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[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World - Opening Hook

The first of the new class of warriors was a female human named Callisto Aquiscasot Thola.  She was a citizen of the Kingdom of Ships and a member of the Courageous Councils and had become a heathperson the Councils of Onslaught.
Her appearance seemed normal enough.  She had long hair, a recessed chin, a upturned nose and slightly wide set eyes of the color of teal.  Her skin, and hair, were both a dark tan.  By the time she had become a heathperson she had received many wounds.  She was tough, agile, was slow to tire, and strong.  She also had great willpower, a good memory, and a certain amount of patience.
She was called a preacher and a poet.  But around the time she decided to go on her third mission she decided to give herself the title.  Instead of being called just a Maceman she started to call herself a Cleaner.
Historians, scholars, and drunks have debated this title.  Many a hired sword laughed at it.  As did many a soldier.
But in hindsight it seemed to fit.  She wanted to hunt down bandits, monsters, and beasts.  She wanted to help ‘clean’ up the wildness and protect the hamlets.  She rarely got any rewards, lived off the land, and traded crafts for coins she made herself.  She was ‘cleaning’ the world for more civilized folks.
This was also around the time her pet Lekla was given the name Kitty Killer.
Too bad she, and her pet, died so early in their lives.  But others decided to follow in their footsteps.

- Quote From The History Of The World Volume CXII

=======================================================================

You stand before the old man who sits in front of the fireplace.  The flames give the small house warmth and keep the shadows at bay.  There is little inside the house.  A chest, a bag, some farm folk huddled in the corners.  Some trying to sleep.  Some chewing on old bread and drinking veggie stew.  Some waiting for the old man to reply to your statement.

His chair is the only chair in the house.  Passed down from his father who received it from his father before him.  It is stained and has been repaired many times.  It barely looks like a chair.  But he can sit on it and rest his old bones from a day’s work.

“You want to run off and be a Cleaner?  Why would you want to exchange your warm home and fields, and hours of hard work in the fields for a mop?   Ohhh…you want to be one of those weirdos.  Yes, they fight not for coin or glory but to help others.”

The old man rubs his chin and leans back in his chair.  His old eyes look you over.

“Listen, are you sure?  Its not like being a Monster Hunter or a Soldier for one of the Towns.  There will be no Guild Masters or Drill Sergeants to help you start.  You’ll have to work your way from the bottom up.  Killing wild animals, bandits, spreading knowledge of your actions with your own voice.  You may become famous and even rich.  But that’s not the point.”

The old man leans forward and taps your chest.  You can see the dirt in the wrinkles of his face and smell the night soil under his fingernails.

“The Cleaners have to make decisions.  Not all the undead are mindless.  Not all beasts are man eaters.  And how about armies and Rulers?  Do Cleaners deal with politics?  Is there such a thing as TRUE EVIL?   Or are some people just greedy and stupid?”

The old man sighs and points towards the warm fireplace.  It crackles and spits as a small dented iron pot sits next to it.  The pot is full of a brown stew. It bubbles and steams.

“Cleaners spend much of their time on the road or in the wild.  Sleeping on the ground, eating food they find themselves, using weapons they loot from corpses.  You may not like the life of a farmer.  Sleeping in on hard floors, working the fields for your Lords, eating what we pick from the fields or gather from the wilds, and drinking plain water from the well.  But you are less likely to be killed by a dingo or ripped apart by a goblin.  You’re lucky to have a job during these dark times.”

The old man looks out the window to the dark fields beyond.  And beyond them the wastelands.

“Still, some of the Cleaners pick that fate because of their past.  Bandits killed their family.  Man eater ate their brother.  Vermin knifed their mother.  They have a goal.  A reason.  A fire burning within them.  It helps them survive out there in the World of Bones. Do you?”

The old man frowns as he listens to you.  He shrugs and points towards the door.

“Oh?  You do?  Well, check out the mead hall in the morning.  They always have spare weapons and equipment for the likes of you.  And keep an ear open.  Sometimes Cleaners leave behind loot for future Cleaners.  Weapons, extra food, coins.  Most of it is junk.  But you can always trade.  Even the poorest trades are sometimes eager to buy up fresh meat or a pair of socks.”

The old man looks a tad sad and gestures towards on a empty spot near the nearest wall.

“Now get some sleep.  After you leave in the morning I’ll tell your next of kin that you went to become a Cleaner.  And ask them to pray for you.”

================================================================

The idea behind this Succession Game is each player will take two weeks to try to make the World of Bones, a interesting place if you have seen my two story threads on it, a BETTER place.  If you can.  I tried to make a DF version of Dark Sun and kind of got something weird.

The term I have picked, Cleaner, I kind of took from Stand Still Stay Silent.  The term ‘cleanser’ was used for humans who used fire and explosives to clear out infected regions so people can live there.  I just removed the s. 

The idea is the players will do their best to bring up the standard of living for the people of this world within a two week period.  After that they pass on the save.

They can do this in Adventure Mode by doing their best to kill dangerous animals, bandits, thieves, monsters, the undead and otherwise carry out other quests they feel will improve the lives of others.  They can claim sites, build log cabins are resting spots, or leave behind weapons and supplies for future Cleaners.

They can do this in Fortress Mode also.  For example, if you use Fortress Mode, you may settle in an area to bridge a river or tame a wild region or build a tavern.  Or just build a armoury for future Cleaners.  Or a supply hut.  Or whatever.  The idea is not to make a mega-project as much as spread civilization.  So seven heavily armed Dwarfs would be better than a bunch of civilians.  Once you leave them on their own they need to survive.

Players would leave other Players’ Cleaners and Settlements alone.  Unless the latter needed to be reclaimed.

So the Rules would be Simple.
1. Make a Adventurer or a Fortress. 
2. Make the World of Bones a better place.  HOW and WHY is up to you.
3.After Two Weeks pass on the save.
4.Don’t mess with other Players’ Adventurers or Settlements unless it is IC.  In other words don’t control their character or settlement.  But if your character happen to meet another character or visit a settlement in game that’s okay.  OR if a former Cleaner shows up at your settlement put him/her/it in the best position for their skills.  Try to stay IC.

WARNING -the game had been modded.

My game is modded in a few ways.  My female dwarfs have beards and my dwarfs have a third gender who have no fear and don’t need their eyes -

In creature_standard in the raw/objects

Now we'll declare the specific castes.

   [CASTE:FEMALE]
      The gender tag lets it know how breeding works.
      [FEMALE]
      [MULTIPLE_LITTER_RARE]
      To add beards, put square brackets around the following:
      [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:FACIAL_HAIR_TISSUE_LAYERS]
   [CASTE:MALE]
      [MALE]
      [SET_BP_GROUP:BY_TYPE:LOWERBODY][BP_ADD_TYPE:GELDABLE]
      [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:FACIAL_HAIR_TISSUE_LAYERS]
   [CASTE:INTERSEX]
      [NO_GENDER]
      [CASTE_NAME:intersex dwarf:intersex dwarves:intersex dwarf]
      [NOFEAR]
      [EXTRAVISION]
      [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:FACIAL_HAIR_TISSUE_LAYERS]

and I made it so that marriage announcements paused and centered the game to the marriage party -

In announcements under data/init

[MARRIAGE:A_D:D_D:P:R]

Also….I may have made them willing to do horrible things to sapient beings…..hey, it is a harsh world -

In the Dwarf section in entity_default under raw/objects

   [ETHIC:EAT_SAPIENT_OTHER:ACCEPTABLE]
   [ETHIC:EAT_SAPIENT_KILL:ACCEPTABLE]
   [ETHIC:MAKE_TROPHY_SAME_RACE:ACCEPTABLE]
   [ETHIC:MAKE_TROPHY_SAPIENT:ACCEPTABLE]

I am not sure if that would be passed on in the saves or if you have yo edit your game.  Last time I tried to pass on the whole game in a file it went badly.


Lists :

1.Callisto - Lots Of Sand,Bridge,Stupid Langurs,Winter Break,Second Floor,The Mission Finished
2.Salmeuk - Scroll One,Scroll Two,Scroll Three,Scroll Four
3. Callisto - Grognak Of Axes,The Unbridled Bust,Rest Stops,The Next Project,Gator Attack,The Loons!,When Ducks Attack,Night Attack,River Source,Goblins,Ethical Issues,Going Home
4. Salmeuk - The Hills Have Gemstones,Digging Out A Home,Two Years Later,Kobold Catcher,Short Update,5000 Gems
5. Callisto - Adventure Time,The End,Heading Out,One Year Later,The Grand Plan Fails
6. Donnerino - Bakeddoom,Caverns Of Crud,The Mountain Homes Answer,The Everlasting Indeed
7. AvolitionBrit - The Mark Left,The Pugilist Of Soakedboards,The Amazing Bed Of Amazingness,The Cursed Lord,Immortal?
8. Callisto - A Totally New Character,Kobolds!Killing Kobolds,Heading Out!Settling In,Starting 1084,The BEES!Toyland,Mission Completed
9. AvolitionBrit - To The Edge Of The World,The Statue,The Great Duck Preserved
10. Salmeuk - The Approach,The Dig,New Migrants,Strange Eggs
11. Callisto - Snow White,Following The River,Army Or Treasure?A Dark Fortress,Army Of Darkness,Worthless Dead Ravens,So The Journey Starts,Being Sneaky,Goblins!Stupid Time!Good Old Fashion Exploring,Urge To Kill....Where Do I Store My Map?Honey Badger!A New Title
12. StrikaAmaru - Prologue,The Founding Of TwerEnded,Era of the Expedition Leader,Interlude,Era of Kel the Mayor,TowerEnded 1106 & 1107,TowerEnded 1107-1108,TowerEnded 1109,TowerEnded 1110-12
13. Brewer Bob - PASS
14. Salmeuk - Cratormanor,Hardships,Abandoned
15. AvolitionBrit - Did something?
16. Callisto - Good Goblin,Trying To Find The Scene Of The Crime,A Healthy Hamlet?Doom?A Fort,Into The Desert,Mountains,Into The Fortress?The Great Journey,Exploring Endtown,The End

Who wants to try their luck?!?!   

I plan to go first.  I have an idea of trying to build a bridge/tavern/Cleaner base kind of thing.  Real quick - just build a bridge, tavern, training hall, barracks, Trade Depot and fields.  Likely take a day and not two weeks.  But we'll see. 

My two stories set in the same universe.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=179978.0
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=180184.0

[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World - Lots Of Sand

When the wagon came to a stop near the stream Meng Workgild jumped down onto the yellow sand.  It, for it was neither male nor female, was sixty four years old with a very long dark gray-brown moustache in double braids and a matching long beard which was also braided.

But, due to the its culture’s current styling, the sideburns and the head of hair had been shaven clean. Which didn’t help it protect the skin from the sun.  Luckily it had a pig tail cap on.

“I claim this land for the Dregs of Clearing in the name of the Coal of Prestige.  This site is now known as the Bridge of Awe-inspiring!”

“Can we start digging now?” asked Fikod Laudedchannel as he stepped down from the wagon.  As one of the Miners he wanted to get under ground as soon as possible.  The sun, the sand, the open space, was unnerving to him.  Well, it was unnerving to everybody in the group.

“Yes, underground,” stated Ral Silverdangled.  She was the other Miner.  Kind of Fikod’s shadow.

“Why the heck am I here?” demanded Asmel Earthcovens as it picked up its axe.  “I see few plants and only a few sources for wood.  We may be able to make enough beds for ourselves.  And that’s if we pull apart the wagon.”

The Peasant stepped down from the wagon along with the Doctor and the Farmer.

“Get us underground so I can start planting this summer’s corps,” demanded Kivish Dyetrammel, the Farmer, as he glared around the landscape.  “We already missed Spring.”

“And I can guess who is going to be hauling all the crap too,” murmured the Peasant, named Inod Mountainsoaks.  The Peasant, like the Leader, was neither male nor female.  And was likely to be trained as a soldier once things were settled.  Its type had no fear and seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to feeling movement around it.

“Wonderful!” exclaimed the Doctor.  His name was Datan Citywind and he hated creatures and greenery.  Many in the group were slightly worried about a Doctor who hated all living things.

Meng sighed.  “Dig out the tunnels.  We need a large chamber for the future beds.  Storage, barracks, work areas and LOTS of stone.  We need stone for the bridge and the above ground tavern.”

The rest of the group looked somewhat ill at the thought of all the work they would have to do in the hot sun.  But at least the site wasn’t as hot as some areas.  There were rumors of some people melting….

“And we need a pen for the pigs!  Oh, and a butcher shop.”  Meng glanced at the camel and the yak who were no longer needed to pull the wagon.  “Oh…and pull apart the wagon.”

And so the Bridge of Awe-Inspiring was founded.  But how long would it last?

[King Zultan]

So this is how you're gonna continue the story, PTW.

[brewer bob]

This looks interesting.

PTW for now.

[Salmeuk]

I'm free for a turn~ looks wild. I have enjoyed your stories so far.

[callisto8413]

I'm free for a turn~ looks wild. I have enjoyed your stories so far.

I'll add you to the list.

[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World - Bridge

And so as the wagon was pulled apart, begging them to stop and think of all its children, the Miners started to dig out the tunnels and chambers the group would need. 

Meng checked out the stream.  Trying to decide where to build the bridge and, of course, the tavern.  Which would be on top of the bridge.

The dwarfs would live underground like proper dwarfs.  But the guests would live and drink and party on the surface.

Then the Farmer was attacked by a turtle.  Which he killed but than sat down and pouted and refused to plow the underground farming plots.

So the Peasant was told it was now also a Farmer.  Much to its annoyance.

Then it turned out the old Farmer wasn’t pouting.  He was wounded.

As they dug out a tiny hospital and made some beds the Miners hit stone!

The Doctor was also assigned the Chief Medical Dwarf.  And so the Leader went, grabbed the Farmer, and brought him in to be worked on.

He was well taken care of.  Well, at least as best as the Doctor could take care of him.

In early Autumn a caravan arrived, found no Trade Depot, and left disappointed.

And the Baron Consort Goden Kathil, who was sent by the Queen, met with Meng who wanted nothing but wood.
Meng didn't pay attention to what the Baron Consort wanted them to export.  Meng thought of itself, and the others, as obeying a higher power than the Queen.  Justice and Order!

And then some idiot migrants appeared to come from the southwest.  Meng Toolcolors, a female Weaver, had decided to come to the settlement for who knows why.  Turned out she knew how to dress wounds and went straight to the hospital to help.  An Animal Dissector and a Administrator also came out of the wasteland.

They also brought a donkey.

Worthless.

Meng didn’t trust them.  They were not Cleaners, like it and the rest.  They group had not been open about their beliefs and had no started calling each other Cleaners until a few days before the migrants showed up.

Also the direction the migrants had come from was infested with goblins.

Still Meng thought to itself. They would make a place for all people.  All would be welcomed and protected.  Even elves and goblins.  The Cleaners didn't care about words and politics.  They cared only for action.  If somebody was peaceful to them they would return that peace.  But pull a weapon on them...

And at least the Miners finally finished the lower level of the stone bridge.

Now they would have to work on upper levels.  And maybe make a Trade Depot.

But at least they had food and drink and might live to carry out their mission.

[callisto8413]

Just some behind the scene information.  This is my second try to set up a settlement for this Succession World.  The first one was doing well untill they all started to die for no reason I could find.  I think the surface was too hot as those mining lived longer.  And those who were working on the surface, along with the animals, died.  One Farmer even walked into the tunnels to set up the farming plots and just dropped dead covered in blood.    There was no combat, reports, or announcements.  There may be areas which are just dead zones.  So if you plan to make a Fortress be careful where to pick to strike the earth.

I think I may have accidently picked a area where the temperature was...a little too high.  Or there was something invisible...or a gas...or something.  Funny enough after the site was abandoned another group claimed it.   

[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World - Stupid Langurs

While the barracks had yet to be made everybody was made part of a squad.  Even the Non Cleaners.

But the mining was leaving pretty large underground chambers that could be turned into barracks and maybe a shrine.  Maybe a private dining area for the staff of the tavern?

Then while putting up walls along the bridge one of the idiots fell into the river!

Which…happened to be the Head Cleaner Meng.  How embarrassing.

Luckily nobody was hurt, as the river wasn’t that hard to get out of, and once the walls were finished they started on making the floor for the second level. 

All during this Goden Kathilkadol, the Baron Consort of Knowinglance, was hanging in the dining area.  Which was a large chamber with a table and a chair.  No doubt not very impressed by it all.  But it had been made to be a meeting hall and not really a dining room.

He said he was a Diplomat who had come to relax and find comfort in the settlement.  The dwarfs assumed his wife hated him and he was just using his job as a Diplomat to get as far away from her as he could.

Meng had always been told that Royal dwarfs were worthless but to see it first hand….

At least there was plenty of stew on the menu.  Who didn't love pond turtle stew?

And some drinks.

The second level, with two walls, was completed.  Meng had the dwarfs stop work on it to do other chores.  Like make mugs, more beds, and other items needed for life in the settlement and for the tavern.  As well as eat, drink, and sleep.  They needed to do that too, right?

Then there was a report that langurs were stealing shields!  So Meng called forth the The First Line!  The squad’s not-very-interesting name.  To kill as many of the tiny annoying creatures as they could.

Being that many of the dwarfs had proper weapons, such copper and bronze spears and shields, the gray langurs didn’t last long.

One, Ral, decided to wrestle with one of the creatures.  And was somewhat horrified by it all as the damn thing kept biting her.

But the other dwarfs were smart enough to go armed and dangerous.  At least dangerous enough to be dangerous to stealing gray langurs.

Soon all the tiny thieves were killed and Ral was sent to the hospital to have her wounds taken care of.

Winter came.  And langur stew was added to the menu.

[Salmeuk]

for some reason I am reminded of the old folktale about this weird langur-like in the night who threatens a lumberjack after he steals its tail. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailypo)

[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World -  Winter Break

So it was decided that work on the Tavern was to be halted during the cool season so that the dwarfs could continue to work on other projects as making more rooms, beds, and maybe even a shrine?

Also they needed to find something to trade with the next caravan.  What would it be?

While the dwarfs happily worked underground some of those who had to work outside reported a herd, or is it a flock, of ostriches.  And vultures.  Lots of vultures.

One of the rooms had a altar placed in it and it was named the Pungent Ticks.  It was, in other words, a Temple for everybody.  No one God or Goddess was worshiped there.  All visitors were welcomed.

Then one of the sows gave birth.  One the herd go bigger and some of the young ones matured the older ones would be butchered.  Soon bacon, ham, pork, would be on the menu!

It was also decided that two dwarfs would train each month in the pretty bare bone barracks.  So there was always somebody to plant seeds, work at the work shops, and harvest.

Winter turned out to be a good time to work underground.  Mining was carried out giving the dwarfs more rock to work with and plenty of uncut gems.

The dwarfs’ bedroom had more beds placed in it.  Along with some cabinets.

There was also more food, mostly in the form of dead langurs.  And a wider selection of drinks.

Then spring came and it was back to work!

[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World -  Second Floor

So work on the second floor of the bridge was restarted.  It was decided that the north and south walls would have arrow slots.  Which would also allow what little wind the desert produced to cool the tavern.

Since access was via a stairway hatches would be placed on them.  This would block access to invaders.

Near the end of Mid-Spring more migrants appeared from the southwest again.  Meng was not pleased.  Trust them it did not.

Among the new arrivals was a Clothier, a Soap Maker, another two (or three) Carpenters, a Siege Operator, a Armorer, a Gem Cutter, a Metalcrafter, a Bowyer, a Ranger, another two Weavers,  a goat kid, a puppy,another two, or three, piglets, a Yak calf, a Stomeworker, a Architect, a Hunter, a Cheese Maker, a Jeweler, a Animal Caretaker, a Woodcrafter, a chick, another foal, a Peachick, a cavy,  a poult, and a water Buffalo cow, and a Cow Calf.

Meng moaned.  More beds would need to be made and weapons found to train the new soldiers.

The cows and the goat would have to pastured across the river.  That was the only area with grass.  The pets would be left alone. While the Peachick, the poult, and piglets would be placed with the pigs.

Then it turned out that there were a lot of worshipers of the Cult of Bronze and they now wanted a temple and a priest.  They gave the petition to Meng and, with a sigh, it gave the request the stamp of approval.  Which was a rock it had found that it liked the shape of. 

The Hunters, or was it a Hunter and a Ranger, went chasing down the wildlife and killed it.

Then there seemed to have been an accident and some dwarfs were wounded.  But it was unknown WHAT had happened.  A cave in? 

Nobody could give a answer to that question.  And nobody ended up in the hospital. Then Summer came. 

Meng wondered about if the tavern would be finished before the Hamlet became so big that the dwarfs would be too busy just trying to stay alive and not working on the tavern.

[callisto8413]

The World Of Bones - Succession World -  The Mission Finished

Spring started out on the wrong foot.  For some reason the second floor started out badly as the dwarfs. Instead of making floors they made walls.

As the workers started to correct their mistake it was than noticed that erith, a Carpenter, had withdrawn from society and taken over the above ground Carpenter’s Workshop.  Luckily, it looked like erith had been able to find all it needed.

When it finished it had made a statue of Bemnil Righteousrazors.  Whoever that was….

Meng placed it in the tavern.  Just to add some art.  What a waste of good wood.

Then MORE migrants came.  Damn it.  Had Summer come already?  Meng sighed.  The settlement had 30 dwarfs.  How many more could it handle?

By the time all the migrants arrived the hamlet numbered 41.  Plus some more animals and pets.

Also there was a Honey Badger causing trouble and Meng ordered the Squad to go forth and kill the thing.  It ended up on the menu.

The tavern was finally given a name.  The Sugar of Planks!

Also Meng assigned erith Asmelrab as the Performer of the Cult of Bronze.  Though erith was given the name Bronze Priest.

Late Summer came.  And then Autumn.  But the Tavern/Bridge was almost finished.

A tavern keeper was selected.  Rith Athelkatak, who had been one of the workers of Gems, was picked.

Then, on the 17th of Limestone a caravan from Risen Gemur had arrived.  And the hamlet had a lot of cut gems and uncut gems to trade with the traders.  A LOT of gems.  They could buy a LOT of wood and booze.  And food, of course.

Also the Baron Consort had returned.  Meng moaned and went to her office.

In the meeting it asked the Baron for wood.  Lots of wood. 

The Broker traded the gems for food, some fruit, cloth and leather, and barrels of drink.  And of course bought up some wood.  And a few weapons.  And two musical instruments.

The traders were very happy as they had made a very big profit.

Then more migrants came.  The hamlet jumped from 41 dwarfs to 50 dwarfs.

In fact there were now enough craftsdwarfs that they made a Guild for themselves called the Hall of Silkiness.

Of course they wanted a Hall for their Guild.  A piece of the mine was set aside and called the Palace of Rims.
But the Head Cleaner, Meng was pleased, for the Tavern was finally done.  The Mission was complete!

And so…

And so the Cleaners had finished a bridge/tavern where visitors could come, rest, drink, and move across the river without worrying about ambushes or drowning.

[callisto8413]

I will have the save up as soon as I can.  Right when I was finishing this I was called into work.   

[Salmeuk]

awesome! A well-crafted craftsdwarf guild indeed.

So, I was thinking about how I might improve the world, and had a few questions for you:

1. So I can play a fortress pretty much as long as it lives, right? up to the two-week IRL timelimit
2. Could I potentially create multiple fortresses, assuming they are all upon a theme? Like, a series of outposts defining the border between civilizations?
3. Are we supposed to be selecting the same civ during embark? or merely playing along the theme of "Dark Sun"?