Back up and running again. Took me longer to get to the LP than I would have liked, but IRL always has a way of stepping in. At any rate, let's get to it.
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First off, let's introduce Esarai as a ladydwarf Machinist: Good attributes and exceptional skills in Siege Engineering. As a Machinist, Esarai will also be responsible for general mechanics and architecture work.
Soon enough, one of Peakwind's many children gets an idea for an artifact. She scampers off an claims a Craftsdwarf's shop... but doesn't start collecting materials right away. As I prepare to diagnose her major malfunction....
....a goblin hitsquad shows up and tries to mess with the merchants still chilling at the Depot. No matter to me: the fort is well-isolated from the outside world now that we've finished our business. The merchants manage to chase off the goblins without my help anyways.
(Sigh) Bureaucracy. In order to arm all adult dwarves, all dwarves need to be in military squads. I group as best I can- Scotty's Diggers in one squad, TrashSon's Fortress Guard archers in another, assorted named dwarves with weapon preference in yet another, then the rest go into squads as I go down the list. This part is a pain because of how the interface handles assignments, but I eventually figure out some tricks and get everybody assigned.
In the midst of all this, I have not forgotten about the young one with artifact ambitions. After a few false starts, I determine that the kid didn't have enough stacks of bones on hand. The creepy girl wanted a total of three, and repays my attention with a pig-bone earring. Stylish.
With the artifact concerns out of the way, I start work on the magma crematorium. Location is critical, since I want magma to easily flow into the chamber, out of the chamber, and back into the reserve for the forges. Oh, and I need a way to add water to the mix. After several minutes of searching, I finally determine that location depicted here to be ideal.
.....and I knew I ****ed something up somewhere along the line. Two kobold squads managed to get past the gravity blender and into the dormitory area. I activate all militia assets to take down the scaly bastards, but the fight is still messy since most of the kobolds have ranged weapons. Very quickly I realize what my mistake was- I left the inner and outer drawbridges for the blender down. Kobolds will be invisible to me until a dwarf actually spots them, and the scaly bastards do not set off floor traps. Three nameless dwarves pay for my mistake, and a few Named suffer some injuries- no amputations, though.
Fun. As the battle against the kobolds continues, a goblin assault force arrives. Thankfully, the kobolds feel their losses scant seconds later and flee the fortress, saving me the decision to lock the first invaders in. With the kobold survivors back outside, I button up the fort, pick up the pieces and prepare to deal with the goblins.
Guh- always something. Another child becomes obsessed with creating an artifact now, of all times. The goblins are safely isolated from the fort's squishy bits, but I'd still prefer to deal with the invaders first. Besides, even if my attention lapses, I have a door on the workshop alcove this time. I say "no mas!" to berserk axemurders.
Borin "Balrogbait" has died from... ....uh, that's.... new, uh- has died from old age. Shame you never got to chop up any goblins, son, but you'll get the cremation you requested. Your crotchety spirit shall live on in vengeance.
With everything in order, I open the access gates to the gravity blender. It works marvelously... until I realize that I had brutally blundered once again. Some of the temporary walkways were still in place, allowing the invaders to bypass the most potent parts of the spiral! A few goblins riding on giant olms manage to infiltrate the fortress, but I'm not certain they came from the blender area.... of all places, I think they entered through the well. Giant olms are amphibious, so assuming a goblin rider can hold his breath long enough, a little swim is a great covert insertion.
All in all, about three or four goblin-olm pairs manage to get in, and are beaten by mass dogpiling. Somehow, casualties are generally light, but a few dwarves are slain, including the unfortunate Hobbie. The remaining goblins flee, but a lone Giant Olm chills in the plumbing beneath the fort, prolonging the Siege status. Dislodging an aquatic creature can be a major pain in the ass, so I'll just wait for the olm to get bored and leave.
With the goblins (virtually) dealt with, I turn my attention back to the young go-getter. He wanted some bone stacks too, and gets right to work once he has the needed materials.
And Peakwind is rewarded with a badass treasure chest made from dog bones.
As Peakwind's dwarves clean up the fort, reset the traps, and loot the dead goblins, a caravan of elves shows up. Huh, guess that Olm got bored sooner rather than later. I fork over looted goblin clothing and trinkets in exchange for all the wood and booze the elves are carrying. Essentials, you know?
Most of the fort has moved on, but one of the Stokers is apparently still pissy about one of his friends dying in an attack. This clown's been throwing tantrums off-and-on for some time, but this time he managed to cross the line. In the process of picking a fight with Kobrarson, the Stoker threw a punch that dented Kobrarson's skull, killing Kobrarson.
Now I'm pissed, but the deranged Stoker is now on the target list for the Justice system. I pass a conviction on him, and TrashSon carries out punishment: a beating. Hm. Not what I'd have gone for, but hopefully he's learned his lesson.
LOLNOPE. The angry ****wit Stoker picks another fight, this time with a low-level Metalworker. Somehow the Metalworker winds up dying too. Dwarven Justice prescribes another beating, but I've already got something else in mind. One "accidental" murder, I can grudgingly swallow, two and I will retaliate.
As I fume and put the finishing touches on a particular project, a Cook decides to start an artifact too. Thankfully he gets right to it, given how mad I am right now, I don't think I'd have the patience to play "guess what material I want huehuehue".
Now I am absolutely livid. I no longer give a flying **** what Dwarven Justice says. IRON JUSTICE demands death.
Way to try and defuse the situation, Mr. NoName McCook. Make an artifact figurine of Obok McAxemurder in the act of axemurder. Thank you for reminding me of my duty to IRON JUSTICE.
IRON JUSTICE in this case is a live-fire testing of the magma crematorium. I only held off this long because I needed to install safety and control systems. I order the Machinists to install a lone lever in the chamber, profiled only for Stoker McAngry. No doubt sensing my furious wrath, the Stoker finally consents to his fate. Once the heavy iron doors locked behind him, Stoker begins to lash out, throwing his last tantrum. The magma control lever is thrown, and Stoker McAngry's rage meets a hotter fire. Once the chamber is full, I have the dwarves pump any magma tainted by the fool's spirit drained back into the magma pipe. Stoker McAngry apparently had been issued an axe as well- once the chamber is safe to enter, I order the axe destroyed, even though the logs indicate it never killed any of Peakwind's dwarves. IRON JUSTICE has been served.
A human caravan shows up some time later and is accosted by goblins. Since the wagons were severely disrupted by the attack, they never reach the depot and I never bother trading with them.
At some point, Scotty ran off to claim a Mason's Workshop. I missed the initial mood message, but certainly caught the "construction initiated" message. I am excite.
After quite a bit of resource gathering and work, Scotty unveils an amazing door built from a graphite base.
The annual dwarven caravan shows up, but before I can welcome them into the fort....
...a Kobold archer squad shows up and takes out our outpost liason. (sigh). Not like I could have done anything to help anyways, the Kobolds spawned right next to the poor diplomat! As is our classical response, I button up and lock the doors. The caravan will have to fend for itself.
And at long last, I can perform the funerary rites requested by four of Peakwind's own some time ago. Recommended listening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS2sh50Sbqg"...and as all Dwarves are born of the earth, let us commend these four souls to the earth's fiery blood...."
"Redsniperson. Kobrarson. Borin. Scourgeson.
Return to the flames, and may your spirits guide our craftsmen. Help them forge sword and spear, help them forge hammer and axe, help them forge shield and plate...."
"Redsniperson. Kobrarson. Borin. Scourgeson.
Return to the flames, and help Peakwind slay its enemies!"
At long last, I finally establish a proper Hall of History for Peakwind's fallen and its greatest works. I intend to improve the artifact storage later, but for now I'm happy to have them all in one place. Some other good news is that every adult in the fort now has a weapon of some sort equipped. All earlier requests have been honored (except for armor, that's next), and the no-name dwarves are carrying a mix of swords and axes, with a handful of spears mixed in.
From special IRC request, welcome Hades to the fortress. Hades' official title is the "Wordsmith", which makes him the serving bookkeeper. Hades is also a skilled Carpenter.
And that will be all for now.
Litany of the Fallen:
Scourgeson, slain by a goblin ambush
Polpolionson, drowned after falling through melting ice (body unrecoverable)
redsniperson, slain by a crazed fellow dwarf
Borin "Balrogbait", died of old age
Hobbie, slain by a goblin swordsman
Kobrarson, slain by a fellow dwarf with anger management problems
