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[Komra]

I'll take up the mantle of questioning here: why do dwarven engraves tend to pick their most grisly history for their art, rather than the more notable and constant gaining of wealth? Personally, I'd think as an engraver I'd want to show a mountainhome's gleaming halls of gold or whatever, not the fields of blood outside (if forced to choose only one, of course)

[Shurhaian]

Dwarves assume that accumulation of wealth is their natural state, and don't see it as notable.

Where does all the water go when channeled through fortifications off the edge of the map, 50 z-levels underground in otherwise solid rock?

[Broseph Stalin]

There are huge canyons dividing the world into a grid pattern, you never notice them because by sheer coincidence you always embark directly between the squares.


Why do dwarfs throw parties mid seige?

[The Merchant Of Menace]

Gotta do something to lighten the mood.

[Tevish Szat]

I'll take up the mantle of questioning here: why do dwarven engraves tend to pick their most grisly history for their art, rather than the more notable and constant gaining of wealth? Personally, I'd think as an engraver I'd want to show a mountainhome's gleaming halls of gold or whatever, not the fields of blood outside (if forced to choose only one, of course)

Dwarves pick notable events to engrave.  Could you draw a picture of the roaring twenties?  The gilded age?  Maybe you could, but it would be kind of hard.  Now how about 9/11?  Hiroshima?  How about your cousin's birth, or Nelson's death at Trafalgar?  With a little competency and perhaps a good reference, you could depict those all quite clearly.

Engravings, even masterful ones, have to be sparing with complexity.  You don't have painted colors to tell your story, only shades of the stone you work with... and for Dwarf Fortress, you have one panel too: as of now, there are no multi-tile engravings that could recount long years of industry and achievement.

So, needing one iconic image, that's what they engrave: Births, deaths, creation, destruction, individuals.  In most fortresses there WILL be plenty of engravings of the splendor of the fortress, but they'll all be more specific than just that.  Look for engravings of your founding, or the rise of kings to the throne of your civilization, the appointment of your expedition leader or baron, the forging of artifacts and the creation of masterworks.  These are the displays of your wealth and power, your glory and your achievements.  It just so happens it's ALSO easy to engrave deaths of countless goblins, dwarves at their hands, or random historical maulings.

Where does all the water go when channeled through fortifications off the edge of the map, 50 z-levels underground in otherwise solid rock?

It drains into an aquifer.  No aquifer nearby?  that's okay, it'll get there.


EDIT:  I'm supposed to ask a question...

Why do goblins keep coming when none have ever left my fortress alive?

[Tersr]

Because even a mountain can be destroyed, and in time, the goblins, humans, and/or elves will destroy a fort just by sheer luck and numbers.

If Armok is a main god, why have I yet to see him worshipped by a dwarf?

[Shurhaian]

Armok is not a god of mortals (or even undying races), but an overgod - the chief of all the other gods. Not worshiped directly.

Given how much trouble they cause, why do dwarves even have nobility?

[Tevish Szat]

Given how much trouble they cause, why do dwarves even have nobility?

Dwarves don't have nobility, nobles have dwarves.

How does a stray cat sent to roam the caverns report its findings back to the fortress?

[Shurhaian]

Cats are telepathic. Duh. That's how they mind-control dwarves in the first place.

How can dogs (and other non-adopting animals) do it?

[Frogwarrior]

Their minds are read by the nearest cat.

On saltwater maps, why does contact with any natural walls including solid rock pollute the water, but it's fine if you pump it into a pool made entirely of rock salt constructions?

[acetech09]

Because over hundreds of years, the natural sea salt has percolated into the rocks. The natural sea salt is toxic to dwarves. When dwarves make constructions, they take a round lump of rock and use their beards to form the rock and paste it to the wall in a relatively smooth sheet. In the process of building the constructions, the beard automatically removes any toxic pollutants from the rock by instinct.

On the topic of water, how do screw pumps and wells desalinate water without using distillers or some other desalination technique?

[Teronsuke]

Screw pump parts are covered in a fine layer of dwarven beard hair, and there's a thin filter of the stuff at both ends, the salt is consumed by the hair to keep it alive, and to protect the pump from potential damage from the salt as well.

Why can't dwarves swim?

[jaxy15]

They're too heavy.

How do beardless creatures fish, engrave, and cook?

[JTH]

They don't. Whenever they attempt to, an invisible dwarf takes their place and guides them through the process.

Why was my Legendary Miner's final thoughts "Admired a fine statue" instead of "was burnt alive recently"?

[Spaghetti]

Probably the fat of his brain exploded which houses the dwarves Thought center.

Why did my warrior dwarf charge headlong into battle while hauling her tripplets?