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[delphonso]

Turkey peck to the liver? Sounds like...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[StrikaAmaru]

My first thought was Prometheus; a turkey is kinda like a falcon, right?

[delphonso]

Smallhands: Year 164

Summer

+Journal of the Gravekeeper+

It's...so, look, here's the thing - I get it. It IS evil, I know - but let's be real about this: the fever is a problem. A big problem.
And listen. I don't like to fight anybody. I wish we could just be locked up in this fort forever, but we all know that's not how it works. Things come in. Things go out. People fight, people die. I, of all people, would know.
I'm not saying we kill everyone - I'm just saying we try it. Here's the plan...

We need a necromancer in a cage. (Easily obtainable. There are two in the fortress already.)
We need a dwarf who is afflicted with the fever. (Anyone will do, and that includes almost everyone in Smallhands.)
We wall in a dwarf and have them die of dehydration. (Stinthad didn't complain about, and it ensures the body is totally in tact.) [Addendum: this may happen on its own, I observed several dwarves wall themselves in last season.]
The necromancer must be agitated into raising allies. (Here is the genius part - bees. A bee sting should be enough to engage a necromancer's fight or flight response.)
The necromancer raises the dwarf as an intelligent undead. (Nogood seemed to enjoy it.)
We revert the undead into a regular dwarf. (Why is no one talking about Nogood being all living and breathing now?)

Alright, I know - it's "illegal" and also completely immoral. Look, I'm not excited about it either, but let's be real - I'm the grave digger. I'm the one who is putting everyone in their final resting places, and let's not kid for a second here - there's been a lot of death in Smallhands. The halls reek of it. The first cavern layer is a monument to death, and the surface is either knee deep in bones or ankle deep in blood.

I'm not going to just wait around for my few friends to die. I'm doing this, whether the overseer likes it or not.




=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=
(definitely not 12000 bees in a trench coat)

I buzzed to the center of the fort. Olin told us that King Zultan was trying to arrest Tholtig for trying to let Lapama arrest our artifacts. Intrigued, we looked on from a safe distance. I don't know if dwarves need their abdomens, but King Zultan really punched Tholtig's several times and very hard. Tholtig was dragged to a cage for imprisonment.

That settles it, we think.

The large mug is probably secure, according to the drunkard who was in charge of our safety and also has many statues. To be safe, we installed a bridge which can act as an impenetrable wall in this hallway:



After several failed attempts at testing, I was informed that these walls only work with a lever. I installed it in the stairs directly below it, which seemed like an easy to forget place, and therefore, perfectly inconspicuous.



King Zultan approached us with a concerned look in her face. I informed her that she was very sweaty, but she didn't seem to like that. She said that the crime of who had originally helped Lapama remained open. Without a sentence, the dwarves will become unhappy. She said she had interrogated several people, but there are no current leads.

I pointed to a dwarf who was walking by and said that they were guilty. King Zultan, seemingly happy with something to do, dragged them off.



That settles it, we think.

The humans have very few things worth taking. I tried to give them a lot of honey crafts, but Auze decided to take a break from the haggling. We wish the humans would leave already. They're making me nervous with their walking in our halls...

Some beakdogs were born which means their delicious parents can be killed.

The pile of bad skeletons were removed. It does not seem to matter much, though. We have noticed that there are only a few dwarves left who don't like some skeletons. Everyone else either likes them or is indifferent toward them.

I think there was a fight in the fortress somewhere. We saw a dwarf crawling on the ground today. Their second set of legs seemed to be very injured.



The hive has been tidied up a bit. The autumn fast approaches, and we believe it is traditional for dwarves to go out and collect pollen raid during this time. Oh, sometimes we do enjoy being a dwarf.

-=-=-=-=-

OOC:
Well... I had actually intended to bring Phonso into my story here but then I accidentally convicted him of treason.
43 strikes of the hammer almost killed him - but luckily mostly his legs were targeted. With the inability to stand and the fever, he is likely our slowest dwarf...

Speaking of slow - there is just about nothing going on in the fort these days. I'm going to start raiding necromancers.

FPS seems alright - the caravan brought it down a lot but also brought like 10-15 guards to wander, plus all the hauling jobs, it was to be expected.

[recon1o6]

if memory serves its rigoth who i appointed hammerer. Whoever it is hasn't done a proper job as a hammering is 50 strikes not 43

zultan shouldn't have the fever?

and of course things are slow, its an elven plot to kill the dwarves with boredom

[nogoodnames]

+Journal of the Gravekeeper+

It's...so, look, here's the thing - I get it. It IS evil, I know - but let's be real about this: the fever is a problem. A big problem.
And listen. I don't like to fight anybody. I wish we could just be locked up in this fort forever, but we all know that's not how it works. Things come in. Things go out. People fight, people die. I, of all people, would know.
I'm not saying we kill everyone - I'm just saying we try it. Here's the plan...

Well, the infrastructure for this is already in place. Just need to keep in mind that any potential resurrectees will need a couple years before they're fully functional again. Citizenship ends upon death.

[StrikaAmaru]

Also, I'm reasonably sure that the berserker necromancer we have doesn't raise anything anymore... at least, I couldn't get him/her do so, with either old skeletons or fresh corpses.

That's how I've come to find out we're at peace with the tower - I was looking for some replacement necros. The ones we have are all some flavor of insane, and thus unusable.

[nogoodnames]

He definitely still works. You just need to make sure the shutters are open and then wait a while for him to notice the cyclops. That can take some time because it's based on his random wandering, but he'll start raising whatever you put in front of him when he does.

[recon1o6]

I never managed to get him to do anything either

[delphonso]

if memory serves its rigoth who i appointed hammerer. Whoever it is hasn't done a proper job as a hammering is 50 strikes not 43

zultan shouldn't have the fever?

and of course things are slow, its an elven plot to kill the dwarves with boredom

I didn't know it was always 50. I omly caught it at 43, I guess the justice screen counts down.

And yeah, no one new has a fever - I write these after the fact and just add details like that in post. Reg doesn't know what the fever is anyway.

Rigoth is still the hammerer, but I see King Zultan as the head of all justice.

He definitely still works. You just need to make sure the shutters are open and then wait a while for him to notice the cyclops. That can take some time because it's based on his random wandering, but he'll start raising whatever you put in front of him when he does.

I figured this was true because he's berserk so should be violent toward anything. I tested it with the pile of skeletons from the farm but yeah, no luck.
Could definitely be a time thing, though, as I didn't leave it for a very long time.

Good point about the two years... I forgot about that part.

[nogoodnames]

Maybe the cyclops has wandered too far back into his room and Kol can't see it anymore. You can try recapturing it and walling it in closer. Also, anything that decays to the "partial skeleton" stage can't be raised as a zombie, but could still come back as a forlorn ghoul if intelligent. It's a bit weird.

[delphonso]

Mangled as well. It seems the intelligent undead stuff ignores a lot of problems with dead bodies.

[nogoodnames]

Yup, all that really matters is the upper body being intact. Although curiously it doesn't work on our dwarves once their corpses get too old. I think it has something to do with ghost and burial mechanics.

[StrikaAmaru]

Yup, all that really matters is the upper body being intact. Although curiously it doesn't work on our dwarves once their corpses get too old. I think it has something to do with ghost and burial mechanics.

Ah, so I'm not the only one to deconstruct all coffins and dump the corpses in the resurrection room...

To no effect whatsoever :c

[delphonso]

I guess it would require experimentation - but I think you're right about the burial/ghost thing just because of how it interacted with Nogood coming back. I suppose we could prove it my killing someone in the room next to the necro, memorializing them, then seeing if they can come back as intelligent undead after that.

[delphonso]

Smallhands: Year 164

Autumn

=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=
(definitely not 12000 bees in a trench coat)

It has become clear to us that we are doing a great job as overseer. Everyone is mostly happy. Everyone is very sweaty.

We got stuck in the mug today. There were lots of gem windows. I kept flying into them assuming they were completely open. Luckily Imic told me where the doors were. Imic then dropped a ring on the ground and wandered off.



A dwarf named Amost approached me looking somewhat concerned and sweaty. She informed me that she was the chief medical dwarf for the fortress and updated me on Phonso's health. When we pushed her for information, she looked a bit confused and said that Phonso was the one who I ordered to be beaten. I don't remember doing that.



Amost detailed the situation around Phonso even if I didn't want her to. His ability to grasp has recovered, which I didn't know was lost. However, the dwarf is still unable to walk.



Amost, clearly showing concern told me more – much more. Phonso, in his delirious state, had spoken of ideas that Amost called “dark and terrible.” Using necromancers to cure the fever, to keep dwarves alive forever.

This sounds like a great idea!


+Journal of the Gravekeeper+

The fever dreams were worsened by the beating I received from Rigoth. Today a swarm of bees in a coat told me I was smart. It told me that I would be the first to try “it.” I should talk to Amost about this.

=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=

If we're going to use necromancers to make the hive healthy, we will need more necromancers. I spoke to Solon who is in charge of the Rainbow Raptors – a military squad. We agreed on the plan and she and her crew went off to collect pollen from Sinewsabres.

Mestthos who is the mayor grabbed a sword and ran off the map, abandoning their office and bedroom. Perhaps it was not wise to send the mayor to do battle.

Imic made a bucket out of a gem.



Some of the soldiers have not yet left for Sinewsabres. When I asked about it – they said it was because a big scary fly was outside and they didn't want to go there.

Since Mestthos was gone, and the caravan arrived, the outpost liaison instantly left unhappy. I pointed to a nearby dwarf and elected them mayor.



Finally, all the troops have left. I suppose it is time to trade.

+Scribblings of the Gravekeeper+

I see. It wasn't all fever-dream. It seems the current overseer has accepted my plan of resurrection to cure the fever. In my crippled state, I'd say I'm lucky, in a way, to be the first to try. Perhaps I'll become like Nogood and Moldath – great warriors of Smallhands. Maybe I'll become like Olon, and die twice so this place may live. Or perhaps I will be like all the others who died and have been forgotten. Reg is a strange dwarf, but we're all strange down here. He volunteered me for the job, I suppose it's punishment for conspiracy – but I'm happy to do it. I wouldn't have had the guts to volunteer myself.

I didn't want to worry the others, though. Didn't want to cause more stress than needed in this little fort. I pretended to be disposing of some stone blocks, then locked the doors behind me. Now I sit, waiting to die. Past some fortifications, I can see a shutter. On the other side I know there's a necromancer, if I'm lucky, he'll put my soul back in my body after I pass. The worst that could happen is that he brings me back as a true undead. Is this small room a new womb or the grave of the Gravekeeper?



Whoever finds me, just know that this is what I wanted. I accept this fate, and hopefully I'll see you again some day.

For Smallhands and for the Dwarves of The Little Pick
From the bottom of my small heart,
Love
Phonso Armorcleaned


=Journal of Reg Pickcrab=

The caravans really make the days feel slow...

Avuz seems to be taking to the mayor role well. She put out a mandate to build a statue, then demanded that we don't export any statues. Well done, Mrs. Mayor!

Some giant redwinged blackbirds have hatched, meaning we can eat their delicious parents.

I have decided to make a zoo/statue garden in one of the unused rooms below the fort proper. This idea came to me when Salmeuk told me the story of how someone forged over 300 statues in a year.

I realize it may be worthwhile to replace Amost as chief medical dwarf. She didn't seem to want to cure the fever and that just doesn't seem doctorly. Unfortunately the only other dwarf with any skill in the field is Salmeuk – who is busy with his other responsibilities and Phonso, who I can't seem to find. Perhaps he ran away when I told him we were getting more necromancers.

I wonder how those Rainbow Raptors are doing anyway...



Nogood mentioned that there is a dead dwarf somewhere in the fort. I told him to dispose of it.





-=-=-=-=-=-=-
OOC:

Phonso died right near the door, pretty far from the necromancer. I limited the dump zone just to the wall near the fortifications and assigned Phonso's corpse to be dumped. Of all people to do it, the game chose Nogood.
Is Dwarf Fortress magic?

Amost has a fever, meaning her work as a doctor is slow and clumsy. Thoughts on assigning a totally unskilled but unfeverish dwarf to replace her?
Also if you can't tell, I'm getting sick of the bees in a coat bit and am starting to abandon it. I have no staying power.