Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

DF2014 Talk:Magma forge

2014-09-28T02:30:44Z

Sowelu:

A magma man crawled up through either my magma smelter or my magma forge, even though the openings were under impassable tiles. Not sure which one, but probably the principle applies equally to either building. Magma crabs or other critters never did it in two years, though. In any case I'm changing the text in both buildings that claims it's safe. It's possible that the magma man crawled up through 7/7 magma that was either 1 z-level deep, or 2, in case that matters. [[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] ([[User talk:Sowelu|talk]]) 19:25, 25 September 2014 (UTC)

:I'm guessing the [[magma man]] destroyed either the forge or smelter, then entered your fortress through the (no longer impassible) tile. There are certain circumstances where [[building destroyer]]s can [[Building_destroyer#Destroying_from_underneath|destroy buildings from below]] (like when there is an alternate path to the level of the building). Alternatively, it may be possible for swimming creatures to move vertically-diagonal if you built an up/down stairway next to the hole. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 19:32, 26 September 2014 (UTC)

::Nope! All buildings in my forge were intact. Three magma smelters, three magma forges, a total of six channeled holes all under impassible tiles of buildings. Interesting I noticed later that one of the channels had been over a wall next to the lava--so there was a ramp leading up beneath my building. Don't know if that would matter. But, building destruction was not the issue here. [[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] ([[User talk:Sowelu|talk]]) 02:30, 28 September 2014 (UTC)

DF2014 Talk:Magma forge

2014-09-28T02:30:24Z

Sowelu:

A magma man crawled up through either my magma smelter or my magma forge, even though the openings were under impassable tiles. Not sure which one, but probably the principle applies equally to either building. Magma crabs or other critters never did it in two years, though. In any case I'm changing the text in both buildings that claims it's safe. It's possible that the magma man crawled up through 7/7 magma that was either 1 z-level deep, or 2, in case that matters. [[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] ([[User talk:Sowelu|talk]]) 19:25, 25 September 2014 (UTC)

:I'm guessing the [[magma man]] destroyed either the forge or smelter, then entered your fortress through the (no longer impassible) tile. There are certain circumstances where [[building destroyer]]s can [[Building_destroyer#Destroying_from_underneath|destroy buildings from below]] (like when there is an alternate path to the level of the building). Alternatively, it may be possible for swimming creatures to move vertically-diagonal if you built an up/down stairway next to the hole. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 19:32, 26 September 2014 (UTC)

::Nope! All buildings in my forge were intact. Three magma smelters, three magma forges, a total of six channeled holes all under buildings. Interesting I noticed later that one of the channels had been over a wall next to the lava--so there was a ramp leading up beneath my building. Don't know if that would matter. But, building destruction was not the issue here. [[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] ([[User talk:Sowelu|talk]]) 02:30, 28 September 2014 (UTC)

DF2014 Talk:Magma forge

2014-09-28T02:30:09Z

Sowelu:

A magma man crawled up through either my magma smelter or my magma forge, even though the openings were under impassable tiles. Not sure which one, but probably the principle applies equally to either building. Magma crabs or other critters never did it in two years, though. In any case I'm changing the text in both buildings that claims it's safe. It's possible that the magma man crawled up through 7/7 magma that was either 1 z-level deep, or 2, in case that matters. [[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] ([[User talk:Sowelu|talk]]) 19:25, 25 September 2014 (UTC)

:I'm guessing the [[magma man]] destroyed either the forge or smelter, then entered your fortress through the (no longer impassible) tile. There are certain circumstances where [[building destroyer]]s can [[Building_destroyer#Destroying_from_underneath|destroy buildings from below]] (like when there is an alternate path to the level of the building). Alternatively, it may be possible for swimming creatures to move vertically-diagonal if you built an up/down stairway next to the hole. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 19:32, 26 September 2014 (UTC)

Nope! All buildings in my forge were intact. Three magma smelters, three magma forges, a total of six channeled holes all under buildings. Interesting I noticed later that one of the channels had been over a wall next to the lava--so there was a ramp leading up beneath my building. Don't know if that would matter. But, building destruction was not the issue here. [[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] ([[User talk:Sowelu|talk]]) 02:30, 28 September 2014 (UTC)

DF2014 Talk:Magma forge

2014-09-25T19:25:38Z

Sowelu: Created page with "A magma man crawled up through either my magma smelter or my magma forge, even though the openings were under impassable tiles. Not sure which one, but probably the principle..."

Magma smelter

2014-09-25T19:16:37Z

Sowelu: The blacksmith lost a friend to tragedy recently.

{{Migrated_article}}
{{quality|unrated}}
{{Furnace|name=Magma smelter|key=l|job=[[Furnace operator]]
|construction=
* [[Magma-safe]] [[building material]] (non-[[economic]])
|construction_job=
* [[Architecture]]
* [[Masonry]] or [[Metalsmithing]]
|use=
* [[Metal]] [[ore]]
* Meltable metal item
* [[Flux]]
* [[Coke]] or [[Charcoal]]
* [[Bituminous coal]] or [[Lignite]]
|production=
* Metal [[bar|bars]]
* [[Coke]] bars
}}{{av}}

A '''Magma smelter''' is a special variation of the basic [[smelter]] that uses [[magma]] as a source of heat, instead of [[fuel]]. Like all magma-powered buildings, it is not visible under the Build menu until your dwarves discover a source of magma.

To function, magma smelters must be built with at least one of the eight edge tiles occupying an open space with at least 4/7 magma on the next floor down. Placing the only opening to the magma under the [[impassable tile]] of the smelter is NOT a guarantee that magma creatures won't be able to enter the workshop area through the opening.

Note that both [[pig iron]] and [[steel]] production still require fuel as a source of carbon for the reaction.

Magma smelters do not consume any magma from their magma source{{cite talk/this}} — you can use a single tile of magma below the smelter as an infinite heat source.

{{Workshops}}

Magma forge

2014-09-25T19:14:59Z

Sowelu: The blacksmith lost a friend to tragedy recently.

{{quality|Fine}}{{Workshop|name=Magma forge|key=v|job=Weaponsmith, Armorsmith, Metalsmith, Metal crafter, Trapper, Mechanic
|construction=
* [[Magma-safe]] [[building material]] (non-[[economic]])
* [[Magma-safe]] [[anvil]]
|construction_job=
* [[Weaponsmith]]ing
* [[Armorsmith|Armoring]]
* [[Metalsmith|Blacksmithing]]
* [[Metal crafter|Metalcrafting]]
* [[Trapper|Trapping]]
* [[Mechanic]]s
|use=
* [[Metal|Metal bars]]
|production=
*[[Weapons]]
*[[Armor]]
*[[Chain]]s
*[[Crafts]]
*[[Goblet]]s (x3 from one metal bar)
*[[Toy]]
*[[Instrument]]
*[[Anvil]]s
*[[Vial|Flask]]s (x3 from one metal bar)
*[[Coins]] (x500 from one metal bar)
*[[Stud]]ding
*[[Furniture]]
*[[Animal trap]]s
*[[Mechanisms]]
}}{{av}}

The '''magma forge''' is a [[workshop]] used by [[dwarf|dwarves]] to turn [[metal|metal bars]] into useful objects such as [[weapon]]s, [[ammunition]], [[armor]], [[furniture]], [[coins]], [[trap component]]s, metal crafts and [[siege engine|ballista arrow heads]] without the need for [[fuel]] to heat the forge.

To build a magma forge, you must have [[magma-safe]] materials (non-magma-safe materials will not be shown on the material list), an [[anvil]], and a build site where at least one tile directly beneath one of its eight non-center tiles contains [[magma]] at a depth of 4/7 or greater.

Note that the anvil used to build a magma forge ''does'' need to be magma-safe—normally anvils can only be made from magma-safe materials, but [[strange mood]]s can create artifact anvils which cannot be used at a magma forge (or, in the case of metals like [[zinc]], at ''any'' forge).

Placing an [[impassable tile]] of the workshop over the magma will prevent dwarves from getting knocked in but '''will not''' prevent magma creatures from crawling out. While it is possible to construct a magma forge without open access to magma beneath any of its 9 squares, it will not operate (you will be unable to add tasks to the workshop). Note also that, like all workshops, the central tile must be floored, as it is required for a dwarf to use the workshop, and therefore cannot be the square used to access magma (you will be blocked from building the workshop).

In order to build a magma forge, you must have first discovered [[magma]] on the map, whether by locating a [[volcano]] or [[magma pool]] or by discovering the [[magma sea]].

==Workshop labors and skills==
Several different types of items can be created at a metalsmith's forge; dwarves will need the correct type of [[labor]] enabled for each. The labors used at a forge are:

*[[Weaponsmith]]ing -- [[weapon]]s, [[trap]] components, [[bolt]]s, and [[ballista arrowhead]]s
*[[Armorsmith|Armoring]] (armorer) -- [[armor]]
*[[Metal crafter|Metalcrafting]] -- [[Restraint|chains]], and everything in the "Other Objects" category ([[craft]]s, [[coins]], [[goblet]]s, [[stud]]ding, etc.), except anvils
*[[Blacksmith|Blacksmithing]] -- [[Anvil]]s, [[block]]s, and all [[furniture]] except chains.
*[[Trapper|Trapping]] -- Animal Traps.
*[[Mechanic]]s -- Mechanisms.

==Cost of Items==

The cost of a weapon or piece of armor in metal bars can be calculated by dividing its material size by three and rounding down, with no item costing less than one metal bar. The exception to this is some types of finished goods, which are created in different multiples from a single metal bar, depending on the skill of the Metal crafter. The table on the [[Melt]] page lists the cost of common items and their yields when melted.

==See also==
*[[Metalsmith's forge]]

{{Workshops}}

ASCII art reward

2011-01-07T06:42:20Z

Sowelu: /* Sowelu */

If you are sending a [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Site_support|donation]] to [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Bay12Games], you can choose to recieve an ASCII Art Reward. It is a small scene happening in the Dwarf Fortress world. If the same donator gives more than one time, it is also possible that the bits of ASCII Art follow each other and form a story.

Each piece of ASCII Art Reward belong to the donator who received it, but to appetize new potential donators, sharing them might be a good thing :

==[[User:Beefx|Beefx]]==
===(25 June 2007)===
<pre>"++@k@++"</pre>

Zolon and Morul stood near the steel cage. The brown humanoid inside sat with its hands on its knees, rocking back and forth.

"Clearly, the kobold was molded from stone." Zolon stroked his black beard. He then glanced at Morul, raising an eyebrow.

"Not so fast... the yellow eyes glow. Fire was involved." Morul was a slow thinker, but he was not easily moved.

"Stagis! Bacabadabis!" The kobold began to screech in its low tongue. Zolon and Morul observed in silence until the creature quieted down.

"Was that the wind then?" Zolon asked.

"It seems the interplay of the elements is nuanced in this one, even if the final realization is... lacking."

Morul did not disdain the beast so much that he did not feed it, now that the trapper had entrusted it into his keeping. The philosopher had left a few pieces of old venison in the cage and the creature now lifted one and inspected it. After a few sniffs, the kobold pitched it through the steel bars. The dwarves watched as the meat spun through the air and landed a few yards from the cage. When they turned back around, the kobold was inches away from them, its face pressed against the bars.

"Augis," it moaned. "Augis!" Louder and louder it wailed.

Zolon and Morul covered their ears. "And this is a tempest?" Zolon said facetiously.

"Let's adjourn until the storm passes. Perhaps we can find a meal the thing will accept." Morul turned and walked down a nearby corridor, toward the kitchen. Zolon followed close behind.

After they had left, the kobold stopped moaning and sat back on its haunches. Opening its small clawed fingers, the creature smiled. On its palm rested an iron key.

==[[User:Bombcar|Bombcar]]==
===(30 December 2007)===
<pre>++g~~U~~C+++</pre>

Goblins in tattered rags pulled the chains with speed as the whips
cracked. Slowly the gate rose revealing a grotesque creature bent on
destruction. Its three eyes bounced on their stalks as the monster
pulled itself forward on two huge, muscular arms. It came to a sudden
halt as Ameltoss the wizard stepped into its path. Though he had
raised it from a stinking poisonous egg, the wizard knew not whether
he still commanded the beast. This was the final test. He raised his
staff and commanded the monster to return to its lair. The creature's
lips peeled back to reveal ten rows of razor sharp teeth. Ameltoss
swallowed hard and shouted his command once more. Now was the moment
of truth.

===(13 April 2009)===
<pre>c+||@++c+cc+@@||,.,,.U,ggCgggT</pre>

The dwarf Frankle ran through the corridors, chasing after the many
cats that infested the fortress. He stopped when the alarm was
sounded. The captain of the guard shouted orders. The dwarves rushed
to their stations. Frankle, a reserve marks-dwarf, grabbed up a
crossbow from the arsenal and trotted up the stairs to man the
battlements. When he reached the top he saw the other marks-dwarves
standing, shocked by what they saw. Taking a deep breath, he looked
over the side.

At the fortress gate stood an enormous monster, dragging itself upon
its vicious, clawed arms. Goblins stood around it, jeering, and
hurling curses. A feeling of terror gripped Frankle’s chest. In all
his years in the service he had never fired his bow in anger, but no
bolt could take this beast down. The captain put a hand on Frankle’s
shoulder. Below, a robed man stepped out before the creature. A
fresh scar transected his missing left eye. It was the evil wizard
Ameltoss.

“Lay down your weapons and accept a swift death,” shouted the wizard.
A bolt thudded down between his feet. “Somehow I thought you’d
refuse. Release the beast!”

A troll stepped forward wielding a huge axe. With several violent
chops, the chain binding the monster's wrist was broken. The creature
surged forward. Frankle screamed in fright and fired his crossbow.
His bolt, along with a dozen others, bounced harmlessly from the
creatures hide. As the monster beat down the gate. It seemed their
was no hope. That was when champion dwarf Rokwan emerged from the
keep within the castle.

==[[User:Bott Maggot|Bott Maggot]]==
===(03 August 2007)===
<pre>+&=o=@+</pre>

"You've come, Kogan. The Lordaxe. It is said you have a mighty constitution, but can you hold your own at my table?" The demon slammed the great flagon down on to the center of the table. A few dark drops splattered on the stone and smouldered.

"I can take whatever you offer, fiend, and I'll count you a poor host if that brew there on the table doesn't move me half as much as the whiskey of my homeland."

"Ah, your homeland. It will make a fine gateway to the Underworld someday."

"I wish I could say the dwarves would enjoy making a mine of this palace, but alas, your halls reek of filth. It would be difficult to persuade them."

"Less talk, more drink. You call yourself a dwarf?"

Without another word, Kogan seized the flagon with his scarred fist. He could feel the infernal heat emanating from the brew, and the smell was appalling. Even so, he hefted the drink to his open mouth and downed it completely, setting the empty flagon on the table in triumph.

==[[User:Brownie210|Brownie210]]==
===(22 December 2008)===
<pre>+&@\O+||~~~~~~~~~</pre>
Sweat glistened on the hairy dwarf's body as he wrestled the dark lord
Slandar. Above them lay the steel orifice holding back the sea of
lava that was the last defense against the evil army, if only a dwarf
could pull the lever. The dwarf held the evil general's arm in both
hands as the fiend tried to drive his dagger through the hero's heart.

"Slandar," asked the dwarf, "when did you become so hot-headed?"

The dwarf let go of the villain's arm and pulled the lever. As the
fiend drove his blade through the laughing dwarf's heart, the gates
opened above and a torrent of lava fell from the ceiling, incinerating
them both in a cloud of steam.

==[[User:Caeonosphere|Caeonosphere]]==
===(07 January 2008)===
<pre>,.U-.,.GT.</pre>
The mighty barbarian clenched his teeth as he snapped the arrow
protruding from his chest. He laughed as he bounded through the brush
after the cowardly ambusher. Just another scar among many, proving
his manhood like all the rest. The foolish goblin archer tried to
scale a tree to lose him. Smiling with anticipation of the kill, the
barbarian took a throwing axe from his belt and hurled it at his
enemy. The blade struck the goblin in the helmet, splitting it in
two. As the stunned goblin sank to the base of the tree, the
barbarian approached him, grabbing him by the throat.

"Well, my friend," said the barbarian. "It looks as if this game has
come to an end."

==[[User:ChazFox|ChazFox]]==
===(25 October 2009)===
<pre>,.E@UU,.,</pre>

Mighty knight Dron looked on his companions with a measuring stare.
To his right was Glome, a marksdwarf most renowned, cleaning his
weapon, a blindfold across his eyes. Across from him stood the elven
warrior princess and summoner of animals, Tigotha. At his left was
Alvin, his squire. These chosen few were destined to quest across the
land in search of the evil wizard Zandore.

"The vile villain is not far off now," said Dron. "I can smell his
evil magic."

"It could be another one of his tricks," said Tigotha. "It wouldn't
be the first time you were fooled."

"Put me anywhere up to league away from evil wizard Zandore," said
marksdwarf Glome, "and the war will be over." The dwarf pulled the
trigger and his crossbow snapped with sudden force.

"Master," cried Alvin, "I see something!"

==[[User:Davion|Davion]]==
===(28 July 2008)===
<pre>bBbBbBbB####HU*########||+UU+||</pre>

The master thief leapt from the tower, the royal jewels still in his
hands. The pursuing guard ran to the side to watch in wonder as the
burglar plunged to his death. But lo, a giant hawk flew down and
plucked him out of the sky. The aging king stormed out onto the roof
of the tower, still in his bed clothes.

"Curse you Faltrix!" screamed the king as the bird flew toward the horizon.

The rogue had known the hawk since it was a hatchling. It was then he
had pulled an arrow from its wing. Thus began the most famous
partnership of the age. The hawk rider and his steed were known
throughout the land as heroes of the people, stealing from the rich
and giving to the poor.

A dark cloud rose on the horizon. The smile fell from Faltrix's lips
as the evil creatures sprung their ambush. Bat men! How had these
creatures strayed so far from the mountains? The evil beings rode
giant bats and shot poison darts from their blow guns. Faltrix
commanded his mount to dive low. Perhaps he could lose them in the
trees of the forest below.

===(28 September 2008)===
<pre>kbkkbkb,..,..HU,..*.@,...</pre>

Down, down into the forest canopy they flew. Faltrix's heart raced as
they wove through the trees, the bat men close behind. Just when he
thought he lost them, the hawk called out with a piercing cry. A net
of vines dropped from the treetops above, fouling the bird's wings.
They crashed to the forest floor with a thud and slid forward in the
dirt. Faltrix drew his sword and cut through the web. High-pitched
cackling echoed from above. Kobolds! The rogue set about cutting his
avian steed free, but the hawk did not stir from unconsciousness.

"Agron!" screamed Faltrix. "Agron!"

Black shadows dropped from vines above. The kobolds drew their jagged
blades. As they surrounded him the batmen caught up just it time to
finish him off. A dozen poison darts landed at his feet. Why didn't
they kill him?

"Agron," said the rogue, "if we get out of this, you can eat all the
giant rats you want."

The kobolds parted to reveal a short wizard in a glowing red robe, a
long hood covering his face. Faltrix lowered his blade as the
menacing figure approached. The wizard threw back his hood to reveal
the face of an evil dwarf. Faltrix threw the stolen Eye of Atheria at
his feet.

"Take the jewel," said Faltrix, "just let Agron live."

"Touching," said the dwarf, "but fear not, I will have need of the
rider and his hawk to complete the ultimate quest."

"Quest?" asked Faltrix.

==[[User:Ergot|Ergot]]==
===(14 June 2007)===
<pre>""w"w@%"w"w</pre>

Doran shifted from foot to foot as he looked from side to side. Eventually the dwarf's head dropped and he clutched his beard, his wide eyes wild, staring at the dirt. They were everywhere.

"Cave weevils. Cave weevils on my crops. My pig tails, all of my pig tails are gone. But this season will be different, mark my words, by the Lordaxe it will." The dwarf pulled a bulky glove from his belt. The knuckles were studded with iron. Doran slid the glove over his hand, his mouth twisting into a cruel smile. The farmer's eyes grew dark.

One of the foot-long insects crawled in front of the dwarf, and he hammered it into the earth with his fist, smashing the weevil until it was well-ground. "Flat. I'll pound 'em all flat. We might not have cloth this year, but we'll have plenty of meal."

==[[User:Furiousfish|Furiousfish]]==
===(14 July 2007)===
<pre>++@g####</pre>
"Tell me where the child is being taken and I'll let you live!" Kogan yelled down at the goblin, desperation marking his voice. Mul had shot this wretch in the leg, but the kidnapper had escaped. The goblin hanging by Kogan's hand over the chasm was just a bodyguard. The goblin smiled wickedly, taking delight in Kogan's distress. "Even now, your child is approaching the prison where he'll live out the next decade of his miserable life," it spat. "And then, well..." The fiend began to chuckle. "Where is the child?" Kogan asked with finality. The goblin closed its eyes and was silent. Kogan let the creature drop away into the darkness.

===(27 February 2008)===
<pre>","".g%@.",""."..</pre>
Dorol struggled against the coarse sackcloth. The darkness was total,and it smelled even more foul than his uncle's rotten-toothed whiskeybreath. He had been playing with his miniforge by the cave river when everything had gone black. Dorol had heard a commotion shortly after, followed by terrible undwarven screaming, but afterward just the soft footfalls of somebody running quickly along with the rustling of the sack. At once, whoever was carrying him stopped and let the sack drop hard on the ground. There was a rustling, and the sack opened. It was nighttime, and Dorol could see the face of his captor looking down at him. A goblin! The fiend pulled the cloth down far enough that Dorol's head stuck up out of the opening. The dwarf held tightly onto his toy, uncertain and afraid. "Here, eat this," the goblin said, holding out something. Dorol worked one of his hands out of the sack and took the offering. It wasa piece of spoiled meat, crawling with diseased larvae. The child dropped it on the ground by the sack. "Hey, that's good meat," the goblin complained, reaching down to pick it up. "The master gave it to me just for you." The goblin lowered its voice and mumbled. "I'd eat it, but he is always watching me, and he knows when I've been bad. "Now eat up," the goblin drew closer and pushed the meat into the dwarf's face. Like a true smith, the dwarven child struck, smashing the hammer of his miniforge into the goblin's eye! The goblin cringed, clutching his face. After a moment he shook his head and looked up at the sack, but the dwarf was nowhere to be seen. Filling with rage, driven by fear of his master's torments, the goblin shouted, "You can't run, you hairy snot! I'll hunt you, and I'll find you!" Snatching up the sack, the goblin ran off into the wilds.

==[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]]==
===(31 October 2008)===
<pre>.,G,@,,.</pre>

The dwarves buried Administrator Zarhan face down, so that when evil
spirits animated his soulless corpse, as surely they would, he would
dig straight down into the Underworld and away from the land of the
living. For a season after, the fortress was beset by a horrible
howling that filled the corridors. The dwarves of the fortress were
driven to near madness. Eventually the sounds faded.

It was not long after that a young engraver found a floor hatch, which
had not been there the previous night. He opened the hatch and put
his head through. Phantom arms grabbed him and pulled him inside.

"You fools didn't think I'd forget up from down did you?" hissed the
ghost of Zarhan.

==[[User:Hellzon|Hellzon]]==
===(17 December 2007)===
<pre>,.@@~~o~~~</pre>

A rock plopped into the cave river from the platform above. There
Durgal and the dwarf girl sat, above the murky waters. Durgal
explained, in great detail, his plans for the future. When the riches
of the mountain were plundered, he would diagram the plans for a
second fortress himself. How the dwarves would love him!

"But in your haste for riches," asked the girl, "would you have time
for the ones you love?"

Durgal's face became red as a cave turnip. He looked quickly away
from her and stared into the dark water. There, eyes gazed up to meet
him. Durgal reached for his axe, telling the girl to warn the others.
A pale, slimy hand reached out of the depths and pulled the creature
upward. It was an olmman!

===(3 September 2008)===
<pre>ff,@,.@,o~~~~~</pre>

"Back!" cried Durgal, "back to the hall!" The dwarf girl turned and
screamed. Two blind cave fish men blocked the way out. Durgal turned
and swung his axe at the olmman, now completely out of the water. It
deftly dodged his panicked swings. The dwarf girl screamed as the
cave fish men crawled toward her, arms outstretched, feeling their way
along the floor.

"By the power of the Lordaxe!" screamed Durgal, holding his axe aloft.
The dungeon rumbled. The sound of water crashed through the tunnel.
The fighters were swept away. The olmman grabbed Durgal's axe arm as
they were washed through the watery tunnel. The dwarf pulled a dagger
from his belt and jammed it into the monster's guts.

"Gula!" cried Durgal, bursting above the surface of the water. He
pulled the axe free of the olmman's grasp and brought the pommel down
on its head, knocking it senseless. "Gula!" he cried again. With
sudden terror, Durgal recalled where this tunnel led -- the chasm.
Only a few seconds until the ultimate terrible plunge.

"Durgal!" cried the dwarf girl, Gula. With all his strength, he
stretched to reach her in the crashing water.

==[[User:Janus|Janus]]==
===(12 October 2006)===

<pre>BgB
B@g
gBB</pre>
Beak dogs and goblins surround the adventurer! What will happen next?!

===(13 February 2007)===
<pre>gg...
.B.B=
..BB.
.%B@/
.-...</pre>
One of the five beak dogs pounced. Rogar leapt, planting a foot on the beast's head and propelling himself toward the tattoed goblin. Just as they collided, Rogar planted his dagger through the goblin's left eye. They hit the ground hard, and Rogar rolled forward to his feet, spinning to face the remaining eight opponents. The beak dog he had jumped on was still shaking its head, wincing. Behind them stood a wiry goblin with a wild mane of maroon hair, brandishing a scimitar, and a lardy goblin holding an iron-studded club.

The beak dogs charged Rogar in unison. His dagger was stuck back in the twitching goblin's face, but weaponless he stood his ground before them. The first dog to reach him received Rogar's knee under its chin, the long cruel spike at the top of the warrior's half-greave piercing the creature's throat. Two more beak dogs reached him as he twisted his leg in the air, trying to free it from his bleeding adversary. The beasts slammed into him, one getting a hold of his right arm above the elbow, the other gnashing at his face. Before it could tear his nose off, Rogar grabbed it by the neck with his left hand and held it back. The other dog sank its beak deeper into the flesh of Rogar's arm. Could this be the end?!

===(5 May 2007)===
<pre>|+@g+++</pre>

Rogar awoke in pain, his wrists in chains, his wounded arm throbbing. He opened his eyes only to be greeted by an all-encompassing darkness. This must be Shalthidon's dungeon, which meant that he was locked inside the Tower of Hate from which no man had ever returned.

A dim light flickered some distance away, and he could see the silhouetted bars of his prison. Beyond them, shadows danced, and he heard a grating sound. The bars slid aside, and the lardy goblin waddled into the chamber holding a torch.

The foul creature stood below Rogar where he hung, an idiot grin perking up the otherwise sagging jowls of its bloated face.

"The master says you are to be entertained," it croaked as it continued to smile.

"I do not desire such pleasures as Shalthidon has to offer," Rogar answered. "Be off with you. The larder has grown lonely."

"The master says you are to feel the fire," the thing chortled. The goblin lifted the torch and took a step toward Rogar.

It was enough. Rogar lashed out with his legs, hooking them around the goblin's neck. In a feat of strength that would become legend, Rogar strained against the chains on his arms, lifting the massive goblin and all its corpulence from the floor. There was a sickening crack, and the fixtures in the ceiling gave way. Rogar fell into the goblin's lardy folds, pushing away desperately until he regained his feet, ready to fight, but the goblin was already dead with a broken neck.

Fortunately, the torch had not been smothered. The warrior picked it up and held it high. There was nothing else in the cell. Aside from the chains, the torch was his only possession. Now it's the master who'll be entertained, Rogar thought, as he strode out into the passageway.

===(7 August 2007)===
<pre>@+++"E"</pre>

Rogar strode toward the great iron doors, leaving a trail of blood that was not his own. In his hand he held a scimitar and from each of his wrists the chains still hung. All of the servants of Shalthidon that lurked within the Tower of Hate were now dead, save whatever was in this room at the pinnacle of the tower. The sword he had seized from the maroon-maned goblin, who had led the goblins in the tower barracks.

The warrior pushed hard on the iron doors and they opened inward with a groan. There, surrounded by brightly colored flowers, was an elf. The sun shone down on the tower top through windows in the elegant curved ceiling. The entire room sparkled.

"Are you a prisoner here? Where is Shalthidon?" Rogar asked urgently.

The elf chuckled pleasantly. "Child, Rogar, I am Shalthidon. My parents named me Lilarilqua, but my attempts to hold the goblins under my sway with that name met with disaster. Are you cold? Let me fetch you something warm." Shalthidon fished around under a dresser and pulled out a plush cloak with lacy frills. "The material was all offered freely from the feather trees, Rogar. You don't have to worry about the animals."

Rogar was still stunned. Shalthidon, the Bringer of Ruin, murderer of his parents, lord of the evil of the creeping wastes that had engulfed half the world, was an elf. Dispelling the cloud over his mind, the warrior focused. That will only make killing him all the more satisfying, he thought. Rogar lifted his blade and advanced.

==[[User:JoystickHero|Joystick Hero]]==
===(14 September 2010)===
<pre>%W%%W% ,.,."","@@@@".,@</pre>

Fires burned on the high mountain. The wind carried the cries of the
dwarves as all they ever cared about was destroyed. But one dwarf had
not given in to despair. It was Malvedar, slayer of dragons and
veteran of a thousand famous battles. He watched the dwarf fortress
burn from his hiding place in the wooded slope. There would come a
time when the enemy was not so lucky, when his schemes failed. That
would be when they remember what they did to the dwarves this day and
would expect no mercy.

“Lord Malvedar,” said a dwarf soldier, “I think the werewolves have
caught our scent.”

The dwarf warlord nodded. Together, the ragged band of dwarven
survivors made their way down the slope. The road back to the
mountain homes was long and full of danger, but there was nowhere else
left to go. While others cried, Malvedar resisted the urge to throw
himself on the enemy. He would kill many, but not enough before he
was brought low. No. It would be a hard time, and a long time, but
he would have his satisfaction.

==[[User:Kosmos|Kosmos]]==
===(11 September 2007)===
<pre>T+TT@C +</pre>

"Twist my arm, why don't you? You louse," Doran had complained as Bomtek continued to bother him.

"Come on, Doran! It's just a bottle of whiskey. The Baron won't miss it. When you deliver his table, just take a little something for yourself. And share it with me."

Now Doran was standing in the Baron's dining room. It already had a fine granite table at its center; the noble had just wanted an obsidian corner piece as an accent. As the dwarf set the table down, Bomtek's repeated needling suggestions still echoed in his mind. It was just one bottle. There are so many in the cabinet. The Baron won't miss just one of them.

The dwarf had to pass the cabinet on the way out. With every step toward it, he felt the whiskey within calling in his heart. Doran's face flushed hot and his stomach felt as if it were being squeezed and twisted. Maybe I'll just look, he thought. Just look and go. He reached out his hand and gently opened the cabinet's door. There was only one bottle inside. Bomtek, you fool, he thought. Yet the whiskey still beckoned him forward, and he continued to gaze on the bottle in silence as it drew him ever closer.

==[[User:Laod|Laod]]==
===(15 October 2006)===

<pre>T..o..T

Trolls are playing dodgeball with a boulder! Who will win?!</pre>
--[[User:Laod|Laod]] 15 October 2006

==[[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:FFLaguna|FFLaguna]]==
===(5 May 2008)===

<pre>===UHH,...===UHH,........[===].//+//````</pre>

Merchant Prince Gramlin snorted while batting away acorn flies with
his monkey hair swatter. 'Realm of Artifice,' ha! 'Dirt Fortress,'
he named it. These pathetic dwarves scratched a hole in the earth and
produced nothing but rock toys to offer the human caravans. The
journey was long and the profits few. At last the trees cleared
revealing a low hill with a single door, the trade platform lying
before it. Gramlin looked around him. Not a dwarf was to be seen.
They were probably sleeping off a night of unrestrained debauchery.
He ordered his men to lay the goods onto the platform.

A sudden pain rocked the merchant. He looked down at his great gut
and saw a crossbow bolt protruding from his chest. As he sank to the
earth, he cursed. The dwarves had gone feral, maddened by their
pathetic conditions. The caravan was routed and fled into the woods,
leaving their precious cargo on the platform. The last thing Gramlin
saw was the face of a mad dwarf, foaming at the mouth and snarling
before it took his scalp.

==[[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.

Form 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: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:Termitehead|Termitehead]]==
===(4 November 2007)===
<pre>%,.@.""k</pre>
The mighty warrior felt the power run through his arms as he held up his fallen enemy's sword. He laughed as the body beneath him oozed the last of its life into the dirt. It hadn't even been much of a challenge. It was as if the worthless cur just gave up his life for nothing. Now all he had to do was return the villain's sword to the king and claim the reward.

On his way back to the castle the warrior swung the sword around his head, singing cheerfully as he skipped along. A small quick hand darted from the branches above and snatched the sword from his grasp. The warrior yelled and searched the trees above for a glimpse of the thief. A pair of yellow eyes stared back at him. A kobold!

==[[The Toad Preservation Society]]==

Toady One and ThreeToe are continuously working on Dwarf Fortress since 4 years ago (well, when that was that written, in early 2007). On the same Idea, the Toad Preservation Society is trying to bring a very modest but continuous support. One result of this support is that ongoing series of art rewards. Slowly a story unfolds. Of course, the main target for the donation is not to get the reward, but to show the [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Bay12Games] team that we love their project and value their effort. So let's consider each bit of that series as a nice present.

===(11 October 2006)===

<pre>.M.@$.</pre>

Deep in the fortress, a lava man springs an ambush on the treasurer, who is happily
counting coins. Could this be the beginning of the end?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 11 October 2006

===(12 November 2006)===
<pre>
######.....M#~~~
@..@@@......M~~~
######..M%$.#~~~
</pre>
Hammered and burnt by molten fists, the treasurer collapsed. That will teach him to
count coins near the magma flow. More lava men erupt from the magma as a fortress patrol
enters the room, one of them the treasurer's wife. Fighting back tears, she screams in
wild rage as the soldiers charge the beasts. Will vengeance prevail this terrible day?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 12 November 2006

===(5 December 2006)===

<pre>
..=# #############~~~# %
[@.#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
.=..........@.-....~~~#,
############..@%-.#~~~####
` '###########.=====........##
% #############~~~####
</pre>
Indeed, vengeance did prevail, though it was bought with the lives of soldiers.
The Axedwarf Aloran, wife of the treasurer, grieves now over the charred body of her
husband, her grief-stricken face shining red in the magma's light. Yet the lava men
were only driven forth by rumors deep within the earth, ever rumbling now, ever
approaching the lip of the glowing pit discovered by the miners not long after the
bridging of the magma. The sound reached even the heart of the fortress, where
Regukar the Mason has begun a mysterious construction. What fey mood has possessed
Regukar?! Will Aloran's mourning be troubled by even greater dangers?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 5 December 2006

===(10 January 2007)===

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[@.#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@..........-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########..
` '###########.=====....@.&.##
% #############~~~########..
</pre>

A great crash echoed down the inward passageway.

"More beasts deeper in the mines?" said Narol fearfully, a recruit, the only member of the patrol save Aloran to survive. His right arm was burned horribly and he now held his axe in his left hand, weakly.

"Tell the Baron that lava men have entered the mines. I'll remain here." Aloran unmoving eyes stared over the bridge toward the mines. There would be no discussion. Narol stumbled up the opposite passage to the workshops.

Regukar was in the lower mason's shop, gazing into his hands, his face aglow with the light shining upward from his palms. The Baron was there as well.

"What is this? Did I not commission an obsidian throne? Why was this workshop built so near the magma flow if I'm to be seated on granite for the rest of my days?" The Baron sounded annoyed, but he was also trying to stare over Regukar's shoulder to see the treasure. The Baron reached for Regukar's wrist, and the mason turned violently and spat in the Baron's face just as Narol careened into the chamber.

"The Stout Wheels have held the bridge, but lava men are in the mines! Many are dead... Aloran is guarding the mine entrance alone..." Narol collapsed, breathing heavily.

-

Narol was gone, but Aloran did not notice. "I will kill them all," she said, and she walked down the bridge into the mines, leaving the bodies of her husband and the recruits behind. As she descended into the mines, the magma's light faded and she was engulfed by the dimness in which she had spent most of her life. Yet ahead she discerned an eerie glow. The miners had located these pits not long ago as they hunted for hematite. The lava men must be using them, accessing the mines away from the magma flow, Aloran thought, though she did not dwell on it long. Soon her mind was focused again on death.

Suddenly the light was blotted out, followed by a shaking that almost knocked Aloran from her feet. "COAH! So long I have waited for my master... only to find this sweet hairy dumpling. It must be time for the Great Feast." Aloran could discern its corpulence through the darkness. A lardy bloated creature, like those that made raids from the river, yet more grotesque, covered with translucent boils -- and many times larger. The thing croaked, "I sense... COAH! You have lost someone recently... your husband. Worry not, little dumpling! You will be reunited in my innards when I am done feeding."

Aloran did not speak. She would not entertain the creature -- she would have it dead.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 10 January 2007

===(11 February 2007)===

And it keeps going and growing !!

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[..#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@.........@-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########&.
` '###########.=====@.@@.@%&##
% #############~~~########.&
</pre>

Aloran hacked at the thing's wide belly with her battle axe. It lurched backward, avoiding the full force of the strike, and crashed into the cavern wall. Immediately, as if its lardy mass had bounced off the barrier, it leapt forward and knocked Aloran to the ground, pressing down on her shoulders with its great slimy hands. Its mouth opened, and a slick lolling tongue poured out like thick syrup and covered Aloran's face. It was going to swallow her whole! Unable to breathe, Aloran fumbled around in her boot and pulled out a small pointed hammer. Struggling to maintain consciousness, Aloran swung the hammer from her elbow. The point pierced one of the great creature's eyes, which popped and drained a viscous pus over the dwarf. The thing backed off of the warrior's body, its fat tongue dragging on the ground, leaving a broad swath of spittle. Aloran stood, breathing heavily, her axe secure in her right hand. She advanced on the retreating beast, her weapon lifted over her head. She wound further backward, then brought the axe blade around in a sweeping arc down on the bloated fiend's tongue, forking it.

Two more silhouettes appeared in the eerie glow above the beast's quivering form. As they approached, she could see they were gray and glistening, partially encased in shimmering pale shells, each walking on four stumpy legs. They look like cave oysters, Aloran thought. She raised her axe.

"Aloran!" Three recruits with swords rushed down the passageway. "The Baron sent for us. Are you all right?" Aloran did not turn to face them as the demonic oysters crawled over their bleeding companion.

--

"How dare you spit on me! You'll receive two hammerstrikes for this!" The Baron was livid. He had called for a peasant to notify reinforcements for the mines, of course, but now he was free to chastize Regukar. Narol was still only semi-conscious, resting on the floor.

"I created it! It is mine!" Regukar's eyes were glowing with a fierce light. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and held his arms close to his body, the light of his creation showing through his interlocked fingers.

"Nothing is yours! You used stone from the miners, the miners carved that stone out of the mountain, and the mountain belongs to me. Now hand the object over for inspection, and your past transgression might be forgiven." The Baron held out his hand.

Before the Baron could react, Regukar grabbed his chisel and brought it down into the Baron's forehead. The Baron crumpled, hitting the stone floor hard. Regukar chuckled and ambled off down the passageway toward the mines.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 11 February 2007

===(13 March 2007)===
Even if Toady is now deep into its work and the malor works on maps/moving armies, he took time adding a new part to these now ongoing story...

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[..#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@..........-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########..
` '###########.=====@.%%%-&%##
% #############~~~########..
</pre>

Aloran, still winded, faced the two oyster demons. The recruits stood by her side in a line blocking off the passageway. The beasts slid down the toad's massive body, landing before it with a splatter. The fiends moved slowly, but they had almost reached the dwarves.

Two of the recruits, Roal and Daron, cousins who had just began sparring two weeks ago, lifted their swords and assailed the creatures. Roal brought his weapon down hard on the shell of one of the beasts, but it was deflected. From the space between the shell plates, a massive slimy appendage burst forth, ringing Roal and dragging him inside. His lower body dangled from the creature. Daron grabbed his legs and pulled, but Roal would not budge. The other oyster demon raised up on its back legs and came crashing down on Daron. The dwarf's head slammed hard against the passage way and he went unconscious. Roal's legs twitched as the second demon turned back to the remaining warriors.

Aloran had regained her breath and charged with the other recruit, Nlan, a dwarf from the north burrow. The recruit stabbed at the demon's body, sinking his sword deep into its flesh, while Aloran aimed low and hacked off one of its stubby legs with her axe. As it toppled, the thing spit out a stream of goo onto Nlan's face, which began to steam. The recruit chortled and fell to the ground, unrecognizable. Aloran finished off the creature by hacking into its soft body repeatedly.

The other demon had completed its meal. Roal's lower body detached and fell to the ground, and the oyster beast let out a belching noise. Another sound emanated from its shell soon after. "I sense... loss... your husband... reunite..."

"Silence, beast," Aloran spat. "The toad made the same promise and failed to keep it. Your kind use hollow words." At that moment, the toad demon's bleeding body quivered, as if it were laughing.

The oyster spoke again. "Daron... reunite... Roal..." The slimy appendage slid out and looped around Daron's right leg. Aloran ran forward, swinging her axe down on the oozing tentacle. It was cloven asunder and fell to the tunnel floor, pouring out a thick white paste.

As the oyster backed into the toad demon's still quivering form, the entire tunnel filled with a blinding light. Aloran turned and saw the vague form of a dwarf raising its hand, from which the radiance emanated. The light faded just enough for Aloran to make out the details. It was Regukar, the mason. In his hand, he held a glowing schist mini-forge.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 13 March 2007

===(16 April 2007)===
All right, the Reward continues (this is the same story):

<pre>
@@.####
.@@++d+
@.@####
</pre>
Captain Kogan stood with his dwarves on the stone road before the great arch, beard dripping from the drizzling rain that had been falling since the early morning. No word had been sent from the Baron concerning the deep mining operation for nearly two weeks. The King had grown impatient and the Captain had been sent to investigate.

The soft patter of rain on stone was slowly drowned out by a series of whirs and chirps coming from within the fortress. It was like nothing the Captain had heard before. He had his soldiers position themselves before the entrance with the marksdwarves kneeling in front of the others. The sounds drew closer, until a small shape could be discerned emerging from the shadows beyond the archway.

It looked like a lizard, twisted into that form from rusted iron strips, but it walked on its rear legs with a jerking and uncertain gait. In the center of its head, visible through the metal frame, was a drooping lump of granite that appeared to be molded around the iron. The stone glowed with a faint red light.

The dwarves watched awe-struck as the metallic creature continued advancing until it finally stopped under the great arch. Its head swiveled back and forth, eventually settling on the group. The lizard's body grated against itself, and from somewhere within, it emitted a piercing whistle and charged.

"Fire, Bomtek! Now!" Kogan ordered.

The marksdwarf shot a bolt at the creature. It hit the granite lump, shattering it. The iron strips collapsed into a pile.

"W.. what in the name of the Lordaxe was that?" Nunon stammered. "Where are the guards?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Kogan. He walked forward and pushed the remnants of the creature about with his hammer. "Something sinister is afoot. We'll scout as far as the upper meeting hall."

Captain Kogan and his dwarves passed under the arch and disappeared into the dimly lit fortress.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 16 April 2007

===(10 May 2007)===
<pre>
##################
#++++++++++d+++++++..
####+@+O++O++O+dOd+&#
+++++@+++++++++d+++@#
####+@+O++O++O++Od++#
#++++++++++d+d++@#
##################
</pre>

"Get out of there!" Kogan screamed. It was too late. Lokar was lost. Only Bomtek, Nunon and Captain Kogan himself remained. The rest had been mauled beyond recognition by the metallic beasts. The passage to the upper hall had seemed clear, but it was a ruse. The walls had come alive. The lizards were everywhere.

Now Kogan and the others were running for lives, pursued by the iron fiends. They could outrun them if they didn't stop to fight. The dwarves were approaching the meeting hall, though Kogan held little hope for that place now. The only way out of the outpost lay behind them, through a maelstrom of metal fangs.

"The upper hall!" Kogan shouted when he spotted a light ahead. The torches were still lit? Perhaps the guards were able to stand after all! Kogan and the others ran on, the din of whirs and chirps behind them driving them forward. At last, the tired soldiers crossed under the arch and entered the upper meeting hall.

"I'm so pleased you could join us!" a voice boomed from the back of the chamber. Kogan looked out between the pillars. There on a granite throne sat a dwarf, his face twisted in madness. In his hand he held a glowing object. The stone floor before him was crawling with the metal lizards. On his right, a fire burned in the shape of a tall man, lighting the entire hall. On his left, a dwarf woman was tied, struggling against her bonds, hatred in her eyes.

"Do you like my little friends? Arshosh and I will make more, many, many more. The miniforge is all-powerful!" The crazed dwarf cackled. "With it, I enslaved the spirit of fire, bound stone and metal to my will, and soon, soon! Oh, yes. Soon I will use the power of the miniforge to create a new race of dwarves! Aloran will be the first! Then all of you will join her! And you shall call Regukar your master!"

--The Toad Preservation Society, 10 April 2007

===(June 2007)===
<pre>
##################
#+d+++++++%++++++++..
####d@dO++O++O%%O+%&#
++++d@d+++%%++++%%%%#
####d@dO+%O%+O+%O%%@#
#+d+d+%++%%%+++%@#
##################
</pre>

The soldiers had been quickly subdued, lashed to the floor by a writhing mass of metallic lizard bodies. Regukar walked slowly to the place where Aloran was restrained.

"Now, Aloran, let us begin the ritual of transformation." Regukar held the shining miniforge near to the dwarf warrior's face as she continued to strain against the ropes. The crazed mason lifted a tiny hammer and struck the minianvil once. The fires of Arshosh rose to the ceiling of the great hall and twisted around its many granite pillars. A tongue of flame engulfed the miniforge and the anvil began to glow even more brightly.

Aloran felt her skin breaking. The unbearable pain spread throughout her entire body. Metal blades tore through the flesh of her arms and legs, and she felt a force trying to subdue her will. "Regukar is your master. Regukar is your master," a voice in her mind whispered. The ropes snapped as the blood-covered blades continued to rise. The voice became louder and louder until it was all she could hear, drowning out her own screams.

Through her tears she could see Regukar had buckled over, laughing uncontrollably, and the sight filled Aloran with an all-consuming hatred. This contemptible dwarf could never be her master. The pain and the voice faded away, and her animosity began to manifest itself in the power of her limbs. The metal was part of her body now, and she felt its presence as surely as that of her own hands.

Looking up, Regukar noticed Aloran's steady gaze, and worry crossed his face. "My slave, the transformation is complete. Call me master," the mason stammered. Aloran said nothing and punched Regukar in the face with her metal-bladed fist. The knives stuck in his head, and the full weight of his dying body hung limply from Aloran's straight arm. Regukar's mangled face slid slowly backward, and free from the blades the dwarf crumpled to the floor and lay unmoving on the stones.

The tongue of flame slowly lifted the miniforge from the mason's clinging hand. As the glowing object slipped from his grasp, his raised arm fell back to the ground, and he breathed his last. The spirit of fire withdrew its flames, bringing the miniforge to the center of its translucent body. The demon turned to Aloran and faded from sight. There was a sudden crash as the metallic lizards fell to pieces.

--The Toad Preservation Society, June 2007

==TomTheHand==

===(20 February 2007)===

<pre>
..g#o@.%
</pre>

Shrolnak glared through the rusty iron bars.

"Eat yer meat, ya hairy maggot," the goblin snarled as it pushed the bowl back towards the dwarven child. "It'll make yer beard longer."

Aliz kicked the bowl away again. "I'm not eating until I get my mini-forge!" Aliz crossed his arms above his plump little belly and turned away.

"Minnn.. what's yer mini-forge?" The goblin was confused. The only toy it had ever owned was a cracked elf skull.

The dwarf child's eyes lit up. "Uncle Kogan made it! It glows in the dark!"

"Glows in the dark, eh... I'll poke around." The goblin scrambled away from the prison and disappeared around a corner. In a few minutes, it returned, its hand cupped around something that glowed purple through its bony fingers.

Aliz moved toward the bars, his wide eyes reflecting the eerie light. The goblin held its right hand through the bar and dropped the glowing object into the child's waiting palms.

"Now eat yer meat." The goblin wandered off.

Aliz was still staring into his hands. A sinister smile spread slowly over his face.

===(12 March 2007)===

<pre>
.T.g..@..
</pre>

"Where is the Soul of the Dark Power?!" Arugor was screaming now. He had fooled a dragon to obtain the wicked gem, and now it was nowhere to be found. Shrolnak groveled before him.

"Master, I.. I don't know..." Shrolnak had never truly adjusted to kneeling before the troll, but it couldn't be helped. His master had been gifted with a cunning far beyond others of his kind, and Shrolnak was powerless before him.

"Lies! Your hands still shine with its aura! Where have you hidden my treasure?"

"T.. that gem? I thought that's all it was. I... I let the dwarf child play with it."

"What?! Fool! I must reclaim it before it is too late." Arugor was bothered that Shrolnak had somehow managed to avoid the intricate traps in the Soul Chamber, but he would leave that matter alone until the gem was reclaimed.

Just as Arugor turned to leave, a plump dwarven child floated into the throne room, trailed by a billowing mist. In his hands, he clutched a deep purple gem. The hovering child had a wicked grin twisted into his bearded face. Arugor and Shrolnak shielded their faces, helpless before the radiance of the wielded Soul.

The child levitated higher, close to the ceiling, and looked down upon the quivering monsters. "With my power, I shall build the greatest mini-forge the world has ever known!" The dwarf was enveloped by the purple light and passed through the ceiling.

==[[User:Trukkle|Trukkle]]==
===(25 June 2007)===
<pre>%%@##B#</pre>
"There it goes!" Doran hollered as the bit of plump helmet sailed out into the darkness. The mason had been at the whiskey all morning, and now he was dangling his legs over the chasm with his lunch, throwing mushroom pieces to the gray fliers. One of the bats sailed silently into view and snatched the food as it fell.

"A bat's a bat, and bats like mushrooms!" Doran slurred as he took another swig from the flagon. "Let's try something a little larger."

The dwarf ripped the cap from one of his plump helmets and tossed it out into the abyss. It dropped out of view, without any sign of the fliers. Doran pouted.

Suddenly, a great shape flew up from the chasm, right by Doran's face, blowing the braids of his beard back over his shoulders. It looked like a gray flier, but many, many times larger, as large as one of the brown bears out in the forest. He watched as it disappeared off above into the distance.

Doran looked down at his lunch. "I... I guess I'll finish the rest myself."

==[[User:Xarph|Xarph]]==
===(20 February 2007)===

<pre>###=@=##</pre>

Kogan hurtled through the darkness, the two long braids of his golden beard streaming behind him. It was too much weight! The wings tied to his arms, made from stretched frogman skin and giant cave spider legs, fluttered uselessly as the chasm walls rushed by. He had been nervous the night before and, as usual, had gorged himself on plump helmet biscuits and dwarven rum. Now he was falling like a granite block. Kogan wondered if the philosophers were correct -- were these chasms actually bottomless? He would be able to survive for several days without food or alcohol. Seeing nothing but blackness below, Kogan resigned himself to the journey ahead and began to sing his favorite drinking song.

===(19 May 2007)===

<pre>*###*****##**
#*#*##*##**##
##*#*****#*##
#*#*##*##*#*#
#*#*##S##*#*#
#*#*#*#*#*#*#
#*##*###*@#*#
##**#***##*##
#*#*******#*#
*###########*</pre>

It had been two days. Kogan was dehydrated, and he had begun mumbling to himself. "Whiskey... my dear whiskey..."

Suddenly his fall was arrested by a force which seemed to hold him by the arms and legs. He still fell, but slower, and slower still, until he stopped entirely and hung in space. The dwarf tried to spin, but he was unable to move. Thick, translucent ropes held him. The reality of the situation dawned on him, and he felt sick. It was a giant web. He had been ensnared by one of the dark huntresses of the deep.

As he strained his eyes in the near-total darkness, Kogan could see her. A bloated many-legged creature, her body clear, her organs visible within. She was already moving toward Kogan, deliberately picking her way along the lines that were safe for her to grasp with her cruel claws. The creature chittered in anticipation as the dwarf struggled against the webs.

===(20 September 2007)===

<pre>*###*****##**
#*#*##*##**##
##*#*****#*##
#*#*##*##*#*#
#*#*#####*#*#
#*#*#*#*S*#*#
#*##*###*@!!!
##**#***##*##
#*#*******#*#
*###########*</pre>

The spider was upon him. With what little motion Kogan had in his arms, he tried to bring the wings between himself and the voracious beast. He flailed helplessly, marshalling a defence that would embarrass even a child of his people.

Yet the spider stopped. She looked upon him with her many emotionless eyes. The dwarf could discern nothing. The spider's head bobbed up and down slowly, and she lifted several of her legs and waved them in simple patterns above the web.

A sudden realization struck Kogan -- the spider legs in the wing frames. She thinks I'm trying to speak to her! Kogan continued to wave his arms around as best he could, and she responded in kind. Giant cave spiders are solitary creatures, Kogan thought, so it must be a mating ritual. "But giant spiders eat their mates after breeding with them," Kogan muttered in horror. "I can't think of a worse way to die!"

===(13 November 2007)===
<pre>+g++%@%%+</pre>

The movement of the spider's legs had ceased. Now she simply looked
upon Kogan with her cold, glassy eyes. Her sinews tensed -- she was
ready to pounce! To what end, none dare say, though many a gruesome
and unseemly scenario had played themselves out in the recesses of
Kogan's strained mind.

A moment passed, and the bloated thing leapt forward! As she landed
on Kogan with the full weight of her body, the dwarf felt himself tear
free, and the web and spider passed up and beyond his sight as he
plummeted downward. Oh, what happy chance is this! Kogan thought.
He was free from fear now. If his body was broken into a thousand
pieces on some protruding rock, what would matter? At least he would
no longer sire an army of evil.

Soon enough, Kogan sensed that the walls were closing in. He could
not see well enough in the oppressive darkness of this deepest part of
the earth, but he felt their nearness. The dwarf said a prayer to the
Lordaxe to grant him a swift death.

Kogan felt his bottom smack hard into a smooth slope and he slid
disoriented into a twisting tunnel. The friction burned, but his
descent was slowed, and Kogan found himself gliding down an obsidian
tube. Out of a hatch he fell, landing face first in a pile of stone
trinkets. Uninjured, but sore, the dwarf stood. It still felt as if
the air was rushing by him, but he was teetering on solid ground.

The chamber was lit by torches. It was almost cheerful. The trinkets
were all finely crafted. It wasn't dwarven work, but each object had
its own peculiar charm. Kogan picked up a slate carving. It was a
rabbit wearing a jester's hat.

"Hey oh, what are you doing in the figure room?"

Kogan looked up. A mountain gnome was peering around a doorway. Only
its tilted head was visible.

"I fell," Kogan said, indicating the hatch.

"Oh my!" the gnome said with an equal measure of elation and surprise.

"You're our first visitor in years!"

"Visitor?" Kogan asked.

"Yes, my friend! I'm Largee Pottums! Welcome to Toy Land!"

===(27 February 2008)===
<pre>+g+@+%%%%+</pre>

"Toy Land," Kogan said flatly, utterly dumbfounded. The sheer
implausibility of the situation managed to drive all feelings of
hunger and thirst from his body.

"Yes, Kogan, it's Toy Land!" Largee Pottums exclaimed, jumping out
into full view. "Where do you think all of your toys come from? Your
crafts shops? Hoy hey! That would be the day!"

"Yes, our cr... wait, how did you know my name?" Kogan scratched his head.

"Do you remember the miniforge you got when you were six?" Largee Pottums asked.

"Th.. yes," Kogan finally resolved to think a little less about his situation.

"Gnomes!" Largee Pottums said proudly. "And the toy axe you got when
you were eight?"

"That too?!" Kogan exclaimed. He had such fond memories of the axe.
He used to beat his friends with it mercilessly.

"Gnomes," Largee Pottums replied, nodding in satisfaction.

"What about the puzzle box I got when I was nine?" Kogan asked.

"That was your uncle Dorol. And you just hated it didn't you? Oh
ho!" Largee said.

"Y... yes," Kogan said, disappointed. He had hoped to have somebody
to blame after all these years. At least he could confront Dorol
should he ever return home.

"Gnomes make the best toys!" Largee concluded. "Mountain gnomes for
the dwarves, garden gnomes for the humans, and dark gnomes for the
goblins. Toys, toys and more toys!"

"Gob... what about the elves?" Kogan asked, not knowing why he cared.
Like any able-bearded dwarf, he held elves in contempt.

"The elves? Hey oh! The garden gnomes used to make their toys. But
they're so finicky! One deer bone figurine and they found us out.
Humans can appreciate a deer bone figurine. The garden gnomes are
much happier now, if I do say so myself. And I do! Oo hoo!"

Kogan grunted in affirmation. He could emphathize with the garden
gnomes. Elves were nonsensical creatures.

"Now, my friend, it's time to talk to the Boss," Largee Pottums
announced, clapping his hands.

"The Boss?" Kogan asked.

"You can't make toys without a Boss. Let's go! We haven't had a
visitor in so long, he'll be excited to see you. Oh yes he will, sure
as sweet pods!" With that, Largee Pottums skipped through the
doorway, with Kogan following after him.

===(1 July 2008)===
<pre>##################
###.........%....#
###....%.......%.#
###..............#
gg@+++g+=g%g=%/=|#</pre>

"Now tell me, Kogan," said the white-bearded gnome from his plush
gaudy chair, "why you leapt into the chasm in the first place." The
Boss's coat was nearly bursting at the buttons; the red fabric made
his belly looked like one of his puffy cheeks.

"It was my dream. I wanted to fly," Kogan said sheepishly, "like a
bat, soaring through the still air free as a spark, but my
calculations failed."

"Ho ho ho," the plump gnome merrily laughed. "What a brave dwarf you
are! Now that you're here in our secret workshop, I was concerned
about letting you return home, but perhaps you wouldn't stay up above
very long before daring the chasm again."

"The chasm... the spider..." The dwarf shuddered at the memory.

"Largee! Largee Pottums!" the Boss of Toy Land shouted. "Our friend
Kogan needs some ease for his troubled mind. Why don't you show him
around Wimble Wizzer's workshop?"

"Hoo hey! Right away!" came the familiar voice from the doorway.
Kogan bowed awkwardly to the Boss and followed Largee out of the cozy
room.

--

Kogan was awestruck. It was like a scene out of his wildest
imaginings during one of those late nights at the drawing table.
Airborne contraptions looped and soared beneath the high stone ceiling
as gears turned and wings flapped or rotated according to the whims of
a particular design. Down below, three gnomes repaired and tinkered
with the devices on creaky wooden tables.

"Wimble-wee, Wimble-woo!" Largee shouted into the workshop. "I have
a guest for you!"

One of the gnomes inside turned toward the door and smiled weakly
while shaking his head, "Largee, my boy, who ever taught you to speak
in such a manner? Surely it was a gnome no less exuberant than
yourself."

Largee presented the still-stunned Kogan to the master of the
workshop. "This is Kogan, a dwarf, as you can see (hoo-ee!), and a
fellow maker of flying machines. The Boss has sent him down here to
have a look."

"Ah? So it's to be an inspection, is it?" Wimble replied gruffly.
"Well, you won't find these topside, but we're planning to sneak a few
of the truest models in during the next festival. The timetable is a
strict one, and we're still struggling with accidents." At this,
there was the sound of metal grinding on metal above as one of the
machines lurched and crashed into a table below. "The Boss is jolly
as they come, but he is also a grueling taskmaster."

"Ho ho ho," came the laughter from the doorway. "Wimble Wizzer, you
grumpus, is that the way to greet a new worker?"

Kogan turned toward the Boss, who was now standing beside him. A new
worker? The dwarf's eyes were wider than ever, and he turned slowly
back to the workshop, wearing a smile more full of unabashed joy than
any he had worn in his entire life.

"Well, you know, Largee," the Boss said, turning to the other gnome
standing at the door. "If he wants, we could just let him go back
home, if we found a way to make him forget all about Toy Land."

"We could bonk him on the head! Hee-whoa... bonk!" Largee yelled,
snapping his hand at the wrist.

"Ho ho ho," the Boss chuckled. "Don't you remember? Sometimes you
have to bonk them again and again, and they still won't forget!"

Kogan missed all of this banter, bent over the tables as he was,
looking over the damaged machine with Wimble and the others. After a
moment, Largee and the Boss slipped out of the room, leaving the new
worker to his workshop.

The End

==[[User:Darksaiyan|Darkie]]==
===(14 September 2008)===
<pre>,.,.O@T,...</pre>

Surrounded by a troll on one side and an ogre on the other, dwarf
master Alrin knew these could be the last seconds of his life. As he
gripped the handle of his axe he recalled the teachings of Azrom, god
of war. Matters of great importance should be given the slightest
thought. It was only the minor matters that must be given the most
delicate care. So, without conscious thought, Alrin slammed his axe
handle into the ogre's toe. Swiftly, the dwarf ran between the
monster's legs and delivered a swift kick to its backside. As the
ogre toppled over, the hairy troll launched over the fallen monster
and leaped toward Alrin. As time slowed in an adrenalin rush, Alrin
readied his axe.

==[[User:Draigh|Draigh]]==
===(13 Augustus 2008)===
<pre>.@@|,-.-.kk,k,.k,.</pre>

Malgar, warrior dwarf woman, fought on against the onslaught of
kobolds, her newborn baby still strapped to her back. She lifted her
shield to block another volley of poison darts. She had been hunting,
far from the entrance of the fortress, when she stumbled upon the
skulking trash, no doubt planning a cowardly raid on the fortress
vault. She had to warn the others. With one hand she held the bugle
to her lips, while with the other she parried another deadly strike.

==[[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:ToonyMan|ToonyMan]]==
===(16 January 2009)===
<pre>DDDDDDM,..@EU@@EU@UE,.</pre>

Sword and axe clashed again and again as the fighters struggled to
best each other in mortal combat. Arrows rained down on the field of
battle as man, elf and dwarf fought at once to win the day. Randar
took up the sword for the dwarves. With his mightiness he tried to
kill Giltra of the elves, but the champion was too fast. The battle
seemed endless. Roars of terror and pain were everywhere. Just then
a squadron of dragons appeared, lead by Madnar the Evil. Could there
be any hope?

===(14 January 2010)===
<pre>DDDDM,.,.s/\@.,.E@E@E@E</pre>

The combatants turned to face the dragons as they landed. Madnar dismounted his towering red monster, followed by a short stranger, his eyes dark and shining. Randar stroked his beard as he observed the young warrior. He carried a sword of strange design. Giltra would not wait. She notched an arrow and fired before anyone could blink. The young swordsman knocked it out of the sky before it could reach Madnar’s chest.

“Fools,” chuckled the villain, “allow me to introduce Lord Strider. His powers are unmatched in this world. Now you see there can be no hope.”

Randar set his heels and charged, sword raised. Lord Strider struck a martial pose and set out to meet his dwarven adversary. As they met, the sound of steel ripping steel echoed across the battlefield. As the dust cleared, the dwarf found himself gloating in victory. Strider lay broken and sullied, his weapon shorn in two. Madnar was horrified. Had his reign of evil come to an end?

==[[User:AbuDhabi|AbuDhabi]]==
===(5 February 2009)===
<pre>CCCCCCC,.,.,.|||@+@+></pre>

Fires burned at the edge of the vast grassland, holding back the
darkness before the dwarf fortress. All night baleful howls could be
heard on the plain, undead cows brought back to life by the evil
wizard Maxelman. He had allowed the dwarves to live in his domain of
evil, if they but bestowed on him one artifact a year. Nothing,
however, could measure the greed of a dwarf. Nothing, that is, save
his thirst for strong whiskey.

A dwarf stood atop the battlement, laughing drunkenly. "Get down
Twan," whispered his fellow guardsman. "The night-wings will snatch
you off the wall!" Twan threw his stein off the wall in defiance.
Such was his vanity that he thought that they only need live through
the night. Little did he know, the dawn would never come.

===(24 February 2009)===
<pre>DgDgg%@@%@~~++++++>>>>^+^+^+^+^%%%%%@</pre>

Twan held his helmet over his eyes and screamed. Fireballs smashed
into the walls, shot from the gullets of a dozen dragons circling in
the smoke-choked sky. Marksdwarves dove from the walls and smashed
into the courtyard below. "Stand and fight!" shouted Captain Krandle.
"Fear no devil!" Twan reached the courtyard just as the gate broken
open wide. Pike-wielding goblins poured through the opening. Captain
Krandle threw his great braided beard over his shoulder and called
forth his squad of elite axe-lords, The Chosen.

Pike and axe clashed again and again as Twan crawled between the legs
of the combatants. A head dropped onto the ground before him. It was
the head of Captain Krandle. Twan pressed on. He would not be
paralyzed with fear. It seemed that the power of Maxelman knew no
bounds, but not even he could breach the inner mines. Dodging the
deadly weapons, and slithering over the bodies, Twan made his way the
center of the fortress.

A dark tunnel lay beyond the entrance to the keep. Twan danced down
the corridor in the intricate steps that avoided the complex mass of
triggers and tripwires that guarded the entrance. Inside were the
mines, stocked with enough dwarven wine to keep them in the cups for
ten years. Twan reflected for a moment on those above who had died.
It wasn't important. He was alive, and would remain so, so long as he
avoided the king and any quests he might have in store.

===(13 May 2009)===
<pre>%@/%+++@+@@@</pre>

“That blasted wizard Maxelman,” came a booming voice. "He shall not
have my artifact staff!”

Curses, thought Twan from his hiding in the cellar, the king! The
dwarf lord paced back and forth, followed by a pleading train of
aristocrats, tears of rage streaming from his eyes. The staff, the
cause of all the suffering the dwarves now endured, was only ten short
steps away. In near berserker rage, the king threw the staff down,
startling the nobles. Twan saw his chance. He shot between the
nobles and snatched up the artifact.

“Scoundrel,” roared the king, “unhand the magic staff!”

Twan leapt onto a keg, holding the staff high.

“Maxelman will burn this fortress to the ground to gain this staff,”
said the rude dwarf. “I will have this power for myself!”

The king growled, plucking the gold rings from his fingers. He hurled
them at Twan, one striking the dwarf in the teeth. “Seize him!”
shouted the besieged ruler. Twan jumped from barrel to barrel as the
purple clad nobles chased him. As he ran from the cellar he heard
king’s cry, “Guards, guards!”

In the enemy camp, the vile wizard Maxelman puzzled over his battle
plans. A dwarf fortress is always a hard nut to crack. One of his
generals, a skeletal shade from the netherworld, summoned him from his
tent. The wizard straightened his aching back, brushed his long black
beard, and stepped to the door. There, standing between two fierce
goblin guards, was Twan, holding the king’s staff.

===(29 Aug 2009)===
<pre>+U+G-@+GG+</pre>

“You bring me the staff,” said the evil sorcerer, “as a traitor to your people?”

The dwarven rogue took a step back and leveled the staff at his arch-nemesis.

“You will have the staff,” said Twan. “Have it through your black
shriveled heart!”

The dwarf pressed a secret button and a blade emerged from the end of
the staff. The wizard called on his generals. The skeletal ghoul
drew his saber and charged. Twan spun with expert skill and took out
the phantom’s knees, such was the power that the staff bestowed. Two
more undead warlords entered the tent. Twan thrust the staff at
Maxelman but a undead general threw himself in front of the blade,
impaling himself and collapsed into dust.

The legless fiend below snatched Twan’s ankles and pulled Twan to the
floor. The staff spilled onto the ground. The dwarf felt his courage
suddenly fading. The wizard snatched up the artifact and cried out
with joy. The long campaign was finally at an end. The skeleton put
its bony arm around Twan’s neck and pulled him upright. The wizard
noticed the dwarf and walked toward him, pointing the staff.

“Nice try, dwarf,” said Maxelman. “Now feel the true power of the
artifact staff!”

Twan caught the thrust between his palms. As the wizard snarled, Twan
took the staff in one hand and with several quick motions, activated
the secret switches along its length. The dwarf released the staff as
saw blades swept out of the shaft and sliced off the wizard’s hands.
Twan jammed his helmet into the skull of the phantom general and
smashed all the bones in its face.

The dwarf picked up the blood covered staff and chased the wizard from
the tent. Dozens of goblins blocked his way, but he dispatched them
with mighty slashes of his weapon. Just as he came within a spear’s
throw of his enemy, a huge dust cloud blocked his way. Wind blew down
as a giant dragon landed before the dwarf. At last, thought Twan, a
worthy opponent.

==[[User:DaWarMage|DaWarMage]]==
===(8 February 2009)===
<pre>@@@@||~3--~~U~gUGUUG~~~</pre>

Dwarves howled as the gladiators fought and bled. They were men and
goblins, imprisoned since the great siege. Now, with the promise of
freedom, they fought. Hanson knew the goblins could not be trusted,
but he had included them in an escape plan with his fellow humans out
of necessity. The dwarves had been foolish to wait so long to condemn
them. It had allowed them to organize.

Once out onto the sand, the gladiators fell in behind Hanson. The
dwarves grew quiet. The Baron stepped to edge of his platform. "What
is the meaning of this?" cried the dwarven noble. Hanson took his
trident up and ran toward the platform, hurling the weapon with all
his might.

==[[User:.Jim|Jim]]==
===(29 December 2008)===
<pre>,.U\U,.....M,.UUH..</pre>

So unsteady was the rule of the land that no one walked the halls of
Castle Sanazar alone. It had become fashion for the lords to stab
each other in the back, or perhaps poison each other's beer steins.
Not even a squire was safe. Rumors of war spread as did the news of
Sanazar's weakness. The king called an audience of all the knights of
the realm. A quest was called for -- something to prove the kingdom's
legitimacy.

The tables of the great hall filled with mighty knights as squires
rushed back and forth filling cups. The king looked on silently
through sunken eyes, having recently lost his ability to speak. He
motioned his consort to stand forth to deliver his proclamation. She
was a handsome woman, recently bound to the king, from a kingdom far
to the north.

"The flower that is Sanazar," she said, "is wilting and sick. While
we fight amongst ourselves, hungry jackals vie for their part of the
carcass. What we need is a hero, and what better to prove a hero than
a mighty quest! Far to the east lays Forgotten Quilts, an ancient
dwarf fortress abandoned long ago. It is said that within can be
found Gilded Lunch, the golden artifact boot. Return with the boot,
and return a hero! Who will take the challenge?"

"I shall!" boomed a voice from the end of the hall.

Through the door came Bram, mighty barbarian warrior, a squire
following behind, eyes downcast. The hall erupted into Chaos. How
could this outsider be given the quest? The king's consort looked on
the barbarian, heart racing. "What makes you think you are up to the
task?" she said.

"May I know thy name Madame?" asked the barbarian.

"Scandala," said the consort, brushing a blond hair from her face.

"Lady Scandala," said Bram, "I have slain dragon, cyclops, and ogre.
There is nothing under the sky that I fear."

That same day, Bram found himself on a horse on the road to Forgotten
Quilts, his squire Dolphin on a mule trailing behind. The lords of
the realm had not taken it well. Without the Mandate of the King,
returning with the boot would be useless. Bram must die. No knight
knew this better than Crusier, cruel black night of Petoun. That very
night he left the castle with his squire, taking the fast roads to
arrive on the trail before the hero.

"Help!" cried the boy, "Oh help!"

"Don't trust it Bram," said Dolphin. "I recognize that boy, a squire
from the hall."

"A countryman in distress is just that," said the hero dismounting his
horse and drawing his sword.

As he approached, he found the boy laughing. "Let's see how fast you
can complete your quest without horses!" yelled the boy.

Bram spun around to see Crusier leap upon Dolphin and, a knife to the
boy's throat, ride away on Bram's horse. The evil squire laughed
until Bram turned and brought his sword across the boy's face, leaving
a deep gash in his cheek. "I have marked you," said the barbarian,
"for you are mine now. Lead me to your master's den. Know that if he
harms a hair on Dolphin's head, there won't be enough of you left to
fill your god forsaken tomb!"

== [[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:crash2455|crash2455]]==
===(22 June 2009)===
<pre>"@++@>>>+++@gggggggggggg"</pre>

Torin felt the prick of blade in his spine. It was his curse to guard
the gate to the lower reaches. He had been chosen because of his
great size. The dwarf’s expansive belly was enough to block the
portal by itself. You were wrong, thought Torin. Someone braver must
protect us, not a fat waste of flesh like me. Sharp claws reached out
from the gate and pulled the heavy dwarf back inside. With a whimper,
Torin disappeared into the darkness.

“Where is that ogre of a dwarf?” asked Malak the guards-dwarf.
“Captain, Torin’s late again!”

The captain set his shiny metal cap forward on his head as he
descended the stairs. Another day begins in the fortress, and with
it, another failure in discipline. The captain brought his rod down
onto the table where Malak had been munching on a chicken leg. “See
to it, dwarf!” shouted the captain. “Are you a member of the castle
guard, or aren’t you?”

Malak descended the stairs to the dungeon, axe in hand. It wasn’t
like Torin to miss a meal. Below, in the darkness, were a dozen
shining red eyes. Goblins! The guard knocked a flying blade out of
the air with the hilt of his weapon. He reached for his whistle, but
before he could put it to his lips, they were on him, clawing, biting,
evil!

== [[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.

==[[User:Kuroneko|Kuroneko]]==
===(29 October 2009)===
<pre>.,.UUOW.,</pre>

Thunder shook the crumbling shack as the old crone stirred the
steaming black cauldron. Across from her sat mighty warrior Johns,
resplendent in his shining armor. Behind and to the side squatted his
squire, Toolsman. The metal pot began to glow. Images began to form
above the bubbling stew. Fighters and monsters danced in the wispy
smoke. Toolsman gasped and took Johns’s arm. The knight lord drove
his elbow into the squire’s cheek. The warrior leaned close and
questioned the shriveled hag.

"Tell me of black knight Scroder,” commanded Johns, “as you promised to do.”

The witch woman raised her face to stare into Johns’s eyes.

“He waits for you,” she said, “in the Valley of Ultimate Despair.
You shall not live to see him though, for you are already betrayed.”

Toolsman looked fearfully to his master, but the crusader’s eyes were
ever on the crone. “It is you who betray!” shouted Johns as he seized
the old woman and forced her into the pot. Black smoke billowed forth
and the air was filled with wicked laughter. In the end only Johns
and Toolsman remained. There was no sign of the spiritual guide.

==Lord Herman==
===(Early 2009)===
<pre>=&]RR,...\@@@,.,.++++||\^^^^^</pre>

The chariot roared through the battle plain, towed by two giant black,
slathering rats and carrying the dread lord Sarumak, kingdom smasher
and orphaner of children. The dwarves held out the pikes but Sarumak
swept them aside with his cursed broadsword, Emilplec. So he reached
the gates of the dwarf fortress. The dark lord stepped down from his
chariot and surveyed the masterwork of architecture. The gates were
tall and wide, braced from behind, and no doubt rigged with dozens of
traps.

It wasn’t long before the dwarves were swept from the field. Now only
their citadel remained. Sarumak ordered his siege engines brought
forward. As they reached the wall the dwarves dropped down fiery
liquid and forced them back. The evil king was growing frustrated.
He ordered his sappers to dig under the wall. It was turning into a
long campaign, and his army of evil beasts wouldn’t hold together long
without a victory.

===(5 December 2009)===
<pre>,..,..@.@@@@@@@@@@@,.||+++++</pre>

“Eat lead goblin scum!” shouted dwarf warrior Joan as he overturned a
bucket of heavy metal blocks.

It would seem that terror would strike the hearts of dwarves like
Joan, now trapped in their fortress tomb. This was far from the
truth. Joan grew bolder the harder he was pressed. The deeper the
goblins forced their way in, the more horrible their deaths would be.
Joan’s father had devised most of the traps in the south market
burrow. A dwarf shouted in his ear and beckoned him to come off the
wall.

“The goblins have dug under the wall,” said the guard captain.

“That’s impossible,” said Joan, “The rock beneath the wall descends
into the root of the mountain. It would take hundred years to breach
that way.”

“None the less,” said the captain, “It is said that Sarumak has power
over giant moles and possesses the secret of dragon fire. We have
analyzed the threat, and there is a danger. We need an elite unit of
dwarven commandos to sally forth, determine the nature of the enemy’s
plans, and put an end to them.”

“You can count on me, Captain,” said Joan.

“Good show,” said the officer in command. “Assemble the squad before
the gate at the day’s last light.”

Torches and campfires sprang to life in the invader’s camp as the sun
sank behind the mountains. The captain passed in front of a line of a
dozen dwarves dressed in black, strapped with all manner of weapons.
They were a mixed bunch. A few were adventurers looking for glory.
Some were drunken toughs looking for a brawl. The rest were released
fresh from prison, where they were promised freedom if they fought for
the king. Joan stood at the end of the line, his right arm across his
chest.

“My axe is yours,” said Joan.

The captain looked at Joan, appraising the dwarf hero. “Keep it,” he
said. “You will surely need it before the night is through.”

The captain signaled the catapults to begin their barrage. The
raining balls of fire were just enough to distract the goblins as the
gate opened just enough to let a dozen dwarven soldiers out into the
night.

===(15 January 2010)===
<pre>[,.&]TT,..@,.</pre>

Silently the dwarves wound their way between the campfires around
which danced the goblins in their orgies of bloodlust. Ahead was the
grand tent of Sarumak, six-armed demon from the pit of Thamusula. Two
trolls guarded the entrance. Joan looked to his dwarf Hogan, a
professional soldier, just let out of prison for failing to meet a
noble’s mandate. Summoning him closer, Joan whispered his plan into
the warrior’s ear. Hogan stared into his leader’s eyes and blinked
once. They both understood the seriousness of the situation.

Hogan had been born the tallest of eight dwarven children. Freakish
in size, he was shunned by the others and spent all his spare hours in
the barracks, smashing sparring dummies. Now he stepped in front of
the enemy’s headquarters. Two giant furry trolls stared down at him.
Hogan threw down his helmet and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Where is that coward Sarumak?” he said. “Dare he come forth and face
a true opponent!”

A huge black head appeared through the opening in the tent. Its
nostrils snorted fire. Hogan’s jaw went slack and he ran for his
life. The huge six-armed demon ran after him and the trolls ran close
behinds.

===(23 April 2010)===
<pre>++@@@+@/++@||</pre>

The dwarven commandos watched as the demon ran after the intruder, the
two troll guards following soon after. Joan ordered the dwarves into
the tent. Inside, the ceiling was hung with all manner of bones and
rotting meat. Joan stared at a pyramid of severed heads and wondered
if he had known any of them. A commando took him by the arm and
pointed to the table at the center of the tent. On it were Sarumak’s
battle plans!

“Master Joan,” said a scruffy looking commando, “what do we do with
this?” In the dirty ex-prisoner’s hands lay Emilplec, the infamous
broadsword of the demon prince.

Smiling Joan snatched up the blade. He was sure to be named Champion
now. With a great sweep of his arm, Joan gathered up the battle plans
and led the dwarves on a mad dash out of the tent. All around,
goblins cried out in alarm. Halfway on the slope, a runner joined
them. It was Hogan.

“How did you fare? Where is Sarumak?” asked Joan.

Hogan breathed hard and said, “Not far behind Sir! The mission, did
we succeed?”

Joan held up the sword and smiled. Hogan looked at him, questioning.

--

Stones fell from the ceiling of the great hall as the enemy
bombardment pounded on. It had been a relentless barrage ever since
the commandos returned. The dwarf king stared out into the empty
room, deserted save for the commandos and their captain. The old king
lifted his heavily lidded eyes and spoke.

“You have news, Captain Willard?” said the king.

“We have raided the enemy camp,” said the captain.

The king raised an eyebrow. “What have you brought me?” he asked.

Joan stepped forward and threw down the blade.

“We have captured Emilplec, hated sword of the enemy!” he shouted.

“Fool!” yelled the king. “Now he will never loosen his grip on our fortress!”

===(16 September 2010)===
<pre>##||+@/&+||##</pre>

Joan hung his head, deeply shamed. He wanted nothing more than to
sink into the cracks of the mountain, never to be remembered. He had
dealt the enemy a blow so humiliating now there was no chance of
peace. A dwarf at his side rose to his feet and stepped before the
king. The rest of the commandos watched in wonder. It was tall
Hogan.

“It matters not what we do,” shouted the dwarf. “Sarumak will come
for us all the same.”

“Who is this dwarf?” asked the king.

“Hogan Longstride,” said Captain Willard from his place at the king’s
side, “a common criminal. I shall cut him down, should you wish it.”

“No,” said the king. “We will hear what this young dwarf has to say.”

Hogan took a breath and fell to his knee, holding the dread sword
Emilplec out before him.

“To stay behind these walls is to die,” said Hogan. “Sarumak would
have us driven into the Underworld, living like goblins in the grimy
dark. We must attack! Drive this sword into the demon’s black
heart.”

“Joan?” asked the king. “Do you plan to lead this attack?”

It was certain death and Joan knew it. He had seen the enemy horde up
close and there was no way to win, but with the help of this fearless
dwarf, he now had a way to restore his honor. Grinding his teeth, he
took the sword from Hogan and stood before the throne.

“I will strike the demon dead.”

Great rocks and balls of flaming matter passed each other in the sky,
arching down and smashing tall towers and the siege works below. No
one even noticed when the commandos emerged from the front gate. Joan
looked up to see Sarumak atop one of his siege towers, directing the
barrage. The dwarves fought their way to the tower, cutting through a
host of unsuspecting goblins and trolls. One by one, the dwarves were
struck down. When they reached the tower, only Joan and Hogan
remained. The tall dwarf held off a dozen enemies while Joan climbed
the wooden structure.

“Burn them!” screamed Sarumak. “Burn them all!”

The demon turned to see a dwarf behind him, holding a long curved sword.

“That is mine!” cried the demon. “Give it to me!”

With a flick of the wrist, Joan brought the sword down onto the wrist
of an outstretched hand, lobbing it off in a bloody arch. But the
demon had five more and was said to be devious. This proved not to be
the case. In his bloody rage, Sarumak threw himself onto the
outstretched sword. Joan tore the blade from Sarumak’s stomach and
severed the demon’s head.

The tower began to shift and rock. Below, the magic creatures
disappeared in clouds of dust and bursts of flame. As Joan tried to
lower himself down the side of the tower, the headless body of Sarumak
grabbed him by the wrist. Joan lifted the demon sword, but it became
glowing hot. As he dropped it, the sword disintegrated in a spark of
flame. The claw released him, and Joan found himself plunging through
the air.

Hogan caught the hero as he fell. Together they made their way
through the army of fleeing goblins, back to the fortress gate. There
they were met by much fanfare. The war was over. Joan was indeed
crowned champion, and Hogan became Captain of the Guard, replacing
Willard, now recently retired.

==Insanity Prelude==
===(1. I forgot, sometime in 2009)===
<pre>c@,.ccccccccccc@ccccc@ccc@cccccccccc</pre>
Kittens roamed through the halls, as dwarf tanner Kramer worked the
cat skins. It seemed his work would never end. The uncounted vermin
in the fortress made the cat bellies full, and they bred out of
control. Baron Zarkin issued a final order: “Suffer no cat to live.”
Death squads searched the corridors for felines, and brought the
bodies to Kramer. It was a tough job; Kramer admired cats for their
aloofness. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was cat-lord
Tainaria.

“Who are you?” asked Kramer.

“Who I am is not important,” said the beast-woman. “Don’t you feel
that what you are doing is wrong?”

“Yes,” said the dwarf, “but…”

===(2. December 10, 2009)===
<pre>cccc,c,.C@.</pre>

“Stomer,” said Tainaria, snapping her clawed fingers, “take him.”

An enormous walking cat emerged from the shadows. It was striped and
grey with a round golden belly. In its paws it held a large brown
sack. The cat people pounced on Kramer, tackling him to the ground.
They kicked and stomped him until he was knocked senseless. Tainaria
looked on as Stomer poured the dwarf into the sack.

Kramer awoke, suffocating in the damp confines of the sack that was
his prison. The sack bounced up and down as the cat ran. At last
Kramer was thrown down onto the mud. He peered out of the bag into
the nauseating sunlight. He felt a sharp kick to his ribs.

“Come out, killer!” shouted Tainaria.

The dwarf crawled out onto the mossy ground. He looked around as the
tall trees and thick green ferns.

“This is the elf forest,” said Kramer.

Stomer drew his lips back across his teeth in a grotesque mockery of a smile.

“You,” said Kramer, “you’re not going to leave me out here!?”

==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.

==Kittah_Khan==

===(12th January, 2010)===
<pre>,.,~E/~..,.@,..@g@@@</pre>

Doom approached with the morning light. At any moment, Thun expected
the elves to come along the high branch to his wooden cage. He had
been taken while drinking with his dwarves at a fortified position
along the southern front. The elves pounced on them like hungry lions
and disarmed them before they could fight back. Staring through the
bars of his cage at the ground so far below, Thun remembered how his
friends had been taken from the cage and dragged away, lost to hope.
The elves appeared before the cage bars. The door swung open and Thun
struck, spraying the air with a fine red mist.

Ninzul, he called it, the Wooden Axe of Freedom. Possessed by a
strange mood, Thun worked all night in the cage, carving the
master-work weapon from the wood of the bars with his fingernails.
With scant effort, Thun hacked his way through the elven guards. The
crazed dwarf swung from tree to tree, knocking arrows out of the air
with Ninzul. The elves close behind him. Something gave way, and
Thun looked up to see an elf cutting away his vine. Thun let out a
hoot as he plunged toward the forest floor.

“We must have him,” said the elf prince, “to lose him, after what he
has done, would disgrace us to the Forest Spirit.”

“Yes, Prince Altera,” said the elf woman.

The elf ruler called for his Jay. Two elves dragged the giant blue
bird from his pen. Altera mounted the great bird. His woman, elf
mistress Renere, leapt onto the saddle behind him. She held in her
hands Creneri, the bow of courage. Prince Altera knew there was no
hope for the dwarf but, not being the kind to leave things to chance,
he called for the chipmunk men.

Soon the tree was crawling with small, hairy creatures, vaguely humanoid.

“You will tell every animal person in the kingdom to hunt for this
dwarf,” ordered the prince. “Every needle of the forest will turn
against him.”

The heart in his chest felt as though it would beat right out of him.
His lungs burned like forge fire. He looked to his side to see a man
in green hopping along next to him. It turned to him revealing a
horribly distorted insectoid face. A grasshopper man. Thun skidded
to a halt and wielded the axe over his head.

“I yield, great warrior,” said insect in his clicking way. “I come,
show you not all creatures follow the elf prince.”

“What have you to gain from aiding my escape?” asked Thun, lowering his weapon.

“The dwarves in the south,” said the grasshopper man. “If you lead
them back this way, they will put an end to the elves?”

The dwarf looked down at his new green friend. “That,” he said, “I
promise you.”

--

Explosions rocked the southern fortifications as the giant hawks
dropped great boulders and bags of poison gas. Thun looked through a
slit in the fortress wall. The elf forest was only a ballista shot
away. Already the sky was traced with fiery shots from the siege
engines, slamming into the trees beyond. The dwarf warlord approached
the hero.

“It will take three more weeks before our fortifications are close
enough to strike the heart of the forest,” said the warlord. “I’m
told you could put an end to this contest.”

“I can lead your vanguard to the heart of the forest,” said Thun.

The dwarven leader looked at the legendary axe and back at Thun. He nodded.

The air was quiet as Thun and his dwarves approached through the tall
grass. The barrage had been called off to lure the elves into a false
sense of security. The smell was sweet with burning wood. The ground
was covered with smoldering craters where the elves had quenched the
dwarven fireballs. Further inside, the grasshopper man was waiting.

Through a dry creek the dwarves marched. They held their crossbows at
the ready. The grasshopper man signaled for them to stop. He pointed
with one of his arms. Thun saw them at once, five elves and a jaguar
man, waiting to ambush them. The dwarf did not fail to notice one of
the elf women was carrying a masterpiece bow of dwarven design.

The dwarves made their way up out of the stream bed and encircled the
elves. The jaguar man smelled them and tried to cry out but was
silenced by a dwarven bolt. Shots fired in all directions. The elves
split and fought to break away. Thun marked the elf leader’s bow and
ran after her. She turned and loosed an arrow at his face. He ducked
just in time and looked behind to see a young sapling torn in two by
the shot.

“You cannot defeat Renere,” said the elf.

Thun drew back the wooden axe and flung it at the elf’s head, but it
smashed into the tree behind her after striking off her ear.

“My ear!” cried Renere. “You will pay for this insult.”

The elf threw down the bow and yanked Ninzul out of the tree trunk.
The other dwarves filed into the clearing. Thun held up his hand.
The elf was his. Silently, the fighters circled. The dwarves never
wanted this war, just logs for the furnaces. Now, looking at this
bleeding fanatic, Thun knew that the feud could only end by final
victory.

==Angry Licker==

===(15th January, 2010)===
<pre>@@@@@@+++@/++@@@@@@@@@</pre>

The mad dwarf spun this way and that to confront his pursuers. He
held a knife, given to him by his father on his first day at the
carpentry shop. He could hear the sheriff shouting, the crowd closing
in. Tears rolled down his face. It felt good that it was over, but
all that was left was shame. Pike dwarves were filling into the room.
Soon they would subdue him, and bring him to the hammerer, to be
forged anew. He didn’t really believe that. He doubted any dwarf
did. When he went out, he wouldn’t go out like a dwarf. He would die
like an animal. A new fire glowed in his eyes. With a savage howl,
the dwarf charged.

==Flying Olm==

===(30th January, 2010)===
<pre>TTT,.""".,@@@@@,"".TTTPETTT</pre>

The elf watched from above as the dwarves passed below. One by one,
the saplings fell to the dwarven machetes. Let them come in a little
further, he thought. The bush would close in behind them, sealing
them in, away from their kins-dwarves. Then the forest would claim
them, lost forever beneath the green of the treetops. The black
panther woman drew back her teeth in a snarl. She turned her body on
the high branch to address the elf.

“Master Elekain,” it said, “we should kill them now and gnaw on their bones.”

The elf felt the hunger in his teeth. His temples pulsed with rage.
His eyes traced the dwarves’ path back to the edge of the forest. A
troop of warriors gathered there, bidding their country-dwarves
farewell. Elekain drew his blade, a dagger of hardened wood,
magically sharpened by the river pebbles of the Forest Spirit. He
pricked his fingertip and let the blood fall.

The dwarf slapped his neck with a gauntlet and pulled it back to see a
small smear of blood. He stepped out of line and scanned the
treetops, pointing his pike. Grimacing, he trotted to the front of
the column. Captain Dumple didn’t like to be bothered with useless
reports, but he had a feeling about this. He stepped up behind the
head dwarf.

“Speak, Lt. Garndel.”

Captain Dumple was twice as tall as the greatest dwarf warrior. It
was rumored that he was sired by a man. His beard was dark and thick,
his eyes fierce and flashing. He had seen a dozen battles and had
come out without a scratch. He was a harsh master but was respected
for he brought victory. Garndel swallowed his fear.

“Captain,” said Garndel, “the elves are upon us.”

==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?

==[[User:Hazmat|Hazmat]]==
===(24 April 2010)===
<pre> ||U+++WWWbbbbWb </pre>

Night, thief of all cheer. When has the sun set on a happy soul in
Bonverland? Everyone knows the terror that lurks behind every shadow,
ever since the evil knight Galrod took up residence in Highthorn
castle. Werewolves and blendecs were at his command. It was said
that only one thing could end his cursed life, the Golden Shank of
Allmine. The people wailed with misery, for the shank was said to be
in the deep dungeon of a dwarf fortress many leagues to the east. It
was a time of mass panic. That was until the hero Mandack arrived.

==[[User:Kaltor|Kaltor]]==
===(30 April 2010)===
<pre> ,E..U~~~ </pre>

Ash rained from the sky for ten years. Few were alive that could
retell the story of that dreadful day, the day the dragon came.
Through the dusty haze of the burned forest, one could often see elves
moving about, hopelessly searching the ground for seeds of the sacred
trees. Death ruled that mirthless place, and all who dwelt there did
so in mourning and at the mercy of the dragon.

It was then, ten years since the massacre, that the hero Brandish
arrived. He followed the clear stream from the mountain into the
ravaged valley. It was then that he stopped to fill his jug. He
found the stream water had a strange taste. It was not water -- it
was tears.

“What are doing in this wasted valley?” came a voice.

Brandish turn to see an elf girl, starving and covered in rags.

“I come to slay the dragon,” said the hero.

==Kaelis Ebonrai==
===(22 June 2010)===
<pre>###UH/###,.,..UH,g.gg,g.ggggg</pre>

The fierce warrior brushed the feathers out of his face as the battle
hawk circled for another dive. He slapped the neck of his winged
steed and leaned low, one hand on the reins, the other on his deadly
javelins. Since the time of the first legends, Geldrix and his men
had been bird riders. The ground rushed by as the hawk dove. The
goblins never knew what hit them. Spears fell from the sky like rain.
Talons tore and beaks pecked. Seeing the enemy commander, Geldrix
took the dagger from his teeth and launched from his saddle.

The enemy general rode proud in the saddle. His dark metal armor was
festooned with black roses. Geldrix tackled him off his horse with
the force of a meteor. Sitting astride the evil knight, Geldrix
marked the spot for the death stroke. As his knife plunged toward the
knight’s neck, a gauntlet seized him by the wrist. Geldrix smiled.
There is still some fight in this one, he thought. He flipped back
the enemy’s visor and was shocked by what he saw.

Beneath him lay by far the most beautiful woman in the world. Pain
shocked Geldrix’s system as he suffered a blow to the lower body. He
rolled to the side, his eyes shut tight in pain. He could hear the
woman knight curse him as she kicked him about the neck and head.
Others came, and he was bound. He opened his eyes and found himself
lashed to the back of a horse. There was nowhere they could take him
that the hawkmen could not find him, but would he be whole when he was
found?

===(6 September 2010)===
<pre>+u~+U++U+UUUUUU</pre>

Geldrix returned to Hawkvir half a man. Something was missing. He
moved like a shadow, avoiding the company of his fellow warriors. A
fair lass came to him, offering a cup of wine. He knocked it away,
spilling dark liquid onto the carpet of the royal hall. All went
silent as the king rose from his throne. Geldrix hid his face with
his cloak, staring at the king with a single maddened eye as he
approached. The guards opened a door and the king ushered Geldrix
outside, into a narrow passage. Once they were alone, he spoke.

“What happened to you out there?” asked the king. “What was it like
to be a prisoner of the goblins?”

“I was defeated,” said Geldrix, sobbing. “I can never be a hawk rider
again. I did not escape, as I told the others. I was traded to the
dwarves for a crate of dimple-dyed cloth.”

The king looked down on the broken man that was once captain of the
riders and shook his head slowly.

“Surely there is something you can live for,” shouted the king.
“Revenge, perhaps?”

Geldrix found it difficult to take the saddle, having spent so long on
the earth. Now in the air, he watched the trails for Zona, warrior
princess of the goblins. It was all her fault, he kept telling
himself. He would strike her down and his manhood would be restored.
His hand trembled at the reins. Memories of his time underground came
flooding back. Then his eye caught something on the road below, two
riders heading for the dark mountain.

===(26 September 2010)===
<pre>.,.".,"~~,.".,.@,.g||,.</pre>

Flying low over the road, Geldrix pulled the hood over his head. With
a double flip, he launched through the air and landed before the
riders. The two goblins sat upon their beak dogs glancing at each
other. Geldrix drew his sword and turned his head to the side,
staring out of the hood with one hateful eye. The goblins dismounted
and took up their heavy iron spiked clubs. One of the goblins stepped
forward.

“Show your face,” it said, “so we can tell tales of which mighty hero we slew.”

Geldrix’s face burned with anger and shame.

“Coward?” said the mocking goblin. “Is that it?”

At last, he could take it no more. He threw back his hood, his blond
curls blowing in the wind.

“Geldrix?” laughed the goblin. “You have a lot of nerve showing your
face around here.”

“Boo!” shouted the goblin. Overwhelmed by fear, Geldrix dropped his
sword and ran. His hawk landed before him but died instantly as a
crossbow bolt struck its eye. Geldrix collapsed onto the carcass,
openly weeping. The goblins approached, chuckling and calling out
cruel jokes. Geldrix screamed out to the heavens. He stood, ripping
out two handfuls of feathers. When the goblins reached him, he threw
the feathers in their faces and ran, to where the gods only knew.

Breaths came hot and stinging, his boots ankle deep in the forest
swamp. Geldrix felt his extreme shame. He was not a warrior, not
even a man. He was the ultimate traitor to all the hawk men, his
cowardice now a thing of legend. He planted his butt in a muddy
puddle and looked up to see a gremlin sitting on a high tree branch.

“Don’t worry, son,” said the creature. “We all have a little rabbit in us.”

==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.”

==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.

==Japa==
===(27th December, 2010)===
<pre>llllllllllllllllllll,.@,.@@@@@@@@@@@@</pre>

There was a beast called the Strangler that lived deep in the forest.
No one knew what forces woke it, but one night it scaled the walls of
the dwarf fortress with its four long arms and caught the dwarf king
as he was star gazing on the royal balcony. Without a moment’s
hesitation, the monster pitched the king over the side to meet a
violent death at the base of the mountain.

At dawn’s light the dwarves set out in search of the creature.
Captain Aliz, who had been trusted with the safeguarding of the king's
life, now sought vengeance. He lead his posse of a dozen dwarves,
with twenty gray langurs leading the way. As they entered the forest
Aliz pounded his chest and prayed the Forge Father for victory.

==Alluvian_Est-Endrati==
===(19th December, 2010)===
<pre>~~~~..pppp.,.,@,..,.,.</pre>

In the frozen wastes far to the south, the dwarves toiled to construct
a mighty fortress out of glacial ice. Beyond the frozen walls, at the
edge of the snowy island, penguin men watched with fascination. At
the center of the iceberg, an underwater volcano rooted the floating
ice in place. It had not erupted in a hundred years, but the dwarves
tested the mountain’s patience with their constant digging. Arud the
penguin man leaned toward his friend and whispered.

“I think these creatures may be more trouble than a pack of leopard
seal,” he said.

The wind blew harsh, clouding their view. A small man appeared
through the blizzard. His beard was frozen and his skin was blue with
cold. In his hand he held an iron pick. The penguin men looked at
each other and clucked. The dwarf reached them, leaned on his pick
and spoke.

“You must help us,” he said.

==[[User:Vattic|Vattic]]==
===(27th December, 2010)===
<pre>kBkBkBkBkB"",."".,\U\U\U\U</pre>

Thunder across the midnight plain. Captain Gilroy and his men had
been marching all day in the driving rain, all to bring news of the
defeat at Tradalfadad. If they did not reach the castle soon, the
king’s legions would be unready to face the enemy already at their
doorstep. Gilroy looked at the thick grass to the sides of the
trail. Something charged out of the grass behind him, knocking one of
the soldiers senseless.

“Bacabadabis!”

“Kobolds,” shouted Gilroy. “Make ready!”

The knights drew their swords as out of the grass charged a dozen
menacing beasts, kobolds on their backs. Keebis Clan, thought Gilroy,
the boar riders. The head kobold was a mean-looking creature, not
cowardly like the rest. Gilroy took aim at him and lowered his visor.
He set his leg and charged, sword raised over his head. Unflinching,
the kobold kicked the sides of his wild boar and held his spear for
the kill.

==[[User:Zai|Zai]]==
===(19 December 2010)===
<pre>,.,CT,.,.</pre>

The mining of the dwarves was as an irritating vibration in the bronze giant’s head. For five hundred years he had struck a heroic pose. Now his anger was so great, he must act. Stiffly at first, the colossus dismounted his pedestal. A jungle had grown up around his temple since he had been placed there. Where were those who worshiped at the shrine? Dead, while the dwarves lived? There would be nothing left of their mountain but rubble.

As he passed through many lands, his anger would not fade, for it was as large as he was. He did not usually care for what he stepped on, but this time was different. He stopped for a moment and looked below. Underneath his foot was a tiny speck. He pinched it up and held it before his eyes. It was a giant tortoise.

==[[User:CharlesPeter|CharlesPeter]]==
===(6 January 2011)===
<pre>UU,.~U~,.\b,.</pre>

The adventurers made their way into the hive. Long had the bee women
tormented the people of Bodarga. Bram would put an end to this
nonsense. The adventurers entered the huge structure through a large
hexagonal door. The tunnel turned and twisted at strange angles.
Everywhere was the ever-present buzzing of the enemy. Suddenly a bee
woman appeared, wielding a stinger spear. Bram let out a warrior cry
and charged at her, brandishing a sword. Suddenly his feet sank into
the floor. A honey trap!

==[[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!”

[[Category:Humor and stories]]

ASCII art reward

2011-01-07T06:40:35Z

Sowelu: /* Sowelu */

If you are sending a [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Site_support|donation]] to [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Bay12Games], you can choose to recieve an ASCII Art Reward. It is a small scene happening in the Dwarf Fortress world. If the same donator gives more than one time, it is also possible that the bits of ASCII Art follow each other and form a story.

Each piece of ASCII Art Reward belong to the donator who received it, but to appetize new potential donators, sharing them might be a good thing :

==[[User:Beefx|Beefx]]==
===(25 June 2007)===
<pre>"++@k@++"</pre>

Zolon and Morul stood near the steel cage. The brown humanoid inside sat with its hands on its knees, rocking back and forth.

"Clearly, the kobold was molded from stone." Zolon stroked his black beard. He then glanced at Morul, raising an eyebrow.

"Not so fast... the yellow eyes glow. Fire was involved." Morul was a slow thinker, but he was not easily moved.

"Stagis! Bacabadabis!" The kobold began to screech in its low tongue. Zolon and Morul observed in silence until the creature quieted down.

"Was that the wind then?" Zolon asked.

"It seems the interplay of the elements is nuanced in this one, even if the final realization is... lacking."

Morul did not disdain the beast so much that he did not feed it, now that the trapper had entrusted it into his keeping. The philosopher had left a few pieces of old venison in the cage and the creature now lifted one and inspected it. After a few sniffs, the kobold pitched it through the steel bars. The dwarves watched as the meat spun through the air and landed a few yards from the cage. When they turned back around, the kobold was inches away from them, its face pressed against the bars.

"Augis," it moaned. "Augis!" Louder and louder it wailed.

Zolon and Morul covered their ears. "And this is a tempest?" Zolon said facetiously.

"Let's adjourn until the storm passes. Perhaps we can find a meal the thing will accept." Morul turned and walked down a nearby corridor, toward the kitchen. Zolon followed close behind.

After they had left, the kobold stopped moaning and sat back on its haunches. Opening its small clawed fingers, the creature smiled. On its palm rested an iron key.

==[[User:Bombcar|Bombcar]]==
===(30 December 2007)===
<pre>++g~~U~~C+++</pre>

Goblins in tattered rags pulled the chains with speed as the whips
cracked. Slowly the gate rose revealing a grotesque creature bent on
destruction. Its three eyes bounced on their stalks as the monster
pulled itself forward on two huge, muscular arms. It came to a sudden
halt as Ameltoss the wizard stepped into its path. Though he had
raised it from a stinking poisonous egg, the wizard knew not whether
he still commanded the beast. This was the final test. He raised his
staff and commanded the monster to return to its lair. The creature's
lips peeled back to reveal ten rows of razor sharp teeth. Ameltoss
swallowed hard and shouted his command once more. Now was the moment
of truth.

===(13 April 2009)===
<pre>c+||@++c+cc+@@||,.,,.U,ggCgggT</pre>

The dwarf Frankle ran through the corridors, chasing after the many
cats that infested the fortress. He stopped when the alarm was
sounded. The captain of the guard shouted orders. The dwarves rushed
to their stations. Frankle, a reserve marks-dwarf, grabbed up a
crossbow from the arsenal and trotted up the stairs to man the
battlements. When he reached the top he saw the other marks-dwarves
standing, shocked by what they saw. Taking a deep breath, he looked
over the side.

At the fortress gate stood an enormous monster, dragging itself upon
its vicious, clawed arms. Goblins stood around it, jeering, and
hurling curses. A feeling of terror gripped Frankle’s chest. In all
his years in the service he had never fired his bow in anger, but no
bolt could take this beast down. The captain put a hand on Frankle’s
shoulder. Below, a robed man stepped out before the creature. A
fresh scar transected his missing left eye. It was the evil wizard
Ameltoss.

“Lay down your weapons and accept a swift death,” shouted the wizard.
A bolt thudded down between his feet. “Somehow I thought you’d
refuse. Release the beast!”

A troll stepped forward wielding a huge axe. With several violent
chops, the chain binding the monster's wrist was broken. The creature
surged forward. Frankle screamed in fright and fired his crossbow.
His bolt, along with a dozen others, bounced harmlessly from the
creatures hide. As the monster beat down the gate. It seemed their
was no hope. That was when champion dwarf Rokwan emerged from the
keep within the castle.

==[[User:Bott Maggot|Bott Maggot]]==
===(03 August 2007)===
<pre>+&=o=@+</pre>

"You've come, Kogan. The Lordaxe. It is said you have a mighty constitution, but can you hold your own at my table?" The demon slammed the great flagon down on to the center of the table. A few dark drops splattered on the stone and smouldered.

"I can take whatever you offer, fiend, and I'll count you a poor host if that brew there on the table doesn't move me half as much as the whiskey of my homeland."

"Ah, your homeland. It will make a fine gateway to the Underworld someday."

"I wish I could say the dwarves would enjoy making a mine of this palace, but alas, your halls reek of filth. It would be difficult to persuade them."

"Less talk, more drink. You call yourself a dwarf?"

Without another word, Kogan seized the flagon with his scarred fist. He could feel the infernal heat emanating from the brew, and the smell was appalling. Even so, he hefted the drink to his open mouth and downed it completely, setting the empty flagon on the table in triumph.

==[[User:Brownie210|Brownie210]]==
===(22 December 2008)===
<pre>+&@\O+||~~~~~~~~~</pre>
Sweat glistened on the hairy dwarf's body as he wrestled the dark lord
Slandar. Above them lay the steel orifice holding back the sea of
lava that was the last defense against the evil army, if only a dwarf
could pull the lever. The dwarf held the evil general's arm in both
hands as the fiend tried to drive his dagger through the hero's heart.

"Slandar," asked the dwarf, "when did you become so hot-headed?"

The dwarf let go of the villain's arm and pulled the lever. As the
fiend drove his blade through the laughing dwarf's heart, the gates
opened above and a torrent of lava fell from the ceiling, incinerating
them both in a cloud of steam.

==[[User:Caeonosphere|Caeonosphere]]==
===(07 January 2008)===
<pre>,.U-.,.GT.</pre>
The mighty barbarian clenched his teeth as he snapped the arrow
protruding from his chest. He laughed as he bounded through the brush
after the cowardly ambusher. Just another scar among many, proving
his manhood like all the rest. The foolish goblin archer tried to
scale a tree to lose him. Smiling with anticipation of the kill, the
barbarian took a throwing axe from his belt and hurled it at his
enemy. The blade struck the goblin in the helmet, splitting it in
two. As the stunned goblin sank to the base of the tree, the
barbarian approached him, grabbing him by the throat.

"Well, my friend," said the barbarian. "It looks as if this game has
come to an end."

==[[User:ChazFox|ChazFox]]==
===(25 October 2009)===
<pre>,.E@UU,.,</pre>

Mighty knight Dron looked on his companions with a measuring stare.
To his right was Glome, a marksdwarf most renowned, cleaning his
weapon, a blindfold across his eyes. Across from him stood the elven
warrior princess and summoner of animals, Tigotha. At his left was
Alvin, his squire. These chosen few were destined to quest across the
land in search of the evil wizard Zandore.

"The vile villain is not far off now," said Dron. "I can smell his
evil magic."

"It could be another one of his tricks," said Tigotha. "It wouldn't
be the first time you were fooled."

"Put me anywhere up to league away from evil wizard Zandore," said
marksdwarf Glome, "and the war will be over." The dwarf pulled the
trigger and his crossbow snapped with sudden force.

"Master," cried Alvin, "I see something!"

==[[User:Davion|Davion]]==
===(28 July 2008)===
<pre>bBbBbBbB####HU*########||+UU+||</pre>

The master thief leapt from the tower, the royal jewels still in his
hands. The pursuing guard ran to the side to watch in wonder as the
burglar plunged to his death. But lo, a giant hawk flew down and
plucked him out of the sky. The aging king stormed out onto the roof
of the tower, still in his bed clothes.

"Curse you Faltrix!" screamed the king as the bird flew toward the horizon.

The rogue had known the hawk since it was a hatchling. It was then he
had pulled an arrow from its wing. Thus began the most famous
partnership of the age. The hawk rider and his steed were known
throughout the land as heroes of the people, stealing from the rich
and giving to the poor.

A dark cloud rose on the horizon. The smile fell from Faltrix's lips
as the evil creatures sprung their ambush. Bat men! How had these
creatures strayed so far from the mountains? The evil beings rode
giant bats and shot poison darts from their blow guns. Faltrix
commanded his mount to dive low. Perhaps he could lose them in the
trees of the forest below.

===(28 September 2008)===
<pre>kbkkbkb,..,..HU,..*.@,...</pre>

Down, down into the forest canopy they flew. Faltrix's heart raced as
they wove through the trees, the bat men close behind. Just when he
thought he lost them, the hawk called out with a piercing cry. A net
of vines dropped from the treetops above, fouling the bird's wings.
They crashed to the forest floor with a thud and slid forward in the
dirt. Faltrix drew his sword and cut through the web. High-pitched
cackling echoed from above. Kobolds! The rogue set about cutting his
avian steed free, but the hawk did not stir from unconsciousness.

"Agron!" screamed Faltrix. "Agron!"

Black shadows dropped from vines above. The kobolds drew their jagged
blades. As they surrounded him the batmen caught up just it time to
finish him off. A dozen poison darts landed at his feet. Why didn't
they kill him?

"Agron," said the rogue, "if we get out of this, you can eat all the
giant rats you want."

The kobolds parted to reveal a short wizard in a glowing red robe, a
long hood covering his face. Faltrix lowered his blade as the
menacing figure approached. The wizard threw back his hood to reveal
the face of an evil dwarf. Faltrix threw the stolen Eye of Atheria at
his feet.

"Take the jewel," said Faltrix, "just let Agron live."

"Touching," said the dwarf, "but fear not, I will have need of the
rider and his hawk to complete the ultimate quest."

"Quest?" asked Faltrix.

==[[User:Ergot|Ergot]]==
===(14 June 2007)===
<pre>""w"w@%"w"w</pre>

Doran shifted from foot to foot as he looked from side to side. Eventually the dwarf's head dropped and he clutched his beard, his wide eyes wild, staring at the dirt. They were everywhere.

"Cave weevils. Cave weevils on my crops. My pig tails, all of my pig tails are gone. But this season will be different, mark my words, by the Lordaxe it will." The dwarf pulled a bulky glove from his belt. The knuckles were studded with iron. Doran slid the glove over his hand, his mouth twisting into a cruel smile. The farmer's eyes grew dark.

One of the foot-long insects crawled in front of the dwarf, and he hammered it into the earth with his fist, smashing the weevil until it was well-ground. "Flat. I'll pound 'em all flat. We might not have cloth this year, but we'll have plenty of meal."

==[[User:Furiousfish|Furiousfish]]==
===(14 July 2007)===
<pre>++@g####</pre>
"Tell me where the child is being taken and I'll let you live!" Kogan yelled down at the goblin, desperation marking his voice. Mul had shot this wretch in the leg, but the kidnapper had escaped. The goblin hanging by Kogan's hand over the chasm was just a bodyguard. The goblin smiled wickedly, taking delight in Kogan's distress. "Even now, your child is approaching the prison where he'll live out the next decade of his miserable life," it spat. "And then, well..." The fiend began to chuckle. "Where is the child?" Kogan asked with finality. The goblin closed its eyes and was silent. Kogan let the creature drop away into the darkness.

===(27 February 2008)===
<pre>","".g%@.",""."..</pre>
Dorol struggled against the coarse sackcloth. The darkness was total,and it smelled even more foul than his uncle's rotten-toothed whiskeybreath. He had been playing with his miniforge by the cave river when everything had gone black. Dorol had heard a commotion shortly after, followed by terrible undwarven screaming, but afterward just the soft footfalls of somebody running quickly along with the rustling of the sack. At once, whoever was carrying him stopped and let the sack drop hard on the ground. There was a rustling, and the sack opened. It was nighttime, and Dorol could see the face of his captor looking down at him. A goblin! The fiend pulled the cloth down far enough that Dorol's head stuck up out of the opening. The dwarf held tightly onto his toy, uncertain and afraid. "Here, eat this," the goblin said, holding out something. Dorol worked one of his hands out of the sack and took the offering. It wasa piece of spoiled meat, crawling with diseased larvae. The child dropped it on the ground by the sack. "Hey, that's good meat," the goblin complained, reaching down to pick it up. "The master gave it to me just for you." The goblin lowered its voice and mumbled. "I'd eat it, but he is always watching me, and he knows when I've been bad. "Now eat up," the goblin drew closer and pushed the meat into the dwarf's face. Like a true smith, the dwarven child struck, smashing the hammer of his miniforge into the goblin's eye! The goblin cringed, clutching his face. After a moment he shook his head and looked up at the sack, but the dwarf was nowhere to be seen. Filling with rage, driven by fear of his master's torments, the goblin shouted, "You can't run, you hairy snot! I'll hunt you, and I'll find you!" Snatching up the sack, the goblin ran off into the wilds.

==[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]]==
===(31 October 2008)===
<pre>.,G,@,,.</pre>

The dwarves buried Administrator Zarhan face down, so that when evil
spirits animated his soulless corpse, as surely they would, he would
dig straight down into the Underworld and away from the land of the
living. For a season after, the fortress was beset by a horrible
howling that filled the corridors. The dwarves of the fortress were
driven to near madness. Eventually the sounds faded.

It was not long after that a young engraver found a floor hatch, which
had not been there the previous night. He opened the hatch and put
his head through. Phantom arms grabbed him and pulled him inside.

"You fools didn't think I'd forget up from down did you?" hissed the
ghost of Zarhan.

==[[User:Hellzon|Hellzon]]==
===(17 December 2007)===
<pre>,.@@~~o~~~</pre>

A rock plopped into the cave river from the platform above. There
Durgal and the dwarf girl sat, above the murky waters. Durgal
explained, in great detail, his plans for the future. When the riches
of the mountain were plundered, he would diagram the plans for a
second fortress himself. How the dwarves would love him!

"But in your haste for riches," asked the girl, "would you have time
for the ones you love?"

Durgal's face became red as a cave turnip. He looked quickly away
from her and stared into the dark water. There, eyes gazed up to meet
him. Durgal reached for his axe, telling the girl to warn the others.
A pale, slimy hand reached out of the depths and pulled the creature
upward. It was an olmman!

===(3 September 2008)===
<pre>ff,@,.@,o~~~~~</pre>

"Back!" cried Durgal, "back to the hall!" The dwarf girl turned and
screamed. Two blind cave fish men blocked the way out. Durgal turned
and swung his axe at the olmman, now completely out of the water. It
deftly dodged his panicked swings. The dwarf girl screamed as the
cave fish men crawled toward her, arms outstretched, feeling their way
along the floor.

"By the power of the Lordaxe!" screamed Durgal, holding his axe aloft.
The dungeon rumbled. The sound of water crashed through the tunnel.
The fighters were swept away. The olmman grabbed Durgal's axe arm as
they were washed through the watery tunnel. The dwarf pulled a dagger
from his belt and jammed it into the monster's guts.

"Gula!" cried Durgal, bursting above the surface of the water. He
pulled the axe free of the olmman's grasp and brought the pommel down
on its head, knocking it senseless. "Gula!" he cried again. With
sudden terror, Durgal recalled where this tunnel led -- the chasm.
Only a few seconds until the ultimate terrible plunge.

"Durgal!" cried the dwarf girl, Gula. With all his strength, he
stretched to reach her in the crashing water.

==[[User:Janus|Janus]]==
===(12 October 2006)===

<pre>BgB
B@g
gBB</pre>
Beak dogs and goblins surround the adventurer! What will happen next?!

===(13 February 2007)===
<pre>gg...
.B.B=
..BB.
.%B@/
.-...</pre>
One of the five beak dogs pounced. Rogar leapt, planting a foot on the beast's head and propelling himself toward the tattoed goblin. Just as they collided, Rogar planted his dagger through the goblin's left eye. They hit the ground hard, and Rogar rolled forward to his feet, spinning to face the remaining eight opponents. The beak dog he had jumped on was still shaking its head, wincing. Behind them stood a wiry goblin with a wild mane of maroon hair, brandishing a scimitar, and a lardy goblin holding an iron-studded club.

The beak dogs charged Rogar in unison. His dagger was stuck back in the twitching goblin's face, but weaponless he stood his ground before them. The first dog to reach him received Rogar's knee under its chin, the long cruel spike at the top of the warrior's half-greave piercing the creature's throat. Two more beak dogs reached him as he twisted his leg in the air, trying to free it from his bleeding adversary. The beasts slammed into him, one getting a hold of his right arm above the elbow, the other gnashing at his face. Before it could tear his nose off, Rogar grabbed it by the neck with his left hand and held it back. The other dog sank its beak deeper into the flesh of Rogar's arm. Could this be the end?!

===(5 May 2007)===
<pre>|+@g+++</pre>

Rogar awoke in pain, his wrists in chains, his wounded arm throbbing. He opened his eyes only to be greeted by an all-encompassing darkness. This must be Shalthidon's dungeon, which meant that he was locked inside the Tower of Hate from which no man had ever returned.

A dim light flickered some distance away, and he could see the silhouetted bars of his prison. Beyond them, shadows danced, and he heard a grating sound. The bars slid aside, and the lardy goblin waddled into the chamber holding a torch.

The foul creature stood below Rogar where he hung, an idiot grin perking up the otherwise sagging jowls of its bloated face.

"The master says you are to be entertained," it croaked as it continued to smile.

"I do not desire such pleasures as Shalthidon has to offer," Rogar answered. "Be off with you. The larder has grown lonely."

"The master says you are to feel the fire," the thing chortled. The goblin lifted the torch and took a step toward Rogar.

It was enough. Rogar lashed out with his legs, hooking them around the goblin's neck. In a feat of strength that would become legend, Rogar strained against the chains on his arms, lifting the massive goblin and all its corpulence from the floor. There was a sickening crack, and the fixtures in the ceiling gave way. Rogar fell into the goblin's lardy folds, pushing away desperately until he regained his feet, ready to fight, but the goblin was already dead with a broken neck.

Fortunately, the torch had not been smothered. The warrior picked it up and held it high. There was nothing else in the cell. Aside from the chains, the torch was his only possession. Now it's the master who'll be entertained, Rogar thought, as he strode out into the passageway.

===(7 August 2007)===
<pre>@+++"E"</pre>

Rogar strode toward the great iron doors, leaving a trail of blood that was not his own. In his hand he held a scimitar and from each of his wrists the chains still hung. All of the servants of Shalthidon that lurked within the Tower of Hate were now dead, save whatever was in this room at the pinnacle of the tower. The sword he had seized from the maroon-maned goblin, who had led the goblins in the tower barracks.

The warrior pushed hard on the iron doors and they opened inward with a groan. There, surrounded by brightly colored flowers, was an elf. The sun shone down on the tower top through windows in the elegant curved ceiling. The entire room sparkled.

"Are you a prisoner here? Where is Shalthidon?" Rogar asked urgently.

The elf chuckled pleasantly. "Child, Rogar, I am Shalthidon. My parents named me Lilarilqua, but my attempts to hold the goblins under my sway with that name met with disaster. Are you cold? Let me fetch you something warm." Shalthidon fished around under a dresser and pulled out a plush cloak with lacy frills. "The material was all offered freely from the feather trees, Rogar. You don't have to worry about the animals."

Rogar was still stunned. Shalthidon, the Bringer of Ruin, murderer of his parents, lord of the evil of the creeping wastes that had engulfed half the world, was an elf. Dispelling the cloud over his mind, the warrior focused. That will only make killing him all the more satisfying, he thought. Rogar lifted his blade and advanced.

==[[User:JoystickHero|Joystick Hero]]==
===(14 September 2010)===
<pre>%W%%W% ,.,."","@@@@".,@</pre>

Fires burned on the high mountain. The wind carried the cries of the
dwarves as all they ever cared about was destroyed. But one dwarf had
not given in to despair. It was Malvedar, slayer of dragons and
veteran of a thousand famous battles. He watched the dwarf fortress
burn from his hiding place in the wooded slope. There would come a
time when the enemy was not so lucky, when his schemes failed. That
would be when they remember what they did to the dwarves this day and
would expect no mercy.

“Lord Malvedar,” said a dwarf soldier, “I think the werewolves have
caught our scent.”

The dwarf warlord nodded. Together, the ragged band of dwarven
survivors made their way down the slope. The road back to the
mountain homes was long and full of danger, but there was nowhere else
left to go. While others cried, Malvedar resisted the urge to throw
himself on the enemy. He would kill many, but not enough before he
was brought low. No. It would be a hard time, and a long time, but
he would have his satisfaction.

==[[User:Kosmos|Kosmos]]==
===(11 September 2007)===
<pre>T+TT@C +</pre>

"Twist my arm, why don't you? You louse," Doran had complained as Bomtek continued to bother him.

"Come on, Doran! It's just a bottle of whiskey. The Baron won't miss it. When you deliver his table, just take a little something for yourself. And share it with me."

Now Doran was standing in the Baron's dining room. It already had a fine granite table at its center; the noble had just wanted an obsidian corner piece as an accent. As the dwarf set the table down, Bomtek's repeated needling suggestions still echoed in his mind. It was just one bottle. There are so many in the cabinet. The Baron won't miss just one of them.

The dwarf had to pass the cabinet on the way out. With every step toward it, he felt the whiskey within calling in his heart. Doran's face flushed hot and his stomach felt as if it were being squeezed and twisted. Maybe I'll just look, he thought. Just look and go. He reached out his hand and gently opened the cabinet's door. There was only one bottle inside. Bomtek, you fool, he thought. Yet the whiskey still beckoned him forward, and he continued to gaze on the bottle in silence as it drew him ever closer.

==[[User:Laod|Laod]]==
===(15 October 2006)===

<pre>T..o..T

Trolls are playing dodgeball with a boulder! Who will win?!</pre>
--[[User:Laod|Laod]] 15 October 2006

==[[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:FFLaguna|FFLaguna]]==
===(5 May 2008)===

<pre>===UHH,...===UHH,........[===].//+//````</pre>

Merchant Prince Gramlin snorted while batting away acorn flies with
his monkey hair swatter. 'Realm of Artifice,' ha! 'Dirt Fortress,'
he named it. These pathetic dwarves scratched a hole in the earth and
produced nothing but rock toys to offer the human caravans. The
journey was long and the profits few. At last the trees cleared
revealing a low hill with a single door, the trade platform lying
before it. Gramlin looked around him. Not a dwarf was to be seen.
They were probably sleeping off a night of unrestrained debauchery.
He ordered his men to lay the goods onto the platform.

A sudden pain rocked the merchant. He looked down at his great gut
and saw a crossbow bolt protruding from his chest. As he sank to the
earth, he cursed. The dwarves had gone feral, maddened by their
pathetic conditions. The caravan was routed and fled into the woods,
leaving their precious cargo on the platform. The last thing Gramlin
saw was the face of a mad dwarf, foaming at the mouth and snarling
before it took his scalp.

==[[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.

Form 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: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:Termitehead|Termitehead]]==
===(4 November 2007)===
<pre>%,.@.""k</pre>
The mighty warrior felt the power run through his arms as he held up his fallen enemy's sword. He laughed as the body beneath him oozed the last of its life into the dirt. It hadn't even been much of a challenge. It was as if the worthless cur just gave up his life for nothing. Now all he had to do was return the villain's sword to the king and claim the reward.

On his way back to the castle the warrior swung the sword around his head, singing cheerfully as he skipped along. A small quick hand darted from the branches above and snatched the sword from his grasp. The warrior yelled and searched the trees above for a glimpse of the thief. A pair of yellow eyes stared back at him. A kobold!

==[[The Toad Preservation Society]]==

Toady One and ThreeToe are continuously working on Dwarf Fortress since 4 years ago (well, when that was that written, in early 2007). On the same Idea, the Toad Preservation Society is trying to bring a very modest but continuous support. One result of this support is that ongoing series of art rewards. Slowly a story unfolds. Of course, the main target for the donation is not to get the reward, but to show the [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Bay12Games] team that we love their project and value their effort. So let's consider each bit of that series as a nice present.

===(11 October 2006)===

<pre>.M.@$.</pre>

Deep in the fortress, a lava man springs an ambush on the treasurer, who is happily
counting coins. Could this be the beginning of the end?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 11 October 2006

===(12 November 2006)===
<pre>
######.....M#~~~
@..@@@......M~~~
######..M%$.#~~~
</pre>
Hammered and burnt by molten fists, the treasurer collapsed. That will teach him to
count coins near the magma flow. More lava men erupt from the magma as a fortress patrol
enters the room, one of them the treasurer's wife. Fighting back tears, she screams in
wild rage as the soldiers charge the beasts. Will vengeance prevail this terrible day?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 12 November 2006

===(5 December 2006)===

<pre>
..=# #############~~~# %
[@.#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
.=..........@.-....~~~#,
############..@%-.#~~~####
` '###########.=====........##
% #############~~~####
</pre>
Indeed, vengeance did prevail, though it was bought with the lives of soldiers.
The Axedwarf Aloran, wife of the treasurer, grieves now over the charred body of her
husband, her grief-stricken face shining red in the magma's light. Yet the lava men
were only driven forth by rumors deep within the earth, ever rumbling now, ever
approaching the lip of the glowing pit discovered by the miners not long after the
bridging of the magma. The sound reached even the heart of the fortress, where
Regukar the Mason has begun a mysterious construction. What fey mood has possessed
Regukar?! Will Aloran's mourning be troubled by even greater dangers?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 5 December 2006

===(10 January 2007)===

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[@.#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@..........-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########..
` '###########.=====....@.&.##
% #############~~~########..
</pre>

A great crash echoed down the inward passageway.

"More beasts deeper in the mines?" said Narol fearfully, a recruit, the only member of the patrol save Aloran to survive. His right arm was burned horribly and he now held his axe in his left hand, weakly.

"Tell the Baron that lava men have entered the mines. I'll remain here." Aloran unmoving eyes stared over the bridge toward the mines. There would be no discussion. Narol stumbled up the opposite passage to the workshops.

Regukar was in the lower mason's shop, gazing into his hands, his face aglow with the light shining upward from his palms. The Baron was there as well.

"What is this? Did I not commission an obsidian throne? Why was this workshop built so near the magma flow if I'm to be seated on granite for the rest of my days?" The Baron sounded annoyed, but he was also trying to stare over Regukar's shoulder to see the treasure. The Baron reached for Regukar's wrist, and the mason turned violently and spat in the Baron's face just as Narol careened into the chamber.

"The Stout Wheels have held the bridge, but lava men are in the mines! Many are dead... Aloran is guarding the mine entrance alone..." Narol collapsed, breathing heavily.

-

Narol was gone, but Aloran did not notice. "I will kill them all," she said, and she walked down the bridge into the mines, leaving the bodies of her husband and the recruits behind. As she descended into the mines, the magma's light faded and she was engulfed by the dimness in which she had spent most of her life. Yet ahead she discerned an eerie glow. The miners had located these pits not long ago as they hunted for hematite. The lava men must be using them, accessing the mines away from the magma flow, Aloran thought, though she did not dwell on it long. Soon her mind was focused again on death.

Suddenly the light was blotted out, followed by a shaking that almost knocked Aloran from her feet. "COAH! So long I have waited for my master... only to find this sweet hairy dumpling. It must be time for the Great Feast." Aloran could discern its corpulence through the darkness. A lardy bloated creature, like those that made raids from the river, yet more grotesque, covered with translucent boils -- and many times larger. The thing croaked, "I sense... COAH! You have lost someone recently... your husband. Worry not, little dumpling! You will be reunited in my innards when I am done feeding."

Aloran did not speak. She would not entertain the creature -- she would have it dead.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 10 January 2007

===(11 February 2007)===

And it keeps going and growing !!

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[..#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@.........@-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########&.
` '###########.=====@.@@.@%&##
% #############~~~########.&
</pre>

Aloran hacked at the thing's wide belly with her battle axe. It lurched backward, avoiding the full force of the strike, and crashed into the cavern wall. Immediately, as if its lardy mass had bounced off the barrier, it leapt forward and knocked Aloran to the ground, pressing down on her shoulders with its great slimy hands. Its mouth opened, and a slick lolling tongue poured out like thick syrup and covered Aloran's face. It was going to swallow her whole! Unable to breathe, Aloran fumbled around in her boot and pulled out a small pointed hammer. Struggling to maintain consciousness, Aloran swung the hammer from her elbow. The point pierced one of the great creature's eyes, which popped and drained a viscous pus over the dwarf. The thing backed off of the warrior's body, its fat tongue dragging on the ground, leaving a broad swath of spittle. Aloran stood, breathing heavily, her axe secure in her right hand. She advanced on the retreating beast, her weapon lifted over her head. She wound further backward, then brought the axe blade around in a sweeping arc down on the bloated fiend's tongue, forking it.

Two more silhouettes appeared in the eerie glow above the beast's quivering form. As they approached, she could see they were gray and glistening, partially encased in shimmering pale shells, each walking on four stumpy legs. They look like cave oysters, Aloran thought. She raised her axe.

"Aloran!" Three recruits with swords rushed down the passageway. "The Baron sent for us. Are you all right?" Aloran did not turn to face them as the demonic oysters crawled over their bleeding companion.

--

"How dare you spit on me! You'll receive two hammerstrikes for this!" The Baron was livid. He had called for a peasant to notify reinforcements for the mines, of course, but now he was free to chastize Regukar. Narol was still only semi-conscious, resting on the floor.

"I created it! It is mine!" Regukar's eyes were glowing with a fierce light. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and held his arms close to his body, the light of his creation showing through his interlocked fingers.

"Nothing is yours! You used stone from the miners, the miners carved that stone out of the mountain, and the mountain belongs to me. Now hand the object over for inspection, and your past transgression might be forgiven." The Baron held out his hand.

Before the Baron could react, Regukar grabbed his chisel and brought it down into the Baron's forehead. The Baron crumpled, hitting the stone floor hard. Regukar chuckled and ambled off down the passageway toward the mines.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 11 February 2007

===(13 March 2007)===
Even if Toady is now deep into its work and the malor works on maps/moving armies, he took time adding a new part to these now ongoing story...

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[..#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@..........-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########..
` '###########.=====@.%%%-&%##
% #############~~~########..
</pre>

Aloran, still winded, faced the two oyster demons. The recruits stood by her side in a line blocking off the passageway. The beasts slid down the toad's massive body, landing before it with a splatter. The fiends moved slowly, but they had almost reached the dwarves.

Two of the recruits, Roal and Daron, cousins who had just began sparring two weeks ago, lifted their swords and assailed the creatures. Roal brought his weapon down hard on the shell of one of the beasts, but it was deflected. From the space between the shell plates, a massive slimy appendage burst forth, ringing Roal and dragging him inside. His lower body dangled from the creature. Daron grabbed his legs and pulled, but Roal would not budge. The other oyster demon raised up on its back legs and came crashing down on Daron. The dwarf's head slammed hard against the passage way and he went unconscious. Roal's legs twitched as the second demon turned back to the remaining warriors.

Aloran had regained her breath and charged with the other recruit, Nlan, a dwarf from the north burrow. The recruit stabbed at the demon's body, sinking his sword deep into its flesh, while Aloran aimed low and hacked off one of its stubby legs with her axe. As it toppled, the thing spit out a stream of goo onto Nlan's face, which began to steam. The recruit chortled and fell to the ground, unrecognizable. Aloran finished off the creature by hacking into its soft body repeatedly.

The other demon had completed its meal. Roal's lower body detached and fell to the ground, and the oyster beast let out a belching noise. Another sound emanated from its shell soon after. "I sense... loss... your husband... reunite..."

"Silence, beast," Aloran spat. "The toad made the same promise and failed to keep it. Your kind use hollow words." At that moment, the toad demon's bleeding body quivered, as if it were laughing.

The oyster spoke again. "Daron... reunite... Roal..." The slimy appendage slid out and looped around Daron's right leg. Aloran ran forward, swinging her axe down on the oozing tentacle. It was cloven asunder and fell to the tunnel floor, pouring out a thick white paste.

As the oyster backed into the toad demon's still quivering form, the entire tunnel filled with a blinding light. Aloran turned and saw the vague form of a dwarf raising its hand, from which the radiance emanated. The light faded just enough for Aloran to make out the details. It was Regukar, the mason. In his hand, he held a glowing schist mini-forge.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 13 March 2007

===(16 April 2007)===
All right, the Reward continues (this is the same story):

<pre>
@@.####
.@@++d+
@.@####
</pre>
Captain Kogan stood with his dwarves on the stone road before the great arch, beard dripping from the drizzling rain that had been falling since the early morning. No word had been sent from the Baron concerning the deep mining operation for nearly two weeks. The King had grown impatient and the Captain had been sent to investigate.

The soft patter of rain on stone was slowly drowned out by a series of whirs and chirps coming from within the fortress. It was like nothing the Captain had heard before. He had his soldiers position themselves before the entrance with the marksdwarves kneeling in front of the others. The sounds drew closer, until a small shape could be discerned emerging from the shadows beyond the archway.

It looked like a lizard, twisted into that form from rusted iron strips, but it walked on its rear legs with a jerking and uncertain gait. In the center of its head, visible through the metal frame, was a drooping lump of granite that appeared to be molded around the iron. The stone glowed with a faint red light.

The dwarves watched awe-struck as the metallic creature continued advancing until it finally stopped under the great arch. Its head swiveled back and forth, eventually settling on the group. The lizard's body grated against itself, and from somewhere within, it emitted a piercing whistle and charged.

"Fire, Bomtek! Now!" Kogan ordered.

The marksdwarf shot a bolt at the creature. It hit the granite lump, shattering it. The iron strips collapsed into a pile.

"W.. what in the name of the Lordaxe was that?" Nunon stammered. "Where are the guards?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Kogan. He walked forward and pushed the remnants of the creature about with his hammer. "Something sinister is afoot. We'll scout as far as the upper meeting hall."

Captain Kogan and his dwarves passed under the arch and disappeared into the dimly lit fortress.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 16 April 2007

===(10 May 2007)===
<pre>
##################
#++++++++++d+++++++..
####+@+O++O++O+dOd+&#
+++++@+++++++++d+++@#
####+@+O++O++O++Od++#
#++++++++++d+d++@#
##################
</pre>

"Get out of there!" Kogan screamed. It was too late. Lokar was lost. Only Bomtek, Nunon and Captain Kogan himself remained. The rest had been mauled beyond recognition by the metallic beasts. The passage to the upper hall had seemed clear, but it was a ruse. The walls had come alive. The lizards were everywhere.

Now Kogan and the others were running for lives, pursued by the iron fiends. They could outrun them if they didn't stop to fight. The dwarves were approaching the meeting hall, though Kogan held little hope for that place now. The only way out of the outpost lay behind them, through a maelstrom of metal fangs.

"The upper hall!" Kogan shouted when he spotted a light ahead. The torches were still lit? Perhaps the guards were able to stand after all! Kogan and the others ran on, the din of whirs and chirps behind them driving them forward. At last, the tired soldiers crossed under the arch and entered the upper meeting hall.

"I'm so pleased you could join us!" a voice boomed from the back of the chamber. Kogan looked out between the pillars. There on a granite throne sat a dwarf, his face twisted in madness. In his hand he held a glowing object. The stone floor before him was crawling with the metal lizards. On his right, a fire burned in the shape of a tall man, lighting the entire hall. On his left, a dwarf woman was tied, struggling against her bonds, hatred in her eyes.

"Do you like my little friends? Arshosh and I will make more, many, many more. The miniforge is all-powerful!" The crazed dwarf cackled. "With it, I enslaved the spirit of fire, bound stone and metal to my will, and soon, soon! Oh, yes. Soon I will use the power of the miniforge to create a new race of dwarves! Aloran will be the first! Then all of you will join her! And you shall call Regukar your master!"

--The Toad Preservation Society, 10 April 2007

===(June 2007)===
<pre>
##################
#+d+++++++%++++++++..
####d@dO++O++O%%O+%&#
++++d@d+++%%++++%%%%#
####d@dO+%O%+O+%O%%@#
#+d+d+%++%%%+++%@#
##################
</pre>

The soldiers had been quickly subdued, lashed to the floor by a writhing mass of metallic lizard bodies. Regukar walked slowly to the place where Aloran was restrained.

"Now, Aloran, let us begin the ritual of transformation." Regukar held the shining miniforge near to the dwarf warrior's face as she continued to strain against the ropes. The crazed mason lifted a tiny hammer and struck the minianvil once. The fires of Arshosh rose to the ceiling of the great hall and twisted around its many granite pillars. A tongue of flame engulfed the miniforge and the anvil began to glow even more brightly.

Aloran felt her skin breaking. The unbearable pain spread throughout her entire body. Metal blades tore through the flesh of her arms and legs, and she felt a force trying to subdue her will. "Regukar is your master. Regukar is your master," a voice in her mind whispered. The ropes snapped as the blood-covered blades continued to rise. The voice became louder and louder until it was all she could hear, drowning out her own screams.

Through her tears she could see Regukar had buckled over, laughing uncontrollably, and the sight filled Aloran with an all-consuming hatred. This contemptible dwarf could never be her master. The pain and the voice faded away, and her animosity began to manifest itself in the power of her limbs. The metal was part of her body now, and she felt its presence as surely as that of her own hands.

Looking up, Regukar noticed Aloran's steady gaze, and worry crossed his face. "My slave, the transformation is complete. Call me master," the mason stammered. Aloran said nothing and punched Regukar in the face with her metal-bladed fist. The knives stuck in his head, and the full weight of his dying body hung limply from Aloran's straight arm. Regukar's mangled face slid slowly backward, and free from the blades the dwarf crumpled to the floor and lay unmoving on the stones.

The tongue of flame slowly lifted the miniforge from the mason's clinging hand. As the glowing object slipped from his grasp, his raised arm fell back to the ground, and he breathed his last. The spirit of fire withdrew its flames, bringing the miniforge to the center of its translucent body. The demon turned to Aloran and faded from sight. There was a sudden crash as the metallic lizards fell to pieces.

--The Toad Preservation Society, June 2007

==TomTheHand==

===(20 February 2007)===

<pre>
..g#o@.%
</pre>

Shrolnak glared through the rusty iron bars.

"Eat yer meat, ya hairy maggot," the goblin snarled as it pushed the bowl back towards the dwarven child. "It'll make yer beard longer."

Aliz kicked the bowl away again. "I'm not eating until I get my mini-forge!" Aliz crossed his arms above his plump little belly and turned away.

"Minnn.. what's yer mini-forge?" The goblin was confused. The only toy it had ever owned was a cracked elf skull.

The dwarf child's eyes lit up. "Uncle Kogan made it! It glows in the dark!"

"Glows in the dark, eh... I'll poke around." The goblin scrambled away from the prison and disappeared around a corner. In a few minutes, it returned, its hand cupped around something that glowed purple through its bony fingers.

Aliz moved toward the bars, his wide eyes reflecting the eerie light. The goblin held its right hand through the bar and dropped the glowing object into the child's waiting palms.

"Now eat yer meat." The goblin wandered off.

Aliz was still staring into his hands. A sinister smile spread slowly over his face.

===(12 March 2007)===

<pre>
.T.g..@..
</pre>

"Where is the Soul of the Dark Power?!" Arugor was screaming now. He had fooled a dragon to obtain the wicked gem, and now it was nowhere to be found. Shrolnak groveled before him.

"Master, I.. I don't know..." Shrolnak had never truly adjusted to kneeling before the troll, but it couldn't be helped. His master had been gifted with a cunning far beyond others of his kind, and Shrolnak was powerless before him.

"Lies! Your hands still shine with its aura! Where have you hidden my treasure?"

"T.. that gem? I thought that's all it was. I... I let the dwarf child play with it."

"What?! Fool! I must reclaim it before it is too late." Arugor was bothered that Shrolnak had somehow managed to avoid the intricate traps in the Soul Chamber, but he would leave that matter alone until the gem was reclaimed.

Just as Arugor turned to leave, a plump dwarven child floated into the throne room, trailed by a billowing mist. In his hands, he clutched a deep purple gem. The hovering child had a wicked grin twisted into his bearded face. Arugor and Shrolnak shielded their faces, helpless before the radiance of the wielded Soul.

The child levitated higher, close to the ceiling, and looked down upon the quivering monsters. "With my power, I shall build the greatest mini-forge the world has ever known!" The dwarf was enveloped by the purple light and passed through the ceiling.

==[[User:Trukkle|Trukkle]]==
===(25 June 2007)===
<pre>%%@##B#</pre>
"There it goes!" Doran hollered as the bit of plump helmet sailed out into the darkness. The mason had been at the whiskey all morning, and now he was dangling his legs over the chasm with his lunch, throwing mushroom pieces to the gray fliers. One of the bats sailed silently into view and snatched the food as it fell.

"A bat's a bat, and bats like mushrooms!" Doran slurred as he took another swig from the flagon. "Let's try something a little larger."

The dwarf ripped the cap from one of his plump helmets and tossed it out into the abyss. It dropped out of view, without any sign of the fliers. Doran pouted.

Suddenly, a great shape flew up from the chasm, right by Doran's face, blowing the braids of his beard back over his shoulders. It looked like a gray flier, but many, many times larger, as large as one of the brown bears out in the forest. He watched as it disappeared off above into the distance.

Doran looked down at his lunch. "I... I guess I'll finish the rest myself."

==[[User:Xarph|Xarph]]==
===(20 February 2007)===

<pre>###=@=##</pre>

Kogan hurtled through the darkness, the two long braids of his golden beard streaming behind him. It was too much weight! The wings tied to his arms, made from stretched frogman skin and giant cave spider legs, fluttered uselessly as the chasm walls rushed by. He had been nervous the night before and, as usual, had gorged himself on plump helmet biscuits and dwarven rum. Now he was falling like a granite block. Kogan wondered if the philosophers were correct -- were these chasms actually bottomless? He would be able to survive for several days without food or alcohol. Seeing nothing but blackness below, Kogan resigned himself to the journey ahead and began to sing his favorite drinking song.

===(19 May 2007)===

<pre>*###*****##**
#*#*##*##**##
##*#*****#*##
#*#*##*##*#*#
#*#*##S##*#*#
#*#*#*#*#*#*#
#*##*###*@#*#
##**#***##*##
#*#*******#*#
*###########*</pre>

It had been two days. Kogan was dehydrated, and he had begun mumbling to himself. "Whiskey... my dear whiskey..."

Suddenly his fall was arrested by a force which seemed to hold him by the arms and legs. He still fell, but slower, and slower still, until he stopped entirely and hung in space. The dwarf tried to spin, but he was unable to move. Thick, translucent ropes held him. The reality of the situation dawned on him, and he felt sick. It was a giant web. He had been ensnared by one of the dark huntresses of the deep.

As he strained his eyes in the near-total darkness, Kogan could see her. A bloated many-legged creature, her body clear, her organs visible within. She was already moving toward Kogan, deliberately picking her way along the lines that were safe for her to grasp with her cruel claws. The creature chittered in anticipation as the dwarf struggled against the webs.

===(20 September 2007)===

<pre>*###*****##**
#*#*##*##**##
##*#*****#*##
#*#*##*##*#*#
#*#*#####*#*#
#*#*#*#*S*#*#
#*##*###*@!!!
##**#***##*##
#*#*******#*#
*###########*</pre>

The spider was upon him. With what little motion Kogan had in his arms, he tried to bring the wings between himself and the voracious beast. He flailed helplessly, marshalling a defence that would embarrass even a child of his people.

Yet the spider stopped. She looked upon him with her many emotionless eyes. The dwarf could discern nothing. The spider's head bobbed up and down slowly, and she lifted several of her legs and waved them in simple patterns above the web.

A sudden realization struck Kogan -- the spider legs in the wing frames. She thinks I'm trying to speak to her! Kogan continued to wave his arms around as best he could, and she responded in kind. Giant cave spiders are solitary creatures, Kogan thought, so it must be a mating ritual. "But giant spiders eat their mates after breeding with them," Kogan muttered in horror. "I can't think of a worse way to die!"

===(13 November 2007)===
<pre>+g++%@%%+</pre>

The movement of the spider's legs had ceased. Now she simply looked
upon Kogan with her cold, glassy eyes. Her sinews tensed -- she was
ready to pounce! To what end, none dare say, though many a gruesome
and unseemly scenario had played themselves out in the recesses of
Kogan's strained mind.

A moment passed, and the bloated thing leapt forward! As she landed
on Kogan with the full weight of her body, the dwarf felt himself tear
free, and the web and spider passed up and beyond his sight as he
plummeted downward. Oh, what happy chance is this! Kogan thought.
He was free from fear now. If his body was broken into a thousand
pieces on some protruding rock, what would matter? At least he would
no longer sire an army of evil.

Soon enough, Kogan sensed that the walls were closing in. He could
not see well enough in the oppressive darkness of this deepest part of
the earth, but he felt their nearness. The dwarf said a prayer to the
Lordaxe to grant him a swift death.

Kogan felt his bottom smack hard into a smooth slope and he slid
disoriented into a twisting tunnel. The friction burned, but his
descent was slowed, and Kogan found himself gliding down an obsidian
tube. Out of a hatch he fell, landing face first in a pile of stone
trinkets. Uninjured, but sore, the dwarf stood. It still felt as if
the air was rushing by him, but he was teetering on solid ground.

The chamber was lit by torches. It was almost cheerful. The trinkets
were all finely crafted. It wasn't dwarven work, but each object had
its own peculiar charm. Kogan picked up a slate carving. It was a
rabbit wearing a jester's hat.

"Hey oh, what are you doing in the figure room?"

Kogan looked up. A mountain gnome was peering around a doorway. Only
its tilted head was visible.

"I fell," Kogan said, indicating the hatch.

"Oh my!" the gnome said with an equal measure of elation and surprise.

"You're our first visitor in years!"

"Visitor?" Kogan asked.

"Yes, my friend! I'm Largee Pottums! Welcome to Toy Land!"

===(27 February 2008)===
<pre>+g+@+%%%%+</pre>

"Toy Land," Kogan said flatly, utterly dumbfounded. The sheer
implausibility of the situation managed to drive all feelings of
hunger and thirst from his body.

"Yes, Kogan, it's Toy Land!" Largee Pottums exclaimed, jumping out
into full view. "Where do you think all of your toys come from? Your
crafts shops? Hoy hey! That would be the day!"

"Yes, our cr... wait, how did you know my name?" Kogan scratched his head.

"Do you remember the miniforge you got when you were six?" Largee Pottums asked.

"Th.. yes," Kogan finally resolved to think a little less about his situation.

"Gnomes!" Largee Pottums said proudly. "And the toy axe you got when
you were eight?"

"That too?!" Kogan exclaimed. He had such fond memories of the axe.
He used to beat his friends with it mercilessly.

"Gnomes," Largee Pottums replied, nodding in satisfaction.

"What about the puzzle box I got when I was nine?" Kogan asked.

"That was your uncle Dorol. And you just hated it didn't you? Oh
ho!" Largee said.

"Y... yes," Kogan said, disappointed. He had hoped to have somebody
to blame after all these years. At least he could confront Dorol
should he ever return home.

"Gnomes make the best toys!" Largee concluded. "Mountain gnomes for
the dwarves, garden gnomes for the humans, and dark gnomes for the
goblins. Toys, toys and more toys!"

"Gob... what about the elves?" Kogan asked, not knowing why he cared.
Like any able-bearded dwarf, he held elves in contempt.

"The elves? Hey oh! The garden gnomes used to make their toys. But
they're so finicky! One deer bone figurine and they found us out.
Humans can appreciate a deer bone figurine. The garden gnomes are
much happier now, if I do say so myself. And I do! Oo hoo!"

Kogan grunted in affirmation. He could emphathize with the garden
gnomes. Elves were nonsensical creatures.

"Now, my friend, it's time to talk to the Boss," Largee Pottums
announced, clapping his hands.

"The Boss?" Kogan asked.

"You can't make toys without a Boss. Let's go! We haven't had a
visitor in so long, he'll be excited to see you. Oh yes he will, sure
as sweet pods!" With that, Largee Pottums skipped through the
doorway, with Kogan following after him.

===(1 July 2008)===
<pre>##################
###.........%....#
###....%.......%.#
###..............#
gg@+++g+=g%g=%/=|#</pre>

"Now tell me, Kogan," said the white-bearded gnome from his plush
gaudy chair, "why you leapt into the chasm in the first place." The
Boss's coat was nearly bursting at the buttons; the red fabric made
his belly looked like one of his puffy cheeks.

"It was my dream. I wanted to fly," Kogan said sheepishly, "like a
bat, soaring through the still air free as a spark, but my
calculations failed."

"Ho ho ho," the plump gnome merrily laughed. "What a brave dwarf you
are! Now that you're here in our secret workshop, I was concerned
about letting you return home, but perhaps you wouldn't stay up above
very long before daring the chasm again."

"The chasm... the spider..." The dwarf shuddered at the memory.

"Largee! Largee Pottums!" the Boss of Toy Land shouted. "Our friend
Kogan needs some ease for his troubled mind. Why don't you show him
around Wimble Wizzer's workshop?"

"Hoo hey! Right away!" came the familiar voice from the doorway.
Kogan bowed awkwardly to the Boss and followed Largee out of the cozy
room.

--

Kogan was awestruck. It was like a scene out of his wildest
imaginings during one of those late nights at the drawing table.
Airborne contraptions looped and soared beneath the high stone ceiling
as gears turned and wings flapped or rotated according to the whims of
a particular design. Down below, three gnomes repaired and tinkered
with the devices on creaky wooden tables.

"Wimble-wee, Wimble-woo!" Largee shouted into the workshop. "I have
a guest for you!"

One of the gnomes inside turned toward the door and smiled weakly
while shaking his head, "Largee, my boy, who ever taught you to speak
in such a manner? Surely it was a gnome no less exuberant than
yourself."

Largee presented the still-stunned Kogan to the master of the
workshop. "This is Kogan, a dwarf, as you can see (hoo-ee!), and a
fellow maker of flying machines. The Boss has sent him down here to
have a look."

"Ah? So it's to be an inspection, is it?" Wimble replied gruffly.
"Well, you won't find these topside, but we're planning to sneak a few
of the truest models in during the next festival. The timetable is a
strict one, and we're still struggling with accidents." At this,
there was the sound of metal grinding on metal above as one of the
machines lurched and crashed into a table below. "The Boss is jolly
as they come, but he is also a grueling taskmaster."

"Ho ho ho," came the laughter from the doorway. "Wimble Wizzer, you
grumpus, is that the way to greet a new worker?"

Kogan turned toward the Boss, who was now standing beside him. A new
worker? The dwarf's eyes were wider than ever, and he turned slowly
back to the workshop, wearing a smile more full of unabashed joy than
any he had worn in his entire life.

"Well, you know, Largee," the Boss said, turning to the other gnome
standing at the door. "If he wants, we could just let him go back
home, if we found a way to make him forget all about Toy Land."

"We could bonk him on the head! Hee-whoa... bonk!" Largee yelled,
snapping his hand at the wrist.

"Ho ho ho," the Boss chuckled. "Don't you remember? Sometimes you
have to bonk them again and again, and they still won't forget!"

Kogan missed all of this banter, bent over the tables as he was,
looking over the damaged machine with Wimble and the others. After a
moment, Largee and the Boss slipped out of the room, leaving the new
worker to his workshop.

The End

==[[User:Darksaiyan|Darkie]]==
===(14 September 2008)===
<pre>,.,.O@T,...</pre>

Surrounded by a troll on one side and an ogre on the other, dwarf
master Alrin knew these could be the last seconds of his life. As he
gripped the handle of his axe he recalled the teachings of Azrom, god
of war. Matters of great importance should be given the slightest
thought. It was only the minor matters that must be given the most
delicate care. So, without conscious thought, Alrin slammed his axe
handle into the ogre's toe. Swiftly, the dwarf ran between the
monster's legs and delivered a swift kick to its backside. As the
ogre toppled over, the hairy troll launched over the fallen monster
and leaped toward Alrin. As time slowed in an adrenalin rush, Alrin
readied his axe.

==[[User:Draigh|Draigh]]==
===(13 Augustus 2008)===
<pre>.@@|,-.-.kk,k,.k,.</pre>

Malgar, warrior dwarf woman, fought on against the onslaught of
kobolds, her newborn baby still strapped to her back. She lifted her
shield to block another volley of poison darts. She had been hunting,
far from the entrance of the fortress, when she stumbled upon the
skulking trash, no doubt planning a cowardly raid on the fortress
vault. She had to warn the others. With one hand she held the bugle
to her lips, while with the other she parried another deadly strike.

==[[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:ToonyMan|ToonyMan]]==
===(16 January 2009)===
<pre>DDDDDDM,..@EU@@EU@UE,.</pre>

Sword and axe clashed again and again as the fighters struggled to
best each other in mortal combat. Arrows rained down on the field of
battle as man, elf and dwarf fought at once to win the day. Randar
took up the sword for the dwarves. With his mightiness he tried to
kill Giltra of the elves, but the champion was too fast. The battle
seemed endless. Roars of terror and pain were everywhere. Just then
a squadron of dragons appeared, lead by Madnar the Evil. Could there
be any hope?

===(14 January 2010)===
<pre>DDDDM,.,.s/\@.,.E@E@E@E</pre>

The combatants turned to face the dragons as they landed. Madnar dismounted his towering red monster, followed by a short stranger, his eyes dark and shining. Randar stroked his beard as he observed the young warrior. He carried a sword of strange design. Giltra would not wait. She notched an arrow and fired before anyone could blink. The young swordsman knocked it out of the sky before it could reach Madnar’s chest.

“Fools,” chuckled the villain, “allow me to introduce Lord Strider. His powers are unmatched in this world. Now you see there can be no hope.”

Randar set his heels and charged, sword raised. Lord Strider struck a martial pose and set out to meet his dwarven adversary. As they met, the sound of steel ripping steel echoed across the battlefield. As the dust cleared, the dwarf found himself gloating in victory. Strider lay broken and sullied, his weapon shorn in two. Madnar was horrified. Had his reign of evil come to an end?

==[[User:AbuDhabi|AbuDhabi]]==
===(5 February 2009)===
<pre>CCCCCCC,.,.,.|||@+@+></pre>

Fires burned at the edge of the vast grassland, holding back the
darkness before the dwarf fortress. All night baleful howls could be
heard on the plain, undead cows brought back to life by the evil
wizard Maxelman. He had allowed the dwarves to live in his domain of
evil, if they but bestowed on him one artifact a year. Nothing,
however, could measure the greed of a dwarf. Nothing, that is, save
his thirst for strong whiskey.

A dwarf stood atop the battlement, laughing drunkenly. "Get down
Twan," whispered his fellow guardsman. "The night-wings will snatch
you off the wall!" Twan threw his stein off the wall in defiance.
Such was his vanity that he thought that they only need live through
the night. Little did he know, the dawn would never come.

===(24 February 2009)===
<pre>DgDgg%@@%@~~++++++>>>>^+^+^+^+^%%%%%@</pre>

Twan held his helmet over his eyes and screamed. Fireballs smashed
into the walls, shot from the gullets of a dozen dragons circling in
the smoke-choked sky. Marksdwarves dove from the walls and smashed
into the courtyard below. "Stand and fight!" shouted Captain Krandle.
"Fear no devil!" Twan reached the courtyard just as the gate broken
open wide. Pike-wielding goblins poured through the opening. Captain
Krandle threw his great braided beard over his shoulder and called
forth his squad of elite axe-lords, The Chosen.

Pike and axe clashed again and again as Twan crawled between the legs
of the combatants. A head dropped onto the ground before him. It was
the head of Captain Krandle. Twan pressed on. He would not be
paralyzed with fear. It seemed that the power of Maxelman knew no
bounds, but not even he could breach the inner mines. Dodging the
deadly weapons, and slithering over the bodies, Twan made his way the
center of the fortress.

A dark tunnel lay beyond the entrance to the keep. Twan danced down
the corridor in the intricate steps that avoided the complex mass of
triggers and tripwires that guarded the entrance. Inside were the
mines, stocked with enough dwarven wine to keep them in the cups for
ten years. Twan reflected for a moment on those above who had died.
It wasn't important. He was alive, and would remain so, so long as he
avoided the king and any quests he might have in store.

===(13 May 2009)===
<pre>%@/%+++@+@@@</pre>

“That blasted wizard Maxelman,” came a booming voice. "He shall not
have my artifact staff!”

Curses, thought Twan from his hiding in the cellar, the king! The
dwarf lord paced back and forth, followed by a pleading train of
aristocrats, tears of rage streaming from his eyes. The staff, the
cause of all the suffering the dwarves now endured, was only ten short
steps away. In near berserker rage, the king threw the staff down,
startling the nobles. Twan saw his chance. He shot between the
nobles and snatched up the artifact.

“Scoundrel,” roared the king, “unhand the magic staff!”

Twan leapt onto a keg, holding the staff high.

“Maxelman will burn this fortress to the ground to gain this staff,”
said the rude dwarf. “I will have this power for myself!”

The king growled, plucking the gold rings from his fingers. He hurled
them at Twan, one striking the dwarf in the teeth. “Seize him!”
shouted the besieged ruler. Twan jumped from barrel to barrel as the
purple clad nobles chased him. As he ran from the cellar he heard
king’s cry, “Guards, guards!”

In the enemy camp, the vile wizard Maxelman puzzled over his battle
plans. A dwarf fortress is always a hard nut to crack. One of his
generals, a skeletal shade from the netherworld, summoned him from his
tent. The wizard straightened his aching back, brushed his long black
beard, and stepped to the door. There, standing between two fierce
goblin guards, was Twan, holding the king’s staff.

===(29 Aug 2009)===
<pre>+U+G-@+GG+</pre>

“You bring me the staff,” said the evil sorcerer, “as a traitor to your people?”

The dwarven rogue took a step back and leveled the staff at his arch-nemesis.

“You will have the staff,” said Twan. “Have it through your black
shriveled heart!”

The dwarf pressed a secret button and a blade emerged from the end of
the staff. The wizard called on his generals. The skeletal ghoul
drew his saber and charged. Twan spun with expert skill and took out
the phantom’s knees, such was the power that the staff bestowed. Two
more undead warlords entered the tent. Twan thrust the staff at
Maxelman but a undead general threw himself in front of the blade,
impaling himself and collapsed into dust.

The legless fiend below snatched Twan’s ankles and pulled Twan to the
floor. The staff spilled onto the ground. The dwarf felt his courage
suddenly fading. The wizard snatched up the artifact and cried out
with joy. The long campaign was finally at an end. The skeleton put
its bony arm around Twan’s neck and pulled him upright. The wizard
noticed the dwarf and walked toward him, pointing the staff.

“Nice try, dwarf,” said Maxelman. “Now feel the true power of the
artifact staff!”

Twan caught the thrust between his palms. As the wizard snarled, Twan
took the staff in one hand and with several quick motions, activated
the secret switches along its length. The dwarf released the staff as
saw blades swept out of the shaft and sliced off the wizard’s hands.
Twan jammed his helmet into the skull of the phantom general and
smashed all the bones in its face.

The dwarf picked up the blood covered staff and chased the wizard from
the tent. Dozens of goblins blocked his way, but he dispatched them
with mighty slashes of his weapon. Just as he came within a spear’s
throw of his enemy, a huge dust cloud blocked his way. Wind blew down
as a giant dragon landed before the dwarf. At last, thought Twan, a
worthy opponent.

==[[User:DaWarMage|DaWarMage]]==
===(8 February 2009)===
<pre>@@@@||~3--~~U~gUGUUG~~~</pre>

Dwarves howled as the gladiators fought and bled. They were men and
goblins, imprisoned since the great siege. Now, with the promise of
freedom, they fought. Hanson knew the goblins could not be trusted,
but he had included them in an escape plan with his fellow humans out
of necessity. The dwarves had been foolish to wait so long to condemn
them. It had allowed them to organize.

Once out onto the sand, the gladiators fell in behind Hanson. The
dwarves grew quiet. The Baron stepped to edge of his platform. "What
is the meaning of this?" cried the dwarven noble. Hanson took his
trident up and ran toward the platform, hurling the weapon with all
his might.

==[[User:.Jim|Jim]]==
===(29 December 2008)===
<pre>,.U\U,.....M,.UUH..</pre>

So unsteady was the rule of the land that no one walked the halls of
Castle Sanazar alone. It had become fashion for the lords to stab
each other in the back, or perhaps poison each other's beer steins.
Not even a squire was safe. Rumors of war spread as did the news of
Sanazar's weakness. The king called an audience of all the knights of
the realm. A quest was called for -- something to prove the kingdom's
legitimacy.

The tables of the great hall filled with mighty knights as squires
rushed back and forth filling cups. The king looked on silently
through sunken eyes, having recently lost his ability to speak. He
motioned his consort to stand forth to deliver his proclamation. She
was a handsome woman, recently bound to the king, from a kingdom far
to the north.

"The flower that is Sanazar," she said, "is wilting and sick. While
we fight amongst ourselves, hungry jackals vie for their part of the
carcass. What we need is a hero, and what better to prove a hero than
a mighty quest! Far to the east lays Forgotten Quilts, an ancient
dwarf fortress abandoned long ago. It is said that within can be
found Gilded Lunch, the golden artifact boot. Return with the boot,
and return a hero! Who will take the challenge?"

"I shall!" boomed a voice from the end of the hall.

Through the door came Bram, mighty barbarian warrior, a squire
following behind, eyes downcast. The hall erupted into Chaos. How
could this outsider be given the quest? The king's consort looked on
the barbarian, heart racing. "What makes you think you are up to the
task?" she said.

"May I know thy name Madame?" asked the barbarian.

"Scandala," said the consort, brushing a blond hair from her face.

"Lady Scandala," said Bram, "I have slain dragon, cyclops, and ogre.
There is nothing under the sky that I fear."

That same day, Bram found himself on a horse on the road to Forgotten
Quilts, his squire Dolphin on a mule trailing behind. The lords of
the realm had not taken it well. Without the Mandate of the King,
returning with the boot would be useless. Bram must die. No knight
knew this better than Crusier, cruel black night of Petoun. That very
night he left the castle with his squire, taking the fast roads to
arrive on the trail before the hero.

"Help!" cried the boy, "Oh help!"

"Don't trust it Bram," said Dolphin. "I recognize that boy, a squire
from the hall."

"A countryman in distress is just that," said the hero dismounting his
horse and drawing his sword.

As he approached, he found the boy laughing. "Let's see how fast you
can complete your quest without horses!" yelled the boy.

Bram spun around to see Crusier leap upon Dolphin and, a knife to the
boy's throat, ride away on Bram's horse. The evil squire laughed
until Bram turned and brought his sword across the boy's face, leaving
a deep gash in his cheek. "I have marked you," said the barbarian,
"for you are mine now. Lead me to your master's den. Know that if he
harms a hair on Dolphin's head, there won't be enough of you left to
fill your god forsaken tomb!"

== [[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:crash2455|crash2455]]==
===(22 June 2009)===
<pre>"@++@>>>+++@gggggggggggg"</pre>

Torin felt the prick of blade in his spine. It was his curse to guard
the gate to the lower reaches. He had been chosen because of his
great size. The dwarf’s expansive belly was enough to block the
portal by itself. You were wrong, thought Torin. Someone braver must
protect us, not a fat waste of flesh like me. Sharp claws reached out
from the gate and pulled the heavy dwarf back inside. With a whimper,
Torin disappeared into the darkness.

“Where is that ogre of a dwarf?” asked Malak the guards-dwarf.
“Captain, Torin’s late again!”

The captain set his shiny metal cap forward on his head as he
descended the stairs. Another day begins in the fortress, and with
it, another failure in discipline. The captain brought his rod down
onto the table where Malak had been munching on a chicken leg. “See
to it, dwarf!” shouted the captain. “Are you a member of the castle
guard, or aren’t you?”

Malak descended the stairs to the dungeon, axe in hand. It wasn’t
like Torin to miss a meal. Below, in the darkness, were a dozen
shining red eyes. Goblins! The guard knocked a flying blade out of
the air with the hilt of his weapon. He reached for his whistle, but
before he could put it to his lips, they were on him, clawing, biting,
evil!

== [[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.

==[[User:Kuroneko|Kuroneko]]==
===(29 October 2009)===
<pre>.,.UUOW.,</pre>

Thunder shook the crumbling shack as the old crone stirred the
steaming black cauldron. Across from her sat mighty warrior Johns,
resplendent in his shining armor. Behind and to the side squatted his
squire, Toolsman. The metal pot began to glow. Images began to form
above the bubbling stew. Fighters and monsters danced in the wispy
smoke. Toolsman gasped and took Johns’s arm. The knight lord drove
his elbow into the squire’s cheek. The warrior leaned close and
questioned the shriveled hag.

"Tell me of black knight Scroder,” commanded Johns, “as you promised to do.”

The witch woman raised her face to stare into Johns’s eyes.

“He waits for you,” she said, “in the Valley of Ultimate Despair.
You shall not live to see him though, for you are already betrayed.”

Toolsman looked fearfully to his master, but the crusader’s eyes were
ever on the crone. “It is you who betray!” shouted Johns as he seized
the old woman and forced her into the pot. Black smoke billowed forth
and the air was filled with wicked laughter. In the end only Johns
and Toolsman remained. There was no sign of the spiritual guide.

==Lord Herman==
===(Early 2009)===
<pre>=&]RR,...\@@@,.,.++++||\^^^^^</pre>

The chariot roared through the battle plain, towed by two giant black,
slathering rats and carrying the dread lord Sarumak, kingdom smasher
and orphaner of children. The dwarves held out the pikes but Sarumak
swept them aside with his cursed broadsword, Emilplec. So he reached
the gates of the dwarf fortress. The dark lord stepped down from his
chariot and surveyed the masterwork of architecture. The gates were
tall and wide, braced from behind, and no doubt rigged with dozens of
traps.

It wasn’t long before the dwarves were swept from the field. Now only
their citadel remained. Sarumak ordered his siege engines brought
forward. As they reached the wall the dwarves dropped down fiery
liquid and forced them back. The evil king was growing frustrated.
He ordered his sappers to dig under the wall. It was turning into a
long campaign, and his army of evil beasts wouldn’t hold together long
without a victory.

===(5 December 2009)===
<pre>,..,..@.@@@@@@@@@@@,.||+++++</pre>

“Eat lead goblin scum!” shouted dwarf warrior Joan as he overturned a
bucket of heavy metal blocks.

It would seem that terror would strike the hearts of dwarves like
Joan, now trapped in their fortress tomb. This was far from the
truth. Joan grew bolder the harder he was pressed. The deeper the
goblins forced their way in, the more horrible their deaths would be.
Joan’s father had devised most of the traps in the south market
burrow. A dwarf shouted in his ear and beckoned him to come off the
wall.

“The goblins have dug under the wall,” said the guard captain.

“That’s impossible,” said Joan, “The rock beneath the wall descends
into the root of the mountain. It would take hundred years to breach
that way.”

“None the less,” said the captain, “It is said that Sarumak has power
over giant moles and possesses the secret of dragon fire. We have
analyzed the threat, and there is a danger. We need an elite unit of
dwarven commandos to sally forth, determine the nature of the enemy’s
plans, and put an end to them.”

“You can count on me, Captain,” said Joan.

“Good show,” said the officer in command. “Assemble the squad before
the gate at the day’s last light.”

Torches and campfires sprang to life in the invader’s camp as the sun
sank behind the mountains. The captain passed in front of a line of a
dozen dwarves dressed in black, strapped with all manner of weapons.
They were a mixed bunch. A few were adventurers looking for glory.
Some were drunken toughs looking for a brawl. The rest were released
fresh from prison, where they were promised freedom if they fought for
the king. Joan stood at the end of the line, his right arm across his
chest.

“My axe is yours,” said Joan.

The captain looked at Joan, appraising the dwarf hero. “Keep it,” he
said. “You will surely need it before the night is through.”

The captain signaled the catapults to begin their barrage. The
raining balls of fire were just enough to distract the goblins as the
gate opened just enough to let a dozen dwarven soldiers out into the
night.

===(15 January 2010)===
<pre>[,.&]TT,..@,.</pre>

Silently the dwarves wound their way between the campfires around
which danced the goblins in their orgies of bloodlust. Ahead was the
grand tent of Sarumak, six-armed demon from the pit of Thamusula. Two
trolls guarded the entrance. Joan looked to his dwarf Hogan, a
professional soldier, just let out of prison for failing to meet a
noble’s mandate. Summoning him closer, Joan whispered his plan into
the warrior’s ear. Hogan stared into his leader’s eyes and blinked
once. They both understood the seriousness of the situation.

Hogan had been born the tallest of eight dwarven children. Freakish
in size, he was shunned by the others and spent all his spare hours in
the barracks, smashing sparring dummies. Now he stepped in front of
the enemy’s headquarters. Two giant furry trolls stared down at him.
Hogan threw down his helmet and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Where is that coward Sarumak?” he said. “Dare he come forth and face
a true opponent!”

A huge black head appeared through the opening in the tent. Its
nostrils snorted fire. Hogan’s jaw went slack and he ran for his
life. The huge six-armed demon ran after him and the trolls ran close
behinds.

===(23 April 2010)===
<pre>++@@@+@/++@||</pre>

The dwarven commandos watched as the demon ran after the intruder, the
two troll guards following soon after. Joan ordered the dwarves into
the tent. Inside, the ceiling was hung with all manner of bones and
rotting meat. Joan stared at a pyramid of severed heads and wondered
if he had known any of them. A commando took him by the arm and
pointed to the table at the center of the tent. On it were Sarumak’s
battle plans!

“Master Joan,” said a scruffy looking commando, “what do we do with
this?” In the dirty ex-prisoner’s hands lay Emilplec, the infamous
broadsword of the demon prince.

Smiling Joan snatched up the blade. He was sure to be named Champion
now. With a great sweep of his arm, Joan gathered up the battle plans
and led the dwarves on a mad dash out of the tent. All around,
goblins cried out in alarm. Halfway on the slope, a runner joined
them. It was Hogan.

“How did you fare? Where is Sarumak?” asked Joan.

Hogan breathed hard and said, “Not far behind Sir! The mission, did
we succeed?”

Joan held up the sword and smiled. Hogan looked at him, questioning.

--

Stones fell from the ceiling of the great hall as the enemy
bombardment pounded on. It had been a relentless barrage ever since
the commandos returned. The dwarf king stared out into the empty
room, deserted save for the commandos and their captain. The old king
lifted his heavily lidded eyes and spoke.

“You have news, Captain Willard?” said the king.

“We have raided the enemy camp,” said the captain.

The king raised an eyebrow. “What have you brought me?” he asked.

Joan stepped forward and threw down the blade.

“We have captured Emilplec, hated sword of the enemy!” he shouted.

“Fool!” yelled the king. “Now he will never loosen his grip on our fortress!”

===(16 September 2010)===
<pre>##||+@/&+||##</pre>

Joan hung his head, deeply shamed. He wanted nothing more than to
sink into the cracks of the mountain, never to be remembered. He had
dealt the enemy a blow so humiliating now there was no chance of
peace. A dwarf at his side rose to his feet and stepped before the
king. The rest of the commandos watched in wonder. It was tall
Hogan.

“It matters not what we do,” shouted the dwarf. “Sarumak will come
for us all the same.”

“Who is this dwarf?” asked the king.

“Hogan Longstride,” said Captain Willard from his place at the king’s
side, “a common criminal. I shall cut him down, should you wish it.”

“No,” said the king. “We will hear what this young dwarf has to say.”

Hogan took a breath and fell to his knee, holding the dread sword
Emilplec out before him.

“To stay behind these walls is to die,” said Hogan. “Sarumak would
have us driven into the Underworld, living like goblins in the grimy
dark. We must attack! Drive this sword into the demon’s black
heart.”

“Joan?” asked the king. “Do you plan to lead this attack?”

It was certain death and Joan knew it. He had seen the enemy horde up
close and there was no way to win, but with the help of this fearless
dwarf, he now had a way to restore his honor. Grinding his teeth, he
took the sword from Hogan and stood before the throne.

“I will strike the demon dead.”

Great rocks and balls of flaming matter passed each other in the sky,
arching down and smashing tall towers and the siege works below. No
one even noticed when the commandos emerged from the front gate. Joan
looked up to see Sarumak atop one of his siege towers, directing the
barrage. The dwarves fought their way to the tower, cutting through a
host of unsuspecting goblins and trolls. One by one, the dwarves were
struck down. When they reached the tower, only Joan and Hogan
remained. The tall dwarf held off a dozen enemies while Joan climbed
the wooden structure.

“Burn them!” screamed Sarumak. “Burn them all!”

The demon turned to see a dwarf behind him, holding a long curved sword.

“That is mine!” cried the demon. “Give it to me!”

With a flick of the wrist, Joan brought the sword down onto the wrist
of an outstretched hand, lobbing it off in a bloody arch. But the
demon had five more and was said to be devious. This proved not to be
the case. In his bloody rage, Sarumak threw himself onto the
outstretched sword. Joan tore the blade from Sarumak’s stomach and
severed the demon’s head.

The tower began to shift and rock. Below, the magic creatures
disappeared in clouds of dust and bursts of flame. As Joan tried to
lower himself down the side of the tower, the headless body of Sarumak
grabbed him by the wrist. Joan lifted the demon sword, but it became
glowing hot. As he dropped it, the sword disintegrated in a spark of
flame. The claw released him, and Joan found himself plunging through
the air.

Hogan caught the hero as he fell. Together they made their way
through the army of fleeing goblins, back to the fortress gate. There
they were met by much fanfare. The war was over. Joan was indeed
crowned champion, and Hogan became Captain of the Guard, replacing
Willard, now recently retired.

==Insanity Prelude==
===(1. I forgot, sometime in 2009)===
<pre>c@,.ccccccccccc@ccccc@ccc@cccccccccc</pre>
Kittens roamed through the halls, as dwarf tanner Kramer worked the
cat skins. It seemed his work would never end. The uncounted vermin
in the fortress made the cat bellies full, and they bred out of
control. Baron Zarkin issued a final order: “Suffer no cat to live.”
Death squads searched the corridors for felines, and brought the
bodies to Kramer. It was a tough job; Kramer admired cats for their
aloofness. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was cat-lord
Tainaria.

“Who are you?” asked Kramer.

“Who I am is not important,” said the beast-woman. “Don’t you feel
that what you are doing is wrong?”

“Yes,” said the dwarf, “but…”

===(2. December 10, 2009)===
<pre>cccc,c,.C@.</pre>

“Stomer,” said Tainaria, snapping her clawed fingers, “take him.”

An enormous walking cat emerged from the shadows. It was striped and
grey with a round golden belly. In its paws it held a large brown
sack. The cat people pounced on Kramer, tackling him to the ground.
They kicked and stomped him until he was knocked senseless. Tainaria
looked on as Stomer poured the dwarf into the sack.

Kramer awoke, suffocating in the damp confines of the sack that was
his prison. The sack bounced up and down as the cat ran. At last
Kramer was thrown down onto the mud. He peered out of the bag into
the nauseating sunlight. He felt a sharp kick to his ribs.

“Come out, killer!” shouted Tainaria.

The dwarf crawled out onto the mossy ground. He looked around as the
tall trees and thick green ferns.

“This is the elf forest,” said Kramer.

Stomer drew his lips back across his teeth in a grotesque mockery of a smile.

“You,” said Kramer, “you’re not going to leave me out here!?”

==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.

==Kittah_Khan==

===(12th January, 2010)===
<pre>,.,~E/~..,.@,..@g@@@</pre>

Doom approached with the morning light. At any moment, Thun expected
the elves to come along the high branch to his wooden cage. He had
been taken while drinking with his dwarves at a fortified position
along the southern front. The elves pounced on them like hungry lions
and disarmed them before they could fight back. Staring through the
bars of his cage at the ground so far below, Thun remembered how his
friends had been taken from the cage and dragged away, lost to hope.
The elves appeared before the cage bars. The door swung open and Thun
struck, spraying the air with a fine red mist.

Ninzul, he called it, the Wooden Axe of Freedom. Possessed by a
strange mood, Thun worked all night in the cage, carving the
master-work weapon from the wood of the bars with his fingernails.
With scant effort, Thun hacked his way through the elven guards. The
crazed dwarf swung from tree to tree, knocking arrows out of the air
with Ninzul. The elves close behind him. Something gave way, and
Thun looked up to see an elf cutting away his vine. Thun let out a
hoot as he plunged toward the forest floor.

“We must have him,” said the elf prince, “to lose him, after what he
has done, would disgrace us to the Forest Spirit.”

“Yes, Prince Altera,” said the elf woman.

The elf ruler called for his Jay. Two elves dragged the giant blue
bird from his pen. Altera mounted the great bird. His woman, elf
mistress Renere, leapt onto the saddle behind him. She held in her
hands Creneri, the bow of courage. Prince Altera knew there was no
hope for the dwarf but, not being the kind to leave things to chance,
he called for the chipmunk men.

Soon the tree was crawling with small, hairy creatures, vaguely humanoid.

“You will tell every animal person in the kingdom to hunt for this
dwarf,” ordered the prince. “Every needle of the forest will turn
against him.”

The heart in his chest felt as though it would beat right out of him.
His lungs burned like forge fire. He looked to his side to see a man
in green hopping along next to him. It turned to him revealing a
horribly distorted insectoid face. A grasshopper man. Thun skidded
to a halt and wielded the axe over his head.

“I yield, great warrior,” said insect in his clicking way. “I come,
show you not all creatures follow the elf prince.”

“What have you to gain from aiding my escape?” asked Thun, lowering his weapon.

“The dwarves in the south,” said the grasshopper man. “If you lead
them back this way, they will put an end to the elves?”

The dwarf looked down at his new green friend. “That,” he said, “I
promise you.”

--

Explosions rocked the southern fortifications as the giant hawks
dropped great boulders and bags of poison gas. Thun looked through a
slit in the fortress wall. The elf forest was only a ballista shot
away. Already the sky was traced with fiery shots from the siege
engines, slamming into the trees beyond. The dwarf warlord approached
the hero.

“It will take three more weeks before our fortifications are close
enough to strike the heart of the forest,” said the warlord. “I’m
told you could put an end to this contest.”

“I can lead your vanguard to the heart of the forest,” said Thun.

The dwarven leader looked at the legendary axe and back at Thun. He nodded.

The air was quiet as Thun and his dwarves approached through the tall
grass. The barrage had been called off to lure the elves into a false
sense of security. The smell was sweet with burning wood. The ground
was covered with smoldering craters where the elves had quenched the
dwarven fireballs. Further inside, the grasshopper man was waiting.

Through a dry creek the dwarves marched. They held their crossbows at
the ready. The grasshopper man signaled for them to stop. He pointed
with one of his arms. Thun saw them at once, five elves and a jaguar
man, waiting to ambush them. The dwarf did not fail to notice one of
the elf women was carrying a masterpiece bow of dwarven design.

The dwarves made their way up out of the stream bed and encircled the
elves. The jaguar man smelled them and tried to cry out but was
silenced by a dwarven bolt. Shots fired in all directions. The elves
split and fought to break away. Thun marked the elf leader’s bow and
ran after her. She turned and loosed an arrow at his face. He ducked
just in time and looked behind to see a young sapling torn in two by
the shot.

“You cannot defeat Renere,” said the elf.

Thun drew back the wooden axe and flung it at the elf’s head, but it
smashed into the tree behind her after striking off her ear.

“My ear!” cried Renere. “You will pay for this insult.”

The elf threw down the bow and yanked Ninzul out of the tree trunk.
The other dwarves filed into the clearing. Thun held up his hand.
The elf was his. Silently, the fighters circled. The dwarves never
wanted this war, just logs for the furnaces. Now, looking at this
bleeding fanatic, Thun knew that the feud could only end by final
victory.

==Angry Licker==

===(15th January, 2010)===
<pre>@@@@@@+++@/++@@@@@@@@@</pre>

The mad dwarf spun this way and that to confront his pursuers. He
held a knife, given to him by his father on his first day at the
carpentry shop. He could hear the sheriff shouting, the crowd closing
in. Tears rolled down his face. It felt good that it was over, but
all that was left was shame. Pike dwarves were filling into the room.
Soon they would subdue him, and bring him to the hammerer, to be
forged anew. He didn’t really believe that. He doubted any dwarf
did. When he went out, he wouldn’t go out like a dwarf. He would die
like an animal. A new fire glowed in his eyes. With a savage howl,
the dwarf charged.

==Flying Olm==

===(30th January, 2010)===
<pre>TTT,.""".,@@@@@,"".TTTPETTT</pre>

The elf watched from above as the dwarves passed below. One by one,
the saplings fell to the dwarven machetes. Let them come in a little
further, he thought. The bush would close in behind them, sealing
them in, away from their kins-dwarves. Then the forest would claim
them, lost forever beneath the green of the treetops. The black
panther woman drew back her teeth in a snarl. She turned her body on
the high branch to address the elf.

“Master Elekain,” it said, “we should kill them now and gnaw on their bones.”

The elf felt the hunger in his teeth. His temples pulsed with rage.
His eyes traced the dwarves’ path back to the edge of the forest. A
troop of warriors gathered there, bidding their country-dwarves
farewell. Elekain drew his blade, a dagger of hardened wood,
magically sharpened by the river pebbles of the Forest Spirit. He
pricked his fingertip and let the blood fall.

The dwarf slapped his neck with a gauntlet and pulled it back to see a
small smear of blood. He stepped out of line and scanned the
treetops, pointing his pike. Grimacing, he trotted to the front of
the column. Captain Dumple didn’t like to be bothered with useless
reports, but he had a feeling about this. He stepped up behind the
head dwarf.

“Speak, Lt. Garndel.”

Captain Dumple was twice as tall as the greatest dwarf warrior. It
was rumored that he was sired by a man. His beard was dark and thick,
his eyes fierce and flashing. He had seen a dozen battles and had
come out without a scratch. He was a harsh master but was respected
for he brought victory. Garndel swallowed his fear.

“Captain,” said Garndel, “the elves are upon us.”

==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?

==[[User:Hazmat|Hazmat]]==
===(24 April 2010)===
<pre> ||U+++WWWbbbbWb </pre>

Night, thief of all cheer. When has the sun set on a happy soul in
Bonverland? Everyone knows the terror that lurks behind every shadow,
ever since the evil knight Galrod took up residence in Highthorn
castle. Werewolves and blendecs were at his command. It was said
that only one thing could end his cursed life, the Golden Shank of
Allmine. The people wailed with misery, for the shank was said to be
in the deep dungeon of a dwarf fortress many leagues to the east. It
was a time of mass panic. That was until the hero Mandack arrived.

==[[User:Kaltor|Kaltor]]==
===(30 April 2010)===
<pre> ,E..U~~~ </pre>

Ash rained from the sky for ten years. Few were alive that could
retell the story of that dreadful day, the day the dragon came.
Through the dusty haze of the burned forest, one could often see elves
moving about, hopelessly searching the ground for seeds of the sacred
trees. Death ruled that mirthless place, and all who dwelt there did
so in mourning and at the mercy of the dragon.

It was then, ten years since the massacre, that the hero Brandish
arrived. He followed the clear stream from the mountain into the
ravaged valley. It was then that he stopped to fill his jug. He
found the stream water had a strange taste. It was not water -- it
was tears.

“What are doing in this wasted valley?” came a voice.

Brandish turn to see an elf girl, starving and covered in rags.

“I come to slay the dragon,” said the hero.

==Kaelis Ebonrai==
===(22 June 2010)===
<pre>###UH/###,.,..UH,g.gg,g.ggggg</pre>

The fierce warrior brushed the feathers out of his face as the battle
hawk circled for another dive. He slapped the neck of his winged
steed and leaned low, one hand on the reins, the other on his deadly
javelins. Since the time of the first legends, Geldrix and his men
had been bird riders. The ground rushed by as the hawk dove. The
goblins never knew what hit them. Spears fell from the sky like rain.
Talons tore and beaks pecked. Seeing the enemy commander, Geldrix
took the dagger from his teeth and launched from his saddle.

The enemy general rode proud in the saddle. His dark metal armor was
festooned with black roses. Geldrix tackled him off his horse with
the force of a meteor. Sitting astride the evil knight, Geldrix
marked the spot for the death stroke. As his knife plunged toward the
knight’s neck, a gauntlet seized him by the wrist. Geldrix smiled.
There is still some fight in this one, he thought. He flipped back
the enemy’s visor and was shocked by what he saw.

Beneath him lay by far the most beautiful woman in the world. Pain
shocked Geldrix’s system as he suffered a blow to the lower body. He
rolled to the side, his eyes shut tight in pain. He could hear the
woman knight curse him as she kicked him about the neck and head.
Others came, and he was bound. He opened his eyes and found himself
lashed to the back of a horse. There was nowhere they could take him
that the hawkmen could not find him, but would he be whole when he was
found?

===(6 September 2010)===
<pre>+u~+U++U+UUUUUU</pre>

Geldrix returned to Hawkvir half a man. Something was missing. He
moved like a shadow, avoiding the company of his fellow warriors. A
fair lass came to him, offering a cup of wine. He knocked it away,
spilling dark liquid onto the carpet of the royal hall. All went
silent as the king rose from his throne. Geldrix hid his face with
his cloak, staring at the king with a single maddened eye as he
approached. The guards opened a door and the king ushered Geldrix
outside, into a narrow passage. Once they were alone, he spoke.

“What happened to you out there?” asked the king. “What was it like
to be a prisoner of the goblins?”

“I was defeated,” said Geldrix, sobbing. “I can never be a hawk rider
again. I did not escape, as I told the others. I was traded to the
dwarves for a crate of dimple-dyed cloth.”

The king looked down on the broken man that was once captain of the
riders and shook his head slowly.

“Surely there is something you can live for,” shouted the king.
“Revenge, perhaps?”

Geldrix found it difficult to take the saddle, having spent so long on
the earth. Now in the air, he watched the trails for Zona, warrior
princess of the goblins. It was all her fault, he kept telling
himself. He would strike her down and his manhood would be restored.
His hand trembled at the reins. Memories of his time underground came
flooding back. Then his eye caught something on the road below, two
riders heading for the dark mountain.

===(26 September 2010)===
<pre>.,.".,"~~,.".,.@,.g||,.</pre>

Flying low over the road, Geldrix pulled the hood over his head. With
a double flip, he launched through the air and landed before the
riders. The two goblins sat upon their beak dogs glancing at each
other. Geldrix drew his sword and turned his head to the side,
staring out of the hood with one hateful eye. The goblins dismounted
and took up their heavy iron spiked clubs. One of the goblins stepped
forward.

“Show your face,” it said, “so we can tell tales of which mighty hero we slew.”

Geldrix’s face burned with anger and shame.

“Coward?” said the mocking goblin. “Is that it?”

At last, he could take it no more. He threw back his hood, his blond
curls blowing in the wind.

“Geldrix?” laughed the goblin. “You have a lot of nerve showing your
face around here.”

“Boo!” shouted the goblin. Overwhelmed by fear, Geldrix dropped his
sword and ran. His hawk landed before him but died instantly as a
crossbow bolt struck its eye. Geldrix collapsed onto the carcass,
openly weeping. The goblins approached, chuckling and calling out
cruel jokes. Geldrix screamed out to the heavens. He stood, ripping
out two handfuls of feathers. When the goblins reached him, he threw
the feathers in their faces and ran, to where the gods only knew.

Breaths came hot and stinging, his boots ankle deep in the forest
swamp. Geldrix felt his extreme shame. He was not a warrior, not
even a man. He was the ultimate traitor to all the hawk men, his
cowardice now a thing of legend. He planted his butt in a muddy
puddle and looked up to see a gremlin sitting on a high tree branch.

“Don’t worry, son,” said the creature. “We all have a little rabbit in us.”

==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.”

==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.

==Japa==
===(27th December, 2010)===
<pre>llllllllllllllllllll,.@,.@@@@@@@@@@@@</pre>

There was a beast called the Strangler that lived deep in the forest.
No one knew what forces woke it, but one night it scaled the walls of
the dwarf fortress with its four long arms and caught the dwarf king
as he was star gazing on the royal balcony. Without a moment’s
hesitation, the monster pitched the king over the side to meet a
violent death at the base of the mountain.

At dawn’s light the dwarves set out in search of the creature.
Captain Aliz, who had been trusted with the safeguarding of the king's
life, now sought vengeance. He lead his posse of a dozen dwarves,
with twenty gray langurs leading the way. As they entered the forest
Aliz pounded his chest and prayed the Forge Father for victory.

==Alluvian_Est-Endrati==
===(19th December, 2010)===
<pre>~~~~..pppp.,.,@,..,.,.</pre>

In the frozen wastes far to the south, the dwarves toiled to construct
a mighty fortress out of glacial ice. Beyond the frozen walls, at the
edge of the snowy island, penguin men watched with fascination. At
the center of the iceberg, an underwater volcano rooted the floating
ice in place. It had not erupted in a hundred years, but the dwarves
tested the mountain’s patience with their constant digging. Arud the
penguin man leaned toward his friend and whispered.

“I think these creatures may be more trouble than a pack of leopard
seal,” he said.

The wind blew harsh, clouding their view. A small man appeared
through the blizzard. His beard was frozen and his skin was blue with
cold. In his hand he held an iron pick. The penguin men looked at
each other and clucked. The dwarf reached them, leaned on his pick
and spoke.

“You must help us,” he said.

==[[User:Vattic|Vattic]]==
===(27th December, 2010)===
<pre>kBkBkBkBkB"",."".,\U\U\U\U</pre>

Thunder across the midnight plain. Captain Gilroy and his men had
been marching all day in the driving rain, all to bring news of the
defeat at Tradalfadad. If they did not reach the castle soon, the
king’s legions would be unready to face the enemy already at their
doorstep. Gilroy looked at the thick grass to the sides of the
trail. Something charged out of the grass behind him, knocking one of
the soldiers senseless.

“Bacabadabis!”

“Kobolds,” shouted Gilroy. “Make ready!”

The knights drew their swords as out of the grass charged a dozen
menacing beasts, kobolds on their backs. Keebis Clan, thought Gilroy,
the boar riders. The head kobold was a mean-looking creature, not
cowardly like the rest. Gilroy took aim at him and lowered his visor.
He set his leg and charged, sword raised over his head. Unflinching,
the kobold kicked the sides of his wild boar and held his spear for
the kill.

==[[User:Zai|Zai]]==
===(19 December 2010)===
<pre>,.,CT,.,.</pre>

The mining of the dwarves was as an irritating vibration in the bronze giant’s head. For five hundred years he had struck a heroic pose. Now his anger was so great, he must act. Stiffly at first, the colossus dismounted his pedestal. A jungle had grown up around his temple since he had been placed there. Where were those who worshiped at the shrine? Dead, while the dwarves lived? There would be nothing left of their mountain but rubble.

As he passed through many lands, his anger would not fade, for it was as large as he was. He did not usually care for what he stepped on, but this time was different. He stopped for a moment and looked below. Underneath his foot was a tiny speck. He pinched it up and held it before his eyes. It was a giant tortoise.

==[[User:CharlesPeter|CharlesPeter]]==
===(6 January 2011)===
<pre>UU,.~U~,.\b,.</pre>

The adventurers made their way into the hive. Long had the bee women
tormented the people of Bodarga. Bram would put an end to this
nonsense. The adventurers entered the huge structure through a large
hexagonal door. The tunnel turned and twisted at strange angles.
Everywhere was the ever-present buzzing of the enemy. Suddenly a bee
woman appeared, wielding a stinger spear. Bram let out a warrior cry
and charged at her, brandishing a sword. Suddenly his feet sank into
the floor. A honey trap!

==[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]]==
<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!”
===(6 January 2011)===

[[Category:Humor and stories]]

ASCII art reward

2011-01-07T06:39:33Z

Sowelu:

If you are sending a [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Site_support|donation]] to [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Bay12Games], you can choose to recieve an ASCII Art Reward. It is a small scene happening in the Dwarf Fortress world. If the same donator gives more than one time, it is also possible that the bits of ASCII Art follow each other and form a story.

Each piece of ASCII Art Reward belong to the donator who received it, but to appetize new potential donators, sharing them might be a good thing :

==[[User:Beefx|Beefx]]==
===(25 June 2007)===
<pre>"++@k@++"</pre>

Zolon and Morul stood near the steel cage. The brown humanoid inside sat with its hands on its knees, rocking back and forth.

"Clearly, the kobold was molded from stone." Zolon stroked his black beard. He then glanced at Morul, raising an eyebrow.

"Not so fast... the yellow eyes glow. Fire was involved." Morul was a slow thinker, but he was not easily moved.

"Stagis! Bacabadabis!" The kobold began to screech in its low tongue. Zolon and Morul observed in silence until the creature quieted down.

"Was that the wind then?" Zolon asked.

"It seems the interplay of the elements is nuanced in this one, even if the final realization is... lacking."

Morul did not disdain the beast so much that he did not feed it, now that the trapper had entrusted it into his keeping. The philosopher had left a few pieces of old venison in the cage and the creature now lifted one and inspected it. After a few sniffs, the kobold pitched it through the steel bars. The dwarves watched as the meat spun through the air and landed a few yards from the cage. When they turned back around, the kobold was inches away from them, its face pressed against the bars.

"Augis," it moaned. "Augis!" Louder and louder it wailed.

Zolon and Morul covered their ears. "And this is a tempest?" Zolon said facetiously.

"Let's adjourn until the storm passes. Perhaps we can find a meal the thing will accept." Morul turned and walked down a nearby corridor, toward the kitchen. Zolon followed close behind.

After they had left, the kobold stopped moaning and sat back on its haunches. Opening its small clawed fingers, the creature smiled. On its palm rested an iron key.

==[[User:Bombcar|Bombcar]]==
===(30 December 2007)===
<pre>++g~~U~~C+++</pre>

Goblins in tattered rags pulled the chains with speed as the whips
cracked. Slowly the gate rose revealing a grotesque creature bent on
destruction. Its three eyes bounced on their stalks as the monster
pulled itself forward on two huge, muscular arms. It came to a sudden
halt as Ameltoss the wizard stepped into its path. Though he had
raised it from a stinking poisonous egg, the wizard knew not whether
he still commanded the beast. This was the final test. He raised his
staff and commanded the monster to return to its lair. The creature's
lips peeled back to reveal ten rows of razor sharp teeth. Ameltoss
swallowed hard and shouted his command once more. Now was the moment
of truth.

===(13 April 2009)===
<pre>c+||@++c+cc+@@||,.,,.U,ggCgggT</pre>

The dwarf Frankle ran through the corridors, chasing after the many
cats that infested the fortress. He stopped when the alarm was
sounded. The captain of the guard shouted orders. The dwarves rushed
to their stations. Frankle, a reserve marks-dwarf, grabbed up a
crossbow from the arsenal and trotted up the stairs to man the
battlements. When he reached the top he saw the other marks-dwarves
standing, shocked by what they saw. Taking a deep breath, he looked
over the side.

At the fortress gate stood an enormous monster, dragging itself upon
its vicious, clawed arms. Goblins stood around it, jeering, and
hurling curses. A feeling of terror gripped Frankle’s chest. In all
his years in the service he had never fired his bow in anger, but no
bolt could take this beast down. The captain put a hand on Frankle’s
shoulder. Below, a robed man stepped out before the creature. A
fresh scar transected his missing left eye. It was the evil wizard
Ameltoss.

“Lay down your weapons and accept a swift death,” shouted the wizard.
A bolt thudded down between his feet. “Somehow I thought you’d
refuse. Release the beast!”

A troll stepped forward wielding a huge axe. With several violent
chops, the chain binding the monster's wrist was broken. The creature
surged forward. Frankle screamed in fright and fired his crossbow.
His bolt, along with a dozen others, bounced harmlessly from the
creatures hide. As the monster beat down the gate. It seemed their
was no hope. That was when champion dwarf Rokwan emerged from the
keep within the castle.

==[[User:Bott Maggot|Bott Maggot]]==
===(03 August 2007)===
<pre>+&=o=@+</pre>

"You've come, Kogan. The Lordaxe. It is said you have a mighty constitution, but can you hold your own at my table?" The demon slammed the great flagon down on to the center of the table. A few dark drops splattered on the stone and smouldered.

"I can take whatever you offer, fiend, and I'll count you a poor host if that brew there on the table doesn't move me half as much as the whiskey of my homeland."

"Ah, your homeland. It will make a fine gateway to the Underworld someday."

"I wish I could say the dwarves would enjoy making a mine of this palace, but alas, your halls reek of filth. It would be difficult to persuade them."

"Less talk, more drink. You call yourself a dwarf?"

Without another word, Kogan seized the flagon with his scarred fist. He could feel the infernal heat emanating from the brew, and the smell was appalling. Even so, he hefted the drink to his open mouth and downed it completely, setting the empty flagon on the table in triumph.

==[[User:Brownie210|Brownie210]]==
===(22 December 2008)===
<pre>+&@\O+||~~~~~~~~~</pre>
Sweat glistened on the hairy dwarf's body as he wrestled the dark lord
Slandar. Above them lay the steel orifice holding back the sea of
lava that was the last defense against the evil army, if only a dwarf
could pull the lever. The dwarf held the evil general's arm in both
hands as the fiend tried to drive his dagger through the hero's heart.

"Slandar," asked the dwarf, "when did you become so hot-headed?"

The dwarf let go of the villain's arm and pulled the lever. As the
fiend drove his blade through the laughing dwarf's heart, the gates
opened above and a torrent of lava fell from the ceiling, incinerating
them both in a cloud of steam.

==[[User:Caeonosphere|Caeonosphere]]==
===(07 January 2008)===
<pre>,.U-.,.GT.</pre>
The mighty barbarian clenched his teeth as he snapped the arrow
protruding from his chest. He laughed as he bounded through the brush
after the cowardly ambusher. Just another scar among many, proving
his manhood like all the rest. The foolish goblin archer tried to
scale a tree to lose him. Smiling with anticipation of the kill, the
barbarian took a throwing axe from his belt and hurled it at his
enemy. The blade struck the goblin in the helmet, splitting it in
two. As the stunned goblin sank to the base of the tree, the
barbarian approached him, grabbing him by the throat.

"Well, my friend," said the barbarian. "It looks as if this game has
come to an end."

==[[User:ChazFox|ChazFox]]==
===(25 October 2009)===
<pre>,.E@UU,.,</pre>

Mighty knight Dron looked on his companions with a measuring stare.
To his right was Glome, a marksdwarf most renowned, cleaning his
weapon, a blindfold across his eyes. Across from him stood the elven
warrior princess and summoner of animals, Tigotha. At his left was
Alvin, his squire. These chosen few were destined to quest across the
land in search of the evil wizard Zandore.

"The vile villain is not far off now," said Dron. "I can smell his
evil magic."

"It could be another one of his tricks," said Tigotha. "It wouldn't
be the first time you were fooled."

"Put me anywhere up to league away from evil wizard Zandore," said
marksdwarf Glome, "and the war will be over." The dwarf pulled the
trigger and his crossbow snapped with sudden force.

"Master," cried Alvin, "I see something!"

==[[User:Davion|Davion]]==
===(28 July 2008)===
<pre>bBbBbBbB####HU*########||+UU+||</pre>

The master thief leapt from the tower, the royal jewels still in his
hands. The pursuing guard ran to the side to watch in wonder as the
burglar plunged to his death. But lo, a giant hawk flew down and
plucked him out of the sky. The aging king stormed out onto the roof
of the tower, still in his bed clothes.

"Curse you Faltrix!" screamed the king as the bird flew toward the horizon.

The rogue had known the hawk since it was a hatchling. It was then he
had pulled an arrow from its wing. Thus began the most famous
partnership of the age. The hawk rider and his steed were known
throughout the land as heroes of the people, stealing from the rich
and giving to the poor.

A dark cloud rose on the horizon. The smile fell from Faltrix's lips
as the evil creatures sprung their ambush. Bat men! How had these
creatures strayed so far from the mountains? The evil beings rode
giant bats and shot poison darts from their blow guns. Faltrix
commanded his mount to dive low. Perhaps he could lose them in the
trees of the forest below.

===(28 September 2008)===
<pre>kbkkbkb,..,..HU,..*.@,...</pre>

Down, down into the forest canopy they flew. Faltrix's heart raced as
they wove through the trees, the bat men close behind. Just when he
thought he lost them, the hawk called out with a piercing cry. A net
of vines dropped from the treetops above, fouling the bird's wings.
They crashed to the forest floor with a thud and slid forward in the
dirt. Faltrix drew his sword and cut through the web. High-pitched
cackling echoed from above. Kobolds! The rogue set about cutting his
avian steed free, but the hawk did not stir from unconsciousness.

"Agron!" screamed Faltrix. "Agron!"

Black shadows dropped from vines above. The kobolds drew their jagged
blades. As they surrounded him the batmen caught up just it time to
finish him off. A dozen poison darts landed at his feet. Why didn't
they kill him?

"Agron," said the rogue, "if we get out of this, you can eat all the
giant rats you want."

The kobolds parted to reveal a short wizard in a glowing red robe, a
long hood covering his face. Faltrix lowered his blade as the
menacing figure approached. The wizard threw back his hood to reveal
the face of an evil dwarf. Faltrix threw the stolen Eye of Atheria at
his feet.

"Take the jewel," said Faltrix, "just let Agron live."

"Touching," said the dwarf, "but fear not, I will have need of the
rider and his hawk to complete the ultimate quest."

"Quest?" asked Faltrix.

==[[User:Ergot|Ergot]]==
===(14 June 2007)===
<pre>""w"w@%"w"w</pre>

Doran shifted from foot to foot as he looked from side to side. Eventually the dwarf's head dropped and he clutched his beard, his wide eyes wild, staring at the dirt. They were everywhere.

"Cave weevils. Cave weevils on my crops. My pig tails, all of my pig tails are gone. But this season will be different, mark my words, by the Lordaxe it will." The dwarf pulled a bulky glove from his belt. The knuckles were studded with iron. Doran slid the glove over his hand, his mouth twisting into a cruel smile. The farmer's eyes grew dark.

One of the foot-long insects crawled in front of the dwarf, and he hammered it into the earth with his fist, smashing the weevil until it was well-ground. "Flat. I'll pound 'em all flat. We might not have cloth this year, but we'll have plenty of meal."

==[[User:Furiousfish|Furiousfish]]==
===(14 July 2007)===
<pre>++@g####</pre>
"Tell me where the child is being taken and I'll let you live!" Kogan yelled down at the goblin, desperation marking his voice. Mul had shot this wretch in the leg, but the kidnapper had escaped. The goblin hanging by Kogan's hand over the chasm was just a bodyguard. The goblin smiled wickedly, taking delight in Kogan's distress. "Even now, your child is approaching the prison where he'll live out the next decade of his miserable life," it spat. "And then, well..." The fiend began to chuckle. "Where is the child?" Kogan asked with finality. The goblin closed its eyes and was silent. Kogan let the creature drop away into the darkness.

===(27 February 2008)===
<pre>","".g%@.",""."..</pre>
Dorol struggled against the coarse sackcloth. The darkness was total,and it smelled even more foul than his uncle's rotten-toothed whiskeybreath. He had been playing with his miniforge by the cave river when everything had gone black. Dorol had heard a commotion shortly after, followed by terrible undwarven screaming, but afterward just the soft footfalls of somebody running quickly along with the rustling of the sack. At once, whoever was carrying him stopped and let the sack drop hard on the ground. There was a rustling, and the sack opened. It was nighttime, and Dorol could see the face of his captor looking down at him. A goblin! The fiend pulled the cloth down far enough that Dorol's head stuck up out of the opening. The dwarf held tightly onto his toy, uncertain and afraid. "Here, eat this," the goblin said, holding out something. Dorol worked one of his hands out of the sack and took the offering. It wasa piece of spoiled meat, crawling with diseased larvae. The child dropped it on the ground by the sack. "Hey, that's good meat," the goblin complained, reaching down to pick it up. "The master gave it to me just for you." The goblin lowered its voice and mumbled. "I'd eat it, but he is always watching me, and he knows when I've been bad. "Now eat up," the goblin drew closer and pushed the meat into the dwarf's face. Like a true smith, the dwarven child struck, smashing the hammer of his miniforge into the goblin's eye! The goblin cringed, clutching his face. After a moment he shook his head and looked up at the sack, but the dwarf was nowhere to be seen. Filling with rage, driven by fear of his master's torments, the goblin shouted, "You can't run, you hairy snot! I'll hunt you, and I'll find you!" Snatching up the sack, the goblin ran off into the wilds.

==[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]]==
===(31 October 2008)===
<pre>.,G,@,,.</pre>

The dwarves buried Administrator Zarhan face down, so that when evil
spirits animated his soulless corpse, as surely they would, he would
dig straight down into the Underworld and away from the land of the
living. For a season after, the fortress was beset by a horrible
howling that filled the corridors. The dwarves of the fortress were
driven to near madness. Eventually the sounds faded.

It was not long after that a young engraver found a floor hatch, which
had not been there the previous night. He opened the hatch and put
his head through. Phantom arms grabbed him and pulled him inside.

"You fools didn't think I'd forget up from down did you?" hissed the
ghost of Zarhan.

==[[User:Hellzon|Hellzon]]==
===(17 December 2007)===
<pre>,.@@~~o~~~</pre>

A rock plopped into the cave river from the platform above. There
Durgal and the dwarf girl sat, above the murky waters. Durgal
explained, in great detail, his plans for the future. When the riches
of the mountain were plundered, he would diagram the plans for a
second fortress himself. How the dwarves would love him!

"But in your haste for riches," asked the girl, "would you have time
for the ones you love?"

Durgal's face became red as a cave turnip. He looked quickly away
from her and stared into the dark water. There, eyes gazed up to meet
him. Durgal reached for his axe, telling the girl to warn the others.
A pale, slimy hand reached out of the depths and pulled the creature
upward. It was an olmman!

===(3 September 2008)===
<pre>ff,@,.@,o~~~~~</pre>

"Back!" cried Durgal, "back to the hall!" The dwarf girl turned and
screamed. Two blind cave fish men blocked the way out. Durgal turned
and swung his axe at the olmman, now completely out of the water. It
deftly dodged his panicked swings. The dwarf girl screamed as the
cave fish men crawled toward her, arms outstretched, feeling their way
along the floor.

"By the power of the Lordaxe!" screamed Durgal, holding his axe aloft.
The dungeon rumbled. The sound of water crashed through the tunnel.
The fighters were swept away. The olmman grabbed Durgal's axe arm as
they were washed through the watery tunnel. The dwarf pulled a dagger
from his belt and jammed it into the monster's guts.

"Gula!" cried Durgal, bursting above the surface of the water. He
pulled the axe free of the olmman's grasp and brought the pommel down
on its head, knocking it senseless. "Gula!" he cried again. With
sudden terror, Durgal recalled where this tunnel led -- the chasm.
Only a few seconds until the ultimate terrible plunge.

"Durgal!" cried the dwarf girl, Gula. With all his strength, he
stretched to reach her in the crashing water.

==[[User:Janus|Janus]]==
===(12 October 2006)===

<pre>BgB
B@g
gBB</pre>
Beak dogs and goblins surround the adventurer! What will happen next?!

===(13 February 2007)===
<pre>gg...
.B.B=
..BB.
.%B@/
.-...</pre>
One of the five beak dogs pounced. Rogar leapt, planting a foot on the beast's head and propelling himself toward the tattoed goblin. Just as they collided, Rogar planted his dagger through the goblin's left eye. They hit the ground hard, and Rogar rolled forward to his feet, spinning to face the remaining eight opponents. The beak dog he had jumped on was still shaking its head, wincing. Behind them stood a wiry goblin with a wild mane of maroon hair, brandishing a scimitar, and a lardy goblin holding an iron-studded club.

The beak dogs charged Rogar in unison. His dagger was stuck back in the twitching goblin's face, but weaponless he stood his ground before them. The first dog to reach him received Rogar's knee under its chin, the long cruel spike at the top of the warrior's half-greave piercing the creature's throat. Two more beak dogs reached him as he twisted his leg in the air, trying to free it from his bleeding adversary. The beasts slammed into him, one getting a hold of his right arm above the elbow, the other gnashing at his face. Before it could tear his nose off, Rogar grabbed it by the neck with his left hand and held it back. The other dog sank its beak deeper into the flesh of Rogar's arm. Could this be the end?!

===(5 May 2007)===
<pre>|+@g+++</pre>

Rogar awoke in pain, his wrists in chains, his wounded arm throbbing. He opened his eyes only to be greeted by an all-encompassing darkness. This must be Shalthidon's dungeon, which meant that he was locked inside the Tower of Hate from which no man had ever returned.

A dim light flickered some distance away, and he could see the silhouetted bars of his prison. Beyond them, shadows danced, and he heard a grating sound. The bars slid aside, and the lardy goblin waddled into the chamber holding a torch.

The foul creature stood below Rogar where he hung, an idiot grin perking up the otherwise sagging jowls of its bloated face.

"The master says you are to be entertained," it croaked as it continued to smile.

"I do not desire such pleasures as Shalthidon has to offer," Rogar answered. "Be off with you. The larder has grown lonely."

"The master says you are to feel the fire," the thing chortled. The goblin lifted the torch and took a step toward Rogar.

It was enough. Rogar lashed out with his legs, hooking them around the goblin's neck. In a feat of strength that would become legend, Rogar strained against the chains on his arms, lifting the massive goblin and all its corpulence from the floor. There was a sickening crack, and the fixtures in the ceiling gave way. Rogar fell into the goblin's lardy folds, pushing away desperately until he regained his feet, ready to fight, but the goblin was already dead with a broken neck.

Fortunately, the torch had not been smothered. The warrior picked it up and held it high. There was nothing else in the cell. Aside from the chains, the torch was his only possession. Now it's the master who'll be entertained, Rogar thought, as he strode out into the passageway.

===(7 August 2007)===
<pre>@+++"E"</pre>

Rogar strode toward the great iron doors, leaving a trail of blood that was not his own. In his hand he held a scimitar and from each of his wrists the chains still hung. All of the servants of Shalthidon that lurked within the Tower of Hate were now dead, save whatever was in this room at the pinnacle of the tower. The sword he had seized from the maroon-maned goblin, who had led the goblins in the tower barracks.

The warrior pushed hard on the iron doors and they opened inward with a groan. There, surrounded by brightly colored flowers, was an elf. The sun shone down on the tower top through windows in the elegant curved ceiling. The entire room sparkled.

"Are you a prisoner here? Where is Shalthidon?" Rogar asked urgently.

The elf chuckled pleasantly. "Child, Rogar, I am Shalthidon. My parents named me Lilarilqua, but my attempts to hold the goblins under my sway with that name met with disaster. Are you cold? Let me fetch you something warm." Shalthidon fished around under a dresser and pulled out a plush cloak with lacy frills. "The material was all offered freely from the feather trees, Rogar. You don't have to worry about the animals."

Rogar was still stunned. Shalthidon, the Bringer of Ruin, murderer of his parents, lord of the evil of the creeping wastes that had engulfed half the world, was an elf. Dispelling the cloud over his mind, the warrior focused. That will only make killing him all the more satisfying, he thought. Rogar lifted his blade and advanced.

==[[User:JoystickHero|Joystick Hero]]==
===(14 September 2010)===
<pre>%W%%W% ,.,."","@@@@".,@</pre>

Fires burned on the high mountain. The wind carried the cries of the
dwarves as all they ever cared about was destroyed. But one dwarf had
not given in to despair. It was Malvedar, slayer of dragons and
veteran of a thousand famous battles. He watched the dwarf fortress
burn from his hiding place in the wooded slope. There would come a
time when the enemy was not so lucky, when his schemes failed. That
would be when they remember what they did to the dwarves this day and
would expect no mercy.

“Lord Malvedar,” said a dwarf soldier, “I think the werewolves have
caught our scent.”

The dwarf warlord nodded. Together, the ragged band of dwarven
survivors made their way down the slope. The road back to the
mountain homes was long and full of danger, but there was nowhere else
left to go. While others cried, Malvedar resisted the urge to throw
himself on the enemy. He would kill many, but not enough before he
was brought low. No. It would be a hard time, and a long time, but
he would have his satisfaction.

==[[User:Kosmos|Kosmos]]==
===(11 September 2007)===
<pre>T+TT@C +</pre>

"Twist my arm, why don't you? You louse," Doran had complained as Bomtek continued to bother him.

"Come on, Doran! It's just a bottle of whiskey. The Baron won't miss it. When you deliver his table, just take a little something for yourself. And share it with me."

Now Doran was standing in the Baron's dining room. It already had a fine granite table at its center; the noble had just wanted an obsidian corner piece as an accent. As the dwarf set the table down, Bomtek's repeated needling suggestions still echoed in his mind. It was just one bottle. There are so many in the cabinet. The Baron won't miss just one of them.

The dwarf had to pass the cabinet on the way out. With every step toward it, he felt the whiskey within calling in his heart. Doran's face flushed hot and his stomach felt as if it were being squeezed and twisted. Maybe I'll just look, he thought. Just look and go. He reached out his hand and gently opened the cabinet's door. There was only one bottle inside. Bomtek, you fool, he thought. Yet the whiskey still beckoned him forward, and he continued to gaze on the bottle in silence as it drew him ever closer.

==[[User:Laod|Laod]]==
===(15 October 2006)===

<pre>T..o..T

Trolls are playing dodgeball with a boulder! Who will win?!</pre>
--[[User:Laod|Laod]] 15 October 2006

==[[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:FFLaguna|FFLaguna]]==
===(5 May 2008)===

<pre>===UHH,...===UHH,........[===].//+//````</pre>

Merchant Prince Gramlin snorted while batting away acorn flies with
his monkey hair swatter. 'Realm of Artifice,' ha! 'Dirt Fortress,'
he named it. These pathetic dwarves scratched a hole in the earth and
produced nothing but rock toys to offer the human caravans. The
journey was long and the profits few. At last the trees cleared
revealing a low hill with a single door, the trade platform lying
before it. Gramlin looked around him. Not a dwarf was to be seen.
They were probably sleeping off a night of unrestrained debauchery.
He ordered his men to lay the goods onto the platform.

A sudden pain rocked the merchant. He looked down at his great gut
and saw a crossbow bolt protruding from his chest. As he sank to the
earth, he cursed. The dwarves had gone feral, maddened by their
pathetic conditions. The caravan was routed and fled into the woods,
leaving their precious cargo on the platform. The last thing Gramlin
saw was the face of a mad dwarf, foaming at the mouth and snarling
before it took his scalp.

==[[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.

Form 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: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:Termitehead|Termitehead]]==
===(4 November 2007)===
<pre>%,.@.""k</pre>
The mighty warrior felt the power run through his arms as he held up his fallen enemy's sword. He laughed as the body beneath him oozed the last of its life into the dirt. It hadn't even been much of a challenge. It was as if the worthless cur just gave up his life for nothing. Now all he had to do was return the villain's sword to the king and claim the reward.

On his way back to the castle the warrior swung the sword around his head, singing cheerfully as he skipped along. A small quick hand darted from the branches above and snatched the sword from his grasp. The warrior yelled and searched the trees above for a glimpse of the thief. A pair of yellow eyes stared back at him. A kobold!

==[[The Toad Preservation Society]]==

Toady One and ThreeToe are continuously working on Dwarf Fortress since 4 years ago (well, when that was that written, in early 2007). On the same Idea, the Toad Preservation Society is trying to bring a very modest but continuous support. One result of this support is that ongoing series of art rewards. Slowly a story unfolds. Of course, the main target for the donation is not to get the reward, but to show the [http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ Bay12Games] team that we love their project and value their effort. So let's consider each bit of that series as a nice present.

===(11 October 2006)===

<pre>.M.@$.</pre>

Deep in the fortress, a lava man springs an ambush on the treasurer, who is happily
counting coins. Could this be the beginning of the end?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 11 October 2006

===(12 November 2006)===
<pre>
######.....M#~~~
@..@@@......M~~~
######..M%$.#~~~
</pre>
Hammered and burnt by molten fists, the treasurer collapsed. That will teach him to
count coins near the magma flow. More lava men erupt from the magma as a fortress patrol
enters the room, one of them the treasurer's wife. Fighting back tears, she screams in
wild rage as the soldiers charge the beasts. Will vengeance prevail this terrible day?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 12 November 2006

===(5 December 2006)===

<pre>
..=# #############~~~# %
[@.#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
.=..........@.-....~~~#,
############..@%-.#~~~####
` '###########.=====........##
% #############~~~####
</pre>
Indeed, vengeance did prevail, though it was bought with the lives of soldiers.
The Axedwarf Aloran, wife of the treasurer, grieves now over the charred body of her
husband, her grief-stricken face shining red in the magma's light. Yet the lava men
were only driven forth by rumors deep within the earth, ever rumbling now, ever
approaching the lip of the glowing pit discovered by the miners not long after the
bridging of the magma. The sound reached even the heart of the fortress, where
Regukar the Mason has begun a mysterious construction. What fey mood has possessed
Regukar?! Will Aloran's mourning be troubled by even greater dangers?!

--The Toad Preservation Society, 5 December 2006

===(10 January 2007)===

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[@.#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@..........-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########..
` '###########.=====....@.&.##
% #############~~~########..
</pre>

A great crash echoed down the inward passageway.

"More beasts deeper in the mines?" said Narol fearfully, a recruit, the only member of the patrol save Aloran to survive. His right arm was burned horribly and he now held his axe in his left hand, weakly.

"Tell the Baron that lava men have entered the mines. I'll remain here." Aloran unmoving eyes stared over the bridge toward the mines. There would be no discussion. Narol stumbled up the opposite passage to the workshops.

Regukar was in the lower mason's shop, gazing into his hands, his face aglow with the light shining upward from his palms. The Baron was there as well.

"What is this? Did I not commission an obsidian throne? Why was this workshop built so near the magma flow if I'm to be seated on granite for the rest of my days?" The Baron sounded annoyed, but he was also trying to stare over Regukar's shoulder to see the treasure. The Baron reached for Regukar's wrist, and the mason turned violently and spat in the Baron's face just as Narol careened into the chamber.

"The Stout Wheels have held the bridge, but lava men are in the mines! Many are dead... Aloran is guarding the mine entrance alone..." Narol collapsed, breathing heavily.

-

Narol was gone, but Aloran did not notice. "I will kill them all," she said, and she walked down the bridge into the mines, leaving the bodies of her husband and the recruits behind. As she descended into the mines, the magma's light faded and she was engulfed by the dimness in which she had spent most of her life. Yet ahead she discerned an eerie glow. The miners had located these pits not long ago as they hunted for hematite. The lava men must be using them, accessing the mines away from the magma flow, Aloran thought, though she did not dwell on it long. Soon her mind was focused again on death.

Suddenly the light was blotted out, followed by a shaking that almost knocked Aloran from her feet. "COAH! So long I have waited for my master... only to find this sweet hairy dumpling. It must be time for the Great Feast." Aloran could discern its corpulence through the darkness. A lardy bloated creature, like those that made raids from the river, yet more grotesque, covered with translucent boils -- and many times larger. The thing croaked, "I sense... COAH! You have lost someone recently... your husband. Worry not, little dumpling! You will be reunited in my innards when I am done feeding."

Aloran did not speak. She would not entertain the creature -- she would have it dead.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 10 January 2007

===(11 February 2007)===

And it keeps going and growing !!

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[..#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@.........@-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########&.
` '###########.=====@.@@.@%&##
% #############~~~########.&
</pre>

Aloran hacked at the thing's wide belly with her battle axe. It lurched backward, avoiding the full force of the strike, and crashed into the cavern wall. Immediately, as if its lardy mass had bounced off the barrier, it leapt forward and knocked Aloran to the ground, pressing down on her shoulders with its great slimy hands. Its mouth opened, and a slick lolling tongue poured out like thick syrup and covered Aloran's face. It was going to swallow her whole! Unable to breathe, Aloran fumbled around in her boot and pulled out a small pointed hammer. Struggling to maintain consciousness, Aloran swung the hammer from her elbow. The point pierced one of the great creature's eyes, which popped and drained a viscous pus over the dwarf. The thing backed off of the warrior's body, its fat tongue dragging on the ground, leaving a broad swath of spittle. Aloran stood, breathing heavily, her axe secure in her right hand. She advanced on the retreating beast, her weapon lifted over her head. She wound further backward, then brought the axe blade around in a sweeping arc down on the bloated fiend's tongue, forking it.

Two more silhouettes appeared in the eerie glow above the beast's quivering form. As they approached, she could see they were gray and glistening, partially encased in shimmering pale shells, each walking on four stumpy legs. They look like cave oysters, Aloran thought. She raised her axe.

"Aloran!" Three recruits with swords rushed down the passageway. "The Baron sent for us. Are you all right?" Aloran did not turn to face them as the demonic oysters crawled over their bleeding companion.

--

"How dare you spit on me! You'll receive two hammerstrikes for this!" The Baron was livid. He had called for a peasant to notify reinforcements for the mines, of course, but now he was free to chastize Regukar. Narol was still only semi-conscious, resting on the floor.

"I created it! It is mine!" Regukar's eyes were glowing with a fierce light. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and held his arms close to his body, the light of his creation showing through his interlocked fingers.

"Nothing is yours! You used stone from the miners, the miners carved that stone out of the mountain, and the mountain belongs to me. Now hand the object over for inspection, and your past transgression might be forgiven." The Baron held out his hand.

Before the Baron could react, Regukar grabbed his chisel and brought it down into the Baron's forehead. The Baron crumpled, hitting the stone floor hard. Regukar chuckled and ambled off down the passageway toward the mines.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 11 February 2007

===(13 March 2007)===
Even if Toady is now deep into its work and the malor works on maps/moving armies, he took time adding a new part to these now ongoing story...

<pre>
##.##
#..=# #############~~~# %
###[..#########.%-.%.#~~~# '
...@=.@..........-....~~~#,
###############...%-.#~~~########..
` '###########.=====@.%%%-&%##
% #############~~~########..
</pre>

Aloran, still winded, faced the two oyster demons. The recruits stood by her side in a line blocking off the passageway. The beasts slid down the toad's massive body, landing before it with a splatter. The fiends moved slowly, but they had almost reached the dwarves.

Two of the recruits, Roal and Daron, cousins who had just began sparring two weeks ago, lifted their swords and assailed the creatures. Roal brought his weapon down hard on the shell of one of the beasts, but it was deflected. From the space between the shell plates, a massive slimy appendage burst forth, ringing Roal and dragging him inside. His lower body dangled from the creature. Daron grabbed his legs and pulled, but Roal would not budge. The other oyster demon raised up on its back legs and came crashing down on Daron. The dwarf's head slammed hard against the passage way and he went unconscious. Roal's legs twitched as the second demon turned back to the remaining warriors.

Aloran had regained her breath and charged with the other recruit, Nlan, a dwarf from the north burrow. The recruit stabbed at the demon's body, sinking his sword deep into its flesh, while Aloran aimed low and hacked off one of its stubby legs with her axe. As it toppled, the thing spit out a stream of goo onto Nlan's face, which began to steam. The recruit chortled and fell to the ground, unrecognizable. Aloran finished off the creature by hacking into its soft body repeatedly.

The other demon had completed its meal. Roal's lower body detached and fell to the ground, and the oyster beast let out a belching noise. Another sound emanated from its shell soon after. "I sense... loss... your husband... reunite..."

"Silence, beast," Aloran spat. "The toad made the same promise and failed to keep it. Your kind use hollow words." At that moment, the toad demon's bleeding body quivered, as if it were laughing.

The oyster spoke again. "Daron... reunite... Roal..." The slimy appendage slid out and looped around Daron's right leg. Aloran ran forward, swinging her axe down on the oozing tentacle. It was cloven asunder and fell to the tunnel floor, pouring out a thick white paste.

As the oyster backed into the toad demon's still quivering form, the entire tunnel filled with a blinding light. Aloran turned and saw the vague form of a dwarf raising its hand, from which the radiance emanated. The light faded just enough for Aloran to make out the details. It was Regukar, the mason. In his hand, he held a glowing schist mini-forge.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 13 March 2007

===(16 April 2007)===
All right, the Reward continues (this is the same story):

<pre>
@@.####
.@@++d+
@.@####
</pre>
Captain Kogan stood with his dwarves on the stone road before the great arch, beard dripping from the drizzling rain that had been falling since the early morning. No word had been sent from the Baron concerning the deep mining operation for nearly two weeks. The King had grown impatient and the Captain had been sent to investigate.

The soft patter of rain on stone was slowly drowned out by a series of whirs and chirps coming from within the fortress. It was like nothing the Captain had heard before. He had his soldiers position themselves before the entrance with the marksdwarves kneeling in front of the others. The sounds drew closer, until a small shape could be discerned emerging from the shadows beyond the archway.

It looked like a lizard, twisted into that form from rusted iron strips, but it walked on its rear legs with a jerking and uncertain gait. In the center of its head, visible through the metal frame, was a drooping lump of granite that appeared to be molded around the iron. The stone glowed with a faint red light.

The dwarves watched awe-struck as the metallic creature continued advancing until it finally stopped under the great arch. Its head swiveled back and forth, eventually settling on the group. The lizard's body grated against itself, and from somewhere within, it emitted a piercing whistle and charged.

"Fire, Bomtek! Now!" Kogan ordered.

The marksdwarf shot a bolt at the creature. It hit the granite lump, shattering it. The iron strips collapsed into a pile.

"W.. what in the name of the Lordaxe was that?" Nunon stammered. "Where are the guards?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Kogan. He walked forward and pushed the remnants of the creature about with his hammer. "Something sinister is afoot. We'll scout as far as the upper meeting hall."

Captain Kogan and his dwarves passed under the arch and disappeared into the dimly lit fortress.

--The Toad Preservation Society, 16 April 2007

===(10 May 2007)===
<pre>
##################
#++++++++++d+++++++..
####+@+O++O++O+dOd+&#
+++++@+++++++++d+++@#
####+@+O++O++O++Od++#
#++++++++++d+d++@#
##################
</pre>

"Get out of there!" Kogan screamed. It was too late. Lokar was lost. Only Bomtek, Nunon and Captain Kogan himself remained. The rest had been mauled beyond recognition by the metallic beasts. The passage to the upper hall had seemed clear, but it was a ruse. The walls had come alive. The lizards were everywhere.

Now Kogan and the others were running for lives, pursued by the iron fiends. They could outrun them if they didn't stop to fight. The dwarves were approaching the meeting hall, though Kogan held little hope for that place now. The only way out of the outpost lay behind them, through a maelstrom of metal fangs.

"The upper hall!" Kogan shouted when he spotted a light ahead. The torches were still lit? Perhaps the guards were able to stand after all! Kogan and the others ran on, the din of whirs and chirps behind them driving them forward. At last, the tired soldiers crossed under the arch and entered the upper meeting hall.

"I'm so pleased you could join us!" a voice boomed from the back of the chamber. Kogan looked out between the pillars. There on a granite throne sat a dwarf, his face twisted in madness. In his hand he held a glowing object. The stone floor before him was crawling with the metal lizards. On his right, a fire burned in the shape of a tall man, lighting the entire hall. On his left, a dwarf woman was tied, struggling against her bonds, hatred in her eyes.

"Do you like my little friends? Arshosh and I will make more, many, many more. The miniforge is all-powerful!" The crazed dwarf cackled. "With it, I enslaved the spirit of fire, bound stone and metal to my will, and soon, soon! Oh, yes. Soon I will use the power of the miniforge to create a new race of dwarves! Aloran will be the first! Then all of you will join her! And you shall call Regukar your master!"

--The Toad Preservation Society, 10 April 2007

===(June 2007)===
<pre>
##################
#+d+++++++%++++++++..
####d@dO++O++O%%O+%&#
++++d@d+++%%++++%%%%#
####d@dO+%O%+O+%O%%@#
#+d+d+%++%%%+++%@#
##################
</pre>

The soldiers had been quickly subdued, lashed to the floor by a writhing mass of metallic lizard bodies. Regukar walked slowly to the place where Aloran was restrained.

"Now, Aloran, let us begin the ritual of transformation." Regukar held the shining miniforge near to the dwarf warrior's face as she continued to strain against the ropes. The crazed mason lifted a tiny hammer and struck the minianvil once. The fires of Arshosh rose to the ceiling of the great hall and twisted around its many granite pillars. A tongue of flame engulfed the miniforge and the anvil began to glow even more brightly.

Aloran felt her skin breaking. The unbearable pain spread throughout her entire body. Metal blades tore through the flesh of her arms and legs, and she felt a force trying to subdue her will. "Regukar is your master. Regukar is your master," a voice in her mind whispered. The ropes snapped as the blood-covered blades continued to rise. The voice became louder and louder until it was all she could hear, drowning out her own screams.

Through her tears she could see Regukar had buckled over, laughing uncontrollably, and the sight filled Aloran with an all-consuming hatred. This contemptible dwarf could never be her master. The pain and the voice faded away, and her animosity began to manifest itself in the power of her limbs. The metal was part of her body now, and she felt its presence as surely as that of her own hands.

Looking up, Regukar noticed Aloran's steady gaze, and worry crossed his face. "My slave, the transformation is complete. Call me master," the mason stammered. Aloran said nothing and punched Regukar in the face with her metal-bladed fist. The knives stuck in his head, and the full weight of his dying body hung limply from Aloran's straight arm. Regukar's mangled face slid slowly backward, and free from the blades the dwarf crumpled to the floor and lay unmoving on the stones.

The tongue of flame slowly lifted the miniforge from the mason's clinging hand. As the glowing object slipped from his grasp, his raised arm fell back to the ground, and he breathed his last. The spirit of fire withdrew its flames, bringing the miniforge to the center of its translucent body. The demon turned to Aloran and faded from sight. There was a sudden crash as the metallic lizards fell to pieces.

--The Toad Preservation Society, June 2007

==TomTheHand==

===(20 February 2007)===

<pre>
..g#o@.%
</pre>

Shrolnak glared through the rusty iron bars.

"Eat yer meat, ya hairy maggot," the goblin snarled as it pushed the bowl back towards the dwarven child. "It'll make yer beard longer."

Aliz kicked the bowl away again. "I'm not eating until I get my mini-forge!" Aliz crossed his arms above his plump little belly and turned away.

"Minnn.. what's yer mini-forge?" The goblin was confused. The only toy it had ever owned was a cracked elf skull.

The dwarf child's eyes lit up. "Uncle Kogan made it! It glows in the dark!"

"Glows in the dark, eh... I'll poke around." The goblin scrambled away from the prison and disappeared around a corner. In a few minutes, it returned, its hand cupped around something that glowed purple through its bony fingers.

Aliz moved toward the bars, his wide eyes reflecting the eerie light. The goblin held its right hand through the bar and dropped the glowing object into the child's waiting palms.

"Now eat yer meat." The goblin wandered off.

Aliz was still staring into his hands. A sinister smile spread slowly over his face.

===(12 March 2007)===

<pre>
.T.g..@..
</pre>

"Where is the Soul of the Dark Power?!" Arugor was screaming now. He had fooled a dragon to obtain the wicked gem, and now it was nowhere to be found. Shrolnak groveled before him.

"Master, I.. I don't know..." Shrolnak had never truly adjusted to kneeling before the troll, but it couldn't be helped. His master had been gifted with a cunning far beyond others of his kind, and Shrolnak was powerless before him.

"Lies! Your hands still shine with its aura! Where have you hidden my treasure?"

"T.. that gem? I thought that's all it was. I... I let the dwarf child play with it."

"What?! Fool! I must reclaim it before it is too late." Arugor was bothered that Shrolnak had somehow managed to avoid the intricate traps in the Soul Chamber, but he would leave that matter alone until the gem was reclaimed.

Just as Arugor turned to leave, a plump dwarven child floated into the throne room, trailed by a billowing mist. In his hands, he clutched a deep purple gem. The hovering child had a wicked grin twisted into his bearded face. Arugor and Shrolnak shielded their faces, helpless before the radiance of the wielded Soul.

The child levitated higher, close to the ceiling, and looked down upon the quivering monsters. "With my power, I shall build the greatest mini-forge the world has ever known!" The dwarf was enveloped by the purple light and passed through the ceiling.

==[[User:Trukkle|Trukkle]]==
===(25 June 2007)===
<pre>%%@##B#</pre>
"There it goes!" Doran hollered as the bit of plump helmet sailed out into the darkness. The mason had been at the whiskey all morning, and now he was dangling his legs over the chasm with his lunch, throwing mushroom pieces to the gray fliers. One of the bats sailed silently into view and snatched the food as it fell.

"A bat's a bat, and bats like mushrooms!" Doran slurred as he took another swig from the flagon. "Let's try something a little larger."

The dwarf ripped the cap from one of his plump helmets and tossed it out into the abyss. It dropped out of view, without any sign of the fliers. Doran pouted.

Suddenly, a great shape flew up from the chasm, right by Doran's face, blowing the braids of his beard back over his shoulders. It looked like a gray flier, but many, many times larger, as large as one of the brown bears out in the forest. He watched as it disappeared off above into the distance.

Doran looked down at his lunch. "I... I guess I'll finish the rest myself."

==[[User:Xarph|Xarph]]==
===(20 February 2007)===

<pre>###=@=##</pre>

Kogan hurtled through the darkness, the two long braids of his golden beard streaming behind him. It was too much weight! The wings tied to his arms, made from stretched frogman skin and giant cave spider legs, fluttered uselessly as the chasm walls rushed by. He had been nervous the night before and, as usual, had gorged himself on plump helmet biscuits and dwarven rum. Now he was falling like a granite block. Kogan wondered if the philosophers were correct -- were these chasms actually bottomless? He would be able to survive for several days without food or alcohol. Seeing nothing but blackness below, Kogan resigned himself to the journey ahead and began to sing his favorite drinking song.

===(19 May 2007)===

<pre>*###*****##**
#*#*##*##**##
##*#*****#*##
#*#*##*##*#*#
#*#*##S##*#*#
#*#*#*#*#*#*#
#*##*###*@#*#
##**#***##*##
#*#*******#*#
*###########*</pre>

It had been two days. Kogan was dehydrated, and he had begun mumbling to himself. "Whiskey... my dear whiskey..."

Suddenly his fall was arrested by a force which seemed to hold him by the arms and legs. He still fell, but slower, and slower still, until he stopped entirely and hung in space. The dwarf tried to spin, but he was unable to move. Thick, translucent ropes held him. The reality of the situation dawned on him, and he felt sick. It was a giant web. He had been ensnared by one of the dark huntresses of the deep.

As he strained his eyes in the near-total darkness, Kogan could see her. A bloated many-legged creature, her body clear, her organs visible within. She was already moving toward Kogan, deliberately picking her way along the lines that were safe for her to grasp with her cruel claws. The creature chittered in anticipation as the dwarf struggled against the webs.

===(20 September 2007)===

<pre>*###*****##**
#*#*##*##**##
##*#*****#*##
#*#*##*##*#*#
#*#*#####*#*#
#*#*#*#*S*#*#
#*##*###*@!!!
##**#***##*##
#*#*******#*#
*###########*</pre>

The spider was upon him. With what little motion Kogan had in his arms, he tried to bring the wings between himself and the voracious beast. He flailed helplessly, marshalling a defence that would embarrass even a child of his people.

Yet the spider stopped. She looked upon him with her many emotionless eyes. The dwarf could discern nothing. The spider's head bobbed up and down slowly, and she lifted several of her legs and waved them in simple patterns above the web.

A sudden realization struck Kogan -- the spider legs in the wing frames. She thinks I'm trying to speak to her! Kogan continued to wave his arms around as best he could, and she responded in kind. Giant cave spiders are solitary creatures, Kogan thought, so it must be a mating ritual. "But giant spiders eat their mates after breeding with them," Kogan muttered in horror. "I can't think of a worse way to die!"

===(13 November 2007)===
<pre>+g++%@%%+</pre>

The movement of the spider's legs had ceased. Now she simply looked
upon Kogan with her cold, glassy eyes. Her sinews tensed -- she was
ready to pounce! To what end, none dare say, though many a gruesome
and unseemly scenario had played themselves out in the recesses of
Kogan's strained mind.

A moment passed, and the bloated thing leapt forward! As she landed
on Kogan with the full weight of her body, the dwarf felt himself tear
free, and the web and spider passed up and beyond his sight as he
plummeted downward. Oh, what happy chance is this! Kogan thought.
He was free from fear now. If his body was broken into a thousand
pieces on some protruding rock, what would matter? At least he would
no longer sire an army of evil.

Soon enough, Kogan sensed that the walls were closing in. He could
not see well enough in the oppressive darkness of this deepest part of
the earth, but he felt their nearness. The dwarf said a prayer to the
Lordaxe to grant him a swift death.

Kogan felt his bottom smack hard into a smooth slope and he slid
disoriented into a twisting tunnel. The friction burned, but his
descent was slowed, and Kogan found himself gliding down an obsidian
tube. Out of a hatch he fell, landing face first in a pile of stone
trinkets. Uninjured, but sore, the dwarf stood. It still felt as if
the air was rushing by him, but he was teetering on solid ground.

The chamber was lit by torches. It was almost cheerful. The trinkets
were all finely crafted. It wasn't dwarven work, but each object had
its own peculiar charm. Kogan picked up a slate carving. It was a
rabbit wearing a jester's hat.

"Hey oh, what are you doing in the figure room?"

Kogan looked up. A mountain gnome was peering around a doorway. Only
its tilted head was visible.

"I fell," Kogan said, indicating the hatch.

"Oh my!" the gnome said with an equal measure of elation and surprise.

"You're our first visitor in years!"

"Visitor?" Kogan asked.

"Yes, my friend! I'm Largee Pottums! Welcome to Toy Land!"

===(27 February 2008)===
<pre>+g+@+%%%%+</pre>

"Toy Land," Kogan said flatly, utterly dumbfounded. The sheer
implausibility of the situation managed to drive all feelings of
hunger and thirst from his body.

"Yes, Kogan, it's Toy Land!" Largee Pottums exclaimed, jumping out
into full view. "Where do you think all of your toys come from? Your
crafts shops? Hoy hey! That would be the day!"

"Yes, our cr... wait, how did you know my name?" Kogan scratched his head.

"Do you remember the miniforge you got when you were six?" Largee Pottums asked.

"Th.. yes," Kogan finally resolved to think a little less about his situation.

"Gnomes!" Largee Pottums said proudly. "And the toy axe you got when
you were eight?"

"That too?!" Kogan exclaimed. He had such fond memories of the axe.
He used to beat his friends with it mercilessly.

"Gnomes," Largee Pottums replied, nodding in satisfaction.

"What about the puzzle box I got when I was nine?" Kogan asked.

"That was your uncle Dorol. And you just hated it didn't you? Oh
ho!" Largee said.

"Y... yes," Kogan said, disappointed. He had hoped to have somebody
to blame after all these years. At least he could confront Dorol
should he ever return home.

"Gnomes make the best toys!" Largee concluded. "Mountain gnomes for
the dwarves, garden gnomes for the humans, and dark gnomes for the
goblins. Toys, toys and more toys!"

"Gob... what about the elves?" Kogan asked, not knowing why he cared.
Like any able-bearded dwarf, he held elves in contempt.

"The elves? Hey oh! The garden gnomes used to make their toys. But
they're so finicky! One deer bone figurine and they found us out.
Humans can appreciate a deer bone figurine. The garden gnomes are
much happier now, if I do say so myself. And I do! Oo hoo!"

Kogan grunted in affirmation. He could emphathize with the garden
gnomes. Elves were nonsensical creatures.

"Now, my friend, it's time to talk to the Boss," Largee Pottums
announced, clapping his hands.

"The Boss?" Kogan asked.

"You can't make toys without a Boss. Let's go! We haven't had a
visitor in so long, he'll be excited to see you. Oh yes he will, sure
as sweet pods!" With that, Largee Pottums skipped through the
doorway, with Kogan following after him.

===(1 July 2008)===
<pre>##################
###.........%....#
###....%.......%.#
###..............#
gg@+++g+=g%g=%/=|#</pre>

"Now tell me, Kogan," said the white-bearded gnome from his plush
gaudy chair, "why you leapt into the chasm in the first place." The
Boss's coat was nearly bursting at the buttons; the red fabric made
his belly looked like one of his puffy cheeks.

"It was my dream. I wanted to fly," Kogan said sheepishly, "like a
bat, soaring through the still air free as a spark, but my
calculations failed."

"Ho ho ho," the plump gnome merrily laughed. "What a brave dwarf you
are! Now that you're here in our secret workshop, I was concerned
about letting you return home, but perhaps you wouldn't stay up above
very long before daring the chasm again."

"The chasm... the spider..." The dwarf shuddered at the memory.

"Largee! Largee Pottums!" the Boss of Toy Land shouted. "Our friend
Kogan needs some ease for his troubled mind. Why don't you show him
around Wimble Wizzer's workshop?"

"Hoo hey! Right away!" came the familiar voice from the doorway.
Kogan bowed awkwardly to the Boss and followed Largee out of the cozy
room.

--

Kogan was awestruck. It was like a scene out of his wildest
imaginings during one of those late nights at the drawing table.
Airborne contraptions looped and soared beneath the high stone ceiling
as gears turned and wings flapped or rotated according to the whims of
a particular design. Down below, three gnomes repaired and tinkered
with the devices on creaky wooden tables.

"Wimble-wee, Wimble-woo!" Largee shouted into the workshop. "I have
a guest for you!"

One of the gnomes inside turned toward the door and smiled weakly
while shaking his head, "Largee, my boy, who ever taught you to speak
in such a manner? Surely it was a gnome no less exuberant than
yourself."

Largee presented the still-stunned Kogan to the master of the
workshop. "This is Kogan, a dwarf, as you can see (hoo-ee!), and a
fellow maker of flying machines. The Boss has sent him down here to
have a look."

"Ah? So it's to be an inspection, is it?" Wimble replied gruffly.
"Well, you won't find these topside, but we're planning to sneak a few
of the truest models in during the next festival. The timetable is a
strict one, and we're still struggling with accidents." At this,
there was the sound of metal grinding on metal above as one of the
machines lurched and crashed into a table below. "The Boss is jolly
as they come, but he is also a grueling taskmaster."

"Ho ho ho," came the laughter from the doorway. "Wimble Wizzer, you
grumpus, is that the way to greet a new worker?"

Kogan turned toward the Boss, who was now standing beside him. A new
worker? The dwarf's eyes were wider than ever, and he turned slowly
back to the workshop, wearing a smile more full of unabashed joy than
any he had worn in his entire life.

"Well, you know, Largee," the Boss said, turning to the other gnome
standing at the door. "If he wants, we could just let him go back
home, if we found a way to make him forget all about Toy Land."

"We could bonk him on the head! Hee-whoa... bonk!" Largee yelled,
snapping his hand at the wrist.

"Ho ho ho," the Boss chuckled. "Don't you remember? Sometimes you
have to bonk them again and again, and they still won't forget!"

Kogan missed all of this banter, bent over the tables as he was,
looking over the damaged machine with Wimble and the others. After a
moment, Largee and the Boss slipped out of the room, leaving the new
worker to his workshop.

The End

==[[User:Darksaiyan|Darkie]]==
===(14 September 2008)===
<pre>,.,.O@T,...</pre>

Surrounded by a troll on one side and an ogre on the other, dwarf
master Alrin knew these could be the last seconds of his life. As he
gripped the handle of his axe he recalled the teachings of Azrom, god
of war. Matters of great importance should be given the slightest
thought. It was only the minor matters that must be given the most
delicate care. So, without conscious thought, Alrin slammed his axe
handle into the ogre's toe. Swiftly, the dwarf ran between the
monster's legs and delivered a swift kick to its backside. As the
ogre toppled over, the hairy troll launched over the fallen monster
and leaped toward Alrin. As time slowed in an adrenalin rush, Alrin
readied his axe.

==[[User:Draigh|Draigh]]==
===(13 Augustus 2008)===
<pre>.@@|,-.-.kk,k,.k,.</pre>

Malgar, warrior dwarf woman, fought on against the onslaught of
kobolds, her newborn baby still strapped to her back. She lifted her
shield to block another volley of poison darts. She had been hunting,
far from the entrance of the fortress, when she stumbled upon the
skulking trash, no doubt planning a cowardly raid on the fortress
vault. She had to warn the others. With one hand she held the bugle
to her lips, while with the other she parried another deadly strike.

==[[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:ToonyMan|ToonyMan]]==
===(16 January 2009)===
<pre>DDDDDDM,..@EU@@EU@UE,.</pre>

Sword and axe clashed again and again as the fighters struggled to
best each other in mortal combat. Arrows rained down on the field of
battle as man, elf and dwarf fought at once to win the day. Randar
took up the sword for the dwarves. With his mightiness he tried to
kill Giltra of the elves, but the champion was too fast. The battle
seemed endless. Roars of terror and pain were everywhere. Just then
a squadron of dragons appeared, lead by Madnar the Evil. Could there
be any hope?

===(14 January 2010)===
<pre>DDDDM,.,.s/\@.,.E@E@E@E</pre>

The combatants turned to face the dragons as they landed. Madnar dismounted his towering red monster, followed by a short stranger, his eyes dark and shining. Randar stroked his beard as he observed the young warrior. He carried a sword of strange design. Giltra would not wait. She notched an arrow and fired before anyone could blink. The young swordsman knocked it out of the sky before it could reach Madnar’s chest.

“Fools,” chuckled the villain, “allow me to introduce Lord Strider. His powers are unmatched in this world. Now you see there can be no hope.”

Randar set his heels and charged, sword raised. Lord Strider struck a martial pose and set out to meet his dwarven adversary. As they met, the sound of steel ripping steel echoed across the battlefield. As the dust cleared, the dwarf found himself gloating in victory. Strider lay broken and sullied, his weapon shorn in two. Madnar was horrified. Had his reign of evil come to an end?

==[[User:AbuDhabi|AbuDhabi]]==
===(5 February 2009)===
<pre>CCCCCCC,.,.,.|||@+@+></pre>

Fires burned at the edge of the vast grassland, holding back the
darkness before the dwarf fortress. All night baleful howls could be
heard on the plain, undead cows brought back to life by the evil
wizard Maxelman. He had allowed the dwarves to live in his domain of
evil, if they but bestowed on him one artifact a year. Nothing,
however, could measure the greed of a dwarf. Nothing, that is, save
his thirst for strong whiskey.

A dwarf stood atop the battlement, laughing drunkenly. "Get down
Twan," whispered his fellow guardsman. "The night-wings will snatch
you off the wall!" Twan threw his stein off the wall in defiance.
Such was his vanity that he thought that they only need live through
the night. Little did he know, the dawn would never come.

===(24 February 2009)===
<pre>DgDgg%@@%@~~++++++>>>>^+^+^+^+^%%%%%@</pre>

Twan held his helmet over his eyes and screamed. Fireballs smashed
into the walls, shot from the gullets of a dozen dragons circling in
the smoke-choked sky. Marksdwarves dove from the walls and smashed
into the courtyard below. "Stand and fight!" shouted Captain Krandle.
"Fear no devil!" Twan reached the courtyard just as the gate broken
open wide. Pike-wielding goblins poured through the opening. Captain
Krandle threw his great braided beard over his shoulder and called
forth his squad of elite axe-lords, The Chosen.

Pike and axe clashed again and again as Twan crawled between the legs
of the combatants. A head dropped onto the ground before him. It was
the head of Captain Krandle. Twan pressed on. He would not be
paralyzed with fear. It seemed that the power of Maxelman knew no
bounds, but not even he could breach the inner mines. Dodging the
deadly weapons, and slithering over the bodies, Twan made his way the
center of the fortress.

A dark tunnel lay beyond the entrance to the keep. Twan danced down
the corridor in the intricate steps that avoided the complex mass of
triggers and tripwires that guarded the entrance. Inside were the
mines, stocked with enough dwarven wine to keep them in the cups for
ten years. Twan reflected for a moment on those above who had died.
It wasn't important. He was alive, and would remain so, so long as he
avoided the king and any quests he might have in store.

===(13 May 2009)===
<pre>%@/%+++@+@@@</pre>

“That blasted wizard Maxelman,” came a booming voice. "He shall not
have my artifact staff!”

Curses, thought Twan from his hiding in the cellar, the king! The
dwarf lord paced back and forth, followed by a pleading train of
aristocrats, tears of rage streaming from his eyes. The staff, the
cause of all the suffering the dwarves now endured, was only ten short
steps away. In near berserker rage, the king threw the staff down,
startling the nobles. Twan saw his chance. He shot between the
nobles and snatched up the artifact.

“Scoundrel,” roared the king, “unhand the magic staff!”

Twan leapt onto a keg, holding the staff high.

“Maxelman will burn this fortress to the ground to gain this staff,”
said the rude dwarf. “I will have this power for myself!”

The king growled, plucking the gold rings from his fingers. He hurled
them at Twan, one striking the dwarf in the teeth. “Seize him!”
shouted the besieged ruler. Twan jumped from barrel to barrel as the
purple clad nobles chased him. As he ran from the cellar he heard
king’s cry, “Guards, guards!”

In the enemy camp, the vile wizard Maxelman puzzled over his battle
plans. A dwarf fortress is always a hard nut to crack. One of his
generals, a skeletal shade from the netherworld, summoned him from his
tent. The wizard straightened his aching back, brushed his long black
beard, and stepped to the door. There, standing between two fierce
goblin guards, was Twan, holding the king’s staff.

===(29 Aug 2009)===
<pre>+U+G-@+GG+</pre>

“You bring me the staff,” said the evil sorcerer, “as a traitor to your people?”

The dwarven rogue took a step back and leveled the staff at his arch-nemesis.

“You will have the staff,” said Twan. “Have it through your black
shriveled heart!”

The dwarf pressed a secret button and a blade emerged from the end of
the staff. The wizard called on his generals. The skeletal ghoul
drew his saber and charged. Twan spun with expert skill and took out
the phantom’s knees, such was the power that the staff bestowed. Two
more undead warlords entered the tent. Twan thrust the staff at
Maxelman but a undead general threw himself in front of the blade,
impaling himself and collapsed into dust.

The legless fiend below snatched Twan’s ankles and pulled Twan to the
floor. The staff spilled onto the ground. The dwarf felt his courage
suddenly fading. The wizard snatched up the artifact and cried out
with joy. The long campaign was finally at an end. The skeleton put
its bony arm around Twan’s neck and pulled him upright. The wizard
noticed the dwarf and walked toward him, pointing the staff.

“Nice try, dwarf,” said Maxelman. “Now feel the true power of the
artifact staff!”

Twan caught the thrust between his palms. As the wizard snarled, Twan
took the staff in one hand and with several quick motions, activated
the secret switches along its length. The dwarf released the staff as
saw blades swept out of the shaft and sliced off the wizard’s hands.
Twan jammed his helmet into the skull of the phantom general and
smashed all the bones in its face.

The dwarf picked up the blood covered staff and chased the wizard from
the tent. Dozens of goblins blocked his way, but he dispatched them
with mighty slashes of his weapon. Just as he came within a spear’s
throw of his enemy, a huge dust cloud blocked his way. Wind blew down
as a giant dragon landed before the dwarf. At last, thought Twan, a
worthy opponent.

==[[User:DaWarMage|DaWarMage]]==
===(8 February 2009)===
<pre>@@@@||~3--~~U~gUGUUG~~~</pre>

Dwarves howled as the gladiators fought and bled. They were men and
goblins, imprisoned since the great siege. Now, with the promise of
freedom, they fought. Hanson knew the goblins could not be trusted,
but he had included them in an escape plan with his fellow humans out
of necessity. The dwarves had been foolish to wait so long to condemn
them. It had allowed them to organize.

Once out onto the sand, the gladiators fell in behind Hanson. The
dwarves grew quiet. The Baron stepped to edge of his platform. "What
is the meaning of this?" cried the dwarven noble. Hanson took his
trident up and ran toward the platform, hurling the weapon with all
his might.

==[[User:.Jim|Jim]]==
===(29 December 2008)===
<pre>,.U\U,.....M,.UUH..</pre>

So unsteady was the rule of the land that no one walked the halls of
Castle Sanazar alone. It had become fashion for the lords to stab
each other in the back, or perhaps poison each other's beer steins.
Not even a squire was safe. Rumors of war spread as did the news of
Sanazar's weakness. The king called an audience of all the knights of
the realm. A quest was called for -- something to prove the kingdom's
legitimacy.

The tables of the great hall filled with mighty knights as squires
rushed back and forth filling cups. The king looked on silently
through sunken eyes, having recently lost his ability to speak. He
motioned his consort to stand forth to deliver his proclamation. She
was a handsome woman, recently bound to the king, from a kingdom far
to the north.

"The flower that is Sanazar," she said, "is wilting and sick. While
we fight amongst ourselves, hungry jackals vie for their part of the
carcass. What we need is a hero, and what better to prove a hero than
a mighty quest! Far to the east lays Forgotten Quilts, an ancient
dwarf fortress abandoned long ago. It is said that within can be
found Gilded Lunch, the golden artifact boot. Return with the boot,
and return a hero! Who will take the challenge?"

"I shall!" boomed a voice from the end of the hall.

Through the door came Bram, mighty barbarian warrior, a squire
following behind, eyes downcast. The hall erupted into Chaos. How
could this outsider be given the quest? The king's consort looked on
the barbarian, heart racing. "What makes you think you are up to the
task?" she said.

"May I know thy name Madame?" asked the barbarian.

"Scandala," said the consort, brushing a blond hair from her face.

"Lady Scandala," said Bram, "I have slain dragon, cyclops, and ogre.
There is nothing under the sky that I fear."

That same day, Bram found himself on a horse on the road to Forgotten
Quilts, his squire Dolphin on a mule trailing behind. The lords of
the realm had not taken it well. Without the Mandate of the King,
returning with the boot would be useless. Bram must die. No knight
knew this better than Crusier, cruel black night of Petoun. That very
night he left the castle with his squire, taking the fast roads to
arrive on the trail before the hero.

"Help!" cried the boy, "Oh help!"

"Don't trust it Bram," said Dolphin. "I recognize that boy, a squire
from the hall."

"A countryman in distress is just that," said the hero dismounting his
horse and drawing his sword.

As he approached, he found the boy laughing. "Let's see how fast you
can complete your quest without horses!" yelled the boy.

Bram spun around to see Crusier leap upon Dolphin and, a knife to the
boy's throat, ride away on Bram's horse. The evil squire laughed
until Bram turned and brought his sword across the boy's face, leaving
a deep gash in his cheek. "I have marked you," said the barbarian,
"for you are mine now. Lead me to your master's den. Know that if he
harms a hair on Dolphin's head, there won't be enough of you left to
fill your god forsaken tomb!"

== [[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:crash2455|crash2455]]==
===(22 June 2009)===
<pre>"@++@>>>+++@gggggggggggg"</pre>

Torin felt the prick of blade in his spine. It was his curse to guard
the gate to the lower reaches. He had been chosen because of his
great size. The dwarf’s expansive belly was enough to block the
portal by itself. You were wrong, thought Torin. Someone braver must
protect us, not a fat waste of flesh like me. Sharp claws reached out
from the gate and pulled the heavy dwarf back inside. With a whimper,
Torin disappeared into the darkness.

“Where is that ogre of a dwarf?” asked Malak the guards-dwarf.
“Captain, Torin’s late again!”

The captain set his shiny metal cap forward on his head as he
descended the stairs. Another day begins in the fortress, and with
it, another failure in discipline. The captain brought his rod down
onto the table where Malak had been munching on a chicken leg. “See
to it, dwarf!” shouted the captain. “Are you a member of the castle
guard, or aren’t you?”

Malak descended the stairs to the dungeon, axe in hand. It wasn’t
like Torin to miss a meal. Below, in the darkness, were a dozen
shining red eyes. Goblins! The guard knocked a flying blade out of
the air with the hilt of his weapon. He reached for his whistle, but
before he could put it to his lips, they were on him, clawing, biting,
evil!

== [[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.

==[[User:Kuroneko|Kuroneko]]==
===(29 October 2009)===
<pre>.,.UUOW.,</pre>

Thunder shook the crumbling shack as the old crone stirred the
steaming black cauldron. Across from her sat mighty warrior Johns,
resplendent in his shining armor. Behind and to the side squatted his
squire, Toolsman. The metal pot began to glow. Images began to form
above the bubbling stew. Fighters and monsters danced in the wispy
smoke. Toolsman gasped and took Johns’s arm. The knight lord drove
his elbow into the squire’s cheek. The warrior leaned close and
questioned the shriveled hag.

"Tell me of black knight Scroder,” commanded Johns, “as you promised to do.”

The witch woman raised her face to stare into Johns’s eyes.

“He waits for you,” she said, “in the Valley of Ultimate Despair.
You shall not live to see him though, for you are already betrayed.”

Toolsman looked fearfully to his master, but the crusader’s eyes were
ever on the crone. “It is you who betray!” shouted Johns as he seized
the old woman and forced her into the pot. Black smoke billowed forth
and the air was filled with wicked laughter. In the end only Johns
and Toolsman remained. There was no sign of the spiritual guide.

==Lord Herman==
===(Early 2009)===
<pre>=&]RR,...\@@@,.,.++++||\^^^^^</pre>

The chariot roared through the battle plain, towed by two giant black,
slathering rats and carrying the dread lord Sarumak, kingdom smasher
and orphaner of children. The dwarves held out the pikes but Sarumak
swept them aside with his cursed broadsword, Emilplec. So he reached
the gates of the dwarf fortress. The dark lord stepped down from his
chariot and surveyed the masterwork of architecture. The gates were
tall and wide, braced from behind, and no doubt rigged with dozens of
traps.

It wasn’t long before the dwarves were swept from the field. Now only
their citadel remained. Sarumak ordered his siege engines brought
forward. As they reached the wall the dwarves dropped down fiery
liquid and forced them back. The evil king was growing frustrated.
He ordered his sappers to dig under the wall. It was turning into a
long campaign, and his army of evil beasts wouldn’t hold together long
without a victory.

===(5 December 2009)===
<pre>,..,..@.@@@@@@@@@@@,.||+++++</pre>

“Eat lead goblin scum!” shouted dwarf warrior Joan as he overturned a
bucket of heavy metal blocks.

It would seem that terror would strike the hearts of dwarves like
Joan, now trapped in their fortress tomb. This was far from the
truth. Joan grew bolder the harder he was pressed. The deeper the
goblins forced their way in, the more horrible their deaths would be.
Joan’s father had devised most of the traps in the south market
burrow. A dwarf shouted in his ear and beckoned him to come off the
wall.

“The goblins have dug under the wall,” said the guard captain.

“That’s impossible,” said Joan, “The rock beneath the wall descends
into the root of the mountain. It would take hundred years to breach
that way.”

“None the less,” said the captain, “It is said that Sarumak has power
over giant moles and possesses the secret of dragon fire. We have
analyzed the threat, and there is a danger. We need an elite unit of
dwarven commandos to sally forth, determine the nature of the enemy’s
plans, and put an end to them.”

“You can count on me, Captain,” said Joan.

“Good show,” said the officer in command. “Assemble the squad before
the gate at the day’s last light.”

Torches and campfires sprang to life in the invader’s camp as the sun
sank behind the mountains. The captain passed in front of a line of a
dozen dwarves dressed in black, strapped with all manner of weapons.
They were a mixed bunch. A few were adventurers looking for glory.
Some were drunken toughs looking for a brawl. The rest were released
fresh from prison, where they were promised freedom if they fought for
the king. Joan stood at the end of the line, his right arm across his
chest.

“My axe is yours,” said Joan.

The captain looked at Joan, appraising the dwarf hero. “Keep it,” he
said. “You will surely need it before the night is through.”

The captain signaled the catapults to begin their barrage. The
raining balls of fire were just enough to distract the goblins as the
gate opened just enough to let a dozen dwarven soldiers out into the
night.

===(15 January 2010)===
<pre>[,.&]TT,..@,.</pre>

Silently the dwarves wound their way between the campfires around
which danced the goblins in their orgies of bloodlust. Ahead was the
grand tent of Sarumak, six-armed demon from the pit of Thamusula. Two
trolls guarded the entrance. Joan looked to his dwarf Hogan, a
professional soldier, just let out of prison for failing to meet a
noble’s mandate. Summoning him closer, Joan whispered his plan into
the warrior’s ear. Hogan stared into his leader’s eyes and blinked
once. They both understood the seriousness of the situation.

Hogan had been born the tallest of eight dwarven children. Freakish
in size, he was shunned by the others and spent all his spare hours in
the barracks, smashing sparring dummies. Now he stepped in front of
the enemy’s headquarters. Two giant furry trolls stared down at him.
Hogan threw down his helmet and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Where is that coward Sarumak?” he said. “Dare he come forth and face
a true opponent!”

A huge black head appeared through the opening in the tent. Its
nostrils snorted fire. Hogan’s jaw went slack and he ran for his
life. The huge six-armed demon ran after him and the trolls ran close
behinds.

===(23 April 2010)===
<pre>++@@@+@/++@||</pre>

The dwarven commandos watched as the demon ran after the intruder, the
two troll guards following soon after. Joan ordered the dwarves into
the tent. Inside, the ceiling was hung with all manner of bones and
rotting meat. Joan stared at a pyramid of severed heads and wondered
if he had known any of them. A commando took him by the arm and
pointed to the table at the center of the tent. On it were Sarumak’s
battle plans!

“Master Joan,” said a scruffy looking commando, “what do we do with
this?” In the dirty ex-prisoner’s hands lay Emilplec, the infamous
broadsword of the demon prince.

Smiling Joan snatched up the blade. He was sure to be named Champion
now. With a great sweep of his arm, Joan gathered up the battle plans
and led the dwarves on a mad dash out of the tent. All around,
goblins cried out in alarm. Halfway on the slope, a runner joined
them. It was Hogan.

“How did you fare? Where is Sarumak?” asked Joan.

Hogan breathed hard and said, “Not far behind Sir! The mission, did
we succeed?”

Joan held up the sword and smiled. Hogan looked at him, questioning.

--

Stones fell from the ceiling of the great hall as the enemy
bombardment pounded on. It had been a relentless barrage ever since
the commandos returned. The dwarf king stared out into the empty
room, deserted save for the commandos and their captain. The old king
lifted his heavily lidded eyes and spoke.

“You have news, Captain Willard?” said the king.

“We have raided the enemy camp,” said the captain.

The king raised an eyebrow. “What have you brought me?” he asked.

Joan stepped forward and threw down the blade.

“We have captured Emilplec, hated sword of the enemy!” he shouted.

“Fool!” yelled the king. “Now he will never loosen his grip on our fortress!”

===(16 September 2010)===
<pre>##||+@/&+||##</pre>

Joan hung his head, deeply shamed. He wanted nothing more than to
sink into the cracks of the mountain, never to be remembered. He had
dealt the enemy a blow so humiliating now there was no chance of
peace. A dwarf at his side rose to his feet and stepped before the
king. The rest of the commandos watched in wonder. It was tall
Hogan.

“It matters not what we do,” shouted the dwarf. “Sarumak will come
for us all the same.”

“Who is this dwarf?” asked the king.

“Hogan Longstride,” said Captain Willard from his place at the king’s
side, “a common criminal. I shall cut him down, should you wish it.”

“No,” said the king. “We will hear what this young dwarf has to say.”

Hogan took a breath and fell to his knee, holding the dread sword
Emilplec out before him.

“To stay behind these walls is to die,” said Hogan. “Sarumak would
have us driven into the Underworld, living like goblins in the grimy
dark. We must attack! Drive this sword into the demon’s black
heart.”

“Joan?” asked the king. “Do you plan to lead this attack?”

It was certain death and Joan knew it. He had seen the enemy horde up
close and there was no way to win, but with the help of this fearless
dwarf, he now had a way to restore his honor. Grinding his teeth, he
took the sword from Hogan and stood before the throne.

“I will strike the demon dead.”

Great rocks and balls of flaming matter passed each other in the sky,
arching down and smashing tall towers and the siege works below. No
one even noticed when the commandos emerged from the front gate. Joan
looked up to see Sarumak atop one of his siege towers, directing the
barrage. The dwarves fought their way to the tower, cutting through a
host of unsuspecting goblins and trolls. One by one, the dwarves were
struck down. When they reached the tower, only Joan and Hogan
remained. The tall dwarf held off a dozen enemies while Joan climbed
the wooden structure.

“Burn them!” screamed Sarumak. “Burn them all!”

The demon turned to see a dwarf behind him, holding a long curved sword.

“That is mine!” cried the demon. “Give it to me!”

With a flick of the wrist, Joan brought the sword down onto the wrist
of an outstretched hand, lobbing it off in a bloody arch. But the
demon had five more and was said to be devious. This proved not to be
the case. In his bloody rage, Sarumak threw himself onto the
outstretched sword. Joan tore the blade from Sarumak’s stomach and
severed the demon’s head.

The tower began to shift and rock. Below, the magic creatures
disappeared in clouds of dust and bursts of flame. As Joan tried to
lower himself down the side of the tower, the headless body of Sarumak
grabbed him by the wrist. Joan lifted the demon sword, but it became
glowing hot. As he dropped it, the sword disintegrated in a spark of
flame. The claw released him, and Joan found himself plunging through
the air.

Hogan caught the hero as he fell. Together they made their way
through the army of fleeing goblins, back to the fortress gate. There
they were met by much fanfare. The war was over. Joan was indeed
crowned champion, and Hogan became Captain of the Guard, replacing
Willard, now recently retired.

==Insanity Prelude==
===(1. I forgot, sometime in 2009)===
<pre>c@,.ccccccccccc@ccccc@ccc@cccccccccc</pre>
Kittens roamed through the halls, as dwarf tanner Kramer worked the
cat skins. It seemed his work would never end. The uncounted vermin
in the fortress made the cat bellies full, and they bred out of
control. Baron Zarkin issued a final order: “Suffer no cat to live.”
Death squads searched the corridors for felines, and brought the
bodies to Kramer. It was a tough job; Kramer admired cats for their
aloofness. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was cat-lord
Tainaria.

“Who are you?” asked Kramer.

“Who I am is not important,” said the beast-woman. “Don’t you feel
that what you are doing is wrong?”

“Yes,” said the dwarf, “but…”

===(2. December 10, 2009)===
<pre>cccc,c,.C@.</pre>

“Stomer,” said Tainaria, snapping her clawed fingers, “take him.”

An enormous walking cat emerged from the shadows. It was striped and
grey with a round golden belly. In its paws it held a large brown
sack. The cat people pounced on Kramer, tackling him to the ground.
They kicked and stomped him until he was knocked senseless. Tainaria
looked on as Stomer poured the dwarf into the sack.

Kramer awoke, suffocating in the damp confines of the sack that was
his prison. The sack bounced up and down as the cat ran. At last
Kramer was thrown down onto the mud. He peered out of the bag into
the nauseating sunlight. He felt a sharp kick to his ribs.

“Come out, killer!” shouted Tainaria.

The dwarf crawled out onto the mossy ground. He looked around as the
tall trees and thick green ferns.

“This is the elf forest,” said Kramer.

Stomer drew his lips back across his teeth in a grotesque mockery of a smile.

“You,” said Kramer, “you’re not going to leave me out here!?”

==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.

==Kittah_Khan==

===(12th January, 2010)===
<pre>,.,~E/~..,.@,..@g@@@</pre>

Doom approached with the morning light. At any moment, Thun expected
the elves to come along the high branch to his wooden cage. He had
been taken while drinking with his dwarves at a fortified position
along the southern front. The elves pounced on them like hungry lions
and disarmed them before they could fight back. Staring through the
bars of his cage at the ground so far below, Thun remembered how his
friends had been taken from the cage and dragged away, lost to hope.
The elves appeared before the cage bars. The door swung open and Thun
struck, spraying the air with a fine red mist.

Ninzul, he called it, the Wooden Axe of Freedom. Possessed by a
strange mood, Thun worked all night in the cage, carving the
master-work weapon from the wood of the bars with his fingernails.
With scant effort, Thun hacked his way through the elven guards. The
crazed dwarf swung from tree to tree, knocking arrows out of the air
with Ninzul. The elves close behind him. Something gave way, and
Thun looked up to see an elf cutting away his vine. Thun let out a
hoot as he plunged toward the forest floor.

“We must have him,” said the elf prince, “to lose him, after what he
has done, would disgrace us to the Forest Spirit.”

“Yes, Prince Altera,” said the elf woman.

The elf ruler called for his Jay. Two elves dragged the giant blue
bird from his pen. Altera mounted the great bird. His woman, elf
mistress Renere, leapt onto the saddle behind him. She held in her
hands Creneri, the bow of courage. Prince Altera knew there was no
hope for the dwarf but, not being the kind to leave things to chance,
he called for the chipmunk men.

Soon the tree was crawling with small, hairy creatures, vaguely humanoid.

“You will tell every animal person in the kingdom to hunt for this
dwarf,” ordered the prince. “Every needle of the forest will turn
against him.”

The heart in his chest felt as though it would beat right out of him.
His lungs burned like forge fire. He looked to his side to see a man
in green hopping along next to him. It turned to him revealing a
horribly distorted insectoid face. A grasshopper man. Thun skidded
to a halt and wielded the axe over his head.

“I yield, great warrior,” said insect in his clicking way. “I come,
show you not all creatures follow the elf prince.”

“What have you to gain from aiding my escape?” asked Thun, lowering his weapon.

“The dwarves in the south,” said the grasshopper man. “If you lead
them back this way, they will put an end to the elves?”

The dwarf looked down at his new green friend. “That,” he said, “I
promise you.”

--

Explosions rocked the southern fortifications as the giant hawks
dropped great boulders and bags of poison gas. Thun looked through a
slit in the fortress wall. The elf forest was only a ballista shot
away. Already the sky was traced with fiery shots from the siege
engines, slamming into the trees beyond. The dwarf warlord approached
the hero.

“It will take three more weeks before our fortifications are close
enough to strike the heart of the forest,” said the warlord. “I’m
told you could put an end to this contest.”

“I can lead your vanguard to the heart of the forest,” said Thun.

The dwarven leader looked at the legendary axe and back at Thun. He nodded.

The air was quiet as Thun and his dwarves approached through the tall
grass. The barrage had been called off to lure the elves into a false
sense of security. The smell was sweet with burning wood. The ground
was covered with smoldering craters where the elves had quenched the
dwarven fireballs. Further inside, the grasshopper man was waiting.

Through a dry creek the dwarves marched. They held their crossbows at
the ready. The grasshopper man signaled for them to stop. He pointed
with one of his arms. Thun saw them at once, five elves and a jaguar
man, waiting to ambush them. The dwarf did not fail to notice one of
the elf women was carrying a masterpiece bow of dwarven design.

The dwarves made their way up out of the stream bed and encircled the
elves. The jaguar man smelled them and tried to cry out but was
silenced by a dwarven bolt. Shots fired in all directions. The elves
split and fought to break away. Thun marked the elf leader’s bow and
ran after her. She turned and loosed an arrow at his face. He ducked
just in time and looked behind to see a young sapling torn in two by
the shot.

“You cannot defeat Renere,” said the elf.

Thun drew back the wooden axe and flung it at the elf’s head, but it
smashed into the tree behind her after striking off her ear.

“My ear!” cried Renere. “You will pay for this insult.”

The elf threw down the bow and yanked Ninzul out of the tree trunk.
The other dwarves filed into the clearing. Thun held up his hand.
The elf was his. Silently, the fighters circled. The dwarves never
wanted this war, just logs for the furnaces. Now, looking at this
bleeding fanatic, Thun knew that the feud could only end by final
victory.

==Angry Licker==

===(15th January, 2010)===
<pre>@@@@@@+++@/++@@@@@@@@@</pre>

The mad dwarf spun this way and that to confront his pursuers. He
held a knife, given to him by his father on his first day at the
carpentry shop. He could hear the sheriff shouting, the crowd closing
in. Tears rolled down his face. It felt good that it was over, but
all that was left was shame. Pike dwarves were filling into the room.
Soon they would subdue him, and bring him to the hammerer, to be
forged anew. He didn’t really believe that. He doubted any dwarf
did. When he went out, he wouldn’t go out like a dwarf. He would die
like an animal. A new fire glowed in his eyes. With a savage howl,
the dwarf charged.

==Flying Olm==

===(30th January, 2010)===
<pre>TTT,.""".,@@@@@,"".TTTPETTT</pre>

The elf watched from above as the dwarves passed below. One by one,
the saplings fell to the dwarven machetes. Let them come in a little
further, he thought. The bush would close in behind them, sealing
them in, away from their kins-dwarves. Then the forest would claim
them, lost forever beneath the green of the treetops. The black
panther woman drew back her teeth in a snarl. She turned her body on
the high branch to address the elf.

“Master Elekain,” it said, “we should kill them now and gnaw on their bones.”

The elf felt the hunger in his teeth. His temples pulsed with rage.
His eyes traced the dwarves’ path back to the edge of the forest. A
troop of warriors gathered there, bidding their country-dwarves
farewell. Elekain drew his blade, a dagger of hardened wood,
magically sharpened by the river pebbles of the Forest Spirit. He
pricked his fingertip and let the blood fall.

The dwarf slapped his neck with a gauntlet and pulled it back to see a
small smear of blood. He stepped out of line and scanned the
treetops, pointing his pike. Grimacing, he trotted to the front of
the column. Captain Dumple didn’t like to be bothered with useless
reports, but he had a feeling about this. He stepped up behind the
head dwarf.

“Speak, Lt. Garndel.”

Captain Dumple was twice as tall as the greatest dwarf warrior. It
was rumored that he was sired by a man. His beard was dark and thick,
his eyes fierce and flashing. He had seen a dozen battles and had
come out without a scratch. He was a harsh master but was respected
for he brought victory. Garndel swallowed his fear.

“Captain,” said Garndel, “the elves are upon us.”

==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?

==[[User:Hazmat|Hazmat]]==
===(24 April 2010)===
<pre> ||U+++WWWbbbbWb </pre>

Night, thief of all cheer. When has the sun set on a happy soul in
Bonverland? Everyone knows the terror that lurks behind every shadow,
ever since the evil knight Galrod took up residence in Highthorn
castle. Werewolves and blendecs were at his command. It was said
that only one thing could end his cursed life, the Golden Shank of
Allmine. The people wailed with misery, for the shank was said to be
in the deep dungeon of a dwarf fortress many leagues to the east. It
was a time of mass panic. That was until the hero Mandack arrived.

==[[User:Kaltor|Kaltor]]==
===(30 April 2010)===
<pre> ,E..U~~~ </pre>

Ash rained from the sky for ten years. Few were alive that could
retell the story of that dreadful day, the day the dragon came.
Through the dusty haze of the burned forest, one could often see elves
moving about, hopelessly searching the ground for seeds of the sacred
trees. Death ruled that mirthless place, and all who dwelt there did
so in mourning and at the mercy of the dragon.

It was then, ten years since the massacre, that the hero Brandish
arrived. He followed the clear stream from the mountain into the
ravaged valley. It was then that he stopped to fill his jug. He
found the stream water had a strange taste. It was not water -- it
was tears.

“What are doing in this wasted valley?” came a voice.

Brandish turn to see an elf girl, starving and covered in rags.

“I come to slay the dragon,” said the hero.

==Kaelis Ebonrai==
===(22 June 2010)===
<pre>###UH/###,.,..UH,g.gg,g.ggggg</pre>

The fierce warrior brushed the feathers out of his face as the battle
hawk circled for another dive. He slapped the neck of his winged
steed and leaned low, one hand on the reins, the other on his deadly
javelins. Since the time of the first legends, Geldrix and his men
had been bird riders. The ground rushed by as the hawk dove. The
goblins never knew what hit them. Spears fell from the sky like rain.
Talons tore and beaks pecked. Seeing the enemy commander, Geldrix
took the dagger from his teeth and launched from his saddle.

The enemy general rode proud in the saddle. His dark metal armor was
festooned with black roses. Geldrix tackled him off his horse with
the force of a meteor. Sitting astride the evil knight, Geldrix
marked the spot for the death stroke. As his knife plunged toward the
knight’s neck, a gauntlet seized him by the wrist. Geldrix smiled.
There is still some fight in this one, he thought. He flipped back
the enemy’s visor and was shocked by what he saw.

Beneath him lay by far the most beautiful woman in the world. Pain
shocked Geldrix’s system as he suffered a blow to the lower body. He
rolled to the side, his eyes shut tight in pain. He could hear the
woman knight curse him as she kicked him about the neck and head.
Others came, and he was bound. He opened his eyes and found himself
lashed to the back of a horse. There was nowhere they could take him
that the hawkmen could not find him, but would he be whole when he was
found?

===(6 September 2010)===
<pre>+u~+U++U+UUUUUU</pre>

Geldrix returned to Hawkvir half a man. Something was missing. He
moved like a shadow, avoiding the company of his fellow warriors. A
fair lass came to him, offering a cup of wine. He knocked it away,
spilling dark liquid onto the carpet of the royal hall. All went
silent as the king rose from his throne. Geldrix hid his face with
his cloak, staring at the king with a single maddened eye as he
approached. The guards opened a door and the king ushered Geldrix
outside, into a narrow passage. Once they were alone, he spoke.

“What happened to you out there?” asked the king. “What was it like
to be a prisoner of the goblins?”

“I was defeated,” said Geldrix, sobbing. “I can never be a hawk rider
again. I did not escape, as I told the others. I was traded to the
dwarves for a crate of dimple-dyed cloth.”

The king looked down on the broken man that was once captain of the
riders and shook his head slowly.

“Surely there is something you can live for,” shouted the king.
“Revenge, perhaps?”

Geldrix found it difficult to take the saddle, having spent so long on
the earth. Now in the air, he watched the trails for Zona, warrior
princess of the goblins. It was all her fault, he kept telling
himself. He would strike her down and his manhood would be restored.
His hand trembled at the reins. Memories of his time underground came
flooding back. Then his eye caught something on the road below, two
riders heading for the dark mountain.

===(26 September 2010)===
<pre>.,.".,"~~,.".,.@,.g||,.</pre>

Flying low over the road, Geldrix pulled the hood over his head. With
a double flip, he launched through the air and landed before the
riders. The two goblins sat upon their beak dogs glancing at each
other. Geldrix drew his sword and turned his head to the side,
staring out of the hood with one hateful eye. The goblins dismounted
and took up their heavy iron spiked clubs. One of the goblins stepped
forward.

“Show your face,” it said, “so we can tell tales of which mighty hero we slew.”

Geldrix’s face burned with anger and shame.

“Coward?” said the mocking goblin. “Is that it?”

At last, he could take it no more. He threw back his hood, his blond
curls blowing in the wind.

“Geldrix?” laughed the goblin. “You have a lot of nerve showing your
face around here.”

“Boo!” shouted the goblin. Overwhelmed by fear, Geldrix dropped his
sword and ran. His hawk landed before him but died instantly as a
crossbow bolt struck its eye. Geldrix collapsed onto the carcass,
openly weeping. The goblins approached, chuckling and calling out
cruel jokes. Geldrix screamed out to the heavens. He stood, ripping
out two handfuls of feathers. When the goblins reached him, he threw
the feathers in their faces and ran, to where the gods only knew.

Breaths came hot and stinging, his boots ankle deep in the forest
swamp. Geldrix felt his extreme shame. He was not a warrior, not
even a man. He was the ultimate traitor to all the hawk men, his
cowardice now a thing of legend. He planted his butt in a muddy
puddle and looked up to see a gremlin sitting on a high tree branch.

“Don’t worry, son,” said the creature. “We all have a little rabbit in us.”

==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.”

==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.

==Japa==
===(27th December, 2010)===
<pre>llllllllllllllllllll,.@,.@@@@@@@@@@@@</pre>

There was a beast called the Strangler that lived deep in the forest.
No one knew what forces woke it, but one night it scaled the walls of
the dwarf fortress with its four long arms and caught the dwarf king
as he was star gazing on the royal balcony. Without a moment’s
hesitation, the monster pitched the king over the side to meet a
violent death at the base of the mountain.

At dawn’s light the dwarves set out in search of the creature.
Captain Aliz, who had been trusted with the safeguarding of the king's
life, now sought vengeance. He lead his posse of a dozen dwarves,
with twenty gray langurs leading the way. As they entered the forest
Aliz pounded his chest and prayed the Forge Father for victory.

==Alluvian_Est-Endrati==
===(19th December, 2010)===
<pre>~~~~..pppp.,.,@,..,.,.</pre>

In the frozen wastes far to the south, the dwarves toiled to construct
a mighty fortress out of glacial ice. Beyond the frozen walls, at the
edge of the snowy island, penguin men watched with fascination. At
the center of the iceberg, an underwater volcano rooted the floating
ice in place. It had not erupted in a hundred years, but the dwarves
tested the mountain’s patience with their constant digging. Arud the
penguin man leaned toward his friend and whispered.

“I think these creatures may be more trouble than a pack of leopard
seal,” he said.

The wind blew harsh, clouding their view. A small man appeared
through the blizzard. His beard was frozen and his skin was blue with
cold. In his hand he held an iron pick. The penguin men looked at
each other and clucked. The dwarf reached them, leaned on his pick
and spoke.

“You must help us,” he said.

==[[User:Vattic|Vattic]]==
===(27th December, 2010)===
<pre>kBkBkBkBkB"",."".,\U\U\U\U</pre>

Thunder across the midnight plain. Captain Gilroy and his men had
been marching all day in the driving rain, all to bring news of the
defeat at Tradalfadad. If they did not reach the castle soon, the
king’s legions would be unready to face the enemy already at their
doorstep. Gilroy looked at the thick grass to the sides of the
trail. Something charged out of the grass behind him, knocking one of
the soldiers senseless.

“Bacabadabis!”

“Kobolds,” shouted Gilroy. “Make ready!”

The knights drew their swords as out of the grass charged a dozen
menacing beasts, kobolds on their backs. Keebis Clan, thought Gilroy,
the boar riders. The head kobold was a mean-looking creature, not
cowardly like the rest. Gilroy took aim at him and lowered his visor.
He set his leg and charged, sword raised over his head. Unflinching,
the kobold kicked the sides of his wild boar and held his spear for
the kill.

==[[User:Zai|Zai]]==
===(19 December 2010)===
<pre>,.,CT,.,.</pre>

The mining of the dwarves was as an irritating vibration in the bronze giant’s head. For five hundred years he had struck a heroic pose. Now his anger was so great, he must act. Stiffly at first, the colossus dismounted his pedestal. A jungle had grown up around his temple since he had been placed there. Where were those who worshiped at the shrine? Dead, while the dwarves lived? There would be nothing left of their mountain but rubble.

As he passed through many lands, his anger would not fade, for it was as large as he was. He did not usually care for what he stepped on, but this time was different. He stopped for a moment and looked below. Underneath his foot was a tiny speck. He pinched it up and held it before his eyes. It was a giant tortoise.

==[[User:CharlesPeter|CharlesPeter]]==
===(6 January 2011)===
<pre>UU,.~U~,.\b,.</pre>

The adventurers made their way into the hive. Long had the bee women
tormented the people of Bodarga. Bram would put an end to this
nonsense. The adventurers entered the huge structure through a large
hexagonal door. The tunnel turned and twisted at strange angles.
Everywhere was the ever-present buzzing of the enemy. Suddenly a bee
woman appeared, wielding a stinger spear. Bram let out a warrior cry
and charged at her, brandishing a sword. Suddenly his feet sank into
the floor. A honey trap!

==[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]]==
ccccc,.,.||,.,@,.,.@,..c||sssss||

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!”
===(6 January 2011)===

[[Category:Humor and stories]]

v0.31 Talk:Multiply value

2010-04-28T06:28:42Z

Sowelu: Need to work out modvalue/multiply_value redirection

== Quality ==
Sorry for the very poor-quality edit. I know it doesn't conform to wiki standards, but I wanted to pull those values out of the raws, and figured I might as well put them on the wiki for everyone to get at 'em. They are exhaustive, even if the page is in the wrong place and stuff. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 08:55, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
:I actually think this is really good, good job. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 13:36, 25 April 2010 (UTC)
::We need to move it to multiply_value though. It has the same function as modvalue did, but now it has a different name. I have NO idea what the proper code or policy to handle that is. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 06:28, 28 April 2010 (UTC)

v0.31 Talk:Multiply value

2010-04-25T08:55:38Z

Sowelu: Created page with 'Sorry for the very poor-quality edit. I know it doesn't conform to wiki standards, but I wanted to pull those values out of the raws, and figured I might as well put them on the…'

Sorry for the very poor-quality edit. I know it doesn't conform to wiki standards, but I wanted to pull those values out of the raws, and figured I might as well put them on the wiki for everyone to get at 'em. They are exhaustive, even if the page is in the wrong place and stuff. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 08:55, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

v0.31:Multiply value

2010-04-25T08:54:40Z

Sowelu:

{{av}}{{elven}}
This should be moved to multiply_value, because that's what it is in DF2010.

An animal's ''multiply_value'' affects the {{L|item value|value}} of animal products such as meat, raw hides, silk thread, and anything made from these raw materials, including leather or silk clothing. While it's possible for multiply_value to apply to only specific parts of a creature, all non-modded creatures have use SELECT_MATERIAL:ALL, so all parts of the animal are multiplied.

{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! Modvalue
! Animal names
|-
|x15||[[Dragon]]
|-
|x10||[[Hydra]]
|-
|x5||[[Elephant]], [[Sea serpent]], [[Sea monster]]
|-
|x4||[[Giant eagle]], [[Voracious cave crawler]], [[Jabberer]], [[Cave dragon]], [[Giant lion]], [[Giant leopard]], [[Giant jaguar]], [[Giant tiger]], [[Giant cheetah]], [[Giant desert scorpion]], [[Unicorn]], [[Cave crocodile]], [[Giant toad]], [[Giant olm]], [[Giant bat]], [[Giant cave spider]]
|-
|x3||[[Grizzly bear]], [[Alligator]], [[Lion]], [[Leopard]], [[Jaguar]], [[Tiger]], [[Cheetah]], [[Saltwater crocodile]], [[Polar bear]], [[Elk bird]], [[Green devourer]], [[Rutherer]], [[Draltha]], [[Blind cave bear]], [[Yeti]], [[Sasquatch]], [[Fire imp]]
|-
|x2||[[Black bear]], [[Cougar]], [[Wolf]], [[Musk ox]], [[Elk]], [[Magma crab]], [[Helmet snake]], [[Giant earthworm]], [[Molemarian]], [[Ice wolf]], [[Beak dog]], [[Strangler]], [[Giant rat]], [[Giant mole]], [[Purring maggot]], [[Giant cave swallow]]
|}

40d Talk:Dwarven economy

2008-11-27T07:22:05Z

Sowelu: Effect of turning it on, once it's off?

1) Wages paid --- dwarves gain credit for tasks completed. Credit is either maintained or transferred into physical value when the dwarf in question claims coins.

2) Rent --- bedrooms have a rent assigned to them based on their room value. The rent schedule is unknown. How the dwarves physically pay the rent is unknown. If a dwarf cannot pay the rent an eviction notice is placed on the room. The specifics of eviction are unknown. Dwarves that cannot afford one of the available bedrooms will sleep in available barracks.

3) Shops --- Once the economy begins, shops may be constructed. There are several types of shops - clothing, general goods, exotic clothing and possibly others. A type of shop may not be specified; it seems to be selected randomly. Shops have an associated cost, which is assumed to be paid by the dwarf that takes control of the shop. Once a shop is owned, items will be moved to the shop corresponding to which type of shop it is. Dwarves then may buy items for the shop, presumably using the same credit system that may or may not correspond to actual physical coins.

4) Item cost - all physical items are given a cost, whether for sale or in a shop. It is unknown if dwarves pay a cost for an item picked up that was not for sale in a shop.

also - kids have combined wealth of their parents, which can lead to paris hilton-syndrome in DF - children with wealth of several thousand buying out the noble/admin rooms and owning shops filled with =giant cave spider silk dress= --[[User:Frostedfire|Frostedfire]] 04:07, 20 November 2007 (EST)

----

It seems that the dwarven economy is now triggered by the coming of a Baron /Baroness. I haven't seen it for myself but it's what I gather from the forums. There also seems to be a bug where all coins minted appear as the same coin type (e.g., copper, silver, and gold coins all appearing as silver) on the economy window. --[[User:Keizo|Keizo]]

Just got the dwarven economy started for the first time. The game is a bit tricky to play in wine. ^^;;. Anyway, since there isn't any page here yet, I'm sort of lost, so I've added what I already know so other folks will be at least a *little* less lost :-P

Typically a page will be expanded a lot more quickly if you actually already have some content on it,.Please expand! --[[User:Kim Bruning|Kim Bruning]] 19:48, 1 December 2007 (EST)

None of my legendary dwarves have an account in their status screen.
Does this mean that they are exempt from prices or something?--[[User:Pigbuster|Pigbuster]]
:They always have been.--[[User:Heliopios|Heliopios]] 01:05, 6 December 2007 (EST)

== Wages ==

What is the deal with "- haulage being a major exception - "? Last time I checked there were some wages for item hauling, furniture hauling, food hauling,... on the in-game {{key|j}}{{key|m}}{{key|w}} wages info page. Of course a dwarf can spend a month hauling a rock to a stockpile and get his 1* for it, but a job of taking food from a stockpile and relocating it to an adjacent stockpile can yield a dwarf dozens of * in quite small period of time. Place 10-20 medium sized stockpiles accepting all furniture in a line and set them to take from each other in chain so that the first small stockpile is the closest to your workshops and your last large main furniture stockpile is the closest to your currently furnishing rooms. Watch your haulers' bank accounts sky-rocket.--[[User:Another|Another]] 05:24, 10 January 2008 (EST)

Who and whern/how can change wages percentage on first "Wages" screen? It's always 100% for me--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 06:53, 14 February 2008 (EST)
:one of the nobles can, but rarely does so (bookkeeper?)

== Soldiers ==
Will the soldiers pay for getting armor or weapons?--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 05:10, 11 January 2008 (EST)
:No, they don't own them.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 18:11, 11 January 2008 (EST)

== No Coin Economy==

How does an economy work without any coins? Do they use pretend money or something?
:Every dfwarf starts an account in DwarfEcoBanc, and is always carrying his/her credit card. But if you will be stupid enough to give them money (like I did last time), they would prefer to use money instead of card. In case you don't get it: you don't want them to use money, really.--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 23:59, 21 January 2008 (EST)

== How is this a feature? ==
I dig the realism and all, but the only effect the economy has had on my fortress is that my hard working dwarves now can't afford the rooms they've been sleeping in for the past ten years, while my nobles and champions (junta?) live in solid gold mansions. I went straight to the .ini and turned economy off. [[User:Ripheus|Ripheus]] 18:49, 6 March 2008 (EST)
:Yeah, well, the pricing of those rooms doesn't work by supply and demand for some reason, they have fixed cost. But still I kind of like the idea of an economy, and it seems a bit odd to "strongly recommend" that you shouldn't mint coins etc. I haven't even seen them hauling any of those coins. --[[User:Magirot|Magirot]] 09:18, 29 March 2008 (EDT)

It's ironic that without coins, the economy actives better. Kinda like using credit cards instead of coins (Maybe a hint to the government to stop making coins?!) --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 04:17, 9 June 2008 (EDT)

== Economy Trigger(s) ==
We know what triggers the economy, but what does having an active economy trigger? The most obvious is nobles, but there are a couple other things I've noticed. First, whether it's related to the economy or not, my only fortress that's ever been under siege has had an active economy, while my others that only get random goblin attacks did not. Likewise that fortress is my only fortress that has gotten megabeast attacks. It may or may not be related, as most of my fortresses before it didn't get as big as it is. (80 or so highest vs 110) --[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 22:09, 21 April 2008 (EDT)
:Both of sieges in my current fortress (40c) were prior to the economy starting, so I don't think the economy is causal. I think it has to do with population and wealth. More dwarves attract more attention and the pickings are better with more wealth. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 12:02, 8 September 2008 (EDT)

== Starving ==
"Dwarves will not starve because they cannot buy food; they just choose whatever's cheapest." - Is this true? It seems that dwarves whitout money die from either hunger or thirst. --[[User:Mizipzor|Mizipzor]] 14:16, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

:I do believe eg plump helmets are 1* per unit, they only need to move a couple rocks ;) --[[User:Frostedfire|Frostedfire]] 10:30, 20 June 2008 (EDT)

== Setting economy to NO (ini file) stop immigration ? ==

Hello, because I really dont like economy (I want to assign bed manually !), I've desactivated it in the .ini files... but now, I haven't receive any migrants for 2 years, and my population is slowly reducing 'cause of the accidentals death.
Anyone know if desactiving the economy (just before the arrival of the baron which trigger economy) also desactive immigration ?

Again, sorry for my imperfect english. [[User:Timst|Timst]] 08:59, 26 April 2008 (EDT)
:caravan reports summon migrants, large numbers of deaths or lack of wealth stop it

== Childrens' accounts ==

"Normal" children are really wealthy - they sleep in rooms for nobles, eat roasts and buy golden things. I heard that they have combined wealth of their both parents. It's pretty crazy.
On the other hand noble children... My baroness has a son, who has 3 (yes, 3) monies on his account...
Isn't it really strange? --[[User:Someone-else|Someone-else]] 06:52, 6 May 2008 (EDT)
:His parents has no money, really. So, he has only three pennies he got hardworking in the fields, harvesting...--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 05:04, 16 June 2008 (EDT)

== Necessary for nobles? ==

It's currently not very clear whether or not the economy needs to be enabled in order for nobles to continue arriving. For instance, the hammerer, barons, etc. Is there any confirmed knowledge of which nobles will or won't come depending on whether or not the economy is enabled in the init file? [[User:G-Flex|G-Flex]] 22:09, 6 June 2008 (EDT)

:All right, a friend of mine just confirmed through play that such nobles, even the tax collector, will still come even with the economy disabled. He's got a count (and consort), hammerer, tax collector, dungeon master, and philosopher (at least those are the ones I know of). [[User:G-Flex|G-Flex]] 04:25, 16 June 2008 (EDT)

== Effects of turning it off, once it's on? ==

Changing ECONOMY to NO in the init.txt file after the economy has kicked in doesn't seem to keep dwarves from spending already-earned credit at shops. (I haven't seen them paying for drink, so it may be that food and drink are now free; I'm not sure, though, because I haven't yet watched them pay for drinks while the economy is turned on, so I don't know when that happens.) --[[User:Sev|Sev]] 17:00, 28 August 2008 (EDT)

== Effect of turning it on, once it's off? ==

If you turn the economy off and get the tax collector, baron, etc... what happens when you turn it back on? Does the economy start back up, or do you only get one shot at it? I don't think I want the economy but if I miss the opportunity to ever turn it on, then it becomes a tough choice. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 02:22, 27 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Hammerer

2008-11-27T07:19:59Z

Sowelu:

I saw it mentioned somewhere - on either the bay12 forums or elsewhere on this wiki - that if you strip a Hammerer of his hammer (mark it for dumping), he'll not pick up another one, and will 'hammer' people unarmed instead. Certainly this seems to be working for me so far; out of two prescribed 'hammerings' I've had one Carpenter come out with a bruised lower spine, and a Swordsdwarf come out unscathed (likely thanks to his chainmail). Not yet any skill in wrestling for the Hammerer either (not even dabbling). -- [[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 13:56, 7 April 2008 (EDT)

:Nice find, why not add that to the article?--[[User:Richards|Richards]] 03:00, 21 April 2008 (EDT)

:: You can prevent hammerer-related deaths entirely by trapping the hammerer in a cage trap. You will need to arrange some way, such as sleep or giant cave spider, for the hammerer to become unconscious and fall down on a cage trap tile. -- [[User:Rkyeun|Rkyeun]] 17:18, 23 October 2008 (EDT)

:I also remember seeing horror stories from the 2D version where, if the Hammerer lost both his arms, he would BITE people as punishment. And tear their heads off with his jaws, walking around with dwarf chunks in his mouth. A hammerer with no arms is way more dangerous than you might think; if he loses his arms, make sure he loses his head too! --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 02:19, 27 November 2008 (EST)

==Arrives with Baron==
Can anyone verify this?--[[User:Richards|Richards]] 03:00, 21 April 2008 (EDT)
:I've had this happen recently; that is, the hammerer and baron arriving together. I've only had a baron arrive once, however, so this is hardly conclusive. Also this baron promptly ruined the fort with his 'economy' and 'coin' and other seditious ideas, but that's beside the point.--[[User:Dadamh|Dadamh]] 14:59, 30 May 2008 (EDT)

== Finished off a goblin invader ==

Just fended off my second invasion of goblins first with trolls.(I love cage traps)
He killed off a goblin with heavy injuries from the stone traps bare-handed as I dumped his hammer. I'd like to give him a hammer (a weak one) for effort :) My point is that he'll help fighting.--[[User:Seaneat|Seaneat]] 18:18, 2 July 2008 (EDT)

40d Talk:Armor

2008-11-27T06:04:29Z

Sowelu: Over Under Armor Cover

==Boots==
Corrected the matter with low and high boots. If you look at the raws you can see that the armor level of both boot types are the same and thus they can both be used as chain and plate armor. My games have proved this to me. Only real difference between the two boot types is that the high boot is heavier and protects more of the body than just the feet. [[User:Noctis|Noctis]] 05:18, 22 December 2007 (EST)

==clothes layers==
Does anyone know the rules of where you can wear each piece of armor? For example, can you wear a high boot and leggings? or only low boots with leggings? Do you need to make two boots? --[[User:Mitchy|Mitchy]] 20:30, 9 November 2007 (EST)

: You can wear high boots with leggings. Leggings and high boots have different layers. --[[User:JT|JT]] 17:15, 11 November 2007 (EST)

On a similar note, what's the difference between steel leggings and steel greaves? I would've thought leggings would cover below the knee as well. Do I need both to provide maximum Xtreme protection? [[User:Runspotrun|Runspotrun]] 15:17, 18 November 2007 (EST)

: As far as I can tell, greaves are the Plate class upgrade to leggings, which are Chain class lower body armor. Unlike upper body armor however, dwarves don't appear to be able to wear both leggings and greaves at once and will drop their leggings in favour of a set of greaves when set to Plate armor. --[[User:TangoThree|TangoThree]] 14:03, 25 November 2007 (EST)

==Protection values==
I would like to know if it's possible to find out the various protection values of different types of armor. For example, we know the material and quality modifiers for armor, but not, say, how much better plate mail protects you than chain. Or whether greaves or high boots offer more coverage.
I ask because I'm wondering if, with high quality modifiers, [[adamantine]] ''clothing'' is viable protection for those who aren't wearing armor. Certainly, it'd make a good halfway measure for those who can't do magma smelting yet, but ''can'' get a Craftsdwarf's Workshop, Loom, and Clothesmaker's Workshop set up to extract the threads, weave them, and make clothes. --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 11:48, 13 December 2007 (EST)

==Soldier==

I think some of this article, specifically that stuff in the Using armor section, should be moved over to an article more dedicated to soldier preferences. As it is, it's describing everything about arming civilians with weapons instead of simply talking about armoring civilians; that content seems more appropriate for an article about soldiers or the hunting article. --[[User:JT|JT]] 17:15, 11 November 2007 (EST)

==Verified==

I can verify that whan setting dwarves to chain, they wear gauntlets --[[User:Nog|Nog]] 16:21, 12 November 2007 (EST)

== Table ==

I added a Materials Needed section to the table. Is this OK? --[[User:Nanor|Nanor]] 19 December 2007

:Excellent idea. It looked a little odd in the table, so I moved it to the text instead. --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 16:47, 19 December 2007 (EST)

:: Much better! Thanks! --[[User:Nanor|Nanor]] 17:50, 19 December 2007 (EST)

== 23.130.23a ==

We had much more info on armor in the [http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Armor old wiki]. Could someone with an account there bring the relevant bits over? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 11:18, 22 December 2007 (EST)

:Edit: Ported over most information; change anything that isn't correct.--[[User:Richards|Richards]] 13:06, 26 April 2008 (EDT)

== Leather Armor re: Caps and Helms ==

A soldier set to leather armor can wear leather helms, not just caps, and they'll wear a cap at the same time underneath (at least, if it's silk. I haven't confirmed yet if a soldier will wear a leather cap + a leather helm; doesn't really matter). This is a good thing because helms (according to the old wiki) have higher Block. They're heavier too but this shouldn't be a problem. --[[User:Stromko|Stromko]] 19:57:15 (PST), January 06 2007

:In the old versions, the materials of the armor pieces were irrelevant, regardless of the fact that the lowest armor level is called "leather". Leather and chain wearers would wear any kind of legging or boot, and a plate wearer would wear even a pig tail helm, if they happened to come across one, showing no preference for better material types or quality. Has this changed, or does the table in this article contain some wrong assumptions?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 02:42, 7 January 2008 (EST)

::I seem to recall that 'light' materials like cloth, shell, and bone effectively 'downgraded' armor by one level, weighed half as much, and were 50% of the maximum effectiveness per their type. However! I can see right now in my current fortress a steel cap is 78 pounds and a cave spider silk cap is 13 pounds. This shows not all old information is correct.

Furthermore, bone and shell doesn't become a 'lighter' class. Shell Gauntlets require Chain or above to be assigned, and Turtle Bone Greaves go un-used until a dwarf is set to Plate.

However, I /can/ confirm from this very fortress I'm looking at right now, that dwarves assigned to leather went to pick up and wear Leather Helms. Unless, that is, they already have metal Caps. I'm looking at a marksdwarf right now assigned to wear Leather who has a Steel Cap, a pig tail hood (they all have hoods), and no helm. Everybody else has a leather helm.

I should note my fortress has no metal helms lying around, nor does it have spare metal caps, so I'm unable to verify that dwarves set to Leather wouldn't wear metal Helms or preferentially choose caps (they'd probably choose /either/ Metal Caps or Leather Helms if given a choice). However, I'm pretty sure they would not. Therefore, it is my understanding that they make a distinction between different material types. --[[User:Stromko|Stromko]] 03:22 (PST), January 07 2007

== Shields and Bucklers ==

Hmm it states here that dwarves can wear BOTH shields and bucklers, however in soldiering screen you can select EITHER shield OR buckler, but NOT both. Does this part of article apply to Adv. mode only? Could someone verify, please? --[[User:Digger|Digger]] 18:21, 24 February 2008 (EST)

I would guess the trick is to tell them to use bucklers first, waiting til they pick one up, then telling them to use shields, at which point they'll pick up a shield without dropping the buckler first. Like how you can get dwarves to wear a leather armour, chain mail, and plate on top all at the same time if you set them to leather, then chain, then plate. [[User:Furiousfish|Furiousfish]] 20:54, 6 March 2008 (EST)

== Natural Selection ==

Being a bit of a nooblet, and not having much war in any of my fortresses, I'm confused as to how armor selection works.

Would I be correct if I said "Setting a dwarf to wear Plate armor will cause him to grab plate whenever and wherever possible, but substitute leather, chain, or bone wherever no plate is available. So, for example, if my metalsmiths never make helms, but my leatherworker has caps and helms galore, they'll wear plate armor and a leather helm. Right? If so, this should probably be mentioned. --[[User:Shadow archmagi|Shadow archmagi]] 19:24, 28 February 2008 (EST)
:I've found that a dwarf set to wear plate will grab the best available armor. More puzzling is that they will sometimes stack armor; IE dwarves wearing plate mail and chain mail at the same time. However, I never keep a stock of leather armor, so I wouldn't know if it can be used in conjunction with metal armor.--[[User:Eurytus|Eurytus]] 22:29 21 April 2008 (EDT)
::The dwarves seem to be notorious for pulling on a full suit of armour ie chain-then-plate, there's a reason a fort I made (whose metal industry relies on eg [[coal]] and [[lignite]]) is making all chain-mail, crossbows and shields to defend against gobbo raids ;) --[[User:Frostedfire|Frostedfire]] 09:13, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

== Gloves ==
My military is set to wear Leather armor, but they don't take leather gloves. High boots, leggings, armor and helmets are used OK. Is the article data incorrect?--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 04:51, 15 April 2008 (EDT)

Some equipment is unavaliable for dwarf use because it is the incorrect size. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 09:40, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

My guess is that your dwarves are already wearing cloth gloves. This is considered clothing level armor, the same level as leather gloves. They see no reason to switch armor when the leather gloves provide the same "level of protection." I think your best bet would be to dump their cloth gloves, if you're that worried about them. You can always reclaim them later. --[[User:PrettyGrizzly|PrettyGrizzly]] 11:00, 4 July 2008 (EDT)

== Artifacts ==

This has an excellent table defining the bonuses for quality/materials, but completely excludes artifact modifiers. I would assume that these would always be the best, regardless, of material, but I just found myself with a rhesus macaque leather shield and don't know if I should use it in place of, oh, I don't know, a more ''steel'' one.
:Currently, the exact modifier for artifact quality seems to be unknown. [[User:HeWhoIsPale|HeWhoIsPale]] 18:27, 30 September 2008 (EDT)

==Fort-mode equipment quirks==

The edit I just made was prompted by seeing a dwarf wearing ''twelve'' cloaks, and remembering the "cannot wear cloaks" phrase mentioned in the pre-edit version of the bit below the giant table. I tried to reconcile the two statements that were already there, particularly in light of said cloak-happy dwarf. However, there's also one thing I'm wondering about: is the number of equipped items partially determined by what order they're put on in fortress mode? I ''think'' it is, but am not sure, so I decided not to include that. If it's the case, however, I think it'd be worth mentioning along with the cloaks part (even in the old version of the page, should somebody decide to revert my edit or something). --[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 20:23, 6 July 2008 (EDT)

== Over Under Armor Cover ==

Besides sounding like a Daft Punk chorus, these are four LAYER values. I know what Over and Under do with respect to each other: You can't wear Under on top of Over. Do the others follow the same pattern, are they all ordered? Is there some more mysterious effect for "Cover" and "Armor"? --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 01:04, 27 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Strange mood

2008-11-27T04:47:37Z

Sowelu: /* Order of stuff */

Does the new version still have the strange mood? It wouldnt be complete without it!

:It still exists, I've had it happen several times now, I went to the archive wiki and copy/pasted the old page.

::Isnt that why the wiki was nuked? To make sure that no old info lingers? Ill put some "verify" in there, I dont think that the bold text is enough for users to understand that some of this may no longer apply. --[[User:Mizipzor|Mizipzor]] 06:03, 6 November 2007 (EST)

:::I agree. Although moods themselves don't seem to have been changed in this version, the changes to the stones/ores that they use means that some of the information in this article is no longer true. I'll have a go at cleaning it up when I have the proper time for it, but this wiki definitely needs a 'no copypasting from the archives' rule to avoid screwups like this. If people are going to copypaste old stuff, then it is downright irresponsible of them not to verify the accuracy of the information before committing it to the wiki. --[[User:Morlark|Morlark]]

I know, I was a huge fan of that little strange aspect of the old one.

I need my dwarfs to make more swordfish bone swords, and i still need some glass weapons/armor

The moods seem to have changed. One of my dwarfs went fey, made a nice hematite mug, and is now a legendary... Engraver. Very wierd, he also had no stoneworking or other craftdwarf skills. But he was a competent mason. This was also my fifth dwarf who took the same craftworkshop, so it's a bit strange. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 17:36, 6 November 2007 (EST)

:Six fey dwarf, all took the craftdwarfshop, now my bowyer took one. Think it might be a bug. Is the 15 artifacts limit still in? --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 14:34, 8 November 2007 (EST)

:: Whohoo my second legendary engraver made a gold mug. My bowyer became a legendary engraver. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 14:40, 8 November 2007 (EST)
::: Scratch all that, one of my woodworkers just used a carpenters shop. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 07:45, 9 November 2007 (EST)

:Have you marked all statements in the article that risks being falsified with <nowiki>{{verify}}</nowiki>? --[[User:Mizipzor|Mizipzor]] 19:41, 6 November 2007 (EST)

Hey, I am getting a dwarf who wants "raw...crystal". Help? -- [[User:Bovinepro|Bovinepro]]
:Probably wants raw crystal glass. I had a dwarf ask for "raw...green", they wanted raw green glass. Looks like Toady might have moved the glass demands out of the "rough...color" category. [[User:Iddq?|Iddq?]]

About the engravers taking over craftdwarf's shops and becoming legendary engravers afterwards is quite true. I recently got a bunch of immigrants, and the engraver that came with them fell into a strange mood before even crossing the bridge on my river. He took over a craftdwarf's workshop and made a basalt scepter, and now he's legendary level in engraving. So yeah, perfect laboratory conditions, he was 100% engraver when he went into his mood and came out a legendary engraver. --[[User:Zhang5|Zhang5]] 17:07, 12 November 2007 (EST)

It seems that no craft skill is required. I just had a peasant go into a strange mood. His skills were: competent marksdwarf; novice wrestler; novice armor wearer. He grabbed a craftsdwarf's workshop and 10 items (3xFelsite, Schorls, Tigereyes, Red Beryls, Giant cave swallow leather, Grizzly Bear Leather, Rough harlequin opals and Ash logs -- guess he has expensive taste?) and churned out an idol in relatively short order. This is my 9th successful mood in this fortress, and I've seen requests for between 3 and 10 items, personally. Since they seem to be increasing in complexity, I've either hit the item cap, or I'm about to break ten :) [[User:Doctorlucky|Doctorlucky]] 16:34, 19 November 2007 (EST)
:This is consistent with older versions. Moody peasants would become crafters, and 10 items was the cap. The minimum was 1 item -- generally when constructing a "perfect gem".--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 16:55, 19 November 2007 (EST)

I had a miner go into a strange mood, take over a mason's workshop, and make a something that got him up to legendary miner status. In my current fort, I have had 6 artifacts made, 2 of which were actual moods and 5 of which were possessions (I can add, one of them failed and the dwarf became a babbling wreck). My dwarves love to use only one item: an oak door (1 item), an olivine coffin (2 items), a turtle shell mask (1 item and is my cheapest artifiact at 3600), a diorite amulet (3 items), and a perfect jelly opal (1 item). --[[User:Penguinofhonor|Penguinofhonor]] 18:47, 28 November 2007 (EST)

Where to add the info that in my game (.33c) a miner took over a mason's workshop, became legendary miner and then held the artifact in his right hand instead of a pick, which became 'hauled', then droped the pick and then took the pick with his left hand? He can mine after all these. While holding a 667 weight units cabinet in his right hand. --[[User:Another|Another]] 10:07, 1 December 2007 (EST)

I had dwarf Miller, profecienty Grower who had Fey Mood, and he became a Legendary Mason ....
Is it normal ? [[user:Feydreva|Feydreva]]

One of my dwarves has become possessed and is demanding cloth, bones and stone, which I have plenty of. But he refuses to go fetch them. Is there something I'm doing wrong?—Preceding [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] ([[User talk:Patarak|talk]]•[[Special:Contributions/Patarak|contribs]]) {{{2|}}}
: They want either silk or fiber cloth. Make sure you have both! [[User:Bartavelle|Bartavelle]] 03:40, 21 January 2008 (EST)

Aargh! One of my dwarves went secretive and is demanding a huge list of stuff. He seems to be demanding two types of stone because the "sketches quarry" message stays on twice as long as the others. I have (and he has gathered) flint: is there any way to tell what kind of stone he wants? --[[User:Holyfool|Holyfool]] 011:55, 7 March 2008 (EST)

I had a Glassmaker that sat around when I had a lot of Magma Glass Furnaces, but then decided to get going when I made a regular Glass Furnace. Seems like they will only use a specific kind. Not sure yet if it's random. Might be they won't take the Magma Glass Furnace in version 38a. Can anyone verify? --[[User:Afbee|Afbee]] 05:07, 21 February 2008 (EST)

: My Glassmaker successfully used Magma Glass Furnace in a fey mood. --[[User:Digger|Digger]] 07:54, 24 February 2008 (EST)
:: I just had the same problem. I had a glass maker who wouldn't take over a magma glass furnace. Since I'm creating a glass fortress and had a mess of glass orders piled up, I thought that might have confused the AI and I built 2 more magma glass furnaces. No dice, he didn't want them. After reading this page I decided to create a normal glass furnace. He snapped it up as soon as it was built. --[[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 04:07, 9 November 2008 (EST)

==Maximum number of artifacts==
Well, I just got my umpteenth mood, and it resulted in the 16th successfully created artifact.(33b) So that 15 cap thing is clearly wrong. As it happens, this single artifact is worth 754,800, and is an adamantine spear decorated with, among other things, adamantine. For the record, in case this data is important to someone tabulating number of ingredients, my moods in order created the following objects using the corresponding number of ingredients: (Flute, 4; Mechanism, 4; Spear, 3; Millstone, 6; Ring, 8; Chest, 7; Cape, 7; Ring, 9; Statue, 8; Idol, 10; earring, 8; Buckler, 8; Table, 3; Mechanism, 10; Bracelet, 5; and Spear, 8). [[User:Doctorlucky|Doctorlucky]] 04:54, 27 November 2007 (EST)

Do fell/macabre moods still exist? I haven't seen any for quite a few versions. It'd be nice to have that verified.—Preceding [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Rabek|Rabek]] ([[User talk:Rabek|talk]]•[[Special:Contributions/Rabek|contribs]]) {{{2|}}}

== clarification on "trade" skills ==

Are trade skills all the skills that produce items with some level of quality? Mainly I want to know if dyer is a trade skill. And how does that work with miner? I didn't think miner was a trade skill. Maybe someone who knows more than me could clarify in the wiki.
I just got my first artifact. It's worth 2400. The dwarf took one log and made a scepter. -[[User:Radtse|Radtse]]

:I don't know exactly, we should make a list of the skills we know are not trade skills. I'll start: my brewer/grower once got a strange mood and made a wood item and gained woodcrafting skill. Let's try to only add to the list when we have experienced a moody dwarf with that skill only.--[[User:Valdemar|Valdemar]] 19:36, 27 December 2007 (EST)

::I'm adding Weaver and Furnace Operator to this list, since they're on the wiki. I haven't seen them myself, but I'm assuming someone else has. Knowing that Furnace Operator is a "fey-able" skill will be quite helpful.-[[User:Radtse|Radtse]] 18:28, 29 December 2007 (EST)

:::Where's cooking fit in? --[[User:KittenyKat|KittenyKat]] 20:09, 6 January 2008 (EST)

List of non-trade skills:

* [[Brewer]]
* [[Grower]]
* [[Miller]]
* [[Wood Cutter]]

Skills that may be used and gained by dwarves with no trade skills:

* [[Wood crafter]]
* [[Stone crafter]]

Skills that use a different skill(See list above), but give correct skill:

* [[Miner]]
* [[Engraver]]
* [[Furnace Operator]]
* [[Weaver]]

:::For the record, i can confirm both Furnace Operator and Weaver, since no one else has commented to verify them thus far. (The weaver actually surprised me when it happened). --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 01:43, 29 April 2008 (EDT)

:::I can confirm that a Miner will claim a Mason's shop, and produce a stone item, even with no Mason skill at all. It works just like the wiki says. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 23:47, 31 May 2008 (EDT)

:::And I can confirm that Wood Cutter does not contribute -- I had a Novice Glassmaker/No Prefix Wood Cutter take a glass furnace. [[User:Slitherrr|Slitherrr]] 13:48, 28 July 2008 (EDT)

== mood condition ==
The 20 dwarves / no crazy stuff has been found while looking at the binary of v0.27.169.33d, might be different now, but i don't think so. [[User:Bartavelle|Bartavelle]] 15:08, 2 January 2008 (EST)

Regarding the calulations for required maximum existing artifacts (items/200 and dugout/(48*48)) wouldn't it make more sense to either use the squared symbol, or the actual result of that square (which was the original number actually discovered/revealed I believe)? --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 19:17, 28 April 2008 (EDT)
:<sup>2</sup> --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 21:28, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

:20 dorf must be still there. I've made low-population fort and I had no mood for ~8 years (from start). I'm sure that I've digged at least 2700 tiles and created at least 300 items. I will test if raising population to 20 will cause moods. I think that 20 dwarf limit should be mentioned even if it's not confirmed. --[[User:Someone-else|Someone-else]] 18:30, 26 May 2008 (EDT)

== Random Workshop Seizure ==

I just had a gem cutter seize a carpenter's workshop and make a perfect gem; upon completion I had a worthless Legendary dwarf and a new jeweler's workshop, so I guess that's still in from the previous version. I've removed the verify in the article. [[User:Tacroy|Tacroy]] 16:51, 9 January 2008 (EST)

:nonsense. Should be a bigger chance of making ZOMG high-quality gem crafts now ;) --[[User:Frostedfire|Frostedfire]] 07:35, 18 February 2008 (EST)

::More to the point, if you don't like the profession your dwarf has Legendary in...draft for the stats! --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 12:16, 18 February 2008 (EST)

== forbidden items ==

Do moody dwarfs use forbidden items? Will they demand forbid items? [[User:Diabl0658|Diabl0658]] 02:07, 21 February 2008 (EST)

:I don't know whether moody dwarves will use forbidden items (my guess would be they won't). But they don't choose the demands based on what is on the map, they can and do demand things you don't have. So it's safe to assume forbidding doesn't prevent dwarves from demanding the forbidden kind of item. --[[User:BahamutZERO|BahamutZERO]] 16:31, 13 May 2008 (EDT)

::Forbidden items are not used. Similarly, if your mooder slipped in e.g. an iron bar when you wanted him to use a platinum bar, you can forbid AND dump the item to stop him from using it. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 16:35, 13 May 2008 (EDT)

== Impossible Requests? ==
Will dwarves try to use items that you just don't have access to? I had a dwarf asking for silk when I haven't imported any and I'm pretty sure there isn't a giant spider anywhere. Also asking for "rocks" when I have mined at least one of each type of rock that is visible (requiring rocks from unmined areas seem pretty harsh). Also a request for "metal bars" when I have smeltered at least one of each ore I have found and made at least one of each possible alloy. [[User:Yvain|Yvain]] 23:27, 26 February 2008 (EST)
:Yeah, impossible stuff is all my dwarves ever want. :-P Right now mine appears to want stone I don't have, and no traders have come by with any stone.... So my guys are frantically mining in various directions.... [[User:Holyfool|Holyfool]] 13:59, 7 March 2008 (EST)

::As far as i can tell they never request anything it is truly impossible for you to get. Available by trade seems to imply possible for the game engine though. Too bad if its the start of winter (which is when all my moods which require things I don't have and can't produce happen, of course). But if there's no sand on your map at all you will not be asked for glass, since you can't trade for sand. (If there's 5 tiles of sand under that underground lake you haven't found yet... sucks to be you - my first fortress lost 3 dwarves to this). So yes, requiring things present on the map that you haven't found yet appears to be possible and routine. --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 01:48, 29 April 2008 (EDT)

== Procastinator! ==

I just had a moody dwarf demand bones, wood, rocks, and cloth.

He got the rocks okay, and then did nothing for ages. Then, as soon as the fire imp corpse rotted away, he ran down and got the bones, then ran over to my wood stockpile and got a piece of wood...

Do they need to get their ingredients in order now?--[[User:Shadow archmagi|Shadow archmagi]] 06:28, 29 February 2008 (EST)
:i think so, not that it matters, he wont start unless he has ALL the ingridents.

== gems ==
My moody dwarf asked for 2 kinds of rough gems, but i had cut all rough ones at that point. So i "printed out" all layers and started checking for leftover gems in the walls. Guess what, he picked the first 2 kinds i mined. So either

* random/pure luck (don't think so)
* they only ask what they "see"
* they only ask what is somehow on the map
* or they might even adapt somewhat to availability, but i doubt that. --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 15:59, 28 March 2008 (EDT)

:I believe, but don't know for sure, that sometimes they want specific items and sometimes they just want anything in a category of items, such as any rough gems in this case. It used to work that way in the 2d version, didn't it? --[[User:BahamutZERO|BahamutZERO]] 12:23, 14 May 2008 (EDT)
::Confirming behaviour that BahamutZERO sees. Dwarves will '''always''' grab the closest object that falls under the category unless he is requesting a specific metal, specific silk, or specific plant fiber cloth. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 14:25, 14 May 2008 (EDT)

== Just standing around? ==

I have a dwarf who was possessed, but won't leave the main hall. He's also a novice in everything, but to be safe I've already cleared the shops. It's winter of my first year, but somehow I've already had 2 waves of immigrants. Back to the point, I'm afraid he's going to wait out the mood and go berserk. Help?
--[[User:Ilmmad|Ilmmad]] 20:00, 6 March 2008 (EST)
:Well, make sure u ve got one workshop of every possible kind available - there are however quite a few u dont need to build, its covered in the article. Check for locked doors or otherwise blocked access (bridges, channels, statues..) Dont forget furnaces, glass and magma. Check with 'q' if all workshops are completely build. If it doesnt help consider building workshops not related to his skills, or more "exotic" ones, like Ashery or Alchemist. No one can guarantee that Toady didnt have some new fun ideas ;) --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 22:59, 6 March 2008 (EST)

== stark raving suicide ==

My mechanic wanted silk cloth, which I didn't have, and eventually gone insane ("stark raving mad" to be precise).
Seconds after that I had message that he died in heat (I had artificial magma pool nearby).
He probably jumped into the pool like in melancholy. Main article states that only melancholic dwarves kill themselves in such way.
Could anyone confirm that mad ones do that too, and this wasn't just an accident/bug? [[User:Someone-else|Someone-else]] 16:59, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

:Perhaps it ''was'' an accident -- I seem to recall that "stark raving mad" ones wander around at random. Perhaps it wandered into the lava. [[User:Anydwarf|Anydwarf]] 18:30, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

::It was an accident, the stark raving mad ones wander around aimlessly, regardless of Z- levels. --[[User:Hoborobo|Hoborobo]] 12:53, 9 November 2008 (EST)

== Glassmaker with no glass ==

I had an immigrant glassworker get a mood, seize a glass workshop, and created an artifact made entirely of gemstones. No glass involved or asked for. (No sand on the map, anyway.) He turned into a Legendary Glassworker, despite having never made a glass anything.

== Rewrite ==

I think I got most of the old information and then some into the new article. Please make any necessary modifications. --[[User:Marble Dice|Marble Dice]] 01:22, 10 May 2008 (EDT)

== Silk Cloth ==

I had a dwarf demand silk cloth, but he refused to use my giant cave spider silk cloth. I didn't have any regular cave spider silk cloth. To verify that the silk was the problem, I used Companion to change the silk demand to any stone, and he immediately collected the rest of the materials and constructed the artifact.
Can anyone else confirm that giant cave spider silk cloth does '''not''' count as silk cloth? --[[User:Doniazade|Doniazade]] 08:55, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
:No, I'm pretty sure I can't. I've seen a dwarf grab GCS silk. Could it be that you had thread and not cloth? --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 13:59, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
::Nope, giant cave spider cloth [3] sorted under cloth on the stock screen. --[[User:Doniazade|Doniazade]] 16:52, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
Probably they may specifically require GCS silk or specifically require CS silk. —[[User:Chaos|Chaos]] 14:10, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
I figured it out - the silk was outside and I had accidentally left "Dwarves Stay Inside" on after the latest attack. --[[User:Doniazade|Doniazade]] 08:52, 14 May 2008 (EDT)

== Engineer taken by secretive mood, and creates... ==

Evidently engineers who are taken by a secretive mood ("withdraws from society", in case it's later determined that the descriptor has an effect) will have no problems taking over the mechanic's workshop. And there's only one thing mechanic-shops build - that's right, you heard right, ladies and gentlemen, I present ''Kodor ós: A claystone mechanism''. It's even available for use from the appropriate {{k|b}})uild screens. He decided to make this splendid 86,400o creation while on an eight-mechanism binge in that very same mechanic's workshop. Maybe dwarves choose the workshop they've been in the most often? --[[User:BismuthBismuthBismuth|BismuthBismuthBismuth]] 15:31, 13 May 2008 (EDT)

:Ah, actually I can confirm I've had a Mechanic create an artifact mechanism as well. Stick some obsidian swords in that baby and you'll be good to go! That should probably go in the main article for skills vs workshops... I would expect siege engineers also have strange moods, but I imagine pump op and siege op fall under the general craftsman catch-all --[[User:Marble Dice|Marble Dice]] 15:45, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
::I'd like to smack BismuthBismuthBismuth with the facts stated in the article.
A dwarf will claim a workshop according to their highest applicable skill
::In this case it was Engineering and therefore your mechanic went to a Mechanic's Workshop. It's the same with the possessed glassmakers. They hit a glassmaker's shop. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 15:49, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
:::I'd like to hit GreyMario-Maria, preferably in the upper-body region, with the fact that at the time of my post, the table in the article did not mention mechanics whatsoever. --[[User:BismuthBismuthBismuth|BismuthBismuthBismuth]] 22:26, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
::::Pardon me, but I was not aware that ''mechanics'' worked at a ''mechanic's workshop'', where objects are created that have ''quality mofidiers'' and can thus become ''artifacts''. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 23:28, 13 May 2008 (EDT)
:::::Pardon me as well, but it seems that the table in [http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php?title=Strange_mood&oldid=25231 this particular revision] did not encapsulate this information. '''GreyMario is throwing a tantrum!''' --[[User:BismuthBismuthBismuth|BismuthBismuthBismuth]] 15:22, 14 May 2008 (EDT)
::::::Mechanics. Work at a mechanic's workshop. Produce items which have visible quality modifiers. Items with visible quality modifiers are eligible to be artifacts. THEREFORE, mechanics claim mechanic's workshops when they go fey. Seriously, logic sometimes, please? --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 15:30, 14 May 2008 (EDT)
:::::::That would follow if we knew for certain that the proposition "items with visible quality modifiers are eligible to artifacts" is necessarily true. We don't. For instance, siege engine components are not verified as artifact eligible. Since that isn't a given, it's perfectly reasonable for people to not jump to the conclusion that a job type will create artifacts relevant to it until they see it happen. —[[User:Chaos|Chaos]] 16:26, 14 May 2008 (EDT)

i love the absurd randomness factor with artifacts - you end up with really weird stuff. like grates, and socks. a question pertinent to legendary mechanisms - i got a stupidly valuable one of these as the first legendary item in a new fort and i used it to create a gear assembly in a public dining area in the hopes that it would give dwarves happy thoughts, but after a few years gametime of checking randomly on them nothing particular showed up. any particular use along these lines for legendary mechanisms for something other then simple fortress value? --[[User:FruityBix|FruityBix]] 11:51, 10 September 2008 (EDT)
: weapon traps! --[[User:Bartavelle|Bartavelle]] 12:03, 10 September 2008 (EDT)
:: FWIW, that might be a more general answer for artifact items... I had a Weaponsmith dwarf go into a strange mood and create a lead warhammer (Yes, there was plenty of steel and iron around, but this dwarf likes lead, I guess). It can't be equipped as a weapon (lead isn't a valid material type normally for constructing weapons) but I can put it into a weapons trap. Which... is basically the only thing I can do with this 65000* artifact... -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 14:37, 10 September 2008 (EDT)
::: Actually, artifact equipment can be used, it just requires a "hero" level dwarf or higher. However, for the nonstandard material weapons and armor you may do well to forbid them so that they're not used. The actual effectiveness of odd material artifacts is supposedly lower than that of decent iron or steel equipment, and artifact equipment cannot be unequipped once a dwarf decides to use it. --[[User:Janus|Janus]] 15:36, 10 September 2008 (EDT)

== Tanner fixed ==

I just had a Tanner claim a leather works, not a tannery. I updated the table. For the record, the dwarf has no skill level in leather working.

:I wonder if Tanners even claim Tanner's shops? Tanner's shops just make leather, and leather doesn't have quality modifiers, so you shouldn't be able to produce an artifact from one, aye? That information came from an older version of the page, I wonder if it was inaccurate. Weavers supposed claim Clothier's shops and not Looms, so it would make sense if Tanners were the same way. --[[User:Marble Dice|Marble Dice]] 18:08, 2 June 2008 (EDT)

== Cooks ==

I can confirm that cooks do not produce artifacts: my Peasant with Dabbling Cook/Brewer/(various social) and nothing else just took over a Craftsdwarf's Workshop. I'm removing the verify tag for cooks in the article. --[[User:Comonad|Comonad]] 16:16, 2 August 2008 (EDT)

mmmm. . . . artifact roast. [[User:Mirthmanor|Mirthmanor]] 19:12, 4 August 2008 (EDT)

== Soapers etc. ==

It stands to reason that soapers, lye makers, and wood burners wouldn't make artifacts. Neither soap, lye, charcoal, nor ash have quality modifiers, and that's all those skills can produce. I'm pretty sure you can't have artifact soap, lye, charcoal, or ash. --[[User:Tachyon|Tachyon]] 20:26, 11 August 2008 (EDT)

: My woodburner just got possessed. He wants a shell and wood. I have the shell but I'm not sure what type of wood he wants. --[[User:Ehertlein|Ehertlein]] 20:18, 22 August 2008 (EDT)

== Not all demands need to be met ==

I just had a dwarf taken by a secretive mood and collect a huge variety of things: 4 stone, 1 block, 1 gem, 2 rough gems, bones, a shell, 2 leather. He was further sketching for more bones, 2 leather, another stone, a log, another shell, and raw green glass. The only things I didn't have on hand were the shell and the green glass -- dwarves seem to go through their list in order, and get stuck on certain items.

I just hoped someone would eat a turtle (50/1678 chance!) and queued a raw green glass. When the glass was made, he got started, totally ignoring his previous requests for wood, another shell, and the other things. Anyone else have this experience? [[User:Mirthmanor|Mirthmanor]] 13:28, 13 August 2008 (EDT)

:I think they keep sketching images even after they get the items. Your dwarf already had all of the shells, leather, bones, stones, blocks, and gems he needed. [[User:Curudan|Curudan]] 15:26, 22 August 2008 (EDT)

::This is correct. I've had dwarves run out, grab two items, and then sit at the Workshop shouting a need for three items. When the item he was waiting on became available, he ran out, grabbed it, went back in, and started working. So it's pretty evident that they list ALL of the items they want, regardless of how many of them they've already collected. --[[User:Nekojin|Nekojin]] 22:28, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

== Possession ==

I've had 14 moods in my current Fortress, 11 of them have been possessions. Am I really unlucky, or is the type of mood weighted? [[User:HeWhoIsPale|HeWhoIsPale]] 09:55, 26 August 2008 (EDT)
: As far as I can tell by looking at the game logic, each mood types are as likely to be rolled (except fell of course, which is selected if happiness<rand(128) or something like that). --[[User:Bartavelle|Bartavelle]] 07:56, 3 September 2008 (EDT)
:: I had a feeling I was just getting really unlucky, thanks. [[User:HeWhoIsPale|HeWhoIsPale]] 14:34, 3 September 2008 (EDT)

== Furnace Operator ==

Apparently furnace operator is no longer a mood skill as of df 28 181 40d. I just had a expert furnace operator take over a Craftdwarf's Workshop and become a legendary stonecrafter. [[User:Otherdwarf|Otherdwarf]] 10:26, 1 October 2008 (EDT)
:I had one take over a mason's workshop, I would guess that Furnace Operator is treating like Engraver or Miner. I'm kind of disappointed, I was hoping he'd churn out an artifact coke or something.[[User:Gandalf the Dwarf (No, really! Look it up!)|Gandalf the Dwarf (No, really! Look it up!)]] 13:03, 14 November 2008 (EST)

::Back when furnace operator was moodable, they'd turn out metal crafts. But taking over a mason's workshop is surprising. Occasionally they'll take over a random workshop and convert it into the type they want -- what artifact did the dwarf produce? And, just to rule out some obvious things, did the dwarf have dabbling skill in mining, masonry, or engraving?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 13:51, 14 November 2008 (EST)
:::He went crazy looking for some kind of rough gem, so we'll never know. It was ''right'' after the dwarf trading caravan left, too, so I really had no chance whatsoever. I don't know for sure what skills he had, I don't think he had much other than Furnace Operator, Architect, and the social skills though. I ''might'' have enabled mining, but there was plenty of work for him at the smelter so I don't know for sure.--[[User:Gandalf the Dwarf (No, really! Look it up!)|Gandalf the Dwarf (No, really! Look it up!)]] 15:56, 14 November 2008 (EST)

== Chunk Butchery? ==

Well, even though the selection of items for artifacts is totally random, its a bit wierd if a macabre dwarf goes to a butcher's workshop and starts bringing in tons of dwarf CHUNKS! My dwarf just started doing that, should I expect rotting meat (yes, the chunks are already rotten)? - 09:57, 30 October 2008 Stinhad Limarezum
: ^_^ "This is a delicious meat pie. All craftsdwarfship is of the highest quality. On the item is an image of a dwarf and dwarves in rotting dwarf chunks. The dwarf is baking the other dwarves into meat pies. The artwork relates to the rise of the dwarf butcher Sweeney Todd as the cook of The Fleet Street in 78" -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 11:11, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

:Oh, ''do'' post the description of the artifact when the dwarf completes it. ("Menaces with spikes of dwarf chunk?" I'd be intimidated for sure.)--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 13:18, 30 October 2008 (EDT)

== What Workshop? ==

Is there any way to discover what workshop a dwarf in a secretive mood requires? I had nearly everything. I built a siege workshop and a bowery before I ran out of ideas and he went beserk. --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 10:55, 3 November 2008 (EST)

:You have to look at what skills he has first and rule out the obvious. If he has no mood-able skills then it's going to be a craftsdwarf's workshop. If you have hit magma and he wants a forge or glass furnace, he will insist on the magma version of that workshop. Finally, maybe one of your existing workshops was inaccessible or you accidentally [[forbid]] it at some point. If none of that works, I'm out of ideas too.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 13:01, 3 November 2008 (EST)
::I have a functioning magma glass furnace and I had to build a normal glass furnace when my glass maker became secretive. [[User:HeWhoIsPale|HeWhoIsPale]] 14:23, 11 November 2008 (EST)
::Same here, in fact I had 2 moody glass making dwarves refuse to use anything but a normal glass furnace when there were 5 fully functional magma glass furnaces in the same fort. (sorry, almost forgot to sign) --[[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 14:27, 11 November 2008 (EST)

:::Ah. In older versions, they'd insist on a magma workshop, when possible. Do they now insist on using a regular workshop, or has anyone seen a moody dwarf use a magma workshop in recent versions?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 14:34, 11 November 2008 (EST)
::::I believe my metalsmith is waiting for my magma forge to come on line, I have a standard forge built, but that isn't doing anything for him. Does anyone know what effect fluctuating power will have on the strange mood? Edit: If a claimed workshop looses power for even a millisecond, the mood fails. [[User:HeWhoIsPale|HeWhoIsPale]] 12:02, 18 November 2008 (EST)

== Possessed Child ==

I have a child that has become possessed and taken over one of my craft workshops (of course). He is muttering the following: rough color, leather skin, bone yes, stone rock, cloth thread, blocks bricks, and a shell. He has already acquired the following: turtle bones, donkey bones [4], microcline blocks, turtle shell, rough pink garnets, dog leather, carp leather, and hematite. I have plenty of all the things that he's already gathered, so I'm assuming that he doesn't need anymore of those items. That leaves the thread. I have turned off my auto-loom a while ago so that I would keep the thread around for artifacts. I currently have plenty of plant thread (4 pig tail and 14 rope reed) and enough spider silk (5). What I don't have is giant spider silk. I have confirmed that the child has access to all these items, including the thread which I have piles next to his workshop. Still he doesn't start construction.

Can any help? Is there a difference for artifact creation between regular cave spider silk and giant cave spider silk? ---[[User:Frewfrux|Frewfrux]]

:Do you have both silk and plant cloth available? (Not just thread.) And do you see any specific cloth preferences in his thoughts and preferences screen?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 01:32, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::Argh. I bet that's it. No silk cloth, just thread. I have had guys go crazy for lack of thread before, so I never make silk cloth, just kept the thread. Oh well, the child is now melancholy. I can re-load and see what would happen if I make the thread into cloth. Maybe I'll test that out. ---[[User:Frewfrux|Frewfrux]]

::: Wouldn't you be able to solve this problem by only weaving dyed thread? Then you'll always have some thread waiting to be dyed. --[[User:RomeoFalling|RomeoFalling]] 03:04, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::::You could also leave high quality, expensive materials lying around Forbidden, and only Claim them when someone's trying to make an artifact. --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 15:07, 11 November 2008 (EST)

== Getting More Strange Moods ==

According to the article, the number of artifacts is limited by "The number of items created divided by 200." This indicates that making bolts (5 for each bone or 25 for each log) or brewing (5 units of drink for each unit of plant brewed) are efficient ways to encourage strange moods. Does that sound accurate?

It also states that the number of revealed subterranean tiles is a limit. Does that mean an area like a chasm, where many tiles are revealed to start with, will produce more strange moods?

Also, does anyone know whether the division rounds up or down? [[User:Gairabad|Gairabad]] 22:24, 16 November 2008 (EST)

:I'd be willing to bet all stacks count as only one "item" for this kind of calculation. 200 sounds like a paltry number, however. If rocks are counted as items, most fortresses have thousands of them in just a few years. The other number is what is most significant (I wonder where the heck it comes from?) I've had four miners digging non-stop for about 10 years now, and my stocks menu says I have 70,000 stones. Allowing for underground soil tiles (which don't produce stone) and stone/ore consumed by industry, each miner can probably clear about 2,000 tiles a year: one artifact. I have 21 artifacts in my fortress now (and two failed moods early on), so if that rate is indicative, I'd say you want to employ three or more miners non-stop to maximize your chances.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 00:09, 17 November 2008 (EST)

::The guy who wrote [http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Stone_management#Block_Stockpile this] doesn't seem to think that stones count as created items. Also, "revealed tiles" is ambiguous. For example, [http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Exploratory_mining#Mine_shafts this] method is very good at showing you what's inside of a tile without actually mining it out. Do you suppose that seeing whats inside is enough?

::Where do you think these numbers came from anyway? I'm gonna take a look through the edit history and try to track them down. [[User:Gairabad|Gairabad]] 00:15, 17 November 2008 (EST)

:::They came during [http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php?title=Strange_mood&diff=25038&oldid=24936 this edit]. They're so specific I've got to think the author did some poking around with a disassembler. Again, though, 200 is such a paltry number. If underground "open space" counts, then discovering a chasm, bottomless pit, or magma pipe should many thousands thousands of revealed tiles. If underground floor tiles are needed, you'll have to mine most of them out yourself.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 00:34, 17 November 2008 (EST)

::::I had a chat with [[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] over at his talk page, since he edited the page around the time the changes were made. He seemed fairly certain that all you had to do to "reveal" a tile was to have a passable square next to it, so I edited the article to reflect that. He did not, however, know anything about how bolts or stones would affect things. Right now my hopes are on [[User:Marble_Dice|Marble Dice]], whom I believe made the actual addition. I'm not sure if he's a very active user though.

::::By the way, the reason I'm doing all this is that I'm considering optimizing a fortress for strange moods: have '''lots''' of dwarves with only "dabbling" in a single strange mood skill to gain maximum benefit from the moods. Any ideas for fortress strategies that will go well with this? [[User:Gairabad|Gairabad]] 02:44, 17 November 2008 (EST)

:::::I saw the conversation -- I keep my eye on [[Special:Recentchanges]]. What he says about "reveal" is correct, as far as I know. I still wonder about "open space" tiles. If they count as revealed, all you really need to do is find a chasm/pit/magma pipe and you'll be in moods for years to come.

:::::I've done the dabbling strategy in the past. It's best to emphasize just a few skills you really really want that are otherwise hard to train due to limited materials -- armorsmith, weaponsmith, bone carver, leatherworker, carpenter, etc. It works fine with any fortress strategy.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 04:30, 17 November 2008 (EST)

== Two missing labors ==

Strand Extractor and Blacksmith don't currently appear in either the Causes Moods category or the Doesn't Cause Moods category. I put Strand Extractor in Doesn't Cause Moods and the Blacksmith in Causes Moods; feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong. [[User:Gairabad|Gairabad]] 19:59, 18 November 2008 (EST)

:I can confirm that blacksmith is moodable, I've got a nice steel chest to show for it. It stands to reason that strand extractor isn't moodable, but we don't know for sure -- I've slapped a verify on it.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 21:01, 18 November 2008 (EST)

== Order of stuff ==

I'm wondering if dwarves always claim items in a certain order. For example, when a dwarf wants three pieces of wood he always wants them back-to-back, never wood gem wood bone wood. So are types ALWAYS in a certain order? My current moody dwarf wanted two bars of metal, then spider silk cloth, then ash logs, then bones, then a rough gem, then a shell. Knowing the order might help you guess what the dwarf wants next if he doesn't need to wait for anything (and thus tell you what he wants). This might be useful for micromanaging forbidding stuff to make sure your dwarf gets the highest value things available. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 23:19, 26 November 2008 (EST)

:<s>This is actually well-defined in the article, if you'd bothered to look close enough. Dwarves will gather items in the order they scream their demands in.</s> It's unknown. I think there's no real order, just similar things end up grouped together. :V --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 23:32, 26 November 2008 (EST)

::fail. Uh, I mean, as soon as anyone else sees a strange mood, it can either be disproven, or we can start putting some data together immediately and be done pretty quick. I saw: Metal Bars, Silk Cloth, Wood, Bones, Rough Gem, Shell. If anyone sees bones before wood or something, that means there's no guaranteed order. But no harm done. :) --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 23:36, 26 November 2008 (EST)

:::It's simpler than that. Items have a certain number of slots for improvements, and for artifacts the first improvement slot is always filled by the base material of the item. Then the rest are filled in order, with whatever is a valid candidate for that slot (which is probably 'anything that's anything' in every case, though I'm not absolutely sure.) So, there isn't any explicit sorting because it has to be in order.

:::If you fill an item's slots with ordinary decoration, which is easiest to do by encrusting a wide variety of gems on a piece of furniture or the like, you'll see what I mean. Maybe. --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 23:40, 26 November 2008 (EST)

::::Ah! So you're saying that instead of generating a list of ingredients, it first plans out the artifact itself, saying "This one is a chest, it has hanging rings and an image, first let's get a material for the chest, then a material for the hanging rings, then a material for the image"? That makes a ton of sense, and answers my question. Thanks! --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 23:47, 26 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Strange mood

2008-11-27T04:36:25Z

Sowelu: /* Order of stuff */

40d Talk:Strange mood

2008-11-27T04:19:45Z

Sowelu: Order of stuff

40d Talk:Metal

2008-11-27T00:49:51Z

Sowelu: /* Pewter values */

what does brittle mean. (For the game, I know what it means). --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 13:20, 6 November 2007 (EST)
:Hey Soyweiser, if you look at the Raw file below there are tags for [BRITTLE] on some of the metals. I can only assume that this increases the chances of a weapon or other object breaking when in use; but that's just a guess. --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]]
:: Yeah, I saw that in the raw files indeed. Perhaps it makes the items degrade faster. But we have no proof of this yet? nobody tested it? --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 06:47, 7 November 2007 (EST)

I'm pretty sure that the brittle flag means that you cannot make craft goods and furniture from it. Note that bismuth and pig iron cannot be made into any craft good or furniture item.

== Alloys ==

Alright, someone merged [[Alloy]] into this page, but there's also alloy information at [[smelting]]. If not its own page, where are we gonna put that info? --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 01:18, 7 November 2007 (EST)

== Counts ==

Is the number of resulting bars always the same as the one of used bars/ore pieces? There used to be some bugs, resulting in getting more or less bars, than expected. Has anyone checked this in the last version? [[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 04:06, 10 January 2008 (EST)
:[[Galena]]. [[Tetrahedrite]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 10:27, 10 January 2008 (EST)

== Graph ==

Anyone want to make a graph like http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/images/9/9c/Metalchart.png ? If nobody says yes, I might give it a try. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:58, 2 February 2008 (EST)

:That's pretty awesome... t'would be quite the undertaking to get it fully updated and still understandable though. The fuel flow is a tad bit confusing, but not very much so. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:56, 2 February 2008 (EST)

::Additionally, width would have to be less than about 781px, which was the width of the old image and nigh horizontal scrollbar width. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 22:02, 2 February 2008 (EST)

== Pewter values ==

Just making sure my math is right...
Tin (2) Trifle pewter (4)
Tin (2) ==> Trifle pewter (4)
Copper (2) Trifle pewter (4)

6 units of wealth have been converted into 12 units of wealth. A 100% value increase.

Tin (2) Fine pewter (5)
Tin (2) ==> Fine pewter (5)
Tin (2) Fine pewter (5)
Copper (2) Fine pewter (5)

8 units of wealth have been converted into 20 units of wealth. A 150% value increase.

Tin (2) Lay pewter (3)
Tin (2) ==> Lay pewter (3)
Lead (2) Lay pewter (3)
Copper (2) Lay pewter (3)

8 units of wealth have been converted into 12 units of wealth. A 50% value increase.

The reason to do lay pewter over fine pewter or trifle pewter would be
* More bars per smelting over trifle pewter. Potentially important if no magma.
* Less tin consumption. Tin can be used for bronze alloys which are weapon capable.

Correct?
--[[User:Shagie|Shagie]] 14:35, 7 March 2008 (EST)

: 8 units of wealth into 20 units of wealth is 250%, not 150%. [[User:Emmanovi|Emmanovi]] 16:21, 22 November 2008 (EST)

:: If you go from 100% to 250%, that's called an increase of 150%. Shagie's math and terminology are both correct. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 19:49, 26 November 2008 (EST)

== Bar count? ==

Is there a page that lists how many bars are needed to forge different things? There's some info at [[armor]]. But there's no info at [[weapon]], crafts, or [[furniture]]. Should there be a unified list here? --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 17:46, 16 July 2008 (EDT)

:"All metal furniture requires 3 bars to forge except for chains, animal traps, buckets and blocks." (not my quote) --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 03:59, 17 July 2008 (EDT)

:[[Metalsmith's forge]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 09:58, 18 July 2008 (EDT)

== alloys ==

is something required to make the fancier alloys like nickel-silver or electrum? i melted down some cages at my smelter but i couldn't make nickle silver or bronze – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Eerr|Eerr]]
: [[Nickel silver]] requires 2 [[Nickel]] + 1 [[Copper]] + 1 [[Zinc]]. [[Electrum]] is 1 [[Gold]] and 1 [[Silver]]. For rough ideas in-game, go to the stones menu of the Stocks menu and click into stones to find what they can be used in. Or look up the reactions file in your data. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 18:27, 22 November 2008 (EST)

== Profits ==

I added a 'Profit' column to the metal/reaction list. This shows the value added by performing the reaction: There's "profit per bar" if you want to make the most of limited bars, and "total profit" if you're worried about smelter time or limited fuel. Should make it easier to see which reactions are better at a glance, of course it doesn't take a lot of things into account...like "bismuth is otherwise useless". Pig iron and steel are a little weird because they have other inputs too. Hope you like it, revert if it sucks. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 19:47, 26 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Metal

2008-11-27T00:47:39Z

Sowelu: /* Profits */

what does brittle mean. (For the game, I know what it means). --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 13:20, 6 November 2007 (EST)
:Hey Soyweiser, if you look at the Raw file below there are tags for [BRITTLE] on some of the metals. I can only assume that this increases the chances of a weapon or other object breaking when in use; but that's just a guess. --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]]
:: Yeah, I saw that in the raw files indeed. Perhaps it makes the items degrade faster. But we have no proof of this yet? nobody tested it? --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 06:47, 7 November 2007 (EST)

I'm pretty sure that the brittle flag means that you cannot make craft goods and furniture from it. Note that bismuth and pig iron cannot be made into any craft good or furniture item.

== Alloys ==

Alright, someone merged [[Alloy]] into this page, but there's also alloy information at [[smelting]]. If not its own page, where are we gonna put that info? --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 01:18, 7 November 2007 (EST)

== Counts ==

Is the number of resulting bars always the same as the one of used bars/ore pieces? There used to be some bugs, resulting in getting more or less bars, than expected. Has anyone checked this in the last version? [[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 04:06, 10 January 2008 (EST)
:[[Galena]]. [[Tetrahedrite]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 10:27, 10 January 2008 (EST)

== Graph ==

Anyone want to make a graph like http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/images/9/9c/Metalchart.png ? If nobody says yes, I might give it a try. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:58, 2 February 2008 (EST)

:That's pretty awesome... t'would be quite the undertaking to get it fully updated and still understandable though. The fuel flow is a tad bit confusing, but not very much so. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:56, 2 February 2008 (EST)

::Additionally, width would have to be less than about 781px, which was the width of the old image and nigh horizontal scrollbar width. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 22:02, 2 February 2008 (EST)

== Pewter values ==

Just making sure my math is right...
Tin (2) Trifle pewter (4)
Tin (2) ==> Trifle pewter (4)
Copper (2) Trifle pewter (4)

6 units of wealth have been converted into 12 units of wealth. A 100% value increase.

Tin (2) Fine pewter (5)
Tin (2) ==> Fine pewter (5)
Tin (2) Fine pewter (5)
Copper (2) Fine pewter (5)

8 units of wealth have been converted into 20 units of wealth. A 150% value increase.

Tin (2) Lay pewter (3)
Tin (2) ==> Lay pewter (3)
Lead (2) Lay pewter (3)
Copper (2) Lay pewter (3)

8 units of wealth have been converted into 12 units of wealth. A 50% value increase.

The reason to do lay pewter over fine pewter or trifle pewter would be
* More bars per smelting over trifle pewter. Potentially important if no magma.
* Less tin consumption. Tin can be used for bronze alloys which are weapon capable.

Correct?
--[[User:Shagie|Shagie]] 14:35, 7 March 2008 (EST)

: 8 units of wealth into 20 units of wealth is 250%, not 150%. [[User:Emmanovi|Emmanovi]] 16:21, 22 November 2008 (EST)

== Bar count? ==

Is there a page that lists how many bars are needed to forge different things? There's some info at [[armor]]. But there's no info at [[weapon]], crafts, or [[furniture]]. Should there be a unified list here? --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 17:46, 16 July 2008 (EDT)

:"All metal furniture requires 3 bars to forge except for chains, animal traps, buckets and blocks." (not my quote) --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 03:59, 17 July 2008 (EDT)

:[[Metalsmith's forge]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 09:58, 18 July 2008 (EDT)

== alloys ==

is something required to make the fancier alloys like nickel-silver or electrum? i melted down some cages at my smelter but i couldn't make nickle silver or bronze – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Eerr|Eerr]]
: [[Nickel silver]] requires 2 [[Nickel]] + 1 [[Copper]] + 1 [[Zinc]]. [[Electrum]] is 1 [[Gold]] and 1 [[Silver]]. For rough ideas in-game, go to the stones menu of the Stocks menu and click into stones to find what they can be used in. Or look up the reactions file in your data. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 18:27, 22 November 2008 (EST)

== Profits ==

I added a 'Profit' column to the metal/reaction list. This shows the value added by performing the reaction: There's "profit per bar" if you want to make the most of limited bars, and "total profit" if you're worried about smelter time or limited fuel. Should make it easier to see which reactions are better at a glance, of course it doesn't take a lot of things into account...like "bismuth is otherwise useless". Pig iron and steel are a little weird because they have other inputs too. Hope you like it, revert if it sucks. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 19:47, 26 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Metal

2008-11-27T00:47:27Z

Sowelu: Profits

what does brittle mean. (For the game, I know what it means). --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 13:20, 6 November 2007 (EST)
:Hey Soyweiser, if you look at the Raw file below there are tags for [BRITTLE] on some of the metals. I can only assume that this increases the chances of a weapon or other object breaking when in use; but that's just a guess. --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]]
:: Yeah, I saw that in the raw files indeed. Perhaps it makes the items degrade faster. But we have no proof of this yet? nobody tested it? --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 06:47, 7 November 2007 (EST)

I'm pretty sure that the brittle flag means that you cannot make craft goods and furniture from it. Note that bismuth and pig iron cannot be made into any craft good or furniture item.

== Alloys ==

Alright, someone merged [[Alloy]] into this page, but there's also alloy information at [[smelting]]. If not its own page, where are we gonna put that info? --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 01:18, 7 November 2007 (EST)

== Counts ==

Is the number of resulting bars always the same as the one of used bars/ore pieces? There used to be some bugs, resulting in getting more or less bars, than expected. Has anyone checked this in the last version? [[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 04:06, 10 January 2008 (EST)
:[[Galena]]. [[Tetrahedrite]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 10:27, 10 January 2008 (EST)

== Graph ==

Anyone want to make a graph like http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/images/9/9c/Metalchart.png ? If nobody says yes, I might give it a try. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:58, 2 February 2008 (EST)

:That's pretty awesome... t'would be quite the undertaking to get it fully updated and still understandable though. The fuel flow is a tad bit confusing, but not very much so. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:56, 2 February 2008 (EST)

::Additionally, width would have to be less than about 781px, which was the width of the old image and nigh horizontal scrollbar width. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 22:02, 2 February 2008 (EST)

== Pewter values ==

Just making sure my math is right...
Tin (2) Trifle pewter (4)
Tin (2) ==> Trifle pewter (4)
Copper (2) Trifle pewter (4)

6 units of wealth have been converted into 12 units of wealth. A 100% value increase.

Tin (2) Fine pewter (5)
Tin (2) ==> Fine pewter (5)
Tin (2) Fine pewter (5)
Copper (2) Fine pewter (5)

8 units of wealth have been converted into 20 units of wealth. A 150% value increase.

Tin (2) Lay pewter (3)
Tin (2) ==> Lay pewter (3)
Lead (2) Lay pewter (3)
Copper (2) Lay pewter (3)

8 units of wealth have been converted into 12 units of wealth. A 50% value increase.

The reason to do lay pewter over fine pewter or trifle pewter would be
* More bars per smelting over trifle pewter. Potentially important if no magma.
* Less tin consumption. Tin can be used for bronze alloys which are weapon capable.

Correct?
--[[User:Shagie|Shagie]] 14:35, 7 March 2008 (EST)

: 8 units of wealth into 20 units of wealth is 250%, not 150%. [[User:Emmanovi|Emmanovi]] 16:21, 22 November 2008 (EST)

== Bar count? ==

Is there a page that lists how many bars are needed to forge different things? There's some info at [[armor]]. But there's no info at [[weapon]], crafts, or [[furniture]]. Should there be a unified list here? --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 17:46, 16 July 2008 (EDT)

:"All metal furniture requires 3 bars to forge except for chains, animal traps, buckets and blocks." (not my quote) --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 03:59, 17 July 2008 (EDT)

:[[Metalsmith's forge]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 09:58, 18 July 2008 (EDT)

== alloys ==

is something required to make the fancier alloys like nickel-silver or electrum? i melted down some cages at my smelter but i couldn't make nickle silver or bronze – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Eerr|Eerr]]
: [[Nickel silver]] requires 2 [[Nickel]] + 1 [[Copper]] + 1 [[Zinc]]. [[Electrum]] is 1 [[Gold]] and 1 [[Silver]]. For rough ideas in-game, go to the stones menu of the Stocks menu and click into stones to find what they can be used in. Or look up the reactions file in your data. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 18:27, 22 November 2008 (EST)

== Profits ==

I added a 'Profit' column to the metal/reaction list. This shows the value added by performing the reaction: There's "profit per bar" if you want to make the most of limited bars, and "total profit" if you're worried about smelter time or limited fuel. Should make it easier to see which reactions are better at a glance, of course it doesn't take a lot of things into account...like "bismuth is otherwise useless". Pig iron and steel are a little weird because they have other inputs too. Hope you like it, revert if it sucks.

40d:Metal

2008-11-27T00:43:13Z

Sowelu: Added profit of each reaction

'''Metal''' is a [[material]] extracted from [[ore]] at a [[smelter]]. It is then sometimes combined with other materials to form an '''alloy''' metal. An alloy usually improves on the properties of its components to give more uses and [[Item value|value]]. The metal bars resulting from the [[smelting]] are used to make items such as [[weapon]]s, [[armor]], and [[furniture]] at a [[Metalsmith's forge|forge]]. Smelting pure ores into the corresponding bars raises the base value from 3 (for stone) to 5. This value is then multiplied against the base value of the metal (except adamantine, which produces wafers instead of bars).

==Alloys==
Many metals can be mixed together to create alloys. In a few cases these alloys will result in an overall increase in value, or the resultant alloy will be more powerful when used to forge weapons or armour. Many alloys result in no overall increase in wealth. The main use of these alloys is to allow you to dilute any valuable metals you import, or to create items with interesting colours: for instance, [[rose gold]] is purple.

In terms of maximizing total material value, currently{{version|0.28.181.40d}} [[tin]] should be made into [[fine pewter]] or [[bronze]] (depending on availability of copper), and [[zinc]] should be made into [[brass]]. If [[copper]] is limited, it should be used for fine pewter. [[Nickel]] and [[lead]] do not form valuable alloys:

*2 tin, 1 copper, and 1 lead can form 4 [[lay pewter]] worth 12, or 3 [[trifle pewter]] and 1 lead worth 14.
*2 nickel, 1 copper, and 1 zinc can form 4 [[nickel silver]] worth 12, or 2 nickel and 2 [[brass]] worth 18.

== List of metals ==

"Reaction" indicates the recipe for an alloy metal; this does not include the [[fuel]] used in their creation. "Profit" indicates the value gained per bar of metal and total value gained by performing this reaction.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Metal
! Colors
! Value
! Density
! Weapon/Armor
! Other uses
! Reaction
! Profit
|-
![[Copper]]
|{{Tile|*|#808000|#800000}}||2||8.93||66%/66%||Ranged weapons, ammo, picks
|-
![[Nickel]]
|{{Tile|*|#c0c0c0|#008080}}||2||8.80
|-
![[Zinc]]
|{{Tile|*|#c0c0c0|#008080}}||2||7.13
|-
![[Tin]]
|{{Tile|*|#c0c0c0|#008080}}||2||7.28
|-
![[Lead]]
|{{Tile|*|#808080|#c0c0c0}}||2||11.34
|-
![[Bismuth]]
|{{Tile|*|#f0f|#800080}}||2||9.78||||Only used to make Bismuth Bronze
|-
![[Nickel silver]]
|{{Tile|*|#fff|#c0c0c0}}||3||8.65||||||Nickel x2 + Copper + Zinc||+1/+4
|-
![[Lay pewter]]
|{{Tile|*|#008080|#c0c0c0}}||3||7.28||||||Tin x2 + Copper + Lead||+1/+4
|-
![[Trifle pewter]]
|{{Tile|*|#c0c0c0|#008080}}||4||7.28||||||Tin x2 + Copper||+2/+6
|-
![[Fine pewter]]
|{{Tile|*|#fff|#c0c0c0}}||5||7.28||||||Tin x3 + Copper||+3/+12
|-
![[Bronze]]
|{{Tile|*|#808000|#800000}}||5||8.25||75%/75%||Ranged weapons, ammo, picks||Tin + Copper||+3/+6
|-
![[Billon]]
|{{Tile|*|#c0c0c0|#008080}}||6||8.93||||||Copper + Silver||+0/+0
|-
![[Bismuth bronze]]
|{{Tile|*|#ff0|#808000}}||6||8.25||75%/75%||Ranged weapons, ammo, picks||Tin + Copper x2 + Bismuth||+4/+16
|-
![[Brass]]
|{{Tile|*|#ff0|#808000}}||7||8.55||||||Zinc + Copper||+5/+10
|-
![[Sterling silver]]
|{{Tile|*|#fff|#c0c0c0}}||8||10.49||||||Silver x3 + Copper||+0/+0
|-
![[Pig iron]]
|{{Tile|*|#808080|#c0c0c0}}||10||7.85||||Only used to make steel||Iron + [[Flux]] stone + Coal||+0/-2
|-
![[Iron]]
|{{Tile|*|#808080|#c0c0c0}}||10||7.85||100%/100%||Ranged weapons, ammo, picks, anvils
|-
![[Silver]]
|{{Tile|*|#fff|#c0c0c0}}||10||10.49||50%/-||
|-
![[Black bronze]]
|{{Tile|*|#800080|#808000}}||11||8.93||||||Copper x2 + Silver + Gold||+0/+0
|-
![[Electrum]]
|{{Tile|*|#ff0|#808000}}||20||8.65||||||Silver + Gold||+0/+0
|-
![[Rose gold]]
|{{Tile|*|#f0f|#800080}}||23||19.32||||||Gold x3 + Copper||+0/+0
|-
![[Steel]]
|{{Tile|*|#808080|#c0c0c0}}||30||7.85||133%/133%||Ranged weapons, ammo, picks, anvils||Iron + Pig iron + Flux stone + Coal||+20/+38
|-
![[Gold]]
|{{Tile|*|#ff0|#808000}}||30||19.32
|-
![[Aluminum]]
|{{Tile|*|#fff|#c0c0c0}}||40||2.70
|-
![[Platinum]]
|{{Tile|*|#fff|#c0c0c0}}||40||21.40
|-
![[Adamantine]]
|{{Tile|*|#0ff|#008080}}||300||0.200||500%/500%||Everything except beds
|}

''(Silver has a 50% armor multiplier, but can't be used to make armor)'' 

== Raw file ==

This is for reference until the metal articles are written. Then, it will be deleted.

<pre>matgloss_metal

[OBJECT:MATGLOSS]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:IRON]
[NAME:iron][ADJ:iron][COLOR:0:7:1]
[VALUE:10]
[SPEC_HEAT:450]
[MELTING_POINT:12768]
[BOILING_POINT:15150]
[WEAPON][WEAPON_RANGED][AMMO][DIGGER][ARMOR][ANVIL]
[DAMAGE_PERC:100]
[BLOCK_PERC:100]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7850]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:GOLD]
[NAME:gold][ADJ:golden][COLOR:6:6:1]
[VALUE:30]
[SPEC_HEAT:129]
[MELTING_POINT:11915]
[BOILING_POINT:15141]
[SOLID_DENSITY:19320]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:SILVER]
[NAME:silver][ADJ:silver][COLOR:7:7:1]
[VALUE:10]
[SPEC_HEAT:230]
[MELTING_POINT:11731]
[BOILING_POINT:13892]
[WEAPON][AMMO]
[SOLID_DENSITY:10490]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:COPPER]
[NAME:copper][ADJ:copper][COLOR:6:4:0]
[VALUE:2]
[SPEC_HEAT:385]
[MELTING_POINT:11952]
[BOILING_POINT:14611]
[WEAPON][WEAPON_RANGED][AMMO][DIGGER][ARMOR]
[DAMAGE_PERC:66]
[BLOCK_PERC:66]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8930]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:NICKEL]
[NAME:nickel][ADJ:nickel][COLOR:7:3:0]
[VALUE:2]
[SPEC_HEAT:444]
[MELTING_POINT:12619]
[BOILING_POINT:15243]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8800]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:ZINC]
[NAME:zinc][ADJ:zinc][COLOR:7:3:0]
[VALUE:2]
[SPEC_HEAT:390]
[MELTING_POINT:10755]
[BOILING_POINT:11633]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7135]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:BRONZE]
[NAME:bronze][ADJ:bronze][COLOR:6:4:0]
[VALUE:5]
[SPEC_HEAT:435]
[MELTING_POINT:11868]
[BOILING_POINT:14140]
[WEAPON][WEAPON_RANGED][AMMO][DIGGER][ARMOR]
[DAMAGE_PERC:75]
[BLOCK_PERC:75]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8250]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:BRASS]
[NAME:brass][ADJ:brass][COLOR:6:6:1]
[VALUE:7]
[SPEC_HEAT:377]
[MELTING_POINT:11656]
[BOILING_POINT:14068]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8550]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:STEEL]
[NAME:steel][ADJ:steel][COLOR:0:7:1]
[VALUE:30]
[SPEC_HEAT:500]
[MELTING_POINT:12718]
[BOILING_POINT:14968]
[WEAPON][WEAPON_RANGED][AMMO][DIGGER][ARMOR][ANVIL]
[DAMAGE_PERC:133]
[BLOCK_PERC:133]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7850]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:PIG_IRON]
[NAME:pig iron][ADJ:pig iron][COLOR:0:7:1]
[VALUE:10]
[SPEC_HEAT:500]
[MELTING_POINT:12106]
[BOILING_POINT:13968]
[BRITTLE]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7850]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:PLATINUM]
[NAME:platinum][ADJ:platinum][COLOR:7:7:1]
[VALUE:40]
[SPEC_HEAT:130]
[MELTING_POINT:13182]
[BOILING_POINT:16885]
[SOLID_DENSITY:21400]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:ELECTRUM]
[NAME:electrum][ADJ:electrum][COLOR:6:6:1]
[VALUE:20]
[SPEC_HEAT:180]
[MELTING_POINT:11828]
[BOILING_POINT:14968]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8650]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:TIN]
[NAME:tin][ADJ:tin][COLOR:7:3:0]
[VALUE:2]
[SPEC_HEAT:210]
[MELTING_POINT:10417]
[BOILING_POINT:14684]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7280]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:PEWTER_FINE]
[NAME:fine pewter][ADJ:fine pewter][COLOR:7:7:1]
[VALUE:5]
[SPEC_HEAT:210]
[MELTING_POINT:10417]
[BOILING_POINT:14684]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7280]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:PEWTER_TRIFLE]
[NAME:trifle pewter][ADJ:trifle pewter][COLOR:7:3:0]
[VALUE:4]
[SPEC_HEAT:210]
[MELTING_POINT:10417]
[BOILING_POINT:14684]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7280]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:PEWTER_LAY]
[NAME:lay pewter][ADJ:lay pewter][COLOR:3:7:0]
[VALUE:3]
[SPEC_HEAT:210]
[MELTING_POINT:10417]
[BOILING_POINT:14684]
[SOLID_DENSITY:7280]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:LEAD]
[NAME:lead][ADJ:lead][COLOR:0:7:1]
[VALUE:2]
[SPEC_HEAT:130]
[MELTING_POINT:10589]
[BOILING_POINT:13148]
[SOLID_DENSITY:11340]

[MATGLOSS_METAL:ALUMINUM]
[NAME:aluminum][ADJ:aluminum][COLOR:7:7:1]
[VALUE:40]
[SPEC_HEAT:900]
[MELTING_POINT:11188]
[BOILING_POINT:14534]
[SOLID_DENSITY:2700]

temperature values unknown, used nickel
[MATGLOSS_METAL:NICKEL_SILVER]
[NAME:nickel silver][ADJ:nickel silver][COLOR:7:7:1]
[VALUE:3]
[SPEC_HEAT:444]
[MELTING_POINT:12619]
[BOILING_POINT:15243]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8650]

temperature values unknown, used copper
[MATGLOSS_METAL:BILLON]
[NAME:billon][ADJ:billon][COLOR:7:3:0]
[VALUE:6]
[SPEC_HEAT:385]
[MELTING_POINT:11952]
[BOILING_POINT:14611]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8930] used copper

temperature values unknown, used silver
value is weighted average of 3 silver and 1 copper
[MATGLOSS_METAL:STERLING_SILVER]
[NAME:sterling silver][ADJ:sterling silver][COLOR:7:7:1]
[VALUE:8]
[SPEC_HEAT:230]
[MELTING_POINT:11731]
[BOILING_POINT:13892]
[SOLID_DENSITY:10490] used silver

temperature values unknown, used copper
also called shakudo or hepatizon depending on the proportions
(some have no silver)
got the name from black corinthian bronze, though these proportions
are more like regular corinthian bronze/brass
I just wanted the liver-colored one, dropped "corinthian"
because it sounds too location/culture specific
value of 11 is the weighted average value of 2copper/1silver/1gold components
[MATGLOSS_METAL:BLACK_BRONZE]
[NAME:black bronze][ADJ:black bronze][COLOR:5:6:0]
[VALUE:11]
[SPEC_HEAT:385]
[MELTING_POINT:11952]
[BOILING_POINT:14611]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8930]

temperature values unknown, used gold
value is weighted average of 3 gold and 1 copper
[MATGLOSS_METAL:ROSE_GOLD]
[NAME:rose gold][ADJ:rose gold][COLOR:5:5:1]
[VALUE:23]
[SPEC_HEAT:129]
[MELTING_POINT:11915]
[BOILING_POINT:15141]
[SOLID_DENSITY:19320] used gold

bismuth itself is brittle, but you can alloy it with tin/copper to make a light-colored bronze
[MATGLOSS_METAL:BISMUTH]
[NAME:bismuth][ADJ:bismuth][COLOR:5:5:1]
[VALUE:2]
[SPEC_HEAT:123]
[MELTING_POINT:10488]
[BOILING_POINT:12815]
[BRITTLE]
[SOLID_DENSITY:9780]

you can make a lighter colored bronze by adding bismuth,
used temp values from bronze, used by incas, at least according to one source ha ha
[MATGLOSS_METAL:BISMUTH_BRONZE]
[NAME:bismuth bronze][ADJ:bismuth bronze][COLOR:6:6:1]
[VALUE:6]
[SPEC_HEAT:435]
[MELTING_POINT:11868]
[BOILING_POINT:14140]
[WEAPON][WEAPON_RANGED][AMMO][DIGGER][ARMOR]
[DAMAGE_PERC:75]
[BLOCK_PERC:75]
[SOLID_DENSITY:8250] used bronze

[MATGLOSS_METAL:ADAMANTINE]
[NAME:adamantine][ADJ:adamantine][COLOR:3:3:1]
[VALUE:300]
[SPEC_HEAT:7500]
[MELTING_POINT:25000]
[BOILING_POINT:50000]
[WEAPON][WEAPON_RANGED][AMMO][DIGGER][ARMOR][ANVIL][ANY_USE]
[WAFERS]
[DAMAGE_PERC:500]
[BLOCK_PERC:500]
[SOLID_DENSITY:200]
[DEEP]</pre>
[[Category:Metals]][[Category:Materials]]

[[ru:Металл]]

40d Talk:Bone

2008-11-26T22:34:14Z

Sowelu: What decays into bones?

== Underground bones ==

I'm pretty sure bone in refuse piles underground lasts a LOT longer, if not indefinitely. This makes it helpful to have one place above ground that accepts everything, and then another underground that only collects bones for carving. Can anyone verify this? I don't want to put this information in the article in case it just SEEMS like a lot longer to me because my games run at 10fps. --Gotthard 08:56, 29 November 2007 (EST)

:I use that underground refuse for bones,skulls and shells and never saw any bone to dissapear on any 'underground' tile in at least 8 years. A refuse pile is not needed (except to actually deliver the bones there in the first place). 'Inside' but 'above ground' refuse stockpiles don't help bones to last longer at all.--[[User:Another|Another]] 09:47, 29 November 2007 (EST)

::I tried an experiment with keeping bones "inside", and [[forbidden|forbade]] some turtle bones in my outside refuse pile, which I then built a roof over. Those bones persisted long after other bones, shells and vermin corpses had disappeared. ''However'', I've just reloaded that game and the turtle bones are no longer there. They certainly lasted from mid-winter to mid-spring though.
:: So in conclusion: Either or both of being "inside" or forbidden makes bones last longer; There is the possibility that such bones will disappear on reloading the game. --[[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 04:03, 22 July 2008 (EDT)

== Severed limbs ==

:AFAIK, all refuse left above ground disappear at season changes (at least bones/shells/chunks, not sure about the limbs and corpses)
I'm interested in following - how much bones will the corpse leave, if it lacks limbs. It seems to me, that a goblin corpse will generate 6 bone stack in any case. In this case: you kill a goblin - you get 6 bones, but if you tear his legs before killing him, you'll get two bones for legs, and six for body. Can anyone verify and clear this out?--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 04:17, 11 January 2008 (EST)

:From experience in past forts, I seem to remember each limb loss reduced the "main" stack by one.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 18:09, 11 January 2008 (EST)
::In my current fort, I just had a bunch of goblins met a bunch of *large steel serrated disks*, so I had a LOT of limbs and a LOT of corpses. Some time passed. I have a LOT of "goblin bone"s and a LOT of "goblin bone[6]"s. not a single "goblin bone[2]" (or [3/4/5]). Will investigate further, cause they could be just stripped of ALL their bones >;)--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 00:19, 4 February 2008 (EST)
::Made some tests: dropped kittens from very high. Result is always a corpse, four legs, head and tail. after rotting they leave 5 separate bones, two in a stack (body), and, strangely, no skull (no idea why, maybe bug). So, that's a way to farm bones!--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 08:10, 4 April 2008 (EDT)

== butcher goblins ==
Does butchering goblin or elven corpses work? I also failed to butcher the corpse of a cat killed by goblins though it was right next to the butcher and the horse next to it was butchered (the cat was a pet). --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 18:17, 28 February 2008 (EST)
:Depending on the creature tags, some creatures cannot be butchered, and pet-like creatures usually can only be butchered live. If they die in battle they cannot be butchered (but you can still use the bones after they rot). --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 12:02, 29 February 2008 (EST)
::Well, that exactly fits my experience - should we put a note in the article? Saves all the hauling of goblins and ''accidently'' died elves ;). They also rot faster outside..--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 13:23, 29 February 2008 (EST)

== Dwarven Bones ==
Is it possible to use dwarven bones for any kind of crafting? --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 06:30, 17 June 2008 (EDT)

:If you edit the raws. Otherwise, if you get a fell mood. Otherwise, nope. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 11:13, 17 June 2008 (EDT)

::Yeah, I think I'll modify the code. I think it makes sense if you use dwarven bones to make weapons; I mean come on, they're already dead so that harm is already done. Besides, dwarves don't care about using goblin bones, so why not dwarf bones?! :) --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 05:08, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

:::Anyone know what I need to modify in order to allow dwarf bones to be used in boneworking? --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 05:52, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

== crossbows ==

The [[crossbow]] page seems certain that the material of a crossbow only affects damage output if it's being used as a hammer. Bolts are affected as by material.
--[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 11:55, 17 June 2008 (EDT)

:The [[crossbow]] page is right. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 08:13, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

== bonecarn ==

I don't see this ever coming up in normal unmodded gameplay, but can creatures with the [BONECARN] tag eat things(armor, bolts, crafts) made from bone?

:I don't think so. I'd imagine that anything made out of bone is a seperate kind of item, and so not edible. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 04:49, 19 June 2008 (EDT)

== Bone Value List ==

Having a listing of notable bone type values here would be pretty convenient, if it can be set up. Or does it exist somewhere else and it either isn't linked from the Bone page or I missed it somehow? - [[User:E-mouse|E-mouse]] 20:15, 8 October 2008 (EDT)

== Fish bones? ==

Do bones come from fish or not? Will I still get the bones if I cook the fish? Also, how do pearls work? [[User:Gairabad|Gairabad]] 16:21, 8 November 2008 (EST)

:Fish, when eaten, will leave behind one bone. Cooking will destroy the bones, which I feel is a bug. I believe pearls are not yet implemented.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 16:53, 8 November 2008 (EST)

:Fish ''meat'', however, leaves behind nothing. (The traders sometimes sell it -- for instance, "longnose gar meat", as distinct from "longnose gar".) And raw fish ("raw longnose gar") can't be eaten until it's cleaned at a fishery.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 16:56, 8 November 2008 (EST)

== Origin of bones ==
It's not entirely clear where bones come from. I know they come from corpses and severed limbs. I don't know whether they come from chunks or remains. It would be great if this information was put here as well as under the Refuse page. (For the record--I think remains is just things like rats, and I think they never drop bones, right? That would mean that if you want to make a 'rot stuff into bones' stockpile, you want a refuse stockpile with all corpses and all body parts but *NO* Item Types?) --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 17:34, 26 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Trade agreement

2008-11-25T17:35:10Z

Sowelu: What do the trade preferences do?

So, what exactly DOES it mean when you bump a trade good desire over to the right a notch or two? I know it makes it more expensive to buy. I assume it makes it more likely to be sent over. However.. If you bump *ALL* trade goods over all the way to the right, do you get more trade goods, period? Or do you just get the same distribution, at twice the price? Does the preference just weight it? Does it weight it within the category, or total? See, one of my common strategies is to bump all leather, cut gems, bars, thread, drinks, and all foods one notch to the right, sometimes more (drinks go all the way). Am I just screwing myself over here, or is it really helping? --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 12:35, 25 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Mechanic

2008-11-25T04:06:44Z

Sowelu:

I forget-do quality mechanisms change the effectiveness of a trap? Either way, skilled mechanics are pretty useful, especially now that they do more than trapmaking.[[User:Kefkakrazy|Kefkakrazy]] 03:36, 4 November 2007 (EST)
:Toady mentioned something about high quality mechanisms working better in traps. I've not personally tested it (and how would you test something like that?) so I am hesitant to put it in as fact, especially because I can't find the post offhand.
::I think Toady said that the quality of the mechanism was used in weapon traps like the skill of a dwarf wielding that weapon. I can't recall what effect it might have had on other types of trap, and I also can't find the relevant post. --[[User:Morlark|Morlark]]
:The quality of a mechanism increases the damage dealt by a trap. So an exceptional mechanism is something like 2.0x more effective then a bog standard novice mechanism; that's why I use all my shoddy mechanisms for levers and linking and keep the high quality ones aside for traps. --[[User:Markavian|Markavian]]
::I've found that the quality of a trap affects the reaction time of pressure plates. --[[User:Kjoery|Kjoery]] 16:53, 6 November 2007 (EST)

I had 2 legendary mechanics, they linked stuff no faster than the novices. --[[User:GauHelldragon|GauHelldragon]] 21:42, 17 November 2007 (EST)
:This may be arbritraty since legendary mechanics may get the quickness boost from stat gain. --[[User:Eagle of Fire|Eagle of Fire]] 01:08, 18 November 2007 (EST)

I just saw one of my armorsmith/mechanics change titles from 'armorsmith' to 'mechanic' after reloading a stonefall trap. Have updated the page to say that reloading stonefall traps gives experience--I previously thought this wasn't the case. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 23:06, 24 November 2008 (EST)

40d:Mechanic

2008-11-25T04:05:41Z

Sowelu:

{{Skill
| color = #f00
| skill = Mechanic
| speciality = Mechanic
| profession = [[Engineer]]
| job name = Mechanics
| tasks =
* Construct Mechanisms
* Machine construction
* Trap construction
* Link up lever/pressure plate
* Load Trap
| workshop = [[Mechanic's workshop]]
}}

{{Tile|☺|#F00|#000}} A '''mechanic''' is a [[dwarf]] with a degree of [[skill]] in the mechanics job. In the game's default configuration mechanics are represented by a red civilian dwarf symbol. A dwarf with the mechanics skill enabled is capable of constructing [[mechanic's workshop]]s, [[mechanism]]s and all other [[building]]s that require mechanisms such as [[lever]]s, [[gear]]s, [[traps]], and [[menacing spike]]s. They are also responsible for linking up [[lever]]s or [[pressure plate]]s to objects such as [[bridge]]s, [[floodgate]]s and other contraptions.

A dwarf will gain mechanics skill by building [[mechanism]]s in the [[workshop]]. A dwarf with a high skill in mechanics is able to construct mechanisms and link up objects faster than a novice. A dwarf with a high mechanics skill is also more likely to produce high [[quality]] mechanisms at the workshop which can be used for improving trap damage.

Building a mechanism at the [[mechanic's workshop]] is worth 30 [[skill point]]s.

Mechanics also gain an unknown amount of experience from reloading stone-fall traps.

{{Skills}}
[[Category:Skills]]
[[Category:Jobs]]

40d:Channel

2008-11-24T22:43:38Z

Sowelu:

A '''channel''' is a hole dug in the ground or wall which will mine out the [[z-level]] below too. You can use long channels to act as [[moat]]s, to move liquids such as [[water]] and [[magma]] from one point to another, and other creative purposes. With this option it is possible to either select floor tiles or 'full' tiles. When channeled out, the floor (as well as a wall if it exists) on your layer will be removed and the tile on the layer below will be [[mine]]d out. Creating a channel could be described as "strip mining".

In layman's terms: mining an area will carve out a tunnel in the rock to crawl through, whereas channelling an area will also remove the bottom of that tunnel and make a second tunnel one level below, creating a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trench Trench] of sorts.

Because it has the potential of removing two layers of wall and one of floor, channeling has the potential to be the fastest mining method. However, be careful to ensure that multiple [[miner]]s working on the same channel don't undermine each other, causing them to fall through to the tile below. If this happens you may need to build a [[stair]] or a [[ramp]] in order for the fallen miner to escape.

==Creating channels==

Open the {{k|d}}esignation menu and select c{{k|h}}annel. Mark out the area you want to create as a channel - be careful to check the z-level below too! When building channels diagonally, a single line is enough - water, like [[creatures]], moves in all 8 directions (+ z-axis).

The channel designation can be used to dig upwards. If a square is designated to be channeled and the z-level below has either a ramp or upward stair the miner will stand on that and remove the roof. In the same manner, designating channels over existing downward [[stairs]] will make the dwarves remove the staircase.

Designating a channel on the level underneath an existing channel is the way to dig deep pits or [[well]] shafts. Designating an adjacent up/down staircase is the easiest way to give access to the [[miner]] who will dig the shaft.

To swiftly channel out large areas multiple Z-levels deep, the fastest way is to designate the entire area as up/down staircases (except for the bottom, which should be up staircases). After the staircases are dug out, designate the entire top Z-level for channeling, and repeat for subsequent levels once the upper ones are completely emptied. Once all areas are channeled, designate the bottom level for Remove Up Stairs. You may consider leaving a single column of stairs leading back to the surface, removing it the same way once you're done, to aid miner access; in any case, this method requires that you give your miners a way out of the bottom level once they've finished.

If the area you wish to channel is many Z-levels deep, it can be more efficient to build a [[construction]] shaped like the hole you would like to create on top of a support at the highest level. If the [[support]] is linked to a [[lever]], and the lever is pulled, the constructions will fall through every floor until hitting solid material. Be sure to keep dwarves and valuable items clear of the falling debris.

==Using channels==

Creatures cannot pass over open channels but you can build [[floor]]s, [[bridges]], [[hatch cover]]s, or place floor [[grate]]s on top of channels. Grates will allow fluids to pass through.

To move liquids simply connect one end of the channel to the liquid source, and the other to your desired destination. You will probably want to leave digging through the last square prior to the liquid until all your [[floodgate]]s etc. are finished. An unexpected [[flood]] can set your [[fortress]] back several [[season]]s.

Be careful when tapping into a [[aquifer|reservoir]], such as the bottom of a [[lake]], since the [[pressure]] head will cause the water to overtop the sides of the channel. Magma will not do this.

{{Water FAQ}}
{{Magma FAQ}}
[[category:designations]]

40d:Channel

2008-11-24T17:43:21Z

Sowelu: Added fast method of channeling out multi-Z-level areas

A '''channel''' is a hole dug in the ground or wall which will mine out the [[z-level]] below too. You can use long channels to act as [[moat]]s, to move liquids such as [[water]] and [[magma]] from one point to another, and other creative purposes. With this option it is possible to either select floor tiles or 'full' tiles. When channeled out, the floor (as well as a wall if it exists) on your layer will be removed and the tile on the layer below will be [[mine]]d out. Creating a channel could be described as "strip mining".

In layman's terms: mining an area will carve out a tunnel in the rock to crawl through, whereas channelling an area will also remove the bottom of that tunnel and make a second tunnel one level below, creating a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trench Trench] of sorts.

Because it has the potential of removing two layers of wall and one of floor, channeling has the potential to be the fastest mining method. However, be careful to ensure that multiple [[miner]]s working on the same channel don't undermine each other, causing them to fall through to the tile below. If this happens you may need to build a [[stair]] or a [[ramp]] in order for the fallen miner to escape.

==Creating channels==

Open the {{k|d}}esignation menu and select c{{k|h}}annel. Mark out the area you want to create as a channel - be careful to check the z-level below too! When building channels diagonally, a single line is enough - water, like [[creatures]], moves in all 8 directions (+ z-axis).

The channel designation can be used to dig upwards. If a square is designated to be channeled and the z-level below has either a ramp or upward stair the miner will stand on that and remove the roof. In the same manner, designating channels over existing downward [[stairs]] will make the dwarves remove the staircase.

Designating a channel on the level underneath an existing channel is the way to dig deep pits or [[well]] shafts. Designating an adjacent up/down staircase is the easiest way to give access to the [[miner]] who will dig the shaft.

To swiftly channel out large areas multiple Z-levels deep, the fastest way is to designate the entire area as up/down staircases. After the staircases are dug out, designate the entire top Z-level for channeling, and repeat for subsequent levels once the upper ones are completely emptied. Once all areas are channeled, designate the bottom level for Remove Up Stairs. You may consider leaving a single column of stairs leading back to the surface, removing it the same way once you're done, to aid miner access; in any case, this method requires that you give your miners a way out of the bottom level once they've finished.

==Using channels==

Creatures cannot pass over open channels but you can build [[floor]]s, [[bridges]], [[hatch cover]]s, or place floor [[grate]]s on top of channels. Grates will allow fluids to pass through.

To move liquids simply connect one end of the channel to the liquid source, and the other to your desired destination. You will probably want to leave digging through the last square prior to the liquid until all your [[floodgate]]s etc. are finished. An unexpected [[flood]] can set your [[fortress]] back several [[season]]s.

Be careful when tapping into a [[aquifer|reservoir]], such as the bottom of a [[lake]], since the [[pressure]] head will cause the water to overtop the sides of the channel. Magma will not do this.

{{Water FAQ}}
{{Magma FAQ}}
[[category:designations]]

40d Talk:Undead

2008-11-22T09:15:12Z

Sowelu:

One question: I had two dwarves that were not always occupied hunt small zombies and skeletons (hoary marmots, mountain goat and such). Apart from getting really good at wrestling, they both seemed to gain "Is used to tragedy" as a character trait. Can anyone confirm that? -- [[User:qwertyu|qwertyu]] 12:34, 9 March 2008 (CET)

:That always happens regardless of what they are killing.

:Should we include the fact that attempting to pit undead animals of any kind will result in them attacking the moment they are released, regardless of how close they are to the pit. (They can be right next to it but still attack the pit-ter once they are out of the cages)
:--[[User:Umiman|Umiman]] 07:39, 29 May 2008 (EDT)

::I believe we should put it in as a warning to those who attempt to put captured undead in pits.
::--Rickola

:::Should it be mentioned that the Undead versions are much more tougher than 'normal' creatures, once I had an entire fortress wiped out by a single Undead Racoon. --[[User:Hoborobo|Hoborobo]] 06:47, 10 August 2008 (EDT)

::::I think zombies are a lot harder than skeletons. Maybe undead horses are just absurdly hard anyway, but I put all seven of my starting dwarves on a single zombie horse. Sure, they were untrained and unarmored and were wrestling it to death (except for the miners), but all seven dwarves went from untrained in wrestling to novice wrestlers, became tired/exhausted, AND two dwarves died and three got yellow/red injuries, before that single zombie horse went down. Then the other four zombie horses wandered in... Skeletons seem to be a lot easier to kill. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 04:15, 22 November 2008 (EST)

== Skeleton Corpse ==

I have a Skeleton Horse Corpses. That's not normal, right? It appears to have fallen several levels into a river. Adjacent to it (well... adjacent if you ignore the z-difference) are bridge squares and weapon traps. --[[User:Groveller|Groveller]] 11:55, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

:I saw [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=22793.0 this report] a while ago on the bugs board. May be worth resurrecting it (especially if you can supply saves)? --[[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 14:21, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

::Hmm, just noticed it wasn't on the bugs board, but on the gameplay questions board. May be worth starting a thread on the bugs board then? --[[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 15:49, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

::: Ah, the board. I hadn't even looked at that yet. Anyway, the person you linked to posted in the bugs board too, so I guess this is known. I didn't think of getting a save... --[[User:Groveller|Groveller]] 07:24, 25 August 2008 (EDT)

== Skeletal creatures ==

I was told that skeletal creatures would lose their limbs whenever they hit broken status. Is this true?

As another note, if that is true, I have a bug that occured. Under the assumption broken bones = removed bones for the skeletons, one of my hammerdwarves hit a skeletal dragon so hard that its upper body was instantly mangled, skipping the broken (and thusly removed) state entirely.[[User:Milskidasith|Milskidasith]] 17:17, 9 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Undead

2008-11-22T09:14:51Z

Sowelu:

One question: I had two dwarves that were not always occupied hunt small zombies and skeletons (hoary marmots, mountain goat and such). Apart from getting really good at wrestling, they both seemed to gain "Is used to tragedy" as a character trait. Can anyone confirm that? -- [[User:qwertyu|qwertyu]] 12:34, 9 March 2008 (CET)

:That always happens regardless of what they are killing.

:Should we include the fact that attempting to pit undead animals of any kind will result in them attacking the moment they are released, regardless of how close they are to the pit. (They can be right next to it but still attack the pit-ter once they are out of the cages)
:--[[User:Umiman|Umiman]] 07:39, 29 May 2008 (EDT)

::I believe we should put it in as a warning to those who attempt to put captured undead in pits.
::--Rickola

:::Should it be mentioned that the Undead versions are much more tougher than 'normal' creatures, once I had an entire fortress wiped out by a single Undead Racoon. --[[User:Hoborobo|Hoborobo]] 06:47, 10 August 2008 (EDT)

::::I think zombies are a lot harder than skeletons. Maybe undead horses are just absurdly hard anyway, but I put all seven of my starting dwarves on a single zombie horse. Sure, they were untrained and unarmored and were wrestling it to death (except for the miners), but all seven dwarves went from untrained in wrestling to novice wrestlers, became tired/exhausted, AND two dwarves died and three got yellow/red injuries, before that single zombie horse went down. Then the other four zombie horses wandered in... Skeletons seem to be a lot easier to kill.

== Skeleton Corpse ==

I have a Skeleton Horse Corpses. That's not normal, right? It appears to have fallen several levels into a river. Adjacent to it (well... adjacent if you ignore the z-difference) are bridge squares and weapon traps. --[[User:Groveller|Groveller]] 11:55, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

:I saw [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=22793.0 this report] a while ago on the bugs board. May be worth resurrecting it (especially if you can supply saves)? --[[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 14:21, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

::Hmm, just noticed it wasn't on the bugs board, but on the gameplay questions board. May be worth starting a thread on the bugs board then? --[[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 15:49, 23 August 2008 (EDT)

::: Ah, the board. I hadn't even looked at that yet. Anyway, the person you linked to posted in the bugs board too, so I guess this is known. I didn't think of getting a save... --[[User:Groveller|Groveller]] 07:24, 25 August 2008 (EDT)

== Skeletal creatures ==

I was told that skeletal creatures would lose their limbs whenever they hit broken status. Is this true?

As another note, if that is true, I have a bug that occured. Under the assumption broken bones = removed bones for the skeletons, one of my hammerdwarves hit a skeletal dragon so hard that its upper body was instantly mangled, skipping the broken (and thusly removed) state entirely.[[User:Milskidasith|Milskidasith]] 17:17, 9 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Horse

2008-11-22T08:55:53Z

Sowelu: /* Zombie horses... */

If all we can do is butcher them... do I do that early or later?[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 01:45, 4 January 2008 (EST)

:If you wait, their population will grow, which you can then cull for a decent ongoing source of meat/bones/hides. Your choice. Having lots of animals around does slow down framerates a little.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 02:28, 4 January 2008 (EST)

::Yeah, but I only bought one with me... and I'm out of other food ;_; [[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 07:05, 4 January 2008 (EST)

:::Hope that you can get it to breed with traders. You've got a few years from Embark! to get a heard started before it dies of old age. Alternatively, buy all the animals you can, and hope to eventually get a male/female pair.

If you r lucky u might have some wild horses on your map sooner or later, try to tame some (or hunt them ;)) --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 01:41, 10 February 2008 (EST)

== Beware the ninja horse ==

Retrieving items from a certain area of my map repeatedly failed, "interrupted by horse". Checking for a nearby horse, i never found one, until i scrolled through the z axis and indeed there was a horse lurking on top of a tree. I guess it dropped down the cliff when one of my hunters chased it, quite funny, obviously it can't get down and will stay there forever.--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 09:43, 23 March 2008 (EDT)

:Teleport.exe? --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 10:33, 23 March 2008 (EDT)

::Get some soldiers armed with crossbows to kill it, or dig underneath of it to collapse the tree. [[User:Diabl0658|Diabl0658]] 11:58, 23 March 2008 (EDT)

== Riding animals ==

Can humans ride horses in Adventure mode? --[[User:Lordmick134|Lordmick134]] 10:11, 26 March 2008 (EDT)

:I'm fairly sure that that hasn't been implemented yet, but that's not an area that falls in my expertise. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 11:00, 26 March 2008 (EDT)

== Milking Horses ==

Horses are milked in the real world by some cultures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse and ctrl+F for "milk"), there's no reason to think that they won't be milkable once Toady does proper milking in DF.

== Zombie horses... ==

...are surprisingly terrifying. Just needed to be said. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 03:55, 22 November 2008 (EST)

40d Talk:Horse

2008-11-22T08:55:32Z

Sowelu: Zombie horses...

User:Sowelu

2008-04-16T23:52:34Z

Sowelu: Maps for the Halls of Memory

The object of the tournament is to get as many points as possible!

My calculations are based on 'mp', which stands for MILLIPOINTS. This is easier than thinking about 1/7000 of a point.

== Architecture ==

One money of architecture gives 1.25mp.

Smoothing any wall, regardless of stone/gem/ore: 8 
Smoothing any floor, regardless of stone: 6 
Engraving any wall, regardless of stone/gem/ore: 10*quality 
Engraving any floor, regardless of stone/gem/ore: 10*quality 

Building a wall out of gypsum blocks above ground: 14 
Building a wall out of gypsum above ground: 14 
Building a wall out of willow above ground: 14 
Building any of these walls BELOW GROUND: 8 
Gypsum floor below ground: 6, and overwrites a smoothed floor 
Building a wall out of copper below ground: 8 

Fortifying a wall: LOSES the smooth-wall bonus 
Building a fortification out of gypsum: No change 

Building a smelter out of a gypsum block: 5 
Building a wood furnace out of a limestone block: 10 (and 10 displayed..) 

Building a retracting 3x5 bridge aboveground out of 4 claystone: 12 (displayed too) 
Building a retracting 3x5 bridge aboveground out of 4 jet: 12 (displayed too) 
Building a retracting 3x5 bridge aboveground out of 4 jet blocks: 20 (displayed too) 

Building a stonefall trap with base-quality gypsum mechanism and 1-value stone: 30 arch, 33 displayed (the +3 is from loading the trap) 
Building a stonefall trap with a -gypsum mechanism- and 1-value stone: 60 arch, 63 displayed 
Okay, so this just uses the value of the mechanism (plus the stone for display only). 

Taking a constructed door and building it somewhere: Adds to architecture and displayed. 

So, constructing walls has very little point, and making blocks for that purpose has even less point. Remember that blocks do not have quality, and neither do bars! Furniture on the other hand can be very valuable to architecture. Statues are the best use of stone (25 value for one stone) but aren't as good for metal, where they take 3 bars. For metal, the best furniture is probably chains for stand-alone decoration (10 value for one bar), although studding (10 value and no fuel) is smarter.

The absolute fastest ways to build architecture:

- Smoothing/engraving walls. Requires walking to the wall, smoothing, walking to the wall, engraving. Gives 8+(10*quality), or 10+(12.5*quality) mp. 
- Smoothing/engraving floors, almost the same (2.5mp less per tile). 
- Making statues (Mine, haul stone to mason, construct statue, haul statue to stockpile, haul statue to destination). Gives 25*quality, or 31.25*quality mp. 
- Studding statues with metal (Smelt bars, haul statue from stockpile to forge, haul bar from stockpile to forge). Depends on metal. A good average might be 10*20*quality, or 250*quality mp. 
- Encrusting statues with gems (mine gem, cut gem, haul to stockpile, haul statue, encrust). Depends on gem. A good average might be 10*10*gem quality*encrust quality, or 100*quality^2. 
- Remember that you can smooth/engrave into corners. 
- Remember that you can smooth/engrave a floor before you put the statue there and the statue will NOT erase the engraving. 

Masterwork smooth+engraving will give 160 mp. 
Masterwork statue will give 375 mp. 
Exceptional silver studs will add 500 mp. 
Exceptional/Exceptional amethyst encrusting will add 5000 mp. 

In other words, a very good jeweler can add 31.25 times as many points with just two actions as an engraver can! Five of those encrustings is worth more than training a champion military dwarf!

Also...Do doors wreck engravings? If not, then they add another new dimension here. A door is worth the same as a wall-engraving, minus the smoothing bonus. However they do get bonuses from flux materials, etc, like statues. Consider stuffing every corridor that needs to be passable with doors. It'll essentially double a square's architectural value...at great cost of mason-hours.

Here's a tenative plan for architecture through minimal digging, this plan should engrave every square with the least digging possible--and two statues for every five squares dug. It'll control stone production and is ideal for mining out the whole fecking map, plus allows for occasional workshop regions:

<pre>
%%%%%%%##+######
%%%%####+#@##@#+
%%%%#@#X######+#
%%%%##+######+#@
%####+#@##@#+###
%#@#+######+##%%
%##+######+#@#%%
##+#@##@#+####%%
#+######+##%%%%%
+######+#@#%%%%%

%%%%%%%##+######
%%%%####+#@##@#+
%%%%#@#X++++##+#
%%%%##++WWW+#+#@
%####+#+WWW++###
%#@#+##+WWW+####
%##+###+++++@##@
##+#@##@#+######
#+######+####@#+
+######+#@####+#
</pre>

After the workshop is no longer useful, stuff the room edges with statues, and use it to keep booze or other essentials in.

Of course, the most value-obsessed fortress can mine everything out, and engrave then build a statue in every square.

Remember, at top quality with just basic stone: 
Floor+statue = 532.5mp. 
Floor+door = 277.5mp.
Wall = 160mp.

User:Sowelu

2008-04-12T22:48:11Z

Sowelu: Tournament calculations!

User:Sowelu

2008-04-12T22:27:57Z

Sowelu: Tournament scheming

40d Talk:Engraving

2008-04-12T21:20:58Z

Sowelu:

I started a general page on engraving, mostly to point out that it appears possible to smooth tiles containing ore, since they have been placed in the category of stone now. Haven't tried it on gems, but I'm quite giddy about being able to make an aesthetically pleasing fortress in the middle of an ore vein finally.

:Yes, ore is now exactly the same as regular stone, so it can be smoothed just fine. Make for MUCH nicer fort designs then before. I am not 100% sure but I think gems work the same way too. --[[User:BurnedToast|BurnedToast]] 03:49, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

Note also that rewalling allows for even more aesthetic possibility. And you can extract the ore or gem from a wall and then rebuild it with less useful material.

I hit {{K|k}} and everything, looked at my wall, and all it said was "Detailed Obsidian Wall." It doesn't work when I make the walls look like regular walls with lines on them or when I make them have the funky little symbols. My fortress is quite young, but I heard that the engraver can just use his imagination and stuff. What's wrong? --[[User:Penguinofhonor|Penguinofhonor]] 19:55, 14 November 2007 (EST)
:Hit {{K|k}} and then hit {{K|Enter}}.

Does the type of stone affect Dwarf happiness? Are they happier if their room contains a golden engraved wall? Or even a granite one? And what about the floor? I've just cleaned out a gold vein and I'm thinking about rewalling it into a dinning hall to take advantage of the gold floor. --[[User:Malenfant|Malenfant]] 11:34, 26 November 2007 (EST)
:[http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000691 Draxxalon's study] suggests that the stone does have an effect. --[[User:Kingzilla|Kingzilla]] 22:24, 12 December 2007 (EST)

I'm doing a little studying on the architecture value of smoothing/engraving for the current tournament. As far as I can tell, a smoothed wall is worth 8 monies, a smoothed floor is worth 6 monies, and the base value of an engraving is 10 (so an *engraving* is worth 40). The value *DOES NOT* depend on the type of stone, you get the same bonuses even if you smooth/engrave ore. And of course while engravings do have quality, smoothing does not. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 17:20, 12 April 2008 (EDT)

40d Talk:Engraving

2008-04-12T21:20:42Z

Sowelu:

40d Talk:Immigration

2008-01-12T14:28:35Z

Sowelu:

Don't know how much of this info is still valid. For example, the line "Notably, the incredibly useful Manager requires at least twenty dwarves." is a hold-over from the previous wiki. In fact, most of the noble-related info is outdated.
I'm going to edit out anything that I ''know'' to be wrong. Get rid of the wrong stuff, and we can start getting correct stuff in instead.[[User:Thexor|Thexor]] 19:07, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

:The validation abilities of the manager still only appear after you have 20 dwarfs. But you can access the screen before that happens. Don't know if this validation has any additional effect or if the managers even work before that.--[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 16:58, 8 November 2007 (EST)

I have a nagging sense from playing a year or two in a few different areas that the number of migrants is a bit more random now. I have one decently wealthy young outpost located far from it's civilization on the map which has gotten very few immigrants in the first two years. Perhaps with groups now moving on the overall map, it is more important to be close to your civilization's area so immigrant groups arrive more quickly and are less likely to get ambushed on the way? Pure conjecture on my part and not backed by any real evidence, but an interesting idea nonetheless. --[[User:Janus|Janus]] 16:15, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

Well, my first throw-away fortress got gigantic immigration crowds every single season. Then I abandoned, rerolled the world, and started a new fortress. It produces worlds more wealth than my first fortress, but I have only gotten one immigration wave on the second Spring, bringing my numbers to 24. I then received my second immigration on the start of the third Spring, bringing me up to 48 dwarves. I was very worried up until I got that first wave in the spring... I almost thought I was going to have to scrap the fortress and start again. For reference, I receive elf, human, and dwarf traders. No sieges yet. I have no deaths so far. It would seem that the MAXIMUM immigration amount is 24 for one season. [[User:FFLaguna|FFLaguna]] 23:33, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

::I've gotten 25 immigrants in one wave, but one of these was a child, which may ironically go into the 'pets' category rather than 'dwarf' category. Do children have parents when they come with immigrants? -Gotthard

::Update: On the summer of my third year, I finally received some migrants! Woooo. I received about 12 immigrants. [[User:FFLaguna|FFLaguna]] 01:35, 4 November 2007 (EDT)

::Happend to me sometimes to, you have to wait for immigrants sometimes. --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 16:58, 8 November 2007 (EST)

== Equipment ==

(This should probably go on the Migrant talk page, but this page seems to be busier)

Will an immigrant always arrive with the necessary equipment to perform his skills? ie, will a hunter always arrive with a crossbow, armour and bolts? [[User:Runspotrun|Runspotrun]] 16:08, 8 November 2007 (EST)

:nope, sometimes you get an immigrant who doesn't have the right equipment. (Had woodworkers with carpentry and wood cutting skills withouth an axe). --[[User:Soyweiser|Soyweiser]] 07:46, 9 November 2007 (EST)

== Combat Immigrants ==

I have yet to have any of my immigrants to show up as military types, even though I've at least produced crossbows in every fort I've run so far. Had one fort reach it's 6th year and have crafted every type of weapon available without a single dwarf showing up with combat skills. Anyone {{verify}} that this is still true? --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 04:49, 19 November 2007 (EST)

You were just unlucky. I have forged some hammers and axes and a hammer and a axe soldier showed up at my fort [[Doler 12]], 18:11 19 November 2007 (GMT+1)

:Did you maybe create a military and train dwarves in hammers and axes? --[[User:Geekwad|Geekwad]] 14:19, 19 November 2007 (EST)

== Immigration Rate ==

Has anyone noticed there seems to be a logarithmic curve associated with immigration? In the beginning, it doesn't matter what I do to keep my wealth down (including only building 7 beds and a small wooden 'shack' to put them above ground, and not mining out any squares) I seem to get a ton of immigrants. However, going from 1.1M to 1.4M resulted in only 5 immigrants or so the whole year. Either there might be a 'minimum' baseline for forts (and 7 isn't it, seems closer to 25-40 or so, doesn't matter what your wealth is you will grow to that) or it is logarithmic. I don't think it is related to deaths in my large fortress, I've had one elite marksdwarf die to a hydra, and 6-7 more (in 6 years) to goblins, moods, etc. I don't have the economy, perhaps this slows it down around 100? --Gotthard 11:18, 10 December 2007 (EST)
:Heh, I'm about to test that: my first winter killed six of my dwarves so we'll see how many migrants I get. I'm currently outnumbered by dogs about 10:1... unfortunately I also lost my only mare so I've got two male horses, may as well kill both of them as soon as I need a quick snack! [[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 01:05, 11 January 2008 (EST)

== Military immigrants without weapons ==

I started a game with just one dwarf. The first immigration wave, in the next spring, I got a recruit as one of my immigrants. This recruit had NO military skills, and no armor or weapons. What confuses me is that I had never created any weapons. The only remotely military thing I ever made was a single leather armor. If it matters, I hadn't created hardly anything else before that point either--a bed, basic furniture, less than ten stone crafts, no cooking, and that armor. Anyone else seen this? It throws a kink into the "weapons bring military dwarves" thing. Oh, and I also have pits as a feature in this map if it matters (as yet unrevealed). --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 09:28, 12 January 2008 (EST)

40d:Tilesets

2007-11-07T20:35:57Z

Sowelu:

''You may be looking for the [[List of user character sets]] or [[Graphics sets]].''

'''Tilesets''' are images the game uses to display its graphics; each tile is used to show text and represent things. Users create custom tilesets for a number of reasons, including increased visibility, aesthetics, or small size. Tilesets come in two flavors: "'''character sets'''" (or simply "tilesets") and "'''graphics sets'''".

== Overview and installation ==

=== Character sets ===

A character set is an image in BMP format that contains the 256 different tiles, corresponding to the IBM Code-page 457 ASCII+Extended characters, which are used to display the main graphics. [[List of user character sets|Here is the list]] of user-made standard tilesets. To install any of these tilesets, follow these steps:

# Download the tileset.
# Convert it into a 24-bit BMP file. Do NOT just change the extension to .bmp; you must use a program like MS paint to save it as a .bmp.
# Put it in the data/art directory of your Dwarf Fortress installation.
# Open data/init/init.txt
# If you want to use the tileset in fullscreen mode, locate and modify the [FULLSCREENX:800], [FULLSCREENY:600], and [FULLFONT:curses_800x600.bmp] configuration lines to match the specifications from the [[List of user tilesets|tileset list]]. The FULLFONT directive should match the filename of the tileset you downloaded. If you want to use the tileset in windowed mode, search for the [WINDOWEDX:640], [WINDOWEDY:300], and [FONT:curses_640x300.bmp] lines instead, and change them to the correct values.
# It is also recommended you change [BLACK_SPACE:NO] to [BLACK_SPACE:YES] to prevent stretching of the graphics.
# Save the file, then you're ready to play!

=== Graphics sets ===

Character sets only change certain graphics, while others are left out. The confusingly-named [[graphics sets]] are used to change the appearance of [[creatures]] in the game, such as dwarves and unicorns. These are usually designed to work together with certain characrter sets. The Dystopian Rhetoric graphics set comes with it's own DF installer; to install any others (or to install that one manually), you follow a similiar process to the above:

# Download the graphics set. (The list is [[Graphics sets|here]].)
# Convert it into a 24-bit BMP file using your favorite image editing program.
# Put it in the raw/graphics/example directory of your Dwarf Fortress installation, so it overwrites the existing file.
# Open /raw/graphics/example_text.txt
# Replace the contents with the appropriate text for the graphics set you downloaded. Save the file.
# Open data/init/init.txt
# Locate the [GRAPHICS:NO] line and change it to [GRAPHICS:YES].
# Change the resolution and font directories as above, this time for the lines starting with GRAPHICS instead. So, if you want to use fullscreen mode, modify [GRAPHICS_FULLSCREENX:800], [GRAPHICS_FULLSCREENY:600], and [GRAPHICS_FULLFONT:curses_800x600.bmp] to suit the standard tileset you want to use. For windowed mode, the lines to change are [GRAPHICS_WINDOWEDX:640], [GRAPHICS_WINDOWEDY:300], and [GRAPHICS_FONT:curses_640x300.bmp].
# Be sure to change [GRAPHICS_BLACK_SPACE] to the same setting as [BLACK_SPACE].
# Save the file, then you're ready to get mangled by a great-looking elephant!

== Custom tileset design ==

The gameplay viewport is 80 characters wide, and 25 characters tall. Therefore, a tileset's target resolution will be TILE_X_LENGTH * 80 by TILE_Y_LENGTH * 25. Since the tileset is arranged into a 16x16 grid of tiles (256 tiles total), the tileset image size will be TILE_X_LENGTH * 16 by TILE_Y_LENGTH * 16. Here are some common tile sizes:

* A tileset with 10x12 tiles will be 160x192 pixels large, and the target resolution will be 800x300.
* A tileset with 16x16 tiles will be 256x256 pixels large, and the target resolution will be 1280x400.

When creating a custom tileset, it's often easiest to start with an existing one, and edit it to your liking. Tilesets generally fall into three categories: rectangular tilesets, square tilesets, and 16x16 square tilesets. Rectangular tilesets have tiles that are taller than they are wide. The text in these tilesets is generally easier to read, but the map appears squished horizontally. Square tilesets usually provide more attractive graphics, but are slightly less readable. The 16x16 square tilesets are just a sub-set, which are grouped together because most [[Object Tilesets]] use 16x16 tiles. The graphics in Dwarf Fortress can be somewhat diversified and enhanced through the use of graphics sets.

Many tiles are used by the game in multiple ways, and this makes customizing the graphics difficult. The same icon is used for chairs and the north end of one-tile-wide vertical bridges. Ashes and broken arrows look the same, and many game entities (such as levers, floodgates, bags, and bins) share characters that are also used in Dwarven names or other bits of text in the interface.

=== How colors other than white and magenta work ===

When the game draws a tile, it will select a foreground color, a background color, and a tile based on the item being drawn. The background color will be used in place of magenta (Hex code #FF00FF or RGB 255 0 255). All other colors in the tile will be treated as a mask against the foreground color. Pure white (#FFFFFF) will always show the foreground color, while light grey (#CCCCCC) will be a slightly darker version of the foreground color, and dark grey (#888888) will be a dark version of the foreground color. Black (#000000) will always be black. It is impossible to use different shades of the background color.

In general, just remember these rules:

* Bright magenta (#FF00FF) is the background.
* Bright white (#FFFFFF) is the foreground.
* Darker shades of white and grey (#C0C0C0, #808080, etc) will display darker shades of the foreground color. It is possible to use any shade of grey, including ones like #333333 and #C2C2C2.
* Black (#000000) will always be black.
* It's probably best to avoid color in normal tilesets.

For an example, the game is drawing an exposed turquoise cluster with color bright blue (#0000FF). While loading the tile image, it encounters the color light grey (#CCCCCC). The color used in its place will be:

{| style="margin-bottom:20px; text-align:left; width:90%"
|-
! Color component || Foreground color || Color mask from tile || Calculation in hex || Calculation in decimal
|-
| Red || #0000FF || #CCCCCC || 0016 * CC16 / 10016 = 0016 || 0 * 204 / 256 = 0
|-
| Green || #0000FF || #CCCCCC ||0016 * CC16 / 10016 = 0016 || 0 * 204 / 256 = 0
|-
| Blue || #0000FF || #CCCCCC || FF16 * CC16 / 10016 = CB16 || 255 * 204 / 256 = 203
|-
| Final Color || || || #0000CB || 0 0 203
|}

Color masks with inequal amounts of R, G and B are calculated in the same fashion. The game is now drawing a speardwarf with color brown (#C0C000). It encounters the color cyan while loading the tile (#008080). The color used instead of cyan will be:

{| style="margin-bottom:20px; text-align:left; width:90%"
|-
! Color component || Foreground color || Color mask from tile || Calculation in hex || Calculation in decimal
|-
| Red || #C0C000 || #008080 || C016 * 0016 / 10016 = 0016 || 192 * 0 / 256 = 0
|-
| Green || #C0C000 || #008080 ||C016 * 8016 / 10016 = 6016 || 192 * 128 / 256 = 96
|-
| Blue || #C0C000 || #008080 || 0016 * 8016 / 10016 = 0016 || 0 * 128 / 256 = 0
|-
| Final Color || || || #006000 || 0 96 0
|}

As illustrated by this example, colors in the tileset can result in colors that aren't in the foreground color or the tile graphic. In this case, a brown foreground color with a cyan pixel color in the tileset results in a final color of green.

Theoretically, the way the game handles color masks could be used to display different graphics for items that use the same tile (but whose respective colors use different color component channels). For example, if a bright red object and a bright blue object use the same tile, the tile can use bright red for all pixels that only the red object uses, bright blue for all pixels only the blue object uses, and bright magenta (but NOT #FF00FF, it would have to be #FE00FE or something similar) for all pixels both objects use. In this fashion the two objects that share a tile would look completely different. In practice however, this is probably impossible because so many objects share the same tile, the chances of the potential foreground colors sharing a red, green, or blue color component are too great.

== What tiles are used for what ==

''''This section needs to be redone for the new DF version. Any Volunteers?''''

'''VERY IMPORTANT:''' Before removing ", others?" at the end, make absolutely sure that there are no other uses for the tile, and ''always'' add it if you are not absolutely sure that there are no other uses for the tile. Any edits not following this rule will get reverted.

Items marked with * can have their tile changed in the raw files.
Items marked with # can have their tile replaced by an [[Object Tileset]] image. This includes all non-vermin creatures (not sure about vermins).

{|
|-
|||||----- Row 01 (000-015) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| || No use
|-
| {{TST|☺}} || Civilian dwarves#
|-
| {{TST|☻}} || Military dwarves#
|-
| {{TST|♥}} || Dimple Cups*, others?
|-
| {{TST|♦}} || Cut gems, large gems, others?
|-
| {{TST|♣}} || Tower-caps*, Acacia trees*, Mangrove trees*, Maple trees*, quarry bushes(*?), others(no other tree)?
|-
| {{TST|♠}} || Plump Helmets*, Oak trees(*?), quarry bush leaves(*?), others?
|-
| {{TST|•}} || Stone, solid workshop tile for several workshops like the magma smelter, lakes in main map, caves in the main map, others?
|-
| {{TST|◘}} || Solid workshop tile for several other workshops like the magma forge, tanner workshop, catapult cup, others?
|-
| {{TST|○}} || Well, bracelet, others?
|-
| {{TST|◙}} ||
|-
| {{TST|♂}} || Male sign, bags, others?
|-
| {{TST|♀}} || Female sign, amulet, others?
|-
| {{TST|♪}} ||
|-
| {{TST|♫}} || Armor stands, others?
|-
| {{TST|☼}} || Gems, coal, currency symbol, masterpiece quality symbol, turtle*, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 02 (016-031) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|►}} || Head of ballista facing east, others?
|-
| {{TST|◄}} || Head of ballista facing west, others?
|-
| {{TST|↕}} ||
|-
| {{TST|‼}} || Cages, on-fire symbol, others?
|-
| {{TST|¶}} || Mugs, largest elven cities?, others?
|-
| {{TST|§}} || Restraints, others?
|-
| {{TST|▬}} || Logs, others?
|-
| {{TST|↨}} || Some tree types, others?
|-
| {{TST|↑}} || Interface text (bridge and aqueduct direction), others?
|-
| {{TST|↓}} || Hungry/thirsty/drowsy/unhappy indicator, bridge placement raising direction indicator, others?
|-
| {{TST|→}} || Interface text (bridge and aqueduct direction), others?
|-
| {{TST|←}} || Interface text (bridge and aqueduct direction), others?
|-
| {{TST|∟}} || Withered plants, others?
|-
| {{TST|↔}} ||
|-
| {{TST|▲}} || Head of ballista facing north, tree?, ramp, others?
|-
| {{TST|▼}} || Head of ballista facing south, ramp, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 03 (032-047) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| || No use
|-
| {{TST|!}} || Strange mood mark, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|"}} || Shrub, quotation marks, kobold's glowing eyes*, others?
|-
| {{TST|#}} || Chasm, pits, Basalt wall, Sandstone wall, others?
|-
| {{TST|$}} || Coins, others?
|-
| {{TST|%}} || Prepared food, unknown underground area, siltstone, others?
|-
| {{TST|&}} || Demons#, others?
|-
| {{TST|'}} || Rough floors, unknown underground, others?
|-
| {{TST|(}} || Foreign object opening tag, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|)}} || Foreign object closing tag, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|*}} || Ore, superior quality tags, key reference, others?
|-
| {{TST|+}} || Smooth floors, injured status, finely-crafted tags, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|,}} || Rough floors, unknown underground, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|-}} || Scepters, arrows in flight, well-crafted tags, keyboard reference, others?
|-
| {{TST|.}} || Rough floors, text, unknown underground, others?
|-
| {{TST|/}} || Weapons, bolts, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 04 (048-063) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|0}} || Coffins, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|1}} ||
|-
| {{TST|2}} ||
|-
| {{TST|3}} ||
|-
| {{TST|4}} ||
|-
| {{TST|5}} ||
|-
| {{TST|6}} ||
|-
| {{TST|7}} ||
|-
| {{TST|8}} ||
|-
| {{TST|9}} ||
|-
| {{TST|:}} || Strawberries, plants (type?), snowstorms, others?
|-
| {{TST|;}} || Workshop(which ones?), others?
|-
| {{TST|<}} || Stairs, others?
|-
| {{TST|=}} || Stockpiles, Flint Wall, others?
|-
| {{TST|>}} || Stairs, others?
|-
| {{TST|?}} || "Task assigned" indicator, looking for path(?), others?
|-
|||||----- Row 05 (064-079) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|@}} || Sheriff#, berserk dwarf#, adventurer#, fortress guard#, royal guard#, dwarven merchants#, caravan guards#
|-
| {{TST|A}} || Alligator#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|B}} ||
|-
| {{TST|C}} || Cow#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|D}} || Dragon#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|E}} || Elf#, elephant#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|F}} ||
|-
| {{TST|G}} ||
|-
| {{TST|H}} ||
|-
| {{TST|I}} || Support, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|J}} ||
|-
| {{TST|K}} ||
|-
| {{TST|L}} || Leopard
|-
| {{TST|M}} || Magma man#, mule#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|N}} ||
|-
| {{TST|O}} || Trade depot post, detailing system, text, wall ends, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 06 (080-095) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|P}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Q}} ||
|-
| {{TST|R}} ||
|-
| {{TST|S}} || Sasquatch#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|T}} ||
|-
| {{TST|U}} || Human#, Unicorn#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|V}} ||
|-
| {{TST|W}} ||
|-
| {{TST|X}} || Bin, floodgate, shop post, nausea/winded/stunned/unconscious/migrant indicator, text, up/down stairs, others?
|-
| {{TST|Y}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Z}} ||
|-
| {{TST|[}} || Clothes, armor?, others?
|-
| {{TST|\}} ||
|-
| {{TST|]}} || Clothes?, armor?, others?
|-
| {{TST|^}} || Trap, pressure plate (trap?), others?
|-
| {{TST|_}} || Channel, text, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 07 (096-111) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|`}} || Rough floors, unknown underground, others?
|-
| {{TST|a}} || Antman?
|-
| {{TST|b}} || Batman?
|-
| {{TST|c}} || Cat#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|d}} || Dog#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|e}} ||
|-
| {{TST|f}} || Frogman#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|g}} || Goblin#, gremlin#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|h}} || Harpy#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|i}} ||
|-
| {{TST|j}} ||
|-
| {{TST|k}} || Kobold#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|l}} ||
|-
| {{TST|m}} || Mandrill#, mussel, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|n}} ||
|-
| {{TST|o}} || Well construction, bridge construction, text, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 08 (112-127) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|p}} ||
|-
| {{TST|q}} ||
|-
| {{TST|r}} ||
|-
| {{TST|s}} || Snakeman#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|t}} || Troglodyte#, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|u}} ||
|-
| {{TST|v}} ||
|-
| {{TST|w}} ||
|-
| {{TST|x}} ||
|-
| {{TST|y}} ||
|-
| {{TST|z}} ||
|-
| {{TST|{}} ||
|-
| {{TST||}} ||
|-
| {{TST|}}} ||
|-
| {{TST|~}} || Unfinished rough stone road, river, magma, fluids, dirt road, farm construction, others?
|-
| {{TST|⌂}} || Animal trap, low mountains on world map, part of mechanic's workshop?, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 09 (128-143) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|Ç}} || Mechanisms, others?
|-
| {{TST|ü}} ||
|-
| {{TST|é}} ||
|-
| {{TST|â}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ä}} ||
|-
| {{TST|à}} ||
|-
| {{TST|å}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ç}} || Totems, text?, others?
|-
| {{TST|ê}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ë}} ||
|-
| {{TST|è}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ï}} ||
|-
| {{TST|î}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ì}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Ä}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Å}} || Idols, text, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 10 (144-159) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|É}} ||
|-
| {{TST|æ}} || Toys, others?
|-
| {{TST|Æ}} || Coffers, Quivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|ô}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ö}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ò}} || Unactivated levers, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|û}} || Bucket, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|ù}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ÿ}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Ö}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Ü}} ||
|-
| {{TST|¢}} || Closed hatches, others?
|-
| {{TST|£}} || Ore in walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|¥}} || Lobster*, others?
|-
| {{TST|₧}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ƒ}} ||
|-
|||||----- Row 11 (160-175) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|á}} ||
|-
| {{TST|í}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ó}} || Activated levers, text, others?
|-
| {{TST|ú}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ñ}} ||
|-
| {{TST|Ñ}} ||
|-
| {{TST|ª}} ||
|-
| {{TST|º}} || Cloth, others?
|-
| {{TST|¿}} || Instrument, others?
|-
| {{TST|⌐}} ||
|-
| {{TST|¬}} ||
|-
| {{TST|½}} ||
|-
| {{TST|¼}} ||
|-
| {{TST|¡}} || Flask, waterskin, others?
|-
| {{TST|«}} || Ballista arrow tail for west-facing ballistae, decoration mark, others?
|-
| {{TST|»}} || Ballista arrow tail for east-facing ballistae, decoration mark, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 12 (176-191) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|░}} || Partially dug rock, gases, workshop tiles(which ones?), others?
|-
| {{TST|▒}} || Partially dug rock, gases, workshop tiles(which ones)?, side tiles for catapult, window, others?
|-
| {{TST|▓}} || Partially dug rock, gases, workshop tiles(which ones)?, others?
|-
| {{TST|│}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|┤}} || Overworld rivers, top-right tile for Loom, others?
|-
| {{TST|╡}} || Tree in winter, part of bridge system, others?
|-
| {{TST|╢}} ||
|-
| {{TST|╖}} || Ends of smooth walls, Waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╕}} || Ends of smooth walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╣}} || Walls, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|║}} || Walls, bridges, waterfalls, wooden doors, others?
|-
| {{TST|╗}} || Walls, bridges, others?
|-
| {{TST|╝}} || Walls, bridges, others?
|-
| {{TST|╜}} || Ends of smooth walls, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╛}} || Ends of smooth walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|┐}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
|||||----- Row 13 (192-207) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|└}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|┴}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|┬}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|├}} || Overworld rivers, top-left tile for Loom, others?
|-
| {{TST|─}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|┼}} || Doors, overworld rivers, (flashing) floor detailing/engraving in progress, others?
|-
| {{TST|╞}} || Bridges, trees in winter, catapult tile, others?
|-
| {{TST|╟}} ||
|-
| {{TST|╚}} || Walls, bridges, others?
|-
| {{TST|╔}} || Walls, bridges, others?
|-
| {{TST|╩}} || Walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╦}} || Walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╠}} || Walls, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|═}} || Walls, bridges, planted fields, center catapult tile, others?
|-
| {{TST|╬}} || Walls, bridges, fortifications, (flashing) wall detailing/engraving/fortifying in progress, others?
|-
| {{TST|╧}} ||
|-
|||||----- Row 14 (208-223) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|╨}} || Bridges, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╤}} || Table, others?
|-
| {{TST|╥}} || Chairs, bridges, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╙}} || Ends of smooth walls, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╘}} || Ends of smooth walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╒}} || Ends of smooth walls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╓}} || Ends of smooth walls, waterfalls, others?
|-
| {{TST|╫}} || Some types of floodgates (metal? wood?)?, others?
|-
| {{TST|╪}} || Some types of doors (metal?), others?
|-
| {{TST|┘}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|┌}} || Overworld rivers, others?
|-
| {{TST|█}} || Any solid color tile
|-
| {{TST|▄}} || Siege machine parts, others?
|-
| {{TST|▌}} || Ballista, others?
|-
| {{TST|▐}} || Ballista, others?
|-
| {{TST|▀}} ||
|-
|||||----- Row 15 (224-239) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|α}} || Fish, fishery tile(which one?), meat (except?), others?
|-
| {{TST|ß}} || Leather, others?
|-
| {{TST|Γ}} || Weight symbol, others?
|-
| {{TST|π}} || Cabinet, others?
|-
| {{TST|Σ}} || Trap weapon, others?
|-
| {{TST|σ}} || Anvil, others?
|-
| {{TST|µ}} || Plants*(which?), crown, others?
|-
| {{TST|τ}} || Pig tails*, Tower cap sapling others?
|-
| {{TST|Φ}} || Sweet pods*, bloated tuber*, others?
|-
| {{TST|Θ}} || Beds, others?
|-
| {{TST|Ω}} || Statues, Dwarven cities on map, others?
|-
| {{TST|δ}} || Earrings, kennel tile, others?
|-
| {{TST|∞}} || Unmined andesite*, unmined pumice*, others?
|-
| {{TST|φ}} || Thread, others?
|-
| {{TST|ε}} ||
|-
| {{TST|∩}} ||
|-
|||||----- Row 16 (240-255) ---------------------------------------------
|-
| {{TST|≡}} || Bars, excellence quality symbol, others?
|-
| {{TST|±}} || Unfinished road, others?
|-
| {{TST|≥}} || Spent ammo (catapult stones count), ashes, others?
|-
| {{TST|≤}} || Spent ammo (catapult stones count), ashes, others?
|-
| {{TST|⌠}} || Willow tree*, other trees?, others?
|-
| {{TST|⌡}} ||
|-
| {{TST|÷}} || Barrel, others?
|-
| {{TST|≈}} || Rough stone road, river, lava, glop, fat, tallow, farm, vomit, blood pools others?
|-
| {{TST|°}} || Ring, others?
|-
| {{TST|∙}} || Vermin*, others?
|-
| {{TST|·}} || Seeds, others?
|-
| {{TST|√}} || Weapon racks, tall grass in main map, text in selection screen for building construction to indicate that an object will be used, others?
|-
| {{TST|ⁿ}} || Something in main map(what is it?), others?
|-
| {{TST|²}} || Body parts, chunks, corpses, bone, shell, skin, others?
|-
| {{TST|■}} || Blocks, first image seen for a creature falling into the chasm, others?
|-
| || No use
|}



[[Category:Modding]]
[[Category:Interface]]

40d:Bed

2007-11-02T21:50:29Z

Sowelu:

A '''bed''' is a simple sleeping pallet to built on the floor. Dwarves gain unhappy thoughts from sleeping without a bed, so building beds is often a necessity for a happy fortress. Unlike many other pieces of furniture, beds can only be created from [[wood]]; each bed requires a single piece.

When settling treeless areas, it is ideal to bring along several logs during the [[Prepare for the Journey]] screen in order to make beds and [[bucket]]s.

[[Category:Furniture]]

Beds are the base object used to create [[Bedroom]]s; see that page for more information on bedrooms and barracks. Toady has stated that beds which are not in any defined room are considered hospital beds, and dwarves will recover faster when sleeping on them.

Outpost manager

2007-11-02T11:33:00Z

Sowelu:

The Outpost Manager is an appointed [[noble]] position.

If this position is left vacant, the Manager screen at 'u' -> 'm' says "A manager is required to coordinate work orders", which seems to imply that they will not be performed. However, when the position is occupied, these tasks still seem to get queued.

It has been reported on the forums that some tasks require the manager to sign off on them before they can be started, and that the manager window displays a list of checkmarks to signify the tasks he has signed off on. Anyone who is experienced with this should replace this paragraph with better details.

Looks like he starts needing an office, and starts being necessary, at 20 dwarves.

[[Category:Nobles]]

40d:Evaporation

2007-11-01T05:34:39Z

Sowelu:

Water with a depth of one will slowly disappear. Outdoor water of any depth will evaporate (and possibly disappear completely) during hot or dry seasons.

Deeper water seems to lose water at a slower rate: Observed a depth 2 pool vanish completely while a depth 5 pool didn't lose any water at all, over a couple seasons.

40d:Noble

2007-10-31T22:17:41Z

Sowelu: Treasurer at 20 dwarves.

The noble system has been revamped. Instead of getting gobs of useless dwarves, you can assign the administrative jobs of the fortress to any dwarf you prefer.

Settings specific to each noble can be set on the Nobles & Administrators (N) screen.

==Appointments==
*[[Expedition Leader]]: Listens to the complaints of other dwarves to make them happier. Uses [[social skills]]. Is the noble who meets with outpost liaisons. It does not seem possible to reassign this post - at least while the original holder of the title remains alive. Your original expedition leader will be the fourth dwarf down in the starting screen(the one in the middle).
**[[Mayor]]: Promoted from Expedition Leader at 50 dwarves. Unlike the Expedition Leader, he requires decent housing and will make mandates.
*[[Outpost Broker]]: Utilizes the [[Appraiser|appraiser]] skill and [[social skills]]. Is usually the person you send to the depot to do your trading. Lets you see the imported/exported wealth of your fortress.
*[[Outpost Manager]]: Utilizes the [[Organizer|organizer]] skill. Allows the use of item build queues through the (u)nits -> (m)anager screen.
*[[Bookkeeper]]: Utilizes the [[Record Keeper]] skill. Lets you see the stocks of your fortress. Needs to do occasional jobs in an office of their own if you want accurate stock keeping: otherwise, stock numbers will be rounded to one-digit accuracy (7163 -> 7000, 7823 -> 8000)
**Upgrades to [[Treasurer]] after your fortress reaches a population of 20.
*[[Sheriff]]: You may choose a dwarf to become the Sheriff after your fortress reaches a population of 20.
**[[Captain of the Guard]]: Promoted from the Sheriff once you reach 50 dwarves, along with the [[Mayor]]. Activates fortress guard.
There is substantial overlap between the Expedition Leader and the Outpost Broker's skills, so you may wish to assign them as the same person if you have time for one dwarf to both meet with traders and meet with the outpost liaison.

40d Talk:Noble

2007-10-31T22:14:41Z

Sowelu:

I'm "fixing" the change, "16:59, 31 October 2007 Lightning4 (Talk | contribs) (1,934 bytes) (→Appointments - Isn't called bookkeeper, at least when the fortress is new.)", because in my forts it IS called bookkeeper when the fortress starts. Other edits have backed me up, suspect editor was confused--Please discuss this here? --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 15:09, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

:I apologize, I was indeed incorrect. You do start with a Bookkeeper, which in very short order can be upgraded to a Treasurer. Unsure of requirements, possibly only requires 20 dwarves like the sheriff. My fortress has one and I haven't even done anything besides changed who had bookkeeping and set it to higher priority (did not build study yet). That's probably what got me confused since the bookkeeper upgrades very quickly. [[User:Lightning4|Lightning4]] 18:11, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

::Yeah, 20 dwarves sounds accurate enough to put in there. He didn't turn when I had only 17. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 18:14, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

40d Talk:Noble

2007-10-31T22:13:38Z

Sowelu:

I'm "fixing" the change, "16:59, 31 October 2007 Lightning4 (Talk | contribs) (1,934 bytes) (→Appointments - Isn't called bookkeeper, at least when the fortress is new.)", because in my forts it IS called bookkeeper when the fortress starts. Other edits have backed me up, suspect editor was confused--Please discuss this here? --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 15:09, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

:I apologize, I was indeed incorrect. You do start with a Bookkeeper, which in very short order can be upgraded to a Treasurer. Unsure of requirements, possibly only requires 20 dwarves like the sheriff. My fortress has one and I haven't even done anything besides changed who had bookkeeping and set it to higher priority (did not build study yet). That's probably what got me confused since the bookkeeper upgrades very quickly. [[User:Lightning4|Lightning4]] 18:11, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Yeah, 20 dwarves sounds accurate enough to put in there. He didn't turn when I had only 17.

40d Talk:Noble

2007-10-31T19:09:31Z

Sowelu: Bookkeeper vs Treasurer

40d:Noble

2007-10-31T19:05:34Z

Sowelu: Bookkeeper comes before treasurer.

The noble system has been revamped. Instead of getting gobs of useless dwarves, you can assign the administrative jobs of the fortress to any dwarf you prefer.

Settings specific to each noble can be set on the Nobles & Administrators (N) screen.

==Appointments==
*[[Expedition Leader]]: Listens to the complaints of other dwarves to make them happier. Uses social skills. Is the noble who meets with outpost liaisons. It does not seem possible to reassign this post - at least while the original holder of the title remains alive. Your original expedition leader will be the fourth dwarf down in the starting screen(the one in the middle).
**[[Mayor]]: Promoted from Expedition Leader at 50 dwarves. Unlike the Expedition Leader, he requires decent housing and will make mandates.
*[[Outpost Broker]]: Utilizes the [[Appraiser|appraiser]] skill and social skills. Is usually the person you send to the depot to do your trading. Lets you see the imported/exported wealth of your fortress.
*[[Outpost Manager]]: Utilizes the [[Organizer|organizer]] skill. Allows the use of item build queues through the (u)nits -> (m)anager screen.
*[[Bookkeeper]]: Utilizes the [[Record Keeper]] skill. Lets you see the stocks of your fortress. Needs to do occasional jobs in an office of their own if you want accurate stock keeping: otherwise, stock numbers will be rounded to one-digit accuracy (7163 -> 7000, 7823 -> 8000)
**Possibly upgrades to [[Outpost Treasurer]]?
*[[Sheriff]]: You may choose a dwarf to become the Sheriff after your fortress reaches a population of 20.
**[[Captain of the Guard]]: Promoted from the Sheriff once you reach 50 dwarves, along with the [[Mayor]]. Activates fortress guard.
There is substantial overlap between the Expedition Leader and the Outpost Broker's skills, so you may wish to assign them as the same person if you have time for one dwarf to both meet with traders and meet with the outpost liaison.

Outpost manager

2007-10-31T18:56:01Z

Sowelu:

40d:Gravity

2007-10-31T18:14:09Z

Sowelu: Links for gravity vs. town buildings.

I think we need a page for gravity. We need some people to test some things like if you remove the supports from underneath something, and what happens if you jump off a cliff.

Gravity vs. adventurers:
*http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-38-jumpingvideo

Gravity vs. human buildings:
*http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-65-cave-in
*http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-51-undermining

It is said that terrain collapses instantly, but creatures fall slowly, ie, not instantly. The exact rate of creature falling, whether they accelerate, and how damage is calculated is unknown. Also, it appears that when constructed objects fall, they turn into their component materials and then fall 'slowly' just like creatures.

40d Talk:Stone types

2007-10-30T22:40:52Z

Sowelu: Inserted my sig...oops.

This list should be merged with [[List of mineral types]]. --[[User:Peristarkawan|Peristarkawan]] 21:43, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

Which way, though? If you look at the designation list, all of this is categorized under "Stone". [[User:GrimmSweeper|GrimmSweeper]]

It would be useful to include what levels these ores can be found at, if we find there is any regular system for ore placement --[[User:Alc|Alc]] 01:14, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

Hey that wasnt spam! It was the truth! atleast let them know its brown and the standard grey color. [[User:Diabl0658|Diabl0658]] 02:09, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

Even if it wasn't spam that sort of phrasing isn't needed on the wiki. --[[User:Karlito|Karlito]] 02:12, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

I guess i was a little mad when i found out my fortress was going to look like it was covered in mud, but you are right [[User:Diabl0658|Diabl0658]] 02:16, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

O_O Pitchblende is uranium ore... [[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 13:34, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

:Sweet! Wonder what happens to the dwarf who spends too much time mining it... --[[User:Peristarkawan|Peristarkawan]] 13:42, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

::Not to mention Orpiment, which is chock full of arsenic. Very nasty. I hope I never end up making +Orpiment mugs+. --[[User:Sowelu|Sowelu]] 18:30, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

:::Or, given that we can make lead now, -lead mugs-. Wonder if mercury or other hazardous metals will be implemented too? It'd probably be interesting to have a metal that's fluid at normal cavern temperature. Cold magma! It'd be the dwarven equivalent to cold fusion! XD -- [[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 18:37, 30 October 2007 (EDT)