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[Bortness]

On the 15th of Granite in the year 400, Sprinkles Pumpkinballs began to wander the wilds.

In the late morning of the 16th of Granite, Sprinkles and two companions were webbed and slain by an enormous spider, the mountain titan Rushan Leapedvalleys.  When he failed to return for the second day, a Dwarven search party was dispatched to the known location of the titan’s lair, only half a day’s travel from the Mountainhome.  Word came back very quickly that Sprinkles and his companions all lay mutilated on the outskirts of the site, with evidence of more attackers than the spider-titan alone.

Masked by heavy snow and fog the bodies were difficult to find, but the cover afforded by the weather was welcomed, as the search party was able to slip through the region undetected by the fearsome beast.

Given their positions as protectors of the Dwarven empire, military advisers drew up a plan.  Given their abject incompetence, the plan consisted of nothing more than throwing seven military-trained and lightly-equipped dwarves at the horrific beast.  Hopes were high that the seven would defeat the monster in short order and begin immediately building a new settlement on top of the former lair.  The project was given a name: “Helmhatchets”.

Upon arrival, the weather around the site had cleared and visibility was excellent.  The spider beast was home, and noticed the travelers the instant they entered range.  To everyone’s amazement, as the titan approached the embark party, skeletons of his past victims shuddered to life and attacked, acting as one with the fearsome Rushan Leapedvalleys.

Within the day, all seven dwarves were extinguished, overwhelmed by the unstoppable power of a webbing spider-titan who controls the will of the dead.

There was, however, a small silver lining to the whole escapade.  A cave, unseen by Sprinkles or his search party in the blinding snowstorm, was discovered just to the east of the titan’s lair, inside the embark rectangle.  What looks to some like another dark threat looks to others like refuge from the beast’s fury.  A new plan was hatched.

Seven more military-trained, lightly-equipped dwarves now march across the snowy mountainous wastes, towards the site of grisly carnage, alone with their thoughts.  What they have in advantage over the others is a plan.  Where iron, bronze, and foolhardy battle charges have failed, Dwarven ingenuity and engineering will prevail.

This is the story of those brave, doomed seven who dash one more time into the cauldron known as Helmhatchets.  On horrific spider-meals we shall feast!

Full story with images and gifs: http://imgur.com/a/0PPxW

Anyone have ideas about how to deal with this scenario?

[Salmeuk]

I'm going to assume your current 6 are already dead.

Embark with the following:

4 competent dodgers / competent blockers + shields for all of them - the distraction squad

2 competent mason / dodger

1 competent miner / dodger

Hope for a good wagon landing and pause immediately. Turn off the mining skill of the miner, then equip them with the pickaxe through the military screen, and the dodgers with the shields. rush the 2 masons and miner into the cave, while the distraction squad follows close behind and provides whatever cover they need to mine out a single stone (after undrafting the miner, unequiping the pick, and only then turning on the mining skill).  Using that stone, plug one of the narrow gaps somewhere within that cave structure.

Once you're blocked off in the caverns, it's as simple as digging a path down to the cavern soil and plant gathering until you can make a proper farm. At that point you're good to go. Assuming no GCS's ambush you / trolls drag your dwarfs into the darkness / etc., you're next goal is to build some alternate pathway to the surface which might let you safely absorb any of the hapless migrants who appear at the edge of the surface. An airlock of sorts. Once you have a squad of skilled and equipped warriors, you might try taking on the surface. By skilled, I mean legendary, hehe.

Let  us know what happens!

[Bortness]

A savescum-based reboot is underway as we speak.  Saved it after embarking on initial pause, so it's the same dwarves, same loadout, etc.

Still just in those first few moments at the wagon before the undead reach us but things are looking a tiny bit more promising already.  Illustrated play-by-play to follow.