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[DS]

The transfer of graves from the upper fort into the dome continues. My stocks menu shows a little less than 650 coffins, most of which are used. It's impossible to know for sure (without meticulous counting), but I'd estimate my death count at around 575. However, the new 'coffin gardens' are placed 'outside' the buildings in the dome, so if the affair is ever flooded with magma again, things might get a little messy. Then again, with the bugs I experienced last time flooding occured, I doubt I'll try it again.

When I first began conceptualizing the dome, I planned on building platforms in the deep, and then collapsing soil layers from near the surface into the grotto so that underground plants could grow atop the buildings. I abandoned that entire plan in favor of simply flooding the tops of buildings with water to muddy them. Happily, with the magma flooding, those buildings are now topped with layers of silt or red sand (no more mud, which makes things brown and ugly), and are quickly being covered with floor fungus and cave moss, not to mention various large fungi.

Also, quite unfortunately, the mines which I had dug into the only adamantine vein on the map have flooded with magma. In order to explore the caverns, I smoothed walls and carved fortifications to reveal unexplored areas. Some of those areas in the second layer are quite filled with magma, so the stuff dripped into the deepest mines and has now rendered the adamantine vein temporarily unavailable. However, I already had plans in place to obsidian-cast layers of the magma sea in order to obtain adamantine which was adjacent to magma, so this is not really a huge problem in the grand scheme of things. Once dwarves have been permanently sealed below, that project can begin.

[DS]

During a double ambush, the three squads guarding the entrance - the Silvery Princesses (swordsdwarves), the Silvery Skunks (macedwarves), and the Lone Lashes (lashdwarves) - were drawn out of what was once a heavily trapped corridor and out onto the circular grassy area before the bridge. At that moment, a third ambush appeared: a line of goblin bowmen, stretching the entire length of the bridge. The military rushed forth to slay the intruders, without any sense of self-preservation. A quarter of the way across the bridge, Eral Languagemetal the Lonesome Square of Furnaces, nigh-invincible mace lord and patriarch of the Languagemetal clan, dodged off the side of the bridge. He miraculously survived the impact, breaking both of his upper arms and his left lower arm despite a fall of 7 z-levels.

Ònul Inkswallowed the Worried Feral Berry of Rasps was not so lucky.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Born in 72, he migrated to Weatherwires in 142. Enlisted into the military, he was given a steel shortsword and quickly racked up an impressive kill list of 59 goblins and trolls, the last of which was slain upon the bridge only moments before he dodged a silver arrow and plunged to his skull-crushing death.

Of the original dwarves (before merchants and their guards were recruited from caravans), 86 remain. 103 of the recruits remain, though most of them remain without rooms. Whenever a citizen dwarf dies, however, the room he was assigned in the dome becomes available, and is distributed on a first come, first served basis. One more room has just become available.

[darkflagrance]

unless you just dig the stairway leading up to it so no dwarves or trolls can travel up their. Though that leaves it open for despoilisation by dragons and other flying critters.

Without a normal path to reach the tomb, I doubt that even flying critters will path up there.

[DS]

unless you just dig the stairway leading up to it so no dwarves or trolls can travel up their. Though that leaves it open for despoilisation by dragons and other flying critters.

Without a normal path to reach the tomb, I doubt that even flying critters will path up there.

It's a moot point in any case, as I'm pretty sure the dwarves at Weatherwires have slain basically every single wandering megabeast that was in existence.

For the situation with the duke's tomb, I've had the dwarves dig a new stairwell that leads from an antechamber in the sealed passage to the lowest level of the duke's quarters. Then, the main entrance will be walled up. In this way, even when the seal is in place, the tomb (and the highest levels of the caldera fortress) will be accessible from the dome, should any dwarves wish to go there.

[DS]

A group of merchants, possibly the last visitors to the dome, just left the fortress with magma on their heels. I've seen magma surges from the volcano come up through those grates before, and I was kind of hoping for something spectacular to happen when the merchants went across (with 7/7 magma immediately below their feet), but all of them made it across safely. Moments later, the entrance was sealed with magma.

[DS]

Yet another dwarf has fallen victim to the unstoppable grindstone of time.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The year is 205, and Zasit Veiloil has died of natural causes at the age of 154. Zasit, while being a legendary engraver, is most noted for serving as the bookkeeper of Weatherwires since 138, when he migrated to the fortress, until 177, when he was relieved from duty - due to a minor injury, if I recall correctly. In 182, he became romantically involved with the fortress thresher, Èrith Boatsflashed (current age: 146), by whom he is survived. He was not as prolific as other engravers in the fort, but was one of the chief engravers of the dome, and many of his masterworks can be found about the megaproject.

[DS]

With the dwarves now completely withdrawn from the surface, and the magma at a level low enough to make the entire dome accessible (except the floor, of course), the time has come for the justice system to be reinstated. There are a handful of offenders who will require beatings (the upstart merchant who wailed on the fortress manager, for example), although most criminals are guilty only of the violation of production orders. There are 42 chains or ropes throughout the fortress that have been designated for use for justice, so all that remains is the appointment of a captain of the guard.

The captain should be a child of the fortress, not a merchant or guard, and most of the original immigrants are far too strong and skilled to dole out non-lethal justice. The captain must necessarily have few or no combat skills, of course. After reviewing the possible candidates, there is one dwarf who stands out at as the prime choice; Zon Ironfirst, youngest daughter of the Gearguild clan.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

She is equipped with the ritual weapon of the past captains: an unnamed, exceptional quality adamantine warhammer with a terrifying and unbelievable history.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Zon is appointed to the position of captain of the guard, her squad appropriately named "The Magical Hammers," and she is set loose.

For too long, the judgements set forth by the dwarves have gone unpunished. Justice must be served.

[DS]

Several dwarves were chained, and already the cruel hand of the law has struck down its first victim. Tosid Topfloors, a merchant born in 135, starved to death in her chains. The injured party, Ineth Lensbeaks, is presumably meting out indiscriminate revenge upon the newcomers.

[DS]

My previous statement is now obviously incorrect. A second dwarf has died of thirst, Libash Tradedslapped the Mute Bodice of Whiteness. Libash served as a marksdwarf for many years, however, has been essentially an expert hauler for many years, since that squad disbanded. The dwarves must see the justice system as some kind of twisted natural selection.

[DS]

Id Craftsfang, Bone Carver has become the third. At the moment, I have over a hundred idlers, and dwarves in chains that desperately need food and drink... and yet, not a single 'Give food' or 'Give water' job has been generated. These actions (or lack thereof) seem inconceivable for a dying civilization, though I am sure there must be some explanation, from a narrative point of view.

[Russell.s]

Could it be that apathy about their looming, some would say inevitable, extinction is finally kicking in? They see the dwarves in chains, starving and dehydrated, and can't even summon the will to feed them, knowing that they too will be in the same position eventually, unable to fend off death, essentially trapped in their fortress- the last of the dwarves?

[DS]

Perhaps. The idea of the dwarves seeing the fate of their civilization reflected in the image of a chained, starving, dehydrated prisoner is certainly poetic.

The thresher, Èrith Boatsflashed, has died of thirst, mere months after her lover died of old age. She goes to join him in the dwarven afterlife, undoubtedly ecstatic to the end.

[Xenogenic]

Hey, great story! Been reading it for a few days now. Of course not to ruin the poetic environment, but the magma wiki recommends a food and drink stockpile within one square of the chain to help avoid starvation... turning barrels off on the stockpiles would ensure it's still realistic... you know, someone throwing the inmate a meal and drink just within reach of his chain (instead of a whole barrel).

Or just let the criminals die... but wouldn't magma be a more fitting end than starvation for the criminals of a fort such as yours?

[Mapleguy555]

You, sir, are an Alien Mastermind sent to [Your World's name here] to save the Dwarves.
For this, I clap you.
*clap clap clap clap*

Also, cake.

[DS]

Hey, great story! Been reading it for a few days now. Of course not to ruin the poetic environment, but the magma wiki recommends a food and drink stockpile within one square of the chain to help avoid starvation... turning barrels off on the stockpiles would ensure it's still realistic... you know, someone throwing the inmate a meal and drink just within reach of his chain (instead of a whole barrel).

Or just let the criminals die... but wouldn't magma be a more fitting end than starvation for the criminals of a fort such as yours?

Oh ho, I'm quite aware of such workarounds. In fact, nourishment has been provided to two dwarves who are imprisoned - Zuntîr Basementlocked, and Thîkut Sealrift, the fort's legendary brewers. In this case, I decided that they were too important to the fort's survival to let die, and the fact that they are quite popular within the rest of the fort (each has many friends), it made sense that they would be provided with food and drink.

As for the magma punishment... well, there might be a time for that still, perhaps.