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[Ashsaber]

OVERVIEW (should've done this first)

-This fort uses the Fort Defense Mod
-This fort uses some custom weapons I made (mostly so I can mass-melt)
-This fort has a pop cap of 50
-This fort supports child labor (for menial work, anyway)

Effectively, this'll be run like a "back from brink of annihilation" type story, since the dwarven civ I chose was wiped out in 48 (fort started in 126). So the pop cap is low (50) and there's a huge focus on having a metric ton of children labor. Hopefully this'll go long enough that I get multiple generations for the sake of "Urist McRecruit is the son of blah the son of blah blah, the family has a long glorious history of military service" and so on.

All participation accepted, especially story wise. I'm bad at narrating.

Dorfing List (census not included because I'm lazy)

Ilral Keyflash the Glittery Arrow of Church - UristMcHuman - male - Riflesquad captain, resident badass
McSlowpokez McSlow**** - slowpokez - female - mechanic/engraver
Winterderge (no last name) - IamanElfCollaborator - female - hammerdwarf/mason





Story starts here.
---- 0.5 ----
"The elephants.

They came with a bloodlust, a bloodlust for dwarven...blood.

We are the Trumpet of Lances, and our Mountainhome was overrun by these bloodthirsty elephants and their caps.

Their caps! Covering the top of their head, as if mocking our stature with their very existence! But we will triumph! Here! At this place! We shall make a fortress of such grandeur and strength that the elephants will be amazed, and we will destroy them, and take their -large leather caps- as trophies!!"

Kivish turned to Meng, a fellow miner. "Kubuk's lost it, hasn't she?"
Meng shrugged. "She's still drunk as far as I can see. Back to work, we got some digging to do."

--
This is a fort running with the Fortress Defense Mod plus some weapons I put in.
In the year of 46, the Trumpet of Lances was destroyed by a War Elephant civilization (and they're still at -war-)
This is my first community fort, so go easy on me. :p
The motive behind this fort is to have it last long enough for extensive family trees (hopefully to the point where the whole fort is related)

If you have a dorfing request, please give at least this much info:
Preferred Name, Occupation, Gender
other stuff you might want to include: Family name, for when I try to marry dwarves off.

Since this is a currently running fort I'm converting for community play, a little cap story on what's going on.

-126-
Wagon stopped, arrived at location. construction on the primary outer wall, workshops, storages finished.

-Winter, 126-
Beakwolves came for a visit. We holed up and waited them out.

-127-
Metal industry established, private quarters established.

-Spring, 127-
"So you say this thing replaces our tried-and-true crossbows."
"Well, tried-and-true that everyone died many years ago, but yes."
Ilral Keyflash looked over the long, rather bulky looking object in his hands. It looked like a crossbow without the cross and bow portions, and as far as he saw there was nothing for it to fire and nothing to fire out of, except a little hole at the top. Peering inside the hole he saw...nothing. It was too dark. beneath the tube thing, he noted, was a blade, attached to the top of the tube via a small round thing the engineer called a "nut". Ilral noted that there were two triggers, and knew that one of them was for firing this strange contraption.

"What does it do?"
The engineer pointed at the archery range target down the hallway.
Ilral peered through the sight, and pulled the trigger labeled "F".
There was a loud crack as the tube of the weapon shattered in his hand, and the archery target flipped a few times as something small struck it, before landing on the ground with a thud.
The engineer took some notes with the pocket tablet he had. "Thought it was going to do that. Glad you're okay though." With that, Ilral got a pat to the shoulder and felt the distinct need to punch someone, but the engineer was no longer there.

-Summer, 127-
Beak Wolves had come for a visit.
Ilral, elected temporary military commander as he was the only one with some form of combat experience, roused Sibrek Bronzematch, his second in command, and rushed to the armory. The influence behind the engineer had convinced Kubuk, the leader of the expedition, to order some of the new weapons to be made instead of good old fashioned crossbows and axes. Factoring in his last encounter with those things (Ilral learned later that they were called "Folding Rifles", though he didn't know what a rifle was nor why it folded) he was understandably reluctant to use them again, even if the Engineer had assured him that the "Mass production" models are perfectly fine, forged out of the finest dwarven steel.

Whether he liked them or not isn't important now, however. A mechanism malfunction (Ilral suspected the works of a dwarf on the influences of water) had caused the main gate to be lowered, and the wolves are attacking and killing the civilians on the surface. Ilral hurriedly grabbed a folding rifle, Sibrek taking another, and once they had gathered enough "Rifle rounds" they sprinted to the surface.

A beak wolf had made its way into the main hallway. Ilral skid to a stop and took hasty aim, firing at the wolf and noting, with pleasure, that the rifle had not exploded in his hands this time.

The wolf on the other hand was not very pleased to be distracted from his dinner of freshly killed dog by something slamming into his side. He snarled and rushed towards Ilral, who shot it a second time. This time the wolf found himself propelled through the air before hitting the ramp that led into the hallway.

Ilral shot it a third time and moved on.
...

Four dwarves had died in the assault.

-128-
More enemies, more sieges. Ilral found the armory to be very, very attractive somehow and stood in it for long periods of time, even  when called into active duty. (I don't know why, but every time he's supposed to station he's standing there). Sibrek's taking over the role of militia leader until Ilral gets over his anvil fetish.

-Spring, 129-
(Current season)
Dark stranglers, Nightwings, and frost giants wait outside the gates, as Sibrek and Ral rain down fire upon them, watching with pleasure as each round either spilled guts or severed limbs with an efficiency matched only by the legendary axedwarves of old.


---

EDIT (to save space n'stuff)



(image test)

other events that happened and I had forgotten:

-Fall 128-
A band of merchants came, ran straight into a hammergoblin ambush. The hammergoblins in quest proceeded to break every bone of   one of the caravan guard from the waist down. One of the merchants pack animals was killed and they immediately fled. While the unlucky guardsman was badly wounded, he had survived the brutal beating and was given an immediate rescue order, and was lifted into the hospital. Treatment was going well (about 15% of his wounds were taken care of) until the hammer of infection hit him and took his life. He was given a rather hasty burial as a dead body on a table made for a poor eating company. (his health screen showed no infections until suddenly -Urist Mcswordsdwarf has succumbed to infection-)

[Ashsaber]

-Sometime 129-
"Census! Ceeeensuuuus!!"
Many dwarves stopped to look at the little child running up and down the main hallway screaming about a census.
"What's that all about?" (Dwarf A)
"Apparently Kubuk (expedition leader) decided that we should keep a roster of people, in case something bad happens." (Dwarf B)
"Ceeeeensuuuuuuus!!!!!!"(Child)
"...so why is the child freaking out?" (Dwarf A)
"who knows, her parents said it was like she had a fey mood the instant she learned that word." (Dwarf C)
......
After a few minutes of calming the child down, the census was conducted. These are the members of the fortress still alive.
(includes post-migrants, uses translated names)
Kubuk Hatchetsaint, Female - Expedition Leader, Miner/Detailer
Kivish Boatbastions, Male - Miner/Detailer
Sakzul Oakenanvil, Female - Miner/Mason
Meng Nutwall, Female - Miner
Momuz Rosecastles, Male - Carpenter / Broker
Rimtar Growlglazes, Female - Carpenter
Ral Wipedcloisters, Female - Detailer - Militia Rifledwarf
Zaneg Purerims, Male - Mason
Udil Lancetwisted, Male - Mason
Sibrek Bronzematch, Male - Animalist - Militia Rifledwarf squad leader - Title : "White Mess of Fliers"
Tun Mouthbolted, Female - Animalist (All Hunting related jobs sans Hunting )
Iden Landsportal, Female - Metalsmith
Onul Channelwhipped, Male - Blacksmith
Ingish Strengthcudgel, Female - Chief Medical Dwarf
Ast Fortunecrypts, Female - Furnace Operator - Militia Sworddwarf
Nil Wheelchanneled, Male - Weaponsmith - Legendary
Erush Gullyshoots, Male - Jeweler (both cutting/setting)
Kib Shrinemanors, Male - Craftsdwarf
Id Ringedstake, Female - Craftsdwarf
Tun Wipeblockades, Female - Craftsdwarf
Thikut Spreadclasps, Male - Craftsdwarf
Minkot Workyor, Female - Craftsdwarf
Fath Closedbronze, Female - Craftsdwarf
Monom Tradeclasps, Male - Fish cleaner
Monom Distantwork, Male - Fish cleaner

-Farmers
Eshtan Channelpelts, Female
Catten Lancerroast, Male
Atir Channelferns, Female
Momuz Hidelenses, Female
Udil Praisecaves, Female - militia swordsdwarf captain
Erib Waddikes, Male
Catten Mansionworship, Male
Monom Gearrag, Male
Stukos Clashesknife, Female
---End Farmers
Ushrir Channelwildness, Female - Engineer (with a name like that I'm glad he isn't on mining duty)
Vabok Graniteblockades, Female -  Manager
Udil Girderdented, Female - Administrator

--Relations--
"Was this part really necessary?"
"Yes."
(In no particular gender order)
Rimtar Growlglazes - Monom Tradeclasps (lovers)
Ral Wipedcloisters - Thikut Spreadclasps (married)
Zaneg Purerims - Id Ringstake (married) - 1 child, girl : Mistem Inkcrater
Minkot Workyor - Monom Distantwork (married)
Eshtan Channelpelts - Dead Carpenter (dead bloodline)
Sakzul Cloisteredgrips - Ushrir Channeledwildness (married)

And thus ended the first census of Lovelylash, the future capital of the Trumpet of Lances.

[Ashsaber]

-Autumn 129- (Prior to when the census actually took place)

For the first time since 126, there were no enemies pounding at the walls of the fortress. It was a good month.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(special notice to the brown/agriculture one)
when suddenly, migrants.

Now, migrants aren't necessarily a bad thing, considering how the fortress is woefully understaffed, but...

"Why is that lady just standing there?" (she was)
"Well, apparently she's..."

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

-facepalm-

-Winter 129-
Goblins. They never learn.
In fairness to them, there's nothing for them to learn from here, as for the past two years our actions have been to hole up and feel mildly annoyed about the whole "besieged" business.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"That one goblin looks like he took a few knocks. Did we see him before?"
"I think he was here last year, but I'm not too sure."
"Anyways, arm up, let's give 'em a warm reception."

The warm reception

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Henceforth the dwarf who had done this to the poor goblin gained a reputation of being either a very good shot or a very, very bad shot, depending on where we thought he was aiming.

-Spring 130-
Dark stranglers came for a visit, and were promptly repelled by a salvo of new ammunition crafted for the Folding rifle.
"So what do you call these?"
"Impact Rounds." The mechanic fitted one inside the rifle marked -for testing only- and fired it at the archery target. Unlike the rifle round, which effectively pierced the target and tore some pieces off, the impact round shattered and knocked the target back until it hit the wall. "Like throwing a sledgehammer."

-Summer 130- (current)
The fort found itself under siege yet again, but this time its population had swelled to 50 (pop cap).
Or rather, its population was 50, but the amount of people with military experience boiled down to...6.
So without a second thought, the bridge was raised, sealing the fortress yet again, while the riflesquad went to the walls and had some fun.

The new impact rounds were quite effective, breaking bones and throwing the frogmen into each other and nearby trees.
"I feel like an elf."
"How come?" -bang- -crack- -scream-
"This isn't how a dwarven military should operate, hiding behind a wall and shooting at stuff" -bang- -crack -woosh- -thud-
"Putting aside how we should operate" -bang- "We're effectively the last few of the Thundering lances" -bang- "Indeed, the last dwarves around here in general" -bang- (there's another dwarf civ but they're sufficiently far anyway anyway) "so I think a little cowardice in the name of survival is necessary." -bang bang- -screams- -blood- -hand flies into fort-
"Besides, it's not like any training we get is enough to prepare us for one versus fifty odds." -more bangs-
"Speaking of which" -going back into fort for ammo- "Why isn't the melee squad training? I can guess why we're not, but why aren't they?"
"They have no one to teach them, they said; I say they're just shirking out on hard work." -heading back out to the walls- "Considering that one of 'em ran out a few months ago naked with just a hammer I say they're a little short on brains too."

The rest of the day was passed in relative silence as they continued to fire at the invaders milling outside the walls, celebrating a little when one bear was shot out from underneath its ferric elf rider.
-Event currently in progress-

Conversation aside that's pretty accurate. The rifle rounds tear limbs like axes while the impact rounds just push stuff back and occasionally break a bone or two. No death via hitting obstacle, sadly.

So, quick question to readers.
Do targets that have been sent flying fly through fortifications?

[Ashsaber]

-Winter 130-
Once again, Lovelylash found itself besieged by a pack of beak wolves.

"How about we let them in this time?" Ilral Keyflash, Militia Leader (and the most skilled rifledwarf in the fortress) suggested.
The mayor Momuz Rosecastles looked up from the bed he was making. "Beg pardon?"
"We let them in, trap them in the courtyard, and wipe them out to the last wolf." Ilral fiddled with the butt of his rifle absentmindedly.
"You think it'll be good for the rest of the military folk? Get them some experience with easier enemies first?" Momuz went back to the bed, working with masterful skill.
"I was thinking we could use more wolf meat, but your explanation works better."
Momuz paused for a slight instant, shrugged, and gave the order for the gate to be lowered.
---
The wolves, hearing the low crash that was the gate falling on a shrub, made their way towards the entrance, hopefully into the fortress itself to score an easy meal.
---
Ilral had gathered all the soldiers of the fort, and rallied them in the main entrance hallway, divided into two teams.
Team one consisted of Sibrek Bronzematch, Zaneg Claspgrowl, and Ral Wipedcloisters, with Ilral himself as the squad leader.
Team two consisted of Ast Fortunecrypts, Sarvesh Oilyconfine, and Ducim Channelsizzles, with Udil Praisecaves as the squad leader.

"Alright, at the signal, to your positions." Ilral muttered, ignoring the dogs around him.
"What were our positions again?" Ast petted one of the dogs, injured during its service to thwart a kidnapper.
"Directly underneath the ammo dump we built; the sooner we clean them up the sooner we can drag them in for processing."
"You know," Sibrek drummed his fingers on his rifle. "I'm not sure we should risk the entire fort just for some wolf meat."
"We do our jobs and there will be no risk, now get ready." Ilral checked his rifle one last time.
---

The wolves entered the gate on the ground, but before the last one stepped off of the bridge, it suddenly righted itself and threw a wolf away into the ground.

---
"Move move move!" Ilral roared as he charged forward, and stepped out into the sunlight.
There was a brief moment as the dwarves adjusted to the sunlight; Ilral personally wished he had some nice wine before he came out.
The wolves saw 8 dwarves and charged forward with a fearsome howl. Ilral lowered himself onto one knee and fired at into the crowd. He was slightly embarrassed to have grabbed impact rounds instead of the rifle ones, but took it in stride as round found its mark and the wolf was blown back along with the sound of broken bone.

Under the covering fire of the rifle squad, the melee squad charged forward, straight into the overwhelming pack of wolves. Utter confusion reigned as snarls, curses, and flying wolves rented the air. Ast in particular ignored the fact that he had a weapon and went to town on the wolves with his shield. One wolf, however, had broken through the utter confusion of a melee and charged straight at Ilral, who took aim and fired.

The wolf dodged the flying bolt and continued charging. Ilral's hand went to his quiver and felt a slight fear in his heart when he couldn't find a round. The wolf, deciding that it was close enough, leaped for Ilral's throat.

Ilral ducked down, flipped his rifle around, and pulled the second trigger.

The folding blade attached to the bottom of the rifle barrel detached from its anchor and snapped into place (think bayonet). With that lowered stance, Ilral brought the now extended blade forward and connected with the wolf's leg, causing it to land in a heap before scrambling back to its feet.
Not missing a beat himself, Ilral pressed the lock on the top of the weapon (now facing the sky) with his right hand. A small knife popped out, and Ilral grabbed the knife with his left hand, spun, and cut the wolf in his left leg, causing it to yelp in pain and back away. Pressing his advantage, Ilral kept going with the momentum of his spin and slashed the wolf's body with the rifle blade, and spun yet again, cutting the left leg with the dagger yet again.
A pull on the weapon told him that the dagger was stuck. With no hesitation, Ilral twisted the dagger, causing the wolf to crumple with pain, and beheaded it with the rifle's folding blade. His target destroyed, Ilral pulled out the dagger, looked around, and charged at the closest wolf.

The rest of the battle was a frenzy, with Ilral dancing among the wolves with his dagger and the rifle blade. The rest of his squad took the sight to heart, and emulated him with relative success. There was a brief lull during the middle of combat where his squad felt safe enough to return for ammo, which gave everyone the sight of Ilral on the ammo dump floor, one level above the courtyard, shooting a wolf in the head and pinning it to the wall of the main entrance building.

(in the melee)
Udil, the melee team captain, was a new entry of a sort. She was effectively elected squad leader because the rest of the squad didn't really care for leading. (nervous, slow to anger). So when the time came to engage the wolves in hand to hand combat, with the cover of the rifle squad, she was understandably not thrilled at the idea. It also didn't help that she was effectively the least skilled of the squad, and considering the squad's experience amounted to "swinging wildly" it spoke much about her survival rate. "But then these are wolves." Ilral had said, dismissing her concern when she had voiced it.

But then these are wolves my ass!Udil screamed in her mind as the wolves clawed at her armor after the initial charge had knocked her down. While they did no real damage it was certainly not good for sanity to have something trying to eat you liked tinned meat. When the wolves had let off the attack for a brief moment, she scrambled to her feet was immediately bitten some more, but with a little struggling, she kept standing, swinging with the now very awkward feeling "combat sword" in her hand, not hitting anything. She could've sworn she heard the wolves laughing at her.

One wolf, the one that knocked her down (so she says later, but then it was a mess so no one really knew anyway) faced her and growled, before charging forward. Udil scrambled to the side as quickly as she could, and only managed to be grazed by the attack. However, she had forgotten to keep the sword away from the ground, and now it was stuck in the grass, and she didn't expect to lift it in time and get enough speed on it to do anything to the wolf.

Udil pressed a small button on the top of the weapon, and a dagger popped out. () Udil grabbed the dagger and flipped a switch on the hilt. The dagger began to hum as the blade was accelerated (Udil asked the engineer what made the blade do that, but all she got was "A wizard did it" and nothing else), and Udil swung it at the wolf's left leg. To her surprise the leg came clean off and flew some distance away. Suddenly displaying an interest in dwarven science, as Ilral remarked later, Udil swung the blade at the other leg, which also came off clean and flew some distance away. The wolf, now missing a leg and a half, took a bite at Udil, who dodged it with ease and punched it in retaliation, and felt a bone break; by now she had freed the sword, and found out that, to her glee, the sword blade can be accelerated too. With no hesitation she turned it on and swung it down the wolf's back, and was disappointed that the blade did not sever the body as expected, but only lodged in the wolf's spine.

Udil unceremoniously finished off that wolf with the dagger, beheading it.

--After battle--
A celebration party was held for the eight members of the militia inside the dining hall, and many stories were told, embellished slightly here and there, and mostly about the sight that was Udil and Ilral, dagger and blade, went about making short work of the wolves --including one instance where Udil supposedly cut a wolf pancreas, but then no one knew where or what that was, and the drinking game that involved trying to find one had yielded no product, so that story was discarded as totally made up.

---Other tales---
the chief medical dwarf Ingish (girl) and the weaponsmith Nil (guy) were married without much fanfare, making them the first couple to be married within the fortress. shortly after the party they threw, they were confronted by an Engineer with rather large glasses.
"Congratulations on your marriage, you two." The engineer said, "Now I have a request to make."
Before the two could ask...
"We need you to shag. Shag! Shag for science!" And with that, he walked off and disappeared around a corner.
The newlywed couple were lost for words for a good minute, before Ingish asked no one in particular.
"What does shag mean?"

---Writer Notes---
Fight-
Apart from what comes across as obvious embellishment the rest is accurate to the combat report. Even the dagger part (unfortunately it'll only say -the weapon is stuck in the wound- so I took some liberties with that)

Marriage-
Any time when I mention The Engineer, I'm using a throwaway character group for plot purposes.

Any input I could get out of this would be greatly appreciated; especially on what I can improve on.

[UristMcHuman]

Can I have a dorf? Ilral the rifleman, preferably. Keep his name the same.

[Ashsaber]

UristMcHuman:
Sure thing. I'll update it as soon as...tomorrow. Too tired now.

---
I'm planning on building a causeway 3 z levels above the fort as the main entrance/engagement area as the main defense; does anyone want to add something to it? (because I'm both lazy and unimaginative with design.)

Ground rules to any additional defenses:
No weapon traps.

Yes I can just use a danger room, but that goes against the whole "We're back after seven decades in hiding" thing.

[saltmummy626]

Ill take a turn at this. never played a fort with so low a pop cap. hell, ive never played a fort in a world where the dorfs had died off.

[Ashsaber]

erm.

I guess the intro was bad.

This is not a succession fort. I get to be the only god.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

CQC Hammerdwarf/Mason named Winterdirge. Profession: Elf Torturer.
Please. :3

EDIT: IF needed, he can take rifles.

[slowpokez]

Profession:Engraver/mechanic - Name: Mcslowpokez - Family Name:(if i'm lucky ) McSlow****.

Btw looking good so far, like the guns.

[Ashsaber]

Ilral FPS Keyflash - oopsy.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

_{"Constant state of internal rage" sounds like a good choice for a soldier...}

Winterderge the Elf Torturer

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

_{Since there are ferric elves I daresay you'll be quite busy.}

Mcslowpokez the MechaGraver

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

_{all our engravers (2 of them!) are females. And since I got stars for your family name I rolled with it.}

----INTERMISSION---- (aka nobody's trying to kill us)
The defeat of the beak wolves and their subsequent addition into the kitchen was both good for morale and slightly disturbing, as not many people could forget that the things they're eating was trying to rip them to pieces only a few days ago. Until Mistem the only girl of the fortress noted that it was like a sort of revenge. The craftsdwarves didn't mind, considering the incredible amount of jokes about killing wolves with their relatives that poured out of the craft shops.

One day, after another party thrown for "having more booze than yesterday", the mayor Momuz called in the only mechanic in the fortress, Ushrir Channeledwildness.

Ushrir walked into the mayor's office, ignoring a large sign outside it that said PROHIBIT:BATTLE AXE EXPORT. Considering they don't have any axes apart from wooden training ones it wasn't a big issue.
"Mayor, you wanted something?" (calm demeanor, uninterested in art)
"Yes, did you expect the gate like I asked the other day? How much longer can it hold? (calm demeanor, doesn't do more work than neccessary)

"Apart from minor faults in the mechanisms the gate should have no problems for the next few years."
"Good." The mayor laid out a map on the table.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

_{yes I know it says siege; they came as I was writing this. Leave me alone.}

"This is..."
"The second story above the fortress. I was thinking about building a massive causeway one story higher, once our walls reach that high."
"...why?"
"It will show the world and those damned Elephants that we are, in fact, alive and kicking." pause. "And we have a longer trunk than they do."
Ushrir ignored that last comment. "Mr. Mayor, this'll take a lot of resources and manpower to do, and considering the...precarious state we're in, what with everything trying to kill us every season, I don't think exposing anyone in the fort to that level of danger is--"
"I'm more interested in how you can fortify the causeway against potential threats." Mayor Momuz interjected.
"Bigger question are the flying civilizations. If they show up we're bound to suffer casualties." Ushrir sighed. The mayor was not being very reasonable. "More importantly." A little louder as the mayor was about to interrupt. "I'm not keen on working on anything until our militia shows it self competent enough to handle an unforseen threat."

The mayor shrugged. "That's fine; for the time being just keep it in mind." And Ushrir was dismissed.
Ushrir for her part had expected a collision of opinions, but wasn't going to complain.

----
Another day filled with people running everywhere. The mayor had decreed a pit be built in the main hallway and filled with water. As a result everyone is dripping wet all the time, even more so when the ammo dump had been built, and everyone in the fort was expected to help carry ammunition from the craftshops into the building.

So it was rather surprising when the hustle and bustle of carrying ammo in relative silence and puppy yelps was interrupted by one dwarf going "I MUST GO MY " -splash- -glubglubglub- "ME" and ran into a mason's shop, before starting to collect materials.

"That was Nutwall, wasn't it? What's her deal?"
"She's in a fey mood methinks."
"I MUST HAVE PLANT CLOTH!"
...
A quick check into the stockpile later... no plant cloth. The fortress collectively facepalmed (the overseer especially hard) when they realized they used all their plant cloth for bags.

The overseer quickly went about to do damage control: he ordered a door to be built and stalled in the entrance to the workshop.
----

OOF (out of fortress) notes:

The military is effectively a militia until someone comes in as a "trainer" character of a sort. Real reason: I'd like the military folk to be married with children before dying.

I'll also be turning pop cap down to...say, 5. To better simulate the whole -we're the last remnants- thing.

Ok, what else...uh....

Oh yeah.

Visualizations for the weapons-
To better understand what the weapons I modded look like (because I'm not too sure myself)...

They have the following characteristics:
Where it's ambiguous it's intentionally so. Imagination is great.

Common to all weapons
-Swung two handed (but is a one hand weapon 'cuz I like having shields. )
-Can be swung one handed but is unwieldy for anything other than a single hit.

Folding Rifle
-Small body.
-Long barrel, like, stupid long.
-Blade attached near the tip of the barrel and folds back on itself. So, let's say it's about half as long as the barrel. (blade extends 25% further than the barrel when fully unfolded. But wait, there's more--! etc etc)
-Body holds a small dagger that pops out when active.

Combat Sword
-One edged sword
-Sword formation as Hilt - Body - Blade
-Small body contains over-the-top(tm) machinery to accelerate the blade for more cutting goodness.
-Body also contains a small dagger that can be accelerated for a few seconds before needing to recharge.

Combat Hammer
-Sledgehammer
-Drill inside one side of sledgehammer.
-Rocket boost on other side of sledgehammer (this should sound familiar to some people )

Combat Mace
-Flanged Mace (not a round head)
-Flanged teeth(?) are sharp (handle with care)
-Flanged teeth can be extended (like an umbrella)
-Flanged teeth has spines (Flangs on the Flang?)

Combat Spear
-Drill head
-Rocket speed
-Cannot slash (in case you're wondering)
-Longer shaft than normal (to the point where it could almost be used for pole vaults)
-Shaft is detachable and contains its own pointy spear tip
*I imagine this weapon would be less than impressive under the combat mechanics.

Combat Ax
-Single blade
-Accelerator on the other side (same as the blade's)
-Shaft is longer than normal (2x normal length)
-Shaft is thicker than normal
-Shaft contains a small ax (imagine that)

[Ashsaber]

Alright! Got a little further.

----More walling in----
Unfortunately, Meng Nutwall's fey mood descended into madness, owing to the plant fabric she demanded not produced on time. Considering that the door to the workshop she claimed was locked it wasn't a big deal, just a lot of screaming and hacking and tripping  over the convenient stack of cobaltite in the workshop.

"Well, I guess the nut has been"  " walled in." (I am so sorry)

The rest of the summer was uneventful, just more armies coming in and waiting outside the walls, testing the bridge of sure safety (tm) for cracks and any potential breaches. Of course, not everyone was happy with that arrangement, but the general consensus is that safety overruled victory, so there wasn't a lot of complaint.

...
BANG
Ilral practically kicked the door down as he charged into Mayor Momuz's office.
"Keyflash! What a-"
"Just give us the order." Ilral growled. "And we'll make them pay for every drop of blood."
"What are you- oh." Momuz shook his head. "Believe me, I'd love to do it; the risk is too high. There are too many things that can go wrong."
There was a troop of war elephants outside the gate, their hats as terrifyingly large as they were decades ago. Ilral's inner rage wasn't doing a very good job remaining inside.
"We have a chance at showing them what we're made of after all these years; we're dwarves, dammit!"
Momuz frowned. "Calm down; we'll have plenty of chances in the future. We haven't been getting any visitors anymore, you know."
"And what does that matter?"
"We're the only ones left? Avalmeng's caravan didn't get here in two years, for all we know they could be done and gone."
Ilral calmed down some. There were recently two more children born into the fortress, into the same family, even. He could imagine the pain of having their parents taken away, or worse, the pain of the parents when their child is struck down by the elephants.
Ilral took a deep breath. "Fine, I get it. We're leaving them alone." and turned around and left.

----
Story vs Reality
Fantasy
-This conversation

Reality
-Elephants wearing hats walking to the entrance (despite not pathing into the fort)
-Two more kids in the fort
-Nutwall berserking and dying (cause: dehydration)

---Other things that happened as I was typing this up----
Chief medical dwarf had a baby while pasturing a dog, didn't bother going back for it until the pasturing was done. Driven, that lady.
Artifact statue of a "Sad Wilt of stones" dwarf made. Can't help but feel like that statue is sadly wilting.

[Ashsaber]

Pretty sure I'm spamming now, but...



Apparently the new fad is headshot + flying corpse, as that just happened on three separate occasions.

Full writeup tomorrow.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Why am I a girl?

Also, what just happened here?

[Ashsaber]

All my full time important anyone are girls.
(I didn't read your request carefully enough to note you said "he"; sorry. )


And what happened there was...(I'm keeping this one short 'cuz I'm a busy)

Event 1 - Rifle Headshot
Apparently the impact rounds for the rifle can off an enemy so hard they'll die, fly off, and then land as a corpse.
But only in an area that has no facial features. The rounds themselves are rather useless otherwise, especially since I only use bone rounds. They just bounce off of armor.

I say "no facial features" because the head-smashing impact round can't instant kill if it hit, say, an eye, or a nose.

Standard rifle rounds are more straightforward: dismemberment all the way.

Event 2 - The Chief and her dogs.
The chief medical dwarf gave birth to two sons, both while dragging war dogs to the pastures.
I'll let you all roll with that one.

Event 3 - Army of Naga and awesome.
Army of naga came, the fort door was let down for a bit, they came to the door, promptly shot to hell by the riflesquad. Many headshots, many fun. Until I noticed that one of 'em was "fine". Why was she "fine"?
She had a miscarriage some time during the past two months on duty.
The riflesquad was immediately pulled from active duty in the name of morale because hell the lady was
-Jailed for an ignored mandate (by the impromptu Militia member-turned-captain of the guard, no less).
-Told be on active duty for two months, standing on an exposed platform, shot at by ambushing goblin crossbowgobs
     I think the fort name set them off somehow, since I got three full lasher ambushes; naturally, no melee.
-Have a miscarriage (probably during active service)
-And just shrug it off and go back to her station.
It would've been nice if we had another child, but meh.

...

I get the feeling I'm gonna have a fort full of batman candidates in a few game years.