First time posting. Been lurking for a bit, and loving DF for about 8 months or so. Here's a wall of text about my game, enjoy!
Anyway, picture the 237 dwarf-strong metropolis of Keltherleth (Metalsnakes) It exists on a unique island nation that has populations of dwarves, humans, elves, but no goblins There are some kobolds, but they seem to be mostly harmless, only sending the occasional thief that never reaches our doors. Due to overseer cowardice, the environment surrounding this city is a calm jungle with a strict no aquifer policy. The surface is totally flat with a small river running horizontally across the map. Dwarven modifications have split this small river and diverted it back around in a large loop, creating the artificial island on which the main entrance to the fortress sits. This courtyard is walled off from the inner perimeter, with two bridges and a tunnel system providing outside access. Attackers attempting to cross said bridges must run a walled-in gauntlet of weapon and cage traps. To the north is a large deposit of rich, red sand. The dwarves have walled off a section of this sand field to harvest its bounty in safety. The only access is through the underground tunnel systems. Various small, swampy ponds dot the landscape, but otherwise nothing of note. A gabbro paved road system provides caravan access through the jungle and also divides the landscape into manageable areas.
Underground, Metalsnakes really comes alive. After passing near the animal pens next to the main entrance, visitors can take a number of paths down to the lower floors. These include Production, Residential, The Kitchens, The Prison, etc. The surface is at layer 99. The first cavern layer begins at 41. The actual FLOOR of the caverns is at 0... A vast underground lake fills half of the floor levels, with the access to cavern layer 2 a couple levels above. Cavern layer 2 is... rather boring. No sharp drops, no water, and hardly any monsters.
Life goes rather peacefully in Metalsnakes. However, due to the recent successful live testing of our Elf Caravan Drowning Trap, that peace will hopefully change. Now that defenses and the trap are complete, we can start a war with the pointy-eared ones at long last! Our other plan for spicing up the daily routine was to punch into and explore the second cavern layer. After terminating a few blind cave ogres and a crowd of crundles, the whole layer has been fairly deserted. 30 soldiers at the ready and itching and we have yet to even see a forgotten beast! Giant toads have done the most damage to my population so far. How am I supposed to have fun if nothing attacks me? Well, in an attempt to solve this I have challenged a war on two different fronts, and am busy creating as much wealth as possible.
In nonviolent news, the dwarven caravan has just arrived safely at the NON-trapped trading depot along our fabulous roads. We'll buy them out of pretty much everything again, using a prepared food pot or two, or some of the Elephant Roast we have lying around loose that seems to be worth an absurd amount... That last elf caravan netted us a whole lot of stuff for free, and I'll happily welcome the humans into our safe depot when they arrive. We want SOME friends, after all, and the humans don't gripe when you sell them wood.
We're eagerly awaiting the first batch of King Cobra babies, now that we've locked a male and female one into a room with a nest box. Sure am hoping I'm not missing something and have to edit the raws for that to work. I had already set dingoes to be trained for hunting and war, and their population is growing every day. We also have leopards and cheetahs on hand to breed and use for battle. Our baroness never goes anywhere without her war leopard. The trainers grind their skill out on a few caged albatrosses and a giant olm. Not sure what to do with him..
I have a vampire locked in a jail cell, whom I may use for bookkeeping once his sentence is up. Half my population seem to be children or babies, the oldest of which still need 6 more years to mature. I'm worried that my cats and dogs may be over-reproducing. Other than that, good fort. It's been a great run, but now I'm kinda trying to get it killed so I can try building somewhere more evil.