(https://i.imgur.com/8XclEm9.gif)
I will post the save file for a few days just in case - I might not have much time tomorrow and the next day.
------
Again, sorry for the OOC but honestly not much happened. Hauling, organization, refactoring stockpiles... I dunno this might be annoying for some but it has given us a more centralized area for the current activity of carving hundreds of slabs to fill out our catacombs. So after a whole year these are the three main projects I completed:
Masonry on the right, catacombs on the left, and masterwork slabs in the middle:
(https://i.imgur.com/t796wWx.png)
The smelters has been cleared of junk bars, and many bins were created in order to help with organization. Still not enough... We have lots of copper.
(https://i.imgur.com/ylowK99.png)
Finally, the refactored goo hive:
(https://i.imgur.com/WN17PNI.png)
A clockwise spiraling hallway, the entrance ramp encased in microcline there at the bottom. The inside wall is limestone, while the outside wall is diorite and gabbro. The floors are paved roads. In the center I did away with some redundant stockpiles and made it more . . .hallway - like.
Of exciting note are the grizzly bears, who appear to be breeding happily. We have many, MANY dogs and beak dogs, even after I went through and "did away" with a large number of kittens, puppies, etc etc
Save here if you want to poke around.
https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15764
1st of Granite, 181
Today I decided to run for the annual overseer election which we hold at the start of every year. While the legends of the fortress spoke of the glory that they would lead the fortress to if they were elected, of how they would raze Dimplesteal itself to the ground. I simply offered to smooth this hallway at the heart of the fortress in the interest of aesthetics.
(https://i.imgur.com/DbVwH1x.png)
I won by a landslide. I guess the dwarves of Smallhands care more about interior decoration than ridding the world of the goblin menace.
The first order of business was to set the record straight concerning my name. It appears that when I first migrated here several years ago they forgot to ask me my name. Thus, they simply took to calling me 'Urist'.
(https://i.imgur.com/jp2rgyI.png)
Much better.
A few moments later, I receive some news that makes me regret accepting this postion.
(https://i.imgur.com/uVccpJr.png)
I immediately order the front gate closed and ready the militia. Smallhands will not fall to the servants of Ikud, especially not on the very first day of my overseership!
(https://i.imgur.com/wRk1jzH.png)
Unfortunately the Tall Bar stands empty, and thus we must resort to using the newly refurbished GooHive.
3rd of Granite, 181
I had stationed the Swamp Hunters on the battlements in the hopes that they could use the invading goblins as target practice. This proved to be a grave error, as Urist the forlorn ghoul jumps off the battlements into the midst of the goblin horde.
(https://i.imgur.com/FOOksPQ.png)
He is able to fight them for a while, but is eventually overwhelmed by the sheer number of invading goblins.
(https://i.imgur.com/eOmYebN.png)
Thus passes one of the few remaining undead citizens of Smallhands. He will surely be given an honoured place in the catacombs of the fortress.
He then immediately returns as a ghost and begins harassing the living.
(https://i.imgur.com/OqyQgoL.png)
Oh well, back to the siege.
4th of Granite, 181
Another dwarf gets too close to the goblin invaders. It seems that the alarm hasn't yet been sounded. I quickly rectify that, but alas too late for Fikod.
(https://i.imgur.com/8unev0D.png)
5th of Granite, 181
Slowly but surely the goblins head towards their doom.
(https://i.imgur.com/qlv5b3u.png)
6th of Granite, 181
Id, a legendary axedwarf, decides this is a good time to retrieve provisions from the surface. He ended up running into the attacking goblins inside the GooHive tunnel. I suppose there are worse places to fight. I order in reinforcements, and soon our dwarves are running down the tunnel, slaughtering all goblins that cross their path.
(https://i.imgur.com/vYqwFN0.png)
All in all, the invasion force looks far less intimidating than it did a few moments ago.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZudnN6N.png)
9th of Granite, 181
There were very few wounds. Id did take a fracture to his leg, athough it's nothing we can't fix.
Not wanting to be outdone by his comrades, another dwarf charges up to the surface alone to take on the remaining goblins. Unfortunately he falls afoul of a goblin arrow.
(https://i.imgur.com/pEfiYOM.png)
12th of Granite, 181
Two other dwarves went missing during the fighting, presumed dead.
(https://i.imgur.com/1yf00Mh.png)
20th of Granite, 181
To prevent any more loss of dwarven lives, I decide to play it safe and send the remaining swamp hunters to get some extra target practice, this time from a safer set of fortifications. And thus the siege was ended.
28th of Granite, 181
Well, that certainly wasn't how I had hoped my first month would turn out, with 5 dwarves dead. The goblins could not have picked their moment to strike better, attacking during the confusion that comes with the dawning of the year. We shall have to be careful in the future. For myself, I shall remain far more vigilant as we clean up the dead goblins littering the entrance.
(https://i.imgur.com/CjuuqtH.png)
-=-= OOC =-=-
That was certainly an interesting and !!fun!! event to happen on literally the first of Granite.
Thankfully we were able to defeat the goblins, although it is unfortunate that I will have to clean up their corpses by hand.
As for the casualties, most of them were fevered, and I don't think they were particularly skilled. Fikod didn't have many skills either. It's a shame about Urist, but he did go out in a pretty legendary way.
I might be able to try the resurrection chamber for some of them, but I'll probably just end up giving them a proper burial.
Let's hope I can avoid any more accidents for the rest of my turn :)
16th of Slate, 181
This month so far has mostly been spent cleaning up the surface after the siege, being pestered by buzzards as usual.
(https://i.imgur.com/BG90YH1.png)
Today I heard that the ghost of Urist has been put to rest beneath the fortress.
(https://i.imgur.com/jU2ql3Z.png)
Perhaps I will commission a special memorial to place next to his grave.
26th of Slate, 181
Among the dwarves of the Mint Sack there is a legend spoken of by travelers. They tell stories of a titanic beast that roams the desert sands, a winged worm armed with the breath of Armok himself. This creature leaves a trail of destruction in its wake, and does not stop until the object of its ire has been reduced to ashes.
Well...
(https://i.imgur.com/U0XZ8W0.png)
Armok have mercy.
This titan is able to fly over any battlement, break down any door. Our only hope is to kill it before it reaches the heart of the fortress.
27th of Slate, 181
Well, the creature hasn't found its way in yet. It still wanders around just north of the main entrance.
(https://i.imgur.com/vXx7EWS.png)
I have begun sealing off the fortress to the best of my ability. With luck we will be able to fight the beast on our own terms.
28th of Slate, 181
No such luck. It is entering the fortress through a long unused access ramp to the incomplete grand temple, on the northern side of the fortress. In hindsight that entrance should have been sealed years ago, but now we can only hope, and trust in our steel to win the day.
2nd of Felsite, 181
It seems I spoke too soon, it has decided to return to the desert. We remain alert.
12th of Felsite,181
The beast's wanderings have brought it to the top of the fortress, were it seems to be inspecting our beehives. We have sealed the main gate behind it, so it will not be able to walk out of our courtyard. Perhaps it is even too heavy to use its wings?
23rd of Felsite, 181
I have decided that it is time for us to slay this interloper. I have ordered the Overseer's army to stand outside the front gate. The remaining Swamp Hunters will give them support.
(https://i.imgur.com/kq6AZFf.png)
Good luck.
1st of Hematite, 181
Just as I am getting ready to defeat that beast, the humans arrive to attack us!
(https://i.imgur.com/M5w42R5.png)
The surface devolves into absolute chaos, with the nearby militia chasing the disorganised humans across the fortress. The humans quickly call off the attack, and the only evidence that anything ever happened are the trails of blood that now encircle the fortress.
(https://i.imgur.com/V1DBwCM.png)
13th of Hematite, 181
When I realized that the beast was not coming down, I sent the militia to investigate.
(https://i.imgur.com/Lx26uD7.png)
What they found was the titan's lifeless corpse. It seems that all it took to slay this beast was one shot from captain Sibrek's crossbow.
(https://i.imgur.com/FltJPO6.png)
I suppose that was... rather easy. Those traveler's tales must have been greatly exaggerated.
17th of Hematite, 181
Today the elven diplomat arrived. Once again they were here to discuss logging limits for our woodcutting. They still haven't caught on that there is never any risk of us exceeding any of their limits, so Salmeuk agrees to their proposal of a 135-tree cap.
Speaking of trees, we're almost out of logs again. Thank you for reminding me, elf.
10th of Malachite
Today I noticed a young dwarf wandering the halls, named Astesh Araknomal. I decide that he will train in gem cutting, as we do not currently have any gem cutters in the fortress who haven't been conscripted into the military, and even Onget is only competent at his job.
18th of Malachite, 181
I have decided to temporarily replace the missing axles atop the Tall Bar with normal wood for now. They may burn if it overflows again, but we have none of the mysterious nether cap wood that would allow us to make it secure, and we need our greatest weapon in an operational state again.
(https://i.imgur.com/blazr9T.png)
I shall see if nether cap is available for import next autumn.
4th of Galena, 181
The tall bar once again stands full.
(https://i.imgur.com/q01DELO.png)
I have not yet fixed the axle situation, and shall thus refrain from using it except in extreme emergencies, at least until we can get nether cap.
1st of Limestone, 181
The last month of summer passed without incident, with work mostly being done on cleaning the surface. Much progress was also made on a certain project of mine down near the magma sea, which I expect shall be completed shortly.
-=-= OOC =-=-
Well, that desert titan was frustratingly simple to kill. And yes, I was scared of a corpse for about 3 months.
Fikod didn't have any important skills that other dwarves didn't have better. Bluarian is quite a good weaponsmith, so no worries there.
I think the Tall Bar might be leaking from one of those two floodgates on the eastern side of the reservoir. It might be a good idea to replace one or both of them with walls, as they aren't actually used to fill the mug. Of course, that might be a bit hard now that I've filled it with magma again...
For the last two seasons I'll probably just be working on my project, and maybe getting some nice quarters for my dwarf. That is, unless the game decides to send more !!fun!! my way.
11th of Limestone, 181
Today the caravan from the mountainhomes arrived, as usual.
(https://i.imgur.com/tNSXdoS.png)
13th of Limestone, 181
We lack very little in this fortress. Regardless I do make a few requests for next year, mostly ores. I have also put in a request for certain precious gemstones, so that we may use them to encrust our furniture.
In return Mestthos offers us the following export agreement.
(https://i.imgur.com/654mlTO.png)
17th of Limestone, 181
While looking through the merchant's wares, Auze finds a very unusual pair of socks.
(https://i.imgur.com/UNOOQGe.png)
Who decided that was a good idea?
We purchase a variety of goods, including their entire stock of cave fish and cave lobsters, in exchange for various spare weapons and tools we have.
9th of Sandstone, 181
Today our mayor came to me asking about a demand she made quite some time ago. Apparently she wants a steel throne in her dining room. We have more than enough steel, so I agree to her demand.
11th of Sandstone, 181
Today the mayor came to me to say that she didn't actually care about that throne anymore. I quickly rescind the production order.
24th of Sandstone, 181
Today I received a petition from Solon of the Rainbow Raptors to formally rejoin the fortress.
(https://i.imgur.com/uMqXIKn.png)
Welcome back.
7th of Timber, 181
Today I am proud to announce the completion of a project that I have been working on near the magma sea. This device will allow us to turn the blood of the mountains into obsidian, with which we can make higher quality stone goods. The water for this process flows down from a lake in the second cavern layer.
(https://i.imgur.com/no6U33y.png)
This meets with the magma in this chamber here.
(https://i.imgur.com/aGFRiyy.png)
8th of Timber, 181
While this is happening, Zuntir offers to rejoin the fortress as well.
(https://i.imgur.com/myghRm7.png)
16th of Timber, 181
Nish also rejoins the fortress.
(https://i.imgur.com/s6PsKMh.png)
17th of Timber, 181
The pit is full. Now all we need do is release the water. Pull the lever!
(https://i.imgur.com/kRkdPnK.png)
Truly a wondrous sight.
(https://i.imgur.com/QZrodt4.png)
Mestthos has also finally returned to full citizenship. It is almost time to reform the Rainbow Raptors, but I think I shall leave that to the next overseer. Besides, Urvad still needs to rejoin.
(https://i.imgur.com/eFSzEnZ.png)
27th of Timber, 181
The last of the Rainbow Raptors becomes a citizen again.
(https://i.imgur.com/fF74X7u.png)
I do wonder if we still have those cloaks around...
28th of Moonstone, 181
Today I noticed how clean the GooHive once again is. Hopefully our dwarves can relax for a while, at least before the next goblins arrive.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZrdFK0R.png)
26th of Obsidian, 181
I have received reports of a ghost toppling furniture in the asylum.
(https://i.imgur.com/j5N5xLP.png)
Oh well, my term as overseer is almost up. I shall leave dealing with this to my successor.
28th of Obsidian, 181
These past few months have been quite uneventful. I have decided to officially take up performing at the Tall Bar.
(https://i.imgur.com/I0PZeYv.png)
I also commissioned a pair of adamantine helms. One is for Sibrek, as a reward for taking out such an otherwise dangerous beast so easily. The other is for Recon, for various services rendered to the fortress.
(https://i.imgur.com/g2LFlbl.png)
Finally, a note for future overseers regarding the obsidian farm.
(https://i.imgur.com/gC935Kt.png)
The leftmost lever controls a floodgate where the water first flows in. This mainly exists to prevent flooding in case the lower floodgate is destroyed. This floodgate is also protected by a fortification to prevent any unwanted guests from swimming in from the caverns.
The central lever opens the floodgate in the main casting pit. Release this when the pit is full of magma. Any excess water should drain away easily. Be sure to fill the pit with magma before water for the best results.
The last lever opens floodgates that will allow excess water to drain away if you accidentally flood the pit with water. Make sure these are closed when the pit is full of magma.
Magma can be pumped from the magma sea manually by a pump operator.
Well, that marks the end of my term. I wish my successor the very best of luck!
(https://i.imgur.com/9eDcyMO.png)
As the year passes, a new age dawns for the dwarves of smallhands. Legends spread far and wide of their exploits, and of how the fearsome beast Racon is no more.
(https://i.imgur.com/lGsoElr.png)
This will surely be a new year's party to remember.
Save: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15784
-=-= OOC =-=-
That winter was quite uneventful, especially compared to the first half of my turn. The obsidian farm does work nicely though. The adamantine helms I forged for Recon and Sibrek aren't masterworks, but should still be enough to prevent a goblin with a silver weapon from getting lucky. They only used two wafers each, which is good.
We made it to the age of legends! I was wondering if killing Racon would lead to this, and it did. I would've liked to get a picture of the large pop up that appears when it happens, but that doesn't seem to pause the game when it appears, and it was the first of Granite :(
As an extra thing I noticed while creating a nice dining room for my dwarf, the dwarves carved a set of five engravings on the wall. From left to right they depict:
- Lorsith Weevilmessiah.
- Ikud the blind demon killing a dwarf.
- The symbol of Smallhands.
- The symbol of the Mint Sack, our civilization.
- A table cut gem.
So on one side we have Lorsith and their evil minions, and on the other the Mint Sack and their treasure. The only thing standing between them is Smallhands. Quite a lot of meaning for some random engravings.
Good luck!
Before I begin, I would like to clarify something.
This :
(https://i.imgur.com/TvN3p0D.png)
is NOT me.
This is Spriggans the Sparkly. A great dwarf. One of the greatest to live.
He has been gifted the great Power of ressurection.
But fever and depression melted his (and his necromancers friends) brain.
He now lacks any intelligence, and only raises corpses on instinct.
I am not at all like Spriggans.
I am not stupid, nor can I revive dead things.
I am just a mere student. Trying my best to use Spriggans' power to understand the ghoulification process.
This process, could I master it, would greatly benefit dwarven-kind.
Now back at it !
Summer has been productive.
I was really really not expecting the Osprey men to move at all.
Dwarven records state that their carcasses were several years old !
They were in a very dry state, and should really not have risen.
Yet here they are, skinless, muscleless, lacking fleshy tissues and organs :
(https://i.imgur.com/0QYiCaE.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/UvgMUog.png)
Even without eyes, the birds have the intelligent cyan glow in their orbits.
They even OPENED THE DOOR by themselves (the cage traps I placed prooved useful there).
They look intelligent.
They are intelligent.
This is a success ! I produced forlorn ghoul !
Could it be concluded that the state of freshness of the corpse is not of primal importance ?
But I must admit these birds still look like beasts to me. They are wild, and un-civilised.
The next specimens will need to be of a civilised specie for more interresting results.
(https://i.imgur.com/V5FmjRd.png)
I placed the bird men in a cozy room designed especially for them.
I will give them time to recover after years without moving.
I'll let them stabilize before interrogation. I hope they communicate. But I have little hope, as they lack any organs.
Maybe the state of freshness WAS important after all...
A few months have passed.
The birds were mute and deaf.
Interrogation was unproductive. In the end, they were just animals.
Intelligent animals, granted. But birds anyway.
The dwarves refuse to tame or train them.
The birds are useless...
Yet, this experiment was not a complete failure.
The lack of organs, (esp. the lack of lungs) of the risen birds made me realise something.
Undeads do not breathe...
I would turn this to my advantage.
I started working on a little project which would help me acquire deceased specimens of satisfactory quality.
This is Smallhands' tree-farm-water-supply :
(https://i.imgur.com/PK0o45e.png)
It is conviniently placed near the Surface.
I asked the dwarves to build a little contraption for me near the bargaining area.
(https://i.imgur.com/d2tzwfW.png)
It will be used when given the chance.
I must acquire more interresting studying material.
During the last months, I searched our fortress for ANY supply of interresting biomass I could get my hands into.
Apart from boring dead animals, the only accessible materials I could get were :
- N : Racon. A wormy titan. Not at all dangerous. But unique enough to warrant study.
- Ń : Kol Rimtarbuzat. A "yellow tainted" dwarf. Strangely, the dwarves were afraid of him.
(https://i.imgur.com/Yzwwu1R.png)
- Experimentations on the body of Racon prooved fruitless.
The worm raised as a mere crude and mindless animated flesh.
(https://i.imgur.com/r4NmqKS.png)
Was I really expecting a worm to be intelligent ?
Such a waste of my time !
(https://i.imgur.com/9lWH9ek.png)
Yay, IK, I tried to bridge a titan... Long time not played... I killed him with the militia without issues, and rebuilt the bridge
On the other hand, on the body of Kol, my knowledge prooved sucessful !
(https://i.imgur.com/pfPmygi.png)
I did it again !
This time, it was not a fluke !
Welcome back agonst the living, Kol, my friend.
My dear, intelligent friend.
(https://i.imgur.com/7xXaawO.png)
I will escort him in a resting room for a while. Let him regain his senses.
I realize his body was not perfectly fresh, having been drying out under the Sun for who knows how long.
Still, I have good hope he will be more compliant than the birds.
I will soon examine his body. I must know if his organs are intact.
Interrogations will have to happen.
This summer was productive
(https://i.imgur.com/KEJ8TPd.png)
I think I begin to understand ghoulification better.
But I need to test things further !
I am about to make a breakthrough that would benefit all dwarven-kind.
My work has to continue.
The time has come to test the process on a larger scale.
Smallhands corpses are lacking, but I have to get more !
I must find a much, MUCH larger supply of fresh corpses.
No, I'm not only "destroying" fortresses in my runs xD
Look : I fixed the Tall Bar :p
(https://i.imgur.com/mz5BIsc.png)
And I even expanded Smallhands a little :
I'm adding "prisons" for the next ghouls to come
(https://i.imgur.com/jaxdAXn.png)
ANd I created a little wood work-area
(https://i.imgur.com/B59Idn8.png)
Gotta convince you guys I'm productive. Gotta get re-elected next year after all
9 months into the year.
Something unexpected happened that will probably change the way I'll tale my story.
With christmas coming, I might only be able to tale it next Monday.
(https://i.imgur.com/xaywyl4.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/TOP8DhU.png)
Don't panic, we endure.
At least I'll have materials for study, I guess.
That Googhive is impossible to defend BTW, and FPS are at 5 ^^'
EDIT : lol
(https://i.imgur.com/FMuooca.gif)
After the Necropolis' materials got wasted, I needed to make sure I was not doing things wrong.
I was doubting my abilities to produce usefull undeads. I needed to proove myself I was competent.
Yet, this failure made me realize two things :
- Dwarves are complex beings. Their bodies need to be extra-fresh for proper ghoulification. Timing is of highest importance.
- Lesser beings, not as complex (such as Osprey men, or wereswines) don't need this super quality. They can be raised even years after death, and even with dried living tissues.
During Fall, I would conduct two experiments to confirm these theories.
The first experiment would involve freshly killed dwarves.
Namely, Dôbar and Ast, proud citizens, of SmallHands :
(https://i.imgur.com/ptvICQp.png)
Errr, "Children citizens of Smallhands", would be a more accurate term.
I had to assure a clean death.
The water reservoir above the room, and the vital need of air of the children, helped me achieve this.
(https://i.imgur.com/k8mYPrO.png)
Just like that, I had acquired two bodies of prime quality !
And when the smoke cleared :
(https://i.imgur.com/myH6uKU.png)
These were Sentient Ghouls !
And they were part of Smallhands' unit list.
(https://i.imgur.com/kXpWWgL.png)
The ghoul-lings walked out of the room, playing "make believe", as if nothing happened.
I will keep a close eye on them, especially on the older one, who is 11 yos.
I wonder how he will age...
For my second theory, about the futility of freshness for lesser sapien, I had to dig into long forgotten tunnels.
This ...
(https://i.imgur.com/kUOei4B.png)
... was Gold to my eyes.
In the many layers of the caves, I could see the bodies of : Trolls, Blind Cave Ogres, Maneras (https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Manera), Troglodytes, Gorlak, Reachers (https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Reacher), and more !
Bringing this pile back to my studying chamber would ensure months of research !
I had to loot the Cavern of its treasures !
I had to take it !
Yet, there was one difficulty
(https://i.imgur.com/NCnPUdj.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZuQp4Fm.png)
Behold : Pelese.
A towering crocodile. A monster. An abomination of Nature. It should not be allowed to live.
It was old, and wounded, and had lurked Smallhands for years, yet it was scary and monstrous.
I ordered the military to kill it.
(https://i.imgur.com/BVXfCZW.png)
I enthralled the troops :
"Warriors, do not fear Death ! Any fallen brethren will be brought back amongst his pairs !
Just take care of your head, I can salvage the rest !"
My speech must have motivated them. Pelese stood no chance.
(https://i.imgur.com/U2zRG6w.png)
Recon claimed the kill.
With its guardian gone. The Caverns were mine to loot.
Some time has passed.
It took several days for the dwarves to recover the biomass and put it in the REZ chamber.
But, as daunting a task, it was worth it.
It was very, VERY worth it.
I mean, just look at all the worth :
(https://i.imgur.com/wnaIh3o.png)
For unexplainable reasons, only the Troll, and the Troglodytes were risen.
I believe it is because of the [EVIL] tag...
I can't seem to resurect goblins either (and I savescummed A LOT for them). But dwarves and humans can be done easily.
Yet I've raised Trolls, who are [EVIL]... So IDK.
IDK about the elves, and their [GOOD] token. I only tried one elf.
(https://i.imgur.com/hmFuNpi.png)
But this was more than I could have hoped for.
I managed to raise years and years of Pelese's kills.
These Troghoulytes (as I like to call them), are alive thanks to me.
If given the time to think about their new life, they will surely realize this, proove faithful and bind to me.
I did order a large network of rooms dug for the newly born Troghoulytes, and for the other ghouls to come.
There, they would stay, for future interrogation, and study.
It was an easy task to trap the wild Troghoulytes in their room.
I simply caged them and tossed them inside from an opening above :
(https://i.imgur.com/FMuooca.gif)
Wonderful.
There, they would stay, as magnificent witty beings.
(https://i.imgur.com/mkrTEiP.png)
Smallhands' ghoul population was increasing.
OOC
1/
Is bringing back the age of myths a bad thing?
No. It's purely cosmetic.
2/
So what are you gonna do with all them undead?
Officially, study them.
Hope they regain senses, and that maybe we could turn them to join SmallHands forces.
For real, we put them in glorified prison cells and leave them there forever.
They act as the official Fortress mascotts !
Ghouls retain their former allegiance. So "wild animals" stay wild
Yet, maybe we could use the throwing Pits to feed the Trolls-forlorn-ghouls invaders ?
Or maybe we could put them in an alternative goo-hive for defense, IDK, your call.
3/ We are at war with the humans :( The merchants did not show up, and I could not test my drowning machine on them. Pity.
4/ What are the settings for visitors ? None showed up.
Did you previous overseers ever had any ?
Maybe it's because we don't have any public librairie / inn ?
END OF OOC
Winter... Well...
Winter was harsh...
(https://i.imgur.com/NoILCAe.png)
Our dreaded ennemy, the Goblins, besieged us on a cold Timber morning...
They arrived in large numbers.
(https://i.imgur.com/dbI1zqh.png)
Scouts counted roughly 150 foes. Amongst whom were trolls, beak dogs, humans, and goblins.
With our mere 10 competent soldiers, we were vastly outnumbered.
Following my predecessors' strategies of war, I ordered the lever of the Tall Bar pulled.
That would allow a warm consumption of the Ennemies' tissues.
While this method would mean I would loose the perfectly potent bodies of the attackers, it seemed to be the safest plan.
Given the threat, It was okay to waste all the fresh material.
I asked a dwarf to get in the Tall Bar, and release the Magma.
Sadly, what my predecessors did not account for was the fact that no one was in the Tall Bar right then.
Someone had to walk up the stairs, WHICH WERE NEAR GLASS WINDOWS FOR SOME STUPID REASON !
The dwarves walked the stairs.
They gazed outside and saw the Ennemy...
... And they were too scared to trigger the Magma release and turned back !
I was very, very, annoyed...
When someone eventually found the courage to release Death (https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Magma) on the besiegers, it was already too late...
The living tissues had found a way into the fortress through an un-protected opening !
(https://i.imgur.com/uFaYDwI.png)
And while some of them got killed by our few traps, the majority of them went into the infamous GooHive ...
At this point, I had no choice.
The GooHive led straight to the fortress...
The invaders were coming toward us, probably to steal my beloved Forlorn Ghouls !
I HAD to defend my Troghoulytes ! And I had to defend SmallHands !
I ordered all SmallHands' warriors to station in the GooHive and wait for impact.
The Trolls were the first wave to strike !
But the warriors were ready...
Chaos unsued :
(https://i.imgur.com/4JsmLFN.png)
Suffering only two losses (excluding cats), the dwaves won the battle :
(https://i.imgur.com/dFxNoRm.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/w2Ju9wc.png)
The warriors bodies did not sustain any major injury.
They would be ressurected later if given the chance.
The second wave promised more deadly :
(https://i.imgur.com/WMFIfQk.png)
A vast force of intelligent goblins, riding Beak Dogs, was approaching.
I ordered the exausted warriors to retreat at the start of the GooHive.
My predecessors told me the Hive had a secret bridge crushing weapon.
I waited for the goblins to approach, and used it to splatter about half of the invaders.
But the rest of them had to be fought one-on-one...
This image does not give the actual chaos justice, but blows were given on both sides :
(https://i.imgur.com/6sy4XB1.png)
Look at all these colours !
If our warriors manage victory, I would have many fresh corpses at my disposal !
The smoke cleared...
The Surface went silent...
We...
We've won ?
(https://i.imgur.com/UVj2Vhj.png)
We have achieved victory !
But we suffered many losses.
And the Surface is littered with Death (https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Losing) :
(https://i.imgur.com/0YXn3rq.png)
The corpses cannot be wasted !
I have a loooot of work to do !
OOC :
Thanks for the positive feedbacks !
Final update tomorrow.
Amazing.
Thanks you so much Recon for the hard work.
Your POV of the story was... Different thant mine. :)
Hoo and this
The real funny part was that a cat walked in right as Callisto finished his lecture and apparently came out a Dabbling armourmsith
NEEDS to be scienced !
*visions of military skills trained cats*
(https://images2.imgbox.com/fd/8a/ZlR5KHHZ_o.png)
28th Obsidian 182
So, puh. Into it. First thing .. so many items. We have almost 4000 silver bolts! Great, whom are we going to penetrate with that? And almost 15k food units, we are not going to suffer from starvation anytime soon.
I'm quite uncertain how to proceed with the ghosts in the fortress as I read that some missions took place which caused the co-existence of benign intelligent undead and their counterpart ghosts, but they freak half of the fortress out. Nezclaw and Zan Delethdeduk are to be memorialized (their fleshy counterparts are not on missions).
Solon, the "Raptor" was for some reason in a perpetual in the cemetery, forbidding Vucar Logemsanreb's skeleton solved the issue.
A lot of dwarfes suffer intense fever probably due to the vile goo that is raining occasionally.
2nd Granite 183
Two Osprey Man ghouls have been caged.
I could not befriend myself with the hollowed out hill on the eastern side, as gravity and erosion would have caused the cavity to collapse (OCD?). I hence tasked myself to follow my better judgement and make nature's laws happen.
16th Granite
Malfoy is throwing a tantrum. I rather not have her start a fist fight and look for a temporary "happiness" room and found the Asylum. She complied with the orders but not before accidentally destroying two farmers workshops, a quern and not before beating the sh☼t out of a beakdog.
21th Granite
A beakdog started tearing through some kittens, dogs and our spiritual leader Imic sacred mirth. The cycle of pointless violence...
18th Felsite
A buzzard has stolen masterwork prepared molemarian heart roast. Our masterchef feels uneasy about this desecration. The military has been ordered to exterminate all buzzard intruders.
1st Hematite
A vile force of darkness has arrived! About 130 invaders. Some weapon traps have been triggered. A petdog and a stray cat succumbed to goblins. The fortress is surrounded by the enemy. Soldiers have been called to the beak and wardog pasture.
(https://i.imgur.com/k0ScjSe.jpg)
The first wave was upon forcing their way through the stone doors, a female speargoblin was but rather surprised by the ferocity of the fortress beasts and retreats in the hallway. The next invaders are a sword and hammergoblin who stand ground with the speargoblin. After the initial animal brute attack the ferocity of the dwarfs behind cannot be stopped.
(https://i.imgur.com/iKKZY4p.jpg)
Meanwhile a fight broke out between grizzly bears and goblins who strayed away from the main attack.
(https://i.imgur.com/PPbdL0n.jpg)
Radiofort, despite not being part of the military, charges courageously forward, but flying bolts and a speardwarf quickly put an end to his ineffective but nevertheless much appreciated attack. May our wizards put new live into his body.
As the onslaught in the hallway progressed, while on temporary retreat, FEVERED Berast had lost his ability to stand and was left behind, as his disappearance was noticed, the other mighty warriors rushed to defend him. It was, sadly, not enough to safe him, and another dwarf leaves his life for the defence of this fortress.
After several days of intense fighting, the siege was lifted.
1st Limestone
The enemy have come and are laying siege to the fortress!
Those humans came here to taunt us though, not more, since none of their hooligans has come with weapons. And they brought Water Buffalo Bull Recruits. They had been taken care of in a swift and merciless manner.
(https://i.imgur.com/SLogbj8.jpg)
1st Moonstone
A vile force of darkness has arrived! Incredible amount of almost 300 invaders! Lots of beakdog riders, some trolls.
(https://i.imgur.com/BXjcfBI.jpg)
Due to this overwhelming force it has been decided to release the magma, which reduced some 60 invaders to tiny ash humps.
(https://i.imgur.com/lCjgI0l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HaA5HKV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3L04cDS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lLTie6Z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ivp2Lo6.jpg)
20th Moonstone
As the siege continued, a reckless troll decided to destroy the floodgate that served in the past for nurturing soil and grow trees. But it happened to be winter and the water outside the tunnel froze.
(https://i.imgur.com/OAZv0lT.jpg)
26th Moonstone
The local necromancers decided to have some fun on their behalf and raised grizzly bear skeletons who made our invading friends some amenities. Sparkly even entered a martial trance!
27th Moonstone
In order to levy the siege the HiveAccess has been opened. But just as this happened the besiegers decided to leave the site. Some remaining stragglers have been eradicated, albeit one troll remains that somehow found entrance into our water reservoir (he later climbed his way inside the fortress and destroyed a door, but has been put down without casualties).
16th Opal
"Oh, a grand collapse of earth shattered the fortress, a great depression surfaced where once was our bear breeding. I can't quite fathom how such disaster could struck then our mountainengineers were confident in their making. From survey it is safe to say that the necromancer tower still stays. We did some complementary digging as to decrease of such happenings and walled unwanted entrances to the fortress. Armok Weevilmessiah be with us" – random dwarf
(https://i.imgur.com/OGKMkMo.jpg)
:::
The last month I had been trying to resurrect fallen dwarfes, namely Nezclaw & Radiofort but I realised too late they were mangled and only partial skeletons were available. The ice melted somewhere end of Obsidian and the former bear breeding ground becomes a swamp now. And yea thats it for my year. We survived three sieges but besides that nothing spectacular happened.
(https://i.imgur.com/2RfyMxu.jpg)
File: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15844
It is when we keep the animal population and cleanliness under control. It sounds like it needs a Clean all and some pop control
Fortress started with 260 animals and 500 meat units; after cleanup 44 animals and 2700 meat units though some may have rotten away. Corpses to D, clothing un-F, metal M. My computer handles Smallhands alternating between 17 and 33 FPS not sure what may cause bottlenecks.
I stopped bauxite block/green glass corkscrew production and umbrella construction as the goal right now was basically cleaning up.
It has been a while, so I'm going to post a request for a new dwarf again. Also, I didn't think there were any more drastically different types of overseer we hadn't had yet, but I was wrong. Looking forward to the latest round of shenanigans. :D
The militia commander Momuz Swordhatchets is named now Fatcat.
– 1st Hematite –
A vile force of darkness has arrived to execute a special military operation (let me know if politics is ok here). Some 25 invaders. The outer gate was closed. Meanwhile some dwarves were still scavenging whatever was still unplundered on the surface but found shelter within the fortress through an alternative entrance through the former water storage that has been leaking now for a year. Some invaders found a way inside through the umbrella construction. Doors were closed, burrow adjusted. However, there was no stopping them through the power provision tunnel, and the military was sent in to deal with the invaders.
(https://i.imgur.com/NyKKIGY.jpg)
After the swordmaster ambushed and beheaded the elf recruit the remaining invaders left the fortress. Two prisoners were taken.
Traders came we exported 17k. Also, wtf:
(https://i.imgur.com/QOde2q1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/c8f2CoH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FgrsV3U.jpg)
– 6th Sandstone –
All the corpses during this year were dumped into the resurrection chamber but this had some !fun! consequences. It appears that our Titan Hunter saw our necromancer through the shutters that were not closed at this time and gave it a straight shot with his crossbow. His lung got punctured and he decided to call some friends:
(https://i.imgur.com/ii0WW4v.jpg)
Our necromancer is just fine:
(https://i.imgur.com/N617kyN.jpg)
Moments later some 3 non-named dwarfs died. But we have a friendly troll forlorn ghoul now!
(https://i.imgur.com/tj0E3US.jpg)
– 18th Timber –
Malfoy went starving mad:
(https://i.imgur.com/7tQ7lU4.jpg)
Good possessions, work and beverage seemed to lift up her mood. But the lack of relationship (everyone was busy in the hive cleaning) and restlessness must have been the last drop. Momuz Scrapesyrup has been named 'Malfoy'. He's currently 9 years old.
(https://i.imgur.com/Q7Zz45S.png)
– 1st Moonstone –
A vile force has arrived, again. 280 invaders. The Trolls started to tear through the pipes and gear-assemblies that were encompassing the Tall Bar:
(https://i.imgur.com/riDW0xm.png)
Further down they also destroyed magma pumps:
(https://i.imgur.com/2xCgrZE.png)
And, though unexpected, our fire imp finally decided to use some of its natural powers. Albeit his frustration of captivity was first released on our temporarily retreating warriors:
(https://i.imgur.com/7z7vswo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eiWuCNF.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/4YiBxUF.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/bpqwT3F.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/tyLnme0.png)
The shooting range seems to have been to short to hurt anything, but the bursts set a nice fire. In the meantime trolls used the midair stairway to get on top of the Tall Bar and destroyed all they could find:
(https://i.imgur.com/Iz2Wefa.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Esaky51.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/xdGLBPO.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/XhBAP5C.png)
Some unfortunate dwarves, feeling that the Tall Bar was an invincible stronghold, were not ready for the assault and got crushed by the Trolls. The citizens were avenged:
(https://i.imgur.com/Chopt9I.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Nwkk7gf.png)
The invaders were losing interest on the site and the beakdog cavalry mass went south, but some skirmishers remained hunting the local wildlife:
(https://i.imgur.com/ZVUyI48.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/0IP8kwv.jpg)
At least they were catching also the local sicknesses:
(https://i.imgur.com/5gckvxy.jpg)
Back to the Tall Bar, some unfortunate individual decided on hearing the lost civilians, that this was the right time to get some proper socks. Three remaining goblins saw him coming and climbed the Tall Bar. He was dodging their slashes and fell down, breaking some bones but still survived. Scrambling back to safety he was unlucky to find the goblins searching for him again. But he too, was avenged that day:
(https://i.imgur.com/v3Uyx7B.jpg)
And this is how the siege ended, but not the consequences. Elpho got so badly hurt, his bleeding wouldn't stop:
(https://i.imgur.com/rd09fJW.png)
By now he was treated two months by our best doctors and the bleeding just won't stop. I don't know how to fix this. At least the doctors get very good at surgery.
The rest of the year was again about cleaning up the last siege. There are two new levers now on level 118, one to open/close the water-reservoir and another one for a secondary gate. It seemed to be beneficial that retreating dwarves may use another entry while a siege is happening, as these always appear on the top-left corner and the secondary gate is on the cave-in site on the right corner.
I also wanted to better comprehend the fortress of Smallhand itself. I found it as example very interesting how the current goo-hive entry was a former trap labyrinth for invasion forces, and since then went through some revisions. Maybe it would be interesting to screenshot/gif fortress levels through the safe-files but it seems like a lot of work. For now I thought of trying this format for this year. It's a list showing on the left column the deepness level and on the right more or less what this level entails.
15 deepest dug
16-18 raw adamantine
19 magma enter with traps, magma pump to obsidian casting container
20 obsidian casting container, magma pump start
21 3rd cavern layer end, levers, furnances and forges, obsidian factory
22-24
25 lots of traps to map edge
26 3rd cavern layer start, sunset art
27-34 2nd cavern layer end
35-36
37 entrance to 2nd cavern layer
38-49
50 pit
51-56
57 2nd cavern layer start
58-91
92 1st cavern layer end
93-94
95 clean caverns
96 clean caverns, personal room
97 stone/bar stockpiles, magma smelters, adamantine strands
98-99
100-101 graveyard
102 graveyard, various mason workshops
103 enemy drop chamber end
104 craftsdwarf guildhall, corpse display hall
105 enemy drop chamber start, farmer and armorer guildhall
106 3 personal rooms
107 cavern collapse potential (no responsibility or liability for writer)
108 temple, library, 7 personal rooms, paper/artifact/furniture stockpile
109 2 temples, gem industry, mechanic workshops, cavern collapse potential
110 temple, finished goods/leather stockpile, clothing industry, Salmeuk's suicide chamber, cavern collapse potential
111 4 personal rooms, 40 2x6 rooms, Salmeuk's suicide temple, ressurection, graveyard, food/furniture stockpiles, glass industry, water reactor end
112 water reactor, tavern, hospital, 2 personal rooms, 18 2x2 rooms, food stockpiles, museum, important levers
113 prepared meal/foo/refuse/weapon/armor/ammo/seeds/animal stockpiles, 1 personal room, 3 barracks, 3 pastures, animal industry, umbrella start, outside start, necromancer tower start
114 log/finished goods/ammo/food stockpiles, wood furnance/carpenter workshops, archery range, 1 barracks, 5 personal rooms
115-117 weird stairs siblng rooms, water reservoir
118 farms, water source, 2 wells, food, 2 barracks
119 pasture, besiegertrap tunnel, tradedepot
120 farms, many traps, fortress entrance start, magma mug trap tower start
121 food stockpiles
122 necromancer tower end, graveyard
123 food stockpile
124 food stockpile, fortress entrance end
125-126
127 tavern
128 magma chamber
129
130 magma mug trap tower end
131-134
135 umbrella
File: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=15891