Every year, you must cull %10 of your population. These dwarves are "chosen" by lottery and you have no influence in the matter.
However, there is one control: if the dwarf is a worshiper of the main death cult of your temple they will always be spared from entering into this death lottery. Unless, of course, there is no one left to sacrifice... at that point even true believers are eligible.
The culled dwarves' remains are not allowed to be buried or honored with an engraved slab. They are to be horded in a great temple of bones.
The main goal is to build this temple of bones in the most epic and evil manner possible, providing worship space for the various cults of death, while also surviving the yearly cull's psychological effects, subsequent hauntings, and all the associated troubles of operating a literal death cult.
I recall a great story from the early days of 2-d, a forum story wherein a lone dwarf survives catastrophe and goes insane, living in a hidden chamber near the cave river, carving strange symbols into the stone and murdering any newcomers. This story is, perhaps, my inspiration for this particular challenge. I wish I could find it again...
Necromancers, if encountered, should be captured and put to good use. Reanimated skeletons are, obviously, very cool.
Only the most depraved dwarves will remain in control of their emotions. Only those that worship the cults of death may find sanity in this place. Only fools would entertain such a challenge.
anyways here I am
===
(https://i.imgur.com/trScrM9.png)
It is the year of Roc. Dreams of great birds peering down from above. The temple is growing, slowly. Filling with bones..
(https://i.imgur.com/y2GVIYx.png)
Zimesh The Ashen, god of death, has set in motion a great plan, and the principal character would be Dumed Glovedance. Lor Glovedbucks the necromancer was master over Dumed, in a pinky and the brain sort of way. Dumed performed whatever she commanded with little question. In this way, Dumed was the stupid pawn of greater powers, and seemed to relish his lack of freedom.
Lor wanted to rule the world, and this fortress was only one of many nodes in her growing network of hidden outposts. Each generated wealth, weapons, and biological material for the experimentations
Before Dumed left the subterranean laboratory of Lor, she was given a powerful image, titled "The Mark of Bones." This image was to be hidden, shown only to members of the cult. It may cause.. deleterious reactions.. in those unacquainted with Zimesh the Ashen.
A warped white moon shivers coldly behind the dark silhouette of a giant raven, which lays prostrate before a small image of Lor standing in upright prayer.
(https://i.imgur.com/SMPjfuS.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/7YKqza3.png)
The image was printed on thick parchment with a black ink. Dumed rolled this into a leather scrollcase and left for the waiting caravan.
===
Wheels rolling endlessly. Sodden, broken wheels.. repaired with wood and broken nail countless times on the road to here. Where is here?
(https://i.imgur.com/dW78lcR.png)
Here is Reigngate, so founded by Dumed Glovedance in year 250 under the direct orders of Lor Glovedbucks the necromancer, and dedicated to the sacrificial worship of Zimesh the Ashen, the Dark God of the Bloody Beard, who revels in death and dismay and really likes ornate displays of bone and skull.
Of the seven dwarves, Dumed is the sole worshipper of Zimesh, with the remaining dwarves praying towards a different, lesser god. They would be converted, or sacrificed, there was no doubt!
The low desert mountain was flanked with dense temperate forests of cedar, wild cherries and persimmons. The ground smelled like magma, or so the miners claimed. Digging through the sand revealed great mounds of obsidian glass. One should always trust miners and their noses.
It was planned to sink a great divot into this fossilized volcano, an artificial chasm.. this would take years but it would keep the others busy while Dumed planned for the first culling. A temporary hovel was dug into the slate layers of the northeastern quadrant, near the fruit trees. For some reason the dwarves had brought a tame elephant and this was pastured nearby.
The six laborers were as follows:
Etur - worships Mete Milu. Overly talkative. Likely to raise alarm should she notice something.
Kikrost - worships Kadol Luriterib. Built strong and tough.
Domas - worships Mete Milu. Peaceful and sheep-like.
Deler - worships Mete Milu. Easily distracted - an easy target.
Sodel - worships Doren Limarosram. A hard worker but unable to form social bonds.
Sigun - worships Mete Milu. A crazy musician.
All were competent miners, having been hired into this role, and all were unaware of Dumed's intentions.
Meanwhile, under the guise of constructing a temple for Mete Milu, Dumed went to work designing a secret shrine to Zimesh. A shrine of death, carved from frozen obsidian, with walls polished into black mirrors.
After this work, Dumed took one of the larger obsidian shards, and secretly fashioned a blade. More dagger than sword, the flat edge was sharper than any steel, and was concealable under a shirt or cloak. And so Dumed felt assured.
Summer arrived, and the dwarves labored on.
(https://i.imgur.com/OT2TDrS.png)
===
"Hey, I thought this was a temple to honor Mete Milu? Why are we installing these creepy obsidian statues of Zimesh all over the place?"
(https://i.imgur.com/nmgLjX6.png)
late summer, two migrants arrived.
Mebzuth - worships Doren Limarosram. High master metalcrafter with great strength.
Ubbul - polytheist, worships all the popular gods, but also Zimesh. A legendary gem setter at the young age of 84.
A worshipper of Doren, and a polytheist who shares sympathies with Zimesh. Curious - could this Ubbul Paddlebreaths be trusted with the activities of the cult, despite her split allegiance?
(https://i.imgur.com/V7UlSmz.png)
The digging of the great chasm began.
(https://i.imgur.com/fgzxiVx.png)
Early in autumn arrived the mountainhome traders. The dwarves traded obsidian swords for meat and cloths. Exporters of death, they were! Zimesh was proud.
(https://i.imgur.com/fKBZD6h.png)
Late in autumn, 11 migrants arrived, as follows:
Eral - worships Mete Milu. Woodcutter.
Rigoth - worships Mete Milu. Peasant.
Ezum - worships Avuz Idavuz. Clothier.
Vucar - worships Rimtar Onmemad Nirmekrit. Stonecrafter.
Zuglar - worships Egu. Strand extractor.
Atir Enjoypulleys - polytheist, worships Zimesh. Ranger.
Tun Churchnets - polytheist, worships Zimesh. Fisherdwarf.
Oddom Nuthall - polytheist, worships Zimesh. Fisherdwarf.
Rakust Roughnessshythm - polytheist, worships Zimesh. Farmer.
Deler Tinscaled - worships Zimesh alone. No skills but very strong.
Erith Oarswords - worships Zimesh alone. Accomplished weaponsmith - very useful.
Due to their overwhelming exclusivity of their faith, Deler and Erith were chosen to join the inner council of the cult, along with Dumed, and so were given the title "Priest of Zimesh".
This brings the total cult size to eight dwarves, of 20.
(https://i.imgur.com/uZpgso8.png)
Etur, one of the unchosen, the laborers, got into some kind of strange mood, and stole a bench at the stonecutters. Curious, we allowed her to work... she took a large boulder of obsidian and created a huge, menacing cabinet. Covered in spikes of razor glass, it was exactly the last thing you want to place in your bedroom. Perfection! We considered indoctrinating Etur as a reward for this artifact, but her faith in Mete Milu was too strong. She would remain in the lottery.
===
On the full moon of the 28th of Obsidian, the black month, the final month, the deepest winter nights, Dumed called for the priests. Deler and Erith both appeared, dressed in dark, with a list. Each non-believer was given a number, and the priests cackled as they rolled the obsidian dice... 1 and 9. Vucar and Kikrost.
They were told a reward was waiting for them, in the room at the back of the obsidian room of the purest black, filled with a statue gallery of skeletal gods and necromancers. Way back behind the locking door..
Vucar and Kikrost were informed, and happily moved into "the room". The door was locked. and .... the lever was pulled and .... the sacrifice was made. Zimesh surely looked on in pleasure.
(https://i.imgur.com/NKivsVg.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/stLx98H.png)
Spring brought 17 migrants, too many to list here.. New cultists galore, and plenty of non-believers - Reigngates was growing fast. New terraced farms were placed near the obsidian outpost.
(https://i.imgur.com/FnwF2HT.png)
New priests include Domas Dimplecrafted, Limul Citybelt the master of mechanisms, and two others.
One particular non-believer smells funny. Urvad Ropenourished .. keep an eye on this one.
Curiously, one of the migrants claimed to not believe in any gods at all... what a fool! Doesn't he feel the raw energy emanating from the bloodied chamber of death and dismay? The obsidian heart beats loudly now....
(https://i.imgur.com/XhJIpeX.png)
The Umbral Faith requires a temple and a priest.
Of course, my lord, anything for you - but didn't you notice that we already have three temples and nine priests?
(https://i.imgur.com/Q2SQtsg.png)
to be continued
ah. my writing failed me. however, I possess an unorganized folder of various screenshots from the past week of play. in no particular order, the follow will document the most curious moments before the abandonment of Reigngate due to cave swallow incursion in year 261.
===
The kill list of this cavern invader speaks for itself...
(https://i.imgur.com/PH2MliD.png)
Magma took two years to travel across the cavern. A second tunnel was needed to counteract evaporation.
(https://i.imgur.com/2Ak5ppN.png)
in 256, the cult was at its strongest.(https://i.imgur.com/dULInKE.png)
the fourth variety of were beastie
(https://i.imgur.com/BMOA7m5.png)
this weird demon beat the werecapy to death with a book
(https://i.imgur.com/hJaNoMJ.png)
ghostly murders were a regular sight for the entirety of Reigngate's existence
(https://i.imgur.com/rVHzKiu.png)
bird on bird action
(https://i.imgur.com/Q8SwsSI.png)
a disastrous first engagement with the largest of the invader force. we technically succeeded, but the losses were horrendous and the military never really recovered.
(https://i.imgur.com/2cY8ksr.png)
the surface sieges proved a lesser but still deadly threat.
(https://i.imgur.com/JCwl4KY.png)
the weremonitor transformed in the library, atop the red table strewn with papers, now even more red with various juices
(https://i.imgur.com/JZ6qVV0.png)
one of the yearly sacrifices escaped thanks to a ghost unlocking the spike chamber too early. they were immediately elected mayor... Zimesh spared this one.
(https://i.imgur.com/90M3kgl.png)
a Minotaur falls easily to the obsidian blades
(https://i.imgur.com/QfxF9wi.png)
so, too, a Cyclops
(https://i.imgur.com/nACA0La.png)
goblins take advantage of the architecture and camp in a precarious spot. the dwarves are unable to approach - that is a 40 z-level fall beneath.
(https://i.imgur.com/g4ztbmW.png)
further images from the glory days. little did I know.
(https://i.imgur.com/wqYJidI.png)
the ever expanding catacombs
(https://i.imgur.com/RgQqKi5.png)
the surface chasm grows yearly.
(https://i.imgur.com/5c9DiN2.png)
ghosts of the previous sacrifice console the chosen, before the lever is pulled
(https://i.imgur.com/20ZdI2d.png)
except Stinthad, who has murdered over ten as a ghost, and tries to kill one of the sacrifices mid-flight
(https://i.imgur.com/JvHcTr5.png)
the epic tale of the once-insane, bedridden leader who rose up after surgery and was immediately cursed by Zimesh to thirst for blood. This babbling leader was imprisoned in the temple after this, and presumably sits there still.
(https://i.imgur.com/KoH6HhU.png)
fancy gem vaults
(https://i.imgur.com/QxPflDc.png)
Sibrek, who shoved an adult dwarf off the staircase, shows little remorse
(https://i.imgur.com/rXttOQ5.png)
that one time the entire first squad flung themselves into the 40-z level pit, AND SOMEHOW SURVIVED, likely due to their angle of attack, and the horizontal movement lessening the damage caused by impact. caught me entirely off guard since I expected their immediate explosions upon landing.
(https://i.imgur.com/2hzVm0U.png)
perhaps the most coolest artifact, but never had a chance to get used before some dwarf lost it in a cavern fight.
(https://i.imgur.com/5fGPkbH.png)
some more fancy vaults
(https://i.imgur.com/EZ39K89.png)
259 was a bad year. the military was entirely wiped after a goblin siege became stuck on the map's edge, preventing new migrants from arriving to re-fill the squads
(https://i.imgur.com/t4S5YeT.png)
the bloodied autumn blooms of the mountainside
(https://i.imgur.com/fWtEQcW.png)
ghostlist
(https://i.imgur.com/0HWXtWO.png)
Uvash, before he was turnt vampire
(https://i.imgur.com/zqfsZk1.png)
and then we lost half the miners in a terrible staircase accident. a single dropped block tumbled down and knocked loose or killed all these dwarves.
(https://i.imgur.com/St0DDMu.png)
After so much violence in 259, and with the commitment to a yearly %10 sacrifice never being forgotten or skipped, the dwarves of Reigngate then experienced a number of terrible in-fights... and at some point the cavern invaders returned. In 10 years, FPS had dropped from ~150 to ~16, and this was becoming untenable. So it was decided to sally forth from the cavern gate and clear out the swallows.
There are always more of them than you expect. Always. The gate was closed, but not before the whole squad was dead and about a dozen of the spear-wielding death birds had flown inside. At this point FPS went down to single digits, apparently the birds pathfinding and my catacombs do not mix. Rather than spending hours IRL waiting for the end, I went for the dignified abandonment.
Uvash the vampire lives on, and I imagine he will immigrate at some point to another fortress in this world.
It was a great challenge but not for the faint of heart. balancing mood and maintaining even the slightest bit of productivity took a fair amount of central planning and a lot of gold flooring..
A fair amount of horrible violence and gore occurred here, so much so that I felt a bit queasy at times, like, "why am I roleplaying the fantasy equivalent to the bad guys from Ralph Bakshi's Wizards? or recreating the enslaved future earth from Samurai Jack, the one where Aku whips you if you fail to mine crystals fast enough?" basically I didn't want this fortress to turn into another episode from the mermaid farm, you know?
the herds of ghosts were really interesting to watch, as they seemed to cluster mostly around their death location (the pit of spikes), while others trailed old professions. I kept imagining how annoying it would be to have a ghost try to give you advice, or correct your mistakes as you make them. We had multiple murderous ghosts, including the type that cause grievous physical damage like ripping out spines or tearing off limbs, and the second variety that simply killed through fright. One ghost went beserk but did nothing but throw harmless thread and cloth around. One ghost had over ten kills, while another seemed to enjoy assassinating cult leaders. that one felt like the simulation had come alive, and was trying to end the cult of death...
final vod: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WzbIFfyjNU
where you can see the end state of the chasm, the beginnings of the obsidian tower of death, and the final battle of the Cave Swallow invaders.
anyways, I am looking forward to more wholesome encounters with the simulation in the future. until next time, thanks for reading :\/