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[flabort]

BTW, Does this challenge allow for reclaims? And do I have to relearn each previously unlocked industry?

Cause I don't think I'm going to find another embark like this, unless I play my backup.

[CatkinsFTW]

Sprawl, Impressive story.  Congratulations.

[Tevish Szat]

Captain's Log: 6 Obsidian, Mission Year 2
The Elephant has crash-landed on a foreign world.  The ship is nearly a total loss, its quickly corroding hull providing little protection from the elements.  Almost all of our technology is a total loss, and none of us know how to build from scratch anymore.  I've spoken with the other officers: seven of us will strike out and attempt to establish a base, taking supplies for travel and our few pre-technological tools with us.  The rest will remain behind with the lasguns and bulky water purifier, and hold the wreck, since the distress beacon will lead any relief straight to it.

I hate to tell them, but if the seven of us live and get a good home in order, I'm going to want them to follow us to our new base.  The only working distress beacon is radio, not FTL: barring a lucky search and rescue, it will be ten years before the nearest base hears from us, twenty if the signal has to reach Kinmelbil.

As such, I'll be leading the survey team, named "The Royal Beast" in honor of our ship, which was named for the King of Beasts of Kinmelbil.  It consists of the following dwarves:

Sakzul Strapportals, Botanist.  She can tell us what plants are good to eat and what aren't, which as long as we're living like hunter gatherers is going to be important.
Shorast Appeargold, Xenobiologist. Shorast will want to see the native life of this world, and I'm not going to deny her the opportunity.  She'll be working under Sakzul, though she's also a great brewer.
Onol Bronzefancied, Geologist. Onol has offered his services as a miner.  He says he knows all the possible stones we could encounter, and while he can't do much with them, he can at least delve us secure lodgings with a little help.
Ilral Fenceddashed, Ensign.  Before the crash, we joked that Ilral had better not be part of any landing party: in a 500-dwarf crew, he was the only one who hadn't left the surface of Kinmelbil before.  The jokes about green ensigns never returning from landing parties seem in bad taste now.  He apparently took a geology course once, so he'll be working with Onol
Ustuth Cryptwaxes, Chief of Security.  She insisted on coming along, saying that her boys had the wreck locked down, and her captain couldn't go into hostile territory without her.  Since she was born in space, she seems to consider trees potential "hostiles".  At least cutting them down willy-nilly lets her vent some of that anger.
Tosid Tinpuzzle, Chief Engineer.  I wish I could convince him to stay with the wreck, since his tinkering might actually be useful there.  I don't have the heart to make it an order, though, so for now he'll answer to Ustuth, attacking trees.
Lastly, myself, Kib Boltedtunneled, Captain of the lamented Elephant.  I haven't stopped blaming myself for the crash, and my skills are of no use off the bridge, but I'm not about to let my crew wander into the unknown without facing those same dangers myself.  I'll be doing whatever labor is needed

We have the following supplies...
One hastily constructed wagon.  It won't go very far, so we'd better be in a good place when it breaks down.
Two local draft animals Shorast managed to wrangle.  We're lucky they're tractable, because Shorast knows nothing about Animal Husbandry.
A few cats and dogs from the ship.
2 Copper Picks from Onol's supplies.
3 Small hatchets, suitable for cutting wood but about as useful for fighting as wood training axes would be.
5 empty bags, just in case.
Some seeds native to our home: Plump Helmets, Cave Wheat, Dimple Cups, Sweet Pods, and Quarry bushes.  Of course, the only sort of farming we're familiar with is on-ship Hydroponics.
160 units of booze, give or take about a month's supply.
80 units of food or so, protein glop that tastes like vermin brains... in fact, I think that might be what they make these emergency rations from.
A lot of barrels and some bags to haul it all in


Captain's Log: 1 Granite, MY 3
After a journey from the wreck into the forbidding wilderness, our wagon has finally broken down.  According to Onol, though, this as good a place as any we've seen to build an outpost.  I can't see it -- we're still in a tropical swamp, though it's just a little bit cooler than the crash site to the south.  Still, I guess there are abundant trees for Ustuth to fight and plants for Sakzul to harvest.  We're calling our new base camp "Starfallen"  Strike the Earth, Onol.

Captain's Log: 26 Granite, MY 3
While helping cut wood for future projects, I noticed Ustuth and Tosid got out of sight.  When I finally found where they'd gotten off to without their axes they were... not in a state fit to be inspected by their captain.  I wish them the best, really.  They're young (especially considering their ranks), ecstatic about the matter, and there's little else for them to do I suppose.

Captain's Log, 28 Hematite, MY 3
Had our first run-in with hostile native life today, but Ustuth dispatched the thing without too much trouble

Captain's Log, 3 Malachite, MY 3
Dwarves appeared on the horizon today.  At first we thought it was the others from the crash site but instead... they were strangers.   It seems this world is a fallen colony, and the dwarves here have regressed to a feudal state.  This particular group of Homesteaders declares themselves to be from a civilization known as Inod Rash "The Gates of Death"... hardened survivors, driven near extinction by one of the three endemic sapient races that they refer to as goblins.  the other two, Elves and Humans, might prove a boon should we encounter them

While none of these weary travelers have the skills to help us establish industries, they've promised a caravan will be coming along their path in the fall, capable of bringing such knowledge with it, and in the meantime want to join our settlement.

We need all the extra hands we can get right now, so these seven local migrants are now part of the crew.  I just hope this doesn't prove our undoing on the "food and booze" score.

[Tevish Szat]

Captain's Log: Timber, MY 3
We received an envoy and traders from the Gates of Death.  we traded some uncut gems for woodworking tools, which thanks to Tosid's ingenuity, we should be able to replicate, creating something of a carpentry industry here.  Tosid also thinks that we could make a "killing" assembling parts for some early siege machines.

Also, I've had to switch this recording from battery to solar cells... I won't be making quite as many reports, especially because the day-to-day running of Starfallen seems to be under control.

Captain's Log: Slate, MY 4
One of the new carpenters, a local was struck by some terrible sort of inspiration.  According to other locals, this sort of thing is common, and results in insanity and death if demands can't be met.  I hope to Armok we have everything Meng needs, as he's taken over one of our carpenter's workshops.

It's unclear whether this phenomenon, called a "Strange mood" is based in genetic drift, or the environment of the planet we now reside on.  I hope we don't lose any of our crew to this sort of thing.


Captain's Log: Felsite, MY 4
We have seen our first alien species.  the "Elves" Arrived today.  I was eager to trade with them, but some of the locals advised against it.  We might give them some of the rough gems we had traded with the dwarven caravan, but any of our new wooden items would be viewed as offensive.  Not one to provoke an international incident, I decided to quickly greet them, and ask that they return next year when hopefully we had some better trade goods...

[Tevish Szat]

Captain's Log: 17 Sandstone, MY 4
Another carpenter recovered from one of these "strange moods" today, having created a statue of... me.  I would be afraid of being too much of an influence on local culture, but since this looks to be a fallen colony, it can't hurt too much.  There was also an image of a terrible, one-eyed monster  on the statue, indicating the vile creature that also called these tepid swamps home.

I hope we never meet it: the ballistas are behind schedule, and we're at or over the number of dwarves we can sustain by gathering.  If we were attacked now, we'd be done for.  The caravan from Inod Rash is overdue, though not by too much at this point.  I hope they bring the plows and hoes we requested: farming is essential.


Captain's Log: Timber, MY 4
The caravan finally arrived, and they have the farming tools.  Soon, we won't have to rely on shrubs for our sustenance.  They also have thread, which is important as one of the natives has been laid up in bed waiting for a suture since early summer.  Those honey badgers are brutal creatures!

I've requested a suite of tools and manuals for next year, but the liason says only that he'll "see what he can do" -- hopefully, we'll get at least one of masonry or crafting.  He does say he'll check up on the crash site as well.

Since we don't have a mason's workshop, I've ordered crude fortifications constructed.  I'd prefer block walls, and a titanium hull even more, but these should afford at least some protection.

Captain's Log: Obsidian, MY 4
We've made first contact with the "Kobolds".  Filthy, skulking creatures... they run off as soon as we see them.  Still, it means that less savory sorts are beginning to find Starfallen.  I hope we can get our walls in place before the Goblins find us.

[Tevish Szat]

Captain's Log: Felsite, MY 5
We've been ambushed while trading with the elves.  a wall was constructed swiftly, and will hold them... but I do not know for how long.  We have our farms sealed in... Only one dwarf trapped outside, a native peasant.  Armok have mercy on his soul.  I don't know how much the sunberry seeds we traded for will do to handle the fact we are, in effect, under siege.

Captain's Log: Hematite, MY 5
The elves want to leave.  Right now.  With a band of goblins outside.  I could breach the wall to allow them out, but it would be brutally dangerous.  Still, I do not know how dangerous the elves could become if they decided to turn on us for some perceived imprisonment.  I'm tempted to allow them to make a run for it.

Captain's Log: Malachite, MY 5
Miners discovered caverns deep underground.  They lead far away... how far, none know, but the elves have departed that way.  I've ordered the path sealed behind them with a hatch.  Though wooden, hopefully nothing will be able to break in through it from below.

Captain's Log: Malachite, MY 5, Supplemental
Migrants arrived.  I shouted from the walls for them to get ready for a fight.  Poor folks didn't stand a chance.  Cut down one and all they were, but at least they died on their feet.  As mayor, I've mandated we make some spears.  the sharpened sticks we'll produce would do no good against these hideous monsters, but it makes me feel better.

[Tevish Szat]

Captain's Log: Galena, MY 5
The goblins departed as we got our first view of humans.  Their wagons bypassed our site, but all the same it seems like the greenskins were frightened off.  We should be able to receive the dwarven caravan normally.

Captain's Log: Timber, MY 5
The dwarven caravan arrived... and so did squads of goblins.  We traded wooden baubels (Giant spiked balls) for some weapons and armor, but I do not know how long we'll hold out.  We need our defenses finished yesterday!

Captain's Log: Moonstone, MY 5
We've finished burying our dead.  The merchant guards, better armed and prepared than we, dispatched the goblins here... I fear when more of them come we will be overrun.  I've also secured the secrets of masonry, however... should we last that long, we'll have a decent defense next year... until then, I'm going to order this fortress SEALED -- the local dwarves did check up on the crash site, and found it completley overrun.  These goblins are fierce and merciless, like no creatures we've ever seen before.

[Necrisha]

Necro'ing this for reference because I think I'm going to try starting it this later today/tomorrow, and to keep handy till then.

[Callista]

I'm necrobumping this topic to ask:

Would anybody be interested in doing a succession game with this challenge? I think it'd be really cool to try running a fort with very limited access to tech at first; then as time goes on and the fort gets more technology, challenge comes from the sheer crazy of a succession fort.

[Wheeljack]

I'm not one for succession forts, but I will thank you for bringing this challenge back to the top.

Going to give this a go when I get home from work. Read through most of the responses and it looks fun. I think I may go with random industries for added challenge.

[Niddhoger]

I'm tempted to try this too.  What surprises me the most is that everyone is complaining about losing dwarves to strange moods, but only one person decided to add crafting as their second industry.  With so many industries locked, most of your dwarves will default to a craft-shop.  Fishing and herbalism  can still bring in food without need farms.  Herbalism used to be super-terrible, but that was mostly due to dragging barrels to each shrub, if you forbid barrels in the plant stockpile you could double (or more) the speed.  Just have a barrel-less stockpile act as the "feeder" to another that only accepted from links (but did have barrels).  No picking an herb, running back to the stockpile to drag a (very heavy) full barrel to the shrub, then slowly dragging it back, then returning to the shrub DIRECTLY ADJACENT to the previous one to repeat the whole mess.  It was just shrub->deposit->return without that slow middle trip.  Also, crafting gives you pots (to start using stones) and the ability to make bone/shell armor as well as a source of income besides low-value plants and food.  If you had obsidian, aren't obsidian swords made at a craftshop? I've never used them tbh.  Craftshops would also let you make wood/bone bolts to expand hunting operations and create some semblance of an actual military.  You can still carve fortifications afterall. 

All in all, this seems like a fun way to shake things up and focus on different industries.  I'd probably do woodworking->crafting->smelting->metal->mechanics, or just go for wood->craft->stoneworking->mechanics to get the bridges up a year earlier.  Stone grates to help with securing acquifers would also be preferred. 

Oi! I should totally embark on an aquifer.  Woodworking is the only thing I'd need to unlock to breach the aquifer (wooden blocks, pipe sections, and corckscrews.  Assembled by an architect+carpenter). Thus, the caravan teaches us how to access the wealth of the earth beneath the aquifer that had been keeping them from prosperity (and true dwarfhood) for centuries!  Besides, without stoneworking, metalworking, and mechanics I have no real need to get below the damned thing. 

With 42.XX, how do you feel about scholars? It seems like they should be banned, or alternatively required.  You need scholars of your own fort to meet with and interpret what the outsiders are teaching you.  Or they could be trying to make up for lost time with actually unlocking industries along with their discoveries. Hmmmm...

[Sanctume]

How about Require Library build,

and when your +5 mechanic skill founder writes a book, this makes Mechanic open to you without waiting a year?

Same for other scholarly jobs probably: Diagnostician+5 to write a book = Medical Tech.

There are is a Fluid Logic too isn't in? Write a book about it, then opens use of Screw Pumps.

I was considering doing Wood then Metalurgy

[Wheeljack]

Athira Alino, The Plane of Dawning

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The little red box is where I'm embarking. Fort name is Workgrowl, which was too perfect to change considering this is supposed to be a group of uncivilized cavemen. Lots and lots of Goblins in this world. They've already decimated a Dwarven civilization, along with an elven one as well. It'll be interesting to see if they can chew through the remaining Dwarven empire.

I made it slightly harder on myself and did not assign points to skills that are attached to locked industries. It makes sense that if you've never built a table before, you'd kinda suck at it when you're first taught. XD Of course this means nothing to my immigrants who show up with all manner of skills, but ah well. Also sticking with random industries being unlocked. Loaded up on food and booze, mostly. Brought some extra barrels. I thought about some weapons and what not, but decided I could always get them from the caravan.

Autumn, Year 250

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

          Trading was a success! Also a pain. Luckily there was limonite on the map, so it was slightly less painful than it could have been. Traded for as much booze as I was able and three wooden training swords for the first pass. Then tried dumping the remaining rocks and rough gems on them, but they left before I could get enough there to trade for other things. Like more barrels or goblets. OTL

          But the caravan gifted Workgrowl with it's first new industry, Farming. Oddly appropriate, but not what I was hoping for.

Current Population: 15
Deaths: 0

Spring, Year 251

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

          Our first possession happened, and of course they want a Craftsdwarf Workshop. That won't be happening unless the RNG declares it so. That's assuming this poor SOB can last til Autumn. Also of note... I just got a monster wave of 30 immigrants. Why. Workgrowl is literally a hole in the ground with some farming. This... might prove problematic.
          The WereJackal Aru Somethingsomething has come! Now you will know why you fear the night! Cobbled together a full squad from our 30 newbies, but it did no good. One of Workgrowl's founders, our Woodcutter, crossed paths with the beast before the squad could get to it first. Then it transformed into a lousy human and ran away. It could have been worse. Much, much worse. EDIT: I spoke too soon. The Woodcutter was the lover of the Expedition Leader. He dropped everything he was doing and is grieving.

Current Population: 44 [7 Children]
Deaths: 1

Summer, Year 251

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

          We've lost another founder to a strange mood. Just couldn't hang on until Autumn, it seems. Went insane in the middle of about 30 dwarfs. Took a swing at the nearest body, and that was that. He was dead within seconds as every dwarf within line of sight dog piled him. No injuries for anyone involved. No one seems too broken up about it, and our Expedition Leader seems to be over the loss of his lover, as well. Annnd, our first baby is born to the fort...
          It seems on the tail of our failed mood, we have another possession as the end of summer approaches. It's a fishery worker from the huge wave of newcomers, so he wants a Craftsdwarf Workshop as well. It was nice knowing you. And I almost forgot, 6 more immigrants showed up. I may go and cap my population. This is kind of ridiculous. All I can do is dig and farm, guys. There is nothing here for you.
          Autumn can't come soon enough.

Current Population: 50 [8 Children]
Deaths: 2

Autumn, Year 251
          Goblin snatcher! The dog chained up by the entrance scared him away, and then one of our other dogs tried chasing him down. Got to the point that they were running circles around the fort interrupting everything, so I sent our ill-equipped squad after him. This resulted in a long drawn out chase that finally ended just as the caravan arrived. One injured. Leg got gibbed, so I'll need to buy a crutch for the bugger.
          Unearthed some gold while digging, so it went straight to the Depot, along with the clothes of the fallen. Speaking of, our first ghost has appeared. It's the ghost of our Woodcutter, and it's violent. Our Expedition Leader isn't as over her death as I thought, too. Had to assign another trader because he's refusing to budge or do anything. This... does not bode well.
          Our newest industry is Leatherworking. Well, at least I can armor my squad now, but it means our dear Fishery Worker is toast. Edit: Speaking of... he just went stark raving mad and is running around naked.

Population: 50 [8 Children]
Deaths: 2

[sensei_shade]

Just started this challenge. This was made more challenging by two facts: first, I accidentally embarked without any skills for my dwarves, which was interesting. Secondly, I had a werecoyote in my first winter. It bit a miner and the miner survived. I now have a werecoyote miner and have no idea what to do about this problem.

So this is pretty fun, is what I'm saying.

[Niddhoger]

Just started this challenge. This was made more challenging by two facts: first, I accidentally embarked without any skills for my dwarves, which was interesting. Secondly, I had a werecoyote in my first winter. It bit a miner and the miner survived. I now have a werecoyote miner and have no idea what to do about this problem.

So this is pretty fun, is what I'm saying.

Wall him up deep below the earth and have him just endlessly mine.  You might want to designate a temple for him (just out of an empty space) and maybe a tavern too, to keep him sane.  Anyways, hey'll never need food/drink and shouldn't sleep either.  Just have him haul the stones near the access point and after a transformation, tear down the wall and rebuild it behind the stone/ore/gems/flux he's dug up. 

I'd suggest sending down (someone of the same sex) to infect so he could have someone to talk to, but that usually requires cage traps to do safely.