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[jams]

I suddenly got a notification that a dwarf, a cook none the less, has gone Berserk. Was briefly stunned by this as I was quite positive that I had no unfulfilled strange moods and all my dwars were at least content (It's a pretty young fortress at the end of it's second year).  Then it hit me - it must have been this outpost liaison that hang around for way to long.  As luck follows the brave n00bs, he just happened to go mad right on top of one my cage traps, so was contained without doing any carnage.  I ended up with a berserk enemy dwarf cook in a cage, yeah I know - I once had all 3 necromancers from a single siege get trapped in my last 3 cage traps, just before I fun-ked up that fort myself.  Luck does not equal smart...

Now this fort was deemed quite an accomplishment - single pick, no skills embark, 4 levels of aquifer and nothing but sphalerite so far.  And it's progressing quite nicely, with 5 underground levels getting pretty much all set up.  I'd really, really like to succeed with it.  And I'd really, really, really hate a loyalty spiral end it.  So please, help:

1) Why did he go insane in the first place? I mean I know it was probably because he didn't leave for too long and I did notice he kept running after my expedition leader a lot.  But why didn't he finish his business and just leave?

2) What should I do with him, being caged and all, while avoiding any further escalation?  Atomize?

[goblolo]

2) What should I do with him, being caged and all, while avoiding any further escalation?  Atomize?

release him and kill with military. The will be no loyality cascade as far  as berserks are enemies.
Youcan always make him being eaten by cave crocs, smashed by cave-in or just drow in the walled murky pool.

[Imp]

I've made a liason wait to long for my leader to talk to him, and he didn't go insane - he decided to leave unhappy.

This could be random - maybe sometimes they decide to leave unhappy, maybe sometimes they decide to stay and go berserk; but I really doubt that.

If this dwarf was not sealed into your fortress for a fairly long time then I strongly disbelieve that he had been a liason.  But I have no alternate theory, based on what you've said, as to why he went crazy.

As far as getting rid of him safely goes, you also have the option of just leaving him caged.  Very little danger in that path, and it leaves an intact pair of socks to eventually collect.

I'm not sure if you can see the thoughts and/or relationships of dwarves that have gone insane, but I know you cannot for liasons; can you examine him like you can your dwarves?

[jams]

Well how didn't I think of it - he's definitely the liaison and also wounded.  His description is the general creature one and his combat report shows that he was attacked by a Goblin Thief, who broke his arm, I would think very likely shortly before going insane.

[AutomataKittay]

I've seen liasions go insane by being sealed in fortress and not being allowed to leave for looong time. Haven't happened to me in a while because they tend to get killed in ambushes or I runs a no invasion fortress to experiment with things.

Being stuck in meeting for too long don't drives them insane, as far as I could figure, just being sealed in without allowing to leave.

[jams]

Well my entrance has not been closed ever and he went berserk and was caged right next to the stairway leading outside.

[AutomataKittay]

Well my entrance has not been closed ever and he went berserk and was caged right next to the stairway leading outside.

I've never had one manage to make it in while being injuried. Was he passing out a lot before he snapped? Probably can't see it in game log, though.

Might be that being hurt badly enough acts similar to being unable to leave?

[jams]

Yup if I remember correctly he did pass out quite a few times.  He basically took 1 hit from the goblin, got his bone chipped and passed out repeatedly.  It was only a goblin thief so it probably just ran away right after hitting the liaison.

[Bloodyharbinger]

Is it possible that NPCs have happiness levels? getting attacked, followed by no meeting may have left him in a very bad mood.

That or maybe he was injured for so long that it was like being trapped.

[AutomataKittay]

Is it possible that NPCs have happiness levels? getting attacked, followed by no meeting may have left him in a very bad mood.

That or maybe he was injured for so long that it was like being trapped.

I suspect the second, I've not heard of any reports of such since early 31. or around 40d, so it's a bit new to me for current version

[Telgin]

I've never seen liaisons go insane, only merchants.  I currently have 4 or 5 liaisons and other diplomats chilling in my dining hall because my count is bugged and won't meet with them.  Some have been there 5+ years.  It could be another bug though, I suppose.

Is it possible that NPCs have happiness levels? getting attacked, followed by no meeting may have left him in a very bad mood.

While I'm pretty sure there is a happiness value in the creature data for NPCs, I don't think it's used.  I think it hangs at 100 permanently.

[Quietust]

It's possible that the liaison went berserk because he was caged, rather than vice-versa - after all, one of the known causes of insanity (which dates back to the 2D versions and which still seems to exist within the code) is for a merchant or diplomat to be caught inside a cage trap.

[jams]

Could the trap have been somehow activated by the goblin attack on him?  It was very likely that the attack and the caging of the liaison happened simultaneously.

[Telgin]

If he was stunned or lost consciousness (gave in to pain, in this case) on top of the cage then that's possible, yes.