Complete story in PDF form here: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=16832
Family Tree of Archcrystal here: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=14549
Final save (Version 47.05) here: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=16835
I have played my 40.24 fortress Archcrystal for 241 in-game years.I hadn't set out to play a fort this long (June 2015 to present). There were a few reasons I decided I wanted a multi century fort. The first one was Cave Dragons
(http://i.imgur.com/zTfcqtq.jpg)
Within the first decade I had captured a breeding pair of Cave Dragons and I wanted an army of them. I thought 1000 years would simply take too long so I decided on 200 years. I figured the would be a good size by then.They make great war animals once they reach a certain size. Having them immune to fire really helps against fire beasts as they're also immune to smoke so they won't lose sight of their target. The second reason is I've never really had "generations" of dwarves in my fort before. So I put the population cap to 30 and the strict cap to 45 to get babies.In my first 30 dwarves, I only had one married couple.
(http://i.imgur.com/6DjKTZr.jpg)
This is Bomrek Cradlecrafts the Waning Fence of Gales. I took this picture of him just before he died at the age of 170. He was the first Militia Commander of the Fort. With his wife Cerol Treatyrims the Dark Zeal, they birthed half the fort. Everyone in the fort now was born there and is descended from these two down through 5 generations. They are literally the Adam and Eve of the fortress. I accomplished this by getting one more married couple to migrate and then arranging marriages for their kids with the pre-honeymoon suites I had setup:
(http://i.imgur.com/185qgDq.jpg)
After that I got them to intermarry between cousins. The second youngest son of Bomrek and Cerol, Melbil, became king "after a polite discussion with his rivals" about 100 years into the fort, so the family then became the "Royal Family" of The Dipped Spears. I was lucky that he didn't have any mandate likes, so I could keep the fort running at night.
Here's some stats of the fort throughout the years:
(http://i.imgur.com/MrYhJpW.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/1Y6L1J2.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/M4hTqIp.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/pfpqTga.jpg)
A little background. The Fortress lies in an evil Jungle called the Jungle of Drying. It is non-re-animating, but has "Clouds of Wicked Soot" that roll in periodically and transform caravans and animals into husk zombies. For that reason I burrowed everyone inside from the get go with a Civilian Alert.
(http://i.imgur.com/yr62QeN.jpg)
There is a 4z level waterfall where the two rivers meet. The entrance to the fort is just north of here.
(http://i.imgur.com/RRU2HWV.jpg)
I set up just simple workshop areas.
(http://i.imgur.com/jIT0cHj.jpg)
That along with keeping the population cap under 50 kept the FPS up. As well as no mayor for mandates. Now I didn't want them just wandering around doing nothing, so I had them decorate - for over 2 centuries. Here's the decorating floor:
(http://i.imgur.com/dGv46xr.jpg)
All of the furniture is made of clear glass, and it's all been decorated with everything we could find. That goes the same for the finsihed goods, especially the large gems. Here are some highlights:
(http://i.imgur.com/c6VDmPj.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/oOamFjC.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/DEQfzrL.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/aODJkfN.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/wyr236m.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/A0KsjAp.jpg)
As you can see we had a lot of Forgotten Beast Attacks
(http://i.imgur.com/KIIPJAr.jpg)
The ones we couldn't butcher (Gem or Stone or whatever) we saved to do something fun with later
(http://i.imgur.com/JTIi1Mu.jpg)
Getting ready we're going to need power so I constructed an underground river from one of the cavern lakes and hooked it up to water wheels:
(http://i.imgur.com/F48MZPF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1qeaO5z.jpg)
No iron on this map but we had tons of Tetrahedrite and Sphalerite. But also got lucky with 3 very tall adantine spires.
Getting ready to build the real fort we've stockpiled thousands of clear glass blocks:
(http://i.imgur.com/4UPfXPe.jpg)
At last after a 142 year reign King Melbil, last son of the founders Bomrek Cradlecrafts the Waning Fence of Gales and Cerol Treatyrims the Dark Zeal died of old age. His daughter Libash inherited the throne. And it's time to build the clear glass fort of Archcrystal. And we're building this fort in Hell.
***
It fell on Unib to dig through the last layer of the Adamantine pillar. The Mad Queen Libash wanted her see-through fort to be amongst the swirling horrors of the underworld. The military was ready. The Giant War Tigers would be used as bait along with an artifact statue. An Artifact door would hold the initial attack to the killing floor. At last the breach was made. Unib was killed instantly and the horde ascended:
(http://i.imgur.com/EZuAZQN.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/objH04A.jpg)
Up the spire they came towards the killing floor. They were almost there.
(http://i.imgur.com/LbgiREG.jpg)
At last they broke through the cinnabar doors and the Marksdwarves opened fire.
(http://i.imgur.com/eoJ43s9.jpg)
The first few demons fell instantly the legendary aim of the elite marksdwarves, but more poured through the opening slaughtering the Giant War Tigers as they went.
(http://i.imgur.com/4VWfqS4.jpg)
There were two different kind of webbing demons so no need to waste the melee dwarves or the cave dragons. The Cave dragons had waited over 2 centuries for this moment. They could wait a little longer. Besides they would be needed later.
(http://i.imgur.com/LAButvJ.jpg)
At last the horde was dead, having been relentlessly shot by the Marksdwarves while occupied with the Giant Tigers. One even survived.
(http://i.imgur.com/MCg2kg1.jpg)
Down the Adamantine spire went the military. Only 20 dwarves but backed by over 50 Cave Dragons they hold the spire against the remaining demons down below while the others work quickly to construct the stairs of glass.
Next time... Invading Hell with an army of Cave Dragons.
(http://i.imgur.com/YKMCXJS.jpg)
***
(http://i.imgur.com/2RQ6yUM.jpg)
Doren Lashedgrooved, the longtime sheriff of Archcrystal, stood impatiently with his arms crossed at the bottom of the adamantine column waiting for the staircase down into hell to be completed. Moments before the Militia Commander, Thikut, provoked one of the winged ash spiders flying past below. Thikut was webbed and killed in an instant, and his nephew charged at the beast sharing the fate of the deceased Militia Commander before it was shot to death by a dozen steel bolts. That left 8 meatshields, calculated Doren, but no matter. The Cave Dragons would provide most of the cover for the sheriff’s squad of Elite Marksdwarves. Thikut was very old and wanted a warrior’s death. He got it.
Doren and his Marksdwarves of The Armored Roads were different from the reckless Axe and sword swinging berserkers of The Mountainous Castles. Doren’s squad was calm and methodical, made in his own image, efficient, cunning, and a touch cruel. They were the ones needed for this kind of work. And it now fell to Doren to lead the attack, but he would have anyway.
At last the stairs were finished just enough. The melee dwarves of the Mountainous castles raced down with a deafening warcry followed by their gigantic Cave Dragon companions. Meanwhile Doren waited with his crossbow squad calmly until the way was clear and then led them single file down the clear glass steps. His adamantine boots hit the alien stone ground with a muffled crash that kicked up a layer of ash into the air. The Cave Dragons had found a Demon unfortunately made of snow and were playfully tearing it to pieces, cheered on by the Axedwarves. Doren calmly walked forward, unfolded a portable chair and table several paces behind the crowd and sat down.
Doren took out a pen and paper and began writing margins and numbers, calculating and quantifying what had been killed, descriptions of the various demons and their capabilities. Meanwhile more cave dragons sprinted past his chair to join the others. He didn’t concern himself with the small skirmishes taking place, and remained documenting his work while his squad held its position and occasionally fired a few bolts here and there. Even the Mad Queen was striking at a stray Water Demon a number of yards away, cackling wildly with every thrust and parry.
Suddenly, Doren’s pen stopped its consistent scribbling. Something was wrong. He could sense something shift on the horizon – a hidden vibration, a low rumble. He readied his crossbow and told his squad to do the same. Quickly, over the horizon a new horder crested the ridge, at least 30 in number. They had been waiting until dwarves touched their ground to launch a second attack. Perhaps the demons weren’t so easily tricked. Fine, thought Doren. We shot them on our terms. He loaded his crossbow. Time to shoot them on theirs.
The fury of the demons crashed like an ocean wave against a cliffside of dragons and dwarves. Bolts sang through the air finding plenty of homes. Great billows of smoke rose from the searing crash of fireballs from the Burning Brutes against the cave dragons impervious scales.
(http://i.imgur.com/8Yeey6F.jpg)
Doren once again could not help but remark how tough the cave dragons were. They took an astonishing amount of punishment from the demon onslaught before going down. It left time for the bolts or the odd spear or axe to find its target.
(http://i.imgur.com/ibDnNRF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Yh2FL0i.jpg)
The Mad Queen still laughed hysterically and waded through the chaos, swinging her axe with insane glee.
(http://i.imgur.com/Wf7fLYL.jpg)
Finally she bled to death from burns. They say, you can still hear her haunting laughter echo off the pits of hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/80vwyjs.jpg)
The dwarves at the top of the stairs saw the queen fall and quickly proclaimed her brother Ushrir the King.
(http://i.imgur.com/3TuemFI.jpg)
He had some mixed feelings on the proclamation.
(http://i.imgur.com/gs7fj13.jpg)
Doren and his squad maintained their composure, occasionally going upstairs for more ammunition. They relentlessly shot bolt after bolt at the gnashing crowd, until at last things grew still.
(http://i.imgur.com/1Bbvvd9.jpg)
One last Horned Banshee writhed on the ground trapped by the clenching jaws of the cave dragons. The sheriff slowly walked to the struggling demon and whispered, “Filth.” And he gave it a final kick to its head that collapsed it’s skull.
“This is our home now.” He said and flashed a wicked grin.
***
It was an amazing battle to watch. Wish I had filmed it, but oh well. I had thought there were less demons coming up the stairs than I had initially counted. A third of them had wandered over to the other edge of the map, and began to attack as soon as we had put boots on the ground in hell. Definitely a much tougher fight. All in all we lost 8 melee dwarves, one marksdwarf, and 20 Cave Dragons.
Next time, building a clear glass fortress in hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/nHZNcnJ.jpg)
***
It had been over a year and a half since Doren the sheriff had last laid eyes on a demon, and it had disturbed him increasingly. He didn’t like not knowing things, and he didn’t like peace through ignorance. The glass walls continued to go up.
(http://i.imgur.com/fdIUWvr.jpg)
They had to be very high to reach the semi-molten rock ceiling.
(http://i.imgur.com/Sb17lQp.jpg)
But if he was honest with himself, he would feel safer if there was something attacking them. At last, he had enough, and sent for Moldath and Iton.
(http://i.imgur.com/ysXAGJm.jpg)
Moldath and Iton were the last surviving members of the Mountainous Castles. The new Militia Commander who led them, was just 12 years old, so they were training her more than she was training them. While Moldath and Iton weren’t terribly smart, they both had an awful memory, they were incredibly lucky and seemed to elude disaster well.
(http://i.imgur.com/dLWfPPa.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/KKXuanl.jpg)
Doren couldn’t quantify a talent like that, but he couldn’t ignore it either. He sent them out to have a look around Hell. Etur, the 12 year old militia commander insisted that she come along, so off they went with their tiny officer. Because they were only 8 years apart Moldath and Iton had acted like sisters to each other even though Moldath was Iton’s Great Aunt, it was fairly common place in Archcrystal, a place where everyone was related.
They moved quietly away from the Cave Dragons and moved to the south, the 12 year old Etur wide-eyed and gawking at the Eerie glowing pits of Hell. They carefully climbed the far southern ridge and when it seemed clear went down the other side. A large large glowing pit lay further south, and they stopped to look and listen. All was quiet. Moldath and Iton looked at eachother sharing their thoughts through long recognized facial expressions. They were puzzled.
(http://i.imgur.com/ioyLxaO.jpg)
They looked at Etur, her armor and helmet far too big for her small frame. Moldath smiled, but Iton frowned. “What’s wrong?” Moldath whispered.
Iton quietly pointed at Etur’s shoulder where a pile of dust was slowly starting to gather. They followed the tiny dirt waterfall upwards. Straight above was one of the other 3 adamantine spires. This one though, was hollow almost all the way to the top. Their underground vision served them well here as they could see up almost twenty stories into the shaft. There, they saw movement – a wing flutter, an eye glint. “They’re up there,” Iton whispered.
(http://i.imgur.com/KR9gtTT.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/89x6Qh5.jpg)
“What are they doing up there?” Moldath whispered.
“I don’t know, are they trying to dig?” replied Iton.
“Demons can’t dig, dumbass.”
“How do you know?!?”
“Because I’m older than you.”
“By only eight years!”
“And two generations, remember?”
“Yeah, well your generation’s out of touch.”
“Well, your generation’s spoiled.”
Just then a small pebble hit the stone ground, and a larger rock almost landed on Etur. They all crouched silently and looked up for danger. After a few minutes Iton said, “Let’s get out here.”
“Good idea, what do we tell Doren?”
“I don’t know, just what we saw I guess. Let him figure it out.”
So they left to tell the sheriff with the militia commander skipping behind them.
***
I’m not sure why the demons climbed the south adamantine spire, but they seem stuck up there for now. Maybe they tried to find an alternate path to the fort? I know they can sometimes sneak through into the magma sea, but they are just sitting there for now, like they are waiting to ambush me. In any case for now its causing no new demons to spawn which is just fine by me.
Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal began to put up the clear glass walls in Hell and discovered where the remainder of the demons were hiding. Now the king reveals his true plans for the fortress to the sheriff…
***
Doren the sheriff sat in the king’s chambers and breathed in sharply before speaking.
“The channel is dug, sire, though I fail to see why we had to tap another underground lake. You intend see your sister’s plan through, I understand.”
“Yes, I do.” The king replied.
“A clear glass fort in hell. It’s ambitious.” Doren’s eyes flashed.
“Indeed, but I have much larger plans than my dear departed sister.”
“Is that why we are dumping water on the magma sea?”
“Yes… we are going to turn much of it to stone – and then dig down through it. At the same time we will dig up through the semi molten rock from hell.” The king smiled.
“You want to connect hell with the 3rd cavern?”
“Yes and much, much more.” The king rolled a large parchment onto the table. “Behold”
(http://i.imgur.com/d9LJsQq.jpg)
“We will connect hell with the surface. We will dig a large hole all the way down and raise a clear glass spire from the underworld through to the top of the jungle so that the sun will shine into hell through our glorious glass tower.”
Doren was speechless. It was rumoured that the demons raise towers of slade from hell to the their dark fortresses on the surface, but could the dwarves do the same with glass?
“Such a plan would take decades.”
“Good.” Said the king.
Doren the sheriff nodded and left. He had his orders and he liked the challenge. He gave the order and the dwarves started pouring water into the magma sea so they could start digging…
(http://i.imgur.com/tDsDnnd.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/BT6EKhP.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/erho6yC.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/SMvReoi.jpg)
***
So there’s my master plan. A clear glass tower all the way from hell to the surface. The only thing is I’m going to have to use DFhack HFS-Pit command to dig a hole through the semi molten rock because while you can dig up through it, it’s only one staircase and then it’s surrounded by revealed tiles which you can’t dig through. You can dig a large hole if you can get all of your miners to complete their staircases at exactly the same time but co ordinating that would be a nightmare, so this is the one instance I’ll use DFHack. I've been a bit busy with work lately, so updates might come a little irregularly.
Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal learned the King’s master plan for a great glass tower connecting hell to the surface. But as the walls in hell go up, Doren the sheriff turns his attention to matters on the surface…
***
Doren the sheriff stepped outside the front gates into the haunted jungle and took in a deep breath. Unlike other dwarves he didn’t mind being outdoors, at least for a time. The first task he had was to inspect the recently cleaned entrance. A few months ago, a human caravan tried to leave while a thick cloud of wicked soot swiftly rolled past the entrance. The results were disastrous.
(http://i.imgur.com/GhbbFhs.jpg)
The zombie husks quickly turned on eachother and the few Cave Dragons at the entrance became infected in the fighting. They turned into monstrous killing machines, tearing apart the remaining merchants and animals before being engaged by the militia. The resulting fight was brutal. Edem sustained a few injuries, and lost her nose.
(http://i.imgur.com/iLrU8yy.jpg)
Fortunately, she wasn’t infected and was able to continue with her duties, not the least of which was birthing more children. But still it was a terrible loss of six cave dragons that were nearing 250 years old.
The clean up had taken months, and only just now was the entrance appearing normal again. Doren ran a gloved finger across the floor before inspecting it close to his face. Finally, nodding to himself, he walked over to a spot in the grass just outside and unfolded his portable chair and table underneath a guava tree. He gathered his parchments and signaled to his guard that he was ready. Several of them moved north into the jungle.
It was migrant day at Archcrystal. Every year refugees, fleeing goblin groups such as the Exalted Fly or The Feral Doom, would brave the treacherous journey through the haunted Jungle of Drying as they attempted to reach Archcrystal to find a safe home. And every year it was Doren’s job to turn them away. The royal family wanted to keep Archcrystal’s bloodline pure. They had become steeped in tradition, idolizing the fort’s great ancestors Bomrek Cradlecrafts the Waning Fence of Gales and Cerol Treatyrims the Dark Zeal. They now believed that anyone not descended from Archcrystal’s founders were not worthy of entrance, and developed a strict no immigrant policy. After 246 years, it was almost a religion now. But it was not something they revealed to the world. Instead, the sheriff would “screen” the refugees attempting entrance and find something – anything wrong with them. Too short, too fat, too tall, too skinny, hair not copper enough, eyes not emerald enough, too young, too old, too suspicious, too poor, too desperate, too many tears on their faces.
Doren the sheriff did his job with ruthless efficiency. It’s not to say he agreed with the policy, his analytical mind could see problems arising with a focus so narrow. But Doren committed to his tasks – it was just the kind of dwarf he was. So the guard would advance a short ways to the north to where a refugee camp had formed next to the river and bring forth the poor souls to be “screened”. One by one they were all turned away sobbing into the jungle. Archcrystal was in the center of the haunted jungle, far away from the rest of the settlements of the Dipped Spears.
(http://i.imgur.com/HqrwoMk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/CDPaaUt.jpg)
Of course, they probably wouldn’t last long out there, especially so close to the goblin settlements of the Feral Doom.
(http://i.imgur.com/NwyngPQ.jpg)
The Feral Doom had expanded rapidly in the last 246 years from their Fortress of Hatejoined. They began with 6 settlements and had ballooned unchecked to 50 as they pushed west into the humans and south into the elves. The fear was among the other nations was that they would connect forces with their brethren, the Exalted Fly in the west.
(http://i.imgur.com/UCd82jH.jpg)
The Exalted Fly had expanded even more rapidly, destroying fortress after fortress of The Dipped Spears, causing a flood of refugees to seek sanctuary somewhere to the east. Most would become slaves of the goblins. The rest were less fortunate.
(http://i.imgur.com/qoWrGdx.jpg)
And all the while, Archcrystal, sat silent, tucked away within the dense jungle, seemingly hidden from the world’s troubles. Its royal family focused inward both within themselves and within the rocks.
Doren finished the last of the documents, sending the last migrant away. She couldn’t have been more than 7 years old and lost her family to the armies tearing the world apart. Doren felt a small hint of guilt creep into his chest. He took another long breath in of jungle air. It tasted foul now. Another horrifying cloud must be on its way, he thought. He rolled his eyes at himself.
“Lass!” he shouted.
The child turned towards him questioningly.
“That way,” he sighed and pointed to the caravan cresting the hill on its way out of the jungle.
Her eyes brightened and she blew him a kiss, and then ran towards the wagons. Doren grumbled before shuffling inside.
I’m getting old, he thought. Better watch out, or I’ll become human.
***
Next time, the dwarves of Archcrystal complete the outer walls in hell and attack the remaining demons.
Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal were nearing completion of the walls in hell to secure the fort site. Now, they look to set a trap for the remaining demons hiding in the hollow adamantine spire…
***
Doren’s marksdwarves crouched silently along the rough adamantine rock face. They were tuned intently on the mark in the floor where Asob was going to dig the hole. Just below them was a pack of 20 or so demons laying in wait to ambush them. Opposite the marksdwarves, standing out in the complete open beside the mark in the floor, were Moldath and Iton. They were chatting loudly, oblivious to any tension in the air.
(http://i.imgur.com/6REAzJu.jpg)
“How many demons are there this time?” asked Moldath loudly.
“Shouldn’t you know? You’re older and know everything, remember?” replied Iton.
“That doesn’t mean I can count through walls.”
“Well, this is a floor.”
“A floor is just a wall that’s horizontal. It’s the same thing.”
“That’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”
“You’re the dumbest thing I’ve ever said.”
“That doesn’t make any sense either.”
“Of course it does, I’ve said “Iton” before. There, dumbest thing I’ve ever said.”
It went on like this for some time and Doren the sheriff rolled his eyes. Maybe this time they would get eaten. Somehow, he knew he wouldn’t be so lucky. At last Asob was ready to make the final cut into the stone floor. With a pick in one hand, and a baby in the other, she looked to Doren, who paused briefly before nodding. The marksdwarves took aim and the final cut into the floor was made.
The stone crashed through the floor and bounced heavily off of a few large demonic bodies below. Asob quickly fled up the stairs with her baby to safety. A moment later several demons screamed through the opening and were met with a hail of well aimed crossbow bolts.
(http://i.imgur.com/Io4hSl5.jpg)
Moldath and Iton had barely stopped talking before the sisters at heart began slashing their swords through the monstrous masses. They seemingly went into a trance like state while fighting.
(http://i.imgur.com/z0WwV7U.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/u3NMcue.jpg)
The two swordmasters acrobatically leapt over one another, twirling and flipping in a whirlwind of blades and strikes. More steel bolts rained down on ascending demons in rapid succession. But a marksdwarf, Zasit, advanced too quickly for a clean shot, and was grabbed and pulled below by a lightning fast salt phantom where he was overwhelmed quickly.
(http://i.imgur.com/jNauf2R.jpg)
Doren shouted angrily through gritted teeth, “Hold your line, you filth, or the next one gets thrown in.” Moldath and Iton continued their dance of destruction, until finally their spinning blades had no more moving parts to cut. They looked around at the carnage of severed limbs and demon body parts before smiling at one another.
“All done!” they announced simultaneously to the sheriff.
After a thorough search, it was determined that there were no more demons in the area. Shortly after the battle, the walls were completed. An artifact door was placed at the sole entrance to the fort just in time as more demons began to appear outside the glass barriers.
(http://i.imgur.com/camiNqm.jpg)
The other dwarves began working quickly creating the entrance hall for the new fortress.
(http://i.imgur.com/zMW11pv.jpg)
Furniture that had been decorated for centuries was just now being put into place. The glass fort in hell began to spread outward from the center like an icy virus within an unsuspecting host.
***
So far we’ve used over 6000 clear glass blocks, with about 5000 used on the outer walls alone which had to be 5 z levels high in some places. I’ve made the pit from the 3rd cavern layer into hell, and work has just begun on the tower. Interestingly, I didn’t know you could smooth rough slade walls, and I’ll be incorporating that into the design of the fort as you can see with the bedroom by the entrance. Thanks to everyone who has followed the story so far, and for all of your encouraging comments! I'll be aiming for updates at least once a week.
Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal slayed the remaining demons hiding within the adamantine spire. Now they continue work on the clear glass fort within hell, and the glass tower rising through the magma sea…
***
Avuz Girderwhip had a lot to do. She was the unofficial chief engineer of Archcrystal.
(http://i.imgur.com/pqmSzq2.jpg)
She directed the construction of clear glass in the workshops, as well as their placement within the fortress below. She spent ages with pen and paper plotting things out only to realize she’d made a mistake here or a miscalculation there, and everything would have to be moved and replaced. But the fortress was progressing nonetheless. The bedrooms were now numerous enough to move the general population down into hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/o6Lt4eB.jpg)
There was a new dining hall constructed with future plans to host guests and rent rooms.
(http://i.imgur.com/6iVuofG.jpg)
Ornate windows were placed on the West and East sides that would eventually allow patrons to view the waterfalls that would come down through the chasm – magma on the west wall, and water on the east wall. Magma would be used for the forges while water would be for the wells and hospital. Above them were carefully holes in the glass tower that was now 5 levels high.
(http://i.imgur.com/We8eSIy.jpg)
5 levels down, 142 to go. Avuz narrowed her eyes. She did enjoy a challenge. She also knew that little by little , her persistence would prevail. She leaned on a clear glass statue in the new main hall. It was a beautiful depiction of Bomrek Cradlecrafts the Waning Fence of Gales made over 200 years ago. It, like all the others told wonderful stories to those that looked.
(http://i.imgur.com/D4EiFoo.jpg)
Somehow, knowing that there was a long storied history to all of the pieces, it gave her the resolve to continue with her enormous puzzle.
***
So, yeah, bit of a short update this week, as not much is happening, just slowly building, building, building. Soon I’ll tap the magma sea, and underground lake in the 3rd cavern and bring both liquids down into the fortress. Population is up, with lots of babies being born. I lifted the strict cap to 120, so we’re now at 50 dwarves, with the king electing himself mayor – how convenient.
Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal continued to build their tower of glass rising out of hell. Now they prepare for a long awaited celebration…
***
Doren the Sheriff shifted uncomfortably in his new armor. The king had bestowed a new title on him – Captain of the Guard. There had been a baby boom since the walls went up in hell securing the fortress and fifty-three dwarves now called Archcrystal home, so the king decided on a few grander titles. King Ushrir elected himself mayor, and decided to give the guardsmen a little more pomp and circumstance. Doren preferred to present himself modestly, and frowned on any flashy accoutrements, but an important day was almost upon them. It was almost the 250th anniversary of the fortress. Offerings were planned to the gods, as well as games and tests of skill. Doren, who was rarely happy or enthusiastic, but was conflicted by this as he valued parties and merrymaking in the abstract, he would grumble internally but put on a good show.
On the first day of spring, the celebrations began!
(http://i.imgur.com/xhrUH9C.jpg)
A rutherer was slaughtered, one for each of the dwarven gods. The Cave dragons were decorated with war paint on their gigantic bodies with great colorful flourishes of purple plump helmet and blue dimple cup. The new glass dining hall in hell was embellished with large silk banners woven from red and green demon webs. A great feast was prepared and the many children skipped towards the dining hall with wide-eyed anticipation.
Before the feast the entertainment was set to begin, as the Doren and his newly regaled fortress guard marched and paraded away from the dining hall towards the glass entrance into the rest of hell. For months demons had started to gather at the artifact door, seemingly hypnotized by the great dwarven entrance. The fortress guard stepped into their positions across from the fortifications. They ceremoniously formed two rows, one in front on one knee and one in back standing, as they readied their crossbows. The king rang a large brass gong and the marksdwarves opened fire.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ui6OGxE.jpg)
A great cheer went up from the crowd in the dining hall as they watched the first volley rip through several of the targeted demons. These were some of the few demons made from flesh, great pterosaurs, and they howled with anger as the bolts struck them. Volley after volley tore through muscle and bone as they attempted to shield themselves in vain with their wings and other appendages. Opened arteries gave satisfying spurts of blood like synchronized fountains splattering on the glass walls and staining the slade floor. The onlookers and merrymakers watched with glee, while feasting on the same flesh which they were watching get ripped apart before their eyes. Juicy fats dripped down the chins of the children as they hollered and whooped every time Doren barked, “Fire!” They laughed as a leg came off causing a demon to stumble, they taunted as one desperately tried to shield itself behind another, they clapped wildly as steel bolts ripped apart a demon’s mid-section spilling it’s putrid guts, and they cackled as it wearily tried to put them back inside it’s body while struggling to avoid another flurry of flying, shining steel.
(http://i.imgur.com/VjXLJOy.jpg)
As the last demon lay dying the crowd at the feast cried for more, chanting and clapping. Great pools of blood and twitching corpses were all that remained in the entrance way, so they turned back to their feasting, gorging themselves on succulent roasts of demon flesh. They watched as the butcher dragged the corpses inside, one by one, carving the large bodies and bringing the cuts of the best meats to the king before feeding the others slices of juicy flesh.
(http://i.imgur.com/3zvlACT.jpg)
The celebration continued in the glass hall, the bone carvers made toys and jewellery from the bones and teeth of the pterosaurs, and large totems from their skulls to adorn the hallways. The statues of their ancestors, who came here 250 years ago, looked on as the soft eerie glow of the pits cast a pale light on the decadence and voracity of the dwarves of Archcrystal in their new home.
***
Next time, the dwarves of Archcrystal begin to attract surface attacks.
Sorry for the long break in updates. Building clear glass blocks takes quite a bit of time. Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal celebrated the fort’s 250th anniversary. It’s been 10 years since, and they are about to meet some neighbours.
***
Since the great feast 10 years ago, progress on the fortress of clear glass was steady, but slow. The glassmakers worked day and night building the blocks with dwarven precision to create the floors and walls within hell. The Magma pit was complete and the floor above it was half finished.
(http://i.imgur.com/wPfn0J3.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ZmLl1F0.jpg)
The great tower of clear glass rose from the center of hell and was now through the semi molten rock and climbed now through the magma sea.
(http://i.imgur.com/zwr3vDF.jpg)
Soon Magma would fall from the sea and into hell to power the forges.
Archcrystal was experiencing a baby boom as well. 89 dwarves now called the fortress home. All of them born and raised, some of them 6 generations removed from the founders.
(http://i.imgur.com/JylUed5.jpg)
39 children ran through the deep glass halls alongside the eerie glowing pits watching the demons swirl around the fortress. They ate and drank the cooks and brewers into constant states of fluster. They worked constantly beside the glassmakers to meet up with demand.
Moldath and Iton were training some of the new recruits who had finally grown large enough to put on armor, when there appeared a visitor at the entrance.
(http://i.imgur.com/B9C8DIb.jpg)
It was the strangest elf Moldath had ever seen, and he was early to begin trading.
“Hello?” said Moldath squinting.
“Are you lost?” asked Iton.
The creature charged at the two dwarves, and they looked eachother questioningly. It raised its spear high above its head before Moldath sent its head from its shoulders in one quick slash. The body skidded to a halt on the smooth chalk floor. Outside they could hear movement. Whatever this thing was, there were more on their way.
(http://i.imgur.com/IBFKW72.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/lUqXEy3.jpg)
The group rushed the entrance, but were no match for the battle hardened dwarves.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ot9rKE2.jpg)
“At least it’s not as much mess as the zombie husks.”
They had never seen a goblin before, though many depictions existed of them on their furniture from the decorating floor. They looked smaller in real life.
***
Next time, armies march on Archcrystal.
Last time the dwarves of Archcrystal fought off their first goblin invasion. In the seven years since, more goblin armies have come and been quickly crushed. Work continues on the clear glass fort in hell as well as the glass tower rising up from it.
***
Avuz Girderwhip, the chief engineer of Archcrystal, was beginning to see some of her work take shape. The forges were ready for magma to be brought down and work was nearing completion on the factory floor for the other workshops.
(http://i.imgur.com/w9yj7NC.jpg)
More bedrooms had been made and magma ducts and aqueducts of glass began to criss cross below in order to take the liquids through the fort when they were ready.
(http://i.imgur.com/uuvYvoC.jpg)
The work was painstakingly tedious to make enough clear glass blocks for everything as it took 100 blocks to make a simple 10 by 10 floor – and that was a month of production time. But at least it was steady. 15,000 clear glass blocks were used so far, and the new glassmakers were getting better at making more. The population was growing and more children were getting old enough to take on meaningful tasks.
(http://i.imgur.com/0JMJrbd.jpg)
The glass tower which was 22 stories now was about to reach the lowest cavern layer and preparations were made to bring magma to one side and water to the other.
(http://i.imgur.com/SI2qo6h.jpg)
Avuz designed glass pumps one floor above to suck the liquids through grates to avoid any creatures getting into either liquid flowing through the inside of the fort. When it was finished it would create a magma fall down one side and a waterfall down the other side of the tower and bring water and magma down into the fortress.
(http://i.imgur.com/QASoiG3.jpg)
Avuz checked on the constructed underground river to make sure there would be enough power from the waterwheels.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ix5FCC8.jpg)
She smiled, there were more things to do.
***
The population now is 98 with about 3 babies being born every year. We’ve had goblin raids of 16, 25, 75, 55, and 60. All of which were put down very quickly. We are up to 231 artifacts and fort value is over 90 million.
I really hope this isn't a boring question, i'm loving this thread, but how does your artificial river/waterwheels work? It looks like a beast.
Not a boring question at all. I basically just dug out a 3 tile wide tunnel a few z levels below and to the left of an underground lake on the 3rd cavern level. As well as a 6 tile wide tunnel directly above it and channeled the middle 3 tile wide section down into the lower section. Then I had my engravers smooth both passages and carved fortifications at the end of the lower tunnel to let the water drain off the side of the map. I built the gear assemblies first so that I could hang the waterwheels off of them. I had to construct a one tile floor temporarily to build the middle water wheels after the ones next to the gear assemblies were built. Once all of the machines were built, I had them dig ramps up to the edge of the lake and broke through to the water from above. The water wheels can't be destroyed even if a troll say gets into the river because it's on a z level above. The result: 93 water wheels producing 9300 power :)
The only thing I'm worried about is that it's made of wood, and with the fort running so long, some of the wood beds and things are starting to disintegrate from wear. But I only have to worry about the water wheels if I can run the fort for another 250 years or so.
As for the cave dragons, beyond what their density is, they take a beating and keep going which gives the military time to shoot or slash the enemy. The fire immunity is frankly the best part though because they charge through fire and smoke unaffected.
Also, small update:
(http://i.imgur.com/mbfDeP8.jpg)
We just captured a Roc :)
Just a quick update, finally bringing magma down into hell:
(http://i.imgur.com/PO9fXrD.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Rapad5O.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/DDHpThZ.jpg)
Also, here is a zoomed out view of the fortress in hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/P4g8aMW.jpg)
The first floor is almost 50% complete with 4 other floors to be done afterwards which are also at various levels of completion. The bottom 3 floors of hell have a bunch of slade walls we'll have to work around.
A short update on some constructions that have taken place. I’ve finally brought water down into the fortress, after it took forever to build the clear glass aqueducts.
(http://i.imgur.com/6rmCRPS.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/R8M6bWB.jpg)
That means I can irrigate the slade cavern floor and move the farms down into hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/IMjxIY9.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/7dKr3j5.jpg)
All of the storerooms have been built, as well as more bedrooms. The king’s new chambers are in the upper left.
(http://i.imgur.com/E9CrkgA.jpg)
His new throne room below it is ready as well.
(http://i.imgur.com/RHv2Ni5.jpg)
The fortress is up to 131 dwarves now, and 110 million in value.
(http://i.imgur.com/C8oU6Kn.jpg)
4 couples have been producing all of the children, with the winner going to Asob so far:
(http://i.imgur.com/x3zJ6Uo.jpg)
Next working on the new hospital, then new kitchens, then I might update to 43.03.
Sad news today.
Asob Boltaction, after 154 years, has passed away peacefully in her sleep. She is survived by her husband and 46 children.
(http://i.imgur.com/nbhpIwR.jpg)
As well as of course, everyone else in the fort who are her brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
It's the 300th anniversary of the fortress and the dwarves of Archcrystal get ready for a celebration.
***
Before the 300th annversary.
Moldath and Iton waited impatiently for the tricentennial ceremony to begin. Over the last few decades they had settled into middle age without effort or noticable fatigue. In fact, most would say they were just now in their prime having accomplished so much already. They had each been bestowed with titles for their battle prowess which they both delighted in.
They looked at eachother and sighed.
“Doren would have hated a ceremony like this,” said Iton.
“That's why he's not here,” said Moldath.
8 years ago Doren Lashgrooved, the Sheriff of Archcrystal seemed to realize his time was coming to an end. Well into his 150's he began to mutter to himself, withdrawing from society even more than usual. He still carried out his duties with his usual effiency, but his mind seemed disturbed by something – something only he could understand. While they passed by his quarters, dwarves could hear him talking to himself, saying cryptic phrases to no one in particular.
“I can't slip back,” he would whisper. “I can't slip back into the immense design of things.”
The dwarves would pretend not to hear and continue on. He would be seen in the kitchens collecting random items like buckets or cave wheat supposedly furnishing his room as some had suggested. Every so often he would pass by the new library and mutter into his cloak. “The letters and numbers. They mean more. More than we think.”
He would eat alone in the dining hall talking constantly to his feet. “It's the way we survive, the way we exist.”
Most would politely move away.
Despite his ramblings Doren still seemed very focused during drills and demon hunts. But his age was slowing him down. At last, the next year, Doren the sheriff passed away from old age.
(http://i.imgur.com/05mG6yC.jpg)
He was laid to rest in the glass tower, with his folding wooden chair propped up next to him against the wall.
Moldath and Iton had prepared his funeral – a grand ceremony that Doren would have hated also. They giggled at this. At the same time Etur their militia commander had taken on the role of duchess, after the title had been given to merchant centuries ago. Etur named her own choice for captain of the guard to replace Doren. Ber was a lawful dwarf but not very capable and a poor marksdwarf. The others followed Ber only out of necessisty.
It was not long afterwards that Archcrystal was officially named the mountainhome, despite having the crown for over 200 years already.
The following years were very productive. The farms and hospital were finished.
(http://i.imgur.com/A26whps.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/h0LQHE8.jpg)
The Wild Belly, a tavern in the middle of the fortress opened for business. Many marriages were held following it's opening.
It only seemed to attract goblins from the nearby Dark Fortresses who laughably pretended to not be spying, but they were tolerated until a seige came, and then quickly dispatched. The library was also finished even though the dwarves of Archcrystal had no idea how to make books.
(http://i.imgur.com/WwDC9zw.jpg)
The furniture had centuries of writing and pictures on them anyway.
As the population grew, so did the appetites of the dwarves, and it was becoming obvious that the rutherers would not be enough to provide a steady supply of meat. Fortunately, a mate was captured for the two Hydras already in captivity and a breeding program was started.
(http://i.imgur.com/SSBdjex.jpg)
King Ushrir was starting to show his age as well. He made a habit out of getting drunk and belligerent in the tavern every night. One night he decided to pick a fight. Unfortunately for him, he targeted Moldath. As so often with happy go lucky people, Moldath had quite a temper when provoked, and besides being a deadly opponent in battle, she was not one to care where a challenge came from. The fight was brief.
(http://i.imgur.com/34FBsjT.jpg)
After exploding the king’s throat with a single punch, she went merrily on her way as if nothing untoward had just happened, and not even Erith the captain of the guard gave even a thought to arresting her. And so ended the reign of Ushrir Dikeguards. Many said he was about to die anyway given his age, but now a problem came about as who to name the next king as Ushrir never fathered any children. It was decided to avoid this problem in the future, and Ingiz Lashkindled was named the new king.
(http://i.imgur.com/RCRPotV.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/xslveHQ.jpg)
Ingiz was the widower of Asob Boltaction who had the renowned title of birthing the most children in the fortress at 46. Ingiz was almost near the end of his life and the rest of them knew it, but at least he had a line of offspring that could take over the throne. This created another problem however as in dwarven culture it was not simply the eldest child who was the rightful heir, but the most qualified of them, so for the next year great debates were held in the tavern as 46 children played a game of thrones. A year later, Ingiz died, and his son Zan Guildinks at the age of 17 inherited the throne.
(http://i.imgur.com/RazBUhH.jpg)
It was hoped that he would marry one of his cousins and continue the line.
The 300th anniversary.
The anniversary had come and another goblin siege came with it, and once again Moldath and Iton had grinded them into paste. They brushed off bits of bone and brain from their armor as they waited for the celebration to begin.
“I wonder if the new king will be any good,” said Iton waiting her turn to march in the parade.
“I don’t think it matters,” replied Moldath.
“Why? Because you’ll punch that one to death too?”
“He started it,” smiled Moldath.
“What would Doren have said if he were alive, bout you, punchin’ a king to death, hmm?”
“He probably would have made me clean it up.”
“Darn right, he would.”
“Too bad he didn’t have any kids. They might have made a good king.”
“Well, he didn’t. We’ll just have to live with this one.”
The trumpets blared and the procession marched through the halls waving their banners. Moldath and Iton led the way missing the former sheriff. But unbeknownst to them Doren Lashgrooved had made plans that were maturing even now.
The last child of Asob Boltaction
Fath Ringeddimple was born in the winter of 361, 11 years before the 300th anniversary of Archcrystal. He was the 46th child of Asob Boltaction and Ingiz Lashkindled, and as it turns out the last, as 3 months later Asob died in her sleep.
(http://i.imgur.com/OgbntfJ.jpg)
Fath as a baby continued on seeming to value his independence. There seemed something special about him, bright, clever, with a sharp stare that made him look older than the infant he was. He would wander the halls and smooth slade floors of hell on his own, crawling along without a cry or a whimper.
(http://i.imgur.com/83Z4GE6.jpg)
It was the stare that caught Doren the sheriff’s attention. He knew his time was coming, and he decided he needed to pass on some knowledge. He started by feeding him and bringing him water. When he grew a little older, Doren would talk to him in his room, “I can't slip back. I can't slip back into the immense design of things. My name will come again, but I won't remember. Someone has to drive them. Otherwise everything will fade away.”
He would collect cave wheat and buckets in the kitchen for him so he would have something to eat while he led the drills. Fath would hide in his cloak, and as they passed the library Doren would say, “The letters and numbers. They mean more. More than we think. If you look hard enough you can see them moving. You have to see things for what they are. Then you can direct them. Save them from themselves.”
In the dining hall, Fath would sit under the table while Doren spoke, “It's the way we survive, the way we exist. They need a purpose and an enemy, otherwise the whole thing crumbles. Keep directing, don't stop. If you do, you're just the immense design... of something else.”
The other dwarves of Archcrystal would not know of any of this. They had know idea what Fath would become.
***
I upgraded the fort into 43.05. I'm liking a lot of the new features especially all the marriages. I'll be uploading the save later today, so far I can't get it to not time out because the file is so big even zipped. Next I'll be working on building the tower past the 3 cavern layers.
Ucim Kasmuthe was invited down to the tavern for a drink and to await the king's audience. Flanked by his guards he left the caravan to conduct business with the dwarves of Archcrystal. He knew from experience that “down” meant a fair bit more here than with the other dwarven fortresses. This time on his descent he remarked how far the glass tower had come. It climbed upwards like a frozen hand clawing its way to the surface, yearning to be free and unleash its inhabitants upon the world. It stretched over 60 stories now up from unimaginable depths where horrible nightmares made their home.
(http://i.imgur.com/HLl4GeS.jpg)
It was down here that Ucim was led. Descending the great tower of glass he could see into other worlds – large caverns that stretched for eternity into alien lands. Then past another layer of rock only to open to another world of caverns. The tower now served as a portal between worlds and ecosystems. Finally he could see through the walls into the great magma sea that covered the semi molten bedrock through to the horizon. But still they went down, at last reaching the entrance hall and finally the tavern. It was here, in the heart of hell, the dwarves of Archcrystal found solace and merrymaking. Ucim could see through everything, as it was all made of glass – into bedrooms, chambers, storerooms and jail cells. He could see through to the outer walls where the demons swirled against them in determined frenzy to gain entry somehow. Whatever artful technique the dwarves used to make the glass unbreakable seemed to confound their enemies. Ucim hoped it would last.
(http://i.imgur.com/hf9dEiV.jpg)
The meeting with the king was uneventful as it usually was, though Ucim worried about the recent attack of the elves on Archcrystal. At last it seemed the elves of The Circumstantial Dune had enough of the clear cuts the dwarves used to feed their furnaces. They attacked Archcrystal 2 years ago with over a hundred of their best archers. None survived.
(http://i.imgur.com/Xtr1bsX.jpg)
The elves made a hasty alliance with the goblins who sent yearly sieges attempting to take the fortress. It was said the goblins feared the dwarves might invade their capital of Hatejoined not from above, but from below. The idea of marching a dwarven army through hell to take the slade tower from beneath would seem absurd to any who did not know the dwarves here. Their brand of insanity was exceptional here.
After a few dwarven ales and stories that continued to boggle his mind, Ucim and his guards ascended the tower towards the surface to return home to the normal world. One of his guards turned to him and remarked, “I'm worried that when they complete their big tower, the demons might come out of it.”
“I'm not,” replied Ucim. “I'm worried that when they complete their big tower the dwarves might come out of it.”
***
The clear glass tower is now over halfway to the surface and in the home stretch. I've also now caught breeding pairs of Dragons and Rocs, but I'm waiting to do anything with them to keep fps reasonable.
*does the update summoning dance*
Heh, well nothing much to update yet. Glass tower now goes through the entire 2nd cavern layer which is about 30 z levels. Fort value is up to 135 million, and we've used over 31,000 clear glass blocks. I've also started turning all of the iron goblinite into steel for armor and decorating. Our major export is now Hydra Totems which is about a 500,000 a year business
(http://i.imgur.com/f3O33JQ.jpg)
The Domain of Insanities
(http://i.imgur.com/rmBrIac.jpg)
IndigoSpark
(http://i.imgur.com/D8hNjCm.jpg)
The Fur of Love
(http://i.imgur.com/sEkHHxs.jpg)
Knotseared the Sorrow of Walls
(http://i.imgur.com/nIuytsH.jpg)
Shakenwind the Ferocious Armor
(http://i.imgur.com/77woAE0.jpg)
Healtunneled the Spring of Ticking
(http://i.imgur.com/ZI5HU81.jpg)
Fedbalanced
(http://i.imgur.com/IDVKBMl.jpg)
The Foggy Morass
(http://i.imgur.com/FBoSFfc.jpg)
Messspun the Rainy Howl
(http://i.imgur.com/1N9npDZ.jpg)
The Abysmal Owl
(http://i.imgur.com/YOenXVI.jpg)
The Brushed Clash
(http://i.imgur.com/oZo88qI.jpg)
Shamefulintense the Heavy Deterioration
(http://i.imgur.com/LG0CAOa.jpg)
Also, BastionGate was awesome, good job on that one mate.
(http://i.imgur.com/KEkxd9R.jpg)
Slightly unsettling.
Just a quick update, I thought I'd show how the tower and fortress in hell are coming along. The glass tower now rises 82 z levels. 49 to go before we break the surface.
I also filled the sides with magma as it goes down through the semi molten rock just for fun.
(http://i.imgur.com/xXdftMH.jpg)
I thought I'd also show the different levels of the hell fortress.
Top level: I've started the prison wing to the right. And done more work on the zoo.
(http://i.imgur.com/RZAbiCp.jpg)
2nd Level:
(http://i.imgur.com/9fhExo3.jpg)
3rd level:
(http://i.imgur.com/UMxumZr.jpg)
4th level:
(http://i.imgur.com/fCYqZTu.jpg)
Bottom level:
(http://i.imgur.com/6QJaLmT.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/VP6OJpd.jpg)
“Cross Attics” was the single entrance into the fortress from hell and Fath would often sit before it determined to unlock its mysteries. It glowed with the ancient markings of his ancestors, and it was the unbreakable barrier between Archcrystal and the swirling legions of demons. He would sit and watch intently as the military often cleared demons from the entrance with ruthless efficiency. The thick glass walls distorted their bodies into even wilder shapes blending into one another casting shadows from the eerie glow of the pits. The shadows danced upon the young dwarf's face, his eyes darting back and forth between the impossible shapes as they fought.
He was obsessed with the study of these artifacts which his ancestors had created. Fath himself was one of the last to create an artifact in Archcrystal, the art seemingly lost to the next generation, its inspiration spent. He was convinced there were answers within the seemingly random pictures and decorations of the founders – and it would be him that discovered their meaning. He recalled a phrase which Doren repeated to him over and over that echoed in his mind: “The Immense Design of Things”. Doren warned him not to slip back into it. Fath was convinced Doren had been touched by the gods and was being prophetic, and that the artifacts were the keys to it all. Especially the door.
(http://i.imgur.com/TUkK0nf.jpg)
Fath was a young adult now, strong and determined, but devoted like no other dwarf before him. He was dedicated to the divinity of the gods, and it was this piety that set him apart from the rest of his kin. Everyone respected and communed with the gods as it was their tradition and duty, but Fath was unique in his devotion for he actively preached their virtues in long sermons anywhere he could. He was feverish with bright-eyed conviction and a merciless gaze. Fath began decorating new temples to each god in the south district with precision and care.
(http://i.imgur.com/VZUPHDw.jpg)
He diverted what resources he could, because the king and duchess were expanding the prisons in the eastern district to deal with the many dwarves who violated production orders. The populace had stopped being able to produce all of their demands, so they were thrown into prison and a semblance of martial law had rooted within the city. Fath found that bitterness towards the established authority could be transformed into religious zealotry rather easily. He smiled as his eyes drew imaginary lines across the great door. The lines hummed and throbbed and his vision distorted. He tried to make the lines blur between demon and dwarf with his eyes, between officer and citizen, and in that moment he knew where change resided – and why his ancestors created the artifacts they did.
***
Thanks again to everyone interested in the fortress. I've gotten some great feedback from all of you. I remember when the artifact door was created and thinking it would interesting if there were still dwarves centuries from now who studied this as a relic and tried to decipher meaning from it, so it's fun exploring this in the story now.
Here’s the complete list of the dwarven pantheon of the Dipped Spears. I almost know it off by heart now, and it’s fun because it actually makes sense when I look at it after referencing it for so long. Most dwarves worship Akam, followed by The Sensual Howls and then The Sugary Tricks.
(http://i.imgur.com/OvEvaCF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/gmk6zQI.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5gY8Syr.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/BSZX0Ox.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/9dwa3QO.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/0WXaSlH.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/EDZAlkA.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/TkQ3aMi.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mfrsg1E.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/0TfJwUK.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/GMwi8fi.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/iGMo7pg.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/IwdnrbC.jpg)
The Top Eight gods have churches built for them on the main level of the glass fortress in hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/UfPyEog.jpg)
The other four are more cultish like Megob of Deformity and will have more hidden temples in various corners of hell.
Wow cool. Made the wiki. 8)
Glass tower is going through the final cavern layer
(http://i.imgur.com/H2lpD1s.jpg)
17 levels until the river bed. Almost 40,000 clear glass blocks used.
Fath had worked tirelessly with spiritual conviction. The temples were nearing completion, but there were inner voices at work within his mind that he could not explain as divine guidance.
[spoiler](http://i.imgur.com/HLNSW3t.jpg)
They were thoughts and instructions from just beyond his concious understanding and a series of events over the last few years had finally made them become clear.
The first event had been the death of Moldath, one of the last great warriors of the Mountainous Castles who had survived the invasion of Hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/TeUxoJQ.jpg)
It left Iton, as the last survivng member of that great battle. That is when the fragmented thoughts began.
They became clearer when the glass tower reached the first river bed. The engineers and miners led by King Zan himself had a difficult task ahead of them as the glass tower was to go through two rivers, a waterfall and a narrow 2 level aquifer. They postulated many solutions on how to dam the rivers, but in the end the king simply concluded to pour magma strategically on both and mine out the stone where needed.
(http://i.imgur.com/PSnmpXQ.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/WkvTYir.jpg)
The aquifer was a more difficult challenge. They began to dig down into it from above letting the water pour into the river basin and flow downstream, then pour magma around the edge to seal the water within the stone.
(http://i.imgur.com/N9sP00Q.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/XFct0jG.jpg)
They repeated this for the 2nd level until the river bed was completely dry. But still the voices inside Fath were unintelligible.
The king then set to channelling out the river bed and replacing it with glass.
(http://i.imgur.com/UxkJmCS.jpg)
It was then that the first rays of sunlight blazed through the immense glass spire and reached the slade floors of Hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/u01PnFo.jpg)
Fath felt as though he had been stuck and he could hear the ground tremble with electric vibaration as though an alien heartbeat stirred to life within the ground. He could see the eerie glowing pits pulse with hidden energies and at last he heard the voice speak a word to him in a low growled whisper, "Armok".
Fath knew what was to be done. A grand temple to one God, his God, the God of his blood. And when his God came to him, Fath would be ready to serve and control of Archcrystal would be his, and his alone.
Zan the king had been aware of Fath's divine devotion for many years, however it gave him no pause. He was an industrious king and there was work to be done. He and his engineers replaced the stone river bed with dwarven glass.
(http://i.imgur.com/MEPRYUx.jpg)
Once completed he gave the command for the first dam to be broken and let the river flow again through the tower and on its way downriver, just in time for the heavy rains that began to refill the empty river.
(http://i.imgur.com/OguyuwB.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Or8uFeR.jpg)
He then instructed honey bees to be brought down to hell as they could finally survive in the sunlit portions of hell.
(http://i.imgur.com/J2BK9Gu.jpg)
At last, he could slate his thirst for mead and honey. The others nicknamed the insect, "demon bees", half-joking that they were breeding something that would slaughter them all.
Fath had fevered dreams full of reckoning and obscure reference. He could see and reach for something just beyond his sight and grasp, but never obtain. He knew the fight for Archcrystal would soon begin, its intricacies stretching towards their finality and his ambition burning with white hot certainty. The glory would be his and the rest be damned - even if the glory was fleeting he didn't care. They were either all damned or the only pious few below a world of damnation who were cursed to never witness the evidence of miracles that could peirce the underworld with order and industry. Such were the dwarves of Archcrystal now, he thought. Blessed crusaders of architectural marvel and thieves of holy design. They would take what only gods were meant for and make it theirs as the ghosts of their ancestors watched through translucent tombs, for at last Fath understood the meaning of Armok - the one God was themselves. They, as a whole, were the great God they had been waiting for that awoke in a sunlit hell. To design the world as they see it, grow tired of its novelty, and then abandon it to mediocrity or oblivion or both. They would not falter for only they could decide its fate, and design it's inspired and glorious structures fueled by a divinity without limit. But Fath knew he had to unite the dwarves under his holy banner and only then would he achieve the power that he sought: a puritan force of godly dwarves that started with Archcrystal and spread across the world to shape and control the immense design of things.
Thanks for following! Currently running into a problem with trees not regrowing fast enough to make pearlash so I'm clearing out 4 complete levels below the first cavern layer and channelling them out. The plan is to drain the cavern lake/river above it into large reservoirs and then flood the bottom cleared layer using water pressure to make a gigantic underground tree farm.
(http://i.imgur.com/lSsphsH.jpg)
Well, that treefarm and huge open space is going to drop your FPS like an apple. Forbid logs before a caravan comes for emergency resources?
So far the fps has remained stable with 2 full layers dug out. I find with this fortress the fps killing issues are more dwarf and population related than anything else. I mean I do have a giant hole from the surface straight to hell and 140 floor, 20 block diameter constructed glass tower coming up through it. I'd say if anything killed fps more it's probably that. :)
And every time I look at your underworld city, it is stunning. But shake my memory, who rests in these beds?
(https://i.imgur.com/6lbfYUD.png)
Thanks! It's getting there. Those are the rented rooms for the tavern. None of the visitors ever use them because I think it has something to do with that not being able to happen with a 40.24 fort transferred to 43.05. But I still like having them.
The religious devotion to lost art of artifacts....I wonder, does retire-unretire affect artifact cap? Probably not, but it's worth a thought, since it kinda messes with them.
For a dwarven pantheon you know by heart....the temples look quite alike, more like classrooms. Or indoor churches, perhaps. I thought they were citizens' barracks at first, unfortunately.
I'd be scared to retire/unretire, because it doesn't really keep track of where the demons are so they might re appear inside the fortress. Also, I think they might lose the training on the Cave Dragons and Hydras. Not to mention all of the megabeasts we have caged could suddenly be freed.
As for the churches, those are for the main gods that most of the dwarves worship so there's some uniformity there, plus I went for utility as I want them all praying in generally the same space so I can track them more easily. The less worshiped gods like Megob of Deformity I'm going to do something more fun with.
It took me a bit to realize, but...You're building/built a tower around natural waterfall, in evil husking weather. I don't think anybody has ever done the first, even without the second. Artificial waterfalls in towers? Oh, they're plentiful. Natural ones? Novel centuries-long plan. Though the river must be empty of fish by now.
Yeah, and its pretty hard, haha. Lots of burrows and alerts help with the clouds. But also I loved the idea of the tower coming through the waterfall and digging out the river bed and reconstructing it with glass. The entrance will have ramps that lead down around the waterfall which will look pretty cool. Lots of lungfish still but not sure if they can be caught by fisherdwarves.
Getting ready now to break the dam on the second river and let the waterfall flow.
(http://i.imgur.com/abs9rTh.jpg)
Regarding retire/unretire. You can always make a backup. The scattering from containers and of living beings is annoying, indeed, but I do know it definitely benefits region-pops and FPS (extreme example: Sealed bloodyhells going from 10-11 to 210 fps (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=157724.msg7343333#msg7343333)) due reseting baseline traversable surfaces. Normal, non-sealed still got large gains, though not quite that much.)
Also, thought someone would have linked you that dfhack civ position fix by now. Alas, I don't know where it is or how to do it, but I recall others mentioning its' existence many months ago. Still, none of the visitors would use the rooms normally anyway - those are just for long-term residents.
I briefly forgot about the clouds and wondered why not "Outside/Above Ground". How often do you get them, anyway, once a year or so? Dunno if they would be any easier to avoid by building roof first, then walls.
Don't think I've ever seen a fished lungfish, but if you haven't fished the river yet. As for breaking the dam, the sensible part of me says to lower a bridge/open floodgates. The dramatic one says cave-in on top of the building blocking it.
Thanks! I might just try to clone the save and retire/unretire if nothing else then just to see what happens. The clouds come about once a month and cover at least a quarter of the map as they move so they're pretty dangerous. Fortunately they usually appear at the edge of the map and move across so it gives me time to get the dwarves inside because the tower is more or less in the middle. Once in a while though they can appear real close to the construction zone out of nowhere which makes things FUN!
Apparently you can fish lungfish according to the wiki. Dam is broken and the water flows!
(http://i.imgur.com/60DErFO.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ouWO372.jpg)
Edit: This is generally how close the clouds come:
(http://i.imgur.com/61YR8La.jpg)
King Zan felt he was a people's king, despite his penchant for locking up growing numbers of the general populace for longer periods of time for not meeting his mandates quick enough.
(http://i.imgur.com/8YqXVLy.jpg)
The duchess Etur, and the mayor Ast were a part of his royal court who were convinced of this as well, and on any given day there were 5 or 6 dwarves in jail for various "crimes against production" as they called them. They were seemingly oblivious to Fath's growing cult of religious zealots who worshipped the artifacts of old. Fath would pick one at random on any given week to worship.
Axemosses
(http://i.imgur.com/nBKDMet.jpg)
The Tepid Bastion
(http://i.imgur.com/gyZJAa1.jpg)
The Depth of Fancying
(http://i.imgur.com/GS3woj6.jpg)
Flusheddeath the Oracular Targets
(http://i.imgur.com/Z3dKSMW.jpg)
King Zan thought that since he worked with the miners they respected him, clearing out the large areas needed for the tree farm and the underground reservoir needed to irrigate it.
(http://i.imgur.com/KAOCDMi.jpg)
It was a difficult engineering project requiring controlled cave-ins of 4 stories of vast spaces that were mined out around the glass tower.
(http://i.imgur.com/c7OFlYy.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/7Mj3jCU.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/phCK8ZC.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/OMb1fzu.jpg)
They also had to rebuild a strip mined area below with stone blocks to ensure the collapse didn't extend farther than what they wanted.
(http://i.imgur.com/s5oxLtf.jpg)
It was an enormous undertaking spanning years of effort that was finally ready. The switch was pulled and the cave collapsed.
(http://i.imgur.com/bLAGNjG.jpg)
After the dust cleared, the hatches were opened and water from the six floor reservoir rushed into the artificial cavern flooding in and irrigating the ground.
(http://i.imgur.com/3Jzc9ai.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/bZ6uzed.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/F4k0H7s.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/AbqSLs0.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/BOgoNeN.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1MvZVkQ.jpg)
At last the dwarves of Archcrystal could clear cut a forest that was not beset by horrible clouds up above.
(http://i.imgur.com/K9binWA.jpg)
Etur the duchess was also very fond of elaborate traps, so she constructed a magma reservoir above the long glass entrance to the tower for any foolish enough assault the fortress - which still surprisingly happened at least once a year.
(http://i.imgur.com/2ZDYJq5.jpg)
And above it the glass tower continued to rise.
(http://i.imgur.com/hDnFCJI.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/DyuUiH2.jpg)
Archcrystal was equally close to 4 heavily populated goblin cities and therefore invaded frequently by all of them.
The elves also assaulted Archcrystal once every few years in retribution for destroying the jungle, evil though it was. And always the following year their caravan would arrive wanting to trade as if nothing untoward had happened. When questioned about the raids, their diplomat would always reply that the attacking elves were a rogue off-shoot - "insurgent elves" as he called them, not officially aligned with the Elf Queen Lesana. So when the time came to test the magma trap at the entrance, somehow it coincided with the visit of the elvish caravan.
(http://i.imgur.com/xmUpPJL.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/u8LWVx2.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/EwluEWl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/g0BMkr8.jpg)
There screams carried well through the glass walls, but the dwarves insisted they could not hear them. The elvish diplomat looked on with horror as the last elf was pinned up against the locked glass door clawing with futile desperation against it. The outpost liaison looked at the elvish diplomat and shrugged, "Insurgent Magma."
On a sadder note Iton died at the age of 170, the last of the soldiers to invade Hell. Her blade “ShamefulIntense the Heavy Deterioration” passed to Kivish who already showed great skill with it.
(http://i.imgur.com/NQvlnr6.jpg)
Many of the weapons have been passed on now between 2 and even 5 generations. Fath regarded these with reverence as well and he incorporated their legacy into his “Paths to Divinity” sermons which he gave regularly.
But for a moment Fath sat alone in his opulent room designed by craftsdwarves centuries ago with pictures of glory and sacrifice in every known available resource. He would regularly attempt to commune with them but was constantly disappointed. They did not seem to share his efforts for communication. He was like a child in the throws of a tantrum, railing against what he saw was their disrespect towards him for not confirming his own beliefs. In his heart of hearts he knew they listened to him and if there was no response then it was their choice not to answer him which made his blood boil under the surface of his normalized exterior, practiced to appear calm and serene. But to Fath, anything could be rationalized and explained, and he forced himself to believe that he could hear the things that he wanted hear through a desperation and a longing for significance which provoked him to control destiny - or at least attempt to. He had a keen self awareness that the history of the world before him was very brief and that he could shape the story of his world for thousands of generations to come if he could only act with a lasting and permanent conviction. His was an absolute belief punctured with hidden doubts.
Thanks! Glad to have you on board.
Over 54,000 Clear Glass blocks used now. The Tower is staring to rise up out of the jungle.
(https://i.imgur.com/KLdbQWF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DeFwp2Q.jpg)
Also, the main floor in Hell is nearing completion. Still more work to do on the prisons, the living quarters and a few touch ups for the Temple to Armok.
(https://i.imgur.com/OjJC66L.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nxPwi4E.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/x5kV6O7.jpg)
And then the top floor of the fortress in hell is nearly done, just need some more furnishings.
(https://i.imgur.com/DluZvv0.jpg)
That's every square of that level made of clear glass blocks.
Outside is starting to come together. Just need to add more Fortifications and ramps to touch up the look.
(https://i.imgur.com/hTweRx4.jpg)
Mayor of Gostzas
===
The following morning, a letter was found left by Id in the quarters she occupied. I've included it in full.
To Ast, and the other citizens of Archcrystal,
To be honest, I was tempted far more by your offer to remain in here than I really care to admit. Long ago, I made a decision to do the right thing, and stand up for against something I thought was against the natural order of things. To be honest, I've never known if I made a difference for those I tried to save, or the calamity I tried to avert. Time, and time again, I've seen fortresses and even entire worlds destroyed by avarice, and horrors I dare not commit to paper.
Time and time again, I've arrived to find ruins and ashes. To find a place which paragon of virtue standing above the entrance of hell itself reminds me that in the end that perhaps my dreams are simply not wishful thinking. Gods release demons to allow great fortresses be raised and tested in siege. I, in turn, leave you with a blessing so that great people may defy fate and change the nature of the world itself.
Examine the statues in the library to see what I mean.
May you always walk between the shadows and light,
Your friend,
Id Matucog Italnis Gesis
===
Save w/ Gift: http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=13195
Feel free to PM me if you run into issues. I don't always check the forums, but the PM summons me by email.
http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=13194
I’ve run into an amusingly unique problem in Archcrystal:
(https://i.imgur.com/ECU4y70.jpg)
That’s a well deconstructing. I couldn’t figure out why until I looked at the pieces and found what was missing. After 400 years the bucket disintegrated from wear. Now some of the workshops and such that use wooden materials like barrels are deconstructing. Just an inconvenience, but I thought it was funny when I figured out why it was happening. The spore tree beds have about 20 years or so left on them, and then I’ll have to rebuild all of the bedrooms.
(https://i.imgur.com/3zEcwcW.jpg)
The top layer of hell is all done, just need a few more prisoners to fill the cells.
(https://i.imgur.com/AkLAUuA.jpg)
The second layer below it is half finished, but I need more statues and things to fill it still.
(https://i.imgur.com/07Jv2q2.jpg)
The tree farm needs to be flooded again soon as the mud comes off every time they cut down a tree. I’ve also stopped using the farms as we can get enough by gathering plants in there as well. I’ve also started flooring each level of the glass tower which will all be tombs for the dwarves of Archcrystal all the way down.
(https://i.imgur.com/lR8P8eJ.jpg)
The population keeps fairly consistent as dwarves die off new ones are born in the following years as there’s enough married couples to recycle the numbers.
(https://i.imgur.com/hHMZdHz.jpg)
I’m building a secret library for Fath here on the bottom layer of Hell in the middle of that eerie glowing pit. When I update the fortress to 44 I’ll steal the necromancer book again and store it there just for Fath and maybe a few of his disciples to read so he can have a cultish inner circle of Necromancers.
I loaded an older save of this and tried it with me tileset. I needed to check a few things in the HFS (smoothed slade walls/floors), and I did make a few screenshots.
(https://i.imgur.com/YDGksg1.png)
Enjoy: 28 high-res shots of Archcrystal (https://imgur.com/a/cG9Sg). Click in the images for zoom.
Thanks for the interest you guys!
Further to the point of the goblin invasions (and sorry for the image heavy post in advance) here are most of the primary weapons being used to kill all of the goblins:
(https://i.imgur.com/W7l0Ecm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/i0Yd1ry.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZU9lZ3H.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UFQfUNO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/esIdRiZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1m3jUGN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6BU8yG2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kXnZuZX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9VPlE1I.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aqiSQir.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XtIjlZn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EXCuppm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fdJ41yq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2YM8ypv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GzDaSWQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xp7fxKl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/L9cq0oK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ASIIwj3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LcWmQ3A.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yLYmF6T.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JUEfTMS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9ntgGQx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/94aI8qF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qJEuSOh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dmiVyR2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/a6L8BvB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8BTf1I3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ssycZmg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Bb18fSS.jpg)
The weapons are a good tracker to see how many goblins have been killed. I’ve even included a couple of shields because they get kills too. This is not even to mention the ones that have punched to death or melted.
Their population still shows as over 5000, and the nearby sites are between 30 and 100, so I’m not sure where the goblins are all coming from.
(https://i.imgur.com/buTIzYL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xTXoXrc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HcjkaK1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WszkLBr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lwkJuRJ.jpg)
For years the elves of The Circumstantial Dune had raided Archcrystal and lied that the raiders were outsiders, criminals, or insurgents. At last Zan the King of The Dipped Spears had enough of their insolence. In 476 he commanded the Scaly Clasps to raid the elven retreat of Boltcanyons to the north east and teach the fools a lesson.
When they arrived the dwarves were unlike anything the simple tree folk had ever seen – fully armoured from head to toe in adamantine that had been forged in hell and decorated for hundreds of years. Their weapons blazed and dazzled in sunlight. The elves gathered around them like moths to flame. With a nod from his commander, Degel Rockfissures the Moral Stone of Enchantment seized the first elven noble he spotted and threw him to the ground. When he was sure he had everyone’s attention he executed the elf amid the gasps and cries of elven villagers. The dwarves of Archcrystal left without a word.
(https://i.imgur.com/oezcNQi.jpg)
Queen Lesana of the elves was quick to declare war in her anger and gathered her armies.
(https://i.imgur.com/YJrIZo1.jpg)
In the summer of 477, the elven hordes descended on Archcrystal making their way expertly through the dense jungle. King Zan had expected a retaliation but this was no raiding party of a few dozen elves. The scouts spotted them pouring over the eastern ridge, their numbers too great to hide even in the thick jungle.
(https://i.imgur.com/elFNew7.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/olRoYf2.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/nZ61JVG.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/CMDxv5F.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/GwVWoKR.png)
The alarm was sounded, and The Mountainous Castles and The Scaly Clasps took their positions at the north end of the glass entrance tunnel. Two reserve squads were activated as well, The Granite Touches and The Last Palisades, and sent to the front line. The elves with their war animals brazenly marched straight into the tunnel, and at halfway, the dwarves and elves charged eachother.
(https://i.imgur.com/NDmKupC.png)
The dwarven line of adamantine and steel met the elven line of wood and cloth with devastating effect and the first dozen elves were quickly cut down. Giant tigers and cheetahs leaped across their corpses crashing into the dwarven wall of metal attempting to push back the line with their weight as more elves and animals pressed from behind them. The dwarven weapons were ruthlessly efficient, hacking and slashing through animal and elf alike as the reserve squads began to join the fray. And still the enemy flowed like a river over the eastern ridge and into the tunnel. At the center of the line stood the champion of Archcrystal, Kivish Sectcudgel the Portal of Universes wielding Iton’s old sword Shamefulintense the Heavy Deterioration, slicing through enemies like a cold machine of death. The front line became a wall of piled corpses with either side having to climb over bodies and wade through severed limbs to reach their targets – and so far it was all one-sided.
At last the Cave Dragons of War were brought up to the entrance by their trainers and they charged the mounds of dead that nearly reached the ceiling of the 3 story tunnel, crashing through with their immense 400 years of size. They sent limbs and bodies flying through the air as they burst through the front line and into the terrified elvish army which was now too committed to turn around and flee. The dragons gleefully flung screaming elves from their mouths to splatter against the glass walls of the tunnel that were now stained red for almost the entire length and height. The sun shining into it gave it an eerie reddish glow, making the dwarves who resided in hell feel at home.
And still the enemy came relentlessly, the horrified elves at the front wishing to flee the carnage were being pushed from behind by the funneling mass of elvish arrogance. Blood began to pool on the flat surface of the glass tunnel, ankle deep now making the dwarves fight in a swamp of massacred fools. At last a dwarf fell, having advanced to far into the elves he got surrounded and passed out from exhaustion. An elf ripped his helmet off and finally the enemy had a victory over one of the defenders. But by now it was too late, the last squads of the invaders began to notice the odd elf fleeing in terror into the jungle, and eventually they saw the carnage inside that was near the entrance now. It didn’t take long before the rout was on. The Cave Dragons gleefully chased many of them into the jungle, batting them to the side like insects or eating them whole.
(https://i.imgur.com/PwMYeCK.png)
The tired, but victorious dwarves of Archcrystal collected the body of their fallen comrade and slowly made their way back inside. Hours later a dwarven caravan came to trade and they made their way to the depot without remorse or surprise.
(https://i.imgur.com/XSLR6HW.png)
***
The siege ended up being 900 elves and 500 animals which were the caps I randomly set thinking no one would send a force even close to that. I stopped taking screen shots of the invader lists because they just kept coming. The battle took about 4 hours to complete, and we lost only one dwarf. FPS was either 1 or 2 that whole time. But totally worth it.
Also:
(https://i.imgur.com/1r0glAK.png)
Signed up today to say, this is awesome! I've heard people floating the idea of a 1000-year-old fort before, for dragon breeding, but I never thought I'd see someone actually try it! (I think dragons had a 1000-year childhood back then.)
Anyway, you've inspired me to try it myself and I've started up a 2x2 fort with 40 dwarves. I'm only at year 7 and I'm already running into problems. Many of my dwarves are overall unfocused or distracted, they won't use my (small, non-specific) temple to pray even though they're upset about not praying, and I also can't get anyone to marry--they won't even idle in my shared bedrooms! Without any active meeting areas! How do you deal with this?
PS if there's a guide out there for keeping all your dwarves' needs met, please point me towards that. I haven't been able to find one myself.
Thanks! It'll be a while before it reaches 1000 years but here's hoping. :)
My dwarves seem to pray pretty regularly without any trouble, but I also have a temple for each god, so maybe that helps? I'm not sure. The temples also have very high value furniture that's been decorated for centuries so maybe that draws them in more frequently.
(https://i.imgur.com/KYNQSMu.jpg)
Marriage was trickier because when I started the fortress in 40.24 I had to set up the pre-honeymoon suites and disable meeting areas to get them to idle in the bedrooms with each other. You can't do that now because they need to go pray and listen to stories and what-not or they get distracted. When I upgraded the fortress to 42.something-or-other, tons of marriages happened because I'm assuming the relationship threshold for marriages was lowered and a lot them suddenly met the criteria to get married.
Now they seem to form romantic relationships fairly regularly, and marry, but I'd say make your meeting areas like taverns and temples small so they can interact with one another. And give them plenty of time to idle and socialize.
Although, I will say I'm having trouble getting children born since upgrading from 43.05 to 44.09. Haven't had a child born in almost 5 years which is concerning since we don't have migrants. Anyone else having this problem in 44?
Edit: Nevermind, just had a baby born.
So for fun I've been sending out the militia commander and his squad to destroy the leadership of elven and goblin civilizations. I was a little freaked out when I was this:
(https://i.imgur.com/wTBCiTI.jpg)
Didn't realize they could march right up to a demon leader and end him :)
And now 3 different civilizations are attacking at the same time...
(https://i.imgur.com/kcjqTNr.jpg)
It's absolute mess outside the fortress now...
(https://i.imgur.com/vGQwUDa.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZkiSWnM.jpg)
The humans sent many raids to Archcrystal, but all were thwarted especially by the wielder of Indigospark, Limul Citymystery the Oily Love of Covers, who whispered a prayer to the mountain God Onul DiamondBeak before each engagement:
"Lord O'er the mountain Lend us your strength
Steel our resolve fortify our courage Guide our hand against your enemies
Grant us the courage of our forefathers Let none stand against us
For Onol! For Archcrystal!"
The battles were brief and the humans routed easily, but this left the dwarves of The Dipped Spears with no allies left in the world. But rather than despair this turn of political isolation, King Zan reasoned that it was inevitable – the treasures of Archcrystal now were too great for any civilization to ignore.
(https://i.imgur.com/a3Gt74N.jpg)
Let any beast or army come to our lands and be shown that their last arrogance will be abated by their last breath, he thought. And to solidify this threat, the king sent messages to every government that could be reached, and he declared war against them all.
(https://i.imgur.com/2MllB5A.jpg)
The armies of the world had set up permanent siege camps some distance away from the tower in the jungle to launch ever larger raids against the dwarves. This delighted King Zan as they would often turn to fight each other or become choked by the clouds of wicked soot that approached silently upon the camps. Through centuries of hardship the dwarves had earned their natural protection from the haunted land.
Meanwhile, below in hell the dwarven nobility began to have concerns. The current population was old, the baby boom after the invasion of hell had almost run its course. The generation below them also did not want to marry preferring casual romantic relationships, and they saw children as too much effort and it became unfashionable within the circles of the young elite. And so the population of Archcrystal began to slowly dwindle – for every 4 deaths there were only 3 births, as only three married couples remained.
This was also causing an increase in the general stress of the populace. Dwarves sank into depression more easily, their decadence failing to give them meaning and they searched for an outlet. Some became so disillusioned they threw tantrums causing fist fights or committed vandalism even in the temples. The luxuries of fine meals, drink, and expensive furniture could no longer satisfy them as their threshold for happiness clawed ahead of material extravagances.
(https://i.imgur.com/hTkrFb3.jpg)
The fortress guard were busy administering beatings for petty crimes - some lethal. The mayor was also busy consoling the troubled and trying to maintain order. For now the situation was manageable, but dissent was slowly growing.
King Zan decided to begin a public works program hoping that a common goal of labour would re-unite them. He commisioned a large covered road to be built around the perimeter of the tower.
(https://i.imgur.com/OUFi5IE.jpg)
The public reason for this would be to protect any future caravans from the horrible clouds that drifted through, but the private reason was that it would funnel any invading force through the road and into the main glass tunnel of the fortress, giving the defending dwarves cover from the sunlight. However, if this did not improve the mood and loyalty of the citizens of Archcrystal, the king had another plan - he would institute a forced marriage decree, imprisoning couples in their rooms until they agreed to wed. It was something their forefathers had done centuries ago to ensure the survival of Bomrek's pure bloodline, and it could be done again.
The armies that camped nearby sat beside their evening cooking fires as their leaders planned different ways to take the tower and conquer its vertical empire that stretched from heaven to hell. The soldiers could see the glass spire rising in the distance even at night for it glowed red from the pits in hell which reflected through the ascending glass - not to mention the blood that now stained the entrance from the countless fallen invaders. Their leaders did not have to look upon it, so they could not see crimson light that pulsed rhythmically through the glass beacon of doom that called the armies of the world to it like insects to a horrible fire. And that flame within its impenetrable glass heart beat relentlessly through a dark moonless sky. The soldiers would shudder, because more than anything else in the world, this unforgiving tower was the real reason that they now feared the night.
***
Special thanks to Urist McRedditor for the Mountain God prayer. All of the glass rooms in 120+ floors of the tower are almost done, after that we will move on to completing the other floors in Hell, as long the dwarves don’t kill each other first.
Most of the fortress guard right now:
(https://i.imgur.com/CV6Kwnr.jpg)
So I've upgraded to 44.12 and it now says a bunch of the goblin pits to the north are economically linked to Archcrystal:
(https://i.imgur.com/Tur2Gan.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2ausfMO.jpg)
All of the capital "E"s are goblin pits that are economically linked to Archcrystal. I'm not sure what that means considering we're still at war with the Feral Doom which is the goblin civilization that owns those sites. I mean we have been kicking the crap out of them for centuries so maybe they just align with us now? :)
Also, new version giving me 16 FPS!!!!! I've never felt so alive.
(https://i.imgur.com/ix1H0Zm.jpg)
It was migrant day at Archcrystal - and they descended down the into the fortress for the first time in over 4 centuries.
Stinthad marched down the immense glass staircase of the tower, marveling at the structure along with the other refugees that she followed. She had heard King Zan's proclamation that the crystal spire was accepting new comers, although briefly, and came to see for herself how the capital had flourished and withstood their infinite enemies. She had listened intently as the messenger to her refugee camp had described the king's "Final Offensive" against all the enemies of the dwarves calling on all who were willing to fight to come to the tower to, at last, strike back against the civilizations of the world who would dare attack the eternal fortress.
The first attacks against the goblins of the Feral Doom came swiftly and conquered the northern pits, catching the enemy off guard and unprepared. The battles were fierce and short with the dwarven attackers being far better equipped and trained thoroughly by skilled commanders within the tower. Most of the defenders surrendered quickly and the rest were publicly executed in front of their former strongholds.
(https://i.imgur.com/IOAqJUC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/v7Jq9o8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vKr5zYH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/T9QA2he.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gd9C4sc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/K3Bpa5a.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ljtcrfl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UCrZQdx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fX06hxe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oQYX4QP.jpg)
Many of the weapons were running out of spaces for recorded kills.
(https://i.imgur.com/BmnIyFj.jpg)
The dwarven refugee camps of the Dipped Spears suddenly proclaimed their territory of the land which they inhabited with wooden palisades and high guard towers.
(https://i.imgur.com/QfaHduz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZNuk3De.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZI3wDa0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xTPEmru.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2N6pdxJ.jpg)
They were determined to aid their vertical empire of glass in its inevitable and crushing reach outwards across the land. Finally, the kingdom that had conquered hell extended its barbed roots outwards to bend the weakened claims of the surface into servitude of dwarven order. This new order of industry and design had similar motives to other conquerors, but it attacked with an efficacy that was previously unknown to the residents of the world. Battles and sieges that once took months and years now took days or merely hours.
The siege camps around Archcrystal recalled their armies, such as they were now, for the defense of their own threatened territories. Fear had gripped the world as the dwarven invaders blitzed across the central continent unchecked and undefeated.
These thoughts brightened Stinthad’s descent down the glass tower into hell - a trip that was usually foreboding to newcomers. She could here a faint shouting as she walked down the stairs through the magma sea and past the heroes of old who lay in clear tombs of glass. The shouting became louder and more rhythmic the further she got to the entrance hall. Eventually they were herded to the main temple where the source of the shouting revealed itself.
“All migrants form a line!”
“Combat experience to the left!”
“All others to the right!”
“Children to the center!”
“You will be re-united with your children once they reach combat age!”
Kib the general barked his commands at the huddled mass of new comers.
(https://i.imgur.com/LU7yYO5.jpg)
The ones with fighting experience were given command of their squads as everyone was outfitted with armor and weapons.
Zefon had been busy forging new suits of steel armor non-stop for the last year since the migrants were taken in. They lacked the ornate decoration of the suits of old, but were still embedded with hydra bone and studded with copper to give a fierce look to them.
Weapons were easier to come by. The former king Ushrir Dikeguards has been a master weapon smith who loved spears and bismuth bronze. He had filled his own mandates for these weapons for decades over 150 years ago. Now they were given to the newcomers. Masterpieces, all of them that blazed with the decoration of countless materials. The newcomers who received them stared in awe at their new weapons which gave them a confidence created by the dwarves of Archcrystal down through the centuries. They also finally had a chance to gaze upon the constructions of the glass fortress in hell. The tower was completely floored and the second level was nearing completion.
(https://i.imgur.com/g4qWixU.jpg)
Petty crimes were way down as well. The guard were no longer delivering beatings non-stop, and the spirits of the dwarves were soaring again. King Zan had successfully appeased the population at last, and the answer was so simple: war. They were united and driven by the promise of conquest. Why he had never thought about it before eluded him. But, on the outside, it looked like a master stroke of tactics. For hundreds of years armies of goblins had broken themselves in an attempt to take the tower, and now their forces were so depleted that they could not withstand the powerful dwarven offensive that was washing over their strongholds.
While the mood among the citizens of Archcrystal was focused and happy, the migrants were scared and separated. Children as young as two were being torn from the arms of their parents and placed into general care rooms. Screaming toddlers were being forced from sobbing mothers. The children watched without comprehension as their parents were forcibly outfitted with weapons and armor and commanded to train far away from them. The scene was a horrific blend of efficiency and raw emotion. Infants had no understanding of the events and the parents had no way of giving them meaningful assurance. The many elaborate toys given to them were also of little distraction as they longed for their mothers.
King Zan consoled himself by thinking it was necessary, but many around him questioned his methods.
“They will realize eventually that it was for the greater good,” he would say.
Fath was one of the first to doubt this. He raised the question with his followers who would respond with downward looks and muted responses. He took upon himself to confront the king and tell him their concerns. He watched closely as another squad of migrants marched out of the front gate resplendent in their shiny new armor. He could see the longing of the parents who looked back one last time to where their children were. He shook his head and retired to his library.
Edzul, the great mathematician of Archcrystal, visited Fath in the Heart-Amory of Oblivion. It was a regular occurrence, one that Fath looked forward to.
(https://i.imgur.com/xfxUL6V.jpg)
They would debate time and consequences for hours, and given Fath’s immortality, each discussion would take on new meaning. However, Edzul was a “once in a generation” mind capable of accurately comparing observations beyond the best scholars of the world.
“Those children will grow to hate us, Fath.”
“I agree with you, Edzul, but the king may be right. I have seen that time is infinite and therefore smoothes over our concerns. In a century they may see his views as correct.”
“Bullshit. Grudges are not forgotten so easily. Even infinite time is constricted by boundaries.”
“Ha! Infinite time would crush every vengeance. You of all people should know this. Given infinite time, everything becomes not only possible but assured. If the chance of you being reborn is 0.000001% then an infinite number of chances to create that makes it a certainty.”
“Time may have borders that we don’t know of, Fath.”
“What borders could exist with infinite time?”
Edzul sipped his plump helmet wine thoughtfully before answering, “You are using mathematics to justify your meaning. It doesn’t work like that, my friend. There are no absolutes even in mathematics. Infinite numbers do not equal infinite possibilities, as much as zero is not a void - zero must still exist for there to be nothing.”
Fath drank his own wine which did nothing for him as a necromancer. He suspected Edzul knew about his secret immortality, but said nothing except, “You still haven’t answered me,” he paused, “about infinity.”
“Think of it this way, Fath: if you take decimals, there are an infinite amount of numbers between 3 and 4”
Edzul pauses before taking another sip, “But none of them are 5.”
Thanks for following! Great questions.
- However I wonder how you survived this long fort, even updating to newer versions without any bugs/corruption or crashes ?
(Most of my forts have ended due to crashes or bugs in the long run)
I read you started without dfhack but you are running it now in the background ? Or do you keep everything vanilla (except phoebus)
Surviving this long mostly just takes patience and eventually you can understand the threats that the game throws at you. Forgotten Beast made of Fire? Lead him to your Cave Dragons who are immune to fire. Titan made of glass that webs? Use an animal as bait to lure him to a room surrounded by fortifications with your archers behind them. It took a few failed forts to make sense of the threats, but once you do you can manage them. It also helped that I ran the fortress in the stress free environment that was pre-44.10 for most of it. By the time the stress update and its later version of 44.12 hit, I had enough creature comforts to keep them in line. Plus a very active and deadly Fortress Guard:
(https://i.imgur.com/xhuvRix.jpg)
I ran DFhack for the first 200 years actually but didn't use it, and then for like the next hundred I tried vanilla plus phoebus. The only crashes I found were with TWBT running so I've always disabled that. Otherwise the game never crashes on me. I do run DFhack now because I need autodump and clean all to keep the fps reasonable.
- I am also curious, you did let the first migrant wave in, correct ? And from there you started a pure bloodline ?
I played once with only the 7 starting dwarves and assigned the first migrant wave to a burrow with its own fort to keep the bloodline pure. However i got spammed by job cancellations which resulted in massive fps drop. So I figured that the first migrant wave you have to let in, since the first wave ignores the population cap and you cant separate them either.
I let the first 3 migrant waves in and from that I got 2 married couples, so I was able to set up pre-honeymoon suites for their kids and then used the same technique when I married them to their cousins. Then just repeated down the generations. The family tree is fun to look at. I'll post it sometime.
- last thing i wonder is how you micromanage that none of your dwarves come in contact with the wicked soot or even some deadly dust from all the FB’s you have encountered.
I read and see that all your dwarves are drafted in to the military to wear armor etc. But how do you deal with clothing replacement, children(not wearing armor), hauling dead or even a moody dwarf that decides to strip naked.
That must cause a threat if they come in contact with the stuff and affect the rest of your dwarves.
Oh it still happens occasionally:
(https://i.imgur.com/gSTVFEA.jpg)
With all of the adults in a military squad they are usually trained enough to put down someone who has become husked. You just find the nearest dwarves and command their squads to attack. Or I use the regular military if they were caught outside. The most annoying is when a dwarven caravan gets caught in a wicked soot cloud because then I have to bury all of them after they get put down.
I make enough clothes for the children, wood cutters, miners etc. so they aren't naked around the stuff. They will mostly clean themselves at the wells, but the weapons will get coated sometimes and stab a goblin causing him to husk. Still the military is more than a match for them.
The only dwarf that has stripped naked is Fath funnily enough.
(https://i.imgur.com/EUKHKQn.jpg)
There's something about dwarven necromancers in fortress mode that gets them stuck in a single job, so his clothes rotted away and all he does is study and write books in his library completely naked covered in his own sweat clutching a large Bandfire Opal. I write him differently for narrative purposes, but since he doesn't need to eat, drink, or sleep, he just makes discoveries over and over, which is fine by me.
For the gas cloud FB's, back in the day, I would just lure them with animal bait to a Fortified room and elite marksdwarves stationed well behind them and they would just shoot them to death with impunity.
Stinthad crept up the rocky ridge out of the ravine with her squad. There was no point in trying to be quiet with the full suits of steel armour crashing about as they gained the crest of the trench that the goblins seemed so fond of. After 9 years of training her group of 10 migrants were deemed fit enough to attack the pits of Wardspider to the west. While her stay in Archcrystal was brief by dwarven standards, she was glad to leave the bureaucracy and decadence of the crystal spire. 440 years of isolation and inbreeding had made the City in Hell almost as unlivable to newcomers as the demons had centuries ago. The nobility invented crimes to lock them in the many dungeons of the glass fortress - disorderly conduct, vandalism, trading the wrong good, not making enough grates for a city that hundreds of unused ones collecting dust in the endless stockpiles. And it was almost always a migrant who "broke the law", the purebloods of the line of Bomrek and Cerol being far too important and wealthy to suffer the wrath of the injustice system that a brutal and bright eyed fanatical guard enforced with deadly fervor. And the worse part of it all, to Stinthad at least, was that there did not seem to be any retribution for their luxurious vices. In fact, they thrived under such a system. Their treasures uncounted, their armies unbeaten, and their souls untainted by the gods who honoured them with lavish burials and a lack of divine sanction. When she was young she was taught in her refugee camp that the rich and elite of Archcrystal had earned their status and luxuries through difficult labour and sacrifice, and that their glorious gains of success would benefit all dwarves as the industrious rewards flowed down stream unto them, the helpless poor. But now, as she looked upon the wretched goblin pits that she was to attack and conquer, she realized there was no such river of affluence. It had been damned at the source.
Her squad stopped and formed a phalanx at the top of the trench about 300 feet from the gates of the goblin city. She could see the green-skinned recruits rushing from wall to wall, readying their weapons at the sight of the steel-clad dwarven invaders shining in the sunlight. Guttural orders from the parapets echoed across the lower plain before the gates, and arrows sang through the sky from behind the walls towards the dwarven formation. Stinthad and her squad barely bothered to put up their shields as the aim of the goblins was terrible even by their standards. Most of the copper tipped projectiles deflected off the dwarves like pebbles striking a tin pot, as the rest were swatted out of the air with spears and shields. The goblins eager to see the result of their assault were met with no screams, no call to action, not even laughter at their impotence, but a stone-faced and unmoving stance of the disciplined dwarves which was more terrifying than anything else. As the defenders gazed from the behind their walls, the steel square of death began to march forward slowly towards the gates and more arrows descended upon them with equal ineffectiveness. Uvash, the squad leader, knew the key to a successful raid was conserving the stamina of his soldiers, so there was no charge and no needless waste of energy as they steadily closed ground on the front gates. They reached the crude copper gates and with one concerted thrust of bodies the soft hinges cracked and the gates smashed to the ground in front of them as the goblins prepared their meager defense in the courtyard beyond. Lined up to face the dwarves were a collection of unskilled conscripts scared and poorly equipped. Mixed among them were captured humans, elves, and even dwarves who had known no other life rather than servitude to their captors. At a command from their goblin commander they rushed the dwarves who stood firmly in their formation, spears outstretched and extended in perfect lines. The charge crashed into these horribly sharp weapons with screams and spurts of arterial blood. The limp bodies of the attackers at the front fell and slid down the shafts of many bismuth bronze spears lubricated along the way by blood and bile from internal organs before being tossed aside like unwanted food on priceless skewers. Stinthad advanced on a group of six defenders, whirling her spear from behind her back into a neck and another's forearm severing the tendons holding the weapon of the latter and almost decapitating the head of the former. Using her momentum she turned a full 360 avoiding the thrust of the silver short sword from her left, and then stabbed forward into the stomachs of two rushing attackers embedding her spear in them. She thought for a moment she should drop the weapon as she bludgeoned the teeth from her attacker to the left with her steel shield, before deciding to place her foot on the closest impaled chest and yanking brutally on the weapon so it came free. Pulling back it dislodged both victims complete digestive systems that were now wrapped around the shaft of the centuries old lancet and she pivoted to face the next attacker who was screaming a high pitched battle cry as they attacked the one who had massacred their comrades in a few seconds. Stinthad was caught off guard for a moment as she realized it was a dwarf rushing at her with a well-made steel mace, striking in quick succession which made Stinthad parry the blows awkwardly with her long spear and shield. In the next exchange, Stinthad's attacker over-committed the next swing downward missing to her dodge, and Stinthad seized the advantage by bringing her spear in a downwards arc over her head which shot through her attacker's upper torso and pinning them upright into the ground. The body then slid in slow motion down the shaft of the spear towards the ground and it stopped with a dull thud. Stinthad pulled hear spear tip out the ground and through the wound to retrieve her weapon, and as she did the crying began. What looked like a wine skin on the dead dwarf was actually an infant’s sling, out of which now crawled a baby dwarf no more than 10 months old. It was not uncommon for dwarves to take their babies into battle with them, but this was the first time she had seen it in an enemy from the other perspective. The baby was screaming horribly, part in terror, part in pain as Stinthad could see that its left arm was broken and bent at an unnatural angle. With its right arm the infant reached out towards the wound in its mother’s chest, seemingly trying to stop the blood from bubbling forth, while holding its mangled left arm towards the sky to shield itself from any further strikes. Stinthad stood still in shock. She had no idea what to do.
The sounds of the battle died down shortly afterwards, the defenders mostly killed, or fled. The other dwarves from her squad gathered around Stinthad who looked to Uvash with a vacant unknowing look. There was silence for a moment. Uvash then smirked, “Congratulations, Stinthad. It’s a boy!”
The dwarves laughed heartily as they walked away from her. Stinthad picked up the infant and frowned. Maybe if she was male, she would have found that funny, but she still doubted it and she went off in search off something for the baby to eat, and send the standard message home about the raid.
(https://i.imgur.com/AAmniLl.jpg)
***
Meanwhile, about a day’s travel to the south east Ezost Shasargedor Bibarbanik, the Demon of Hatejoined, slithered down one of his immense slade hallways.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZOuWm4x.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YpJIl2t.jpg)
He was a gigantic lizard, but moved quickly and gracefully without a sound. His darting eyes could see well in the blackness of the tunnels which he knew well from frequent travel. He had been worried for a number of years now, ever since the dwarves had begun their march across the planet, conquering new territory every month.
(https://i.imgur.com/I5iMb94.jpg)
His goblin armies were shattered in the north, and his forces seem to give up quickly. He had recalled his forces from the south, to prepare a large attack on Archcrystal. His warriors weren’t of the same caliber as the dwarves, but he concluded that overwhelming numbers would make the difference. It left his southern front against the elves of the Vine of Tornados dangerously unprotected, but the dwarves were the bigger threat by far. No armies had done what they had in so little time since the early days – and Ezost remembered those. Back then it had been easy for his goblins to raze a dwarven fortress or an elven forest retreat. He had led his armies personally all those years ago, until as the centuries past, he became satiated and over confident. He had laughed with his entourage upon discovering that the dwarves of The Dipped Spears had set up an outpost in the evil jungle over 4 centuries ago. The others who laughed with him were all dead now. He cursed his laziness, as he descended down a large stairwell surrounded by a deep dark pit. Well no more, he thought. It was time for these mortals to witness true power.
At last Ezost stood before a great door of slade. He turned his ancient bronze key into the massive lock and the mechanisms rolled and strained as the door pulled itself open. The Eerie glowing pits beyond were warm, but their light was muted by the mass surrounding it. 10,000 demons swarmed and gathered around the entranceway to Hatejoined. Ezost allowed himself a scaly smirk, if the attack above was not enough, his attack from below surely would be.
Edzul Ironsword was about to die. The legendary mathematician of Archcrystal lay in the glass hospital within Hell and received the visits by his loved ones until there was no one present besides the doctors - and Fath.
(https://i.imgur.com/7fphFTV.jpg)
Edzul was confused by his impending death. He didn’t understand it. From a logical point of view he did not have to die. Whatever traits he could pass on to his children wouldn’t be degraded if he continued to live. He still had contributions to make to his field of study. He tried to convince himself that the order of things demanded that everything renew itself, but he still couldn’t reason past the flaws of having a mind such as his fail because of a body that can’t keep up.
Was it pride? Was it his own stupidity compared with, as Fath would say, the immense design of things? As smart as he was compared to his time, the lasting question that haunted him was this:
Is his intelligence even worthwhile compared with what could be known? That question seemed juvenile to him yet he couldn’t dispute its relevance.
It was staggering to him to think that in a century, other scholars would make discoveries far surpassing anything he could begin. And yet, it was inevitable. Edzul felt envy like he’d never felt before and he hated it. And worse, he hated the regret that all of this came with, a selfish pandering of his own perceived worth.
Fath sensed this as he kneeled gently beside his long time friends bedside.
Edzul’s voice was raspy and slow as he spoke, much like the misshapen collection of words that came out of it.
“There’s no destiny for you here... there’s none for any of us. All of our ancestors will be forgotten as you will be - as I will be. All of my work will contribute to a dying project, one that is not destroyed by the infinite time which you prescribe to, but by the walls that contain it. Stupid, stupid, stupid pride! I’ve wished for it to listen to my reason, but it can’t. It knows no such sentiment. Above all of this rambling, listen to me...”
Edzul coughed and sputtered until his lungs were wracked with pain. The doctors were already bringing over sheets to lay over his lifeless face when Fath waved them off and leant closely with his ear pressed towards Edzul’s lips. Edzul whispered sharply,
“You won’t become the singularity within the void, don’t even try.”
Fath looked downwards then up towards Edzul’s glassy eyes, “What if I can?”
“You won’t.”
And Edzul, the great mathematician of his time, exhaled his last breath with those words and passed into a blueprint of life that was not his own - one that he saw as corrupt and unfair.
(https://i.imgur.com/nChr4GU.jpg)
With all of the rage of an adolescent teen raging against adults, Edzul passed unceremoniously into death, still convinced of his importance despite a knowledge of its intellectual insignificance. In the end he couldn’t help feeling that which he would have ridiculed in others for the same behavior. His last emotion ended up being one of regret.
In a perfect world, these thoughts and desires would have died with him, and his legacy would have been simply of a great scientist whose mind had been disrupted by sickness and old age - if it were not for Fath who resonated with Edzul’s final thoughts. His wisdom had mixed so much with his pride that it was difficult for anyone to separate the two. So Fath accepted these final moments as reason. Edzul was, after all, the last of Fath’s childhood friends and easily the closest of these. Fath had a good memory, and a part of him that was still mortal longed for the days when life between them was a series of toys and games. The toys were weapons now, and the games were deadly. Both held the desires of a person that can’t be reached anymore.
The fortress of Archcrystal continued to expand in hell down from its entrance, less like a virus now and more like a dead animal bleeding out glass walls and floors from a hook downwards to the ground.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ot0mVcq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZrvtG4B.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fvK2jTK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UnNimZG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aGx12MD.jpg)
It spread continuously and relentlessly with a steadied pace that began to worry the demons until there appeared something never before seen in their history, such as it was.
Great columns of them flowed across the pits and plains of slade. Their numbers were seemingly infinite and small skirmishes broke out with the ones that had organized and the ones that hadn’t - the ones that hadn’t didn’t last long. It was a force that stood at the gates of the dwarven invaders that had never been formed before. It was controlled and steady like the rhythm of an ancient and forgotten heart that had compensated for an atrophied exercise. They surrounded the bottom of Archcrystal completely and stared through the glass structure before them. It was a malevolent gaze tinged with awe, but focused against the scurrying creators inside.
Erith the captain of the guard looked upon the mass assembled outside and ordered his guard to take position behind their fortifications.
(https://i.imgur.com/KSu5aF7.jpg)
The demons were shredded with bolts until no more advanced and the majority of the horde stood beyond their reach, waiting and planning. For a while no one moved besides the flutter of a wing or the aim adjustment of a crossbow. Then the invading horde rushed the artifact door. The collective force shook the foundations of the fortress as the indestructible door remained unblemished, but the connective architecture that held it to the glass walls strained audibly under the sheer force of a functionally infinite number of attackers. The sounds of the glass under so much pressure echoed through hell like massive glacier beginning to crack far below its surface.
More wickedly barbed projectiles tore through the immense bodies crashing the entrance.
(https://i.imgur.com/BB367Gu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2w5y6To.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8b2WloF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UJPcDdn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HjZPn4X.jpg)
The sheer mass of tissue, bone and muscle created an effective barrier no matter what material it was composed of, and glass makers and masons quickly reinforced its support on the other side. It was a war of manufactured attrition now, as both sides set against each other working to undo the other’s efforts. After several hours it was clear that there would be no clear winner and the demons again receded to their ranks beyond the eerie glowing pits, but they stood in rank unlike anything the dwarves had ever seen. They waited with narrowed eyes wondering what the demons were thinking when suddenly the glass walls shook like an earthquake. Projectiles of all kinds smashed against the entrance - acid, poison, fire, webbing, poisonous acidic webs on fire. There was no end to the constant barrage of organic bullets that pelted the fortress. If it was one thing that the demons had learned from the dwarves of Archcrystal it was patience. Persistent attack would eventually sap the walls through consistency of effort. Such was the advantage of their immortality. They were committed by their knowledge of dwarven life spans and were content to wear away the defenders before them without relent like a river carving its way through a canyon of shaped glass. In a way the dwarves had made them more dangerous in that they now understood the value of concentrated effort over time and a realization that nothing was able to withstand the strategy and determination of those that are endless in both life and will.
The dwarves were doomed - had it not been for one who recently came to understand the concept of an existence where forever held a reality. Fath’s detriments became his strengths as his esoteric arguments over infinite time became the backbone of the defender’s resolve.
As he stood at the gates into hell looking through the walls of Archcrystal he was about to attempt something, that he swore he would never do.
Here's a good example of what I'm talking about. Lor should be a basket case by now, but having kids really spikes the joy-joys.
(https://i.imgur.com/iUyvw4S.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3erXfAz.jpg)
Slowly the dwarves defending the walls stopped what they were doing and turned towards him with a frightened expectation. Surely there was nothing he could do on his own to turn back the demon army. In their heart of hearts they had realized what the demons possessed: a will and lifespan to outlast them. It didn’t mean they would give up, but facing an enemy that time cannot defeat becomes increasingly futile. The knowledge of this would weigh down any combatant, increments of sand that slowly buries the determined and talented in a grave of consistent inevitability. The depth of the grave never matters and neither do the contents after a while.
The weight of Fath’s heart dragged behind him as he forced himself towards the battle. He had come to hate war and would rather see the world live harmoniously, but that was never an option here - Archcrystal, a monument that spat in the face of inevitable time while time simply nodded and smiled knowingly. But Fath knew that moments like this were why he lived, why anyone did, as they condensed the immense design of things into what mattered, or at least split what had to matter and what ultimately must not. He wondered if he had the will to do what he ultimately must. This was not hell, Fath thought, hell is made by minds and hearts who know compassion and charity but choose to bring misery and suffering. There would be no misery like that which he could bring, and it was a choice to do so despite knowing and feeling the opposite. It was a curse that was cruel and viscous by the decision to do it in spite of the sympathy and grace that could be given otherwise.
As Fath raised his hand to shudder the dead to animate another hand grasped his wrist. Surprised, he slowly turned his head to see who would defy him, his ego driving a self imposed status to wonder what dared to disturb his moment that he had forced himself to believe was inevitable and profound.
It was Meng the catatonic and insane apprentice of Edzul the great late mathematician. Years before she had attempted to compile all of Edzul Ironsword’s teachings into a codex. Shortly after starting her work she was found sitting on the floor of the library staring off into space unblinking and unspeaking. They placed her into a cell where they fed and cared for her, thinking that she may never speak again - until now.
(https://i.imgur.com/WWDcdVP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ADes1pL.jpg)
“No” she forced out as she clutched Fath’s wrist. It was the first word she had spoken in years and it carried a weight despite its mouse-like pitch. “No” she repeated and her eyes focused this time instead of looking through him at some imaginary point miles away. Fath recoiled reflexively and looked on her as anyone else did. The absence of kindness was burning bright in his state but her urgency made him stop.
“No” she repeated again and again and tilted her head. Fath paused for long enough to consider her meaning for the first explosion to pierce his ears. Mine carts filled with lead coins dropped from their newly finished settings to travel at break neck speeds and then come to a sudden stop at the fortifications releasing their deadly cargo into the demonic assembly who stared at it with unknowing comprehension.
(https://i.imgur.com/3h4wiWE.jpg)
The missiles they had created tore through everything in front of them, whether they spit, webbed, or breathed fire. There’s no other sound like a demon from hell screaming for its life as it is ripped apart by projectiles travelling at a thousand meters per second. Pieces of their flesh exploded off them as they writhed back and forth during the infinite rain of metal bullets that blew apart the slade walls behind them. Piercing and melodic, the demonic cries of agony split the stale air of the underworld as the dwarves prepared to fire the collective hearts of their ancestral labour forth into them - a weapon born of their industry and passion and profound history. While the demons had learned patience from the dwarves, the dwarves had learned to pour their malice into the technological terrors they invented, and while it would have reciprocal effects far in the future, the dwarves of Archcrystal yet again held the acme of delivering efficient and horrifying death and destruction to their enemies.
The demons attempted to counter attack by holding the dead bodies of their fallen up as shields as they again rushed the entrance en mass. But the large groups they clustered in made perfect targets for the arrays of hundreds of lead ammunition that fired continuously into them without discrimination. The repeated mechanisms of the mine carts ensured a steady rhythm of casualty and fatality, and the torn sinew and muscle of those invaders caught in their metal kill zone emitted from the fortifications without reprieve. Steady streams of targets continued to march forth from their ranks but were mowed down by the physics of dwarven automation that exploded from the glass ramparts, reliable in its constant and unrelenting drumbeat of mechanical death. The new masters of Hell were cold and metallic, and the fear of fire and brimstone were rendered obsolete.
An hour later the battlefield in front of Archcrystal lay silent, the smoking ruins of the dead demons, counted by the thousands, were an inspiring and horrible reminder that the meaning of hell had changed forever - from a monstrous population of demonic creatures into a callous race of mortals who could care, but decided not to.
***
14th of Moonstone, Year 542
470th Year of Archcrystal
The Final Gathering
(https://i.imgur.com/aj9NPBP.jpg)
Sultrangris had packed his meager belongings and was ready for his long journey to Archcrystal. The neighbouring elves were constantly harassing his local hillocks and he had finally had enough. The elves justified their raids by saying that the war machine of Archcrystal was destroying the land in its constant reach outwards for territory. But it was the same “land” that nearly killed his ancestors with beasts, and poisonous plants, and infectious diseases until they had finally carved out a small home in the hills. He had decided that the ambivalent land deserved its reckoning. Let the war machine scorch the unforgiving plants and animals, he preferred to live underground anyways. Sultangris started walking and made sure to step on any flowers he could.
***
(https://i.imgur.com/Ytyu0Kf.jpg)
Euler was tired of being conscripted into the military to defend his dwarven fortress of Questedceiling. A scholar at heart he yearned to discuss and study mathematics and he knew that most of the literature on the subject came from the capital of Archcrystal, now the political, intellectual, and geographical Center of the world. Copies of Edzul Ironsword’s glass codexes had made their way to his fortress and he was ravenous to read more. Living in hell did not scare him as long as there were books to read. So he began his journey to the crystal spire full of hope and ambition, with his sights set on unlocking the secrets of the world.
***
(https://i.imgur.com/5tQNiGl.jpg)
Gitzo the local sheriff ran a tight ship at his fortress of Tinbucks, to put it lightly. He felt that he understood that order was the purest form of existence and that cruelty was the purest form of order, so much so that his punishments were terrible and quick. But he also felt that his methods were unappreciated here. He had heard stories of the famous sheriff of Archcrystal, Doren Lashgrooved, and he made the decision to immigrate. He packed his steel whip and other instruments of justice and set out alone to join the fortress guard. He fantasized of torturing horrible truths out of a demon and this gave him an exhilarating bounce to his step as he traveled.
((Just a quick note before I finish the chapter. If anyone else wants a named migrant dwarf for the finale, I’ll be writing them in over the next couple of weeks as they travel from the corners of the world to Archcrystal.))
Meanwhile, Meng continued to stare off into space, refusing to let go of her compiled texts on mathematics.
(https://i.imgur.com/0Yn7dJk.jpg?1)
1st of Granite, Year 572
500th Year of Archcrystal
The Immense Design of Things
Ezost the demon slithered through his Slade fortress relentlessly. His goblin empire was crumbling, and all of his forces lay smashed around his final stronghold. He felt haunted by the dwarves of Archcrystal who had laid siege to the slade tower for years now and the last of its inhabitants were nearly starving or mutinous or both. Every plan to stop them had met with defeat and he was running out of options – save one. It was forbidden that he use it, part of a deal struck long ago at the beginning, but he was desperate now. There were rumours that the dwarf Necromancer of Archcrystal knew of its existence, and if that final secret was discovered by them…
He shuddered. It was said that demons felt no fear, so the sensation travelling through his nervous system was cold and foreign to him, like being lost on an endless glacier. His clawed hand was shaking as he turned the ancient bronze key into the door of slade again and opened it. There were still demons loyal to him here, but they were apprehensive now – the sting of their last attack all those years ago still fresh in their long memories. The glowing pits reflected a mindful mortality in their eyes now. Ezost nodded at them, and they began their long slow journey across the desolate plains of hell to a place ironically close to where Archcrystal stood – a place none of them had ever dared to go.
***
The fortress of Archcrystal stood as impenetrable as ever, it’s high glass parapets on the surface shining in the sunlight, and its labyrinth architecture in hell awash in an eternal pulsing glow. But there was a hidden rot within its walls. It wasn’t new, but it had persisted slowly and relentlessly. It needed vast amounts of immigration now to support the population as most of the original inhabitants had forgone having children long ago. At first, it was seen as a boon, having craftsdwarves of all kinds prop up the capital’s economy while the original inhabitants could descend further into decadence and hedonism. And it would have worked had they offered the same living standards to them, but the glassmakers weren’t making any more bedrooms, and even the extra ones were claimed by the mushrooming aristocracy. Consequently, the thousands of newcomers were forced to find shelter in statue gardens, hallways, and even the tombs. Their dream for a better life quickly became a nightmare as they were also treated poorly by the original residents who had grown racist to their own species.
Fath pondered this as he entered Doren’s tomb, which he often did recently, to reflect and meditate. There was a family huddled in the corner trying to move something heavy, which he ignored reflexively. He sat down in Doren’s old wooden folding chair and table which were the only objects of his stored there. The old wood was decaying badly, and Fath couldn’t bring himself to attempt to fix the rotting wood. He had a certain reverence for old objects, like the artifacts, and believed them to be perfect as they were.
But this time was different. As he slumped into the chair and leaned forward onto the table, both them crumpled under the pressure sending Fath reeling to the floor amidst a cloud of splinters and sawdust. Coughing he stood up and looked incredulously at the floor and what he had done. It was a heartbreaking sight, and he felt as if a small piece of him had suddenly been lost. He sat down between the rubble of the chair and the table and put his face in his hands. A moment later he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up. One member of the family he had ignored was offering him a cup full of plump helmet wine. Fath looked at the young adult dwarf strangely before accepting it and thanking her. He took a few long sips before absent mindedly sifting through the rubble with his free hand until something odd caught his eye. On the right side underneath the table he could make out some kind of carving. It had been hidden by the small drawer that now lay in pieces on the glass floor. He grasped the broken piece and blew away the dust from the inscription. It was a sentence: “… hell lies the immense design of things.” But it seemed to missing something at the beginning because there was a broken piece absent and what looked like the end of a letter scratched before the word “hell”. It was a small piece so probably only one word, and Fath sifted through all the pieces until he finally found what he was looking for. The small piece was fortunately intact and fit perfectly. He stared for a long moment at the complete message before him. The first word was: “Beneath”.
***
Phy was in the library studying when Fath strode in purposefully. She looked up from her book only passively before returning to the text. The sound of Fath rifling through book shelves brought her eyes back up to him in annoyance. He was searching feverishly for something – and making a mess. The only other scholar present was Euler who walked over and asked if they could help.
“I need every book ever written by Edzul Ironsword,” said Fath in a low growl.
Euler knew the books well so he started to assist. Eventually Phy’s interest got the better of her and she came over and asked, “What are you looking for in them, Fath?”
“A diagram. Measurements of the pits.”
“The pits?” asked Phy. The glowing pits beneath Archcrystal were a void so far as anyone knew. The cliffs were all straight down with no ledges or change in angle. Nothing ever came up out of them, and nothing that fell into them ever returned. In fact, the dwarves of Archcrystal disposed of their garbage into them because it was much more efficient than incinerating it with magma.
“There,” said Euler, “I think this might be the one you are looking for.”
Fath looked through the pages until at last he found the section he was searching for. The diagrams did indeed measure the glowing pits beneath Archcrystal – how far apart they were, slopes, and angles. But they all had the same depth: infinite. All except one. Occasionally, over the centuries, the dwarves of Archcrystal had taken scouting parties outside the walls into the slade caverns. Doren had lead most of them. Consequently, they had maps of the area surrounding the fortress. Fath’s attention lingered on a spot about 3 kilometers to the north where Edzul had made a few notes on the slopes of the pits there. They changed from acute to obtuse at varying depths, though it was clear he hadn’t had time to take proper measurements as the writing seemed scribbled and rushed. The depth simply read: “Infinite?”
“Did you find what you were looking for?” asked Euler.
“Not yet, but I think I’m about to. I think we’re going to need a scouting party to search this area north of the fortress,” said Fath as he marched towards the library doors.
Phy scoffed, “And how many dwarves do you think will sign up for that?”
Fath shrugged. “The ones I order to.”
***
Cap was sitting at his desk outside the cell he had guarded for decades when Gitzo came walking down the long hallway. Beside him was Fath whom he recognized, immediately from his confident and arrogant stride, not to mention his shimmering clothes of adamantine and gold foil. Cap stood at attention when they approached.
Gitzo nodded, “Cap. Is the machine finished?”
“Only the madman can know that for sure,” said Cap as he opened the door to the cell. “I’ve tried to make sense of it as best I could, but I don’t completely understand it truthfully – I just helped him assemble it,” he nodded at Fath who inclined his head back to him. “Plus, it’s never been tested.”
“How do you know?” asked Fath.
“Because he is still alive,” replied Cap.
Inside the cell was Flame the metalsmith prisoner, clearly trapped within his own ramblings, as he polished the machine. It was a large metal device the size of about three large horses. At the front, was a triangular metal plate that sloped back at the top and bottom. It was as wide as it was high with an even metal slit at the center, almost resembling a large spear point. Behind that were three large cylinders about a meter in diameter and maybe half a meter tall that fed into the front through the slit. At the back of the machine was an even larger cylinder that was very high and reached almost to the ceiling. It had several pipes protruding from it, as well as levers and circular cranks.
“Come! Come,” said Flame beckoning his guests forward. “I hope you all appreciate my wonder,” he laughed. “Do we finally get to test it?”
Fath looked for a moment before replying, “Can we at least put wheels on it?”
Flame brightened up instantly, “Of course! Wheels! Yes, yes wheels would get it from one place to another,” and he danced to another corner.
Fath looked to Cap, “See to it. Then bring it to the entrance.”
***
Ezost quickened his pace across the slade cavern floors, all the while glancing into the glowing pits as they passed them. He was more than halfway to his destination, but there were sightings from his demon allies that the dwarves were amassing some sort of raiding party at the entrance to Archcrystal. They couldn’t have known of his plan, he thought. Still, the coincidence was too troublesome to ignore.
“Gather some of our brethren,” Ezost hissed. “Kill as many dwarves you can, and make sure they do not come anywhere near us.”
Two of the demons glanced sideways to each other momentarily before gathering a large group to head towards the fortress.
***
The largest dwarven war party the world had ever seen now gathered at the entrance to hell. Word had spread quickly about the scouting party Fath intended to lead, and it quickly twisted its meaning through rumour into an invasion. Thousands of dwarves spilled out of the entrance. Most were immigrants of course escaping their precarious living situations in the glass tower. Most of them had grown up on stories of the dwarves invading hell and they were too far removed from the events to know any of the tragedy that accompanied those tales. Nevertheless, they were martially trained and well fed at least. They were joined by siege engineers pulling ballistas loaded with adamantine tipped missiles and finally by one strange machine pushed by a large group of dwarves.
Gearg, Imic, Sam and Splint all shoved the machine slowly forward. It was on wheels but was the heaviest thing they’d ever encountered.
“Did you have to make this thing out of lead?” Gearg barked.
“It’s just mostly lead,” Flame smiled behind them. He was tending to the long adamantine tubes protruding from the machine that were snaking their way to large steel tanks of liquid. These were pushed along behind the main machine and had valves at the front to operate them – one tank for magma, the other for water.
Gitzo turned to Cap and asked, “So is this just a Magma Furnace on wheels?”
“It uses the same principles. But that’s just the power source as far as I can tell. What happens when he turns it on is anybody’s guess,” replied Cap.
Behind them were Carfter, Sanctume, and Shimmy preparing their new fancy armor and handing out the new rations they had prepared: Minced hydra brain jerky. It had become a delicacy in the fortress, and they were welcomed wherever they went. Livos accepted the jerky and moved alongside Sultrangis who was pushing the other tank of liquid. Both of them had been forcefully volunteered for the task.
“Do you know where we are going?” asked Sultrangis.
“Not sure,” replied Livos. “Apparently they discovered something important in one of the pits that the nobles want.”
The large host of dwarven soldiers and war machines began to move ahead along the newly constructed glass road leading to the North. The glassmakers were quickly laying down each brick with the ancient technique they had perfected. It was a slow and steady pace that made the soldiers nervous, and that was with good reason. A scout reported that there was a large group of demons approaching from the north east.
“They seem well organized again,” said the scout. “Seems like they’ve taken our lessons to heart. Good thing we had so many volunteers.” The scout flashed a wicked grin and loaded his crossbow.
***
Meanwhile, Ezost had reached his destination. It was a large barren plateau of slade with a small glowing pit in the center. Surrounding it, were other pits of varying sizes that glowed just as eerily, but he moved straight for this one in the middle. He stopped a few meters from it and waited. The few demons that waited with him glanced around unknowingly. Then, to their complete surprise, creatures began to climb up out of the pit. Usually, if something ventured too close to a glowing pit it was like gravity increased 10 times and pulled whatever unfortunate thing down into eternity. So it was a shock to all but Ezost that these figures emerged from one of them.
They looked like demons but had different features and humanoid forms. The had armor and weapons of strikingly alien metals that reflected light strangely. When one of them spoke, it was with a booming voice that echoed across the plateau.
“Why do you come here, Ezost Shasargedor Bibarbanik?”
Ezost snarled, “Have you not been paying attention?!? Do you know what goes on out here? No, of course you don’t. You’re content to let us handle the dwarves.”
The glowing figure gave Ezost a quizzical look, “The dwarves? Is the endless demon army not enough for you? Are infinite numbers and infinite time not enough for you? The dwarves do not concern us. Their fortress will fall like every other despite this one’s longevity.”
“That is what I said, until they came for me – until they came for everyone. They will come for you as well,” said Ezost pointing a clawed talon at them. “Everyone else from the beginning is dead, by their hands! It is only a matter of time before they are on your doorstep as well.” Ezost clenched both of his fists towards his chest. “This was supposed to be ours. And I will not be the design of something else. Especially not them”
The glowing figure smirked, “I think you give them too much credit. Or perhaps we gave you too much. No matter, remember, we have all the time in the world. And I am not being hyperbolic.”
The sound of distant explosions carried from the south caused a low rumble and vibration that echoed off the jagged cliffs. Even far away the sounds of battle were unmistakable, and muted screams carried on the dry wind.
“Do you hear that?” asked Ezost. “I think every drop of that time is about to run out.”
The figure simply shook their head, “I don’t care what you think. We will not help you in your fight, because it is your fight, remember?”
Ezost clenched his jaw, “I don’t want your help fighting them. I need to come with you. I need to see… Armok.”
A silence passed over the gathering and the uneasy tension turned razor sharp suddenly.
“That is not possible, demon. You cannot break our agreement.”
“Watch me,” growled Ezost.
***
To the south, some of the fiercest hand to hand fighting ever seen by dwarves was taking place. Ballista bolts fired in unison tore their way through advancing demon formations. Demons the size of large trees crashed into armoured phalanxes of dwarves sending some of them flying through the air end over end. The steel of each dwarf scraped against each other as they were pushed relentlessly by a horde of demon muscle clawing its way forward. Catapults from the rear hurled giant rocks of galena down into the fray sending forth a thunderous sound that echoed everywhere. The last of the cave dragons also charged into the battle, biting and clawing at the mass of demon flesh in front of them. Even some of the tamed Hydras were thrown into the chaos.
For once, the battle was not looking good for the dwarves of Archcrystal. Their numbers were greater, but they were exposed out here so far away from their fortress. The minecarts couldn’t fire this far and there were no walls and fortifications to provide any cover. It was a theatre that favoured the demons immensely and it was beginning to show.
Gearg, Imic, Sam and Splint moved the machine into position. With a nod to Livos and Sultrangis the valves on the magma tanks were turned and the tubes connecting them to the machine began to glow bright red. The machine belched and sputtered for a moment but then hummed to life as the magma powered gears began to turn. The three large cylinders at the front began to turn faster and faster until they had achieved their desired speed and centrifugal force. The sound of the lead balls rolling into the cylinders was music to the ears of Flame who reveled watching his machine come to life. The centrifuges threw the lead shot through the slit in the front the very instant they came into contact with one another. The sound of the battle suddenly changed from battle cries and clashing steel, to the sound of thousands of projectiles whizzing through the air, punctuated by thuds and pings when they found a home. There was almost no aiming the machine. It had one target: forward. Everything within a 60 degree cone in front of it was being torn to shreds by its merciless rate of fire. Dwarves and demons alike scrambled for cover, but the open battlefield that once favoured the demons now favoured nothing.
At last, the machine slowed to a halt and the air grew quiet. It was a heavy silence. Usually after a battle they were cries for help or cheers of victory, but not this time. The battlefield was deathly still for many uncomfortable moments before the dwarves organized themselves and began taking stock of their losses. Two thousand dwarves perished that day. The demons did not fare any better but Fath knew that this was a devastating loss to the identity of Archcrystal, and in a war of attrition the dwarves would surely lose.
As the remaining dwarves moved their dead several of the commanders were discussing the path ahead with Fath who’s temper had started to boil over. He was always furious at any kind of loss and even though it was technically a victory, this one stung.
“There might be more on the way,” said Gitzo. “What will we do if they attack again? I don’t think we have the numbers to repel another wave like that unless we turn that bloody machine on again.” He shivered.
Fath tried to think through his anger. “I have an idea,” said Fath. “It’s said that demons feel no fear. Let’s put that to the test. Gather a hundred or so of the demons. Try and find ones that are still clinging to life if you can – and I want ones that can bleed.” Fath walked over to one that was still twitching slightly. “Like this one,” he pointed. Fath took out his knife and started carving a symbol into its torso.
“Is… that supposed to scare them?” Gitzo asked.
Fath smirked and continued working, “No, this is just for my own personal satisfaction. I’m just being petty.”
***
The two winged demons watched the dwarves gather their dead from a safe distance to the north. They had been sent by Ezost to spy on their progress and hadn’t seen the battle, but they could definitely see the aftermath. They looked on to see the dwarves also lining up several of the fallen demons on the sides of the newly built glass road which was now steadily being built again.
“Let’s report back to Ezost. He will want to know the outcome quickly,” hissed Etar.
“Wait, I want to see what they are doing first,” replied Ozsit.
“Fine, but Ezost will want to know how many are left, and I don’t think he will be pleased,” said Etar as he sat down to watch as well.
“We are infinite in number, remember?”
Etar’s eye narrowed, “Are you sure, did you ever count?” The dry wind blew and kicked up the slade dust silently as Etar looked around. “If you ask me, it’s looking a little empty around here lately…”
“Quiet,” snarled Ozsit. “They are getting ready to move again.”
They watched as the dwarven force began to march forward. They had attached chains to the demons’ bodies that were pulled up by the cave dragons and Hydras as they marched. A hundred crucifixes, all evenly spaced along the new road, were lifted to stand tall as they passed by. Some of the crucified demons who were still alive writhed in agony as gravity pulled hard on their mangled flesh. The animals were also encouraged to nip at their wounds as they passed causing them to cry out in deafening shrieks that carried along the wind.
Etar and Ozsit glanced at each other apprehensively for a moment before taking off to fly towards Ezost. It was a short flight and they made good time from the tail wind at their backs before landing in front of their master. They looked around the plateau at another battle that had seemingly taken place.
“Master,” hissed Etar, “you… you killed the angels?”
“Our negotiations failed, but nevermind that,” growled Ezost. “What do you have to report?”
“Our brethren were defeated as you predicted, but they killed many and delayed them. They will most likely be here within the hour,” replied Etar.
“It will have to be enough,” said Ezost. “Take these bodies and toss them into the pits. I don’t want the dwarves to get their dirty little hands on these weapons.”
Ozsit glanced again at Etar before speaking, “There is one more thing, master. They are torturing our fallen brethren. The fallen are crucified and eaten alive. We are… cautious about facing such a foe. They also carved a symbol into each of their bodies - a number but I don’t what it means.”
Ezost frowned, “Why, what were the numbers?”
Ozsit squinted his dark eyes and shook his head, “They were all 5.”
***
Fath stepped onto the slade plateau and looked around. There were recent signs of a battle here and he noted the pools of blood that stained the ground. It was similar to any of the other desolate spots in hell, but after looking at it more closely he could see why Edzul had singled it out in his hurried notes. It was almost symmetrical and while there were glowing pits around the edges, the pit at the center looked too central to be random. He walked up to the pit in the center and looked down. It glowed like any other and seemed the same so Fath decided to test it. He threw a small stone into it and if fell normally until it was out of sight. Curiously, he got down on his stomach at the edge of the pit and grabbed a handful of dust. He blew it out of his hand and it carried across the opening. Fath smiled stood up brushing himself off.
“What is it?” asked Cap.
“The dust didn’t get sucked into the pit. It carried across it and floated normally. So this isn’t a normal pit,” replied Fath walking over to one of the wagons.
“So what does that mean?” inquired Gitzo.
“It means we’re going down,” said Fath. “I need some cranes constructed quickly, and tell the glassmakers I need them to start making some stairs down into the pit.”
Gitzo’s eyes grew a little wide, but he went on carrying out his orders. The glassmakers approached the pit cautiously and slowly placed the first clear glass block into place at the edge of the pit. They all winced as they lowered it below the plane of the opening, but nothing happened. It was true, it didn’t operate like the rest for some reason and they set about building the stairs downward.
Gearg, Imic, Sam and Splint pushed the machine towards the opening and then started to plan the construction of the cranes that would lower it down.
“I thought hell was the bottom and now we’re going beneath it?” Gearg shook his head.
“What, did you think it just stopped here? Of course there’s something beneath it. Has to be, right?” replied Imic.
“Does it have to be? Eventually things have to end don’t they?” said Sam. A low tremor shook the ground slowly and they all looked around for a moment before continuing their work.
“I don’t think that whatever is beneath hell wants us there,” said Splint smirking.
Gearg chuckled, “I don’t hell wants us here – or anywhere else for that matter. But we’ll go anyway and make ourselves at home. It’s what we dwarves do.”
Fath waited impatiently at the edge to the pit until finally the glass makers came up the newly created stairs. “You had better come and see this,” they said. He walked down with them for about a hundred meters until they came upon a large opening. It was hidden from above by a series of small overhangs and ledges almost deliberately. A dozen steps into the opening loomed a towering door – and it was made of steel. It stood slightly ajar and, upon closer inspection, it was recently smashed open on the left side by a powerful force of some kind.
Fath turned to Gitzo, “Bring everyone down here. Tell them to hurry with the cranes as well.”
A few hundred dwarves slowly descended down the glass staircase with their eyes wide open. Cap wondered quietly if the first dwarves who descended into hell had a similar experience, but as they reached the large steel door he realized this was something even more unique. Fath nodded to a few of the soldiers, “Open it.”
It took 30 dwarves with metal levers to pry open the door. It creaked loud groans as it opened, clearly unaccustomed to use. Beyond was a sight that was difficult to comprehend. It was a long hallway about 10 meters high and equally as wide made of solid steel. The steel was polished and slightly reflective like a dull mirror. The hallway extended forward as far as they could see and on the floor were several dead bodies of demons and – others that looked like demons but had strange armour and weapons made of metals the dwarves had never seen before. More fighting had obviously occurred here and there were clearly two sides to the conflict now. The dwarves crept forward slowly down the large hallway, regarding the bodies as they went. Cap walked alongside Fath down the smooth corridor.
“You know, I’ve listened to you give sermons,” said Cap.
“I’ve seen you there,” nodded Fath
“You think this is it?” asked Cap. “You think this is Armok?”
Fath took a deep breath in, “Maybe. I’ve always thought that Armok was us – or at least that’s the way it should be. We should be the creators and directors and designers. But I must admit it is kind of comforting to think there’s a creator behind all of this mess.”
Cap snorted as he stepped over a corpse, “A mess indeed. I don’t know if I’d find it comforting to know if there was a creator for all of this. I mean, look around you. It is a big mess - suffering everywhere. War, demons, the goddamn elves, disease, hell children with disease. Why would anyone make that? And if Armok did make it all, what do they do with it? Watch it? It doesn’t seem right if you ask me. So why would you believe in someone like that?”
A few moments later, the dwarven column ahead of them stopped. There was a large pile of dead bodies piled in the center of the corridor and the lead dwarves were inspecting them. Gitzo went over to one of the corpses and inspected its helmet. It was made of a yellow metal that glowed like nothing he’d ever seen. As he stepped towards it he felt the floor beneath give way until he heard a quiet click. Suddenly, metal strands burst forth from the walls, floor, and ceiling ripping through the corpses in their way. The metal strands all met at a point in the middle of the hallway and began to form a large sphere.
“Trap! Get dow...” but before the shout finished leaving Gitzo’s mouth a bolt of lightning shot out of the center of the sphere burning a large hole into his chest. The lightning jumped instantly from dwarf to dwarf searing their flesh and a few dozen at the front fell lifeless to the steel floor. Screams of agony ripped through the hallway as more lightning shot forth into the dwarven formation. The rest scrambled for cover at the sides or behind other dead bodies on the floor of the passageway. At last the lightning struck something that didn’t fall.
Morulbisek, the largest and eldest cave dragon of Archcrystal shook off strike after strike of electricity from the floating metal sphere as he stomped forward. Its scales began to hiss and smoke with every blast but still he moved forward, propelled by centuries of growth and care until it was 30 centimeters in front of the sphere of death. If an inanimate floating metal sphere could blink it did now. Morulbisek let out a thundering roar that lasted nearly a full minute spraying saliva and vociferous sound everywhere in front of him. For a moment everything paused and then he clamped down on the horrible flying trap with jaws that pierced everything. The only sound now was a crunch of ancient teeth scraping against metal and a slow muffled satisfaction of a beast rumbling through the corridor.
Fath stood up from his crouched position alongside Cap who did not get up. He looked down and saw Cap sputtering blood through wheezing coughs. There was a singed hole in his abdomen and arterial blood was leaking onto the smooth steel floor.
Cap coughed, “See?” His voice was barely a whisper now, “Why would you?”
Fath stood up slowly and turned away as Cap died. Fath shrugged, “Because it sounds like something I would do.”
***
Fath strode forward to the front of the decimated column. The remaining dwarves were attempting medical care on the dying. “Leave them,” said Fath. “We have to catch up to whomever was here before us – and judging by these bodies we aren’t far behind.” One by one the dwarves slowly abandoned the dying, closing their senses to the last breaths of the fatally wounded.
“Also,” added Fath, “We should let the cave dragons go first.”
He glanced at Morubisek who obeyed with ancient practice.
At last they came to a large room. The steel walls glimmered with a hidden light source that also reflected the sounds of a fading battle. Ezost crouched at the end of the room with a wounded figure in his claws and another figure standing with a bright sword before him. The demon lunged towards the figure with the sword while tossing away the other. Ezost absorbed a strike to his torso and clamped down with his front claws on its legs and neck. In the next instant he tore the being in half and threw the severed pieces against the walls to splatter and drip slowly down its sleek metal. Ezost breathed heavily afterwards. His wounds bled profusely onto the cold metal floor. His breathing was slow and labored now as he glanced towards Fath at the entrance to the room.
“Now of all times,” Ezost wheezed. “Why now.” It was more of a ponderous statement than a question. He bled more and coughed while he struggled for the cold dry air. But still he raised himself, confident in his strength and ferocious ability to cling to life that was tempered by infinite time.
“You dwarves had hundreds of years to find this place, but you come here at this hour. Who told you? Are there more spies than I had guessed?”
Ezost slowly regained his strength and regenerated as he spoke. Perhaps he could stall for a moment longer before he struck. Fath entered the room. It was only him and Ezost now. The demon crouched awaiting an attack, but the dwarf in front of him simply stepped to one side.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Fath replied. The confident dwarf unfolded a wooden chair and table and sat down in the large steel room patiently. “What is your name again?”
Ezost tried to breathe slowly and without pain for a moment, and he attempted to disregard Fath’s baited question. The demon could see more dwarves moving into place along the corridor while he waited for an attack. He just needed a little longer to regain his strength.
“Do you have any idea of what is in this place?” asked Ezost gesturing behind him at a huge steel cylinder. “Or are you still like a child stumbling into importance? I should give you death here and save you from what lies beyond. The immensity of it would crush you regardless.”
Fath had been writing as Ezost spoke and continued to outline the features of Ezost on his parchment. “Will it now?” Fath said without looking up. “When I find out I’ll tell you all about it. And yes I do know what it is there,” Fath looked up at Ezost, “it’s Armok.”
The demon’s eyes flashed and his posture stiffened. Confusion swirled through his mind. How. He tried to project a controlled exterior. The wound on his chest was closing quickly and he was almost ready. “Then bring your “mighty” dwarves in here and we will see who gives the lesson.”
Fath stood up, “Oh they won’t be doing anything.” Fath folded his table and chain and tucked them under his arm. The machine entered the room scraping against the sides of the doorway sending sparks and metallic shrieks into the room. Ezost stared unknowingly at it for a moment as Fath exited into the hallway. Its centrifuges were already at full speed.
“You won’t gai…” Ezost began to yell, but whatever words came next faded into oblivion as the machine spewed forth hundreds of metal shot into the room. Fath heard screams and then nothing at all.
After the machine powered down, the dwarves entered the large room and surveyed the destruction inside. The chamber was awash in bodily fluids – red, yellow, black, and bright blue even. Some appendages could be identified but almost everything else looked like ground beef on the floor. The lead pellets barely even scuffed the polished steel walls of the place and Fath walked over to the giant metal cylinder at the end of the room. There was a latch on one side. Fath pulled it and the front of the cylinder slid open to reveal another smaller circular room. The dwarves all peered inside. The room was empty except for a small lever at the end and Fath walked over to inspect it.
Sultrangis crouched closer to floor, “I think this platform is supposed to move.” He looked up, “And judging by that solid looking ceiling up there I’m betting it goes down.”
Fath nodded, “Let me try it first. Whatever is down there, even the demons were afraid of it. If I don’t come back, leave this place and seal it forever. Make sure it’s never found again.”
“Fath, are sure you want to do this?” asked Sultrangis.
Fath smirked, “Nope. But I’ll do it anyways.” He slid the door closed and pulled the lever. The ancient mechanisms creaked to life and the platform shuddered for a second before beginning to move down. He descended for what seemed like an impossibly long time before coming to a halt. Satisfied that there was no more movement from the platform, he opened the door.
All he could see was darkness beyond and he stepped out cautiously into it. He could see nothing above or below him as it was all bathed in a strange blackness. The ground seemed solid enough whatever it was made of. In front of him he could see something. It was tiny, or was it just far away? He couldn’t tell. It looked like a small white speck floating in the middle of the blackness – almost as if a wayward grain of sand found its way here to stain the otherwise perfect darkness.
He felt drawn to it and moved closer slowly. Fath reached out a hand towards it and felt the pull on him continue to increase until it surrounded his entire body. “Armok?” he whispered. And then everything that Fath ever was or ever would be purposefully moved forward into the immense design of things.
Epilogue
The two human soldiers, Olot and Artuk, moved through the dense jungle hacking away at the foliage as they went. They had been ordered to find a path for the rest of the army through the valley by the river.
“We must be close now,” said Olot turning to look behind him.
Artuk scanned the ground, “I think you’re right. Look at the ground. This must be the old road to the fortress.” The ground indeed showed signs of stonework that had been grown over and hidden by vegetation.
“Why do we even have to find Archcrystal anyways? The dwarves of that empire are all gone now,” said Olot.
“An entire dwarven civilization that conquered almost the entire world disappears overnight and you aren’t curious to find out why?” said Artuk
Olot brushed a large phantom spider off of his sleeve, “Well yes, but I’m still not sure why we need an army with us.”
“Can’t be too careful…” smiled Artuk. “It should be up ahead where the two rivers meet. I think I see a break in the trees up there.”
They came to the edge of the tree line and looked ahead into the open space. There stood the glass tower of Archcrystal projecting a long oppressive shadow against the late afternoon sun. Strangely the jungle had not even tried to reclaim the fortress or the land around it. There was a large wide circle of dirt where nothing grew surrounding it. In the dirt were several shambling figures walking back and forth mindedlessly.
“Undead?” asked Olot. “Don’t see many of them anymore. Are they dwarves?”
“Looks like goblins to me but it’s hard to tell from back here,” replied Artuk. “I’ll go in for a closer look, you go tell the others to get up here. They shouldn’t be far behind if they found the old road.”
Olot nodded and moved back into the jungle while Artuk stepped forward slowly and cautiously into the clearing. As he got closer the undead stopped moving and turned towards him in unison. One of the goblin corpses stepped through the middle of them and surprisingly began to speak.
“A human?” it hissed. “Know that this place is not for the living. Only death lurks here now.”
Artuk looked at the creature closely. It was covered in a dull blue dust. ‘Well time marches doesn’t it? And I’m afraid your time here is over. So… uh kindly shamble aside and there won’t be any trouble.”
“Arrogant human! I will enjoy eating your…”
The .50 caliber bullet struck the undead creature in the upper torso with 15,000 foot –pounds of force and 20,000 Joules of energy. In the same instant it created an expanding body cavity that pushed all of the organic material of the upper body outwards until it mystified. Whatever necromantic energies that held the rest of the body together were obliterated and the rest of the mutilated corpse flew backwards in several directions. The M2 machine gun continued firing at a pace of 1200 rounds a minute at the rest of the undead until there was nothing left moving.
“Cease fire!” shouted the commander from the tree line. Artuk got up from the ground that he had flattened against.
‘You could have given me an earlier heads up,” he said wryly. The bulldozers began pushing the trees down to allow the trucks to make their way into the clearing. In the distance a blue mist began moving into the clearing.
“Masks!” Yelled the commander.
Artuk put on his gasmask with the rest of them as the cloud passed by and drifted deeper into the jungle. He slung his rifle onto his shoulder and approached the entrance with Olot. The glass tower loomed taller above them as they got closer.
“Well, it doesn’t really look far up,” quipped Olot smiling behind his mask.
“Oh we’re not going up,” replied Artuk as they moved inside the entrance way and looked down through the clear glass floor.
The tower stood like a dagger that remained plunged into the center of the world. It hummed and pulsed with a dim glow again as it welcomed life inside it once more and until the end of time.