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[Megaman3300]

Question is exactly what it says in the title. I'm looking for steel, but I don't know what I'm looking for in a hillock or fortress or mountain home, and I don't know if it even exists.

[Lord Shiteblast]

You'll find that some of the warriors in a fortress will have steel equipment, so all you have to do to get your hands on it is borrow some stuff from said fortress then barter.

[peasant cretin]

Question is exactly what it says in the title. I'm looking for steel, but I don't know what I'm looking for in a hillock or fortress or mountain home, and I don't know if it even exists.

At a world-gen fort, descend the upward/downward ramp. The topmost level below the trade depot (the surface floor) will be the warehouse level. Skip this and go lower to the displaycase/pedestal level where there will be an item stash, not unlike what's found at meadhalls or bandit camps. There, RNG-dependent, you'll find steel items.

[Blastbeard]

Soldiers from dwarven civs sometimes have basic-quality steel equipment, but it's not always a full set of the good stuff. Pairs of boots and gauntlets are regarded as a single unit and will always be a uniform material(no iron left gauntlets and bronze right gauntlets), and the weapon and shield seem to follow this rule too, but the helm, chestpiece, and legwear don't follow that rule.
As for getting the gear for yourself, you've got a few options.

Spoiler: Redshirt retirement fund embezzlement (click to show/hide)

You could always recruit them as a companion. Even with decent armor, they are probably going to part with their possessions and mortality while traveling with you, and corpses have no property rights. This is a naturally occuring process and requires little effort, and can even be accelerated by standing back while your companion gets on the wrong side (read:literally anywhere within reach) of a hydra. The only problem is dealing with whatever managed to do them in, or at least outrunning it with your new steel equipment in hand.

Spoiler:  Here be Giant Cave Spiders (click to show/hide)

World-gen forts and mountain halls open directly into the caverns with no form of defensive structure whatsoever between the wildlife and the delicious population housed within. To say this is a bad idea, a criminally irresponsible oversight, and suicidally inept are all absolutely correct and fairly polite in comparison to other choice descriptive phrases. Should you find yourself in these parts, you are very likely to stumble upon at least one dwarven corpse. The likelihood that said corpse was formerly a soldier equipped with steel is not insubstantial. Like with scavenging off of fallen companions, be mindful of the source of these corpse, all the more so considering your surroundings.

Spoiler:  Murdehobos murdering murderous hobos (click to show/hide)

If you're in a hurry, confident in your skills, and not worried about your reputation, just kill the scrub and loot their corpse. You can assume an identity before doing the deed to completely misdirect suspicion, because everyone will believe the dwarf Acita Fakename from the kobold civilization of Kibilritz committed the murder and not your adventurer. The typical skill set for your target demographic isn't particularly impressive, so just aim for a body part not covered by steel and swing away.

Spoiler:  El Koboldo, luchador ladrón (click to show/hide)

Lastly, If you're not as bloody-minded or don't want to risk a fight, just wait for the guy to fall asleep and then just wrestle the steel off of them. They can't stop you if they aren't awake, and you will always automatically succeed a wrestling move against an unconscious target. Again, consider assuming an identity to avoid the consequences of being a thieving little kobshite larcenous munchkin.

[Lord Shiteblast]

Blastbeard you magnificent bastard! I hadn't thought of the last one. I just assumed an identity and snuck through a sleeping fortress nabbing shit left and right. Thanks for the tip!

[Blastbeard]

I think my favorite aspect of false identities is that you can literally call yourself Falsename and everyone will actually fall for it. The only way the system could be better is if you could impersonate living historical figures...

Spoiler: One can only dream (click to show/hide)

There's actually one more way I usually get steel equipment without resorting to mods. Megabeasts, titans, night trolls, and uncivilized creatures that have a lair, labyrinth, or shrine  will sometimes have the remains and possessions of their victims strewn about their homes. If you can defeat or circumvent the resident(s) of these lairs, said possessions are yours for the taking. If you check to legends mode, you can sometimes find lairs that should contain artifacts. If such an artifact happens to be a steel weapon or armor piece, go get it. WARNING: If the beast is a dragon or fire-breathing titan, lure it away from the treasure before you engage or go looting.

I actually defeated my very first megabeast in such a manner: Some 5 years ago, I decided to pit an unarmored dwarf against a cyclops. When I discovered there was steel armor in its lair, I kited the beast out, snuck back in, geared up, and swung an axe at its legs until it bled to death. Good times, but I don't miss not being able to jump and climb.

[Bumber]

I think my favorite aspect of false identities is that you can literally call yourself Falsename and everyone will actually fall for it. The only way the system could be better is if you could impersonate living historical figures...

"No, no, no! I'm not Urist Axemurder! I'm... uh... his cousin, Arist... Flaxgirder!"