I started a new fort. Nothing too serious, this being one of my only 2-3 short fortresses since upgrading to the newest version. Untamed wilds, a barren area that likes to freeze over every winter. (As it should.) I'd give you a history of the fort's beginning, but it really wasn't too interesting. Aside from the occasional gray langur man attack, Earthenmetals was a quiet and prosperous fort. It was only around about 3 years into its life that things took a turn for the worse.
The dead walk! Right onto my map! Led by a necromancer with a name something along the lines of "Cespi" or "Cedi." Either way, I prepared to lock down my fortress since I had yet to get my military up and running. This necromancer's reign of terror had Earthenmetals tied down for quite some time. When he finally left the map (...without me even noticing!
) I was eager to get my dwarves back to fishing and ultimately cleaning up my guest's trash. Just when I thought things were cooling down, a goblin ambush reared its head. With a human caravan backing my meager military (still without equipment due to my fumbling around) they were quickly routed. Earthenmetals' first victory! ... Or so it had seemed.
I can't seem to recall my military tossing their babies into the hands of snatchers during their brief stay outside. I certainly don't recall any cries of alarm from parents by the river. Regardless, a good 4-5 children were snatched that day. My dorfs did not take the loss of their children without sorrow. Tantrums flared, people began smacking the chickens around, and tables once used for discussion about how no one ever does their job because there are too many meeting hall parties were thrown about the dining hall.
Tantrums quickly became more and more violent, until finally the entire fortress was tearing itself apart. This continued for months.
In the middle of all the senseless mayhem, a newly drafted vampire decided it was high time to suck someone dry. After I found the victim (one of my first 7, no less) I rooted out the vampire, and made him stand outside to await the newly arriving goblin ambushes. If nothing else, I intended to use his strength to maybe break one or two of the ambushes. The caravans that alerted me to them in the first place were no help at all. Needless to say, opening the gate wasn't the brightest idea. No matter how far away the gobbos are.
Another necromancer appeared, slipping past my dorfpire, and immediately began raising everything within 100ft of him. Waves of undead stormed out to meet the goblins in combat, while even more were being popped out of my near 60 coffins down below. The few that were sane enough to run, ran. Those that were too insane, stayed. They all died. Even the baby chicks.
...And the best part of the story? The militia vampire just casually walked around all of this chaos as if it didn't even effect him. The army of undead that now occupies Earthenmetals doesn't seem to mind him one bit. He's currently been stationed in one of the 10 bedrooms, were I locked him in just to ensure I could continue running the fortress.
So there you have it, my first real fortress of 2012. If I can figure out how to upload files to the Depot, and if anyone actually wants to see it, I'll let you guys take a look. Pretty amusing. I think I may let it continue to run, since I don't think vampires need food or anything. His ghost friend will keep him fairly sane, I should think. (A certain ghost seems attached to him for one reason or another. Funny enough, they both have the same first name.) Maybe we can see first hand how powerful necromancers can get post-world gen?