They're not "always considered" muddy, they *are* muddy. If you ever reclaim a fort and go down to the caverns, they'll be mudless and useless for farming (since reclaiming removes *all* mud)General-Veok said:
Let's Play Dwarf Fortress: Syndrome Conundrum
- Thread starter Internet Kraken
- Start date
Recommended Videos
True, but you get what I mean. The caverns start out muddied, so if you don't want to bother with irrigation just dig down straight to them.General-Veok said:
On the subject of elephants being cooler in DF, real life elephants are actually more like the Boatmurdered variant than the modern DF version. Why? Because in real life, there are reports of elephants storming into villages, knocking down buildings, and then drinking the villagers booze.OhJohnNo said:
Just dig out an area underground next to a murky pool, and then pierce said murky pool. The water will flood the area, but eventually dry up and leave mud that can be farmed on.OhJohnNo said:
Or you could just farm in the caverns and never have to deal with irrigation. That's what I do, and it doesn't have to end in under disaster all the time.
Well I'll have to find a good underground pool, or dig down to the next level and farm there. Which I don't know how to do yet.Internet Kraken said:
Well don't worry to much. I had a lot of trouble with farming to when I first played. One of my first forts ended because I flooded the whole thing in an attempt to create a farming plot.OhJohnNo said:
Chapter 29: From the journal of Etur Ishlumfeb
__________________________________________________
2nd Limestone, 1052, Early Autumn
Ugh, so apparently I have to head out to some little fort in the wastes to check in on the dwarves living there. The place is called Reveredtour, and it's located in the far north, right on the coast of the Ocean of Shriveling. Yes, some bold group of idiots thought forming an outpost up in the middle of nowhere was a great idea. Such a job is beneath someone of my social status, but of course my idiot subordinate Ikudzulban got caught with some of the elves "special crop", so for the time being her responsibilities are now mine. I could be forming a trade negotiation with the Kingdoms of Mirth, but instead I'm being sent to the bottom of dwarven society.
17th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Well we finally approached what the maps consider to be Reveredtour territory. Though it looks just like any other part of this blighted wasteland, so you wouldn't be able to tell. That is, if it weren't for the small fort out in the distance. At least the dwarves here have formed some kind of society from the looks of things, albeit probably not a good one. But then what can you expect from a fortress founded on the shores of hell?
19th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
We're closing in on the fort itself now. The foul stench of blood and vomit is overpowering. Somehow they have managed to make the Ocean of Shriveling smell even worse than it usually does. Well as I passed by a river, I overheard a cacophony of war cries and vulgar slurs. Unsurprisingly, the source of these foul words was the local militia.
They appeared to be chasing a herd of elephants, attempting to slaughter the gentle giants. Why? No clue. Soldiers aren't known for their logic, all they can do is spread violence and pain. I can't stand the vile savages that form the capital's militia, but they're even worse out here. Evidently their favorite pastime is seeing how much they can make their prey suffer before killing them.
I can only hope that the rest of the dwarves living here are more dignified.
20th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Hm, perhaps I was hasty in my initial judgments of Reveredtour. While it is by no means a place I would consider living in, whoever designed seems to have far better aesthetic sense than the average dwarf. The fort itself is not some pathetic hole in the ground like most outposts, but rather an elaborate series of buildings constructed over the ocean itself. It's a unique, bold, and daring design. The choice of microline as the primary construction material makes it stand out amongst the otherwise dull and lifeless wastes. And I must say, the use of tunnel tubes to build the entrance bridge is magnificent.
Maybe my stay here won't be such a waste after all.
21st Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Scratch what I said earlier. A truly horrifying sight right next to the entrance told me everything I need to know about the culture of Reveredtour, or rather the lack of it. In the capital, every dwarf is given a proper funeral upon death, placed inside a coffin, and given eternal rest. It is an ancient tradition, but not by any means outdated. It shows respect for the dead and what they accomplished in life. Here in Reveredtour, the dead are shoved into a corner near the entrance.
I don't know what's worse;that some of the corpses have been rotting there for so long that they are now nothing but bones, or that nobody here seems to pay any attention to the pile of bodies. I wouldn't be surprised if the foul fumes of this place start messing with your head after a while. I've only been here a few days and I'm already seeing things. Last night I thought I saw some kind of ghost. How absurd.
23rd Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Well the person leading this fort is a dwarf named Stinthad Kekimtobul. The other dwarves didn't always have favorable descriptions of her, but overall she seems to be a decent dwarf. Most of her faults are evidently linked to her incompetence and naivety, something I will gladly overlook if she is actually pleasant in a conversation.
23rd Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
So I just had a very brief conversation with this Kekimtobul. Unfortunately, this short conversation was enough to dash all my hopes about her being a sensible dwarf. Oh she looked fine at first, until I saw the horrific creatures following her.
Stinthad: "Hi! You must be the new liaison from the mountainhomes. My name is Stinthad Kekimtobul, and it's a pleasure to have you here!"
Ishlumfeb: "Er, yeah. I'm Etur Ishlumfeb and...and...I'm sorry, but you do know that some of the military's filthy war beasts are following you, right?"
Stinthad: "Huh? You mean Lorbam and Ingiz? Don't be ridiculous! There my beloved pets!"
Ishlumfeb: "You keep those things as...pets?"
Stinthad: "Aren't they wonderful! Ingiz, show Ishlumfeb here that neat little sound you make."
The cave crawler proceeded to let out a disturbing number of gurgles and croaks. Kekimtobul merely giggled upon hearing them, as if she was hearing the chirping of a baby bird rather than the cry of an abomination.
Stinthad: "See? They're great. Anyways, I'm sure you want to get our meeting underway, but I'm unfortunately busy at the moment. Let me finish some surgery and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
Ishlumfeb: "Wait, you're a doctor to?"
Stinthad: "Yep! Only one in Reveredtour. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work. Where did I put that scalpel...oh!"
She then reached into the gaping maw of her disgusting cave crawler and proceeded to fish out a medical instrument covered in several layers of slime. It was difficult to resist the urge to retch at the sight of this.
Stinthad: "Silly Ingiz. Sometimes he tries eating my tools because they have the smell of blood on them. I should probably clean this first...eh, I doubt it matters. Anyways, see you later!"
I must ensure that I come under no harm whilst staying here, lest I be forced to turn to her for medical aid. Though with all the safety violations in this fort (they keep the dangerous stockpile of untamed animals right next to some civilian workshops), this may be difficult.
24th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Well Kekimtobul finished her malpractice, so it was time for us to do business. She apparently lacks any type of office though, so we had no choice but to meet in the dining hall. I don't understand how she can be so cheerful when she has such poor living conditions for a leader.
Also the dining hall was covered in vulture blood and guts. This place continues to impress me. I tried my best to ignore the constant moans her earth golem and foul stench of corpses, and focus on the meeting instead.
Ishlumfeb: "Right, well let's get down to business. We understand that last year you ordered the delivery of a large quantity of...battle axes. Odd. Well, do you want to continue this order, is there something else you want produced?"
Stinthad: "Large, serrated disks."
Ishlumfeb: "Pardon?"
Stinthad: "You know, the ones you put into traps? We need a bunch of those."
Ishlumfeb: "Might I ask why?"
Stinthad: "Oh, I'm not sure. But my advisor says that they are needed for a special project. She usually has tons of good ideas, so I figure why not get some?"
I have no interest in learning what this special project is, so I filled out the order without asking any further questions.
29th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
In between meetings, I've gone against my better judgment and decided to further examine this mess of a fortress. Most of what I saw just reinforced my opinion that I am in a cultural wasteland, however there was a glimmer of hope. A large number of the deep roads are covered in some wonderful engravings. Here are some of the more notable ones;
This is a truly inspirational image that can be admired by all dwarves. The sight of a lone octopre overpowering a deadly opponent is a sight to behold, and this forts engraver has immortalized the moment for all to see. A dwarven pet defeating this vile foe not only reflects the strength of the individual, but also reflects the unconquerable nature of the Relieved Craft and all its inhabitants. A true work of art.
To an uncultured pleb this image might appear rather simple, but it actually has a much deeper meaning. The three mountains rising from the earth represent the different dwarven civilizations of the Cyclopean Realm. Each mountain stands tall and proud, but they are all separated from each other. Furthermore, each mountain is of equal height, and no doubt this engraving implies that they are slowly eroding away rather than growing taller. This of course relates to the ongoing debate about whether or not the dwarven civilizations should remain divided or bind together to conquer our common enemies. A very controversial subject. Displaying this engraving out in the open reflects the courage and passion of the artist.
This one is rather self-explanatory in why it is appealing.
It's a shame that the engraver is wasting their talents in this filthy place. I could make good use of them in decorating my private estate.
1 Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
I aimed to finish my business with Kekimtobul as soon as possible. Having just finished botching another medical procedure, she was ready to conduct the meeting as well. I pity to poor dwarf that she continues to torment through her foolish actions.
I informed her of the current demand for quivers. Rithrisen came to the conclusion that the best way to defeat the elves would be to out-tech them. Apparently he's somehow overlooked the fact that our use of metal puts us decades ahead of their wood based industry. Since elves are so fond of bows, he wants as many bow related items constructed to perfect our archery industry. It's a pointless plan that serves no purpose, but nobody has the guts to tell him that.
And with that our meeting had finally come to an end. I don't think I can stand to stay in the place much longer. I'm beginning to wonder if Ikudzulban let herself get caught on purpose. If she has to deal with horrific places like this on a regular basis, it's no wonder she resorts to using some "special crop" to ease her mind. It's tempting to try some right now, but instead I think I'll just drink enough to knock myself out until the merchants are ready to leave.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2nd Limestone, 1052, Early Autumn
Ugh, so apparently I have to head out to some little fort in the wastes to check in on the dwarves living there. The place is called Reveredtour, and it's located in the far north, right on the coast of the Ocean of Shriveling. Yes, some bold group of idiots thought forming an outpost up in the middle of nowhere was a great idea. Such a job is beneath someone of my social status, but of course my idiot subordinate Ikudzulban got caught with some of the elves "special crop", so for the time being her responsibilities are now mine. I could be forming a trade negotiation with the Kingdoms of Mirth, but instead I'm being sent to the bottom of dwarven society.
17th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Well we finally approached what the maps consider to be Reveredtour territory. Though it looks just like any other part of this blighted wasteland, so you wouldn't be able to tell. That is, if it weren't for the small fort out in the distance. At least the dwarves here have formed some kind of society from the looks of things, albeit probably not a good one. But then what can you expect from a fortress founded on the shores of hell?
19th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
We're closing in on the fort itself now. The foul stench of blood and vomit is overpowering. Somehow they have managed to make the Ocean of Shriveling smell even worse than it usually does. Well as I passed by a river, I overheard a cacophony of war cries and vulgar slurs. Unsurprisingly, the source of these foul words was the local militia.
They appeared to be chasing a herd of elephants, attempting to slaughter the gentle giants. Why? No clue. Soldiers aren't known for their logic, all they can do is spread violence and pain. I can't stand the vile savages that form the capital's militia, but they're even worse out here. Evidently their favorite pastime is seeing how much they can make their prey suffer before killing them.
I can only hope that the rest of the dwarves living here are more dignified.
20th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Hm, perhaps I was hasty in my initial judgments of Reveredtour. While it is by no means a place I would consider living in, whoever designed seems to have far better aesthetic sense than the average dwarf. The fort itself is not some pathetic hole in the ground like most outposts, but rather an elaborate series of buildings constructed over the ocean itself. It's a unique, bold, and daring design. The choice of microline as the primary construction material makes it stand out amongst the otherwise dull and lifeless wastes. And I must say, the use of tunnel tubes to build the entrance bridge is magnificent.
Maybe my stay here won't be such a waste after all.
21st Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Scratch what I said earlier. A truly horrifying sight right next to the entrance told me everything I need to know about the culture of Reveredtour, or rather the lack of it. In the capital, every dwarf is given a proper funeral upon death, placed inside a coffin, and given eternal rest. It is an ancient tradition, but not by any means outdated. It shows respect for the dead and what they accomplished in life. Here in Reveredtour, the dead are shoved into a corner near the entrance.
I don't know what's worse;that some of the corpses have been rotting there for so long that they are now nothing but bones, or that nobody here seems to pay any attention to the pile of bodies. I wouldn't be surprised if the foul fumes of this place start messing with your head after a while. I've only been here a few days and I'm already seeing things. Last night I thought I saw some kind of ghost. How absurd.
23rd Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Well the person leading this fort is a dwarf named Stinthad Kekimtobul. The other dwarves didn't always have favorable descriptions of her, but overall she seems to be a decent dwarf. Most of her faults are evidently linked to her incompetence and naivety, something I will gladly overlook if she is actually pleasant in a conversation.
23rd Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
So I just had a very brief conversation with this Kekimtobul. Unfortunately, this short conversation was enough to dash all my hopes about her being a sensible dwarf. Oh she looked fine at first, until I saw the horrific creatures following her.
Stinthad: "Hi! You must be the new liaison from the mountainhomes. My name is Stinthad Kekimtobul, and it's a pleasure to have you here!"
Ishlumfeb: "Er, yeah. I'm Etur Ishlumfeb and...and...I'm sorry, but you do know that some of the military's filthy war beasts are following you, right?"
Stinthad: "Huh? You mean Lorbam and Ingiz? Don't be ridiculous! There my beloved pets!"
Ishlumfeb: "You keep those things as...pets?"
Stinthad: "Aren't they wonderful! Ingiz, show Ishlumfeb here that neat little sound you make."
The cave crawler proceeded to let out a disturbing number of gurgles and croaks. Kekimtobul merely giggled upon hearing them, as if she was hearing the chirping of a baby bird rather than the cry of an abomination.
Stinthad: "See? They're great. Anyways, I'm sure you want to get our meeting underway, but I'm unfortunately busy at the moment. Let me finish some surgery and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
Ishlumfeb: "Wait, you're a doctor to?"
Stinthad: "Yep! Only one in Reveredtour. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work. Where did I put that scalpel...oh!"
She then reached into the gaping maw of her disgusting cave crawler and proceeded to fish out a medical instrument covered in several layers of slime. It was difficult to resist the urge to retch at the sight of this.
Stinthad: "Silly Ingiz. Sometimes he tries eating my tools because they have the smell of blood on them. I should probably clean this first...eh, I doubt it matters. Anyways, see you later!"
I must ensure that I come under no harm whilst staying here, lest I be forced to turn to her for medical aid. Though with all the safety violations in this fort (they keep the dangerous stockpile of untamed animals right next to some civilian workshops), this may be difficult.
24th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
Well Kekimtobul finished her malpractice, so it was time for us to do business. She apparently lacks any type of office though, so we had no choice but to meet in the dining hall. I don't understand how she can be so cheerful when she has such poor living conditions for a leader.
Also the dining hall was covered in vulture blood and guts. This place continues to impress me. I tried my best to ignore the constant moans her earth golem and foul stench of corpses, and focus on the meeting instead.
Ishlumfeb: "Right, well let's get down to business. We understand that last year you ordered the delivery of a large quantity of...battle axes. Odd. Well, do you want to continue this order, is there something else you want produced?"
Stinthad: "Large, serrated disks."
Ishlumfeb: "Pardon?"
Stinthad: "You know, the ones you put into traps? We need a bunch of those."
Ishlumfeb: "Might I ask why?"
Stinthad: "Oh, I'm not sure. But my advisor says that they are needed for a special project. She usually has tons of good ideas, so I figure why not get some?"
I have no interest in learning what this special project is, so I filled out the order without asking any further questions.
29th Timber, 1052, Late Autumn
In between meetings, I've gone against my better judgment and decided to further examine this mess of a fortress. Most of what I saw just reinforced my opinion that I am in a cultural wasteland, however there was a glimmer of hope. A large number of the deep roads are covered in some wonderful engravings. Here are some of the more notable ones;
This is a truly inspirational image that can be admired by all dwarves. The sight of a lone octopre overpowering a deadly opponent is a sight to behold, and this forts engraver has immortalized the moment for all to see. A dwarven pet defeating this vile foe not only reflects the strength of the individual, but also reflects the unconquerable nature of the Relieved Craft and all its inhabitants. A true work of art.
To an uncultured pleb this image might appear rather simple, but it actually has a much deeper meaning. The three mountains rising from the earth represent the different dwarven civilizations of the Cyclopean Realm. Each mountain stands tall and proud, but they are all separated from each other. Furthermore, each mountain is of equal height, and no doubt this engraving implies that they are slowly eroding away rather than growing taller. This of course relates to the ongoing debate about whether or not the dwarven civilizations should remain divided or bind together to conquer our common enemies. A very controversial subject. Displaying this engraving out in the open reflects the courage and passion of the artist.
This one is rather self-explanatory in why it is appealing.
It's a shame that the engraver is wasting their talents in this filthy place. I could make good use of them in decorating my private estate.
1 Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
I aimed to finish my business with Kekimtobul as soon as possible. Having just finished botching another medical procedure, she was ready to conduct the meeting as well. I pity to poor dwarf that she continues to torment through her foolish actions.
I informed her of the current demand for quivers. Rithrisen came to the conclusion that the best way to defeat the elves would be to out-tech them. Apparently he's somehow overlooked the fact that our use of metal puts us decades ahead of their wood based industry. Since elves are so fond of bows, he wants as many bow related items constructed to perfect our archery industry. It's a pointless plan that serves no purpose, but nobody has the guts to tell him that.
And with that our meeting had finally come to an end. I don't think I can stand to stay in the place much longer. I'm beginning to wonder if Ikudzulban let herself get caught on purpose. If she has to deal with horrific places like this on a regular basis, it's no wonder she resorts to using some "special crop" to ease her mind. It's tempting to try some right now, but instead I think I'll just drink enough to knock myself out until the merchants are ready to leave.
__________________________________________________
...was one of your soldiers beating an elephant to death with the kobold thief's tunic?
That's pretty awesome. How'd they get the item as a weapon in the first place?
That's pretty awesome. How'd they get the item as a weapon in the first place?
Well-known wrestling bug. It must be one of the soldiers who killed the kobold with their bare hands.General-Veok said:
Heh, dwarves and their complete lack of sanitation.
Yes, right before attacking the elephants the soldiers ran into two kobolds, who were promptly cut down. Evidently one of them tore off a kobold's tunic and decided to use it as a weapon. This is something that can happen with any creatures capable of grasping an item. For example, there are stories of giant desert scorpions killing adventurers by beating them to death with their own trousers.(name here) said:
Giant desert scorpions have also been known to kill adventurers with their own weapons. For example, you could implant your battle axe in a scoprion's face, only to have it pull said axe out with its tail and then shove it into your face.Engarde said:
Creatures with the [GRASP] token tend to use anything to can hold as a weapon, even if their natural abilties (deadly toxic in the case of scorpions) are better in combat.
He just needs rocks and some kind of body part, usually bones. I'm honestly surprised that you lack either of those. Just butcher a stray animal.PurpleLemur said:
Oh boy do I have an update for you! Let's just say the update I'm working on right now will highlight this particular brand of dwarven stupidity.PurpleLemur said:
Chapter 30: From the journal of Stinthad Kekimtobul
__________________________________________________
4th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Well, Miss Ishlumfeb certainly was nice! I feel like that meeting went really well. Though on reflection something seemed to be bothering her, though I'm not sure what. Probably the smell of rotting vulture. Anyways, wither our meeting complete I turned my attention to the merchants.
Looks like Reveredtour is getting some good recognition! No doubt everyone is impressed with how well I have done here. Anyways, I traded him a bunch of cut gems in exchange for a variety of goods. Mostly booze and some spare crafting materials Reveredtour currently lacks. For some reason he seemed disappointed that I didn't buy any of the ridiculous number of battle axes he brought along. I'm not sure why. It's not like I ordered those things. People keep saying I did, but I don't remember doing it!
Regardless, he seemed happy with the exchange overall. Now I can focus on more important matters. Like keeping Ingiz out of the graveyard. He gets a bit to hungry sometimes, and eats things he shouldn't. However, this did lead to me finding where Erush's foot went!
I don't think he will want it back though.
8th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
I noticed that a lot of work wasn't getting done, mostly in the kitchen platform.
I wasn't sure what was causing all these problems, so I decided to ask one of the cooks what the heck was going on.
Stinthad: "Rovod, why aren't you working? There's still plenty of food that needs to be cooked."
Rovod: "What, you expect me to work when those things are swimming right below us?"
Stinthad: "What things?"
Rovod: "The zombies!"
Stinthad: "Zombies?!?"
Kraken's notes: Bluefish, evidently named by the least creative person on earth, are your typical Dwarf Fortress non-vermin fish. They are somewhat aggressive in water, but on land they can't do anything but flop around pointlessly and wait for something to end their life. Assuming they don't suffocate first. So they aren't a threat to your dwarves unless they happen to fall into the ocean, and even then they can only cause harm due to drowning rendering any civilian incapable of fighting back. Only notable thing about them is that they, unlike most aquatic animals, will yield bones upon being butchered. Also I think they taste pretty good.
Stinthad: "Rovod, those are just fish."
Rovod: "Look closer."
Stinthad: "Oh, I see. I guess you're right. They are zombies. But why does that matter? They can't reach you up here."
Rovod: "That's what they want you to think. You think because they're down in the ocean they're harmless. Then one night you wake up only to see a zombie manta ray about to crush you. I'm not going anywhere near that place while zombies are near it."
The dwarves here take those horror stories a bit too seriously. I guess I'll just have the militia take them out. The Immortal Rags have gotten a lot of combat experience lately, so I should give the new squad, the Steamy Tours, a shot. It's not like these zombies are particularly threatening.
10th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Come on guys. You're overacting. They can't reach you! You're perfectly safe! Even if they could, I think it's safe to say that you could overpower some rotting fish.
11th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Ah, good. From the sound of things the Steamy Tours have found a way to engage the bluefish. They must have tried crawling onto shore-
WHY WOULD YOU JUMP INTO THE OCEAN TO FIGHT THEM?!?!
Oh god I hope they can swim.
12th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHAT PART OF YOUR MILITARY TRAINING COVERED UNDERWATER COMBAT?
13th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Well, the bluefish are no longer bothering the dwarves, but it cost us 3 soldiers to accomplish this. You see, after the initial 2 soldier drowned, the commander of the squad arrived on the scene. Something had evidently held him up, and his subordinates had charged ahead without him. He arrived to see them drowning in the ocean. No doubt this sight caused his emotions to get the best of him, as not only was he losing his squad mates but one of them was his wife.
He dove into the ocean in an attempt to rescue, tearing apart the remaining bluefish. He arrived too late, but refused to leave her on the ocean floor. He tried to haul her body back to shore, but couldn't summon the strength to do it. He then suffered the same fate as his wife.
Oh god it's so sad. Why? Why did they have to die in such a pointless way? We can't even recover their bodies now.
21st Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
I'm still trying to get my mind off the drowning, but that's easier said than done. It doesn't help that Goden just had to point out that, if you look hard enough, you can see the soldiers corpses lying on the ocean floor. There are little zombie shrimp picking off their flesh. Lovely.
On a more positive note, their sacrifice at least allowed us to expand the kitchen platform. There's now more room available, so I've ordered the construction of additional workshops so we can make use of the various animal byproducts we have lying around.
Stonesense Version [http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/5250/workshopsense.png]
26th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Construction of the moat is progressing well. The diggers have basically finished carving out a path to the river to fill it with water. Of course, we have to install some floodgates before piercing the river, otherwise we will have no way of controlling the flow of water. Should be a simple task though.
2nd Opal, 1052, Mid-Winter
One the mechanics told me they had finished linking the main drawbridge up to one of the levers. He said I would be able to raise and lower the drawbridge at will. I decided to test his claim.
As I expected, the bridge operated perfectly.
By raising this bridge, we can effectively shut off Reveredtour from the outside world. Hopefully such a drastic measure will never be necessary, though one can't be too careful. Currently the moat hasn't been filled, so any creature crossing the bridge would fall a few z-levels down rather than land in a pool of water. That should change soon though.
Stonesense Version [http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/2773/controlroomsense.png]
I should probably mention that all levers are being placed in one area I have dubbed the central control room. The idea is that having all the levers easily accessible from one location will be more convenient than spreading them across the fortress. There's some risk of a dwarf pulling the wrong lever, but they are all going to be clearly labeled so this shouldn't be an issue.
8th Opal, 1052, Mid-Winter
So I was examining the lower area of Reveredtour today, when I suddenly found myself engulfed in a massive cloud of miasma.
The cloud was so thick that I literally couldn't breathe. I nearly passed out after spending just few a seconds inside it. Somehow, the other dwarves are only mildly irritated by this, which perhaps explains why nobody has bothered to move the rotting corpses producing the gas. A lot of people here seem to have really poor priorities.
12th Opal, 1052, Mid-Winter
Some beds were finally moved to a suitable area separate from the dormitories. I decided that this place would serve as Reveredtour's hospital. It's lacking at the moment, but over the next few months I intend to stock it with the proper medical supplies to ensure that I can mend the injuries of any dwarf.
To my surprise, two of the diggers immediately headed to the hospital upon my announcement of it being opened. They need medical treatment for injuries they had received months ago, but had apparently been ignoring up until now. Even though one of their friends died from an infections caused by her injuries.
Jeez, they didn't have to wait until an official hospital was set up to get treatment. All they had to do was ask. Oh well, I'll just help the now! Best of all, I got an up-to-date medical textbook from the caravan, so now I can actually do some of this stuff properly!
Note to self; the spinal cord IS a part of the nervous system.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
4th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Well, Miss Ishlumfeb certainly was nice! I feel like that meeting went really well. Though on reflection something seemed to be bothering her, though I'm not sure what. Probably the smell of rotting vulture. Anyways, wither our meeting complete I turned my attention to the merchants.
Looks like Reveredtour is getting some good recognition! No doubt everyone is impressed with how well I have done here. Anyways, I traded him a bunch of cut gems in exchange for a variety of goods. Mostly booze and some spare crafting materials Reveredtour currently lacks. For some reason he seemed disappointed that I didn't buy any of the ridiculous number of battle axes he brought along. I'm not sure why. It's not like I ordered those things. People keep saying I did, but I don't remember doing it!
Regardless, he seemed happy with the exchange overall. Now I can focus on more important matters. Like keeping Ingiz out of the graveyard. He gets a bit to hungry sometimes, and eats things he shouldn't. However, this did lead to me finding where Erush's foot went!
I don't think he will want it back though.
8th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
I noticed that a lot of work wasn't getting done, mostly in the kitchen platform.
I wasn't sure what was causing all these problems, so I decided to ask one of the cooks what the heck was going on.
Stinthad: "Rovod, why aren't you working? There's still plenty of food that needs to be cooked."
Rovod: "What, you expect me to work when those things are swimming right below us?"
Stinthad: "What things?"
Rovod: "The zombies!"
Stinthad: "Zombies?!?"
At this point it's worth noting that any animal afflicted with undead status becomes amphibious, including fish. This means that they can crawl onto land and attack dwarves, provided there is a way out of the water. However, most fish aren't very large so this isn't an issue. However, a skeletal whale is just as terrifying as it sounds.
In Dwarf Fortress, that sweet little girl would be devoured.
In Dwarf Fortress, that sweet little girl would be devoured.
Stinthad: "Rovod, those are just fish."
Rovod: "Look closer."
Stinthad: "Oh, I see. I guess you're right. They are zombies. But why does that matter? They can't reach you up here."
Rovod: "That's what they want you to think. You think because they're down in the ocean they're harmless. Then one night you wake up only to see a zombie manta ray about to crush you. I'm not going anywhere near that place while zombies are near it."
The dwarves here take those horror stories a bit too seriously. I guess I'll just have the militia take them out. The Immortal Rags have gotten a lot of combat experience lately, so I should give the new squad, the Steamy Tours, a shot. It's not like these zombies are particularly threatening.
10th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Come on guys. You're overacting. They can't reach you! You're perfectly safe! Even if they could, I think it's safe to say that you could overpower some rotting fish.
11th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Ah, good. From the sound of things the Steamy Tours have found a way to engage the bluefish. They must have tried crawling onto shore-
WHY WOULD YOU JUMP INTO THE OCEAN TO FIGHT THEM?!?!
Oh god I hope they can swim.
12th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHAT PART OF YOUR MILITARY TRAINING COVERED UNDERWATER COMBAT?
13th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Well, the bluefish are no longer bothering the dwarves, but it cost us 3 soldiers to accomplish this. You see, after the initial 2 soldier drowned, the commander of the squad arrived on the scene. Something had evidently held him up, and his subordinates had charged ahead without him. He arrived to see them drowning in the ocean. No doubt this sight caused his emotions to get the best of him, as not only was he losing his squad mates but one of them was his wife.
He dove into the ocean in an attempt to rescue, tearing apart the remaining bluefish. He arrived too late, but refused to leave her on the ocean floor. He tried to haul her body back to shore, but couldn't summon the strength to do it. He then suffered the same fate as his wife.
Oh god it's so sad. Why? Why did they have to die in such a pointless way? We can't even recover their bodies now.
21st Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
I'm still trying to get my mind off the drowning, but that's easier said than done. It doesn't help that Goden just had to point out that, if you look hard enough, you can see the soldiers corpses lying on the ocean floor. There are little zombie shrimp picking off their flesh. Lovely.
On a more positive note, their sacrifice at least allowed us to expand the kitchen platform. There's now more room available, so I've ordered the construction of additional workshops so we can make use of the various animal byproducts we have lying around.
Stonesense Version [http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/5250/workshopsense.png]
26th Moonstone, 1052, Early Winter
Construction of the moat is progressing well. The diggers have basically finished carving out a path to the river to fill it with water. Of course, we have to install some floodgates before piercing the river, otherwise we will have no way of controlling the flow of water. Should be a simple task though.
2nd Opal, 1052, Mid-Winter
One the mechanics told me they had finished linking the main drawbridge up to one of the levers. He said I would be able to raise and lower the drawbridge at will. I decided to test his claim.
As I expected, the bridge operated perfectly.
By raising this bridge, we can effectively shut off Reveredtour from the outside world. Hopefully such a drastic measure will never be necessary, though one can't be too careful. Currently the moat hasn't been filled, so any creature crossing the bridge would fall a few z-levels down rather than land in a pool of water. That should change soon though.
Stonesense Version [http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/2773/controlroomsense.png]
I should probably mention that all levers are being placed in one area I have dubbed the central control room. The idea is that having all the levers easily accessible from one location will be more convenient than spreading them across the fortress. There's some risk of a dwarf pulling the wrong lever, but they are all going to be clearly labeled so this shouldn't be an issue.
8th Opal, 1052, Mid-Winter
So I was examining the lower area of Reveredtour today, when I suddenly found myself engulfed in a massive cloud of miasma.
The cloud was so thick that I literally couldn't breathe. I nearly passed out after spending just few a seconds inside it. Somehow, the other dwarves are only mildly irritated by this, which perhaps explains why nobody has bothered to move the rotting corpses producing the gas. A lot of people here seem to have really poor priorities.
12th Opal, 1052, Mid-Winter
Some beds were finally moved to a suitable area separate from the dormitories. I decided that this place would serve as Reveredtour's hospital. It's lacking at the moment, but over the next few months I intend to stock it with the proper medical supplies to ensure that I can mend the injuries of any dwarf.
To my surprise, two of the diggers immediately headed to the hospital upon my announcement of it being opened. They need medical treatment for injuries they had received months ago, but had apparently been ignoring up until now. Even though one of their friends died from an infections caused by her injuries.
Jeez, they didn't have to wait until an official hospital was set up to get treatment. All they had to do was ask. Oh well, I'll just help the now! Best of all, I got an up-to-date medical textbook from the caravan, so now I can actually do some of this stuff properly!
Note to self; the spinal cord IS a part of the nervous system.
__________________________________________________
How did you not see-
Oh, that was why you sent in the reserve squad. Also, I would once again like to remind everyone to bring a trained diagnoser in the starting 7.
Oh, that was why you sent in the reserve squad. Also, I would once again like to remind everyone to bring a trained diagnoser in the starting 7.
Actually, I thought this particular brand of stupid was no longer an issue in 3.18 so long as you had ramps leading out of the ocean. GUESS NOT.(name here) said:
If I had sent in the real military, I wouldn't be able to form a coherent post.