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[AvolitionBrit]

A group of Elephantman monks, who only use their fist to fight.

[King Zultan]

What about dingo men?

[brewer bob]

considering how painful it is to reassign bedrooms, it wouldn't be misplaced here to simply generate logs with DFhack or whatnot.

This is why I give beds the name of their owner. Helps a bit with the reassigning (or at least you don't have to remember who lived where). Was also thinking of the DFHack route, but will resort to it only if things get too messy/buggy with retire/unretire stuff.

I have some ideas how to "warn" the capies, but we'll see what comes up.

I'm also liking the idea about elephant man monks and their fists. Might use that one. Would also make a really fun animal person fort (like a monastery full of flappy eared toga-wearing fist-waving giants living on a secluded mountaintop, maybe?).

Dingo men? Not so sure. Might be a nice thing to try since I hold a grudge against DF dingoes (can't remember why, but it probably has something to do with my earliest forts, I think).

[brewer bob]

Part III:
When Wood Runs Low




“Whilst the rain is wholesome for vegetables of the garden and the crops of the field, as it is to most fishes, it is, alas, on the contrary, unwholesome for the Dwarf: for rain begets irascibility in the bewhiskered children of Limulid (The Golden Rock), and all the more rapidly if the rainfall be exuberant.”

Datan nodded approvingly with what he read from the scroll titled 'Rainfall and Rivers Within Reason'. It was more than once that he himself had been quite annoyed when having to trudge through the rain or -- by Ôsed's long ears! -- being caught in a snow storm. Both were a common occurence here in Waterlures. Quite the nuisance. Such weather certainly wasn't made for the dwarf, but fortunately Datan usually didn't mind being outdoors.

The scroll was an interesting read: it concerned the world-wide cycles involving, precipitation, oceans, rivers and other forms of water, such as lakes. Maybe the writing wasn't the best, but it was passable. The content certainly made for the lack of elegant prose.

Spoiler: OOC (click to show/hide)

(OOC: The 'excerpt' is modified from a random passage stolen from Aristotle's HISTORY OF ANIMALS VIII.)

“One more bag and that should be enough,” Rin muttered aloud as he set the cave wheat next to the millstone and went to fetch an empty bag. He was still satisfied (and quite surprised of it) when milling. It really wasn't the life he had planned for and it certainly didn't bring the riches he thought Waterlures might have. But no, Waterlures had riches. Plenty of riches. They just were not of the shiny kind, but of a much higher quality: Waterlures offered peace and harmony (and sometimes, especially when Yawo was around, a bit of discord) amidst a beautiful natural setting.

It pleased the goblin.

Though, if there was something to complain about, it was that he hadn't had much time to enjoy the natural surrounding with all the construction work and what-not going on. 'Well, there certainly won't be much building anymore. Såkzul mentioned something that the wood stores are running low,' Rin thought as he milled the wheat. 'And if we can't chop more trees, well, there'll be no lumber. And no lumber means no building.'




Sandstone was in its last half and autumn halfway through. The caravan from the Mountainhomes had left a couple of days ago. A meeting was currently on its way at the Hut of Romancing, open for all interested parties.

Suwu had decided not to attend, even though Kumil had asked her to join. The meeting was to “Discuss matters most dire and of great urgency,” in the faun's words. Instead she had joined the leopard gecko woman Odda at the archery range.

“I don't handle pressure well,” Suwu said to Odda as she nocked an arrow. Odda glanced at her after releasing an arrow, not even looking if she hit the target.

“Pfft, you do well. You've taken down more than a few of those darn giant birds. You also kept cool when leech came,” Odda said to Suwu, putting her bow down for a moment. “Besides, you did right to not go to the meeting. What are they talking there anyway? About the birds? The leeches? The giant mosquitos? What's so 'dire' and 'urgent'?”

Suwu took aim and let an arrow loose, “I don't know. Kumil seemed somewhat concerned. Lack of defenses and such. But there's no threat. There hasn't been any alarming news coming with the merchants. I'm with you on this one. Better spend the time training and be actually prepared if something comes along. Hone the skills and such.”

“Nah, no point in training for training's sake. If you like it, do it. Like today: it's just wonderful to be out, taking the autumn air in!” Odda smirked, turning to look at the target, “Ooh! You hit it right in the center!”

“No point in training, eh?” Suwu replied and grinned.




From the Journal of Kasat 'Baroness' Waxedtiles
17th of Sandstone, 353

“We just had a meeting at the Hut of Romancing.

Attending were me, Kumil the Militia Warden (who called the meeting), Zuglar the Manager, Såkzul the Bookkeeper, Fayoba the Elf Sheriff, Ïteb the Gorlak Prophet, Yawo the 'Witch-Doctor', Datan the Dwarf, Rin the Goblin Miller and Ova the other mandrill (a bit of a surprise: he hadn't shown interest in matters of importance before this).

We discussed some pressing matters, which needed to be taken care of rather sooner than later.

Firstly, Såkzul and Zuglar said that if we can't chop down more large trees, we'll run out of wood before the year is over. In fact, they said, the wood won't be nearly enough to complete even one of the buildings we have planned onto the bridge platforms. And Yawo still insists that felling trees, even young ones, will anger the spirits. I have to agree with her on this one. Not that I necessarily believe in the 'spirits' (and I think young trees can be cut), but since we stopped felling older growth, there hasn't been any incidents.

Secondly, Ïteb has been dreaming and talking of a 'Grand Temple dedicated to Mighty Ôsed, made out of the trees she birthed to cover these blessed lands' (her words). I agree on this one, too. Our lakeside shrine, while offering a wonderful view, is hardly the kind you would expect from the Divine Rabbit's followers.

Thirdly, and the most alarming matter, Kumil was concerned about our lack of defenses and said that he, Cañar and 'Avo' were hardly enough to protect a community of over forty. Even Suwu and her archers wouldn't be enough if something horrible were to come our way. He spoke of erecting a wooden palisade around the village grounds (or at least easily wallable parts). That, too, would require a mighty amount of lumber.

While many objected to this (me included), saying that peace is always preferable to war, Datan spoke up: he told a tale most horrid (which I will not recount here in detail). He spoke of how the hillocks of Axesplatter had been plagued by foul beasts of the Night -- monsters once people, who had been cursed by the gods for their misdeeds. These beasts, these 'werebeasts', which many of us has heard of in old legends and stories, are real. I do believe him. The manner how he detailed a four year old girl barely escaping one such rampage, only to turn herself into one of such monsters because she had been bitten! Horrible, horrible. I dare not think what I would do or feel if such things happened to my children.

Yes, we must think of the children! It is why we are here for. Defenses must be increased, no matter the protests. It will be for the children.

For that, we need wood. So, someone has to head off into the nearby wilds to fell some trees and bring them back. Fortunately we have just last year acquired several yaks that can serve as beasts of burden. But who? I have thought that maybe Rin (he has shown interest in going wandering)? Or perhaps Ova the mandrill man? Neither of them are woodcutters, though. I'm a bit reluctant to send Ubbul or Tekkud the Astronomer, who while truly skilled are of more use here.

We also need someone to fetch more people skilled in martial matters. Now I don't know who they would be seeking aid from, but Kumil said he and Cañar know where to turn and will give more details once the messenger is chosen.

But who? Who will the messenger be? I really don't have any candidates in mind.

Decisions, decisions. I must sleep on this and return to it with a clear head.”


(List of citizens from whom Kasat has to choose.)

=====

Got only to late autumn. No adventuring yet.

But there will be. Once we decide who goes to fetch wood and who goes to fetch help.

You get to help me Kasat choose (make your pick from the citizen list):

Wood-felling candidates: Rin the Goblin, Ova the Mandrill Man, Ubbul the Woodcutter and Tekkud the Astronomer. Or someone else.

Help-fetching candidates: pretty much anyone who isn't a kid or noble (leader, manager, bookkeeper, hammerer, sheriff, doctor, commander/warden).

(Once the current year ends, adventuring begins.)

[Salmeuk]

Ova or Rin should go, maybe they want a break from the odd lifestyle of the capys. Perhaps a dice roll for the second, who is less willing to volunteer?

I am playing pathfinder irl and have a magical backpack that removes all weight from the objects placed within it. that kind of thing would be rather handy in your situation

[King Zultan]

I feel we should send teams for both tasks for safety, and I'm not really sure who you should send.

[brewer bob]

Yeah, teams is a good idea.

Also, might go the dice rolling way for the second group.

There's always a good chance the capies/what-ever sent on the missions won't be returning. The world of Minbazkar can be quite the dangerous place (and we are in a savage area).

a magical backpack that removes all weight from the objects placed within it. that kind of thing would be rather handy in your situation

I guess the DF equivalent of this would be that pedestal we have in the library that holds now over 3000 books (though, maybe it's more of a Bag of Holding).

[brewer bob]

Part IV:
A Quest Begins




The autumn of 353 saw a birth in Waterlures: Ilral and 'Zultan' were blessed with a boy.

They now had four children: three boys and one girl.



Only a week later 'Baroness' Kasat gave birth to yet another boy: her and Cusal's fourth son.



During early winter an odd sight was seen above the roofs of Waterlures: a crow man.

The capybaras were curious about the flying visitor, but unfortunately the corvid showed no interest in landing and making acquaintance with them.



As per usual, most of winter was spent in at the Fruit of Letters.



And despite Datan's fixation of thinking how the capybaras bathed and bred at the baths, the truth was that even after all these years the baths were still empty.

...Except for the trio of giant tortoises the capybaras had traded from the elves.




9th of Felsite, 354

It was late spring when a group of three from Waterlures set forth on a quest.

Ova the mandrill man, Rin the goblin and Datan the dwarf were the ones who the community had chosen. Their mission had two purposes: to fell trees in the nearby forests, and to head forth south towards the Mountainhomes. There they would seek aid at the monastery of Silveranguished, which was built by the Armored Faith and were dedicated to Messthos, the deity of fortresses.

Kumil had said to the group before they left that these were people one could trust to offer protection. And protection was needed. For Waterlures was growing and growth was bound to attract the attention of sinister minds or worse.



Looking at the sky, Ova smiled. It looked like the weather was on their side this day. None of the typical rain and moist so common around the Lakes of Saturnity. He took a deep breath of the slight breeze blowing from the lake.

“It truly is a wonderful day to wander the wilds,” he said to his companions who were still adjusting their equipment. As a precaution, 'Avo' had forged Rin and Datan proper armor from steel and bronze. The wilds in these lands were truly dangerous as all who had traveled here could attest. Ova, however, had opted for a lighter option: leather armor which he personally had crafted.



They headed up the slope to the east from where there was a good view over Waterlures from under the shade of a willow.



Waterlures surely was expanding. Maybe Kumil was right with his concerns. Such an idyllic and peaceful place was ripe for the picking.





Ova felled massive highwood trees, oaks and all manner of trees for most of the day, Rin and Datan helpfully watching and giving 'instructions' from the side.

But when the sun was low in the western sky, an uneasiness crept along the spine of Ova, raising his mandrill hair in uncomfortable waves. Something was amiss.



Ova crept stealthily (or tried to) to take a better look at the surroundings.

All he saw was a yak bull grazing on the dense knotgrass. The bovine spooked as Ova approached and fled quickly to the west.

A false alarm. Nothing more.

Ova sighed in relief and got back to work.




Night had fallen and the stars were out when the trio had finished most of the days work. Only a few logs remained to be hauled down the slope for the others to pick up.

After it, they'd head off to the Fruit of Letters or Hut of Romancing for a pint, stay at home for the night and continue the trek once the sun rose.

Ova was lifting the last highwood log when Datan spoke to Rin, “You know Rin, it's great to have a friend like you. You're not like the typical goblin. No, that's not right... You're not like what we, the dwarves of Ustuth Ïdath, think you are.”

“And what's that supposed to mean? But thanks?” Rin replied, raising his brow.

“Well, how we see the goblin is... It's quite a long time ago, but one of my nephews, the seventh eldest son of one Inod and Geshud, was... Was abducted from Lettertick by a goblin. In the dark of the night she came, aye, eyes glowing red in the darkness, bag in hand. She snatched poor Solon -- only a year old at that time! She then fled into the night with the wee little one. Never to be seen again by his kin!”

“It was inevitable,” Rin said laconically. It was a story, or more precisely, a similar story, which he often had to hear from the bearded folk. What was he supposed to say? It wasn't his fault that some of his kind lived in a horrid culture.

“I believe the goblin was known as Song Ghoultop. Maybe you know or have heard of her?” Datan said, not noticing the goblin growing impatient.

“Yeah. I so know every goblin there is. Song is a pretty common name, you know. So are those abductions. Anything else?” Rin rolled his eyes, turned around and began walking down the slope before Datan could answer.



The Fruit of Letters was rather empty when the companions arrived. Only one of the little capybara girls, Ïteb, was milling around the room.

Ova filled his wineskin with some dwarven wine and grabbed some grizzly bear heart stew. He was feeling rather drowsy after a hard days work. It felt... Satisfying.

Come the next day, they would head south. But now was time for a song. And after that, rest.




Ova began to sing 'Charm Ever Onward' with Rin.

The mandrill man wasn't much of a singer. And Rin made a mockery of the quabu with a shameworthy performance.

In fact, Datan tried his best not to listen and turned his attention to the obese guineahen rooting around the floor, “Hello there little friend! Did you know that Life is, in a word, nature?”

=====

So, I decided to combine the two "quests": wood and getting "help".

Took quite a bit of time to chop trees and lug the logs down the slope. A Bag of Holding would be envious of the amount of wood a mandrill man can fit in his backpack (okay, let's not talk about the walking speed).

When our bold adventurers return, I'll use DFHack to make more of the same kind of logs that I chopped.

There were some odd...shenanigans during the tree felling. First the ambush. Not sure if it was the yak or perhaps some giant bird or something that I just didn't see. There certainly was something since when I finished the wood cutting, I noticed that the thoughts of all had "felt <something> after seeing the human <can't remember name> died."

So, a random monster/beast slayer who was milling about the map when I retired apparently got killed somewhere around the spot the trio was doing their job. Couldn't find the body though (but then again I didn't look so carefully, since I decided to omit it from the story). At least he won't be an unwanted hostile upon unretiring, heh.

I'll try to finish the adventure tomorrow, but really depends on what happens on the way. I chose Ova and Rin since they're not so "essential" and a bit of outsiders (Fayoba the elf would've been an option, but he is the sheriff). Datan I took (with unretire-anyone) because, well, he's a dorf and one of his gods is Messthos.

If there's any specific kind of character you'd like to possibly be at the monastery where they are headed, post ideas. So far I'm liking the elephant man idea, but probably will make it a mixed group (a dingo man is certainly possible). That is, if our heroes even end up recruiting "monks".

Also, as a reminder, "dorfings" are still accepted.

[King Zultan]

What about making a mixed group of monks, seeing different kinds of creatures wondering around would be find of neat.

[brewer bob]

Part V:
A Longer Than Expected Journey



10th of Felsite, 354

The sun was already high in the eastern sky, clear of clouds, when Ova, Rin and Datan began their journey to the south. The night at the Fruit of Letters had been longer than intended (dwarven wine certainly played a part in that), and after a hard day of felling trees, they had been very exhausted. The night was almost halfway through when they finally went to sleep.

It was quite cold when they clambered up the grassy, wooded eastern slopes, taking a final look at Waterlures. It would be some time before they were back.




They soon reached the Dune of Influencing: a desert of silt and stone.

There they saw a flock of snow geese scrounging desperately for anything to eat around boulders of chert. When the geese noticed the companions, they quickly scattered and flew away.

Fortunately they didn't have to spend much time in the cold desert and soon the surroundings changed to the thick arrow bamboo, highwood and ginkgo forest of the Forest of Constructing. The forest floor was full of edible vegetation, yet the grapes and beans were not ripe at this time of the year.

Ova picked a handful of red spinach, cramming it in his backpack. It would serve as a sidedish for the stew he still had left.



However, their passage to the south was blocked by a rather wide and fast flowing river. There was no easy way over: they would have to head upstream to find a place to cross.

There was something on the river bank which caught Ova's eye.

A copper arrow.

Somebody had been hunting here.



Ova picked it up. It was still in good shape.

He put it in his quiver with the rest of his arrows.



As they walked along the river bank, they noticed some carp in the water.





The companions had just left the bamboo forest into the Strong Prairie when they noticed two very aggressive looking wolf women ahead of them. As the wolf women began to charge towards them, mouths slavering, Ova yelled, “There is no need to fight! Let us end this madness!”

The wolf women didn't listen.



Ova didn't wait and acted quickly. He fired an arrow at one of the wolf women lunging towards Datan, who had drawn his steel pick and was ready to face the onslaught.

The arrow struck true, straight in the chest where the heart lies! However, there is only so much a grown wood arrow can do: it was merely a bruise. But it was enough, for Datan struck the wolf woman from the side with his pick in a mighty blow that severed the feral animal persons head!

The second wolf woman fared no better: in mere moments she was down on the ground, helpless, being whacked and hacked by Datan's pick. Blood and viscera (along with severed limbs) soon coated the meadow-grass around the wolf woman's lifeless body.

It was a gruesome sight to behold.

“How fleeting life is...” Ova said as he lowered his bow. I must not succumb to fear, he thought, trying to stave off the fear taking hold of him. Yet, despite being afraid, the mandrill man wasn't moved one way or the other by the deaths he witnessed.




They managed to find a spot to cross the river. They had anticipated that they would need to travel further to get across.

Now it was only a matter of heading south.



But their journey was cut short: more wolf men. It seemed that the Strong Prairies were teeming with them.

However these wolf men fared no better than the previous ones.

This time Ova didn't waste time in trying to calm things down, but drew his steel battle axe and sprinted to meet the wolf men. The first was struck down with only a couple of blows.

“Help! Save me!”, screamed a wolf woman who was facing Datan, steel pick already bearing down on her. The pick struck the wolf woman in the chest, digging deep and embedding in the wound. The wolf woman gasped for air as Datan pulled the pick out, a splurt of blood gushing from the gaping wound.



Severed limbs flew around and wolf man guts were spilled.

Two of the wolf people were decapitated in succession by Ova's axe as Datan dodged the desperate attacks of a third one.



Rin's axe got to taste blood, too, when he brought the blade down in a swoop, cutting the wolf man on the ground in half.

The last wolf woman fled in panic, leaving a trail of blood behind.

The companions did not follow. The wolf woman was certain to succumb to her wounds.




Ova looked at the map he had been given by Kasat.

It was not that long a way to the monastery. Maybe a couple of days or so. If luck was on their side, they might reach Lonecanyons -- a small hut constructed some years back -- before nightfall and rest there.



They passed through the Cremated Jungle -- yet another forest of bamboo and highwood.

The weather had changed: the sky was dark gray with thick clouds and a thin mist shrouded the forest. It was cold and the dampness made it even worse still.



Once they were out of the forest, they came to a river. They sat down at the river bank to eat, drink and fill their waterskins from the stream.





It was late night when they reached the grounds of Lonecanyons.

However, the place was not unoccupied: a short-headed dwarf lady rushed to meet them, her long braided hair waving in the chill night breeze.

She introduced herself as Kol Tombsnights and said that she and her husband Thob resided in this place. The travelers were welcome to stay here for the night, if they so wanted. And the companions accepted the offer.




11th of Felsite, 354

It was a rainy day as their journey took them through the Ochre Hill. The companions expected to reach Silveranguished before the end of the day.

Unless, of course, they faced setbacks on the way.



Once they reached the Hills of Sloth, the Russet Points towering to the west of them, they new they were nearing their destination.

It was not a long walk to the monastery from here, if they had read the map correctly.



Indeed.

Just on the border of the Hill of Sweetness and the Regal Desert, on the other side of a river, they saw several buildings in the distance.

This had to be Silveranguished.



They crossed the stretch of silty desert riddled with rock salt to the first building they saw: a temple of some kind.

It was probably the Helmed Shrine. A temple dedicated to Messthos.



As they entered the temple, a strikingly familiar statue greeted them.

It depicted a capybara man -- garbed in common Waterlures attire -- making a plaintive gesture. What they could surmise from it was that the capybara man in question was being cursed by Messthos with vampirism (judging by the elongated teeth).

Could it be true? Was this the Zas they had heard tales of? A vampire?

But there had been no mention of bloodsucking monsters from the others...

Regardless, they continued inside in hopes of finding the abbot.



The temple was devoid of life. Only some books lay in the inner sanctum, which the companions left be. They did not want to cause trouble or anger Messthos by defiling the shrine's sanctity.

However, another building -- possibly the dormitory -- housed a group of dwarves.

Finally.



But when Ova began questioning the dwarves where he could find the abbot, the answer was disheartening.

These dwarves were no monks. They were simple peasants sheltering here. The monastery was abandoned for the time being -- possibly a result of the war.

However, the dwarves suggested that the companions head to Inkedwhims. It was certain that somebody there was a member of the Armored Faith.

Ova sighed, turned to Rin and Datan, and said, “I guess we'll be off to Inkedwhims then. At least it isn't that far. We should reach it before the sun sets.”



Ova's estimation was wrong, though.

It was already dark when they finally reached Inkedwhims, their legs sore of the traveling and bodies eager to get some sleep.



Their first order of business was to head to the Honeys of Paint -- the local tavern and inn. A good night's rest was in order before they would continue their search for the abbot and monks of the Armored Faith.




Ova's Journal
Felsite 15th, 354

“We've been several days now at Inkedwhims. This place is a maze. Twisting tight corridors turning left and right. Not much space to give way when someone wants to pass you. Luckily the main passages are wide. More room to breathe. Though the air underground is heavy and smells musty.

We didn't find the abbot. We looked and looked. Rin and Datan seemed a bit frustrated and discouraged. I said we should keep looking. Good thing too: we found monks of Messthos who were ready to come and help us at Waterlures, abbot or not.

Funny thing is, they weren't of the Armored Faith, they were of the Armored Cult. Dedicated to Messthos and all. Either Kumil gave us the wrong name or there is two sects with almost the same name. The latter is probably true. The locals did recognize the name of the Armored Faith, after all.

Five monks: Vabôk, a dwarf, and clearly a leader type. He swore they'd do their best to safekeep us. Asmel, a hoary marmot woman. She seems like a competent one despite her small size (though, she doesn't seem so keen on jokes and such). Unib, another dwarf. Bald head and all (he has a beard, so not all shaven!). Then there were two elephant persons: Eman, very muscular, and Song. I'm not so sure about them: they seemed a bit...off.

However, Vabôk assured they were trustworthy. I will have to trust his judgment on this.

Anyway, we'll be heading back now. Hope the trip home goes smoothly.”




And so the group, now eight in size, headed towards Waterlures.

They passed through the hillocks of Swordwordy, Tombsrained and Relicstaves before entering the Hill of Sweetness -- the first leg of the journey.



As the sun began to set they arrived at Lonecanyons, where they once again spent the night.




16th of Felsite, 354

The next day was rather uneventful.

Once again they had to make a detour to get across the wide river. When they had made their way over, they followed the river downstream and stopped for a meal under the shade of a sand pear tree.



The day continued without issue. Ôsed was truly watching over them this time. And Messthos, Messthos too guarded them -- one must not forget.

And as the day was nearing its end, so too, was their journey ending: in the distance, at the northern tip of the Lakes of Saturnity one could see the tower of Waterlures' library stretching to the skies.



“Welcome to Waterlures!”, Ova exclaimed in delight, taking a deep breath of the breeze blowing from the lake as he walked down the slope the others following.

“Here we see the--”, Ova was pointing to the recently finished stables when he was interrupted by Eman's yelling.

“A beast! A fight! I cannot stand by!”, the elephant man bellowed rushing to the south, the other monks following and roaring battle-cries.

Confused, Ova turned to look what was the issue, the cause of sudden anger and panic. Were they too late?

No. It was just a flock of giant peach-faced lovebirds that had landed next to the lake, minding their own business. Until now.



The monks with the aid of Rin managed to put down two of the giant birds before the rest managed to make a hasty retreat into the skies.

“I guess Kib'll be cookin' some lovebirds this evening,” Datan laughed.

Ah, home. Peaceful home.

But would the peace last?

=====
Took a bit longer than expected, but managed to pull the trip through today.

I had to change the Armored Faith to the Armored Cult since I couldn't find any place where you could create a character with it as their sect. (Wasn't really surprised that the monastery didn't have monks. Can't remember if I've ever seen anything but 'outcasts' in them.)

Tested unretiring. There were a bit of more issues this time, but nothing that couldn't be handled. For instance, half the adventure mode created characters were "traveling" (easy to fix by taking control of them and retiring them back at Waterlures).

There's still one hostile on the map. Different one this time, tho.

Oh, and I found out what was the mystery ambush and cause of death of the random human. Apparently the game had decided to teleport a forgotten beast from the caverns when I entered Adventure mode. Hate it when that happens (especially when the caverns haven't been breached!). Fix: teleport beastie back into the caves, since it was still on the map when unretiring the fort.

Other than that? Didn't spot anything out of the ordinary.

The next couple days I'll probably do other stuff, and after it I'll do the unretirement cleanup and see what happens.

Oh. And by bringing these monks to the fort our population went to 51. I guess I remembered our population wrong before bringing them. So, I just might have hastened the coming of danger, oops.

...Also, I made most plants gatherable in Adventure mode (used some Adventurecraft stuff and some from my own 'personal' moddings).

[Salmeuk]

nice. quite the . . bloody encounter there with the wolf people. And plenty of wet feet with all those streams.

unfortunate how the forgotten beasts are wont to teleport like that. but DFhack provides the GM's touch to uhm erase such mistakes from the rough draft.

This will be interesting. With a population so vulnerable, living within surface outposts, I wonder how a siege might work. maybe tunnels will be dug, who knows?

[brewer bob]

nice. quite the . . bloody encounter there with the wolf people.

Yeah, the wolf men were absolutely slaughtered. They had no chance.

I guess that happens when someone with a pick just so happens to be a Legendary Miner.

This will be interesting. With a population so vulnerable, living within surface outposts, I wonder how a siege might work. maybe tunnels will be dug, who knows?

Sieges work quite differently with surface forts than regular proper dwarf forts. I usually make a wall without an outcropping, so that it'll be possible to climb over. Gets quite interesting when you suddenly notice that there's several goblin archers on a wall you weren't checking firing arrows at panicking civilians.

But won't be getting army sieges yet. I think I've kept that trigger at 80 pop. Werebeasts and semi/megabeasts? Entirely different story.

I'm mostly horrified by the werebeasts, tho. But at the same time thrilled. I've actually never, ever lost a fort to them, nor had an uncontrollable outbreak (I'm still sometimes surprised when someone is shocked that a werebeast bite spreads the curse)... Though, my defenses have never been this lacking (barring my first forts, which fell to all sorts of other reasons my stupidity).

Still, I certainly don't want any harm to come to the capies. Don't know what I'll do if any of my favorites (=almost everyone) dies... 

[callisto8413]

I noticed the interesting bathhouse.  Have you tried just a normal bathhouse.  You know - a building over a stream or river with a well, grates as floors, and a stockpile of soap in it?

[brewer bob]

I noticed the interesting bathhouse.  Have you tried just a normal bathhouse.  You know - a building over a stream or river with a well, grates as floors, and a stockpile of soap in it?

Haven't tried, no.

The bathhouse currently is sort of still unfinished (haven't completed the drainage) and I haven't paid much attention to it. We've got two or three wells, so I think the citizens wash themselves there (I know they wash, since there's been some "had a soapy bath recently" thoughts).

[brewer bob]

Part VI:
Growth



From the Journal of 'Baroness' Kasat Waxedtiles
9th of Hematite, 354

“It is now several weeks since Ova, Rin and Datan returned.

Their mission was highly succesful: we now have five pairs of very capable hands to help us defend and to build. I was, admittedly, a bit surprised that they all were monks. In hindsight, I should have guessed that. Help was, after all, asked from a sect dedicated to Messthos. But what was even more curious is that they bore no weapons nor armor when they arrived: they were equipped with their bare fists.

Kumil assured me that even with fist and tooth, one can defeat many a fearsome opponent. I certainly hope that proves to be right if we are unfortunate enough to face any threats.



What has me worried is that there might be a foul beast, a monster of some kind, lurking in the nearby forests (Yawo has her own theories, as one might guess).

The morning Ova and the others left, we made a horrid discovery: the body of a human was ripped open right next to our sheep pen! It was the corpse of Nacu, a monster slayer we had seen wandering the outskirts of Waterlures.

May Ôsed, and Messthos, protect us from what terrors the Night might hide.”





The dwarf merchants from the Mountainhomes had just arrived and the capybaras were busy hauling merchandise to the trading pavillion, when Ilral gave birth.

A baby girl, which Ilral and 'Zultan' named Dîshmab Mirrortraded. Their family continued to grow: the couple had now five children, all born within the last five or so years.

Quite the industrious couple.



Several days later, as a group of giant cardinals was causing uneasiness among the merchant guards, Såkzul gave birth to a boy: the sixth child of the bookkeeper and manager.




Meanwhile 'Zultan' and Edu were facing a giant cardinal south of the trade depot. One of the guards had struck it with a bolt and the bird had come crashing down, twitching and jerking in pain on the ground.

'Zultan' bore his mace down, knocking the feathered beast out and Edu finished it off by stabbing it in the had with his spear.





Young Datan, the four year old son of 'Zultan' and Ilral, was playing in Datan the dwarf's old room (Datan the dwarf had just moved to more spacious quarters in the old Hut of Romancing -- the house of many a failed date). He had just moments before taken a hearty swig of Datan's (the dwarf, not young Datan, mind you) mead when he was struck by an odd feeling.

It was as if he was no longer in control of his corpulent body.

Guided by this feeling he headed off.



He waltzed with a sense of purpose into the crafting area of the mines and forge, laying claim to a crafter's workshop.

Next he went to gather some materials, returning with the shells of giant tortoises as his mother passed him, wondering what his son was up to.



But before young Datan finished his masterpiece, Kib gave birth to a girl.

The amount of little capybara children in Waterlures continued to grow!



Finally Datan's work was complete. He eyed the artifact, his beady little eyes gleaming with pride: Nulomnist Othörothsal, 'Blamefear the Erased Sewer', a jagged giant tortoise shell left gauntlet!

It was simple, yet striking in its plainness, and the jagged design was something the capybaras (and possibly all the dwarves of Ustuth Ïdath) hadn't ever seen.

Truly the child had been possessed by forces unknown!

(...Unless, of course, you ask Yawo, but we all know what that answer would be.)

=====

Decided to continue today and postpone other stuff for a later date.

Whew, it was quite the hassle to do the unretire cleanup. (Luckily no scattered books this time.)

Though, weirdly it was somehow relaxing to go through all the food stockpiles and bedrooms. I went also through the professions of the capies and made them a bit more specialized in stuff (usually depending on what kind of workshop was downstairs of their home).

Got lucky with that mood: I think we had exactly two shells and that's what little Datan took! I had just butchered a couple of those tortoises since they for some reason were badly wounded upon unretiring (maybe related to the FB?).

Other than that, got started with building a palisade/wall on the south and west parts. That's the easiest part of somewhat securing the place (part of the east bank is quite easy, too). The slopes will be a hassle, but I'm thinking that I won't necessarily wall the place entirely. It could be nice to just build tightly and make the tight alleys between houses sealable.