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[Luckk]

I searched for anything about this and found nothing so let me know if this was already brought up.  I know most people have discussed using totems as something for magic, as furniture, mugs, ect. but what about using them via your civilization?  What I mean is lets say for example the elves attacked you, after fighting and killing them off they leave their bodies which decompose into skulls and bones.  While your fort knows of the attack, what about the rest of your civilization?  Using skull totems, you could send out a message to the king about your battle exploits and how bad the battle was.  These also could be used as a message that says that your civilization should take a tougher stance against them or declare war against them depending on how large the battle was.  This could also serve as evidence to the king if you send a messenger to him that the elves attacked.

What are your thoughts on this?  What could be changed or how would it work without being exploited to declare war or cause problems for a civilization you don't like?  Or would using trickery be a add feature?

[Im_Sparks]

That's a...

Good idea. Wow. Took me by surprise there, just making a masterpiece like that.

I personally already place a totem in my front hall for every siege/ambush I survive.

[Sensei]

Not bad. I sniggered when I read the title, it is of course exactly what I thought it was- an elven head is better than a thousand words.

[Neonivek]

I think this idea could be expanded into a whole trophy system

[Pilsu]

Skull totems should have names associated with them if the source was skilled enough. Not every totem made from fodder should list a nonsense name though, otherwise the mechanic becomes meaningless. Then again, how the hell do dwarves know the enemy names? Guess it could be listed just as "siege leader" or something

Dwarves frown on trophies if memory serves though

[Neonivek]

Well I think what you mean Pilsu is that only Totems/Trophies made from creatures who earn Titles should get alternate names. Otherwise they just get general ones.

[Impaler[WrG]]

Perhaps Skull totems could actually have an effect on hostiles, like seeing a large enough collection of Skull totems could frighten/demoralize invaders (naturally only seeing totems of their own race is effective).  Your own troops could be encouraged and made braver by seeing the Totems.

[Chthonic]

You could also send the totems as a message to the attacking civilization.

I.e. . . . "Don't."

[Granite26]

Give skulls a 'quality' level based on the skill of the source?

[Rowanas]

Totems already have a quality based on skill.

I like the suggestion in principal, and sending totems would be an awesome way to declare war or dispatch information. when the diplomacy arc comes in, this should definitely be included.

[Chthonic]

He means (I believe) that the skull of a master swordsgoblin with 25 notable kills and 3 titles would be worth more than that of a goblin conscript cut down in the first seconds of battle.

[Granite26]

and that would serve as a multiplier (with craft skill) for the final value

[Khyron]

How about letting totems be built like statues with the aid of a metal spike.

Any unit that passes by it will receive a thought :

Members of your own civilization will receive a small happy thought if the skull belongs to a race which you're in conflict with. (Was cheered by the destruction of your enemies)

Members of a friendly civilization will receive a small happy thought if the skull belongs to a race which they are in conflict with (Traders may give better deals or take longer to get pissed off and leave).

Members of a friendly civilization will receive an unhappy thought if the skull belongs to a race which they are friendly with. They will be more unhappy if the skull belongs to their own race.

Members of an enemy civilization will be slightly intimidated if the skull belongs to a race which they are in conflict with. They will be more intimidated if the skull belongs to their own race.

The more skulls, the bigger the bonus. Line the path to your fortress with the skulls of your enemies!

[Luckk]

Another idea struck me, why can't you use them against your own civilization?  What I mean is that most people talk about how they kill their nobles and wait for another to arrive.  Maybe you could make the nobles skull into a totem and send it to the king as a warning for further trying to control your fortress.  Of course, your dwarves would have to hate him alot or him/her be corrupt to do that.  For the nameing of totems, I would have to agree that they only use names for important units like named units, high ranking soldiers, or political members of a civilization.  It would atleast make it not lose its uniqueness that quickly.

Edit: My bad spelling.

[Warlord255]

Political interaction with the off-screen Entity is currently impossible in all forms, but I'm pretty sure something to this effect - not necessarily with just skull totems - is in the dev list.

That said, it's an excellent suggestion and certainly one that Toady might work towards when he gets to greater levels of political interaction.