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[ptb_ptb]

This is all about Adventurer Fort.

The premise: Fed up with the ad-hoc methodology used in selecting embark sites your civilization's officials have decided to hire an adventurer to locate and prepare a suitable site to build a fortress. Once a suitable site is ready seven dwarves will be sent out to start their new life there.

Worldgen: 'Heroworld' heavy on monsters, evil and savagery in a 129x129 world.
Thread: Me reporting stuff, until bored. Possibility of introducing succession fortress elements if there is interest later.
Technical limitations: Ruins may be reclaimed, but fortresses may not be unretired. Because crash

[Pencil_Art]

Posting to follow. Sounds like a cool idea.

[ptb_ptb]

Inethcagith "Citycries" fortress is where this tale starts. I have been given only the vaguest of directions, "Go out there, find somewhere nice, and build stuff." I strap on my trusty iron short sword and set out. I left just in time, as it seems someone has dug into the side of a magma pool and most of the fortress is on fire / under lava.

My first stop is Gleammountain, a thriving dwarven hillocks. I listen to every rumour the local gossip has. It seems to take forever, but I update my map with the locations mentioned. In the tavern is a human swordsman called Luc Poolbook. Everybody says he is well-travelled so he should make a good companion. I explain my quest to him and he is eager to be off.

There is a lair some short distance to the West. I ... don't honestly remember what was supposed to be there, but take it upon myself to check in person. Carefully.

The rivers are all frozen here, this early in Spring. Perhaps I should look for a warmer climate for the new fortress. It does make travelling easier, though. I doubt that Luc can swim.

I found the lair. A giant lurked within!



Fortunately this hulking beast is dull of wit and apparently has poor eyesight. It failed to notice my approach, and I carefully moved out of sight. An idea strikes me, perhaps I could trap the giant? It could make a powerful (if uncontrolled) defender for an isolated fortress. However I do not have the proper materials to make a trap. I decide to set out to Wheelsculpted. A fallen fortress, it is likely that valuable tools like anvils will have been left behind in the confusion of its defeat. Of course it is possible that dire monsters were also left behind, so I will have to be careful. I leave the lair of Dutyyell behind me and head south.



I stop by Namedfenced, a dwarven hillock. When I meet the mayor I'm shocked - she's a goblin! However did that happen? I look around but there is nobody to be found who would make a suitable companion. The next place I stop at is Flaxenflag, apparently they have been having problems with dragons and abductions there. I'm not sure it's a good place to stay. Flaxenflag is a barony, but is completely lacking in any sort of military force.

Honoredclasp is next on my trip. Once a thriving hillock, now apparently abandoned. Perhaps I will find out why. A pack of dingoes is the only sign of life I encounter there.

South of Honoredclasp I find a bridge over a chasm next to a frozen waterfall. Cassiterite ore is visible in the chasm walls.



Although technically it is within the borders of the failed hillocks it could still be an interesting location to build by. I note its location down for later reference.

Notchedshoot is the next hillocks I pass. I notice some marble outcroppings as I approach the civic mound, and more Cassiterite. Everybody is asleep there when I arrive, and I help myself to a few plump helmets. I'm sure they won't be missed. A human maceman is the first to awake, I take this as a favorable omen and invite him to join me on my journey. He readily accepts.

At last we approach Wheelsculpted. I keep on high alert, who knows what beast may lair here now? The fortress of Wheelsculpted turns out to be a striking blue color, made entirely of Cobaltite. An impractical and fanciful choice of material. The Trade Depot at Wheelsculpted still has the goods last on sale, unfortunately little of practical use. I think I catch my human companions casting covetous eyes at the cut gems, though.

[ptb_ptb]

I venture into the dusty echoing halls of Wheelsculpted. We pass shops full of discarded goods before coming across my target:



One of the forges was made from solid platinum! What extravagance! Thoughtfully, I pick up the platinum nuggets and heft them in my hand. As I suspected, far too heavy to be practical to take with me. I tie up the iron anvil in ropes to sling over my back. Fortunately I am strong enough to carry that load without too much trouble.

Thinking about the giant again, I make a mechanics workshop and try to make a stone mechanism. Only to realize that it's more complicated than I thought. I decide to stop for the night here, and try again the following day.

[ptb_ptb]

Unfortunately it seems that I didn't not pay enough attention in some of the architect classes. I don't remember how to properly make a wood furnace. I can only hope I remember _something_ from those classes or I won't be getting very far.

On the lowest level of the fortress I find some magma smelters. This gives me an idea, I head up back to the native platinum nugget... and drag it all the way back down. So. Slow. I smelt it in the magma smelter, and get four platinum bars. It's easier to carry just one of them. BUT I find out that I don't remember how to finish building a magma forge, either. I am obviously woefully prepared for my task.

I decide to head to Hatchetsnarl. A fortress a short distance to the south.


There I may find mechanics workshops, magma forges, or even a pick.

When I arrive in Hatchetsnarl there is a strange square hole going deep into the ground.


I decide to investigate closer. I start building stairs down with logs felled from nearby trees. It's a bit unnerving hanging above a huge drop while hammering bits of wood together. I can see further now. It opens up on a cavern, and continues down.



A few more steps placed and I see a couple of tame mules and some limestone. Obviously the cavern is connected to the fortress' farming area, but why such an extravagent ventelation shaft? I resolve to keep going.

Some time later I can just see down to a second set of caverns. This one appears to be a 'mud' cavern layer. Much derided by some dwarves as boring, they do provide cave spider webs and are handy when you want to quickly lay out some farm plots.  Still, the hole continues down. Just below the first cavern is a dwarven highway. A T-junction, no less.


The hole lines up exactly with the N/S passageway. I can't imagine this is a coincidence. Perhaps there is some engineering reason for its presence. I resolve to investigate when I next am in a mountain home's library.

My achingly slow travels downwards continue. The next cavern has a lake to the South and East. The water has frozen in the act of flooding the hole, leaving it about half blocked.


Strangely, just a few levels below that molten lava surges back and forth. I can only glimpse the corner of it from here.


I consider my curiosity satisfied. Although this is a fascinating location there is no iron to be found and, in any case, the site is already occupied. I return to the surface.

[ptb_ptb]

A macedwarf had been watching my activity with curiosity. After I finished, I asked him if he would like to join me on my travels and he agreed. In the fortress I found many forges, looms, tanneries but nothing suited to my needs at the moment. Hatchetsnarl is a busy fortress, teaming with dwarves and even a goblin! It is time to travel on, though.

In hopes of finding warmer climes I decide to continue south. It is quite a long trek to Mannortorrid - the road should make things easier. We will need to keep a careful watch, though, as there are goblin settlements nearby to the West.



Airtool hillocks. Boring, nuff said.

The snow is finally gone! The pools and rivers are still frozen, though. Still further south and the rivers melt, by the time I reach Manortorrid it is quite warm and the vegetation looks suited for hot climate. There are a lot of goblins in the fortress, they seem to be behaving themselves, though. Manortorrid has forges, leatherworks, clothing workshops, jewelers and even magma smelters. The last fortress we visited has tanneries and looms. If only they were all in once place I could make us all fancy new clothes - and encrust them in jewels!

I succeed in building a tanners. I actually remembered something! Nice!



Now I just need to kill and butcher lots of wildlife.

After much effort I am finally wearing an *elk bird leather cap* made by my very own hands.

Beltedworks is a fortress a good distance to the East.

I decide to head there next, looking for that elusive mechanics workshop or maybe magma smelter _and_ forge in the same place.

[pisskop]

I support this.  good show

[ptb_ptb]

I walked over the top of the mountain hall Boatshaft. Nothing to see, there is no access from the surface for reasons of security. The surface landscape continues to be very barren, with dolomite frequently visible but no iron ore.

When I reach the fortress Beltedworked I find it overrun with nobility. At the trade depot alone there are (take deep breath) the Baroness of Fatherdaggers, the Count of Tanglerazor, the Baron of Laboredveiled, the Baron of Mirroreven, the Baron of Netpriced, the Baroness of Citycries ... hey, that's where I started, and the Duke of Manortorrid. I shudder at the thought of the mandates this poor fortress must have to meet. The first person I meet underground is the Baroness of Lovelyanvil. In the next room is the Baroness of Hatchetsnarl and the Baron of Balancedshoots. I think the goblins would be doing this place a favor if they invaded it. The fortress is also overrun with cats.

One or two cats can be cute, 30 or 40 cats ... least said the better.



In the next room we have the Countess of Ivoryink, the Baron of Boatshaft and the Baron of Lancertwist. Don't they have any lava here? There is also a goblin miner. I resolve to trade his pickaxe away from him, if I can't make my own here.

Next room, with the Baron of Minenarrow (what's a 'minen'?), the Countess of Laboredchurch, the Baroness of Youthfulglazed, the Baroness of Bouldershield, the Baroness of Markethatchets, the Baron of Stokedmirror, the Baroness of Mossearth, and the f***ing Queen (pardon my language, ma'am). I should really teach these dwarves how to use bridges 'properly'.

The next room, thankfully, only has the Baroness of Foldedfortress so can hope the madness is at an end.

I acquire a copper pick from the goblin miner and head further down. A few levels down I find ... the Baroness of Bronzebite, the Duchess Consort of Manortorrid, the Baroness of Theaterwanes, the Countness of Beltedworked, the Baron of Citystabbed and the Baron of Mobabbeys. Words fail me.

Next room and we have the Baron of Earthpeaces and the Baron of Sculptedmine. The one after that, the Baron of Urnthunder and the Baron of Echohammer. The one after that the Baroness of Touchedlashed, the Baron of Airtool, the Baroness of Booktaxed, the Baron of Lancedmetal, the Baroness of Flagevened, and the Baron.

Wait? That last one seemed a little different.



Baron of what?



Yes, I gathered that bit. And would you mind shutting up about the Fell Plague? (I don't say, as I value my neck). I press him further.



Well, he obviously isn't baron of here then. I decide to take my leave of the Baron of Nowhere and go further down.

[ptb_ptb]

Now _this_ is the sort of issue you get when there are more barons than cats in your fortress.


I dismantle the inconveniently placed magma smelter. This does not get me as far as I had hoped.


My recently purchased copper pick immediately shows its worth.


Regrettably this fortress turns out to be a bust. All smelters and no forges. For that matter I didn't bother to lug an anvil all the way here, so I can't even try to make one. Tangledrazor is the next nearest fortress, to the SSE.



It's also sort of on the way to a volcano. Like many dwarves, I have a fascination with volcanoes and I will probably check that out as a potential fortress site later.

Travelling south from Beltedworked it is clear that we are in a full on desert region. A fortress in this area would be more concerned with water evaporating than freezing. Still no hint of iron ore to be found.  Shortly before reaching the hillock Urnthunder we have to cross a truly massive river.


Urnthunder is nestled between three branches of this river between hilly and jungle terrain. The water does little to help - it is an oppressive humid heat that hits you like a wall. I couldn't bear living in this area above ground for long. According to rumor a giantess lives very near to Urnthunder. I decide not to visit at this time.

I encounter a small group of goblins shortly before the fortress Tangledrazor. Perhaps they are 'civilized' goblins working for the dwarven fortress? I sneak up on them with weapon drawn ...

This still seems suspicious to me, but goblins are rarely suited for such subtle subterfuge. I keep my fingers crossed and greet them openly. Fortunately my judgement was sound.

In the fortress itself I find leather works, looms, craftsdwarf's workshops, forges, clothier's shops, tanners, jewelers, and magma smelters.

Oh, and west of the fortress is another of those mysterious holes that go deep into the ground.

What _are_ they for?

Back to the tanners and leather works I put some effort in and manage to make a nice pair of boots.

The rest of the leather goes to waste in inferior works.

[ptb_ptb]

Volcano first, then another fortress, I decide.


The trip to the volcano is uneventful so far, the barren mountain landscape largely free of wildlife and surprisingly warm.

By Armok's anvil, hematite!

I was beginning to think I would never find iron ore. We are quite close to the volcano now, so it is an even more promising location for building a fortress.

We made it to the volcano. And there is plenty of hematite ore in the area.


What there isn't is any vegetation or trees on the surface. Normally we would not be allowed to start a fortress in such a location, but I have been known to bend the rules on occaision. More importantly, my growling stomach reminds me I have yet to eat. It's a couple of hours or so walk from the volcano to the nearest 'habitable' land.


Hematite ore is visible from time to time along the journey, so the spot where a mountain brook meets the savana is also a potential fortress embark point. It's only a short walk away, so I decide to walk North a bit and check it out. When I get there I find the trees near the stream are few and far between, but any is better than none. I haven't seen so much as a vulture since I came down from the mountains, though, and I'm getting really hungry. I dredge up what I remember of herbology, and eat some leaves that turn out to be edible. Not tasty, but edible.


I know of no civilized sites to the South and West of my location. So I will have to back-track to where I have already been, something I dislike. It's a longer trek than usual, but the fortress Theatrewanes is now next on my itinerary.

[ptb_ptb]

Theaterwanes proves to be lacklustre. The only workshop present being magma smelters, and the only notable feature being the large number of goblins resident. The fortress Buffracks is a fairly short distance to the south and I decide to go there next. It is quite close to goblin territory, though, so we must be alert on the journey.


Oh, wait, there is one strange thing about Theaterwanes. I hear sounds through the walls, but there doesn't appear to be any way to get there.

Are there dwarves there who have walled themselves off? Crundles in a cavern? I have no idea. Before travelling south I decide to knock a wall or two down and find out.


Secret rooms! There are whole levels of shops, workshops and residential areas. All inaccessible from the surface (until now). Possibly they walled themselves off when they heard of an army in the area? I saw nothing dangerous outside, however. In any case this discovery changes my immediate plans. I use the raw hide I have saved up hunting during my recent travels and manage to make a couple of nice pieces of leather armor.

[TheKaspa]

PTW

[ptb_ptb]

On the way to Buffrack we come across a mountain spring.

And, oh hey! I thought that was Tetrahedrite I was walking past, but on closer examination it turns out to be Magnetite. How embarrassing. Still this does make this area a good place to look for potential fortress sites.

Now that I'm keeping an eye out for it Magnetite is everywhere. When I come down from the warm mountains the hot jungle below is packed with trees. Date palms, limes, pomegranate. A fortress near here would have marble, magnetite and never run out of logs. There are elves, about two days' walk to the NE, who might have something to say about the last part of that, though.

The shops and halls of Buffrack start at a very shallow depth, the loamy soil is soft beneath my feet and there's a dank smell to the air. I wonder how they stop mushrooms growing everywhere.


They have thread for sale. If there's a loom here (or I can make one) I should see about making myself some clothing from scratch. A few levels down there is limonite to be seen in the rough stairwell walls. Cassiterite a little further down, Tetrahedrite below that. These people obviously chose their location well. Unfortunately the only facility the fortress sports are Magma smelters.

Next stop Mobabbeys to the East, skirting around the Dark Pits to the South.


I sleep under the open stars, and the next morning we are assaulted by a Jaguar before I can shake the sleepiness from my head. Luckily my companions prove their worth and slaughter it in moments. I lost my dwarf companion crossing a river. Oh, he's not dead. He just didn't want to swim. Hopefully he will catch up with me later.

Mobabbeys has magnetite, and a _lot_ or iron armor for sale. Marble, too. But I didn't see anything made of steel for sale. They may keep the best stuff hidden. The lowest level of the fortress has veins of kimberlite. I may try my luck mining for diamonds.

[ptb_ptb]

Whoa, trippy! After a day spent mining I went to sleep. The next morning the fortress's rooms had moved around and the tunnel I had dug had disappeared. Convinced that the place must be cursed, I leave forthwith. The fortress Ivoryink is straight to the north and I head out in that direction.


Just as I left Tun, the Macedwarf, turned up at last. And then he and one of my other companions promptly ran off after some kea and got lost. The mountains between Mobabbeys and Ivoryink are replete with magnetite and dolomite. The temperate forest and swamp a short way south of Ivoryink also has much white sand for glassmaking.

The fortress Ivoryink is made of Microcline. Not a very special rock, but I have always had a fondness for its appearance. White sand, Dolomite and Magnetite are all clearly visible on the surface around it and there is a healthy forest nearby as well. But wait! This is no time to be sightseeing, there is a badly injured goblin just outside the fortress walls!


Friend or foe? I talk to him, but it appears his injuries have rendered him incapable of speech. Perhaps one of the dwarves inside can bring me up to date. I hope I haven't walked into the middle of a seige. Everybody inside is asleep, of course. I rest until dawn. When I awake I find that someone has deconstructed the trade depot and built a new one! Those crazy overseers.


They left the old trade goods and customers where the old trade depot was. Feeling in a playful mood I dismantled the new trading depot while they were all asleep. The (previously inaccessible) trade goods spilled all over the place. Without any price tags on them. Oops. I walk away casually with some giant toad tripe in my pocket. (Mmm, giant toad tripe *drools*). This activity sparks something in my brain - I have another go at making a wood furnace and this time it works! Brilliant.

Eh, but I still need an anvil so I should check if this fortress has them. And, BINGO, it does. I should now have all I need to completely reequip myself.

[ptb_ptb]

Operation: Steel everything.

Stage 1: Wood
I spend all day chopping trees down. After a hard day's work I sleep deeply, and in the morning all the trees have grown back! The logs are still on the ground, though.


I don't think I've been travelling a week. Well, maybe a bit over that. However my clothing is already starting to show signs of wear. It's probably because of the extreme climates I have travelled through.


Stage 2: Charcoal
Making charcoal takes a long time. I spend all day at the wood furnace, and after a night's sleep all I have is 17 charcoal blocks.

I need much more than this for a full set of steel armor and weapons. Still, bored now. On to the next step.

... crap ...

I've lost my copper pick somewhere. Oh, well. I'll have to trade for a new one.

Stage 3: Iron, Pig Iron, Steel, Equipment!
My vague recollection is that I'll need four flux stone and one iron ore for this trick. Not to mention some charcoal. Mining is a lot faster than walking carrying all that rock. I have a new found sympathy for all those dwarves stuck on hauling jobs. Wow. Magnetite is even heavier than dolomite? Why didn't I make a wheelbarrow? Do I even know how to use a wheelbarrow?

Oh wow! I discover that if I repeatedly pick up the magnetite, throw it, take a step I can move almost as fast as if I wasn't carrying it at all. I must teach this trick to the dwarves back home. Right, now add a bunch of charcoal. Hey! That's my old copper pick under the charcoal blocks there. Anyway, I smelt down some magnetite ore and get four iron bars.

Turns out things go horribly wrong when I try to make pig iron. I'll have to try plan B.