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Turn 17: Bearskie (FINAL)

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Author Topic: // Fall of the Succession Tower: Constructivory \\  (Read 258554 times)

Bearskie

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #735 on: February 28, 2016, 12:18:55 pm »

Aban Paddleenters
Overseer of Constructivory



I found him on the fourth floor.

“You are Brassroast?” Those who informed me of the dwarf told me that he required his name to be prefaced by a Lord, but I was not about to indulge the aristocratic sensibilities of some lower-class citizen.

…whereisitwhereisitmynethermythingwher

"Erm, hello...?"

...halfcupwaterfivepartsduckeggthreepartskaolin

“Excuse me, Brassroast!” My voice was raised now, but the dwarf showed no sign of comprehension to the words I just said. He appeared to be in a distant world of his own. Exasperated, I yelled, “LORD Brassroast!”

Lord Brassroast looked up, his brow furrowed. “Yes, thatisme? HowcanIhelpyouladydwarf.” Even now, his speech was fast and stilted. Lady? Didn’t he know who I w- Bother, the man didn’t even respond to his own name, something told me he wouldn’t know mine either, so I got straight to the point.

“People say you’re the best mechanic in the whole of Constructivory. So, here’s a riddle for you. There are bodies in that swimming pool downstairs. I need hereby order you to find out how to get rid of them.”

Brassroast cocked his head to one side, seemingly confused by my question. “Magma?”

“I’ve tried magma, it didn’t work. You’re going to have to figure some sort of drainage system for this, at least that’s what Atis tells m-" The bizarre dwarf was chuckling now. "What's so funny?” I asked, confused. When he smiled, I was so sure that he was truthfully and utterly mad, for it was the smile of a dwarf who would tear the earth asunder just to see how it worked.

“Magma always works,” he said as if the sky were blue.



Project Log
8th Limestone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I found them on the fifteenth floor. Gone splat on Heretic’s cross. What remained was not a pretty sight. The fall was sixteen z-levels; Dumbestdorf lived up to his name in the end, he couldn't build a wall without falling sideways. My stomach churned; I turn away from the squelchy mess and order the builders to get back to work. Construction accidents happened all the time, and I needed work on the housing towers to continue. We have to remain on schedule.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

12th Limestone
On my desk (alright, workshop) today, I read a disturbing report filed by the military division. I find myself wondering about some of the mysterious happenings going on in this tower. There’s definitely been something peculiar, but my task is to make the tower taller, not to chase down every last spook like DDDragoni did.

This is what apparently happened:
  • Hammerdwarves Goden and Lorbam were in a sparring session.
  • They were trading blows as usual when Lorbam charged into his sparring partner Goden.
  • However, instead of Goden, he turned out to have charged at Zefon, a civilian.
  • The disturbing part is that Zefon wasn’t even near the barracks. In fact, he claims he was near the forges.
  • Both hammerdwarf Lorbam and civilian Zefon then realised that both of them were now hanging several feet in midair, near the windmill array.
  • They then finally decided to obey the laws of conventional physics, falling about four z-levels to the surface. Lorbam sustained a crushed hand; Zefon fell on Lorbam and escaped unscathed.
  • Both of them claimed they had no idea how they ended up there, and neither do any witnesses. The best summary provided was ‘they just appeared outta nowhere.’
Spoiler: End of report. (click to show/hide)



Why can’t things here not be weird for once?

13th Limestone
A caravan from AtŒs Ikal has arrived.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Medtob Runegolds stared at the gigantic chicken with a mix of emotions that could only be accurately summarised in one word: ‘What-The-Fuck.’ I mean, he knew the tower folks were mad, but this was taking it to a whole new level. On the higher floors he could see something even larger beginning to take shape; it sparkled and glittered madly in morning sun, hurting his delicate dwarven eyes.

Somehow, this mad collection of architecture had become the mountainhome in the turmoil that followed Tempesttowers. Who was he to complain? The perennial talk in Wealthpaints was all about Constructivory ever since those flyers came in. There were fewer and fewer dwarves remaining in their hillocks these days. The sane ones went north to Desertcobalt, diplomatic hub of the Cradle. The mad ones came here.

Medtob halted once he realised the depot wasn’t where it used to be. He heard a whistle coming from above. “Welcome to Constructivory! The Overseer – yes, that’s me – would like to graciously welcome you to our humble tower. Ramp to the trade depot is just right over there.” She pointed somewhere east of the enormous chicken. “It’s perfectly safe, I assure you.”

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oh god.

14th Limestone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ber Rocksfangs gritted his teeth.
Brassroast, that mental bastard. He'd left him here to die. Trapped between magma and water. No matter. Aquifers everywhere. He felt the damp sand walls. Sense of deja’vu. He swore. He will survive this. And Brassroast was going to pay.

15th Limestone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Twenty floors. Medtob's knees were weak, his pack animals terrified, his wagon somehow intact. There was a certain air of busy industriousness going on in this floor. In horror, he notices a dead corpse flattened amidst the blocks. Godgodgod. He felt like puking.

17th Limestone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Inod Phantomstakes bursts abruptly into the barracks at the afternoon sparring session, battle axe and gauntlets drenched in blood. Threw three coyote corpses on the ground. She calmly states, “26 kills.”

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Now-eighth-placed Endok Questpillars glares at her with fury. The killcount contests were getting competitive.

19th Limestone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Doren Inkvessels was flustered as she made her way to the new trade depot. She was often nervous, but today especially so; it was her first day as the new broker. Fuck, it’d been a while since she had to appraise anything. But hey, she reminded herself she was technically the second best candidate for the job. She’d do fine. Just think good thoughts. Gold. Ninety-percent profits. Markups. Gold. Gold. Goooollld.

23rd Limestone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

“It’s a girl!” cried out Cilob Lullcudgel, Constructivory’s resident animal trainer. “Praise Nekut! And just to think, in a while they’re going to be all grown up and tearing goblins to death.” At the thought of this, she started to bawl into her leather handkerchief again, and several dwarves had to come over and pat her nicely on the back.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 03:34:48 am by Bearskie »
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Immortal-D

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #736 on: February 28, 2016, 12:51:00 pm »

Wow. I mean, I know I'm nuts, but I've only ever killed 1 important Dorf & like half a dozen peasants over two years.  Under Bearskie's rule, named Dorfs are literally exploding every season :(  Incidentally, did NoMoeToes ever want or receive a third Dorf?

TheImmortalRyukan

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #737 on: February 28, 2016, 12:55:40 pm »

If it wasn't for pictures of the finished product I'd be a tad worried
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The Tale of Runlance - A Succession Fort in a Dying World

While the drink stocks run low and violence is rampant, the narcissistic tyrant demands a monument to his name

Zuglarkun

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #738 on: February 28, 2016, 07:09:29 pm »

Holyshit, that is some distance from the barracks to the windmill! That Elf Goden must have been working some elf powers or something. (Why elf though? Do we have were-elves now?)

I wholly approve of making the old refuse stockpile building into a Giant Jaguar breeding facility!

Eheheheh. Kill count contests. Eheheheh.
*polishes axe*

Bearskie

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #739 on: February 28, 2016, 09:21:00 pm »

Argh, I forgot about nomoetoes. Will have to come down to Japa, though I don't think he's asked for further dorfing. All I know is that name does not bode well for one's survival rate. I think it was Immortal-D who designated all our woodcrafters as Elves; being naturally fond of multicultural fortresses, I took the liberty of renaming this guy too.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ps.
Overseer Paddle for killcount champion!
~woot woot




Project Log
25th Limestone

It’s only been less than a month since Brassroast started his project, but progress has been impressive. By now, full stone walls had already been erected around the swimming pool. This was partly in order to keep prying eyes out, and perhaps more importantly, to keep the magma in. I’ve seen Brassroast’s plans of course. Madness. Sounded like a terrific way to kill a whole bunch of people, but I hardly know enough mechanics to object to his design.

What I knew is that I needed this – if I do not clean that pool within the year, there will be riots. Day by day, more workers are growing restless over the deaths I have presided over. I am lucky that dwarves honor contracts the way they do. As long as I keep my end of the bargain, everything will be fine. Least that's what I tell myself.

“When will we be ready?”

“Minuteshoursdays…” Brassroast licked his fingers as he thought. “…tomorrows?”

“Tomorrow is good.” I said wistfully. “I heard you almost got murdered by someone. Ber Rocksfangs.” Brassroast shuddered at my mention of the name.

“Hehetookapickandandandwasnotmyfaulthistupidminer…”

He trailed off, and soon we sat there in silence, watching the last of the walls going up. Who was I to judge whether it was Brassroast’s fault? I, who have already sent five dwarves to their deaths. Funny thing is that I still don’t feel much regret. Their deaths were losses, but they died for something big. In a mere hundred years time, all their names will be long forgotten, their bodies scattered to dust. Only the creations they had wrought with their hands – that is what shall remain. That is what shall be remembered. The future might not know Aban Paddleenters, but they will recognize the Grand Copper Bell of Constructivory. Perhaps Brassroast knew it too, somewhere within the depths of that disturbed mind.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

“Oh,andimadeaIceRink.”

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

“Sorry?” I snapped out of my train of thought.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

“iceiceice,” replied Lord Brassroast happily.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2016, 01:20:45 am by Bearskie »
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Zuglarkun

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #740 on: February 29, 2016, 02:56:55 pm »

Ice rink?

That last "iceiceice" quote made me burst into a fit of giggling.

I swear this fortress comes up with the most random shit ever.

Immortal-D

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #741 on: February 29, 2016, 10:24:13 pm »

I'm feeling rather conflicted here.  Does packing Tower Cat with ice count as hurting it or helping? ???

Bearskie

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #742 on: March 01, 2016, 03:22:12 am »

Incase you didn’t notice, it’s actually cast ice. I intended it to be an ice mining facility, but crappy design meant that the device only casted ice floors, not walls, which don’t yield any ice boulders. Alas, my ice castle dreams have been dashed on the rocks.

Lord Brassroast, I hope you don't mind me using your character for RP; if you do, just shoot me a message and I'll rename it to some other mechanic guy.



Lord Brassroast’s Scribbles

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The cat is ready, she have many one-way movement apparatus (down staircase)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Water source resupply no worries hmm

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
In in it goes into the cat

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Rising water enter surface must have dual-way movement apparatus (up/down staircase)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
iceiceiceiceice

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Nice people clean dirty ice to make clean ice

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ice Cat Rink !

Mister da Vinci will be so proud by himself.



Project Log
26th Limestone
It was time. At last, the swimming pool shall be cleansed with the fires of magma – once we figure out how to turn on the pumpstack, that is.



“Did anything happen?” I asked, looking around.

Lord Brassroast peeked over from towerside. “Nomagma.”

“Hoold up hooold up. Let me get Shipcat’s overseer logs for a second.” It took me about ten minutes to run down to the Queen’s library, which, among other things, contained copies of all logs written in the tower so far. Unfortunately, Shipcat’s notes were some of the most detailed of them all, written in a distinct, orderly fashion with hundreds of little addendums tacked onto its sides. I pored over them for the next twenty minutes, but any mention of the lever controls eluded me, and I returned to Z-Eleven a defeated reader.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

“Uhh… try and pull the next one?”

Brassroast tugged on the next lever, this time granite in design. He shook his head sadly.

“… Nope.” I sighed. “Alright, turn them all off.”

“AskaskasktheCat?”

“Shipcat? She’s gonna give me the evil eye if I ask her. You’re going to have to link it up manually.” I piled him up with a bunch of mechanisms, and Brassroast tottered off towards the main power supply.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

27th Limestone
It was time.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The freshly-installed lever creaked under my pull, and the massive pump stack slowly groaned to life like some sort of Frankensteinian abomination. Magma sputtered up the hundred-or-so tubes tunnelling all the way to the base of the magma sea, before rushing forth in a cascade as it reached the surface.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Shit! A worker somehow caught on fire as the trench was being refilled! We don’t know who it is, because there’s smoke goddamn everywhere. The acrid smell of melted flesh hangs in the air, as lava floods through the tube, uncaring and unstoppable.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

At last it reaches the end of its journey, exploding through the fortifications like some unchained creature. Huge clouds of steam hissed forth from the swimming pool as it begins to resemble a very large kettle. And where the blazing sticky lava comes into contact with the ice-cold water, the black stone razor of Armok, obsidian, is born.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The dwarves held their breath, praying that the barrier would hold. Even the slightest spillage of magma would wreak havoc on the tower base, which, they reminded themselves on a constant basis, was made entirely of ice.

Ice + Magma = !!FUN!!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Fortunately, it holds. Constructivory was now the only place in the world that could be said to have a magma swimming pool, at least in the brief period before the second casting was scheduled to begin. “Anyone up for a swim?” joked Michael Phelps, and the crowd laughed with good nature. I turned my focus away from the site. Everything was going so swimmingly, wasn’t it…

Someone screamed.
Damn. Damn. Damn. I jinxed it.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Over at the clay collection tracks, the body of Zan Gemorb lay splayed on the ground, brutally crushed beneath a tunnel tube minecart. The workers bore expressions of shock on their face. “S-s-she j-just got distracted overseer, and slipped backwards, then the minecart... It all happened so fast…” one of them stammered. Again, the burden of expectations for a mistake that was not mine weighed heavily upon my shoulders.

“Stopstoptrackstops,” muttered Brassroast from behind me.

“Will that help?” My tone was curious at best, but Brassroast gave me a half-hearted shrug. “m’ybe.” I nodded my approval, and he ran off to scour for the necessary materials. The onlookers seemed mostly satisfied with my actions, but I don’t doubt there are some amongst them who’d like to see the whole cart system closed down altogether. Constructivory had a... difficult past with minecarts.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The second casting took place at evening. Brassroast’s piping held up well, and water flooded across the magma layer, again throwing up another billow of steam. This time there were fewer viewers hanging around.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was a bio-environmental quirk, Brassroast had explained to me. Overseer Japa had built the swimming pool exactly on the point of a freeze fault. Thus, the flowing water would naturally cast its own walls upon reaching the pool limits, preventing spillage into the main area. This all seemed rather far-fetched to me when I first heard about it, but watching it work with my own eyes was eye-opening. I cannot help but wonder how Japa stumbled across such a phenomenon.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

By nightfall, the casting was complete. The ice glittered in the moonlight; and like most things in this wasteland, it possessed a stark beauty of its own.

“Now can we dig?”
“Jaja. Diggity-diggity-hole.”

Rose

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #743 on: March 01, 2016, 04:00:11 am »

Constructivory had a... difficult past with minecarts.

About that.....
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Bearskie

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #744 on: March 01, 2016, 04:21:11 am »

Japa.... are you trying to one-up my killcount? *shifty eyes* More seriously, have you finished your turn, if you have can you pass on the save? Nothing in regards to the deadline or anything, but it does give chaotic skies room to respond and play his turn, keep the momentum going.

Rose

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #745 on: March 01, 2016, 04:40:07 am »

I've been rather slow on the turn, actually. Only just finished spring. If it's a problem, I'll try to finish it off ASAP.
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Rose

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« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 01:09:30 pm by Japa »
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Bearskie

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #747 on: March 01, 2016, 10:33:14 pm »

I actually know of two ways to fix the problem, either you make it a continuous steep ramp with no breaks like the trade depot entrance, OR... you can place a legal impulse ramp just before each downwards ramp, which tricks the minecart into 'sticking' onto the track (Yay minecart physics!).


v or that. *cough*
« Last Edit: March 02, 2016, 05:33:40 am by Bearskie »
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Rose

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #748 on: March 01, 2016, 11:02:50 pm »

Or a track stop at every level.
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Bearskie

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Re: // The Succession Tower: Constructivory \\
« Reply #749 on: March 01, 2016, 11:14:14 pm »

Project Log
15th Sandstone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I shut my eyes, trying to escape into the darkness for just a little while, but I am unsuccessful. For today’s events still hang over my mind like a dark cloud. Tragedy has struck at the very peak of the tower, where the building is at its most precarious. Someone… someone built an unsupported wall. The second it was released, it all came crashing down. Together with just about everyone nearby.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

There are injuries on every level of the tower. Work spaces. Storage. Rooms. Hospitals. The royal quarters. They are calling for my resignation. Work on the tower is going too fast, they say, it is unsafe. They want me to relinquish my build plans and step down as overseer.

They are calling me a murderer.

Who is the murderer here, I wonder. Me, the drafter of a plan that is wholly safe and accurate provided it is followed? Or the careless dwarf who misinterprets it and causes a cave-in by himself?

No. I will not yield. Already I have spoken to Queen Fath, and she informed me very bluntly that as long as I made the tower taller, she couldn’t give a rat’s ass about any peasants that happened to plummet to their deaths. Unlike her, I don’t have the right of rule to protect me. My term ends in four months and the bell section hasn’t even got started yet. Enough dawdling! I have issued an executive order for all workers to begin work overtime on this project. Anyone who thinks otherwise, they will be scheduled a meeting with our Captain of the Guard. Let them try their luck at removing her.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

17th Sandstone
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

There is a new migrant wave on the horizon; six dwarves in total. They must think that we are a horribly depressed people, I mused, such is the prevailing mood around the tower. Wait till they hear the buzz going round about one of the migrants.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Already they are calling him the messiah. It’s interesting how fate goes. One armorsmith dies, another comes along and replaces him.

3rd Timber


We fished out a dead body from the water supply pipes lately. It was unmistakably a child. She was quickly identified as Zuglar Smoothnessnet, a name that appeared curiously familiar to me until I realised she was the same child who witnessed DDDragoni’s death. This time the mob is pinning the blame on Brassroast, despite his allegation to the contrary. He insists to me that it must’ve been her fault for being in the pipes the moment they were switched on.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Whosever fault it was, it doesn’t matter. Kid is dead.

~ End of Autumn
« Last Edit: March 02, 2016, 10:52:57 pm by Bearskie »
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