I decided I wanted to write a dwarf fortress story, and I wanted to try my first map with magma. Little did I know the beautiful chain of coincidences that would ensue... this has been my most enjoyable fortress to date, if it can even be called that. I wrote this as I played, and it was sole coincidence that Sarvesh and Esthan were the first two I chose to write for... you'll see why if you read.
So enjoy the tale of Sarvesh and Esthan!
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
They said I was crazy. I'm not crazy. No, not crazy at all. They just... lack vision. They don't see how perfect this place we'll be. Four years. Four years I've surveyed this continent, and I tell you, there is NO better place. I'm not crazy. I'm just smart.
Of course, that won't do me any good if no one will believe me. Cursed, they call this place! Cursed, and they call me crazy. This place may be wild and untamed, yes, but it is a heaven for any dwarf that would call himself a dwarf.
Finally, though, finally the king has granted me my charter. He refused to fund the journey, but I've saved up my coin eagerly anticipating this opportunity. My dream can finally become reality! The perfect location to build my legend... Still, recruiting has been difficult. He also refused my request for settlers, but offered to let me take my pick of the fortress jails. So, criminals and the street trash I can lure in with the promise of rewards or the meager remains of my funds. I'll make do.
We will need the anvil, so I do not have much to spare. I must make every coin count.
But soon, soon we will depart.
Loadout:
4 Copper Picks
1 Battle Axe
1 Leather Armor
1 Anvil
20 Rum
30 Ale
10 Plump Helmet Spawn
30 Turtle
10 Nickel Bars
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
He's mad! By Thash, our expedition leader is a mad dwarf! The way he spun his words, it seemed as if our destination was some sort of paradise, but what do we find? After days trekking across black desert, hiding from wandering troglodytes and fighting off attacks from the rampaging antmen, we hit the mountains and... stop? Here, he says gleefully, his voice tinted with excitement. Here is where we build the new future of the dwarven race!
I stop to look around, then begin to laugh, then with a slow horror I realize that he's completely serious.
Now, let me be clear for a second. I am a botanist. I study plants. I joined this expedition with the promise that we'd be traveling to far off places where I could catalog new and interesting flora. Well, that and because I was broke, and he offered good money. Plants, though, plants are not only my passion but my reason for living.
And this, this place... is somehow devoid of life. Well, life that isn't aggressive, threatening, or lethal. I have dozens of skills that would help out most any fledgling colony, and absolutely all of them are useless here! I approach Sarvesh, intending to let him know that by no means is this acceptable. As he sees me approaching, he smiles. That isn't expected. I proceed, regardless.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but I think we have both made a mistake. This is a wasteland, and my skills will only go to waste here! What purpose would I..." He shoves something into the hands of another of our companions, and then points towards the mountain.
"Time to dig! Everyone grab a pick!"
I suddenly notice the clattering of antmen investigating our trail at the bottom of the hill. Perhaps it would be best to voice my objections... after we excavate a niche to hide in. Preferably one with a solid door.
Then he turns to me. "Not you though. We're going to need food soon, so head down to that desert and start us up a farm! Oh, and while your looking for seed, start up an inventory! I hear you're good with letters and numbers, should be right up your alley." I begin to protest, but he throws himself at the mountain and dissapears into a hail of rock chips and dust as excavation begins. I sigh, look down the mountain, and then turn to the wagon. I certainly wasn't planning on getting myself killed working my way down there alone, but an inventory, that at least I could accomplish.
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
Dig dig dig. I know there's lava here. I can feel it. Just need to find it.
Cilob Delethlogem, Apprentice Blacksmith
I turn to my masket, Thikut.
"He wants us... to... dig?" I ask. We were hired as smiths. Well, I was hired to operate the furnace, but we were here to smelt metal, not dig.
He slaps me on the back.
"Don't worry, son, I've been on a couple expeditions before. Nothing to worry about - we gotta carve out a place to work before we can get to work, you know!"
I smile weakly, and experimentally heft the pick at the wall. It sinks in, knocking off a large chunk of stone. It's actually kind of satisfying. Sarvesh has already wormed a hole into the mountain, but his orders were to make it wide enough to easily move supplies. I swing again, and then again. Not bad at all. Good, honest work for a dwarf.
"Your right, Thikut, this isn't bad at all!" I say, and only then do I notice the scrabbling sound and the wild braying of the oxen. I turn to see antmen climbing over the wagon, and the livestock scattering. We've dug far enough in that we're trapped - there's no escape but the tunnel Sarvesh has dissapeared into. I shake Thikut, and push him into the tunnel. "Run, Master!" I scream, as one grabs me by the leg and drags me into the open. As they pull my apart, I see Thikut angrily run towards them, trying to get them off of me. And then there is darkness.
Mosus Kegethiden, Handydwarf
:::pant::: :::wheeze::: Aaaaaaah!!!! :::pant::: :::wheeze::: Aaaaaahhh!!! Why isn't anyone helping me! I call for Zuntir, who's watching me from beneath his leather helmet, axe hanging loose in one hand. Why is he just watching me, and why are the creatures ignoring HIM! I'm so dead. I'm so dead! Why did I ever come here!? Sarvesh is crazy!
Oh, look. Troglodytes are chasing me now too.
Oh wow, is that RATMEN? Bloody Sheol. I'm surrounded.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
I think... I think they're all dead. Oh, it was horrible. Blood. Blood everywhere. Why am I even here? I shouldn't be here. This isn't a paradise. This is hell. This place is cursed. Sarvesh is crazy. Dead now, I suppose. Still crazy.
I'm hiding in a little outcropping of stone. I don't think they've followed me here. I don't think they've seen me, not yet. I'm so afraid. I don't know what to do. I'm going to die out here.
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
Well, that's a bit odd. Came up to get a drink before returning to work. Noone's here. They'd better just be having a "Welcome to paradise!" party or something, because if they've just abandoned me... why, thats mutiny! They'll end up regretting it, if I have any say in the matter, that's for sure! I got down to the sand layer at least... if I see Esthan again, I'll have to mention he can plant inside where it's safer. Now time to start on the workshops!
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
By Thash, they've abandoned me! I'm left to my own, then, I suppose. Argh, I just want to destroy something, I'm so angry. Well, you know what? Who cares. I'll show them all, I'll build this place by myself if need be, from naught but the stone and these two hands.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
Our last ox ran by, trailing antmen. I prayed they wouldn't see me, but I've had no such luck. They've found me! I run past them, bolting down the mountain. They lash at me, but I break free. I run. They catch up, and strike me again. I look down to see blood leakin from my stomache, but I don't slow. If I slow for even a second, I'll be dead. I know it.
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
That's odd, Esthan just ran by the entrance screaming bloody murder and clutching his stomache. Ah, I see. Antmen.
Hmm.
Maybe it wasn't desertion after all.
Damn fools running off again. Hope he lives.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
They keep catching me, and then I push them off. I don't know how much longer I can run from them. I don't know how I've run this long.
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
Well, good to see you've finally come inside Estha- Argh. Not even a hello. How very - Oh. I see. He brought friends. Ah. I casually swing my pick down, crushing the first one's head. I begin to think I'm the only person in this group capable of getting anything done. Honestly.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
He... he killed them. The maddwarf actually killed them. He turns back to me and shrugs.
"I think we should stay inside" he says. I shudder in agreement. He points to the workshop. "I'm glad you're here though. I'm gonna go back to digging. While I'm at it, why don'y you build us some doors?"
I nearly faint. Then I get to work. I don't have much hope... but I'm still alive. Sarvesh may be mad, but I think he's the only one left. If we're going to survive, we need each other. And he seems so... confidant. Maybe, if I stay close, I might pull through this after all.
As I get to work, I hear Sarvesh curse and stomp outside, followed by gnashing, wailing, and indwarven screams.
He peaks his head into the workroom. "By the way, there was a troglodyte and some more antmen outside, but I got rid of em. Get those doors up quick, mmkay?"
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
Three antmen and a troglodyte, and he's still not done with the second door. This boys a slow worker. Hopefully he'll be a bit faster with the farms.
On another note, these antmen just keep coming. I might have to go out and clear the area if we want some peace and quiet.
We're running a bit low on food though. I tell Esthan to head outside, and grab a quick bit to bring back in. No sooner does he step out than a troglodyte pops out of nowhere and chases him off. Ah well. Back to just me, I guess.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
Why are things always chasing me? If I get a second to breather, I swear I'm going to collapse.
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
He came back a little while later, looking quite hagard. Still alive, though, and relatively uninjured. I offer him a turtle. He eats the turtle, drinks some wine, and promptly collapses from exhaustion. I consider dragging him inside, then decide I need to prioritize and start dragging food and drink inside instead. I'm sure he'll be fine.
Hmm... that's not good. A troggy is heading right for sleeping beauty. Lets hope I can get there in time - it would be terribly inconvenient to lose another hand at this point.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
I wake up to find a beast gnawing on my ankle. Screaming, I try to run again, then start in pain as i jump to my feet, collapsing again. Sarvesh runs out the doorway, tackling the thing to the ground and hacking it to pieces. He gives me a once over, shrugs, rubs his back a bit, and returns to dragging food and drink inside.
A march up to him, intending to beg him to let us leave this place, when another troglodyte attacks us. I run to hide inside, and i notice him drop his pick in the fight. Eventually the troglodyte runs off, but Sarvesh appears badly hurt. This isn't good at all.
I beg him to let us leave as he picks up his pick again and casually swats a ratman to death before wheezing.
"No... we must... keep going. We can... do this..."
This dwarf is mad.
Sarvesh Onoldumat, Expedition Leader
I think I'm going to be bedridden the moment we get a bed. For now, though, I can't wrest. Pretty sure my back is broken, but I'm staying up and killing through shear force of will.
We'd be making more progress if Esthan didn't take every opportunity to beg us to leave. I'm not budging, but at leas the complaining seems to be cheering him up. Meanwhile, dashing his hopes is doing the same for me. He may be a near useless coward, but he's still here - that means he's either loyal or desperate. Either way, it means as long as I can keep him alive, I can make him do everything I don't want to.
Meanwhile, the stink of death is start to fill the hallway. Those doors REALLY need to go up.
Esthan Bisekdeduk, Botanist
We have some food, some drink, and some seeds, and we're inside. I'm beggining to think that maybe, just maybe, we aren't doomed. Then I remember we are. We're doomed. We're just doomed slower now.
Just before locking the doors, Sarvesh dragged the anvil inside, muttering something about "If we're trapped in here, we're definitely going to need this."
Meanwhile, I've checked the food we brought in.
Its turtles.
Nothing but turtles. Turtles by the barrel full. I ask Savesh about it. He says turtles are all he bought. What else could we possibly need, other than turtles and rum? I decide not to say anything, but I want to cry inside. He tells me to build a table and some chairs to eat our turtle on.
I just sigh and get to work.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Notes:
I honestly didn't expect nearly everybody to die. I've never lost many dwarves before at all. This map has been insane. Moreso than anything, I can't believe Esthan survived. Sarvesh was mining deep enough I'm suprised, but I think Esthan ran around this map a half dozen times, managed to suffer several internal injuries, and recovered from them WHILE RUNNING, he'd been running so long. Every other dwarf was torn to bits, but Esthan just never gave up. This is the first time I'm actually start to care about and actually get to know my dwarves.
Also, I have no idea why Sarvesh dragged the anvil inside. I certainly didn't tell him to. I think he somehow still believes he's going to set up a miraculous metal mine, even though we haven't seen any sign of magma yet (aside from everything being made from obsidian).
I never realized just how fun this game could be. Losing IS fun! (or at least almost losing)
Author
Topic: Sarvesh and Esthan, in "A Dwarven Paradise" (Read 837 times)