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[Vynadan]

Hey ho to all of you.
I've been stalking the DF forums for quite a while and only now decided to register and start a community fort.
I'm a (hobby) author of both fantasy and science fiction and the randomness DF can give for a story is on par with any human imagination; The idea had lurked in my mind for a while now.
My playstyle is more of a clueless constructor: I use scripts and mods heavily and really love to do some PvE and construct awesome awful constructions, but the problem with that is that I can get bored quite easily once my plans are done (which with the help of scripts can happen quite fast). To motivate me I want to do this community game - make it public and enjoyable for the community so that my interest doesn't wane. As I'm no native speaker it'll also practice my English - so please feel free to point out weird sounding phrases and errors. I'll focus heavily on the narrative and I'll most likely update only at the weekends / once a week. So I'm in this for the long run.
I'll refrain from using runesmith and most dfhack scripts, but I'll still be embarking with the maximum of embark points and keep my mods in.

Modifications:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• Civilization Forge
• Removed [TRAPAVOID] from Chaos Dwarves
• Nightwings civilisation from Fortress Defense Mod

Quickjumps:

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Spring 1287
1/2 Sommer 1287

[Vynadan]

The World:

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Music for the inclined reader: Nightwish - Planet Hell

The world of Smaksmo Angstur is full of (more or less) intelligent life.
Both wildlife and civilised folk ranged from entirely alien, such as the insectoid Xelic, over the quickly reproducing Vamarii and Dynosauri, to the weird High Elves with their metal and cities.
Among the most numerous of races are the Xelic, divided up in their warlike violet and peaceful silver caste, quickly followed by the savage Hobgoblins, whom rule large portions of the temperate world. Vamarii were part of nearly every civilisation and were used in the wars by the thousand; Frost Giants ruled the extensive glaciers which laid ever unchanging behind the southern most mountains and even twisted so-called Chaos Dwarves haunted the nightmates of every sentient species.

While even the Elves were prospering in their forests and the world was bathed in blood time and time again by wars, every race and nation had seen its peak and moment of triumph - all but one. The true Dwarves.

The Dwarves:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The fate for dwarfdom wasn't one of glory, great mountainhomes or even death in battle. Of the five dwarven nations that came to be at the beginning of recorded history only two remain:

A rag-tag nation ominously named The Tame Volcano with a population of but 66 dwarves and yet over fifteen thousand hobgoblins and even fourty thousand dynosauri, all cramped in the single mountainhome of Bootburns. The dwarven king Medtob Questdikes leads this quite large yer overpopulated dwarven mountainhome with a tiny court of nobles. He and his dwarven fellows are suspect to much discriminations from the hobgoblins and dynosauri, whom use the royal court as but a puppet to the outside world. The nobles live lives of relative security and wealth, even though without any real power, while the lesser dwarves are all tasked with the tedious and cumbersome tasks to expand the tunnels for the ever growing population, forge the infamous steel of dwarves and sculpture the mountains in a way only a dwarf and his beard may.

The other remaining dwarven nation was the kingdom of The Lost Palisade, which stood far to the south of The Tame Volcano. Undead, frost giants and other fierce beasts approaching from the haunted glaciers past their mountains often ravaged this nation, but yet it fought on. However, only 487 dwarves remain spread thinly among seven mountainhomes. The surrounding lands are inhospitable and the neighbours a menace. Without a miracle, only precious few years were left for this dwarven kingdom.

Three more dwarven nations used to exist, but all of them vanished more than a thousand years ago. The one most notable among them was the Long-post of Covers. This particular kingdom of dwarves had seen more wars than any other dwarven nation in this part of the world and fought its final battles against a nation of hobgoblins, counting over one hundred thousand able citizen. The war lasted for three years, from 84 to 87, at which point the proud dwarven kingdom had crumbled to the meager count of 20. Yet, these twenty dwarves fought four battles against the overwhelming hobgoblin forces, killing ten times their own number during the war. Only the mountainhome of Portaltheater was left to the dwarves of Long-post of Covers and four encounteres were fought out here. The final battle, four woren-out dwarves against two hundred hobgoblins, ended in the razing of Portaltheater, but only after the dwarves had struck down ninety-nine hobgoblins, four war grizzleys and five land striders.
So why is this kingdom notably? Not only did these proud dwarves fight until the very end, but there were also sightings of them in the year 1285 - miles away, no less. And this is the time and reason for our particular tale to take place.

(Yeah, although they were all wiped out in 87 they reclaimed the mountainhome of Girderhold in 1285, even though it was half the world map away from their original kingdom and doesn't have any populace remaining as of 1286.)

The Seven:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Note that three of the dwarves are already customised - They're used in the introduction and therefor needed a name that wouldn't change. The rest and further immigrants or children are up for dorfing. Any texts you might want to write yourself will be much appreciated =)

Click for full size.

The Introduction:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Music for the inclined reader: Nightwish - The Islander

Excerpts from the journal of Ghinn Omergoden, refugee from The Tame Volcano.
7th of Galena, 1286
We embark on our expedition tomorrow. In the Hall of Memories we found mentions of dwarven activity to the north just half a year ago. Noone knew how, but the Long-post of Covers apparently made itself known in the old ruins of Girderhold. We all put aside portions of our rations and stole some work equipment. We must go to Girderhold and meet these dwarves.

28th of Timber, 1286
Our expedition has ended.
Of our initial ten, only nine come home. Girderhold was a but death trap: The upper halls were vacant, but recently used. We went deeper into the mountains, but couldn't find anything. Not even a corpse. When we returned to the surface a group of goblins and a hideous troll were there to greet us ... My brother Wodka died in the ensuing skirmish. He was the most vocal and lively among us, and to a certain extend our leader. He fought bravely and took on the troll all by himself, although none of our family had ever been warriors. His distraction made it possible for us to push past the goblins and escape, but Koknak took a deep wound to his right leg. Sharrie and I carried him for a while until we were out of sight. We cleaned his wound on every stream of water we found, but we are no herbalists. He got double the usual booze ration, though.

We returned to the mountainhome at night and were promptly arrested by the goblin guards. All notes from the journey were taken from me and I now only have the old journal to work with. None of our co-conspirators has shown up in our quarters and every dwarf avoids eye contact with us ... I fear it's over.

1st of Moonstone, 1286
Starting today, we are under a curfew until further notice. The goblins confiscated everything we brought with us from the expedition and the hobgoblins debate on how severe our punishment should be. Koknak is in the hospital, his right leg being treated.
I don't know how, but Rom managed to sneak into the stocks and snuck off with the tablet Koknak engraved on our journey.

19th of Moonstone, 1286
The eight of us departed yesterday. Or rather, fled. We loaded all the goods we had collected prior to our expedition onto a wagon and ran as covert as we could. Two goblins died at our hands on our way out. Koknak is still injured, so he couldn't help with much and without proper healthcare he might suffer an infection, but we had no time.

9th of Opal, 1286
Koknak succumbed to his injuries two days ago. His leg did catch an infection and festered. We had no choice but to amputate it with the axe we brought, but none of us was schooled in medical affairs. We could stop the bleeding, but he had lost a lot of blood and the infect had weakened him too much. He passed away quietly and unconcious.
We made a stop yesterday and buried him as deep as we could dig in a single day. The tablet with the symbol of the Long-post of Covers he chisled will be put up in the entrance hall as soon as we arrive.

27th of Obsidian, 1286
We have arrived where the map showed the old outpost to be. In the midst of a thick forest, of all things. But it's been at least a millenium since this settlement saw dwarven life. Sharrie claimed that she saw a Unicorn earlier this morning, and with those elves that are supposed to live just north of here I wouldn't be surprised if there really was such a thing. We'll have to adjust and fit in until we accomodated ourselves properly ... Somehow, I miss the mountainhome and the hills - It's just flat land and trees all over here.
Tomorrow, we'll look for an entrance to the outpost.

1st of Granite, 1287
The outpost is nothing but a ruin. Not that we could have entered it, if there's anything left underground. The entrance we found after half a day of searching was entirely collapsed: A huge pile of obsidian blocks. I guess even dwarven masonry has its limits when it's left unattended for nearly a thousand years.
This is quite a setback. I had hoped for the legendary dwarves of old to leave us artifacts, remnants, engravings and most importantly shelter, but Sharrie explained yesterday that no chiseld stone would keep form for that long without the healing touch of a mason. Our mood was slightly downed, but we'll manage. Much of the rubble has still block-like measurements and we wanted to eract a proud monument anyway.
The coming months will be loaden with good dwarven work.

These seven are the remainders of the expedition. The so far un-named axemen fought vailiantly in the skirmish against the goblins and was the main reason for the group to be able to escape. Immigrants could be further refugees from The Tame Volcano, dwarves from The Tame Palisade or even survivors of the Long-post of Covers, whom did survive with a few nomad tribes of dwarves roaming both the caverns and the surface world (although this is unknown to our seven brave dwarves). I'll write about the caravans and from what dwarven nation they come from when they arrive. The ruins aren't ment to imply a reclaim, but are my explanation for 250 obsidian blocks I embarked with to start eracting a tower right away. The Ironthrone. I also have plans for the liason and a rough plot outline. For the Ironthrone, new hope to revitalise dwarfdom in this forsaken world!

[Vynadan]

A list of Dorfs:

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Ghinn Omergoden, refugee from The Tame Volcano, current leader, broker and record keeper
Sharrie Cugganish, refugee from The Tame Volcano, mason and building designer
Rom Dodoksanreb, refugee from The Tame Volcano, miner and dabbling warrior
Yerp Solandallith, refugee from The Tame Volcano, woodworker and dabbling axedwarf
Aussieevil Onulkubuk, refugee from The Tame Volcano, digger
Cheveux Tusungadil, refugee from The Tame Volcano, smith

A list of Dorfables:

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Ushrir Alekkikrost, refugee from The Tame Volcano, farmer and mechanic

The waiting list:

[drakon136]

I'll take Rovod. Dorf him/her as Yerp please.

[aussieevil]

I'll take the miner. Name him Aussieevil and if possible give him the title Digger.

[Vynadan]

An overview of the valley:

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Excerpts from the journal of Ghinn Omergoden

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11th of Granite, 1287
I haven't had a lot of time to write. We are all busy acommodating us in this narrow river valley.
Just the day after our arrival Sharrie suggested we start building right on top of the river. I admire her spirit and ideas, but none of us was too phased by that particular one. Still, she was astonishingly insistant. She was stumbling over her own words trying to explain it to us in more detail, but I just put my vote behind her. This constructive mood was just what we need right then, after all this.
She started right away with lugging blocks from the collapsed entrance down to the river ... I couldn't help but be surprised by the strength she has in her skinny body, but she's a dwarf after all. And we did come here to show dwarven strength to the world - Dwarven towers are unheard of, but we'll eract a legendary monument of dwarven masonry here nevertheless. After we're done, dwarves will be famous for the sturdy towers they can build.
Sharrie later started to instruct most of us in the easier parts of a mason's work, but I made sure our two learned miners dug out some underground space and that our one axe is put to good use. We're alone and can never be too careful.

Every night we would come together and discuss the happenings of the day, burn another tree for a fire that could last the night and plan ahead.
Rom told us about the ground under our feet: Lots of sand and some clay further down, even fire clay. Sharrie insists that we put the stockpiles on the first level, but the construction's going to take quite a while. We couldn't even agree on a definite layout for the base level yet. At least the wildlife doesn't seem to caus us any trouble. Fish and peaceful reptiles are all we got to see so far.



19th of Granite, 1287
This evening Rom and Aussieevil reported to us about the first solid stone they found; Lignite and gold no less! Sharrie didn't like to hear of how much soil is underneath the tower; We might have to support the walls, ceilings and stairwells with proper stone walls some day.
Yerp is still clearing the immeadet surrounding of the construction site from trees and the rest of us managed to almost finish the outer tower wall on this side of the stream.

6th of Slate, 1287
We finally managed to convince Sharrie! We're putting stockpiles down below, at least for the time being.

3rd of Felsite, 1287
Yerp put together a couple beds. Beats sleeping in the dirt by far. He'll go through the tunnels Rom and Aussieevil dugto clear the other river side from trees.
Sharrie mentioned she'd start building over the river tomorrow and that we shouldn't try to help her with that for safety reasons. I guess we'll start roofing over the first quarter of the tower now. The rest is still a mess, but that can't be helped.

5th of Felsite, 1287
I noticed a small school of carp passing right under Sharrie. I wouldn't want to be in her place.
Didn't tell her this evening, no need to frighten the twig.

6th of Felsite, 1287
Rom picked up the nickname 'twig' for Sharrie.

Notes from Sharrie Cuggannish
While Sharrie has no formal journal, she can often be seen chiseling away on small rocks. Although masonry is her trade and love, she has trouble planing a construction ahead properly. She imagines this tower, however, to be her upcoming masterwork and furiously thinks of plans with the help of quick drawings to compensate.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Base level. Must floor river good. Ground supports weight? Maybe gotta reinforce. Damn valley got pools everywhere. Shouldn't hollow out all soil below tower.


Farms, plant stocks, small pasture. I hate designing soil.


Even more stocks stuff ... First tower level would be better. Way better.


Another small rock around the dwarven encampment depicts Rom and a tree. The tree is hitting Rom over the head with its twigs, over and over.

New Dorf details:

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It's now the beginning of summer, but I'll sadly have to call it a weekend now.

[Pan]

The Iron Throne? Is this a coincidence or...

[Cheveux]

I'll take Cerol. I'll try to write something for his personality later.

[Mephansteras]

Posting to watch. I like the story you have going here.

[Vynadan]

Parchment background

Cheveux:

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Excerpts from the journal of Ghinn Omergoden

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11th of Hematite, 1287
It rained for over a tenday straight.
We all kept working - what else could we have done? - but it wasn't a pleasent thing. Back in the mountainhomes we didn't have much rain and we were usually indoors, anyway. The entire spring went without rain, so I wonder whether this was exceptional or normal for this region? Only the beds are roofed so far, and we can't put the work down for a tenday if this happens again - We'll have to make due.
I couldn't write anything in this journal during the rain, either. I was smart enough to store it inside the dormitory when it started, but this paper is just too fragile for dwarven hands and weather. Eventually we will eract a Hall of Memories and engrave tablets and walls with this and our history.


13th of Hematite, 1287
We're running out of usable obsidian blocks from the old outpost entrance. Obsidian isn't something naturally occuring anywhere near the surface as far as Rom and Aussieevil could tell, so I assume there must be a magma tube underground somewhere.
the entrance, however, is still blocked by rocks of various sizes - Sharrie said she should be able to cut a lot of them into appropiate form and size, but we'll have to look for other stone to continue building soon.


18th of Malachite, 1287
It started raining again.
This time we decided to bunk inside the dormitory and see if it stops within a day. Soaked beards just aren't any fun and take ages to dry ... My braids aren't even dry from the last rain yet.
So, we had all day to discuss the plans in more detail (or rather, Sharrie started talking about the tower right away and it's as good a topic as any) and by the end of the day we had some more plans lined out. I was quite surprised when Sharrie started talking about the other towers and how she'd plan to connect them with bridges above the great hall. We didn't even know there were supposed to be other towers until then. Aussieevil and Rom immeadetly asked in unison how the towers are supposed to hold if they're only connected with a single bridge and not standing on the ground, but Sharrie just said she could make it work.
We didn't come to clear terms on those 'other towers' - Sharrie has splendid ideas but she just can't explain them. At the end of the day I devoted the last page of the journal to a depcition, but I am no sculptor - of paper even less so.

I've run into the problem that I can't make blocks out of raw obsidian. Even with civilization forge it's still marked as a non-economic stone (in the stockpile menus), but I can't even find it in the z-stone menu. It's literally not there. My guess would be that it isn't listed because I haven't discovered any obsidian naturally yet, but then again there's (= z->stone) all kinds of stone listed that I haven't uncovered yet either. I wanted to build at least the entire ground floor out of obsidian for colour reasons, but I guess I won't be able to do that now.
Posting this mini update in hope for ideas concerning this bug(?). I had hoped to get the first migrants or complete this year before the next post, but oh well. The migrants and caravan will be fully narrated in short stories. (As will be anything truly noteworthy)
Gonna get a new update online tomorrow (at the latest) regardless of the bug.

Pan: Nope, set the name myself if you're refering to that.

The plans (especially those floors still marked with a question mark in the translated version) are open for comments both here and from any dorf willing to write something 

Also: Woo Mephansteras! Love yer mod xD

[Loud Whispers]

Ushrir Alekkikrost.
GIMME GIMME GIMME
Nickname 'Loud Whispers', don't care about the rest ^_^

[Mephansteras]

Hmmm. Could you post the save? Maybe one of us can help figure out what's going on.

[Vynadan]

A dive into the raws revealed ... nothing. This world uses identical raws as two others do, in both of which I have used obsidian for furniture and obsidian appearing in the z-menu. Booting up those two world revealed the interesting lack of obsidian in this menu, however. One world where I have eight obsidian tables and thrones in my dining hall now refuses to use obsidian for any non-economic use ...

So reverting my latest change to the raws (namely adding titanium and cobalt metal + reactions) fixed it. A newly genned world revealed 'rock' tiles which I presume to be the result of failed titanium raws. However, these changes were made to the DF raws and not the world specific ones - Yet cobaltite and titanium appeared in the z-menu of the old worlds. I didn't know origin-raw changes could retroactivly impact already created worlds?

Anyway, this sadly time intensive self-induced bug hunt gobbled some of my play time and with the upcoming migrants I doubt I'll have time to do a proper update today =/

[Triaxx2]

I think Pan is getting at the fact that the main Villainy of the first Baldur's Gate game was called the Iron Throne. Which makes this all that much more awesome.

I'd also like to have the Mechanical Farmer dorfed as Ortho the Unyielding.

[Pan]

I think Pan is getting at the fact that the main Villainy of the first Baldur's Gate game was called the Iron Throne. Which makes this all that much more awesome.

I'd also like to have the Mechanical Farmer dorfed as Ortho the Unyielding.

I was actually referring to the Iron Throne from the HBO series, A Game of Thrones.