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[Flying Carcass]

So I was playing some fortress mode last night and was growing annoyed by a lack of immigrants over a several year span despite a growing economy. When I went searching for possible reasons for why that might be, I noticed that there were three diplomats (an elf diplomat and two dwarf diplomats (including the liason) from the motherland) in my fortress that I knew had been there for a very long time. Figuring that their refusal to leave may have something to do with the lack of immigrants, I ordered my military to assasinate them (via kill order).

They killed the elf first. No problem.

Then they killed the liason, who put up enough of a fight to kill one soldier and injure another.
That's when things got wierd... more on that in a moment...

The third diplomat killed a furnace operator and escaped, evidently leaving a note on the corpse that he was displeased, as I got the "diplomat has left unhappy" message as he left.

After the liason was killed, I started getting a strange rest/task cancellation spam claiming that the dwarves were being interrupted by the injured soldier. Then the injured soldier and a blacksmith started fighting each other. It was then that I realized that the assassination of the liason had unforeseen consequences, but I had yet to grasp the full extent of what had happened.

The blacksmith defeated the injured soldier, but the spam did not cease. Indeed, I noticed that
there were other dwarves interrupting my fort… other military dwarves that is, including the mayor of my fort (who also happened to be the military commander)… a blacksmith was also interrupting dwarves. Odd

And then I noticed the bodies and the blood… by partaking in the murder of the outpost liason, most of the military had become enemies of my civilization and had begun attacking nearby civilians! Though its numbers had been recently culled by a battle with the goblins, the few soldiers I had were strong, skilled, experienced, and well-equipped… more than a match for the hapless civilians, but the civilians knew they had to fight lest they die like the butcher’s dogs!

The rebel blacksmith killed a child and one more civilian before resting in his bed. He was locked in and was a problem no more. The traitor that was the biggest problem was an axedwarf that kept running through the doorless halls and food stockpiles killing all those in her way, running far faster than the hastily-conscripted militia could keep up with. She single-handedly killed roughly half the fortress before being locked in a bedroom.

And of course there was the leader of the revolt, the mayor/military commander. Apparently she had received an injury from killing the diplomats, for when I located her she was in the hospital, accompanied by her husband, who was also an axe dwarf. That’s when I noticed what was perhaps the most dramatic part of this whole ordeal… despite being in the same squad as his wife and having received the same orders, he apparently did not partake in the murder of the diplomats, and thus was still a loyal member of the fort! With a heavy heart, he punished his treacherous wife by hacking off her limbs, ears, and eyes and left her to bleed out and die. And thus was the coup ended, though the price of freedom was high! Losing his wife to tragedy caused the surviving axedwarf an unhappy thought. For his loyalty to the fort, I named him head of the new military when migrants finally arrived and replenished the fort’s ranks (besides, he was the only surviving veteran).

Man, this game can be so unexpectedly exciting and dramatic sometimes! But the weirdest part of the coup was that, despite being marked as enemies of my civilization in their profiles and despite murdering my dwarves, the offenders were not marked as hostiles, berserkers, tantrummers, or anything like that, though they wouldn’t listen to orders.

[smjjames]

You had a loyalty cascade there.

[weird beard]

That is awesome xD

[Xyus]

That is awesome xD

Indeed.

Sounds like you had a lot of fun. 

[Shrugging Khan]

Well, SHIT. I think your dwarves really need to get their priorities straight 

[elizar]

Holy crap your story reminded me of a long-forgotten tale of a loyalty cascade in Fortress Mode I had to look for it and I found it!

[Rallion]

Holy crap your story reminded me of a long-forgotten tale of a loyalty cascade in Fortress Mode I had to look for it and I found it!

I am so glad you did. That's amazing.

[GregHayes]

This is the best bug. The best.

[mwanafalsafa]

loyalty cascade?!

I don't see this one in the wiki.

[Flying Carcass]

That is awesome xD

Indeed.

Sounds like you had a lot of fun. 

Oh, it was quite fun!
And the story in that link is quite awsome!
And, pft... dwarves with priorities? Since when!?
Just as a follow up, I got an immigrant wave and the settled in nicely. Then some goblins attacked but we won the battle. Then some pissed off humans besieged my fort. That's where I left off... oh yeah, and some kobolds have some of my dwarves pinned down in a shelter outside the fort... and my magma weapon went horribly wrong... but other than that this fort's been quite dull

[monk12]

The first question that came to my mind was whether you could use this to make the entire fortress the enemy of your parent civilization, thus opening the window for Dwarf Sieges, possibly lead by the king.

I think when I'm bored with this fortress I'll have the civilians all join the military, then collectively butcher dwarven caravans until I see a result!

[Flying Carcass]

The first question that came to my mind was whether you could use this to make the entire fortress the enemy of your parent civilization, thus opening the window for Dwarf Sieges, possibly lead by the king.

I think when I'm bored with this fortress I'll have the civilians all join the military, then collectively butcher dwarven caravans until I see a result!

I wondered that as well, but I'm not sure how well the traitors would respond to orders. I didn't have much oppertunity to test them, as they kept getting interrupted in their tasks by loyalists.

Someone needs to investigate, for dwarven science... er, dwarven political science that is!

[elizar]

There is actually a Bugged save uploaded of the previously linked loyalty cascade, before the whack-a-baby incident. Someone can download it and check if the dorfs are enemies of the parent civ or not.

[monk12]

I have reached the limits of what anal probing my current fortress can teach me, as it was built as a prototype and experiment. It is fitting that the pursuit of Science! for which it was created be the cause of its undoing.

As we speak, I gather the 10 most valuable and most deadly dwarves of Neogorge, training them into an elite fighting squad with the sole purpose of overthrowing the Basements of Flooding in Neogorge, and ultimately, form a new government independent of the Arch of Wires and its oppressive king. My friends, I give you Neogorge's Ten:

Thob Roughnessintense, Militia Commander. She is the sole trained fighter of Neogorge, as well as the leader of a swarm of wardogs, and Legendary Woodcutter.

Kivish Tombrhymed, Legendary Miner. Neogorge is his sole child, wrought from his solitary 2 year efforts. Her only friend is her pet wardog and her goddess, Uker, patron of the seasons Kivish has never experienced.

Mebzuth Murderlabor, Expedition Leader. His vision brought the dwarves to this land, and his vision will see them free of the corrupt Monarchy.

Etur Hushedpaddle, Glassmaker. She has been instrumental in creating the wealth of Neogorge, and bears testament to the effectiveness of the 200+ sand bag embark strategy. She also has the most friends of any dwarf in this list, and as such is most likely to go insane after the coup.

Sazir Stableguild, Legendary Bonecarver. Her artifact bone greaves will be put to bloody use in the coming days, and her supply of bone helms, greaves, and armor are the only protection the Fortress has.

Urvad Finderwhip, Chief Medical Dwarf. Her skills will be absolutely necessary to see the revolutionaries safe and hale through to the next Dwarven Caravan.

Asmul Braidlenses, Jeweler. He is one of the Founding Fathers of Neogorge, and is close friends with the Medic, the Expedition Leader, and the Glassmaker.

Alath Paintedbraid, Metalsmith. She has not had the opportunity to utilize her weapon and armor smithing skills, but the recent tapping of the magma sea promises to greatly enhance her utility to the fortress.

onul Lancechances, Fisherdwarf. She has kept the fortress fed with her talents, but in the coming days she shall be a fisher of lives in a river of blood.

erith Townday, Soap Maker. Despite having a terrible name and a terrible job, he is notably the greatest security the revolution has, for his real job is Mechanic. The nearly completed flooding traps, hatchways, and bridges that segment the fortress will be finished and expanded on at his direction.


These ten dwarves form the Salves of Labor, the squad that will topple an empire. With one short season remaining, they must hone their skills for the coming test.

[monk12]

I say! THIS is entertaining!

The outpost liason arrived, and my conspirators led him to the basement, where he then died alone and bloody.

Interestingly enough, at this point the conspirators started fighting one another. Perusal of their personal screens confirmed that they were former members of the fortress government, enemies of the fortress government, and enemies of the parent civilization.

The Mechanic, who had landed the killing blow with his dagger, was immediately shanked by the Militia Captain and his axe, who in turn had his leg broken by the Chief Medical Dwarf's hammer. After watching the chaotic melee, I disbanded the military. At this point, each conspirator began fleeing from the others. The Weaponsmith apparently had a baby when I wasn't looking and got into a protracted fight with it as he ran in circles. The baby managed to land some good blows, breaking a finger and 2 nails, but it looks like he's toast.

Most of the conspirators appear to be attempting to complete their civilian duties, but are constantly frightened by the loyalists. They are not frightened of each other, however, so now the basement is full of rebellious dwarves running from the loyalists on the upper levels who periodically duck down to try and claim one of the precious socks littering the halls.

More details as this story develops.