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[Immortal-D]

Edit: Game has started: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=171834.0

Temples are cool and Taverns are a great meat-shield.  However, out of everything to come from the last major update, Libraries were my favorite.  The assorted procedural books lend so much to the imagination, and RP potential.  Now that Stress is more or less functional, would anyone be interested in recreating The Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Dorf form?  There are a few mods I have in mind which would add a bit of spice as well.  Also, I feel inclined to mention that 'no' is an acceptable answer.  Not every succession proposal is a winner, and it's good to spitball ideas for exactly that reason.

Edit: Clarification

Could you elaborate on what these mods would be.

Not mandatory mind you, just an idea to add some variety.  The ones I have in mind; Extra Crafting- items traditionally limited to boulders & logs can now be made from gems, bones, and blocks.  More Invaders- Assorted hostiles will be visiting at different times of year (Fortress Defense II, if anyone knows it).

Note that if you do this, 1-year turns may often not get any discoveries; and if you want a preexisting knowledge base /scholars / library in world you have to have dwarves build one in their fortress, which requires bit of time in worldgen. If you want to start before that, it might be prudent to make and immediatelly abandon few teams of 7 with desired library skills you want in immigrants as you have no other way to tell a dwarf to become an astronomer.

Also, instead of 1 giant library dozen+ smaller ones could be better; as to avoid skill contamination and everyone discussing only 1 or 2 topics.

(Though some discoveries requires knowledge from multiple bases.)

Btw, if you want papyrus, you need tropical swamp.

Good points all around.  I was thinking we'd have a whole bunch of libraries, especially as social order inevitably breaks down among the Overseers.  I typically gen my worlds between 300 & 350 years, so creating a few waves of scholarly Dorfs was also a consideration.  As for writing material, we don't need to be that literal :p  I'm content if our greatest works are written on cat leather scrolls.

[ClimbingEast]

I wouldn't be interested in playing it, but I'd be very interested in *reading* about it.

[Bearskie]

It's a good idea, but unfortunately I'm stretched pretty thin atm. Wish you luck though!

[BinaryBlackhole]

Could you elaborate on what these mods would be.

[Fleeting Frames]

Note that if you do this, 1-year turns may often not get any discoveries; and if you want a preexisting knowledge base /scholars / library in world you have to have dwarves build one in their fortress, which requires bit of time in worldgen. If you want to start before that, it might be prudent to make and immediatelly abandon few teams of 7 with desired library skills you want in immigrants as you have no other way to tell a dwarf to become an astronomer.

Also, instead of 1 giant library dozen+ smaller ones could be better; as to avoid skill contamination and everyone discussing only 1 or 2 topics.

(Though some discoveries requires knowledge from multiple bases.)

Btw, if you want papyrus, you need tropical swamp.

[Immortal-D]

Could you elaborate on what these mods would be.

Not mandatory mind you, just an idea to add some variety.  The ones I have in mind; Extra Crafting- items traditionally limited to boulders & logs can now be made from gems, bones, and blocks.  More Invaders- Assorted hostiles will be visiting at different times of year (Fortress Defense II, if anyone knows it).

Note that if you do this, 1-year turns may often not get any discoveries; and if you want a preexisting knowledge base /scholars / library in world you have to have dwarves build one in their fortress, which requires bit of time in worldgen. If you want to start before that, it might be prudent to make and immediatelly abandon few teams of 7 with desired library skills you want in immigrants as you have no other way to tell a dwarf to become an astronomer.

Also, instead of 1 giant library dozen+ smaller ones could be better; as to avoid skill contamination and everyone discussing only 1 or 2 topics.

(Though some discoveries requires knowledge from multiple bases.)

Btw, if you want papyrus, you need tropical swamp.

Good points all around.  I was thinking we'd have a whole bunch of libraries, especially as social order inevitably breaks down among the Overseers.  I typically gen my worlds between 300 & 350 years, so creating a few waves of scholarly Dorfs was also a consideration.  As for writing material, we don't need to be that literal :p  I'm content if our greatest works are written on cat leather scrolls.

[Carch]

I've tried running a few forts like this. good fun. put me in line. depending on the mods though? I tend to play without them, so might be rather unfamiliar.

[Xvareon]

I will play this, if you start it. I'll work with the mods you choose; I just won't use any visual effect changes, as I like the stock ASCII art for DF. I'm interested in this because of the idea of making a whole library with all kinds of different history and culture in it gets me quite excited indeed. 

[Simon_science]

Would love to join in if possible! I know basically all the basics of dwarf fortress but I still have to learn a few of the more advanced things, so I dont know if that would make myself an invalid candidate  ( and also i've never done a succession game before but whatevs), but I love the idea! So count me in if you dont mind 

[Immortal-D]

Well now, here's a thread I didn't expect to see again, lol.  I suppose 2-3 players is enough to get things started.  I'll see about getting the setup & first chapter knocked out this week, hopefully the next player will be able to take it on the weekend.

Would love to join in if possible! I know basically all the basics of dwarf fortress but I still have to learn a few of the more advanced things, so I dont know if that would make myself an invalid candidate  ( and also i've never done a succession game before but whatevs), but I love the idea! So count me in if you dont mind 

Welcome to the party

[Timeless Bob]

It would be interesting to set this up as a library themed adventure succession.  Choose one civ of dwarves to be the builders, who then retire every time the Caravan comes around. Members from other civs (dwarves, humans, ect...) then have a chance to bring a book to the Library and retire there (or die trying.)  Other quests can be requested by the Player who picks up the save and plays it until the next caravan: Come kill this siege, bring parchment/ink/beer ect...

Each new Overseer should be able to accept one (1) new adventurer into the Fortress as a resident.  Not denying the others, but not accepting them either.  Submission of a book is the entry requirement, while completion of the other quests increases their chances of becoming residents...

Anyway, doing it that way, dwarves at the Library have a chance to marry, have little dwarflings and pursue things like geometry and astonomy

[Immortal-D]

It would be interesting to set this up as a library themed adventure succession.  Choose one civ of dwarves to be the builders, who then retire every time the Caravan comes around. Members from other civs (dwarves, humans, ect...) then have a chance to bring a book to the Library and retire there (or die trying.)  Other quests can be requested by the Player who picks up the save and plays it until the next caravan: Come kill this siege, bring parchment/ink/beer ect...

Each new Overseer should be able to accept one (1) new adventurer into the Fortress as a resident.  Not denying the others, but not accepting them either.  Submission of a book is the entry requirement, while completion of the other quests increases their chances of becoming residents...

Anyway, doing it that way, dwarves at the Library have a chance to marry, have little dwarflings and pursue things like geometry and astonomy

Oh I really like that idea   Temporarily retiring the Fort to play an Adventurer who quests to bring rare books and stuff back to the Fortress.  The world is Medium with no shortage of civs, so a few chapters of Adventurer would definitely be a fun tangent.

[Simon_science]

It would be interesting to set this up as a library themed adventure succession.  Choose one civ of dwarves to be the builders, who then retire every time the Caravan comes around. Members from other civs (dwarves, humans, ect...) then have a chance to bring a book to the Library and retire there (or die trying.)  Other quests can be requested by the Player who picks up the save and plays it until the next caravan: Come kill this siege, bring parchment/ink/beer ect...

Each new Overseer should be able to accept one (1) new adventurer into the Fortress as a resident.  Not denying the others, but not accepting them either.  Submission of a book is the entry requirement, while completion of the other quests increases their chances of becoming residents...

Anyway, doing it that way, dwarves at the Library have a chance to marry, have little dwarflings and pursue things like geometry and astonomy

Oh I really like that idea   Temporarily retiring the Fort to play an Adventurer who quests to bring rare books and stuff back to the Fortress.  The world is Medium with no shortage of civs, so a few chapters of Adventurer would definitely be a fun tangent.

After reading this comment, I encountered something on the wiki that gave me an idea:
"Books containing "secrets of life and death" are occasionally written during world generation by necromancers and various demonic rulers. Any mortal creature who reads one will immediately learn the secrets to immortality and the ability to raise the dead. Necromancy books can be found in a necromancer's tower among other types of books, including the original slab of which the secrets originated from.

Necromancers invading the fortress may bring their books along, which could be necromancy books. Looting a necromancy book and storing it in a library will cause all of the fortress population to gradually become immortal masters of death every time one of them reads the book, and this process can be accelerated by creating copies of the book. Adventurers who have learned the secrets of life and death can also write their own necromancy books (by random chance) and share it to the world by placing them in a library for people to read."

So the reason these two things ticked me off is because it reminded me of the plot of a somewhat known book I had to read for french class called "Le nom de la rose" (french is my first language). I'll put spoilers if you dont want this spoiled, but I think it could serve as great inspiration for this fortress:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

 The book takes place in medeival italy in an isolated catholic monastery. The main purpose of the monastery was to gather books, (even heretical ones)and they were all stored inside a great library. Few are allowed entrance though. It is eventually revealed that the guy running the place (a blind "saint" that had travelled in his youth). In his travells he had obtained the last copy of aristotle's essay on laughter. Basically, he thought having the book be known about would destroy christianity, so he hid it away and spiked the pages with deadly poison.

So, what if yes the fortress would collect and make books, but also hid away the "dangerous" ones, books that threaten the status quo- like the necromancy ones? Yes maybe all of dwarfkind could be immortal... but what reason would they labor for anymore? Would the kings and queens stay in power? Worse: would this lack of death... enrage Armok? These books must be contained! Hidden! Stashed away in the deepest catacombs...
 

[Deus Asmoth]

I'd be interested in taking a turn when this gets started.

[BlueKanary]

I'll join in if there is room. I would certainly love to help make the center of dwarvern knowledge!