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ASCII art reward/M-S

2014-02-18T12:52:19Z

Shades: removed double quoting

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
! colspan=4 | [[ASCII Art Reward]]s (alphabetically by contributor)
|-
| [[ASCII Art Reward/A-F|A – F]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/G-L|G – L]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/M-S|M – S]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/T-Z|T – Z]]
|}

[[Category:Humor and stories]]

==[[User:MacGyvers_Mullet|MacGyvers_Mullet]]==
===Rognar:(11 November 2007)===

<pre>%%%@%%%,../.,\</pre>

The sword slid through the goblin's throat and the dying creature fell
to the ground sputtering. Rognar had been born into a world of
violence, and he would not share it with these stinking beasts.
Striding upon their unnumbered broken bodies, the warrior reached the
summit of the corpse mound and surveyed the carnage. The siege had
been broken. Here and there, a wimpering slave of darkness put up
resistance or simply clung to life, but soon they would all be
vanquished and the sun would bring a glorious dawn to the blood-red
battlefield. Rognar smiled. It was a great day to be a dwarf.

-Tarn

===Neandar Begin:(3 July 2008)===

<pre>!!()!!,k,...@,..#######||</pre>

He would never let the fiend escape again. That was what Neandar the
dwarf thought before he flung himself into the black air of the chasm
after the skulking kobold thief. For many seconds they fell, time
enough for Neandar to recall his short life and short career on the
Fortress Guard. Wet matter slammed into the dwarf's face and gave
way. The dwarf smashed through a dozen giant spider webs and hit the
ground running, hot on the trail of the kobold scum.

A huge standing ring of fire dominated the floor of the chasm. The
kobold made for the hell portal with all speed. Neandar stopped in
his tracks. It was one thing to plunge to certain death in order to
retrieve a granite puzzle box. It was quite another to cast oneself
into a dimension of ultimate evil. Yet these kobold cowards could not
be allowed to run about as they pleased. Lifting his axe over his
head, the dwarf charged into the portal of doom.

-Zach

==[[User:McDoomhammer|McDoomhammer]]==
===(5 May 2008)===

<pre>T,.ggUggg..TT------,TT,.T.U.UU.,..TTT</pre>

The three chosen warriors left the Citadel of Hope, strapped on with
all manner of magic weapons that the Council of Elders had presented
them. Shizenbubin was the tracker of the group, always hot on the
trail of danger. Shizentubin was her sister, skilled in the ways of
the blade so that no enemy neck was safe. Azoul Buck was the leader.
She ran her fingers through her short blond hair, her muscular arm
flexing, covered with the crude tattoos of her tribe.

This would be a short quest indeed. A party of goblins had ambushed
the prince on his way to the castle. All the heroes need do is return
him unspoiled. It would be easy to intercept them then on their way
to the Black Fortress, given Shizenbubin's incredible skill. However,
time was not on their side. Goblins grew bored easily and might make
sport of the prince's bodily members. Azoul set the pace, a quick
trot through the woods. She smiled at the easily-won glory that
awaited her squad at the end of the journey.

==[[User:McMe|McMe]]==
===(13 January 2010)===

<pre>UU+U++G.,,...</pre>

A knock came at the mead hall gate. A powerful blow, nearly tearing
the doors from their hinges. King Wrathbeard drew his sword and
strode to the entrance, flanked by his elite warriors. He nodded to
his men and they unbarred the door. The doors swung open, revealing
the enormous, heavily-muscled body of Grum, half-giant, lord of the
hills.

"Where are my chickens?" growled Grum. "You are to offer me four
fried chickens on every Tuesday! Friday it is!"

Wrathbeard stroked his whiskers. "What have you done for me lately,
Grum?" asked the king. "Goblins still haunt the highways. Jackal men
still harass my herds."

Grum left the hall in confusion, sure he had been tricked. Back on
his hill, Grum watched as a carriage was stopped by goblin bandits and
the nobles stripped of their valuables. Feeling his stomach rumbling,
Grum stood and ran toward the highway.

"Where is the rest of the gold!" yelled the goblin.

The nobles coward, fearing for their lives. The goblin raised his
whip, better to lash them again. A huge hand caught him by the wrist.
Grum tossed the goblin into the air. The nobles screamed. The
half-giant scowled.

"I will have my chickens," he said, "whether you live or die."

==[[User:Md5i|Md5i]]==
===(12 May 2007)===
<pre>##.,.||+++@+|</pre>

"That ought to keep 'em out," Doran said confidently, patting the granite
block which he had just slid into place. Ever since the Baron had insisted
on mining out the gold vein in the wall, Doran had been dealing with the
rats. It couldn't be helped. Gold was gold after all, but it was just
Doran's luck that the miners had broken through to a large chasm not far
from the craftsdwarf's room.

The dwarf laid down on his bed and began to think about the next project. A
puzzlebox, perhaps, something challenging. Just as Doran was drifting off
into dreams of the design, he heard a scratching on the block.

"Ha! Keep trying you little demons," the dwarf chuckled. The scratching
continued. It was irritating, but the dwarf could block it out. Then there
was a grating scrape as the block moved an inch. The dwarf sat up and
stared at the wall in amazement. Impossible, he thought.

The block slid forward further. Small, clawed fingers worked their way
around the stone until a gray, furry hand grasped one corner of the block.
The stone turned slightly.

Doran seized his chisel from the nearby table and leapt toward the block,
stabbing downward. The tool grazed the hand, leaving a spatter of blood on
the stone. There was a shriek, and the bleeding hand disappeared into the
dark crack.

The craftsdwarf pushed the block back into place and backed away, chisel in
hand. After a moment, the scratching began anew.

===(07 Jun 2007)===
<pre>##.,.||%r%+@+|</pre>

"Leave me be, you fiend!" Doran yelled, his chisel held toward the stone
block. The scratching became louder and more persistent.

Once again, the block moved, but this time no fingers poked through the
crack. The beast had learned. The slab of granite was being pushed
directly from behind, and it glided slowly toward Doran. The dwarf backed
toward his bed.

The block stopped sliding. There was now enough space to allow something to
pass through the hole in the wall, but the block was large and Doran could
not see behind it. For a long moment, nothing stirred. The craftsdwarf
knelt and opened the chest by the foot of his bed, muttering.

At once, a creature leapt from behind the block and faced Doran. It was a
ratman, ravening, its long yellow incisors surrounded by froth, its
patchy-furred flesh stretched tight over its starved body. The thing
hungered and would have Doran for its meal.

The dwarf stood, a vial in his hand. The ratman lunged forward and Doran
hurled the vial at the beast's face. The glass shattered, and the creature
clutched its black protruding eyes as they steamed. Doran rushed forward
and stabbed the ratman repeatedly with the chisel until it stopped moving.

"Pity about that. I was going to ask Mul to do some etchings for me."

===(15 Jul 2007)===
<pre>##===@=D####</pre>

"Yes, I'm sorry, Mul, it would have been a thrilling project," Doran said,
pausing to take another swig of whiskey. "I can't believe how much trouble
we've been having with ratmen lately."

"Perhaps there's a larger beast down in the chasm riling them up," Mul
replied. "Kogan's child was taken not long ago."

"Yes, surely something unusual is afoot."

Meanwhile, Kogan stood with his axe by the chasm bridge. Ever since the boy
Aliz had been lost, the soldier had tirelessly patrolled the walkways along
the deepest parts of the rift, killing dozens of ratmen and a few large
spiders. He would not be satisfied until the depths were devoid of life.

A foul wind blew up from the chasm. Kogan leaned to the side and peered
down over the edge of the bridge. The impact was sudden and the dwarf was
knocked on his back in the middle of the bridge. Kogan heard the sound of
stone being scraped without respect, and he.found himself staring into the
rotten eyes of a giant decaying reptile.

==[[User:Midelne|Midelne]]==

===Fish Dwarf Begin: (6 August 2007)===
<pre>~~@~~X</pre>

They called him Fish-Dwarf. He was the only worker in the outpost willing to brave the depths of the cave river in order to service the floodgate mechanisms when they became clogged with the seasonal muds.

It was that time again. The farming gates weren't operational, and the planting had to begin immediately. Fish-Dwarf had his tools, and the special fins he had manufactured were secured to broad feet. Everything was ready. The frightened faces of the onlooking children would not dissuade him. Fish-Dwarf understood that this was his calling. He was the only one that could save the outpost. The dwarf inhaled, and his chest swelled to nearly double its original size. Clearing his mind, the dwarf dove into the water.

===(8 November 2007)===
<pre>~~~@%X</pre>

Fish-Dwarf swam down the narrow tunnel to the gate mechanism. The water was murky and even with his superior vision he could only just see his hands sweeping ahead of him.

The upper portion of the mechanism appeared suddenly before him. The dwarf inspected the machinery quickly, mindful of his air, yet confident that he had at least a few minutes left. The top assembly was clear, so the mud must have worked itself into the lower gears. Fish-Dwarf pushed his way down.

The swollen rotting face of a lizardman greeted him, twisted into the gears. Not again, Fish-Dwarf thought, dejected. It would take at least three trips to dislodge all of the chunks. The dwarf removed the chisel from his tool case and began working it into the sticking jam.

===(10 December 2007)===
<pre>+@@+@@@+~~~~~</pre>

"Fish-Dwarf, you have saved us!" the children shouted as the wet dwarf
pulled his way up on to the bank. He had finished his last cleaning
run, and already the floodgate was rising, ushering in the waters that
would prepare the way for the summer harvest.

"Truly, Fish-Dwarf, your mastery of the murky depths never ceases to
amaze us. You are a hero," the Mayor Kogan said, offering Fish-Dwarf
a mug of the outpost's best.

"I am glad I could help," Fish-Dwarf said, draining the mug in one
motion. "If only the river waters were whiskey, my life would be
complete."

"I fear we would never see you again if that were the case!" the Mayor jested.

Fish-Dwarf pondered a moment. "Indeed. Yet the search for the
Whiskey River is a quest for the young, I'm afraid."

"We here at Gladanvil are happy to have you," the Mayor replied as the
crowd dispersed. As the others left, the mayor pulled Fish-Dwarf
aside.

"-- and yet, I fear you cannot stay long. I've received word from
King Dorazar. He has heard tell of your talents, and our liaison from
the Mountainhome has conveyed his request for your presence at the
capital."

"My presence? Surely the engineers of the Mountainhome can manage the
mighty floodgates and channels of Steelpoint without my help."

"It isn't farming trouble, Fish-Dwarf," the Mayor said, lowering his
voice to a whisper. "Many fisherdwarves have been lost to the waters.
There is something lurking in the Lake of Columns."

===(18 January 2008)===
<pre>~~~@/~~%OB%OO%%%~~</pre>

Innumerable stalactites hung from the ceiling of the expansive gem-lit
cavern, many dipping down through the still surface of the black
waters. This was the Lake of Columns, the source of life for
Steelpoint, and now a place of dread.

Fish-Dwarf fit the blades into place on his fins. The citizens of
Steelpoint did not know what the creature was, but no fewer than seven
fisherdwarves had been lost at the shore. No matter, thought
Fish-Dwarf. King Dorazar had charged him to slay the lurking threat,
and that is what he would do. Still, the nature of the creature
eluded him. It had been years since his last combat with an aquatic
beast, and then it was only the cave crocodiles and lizardmen that
occasionally harassed his own community. Steelpoint would not have
sent for him over such a triviality. Hefting his mighty trident,
Fish-Dwarf nodded to the gathered onlookers before leaping into the
lake.

The water was clear, and he could see the broad columns well ahead of
him down to where they joined the submerged floor of the cavern.
Behind any of these formations, the beast could lurk.

There! Nestled between three columns was a gigantic bloated form on
the lake bottom. Fish-Dwarf swam closer, almost drifting. What
manner of beast was this? Great tentacles it had, and a toothy maw
which flopped open as it slumbered, surrounded by half-consumed bodies
of the dead.

Fish-Dwarf was almost upon it now, his trident lifted above his head
as he sank slowly toward the sleeping fiend. As he prepared to
strike, the lurid thing's lone eye flashed open.

===(15 May 2008)===
<pre>------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~@/~%~~~~~~~~~
------------------------</pre>

Tentacles lashed out, looping around Fish-Dwarf's torso and pinning
his arms to his chest. A force stronger than any he had ever
experienced crushed his ribs and a stream of bubbles shot from his
mouth as the breath was squeezed from his body. Fish-Dwarf
desperately slashed at the tentacles with his fin blades and as his
vision faded to black he saw that the water was thick with curling
purple ribbons of the foul beast's tainted blood. The monster's grip
loosened and Fish-Dwarf was able to free his arms. His sight had not
returned, but when he stabbed his trident downward, he felt it sink
deep into the creature. The monster's body convulsed and it raced
into the open water, Fish-Dwarf still clinging to the imbedded weapon.

I cannot let go so long as I cannot see, or I will surely be devoured,
Fish-Dwarf thought, though the beast continued on into the depths at
such speed that the diver could not maintain his bearings, and
suddenly in the back of his mind arose a strange sensation... it was
the need for air, such as he had not experienced for many years. A
tingling came to his throat and nose, and his head began to feel numb
as he became more desperate for breath, and yet slowly, his vision was
returning.

The beast slowed, its energy spent, and it settled on to the lake
bottom, unmoving. Fish-Dwarf jammed the trident into it a few times;
the thing was dead. Now, the surface! Fish-Dwarf pulled his weapon
from the monster and swam upward, but he stopped immediately. As far
as he could see in the now-dark water, a smooth ceiling of limestone
greeted him. The monster had fled into a great crack in the lake
bottom, so far and so deep that the light from the gem lamps was no
longer visible. Just the endless water and rock of the submerged
tomb of Fish-Dwarf, he thought, as he chose a direction and swam.

===Fish Dwarf End: (1 July 2008)===
<pre>,@!,.~~~~~~~~</pre>

He had chosen the wrong direction. Either that or the beast had
dragged Fish-Dwarf so far into the mountain that the fires of the
underworld were closer than the light of the lamps. His breath was
long since gone -- moving forward was all that could keep him from
panicking. After every few kicks, the dwarf would reach up to feel
the limestone. If anything, the rock was closing in. No... what's
this? His hand curled up around a sharp corner. Fish-Dwarf grabbed
it firmly with both hands and pulled, launching himself upward.

The dwarf fully expected to meet a wall of rock, but instead he glided
freely until at long last he broke the surface of the water, gasping
for air. As the dwarf calmed down, he realized that he could still
see nothing. He felt walls close by in all directions, as if he had
just swum up a shaft, though there was a ledge overhanging the water
on to which he could haul himself and rest his weary body. Fish-Dwarf
passed in and out of consciousness for a time, perhaps an hour, before
he sat up and assessed his situation.

He could dive back into the water with his lungs full of air and try
to find the lamps, now unmolested by great underwater beasts, but he
did not relish the idea of leaving the entrance to the shaft behind in
total darkness as he explored the crevice below. The only alternative
was to feel his way along the walls from this ledge above the grotto.
These limestone mountains were laced with natural caverns and after a
brief exploration of the surrounding stone he found this hollow was no
exception -- there was a mud-slicked passage that ran into the
mountain. Without hesitation, Fish-Dwarf struck out into the cavern.

-- How long since he had started on this dreary journey? Though the mud
was often thick, Fish-Dwarf had not trudged through so much as a
puddle these many days. He thirsted for spirits, nay, even water, and
he longed to swim again. The dwarf had long since abandoned his fins
and other equipment as they encumbered him too much on the march.
Every so often, he imagined he saw the gem lamps ahead, though it
could just as easily be the cooking fires of a goblin encampment, or
some darker torture, as the lights of the capital he sought. There
they were, even now... lights! Or light at least, the barest speck
in the distance ahead. Fish-Dwarf moved swiftly, no longer plodding,
still careful of the stalactites but driving forward rapidly all the
same. The speck became an opening, and he could see the mud of the
passage floor illuminated in the distance, with stone walls further
beyond. Only a few more steps...

The cavern opened out upon a rocky river valley in a canyon sheer to
the greatest heights yet welcoming the noon-day sun. The entrance
where Fish-Dwarf stood was at the bottom of the cliffs a short walk
down pebble-laden slopes to the stream below. Instantly, Fish-Dwarf
could tell that these were no ordinary waters. They were the color of
honey, yet the current flowed rapidly. And the aroma! The
intoxicating aroma! There was no question in his mind. Whether it
fell from the throne of some inebriated sky god and vanished into the
underworld to besot the armies of hell made no difference, for here,
in this world, in this very mountain range, ran the slightest stretch
of the Whiskey River. His mind unencumbered by thoughts of duty or
home, Fish-Dwarf made his way down to the riverside to drink his fill.

===Hunger Begin (11 June 2008)===
<pre>,..,.++U+,.+,.+U~U||</pre>

Suffering blighted the land with cruel hunger. Wagons brought foul
fungus from the dwarven mountains. It was barely enough to sustain
those base enough to eat such filth. The rest died. Paldadar rested
against the hilt of his great sword. He looked over his shoulder at
the dark stone castle. Turning his back on mud brick huts, the knight
passed by the scraggly bearded guards and entered the keep.

From a high window, bright, mocking sunlight shone across the dark
wooden throne and the troubled king that sat upon it. The old man
reached for his cup, and after taking a sip, spat the vile dwarven
brew unto the stone floor. A herald in a mud-smattered tunic rushed
to wipe up the spill, but seeing the knight, rose to confront him.

"You were not summoned, Sir Paldadar," spit the herald. "Go ask the
peasants instead of begging the king for scraps from the royal table."

"Silence, Rodger," said the king.

The herald jumped away like a whipped dog. The king motioned the
knight to come forward.

"The gods have abandoned this place," said the king. "Only through
their glory will the days of bounty return. It is for this reason you
must smite the heathen Farthlings where they dwell across the river.
When their land is in ruin, the gods at last will favor us."

The knight ground his teeth. This was obviously High Priest Igland's
doing. But perhaps there was wisdom in punishing the arrogant
Farthlings for their many insults. Death by the sword was much
preferable to slow certain death by starvation.

===(17 June 2008)===
<pre>==?T?====,.UH,.U</pre>

As Paldadar walked away from the keep, peasants averted their hungry
faces. He was still a knight, even if he represented the most
wretched of kingdoms. A frail sissy approached from behind, leading
two horses. Paldadar swung around, drawing his sword. There stood
Rodger, wearing the snottiest of faces, his nose in the air.

"By the will of the king," he hissed, "I am to be your squire."

Paldadar prayed to the gods for mercy. Would that a Farthling's bolt
find his heart soon that he be saved from further tortures. Together
the pair made their way to the Temple of Love, where High Priest
Igland waited to bless their holy crusade.

The temple was built on a tall hill, a ring of marble columns
surrounding an enormous stone stele, pricking the sky with its
majesty. All around the temple, peasants scrambled to snatch at the
scraps donated by the monks that poured rotten food down the hill. As
Paldadar entered the temple, he was surrounded by fat priests and
priestesses that danced around him in a grotesque, undulating display.

The knight refused a cup of offered wine, which Rodger snatched up
and drank freely.

At the center of the temple, High Priest Igland stood, wearing nothing
save a red loincloth.

"When you wake in the morning," said Igland, "consider Love."

"Many happy couplings," said Paldadar as was the prescribed response.

"You must put an end to the Farthling menace," said the priest,
growing angry. "If their God of Suicide spreads his faith to our
kingdom, none of our desperate peasants will survive. You must strike
the heart of their kingdom and burn their temple to the ground."

Paldadar made the gesture of obedience and departed, pulling Rodger
away from the cavorting priests.

The kingdom of the Farthlings was separated from the kingdom of Love
by the River of Sorrow, whose wide fast-moving waters could only be
crossed in one place. This was the Bridge of Destiny. As the riders
approached, Rodger twitched with fear and apprehension, for it was
said the bridge was guarded by an evil water troll. At the bridge,
Paldadar held up his gauntleted hand. The horses stopped, and the
knight dismounted. Paldadar drew his sword and walked out onto the
wooden planks.

===(3 July 2008)===
<pre>%,..%,.|%.,.UH,%..%%UH,,%.~%,..(%).,.%|,..%</pre>

Green flames shot up from beneath the bridge. Horrid laughter pealed
across the blighted landscape. The knight turned to see Rodger making
tracks back to the temple with the speed of a spooked hare. Slowly
Paldadar looked over his shoulder to see the enormous bloated troll,
dripping with slime and black pus.

"You seek to pass into the land of suicide bearing the message of
love," said the troll. "What will you tell them, knight? Is slow
certain death by starvation superior than the final empowering
choice?"

"Where there is life, there is hope," said Paldadar. "Love will
overcome all obstacles!"

"Spoken like a true student of Igland," said the troll, assuming a martial pose.

As Paldadar cut the monster down, his mind was wracked with doubt.
Was the nation of love superior? He hailed from a place where young
people sold themselves for scraps of bread and yet he sought to bring
hope to a strange country. He found Rodger hiding in a nearby bush
and hauled him, protesting, across the bridge.

The land of the Farthlings was lush and green compared to the land of
love. Cherry blossoms rained down on the two riders as they wound
their way through the hills. Even in these pleasant surroundings, the
demented nature of the Farthlings soon became evident. Bodies dotted
the road here and there, swords plunged into their own guts. Corpses
hung in the trees from hastily-tied nooses, over eager to take their
own lives. As the riders passed, skeletal bodies lifted themselves
from the grass to watch them saunter on.

"Make babies, make babies, make babies," babbled Rodger, madly
reciting the Charm of Making.

At last they reached the capital of the Farthlings. The wind blew red
rose petals through the cold, dead streets. Even the cheerful sun
seemed dim in the vast tomb of a city. Rodger stared straight ahead
as they made their way to the keep, careful not to look into the dark
doorway, behind which ominous rustlings could be heard.

The flag of Farthlingland flew above the ramparts of the citadel. At
the base of the wall lay the piles of bones of those who had
hopelessly thrown themselves over the side. A wide moat circled the
castle. As the two riders approached, a draw bridge was lowered over
the water. Paldadar thought he could see a crowned figure on the wall
beckoning them inside. As they crossed the bridge, Rodger made the
mistake of looking down into the water. The currents were filled with
the souls of those who drowned themselves in desperate sorrow. Eyes
shut tight, Rodger hugged the neck of his horse, and followed Paldadar
into the gate.

==[[User:Onodera|onodera]]==
===(01 November 2008)===
<pre>"",",.@,.T,"""</pre>

"Don't let the sun set on you in the Dark Wood," said the dwarf
crones. "Ole Brick-a-Branch will get you." Nonsense, thought young
Davik as he rode his mule along the twisting green deer path. The
darkness came quickly as the sun slipped behind the trees. As he set
about making a fire, Davik pondered the dark tales of Brick-a-branch
and his mischief.

Not even the elves dared enter the Wood at night. Something older
than time haunted these cursed trees, but this valley was the quickest
way to Port City, saving at least a month of travel. As the night
grew darker and colder, Davik fumbled in his pack to retrieve the
charms and idols he had nearly refused as the journey began.

A great shape emerged from the darkness. It was a gnarled troll, as
old as the hills. It picked up Davik by the ankle.

"Not much meat here," it said.

"Please, Ole Brick-a-Branch, don't eat me," said Davik.

Having said his name, the troll was force to lay the dwarf down.

"I will not eat you," said the monster, "If you can answer me these
riddles three."

==[[User:Peristarkawan|Peristarkawan]]==
===(16 May 2007)===
<pre>=@()++@</pre>

Doran stirred the bubbling pot of syrup. It was ready! "Pour, pour, pour!" the dwarf sang. Into the molds the syrup flowed. "Another batch," the dwarf said, satisfied.

Just then, he noticed somebody standing in the doorway. "Ah, Glornol. What brings you to the kitchens this early? Come to try a sticky treat? I have some Anvil Drops cooling now. Just a moment."

Doran turned to the tray on the table when he was startled by Glornol's shouting. "What is the meaning of this? Isn't there a war on?"

"Even soldiers need sticky treats, Glornol!" Doran picked up two chocolate goblins and began to speak in a high-pitched throaty voice.

"Ooo, it's Glornol!" the first chocolate goblin said.

"Glornol's scared of the mean, mean goblins!" the second chocolate goblin observed.

"Let's eat the dwarf! Yummies for tummies!" the first chocolate goblin offered.

"The dwarf might eat me instead! Oh no!" the second chocolate goblin replied. Doran held the goblin out to Glornol.

Glornol was not amused, but he snatched the candy from Doran's hand. "Hrmph," he grunted, and biting the goblin's head off, he walked out of the kitchen.

==[[User:Qwip|Qwip]]==
===(05 December 2006)===

<pre>...@T@..###S#</pre>

Taking a break from their duty, the two guards sat at a table with a scenic view of the chasm.
They did not notice as they drained their mugs that they were being watched from the shadows
by clusters of pale eyes. A table by the chasm?!
--[[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 05 December 2006

===(09 February 2007)===

<pre>.@......####
...T@@~S####
.......#####
</pre>
Dolan was chatting with Aliz about the health benefits of dwarven beer when Aliz disappeared.
Dolan sprang to his feet and saw that Aliz was being dragged toward the chasm, a thick rope of
translucent silk wrapped around his left ankle. At the lip of the chasm, a bloated form slowly
reeled the line in with her spindly legs.
Dolan knew immediately -- it was the Wolf-Mother of Darkness.
He grabbed his axe and ran toward Aliz, who was now only a few more pulls from the beast.

As he was hauling ore to the magma smelter, the peasant Kogarak saw the situation, screamed,
dropping his load, and ran toward the barracks. As he heard the sound of an axe ring against
stone behind him, he wondered if he would make it in time.
:— [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 08:40, 9 February 2007 (EST)

===(18 April 2007)===
<pre>@@@...@.####
@..T..@S####
.......#####
</pre>
The axe had scored the stone floor where it had severed the silk line. The Wolf-Mother chittered
angrily and pounced at Dolan, moving with surprising quickness. Dolan was knocked to the ground,
the enormous body of the foul creature pressing him into the stone. His axe clanged some distance
away. The blunt knobs at the end of the Wolf-Mother's forelegs dug into Dolan's ribs as her
dripping mandibles drew closer to his face. He grabbed her head with both hands, trying
desperately to keep her at bay. A foul-smelling spittle dripped on to his cheek.

Aliz, still dazed from his initial fall, slowly made his way to his feet. Seeing Dolan's desperate
struggle, he drew his sword and hacked at one of the Wolf-Mother's legs. The bumpy skin was
incredibly tough, but the steel blade left the appendage hanging by tatters. The Wolf-Mother
belched a grating rasp and rolled away from Aliz and faced the dwarves. Dolan crawled toward his
axe, but the nauseating venom drenching his face and beard had left him almost powerless. The
Wolf-Mother hesitated, her wound oozing white ichor as Aliz stood his ground.

There were several sharp cracking noises, and the Wolf-Mother crumpled, several iron bolts
protruding from her many eyes. In the distance stood Bomtek and the other marksdwarves,
accompanied by Kogarak. Aliz rushed to Dolan. The dwarf was breathing heavily.

"My body feels like gravel. I need a drink," Dolan said.

"The Wolf-Mother is dead. Brace up. I'll bring you your mug." Aliz fetched Dolan's mug from
the table and brought it to the dwarf where he lay on the stone floor. The mug was almost empty.

"The brood," Dolan whispered. "The night brood will come."
:— [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 12:28, 14 May 2007 (EDT)

==[[User:Rewolf31|Rewolf31]]==
===(13 April 2007)===

<pre>.B@.~~~
</pre>
And so Alor, a wrestler of renown, found himself between a great boar and the wide river. For six days they struggled, and as the sun descended behind the hills on the evening of the seventh day, Alor finally collapsed in exhaustion. The boar spoke and said, "I too am tired. The sun has fallen. Let us rest." And so Alor and the boar slept, and the sun arose on the morning of the eighth day.

===(21 July 2007)===
<pre>,.,B@~,~,~</pre>

"Whiskey?" Alor asked the boar, holding up his flask. The wrestler had not spoken for a week.

"Gladly," the boar said, taking the flask up in its mouth. "You block my path to the river, and now you offer me your flask. Strange are the ways of your people."

"Your path? I was seeking to cross the river and found myself menaced," Alor said.

"The squirrels tell me I am a terror to behold when I am thirsty," the boar said as it drained the flask. "Do I menace you now?" The boar looked mild and plump. Indeed, the gentle creature reminded Alor of his daughter.

"No, I am not menaced. I am reminded of home," Alor said fondly. At that moment his stomach growled, for he had not eaten in some time.

"Hopefully I do not remind you of your dinner table," the boar laughed, "though it remains to be seen who would have the final mastery in our contest." Alor smiled broadly and the boar guided Alor to the ford, where they parted as friends.

===(12 September 2007)===
<pre>++@a@+
</pre>
"Daddy! Daddy!" the little girl cried happily as she ran toward the mighty dwarf where he stood under the archway.

"I missed you, sweet pod!" Alor crouched down and lifted the child up to his shoulder, where she sat, beaming. "Have you been good while I was away?"

"I made a puzzle box. See!" The girl held out a soapstone box. The master craftsdwarf always started the young ones with the material since it required little strength to carve, though it crumbled easily. Even so, the box was quite exquisite.

"That's beautiful. Now let me see here..." Alor pressed a button and the lid popped open. There was nothing inside. "Hey, where's my treasure?" he said in mock indignation.

The girl took the box and made a series of complicated motions along the inside of the empty compartment. A second lid opened, revealing a piece of dwarven sugar candy. The child giggled and smiled broadly.

Alor scratched his head and laughed. Coren was only six, but she was already beyond him.

"Did you win, daddy?" Coren asked.

"Ah, the tournament? Yes, sweet pod, there hasn't been a dwarf born yet that can beat your father," Alor looked at the puzzle box. "At least not at wrestling. And you know what else?"

"What else, daddy? What else?"

"I met a talking boar and we became friends."

"Again?" Coren complained. "I want to meet your animal friends soon."

"I'll invite them over for your party next month. Until then, you have to work hard. Do you have a lesson today?"

"Yes. Mr. Goldlocket says he'll let me try marble today."

"Marble, eh? That's amazing. You really are your mother's daughter. I'll walk you to the shop." Together they strolled down the passageway. Alor admired the carvings and architecture, occasionally pointing an engraving out and explaining its history, though his daughter had heard it all before. It had been two months since he left for tournament, and the wrestler had missed his home very much.

"The three of us should have a feast tonight. What do you say?" Alor asked. Coren did not respond.

The dwarf looked down. His daughter was not there. She was not in the passageway. There was no sign of her.

"Goblins!" A scream echoed through the tunnels. "Goblins in the fortress!"

===(18 September 2007)===
<pre>,..|mBL@+++++++g+</pre>

"I'm sure she's in there," Alor said from his place behind the boulder where he looked down upon the rusted iron doors of Chatteltomb.

"We must act now, while there's still time," the boar urged. This was the same boar that Alor had befriended by the riverbank, and it now came to aid Alor in his time of need.

"The door is locked. Even with our combined strength, I doubt we can force entry," the leopard observed. This was the same leopard that Alor had befriended in the high grasses, and it also came to aid Alor in his time of need.

"Don't worry. The guards were drunk in the ravine below," the marmot announced as it scampered up the slope with the key in its mouth. This was the same marmot that Alor had befriended on the mountainside, and it came to aid Alor after promises of food.

"I've only challenged the depths of this black pit once in my life. It is a memory I have longed to forget, though it will serve me now," Alor said. "It sickens me that my daughter is kept there. The way to the dungeons will not be heavily guarded, as fear of this place keeps all but the foolish at bay. That said, the tower above is garrisoned with unnumbered horrors. If the alarm is raised, escape will be impossible."

The group made their way down to the entrance. With some effort, Alor forced the key into place. The great doors swung open with a grating noise, exposing a palpable darkness that hung heavy in the stale air like a fog of soot. The thick shadows were penetrated from beyond by sinister red lights which gave vague form to the smooth obsidian corridors.

Once all had passed into the tower, they closed the door behind them. "We can only hope it is not unusual for the doors to sound. Do you see anything?" Alor whispered to the leopard.

"Several doors down, a goblin is standing," the leopard spoke softly. "It has turned to face us. I don't think it can make us out yet, but its night eyes are almost as strong as my own. It is coming this way."

Indeed, Alor could barely make out twin spots of crimson shining in the distance. The dwarf felt the leopard slip from his side. In a moment, the crimson spots disappeared from view. No sound accompanied their departure. Alor and the others padded quietly forward, approaching the stairway and the dungeons below.

==[[User:Senso|Senso]]==
===(29 April 2007)===
<pre><+@?++&~~</pre>

The wayward manager Aliz stepped quietly down the last flight of stairs into the lowest depths of the abandoned halls. The air of the room was stale and warm. The light of the dwarf's torch illuminated a stone pedestal, on which rested a gray book.

"The Tome of Suffering," Aliz whispered. In its blood-stained pages, the collected wisdom of countless outpost managers waited for his perusal. Never again would his charges starve. Never again would they complain for want of whiskey. Never again would Aliz have to consult the half-baked scribblings of his uncle Toran.

The ground shook and Aliz's ears were assailed by a deafening crash. When the dust cleared, the entire chamber was illuminated by a sinister red glow. In place of the far wall was a yawning pit filled with bubbling magma and flames. From the inferno came a betusked fiend, ravening, its slavering maw belching foul vapors through which stared its cruel bulging eyes. Its clawed hands kneaded the lardy folds of its corpulence as if it sought to make room for this latest morsel.

Aliz was terrified. The dwarf clutched the Tome to his chest. The horrific beast crouched by the magma pool, muttering in a grating whisper:

"It will be eaten. It will be eaten, the dwarf. Eaten. Eaten alive."

==[[User:Shades|Shades]]==
===Danrik Begin: (29 October 2007)===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===(24 July 2008)===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

===(5 December 2009)===

+@/+@@@+@@@@@@@

Dwarf hero Danrik called for his battleaxe. A dwarven squire ran to
him and put the weapon in his hand. The dwarf held the weapon high,
but collapsed, steadying himself on the hilt. The demon laughed. It
had congealed into the form of a man wearing a dark cloak, horns upon
his head, a nightmare lord of the underworld.

“If this is the best you can you can do, you have clearly lost,” said
the demon lord. “You will bring me one maiden every season.”

The nightmare lord looked over the cowering dwarves. He pointed at
the gasping form of Danrik. “Start with that one’s sister.”

Danrik watched helplessly as Andra, his lovely sister, was brought to
the demon’s side. The creature put its hand on her shoulder and the
pair disappeared in a burst of blue flame. Danrik howled with rage.
A squire ran up to him and bowed his head. “We will find Lady Andra,”
said the boy. “You can count on it.”

“What is your name, youngster?” asked Danrik.

“I am called Blackbeard,” said the boy.

“A strong name for such a small body,” said the hero. “You can begin
the quest by fetching a dragon tooth from the ruins of the wall. From
it we will forge a mighty shank to drive into the heart of the demon
lord.”

The squire smiled and bounded away into the rubble. It was the
beginning of a hard recovery. While the smiths worked in the forge to
create the ultimate knife, Blackbeard trained the hero to walk again.
When Danrik was able to put his fist through solid rock walls, they
knew they were ready. Danrik put the dragon dagger Gotter through his
belt and stepped before the crowd.

“I go now to rescue Lady Andra from the pit,” said Danrik. “The road
will be long and hard, to the fiery heart of the mountain and beyond,
to the land of the dead. Who is with me?”

Blackbeard jumped up and down, raising his hand above the shoulders of
those around him. Though it looked grim, a few brave adventurers step
forward. It was not a question of whether they would reach the
underworld, for they must reach it. They must reach Andra, and slay
her captors, for all great tales end this way.

===(25 December 2010)===

kkk""",.@P@,P.,""kkk"k

It is said that every great journey begins with a festival of
drinking, but Danrik wasn’t in the mood. All he could think of was
that evil spirit with his sister and his soul burned with rage. As
the others celebrated their bravery, Danrik strolled up the trail
toward Blood Mountain, kicking dirt clods as he went.

“You weren’t thinking of leaving without me were you?” It was Blackbeard.

“Of course not,” said Danrik, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Let those fools drink themselves silly. We have a fair maiden to
save.”

Together, the two adventuring dwarves mounted their ponies and trotted
off into the darkness. After a time the fires of the fortress
disappeared behind the rolling wooded hills. It was not long before
they left the land of the dwarves and entered into the depths of
Haunted Forest. No one knew what kinds of wicked spirits dwelt there
for few ever returned alive.

“Why must we enter this dark place?” asked Blackbeard.

“Blood Mountain lies on the other side of this forest,” said Danrik,
“and nothing will stand between me and Andra. We rest here.”

“Here?” asked Blackbeard. “Surely you could have picked a less creepy place.”

It was true. Danrik had picked a dreadful place to camp. Everywhere
the night birds, eyes of the enemy, were watching them. The very
trees seemed to reach out to grab them. Worst of all, they had laid
their camp on a kobold burrow. Silently the creatures crawled from
their holes, armed with bone knives, ready to cut the heart out of any
poor fool.

“Did you hear that?” said Blackbeard.

===(05 February 2012)===

~@//////+@/&@+\\\\\\\

Andra cried out as the grubby little goblin whipped her again. She
was locked in some sort of dungeon. She couldn’t tell where for the
strange rough-hewn black rock was unknown to her. She pulled at her
chains again. One of them was loose. Let me at that horned villain,
thought Andra, but this one will die first.

“Tell us, sister Andra,” said the goblin. “Does it hurt?”

The links of the chain exploded as the dwarf woman yanked with all her
might. The broken chain slapped the goblin upside the head, killing
it instantly. She undid her other hand and stole the goblin’s keys,
escaping the dungeon, chain still attached.

The view outside was terrifying. Pillars of fire rose up from lakes
of burning magma. Andra found herself standing on the narrow ledge of
a black pyramid at the center of the world. It seemed that she could
never escape this perfect prison.

Pulling the chain tight, the solution was obvious. She would find the
horned king and force him to take her back. Then she began to climb.
The top was further than it looked. It seemed she had been climbing
for days, maybe for weeks. Then she made the crest.

The scene was ridiculous, for there was Danrik holding a shank to the
demon lord’s belly while another dwarf was grappling him by the horns.

“I swear,” whined the demon. “I don’t know where she is! She must
have escaped!”

“Danrik!” cried Andra.

Danrik lost his concentration for a second and the demon slapped
Gotter out of the dwarf hero’s hand. Blackbeard nearly flew over the
side of the pyramid as the demon bucked him off. The creature ducked
just in time to save its life as Andra whipped the chain over its
head.

“The knife!” cried Danrik. “It’s the only way to kill it!”

===(18 February 2014)===

.\k,//@////+@+@&+\\\\\\\

As Andra scanned the slope of the pyramid, the demon took advantage of
her lapse in concentration. It grabbed hold of the chain, still
shackled to Andra's arm and pulled her to its chest with one mighty
yank. Danrik cried out, but it was to late. The demon had Andra in
its clutches.

"The dagger, Gotter," said the demon. "Give it to me and I will
spare your sister's life."

"I'll give it to you alright," hissed Danrik.

Time seemed to drag on as Danrik faced down his adversary. He had
full faith that Blackbeard had recovered the dagger and was rushing to
his aid. He held out his hand, waiting, never taking his eyes off the
demon holding his sister hostage. He could never have guessed the
hassle that Blackbeard was now dealing with.

"You..." said Blackbeard.

The kobold had followed the dwarves ever since they had fallen into
the kobold burrow in the creepy forest. That night, the heroes must
have killed a dozen kobolds a piece. Bacabadabis was away collecting
grubs when the dwarves came. He returned to a scene of absolute
horror. His home had become a charnel house.

"Any time now..." growled Danrik.

Blackbeard shook his head, unable to believe his bad luck. The kobold
chieftain stood at the bottom of the pyramid, holding Gotter at his
side. The dwarf shouted at the creature, demanding that he dropped
the weapon that clearly didn't belong to him. Couldn't he see the
danger up above? If they didn't stab the demon with the magic knife
soon, they were all surely doomed.

"Bacabadabis", said the kobold.

If history taught any lessons, the clearest was that kobolds could not
be reasoned with.

==[[User:Shanty|Shanty]]==
===(30 June 2007)===
<pre>@@+U@</pre>

Rogar spun again and again, staring into the darkness. The scraping had begun all at once and it seemed to come from every direction. Nothing could be seen beyond the limit of the flickering torchlight.

There! A shadow moved slowly out of the darkness. It had the stature of a dwarf, but Rogar knew the outpost had been abandoned for decades. After a moment, the warrior could see clearly. The shuffling thing had no flesh. The bones of its feet clacked and slid across the stones. The dead were walking in this place.

There were more, many more. Rogar was completely surrounded. He held up his sword and turned from threat to threat. The dwarves were unarmed, with tatters of cloth hanging over their skeletal remains. Bits of beard were still visible stuck around their garments and their skulls. The dead stopped short of Rogar's weapon and stood completely motionless. There was no way the warrior could pass without forcing his way through.

The skeleton he had seen first raised its bony hand slowly, curling all of its fingers save one into its palm. Its index finger pointed toward Rogar. From somewhere within its skull, it emitted a long, low moan which ended in a hiss and faded into silence.

==[[User:Spelguru|Spelguru]]==
===(19 November 2006)===
<pre>
..@.M.~~~~...
</pre>
The adventurer, transformed into a ghoul by strange forces, crawls toward the Everlasting River of Curing, barely clinging to his life, such as it had become. Suddenly, from the ceiling dropped... Adamantine Man! Is there any hope?!

===(19 December 2006)===
<pre>
...M.~~~~..".
.....@~~~~...
...."~~~~~...
</pre>

Adamantine Man spoke and said, "Unfortunate stranger! You wish to cast off your affliction? Drink then, and be blessed."

So the adventurer drank. The soothing warmth of the water spread from the center of his body, out to his deformed fingers and toes. Without pain, they shifted and were set in their proper places, along with the other marks of the affliction. All was well.

The adventurer looked at Adamantine Man in awe and asked, "I am grateful, Adamantine Man, for I had been without hope. For years unnumbered, my people have deemed the River unapproachable. 'Adamantine Man is there', they said, and yet, I have found naught here but a generous host and the cure to all that ailed me. Tell me Adamantine Man, why are you so feared? I am humbled by your graciousness, but am I truly free from danger?"

Adamantine Man spoke for a second time and said, "Indeed, be not afraid. Your people regard me with terror, for they do not understand me, and verily, who among you can understand Adamantine Man, who does not understand himself?"

The adventurer bowed his head and said, "It is true. Even now I am unsettled, for though you have granted me renewed life asking for nothing, still, even now, I wish to leave and never return."

Adamantine Man spoke for a third time and said, "So it has always been. Go now in peace."

The adventurer left without looking back. Overjoyed, his family accepted him, no longer an outcast, and soon all in the land had heard that he who had once been tainted was made whole by the River.

Some years later, a man, broken in body, came to the adventurer's abode. "I seek your aid, for it is said that you who were once tainted were made whole by the River. Tell me, where is the River, that I might be restored?"

The adventurer looked at the man, and he said, "Adamantine Man is there. Be content now, as I shall never be again." The man departed, and the adventurer remained.

===(25 March 2007)===

The adamantine man story ended.
<pre>
@-***=.T
</pre>
The Pulson-9000 seared the sky trailing ion-energized purple lightning. The XZ-Trollmech Mk7 didn't stand a chance. Another contract, another payment. Rogar was the last dwarf of his village, and after many hardships had fallen into the tough life of a mercenary warrior. He had stolen his first fighting bot, but after three years he had enough money to build and repair his own. He spent his offtime tinkering, which soothed his still-dwarven heart.

For now though, he was in enemy territory. True, the contract was complete, but he had fought his way deep into the personal citadel of the vile cyber-modded troll Vanquidor in order to blow his Mk7 body to pieces, and now he had to laze through the bodyguards and sentry droids he hadn't already obliterated. The dwarf had very little ordinance remaining. Rogar put on his shades. Things were about to get hot, but he was cool as a sonic-fan. Time to fire it up! Yeah!

==[[User:SupSuper|SupSuper]]==
===(19 April 2007)===
<pre>+R@%+@+%</pre>

"Hya! Hya!" Kogan screamed as he careened around the corner astride Lomrin. He had acquired the giant rat from the dungeon master for a vial of liquid fire. It had been a barrel of laughs, especially after a mug or three.

As they passed the foodpile, Lomrin stopped suddenly to inspect a large plump helmet biscuit. Kogan flew over the rat's ears and landed on his beard, sliding to a stop at a pair of black leather boots. Kogan waited a moment for his head to clear, and then he rolled back on his bottom and stared up at the face of Mul. It had to be Mul.

"On a bender again, are we Kogan?" Mul admonished.

"We? I swear I haven't given Lomrin a drop!" Kogan said indignantly.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Mul said, indicating the food stockpile with a nod of his head.

Kogan turned his head. Lomrin had pried the lid off of a whisky barrel. Only her rear legs and tail were now visible.

"She takes after her uncle Kogan!" Kogan beamed proudly. Mul knocked him down to the ground with a push from his foot.

==[[User:Syndlig|Syndlig]]==
===(18 May 2007)===
<pre>oU++@@</pre>
The man struggled against the chains. The dwarves stared at him, smiling in satisfaction.

"That should ward you off our treasures, human. Be glad we don't send for the Hammerer."

The human scoffed. "Ha! I may be a thief, but at least I'm not a dwarf. See how I tower above you! I may not have a trade, I may not have any notable achievements whatsoever, but I am still a man."

The blackbearded dwarf turned to his companion. "You know, Mul, I suppose we could call for the Hammerer. The Baron will understand. After all, it was the Baron's goblet we found in his pack."

The dwarf named Mul considered this. "The Hammerer could certainly give him a new perspective on life. From two or three handspans lower down, at that. Start at the ankles, perhaps?"

"I always preferred the kneecaps, myself," the blackbearded dwarf said as they turned to leave. "It's really up to Rashok to decide though."

Mul hummed in disappointed affirmation. "Hmm, Rashok gets to have all the fun doesn't he?"

"Wait! Don't leave, my little friends!" the man screamed as the dwarves disappeared through the iron gate.

The blackbearded dwarf poked his head back into the dungeon. "We'll spare some whiskey, don't worry!" He disappeared again.

"Watered down, of course..." Mul could be heard saying as their footfalls faded away.

==[[User:Minion21g|Minion21g]]==
===(28 December 2008)===
<pre>&||,g.g,gg....,.UU</pre>

Fiends pounded the trail, hunting Belmir and his thieving partner.
The two had stolen into the dark goblin tower in the dead of night and
taken the vial that held the demon king's essence. By destroying it,
they could stop the war and put an end to the demon forever. Why
destroy it, thought Belmir, when it obviously held so much value? He
and Gal would be rich men. Or, he thought, looking at Gal with
murderous intent, perhaps just me.

==[[User:NoNotTheBees|No Not The Bees]]==
===(29 December 2008)===
<pre>.M%,..U.,</pre>

The lonely cottage stood underneath a great hill of snow that had been
born of the great blizzard. Wind and sleet kept the pioneers indoors.
That, and the promise of hated predators searching for meat in the
frozen wastes. But as his family grew hungry, Fram knew that he must
join the hunters outside.

Almost immediately Fram saw the danger. Bloody footprints of a great
creature circled the cottage as if a monster sought a way inside.
Grimly, Fram gripped his spear. He must persevere lest his family
starve. He followed the monster's tracks away from his home as he
pulled his furs tight against the freezing winds.

Ahead he saw a shape, a black mound against an ocean of white.
Cautiously, Fram approached. It was the half eaten body of a black
bear. But what could kill such a large beast. As if to answer, a
monster loomed into sight, its body covered with long icicles. A
blizzard man!

==[[User:Scrollhaven|Scrollhaven]]==
===(28 December 2008)===
<pre>""@,.UE,."</pre>

With one mighty swing, Alfonso knocked away the prone elf's sword and
placed his boot on his wrist. Many moons had past since the vile
creature had killed poor Jim and ate him. Even now the elf looked up
in defiance. Finally, in these haunted woods far from home, vengeance
would be served. Alfonso held the tip of his sword over the
creature's heart, wondering vaguely if it had one.

"Back off, human," came a voice from behind, "this is my kill."

The human ranger turned to see a dwarf holding a crossbow. By the
state of his boots and armor, Alfonso could tell the dwarf too, had
been on a long quest. The elf saw its chance and snaked its way out
from between the ranger's legs and was off into the brush in an
instant. Alfonso cursed and charged after him, the dwarf close
behind.

== [[User:NobbZ|NobbZ]] ==
===(16 February 2009)===

<pre>@@$@,.~~@,..</pre>

The dwarven toughs stood around the curve in the corridor, taunting
the dwarf lasses as they passed. A particularly vicious young dwarf
fingered his crossbow as he saw a dwarf he knew.

"Hey, Moody," said a thug. "There's the dwarf that owes you that coin."

"Yes," said Moody, stepping up to the dwarf, pointing his weapon.

"You owe me," said Moody. "Hand over the purse."

"I don't have your money!" said the dwarf.

The dwarven outlaws piled onto the dwarf, beating him near to death.

"I'll be back," said the blood-soaked dwarf over his shoulder as he
ran. "I'll be back!"

"You're never coming back coward!" shouted Moody.

== [[User:Shzar|Shzar]] ==
===(July 16 2008)===
<pre>&D###ggggggg,.|@@</pre>

The demon king rode high on his dragon as his vast army assaulted the
dwarf fortress below. Catapults smashed the battlements with huge
balls of fire. Bolts and arrows filled the air in a deadly exchange
of fire. Armored trolls ran into the stone gates, smashing into the
rock and sending shards flying. Not one space above ground was safe.

"How could it come to this?" cried Durkan, hands over his ears.

"Courage," said the warrior dwarf Glamsfir.

Pebbles fell from the ceiling as another bombardment rocked the
fortress. Glamsfir stood and peered out of an archery portal. The
situation was fatal. He lifted his crossbow and put down a goblin
archer in an act of defiance, though it mattered little.

"We have not long to live," said Durkan, "do we Glamsy?"

"I told you not to call me that," said the dwarf hero.

==Meto==

===(9th December, 2009)===
<pre>UUUU/UU/U#+!++@@@@</pre>

Dwarves hurled boulders down on the invaders as they advanced by
ladder. Sharkra smiled, for this meant they had run out of ammunition
for their war machines. She dodged out of the way as a human invader
plunged down past her to a rocky doom. Sharkra grimaced. Machines or
not, these dwarves would fight the death to save their blasted
mountain. At last she reached the battlements.

Battle master Sharkra was an evil genius of combat. It was rumored
she had sacrificed everything she loved for riches and lost it all
gambling the same night. Her very aura smelled of the underworld.
Now she soldiered for anyone who would pay her. Pay her and her elite
troop of mercenaries, the Unholy Band. This time is was rat-lord
Gomra that hired her.

Sharkra pulled herself onto the fortress wall. Members of the Unholy
Band leapt over the battlements, light on their feet. Together they
advanced on the dwarves. Sharkra wielded a giant mace, while the Band
pulled rapiers from polished sheaths.

"We have you," said Sharkra. "Throw down your weapons and die quickly."

Something sailed through the air and struck Sharkra in the face, a
glass flask filled with fuming liquid. The glass shattered sending
pain coursing through the evil woman's body. She put her hand to her
face and it came back covered in slime. She straightened up and
looked around. The Unholy Band was laughing at her. Sadly, this
wasn't the first time.

"What are you standing around for?" screeched Sharkra. "Kill them."

The vain and evil Sharkra pulled a mirror from her pack which she
carried at all times. Her face was never much to begin with, but now
it was utterly ruined. Gomra, thought Sharkra, it is all his fault.
The warrior woman whistled and the Unholy Band followed her as she
retreated from the fortress.

"It is said," intoned dwarf captain Duzelm, "that evil shall always
turn upon itself."

"What is your plan master?" asked Bally, the dwarven squire.

"We shall follow this villain back to Lord Gomra," said Duzelm "and
catch all the rats in the same trap. Go to the humans in Gelthtown,
they have the quick steeds we require."

Before the day was through, the men of Gelthtown had assembled the
horses, along with master rider Jorna. She was blond and lean, draped
in the leathers of a Gelthtown tracker. The dwarves climbed onto the
horses and strapped themselves in.

"Are you sure you can keep up with the Unholy Band?" asked Captain Duzelm.

Jorna laughed. "Just pray I don't reach Gomra before Sharkra does," she said.

==Schmi==

===(16th March, 2010)===
<pre>EHEHEHEHEHE#####||@+@@@@+||==O|TTTOTTO+></pre>

Magic flying horses galloped through the sky carrying the elf warriors
on bolts of enchanted lightning. It was war, oh war, that brought the
warriors hence. The evil dwarf fighter stood atop the tower of the
dwarf fortress waiting for them to come. In his arsenal were a dozen
flame-throwing catapults ready to spring into action. Giant trolls
dragged the ammunition up from the mines. The dwarf raised his hand.
A hundred marksdwarves aimed their crossbows. Rainbows filled the sky
as the elves approached. With a final snort, the dwarf let his hand
drop.

===(23 April, 2010)===
<pre>~~/~~U~~~~</pre>

When it was over, not a good thing lived. With the failure of the
sacred band all hope was lost. The trees of the forest were swept
from the earth, and those luckless beings that lived were enslaved to
the evil dwarf fortress. The dwarves delved deep into the earth and
released onto it, the horrors of the underworld. Fed up with the
world, the gods turned their back on it, leaving only Armok, the blood
god, to rule alone.

Peasant farmer Alan heard a whistling noise from above and turned his
head to the blood red sky. He leapt to the side as a huge broadsword
landed at his feet. Alan scratched his head. The gods ask too much,
he thought. All of his ancestors had fought and died in elongated
wars. What can he give but his weak life?

==Robert 'Brightgalrs' Schultz==
===(31 June 2010)===
<pre>,.Wk,.. //####||@++>||###</pre>

No lock was safe from the kobold master thief, Macabis. The last year
he broke into the thick-walled castle Varnus. And only two weeks ago
he had robbed the goblin dungeon under the Blood Mountain. But
Macabis shared the failings of all of his kind. For to a kobolds
there was no difference between a rough diamond and a piece of
shattered glass.

"You, go here," said the wizard, pointing at a map scrawled in the dirt.

"Bring me this." The wizard produced from his robes a metal cup. The
kobold blinked, its yellow eyes seemed to search for meaning and
quickly gave up. The wizard reached into his other sleeve and
produced a drinking horn. The kobold screeched and grabbed it with
both hands. The humans always had the best drink. Macabis knew what
the scratchings on the cup meant. It was the dwarf fortress of
Antguard. He yanked away the horn and slung it over his back. There
would be many more such drinks once the wizard had his cup.

Aliz still felt a little queasy as the sun broke over the mountains.
He had been on tower duty for two months, punishment for staring too
long at the beautiful queen. Had they only know the true subject of
his avarice. It was the artifact cup from which she drank. It had
the power to make any liquid taste like the finest wine. As he
daydreamed, a shadow passed under the castle gate.

==markpank==
===(27 November 2010)===
<pre>,""."".,UU,..,."",."||W+++||</pre>

Power. That was all that mattered. Evil wizard Marcon commanded a
legion of vampires and all manner of night creatures. It was the
daylight that was his greatest weakness. When all his creatures
crawled back into their graves, there he was, nothing but a lonely old
man in a crumbling tower. The peasants of the village knew to stay
away from the ugly building. It was rumored you could see a mournful
eye staring out of the highest window, resenting all that lived.

Young page Allen took the hand of his best girl Mandy and raced
through the dawn village on a lover's tryst.

"Where are we going, my love?" asked Mandy.

"To Marcon tower," said the boy. "They will never look for us there."

"No!" cried Mandy. "A thousand times no! That place is haunted."

"What's a matter Mandy?" mocked Allen. "Are you afraid of the bogeyman?"

===(18 December 2010)===
<pre>,.||>W>+UU||,.</pre>

Shafts of light from the failing sun shone through the high windows
and fell on the lovers as they lay on the grassy floor. As Allen
looked up at the inside of the crumbling building, he did so with the
eyes of a boy who knew he was now a man. Somewhere in the distance a
coyote howled. Night was falling. Not even Allen was stupid enough
to stay in Marcon tower after dark. He tried to sit up, but Mandy
lay across his arm and would not stir.

With wondrous motion the tower began to transform. Torches appeared
on the walls. Cold stones replaced the grass on which Allen lay.
Planks of wood sprouted from the walls and unfolded into a great
spiral stairway. Chill gripped Allen's heart as he heard steps
resounding down the stair. He tried to pull his hand free but Mandy
lay still and cold to the touch. With horror, the young man watched
as the wizard descended, cloaked and menacing.

"All hope is for naught," said the wizard. "The fruit of your deed is
death eternal."

===(06 January 2011)===
<pre>,.,||U*+++=U=++||,.,o,.,.</pre>

Mandy rose from her place with the jerking movement of a marionette.
Allen cried out and crawled backward across the floor. Naked, he ran
from the tower, the wizard's evil laughter ringing in his ears. He
ran in fear, faster even than the bogeymen the wizard sent to chase
him. Finally, his body cut up, bleeding, and exhausted, he collapsed
on the steps of the temple.

"I pity you Allen," said the priest, "for it takes such a disaster to
bring you to the temple of Domon."

The boy cried and told his tale of terror and woe. The priest shook
his head and told him there was little hope for Mandy now. He handed
Allen a small gem -- the Eye of Domon. It was said to pierce all
darkness.

"You must return to the tower tonight," said the priest, "lest Mandy
fall forever."

That night, Marcon was preparing for the ceremony, giggling like a
little girl. Mandy was laid out before him on a stone slab. Just as
he raised the dagger for the death stroke, Allen kicked in the door.
Marcon made to spit out a curse when the boy raised up the Eye of
Domon. With a shriek, Marcon transformed into a barn owl and escaped
through the open ceiling.

===(02 April 2011)===
<pre>|++UuU++++U|N.,.</pre>

"There is nothing we can do for her but wait," said the priest.

Allen paced the length of the church, stealing glimpses of Mandy's
body splayed out on the altar. He remembered the wizard's curse. His
hand gripped the jewel as he prayed to Domon for mercy. Mandy cried
out. The priest put his hands on the girl's body and forced her down.

Allen's eyes went to the windows where candles flickered and went
out.

"This girl is with child," growled the priest. "Where is the father?"

A knock came at the door. Allen looked to the priest, eyes wild with
fear. "Go," said the priest, turning back to the writhing girl. The
frightened boy picked up a torch and made his way to the front of the
darkened church. Behind him, the girl was screaming between gurgling
coughs. He dare not look now.

The door swung open to reveal a terrible phantom. It wore a tattered
black robe and its head was a bare skull. "My master Marcon has sent
me to take what is his," it said. Allen was paralyzed with fear. The
girl's screams had stopped. Allen turned to see the priest, covered
in blood. In his hands he held a baby, squirming and alive, but
silent as death itself.

===(14 November 2011)===
<pre>,.U/|++++U|.</pre>

The air was still, and not an insect stirred in the cursed village.
It was here that evil was born, and it was here evil would die. Sir
Ramet looked to the most pathetic cottage and made his way to the
door. When no one answered, he knocked the door off its hinges with a
blow from his hammer.

He walked through a cloud of dust to see the body of a white haired
old man, half starved to death. Ramet put his foot on the man's
shoulder and jostled the body. It was then that he saw that it was
not a man, but a boy, his hair as white as snow.

"Allen?" said Ramet. "Know that your treason has cause many a soldier
to lose his life, and while your son walks the earth, no one is safe."

"Son?" said Allen to the darkness. "I have a son? My poor Mandy."

Ramet lifted his hammer and Allen seemed suddenly to come to life.

"Wait!" shouted the wretch. "I hold something which is your only salvation."

The knight watched as Allen held up a small jewel.

"The Eye of Domon?" asked Ramet, unbelieving.

The two left the cottage and turned toward Marcon's tower. The
crumbling building cast a shadow across the village, the sun hiding
behind its upper reaches. It was deserted, but both men knew what
would happen after sundown, only a few short hours away.

===(14 December 2011)===
<pre>U,.,.,.||U/++Ui++||</pre>

Once they reached the ruined tower, Ramet reached under his cloak,
behind his ample belly and drew a short, thick sword. He bid Allen
come closer and took the Eye from him. There was a socket in the hilt
of the blade and the knight drove the jewel home. A flash of
light blinded the two men briefly and when he opened his eyes, Allen
saw Ramet holding the glowing sword before him.

"Behold," shouted Ramet. "This is a weapon of Domon. Take it! For
the seed you have spilled now soils the land, and you must put it
to right."

Allen touched the sword as the last rays of sunshine faded from behind
the hills. Once again, Marcon's tower rebuilt itself. Bats flew
out from the top as all manner of groans and scrapings came from
inside. Allen's courage failed him and he turned to run. Ramet put
his hand on the boy's chest and pushed him back.

"Forget all that," said the knight. "It is time you understood the
consequences of your actions. I didn't loose the demon. You did.
Take the sword, go in there, and slay the monster."

The sword of Domon trembled in Allen's shaking hand as he opened the
door to the tower. Calling on all his force of will, he stepped
inside. It was dark save for a single candle resting on the floor.
Beside it knelt a person in a dark colored robe. Silently, Allen
stepped up behind and pulled back the hood of the robe with the tip of
his sword.

"Mandy?" he said.

===(02 February 2012)===
<pre>U<<<U####/##o##</pre>

"I could be Mandy to you," said the girl, rising from the floor.

Allen's sword fell to his side, a tear rolling down his cheek. The
dark creature brushed the white hair away from his face. The shadows
dancing around began to take physical shape. Allen put his arm around
the girl. The world began to spin. In his mind he could see ghostly
armies marching across the land. His lips touched hers.

"That thing is your daughter!" cried Ramet. "Kill it!"

With a jerk, Allen drove his sword through the girl's ribs. The
creature screamed. Red gas shot from its mouth and eyes. Allen
backed away, disgusted and horrified. Ramet caught Allen in his arms
as the building shook and swayed. Then, all went silent, all but
Marcon's laughter.

"This villain has lived long enough," spit Ramet.

Up and Up the knight ran, bounding three steps at a time. Marcon
spotted him and quit his laughter quick. A pair of shadow demons rose
from the floor, but Ramet barreled straight through them and met
Marcon at the roof of the tower.

"I don't suppose you would stab an opponent in the back?" asked Marcon.

The wizard turned and leapt from the tower, transforming into an owl.
The knight threw his war hammer with all his might. It struck the
bird in an explosion of feathers. Marcon's lifeless body spiraled
slowly down to the earth.

When Ramet reached the bottom of the stairs, Allen was on his knees,
staring at the floor. The knight lifted him up, leaned close and
spoke to him.

"Listen," said Ramet. "We have something Marcon and your poor Mandy
don't have. A future."

===(25 November 2012)===

<pre>+@+@%++++######?</pre>

Down beneath the earth, where they never see the sun, there live a
people pale and hairy. The ‘deep dwarves’ they are called, and their
metropolises stretch for leagues under the root of the mountain.
Rarely do they come in contact with the surface dwarves and it is not
without cause that they have gained the reputation for being a little
strange.

“Come and see this,” said a guards-dwarf.

Annoyed, Captain Kogar put down his pipe and stood up, brushing the
ashes from his broad belly. He followed the dwarf through a series of
twisting tunnels down, down to the bottom of the mine. What could it
possibly be? The castle guard knew better than disturb him over petty
things. Maybe it was another murder. But berserker season had
already come and gone.

“Here he is,” said the guard.

At the end of the farthest tunnel, the body of a dwarf lay, as white as a sheet.

“Is he dead?” asked Kogar.

“Ask him yourself,” said the guard.

Kogar leaned down and put his ear to the pale dwarf’s lips.

“You must flee to where the sun is bright,” said deep dwarf. “For no
one under the ground is safe while the monster draws breath.”

===(28 January 2013)===

<pre>?N? ++++++@+@||</pre>

With that the strange dwarf died. Captain Kogar called for his
lieutenants. Together they searched the mine from whence the deep
dwarf came. Any opening to the underworld, no matter how small, could
prove the end for even the mightiest of fortresses. After a week of
searching, nothing could be found.

“Maybe the dwarf was crazed,” said a deputy. “Maybe there is no monster.”

“No,” said Kogar, “this is going to be a bad one.”

That very night, the first dwarf went missing. The creature left
nothing but a dark stain on the floor. Kogar’s dwarves searched the
mines again and again, but no opening could be found. When the next
victim disappeared, Kogar knew he had to tell his liege, Merduk the
Mad.

“What is this nonsense you speak of?” asked the mad king.

“The mine monster kills at will,” said Kogar. “We must think of
sending the young ones to the surface.”

“Fool,” shouted the king, slamming his fist onto the arm of his
throne. “No dwarf with come in or out until the monster is slain.
Their deaths will be yours to decide.”

===(4 May 2013)===

<pre>@@@@@@@++++|@/++@|</pre>

That night the fortress was a buzz of activity. After all, it was the
time for the Plump Helmet Festival, a time when many a young dwarf
would be married and fun would be had by all. King Merduk himself
would preside over the ceremony. The streamers were strung. The
torches were lit. Soon the great hall was filled with a multitude of
drunken dwarves.

“Tell them to disperse,” said Kogar. “Call an end to this foolishness
or you will regret it.”

“And you wonder why they call me the mad king?” asked Merduk. “Look
to yourself or you will be out of a job.”

Wandering through the crowd, Kogar couldn’t even muster enough energy
to drink a cup, let alone dance. This was going to be a disaster and
a lot of people would die. Mad Merduk had not only gone on with the
plans for the party, he had locked the gates so no one could leave the
fortress. Disgusted, Kogar retired to his quarters.

“You know there is only one way to escape,” said a voice in the darkness.

Leaping to his feet, Kogar pulled his knife and scanned the room for
the intruder. Though he could not see, he knew the creature was still
there. But there was something else, a roar like a distant storm.
Kogar stepped to the door and threw it open. The light shown down on
the pale dwarf hiding in the corner, but more shocking still were the
screams, now clearly heard coming from the hall.

“Leave them,” said the deep dwarf. “There is only time to save yourself.”

==suntorvic==
===(13th December, 2010)===
<pre>s,.s.C,..@,.,//%%%%%</pre>

Dwarf hero Ulkram walked right up to the cyclops's lair. It was a
shabby place, just a cave under a grassy hill. Here and there, stray
sheep wandered hither and fro, nibbling on the wet grass. Not a
stranger to herohood, Ulkram barged inside, axe held high. Inside, he
was met with all manner of foul smells. Dwarven skins lined the walls
and on the floor was a pile of bearded skulls. Ulkram was rendered
senseless by the unimaginable evil. He went outside to wretch.

"My home is not to your liking?" came a deep voice.

The cyclops was enormous. In its mighty fist was a shepherd's cane.
The monster dropped to one knee. Ulkram could barely keep his axe
steady.

"Tell you what," said the monster. "How about we play a game? You
ask me what I'm thinking, then I you. If I can't answer, I let you
go. If you can't answer, you go in my pot. Agreed?"

Having no other choice, Ulkran nodded his head in agreement.

==[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]]==
===(6 January 2011)===
<pre>ccccc,.,.||,.,@,.,.@,..c||sssss||</pre>

Like wild banshees, the calls of the coyotes went on all night,
disturbing the dwarf outpost and all within. Watch-dwarf Aliz took up
his torch and scaled the stairs of the wooden tower that stood at the
gatehouse of their wooden palisade. Nothing. Nothing, but the hated
forest that stood upon the rolling hills on which their wooden
fortress sat. It was risky to mine out in the wilderness, away from
the mountains. But without risk there is no profit, and danger is its
own reward.

They kept sheep behind that wooden fence. Nali could smell them. The
short hairy man things look easy enough to outrun, but they were like
men, they would have weapons, and fire. But Nali's charge were
hungry. A coyote nipped at Nali's hairy leg. Nali tussled the
coyote's head. It would be tonight.

The coyotes howled from the woods in front of the gate whilst Nali
made his way around the back of the fortress, clutching a pair of
spears. When he reached the darkest spot, he wedged a spear against
the wall and used it to lift himself over the side. He made his way
carefully past the drunken dwarven guards to the place where the sheep
were penned. Just as he was about to open the gate, he froze.

"Coyote man!"

==[[User:Narushima|Narushima]]==
===(06 February 2011)===
<pre>||%@~+|++</pre>

"Tosid, Aliz, and Sedil watched with anticipation as the workers
chiseled through layer after layer of raw adamantine. The dwarves had
long imagined this moment, a reality of eternal wealth. There was a
scream, then another. The mineral vein on which they were mining fell
away into darkness.

Aliz awoke in the manager's barracks. It had all been a dream, but
his hands were wet. He hopped off the top bunk and slid on a puddle
of liquid. It was blood. He stood up to see Tosid in the bottom
bunk, stone dead.

"Could I have done this in my sleep?" thought Aliz. "But I was just
at the mining ceremony. Where is Sedil? First things first. Where
do I hide the body?"

==[[User:Psitaylor|Psitaylor]]==
===(2 April 2011)===
<pre>,|++++|@,.U.,.T,.,.</pre>

The footstep of doom fell hard on Tiger Valley. Many of the elves and
dwarves that lived there peaceably watched with horror as Mount Ugath
erupted. Clouds of purple fog flowed down the sides of the mountain
and engulfed the valley. In a few days the dust settled. No one
thought anything was the worse for wear. Not at first.

"The Valley of the Waking Dead?" asked the poacher. "Aye, you are
headed in the right direction. Tiger Valley they once called it. But
you don't want to go that way boy."

The young man thanked the grizzled hunter and went on his way. Casser
was the eldest son of King Darek. With all his younger brothers
beginning to cast their eyes on his aging father's throne, Casser knew
he had to prove his worth as a hero.

The entrance to the valley was a steep cliff following a tumbling
stream. Prince Casser bid his page return his horse to the castle and
descended into the valley alone. When he reached the bottom, he
looked up to see the green, glowing trees in the bright sun. There
was not a sound in the whole valley.

At long last he found the village. The fields were neatly kept, but
there was no animal in sight. Not one living being. Casser moved to
one of the thatch-roofed huts. He put his gauntlet to the door and it
swung open. Inside the furniture was all in order. Dinner places
were set at the table.

There was no food. No people. Casser was taken by a sudden hunger.
He looked in his pack and found it empty. His servant had forgotten to
fill it. He grew angry, but his frustration vanished when he spied
it. An apple hung low on a tree just outside the house. He emerged
from the cabin and reached out for the fruit.

"Don't do it," said a voice from deeper in the village.

Casser looked to see a dwarf girl, strangely glowing with some fell
light. Casser brought the apple away from his lips and spat. What
had happened to this place? He looked away from the strange phantom
and up at the mountain. It was said a dragon lived there.

"Had you taken one bite of that apple, you would be ‘stone dead' as
you humans are fond of saying," said the dwarf. "Not now. Not days
from now. But soon. This whole valley is poisoned. Its only
inhabitants are the dead. You must save us."

The prince retreated as the girl approached. Other spirits began to
appear from the houses.

"You must kill the dragon," she said, "and end the curse. You have no
choice. You have already breathed the air of the valley. Your fate
is sealed, along with all of ours."

Running back toward the waterfall, Casser knew he had failed the test
of manhood. He climbed and climbed, not stopping till he breathed the
sweet air of the real world. One of the lord's squires was there.
"That didn't take very long," said the smart ass. "The underworld
must not sire demons like it used to."

On the ride home, Casser felt an itch under his gauntlet. He removed
the metal glove and found his hand red and inflamed. He poked at his
blackened fingernail and it fell away. Underneath was a thin,
razor-like talon. Casser gagged into his mouth, a tear falling from
his eye.

"Problem, sire?" asked the squire.

They rode in silence to Red Castle, where King Darek awaited them.

==[[User:mux951|mux951]]==
===(13 June 2011)===
<pre>~~~~++@||.,,..,.,gggDDggDDggggDggDgg</pre>

Night and day were the same, months of black darkness, punctuated by
jets of fire from the many wingless dragons that crawled in the valley
below. Goblins were everywhere, picking off careless dwarfs with
well-placed arrows. One dwarf remarked that it was like living each
waking moment in the shadow of the hammerer.

Alnar was not one to give up so easily. He vowed, though only a
blacksmith's apprentice, to save the fortress singlehandedly. He
would build a tube from the lip of the volcano to the goblin horde and
fry them forever. If only he had the king's permission. Best to ask
later.

===(04 December 2011)===
<pre>++++|++@\o|</pre>

As the enemy surrounded the fortress and all seemed lost, the dwarven
king did an inexplicable thing by granting an audience to a lone idiot
dwarf. A pair of royal guards dragged Alnar into the feast hall. His
eyes were blackened as the guards had beaten him up a taste for his
insolence. They dumped him before the king and he sneezed, spraying
blood onto the king's slipper.

"Speak," hissed the king.

Alnar crawled to the side of the throne and pulled away a plain white
sheet revealing a crimson handled lever.

"One pull of this lever and you will unleash the fury of Red
Mountain," said Alnar, "and bathe the enemy in a lake of fire."

"You did this without my knowledge or consent?" asked the king.

Alnar swallowed and slowly nodded his head.

"Lock him in his quarters," said the king, "to await the hammerer."

As he heard the lock slide in, Alnar walked to the corner of his tiny
room. Silently, he slid his cabinet away from the wall, revealing a
second red lever.

===(04 March 2012)===
<pre>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|@@</pre>

Out of ammunition, the dwarves were reduced to hurling rocks at the
invaders now scaling the walls. The king locked himself in the throne
room, forbidding all disturbances. Try as he might, he could think of
no solution to the mess he was in. Always he found his eyes drawn to
the lever. Maybe the crazed dwarf was right.

No, thought the king. No dwarf would make a fool of the king. He
seized the lever and ripped the whole mechanism from the floor in a
frenzied rage. A messenger ran into the room, finding the king
wheezing, spittle dripping from his beard.

"I know you ordered no disturbances," said the page, "but someone has
released the fire of Red Mountain!"

The king trotted up the stairs of the tower, his lungs burning. Once
at the top, he saw a sight like no other. Rivers of molten rock
flowed from the mountain, burying the invaders or sending them
running, on fire.

"An outrage," spat the king. "I will have that traitor Alnar skinned alive."

===(28 January 2013)===
<pre>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,.@%</pre>

“I’ll kill him myself,” shouted the struggling king.

Alnar smiled a bloody smile as the king fought against the dwarf
guards that held him by the arms. Slowly, Alnar rose from the floor
of his cell. The second lever was there for all to see, the lever
that saved the day whilst the king did nothing. Alnar laughed and
spit at the ruler’s feet.

“Looks like there’s a new king in town,” said Alnar.

After the execution of King Eberious II began a reign of terror that
would last for fifty years. King Alnar was a disaster. Once a hero
and savior of the fortress, now all he did was drink and chase married
women. Anyone who got in his way went straight to the hammerer. No
one knew who would be next to put their head on the slab.

It was near winter on the forty-ninth year of Alnar’s kingship when a
hero finally appeared. Jenu was the second son of a destitute
mushroom farmer. He was hard at work in the fields when Alnar’s
dwarves came. It seemed there was a disagreement over taxes. Jenu
hid while the soldiers burned his house down. When the coast was
clear, Jenu went to where his father lay.

“Quickly,” said the old dwarf, choking on blood. “They have taken your mother.”

===(12 February 2014)===
<pre>@%,.@-@MM</pre>

"Old Alnar won't mind if you gave this old dwarf a kiss," said the
cruel dwarven mercenary.

"You and your rotten king can go to the shaft as far as I'm
concerned!" shouted Jenu's mother.

"Release her," came a voice from up the hill. Jenu had cut them off
at the path.

"We are on an errand from the king," said the mercenary. "No farmer's
runt will stand in our way."

Slowly, the dwarven goon slid from the saddle of his mule and
approached Jenu, chuckling to himself. The other villain just stared
out vacantly without interest. What could a boy, armed only with his
fists, do against the king's dwarves. When he reached the boy, Jenu
spit in his face. His hand dropped instinctively to his scabbard, but
found the sheath empty.

"Get him, Jenu!" shouted the dwarf mother.

As Jenu tackled the mercenary, his mother used his stolen sword to
strike down the other evil henchman. Jenu landed blow after blow onto
his prone opponent. A life of hopeless servitude had smoldered in
Jenu's heart until this moment, and there wasn't much left of the
dwarf when Jenu was done pounding on him.

"Quickly Jenu," said the dwarf mother, "We must flee before these scum
are missed."

==[[User:Met|Met]]==
===(June 2011)===
<pre>||~@++%||@++++</pre>

"I am innocent of these crimes!" cried Fuglin as he was dragged away. Sitting in the dungeon cell, he could recall the cheers of the dwarves as the judge pronounced the verdict. It wasn't fair. The adamantine wasn't his. He was just holding it for somebody. Now in prison, he was left to rot. A guard stopped by his cell and poured a cup of gruel on the cold stone floor. Anger and despair were all he felt now. From now on he dared not hope.

--

It had begun as such a small thing. Fuglin and the goblin had known each other since the construction of the fortress. Fuglin was young then.

One day Fuglin visited the goblin, this time locked in the stockade.

"You know the path through the stone?" said the goblin. "The one we built as children? You must go there and bring me what you find. It is the key to my release."

===(July 2011)===
<pre>,.,.,.,.,@|#######&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

The space was not built for more than a child, a narrow, twisting tunnel winding its way through the foundations of the fortress. At the bottom, Fuglin saw a light, a silvery glowing rock at the end of the tunnel. This must be it, thought Fuglin, a bribe to set the goblin free. Hastily, Fuglin took up his pick and chiseled off a piece of the silver metal.

Something lay beyond the tunnel. A hole the size of a dwarf's fist opened where Fuglin struck. He could hear a strange howling within, no doubt another subterranean jungle. The dwarf didn't stay to find out. He squirmed as fast as he could, finally reaching the exit where he found the goblin, free from his bonds.

"You survived," said the goblin. "Keep the adamantine as a token of our friendship."

"Wait!" cried Fuglin, but the goblin had disappeared.

===(October 2011)===
<pre>@@@@@,.,o@,..##||#&#&#&&&&#&</pre>

What happened next was hard to say. There was a lot of smoke and fire. Dwarves ran screaming through the fortress. Captains shouted orders to soldiers they could not see through the clouds of burning vapor. Fuglin was scared beyond reason. He tried to follow the others, ducking when the monsters swooped down.

It seemed it would never end, then Fuglin came rolling out of the fortress gate just as another fire blast rocketed overhead. As it was, the demons could not, or would not set foot outside the fortress. What few dwarves that were left gathered at the hills below. Fuglin recognized a blacksmith which with he had apprenticed. Before he could speak the blacksmith pointed his finger.

"He is the one!" the dwarf cried. "Look! He still has the rock in his paw!"

Fuglin looked down, having until now forgotten the adamantine in his hand.

==[[User:Rhazak|Rhazak]]==
===(19 July 2011)===
<pre>+++@@++++@||</pre>

Terror! Badru cried defiantly as he was shaved. The evil dwarves
held Badru down as dwarven bandit lord Ukros worked his knife against
the victim's beard.

"You look better this way, Badru," said Lord Ukros. "More like an elf."

The villain left Badru upon the hillside in the shadow of the dwarf
fortress. He was sore and beaten, and his leg was most likely broken.
The guards were sure to find him soon. He pulled his scarf up to his
nose. The sign of his shame couldn't be seen by his underlings.

"What happened to you, Badru?" asked the king. "And why are you
wearing that ridiculous mask?"

Badru withdrew the mask from his shaven face and the guard holding him
cried out and dropped the dwarven hero to the floor.

===(11 August 2011)===
<pre>||+++@@|+++</pre>

"They are no more dwarf than you," said Badru's woman. "They may have
beards it's true, but they live outdoors, squatting in the grass like
rabbits. You will find them, and return them to the hammerer, dead or
alive."

Metal clanked against stone as Badru rose. His limb was now more
machine than leg. He scratched at the bristling hairs of his chin.
From the wall, he took his trusty axe. As he walked from the room,
his woman embraced him from behind. "Kill them," she said. "Kill
them all."

Badru strode before the recruits, his metal leg creaking, a scarf over
his mouth. "Alright daisies," he said. "Our target is a worthless
bandit named Ukros. If you see him, leave him be. That elf-spawned
toadstool is mine."

==[[User:Molay|Molay]]==
===(25 December 2011)===

<pre>+@~~~@++g</pre>

The miners sat in a circle around the lava well, dipping bits of bread
into a bowl of melted dwarven cheese. It was the end of the year, so
Aliz stood up and announced that he would make the first prediction.
He said that in the next year the war would be over and the dwarves
would all come home. Then the miners would strike adamantine, with
Nictat taking the first chunk.

Smiling, Nictat rose and looked over the glad faces of his friends.
He said that in the coming year old king Ironboot would die and be
replaced by his beautiful daughter. All rations would be doubled, and
all the prisoners set free.

Something moved in the shadows. The dwarves looked around anxiously.
Aliz let out a sigh. It was only poor goblin Dusna.

"I have a prediction for you," said Dusna. "Not but one of us in this
room will live to see the coming year."

==[[User:Malimbar04|Malimbar04]]==
===(2 March 2012)===

<pre>"TUe,,.,-,.,g"</pre>

"What are you doing?" asked Sarvesh.

"Giving my thanks to the trees," said Alan. "Isn't that what you people do?"

Sarvesh would never understand her new human friend. Why did he want
to be like the elves? Elves have been talking to trees as long as
Sarvesh could remember, and they never talked back. She flipped an
apple into the air, but before she could catch it, an arrow struck it
to a tree.

"Goblins!" cried Sarvesh.

===(8 September 2012)===

<pre>"g\U,.,.e,.,,.-g</pre>

Alan came up from his knees and cut down a charging goblin with one
swing of his sabre. Sarvesh dodged out of the way of a second arrow
and readied her bow. She fired blind into the woods, praying to the
spirit of the forest to guide her arrow. A strangled gasp echoed from
the darkness. It was over.

"We live," said Sarvesh.

"Maybe now is the time to thank the trees," said Alan.

The elf warrioress walked straight by Alan and looked at the dead
body. The armor bore the twisted mark of Darquan the snake lord. It
had been many centuries since the evil one had shown his face in these
parts.

Sarvesh tried in vain to remember the old days, the bad old days
before she met Alan and their adventures began. There was a time when
the sun didn't shine, when life itself hung on a thread. So it was
when Darquan ruled the world. If he had come back, he must be stopped
immediately.

"Come," said Sarvesh, "we must track them back to their nest."

"At last," said Alan. "Fate has grated us a quest."

===(17 September 2013)===
<pre>"?ssssssss?.,"."~~,.eU"</pre>

“I have never seen tracks like these,” said Sarvesh.

“They lead north,” said Alan.

The mud was pressed flat by a curving track that obliterated all signs
of the goblins, but also pointed straight back the Garum. That
horrible place was the home to many horrors. Demons from the pit of
Breputog called the Garum home. Alan and Sarvesh would be insane to
challenge Darquan in his evil stronghold, but they had little choice.
Night was falling and the goblins would almost certainly get away.

The smell was as foul as the surroundings were bleak and depressing.
There was nothing in the Garum it seemed but reeds and, here and
there, a pool of stagnant water. Just when the adventurers thought
they could see the top of Darquan's tower on the horizon, the last
rays of sunshine sank below the reeds.

“We are in trouble now,” said Sarvesh.

This was true for many reasons. Darquan's powers were enhanced by
darkness, as Mother Night is the source of many evils. Also,
Darquan's army of king cobra snakemen were on the move and it wasn't
likely that Alan and Sarvesh would survive. But without certain
death, what is a hero to face? The adventurers braced themselves for
the coming onslaught.

==[[User:Peregarrett|PereGarrett]]==
===(25 April 2012)===

<pre>||@###@@@+++</pre>

"Put him in the fiery pit," said Mabdug the Mad.

Following the king's orders like obedient slaves, the guardsdwarves
dragged the victim to the flaming orifice. It was a square opening at
the base of the throne, surrounded by engravings of forest creatures.
Down through the hole was a huge cavern, a lake of magma under its
dome. As the prisoner disappeared in a puff of smoke the king clapped
his hands together like a gleeful child. He should enjoy himself, for
he didn't have too much more time on earth.

"It's going down tonight," said Gekur. "Mabdug is going to the pit."

"Imagine a royal guard talking that way," said Oltar. "You could go
to the hammerer for that."

Gekur embraced his brother in arms. They had served in the royal
guard together for the reign of three kings. Mabdug was by far the
worst. The senseless killings were only a minor thing compared to the
rest. The kingdom was nearly bankrupt due to his wild parties. The
goblins sensed his weakness as was their knack and were spoiling for
war. But it was fate of the Ermis boy that moved the guardsdwarves
most.

"My poor son," said father Ermis. "You must have a tomb for him."

"The place is picked out for furniture storage," said Mabdug. "You
will have to bury him in the dirt."

"But without proper burial," pleaded the father, "he will never be forged anew."

The king laughed, "Take him away."

==[[User:Markous|Markous]]==
===(28 April 2012)===

<pre>ggggggggggg,.,U/M@,.,,@@@@||&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

Fear loosened all dignity as the dwarves fled the burning fortress.
But while they escaped the fiends of the underworld, freed by hapless
miners, they now had to deal with the vile force of evil which awaited
them in the world under the sun.

Darkmaster the Evil brought his halberd down onto the dwarven knight's
mule. The bearded hero hit the ground at a roll and came up with a
knife, cutting a gash out of the evil ruler's breastplate. The battle
all around became silent as the fighters circled. None would
interfere, for now it was a matter of honor.

==[[User:pingeee|pingeee]]==
===30 September 2012===

<pre>g@gg@@@gg@g~~~%~@!@~~~gg@@g@gg@@</pre>

How is it, when all hope is lost, that the best of us continue to endure? So it was that the knights of Amador stood strong against the force of overwhelming odds. As the horde of a hundred thousand goblins belched forth from the underworld and town after town fell, only the dwarves of Amador stood before the dwarf fortress and against the armies of evil.

"Booze," whimpered the fallen knight. "Give me booze."

Dworn slid down next to his comrade as the battle raged all around. The knight was dying, struck through the gut with a spear. The goblin that killed him lay a short way away in a bloody mess. Dworn held his wine flask up to the knight's lips, who was dead before he took his first sip.

"How did I end up here?" asked Dworn, as all around, the dwarves and goblins fought and died.

It was a full year before the war that Dworn signed on as a knight's squire. Those were the good days, the days before Morduk the Mad. Dworn didn't mind the rigors of military life, industrious as any dwarf. Happily he served the king and the mountain home. Time would test him, just as it tests all things under the eternal sky.

"Excellent," said Alek. "Are you really a knight's squire?"

For a fortnight, Sir Kamag had lent Dworn to the marks-dwarves to build up his archery skills. Every dwarf should learn the ins and outs of a crossbow. Or so his master Kamag claimed. Dworn hit every target at fifty paces. Alek was so pleased, he offered Dworn a job. But Dworn was pledged to his master.

"Do you really think Morduk will invade?" asked Dworn.

"They call him Morduk the Mad for a reason," said Kamag, putting a hand on Dworn's shoulder. "Come. Let's not talk of such things."

ASCII art reward/M-S

2014-02-18T12:50:36Z

Shades: /* Shades */

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
! colspan=4 | [[ASCII Art Reward]]s (alphabetically by contributor)
|-
| [[ASCII Art Reward/A-F|A – F]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/G-L|G – L]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/M-S|M – S]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/T-Z|T – Z]]
|}

[[Category:Humor and stories]]

==[[User:MacGyvers_Mullet|MacGyvers_Mullet]]==
===Rognar:(11 November 2007)===

<pre>%%%@%%%,../.,\</pre>

The sword slid through the goblin's throat and the dying creature fell
to the ground sputtering. Rognar had been born into a world of
violence, and he would not share it with these stinking beasts.
Striding upon their unnumbered broken bodies, the warrior reached the
summit of the corpse mound and surveyed the carnage. The siege had
been broken. Here and there, a wimpering slave of darkness put up
resistance or simply clung to life, but soon they would all be
vanquished and the sun would bring a glorious dawn to the blood-red
battlefield. Rognar smiled. It was a great day to be a dwarf.

-Tarn

===Neandar Begin:(3 July 2008)===

<pre>!!()!!,k,...@,..#######||</pre>

He would never let the fiend escape again. That was what Neandar the
dwarf thought before he flung himself into the black air of the chasm
after the skulking kobold thief. For many seconds they fell, time
enough for Neandar to recall his short life and short career on the
Fortress Guard. Wet matter slammed into the dwarf's face and gave
way. The dwarf smashed through a dozen giant spider webs and hit the
ground running, hot on the trail of the kobold scum.

A huge standing ring of fire dominated the floor of the chasm. The
kobold made for the hell portal with all speed. Neandar stopped in
his tracks. It was one thing to plunge to certain death in order to
retrieve a granite puzzle box. It was quite another to cast oneself
into a dimension of ultimate evil. Yet these kobold cowards could not
be allowed to run about as they pleased. Lifting his axe over his
head, the dwarf charged into the portal of doom.

-Zach

==[[User:McDoomhammer|McDoomhammer]]==
===(5 May 2008)===

<pre>T,.ggUggg..TT------,TT,.T.U.UU.,..TTT</pre>

The three chosen warriors left the Citadel of Hope, strapped on with
all manner of magic weapons that the Council of Elders had presented
them. Shizenbubin was the tracker of the group, always hot on the
trail of danger. Shizentubin was her sister, skilled in the ways of
the blade so that no enemy neck was safe. Azoul Buck was the leader.
She ran her fingers through her short blond hair, her muscular arm
flexing, covered with the crude tattoos of her tribe.

This would be a short quest indeed. A party of goblins had ambushed
the prince on his way to the castle. All the heroes need do is return
him unspoiled. It would be easy to intercept them then on their way
to the Black Fortress, given Shizenbubin's incredible skill. However,
time was not on their side. Goblins grew bored easily and might make
sport of the prince's bodily members. Azoul set the pace, a quick
trot through the woods. She smiled at the easily-won glory that
awaited her squad at the end of the journey.

==[[User:McMe|McMe]]==
===(13 January 2010)===

<pre>UU+U++G.,,...</pre>

A knock came at the mead hall gate. A powerful blow, nearly tearing
the doors from their hinges. King Wrathbeard drew his sword and
strode to the entrance, flanked by his elite warriors. He nodded to
his men and they unbarred the door. The doors swung open, revealing
the enormous, heavily-muscled body of Grum, half-giant, lord of the
hills.

"Where are my chickens?" growled Grum. "You are to offer me four
fried chickens on every Tuesday! Friday it is!"

Wrathbeard stroked his whiskers. "What have you done for me lately,
Grum?" asked the king. "Goblins still haunt the highways. Jackal men
still harass my herds."

Grum left the hall in confusion, sure he had been tricked. Back on
his hill, Grum watched as a carriage was stopped by goblin bandits and
the nobles stripped of their valuables. Feeling his stomach rumbling,
Grum stood and ran toward the highway.

"Where is the rest of the gold!" yelled the goblin.

The nobles coward, fearing for their lives. The goblin raised his
whip, better to lash them again. A huge hand caught him by the wrist.
Grum tossed the goblin into the air. The nobles screamed. The
half-giant scowled.

"I will have my chickens," he said, "whether you live or die."

==[[User:Md5i|Md5i]]==
===(12 May 2007)===
<pre>##.,.||+++@+|</pre>

"That ought to keep 'em out," Doran said confidently, patting the granite
block which he had just slid into place. Ever since the Baron had insisted
on mining out the gold vein in the wall, Doran had been dealing with the
rats. It couldn't be helped. Gold was gold after all, but it was just
Doran's luck that the miners had broken through to a large chasm not far
from the craftsdwarf's room.

The dwarf laid down on his bed and began to think about the next project. A
puzzlebox, perhaps, something challenging. Just as Doran was drifting off
into dreams of the design, he heard a scratching on the block.

"Ha! Keep trying you little demons," the dwarf chuckled. The scratching
continued. It was irritating, but the dwarf could block it out. Then there
was a grating scrape as the block moved an inch. The dwarf sat up and
stared at the wall in amazement. Impossible, he thought.

The block slid forward further. Small, clawed fingers worked their way
around the stone until a gray, furry hand grasped one corner of the block.
The stone turned slightly.

Doran seized his chisel from the nearby table and leapt toward the block,
stabbing downward. The tool grazed the hand, leaving a spatter of blood on
the stone. There was a shriek, and the bleeding hand disappeared into the
dark crack.

The craftsdwarf pushed the block back into place and backed away, chisel in
hand. After a moment, the scratching began anew.

===(07 Jun 2007)===
<pre>##.,.||%r%+@+|</pre>

"Leave me be, you fiend!" Doran yelled, his chisel held toward the stone
block. The scratching became louder and more persistent.

Once again, the block moved, but this time no fingers poked through the
crack. The beast had learned. The slab of granite was being pushed
directly from behind, and it glided slowly toward Doran. The dwarf backed
toward his bed.

The block stopped sliding. There was now enough space to allow something to
pass through the hole in the wall, but the block was large and Doran could
not see behind it. For a long moment, nothing stirred. The craftsdwarf
knelt and opened the chest by the foot of his bed, muttering.

At once, a creature leapt from behind the block and faced Doran. It was a
ratman, ravening, its long yellow incisors surrounded by froth, its
patchy-furred flesh stretched tight over its starved body. The thing
hungered and would have Doran for its meal.

The dwarf stood, a vial in his hand. The ratman lunged forward and Doran
hurled the vial at the beast's face. The glass shattered, and the creature
clutched its black protruding eyes as they steamed. Doran rushed forward
and stabbed the ratman repeatedly with the chisel until it stopped moving.

"Pity about that. I was going to ask Mul to do some etchings for me."

===(15 Jul 2007)===
<pre>##===@=D####</pre>

"Yes, I'm sorry, Mul, it would have been a thrilling project," Doran said,
pausing to take another swig of whiskey. "I can't believe how much trouble
we've been having with ratmen lately."

"Perhaps there's a larger beast down in the chasm riling them up," Mul
replied. "Kogan's child was taken not long ago."

"Yes, surely something unusual is afoot."

Meanwhile, Kogan stood with his axe by the chasm bridge. Ever since the boy
Aliz had been lost, the soldier had tirelessly patrolled the walkways along
the deepest parts of the rift, killing dozens of ratmen and a few large
spiders. He would not be satisfied until the depths were devoid of life.

A foul wind blew up from the chasm. Kogan leaned to the side and peered
down over the edge of the bridge. The impact was sudden and the dwarf was
knocked on his back in the middle of the bridge. Kogan heard the sound of
stone being scraped without respect, and he.found himself staring into the
rotten eyes of a giant decaying reptile.

==[[User:Midelne|Midelne]]==

===Fish Dwarf Begin: (6 August 2007)===
<pre>~~@~~X</pre>

They called him Fish-Dwarf. He was the only worker in the outpost willing to brave the depths of the cave river in order to service the floodgate mechanisms when they became clogged with the seasonal muds.

It was that time again. The farming gates weren't operational, and the planting had to begin immediately. Fish-Dwarf had his tools, and the special fins he had manufactured were secured to broad feet. Everything was ready. The frightened faces of the onlooking children would not dissuade him. Fish-Dwarf understood that this was his calling. He was the only one that could save the outpost. The dwarf inhaled, and his chest swelled to nearly double its original size. Clearing his mind, the dwarf dove into the water.

===(8 November 2007)===
<pre>~~~@%X</pre>

Fish-Dwarf swam down the narrow tunnel to the gate mechanism. The water was murky and even with his superior vision he could only just see his hands sweeping ahead of him.

The upper portion of the mechanism appeared suddenly before him. The dwarf inspected the machinery quickly, mindful of his air, yet confident that he had at least a few minutes left. The top assembly was clear, so the mud must have worked itself into the lower gears. Fish-Dwarf pushed his way down.

The swollen rotting face of a lizardman greeted him, twisted into the gears. Not again, Fish-Dwarf thought, dejected. It would take at least three trips to dislodge all of the chunks. The dwarf removed the chisel from his tool case and began working it into the sticking jam.

===(10 December 2007)===
<pre>+@@+@@@+~~~~~</pre>

"Fish-Dwarf, you have saved us!" the children shouted as the wet dwarf
pulled his way up on to the bank. He had finished his last cleaning
run, and already the floodgate was rising, ushering in the waters that
would prepare the way for the summer harvest.

"Truly, Fish-Dwarf, your mastery of the murky depths never ceases to
amaze us. You are a hero," the Mayor Kogan said, offering Fish-Dwarf
a mug of the outpost's best.

"I am glad I could help," Fish-Dwarf said, draining the mug in one
motion. "If only the river waters were whiskey, my life would be
complete."

"I fear we would never see you again if that were the case!" the Mayor jested.

Fish-Dwarf pondered a moment. "Indeed. Yet the search for the
Whiskey River is a quest for the young, I'm afraid."

"We here at Gladanvil are happy to have you," the Mayor replied as the
crowd dispersed. As the others left, the mayor pulled Fish-Dwarf
aside.

"-- and yet, I fear you cannot stay long. I've received word from
King Dorazar. He has heard tell of your talents, and our liaison from
the Mountainhome has conveyed his request for your presence at the
capital."

"My presence? Surely the engineers of the Mountainhome can manage the
mighty floodgates and channels of Steelpoint without my help."

"It isn't farming trouble, Fish-Dwarf," the Mayor said, lowering his
voice to a whisper. "Many fisherdwarves have been lost to the waters.
There is something lurking in the Lake of Columns."

===(18 January 2008)===
<pre>~~~@/~~%OB%OO%%%~~</pre>

Innumerable stalactites hung from the ceiling of the expansive gem-lit
cavern, many dipping down through the still surface of the black
waters. This was the Lake of Columns, the source of life for
Steelpoint, and now a place of dread.

Fish-Dwarf fit the blades into place on his fins. The citizens of
Steelpoint did not know what the creature was, but no fewer than seven
fisherdwarves had been lost at the shore. No matter, thought
Fish-Dwarf. King Dorazar had charged him to slay the lurking threat,
and that is what he would do. Still, the nature of the creature
eluded him. It had been years since his last combat with an aquatic
beast, and then it was only the cave crocodiles and lizardmen that
occasionally harassed his own community. Steelpoint would not have
sent for him over such a triviality. Hefting his mighty trident,
Fish-Dwarf nodded to the gathered onlookers before leaping into the
lake.

The water was clear, and he could see the broad columns well ahead of
him down to where they joined the submerged floor of the cavern.
Behind any of these formations, the beast could lurk.

There! Nestled between three columns was a gigantic bloated form on
the lake bottom. Fish-Dwarf swam closer, almost drifting. What
manner of beast was this? Great tentacles it had, and a toothy maw
which flopped open as it slumbered, surrounded by half-consumed bodies
of the dead.

Fish-Dwarf was almost upon it now, his trident lifted above his head
as he sank slowly toward the sleeping fiend. As he prepared to
strike, the lurid thing's lone eye flashed open.

===(15 May 2008)===
<pre>------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~@/~%~~~~~~~~~
------------------------</pre>

Tentacles lashed out, looping around Fish-Dwarf's torso and pinning
his arms to his chest. A force stronger than any he had ever
experienced crushed his ribs and a stream of bubbles shot from his
mouth as the breath was squeezed from his body. Fish-Dwarf
desperately slashed at the tentacles with his fin blades and as his
vision faded to black he saw that the water was thick with curling
purple ribbons of the foul beast's tainted blood. The monster's grip
loosened and Fish-Dwarf was able to free his arms. His sight had not
returned, but when he stabbed his trident downward, he felt it sink
deep into the creature. The monster's body convulsed and it raced
into the open water, Fish-Dwarf still clinging to the imbedded weapon.

I cannot let go so long as I cannot see, or I will surely be devoured,
Fish-Dwarf thought, though the beast continued on into the depths at
such speed that the diver could not maintain his bearings, and
suddenly in the back of his mind arose a strange sensation... it was
the need for air, such as he had not experienced for many years. A
tingling came to his throat and nose, and his head began to feel numb
as he became more desperate for breath, and yet slowly, his vision was
returning.

The beast slowed, its energy spent, and it settled on to the lake
bottom, unmoving. Fish-Dwarf jammed the trident into it a few times;
the thing was dead. Now, the surface! Fish-Dwarf pulled his weapon
from the monster and swam upward, but he stopped immediately. As far
as he could see in the now-dark water, a smooth ceiling of limestone
greeted him. The monster had fled into a great crack in the lake
bottom, so far and so deep that the light from the gem lamps was no
longer visible. Just the endless water and rock of the submerged
tomb of Fish-Dwarf, he thought, as he chose a direction and swam.

===Fish Dwarf End: (1 July 2008)===
<pre>,@!,.~~~~~~~~</pre>

He had chosen the wrong direction. Either that or the beast had
dragged Fish-Dwarf so far into the mountain that the fires of the
underworld were closer than the light of the lamps. His breath was
long since gone -- moving forward was all that could keep him from
panicking. After every few kicks, the dwarf would reach up to feel
the limestone. If anything, the rock was closing in. No... what's
this? His hand curled up around a sharp corner. Fish-Dwarf grabbed
it firmly with both hands and pulled, launching himself upward.

The dwarf fully expected to meet a wall of rock, but instead he glided
freely until at long last he broke the surface of the water, gasping
for air. As the dwarf calmed down, he realized that he could still
see nothing. He felt walls close by in all directions, as if he had
just swum up a shaft, though there was a ledge overhanging the water
on to which he could haul himself and rest his weary body. Fish-Dwarf
passed in and out of consciousness for a time, perhaps an hour, before
he sat up and assessed his situation.

He could dive back into the water with his lungs full of air and try
to find the lamps, now unmolested by great underwater beasts, but he
did not relish the idea of leaving the entrance to the shaft behind in
total darkness as he explored the crevice below. The only alternative
was to feel his way along the walls from this ledge above the grotto.
These limestone mountains were laced with natural caverns and after a
brief exploration of the surrounding stone he found this hollow was no
exception -- there was a mud-slicked passage that ran into the
mountain. Without hesitation, Fish-Dwarf struck out into the cavern.

-- How long since he had started on this dreary journey? Though the mud
was often thick, Fish-Dwarf had not trudged through so much as a
puddle these many days. He thirsted for spirits, nay, even water, and
he longed to swim again. The dwarf had long since abandoned his fins
and other equipment as they encumbered him too much on the march.
Every so often, he imagined he saw the gem lamps ahead, though it
could just as easily be the cooking fires of a goblin encampment, or
some darker torture, as the lights of the capital he sought. There
they were, even now... lights! Or light at least, the barest speck
in the distance ahead. Fish-Dwarf moved swiftly, no longer plodding,
still careful of the stalactites but driving forward rapidly all the
same. The speck became an opening, and he could see the mud of the
passage floor illuminated in the distance, with stone walls further
beyond. Only a few more steps...

The cavern opened out upon a rocky river valley in a canyon sheer to
the greatest heights yet welcoming the noon-day sun. The entrance
where Fish-Dwarf stood was at the bottom of the cliffs a short walk
down pebble-laden slopes to the stream below. Instantly, Fish-Dwarf
could tell that these were no ordinary waters. They were the color of
honey, yet the current flowed rapidly. And the aroma! The
intoxicating aroma! There was no question in his mind. Whether it
fell from the throne of some inebriated sky god and vanished into the
underworld to besot the armies of hell made no difference, for here,
in this world, in this very mountain range, ran the slightest stretch
of the Whiskey River. His mind unencumbered by thoughts of duty or
home, Fish-Dwarf made his way down to the riverside to drink his fill.

===Hunger Begin (11 June 2008)===
<pre>,..,.++U+,.+,.+U~U||</pre>

Suffering blighted the land with cruel hunger. Wagons brought foul
fungus from the dwarven mountains. It was barely enough to sustain
those base enough to eat such filth. The rest died. Paldadar rested
against the hilt of his great sword. He looked over his shoulder at
the dark stone castle. Turning his back on mud brick huts, the knight
passed by the scraggly bearded guards and entered the keep.

From a high window, bright, mocking sunlight shone across the dark
wooden throne and the troubled king that sat upon it. The old man
reached for his cup, and after taking a sip, spat the vile dwarven
brew unto the stone floor. A herald in a mud-smattered tunic rushed
to wipe up the spill, but seeing the knight, rose to confront him.

"You were not summoned, Sir Paldadar," spit the herald. "Go ask the
peasants instead of begging the king for scraps from the royal table."

"Silence, Rodger," said the king.

The herald jumped away like a whipped dog. The king motioned the
knight to come forward.

"The gods have abandoned this place," said the king. "Only through
their glory will the days of bounty return. It is for this reason you
must smite the heathen Farthlings where they dwell across the river.
When their land is in ruin, the gods at last will favor us."

The knight ground his teeth. This was obviously High Priest Igland's
doing. But perhaps there was wisdom in punishing the arrogant
Farthlings for their many insults. Death by the sword was much
preferable to slow certain death by starvation.

===(17 June 2008)===
<pre>==?T?====,.UH,.U</pre>

As Paldadar walked away from the keep, peasants averted their hungry
faces. He was still a knight, even if he represented the most
wretched of kingdoms. A frail sissy approached from behind, leading
two horses. Paldadar swung around, drawing his sword. There stood
Rodger, wearing the snottiest of faces, his nose in the air.

"By the will of the king," he hissed, "I am to be your squire."

Paldadar prayed to the gods for mercy. Would that a Farthling's bolt
find his heart soon that he be saved from further tortures. Together
the pair made their way to the Temple of Love, where High Priest
Igland waited to bless their holy crusade.

The temple was built on a tall hill, a ring of marble columns
surrounding an enormous stone stele, pricking the sky with its
majesty. All around the temple, peasants scrambled to snatch at the
scraps donated by the monks that poured rotten food down the hill. As
Paldadar entered the temple, he was surrounded by fat priests and
priestesses that danced around him in a grotesque, undulating display.

The knight refused a cup of offered wine, which Rodger snatched up
and drank freely.

At the center of the temple, High Priest Igland stood, wearing nothing
save a red loincloth.

"When you wake in the morning," said Igland, "consider Love."

"Many happy couplings," said Paldadar as was the prescribed response.

"You must put an end to the Farthling menace," said the priest,
growing angry. "If their God of Suicide spreads his faith to our
kingdom, none of our desperate peasants will survive. You must strike
the heart of their kingdom and burn their temple to the ground."

Paldadar made the gesture of obedience and departed, pulling Rodger
away from the cavorting priests.

The kingdom of the Farthlings was separated from the kingdom of Love
by the River of Sorrow, whose wide fast-moving waters could only be
crossed in one place. This was the Bridge of Destiny. As the riders
approached, Rodger twitched with fear and apprehension, for it was
said the bridge was guarded by an evil water troll. At the bridge,
Paldadar held up his gauntleted hand. The horses stopped, and the
knight dismounted. Paldadar drew his sword and walked out onto the
wooden planks.

===(3 July 2008)===
<pre>%,..%,.|%.,.UH,%..%%UH,,%.~%,..(%).,.%|,..%</pre>

Green flames shot up from beneath the bridge. Horrid laughter pealed
across the blighted landscape. The knight turned to see Rodger making
tracks back to the temple with the speed of a spooked hare. Slowly
Paldadar looked over his shoulder to see the enormous bloated troll,
dripping with slime and black pus.

"You seek to pass into the land of suicide bearing the message of
love," said the troll. "What will you tell them, knight? Is slow
certain death by starvation superior than the final empowering
choice?"

"Where there is life, there is hope," said Paldadar. "Love will
overcome all obstacles!"

"Spoken like a true student of Igland," said the troll, assuming a martial pose.

As Paldadar cut the monster down, his mind was wracked with doubt.
Was the nation of love superior? He hailed from a place where young
people sold themselves for scraps of bread and yet he sought to bring
hope to a strange country. He found Rodger hiding in a nearby bush
and hauled him, protesting, across the bridge.

The land of the Farthlings was lush and green compared to the land of
love. Cherry blossoms rained down on the two riders as they wound
their way through the hills. Even in these pleasant surroundings, the
demented nature of the Farthlings soon became evident. Bodies dotted
the road here and there, swords plunged into their own guts. Corpses
hung in the trees from hastily-tied nooses, over eager to take their
own lives. As the riders passed, skeletal bodies lifted themselves
from the grass to watch them saunter on.

"Make babies, make babies, make babies," babbled Rodger, madly
reciting the Charm of Making.

At last they reached the capital of the Farthlings. The wind blew red
rose petals through the cold, dead streets. Even the cheerful sun
seemed dim in the vast tomb of a city. Rodger stared straight ahead
as they made their way to the keep, careful not to look into the dark
doorway, behind which ominous rustlings could be heard.

The flag of Farthlingland flew above the ramparts of the citadel. At
the base of the wall lay the piles of bones of those who had
hopelessly thrown themselves over the side. A wide moat circled the
castle. As the two riders approached, a draw bridge was lowered over
the water. Paldadar thought he could see a crowned figure on the wall
beckoning them inside. As they crossed the bridge, Rodger made the
mistake of looking down into the water. The currents were filled with
the souls of those who drowned themselves in desperate sorrow. Eyes
shut tight, Rodger hugged the neck of his horse, and followed Paldadar
into the gate.

==[[User:Onodera|onodera]]==
===(01 November 2008)===
<pre>"",",.@,.T,"""</pre>

"Don't let the sun set on you in the Dark Wood," said the dwarf
crones. "Ole Brick-a-Branch will get you." Nonsense, thought young
Davik as he rode his mule along the twisting green deer path. The
darkness came quickly as the sun slipped behind the trees. As he set
about making a fire, Davik pondered the dark tales of Brick-a-branch
and his mischief.

Not even the elves dared enter the Wood at night. Something older
than time haunted these cursed trees, but this valley was the quickest
way to Port City, saving at least a month of travel. As the night
grew darker and colder, Davik fumbled in his pack to retrieve the
charms and idols he had nearly refused as the journey began.

A great shape emerged from the darkness. It was a gnarled troll, as
old as the hills. It picked up Davik by the ankle.

"Not much meat here," it said.

"Please, Ole Brick-a-Branch, don't eat me," said Davik.

Having said his name, the troll was force to lay the dwarf down.

"I will not eat you," said the monster, "If you can answer me these
riddles three."

==[[User:Peristarkawan|Peristarkawan]]==
===(16 May 2007)===
<pre>=@()++@</pre>

Doran stirred the bubbling pot of syrup. It was ready! "Pour, pour, pour!" the dwarf sang. Into the molds the syrup flowed. "Another batch," the dwarf said, satisfied.

Just then, he noticed somebody standing in the doorway. "Ah, Glornol. What brings you to the kitchens this early? Come to try a sticky treat? I have some Anvil Drops cooling now. Just a moment."

Doran turned to the tray on the table when he was startled by Glornol's shouting. "What is the meaning of this? Isn't there a war on?"

"Even soldiers need sticky treats, Glornol!" Doran picked up two chocolate goblins and began to speak in a high-pitched throaty voice.

"Ooo, it's Glornol!" the first chocolate goblin said.

"Glornol's scared of the mean, mean goblins!" the second chocolate goblin observed.

"Let's eat the dwarf! Yummies for tummies!" the first chocolate goblin offered.

"The dwarf might eat me instead! Oh no!" the second chocolate goblin replied. Doran held the goblin out to Glornol.

Glornol was not amused, but he snatched the candy from Doran's hand. "Hrmph," he grunted, and biting the goblin's head off, he walked out of the kitchen.

==[[User:Qwip|Qwip]]==
===(05 December 2006)===

<pre>...@T@..###S#</pre>

Taking a break from their duty, the two guards sat at a table with a scenic view of the chasm.
They did not notice as they drained their mugs that they were being watched from the shadows
by clusters of pale eyes. A table by the chasm?!
--[[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 05 December 2006

===(09 February 2007)===

<pre>.@......####
...T@@~S####
.......#####
</pre>
Dolan was chatting with Aliz about the health benefits of dwarven beer when Aliz disappeared.
Dolan sprang to his feet and saw that Aliz was being dragged toward the chasm, a thick rope of
translucent silk wrapped around his left ankle. At the lip of the chasm, a bloated form slowly
reeled the line in with her spindly legs.
Dolan knew immediately -- it was the Wolf-Mother of Darkness.
He grabbed his axe and ran toward Aliz, who was now only a few more pulls from the beast.

As he was hauling ore to the magma smelter, the peasant Kogarak saw the situation, screamed,
dropping his load, and ran toward the barracks. As he heard the sound of an axe ring against
stone behind him, he wondered if he would make it in time.
:— [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 08:40, 9 February 2007 (EST)

===(18 April 2007)===
<pre>@@@...@.####
@..T..@S####
.......#####
</pre>
The axe had scored the stone floor where it had severed the silk line. The Wolf-Mother chittered
angrily and pounced at Dolan, moving with surprising quickness. Dolan was knocked to the ground,
the enormous body of the foul creature pressing him into the stone. His axe clanged some distance
away. The blunt knobs at the end of the Wolf-Mother's forelegs dug into Dolan's ribs as her
dripping mandibles drew closer to his face. He grabbed her head with both hands, trying
desperately to keep her at bay. A foul-smelling spittle dripped on to his cheek.

Aliz, still dazed from his initial fall, slowly made his way to his feet. Seeing Dolan's desperate
struggle, he drew his sword and hacked at one of the Wolf-Mother's legs. The bumpy skin was
incredibly tough, but the steel blade left the appendage hanging by tatters. The Wolf-Mother
belched a grating rasp and rolled away from Aliz and faced the dwarves. Dolan crawled toward his
axe, but the nauseating venom drenching his face and beard had left him almost powerless. The
Wolf-Mother hesitated, her wound oozing white ichor as Aliz stood his ground.

There were several sharp cracking noises, and the Wolf-Mother crumpled, several iron bolts
protruding from her many eyes. In the distance stood Bomtek and the other marksdwarves,
accompanied by Kogarak. Aliz rushed to Dolan. The dwarf was breathing heavily.

"My body feels like gravel. I need a drink," Dolan said.

"The Wolf-Mother is dead. Brace up. I'll bring you your mug." Aliz fetched Dolan's mug from
the table and brought it to the dwarf where he lay on the stone floor. The mug was almost empty.

"The brood," Dolan whispered. "The night brood will come."
:— [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 12:28, 14 May 2007 (EDT)

==[[User:Rewolf31|Rewolf31]]==
===(13 April 2007)===

<pre>.B@.~~~
</pre>
And so Alor, a wrestler of renown, found himself between a great boar and the wide river. For six days they struggled, and as the sun descended behind the hills on the evening of the seventh day, Alor finally collapsed in exhaustion. The boar spoke and said, "I too am tired. The sun has fallen. Let us rest." And so Alor and the boar slept, and the sun arose on the morning of the eighth day.

===(21 July 2007)===
<pre>,.,B@~,~,~</pre>

"Whiskey?" Alor asked the boar, holding up his flask. The wrestler had not spoken for a week.

"Gladly," the boar said, taking the flask up in its mouth. "You block my path to the river, and now you offer me your flask. Strange are the ways of your people."

"Your path? I was seeking to cross the river and found myself menaced," Alor said.

"The squirrels tell me I am a terror to behold when I am thirsty," the boar said as it drained the flask. "Do I menace you now?" The boar looked mild and plump. Indeed, the gentle creature reminded Alor of his daughter.

"No, I am not menaced. I am reminded of home," Alor said fondly. At that moment his stomach growled, for he had not eaten in some time.

"Hopefully I do not remind you of your dinner table," the boar laughed, "though it remains to be seen who would have the final mastery in our contest." Alor smiled broadly and the boar guided Alor to the ford, where they parted as friends.

===(12 September 2007)===
<pre>++@a@+
</pre>
"Daddy! Daddy!" the little girl cried happily as she ran toward the mighty dwarf where he stood under the archway.

"I missed you, sweet pod!" Alor crouched down and lifted the child up to his shoulder, where she sat, beaming. "Have you been good while I was away?"

"I made a puzzle box. See!" The girl held out a soapstone box. The master craftsdwarf always started the young ones with the material since it required little strength to carve, though it crumbled easily. Even so, the box was quite exquisite.

"That's beautiful. Now let me see here..." Alor pressed a button and the lid popped open. There was nothing inside. "Hey, where's my treasure?" he said in mock indignation.

The girl took the box and made a series of complicated motions along the inside of the empty compartment. A second lid opened, revealing a piece of dwarven sugar candy. The child giggled and smiled broadly.

Alor scratched his head and laughed. Coren was only six, but she was already beyond him.

"Did you win, daddy?" Coren asked.

"Ah, the tournament? Yes, sweet pod, there hasn't been a dwarf born yet that can beat your father," Alor looked at the puzzle box. "At least not at wrestling. And you know what else?"

"What else, daddy? What else?"

"I met a talking boar and we became friends."

"Again?" Coren complained. "I want to meet your animal friends soon."

"I'll invite them over for your party next month. Until then, you have to work hard. Do you have a lesson today?"

"Yes. Mr. Goldlocket says he'll let me try marble today."

"Marble, eh? That's amazing. You really are your mother's daughter. I'll walk you to the shop." Together they strolled down the passageway. Alor admired the carvings and architecture, occasionally pointing an engraving out and explaining its history, though his daughter had heard it all before. It had been two months since he left for tournament, and the wrestler had missed his home very much.

"The three of us should have a feast tonight. What do you say?" Alor asked. Coren did not respond.

The dwarf looked down. His daughter was not there. She was not in the passageway. There was no sign of her.

"Goblins!" A scream echoed through the tunnels. "Goblins in the fortress!"

===(18 September 2007)===
<pre>,..|mBL@+++++++g+</pre>

"I'm sure she's in there," Alor said from his place behind the boulder where he looked down upon the rusted iron doors of Chatteltomb.

"We must act now, while there's still time," the boar urged. This was the same boar that Alor had befriended by the riverbank, and it now came to aid Alor in his time of need.

"The door is locked. Even with our combined strength, I doubt we can force entry," the leopard observed. This was the same leopard that Alor had befriended in the high grasses, and it also came to aid Alor in his time of need.

"Don't worry. The guards were drunk in the ravine below," the marmot announced as it scampered up the slope with the key in its mouth. This was the same marmot that Alor had befriended on the mountainside, and it came to aid Alor after promises of food.

"I've only challenged the depths of this black pit once in my life. It is a memory I have longed to forget, though it will serve me now," Alor said. "It sickens me that my daughter is kept there. The way to the dungeons will not be heavily guarded, as fear of this place keeps all but the foolish at bay. That said, the tower above is garrisoned with unnumbered horrors. If the alarm is raised, escape will be impossible."

The group made their way down to the entrance. With some effort, Alor forced the key into place. The great doors swung open with a grating noise, exposing a palpable darkness that hung heavy in the stale air like a fog of soot. The thick shadows were penetrated from beyond by sinister red lights which gave vague form to the smooth obsidian corridors.

Once all had passed into the tower, they closed the door behind them. "We can only hope it is not unusual for the doors to sound. Do you see anything?" Alor whispered to the leopard.

"Several doors down, a goblin is standing," the leopard spoke softly. "It has turned to face us. I don't think it can make us out yet, but its night eyes are almost as strong as my own. It is coming this way."

Indeed, Alor could barely make out twin spots of crimson shining in the distance. The dwarf felt the leopard slip from his side. In a moment, the crimson spots disappeared from view. No sound accompanied their departure. Alor and the others padded quietly forward, approaching the stairway and the dungeons below.

==[[User:Senso|Senso]]==
===(29 April 2007)===
<pre><+@?++&~~</pre>

The wayward manager Aliz stepped quietly down the last flight of stairs into the lowest depths of the abandoned halls. The air of the room was stale and warm. The light of the dwarf's torch illuminated a stone pedestal, on which rested a gray book.

"The Tome of Suffering," Aliz whispered. In its blood-stained pages, the collected wisdom of countless outpost managers waited for his perusal. Never again would his charges starve. Never again would they complain for want of whiskey. Never again would Aliz have to consult the half-baked scribblings of his uncle Toran.

The ground shook and Aliz's ears were assailed by a deafening crash. When the dust cleared, the entire chamber was illuminated by a sinister red glow. In place of the far wall was a yawning pit filled with bubbling magma and flames. From the inferno came a betusked fiend, ravening, its slavering maw belching foul vapors through which stared its cruel bulging eyes. Its clawed hands kneaded the lardy folds of its corpulence as if it sought to make room for this latest morsel.

Aliz was terrified. The dwarf clutched the Tome to his chest. The horrific beast crouched by the magma pool, muttering in a grating whisper:

"It will be eaten. It will be eaten, the dwarf. Eaten. Eaten alive."

==[[User:Shades|Shades]]==
===Danrik Begin: (29 October 2007)===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===(24 July 2008)===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

===(5 December 2009)===

+@/+@@@+@@@@@@@

Dwarf hero Danrik called for his battleaxe. A dwarven squire ran to
him and put the weapon in his hand. The dwarf held the weapon high,
but collapsed, steadying himself on the hilt. The demon laughed. It
had congealed into the form of a man wearing a dark cloak, horns upon
his head, a nightmare lord of the underworld.

“If this is the best you can you can do, you have clearly lost,” said
the demon lord. “You will bring me one maiden every season.”

The nightmare lord looked over the cowering dwarves. He pointed at
the gasping form of Danrik. “Start with that one’s sister.”

Danrik watched helplessly as Andra, his lovely sister, was brought to
the demon’s side. The creature put its hand on her shoulder and the
pair disappeared in a burst of blue flame. Danrik howled with rage.
A squire ran up to him and bowed his head. “We will find Lady Andra,”
said the boy. “You can count on it.”

“What is your name, youngster?” asked Danrik.

“I am called Blackbeard,” said the boy.

“A strong name for such a small body,” said the hero. “You can begin
the quest by fetching a dragon tooth from the ruins of the wall. From
it we will forge a mighty shank to drive into the heart of the demon
lord.”

The squire smiled and bounded away into the rubble. It was the
beginning of a hard recovery. While the smiths worked in the forge to
create the ultimate knife, Blackbeard trained the hero to walk again.
When Danrik was able to put his fist through solid rock walls, they
knew they were ready. Danrik put the dragon dagger Gotter through his
belt and stepped before the crowd.

“I go now to rescue Lady Andra from the pit,” said Danrik. “The road
will be long and hard, to the fiery heart of the mountain and beyond,
to the land of the dead. Who is with me?”

Blackbeard jumped up and down, raising his hand above the shoulders of
those around him. Though it looked grim, a few brave adventurers step
forward. It was not a question of whether they would reach the
underworld, for they must reach it. They must reach Andra, and slay
her captors, for all great tales end this way.

===(25 December 2010)===

kkk""",.@P@,P.,""kkk"k

It is said that every great journey begins with a festival of
drinking, but Danrik wasn’t in the mood. All he could think of was
that evil spirit with his sister and his soul burned with rage. As
the others celebrated their bravery, Danrik strolled up the trail
toward Blood Mountain, kicking dirt clods as he went.

“You weren’t thinking of leaving without me were you?” It was Blackbeard.

“Of course not,” said Danrik, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Let those fools drink themselves silly. We have a fair maiden to
save.”

Together, the two adventuring dwarves mounted their ponies and trotted
off into the darkness. After a time the fires of the fortress
disappeared behind the rolling wooded hills. It was not long before
they left the land of the dwarves and entered into the depths of
Haunted Forest. No one knew what kinds of wicked spirits dwelt there
for few ever returned alive.

“Why must we enter this dark place?” asked Blackbeard.

“Blood Mountain lies on the other side of this forest,” said Danrik,
“and nothing will stand between me and Andra. We rest here.”

“Here?” asked Blackbeard. “Surely you could have picked a less creepy place.”

It was true. Danrik had picked a dreadful place to camp. Everywhere
the night birds, eyes of the enemy, were watching them. The very
trees seemed to reach out to grab them. Worst of all, they had laid
their camp on a kobold burrow. Silently the creatures crawled from
their holes, armed with bone knives, ready to cut the heart out of any
poor fool.

“Did you hear that?” said Blackbeard.

===(05 February 2012)===

~@//////+@/&@+\\\\\\\

Andra cried out as the grubby little goblin whipped her again. She
was locked in some sort of dungeon. She couldn’t tell where for the
strange rough-hewn black rock was unknown to her. She pulled at her
chains again. One of them was loose. Let me at that horned villain,
thought Andra, but this one will die first.

“Tell us, sister Andra,” said the goblin. “Does it hurt?”

The links of the chain exploded as the dwarf woman yanked with all her
might. The broken chain slapped the goblin upside the head, killing
it instantly. She undid her other hand and stole the goblin’s keys,
escaping the dungeon, chain still attached.

The view outside was terrifying. Pillars of fire rose up from lakes
of burning magma. Andra found herself standing on the narrow ledge of
a black pyramid at the center of the world. It seemed that she could
never escape this perfect prison.

Pulling the chain tight, the solution was obvious. She would find the
horned king and force him to take her back. Then she began to climb.
The top was further than it looked. It seemed she had been climbing
for days, maybe for weeks. Then she made the crest.

The scene was ridiculous, for there was Danrik holding a shank to the
demon lord’s belly while another dwarf was grappling him by the horns.

“I swear,” whined the demon. “I don’t know where she is! She must
have escaped!”

“Danrik!” cried Andra.

Danrik lost his concentration for a second and the demon slapped
Gotter out of the dwarf hero’s hand. Blackbeard nearly flew over the
side of the pyramid as the demon bucked him off. The creature ducked
just in time to save its life as Andra whipped the chain over its
head.

“The knife!” cried Danrik. “It’s the only way to kill it!”

===(18 February 2014)===

.\k,//@////+@+@&+\\\\\\\

As Andra scanned the slope of the pyramid, the demon took advantage of
her lapse in concentration. It grabbed hold of the chain, still
shackled to Andra's arm and pulled her to its chest with one mighty
yank. Danrik cried out, but it was to late. The demon had Andra in
its clutches.

“"The dagger, Gotter,"” said the demon. “"Give it to me and I will
spare your sister's life.”"

“"I'll give it to you alright,”" hissed Danrik.

Time seemed to drag on as Danrik faced down his adversary. He had
full faith that Blackbeard had recovered the dagger and was rushing to
his aid. He held out his hand, waiting, never taking his eyes off the
demon holding his sister hostage. He could never have guessed the
hassle that Blackbeard was now dealing with.

“"You..."” said Blackbeard.

The kobold had followed the dwarves ever since they had fallen into
the kobold burrow in the creepy forest. That night, the heroes must
have killed a dozen kobolds a piece. Bacabadabis was away collecting
grubs when the dwarves came. He returned to a scene of absolute
horror. His home had become a charnel house.

“"Any time now...”" growled Danrik.

Blackbeard shook his head, unable to believe his bad luck. The kobold
chieftain stood at the bottom of the pyramid, holding Gotter at his
side. The dwarf shouted at the creature, demanding that he dropped
the weapon that clearly didn't belong to him. Couldn't he see the
danger up above? If they didn't stab the demon with the magic knife
soon, they were all surely doomed.

“"Bacabadabis,”" said the kobold.

If history taught any lessons, the clearest was that kobolds could not
be reasoned with.

==[[User:Shanty|Shanty]]==
===(30 June 2007)===
<pre>@@+U@</pre>

Rogar spun again and again, staring into the darkness. The scraping had begun all at once and it seemed to come from every direction. Nothing could be seen beyond the limit of the flickering torchlight.

There! A shadow moved slowly out of the darkness. It had the stature of a dwarf, but Rogar knew the outpost had been abandoned for decades. After a moment, the warrior could see clearly. The shuffling thing had no flesh. The bones of its feet clacked and slid across the stones. The dead were walking in this place.

There were more, many more. Rogar was completely surrounded. He held up his sword and turned from threat to threat. The dwarves were unarmed, with tatters of cloth hanging over their skeletal remains. Bits of beard were still visible stuck around their garments and their skulls. The dead stopped short of Rogar's weapon and stood completely motionless. There was no way the warrior could pass without forcing his way through.

The skeleton he had seen first raised its bony hand slowly, curling all of its fingers save one into its palm. Its index finger pointed toward Rogar. From somewhere within its skull, it emitted a long, low moan which ended in a hiss and faded into silence.

==[[User:Spelguru|Spelguru]]==
===(19 November 2006)===
<pre>
..@.M.~~~~...
</pre>
The adventurer, transformed into a ghoul by strange forces, crawls toward the Everlasting River of Curing, barely clinging to his life, such as it had become. Suddenly, from the ceiling dropped... Adamantine Man! Is there any hope?!

===(19 December 2006)===
<pre>
...M.~~~~..".
.....@~~~~...
...."~~~~~...
</pre>

Adamantine Man spoke and said, "Unfortunate stranger! You wish to cast off your affliction? Drink then, and be blessed."

So the adventurer drank. The soothing warmth of the water spread from the center of his body, out to his deformed fingers and toes. Without pain, they shifted and were set in their proper places, along with the other marks of the affliction. All was well.

The adventurer looked at Adamantine Man in awe and asked, "I am grateful, Adamantine Man, for I had been without hope. For years unnumbered, my people have deemed the River unapproachable. 'Adamantine Man is there', they said, and yet, I have found naught here but a generous host and the cure to all that ailed me. Tell me Adamantine Man, why are you so feared? I am humbled by your graciousness, but am I truly free from danger?"

Adamantine Man spoke for a second time and said, "Indeed, be not afraid. Your people regard me with terror, for they do not understand me, and verily, who among you can understand Adamantine Man, who does not understand himself?"

The adventurer bowed his head and said, "It is true. Even now I am unsettled, for though you have granted me renewed life asking for nothing, still, even now, I wish to leave and never return."

Adamantine Man spoke for a third time and said, "So it has always been. Go now in peace."

The adventurer left without looking back. Overjoyed, his family accepted him, no longer an outcast, and soon all in the land had heard that he who had once been tainted was made whole by the River.

Some years later, a man, broken in body, came to the adventurer's abode. "I seek your aid, for it is said that you who were once tainted were made whole by the River. Tell me, where is the River, that I might be restored?"

The adventurer looked at the man, and he said, "Adamantine Man is there. Be content now, as I shall never be again." The man departed, and the adventurer remained.

===(25 March 2007)===

The adamantine man story ended.
<pre>
@-***=.T
</pre>
The Pulson-9000 seared the sky trailing ion-energized purple lightning. The XZ-Trollmech Mk7 didn't stand a chance. Another contract, another payment. Rogar was the last dwarf of his village, and after many hardships had fallen into the tough life of a mercenary warrior. He had stolen his first fighting bot, but after three years he had enough money to build and repair his own. He spent his offtime tinkering, which soothed his still-dwarven heart.

For now though, he was in enemy territory. True, the contract was complete, but he had fought his way deep into the personal citadel of the vile cyber-modded troll Vanquidor in order to blow his Mk7 body to pieces, and now he had to laze through the bodyguards and sentry droids he hadn't already obliterated. The dwarf had very little ordinance remaining. Rogar put on his shades. Things were about to get hot, but he was cool as a sonic-fan. Time to fire it up! Yeah!

==[[User:SupSuper|SupSuper]]==
===(19 April 2007)===
<pre>+R@%+@+%</pre>

"Hya! Hya!" Kogan screamed as he careened around the corner astride Lomrin. He had acquired the giant rat from the dungeon master for a vial of liquid fire. It had been a barrel of laughs, especially after a mug or three.

As they passed the foodpile, Lomrin stopped suddenly to inspect a large plump helmet biscuit. Kogan flew over the rat's ears and landed on his beard, sliding to a stop at a pair of black leather boots. Kogan waited a moment for his head to clear, and then he rolled back on his bottom and stared up at the face of Mul. It had to be Mul.

"On a bender again, are we Kogan?" Mul admonished.

"We? I swear I haven't given Lomrin a drop!" Kogan said indignantly.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Mul said, indicating the food stockpile with a nod of his head.

Kogan turned his head. Lomrin had pried the lid off of a whisky barrel. Only her rear legs and tail were now visible.

"She takes after her uncle Kogan!" Kogan beamed proudly. Mul knocked him down to the ground with a push from his foot.

==[[User:Syndlig|Syndlig]]==
===(18 May 2007)===
<pre>oU++@@</pre>
The man struggled against the chains. The dwarves stared at him, smiling in satisfaction.

"That should ward you off our treasures, human. Be glad we don't send for the Hammerer."

The human scoffed. "Ha! I may be a thief, but at least I'm not a dwarf. See how I tower above you! I may not have a trade, I may not have any notable achievements whatsoever, but I am still a man."

The blackbearded dwarf turned to his companion. "You know, Mul, I suppose we could call for the Hammerer. The Baron will understand. After all, it was the Baron's goblet we found in his pack."

The dwarf named Mul considered this. "The Hammerer could certainly give him a new perspective on life. From two or three handspans lower down, at that. Start at the ankles, perhaps?"

"I always preferred the kneecaps, myself," the blackbearded dwarf said as they turned to leave. "It's really up to Rashok to decide though."

Mul hummed in disappointed affirmation. "Hmm, Rashok gets to have all the fun doesn't he?"

"Wait! Don't leave, my little friends!" the man screamed as the dwarves disappeared through the iron gate.

The blackbearded dwarf poked his head back into the dungeon. "We'll spare some whiskey, don't worry!" He disappeared again.

"Watered down, of course..." Mul could be heard saying as their footfalls faded away.

==[[User:Minion21g|Minion21g]]==
===(28 December 2008)===
<pre>&||,g.g,gg....,.UU</pre>

Fiends pounded the trail, hunting Belmir and his thieving partner.
The two had stolen into the dark goblin tower in the dead of night and
taken the vial that held the demon king's essence. By destroying it,
they could stop the war and put an end to the demon forever. Why
destroy it, thought Belmir, when it obviously held so much value? He
and Gal would be rich men. Or, he thought, looking at Gal with
murderous intent, perhaps just me.

==[[User:NoNotTheBees|No Not The Bees]]==
===(29 December 2008)===
<pre>.M%,..U.,</pre>

The lonely cottage stood underneath a great hill of snow that had been
born of the great blizzard. Wind and sleet kept the pioneers indoors.
That, and the promise of hated predators searching for meat in the
frozen wastes. But as his family grew hungry, Fram knew that he must
join the hunters outside.

Almost immediately Fram saw the danger. Bloody footprints of a great
creature circled the cottage as if a monster sought a way inside.
Grimly, Fram gripped his spear. He must persevere lest his family
starve. He followed the monster's tracks away from his home as he
pulled his furs tight against the freezing winds.

Ahead he saw a shape, a black mound against an ocean of white.
Cautiously, Fram approached. It was the half eaten body of a black
bear. But what could kill such a large beast. As if to answer, a
monster loomed into sight, its body covered with long icicles. A
blizzard man!

==[[User:Scrollhaven|Scrollhaven]]==
===(28 December 2008)===
<pre>""@,.UE,."</pre>

With one mighty swing, Alfonso knocked away the prone elf's sword and
placed his boot on his wrist. Many moons had past since the vile
creature had killed poor Jim and ate him. Even now the elf looked up
in defiance. Finally, in these haunted woods far from home, vengeance
would be served. Alfonso held the tip of his sword over the
creature's heart, wondering vaguely if it had one.

"Back off, human," came a voice from behind, "this is my kill."

The human ranger turned to see a dwarf holding a crossbow. By the
state of his boots and armor, Alfonso could tell the dwarf too, had
been on a long quest. The elf saw its chance and snaked its way out
from between the ranger's legs and was off into the brush in an
instant. Alfonso cursed and charged after him, the dwarf close
behind.

== [[User:NobbZ|NobbZ]] ==
===(16 February 2009)===

<pre>@@$@,.~~@,..</pre>

The dwarven toughs stood around the curve in the corridor, taunting
the dwarf lasses as they passed. A particularly vicious young dwarf
fingered his crossbow as he saw a dwarf he knew.

"Hey, Moody," said a thug. "There's the dwarf that owes you that coin."

"Yes," said Moody, stepping up to the dwarf, pointing his weapon.

"You owe me," said Moody. "Hand over the purse."

"I don't have your money!" said the dwarf.

The dwarven outlaws piled onto the dwarf, beating him near to death.

"I'll be back," said the blood-soaked dwarf over his shoulder as he
ran. "I'll be back!"

"You're never coming back coward!" shouted Moody.

== [[User:Shzar|Shzar]] ==
===(July 16 2008)===
<pre>&D###ggggggg,.|@@</pre>

The demon king rode high on his dragon as his vast army assaulted the
dwarf fortress below. Catapults smashed the battlements with huge
balls of fire. Bolts and arrows filled the air in a deadly exchange
of fire. Armored trolls ran into the stone gates, smashing into the
rock and sending shards flying. Not one space above ground was safe.

"How could it come to this?" cried Durkan, hands over his ears.

"Courage," said the warrior dwarf Glamsfir.

Pebbles fell from the ceiling as another bombardment rocked the
fortress. Glamsfir stood and peered out of an archery portal. The
situation was fatal. He lifted his crossbow and put down a goblin
archer in an act of defiance, though it mattered little.

"We have not long to live," said Durkan, "do we Glamsy?"

"I told you not to call me that," said the dwarf hero.

==Meto==

===(9th December, 2009)===
<pre>UUUU/UU/U#+!++@@@@</pre>

Dwarves hurled boulders down on the invaders as they advanced by
ladder. Sharkra smiled, for this meant they had run out of ammunition
for their war machines. She dodged out of the way as a human invader
plunged down past her to a rocky doom. Sharkra grimaced. Machines or
not, these dwarves would fight the death to save their blasted
mountain. At last she reached the battlements.

Battle master Sharkra was an evil genius of combat. It was rumored
she had sacrificed everything she loved for riches and lost it all
gambling the same night. Her very aura smelled of the underworld.
Now she soldiered for anyone who would pay her. Pay her and her elite
troop of mercenaries, the Unholy Band. This time is was rat-lord
Gomra that hired her.

Sharkra pulled herself onto the fortress wall. Members of the Unholy
Band leapt over the battlements, light on their feet. Together they
advanced on the dwarves. Sharkra wielded a giant mace, while the Band
pulled rapiers from polished sheaths.

"We have you," said Sharkra. "Throw down your weapons and die quickly."

Something sailed through the air and struck Sharkra in the face, a
glass flask filled with fuming liquid. The glass shattered sending
pain coursing through the evil woman's body. She put her hand to her
face and it came back covered in slime. She straightened up and
looked around. The Unholy Band was laughing at her. Sadly, this
wasn't the first time.

"What are you standing around for?" screeched Sharkra. "Kill them."

The vain and evil Sharkra pulled a mirror from her pack which she
carried at all times. Her face was never much to begin with, but now
it was utterly ruined. Gomra, thought Sharkra, it is all his fault.
The warrior woman whistled and the Unholy Band followed her as she
retreated from the fortress.

"It is said," intoned dwarf captain Duzelm, "that evil shall always
turn upon itself."

"What is your plan master?" asked Bally, the dwarven squire.

"We shall follow this villain back to Lord Gomra," said Duzelm "and
catch all the rats in the same trap. Go to the humans in Gelthtown,
they have the quick steeds we require."

Before the day was through, the men of Gelthtown had assembled the
horses, along with master rider Jorna. She was blond and lean, draped
in the leathers of a Gelthtown tracker. The dwarves climbed onto the
horses and strapped themselves in.

"Are you sure you can keep up with the Unholy Band?" asked Captain Duzelm.

Jorna laughed. "Just pray I don't reach Gomra before Sharkra does," she said.

==Schmi==

===(16th March, 2010)===
<pre>EHEHEHEHEHE#####||@+@@@@+||==O|TTTOTTO+></pre>

Magic flying horses galloped through the sky carrying the elf warriors
on bolts of enchanted lightning. It was war, oh war, that brought the
warriors hence. The evil dwarf fighter stood atop the tower of the
dwarf fortress waiting for them to come. In his arsenal were a dozen
flame-throwing catapults ready to spring into action. Giant trolls
dragged the ammunition up from the mines. The dwarf raised his hand.
A hundred marksdwarves aimed their crossbows. Rainbows filled the sky
as the elves approached. With a final snort, the dwarf let his hand
drop.

===(23 April, 2010)===
<pre>~~/~~U~~~~</pre>

When it was over, not a good thing lived. With the failure of the
sacred band all hope was lost. The trees of the forest were swept
from the earth, and those luckless beings that lived were enslaved to
the evil dwarf fortress. The dwarves delved deep into the earth and
released onto it, the horrors of the underworld. Fed up with the
world, the gods turned their back on it, leaving only Armok, the blood
god, to rule alone.

Peasant farmer Alan heard a whistling noise from above and turned his
head to the blood red sky. He leapt to the side as a huge broadsword
landed at his feet. Alan scratched his head. The gods ask too much,
he thought. All of his ancestors had fought and died in elongated
wars. What can he give but his weak life?

==Robert 'Brightgalrs' Schultz==
===(31 June 2010)===
<pre>,.Wk,.. //####||@++>||###</pre>

No lock was safe from the kobold master thief, Macabis. The last year
he broke into the thick-walled castle Varnus. And only two weeks ago
he had robbed the goblin dungeon under the Blood Mountain. But
Macabis shared the failings of all of his kind. For to a kobolds
there was no difference between a rough diamond and a piece of
shattered glass.

"You, go here," said the wizard, pointing at a map scrawled in the dirt.

"Bring me this." The wizard produced from his robes a metal cup. The
kobold blinked, its yellow eyes seemed to search for meaning and
quickly gave up. The wizard reached into his other sleeve and
produced a drinking horn. The kobold screeched and grabbed it with
both hands. The humans always had the best drink. Macabis knew what
the scratchings on the cup meant. It was the dwarf fortress of
Antguard. He yanked away the horn and slung it over his back. There
would be many more such drinks once the wizard had his cup.

Aliz still felt a little queasy as the sun broke over the mountains.
He had been on tower duty for two months, punishment for staring too
long at the beautiful queen. Had they only know the true subject of
his avarice. It was the artifact cup from which she drank. It had
the power to make any liquid taste like the finest wine. As he
daydreamed, a shadow passed under the castle gate.

==markpank==
===(27 November 2010)===
<pre>,""."".,UU,..,."",."||W+++||</pre>

Power. That was all that mattered. Evil wizard Marcon commanded a
legion of vampires and all manner of night creatures. It was the
daylight that was his greatest weakness. When all his creatures
crawled back into their graves, there he was, nothing but a lonely old
man in a crumbling tower. The peasants of the village knew to stay
away from the ugly building. It was rumored you could see a mournful
eye staring out of the highest window, resenting all that lived.

Young page Allen took the hand of his best girl Mandy and raced
through the dawn village on a lover's tryst.

"Where are we going, my love?" asked Mandy.

"To Marcon tower," said the boy. "They will never look for us there."

"No!" cried Mandy. "A thousand times no! That place is haunted."

"What's a matter Mandy?" mocked Allen. "Are you afraid of the bogeyman?"

===(18 December 2010)===
<pre>,.||>W>+UU||,.</pre>

Shafts of light from the failing sun shone through the high windows
and fell on the lovers as they lay on the grassy floor. As Allen
looked up at the inside of the crumbling building, he did so with the
eyes of a boy who knew he was now a man. Somewhere in the distance a
coyote howled. Night was falling. Not even Allen was stupid enough
to stay in Marcon tower after dark. He tried to sit up, but Mandy
lay across his arm and would not stir.

With wondrous motion the tower began to transform. Torches appeared
on the walls. Cold stones replaced the grass on which Allen lay.
Planks of wood sprouted from the walls and unfolded into a great
spiral stairway. Chill gripped Allen's heart as he heard steps
resounding down the stair. He tried to pull his hand free but Mandy
lay still and cold to the touch. With horror, the young man watched
as the wizard descended, cloaked and menacing.

"All hope is for naught," said the wizard. "The fruit of your deed is
death eternal."

===(06 January 2011)===
<pre>,.,||U*+++=U=++||,.,o,.,.</pre>

Mandy rose from her place with the jerking movement of a marionette.
Allen cried out and crawled backward across the floor. Naked, he ran
from the tower, the wizard's evil laughter ringing in his ears. He
ran in fear, faster even than the bogeymen the wizard sent to chase
him. Finally, his body cut up, bleeding, and exhausted, he collapsed
on the steps of the temple.

"I pity you Allen," said the priest, "for it takes such a disaster to
bring you to the temple of Domon."

The boy cried and told his tale of terror and woe. The priest shook
his head and told him there was little hope for Mandy now. He handed
Allen a small gem -- the Eye of Domon. It was said to pierce all
darkness.

"You must return to the tower tonight," said the priest, "lest Mandy
fall forever."

That night, Marcon was preparing for the ceremony, giggling like a
little girl. Mandy was laid out before him on a stone slab. Just as
he raised the dagger for the death stroke, Allen kicked in the door.
Marcon made to spit out a curse when the boy raised up the Eye of
Domon. With a shriek, Marcon transformed into a barn owl and escaped
through the open ceiling.

===(02 April 2011)===
<pre>|++UuU++++U|N.,.</pre>

"There is nothing we can do for her but wait," said the priest.

Allen paced the length of the church, stealing glimpses of Mandy's
body splayed out on the altar. He remembered the wizard's curse. His
hand gripped the jewel as he prayed to Domon for mercy. Mandy cried
out. The priest put his hands on the girl's body and forced her down.

Allen's eyes went to the windows where candles flickered and went
out.

"This girl is with child," growled the priest. "Where is the father?"

A knock came at the door. Allen looked to the priest, eyes wild with
fear. "Go," said the priest, turning back to the writhing girl. The
frightened boy picked up a torch and made his way to the front of the
darkened church. Behind him, the girl was screaming between gurgling
coughs. He dare not look now.

The door swung open to reveal a terrible phantom. It wore a tattered
black robe and its head was a bare skull. "My master Marcon has sent
me to take what is his," it said. Allen was paralyzed with fear. The
girl's screams had stopped. Allen turned to see the priest, covered
in blood. In his hands he held a baby, squirming and alive, but
silent as death itself.

===(14 November 2011)===
<pre>,.U/|++++U|.</pre>

The air was still, and not an insect stirred in the cursed village.
It was here that evil was born, and it was here evil would die. Sir
Ramet looked to the most pathetic cottage and made his way to the
door. When no one answered, he knocked the door off its hinges with a
blow from his hammer.

He walked through a cloud of dust to see the body of a white haired
old man, half starved to death. Ramet put his foot on the man's
shoulder and jostled the body. It was then that he saw that it was
not a man, but a boy, his hair as white as snow.

"Allen?" said Ramet. "Know that your treason has cause many a soldier
to lose his life, and while your son walks the earth, no one is safe."

"Son?" said Allen to the darkness. "I have a son? My poor Mandy."

Ramet lifted his hammer and Allen seemed suddenly to come to life.

"Wait!" shouted the wretch. "I hold something which is your only salvation."

The knight watched as Allen held up a small jewel.

"The Eye of Domon?" asked Ramet, unbelieving.

The two left the cottage and turned toward Marcon's tower. The
crumbling building cast a shadow across the village, the sun hiding
behind its upper reaches. It was deserted, but both men knew what
would happen after sundown, only a few short hours away.

===(14 December 2011)===
<pre>U,.,.,.||U/++Ui++||</pre>

Once they reached the ruined tower, Ramet reached under his cloak,
behind his ample belly and drew a short, thick sword. He bid Allen
come closer and took the Eye from him. There was a socket in the hilt
of the blade and the knight drove the jewel home. A flash of
light blinded the two men briefly and when he opened his eyes, Allen
saw Ramet holding the glowing sword before him.

"Behold," shouted Ramet. "This is a weapon of Domon. Take it! For
the seed you have spilled now soils the land, and you must put it
to right."

Allen touched the sword as the last rays of sunshine faded from behind
the hills. Once again, Marcon's tower rebuilt itself. Bats flew
out from the top as all manner of groans and scrapings came from
inside. Allen's courage failed him and he turned to run. Ramet put
his hand on the boy's chest and pushed him back.

"Forget all that," said the knight. "It is time you understood the
consequences of your actions. I didn't loose the demon. You did.
Take the sword, go in there, and slay the monster."

The sword of Domon trembled in Allen's shaking hand as he opened the
door to the tower. Calling on all his force of will, he stepped
inside. It was dark save for a single candle resting on the floor.
Beside it knelt a person in a dark colored robe. Silently, Allen
stepped up behind and pulled back the hood of the robe with the tip of
his sword.

"Mandy?" he said.

===(02 February 2012)===
<pre>U<<<U####/##o##</pre>

"I could be Mandy to you," said the girl, rising from the floor.

Allen's sword fell to his side, a tear rolling down his cheek. The
dark creature brushed the white hair away from his face. The shadows
dancing around began to take physical shape. Allen put his arm around
the girl. The world began to spin. In his mind he could see ghostly
armies marching across the land. His lips touched hers.

"That thing is your daughter!" cried Ramet. "Kill it!"

With a jerk, Allen drove his sword through the girl's ribs. The
creature screamed. Red gas shot from its mouth and eyes. Allen
backed away, disgusted and horrified. Ramet caught Allen in his arms
as the building shook and swayed. Then, all went silent, all but
Marcon's laughter.

"This villain has lived long enough," spit Ramet.

Up and Up the knight ran, bounding three steps at a time. Marcon
spotted him and quit his laughter quick. A pair of shadow demons rose
from the floor, but Ramet barreled straight through them and met
Marcon at the roof of the tower.

"I don't suppose you would stab an opponent in the back?" asked Marcon.

The wizard turned and leapt from the tower, transforming into an owl.
The knight threw his war hammer with all his might. It struck the
bird in an explosion of feathers. Marcon's lifeless body spiraled
slowly down to the earth.

When Ramet reached the bottom of the stairs, Allen was on his knees,
staring at the floor. The knight lifted him up, leaned close and
spoke to him.

"Listen," said Ramet. "We have something Marcon and your poor Mandy
don't have. A future."

===(25 November 2012)===

<pre>+@+@%++++######?</pre>

Down beneath the earth, where they never see the sun, there live a
people pale and hairy. The ‘deep dwarves’ they are called, and their
metropolises stretch for leagues under the root of the mountain.
Rarely do they come in contact with the surface dwarves and it is not
without cause that they have gained the reputation for being a little
strange.

“Come and see this,” said a guards-dwarf.

Annoyed, Captain Kogar put down his pipe and stood up, brushing the
ashes from his broad belly. He followed the dwarf through a series of
twisting tunnels down, down to the bottom of the mine. What could it
possibly be? The castle guard knew better than disturb him over petty
things. Maybe it was another murder. But berserker season had
already come and gone.

“Here he is,” said the guard.

At the end of the farthest tunnel, the body of a dwarf lay, as white as a sheet.

“Is he dead?” asked Kogar.

“Ask him yourself,” said the guard.

Kogar leaned down and put his ear to the pale dwarf’s lips.

“You must flee to where the sun is bright,” said deep dwarf. “For no
one under the ground is safe while the monster draws breath.”

===(28 January 2013)===

<pre>?N? ++++++@+@||</pre>

With that the strange dwarf died. Captain Kogar called for his
lieutenants. Together they searched the mine from whence the deep
dwarf came. Any opening to the underworld, no matter how small, could
prove the end for even the mightiest of fortresses. After a week of
searching, nothing could be found.

“Maybe the dwarf was crazed,” said a deputy. “Maybe there is no monster.”

“No,” said Kogar, “this is going to be a bad one.”

That very night, the first dwarf went missing. The creature left
nothing but a dark stain on the floor. Kogar’s dwarves searched the
mines again and again, but no opening could be found. When the next
victim disappeared, Kogar knew he had to tell his liege, Merduk the
Mad.

“What is this nonsense you speak of?” asked the mad king.

“The mine monster kills at will,” said Kogar. “We must think of
sending the young ones to the surface.”

“Fool,” shouted the king, slamming his fist onto the arm of his
throne. “No dwarf with come in or out until the monster is slain.
Their deaths will be yours to decide.”

===(4 May 2013)===

<pre>@@@@@@@++++|@/++@|</pre>

That night the fortress was a buzz of activity. After all, it was the
time for the Plump Helmet Festival, a time when many a young dwarf
would be married and fun would be had by all. King Merduk himself
would preside over the ceremony. The streamers were strung. The
torches were lit. Soon the great hall was filled with a multitude of
drunken dwarves.

“Tell them to disperse,” said Kogar. “Call an end to this foolishness
or you will regret it.”

“And you wonder why they call me the mad king?” asked Merduk. “Look
to yourself or you will be out of a job.”

Wandering through the crowd, Kogar couldn’t even muster enough energy
to drink a cup, let alone dance. This was going to be a disaster and
a lot of people would die. Mad Merduk had not only gone on with the
plans for the party, he had locked the gates so no one could leave the
fortress. Disgusted, Kogar retired to his quarters.

“You know there is only one way to escape,” said a voice in the darkness.

Leaping to his feet, Kogar pulled his knife and scanned the room for
the intruder. Though he could not see, he knew the creature was still
there. But there was something else, a roar like a distant storm.
Kogar stepped to the door and threw it open. The light shown down on
the pale dwarf hiding in the corner, but more shocking still were the
screams, now clearly heard coming from the hall.

“Leave them,” said the deep dwarf. “There is only time to save yourself.”

==suntorvic==
===(13th December, 2010)===
<pre>s,.s.C,..@,.,//%%%%%</pre>

Dwarf hero Ulkram walked right up to the cyclops's lair. It was a
shabby place, just a cave under a grassy hill. Here and there, stray
sheep wandered hither and fro, nibbling on the wet grass. Not a
stranger to herohood, Ulkram barged inside, axe held high. Inside, he
was met with all manner of foul smells. Dwarven skins lined the walls
and on the floor was a pile of bearded skulls. Ulkram was rendered
senseless by the unimaginable evil. He went outside to wretch.

"My home is not to your liking?" came a deep voice.

The cyclops was enormous. In its mighty fist was a shepherd's cane.
The monster dropped to one knee. Ulkram could barely keep his axe
steady.

"Tell you what," said the monster. "How about we play a game? You
ask me what I'm thinking, then I you. If I can't answer, I let you
go. If you can't answer, you go in my pot. Agreed?"

Having no other choice, Ulkran nodded his head in agreement.

==[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]]==
===(6 January 2011)===
<pre>ccccc,.,.||,.,@,.,.@,..c||sssss||</pre>

Like wild banshees, the calls of the coyotes went on all night,
disturbing the dwarf outpost and all within. Watch-dwarf Aliz took up
his torch and scaled the stairs of the wooden tower that stood at the
gatehouse of their wooden palisade. Nothing. Nothing, but the hated
forest that stood upon the rolling hills on which their wooden
fortress sat. It was risky to mine out in the wilderness, away from
the mountains. But without risk there is no profit, and danger is its
own reward.

They kept sheep behind that wooden fence. Nali could smell them. The
short hairy man things look easy enough to outrun, but they were like
men, they would have weapons, and fire. But Nali's charge were
hungry. A coyote nipped at Nali's hairy leg. Nali tussled the
coyote's head. It would be tonight.

The coyotes howled from the woods in front of the gate whilst Nali
made his way around the back of the fortress, clutching a pair of
spears. When he reached the darkest spot, he wedged a spear against
the wall and used it to lift himself over the side. He made his way
carefully past the drunken dwarven guards to the place where the sheep
were penned. Just as he was about to open the gate, he froze.

"Coyote man!"

==[[User:Narushima|Narushima]]==
===(06 February 2011)===
<pre>||%@~+|++</pre>

"Tosid, Aliz, and Sedil watched with anticipation as the workers
chiseled through layer after layer of raw adamantine. The dwarves had
long imagined this moment, a reality of eternal wealth. There was a
scream, then another. The mineral vein on which they were mining fell
away into darkness.

Aliz awoke in the manager's barracks. It had all been a dream, but
his hands were wet. He hopped off the top bunk and slid on a puddle
of liquid. It was blood. He stood up to see Tosid in the bottom
bunk, stone dead.

"Could I have done this in my sleep?" thought Aliz. "But I was just
at the mining ceremony. Where is Sedil? First things first. Where
do I hide the body?"

==[[User:Psitaylor|Psitaylor]]==
===(2 April 2011)===
<pre>,|++++|@,.U.,.T,.,.</pre>

The footstep of doom fell hard on Tiger Valley. Many of the elves and
dwarves that lived there peaceably watched with horror as Mount Ugath
erupted. Clouds of purple fog flowed down the sides of the mountain
and engulfed the valley. In a few days the dust settled. No one
thought anything was the worse for wear. Not at first.

"The Valley of the Waking Dead?" asked the poacher. "Aye, you are
headed in the right direction. Tiger Valley they once called it. But
you don't want to go that way boy."

The young man thanked the grizzled hunter and went on his way. Casser
was the eldest son of King Darek. With all his younger brothers
beginning to cast their eyes on his aging father's throne, Casser knew
he had to prove his worth as a hero.

The entrance to the valley was a steep cliff following a tumbling
stream. Prince Casser bid his page return his horse to the castle and
descended into the valley alone. When he reached the bottom, he
looked up to see the green, glowing trees in the bright sun. There
was not a sound in the whole valley.

At long last he found the village. The fields were neatly kept, but
there was no animal in sight. Not one living being. Casser moved to
one of the thatch-roofed huts. He put his gauntlet to the door and it
swung open. Inside the furniture was all in order. Dinner places
were set at the table.

There was no food. No people. Casser was taken by a sudden hunger.
He looked in his pack and found it empty. His servant had forgotten to
fill it. He grew angry, but his frustration vanished when he spied
it. An apple hung low on a tree just outside the house. He emerged
from the cabin and reached out for the fruit.

"Don't do it," said a voice from deeper in the village.

Casser looked to see a dwarf girl, strangely glowing with some fell
light. Casser brought the apple away from his lips and spat. What
had happened to this place? He looked away from the strange phantom
and up at the mountain. It was said a dragon lived there.

"Had you taken one bite of that apple, you would be ‘stone dead' as
you humans are fond of saying," said the dwarf. "Not now. Not days
from now. But soon. This whole valley is poisoned. Its only
inhabitants are the dead. You must save us."

The prince retreated as the girl approached. Other spirits began to
appear from the houses.

"You must kill the dragon," she said, "and end the curse. You have no
choice. You have already breathed the air of the valley. Your fate
is sealed, along with all of ours."

Running back toward the waterfall, Casser knew he had failed the test
of manhood. He climbed and climbed, not stopping till he breathed the
sweet air of the real world. One of the lord's squires was there.
"That didn't take very long," said the smart ass. "The underworld
must not sire demons like it used to."

On the ride home, Casser felt an itch under his gauntlet. He removed
the metal glove and found his hand red and inflamed. He poked at his
blackened fingernail and it fell away. Underneath was a thin,
razor-like talon. Casser gagged into his mouth, a tear falling from
his eye.

"Problem, sire?" asked the squire.

They rode in silence to Red Castle, where King Darek awaited them.

==[[User:mux951|mux951]]==
===(13 June 2011)===
<pre>~~~~++@||.,,..,.,gggDDggDDggggDggDgg</pre>

Night and day were the same, months of black darkness, punctuated by
jets of fire from the many wingless dragons that crawled in the valley
below. Goblins were everywhere, picking off careless dwarfs with
well-placed arrows. One dwarf remarked that it was like living each
waking moment in the shadow of the hammerer.

Alnar was not one to give up so easily. He vowed, though only a
blacksmith's apprentice, to save the fortress singlehandedly. He
would build a tube from the lip of the volcano to the goblin horde and
fry them forever. If only he had the king's permission. Best to ask
later.

===(04 December 2011)===
<pre>++++|++@\o|</pre>

As the enemy surrounded the fortress and all seemed lost, the dwarven
king did an inexplicable thing by granting an audience to a lone idiot
dwarf. A pair of royal guards dragged Alnar into the feast hall. His
eyes were blackened as the guards had beaten him up a taste for his
insolence. They dumped him before the king and he sneezed, spraying
blood onto the king's slipper.

"Speak," hissed the king.

Alnar crawled to the side of the throne and pulled away a plain white
sheet revealing a crimson handled lever.

"One pull of this lever and you will unleash the fury of Red
Mountain," said Alnar, "and bathe the enemy in a lake of fire."

"You did this without my knowledge or consent?" asked the king.

Alnar swallowed and slowly nodded his head.

"Lock him in his quarters," said the king, "to await the hammerer."

As he heard the lock slide in, Alnar walked to the corner of his tiny
room. Silently, he slid his cabinet away from the wall, revealing a
second red lever.

===(04 March 2012)===
<pre>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|@@</pre>

Out of ammunition, the dwarves were reduced to hurling rocks at the
invaders now scaling the walls. The king locked himself in the throne
room, forbidding all disturbances. Try as he might, he could think of
no solution to the mess he was in. Always he found his eyes drawn to
the lever. Maybe the crazed dwarf was right.

No, thought the king. No dwarf would make a fool of the king. He
seized the lever and ripped the whole mechanism from the floor in a
frenzied rage. A messenger ran into the room, finding the king
wheezing, spittle dripping from his beard.

"I know you ordered no disturbances," said the page, "but someone has
released the fire of Red Mountain!"

The king trotted up the stairs of the tower, his lungs burning. Once
at the top, he saw a sight like no other. Rivers of molten rock
flowed from the mountain, burying the invaders or sending them
running, on fire.

"An outrage," spat the king. "I will have that traitor Alnar skinned alive."

===(28 January 2013)===
<pre>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,.@%</pre>

“I’ll kill him myself,” shouted the struggling king.

Alnar smiled a bloody smile as the king fought against the dwarf
guards that held him by the arms. Slowly, Alnar rose from the floor
of his cell. The second lever was there for all to see, the lever
that saved the day whilst the king did nothing. Alnar laughed and
spit at the ruler’s feet.

“Looks like there’s a new king in town,” said Alnar.

After the execution of King Eberious II began a reign of terror that
would last for fifty years. King Alnar was a disaster. Once a hero
and savior of the fortress, now all he did was drink and chase married
women. Anyone who got in his way went straight to the hammerer. No
one knew who would be next to put their head on the slab.

It was near winter on the forty-ninth year of Alnar’s kingship when a
hero finally appeared. Jenu was the second son of a destitute
mushroom farmer. He was hard at work in the fields when Alnar’s
dwarves came. It seemed there was a disagreement over taxes. Jenu
hid while the soldiers burned his house down. When the coast was
clear, Jenu went to where his father lay.

“Quickly,” said the old dwarf, choking on blood. “They have taken your mother.”

===(12 February 2014)===
<pre>@%,.@-@MM</pre>

"Old Alnar won't mind if you gave this old dwarf a kiss," said the
cruel dwarven mercenary.

"You and your rotten king can go to the shaft as far as I'm
concerned!" shouted Jenu's mother.

"Release her," came a voice from up the hill. Jenu had cut them off
at the path.

"We are on an errand from the king," said the mercenary. "No farmer's
runt will stand in our way."

Slowly, the dwarven goon slid from the saddle of his mule and
approached Jenu, chuckling to himself. The other villain just stared
out vacantly without interest. What could a boy, armed only with his
fists, do against the king's dwarves. When he reached the boy, Jenu
spit in his face. His hand dropped instinctively to his scabbard, but
found the sheath empty.

"Get him, Jenu!" shouted the dwarf mother.

As Jenu tackled the mercenary, his mother used his stolen sword to
strike down the other evil henchman. Jenu landed blow after blow onto
his prone opponent. A life of hopeless servitude had smoldered in
Jenu's heart until this moment, and there wasn't much left of the
dwarf when Jenu was done pounding on him.

"Quickly Jenu," said the dwarf mother, "We must flee before these scum
are missed."

==[[User:Met|Met]]==
===(June 2011)===
<pre>||~@++%||@++++</pre>

"I am innocent of these crimes!" cried Fuglin as he was dragged away. Sitting in the dungeon cell, he could recall the cheers of the dwarves as the judge pronounced the verdict. It wasn't fair. The adamantine wasn't his. He was just holding it for somebody. Now in prison, he was left to rot. A guard stopped by his cell and poured a cup of gruel on the cold stone floor. Anger and despair were all he felt now. From now on he dared not hope.

--

It had begun as such a small thing. Fuglin and the goblin had known each other since the construction of the fortress. Fuglin was young then.

One day Fuglin visited the goblin, this time locked in the stockade.

"You know the path through the stone?" said the goblin. "The one we built as children? You must go there and bring me what you find. It is the key to my release."

===(July 2011)===
<pre>,.,.,.,.,@|#######&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

The space was not built for more than a child, a narrow, twisting tunnel winding its way through the foundations of the fortress. At the bottom, Fuglin saw a light, a silvery glowing rock at the end of the tunnel. This must be it, thought Fuglin, a bribe to set the goblin free. Hastily, Fuglin took up his pick and chiseled off a piece of the silver metal.

Something lay beyond the tunnel. A hole the size of a dwarf's fist opened where Fuglin struck. He could hear a strange howling within, no doubt another subterranean jungle. The dwarf didn't stay to find out. He squirmed as fast as he could, finally reaching the exit where he found the goblin, free from his bonds.

"You survived," said the goblin. "Keep the adamantine as a token of our friendship."

"Wait!" cried Fuglin, but the goblin had disappeared.

===(October 2011)===
<pre>@@@@@,.,o@,..##||#&#&#&&&&#&</pre>

What happened next was hard to say. There was a lot of smoke and fire. Dwarves ran screaming through the fortress. Captains shouted orders to soldiers they could not see through the clouds of burning vapor. Fuglin was scared beyond reason. He tried to follow the others, ducking when the monsters swooped down.

It seemed it would never end, then Fuglin came rolling out of the fortress gate just as another fire blast rocketed overhead. As it was, the demons could not, or would not set foot outside the fortress. What few dwarves that were left gathered at the hills below. Fuglin recognized a blacksmith which with he had apprenticed. Before he could speak the blacksmith pointed his finger.

"He is the one!" the dwarf cried. "Look! He still has the rock in his paw!"

Fuglin looked down, having until now forgotten the adamantine in his hand.

==[[User:Rhazak|Rhazak]]==
===(19 July 2011)===
<pre>+++@@++++@||</pre>

Terror! Badru cried defiantly as he was shaved. The evil dwarves
held Badru down as dwarven bandit lord Ukros worked his knife against
the victim's beard.

"You look better this way, Badru," said Lord Ukros. "More like an elf."

The villain left Badru upon the hillside in the shadow of the dwarf
fortress. He was sore and beaten, and his leg was most likely broken.
The guards were sure to find him soon. He pulled his scarf up to his
nose. The sign of his shame couldn't be seen by his underlings.

"What happened to you, Badru?" asked the king. "And why are you
wearing that ridiculous mask?"

Badru withdrew the mask from his shaven face and the guard holding him
cried out and dropped the dwarven hero to the floor.

===(11 August 2011)===
<pre>||+++@@|+++</pre>

"They are no more dwarf than you," said Badru's woman. "They may have
beards it's true, but they live outdoors, squatting in the grass like
rabbits. You will find them, and return them to the hammerer, dead or
alive."

Metal clanked against stone as Badru rose. His limb was now more
machine than leg. He scratched at the bristling hairs of his chin.
From the wall, he took his trusty axe. As he walked from the room,
his woman embraced him from behind. "Kill them," she said. "Kill
them all."

Badru strode before the recruits, his metal leg creaking, a scarf over
his mouth. "Alright daisies," he said. "Our target is a worthless
bandit named Ukros. If you see him, leave him be. That elf-spawned
toadstool is mine."

==[[User:Molay|Molay]]==
===(25 December 2011)===

<pre>+@~~~@++g</pre>

The miners sat in a circle around the lava well, dipping bits of bread
into a bowl of melted dwarven cheese. It was the end of the year, so
Aliz stood up and announced that he would make the first prediction.
He said that in the next year the war would be over and the dwarves
would all come home. Then the miners would strike adamantine, with
Nictat taking the first chunk.

Smiling, Nictat rose and looked over the glad faces of his friends.
He said that in the coming year old king Ironboot would die and be
replaced by his beautiful daughter. All rations would be doubled, and
all the prisoners set free.

Something moved in the shadows. The dwarves looked around anxiously.
Aliz let out a sigh. It was only poor goblin Dusna.

"I have a prediction for you," said Dusna. "Not but one of us in this
room will live to see the coming year."

==[[User:Malimbar04|Malimbar04]]==
===(2 March 2012)===

<pre>"TUe,,.,-,.,g"</pre>

"What are you doing?" asked Sarvesh.

"Giving my thanks to the trees," said Alan. "Isn't that what you people do?"

Sarvesh would never understand her new human friend. Why did he want
to be like the elves? Elves have been talking to trees as long as
Sarvesh could remember, and they never talked back. She flipped an
apple into the air, but before she could catch it, an arrow struck it
to a tree.

"Goblins!" cried Sarvesh.

===(8 September 2012)===

<pre>"g\U,.,.e,.,,.-g</pre>

Alan came up from his knees and cut down a charging goblin with one
swing of his sabre. Sarvesh dodged out of the way of a second arrow
and readied her bow. She fired blind into the woods, praying to the
spirit of the forest to guide her arrow. A strangled gasp echoed from
the darkness. It was over.

"We live," said Sarvesh.

"Maybe now is the time to thank the trees," said Alan.

The elf warrioress walked straight by Alan and looked at the dead
body. The armor bore the twisted mark of Darquan the snake lord. It
had been many centuries since the evil one had shown his face in these
parts.

Sarvesh tried in vain to remember the old days, the bad old days
before she met Alan and their adventures began. There was a time when
the sun didn't shine, when life itself hung on a thread. So it was
when Darquan ruled the world. If he had come back, he must be stopped
immediately.

"Come," said Sarvesh, "we must track them back to their nest."

"At last," said Alan. "Fate has grated us a quest."

===(17 September 2013)===
<pre>"?ssssssss?.,"."~~,.eU"</pre>

“I have never seen tracks like these,” said Sarvesh.

“They lead north,” said Alan.

The mud was pressed flat by a curving track that obliterated all signs
of the goblins, but also pointed straight back the Garum. That
horrible place was the home to many horrors. Demons from the pit of
Breputog called the Garum home. Alan and Sarvesh would be insane to
challenge Darquan in his evil stronghold, but they had little choice.
Night was falling and the goblins would almost certainly get away.

The smell was as foul as the surroundings were bleak and depressing.
There was nothing in the Garum it seemed but reeds and, here and
there, a pool of stagnant water. Just when the adventurers thought
they could see the top of Darquan's tower on the horizon, the last
rays of sunshine sank below the reeds.

“We are in trouble now,” said Sarvesh.

This was true for many reasons. Darquan's powers were enhanced by
darkness, as Mother Night is the source of many evils. Also,
Darquan's army of king cobra snakemen were on the move and it wasn't
likely that Alan and Sarvesh would survive. But without certain
death, what is a hero to face? The adventurers braced themselves for
the coming onslaught.

==[[User:Peregarrett|PereGarrett]]==
===(25 April 2012)===

<pre>||@###@@@+++</pre>

"Put him in the fiery pit," said Mabdug the Mad.

Following the king's orders like obedient slaves, the guardsdwarves
dragged the victim to the flaming orifice. It was a square opening at
the base of the throne, surrounded by engravings of forest creatures.
Down through the hole was a huge cavern, a lake of magma under its
dome. As the prisoner disappeared in a puff of smoke the king clapped
his hands together like a gleeful child. He should enjoy himself, for
he didn't have too much more time on earth.

"It's going down tonight," said Gekur. "Mabdug is going to the pit."

"Imagine a royal guard talking that way," said Oltar. "You could go
to the hammerer for that."

Gekur embraced his brother in arms. They had served in the royal
guard together for the reign of three kings. Mabdug was by far the
worst. The senseless killings were only a minor thing compared to the
rest. The kingdom was nearly bankrupt due to his wild parties. The
goblins sensed his weakness as was their knack and were spoiling for
war. But it was fate of the Ermis boy that moved the guardsdwarves
most.

"My poor son," said father Ermis. "You must have a tomb for him."

"The place is picked out for furniture storage," said Mabdug. "You
will have to bury him in the dirt."

"But without proper burial," pleaded the father, "he will never be forged anew."

The king laughed, "Take him away."

==[[User:Markous|Markous]]==
===(28 April 2012)===

<pre>ggggggggggg,.,U/M@,.,,@@@@||&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

Fear loosened all dignity as the dwarves fled the burning fortress.
But while they escaped the fiends of the underworld, freed by hapless
miners, they now had to deal with the vile force of evil which awaited
them in the world under the sun.

Darkmaster the Evil brought his halberd down onto the dwarven knight's
mule. The bearded hero hit the ground at a roll and came up with a
knife, cutting a gash out of the evil ruler's breastplate. The battle
all around became silent as the fighters circled. None would
interfere, for now it was a matter of honor.

==[[User:pingeee|pingeee]]==
===30 September 2012===

<pre>g@gg@@@gg@g~~~%~@!@~~~gg@@g@gg@@</pre>

How is it, when all hope is lost, that the best of us continue to endure? So it was that the knights of Amador stood strong against the force of overwhelming odds. As the horde of a hundred thousand goblins belched forth from the underworld and town after town fell, only the dwarves of Amador stood before the dwarf fortress and against the armies of evil.

"Booze," whimpered the fallen knight. "Give me booze."

Dworn slid down next to his comrade as the battle raged all around. The knight was dying, struck through the gut with a spear. The goblin that killed him lay a short way away in a bloody mess. Dworn held his wine flask up to the knight's lips, who was dead before he took his first sip.

"How did I end up here?" asked Dworn, as all around, the dwarves and goblins fought and died.

It was a full year before the war that Dworn signed on as a knight's squire. Those were the good days, the days before Morduk the Mad. Dworn didn't mind the rigors of military life, industrious as any dwarf. Happily he served the king and the mountain home. Time would test him, just as it tests all things under the eternal sky.

"Excellent," said Alek. "Are you really a knight's squire?"

For a fortnight, Sir Kamag had lent Dworn to the marks-dwarves to build up his archery skills. Every dwarf should learn the ins and outs of a crossbow. Or so his master Kamag claimed. Dworn hit every target at fifty paces. Alek was so pleased, he offered Dworn a job. But Dworn was pledged to his master.

"Do you really think Morduk will invade?" asked Dworn.

"They call him Morduk the Mad for a reason," said Kamag, putting a hand on Dworn's shoulder. "Come. Let's not talk of such things."

User:Shades

2014-01-30T09:48:09Z

Shades: moved my rewards to gobal rewards page.

ASCII art reward/M-S

2014-01-30T09:46:42Z

Shades: /* Shades */

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
! colspan=4 | [[ASCII Art Reward]]s (alphabetically by contributor)
|-
| [[ASCII Art Reward/A-F|A – F]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/G-L|G – L]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/M-S|M – S]]
| [[ASCII Art Reward/T-Z|T – Z]]
|}

[[Category:Humor and stories]]

==[[User:MacGyvers_Mullet|MacGyvers_Mullet]]==
===Rognar:(11 November 2007)===

<pre>%%%@%%%,../.,\</pre>

The sword slid through the goblin's throat and the dying creature fell
to the ground sputtering. Rognar had been born into a world of
violence, and he would not share it with these stinking beasts.
Striding upon their unnumbered broken bodies, the warrior reached the
summit of the corpse mound and surveyed the carnage. The siege had
been broken. Here and there, a wimpering slave of darkness put up
resistance or simply clung to life, but soon they would all be
vanquished and the sun would bring a glorious dawn to the blood-red
battlefield. Rognar smiled. It was a great day to be a dwarf.

-Tarn

===Neandar Begin:(3 July 2008)===

<pre>!!()!!,k,...@,..#######||</pre>

He would never let the fiend escape again. That was what Neandar the
dwarf thought before he flung himself into the black air of the chasm
after the skulking kobold thief. For many seconds they fell, time
enough for Neandar to recall his short life and short career on the
Fortress Guard. Wet matter slammed into the dwarf's face and gave
way. The dwarf smashed through a dozen giant spider webs and hit the
ground running, hot on the trail of the kobold scum.

A huge standing ring of fire dominated the floor of the chasm. The
kobold made for the hell portal with all speed. Neandar stopped in
his tracks. It was one thing to plunge to certain death in order to
retrieve a granite puzzle box. It was quite another to cast oneself
into a dimension of ultimate evil. Yet these kobold cowards could not
be allowed to run about as they pleased. Lifting his axe over his
head, the dwarf charged into the portal of doom.

-Zach

==[[User:McDoomhammer|McDoomhammer]]==
===(5 May 2008)===

<pre>T,.ggUggg..TT------,TT,.T.U.UU.,..TTT</pre>

The three chosen warriors left the Citadel of Hope, strapped on with
all manner of magic weapons that the Council of Elders had presented
them. Shizenbubin was the tracker of the group, always hot on the
trail of danger. Shizentubin was her sister, skilled in the ways of
the blade so that no enemy neck was safe. Azoul Buck was the leader.
She ran her fingers through her short blond hair, her muscular arm
flexing, covered with the crude tattoos of her tribe.

This would be a short quest indeed. A party of goblins had ambushed
the prince on his way to the castle. All the heroes need do is return
him unspoiled. It would be easy to intercept them then on their way
to the Black Fortress, given Shizenbubin's incredible skill. However,
time was not on their side. Goblins grew bored easily and might make
sport of the prince's bodily members. Azoul set the pace, a quick
trot through the woods. She smiled at the easily-won glory that
awaited her squad at the end of the journey.

==[[User:McMe|McMe]]==
===(13 January 2010)===

<pre>UU+U++G.,,...</pre>

A knock came at the mead hall gate. A powerful blow, nearly tearing
the doors from their hinges. King Wrathbeard drew his sword and
strode to the entrance, flanked by his elite warriors. He nodded to
his men and they unbarred the door. The doors swung open, revealing
the enormous, heavily-muscled body of Grum, half-giant, lord of the
hills.

"Where are my chickens?" growled Grum. "You are to offer me four
fried chickens on every Tuesday! Friday it is!"

Wrathbeard stroked his whiskers. "What have you done for me lately,
Grum?" asked the king. "Goblins still haunt the highways. Jackal men
still harass my herds."

Grum left the hall in confusion, sure he had been tricked. Back on
his hill, Grum watched as a carriage was stopped by goblin bandits and
the nobles stripped of their valuables. Feeling his stomach rumbling,
Grum stood and ran toward the highway.

"Where is the rest of the gold!" yelled the goblin.

The nobles coward, fearing for their lives. The goblin raised his
whip, better to lash them again. A huge hand caught him by the wrist.
Grum tossed the goblin into the air. The nobles screamed. The
half-giant scowled.

"I will have my chickens," he said, "whether you live or die."

==[[User:Md5i|Md5i]]==
===(12 May 2007)===
<pre>##.,.||+++@+|</pre>

"That ought to keep 'em out," Doran said confidently, patting the granite
block which he had just slid into place. Ever since the Baron had insisted
on mining out the gold vein in the wall, Doran had been dealing with the
rats. It couldn't be helped. Gold was gold after all, but it was just
Doran's luck that the miners had broken through to a large chasm not far
from the craftsdwarf's room.

The dwarf laid down on his bed and began to think about the next project. A
puzzlebox, perhaps, something challenging. Just as Doran was drifting off
into dreams of the design, he heard a scratching on the block.

"Ha! Keep trying you little demons," the dwarf chuckled. The scratching
continued. It was irritating, but the dwarf could block it out. Then there
was a grating scrape as the block moved an inch. The dwarf sat up and
stared at the wall in amazement. Impossible, he thought.

The block slid forward further. Small, clawed fingers worked their way
around the stone until a gray, furry hand grasped one corner of the block.
The stone turned slightly.

Doran seized his chisel from the nearby table and leapt toward the block,
stabbing downward. The tool grazed the hand, leaving a spatter of blood on
the stone. There was a shriek, and the bleeding hand disappeared into the
dark crack.

The craftsdwarf pushed the block back into place and backed away, chisel in
hand. After a moment, the scratching began anew.

===(07 Jun 2007)===
<pre>##.,.||%r%+@+|</pre>

"Leave me be, you fiend!" Doran yelled, his chisel held toward the stone
block. The scratching became louder and more persistent.

Once again, the block moved, but this time no fingers poked through the
crack. The beast had learned. The slab of granite was being pushed
directly from behind, and it glided slowly toward Doran. The dwarf backed
toward his bed.

The block stopped sliding. There was now enough space to allow something to
pass through the hole in the wall, but the block was large and Doran could
not see behind it. For a long moment, nothing stirred. The craftsdwarf
knelt and opened the chest by the foot of his bed, muttering.

At once, a creature leapt from behind the block and faced Doran. It was a
ratman, ravening, its long yellow incisors surrounded by froth, its
patchy-furred flesh stretched tight over its starved body. The thing
hungered and would have Doran for its meal.

The dwarf stood, a vial in his hand. The ratman lunged forward and Doran
hurled the vial at the beast's face. The glass shattered, and the creature
clutched its black protruding eyes as they steamed. Doran rushed forward
and stabbed the ratman repeatedly with the chisel until it stopped moving.

"Pity about that. I was going to ask Mul to do some etchings for me."

===(15 Jul 2007)===
<pre>##===@=D####</pre>

"Yes, I'm sorry, Mul, it would have been a thrilling project," Doran said,
pausing to take another swig of whiskey. "I can't believe how much trouble
we've been having with ratmen lately."

"Perhaps there's a larger beast down in the chasm riling them up," Mul
replied. "Kogan's child was taken not long ago."

"Yes, surely something unusual is afoot."

Meanwhile, Kogan stood with his axe by the chasm bridge. Ever since the boy
Aliz had been lost, the soldier had tirelessly patrolled the walkways along
the deepest parts of the rift, killing dozens of ratmen and a few large
spiders. He would not be satisfied until the depths were devoid of life.

A foul wind blew up from the chasm. Kogan leaned to the side and peered
down over the edge of the bridge. The impact was sudden and the dwarf was
knocked on his back in the middle of the bridge. Kogan heard the sound of
stone being scraped without respect, and he.found himself staring into the
rotten eyes of a giant decaying reptile.

==[[User:Midelne|Midelne]]==

===Fish Dwarf Begin: (6 August 2007)===
<pre>~~@~~X</pre>

They called him Fish-Dwarf. He was the only worker in the outpost willing to brave the depths of the cave river in order to service the floodgate mechanisms when they became clogged with the seasonal muds.

It was that time again. The farming gates weren't operational, and the planting had to begin immediately. Fish-Dwarf had his tools, and the special fins he had manufactured were secured to broad feet. Everything was ready. The frightened faces of the onlooking children would not dissuade him. Fish-Dwarf understood that this was his calling. He was the only one that could save the outpost. The dwarf inhaled, and his chest swelled to nearly double its original size. Clearing his mind, the dwarf dove into the water.

===(8 November 2007)===
<pre>~~~@%X</pre>

Fish-Dwarf swam down the narrow tunnel to the gate mechanism. The water was murky and even with his superior vision he could only just see his hands sweeping ahead of him.

The upper portion of the mechanism appeared suddenly before him. The dwarf inspected the machinery quickly, mindful of his air, yet confident that he had at least a few minutes left. The top assembly was clear, so the mud must have worked itself into the lower gears. Fish-Dwarf pushed his way down.

The swollen rotting face of a lizardman greeted him, twisted into the gears. Not again, Fish-Dwarf thought, dejected. It would take at least three trips to dislodge all of the chunks. The dwarf removed the chisel from his tool case and began working it into the sticking jam.

===(10 December 2007)===
<pre>+@@+@@@+~~~~~</pre>

"Fish-Dwarf, you have saved us!" the children shouted as the wet dwarf
pulled his way up on to the bank. He had finished his last cleaning
run, and already the floodgate was rising, ushering in the waters that
would prepare the way for the summer harvest.

"Truly, Fish-Dwarf, your mastery of the murky depths never ceases to
amaze us. You are a hero," the Mayor Kogan said, offering Fish-Dwarf
a mug of the outpost's best.

"I am glad I could help," Fish-Dwarf said, draining the mug in one
motion. "If only the river waters were whiskey, my life would be
complete."

"I fear we would never see you again if that were the case!" the Mayor jested.

Fish-Dwarf pondered a moment. "Indeed. Yet the search for the
Whiskey River is a quest for the young, I'm afraid."

"We here at Gladanvil are happy to have you," the Mayor replied as the
crowd dispersed. As the others left, the mayor pulled Fish-Dwarf
aside.

"-- and yet, I fear you cannot stay long. I've received word from
King Dorazar. He has heard tell of your talents, and our liaison from
the Mountainhome has conveyed his request for your presence at the
capital."

"My presence? Surely the engineers of the Mountainhome can manage the
mighty floodgates and channels of Steelpoint without my help."

"It isn't farming trouble, Fish-Dwarf," the Mayor said, lowering his
voice to a whisper. "Many fisherdwarves have been lost to the waters.
There is something lurking in the Lake of Columns."

===(18 January 2008)===
<pre>~~~@/~~%OB%OO%%%~~</pre>

Innumerable stalactites hung from the ceiling of the expansive gem-lit
cavern, many dipping down through the still surface of the black
waters. This was the Lake of Columns, the source of life for
Steelpoint, and now a place of dread.

Fish-Dwarf fit the blades into place on his fins. The citizens of
Steelpoint did not know what the creature was, but no fewer than seven
fisherdwarves had been lost at the shore. No matter, thought
Fish-Dwarf. King Dorazar had charged him to slay the lurking threat,
and that is what he would do. Still, the nature of the creature
eluded him. It had been years since his last combat with an aquatic
beast, and then it was only the cave crocodiles and lizardmen that
occasionally harassed his own community. Steelpoint would not have
sent for him over such a triviality. Hefting his mighty trident,
Fish-Dwarf nodded to the gathered onlookers before leaping into the
lake.

The water was clear, and he could see the broad columns well ahead of
him down to where they joined the submerged floor of the cavern.
Behind any of these formations, the beast could lurk.

There! Nestled between three columns was a gigantic bloated form on
the lake bottom. Fish-Dwarf swam closer, almost drifting. What
manner of beast was this? Great tentacles it had, and a toothy maw
which flopped open as it slumbered, surrounded by half-consumed bodies
of the dead.

Fish-Dwarf was almost upon it now, his trident lifted above his head
as he sank slowly toward the sleeping fiend. As he prepared to
strike, the lurid thing's lone eye flashed open.

===(15 May 2008)===
<pre>------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~@/~%~~~~~~~~~
------------------------</pre>

Tentacles lashed out, looping around Fish-Dwarf's torso and pinning
his arms to his chest. A force stronger than any he had ever
experienced crushed his ribs and a stream of bubbles shot from his
mouth as the breath was squeezed from his body. Fish-Dwarf
desperately slashed at the tentacles with his fin blades and as his
vision faded to black he saw that the water was thick with curling
purple ribbons of the foul beast's tainted blood. The monster's grip
loosened and Fish-Dwarf was able to free his arms. His sight had not
returned, but when he stabbed his trident downward, he felt it sink
deep into the creature. The monster's body convulsed and it raced
into the open water, Fish-Dwarf still clinging to the imbedded weapon.

I cannot let go so long as I cannot see, or I will surely be devoured,
Fish-Dwarf thought, though the beast continued on into the depths at
such speed that the diver could not maintain his bearings, and
suddenly in the back of his mind arose a strange sensation... it was
the need for air, such as he had not experienced for many years. A
tingling came to his throat and nose, and his head began to feel numb
as he became more desperate for breath, and yet slowly, his vision was
returning.

The beast slowed, its energy spent, and it settled on to the lake
bottom, unmoving. Fish-Dwarf jammed the trident into it a few times;
the thing was dead. Now, the surface! Fish-Dwarf pulled his weapon
from the monster and swam upward, but he stopped immediately. As far
as he could see in the now-dark water, a smooth ceiling of limestone
greeted him. The monster had fled into a great crack in the lake
bottom, so far and so deep that the light from the gem lamps was no
longer visible. Just the endless water and rock of the submerged
tomb of Fish-Dwarf, he thought, as he chose a direction and swam.

===Fish Dwarf End: (1 July 2008)===
<pre>,@!,.~~~~~~~~</pre>

He had chosen the wrong direction. Either that or the beast had
dragged Fish-Dwarf so far into the mountain that the fires of the
underworld were closer than the light of the lamps. His breath was
long since gone -- moving forward was all that could keep him from
panicking. After every few kicks, the dwarf would reach up to feel
the limestone. If anything, the rock was closing in. No... what's
this? His hand curled up around a sharp corner. Fish-Dwarf grabbed
it firmly with both hands and pulled, launching himself upward.

The dwarf fully expected to meet a wall of rock, but instead he glided
freely until at long last he broke the surface of the water, gasping
for air. As the dwarf calmed down, he realized that he could still
see nothing. He felt walls close by in all directions, as if he had
just swum up a shaft, though there was a ledge overhanging the water
on to which he could haul himself and rest his weary body. Fish-Dwarf
passed in and out of consciousness for a time, perhaps an hour, before
he sat up and assessed his situation.

He could dive back into the water with his lungs full of air and try
to find the lamps, now unmolested by great underwater beasts, but he
did not relish the idea of leaving the entrance to the shaft behind in
total darkness as he explored the crevice below. The only alternative
was to feel his way along the walls from this ledge above the grotto.
These limestone mountains were laced with natural caverns and after a
brief exploration of the surrounding stone he found this hollow was no
exception -- there was a mud-slicked passage that ran into the
mountain. Without hesitation, Fish-Dwarf struck out into the cavern.

-- How long since he had started on this dreary journey? Though the mud
was often thick, Fish-Dwarf had not trudged through so much as a
puddle these many days. He thirsted for spirits, nay, even water, and
he longed to swim again. The dwarf had long since abandoned his fins
and other equipment as they encumbered him too much on the march.
Every so often, he imagined he saw the gem lamps ahead, though it
could just as easily be the cooking fires of a goblin encampment, or
some darker torture, as the lights of the capital he sought. There
they were, even now... lights! Or light at least, the barest speck
in the distance ahead. Fish-Dwarf moved swiftly, no longer plodding,
still careful of the stalactites but driving forward rapidly all the
same. The speck became an opening, and he could see the mud of the
passage floor illuminated in the distance, with stone walls further
beyond. Only a few more steps...

The cavern opened out upon a rocky river valley in a canyon sheer to
the greatest heights yet welcoming the noon-day sun. The entrance
where Fish-Dwarf stood was at the bottom of the cliffs a short walk
down pebble-laden slopes to the stream below. Instantly, Fish-Dwarf
could tell that these were no ordinary waters. They were the color of
honey, yet the current flowed rapidly. And the aroma! The
intoxicating aroma! There was no question in his mind. Whether it
fell from the throne of some inebriated sky god and vanished into the
underworld to besot the armies of hell made no difference, for here,
in this world, in this very mountain range, ran the slightest stretch
of the Whiskey River. His mind unencumbered by thoughts of duty or
home, Fish-Dwarf made his way down to the riverside to drink his fill.

===Hunger Begin (11 June 2008)===
<pre>,..,.++U+,.+,.+U~U||</pre>

Suffering blighted the land with cruel hunger. Wagons brought foul
fungus from the dwarven mountains. It was barely enough to sustain
those base enough to eat such filth. The rest died. Paldadar rested
against the hilt of his great sword. He looked over his shoulder at
the dark stone castle. Turning his back on mud brick huts, the knight
passed by the scraggly bearded guards and entered the keep.

From a high window, bright, mocking sunlight shone across the dark
wooden throne and the troubled king that sat upon it. The old man
reached for his cup, and after taking a sip, spat the vile dwarven
brew unto the stone floor. A herald in a mud-smattered tunic rushed
to wipe up the spill, but seeing the knight, rose to confront him.

"You were not summoned, Sir Paldadar," spit the herald. "Go ask the
peasants instead of begging the king for scraps from the royal table."

"Silence, Rodger," said the king.

The herald jumped away like a whipped dog. The king motioned the
knight to come forward.

"The gods have abandoned this place," said the king. "Only through
their glory will the days of bounty return. It is for this reason you
must smite the heathen Farthlings where they dwell across the river.
When their land is in ruin, the gods at last will favor us."

The knight ground his teeth. This was obviously High Priest Igland's
doing. But perhaps there was wisdom in punishing the arrogant
Farthlings for their many insults. Death by the sword was much
preferable to slow certain death by starvation.

===(17 June 2008)===
<pre>==?T?====,.UH,.U</pre>

As Paldadar walked away from the keep, peasants averted their hungry
faces. He was still a knight, even if he represented the most
wretched of kingdoms. A frail sissy approached from behind, leading
two horses. Paldadar swung around, drawing his sword. There stood
Rodger, wearing the snottiest of faces, his nose in the air.

"By the will of the king," he hissed, "I am to be your squire."

Paldadar prayed to the gods for mercy. Would that a Farthling's bolt
find his heart soon that he be saved from further tortures. Together
the pair made their way to the Temple of Love, where High Priest
Igland waited to bless their holy crusade.

The temple was built on a tall hill, a ring of marble columns
surrounding an enormous stone stele, pricking the sky with its
majesty. All around the temple, peasants scrambled to snatch at the
scraps donated by the monks that poured rotten food down the hill. As
Paldadar entered the temple, he was surrounded by fat priests and
priestesses that danced around him in a grotesque, undulating display.

The knight refused a cup of offered wine, which Rodger snatched up
and drank freely.

At the center of the temple, High Priest Igland stood, wearing nothing
save a red loincloth.

"When you wake in the morning," said Igland, "consider Love."

"Many happy couplings," said Paldadar as was the prescribed response.

"You must put an end to the Farthling menace," said the priest,
growing angry. "If their God of Suicide spreads his faith to our
kingdom, none of our desperate peasants will survive. You must strike
the heart of their kingdom and burn their temple to the ground."

Paldadar made the gesture of obedience and departed, pulling Rodger
away from the cavorting priests.

The kingdom of the Farthlings was separated from the kingdom of Love
by the River of Sorrow, whose wide fast-moving waters could only be
crossed in one place. This was the Bridge of Destiny. As the riders
approached, Rodger twitched with fear and apprehension, for it was
said the bridge was guarded by an evil water troll. At the bridge,
Paldadar held up his gauntleted hand. The horses stopped, and the
knight dismounted. Paldadar drew his sword and walked out onto the
wooden planks.

===(3 July 2008)===
<pre>%,..%,.|%.,.UH,%..%%UH,,%.~%,..(%).,.%|,..%</pre>

Green flames shot up from beneath the bridge. Horrid laughter pealed
across the blighted landscape. The knight turned to see Rodger making
tracks back to the temple with the speed of a spooked hare. Slowly
Paldadar looked over his shoulder to see the enormous bloated troll,
dripping with slime and black pus.

"You seek to pass into the land of suicide bearing the message of
love," said the troll. "What will you tell them, knight? Is slow
certain death by starvation superior than the final empowering
choice?"

"Where there is life, there is hope," said Paldadar. "Love will
overcome all obstacles!"

"Spoken like a true student of Igland," said the troll, assuming a martial pose.

As Paldadar cut the monster down, his mind was wracked with doubt.
Was the nation of love superior? He hailed from a place where young
people sold themselves for scraps of bread and yet he sought to bring
hope to a strange country. He found Rodger hiding in a nearby bush
and hauled him, protesting, across the bridge.

The land of the Farthlings was lush and green compared to the land of
love. Cherry blossoms rained down on the two riders as they wound
their way through the hills. Even in these pleasant surroundings, the
demented nature of the Farthlings soon became evident. Bodies dotted
the road here and there, swords plunged into their own guts. Corpses
hung in the trees from hastily-tied nooses, over eager to take their
own lives. As the riders passed, skeletal bodies lifted themselves
from the grass to watch them saunter on.

"Make babies, make babies, make babies," babbled Rodger, madly
reciting the Charm of Making.

At last they reached the capital of the Farthlings. The wind blew red
rose petals through the cold, dead streets. Even the cheerful sun
seemed dim in the vast tomb of a city. Rodger stared straight ahead
as they made their way to the keep, careful not to look into the dark
doorway, behind which ominous rustlings could be heard.

The flag of Farthlingland flew above the ramparts of the citadel. At
the base of the wall lay the piles of bones of those who had
hopelessly thrown themselves over the side. A wide moat circled the
castle. As the two riders approached, a draw bridge was lowered over
the water. Paldadar thought he could see a crowned figure on the wall
beckoning them inside. As they crossed the bridge, Rodger made the
mistake of looking down into the water. The currents were filled with
the souls of those who drowned themselves in desperate sorrow. Eyes
shut tight, Rodger hugged the neck of his horse, and followed Paldadar
into the gate.

==[[User:Onodera|onodera]]==
===(01 November 2008)===
<pre>"",",.@,.T,"""</pre>

"Don't let the sun set on you in the Dark Wood," said the dwarf
crones. "Ole Brick-a-Branch will get you." Nonsense, thought young
Davik as he rode his mule along the twisting green deer path. The
darkness came quickly as the sun slipped behind the trees. As he set
about making a fire, Davik pondered the dark tales of Brick-a-branch
and his mischief.

Not even the elves dared enter the Wood at night. Something older
than time haunted these cursed trees, but this valley was the quickest
way to Port City, saving at least a month of travel. As the night
grew darker and colder, Davik fumbled in his pack to retrieve the
charms and idols he had nearly refused as the journey began.

A great shape emerged from the darkness. It was a gnarled troll, as
old as the hills. It picked up Davik by the ankle.

"Not much meat here," it said.

"Please, Ole Brick-a-Branch, don't eat me," said Davik.

Having said his name, the troll was force to lay the dwarf down.

"I will not eat you," said the monster, "If you can answer me these
riddles three."

==[[User:Peristarkawan|Peristarkawan]]==
===(16 May 2007)===
<pre>=@()++@</pre>

Doran stirred the bubbling pot of syrup. It was ready! "Pour, pour, pour!" the dwarf sang. Into the molds the syrup flowed. "Another batch," the dwarf said, satisfied.

Just then, he noticed somebody standing in the doorway. "Ah, Glornol. What brings you to the kitchens this early? Come to try a sticky treat? I have some Anvil Drops cooling now. Just a moment."

Doran turned to the tray on the table when he was startled by Glornol's shouting. "What is the meaning of this? Isn't there a war on?"

"Even soldiers need sticky treats, Glornol!" Doran picked up two chocolate goblins and began to speak in a high-pitched throaty voice.

"Ooo, it's Glornol!" the first chocolate goblin said.

"Glornol's scared of the mean, mean goblins!" the second chocolate goblin observed.

"Let's eat the dwarf! Yummies for tummies!" the first chocolate goblin offered.

"The dwarf might eat me instead! Oh no!" the second chocolate goblin replied. Doran held the goblin out to Glornol.

Glornol was not amused, but he snatched the candy from Doran's hand. "Hrmph," he grunted, and biting the goblin's head off, he walked out of the kitchen.

==[[User:Qwip|Qwip]]==
===(05 December 2006)===

<pre>...@T@..###S#</pre>

Taking a break from their duty, the two guards sat at a table with a scenic view of the chasm.
They did not notice as they drained their mugs that they were being watched from the shadows
by clusters of pale eyes. A table by the chasm?!
--[[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 05 December 2006

===(09 February 2007)===

<pre>.@......####
...T@@~S####
.......#####
</pre>
Dolan was chatting with Aliz about the health benefits of dwarven beer when Aliz disappeared.
Dolan sprang to his feet and saw that Aliz was being dragged toward the chasm, a thick rope of
translucent silk wrapped around his left ankle. At the lip of the chasm, a bloated form slowly
reeled the line in with her spindly legs.
Dolan knew immediately -- it was the Wolf-Mother of Darkness.
He grabbed his axe and ran toward Aliz, who was now only a few more pulls from the beast.

As he was hauling ore to the magma smelter, the peasant Kogarak saw the situation, screamed,
dropping his load, and ran toward the barracks. As he heard the sound of an axe ring against
stone behind him, he wondered if he would make it in time.
:— [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 08:40, 9 February 2007 (EST)

===(18 April 2007)===
<pre>@@@...@.####
@..T..@S####
.......#####
</pre>
The axe had scored the stone floor where it had severed the silk line. The Wolf-Mother chittered
angrily and pounced at Dolan, moving with surprising quickness. Dolan was knocked to the ground,
the enormous body of the foul creature pressing him into the stone. His axe clanged some distance
away. The blunt knobs at the end of the Wolf-Mother's forelegs dug into Dolan's ribs as her
dripping mandibles drew closer to his face. He grabbed her head with both hands, trying
desperately to keep her at bay. A foul-smelling spittle dripped on to his cheek.

Aliz, still dazed from his initial fall, slowly made his way to his feet. Seeing Dolan's desperate
struggle, he drew his sword and hacked at one of the Wolf-Mother's legs. The bumpy skin was
incredibly tough, but the steel blade left the appendage hanging by tatters. The Wolf-Mother
belched a grating rasp and rolled away from Aliz and faced the dwarves. Dolan crawled toward his
axe, but the nauseating venom drenching his face and beard had left him almost powerless. The
Wolf-Mother hesitated, her wound oozing white ichor as Aliz stood his ground.

There were several sharp cracking noises, and the Wolf-Mother crumpled, several iron bolts
protruding from her many eyes. In the distance stood Bomtek and the other marksdwarves,
accompanied by Kogarak. Aliz rushed to Dolan. The dwarf was breathing heavily.

"My body feels like gravel. I need a drink," Dolan said.

"The Wolf-Mother is dead. Brace up. I'll bring you your mug." Aliz fetched Dolan's mug from
the table and brought it to the dwarf where he lay on the stone floor. The mug was almost empty.

"The brood," Dolan whispered. "The night brood will come."
:— [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 12:28, 14 May 2007 (EDT)

==[[User:Rewolf31|Rewolf31]]==
===(13 April 2007)===

<pre>.B@.~~~
</pre>
And so Alor, a wrestler of renown, found himself between a great boar and the wide river. For six days they struggled, and as the sun descended behind the hills on the evening of the seventh day, Alor finally collapsed in exhaustion. The boar spoke and said, "I too am tired. The sun has fallen. Let us rest." And so Alor and the boar slept, and the sun arose on the morning of the eighth day.

===(21 July 2007)===
<pre>,.,B@~,~,~</pre>

"Whiskey?" Alor asked the boar, holding up his flask. The wrestler had not spoken for a week.

"Gladly," the boar said, taking the flask up in its mouth. "You block my path to the river, and now you offer me your flask. Strange are the ways of your people."

"Your path? I was seeking to cross the river and found myself menaced," Alor said.

"The squirrels tell me I am a terror to behold when I am thirsty," the boar said as it drained the flask. "Do I menace you now?" The boar looked mild and plump. Indeed, the gentle creature reminded Alor of his daughter.

"No, I am not menaced. I am reminded of home," Alor said fondly. At that moment his stomach growled, for he had not eaten in some time.

"Hopefully I do not remind you of your dinner table," the boar laughed, "though it remains to be seen who would have the final mastery in our contest." Alor smiled broadly and the boar guided Alor to the ford, where they parted as friends.

===(12 September 2007)===
<pre>++@a@+
</pre>
"Daddy! Daddy!" the little girl cried happily as she ran toward the mighty dwarf where he stood under the archway.

"I missed you, sweet pod!" Alor crouched down and lifted the child up to his shoulder, where she sat, beaming. "Have you been good while I was away?"

"I made a puzzle box. See!" The girl held out a soapstone box. The master craftsdwarf always started the young ones with the material since it required little strength to carve, though it crumbled easily. Even so, the box was quite exquisite.

"That's beautiful. Now let me see here..." Alor pressed a button and the lid popped open. There was nothing inside. "Hey, where's my treasure?" he said in mock indignation.

The girl took the box and made a series of complicated motions along the inside of the empty compartment. A second lid opened, revealing a piece of dwarven sugar candy. The child giggled and smiled broadly.

Alor scratched his head and laughed. Coren was only six, but she was already beyond him.

"Did you win, daddy?" Coren asked.

"Ah, the tournament? Yes, sweet pod, there hasn't been a dwarf born yet that can beat your father," Alor looked at the puzzle box. "At least not at wrestling. And you know what else?"

"What else, daddy? What else?"

"I met a talking boar and we became friends."

"Again?" Coren complained. "I want to meet your animal friends soon."

"I'll invite them over for your party next month. Until then, you have to work hard. Do you have a lesson today?"

"Yes. Mr. Goldlocket says he'll let me try marble today."

"Marble, eh? That's amazing. You really are your mother's daughter. I'll walk you to the shop." Together they strolled down the passageway. Alor admired the carvings and architecture, occasionally pointing an engraving out and explaining its history, though his daughter had heard it all before. It had been two months since he left for tournament, and the wrestler had missed his home very much.

"The three of us should have a feast tonight. What do you say?" Alor asked. Coren did not respond.

The dwarf looked down. His daughter was not there. She was not in the passageway. There was no sign of her.

"Goblins!" A scream echoed through the tunnels. "Goblins in the fortress!"

===(18 September 2007)===
<pre>,..|mBL@+++++++g+</pre>

"I'm sure she's in there," Alor said from his place behind the boulder where he looked down upon the rusted iron doors of Chatteltomb.

"We must act now, while there's still time," the boar urged. This was the same boar that Alor had befriended by the riverbank, and it now came to aid Alor in his time of need.

"The door is locked. Even with our combined strength, I doubt we can force entry," the leopard observed. This was the same leopard that Alor had befriended in the high grasses, and it also came to aid Alor in his time of need.

"Don't worry. The guards were drunk in the ravine below," the marmot announced as it scampered up the slope with the key in its mouth. This was the same marmot that Alor had befriended on the mountainside, and it came to aid Alor after promises of food.

"I've only challenged the depths of this black pit once in my life. It is a memory I have longed to forget, though it will serve me now," Alor said. "It sickens me that my daughter is kept there. The way to the dungeons will not be heavily guarded, as fear of this place keeps all but the foolish at bay. That said, the tower above is garrisoned with unnumbered horrors. If the alarm is raised, escape will be impossible."

The group made their way down to the entrance. With some effort, Alor forced the key into place. The great doors swung open with a grating noise, exposing a palpable darkness that hung heavy in the stale air like a fog of soot. The thick shadows were penetrated from beyond by sinister red lights which gave vague form to the smooth obsidian corridors.

Once all had passed into the tower, they closed the door behind them. "We can only hope it is not unusual for the doors to sound. Do you see anything?" Alor whispered to the leopard.

"Several doors down, a goblin is standing," the leopard spoke softly. "It has turned to face us. I don't think it can make us out yet, but its night eyes are almost as strong as my own. It is coming this way."

Indeed, Alor could barely make out twin spots of crimson shining in the distance. The dwarf felt the leopard slip from his side. In a moment, the crimson spots disappeared from view. No sound accompanied their departure. Alor and the others padded quietly forward, approaching the stairway and the dungeons below.

==[[User:Senso|Senso]]==
===(29 April 2007)===
<pre><+@?++&~~</pre>

The wayward manager Aliz stepped quietly down the last flight of stairs into the lowest depths of the abandoned halls. The air of the room was stale and warm. The light of the dwarf's torch illuminated a stone pedestal, on which rested a gray book.

"The Tome of Suffering," Aliz whispered. In its blood-stained pages, the collected wisdom of countless outpost managers waited for his perusal. Never again would his charges starve. Never again would they complain for want of whiskey. Never again would Aliz have to consult the half-baked scribblings of his uncle Toran.

The ground shook and Aliz's ears were assailed by a deafening crash. When the dust cleared, the entire chamber was illuminated by a sinister red glow. In place of the far wall was a yawning pit filled with bubbling magma and flames. From the inferno came a betusked fiend, ravening, its slavering maw belching foul vapors through which stared its cruel bulging eyes. Its clawed hands kneaded the lardy folds of its corpulence as if it sought to make room for this latest morsel.

Aliz was terrified. The dwarf clutched the Tome to his chest. The horrific beast crouched by the magma pool, muttering in a grating whisper:

"It will be eaten. It will be eaten, the dwarf. Eaten. Eaten alive."

==[[User:Shades|Shades]]==
===Danrik Begin: (29 October 2007)===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===(24 July 2008)===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

===(5 December 2009)===

+@/+@@@+@@@@@@@

Dwarf hero Danrik called for his battleaxe. A dwarven squire ran to
him and put the weapon in his hand. The dwarf held the weapon high,
but collapsed, steadying himself on the hilt. The demon laughed. It
had congealed into the form of a man wearing a dark cloak, horns upon
his head, a nightmare lord of the underworld.

“If this is the best you can you can do, you have clearly lost,” said
the demon lord. “You will bring me one maiden every season.”

The nightmare lord looked over the cowering dwarves. He pointed at
the gasping form of Danrik. “Start with that one’s sister.”

Danrik watched helplessly as Andra, his lovely sister, was brought to
the demon’s side. The creature put its hand on her shoulder and the
pair disappeared in a burst of blue flame. Danrik howled with rage.
A squire ran up to him and bowed his head. “We will find Lady Andra,”
said the boy. “You can count on it.”

“What is your name, youngster?” asked Danrik.

“I am called Blackbeard,” said the boy.

“A strong name for such a small body,” said the hero. “You can begin
the quest by fetching a dragon tooth from the ruins of the wall. From
it we will forge a mighty shank to drive into the heart of the demon
lord.”

The squire smiled and bounded away into the rubble. It was the
beginning of a hard recovery. While the smiths worked in the forge to
create the ultimate knife, Blackbeard trained the hero to walk again.
When Danrik was able to put his fist through solid rock walls, they
knew they were ready. Danrik put the dragon dagger Gotter through his
belt and stepped before the crowd.

“I go now to rescue Lady Andra from the pit,” said Danrik. “The road
will be long and hard, to the fiery heart of the mountain and beyond,
to the land of the dead. Who is with me?”

Blackbeard jumped up and down, raising his hand above the shoulders of
those around him. Though it looked grim, a few brave adventurers step
forward. It was not a question of whether they would reach the
underworld, for they must reach it. They must reach Andra, and slay
her captors, for all great tales end this way.

===(25 December 2010)===

kkk""",.@P@,P.,""kkk"k

It is said that every great journey begins with a festival of
drinking, but Danrik wasn’t in the mood. All he could think of was
that evil spirit with his sister and his soul burned with rage. As
the others celebrated their bravery, Danrik strolled up the trail
toward Blood Mountain, kicking dirt clods as he went.

“You weren’t thinking of leaving without me were you?” It was Blackbeard.

“Of course not,” said Danrik, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Let those fools drink themselves silly. We have a fair maiden to
save.”

Together, the two adventuring dwarves mounted their ponies and trotted
off into the darkness. After a time the fires of the fortress
disappeared behind the rolling wooded hills. It was not long before
they left the land of the dwarves and entered into the depths of
Haunted Forest. No one knew what kinds of wicked spirits dwelt there
for few ever returned alive.

“Why must we enter this dark place?” asked Blackbeard.

“Blood Mountain lies on the other side of this forest,” said Danrik,
“and nothing will stand between me and Andra. We rest here.”

“Here?” asked Blackbeard. “Surely you could have picked a less creepy place.”

It was true. Danrik had picked a dreadful place to camp. Everywhere
the night birds, eyes of the enemy, were watching them. The very
trees seemed to reach out to grab them. Worst of all, they had laid
their camp on a kobold burrow. Silently the creatures crawled from
their holes, armed with bone knives, ready to cut the heart out of any
poor fool.

“Did you hear that?” said Blackbeard.

===(05 February 2012)===

~@//////+@/&@+\\\\\\\

Andra cried out as the grubby little goblin whipped her again. She
was locked in some sort of dungeon. She couldn’t tell where for the
strange rough-hewn black rock was unknown to her. She pulled at her
chains again. One of them was loose. Let me at that horned villain,
thought Andra, but this one will die first.

“Tell us, sister Andra,” said the goblin. “Does it hurt?”

The links of the chain exploded as the dwarf woman yanked with all her
might. The broken chain slapped the goblin upside the head, killing
it instantly. She undid her other hand and stole the goblin’s keys,
escaping the dungeon, chain still attached.

The view outside was terrifying. Pillars of fire rose up from lakes
of burning magma. Andra found herself standing on the narrow ledge of
a black pyramid at the center of the world. It seemed that she could
never escape this perfect prison.

Pulling the chain tight, the solution was obvious. She would find the
horned king and force him to take her back. Then she began to climb.
The top was further than it looked. It seemed she had been climbing
for days, maybe for weeks. Then she made the crest.

The scene was ridiculous, for there was Danrik holding a shank to the
demon lord’s belly while another dwarf was grappling him by the horns.

“I swear,” whined the demon. “I don’t know where she is! She must
have escaped!”

“Danrik!” cried Andra.

Danrik lost his concentration for a second and the demon slapped
Gotter out of the dwarf hero’s hand. Blackbeard nearly flew over the
side of the pyramid as the demon bucked him off. The creature ducked
just in time to save its life as Andra whipped the chain over its
head.

“The knife!” cried Danrik. “It’s the only way to kill it!”

==[[User:Shanty|Shanty]]==
===(30 June 2007)===
<pre>@@+U@</pre>

Rogar spun again and again, staring into the darkness. The scraping had begun all at once and it seemed to come from every direction. Nothing could be seen beyond the limit of the flickering torchlight.

There! A shadow moved slowly out of the darkness. It had the stature of a dwarf, but Rogar knew the outpost had been abandoned for decades. After a moment, the warrior could see clearly. The shuffling thing had no flesh. The bones of its feet clacked and slid across the stones. The dead were walking in this place.

There were more, many more. Rogar was completely surrounded. He held up his sword and turned from threat to threat. The dwarves were unarmed, with tatters of cloth hanging over their skeletal remains. Bits of beard were still visible stuck around their garments and their skulls. The dead stopped short of Rogar's weapon and stood completely motionless. There was no way the warrior could pass without forcing his way through.

The skeleton he had seen first raised its bony hand slowly, curling all of its fingers save one into its palm. Its index finger pointed toward Rogar. From somewhere within its skull, it emitted a long, low moan which ended in a hiss and faded into silence.

==[[User:Spelguru|Spelguru]]==
===(19 November 2006)===
<pre>
..@.M.~~~~...
</pre>
The adventurer, transformed into a ghoul by strange forces, crawls toward the Everlasting River of Curing, barely clinging to his life, such as it had become. Suddenly, from the ceiling dropped... Adamantine Man! Is there any hope?!

===(19 December 2006)===
<pre>
...M.~~~~..".
.....@~~~~...
...."~~~~~...
</pre>

Adamantine Man spoke and said, "Unfortunate stranger! You wish to cast off your affliction? Drink then, and be blessed."

So the adventurer drank. The soothing warmth of the water spread from the center of his body, out to his deformed fingers and toes. Without pain, they shifted and were set in their proper places, along with the other marks of the affliction. All was well.

The adventurer looked at Adamantine Man in awe and asked, "I am grateful, Adamantine Man, for I had been without hope. For years unnumbered, my people have deemed the River unapproachable. 'Adamantine Man is there', they said, and yet, I have found naught here but a generous host and the cure to all that ailed me. Tell me Adamantine Man, why are you so feared? I am humbled by your graciousness, but am I truly free from danger?"

Adamantine Man spoke for a second time and said, "Indeed, be not afraid. Your people regard me with terror, for they do not understand me, and verily, who among you can understand Adamantine Man, who does not understand himself?"

The adventurer bowed his head and said, "It is true. Even now I am unsettled, for though you have granted me renewed life asking for nothing, still, even now, I wish to leave and never return."

Adamantine Man spoke for a third time and said, "So it has always been. Go now in peace."

The adventurer left without looking back. Overjoyed, his family accepted him, no longer an outcast, and soon all in the land had heard that he who had once been tainted was made whole by the River.

Some years later, a man, broken in body, came to the adventurer's abode. "I seek your aid, for it is said that you who were once tainted were made whole by the River. Tell me, where is the River, that I might be restored?"

The adventurer looked at the man, and he said, "Adamantine Man is there. Be content now, as I shall never be again." The man departed, and the adventurer remained.

===(25 March 2007)===

The adamantine man story ended.
<pre>
@-***=.T
</pre>
The Pulson-9000 seared the sky trailing ion-energized purple lightning. The XZ-Trollmech Mk7 didn't stand a chance. Another contract, another payment. Rogar was the last dwarf of his village, and after many hardships had fallen into the tough life of a mercenary warrior. He had stolen his first fighting bot, but after three years he had enough money to build and repair his own. He spent his offtime tinkering, which soothed his still-dwarven heart.

For now though, he was in enemy territory. True, the contract was complete, but he had fought his way deep into the personal citadel of the vile cyber-modded troll Vanquidor in order to blow his Mk7 body to pieces, and now he had to laze through the bodyguards and sentry droids he hadn't already obliterated. The dwarf had very little ordinance remaining. Rogar put on his shades. Things were about to get hot, but he was cool as a sonic-fan. Time to fire it up! Yeah!

==[[User:SupSuper|SupSuper]]==
===(19 April 2007)===
<pre>+R@%+@+%</pre>

"Hya! Hya!" Kogan screamed as he careened around the corner astride Lomrin. He had acquired the giant rat from the dungeon master for a vial of liquid fire. It had been a barrel of laughs, especially after a mug or three.

As they passed the foodpile, Lomrin stopped suddenly to inspect a large plump helmet biscuit. Kogan flew over the rat's ears and landed on his beard, sliding to a stop at a pair of black leather boots. Kogan waited a moment for his head to clear, and then he rolled back on his bottom and stared up at the face of Mul. It had to be Mul.

"On a bender again, are we Kogan?" Mul admonished.

"We? I swear I haven't given Lomrin a drop!" Kogan said indignantly.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Mul said, indicating the food stockpile with a nod of his head.

Kogan turned his head. Lomrin had pried the lid off of a whisky barrel. Only her rear legs and tail were now visible.

"She takes after her uncle Kogan!" Kogan beamed proudly. Mul knocked him down to the ground with a push from his foot.

==[[User:Syndlig|Syndlig]]==
===(18 May 2007)===
<pre>oU++@@</pre>
The man struggled against the chains. The dwarves stared at him, smiling in satisfaction.

"That should ward you off our treasures, human. Be glad we don't send for the Hammerer."

The human scoffed. "Ha! I may be a thief, but at least I'm not a dwarf. See how I tower above you! I may not have a trade, I may not have any notable achievements whatsoever, but I am still a man."

The blackbearded dwarf turned to his companion. "You know, Mul, I suppose we could call for the Hammerer. The Baron will understand. After all, it was the Baron's goblet we found in his pack."

The dwarf named Mul considered this. "The Hammerer could certainly give him a new perspective on life. From two or three handspans lower down, at that. Start at the ankles, perhaps?"

"I always preferred the kneecaps, myself," the blackbearded dwarf said as they turned to leave. "It's really up to Rashok to decide though."

Mul hummed in disappointed affirmation. "Hmm, Rashok gets to have all the fun doesn't he?"

"Wait! Don't leave, my little friends!" the man screamed as the dwarves disappeared through the iron gate.

The blackbearded dwarf poked his head back into the dungeon. "We'll spare some whiskey, don't worry!" He disappeared again.

"Watered down, of course..." Mul could be heard saying as their footfalls faded away.

==[[User:Minion21g|Minion21g]]==
===(28 December 2008)===
<pre>&||,g.g,gg....,.UU</pre>

Fiends pounded the trail, hunting Belmir and his thieving partner.
The two had stolen into the dark goblin tower in the dead of night and
taken the vial that held the demon king's essence. By destroying it,
they could stop the war and put an end to the demon forever. Why
destroy it, thought Belmir, when it obviously held so much value? He
and Gal would be rich men. Or, he thought, looking at Gal with
murderous intent, perhaps just me.

==[[User:NoNotTheBees|No Not The Bees]]==
===(29 December 2008)===
<pre>.M%,..U.,</pre>

The lonely cottage stood underneath a great hill of snow that had been
born of the great blizzard. Wind and sleet kept the pioneers indoors.
That, and the promise of hated predators searching for meat in the
frozen wastes. But as his family grew hungry, Fram knew that he must
join the hunters outside.

Almost immediately Fram saw the danger. Bloody footprints of a great
creature circled the cottage as if a monster sought a way inside.
Grimly, Fram gripped his spear. He must persevere lest his family
starve. He followed the monster's tracks away from his home as he
pulled his furs tight against the freezing winds.

Ahead he saw a shape, a black mound against an ocean of white.
Cautiously, Fram approached. It was the half eaten body of a black
bear. But what could kill such a large beast. As if to answer, a
monster loomed into sight, its body covered with long icicles. A
blizzard man!

==[[User:Scrollhaven|Scrollhaven]]==
===(28 December 2008)===
<pre>""@,.UE,."</pre>

With one mighty swing, Alfonso knocked away the prone elf's sword and
placed his boot on his wrist. Many moons had past since the vile
creature had killed poor Jim and ate him. Even now the elf looked up
in defiance. Finally, in these haunted woods far from home, vengeance
would be served. Alfonso held the tip of his sword over the
creature's heart, wondering vaguely if it had one.

"Back off, human," came a voice from behind, "this is my kill."

The human ranger turned to see a dwarf holding a crossbow. By the
state of his boots and armor, Alfonso could tell the dwarf too, had
been on a long quest. The elf saw its chance and snaked its way out
from between the ranger's legs and was off into the brush in an
instant. Alfonso cursed and charged after him, the dwarf close
behind.

== [[User:NobbZ|NobbZ]] ==
===(16 February 2009)===

<pre>@@$@,.~~@,..</pre>

The dwarven toughs stood around the curve in the corridor, taunting
the dwarf lasses as they passed. A particularly vicious young dwarf
fingered his crossbow as he saw a dwarf he knew.

"Hey, Moody," said a thug. "There's the dwarf that owes you that coin."

"Yes," said Moody, stepping up to the dwarf, pointing his weapon.

"You owe me," said Moody. "Hand over the purse."

"I don't have your money!" said the dwarf.

The dwarven outlaws piled onto the dwarf, beating him near to death.

"I'll be back," said the blood-soaked dwarf over his shoulder as he
ran. "I'll be back!"

"You're never coming back coward!" shouted Moody.

== [[User:Shzar|Shzar]] ==
===(July 16 2008)===
<pre>&D###ggggggg,.|@@</pre>

The demon king rode high on his dragon as his vast army assaulted the
dwarf fortress below. Catapults smashed the battlements with huge
balls of fire. Bolts and arrows filled the air in a deadly exchange
of fire. Armored trolls ran into the stone gates, smashing into the
rock and sending shards flying. Not one space above ground was safe.

"How could it come to this?" cried Durkan, hands over his ears.

"Courage," said the warrior dwarf Glamsfir.

Pebbles fell from the ceiling as another bombardment rocked the
fortress. Glamsfir stood and peered out of an archery portal. The
situation was fatal. He lifted his crossbow and put down a goblin
archer in an act of defiance, though it mattered little.

"We have not long to live," said Durkan, "do we Glamsy?"

"I told you not to call me that," said the dwarf hero.

==Meto==

===(9th December, 2009)===
<pre>UUUU/UU/U#+!++@@@@</pre>

Dwarves hurled boulders down on the invaders as they advanced by
ladder. Sharkra smiled, for this meant they had run out of ammunition
for their war machines. She dodged out of the way as a human invader
plunged down past her to a rocky doom. Sharkra grimaced. Machines or
not, these dwarves would fight the death to save their blasted
mountain. At last she reached the battlements.

Battle master Sharkra was an evil genius of combat. It was rumored
she had sacrificed everything she loved for riches and lost it all
gambling the same night. Her very aura smelled of the underworld.
Now she soldiered for anyone who would pay her. Pay her and her elite
troop of mercenaries, the Unholy Band. This time is was rat-lord
Gomra that hired her.

Sharkra pulled herself onto the fortress wall. Members of the Unholy
Band leapt over the battlements, light on their feet. Together they
advanced on the dwarves. Sharkra wielded a giant mace, while the Band
pulled rapiers from polished sheaths.

"We have you," said Sharkra. "Throw down your weapons and die quickly."

Something sailed through the air and struck Sharkra in the face, a
glass flask filled with fuming liquid. The glass shattered sending
pain coursing through the evil woman's body. She put her hand to her
face and it came back covered in slime. She straightened up and
looked around. The Unholy Band was laughing at her. Sadly, this
wasn't the first time.

"What are you standing around for?" screeched Sharkra. "Kill them."

The vain and evil Sharkra pulled a mirror from her pack which she
carried at all times. Her face was never much to begin with, but now
it was utterly ruined. Gomra, thought Sharkra, it is all his fault.
The warrior woman whistled and the Unholy Band followed her as she
retreated from the fortress.

"It is said," intoned dwarf captain Duzelm, "that evil shall always
turn upon itself."

"What is your plan master?" asked Bally, the dwarven squire.

"We shall follow this villain back to Lord Gomra," said Duzelm "and
catch all the rats in the same trap. Go to the humans in Gelthtown,
they have the quick steeds we require."

Before the day was through, the men of Gelthtown had assembled the
horses, along with master rider Jorna. She was blond and lean, draped
in the leathers of a Gelthtown tracker. The dwarves climbed onto the
horses and strapped themselves in.

"Are you sure you can keep up with the Unholy Band?" asked Captain Duzelm.

Jorna laughed. "Just pray I don't reach Gomra before Sharkra does," she said.

==Schmi==

===(16th March, 2010)===
<pre>EHEHEHEHEHE#####||@+@@@@+||==O|TTTOTTO+></pre>

Magic flying horses galloped through the sky carrying the elf warriors
on bolts of enchanted lightning. It was war, oh war, that brought the
warriors hence. The evil dwarf fighter stood atop the tower of the
dwarf fortress waiting for them to come. In his arsenal were a dozen
flame-throwing catapults ready to spring into action. Giant trolls
dragged the ammunition up from the mines. The dwarf raised his hand.
A hundred marksdwarves aimed their crossbows. Rainbows filled the sky
as the elves approached. With a final snort, the dwarf let his hand
drop.

===(23 April, 2010)===
<pre>~~/~~U~~~~</pre>

When it was over, not a good thing lived. With the failure of the
sacred band all hope was lost. The trees of the forest were swept
from the earth, and those luckless beings that lived were enslaved to
the evil dwarf fortress. The dwarves delved deep into the earth and
released onto it, the horrors of the underworld. Fed up with the
world, the gods turned their back on it, leaving only Armok, the blood
god, to rule alone.

Peasant farmer Alan heard a whistling noise from above and turned his
head to the blood red sky. He leapt to the side as a huge broadsword
landed at his feet. Alan scratched his head. The gods ask too much,
he thought. All of his ancestors had fought and died in elongated
wars. What can he give but his weak life?

==Robert 'Brightgalrs' Schultz==
===(31 June 2010)===
<pre>,.Wk,.. //####||@++>||###</pre>

No lock was safe from the kobold master thief, Macabis. The last year
he broke into the thick-walled castle Varnus. And only two weeks ago
he had robbed the goblin dungeon under the Blood Mountain. But
Macabis shared the failings of all of his kind. For to a kobolds
there was no difference between a rough diamond and a piece of
shattered glass.

"You, go here," said the wizard, pointing at a map scrawled in the dirt.

"Bring me this." The wizard produced from his robes a metal cup. The
kobold blinked, its yellow eyes seemed to search for meaning and
quickly gave up. The wizard reached into his other sleeve and
produced a drinking horn. The kobold screeched and grabbed it with
both hands. The humans always had the best drink. Macabis knew what
the scratchings on the cup meant. It was the dwarf fortress of
Antguard. He yanked away the horn and slung it over his back. There
would be many more such drinks once the wizard had his cup.

Aliz still felt a little queasy as the sun broke over the mountains.
He had been on tower duty for two months, punishment for staring too
long at the beautiful queen. Had they only know the true subject of
his avarice. It was the artifact cup from which she drank. It had
the power to make any liquid taste like the finest wine. As he
daydreamed, a shadow passed under the castle gate.

==markpank==
===(27 November 2010)===
<pre>,""."".,UU,..,."",."||W+++||</pre>

Power. That was all that mattered. Evil wizard Marcon commanded a
legion of vampires and all manner of night creatures. It was the
daylight that was his greatest weakness. When all his creatures
crawled back into their graves, there he was, nothing but a lonely old
man in a crumbling tower. The peasants of the village knew to stay
away from the ugly building. It was rumored you could see a mournful
eye staring out of the highest window, resenting all that lived.

Young page Allen took the hand of his best girl Mandy and raced
through the dawn village on a lover's tryst.

"Where are we going, my love?" asked Mandy.

"To Marcon tower," said the boy. "They will never look for us there."

"No!" cried Mandy. "A thousand times no! That place is haunted."

"What's a matter Mandy?" mocked Allen. "Are you afraid of the bogeyman?"

===(18 December 2010)===
<pre>,.||>W>+UU||,.</pre>

Shafts of light from the failing sun shone through the high windows
and fell on the lovers as they lay on the grassy floor. As Allen
looked up at the inside of the crumbling building, he did so with the
eyes of a boy who knew he was now a man. Somewhere in the distance a
coyote howled. Night was falling. Not even Allen was stupid enough
to stay in Marcon tower after dark. He tried to sit up, but Mandy
lay across his arm and would not stir.

With wondrous motion the tower began to transform. Torches appeared
on the walls. Cold stones replaced the grass on which Allen lay.
Planks of wood sprouted from the walls and unfolded into a great
spiral stairway. Chill gripped Allen's heart as he heard steps
resounding down the stair. He tried to pull his hand free but Mandy
lay still and cold to the touch. With horror, the young man watched
as the wizard descended, cloaked and menacing.

"All hope is for naught," said the wizard. "The fruit of your deed is
death eternal."

===(06 January 2011)===
<pre>,.,||U*+++=U=++||,.,o,.,.</pre>

Mandy rose from her place with the jerking movement of a marionette.
Allen cried out and crawled backward across the floor. Naked, he ran
from the tower, the wizard's evil laughter ringing in his ears. He
ran in fear, faster even than the bogeymen the wizard sent to chase
him. Finally, his body cut up, bleeding, and exhausted, he collapsed
on the steps of the temple.

"I pity you Allen," said the priest, "for it takes such a disaster to
bring you to the temple of Domon."

The boy cried and told his tale of terror and woe. The priest shook
his head and told him there was little hope for Mandy now. He handed
Allen a small gem -- the Eye of Domon. It was said to pierce all
darkness.

"You must return to the tower tonight," said the priest, "lest Mandy
fall forever."

That night, Marcon was preparing for the ceremony, giggling like a
little girl. Mandy was laid out before him on a stone slab. Just as
he raised the dagger for the death stroke, Allen kicked in the door.
Marcon made to spit out a curse when the boy raised up the Eye of
Domon. With a shriek, Marcon transformed into a barn owl and escaped
through the open ceiling.

===(02 April 2011)===
<pre>|++UuU++++U|N.,.</pre>

"There is nothing we can do for her but wait," said the priest.

Allen paced the length of the church, stealing glimpses of Mandy's
body splayed out on the altar. He remembered the wizard's curse. His
hand gripped the jewel as he prayed to Domon for mercy. Mandy cried
out. The priest put his hands on the girl's body and forced her down.

Allen's eyes went to the windows where candles flickered and went
out.

"This girl is with child," growled the priest. "Where is the father?"

A knock came at the door. Allen looked to the priest, eyes wild with
fear. "Go," said the priest, turning back to the writhing girl. The
frightened boy picked up a torch and made his way to the front of the
darkened church. Behind him, the girl was screaming between gurgling
coughs. He dare not look now.

The door swung open to reveal a terrible phantom. It wore a tattered
black robe and its head was a bare skull. "My master Marcon has sent
me to take what is his," it said. Allen was paralyzed with fear. The
girl's screams had stopped. Allen turned to see the priest, covered
in blood. In his hands he held a baby, squirming and alive, but
silent as death itself.

===(14 November 2011)===
<pre>,.U/|++++U|.</pre>

The air was still, and not an insect stirred in the cursed village.
It was here that evil was born, and it was here evil would die. Sir
Ramet looked to the most pathetic cottage and made his way to the
door. When no one answered, he knocked the door off its hinges with a
blow from his hammer.

He walked through a cloud of dust to see the body of a white haired
old man, half starved to death. Ramet put his foot on the man's
shoulder and jostled the body. It was then that he saw that it was
not a man, but a boy, his hair as white as snow.

"Allen?" said Ramet. "Know that your treason has cause many a soldier
to lose his life, and while your son walks the earth, no one is safe."

"Son?" said Allen to the darkness. "I have a son? My poor Mandy."

Ramet lifted his hammer and Allen seemed suddenly to come to life.

"Wait!" shouted the wretch. "I hold something which is your only salvation."

The knight watched as Allen held up a small jewel.

"The Eye of Domon?" asked Ramet, unbelieving.

The two left the cottage and turned toward Marcon's tower. The
crumbling building cast a shadow across the village, the sun hiding
behind its upper reaches. It was deserted, but both men knew what
would happen after sundown, only a few short hours away.

===(14 December 2011)===
<pre>U,.,.,.||U/++Ui++||</pre>

Once they reached the ruined tower, Ramet reached under his cloak,
behind his ample belly and drew a short, thick sword. He bid Allen
come closer and took the Eye from him. There was a socket in the hilt
of the blade and the knight drove the jewel home. A flash of
light blinded the two men briefly and when he opened his eyes, Allen
saw Ramet holding the glowing sword before him.

"Behold," shouted Ramet. "This is a weapon of Domon. Take it! For
the seed you have spilled now soils the land, and you must put it
to right."

Allen touched the sword as the last rays of sunshine faded from behind
the hills. Once again, Marcon's tower rebuilt itself. Bats flew
out from the top as all manner of groans and scrapings came from
inside. Allen's courage failed him and he turned to run. Ramet put
his hand on the boy's chest and pushed him back.

"Forget all that," said the knight. "It is time you understood the
consequences of your actions. I didn't loose the demon. You did.
Take the sword, go in there, and slay the monster."

The sword of Domon trembled in Allen's shaking hand as he opened the
door to the tower. Calling on all his force of will, he stepped
inside. It was dark save for a single candle resting on the floor.
Beside it knelt a person in a dark colored robe. Silently, Allen
stepped up behind and pulled back the hood of the robe with the tip of
his sword.

"Mandy?" he said.

===(02 February 2012)===
<pre>U<<<U####/##o##</pre>

"I could be Mandy to you," said the girl, rising from the floor.

Allen's sword fell to his side, a tear rolling down his cheek. The
dark creature brushed the white hair away from his face. The shadows
dancing around began to take physical shape. Allen put his arm around
the girl. The world began to spin. In his mind he could see ghostly
armies marching across the land. His lips touched hers.

"That thing is your daughter!" cried Ramet. "Kill it!"

With a jerk, Allen drove his sword through the girl's ribs. The
creature screamed. Red gas shot from its mouth and eyes. Allen
backed away, disgusted and horrified. Ramet caught Allen in his arms
as the building shook and swayed. Then, all went silent, all but
Marcon's laughter.

"This villain has lived long enough," spit Ramet.

Up and Up the knight ran, bounding three steps at a time. Marcon
spotted him and quit his laughter quick. A pair of shadow demons rose
from the floor, but Ramet barreled straight through them and met
Marcon at the roof of the tower.

"I don't suppose you would stab an opponent in the back?" asked Marcon.

The wizard turned and leapt from the tower, transforming into an owl.
The knight threw his war hammer with all his might. It struck the
bird in an explosion of feathers. Marcon's lifeless body spiraled
slowly down to the earth.

When Ramet reached the bottom of the stairs, Allen was on his knees,
staring at the floor. The knight lifted him up, leaned close and
spoke to him.

"Listen," said Ramet. "We have something Marcon and your poor Mandy
don't have. A future."

===(25 November 2012)===

<pre>+@+@%++++######?</pre>

Down beneath the earth, where they never see the sun, there live a
people pale and hairy. The ‘deep dwarves’ they are called, and their
metropolises stretch for leagues under the root of the mountain.
Rarely do they come in contact with the surface dwarves and it is not
without cause that they have gained the reputation for being a little
strange.

“Come and see this,” said a guards-dwarf.

Annoyed, Captain Kogar put down his pipe and stood up, brushing the
ashes from his broad belly. He followed the dwarf through a series of
twisting tunnels down, down to the bottom of the mine. What could it
possibly be? The castle guard knew better than disturb him over petty
things. Maybe it was another murder. But berserker season had
already come and gone.

“Here he is,” said the guard.

At the end of the farthest tunnel, the body of a dwarf lay, as white as a sheet.

“Is he dead?” asked Kogar.

“Ask him yourself,” said the guard.

Kogar leaned down and put his ear to the pale dwarf’s lips.

“You must flee to where the sun is bright,” said deep dwarf. “For no
one under the ground is safe while the monster draws breath.”

===(28 January 2013)===

<pre>?N? ++++++@+@||</pre>

With that the strange dwarf died. Captain Kogar called for his
lieutenants. Together they searched the mine from whence the deep
dwarf came. Any opening to the underworld, no matter how small, could
prove the end for even the mightiest of fortresses. After a week of
searching, nothing could be found.

“Maybe the dwarf was crazed,” said a deputy. “Maybe there is no monster.”

“No,” said Kogar, “this is going to be a bad one.”

That very night, the first dwarf went missing. The creature left
nothing but a dark stain on the floor. Kogar’s dwarves searched the
mines again and again, but no opening could be found. When the next
victim disappeared, Kogar knew he had to tell his liege, Merduk the
Mad.

“What is this nonsense you speak of?” asked the mad king.

“The mine monster kills at will,” said Kogar. “We must think of
sending the young ones to the surface.”

“Fool,” shouted the king, slamming his fist onto the arm of his
throne. “No dwarf with come in or out until the monster is slain.
Their deaths will be yours to decide.”

===(4 May 2013)===

<pre>@@@@@@@++++|@/++@|</pre>

That night the fortress was a buzz of activity. After all, it was the
time for the Plump Helmet Festival, a time when many a young dwarf
would be married and fun would be had by all. King Merduk himself
would preside over the ceremony. The streamers were strung. The
torches were lit. Soon the great hall was filled with a multitude of
drunken dwarves.

“Tell them to disperse,” said Kogar. “Call an end to this foolishness
or you will regret it.”

“And you wonder why they call me the mad king?” asked Merduk. “Look
to yourself or you will be out of a job.”

Wandering through the crowd, Kogar couldn’t even muster enough energy
to drink a cup, let alone dance. This was going to be a disaster and
a lot of people would die. Mad Merduk had not only gone on with the
plans for the party, he had locked the gates so no one could leave the
fortress. Disgusted, Kogar retired to his quarters.

“You know there is only one way to escape,” said a voice in the darkness.

Leaping to his feet, Kogar pulled his knife and scanned the room for
the intruder. Though he could not see, he knew the creature was still
there. But there was something else, a roar like a distant storm.
Kogar stepped to the door and threw it open. The light shown down on
the pale dwarf hiding in the corner, but more shocking still were the
screams, now clearly heard coming from the hall.

“Leave them,” said the deep dwarf. “There is only time to save yourself.”

==suntorvic==
===(13th December, 2010)===
<pre>s,.s.C,..@,.,//%%%%%</pre>

Dwarf hero Ulkram walked right up to the cyclops's lair. It was a
shabby place, just a cave under a grassy hill. Here and there, stray
sheep wandered hither and fro, nibbling on the wet grass. Not a
stranger to herohood, Ulkram barged inside, axe held high. Inside, he
was met with all manner of foul smells. Dwarven skins lined the walls
and on the floor was a pile of bearded skulls. Ulkram was rendered
senseless by the unimaginable evil. He went outside to wretch.

"My home is not to your liking?" came a deep voice.

The cyclops was enormous. In its mighty fist was a shepherd's cane.
The monster dropped to one knee. Ulkram could barely keep his axe
steady.

"Tell you what," said the monster. "How about we play a game? You
ask me what I'm thinking, then I you. If I can't answer, I let you
go. If you can't answer, you go in my pot. Agreed?"

Having no other choice, Ulkran nodded his head in agreement.

==[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]]==
===(6 January 2011)===
<pre>ccccc,.,.||,.,@,.,.@,..c||sssss||</pre>

Like wild banshees, the calls of the coyotes went on all night,
disturbing the dwarf outpost and all within. Watch-dwarf Aliz took up
his torch and scaled the stairs of the wooden tower that stood at the
gatehouse of their wooden palisade. Nothing. Nothing, but the hated
forest that stood upon the rolling hills on which their wooden
fortress sat. It was risky to mine out in the wilderness, away from
the mountains. But without risk there is no profit, and danger is its
own reward.

They kept sheep behind that wooden fence. Nali could smell them. The
short hairy man things look easy enough to outrun, but they were like
men, they would have weapons, and fire. But Nali's charge were
hungry. A coyote nipped at Nali's hairy leg. Nali tussled the
coyote's head. It would be tonight.

The coyotes howled from the woods in front of the gate whilst Nali
made his way around the back of the fortress, clutching a pair of
spears. When he reached the darkest spot, he wedged a spear against
the wall and used it to lift himself over the side. He made his way
carefully past the drunken dwarven guards to the place where the sheep
were penned. Just as he was about to open the gate, he froze.

"Coyote man!"

==[[User:Narushima|Narushima]]==
===(06 February 2011)===
<pre>||%@~+|++</pre>

"Tosid, Aliz, and Sedil watched with anticipation as the workers
chiseled through layer after layer of raw adamantine. The dwarves had
long imagined this moment, a reality of eternal wealth. There was a
scream, then another. The mineral vein on which they were mining fell
away into darkness.

Aliz awoke in the manager's barracks. It had all been a dream, but
his hands were wet. He hopped off the top bunk and slid on a puddle
of liquid. It was blood. He stood up to see Tosid in the bottom
bunk, stone dead.

"Could I have done this in my sleep?" thought Aliz. "But I was just
at the mining ceremony. Where is Sedil? First things first. Where
do I hide the body?"

==[[User:Psitaylor|Psitaylor]]==
===(2 April 2011)===
<pre>,|++++|@,.U.,.T,.,.</pre>

The footstep of doom fell hard on Tiger Valley. Many of the elves and
dwarves that lived there peaceably watched with horror as Mount Ugath
erupted. Clouds of purple fog flowed down the sides of the mountain
and engulfed the valley. In a few days the dust settled. No one
thought anything was the worse for wear. Not at first.

"The Valley of the Waking Dead?" asked the poacher. "Aye, you are
headed in the right direction. Tiger Valley they once called it. But
you don't want to go that way boy."

The young man thanked the grizzled hunter and went on his way. Casser
was the eldest son of King Darek. With all his younger brothers
beginning to cast their eyes on his aging father's throne, Casser knew
he had to prove his worth as a hero.

The entrance to the valley was a steep cliff following a tumbling
stream. Prince Casser bid his page return his horse to the castle and
descended into the valley alone. When he reached the bottom, he
looked up to see the green, glowing trees in the bright sun. There
was not a sound in the whole valley.

At long last he found the village. The fields were neatly kept, but
there was no animal in sight. Not one living being. Casser moved to
one of the thatch-roofed huts. He put his gauntlet to the door and it
swung open. Inside the furniture was all in order. Dinner places
were set at the table.

There was no food. No people. Casser was taken by a sudden hunger.
He looked in his pack and found it empty. His servant had forgotten to
fill it. He grew angry, but his frustration vanished when he spied
it. An apple hung low on a tree just outside the house. He emerged
from the cabin and reached out for the fruit.

"Don't do it," said a voice from deeper in the village.

Casser looked to see a dwarf girl, strangely glowing with some fell
light. Casser brought the apple away from his lips and spat. What
had happened to this place? He looked away from the strange phantom
and up at the mountain. It was said a dragon lived there.

"Had you taken one bite of that apple, you would be ‘stone dead' as
you humans are fond of saying," said the dwarf. "Not now. Not days
from now. But soon. This whole valley is poisoned. Its only
inhabitants are the dead. You must save us."

The prince retreated as the girl approached. Other spirits began to
appear from the houses.

"You must kill the dragon," she said, "and end the curse. You have no
choice. You have already breathed the air of the valley. Your fate
is sealed, along with all of ours."

Running back toward the waterfall, Casser knew he had failed the test
of manhood. He climbed and climbed, not stopping till he breathed the
sweet air of the real world. One of the lord's squires was there.
"That didn't take very long," said the smart ass. "The underworld
must not sire demons like it used to."

On the ride home, Casser felt an itch under his gauntlet. He removed
the metal glove and found his hand red and inflamed. He poked at his
blackened fingernail and it fell away. Underneath was a thin,
razor-like talon. Casser gagged into his mouth, a tear falling from
his eye.

"Problem, sire?" asked the squire.

They rode in silence to Red Castle, where King Darek awaited them.

==[[User:mux951|mux951]]==
===(13 June 2011)===
<pre>~~~~++@||.,,..,.,gggDDggDDggggDggDgg</pre>

Night and day were the same, months of black darkness, punctuated by
jets of fire from the many wingless dragons that crawled in the valley
below. Goblins were everywhere, picking off careless dwarfs with
well-placed arrows. One dwarf remarked that it was like living each
waking moment in the shadow of the hammerer.

Alnar was not one to give up so easily. He vowed, though only a
blacksmith's apprentice, to save the fortress singlehandedly. He
would build a tube from the lip of the volcano to the goblin horde and
fry them forever. If only he had the king's permission. Best to ask
later.

===(04 December 2011)===
<pre>++++|++@\o|</pre>

As the enemy surrounded the fortress and all seemed lost, the dwarven
king did an inexplicable thing by granting an audience to a lone idiot
dwarf. A pair of royal guards dragged Alnar into the feast hall. His
eyes were blackened as the guards had beaten him up a taste for his
insolence. They dumped him before the king and he sneezed, spraying
blood onto the king's slipper.

"Speak," hissed the king.

Alnar crawled to the side of the throne and pulled away a plain white
sheet revealing a crimson handled lever.

"One pull of this lever and you will unleash the fury of Red
Mountain," said Alnar, "and bathe the enemy in a lake of fire."

"You did this without my knowledge or consent?" asked the king.

Alnar swallowed and slowly nodded his head.

"Lock him in his quarters," said the king, "to await the hammerer."

As he heard the lock slide in, Alnar walked to the corner of his tiny
room. Silently, he slid his cabinet away from the wall, revealing a
second red lever.

===(04 March 2012)===
<pre>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|@@</pre>

Out of ammunition, the dwarves were reduced to hurling rocks at the
invaders now scaling the walls. The king locked himself in the throne
room, forbidding all disturbances. Try as he might, he could think of
no solution to the mess he was in. Always he found his eyes drawn to
the lever. Maybe the crazed dwarf was right.

No, thought the king. No dwarf would make a fool of the king. He
seized the lever and ripped the whole mechanism from the floor in a
frenzied rage. A messenger ran into the room, finding the king
wheezing, spittle dripping from his beard.

"I know you ordered no disturbances," said the page, "but someone has
released the fire of Red Mountain!"

The king trotted up the stairs of the tower, his lungs burning. Once
at the top, he saw a sight like no other. Rivers of molten rock
flowed from the mountain, burying the invaders or sending them
running, on fire.

"An outrage," spat the king. "I will have that traitor Alnar skinned alive."

===(28 January 2013)===
<pre>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,.@%</pre>

“I’ll kill him myself,” shouted the struggling king.

Alnar smiled a bloody smile as the king fought against the dwarf
guards that held him by the arms. Slowly, Alnar rose from the floor
of his cell. The second lever was there for all to see, the lever
that saved the day whilst the king did nothing. Alnar laughed and
spit at the ruler’s feet.

“Looks like there’s a new king in town,” said Alnar.

After the execution of King Eberious II began a reign of terror that
would last for fifty years. King Alnar was a disaster. Once a hero
and savior of the fortress, now all he did was drink and chase married
women. Anyone who got in his way went straight to the hammerer. No
one knew who would be next to put their head on the slab.

It was near winter on the forty-ninth year of Alnar’s kingship when a
hero finally appeared. Jenu was the second son of a destitute
mushroom farmer. He was hard at work in the fields when Alnar’s
dwarves came. It seemed there was a disagreement over taxes. Jenu
hid while the soldiers burned his house down. When the coast was
clear, Jenu went to where his father lay.

“Quickly,” said the old dwarf, choking on blood. “They have taken your mother.”

==[[User:Met|Met]]==
===(June 2011)===
<pre>||~@++%||@++++</pre>

"I am innocent of these crimes!" cried Fuglin as he was dragged away. Sitting in the dungeon cell, he could recall the cheers of the dwarves as the judge pronounced the verdict. It wasn't fair. The adamantine wasn't his. He was just holding it for somebody. Now in prison, he was left to rot. A guard stopped by his cell and poured a cup of gruel on the cold stone floor. Anger and despair were all he felt now. From now on he dared not hope.

--

It had begun as such a small thing. Fuglin and the goblin had known each other since the construction of the fortress. Fuglin was young then.

One day Fuglin visited the goblin, this time locked in the stockade.

"You know the path through the stone?" said the goblin. "The one we built as children? You must go there and bring me what you find. It is the key to my release."

===(July 2011)===
<pre>,.,.,.,.,@|#######&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

The space was not built for more than a child, a narrow, twisting tunnel winding its way through the foundations of the fortress. At the bottom, Fuglin saw a light, a silvery glowing rock at the end of the tunnel. This must be it, thought Fuglin, a bribe to set the goblin free. Hastily, Fuglin took up his pick and chiseled off a piece of the silver metal.

Something lay beyond the tunnel. A hole the size of a dwarf's fist opened where Fuglin struck. He could hear a strange howling within, no doubt another subterranean jungle. The dwarf didn't stay to find out. He squirmed as fast as he could, finally reaching the exit where he found the goblin, free from his bonds.

"You survived," said the goblin. "Keep the adamantine as a token of our friendship."

"Wait!" cried Fuglin, but the goblin had disappeared.

===(October 2011)===
<pre>@@@@@,.,o@,..##||#&#&#&&&&#&</pre>

What happened next was hard to say. There was a lot of smoke and fire. Dwarves ran screaming through the fortress. Captains shouted orders to soldiers they could not see through the clouds of burning vapor. Fuglin was scared beyond reason. He tried to follow the others, ducking when the monsters swooped down.

It seemed it would never end, then Fuglin came rolling out of the fortress gate just as another fire blast rocketed overhead. As it was, the demons could not, or would not set foot outside the fortress. What few dwarves that were left gathered at the hills below. Fuglin recognized a blacksmith which with he had apprenticed. Before he could speak the blacksmith pointed his finger.

"He is the one!" the dwarf cried. "Look! He still has the rock in his paw!"

Fuglin looked down, having until now forgotten the adamantine in his hand.

==[[User:Rhazak|Rhazak]]==
===(19 July 2011)===
<pre>+++@@++++@||</pre>

Terror! Badru cried defiantly as he was shaved. The evil dwarves
held Badru down as dwarven bandit lord Ukros worked his knife against
the victim's beard.

"You look better this way, Badru," said Lord Ukros. "More like an elf."

The villain left Badru upon the hillside in the shadow of the dwarf
fortress. He was sore and beaten, and his leg was most likely broken.
The guards were sure to find him soon. He pulled his scarf up to his
nose. The sign of his shame couldn't be seen by his underlings.

"What happened to you, Badru?" asked the king. "And why are you
wearing that ridiculous mask?"

Badru withdrew the mask from his shaven face and the guard holding him
cried out and dropped the dwarven hero to the floor.

===(11 August 2011)===
<pre>||+++@@|+++</pre>

"They are no more dwarf than you," said Badru's woman. "They may have
beards it's true, but they live outdoors, squatting in the grass like
rabbits. You will find them, and return them to the hammerer, dead or
alive."

Metal clanked against stone as Badru rose. His limb was now more
machine than leg. He scratched at the bristling hairs of his chin.
From the wall, he took his trusty axe. As he walked from the room,
his woman embraced him from behind. "Kill them," she said. "Kill
them all."

Badru strode before the recruits, his metal leg creaking, a scarf over
his mouth. "Alright daisies," he said. "Our target is a worthless
bandit named Ukros. If you see him, leave him be. That elf-spawned
toadstool is mine."

==[[User:Molay|Molay]]==
===(25 December 2011)===

<pre>+@~~~@++g</pre>

The miners sat in a circle around the lava well, dipping bits of bread
into a bowl of melted dwarven cheese. It was the end of the year, so
Aliz stood up and announced that he would make the first prediction.
He said that in the next year the war would be over and the dwarves
would all come home. Then the miners would strike adamantine, with
Nictat taking the first chunk.

Smiling, Nictat rose and looked over the glad faces of his friends.
He said that in the coming year old king Ironboot would die and be
replaced by his beautiful daughter. All rations would be doubled, and
all the prisoners set free.

Something moved in the shadows. The dwarves looked around anxiously.
Aliz let out a sigh. It was only poor goblin Dusna.

"I have a prediction for you," said Dusna. "Not but one of us in this
room will live to see the coming year."

==[[User:Malimbar04|Malimbar04]]==
===(2 March 2012)===

<pre>"TUe,,.,-,.,g"</pre>

"What are you doing?" asked Sarvesh.

"Giving my thanks to the trees," said Alan. "Isn't that what you people do?"

Sarvesh would never understand her new human friend. Why did he want
to be like the elves? Elves have been talking to trees as long as
Sarvesh could remember, and they never talked back. She flipped an
apple into the air, but before she could catch it, an arrow struck it
to a tree.

"Goblins!" cried Sarvesh.

===(8 September 2012)===

<pre>"g\U,.,.e,.,,.-g</pre>

Alan came up from his knees and cut down a charging goblin with one
swing of his sabre. Sarvesh dodged out of the way of a second arrow
and readied her bow. She fired blind into the woods, praying to the
spirit of the forest to guide her arrow. A strangled gasp echoed from
the darkness. It was over.

"We live," said Sarvesh.

"Maybe now is the time to thank the trees," said Alan.

The elf warrioress walked straight by Alan and looked at the dead
body. The armor bore the twisted mark of Darquan the snake lord. It
had been many centuries since the evil one had shown his face in these
parts.

Sarvesh tried in vain to remember the old days, the bad old days
before she met Alan and their adventures began. There was a time when
the sun didn't shine, when life itself hung on a thread. So it was
when Darquan ruled the world. If he had come back, he must be stopped
immediately.

"Come," said Sarvesh, "we must track them back to their nest."

"At last," said Alan. "Fate has grated us a quest."

===(17 September 2013)===
<pre>"?ssssssss?.,"."~~,.eU"</pre>

“I have never seen tracks like these,” said Sarvesh.

“They lead north,” said Alan.

The mud was pressed flat by a curving track that obliterated all signs
of the goblins, but also pointed straight back the Garum. That
horrible place was the home to many horrors. Demons from the pit of
Breputog called the Garum home. Alan and Sarvesh would be insane to
challenge Darquan in his evil stronghold, but they had little choice.
Night was falling and the goblins would almost certainly get away.

The smell was as foul as the surroundings were bleak and depressing.
There was nothing in the Garum it seemed but reeds and, here and
there, a pool of stagnant water. Just when the adventurers thought
they could see the top of Darquan's tower on the horizon, the last
rays of sunshine sank below the reeds.

“We are in trouble now,” said Sarvesh.

This was true for many reasons. Darquan's powers were enhanced by
darkness, as Mother Night is the source of many evils. Also,
Darquan's army of king cobra snakemen were on the move and it wasn't
likely that Alan and Sarvesh would survive. But without certain
death, what is a hero to face? The adventurers braced themselves for
the coming onslaught.

==[[User:Peregarrett|PereGarrett]]==
===(25 April 2012)===

<pre>||@###@@@+++</pre>

"Put him in the fiery pit," said Mabdug the Mad.

Following the king's orders like obedient slaves, the guardsdwarves
dragged the victim to the flaming orifice. It was a square opening at
the base of the throne, surrounded by engravings of forest creatures.
Down through the hole was a huge cavern, a lake of magma under its
dome. As the prisoner disappeared in a puff of smoke the king clapped
his hands together like a gleeful child. He should enjoy himself, for
he didn't have too much more time on earth.

"It's going down tonight," said Gekur. "Mabdug is going to the pit."

"Imagine a royal guard talking that way," said Oltar. "You could go
to the hammerer for that."

Gekur embraced his brother in arms. They had served in the royal
guard together for the reign of three kings. Mabdug was by far the
worst. The senseless killings were only a minor thing compared to the
rest. The kingdom was nearly bankrupt due to his wild parties. The
goblins sensed his weakness as was their knack and were spoiling for
war. But it was fate of the Ermis boy that moved the guardsdwarves
most.

"My poor son," said father Ermis. "You must have a tomb for him."

"The place is picked out for furniture storage," said Mabdug. "You
will have to bury him in the dirt."

"But without proper burial," pleaded the father, "he will never be forged anew."

The king laughed, "Take him away."

==[[User:Markous|Markous]]==
===(28 April 2012)===

<pre>ggggggggggg,.,U/M@,.,,@@@@||&&&&&&&&&&&&&</pre>

Fear loosened all dignity as the dwarves fled the burning fortress.
But while they escaped the fiends of the underworld, freed by hapless
miners, they now had to deal with the vile force of evil which awaited
them in the world under the sun.

Darkmaster the Evil brought his halberd down onto the dwarven knight's
mule. The bearded hero hit the ground at a roll and came up with a
knife, cutting a gash out of the evil ruler's breastplate. The battle
all around became silent as the fighters circled. None would
interfere, for now it was a matter of honor.

==[[User:pingeee|pingeee]]==
===30 September 2012===

<pre>g@gg@@@gg@g~~~%~@!@~~~gg@@g@gg@@</pre>

How is it, when all hope is lost, that the best of us continue to endure? So it was that the knights of Amador stood strong against the force of overwhelming odds. As the horde of a hundred thousand goblins belched forth from the underworld and town after town fell, only the dwarves of Amador stood before the dwarf fortress and against the armies of evil.

"Booze," whimpered the fallen knight. "Give me booze."

Dworn slid down next to his comrade as the battle raged all around. The knight was dying, struck through the gut with a spear. The goblin that killed him lay a short way away in a bloody mess. Dworn held his wine flask up to the knight's lips, who was dead before he took his first sip.

"How did I end up here?" asked Dworn, as all around, the dwarves and goblins fought and died.

It was a full year before the war that Dworn signed on as a knight's squire. Those were the good days, the days before Morduk the Mad. Dworn didn't mind the rigors of military life, industrious as any dwarf. Happily he served the king and the mountain home. Time would test him, just as it tests all things under the eternal sky.

"Excellent," said Alek. "Are you really a knight's squire?"

For a fortnight, Sir Kamag had lent Dworn to the marks-dwarves to build up his archery skills. Every dwarf should learn the ins and outs of a crossbow. Or so his master Kamag claimed. Dworn hit every target at fifty paces. Alek was so pleased, he offered Dworn a job. But Dworn was pledged to his master.

"Do you really think Morduk will invade?" asked Dworn.

"They call him Morduk the Mad for a reason," said Kamag, putting a hand on Dworn's shoulder. "Come. Let's not talk of such things."

User:Shades

2014-01-30T09:39:48Z

Shades: /* 05 February 2012= */

==ASCII Art Rewards==

===29 October 2007===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===24 July 2008===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

===5 December 2009===

+@/+@@@+@@@@@@@

Dwarf hero Danrik called for his battleaxe. A dwarven squire ran to
him and put the weapon in his hand. The dwarf held the weapon high,
but collapsed, steadying himself on the hilt. The demon laughed. It
had congealed into the form of a man wearing a dark cloak, horns upon
his head, a nightmare lord of the underworld.

“If this is the best you can you can do, you have clearly lost,” said
the demon lord. “You will bring me one maiden every season.”

The nightmare lord looked over the cowering dwarves. He pointed at
the gasping form of Danrik. “Start with that one’s sister.”

Danrik watched helplessly as Andra, his lovely sister, was brought to
the demon’s side. The creature put its hand on her shoulder and the
pair disappeared in a burst of blue flame. Danrik howled with rage.
A squire ran up to him and bowed his head. “We will find Lady Andra,”
said the boy. “You can count on it.”

“What is your name, youngster?” asked Danrik.

“I am called Blackbeard,” said the boy.

“A strong name for such a small body,” said the hero. “You can begin
the quest by fetching a dragon tooth from the ruins of the wall. From
it we will forge a mighty shank to drive into the heart of the demon
lord.”

The squire smiled and bounded away into the rubble. It was the
beginning of a hard recovery. While the smiths worked in the forge to
create the ultimate knife, Blackbeard trained the hero to walk again.
When Danrik was able to put his fist through solid rock walls, they
knew they were ready. Danrik put the dragon dagger Gotter through his
belt and stepped before the crowd.

“I go now to rescue Lady Andra from the pit,” said Danrik. “The road
will be long and hard, to the fiery heart of the mountain and beyond,
to the land of the dead. Who is with me?”

Blackbeard jumped up and down, raising his hand above the shoulders of
those around him. Though it looked grim, a few brave adventurers step
forward. It was not a question of whether they would reach the
underworld, for they must reach it. They must reach Andra, and slay
her captors, for all great tales end this way.

===25 December 2010===

kkk""",.@P@,P.,""kkk"k

It is said that every great journey begins with a festival of
drinking, but Danrik wasn’t in the mood. All he could think of was
that evil spirit with his sister and his soul burned with rage. As
the others celebrated their bravery, Danrik strolled up the trail
toward Blood Mountain, kicking dirt clods as he went.

“You weren’t thinking of leaving without me were you?” It was Blackbeard.

“Of course not,” said Danrik, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Let those fools drink themselves silly. We have a fair maiden to
save.”

Together, the two adventuring dwarves mounted their ponies and trotted
off into the darkness. After a time the fires of the fortress
disappeared behind the rolling wooded hills. It was not long before
they left the land of the dwarves and entered into the depths of
Haunted Forest. No one knew what kinds of wicked spirits dwelt there
for few ever returned alive.

“Why must we enter this dark place?” asked Blackbeard.

“Blood Mountain lies on the other side of this forest,” said Danrik,
“and nothing will stand between me and Andra. We rest here.”

“Here?” asked Blackbeard. “Surely you could have picked a less creepy place.”

It was true. Danrik had picked a dreadful place to camp. Everywhere
the night birds, eyes of the enemy, were watching them. The very
trees seemed to reach out to grab them. Worst of all, they had laid
their camp on a kobold burrow. Silently the creatures crawled from
their holes, armed with bone knives, ready to cut the heart out of any
poor fool.

“Did you hear that?” said Blackbeard.

===05 February 2012===

~@//////+@/&@+\\\\\\\

Andra cried out as the grubby little goblin whipped her again. She
was locked in some sort of dungeon. She couldn’t tell where for the
strange rough-hewn black rock was unknown to her. She pulled at her
chains again. One of them was loose. Let me at that horned villain,
thought Andra, but this one will die first.

“Tell us, sister Andra,” said the goblin. “Does it hurt?”

The links of the chain exploded as the dwarf woman yanked with all her
might. The broken chain slapped the goblin upside the head, killing
it instantly. She undid her other hand and stole the goblin’s keys,
escaping the dungeon, chain still attached.

The view outside was terrifying. Pillars of fire rose up from lakes
of burning magma. Andra found herself standing on the narrow ledge of
a black pyramid at the center of the world. It seemed that she could
never escape this perfect prison.

Pulling the chain tight, the solution was obvious. She would find the
horned king and force him to take her back. Then she began to climb.
The top was further than it looked. It seemed she had been climbing
for days, maybe for weeks. Then she made the crest.

The scene was ridiculous, for there was Danrik holding a shank to the
demon lord’s belly while another dwarf was grappling him by the horns.

“I swear,” whined the demon. “I don’t know where she is! She must
have escaped!”

“Danrik!” cried Andra.

Danrik lost his concentration for a second and the demon slapped
Gotter out of the dwarf hero’s hand. Blackbeard nearly flew over the
side of the pyramid as the demon bucked him off. The creature ducked
just in time to save its life as Andra whipped the chain over its
head.

“The knife!” cried Danrik. “It’s the only way to kill it!”

User:Shades

2014-01-30T09:39:33Z

Shades: /* ASCII Art Rewards */

==ASCII Art Rewards==

===29 October 2007===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===24 July 2008===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

===5 December 2009===

+@/+@@@+@@@@@@@

Dwarf hero Danrik called for his battleaxe. A dwarven squire ran to
him and put the weapon in his hand. The dwarf held the weapon high,
but collapsed, steadying himself on the hilt. The demon laughed. It
had congealed into the form of a man wearing a dark cloak, horns upon
his head, a nightmare lord of the underworld.

“If this is the best you can you can do, you have clearly lost,” said
the demon lord. “You will bring me one maiden every season.”

The nightmare lord looked over the cowering dwarves. He pointed at
the gasping form of Danrik. “Start with that one’s sister.”

Danrik watched helplessly as Andra, his lovely sister, was brought to
the demon’s side. The creature put its hand on her shoulder and the
pair disappeared in a burst of blue flame. Danrik howled with rage.
A squire ran up to him and bowed his head. “We will find Lady Andra,”
said the boy. “You can count on it.”

“What is your name, youngster?” asked Danrik.

“I am called Blackbeard,” said the boy.

“A strong name for such a small body,” said the hero. “You can begin
the quest by fetching a dragon tooth from the ruins of the wall. From
it we will forge a mighty shank to drive into the heart of the demon
lord.”

The squire smiled and bounded away into the rubble. It was the
beginning of a hard recovery. While the smiths worked in the forge to
create the ultimate knife, Blackbeard trained the hero to walk again.
When Danrik was able to put his fist through solid rock walls, they
knew they were ready. Danrik put the dragon dagger Gotter through his
belt and stepped before the crowd.

“I go now to rescue Lady Andra from the pit,” said Danrik. “The road
will be long and hard, to the fiery heart of the mountain and beyond,
to the land of the dead. Who is with me?”

Blackbeard jumped up and down, raising his hand above the shoulders of
those around him. Though it looked grim, a few brave adventurers step
forward. It was not a question of whether they would reach the
underworld, for they must reach it. They must reach Andra, and slay
her captors, for all great tales end this way.

===25 December 2010===

kkk""",.@P@,P.,""kkk"k

It is said that every great journey begins with a festival of
drinking, but Danrik wasn’t in the mood. All he could think of was
that evil spirit with his sister and his soul burned with rage. As
the others celebrated their bravery, Danrik strolled up the trail
toward Blood Mountain, kicking dirt clods as he went.

“You weren’t thinking of leaving without me were you?” It was Blackbeard.

“Of course not,” said Danrik, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Let those fools drink themselves silly. We have a fair maiden to
save.”

Together, the two adventuring dwarves mounted their ponies and trotted
off into the darkness. After a time the fires of the fortress
disappeared behind the rolling wooded hills. It was not long before
they left the land of the dwarves and entered into the depths of
Haunted Forest. No one knew what kinds of wicked spirits dwelt there
for few ever returned alive.

“Why must we enter this dark place?” asked Blackbeard.

“Blood Mountain lies on the other side of this forest,” said Danrik,
“and nothing will stand between me and Andra. We rest here.”

“Here?” asked Blackbeard. “Surely you could have picked a less creepy place.”

It was true. Danrik had picked a dreadful place to camp. Everywhere
the night birds, eyes of the enemy, were watching them. The very
trees seemed to reach out to grab them. Worst of all, they had laid
their camp on a kobold burrow. Silently the creatures crawled from
their holes, armed with bone knives, ready to cut the heart out of any
poor fool.

“Did you hear that?” said Blackbeard.

===05 February 2012====

~@//////+@/&@+\\\\\\\

Andra cried out as the grubby little goblin whipped her again. She
was locked in some sort of dungeon. She couldn’t tell where for the
strange rough-hewn black rock was unknown to her. She pulled at her
chains again. One of them was loose. Let me at that horned villain,
thought Andra, but this one will die first.

“Tell us, sister Andra,” said the goblin. “Does it hurt?”

The links of the chain exploded as the dwarf woman yanked with all her
might. The broken chain slapped the goblin upside the head, killing
it instantly. She undid her other hand and stole the goblin’s keys,
escaping the dungeon, chain still attached.

The view outside was terrifying. Pillars of fire rose up from lakes
of burning magma. Andra found herself standing on the narrow ledge of
a black pyramid at the center of the world. It seemed that she could
never escape this perfect prison.

Pulling the chain tight, the solution was obvious. She would find the
horned king and force him to take her back. Then she began to climb.
The top was further than it looked. It seemed she had been climbing
for days, maybe for weeks. Then she made the crest.

The scene was ridiculous, for there was Danrik holding a shank to the
demon lord’s belly while another dwarf was grappling him by the horns.

“I swear,” whined the demon. “I don’t know where she is! She must
have escaped!”

“Danrik!” cried Andra.

Danrik lost his concentration for a second and the demon slapped
Gotter out of the dwarf hero’s hand. Blackbeard nearly flew over the
side of the pyramid as the demon bucked him off. The creature ducked
just in time to save its life as Andra whipped the chain over its
head.

“The knife!” cried Danrik. “It’s the only way to kill it!”

User:Shades

2011-09-14T14:51:50Z

Shades: Update to ascii art rewards (delayed six months as it turns out I'm lazy)

User:Shades/monobook.css

2010-05-05T21:27:31Z

Shades: Created page with '#footer { display: none }'

#footer { display: none }

Template talk:CreatureInfo v0.31

2010-04-27T07:59:37Z

Shades:

This is just a rough copy/paste of [[Template:CreatureInfo]] with the chunks line removed and organ lines added. The nervous tissue line doesn't work properly, and I think there are code bits referring to size that are no longer relevant, but I hesitate to try to fix them for fear of breaking the whole thing. --[[User:Todestool|Todestool]] 01:40, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Nervous Tissue line fixed, but integrating some way to deal with the quantity variance caused by the new tissue system would be good. --[[User:Todestool|Todestool]] 12:27, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

If a creature isn't butcherable should all the stuff just be set to 0? --[[User:AKAfreaky|AKAfreaky]] 17:57, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

== Raws ==
Why did the RAWS dropdown move to the right hand column like that? It makes it very hard to read them as they tend to be wider than the column. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 07:55, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

Template talk:CreatureInfo v0.31

2010-04-27T07:55:22Z

Shades: why did the raws move?

This is just a rough copy/paste of [[Template:CreatureInfo]] with the chunks line removed and organ lines added. The nervous tissue line doesn't work properly, and I think there are code bits referring to size that are no longer relevant, but I hesitate to try to fix them for fear of breaking the whole thing. --[[User:Todestool|Todestool]] 01:40, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Nervous Tissue line fixed, but integrating some way to deal with the quantity variance caused by the new tissue system would be good. --[[User:Todestool|Todestool]] 12:27, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

If a creature isn't butcherable should all the stuff just be set to 0? --[[User:AKAfreaky|AKAfreaky]] 17:57, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

== Raws ==
When did the RAWS dropdown move to the right hand column like that? It makes it very hard to read them as they tend to be wider than the column. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 07:55, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Quality

2010-04-27T07:50:12Z

Shades: /* Changing levels */

==Stone, gem and similar articles==
Any thoughts on how to rate these? Many of them seem to be tagged as stubs, but the stone template in particular seems to me to cover most of the salient information. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 20:20, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

==who rates those articles==
who rates those articles?
::I have been. If I shouldn't be, someone say so now. Also, should ~100% of content articles be rated? --[[User:StrongAxe|StrongAxe]] 18:42, 15 April 2010 (UTC)
:::As there isn't much of a vandalism thing going on here, I think it should be the original author of the article who rates it, with some admin verification following--[[User:Smd|Smd]] 15:25, 17 April 2010 (UTC)
::::Anyone and everyone should be rating the articles. Don't agree with an article rating? leave a note why on the talk page and re-rate the page in question. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 01:35, 22 April 2010 (UTC)

:Anybody can rate an article, it's a wiki and we're ''supposed to'' all work together. Just try to correct or update anything that needs changing. If you spot vandalism, go to the '''history''' tab next to the discussion/edit tabs and revert the page to a pre-vandal version. [[Special:Contributions/97.90.193.201|97.90.193.201]] 17:57, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

== Changing levels ==
:There was a discussion [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=54970.msg1183319#msg1183319 on the forums] involving changing the quality levels to Fine, Exceptional, and Masterwork. Yes/no?--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 17:29, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::I think this is a great idea. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 17:31, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::I second. The forum thread linked above garnered broad support for -Fine-, +Exceptional+, *Masterwork* after discussing several options. -Grae
:::Agreed, with the quality modifiers in place, they're awesome for this wiki. I mean, what's more Dwarf Fortressy than having a good *article*? --[[User:Aescula|Aescula]] 21:32, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
::Indeed, it seems to fit the game better rather than fit with common player perceptions of the races in game.[[User:Vattic|Vattic]] 20:51, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::Although I think the Fine, Exceptional, Masterwork is a better grading scheme I have to question the need for more than two levels. Either an article doesn't have enough information (currently Elven) or it does (currently Human or Dwarven. The distinction between the top too levels is mostly in how it links to other articles which I think is a poor way to grade. For example you could make a Human article Dwarven by removing any red links or badly formed links but arguably this reduces the quality of the article itself. So I'd suggest just having a rating for poor pages and leaving good ones without any tag. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 14:51, 26 April 2010 (UTC)
:::I think there is some value to pointing out articles that are not only accurate and full of all the information, but also easy to navigate within and between. Hence the distinction between what is good and great. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 16:28, 26 April 2010 (UTC)
::::But that is not what we are doing as by removing the links on a Human article you can end up with a Dwarven article. That is not a good reinforcement. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 07:50, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

== Template/method ==

I see that this was set up with different templates for each quality level. Is that really the best way to go? Couldn't instead of <nowiki> {{elven}} {{dwarven}} {{human}} </nowiki> could we do <nowiki> {{Quality|<low>}} {{Quality|<med>}} {{Quality|<high>}} </nowiki> (for whatever those three are)? Thoughts? [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 17:50, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
:That seems far more sensible to me. The three tags are now very confusing if you don't happen to have been around while the quality thing's been introduced. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 15:47, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
::I also agree - it would centralize the formatting rules, and even potentially allow people to set what kind of label they want to see. --[[User:Krenn|Krenn]] 07:06, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Article Consolidation

2010-04-26T14:58:41Z

Shades: /* From DFW:Centralized Discussion */

== From [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Centralized Discussion|DFW:Centralized Discussion]] ==
:Will any articles be pruned away or merged? In the jump from 40D to v31 a lot of articles that used to be served well by tables seem to have become their own articles, which really clutters the place up and scatters information all over unfindably. Stones, ores, and gems are the most obvious, they really only need three tables instead of hundreds of articles. --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 19:53, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::Gems are definitely going to have to be consolidated into their own article. Ores and other valuable stones have too much relevant information to stuff in a table, although the worthless stuff like microcline or slate should definitely be relegated to Table Land (presumably we'd have a Stones page, with extra pages for stuff like obsidian or hematite). I think following the example of articles from 40d is a good idea. -- 114.77.43.223
:::What is there to know about Hematite except what it makes and where it's found? What makes it so useful is the metal, which is better described in the Iron page. Seems perfect for a table to me, alongside the myriad other ores that get mined and smelted exactly the same way. Obsidian on the other hand has a fairly unique property that wouldn't be well-described in the valuable stones table alone. --[[Special:Contributions/71.17.242.69|71.17.242.69]] 06:28, 24 April 2010 (UTC)
I agree that ores/stones/gems should be in combined articles. I think I could work on something like this today. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 16:26, 24 April 2010 (UTC)
:Minerals having their own pages is fine with me. There's a bit of information that can be included on the odd page as well as values, pictures and a wikipedia link. Time is better spent elsewhere. One area that could use some looking into is which material is best for each weapon on the weapons article. It currently doesn't have any information on this at all. [[User:Richards|Richards]] 16:40, 24 April 2010 (UTC)
::What are minerals? *SCNR* --[[User:Birthright|Birthright]] 19:43, 24 April 2010 (UTC)
::The "best material" thing is likely to be in flux for some time until Toady gets the damage calculations and so on working. Eventually I'd expect to see something like this in the weapon articles though, naturally. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 12:31, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Generally I don't think "stubs" are a bad thing. Fish cleaner, fishery and fish cleaning may be put in one article+2 redirects, but there are other topics where there is not much to say, and that's just fine, too. With barely 1000 articles it is also rather silly to talk of clutter. How does Wikipedia manage then? Making ''additional'' guides and summarizations is of course useful (and linking to them).
::Stubs that stay stubs are a bad thing. They bury searches in useless results. Wikipedia does not have the problem of filling in hundreds of EMPTY articles following a premade structure that may no longer be relevant or even sensible. And if they're staying stubs, really, they don't deserve a page. --[[Special:Contributions/71.17.241.117|71.17.241.117]] 01:09, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
:::Er, that was me. --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 01:11, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

I am not sure why microcline should have it's own article..actually, it should. What I - and a lot of players? - like to do is dig down, find a new stone, look it up. Not just if it's valuable, but also in what layers it appears and if its worth to dig through it into the base layer that may contain interesting or specific stuff. So even when i see that microcline really is everywhere i may decide to not dig on there when I'm looking for, say, platinum. In any case I didn't like the way the table for "generic" stone was organized in the 40d space. As for gems I think we should have both. An article for every gem so i can just check it's value when I find it (before I mine it) without needing the browser search function to find it in a pages-long table, but a table too so we have a central place where one can compare gems with each other. --[[User:Birthright|Birthright]] 19:43, 24 April 2010 (UTC)
:A table would accomplish all that a lot better than an eternally empty stub or a fancy illustration of microcline would. Why couldn't it have a column for value? --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 01:11, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
::I'd also add that when you did a search for, say, Diamond, it would bring you to /whatever/page#Diamond but for some reason not forward you to Diamond in the page. That could probably be fixed, so the search would work for you too. --[[Special:Contributions/71.17.241.117|71.17.241.117]] 03:30, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
:::That'll be because there's no heading "Diamond" on the Gem page, so the #Diamond part of the URL is effectively discarded. It'd be great if it could jump you to the right part of the table (i.e. where you end up when you hit Ctrl-F and type it in again) but I suspect that's a non-trivial job. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 12:31, 26 April 2010 (UTC)
::Are we clear on the definition of the word 'stub' here? If all there is to say about, say, granite is captured by the table (it's a low-value layer stone, these are its melting & boiling points, whatever) then does the fact that there isn't much text to go with it actually matter? The pictures from Commons and real-world info are nice (and don't fit into a table, though links to WP do of course) but they don't add game value to the article.
::I think I just convinced myself I ike having both pages and tables. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 12:31, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

By all means, create your giant tables and combined articles. Nobody will be against more useful content. However, please don't destroy the already existing stone and gem pages. If you really want them gone, we can discuss it ''after'' you've made a suitable replacement. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 04:42, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
: Well of course we'd want to replace them with a more useful resource before we remove them, and I also see the potential value in having specific pages, and also table pages. So I might start working on that [[DF2010:Ore]] / [[DF2010:Gems]] / [[DF2010:Stone]] [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 13:33, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

Lumping everything into a table just means more work for a new player to find the information they are looking for. Sure, it seems obvious to anyone that's played for more than a day that microcline is pretty but worthless, but new players shouldn't be forced to scroll through potentially confusing tables to find what they want. But big tables DO have value players both new and old, so having BOTH mega-tables and individual pages is the best solution, in my opinion. The individual pages should however have very clear links to the main stone/gem/ore/etc. pages, plus any information that may be unique to that object. Don't make it hard on newcomers just to "tidy things up" or whatever. A wiki is about getting the relevant information to the user, and if the user wants to know about microcline, it should be as simple as typing it into the box. (on an unrelated note, I apparently don't understand talk pages? why isn't mine signed like everyone elses?)
:I don't see how having the individual pages forwarding to these, quiet small really, tables would make it harder to find information. If anything it would be easier to find similar types of that item or other things in the same layer. The signature is done if you type ~ ~ ~ ~ without the spaces and is generally prefixed with a -- like so --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 14:58, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Quality

2010-04-26T14:51:36Z

Shades: /* Changing levels */

==Stone, gem and similar articles==
Any thoughts on how to rate these? Many of them seem to be tagged as stubs, but the stone template in particular seems to me to cover most of the salient information. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 20:20, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

==who rates those articles==
who rates those articles?
::I have been. If I shouldn't be, someone say so now. Also, should ~100% of content articles be rated? --[[User:StrongAxe|StrongAxe]] 18:42, 15 April 2010 (UTC)
:::As there isn't much of a vandalism thing going on here, I think it should be the original author of the article who rates it, with some admin verification following--[[User:Smd|Smd]] 15:25, 17 April 2010 (UTC)
::::Anyone and everyone should be rating the articles. Don't agree with an article rating? leave a note why on the talk page and re-rate the page in question. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 01:35, 22 April 2010 (UTC)

:Anybody can rate an article, it's a wiki and we're ''supposed to'' all work together. Just try to correct or update anything that needs changing. If you spot vandalism, go to the '''history''' tab next to the discussion/edit tabs and revert the page to a pre-vandal version. [[Special:Contributions/97.90.193.201|97.90.193.201]] 17:57, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

== Changing levels ==
:There was a discussion [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=54970.msg1183319#msg1183319 on the forums] involving changing the quality levels to Fine, Exceptional, and Masterwork. Yes/no?--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 17:29, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::I think this is a great idea. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 17:31, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::I second. The forum thread linked above garnered broad support for -Fine-, +Exceptional+, *Masterwork* after discussing several options. -Grae
:::Agreed, with the quality modifiers in place, they're awesome for this wiki. I mean, what's more Dwarf Fortressy than having a good *article*? --[[User:Aescula|Aescula]] 21:32, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
::Indeed, it seems to fit the game better rather than fit with common player perceptions of the races in game.[[User:Vattic|Vattic]] 20:51, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
::Although I think the Fine, Exceptional, Masterwork is a better grading scheme I have to question the need for more than two levels. Either an article doesn't have enough information (currently Elven) or it does (currently Human or Dwarven. The distinction between the top too levels is mostly in how it links to other articles which I think is a poor way to grade. For example you could make a Human article Dwarven by removing any red links or badly formed links but arguably this reduces the quality of the article itself. So I'd suggest just having a rating for poor pages and leaving good ones without any tag. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 14:51, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

== Template/method ==

I see that this was set up with different templates for each quality level. Is that really the best way to go? Couldn't instead of <nowiki> {{elven}} {{dwarven}} {{human}} </nowiki> could we do <nowiki> {{Quality|<low>}} {{Quality|<med>}} {{Quality|<high>}} </nowiki> (for whatever those three are)? Thoughts? [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 17:50, 23 April 2010 (UTC)
:That seems far more sensible to me. The three tags are now very confusing if you don't happen to have been around while the quality thing's been introduced. [[User:Oddtwang of Dork|Oddtwang of Dork]] 15:47, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
::I also agree - it would centralize the formatting rules, and even potentially allow people to set what kind of label they want to see. --[[User:Krenn|Krenn]] 07:06, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

User talk:Albedo

2010-04-20T08:31:53Z

Shades: /* "Real World" Flavor text in Stone Pages */

Hi. I was recently (in mid-March, '10) appointed to the '''[[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Request_for_Adminship/Albedo|Admin]]''' staff on this site, mainly for my understanding of wiki style and how this DF wiki is put together, rather than any exceptional expertise/understanding of arcanities of wiki code. If I left a message on your Talk page, it was probably as an Admin, unless it was clearly otherwise.

But feel free to post any questions/concerns/comments, and welcome to the wiki!

If you don't know how to use these templates, check them out:

*[[Template:DFNewVersion]] - should be added to '''every''' new new version page, for later automation. 
*[[Template:NewVersionStub‎]] - marks a page as a new concept, one that needs fleshing out 
*[[template:av]] / [[Template:ArticleVersion]] - automatically links a new article to it's old counterpart 
*[[template:verify]] - notifies that a question/concern/challenge of a point in an article exists, as discussed on the talk page for that article (and automatically links to that page!)

== Aluminum in copper ==

I have definitely seen aluminum inside a copper vein. It was freakin amazing. Also found 3 magnetite flippin huge clusters, each as big as my fort, 3 lignite veins, 2 microcline (bleagh) big groups, gold and silver vein, 1 hematite vein. It was great. More iron than I know what to do with. But totally aluminum in copper. --[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 12:26, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

== Stone articles ==

The articles on the various types of [[stone]] are based entirely on data taken from the game raws. It's possible the raw data has changed since the article was written, but observation alone is not good enough when we have that kind of inside info. If you see some sort of weird anomaly (like veins of aluminum), then Toady would most likely appreciate a bug report about that. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 06:28, 25 April 2009 (UTC)
:not veins of aluminum. Aluminum adjacent to veins. I have seen it in hematite, and copper. --[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 00:05, 14 May 2009 (UTC)

::Could someone point me to where the discussions are on how the articles should be set up? Sorry. I just... I'm being impulsive and driven and stuff and I want to know so I can /do/ stuff, and... you know, stuff. With stuff in it. I'm clearer after sleep, I promise. (Don't believe me, I'm always ambiguous, though rarely by intent.) --[[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]] 08:11, 21 May 2009 (UTC)
::NM. Found it. Duh... Trust me, sleep ''is'' my friend. - [[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]]

== (response) ==

But ''is'' it an anomaly? I'm not sure how to read the RAW's at that level. --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 07:16, 25 April 2009 (UTC)

::Both are IGNEOUS_EXTRUSIVE, so, depending upon how the raws are acted upon, there are several ways this could happen...
:::1) The layer tiles are replaced first with veins(copper), and then small clusters (aluminum). Veins sometimes leave pockets of the layer stone incased, when the vein splits and then reconnects. I've seen it a few times, but I wouldn't call it common. The small cluster that would have been aluminum if the copper weren't there covers part or all of the area within the pocket. The rest of area of the small cluster is ignored, since the aluminum raws do not mention copper. (The way platinum mentions magnetite, for example).
:::2) The layer tiles are replaced first with the small clusters (aluminum) and then the veins (copper)... the copper vein just happens to meander around the pre-existing aluminum.
:::3) It does several iterations of whatever order it does, making both options 1 and 2 possible, potentially simultaniously (though not in the same tile, obviously).
:::4) Something completely different I have no clue about. I could make some stabs at things that could have caused that result, but they would all be both difficult and clunky, both in the design and in the implimentation.
:::5) It glitched. It's a computer. It happens all the time.
::Was that ''completely'' useless, or just mostly so? - [[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]] 20:23, 22 May 2009 (UTC) (Poking around at modding is helping me learn to read RAW)

==Trader==

If the Appraiser skill is the highest skill you have, isn't the profession "trader"? I know I've seen the trader profession before. Below is what I think the skill/professions are.

Appraiser -> Trader 
Building designer -> Architect 
Organizer -> Administrator 
Record keeper ->Clerk 

I ''think'' that you are correct in that the overall skill (when you have two or more skills close in skill level) is also adminstrator. --[[User:Kwieland|Kwieland]] 20:59, 8 May 2009 (UTC)

Just read your log - I notice you build walls around the pipe. Have you considered a channel around the pit? Same effect, but you don't have to carry stone.--[[User:Kwieland|Kwieland]] 21:17, 8 May 2009 (UTC)

:Fixed Trader - my bad. Read the Skill discussion page - that group of skills is not at all clear.

:I don't intend to go near the imps - the wall will create an AG enclosure above my dining hall/kitchen area, for AG crops, statue garden, private water and fishing area, etc etc. (More extensive answers in Kwieland's talk page) --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 01:15, 9 May 2009 (UTC)

== fuel ==
While it is true that I moved the page to "Refined coal", the page I moved it from was "Refined Coal". The naming convention you were asking about is to only capitalize the first letter, since wiki links are case sensitive on all letters except the first. I think the original name of the article was "Refined Coal".

As for the origin of the term, it appears in the cancellation message if you assign a fuel-requiring task when you have no fuel. If this message no longer shows up, I have no qualms about retiring the term. However, if it still does then "refined coal" is a more suitable name than "fuel" since only "refined coal" appears in-game. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 06:45, 11 May 2009 (UTC)

:I agree that the confusion needs to be cleared up, but I don't think separating [[fuel]] and [[refined coal]] into separate articles will help since they are just words for the same thing. I think that the best solution would be a short disambiguation at the top of the [[refined coal]] page. As long as all the terms redirect to that page anyone interested in any of them will end up seeing it. As for the title, we should definitely prefer an in-game term over a forum-supplied term. Everyone who uses the wiki plays the game, but not everyone uses the forum.

:The article as-is contains all the information pertaining to the naming issue, but if you think it's confusing, the page organization may be to blame. Perhaps information pertaining to names and categories could be consolidated at the top. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 15:27, 11 May 2009 (UTC)

::There is no such thing as "fuel coal". The terms are "refined coal" and "coal fuel". [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 13:27, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

:::I know, I know! And I find I can't shake that term! (esp when tired). Not sure where used it this time, but it's like Pres. Bush saying "nucular arsenal". Arrrggghhhh!!!! --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 22:52, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

== Olivine ==

See [[Talk:Olivine]] [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 07:12, 11 May 2009 (UTC)

==That revealed vein comment of Zchris13==
I totally understand why you undid that, but it was sort of funny. And I can accomplish that without using a third party utility. I can create down stairs on the level above, which reveals the tile. --[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 23:57, 13 May 2009 (UTC)

== armorsmith page - re quality of artifact armor ==

In my head, I thought artifact armour & weapons were better than masterwork too, but that's not what the [[Item quality]] page says:

:☼Item Name☼ Masterful ×12 ×2.0
:Unique name Artifact ×120 ×2.0

And we should assume that's accurate, neh?--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 23:39, 15 May 2009 (UTC)

:nobody knows. It is a mystery!!!! Ohhhh... I really don't know what to believe. Toady has dropped contradicting hints, people report contradicting data, and nobody really knows what is going on. I say we just put a maybe in there. --[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 02:00, 16 May 2009 (UTC)

== Sorting table on [[Metal]] page by color ==

The issue is that the only plaintext in the color column is "*", which is hard to sort by. If we want it to be sortable we need the plaintext of each entry to not be identical. A pretty way to pull this off isn't coming to mind, but that's the goal. Nice work on the table, by the way. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 13:22, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

:Maybe the first letter of the color name, in the same color as the background. --[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 17:15, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

::Or change the tile entirely - the more I look at it, not sure what the whole "background color" achieves. But as I understand it the use of the icon (the asterisk) representing the ore is the problem. May take some rethinking.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 22:49, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

:Every metal has a unique foreground color and a unique background color. On items like doors, you get to see both. This is actually why doors are included in the corners of the diagram on the assorted metal pages (eg: [[copper]]) [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 23:17, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
::: <Nods> Got it. Is there a way to "pipe" the icon in, and use some numerical representation to sort? Meh, you've probably thought of that. Or piping the icon in??? Or using a subtly diff icon? Sorting by color is, admittedly, perhaps the least of our concerns with that table. Maybe remove the "sortable" part from the template for now?--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 23:24, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
:What is it we are sorting here? --[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 23:19, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
:: Metal page table (fixed in sub-title above)
HA! fixed. me r hte supra jeeeenius! Completely by accident, natch. Tried adding numbers in w/ the asterisks, to give the system something to sort. That worked w/ only 2 numbers, they ''all'' sorted. So I backed out, and tried same w/ small numbers for a better look. Then w/ only 1 small "A" for adamantine, no numbers - that worked too! Then, just for the helluvit, I tried making one asterisk small - and that worked too, w/ no visible difference in text. All it needed was one difference, and they all get sorted, np. woot and a half.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 01:32, 20 May 2009 (UTC)
:lol. Did you try it with no change at all? I bet that would have sorted, too. Why? Because the edit right before yours was a fix :P [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 05:15, 20 May 2009 (UTC)
::... buzzkill! LOL! didn't even see an edit before mine. suuuuupra jeeeeenius!--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 08:02, 20 May 2009 (UTC)

== User name vs preferred name/nickname ==

Albedo, I don't know why you think that it's unacceptable for someone to use a different name to sign their posts. 
There's a built-in function for doing exactly that (once you figure out how to use it) in your preferences. 
Additionally, while this isn't Wikipedia, you still shouldn't bite the newbies. -[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:13, 21 May 2009 (UTC)
:I guess because I'm used to going to "User:Name" to find their page, and that doesn't work - why take one username when you intend to use an entirely diff nickname? And I felt I was more muzzling than biting - over-enthusiasm is laudable, and ignorance is something that everyone has, but a bad combination together in public.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:59, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

::Personally, I joined with my usual semi-anonymous handle, as I wasn't sure I'd stick around, or that the wiki was going to be worth working on. Later decided that I was going to try to be a significant part of the community, and set my nickname/signature to my Real first name. That's probably something similar to most people who use non-User name signatures. It's also possible that what name people would normally choose won't work for signing up. ''In the end, clicking the signature of a user will take you there, regardless of what they put in it or why they don't use their user name.'' -[[User:N9103|Edward]] 23:41, 21 May 2009 (UTC)
:::Do tell. And you do this "clicking" thing with that computer mouse thing???... Stating the obvious is... well, exactly what it is. --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 23:48, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

::::lol... ok, you want blunt? Don't tell other people to do something a certain way that you prefer, simply because you don't want to use the system already in place. -[[User:N9103|Edward]]

:::No, altho' blunt serves it's purpose. However now you're simply repeating what you've already said, which again serves none. But it seems I must follow suit - if I want to go to your page but don't have your sig in front of me, I would normally type "User:Edward" in the search box and hit "go" - that doesn't work. Hence, problematic, and NO direct system is in place. Solution? Either Search, or create a redirect for you. And your personal shift in names is not what TD did - which I thought would also be obvious. Your concern is admirable - I think you are/were confused as to my exact position, which is "Why adopt a psuedonym ''the same day'' you create the User Account?".--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 00:23, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

:::::It annoys me too, Albedo. But I really just think we should let it lie. Can't really hurt anything, can it? Other than our brains, but whatever.--[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 00:16, 22 May 2009 (UTC)
::::::<nods> --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 00:23, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

:::... I didn't mean to get you all riled up. And thank you, [[User:N9103|Edward]], for asking him not to bite me, but I /did/ rather earn it... at least the ignorant + over-enthusiastic part. (I'm not saying I'm cured, yet, either.) Also, with warnings all over the place, if I can't handle a little criticism, I should just go home and cry, and not come back until I'm all grown up. Boo hoo. Ok, I'm done now.
::: Again, as to the me not signing with a link, it was a P.S. There was a (hand typed, oif) link directly above. Also, I was /really/ new and /really/ ignorant. I'm still fairly new (I've still got the "how to use the tildies to sign your name" guide at the top of my talks page so I don't forget), and I'll always be ignorant, but I'm fairly decent at figuring things out once five or six people have yelled at me about the same thing. Thanks, btw. I did need that. - [[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]] 20:12, 22 May 2009 (UTC)
::::I might recommend putting in a new-user default page that explains basic behind-the-wiki language, except for 2 things. A) It would not have helped me keep out of trouble, since I initially signed up due to poor impulse control and I /had/ to respond to... I don't even know what, anymore. And B) most (but not all) is fairly easy to pick up on the fly if you (bother to) look at how it was done by the other six people who responded before you... which is why I was typing my link out by hand at first... and some of them said "Teres Draconis" instead of "jaz" because I didn't understand the syntax ''at all''. When I say "I don't speak geek," I'm not joking. But I think I'm learning to read this dialect fairly well. - [[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]]
:::::The WTML is fairly easy to understand, much easier than HTML. There is a very helpful help section at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents/Editing_Wikipedia The Big Wiki]. Note that their rules are different from ours, you don't need to follow their style guidelines.--[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 17:17, 23 May 2009 (UTC)

== Non-Dwarves guide to stone comment==
I guess you removed my comment on alunite to avoid confusion with the value stuff? I've had places where you can't go more than 20 tiles or so without "You have struck Alunite!".--[[User:Smjjames|Smjjames]] 12:30, 22 May 2009 (UTC)
:(response) Np then as it's understandable to avoid confusion.

== [[Armor sets]] ==

You seem to be interested in changing these. How do you like what I did?--[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 01:44, 24 May 2009 (UTC)
 [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] seems not to like it so much. hmm...--[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 03:48, 24 May 2009 (UTC)

== glass = wood ==

[[elf|Elves]] dislike green glass as well? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 00:16, 28 May 2009 (UTC)

:Good point - now that you mention it, dunno. (I didn't make the original post, just expanded to explain the connection). I've got a Spring trading session coming up, and green/clear glass - I can triple check. Or, if you know the answer, of course feel free to edit the edit, np by me.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 01:02, 28 May 2009 (UTC)

::I have no clue on this one :P [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 06:03, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

:::Did you use charcoal as fuel when making the glass? (charcoal = dead tree) I've found that on the few fortresses I've had with /no/ source of coke, elves got /very/ picky about what they'd buy. If you used charcoal to smelt the ores, using coke to make finished products may "correct" this problem, but it's rather hard to tell, now. Of course, that doesn't help with glass, does it? That's a single fuel product. - [[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]] 09:40, 19 June 2009 (UTC)

== quotes ==

You know, if you change a quote then it's not a quote any more. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 23:34, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

:Also, fyi, quote page policy is that re-adding removed quotes requites a talk page discussion. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 23:36, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

::You're right, but considering your given reasons for that mass deletion, I didn't bother with a vote for each one, I just reduced their size and replaced. Not all of them - a couple I didn't feel should have been there to begin with, length or no.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 01:02, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

:You didn't respond to the first issue, which is the bigger one imo. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 05:55, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

::You can't change what someone else said just because they didnt say it the way you wanted them to. If the spelling bothers you so much, then feel free to tag it with [sic], but if you change the content at all then it's not a quote any more. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 07:49, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

:::Sorry, but that is, in my personal opinion, absolutely absurd. But fine - you asked for it.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 11:48, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

::Arbitrary quote removal is completely supported by the current quote guidelines. You can find them on [[talk:Main Page/Quote]]. These are not guidelines that I made up on the spot or forced on anyone. They have been around for a while. This is not cause for ad-hominem attacks (actually, I can't think of any situation that ''is'') [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 16:13, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

== Various disagreements ==

I just wanted to say that even though you and me are disagreeing quite a bit lately, I usually agree with most of your decisions. I think you're a good, rational editor. So please don't take things personally when an argument comes up. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 16:44, 30 May 2009 (UTC)
:Good rational editor. Yup.--[[User:Zchris13|Zchris13]] 22:00, 30 May 2009 (UTC)
::And it all seems so polite. It's nice when people can disagree with courtesy and style. - [[User:Teres Draconis|jaz]] 09:42, 19 June 2009 (UTC)

== Defense Guide ==

Hi, I'm a lurker, and know squat about wiki editing. However, there is something that should go into one of the new pages - but I'm not sure which. Mechanics (and others) have a nasty habit of wanting to clean, or reload traps during conflict. Forbidding traps after they are built will keep, for example, DOdok McGoblinBait from deciding to reload a stone trap in the middle of a siege. I got this info from [[User:0x517A5D]]'s Siege Checklist, which has some other defense info as well. FWIW, I think you're doing a great job with this. --[[User:Bob|Bob]] 01:29, 5 June 2009 (UTC)

== <nowiki>[[link]]s vs [[links]]</nowiki> ==

You know why redirects were invented right?

So editors like me can be lazy. (Alternatively you could hunt up all the plural redirects and nuke all of them, there are plenty.)

Having said that, I made the change because I find <nowiki>[[masons]] easier on the eye in the edit window than [[mason]]s</nowiki>, but it's an "individual preference" I guess.

By the way: rhetorical questions in edit comments make you look like a smart arse, just like my first line makes me look like one. There is no "tone of voice" in an edit comment.
[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 06:34, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

:G'morning! You're right. I was tired, and hadn't remembered you were an old hand at this. My comments were meant to be helpful, not condescending, but I can see how it could be read either way. So many editors dive in without realizing what's going on, and since it's invisible in the final product... Meh, in the end, masons, masunz - whatever works. I guess for me, it's all about the "root word stem", but as you say, that's just preference. For what it's worth, I agree with 99% of your edits that I've seen, and the other 1% are a coin toss by me. I guess this is one coin toss I kneejerked on.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 13:55, 13 June 2009 (UTC)
::No harm, no foul... you say g'morning, I say g'night! All I know is I just survived an ambush for the first time without saying f#@k this and abandoning. Pop went from 65 to 50 though... :( (my recruits v their Master bowmen) Thank you surpentine passageway and stone-fall traps! Now what do I do with a half-dozen gobs? [[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 14:34, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

== Screenshot Tilessets ==

I'm sure you're aware of {{Rule|I}}. 
Mentioning it due to the SS's you put up on the Vein (and other) page(s). -[[User:N9103|Edward]] 00:28, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
:??? - I am aware of it, and I use the vanilla DF tileset - why do you mention it?--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 01:15, 14 June 2009 (UTC)

::Ah, I see the issue, you're using the default graphical set. Hmm.. the rule is kinda ambiguous there. I just picked up on it from seeing the bearded dwarf, since I always stick to the pure ASCII, as does most of the wiki. Perhaps this means that a call for clarification should be made on Rule I? -[[User:N9103|Edward]] 03:34, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
:::Exactly, the "default graphical set" - and rule I says "''Images and screenshots should use the default tilesets for clarity''" - not sure what else it is that you were expecting, nor what "clarification" there needs to be made - default is defaul, neh? The recent tiles I posted in mega projects ([[tower]]) were straight off this site - here [[Character table]]. Can you point to an example of what you were expecting? --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:08, 14 June 2009 (UTC)

::::The graphical set and character set use somewhat different images for most of the tiles. Certain characters like the dwarves, and dwarfbuck, have noticeable differences between the graphical and character sets. It's no big deal really, but it seems inconsistent to have some SS's with the graphical set and SS's and diagrams with the character set. (Not that it's your fault either, mind you. I agree that the rule was followed, but as I said, I think the rule might need to be changed.) -[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:21, 14 June 2009 (UTC)
:::::Ah, I see - I remember that I tried using the default "tiles", but my PC balked at the very idea. It seems there are about 3 different "defaults" lying around - those two plus this wiki's ascii table - hrmmm. While standardization is good, I'm not sure how we can expect a "vanilla user" to conform to both sets. (How diff is it?) --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 22:38, 14 June 2009 (UTC)

::::::Not sure how I could quantify the differences any further than I have already. You could look for yourself at the curses and graphical files in your directory for further comparison. The differences aren't really that big, and I agree that the average editor probably wouldn't know the difference, but then, you're no average editor, are you? ;) I guess the most I'm realistically hoping for is that a handful of editors that are looking for something to do (perhaps Jaz would be a good recruit for this?) would re-capture the images that don't use whichever set is agreed upon to be the standard. I dunno, don't really have any ideas for this, outside of the idea that we need ideas :p -[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:44, 15 June 2009 (UTC)

== ??? ==

If you know what's going on, then I must be missing something. I don't get the point of what you did at all. How is <nowiki>[[rope]] different from [[restraint|rope]]</nowiki>? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 21:49, 15 June 2009 (UTC)

== re: End of statement ==

See [[talk:soap]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]]

== Masonry ==

I see in several articles you've mentioned that a building requires the masonry labor to construct. For a few of these, I'm suspicious because of how it is with screw pumps. There it depends on the building material, just as with walls and bridges. Rock, glass, and soap building materials will require masonry. Wood will require carpentry, and metal will require metalsmithing. I have only had this come up with bridges, screw pumps, and walls, but I expect this will hold in general. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 03:17, 19 June 2009 (UTC)
:Now that you mention it, you're right - I make those with stone blocks exclusively, and wanted to emphasize the 2-stage construction - just spaced on other labors for other materials. I'll track down what I can.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:52, 19 June 2009 (UTC)

== version tags ==

You can use <nowiki>{{subst:current}}</nowiki> to create a version tag on a page for the current version. When you use template:version in other cases, please try to use an actual version number (eg: 0.28.181.40d) since otherwise it will get stuck into [[:category:unknown version]] rather than the appropriate [[:category:version|version]] category. This will matter when game updates make us pick over the old stuff. Also, the game mechanics of 40d# versions are identical to 40d since the only changes are Baughn's OpenGL fixes. For this reason, it's safe to bundle those under 40d's umbrella. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 02:24, 22 June 2009 (UTC)

== RE: Garnierite ==

I'm an absolute twit; It *was* in gabbro, i forgot that gabbro looks exactly like obsidian. *doh*. [[User:Riffraffselbow|Riffraffselbow]] 01:24, 1 August 2009 (UTC)

== Burrows ==

Toady did put in burrows, but the version Toady is working on is different from Baughn's OpenGL project. The d# releases are made by Baughn. When we have another version from Toady (with different game code) it will have a different [[version]] number. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 18:31, 5 August 2009 (UTC)

The "open gaming" was an just incredibly weird thing to see in the article. An "open gaming" update doesn't even parse right. It wasn't an intended as an insult; rather an exclamation at the strangeness of the thing. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 21:23, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Oh, and the other arrangement wasn't consistent with the formatting of the article. I didn't think altering it would be a problem since the same information is available a paragraph away. It's aesthetic nitpicking. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 21:28, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

== 2 minutes ==

That would mean your framerate would not be 100 FPS. [[User:Shardok|Shardok]] 10:00, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
:More confidence? It's obvious. That's *all* that needed said. And frankly, I don't care whether people with faster computers see the game as more of a game or not. All I was doing was explaining *why* it takes you 2 minutes as opposed to 2 seconds for you (which was already explained *in* the article after my revision. [[User:Shardok|Shardok]] 10:39, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
::Except that you'd be deleting a talk discussion between multiple people. Even just deleting your parts would ruin the discussion, and whether or not it was or wasn't valid at this time doesn't mean it couldn't be a valid discussion for people later on, maybe someone using the Dig Deeper mod will have the same question and won't be certain if it's the mod or by default, then by seeing the talk there they'll see that it's the mod that does it. Or someone could have the same weird problem as you and might be able to give better explanation for why. [[User:Shardok|Shardok]] 19:27, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

== actually ==
would be nobles'. :) But this wording is better anyway. --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 23:51, 2 September 2009 (UTC)

Quietust explained the purpose of the restricted areas in the article. They are purely to demonstrate that the dwarves had no route except that one. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 23:59, 4 September 2009 (UTC)

== RE: Ice Wolf ==

:''(you can "verify" yourself by looking at the file. 100% the same as "wolf" except biome and activity cycle)''

My "{{verify}}" was aimed toward the statement of them being "unnatural" creatures, not identical to regular wolves. Sorry for the confusion, though. --[[User:Bronzebeard|Bronzebeard]] 20:23, 13 September 2009 (UTC)

== Contact Info ==

Yes, I will make my email address available as soon as I get a few more things worked out with the server. [[User:Briess|Briess]] 18:54, 16 September 2009 (UTC)

== IP Numbers / Sig ==

Is it possible you were logged out at the time? I enabled anonymous edits for at least a trial period earlier today. If that's not it, let me know and I'll dig deeper.--[[User:Briess|Briess]] 06:47, 27 September 2009 (UTC)
:Wikipedia.com does not have any edit restriction time; instead, they have a brief period of time before a user is auto-confirmed. IP issues may seem odd, but a user is not going to have his IP address dynamically reallocated while using the wiki (as that would cause an internet disconnection at the minimum), responding on the talk page is the same for as a user, and restricting edits based on an arbitrary account scheme is not exactly something that is welcoming. Instead, (and this is from my experience on wikipedia); you'll find that many times the users that continue on and perform substantial positive edits start out as an ip, and eventually register a username; also, the way the current captcha is set up encourages registration (skip the annoying captcha instead of filling one out every single edit, yay!). I understand where your concerns are coming from, but some people like to be anonymous contributors. We shouldn't begrudge them that; and if ip vandalism ever becomes an issue, it's trivial for an sysop to block an IP, range of IPs, or I can very quickly disable edits from unregistered users. At the very least, I want to see what kind of anonymous contributions we will get here for about a month before I go and disable anonymous edits again. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 06:40, 28 September 2009 (UTC)
::Yeesh, you just want to make me work, huh? announcements all over the place! Yeah, I'll point out the stuff somewhere, but preferably when I'm less sleepy and slightly more awake. :) Also, my brain is not sufficiently on right now to answer your question in any fashion that would make sense, so I'll do that once I've had my caffeine for the day.--[[User:Briess|Briess]] 09:22, 28 September 2009 (UTC)

== Eagles ==

"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Eagle In the real world], Giant Eagles are flying supermarkets that are nearly as strong as elephants." I laughed for a good couple of minutes.--[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:57, 6 October 2009 (UTC)
:Er, oops, meant to see if you thought perhaps we should change it :V --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 22:02, 6 October 2009 (UTC)

== Pages for Deletion ==

I went through the pages for deletion category, and the majority of them I instead redirected to the appropriate article, or rolled back to a version with a redirect to an article. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 17:09, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

:I prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to deleting pages - although administrators (sysops) can review the full revision history of a deleted page, it becomes inaccessible to any others who would attempt to access those resources. Also, the search engine capability is notoriously weak on the mediawiki engine; until such a time that either this wiki is upgraded to a version with improved spelling detection and / or the search system is replaced, I would prefer to err on allowing the redirect of spelling errors to the intended page; the redirect pages consume very few resources server-wise (1 redirect action is completely followed to the target page in as few as 180 lines of code, versus displaying a page which is a cost hit of 10s of thousands of processing events). I can completely understand your concern on keeping the site 'clean,' but until we have a feature for the wiki (and this is something I'm working on!) allowing for tagged 'stable' or 'excellent' revisions, I highly doubt any measure of cleanliness truly matters to anyone except for us wiki-connoisseurs. Also, if the inclusion of such a spelling travesty as "bizmuth bronze" allows some poor, um -- well, moron to access the material they needed, perhaps we can consider that a success?

:Also, I don't want to claim here that any such policy is set in stone; instead, it's just something I felt would be an appropriate reaction. If you disagree, I propose we >>EDIT WAR!!!<< over these pages. Er, I really meant if you still disagree, I'm more than willing to continue discussing what the appropriate course of action should be over any editorial policies we may have on this wiki. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 23:42, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

:: Is that a threat or a promise? ;) --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 00:51, 21 October 2009 (UTC)

== Graphics gone missing ==

I thought I had recovered all the missing graphics, but I guess I was wrong. Let me know if another rears its ugly [404] head. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 16:32, 29 October 2009 (UTC)

== Exploratory mining ==

I'm a bit confused as to what you mean by labor vs. net effect. Ordinarily, I would expect labor to refer to the number of mining jobs necessary to dig out a particular area, whereas net effect would be the number of tiles dug out. However, the comment you made would seem to imply the opposite. What exactly do you mean by labor? --[[User:LaVacaMorada|LaVacaMorada]] 01:17, 1 November 2009 (UTC)

== Economic Stone: Bauxite? ==

Excellent edit. I like the way you did it better than I, and your point is well-seen. Just figured I'd pop by to give a thumbs up since I would assume editor's changes aren't well-received as a general rule (though it seems most people here run contrary to that tenet). Anyway, good work! [[User:Erdtirdmans|Erd T. Mans]] (the guy who inserted Bauxite where it didn't belong!)

== NO0B! ==

If you have questions, you can ask here or you can email me at locriani in the something is gmail address. Behind the scenes code is... [[fun]], and the best place to learn that is at the mediawiki wiki, or, for the new engine, the [[http://www.wagn.org wagn]] wiki pages. Wagn is rather interesting, but will take a bit to get used to. Yeah, I want to kind of get a few of the templates and features in on Wagn before we start really stuffing new version information into the wiki (and create an account, so I can grant you admin on that as well), so that's what I'm playing with at the moment. Honestly, even with the link in the front page, about 1/10 people will look at it, 1/1000 will register an account, and nobody will actually edit it, so I think we're safe for the new version pages. :) --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 17:09, 27 February 2010 (UTC)
:Your account password is now the name of the 5th [[Special:UnwatchedPages]] on the list, all lowercase. Please change it :) --[[User:Briess|Briess]]

== [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Versions]] ==
Based on your comments and input on the administration requests pages I thought you might be interested in this kind of discussion. Please bring in your comments on this page and on it's talk page and let everyone know what you think. Thanks! [[User:Mason11987|Mason11987]] 20:46, 28 February 2010 (UTC)
:Could you drop by and comment on "consensus" again? [http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki_talk:Versions#Consensus.3F] [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 00:31, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

== Current events ==

I'd like you to take a look here [http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Current_events]. Thanks [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 15:01, 4 March 2010 (UTC)

== Disabling Edit Rights ==

If you click on hide patrolled entries, all of my edits will be hidden. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:12, 8 March 2010 (UTC)
:Addendum - since QuietBot is marked as a bot, its edits are also hidden by default. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:13, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

==Title of pages in tab==

It seems with the "40d" migration, most pages just show 40d in the tab at the top of the article (like where the discussion, edit, etc tabs are) . Can that be changed to show the article title instead? I looked at [[experience]] and [[appraiser]] and they both had it so I assume it is universal. If you can check that appraiser question, I'd appreciate it too ;) --[[User:Kwieland|Kwieland]] 00:01, 12 March 2010 (UTC)
:Actually, all of the 'normal' articles show "Page" in that tab, not the article title, since that tab is used to indicate the '''namespace''' in which the page resides. --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] 01:39, 12 March 2010 (UTC)
::I don't understand. What is a normal article? One for the "future" DF?--[[User:Kwieland|Kwieland]] 05:41, 12 March 2010 (UTC)
:::The title of the pages have never been in the tab. I don't understand it except from observation - if you open any page from before the "new format" (for instance, and go back to the page itself (rather than any redirect to a d40 page), for instance [[hammer]], you'll see the word "page" where you'd expect the Article Title to be. I ''suspect'' that's a sort of "domain", an organizational option for wiki. Default is "page", but "those who know wiki code (better than I)" have set up a different one, "40d", to distinguish those articles from the previous, or what until now have been "normal" (ie, undistinguished/default) ones. This umbrella category for articles is called a "namespace". The current Admin paradigm is that for every future version release, there will be a new namespace - so there will be a (ver = DF2010) namespace very soon, and then some years in the future a (ver = 201?) namespace, etc., etc., to keep the articles from muddying each other, and to allow any legacy versions to keep their documentation intact. (It's been said before, but it bears repeating - Users should remember that "DF2010" will '''not'' be the official [[version]] name, that's just a "working title" users have adopted to refer to the imminent(?) release... and personally I'd find it darkly hilarious and not overly surprising if it weren't released until 2011.) --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 13:03, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

== Your RfA isn't a mod ==

But I can't remove <nowiki>{{mod}}</nowiki> from it because it's locked. Could you do it? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 15:42, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

== modding guide ==

The article is about how to make mods, not about particular mods. Also, I didn't RA because I haven't thought of anything I need it for. If I find a use for it, I'll ask for it (: [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 16:00, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

Your template includes articles in [[:category:mods]]. The modding guide is already in [[:category:modding]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 00:24, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

== Re: [[Template: ArticleVersion]] ==

No. It was to a template page. A template that uses lots of parser functions -- it's only reasonable to test on the pages it actually exists on.

Do you use IRC or gtalk? I'd be happy to explain some of the more complex wiki stuff to you, a few places I've gotten the feeling that you just haven't had a chance to learn about them yet. Let me know. :) [[User:Emi|Emi]] 00:16, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

== Re: Premature Arenalation ==

Fair enough, that was one of my earlier edits before we sort of worked out how we wanted to do this change. No need to inform me of any changes you make to something I did though. If you think you could improve what I did (even if it's by undoing it) go for it and if I think I disagree I'll bring it up to you. '''Short: Cool, agreed.''' [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 02:48, 21 March 2010 (UTC)
:I had actually originally intended to take the [[DF2010]] article and split it into a bunch of articles so people can read about each of the new features in a full article that would later develop into the details when they were available after release. It seems we aren't going that way, and that's cool. But Arena was the first and only one I split off. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 16:06, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

== re: cv ==

I'm not sure I completely understand your question, so if my response doesn't answer your question, let me know. The only redirects that are being changed to CV: are ones from mainspace articles to 40d currently. I'm sure some situation exists, in which a mainspace article should redirect to the 40d namespace, but the number is very small. We're not using CV for redirects anywhere but in the mainspace. If you see them somewhere other than the mainspace (and main talk space) they are incorrectly there. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 00:07, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

== Double Redirects (40d:Gold Bars) ==

Don't delete these double redirects. They are /very/ important in the wiki's proper functioning. All mainspace pages that are on a topic that is version specific are supposed to redirect to cv:foo, so page gold goes to cv:gold, not cv:metal. This is important, because if it redirects to cv:metal, we've lost the version independence that we're trying to create. So a redirect chain like Gold bars -> 40d:Gold bars -> 40d:metal is correct, don't change it. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 01:38, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
:There's a very good reason for it's existence. Gold bars -> Metal was a pre-existing redirect, before the whole 40d: thing. I agree that it's maybe a silly redirect, however, right now I am making sure these redirects all work properly, which means the redirect chain I said. If you want to get rid of the redirect, delete the entire chain, and then go and check to make sure you haven't broken a poorly made link somewhere. All you did was delete one part, creating both broken links and broken redirects.

:As for moving everything to 40d: -- that wasn't me, but they did it the right way. It's much easier to automatically move everything and then go back and change the ones that aren't version specific than to go through and move every one manually. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 02:59, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
::Also, do you happen to have msn or gtalk? I think we have the same end goal, just differing methodology, and talking over one of those methods is much easier than this. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 03:02, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
:::Discretion only slows down serializable tasks like the one I was doing. It's much easier to follow the same pattern over and over and then go back and do all the stuff necessary to remove a silly redirect. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 03:09, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
::::Also, because there's no real reason not to have most of these redirects, it's silly to bother checking each one before fixing them. If the admins at this wiki are of the "I'm an admin, so my word is law" attitude, I'm not sure this is a place I want to be. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 03:18, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
:::::The reason I mentioned that was because your original message gave the feeling. If you had read my actual message, it was regarding the fact that you only broke a double redirect. Had you just deleted the entire chain, I wouldn't have had a problem. Also, I didn't notice that you had deleted it until after I had recreated it. Anyways, I ask again if you use either of those other communication methods, as I think this is more a misunderstanding than anything, and it's much easier to work these things out in real time. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 03:28, 27 March 2010 (UTC)

== Colored Notice Box ==

See: [[Template talk: Colored Notice Box]]. I thought I'd point you to that, as you are one of the most active people here. Let me know what you think. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 05:26, 30 March 2010 (UTC)

== Regarding Treants and Wizards ==

I know this may be a reeeeally late answer, but you mentioned wizards have no raw file? I'm pretty sure wizards are included in creature_standard, along with treants. The reason they don't appear in game at but can show up in engravings is because they have no defined biome, thus they don't spawn anywhere. Regarding ogres and trolls, for all hack 'n slash purposes, they're the same thing, apart from having different biomes, prefstring, bonecarn, different number of fingers/toes, etc.

Comments on the rarity of certain creatures are based on their frequency and biomes. Creatures that spawn only in certain biomes and have lower frequency (like stranglers) are naturally considered more rare. [[User:Dakk|Dakk]] 20:57, 31 March 2010 (UTC)

== Fix this page template ==

All I can find is the fix this image template. Hrm. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 18:11, 1 April 2010 (UTC)
:Cheers. Of course, we can always make one :) --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 20:08, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

== And so it begins... ==

Haha, yeah. We hit more than 15x the normal pageviews per day yesterday.
I'm still waiting on ToadyOne for an "official" / blessed nickname for the version series we are on. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 18:18, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
:I just wanted to let you know that you make me laugh (re: over eager editors). Thanks for handling that. :) --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 19:49, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
===Site Announcements===
Is this better now? You have to explicitly close it on each page. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:20, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

== EmiBot Notice ==

EmiBot is going to be breaking some links in the 40d article namespace right now, I figured that'd be a better place to start with these edits, since people are mostly going to be interested in 0.31.01 right now. Later EmiBot will go through and tag all the pages that now have red links with {{tl|red link}} so that they're all added to a nice category where they can be fixed by hand, because unfortunately the reason that some links will break is something that EmiBot can't fix. Anyways I was wondering if you might add to [[MediaWiki:Sitenotice]] that the red links are expected behavior, so people don't start freaking out about them. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 19:50, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
:EmiBot has standing orders to check all df2010 pages for {{tl|av}}, so you might remove that part of the notice, because that site notice is a little long. Also, I'd remove all of the new editors stuff but the don't copy/paste part, because they're the most important things currently. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 20:03, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
::Also, the links won't be fixed automagically, they'll be tagged for manual fixing, since they can't be automatically fixed. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 20:04, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
:::Could you at least remove the Admin Announcements, New Editors, and thanks the admin, lines? They are fairly superfluous I think. Or maybe change the new editors group of stuff (except for the copy/paste line, because that's extremely important) to a read this type link. The smaller we can make the site notice, the better, because it'll be confusing to non-editors I think. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 20:11, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
::::I agree, remove those three lines but somewhere add a link to some sort of place where people can ask questions/comments about what's up there. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 20:28, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
:::::Is this better? (note, I'm still afkish)--[[User:Briess|Briess]] 20:34, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
::::::Even though I already mentioned it in IRC, yes, much better. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 20:36, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
:Meh, I have to disagree. Site Messages are not for those who are conscientious enough to go and read them, they are "HEY- YOU!", in-your-face, "Ha - TRY to avoid reading this!" type announcements - which is ''exactly'' what we need for these first chaotic days. The main reason those lines seem so out of place is b/c we haven't used that notice much before, and the more they look out of place the better the message is communicated. Plus, as is, only people who check will ever see any changes, and many won't check to begin with.

:I strongly suggest we go back to how it was, or some combo. Visually, a dozen lines is not much more than a half-dozen, and that information seems to be exactly the sort that our new (overenthusiastic and ignorant) editors need to know. (And the first and last lines clearly demarcate it as something outside of the current article).

:I don't know code, but I know style, presentation and communication - and this won't reach a fraction of whom it otherwise would, and less than that of the new editors that we need to reach. The current link is soft and nice and ignorable - an announcement needs to be ugly and jarring because then it's working, and it won't need to be so for long.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:01, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

::Oh sorry, I could've sworn I had said hourly, though actually I just have a continuous loop going, so it should get pages within say, 5-10 minutes of them being made without a {{tl|av}} tag. Also, could you remove the "collapsed" portion -- oh I see that's already been done actually, I had an idea involving that and custom .css scripts. Could you also add id="siteannounce" before class=etc...? This will allow the default to be open, and allow users to add to their personal .css page to have it be collapsed. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 21:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

(Think someone beat me to it - let me know if not. Collapsible version (default = open) is good by me - solves both concerns nicely.)--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:21, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

== Version Issue: Lists, Templates, etc... ==
Pages with procedurally generated content, such as the rock layer pages (eg, [[40d:Basalt]]), in addition to regular links also have links applied by template. Some of these, such as the { {Rocks} } navigation tool at the bottom, seem to respect version number. But the sidebar Igneous rock layer list template doesn't, and I can't figure out how the "uses" links are even being generated. Do we have some policy on how this should be fixed? Do we need to make a 40d Igneous rock layer template? How does the Rocks navigation template know how to respect version number?

Or, more succinctly, arg!

(Note that the rock layers don't seem to have gotten tagged with {av} at all, nor did their links get updated to 40d ones, so there's a lot of manual work besides the obvious to bring them up to snuff.)

Edit: While I'm thinking about it, do we have a plan for categories? Because names that start with 40d are going to come before DF2010, and otherwise just be a nuissance.

--[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 13:57, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

:Ok, so i figured out how to fix templates. There's still stuff I can't figure out how to fix (where is it generating those 'uses' links from???)
:Also, the category problem is a *big* problem - we need a policy and it needs to get implemented sooner rather than later.
:--[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 16:06, 4 April 2010 (UTC)
::Was about to add this on Briess' page when I saw Squirrelloid note it here. I totally agree. Not being able to sort by alphabet is bad enough (everything's listed under 4 or D) without the user confusion. --[[User:Retro|Retro]] 02:25, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
:::It seems like many of the categories are applied to pages through the use of templates. Would it work to modify the category tags in the templates (and the tags manually embedded) to something like <nowiki>[[category:{{NAMESPACE}}:blah]]</nowiki>? It seems like this would effectively split the categories for the two namespaces on the majority of pages, but there may be something that I'm overlooking. Also, Squirrelloid, there is not a lot of consistency in the templates right now, some of the links are built in to the template itself and some are added by the user when the template is invoked in the page. I've been trying go go through and make all of the built-in links dynamic on all of the templates that make sense. The only problem I can foresee is that it will break these templates for users that have them on their user pages, but it seems a small price to pay for the re-usability it imparts. --[[User:Soy|Soy]] 03:06, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
::::Bwahahaha, random discussion on an admins talk page that he's not chosen to be involved in! (yet...)
::::Anyway, yeah, i've been using the { {L| notation for templates because it works and lets us keep one template (the alternative is to have one template per namespace - uggh). But the stone 'uses' section is neither generated by page content or by template content that *I* can determine, at least, i did look around to find them in both places and couldn't. Its possible the template calls another template or something crazy like that - I didn't even look! --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 19:41, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
:No comment until now. I think those templates just need to be updated, and/or (urgh), as suggested, distinguished between versions: [[:Template:Stone layer]]--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 19:46, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
::The big deal from above is *categories*. We should really have distinct categories between the namespaces because someone clicking a category link probably wants pages for the namespace he's in. ... I suppose the second remaining issue is if anyone knows how the 'uses' links are being generated, but that's a lot more minor and doesn't involve and structural editing (i hope!) --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 19:49, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
:Quick question: what exactly within [[:Template:Stone layer]] is not working properly? Can you give me an example so that I can see what the issue might be? Thanks! --[[User:Soy|Soy]] 20:11, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

==Re: So read it... ==
Well sorry if I annoyed you. My bad with the plural form, good to know. But I did take a look on the 40d page and copied some parts, but -and I may quote- "Please do NOT copy/paste old articles into new namespace unless you screen them for accuracy."
So I only transfered those parts where I were 100% sure were valid.
I'm no raw-digger, so I just thought I start the article for others to fill in. If you got a problem with that...
--[[User:Spectre|Spectre]] 16:26, 4 April 2010 (UTC)
Well, I tried to express what I meant there, but it eludes my efforts to put it in words (Does that make sense? I dont think it does). Anyway accept my applogies for any offense taken. I'm simply tring to give my share towards the renewing of the wiki, since it allways was a great help to me in the previous version.
--[[User:Spectre|Spectre]] 17:44, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

== Example - some fish ==

Regarding this [http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php?title=Example_-_some_fish&diff=84241&oldid=73877 edit], wouldn't placing the page in the DF: namespace make more sense than 40d? As it is a stylistic example/test and not game info? [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 17:13, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
:Meh - it was a style discussion during 40d, using 40d material. Either way, pretty much marginalized now - didn't belong in 2010, that's for sure.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 17:17, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

==Plant Table==

I was intending it to be a general plant table because they share an object in the raws. I made a new table because much of the information on the Crop page didn't apply to all plants. And yes, for practice. Still, if you want me to make it a crop-only page, I'll do that. --[[User:Eagle0600|Eagle0600]] 05:16, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

== Request for deletion ==

Sorry to start a new section for this, but I'm afraid that I'm not completely educated on proper etiquette for Talk pages. That being said, would you mind taking care of deleting the [[40d:forest]] and [[40d:tundra]] pages so that I can migrate the existing pages into the proper namespace? It would be much appreciated. --[[User:Soy|Soy]] 18:10, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

== Re:[[DF2010:Activity zone‎|DF2010:Activity zone]] ==
Well, maybe i'm not clearly understanding the idea of migrating to DF2010... but now revision 85744 seems to be almost identical to mine(85077). The difference is that i made links with <nowiki>{{L|page|text}}</nowiki> while he used <nowiki>[[DF2010:page|text]]</nowiki>. -- [[User:Peregarrett|Peregarrett]] 06:53, 7 April 2010

== re: nm ==

There's also the mediawiki technical reasons, so even if it had been CMD, I probably still would have argued for Cmd with a redirect from CMD. [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 02:36, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

== Revised AV Template ==

Just curious what you think about the work Briess and I did on it? Any suggestions? [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 00:15, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
:Indeed, I'd love to get your thoughts on this. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 00:29, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
::it looks meh, a bit bare, and the green stings slightly (compared with the bluish color of the old one), but that's just me. --[[User:Tarran|Tarran]] 00:39, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
:::I think it should <BLINK>blink!</BLINK> [[Special:Contributions/207.114.92.10|207.114.92.10]] 01:30, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

== Req for Comments ==

Hi, would you care to comment on [[DF2010_Talk:Known_bugs_and_issues#Req_for_Comments_-_.27Buggy.27_template|this section]] before I go any further with it? Thanks. [[User:Garanis|Garanis]] 12:42, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

== "Real World" Flavor text in Stone Pages ==

Regarding the real life facts that were provided by Justyn for the stones, I feel that the Wiki should be a repository of game-pertinent information. Just because it can be found at another Wiki doesn't mean it isn't pertinent, and just because it is real doesn't mean it isn't pertinent. A understanding of the stone can help in game a lot more than a blank page. I could understand if you were talking about pages full of the information, but most of the reverts I have seen you do are short paragraphs, which don't seem to be harmful at all. Having the information also provides a starting place for new contributions that are more game-important (such as notes that unlike in real life, mineral x isn't found in y kind of stone, which is VERY important to some people.) Remember that Toady bases a lot of the physical properties of Dwarf Fortress with real life. It has some fantasy elements, and the rule of cool is prominent, but real life is a good baseline for information when information is sparse on the subject. Examine, for example, the subject of Olivine. His "Real World" information mentioned that Serpentine could be found in it. While that same information can be found by going backwards, it no longer (in its incarnation of 4/20/2010 @12:00 AM MST ) mentions it in the Olivine page. There is a reason that serpentine is found in Olivine though, which can make somewhat of a difference to some people (myself one of them.) ~Kogan Loloklam
: I think as long as the real world information is appropriately set apart from the rest of the article, and it doesn't contribute excessively to the page (The chemical composition of blah blah blah is CO4 something which makes it appropriate for desalinating slugs) should be ok. This is just my opinion. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 06:50, 20 April 2010 (UTC)
: I would also like to add my vote to the fact some real world flavour is useful. If it contradicted the game world I would agree with you but we all know how closely the DF geology follows Earth's. On top of that some of these pages are now blank, and they may as well have some content. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 08:31, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

v0.31:Starting build

2010-04-16T07:59:35Z

Shades: /* Wooded/Plains */ - soil is no longer a guaranty of farming. removed comment about fewer x -levels as it's not really relevant in this version.

{{av}}{{elven}}

'''''Your First Fortress?'''''
::''If you are a new player looking for a solid basis to survive the first couple of months or years, check out the aptly named guide on {{l|your first fortress}}. It includes a basic starting build aimed at being fail-safe.''
::''If you're trying to plan the future, try {{l|what should I build first}}?''
::''If you're looking for specific, personalized examples of starting builds, see {{l|starting build design}}''

----

A '''starting build''' is a personal ''strategy'' for choosing the initial supplies, equipment, and {{l|skill}}s of your initial seven dwarves when starting a new game in {{l|fortress mode}}. These skills and items which you assign to your dwarves will have a large impact on life in your new fortress, especially in its first year.

This page attempts to give advice on some of the many gameplay elements which influence the flow of your game based on your goals. These include: choosing a ''fortress site'', the ''starting build'' itself, as well as ''challenge builds'' aimed at providing new or unusual challenges to advanced players.

But one thing should be made clear - there is no "best" build, no "perfect" or "clearly superior" final mix of skills and items. There are too many variables to connect, not the least of which is... you! Your play style, what you, as an individual player, consider preferable for the proper mix of fun and challenge. And then there is the environment, where your dwarves will arrive, the creatures, the resources available, and so forth.

Items are tied to starting skills, and starting skills are tied to the expected environment for your chosen embark, and all are tied to your preferences for playing the game - not all sites require (or invite) the same approach, and no two players would take the same approach to the same environment.

So while suggestions can be made, and new ideas presented for your consideration, ultimately the final "best" mix for you will have to come from your experience, which will begin to grow during your first game. Without understanding "everything", some decisions will just have to be guesswork - and even later you never know "everything".

__TOC__

== Components of a Starting Build ==
A starting build must be seen as a whole - the embark location affects the needed supplies, and influences what skills may be most needed or useful. Along with this is player preferences - if you wish an economy based on {{l|prepared meal}}s, {{l|glass}}, or {{l|steel}}, each of those have very different requirements. Likewise, if you want to play a military game, fighting off sieges with huge battles, that's a very different mix (and different site requirements) than if you want a calm location to build your perfect {{l|mega construction}}.

=== Skills ===
With only 7 dwarves, you can't take every {{l|skill}}, so you have to balance what you do take. At this starting phase, each dwarf can only be assigned a maximum total of 10 skill levels, with no single skill starting higher than "5". With 7 starting dwarves, you could no skills at all, or take 70 skills all at level 1, or 14 skills all at level 5* (2 per dwarf), the highest allowed at embark, or (most likely) something close in between the last two, but closer to that last.

:''(* Note that an unskilled dwarf starts with all Skills at Level '''0'''. Adding +5 Levels is then Level '''5'''. This is true regardless of how many "points" a level costs when first buying skills at embark.)''

Once play starts, dwarves can learn any and all skills - these choices only determine what sort of "head start" they have, what they are good at when they first hit the ground. See {{l|experience}} for a discussion of increasing skills during game play.

The considerations are several:

:* Maximizing starting skill ranks vs. generalizing and having more skills covered at lower levels.
:* Balancing multiple skills for a single dwarf, so they aren't constantly needed for two different tasks at critical periods
:* Military vs economic needs
:* Your goals vs "basic survival needs" to keep your fortress healthy and happy.
:* Speed that a skill can be trained in game
:* Demand for a skill during a game
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product
:* Balancing the desire to create {{l|wealth}} ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain {{l|thought|morale}} ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like {{l|bed}}s, which normally are made from {{l|wood}})''.
:* & most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "fun"!

While there are some arguable "no-brainer" choices (or are for each player, according to their playstyle), the final few selections are often a coin toss, or close to. And there is often more than one way to skin a cat - in fact, while many players recommend ''never'' starting with more than one cat, starting with many cats (breeding them for leather, bones and meat) and a skilled {{l|leatherworker}} and/or {{l|bone carver}} is one way to go with (part of) a starting build. Until you have some personal experience, the various suggestions and advice may mean little, but will have more meaning after your first fortress inevitably fails - {{l|Losing|losing is fun}}.

So don't over-think it at first - you'll make a good guess, dive in, and learn far more than we can explain here.

=== Items ===
The starting items are what is needed for your dwarves to survive until they are self-sufficient, or at least until the first yearly {{l|caravan}}s will keep them afloat. The first won't show up until Autumn, so that's more than 2 seasons your dwarves are on their own.

A dwarf eats about 2 meals a season, and drinks a little more than 4 drinks in that same time. If you add your expected {{L|migrant}}s, multiply that by the number of seasons, you can estimate how much food and booze will be needed to get you safely through to the first {{L|caravan}} - barring {{L|losing|the unforeseen}}. In your starting build, you can bring all of that, or your {{l|hunter}}s, {{l|Plant gathering|plant gatherers}}, {{l|fisherdwarf}}s, {{l|grower}}s and {{l|brewer}}s can provide some or most of it.

Similarly, most of the finished products are expensive to buy pre-embark, and so a minimum is recommended - maybe a pick or two for immediate mining and basic defense, maybe a (cheap?) axe* or two for better defense and cutting wood, thread, cloth or a rope for a {{l|well}}, maybe a few leather to make bags, and call it good.

:''(* "Wooden practice axes" cost only 17P, and cut down wood just fine. They will be significantly weaker than metal axes in combat, but still far superior to {{L|wrestling}}, and you can {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}} quickly enough.)''

You can produce any and all of those from scratch if you are willing to wait - and your {{l|surroundings}} don't kill you first. Raw materials are much cheaper, in the form of {{l|ore}}s, {{l|wood}}, {{l|leather}} and so forth, but whether you want to take the time at the start of the game is the question. The trade-off is always a balance of cost savings vs. time savings when you first strike the earth. Everything else depends on your strategy and on how tough or leisurely a challenge you want the game to be.

====Your civilization====
On the map menu, if you hit {{k|Tab}} twice, you will see a list of possible {{l |Civilization}}s that your dwarves can start from, if there is more than one. Each can have access to different starting equipment and material to offer you - some will be significantly better or worse supplied, and some may be lacking one key item you desire, while another will lack something else equally as critical to your plan. Unfortunately you will only find out when selecting your items, after selecting a {{l|location}}. To chose another Civilization requires a start-over. Another important difference is whether your civilization is at {{l|war}} with one of the neighbours; This results in early attacks on your fort and, obviously, no trade {{l|caravan}}s from them.

If you don't like the civilization you chose, or wish to compare what each has to offer, you must either finish the embark, "abandon" the fortress and then re-embark in the same location (using a '''saved''' copy of the game world!), or use {{k|Ctl}}+{{k|Alt}}+{{k|Del}} (or the equiv for your OS), shut down the game and restart it from scratch, then Start again, reload the game world, and find the same embark site - this is not difficult if you made careful notes, but is still a pain, no doubt.

Every such re-start gives you a different mix of dwarves with different names, {{L |attribute|attributes}}, {{L |personality|personalities}} and {{L |preferences}}, but the civilizations are part of the map and stay constant. The default civilization chosen for you will vary, however.

===Saving a starting mix===
Once you have the mix of items and skills that you like, you can hit {{k|s}} and save it to a template with a custom name. In a later game, you can pick that profile when you embark. If your selected civilization does not have some of the desired items in your template, this is announced clearly, and a different civilization can be tried as described above, or you can continue and change your mix.

If you match skills to the {{l|preferences}} and {{L |personality|personalities}} of your dwarves, it may be an idea not to include any skills in such a template, as they will simply be applied in the original order to the current dwarves as they appear on the list.

If you find additional items that you wish to add (perhaps another type of cheap meat, or an ore not previously available), you can edit those in by hitting {{k|s}}, overwriting your old template.

:''(You can also go into the .txt file, located at data/init/embark_profiles, and edit in the SKILLS or ITEMS as you want - the syntax is fairly straightforward.)''

= "Play Now!" =
This option gives you an automatic, low-powered and generalized starting mix with no thinking involved. If you select this option, you are ''immediately'' advanced to the game map with no chance to alter your starting skills or items.

When you pick this option, you currently{{version|0.31.01}} start with:

'''dwarves:'''
:* one Adequate" {{l|Miner}} (+2 {{l|Experience|skill levels}})
& six dwarves with Novice (+1 skill level) in each of the following skills...
:* {{l|Carpenter}}/ {{l|Bowyer}}
:* {{l|Engraver}}/ {{l|Mason}}/ {{l|Mechanic}}/ {{l|Building designer|Building Designer}}
:* {{l|Gem cutter|Gem Cutter}}/ {{l|Gem setter|Gem Setter}}/ {{l|Wood crafter}}/ {{l|Stone crafter}}/ {{l|Bone carver|Bone Carver}}
:* {{l|Fisherdwarf}}
:* {{l|Fish cleaner|Fish Cleaner}}/ {{l|Butcher}}/ {{l|Tanner}}/ {{l|Weaver}}/ {{l|Clothier}}/ {{l|Leatherworker}}

:And one "Leader", with Novice in:
:* {{l|Wood cutter|Wood Cutter}}/ {{l|Brewer}}/ {{l|Cook}}/ {{l|Grower}}/ {{l|Herbalist}}/ {{l|Wood burner|Wood Burner}}/ {{l|Furnace operator|Furnace Operator}}/ {{l|Lye maker|Lye Maker}}/ {{l|Potash maker|Potash Maker}}
::''plus'' Adequate in:
:: {{l|Wound dresser|Wound Dresser}}, {{l|Diagnostician}}, {{l|Surgeon}}, {{l|Bone doctor|Bone Doctor}}, {{l|Suturer}}.

:''(Note that that last dwarf has far more "levels" in starting skills (by twice!) for a single dwarf than are allowed by "Planning Carefully", below!)''

'''Items'''
:* 2 Copper {{l|pick}}s
:* 2 Copper battle {{l|axe}}s
:* 1 Iron {{l|anvil}}
:* 60 units alcohol (20 each of 3 random types1, 12 free barrels)
:* 5 ''each'' {{l|seed}}s2 (& 6 bags)
:* 15 units of meat (one random type, 10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 15 units of fish (one random type, 10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 15 units of plump helmets (10 + 5 units in 2 barrels3)
:* 5 pig tail fiber thread
:* 5 pig tail fiber cloth
:* 5 pig tail fiber bag
:* 3 pig tail fiber ropes
:* 3 wooden4 buckets
:* 3 wooden4 splints
:* 3 wooden4 crutch
:* 2 dogs (random sex)
:* 2 cats (random sex)
:* 1 random cow/ox/mule/horse (random sex)

::''Notes:''
:::1. ''There are only 4 different {{L |alcohol}}s possible at this stage, so if two or three of the same are randomly chosen, it's quite possible to start with 40 or 60 of the same type. (A wider variety is usually better.)''
:::2. ''The six underground crops are: dimple cup, cave wheat, plump helmet, sweet pods, pig tail, quarry bush.''
:::3. ''A barrel can hold up to 10 dry items (or 5 wet). One of these barrels is only half full. ''
:::4. ''All wooden items will be of 1 type of wood.''

As a challenge for an experienced player, this is not an uncommon choice. But even as a starting player you can do much better if you choose the "'''Prepare for the journey carefully'''" option and do just that - prepare carefully, as described below...

="Prepare for the Journey Carefully"=
Good advice. This option allows you complete control over your starting mix of skills and beginning items. By default, your dwarves start with no skills, and you are offered the following items, which are very similar to the "Play Now" mix, but all are optional and can be sold back and changed according to your preferences. Each item costs a number of "points" - you will buy ''both'' your starting items ''and'' the starting {{L |skills}} for your dwarves with one pool of combined points, 1274 total.

(This choice also allows you to select/create the {{l|Fortress name}} yourself, rather than have it randomly generated.)

The point costs for the default items are listed below.

::{|cellpadding="2" border="1"
! Default Items !! Cost (in "points") !! Comments
|-
| 2 Copper {{l|pick}}s || 88 (44 each) || for {{l|mining}}
|-
| 2 Copper battle {{l|axe}}s || 136 (68 each) || weapons and {{l|woodcutting}}
|-
| 1 Iron {{l|anvil}} || 100 || required for any metal working
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 20 alcohol, random1 || 40 (2 each) || 4 free barrels
|-
| 5 of each underground seed2 || | 30 6*5 (1 each) || 6 free bags
|-
| 15 meat of one random (cheap) type || 30 (2 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 15 fish of one random (cheap) type || 30 (2 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 15 {{l|Plump helmet}}s || 60 (4 each) || 2 free barrels3
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber thread || 60 (12 each) ||
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber cloth || 70 (14 each) ||
|-
| 5 pig tail fiber bag || 100 (20 each) ||
|-
| 3 pig tail fiber ropes || 60 (20 each) ||
|-
| 3 wooden4 buckets || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| 3 wooden4 splints || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| 3 wooden4 crutch || 30 (10 each) || medical
|-
| No dogs, no cats || ||
|-
|}
:1. There are only 4 different {{L|alcohol}}s possible at this stage, so if two or three of the same are randomly chosen, it's quite possible to start with 40 or 60 of the same type. (A wider variety is usually better.)
:2. The six underground crops are: dimple cup, cave wheat, plump helmet, sweet pods, pig tail, and quarry bush.
:3. A barrel can hold up to 10 dry items (or 5 wet). One of these barrels is only half full.
:4. All wooden items will be of 1 type of wood.

With the above items, your point pool starts at '''300''' (visible in the lower right corner). This is not ''close'' to enough points to buy full skills for all your dwarves, but you can sell back any or all of the above items that you choose and recover the points, spending them as you prefer. There is no quick and easy solution to this, but the possible options are infinite*. Returning all equipment is worth 1274 points total, but unused points are of no use after embark, once the actual gameplay starts, so spend now or waste them.

:''(* Note that an anvil is needed to do any metalworking, and in turn cannot be created without another anvil. Selling your anvil back means you will not do any metalworking at least until the Autumn {{L |caravan}}, and then only if they bring one - which they 'usually' do, but not always. Next dwarven caravan is a year after that, and so on.)''

=====Using the menu=====
Use {{k|Tab}} to switch between selecting Skills and Items. Use the 4 directional keys or number pad to navigate to highlight the different choices/columns, and {{k|+}} or {{k|-}} to choose more or less of the highlighted item or skill. When viewing items, hit {{k|n}} to go to a menu for any "new" items, that are not currently listed, including any you removed by reducing the number to 0; select the item, hit {{k|Enter}}, then increase the number desired as above ({{k|+}} or {{k|-}}) in the main menu.

If you cannot buy additional skill levels, you are out of points and must return some items for additional points. Higher-priced items will automatically be removed from viewable new items if you do not have enough points for those selections, showing only what you can afford with your current points.

=== Skills ===
At this stage, pre-embark, skills cost a number of starting points, equaling monetary value. Later, during fortress mode, all skills will be trained by practice, and "cost" is no longer a concern. All dwarves start with "No Skill" and the first additional skill level (Novice) costs 5 points. To buy the next level would cost 6, and so on. To buy up Proficient (the max allowed to start with), costs 5+6+7+8+9, or 35 points.

A dwarf can start with up to 10 additional levels, regardless whether that's 10 skills at Novice, or 2 skills at Proficient. So, if you are going to buy the maximum skills allowed (highly recommended), that can cost from between 50 to 70 points each, but is usually around 400-450+ for all 7 dwarves.

Each {{l|dwarf}} can (over time) learn any or all {{l|skills}}. Dwarves with little experience in a skill will work slowly and ineffectively, while dwarves with higher skill work faster and/or produce a significantly higher quality product. Some skills are not used often, and/or produce no "quality" in the final product, or produce qualities that have little impact on the game - for these it's questionable whether investing in high starting levels is worthwhile, but that's often a judgment call.

* For example inexperienced {{l|herbalist|herbalists}} will gather stacks of only one or two {{l|plant}}s, and often nothing at all, and inexperienced {{l|farming|farmers}} will often plant stacks of only one or two plants. This results in a small overall output which takes many {{l|container#container|containers}} to store in, less effective {{l|food}} preparation in the {{l|kitchen}}, and more space needed for {{l|stockpiles}}.
* Inexperienced {{l|miner}}s work very slowly and are less likely to recover mined gems or valuable ores. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining {{l|soil#soil|soil}}, but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in many cases.
* In nearly all {{l|workshop}}s, inexperienced dwarves who create items will only rarely produce high-quality goods, and take a long time doing so. Skilled dwarves work quickly and produce high-quality items far more reliably.
** {{l|Quality}} is a central concept in the game - it affects {{l|food}}, {{l|alcohol}}, and almost anything you will have your dwarves create in the game: {{l|trading}} goods, {{l|barrel}}s, {{l|clothing}}, {{l|armor}}, {{l|furniture}}, {{l|weapon|weapons}}, and so on. Quality also has a large effect on the worth of an item while {{l|trading}}.

Dwarves improve their skills on a learning-by-doing-basis. Dwarves who have specific labors will attain Dabbling status as soon as they complete one job of that type. (Certain jobs, such as building workshops, won't make your dwarves more experienced. But most will.) As the number of jobs they do increases, their skill will increase as well. Overall, "leveling up" the dwarves' skills quickly is a good game goal to set. Doing so may result in your dwarves efficiently creating a magnificent fortress filled to the brim with valuable items and {{l|furniture}}. (Or it might {{l|losing|not}}.)

Using and seeing high-quality items gives dwarves happy {{l|thought}}s. This tends to decrease the incidences of {{l|tantrum}}s, increasing a fortress's longevity.

==== Which skills do I need, really? ====

The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your food supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, otherwise your food will rot on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial food supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none.

That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see {{l|challenge}}) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for:
:{{l|Mining}} - to dig your fortress, and gain stone for projects. Only possible to avoid using if you're secretly an elf.
:{{l|Carpentry}} - {{l|bed}}s can only be produced from {{l|wood}} (rare {{l|mood}}s aside)
:{{l|Masonry}} - to build walls and stairs, and fashion dwarven furniture from stone. Possible to work around, but incredibly hard and annoying to do.
:{{l|Grower|Growing}} - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning
:{{l|Brewing}} - all dwarves "need alcohol to get through the working day"
:{{L|Butchery}} - to control the inevitable catsplosion. Killing your processor is not a good idea.
:{{l|Mechanics}} - if you want traps, and most people will. Also needed for most machinery, now more essential than ever since irrigating is no longer optional.
:{{l|Architecture|Building Designer}} - mandatory for some buildings and constructions, but skill only improves speed a tad and increases structure {{l|value}}
:{{l|Broker skills}} - most importantly {{l|appraiser}} - for {{l|trade|trading}}
:{{L|Record keeper}} - Lets you be able to see the exact amount of things you have much faster than training one, and is necessary to view the stocks screen.

''Note! - Some new skills in 01.30.01 are unclear as to their use/need - Observer, Fighter, Leader and so on.''

Of the above, Masonry, Growing, Brewing, Cooking, and Mechanics are generally worth considering as "highly desirable" starting skills for your dwarves. Carpentry is used, but opinions differ - on one hand, wood items are just not worth that much {{l|value}}-wise ''(10's of dwarfbucks vs 100's for stone furniture or 1000's for armor or prepared foods, for instance)'', so the difference in monetary value between high-quality and no-quality is minor for wood products. However, high-quality {{l|bed}}s are one of the easiest ways to help make and keep your dwarves {{l|thought|happy}} (since every dwarf will encounter a bed regularly), so some players swear by it. Mining is important but also fast to train, so one or two unskilled miners is usually ample. You will almost certainly have animals to butcher, but skill in {{l|butchery}} produces nothing of "quality" (meat is meat) and speed is usually not a consideration for the typical demand (butchering unwanted offspring, like kittens). A minimum of Broker skills are highly recommended to start with at the Novice (1 pt) level - it'll make your life much easier (especially Novice level of {{l|Appraiser}}, at least, as it greatly facilitates trading).

Of course, even near-certainty that you will use these skills doesn't mean you have to start with dwarves already skilled in them. Remember, '''any skill can be used untrained, and/or get trained on the job''' - it just means a slower process and/or average lower quality product than if done by a dwarf with a higher {{l|experience|skill level}}. All of the above skills can be used untrained if you so choose, but you will use them.

Ultimately the answer to "What skills do I need?" is "Whichever ''you'' want". Choosing a mixture of these commonly used skills and your desired specialized skills will make starting up your fortress easier and more efficient.

==== What considerations could inform my skill selection?====
Every skill not listed in the preceeding section is only used if you want it to be, and the benefits of experience in skills vary considerably. Skills you choose have to be balanced against your play-style, the environment (danger, ores, other resources), the relative value of the final product, and what you must give up to gain those skills. You will often want some optional skills, often vastly more than something as useful and desirable as even masonry. For example, any player intending to do more than dabble in the metal industry may well want to start with multiple dwarves each highly skilled in at least one metal industry skill, especially those that produce goods with {{L|Quality|quality}}.

The following may influence your choices of skills:

#Some skills are harder to gain experience in than others - requiring valuable resources or taking an extended period of time, and thus inconvenient to train from the ground up. Investing in some of these extensively in your initial dwarves can make those industries much less painful to start. For example, metal-related skills generally eat metal bars, and thus the less time you spend training metal workers up to a decent level, the faster they'll be churning out high-quality items for you, and the fewer bars they'll waste becoming skilled. On the other hand, despite its importance, skills like mining train relatively quickly and barring extenuating circumstances (expected need to accomplish particular digging projects in the first month or you'll get mauled by a Giant for example) there's little need to actually invest your starting skills in it - they can learn on the job.
#Keep in mind that some skills are used to make {{l|legendary artifact}}s, and successfully making an artifact will give the dwarf a lot of experience in the used skill. It can be worth investing in some skills solely to bias your artifact skill pool in the hopes of getting a legendary dwarf in an industry you want to really get working on a year or two in. (See {{l|Strange mood}}s for more info.)
#While its possible to feed your fortress on nothing but caravan goods, you'll never come by enough alcohol that way, so you'll eventually need to grow crops for brewing, and dwarves will literally go crazy if forced to drink nothing but water for long periods. Thus you'll want to plan for farming eventually - not that you need to bring a highly skilled {{l|Grower}}, but it'll certainly be ''very'' helpful. Likewise, a skilled {{l|brewer}} produces higher quality {{l|alcohol}} (''though the quality is hidden!)'', which improves your dwarves' mood, as does a skilled {{l|cook}} with the foods they prepare. However, most food can be eaten raw, and so long as they are not starving there is life.
#If you plan on settling in a dangerous area, consider including at least some military skills, if not a dedicated {{l|soldier}}, or several. The nature of the environment should dictate the military skills chosen (for example, marksdwarves will be an ineffective counter to expected roving hordes of {{l|skeletal}} wildlife).

====Generalist vs Specialist====
Any dwarf can have any labor designated, and they will perform that task and learn or improve that skill, even if they have no skill related to that labor when they start. So you don't need an example of every skill. A skilled dwarf will produce a better {{l|quality}} product, and/or do it faster, but if that's rarely used, "faster" doesn't mean as much. Many jobs have no real "product", and so no quality modifiers - plant gathering, wood cutting, wood burning, smelting, animal trainer, etc. etc. merely produce "stuff", not "quality stuff", or may not be used very often, and/or not be used much after the first year of the fortress. There are as many opinions about balancing generalists with specialists as there are players.

Some skills are also trained up fairly quickly or cheaply, especially where the task consumes no (valuable) materials, or doesn't matter in the final product - mining, furnace operator, wood cutting, butcher, tanner, glass making and (especially) {{l|administrator}} skills being only a few examples.



==== Combining Skills ====
Some {{l|skills}} are highly time-consuming, and working at different jobs levels up specific {{l|attribute}}s. One could level up a miner until he becomes mighty and ultra-tough - and then turn him into a soldier, or retire him to haul stone. If you plan on doing so, it may not be a good idea to give this guy a second critical job that will demand a lot of time away from their focus. There are many parts to a suit of armour, so armoursmithing will take more time than weaponsmithing - once you have one weapon per soldier, he's done. Masons, miners, growers, and any craft that your fortress will base their economy off of (glass, stonecrafts, armour, etc) will take a lot of time.

Since tasks will take place in specific areas, another approach is to combine tasks into dwarves who will take care of a specific industry, or spend all their time in one generally narrow part of the fortress - the forges, or the kitchens, or outdoors, for instance. So combining Farming with cooking, rather than mining, for example, and turn on only Haul Food, not Haul Stone. Woodcutter/Herbalist/Mason/Axedwarf (for outdoor walls/projects) might be another combination - the possibilities are endless.

Some combinations follow naturally in sequence to each other, but also can conflict with each other. One animal is butchered, then the leather is tanned, and the meat is cooked. But if you have 5 animals, several will rot before one dwarf can process all of those. A highly skilled craftsdwarf is often better suited at sitting in their {{l|workshop}} and having others deliver raw materials to them, than going out and obtaining their own raw materials themselves.

Many builds recommend combinations such as:

* '''Outdoors''': Woodcutter/Plant Gatherer. Add {{l|axeman|Axedwarf}} for added security.
* '''Mason+____''' : In many fortresses, the Mason is a very busy dwarf. He could be a spare miner, have abilities that are only rarely needed, or do tasks that can be accomplished quickly like {{l|building designer}}.
* '''Farmer/Cook, Farmer/Brewer'''. Basic two-person food team.
* '''Farmer/Herbalist, Farmer/Brewer/Cook'''. One bold dwarf to farm and venture outside looking for wild plants, the other to keep busy in the {{l|still}}, kitchen, and indoor farms.
* '''Boss''': Novice {{l|Negotiator}}/Novice {{l|Judge of intent}}/Novice {{l|Appraiser}}. This guy will be your {{l|Leader}} and {{l|Trader}}; you can make him {{l|record keeper}} too (the default), at least to start with. Combine this with a single time-intensive task such as {{l|Masonry}} and optionally turn off all hauling tasks right at the start of the game. Or keep him a generalist, or combine with one of the other options.
* '''Weaponsmith/Leatherworker''': If they're not arming your military, they're making leather armor for them.
* '''{{l|Craftsdwarf}}''', depending on your strategy - e.g. {{l|glass}} maker, {{l|weaponsmith}} or {{l|armorsmith}}, sometimes combined with related tasks from that industry ({{l|furnace operating}}, {{l|wood burner|wood burning}}). Typically an item hauler in the initial months of your fortress, this dwarf may become one of your most valuable dwarves later.

Not all combinations have to "look right" together. A weaponsmith will most probably not spend nearly 100% of their time creating weapons - what they do with the other part of their time may have nothing at all to do with forges or smithing.

* '''Grower/GemCutter''' (or Grower/x-Craft): When gems are found, he's there, otherwise he's outstanding in his fields.
* '''Mechanic/Brewer''': usually produces the mechanized defenses, but does moonshining when it's called for.
* '''Miner/______''': This dwarf will quickly become legendary in mining, and then retire to pursue something else full time. On call for important veins of high-value ore.
* '''Brewer/Appraiser/Leatherworker''': several typically low-demand skills
* '''StoneCrafter/Herbalist''' - after quickly finding above-ground plants for seeds for the first season, they never go back unless something goes wrong.
* '''(x-Craft)/Armor User''': Plan for the future - armor using is slow to train in if this dwarf is ever going to join the military.

You can max out one skill and have several lower-level skills additionally, or just several skills that are not maxed out - the combinations are (almost) infinite.

Combinations like these often have one {{l|moodable}} skill and one non-moodable (or a less desired moodable skill at lower level), so any mood will improve the desired one.

==== Combining Skills for Moods ====

{{l|Strange mood}}s will create a Legendary skill of the "moodable" skill with the highest level, and moods take hold of dwarves with different professions at different rates. Some skills are "moodable" where others are not. Another consideration is to place desired moodable skills with non-moodable, to ensure that both the professions and highest skills stay as preferred. Usually this involves one "craft" skill and one "farmer" type skill, such as Armor/Cook, or Weapon/Brewer. This can take some manipulation, and is not of primary concern to many players.

=====Matching skills to a dwarf's personal profile=====
Once you have your optimal skill mix for all 7 starting dwarves, you can, if you wish, take the time to {{k|v}}iew each of your individual dwarves and match skills to their {{l|preference}}s. This can be very advantageous: if you have a dwarf who likes {{l|steel}}, {{l|clear glass}}, {{l|crossbow}}s, {{l|siege engine}} parts, or something else equally interesting, they're an ideal candidate for matching skills (specifically for these examples, {{l|armorsmith}}, {{l|glassmaker}}, {{l|bowyer}}, or {{l|siege engineer}}).

Likewise, if they have any obviously relevant {{l|personality}} strengths or weaknesses, those should be factored in. Some are obscure or ambiguous, but some ("Is constantly active and energetic") are a clear sign.

=== Items ===

An experienced player can start out with no skills for their starting dwarves, 1 copper nugget and an anvil - and nothing else - and have {{l|Make_your_own_weapons#Minimalist_challenge_build|everything they need}}. So what is "needed" is up to what you think is "fun" vs. "too hard" etc. etc. etc.

Some basics are recommended for all builds. Unless you plan to {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}}, you definitely need to bring one {{l|pick}} for each {{l|miner}}, and if you plan to gather wood, you need an {{l|axe}}, which will become a weapon in wartime. Also a minimum of about 25-30* {{l|food}} and about 55-60* {{l|alcohol}}, which should get 7 dwarves through to the first {{l|caravan}} in Fall. Everything else depends on your strategy and on how tough or leisurely a challenge you want the game to be.

::''(* A single dwarf eats about 2x/season, and drinks about 4x/season. With 7 dwarves that's ~approximately~ 14 meals per season and 28 alcohol per season, or ~28 meals and ~56 alcohol until the end of Summer. The Caravan is due sometime in Autumn, usually early Autumn, in the second week or so, but the first won't have enough to keep you going until whenever the next one arrives. Hopefully you'll have some food and brewing industry going by the first, or soon after.)''

Note: Many builds recommend that you bring many different cheap foods, in quantities ending in a "1" (1, 11, 21, etc.), and alcohols in amounts ending in a "1" or "6". This is to maximize the number of free {{l|barrel|barrels}} you start with; dry foodstuffs fit 10/barrel, and (pre-embark) alcohol fits 5/barrel. More barrels will let you build a larger stockpile for your first winter and conserves the {{l|wood}} you need to cut and shape in the early game for beds and other necessities. (Seeds are 100/bag, and you don't need near that many of any one type, so 6 bags max with this approach. Even if you don't plan on growing much {{l|cave wheat}}, starting with 1 seed and getting the free bag, and planting that one see later and dumping the result could be worth it.)

===== Items for moods =====
When a dwarf is taken by a {{l|strange mood}}, they often need obscure material or they will go insane and die, possibly with severe consequences to an entire fortress. Bringing along some of the harder to find ores ({{l|cassiterite}}, {{l|sphalerite}}, {{l|bismuthinite}}, {{l|garnierite}}) and shells ({{l|cave lobster}}, {{l|turtle}}), and putting those aside, forbidding their use "just in case", is spending a few points on an insurance policy. Bringing along a few bits of cloth thread is a good idea. Just in case.

===== Free Equipment =====

Dwarves who start with the ambusher skill may get some leather {{l|armor}}, a crossbow and some bolts for free.





====Different starting cultures====
Before actually hitting "embark", you often have the option to choose one of several starting dwarven cultures (one of the options shown when you {{k|Tab}} through the various sub-screens). Different cultures will have different meats, fish, stones and etc to offer, and occasionally even different types of armour. The only way to know which is "best" is to remember ''exactly'' where on the 3 maps your embark site is, select one culture, embark and see what they have to offer, then hit {{k|Esc}} and "abandon game", and try it again with a different culture and compare. A real pain, sometimes. (Make a note about your exact starting location, don't trust it to memory.)

= Site considerations =
Each fortress {{l|location}} offers particular challenges and opportunities, and can make different demands on your starting build. The starting builds below should be adjusted depending on the {{l|region}} your fort occupies, the specific vision you have of your fortress, and what it will take to {{l|losing|stay alive}} where you're going!

The differences include what {{l|biome}}s, {{l|region}}s and stone {{l|layer}}s are present in your chosen embark site, as viewable on the starting menu.

=== General Surroundings ===
Simply put, if your {{l|surroundings}} are {{l|evil}} or {{l|savage}}, your dwarves have a higher risk of suddenly facing personal combat before they are safely behind their defenses. Consider bringing extra weaponry, in the form of axes, picks or crossbows (see {{l|Starting_builds#Free_Equipment|free equipment}}). Hand in hand with those, consider skill mixes that include {{l|axedwarf}}, {{l|mining}} (the skill used to wield a pick), {{l|marksdwarf}}, or {{l|wrestling}} (a solid unarmed-combat skill).

The same is true if you are embarking near an exposed magma vent or an open chasm - these features can be seen on the embark map, but it's impossible to tell if they are "open" to the surface or not, until you are there in person.

Be sure to include some source of {{l|water}} on the map, preferably running {{l|water}}. Water is (almost) essential for any fortress. In Cold and Freezing climates streams and {{l|lake}}s will often be frozen year-round and your dwarves may quickly die of exposure, in Hot climates {{l|murky pool}}s will dry up, and in Dry ones rain will only rarely re-fill them, if ever. Choose Temperate or tropical zones for an easier game.

===Aquifers===
If an {{l|aquifer}} is present in the first soil or stone layers (visible on the pre-embark menu), it may bar all access to {{l|stone}} and {{l|ore}} until you find a way through the water barrier. Consider bringing some stone for building, and ore for your first basic needs, may be critical.

=== Mountains ===
Mountains often have abundant {{l|ore}}s, but at the loss of trees and plants. {{l|Magma}} and rare {{l|metal}}s lure settlers here, but {{l|giant eagle}}s and {{l|chasm}} dwellers are potent threats. You'll want to include a sufficient amount non-mountainous areas in your embark area to obtain lumber and food - or, failing this, to pack a lot of extra food and logs.

Depending on the exact layers, it's common to find exposed {{l|vein}}s of useful {{l|ore}}s that can be immediately mined for {{l|Make your own weapons|DIY}} weapons and tools.

=== Wooded/Plains ===
Flatlands with at least some trees and gatherable plants can also make for highly successful fortresses. Advantages over mountain zones include abundant trees and plants and (unless frozen) more abundant water. There are even (rare) magma vents. More water also means a high likelyhood of an {{l|aquifer}} being present. Make sure to check on embark.

The greatest disadvantage is the potential lack of exposed {{l|stone}} to mine. The first level(s) below the surface is often {{l|soil}} of some type, which offers no building materials. However, soil is mined much more quickly than stone (x3-x4 faster), and expansive accommodations (rooms) can be achieved quickly even by untrained miners. You will find stone, you just have to go down a bit for it - but that's what dwarves do, isn't it?

{{l|Experience|Training}} a {{l|Miner}} from No Skill to Proficient takes <NEED NEW TIME> in soil, and to Legendary in less than <DITTO>.

=== Oceanside ===
With many features in common with some of the above locations, {{l|beach}}es are often a mix of ease intermingled with bouts of extreme difficulty. Minerals and trees are often abundant, as well as farmland and sand, but there is often no drinking water unless the biome has a flowing {{l|water}} of some sort.

By definition, the settlement will fall between (at least) two {{l|biome}}s (one land, one water), potentially hazardous if the player expects a peaceful oceanside meadow, without realizing the {{l|terrifying}} ocean is full of amphibious zombie {{l|whale}}s.

=== Desert, Glaciers, and Barren ===
Treeless (or near-treeless) {{l|biome}}s are challenging sites for a fortress: you get most of the disadvantages of a flatland site without having access to nearly as many trees and plants. However, near-lifeless zones such as {{l|glacier}}s are wonderful for those with slower machines, as there's little to burden the CPU but your dwarves and livestock. {{l|Desert}}s and barren areas often have sand; with a sufficient source of energy (preferably magma), you can build almost anything out of unlimited glass.

Hunters should be replaced with fisherdwarves and a fish cleaner (although the latter can be easily trained). Depending how much water vs. land, more starting wood and ores might be helpful. Swimming is rarely useful in Fortress mode, even at the beach, and can be trained.

==Sample starting builds==
See {{l|starting build design}}

{{Starting FAQ}}
[[Category:Guides]]

v0.31:Steam

2010-04-13T19:53:53Z

Shades: Seems steam is still harmless :(

{{av}}
{{elven}}
'''Steam''' is created from the mixing of {{L|magma}} and {{L|water}}. This is distinct from {{L|mist}}, a similar looking product of water falling, or {{L|smoke}}.

In older versions, steam would cause massive {{L|wound|injuries}} and death. Currently steam is harmless but still rendered.

Another product of water and magma mixing is {{L|obsidian}}.

[[Category:World]]

User:Shades/monobook.js

2010-04-08T09:38:52Z

Shades:

importScript('User:Emi/clock.js');
importScript('User:Emi/colorcontrib.js');

User:Shades/monobook.js

2010-04-07T14:22:49Z

Shades: Created page with 'importScript('User:Emi/clock.js'); importScript('User:Emi/newpages.js'); importScript('User:Emi/colorcontrib.js');'

importScript('User:Emi/clock.js');
importScript('User:Emi/newpages.js');
importScript('User:Emi/colorcontrib.js');

User:Shades

2010-04-07T14:15:23Z

Shades: removed old 40d build

User:Shades

2009-12-05T12:46:15Z

Shades: /* ASCII Art Rewards */

==The Numbers Game==
*4 sweet pod seeds - costs 4
*1 Proficient Grower will average 3 pods per seed, so 12 pods
*1 Thresher turns 3 pods into 15 syrup, so 60 syrup in 4 barrels worth a total of 1200
*1 Proficient Cook takes 4 barrels and makes, on average, a single superior stack of meals worth somewhere in the region of 10000

So from 4 points (plus the grower and cook skills I tend to take anyway) I've created 10000 in worth.
Scaling up to around 50 seeds (which seems to be what the grower can plant before the first seeds grow and provide more) means you end up 125k of worth in the first season. It's possible to get 4 harvests in spring and summer so half a million by the time the caravan arrives.

Now imagine if you start with 5 growers instead of one, and you train up your cook with easy meals while waiting for the first pods to grow so it can handle the output. I wonder what the upper limit for migrations is.

==ASCII Art Rewards==

===29 October 2007===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===24 July 2008===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

===5 December 2009===

+@/+@@@+@@@@@@@

Dwarf hero Danrik called for his battleaxe. A dwarven squire ran to
him and put the weapon in his hand. The dwarf held the weapon high,
but collapsed, steadying himself on the hilt. The demon laughed. It
had congealed into the form of a man wearing a dark cloak, horns upon
his head, a nightmare lord of the underworld.

“If this is the best you can you can do, you have clearly lost,” said
the demon lord. “You will bring me one maiden every season.”

The nightmare lord looked over the cowering dwarves. He pointed at
the gasping form of Danrik. “Start with that one’s sister.”

Danrik watched helplessly as Andra, his lovely sister, was brought to
the demon’s side. The creature put its hand on her shoulder and the
pair disappeared in a burst of blue flame. Danrik howled with rage.
A squire ran up to him and bowed his head. “We will find Lady Andra,”
said the boy. “You can count on it.”

“What is your name, youngster?” asked Danrik.

“I am called Blackbeard,” said the boy.

“A strong name for such a small body,” said the hero. “You can begin
the quest by fetching a dragon tooth from the ruins of the wall. From
it we will forge a mighty shank to drive into the heart of the demon
lord.”

The squire smiled and bounded away into the rubble. It was the
beginning of a hard recovery. While the smiths worked in the forge to
create the ultimate knife, Blackbeard trained the hero to walk again.
When Danrik was able to put his fist through solid rock walls, they
knew they were ready. Danrik put the dragon dagger Gotter through his
belt and stepped before the crowd.

“I go now to rescue Lady Andra from the pit,” said Danrik. “The road
will be long and hard, to the fiery heart of the mountain and beyond,
to the land of the dead. Who is with me?”

Blackbeard jumped up and down, raising his hand above the shoulders of
those around him. Though it looked grim, a few brave adventurers step
forward. It was not a question of whether they would reach the
underworld, for they must reach it. They must reach Andra, and slay
her captors, for all great tales end this way.

==Current Build (so out of date it hurts)==
{|
|-
| '''Starting Skills'''
| '''Other starting jobs'''
|-
| Negotiator, Persuader, Appraiser, Judge of intent, Conversationalist
| Mining
|-
| Organizer, Record Keeper
| Mining
|-
| Carpenter, Building designer
| Mining
|-
| Mechanic, Siege engineer
| Mining
|-
| Mason, Building designer
| Mining
|-
| Grower, Potash maker
| Wood Cutter
|-
| Cook, Herbalist
| Animal Trainer
|}

===What am I thinking?===
Other than the leader all the dwarves start with two skills, both of these are at proficient level which gives a nice basis for agility/strength/toughness. The first dwarf will take on Leader and Broker roles and the second dwarf will forfil the needs of the book keeper and manager, the others all have a major skill which they will specialise, and a minor skill that I probably won't need but what the hell. The exception to this is the two minor building designers but I figure between the two of them they'll have it covered.

Five of the dwarves are set to miner as soon as I start, they make short work of the major areas of the fortress and leave little stone, but the they they are replaced most will be adept or higher but that just helps with their agility/strength/toughness. The first to be removed will probably be the mason as I'll have a need for a lot of stone items, the carpenter can make his beds while mining. The record keeper will be switched mid summer or so to get cracking on those records, but this time I expect most of the fort to be mined out. The broker will be pulled off mining when the caravan arrives to get to work there.

I expect to get at least one set of migrants in the first year at that point all the rest my miners will switch over to dedicated miners among the new, even if I have to draft peasants, probably just two or three miners, any more is a waste. These will start at a lower level than the ones I took off duty but that just means less rock. By the time I'm needing ore they'll be legendary anyway.

The farmer will cut some initial wood to make beds and clear a path to the entrance, for wagons, then switch off woodcutting when the farms are ready to place. Note that I also have on 'only farmers harvest' so he'll be dealing with growing exclusively from this point, and maybe potash if I decide to fertilise the fields.

The cook will train up the dogs I bring with me to give me some defence, but other than that will perform hauler duties until there is something to cook, probably early summer.

The five miners with copper picks only cost 100 points, and as there is no anvil needed here there is plenty to spare. The lack of a brewer means I'll take more alcohol but brewing is a quick task and so it won't be long for one of the migrants to pick that up. Depending on the location I might switch the carpenter out for a Brewer/Wood Burner, to match the potash, as I don't really need a carpenter but to be honest without doing a two miner/two grower build I had trouble filling the slots up.

40d:Pregenerated worlds

2009-11-09T12:23:06Z

Shades: Fixed broken content hierarchy

'''Pregenerated worlds''' are worlds that have been created and uploaded for use by others, so they may skip world generation, and are independent of version{{v|0.27.169.33g}}. '''Seeds''' are numbers that tell the world generator which world to create. These are usually given for particularly good [[location]]s, or for quick generating time. Below is a list of worlds and seeds that users have made, along with any interesting locations, and parameters for [[world generation]]. Feel free to share and add to the list.

== World generation changes ==

Versions 0.27.169.33f and 0.27.169.33g changed the way world generation works slightly, so seeds from earlier versions will generate different worlds; these are archived at [[Seed archive]]. Random and custom names do not affect world generation. However, modifications to your raw files before world generation could cause a different world to be generated.

Version 0.27.173.38a (with the army arc work) has changed world generation again, so that seeds from earlier versions do not create the same worlds.

Version 0.27.176.38a has changed world generation (cave changes) once again.

Version 0.27.176.38b seems to have changed, possibly due to the new [[Advanced world generation|parameter options]].

== Downloadable worlds ==

Downloadable worlds are worlds which have been generated and then compressed into a single archive file for sharing over the internet. Download the file then extract the folder inside the archive into your /data/save folder in order to use it.

=== Zaludoram, The Future World ===

'''[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=49 Download it here]''' 
Seed: 4252958254 {{v|0.27.176.38c}} (2 rejects) 
World size: 65x65 (Small) 
Made in Dwarf Fortress v0.27.176.38c, created with a Core 2 Duo processor in Windows XP. Found using the wonderful [[Utilities#Regional_Prospector|Regional Prospector]].

[[Image:Zaludoram-location.png|thumb|500px]]

This is a loaded 4x7 fortress location with plenty of every major resource. Location has fairly mild cliffs, and the surroundings are Warm and Untamed Wilds. 
While sufficient trees are available (a few hundred), you can expand north to make it a 5x7 area with more trees than you should ever need. There is unfortunately no extra obsidian beyond that surrounding the magma.

* '''Adamantine''': just southeast of the middle.
* '''Magma''': underground magma pool, located on layers 150-147 in the southwest corner.
* '''River''': a small curve of it in the lower right corner.
* '''Trees''': A few hundred of them.
* '''Sand''': Plenty of white sand.
* '''Iron''': Plenty of magnetite patches along with some hematite and limonite veins.
* '''Flux''': Plenty of chalk.
* '''Fuel''': Many veins of bituminous coal and lignite.
* '''Bauxite''': Many (20+) patches all over the place.

* '''Neighboring Civs''': All.

=== Ewèlina, The Enchanted Land ===

'''[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=106 Download it here]''' 
Seed: 2736869902 {{v|0.27.176.38c}} 
World size: 17x17 (Pocket) 

[[Image:Ew%C3%A8lina_Location_Screen.PNG|thumb|500px]]

This is a 2x3 fortress location with plenty of every major resource, located in a pocket world. It contains numerous lakes and has no cliffs. 

* '''Adamantine''': Northwest under the rock which extrudes to the surface.
* '''Magma''': Volcano in the southeast corner.
* '''Brook''': A small curve of it in the northeast corner.
* '''Trees''': All over the place. If you desire more you can easily expand westwards to make a 3x3 location.
* '''Sand''': Heaps of red sand one z-level down.
* '''Iron''': Numerous limonite veins and a hematite vein not far below the surface and a patch of magnetite southeast of the volcano.
* '''Flux''': None. You'll have to import it.
* '''Fuel''': Numerous veins of bituminous coal and lignite.
* '''Metals''': Some native platinum, a little native aluminium, some native silver, lots of cassiterite, lots of galena, a little bismuthinite, some tetrahedrite (deep), some garnierite (deep)
* '''Bauxite''': None
* '''Aquifier''': None
* '''Chasm''': None

* '''Neighboring Civs''': All.

=== The Absolute Planet of Dawns ===

Direct download available here: [http://rapidshare.com/files/83977216/The_Absolute_Planet_of_Dawns.zip The Absolute Planet of Dawns] 
Wold offers a wide range of fortress locations, from mountain canyons to haunted glaciers to resource-rich forests, each with (non-spoily) description and location map. 

(version v0.27.169.33g, seed 2664204674, provided by Fedor)

===Incredibly Resource Rich Starting Location===

Embark on the magma pipe near the center, and enjoy adamantite, magma, gold, flux, and much more!

[SEED:340187300]
[HISTORY_SEED:3924664033]
[NAME_SEED:186848708]

=== Lathondur Minbaz ===

Direct download available here: [http://morlark.uwcs.co.uk/misc/region1.tar.gz Lathondur Minbaz]

=== The Legendary Ever-Realm ===
'''Download:''' http://hyperfileshare.com/d/f91fae26

[[Image:4265985437.PNG|thumb|500px]]

Has pretty much every feature in a small 4x5 area. 
'''Features:''' 
- Magma on lower left 
- Small cave river on lower left 
- Edge of chasm on far upper left corner 
- Pits & Adamantine on upper left 
- Sand and trees on far right green tile 
- Plenty of flux and iron for steel production 
- Representatives of all four major rock types: 
1. sedimentary - dolomite, claystone 
2. igneous extrusive - andesite 
3. igneous intrusive - granite, gabbro 
4. metamorphic - marble, schist 

=== Smata Sagus, The Realms Of Dawn ===

'''[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=5 Download it here]'''
Seed: 324316224 {{v|0.27.169.33g}} (6 rejects) 
Made in Dwarf Fortress v0.27.169.33g, created with a Core 2 Duo processor in Windows XP. Found using the wonderful [[Utilities#Regional_Prospector|Regional Prospector]].

[[Image:Smata_Sagus_location.png|thumb|500px]]

This is a loaded 3x6 location with basically every major resource. No chasm, cliffs are no taller than 2, surroundings are Temperate and Mirthful. 
If you don't need a river, you can trim it to 3x5 by taking off the bottom edge and still get everything else.

* '''Adamantine''': towards the bottom left.
* '''Magma''': underground, located on layers 140-143.
* '''River''': a small curve of it in the lower right corner.
* '''Trees''': More than you'll ever use.
* '''Sand''': Yep.
* '''Soil''': Yep.
* '''Iron''': Magnetite patches near the surface, along with an occasional hematite and limonite vein.
* '''Flux''': More than you'll ever use.
* '''Fuel''': Plenty.
* '''Bauxite''': Several patches near the magma.
* '''Obsidian''': Available on the left side.

* '''Neighboring Civs''': All.

=== Ruspospazmon, The Eternal Windy Planes ===

'''[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=3 Download it here]''' 
Seed: 2851906008 {{v|0.27.169.33g}} (11 rejects) 
Made in Dwarf Fortress v0.27.169.33g, created with a Core 2 Duo processor in WinXP. Found using the wonderful [[Utilities#Regional_Prospector|Regional Prospector]].

[[Image:Ruspospazmon_location.png|thumb|500px]]

This is a 4x3 location with most major resources. No chasm, cliffs are very tall (6-9), surroundings are Scorching and Calm. There is a small spot of aquifer, just enough to be potentially useful while still out of the way. 
If you need a river, you can expand the selection north to include some river fingers and possibly west to also include a stretch of normal river. This will likely include more aquifer though.

* '''Adamantine''': towards the bottom left.
* '''Magma''': underground, located on layers 140-143.
* '''River''': only if you expand the area slightly.
* '''Aquifer''': There's a tiny area of it towards the top left on a few levels.
* '''Trees''': Yep.
* '''Sand''': Yep.
* '''Soil''': Yep.
* '''Iron''': Yes, towards the top and middle.
* '''Flux''': Yep.
* '''Fuel''': Yep.

* '''Neighboring Civs''': All.

=== Emeecamo Ametha, The Eternal Universe of Wind ===

'''[http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=4 Download it here]''' 
Seed: 2135737780 {{v|0.27.169.33g}} (6 rejects) 
Made in Dwarf Fortress v0.27.169.33g, created with a Core 2 Duo processor in WinXP. Found using the wonderful [[Utilities#Regional_Prospector|Regional Prospector]].

[[Image:Emeecamo_Ametha_location.png|thumb|500px]]

This is a nice 3x3 (or potentially 2x2) location with almost all major resources. No chasm or sand available, cliffs are no higher than 1 (!), surroundings are Scorching and Untamed Wilds. The brook has a semi-waterfall where it drops 1 Z-level, causing a somewhat odd scene. 
If you don't need a river or as many trees, you could actually make it a 2x2 area instead with all other resources by cutting off the bottom and right edges.

* '''Adamantine''': in the middle.
* '''Magma''': Upper left corner, the top is fully open to the ground.
* '''River''': Yes, with a waterfall.
* '''Trees''': Limited, but enough to make do.
* '''Soil''': Yep.
* '''Iron''': Plenty.
* '''Flux''': More chalk than you could ever need.
* '''Fuel''': Plenty.
* '''Bauxite''': Some, check bottom middle of map one level below the lone hill.

* '''Neighboring Civs''': All.
 
[[Image:Emeecamo_Ametha_location2.png|thumb|500px]]

This is another nice location in this world. It is 5x3 with almost all major resources. No chasm, bauxite, or sand available. Cliffs progress up a few levels from left to right, surroundings are Warm and Calm. The magma vent is underground but only 2 levels deep. 
There is so much iron here (many many magnetite clusters) that you'll practically get sick of it. There seem to be more diamonds scattered around here than normal as well.

* '''Adamantine''': upper right corner.
* '''Magma''': lower right corner, underground. Only on levels 148-149, so unfortunately very shallow.
* '''River''': Yes, a small river bend in the upper left corner.
* '''Trees''': Not overabundant, but not scarce either.
* '''Soil''': Yep.
* '''Iron''': Massive amounts; good luck making a dent in it.
* '''Flux''': Take your pick between dolomite and chalk, tons of each.
* '''Fuel''': Limited amounts of lignite, mostly in the upper levels on the left side.
* '''Obsidian''': Plenty of it in the upper left corner at the higher z-levels.

* '''Neighboring Civs''': All.

== Seeds ==
'''{{edit|{{PAGENAME}}/{{current/version}}|Click here to add a seed!}}'''
Seeded worlds are special "codes" which tell the game's pseudo-random number generator (a sophisticated mathematical function which produces numbers that seem random) where to begin generating a world. Because the random number generator is actually just a mathematical function and thus always produces the same result when given a certain input, you can "seed" the generator to produce an entire series of random numbers on another computer that are exactly the same as they were originally produced on the first computer.

However modifications to your raw files can affect worldgen so please state what mods you are using if you post a seed with a non default DF.

To use a seeded world, select ''Create a New World'' during the main menu, then hit {{key|s}} to specify a seed. Type in the seed and hit {{key|Enter}}, then hit {{key|Enter}} one more time to begin generation. It will still take the normal amount of time to generate the world, and you will still have rejects before the world is produced.

Mineral content is determined at the time it is allocated, (essentially when you dig near it). Accordingly the map seed determines the layers and therefore the probability of certain rocks/ores, but the ore veins themselves will vary.

A further warning: there may be other things that affect world generation, such as your operating system. If you generate a world different from one described here, with exactly the same seed, please mention it with the relevant details (operating system including any service packs, processor type, and game version) on the [[Talk:Pregenerated worlds|talk page]].

Here are seeds generated in older versions. They may not generate the same world if you are using '''v{{current/version}}''':
*[[Seed archive]] (pre 0.27.173.38a)
*[[Pregenerated worlds/0.27.173.38a|v0.27.173.38a]]
*[[Pregenerated worlds/0.27.176.38a|v0.27.176.38a]]
*[[Pregenerated worlds/0.27.176.38b|v0.27.176.38b]]
*[[Pregenerated_worlds/0.27.176.38c|v0.27.176.38c]]
*[[Pregenerated_worlds/0.28.181.39e|v0.28.181.39e]]
*[[Pregenerated worlds/0.28.181.40c|v0.28.181.40c]]

The following seeds were generated with version '''{{current/version}}'''. If you have a seed with a good starting location, feel free to add it.

'''{{edit|{{PAGENAME}}/{{current/version}}|Click here to add a seed!}}'''

__NOEDITSECTION__
{{#ifexist: Pregenerated worlds/{{current/version}}|{{:Pregenerated worlds/{{current/version}}}}
|<nowiki />
No seeds are currently posted for version '''{{current/version}}'''.}}


'''{{edit|{{PAGENAME}}/{{current/version}}|Click here to add a seed!}}'''

== World Generation Parameter Sets ==

With the release of 0.28.181.39a, ''Design New World With Paramaters'' gained a slew of new features, detailed at [[Advanced world generation]]. Almost any parameter that would be associated with a world can now be given start values, end values, limits, and more. Players can create their own parameter sets to generate worlds with specific features. Sets can also set specific seeds to generate a specific world.

Parameter sets are stored in ''world_gen.txt'' in the ''\data\init'' folder. You can copy and paste other player's sets of parameters into your ''world_gen.txt'' to use their parameter sets. [[World tokens]] are the individual parameter representations.

One place to find parameter sets for world generation is the [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=20638.0 Worldgen cookbook] thread on the official forums.

40d:System requirements

2009-01-10T18:13:59Z

Shades: /* Ubuntu/Kubuntu */

Requires Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, or newer

~100MB Disk Space: The game itself takes only about 20MB, but savegames and screenshots (if you take them) use considerable amounts of harddisk space. Some users spend over a gigabyte of space with dwarf fortress.

256MB RAM: The game uses 150+ MB memory while running (more if you select a local grid larger than 6x6). The more creatures, objects, and explored space on your map, the more memory you will need. Most of this can be kept in virtual memory (disk swap), but be sure to have at least 500MB total (physical + virtual) memory available. [[World generation]] requires 400MB at its peak.

Dwarf Fortress loves as much raw CPU power as you can provide it with. Recommended:

Core2: 1.4GHz or higher

Pentium 4: 3.0GHz or higher

Athlon: 3000+ or higher

The larger your map and the more units on it, the harder your computer will need to work (see "optimization", below). Dwarf Fortress will take all the CPU power it is given, and will run at 50-100FPS on a modern system (5-20FPS on a P2 500MHz).

You'll also want a decent video card to keep up with the CPU, but even a video card that's several years old will satisfy DF under most circumstances.

===Dual-core machines===

If you're running a lot of things at once while playing Dwarf Fortress, open Task Manager and set DF to Core1 and everything else to Core0. You will now have an entire core dedicated to running DF, which should give slightly better performance. Multi-threading support isn't currently implemented.

==Other Operating Systems==
===Linux===
Although DF is a Windows game, it works perfectly in Linux using Wine, as long as you have video drivers with working OpenGL acceleration – for all NVIDIA and newer ATI cards, this means using the vendor's closed source driver. Without 2D acceleration the game runs slow as [[Dwarven syrup]]. Most distributions provide Wine, so consult your distribution-specific documentation for help.

See [http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000448 this thread] for tips about Ubuntu and other distributions.

On 24 December, 2008 Toady released the first native Linux version of '''Dwarf Fortress'''. It is compiled for 32-bit environments, however, and may not run under 64-bit environments without additional libraries, depending on the Linux distribution.

====Ubuntu/Kubuntu====
Under an Ubuntu/Kubuntu installation one first of all needs the ia32-libs package installed. This is a standard Ubuntu package that contains 32-bit versions of many common libraries. Unfortunately, while it includes 32-bit versions of some SDL libaries, it lacks SDL_mixer, which '''Dwarf Fortress''' needs.

The 32-bit package can be downloaded directly from [http://packages.ubuntu.com/intrepid/i386/libsdl-image1.2/download Ubuntu's package repository]. Once the download is complete, open a console window and navigate to the directory containing the file. Extract the contents by typing:

dpkg-deb -x libsdl-image1.2_1.2.6-3_i386.deb ./libsdl-image

Copy the files from libsdl-image/usr/lib into the df_linux/libs directory and the game should now work.

====Ubuntu/Kubuntu - Using getlibs====
The other way to get the require SDL_image library is to use getlibs, which will get the correct 32bit library when run on 64bit Ubuntu and create all the required links.

At a command prompt:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs getlibs
sudo getlibs -l libSDL_image-1.2.so.0

The game can now be run from the df_linux folder (or wherever you extracted it to) using the df bash script.

===OS X===
A port of Dwarf Fortress to Mac OS X has been completed, and runs on both Intel and PPC based macs. According to the [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Website]
it requires system 10.3 or later, 100mb of hard drive space, and a minimum of 512mb of ram.
==Optimizing Dwarf Fortress==
You can greatly increase game speed on all systems; details at [[Maximizing framerate]].

==Example results: What you can expect with various machines==

'''Pentium 4 at 2.2 GHz and 1 GByte RAM, running version 0.27.169.33g:'''

3x3 site, relatively hilly (ten z-levels of elevation change), without magma but with unfrozen brook, no caves, lakes, or monsters; virtually all possible speed-boosting edits in init.txt applied. Game starts to lag seriously at just under 80 dwarves.Speed is down to 30-45 FPS (varies) and occasional interface jerkiness is becoming noticeable.

'''Asus Eee PC 4G - 512 Ram - Windows XP(custom optimized) - DF v0.27.176.38c:'''

Smallest map possible with the smallest site, flatland only 1z above ground, 15z underground, volcano, some lakes, no underground water, 3 monsters, 9 creatures and 7 dwarfs. Speed boosting edits in init.txt. 10FPS on fullscreen mode and 20 on window mode. Some keys aren´t easy to press on that small keyboard, mainly when you have to press fn+shift+key. Conclusion: Play it on a desktop or a better EEE PC. :-(

'''Core Duo 4400 (2x2ghz) - 2 gb RAM - Windows Vista - .38c'''

3x3 site, pretty cliffy. Volcano, part of river and pretty big artificial pool. 120 dwarves, less than 10 roaming animals and ~50 fps. Decreases to 30 when merchants arrive or when many hauling jobs are started.

'''Athlon XP 2200(1.8) - 1 GB 6 year old RAM (DDR100/DDR133) - windows XP -no optimizations to XP or DF -.38c'''

Large site (6x6), medium world,with brook, no speed boost edits, Kapersky running with protection disabled. Slightly upwards slanted hill. Most of human town, no reveal.exe, running Dwarf Foreman, and with a relatively old (and thus slow) install of XP thats had several viruses- 35-40FPS with 17 humans, 38-48 FPS with 7. Drops to 30-35 with alot of hauling or when viewing 1 z level up (1 bellow human town, 1 above my start site). I imagine with a fresh install and a regular sized site it would likely hold 50+FPS. I don't really know where the speed is coming from compared to what other people are reporting- the processor only scores 1040 CB on a cinebench CPU benchmark.

==See also==
*[[Maximizing framerate]]

[[Category:FAQ]]

40d Talk:Magma-safe

2008-09-18T09:16:04Z

Shades: /* constructed walls safe? */

Can artifacts burn or melt too? I just got a artifact goblin bone floodgate (How is that even possible?).--[[User:Noctune9|Noctune9]] 12:48, 20 July 2008 (EDT)

How much of this has been verified? [[User:Schm0|Schm0]] 06:16, 20 November 2007 (EST)
:I think it's all based on inference from raw files. I have been meaning to test bauxite or get someone else to do it, but haven't run into any or been very convincing [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 10:22, 20 November 2007 (EST)

::I haven't run into any Bauxite either, and I was on hunt for it. After starting fortresses on 20+ map squares with Sediment layers, revealing it then exporting images of the layers to analyze...I haven't seen a single Bauxite deposit. Makes me wonder if it's a bug, or if I'm that unlucky. My theory is that Bauxite mechanisms won't melt under magma. --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 12:53, 20 November 2007 (EST)

:::I had the same idea :) [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 16:40, 20 November 2007 (EST)

::::Man I hope it's true. Bump that number up to 35 regions with Sediment layers and no Bauxite. Beginning to think it's a bug. --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 04:29, 21 November 2007 (EST)

:::::Isn't the easiest way to test this either to make some critter drop bauxite, or mod a stone you have to being the same temperature rating and see if that survives. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 06:51, 21 November 2007 (EST)

::::::Is it possible to order bauxite mechanisms from the caravan? --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 11:44, 21 November 2007 (EST)

::::::: Actually, the easiest way was for me to edit the raw and put bauxite in every layer in the game. Fired up the game, created a new world, found a magma vent and bam I was in business. The verdict? It's magma-safe. Both Bauxite floodgates and bauxite mechanisms resist the magma, and the bauxite rocks that I left on the floor were unharmed by the magma flow. Bauxite: confirmed. With the iron and steel confirmation, I would believe that anything given the melting point stat above magma's temperature is magma safe. Now, if we can just get Toady to make magma replenish, we could make some amazing magma traps with machines made of iron/steel and bauxite! --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 15:01, 21 November 2007 (EST)

Iron is definitly magma safe. I've repeatedly flooded goblins with magma, and only their iron equipment remained. Iron floodgates are not destroyed from magma either ( although their mechanisms are. ) Iron screw pumps can pump magma with no problem. IRON IS A OK.--[[User:GauHelldragon|GauHelldragon]] 05:21, 21 November 2007 (EST)
:But you can't make mechanisms out of it, which is what we're trying to do. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 16:14, 21 November 2007 (EST)

::There's still the question of whether you can make a magma forge/furnace using a platinum bar (I doubt it).--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 19:11, 21 November 2007 (EST)

Raw adamantine is magma-safe. I know we all ''knew'' that, but I've tested it. In particular, I built mechanisms out of raw adamantine and tested them on a raw adamantine floodgate. All the loose stone has since melted, but the gate continues to open and close just fine. And while raw adamantine is rare and valuable, at least it's less rare than bauxite.... [[User:Doctorlucky|Doctorlucky]] 21:00, 21 November 2007 (EST)

:Kinda sad when you feel more accomplishment from finding Bauxite than finding Adamantine. --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 04:50, 22 November 2007 (EST)

:: well i added a simple solition to this problem, i've added a reaction which makes bauxite from iron and fuel so you can use iron for magma safe mechanisms --[[User:Slimtim|Slimtim]] 08:01, 15 December 2007 (EST)

:: Weird. I have lots of bauxite on my very first map with magma. The weird thing is, I don't recall whether it's in the sedimentary layer or not. And no, I haven't modded my game at all. But yeah, Bauxite is very magma-proof. There's a bunch of it sitting in a room because my dwarves are lazy. (Then again, I think storing 1500 stones takes alot of work and space.) and the magma made it into that room and all the bauxite is sitting there unconcerned.

::I believe Bauxite isn't sedimentary because my map has only one sedimentary layer and I've found bauxite in more than one layer, iirc. Will check and confirm. --[[User:CrushU|CrushU]] 21:35, 9 January 2008 (EST)

:::Checked. Bauxite is in a layer with Chert, Chert is Sedimentary, so Bauxite is as well. My bad. In any case, I still have alot of it. *shrug* --[[User:CrushU|CrushU]] 21:52, 9 January 2008 (EST)

What about mechanisms made of some iron ore? Gonna check it--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 00:00, 16 January 2008 (EST)
:Woo... Only stones, which have any MELTING_POINT in MATGLOSS are bauxite, raw adamantine (knew that already) and all, which can be ignited, instead of melting... No Magnetite mechanism can stand the heat of magma... :'(

Nickel is cheapest magma-safe material if you can't get bauxite. I bring at least one bar of it when I'm embarking at volcanic area. Easiest way to get bauxite is to bring it when embarking or to request it from caravan (both options are available only sometimes). Oh, and why has steel got higher melting point than iron? Iron should be ~1538°C. --[[User:Someone-else|Someone-else]] 09:03, 27 April 2008 (EDT)

Is glass really magma-safe? I have dumped green glass objects into magma only to have them disappear without a trace, leaving absolutely nothing behind. Does it work different for floodgates and things? [[User:Soadreqm|Soadreqm]] 17:53, 2 May 2008 (EDT)
:No. Glass can be used to make magma buildings, and constructions of any type including glass are utterly invulnerable to any and all forces except Remove Construction, but lava will melt any glass items it can get into the same square as, leaving nothing behind. [[User:Rkyeun|Rkyeun]] 13:05, 6 July 2008 (EDT)

==Request for Example of Use==
Are there any maps on the DFMA that bauxite mechanisms are used in? --[[User:Jackard|Jackard]] 02:23, 16 January 2008 (EST)
:Would this help?[http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-1691-echoink] It's a movie of a magma pumping system to get magma over a river. Ends up showing a REAL nasty bug as well. I believe the related fort has several maps up, both with and without the bug in effect. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 16:19, 16 January 2008 (EST)

I'm a pretty new player and what I could use here is some advice on how to get my dwarves to pick specific types of stone to make mechanisms out of. My fort's in a region with magma but no apparent sources of bauxite, so I ordered some from the caravan and next year it arrived as promised. Now I've got a handful of precious bauxite boulders sitting in my vast storehouse of andesite and microcline and since it's never mattered until now what stone my dwarves worked with I'm not sure what's the best way to sort this out. Last thing I want is for it to wind up turned into useless bauxite baubles. I figure I'll shut down all my stone processing facilities, forbid every non-bauxite stockpile I can find, and then tell my mechanics to make mechanisms until the bauxite's all gone. Is there a more efficient way? [[User:Bryan Derksen|Bryan Derksen]] 06:34, 27 April 2008 (EDT)

:You can make a bauxite-only stockpile (and forbid bauxite from all other stone stockpiles -- see {{K|q}} {{K|s}} on a stockpile) next to the mechanic workshops and distant (in terms of coordinates) from other stone-using workshops, though this isn't a guarantee. You could also lock the mechanics in with the bauxite ({{K|q}} {{K|f}} on a door), but remember to let them out before they starve. [[User:Anydwarf|Anydwarf]] 08:43, 27 April 2008 (EDT)

:Just use the fact that stoneworkers always look for the closest stone (note: z-axis does not count!). If the mason or whatever has just eaten, he might pick a stone not too far away from the lunch room, though, so just build the bauxite pile + mechanics workshop far off where you are sure your mason will never come. [[User:Qwertyu|Qwertyu]] 04:40, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

::Thanks, that'll simplify things greatly. My existing mechanics shop doesn't have room very close to it where I could squeeze in another storeroom, but bauxite mechanisms are important enough that I could build a workshop in a remote location just for this purpose. :) [[User:Bryan Derksen|Bryan Derksen]] 21:37, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

:::As a clarification to a point that Qwertyu only touched on, If a stockpile is above or below the workshop, it will still be considered just as far as anything on the same level, no matter the number of levels up or down the stockpile is. E.g. you can have 3x3 piles above and below the workshop, and appropriate items in those piles will always be taken first. (atleast, that's true as far as anything I've seen/tested.) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 06:55, 29 April 2008 (EDT)

== verify temperatures? ==

In my raws, iron's melting point is 12768 on the DF temperature scale. Shouldn't this equal 2800 degrees Fahrenheit? I think there's some inaccurate math on this page, but I'm not editing it myself just now in case there's something I don't know. [[User:G-Flex|G-Flex]] 06:43, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

:Could you share the process that led you to these results? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 08:49, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

::[[Temperature_scale]] states the following:

::[DF scale] = [FAHRENHEIT] + 9968

::[DF scale] = [CELSIUS]*9/5 + 10000

::metgloss_metal.txt gives me [MELTING_POINT:12768] for iron, and [[Magma-safe materials]] lists it as 2680°F, but:
::2680°F + 9968 = 12648°DF, not 12768. The problem here seems obvious, and going by the raws, the melting point is in fact 2800°F.

::Also, for nickel: [MELTING_POINT:12619]. This is 2651°F, but [[Magma-safe materials]] lists the melting point as 2600°F.

::Is this article possibly using old data? I'm using the latest version of DF here as of this posting. [[User:G-Flex|G-Flex]] 20:55, 5 July 2008 (EDT)

== constructed walls safe? ==

The article implied that built walls were not safe from melting, but I recall a game where I used several constructed [[alunite]] walls to surround floodgates, and the walls did not melt, even after quite a while. Is alunite itself magma-safe, or are all constructed walls impervious to melting?
[[User:Lichenousd|Lichenousd]] 17:36, 17 September 2008 (EDT)
:I am not sure where the article implies that, at least I didn't notice it. However to answer your question items only melt when the magma is in a square, adjacent tiles (such as walls) only get the 'warm wall' level of heat which isn't enough to melt most things (ice will). --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 05:16, 18 September 2008 (EDT)

User:Shades

2008-08-02T11:08:19Z

Shades:

==The Numbers Game==
*4 sweet pod seeds - costs 4
*1 Proficient Grower will average 3 pods per seed, so 12 pods
*1 Thresher turns 3 pods into 15 syrup, so 60 syrup in 4 barrels worth a total of 1200
*1 Proficient Cook takes 4 barrels and makes, on average, a single superior stack of meals worth somewhere in the region of 10000

So from 4 points (plus the grower and cook skills I tend to take anyway) I've created 10000 in worth.
Scaling up to around 50 seeds (which seems to be what the grower can plant before the first seeds grow and provide more) means you end up 125k of worth in the first season. It's possible to get 4 harvests in spring and summer so half a million by the time the caravan arrives.

Now imagine if you start with 5 growers instead of one, and you train up your cook with easy meals while waiting for the first pods to grow so it can handle the output. I wonder what the upper limit for migrations is.

==ASCII Art Rewards==

===29 October 2007===

@@+,@\D/.+@

Fire seared the sky as the dragon circled, driven by madness and the
promise of gold held deep within the dwarven tunnels. Standing on the
battlements of the stone façade built over the entrance to the
fortress, Danrik the marksdwarf took aim at the evil target, his heart
thumping slow and steady. He waited two more beats and pulled the
trigger. An instant later a dozen marksdwarves let fly and a hail
bolts pierced the smoky air.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly away, but Danrik's well-aimed
missile found the monsters skull, shattering the brain. The dwarves
cheered as the beast fell from the sky. The smile fell from Danrik's
face as the great corpse fell closer -- it was coming right at them!
Dwarves climbed over each other, making for the stairs. Other risked
jumping from the wall, breaking their arms and legs as they landed.
Danrik stood fast.

As the dead dragon slammed into the fortress's stone wall the dwarves
were flung into the air. As Danrik flew, he damned the dragon with
all his might, his foul words ripped away by the wind. With a sudden
crash, all went dark.

===24 July 2008===

@@@++@+@@@@@@@@@@+,.%%%%|

"He's awoken," came the cry. "He has awoken!"

Pain came as Danrik opened his eyes. A crowd of gaudily-dressed
dwarves danced and sang in celebration of their hero. It had been a
week since Danrik had fallen. His comrades slapped him on the
shoulders. One brought him a chalice of wine. The dragon was dead.
Every day since had been a celebration, but with the awakening of
Danrik, the party had really begun.

The mighty warrior made his way out of the bedroom, supported by two
lusty dwarf women. The masons were hard at work restoring the wall
that the dead dragon had crashed through. The dwarf led Danrik to the
courtyard.

"Speech!" cried the dwarves, "Speech!"

"Oh," said Danrik, "Well…"

A dark shape appeared in the gap between the walls, large and
menacing. The dwarves grew silent as it cast its glowing red eyes on
the dwarf hero.

"Yes," said the creature, "tell us how you slew the dragon, mighty
dwarf, how you saved the day!"

==Current Build (so out of date it hurts)==
{|
|-
| '''Starting Skills'''
| '''Other starting jobs'''
|-
| Negotiator, Persuader, Appraiser, Judge of intent, Conversationalist
| Mining
|-
| Organizer, Record Keeper
| Mining
|-
| Carpenter, Building designer
| Mining
|-
| Mechanic, Siege engineer
| Mining
|-
| Mason, Building designer
| Mining
|-
| Grower, Potash maker
| Wood Cutter
|-
| Cook, Herbalist
| Animal Trainer
|}

===What am I thinking?===
Other than the leader all the dwarves start with two skills, both of these are at proficient level which gives a nice basis for agility/strength/toughness. The first dwarf will take on Leader and Broker roles and the second dwarf will forfil the needs of the book keeper and manager, the others all have a major skill which they will specialise, and a minor skill that I probably won't need but what the hell. The exception to this is the two minor building designers but I figure between the two of them they'll have it covered.

Five of the dwarves are set to miner as soon as I start, they make short work of the major areas of the fortress and leave little stone, but the they they are replaced most will be adept or higher but that just helps with their agility/strength/toughness. The first to be removed will probably be the mason as I'll have a need for a lot of stone items, the carpenter can make his beds while mining. The record keeper will be switched mid summer or so to get cracking on those records, but this time I expect most of the fort to be mined out. The broker will be pulled off mining when the caravan arrives to get to work there.

I expect to get at least one set of migrants in the first year at that point all the rest my miners will switch over to dedicated miners among the new, even if I have to draft peasants, probably just two or three miners, any more is a waste. These will start at a lower level than the ones I took off duty but that just means less rock. By the time I'm needing ore they'll be legendary anyway.

The farmer will cut some initial wood to make beds and clear a path to the entrance, for wagons, then switch off woodcutting when the farms are ready to place. Note that I also have on 'only farmers harvest' so he'll be dealing with growing exclusively from this point, and maybe potash if I decide to fertilise the fields.

The cook will train up the dogs I bring with me to give me some defence, but other than that will perform hauler duties until there is something to cook, probably early summer.

The five miners with copper picks only cost 100 points, and as there is no anvil needed here there is plenty to spare. The lack of a brewer means I'll take more alcohol but brewing is a quick task and so it won't be long for one of the migrants to pick that up. Depending on the location I might switch the carpenter out for a Brewer/Wood Burner, to match the potash, as I don't really need a carpenter but to be honest without doing a two miner/two grower build I had trouble filling the slots up.

User:Shades

2008-07-25T09:55:22Z

Shades: ascii art reward one

User talk:Vaevictus/Starting Builds

2008-05-21T09:30:13Z

Shades: New page: I notice your build using two miners as primary skills, do you find this is helpful. Recently I've been not taking mining at all and just letting the dwarves that need workshops do it unti...

I notice your build using two miners as primary skills, do you find this is helpful. Recently I've been not taking mining at all and just letting the dwarves that need workshops do it until I have space or get an influx of migrants. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it though. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 05:30, 21 May 2008 (EDT)

40d Talk:Currency

2008-05-21T09:26:24Z

Shades: /* Vault */

== Copper makes silver coins? ==

When I mint copper coins and then check the currency display, I find they are counted as silver. --[[User:Geekwad|Geekwad]] 17:13, 19 November 2007 (EST)

:It's a bug, and has been reported on the forum [http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=002030]. All coins are counted as silver by the currency display. You can see the actual coins you have on the stocks screen. --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 17:17, 19 November 2007 (EST)

::This has been fixed in the current version (38c). [[User:Yvain|Yvain]] 06:15, 31 March 2008 (EDT)

== Monies? ==

Who coined this term, anyway? It bugs me every time I see it. I personally use "currency" (as a mass noun), if you're wondering. --[[User:JT|JT]] 03:00, 15 April 2008 (EDT)
:I have no idea where it came from, but this isn't the first time I've seen it used; might be Engrish.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 13:30, 20 April 2008 (EDT)
::Monies is the correct English plural of money.--[[User:Niaba|Niaba]] 07:09, 28 April 2008 (EDT)
::: And 'correct english plural' is actually kind of confusing, since its a mass noun. If you have a lot of one type of money its all just money. But if you have multiple types (gold, silver, copper) then it is both money (its all currency) and monies (multiple types of coins) depending on whether you're desiring to refer to them as one type of thing or care about there being multiple types of things. Similarly, 'fish' and 'sheep' are also words whose normal plural is the same as the singular (many fish or many sheep), but if you have multiple species (types) you could use either 'fish' or 'fishes' depending on whether you were interested in in the subdivisions in the group. Both of 'There are many fish in the sea' and 'These are the fishes of the amazon' are correct and necessarily include multiple species. Note, fishes as a plural simply signifies number of species, there is no number of actual physical fish implied by that sentence. Similarly, monies merely signifies number of coin types with no reference to a number of coins. Ie, these plurals are conceptual plurals - they are only grammatically appropriate when talking about the conceptual organization of 'money' or 'fish'. --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 13:15, 28 April 2008 (EDT) (I hope that isn't too complicated.)

==Monetary value NOT affecting their value to you as the fortress deity?==
What does this mean?--[[User:Richards|Richards]] 02:21, 21 April 2008 (EDT)

:Coins have both an [[item value]] and a (higher) money value - the question is which of the 2 is added to your created [[wealth]] totals. (deity refers to the player but i guess thats obvious)--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 08:12, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

== Vault ==

One of the ideas presented was to mint coins but keep the dwarves from getting them. I've tried ordering the coins dumped, but they seem to be claimed immediately and the Dwarves walk off with them instead of taking them to the vault. Is there some easy way to get my coins into the vault and out of dwarven hands? [[User:Rkyeun|Rkyeun]] 01:30, 21 May 2008 (EDT)
:If I recall correctly you pretty much have to do it before the economy starts up to achieve that. However apparently not building coins at all works too. Personally, and much to my shame/annoyance I've never actually got that far into a game, I keep meaning to but then get bored when everything is just working after a year or so. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 05:26, 21 May 2008 (EDT)

40d Talk:Maximizing framerate

2008-04-22T22:01:50Z

Shades: /* Dual Screens */

== Effect on # of dwarves, framerate calculations ==

I'm not sure how important the number of dwarves is on the framerate. I was getting about 12 to 15 with 22 dwarves, and this has fallen to 9 with 97 dwarves. I think it is more bad pathing, like animals being caught behind doors that causes more problems than the number of units themselves. The addition of 80 goblins had an impact of 1 fps as well... although again, they probably weren't having any trouble path finding to no where. --Gotthard 13:53, 3 December 2007 (EST)

:I typically see a substantial drop in framerate when new immigrants come, and afterward the game's never as fast or responsive. However, I also demand a higher framerate (not less than 40, to avoid annoying interface lagging/jerkiness) than many people seem prepared to tolerate, so our findings aren't inconsistent. You just have more load already and so don't notice a given amount of additional usage as much. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 05:39, 7 December 2007 (EST)

::If this is the case, then I doubt there is a linear relationship associated with the FPS values. The G_FPS might also impact this. Typically, 10-12 more dwarves lowered my FPS by 1 at max, and I have 6 masons making blocks for my castle, and 18 dwarves running around permanently putting them up. I would guess that the FPS drops off fast to begin with, so it takes a lot to go down from 10-9 fps compared to 40-39 fps. --Gotthard 08:35, 7 December 2007 (EST)

:::Yes, this is expected. Framerate changes aren't linear and here's why: Let us imagine that a given computer can process 10,000 game things per second. A framerate of 100 means that the game requires only 100 calculations per update, and therefore can update 100 times/second. A framerate of 1 means the game has to perform 10,000 calculations per update. To drop from 40 to 39 FPS, the game must require ~6 more calculations per update. To drop from 10 to 9 FPS, the game must require ~111 more calculations per update. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 08:51, 13 December 2007 (EST)

::Wow, I can't stand things if FPS falls under ~80! Though, running a 2.1Ghz Dual Core and 512M 8600GeForce probably has some bearing on it. Personally, I run my G_FPS at only 10, and FPS_CAP at 200. I haven't gotten to economy sized populations yet with these settings (mostly on purpose cause I also keep my POP_CAP to only 10 until I've gotten the majority of the fortress dug out and a good stock of food and bedrooms, etc. The extra dwarves end up just getting in the way any other time I've tried my play-style. With this setup, I usually average around 150 FPS. Also, I've noticed a difference in FPS if I have the map section open, either single or double pane, moreso when there are a large number of creatures on the map. Simply closing (tabbing) the map got me an increase from ~125 to ~140. Should be worth 2-3 frames at the low FPS levels you guys are talking about. I'm also curious if the FPS counter itself has a significant effect on frames... --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:40, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

== Weather and Trees ==

Is it just me, or with weather turned trees will not grow back. Most saplings have withered and died. The landscape is littered with them. I'm in a Mirthful area, so it's not alignment. I haven't been able to get any trees since I deforested the entire area, and yes, it has been over three years. I'm playing 33d. [[User:Klada|Klada]] 19:50, 5 December 2007 (EST)

:Well I've been playing map for 6 years now, and I've had weather on the entire time, tons of trees have grown back. I've not deforested the ENTIRE area, but from what I understand trees grow back at a proportional rate to the amount of area there was to grow, so it should be better. I think saplings randomly die, perhaps moreso with traffic on them but... I don't have an explanation. --Gotthard 19:23, 6 December 2007 (EST)

::"Is it just me, or with weather turned trees will not grow back." Turned on or turned off? Logically, if weather were turned off, trees shouldn't grow to maturity. --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:29, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

:::Trees grow back just fine with weather turned off. I don't know why sometimes most or all the saplings die, but it's not turning weather off that causes it. --[[User:BurnedToast|BurnedToast]] 00:00, 4 January 2008 (EST)

::::N9103, logic has no place here. Begone! --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:12, 21 March 2008 (EDT)

:::::HA! Tell that to Flingify() ^.^ Most things in DF do get a logical implementation... notable exceptions exist of course, but generally speaking, things follow commonsense. ... So Nya! --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 05:55, 22 March 2008 (EDT)

:Is any part of the area you embarked at evil? If so, are they the areas that the trees could grow in? (i.e. a mirthful mountain next to haunted woods) If you're beyond doubt sure that that's not the case, then going on what else has been investigated, I see one of two things: Complete deforestation *stops* tree growth, including saplings; Or, you've got some kind of bug that hasn't been documented yet. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 19:05, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

== Economy ==

Can we confirm/disprove the effect of the economy on framerate? --[[User:DDouble|DDouble]] 02:42, 13 December 2007 (EST)

:Not sure what you mean exactly. The economy makes several changes, any of which might potentially impact speed. Can you give more detail on what specifically might potentially be causing a slowdown (or speed boost)? Is there a discussion on the forum that you have in mind? [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 08:51, 13 December 2007 (EST)

::I'm pretty sure he's talking about the init setting and turning it off. The 'potentially' part you mentioned is what he wanted clarification on. Does turning the setting off before the economy activates improve pre-economy performance? There might indeed be people out there that are willing to lose one of the cooler features for a much improved framerate. A good question is does turning that setting off prevent you from ever gaining an economy (when you decide to turn the option back on) should you pass the point where it should have activated? --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:27, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

== One Way Stairs ==

"Use ...multiple one-way stairways to connect any two spots where lots of dwarves will want to be"

How do you make a one way stair? I tried searching here, and on the forum, but didn't find it. [[User:Calculus|Calculus]]

:I mean to use paired up and down staircases instead of up/down ones. This suggestion is now removed because I'm not sure it actually makes a difference (it's safer for your dwarves, but I don't see a difference in game speed) [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 14:50, 2 January 2008 (EST)

::How is a single-floor staircase (down+up) any safer than using a multiple-floor staircase (down+down/up+up)?

::Or for that matter, how is it different than making all your staircases down/up (minus bottom level of course)? --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 22:40, 3 January 2008 (EST)

:::If a dwarf falls down a multi-level up/down staircase, he may die or be badly injured.[[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 22:52, 3 January 2008 (EST)

::::What would cause a dwarf to fall down stairs aside from combat?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 01:59, 4 January 2008 (EST)

:::::Haven't a clue. I just know that several people have reported their dwarves getting killed or maimed that way.[[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 15:17, 5 January 2008 (EST)

::::I used to use the up/down staircases for a central mineshaft until I had multiple dwarves become maimed/die when fighting on the stairs. I now use a spiral staircase design instead. I don't think anything BUT combat makes them fall, but if they charge a goblin snatcher and miss, there's no promise they won't end up 15 levels down missing all their limbs. --Gotthard 11:08, 7 January 2008 (EST)

:::::How about using floor hatches every level? -- Digger

== Weather and windmills ==

To BurnedToast: You seem to be right that turning weather off doesn't stop windmills from working. I wasn't sure where I got that impression, but after looking it up, it was from several instances on IRC where people came in, said "The windmill isn't making power :(", were told to "turn weather on", went "Ah ha!", and never said that it didn't make them start working. (After I while I started suggesting it too since nobody had reported it not working, until recently.) So, hmm. I just switched a fort that had weather to not having it, and yeah, the windmills all still work. So I built a new one - also works. Then I generated a new world with weather off, started a new fort in it, built a windmill, and it produced 20 power. Oh well. --[[User:SL|SL]] 13:24, 9 January 2008 (EST)

== Multiple CPUs/Cores ==

As far as I have tested, DF uses 3 threads. It seems to put all its efforts in a single one, but even so, the other two still take cpu time, so having a dual-core machine still helps even if the threads are synchronized (and it isn't such a huge difference). I assume one of the threads link the display to the game core while the other runs the input buffer. I'd have to do more testing. [[User:Soulwynd|Soulwynd]] 23:37, 17 March 2008 (EDT)

== Bulging Histories ==

Any chance history plays a role in framerates? I have a fairly beefy machine and was regularly getting 100FPS in my first few forts, but after about 15 forts and 30 adventure modes (I'm quite suicidal), I can't get my FPS above 35 even on initial embark and a 3x3 fortress plot. [[User:Weasello|Weasello]] 12:43, 21 March 2008 (EDT)

:Well... from that data, that's likely. Personally, I play all my forts on separate worlds. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:12, 21 March 2008 (EDT)

:I think I have to second the idea of (small histories == higher framerates) I've been playing a lot of small and smaller worlds, and even when I pick larger than normal sites, my frames seem to stay up better than on standard worlds. I'll test at some point just how well a Full Local map holds up in a Pocket world. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 19:04, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

== Disconnection ==

I've found it '''VERY''' important, in terms of framerates, not to block all paths between your fortress and the outside world, either with raised bridges, or with forbidden doors. I'm not certain about walls, as I haven't desired "permanent" blocking, but temporary, to prevent thives and the like. Infact, pathfinding errors from those I desire to keep out are exactly what crashes the framerate. 
 
I'm talking about '''50% loss''', and that's just to start. If you continue to block the pathfinding, It's possible to have it completely crawl to a stop, as in 0-1 FPS! 
It's a shame that such a primitive defense results in such a catastrophic failure of the pathing system. :( 
 
As I didn't see it mentioned anywhere, I'm adding it here, and will eventually add it to the main article if no one else feels like pretty-ing it up for display. 
--[[User:N9103|Edward]] 17:42, 29 March 2008 (EDT)

:That's happening for you? I've been setting up an elaborate set of bridges and floodgates that serves as the only entrance to my fortress, and have closed my dwarves off inside on numerable occasions and it caused little more than make them cancel tasks that required them to leave the fortress.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 15:57, 2 April 2008 (EST)

::Have you turned off invasions as well? I used to do that when I played with invasions off to develop my management abilities. I did it now in three different worlds (smaller) and have had it happen every time. The framerate loss began as soon as a goblin/kobold tried to do mischief and pull a lever, as determined in the error log. I would assume that thieves/snatchers would likely cause similar frame-crashes, but that much isn't verified on my part. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 04:04, 4 April 2008 (EDT)

:::I have invasions on, although any attackers have died rather quickly.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 21:48, 2 April 2008 (EST)

::::Hey look! invaders! I closed the gates and lowered the bridge, but my framerate didn't drop. In fact, just as the invaders got there my framerate went back up from a puzzlingly low 40 back up to a regular 90.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 22:19, 2 April 2008 (EST)

::::I've tested it again with a couple more waves of goblins, and I've come to the conclusion that the preceding immense slowdown is while the goblins are on the map but not in view. This makes me think that either hidden units contribute to lag more, or the difficult terrain in my area causes their pathfinding to temporarily "freak out."--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 1:03, 3 April 2008 (EST)

:::::Well, it would seem obvious that invaders have glitches that have direct effects on framerates... just not well defined effects :-/ The "not in view" part seems true enough since the 'mischief-makers' are always invisible until discovered, and my forts generally have been rather far from invasion points. Looks like this is gonna be on hold for the page until someone does some '''extensive''' testing. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 04:04, 4 April 2008 (EDT)

::::::I'll be happy to start testing it as soon as I start establishing some more long-term fortresses.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 11:23, 4 April 2008 (EST)

== Dual Screens ==

I just put a second monitor on my computer, partly so I could fullscreen DF with the wiki in another screen. However, running DF in fullscreen make sit take up one screen like normal, and the other goes black. Ckciking the black monitor causes DF to stretch across the monitors. Since there is info here about running DF in one monitor to save CPU cycles, I was wondering is anyone could help. – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Ilmmad|Ilmmad]]

:I don't understand what you're saying. Dwarf Fortress does not do that on my computer. Operating system, perhaps? By the way, sign your comments using <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki>. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 17:24, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

:When you enter fullscreen mode with most graphics apis (such as OpenGL) you will take full control, which is why the other screen goes black. Your best bet is to run in windowed mode with the window size set to your resolution. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 18:01, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

40d Talk:Starting build

2008-04-17T14:09:12Z

Shades: /* Ambusher Skill? */

Hey, I'll have to see who wrote these starting builds and see if I can't contact him/her, but "About & Challenges" sounds uh... not informational? How about "Overview"? I don't want to edit your work here without your approval (even though I could do so on my own.) [[User:Schm0|Schm0]] 22:14, 31 October 2007 (EDT)
: Feel free to adjust the "About & Challenges" to anything else. It was just something to group one of the blocks of text and encourage others to write similar blocks of text. "Overview" sounds much better. --[[User:Shagie|Shagie]] 22:55, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

i wrote the dwarves & skills part and wrote a small info on why to take this kind of a build as most of the items you take are heavily dependant on the area you are in.

Overviw sounds better though so i agree with that

also for the guy who asked why 10 bags; bags might be hard to come by in this version since cave spiders arent always there, which leads to little or no silk in the starting areas, and hunting might not be the best idea if you have dark gnomes or something like that in the area, and if you dont have any bags, making a glass indrusty will prove very hard.

:No ''sand'' on a map makes making glass even harder. No, impossible.--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 05:52, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== trade goods ==

The mountain build suggests lots of turtle for trade goods as you'll have no wood, however shell and bone goods are worth next to nothing and roasts are worth enough to build out whole caravan. So rather then crafter and wood cutter skills I'd just go with a high-level cooking and sell excess food. (on the other hand shell and bone goods don't rot away ¬_¬) --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 06:03, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Food ==

The builds suggest taking at least 6 of each 2 cost food items, but I would suggest only one of each 2 food item (for a free barrel) and a lot of turtles, which leave both shells and bones. As other meats only leave either a bone or nothing at all. So for the easiest game use turtles. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 09:16, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Steel Axes? ==

I noticed in the build it says to get 2 copper picks and one steel axe. The first real attempt I made at getting a fortress going, the first thing I did was ditch the _steel_ axe in favour of a cheaper material, and got a better pick. Steel items cost 300. Copper costs 20. While it makes sense to have a few extra copper picks in case your miner gets killed, a good solid iron pick will make the early mining (And his skill increase) go a lot faster. Contrarily, you really don't need steel axes. Iron is more than enough. Even copper will do just fine. And you really only need one. And, rather than ditching your anvil for stuff, try ditching your steel axe for 100 logs. Thats more than enough to last you till you have a smelter going and can make your own axes. - Stormlock 7:03 Nov 1

:Steel axes are the only axes available on the preparation screen now. Does anyone know if this is a bug or not? --[[User:Xazak|Xazak]] 18:47, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

:Digging speed is not affected by the material the pick is made out of, as explained on the [[pick]] page. Neither are [[battle axe]]s. Therefore, you should just take the cheapest one. I've never been able to pick any axes other than steel either, however. --[[User:Valdemar|Valdemar]] 17:33, 10 November 2007 (EST)

== Layout ==

Should we really be dividing this up by biome? Seems to me it would be a better idea to lay this out as a series of options, e.g. "If you're settling in a mountainous/treeless region, drop your axes and take logs instead" etc. The new choices for landing site seem too diverse to keep the old formula methods of deciding on party goods. --[[User:Xazak|Xazak]] 18:48, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Challenge or game goals? ==

I added "Hunting party" & "Immigration & customs enforcement", but I'm not really sure where the line between challenge builds and [[Game_goals|Game goals]] lies. Any guidance? --[[User:Kidinnu|Kidinnu]] 08:18, 19 November 2007 (EST)

== IOGT ==
I added AA to the IOGT title since ... I've never even heard of the IOGT and had to Google it. --[[User:Geofferic|Geofferic]] 11:13, 19 November 2007 (EST)

== Created an ice-centric challenge. ==

Feel free to edit it to make it more coherent or fun. --[[User:Digi|Digi]] 03:50, 27 November 2007 (EST)

== 2.2 and 2.3.2.4 ==

These two have a lot of redundancy between them. I can't really think of a good way to merge them though, since there is definitely information in each that should probably stay separate. --[[User:Qalnor|Qalnor]] 16:06, 2 December 2007 (EST)
:Agreed. Moved some advice to external linked page. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 03:46, 12 December 2007 (EST)

==The Mad Butcher==
You're doing it wrong, you need to butcher the animals through the Status\Animals menu instead of pit-killing them. - Jackard
<blockquote>
''"If you want to take this even further, bring along a ton of kittens instead of any meat. Even the cheapest meat is going to run you 2 apiece, which for a stack of six is 12 points. A kitten is 11 points. In addition to the stack of meat you get a stack of bones and a skull as well as a raw hide. So much for so little, <s>and you could probably get a butcher to legendary in a single year if you splattered all the kittens first.</s>" - IantheKorean''
:''"But you still have the issue that kitten corpses aren't -- for some obscure reason -- butcherable. The only way tame animals can be cut up for meat is through the menu, and you can only pit tame animals, so it doesn't work unless you modify the raws." [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2677834&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=42#post336292122 - TouretteDog]''
</blockquote>
:Right you are! I forgot to add the edit to the raws. Updating... BTW, do you know who first suggested this? I wanted to give them credit, but I can't seem to find the thread again. --[[User:ERoberts|ERoberts]] 08:33, 12 December 2007 (EST)
::The link is on my Talk page. --[[User:Jackard|Jackard]] 12:42, 12 December 2007 (EST)
::It's more broken than that though point 7 talks about setting it up so the butcher cannot escape, but if that is the case then you'll be hard pressed to feed the fort as in point 9 --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 09:00, 12 December 2007 (EST)
Naw, that's just an engineering challenge! One way to solve it is to make a couple of stockpiles with an airlock mechanic. When the Mad Butcher can access one, haulers are locked out. When the stock pile is full, lock the butcher's door and unlock the haulers door.

==Critique of the "Rapid Expansion" build==
I didn't write it, so I'm not going to rewrite it unless I get approval. But I do have some beefs with it. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 03:54, 12 December 2007 (EST)

* The introduction is too wordy for this page and is more suited to a player's guide.
* The cross-training causes some of the dwarves to simultaneously be in demand for several essential early tasks, such as food-preparation and digging both.
* Suggesting a hunter/ranger is a death sentence on some maps; a warning is needed. Also, you also NEVER want to suggest making your leader a fisherdwarf, warning or no; at present, it's just too dangerous a profession at many sites to risk your appraiser/organizer/trader in.
* Strange moods in key trade skills are essential for a truly high-value fortress. The suggested skill set doesn't work at all well with strange moods; most dwarves will get nothing interesting from a strange mood and you don't know what The Smithy will make.
* Instead of the The Smithy being a "jack of all trades", he should be a master of a couple, chosen with both an eye to your fortress location and to his innate preferences. You'll get much more value this way, which is the declared point of this build.
* The comment "This build does not require or recommend bringing plump helmets due to their cost." is factually incorrect. A 4-point plump helmet gets you five 2-point booze, plus several seeds, for each one brewed; all of this can become food. I know of no cheaper way to ensure both food and drink than bringing plump helmets.
* Bringing stone is unnecessary to make workshops. Just make the temporary buildings out of logs or raw materials and free them up later.
* The comment "as you are nearly always getting a horse with your wagon" is incorrect in my experience; I've known times when a horse was pulling the wagon, but more likely than not I don't have one.
* The comment "The only thing you need is your anvil, a few stones and bars of metal, everything else is optional" is totally false for many fortress sites and requires a skilled, experienced player at all others.
* Speaking generally, this build is very much tailored to particular ways of playing the game, assumes particular kinds of site, requires a fair amount of skill, and therefore is - IMHO - not particularly well suited to an introductory page as written.

: Agreed [[User:Kidinnu|Kidinnu]] 09:03, 12 December 2007 (EST)

== Starting builds page sucks ==

Frankly, this page sucks. There is too much irrelevant and or useless information. I made a few changes to cut down on the clutter, but the advice on this page stinks. We should focus more on what the best uses of points are instead of personal builds that have little relation to optimal strategy. I don't have time to do this right now. --[[User:Belasarius|Belasarius]] 23:20, 29 January 2008 (EST)

Added an introduction which, hopefully, explains what creating a build is about (skills, items).
I'd suggest moving the discussion of possible environments somewhere, but didn't want to replace that large chapter with a simple ' [[biome]]s' :-) [[User:Samyotix|Samyotix]] 16:51, 19 February 2008 (EST)

== Ambusher Skill? ==

Do you still start with free items? If so, how much Ambusher is needed? Because I just tried this with novice ambushers/proficient marksmen/+4 other dwarves and no one got any crossbows, armor, or bolts. (Which, when your starting ontop of a goblin fortress, is a pretty rude surprise - that your marksdwarves don't actually have weapons).
:Unsigned comment above was [[user:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]]
:I believe ambusher has to be the (joint) highest skill level that dwarf has to get the free equipment. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 10:09, 17 April 2008 (EDT)

User:Shades

2008-04-12T10:42:08Z

Shades: /* The Numbers Game */

User:Shades

2008-04-12T10:40:31Z

Shades:

==The Numbers Game==
4 sweet pod seeds - costs 4
1 Proficient Grower will average 3 pods per seed, so 12 pods
1 Thresher turns 3 pods into 15 syrup, so 60 syrup in 4 barrels worth a total of 1200
1 Proficient Cook takes 4 barrels and makes, on average, a single superior stack of meals worth somewhere in the region of 10000

So from 4 points (plus the grower and cook skills I tend to take anyway) I've created 10000 in worth.
Scaling up to around 50 seeds (which seems to be what the grower can plant before the first seeds grow and provide more) means you end up 125k of worth in the first season. It's possible to get 4 harvests in spring and summer so half a million by the time the caravan arrives.

Now imagine if you start with 5 growers instead of one, and you train up your cook with easy meals while waiting for the first pods to grow so it can handle the output. I wonder what the upper limit for migrations is.

==Current Build==

{|
|-
| '''Starting Skills'''
| '''Other starting jobs'''
|-
| Negotiator, Persuader, Appraiser, Judge of intent, Conversationalist
| Mining
|-
| Organizer, Record Keeper
| Mining
|-
| Carpenter, Building designer
| Mining
|-
| Mechanic, Siege engineer
| Mining
|-
| Mason, Building designer
| Mining
|-
| Grower, Potash maker
| Wood Cutter
|-
| Cook, Herbalist
| Animal Trainer
|}

===What am I thinking?===
Other than the leader all the dwarves start with two skills, both of these are at proficient level which gives a nice basis for agility/strength/toughness. The first dwarf will take on Leader and Broker roles and the second dwarf will forfil the needs of the book keeper and manager, the others all have a major skill which they will specialise, and a minor skill that I probably won't need but what the hell. The exception to this is the two minor building designers but I figure between the two of them they'll have it covered.

Five of the dwarves are set to miner as soon as I start, they make short work of the major areas of the fortress and leave little stone, but the they they are replaced most will be adept or higher but that just helps with their agility/strength/toughness. The first to be removed will probably be the mason as I'll have a need for a lot of stone items, the carpenter can make his beds while mining. The record keeper will be switched mid summer or so to get cracking on those records, but this time I expect most of the fort to be mined out. The broker will be pulled off mining when the caravan arrives to get to work there.

I expect to get at least one set of migrants in the first year at that point all the rest my miners will switch over to dedicated miners among the new, even if I have to draft peasants, probably just two or three miners, any more is a waste. These will start at a lower level than the ones I took off duty but that just means less rock. By the time I'm needing ore they'll be legendary anyway.

The farmer will cut some initial wood to make beds and clear a path to the entrance, for wagons, then switch off woodcutting when the farms are ready to place. Note that I also have on 'only farmers harvest' so he'll be dealing with growing exclusively from this point, and maybe potash if I decide to fertilise the fields.

The cook will train up the dogs I bring with me to give me some defence, but other than that will perform hauler duties until there is something to cook, probably early summer.

The five miners with copper picks only cost 100 points, and as there is no anvil needed here there is plenty to spare. The lack of a brewer means I'll take more alcohol but brewing is a quick task and so it won't be long for one of the migrants to pick that up. Depending on the location I might switch the carpenter out for a Brewer/Wood Burner, to match the potash, as I don't really need a carpenter but to be honest without doing a two miner/two grower build I had trouble filling the slots up.

User talk:TangoThree

2008-01-27T15:31:41Z

Shades:

Axes... I want kitten bone axes. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 10:31, 27 January 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Captured creatures

2008-01-25T09:01:58Z

Shades: /* STOP HIM!!! */

Please correct and expand this page.
Initial questions: will cages melt and its inhabitants killed if magma is released onto it and the cage is non-magma-resistant?

I've done the cages to massive herds idea, but it doesn't work. They'll give birth just fine while in the cage (and the babies *won't* be locked in the cage, btw) but I've gone three years without a birth until a couple seasons after I released them all to presumably breed again. If you ask me, the ideal herd would be contained in a pit that's had access walled off, since (I believe) pathfinding lag isn't a factor when it's a wall, not a locked door.

Yea, I'm feeling a bit lazy right now, or I'd have edited this stuff into the article myself. Feel free to add it in and remove this, assuming I haven't just ended up in some weird situation where they just happen to have been pregnant for 3 years... --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 22:56, 10 January 2008 (EST)

Actually, the babies born in cages thing is true, but it works this way: the baby is born in the cage but is not ''assigned'' in the cage. So when it's born, a dwarf will immediately rush to free it. (Tried this by building a cage behind forbidden doors and the baby remained in the cage.)

By the way, how do you put a timestamp behind your edit? This timestamp below I have manually typed in. --[[User:ShunterAlhena]] 09:12, 11 January 2008 (EST)

:use <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki> or the button that looks like a signature ;) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 08:04, 11 January 2008 (EST)

== STOP HIM!!! ==

How am I supposed to put a captured goblin in an arena without letting the little bastard go? [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 00:05, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:A lever based enter/exit door for the arena so you can lock it, His combatent will probably have to be the one to let him go in that case. Or use a pit of some kind. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 04:01, 25 January 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Cat

2008-01-25T09:00:32Z

Shades: /* Bones, etc. count */

==Bones, etc. count==
Wile butchering cats I always got stacks of 3 bones... Anyone, check this, please.
:Cats are size 3 in the raws so 3 stacks of bones would make sense to me. Maybe they are taking the numbers from kittens, likewise you probably get 3 meat. Can someone confirm this, I don't trust my reading of the raws. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 04:00, 25 January 2008 (EST)
I have the same problem in real life

40d Talk:Losing

2008-01-23T21:13:19Z

Shades: /* 26 directions */

" if you dig a hole in a wall diagonally to a water source, water can come spurting out even without you receiving a warning about damp stone." Is this true anymore? The dev notes for today's version (November 1st) mentioned making squares touching water diagonally get the damp marker as well. --[[User:BahamutZERO|BahamutZERO]] 15:51, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== 26 directions ==

26 directions? Really? I've been digging out tiles UNDER bodies of water trapped in rock, much less diagonal to them along the z-axis, and I haven't run into any flooding problems yet.--[[User:Xazak|Xazak]] 18:44, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

:If you dig a tunnel underneath a body of water, you retain the ceiling overhead. If you were to remove this ceiling (e.g. by digging a ramp of stairway upwards) then the water would certainly flow.

::It would, except digging a ramp doesn't remove the ceiling...in fact it's impossible to dig upwards into water. You can't designate anything on the water tile above, and nothing you do below removes the ceiling...I tried in vain, and was sorely dissapointed. 'Specially since Toady did it one of his movies. Let me know if you get it to work, though. --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 14:10, 6 November 2007 (EST)

:::Build an upward (or an up/down) staircase on a level below and designate a downward staircase on the level above. Downward staircase is essentially a modification of the floor (ceiling) into a hole with stairs. Water doesn't flow in 16 up/down+horizontal directions (doesn't flow up+horizontal under pressure). Be warned that digging directly below a lake or a river is safe despite "dump stone" warning but digging into stone directly below an aquafier is NOT safe.--[[User:Another|Another]] 02:35, 4 December 2007 (EST)

:::Water flows in only 10 directions: the eight horizontal directions, straight up, and straight down. Someone should edit the article page.[[User:Rkyeun|Rkyeun]] 12:08, 23 January 2008 (EST)
::::Done, but don't hesitate to edit pages if you see something wrong :) people can always reedit them if they disagree ;) --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 16:13, 23 January 2008 (EST)

== Losing is fun ==
What would you say to moving the article to [[fun]] and making this one a redirect? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 18:29, 5 November 2007 (EST)

:That would be so funny! Don't know if it would gel with the rules, though. --[[User:Tarsier|Tarsier]] 19:53, 5 November 2007 (EST)

::Redirected fun to here. ;) --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 14:12, 6 November 2007 (EST)

== Starvation ==
According to the starvation section you can gather plants if you dont have soil to farm on, but as far as i know plants only grow above soil layers [[User:Thatguyyaknow|Thatguyyaknow]] 08:57, 19 January 2008 (EST)

40d:Losing

2008-01-23T21:11:59Z

Shades: /* Flooding accidents */

Losing is fun!

Most new players will lose their first few forts; if you lose a fortress, don't feel like you don't understand the game. Dwarf Fortress has a steep learning curve, and part of the appeal is discovering things for yourself. However, this Wiki serves as an excellent place to speed up the learning process.

== Autopsy ==

Various things can cause you to lose a fortress.

=== Losing your miners ===

If your [[miner]]s are killed in a collapse and their equipment destroyed, chances are good that you will no longer be able to continue your efforts. Consider abandoning your fortress. Alternatively, you can try to keep your fortress running long enough to request additional [[pick]]s from your Outpost [[Liaison]], who will arrive with the next dwarven trade [[caravan]]. It will take another year before they will return. 
Also consider the tedious but fun option of making buildings outside! If your [[woodcutter]]s with [[axe]]s are still available, then you can build structures of [[wood]]. This is not recommended for very new players though, as it is intensly resource-demanding and takes alot of managing to get right. (Also not recommended if you don't understand the z-axis system yet.)

=== Starvation ===

A serious danger, generally in the more inhospitable climates, is the loss of your dwarves due to starvation; if you are in the heart of a mountain with no [[soil]] to build on, it is possible you will not be able to establish [[farm]]s. As dwarves begin to starve, they will become Hungry, then Starving. This will cause them to become very angry. When they die, their friends will become upset and will become even angrier, potentially causing the remainder of your fortress to break out in a terminal brawl.

Don't forget your alternative sources of [[food]]. Try [[butchering]] your [[animals]], [[plant gathering|gathering plants]], or resorting to [[hunting]] of local wildlife.

===Dehydration===

One of the biggest problems with a fortress that has no [[brook]], [[stream]], [[river]], or other source of fresh [[water]]. Water must be rapidly gathered from stagnant pools and stored into an indoor basin or water tower, with sufficient depth before it [[evaporate]]s. If this fails, all of the water on the map will evaporate and your dwarves will be left without any water.

[[Brewing]] can alleviate these problems, but in the future brewing will also require water.

===Flooding accidents===

The opposite side of the dehydration spectrum is having too ''much'' water. Remember that water can [[flow]] in 10 directions (the 8 horizontal ones as well as up and down). It is also worth remembering that, unlike water, magma does not flow up like water in the current version although this is expected to change later.

If your fortress is beginning to flood from [[sourced water]], abandon all of the levels the water can reach immediately—drafting dwarves into the [[military]] and stationing them onto the surface if need be. You will never be able to recover those areas unless you can manage to pump out the water faster than it floods in, which can take over a year or two of game time to establish a functioning automated pump system. Generally, a flooding accident spells doom for your fortress.

===Invasion===

The [[goblin]]s first come with about a dozen soldiers to [[siege]] your fort. Then they come again with about two dozen. Then three. Soon enough your [[trap]]s are all sprung, your [[door]]s beaten down, and your dwarves are dead. Without some simple [[Fortress defense|defense]]s, such as a [[moat]], a horde of goblins on your doorstep can be deadly. Sieges by goblins and presumably other civilizations have now been fixed (with the release of v0.27.169.33f), so early defensive fortress planning is required.

===Volcanic Death===

Toady has stated that in the future volcanoes will be much less stable and much more deadly.

40d Talk:Pregenerated worlds

2008-01-21T11:24:05Z

Shades: /* Removal of older pre-generated worlds */

== Standardization ==
Along with creating a template for the entries, the images need to all be with the standard character sets and not with a graphical set. It's not very useful to be looking at images one is unfamiliar with - may as well not upload the images. --[[User:Geofferic|Geofferic]] 17:39, 10 December 2007 (EST) 
::Definitely something to work on with standardizing the information on seeds. Though maybe later, as all you really need to be able to look at is the X marking locations and size of the box on the local map. I finished categorizing the seeds, and later will be trying to work out a general format for seed entries/later submittals. --[[User:KaelGotRice|KaelGotRice]] 18:07, 10 December 2007 (EST)
 
Personally, I find the way Chariot implemented his seed page[http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/User:Chariot/SEED_196405198] wonderful. The seed entry here on the pregen page could use a little more detail (OS&DF version for instance) but the separate page with site-by-site breakdowns is great! I've got little/no experience with wikis, but I'm wondering if it would be possible to make a template to do that, and make it easy for any new seeds to be added using the template. Among other things, it would keep discussion of seeds specific to their own pages, and leave this discussion free to concentrate on the generalities of seeds and pre-gen worlds. In addition, it should either be reclassified or duplicated to indicate that it's also a 0/low rejects seed. --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 11:10, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)
:I made a quickly thrown together template for seeded worlds [[Template:Seeded World]], and have made a copy of Pauls world (for .33f) in it. It still needs alot of tuning (especially conditional #if for when entries are left open), as well as better handling (or rather handling at all) for worlds with multiple good starting locations. (Not really sure how this last point can be handled most cleanly from the perspective of the user.) Interrested in feedback as to the usefulness of such a template.. --[[User:Gauteamus|Gauteamus]] 18:35, 17 December 2007 (EST)
::Looks nice and pretty functional. As to additional sites, would it be possible to use templates within templates? Specifically, reproducing the current template for the site portion multiple times within it's own set of show/hide areas for each site. Just an idea on that coming from someone that doesn't know squat about advanced wiki-ing. Unless empty entries break the template, should they need handling at all? (since I read somewhere that this wiki doesn't do ifs. Great Work so far! --[[User:n9103|n9103]] 19:45, 17 Dec 2007 (PST)

== Clean up? ==
It was asked why I deleted a seed earlier, and I may just go back and edit it so that it mentions that I tested the seed on two different machines and got vastly different results on the seed than the original seed poster did (see history for seed number). Also, what is your guy's opinions on deleting/redoing entries without maps/pictures or without any major sites of interest? Example: Seed 0 mentions a spot to start at a terrifying volcano but you cannot even embark there.

PS - I'm going to move seeds according to quick creation time (low rejects) and features if possible.

Also, added a nice find to the pre-generated world's list.
--[[User:KaelGotRice|KaelGotRice]] 16:42, 10 December 2007 (EST)

::Unless we are speaking at cross purposes ... I am playing a game right now at the suggested start spot from Seed 0. --[[User:Geofferic|Geofferic]] 17:27, 10 December 2007 (EST)

:::I'll just nuke the useless volcano in the tundra image for now as this is fairly common and taking up room - and you cannot embark anywhere near there. I understand that the seed is worth keeping because of 0 rejects. But in terms of useless information taking up space, that was the point I was trying to make. --[[User:KaelGotRice|KaelGotRice]] 17:30, 10 December 2007 (EST)

::::I see what you're talking about - I think that picture was just there to show that a volcano was in fact in the tundra, because that isn't the photo associated with the place s/he was suggested one should play. That's the other photo. The only purpose to the one you're refering to is to demonstrate that it's indeed a cool map, I suppose. --[[User:Geofferic|Geofferic]] 18:30, 10 December 2007 (EST)

: Well I asked you why you deleted the seed I put back up, if it really doesn't work on other computers then I have no problem taking it down, but I've had no trouble regenerating it and I've had no problem generating other people's seeds. Something you need to do though is make sure you don't alter the settings at all. If there are issues where it only works on certain computers, that's interesting in and of itself, but I haven't seen any evidence of that myself so far. I should add, I do support cleaning up, the page is a mess beyond belief, and I agree some of the seeds are amazingly stupid. [[User:Qalnor|Qalnor]] 18:16, 10 December 2007 (EST)
:: If it works on your computer under repeatable circumstances, leave it up but have a warning tag of some sort :) We could use good seeds. When I have time I will be purging some of the more useless seeds and attempting to clean up here and there. Maybe have some information about your system info/processor/windows or linux? We don't know how these things sometimes affects seed generation. Don't feel bad, the seed I just posted I found out has variable flux/farmable land/sand based on which computers you generated from - and deleting the seed was just jumping the gun on my part.--[[User:KaelGotRice|KaelGotRice]] 19:15, 10 December 2007 (EST)
::: I've repeated it a few times. Processor is AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200 Dual Core 90nm 939-pin, OS is XP SP2. Now that you mention that flux thing I do seem to remember someone mentioning something once about a slightly modified map. I'll try to find that at some point to see if there were any relevant details. [[User:Qalnor|Qalnor]] 14:13, 11 December 2007 (EST)

===Removal of older pre-generated worlds===
[[User:Edward]] and [[User:Fedor]] had a bit of a back and forth as to cleaning up older PreGen (Pre-generated) worlds. 
Fedor brought up that some of the changes in map generation since then are for the better, and how most people would probably expect the most recent generation rules to be in effect. 
Edward brought up how the actual world had no changes and were still perfectly usable. 
Fedor brought up that many minerals and gems were typically missing in maps generated in 33e and earlier. Edward agrees on this point. 
Edward and Fedor came to the agreement that it should be a community decision as to whether older (33e&f) PreGens should be left on the wiki. 

Please leave your opinion for this decision, along with any suggestions!

:Leave them on the page with a note that the rock-layer-generating code changed, so the same worlds generated under the current version would have different mineral abundances. If they were incompatible or somehow vastly inferior, then I'd agree with their removal, but having different minerals strikes me as quite minor.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 03:57, 21 January 2008 (EST)

:For the downloadable worlds leave them as is, or update descriptions if anything actually changes. Although I thought that the downloadable ones would fixed at that point. As for the seeds I'd either leave them there if they are still good, or possible archive them to a pregenerated worlds/version page if we get too many. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 06:24, 21 January 2008 (EST)

== Logging sites ==
I like the idea of logging specific sites to seeds, but how is the best way we can organize this? for a good location explaination you probably need a picture. But if we add a lot of pictures to each seed we get a large cluttered page. What shall we do? Add subpages for specific seeds? Try to think of a generic way to log nice sites (for example: Seed: 12323241 coords:12,13 has: ruins, vent, pit, trees, iron , gold, undead elephants of death, more eagels than the US has fighter planes, etc). (Is it possible to determine the coords of a site on the world map?)

And also, I think it is possible to create non number seeds. I'm going to test this.
--[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 08:34, 2 November 2007 (EDT)
: No for non numbers. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 09:10, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

The forum had a good suggestion. Lets store all the seeds that reject few regions while you create them. (Or at least reject as few regions as possible). The first one with the vulcano in the woods rejects 9 regions. The seed 2 gives a world after 3 rejects according to the forum. http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=001234 --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 09:10, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

This thread should be interesting. There's even a world with zero rejects. 
http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=001247 [[User:Death Dragon|Death Dragon]] 02:34, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

Does anybody know how to link to a specific post of the forum? [[User:Death Dragon|Death Dragon]] 12:38, 3 November 2007 (EDT)
:As far as I know, there isn't a way. This version of the bulletin board code does not place "name" links within the generated forum thread tables as some others do, so no appending of a "#name" to the URL can possibly scroll the browser directly to the post. The best we can do is link to the correct page of the thread and rely on the reader to scroll to the correct post him/herself. --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 12:55, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

== Coordinates ==

This was mentioned briefly on the forum, but we should make some rules for finding specific locations on the map,
As in there is a magma vent in a tile with no volcano near at this position
The question is whether or not to use coordinates that refer to the map you get when you export your map (the big one), or to refer to coordinates in the 3 sections thats show up when you are selecting were to embark to. I'm actually not positive, they match up.
I'm pretty sure the map you get from exporting is 257x308, and I'm not 100% on this, but I think the middle map of the embark mode is exactly the same, I just looked through it, and it seems this way, but I thought (and maybe this was a remnant from 32a) that it didn't if someone else can confirm or deny it that'd be nice.

Anyhow I propose using that middle map as the basis of coordinates: we use the most general map (which is 15x16) and follow it by actual map position, and lastly where in the local map it is. also I propose using what tile it is to define it on each map as well.

here's an example (which you can verify using [SEED:2260691361])

General: (yellow n) 
14 Lat, and 2 lon 
Coordinates: (yellow i) 
220 lat, and 33 lon 
Location: (green i)-(green i) 
1-3 lat, and 5-7 lon 

You have here a elf forest retreat.
 
--[[User:Bevilr|Bevilr]] 22:03, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

====Can't use the middle map sorry====
It's always centered on the cursor. Also the large exported map - it may be bugged presently as it seems possible to find regions that are off the edge of what's exported. What would be possible would be to count the steps past where the position on the world (right-most) map changed, this seems to happen every 16 X or Y steps. Suggest indexing from the bottom left (top right if negative values used).
[[User:Djp|Djp]] 01:10, 22 November 2007 (EST)

:Use the world map to see where the approximate location is on the full map and the middle map for landmarks in that vicinity to figure out where the exact site is.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 00:45, 23 November 2007 (EST)

== Individual entries ==

I like the way #3089130238 laid out the information for that seed. We could definitely use a standard layout for this page. Is there anything else we should be including for each seed, besides the number of map rejections?--[[User:Xazak|Xazak]] 19:05, 3 November 2007 (EDT)
:I definitely agree with this, and would love to see some sort of template, for (A) each world, and (B) sites of interest in each world--[[User:Bevilr|Bevilr]] 22:06, 3 November 2007 (EDT)
::A layout would be good, but keep in mind that the required bits should be accessible from either the exportable world map or fortress mode site selection. Otherwise, it could become an ungodly hassle to fill out the form and then there'd be no more additions. --[[User:BDR|BDR]] 07:22, 4 November 2007 (EST)

Seed 92003: I like the volcano named "The Big Flame." It makes me laugh! --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 13:56, 17 November 2007 (EST)

Can we please put in seed 1337? (it has 2 or 4 rejects... i cant remember which, if absolutly nothing else... and it has lots of good stuff on it to... i found so many good sites... it was hard to pick which one to... well pick.) but really, its seed 1337, check it out. --[[User:pbhead|pbhead]] 18:20 November 2007 (EST)

:What was good about the sites? People sometimes have very different ideas of what makes for a good world.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 18:56, 21 November 2007 (EST)

== Template ==

{{Seeded World
|seed = 4265985437
|name = The Legendary Ever-Realm
|rejects = 51
|version = .33f
|genname = RANDOM
|link = http://hyperfileshare.com/d/f91fae26
|comment = This is a most rude stealing of Paul's map above for the purpose of testing this template, changes are bound to happen, please comment in discussion thread/make improvements as you see fit.
|image = [[Image:4265985437.PNG|thumb|500px]]
|features = [[Magma]], cave river, chasm, adamantine, sand, trees, flux and iron.
|missing = Giant cave spiders??
}}

I moved this example template from the main article. Discussion should go at [[Template talk:Seeded World]]. --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 17:22, 23 December 2007 (EST)

==Organization==
I think we should try to better organize the seeds, into a table or such, something like [[User:Valdemar/Seeds|this]]. It would really help to see all of the seeds at a glance. We should also try to take all screenshots using 0x517A5D's excellent [[Utilities#Regional_Prospector|Regional Prospector]], to reveal all the hidden mountain features. --[[User:Valdemar|Valdemar]] 15:42, 26 December 2007 (EST)

== Re: 4265985437 - The Legendary Ever-Realm ==

On Vista, it is generated with the same name, but with 71 rejects and a completely different map. (33g) Alas! [[User:KiTA|KiTA]] 00:32, 28 December 2007 (EST)

:That's because of changed map generation algotythm in 33g. (Maybe this should be placed in discussion?) [[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 01:02, 28 December 2007 (EST)

:There's a download link provided for that world, so just download it.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 01:38, 28 December 2007 (EST)

==Multiple Continents and STUFF!==
Just poking around here. Has anyone seen/generated a world with multiple continents? I've seen plenty of Island, but there's always only one continent and all the "oceans" look more like oversized lakes. Could someone post a world with multiple coninents and if possible realistic oceans? Oh, and has anyone noticed that the polar icecaps are more like large tundras rather than, well, large glaciers... My worlds usually end up so warm, I wonder if the dwarfs have a problem with global warming. [[User:Noctis|Noctis]] 15:40, 28 December 2007 (EST)

:Depending on your definition of continent, I've gotten two separate land masses that weren't connected. But considering the scale of the DF Worlds, it's not surprising there aren't really convincing oceans. If you assume that each tile is about 1m², (pretty reasonable) then each DF world is only 38,654 km² (14,924mi²) in total surface area. Considering that the Land Surface Area of the Earth is oh, around 4,000 Times larger, and that's not even counting the water area... So yea, a world with a real ocean would be sorta like playing on the corner of a volcanic island. :P --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 19:32, 28 December 2007 (EST)

::Not to be rude, but I think you made a error in your calculations. Please do consider that Europe alone is more than ten million square kilometers. I think you made a error when you considered "dwarf" squares per embark squares per world squares. Also, considering that the world's biggest mountain is 8848m high and the highest DF mountains are 250 Z-levels high(if I remember correctly), one DF Z-level must be more than 35m. Even when the highest DF mountain would be 5000m, a Z-level should be 20m. At the same time one average story of a building is ca 4m and putting this into z-levels gives us a maximum mountain size of 1000m. Small, huh? Oh, don't forget that that is the height from the lowest bottom of an "ocean", meaning that the real values are even more ridiculous. I can't imagine a ocean in the DF world in your scale at all. Speaking of oceans, I just generated a world with an ridiculous ocean. It's less than 15x15 in size and doesn't even show up on the world map in embark screen. Then there's the stone layers. In a 40000km² area there should be no more than a handful of stone layers, but in a DF world there's hundreds!
::This is sounding very DF-critical, but I really love this game. It's just that that the world generation can be very weird. Oh! And to make this post even longer for kicks. I just generated a world where three oceans divide the world into two, what I would call, continents, but because of two small land bridges they are counted as one. Compare with N. + S. America and Europe + Asia + Africa. Nuff...
::PS. Did you manually add your sig to translate your nick? [[User:Noctis|Noctis]] 13:56, 29 December 2007 (EST)

:::RE Land Mass: Total Earth Land Area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth Total DF Land Area: [[Regions]]
:::Why should DF world relate directly to the real world? Who says that DF mountains would even be as tall as Earth's? You made quite a few derivative calculations on a rather large assumption, IMO. All I've been trying to establish is that there really isn't a point to trying to compare the DF World to the real one. If you're trying to counter that argument, I'm really unsure what the point of most of your comments were. If you're trying to confirm it, then your comments still don't make much sense.
:::As for the sig, I added the normal signature to my nickname preference, changed the field manually, and that's where the signature comes from.--[[User:N9103|Edward]] 20:21, 29 December 2007 (EST)

40d Talk:Refined coal

2008-01-08T23:02:59Z

Shades:

Maybe the articles on charcoal and coke should be merged with this page on fuel since all three pages basically say the same thing. [[User:Bouchart|Bouchart]] 18:00, 22 November 2007 (EST)

== Starting things off ==

Somehow this needs to be adjusted to show that to kick start your smelter you need some coal... or is there some other way of getting from bituminous coal to coke? fan I use some other furnace to get started? (I have plenty of wood, "rock" and bituminous coal but no "coal" or magma).[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 09:27, 8 January 2008 (EST)

== Is wood burning a skill? ==

I cant seem to find it on the [[skill]] page. Either that or this one should be changed
:Wood Burner at the bottom of the Farmer section. It's there :) --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 18:02, 8 January 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Bituminous coal

2008-01-08T23:00:06Z

Shades: /* '''Must have coal fuel''' */

This is known ingame as "Bituminous coal", not the other way around, and the article name should probably be changed to reflect that. Anyone with the know-how and/or privilege want to do the honours?

==Coke ratio?==
Has the "3 for 1" coke ratio been tested with the new version yet? I have been trying to create coke from bituminous coal in my current fortress since there is no wood... I've created one coke from one tower-cap wood purchased from the dwarven caravan, then wanted to start out metal production with the mass produced coke from the coal... But whenever my furnace operator take one bituminous coal to the smelter, it only result in one coke. Normally there should be a net gain of two coke for each smelting, no? --[[User:Eagle of Fire|Eagle of Fire]] 22:55, 10 November 2007 (EST)

:[[http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=001388]] Seems like a great case of someone just copying from the old wiki without checking first... -_- --[[User:Eagle of Fire|Eagle of Fire]] 23:13, 10 November 2007 (EST)
::Well, scratch that. My meticulous side forced me to triple check everything, and I finnaly noticed that I somehow didn't know there was a new version out already... I'm still using 32a. -_- I'm sorry for that... At least in the process I learned a thing or two on how formats and templates... Time to generate a new world!--[[User:Eagle of Fire|Eagle of Fire]] 23:50, 10 November 2007 (EST)
:::The 3 for 1 is taken from the reaction_stadard.txt raw. It should also hold for 32a [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 01:14, 11 November 2007 (EST)
::::There's a bug in 32a so that smelting coal ore only resulted in one coal, which naturally would be used in smelting the next chunk of coal ore. It's fixed for 33a. --[[User:WyldKarde|WyldKarde]] 01:47, 11 November 2007 (EST)
:::::I can confirm there was a bug in 32a. Since the fortress I now created have ample wood supply, I probably won't be able to confirm that the coal bug been fixed but I guess the countless other people who already tested it at the beginning of november are a voice to be reckoned with. I just can't beleive that Toady got a new version out so fast and that I was so busy IRL that I didn't even notice, nor did I see people talk about it in DF threads... Strange. --[[User:Eagle of Fire|Eagle of Fire]] 02:08, 11 November 2007 (EST)

== '''Must have coal fuel''' ==

I have surrounded a [[smelter]] with Bituminous coal.

When I try to add a task to the smelter I get the message:
''Must have coal fuel''.

What am I missing here?
Thanks,[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 08:46, 8 January 2008 (EST)

:In order to be able to start, you need one fuel unit. Which is usually coal. --[[User:Eagle of Fire|Eagle of Fire]] 08:59, 8 January 2008 (EST)

::Oh. Well that's me totally screwed then! Here I was thinking my 30+ units of bituminous coal would get me started with producing some pig iron or something.
::Back to the prospecting I guess! Is coal usually close to bituminous coal or what?[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 09:25, 8 January 2008 (EST)
:::Don't you just need to turn the Bituminous Coal into coke by smelting that, it needs a fuel to do as well mind you, unless you have a magma furnace. To get your first unit of coke turn wood into charcoal in a wood burner, then you can turn your coal into three bituminous coke. (This is from memory, it's been a while since I've played, don't ask why) --09:41, 8 January 2008 (EST)
:::—Preceding [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:shades|shades]] ([[User talk:shades|talk]]•[[Special:Contributions/shades|contribs]]) {{{2|}}}
::::Opps must have missed a ~ --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 18:00, 8 January 2008 (EST)

:[[Bituminous coal]] is not [[fuel]]. It is a material used to produce coke, which is a type of fuel. The act of creating fuel from bituminous coal takes fuel. Does that clear this up? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 10:47, 8 January 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Bituminous coal

2008-01-08T14:41:56Z

Shades: /* '''Must have coal fuel''' */

40d Talk:Windmill

2007-12-17T13:24:34Z

Shades: /* 33f */

I changed the number of required pieces to 4, apparently thats all it needs on my game

Does anyone know if it's possible to connect multiple windmills together with gearboxes and axles, then send a single shaft over to your workshops? Will you get twice as much power from twice as many windmills? (I know common sense says you should, but has anyone tried it in the game?)

:I verified that connecting two windmills does double the power. Also, added how to get power back to the surface, some folks were having problems with that. -- Infinity

:Infinity: Doesn't using so many gear assemblies virtually drain all of the power? Would it not be a better idea to build a pedestal from a series of walls and floors to support a raised windmill, with a single gear assembly underneath it on the surface level? [[User:Matryx|Matryx]] 06:06, 31 October 2007 (EDT)
::Yes, good idea. I like the windmill tower! --[[User:Infinity|Infinity]] 01:19, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

There's an assumption in this article which states that all windmills generate the same amount of power. I think there is wind-dependancy or height above the land changes how much power is generated. I've had windmills that power up to 20, but never 40 (yet). We need more information to confirm how it works. --[[User:Gibbonofdoom|Gibbonofdoom]] 05:17, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

I have removed <blockquote>It is not presently possible to build the gear assembly or axle ''before'' building the windmill—doing so will prevent the windmill from connecting to the assembly or axle. Build the windmill first, and then build the axle or gear assembly beneath it. You can of course still have the remainder of your machine built. ???? --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]]</blockquote>
from the article. In addition to Markavian, I've also confirmed it to be false. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 09:00, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

:In my experience, Markavian is correct. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 13:52, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

I have built a gear and then a windmill on the layer above of it via an adjacent walkway. --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]] 23:50, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Sometimes my windmills just self-destruct. I think it's because I turned off the gear assembly under it (with a lever). It might also be because the gear assembly floods with water from the pump it powers. Has anyone else had this happen to them? [[User:Valdemar|Valdemar]] 11:54, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

- Yeah. That's the catalyst. a gear under the windmill supports the windmill. (it's still hanging though) ... when you lever the gear off, the support is lost... and the windmill can fall over. It's very ;_; To verify this, build your gear and attach it to the lever first... with the lever in the "on" position, the windmill can be built over it. in the other position, it cannot. This also explains why the user thought it wasn't possible to build the gear first. of course you'd want to build it and immediately turn it off... otherwise, you'll flood your area before your containing wall gets finished :) --[[User:Vaevictus|Vae]] 12:55, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

== how does it connect? ==

When you place/remove windmills, do they leave a hole in the ground/roof, or is it a non-contact force they are using to apply torque on the assemblies (magnets maybe?). Do they punch a hole in like the wells-of-old?

-- When placed, it's a small hole with a sealed wooden grommet to prevent liquid penetration. Part of the removal process is to fill this small hole. --[[User:Vaevictus|Vae]] 13:25, 08 November 2007 (EDT)

i think i have a problem with my connections i buildit the windmill but nothing happens it just sits there?

== Is the construction example a bad idea? ==
-- Just wondering. I put it there, but wouldn't be upset it it was replaced with something prettier. --[[User:Vaevictus|Vae]] 14:15, 08 November 2007 (EDT)
<blockquote>
This allows water to flow past the pump when the pump is off, allowing for two pumps to use a single set of walls to contain the flowing water, with the direction based on which pump is on. It also allows for maintenance access from the pipe, at the cost of 3 extra wall sections and one extra floor.
</blockquote> Could you explain this in more detail? allowing two pumps to use a single set of walls? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 23:24, 9 November 2007 (EST)

==33f==

I've built several windmills in .33f and none of them are producing any power. Someone please check if their windmills are working properly. I've also have had the same problem with watermills. This is on a map generated with the new patch. [[User:Bouchart|Bouchart]] 21:50, 16 December 2007 (EST)
:The only one i've build with the new version .33f worked fine. It was built on the ground level that I started on just in case that makes a difference, it's currently turning a millstone via a single gear on the level below. The map was also generated with .33f. Sorry I can't be more help :/ --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 08:24, 17 December 2007 (EST)

40d Talk:Starting build

2007-12-12T14:00:04Z

Shades: /* The Mad Butcher */

Hey, I'll have to see who wrote these starting builds and see if I can't contact him/her, but "About & Challenges" sounds uh... not informational? How about "Overview"? I don't want to edit your work here without your approval (even though I could do so on my own.) [[User:Schm0|Schm0]] 22:14, 31 October 2007 (EDT)
: Feel free to adjust the "About & Challenges" to anything else. It was just something to group one of the blocks of text and encourage others to write similar blocks of text. "Overview" sounds much better. --[[User:Shagie|Shagie]] 22:55, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

i wrote the dwarves & skills part and wrote a small info on why to take this kind of a build as most of the items you take are heavily dependant on the area you are in.

Overviw sounds better though so i agree with that

also for the guy who asked why 10 bags; bags might be hard to come by in this version since cave spiders arent always there, which leads to little or no silk in the starting areas, and hunting might not be the best idea if you have dark gnomes or something like that in the area, and if you dont have any bags, making a glass indrusty will prove very hard.

:No ''sand'' on a map makes making glass even harder. No, impossible.--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 05:52, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== trade goods ==

The mountain build suggests lots of turtle for trade goods as you'll have no wood, however shell and bone goods are worth next to nothing and roasts are worth enough to build out whole caravan. So rather then crafter and wood cutter skills I'd just go with a high-level cooking and sell excess food. (on the other hand shell and bone goods don't rot away ¬_¬) --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 06:03, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Food ==

The builds suggest taking at least 6 of each 2 cost food items, but I would suggest only one of each 2 food item (for a free barrel) and a lot of turtles, which leave both shells and bones. As other meats only leave either a bone or nothing at all. So for the easiest game use turtles. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 09:16, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Steel Axes? ==

I noticed in the build it says to get 2 copper picks and one steel axe. The first real attempt I made at getting a fortress going, the first thing I did was ditch the _steel_ axe in favour of a cheaper material, and got a better pick. Steel items cost 300. Copper costs 20. While it makes sense to have a few extra copper picks in case your miner gets killed, a good solid iron pick will make the early mining (And his skill increase) go a lot faster. Contrarily, you really don't need steel axes. Iron is more than enough. Even copper will do just fine. And you really only need one. And, rather than ditching your anvil for stuff, try ditching your steel axe for 100 logs. Thats more than enough to last you till you have a smelter going and can make your own axes. - Stormlock 7:03 Nov 1

:Steel axes are the only axes available on the preparation screen now. Does anyone know if this is a bug or not? --[[User:Xazak|Xazak]] 18:47, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

:Digging speed is not affected by the material the pick is made out of, as explained on the [[pick]] page. Neither are [[battle axe]]s. Therefore, you should just take the cheapest one. I've never been able to pick any axes other than steel either, however. --[[User:Valdemar|Valdemar]] 17:33, 10 November 2007 (EST)

== Layout ==

Should we really be dividing this up by biome? Seems to me it would be a better idea to lay this out as a series of options, e.g. "If you're settling in a mountainous/treeless region, drop your axes and take logs instead" etc. The new choices for landing site seem too diverse to keep the old formula methods of deciding on party goods. --[[User:Xazak|Xazak]] 18:48, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Challenge or game goals? ==

I added "Hunting party" & "Immigration & customs enforcement", but I'm not really sure where the line between challenge builds and [[Game_goals|Game goals]] lies. Any guidance? --[[User:Kidinnu|Kidinnu]] 08:18, 19 November 2007 (EST)

== IOGT ==
I added AA to the IOGT title since ... I've never even heard of the IOGT and had to Google it. --[[User:Geofferic|Geofferic]] 11:13, 19 November 2007 (EST)

== Created an ice-centric challenge. ==

Feel free to edit it to make it more coherent or fun. --[[User:Digi|Digi]] 03:50, 27 November 2007 (EST)

== 2.2 and 2.3.2.4 ==

These two have a lot of redundancy between them. I can't really think of a good way to merge them though, since there is definitely information in each that should probably stay separate. --[[User:Qalnor|Qalnor]] 16:06, 2 December 2007 (EST)
:Agreed. Moved some advice to external linked page. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 03:46, 12 December 2007 (EST)

==The Mad Butcher==
You're doing it wrong, you need to butcher the animals through the Status\Animals menu instead of pit-killing them:
<blockquote>
''"If you want to take this even further, bring along a ton of kittens instead of any meat. Even the cheapest meat is going to run you 2 apiece, which for a stack of six is 12 points. A kitten is 11 points. In addition to the stack of meat you get a stack of bones and a skull as well as a raw hide. So much for so little, <s>and you could probably get a butcher to legendary in a single year if you splattered all the kittens first.</s>" - IantheKorean''
:''"But you still have the issue that kitten corpses aren't -- for some obscure reason -- butcherable. The only way tame animals can be cut up for meat is through the menu, and you can only pit tame animals, so it doesn't work unless you modify the raws." [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2677834&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=42#post336292122 - TouretteDog]''
</blockquote>
Right you are! I forgot to add the edit to the raws. Updating... 
BTW, do you know who first suggested this? I wanted to give them credit, but I can't seem to find the thread again. --[[User:ERoberts|ERoberts]] 08:33, 12 December 2007 (EST)
:It's more broken than that though point 7 talks about setting it up so the butcher cannot escape, but if that is the case then you'll be hard pressed to feed the fort as in point 9 --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 09:00, 12 December 2007 (EST)

==Critique of the "Rapid Expansion" build==
I didn't write it, so I'm not going to rewrite it unless I get approval. But I do have some beefs with it. [[User:Fedor|Fedor]] 03:54, 12 December 2007 (EST)

* The introduction is too wordy for this page and is more suited to a player's guide.
* The cross-training causes some of the dwarves to simultaneously be in demand for several essential early tasks, such as food-preparation and digging both.
* Suggesting a hunter/ranger is a death sentence on some maps; a warning is needed. Also, you also NEVER want to suggest making your leader a fisherdwarf, warning or no; at present, it's just too dangerous a profession at many sites to risk your appraiser/organizer/trader in.
* Strange moods in key trade skills are essential for a truly high-value fortress. The suggested skill set doesn't work at all well with strange moods; most dwarves will get nothing interesting from a strange mood and you don't know what The Smithy will make.
* Instead of the The Smithy being a "jack of all trades", he should be a master of a couple, chosen with both an eye to your fortress location and to his innate preferences. You'll get much more value this way, which is the declared point of this build.
* The comment "This build does not require or recommend bringing plump helmets due to their cost." is factually incorrect. A 4-point plump helmet gets you five 2-point booze, plus several seeds, for each one brewed; all of this can become food. I know of no cheaper way to ensure both food and drink than bringing plump helmets.
* Bringing stone is unnecessary to make workshops. Just make the temporary buildings out of logs or raw materials and free them up later.
* The comment "as you are nearly always getting a horse with your wagon" is incorrect in my experience; I've known times when a horse was pulling the wagon, but more likely than not I don't have one.
* The comment "The only thing you need is your anvil, a few stones and bars of metal, everything else is optional" is totally false for many fortress sites and requires a skilled, experienced player at all others.
* Speaking generally, this build is very much tailored to particular ways of playing the game, assumes particular kinds of site, requires a fair amount of skill, and therefore is - IMHO - not particularly well suited to an introductory page as written.

40d Talk:Frequently Asked Questions

2007-11-27T12:26:11Z

Shades:

I hope you like the overhaul [[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 21:10, 26 November 2007 (EST)
:Is there any way to make the link so it uses the current domain rather than hardcoding to dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com, as most of the links I've come across to get here are www.dwarffortresswiki.net ones and any login status is not saved across the different domains. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 07:26, 27 November 2007 (EST)

Siege weapon

2007-11-26T16:53:55Z

Shades: fixed double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Siege engine]]

40d Talk:Channel

2007-11-22T12:27:42Z

Shades: /* Falling */

==Empty channels as moats==
Can land-bound enemies cross empty channels? Or would an empty channel dug around your entire fort suffice to prevent intruders? [[User:Julius|Julius]] 19:53, 13 November 2007 (EST)
:Probably not... I'm assuming they'd just fall down a z-level, just like your dwarves do.--[[User:Tarsier|Tarsier]] 20:07, 13 November 2007 (EST)
:A channel with a constructed wall on the inner side is an ultimate defence against every non-flying creature. Without the wall enemy archers/crossbowmen can deal some damage.--[[User:Another|Another]] 07:10, 22 November 2007 (EST)

==Falling==
Can digging a channel, that has a solid floor below it, under a dwarf, that would result in the dwarf falling in, cause death or make the dwarf unable to operate?
:Don't see why not, the dwarf is falling so could get hurt (although death would be unlikely) and it's also possible any stone generated from the fall could land after, but I have no idea how that is worked out so that might not be true. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 07:27, 22 November 2007 (EST)

Metal bars

2007-11-21T14:54:55Z

Shades: Redirecting to Metal

#REDIRECT [[Metal]]

Template:V0.31 creatures

2007-11-21T13:40:07Z

Shades:

<center>
{| class="collapsible collapsed infobox" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #aaa; font-size: 90%; margin: 1em 0em 0em; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 60%;"
! colspan="2" style="border: 1px solid #aaa; font-weight:bold; background-color: #ccf; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;" | [[Creatures]]
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color: #ccf; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;" | [[:Category:Animals|Animals]]
| [[Camel]] - [[Carp]] - [[Cat]] - [[Cougar]] - [[Deer]] - [[Dog]] - [[Elephant]] - [[Elk]] - [[Fox]] - [[Giant bat]] - [[Giant cave spider]] - [[Giant cave swallow]] - [[Giant eagle]] - [[Grizzly bear]] - [[Groundhog]] - [[Hoary marmot]] - [[Horse]] - [[Mole dog]] - [[Mountain goat]] - [[Mule]] - [[Muskox]] - [[Pike]] - [[Raccoon]] - [[Rhesus macaque]] - [[Unicorn]] - [[Whale]] - [[Wolf]]
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color: #ccf; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;" | [[:Category:Humanoids|Humanoids]]
| [[Dark gnome]] - [[Fire imp]] - [[Iron man]] - [[Mountain gnome]] - [[Troglodyte]] - [[Troll]]
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color: #ccf; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;" | [[:Category:Megabeasts|Megabeasts]]
| [[Dragon]] - [[Bronze colossus]]
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color: #ccf; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;" | [[:Category:Races|Races]]
| [[Dwarves]] - [[Elves]] - [[Humans]] - [[Goblins]] - [[Kobolds]]
|}
</center>
<noinclude>[[Category:Templates]]</noinclude>

40d:Naked mole dog

2007-11-21T13:33:32Z

Shades:

==Naked mole dog==
----Naked mole dogs can be found in many habitats and often are found when you try to reclaim a fortress. They will attack you but as they are the size of a hamster they aren't much threat. You can get food and bones from them.

{{Creatures}}
[[Category:Animals]]

40d Talk:Magma-safe

2007-11-21T11:51:37Z

Shades:

How much of this has been verified? [[User:Schm0|Schm0]] 06:16, 20 November 2007 (EST)
:I think it's all based on inference from raw files. I have been meaning to test bauxite or get someone else to do it, but haven't run into any or been very convincing [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 10:22, 20 November 2007 (EST)

::I haven't run into any Bauxite either, and I was on hunt for it. After starting fortresses on 20+ map squares with Sediment layers, revealing it then exporting images of the layers to analyze...I haven't seen a single Bauxite deposit. Makes me wonder if it's a bug, or if I'm that unlucky. My theory is that Bauxite mechanisms won't melt under magma. --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 12:53, 20 November 2007 (EST)

:::I had the same idea :) [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 16:40, 20 November 2007 (EST)

::::Man I hope it's true. Bump that number up to 35 regions with Sediment layers and no Bauxite. Beginning to think it's a bug. --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 04:29, 21 November 2007 (EST)
:::::Isn't the easiest way to test this either to make some critter drop bauxite, or mod a stone you have to being the same temperature rating and see if that survives. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 06:51, 21 November 2007 (EST)

Iron is definitly magma safe. I've repeatedly flooded goblins with magma, and only their iron equipment remained. Iron floodgates are not destroyed from magma either ( although their mechanisms are. ) Iron screw pumps can pump magma with no problem. IRON IS A OK.--[[User:GauHelldragon|GauHelldragon]] 05:21, 21 November 2007 (EST)

40d Talk:Soil

2007-11-21T11:50:15Z

Shades:

Is it worth having a [[map tile]]s category to relate all the individual (non construction) features of a map, such [[soil]], [[sand]], [[floor]]s, [[tree]]s, [[stair]]s, [[ramp]]s, [[sky]], [[rock|unseen rock]], etc.? --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]]

I have a map with silty loam, but when I build a farm plot on this soil it says I have no seeds to plant there... Is it the soil type or the lack of seeds? It doesn't make sense, because wild plants and trees can grow on that soil type. I'm looking into it.[[User:Schm0|Schm0]] 06:36, 21 November 2007 (EST)
:I'd have said lack of seeds it will only show the crops that you have seeds for. However if your talking outdoor farms then some [[crops]] will only grow in certain biomes. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 06:50, 21 November 2007 (EST)