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[Grevenis]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forums, and though I've played Dwarf Fortress on and off for some years now, I'd still consider myself to be a novice. I've always been interested in the Community Games, Succession Games, and Stories of DF, as it was stories like these that got me interested in the game in the first place. Because of this, as I'm getting back into DF now, I've decided to record and tell the tale of a Fortress I've started: AncientPraises. This game is run with Masterwork DF.

I created an extremely evil world in worldgen, one with a high propensity for evil biomes as well as large populations of Megabeasts and Titans(who were mostly all murdered in worldgen. Alas.) Because of the dangerous nature of the world, there were only 2 surviving Dwarven Civilizations: The City-Tower of Brew(which sounds like a very interesting place, at least from the name), and The Artifact of Control, the Entity our brave and bold dwarves call home. Pictured below is the world map, with the territory of The Artifact of Control visible.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Both the Dwarven Civilizations dwell in The Tall Teeth, the only non-evil mountain biome in the world. Our bold Dwarven migrants strike off North, to find shelter on the Eastern edges of the Leaky Hills, a Haunted Hill Region. Below is a regional map of the local area.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A foible that I have decided to include is that Dwarves in this land, The Land of Tempests, divide themselves into "Tribes", according to the differing connections they feel to the natural world. These Tribes each work with the others to accomplish all that is needed for the survival of the Dwarven people.

I don't know if this will be more of a Community Fortress or more of a Story Fortress, we'll see. If people would like to be dorfed, ask and I'll consider it.

I'm totally new to the site, so any tips on Formatting and everything else that comes with doing a story would be well appreciated. I hope people get some enjoyment out of another DF story : )

[Grevenis]

Without further adieu, I give you the first month in the history of AncientPraises!


Journal of Kudzu Slyscars, Blood Tribeswoman and leader of the Sepia Halls, Granite 151


Granite 1st

The cart's shoddy wheels or axels or what-not finally gave out, no doubt as a result of taking a brisk route across the shadow thistle and marsh shroom encrusted mounds of these loathsome hills. No matter. We have nearly reached the far side of this wretched place after 2 months hard traveling. and I'm eager to get to work. Queen Liedyellows entrusted Lassida and I with leadership of the initial migrants because of our accomplishments in battle, though as in all things all praise must lie with Armok for empowering his faithful servants.

Lassida has been more patient than I during the journey. She seems able to be happy during long periods of monotony, imagining up fantastical stories inside of her head. Not very traditional, but Lassida never has been. I like her anyways. Me, I want to get things done! If we had been attacked during our journey, at least it could have been thrilling! Instead it was just too long on the same damn cart with the same damn dwarves. At least the fisher berry wine I've been drinking all along the way is fine stuff, it takes the edge off the dullness.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

That there's a list of the dwarves that are along for the trip. Lassida and I, Blood Tribeswomen, sworn to protect our Dwarven brothers and sisters through strength of arms, even unto death. Along with us come the three Stone Tribe miners, Gravel, Ilmenite, and Shard. Thick as thieves, those lot, as miners are apt to be, but I know that Gravel is a faithful worshipper of Onul, like myself, so they can't be so bad.

Then, the two odd ones out, Splatter and Vine, a Water Tribesman and a Plant Tribeswoman, Brewer and Farmer. I think they have no close friends to speak of with them now, though when of course when we 7 lived in the Mountainhalls we happened across each other often enough. Vine must feel odd being the only man along for the initial journey, though perhaps being the only game in town will give him a shot with one of the Miner girls.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

That's where our cart ended up, but it's only a short trek Northeast down the slope to the spot where I think we'll start digging. Now I knew that when the cart ends up breaking down, as carts do, its traditional for a carpenter to take it apart by the boards, so as not waste any valuable lumber. The thing is, we haven't got a proper carpenter, but we've got me, and I know well enough how to use an axe. I got straight to hacking the damn thing apart and had the rest of the crew start carrying our food supplies down to where we're going to dig in. Me and the rest have been lugging barrels of meat, fish, rum, beer, and fisher berry and strawberry wine down the hill all day.

I forgot to mention two of our other faithful companions; the War Dogs bestowed to us by the Queen! We've a great fat loutish one who's a splotchy brown all over, and a slimmer bitch who's black with copper highlights. I don't think anyone's bothered naming them yet though. I've seen them chasing after the odd squirrel on our journey, and I know when the time comes they'll do their utmost in protecting us dwarves.

Ah, I've written too damn much, and wasted too much time for today. I need to get back to carrying barrels, not to mention carrying barrels is a fine and dandy time for the odd sip off of those barrels. I think I'll try some strawberry wine tonight. May Onul fly across the Moon on this night that we have reached our new home, and may the Ancients be Praised for their sacrifices that brought us to this day.

(Well, day one went on a while and its a bit late, to say the least. More to come tomorrow!)

[bsnott]

I'll be watching this.

[Timeless Bob]

Doing fine.  Go on.

[Grevenis]

I'll be watching this.

Thanks for your vote of confidence, good sir : )


Granite 2nd - 7th

The first week in our new home has passed mostly uneventfully, though time passed quickly as it does in times of laboring. I've spent some time getting aquainted with the process of "Wood-cutting". Some dwarves will tell you this is a demanding craft, but I don't see how. The trees I've come across so far have no sense at all, not even trying to dodge my axe swings! The next time some Plant Tribesdwarf complains of the difficulties of wood-cutting, I'll assign them to goblin-cutting and see if they find it any easier. Oh, I didn't even mention, not only do the trees not dodge, they don't swing back either! What nuttery!

By about midweek, the Miners had started tunneling through some stone that they call "Dolomite." I don't know the first thing about stone, but they seem happy to jab their way through stone instead of peat, and it means we'll have stone for our Mason Gravel to work with.

Speaking of the Miners, Ilmenite won't stop rambling on about how wonderful it would be to find some Titanium. She seems obsessed with the stuff. This strange behavior hardly surprises me anymore. I'm pretty sure I saw her chasing after a garter snake with her pick earlier. I'm not sure if I hope she caught it.

I've drawn a sketch below of our digsite, and the initial food stockpile, still being filled up. Hauling takes some time with just seven dwarven souls and three of them occupied with digging, that's to be sure.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

By the end of the week our tunnel was near enough to done that I instructed the miners to begin carving out a spiral staircase. I know many overseers want to painstakingly draw out blueprints, but I'm more than happy to let Gravel or whoever else decide how it should be done, as long as there are some stairs I can walk up and down at the end.

The Leaky Hills have been quiet, despite their discomfiting reputation for strange and unfortunate goings-on. The only wildlife we've seen around thus far have been some horses passing by to the east, and some strange furry duckfaced creatures near the sparse pools in these parts. Without an Animal Tribesmen among us, nobody knows the proper name for these things, but they look harmless enough.

All in all, it's been as good a first week as a dwarf should hope for. Let the Oil of Armok continue to grease the mechanisms of Dwarven industry!


Granite 8th - 14th

Ah, this week has been much more exciting, and let it never be said that I can't appreciate a good thrill!

Things continued as normal for the first half of the week, Lassida and I carrying barrels along with the other two non-miners. For a Water Tribesman, Spatter is actually quite the strong dwarf. Most of the Water folk I've met are scrawny types, good for little more than the all-important brewing that Waters seem so adept at. I suppose that to come along to establish a colony one has to have some amount of bravery and strength. I've heard her complaining and wishing that we had some Royal Fisher Berry Wine instead of the more workmanlike stuff that we have, but the day I fault a fellow dwarf for longing for finer booze is the day I become a hypocrite.

Around mid-week the tunnel was finished and the Miners began digging the spiral stairs as I had instructed, and this is when things got interesting. After barely half a day of digging, I heard excited shouts as I was hauling in some Dwarven Rum. I headed down the tunnel to investigate, and Shard nearly bumped into me, running down the hall and laughing loudly.

"Overseer, Ooo ah con't b'lieve it, we gone down jus' a wee bit n' we gon and s'ruck some 'ematite righ' off the bat! Its a wonder innit!? Praises ta' the Am'ers of Escavadin'!"

Now I've said earlier that I know little of stone, but I know enough to know of Hematite! Armok's mighty ligaments that yield iron for his faithful followers! That Armok has seen fit to grant us hematite means two things. First, that we are watched over by Armok in our colonizing endeavor, a good omen. Second, and even more excitingly, it means that we'll have need for iron in the future.

There was some excitement among the dwarves as the news spread, but later in the day there was another discovery. After just a bit more digging, Ilmenite broke through into open space and nearly took a tumble. Thankfully she was sure-footed, but she nonetheless had unearthed a cavern. When I ordered the staircase dug, I thought that we could go much deeper before coming across caverns, but apparently the great halls of Armok lie just about one solid day's digging beneath our feet.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 Though it is in a Blood Tribesdwarf heart to be brave, it is more important to protect one's dwarven brothers and sisters. Thusly I have ordered Gravel to dig out a space for the construction of a Mason's Workshop, there to fit a slab to block off the entrance to the caverns. I don't want some loathsome flying beast coming to feast on my kin.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'm glad things are finally getting interesting around here, as I'm not one for monotony and waiting around!