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[Jools]

Hmmm. More challenging doesn't exactly sound bad... we've got a fairly non-hostile environment (numerous drownings excepted) so our biggest threat is probably fortress mismanagement... and a good fortress thrives when given a challenge.

Personally I'd like to hear a little more before voting either way - what sort of population loss (roughly) would this challenge involve? Drop below a certain level and you'll kill the fortress due to nobles demanding stuff and simply not having the dwarves to fulfil it. Would it involve killing any named dwarves? Building pointless or dangerous stuff? Sabotaging existing systems so pulling any given lever did all kinds of crazy and random stuff throughout the fortress, or emptied the Foe Flusher *in* to the fortress instead of out of it? Setting up some sort of crazy maze-airlock system whereby any dwarf wanting to go from point A to point B needs a whole team of minions pulling levers to allow it to happen? Setting every dwarf's only task available to "Herbalism" and designating every bush on the map? Making every dwarf a crossbow-armed hunter and going after everything else on the map? Teaching the dwarves to swim?

Most of the above I'd see as perfectly fine, but there's a limit on how much the fortress can take. Creative decline would be fun, especially if we managed some sort of recovery, but completely trashing the fortress and killing most of the dwarves wouldn't.

[Keldor]

If those carp are actually pulling dwarves off the bridge from several Z levels down, I'd say that's certain to be a bug, and should probably be reported.

Could it be that the dwarves are getting close to the water for some other reason?  I know I lost a peasant or two when they tried to pick up some lungfish remains or such on the shore O.o

In any case, maybe if you stationed an archer or two on top of the half finished bridge they'd shoot any fish that came too close?

Concerning when your turn ends, it would be a year from when you started, so very late summer.  You could also play the extra 5 days or so up to the beginning of fall so things are nice and even if you wanted.

Zerox, so long as you don't play a paranoid noble who trys to kill off former leaders, for fear of them usurping him, it's probably ok.

[Jools]

To be entirely honest I've not been watching exactly where the peasants are getting pulled from - currently, construction involves being in carp-danger zones(crossing the river), but in a little while it ought to be all nicely walled off.

Posting the marksdwarves squad is a good idea and I can't believe I didn't think of it myself. I was even planning to build fortifications up the side of the bridge so that anyone crossing could throw things/shoot at the carp... and possibly even a dump zone so that the carp get all our crap showered on them.

Oh, and I'd like to add that killing off former leaders by accident is perfectly acceptable. As long as it *was* an accident...

<Eyes dresdor with suspicion>

[Kazindir]

Removing the solid lines of weapon and cage traps would be a good start to making things challenging. If any future goblin hordes have to be stopped by dwarf power (be it manually smacking them or pulling levers) then the general danger levels go way up compared to relying on lines of dwarven sentry guns. I mean, weapon traps.

That was one of the reasons I decided to build what is now the Foe Flusher, because it involved getting rid of the drawbridge. Our military got quite badly squished though so I left the weapon traps in place!

Besides, even our original chief mechanic dealt with rampaging elephant herds by running at them screaming, not just traps!
On an entirely unrelated note, is Endok still alive?

[Jools]

Which Endok?

We've got Endok Drilledpulleys, an Engraver, Mason, Hammerdwarf, Mechanic, Grower and Animal Trainer. Endok Staffcontained, our Philosopher (this noble will not work, how unsurprising). We had an Endok Speardoor (Holdings - Grave. He has been quite content lately. His only relationship is with his Deity, which I think is fitting). That's all we've had in Endok terms.

Looking at the list we've got about sixty dead, all told. I lost count of the number of pages of animals, so a slaughterfest might be in order to keep the framerate up. Oh, and we have two carp that have names (though one of them is unconscious and bleeding) so I think some sort of carp attack is in order.

[Kazindir]

"Endok Drilledpulleys, an Engraver, Mason, Hammerdwarf, Mechanic, Grower and Animal Trainer"

He sounds like the right one. Our original mechanic/animal trainer/crazed loon, who single handedly* drove off several elephant hordes and captured the named elephant who killed some dwarves who is I think still at the gate under the Foe Flusher.


*He has an awful lot of dogs with him as well, but dogs don't have hands.

[Zerox]

Sign me up for part 3 when everyone says it's OK.


This may be fun.

[Keldor]

Endok Monangbesmar is the one, though my translation (looking at the raws) comes out to Boredpulleys, not Drilledpulleys.  Strange.

EDIT:

Looking closer, the actual entry is [T_WORD:DRILL BORE:monang], so I guess it took the drill over the bore.  Oddly enough, there's also a [T_WORD:BORE DRILL:atˆk].  I wonder what the difference is?  Oh, and Endok means Attic.  Hence, Attic Drill-Pulley.

[Dr. Melon]

You know, instead of hunting the carp, how about building a little dry channel, filling it with cage traps, and then letting water in via floodgates, catching the carp, draining it with pumps, and then taming and then torturing the carp.

[Jools]

OOC: Good plan. I was thinking about capturing some carp a while ago but completely forgot in all the excitement. I'll consider it once the bridge is done. Problem is that our miners are massively busy on the bottom level, and from experience, removing enough designation there to stop them digging is a pain in the arse.

Anyway, I managed to get through about a week of game time tonight, after cleaning my flat and shopping for half a ton of stuff...

1st Moonstone, 1057

Winter. A chill has settled over the land. Construction of the bridge continues, now under the watch of our marksdwarf squad. Or as much of it as can be bothered to turn up - currently about half of it.

Still, I'm hoping that they act as a carp deterrent if nothing else. I've also designated a stairway to be dug down to river level, to allow anyone who falls in to escape, but with the miners busy on the bottom level it might be a while before it gets dug.

5th Moonstone, 1057
 
Carp are interrupting bridge construction again. Not actually killing peasants, for a nice change, but scaring them enough to make them run away. The marksdwarves are all off elsewhere. Probably drunk as well. I'm also designating fortifications along the side of the bridge, on the off chance that a marksdwarf turns up to shoot through them.

Construction on this side of the river has gone as far as it can; I'm trying to get a bridge built across so I can begin from the other side, but construction is slow. Not sure why. I already have a pair of bridges across another section of river, but I made the mistake of ordering them built at a higher elevation to protect dwarves crossing it from carp; sadly, no-one has yet worked out how to get down from the bridge on the other side... so I'm building one bridge across to finish the other side of this second, safer bridge, and then we'll use this safer bridge to cross over the river while building the giant arched, fortified bridge. And if future leaders are lucky I'll deconstruct it all once I'm done instead of leaving messy bridges all over the place.

<Later that day>

We've struck Fire Opal. This is actually something vaguely interesting and valuable, so I have refrained from striking the miners.

6th Moonstone, 1057

Kazindir has mandated the construction of a short sword. I think I can manage that. I did try to inquire what he wanted it for, with him being an Axedwarf and all, but the military and Guards are a very insular lot and avoid nobles like the plague (on the very sensible grounds that nobles have a tendency to try and make them do things, especially foolish things like charging at armies of goblins with nothing but an axe and a small leather buckler). The most information I could get out of Etur, our Speardwarf, was that Kazindir wanted to use it as a toothpick. I'm not sure if he was being sarcastic or not.

[Jools]

Quick note - playing now, aiming to get my turn done over the weekend. And we have another dragon... I'm tempted to just let it come and see if the traps or the Foe Flusher deal with it...

[Jools]

10th Moonstone, 1057

One of the marksdwarves on guard by the bridge has been stunned. I don't know what by. Can't be carp, he's behind fortifications.

Speaking of carp, they interrupted construction again. I think it's the one we've called Roderlid or something, which is heavily injured and spends most of it's time unconscious underneath the bridge, but seems to occasionally wake itself up, while annoyingly failing to bleed to death. Once I can get a marksdwarf to the other side of the river I might be able to get a clear shot at it, but until then we'll just have to try and ignore it.

Meanwhile, I am personally supervising construction of Kazindir's short sword. Whether or not he wants to use it as a toothpick, I'd rather make it than upset our Captain of the Guard.

11th Moonstone, 1057

We have struck Claro opal. Whatever that is.

<Later that day>

Damn. We've got another dragon. I'd better go and figure out which lever closes the drawbridge... that or bring everyone indoors and see if the myriad of traps and the Foe Flusher can deal with it.

<Even later>

The miners told me we've struck Moss Opal. I was unimpressed. I told them about the dragon. They were unimpressed. Maybe one of us should put some effort into finding some common ground between us...

12th Moonstone, 1057

Fire Opal.

Meanwhile, that dragon is just sitting on the borders of our land. I haven't even bothered shutting the drawbridge yet. I might send the marksdwarves after it, or I might just leave it there on the basis that it'll kill anything else that comes along - kobolds, goblins, elves, traders etc. and then we can loot anything that's not still on fire.

<Later that day>

Brown zircon.

13th Moonstone, 1057

The Countess Consort wants a ballista part. Just one. Not enough to build a ballista, just one part. I don't understand why, but I'm guessing that's not exactyl something I'm meant to do.

In other news, we have one very stupid dragon. It blundered through the weapon traps at the entrance unscathed, and then immediately got trapped by a palm cage. A wooden cage. A flammable cage. A snarling fire-breathing monster held captive by a flammable cage.

How very disappointing.

I'll see if anyone can train it to be a pet for someone; if not, I'll just put it in my room. Or possibly dresdor's, and arrange an... accident in revenge for the death of my relative.

17th Moonstone, 1057

The Countess Consort just gave birth to a baby girl. Congratulations are in order. Especially as she's just dumped it on the silt outside while assisting in bridge construction...

18th Moonstone, 1057

Red zircon. I really ought to get these gems cut or something.

19th Moonstone, 1057

Kazindir is demanding a Brass Armour stand in his dining room. I'm wondering if I should give him the dragon instead and see if that keeps him happy. We've only got one brass bar - I hope that's enough...

<Later that day>

Cobaltite.

<Even later>

I am beginning to regret the bridge. As soon as the access walkway to the other side was built, a Potash Maker sprinted across. It seemed an Alligator had killed a giant leopard, and he wanted to pick up the corpse... not considering the fact that there might just be a large, angry alligator nearby. I've sent the marksdwarves from the bridge to either save him or facilitate corpse retrieval.

<Later still>

Damn, he got eaten. I'll forbid everyone from making a lemming rush to grab his stuff, and try sweeping the marksdwarves around the area a bit, see if they can kill some of the wlidlife.

Damn again. Some blasted peasant is out there trying to stockpile an unknown item that I can't identify... and wandering *right over* an alligator nest to get there. I'm escorting him with the marksdwarves, but this can't end prettily...

An alligator and two hatchlings later, I work out that the peasant is after the lower body of the leopard, lying on the grass a few metres from the rest of the leopard. What a pointless thing to chase after. Anyway, with the marksdwarves on guard, I've permitted everyone to go and gather all the animal bits over there that they want to, for now at least.

25th Moonstone, 1057

The grab-everything-you-can policy across the river is now rescinded. An armourer is being eaten by one of the remaining alligators, as the marksdwarves are off sleeping or drinking.

I'm building a wall and a drawbridge round the far side of the bridge, and raising the frigging drawbridge until further notice.

And Kazindir still hasn't got his brass armour stand.

28th Moonstone, 1057

Nor will he get one. We need three Brass bars. He'll have to wait for the traders.

I hope he doesn't get angry.

1st Opal, 1057

Kazindir, sensing the delay in making his precious Brass Armour stand, has prohibited the export of all Armour Stands. Fine. If we have any spare, I'll put them all in his room until he's quite happy that we aren't losing any...

[Jools]

9th Opal, 1057

A warthog has given birth to warthog piglets. In my opinion they're marginally better looking than the child of the Countess Consort...

10th Opal, 1057

Brown Zircon again.

17th Opal, 1057

A Royal Guard has starved to death. I didn't even know he was injured. Regardless, I'll have to give some other poor sap the job. And we're still short of fortress guards...

While checking, it appears that we only have four Royal Guards anyway, when we ought to have six. Another one has died at some point and failed to be noticed.

Oh well. I'll appoint some useless idiot like an Animal Dissector to take his place.

21st Opal, 1057

Now the dragon is tamed, I've made it available for sale. Someone's valued it at approximately 40,000 coins.

Having checked, it appears we have precisely *no* coins.

I've ordered some native gold bars to be made - we'll start making some coins with them to start with.

22nd Opal, 1057

We're out of barrels to brew drinks in. We may not be short of booze, but this is a key part of any functioning fortress, so I shall rectify things immediately.

4th Obsidian, 1057

The Grand Bridge approaches completeness; enough has now been built for it to serve as a functioning river crossing, at least. All that needs to happen is to fill in the gaps. And for that to happen, first we have to remove some pesky trees in the way. Time to cross your fingers and hope the elves aren't watching.

Oh, and also time to try and get someone to finally clean the vomit off it. It's really spoiling the bridge's nice white salty shine.

18th Obsidian, 1057

I'm worried about one of our Planters. He's wounded in the left lung, and wandering off into the wilderness across the river claiming he has to dump something. He's not carrying anything, though.

He appears to be staggering back with the remains of a lungfish. Quite why he thought that cleaning that up was important what half the topside fort is a mess of mud, blood and vomit, I don't know, but if you really do want to start cleaning this place I suppose you have to start somewhere...

20th Obsidian, 1057

The Countess and the Tax Collector have just ended mandates; the Countess now allows us to export querns, and the Tax Collector has given up on having a bonobo leather item made for her.

While checking up on them, to make sure neither was going to throw an expensive tantrum, I discovered that our Tax Collector was wounded - bedridden, in fact, with an upper spinal injury.

That's the best kind of Tax Collector it's possible to have. One who just needs smiling at and assuring that we're collecting taxes, plus of course occasionally being fed and watered.

Also our reports seem to indicate that in terms of created wealth, we've topped the one million mark. Not bad for a city founded on salt.

21st Obsidian, 1057

Red Zircon again. And I was getting used to the peace and quiet from our miners...

22nd Obsidian, 1057

A Bone Carver has been possessed. Damn. Not that we're short of bones from dead things, but I'd prefer a good old-fashioned fey mood.

I hope we have everything he needs...

23rd Obsidian, 1057

The Bone Carver has claimed a crafts workshop. I hope he makes something valuable...

25th Obsidian, 1057

We have another Champion! A Hammerdwarf. This would call for a celebration if our booze stocks weren't dwindling. I have reassigned carpenters and woodcutters to stop doing anything but their woodworking jobs... not that we have many of any of them, but never mind.

In bridge news, wagons can now cross over to the other side, and make it out of the walled section that has been built. They can travel a whole three metres before being blocked by trees. We'll have to build a road if we're to seriously exploit this new construction.

26th Obsidian, 1057

Our Bone Carver has begun a mysterious construction using ten alligator bones, a giant leopard bone and some alligator leather.

I bet the resulting artifact has a picture of an alligator on it.

1st Granite, 1058

Happy New Year!

2nd Granite, 1058

We have a kobold thief in our midsts. Keldor's running a sweepstake on how it gets killed or caught. I put my gold coin in and got "bitten by warthog". I swear he fixes these things.

<Later that day>

Our Bone Carver is finished. An alligator bone ring, decorated with alligator bone and bands of alligator leather, and spikes of alligator bone and giant leopard bone. No images on it, so that's one bet I've lost today already.

The kobold's escaped past our cage and weapon traps on the outer entrance. Bomrek, leader of the Marksdwarf squad, just somehow happened to get "Shot by marksdwarf" in the sweepstake and has sent his entire squad racing after the creature.

4th Granite, 1058

The kobold escaped. Keldor keeps the pot. Goddamnit, I really ought to train some dogs and keep them by the entrance. Or even better - Hunting Warthogs...

5th Granite, 1058

The Countess has apparently got a warning from the Elves about disrespecting the trees in this area. I chose to celebrate this news with a nice party round a bonfire.

6th Granite, 1058

Our drink stocks are stabilising after the dent we made in them at the New Year. Still, they could be better. I've ordered another Still be made.

7th Granite, 1058

The Countess Consort has mandated the construction of Electrum items. I've ordered a couple be built, and our Electrum stocks replenished, but we're running short of some metals...

8th Granite, 1058

Claro Opal. I really ought to start encrusting stuff with gems, it's not like we're short of any.

15th Granite, 1058

An elven caravan has arrived. I'm tempted to send for our deputy trader rather than dresdor, but we'll see who's around.

After their harsh words over the trees, I'm obviously not planning on buying anything they have to offer...

17th Granite, 1058

The Elves are approaching the Depot. dresdor, who is asleep, has been requested to go there. I'd *hate* him to miss out on any of the... excitement.

[Keldor]

I'm glad those cage traps actually lived up to their purpose - that was actually the reason I had them set up, to try and catch the last dragon that came our way.  That time, however, the marksdwarves shot the dragon before it got to the traps.  Endok looks quite thrilled with the prospect of taming it.  I hope he doesn't end up as a pile of ashes, I've rather taken a liking to the dolt.

Oh, Jools, *leans in and whispers conspiritorily*  I DID actually rig that sweepstakes, at least so far as Bomrek getting the Shot by Marksdwarf slip.  The idea was that it would "motivate" them to actually go kill the creature, rather than sitting around drinking booze while kobolds make off with our finest crafts.  The sad thing is that it didn't even work.  Pathetic.

No, no, I didn't rig any of the other ones!  You picked your slip completely on your own!  And don't give me that look.  It wouldn't have been the first time a kobold had been - what was it? - bitten by a boar.  You should have seen it the first time it happened!  Not as funny as the time one tripped over a lungfish and landed in quicksand, but still!

[Jools]

Endok's fine. Well, he needs some new clothes, and is covered in several layers of mud, blood and vomit, but he's tamed the dragon and is merrily re-loading cage traps.

The kobold only got away with it's miserable life, nothing more, so I'm not that worried. Besides, we've already got plenty of fodder for an arena fight.

Anyway, on with the updates. N.B. it's not running quick at the moment - my PC isn't exactly shabby but it's struggling under the load, I think because of all the animals. I might try caging or killing them so whoever's up next gets a chance at the thing actually running...