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The next exotic zombie wil be...

Yet more Cave Ogres
Giant Cave Swallow
Magma Crab
Forgotten Beast
Giant Cave Spider

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Author Topic: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish  (Read 6083 times)

Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #30 on: May 11, 2015, 06:51:35 pm »

S'all good, variety is the spice and all that :)  I'll pm you with the details once I finish this year.

Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #31 on: May 13, 2015, 05:41:59 pm »

Bad news, I have encountered a rather persistent crash :(  Gonna try a backup save from the start of Winter, but I have zero experience diagnosing or treating this situation.

Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #32 on: May 14, 2015, 10:35:06 am »

Both of my backup saves are corrupted :(  If anyone has experience with save restoration, you are welcome to try.  Otherwise, I'm afraid Aranas must be retired.  I really like this world however, and I am hopeful it will function with a new Fortress or Adventure.  Maybe a succession game?

Amperzand

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #33 on: May 16, 2015, 10:07:14 pm »

I support that.
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Muh FG--OOC Thread
Quote from: smirk
Quote from: Shadowlord
Is there a word that combines comedy with tragedy and farce?
Heiterverzweiflung. Not a legit German word so much as something a friend and I made up in German class once. "Carefree despair". When life is so fucked that you can't stop laughing.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com

Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #34 on: May 17, 2015, 08:48:12 pm »

I am halfway through Opal, and everything is stable thus far.  I believe the problem was a wayward tree attempting to grow through a constructed floor.  The offender was dispatched, and I am now further along than when the crash occurred.  Unfortunately, this means the courtyard either can't have trees, or the floor must be built around them.  This is probably manageable for the inner trees, long as we're careful.

If NCommander is still interested (and the save remains stable), the Fortress passes to him for a year come Spring.  If nobody else wants a crack at it, I will resume after him.  This is not explicitly a succession game, I just thought it would be fun to have readers occasionally don the purple hat of leadership :)  Stay tuned!

Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #35 on: May 22, 2015, 05:40:32 pm »

15 Timber
The sunlight may be hindering our masons more than previously thought.  We had a minor construction accident this morning.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
On the plus side, salvaging it for a small roast led me to assess our animal count.  The grazers are on the verge of completing destroying their modest pasture, with half of the area reduced to gravel and clay.  Looks like lamb chops & fat goose roasts will be on the menu for the next month.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Finally, after nearly 5 years, we have secured grazing animals that the Ravens can't touch.  Although I am pleased with the progress of our sand castle, I fear the absence of surface creatures is due in large part to the accumulation of Evil deep within the Caverns.  The latest scouting report estimates their numbers have doubled since Summer of last year.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I just hope our militia is ready, when the time comes.

5 Moonstone
The start of the Winter Solstice is marked with several portents.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
From my vantage point atop the nearly-complete greenhouse, I can see The Mist (or more precisely, The Evil which drives it) has enough strength to launch 2 simultaneous attacks.  Although we must be wary, I am confident that it will never gain sufficient power to traverse the cliffs which separate the beach from the upper plains.  On a more positive note, Glass Master PsychoAngel finally has a tribute fitting of her skill.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Lastly, I feel inclined to celebrate when our King begins construction of his own Artifact.  No need to tell him that I am simply happy because it means he won't be demanding Anvils for at least a month.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

18 Opal
The first test of our waterfall system reveals a flaw in the design.  Though in defense of the engineering team, no Dwarf has ever had to design a water transport system for a source as massive as the entire ocean.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The water actually reached the bottom of our beards in a few places before it was shut off.  At least now we'll have a use for the massive piles of Cassiterite laying around.  Many nickel grates will be required to create a drainage system that allows safe waterflow.  A simple, if time-consuming task.  We're going to need magma forges soon, for although I have no love of trees, slaying them has simply become too inefficient for the scale of our ever-growing industry.  Oh, and I've just been informed that Magma Crabs from the core of the Earth have learned how to use stairs.  I suppose if we create a central channel 3 levels down, we can focus.... wait what was that last part?
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

20 Obsidian
Work progresses on the initial set of magma pumps, using orthoclase block housing and green glass components.  Unlike the thin & weak sheets created by Humans, Dwarven glass is packed in many layers, creating blocks strong enough to build a road and dense enough to withstand the incredible heat & pressure of molten rock.  My last update of our stocks reveals a mere 20 pieces of charcoal remaining.  Work on the waterfall system will have to be put on hold, we simply don't have the fuel needed to churn out both grates & glass.  I have ordered more trees brought down, as far out as I dare.

1 Granite
Tradition dictates that every 5 years, a comprehensive overview of the Fortress be assembled.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As you can see, there is much left to do, even if we weren't about to grapple a chunk of cavern space away from the zombies or prepare for war with the Arrogant Ones.  The balconies still need furnishing, all tables & thrones in the Grand Feasting Hall must be replaced with glass & gold, the second floor of the sand castle is barely started, the farms must be flooded after several collapsed floors rendered large portions unusable, a basic minecart track will be needed to efficiently transport sand & sunberries to their respective workshops, and the only reason the Nobles quarters are up to the standards of Tradition is due to every square Urist being covered with Engravings.  *Sigh*  Has it really been 5 years already?

I admit, I am both intimidated and exhausted at the sheer amount of work yet to be done.  Armok help me, we will carry on.  We owe to our kin at the Mountainhome.  I figure we have a couple years before The Barbarity of Ivy finds their way down here.  The Elven caravan is due to arrive in a month, that should be an entertaining conversation.  The Sculpted Caves is well and truly established now.  Everything we have accomplished has simply been leading up to this point; major engineering in the name of Dwarfiness, revenge against the Hippies, and reclaiming the Caverns.  It is the year of Armok 125, and we're in for quite a show.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That wasn't just artistic flare, I really am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer scope of stuff going on all at once :-\  I have not heard back from NCommander, so the Fortress remains solely under my Overseership. There are 30 sets of glass pump components ready to go, though obviously a lot more will be needed if the magma is going to be at a useable distance.  I figure if we can get a magma pool secured in the first Cavern layer, that will be good enough to move the ore stockpiles and construct some minecart transportation.

Once fuel is no longer an issue, we can properly furnish the Fortress with all manner of glass and precious metals.  Also the wood stockpiles can then be dedicated to building floors & pillars in the sand castle.  No matter how many Axe Dwarves or Wood Furnances are added, hauling the logs remains woefully inefficient.  It is time wasted that we simply don't have.  Depending on how things go, we can likely expect to see our first reports from the Caverns next time :)
« Last Edit: May 22, 2015, 05:42:15 pm by Immortal-D »
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Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #36 on: June 14, 2015, 01:36:43 pm »

Tragic news from the Caverns today.  A Cave Dragon has been spotted, and by the time the report had reached my ears, the scent of fresh meat had already reached the zombie horde which dwells beneath us.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
This majestic, ancient creature; roaming the world since time immemorial- SHE COULD HAVE BEEN OUR NEW GUARD ANIMAL, AND THOSE $%@@@&*! ZOMBIES RIPPED HER LIMB FROM LIMB!

.....

#$@*^&$#!!!

We've delayed long enough.  Although our plan of moving key Fortress operations to the first Cavern in order to make use of the eventual magma reservoir still proceeds, the third Cavern hosts the greatest number of undead.  It must be cleansed.

4 Slate
The breach tunnel has been lined with cages, and our Militia is fully mobilized for the first time in our history.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I take it upon myself to make the breach myself.  Although Tradition says that commanding from the back lines is perfectly acceptable for the Nobility, I feel that showing my personal support for the troops is needed here.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A few of the soldiers run past me on my way down.  I thought at first this was cowardice, but they claimed to be 'getting provisions'.  That... is actually believable.  The trek down here is a solid day and a half.  Hmm.  Any sustained effort to keep the Caverns zombie-free will require several bases be established, each with provisions, and possibly dedicated mine cart transport.  I put the thought aside for now.  Time to show the accursed creatures what they are up against.

5 Slate
The horde descends upon us the moment I break open the final bit of stone.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I had hoped to contain the battle within the spacious room, but the soldiers in their frenzy charged the zombies immediately, and battle was joined in the narrow confines of the cage tunnel.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The initial reports look promising.  3 & 1/2 years of non-stop training has turned our small band into the stuff of legends.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

6 Slate
The troops have fallen back to the breach's entrance, forcing the zombies to funnel through, making them easy pickings.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

7 Slate
After 3 straight days of combat, victory is at hand.  The battle has spilled out into the Caverns proper as the remaining undead are cornered and obliterated.  The guttural anger of the horde is matched only by the consistent clang of silver and iron, smashing the foul creatures into a pulp.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Alas, we did not come away completely unscathed.  The first casualty report has just reached my desk.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

11 Slate
Cleanup operations have begun.  We are erecting walls to cordon off a portion of the third cavern, and destroying all of the ramps on our side.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Scouting reports also show that we have dealt a decisive blow against The Evil.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
As I glance over the report, I am startled to see a zombie crundle wrestling with one of the haulers!
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ah, twas the other way around.  We'd caged one of the little bastards, and this Dwarf had looped a gold chain around it (we have a whole bin full of the things, thanks to our Mayor), dragging it to our de facto zombie storage on the surface.

4 Felsite
I'm barely sleeping these days.  My fault... my fault they are dead.  Fortress morale has taken a major hit since the attack.  I foolishly thought we could build a bridge at the final chokepoint, expediting our cleanup operations.  The sheer volume of zombie chunks made this a very time-consuming task.  Coupled with the distance involved... nobody saw them coming until they were well past the breach.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Can you see them?  Those 3 shadows lurking in the olivine passages.  I had the report, and completely missed them.  It has been some time since I have mentioned my close friend and founding Dwarf, Pencil_Art, and I hate that his name should come up amongst this tragedy.  I went to visit him in the hospital; he grinned at me from underneath the numerous bandages and mess of bone & blood that used to be his nose.  He shrugs at the injury, claiming he never really needed the thing anyways.  He then proceeds to recant how he gave one of those errant zombies such a thrashing, buying enough time for a Spear Dwarf to reach the scene.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Sifting through the aftermath  of the scene, I discovered why so many peasants had been making the trek down.  The magma chute I dug for zombie disposal was the only designated Dump Zone in the Fortress, and Dwarves had come down to dispose of their tattered clothes.  It is only for the sake of Tradition that I have recorded this gruesome scene... beware ye of faint hearts.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You see that lavender worm with a mouth replacing the entire head?  That is a particularly foul critter known as a 'Voracious Cave Crawler'.  Dangerous enough when alive, it will attack any Dwarf that gets too close, but usually won't actively hunt down anything capable of fighting back.  Undead however, it literally chewed through (wait... yes, literally), a dozen Dwarves before one of our Spear Masters was able to put it down for good.  We'll have to seal the breach further back, then regroup once the Militia has had time to recover.

22 Felsite
Preparations for breaching & securing the first Cavern have been occupying all of my time of late.  As such, work on the sand castle (including the greenhouse / farm renovation) has ground to a halt.  On the plus side, I have been told that our perimeter defense got tested, and proved highly successful.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Well, at least the surface remains free of anything seriously threatening.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Raise the bridge! Militia assemble!  Start moving the booze down to...
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Oh.  The Cyclops headed straight for the last-seen opening (the front gate), which is lined with cages (unlike the walls, which are lined with saw blades).  I wonder if Cyclopses are smart enough to be trained.  In any case, it will be the start of our Zoo, and should prove an excellent morale booster.  We're going to need it; for even as I write this journal entry, I have received word from the scouts that 20-some Crundles have scurried into view at the third Cavern, while 4 more zombies have appeared at the soon-to-be unsealed first Cavern.

Securing a base in the first Cavern is critical if we ever wish to address the zombie menace of the third Cavern in a timely fashion.  So long as the zombies are allowed to roam free, their combined Evil will deter any other beasts from entering our land.  As I ponder this, I muse that the pump stack has reached an impressive distance above the magma sea.  Perhaps a test is in order...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Talk about a brutal few months, both here and for the Dwarves, lol.  The militia has proved they are more than capable of handling a zombie invasion.  The problem is, as always, logistics.  I'm pretty sure that a Giant Olm and Troll zombies reside somewhere within the massive first Cavern, so breaching it will require both walls and a roof ASAP.  At least Crundles can't climb, lol (I sincerely hope :-\).  Once the final bridge & wall pieces are established in the third Cavern, we'll have a secure foothold.

If I can get the zombie count down to less than 10 or so, that should be sufficient to allow surface creatures to spawn again.  We may yet see a Unicorn farm :D  I don't expect any serious progress will be made on the Objectives until Magma Forges are established.  Once those are operational, mining & smelting efforts can be directed towards the remaining grates and tunnels needed to complete the massive waterfall system.  Hello Dwarfiness Points, goodbye FPS.  Till next time :)

Immortal-D

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #37 on: June 30, 2015, 08:15:43 pm »

1 Hematite
I have to believe this is the final wave zombies.  At least I hope so, for if we suffer any more losses, the 80-some remaining Dwarves will just as soon turn on each other out of grief and rage.  Have you ever heard an Ogre eating a protesting cat?  No?  Count yourself lucky, for that was our only warning.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I caught a glimpse of its' comrades as I ran; a pack of Crundles, 2 more Ogres, and something else I didn't even have a name for.  You'd think in the dim light they were ordinary creatures, cept for the lead Ogre limping towards us on a visibly splintered leg with its' guts trailing behind.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A loan Hammer Lord stood fast against the Horde, ultimately saving the Fortress.  His sacrifice will never be forgotten.  At least we'll remember him long enough until we can find him, and all of the other Dwarves awaiting their final rest.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I'm just speculating, but my theory is that one of the zombies (likely an Ogre) fell into the magma chute, creating such a splash as to shower a few molten droplets around the cavern breach.  Either that or a zombie spontaneously exploded out of spite, which I won't discount.

20 Hematite
Between the children and the injured, we have roughly 72 able-bodied Dwarves.  Of those, a dozen are forbidden from hauling, as their skills are simply too valuable.  Thus, work progresses slowly.  The smoke has all dissipated, and the miasma clouds seem a little less thick today.  If you squint, you can make out a handful of Dwarves attempting to navigate the carnage, seeking out fallen Dwarves and zombie chunks.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

23 Hematite
A Human caravan has arrived, drawing my attention to two new problems.  First, our Broker is now resting comfortably in a granite box.  Second, a few portions of the surface have collapsed again, creating breaches in the ceiling above the barracks.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Thankfully, assigning a new Broker is quick.  The army of Masons remains strong at 20-some, so hopefully those floor tiles will be completed soon.

28 Hematite
I spoke too soon.  Just as the last section of walls in cavern 3 is nearing completion, a swarm of Hungry Heads makes themselves known.  At least that answers the question of where these bastards keep coming from.  Well, it is one of the breaches beyond our borders, anyways.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hmm.  If we can put in some floors above that corner, we ought to be safe from any creature entering that section.  I don't want to abandon our foothold in the third cavern, not when we are this close to securing it (albeit weakly).  In any case, I also don't want any of those poor souls coming back to check in on us, wondering if we'd forgotten about them.  I believe the mood of the Fortress is best expressed by our King.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Once we have buried or incinerated all of the miasma-creating bodies, we can finally refocus our attention on the magma pumps and preparations for blitzing the first cavern.  Scouting reports show that the zombie horde has regrouped, now numbering at least 50 strong.  Seems we did not defeat them so much as push them somewhere else.  No matter, once those Hungry Heads are driven off, we can finish walling the third cavern.  With it secure, we can safely expand the magma pumps, and from there begin Aranas MK II.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the off-chance anyone is still reading this, apologies for the delay and relatively brief update.  Lots of job-stuff going on, that whole life thing :(  Plus you need a break every now and again, lest you get burned out.  I'm feeling pretty Dwarfey again, so I'm hoping to put out a few more chapters over the coming weeks :)  I think I am going to try changing a few of the Haulers to just grab corpses, in the hopes that will make clean up go faster.  The Dwarves still refuse to dump anything though, even the idlers ::)  So, any bets on what the newest zombie will be?

Pencil_Art

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Re: Evil Beach MK II, now with Achievements-ish
« Reply #38 on: July 02, 2015, 12:14:51 am »

How's my dwarf?
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