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[Iamblichos]

So... this latest embark seems cursed with unusually touchy elves, even for DF.  I have tried three times now to trade ONLY gold crafts (yes, my fortress is swimming in the yellow death metal).  There is no wood anywhere on them.  No cabochons, no hanging rings, no spikes, no inset scenes of Urist McFancyPants the Demon Vampire taking over the Bloody Mugs in the year 12... nothing.

Despite this complete lack of wood being involved, they give me the "rude bauble" speech, pack their stuff in a snit, and storm back off into the woods.

I realize I don't NEED to trade with them, but I want those sunshine berries.  Since I set up shop within range of several goblin forts AND I'm in the first two caverns, mining away, I'd prefer not to have one more source of ambushes (though I realize this sounds distinctly un-dwarfy - my apologies).

Any ideas?

[Larix]

Elves are also quite touchy about items made using ash - clear and crystal glass. I had a few elves get all worked up over clear glass decorations on a slate mug or somesuch.

Anyway, you can always "s"eize goods from a caravan, even after you've accidentally (or "accidentally") insulted them. If you don't leave the trade window after the incident, the game remains in the paused state and they don't have time to announce their intent to leave; you can still "trade" with them, although your options are typically restricted to make offers that get rebuffed _or_ "s"teal all their shit. Very convenient. They'll be even more offended (i think), but the elven civ is exceedingly unlikely to do anything about it.

[greycat]

So... this latest embark seems cursed with unusually touchy elves, even for DF.  I have tried three times now to trade ONLY gold crafts (yes, my fortress is swimming in the yellow death metal).  There is no wood anywhere on them.  No cabochons, no hanging rings, no spikes, no inset scenes of Urist McFancyPants the Demon Vampire taking over the Bloody Mugs in the year 12... nothing.

Despite this complete lack of wood being involved, they give me the "rude bauble" speech, pack their stuff in a snit, and storm back off into the woods.

Were they in a wooden bin?  If so, did you mark the whole bin for trade, or just the individual gold items?

[smurfingtonthethird]

If you don't mind cheesing, you can unconstruct their trade depot when they've finished unloading. You get all their crap, usually free of retaliation.

[kingubu]

Redrum!  Redrum!

Killing one caravan won't make the elves siege you.  And you'll feel better.  It's good and good for you.

[Iamblichos]

No, no bins... I learned that trick a while back 

Ahhhh glass... good to know.  There were cabochons of crystal glass on some items.  I think it's hysterical that elves get touchy about glass, but yet think nothing of taking smelted metal.  Um, Flowerpants, how do you think I smelted this, anyway?

[§k]

It is safe to just seize elven caravan for a couple of years. I think undecorated metal caged cats are totally safe. And you might have a dozen of lead cages from dwarven caravan which are too heavy for proper usage.

[greycat]

Ahhhh glass... good to know.  There were cabochons of crystal glass on some items.  I think it's hysterical that elves get touchy about glass, but yet think nothing of taking smelted metal.  Um, Flowerpants, how do you think I smelted this, anyway?

It could have been smelted with magma, or with lignite or bituminous coal.  The elves can't tell.

[wierd]

And yet, the elven ethos has a chink in the armor, IIRC--

You can sell them rock nut soap.  it is made with lye, which is made from ash, which is made from trees.

they complain about every other kind of soap, but will buy rocknut soap. (at least, that's what I remember seeing anyway. been awhile since I went through the effort.)

Maybe it is just so luxuriously soft and well lathering, and moisturizing for their pampered immortal skin that they can overlook the whole lye thing just on this one product, but I am betting it's a bug.


I just like noting that the elves are hypocrite sissypants jerks.

[krenshala]

Personally, I like the "challenge" of dealing with there ambushing riot police swordsmen.

(they will always be riot police to me because my first elven ambush was a group of 12 swordsmen, and all but one was equipped with rubberwood swords.  the odd elf out had a willow sword.)

[deepfreeze78]

Just kill off every caravan and take their stuff. I've done this on a fort for years, and they'll never retaliate. If they do, then you get free trading dummies. They've got such crappy weapons, they will almost never do anything.

[Melting Sky]

Just kill off every caravan and take their stuff. I've done this on a fort for years, and they'll never retaliate. If they do, then you get free trading dummies. They've got such crappy weapons, they will almost never do anything.

Beware, the elven bowmen. Their melee troops may be a joke but if you find yourself ambushed by 20+ elven archers, its quite a different story. Your dwarves will likely still win if you have a decent military but they will be holding multiple funerals.

[Ubiq]

I think it's hysterical that elves get touchy about glass, but yet think nothing of taking smelted metal.  Um, Flowerpants, how do you think I smelted this, anyway?

Elves will cheerfully accept green glass items as well. It's just crystal or clear glass that sets them off.

[Skuggen]

I generally avoid the problem by not making stuff that offends them, except for bins in the early game. Only make stuff of clear and crystal glass for demands. It's usually I who get offended by their short jokes and start killing them off.