Bay 12 Games Forum

I believe this is a bug.

I'm trading for the first time since loading the new version.  When attempting to trade my light-weight crafts for an anvil, the visiting merchant informs me that his animals can't handle it even though the weight limit listed in the lower right is higher than 3000.  He will take goods as a gift, but not in trade for anything.

Zasir
 

Imagine a power goal like this:
"A caravan arrives with an ancient scroll.  The dwarves purchase and read it.  The scroll describes a great artifact (a rhyolite armor stand menacing with spikes of giant cave spider silk, etc.) constructed by the stonecrafter Zasir Regelin in the year 1058 at the fortress of Stone Mountain.  The dwarves prepare the army for an expedition to Stone Mountain to recover this valuable artifact from the haunted ruins."

Books (or scrolls) could record information acquired during the lifespan of a fortress.  Topics could include artifacts, creatures the dwarves have encountered, and the biographies of prominent individuals in the fortress or famous adventurers.  Books could be valuable trade goods to encourage their dissemination into the world (once the Caravan arc is initiated).

Cumulative knowledge of the world's creatures could also be recorded in books as it becomes available to the dwarves, i.e. "A Natural History of the Naked Mole Rat".  Information could include a species description, products while living, products upon butchering, size, special attacks, and so forth.  This aspect of books would be especially valuable once randomly generated monsters are introduced into the game.

The economy of book production would be relatively straightforward.  Either paper or vellum may be used.  Paper could require wood + lye giving the alchemy lab something more to do.  Vellum could be prepared automatically from any leather by a writing specialist, avoiding the complication of the alchemy lab while adding additional time to the task of writing.

A writing job order and writing specialist (scribe) would have to be introduced as well.  Naturally, he would produce books from paper or leather.  Once a book is produced, it may be added to as more information on the topic becomes available; the products of dragon butchery may be determined long after initial observations are made, for example.  Furthermore, an option for the player to add notes himself to the books would be very useful.

Further complexities could, of course, be endlessly added to the system.  Writing engraved walls & tablets, religious books, a library designated room, and a sage noble specialist who directs the scribes are just a few possible additions.

Regards,

Zasir Sarveshkol
Editor, The Weatheredgrip Gazette
Kingdom of the Sizzling Gears