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Author Topic: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]  (Read 1422 times)

Zanziik

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Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« on: June 18, 2009, 06:13:40 pm »

Foreword:
This is my first attempt at a Dwarf Fortress story, and I haven't played any of this game yet, so let's see where it goes, shall we? Playing 40d11 that may have Molten Rocks mod (I say may because I can't remember for the life of me.) Other than that, no changes, Vanilla.

1st Granite, 309

My name is Ålbel Edosèrith. I am a mechanic by trade, but events have conspired to place me at the head of a small band of travelers. I was chosen by Queen Zas Amostzaneg to lead an expedition from the Mountainhome in Echopaddle to a location suitable for a new settlement. I am still relatively uncertain as to what led to my being chosen for the position, but I am not convinced that it was supposed to be an honor. Regardless of whatever plans may have been made, they have all gone to hell now, and I think that we may have followed them.

Our wagon has been troubled continuously by broken axles, and we finally ran out today.

What are the odds that our wagon would break down on the very first day of Spring?

We are stuck, forget the odds. We are stuck and we are in the middle of the most sinister looking place I've ever seen.



The swamplands to the south are barely habitable, there are very few trees, and whoever was so thickskulled that they decided the name "Lovebrushes" was apt for that brook needs to be checked over. I'm going to call it Hellfroth. We'll have to dig in there, though. We'll have to do everything quickly. I can hear strange creatures hissing and howling from the chasm in the north, I doubt they will stay hidden for long once they realize we aren't too well prepared for any danger. Far to the west it's easy to see the tops of goblin towers on clear days. I don't even need to say what sort of terror that fact puts into me.

Our wagon is equipped with some supplies, that I'd taken the liberty of noting down before we embarked from Echopaddle:



I also spent much of the trip prior to our breakdown getting to know the traits of my groupmates.



Queen Amostzaneg couldn't have picked a much more confusingly named group! 3 "Kib's" and I even share my name with our axedwarf! Such is the norm with nobles, though. I'll have to think up some sort of nicknames for everyone.

Meng and Dodok are the miners of our group, and they each will be responsible for some farming as well. They're more suited than most of us to combat, and they've each got some light training as well as a war dog for protection in the deep parts of the world. The woodworker Ålbel, I think I'll call her 'Nails,' was a proficient carpenter in Echopaddles, and her axe will surely cut both logs and things far more deadly before her time here is done. Kib, the stone mason, will be busy making whatever we need. 'Bones,' as I'm going to call our craftsdwarf, will make items for trade, and 'Tubs' will be in charge of supplying us with good food and drink so that we may ward off the dark thoughts we're sure to get here. I'll be busy setting traps and keeping stock of our supplies.

I'm not much of an artist, but I've drawn a bit of my impression of our current spot in the world. I've got to get going, we need to get underground fast! May this journal serve whoever may find it in the end!

Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2009, 07:34:40 pm »

3rd Granite, 309

Meng and Dodok came up after almost two days underground, covered in loam, to tell us that the first stockpile, where we'd put our food stores, was completely dug out. Meng seemed delighted with how filthy he'd gotten. I think I saw him rolling around in the loam earlier.



5th Granite, 309

Now that we've started getting our food out of the sun and into the ground, I've started drafting plans to house a food industry. We'll plant the plump helmet spawn and cave wheat seeds that we have, brew the plants or eat them raw, and cook any excess drink into meals. I believe the only thing that will slow our food or drink is a lack of wood... I hope we can convince any traders that might happen on our swamp home to bring some...



Nails told me today that she scouted around the chasm to the north of us a bit.



The situation doesn't look great. I'm going to have to think of some way to protect us without having to rely on a military that we just don't have the dwarfpower for.

7th Granite, 309

Someone decided to leave the remains of a small rodent in the food stockpile, and it's disgusting! The entire fortress stinks of it! A small four-legged feline is to blame, I'm sure.



Come to think of it, a lot of the women in our group seem to have a thing for cats. I'm going to watch them a little more closely from now on.

12th Granite, 309

We've started digging a bit deeper under the food stockpiles, and the diorite that Meng and Dodok left lying around gave me some excellent stuff to work with to defend our fortress. A tale I read as a young dwarf in Echopaddles, of the story of the fortress Deathquest, is my inspiration.



I'll fill the corridor with cage traps, and any creature dumb enough to try to get in will be added to an extravagant zoo!

When we have time to build a zoo, that is.

21st Granite, 309

SHETROLL!



She came down from the chasm and scared the hell out of me! I was just trying to move the last bits of our drink below ground when all of a sudden I saw her tearing the wagon apart! I practically jumped back into the fort!

As I was screaming to stay inside, Nails saw Meng's dog run valiantly toward the marauding brute, intent on murdering it. With Meng's plea to save it, Nails, Meng, and Dodok all ran outside on a rescue mission.

It turned out that that wouldn't be necessary.

Eral Swampswings is what Meng calls the dog, and let me tell you, I'll be staying far clear of him in the future. He reached the Shetroll far before Nails could, and proceeded to rip her to pieces. He mangled her heart with his fangs, I've never seen such ferocity!



There's blue troll blood and chunks everywhere, and the damn thing died slumped right over the wagon. Eral trotted off without a scratch, he seems fairly disconnected with what he just did. I don't know if he has a soul.

« Last Edit: June 18, 2009, 07:38:12 pm by Zanziik »
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Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2009, 08:28:05 pm »

6th Slate, 309

Bones has been hard at work making rock mugs. They'll be great for exporting to Echopaddles should any caravan come. My training in appraising tells me that mugs are one of the best things for an early fort to build for export, but I really have trouble seeing the logic in this. I see no function for them, any dwarf who doesn't drink straight from the barrel would be laughed out of the mountains and into the jungles with the elves where he belongs.



Perhaps, like the cat lovers here, there are more elf-sympathizers among us than we would like to think! The price of mugs merits attention. Take note of this.

I've also been working to create mechanisms with which to load our cage traps. I can turn a lump of cold stone into an intricate widow-making device! The goblins will know my name if they come to Lastdwelling!

12th Slate, 309

I've been working to survey the state of our fortress for record. I must say that we've progress fairly quickly in just over a month.



We've dug out rooms and planned for more, they're nothing elaborate, and I can't even coax Kib into making some doors like a good mason, she's too busy drinking away the days. Damn cat lovers...

The dining hall is only connected by a narrow staircase thus far, but that's alright because due to Kib's excessive drinking habit she may never actually have a chair or table to drink from anyway.



Our entrance is walled in now, which gives me a little bit of a moment to relax with all those chasm creatures to the north. I'm going to work on installing the cage traps now.

14th Slate, 309

We've finally emptied the wagon completely.



Once Nails takes it apart and gets the wood inside, we'll stop tempting fate by going so near to the chasm, at least for the time being.

Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2009, 08:35:48 am »

16th Slate, 309

I finally got Kib off the booze and away from the toilet (what is a toilet, anyway? I never understood that expression...) long enough to finish a trading depot. Merchants will be able to unload their goods here so that I may better exploit them for profappraise their goods for fair and reasonable trade.

Except the elves. I'll exploit those pointy-eared tree lovers all I want.



13th Felsite, 309

I need more stone to make mechanisms, and Bones says she can't make mugs without rock either, so I've decided that our dining hall can be two stories high! It may be a little ostentatious, but hey, we're dwarves.



1st Hematite, 309

Our cage traps are set, at least for the moment, but I recall now that Deathquest made further preparations to their defense so that marksdwarves could be brought into the fray if necessary. I've asked Kib to build fortifications above the entrance corridor, so that we may better imitate that folk tale on which I am betting all our lives!



17th Hematite, 309

Meng and Dodok had a burst of superdwarvenly intelligence when they dug out the floor of the 2nd story of the dining hall, and left two spots that they couldn't reach. I asked Kib to make a ramp up so that they could get up there, and she took a freaking MONTH! Damn drunk. I suppose I should at least be thankful it got done at all, I can't say the same about the tables and chairs that were already supposed to be carved to put in there...

Kib is going to drive me insane.

TheNewerMartianEmperor

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2009, 08:42:07 am »

Quite interesting so far. Keep it up.
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Once tried to conquer Earth, and succeeded! Too bad it got really, really boring, really, really fast.

One day, we shall all look back on this, and laugh. Sorry about the face, by the way, and the legs, and the eyes, and the arms. In fact, sorry 'bout the whole body.

Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2009, 10:05:38 am »

22nd Hematite, 309

Our food stockpile is full. This is an issue that any fort would love to encounter, and one that I never really expected, given that this isn't even where we're supposed to be... I'm drawing up plans for a seed stockpile near the farms, and another food stockpile next to the old one.



2nd Malachite, 309

How are we supposed the get anything done?!

Everyone here has no sense of urgency at all! They're all insane! I asked Meng (he insists on me calling him 'Ranson,' now. I don't know about him.) why the food stockpile wasn't being dug out yet, and informed him that if it was not done soon our food would rot and our work would be for nothing. He told me he understood, but he was entitled to a several-day long break whenever he felt like it.

I'm going to die out here.



7th Malachite, 309

I'm REALLY going to die out here. Ranson finally finished the food stockpile with Dodok.



But my glee at someone actually getting some work done was soon dampened by a terrifying sight



They're watching me. Laughing at my traps. Oh god I hope they don't get the idea to fly over the wall. I hope they're as dumb as Ranson, it's our only hope...

17th Malachite, 309

I've been depressed lately, and I know that everyone else would be too if they weren't complete morons. I've laid down plans for an indoor waterfall. Powering it will be tricky, but I hope to be able to figure something out. The mist should be a beautiful addition to our dining room.



28nd Malachite, 309

Gnomes! These little mischievous bastards have been the doom of many barrels of alcohol the world over, and any booze loving dwarf hates any booze thieving gnome he should have the misfortune to come across. A pack of 5 or 6 of them has taken up residence near our entrance, and they're looking at my cages with a look I don't quite like... What are they up to?

« Last Edit: June 19, 2009, 10:07:48 am by Zanziik »
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Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2009, 10:25:35 am »

1st Galena, 309

One of Nail's dogs, she calls him Tosid, started chasing around that gnome that was giving my traps the hairy eyeball, and I couldn't be happier! Dwarf's best friend indeed! Defend my honor, Tosid!



1st Galena, Later

I KNEW THEY WERE WORKING TOGETHER! I KNEW IT! DAMN GNOMES TO HELL, DAMN THEM AND THEIR CLEVERNESS!

Tosid was lead straight into a trap! The batmen and the gnomes are clearly conspiring against us! Tosid chased the gnome halfway across the swamps before it turned north and headed to the mountains, he was right on its cackling little ass the whole time. He didn't even have time to turn away.

The thing ran straight to the little hollow where those batmen were staring at me the other day, and brought the dog with it! He's fighting them now, god help him! Nails is rushing out of the fortress as I write!



1st Galena, Later

Nails couldn't get there soon enough. The dog fought hard, but the batmen tore him apart. He got one of them on the arm and one on the hand, but the sick freaks tore his spine from his back. It was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen. The elves would be livid.



1st Galena, Later

Nails went insane. She reached the batmen and demolished one of them. Her axe and her are both covered in blood. She hit one of them from above, and severed plenty of parts with only one swing.



Chunks of it are all over the place, she tore him in half.

Literally.



I know I said the death of Tosid was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen, but that's been topped now.

Ranson and Dodok went running out after Nails, to try and stop her from doing something stupid in her rage. Before they could even reach her, they were assailed by another batman.



They put their picks through his heart.

Nails is devastated. The batmen not only took Tosid but somewhere in the fray her other dog, Rovod got separated from the rest of the fight. Alone and further up the mountain, the gnomes set upon her. She didn't stand a chance.



I'm going to have some serious consoling to do. I only hope Nails can get through this. God knows we need her. Who's going to make my indoor waterfall without her?

Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2009, 02:14:40 pm »

27th Galena, 309

The indoor waterfall is coming along well, but it's using a lot of wood. Nails will have to risk going outside again to cut down more trees. Such is the way with relentless industry.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

3rd Limestone

Dodok's war dog birthed a puppy today... Nails looks particularly upset. She's still mourning for her dogs. She's very unhappy.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

12th Limestone

A CARAVAN! WE'RE SAVED!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Wait, what?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

THE BATMEN WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!
[OOC: I think this may have been a bug, the caravan died really quickly after the announcement... like almost immediately. It could have been batmen because I wasn't specifically watching, but I suspect foul play... Perhaps the elves are to blame...]

3rd Sandstone, 309

I've been bashing my head against our defense wall loudly for around a month to see if I can't scare those homicidal batmen off.

Thus far no progress.

In the midst of doing this, though, I had the stuffing scared out of my when someone I'd never seen before in my life tapped me on the shoulder and asked what exactly I was doing. He was interested to hear that I felt it was my responsibility, as leader of the fortress, to do what I must in order to get rid of the chasm creatures. He seemed to doubt my tactics.

I wonder if he's only in my mind?

If he is, he's going to be cramped in there, because seven others soon showed themselves behind him. They claim they want to live here, though I'm not sure why. Their numbers are as so:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

16th Sandstone, 309

I've placed the last mechanism and activated the windmills... The pumps are now active and the waterfall is now filling our dining hall with wonderful mist.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Everyone is happier now, even Nails.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Around this time, the Mountainhome Liaison decided that it would be an excellent idea to request anvils from our fortress. He promised to pay nearly half again their total value. This would excite me if I hadn't just finished asking him for anvils myself.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

15th Timber, 309

The Liaison has left, promising to return early next winter. I hope the caravan brings more guards next time...

We're experiencing a bit of a crisis storing food again. Nails hasn't been able to keep up with demand for barrels, especially now that we have four dwarfs farming, two full time. I think it's time for one of the peasants to learn the art of carpentry.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2009, 03:59:00 pm »

17th Timber, 309

Now that the waterfalls are done, I'm nervous as to what would happen if they were rendered ineffective in a time of war. If we do see goblins, as I'm sure we will, and they do bring death, as I'm sure they will, the only thing between Lastdwelling and a tantrum spiral might be the benefits of that waterfall. Since this is the case, walling our windmill farm in is of the utmost importance. Kib and her new apprentice (the peasant Ushat Ivorytour) will get to work on it at once.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

23rd Timber, 309

They finished the wall quickly, and that in itself is a surprise, considering it's nearly impossible for our masons to keep up with demand.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

1st Moonstone, 309

I think Bones may hate me.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

13th Moonstone, 309

Nails and her apprentice have been working efficiently and they've caught up to the demand for barrels. We still may need to dig yet another food stockpile, but for now we are okay.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

16th Moonstone, 309

I've decided that my duties in defending the fort require too much attention for me to manage the administration of this place alone. Zefon, the idiot enterprising potash maker, recently showed me that he can count as high as 10, which is 9 higher than Ranson, who was my second choice for the position of bookkeeper. I gave him a little corner of the dining hall all to himself, and he seems content to merely sit there for hours on end with eyes crossed in concentration.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

18th Moonstone, 309

I couldn't believe it, but Zefon found an anomaly in our records that I had missed! It appears that the dead caravan was not entirely lost, and their is a pile of riches just a way from the entrance to our fort. I've told everyone that they're to bring it all inside immediately.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

18th Moonstone, Later

Everyone came screaming inside when they saw that lone batman lie between the previously mentioned pile of goods and the fort, and Nails and the miners were once again called upon to do battle with those incessantly troubling beasts.

Nails charged it first, as has been her style since she lost her dogs. Ranson later told me that the look in her eyes was one of pure hatred, and I fear that that hatred may prove to be her downfall. She was stunned as the batman took flight and attacked her from the sky. and grabbed her by the shoulders.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ranson and Dodok, once again reaching the fray behind the battlecrazed axedwarf, were more efficient in their strikes, making their picks as deadly as could be.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

They littered the frozen shore of Hellfroth with the batman's blood, and went on their way.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

One less hellbeast to trouble us. On the plus side, an anvil was found in the remains of the caravan. We will soon be ready to forge ourselves a better defense against the creatures of the dark!
« Last Edit: June 19, 2009, 04:02:09 pm by Zanziik »
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Zanziik

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2009, 10:27:46 pm »

OOC: Going to a week long conference for school until midday friday... Leave me comments for when I return? Thanks to anyone reading :)

RedWick

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2009, 12:22:19 pm »

I'm enjoying it.  There's something really satisfying about reading a play-by-play about a fortress. 
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ToonyMan

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Re: Lastdwelling - A flat tire from Hell [1st Story]
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2009, 10:28:58 am »

Make sure you back up your saves.  The worst death of them all.
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