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[Gigmaster]

So I recently found that my dwarven caravan came by this year with eight barrels of giant spider venom, gifted to me via the RNG. I hadn't asked for this gift, but knowing not to look a gift spider in the mandibles, I bought every one and stored them away. For later use, for... something.

I now have no idea how to remove said venom from the barrels in such a fashion to use it for my intended purpose, as I know of no reaction / trap attack that'll split a barrel, or empty it where I would otherwise desire (such as, over the spiked trap that'll one shot most moderately-sized creatures due to respiratory arrest.) Has anyone made !!SCIENCE!! progress in this area who would be willing to share?

[PatrikLundell]

I recall the gnomeblight wiki page mentioned how to use that vs gnomes. Maybe that might be a starting point?

[Gigmaster]

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Gnomeblight

I see... I know there was something about Gnomeblight and how to actually sort-of use it, but didn't think it would apply, on the grounds of gnomeblight being a contact poison, and giant spider venom an injury poison. Looking at how they describe this working... would it actually coat the spikes? Or would it just coat the floor? I'm assuming that, if it just ends up on the floor it won't do much, unless a creature with a body part with no armor and exposed wounds going down to a blood-carrying layer rolls around in it.

[PatrikLundell]

No idea, but I'd suggest investigating by pouring some available liquid (probably other than water, but beer might work) both over weapons lying on the floor and over both a raised and a retracted menacing spike trap and then examine the items. I guess the examination should display if there's something on them?

[Detros]

You can also just load those barrels into minecarts and shoot them at enemies. Hm, is there a sugestion for colliding barrels braking and spilling its contents?

EDIT: I would think so but I can't find any. I found though venom should probably rather come in vials, according to http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/dev_single.html:

Req364, VENOM... BARRELS?, (Future): Traders bring venom in barrels instead of vials. This might be excessive.

[Gigmaster]

I'm going to do some research into this in my current fort once I move my guys out of their temporary mud base into the underground citadel I'm FINALLY cracking into. (I'm three years in and I JUST finished breaching a 9-layer deep aquifier with a 3-layer cap in a freezing biome with a hole big enough for my desired 5 wide ramp, plus space to pipe water and power from my aquifer plant. Good freaking God.)

My current worry is that, once I put the venom contaminant down onto the tile, my dwarves are going to start spreading it around the fortress. Going to have to implement a bath before and after, otherwise I fear that dwarves are going to inexplicably die here and there when they walk across a patch of giant spider venom contaminent with only one *alpaca yarn sock* then stub their toe. At least, if my understanding of how contracting syndromes work.

Am I correct in thinking that, for contaminant which inflicts a particular syndrome as a venom, all that has to happen is for the contaminant to be present on a body part which has a wound exposing a blood-bearing layer? Or does it have to be part of an attack?

[PatrikLundell]

I would have made a standard 2*4 double-slit breach to find out what I'm dealing with and to allow me to start to build the proper fortress in the mean time. After that I'd either try to expand it to the desired size, or make a "proper" one at a different location. The easiest way would probably be to dig a giant strip mine and let the freezing air take care of one level at a time (unsafe vs critters and rather unsightly, though), but cave-in rings and old fashioned pumping should work as well (eventually).
I think there are different kind of syndome contract mechanisms, such as contact poison, but also, possibly, wound contamination and blood stream injection, but that's more a guess than knowledge.

[§k]

I thighk I've witnessed a rat man died of the spider venom washed down from his spear after standing in water for too long.

[forfor]

Not sure if this will work but make a pool of venom underneath a fall trap, have a door leading out to some dwarfs with sharp weapons like swords or spears. The enemy should be coated in venom so now any minor scratch the dwarfs inflict will allow the venom in and probably kill your enemy.

[Gigmaster]

I'll be testing some of these ideas when I get a chance to play this weekend. For now, SysOp duties demand my attention. (Sadly).

Thankfully, I have a bunch of lemur men to test on, as they keep wandering into my cage traps because Shiny Things. I'm going to be using 1/10 wooden training spear upright traps, but I know that those can still cause serious damage if the victim is unclothed. I also know coinstar machines tend to kill that which doesn't have armor. Are there any other good options for things that cause superficial, cutting wounds?