I thought I had the perfect fort this time or well, my best so far. Located in a hillside with small ponds and a river running through a valley with no threats what so ever my dwarfs. They had protected outdoor areas for water supply and wood cutting. Great soil on multiple levels for food and enough stone for any dwarf to ever want for. A magma pipe was located really close by and the forges was working. Everything was great, engravings had been done to the finer quarters of the few "nobles" they had and a new grand dining room had just been completed and statues and fine furniture was moved in. Trade had just a few months earlier provided them with enough meat for many seasons to come and their fine crafts widely known. Even a new living area had been created and was just awaiting furniture.
I recently posted in the quick question thread or what it is called about a cat and dog problem. There was just too many of them, they were out of control, they fornicated in the corridors and shat in the hallways. But this problem was soon to be corrected. Amorok seems to balance things out, I had asked for a painful but simply way to remove my problem. Seems my prayers was answered but only if I hadnt forgotten for whom the pain should be inflicted upon.
This is the tale written down by the book keeper of a once proud dwarf fort.
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During early spring everything was perfect, during the winter we had lost two dwarfs to insanity because they couldn't finish their masterworks but a grand artifact had been made. Inspired by this work one of the best carpenters of the fort had a vision about something he wanted done. He went to his workshop but no one understood what it was he was doing, he kept screaming for different materials but there was one request that couldnt be satisfied. Shells. When the elves came to trade the trade master searched their wares but no shells was found and the dwarfs sadly acknowledged that they would loose yet another of their kin to insanity.
Zas which was the name of the carpenter went mad but no one realized just how bad it was. It started out with a dead cat in a corner or a dog smashed to pieces in a doorway. Tragic accidents when it's a child's pet.
Our tunnels go deep and our fort was large so there was plenty of space were we seldom walked. It was during early summer when I went over the inhabitants of our fort that I noticed that we had three less than a few months earlier. I had not heard about anything but I went and talked to the sheriff and he told me that a month ago a child had gone missing but the others had not been reported to him but upon this new information a complete search from bottom up was ordered.
More and more dead animals were found in corridors smelling of blood and rotten flesh and in a corner of what had been prepared as the royal quarters, a grand set of rooms, the child was found. The barely recognizable body was so demolished that the only conclusion could be drawn that whoever or whatever had done this had kept going even thou the child had gone limp long ago. The dwarfs who found the corpse had all emptied their stomach contents at the vile sight and after the sheriff had done a quick investigation the room was sealed with stone.
The search for the others continued for days deep down in the fort and we found the two other, both showing marks of equal brutality. When we started the accent back to the main quarters our hearts was heavy but with still several days left too travel we soon realized that something was seriously wrong upstairs. We saw fresh blood running down and it was slippery to walk through the macabre view but it was going to get worse.
We could soon hear the scream of agony and when we came up it was even worse. Dwarfs and pets was scattered everywhere and people where running around like mad. We tried to find out what was happening but everyone was either throwing a tantrum or way or just screaming. It continued for days and our small party slowly went mad. I barricaded myself in my room and every time I made the trip for food and drink I saw more blood and more corpses.
I heard talking or more like the screaming of a loud argument from the meeting hall and I peek through the doors. It was a mess in there, tables and chairs laid scattered and rough engravings adorned the room. Pictures of magnificent tower caps and grand wizards, circles and doors was carved everywhere.
I ran back with the food and looked myself in my rooms. During the nights I could here screams and footsteps but what was worse was that I heard the noise of metal against stone. When I made the last trip for food the walls had been adorned with even more wizards and doors and tower caps. As I left the storage I heard a scream and down the corridor I saw the silhouettes of two dwarfs. One towering above the other and with horror I watched how he screamed a mad scream as he smashed the cowering body with with a large stone. I dropped the food and ran, I slipped in the blood and entrails of dwarf and animal alike. I tried to make it for the entrance. I hid in the rooms with as little blood as possible in when I had to sleep and after I dont know how long I reached my goal.
The sight was almost as horrifying as what had happened inside, dwarfs were trapped in our cages ment for intruders, a few had made it quite far but all trapped. Some had starved, other cages was broken with mauled bodies inside. In one cage I found a dwarf who was still alive but his eyes were almost as mad looking as the corridors and halls I had ran through.
With no chance of getting past our elaborate traps I went back to my room. A trip which was the worst in my life, never knowing if death lured around next corridor. I've spent the last days in here now, I dont know if anyone else is still alive but I think I can hear footsteps at some times.
Oh dear mother of mercy I heard a loud thump at my door last night, when I looked outside later I found it was the sherry, his head had been smashed against it.
I just heard that the door was smashed in, someone has been banging against it for the last hours! Footsteps are coming this way, my bedroom door is weak it cant hold what this monster is capable of. I just wish my death to be quick.
*** When the journal was found it laid next to the book keepers body. Its pages covered in dried blood ***
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I had planed to only describe the downfall of this fort but the writer inside me decided to write this little story instead at this late our and I hope it pleases you.
What really happened was that Zas the carpenter went mad and started killing everything, first a few pets and the child. I didnt notice it until I got a lot of red announcements about people getting interrupted all the time and it was when I finally did some changes in dwarf therapist that I saw my number of dwarfs had gone down.
When I investigated I soon realized I had a problem but I couldn't do anything but too watch. Zas went berzerk and killed 46 dwarfs with his bare hands and countless of animals. when I had about 25 dwarfs left I checked him our, since he was a woodcutter too I thought he had an axe but he did it all with his hands!
The only wound he had was a bruised arm.
At this stage I decided to turn all my dwarfs in to stone detailers. I engraved every smooth surface I had. Unfortunately they were all kinda mad at this stage and those trained in the art was already dead so I ended up with pictures of wizards, strange patterns, circles and tower caps. As a note some of the tower cap engravings where magnificent.
But was struck me the most was that there were several engravings of doors.
He was covered in blood, some of him in animal and some dwarf, what struck me as most fun was the fact he had kitty blood in his mouth, He died finally of hunger but the damage was already done. With only 8 dwarfs left all either mad or in a tantrum state a miner decided it was his turn to finish them off. He killed two more and then I finally abandoned the fort.
In retrospect I shouldnt have relied on all my cage traps for safety but I thought my magma trap would be ready in time for the goblins in time so I didnt bother with the military. I had the weapons but just couldnt be arsed to complete the barracks and training room and choose who to be soldiers, train them and equip them.
I had even finished a killing corridor where my crossbowmen where supposed to stand and shoot stuff!
But well I couldnt have asked for a better ending to my fort and this is the charm of dwarf fortress! It's kinda ironic how I asked for a way to get rid of all my pets.
I hope you liked the story!
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Topic: The Mass Murderin of Nir Minbaz - 205 (Read 1662 times)