Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[elizar]

I've been thinking a bit on how moods may be spiced up. Over a year ago, while lurking, someone mentioned in passing that when a priest or priestess has a Fell mood, they got something like 'god is demanding, and your body is his temple'.

I was wondering if it were possible to make such says part of the announcements. Though the announcement for a Fell mood is pretty good already. Perhaps to make it reflect someone's highest skill. Miner could go for instance: "Stones, stones, stones that will be used for mundanes, but this one stone will be special."

And possessions could even be more interesting. The announcement for that could go: "I'm [god] And this is my vessel. Get what I need and you'll escape my wrath and recieve your reward." And the wrath is real. Failure to please a possession may result in rather unexpected results. God of water may decide to flood the map, god who is in a form of a random animal may send out attack squads of their animal. God of caves may cause a cavein a-la 2D. God of wealth may deny any caravans access. God of war may ignite war with all creatures. God of death may cause quarter of population death and be ecstatic about the result tantrum spiral.

[Granite26]

So you're not suggesting a change to the moods, just a broader variety of announcements?

[Dae]

A broader variety still would be nice, but I find the extension of possession to be a rather more interesting idea...
If spirits really wandered by your fortress, helping you or not depending on how you treat people with moods could have some interesting effects.
The term Genius Loci has appeared quite a few times lately in the forum. Possessions could be one of their way to act on the world. If you please them by helping the possessed, they could be pleased enough to give you a little, discreet help. Maybe even invite other spirits.

However (Fun stuff often comes with a 'However'), if you cause their wrath (by killing the possessed ones for example) they might have some 'bad' effect, as discreet as the good ones.
For example, a floodgate that opens on its own. Job orders being canceled for no reason. Decreasing the mood of your dwarves, giving bad  harvests, etc...

Of course, Toady must NOT tell us if it comes in. Then we will have superstitious players who will do their best to satisfy moods and the sceptical ones who won't give a damn.

[elizar]

So you're not suggesting a change to the moods, just a broader variety of announcements?

Yeah, I was in a time bind and had to type quickly. Though there is the possession extension

However (Fun stuff often comes with a 'However'), if you cause their wrath (by killing the possessed ones for example) they might have some 'bad' effect, as discreet as the good ones.
For example, a floodgate that opens on its own. Job orders being canceled for no reason. Decreasing the mood of your dwarves, giving bad  harvests, etc...

That's one of the things I hope to have eventually. Instead of just walling in a useless mood, you'll have to please it in order to keep your fortress together. I just think that Possession should have bigger part of the DF world.

As for the spirits, I always looked at Possession as if the god they worthshipped was channeling them. And if they worthship mortal beings, such as dragons and demons, no possessions for them.