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[Roostre]

If the killing of merchants fails to result in elven sieges, there's something important you have to remember: There is no such thing as an elf merchant.

There is only the Occupy Trade Depot movement, a subculture of elves that lives to squat on dwarf depots as a way of peacefully protesting the dwarves' disrespect for nature (as well as whatever other concepts vaguely tied to dwarfkind they happen to be offended about at the moment). Their offers to barter you some of their cloth and caged animals are only meant to distract you while they sneak into your fortress to dig up dirt on your operation so they can spread the word to their fellow elves that yes, dwarves really do power their forges with orphaned saplings.

There is a simple three-step process to follow when Occupy Trade Depot arrives to your fortress:
- Kill the elves.
- Take their goods for free.
- When future merchants ask about the skeletons littering your depot, use gem-encrusted giant capybara skull totems to distract them. You're trading 'em off anyhow.

[Sutremaine]

- Take their goods for free.

It occurs to me that, most of the time, I'm paying the elves to go away by offering them whatever low-quality stuff I've made a pile of over the winter. Given how little of the average elven caravan is useful to me (all I want is another giant dingo!), the elves are probably getting the best deal out of the three trading races. Oh well, works for me.

[xana55]

Trades are really just a worn out clothing disposal system for me. Occasionally they bring something nice but I normally just buy all there food and trade them a ton of threadbare socks.

[enolate]

Offered elves a masterwork oaken goblet. They left in a huff right into a goblin ambush. And they still came back the next year. International incidents aren't easy to arrange.

[0cu]

First they besiege me, now they are up to trade with me again. Someone understand those humans. Opportunists.

[Tevish Szat]

Trades are really just a worn out clothing disposal system for me. Occasionally they bring something nice but I normally just buy all there food and trade them a ton of threadbare socks.

Basically.  Elves may be prone to hissy fits and mating with trees, but when they give me sunberries, sunshine, extra logs, and tame giant monsters in exchange for literal trash, I find it difficult to hate them too much.

[enolate]

Trades are really just a worn out clothing disposal system for me. Occasionally they bring something nice but I normally just buy all there food and trade them a ton of threadbare socks.

Basically.  Elves may be prone to hissy fits and mating with trees, but when they give me sunberries, sunshine, extra logs, and tame giant monsters in exchange for literal trash, I find it difficult to hate them too much.

This is true. Dumping prepared meals out of barrels is not that bad, and they don't even complain about fish anymore. From my perspective, it's more that I'm curious as to what a wooden axe can do against steel.

[brainfreez]

You can just seize all of their goods and save up that masterwork steel axe for the dwarves.

[thegoatgod_pan]

You can't provoke elves without dfhack. The only times elves have attacked me is when I embarked already at war with them, from world gen

[0cu]

First they besiege me, now they are up to trade with me again. Someone understand those humans. Opportunists.

Yesterday they besieged me with 3 squads again. Stupid human! I can't do anything about their caravans falling down my waterfall. 

[Spacespinner]

So far I'm just below 1300 trees felled BEYOND the cap set by the the elf diplomat (fixed to allow him to spawn). If this doesn't piss them off I don't know what will.
Never managed to be at war before no matter how many I killed.