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[SirPenguin]

I have a hard time trying to play Fortress or Adventurer mode with the new version so close to release. I do love my some Legends mode, though, and have decided to act upon an idea I had awhile back.

The idea it this will be part CYOA (kinda...), part Legends exploration, part storytelling.

To begin, I genned a very large world full of a lot of civilizations and megabeasts and set it to run for 1000 years. After that I dove into Legends mode and picked a historical figure at random. I looked at their life, their family, and made up a story about them which you will find below.

Your job at the end of each story is to pick a new thread to follow that was somehow related to the previous one. For instance, if I talk about a great war between two factions that Urist McSomeone was apart of, you may want to pick Urist as the next story thread we follow. I will then make up another story about this historical figure, location (such as a city or a region), or event (like a war, kidnapping, marriage, etc.) and then we go from there.

The idea is to build this web of stories, all connected to each other in some way. Let's see how many stories we can find without ever booting Adventure or Fortress mode up.


A Web of Stories

Here are all the threads we've explored so far. They're all in the format of "Name of thread, relation to the previous thread, and a short summary"

Thread 1 - Nako Bolteddevils, daughter of a prisoner, and her struggles with her religion [Keep scrolling down to find this one!]
Thread 2 - Gadoc Laborglimmers, murderer of Nako's mother, and how he plots a revolution
Thread 3 - Clustergladness, a town in which Gadoc himself was kidnapped from, and how they've dealt with the war with the goblins
Thread 4 - Crewedices, a city in the same civilization as Clustergladness, and how they're deal with the guerrilla warfare of the goblins
Thread 5 - The Carnal Kingdoms, the neighboring civilization to Clustergladness/Crewedices, and how their lust for power caused them to betray their own race
Thread 6 - Craftstown, the hometown of Rigoth Razorgroups who slew the cyclops terrorizing Crewedices, and how their engineers dealt with the megabeast problem of their own
Thread 7 - Uristoshar, the dwarven mountainhome below the Carnal Kingdom, and how their 180 years of peace ended with a 5 year war that wiped them off the map




Thread 1 - Nako Bolteddevils


Every night she cursed the gods. She knew all of their names by heart, the three human gods her mother had taught her about. Sporro, Pibang, Quesa...she knew their essences, knew their lack of mercy and their cold hearts. Her hatred for them burned deep. Her mother was dead for over a decade, but these gods of her's would never die.





"Mommy...why do you pray to those gods?" her daughter asked her, staring up from the stone floor she she slept. Slaves weren't allowed beds in the tower, but Nako had been able to find a job as a butcher and was rewarded with a cot to sleep on. Her daughter was still too young to work, and thus considered a slave in the tower. A prisoner. Like her parents and husband had been.







"I am not praying, Utes. Our god is not a god at all, but a demon, and he is ever powerful." She considered what she said for a moment before continuing, shaking her head. "No, I do not pray. These were the gods of our people. They have abandoned us, forsaken us. I curse them. And by cursing our old gods I in turn pray to our new one. All hail Atu Fatalhell."





Utes nodded, understanding very little but not wanting to disappoint her mother. How could she understand, Nako wondered, she has been a slave all her life. She knows nothing of our old gods, no more than I did at her age.

She began her chanting again, closing her eyes tight. "Sporro...Pibang...Quesa. Curse you. Sporro...Pibang...Quesa. Curse you!" Nako was alone in this tower, save for her daughter and father. Her mother had been murdered by a fellow human slave named Gadoc Laborglimmers 15 years prior. Her husband fancied himself a great hunter, but in the end his final resting place was the stomach of an alligator in the Murk of Lusters. She cared little for her husband's death, for she had never loved him. But she hated her mother for dying.





"You said...you promised," she hissed through clenched teeth. "'Pray to the gods', you said. 'They would show us the way out', you said! Sporro, Pibang, Quesa...the goddesses of inspiration, sky, and freedom. Where are they now, mother? Where are you? You left me alone in this forsaken tower as it stretches ever onwards to the sky, where...where you..." She trailed off, suddenly understanding the meaning of the words she had chanted for years. How had she missed what was so obvious?

Sporro, goddess of the sky. The top of the tower has no walls, it is open to the sky. Pibang, goddess of inspiration. If I could get sneak my way to the top of the tower, I'd be able to form a plan, exploit a weakness, find some sort of path down...I'd be able to... Quesa, goddess of freedom. ...I'd be able to escape...

Was this what her mother was trying to tell her all along? Or was this a message from the gods themselves?

Could she bring Utes with her? Or her father, for that matter? She thought not. She was a butcher now, and while she could make up some sort of story as to why she needed to go to the top of the tower she wouldn't be able to find an excuse for all three of them. She could tell them she was looking for birds that nested in the spires so she could make a bird stew. Yes...let them think she was a bird killer, when in fact, she was a bird herself, one about to grow wings and fly away.

She couldn't do it tonight...or the next night. She could wait until the demon marched to war...and then...

Sporro, Pibang, Quesa. Still a chant, yet not spoken like a curse. A prayer. A desperate prayer. Sporro, Pibang, Quesa.


New thread choices
a) The demon Atu Fatalhall, most likely following any wars he was apart of
b) Gadoc Laborglimmers, the human slave turned murderer that killed Nako's mother
c) The town of Jestedoxen, where Nako's mother was born
d) Someone/something/somewhere else!

[Haspen]

Complex History Chain!

Maybe it's looped? Maybe that murderer was grandson of King of the very civilization that Nako came from? Maybe he was her distant relative? Other bizarre/insane twists of fate?

We must know!

I choose you, Gadoc Laborglimmers! Let's check his history, please!

[SirPenguin]

Gadoc it is! The man himself isn't too interesting, but what I found out while pursuing the history was.


Thread 2 - Gadoc Laborglimmers



"Our time of vengeance is soon upon us, son. We must prepare for the revolution."

Aslot sighed at his father, turning over in his cot and pulling a pillow over his head. "Father, no more, please! No more talk of revolutions and usupring an-"

"USURPING?" bellowed Gadoc Laborglimmer, rising from his chair, "Boy, you will watch your tongue! We are captives, or do you forget I was kidnapped from my home in Clustergladness? Do you forget so quickly the death of your mother? The death of your wife?"

It had been 5 years since his son's wife, Acath Urnarrows, had been murdered by the goblin priestess, Ngoso. Ngoso Witchworship the Tragic Rawness of Incest. A disgusting name, but given what she was a priestess of...well, it was a disgustingly fitting name. Atu Fatalhell was a monster, a demon..yet so many in this tower worshipped him. Humans and goblins alike.





"No father, I...I do not forget their deaths. We will have our revenge. I just...wonder, sometimes."

Scoffing, Gadoc took leave of his son and went back to his quarters where he fetched a leather bound book hidden behind a loose stone. He opened it, crossing out a few names here and there. For awhile he stared at the pages, working out the math in his head. Finally, he came to what he felt were the right numbers.

"Strappingtorments," he muttered, "population of just over 100. 63 humans, 17 goblins, 1 demon, and 20 human prisoners." He stroked his beard, laughing at the folly of the goblins. Goblins were immortal, but bred slowly. These humans they captured, kicking and screaming from the crib...they died early, but popped out children quickly. And now they were outnumbered, ready to be overthrown at a moment's notice.

He knew, though, that the goblins were only half the problem. The real issue were the traitors to their own species, humans that were worshipers of the false god, a demon. "Fatalhells," he muttered to the empty room. Gadoc had only taken 3 lives during the 30 years of his captivity. All were worshipers of the demon, save for Togi, whose wife had sealed his fate. Togi's wife had worshipped Fatalhells all her life, and Togi himself claimed he would be donning the black robes soon. The woman Buh had also pleaded with him, claiming to be a worshipper of the old goddesses. But he saw her at the black temples, and her lies had no effect on him.





His people had long worshiped Akera Brandpearl, a might dragon that had lived centuries ago. He had hoped he could teach his son the ways of the dragon, but he seemed ill suited for religion of any kind. Aslot was still young, he would in time serve the dragon.





Gadoc was walking back to his son's room when he ran into the high priestess herself, Ngoso. She was a disgusting abomination; face full of boils, leathery skin stretched tight across her bones. She was tall, a good 7 feet at her crown, and half as wide. She towered over Gadoc, scowling down at the human.

"Dragonkin. Have you yet decided to quit the folly of the dragon and join the side of our Lord Of the Flames and Shadows, Fatahells? I think you would find that demon and dragon share more alike than you believe."

"Both are apt to breath fire when they are angered, high priestess. But their simularitites end there. I worship no demon."

"That's too bad," she crooned, and out from behind her back she drew up her sack. In it was a dark robe, orange runes trailing down either side of the arms. A robe of the Cult of Decievers.

"I told you no, goblin. Now leave me be!"

"These robes are not meant for you, slave." She gave him a measured glance. "There are for your son. His wife was one of my disciples, you see. I deemed her unworthy and ended her life. But her husband, your son...he has agreed to hear my terms. It will mean he raises high in our society. He longs to leave behind his slavery."

Gadoc began to laugh, but glanced at the robe once more. He had been forced to learn some of the goblin and demon runes since being held captive, and he was able to make out some of the words on the robe. "Aslot Vicecoiled...Acolyte of the Lord of Flame and Shadow."

Gadoc stumbled backwards, back scaping against the wall behind him. "No...no...my...my son. This is a lie. It cannot be...he..."

Gadoc raced back to his room, slamming the door behind him and collapsing upon his desk, sobbing. How could his son do this? Ngoso had killed his wife! Yet now he worships Ngoso's god? Fool! Traitor! He wiped his face clean of his tears, his expression as still as stone. He reached behind the secret stone and once again removed the book of names. He scanned the text until he found his son's name, and with a heavy heart he made a mark in the margins. A dagger, the same design that marked Buh, Kofi, and Togi's names.



Alright! So now we know that Strappingtorments is ripe for rebellion...tough so many humans worship the demon that lives there we can assume Gadoc's revolution is not coming. We were also introduced to a dragon, one that Gadoc and a lot of his kinsmen from Clustergladness worshipped. What of Clustergladness, anyways? Both Togi and Gadoc hailed from there. Does it still stand? Or has it been overrun?

New thread choices:
a) Clustergladness, the human town of at least two slaves, if not more
b) Akera Brandpearl, dragon and worshiped by many humans
c) Utes Hexentranced the Solitary Thunders, goblin leader of Strappingtorments
d) Other

[antone]

let's hear about Clustergladness

[Haspen]

let's hear about Clustergladness

Seconded.

[SirPenguin]

Just wanted to add a note that Strappingtorments would be for a very interesting dungeon/town in an RPG. As I mentioned, it's literally an old slave town where slaves outnumber their captors. It's mostly filled with 1st and 2nd generation slaves, and about half of them believe in their old gods whereas the other half worship the demon. Some humans took up manual labor jobs like farming, but others became kidnappers and priests to the demon. Imagine being a human and wanting to overthrow your captors only to realize your son/friend/whoever is on their side now

Cool stuff.

Anyways, I'll check out Clustergladness now

[SirPenguin]

Thread 3 - The town of Clustergladness


"Asop! Wake up, pay attention!"

Asop sat up straight in his seat, rubbing his eyes furiously. "I...I wasn't sleeping, headmother! I was just resting my eyes. Honest, I tell you!"

The headmother regarded him fiercely, her scowl burrowing deep lines her forehead. "Oh? Were you now? Then praytell, Asop, who we were at war with in the 80s?"

"Headmother, that was centuries ago! Before my great great granda was born. Why do we need to know this?"

Scholars would have agreed it was impossible for a man to furrow their brow so hard their face split in half. The headmother seemed to trying her hardest to prove those scholars wrong.

"Centuries ago? Oh yes, it was centuries ago. How rude of me to teach it during your history lessons! Pay attention, Asop!

Now, The Creative Beach, an elven group, was our enemy then. The enemy of all the Nation of Bridles, the great country we live in. But our fair city of Clustergladness was closest to the barbarians, our city walls bordering the Sable Forests and the Mysterious Hills, the sites of many battles.

Truly our greatest warrior was the founder of our city. Thabi Minedbreaks was his name, born in 17. He grew up in our capitol, Glacierwing, where at the age of 20 he was given command of Clustergladness. How many battles were won of the edge of his blade? Close to 10 of them, if our records are correct. He never once took injury in battle, and died of old age in 125. His line ruled the city for three hundred years."





A student yawned, further enraging the headmother. "What must I say to keep you fools entertained? Shall I speak of the dragon, Akera? So many of you - and your good for nothing parents, for that matter! - worship that lizard. He is 500 years dead, and when he was alive he ate our cattle and stole what little treasure and baubles we had! Have you no sense, no understanding of history?"

"Headmother," asked a fair haired child timidly, "I actually have a question. My mother's friend...Teshil...he...he was kidnapped. By the goblins. Why do they hate us, headmother? Why must we go to war?"

The headmother took a moment to consider. They ask the value of history, questioning why I teach it to them...then they ask questions like this. How can they not see the importance? Still, she knew of Teshil's kidnapping...as well as his fate. The scouts had discovered his body in a shallow grave just on the outskirts of Strappingtorments.

"Child," she said not unkindly, "you must understand Kingdomsshores and the battle of the elves to understand the conflict with the goblins." She unfolded a large cloth map depicting their kingdom centuries ago.



(The rightmost city of the green and blue nation is Clustergladness. The red elf nation is, of course, the Creative Beach. The elf retreat is Kingdomsshores. The blue nation below is the goblins. The tower we followed the last two stories had not yet been built)


"See, there is Kingdomsshores," she said, pointing to the elf retreat in the center of the map. "It served as the only gateway between our people and the goblins. Few dared pass the Sable Forests, save for the elves. When our nation overtook the retreat it enraged the goblins, thinking we were declaring war and preparing to take their lands. Clustergladness was safe, protected the Sable Forests and our garrison in Kingdomsshores. But the others..."





She unfolded a second map, a current one, showing the invading goblins as they crept closer to their capitol. "The others weren't so safe," she continued, "and when the goblins gained a foothold in our land at Nesikisdi, they seeked to stop our armies from marching along with the rest of the Nation of Bridles. They sent kidnappers, ambushers, and murderers across our borders, sneaking past our patrols, to terrorize our city, hoping to keep our soldiers at home. Even now they sneak up around the Sable Forests, past the ruins of our old garrison, hoping to catch us in a pincer formation. If our city falls, that leaves the capitol open to attack..."

The headmother paused, looking at her students. She took pity on them. Those children who weren't kidnapped would be drafted for war. Those who were kidnapped would be brainwashed and trained to fight their own kind. If only they knew...perhaps they'd appreciate their lessons more.



So things aren't going so hot for Clustergladness and their nation. They've been locked in a centuries old war with the goblins, one they seem to be losing. Kingdomsshores and the Sable Forests served as a buffer between the nations, but with Kingdomsshores falling to ruin and the goblins taking the long way around the Sable Forests...what will become of this nation?

And yet despite all of this, what of the red human nation to the east? They are advancing at a rapid pace to the west, encroaching on the goblin lands. Are they friends or opportunists?

Where to?
a) Nesikisdi, the human town where the goblins hope to seek a foothold in. Surely they have some war stories to tell
b) That mysterious red nation...who are they? Are they at war with the goblins as well? How vast is their kingdom?
c) Man, this human crap is boring. Let's look elsewhere. Remember that dragon, Akera? Maybe he ate some interesting dwarves or something
d) Other

[filiusenox]

I pick "A".

[Haspen]

No! Unfold the story of mysterious red kingdom! Are they with goblins?

Or you can grab the history (I'm sure oh-so-tragic and bloody history) of that single elven retreat!

BTW!

In late winter of 2009, Haspen began worshipping SirPenguin for his awsum story-telling skills.

[SirPenguin]

No! Unfold the story of mysterious red kingdom! Are they with goblins?

Or you can grab the history (I'm sure oh-so-tragic and bloody history) of that single elven retreat!

BTW!

In late winter of 2009, Haspen began worshipping SirPenguin for his awsum story-telling skills.

Well we already know the history of that elven retreat. The Nation of Bridles (the teal/blue nation) claimed it as their own. The retreat was too close to the goblins, however, and the garrison fell pretty quickly. There were also some stampeding giants out and about. Interestingly, the elves tried to reclaim it every now and then, only to get caught in the crossfires of the goblins and humans. And giants.

Anyways, seems like we're in a DEADLOCKED tie right now. I'm leaning towards the town because they've been at war for years, but we've been involved with these two nations for 3 stories so far. They're kind of remote (at the northern most part of the world), so maybe jumping to the red kingdom would be best.

I dunno. If no one breaks the tie I'll choose whichever looks more interesting

And thanks for the compliment, dude! Glad you like it.

[TerminatorII]

mystery kingdom on the right... who are they? do the goblins have peaceful interactions?

[Willfor]

To make this a tie again, I choose A.

[SirPenguin]

Actually, I'm going to do both. They'll be dubbed "Mini-threads" and not be fleshed out stories, but smaller tales. The reason for this is because both options are, oddly enough, rather bland after I looked at their histories. The town under siege by the goblins? They've never been involved in a fight - you'll see why in their story, though. And the red nation, who call themselves the Carnal Kingdom? They live up to their name.

But still, their stories are short and boring, so we'll move on from them after. To give you a taste, here's what part of the world looks like.


So here's where we've been focused. These 3 kingdoms are involved in their own petty little wars, isolated from the rest of the world.




However, further south (below the land of the goblins) we see a huge land struggle between elves, goblins, dwarves, and men. Even the kobolds are getting in the action. We see at least one ruin, so there's bound to be some good war stories here.




But south of that is where I think the meat of this world is. My friends, meet the Kingdom of Fishes.




Oh, what a quaint little civilization of fishermen! I wonder if they use their coastal cities to trade wi-OH MY GOD




I think we have found Dwarf Fortress' equivalent to the Roman empire. It even spans an inland sea, just like the Mediterranean. I have never seen a nation this big or powerful. Look at all their prosperous cities (the # marks) and captured Elven retreats. And the best part? It's even bigger. I couldn't even fit the whole thing in one shot, as their nation's borders in fact spread more north AND south then it shows. And to the southwest is a gigantic melting pot of war of death.

And did I mention the elves?




Look at this haunted forest. Half a dozen ruins. No elves in sight. What happened to them?



So...this world is looking pretty awesome. And this cannot be said enough: I didn't plan any of this. I didn't gen a specific world, nor did I have knowledge of anything in it before starting this thread. In fact, I discovered the Kingdom of Fishes just today while looking at what was below the nations we've been talking about.

Pretty neat stuff.

[Jay]

As for fitting the entire thing - Does the Legends map resize with the window as the main game screen does in d16?
That might be helpful.

[SirPenguin]

And in case anyone is curious, here is the entirety of their nation.

From its northmost point to southmost point they cover 75 squares. Eastmost to westmost they cover 94 squares.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

In the grand scheme of things, here's what they look like compared to the rest of the world.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

You can see that some nations are of a similar size, though it doesn't look like any are actually bigger. And when you consider the fact their nation expands across the sea and a few islands, we must assume they "own" that ocean as well. They are clearly the dominating force.

god damn!