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[TheOnlySolitaire]

Blackspire Initiative Megaguild.

Here at Blackspire Initiative, we develop your future. From new foods, to new weapons. Every day, something we make, makes your life better.

Usually.

Blackspire Initiative is leading the way in scientific innovation. And YOU can be a pioneer of SCIENCE, by volunteering to be a test subject in our low-risk experiments.

Blackspire Initiative.
For a better tomorrow.


Caution: some experiments are high risk.

Side effects may include but are not limited to:
dizziness,
fever,
nausea,
partial or complete paralysis,
blindness,
cannibalism,
depression,
rage,
memory loss,
insanity,
minor-injuries,
and death.



(PLEASE NOTE: The story is just a framing device for my actual !!SCIENCE!! testing of things that can be used in other forts if they work. If they don't work, they may inspire you to make your own variations.)



------------------------------------------------------------------
BSI MG F-13 progress log,
From: Blackspire Initiative, Facility 13
To: Blackspire Initiative Megaguild HQ
------------------------------------------------------------------
Log entry # 1
attachments:
ATLAS testing chamber =

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

# = wall, constructed or smoothed and engraved
+ = smoothed and engraved floor
L = lever linked door
D = standard door (pets NOT permitted)
v = downward ramp (filled with 3/7 water to function as a bath)
B = bed
S = statue
Fp = quantum food/drink pile
H = lever-linked hatch (for pitting)

z-Level 0
#######
L ++D v B#
#++#SFp#
#######
---------------
z-level 1
#######
D++ D++#
#H+#+ H#
#######

+++++

We arrived early in the morning a day later than scheduled. Thankfully, the forward team has completed set-up to a reasonable degree, although I want it on record that they have not completed the facility to specifications - they have not even constructed a basic dormitory, let alone the desired individual bedrooms we asked for!
It would seem that my insistence on paying out the extra expense for the 8-dwarf penal construction team to accompany us was worth every coin; they are really going to earn their freedom here...

We lost some of the animals, material, a few research personnel, and most importantly, all the test chamber blueprints en-route to site. Bandits waylaid us 8 days out from our destination. Will attach the full report and list of what we need to have replaced when the first site inspection happens this fall. I'm sure we will cope until then.

The test chambers need to be constructed before we can begin experiments. They will have to be standard ATLAS pattern testing chambers to begin with, as we have lost the blueprints to bandits on the journey to this facility.

We should have them up and running by next report. Hopefully.
Armok knows what fresh hell this cold featureless biome holds for us.
I have faith in our head of security though - he came very highly recommended. A well renowned ex-adventurer from what our intel reports on him indicated. Still, I do have reservations about having only a single dwarf defending all 16 of us, however talented he may be...

I hope to have more for you next time.

Site Officer & Project Lead, Tomb Craftshadow

+++++

end of log.
------------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHOR NOTES: Please read.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I was reading the Dwarven daycare thread, and started getting ideas. Inspiration if you will. I had been previously experimenting with new traps anyway, coming up with some interesting designs too, so testing it all out seemed like a bit of fun.
 
So I got the idea to make a fort, specifically to test out lots of new theories I've had, from dwarven childcare (which no-one seems to have successfully achieved), to trap design, and more, and so I decided to try and put them to !!SCIENCE!!.

I also like writing stories, so the two ideas have become entwined somewhat. I'll post in character in the log (as above), and between logs I'll comment like this. The posts will be irregular, I have weird hours, so whenever I can fit in play time and writing time, it'll be posted.


For the sake of accuracy:

I'm playing Accelerated Modest Mod, with some personal modifications, ONLY adding in weapons, super-rare castes for adventure mode (will ignore if they show up in testing), and a complete overhaul of the Kobold civs - they act much more like Warhammer Skaven now; highly murderous, tricksy and mischievous, but still cute.
Entities are using custom languages - most obvious is the Dwarves use ENGLISH. I've added many words myself, some specifically for this project.

No mods have been made to fort mode.

SO ALL RESULTS SHOULD BE REPLICABLE IN VANILLA. Or at least in Accelerated Modest mod.

I am using DFHack for ease of use on a number of things, but there is no stat changing. All testing has been done with all DFHack plugins off - no superdwarf, no fastdwarf, no armoks_blessing etc.

I have used DFHack plugin 'startdwarf' to up my starting 7, to a starting 17.
Partly so I can set up my fort quickly, and partly to increase the numbers of female dwarves I start with - being I plan on using children and adults, I need a good supply of children/babies.

I am using dfusion's 'empregnate' command to make the females have babies quickly. Although I will still have to hope the migrant waves bring children and useless adults(HA!).

Notably, I have used Perfect World to custom make this world, and changed the parameters to allow me significantly more points for embark. This was only to allow me to take large quantities of food and drink and tools etc, allowing me much more time to focus on the testing, and stopping me from getting bogged down in setting up a fort. I also brought lots of training spears, as I wanted them all to be standard quality spears, so as to keep results uniform.

For those interested in the biome :

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

the biome I am on is a completely flat, part-warm forest (I forget which type) and part-cold confierous forest (possibly a bit of tundra too).
There is a stream running east to west through the lower middle of the map.
The stream is completely in the cold biome, and thus freezes over. My fort is located on the north side of the stream, half in the cold biome, and half in the warm biome. I cut down most of the trees, and have been periodically using DFhack to 'extirpate all' trees and bushes, leaving the biome plain. I manually drained the pools on the north side of the stream, then used dfhack 'liquids' to fill the holes in with obsidian.


I used DFHack 'liquids' to paint Obsidian walls of the facility - all sides of the map are still open and accessible, with 4 squares between the edge of the map and the first wall, so caravans can come from any direction. The south of the river is left completely open (no obsidian walls), so wildlife isn't impeded, just diverted from my fort.
For the purpose of story, the term 'Megaguild', is synonymous with corporation/mega-corporation.
Also, all titles, are either renamed for the story, or are made up for the story. All the dwarf names are as they appear in game though.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. I'll post updates in the same format as above, but will answer questions etc in the comments normally using lime green text.



[/spoiler]

If anyone wants to draw what happens here, please do - I do enjoy the MSpaint comics. Any who do draw, can name a staff member/test subject who will feature somewhere in the story! Also, please feel free to add your own ideas for experiments or improvements on any designs or methods I am using


P.S. in future, the Author notes won't be nearly so long. (I hope)

[TheOnlySolitaire]

------------------------------------------------------------------
BSI MG F-13 progress log,
From: Blackspire Initiative, Facility 13
To: Blackspire Initiative Megaguild HQ
------------------------------------------------------------------
Log entry # 2 

attachments:
proposed blueprint for ATLAS chamber mark.II =

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

# = wall, constructed or smoothed and engraved
+ = smoothed and engraved floor
L = lever linked door
D = standard door (pets NOT permitted)
v = downward ramp (filled with 3/7 water to function as a bath)
B = bed
S = statue
Fp = quantum food/drink pile
H = lever-linked hatch (for pitting)
W = clear glass window

z-Level 0
#WW####
L ++D v B#
#++#SFp#
#WW####
---------------
z-level 1
#######
D++ D++#
#H+#+ H#
#######

+++++

Our first group of test subjects arrived today, 5 children and 2 adults. The testing wing was left unfinished by the forward team, so I put the convicts on finishing it properly as soon as possible - what's wrong with society when the convicts work harder than the officially hired guildsdwarves? It's those bloody unions, I'm telling you!
 
Talking of the convicts, I spoke with the elected leader of the penal-labor team. They are lead by a dwarf named 'Knife Rakeship', a charmingly roguish ex-thief; apparently, he was the dwarf responsible for the 'vault heist at OilyReaches' last year.
He tunneled into the vault from underneath and stole most of the Duke's gold and jewels and his prized artifact silver hammer. He was caught halfway through smelting the gold down, but they never recovered the hammer. A thoroughly fascinating, and surprisingly intelligent fellow.

Unfortunately, I was talking with Knife because we sustained two casualties today: one of the convicts, Fountain Paddleunion, was crushed while setting up the main blast door to the facility. She was carrying her baby Lancer. An unfortunate, and deeply lamented end. Had her child survived, we could have raised it as one of our experiments, or maybe as a member of staff...
Thankfully, despite the loss being keenly felt by some, everyone's spirits are still relatively high. Probably because the projected casualty figures were significantly higher than this, and I think personally, that everyone is just glad to be alive to enjoy access to all the high-quality supplies, furnishing and equipment working for Blackspire provides a dwarf.

The first 4 child subjects have been housed in the 4 finished test chambers. We have designated the subjects as A-1 to A-4 respectively. As we lost all the important blueprints to bandits on the journey to this site, we've had to start our test subjects off in the basic ATLAS pattern chambers.
Although, I have conversed with Silver Scaleurn, our Head of Psychology, and we both believe that a variation on the standard pattern ATLAS chambers will help the test subjects progress. To this end, I have ordered the construction of 4 more chambers, designated ATLAS mk.II, with glass windows separating each of the chambers training section walls - the theory being that the test subjects will be motivated by the successes, and more importantly, the brutal failures of their fellow test subjects, that they should become hardened to death far more rapidly than a standard ATLAS chamber allows, while keeping the subjects from fraternising.

The initial aim for this project is to research the possibility of shaping our children into elite, Dwarven killing machines. Ultimately, we will hope to forge a highly trained, battle-hardened and emotionless super soldier, that cannot feel pain or loss, that we shall deploy in response to demons and titans and megabeasts. The project has been designated the ANGEL project. It's apparently something to do with symbolism, angels being the opposite of demons. Our first aim however, is to simply train the children in the ways of war. They will need to naturally, and instinctively know what to do in any combat situation, and that isn't something that can be taught by an instructor, hence this project I guess.

Testing on the first 4 child subjects shall begin tomorrow morning.

Site Officer & Project Lead, Tomb Craftshadow

+++++

end of log.
------------------------------------------------------------------

Author Notes

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I have finished the next 4 chapters, I just wanted to let people read first.

I know people have used windows to harden their Dwarves to killing, which is what I'm trying to include to the training of the children here.

The children super soldier project is only one of the things I'm doing SCIENCE on. And if anyone has something that they want to see tested, if it's within my power, I shall do it - so please suggest

A note on the chambers - all the floors are engraved with at least high quality. Constructed walls are of platinum or silver. All their furniture is at least of high quality. The doors are also Platinum or silver. The food was cooked into lavish meals of varying quality.
I may add a mist-generator to the mix if I can fit it in.
The outer doors are lever linked, and the testing chamber on the left hand side, is designated as a meeting area. I lock the doors once they are in the chambers and begin testing. Taking the meeting area zones off of active sends the children back to their rooms, through the dwarven bath.

[TheOnlySolitaire]

------------------------------------------------------------------
BSI MG F-13 progress log,
From: Blackspire Initiative, Facility 13
To: Blackspire Initiative Megaguild HQ
------------------------------------------------------------------
Log entry# 3   

attachments:
subjects A-1 to A-4 personnel files.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A-1

A-2

A-3

A-4

+++++

The ATLAS subjects have already shown early signs of promise: spending their days fighting in a pile of aggravated and cramped turkeys and echidna has started the test subjects down the path to becoming the hardened, elite supersoldiers we hope they become. Unlike many previous facilities testing, we are allowing our subjects plenty of time to sleep, and full access to medical care when needed. So far, all 4 subjects have avoided all injury - NOTE the chamber difficulty may need to be increased to harden the subjects to pain.
 
The second research team has arrived, with a few new subjects, but I have been informed that this new team is to be researching and testing computing, robotics, and artifical intelligence, and so will be on a different wing from us. Their work of course, classified from my eyes. I want it on record that I am deeply unhappy about being put in charge of a facility where I don't have the clearance to be informed of what is going on in said facility. I understand the company wants to protect its research, but this is just plain silly!

I'm dreading the site inspection next month, we've barely got ourselves up and running. All we need is a site inspector to rate our efforts as low and funding gets cut. We really need replacements for the things we lost on the journey here though - I guess you have to take every little sliver of good you can out of a bad situation sometimes...

Site Officer & Project Lead, Tomb Craftshadow

+++++

end of log.
------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors Note

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

So the skill progression discussed in the 'Dwarven Day Care' thread does work. But the incremental leveling is very, very slow.

I'm going to start experimenting with different animals, I've begun constructing a trap corridor outside the fort exterior wall. It's literally just 2 long parallel walls with raising bridges at either end, and filled with traps. Animal pathing behaviour seems to head straight for little dwarf-made tunnels and corridors, so this should work brilliantly.

The previously used methods of 'Daycare' increase the Armor user, Dodge, and to a smaller degree, the unarmed combat skills.

I'm not testing robotics or AI or anything related to computing. I don't have the time for that. So yeah, that was just fluff.